I don't really like the climax I came up with at the time so I'll be adding a new version here. So if It differs from the images that's why, I feel like I made the pages during a time where I just wanted to get the comic over with so it kinda feels generic and half baked.
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Starting from our last point, with the words of encouragement from the Light of Resolution and the steel force will to get his dad back, Choco manages to land a powerful strike, surprising the ancients and phasing Berserk Cacao.
This leaves space for the ancients to also be able to help, Pure Vanilla gives both Choco and Holly buffs while Holly holds the line and protects them from incoming attacks. By doing so they're able to get closer. Finally, a combined attack is hit to where something finally seems to happen. It's powerful and cuts into the indoor wall of the citadel. The smoke dissipates and all that is left is just Cacao.
They're all pretty suprised, but Cacao still has some lingering curse corruption on his body and his breathing is shallow. Hearing the loud crashes from the room the watchers (and Caramel) run in to see the ... interesting situation that had unfolded.
We then cut to Cacao sitting in a hospital room, he had woken up a bit earlier and is trying somewhat to recall the events of the previous day.
Holly and PV soon walk in with mugs, not expecting him to be up. They're caught off guard but soon calm down and get to chatting. Cacao finally admits he's not really doing all so well with both his kingdom and his son over the course of the conversation.
He also sort of opens up about more sensitive issues he's been through, thought he doesn't hold that topic for long given it's just too much for him at the moment. Holly understands where he's coming from and offers some words of encouragement, while PV tells him they're going to look into something for the curse and to actually help Cacao mentally.
Cacao reluctantly agrees.
It ends a bit more open ended with your own interpretation of how Cacao deals with his issues being set, though there would be a few aftermath pages exploring the relationship with the characters shown after the events of the story, this one for example is Cacao and Choco doing pottery painting.
Some interesting facts, and stuff I made that didn't make it into the final cut:
-In my discord server berserk Cacao was often referred to as "The enemy spider"
-I often used their hands (so many hand drawings) as a way to show more of their character, Holly has hand scars while PV has a redness around his nails from stress. I like to add a human aspect to each of them so the reader can relate
-Berserk Cacao has had so many iterations before the final one, I just couldn't decide what I wanted him to look like!
-Each character has a different way of showing their thoughts/flashbacks! Caramels are more center focused given her only thought in that flashback was of the loud crash, Choco's are blurry given his eyesight, and Cacao has flashbacks and thinks in grayscale! You can actually notice this more during the dinner scene, this has it's own reasoning but it's bit more darker
-Most of the sketches were 10x more funnier than the finished project but I had to make it realistic
-Affogato was originally going to make it into the comic as a background character, but I felt it was too OOC for him given his devious crimes
Onto the darker stuff-
TW: Implied Abuse, Blood
-Everyone knows about the cut panels but there was actually an entire page scrapped too, originally this would follow along with the Light of Resolution convo (I will now refer to it as the LOR) but I scrapped it for a few reasons.
-Firstly I felt like it didn't add anything and only just re-established something the reader already well knew from both Holly and Cacaos statements, secondly I just felt like it was OOC for how I wrote the LOR. The LOR is in part Cacao. He is Cacao's resolution made physical. This would be his story to tell because he is a part of Cacao. It is Cacao in a way. I also felt revealing his face felt kinda eh and just didn't fit. So for those reasons I chopped it
-Cacao's curse wound was actually bleeding in this scene, though it's a bit hard to see with the shaders
That's all! Thank you everyone for being on this journey with me, I appreciate each and every one of you, you truly helped me expand my art horizons
This is a crossover fic between my curse!au for tugs and the district!AU for Starlight Express. The reader can be bonded to any tug, or just a generic tug in general. You can find content on ny blog: @welcome-to-the-districts . Major TW for graphic violence, and death. This particular one shot is not for the faint of heart, as it is labelled mature for a reason. One-shot under the cut.
Summary: You have been sent out by Dusk to investigate the recent attacks on a ship, but something just isn’t adding up. Will you and the tug your bonded be able to figure it out?
You, a Rider, have been sent out by none other than Dusk herself to scope out the area a good ways away from the port under the cover of darkness. Apparently, something has been attacking the ships. Dusk didn’t seem to concerned. However, the tug you are bonded to, who has insisted on being with you, wasn’t exactly sure about Dusk’s intentions. You have been trying to learn more about Dusk in general. So far, it isn’t exactly the best. She did the cast the curse and is responsible for so many deaths, yet she formed the Riders in an attempt to keep the curse in check. You’re not sure if she’s actually trying to make up for her mistake, or if she’s planning to use the Riders for her own ill will. It’s odd how she specifically chose you out of the other and more experienced Riders the moment the problem arose. However, oddly enough, the only attacks on the ships have been from the tugs themselves. Perhaps there’s a rogue tug on the lose? Regardless, you have to follow orders from the leader of the Riders.
The tug you are bonded to looks around and sniffs the air. They reach out to you through the bond. Their presence feeling like a warm comforting blanket around your mind.
I smell, see, nor feel nothing. Something isn’t right. I told you not to dig too deep. She’s not one to be trifled with and you know that. She’s dangerous and she knows it. She knows the power she holds and wields it like a weapon. Her name carries weight. One snap of her fingers and she could have Titan incinerate anyone within a split second if she wanted to. We have to be alert.. I have a bad feeling about this. They look down at you, baring a concerned expression on their face. You nod and make sure you check behind you and the tug you’re bonded to. Nothing.
You’re right. There have been no known reports yet.. unless, they went straight to Dusk instead of the media. Which wouldn’t surprise me. If a rogue tug is out and about then the Navy would have to go to the Riders. They know their weapons are pointless. Well, most of them. Missiles do damage.. but that’s besides the point. Yes, I might have dug a little too deep, but why would Dusk stab one of the Riders in the back? It’s her job to lead, to guide. I mean, sure, she’s done a lot of bad stuff, but she’s done a lot of good stuff too. If it weren’t for the curse being cast, you and I wouldn’t have been bonded. You look back at your tug. There’s a moment of silence, yet you can feel the tug’s unease.
That may be true, but she should’ve chosen someone more experienced than you and I to go out and do this. You barely even begun your training. She wouldn’t send you out here to investigate unless something is up. Something is wrong and I just know it. The tug replies. The tug goes silent as they look around. You sense an overwhelming wave of fear through the bond and you look out into the open ocean. The ocean is mostly still and quiet. The moonlight reflecting off it like a massive moving mirror.
What is it? What do you sense? You ask as you draw your blade from it’s scabbard. The metal sparkles in the moonlight.
There’s something beneath us. I felt a disturbance in the water. We are not alone. Be ready. The tug glances towards you as they pinpoint the general direction of where they last sensed it. There’s a few long agonizing minutes of silence and the tug you’re bonded to slowly relaxes.
False alarm. Must’ve been a large fish. The tug sighs in relief. It all happens. The coils of a gargantuan serpentine creature wraps around the tug and squeezes tightly. The coils are easily thicker than a redwood tree. There are purple stripes similar in appearance to lightning bolts running along the creatures spine, leading up to spined fins that are an absolutely stunning mix of blue, purple and black. Each fin has a series of white specks, as if they were stars in a stunning and colorful night sky. They glowed softly in the darkness. On the beast’s sides are large white glowing spots that run along it’s body. The purple underbelly of the beast seems to illuminate with a crackle of electricity. Electricity visible coursing up and down the beast’s long winding, and powerful body. You cannot see the head of the beast, giving you the horrifying realization that you’re only seeing a very small portion of the monster. Whatever this is massive. You and your tug don’t stand chance.
The tug you’re bonded to screeches in pain as the coils squeeze around them tightly. You had the right mind to wear rubber boots, or you would’ve been electrocuted as well, but that doesn’t spare you from the pain felt from the bond. You cry out as you feel the searing pain rip through your body as you shake uncontrollably. You feel as if your heart is about to burst from your chest from beating so rapidly and irregularly. You feel as if you can’t move, paralyzed by the feeling of the sheer agony your tug is feeling.
You feel the tug desperately reaching out to you. The coils become tighter and it’s almost impossible for the tug to breathe. You feel the burning sensation in your lungs, desperate for air, yet the immense pressure from the creature’s powerful coils are far too much for your tug to handle.
Run! Run! Go get help! Find a ship and get to safety. Demder Rocks are not too far away. Go find Lillie, anyone to help you! The tug cries out before they finally withdraw from the bond, freeing you from the immense pain you have been feeling for what felt like an eternity. You gasp for air and nearly collapse, reminding yourself you’d be electrocuted if you so as much as even let another part of your body touch the tug you’re bonded to. You look towards the water and a sinking realization hits you. The moment you hit the water, you will be electrocuted as well. You are trapped with this beast.
You reach out to your tug, but just before you could make contact, you felt a sharp pain in your head and you’re forced back into your mind as the mental barriers are raised once more. Your gaze shifts to the coils as you holds your head. The crackling of electricity has stopped and the coils loosen slightly. You try to reach out again, only to be remain trapped within the confines of your mind. The bond has been broken. Realization turns to sorrow and rage as you realize what had just happened. Your tug was no match for the beast. Your tug was dead. You let out a scream of rage as the coils disappear beneath the surface. In a blind fit of rage you clench your blade in your fist, cast a spell that would create a bubble of air around your head and dive headfirst into the dark cold waters of the ocean. The spell allowed you to look around under the water. Your surroundings are pitch black.
You see a bright light ahead of you and you have to shield your eyes to keep yourself from being blinded by the light. Your eyes grow wide with fear as you finally see the face of the monster. It’s head is similar to that of a great and wily serpent. It’s jaws agape, showing off rows of sharp teeth similar to that of an angler fish. The light you’re seeing is coming from a bulb attached the beast’s head. It’s deep blue eyes glow softly in the dark water as it examines you. It has six limbs in total and is a beast of gargantuan proportions. It easily dwarfs Hercules and Titan combined, far larger than any other sea serpent you’ve seen. It’s claws are a sapphire blue and the webbing between each finger is the same colors as the spined fins along it’s spine. It’s tail ends with numerous spines, no doubt a deadly weapon. It’s purple draconian ears pin back slightly at the sight of you before it almost smiles at you, clearly amused by your bravery.
You realize your mistake far too late as the beast charges. It all happens so fast. A flash of sharp teeth and then darkness.
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Dusk watches from Demder Rocks as she smirks. She knew Abyss would pull through. Sending the one Rider and tug who were a little too close to finding out just who she was to investigate a reported series of attacks when there was never truly public reports made. She didn’t expect it to work, but at least she has rid the Riders and tugs alike of a would be traitor. She already knows what story she would tell them. Most likely strayed too far, as she knew they were both in experienced. She watches as Abyss’ massive coils wrap around his kill before dragging it deep beneath the waves where he can feed in peace.
She shakes her head and looks off towards the distance, towards Sodor. The magic buffers are a gateway, allowing anyone from any dimension to enter. In this case, the universe where giant humanoid machines born with a taste for blood and far more animalistic urges than the tugs have been mingling here and it didn't take her long to figure out they could shapeshift into monstrous beasts. Abyss, was an electric engine, a prototype. She recalled meeting him and decided to strike up an alliance. He notifies her when he’s around and she will send out anyone that may be getting too close to finding out who she is and what she’s capable of out in the open ocean so he may be able to feast at his leisure. She’s merely holding up part of the deal, now it’s Abyss’ turn to hold up his, to get rid of the evidence, to feed. With that, she calls for Titan through the bond. She needs to get back to the headquarters before she’s missed. She can’t let anyone get wind of just how she truly is. At least.. not yet.
NONE of these works are mine. Give all your love to the authors and their works. The links will either bring you to the Tumblr page or a Ao3 page of the work.
Magic!au... Basically anything with magical elements. Fea, Wizard/witches, Curses, etc,. Does not involve all supernatural elements, such as vampires or werewolf's. They can be involved in the background, but for these story recs they are not.
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Title: Blessing and a Curse 💦👊🗒
Author: @btsmosphere
Summary: Also college!au. 12.7 words.... Curse!au????
↳ “You are the unlukiest person you know. Park Jimin seems to be the exception to the rule. But when strange dreams start haunting you, Jimin begins to piece together the events that have followed you your whole life... “
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Title: Realm of Enchantment 💦👊📝
Author: @jkeuphoriadreamland
Summary: 7 parts, completed. Fea!Jimin.
↳ “A beautiful creature, the likes of which you have never seen before, falls into your pool in the middle of the night. You race to help it, quickly discovering that it can tell you nothing about who or what it is. In time you discover this creature is more than meets-the-eye, its charms making you fall deeper and deeper. “
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Title: Erised 💦🐑👊🗒
Author: @jamaisjoons
Summary: Also HarryPotter!au. Slytherin!jimin x hufflepuff!reader.
↳ “The last thing jimin had anticipated when he’d followed you into the room of requirement was to find you, the demure little head-girl, in front of the mirror of erised. moaning his name.”
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Title: The Dark Prince Epilogue 💦👊📝💜
Author: @jkeuphoriadreamland
Summary: Although this is a part of a series, only the epilogue (link above) is Jimin x reader. The other 8 parts are JK x Reader. Also curse!au, and Witch!jimin x queen!reader.
↳ “Approached by a witch with the promise to free your husband’s family name from a curse, you question whether his intentions are good, but soon find there is a heavy price to pay.“
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Title: The Iron Ring 💦👊📝
Author: @haliiimede
Summary: Series on Hiatus until Sept, 22. Fae!prince!jimin x human!reader. Also royal!au.
↳ “After finding a mysterious ring while cleaning out your late grandmother’s attic, you receive the unlikeliest of visitors: a fae prince who claims you have something that belongs to him. Discovering the fairytales your grandmother told you are true is the least of your problems when you’re taken to a world dangerous and unfamiliar.“
The tugs have developed another means of communication besides different vocalizations, and speech. They can relay messages from a good distance away. From locating another tug to signaling danger, there is a whistle sequence for every situation. These are the most common ones.
Three short blasts essentially is a way to ask the other tug they may be paired with, or in a group with. This essentially means “Where are you?” It is handy in keeping track of one another’s locations, and can help a lost tug find their way home. This whistle signal is often answered with the same whistle pattern, letting nearby tugs know of their current location.
Four short blasts of a whistle essentially means that the tug is towing dangerous materials, like dynamite, or highly flammable substances. This means that the tugs around the one sounding the signal must take caution around the tug in question as a safeguard.
Two short blasts is basically a means of alerting the other tugs and sometimes workers that they are coming in to the area. Whether it be to get another barge loaded, or just to alert others they’re coming into the area in general. It comes in handy when the area in question is rather busy, allowing other tugs to make way for the incoming tug.
One long blast means one thing: danger. This signal came to be after the munitions incident. It hasn’t needed to be used since, and they all hope it will never be used. Using this signal will call for all of the tugs in the area, ready to defend the one sending the signal, or alert the others to run for shelter.
Bigg City Riders!AU + Giant!AU (CH: 1) First encounter
Maybe the first of a couple little stories of what if @bigg-city-riders-au Riders!AU met my Giant!AU. So here’s the first.
Another night and another hunt. The wind was a chilly cold as the season of spring was in the air making the nights freeze and the days shine. Zip was looking around in the estuary to move in closer to the beach side for some maybe unassuming humans, he was about to turn back in to make his way to the sandy slop to water when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. It was much further out around where Lillie was stationed but curiosity got the better of him.
He sailed around only a few kilometres away from Lillie who watched him with interest. Zip had thought he saw something on the water surface when Lillie’s light flashed over it. He turned on his own light to have a look when he saw something reflect back at him. It looked to be an eye much like his own or more similar to a pair of cat eyes, they staired at him and he staired back. After a few seconds Zip grew a little creeped out so he softly hissed at the reflecting dot to see what it would do. Big mistake. No, scratch that, humongous mistake.
What the eye belonged to was massive, and actually excelled in height compared to the switcher tug boat. Very few things could actually claim that over his species so it was reasonable to assume that this thing was a threat. It raised out of the water and looked to at least be standing at maybe sixteen meters, it was humanoid in shape and stood on the water level as if it were ground. The goliath hissed deeply back at the small switcher causing Zip to panic and sail backwards but not race into the harbor just in case it actually didn’t pursue him.
As Zip was backing up as quickly as he could, Lillie shined her light into the direction of the creature and when the light hit it, it revealed to be a shocking sight.
The creature was almost completely human say for its ears which were long and pointed with almost fin like details running from under them across its neck. It appeared to be masculine in figure and from what Zip could see it had no genitalia, but the most interesting thing was that it had one eye that looked normal, but the other had a pattern of what looked like scars up to it with black sclera and a pupil that didn’t reflect the light. Zip could only stare up in shock as the light that Lillie pointed at the creature illuminated it.
The creature huffed, walked a few steps on the water surface to the side, before doing a dive back into the water with a splash. Zip turned around quickly at this and charged into the harbor, his hunger be dammed for one night, he wanted to live.
As Zip quickly as he could speeded into the harbor he came to a panicked stop at the Zero marine dock. The other Z-stacks looked at him with confusion before a certain person Zip knew well moved toward him. They were a young man in their late teens, having a human torso but his legs replaced with a snakes body and wings on his back appearing to be bat-like except 50% of them had feathers, leaving them to appear like a bird wings but with bat wing digits, his ears also looking like they belonged from a bat as they moved and twitched at the sides of his head. He had wild looking black hair tied up in a few hair ties with some braiding here and there left out, his eyes were an amber and gold mix with cat like pupils. He wore a white shirt with a maroon vest and a black tie, a puff of black fur spilling out of the collar.
He flapped up onto Zip’s bow and slithered up to the tugs head, pressing his body into the tugs cheek. “Zip, jeez what’s got ya so spooked?” the teen asked. “I just saw something while I was sailing around in the estuary, at first I thought it was nothing until it raised out of the water revealing to be a huge human looking thing! It had one normal eye and a weird looking one, it was able to stand on the water and it had these weird cat-like fish hybrid ears. Lillie saw it to! She shined her light on it, I’m not making this up!” The panicking from Zip stopped when the door to the Zero office building opened with a defining thud.
The whole area grew quiet as a figure walking onto the dock in front of the tugs. It was a woman who all the tugs knew well, she was slender yet athletic, sensual and striking. She had physical traits most resembling of a caracal and cheetah, she had cat like ears at the sides of her head appearing to be caracal like and a long silk fur tail like a cheetah but she had markings on her face not to dissimilar of a racoon.
She walked up to before the switcher that was in a blind panic before. “Zip, calm down and go into a little more detail here. How did you find this creature to begin with?” the woman asked. “I was looking around in the estuary using my light to see if any nocturnal fish would reflect their eyes back at me. I did spot something that had its eye reflect back but it just staired at me… after a few seconds I decided to try hissing at the eye to see what would happen, it then raised to the surface breaking the water and then standing on top of it as if there was a lift under it.” Zip explained. “How big was it if you were to estimate?” the woman asked. “Fifteen meters, maybe more…” The woman seemed to give it some thought. “Well I don’t have much to do as of tomorrow. Zanctum, I want you on areal while me and Zorran scope the area. I’d rather this be a dud than risk something unfriendly coming into the harbor.” “Would you like my help?” Zebedee asked. “You have to assist Hercules tomorrow with that heavy goods rush around the coast tomorrow Zeb, don’t worry you know your riders got it.” “And plus, you’ve been looking forward to seeing Prizm this whole week and it’s your turn to bring him home.” Zak reminded his comrade.
It had been 20 years since the defeat of Johny Cuba, and a lot has happened since then. Wildmask had grown up into a powerful shadow mage, a lethal force to be reckoned with almost on par with the tugs she had a part of her fleet, she knew her late mother would be proud. She had become a mother herself as well to two boys during this time, the first being adopted and being Zanctum himself, his birth parents leaving him on Wildmask’s doorstep 15 years ago. The second was biologically hers and that being Prizm that Zak mentioned, the father being the owner of Star Tug and Marine, Logan Star, or as he was now known as Captain Star the 2nd, just as Wildmask was known as Captain Zero the 2nd. Unfortunately, both of the captains prior had met death a few years ago out of old age.
“Suffering stacks I nearly completely forgot.” Zebedee said smacking his face with his clawed anchor. “You think Prizm will come back with a rider mark?” Zug asked. “All of us are completely smitten with that kid, I wouldn’t personally be surprised though I guess hurt he chose a Star over any of us.” Zak said. “Guys, need I remind you when Prizm is old enough he’ll be taking in both fleets? None of you will be Stars or Zeros for too much longer.” Wildmask reminded them. “I still don’t see why Zanctum can’t take the Zero fleet and Prizm the Stars.” Zorran said. “Because I’ve told you guys before I don’t want this whole rivalry thing to go on and I don’t want to be competing against my brother for no apparent reason. If it makes you guys feel better maybe me and Priz can co-own the new business with me being in charge of you guys and him the Stars.” The tugs sighed at the teens logic, it made sense but it wouldn’t be the same.
“Well I don’t know about the rest of you but I want some sleep, I’ll see you all tomorrow for briefing.” Wildmask said walking back to the office building door. “You coming Zan?” she asked her son. “Nah, I wanna stick with Zorran tonight.” Said tug was happy to hear the chimera human hybrid wanted to stay with him. He smiled and lifted his hat for the boy to fly up to.
Zan sprang up from the dock and landed coiling around on top of Zorran’s hair, once he was comfortable he gave a satisfied purr in contempt that signalled Zorran to put down his hat.
Once everyone was happy it was a quiet night for Bigg City harbor.
(A.N: The giant who Zip met was Sea Rouge, I’ll get onto more maybe later and will only be posting it here. Enjoy!)
