Crk What if au idea 3 (warning for some darker takes on the idea under the cut)
Dragon Cacao (or Child of the Dragon)
This is more of an au closer to canon. The idea is that Dark Cacao we know is more dragon than actually cookie, born of a forbidden union between a fruit dragon and a stone dragon. An unnaturally powerful dragon that most of his kind turn their back on. Though that was probably for the best considering the dragons were soon wiped out, leaving only Cacao, Pitaya and snapdragon (the two in Cacao's sword don't count).
This leaves Dark Cacao more so trying to blend in with other cookies sense he's all alone and basically starting a kingdom just so he wouldn't get angry with so many cookies being in his territory. Eventually finding friends and the Soul Jams, and after years settling down having an heir.
Dark Cacao has an egg and he is so happy, he's going to have a hatchling, he won't be alone anymore. However, when the egg hatches, it's not a little dragon that comes out but a little doughling. It's not unheard of, but his son, Dark Choco, is born in his human form, not his true form.
This immediately strains their relationship, as all of Dark Cacao instincts are to care for a dragon hatchling which is much sturdier than a baby doughling, and is terrified of hurting his son. And Dark Choco growing up not only with the distance, but also the jokes of 'if he wasn't a tiny version of the king, we would assume the prince was adopted'.
This as you can imagine eventually builds resentment, which earns Dark Choco running away and finding the cursed sword. Then added factor of Dark Choco is still Dark Cacao's child, and him leaving the territory where he knows his son is safe just messes with his mind more.
---Note possible darker takes on this au idea (proceed with caustion)---
If you want to go darker routes with this idea. You could have the fact Dark Cacao doesn't feel at home in his human form. Or the same for Dark Choco, who begins to hate himself of the fact he wasn't born in his dragon form.
This could get more twisted if you add the fact that Dark Cacao is not a 'cookie', he's something much more dangerous. Cookie's laws or morals mean nothing to him.
Or if you want to add a body horror element, the fact Dark Choco was born into a human form doesn't mean he isn't a dragon. The other dragons seeing his human form as something akin to a caterpillar or egg, something that will ultimately be destroyed to make way for his true form. Meanwhile Dark Choco is doing his best to try and stop this possible transformation, the feeling of something beneath his skin, in his very dough that will end with his very self being destroyed.
And here we go, folks! The next chapter to this AU that... nobody probably remembers if I'm being honest 😅
Eh, I still like writing it out, so here goes! Just a fair warning... this is where things start to get pretty violent and lean in to the body horror aspect. So... if that's uncomfortable for you, feel free to step out.
For those of you willing to stick around, here's your trigger warnings!
(TW: Karen, paranoia, anxiety, mild body horror (TEETH), blood, vivid descriptions of raw bloody steak, mildly suggestive content, and horror elements)
Date: May 25 (Log 362)
Time: 1115
Location: Info Center; Main Office
Weather: Hot and VERY Humid (Note to self: shower before going home)
Cameras got knocked over at the east side of the park; remember to call in maintenance to fix the problem (order new ones because they're beyond repairing now).
Another kid fell into the poison ivy (case #5 for this month). Call in maintenance to rope the area off.
Invest in teaching Toad about janitorial duties. The bathhouses were trashed and vandalized before 1000. Twice. Also ensure to rope off the area with the… suspicious substance in one of the sinks (it looks hazardous).
Monitor the firewatch towers. Someone keeps starting campfires in the woods.
Signing off,
Luigi M
It feels strange being back here. Just a week ago, this place was all decorated and festive. Now it's like nothing ever even happened.
I guess that's me and Mario's punishment for not being here for Prince Peasley's welcome ceremony… at least Peach didn't fire us, right? We still need this job, especially with the newer medical bills piled on top of the old ones. At this rate, it'll be a miracle if we can afford our T.
Speaking of which, the bite on my neck's gotten better; can't even see it anymore. Healed up pretty fast, considering where it was and how deep it was. I guess I should feel relieved by that, but it's kind of unnerving.
I also started growing hair overnight on my legs. I mean, now they're covered up by my pants, but it itches like crazy! I can't stand body hair; I get that most guys are supposed to love it, but it feels like hell under my clothes. I even tried to shave it all off, but it just kept growing back! Only thing I managed to do was cut up my legs pretty badly. You know how painful it is to pull a bandage off a patch of hair? I do now.
I still have a cough, but it's died down since yesterday, weirdly enough. Usually whenever I come down with something, it stays with me for a while (the fun part about being born "the weaker twin" what can I say?). So I guess this isn't anything to worry about.
There is one thing that's bothering me though: the dream I had at the hospital.
I still can't get it out of my mind! It still feels so real. Every time I fall asleep, I see it again and again. Peasley's always there with that same scared expression. He always screams for me to 'get out' without ever explaining why. Every time I ask, some big hairy beast just tackles me to the ground, and then I wake up like nothing happened. I don't get it. Why do I keep having the same dream over and over like this? Am I going crazy? Should I mention this to Mario? He'd probably think I'm crazy, too, but he's usually understanding! And what about—
~~~
"HELLO?! HELLOOOOOO?! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!"
Luigi practically shrieked as he perked up from his journal, only to find a rather formidable-looking toad glowering at him, tapping her foot impatiently. Immediately, his face turned pink, realizing he'd been distracting himself for too long. Nevertheless, he scrambled to set his journal inside the desk and straightened the pen, standing up from his seat. As soon as the toad opened her mouth, he braced himself, knowing he'd need to break into the med kit later…
"About time," the indignant toad huffed, stamping her heel into the floorboards. "You run a shitty business here, you know. What kind of park service doesn't know how to clean up, huh?!"
Luigi plastered a smile on his face as he grabbed the clipboard at his side. "M-Ma'am, I a-a-apologize for the i-i-inconvenience. If y-y-you c-c-could, where is th—"
"Oh for star's sake, just spit it out already! The picnic area, you incompetent fool! It's your job to clean, and you can't even do something that simple! Or… is it that you'd like me to speak to your manager?! Is that it?! I'll have you know that I could sue this entire park for incompetence!"
"I underst-stand, ma'am. Th-Thank you for—"
"Don't thank me! I want it fixed right now! I want this entire park fixed! Honestly… what kind of staff is this park even hiring?!"
Luigi's eye twitched. "… O-Of course, ma'am. I w-w-will fix it i-immediately."
"See to it that you do!" the toad sniffed, turning on her heel as she strutted toward the main door. "Be lucky I didn't call the authorities to burn this podunk park to the ground."
As soon as the door slammed shut, Luigi's smile fell and he slumped over the desk. His breath remained shallow and fast, his hands starting to tremble violently as he scrambled for any semblance of the real world. Helplessly, he watched the toad's silhouette storm away through the window, still seemingly shouting indignantly about anything she deemed unacceptable.
In the end, he sighed, pressing his forehead to the cool desk surface, his eyes squeezed shut. The fan beside him felt worthless as it helplessly blew a cold breeze on the nape of his neck. He supposed he couldn't fault it, though. It was just… doing its job…
…
Two minutes… that's all he needed…
On the wall, the clock seemed to tick louder than it should have, stretching each second into hours. His chest ached as his lungs forced out more shallow breaths, unable to force them any deeper. He supposed it was a blessing his hands started to steady, but he refused to move. He felt his hat slipping down until it nearly hid his face entirely. However, even if he wanted to fix it… he felt like a statue.
"Eyo, baby bro! What's on the list right now, eh?"
Luigi drew in a breath as he quickly straightened, willing his heart to settle in his chest. Sure enough, right in the entryway, there was Mario. He couldn't help rolling his eyes, seeing his older brother in his sweat-soaked shirt, his face burning red as he hunched over, panting wildly. Outside, he heard the screams of toad children drifting in and out, right as the door slammed right behind Mario. Quickly, he made himself useful as he occupied himself with the files still scattered atop the desk.
"A-Afternoon, M-Mario," he stated blankly, trying to keep a flat expression. "È ora di fare un pisolino?"
At that, Mario squinted, before letting out a sarcastic huff that quickly morphed into a rather winded laugh.
"Very funny," he chuckled, wiping the back of his neck down with a towel. "Nope… those little ragazzi… they're makin' me repay 'em for being gone a whole week! They got me runnin' 'round in circles out there." He then held up both arms triumphantly and smiled, "Apparently having hair like this makes you look like Bigfoot. This T thing sure is something, eh?"
Luigi could only muster a wry smile. "Mmyeah… I'd s-s-say…"
He hardly paid mind as his brother hastily unbuttoned his shirt and threw it off into the corner, breathing in a sigh of relief as the cool air from the fan wafted against his skin, even with the binder. Briefly, he considered telling Mario about the worries he'd had since their stay in the hospital… but the relieved sigh he let out as he stood in front of the fan dissuaded him otherwise.
"Aaaaah, ohhhhh yeah that hits the spot…" Mario groaned, stretching his arms above his head as the fan cooled his belly, sweat dribbling down his sides in rivers under his binder.
Along with the very apparent hair growing along his abdomen, Luigi noticed, raising an eyebrow.
"Um… M-M-Mario?" he asked, keeping his gaze glued to his paperwork. "A-A-Aren't you… I dunno… h-h-hot? With… all th-that hair?"
Mario laughed loudly.
"Well, I sure do hope so!" he beamed, turning around so the fan blew against his back. "I wanna ask Peach out at some point, y'know?"
…
"I… m-m-mamma mia, I didn't mean th-that!" Luigi groaned, his face turning bright red as he slapped the papers against his forehead. "I-I-Is that all you even th-think about?!"
"It is now!" Mario chuckled, scratching his backside nonchalantly. "Seriously, you should-a seen her out there when those kiddos were chasin' me around! That big ol' smile of hers… stars, sometimes I think she might be one-a the Star Spirits with how pretty she is! And she was laughin' right along with the kiddos and winked at me! Y'know… I have a right mind to ask her to meet me down by the lake… and just let her know how I feel about her… it'd be just like in the movies…!"
"B-B-Bro, that's all y-you think about."
"Hey! I'm a guy, Lu! I have needs!"
"I'm a-a-aware."
Mario scoffed before stepping away from the fan. "You stop that," he playfully chided, planting a hand atop the desktop to alert his attention. "Don't act like I don't see you fawnin' over that Daisy girl like the world's endin—"
"I d-d-don't fawn over a-anyone!" Luigi snapped, setting the papers down in a huff. "N-Now can I p-p-please get back to work?!"
As soon as the words left his tongue, he clamped his hands over his mouth in horror as if to will them back in. With wide eyes, he turned to Mario, only to find him frozen in shock, his face a near mirror of his own. His heart sank as he scrambled for apologies, only for his throat to seemingly clamp shut.
"Okay…" Mario murmured weakly. "I-I'm sorry… I didn't mean to push, Lu—"
"N-N-No…!" Luigi finally squeaked out, clamping a hand over his heart. With a pitiful glance, he stared into his brother's shock transfixed gaze, pleading for him to believe him. In the end, however, he relented to a dejected sigh as he hung his head. "I… I'm sorry, M-M-Mario… I'm… I'm n-n-not… feelin' m-myself today…"
With another sigh, he laid his head down on the desk once again, hiding his face in his arms. He couldn't bear to look at Mario anymore… not after being so cruel. He wasn't even sure what had irritated him so badly to begin with! Normally, Luigi prided himself on being calm and collected. He was the rock between the two of them; the one who always had a plan for everything. He hated being angry… it never made any sense.
Perhaps that toad had gotten to him more than he thought…
"Hey."
Luigi flinched as Mario's hand gently rested on his shoulder blade, tracing little patterns over his shirt. With a shaky resolve, he managed to look up… only to find him smiling.
"I'm not mad, lil' bro," Mario reassured, patting his shoulder. "Really. I… shouldn't-a pushed ya. I take it today's been rough, eh?"
Luigi bit his lip.
"… i-i-is it that obvious…?"
Mario chuckled. "Kinda, yeah," he responded, biting his own lip. "I take it Ms. Mycellium came in and gave you an earful? I saw her stormin' outta here, earlier."
"… p-purple hair? G-G-Glittery purse?"
"Yep, that's her," Mario rolled his eyes. "She's what you'd call—" He leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "—a big bitch."
"M-Mario…!"
"It's the truth! Seriously, she doesn't like anyone here having fun! Always has somethin' to complain about. Somebody didn't pick up a can after two seconds, there's birds in the trees, and 'Oh for stars sake, won't someone think of the children I keep screaming at?!'"
Luigi threw his head back laughing as he lightly punched his brother in the shoulder. "Y-Y-You're terrible, you know that?! What if somebody heard you?!"
"They'd agree with me, lil' bro!" Mario protested, smiling as his shoulders shook with laughter. He then placed a hand on his shoulder, glancing down at the papers scattered all over the desktop. "Hey… tell ya what. How 'bout we get you outta this stuffy place for a bit? You've been holed up in bed for almost a week, and you've been in here since morning. C'mon, get some fresh air! Let's show off how this T's been workin' for us, eh? Maybe it'll even impress Daisy! Plus… I might need help with clean-up later."
Luigi bit his lip as he looked down at his legs… beneath those pants, he remembered, lay the thick patches of hair he'd never been able to shave off. Even though every inch of them were covered, he still felt so exposed walking around. To him, it was an even worse feeling than wearing a binder.
…
… then again…
…
"A-Alright," Luigi sighed, rubbing his forehead as if to wipe the stress away. "I… I g-g-guess it couldn't h-hurt…"
Mario clapped a hand on his back.
"That's my bro…!"
~~~
By the time Luigi found his way to the Recreation Center, he could feel the sweat clinging to his clothes and his lungs stinging as he tried to catch his breath from chasing after Mario.
Up ahead, he could hear Mario chuckling to himself as he pranced around, waving excitedly at some of the younger campers. All Luigi could do was chuckle silently as he supported himself on his knees. The things he'd do to have that kind of energy again… it must've been pretty nice.
But he didn't have time to dwell on such things; he was on the clock, after all.
Eventually, he managed to carry on, though not without cringing each time his legs brushed against the fabric, rubbing the hair in all the very wrong places. The itching was nearly unbearable, but he kept himself from scratching; it'd only been two minutes since he stepped outside, and he was certainly not about to embarrass himself.
Still, he wondered, what was the deal with the hair?!
He thought back to his journal, replaying the words over and over in his head.
"… tried to shave it… kept growing back… coarse dark hair…"
No matter how many times he listed it out and twisted it until it was near unrecognizable, it never made sense. Admittedly, he wanted so desperately to believe this was all just a part of his T spiking, however unexpected. At least there was a degree of logic in such a notion, he reasoned!
… surely, he wasn't going crazy!
But even that failed to make sense, especially as he recalled all the other strange events he'd been experiencing.
The growling cough…
The uncontrollable bouts of anger…
… and the almost feral hunger he got from just smelling raw meat…
A chill crept down his spine as he recalled the memory, nearly causing him to topple over as he knelt down to pick up a stray soda can from the grass. Ever since Mario brought home the steak, something he still refused to say for what reason, it was almost as if his senses had become corrupted by it. Whether he lay in bed, showered, or cooked breakfast… that was all he could smell.
Hell, he could even smell it in the car when they drove to work!
The strangest part, he thought confusedly as he picked up a few candy wrappers, that the feeling he got from it wasn't disgust, not even in the slightest.
If anything… he felt euphoric.
He couldn't explain it, which only served to further exacerbate his worries. He hated the unknown; merely being caught up in it was one of his worst nightmares. He always silently prided himself on being the more reasonable compared to Mario; he liked not having to rely on magic or fairy tales to explain things.
Normalcy.
Normal.
… the word certainly tasted good on his lips.
… wait…
Luigi suddenly flinched as he felt something puncture his tongue. He whimpered in pain, feeling a fresh throb on the tip, followed by the strong taste of sharp metal…
What the hell?!
Feeling his heart race, he ran his tongue along his teeth… and froze.
Had they always been so sharp?!
No… nononononononono, that was ridiculous!
He would have noticed!
… he should have noticed!
Briefly, he covered his mouth as he glanced around the park, ensuring no onlookers were nearby. As soon as the coast was clear, he shakily pulled his hand away… only for his eyes to widen as he saw a thin smear of red liquid staining his palm.
Blood.
No… no, he was being stupid!
He just… he bit his tongue!
Yes, that was it!
This was fine!
This was fine!
This was—
"Yo, Green Bean!"
Luigi let out a yelp as he suddenly tumbled to the ground at the sound of the voice, nearly smashing into the trash can beside him. He winced painfully as his knee dug into a rock, sending a sharp pain radiating up his leg. As he groaned in pain once the shock wore off, he looked up to find the source of the voice.
Immediately, he wished he'd disappear.
"D-D-Daisy…?!" he stammered, his heart catching in his throat as he suddenly recognized the familiar scent of desert flowers and the sheen of auburn-colored hair.
Quickly, his eyes darted to his hand before immediately scrubbing away any residual blood into the grass. His heart began pounding even faster as he tried to compose himself, lest he bring about any further embarrassment.
And the entire time, Daisy stood there, in all her almost ethereal beauty, giggling to herself.
"The one and only, silly!" she smiled, her hand outstretched to him him. "Saw you skulkin' around out here and thought I'd come to bug ya! Heh… didn't know I'd end up scarin' ya that badly!"
Oh stars above…
"I… uh…" Luigi sputtered dumbly. His vision began swimming as his gaze transfixed to hers. In that moment, the world around them both seemingly blurred into obscurity… nothing but the two of them in the dreaded heat…
… and her scent…
His heart echoed in his skull as his senses became overwhelmed by the flowers seemingly blooming into his face. He wanted to speak… say anything… anything to be normal. However, every word tangled in the back of his throat. He never realized how hard it was to think whenever he felt her touching him… especially when her hands were so warm…
Oh, stars… her hands…
… the scent…
… the scent.
Stars she smelled so fucking good—
"Uh… yo, Greenie, you good, bud?"
All at once, the sound of her voice brought him back down to Earth in an instance. For a brief moment, he could have sworn he'd heard her voice pulse inside his brain.
"Uh! Um…" he sputtered again, feeling his face burning a bright red. "I-I-I was just… ugh… I-I'm sorry, D-D-Daisy… I'm… n-n-not… myself, t-today…"
If the dirt were to consume him, he'd be perfectly fine with that…
He half-expected Daisy to walk away… only for her to place a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey… easy there, Green Bean. You don't gotta explain anything to me, okay? I just wanted to check up on you since I heard you 'n Red came back to the park!"
Hearing that, an overwhelming wave of relief washed over Luigi. He tried to laugh, though his lungs ached, and his heart nearly beat right out of his rib cage. Even then… even amidst all the shock, he could still smell her clear as day.
Warm…
Sweet…
… and alive.
"Heh…" he chuckled weakly, brushing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Y-Yeah… w-we're okay… just took a week off, is all. Um… P-P-Peach insisted."
"Did she, now?" Daisy responded, her tone suddenly turning, surprisingly, firm. Almost annoyed, even. "Well, then… I'm glad she did. Guess you got hurt worse than I thought when I found y'all…"
"N-No…!" Luigi reassured, his hand instinctively finding hers, much to his embarrassment as his cheeks flushed red. "Uh… s-s-sorry… n-no… we just… w-we got released a-a-after one day… f-from the hospital. B-B-But then we g-got sick and—"
"Sick? With what?"
"I… I d-d-dunno… a c-c-cold, I guess. I-I dunno, I'm n-n-not a d-doctor!"
"Ey I'm not sayin' anything bad about ya! But… are you really sure you're okay? Like… really?"
"Y-Y-Yes!" Luigi groaned, starting to get exasperated amidst his firing nerves. "I t-t-told you! I'm f-f-fine!
"Okay, okay, I'll stop!" Daisy giggled, squeezing his shoulder comfortingly. "Sorry, I like teasing people."
Luigi's heart pounded as her fingertips brushed his collarbone… so warm… wait, was that her pulse?
"Ha…! I-I-I can tell…!" he smiled nervously.
"Shush. Here, I'll do you a solid. How 'bout I help ya clean this place up? That's… one of your jobs, isn't it?"
"I… um… y-y-yeah, b-but… y-you don't have to—"
"My treat, Luigi. Nobody's even gotta know! Just say I'm a camper pickin' up my own trash!"
"I… o-okay…?"
That appeared to be all Daisy needed to hear before she got straight to work, whistling to herself as she scraped up the trash scattered in the grass. Though he tried to reassure her further he could handle it, she seemed not to hear as she began circling the area like a hawk.
… at least there was help!
Luigi sighed to himself as he carefully picked up a crushed soda can. He had to admit, it was nice to have someone pleasant to talk to these days, especially with his anxiety nearly reaching the moon. The day, too, he smiled, was even nicer; perhaps Mario was onto something when he dragged him outside. Occasionally, he looked up just to watch Daisy in her ministrations. The first thing that caught his eye was just how fast she worked; just when she picked up one piece, she'd grabbed another just nearby. Almost like a machine, he observed… or a hungry predator stalking its prey…
She truly was a wonder…
"H-Hey… uh… D-D-Daisy?" Luigi asked, tossing a few cans in the trash. "H-How'd you like the f-f-festival?"
At that, Daisy looked up from her spot with a bemused expression. "Oh, that?" she responded, a light chuckle in her tone. "I wouldn't know! I didn't stick around after you and Mario got holed up in the hospital! It didn't seem like much fun anymore."
Luigi's stomach dropped.
"… I… I'm s-s-sorry, D-Daisy…" he mumbled. "I… I d-d-didn't mean to r-ruin it for—"
"Nah, you didn't do nothing wrong, Sweet Cheeks," Daisy smiled. "I usually stick with people I like… I'm what you'd call a uh… lone wolf."
Luigi chuckled lowly. "I'm r-r-right there w-with ya… p-people scare me sometimes…"
"Oh, buddy, you don't gotta tell me! That's why I live out in the woods! Easy to avoid people when you can just… hang out in the trees 'n shit. Know what I mean?"
"Th-That… does sound n-n-nice, actually…!"
"See?"
The two shared a laugh before they continued on with their work. In the far distance, Luigi could hear the birds chirping merrily, mixing with the sounds of the young toad children laughing and playing together. The scent of flowers seemed almost intoxicating today… and he loved every minute of it!
He didn't care that his tongue still throbbed… nor that his senses seemed to amplify… or even all the things he'd worried about when he woke up that morning.
With Daisy around, it was sheer bliss.
…
But… something didn't seem right…
…
"Hey… D-Daisy?" Luigi asked, his brow furrowing. "Y-You… you said that y-y-you… f-f-found me and Mario?"
"Hm?" Daisy hummed. "Oh… oh, yeah, I did. You were bleedin' pretty bad."
Luigi cringed.
"Uh… y-y-yeah… about that… d-d-did you… s-s-see anything? Like… an a-animal, or—"
"Greenie… you worry too much, babe," Daisy smiled, standing up as she brushed dirt from her knees. "You're okay, and that's all that matters!"
"I-I-I know, but—"
"I'm just glad you're okay, Sweet Cheeks," Daisy smiled coyly as her other hand found his chest.
Luigi jumped at the sudden touch.
When did she get so close?
"You really did give me quite the scare when I found you," Daisy continued, brushing one of his bangs from his sweaty forehead. "That's all in the past now, so it's alright, okay? You're all better, Mario's all better, and I am, too. And… just between you and me… I gotta say… when you were in the hospital… you've got quite the figure goin' for ya!"
Luigi blinked.
"I… I do…?"
"Mhm…" Daisy hummed, tracing her fingers over his chest pocket. "The muscles… the hair… the scars…"
Luigi's heart nearly beat out of his chest as he stood frozen, hypnotized by her perfume. She was close… far too close…! He was nearly suffocated by her presence, waiting out a slow death under her gaze.
Her shimmering green eyes staring wantingly into his…
Her smile burning brightly in the back of his mind…
And her fingers tracing a familiar 'T' shape under his upper chest…
…
Wait a minute.
"O-Oh…!" Luigi coughed awkwardly, feeling his cheeks burning. Part of him wanted to push her away, refusing to let her see the parts he'd worked so hard to hide… but she was far too irresistible and intoxicating…!
By stars, why did her touch feel so good?!
"Holy shit, I'm messing with you, silly!" Daisy giggled, shoving his hat over his eyes as she immediately stepped back. "Dude, I don't mind any-a that! I was just scared that you were fuckin' dead!"
"I… I… I guess…!" he laughed, smiling up at her from under the rim. "Mama mia… y-you're somethin' else…!"
"Hah! As if I hadn't heard that before!" Daisy then looked around quizzically. "Hey… where'd that brother of yours go? Isn't he the manager of this area or something? I'm not… seein' him."
Luigi's smile dropped as he surveyed the area.
Sure enough, the Recreation was nearly barren, save for the sounds of birds chirping and the distant sounds of the forest. Try as he might, he couldn't spot Mario at his usual place. For a moment, Luigi amused himself, imagining the goof running away from a new horde of children trying to tackle 'The Great Bigfoot.'
That is, until he noticed some campers walking down a nearby trail.
Right to the cafeteria.
"Oh, f-f-fettuccine n-n-noodles…!" Luigi stammered, hurriedly fixing his hat as he danced in place. "Lunch! I-I-It's our lunch break right n-n-now!"
"Shit!" Daisy's eyes widened. "Well, don't lemme stop ya…! You go grab somethin' to eat! You deserve it after all this work!"
"A-Ah… th-thank you!" Luigi smiled before he bolted towards the Info Center. "Th-Th-Thank you for your h-h-help, D-Daisy…!"
"Any time, Greenie! Any time!"
~~~
By the time Luigi reached the building, his lungs heaved as he tried to catch his breath. By now, his shirt was soaked through with sweat, and his legs nearly felt like jelly.
"Ah… m-m-mama mia…" Luigi whimpered, taking off his bandana to wipe off more sweat from his face. "Th-That's… th-that's the last time I… w-w-work out l-like this…"
He braced himself against his knees, cringing as the fabric of his pants rubbed against the thick, itchy hair. By stars, would he be glad to take them off once his shift was over… he'd be curled up in bed with some loose shorts, a nice book, and a cup of tea!
Yeah… yeah, that's what he'd do…
The bell above the door chimed as he stepped inside, breathing in the familiar fresh scent of pinewood and s'mores. The fan still buzzed lazily atop the desk, blowing a cold gust of air over his sweaty frame, much to his relief. Strangely, he noticed, the papers on the desk had been straightened.
He'd have to thank Mario later.
"M-Mario!" Luigi called out, panting as he untied his boots. "Mario, i-i-it's-a me…! I… I'm kinda l-l-late for l-lunch, but I f-f-figured I'd heat up th-those completos I b-b-brought!"
No reply.
Luigi groaned, rolling his eyes. Knowing his older brother, he was likely too engrossed in his food or some other activity to hear him.
Typical.
Nevertheless, Luigi decided he wouldn't dwell on it for too long. Mario had his food, and he had his. No sense in fussing over it. Besides… his stomach was growling, practically begging for paradise in avocado, tomato, and sauerkraut goodness…
By the time, he reached the mini-fridge, drool was dribbling down his lips as he imagined the taste. He had only managed to reach the handle, when he suddenly stopped.
A new scent.
…
Luigi sniffed lightly… and froze.
Steak.
There was no denying it.
Just like at home, he could smell it clear as day. The metallic scent… blood. The picture of it in his mind… raw and red… pulsating…
Alive.
His stomach clenched as he almost felt the blood dribbling down his throat, his hands trembling as he slowly pulled himself up. He could feel the hair on his legs standing upright, almost like a dog's in attack. His teeth ached, a familiar poking sensation nudging into his tongue. As he began to move, to his shock, he realized he wasn't by his own volition. Every nerve… every vein… all of it was drawn to the steak.
Right towards the break room.
The scent began to grow stronger, almost calling out to him. He could just feel the cold, bloodied meat seeping between his fingers as his teeth scraped the tendons. His heart began to race as he imagined the metallic taste staining his teeth, his tongue lapping up every ounce of blood from his fingers.
Steak… STEAK…
STEAK…
STEA—
"Wh-What the f-f-fuck?!"
As soon as he pushed the door open, his jaw dropped in shock as he beheld the sight before him.
Sitting right there at the table was Mario… the steak in his hands.
His mouth was slathered in blood, his hands trembling as he ruthlessly tore into the meat, blood splattering all over his shirt and the table. His fingers gripped into the surface as if he hadn't eaten in days.
And the noises…
By stars, the noises…!
If Luigi hadn't known better, he would've thought Mario was a rabid bear!
Instinctively, Luigi stepped back, his hands reaching to find the doorknob. His chest heaved as he broke out into a cold, panicked sweat. Each breath rasped in his lungs amidst the metallic scent, making him nauseous.
"M-M-Mario?!" he cried out, his voice trembling. "Wh-What… what a-a-are you—?!"
At the sound of his voice, Mario froze mid-bite, a low growl rumbling in his chest. His eyes opened, revealing darkened pupils, much to Luigi's shock. Before he could question it, however, they suddenly widened in disbelief as the older brother gasped, looking down at the state of himself.
The steak…
His hands…
His shirt…
Then finally, Luigi.
In all the years he'd known his brother… he'd never seen Mario's face look so pale and horrified…
All credit for the art and comic goes to @indieyuugure while I played the Voice Talents and edited! :) Epidemic Sound covered the music and sound effects!
This story is seriously getting so GOOD! I can’t wait to make the next episode!!!
I want to eat the symbiot. I don't know why. I just wanna nom it.
uhm... yeah don't do that. it's dangerous.
warning: body horror below
that's how they spread to another hosts body. (Canon to venom let there be carnage). it's not something that happens often.
I guess you'd then be biologically related to BOTH dust and sym with a unique symbiot in your own body like a half sibling?
still, I'm pretty sure sym is going to retract itself before you can bite them. they don't like infecting others and technically then you'd also be their child but they're not ready to take responsibility for a second genocide if your potential "sibling" decides to be evil.
(not that they'd mind having to take care of you and raise you as their own! they would do it even without being related to you and adopt you)
but sym doesn't want any that. sym wants to live like a human or monster.
symbiots are very similar to viruses and infectious organisms. they spread and infect and destroy everything. they also don't have the concept of "babies" since they don't form families. the piece that split off from the symbiot regrows itself into a different symbiot fully grown.
and they tend to often eat one another or just straight up kill each other regardless of familial blood. again. they're like viruses. except they have sentience. they'll also just multiply crazily if it gets out of hand.
please don't bite them. they'll FREAK out and probably pry your mouth open to make you throw up whatever you swallowed to not infect you and make sure you're okay. for your OWN health. their independent piece will NOT be as kind to you as sym is with dust.
it's not their fault their biology works that way. please respect their wishes and not bite them. or if you do, don't actually chew it or swallow. it makes them extremely worried they might have killed you.
symbiots are innately dangerous even if they have friendly personalities.
they'll love to hug you and will do everything to protect you. if dust cares about you? so will they. and they won't risk putting you in danger with their own nature.
though sym would gladly take care of you either way! they just ... don't want others of their "kind" running around causing chaos. they'd rather have a monster or a human or a hybrid adoptuve child. the way "humans and monsters" have families really warms their none existent heart.
they'll just give you small head pats and good night kisses. all the warm fuzzy things dust might be too emotionally distant to do :3
(I’m not really planning on writing stuff for these, since I already have so much on my plate for Halloween stuff–that might change, but no promises.)
Hey, @that-bat! I’d nearly forgotten Goretober myself, but you asking for suggestions reminded me, so, thanks! But please don’t feel obligated to follow this list if you can’t or don’t want to.
(Side-note: since ADD is so much fun, I decided to include my own ideas along with some of the prompts. Again, this is just brainstorming on my part. If you decide to try out any of these prompts, you don’t have to follow them exactly as I have written them; I bet you’ll think of an even better way to go about them. Hope you enjoy, friendo!)
___
1. Cannibalism: If we’re talking YouTuber fanart, I think this one would work well with MatPat, considering he’s made at least half a dozen videos on the subject. (Honestly, I blame him for cannibalism becoming one of my favorite horror tropes.)
2. Possession: This would be a good one for Darkiplier, since his body is a vessel for three different souls. Phantom is a great candidate too, since he’s got a thing for souls. But it can still be used for the others (Matt, Ethan, etc.) in varying ways. It all depends on how you think about it.
3. Nightmare
4. Freak Show
5. Dissection: The RE Au Lords running Cadou experiments on their victims.
6. Specimen Preservation: Very disturbing stuff. But one thing that can make it more fascinating is diaphonization (basically, a complex process where a skinned specimen is injected with/bathed in a variety of chemicals that, over time, will turn its flesh translucent and dye its bones a bright color. This could work well for any character, really. It all just depends on how you want to portray it).
7. Siren: A good opportunity to make a new Nate Ego. Since he’s such a great singer, this is just a perfect match. I could see either of the siren motifs (the original Greek version with wings or the later European version that resembled merfolk) working, because either way, sirens are always very intriguing and very dangerous. Of course, you could always come up with your own design.
8. Disease
9. Self-Mutilation: I immediately thought of RE Au!Nate/Lord Ophio when I chose this prompt (mainly because of how I wrote about him in that one story). But it would still work well for the other Lords or certain Egos, too. (It would also be kinda funny if Mark or one of his egos was drawn for this. Y’know, as a masochism joke.)
10. Insanity: MadPat, Wilford Warfstache, Darkiplier, etc. ISWM Captain/Benji going over the edge due to the wormhole. (And, on the subject of ISWM, perhaps the glitching Mack goes through during his existential crisis having a far worse effect on his body than we see in the video?). The RE Au Lords each slowly losing their minds due to their mutations. There’s so much potential for this one. . .
11. Hollow
12. Blunt-Force Trauma
13. Overgrowth
14. Trophy: Phantom appraising his collection of souls–including the latest client, currently still trapped in his cane–looking even more sinister than usual (perhaps he’s semi-transformed, letting his human disguise slip).
15. Transformation: The RE Au Lords taking to their mutant forms. Werwolf!Hunter and Vampire!Nate shifting to their more animalistic forms (the process of which would, realistically, look more painful than it actually is).
16. Candy/Pastel Gore
17. Broken Glass: Okay, this is definitely overcomplicated, but hear me out. So, Vampire!Nate and Werewolf!Hunter have recently been out and about, but Nate’s cravings suddenly start getting to him. For the sake of convenience, let’s say Nate has a supply of blood-bags at home. But the trip to his place takes longer than expected, with Hunter quietly comforting Nate along the way. Then, they somehow come across a person who has just cut their hand on a broken window/mirror. Nate sees this and his hunger pangs immediately get worse, thus making his anxiety skyrocket. Perfect place for a cliffhanger, no? (On the other hand, you could always go for the classic “character looking into a broken mirror, which makes their reflection all distorted” piece. Those are always good.)
18. Sacrifice
19. Accident
20. Poison/Venom: RE Au!Matt/Lord Loxosceles biting one of his victims and then watching as they suffer the following hallucinations.
21. Revenge: Natemare helping the Missing Children torture William Afton.
22. Sharp Objects: This could work for several different Egos, especially MadPat.
23. Eldritch Abomination
24. Smile
25. Carving: There’s all sorts of morbid imagery that could be used in this context, but a simple jack-o-lantern with suspicious bloodstains on it would certainly do the trick.
26. Nosebleed/Busted Lip
27. Cemetery: Memento and Mori resting in the coffin they share, slowly decomposing as all things do.
28. Brain: MadPat (or any of Matt’s egos) would fit this nicely. They’re just too damn smart for their own good.
29. Drowning: Mark being dragged underwater by something horrible. Or maybe RE Au!Mark/Lord Isurus torturing one of his victims/Ethan.
30. Infestation: RE Au!Matt/Lord Loxosceles tending to his many, many, many spiders (or sicking them on a trapped victim/Ethan).
A Young Justice Gravity Falls crossover fic for @wingsdingsandpurplethings
(I also referenced it in this ask)
⛋☉ ⏙⨠☆◫⨠🜃 ⏙⎍🝤⌽⏙♢♢☆ 🜚◫⛋⨠🜚 🝤◫ ⌖🜃⎍◫⌖🜃 🝤🜁🜃☉🜃
Good idea: spend quality time with friends.
Better idea: go on a cross-country road trip and gain new memories through shared adventures.
Bad idea: be the only person with a driver’s license.
While Gar had the luxury of taking a catnap on the dash, and Cassie could kick back with a novel, and Kon could shower, and Bart and Jaime could exchange kisses between episodes of The Twilight Zone, Tim was stuck navigating the RV across the endless, one-way highway. Memories of the last rest stop shrunk over the horizon like the sun, and all that was left were foggy minds and foggy night skies. The only thing keeping him awake was the energy drink in the cupholder. But even that was wearing off.
They were supposed to be in Star City by now, but construction workers had shut down the main route, forcing them to take an alternative one, adding a whopping three extra hours to their trip, meandering through unfamiliar rural passes.
Tim yawned. “It’s getting late. We should find a place to rest and refuel.”
Harsh white lights beamed into nothing as the RV kept rolling and rolling and rolling. The road was a ribbon unfurling for eternity, walled in by thick pine forests on either side. Sleep was quickly catching up to him. It took all of his willpower not to let his heavy eyelids slide shut.
“I got you.” Cassie unfolded the map. “There should be a town off the next exit. Some place called Gravity Falls.”
