Ludwig took a moment to reflect on that comment as his claws dug further into the shadow’s ‘flesh.’ He was putting a lot of effort into killing this ghost, wasn’t he? If he could consider mustering up the brainpower to come up with thoughtful quips effort. Nonetheless, the ghost was all too eager to keep running his mouth, and Ludwig’s patience was running thin.
The way the other could just keep on going put somewhat of a damper on Ludwig’s plan to choke him to death however, but the koopa was nothing if not adaptive.
“You really don’t know when to quit, do you?” Ludwig tutted before he cleared his throat for the main event. “Whatever you truly are, wherever you came from, you could have had an upper hand here, but I’m… Almost impressed with your lack of self-preservation. It’d be admirable if I weren’t so adverse to morons.”
If Snatcher wanted to bargain for his life at this point, Ludwig didn’t particularly care as he’d already begun to tighten his grip to prevent the ghost from escaping. Ludwig leaned back and took in a gulp of air, the embers in his throat sparking to life. He didn’t need to take so long to wind up, having demonstrated that earlier, but it was nice to watch whatever expression the ghost had on his face before Ludwig exhaled a blazing stream of flames.
Adverse to morons?! He’s never going to hear the end of it when he’s done with this lousy, ugly, foolish, DISGUSTING, AWFUL, PECKING—
As he was about to open his mouth to speak—to give this horrible creature a real piece of his mind—he could feel everything getting warm suddenly. Scalding hot, even! It’s as if his very being was engulfed in flames!
... Oh, wait, that’s exactly what’s happening. Funny how that sort of thing works, doesn’t it? Snatcher didn’t even realize it was possible to set a spectral being on fire, but hey! He’s open to new ideas, new opportunities, but not when they involve setting him on fire! That’s just a bit out of line, even by his standards.
Feeling his shadowy form catch fire and begin to fade away is one of the strangest experiences he’s encountered as of late. Snatcher would never directly admit to feeling helpless, especially in front of a newly found adversary, but he definitely wasn’t in control. No, far from it! He's dying, and there is nothing he could do about it!
In his last few moments, he tries to say yet another taunt, one last salt in the wound, but smoke fills his vision, he can see himself dissipate, he’s, he’s—
...
Awake.
In his room.
What?
Snatcher stares at the ceiling for a few seconds, attempting to pierce together what had happened. How could it possibly be a dream? He doesn’t sleep, not anymore. This bed is too small for him, even! Any bed would be. Snatcher isn’t built for that sort of thing, not anymore.
But, one thing was for certain—his form is still intact. Nothing out of place, in one piece, completely and utterly fine. The heat, however, still lingered, the one thing that tells him that it wasn’t something he imagined in a confused daze. Just residual, he figures, but still not something he made up. Still, the feeling of dying, of coming back to life again... It’s familiar.
He doesn’t like it.
He doesn’t want to be in this room.
He doesn’t want to be outside, either.
Running a hand down his face, he stares back up at the ceiling, waiting for the thoughts in his head to stop so he can move on.
The image is a meme but my intentions are true, here’s a starter call for the Snatcher! Capping at 3, and if you want to discuss locations for them to meet up, hit me up in the group chat or Tumblr messenger! Otherwise, I’m going to run with it.
Please keep in mind that he’s going to drag your muse, so if you’re into that... He’s right there. You can see his last couple of threads for reference if you want.
So, the blob wasn’t completely untouchable as it had liked to appear! No wonder it was perched so high, mocking him far and well away from Ludwig’s sharpened claws. The koopa smirked as he watched his double’s form fall with a thud, and he couldn’t even begin to tell you how it made him beam to see the shadow rise up with his smug look wiped from his face.
Swallowing the residual flames licking at his maw, Ludwig stepped forward and eyed the creature with newfound confidence, happily knowing that he could actually do some damage here. “I loathe imitators, but your mediocre attempt hardly fits even that.” The fact that the other is still even trying to put up a fight when he was just knocked off his high horse was laughable, though Ludwig had to halt himself as soon as another threat was made.
And only a threat it remained, it seemed. With a warning like that, Ludwig half expected the other to explode in a fountain of intimidating power, only to be met with undoubtedly unexpected results. Ludwig’s suspicions were only confirmed the moment the shadow started to make excuses, but even after failing at putting up any sort of defense for himself, cutting words still made Ludwig’s lip curl in irritation.
“Oh please, spare me the sob story! It’s clear to see that you’ve relied far too much on words and tricks to get your way,” he started, once again closing the distance between the two of them. Before the shadow could even think to slither away from him, Ludwig reached out and dug his claws hard into the fluff and whole of his neck.
“Now, do go on about whatever trauma my face induces, because this could be the very last you see of it before I figure out how to kill a writhing blob.” It’s clear that Ludwig isn’t joking, as he applied more and more pressure through his clawed grip with every word. “Do I even deign to ask for your name as well? It’s hardly worth the effort, I think.”
Oh, wow! Maybe there was a reason for him to stay up on that branch! Hm, perhaps it’d do him some good to listen to his instincts every once in a while? Who the hell needs instincts when you’re a ghost!? What is he running from, death? How terrifying! How awful for a being that’s already dead. Pfft! Good one, Snatcher isn’t taking this seriously at all. The threat of death that would normally loom heavily for any other person just causes the specter to laugh in Ludwig’s face, the condescending grin never faltering.
“What? My name?” Snatcher says, sounding more amused than he should. “Your hands are around my neck, and you try and mock me by saying I’m not worth the effort? You’re sure putting a lot of effort into killing a ghost, kiddo!”
‘Fear’ was never an emotion that he’s felt, not in this state. There’s no reason to start now! This kid(?) is pushing his luck as much as Snatcher is, and honestly? He wants to see the look on his face when he fails! You can’t cut off Snatcher’s breathing if he doesn’t breathe to begin with! He’s practically immortal!
(The claws around his neck are hurting more than he anticipated... There’s no way he should be able to do such a thing. You can’t choke a ghost. You absolutely cannot choke a ghost! What an idiot!)
“Listen, you’re going to die long before I do, so I can go on! I can go on allll day long if you wanted me to, and apparently, you do!” His voice sounds a bit louder, its ghastliness more apparent than normal. “Alright, where do I start? You’re pretty damn short, first of all, let’s get that out of the way. Your face is the ultimate centerpiece of my despair, but I can’t go into that without emphasizing how your stature as a whole adds onto it...”
He’s going to keep running his mouth at this rate—he’s just that certain that he’s going to make it out of this encounter intact. Snatcher should've just offered his name and called it a day.
Ludwig would have opted to argue against that, knowing damn well he wasn’t lost lost; he was more than capable of finding his way back if he really wanted to. But he disliked the way the thing talked down to him, and not because he was literally talking down from a high, unreachable perch.
“Of course I have, I don’t start the day until I do–” Unfortunately, he brushed the fringe from his eyes just in time to catch the stranger’s form shift into a familiar silhouette. From his striking blue hair to the spines of his shell, Ludwig was gazing right at a perfect double of himself, if only slightly blotted by a shadowy complexion. Whatever bad feeling he got from the other had full blown turned into caution and, perhaps, some defense over his own appearance.
“So you take the appearance of others to stifle your own insecurities,” Ludwig stated softly, trying not to let the stupid comment get under his scales. It reminded him of a certain green-haired sibling, who was very capable of pushing his buttons in just the right ways to get his patient air to dissipate. “I’m not surprised, considering you weren’t much to look at yourself! Like an unfortunate tube sock dipped in tar.”
The koopa did his best to wave the comment away, but a nerve was finally struck when the stranger had the gall to bring his hair into this. Perhaps it was in conjunction with his appearance being taken and mocked already, but if Ludwig had been heated before, he’s burning up with embarrassment now.
“Ugh! You—!” Ludwig’s ember burned fiercely once more, and without thinking he took a breathe before shooting a fiery ball of flame towards his mock-double. He was sure of his aim, but then again, he didn’t know any of this creature’s capabilities and how it may retaliate.
It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt, as he always says! Except usually that damage is directed at someone else, not him. Perhaps he should have expected this? But, no, ugly turtles don’t generally spit out balls of fire at you, so there’s always the chance to learn something new!
Not like this, though. Not like expecting the fire to not even damage him (he’s not blue, after all!) and then finding that, oh, look, he’s actually plummeting to the ground like some sort of movable object! The nerve of some creatures! The fall (and the resulting pain from it) causes him to prematurely change back to his original form, sitting up and rubbing his head as his initial look of glee turns into that of frustration. “Wow, you reaaally must hate yourself if you’re willing to set your lookalike on fire, eh? How’s about I give you a taste of your own medicine!?”
At this point, he’d make himself taller, more intimidating, maybe summon a few minions or lasers and what have you to utterly incapacitate (y’know, murder!) his adversary, but...
“... Huh.” Nothing’s happening. Absolutely nothing! He’d be so embarrassed right now if he had any actual feelings. Time for the Snatcher to improvise (even if this is slightly distressing news to uncover). “Guess turning into your ugly mug must’ve hindered me more than I thought. The absolute trauma of having to look like you done it. I hope you’re proud of yourself! Even if I can’t do what I’m normally capable of, at least I don’t have to go home and look at myself in the mirror at the end of the day.”
Why physically retaliate when he can keep verbally assaulting the person trying to hurt him? Smart move, Snatcher, that won’t come to bite you in the ass at all.
What was there to do when one suddenly finds their self thrust into an unfamiliar world full of unfamiliar people? The koopa prince had the exact question running through his mind as he tried to take in his initial surroundings, emotions swimming before finally calming into passive acceptance (the fact that he’d been placed in a tranquil sea world did wonders in helping that).
However…
Ludwig wasn’t the kind to roll over and do nothing about the predicament, and as soon as he’d gotten settled (with what little there was to settle with in the first place), he made it a point to begin scoping out what this ark had to offer.
Never minding the odd looks he got from the denizens, he soon found himself stepping off the train in a sea of forest green. Much cozier than his initial stop, Ludwig at least admired the appeal of running deeper into the wilderness without the worry of drowning as he might back in Nectar. The thought brought a shudder to his shell, different from the one he felt as he stepped onto a path obviously much less traveled.
It was difficult to tell how long he’s ventured into the woods, the trees’ canopies completely blocking any amount of light to tell and making it difficult to determine whatever direction he’d been going in in the first place. Any lesser person might have already started to second guess their decisions, letting the paranoia of darkness and claustrophobia encircle around them. But not Ludwig! Always the cool and collected one, his mind was free from —
The koopa suddenly jolted from the grating, otherworldly call from above, his nostrils flaring as he got ready to spit a fireball in the direction of the this new threat. Upon looking up, however, he wasn’t sure what to make of… whatever just called out to him. A shadow? A blob? Whatever it was, he sneered before swallowing his ember.
“I’m not lost! I’m just,” he looked around, incredibly lost. “Surveying the surroundings.” Yeah, that’s better. “And what about yourself? Blob stuck in a tree, waiting for a helping hand, hm?”
Heh! That look of surprise brings an even bigger smile to the specter’s face, head in his hands as he gazes down on the other. Snatcher decides it’s probably better to maintain his distance for the time being—after all, who knows what this turtle could be capable of? That’s sarcasm, of course. He just likes being above someone, both literally and figuratively.
“That’s just another word for lost, kiddo,” he says cheerfully. In reality, Snatcher has no idea how old this person is, but if he strikes a nerve? Great! This guy’s got it coming, especially with his last biting comment. “Blob? Really? Have you even looked in a mirror lately?”
With that being said, the so-called “blob” is suddenly no longer that—instead, he’s taken the form of Ludwig, sitting up on the branch and sticking his tongue out. “Here, to save you the trouble, I’ll give you one! You realize how stupid you look?” In his new form, he tugs at the hair on his head, frowning. “You really should get a haircut. Kind of unfortunate that you thought you could go out in public looking like this.”
He’s laughing, but definitely refusing to leave his spot on the tree branch. Would he even want someone so stupid looking as a minion? To be fair, everyone he’s ever met looks pretty awful, so he’ll have to settle for someone sometime. Clearly not today! Unless he manages to strike enough of a nerve, but... He’ll settle for making fun of him for now.
“Y’know... I don’t even think a haircut could save a face like that. Even if you think you’re not lost, you’re still a lost cause!”
It didn’t take Snatcher long to realize that his so-called “residence” didn’t feel like a home at all. Sure, it was in a tree, but what’s the point of having a bedroom if you don’t even sleep? Seemed pretty pointless to him. Since nobody was going to directly help him, he was going to have to help himself! Oh, the horror. It’s so much easier when others do things for him, but clearly he can’t get what he wants!
He was wrong to judge this forest from the get-go--turns out there is a part of it that makes him feel like he’s back in Subcon Forest after all. The further he goes, the more burnt out it looks, and although some of the trees are uprooted, he manages to find at least one that he can perch himself on. Not as sturdy as he’d like, but it’ll do for the time being. Beggars can’t be choosers, as they say! Although he always did hate that phrase... Hm.
Oh well! He has no reason to go back to his apartment complex, especially considering he’d have to “get on” with whoever the other residents are. Sounds like a pain and a bore to him. Snatcher is better suited to trick unsuspecting forest dwellers to do his bidding, just like old times!
(Realizing he’s unable to properly set up a trap, however, frustrates him to no end. How can he yell at future minions like this!? What, is he going to have to do menial tasks himself? No thanks!)
... Kind of difficult to tell if that particular person is actually a suitable candidate or is just a forest dweller, though. Turtles don’t normally have hair, do they?
“Heyyy there! Up here!” Eh, he’ll take a chance, why not? Worse comes to worse, it’s not like anyone is around to see him try and talk to a turtle. “You lost?”
At least he’s got a bit of attitude to him. They’d respect that - if they respected most anything, which they don’t.
[msg] i’m flattered
[msg] obviously you found your holophone to send this message, but it seems you can’t read anything else
[msg] welcome to aldebaran ark. enjoy your stay
Wow! Thanks for absolutely nothing! He has no idea who this alleged Alexis is, but they’re already on his “screw over at the earliest opportunity” list. It’ll be fun to take their soul, he thinks, sending a few more texts before deleting the entire conversation.
[msg] Huh? What did you say?
[msg] I can’t read, so I have no idea what was just said to me! Funny how that works.
[msg] I’m guessing it was probably something banal, though. It’d be best if you didn’t contact me again.
Annnd there it goes! Deleted! Ugh. Mass texting was a mistake.
On one hand – it costs them nothing to inform yet another about the Ark and its’ properties. But on the other hand – well. They shouldn’t. They really shouldn’t.
Was that a flicker of a conscience? They really need to get better sleep, if they’re imagining something like that. God forbid they have morals – it’d be so inconvenient.
[msg] you’re not leaving, none of us are.
[msg] this isn’t terribly hard to grasp but everyone seems to get so caught on it
[msg] so how awfully have you been inconvenienced by arrival
Oh, goodie! A reply!
... Ah. This isn’t the sort of reply he was looking for. Did they really have to question him like that? Ask him why he’s so hung up on being dragged into a place he knows nothing about? How unfortunate that someone would decide it’s a good idea to talk to him in that manner.
[msg] I gotta say, you have a real knack for giving an attitude over text, you know that? Kind of impressive, but also, not really.
[msg] If your ability to tell me something useful was on par with that, then maybe we’d be getting somewhere!
[msg] So, you got anything else? Or just the fact that you’re resigned to being stuck in whatever this unnamed place is? You could at least tell me the name of where I am, for starters.
They should’ve been nicer to him to begin with! He probably could’ve been too, but in this case, he can point the finger and say they started it.
Some kind of strange forest that’s not as drearily lit as he’s used to? Why’s it so cheery? It’s like he’s been put into some alternate reality that he never agreed to be a part of. Actually, it’s exactly like that! Snatcher woke up on the wrong side of the bed, clearly, and he doesn’t even sleep.
Are you tired of being complacent with the way things are? Do you ever just want to go apeshit? Because that’s exactly what Snatcher wants to do right now. But no, he’ll keep his cool, he’ll be chill, he’ll do what any reasonable spiritual entity with a weird device would do: mass text everyone to get some answers. That’s what kids these days do, right? What else is he supposed to do with this thing he just got?
(He may or may not be purposely ignoring the protocols programmed in to his device. He’s not a nerd.)
TO: ALL
FROM: THE SNATCHER
[msg] Anyone willing to tell me exactly what this place is?
[msg] Some answers would be much appreciated! Like how to leave, for instance! I’d love to know!
[msg] C’mon, someone throw me a bone here!
He’s getting pretty impatient already, sending the texts only a few seconds apart. If no one answers, he’ll just annoy them until they do, he supposes!
