Diodeshipping Week, Day 1! Theme: Love, Prompt #2 (Cuddling)
I was really hoping the “As Pokemon” AU was going to make the final cut... and even though it didn’t, I kind of went with it anyway ^^;
The story here is that Clemont built a machine to turn him and Ash into electric-type Pokemon (for science!) but unfortunately he forgot to add the ability to make them human again :0 So it’s taking twice as long to finish (given their small size and tiny paws), and a break/nap was in order. Even as Pokemon, some things never change... and that may be the most important scientific discovery of all.
By popular demand and in the name of creating more Diodeshipping content, we are pleased to announce this year’s celebration: a continuation of last year’s Diodeshipping Week, plus a bonus 31-Day Challenge: Diodecember!
Here’s how this works: everyone has the option to participate in one or both events, but they will be working from the same list of 31 prompts (shown above; click to zoom). If you are doing Diodeshipping Week, pick seven of your favorites (and yes, that includes free days!) and try to concentrate your posts around the week of December 4-10.
Diodecember is a bit more variable– start on or near December 1, and take as many days as you need to reach #31! If attempting this option, it would be ideal to overlap as much as possible with Diodeshipping Week, so we see the highest number of posts during that time.
You are free to interpret these prompts in any way you see fit, and create any type of fanwork you want: fanart, fanfic, screenshot manips, headcanons, etc. Be sure to use either #diodeshipping week or #diodecember in the first 5 tags so we can see your creations!
More details (including an FAQ) will be posted on the diode-shipping blog. Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have about the event or on the prompts themselves.
Thank you for your patience while we got this post together. It’s clear the Diode Love is still going strong! Like, reblog, and spread the word– we can’t wait to see what you’ll come up with!
“M-maybe you can pull off this look, Ash, but I don’t think it’s really my style!”
Diodeshipping Week, Day 3! Theme: Life, Prompt #12 (Trying on Each Other’s Clothes)
I wanted to go with something other than their standard outfits for this one! Any excuse to draw the Voltage Badge hoodie, and since Ash has had so many wardrobe changes over the years, why not revisit an old-school favorite that illustrates his truly um… unique fashion sense? XD
(Careful, Clemont! Ash still might have this bit of business stashed away a closet somewhere, and he’s going to have you try it on next!)
At long long last, here is a poll to help decide on what the Diodeshipping Celebration will look like this year! Spread the word, vote for your favorite options, and get ready for Seven Days of Diode (or more??) The final announcement(s) will be made end of October.
Hi all! Unfortunately, real life got in the way of posting anything for the past 3 days but here on the final day I am making a comeback - with previews for two Diode fics I’ve been working on!
Fic 1: Heart Grows Fonder
This one is still in very early stages of being written, but it spans about three years in-world from Kalos travels over to Ash’s time in Alola. Unfortunately, I started planning this wayyyy back before we even knew about Alola, so a lot of my ideas are getting wiped out as the new anime airs (for instance!! No League??? No travelling????) so don’t expect this one for a while;;
This was meant to be my actual fic for NaNoWriMo but I ended up writing the second fic instead lol
Ash heads onto to his next adventure in Alola, and Clemont can't help but regret not speaking up about his feelings before his best friend leaves. Cue a year of late night phone calls (darn that time difference) and long distance pining. Will Clemont ever get a second chance?
and so! here is the preview!
Overall, Clemont feels like it's Pikachu who figures out his secret first.
He and Bonnie have been travelling together with Ash and Serena for a while now, which necessarily means being in close proximity to each other nearly all the time. The four of them eat together, laugh together and train together and above all, have fun on their journey together.
Clemont is currently regretting the 'sleep together' part though, because while the four of them are naturally close friends by now, there's such a thing as too close.
Two can fit comfortably per tent, so Clemont and Ash tend to take one tent while Serena and Bonnie take the other. That's fine. Everyone has their own sleeping bags, so that's fine too. Pikachu tends to sleep on or near Ash, so the small electric Pokémon isn't the problem either.
The problem is that Ash sleeps like a Staryu. This, too, would normally be fine - Clemont can put up with the occasional arm to the face; he's used to it from the days that Bonnie used to crawl into his bed because she'd had a nightmare. Actually, when Clemont thinks about it, the real problem is that Ash sometimes sleeps more like an Octillery, latching onto the nearest thing in his sleep.
Like right now, in fact.
Ash’s arm is snug around his waist, fingers tangled in the cloth of his pyjamas. The rest of the other Trainer is sprawled across him, with one leg sweeping across his own and his face buried against Clemont’s chest., his hair soft as it tickles the underside of Clemont’s chin.
Again, this would be bearable - he’s woken up to find Bonnie sprawled all over him and impossible to budge before – if not for the fact that Clemont also has a massive crush on the dark-haired Trainer.
So, naturally, upon waking to find said crush sleeping on him, all Clemont can do is freeze with a quiet ‘meep’ and blush to the roots of his hair. Any traces of sleep lingering behind immediately evaporate in the lightning bolt of realisation.
Fic 2: Clockwork Heart
Hooooooo boy, has this fic been a long ride. I’ve been working on it for almost two years now, on and off, and finally I’m pretty close to finishing it! The editing might take a while, but please keep an eye out for it. It was originally meant to be “just a really quick oneshot, I’ll have it done before the next episode!” and then it just... grew.
There’s no summary for this fic yet but basically it’s an AU where Ash is the robot that Clemont builds at the start of XY, not Clembot, and promptly becomes part of the lemon family. Inspired by a picture I saw on twitter C:
Onto the preview!
The next morning, Clemont's fever is worse.
Bonnie hovers anxiously at Ash's side as the robot frowns down at the sick blonde. "I thought you said you'd be okay if you rested?" Ash asks, a note of accusation in his voice. "Your temperature is still too high, Clemont."
Under Ash's hand, Clemont smiles faintly. He has to concentrate carefully despite his light-headedness in order to form a coherent reply. "I will be, but something like this isn't going to go away overnight."
He squints up at Ash as the robot reclaims his hand. "Why not?" Ash asks, sounding put out.
Clemont can't help it; even though it kind of hurts to do so, he has to laugh at how disgruntled Ash seems over the idea that he hasn't miraculously gotten better overnight. "Humans heal a lot slower than you do, Ash," he tries explaining. It's not entirely Ash's fault for expecting that result though when Clemont thinks about it. Ash only has the injuries that the Pokémon and himself have gotten as reference - it's not like Ash can get sick.
Ash crouches, folding his arms on top of the bed covers and resting his chin atop them. His features aren't as blurry at this range, and Clemont watches the disgruntlement change to thoughtfulness. "You should invent something to fix that then," Ash informs him seriously.
This time, both Bonnie and Clemont laugh, although Clemont regrets it almost immediately as his laughter turns into another coughing fit. Ash hands him the glass of water from the bedside table, looking confused.
Bonnie decides to take pity on the robot, since her brother isn't up to explaining right now. "That's what medicine is for, silly!"
"Medicine?" Ash repeats, blinking. A look of dawning comprehension appears on his face. "You mean like the stuff I use on Pikachu and the other Pokémon?" He looks over towards the electric Pokémon nestled on Clemont's pillow, still seriously following Ash's request the day before to look after Clemont.
"Yes, but Pokémon medicine won't work on humans," Clemont clarifies, still gasping a bit as he puts the glass back. He has a sudden vision of Ash trying to heal him with the Super Potion in the Pokémon first-aid kit. "You need human medicine."
"I looked yesterday, though," Bonnie says with worry, drawing Ash's attention. "We're out."
"Ah, it's okay, it's not vital," Clemont reassures her. "It just means it'll take a bit longer for me to get better, that's all."
“Alright then!" Ash says, standing up suddenly. "That means I'll just have to go out and get some!" he declares. "I can shut the Gym down for an hour or so, it's not like we get challengers this early in the morning." Before Clemont can protest - really, his fever will go down within a day or so anyway - Ash has already turned to the others in the room. "Bonnie, Pikachu, can you guys stay here and look after Clemont for me til I get back?"
"You can count on us!" Bonnie says cheerfully, echoed by a 'Pika!' from the smaller Pokémon.
"Great, thank you!" Ash replies with a grateful grin. He gets as far as the door before stopping dead and spinning around again. "Ah, I almost forgot!" he says, hurrying back over to Clemont's bedside as he unclips the Pokéballs at his waist. Clemont holds his hands out automatically as Ash drops the Pokéballs containing Clemont's Pokémon into them. "I shouldn't need these guys with me while I'm out, so I'll leave them with you," the robot explains as Clemont blinks down at the red and white spheres.
"Are you going to be okay without any of them?" the blonde asks, looking up at Ash. He has a feeling he should argue; after all, look at what happened the last time Ash went out without any Pokémon! What if Team… Team - ahhh why is it so hard to concentrate?! - that trio of Pokémon thieves showed up again?
Before Clemont can try and voice any of this in any sort of coherent fashion, Ash grins. "Yeah, I'll be fine," he replies. "Plus, these guys," he waves a hand at the Pokéballs, "were really worried about you when I said you were sick yesterday and they wanted to come check on you as well."
"Oh. Okay." Clemont's mind is too foggy to think of a reply. His fingers close on the Pokéballs. "Thank you…"
"I'm gonna come back as soon as I can with the medicine, okay?" Ash tells him, brushing Clemont's fringe aside and bending over to press a quick but gentle kiss to the blond's forehead. "You rest." The robot straightens and waves to the other two in the room as he rushes out the door. "See ya, Pikachu, Bonnie!"
"Pikaaaaa!"
"Bye, Ash!" Bonnie calls, waving after the departing robot. She drops her hand and pouts. "Aw, I wanted a forehead kiss too…"
Clemont blinks, replaying the last few seconds in his mind and raises a hand slowly to touch his forehead. Wait… did he just… "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?!" he exclaims, feeling his face flush bright red. He's definitely not feeling muddle-headed now. "Wha - wha - what was that?" He covers his face in embarrassment.
Bonnie just laughs, skipping over to his side. "I think it's sweet!" she says with a fond smile. Clemont peers through his fingers at her, face still bright red. Bonnie takes pity on her brother. "Well, Ash learns a lot from copying us, right?" she explains. "And he watches you say good night to me all the time, so…"
Just a form of imitation… "Ah, that's true, I suppose…" Clemont says, trailing off. But still…! He thinks he might curl up in bed for a while until his face goes back to fever-flushed rather than red from embarrassment.
"Ah, Clemont, Clemont, before you go to sleep!" Bonnie says eagerly, tugging at the sleeve of his pyjamas. "Can I look after your Pokémon? Please? I promise I'll take good care of them!"
Bonnie has groomed his Pokémon before - it's one of her favourite pastimes, since she can't have her own Pokémon yet - and they're all responsible enough to leave in Bonnie's care while he sleeps. Plus, Ash had said everyone was worried about him, so letting them know he was alright - sick, yes, but not in danger - seemed like a good thing to do. "Alright," he agrees.
So there you have it! Hope you have enjoyed reading these little preview snippets and please look forward to the actual fics! To steal today’s theme phrase, until we meet again! C;
Also, to the anon that sent me such a kind message a few days ago - thank you so much!! You seriously made my day :D
So we crossplayed as “Ashley” [@opallene] and “Clemontine” [@citrus-cactus] at Anime Central and Otakon back in 2015 and #FAILED at posting these pics until now! Happy Diodeshipping Week!! ~~<3<3<3
