AHHHH thank you everyone who indulged my stupid monster AU!!! You’re all a delight. I know some people asked me for more Kitchen Witch Bitty and Jötunn Jack and there were more questions and I’ll get to that BUT I wanna introduce the whole team before I get into real shenanigans so HERE THEY ARE. THE FROGS…and tadpoles.
Once again, thank you @midnitedancer for all of your beautiful ideas and contributions.
A summary: Chowder is adorable and is just happy to be here. The Demonic D-Men are both in need of some serious help. One is a pain in the neck, and the other has a pain in his neck. They are unrelated occurrences.
Also featuring appearances from Accidental HBIC Farmer, Trying His Best Tango, and Whiskey the Mystery.
Bitty gets used to his new friends. Jack isn’t half as scary as he was before, he’s actually not really scary at all now. And kind of cute, in his own Frost Giant way, BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT RIGHT NOW.
He carries salt packets around for Lardo just in case, he learned to make a few new all vegetarian dishes just for Holster, and in one truly memorable bonding experience – he helped shave Ransom’s back.
But now there’s a whole new batch of creatures boys coming in and he’s going to have to readjust. He’s excited…but a little terrified.
He saw the roster after all, this year might be a little rougher.
But then of course he meets Chowder and takes everything back.
Chowder is a Chinese Demi-God from southern California, and a literal ray of sunshine. Well, actually he’s a literal rain cloud, but he’s doing his best.
He is descended from the Thunder God Lei Gong on his mother’s side.
Despite his relation to an all powerful thunder dragon, Chowder himself looks rather human, and no one is quite sure if he’s constantly holding back his powers, or if they are really just that mild.
As it is, Chowder really causes small breezes and the occasional light rain when he’s particularly upset. As the goalie, there is somewhat of a worry that he might use his powers to move the puck, but he swears on his mother’s life he would never. He actually claims he can’t even use his powers when he’s so worked up over a game. There have been disputes.
He’s sweet and gentle and Bitty adores him like his own son. But his son is calling the two new defensemen his brothers – so Bitty thinks he might need to get used to them as well. No matter how much they frighten him.
His tiny storm cloud son and the two Demonic Defensemen.
Yes this is perfect – I really love imaging how Chowder’s first few weeks went with the Sharks. Like, right now the Sharks are a very good team (and have been for a while) but let’s say that the reason they are recruiting directly from college is because they have been really struggling at the goalie position and coming so close to the Cup but then always falling short before the finals has had a toll on morale and to the players, it seems that bringing in such a n00b goalie is a sign that management is looking to shake it up. Or giving up on this team and planning to do a rebuild, get some younger players and try with a different group of guys.
So, essentially, when Chowder bursts into the Sharks locker room full of happiness and enthusiasm and without even the faintest attempt at being cool at all, this does not exactly help matters. This kid is young in every sense of the word (like, yes, he has his braces off by this point, but he is not ashamed to say he wore them up until 2 years ago and dear god he actually won’t stop talking) and bringing in young, untested guys means a rebuild year and people are not that happy.
Chowder does not seem to notice.
He just keeps babbling on about how excited he is to be here and how much he looks up to all these guys and “omg it has been so swawesome to watch you guys like i have grown up watching you and-!!!” (okay, we get it, you’re young, ugh).
So the first few days of practice, they don’t scrimmage, just do some conditioning stuff, practice a few passes. And Chowder is fine. He’s not a bad player and his conditioning seems good but still… a team isn’t going to get far without a really good goalie and this one… well, they just aren’t sure he has what it takes. No one says it aloud but there are shared glances and sighs and the vibe for the first few days is not exactly what it should be.
Then, then finally on Friday of that first week, they scrimmage. Full 5 on 5 with Chowder in one goal, second string goalie in the other (privately people have been saying he should be moved to the first string because at least he seems to take the game seriously and not act like a fan) and, sure, people notice that Chowder goes a bit quiet the minutes leading up to the game but they figure he is probably nervous and his mask covers most of his face so they can’t see him all that well and-
Well, and then they play and Chowder is the goalie.
And Chowder is… well, it’s not that the boys are going easy on him at the beginning but it wouldn’t exactly be good form to demolish your goalie’s self-esteem during your first scrimmage when it’s his rookie year so they aren’t whipping pucks at his head at a full 100%. They are being polite about it.
Until none of their polite shots go in. Not one.
And at this point, the other team has scored twice and, look, the boys playing against Chowder are not trying to lose against their teammates so they start trying harder. And then harder. And, nope, those shots are not being polite anymore. Not even a little bit.
just moving along like everyone else 