The things I do instead of working on Artfight prep... Anyway I bashed my current two fixations (my Phantasm guys and Hollow Knight) together and made this AU, and tried my hand at the game's art style too for fun. Tweaked everyone's names a bit just to better suit HK/Silksong's naming conventions (save for Mal, since his seemed fine).
Additional yapping for all the trivia I've got for them below
EDEN (HK!Aedyn)
Loosely based on a Baphomet moth.
Lives in relative solitude, moreso now with the Infection. He'd probably be a wandering NPC relegated to 3 or 4 locations.
Since the disappearance of the Pale King, he's forgone worshiping any gods and has a very, very cynical view of the divine. One god turned his back his subjects, and the other brought forth a horrific plague.
Considering an alt direction to take him in where he's a follower/member of the Grimm Troupe? Would definitely suit, since they share motifs of dreams/nightmares, demonic presences, and fire. Also considered a making him a Warrior Dream, but I'm worried he'd just be too similar to Markoth.
AGATE (HK!Agatha)
Not really based on any one bug atm. I kinda just based her on pre-existing NPCs like Quirrel and Millibelle.
Raised in the poorer part of the City of Tears.
Locked away in her room by her parents, who were convinced that she had been infected after she offhandedly mentioned a nightmare she'd had (which likely had more to do with the ongoing turmoil in the city than anything else). By the time she finally managed to escape, her parents had already become infected themselves and eventually died.
DENDRA (HK!Deja)
Based on a blue banded bee. Hails from a hive beyond Hallownest.
A traveling historian whose set her sights on exploring and researching the dying kingdom of Hallownest. You'd find her traveling around various locations like Cornifer.
Picked a bee since Deja's core character has a few little traits and tidbits loosely based on my mom, who herself really likes bees :]
HK!Malachai
Hails from the Mantis tribe, though due in part to his erratic behavior and... fringe beliefs, he's rarely seen in the village itself. More often, he's seen stalking the border near Deepnest.
With the disappearance of the Pale King, Malachai turned his faith towards a new god in hopes of surviving the infection, that of course being The Radiance. His reasoning is that if The Radiance recognizes his devotion, then he will surely be spared! Right..?
Wears a cloak stitched together from the wings of fallen members of the Moth Tribe. Is it some sort of disguise? Some sick attempt to bring himself closer to The Radiance? Who can say.
I put an ungodly amount of thought into why he ended up being a mantis lol
Request: Yes / No HEYYYYYYYYYY! Okay so Iâve had like 3 Red Bulls so my brain just going crazy and I have so many ideas so sorry đOkay so Malachi x fem!reader where sheâs Sweet Oeas older sister that rebeled against the serpents and joined the Ghoulies and the only people that know are Sweet Pea, Fangs, Toni, and FP and when jughead joins and head to go the the house of the dead and all that yk he sees hear and remembers her from when she used to baby sit him whom he was little and was very confused until the street race :) @yrfavel
Requests are open from this prompt list or just your own idea! <3 Have a nice day/night
Malachai x Fem!Reader
Sweet Pea x Older Sister!Reader
Word count: 1607Â
Warnings: Nothing!Â
Y/N: Your NameÂ
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(Not my photo, credit to whoever made it!)
The neon lights of the Southside buzzed like they always did, flickering, humming, and barely holding on. It matched the tension in the air. I leaned against the wall inside the House of the Dead, arms crossed, eyes sharp as I watched everything unfold. Leather vest, Ghoulie spikes stitched onto the shoulders, hair pulled back, and my expression unreadable. To anyone else in the room, I was just another Ghoulie. But I wasnât. I was Sweet Peaâs older sister.Â
Across the room, Malachai sat like he owned the place, which, realistically, he did. His feet were kicked up, that dangerous smirk on his lips, eyes glinting with amusement as Jughead Jones stood in front of him, trying to look fearless.Â
âLet me get this straight.â Mal drawled, tilting his head slightly. âThe Serpent Prince walks into my house and thinks he can make demands?âÂ
I exhaled slowly, pushing off the wall just enough to step closer, not interrupting, just⌠present. Always close enough to Mal to be noticed, to be his⌠because I was.Â
Jughead didnât break down. âItâs not a demand. Itâs a challenge.âÂ
Malachai laughed, low and mocking. âThatâs cute.âÂ
Archie stood beside Jughead, fists clenched like he was already ready to throw down. Typical Northie⌠My eyes flicked to him briefly before returning to Mal. I could feel the tension rising, could practically taste it.Â
âIf we win,â Jughead continued, voice steady. âthe Ghoulies stop dealing at Southside High. You stand down.âÂ
Malachaiâs smirk faded just slightly, replaced with something colder. More dangerous.Â
âAnd if we win?â He asked, leaning forward, elbows on his knees.Â
A ripple went through the room, Ghoulies murmuring⌠watching. My jaw tightened slightly, but I didnât move.Â
Mal leaned back again, unimpressed. âSo let me get this straight, you want me to risk my territory, my businessâŚâ He gestured lazily around the room. âFor what? Pride?âÂ
He scoffed. âHard pass, Sperent Prince.âÂ
I stepped forward then, just a little, voice low but firm. âMal-âÂ
His eyes flicked to me instantly. Not annoyed, but interested. I met his gaze, subtle but grounding.Â
âHear him out.â It wasnât defiance or disagreement. It was control, something Malachai respected. He exhaled through his nose, leaning his head back slightly.Â
âYouâve got about ten seconds before I get bored.âÂ
Jughead opened his mouth to respond, but the door slammed open. Everyone turned. Two girls were shoved inside. Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge⌠I stiffened. Archieâs voice came out instantly.Â
âVeronica?âÂ
âBett?â Jughead stepped forward.Â
âWait, these are your bitches?â Mal asked.Â
I narrowed my eyes, but didnât interrupt. This was Malachaiâs show, and I knew better than to undercut him in front of his crew.Â
âLet them go.â Archie snapped.Â
Mal stood up, slow and deliberate. The room went quiet.Â
âNah, I think Iâm done here.â He said simply.Â
He waved a hand dismissively. âGet them out.âÂ
Jughead spoke quickly. âThe Whyte Wyrm.â That got everyoneâs attention, even mine.Â
Malâs eyebrows lifted slightly. âYouâre offering me your bar?âÂ
Jughead nodded. âIf we lose.âÂ
Malachaiâs grin came back full force now, dangerous and interested. This? This was something. But it was clear he wasnât done.Â
âOh, weâre not stopping there.â He said, eyes gleaming. âI want Sunnyside Trailer Park, too.âÂ
The room went dead silent. My stomach twisted. That wasnât just territory, that was home. My home. Peaâs home. Fangsâ, Toniâs, hell, Jugheadâs! But I didnât react, not outwardly, because I chose this side. His side. Jughead hesitated, but only for a second.Â
âDealâŚâÂ
Archie looked at him like he was insane. Betty and Veronica exchanged worried glances. My chest tightened slightly, but I kept my expression neutral.Â
Mal clapped his hands once, satisfied. âNow thatâs what Iâm talking about!âÂ
He turned slightly, brushing his fingers against my wrist, a subtle, possessive touch.Â
âYou were right, babe, this might actually be fun.â I looked at him, something conflicted flickering behind my eyes.Â
âJust donât lose.â I said quietly.Â
His smirk sharpened. âI donât.âÂ
*Jugheadâs POV*
I didnât norice her at first, not really. There were too many moving pieces, the Ghoulies circling like vultures, Malachai lounging like a king on a throne made of chaos, Archie practically vibrating beside me, ready to swing at the first wrong word. I was focused on the deal, on the stakes, on keeping my voice steady even when everything in that room was designed to shake me. But then⌠I saw her.Â
âMal, hear him out.â My eyes flicked toward her without thinking. And for just a second, I forgot what I was saying. Because I knew her⌠Not the vest, or those stupid spikes, or the hard look in her eyes. No⌠I knew the girl underneath it. A flash of memory hit me so fast it almost made me dizzy. A younger version of her sitting cross-legged on the floor of my trailer, a much smaller me beside her, trying, and failing, to shuffle a deck of cards.Â
âKid, youâre holding them like youâre afraid theyâll bite you.â She teased, reaching over to fix my grip.Â
âRelax.âÂ
âI am relaxed.â I muttered.Â
She laughed, soft and easy. Nothing like the sharp edge in her voice now.Â
âSure you are.âÂ
She used to babysit me. Back when Dad was⌠different. Back when things hadnât fallen apart yet. Back when Serpents actually felt like something close to a family. I blinked, dragged back to the present. To the House of the Dead, to her standing beside Malachai like she belonged there, like sheâs always been there. It didnât make sense. It couldnât make sense. But I didnât say anything. Not when Malachai mocked us, or when Betty and Veronica were dragged in, or even when she stepped forward again, steady and controlled, and Malachai actually listened to her. I just watched, trying to pieve it together. But it didnât make sense.Â
When race day finally came around the air was thick with anticipation. Engines revved, tires screeched, and Southsiders, and some Northsiders, crowded the street like it was some kind of ritual. I stood near the Serpents, leather jacket heavy on my shoulders, eyes scanning the scene. Sweet Pea was a few feet away, jaw tight, arms crossed. Fangs leaned against his bike, quieter than usual. Toni stood between them, but even she looked tense. I followed their line of sight and found her. Y/N.
She stood on the other side with the Ghoulies. Her chin was tilted up slightly, like she had something to prove. Malachai was beside her, of course. His arm was around her, his hand brushing her lower back like it belonged there. I noticed the way Sweet Peaâs expression darkened instantly. That told me everything I needed to know, or at least part of it. I stepped closer to him.Â
âThatâs your sister.â I said quietly, not taking my eyes off her.Â
Pea didnât respond right away, didnât even look at me.Â
âYeah.â He muttered finally.Â
There was no warmth in it, or pride, just tension.Â
I frowned slightly. âSheâs a Ghoulie?âÂ
That got a reaction. Fangs let out a short, humorless laugh. Toni shook her head a little, like she didnât fully believe it either. Sweet Peaâs voice came out sharper this time.Â
âYeah. She made her choice.âÂ
I glanced at him. âIt canât be that simple.âÂ
Sweet Pea finally looked at me, eyes flashing. âIt is.âÂ
But it didnât sound convincing, not even to him. I looked back at Y/N, she was laughing with the Ghoulies. But she didnât look fully into it. It was like she didnât fully belong on either side. Then her eyes flicked over, for a split second they met mine. Recognition sparked, faint, but there. Then it was gone. I felt something twist in my chest.Â
âLetâs get this started!â Malachaiâs voice cut through the noise, loud and commanding. Everyone turned, I forced my focus back to the race. Y/N stepped closer to Malachai as he spoke, her posture relaxed but her eyes sharp, scanning everything. I watched her carefully. The way she leaned in slightly when Malachai talked, the way she didnât flinch when he touched her, the way she stayed on his side. Whatever history she had with the Serpents, it wasnât enough to pull her back. That didnât sit right with him. Because I remember herâŚÂ
I was younger, sitting on a beat-up couch, watching Y/N argue with someone, one of the older Serpents.Â
âYou donât get to decide who I am!â She snapped.Â
The guy laughed it off and told her to âknow her placeâ. I didnât understand it then, but now? Now it made sense. The Serpents talked about family, loyalty, but they didnât always live up to it. Maybe she had been one of the ones they failed.Â
Engines roared louder, Archie and I got into position. Malachai moved toward his car, confidence radiating off him like heat. Y/N caught his arm before he could walk away. I couldnât hear what she said, but I saw it. The way her expression softened, just slightly. The way Malachai actually paused to listen. Then he smirked, said something back that made her roll her eyes, but she didnât let go of his arm right away. He kissed her before leaving her.Â
âYou keep staring at her like that, sheâs gonna notice.â Sweet Pea muttered beside me.Â
I didnât look away. âShe already did.âÂ
Sweet Pea scoffed quietly. âYeah, well⌠donât expect her to come running back.âÂ
âI donât.â I said.Â
Sweet Pea rolled his eyes. âJust donât lose the damn race, Jones.âÂ
if i had a nickle for every time a ginger boy in a fictional story became the ruler/was in charge of a bunch of murderous children under the guise of a holy and or unholy diety id have two nickles, which isnt a lot but its strange it happened twice
(list in question here https://four-two-six.tumblr.com/post/776407100259696640)
> How good is your OC at following the plot of books (or films or plays etc)? Do they frequently need things explaining to them?
ooh uhm i feel like malachai doesn't do a whole lot of reading, watching, or.. anything really. even when he was more sane, fiction didn't often appeal to him, it all seemed a bit stuffy or stupid.
(he also can't read in his head, that's a pretty modern skill, so if he tried he'd have to read it aloud.)
i think he does like *being told* stories (fiction or not), though, by friends. he'd be very good at following plot in that sense, and even asks some witty questions, the sort that entertain and keep the conversation going.
i don't think he'd be great at noticing themes and tropes. a story's a story, it happened how it was told, there's little more to analyze. (this makes him a pretty garbage interpreter of his own religion.)