I am here to talk about an au that I have been trying to develop for a while now.
The inspiration was the song The Mind Electric by Murder Musical.
The AUs main storyline is based on a sentient vine showing up in S6 and altering a few hermits (Joe, Grian, and Jevin).
Grian was an ex-Watcher who had managed to escape. Well, instead of being in the hivemind of the Watchers, he's under the control of the vines and has his Watcher powers back.
Jevin is now more violent and has broken his former limit of changing his shape. He can grow genuine wings that work for tge most part.
Joe can harness electricity and is more cold to people. He's like an entirely different person and only TFC (who I headcannon as a father figure to him) can get through to the real Joe.
At some point early in the AU, Joe ends up getting arrested after attempted murder of Cleo (did I mention this is an AU with permadeath?) and is locked under Area 77 and after a breaking his glasses, TFC brings him his extra pair. That's a point where we see Joe through his facade, and a few nights later Joe breaks out and hides in TFC's bunker.
Around this point the Hermits not infected by the vines decide to escape the world of S6, but TFC urges them to leave him behind.
Enter S7. This is where I gained inspiration from the song Bellyache by Billie Eilish Karma by AJR, and Borderline by Nico Collins.
This is a more Etho-centric part, and the vines end up nabbing him when he's illegally delivering ice to Stress. Etho ends up getting pulled underwater by an infected drowned and one of the vine-seeds gets in his body. A few days later he is more irritable and he starts freezing things he's touching. He asks Stress to help him figure this out but to keep it a secret from the rest of the server.
One day while they're having the therapy sessions meant to help Etho, Etho lashes out and Stress ends up getting her legs frozen to the ground. Out of fear, she hits an SOS button, which makes it worse for Etho.
Any you won't believe who shows up. The vine-gang from last season! This is the point where I stopped, and I just imagine Joe helping Etho calm down after being taken by the vine-gang. TFC is also there because reasons.
Why and how do the vine gang show up?
How do their powers manifest? How does the vine choose their powers or give them to them?
What happens to Stress and Cleo?
Does the vine try to choose specific people or anyone it can get its claws on?
Why does Etho have to illegally deliver ice to Stress? This gives me the sense Stress is most likely doing something shady. Or is this just etho being etho?
Why did joe attempt to kill Cleo?
What are the other hermits impressions of when the vine gang show up?
Also I absolutly LIVE for father figure Tfc! This au is an absolute ride!