#csplayerweek2025

Hello CS 2019 fandom. We’re back.

Player Appreciation Week 2025 will be held on March 24-30. The theme for this years’ prompts is Alternate Universes! Here they are below:

Text version and guidelines under the cut:

Title: Carmen.. Ontario?

“This is just some kid!” “Those are the exact clothes of Carmen Sandiego! It’s not my fault that I saw it and thought of her!”

Player, tied to a chair, watched as Crackle and Tigress bickered back and forth together. The subject? His current outfit, a Carmen brand coat with a matching red hat.

Not really a traditional role swap but whatever

Up to you guys as to why Player is crashing out

Or should I say Glitching Out

@playerappreciationweek

Edit:

Player hated every little bit of the idea of soulmates. He couldn’t even keep a friend for more than a few months, how would he deal with a soulmate? That is, until he realized platonic soulmates exist.

Player had always hated the idea of soulmates. You got one person tied to your soul for your whole life, and you felt every injury they got, from a paper cut to a stab wound. People didn’t get their soulmates’ injuries, if one got stabbed the other wouldn’t bleed, but the pain itself was shared. And Player hated every little bit of the idea. He couldn’t even keep a friend for more than a few months, how would he deal with a soulmate?  But what if soulmates didn't just have to be romantic?

(Can’t wait!!)

Prompt: ALT 2–Canon Divergence

Ivy's holding one of her headphones away from her ear, the latter still blaring indistinguishable rock music. She raises a judgemental eyebrow at the pair offensively not covered in paint, "You joinin' us, Shadowsan?"

Shadowsan blinks at the question, then crosses his arms in front of his chest with a huff that sounded much more like the arrogant ninja they knew. "Someone needs to supervise."

The ignorant example of needing-supervision himself turns toward them, his face brightening, "Wait, yeah!" Zack cries, his joy almost making it seem like they were never once sad (…almost).

"You should paint something too, Shadowsan!"

Ivy hops off her stool, paintbrush abandoned on her already filthy workbench and hands dusted by the time she reaches the empty stall she was going to use earlier before reconsidering. All set up. She leans smugly against the old easel's poor frame, her tired face stretched into a grin, "C'mon, for Carm.” She says, with the twinge of an ache in her figure.

Player bristles at the reminder, his own frail brush's handle threatening to snap in his fist. Shadowsan sighs.

“Until Carmen’s face dropped. “Watch out!” She screamed, noticing something behind him. 

Player didn’t react quickly enough. He was seized from behind, arms snaking under his and around his head, limiting almost all upper body movement. A wet rag was clamped over his mouth and Player accidentally breathed in an unhealthy dose of what he could only imagine to be chloroform. 

“Let him go!” Carmen cried, lunging towards the people holding him. Tigress had been ready, though, and slashed at Carmen. Player snapped his fingers, not wanting to wait and see if Tigress missed or not. 

The tame scene of the hotel room came flooding back, the quiet beep of his laptop in front of him. Player’s body still remembered the tension of the alley, as well as the scent of chloroform.”

Getting hype for Player Appreciation Week!!

We are hours away! Thank you @constantconfusion14 !

As a reminder for posting:

-tag appropriately on ao3 and tumblr.

-tag #playerappreciationweek2025 on tumblr

- @playerappreciationweek so we can find your work!

-if on Ao3, post to the Player Week 2025 Collection

- Help is available on discord if needed for beta or brainstorming. See @rueitae for an invite.

For any questions, feel free to DM @rueitae either here or on discord at any time!

No answer except a buzzing drone of a mosquito.

“Red?” He tried again.

Whatever. He didn’t care. He’d officially been sapped of caring about his dignity; if the guide to the game preserve decided he looked like a kid and didn’t want to charge him admission, he could go on ahead.

The memory of the park caused a notifying ding! to chime in his head. Like that, his mind snapped to something other than the heat (which still sucked, but was now a secondary concern).

Shoot, they were supposed to be there at nine! What time was it? “Red?” He started pushing himself up. “Any idea what time it is? We gotta be at the park by-“

His tongue, in spite of the blazing heat, froze the second he opened his eyes.

Player blinked. He rubbed at his eyes. Blinked again. No, no he wasn’t seeing things.

There was no hotel room.

He was sitting in the middle of the veldt.