All of these amazing pictures of our beautiful Void Snake has me thinking: Could the entity shrink into a little void snake and hang out around Simon’s neck when they’re recovering? As just imagining a little starry snek wiggling through the air (bonus: they try to wiggle on carpet and they just keep moving in place before getting annoyed that they can’t move)
Reader can absolutely alter their size as they want; they can make any adjustments they want to their form because they're a Concept and thus aren't bound by the usual laws and limitations of reality. They do have their limitations, but not really when it comes to altering their own shape. I think as of where I left it off in the last big addition, they were too weak to really adjust their form--they were still recovering from their injuries after all--but now that they're on the mend, I can absolutely see them doing stuff like that.
Especially now that they know Simon isn't afraid of a more monstrous look for them. I think if Reader just... doesn't feel like putting in the effort to look human, they could absolutely just shrink themselves down to a smaller version of their "true" form and curl around the back of his neck, or perch on his shoulder, or even just exist inside the house.
I also think that, eventually, the house might suddenly grow another room specifically for Reader, which is MUCH larger on the inside and is just a giant black void with a floor that they can curl up in so they can be in the house with Simon, while also being in the closest approximation to their true appearance they can manage while with him.
But they would also absolutely just float around as a small eldritch creature and get themselves into situations exploring like that.
It's here! Thank you again to @drop-of-void for inspiring me to start writing. Hopefully my writing improves as I continue to write. I'll try and figure out how to post on AO3 as well. Please enjoy!
Simon could only stare as the arm once attached to him hung limply on the metal pipe. His own blood quickly began flowing out of his wound, adding to the blood that was quickly filling up the sub. He clutched the black box floating next to him with his remaining arm, his thumb tracing the harness keeping it bound.
“Please mom, keep this safe.” He breathed out. “It’s bigger than us. It’s bigger than me.”
His eyes closed tightly as he braced himself. His head was still swimming from his concussion. “But I just want to live. Is that so wrong?”
Suddenly the monster slammed into the sub and Simon slammed into the side. She crunched down onto the sub, fully submerging it. Blood began filling Simon’s mouth, his eyes closing as he accepted his fate. As he began to lose consciousness, an odd noise stirred in his head.
“BARK!”
“NO!” She roared “HE IS OURS! HE IS -”
Her roar was cut as Simon felt a warm sensation surrounding him. He gasped as he suddenly fell. A rush of fresh air hit him, causing him to cough up what blood had entered his mouth. His remaining hand clenched the soft soil under him. Wait, soil?
Simon’s eyes winced at the sunlight as they opened to a lush green forest surrounding him. He tried to move, but the pain was too much as he fell face first into the grass once more.
“I don’t know what the hell just happened.” He thought. “But fuuuck does it beat dying to that fish.”
His eyes began to close once more, exhaustion hitting him. “This would be a nicer place to die.”
“Woof!”
That noise again. It sounded like an animal. Simon groaned as he heard several footsteps approaching his location. Or maybe not. I wonder what hell they’ll put me through.
“Oh fuck. Riv, you weren’t kidding when you mentioned the forest felt off.” A masculine voice filled the air. “Stars above, are they still alive? That’s a lot of blood.”
There was a long pause before Simon felt fingers brush against his neck, causing him to jolt in surprise. How did they approach so silently?
The fingers quickly retracted with a soft hiss, followed by another pause.
“That’s good. But Riv, I don’t feel comfortable leaving you here alone. We don’t know this person, and the blood around them looks… Alive..”
Another pause. How come he couldn’t hear the other person speak? Was this more weird alien shit he had to deal with? Simon would rather die than deal with any shit this Riv had to offer.
“Right.. I’ll go get Marin and a cart to carry them back. Just... Be careful, okay? I can already guess what you’re about to do.”
Footsteps took off, leaving Simon in silence once more. He wheezed, trying to catch his breath but he began coughing up blood again. Fuck the pain was too much. How much blood had he lost from his arm? What other injuries did he have?
He was shaken from his thoughts as the hand returned and brushed his blood-coated hair. Simon attempted to open his eyes despite his vision burning. He could barely make out a figure kneeling down beside him, attempting to wipe the blood from his head. This Riv thing didn’t seem to want to hurt him, and even if they did, he was already dying anyway. A soft noise began coming from the figure as darkness began to take him.
~ ~ ~ ~
Simon awoke floating in the ocean of blood. Was it a dream? Had he imagined the trees? He tried to swim up to the surface, as his body wouldn’t move. A dark mass sped towards him as She approached.
“YOU WILL NEVER ESCAPE US SIMON.” She roared. “YOU BELONG TO US. YOU CAN ONLY TRUST US.”
Simon opened his to scream, but blood filled his mouth as She opened her own maw to swallow him.
WOOF!
That animalistic noise howled through his head once more, followed by a soft voice.
“Hey friend. You’re okay. It’s just a nightmare.”
Simon’s eyes shot open as he woke up from the nightmare. A nightmare? He’s alive? His head throbbed as he attempted to sit up, but pain coming from what seemed to be his entire body rushed through him. A hand gently pushed him back down.
“Easy there buddy. I’m just a healer. You’ve been unconscious for about a week after showing up on our doorstep covered in blood and missing an arm, and that’s only half of the issue.”
A healer? Is that like a medic? The voice was different from the one from the forest. It was lighter and gentle. “Just calm down, you’re in safe hands. Here, drink some water. Go slow, we’ve tried to keep you hydrated but I’m sure you’re still thirsty.”
Simon felt a glass brush his lips. He took a few long sips as he tried to see who addressed him, but his eyes were still blurry. He could only see a figure with reddish hair. He raised his hand to rub his eyes, but the figure stopped him.
“Try not to move too much, you’re still pretty injured. Do your eyes hurt?”
“I.. Yeah they do..” Simon answered. “Where am I?”
“You’re in our infirmary. The pain could be from the concussion, but you could also still have some blood in your eyes. We flushed it out the best we could and had a salve wrapped around your head to help them recover.” The figure seemed to be partially talking to themselves as they addressed Simon. “Think you can sit up so I can check them?”
“Sure..” A hand gently went under his back to help him sit up slightly. Simon blinked a few times to clear his vision, allowing him to see the room he was in. It did look like an infirmary, but not as soulless as the ones he saw on Eden and the C.O.I. He was unsure what the room was made of, but it certainly wasn’t metal. The room also smelled odd, but not unpleasant. It was like a mix of alcohol and several other scents he couldn’t name. There were several beds laid around the room, with each bed having unique patterns on the blanket and pillows. There also weren’t machines near the beds. Instead there were nightstands with assorted items scattered on them. Simon saw his own had a small, odd-looking lamp along with a tray with various liquids and powders and a small plate of food. He wondered if that was where the smells were coming from.
“Good job. Here, try to eat something first. Not sure when the last time you ate was, but judging by your dehydration and the fact we can see your ribs, it doesn’t take a master to say it’s been awhile.”
The small plate was placed in his lap. Simon picked up what he thought was a protein bar and bit into it. It took all he had not to devour the entire plate. Fuck, when had it been the last time he ate properly? Days? Weeks? He could only watch as the now empty plate was taken from his lap. He then felt the healer sit on the bed.
“Well done. Now this might hurt your eyes a bit, but I need you to try and keep them open.” Simon looked up to meet dark green eyes. The healer looked human. Their tan face seemed to be androgynous, with a bit of stubble appearing on their chin. There were a few scars scattered around their face, with a more prominent one across their nose. The strangest thing though was the pointed ears. A finger waved in front of him drew him from his observations. “Try to follow my finger.”
After a few movements, the finger stopped. “Alright, I’m going to shine a light in your eyes to check for blood.”
Simon jolted back as the tip of the finger suddenly lit on fire. Confusion temporarily appeared on the healer’s face before they realized. “Ahh sorry. Guess you’ve never seen that happen before. I’ll explain after I check your eyes. Okay?”
Simon could only nod his head. The finger flicked around his eyes, a small heat coming from it. Soon the light was extinguished and the hand dropped from his head. Simon could only stare at the person in front of him as he was gently laid back down. “What are you?”
“Quite a loaded question there. Not even a ‘who are you?’” The healer chuckled. They handed Simon the water before pulling out a notebook. “I can answer both. You may call me Marin, and I am a healer and a mage.”
“What?”
“Considering your confusion and sudden appearance in our home, I’m starting to understand a bit of what’s going on. Basically, I can summon fire. We can explain it a bit more once your condition improves.” Marin said. “You still have a concussion, but your eyes are clean. I already checked your arm wound before you woke up, which seems to be healing nicely. Are you in any pain?”
Simon looked down at where his arm used to be. Bandages were neatly wrapped around what remained of his upper bicep. “Uhh, a bit. Mostly my head, but just about everywhere else too. You said you found me on your doorstep?”
“Not really on our doorstep, Riv, the one who found you, was told that you were appearing in the forest. Like I said, we’ll talk more about it when you’re better. It’s a little difficult to fully process information when you’re concussed.” The mage continued to write as they followed up with a muttered, “Unfortunately some folks don’t seem to get that through their thick skulls.”
Marin put down their notebook and stepped over to the side table. As they fiddled with the items on the tray next to Simon’s bed, the human began to observe the room again. He was near a door, which he hoped was a way out if he needed to escape. By the door was a large workspace, with cabinets and an assortment of chairs around it. Papers were scattered around the desk, hanging precariously on the cabinets, and even stacks on the floor. Hanging from the ceiling were various dried plants. He looked at them curiously, wondering if he could recognize any of them from the books he read as a kid. His thoughts were soon broken from Marin speaking to him again.
“I’ll give you a smaller dose of pain relief than what we’ve been giving you and see how you do. You can let us know if you need more.” The healer took another glass and filled a small portion of it with a brown liquid. “This will taste off, but it will make you feel better. You can drink water to wash it down.”
Simon took the glass and took a small sip. He made a noise as a bitter taste filled his mouth. He went to ask about it when there was movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to see a lump move in the bed next to him.
“It looks like my other patient is finally waking up.” Marin said as they took the glass from Simon. “By the way, I don’t think any of us got your name. What may we call you?”
“Um, it’s Simon.” Simon felt his eyes begin to droop. “Wow that medicine kicks in fast.”
“Yes, it’s some of my best work!” Marin laughed. “Well Simon, try to get some rest for now. Someone will check on you again in an hour or two.”
Simon gave him a sleepy nod as he shifted in the bed to get more comfortable. The bed was certainly more comfortable than the ones on Eden or the prison. As he drifted off to sleep, he heard Marin begin scolding the person in the other bed.
~ ~ ~ ~
When Simon woke again, the room was dark except for the now lit lamp flickering near his nightstand. He tried to move, but his body wouldn’t listen. He could hear his heart beating fast as he tried to breathe. He felt like he was being watched. He tried to search the room but the pain in his eyes was too much. He closed them again, tears running down his face as he panted. He shivered as a weight appeared on the end of the bed, slowly making its way up to his torso. He let out a sob. It was Her. It had to be.
“Please go away,” He begged. “Haven’t I suffered enough?”
“Mrrr?”
What? Simon shakily opened his eyes. A pair of silver eyes stared back at him, but the face wasn’t human. The dim lighting allowed him to see the creature’s face as it crept closer. Its brownish gray face was small and very soft looking with small black spots scattered about it. The silver eyes were outlined with black stripes, making them more prominent. The rest of the body appeared to be small with a long tail, with large blotches scattered around. As the small beast reached its destination, Simon could see it stood on four legs, with bandages wrapped around them. Was it hurt too? Why did Marin let it roam around while injured? It let out another noise and he felt his breath catch as he saw large teeth in its mouth. Did it smell the blood on him? Was it hungry?
Simon felt his heartbeat increase as the little being leaned forward to sniff the stump where his arm used to be, it whiskers so long that they brushed his face. He tried to speak, but the panic was too much for him as he began hyperventilating. The beast seemed to take a small step back, as if realizing it was causing him distress. It then made a smaller noise before it began to push its feet into the bed in a rhythmic motion, causing the bed to rock gently. Simon blinked as he watched the creature continue its motions, the rocking feeling somewhat soothing.
After a while, the beast stopped its motions and laid down next to him. It gently placed its head and one its large feet on his chest, almost like it was hugging him. Its long tail draped across his torso as its body stretched out against him. Simon was startled when a rumbling noise began coming out of the creature’s throat, vibrating against him. Simon could only stare as it closed its eyes.
“It's going to sleep,” he thought. “It jumped up here to sleep with me.”
The strange series of events was exhausting. The noises coming from the creature weren’t helping as Simon let out a small yawn. He sighed as sleep began to take him once more.
Fuck it. If he lives he’ll deal with it in the morning.
I like the idea of someone using phrases from our time around Simon and, since he’s from the future and/or an alternate universe depending on the fic, is confused as fuck.
“Come on Simon, this ain’t our first rodeo!”
S: A what.
~
“How do you humans put it? Break a leg?”
S: You want me to what???
~
“Skibbity rizz gyatt”
*Simon bluescreens*
Thank you to the Iron Lung server I’m in for adding to this chaotic shitpost
Amidst the minor angst being thrown I bring you this: Someone headcanoned that Simon would have a garden if he was brought to Earth. I can imagine Life visiting as asking if Simon wanted anything and he asks for a garden to take care of. Flowers, herbs, fruit trees or vegetables.
He doesn’t need them thanks to Reader but him knowing he grew them could give him a form of accomplishment and give him a new hobby.
He can also give Reader flowers he grew himself!
I am absolutely planning to write something about Simon getting a garden of his own, and I think this is a really good way to go about it, getting the seeds from Life so he can grow his own produce. Simon deserves to feel like he can nourish and cultivate life rather than just destroy it, and agh, my heart.
Also him giving Reader flowers??? Him spending his time painstakingly weaving them a little flower crown or bracelet?? This giant cosmic being with flowers wrapped around a tendril or a big, silly, floral crown atop their head? What if I cry. What if I sob rn.
If Thornclaw had been chosen to live instead, what other cat do you think would have died instead?
Will we learn who died in the other clans from the battle?
I'll cut the tension here and tell you that we do not go into who else was lost in this fight. I don't know if Lynx has the list on hand, but within the narrative, Firestar's too shellshocked to ask about it.
The thing with Thornclaw, Doyalistically speaking, is that he technically doesn't have any remaining purpose in the story when his siblings are all much more important or significant. Tornface and Brackenfur both have kids, and Snowshade is intended to live longer to make up for his terrible fate within canon. Thornclaw wasn't scheduled to continue his family line, and if he stuck around, Frostfur's lineage would make up a huge chunk of the Clan population, so we had to clear some room. He was the unfortunate chosen sacrifice.
It is a shame to me - if I'd known his death was this early, I would've given his speech impediment to someone else so we could have that representation for longer - but that's how the cookie crumbles, I suppose!
