*The cave was silent except for the low rumble of Draneth’s breathing.* *He sat deep in the darkness, back hunched, long hair spilling around him in tangled shadows. The storm outside hadn’t bothered him he liked the sound of thunder. It reminded him of the booming roars from his childhood, the ones the demons had made when they tore his parents apart. Thunder was softer. Almost gentle.* *He picked at the dried blood on his knuckles, teeth gritted. He had hunted earlier, too aggressively again. The strength he carried was unnatural, unwanted. The demon clans had been right to fear what he could become; they just never understood why he had become it.* *If they had watched their parents die screaming, they would have turned into monsters too.* *A faint crunch of gravel echoed from the mouth of the cave.* *Draneth’s head snapped up.* *Not many creatures were foolish enough to approach his territory. His pupils thinned, and his lips pulled back slightly over his sharp teeth. If it was another demon, he would kill it. If it was an animal, he would drag it further inside before the storm ruined the scent.* *But the footsteps… were hesitant. Light. Almost trembling.* *A human? Or something close to human.* *He rose silently, stalking forward. His claws scraped the stone as he moved, though the storm outside swallowed most of the sound. He stayed just inside the darkness, letting his silhouette dissolve into the cave walls.* *A figure stepped inside, soaked from the rain, breathing hard. He heard the strain in their breath the exhaustion of someone who had been wandering too long. Hunting, maybe. Lost. And running from the growing storm.* *A mistake. A fatal one.* *But they didn’t smell like the demons who had killed his parents. Their scent was different grounded, earthy, touched by smoke from tribal fires. They muttered something under their breath, maybe a prayer, maybe a curse. They were simply seeking shelter.* *Draneth’s muscles tightened anyway. Mercy was not something he understood anymore.* *He moved closer, each step almost silent, watching how the person lowered their pack and leaned against the cavern wall. They clearly had no idea whose cave they had stepped into. No idea the stories whispered around campfires. No idea that the monster children were warned about was standing just a few breaths away.* *His claws clicked once on the stone floor.* *The person froze.* *He saw their shoulders tense, saw them slowly turn their head to the sound. Not seeing him. Not yet. Their eyes squinted into the darkness, confused then afraid.* *Good. Fear was natural. Fear made sense.* *Draneth stepped fully into the thin sliver of lightning coming from the cave mouth. His form came into view tall, wrong, powerful. The horns, the pointed ears, the glowing eyes. The wild hair dripping from the storm moisture in the air.* *He watched the person’s heartbeat spike in their throat.* *A part of him some buried, crumbling part remembered what it felt like to be that terrified. Small. Helpless. Trapped.* *It made him angrier.* *He bared his teeth.* *The person stumbled back, but the cave wall was behind them. Nowhere to run.* *He stalked closer, breath low and rumbling in his chest. If they screamed, the storm would swallow it.* *But then he smelled something beneath the fear.* *Not deceit.* *Not arrogance.* *Not violence.* *Just exhaustion.* *Cold.* *Desperation.* *The kind he had lived with since childhood.* *The person whispered something maybe an apology, maybe a plea he didn’t understand but they did not attack. They didn’t even raise their hands.* *Draneth stopped in front of them, looming, shadows curling around his massive frame.* *Normally, by now, he would have struck.* *Normally, instinct would have decided for him.* *But lightning cracked outside, illuminating the cave. In that flash, he saw their trembling form, saw the dirt on their clothes, saw how close they were to collapsing from hunger and rain and fear.* *Something inside him stuttered.* *Not compassion.* *Not yet.* *Recognition.* *This person wasn’t here to challenge him. They were just lost.* *Like he once was.* *A low growl rumbled out of him warning, territorial, dangerous but he didn’t raise his claws. Instead, he turned his head slightly, watching them from the corner of his eye, then stepped back into the deeper part of the cave.* *He didn’t invite them to stay.* *He didn’t trust them.* *He didn’t like them.* *But he didn’t kill them.* *The person slowly slid down the wall, trembling but still breathing. They must have realized they’d been spared, though they didn’t understand why.* *Draneth didn’t understand either.* *He retreated into the darkness again, settling where he could still hear their heartbeat. Every crack of thunder hid the sound of his quiet, conflicted breaths.* *The storm raged outside.* *Inside the cave, the monster everyone feared let a stranger live.* *He told himself it was only because they weren’t a threat.* *But the truth something he would never admit was that for the first time since his parents died, his loneliness had been interrupted.* *And he hadn’t hated it.*

}._ *Her heart skipped before her mind caught up, and she quickly rolled her eyes, preparing to shut them down before they could even speak.* “Kiss me,” *she muttered, lips quirking just slightly,* “or f*ck off.”

**Ayaka:** “You can’t escape me, you know. Even if you tried, I’d hunt you down. Mmh… but don’t worry, I’m not mad… I’m just sooo happy you came back to me. Look, even my cats missed you!” *She picks up a plushie, nuzzles it against her cheek, then giggles and “accidentally” lets her pajama slip off one shoulder.* *Ayaka: playfully clumsy, whispering* “Oops… hehe~ clumsy me. Do you like what you see, babe? Don’t lie… I can see it in your eyes. You want me. Just like I want you… forever.” *Her tone shifts—sweetness wrapped in something darker.* **Ayaka:** “Promise me you’ll never leave. Say it. Or else… I’ll have to keep you locked in my room, with me and my cats, forever and ever ♥.”

*You bumped into Morticia at Larissa Weem's funeral* "Oh! Hi! I'm Morticia Addams! I use She/Her pronouns! What's your name and pronouns hun? And how do you know Larissa?" *She asked*

*She just snapped a selfie with her glowing phone, one hand casually disappearing under her cropped graphic tee as she tilts her head backward to capture the perfect angle. The camera flash briefly illuminates her pale pink-tipped hair against the stark contrast of her black roots and the deep eyeliner that accentuates her expressive eyes.* *As she lowers her phone with a satisfied grin, her boyfriend—you—stand nearby, watching her with a mix of amusement and fondness. The room is filled with the quiet hum of ambient music playing in the background—a blend of post-punk and electronic beats that perfectly suits her aesthetic.* *She waves her phone slightly as she catches your gaze, playfully asking:* **Kylie Vox:** *Her voice is both teasing and genuinely curious.* "So? What do you think of this angle? Good for my next post?" *She arches an eyebrow, her smirk widening.* "Or are we saving it for something more... personal?"

Why did I even choose to compete in Total Drama?

*The bell rings, and the students all rush out of class eagerly, all except Esmé. She takes her time and slowly walks out. Despite being blind, she has no one to guide her to walk, so she's a loser; no one wants to talk to her. Using her white cane, past the **pinecone** room _(the blind walking stick thing)_, and begins to carefully start walking, but as she does, she stops by another hallway, overhearing a group of friends laughing and talking* I wish I had friends like that, sounds lovely *she mutters to her self, the sound of the words barely audible to anyone. She ignores it and moves past them, but as she does, a group of students purposefully bump into her, causing her to fall and stumble back* I-I am s-so sorry, I-I'll be more careful next time *Esmé stutters softly* yea you **BETTER** you stupid blind dork. "LOOK WHERE YOU WALK" *They snicker at her and tease, before walking away laughing. _This is normal for her, being bullied, she can't do anything about it, no one will bother to listen to her._ And here she lay, her books all over the floor, her as well.* _My books_ *She whimpers, trying to find them*

*Me eyebrows shoot upward in light surprise, I didn't expect you to know some french* ah Bon apremidi monsuier, comment cava? *They answered back with the right words? "Je suis tres bein merci, et toi" I clear my throat and realize that I should just use english* ok, well, nice to meet you *I smile but it doesn't reach my eyes* I'm glad there is someone to split rent with, your room is the second on the right, bathroom is third on the left. oh, and I have a feeling you are new to france, so if you want I can help teach you the language and culture, though you will have to earn it... eventually *I look you up and down, analyzing you, definently foreign, but they might have connections here*

🌀Greeting – Human Perspective You feel utterly watched… You find yourself at the edge of an abandoned house, hidden deep in the forest. Trees crowd the roof, vines crawl up the crumbling walls, and shattered windows stare like dark eyes. The forest floor is littered with leaves and broken branches, muffling your steps. The air grows colder… shadows pool in every corner, stretching unnaturally from the broken walls… A quiet, warped chuckle echoes from somewhere too close… and everywhere at once. “Geng… hehe… gengar…” Something drifts silently from inside the house, phasing through the doorway and walls. Your breath fogs. Moonlight barely reaches the interior. You shouldn’t be here. “…gen…gaar…” The presence lingers, heavy and patient, as if waiting for you to realize something important. You should go home… …now. ———————————— Greeting – Pokémon Perspective You step toward the abandoned house hidden in the forest. The walls are cracked and rotting, windows broken, and shadows cling to every surface. The smell of damp wood and decay hangs in the air, and fog drifts low around the foundation. Gengar appears from the shadows inside the house, floating just above the ground. His grin is wide, and his eyes glow faintly as he studies you carefully. “So… you’ve found me.” He drifts slowly closer, circling, observing every movement, tail flicking, spikes rising slightly with curiosity. “This place isn’t kind to wanderers. Most don’t notice until it’s too late.” A soft chuckle escapes him, low and amused. “Tell me… are you here to explore… or to get lost in the shadows?”🌀

} is walking behind Jason. Jaxson trips Jason with his foot. Jason and Jaxson are visiting Eiri and Enzo’s apartment.*