should I fix anything? (I’ll prob add some highlights here and there and some shading maybe but I think it looks good so far but with Clems I feel like I made clems skin color not dark enough but idk cuz she’s blasian and AJ isn’t, idk lmk if it’s good or not this is my first time drawing poc characters so lmk if I did ok or not and if not pls give me some tips!
TW: Abduction of several children, physical abuse, implied/referenced rape/non-con, and threatening/intimidating/abusive/homophobic language
“Why the fuck are you walking like that?” Demanded one of Carver’s guards.
“Like what?” Snapped AJ, really hating that he hadn’t started growing yet, Clem always said it’d happen soon and, in AJ’s opinion, it wasn’t happening soon enough.
“Like you’re still learning to walk,” Spat the guard, “like a retard.”
“I bet you’d know all about that, huh?” AJ tried to channel Clementine, only for his attempt to sound clumsy.
“One of the people we’re working with,” Said a big woman with frizzy hair, “they mentioned you, said they cut your toes off.”
“Oh yeah,” snickered the first guard, “they’re gonna cut your dick off, make you act like a baby again, fuck I’d like to see you in a diaper.”
AJ felt a ripple of fear, before he decided to open his mouth, “Why? Because you’re wearing one? Or because you like kids?”
The rifle butt to the face knocked AJ on his rear, for a moment, AJ was scared he was going to have a turn, only for the small, helpless feeling to not appear, instead he felt satisfaction at getting under the guy’s skin.
“Troy!” Snapped Carver, glaring at the man.
“Sorry, boss.” Muttered Troy, as AJ picked himself up and stumbled over to Willy and Tenn, who were gathered around Kenlee, Jaime and the babies.
“Ith Wuby fath ow pregamt?” Asked Hope, her speech obscured by her missing front teeth.
“I… think she’d just fat.” Said Willy, scratching the back of his head, “Just, don’t tell her I said that.”
“I’m gonna tell her.” Said AJ, making Willy jump.
“Don’t you dare.”
“I’m gonna.” AJ decided to taunt, which was how he found himself rolling around with Willy. The two weren’t actually fighting, it was something that Willy had found AJ liked to do during his turns, AJ didn’t know why but it made him feel safe. Then Willy was hit on the head with the butt of a rifle.
“Quit rollin’ around like a couple of fags.” Snarled Troy, getting another reprimand from Carver.
AJ frowned, Troy sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t quite… The realisation his AJ like a truck, “You’re the guy who had his dick shot off!”
There was a loud snort from another one of Carver’s guards, just as Troy knocked AJ out.
R
Clementine glared at the hole in the fence, before slowly turning around and looking at the other, “None of you, noticed a fucking massive hole?!”
“Most of us were asleep,” Said Mitch, as Christa frowned at the hole, “we can’t be blamed—”
“The hole’s new.” Interrupted Aasim, “The cut off points, they’re still shiny, hell, some of them are still sharp.”
“Then, why the hell didn’t we notice it getting cut?” Asked Violet, “Why the fuck didn’t whoever was on guard notice?”
Clementine silently thought through the guard rotas, scowling slightly at the two who would’ve been on watch at the time, “Where’re Marlon and Bonnie?”
“They’re probably asleep.” Said Violet, after a moment, “Do you think it’s that gang again? This does fit their mo.”
“‘Mo’?” Asked Aasim, “What the fuck is that?”
“Their mo,” Said Violet, “y’know, their method, how they do things.”
“That MO, shit head,” Retorted Aasim, “Modus Operandi. I know you can’t read, but knowing that it’s MO and not ‘mo’ isn’t hard.”
“Do you want to be shitting your teeth?” Snarled Violet, prompting Clementine to stick her fingers in her mouth and produce a loud whistle.
“If we could leave the arguments to after we’ve got the kids back, that would be great.” Said Clementine, her voice full of authority.
“What about the expansion effort?” Asked Mitch, looking at Clementine, “Those guys from the coalition are still putting walls and buildings up.”
“We can stay with them,” Volunteered Lee, looking around, “keep an eye on things, help out if needed.”
Clementine frowned, before nodding, “We’ve got some people in the old station, we’re going to head there, see if they’ve seen anything.”
“Sheldon and Moira might’ve,” Said Aasim, “but the others are usually out scouting and-or hunting.”
“We should split up,” Said Louis, getting everyone’s attention, “there’s the chance that this Carver guy, and his group, have holed up with the station, or the fishing shack, since both areas are pretty well stocked.”
Clementine frowned, before sighing, “Alright, Louis, Violet, Mitch, pick people out and take them with you. Lou, I want you, and your group, to check out the station, don’t try to attack them if they’re there, it’s just recon. Violet, I want your group to tackle the fishing shack, the same applies. Mitch, I want your group to take James, and check out the barn, they could’ve been taken there.”
“What’re you gonna be doing?” Asked Ruby, looking at Clementine.
Sighing, Clementine made sure she had her guns on her, “I, and whoever’s left, will be looking for Marlon and Bonnie.”
There were a couple of nods and mutters, before the group split into four and headed off to find the missing kids.
F
AJ bit down on the woman’s hand, getting a scream from her, he gone from not liking them to outright hating them, they’d kidnapped him and Willy, tore their clothes apart after AJ had an accident, the younger boy had been forced into a diaper that was too small for him and now they expected him to play that part of a fucking baby?!
A fist connecting with his cheek made him release his grip on the woman’s hand, he tried to claw at them, only for them to grab his hands and brandish a pair of plyers at him. The sight of tool frightened AJ, then the plyers gripped one of his fingernails and the man ripped it off his finger, getting a loud scream from AJ.
“Hold it still, I’m takin’ the toes!” Yelled a voice, as AJ felt someone grab a fistful of his hair before it was roughly torn out.
“Get off me!” Screamed AJ, just as his face was slammed into the ground, getting a mouthful of dirt and breaking a tooth on a rock. AJ let out a muffled scream as his foot burst into a fiery pain, it spread from his big toe to the rest on his right foot, before being repeated on his left foot.
“Fuck it,” Said their leader, “she’s gotta learn.”
‘She?’ Thought AJ, wondering who the man was talking about, then the man spoke again.
“Put her on her back, I want her to look at me when I take her.” Was the last thing AJ heard before he was suddenly rolled over.
He felt them resume pulling out his fingernails, as one of them pulled what little clothes, if just a diaper could be call that, off him. It took him a moment to readjust to the light, before he saw the leader unbuckling his belt.
AJ woke with a gasp, looking around, he saw that they were in the station that he and Clementine found before they ended up at the school, part of him wondered how long they’d been here, another part of him wondered where the people that actually lived here were. Usually, Moira and Sheldon were helping Elle with her dogs, and Asha and Jill would be on watch. He idly remembered Samantha, Mateo, and Jeanne, but they usually bounced between the school, the station, and the fishing shack.
“You okay, AJ?” Willy’s voice made AJ turn around.
“My face hurts.” Said AJ, after a moment, “So does my side.”
“Yeah,” Willy winced, “they threw all us in here, well, they didn’t throw the babies, but you get what I mean.”
“Yeah,” AJ stumbled to his feet, “they locked us in a room with a trap door.”
“Gah, Boo.” Tenn babbling got AJ’s attention.
“What?”
“Yeah, he… he used to do that a lot.” Said Willy, as Kenlee pushed a crayon into the door lock, “I’m surprised he didn’t go through this sooner.”
“Brrrb.” Tenn started blowing spit bubbled, getting an uneasy frown from AJ.
“Yeah…” AJ looked at Willy, “what is… ‘this’?”
“You know your turns?” Asked Willy, getting a nod from AJ, “Tenn went through something similar, only they were way worse, and he didn’t remember anything about them.”
“So, he’s damAged,” AJ’s voice cracked, making AJ freeze, “I… I wasn’t…”
“Why’d his voice squeak?” Asked Kenlee, looking at Willy.
“Puberty.” Answered Willy, as Tenn start pulling at his shirt, then he started huffing, before letting out a whine.
“Is he—” Tenn letting out a wailing scream cut AJ off.
The kids covered their ears, as Tenn started wave his arms wildly, his voice cutting out as it tried to get shriller.
“GAH BAH! MAH-MAAAAAH!” Wailed Tenn, as AJ tried to get Hope, Lee, and Carley away from Tenn, who now had fat tears and snot running down his face. Glancing at Tenn, AJ winced when he saw that Tenn had wet himself, “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
“The fuck is making that noise?!” Roared Troy’s voice, before the door was shoved open.
AJ froze at the sight of Ricca and Finch, with Troy and Abel behind them.
“My baby…” Murmured Ricca, in her weak, whispery voice, before she started walking towards them. For a moment, AJ felt afraid, before he decided to call on the confidence that he felt while pretending to think like Clementine, and considered biting her. Only for her to breeze past AJ and start lifting Tenn up.
“Gah-Bah-Muh!” Whined Tenn, as Ricca started to carry him out of their makeshift cell.
“That’s a grown ass man.” Said Troy, as Ricca left the cell, “The fuck is wrong with him? He retarded or something?”
The kids, and Willy, just stared at Troy, Abel, and Finch. After a moment, Finch scoffed, and glared at AJ, “I guess we won’t be having our fun with you, seems like you just got replaced.”
AJ thought back to his dream, as Finch, Troy, and Abel left the cell. After they were gone, AJ thought back to all the nightmares he had, that usually caused him to have a turn. With a jolt, AJ realised that every time he had a turn, it was because he remembered something from his and Willy’s captivity five years ago, and the turn would always make him forget what had caused it. Almost automatically, AJ’s hand went to his forehead and hairline, where the dent in his head used to be.
Swallowing, AJ looked at Willy, before shakily looking to the window. They could see Tenn outside, crawling around, following Ricca.
“W-when you said Tenn was worse that I was,” Said AJ, “how worse?”
“Well,” Willy looked out the window, “if we get out of here, we might have to leave him behind.”
AJ swallowed, the thought of leaving one of their friends behind settling in a heavy weight in his stomach.
R
“Right, this is the end of the patrol route.” Said Clementine, as she and Ruby led Adam and Dani around.
“It’s the only place one of our guards could be standing to not see the hole in the fence.” Said Ruby, frowning.
“And neither Marlon nor Bonnie are here.” Said Clementine, before she spotted Mike coming towards them, “Any luck?”
“Nothing.” Said Mike, shaking his head.
“Where the fuck are they, then?” Muttered Clementine, looking down and freezing at the bloody drag marks, “Ruby, is that what I think it is?”
Ruby looked down and frowned, “They look like drag marks.”
Swallowing, Clementine reach behind her and pulled her gun out of her waistband. Silently signalling the others to follow her, she followed the drag marks and walked towards a small shed that had been recently cleared. Pushing the door open, Clementine paused at the sight of Marlon, hunched over Bonnie. She’d figured that he’s turned, then she saw that Bonnie was still alive. Squeezing the trigger, Clementine fired a bullet into the back of Marlon’s head, before she moved over to Bonnie.
“C-Clem?” Clementine almost reared back when she saw that Marlon had devoured Bonnie’s eyes, “Is… is that you?”
“Yeah,” Clementine knelt down, “Bonnie, what happened?”
“I… I saw Marlon cutting…. Cutting the fence…” Bonnie wheezed, “I… I came… back here to… to get my… my gun and… and radio… but… but Marlon had them…” Bonnie let out a choked sob, “I… I tried… tried to call… f-for help… b-but, M-Marlon… he… he’d already turned… he… he got… he got me…”
“That’s a fucking understatement,” Grumbled Ruby, assessing Bonnie’s injuries, “this is bad.”
“Don’t…. don’t let me… become one of… them things.” Begged Bonnie, “P-please… please, kill me…”
Swallowing, Clementine looked at Mike, before she looked back down at Bonnie, and pressed the barrel of her gun to the woman’s forehead.
“T-thank you…”
Clementine fired.
Swallowing, Clementine looked at her portion of the group, “We need to get the others back here.”
R
“I don’t get it.” Lowell got Carver’s attention, “They had two actual babies, and a toddler in there, and they chose… that.”
“No idea.” Shrugged Vera, looking up from her gun.
“Think they’ll let us kick the shit out of it?” Asked Troy, looking at the tents.
“What?” Carver looked over to where Troy was looking. The man that Finch and his woman took out of the cell was crawling around with a ridiculously small baby bonnet, bib, and a pair of underpants, “That guy?”
“Yeah.” Nodded Troy, glaring at the guy, who sat up, and tried to eat dirt.
“Why?” Asked Johnny, looking at Troy, “You jealous that he’s got a bigger dick than you?”
“Everyone has a bigger dick than Troy,” Scoffed Vera, glaring, “he should be put out of his misery.”
“That guy or Troy?” Asked Carver, after a moment.
“Both?”
“What’s wrong with him?” Asked Carver, focusing on Tennessee.
“Fuck if we know.” Said Zack, shrugging, “He weren’t there when we took turns with Alvin.”
Carver frowned, wondering what they meant.
“Well, Ricca ain’t gonna take much of an interest in him now,” Said Billy, before looking the women up and down, “although, now we actually have some women, I wouldn’t mind having a taste.”
“Come on, Josey,” Ricca’s unsettling voice was heard, “we have to fix what they did to you.”
“Huh-muh-buh-bah.”
“I know it’s going to hurt, sweetie.” Droned the woman, “But it’s to help you.”
“Brrlb.”
“I need you to be brave for me, Josey.” Tittered Ricca, as she started to guide the man into a nearby tent.
“Fuck, I think I’m gonna hurl.” Troy walked away from the sight.
“Yeah…” Vera followed after him, “I think I’ll join you.”
Carver, taking in one last look at the sight of a grown man crawling around and babbling like a baby and sucking on a pacifier, he sneered when he saw the ‘baby’ soil himself, and walked towards the station, he wanted to meet his son.
Christa and Kenny should have been non-determinant characters that made it to the final season. (Also kind of a rewrite of episode 4-5 of season 2)
The final seasons biggest flaw (imo) is that because telltale always killed (or made them disappear) off all the characters of the previous seasons.
Kenny and Christa make the most sense to stay in the story as they appear in most of the content already compared to others, I mean in universe time Kenny/Christa takes care of Clem (aj aswell in Kenny’s case) longer than anybody by a good margin. Also Kenny and Christa both disappear during season 2 determinantly (left unknown and never come back).
So how would I include them in every season but not majorly mess up the story? Pretty simple actually, just look at some of the cut content of season 2 and 3 and also maybe rewrite some of season 2s poor deaths.
Season 2 had the cut content of Mike being one of the men robbing Christa, this is much more interesting and gives a reason for her to be at carvers camp she is with Mike (who is trying to atone as is hinted with cut content)
Now how will this change season 2, well I’d honestly want all of the later half to be different (also it’s not mentioned but it’s really interesting that carver speaks of Wellington calling it fake when it’s only a few days on foot away showing he probably knew it existed but wanted to have the power and control at howes). During episode 4 it could be basically the same except if Christa is there Rebeca’s pregnancy is much more interesting as Christa has already lost a baby/had a miscarriage and makes plenty of sense to care for/help her deliver the baby. Kenny is written well in my opinion throughout all of season 2 by having him loyal but extremely hotheaded and that can be paired well with Christa’s cold logical but still loyal to clementine out of obligation, it would be a good back and forth of their opinions. Major changes for episode 4 though? Nick and Sarah definitely survive, it makes no sense they die the stupid deaths they get no matter what just because they are determinant.
Also let’s have Rebecca survive a little longer if the group waits a few days as this would actually make sense and not have it play out the exact same way if you don’t wait at all.
So episode 5 can be extremely different now, you have Clem, aj, Kenny, christa, Mike, Bonnie, Luke, Jane and the determinant Sarah, nick and Rebeca. Now this feels like a lot of characters; good thing episode 5 starts with a shootout no one previously died in, how about Sarah if she trained with a gun (something you can determinedly do in episode 2) will shoot one of the Russians which will keep her alive but if she never learned she is killed, nick being previously shot in the shoulder will always die because he will just be slower than everyone else. Rebeca sitting down will not die if the group waits a few days and christa will save aj instead of luke if you don’t.
I feel like the shootout holds real weight with nick dying/rebecca and Sarah potentially dying. Arvo should stay relatively the same and Mike has real reason to be so consistently kind to him because he is trying to atone for being a bad man previously and is overcorrecting by being kind to almost everyone. The lake is a fantastic scene if only Luke didn’t die; how about based on choices either Bonnie dies if you cover Luke (if you dont break the ice they both die) but if you break the ice Luke is pulled up with you. If you approach and try to get Luke he will die as per usual.
The rising tension with aj is only heightened with christa/kenny and Rebecca if she is alive being very concerned over ajs lack of warmth and if Rebecca isn’t alive then the lack of baby formula for him. You see Kenny and Christa beginning to smoothen out and be more compliant with their choices focused on aj and Clem (also Rebecca as she is weakened from childbirth if she is alive) I feel like making these choices dependent on Christa being with the group and Rebecca being with the group shows how different Kenny can be based on his support; he’s clearly someone who can manage a few people or be a leader for a short time but prolonged leadership definitely doesn’t fit him just like it didn’t work when it was the base season 2.
Now. The fates of the small cabin characters. You have Kenny, Christa, Rebecca, Clem and aj who all are kind of in a small group now, with Jane, Luke/bonnie, Sarah, mike and arvo also being present; this is hard to write around arvo shooting Clem.
So maybe Kenny gets the truck working and while Kenny/christa want Wellington, Rebecca/luke/bonnie/sarah want howes which if it’s characters like Luke/rebecca/sarah, Kenny is more taking account of how they feel, especially Rebecca considering he did care for her in the base game.
Mike and arvo are the only characters to not want either so them trying to steal the truck makes sense BUT Mike is trying to atone so he wouldn’t support Robbing the group; so he would wake up Sarah/clem considering they are children and would be in the process of getting aj/rebecca when Clem sees arvo stealing all the supplies. This is when Sarah will get shot and die (if she’s alive she would have the gun as she knows how to use one and would be the threat arvo wants to take out first), where you shoot and kill arvo if he shoots sarah (a scene of Clem taking the gun from Sarah’s body), but if Sarah is dead clementine is shot (Clem is shorter and shot in the shoulder while Sarah would be shot more fatally in the stomach). If Clem is shot it plays with arvo running off into the woods and clementine having her dream sequence with Lee.
Now with the cast being bigger we are essentially at the boat problem of season one; capacity.
The truck fits 5 people (and aj) the cast is Kenny, christa, Clem, Rebecca, Luke/bonnie, Jane, Mike and that’s just too many so someone determinately may need to get left behind. Obviously the group of Kenny/Christa/clem/rebecca would be secure as the people in the truck. That leaves Luke/bonnie and Mike and Jane; Luke obviously wins that if he’s alive so let’s secure him and if it’s Bonnie i could see her also being allowed. You could put Jane/mike somewhere in the trunk? Mike is almost left behind, but he can go in the truck bed with Jane.
Obviously this leads to the climax with the strorm; and I can see this playing out with a calmer scene of Kenny driving with christa in the passenger and Rebecca holding aj this time, Clem in the backseat with Rebecca and Luke/bonnie. Beautiful group for dialogue and drama here, with Kenny going to look for fuel and maybe an injured Luke/ very cold Bonnie from the lake going to help with Jane and the determinant Mike helping. Christa takes the wheel and Clem holds aj at the front for better heat, Rebecca tries to stretch out in the backseat and then the walkers come, Christa taking clems role is forced to drive, this leads to the same crash in the base game (not having Clem crash the car because it’s ridiculous Clem crashes a car determinantly in seasons 2,3 and 4). The crash happens and this is where Rebecca dies. That will be devastating, and you can see the guilt now, Kenny feels responsible for Rebecca’s death if she dies during the end of episode 4 and Christa will feel responsible for Rebecca’s death during this episode 5 crash. Holding aj for dear life Clem makes it to the rest stop with Kenny and the determinant Jane there. Christa appears and explains Rebecca’s death with the others being like Kenny/luke/bonnie being extremely distraught.
Now here is the conflict. The truck is ruined. Supplies are very low. Kenny, Christa, Clem are a team and Luke/bonnie feels closest to them but that leaves Jane to feel out of place/unsafe and definitely the same for Mike so we are stuck in this small rest stop all freezing to death as everyone argues what to do where Jane advocates now that Rebecca is gone to maybe consider killing aj to stop his suffering, she just doesn’t logically see a point if there is no food nearby. This is perfect drama and while the logical Christa can understand her sentiment and decline, kenny will be furious and berate her, seeing this rising tension if it’s Luke he will be in the middle, Bonnie will also go for the middle but if no one is alive the scene escalates. Then it escalates further with Mike (feeling alone and having no support from being almost left behind) advocating for what best suits himself and not aj as the adults have the best chance to live.
This is drama! Christa being depressed, Kenny yelling for aj, Clem determinately shot and holding aj, Jane speaking that aj might need to be put down, Luke’s desire to keep peace, Bonnie trying to keep people together, Mike looking out for himself. It adds a lot of rising tension and then based on your choices clem tries to de-escalate, side with going out into the storm trying to find something to keep warm or food for aj now that Rebecca is for sure gone.
This leads to begrudgingly christa, Jane, Mike, Luke/bonnie heading out towards supplies while Kenny tries to start a fire for aj/clem where he explains he doesn’t trust Jane at all or Mike (which makes reasonable sense for both now as they have proven to not value aj enough) but that he needs them all for ajs sake.
After a short fade to black and presumably it getting closer to dark Kenny, Clem and aj are seen worried over no one being back yet, this prompts them to leave but it’s quickly turning dark and the storm with the frozen walkers provides a very scary scene.
Coming across the direction we see Christa and the others go we see Luke/bonnie first inside a house trying to stay warm as they would be the most weak by this point and they follow you, you find Christa and Jane, mikes gone (he’s looking for food somewhere else and you can either search more for him or leave immediately) if you leave he is never seen but if he is searched for Kenny will find him having taken food for himself where he can’t be trusted and is begrudgingly left behind. This leads to the cast of Kenny, Christa, Clem, aj, Jane and Luke/bonnie on the search on foot for Wellington. With the dwindling supplies the ending will be whether we side to go back to howes or Wellington, I feel that’s best as 2 primary endings with Kenny/Christa/jane always being present adds to the choice with maybe Kenny and Christa have different info on where to go showing Wellington is sort of a myth and Jane/luke or Bonnie don’t know if howes is secure.
I feel like having this cast is much better and you don’t have the impactful choice of killing Kenny or letting Jane die but now the choice is howes or Wellington and retroactively it makes sense for me; Wellington has to turn them away as more people is too much and howes can be properly managed as there is more than just Jane and Clem.
So let’s look at the ending choices now. If you go to howes everyone follows; Kenny and Christa will not leave your side no matter what; and howes is secure but there is a family trying to enter soon after (this choice should have weight). Everyone is on edge on letting the family in as Kenny sees the child as good will; Christa sees the child aswell but sees the desperation/violence the mother or father could bring in trying to get control. Jane wants them in because she already sleeps with one eye open and only trusts Clem (and Luke/kinda Bonnie). Luke or Bonnie definitely want another family in and turning them away seems to be the safe choice but cruel with Jane/kenny/christa saying it’s best while Luke/bonnie are upset while letting them in has Luke/jane/kenny support you but Christa is wary and untrusting. That’s how season 2 howes ending would end.
Wellington. Found only a few days later would be turn away the adults; but who followed you if you went to Wellington? Jane doesn’t. Luke/bonnie will but only because they prefer the numbers and keeping aj safe, so the 2-3 adults is too much for Wellington and makes more sense than Just Kenny being turned away; this leads to the choice of going inside or going with the group; Luke/bonnie are still hurt bad from the gunshot/freezing and haven’t gotten better and if you go away they will surprisingly be brought in seeing their injuries where they will promise to work and provide a way for the others in. While if you go in, Edith will give Kenny, Christa and Luke/bonnie a map and bag for a place to camp out for a while as she will try to get them into the community; this is how season 2 will end, clementine and aj safe in a place or heading towards somewhere Edith showed.
Now why did I do this? Well season 3 needs a centralized cast of recurring characters as this is when everyone dies. Now I’d still have Wellington getting raided as the first flashback and have it be about 2 years later as aj is grown and if you were at howes it would go in depth of you only being there for a few months while if it is either Wellington ending the entire cast of Kenny/christa/clem/bonnie or Luke and aj all go to run away with Edith, this is where Edith is shot and Clem gets her scar across the cheek IF it’s the Wellington ending. The howes ending has Kenny/christa/clem/bonnie or Luke fighting a bit more and getting out in one of the raiders cars without Edith unfortunately (Clem never gets the bullet scar but she does have a tattoo on her hand of Jane’s name which is going to be brought up later.)