★ Zero and Marie inspired me to write a little piece based on RiverHills – so while I'm building up the energy to draw them, I'm presenting you a little snippet from my Apricots ~! ♡
★ I didn't really want to spoil anything, but it just so happens that I ended up mentioning a certain moment anyway – so when you're reading, just be careful, it's a spoiler for Apricots. That moment will appear in one of the chapters – maybe I'll change it, maybe I won't, but for now, this is what we've got.
★ Happy reading ! 🧡
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"Fata-Morgana" swayed on the gentle swell, like a tired beast catching its breath. Somewhere below, in the hold, the generators hummed their dull, throaty song – old, temperamental, but faithful. Overhead stretched the starry expanse of Thalassa, inky-black, threaded with rare silver veins of clouds, lit from beneath by the ocean's glow. The air smelled of salt, wet wood, and metal – a strange blend that, for Rivera, was probably the scent of home.
Boothill came up on deck without a sound. His mechanical legs moved softly, and only the faint jingle of spurs gave him away as he stopped a couple of meters from her. He paused for a moment, studying her silhouette. The pirate sat on the gunwale, legs dangling, staring off into the distance – where the sky met the water, and the line between them seemed blurred and shifting.
Boothill chuckled to himself.
What a sight..
The Unsinkable Aradana, The Guiding Star of Thalassa.. A woman with so many titles you could fill a whole book with them – and there she sat, like a scrappy kid, gazing at the water, doing nothing in particular, yet something hung in the air around her. Something thick and heavy. The calm before tomorrow's storm.
He reached into his bandolier, fingers finding the cold casing of a bullet – a 9mm classic, his favorite – rolled it between his fingers, took a step forward, then another, and dropped down beside her without asking, boldly, as if he had every right to be there.
– Well, what's got ya so quiet, Star of Thalassa ?
His voice, low and just a little raspy, came out almost cheerful – but somewhere deep down, there was a flicker of wariness hiding beneath it. He was looking straight ahead at the horizon line, but out of the corner of his eye, he was watching her face.
– So I take it we're in the same crew now, huh ? That means, morale-wise – you're my partner, I'm your partner, we're practically kin, almost family ! Long as you don't start naggin' me 'bout bein' your cyborg cousin and makin' a mess in the house, we're golden.
He flashed a grin, his metal teeth glinting, but the joke landed flat. Seemed like even he felt it.
– Awright, forget it..
He fell silent. For a few seconds, the quiet stretched between them, broken only by the waves lapping against the hull and the distant call of a night bird somewhere far off. He stopped rolling the bullet, closed his fist around it, and without looking at her, said quietly :
– Y'know.. it's been a hundred forkin' years since I last thought 'bout what comes "after." Used to figure that after— well.. that's just empty. Y'know, smoke, ashes, and nothin' else. But now I look at you, an' I start thinkin' : maybe I just never knew how to think 'bout "after" right.
He let out a short huff, like he was catching himself, and shook his head.
– Don't mind me. Just an old fudger ramblin'. You tell me, though.. where you headed after all this ?
– Straight to hell, obviously.
The dark-skinned pirate let out a smirk, clearly having no intention of giving him any kind of serious answer. She raised a bottle of Honey Rum to her lips and took a swallow, hiding her grin behind it.
Darn woman, he's asking for real, and she's just cracking jokes..
Boothill let out a short, nasal snort, as if he'd just heard the most ridiculous joke in all his mechanical life. He leaned back, bracing his palms against the deck planks, and tipped his head up toward the sky. Up above, one of the stars flickered – maybe a ship passing by, or maybe just the atmosphere playing tricks.
– Dagnabbit, ya ol' sea-rat.
He drawled, and in his voice crept that same lazy, mocking edge he usually saved for the most brazen corpo rats.
– Here I am, pourin' my heart out like some fudgin' sweetheart, an' that's what I get ? You're just like that dame from Pier-Point. First she was drinkin', next thing I know she's chuckin' a bottle right at my head.
He turned his head, looking at her from the side, and narrowed his glowing eye with a sly glint. His gaze slid from the bottle in her hand, then up to her face.
– Hey, c'mon, lemme have a swig, will ya ? Here I am sittin' dry as a bone, an' you're hoardin' your treasure like a dragon.
– What else d'you want ? A knuckle sandwich with that ?
– You'll be the one gettin' a knuckle sandwich, darlin'. Matter of fact, I could be sittin' in some bar right now, mint julep in hand, sweet-talkin' some fine ladies.. but nah, here I am, with you, on this deck, in your world, mind ya, an' nobody's even offerin' me a drink. Some pirates you lot are, huh ?
A full, low, quiet chuckle escaped Rivera's throat as she finally tore her gaze from the horizon and fixed it on the cowboy beside her.
– Nobody asked you to go pourin' your heart out to me, mate. I'm a pirate, not some bleedin' priest in a chapel.
She took another swig from the bottle and only then lazily held it out to him.
– Take it, if you ain't too fancy for my spit ~
– Fancy ? Shirt, I've drunk from puddles on some backwater planet where the water smelled like sulfur an' dead fish.
Boothill took the bottle with such care, as if it might blow up in his hands. He turned it in his fingers, studying the cloudy glass against the starlight, then let out a hum and, without looking at Rivera, took a long swig. The bittersweet liquid burned his throat – unfamiliar, but not unpleasantly so. He let out a satisfied grunt, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and handed the bottle back – but not right away, holding onto it for a moment longer, as if weighing something.
– This here's nectar of the gods compared to that swill I was drinkin'. Not fudgin' bad at all.
He leaned back again, tipping his head up toward the sky, and fell silent for a few seconds. The splash of waves against the hull, the distant cry of a night bird, the faint creak of wood beneath his weight – and silence. Ordinary, simple, without gunfire or explosions.
– Listen..
He said suddenly, without turning his head, his voice growing quieter and more serious.
– But for real, though ? You ain't starin' at that horizon for nothin'. I know that look. I got the same one when I'm thinkin' that everythin' before is gone, an' what comes after.. well, that's the scary part. So what is it you're scared of ?
He turned his head and now looked at her directly, fixedly, without his usual mockery. In his glowing mechanical eye, something warm flickered – almost human.
– Who said I'm scared ? Take a good look at me. I survived the gallows, I survived the circles of hell, and ya think there's somethin' out there that's got me shiverin' ? Pfft, gimme a break..
She rolled her eyes, taking another swig from the bottle. Her gaze drifted back into the distance as the wind brushed gently against their faces, and the emotions on the pirate's face shifted slowly. The cocky grin vanished completely when realization hit her. Who was she trying to fool ? She was scared as hell. Tomorrow would be the final battle.. tomorrow they had to liberate Thalassa, tomorrow they had to destroy the Order of Extinguished Stars, their lackeys in the Royal Guard, and the one above them all – Raziel. Everything inside her clenched unpleasantly, so much so that she wanted to claw and crush her own body into pieces.
– ..Used to be I'd charge in blind, didn't give a damn about nothin', didn't give two shits where I'd die or by whose hand. Never planned to last long, but now..
Rivera loosened her grip on the bottle slightly and let out a heavy sigh, shaking her head.
– I.. I never thought I'd have friends. Never thought the townsfolk would stand with me. Never thought I'd see Dante again. Never thought I could change a damn thing.. but then a chance came along—
The pirate tightened her grip on the bottle's neck, now staring at her own hand, staring at the water, as images from the past flickered through her mind.
– I'm scared of dyin', Hill.
She said, chasing the words down with another swig of alcohol. After a heavy gulp, Aradana sighed again and tipped her head back toward the sky.
– I picked out my spot up in the sky. But now I'm findin' I don't much wanna become part of those stars no more.
Boothill didn't answer right away. He watched her – watched as she tipped her head back, as the wind played with her hair, as her fingers tightened around the bottle's neck. And in the silence that hung between them, there was something heavy, something real, something that couldn't be buried under jokes or rum. He slowly shifted his gaze to the stars, to that same sky she'd just been looking at. His mechanical eye flickered for a moment, as if calculating something, and then Bootheel said quietly :
– Y'know, I get it. I used to not be scared either. Not one bit. Figured : so I die – big forkin' whoop. Ain't nothin' left anyway. Everyone I loved, burned. Home burned, planet burned. I'm just walkin' ash myself. What's there to be scared of ?
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He fell silent, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if tired, then let out a huff – but there was no humor in the sound.
– An' then I met this lil' scamp who was stealin' bread, an' you, an' your Aunt Cheryl, that whole Trinity of Revolutionaries, Mateo.. an' I realized : well, ain't that a sweet little thing. I wanna live again. Not for revenge – just to see what comes next. To watch Dante grow up, to see Thalassa rebuilt, to watch you bossin' poor folks around on your very own ship, forkin' yelling at the crew.
He turned to her. Boothill hadn't even noticed at first how she'd been watching him the whole time he was speaking, how her eyes had widened slightly, how they glowed with wonder and something else – something she'd carry to her grave when all of this was over.
– So you ain't the only one, y'hear. An' that spot in the sky can wait. We still got time to raise some hell, don't we ?
That ticklish feeling made Aradana crack a smile, and the grin returned to her face as she fully turned to face him, bottle in hand and arms crossed over her chest.
– Well, ain't that poetic. Didn't know you had it in ya to lay it on so pretty. Been practicin' long, have ya ?
Boothill froze for a split second at her question, and then his face broke into a wide, almost boyish grin, flashing his metal teeth. He squinted slyly, and a mischievous spark flickered in his mechanical eye.
– Practiced ? Pfft, go fudge yourself, Riv.
The cowboy waved it off.
– Well, y'know, when you spend your days chasin' corpo ashvolves across the whole galaxy, you learn a pretty phrase or two along the way. Especially right before you put a bullet in someone's skull. It's my signature style – word first, shot second.
The dark-haired pirate grinned wider, tilting her head to the side with a raised brow.
– So, gonna shoot or what ? Or all you got is bark ?
Rivera raised her hand and took another swig of Honey Rum, savoring their playful verbal sparring. Boothill, meanwhile, theatrically pressed a hand to his chest, feigning mortal offense. His metal fingers let out a faint clink as he ran them along the edge of his bandolier, as if checking that all his bullets were still in place.
– Now that's just hurtful, ya fudgehead, truly hurtful ! I ain't just all bark, y'know. I bite too – just take a look at these chompers. Want a demonstration now ?
He bared his teeth, letting his metal fangs glint, and playful sparks danced in his eye.
– Just a fair warnin' : I ain't vaccinated against rabies. Or bad jokes, for that matter ~
– Bwah-hah ! Lookin' to lose a few of those teeth, are ya ? I can arrange that, ain't no trouble at all ~
Rivera laughed, raising her hand – but only to flick the edge of his hat with her fingertips, sending it down over his face and eyes. Boothill didn't even have time to open his mouth for another jab – his face vanished for a moment beneath the wide brim, and he let out a muffled, indignant sound, like an old hound whose tail had just been stepped on.
– Agh, ya little fudgin' varmint !
He shoved the hat back onto his head with a jerk, his eye flashing with a mix of genuine indignation and wild delight. His metal hand shot forward with surprising speed for his size – not for a punch, but to grab the edge of the hat on her head. He made a show of pulling it toward him, but in the last motion, he smacked his palm against the wide brim, knocking it askew.
– Take that, sunshine ! Let's see how you like it without YOUR precious hat !
But he'd overdone it just a little. The hat, slipping through her hair, fluttered over her shoulder with a soft thump and, tracing a short arc through the air, landed with a splash on the dark water a couple meters from the hull. It bobbed gently on the waves, dark and helpless.
Silence fell across the deck.
They stared at the pirate hat in the water.
The hat stared back at them.
Boothill froze, gawking at it, then slowly shifted his gaze to Rivera. For a split second, sheer horror flickered in his mechanical eye.
– Oops. Uhh.. oh, look ! Your hat's floatin' just fine—
– ¡ PUTA MADRE ! MERDE ! T'ES CONNARD OU QUOI !? THAT HAT WAS A GIFT FROM MATEO !
– You started it first, you muddle-fudger !!
– ¿ Qué mierda dices ?! PUTAIN, I didn't knock your hat off THAAT hard !
– Well, sorry ?? What'd you expect ?!
– "Sorry" ?! ¡ PUTA ! ¡ VA TE FAIRE FOUTRE— go get my hat, it's floatin' away !!
– I can't swim, are you fudgin' kiddin' me ?!
– ¡ ME IMPORTA UNA MIERDA ! VA CHIER ! Go get my hat ! It's worth more than your face on those wanted posters !
– Riv, it's just a hat— Rivera. Rivera what're you doin'— Rivera let go of me !! Don't you push me ! WHAT THE— Have you lost your dagnabbit mind, woman ?! Rivera— RIVERA I CAN'T SWIM ! RIVERA—"
※注意※
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
𝐘𝐞𝐬. 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞,𝐢 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝.
𝐎𝐂 𝐗 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐒
About Sharl ,You can check here and for Datura, you can check here.
There might be some typo and maybe a bit ooc for boothill
Please scroll away if you are not a big fan of Oc X canon Stuffs.
(I'm not good at writing and the story might be confusing....but enjoy kk)
Summary :
第一章
It was another day for Sharl wandering around the world as usual and today,she was wandering in the dreamflux reef area,lost. (She have no sense of direction). Sharl blinked and narrowed her eyes as she frowned
" Since when the Golden Hour became all blue and dark. "
She have just recovered from her injuries so she is not able to defend herself well.Sharl walked down the alley way towards the elevator which carries her above.But then when she was about to turn a corner. The air suddenly changed. A scent like crushed flowers and rust bloomed in her mind before it reached her senses. Sharl's hand moved to summon her abyssal scythe but it was already too late— the floor collapsed and she fell through it before she can react.When she landed, there was no ground. Only a vast,endless field of black void stretching into a red sky.Sharl panted as she knew something was wrong.
She was inside Datura's Halluciation Domain and she knew it. That strange woman came at her while she was in weaken stage.
" Ah... still wandering alone i see~ eheheh "
Her breath tightned and when she turned around.there is Datura, smiling as usual and giggling.Before sharl can defend herself. Their eyes met and that was the moment sharl fell into Datura's hallucination.
Sharl clicked her tongue and when she opened her eyes — Chū Shà stood before her. Her "Mother", glaring at Sharl with hatred in her eyes.Sharl stood frozen as she starts to panic,breathing heavily.
".....why won't you save me? why did you separated my body? why......WHY!!!!!"
" ! "
Sharl dropped to one knee as she start coughing up blood from the domain pressure. The blood hit the pale flowers and they drabk it eagerly blooming brighter,sharper and more alive.Sharl tried to stand up but the illusion kept coming before her— The death,The losing limbs,the acid,the burn, the humililations ,the disturbing screams. She dragged herself upright, ignoring the way the hallucinations clawed at her mind—showing her falling, failing, disappearing into endless repetition.
Step by step, she forced movement through the illusion.Each step cost pain.Each breath felt borrowed.She kept going anyway.Usually,she would shatter the Domain with a flick of her wrist but this time,she won't be able to survive......she was weaken from her own injuries.Slowly,her knee gave out and she collapsed before Datura,who is standing before her as many floating jellyfish surrounded Sharl's defeated body.Sharl's eyes lit were heavy as she whispered one name with the last strength she have before darkness claimed her.
".....boo....thill..."
Datura tilted her head to and crouched down before the unconscious sharl. Her gloved hand reached and touched sharl's face.
" Don't worry....i'll take real good care for all of them~ ehehe "
" But right now, just.....Sleep and never wake up."
Datura smiled as her face turned into Sharl's after she have touched her. She wore Sharl's face and left the original one behind. unconscious
第二章
Datura— No. " Sharl " have successfully fooled everyone.For months,She had lived exactly as she always had. She wandered off every morning,Returned before sunset. Sat quietly beside Ashveil. Dead calm as usual.The impersonation was flawless, Every scar,Every habit and every blank stare. "Sharl" had studied her masterpiece for centuries.Nobody suspected a thing expect Boothill.
That morning , "Sharl" went out for another walk but with boothill todat. They walked for several mins and she wants to take a break. That was strange,she usually walks 6-8 hours a day without resting.Boothill is suprised but he agreed anyway.They are alone in the abandoned area and she sat beneath an old tree,opening a small white box. Macarons.Boothill, who had been cleaning his revolver a short distance away, stopped and glanced over absentmindedly.
" Still eatin' macarons eh?"
" ....Mm."
She Picked one up. Yellow and raised it to her kissable lips. Boothill hand frozed. She lifted it gracefully between three fingers. Elegant,careful,perfect— too perfect.He slowly looked up. His expression emptied.
The real Sharl. His Sharl,his woman always pushed the yellow macarons aside without a word.She never complained.Never explained why.She simply left them until someone else took them.And when she held one...She pinched it gently between two fingers.A tiny habit so insignificant that no one would ever notice.
Except him.
Without hesitation,She raised the yellow macaron toward her mouth.Boothill's pupils narrowed.That was enough. His sharl hated lemon macarons.
BANG!
The revolver roared.The bullet tore straight through the macaron.Sweet crumbs exploded into the air.The pastry shattered before it reached her lips. "Sharl" eyes widen slightly as she blinked before turning to face boothill.
".....What was that for?."
Boothill stood up slowly. The revolver still smoked in his hand. His once grey eyes turned into red,burned with fury. The casual grin disappeared from his face. His hat cast a shadow over his eyes.The calm Gunslinger— was gone.He crossed the distance in seconds.Before "Sharl" could react—Boothill vanished.A metallic blur crossed the deck.His cybernetic hand slammed into her throat.The force lifted her completely off the ground before smashing her against the old brick wall.His metal fingers tightened around her neck like a steel vise. "Sharl" Gasped as her hand reached to pry his hand off but he was faster.His other hand jammed the revolver beneath her jaw.The barrel dug hard enough to bruise.He leaned in until their foreheads were almost touching.
"...Listen real careful."
"'Cause I'm only askin' once."
".....Where"
" .....The "
" ...Fudge "
" ...is
" ....Sharl"
" Sharl" Simply stared before she busted into laughter despite being pinned to the wall in a choke hold.
" Aw....getting mad are we? "
Boothill's grip tightened.
" YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY!?
He yelled not before suddenly slamming her into the wall again.His revolver pressed harder beneath her chin.
" for the last fudging time....."
" WHERE.IS.MY.PARTNER "
"Sharl" stared before starts to laugh as the black cracks slowly spread across The face.White hair dissolved into Purple....The illusion unravled.
Boothll quickly pulled the trigger but his grip suddenly met nothing. The body in his habd melted into a glossy puddle of dark violet slime that dripped through his mechanical fingers.
" The Fudge-?"
He immediatly stepped back as the puddle spread across the ground. Wider and wider then it began bubbling. Tiny bubbles burst one after another. From each bubble a translucent purple jellyfish floated upward,followed by a pile of them. And soon....hundreds drifted silently around him.
"......disgusting. " he frowned as he prepared to fight.
One suddenly brushed past his shoulder and another. Suddenly he was standing before his daughter. Then nick and his long dead other family. They all standing before him.
His eyes widen and stood frozen as his daughter run towards him. Alive.
" Papa! You are home!" the little girl giggled as she hugged his leg and smiled.
"......"
" Papa?"
" ....."
[quick summary in order to shorten the story--] Ehh so insert how he lost in the Halluciation where he lived peacefully with his family and his daughter. His memories got wiped away by Datura. He forgot about his role,his friends and Sharl. He lived happily with his family....until the scene switch to the screams and fires. He stood frozen before the fire and having panic attack. Then a mysterious woman stood before him and she offered her hand to him.he was about to accept her help but then he got a flashback— where he sat before Ashveil and Sharl as they warned him not to trust everuthing if things goes too well or bad. He might trapped in somewhere else.
And it was the moment where he got his memories back. Everything in front of him is fake. Every past cannot be changed.So? he aimed his mechanial arm which turned into a gun and pointed at the woman.
" Heh. You know....my boss used to tell me to quit wasting time...."
"...and shoot the muddlefudger makin' the illusion."
The woman eyes widen as a powerful bullet hits her and the Halluciation shattered.
Now,the reality have returned and datura was crouched before him,gripping her wounded chest as she panting yet still giggling.
"....Not bad. Cowboy "
" Damn right. Next time.....Use this " he smirked as tapped his temple before pointing at his revolver at Her forehead.
BANG!
第三章
Datura collapsed adurptly as she "died" and slowly the flowers also melted down along with its owner.
Boothill scoffed and rolled one shoulder,still gripping his revolver.and spit at the spot where Datura have dissolved into.
" ....Fudging' Hallucinations..."
Then finally his eyes caught someone near the big ancient stone.Lying motionless,Sharl Karlibarto.
Her white hair spread across the wooden deck.Dark violet slime clung to her sleeves, her neck, and one side of her face like stubborn ink.Her breathing was painfully shallow.his eyes widen as he rushed to her, tripped over his own feet in the run.
" ack- SHARL! "
no response.
He carefully brushed the sticky slime away from her cheek with his mechanical thumb.His expression darkened.
" Damn ...."
The usually composed woman looked strangely fragile.Too still,too quiet. It didn't suit her at all.
Without another word,He slid one arm beneath her knees,the other supported her back.He lifted her into a bridal carry,carefully,almost gently.Her head naturally rested against his chest.A few strands of white hair caught on the zips of his coat(?) But he didn't mind one bit. His mind is only focused on her.
".....Let's get ya home." he whispered almost gently.
After a few mins,sharl stirred slightly. Her eyelashes trembled.Boothill immediately looked down.Slowly,her blue eyes opened,only halfway,unfocused.The world was little more than blurry shapes and muted colors.She couldn't feel her body.couldn't think. Everything hurt and turning.
Finally,her vision settled and saw his face. His hat shadowed his eyes. The anger from moments ago had vanished. Only concern remainded.A concern he clearly wasn't used to showing.He spoke something aand she tried to answer. Nothing came out.,only a small useless breath.For a brief moment...Their eyes met.She simply stared.The first thing she truly saw after escaping Datura's nightmare...Was him.Holding her securely, as if he had no intention of letting her fall again.With her being held close,she felt warm and loved for the first time.The corners of her lips moved almost imperceptibly,not quiet a smile but close. Then she slipped back into unconsciousness.
A few hours later....Sharl stirred again but the pain are all gone. She was lying on the bed and next to her...sat Ashveil,the man who changed her targic life. He had came to visit her just to make sure She is doing okay.
"......"
" You're awake " Ashveil smiled softly as he held her hand in his,his thumb absentmindly rubbing her hand. Mr.N was on his head, narrating the scene as usual.
"......Lord la mancha..."
" Just Ashveill is fine....how many times do i have to tell you this..."
" okay,Lord ashveil"
Ashveil sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose and behind them,the door bustes open as rappa runs in,carrying a pile of things she though sharl might like. But boothill is nonwhere to be seen. Sharl didn't ask for him.
Boothill arrived late as he just done causing troubles to the IPC.The rangers stayed by Her side until sunset before they all went back to their places but boothill stayed cuz he still don't trust sharl enough. He knew she might wander off again.And sharl? She had fallen asleep again as she is still weak.
He pulled a chair beside the bed and sat down. Rest his elbows to the bed and stared at her sleeping form. Then,he placed a hand on top of hers. Cold hands but comforting.Hours later,sharl awake again and blinked. Then her gaze moved to him. Her eyes narrowed and frowned.
" Aye. .......Don't look at me like that. I'm the one who saved you "
She relaxed slightly as she scoffed and finally noticing something she never would do. His hand was resting over hers and hers.....held back.tightly. the realization hits her. Her face is still dead calm but afaint pink colour appeared on her ears.Boothill raised an eyebrow.
"....Eh.....you good? You looks like you got a fever..."
Sharl instantly released his hand,turned away adurptly And pulled the blanket over her head. Hiding in the blanket.
" huh..."
"...."
" ...Are ya hiding?"
"....."
"...No.
" Then why are you turning away."
" i'll butcher you"
Boothill chuckled before shaking his head.
" Aye. I missed hearing this."
" Shut up."
Eventually somewhere in the dark....the flower bloomed again. The new datura opened her eyes and got up.She always come back. She have many copies of herself.....she is everywhere.
额外小故事
After some months,sharl have recovered and she is now able to walk on her own,very independent.Somehow,boothill have been acting strange. very strange. He had stopped causing less trouvles.Normally,every few days there would be another IPC report.bounty climbed almost weekly. But recently...Nothing.His bounty stopped increasing.So,what was he up to? Very simple.He have been spendin time with his so called wifey( he claimed that shamelessly and sharl didn't even pay attention to him at all)The two of them often wandered through peaceful planets together.not for missions,just to relax.
Today,he was sitting beneath a tree,watching sharl. Sharl is just sitting,counting the ants that have been moving on the bark near by.
" i usually ain't the sit-still type....but fudge. This is good."
Sharl looked from the ants and blinked before continue to count the ants.
"Mm..."
The next evening,he is with her again. Sharl stopped before a bakery and bought macarons.The yellow ones remained untouched as usual.Boothill noticed it and chuckled.
"Knew ya weren't gonna eat those."
Without looking at him...She quietly slid the yellow macaron into his hand.
"... For you "
He stared at it then back at her before his eyes soften as he grinned.
" Heh, i reckon I'll take it." Then ate it with one bite in front of her,maintaining eye-contact.
Days became weeks and then weeks became months.Boothill gradually realized...He wasn't following her because she needed protection but because he liked being around her even if she is silent asf.
and oneday,Boothill was repairing a fence broken by rappa,whistling. And sharl standing next to him holding the nails.he fixes in silence before
Finally he sighed
"...Y'know..."
She looked at him.
"...Mm?"
"I've been thinkin'."
"I used ta wake up wonderin' which IPC fool I'd annoy today."
"Now I wake up wonderin' where ya wandered off without telling me..."
"...But somewhere along the line..."
"I started likin' these quiet days."
Sharl listened silently.
"And..."
He stopped hammering.
"...I think..."
"...Nah."
He shook his head.
"...I know."
He looked directly at her.
His ears had gone slightly red.
"...Fudge it."
"I love ya."
Silence.
The wind blew between them
"......"
" ah fudge..... "
Sharl continued staring at him.Expressionless.as always and blinked in response.
Boothill slowly covered his face with one hand.
"...Well."
"...Ain't no puttin' that horse back in the barn."
Another long silence.
Sharl suddenly lowered her gaze and a tiny sound escaped her.
"...Pfft."
"...Huh?"
Then for perhaps the first time in front of him,She chuckled
The corners of her lips lifted just enough to be noticeable.
"Your face is so silly...."
Boothill groaned dramatically and tipped his hat over his face.
"I spent months soundin' all cool..."
"...Then I go and confess like an absolute idiot while fixin' a fence."
Sharl looked at the crooked fence.
"...It is crooked."
He peeked from beneath his hat.
"...That ain't the point."
"It also looks unstable and The left side is uneven."
"But........Your confession was sincere."
She finally looked at him again.
"So..."
A brief pause.
"I don't mind."
Boothill blinked.
"...That..."
"...That means..."
Sharl stepped closer.
Just enough for their shoulders to brush.
She quietly slipped a white macaron into his hand.
Leaving the yellow one for herself this time.
".......I have the same feeling too actually."
She smiled softly as she grabbed his shoulder and dipped him down to her height and pressed her lips to him for a few second then pulled away.She booped his nose with her abyssal finger then walked pass him as if nothing happened.
Boothill Stood frozen for a few moment before he quickly snap out of it and looked at the macaron.
Then at her retreating figure.
Then back at the macaron.
A grin slowly spread across his face
" Hey! come back here"
He laughed to himself as he chased her.sharl noticed him and step aside him but he was faster. He grabbed her by the waist and hugged her tightly as he kissed her gently. Sharl eyes widen slightly before she returned the kiss.
Same backstroy as Female Version eheheheh. Lose his limbs and met the abyss then joined the galaxy ranger,wandering 24/7.
But this one sleeps more often than the female one. He slept 23 hours a day while the female one slept 1 hour only. He fell asleep mid-mission sometime yet somehow managed to defeat the enemies.
His chest area are exposed btw KEHEHEHEH smthing like Rerir from genshin. Luocha Model and still fight with the abyssal scythe.
Have no relationship experience but he does tried his best to understand women.
🎀My hsr oc!! Finally I post her sheet and u can see her design heehee
🎀Others:
🎀Chibi version closer!
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🎀Lore🎀
!Boothill mentioned!
Marie
The Thief
• Rarity: ★ ★ ★ ★
• Combat Path: Elation or Harmony (haven’t decided yet)
• Combat Type: Wind or Quantum (CAN'T DECIDE EITHER)
• Faction: Masked Fools / The Galaxy
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• Voice: Yuzuki Yukari or Cristina Vee
• Her main kinnie songs:
1.MUD (feat. Yuzuki Yukari) – Ferry
2.The Faulty Feline Philosophy (feat. GUMI) – Ferry (this song is about how she tries to present herself and ends up losing herself in her many "personalities" — she's tried on so many, but the main one became a bold and daring thief who lives for the thrill, though inside she's just a scared girl. In the song, the main character meets a bad end, but we hope the moment won't come when it's too late to realize things weren't as they seemed, right?)
4.Fantasy – Mariah Carey
5.Bad Apple!! – RichaadEB & Cristina Vee
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Origin:
• Marie comes from a small, nearly forgotten planet called "Edem" (ironic, isn't it?), which formally belongs to the Asdana system and lies on the outskirts of Penacony. It's a world of eternal resorts for those who didn't pass the Farce Trial to enter the main Dream City.
• The planet's concept: it's "Penacony for the poor." Same neon lights, holograms, and retro-futuristic 60s aesthetics, but everything is run-down and shabby. That's where Marie inherited her love for bright, slightly outdated neon lights and risky adventures that rarely end well...
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Backstory:
• Marie is an orphan, abandoned on the streets. She survived, even though she was incredibly fragile from birth. As if fate itself mocked her and let her live just to see what would happen. Her piercing cries and wails, tearing through the night slums, were like a challenge thrown at the world.
• She grew up in the slums, literally kept on a leash like a dog, working as a petty pickpocket for a local crime boss who exploited orphaned children. She was lucky not to be sold into slavery — she was deemed fit enough for petty crime. Unlike the others, Marie was a terrible thief. She was constantly caught, beaten, and returned to her "owner." One day, she was given a "simple job" that ultimately allowed her to escape her home planet and set off to roam the cosmos.
• She travels on the Astral Express, constantly asking the Trailblazers to give her a ride to the "next station." She constantly complains about life and curses her bad luck, but deep down, she's glad to have finally gotten off her planet, even if it was by crooked means.
• When she was just a little kid, she stole her first dagger (it was her first successful haul). And so it began. She even named the dagger "Savior."
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Personality & Character:
• Marie is the complete opposite of charismatic thieves.
Unlike classic Fools (like Sampo), she doesn't craft cunning plans — she just stumbles into trouble. She genuinely tries to be sly, but it doesn't go well.
• She sincerely believes that the world is a series of coincidences. And that life is worth living only for pleasure. If she lands a good strike and the dagger hits an enemy, or if she successfully swipes something — it's a "good day." If she gets caught — it's a "bad day." She doesn't get angry, doesn't seek revenge — she just shrugs and looks for a way to bolt, humming a jingle from some old commercial.
• Cowardice. At the slightest sign of danger, Marie tries to hide and always relies on someone stronger in battle (if it comes to that).
• She often twirls a strand of hair or fiddles with the strap of her dagger when nervous.
• She's very much the life of the party and loves to sing. She might come across as a bit silly at heart, but she's just too naive, believe me!! She's also quite affectionate and loving.
• Marie is a bit of a mischief-maker — she's cheerful and naive, not just cowardly. At the same time, she's deeply insecure, though she tries to hide it behind a brave face — which never lasts long, and she starts squealing within seconds. She often brags about her speed and elusiveness to feel more confident and impress the person she's talking to. She just thinks those are some of her best skills!
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The End and the Beginning of Something New:
She was a pretty lousy thief, but surprisingly tenacious.
One day, in some backwater bar, the first thing she noticed wasn't a person or the owner — but a gleaming revolver. Beautiful, catching the warm light with a golden sheen. The whole world seemed to freeze, and nothing else mattered next to such a tempting prize.
She tried to crawl as quietly as possible and sneak the weapon out of its owner's holster.
He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck like a kitten. He expected hysterics, pleading, or a cheap shot. But she just let out a resigned sigh and said: "Ehh..Well, here we go again — no luck today..."
The cowboy didn't even get angry. He laughed — that raspy, grating laugh that sent a chill down Marie's spine, while her heart, on the contrary, dropped somewhere into her stomach.
— Well, well, — he drawled, looming over her like a mountain. — A tiny little runt, but you've got your eyes on the sweetest prize, huh?
She froze, feeling the heat of his metallic body. He smelled of ozone, gunpowder, and something like fuel — a volatile mixture that made Marie's knees go weak.
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A good while has passed since then. She looked at Boothill as if he wasn't a walking problem with a revolver, but a man who had hung the moon and stars. It amused him. Boothill didn't consider himself a good man, and he certainly wasn't about to become anyone's prince. That's what he kept telling himself…
Now they're side by side, but "side by side" in Boothill's understanding means that Marie tags along like a stray puppy while he handles his problems with the IPC, carries out missions, and so on — and she just tries not to die while swiping something shiny along the way.
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🎀Oh well, I’m finally done!! It was pretty difficult to write at least a tiny part of her story… But here we are! I’m very glad if u read until this moment. Big thanks to ya if u did so :3
Thalassa's Memoria is a collection of tales and legends from the planet Thalassa, written by an unknown author who signs as «☽⚚». Its origins are a mystery, but rumour has it that the author themselves is a Memokeeper.
Here you'll find all kinds of stories – from songs to full‑on eyewitness accounts.
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⇨ Thalassa's Memoria isn't fully canon – only the planet and the Aeon Ouroboros from Honkai: Star Rail are taken as canon foundations.
⇨ TM is a product of the author's imagination, and all OCs belong to them – except for one in "A.S.A.R." – Boothill.
⇨ TM was created purely for fun – it's a fan work through and through. It's not meant for people who are super strict about canon and can't handle any fan interaction with canon characters. That said.. TM does have a story that touches on canon. "A.S.A.R." – a fanfic featuring a Canon-Character + NotCanon-Character pairing – is perfect for those who actually enjoy reading people's headcanons and seeing how they interpret canon characters, dreaming of things that'll never happen.
⇨ TM contains scenes of violence, cruelty, strong language, and 18+ content.
⇨ Please don't take anything in TM too seriously – the stories are written purely for entertainment.
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• Ficbook-RUS • Ficbook-ENG
• AO3-RUS • AO3-ENG
#thalassa'smemoria + #tm
#AtTheSourceOfTheApricotRiver + #asar
#riverhills
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Playlists for reading and just for vibe
⇨ Main Playlist | youtube | vk |
⇨ A.S.A.R Playlist | youtube | vk |
⇨ Boothill's Playlist by me | youtube | spotify | vk |
⇨ Rivera's Playlist by me | youtube | spotify | vk |
⇨ Absalem's Playlist by me | youtube | spotify | vk |
Chū yán aka Xiū remembers almost nothing from his childhood expect one specific white haired halovian with strange limbs,Chū Zhào,His sister.Even after decades passed...He can still perfectly remember her.Every detail,Every tiny movement but he canno remember how her face looks and that frustrates him endlessly. Sometimes,he commissions artists to recreate her from memory but neither of them were correct.
Xiū was renamed by a woman at the orphange he was left behind.He grew up surrounded by love and Sharl grew up by survival. She is suspicious of kindness while Xiū assumes everyone likes him.LAter when he got older , his hand starts to act strange.All because of Sharl's unstable abyssal limb touched him when he should have died.Instead, the abyss rewrote him into something immortal.His right arm became a separate lifeform with its own personality, voice, and opinions.Xiū calls the hand“Mò.”
The hand isn't cursed,isn't possessed....it is literally alive.It has her own opinions,preferences,moods and personailty.At first he didn't know its gender until she talked. Yes,a female. Aggressive one. Only listens to Xiū. Slowly,Xiū slowly falls in love with his own hand...nobody understand why. Not even him. So Mò basically became a very dangerous girlfriend attached to his hand. So,why do he choose to love Mò? Because the hand saved his life. She spoke to him when he feels lonely,stayed with him for years. Never left and never betrayed him.
For the current timeline,He have been searching for Sharl desperately but she is always one step early. She was always so distant as if avoiding him,avoiding her past. Lately,sharl have been found to be often appear at Lushaka World(?). She would stays on one of the island and watching those white manta rays drift through the sky,huge floating islands,endless clouds. She often sit alone for hours watching them fly.When Xiū learned this,he immediately brought one of the island there. Yet,he still hasn't seen her.
He'd visit every station where sharl was spotted,usually arriving a few hours too late.Xiū has hundreds of photographs of places Sharl visited, but almost none of Sharl herself. The closest he has is a blurry security image of a white figure with a quantum shaped dark halo disappearing around a corner.Yet,Every failed search made him more obsessed with finding her.
𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒
⚜️ Xiū looks ike a spoiled celebrity heir. In reality, he's an immortal anomaly carrying a living abyss inside one arm while desperately searching for the sister he barely remembers.
⚜️For his public persona, he is Top male model whose campaigns sell out instantly.He is also known for smiling through interviews while saying increasingly unhinged things.One certain cybrog cowboy calls him “That Weird grown ass siscon with the aggressive Arm.”
⚜️Xiū didn't become rich because he worked hard.The universe simply kept throwing money at him.Family wealth,Modeling contracts. Everything goes smoothly.
⚜️He is A male model so half of the galaxy knowns him. He once collabrated with Robin for an Ad. ( Sunday was glaring near by. Too close to his beloved robin Jandidnjx)
⚜️You can tell how much he loves his sister just by looking at the cover image AHAHAHA
⚜️Mò(莫) is a whole separate living creature on his hand. she appears when she senses danger or just want to talk. So,on his hand there is one eye on the above and a mouth on his plum.Their relationship is intentionally bizarre: Xiū is genuinely affectionate toward the arm because it is the only thing that has been with him since childhood. Mò is possessive, violent, and jealous of anyone who gets too close to him—including Sharl.Xiū can also force Mò to disappear forever but he didn't.
⚜️He fights elegantly and he can also summon the scythe which looks like a briefcase(Smthing like Hugo from zzz).
⚜️Photographers often think the dark arm(Mò) is a special effect.Mò deliberately blinks at the camera during close-ups.She went viral.
⚜️The siblings cannot cook fr. Sharl burns food because her mind blank out.Xiū burns food because he gets distracted talking to his hand.
⚜️Xiū is not evil. He is a lonely immortal who was loved too much in one life and lost too much in another.Sharl survived by learning not to need anyone.Xiū survived by needing one person so intensely that he built his entire existence around finding her.
⚜️He once dream about himself finally reunites with his siter. He was expecting an embrace.but instead,she gave him a look and sighed.
" i touched you once and you turned into this?"
"Sister,please don't say it like i'm a failed project."
" I'm pregnant by the way"
"????????????????"
" I am marrying a man too."
" Brown skin."
" NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
He woke up panting heavily and cried. Who dares to touch his sister? BROWN SKIN MAN?? UNACCEPTABLE.
Meanwhile sharl is counting the ants then restaring again cuz she lost count.
⚜️Xiū compliments Mò every day. Sometimes kisses her. People though he is insane. He calls her naughty.