“While in truth, we had shared the same economics course and had one or two idle conversations, I place the moment of significant contact to be a week after my... incident. I knew her by a different name, back then. She had been my first, and only, visitor.
Her presence there had brought both confusion and comfort. A stranger had deigned to see me when my own family and friends could not be bothered to even send a heartfelt letter, much less show their faces. The unexpected gesture left me feeling numb. I could not muster the energy to be angry with her there, not when she was blameless. The true wrongdoers had been conveniently absent until then and, much to my increasing bitterness, would continue to remain so for the duration of my stay in the hospital. It wouldn't be until much later that I'd realize what a boon that would prove to be.”
“Hikari's visits would start off brief, but meaningful. A tape recorder here and there with the day's lesson, written notes or books other times, home-cooked food always... With my speech hindered by the wraps covering my face, I was certain my unexpected guest would grow tired of the one-sided conversations and eventually cease coming. But I was wrong. Instead of deterring her, this hurdle only seemed to embolden her, and soon Hikari would come up with ways for me to contribute as well. A notebook for penning down thoughts. A whiteboard for more creative endeavors and quick messages. And other... out of the box methods.”
“Years later, those notebooks are still dearly kept in the drawer of my desk.
Nothing could satisfy the inherent need to speak, however, which is why I was tremendously happy when the bandages got removed, a mere month into my imprisonment in that sterile tomb. And yet, neither of us were prepared for the sight that accompanied my regained liberty.”
“There was... nothing.
The doctors had warned me that my ailment would leave me permanently disfigured. No one with the kind of angry, sensitive eruptions I had sported until then would have any chance of coming out unscathed. I hadn't needed a medical professional telling me that for me to know. But my skin was pristine and looked somehow healthier than when I first landed in that forsaken hellscape. I was, decidedly, wary. Hikari, while also hesitant, erred more on the side of overjoyed. I could finally leave! The discomfort was gone for the most part, and medical diagnostics would clear me of any serious issues. With a mild prescription and orders of bed rest, I was finally out of the woods.”
“I should have known better... “
“I did know better. “
“But knowing did not lessen the utter torture that would follow.”
“It was at this point where I had come to realize just how dire my situation truly was. Maybe I was in denial until then. The hospital was far from equipped to handle interdimensional materials. It was at this moment, with the sun setting on my life, that I realized I would be confined to that suffocating prison. That bed was my cell. My coffin. My tomb.”
“For better or worse, she stayed. Even through the mounting pain, the dizzy spells, my body betraying me... She had been brave all throughout. My dear wisteria, the love of my life. I could see the fear and concern in her eyes even with the optimistic front she put on. Even when an inferno fiercer than anything I could ever imagine burned me from the inside out, boiled and melted my insides and forged me anew, seared my mind until I couldn't think past the agony, she stayed with me. When my eyes glowed with a bloodthirsty crimson and claws gripped and ripped through the bedding.”
“When the staff had to strap me down to keep me from hurting myself or others --thankfully without witnessing the inhuman features…”
“She continued distracting me with tales and inane topics.”
“Even when I lashed out at her and hurt her like the wounded, mindless animal that I was becoming...
Even in those days when I wished I could just... If only it would all just...
…..
Even then, she would not give up on me. She had steadily become the only one to believe in my harshly dwindling chances of recovery, as the months passed and I only ever got worse, not better.
I wouldn't be able to take this merciless treatment for much longer, of course. Try as I might, I was still at least half human at that point, and there is only so much the human body could withstand before it draws the line and shuts down. I'm only thankful that that threshold was crossed before my psyche would fail me more than it did, and with an accidental parting gift from my beloved, no less.
She bestowed upon me her true, self-chosen name and from then on had been known in my heart and soul as Hikari Kondo instead of the name she was born with."
"Yet, as blissful darkness finally took me, a year into this nightmarish ordeal, I was still not spared… and neither was she. But I shall spare you the following year of near close calls and uncertainty. It wouldn't be my story to tell, after all. I was in a coma and as such wouldn't prove a very accurate source of information on that front.”
. . .
“… And I do believe I have divulged enough, on this particular topic. After all, it satisfies the question. I met my wife after a certain buffoon and his oblivious girlfriend caused the very accident that mercilessly and ruthlessly set me down on the path I now walk. I suppose I… could be a little grateful for the situation, as I would not have my wife now if not for them.”
“...”
“You know what? No! They not only caused me years of pain and suffering, but they also left me to perish alone. And I did, in fact, die in that horrendous cot. I owe them nothing.
Now, I believe we are done her- Miso? Miso whatdoyouhaveinyourmouth–”
Part 2 coming soon
HUUUUUGE THANKS to @feralsrock !! For the lovely ask and the infinite patience!
Okay first, this update was amazing, I love it, I kinda wrote an essay in my reblog tags i loved so much, but ALSO! Second thing, Where is the inferna copula??? It wasn’t on his hand in the last panel, and I am a frighten
Thank you so, so much! I read your essay, I loved it. ;)
And oh ho ho, well spotted! Yes, this time I did not just forget to draw it! As for where it is, I'm not telling, hehe.
Can I just thank you for the avatar Stanley au? It is giving me LIFE rn. I just can’t get the idea of badass, brash avatar grunkle Stan out of my head. Like how would Mabel and dipper even ready to that? Finding out their con-man grunkle is the AVATAR?
Aw, thank you, I’m glad you like it! Just so you know, the AU’s general premise is mine, but developing it has been a team effort, primarily @vulpixen, @bluestuffeh, and @nour386 chipping in on it. So they deserve some love too~
I think Dipper and Mabel react in different ways to discovering that their grumpy uncle (I’ve forgotten to mention this, but we decided that, for this AU, Dipper and Mabel are actually Stan and Ford’s niblings, not great-niblings; they’re Shermie’s kids instead of Shermie’s grandkids) is the Avatar.
Mabel squeals excitedly and gets all starry-eyed and asks Stan to teach her airbending - she inherits airbending from an airbending ancestor on Ma Pines’ side, but it doesn’t manifest until she’s at Gravity Falls, so she’s pretty new to it.
Dipper...might pass out. Or he says something along the lines of “Ohhhh so that’s why you were so sure Gideon wasn’t the new Avatar.” To which Stan replies “Yeah, also, I’m not an idiot. Even if I wasn’t the actual Avatar, I’d see through his act. Kid’s not a bender at all. Gives us regular, hardworking cons a bad name.”
Just letting you know that I have a friend who is SUPER afraid of clowns, but I told her about this AU and she got so invested. She’s read every update and has regularly bugged me to know when the newest update comes out. Bravo!
Aw, thank you!! I’m cursed/blessed with a style that makes even clowns endearing, somehow. Tell your friend she’s rad!!
Hey, so I'm trying to follow your advice on the new Tumblr Terms of Service post, but I can't find the "cookie consent" thing you talked about... All I'm seeing in the Privacy settings is "Let others see that you're active" and "Improved Search". The only other option is the link to the Privacy Dashboard but that gets me nowhere. Think you can help me out?
Hi there! I’m going to guess that you’re not in an EU member area. This new privacy gig of Tumblr’s is in response to the GDPR, or the General Data Protection Regulation. It’s a new European Union thing, actually goes into action May 25 so that’s why a lot of companies are suddenly changing their requirements or adding new cookies popups--at least for those of us in the European Union. I’m not 100% sure, but I think it’s because Tumblr, despite being an American company, has users in the EU, it needs to be complicit over here, but the EU can’t stop them from doing what they want to do in non-EU places, like America. I hope that’s helpful!
HOW RIDICULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL AND HILARIOUS WAS THAT SERIES
Wolf and the crack shoes (as my friend dubbed them) and the singing ring and that one scene with the toad where Tony straight up loses his shit and the trolls, it’s all just so wonderful
