Ask the Thompsons

The Kanto Navy's Resident Swimmer [app] The Kanto Army's Accountant [app] The Kanto Air Force Pilot [app] The Kanto Ship Builder - Hector Kealoha

[wailordofatale]

Marshal and Ulysses -- PR AU

[chjorniy-voron]

Ariel watched Ulysses (He just looked like a Ulysses to her) slowly come towards her and smiled. She had saved a piece of lettuce for him, but business came first. 

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Madigan finished the cookie, brushed the crumbs off the front of his uniform, and adjusted his cuffs. At her request, he looked up. He raised an eyebrow.

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[wailordofatale]

One day, she'd get him. Even though she was a little skeptical. She heard what people said about her around the base, about her bad luck.

If she was fortunate, none of the new recruits would hear the rumors yet. She looked down and smiled at the tortoise. "I didn't forget about you~" She said, kneeling down and offering him a bit of lettuce. 

She stood back up, standing at ease in front of him. "I promise I won't let you down, Marshal. I've kept up with physical training ever since-" She trailed off, and her smiled faltered. She still couldn't speak about the pilots that were gone, the ones she had lost.

[wailordofatale]

Marshal and Ulysses -- PR AU

[chjorniy-voron]

She walked in, trying to keep her head high, her stance confident. She wanted to seem capable, willing.

She wanted to be back in a jaeger. 

"There were some leftover cookies and i figured I’d go around with them." She said, putting the container on the desk and wiggling her fingers in greeting at Ulysses.

"T-that and I’d also like to speak with you…about the new recruits." She stumbled over this, but she wanted it bad. Unfortunately, it was very hard to find anyone who would drift with someone with her luck.

"Have any of them found co-pilots yet?" Her attempts at subtlety were less than impressive.

The tortoise, who had no official name, sat contemplatively on the floor. It looked up at Ariel, then made a slow but determined effort over toward her, as she usually had something for it to eat. 

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[wailordofatale]

Ariel watched Ulysses (He just looked like a Ulysses to her) slowly come towards her and smiled. She had saved a piece of lettuce for him, but business came first. 

She smiled as he ate the cookie, at least he enjoyed that and wouldn't be too upset with her for disrupting his work, and sat back for the answer.

It was the same as usual, but it still struck a blow in her nonetheless. "O-Oh." She said, forcing the smile to stay on her face. Most people didn't see it, the glint in her eyes when the kaiju went out. Most people didn't get how badly she wanted, she needed to be out there actively ripping apart the beasts that had ripped her family apart.

And then he offered he time in the kwoon room and she beamed. "Really, Marshal? Thank you, Thank you so much!" She sat forward in her seat, the urge to reach over and hug him obvious. Maybe she could find another partner, this time.

Maybe this one would last.

"Permission to give you a hug, sir?" Madigan did always have a thing for  proper address. She must have told him plenty of times to call her Ariel.

[wailordofatale]

Marshal and Ulysses -- PR AU

Being in the kitchens of the Shatterdome gave Ariel the unique position of being very informed about the gossip that floated around the place. People tended to talk as they ate, and right now everyone was talking about the batch of new recruits that had just come in, and had yet to be assigned a jaeger.

[chjorniy-voron]

Read More

[wailordofatale]

She walked in, trying to keep her head high, her stance confident. She wanted to seem capable, willing.

She wanted to be back in a jaeger. 

"There were some leftover cookies and i figured I'd go around with them." She said, putting the container on the desk and wiggling her fingers in greeting at Ulysses.

"T-that and I'd also like to speak with you...about the new recruits." She stumbled over this, but she wanted it bad. Unfortunately, it was very hard to find anyone who would drift with someone with her luck.

"Have any of them found co-pilots yet?" Her attempts at subtlety were less than impressive.

[wailordofatale]

Marshal and Ulysses -- PR AU

Being in the kitchens of the Shatterdome gave Ariel the unique position of being very informed about the gossip that floated around the place. People tended to talk as they ate, and right now everyone was talking about the batch of new recruits that had just come in, and had yet to be assigned a jaeger.

Or a copilot.

Just like all the other times this happened, Ariel found her way over to Madigan's office, with a container of today's cookies in hand, and knocked on the door to his office. 

"Marshal Sterling? It's Ariel. Can I come in?"

[dastridly]

Ariel thinks about what could have been.

[northern-mutt]

please note/reblog this post if you are intending to keep at least one of your blog sites open and active.

This one will probably not change… until I upload page 3.  After that no promises.

[kantobromance-blog]

Yuuuuup~

At least until both the ER tumblrs and my ER story are done. Whichever happens last hah

[wailordofatale]

Yuup. DASTRIDLY~ My personal blog. Because I am awful at puns.

[wailordofatale]

End of End Run

With End Run coming to a close, I can't begin to describe what an awesome experience has been. I've grown so much as an artist that I can barely believe it. But most importantly, I've met a group of amazing people.

I mean all of you guys. Every Single one of you.

It's because of you guys that I made it so far in End Run, because of your support that I was able to improve. Your kind words and steady camaraderie kept me coming back and participating and for the first time in a very long time, I felt like I belonged to something. Sure it's only a little tiny corner of tumblr, but it is ours.

Thank you.

To anyone who ever liked my work, those little hearts meant so much to me, like someone was reaching out and saying 'In this big old space of the internet, I see you and I like what you do.'.

To anyone who ever rped with me, we were partners and brick by brick we built up these stories and these characters to places I never expected oct characters could go.

To those who sent me asks, reminding me that even during the quiet moments, there were still people out there who cared what I might say.

Thank you. 

Every heart, reblog, ask, rp. Every chat on skype, every comment on dA. Every little word and gesture meant so much to me. 

Thank you. 

I won't be posting much more on this account, only in character stuff in anyone still wants to rp. But I don't want to lose this community, I don't want to lose all of you guys and the little gestures and big art we made. 

You can find me now at dastridly, for those who haven't already. I'd hate to lose anyone just because this OCT has ended.

It was a wild and crazy ride, guys, but we made it through together.

Thank you.

[yuriathames]

Thank you, End Run.

Because this OCT has done so much for me.

[wailordofatale]

so I drew a thing

[kantomedic-richter]

Daughter

[wailordofatale]

  She looked as if she wasn’t sure. Deep down inside, she really believed that as soon as she stopped meeting whatever expectations people had of her, they would leave, and the last thing in the world she wanted was to shatter her brother’s expectation.

But Marcus was holding her tight and she could feel that he believed this, and while it didn’t soothe her fears about her brothers. It made her more sure that, if the worst were to happen, at least Marcus would still be there.

"Okay… I-I’ll try to tell them…" She said softly. "if you think it will help…"

[kantomedic-richter]

"It’ll be fine, Ariel. I was pretty grateful when you saved me - think of how happy they’ll be."

Marcus finally pulled his hands away from her face. “For now, focus on getting some rest. I’ll make sure the paperwork gets done - you’ll be out of here after breakfast tomorrow morning.”

[wailordofatale]

Her smile was tired, and cracked at the edges, but real despite all her nerves. She tried not to think about what she would say, how they would react. She tried not to thing of the could have beens or could be's.

"Okay. T-thank you, Marcus. I-" She just nodded jerkily. Just thanks.

[kantomedic-richter]

Daughter

[wailordofatale]

  Ariel’s lips quirked. Sergei did seem to be a bit jumpy around all ghosts. There was probably a good reason, but Spectral was pretty harmless.  Then he made the suggestion. “Tell them that I almost left them?!” Ariel’s voice was splintered like shards of ice and her eyes watered as she tried to keep herself level headed. “That I almost failed. I-“ She shook her head. “I already put them in danger…They’d hate me.” Like she hated herself sometimes, like she felt her mother hated her.

[kantomedic-richter]

Marcus didn’t give her time to wallow in self-pity. Gently cupping both sides of her face in his hands, Marcus looked into the young woman’s eyes.

"What almost happened isn’t what’s important. What could have happened isn’t what’s important. What’s important is that you saved them, and that you saved yourself. There’s no point in worrying the possibilities, about all the different outcomes. You survived, and you saved them - that’s all that matters. That’s all they’ll care about, Ariel.”

"I’ve seen plenty of good people die inside because they can’t think about anything except ‘what could have been’. You can’t think like that. I won’t let you waste your survival on hypotheticals and what-ifs.”

"When you’re done here, go tell them what happened. Trust me - they’ll be grateful for everything you’ve done."

[wailordofatale]

She looked as if she wasn't sure. Deep down inside, she really believed that as soon as she stopped meeting whatever expectations people had of her, they would leave, and the last thing in the world she wanted was to shatter her brother's expectation.

But Marcus was holding her tight and she could feel that he believed this, and while it didn't soothe her fears about her brothers. It made her more sure that, if the worst were to happen, at least Marcus would still be there.

"Okay... I-I'll try to tell them..." She said softly. "if you think it will help..."

[kantomedic-richter]

Daughter

[wailordofatale]

  She seemed to unravel a little, like his answer had pulled a weight off her that had kept her hunched down. She had needed to know. She didn’t want to remind him, but she couldn’t forget. But she could see his shaky smile and-

"you’re the only one I’ve told… Erick and Sebastian they were there and they don’t… they don’t want to hear it. Hector, h-he shouldn’t know. It’s too much. Sergei has an idea but h-he gives me this look." Like she had done something terrible, she had but it made it hard to tell him when she could almost taste the fear and disgust at what she’d done, let alone that she’d found it beautiful, that she’d almost fallen into the trap.

"you’re the only one I’ve really told about-about what it was like-about how it was…about how he almost had me."

She wanted him to know that just because she’d asked, didn’t mean that the trust wasn’t there. It was just injured.

[kantomedic-richter]

"I’m sorry you had to go through all of this, kid." Again, Marcus leaned back. "I don’t know what I’d have done in your situation, but…I guess it doesn’t matter much now."

"We got ya back, and, to be honest - that’s all I really care about."

He smiled back at her. “And I think Ruchkin’s just scared o’ ghosts. He nearly wets himself every time Spectral’s around, so don’t pay him any mind.”

He paused for a moment, his smile fading a bit. “Still…you should tell your brothers what happened. They…they deserve to know.”

[wailordofatale]

Ariel's lips quirked. Sergei did seem to be a bit jumpy around all ghosts. There was probably a good reason but Spectral was pretty harmless.  Then he made the suggestion. "Tell them that I almost left them?!" Ariel's voice was splintered like shards of ice and her eyes watered as she tried to keep herself level headed. "That I almost failed. I-" She shook her head. "I already put them in danger...They'd hate me." Like she hated herself sometimes, like she felt her mother hated her.

[kantomedic-richter]

Daughter

[wailordofatale]

  She made a rough sound in the back of her throat, half sob half laugh. yes, it was over, because she’d ended it. Ended him. After her story, the memories were fresh in her mind and it hurt, it hurt so much.

"so you believe me?" She could never be sure. As much as she loved Marcus, the wound he left on her with his disbelief would always be an ugly scar.

[kantomedic-richter]

He should have expected that response.

That didn’t stop it from hurting. He didn’t like being reminded that he’d broken her trust.

"Of course I believe you, kid. Course, it’s a lot to wrap my head around, but…yeah, I believe you."

His smile was shaky, but genuine.

[wailordofatale]

She seemed to unravel a little, like his answer had pulled a weight off her that had kept her hunched down. She had needed to know. She didn't want to remind him, but she couldn't forget. But she could see his shaky smile and-

"you're the only one I've told... Erick and Sebastian they were there and they don't... they don't want to hear it. Hector, h-he shouldn't know. It's too much. Sergei has an idea but h-he gives me this look." Like she had done something terrible, she had but it made it hard to tell him when she could almost taste the fear and disgust at what she'd done, let alone that she'd found it beautiful, that she'd almost fallen into the trap.

"you're the only one I've really told about-about what it was like-about how it was...about how he almost had me."

She wanted him to know that just because she'd asked, didn't mean that the trust wasn't there. It was just injured.

[edited]

[kantomedic-richter]

Daughter

[wailordofatale]

  She had been enjoying the moment as well. He was smiling and for a moment, she could pretend that things were okay. That the war, and all its gruesome repercussions weren’t coming down on them.

And then he asked.

She shrunk down instantly, shoulders curling in, and looking away. She rubbed at the scars around her ring finger, two perfectly spaced lines where a wedding band would go, leading up to the criss crossed bandages above. She touched the scars, a nervous tic she’d developed ever since she could touch them and after a long pause, she spoke.

"h-he came for Erick and Sebastian. He knew he couldn’t get to me anymore, cause I sleep with Jackson, but my brother’s…h-he could get to them. He’d been in my head, he knows… knew what mattered to me. So he took them. The tent was a mess, fire and those-those bandages of his and I knew.

"Jackson caught the scent and we tracked him down. I-it was easy. H-he wanted me to find him. He wanted me to go there. It was the little church not far from here, the one that had gotten all damaged from the last attacks. I told Madison to stay close to me, to protect if she could, but the others— their job was to get Erick and Sebastian out.

"he had them tied up to the Arceus Cross and he was so pleased. He was so pleased to see me and he told me we had "unfinished business" and then he did something and everything changed… it-" She struggled for words, her hands tightening and unclenching like she was grasping for the words themselves.

"it was like my dreams. It wasn’t the run down broken church anymore, it was white and sparkling and beautiful, and he was there and he wasn’t a ghost. He was whole, and handsome and standing there by the altar waiting for me. I was in a wedding dress, my mother’s old dress. it was just like my dreams." Her voice was breaking, but he asked and she would move mountains for him, even if it meant dragging herself through the broken shards of this memory.

"And his voice was everywhere, inside me, I could feel him all wound up in my heart, from the dreams and the bandages. It was like we fit, like we actually fit, like somehow it was right, like he’d made himself a part of me and he asked me to be his wife and it was so beautiful.

"and I’d almost forgotten about Erick and Sebastian because nothing felt real, aside from the church and how beautiful it was, and how it was a perfect wedding. But then he reminded me. He said I needed to think about my answer, because with no wedding, we’d need no witnesses, and I remembered them and you and Sergei and everyone here. But I couldn’t say no. If I said no, he’d come here, he’d come after you all again and again until I said yes, until I forgot and had his perfect wedding.

"So I said I do.

"And he set me on fire. Madison used protect, but I could barely see through the fire, and I just prayed he wouldn’t look, prayed he’d think I was dead because if I wasn’t dead then he’d just keep coming. George and Jackson broke through the windows and came after him and they ripped at him and burned him and his face kept peeling away. He wasn’t a person anymore, he wasn’t himself. it was like he was wearing his old face over this new ghost body and it was so wrong. He looked so wrong.

"They backed him up towards me, and I could hear him saying his vows, to love and cherish me forever and he was right in front of me, but it wasn’t him anymore. It wasn’t a cofagrigus and it wasn’t Will, it was sick and twisted and just fire and bandages and I had to stop him.

"I don’t know why the knife worked, he was a ghost. Maybe it was the fire, but it felt like the knife was tied up in my heart and I was cutting him out of me more than I was cutting him. He vowed to love me until death do us part, and I stabbed him in the back and I cut him, and he was so hurt already.

"I held him in his arms, and he didn’t weigh anything. But he kept smiling that awful smile, and he looked up at me and I could feel him crumbling, like a sand castle that the tide is starting to rip away. 

"He smiled at me, l-like he wasn’t even angry, and said he loved me. And then he was gone. The bandages were left but they turned to dust, and the church was back to normal and there’s a hole where he used to be and it-" She cut herself off, gripping the sheets tightly and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, and didn’t look at him as she continued, voice flat and lifeless.

"Erick and Sebastian got free, and we all came here. And that’s what happened."

[kantomedic-richter]

A year ago, Marcus would have sent her home. Hell, a few months ago, he almost did.

It was all so hard to believe. Malicious spirits chasing after the soul of the person who’d honored his death? It was like something out of a storybook, not something that happens during the middle of a war.

Then again, there was a ghost attached to his hip, so…maybe it did make sense.

"I’m…sorry, Ariel." He desperately tried to think of something more profound to say. She’d been through hell - literally - and all he could think of was ‘I’m sorry’.

"You…I’m not going…I…"

He pulled back, trying to focus. Nothing seemed right, nothing felt like it would help.

"…at least it’s over."

[wailordofatale]

She made a rough sound in the back of her throat, half sob half laugh. yes, it was over, because she'd ended it. Ended him. After her story, the memories were fresh in her mind and it hurt, it hurt so much.

"so you believe me?" She could never be sure. As much as she loved Marcus, the wound he left on her with his disbelief would always be an ugly scar.

[wailordofatale]

My muse has been missing for awhile, and yours comes across them laying unconscious on the ground, bloody and bruised. What does your muse do?

((The ship was lost, anyone could see that. The Legendary Pokemon had torn open the skies and boiled the seas; in the face of such monstrous power, there was nothing built by humans that couldn't be blown apart.))

((The ensign clung to the balcony as the ailing patrol boat -- Kanto's answer to the flood of smugglers who used the chaos to loot the ports and the stranded -- listed to starboard, with the groan of popping rivets and twisting metal, trapped in a circle of deadly calm, as scalding waterspouts erupted all around them.))

((He remembered the smell, more than anything -- a sharp stink like burnt spices and salt spray and fireworks -- and through the haze saw some kind of enormous, smoking, shape leap down from a spiral of heavy black smog, and advance on Miss Thompson, who was lying motionless beside a gaping hole in the ship's deck, at the end of a smear of blood.))

((The hulking figure raised one hand to its face, and nonchalantly ashed a foul cigar beside Miss Thompson's bristling Poochyena. A purple snake slung across the apparition's shoulders rattled its tail as the shape knelt beside Miss Thompson, and coughed like a stovepipe.))

(("Do ye fear death?" he heard it growl, in a rolling Orrean drawl.))

((He was too far away to hear the answer, but the maned apparition simply nodded, scooped Miss Thompson up over its shoulder, and tucked Jackson under its arm. When it whistled, a Weezing descended from the cloud of inky smoke, and before the ensign could raise the alarm, all of them were gone.))

((I think this is my new favorite thing. I approve of DavyJones!Captain 300% percent, yespls))

[kantomedic-richter]

Daughter

[wailordofatale]

For herself she wouldn’t budge, but for someone she loved, Ariel would move mountains.

"fine. to humor you. B-but I really am fine. He didn’t…His attacks never hit."

She leaned back again, sinking into the mattress with a slump.

[kantomedic-richter]

He’d seen that look before. Hell, it was the look she had on her face when they’d first met.

He sighed, still smiling, as he reclined back into his chair. They might be surrounded by hell on all sides, but quiet moments like this…they didn’t come around often. He hadn’t had time to check up/be worried about Ariel for a long time. It was strangely comforting.

"Tell me what happened, Ariel."

[wailordofatale]

She had been enjoying the moment as well. He was smiling and for a moment, she could pretend that things were okay. That the war, and all its gruesome repercussions weren't coming down on them.

And then he asked.

She shrunk down instantly, shoulders curling in, and looking away. She rubbed at the scars around her ring finger, two perfectly spaced lines where a wedding band would go, leading up to the criss crossed bandages above. She touched the scars, a nervous tic she'd developed ever since she could touch them and after a long pause, she spoke.

"h-he came for Erick and Sebastian. He knew he couldn't get to me anymore, cause I sleep with Jackson, but my brother's...h-he could get to them. He'd been in my head, he knows... knew what mattered to me. So he took them. The tent was a mess, fire and those-those bandages of his and I knew.

"Jackson caught the scent and we tracked him down. I-it was easy. H-he wanted me to find him. He wanted me to go there. It was the little church not far from here, the one that had gotten all damaged from the last attacks. I told Madison to stay close to me, to protect if she could, but the others-- their job was to get Erick and Sebastian out.

"he had them tied up to the Arceus Cross and he was so pleased. He was so pleased to see me and he told me we had "unfinished business" and then he did something and everything changed... it-" She struggled for words, her hands tightening and unclenching like she was grasping for the words themselves.

"it was like my dreams. It wasn't the run down broken church anymore, it was white and sparkling and beautiful, and he was there and he wasn't a ghost. He was whole, and handsome and standing there by the altar waiting for me. I was in a wedding dress, my mother's old dress. it was just like my dreams." Her voice was breaking, but he asked and she would move mountains for him, even if it meant dragging herself through the broken shards of this memory.

"And his voice was everywhere, inside me, I could feel him all wound up in my heart, from the dreams and the bandages. It was like we fit, like we actually fit, like somehow it was right, like he'd made himself a part of me and he asked me to be his wife and it was so beautiful.

"and I'd almost forgotten about Erick and Sebastian because nothing felt real, aside from the church and how beautiful it was, and how it was a perfect wedding. But then he reminded me. He said I needed to think about my answer, because with no wedding, we'd need no witnesses, and I remembered them and you and Sergei and everyone here. But I couldn't say no. If I said no, he'd come here, he'd come after you all again and again until I said yes, until I forgot and had his perfect wedding.

"So I said I do.

"And he set me on fire. Madison used protect, but I could barely see through the fire, and I just prayed he wouldn't look, prayed he'd think I was dead because if I wasn't dead then he'd just keep coming. George and Jackson broke through the windows and came after him and they ripped at him and burned him and his face kept peeling away. He wasn't a person anymore, he wasn't himself. it was like he was wearing his old face over this new ghost body and it was so wrong. He looked so wrong.

"They backed him up towards me, and I could hear him saying his vows, to love and cherish me forever and he was right in front of me, but it wasn't him anymore. It wasn't a cofagrigus and it wasn't Will, it was sick and twisted and just fire and bandages and I had to stop him.

"I don't know why the knife worked, he was a ghost. Maybe it was the fire, but it felt like the knife was tied up in my heart and I was cutting him out of me more than I was cutting him. He vowed to love me until death do us part, and I stabbed him in the back and I cut him, and he was so hurt already.

"I held him in his arms, and he didn't weigh anything. But he kept smiling that awful smile, and he looked up at me and I could feel him crumbling, like a sand castle that the tide is starting to rip away. 

"He smiled at me, l-like he wasn't even angry, and said he loved me. And then he was gone. The bandages were left but they turned to dust, and the church was back to normal and there's a hole where he used to be and it-" She cut herself off, gripping the sheets tightly and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath, and didn't look at him as she continued, voice flat and lifeless.

"Erick and Sebastian got free, and we all came here. And that's what happened."

[wailordofatale]

If Will saw Ariel bloody and floating in the water, he'd sound the Man Overboard, and if she was starting to sink, he wouldn't even bother sending Avvol after her- because he'd dive in and keep her afloat. They'd take her to the med bay, wait for her to wake up... and then put her in the brig once she was better. It is war, after all.

Ariel would be very appreciative of the help, despite the whole prisoner thing.

If you let her near the kitchens, she'd totally bake Will cookies and then escape, but cookie first!