#I have to decline on sharing Toothless...

[dragonmasterhiccup]

Maybe Astrid instead? That would honestly be a lot easier. Also, can we share Toothless?

---------------------------------------------

"Great! See you lat-" Alesi and Eret were about to run off each own direction.

"Hold up!" Eret Sr called, making his kids stop on the spot and turn around.

"Each of you better return the sun sets to the Mead Hall, where we meet for a family dinner. Both families." He told them seriously, leaving no room for an argument. The siblings sighed a bit but nodded and then finally ran off.

Stoick looked at Hiccup and nodded approvingly "You may go too, I got this from here. But I wish to see you and Toothless at the Mead Hall too."

Hiccup gave his dad a grateful look. "Thanks, dad. We'll be there."

He went to go meet up with Toothless, but remembering his manners, he faced the Saami Chief and Chieftess. "Oh! Uh, it was nice to meet you both. I'll see you all at dinner!"

With a small wave, he was off, and it wasn't long before a black streak soared through the sky above them.

--------

In the free time he had before sunset, Hiccup and Toothless decided to perch on a sea stack. He enjoyed the open air and the breeze as he looked over the ocean.

But now, they were entering the Great Hall, and finding Stoick, the boy and his dragon approached.

"Hey, dad. We're not late, are we?"

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

Why did Arianne try to seduce renly when she sees his family as usurpers, Robert as evil, and the Baratheon regime as evil? What would’ve happened if renly wasn’t gay and slept with her?  would he have had to marry her.

🤨 I mean, Arianne explained why she was considering Renly in the same passage where she describes the attempted seduction?

The freedom that Prince Oberyn allowed his bastard daughters had never been shared by Prince Doran's lawful heir. Arianne must wed; she had accepted that. Drey had wanted her, she knew; so had his brother Deziel, the Knight of Lemonwood. Daemon Sand had gone so far as to ask for her hand. Daemon was bastard-born, however, and Prince Doran did not mean for her to wed a Dornishman. Arianne had accepted that as well. One year King Robert's brother came to visit and she did her best to seduce him, but she was half a girl and Lord Renly seemed more bemused than inflamed by her overtures. Later, when Hoster Tully asked her to come to Riverrun and meet his heir, she lit candles to the Maid in thanks, but Prince Doran had declined the invitation. The princess might even have considered Willas Tyrell, crippled leg and all, but her father refused to send her to Highgarden to meet him. She tried to go despite him, with Tyene's help... but Prince Oberyn caught them at Vaith and brought them back. That same year, Prince Doran tried to betroth her to Ben Beesbury, a minor lordling who was eighty if he was a day, and as blind as he was toothless. —AFFC, The Princess in the Tower

Arianne believed her father didn't want her to marry a Dornishman, but did want her to marry, so she looked for appropriate betrothals. Renly was about her age, and visiting Sunspear just fine with nobody calling him an evil usurper who was anathema to Dorne, so why not? And for that matter, Arianne also considered Willas Tyrell as a marriage option, even though the Tyrells hate the Martells because of Willas's injury (and also because of the Reach's general racism). Also, since Arianne describes herself as "half a girl" when she tried to seduce Renly, it was probably not long after her first sexual relationship with Daemon Sand when they were both 14, so you can understand that she didn't have the same political knowledge as the 23-year-old who told Arys that Robert was a monster.

If Renly weren't gay, it would be a different book. But he too would've been "half a boy", only a little younger than Arianne, and if he were heterosexual, odds are he would've pulled a Tyene-and-Drey or something like that. But even if they did actually manage to sleep together, no marriage would be in the bed on the table. Doran knew that Arianne had lost her virginity to Daemon, and did nothing about it. He'd brush over anything with Renly too. Arianne was promised to Viserys as part of Doran's revenge plan against Tywin, and the wrong prince would not factor into those plans. Mind you, Arianne would've been extremely confused about this, but it wouldn't have been any more confusing than Doran only offering her betrothals to octogenarians already was.

[sportsminorityreport]

Why ACC expansion, frankly, shocked me.

I know everyone looked at this and thought, "Oh this is a done deal. ESPN wants it. ESPN's deal with the ACC opens up for renegotiation should they drop below 14 full members. There are only 4 votes against this. Only one has to flip...It's a done deal."

I think something big and unexpected happened in the last couple of days to turn NC State into a yes vote.

I look at Florida State and I think they actually LIKE the ACC, they just want ESPN to pay all of the schools appropriately... ie say $45M per school with a little something something for Clemson and FSU that would allow them to blow TV money on NIL like the SEC and Big Ten schools are preparing to do.

ESPN isn't going to do that. They have the ACC schools locked in at less money than the Big 12 schools.

FSU makes less than UCF. Crazy.

ESPN looked at this and thought, we will pay $72M (number reported. It suggests an ACC payout is $24M and that ESPN will pay that for Stanford, Cal, and even SMU.) to the ACC if they take this trio. Stanford and Cal will take 50% over the next interval, staggered so they start at 1/4 shares. SMU came in agreeing to not taking a share for 5 years.

That would put roughly $50-60M in the ACC pocket to split as they see fit. Over 5 years, that would be $250-300M or split evenly $3.6-4.3M more each year for the 14 full members. An extra $18-21M overall.

I think the idea from ESPN's perspective was the ACC should give it to Clemson and FSU to allow them budgets that allow them to compete for national titles....to stay on par with the SEC and Big Ten.

Basically it was likely intended to be a "we aren't negotiating, here is the money to not kill the golden goose." payout.

I think FSU took it that way but the rest of the ACC did not.

Which gets you to an FSU no vote.

Now Clemson was probably more than happy to sit back and let FSU be the bad guy as Clemson quietly took 50% of the $50-60M. Clemson's stance was probably save the football golden goose, "Let's give 50% of it to the football champion and 50% to the football runner up." thinking that most years Clemson is one or the other.

FSU is often not, so this was probably a thorn to FSU.

UNC I think was thinking maybe to push the money to them or even just to block the move in order to end the conference sooner and allow them into the Big Ten.

NC State was the interesting one against it initially. It was suggested that NC State believes that they have the political support to force UNC to carry NC State into whatever conference they ultimately leave the SEC to join.

If true, that suggested NC State was going to back UNC until the end of time.

So I thought there just weren't the votes.

But then SMU bumped up the offer to 7 years with no TV share.

The discussion continued, but it didn't seem to be enough to get the vote to pass.

A story broke out that ESPN reached out to the Big 12 and asked them to consider adding Cal and Stanford as well as Oregon State and Washington State and ESPN would foot the bill.

I think this was a "Don't mess with us, ACC" move by ESPN, but it apparently was a toothless one.

The member schools of the Big 12 appear to have politely declined. (My suspicion is that the Big 8 schools abandoned by UT and OU remember the PAC totally shutting down any of their efforts to jump to the PAC over "academic concerns" and they likely blame it largely on Stanford and Cal.)

There was an interesting perspective that ACC schools might be leaning to vote it down because if a school like FSU left and paid a $120M exit fee and "appropriate value" to get the ACC to release their media rights (maybe as high as $600M), that $720M pie would be split 16 ways ($45M) instead of 13 ways ($55M).

Moreover, if ESPN were to reduce their payouts by $600M, that money would essentially go from the 3 new schools not having any of it, to having a equal share of that chunk.

But suddenly last night UNC made a very public declaration that they were a hard no vote. Why do you make that statement? I think it is pretty clear now that you make that statement to tell all the other no voters you will not be alone.

NC State flipped today. Why?

It could be the fact that reports suggest SMU extended their willingness to forego a tv share to 9 years. Maybe.

But I wonder....Did Duke and Wake Forest push back on the idea of NC State going with UNC to the Big Ten? Did they say there would be repercussions?

I think there is an interesting story there.

I am also surprised that no other schools became no votes.

I think in the finally tally Clemson appears to have flipped although they made a statement that suggested they would prefer ESPN to negotiate with them. No reason to be on record voting against Stanford if you lost the vote anyway.

The final arrangement suggests some of it will be awarded on a merit based arrangement (for example if you win the football national title you get $10M) but the bulk of it is being split equally.

What does that do? It still leaves ESPN on the hook for a conference where FSU and Clemson are going to become less competitive due to NIL money. It does allow all of the ACC schools to pocket ESPN's money and throw them the bird.

[sublimeobservationarcade]

ACCC Failings: What Have They Been Doing?

The ACCC stands for Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Did you note that term ‘Competition’? This body is supposed to ensure that healthy levels of competition exist in markets. Yet, we in Australia have the highest levels of market concentration ever seen in our history. ACCC failings: What have they been doing? Down under in Oz we pay lip service to things to avoid actually doing anything about scams and fudges in the business world. Toothless tigers are our speciality when we establish the various commissions and overseeing bodies. Governments make sure that regulators like the ACCC don’t have the funding or the necessary connections to really achieve what their remit states. “The market power of Australia's largest firms has grown in the last two decades, and price mark-ups have increased. "Over recent decades, there have been a number of significant changes in the Australian economy," he says in a forward copy of his address. "The job-switching rate has fallen. The business start-up rate has declined. The largest firms have increased their market share. Mark-ups have increased. "All this suggests that the Australian economy has become less competitive." Andrew Leigh, the federal Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, and Treasury” - (https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-25/andrew-leigh-speech-large-firms-are-dominating-the-economy/101368066)

A couple of decades of neoliberalism permeating through our governments has seen a laisse faire approach to monitoring markets and corporations. The mantra ‘the market will look after itself,’ has been the excuse vigorously proffered by ministers sweetened by corporate largesse in the form of campaign donations and kickbacks. Personally, I am amazed that no one is pointing the finger at the champions of neoliberalism who ushered in many of the moves that see us in the mess where we find ourselves. The smug, leering face of Tony Abbott and his cronies for instance.

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission Missing In Action

The ACCC are an obvious scapegoat, as their job was to be the gatekeeper to prevent market concentration in the Australian economy.   “New research by the e61 Institute assesses a change in the 2008 Australian merger guidelines, finding: The change resulted in the number of deals reviewed decreasing by 75%. A significant portion of this decrease came from deals that were not publicly notified. The average time spent reviewing a deal also doubled after this change, suggesting greater resources were spent on larger transactions. With Australia’s voluntary disclosure regime, smaller transactions are potentially leaving blind spots in our understanding of the competitive landscape in Australia. An important starting point for merger reform in Australia will be obtaining a clearer picture of merger activity.” - (https://e61.in/as-the-clock-strikes-midnight/)

Qantas flying off with your money

Role Of The ACCC

“The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is an independent Commonwealth statutory authority. We are Australia’s competition and consumer regulator. We promote competition and fair trading and regulate national infrastructure to make markets work for everyone. We make markets work by: protecting consumers and ensuring fair markets by enforcing the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and the Australian Consumer Law collecting information from consumers and businesses to help us understand what issues cause the most harm to Australian businesses and consumers and where best to use our resources reviewing and assessing company mergers and asset acquisitions, authorisation and notification applications in Australia promoting competition in the communication, bulk water, postal, and transport industries.”

Woolworths record profits, high prices for consumers but no real competition. Australians Hoodwinked By Big Business Market concentration means price setting and higher prices for consumers and other businesses. It, also, means falling productivity and low wage growth. Lack of competition denudes capitalism and free market economies from functioning as they should. Control of the market and rent seeking takes wealth from us and delivers it to an ever smaller percentage of our population. Over the last 10 years, in particular, we have seen the rich grow much richer and the rest of us lose out becoming less well off. Very low wage growth and now a cost of living crisis is stripping money out of our hands as we speak. The housing crisis and the disappearance of social housing over the last 20 years – who do you think is responsible for this? Neoliberal champions! Market forces manipulated by powerful corporations and rampant neglect by the monitoring bodies. The ACCC has overseen this economic shift and done next to nothing about it.

Neoliberal champions who led us where we find ourselves - ripped off by our own economy! How much do the biggest firms control? Three stark examples: the US vs AustraliaIndustryMarket share of top four AU firmsMarket share of top four US firmsCommercial banking94%Supermarkets91%Liquor retailing78% This graphic was taken from a 2016 article In Choice Magazine. It compares us with what is happening in America at that time. https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/everyday-shopping/supermarkets/articles/market-concentration Think of all those sectors where market concentration means an oligopoly controls it. The big 4 banks, Coles & Woolies, big 4 consultancy/auditors, Qantas & Virgin, cinemas, real estate, Telstra & Optus, petrol stations, liquor retailers, News Corp & Nine Fairfax control the media via newspapers, TV & radio networks with the exception of the ABC, health insurance, general insurance, internet providers, chemists, mining, car companies, department stores, and all these dominating corporations have tentacles reaching into other industries and sectors. Many of these companies spend vast sums on advertising to implant positive messages in our psyches. Think of Qantas and their emotive spirit of Australia ads, banking ads are full of feel good stories about home ownership and growing together, insurance ads likewise tell a helping hand narrative in times of dire need, and so on. Meanwhile, we the consumers are being ripped off via the absence of any real competition. Indeed, quite a few of the other players in the market are actually owned by the dominant corporations in the oligopoly. ACCC Failings: What have they been doing? The ACCC has completely failed us in the Australian economy and there should be an enquiry into this. Governments are complicit, so this will not happen without real push from the wider public. Robert Sudha Hamilton is the author of Money Matters; Navigating Credit, Debt, and Financial Freedom.  ©WordsForWeb

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[blue-rose-soul]

ROTBTD Genshin Impact AU

I was inspired by this post here, but since this doesn’t really answer the question originally being asked I decided to make it a separate post.

Hiccup:

Element: Electro

Weapon: Sword

Born in an archipelago located in the frozen seas northwest of icy Snezhnaya known as the Wilderwest. Among a community of great warriors, Hiccup was always unique in both his stature and his inventive mind. For hundreds of years his people fought against the dragons that also called their islands home, until Hiccup was able to befriend one. It was through his newfound friendship with the dragon, which he named Toothless, that he learned the truth behind these dragon attacks; the queen of the nest had centuries ago become possessed by a demon. The demon took control of the entire flock, consisting of hundreds of thousands of dragons, and for generations attempted to wipe humans from the archipelago. Upon realizing this, Hiccup taught several other people from his village how to break a few dragons from the demon’s control, and together they slew the possessed alpha and freed the flock. For his efforts, Hiccup was awarded an electro vision. With the dragons no longer possessed, Hiccup has begun a new tradition of taming and working alongside them as friends and partners. Although he is technically chief only of his island, outsiders know him as King of the Wilderwest.

Hiccup is able to share the elemental power of his vision with Toothless. With it the two can cloak themselves in lightning to disappear for a brief moment, making them difficult to pin down on the battlefield.

Merida:

Vision: Anemo

Weapon: Bow

Merida was heir to a wealthy merchant family in Mondstadt, and was thus expected to marry well in order to strengthen the family’s business relations. Naturally, she didn’t take well to the idea. Fleeing home in order to avoid the marriage, Merida was granted a vision by the God of Freedom. For several years she wandered Teyvat on her own, having the adventures she’d dreamed of since she was a girl. However, several years later she heard news from home and raced back. Her family’s business had suffered a steep decline after the true head of the family, Elinor, fell severely ill. When Merida returned home she learned that the cause of her mother’s illness was stress from worrying over Merida. She stayed to care for her mother and eventually Elinor’s health returned. Mother and daughter managed to reconcile and reached an agreement; Merida would devote herself to studying to take over the business, but who she married - or even if she married at all - would be her decision alone. If she never produced any heirs then she would name one of her brothers’ children the next head of the family after her. Although this agreement meant a loss of some personal freedom, Merida still finds time to go exploring on her own from time to time.

When Merida builds up her elemental energy, she can summon a bear spirit to fight alongside her for a few moments. During her travels across Teyvat she built herself a reputation as a fierce and courageous warrior, which persists even after she takes over as head of the family. She’s known across the land as the Bear Queen.

Jack:

Element: Cryo

Weapon: Polearm (though in practice it’s more like a catalyst)

Unlike the others, Jack has no vision. He is a spirit, able to channel elemental powers directly without the aid of a vision. However, he was born a human. Three hundred years ago, Jack lived with his mother and sister in the town of Springvale. As their mother was often busy, being the sole adult in the household, Jack often found himself in charge of his younger sister. In fact, he acted as an unofficial big brother to all of the children of the village, helping them with their chores, telling stories, and keeping watch over them even as he played with them in the nearby woods. Unknown to him, he’d caught the attention of a spirit who was exploring the region at the time; one who had the appearance of a young boy made of light. The spirit was fond of children and was drawn to Jack because he was as well, though it always kept itself hidden. One winter when he took his sister skating on a pond near their home, the ice began to crack. Jack was able to fling his sister to safety but he fell in. While the young girl ran to the village to get help, the spirit acted. It gave up its form to pull Jack from the water and restore his life, but he came back transformed; his hair had become white, his eyes turned blue, and he could no longer feel the cold. When he returned to the village his revival was seen as a miracle. As the years passed, however, the extent of these changes became more apparent. His sister grew up into a young woman, married, and eventually had children of her own. Jack remained exactly the same.

Although he tried to continue living in Springvale, Jack eventually found it too painful to live among humans who would continue to grow old and die and leave him behind. Around one hundred fifty years after the spirit gave him his new life, he left Springvale for good, choosing to live in the wilderness of the Mondstadt region. Even so, he continues to look out for children who play in the woods, using his power over ice to protect and entertain them.

Rapunzel

Vision: Dendro

Weapon: Catalyst

Rapunzel was born to a noble family of Fontaine. Even as a child, she was intelligent and creative, and she received her vision at a very young age. With it she could summon a golden flower that appeared to be made of pure sunlight. The flower could be used to control nearby plant life, such as the flowers she braided into her hair which allows her to control it like an extra appendage, but it could also be used to heal even the most grievous injuries. Eventually it was discovered that her vision not only allowed her to heal wounds, it could also cure illnesses and restore youth. This attracted the attention of a woman by the name of Gothel who abducted Rapunzel and smuggled her out of Fontaine. Gothel was an alchemist of no small skill and made a drug that she could use to influence Rapunzel’s memories. For ten years she kept Rapunzel locked away, convincing her that they were biological mother and daughter. But as Rapunzel grew older and her healing powers grew more potent, she was able to partially undo the effects of the drug. When she realized that Gothel was lying to her she set out on her own to find her real family. Unfortunately the effects of the drug wreaked havoc on her childhood memories and she struggled to recall her real family or where she was from, but along the way she encountered a young thief without a vision but plenty of bravado and skill. With his help she was eventually able to find her way home.

Even after finding her way home, however, Rapunzel has grown fond of life on the road. So after bidding her parents farewell, she set out once again with Eugene (aka Flynn Rider, the thief who helped her in the first place). She still visits home from time to time.

Moana

Vision: Hydro

Weapon: Polearm

Moana hails from an island south of Inazuma. She also earned her vision very young, after choosing to protect a baby sea turtle from predators over collecting pretty seashells before they were swept out to sea. Because her island is located so close to the boundary of Teyvat and the Dark Sea, it is often plagued by storms. For this reason her father, the chief, forbade anyone to set sail beyond the reef. Chief Tui was extremely nervous of his daughter being granted a vision of the element that most threatened their island, so he took it from her and locked it away while she was too young to remember. However, years later when a plague came to her island, her grandmother returned the vision to her and told her of a spirit who could cure the plague and save their people. Moana sailed into the Dark Sea in search of this spirit, clumsily using her vision to defend herself from high waves, stormy seas, and monsters. Along the way she met a spirit of wind and water who she was able to coerce into helping her. Together they reached the island where the spirit her grandmother told her of lived. There, Moana discovered that the spirit had been transformed into a demon, and that her traveling companion was the one responsible. The demon was the source of the plague that was threatening to destroy Moana’s home. Together the two of them attempted to destroy the demon, but were unable to beat it through force. It was only when Moana was able to remind the demon of its original identity that it transformed back into a spirit and the plague was cured.

Moana can use her vision to become water and travel short distances or slam into enemies as a wave.

[chilling-seavey]

Passchendaele WW2 Extension - ...Younger Than Tomorrow

Richie,

It feels like it has only been a few weeks since I held you in my arms for the first time; yet, some part of me also feels like it was a lifetime ago. Twenty-four years. Twenty-four years of having a son to call my own; to guide, to hold, and to love. I know I was hard on you sometimes, always pushing you and pushing you, but I hope you know I only wanted the best for you. I admire your gentle nature and your kind soul more than you know, but I am also more than proud to see how you’ve grown into a brave and strong young man.

I wish nothing more than to have you here celebrating with us but I know you have your duty to attend to. If there’s one thing I’m prouder of than being your father, it would be having you as my son. I love you to all the ends of the universe, little boy. Always.

Happy birthday.

-Dad

March 1, 1942

“Evy, you’re going to use up all your rations at this rate!”

“That’s alright. I don’t mind. Just means no sugar in my tea.” Evelyn smiled, passing over the chocolate cake into Corbyn’s hands. “Not my fault most of us have early birthdays.”

“She insisted.” Elizabeth chuckled as Christine took their jackets in the front hall and Evelyn followed after Corbyn down the hallway towards the kitchen. “Only sense of normalcy for her is her baking.”

“She’s a good girl.” Christine stated. Elizabeth only smiled at her friend, the sound of her daughter’s chipper voice from down the hallway dragging her attention.

The two small families got settled for lunch around the dining room table – the Seaveys on one side and the Bessons on the other – with the freshly baked chocolate cake in the centre, iced neatly and topped with Evelyn’s careful hand writing in blue icing: Happy Birthday Richie!

For celebrating a birthday without their son, Corbyn and Christine were in quite good spirits…but maybe that was because Daniel was way worse than all of them. The table was busy with conversation as they ate but Daniel simply stared at his plate, fork in hand, wishing more than anything to go back to the years when all of them would be around the table together and the boys would be arguing over who would get the first slice of cake. It was once so easy.

Daniel didn’t eat much of his lunch and he barely sang when it was time for ‘happy birthday’ and he politely declined the offer a slice from Corbyn. Elizabeth set her hand on her husband’s shoulder and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

“Cheer up, darling. It’s a happy day today.” she whispered.

Daniel didn’t reply.

Cake was served and everyone – except Daniel – ate dessert over stories of when the children were little with Evelyn pitching in to her memories as the youngest. Laughter and conversation were rising through the dining room amidst the smaller two families as the cake was eaten and tea was soon poured. Daniel stared flatly at the mug placed in front of him, his hands tucked up into the sleeves of his sweater as he stared down at the warm drink, the steam twirling up into the air.

Everyone noticed his unwavering sadness, but no one dared to point it out. It was Daniel’s unfortunate normalcy.

“And Frances got so upset with him!” Corbyn laughed, the rest of the table near crying with laughter over the current story being shared, “He’s sitting there…with chocolate cake all over his face and…and down his shirt and she’s screaming at him!”

Corbyn leaned back in his chair with a gasp, pressing his hand to his chest to try and calm himself down through his laughter and Christine took the hem of her blouse to dab the corners of her eyes from the joyous tears.

“Frankie was a firecracker at seven-years-old, my goodness.” Christine chuckled.

Daniel silently reached up towards his tea with a shaking hand just as Evelyn smacked her hand down against the table through her mouthful of cake, trying not to choke as she tried to smother her laughter at the memories shared. It startled him so greatly that he spilt half his tea over the cream tablecloth and his lap, the hot liquid making him drop his mug completely, spilling more, and he yelped as it sunk through his trousers.

“God fucking dammit.” Daniel snapped, tears welling in his eyes and he tossed his napkin onto the table and got up. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Corbyn reached across the table to pick up the mug and tossed over a few more napkins to Elizabeth who was trying to help dry Daniel’s pants and the table.

“Stop it.” Daniel tried to push her hand away.

“I’m just trying to help-” Elizabeth started.

“Honestly, Elizabeth, I’m not a fucking imbecile! I said stop it!” Daniel snapped before turning on his heel and walking briskly out of the dining room and down the hallway. The room fell into silence as the front door slammed shut.

Daniel dropped himself into one of the chairs on the Besson’s front porch and curled his knees up to his face and scrunched his eyes closed. He didn’t seem to be phased that his pants were stained wet in tea as he just tried to calm himself down, staring out over the front lawn silently.

A few minutes later, the front door opened and then closed again but Daniel didn’t look up. He was soon joined in the adjacent chair and his jacket was draped around his shoulders in the cool spring air. Corbyn leaned back quietly in his own jacket, just to sit with him for a moment and keep him company. The two friends were quiet for a few minutes, just in their own minds.

Corbyn finally spoke, speaking softly on the quiet porch, “Remember when the boys would dig up bugs in the yard here?”

Daniel didn’t answer.

“And girls would be having a tea party on the grass and they’d end up with worms in their little teacups?”

Corbyn chuckled lightly at the memory that was flashing past his mind at only the glance of the perfectly trimmed front lawn that was once chopped up by the hands and shovels of the little boys. He could still hear their daughters’ shrieks and their sons’ cheeky laughter as they chased them around the grass.

“I’m scared, Corbyn.”

Corbyn glanced over at his friend. Daniel was staring out across the lawn too, his eyes shimmering in tears but none fell, and his face was perfectly blank.

“I know. I am too.” Corbyn agreed softly.

“I’ll kill myself if I lose him. I won’t be able to survive not having my boy anymore.”

“Don’t say that.” Corbyn scolded. “Don’t you dare say that. You have Evelyn and Elizabeth and us…you cannot give up like that and you certainly cannot think like that.”

Daniel huddled his face into his folded arms around his knees.

Corbyn continued, “You certainly cannot say that when you’ve done nothing for him these last three years.”

Daniel smothered a sob into his arms at his friend’s strong words.

“It’s my son’s birthday today. I have written him every single week since they left and today still honestly feels like absolute shit. Did you even wish yours a happy birthday last month? How can you say you won’t be able to survive without him when you are already pretending like he’s dead?”

Daniel cried harder, a mix of self-hatred, world-hatred, fear, and guilt bubbling up in his chest. His friend’s words hurt, but they hurt because they were the honest truth. He sniffled and looked up as Corbyn shifted slightly and pulled out his wallet and then he dropped a small faded photograph on the table between them. Daniel glanced down at it, at his own son’s smiling face at age nine stood beside his very best friend with their arms around each other and matching toothless grins directed towards the camera.

“These are our boys, Daniel. To us, they’re always going to be this young and this innocent, and this fucked up world right now is ruining them; they’re out there killing people and trying not to be killed themselves. We don’t know what the future holds, just that we can make the most of what we have at the present. Please write your son. He needs you more than ever right now.”

Daniel stared silently at the little face looking back at him from the faded sepia photograph with the eyes of his late brother and the dimples to match. He knew that Christian would be writing his nephew every day and the simply the thought had him swallowing back fresh tears.

“Come on.” Corbyn grabbed the picture back and stood up, offering his hand out to Daniel, “I’ll lend you some trousers and then I will force feed you some cake.”

“I don’t like chocolate cake.” Daniel mumbled.

“I don’t bloody well care what you like or don’t like. It’s my son’s birthday and you are going to have some cake.”

Corbyn grabbed his wrist and pulled him to his feet before leading him back inside and right up the stairs. Daniel stayed quiet as Corbyn pushed him to sit on the side of his bed and went to find a clean pair of pants for his friend to borrow from his dresser across the room. He returned with a folded pair and held them out to Daniel,

“Change into these.”

March 1, 1924

“Change into these.”

Richie’s tear-filled grey eyes stared up at his father from the side of his small single bed, a gentle pout set on his lips and the late moonlight pooling across his blotchy pyjama pants and sheets in his bedroom. Corbyn held out a clean pair of plaid pyjamas to his six-year-old son and the little boy sniffled and shyly took them from him.

He changed into his new pair of pyjamas, leaving his soiled ones on the floor, and waited silently in the middle of his room as his father changed his sheets. The laundry was tossed into the hallway and then Corbyn had to help his son turn his pants around the proper way before ushering him back into bed.

“I’m sorry, Daddy.” Richard whispered shakily.

“What for, Richie?” Corbyn asked as he tucked him back in snugly.

“For weeing myself. Big boys don’t do that.” Richard mumbled shyly.

“Ah, it happens sometimes.” Corbyn shrugged. “Doesn’t mean you’re not a big boy.”

“Yes, it does.” Richard argued sadly, rubbing his eye with his little fist, “Only babies do that. Frankie said.”

“Frankie doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s your sister, she’s going to say silly things to get a fuss out of you.”

“Please don’t tell her.”

“Gosh, of course not, Richie.” Corbyn assured him. “A secret just for the boys, right?”

Richard nodded thankfully. Corbyn reached over him and picked up his teddy bear and tucked it into his arms before pulling the blankets up a bit higher around him. Richard nestled down a little. Corbyn sat on the side of his bed and brushed his son’s hair back from his warm face.

“In fact,” Corbyn spoke softly through the dark bedroom, “you are most certainly the best big boy I know.”

Richard sniffled, “Really?”

“Of course.” Corbyn said matter-of-factly, “I mean, look,” he reached over and turned the bedside clock around to face them, showing the time around 1am, “you’re a whole six-years-old today.”

Richard smiled bashfully at the reminder and Corbyn set a gentle loving hand against his son’s cheek.

“And I get to be the first one to say ‘happy birthday’.” Corbyn whispered before leaning down to kiss his son’s head. “So, happy birthday, my little man.”

“Thank you, Daddy.” Richard said through his yawn, his eyes struggling to stay open under the protective and loving presence of his father. He curled up farther under his bed sheets as sleep started to claim him again, but not before he mumbled a sweet, “I love you.”

Corbyn smiled adoringly down at his son and brushed his hand through his brown hair and across his pink cheek, “I love you to all the ends of the universe, Richie.”

Daniel sighed and took the trousers from his best friend with a soft thanks and headed down to the bathroom to change. With him gone, Corbyn stood alone for a moment in his bedroom before stepping into the hallway and glancing to the door on his left. It was left half open but Corbyn nudged it open the rest of the way with his foot and leaned against the frame as he stared into the small bedroom.

It had been routinely dusted and vacuumed since Richard had left but Corbyn had only been hoping it wouldn’t stay vacant for as long as it had. He scanned the small room, from the perfectly made single bed to the organized items on the dresser and the few photographs and a calendar pinned to the wall. A 1939 calendar, open to April, with notes scribbled in a few boxes, most specifically, Daniel’s birthday circled in red near the top and Frances’ near the middle, hers labelled with a few exclamation points and hearts that had obviously been added by her to signify her importance as older sister.

The wall above the bed was taken up by a large canvas painting of the night sky and forests and focused on a shiny gold image of Saturn right in the middle. It was Richard’s birthday gift from Corbyn when he was younger, back when the little boy was more than thrilled about space in order to be just like his dad. It was hung on his bedroom wall and for years it stayed right there even as Richard grew up and his tastes and interests changed. But it stayed right there because it always reminded him of his father and how he would always tell him that he loved him to the ends of the universe.

Corbyn clenched his jaw as he now stared at the painting, arms crossed over his chest, missing the birthday years before and the joyous look on his son’s sweet face when he unwrapped it. Corbyn, sparked with a sudden idea, headed back into his room and grabbed his camera from the dresser before returning to the painting. He lined up the shot and snapped an image of it, ready to take it to be developed and then, later, to slide into an envelope along side his next letter.

“Corbs.”

He looked up at Daniel in the doorway in fresh pants and a face washed free of tears.

“Ready?”

Corbyn nodded and followed after his friend, closing the door behind him again before making his way back downstairs to the party that was missing the birthday boy.

Taglist: @randomlimelightxxx​ @hopinglimelight​ @jonahlovescoffee​ @hiya-its-amber​ @chanelwonders​

[monster-creator-12]

How would imagine Baragon in the Monsterverse? And going off by his history in regards to his design shared with some Ultraman kaiju how would you imagine Pagos, Neronga, Magular, and Gabora in the Monsterverse?

Sorry for the delay, been busy with school and life stuff. Warning long post ahead.

Now when it comes to monsterverse I could see Baragon fitting in rather well. She’s already a fairly naturalistic kaiju and the monsterverse could use a lovable scrapper in its monster roster. Biologically Baragon would be a late surviving Therapsid who’s species first appeared during the late Permian and she would be the last of her kind following the Muto plague, escaping death by going deeper into the hollow earth than the rest of her kind. Appearance wise I think Baragon would closely resemble the design she had in gmk with some distinct differences. She would be completely quadrupedal and her forelimbs would have much larger claws, like a moles. Her ears would also be much larger and more armored, able to fold over and cover her eye like she could do during the Showa era. Her nasal horn would also be much larger and extend fully down the snout and forward, think a shark's snout made of hardened keratin covered with cooled magma. Her jaws would be short but robust and armed with large fangs and her eyes would have very large pupils in order to best utilize the limited amount of light in the hollow ear. She would also have large whiskers to help navigate below ground. She would have pangolin like scales covering her body but they would be more raised and square shaped. She could lift these scales and vent out superheated gas from her body as a defense, since she'd only be roughly 150ft tall, much smaller than other titans. She would be a lower tier kaiju, hunting down in the hollow earth for smaller muto’s like juvenile skull crawlers and warbats while supplementing her diet with geothermal energy and radiation. She can store excess geothermal energy in her body and if she can’t escape her attacker she can spew a condensed beam of steam from her mouth at her attacker as a last resort. 

As for the Ultra kaiju I will admit I’m not nearly as well versed in Ultraman lore as I am Godzilla lore so bear with me on these ideas. That being said I do have a few ideas for these four that I think would work well for monsterverse and I think you’ll enjoy. 

Pagos would be dicynodonts, most closely resembling lystrosaurus and would be found in the upper levels of the hollow earth searching for rare minerals and radioactive material, being common prey for larger subterranean titans. Essentially being a lystrosaurus with shovel-like claws, a larger beak and tusks, and four horns on its head, it doesn’t seem like the most defensive kaiju. Despite its unassuming appearance it does have a few tricks up its sleeve. For starters its stony grey skin is imbued with actual stone, due to it being a lithovore, which like rhinoceros hide prevents smaller titans from taking a bite out of it. It is also a fast burrower, able to quickly dig away from attackers while struggling to chew through its hardened hide. Finally if as else fails it can vomit a stream of condensed acid from its stomach which is normally used to digest durable minerals and can melt away at titan hide in seconds. Despite these defenses they are still eating by larger titans and their distant cousin Baragon has taken a liking to eating the 95ft tall dicynodonts since she too needs rare minerals to strengthen her own scales and pagos hide is easier to digest and find than the unprocessed stuff. 

Magular would be pareiasaurs whose kind first appeared during the early Permian. Magular are found mostly under and around Skull Island feeding on buried tubers and radioactive mineral deposits. They’d only grow to about 70ft long at most and their main defense would be their large mineralized spikes and their impressive tusks. Sometimes Magular and Pagos would travel together in the hollow earth since digging Pagos often unearth buried plants and Magular provide an excellent distraction for predators. They are fast breeders and they used to be much more widespread but an increase in subterranean kaiju numbers has led to their decline. They are the inspiration to the french tarasque myth. 

Neronga would be a mollusk, having traits from both cephalopods, chitons, and snails. Its back and tail would be a large jointed shell, with chiton like scales running down the outer edges of the shell. Along the edge of the scales would be a fleshy mantle fin, like the one found on cuttlefish. Its head would be large with a pair of cuttlefish like eyes and sensory tentacles behind said eyes, resembling horns or ears from a distance. The mouth itself would be toothless and wide but would have a massive toothed radula within that would act like its teeth. Instead of tusks it would have a pair of bobbit worm style mandibles at the back of its mouth that would aid in pulling prey down its gullet. Its arms and legs would both be sold and boneless, being two pairs of modified tentacles. The arms would have three large hooked suckers at their tips used for grappling prey while its legs would be pillar-like and end in three blunt clawed suckers resembling hooves arranged in a radial fashion at the bottom. Neronga would be a carnivore first, radiotroph second, preying on smaller mutos and battling larger titans for territory and feeding grounds. Abilities wise its biggest claim to fame is its invisibility caused by a combination of precise chromatophore control and an electromagnetic field that surrounds it allowing the kaiju to bend light. It can produce this electromagnetic field because of a large bioluminescent organ on its head, a pointed cone shaped horn situated between its eyes. It cannot use its invisibility for prolonged periods of time however so it only ever uses it to sneak up on prey or escape enemies. Neronga is one of the oldest titans, its species first appearing back in the Ordovecian and has managed to squeeze out a niche for itself even in the modern age. It is currently a threat to large cities since it will target power plants to feed on their electricity to better prolong its own invisibility, and being a 200ft tall titan, it takes a lot of juice to satisfy it. Recently it has showcased new abilities such as  being able to produce EMP blasts like mutos and lighting strikes from its horn like ghidorah. This is thought to have happened due to the excess amount of electricity now stored in its body. 

Finally Gabora. Admittedly I struggled with this one for a bit until it hit me like a freight train, clam. Gabora is a mollusc like Neronga but unlike Neronga takes more after bivalves than gastropods. Gabora has a soft body encased by a vertical shell, like a clam, but far more elongated. When its shell opens it reveals a large mineralized screw which runs the length of its body, think shin gabora. At the front of the shell is a five petaled structure, forming a drill shape that is there to better allow Gabora to dig through the earth. Openings in Gabora’s shell reveal large clawed paddle-like tentacles, useful for moving on the surface. While digging these limbs retract into the body and the opening seal tight to prevent any dirt or rock from getting into its body. Its drill-like head can open and inside reveals a large blunt beak, used for consuming radioactive minerals. Gabora is blind and has no eyes as it spends most of its time in the deepest recesses of the earth, hardly ever surfacing. During the one time it was spotted, during a battle with Baragon and Neronga, it revealed that it is able to spew forth a radioactive beam of blue fire that resembled a weaker version of Godzilla’s famous breath attack. It retreated back into the ground after its head plates were damaged and the 100ft tall monster hasn’t been seen since. The only reason it seemed to even surface in the first place was due to a specific cry Baragon emitted during its battle against Neronga which has raised more questions than answers amongst Monarch researchers since its only encounter. 

Hopefully you like my take on these kaiju and if you want to know about my ideas for other kaiju in monsterverse please let me know and ask away. Thank you again for the ask and sorry of the delay. 

[ardent-musings]

The Girl Who Vanished (Part 1)

Chapter 22: The Toothless Lion and the Jaded Snake

A month had gone by since her discussion with the twins in the owlery and the boys kept their promise. Multiple times their breakfast would be interrupted by the Slytherin captain throwing up his meal, or he would enter the common room with a new hair color. It seemed like it was something new every other day and the boy was distraught. He was no longer boastful as he walked through the halls, but he would silently glare at anyone and anything as he heaved and grumbled about. It was beautiful. And Ana would have the Weasley boys to thank.

Aeron had finally perked up; once he noticed that no one, not even Alex was trying to kick him out of the group, he beamed with appreciation. Also, the sight of his enemy crawling across the floor because he had been hit by the Jelly-Legs Jinx was hard to not laugh at. That was all she wanted. She wanted the boy who had hid himself for months to break out of his shell. And he was.

The four of them were sitting together in Herbology; Aeron and Ana together while Alex was with Calista. Professor Sprout looked as warm as ever underneath her large hat while she smiled softly at the girl she had grown to care deeply for. It was unusual for her to have a student such as Ana, and that only made the day even more splendid for the grayed witch.

The class went over the medicinal Fluxweed plant; another plant that Ana's mother grew year round in their garden. It was a key ingredient in her medicine, so Ana had grown very familiar with the common weed. She spent an hour planting and watering for both her and Aeron, who refused to get his hands messy; though Ana didn't mind. Aeron kept her company well enough as he began talking about some old revolution they had learned in their last history lesson. The course material was yawn-worthy and yet the budding boy had a way of making it interesting. After laughing with Aeron until the end of their lesson, she was starving and only had dinner on her mind. As soon as class ended she was already chatting with Alex about the upcoming Quidditch tryouts when the kind voice of her professor called for her. Without hesitating, Ana gallivanted towards her favorite teacher with glee, encouraging her friends to go on without her.

"It's good to see you in such a good mood, Ana. I'm assuming that the sleeping potion has been helping?" The woman hummed as she held one of the young girl's hands in between both of her own. Ana's nose scrunched happily and she nodded in return. "Good. Very good."

Ana wasn't sure why she was called over, but this alone time with Professor Sprout was nice. The sun was no longer as hot as it had been an hour earlier and the sky was turning into a beautiful watercolor of pinks and yellows. Two colors that she associated with Professor Sprout.

"Well I called you because I want to invite you to the greenhouse after dinner!" She sang softly with shimmering eyes. "I have someone I'd like for you to meet, dear. Would you care for a visit?"

The young witch couldn't imagine turning down Sprout's invitation, it would be a crime to decline. Since her first year the head of Hufflepuff had shown her more care and concern than her own head of house. Snape wasn't horrible, but goodness, he was no Professor Sprout. Snape was kind if he had to be, Sprout was kind because that was just who she was by nature.

"Of course Professor! I'd love to meet them," she smiled from ear to ear, positively glowing with the prospect of meeting someone who had the woman so enthralled. With a charming smile, Sprout beamed at the young girl before sending Ana off to eat.

Dinner went by in a breeze, and Ana couldn't help but bounce with happiness in her seat as she tried guessing who she was going to meet. Perhaps it would be the twins' brother Ron, or maybe even the boy who lived. Regardless, Ana was just excited to spend even more time with her favorite teacher. She practically scarfed down her strawberries and soup, which worried Lucian; he feared she was going to choke. Ana blurted to her friends that she was going to be elsewhere after dinner, and all four of her friends found it bizarre how excited she was to sit among the dirt again, but it made her happy. So it made them happy.

The sight of Ana gleaming and buzzing with joy also made another onlooker happy, although he would never admit it. He couldn't. At least not yet.

After eating as much as she could, Ana gave her quickest yet sincerest goodbyes as she went straight from the Great Hall to the greenhouses. It wasn't unusual for her to frequent the greenhouses after dinner, but now she would have another person to talk to.

Ana entered the glass structure and noticed that it had been untouched since her class; Professor Sprout must still be at dinner, she assumed. It was wonderfully silent, the plants went about their business as she sat patiently, enjoying the stillness of it all. The air was warm yet light, her breathing always seemed to cycle more evenly when she was among all the greenery. It was a safe place for her.

A crash sounded from behind her, and she swiveled in her seat to see a younger blushy boy bend over to pick up a broken flower pot. Thankfully it was empty so there were no plant deaths to mourn, but the accident did break the young girl out of her moment of appreciation.

"Sorry, I didn't me- did I- did I scare you?" he gulped as he noticed just how composed the girl in front of him was. She didn't look angry, but she didn't look happy. It seemed to him like she was just simply there. Like how air just simply exists, quiet yet still. And he came in bumbling and unbalanced.

"You didn't scare me. I've knocked that pot over too many times to count last year. I keep suggesting to Professor Sprout that we move it, but she insists it stay there," she greeted him with a welcoming smile which almost threw the boy off balance again given her green robes. "Reparo" she fixed the pot as quickly as it broke.

He wobbled over to her with one arm slung in a bandage, muttering a quiet thanks as he kept his gaze on his shoes which were untied, but he didn't dare move to fix them. The girl in front of him might judge him. Every millisecond of silence made the boy wish that Professor Sprout was with them already, just to kill the awkwardness. Conversely, Ana was just happy to have company.

"I'm Ana," she said gently, trying to gauge the younger boy's nervousness, he still refused to look her in the eyes. This wasn't exactly how she thought this evening would go, but Ana trusted Professor Sprout's judgement of the boy; who apparently was a Gryffindor based on his red tie. "So you were sorted into Gryffindor? That's pretty cool."

The little lion was surprised that a Slytherin was talking to her, he was scared of the Slytherins in his year and once he saw her green robes he had almost turned and walked away altogether. It wasn't even that the girl was innately scary, he was just scared of most things.

"I don't feel like a Gryffindor,' Ana was surprised the boy would reveal something he was insecure about so easily, but she let him continue, "maybe if I was a to-toothless lion it'd make more sense."

She nodded her head slowly, he just needed some encouragement, "I don't know about that. Everyone starts out without teeth, but they come in eventually."

For the first time in the whole night, the stuttering boy looked her in the eyes where a tiny twinkle resided in his wide brown ones. It was a tiny success, but it was progress, Ana reveled. A decent amount of time went by and the head of Hufflepuff had yet to join them, so Ana decided to grab her Fluxweed plant from a few hours earlier and she began to instruct the boy on what it did and how to take care of it. The green plant nearly matched the ill look on the boy's face when he first walked in. It took a bit of time, but soon the boy was asking questions; he stumbled over his words but he had the courage to utter them still.

He was astounded by the gentle girl who would smile at him patiently whenever he had a random or obscure question about the plant. She took it in stride and answered every inquiry to the best of her ability and he began to enjoy his time. No longer were his palms sweaty or his knees wobbly in fear, he even let out a chuckle when a neighboring plant began hiccupping. Ana celebrated in his laugh and smiled back at him.

It was the first of many laughs and smiles they would share that night.

"Ana! Stop! I don't need any more water!" He choked on his laughter as she began spritzing his dark hair with a water bottle; his arms flailed as he tried to escape the mist. Ana covered her grinning aching face in her hands, it had been a long time since she laughed so hard. The boy's larger front teeth poked out as he bellowed loudly at the girl.

"I'm trying to help you grow!"

"Well, well, well, look at my two favorite students," a whimsical voice said from the entrance of the greenhouses, "I had a feeling you two would get along."

The two students nodded enthusiastically as Professor Sprout joined them at the benches they were perched at; the soles of their hands were covered in dirt but their smiles never faded. During their time of getting to know each other and mucking around, they hadn't even noticed, even through the transparent walls of the greenhouse that the sky had turned pitch black.

"Neville, I'm sorry. There was a meeting for all the heads of houses, but I'm glad to see you, hun," the woman offered the boy a smile; the kind that Ana had received on more than one occasion. Neville glowed at the welcome. "Unfortunately, it is late so maybe we should do this again another day, yes?"

Begrudgingly, the two students agreed, finding it too dark out to escape getting caught by Filch. They had to go their separate ways to their own common rooms, but they mirrored happy smiles at the thought of spending more time together.

~ Quidditch tryouts were absolutely excruciating, the whole time Flint was in a horrific mood since most of the time he was throwing up slugs from fifty feet in the air. For a split second she felt bad for the captain, but then she peered over to where Aeron was sitting with Calista on the stands. Aeron was a bit nervous at the idea of returning to the pitch, but he ultimately decided to support both Ana and Alex as long as Calista was with him. Aeron was there for her, and Ana knew she would return the favor for the boy. Always.

Thankfully, his skin had improved tremendously since she had begun making healing potions in her down time for him in exchange for his tutoring. It took some convincing for the boy to agree to the deal, but in the end, there was no stopping Ana when she wanted to help him heal from something Flint started.

Ana and Alex were the only two going for the singular chaser position since the last player graduated the previous year. They were put through drill after drill, while Lucian and Derrick swatted the bludgers their way as they furiously tried to score against Miles Bletchley. It was tougher than any flying session Ana had done with Draco over the past few years, but the sting of the cool morning air kept her on high alert. She had always chased after Draco who was incredibly fast on a broom and that practice came out during her tryouts.

Being on the ground, on her unsteady two feet meant that Ana toppled over quite a bit. Flying was an entirely different story; she couldn't trip on air, she could only soar. Draco knew this, and he smiled up at his sister from his place in the stands, there was no way he was going to miss his sister's attempt to get on the team. It would be a big deal to the family if she were to make it as a second year. He didn't want to put that pressure on his sisters, so he hid his nervousness behind his cheers of support.

It had been a few hours until the very ill Marcus Flint called it a day. He had been vomiting on and off the whole time and at some point the sun grew stronger which made the situation even nastier. The final line up for the team was going to take a few days to deliberate so all the Slytherins made their way to the Great Hall to fill up on a well-deserved lunch.

Ana was positively starving, almost matching the ferocity at which Alex typically ate her lunch. Aeron and Calista were discussing both muggle and wizarding history, comparing and contrasting the two, while Lucian talked to Derrick about who would possibly fill the seeker position that Gryffindor needed to fill since Charlie Weasley had graduated. Ana was happy to be in her little bubble as she filled herself on fresh strawberries and as much pasta as she could stomach.

Draco walked into the Great Hall and Ana all but yelled for her brother to join her. He smiled when he saw her, his feet pulling him to his sister until his dorm mates, Crabbe, Goyle, and a few other boys grabbed him by his elbows and directed him out of the hall. One of the boys that joined her brother was Marcus Flint and all Ana could see was red. She hated that Flint had for some reason decided to become chummy with a boy that was five years younger than him. All she wanted was to rip the two away from each other and unfortunately she knew she couldn't. Showing any resentment towards the captain would be a sure fire way for her to not get picked for the team.

Lucian noticed the fury behind her eyes, "You alright, Ana?" he smiled as he poured another helping of strawberries on her plate. Ana's furiousness lessened at the boy's thoughtful offering and nodded with little conviction. She wasn't okay with anything that was happening, but she was for damn sure going to keep an eye on it.

~

After the intense tryouts, dinner, and showers, the group laid around the common room to relax. Calista was sitting on the floor at Alex's feet while she excitedly explained the plot of a movie The Karate Kid. Everyone listened to her recall the most interesting part of the movie, Aeron seemed to take the most notice; his eyes glowed at the story of the boy who learned how to stand up for himself. Ana had to admit, it sounded like a fun movie, she just lamented the fact that she'd probably never get to watch it.

Lucian and Ana sat next to each other on a different couch, taking breaks to talk to each other about the Quidditch tryouts and then returning their attention to Calista. Ana was finally relaxing at the sound of the crackling fire and her little family around her. Her head was nestled on one of the arm rests, trying her hardest to stay awake to enjoy their down time together. Despite how much she wanted to soak in the sound of Calista's excited voice, Ana's eyes began to grow heavy the longer she laid there, the feeling only growing worse after Lucian draped a blanket over her shivering body.

A loud wallop of boys' screaming disturbed her little nap and the group grew silent as Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint came charging into the common room. It made Ana cringe, seeing the fifth year running around with a bunch of eleven year olds; his uneven facial hair made him stick out like a sore thumb. Flint had been hanging with the group so much, to the point where Ana noticed that Draco hardly talked to her. It made her sad to remember how excited her little brother was last year about coming to Hogwarts; he always talked about doing things together and that had yet to happen.

The four of them bumbled towards the group, which made Aeron and Alex turn to them defensively, their chests puffed out as if they were anticipating some sort of confrontation. Flint focused on the two of them with a sneer that making Ana sit up tiredly: holding her blanket up to her for comfort.

Draco was at the front of the pack which confused Ana, she assumed that Flint would be doing the talking for all of them given he was two years short of graduating.

"When are you going to bed?" the little blond boy asked in a tone that didn't sound like him; it came out far more pompous than ever before. Ana was confused at the sound and the question. He had never cared about the time at which she went to sleep, most times he fell asleep before she did.

"Uh, I'm not sure, whenever I'm tired," she answered kindly, trying to keep the mood light like they usually were when she talked to her brother. "Why do you ask?"

Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind Draco while Flint smirked grotesquely at the group; Ana's face fell at their odd behaviors. At this point all five of them had the entirety of their focus on the four newcomers.

Draco smirked at his older sister, looking almost too sweet. "No reason. Just thought you looked tired."

That was a lie. It was a flat out lie. This was not like Draco. Usually, Ana would stumble upon her brother drooling on his pillow rather early in the night. When he was done for the night he would ignore everyone and pass out. Her stomach twisted at the persona her brother was putting on. He wasn't himself. He was acting like their father, which terrified her.

"She looks tired because that's what happens when you spend your whole morning trying out for the Quidditch team," Alex's statement came out with a bit of acidity to it, her body situated between the boys and the rest of the group.

"I know, I was watching, Bole," Draco quipped back sharply, which alarmed Ana.

The soft and cushy couch was abandoned once he replied to her friend like that; Ana stood up and pulled Draco away from the boys who glared at her scathingly. Thankfully, Draco didn't dismiss Ana, allowing her to take him by the elbow and away from any curious ears.

"Draco are you okay?"

"Of course I am. What would make you think something's wrong?"

Once again, he sounded like he was trying to be convincing, unfortunately for the young boy he was horrible at lying to her. He over-performed everything he did, which made his lying so blaringly obvious to the girl. She figured if he was going to lie to anyone, he would have to get better at it.

"Come on, you know that I can tell when you are off. What's going on?"

Draco was going to comment something until Alex had begun shouting at Flint; she jumped up from the couch and had the Quidditch captain's collar firmly in her grasp. It all happened in the blink of an eye; Lucian was trying to pull his sister off the oldest boy. Meanwhile, Aeron was rubbing at Calista's shoulder softly as he yelled at Crabbe and Goyle with unparalleled wrath.

Before Ana could do anything, Draco darted away from his sister and ran up the stairs into the boy's dorms. She groaned at the boy's getaway and ran over to the fighting group to try and break it up. Lucian had finally gotten Alex off Flint who, after a day of throwing up on the Quidditch pitch, now had a giant scratch down his face that was bleeding. Ana knew she should feel bad for the boy's pain, but she didn't. There was no room in her chest for any sympathy towards Flint.

As soon as Ana rejoined the group, Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint ran around the girl to follow in Draco's steps, leaving them all confused and angry. But unfortunately they left one of them in tears.

"What the in the world just happened?" Ana cried as she surveyed the damage.

Alex's face was scarlet red, still huffing and puffing from attacking the Quidditch captain. In her steady arms was Calista who was quietly sobbing, her shoulders trembled as a new wave of tears escaped. Aeron and Lucian's complexions matched Alex's; they were splotchy red with anger and adrenaline, which was the total opposite of the weeping girl.

When no one answered her question, Ana decided she'd try her luck with just talking to the beater.

Lucian sat down, watching Ana as she wrapped the blanket she was just using around Calista. He gloomily smiled at her small act of kindness and looked up at her with sadness in his eyes.

"They called Calista, something horrible," he mumbled, looking disgusted as he spoke. He didn't want Calista to hear him so he lowered his voice even more, "They called her something you should never call a muggle born." Lucian's eyebrows rose, hoping Ana could insinuate what he was trying to hint at.

Her once shivering body now filled with a simmering fire, Ana's face grew stiff and serious at the admission. She now understood why Alex was so angry.

As a child, her father said the term all the time and her mother would always remind her that it was not something she was to repeat. It was vile and cruel, even for a pureblood wizard to say. That knowledge made her only despise her brother's friends even more. They reminded her of the one person she hated returning to in the summer months.

Seeing their effect on her muggle born friend made her sick. And yet, she knew that Draco wasn't planning on getting rid of them anytime soon.

[newstfionline]

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Climate Change Means Trouble for Power Grids (NYT) Huge winter storms plunged large parts of the central and southern United States into an energy crisis this week, with frigid blasts of Arctic weather crippling electric grids and leaving millions of Americans without power amid dangerously cold temperatures. The grid failures were most severe in Texas, where more than four million people woke up Tuesday morning to rolling blackouts. Separate regional grids in the Southwest and Midwest also faced serious strain. As of Tuesday afternoon, at least 23 people nationwide had died in the storm or its aftermath. Analysts have begun to identify key factors behind the grid failures in Texas. Record-breaking cold weather spurred residents to crank up their electric heaters and pushed power demand beyond the worst-case scenarios that grid operators had planned for. At the same time, a large fraction of the state’s gas-fired power plants were knocked offline amid icy conditions, with some plants suffering fuel shortages as natural gas demand spiked. Many of Texas’ wind turbines also froze and stopped working. The crisis sounded an alarm for power systems throughout the country. Electric grids can be engineered to handle a wide range of severe conditions—as long as grid operators can reliably predict the dangers ahead. But as climate change accelerates, many electric grids will face extreme weather events that go far beyond the historical conditions those systems were designed for, putting them at risk of catastrophic failure.

‘A complete bungle’: Texas’ energy pride goes out with cold (AP) Anger over Texas’ power grid failing in the face of a record winter freeze mounted Tuesday as millions of residents in the energy capital of the U.S. remained shivering with no assurances that their electricity and heat—out for 36 hours or longer in many homes—would return soon or stay on once it finally does. “I know people are angry and frustrated,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, who woke up to more than 1 million people still without power in his city. “So am I.” In all, between 2 and 3 million customers in Texas still had no power nearly two full days after historic snowfall and single-digit temperatures created a surge in demand for electricity to warm up homes unaccustomed to such extreme lows, buckling the state’s power grid and causing widespread blackouts. More bad weather, including freezing rain, began arriving Tuesday night. Making matters worse, expectations that the outages would be a shared sacrifice by the state’s 30 million residents quickly gave way to a cold reality, as pockets in some of America’s largest cities, including San Antonio, Dallas and Austin, were left to shoulder the lasting brunt of a catastrophic power failure, and in subfreezing conditions that Texas’ grid operators had known was coming.

Military recruitment (Foreign Policy) A meager job market has given military recruitment a boost around the world, the Wall Street Journal reports. In Canada, applications to join the armed services surged 37 percent over the last nine months of 2020 compared to the previous year. Australia reported a 9.9 percent annual increase in applications. The United Kingdom met its military recruitment targets for the first time in seven years and in the United States, 92 percent of eligible personnel re-enlisted, compared to just 83 percent the previous year.

Volunteer paramedics patrol streets of Venezuela’s capital (AP) Venezuela’s deepening crisis has gutted emergency ambulance services, so a group of volunteer paramedics has stepped into the void to offer life-saving help on the tough streets of Caracas. Calling themselves Angels of the Road, the volunteer corps relies on donated medical supplies and funding from international organizations. Despite receiving no paychecks, its roughly 40 paramedics are ready at a moment’s notice to jump onto motorcycles and fire up their single ambulance and race into the streets. Jonathan Quantip, 44, said he and co-founder Zuly Rodiz launched the project two years ago after watching their native Venezuela precipitously decline over years of political and social crisis. “We Venezuelans have to solve our own country’s problems,” Quantip said. “We have to use the skills we’re each good at.” The group works on a shoestring budget with nothing left over for wages, so each paramedic relies on another source of income. Some donate their off-time after working in hospitals and firehouses. Others flip burgers in fast-food restaurants.

‘We are like captives’: life in Britain’s quarantine hotels (Reuters) Mohamed Noor faces 10 days in COVID-19 quarantine in a hotel room near London’s Heathrow Airport after falling foul of new border controls because of a flight delay. “I don’t have a book. I don’t have a Koran. I don’t have nothing here,” Noor, a 55-year-old Muslim, said by phone after his arrival on Monday, a day later than planned, landed him with a 1,750-pound ($2,400) bill. In another hotel nearby, 61-year-old Sole, who declined to give her surname, said she realised too late that the new rules would kick in before she returned from visiting friends in Chile. “We are like captives in these rooms,” she said. Britain says the measures, effective since Monday, are needed to protect its COVID-19 vaccination programme and guard against new coronavirus variants. People returning from any of 33 “high-risk” countries where travel to Britain is banned must pay 1,750 pounds for a 10-day quarantine hotel package. After being taken by bus to government-contracted hotels, they must spend most of the time in their rooms and have meals delivered to their door.

Toothless travel restrictions (Foreign Policy) Irish holidaymakers have suddenly shown a keen interest in dental hygiene as they attempt to shirk strict lockdown measures to escape the bleak North Atlantic winter. Traveling for “essential medical, health or dental services” is allowed under Ireland’s coronavirus restrictions, leading to a surge in dental surgery appointments in Spain’s Canary Islands. Roberta Beccaris, a receptionist at a dental surgeon’s office on the island of Tenerife, reported taking multiple calls from prospective Irish clients, who have demanded e-mail confirmations of the bookings. Police can issue fines to rule-breaking travelers of roughly $600, although they are powerless to stop those with proof of a medical appointment. “Obviously as they are not turning up, we now understand it is just an excuse for a holiday,” she told RTÉ radio.

Spain betting on vaccine passports to revive summer tourism (Reuters) Spain hopes the introduction of vaccination passports combined with pre-travel COVID-19 testing will allow British tourists to return to Spanish destinations this summer, a tourism ministry source told Reuters on Tuesday. The government has no plans to introduce quarantines on foreign visitors, and was also counting on a wider agreement to be hammered out between Europe and Britain to remove restrictions on non-essential travel, the official added. Over 2020, as global travel was dramatically curtailed by the coronavirus pandemic, foreign tourism to Spain—one of the world’s most visited countries—fell 80% to just 19 million visitors, a level not seen since 1969.

China steps up online controls with new rule for bloggers (AP) Ma Xiaolin frequently wrote about current affairs on one of China’s leading microblogging sites, where he has 2 million followers. But recently, he said in a post, the Weibo site called and asked him not to post original content on topics ranging from politics to economic and military issues. “As an international affairs researcher and a columnist, it looks like I can only go the route of entertainment, food and beverage now,” the international relations professor wrote on Jan. 31. Ma, who often posted on developments in the Mideast, is one of many popular influencers working within the constraints of China’s heavily censored web who is finding that their space to speak is shrinking even further with the latest policy changes and a clean-up campaign run by the country’s powerful censors. Beginning next week, the Cyberspace Administration of China will require bloggers and influencers to have a government-approved credential before they can publish on a wide range of subjects. Some fear that only state media and official propaganda accounts will get permission. The latest move is in line with ever more restrictive regulations under President Xi Jinping that constrict an already narrow space for discourse. The Chinese leader has made “digital sovereignty” a central concept of his rule, under which authorities have set limits and increased control of the digital realm.

Japan’s ruling party wants more women at meetings—unless they talk (Reuters) After a sexism row sparked by Tokyo Olympics chief’s saying women talked too much at meetings, Japan’s ruling party wants women at key meetings—but only if they don’t talk. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has proposed a new plan that allows five female lawmakers to join the party’s key meetings as observers. Toshihiro Nikai, the party’s 82-year-old secretary general, said on Tuesday that he heard criticism that the party’s board is male-dominated, but added that the board members are elected. But it is important for the party’s female members to “look” at the party’s decision-making process, he said. Those female observers can’t speak during the meetings, but can submit opinions separately to the secretariat office, the daily newspaper Nikkei reported. Requiring female observers at meetings to remain quiet has drawn criticism that the party is out of touch.

Big protests across Myanmar as UN expert fears violence (AP) Demonstrators in Myanmar gathered Wednesday in their largest numbers so far to protest the military’s seizure of power, as a U.N. human rights expert warned that troops being brought to Yangon and elsewhere could signal the prospect for major violence. U.N. rapporteur Tom Andrews said he was alarmed by reports of soldiers being transported into Yangon, the biggest city. “In the past, such troop movements preceded killings, disappearances, and detentions on a mass scale,” he said in a statement issued late Tuesday by the U.N. Human Rights office in Geneva. “I am terrified that given the confluence of these two developments­—planned mass protests and troops converging—we could be on the precipice of the military committing even greater crimes against the people of Myanmar.” Wednesday’s turnout in Yangon appeared to be one of the biggest so far in the city. Protesters have adopted a tactic of blocking off streets from security forces by parking vehicles in groups with their hoods up and the excuse of having engine trouble.

Anti-Chinese Sentiment in Myanmar (Foreign Policy) Widespread protests against the Feb. 1 military coup in Myanmar have taken on an increasingly anti-Chinese tone, with rallies held outside the Chinese Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar and calls growing for boycotts of Chinese goods and services. Misinformation is spreading, including rumors that Chinese soldiers have infiltrated Myanmar and that Chinese software will be used to set up a Great Firewall. On balance, it seems unlikely that China supported the coup, especially given its relatively good relationship with the National League for Democracy. Anti-Chinese sentiment has a long history in Myanmar, both on the national level and at the local level, due to conflicts among ethnic Chinese communities and others. Chinese investment projects have been major flash points, especially the Myitsone Dam, which was suspended in 2011 following the move toward democracy. Locals have decried the environmental impacts and forced relocations associated with such projects, while Beijing has been keen to get them restarted. There is also growing anti-Chinese feeling across Southeast Asia. Many young people see parallels between the 2019 Hong Kong protests and their own resistance against local authoritarianism. China’s tactless authoritarianism and resentment toward outsiders contributes to that solidarity, but the main driver is the willingness of local autocrats and the uber-rich to suck up to China for their own ends. That can mean, as in Myanmar’s case, that China is blamed even when it hasn’t actually done much.

Sidelining MBS (Foreign Policy) The United States will downgrade its engagement with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of the Biden administration’s drive to “recalibrate” relations with the kingdom, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday. President Joe Biden will instead conduct diplomacy through Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz, dealing a blow to the crown prince’s standing in Washington.

Gunmen kidnap at least 20 boys from Nigerian boarding school (Washington Post) Gunmen stormed a north-central Nigerian boarding school early Wednesday, kidnapping at least 20 teenage boys, the local governor said—the second mass abduction of children to shake the country in three months. The attackers raided the Government Science Secondary School in the town of Kagara before sunrise and dragged the classmates into the dense woods. Three teachers and 12 family members also vanished into the night, Abubakar Sani Bello, the governor of Niger state, said on television. Schools in the region have been shuttered. Helicopters hovered over the treetops as security forces continued their search and, by midmorning, authorities were still counting the missing.

[sawyereugenen]

( KAYA SCODELARIO + CISFEMALE ) —  Have you seen SAWYER EUGENE NAVARRE ? This TWENTY-SEVEN year old is a/an STOCK BROKER who resides in MANHATTAN. SHE/HER has/have been living in NYC for ONE YEAR, and is/are known to be ARTICULATE and DARING, but can also be AROGANTT and OPPORTUNISTIC, if you cross them.  People tend to associate them with LOW LIGHTS WITH SULTRY TUNES and POWER HEELS.

Warning: This biography contains some dark themes. If any of the tagged triggers make you uncomfortable, please reach out and I can give you a trigger free re-cap of her bio. In order for everyone to still be able to see her basic info, it is placed above the bio and departed by a row of X’s.

Name: Sawyer Eugene Navarre

Age: Twenty-Seven

Birthday: October 30, 1993

Sign: Scorpio

Neighborhood: Manhattan

Home: Sleek High-Rise apartment

Occupation: Stock Broker/Local Performer

Character Quote: “How can you live the high life if you do not wear the high heels?”

Pos. Traits: Articulate, Daring, Observant

Neg. Traits: Arrogant, Opportunistic, Demanding

Likes: Soulful music, Jazz, Power Suits, and Memory Puzzles

Dislikes: Entitled Men, Too Clean Homes, Seafood, and Being Argued With

Aesthetic: Low Lights with Sultry Tunes, Power Heels, Outperforming Men

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sawyer Eugene Navarre was born into a family of wealth and riches, a silver spoon plucked into her toothless, wailing mouth mere seconds after her arrival. Her birth was a difficult one that resulted in her mother becoming paralyzed from the waist down due to the strain of the birth. This was something for which her family never forgave her. If you were to ask them it was her fault that her mother was now a bitter, hateful woman; where once she had been full of beauty, love, and life. As a result of their resentment her parents hired a nanny to raise her, whereas her older brother still held her parents undivided attention. The nanny, Paula, was more of a parent to her than either of her biological ones and in private, Sawyer would often refer to her as ‘mom’ despite the gentle half-hearted scolding that would be given by the matronly woman after. Despite being the leper of the family, her parents held good jobs, one a high level executive in a multi-million dollar Barcelona business and the other a well renowned theater actress, which meant that she never wanted for anything. No, she did not receive the same designer clothes as her siblings, nor the expensive gifts that were to be looked forward to on holidays and birthdays, but they still made sure that she had clean clothes, toys, and an access to a good education. While most children would have been resentful of such favoritism, Sawyer was simply happy to have what she was given, never begging and never asking for more.

Despite her parents’ apparent disinterest in her life they still expected perfection from her in all things. While the other children were off playing in the family’s pool or going horseback riding at the stables, Sawyer was expected to practice. Not only was she expected to exceed in academics but in sports and the arts as well. She participated in volleyball, soccer, ballet, and gymnastics as well as learned how to play the piano, violin, and saxophone. Her hectic schedule was no excuse for slovenliness either, and every hair was expected to be perfectly in place when out in public. Something as small as dirt under a fingernail could incite a lecture that would last hours, with chores being given after as punishment. Still, she was an all-around happy child, complacent with her role and life. That all changed when she was twelve. It was at that age that her brother started sneaking into her room at night. At first, she was excited for the time they spent together. He assured her that it was their own special time, something older brothers shared with their little sisters and Sawyer, having lived such a sheltered life, knew no different. It was not until she went into high-school and sex education started that she began to realize something was wrong. She felt disgusted in herself, especially since her school expressed extensively how important it was to remain pure until marriage. Initially Sawyer planned on confiding in Paula but decided against it; lest her parents choose to blame the situation on her beloved nanny. That was when she decided to go to her mother; a woman would surely understand. Unfortunately, her mother refused to believe her, unable to imagine that her precious son was able to do anything of such nature. The situation was ignored entirely.

At fourteen in what would have been her first year in high-school, Sawyer found out life-altering information. She was pregnant. Fearing her parent’s ire at the situation and knowing they would not believe her when she said who the father was, she carried her secret alone. Her performance and school started to decline significantly, resulting in frequent letters home to her parents. They railed at her; she was useless, lazy, incompetent. Not once did they bother to ask what had caused such a change in behavior, but Paula did. Though the woman was no longer Sawyer’s nanny she had remained on staff in the household. Concerned about the girl she had raised as if she was her own, Paula firmly but kindly confronted Sawyer about the situation until the teen cracked, spilling out the whole horrifying truth. Paula was livid and despite Sawyer’s protests confronted her parents, becoming appalled and angry when she realized that their only concern was ‘getting rid of the problem.’ Knowing that she needed to do something to save the teen from her situation, she gave Sawyer what money she had, packed her bag, and urged her to leave, to save herself. It was not the most-sound advice to give a scared girl, but it was all the woman could do, unable to risk taking the girl in herself due to potential repercussions. Her parents did not even report her missing.

The first thing that Sawyer did as soon as she was free was to flee. She booked a flight on a second-class airline, one that would not ask too many questions, not caring where it would take her. After several delays and layovers that left her hungry and sleeping on airport benches, she finally arrived at her random pre-determined destination: Chicago, Illinois. Having grown up in high society the city was an extreme culture shock for her, she was unused to the dangers of being alone in what could be such a depraved place, and the city swallowed her whole. A trip to a local planned parenthood alerted the authorities to her presence, and minutes after the end of her procedure she was taken and placed into foster care. Police officers and social workers tried to get her to share her name, but she would not budge, refusing to give anything other than her first name. It was in her process of being bounced from home to home that Sawyer met a friend, the kind of friend one only really seems to meet once in a lifetime. The two girls were extremely close, sharing the hardships of their own lives and helping one another to carry the burden, so that neither would be truly alone. She experimented heavily with drugs and alcohol, and it was always her friend that called her back down from her most disastrous ledges. That all changed when Sawyer was placed with her last family.

Now seventeen, she held out little hope of ever fitting in, but this last family, the one that would become her own, was different. They were an older couple, in their late fifties, and the father was a Spanish diplomat who was in the United States on business. Their own children were already grown and living lives of their own and when Sawyer grew to trust them enough to tell them what had happened, they decided they could not leave the child behind for a new family to take in when they returned to Spain. So, instead, they fast tracked her adoption and she came home with them. Her life from then on was picturesque; they had rescued her, and to show thanks, Sawyer changed her last name to theirs: Navarre. Though her personality had changed to be slightly jaded, Sawyer was still for the most part herself. Once settled into her life, her new parents quickly noticed the beauty that her voice held. Though they tried to encourage her to pursue a career in music, she rejected their ideas. It felt too close to the idea of the perfect girl that her birth parents had held for her, and she wanted nothing to do with it. Instead, she threw herself into her studies, wanting to prove that she was better than the people who had raised her.  It took her an extra year to finally be accepted into a decent English college, but once she was everything seemed to align for her.

Throughout all of the changes taking place, Sawyer made sure to stay in contact with her friend. Often, they would video chat and talk about each other’s lives, but the more time they spent apart, the more distant things became. About a year before she graduated from university, the two girls completely lost contact with each other. It saddened Sawyer, but she was well-enough distracted by the success she was beginning to see for herself. Just two years out of college she was accepted as an investment banker at a well-known British firm, and quickly became enveloped in the fast-paced world of finance. After two years of that, she began to become bored, and moved to New York City where she had accepted a job from the New York Stock Exchange.

In New York, things quickly unraveled. A whirl wind romance with her boss led to her participation in insider trading, something that if it got out, would ruin her entire career before it had even had a chance to begin. Sawyer is now in too deep to really get out but does her best to slog through the muck related to money and power. Already she is a known name, with many calling her the brightest mind to have come around in a while. In truth she has a natural talent for the job, and many of her best earning decisions come from nothing but her own wit.

While in college she found a love for music that has stuck with her, and though not famous by any means, she is well enough known in smaller circles that she never has trouble booking gigs. In fact, one of her most recent gigs was for the gala that had been hosted by her work. It is something she fiddles with to relieve the stress of her job, something she turns to when the alcohol and pills that she has been reintroduced to in her fast-paced life are no longer enough.

It is safe to say that Sawyer is beginning to spiral, but things may not be as far gone as they seem as she has just recently looked up her old friend from high school and perhaps they will be able to share the burden of things once again.

[thebiasrekkers]

Make It Right [BTS Mafia!AU]

Plot: “It’s always darkest before the dawn…” It’s a dog-eat-dog world in Seoul, South Korea. One has to dwell in the shadows in order to reach for the light. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to feel the sunlight on your face? What will it take to drag you back into darkness? How long will the journey be to make it right?

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: Series | Mafia!AU | Crime!AU | Angst | Romance/Fluff

Pairings: Jin x OC | Taehyung/Hoseok x OC | Yoongi/Jungkook x OC

Warnings: Graphic Violence, Heavy Language, Angst, Smut, Slow Burn

Previous Chapters: Prologue 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || Admin E’s WP || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 3,316  

Chapter 20: Silver Spoon

"They say it shouldn’t matter since we’re coming from the same place."

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

Seoul – Hannam; Yongsan District South Korea

Jungkook cradled his glass of whiskey in his hands, his rings clinking against the crystal surface. There was a heavy atmosphere permeating throughout the house; thick and suffocating. So thick it could have been sliced open with a knife. Outside the occasional shuffling of house shoes on the polished floor, there was no other sound. Everyone either sat around nursing a drink or were moving around because they couldn’t keep still.

No one spoke.

Every so often, Jungkook’s eyes met Yoongi’s and, for a moment, all they could do was stare at each other. But it was always Yoongi who averted his gaze first, his body moving to occupy a different space in the main living area. Jungkook’s eyes followed him, watching and waiting for him to speak up about any part of what happened the other night. Nothing was said, however, because Hoseok’s aura practically bled out over the entire room – silencing any discussion before he could speak first.

No one had to say a thing. It was clear that something big was about to happen. Jungkook looked at his phone, waiting for the screen to light up but it never did. He hadn’t heard from Eden in a few days and there was a part of him that wondered if she’d already written him off as someone insignificant. His brows furrowed and he had to resist the urge to reach for his phone to message her.

Is she still angry? he thought, his fingers curling tighter around the glass.

The beep of the electronic lock at the front door alerted everyone. Those who weren’t already standing stood from their seats as Jimin entered the foyer. They waited for him to get into his house shoes while shaking off the cold from outside. He paused as he entered the main room, looking around at everyone peering back at him.

“Am I the last one?” he asked, looking to Namjoon.

“You are,” Namjoon replied easily while shaking his head, “but we all know why, so don’t worry about that.”

Taehyung approached Jimin, offering him a drink with his good arm. Jimin declined, making his way toward one of the couches just as Hoseok exited his office. No one made a move until he was seated, all of them falling into their seats soon after.

“Seokjin Hyung,” Hoseok began, looking straight at him as he spoke, “status report.”

Everyone watched Seokjin set a briefcase on the table, opening it and then handing out several manila envelopes to Hoseok. He quickly pulled out the paperwork inside, scanning it quickly before slipping them back inside. Namjoon turned the briefcase toward him so he could set them back inside.

“Good. Have the funds been transferred after our shares were sold?”

Seokjin nodded, closing the briefcase and setting it back down onto the floor. “They were transferred yesterday morning. I made sure that the members of the board would be self-sufficient since we pulled out from the company completely.”

Hoseok shifted his gaze to Yoongi. “And you, Hyung?”

“We reached a deal with our key broker in Chicago. I liquidated all of our assets in New York, LA and San Antonio.” Yoongi set his drink down on the table, reaching over Taehyung to hand him the tablet he always carried with him. “The funds were transferred this morning. Hard copies of the contracts were placed in our safety deposit box.”

Hoseok nodded, thumbing through the tablet before he handed it back to Yoongi. Jungkook met Yoongi’s gaze once more, but only for a split second as Hoseok spoke up again.

“Taehyung-ah,” he said, and everyone’s eyes shifted to look at Taehyung, “how are you holding up?”

Taehyung scratched the side of his nose and flashed his trademark boxy smile, shrugging off his injuries as if they were minor itches. He was on the mend, but his arm was still in a sling and he had to wear the brace around his chest for another week.

“Were you able to get your assignments finished?”

He nodded, handing Hoseok a thick manila envelope. “The clubs we owned in Incheon and Seoul were turning a big profit, so it wasn’t hard for us to make the sale. I even upped the price for the clubs in Seoul to get a little extra cash. The money was wired last night.”

Hoseok nodded, setting the envelope on the table. He clasped his fingers together as he turned to look at Jimin and Namjoon. “And you two?”

Jimin reached into his pocket and handed his phone to Hoseok. “In exchange for selling our spots in the casino, we’ll receive forty percent of all sales made for the next year. After that, it will be twenty-five percent for the next five years and then the contract will be fulfilled.”

Finally, Hoseok turned to Jungkook and he shifted involuntarily. “What about you, Jungkook-ah?”

Jungkook sighed, brushing his fingers through his hair as he set his glass on the table. “Construction is set to be completed in two months. We’ll be ready to unveil the new building in the coming new year.”

“And the boys? You reminded them to get their affairs in order, yes?”

“Yes, I did,” he said, his voice shaking a measure, “a few weren’t too happy about it, Hyung.”

Hoseok frowned. “They were told from the beginning about this happening eventually.”

“But Hyung, can’t we wait a little while longer?” He rested a hand on his knee. “For some of them, this is all they’ve ever known.”

“They’ve had five years to prepare. Some longer than that. They’ll be compensated.” Hoseok’s tone was cold and matter of fact. It was clear that he wasn’t in the mood to hear any talk going against their original plan. “That’s why we went to all this trouble to gather up so much money.”

“Hyung—”

“I’m done waiting, Jungkook-ah!” He cut him off and Jungkook leaned back slightly. No one moved and no one spoke.

“H-Hyung,” Jimin offered, reaching his hand out to grasp Hoseok’s wrist only to watch him wrench it away from him.

“No. We don’t have the time to waste anymore. We have to move, and we have to move quickly.”

“Is it because of the Jade Fangs?” Taehyung’s question tore over the building hostility, bringing everyone down to a certain level of calm.

Hoseok took a breath, sinking deeper into the cushions of the chair. Jungkook never saw Hoseok like this. He was usually the calmest out of all of them; the one who had his shit together ninety-nine percent of the time. The one who was trying to keep everyone in line when fights were on the brink of breaking out. For him to react in that manner meant that something was really wrong and the desperation in his eyes was hard to miss.

“Is that the reason, Hyung?” Jungkook asked, feeling the vein near his throat pulse.

Slowly, he rose to his feet and Jungkook stood with him. Everyone else remained seated.

“Hyung!”

“They’re making their move, Jungkook-ah,” said Namjoon as he stood up, placing a hand on Jungkook’s chest to stop him just as he took a step forward, “and they’re not fooling around about it either.”

A sharp burst of anger split across Jungkook’s chest as he glared at Namjoon, then to Hoseok. “So, we’re just going to run away? We’re going to expose our backs just when they’re ready to attack?”

Hoseok didn’t answer. Instead, he watched his older brother, their leader, folding his arms across his chest.

“That’s such bullshit, Hyung!” he shouted, throwing Namjoon’s hand off his chest. “We don’t have anything to fear from those toothless tigers! They’re all talk! Every last one of them!”

Seokjin rose to his feet, his brows knitting together with concern. “Jungkook-ah, settle down.”

He cut his eyes toward the oldest of them, teeth bared, and his fury clearly expressed. “Jin Hyung!”

“It’s true. They’ve gotten bold because they’re sure of themselves.” Seokjin pursed his lips together as he looked away, visibly turning things over in his mind. “We’ve tried to keep our activities under wraps for as long as possible, but this close to the end, they know there’s going to be a hole in Seoul’s defenses soon.” He met Jungkook’s gaze. “Gangnam and Yongsan are going to be a warzone.”

“Then let’s wipe them out,” Taehyung interjected, rubbing at the back of his neck, “then there won’t be anything to worry about.”

Jimin smacked his shoulder, causing Taehyung to hiss as he rubbed at it gingerly. “Would you shut-up? Just fucking look at you! Do you think you’re in any condition to be shit talking?”

Taehyung scoffed. “I wound up like this because of who, hm?” Jimin frowned and a smug look passed over Taehyung’s face. “Yeah, that’s what I thought.”

“You wound up like that,” seethed Yoongi, “because you don’t know how to mind your own goddamn business.”

Taehyung’s eyes narrowed at Yoongi. “We wouldn’t even have this problem had we stomped those bastards out five years ago.”

Hoseok turned slowly, rounding on Taehyung. “That’s something a blithering idiot would say.”

“He’s not wrong, Hyung,” snapped Jungkook, causing the others to look at him, “we had the perfect opportunity to destroy them, but we held back. You held us back!”

Namjoon grabbed Jungkook by the front of his shirt, but Hoseok knocked him out of the way. As Namjoon stumbled a few steps to the side, Jungkook saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He saw Hoseok move and he held his hand up to catch the older man’s fist. So focused on his angry expression, something that normally didn’t rear its face in their home, Jungkook failed to see the second attack until it connected. Pain exploded around his solar plexus and the breath was knocked clean out of him. His vision blurred in and out of focus and the world fell on a tilt as gravity won out, his legs collapsing under him. Tears brimmed his eyes and he coughed hard, the urge to vomit at the forefront of his mind.

“Have you forgotten what kind of hell we were living in back then, Jungkook-ah?” Hoseok’s voice boomed, echoing inside his ear canals and his hand fell to the floor to steady himself. “Did you forget how many Jackals died to keep us alive? Because they believed in what we were trying to do for ourselves, for our families.”

Jungkook coughed again, the pain in his stomach mixing with the fire that churned inside of him. He half-growled, half-snarled as he lifted his head to glare into Hoseok’s icy stare. “No,” he groaned, “you did it for your families, Hyung.”

“Jungkook-ah,” said Yoongi, crouching down beside him. He reached around him to try and help him up but Jungkook shoved him off, causing the older man to blink down at him in surprise. “Jeon Jungkook!”

“You think money is some kinda substitute? You think that’s gonna make up for everything?” No matter how hard he tried, the tears leaked out from Jungkook’s eyes. “Toss an envelope at them and send them on their way? You’re abandoning them! We’re all they have and you’re just gonna throw them away like garbage!”

For a moment, he saw Hoseok’s icy expression melt and it seemed like he was coming back to himself. He looked at Jungkook for what he felt like was the first time all night. But there was nothing that could be said to calm the anger burning through Jungkook. Yet he watched Hoseok try; watched his boss, their brother, start to lean forward toward him.

“J-Jungkook-ah,” Hoseok stammered, but Jungkook was already on his feet.

He wiped angrily at his face, bumping shoulders with the others. They called for him, but he was past the point of listening to them anymore. Jungkook snatched his coat off the wall and slipped into his boots. Throwing the door open with a loud bang, he all but ran down the stone walkway that led to the main entrance gate to their house. His brothers were yelling for him, and he even heard a few trying to give chase. But Jungkook knew he was faster.

He’d always been the fastest.

His feet ate up the concrete as he ran toward the parking garage, hopping onto his motorcycle and revving the engine to life. Jungkook reached behind him and slammed the helmet on top of his head, the back-tire squealing, no – screaming with the rage that he wished he could have unleashed in the house. The headlight flared and he peeled out of the garage – the world speeding past him in a blur of motion and he didn’t look back.

Seoul – Cheongdam; Gangnam District South Korea

Jungkook parked his bike and ran. He didn’t care that he’d left his bike in some random parking lot. He just ran. He ran until his legs burned, until his lungs screamed in agony, and then he continued to run. He turned down one street, sweat soaking his shirt and slipping down his cheeks. The cold air stung at his pores, filled his mouth and shredded the inside of his esophagus.

Down another set of streets, he ran through crowds of pedestrians that were crossing the streets, and he jumped over benches and the dogs that people were walking. His legs pumped into the ground and the world grew dark around him. Streetlights illuminated the sidewalk and the headlight beams from cars almost blinded him. There were even a few close calls as he was almost hit by oncoming vehicles; their expletives matched with his own that he threw back at them.

He headed toward the residential area, past a children’s playground, and then for two more blocks he continued. Jungkook’s body protested, begged him to stop, but he pushed on and ignored the signs of misery that pulsed all over him.

Reaching a building, he blindly ran up the stairs and he stumbled forward, his elbows crashing into the stone, but he forced himself to crawl back up onto his feet. He jumped the last few steps until he was on the rooftop – her rooftop.

Jungkook staggered toward the door, almost losing his balance in the process. He dragged his feet forward, his body all but slamming into the door. Lifting one arm, he knocked on the door’s window until he lacked the energy to continue. Resting both his palm and cheek on the window, he could see his breath fogging up the glass.

“Noona,” he said softly, his voice barely audible from all the running he’d done, “open up. Are you there?” He turned his head so he could rest his forehead on the glass. “…please be there.”

After a few minutes, he slumped to his knees. His hands were pressed to the door, the will to continue pounding on it lacking within him. The only sound he heard, aside from his own ragged breathing, was the wind whistling harshly from that high up. At some point, the pounding of his heart drowned even that out until the darkness began to creep around his eyes.

“…Jungkook-ah, is that you?”

The voice perked him up, causing him to crane his neck so he could look over his shoulder. Standing there, holding several bags, was Eden. Her beanie was half on her head and the thick scarf she wore was wrapped several times around her neck. There was a grease stain across her cheek, stretching all the way to the bridge of her nose. Her breath came out in soft clouds as she scrutinized him.

Jungkook shakily got to his feet, his legs crying out from the abuse he’d forced them to withstand and took wobbly steps toward her. She remained standing where she was, not saying a word. He must have been a sight for her not to yell at him. He hadn’t seen her in days; hadn’t heard her voice in what felt like years to him.

Dirty, wrapped in a heavy coat, and annoyed. Just like when he’d first met her.

She’s so goddamn pretty…

Jungkook gave a weak smile. Then the world spun. He heard Eden gasp, the loud rattle of bags hitting the ground a muffled sound in his ears. He fully expected to hit the ground, but gravity was not granted its quarry for the second time that night. Small, but strong, arms held him upright – cradling him so that his weight wasn’t overwhelming her.

“What the hell, Jungkook-ah?!” Her voice held a mixture of aggravation and concern. Her hand slid over his forehead and he heard her hiss. “Jesus, you’re burning up!”

As she forced him to stand more by himself, Jungkook rocked back with all his weight – nearly falling backwards. She yelled and he felt her hands gripping onto his wrists. His legs were going to give out on him any second. Twisting his wrists, he tried to get her to let go but she held tighter.

And as the world zipped by him, Jungkook brought her down on top of him. For the second time that night, the wind was knocked from his lungs – both from impact and from Eden’s weight crashing onto him.

“Goddammit, Jungkook!” she bellowed, punching him in the chest, “What the hell is your problem, huh?!”

Jungkook let out a laugh that was soon followed by a small coughing fit. He closed his eyes and felt the tears slipping from the corners and into his ears. He heard Eden’s grunts stop and she fell completely silent. Still laughing, albeit weakly, he managed to open his eyes to look at her through his tears. Her brows were knit with worry.

“Hey, Jeon Jungkook,” she said, her cold hands touching his cheeks and then his forehead, “snap out of it, will you?”

He looked past her for a moment to gaze at the night sky. They were in the city and it was hard to see the stars. Especially from this high up. The city always drowned out the stars. For the first time in years, he missed the numerous stars that littered the vast expanse of the sky he once could see in the countryside.

For the first time in years, he missed his hometown…

“Are you listening to me?”

Eden’s voice cut through his nostalgia and Jungkook turned to focus his attention on the woman who continued to occupy his thoughts these last few months. Was it almost a year now? Was the year almost over?

She pursed her lips together – a deep expression of concern etching her features. Funny. He didn’t think he had ever seen her look like that.

He reached up to cup her cheek with one of his hands and she shrank back slightly, but not moving completely away from his touch. The pain he felt earlier seemed to fade with that realization.

“…goddamn, you’re beautiful.”

“W-What?” she stammered, blinking rapidly at him.

But he was done talking. And with what strength he had left, he slid his hand from her face to rest at the nape of her neck before pulling her down so his lips could meet hers. He felt her grip onto the front of his shirt, as though she were going to tear herself away. The muscles in his bicep grew taut, holding her in place until he felt her relax under his hold.

He kissed her slowly; carefully. Jungkook didn’t want to cross the line further than he already had. When her fingers loosened from his shirt, he took a chance and lifted his head to get a better taste of her. There was a moment when she stiffened, hesitated, before relaxing into the affection he was attempting to give her. 

More tears began to fall.

Her lips were soft, warm, and inviting.

They felt like home.

[dragonmasterhiccup]

Russet listened intently to the whole story, looking sadly over at Toothless as he realised how he had lost his tail. He gave him extra pets, to make sure the dragon was feeling okay.

"He sounds like he's your best friend, always staying with you." He concluded, smiling, before hugging Toothless softly around the neck, making sure the dragon felt extra loved.

He finally let him go, feeling Hiccup's hand on his shoulder, looking to the ground, before looking back up at Hiccup with hope in his eyes. "You really think so?"

Then, at the question, his eyes widened in clear excitement and shock, his gaze snapping to his mother, who nodded at him.

He didn't know how to process words for a moment, just blinking. Still not sure how to speak he nodded his head, exaggerated, brimming with excitement.

Mediae looked to his father, "Uh.. Would you like to come with us? On Scavenger?"

Angar thought about this, then shook his head, chuckling. "I think I'd rather two feet on the ground, but thank you for the offer. You three have fun though!"

((He issss, I love him so much, I'd die for Russet-))

As Hiccup spoke, Toothless laid down, head propped up as he listened as well.

Hiccup nodded, also petting the Night Fury. "Yeah...he is my best friend. I don't know what I'd do without him."

Looking into Russet's eyes, he nodded with a grin. "I know so, because it was similar with me and my father."

Seeing the look on the boy's face from the opportunity to fly, Hiccup felt just as excited as Russet.

He loved showing the beauty of dragons, loved even more to share the feeling of being in the air with them.

The young chief's smile grew wider. "Yeah? Alright! Here, let's get somewhere a bit more open, so Toothless can take off easier..."

Hearing Angar decline, Hiccup turned around to face him. "Are you sure? There's really nothing like it!"

As Toothless got into position, Hiccup hopped into the saddle, prosthetic clicking into place.

Scooting back a little, he gestured for Russet to climb on. "I'll have you sit right in front of me, so you'll be able to see everything. I'm afraid if you were behind me, you'd not see much more than the back of my head." He chuckled.

Looking to Russet's mother, he asked, "Would you like me to bring him back here afterwards, or drop him off at your hut?"

[blueishfood]

The rider (Chapter 5)

Pairing: Hiccup x Astrid

Words: 1,2 k

Warning(s): (I mentioned rape in an earlier chapter)

Summary: She was a trapper. Born a trapper, grown a trapper. Her parents and all those before her were trappers. All her life Astrid’s been told that dragons were beasts and monsters. So what happens when she meets the Rider, the devil in human form, who believes dragons could be friends?

A/N: (So I realized I haven’t updated the rider on tumblr in forever (if you’ve read this on AO3, you’re probably up to date and this is nothing new), and I’m updating here now… uh-sorry?) Again, sorry

Chapter 4

Chapter 6

As Astrid danced in the different clouds, and the colours festered to her hair and clothes, the Rider looked at her, a smile adorning his features. He had never seen anyone this beautiful. Never anyone this free or this happy. He bathed in it. He let himself be swallowed by her happiness and felt pride for making her laugh. He wanted to make her laugh again.

He had been watching her for years. Not in a stalkerish way!

Oh well… Maybe a little bit like that, but he wasn’t creepy or anything. He just took extra notice of Astrid in the battles they fought. She was tough as nails, and sometimes he had wondered if she had anything more than iron spikes in the place where her heart should have been.

Ever since he was a kid, Hiccup had learned how to save dragons. He had followed his mom to battle as a young teenager and learnt everything he could. And then it became his turn. His mother got grey streaks in her hair and decided to settle down for good. Though he knew he could always come to her for advice.

And while his mother had gone for the hunters in the south, Hiccup had decided to save the dragons in the north.

The dragon hunters in the north were even more dangerous. That was one of the reasons why his mother had kept to the south. As a mother she had made sure not to put herself in more danger than she could handle. Hiccup had no one to be careful for. And toothless had come from the north when he found him, so he figured there would be some dragons worth saving.

The hunters in the north were harsher, tougher and contained more hate than Hiccup had ever seen before. He despised what they did and how they did it. But he couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. The young rider had found love and life within the dragon world, he cherished it. While trying to capture the dragons they missed out on a life full of wonder. For some reason he couldn’t completely grasp, it filled Hiccup with joy to be able to share this with Astrid. She was someone who he could see living like him… living with him?

Hiccup shook himself out of his thoughts and frowned, that was inappropriate. Astrid was wonderful, but she was a hunter. She hated dragons, she had been bread that way.

But maybe, he thought, as he watched her stop in the middle of the field, hair fanning over her now glittering shoulders and she beamed breathlessly at him, maybe he could change her mind.

When Astrid came running back towards him, Hiccup wanted nothing but to envelop her in his arms. Her hair glittered in the breeze and she stopped a few meters away from him. Hiccup wanted to hold her tight and never let go… she looked so precious.

Astrid frowned at his weirdness, and he forced down his arms that had gone halfway up to greet her. Toothless laughed mockingly. Hiccup kicked his paw lightly to shut him up and Toothless made sure to hit him in the head with his tail when he turned around.

“Don’t for a second think that this makes up for kidnapping me.” Astrid poked him harshly in the chest.

Hiccup spluttered, “Wha- I- Stormfly!”, he held his hands up in defence. Astrid lifted her eyebrows, but Hiccup was certain he had seen her lips quirk a little. The blonde schooled her expression back to the careful frown she usually wore, and Hiccup grinned up at the sky. The colourful clouds were still swirling in the wind like a liquid rainbow.

“Pretty cool, huh?” his grin was now directed at her, and Astrid had to turn away.

“It is not so bad.”, she stated, brushing a few strands of hair behind her left ear.

She flinched when the nightfury’s tail bumped into her leg on its way past her. The rider was still smiling, his teeth almost shining in the sun, when the dragon knocked him over playfully. Astrid almost reached over to protect him but stopped herself at the last second.

“Hey! Hey,”, the rider guffawed loudly and the nightfury put its head on his stomach. “Really, Toothless? Right, real mature.” The creature gurgled, Haddock laughed.

“Fine!”, he exclaimed, “Fine, we’ll go for a ride.” The nightfury let him go.

Haddock offered Astrid his hand and nodded towards Toothless. “Do you want to join us?”, he asked. Astrid thought he almost sounded hopeful, but she was sure it had been a trick of her ears.

She politely declined his offer, “No way in hel.” She wiggled her fingers in Toothless direction, “I’m not flying on that death-machine again.”

Haddock lifted his eyebrows at the sentence and chuckled. “You sure?” -he asked- “It’s fun!”

Astrid frowned.

“I’m sure.”, she said, sarcasm dripping from every letter, and moved to sit down. The grass looked ever so inviting in this summer evening breeze.

“Okay, I mean, if you’re scared, I won’t pressure you.” Astrid scrambled back on her feet and poked him furiously in the chest. Haddock took a step back, surprised. “Hey!” he protested, blocking her finger.

“I am not scared.” She put her hands on her hips proudly. “I am a shieldmaiden in training,” -she stepped closer and Haddock gulped- “So how dare you accuse me of cowardice?”

Haddock couldn’t hide a grin at her anger and climbed Toothless in one swift movement.

“Prove it.” He patted the seat behind him. Astrid jumped on without hesitation.

The freezing air grazed Astrid’s uncovered arms when they took off. She blinked several times to see through her tear filled eyes. When she reached up to touch the clouds her hands became wet with the moisture. They stayed soaring in the skies until the heavens turned a deep red and then a dark blue.

When Haddock pointed to the glimmering northern lights and told stories of giant dragons who never had to rest from flying but soared around the world, chasing the energy from the coloured lights, Astrid wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed her body to his back. She told herself the reason was the cold. A mocking voice inside her laughed at the mere idea.

She cursed emotions to the depths of Helheim.

Toothless touched back on the ground and Astrid was happy. She smiled brightly when Haddock descended from his dragon and looked at her.

Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes bright. She put her hand on Toothless’s cold scales and stroked them carefully.

“This is amazing.”, she whispered and glanced down at Toothless.

“He is amazing.”

The wind ruffled her light hair and Hiccup hadn’t noticed before now that her braids had fallen out.

She looked wild.

With the moonlight shining behind her, she looked like she belonged there; a creature of starlight, a goddess of nature. Her hand glided over Toothless scales and she didn’t even flinch when a terrible terror rubbed against her leg fondly. With a start Hiccup realized exactly what she looked like. He bit his lip to stop him from shouting with joy when he thought of it; 

She looked like one of them.

[aswithasunbeam]

The Trial of the Century

[Read on AO3]

Rated: G

Relationships: Aaron Burr & Alexander Hamilton; Alexander Hamilton/ Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler

Summary: The treason trial of former Vice President Aaron Burr commands the attention of the whole United States. Even so, the arrival of an old friend takes Burr by surprise. Hamilton never could resist a good fight with Jefferson, even if that means taking Burr on as a client __ A historical AU where Hamilton (just) survived his injuries in the duel

 Richmond, Virginia

 July 1807

Sticky, chocolate covered fingers hover over the white knight on the chess board. Young Aaron’s piercing eyes peeked up at Burr from under his shaggy dark fringe. His grandson sought a hint for the wisdom of the move he was contemplating, Burr understood.

“Think it through, Gampillo,” Burr encouraged without giving anything away as he rummaged in his pocket for a handkerchief. Theodosia has already scolded him for spoiling the boy with too many sweets. His grandson’s hand retracted slightly from the knight as his eyes scanned the board once more. Burr reached out to wipe the evidence of the chocolate square from the boy’s fingers and face.

Aaron squirmed backwards in his chair.

“Here you are, then,” Burr granted, handing the handkerchief over.

“Papa?” Burr glanced up guiltily at his daughter as she entered from the foyer. Her gaze swept briefly over her son’s chocolate stained fingers, prompting a fond shake of her head. She then returned her attention to her father, her expression turning inscrutable. “You have a visitor.”

He frowned. Who would be interested in paying him a social call at a time like this? Theo wouldn’t allow just anyone entrance to gawk at the so-called traitor, surely. His mouth parted to ask the identity of this unexpected guest, but a commotion in the hallway interrupted the thought. One of the decorative tables in the foyer had been upset, by the sound of it, the thud of ceramic on wood carrying in along with the squeaky whine of a wheel in need of oiling.

“Careful, Robert.” The soft voice had a slight rasp to it, but Burr recognized it immediately regardless.

Hamilton.

Burr felt his heartbeat quicken. He rose from his seat, then stood, feeling awkward and wrong footed at the abrupt appearance of a man he thought never to see again. What could Hamilton possibly want?

The front of the chair appeared first, blanketed feet resting motionless on the footrest as the bulky chair struggled through the narrow door. Theo moved to hold the door open as wide as possible. When at last the chair bumped over the divider on the floor, he looked upon Hamilton for the first time since that cursed morning at Weehawken.

Hamilton had been both absent and omnipresent to Burr for the length of his long convalescence. His hair had gone wholly gray in the intervening years, and wrinkles were prominent in his thin, haggard face. A hint of mischief still twinkled in his eyes, however, matching the quirk of his lips as he examined Burr in turn. Hamilton was enjoying this, Burr realized.

Burr remained frozen in place, his lips still slightly parted, searching for something to say. Should he be apologetic? Irreverent? Friendly? Hostile?

It was  who Hamilton broke the silence, and his first words weren’t directed to Burr at all. Attention on Theo, still holding the door, Hamilton said, “Thank you for your assistance, my dear.”

“I’m glad to see you so well, Mr. Hamilton.” Hamilton’s charming smile was mirrored on Theo’s face. She stooped down to the chair and placed a friendly kiss to Hamilton’s cheek, then waved a hand towards her son. “We’ll leave you to your business.”

“Traitor,” Burr mouthed when Theo caught his eye. She looked not at all amused at the little jest. The potential death sentence seemed to have robbed her of her sense of humor.

As she swept from the room, Aaron in tow, Hamilton turned that charming smile on him. “I heard you were in need of a good lawyer, Mr. Burr.”

A disbelieving chuckle forced its way out of Burr’s chest. The gall of him, to refuse all communication, then appear when the trial of the century presented itself.  “Did you, now? Your intelligence was mistaken. I have plenty of lawyers, in fact. Six in all, including myself.”

“I’m certain I’m better than any of them. Especially you.” Burr laughed again, more genuinely this time. “Are you really in any position to refuse help?”

He can’t deny the truth of the statement, but he needn’t admit to it out loud. Instead, he asked with some incredulity, “Did you really travel all the way here on an assumption that I’d require your assistance? And does Mrs. Hamilton know you’re here? She must be beside herself.”

“Such concern for my wife, suddenly,” Hamilton charged, his brow raised. Burr shrank back slightly, a niggle of guilt beginning in his chest at the thought of the pain he’d caused poor innocent Eliza. “She came with me, for the record. I was on business nearby, anyway.”

“In Richmond?”

“Philadelphia. Richmond isn’t much farther to travel.” That was a patent falsehood, and they both knew it. “So?”

“Why would you want to help me?”

“Because I dislike Jefferson more than you,” Hamilton answered simply.

A rueful smile began on Burr’s face. “If only you’d come to that realization a few years ago, so much unpleasantness between us could have been avoided.”

“Oh, I still don’t think you should hold power.” Burr frowned heavily as Hamilton gave him a dismissive little wave. “But I’d hate to give Jefferson the satisfaction of putting you to death. He’s sounding more and more the vengeful tyrant every day.”

“Shouldn’t I be put to death? Fomenting rebellion in the West is treason, is it not?”

“Are you guilty?”

It’s a good thing Hamilton rarely handled criminal matters, Burr considered, as he sank back into his seat and invited Hamilton closer. Hamilton’s servant obliged, wheeling the chair nearer. “You should know better than to ask a criminal defendant such a thing, Hamilton.”

“I never ask clients questions I don’t already know the answer to,” Hamilton retorted.

“Oh?”

“That you had designs on Florida and Mexico, I believe readily enough. I had thoughts of taking Florida for the United States myself once upon a time.” Burr smiled at the admission. “But Jefferson’s theory that you meant to use that plot as a cover for inciting rebellion in the Western states, that you might ride into the federal city and usurp the rightful government, smacks more of a deranged fever dream than an actual charge.”

Burr inclined his head. “I quite agree. As could the grand jury. Martin thinks they might decline to indict me, which would save us the whole business of a trial. You may have wasted a trip.”

Hamilton scoffed. “Of course they’re going to indict you. It’s a grand jury—they’d indict a loaf of bread if the prosecutor laid it before them.”

“Three grand juries before them declined,” Burr pointed out. “Two in Kentucky and one in Tennessee.”

“You’re being judged by Virginia gentlemen now, not the toothless, riotous simpletons of the back country.”  

“You know, it’s a wonder they don’t like you out there,” Burr remarked dryly.

Hamilton hummed, unconcerned. “Marshall is sensible, though. He’ll want to find in your favor. You need to give him reason to do so. The only real evidence for the prosecution is Jefferson’s imperial declaration that you are guilty beyond a doubt. That’s nothing in a court of law. The Constitution requires an overt act of war levied against the United States, observed by two separate individuals. As I understand it, you weren’t even there during the whole business on Blennerhassett Island. Does Wilkinson have any other circumstance to use against you?”

“My counsel is well aware of all this,” Burr pointed out, ducking the question. “Why should I let you have the glory of arguing the case?”

Hamilton smirked as he gestured to his motionless lower half. “You’re right. For what could you possibly owe me a favor?”

“So it’s a favor, now? I thought this was for my benefit?”

Hamilton shrugged carelessly. “However you’d like to see it.”

“And you presume that I feel inclined to make amends.”

“I presume nothing.” Hamilton’s expression softened perceptibly. “I know you wish to make amends. I saw the regret on your face the moment I fell. You tried to run to my side; you would have, had Van Ness not caught you by the arm and forced you away.”

The scene overwhelmed Burr’s vision for a moment, the sun-dappled ridge, the smell of gun powder, Hamilton rising up on his toes before sinking downwards, a red stain spreading across his belly. He hadn’t meant to hit him, not really. He’d wanted vindication, an apology for the awful things Hamilton had said, not Hamilton’s death.

The hours, days of waiting, praying, that followed had been harrowing. Even when it was announced that Hamilton would not die, Burr hadn’t been safe in New York. A warrant went out for his arrest on the charge of dueling, though none had been issued against Hamilton. He’d fled Southward to safer ground, and hadn’t yet returned home.

“I would have paid you a call,” Burr began, the apology that had lived in his chest beginning to bubble out. “The timing didn’t seem appropriate. And then I had to leave—”

Hamilton sliced a hand through the air to cut off the explanation. “I wasn’t in any condition to receive you then anyway.”

They shared a long, quiet moment.

“You need me,” Hamilton insisted, jumping back to the topic at hand. “Your counsel is more than competent. I’m sure they will be able to convince Marshall and jury that the prosecution lacks evidence to convict on such a serious charge. But a not guilty verdict won’t mean much if it appears to have been won on a technicality. You’ll win in the court of justice, but not in the court of public opinion. Then what? Flee back to the West, or to Europe?”

“And you’ll win over the public?” Burr can’t help the skeptical tone in his voice. Hamilton’s never exactly been popular with the people, outside of the passage of the Constitution and the first few months after his catastrophic injury.

“Jefferson’s people are lost to you, whatever you do,” Hamilton replied. “But my support can win forgiveness from the Federalists. You could come home to New York.”

Burr hated just how good that proposal sounded.

“If they indict me,” Burr decided, emphasizing the first word, “We’ll talk.”

**

Burr fumbled in his pocket for the card with Hamilton’s current address scrawled across the back in his familiar, sloping hand. Two guards trailed behind him, allowing him one last stop before taking him to Luther Martin’s where he was to remain under house arrest. He was keenly aware of his conspicuousness as people peeked around curtains to watch his progress down the street.

“I’m surprised you’re not staying with Marshall,” Burr had remarked when Hamilton had jotted down the address for him.

“He offered,” Hamilton had replied as he finished penning the Broad Street address with a flourish. “But it seemed rather a conflict of interest given what I was in town to do.”

Matching the number on the card to that of house before him, Burr took a steadying breath and tapped his cane against door twice. Theo had been the one who insisted he call on Hamilton. Now that the grand jury had handed down an indictment, the threat of death loomed large over them all, except for his dear little Gampy, who remained happily oblivious.  

A servant admitted him to a small parlor to wait. He paced anxiously for several minutes, painfully aware of his armed escorts waiting just outside, until he heard voices in the next room. Peeking his head out the door, he saw Hamilton and Eliza in the larger parlor across the way. Hamilton was bent forward in the chair, his arms braced against his knees, as Eliza tugged up his shirt to reveal his back and scooped something out of a small jar with her fingers.

“You’re in pain,” Eliza was saying, her expression severe. “Doctor Hosack said to apply the analgesic cream when you first feel a twinge, so it won’t get worse. And frankly, I don’t much mind keeping that man waiting.” The reference to Burr dripped with a loathing of which he hadn’t imagine the normally sweet, friendly woman capable.

Hamilton grimaced as his wife smoothed the contents of the jar gently over his spine. Her hand seemed to linger longer than necessary, savoring the touch. At last, she readjusted the shirt into place and moved to assist her husband back into his usual position.

“I can do it,” he snapped with an edge of frustration. She stood back patiently while he struggled to adjust himself up in the chair. The effort seemed to leave him mildly breathless.

“Hey,” she urged softly when he was settled, prompting him to look up at her. Leaning down, she fussed with his blanket, and then pressed her lips to his in a slow, loving kiss. When she pulled back, her hands cupped his face in a gesture of cherishing adoration. “I love you.”

A smile tugged at his lips. “I love you, too.”

His gaze shifted towards Burr a moment later, and the smile disappeared. Eliza turned towards him as well, her eyes narrowing at the sight of him. Burr retreated back into the small parlor, uncomfortable at having witnessed the private moment.

The progress of the wheelchair towards the smaller parlor was audible. Burr remained standing, leaning on the mantle, while Eliza guided the chair into place opposite an arm chair. Hamilton tilted his head back to look at her.

“Could you give us a few minutes?”

“No,” she said, firmly.

“Betsey,” Hamilton sighed, a note of amusement entering his tone, “I hardly think I’m in any danger. What do you think he’s going to do to me in the middle of the parlor at three in the afternoon?”

“I never expected Mr. Burr would do anything to harm you.” Accusation and betrayal laced her words. Her hands rested protectively on the back of her husband’s chair as she spoke. Burr’s eyes went to the floor like a chastened child. “I have no interest in giving him the opportunity to prove me wrong again.”

“It’s fine,” Burr assured them both. “I'll only be a minute. I just came to say, well, to ask.…” He pushed out a breath. “The grand jury handed down an indictment. I'm to be held under house arrest at Martin's during the trial.”

Hamilton nodded, unsurprised.

“I need your help.” Burr couldn’t look at Eliza as he said it. He waited, half expecting Hamilton to grin or to gloat.

Instead, Hamilton gave him a reassuring smile. “It would be my pleasure, Mr. Burr.”

The relief that fluttered in his chest surprised him. He didn’t need Hamilton to assure victory in court, he knew. But his help promised something more than dodging a death sentence. The promise of forgiveness, of home, resided in Hamilton’s open expression. Unable to articulate the soaring feeling inside him, Burr managed only a whispered, “Thank you.”

[jloves-pp]

the tribe of Paraven: Book of Magic - part 5

Chapter 5

"It was that way!"

"No, Phoebe, I recall that stump, so we must be close to the car."

Phoebe rolled her eyes and sighed at her boyfriend Douglas' persistence. They went camping for the weekend, she hoped they would be going a campsite but he wanted to 'do it properly'. Now they were in the middle of nowhere, tying to find their car so they could go and buy food.

"Why don't we try to find that old house we saw yesterday", Phoebe said as she sat on a fallen tree and she flicked open her phone.

Douglas checked the compass, "No, as soon as we find that mossy rock, the sooner we'll find the car" Phoebe looked up at him for a bit then looked back at her phone, she clicked on her photos but as she waited for it to load she jumped when she saw something moving in the trees behind her. Phoebe quickly turned but there was nothing there.

"Did you see that?" She asked aloud.

"See what?" Douglas replied absent mindlessly.

"There was something in the trees", Phoebe said, getting up and walking nervously to her boyfriend.

"Probably just a squirrel",

"It's wasn't a squirrel, it was bigger than one and black!'' she explained, "Let's just go, I getting the creeps"

Then they both heard a loud rusting, the couple turned towards a bush where the noise had come from.

"OK maybe there is something there" Douglas said as Phoebe began tugging on his shirt sleeve, she couldn't help but think this was like something out of a horror film. "I'll see what it is" Douglas said, Phoebe instinctively grabbed his arm.

"No let's go to the car and go home" she begged.

"Ok", he said after seeing the fear of his girlfriend's face. He put an arm reassuringly around Phoebe but as they started to go Douglas stopped and said "Oh no our camping stuff"

"We'll come back later, come on" she pulled on his hand but he didn't budge.

"Look, I'll go back and get our things, you stay there," he quickly said and ran off before Phoebe could stop him.

"Doug, Douglas, COME BACK PLEASE!", but he was out of sight Phoebe cried desperately after him but there was no sight or sound of him, nothing. She headed to their camp, she thought he must have headed there.

Phoebe found her bearing remembered where it was but when she was halfway there something familiar caught her eye. She stopped and reached down for a closer look, her face dropped, it was Douglas' compass ''He'd never go anywhere without it'', she said aloud to herself.

Phoebe felt uneasy now and was about to run when she felt something grab her ankle and it pulled her hard down to the ground and she was dragged away. Phoebe's screamed at the top of her lungs. Her phone had fallen to the ground and lit to show a picture of her mum who was calling her, but the poor girl was now too far to answer it.

"And after Jack's movie, that's when the Big Four fandom started, they put your movies together in stories and pictures online...and that leads up to now"

Sally explained to Jack, Rapunzel, Merida and Hiccup, she explained the history of animation companies, their stories and anything else she thought of which related to these. The young girl felt relieved to have shared this information but was a bit nervous as she saw the shock and disbelief painted on their faces.

"So, let me get this straight, we are out of animated movies", Jack asked.

"Yes", Sally replied simply.

"And we're actually cartoon characters that are from the films," Hiccup then said rubbing his face.

"Yes", Sally said again.

"And we are in the world that are in the stories!",

Rapunzel then said "How...how is that possible?"

"Well we're not sure" Sally said as she rubbed her necklace.

"Can't you send us back" Merida said finally said

"We don't know how!" Maria replied, she and Charlie had let their sister talk, Maria felt now was the time to tell them more "All we know is what we've learned is in the book."

Sally handed Hiccup the spell book and quickly turned the pages.

"Is this a magic book? Oh! Did it bring us here" Rapunzel asked, who was looking at the book.

"We think so, there where jewels in each corner but they're gone" Maria said.

"So that means we're stuck here," Jack saw Sally looking down, avoiding their eyes.

"I'm sorry, we want to help but..."the young girl muttered but she stopped when Rapunzel stood up and hugged Sally.

"Hey, it's OK. You didn't do anything wrong," Rapunzel said reassured Sally.

"She's right kiddo," Jack then said gently placing his hand on Sally's shoulder which made her jump a little "We'll figure it out and a way to return home, together."

This made Sally smile, she and felt relieved to hear that Jack was being so positive. It was at that moment Ollie entered the room with the phone clutched in his hand.

"Ollie? Who's is on the phone?" Maria asked.

"Mama." the little boy replied which made his older sibling's eyes widen.

"Oh no," Maria quickly said before taking the phone and held it up to her ear. "Hi mum, how are you." She said as she walked passed everyone and went down stairs.

"Ur..why is she talking into that block" Hiccup commented when he Merida and Rapunzel wondered what Maria was holding.

"It's a cellphone" Sally explained, "you use it if want to send someone a message or to see how they are!"

"Don't you use a carrier pigeon?" Merida questioned.

"Well we don't use one" Sally explained then Charlie added

" Let's just say, no one has used those for decades."

"Oh" Rapunzel murmured and the kids could see they understood what he meant.

They all went downstairs again when they found Maria still talking on the phone.

"Yes we're fine; we're just about to have breakfast. Well it's been a busy morning. Ok talk to you later, bye", Maria hung up the phone and breathed a sigh of relief.

"What did mum say?" Sally asked.

"She was just asking how we are and what we're doing. The usual stuff", Maria explained "We should have breakfast, are we getting dressed …"

They headed into the kitchen, all of them heard a loud grumble that was coming from Toothless, he looked at them sheepishly before hanging his head.

"You're hungry are you bud?" Hiccup said patting his dragon, the Night Fury reply with a purr.

Sally stopped and turned to the Big Four.

"Ur..do you want breakfast?" She asked them.

"Oh, I would love some" Rapunzel said smiling. Jack, Hiccup, Merida hesitated at first but then they nodded.

"Toothless?" Sally heard Hiccup say, the Night Fury had walked down, sniffing the double doors, the double doors that led into Grandad's room.

"Don't let him in there" Sally cried but it was too late. Toothless opened the door and stood in horror at what he saw. They all heard him about to fire at the stuffed animals. Not really thinking, Sally ran in front of the dragon and quickly shut his mouth tight.

"Please don't, if you fire, you'll burn the whole house down and we'll all be in serious trouble", Sally relaxed when she heard Toothless swallowing his fire and purring to her which made the young girl remove her hands. The others had followed her and the Big four took one look at the taxidermy and suddenly understood why Sally didn't want Toothless to go in there.

"It's ok bud", Hiccup whispered to Toothless and help him back out of the room.

"Um...these are kind of off putting" Rapunzel commented while softly stroking Pascel who was scared after seeing some stuffed lizards in glass cases.

"This is fine with me, we have a lots of stuff dears and bears back home", Merida then said and they closed the doors and just to be extra safe, Jack froze the doorknobs.

It was a very strange breakfast for everyone, The Collins children had their cereals but it was hard for them to not stare at the cartoon characters. Sally tried to find something for Toothless, she knew that he loved to eat fish but she could only find fish fingers, so she put some in the oven of the dragon for try. Merida found a bowl of fruit, she took an apple and then another and give it to Hiccup who thanked her. Rapunzel wanted to make scrambled eggs and was enjoying trying out the cooker, Sally had to show her how the cooker and the toaster worked, Pascal watched with interest, when the toast popped up the noise made nearly everyone jump and Toothless growled at it. Jack had sat himself on the counter leaning against his staff. He was asked if he wanted anything he declined explaining as he's a spirit he doesn't need to eat.

"So your Mum and Nan are at it again?" Jack asked Maria.

"They're at a craft show, you know they like making things at home and they meet other people who do similar things, or the sometimes sell their own things, they love going to them, they'll be home tomorrow but I don't know how we will explain you to them!" Maria said as she placed their bowls in the sink.

"Well, I'm sure they won't mind," Rapunzel said as she shared her food with Pascal and Baby Tooth, Oliver also offered his food to them.

"They will probably think we're crazy or ground us for life." Charlie said munching on a banana. As they talk, Toothless was looked at towards the fish fingers. Sally knelt down next to the dragon to check the food.

"I think it's ready," she said before grabbing a cloth, taking the tray out and putting the fish fingers on a plate. "Here you go, it isn't what your use to but I hope you don't mind," Sally said as she put the fish fingers in front of the dragon.

Toothless sniffed the fish fingers, before quickly eating them up,he seemed to enjoy them but then they could see Toothless looking like he was going to be sick. Hiccup went to his best friend's side, calming him by petting and talking to him. Luckily, Toothless wasn't sick but they knew never to give him fish fingers again. Quickly, Merida found a bowl, filling it with water she placed it in front of Toothless.

"Here," Merida said to him softly, Toothless purred at her before drinking the water.

"Is he going to be ok?" Rapunzel asked after the dragon had finished his drink and headed to the living room.

"Yeah, he'll be fine" Hiccup said then turned to Sally "but what was in those fish things?"

"Just fish and breadcrumbs, but it looks like Toothless had a bad reaction to the breadcrumbs" Sally said rubbing her necklace.

"We'll get him some fresh fish when we go to the shops," Maria said as she stood up, " but now, we'd better get dressed."

It was then all of them heard the TV turn on. Curious, they all went to the living and saw Toothless staring at the screen in wonder. When the Night Fury entered the room he had stepped on the remote control and had accidentally turned it on.

"What's that?" Rapunzel asked.

"That's a television, TV for short" Charlie explained picked up the remote. "And use this, " he handed it to Rapunzel who pressed a button and changed the channel. Staring in wonder the golden haired girl began pushing buttons she was amazed by every new image. Merida went up to the screen and touched it.

"It's a glass, it's made out of glass" Merida said in awe. Hiccup looked at how it worked, finding wires and plugs and asked questions about it, Maria and Charlie answered the best they could.

Sally watched everything in wonder, the characters reactions to their new surroundings and with each other, she couldn't help but smile. She thought that lots of people wish to meet their favourite characters but to be able to actually talk to them and possible even become their friends, she felt that she and her siblings were really lucky, she was engrossed in their reactions, she wondered what time they were from, this must have been thinking aloud instead of to herself, because she jumped to find Jack leading against the wall next to her. She felt herself blushed and quickly turned away.

"Ur...well Merida is from the Middle Ages, also I think Hiccup is from around then because he is from the Vikings age and Rapunzel is from the 19th century," Sally explained trying to remember what she knew.

"Well that explains a lot," Jack said and then noticed Sally's butterfly necklace. "That necklace!" even though he said it softly, Sally heard it and her hand instantly found her necklace.

"What, this?" she asked him.

"Sorry it's just I feel like I'v seen it before," Jack explained. He wondered why it was so familiar but before Sally could say anything. A loud sound boomed seemingly out of nowhere, Sally and Jack covered their ears but they still heard Maria shouting "TURN IT OFF!"

What happened was Rapunzel was still clicking channels on the TV until she put a rock channel on and the sound was so loud it was affecting Toothless, he started twitching and roaring. Charlie instantly ran over and turned the TV off.

"What's was that?" Merida asked aloud after a moment.

"It is Rock music!" Charlie said and the added, "And now we know that dragons don't like heavy metal!" they could see Toothless now looked much better, purring happily and began sniffing around until he found something that been knocked off the table.

"What is it bud?" Hiccup asked as he followed where the dragon was looking and saw a book but it was the "How to train your dragon" book. When Hiccup saw his name on the cover, he quickly picked it up, stood up and turned to the kids.

"What's this, I don't remember writing a book?" Hiccup said showing them the book. Maria, Sally and Charlie froze, neither of them knew what to say but Maria decided to be the one to explain.

"Well here, people write books and some get turned into movies, it called adaptation. Your story was written by woman name Cressida Cowell!" Maria explained and saw Hiccup's face change."So, this is where Toothless and I come from?" The Viking asked understanding a bit.

"Ur, not exactly, your movie is loosely based on the book, there are lots of changes but that's something that usually happens with any adaptation," Maria added, she thought of telling the differences between the book and movie but thought it would be too much for him.

"What about me? Do I have a book?" Jack asked curiously. "You're a mythical legend here and there are different versions of books about you too. You are in a book series called "the Guardian of Children," by a man named William Joyce!" Sally said as she rubbed her necklace, trying not to blush as she felt Jack Frost looking at her.

"And me?" Rapunzel asked even though she was nervous, to her the answer."Oh your story is a very old fairytale that be around for decades!" Sally answered, "But what happens to you is slightly different than in the book."

"Oh like what?" Rapunzel asked eagerly.

"Ur.. we aren't quite sure!" Charlie said knowing that he and his sisters wouldn't want to tell Rapunzel what happened in the tale.

"So, do I have a story, I mean maybe an old folktales or something like that" Merida finally said. Maria bit her lip before saying reluctantly

"Actually your story isn't based an existing story, it was made from scratch at Pixar as an all original idea."

Maria saw Merida scrunching up her face "Oh that's grand" the redhead said furiously!

"All the things I did, all the things I and my family been through. Wasn't told until now?"

"Technically it was two years ago" Charlie quieting murmured.

"CHARLIE!" Sally and Maria shouted at him, knowing that wasn't helping. Sally took a moment to think before she stepped towards Merida.

"Merida, the studio only make originals stories, so your story isn't based on anything but that makes you unique," She explained, Sally wondered if what she said had any effect, she was relieved to see Merida's face relaxed and she smiled.

"Ok, I think it's time we got washed and dressed, before we think of what to do next" Maria said and she and her siblings headed upstairs, but not before Sally turned and said to the Big Four.

"Oh please make yourselves comfortable and but please don't touch any of the electronics."

They looked at each other before they nodded. When the kids disappeared upstairs, Jack, Hiccup, Merida and Toothless saw Rapunzel began to climb the stairs "Erm, where are you going?" Jack asked.

"I wanted to look around, I'm just curious about what's here" Rapunzel explained.

"Hang on, I'll come too!" Merida then said and the girls headed upstairs.

Jack and Hiccup noticed Oliver who was still down stairs he was showing Toothless, Pascal and Baby Tooth (who was perched on the dragon's head) his dinosaurs, the two teens laughed when Toothless sniffed at the T-Rex and then knocked it over which make the youngest of the children get cross.

"No don't do that" they looked at the funny sight of a two year old telling off a fire breathing dragon was very funny.

Meanwhile Rapunzel and Merida were interested in the pictures on the walls, they were distracted by the sound of water running coming from the shower. The door to the bathroom was open ajar so the girls could see Charlie had removed from his night shirt when he glanced up, he covered up immediately and yelled.

"Hey I'm changing!"

Rapunzel quickly closed the door and the girls started to giggle. "Oh wee lamb," Merida said smiling. Just then Sally popped her head out down from the bedroom door.

"What's going on?"

"Oh sorry, we were looking around and we saw Charlie in there by accident he got a bit of a shock!" Rapunzel explained.

Sally joined the girls with a giggle, "Oh don't worry, it happens all the time."

"Do you mind if we see where you sleep?" Rapunzel asked.

"Sure me and Maria are waiting for the shower," Sally said then she saw the confusion look on the princesses faces, "It's like rain, a place where we wash?"

Realizing was Sally meant, Merida and Rapunzel entered the room. Maria and Sally were busy picking out her clothes to wear, when Rapunzel saw the clothes on the bed, she picked up each item and examining it.

"Is this what girls usually wear in this world?" Rapunzel asked placing a pink t-shit against her chest.

"Well, we have all sort of different types of clothes for different people," Sally said as Merida picked up a pair of Maria's pants.

"You know my mum would lock me up me if she saw me wear these!" Merida said smiling as held them to her waist.

"They would suit you," Maria commented and they all had a bit of fun with Rapunzel and Merida who played with modern clothes in the mirror. Then Rapunzel spotted something in the mirror.

"Aaah he's is cute" Rapunzel turned and picked up a yellow, soft but scruffy teddy bear from Sally's bed.

"Ur please be careful with him, he's old and much loved" Sally said with a worry.

"That is her Pooh Bear, she had him since she was little," Maria laughed a bit at her little sister who was panicking. "She can't sleep without him!" Maria then saw Sally narrowing her eyes at her and she knew what she was saying without saying a word.

"I never seen a stuffed bear," Merida comment.

"Oh, I forgot teddy bears didn't exist in your timeline," Maria said.

"Well I think he's lovely and he must love you too Sally," Rapunzel said and then gentle handed the bear back to Sally, the young girl smiled at her favourite Princess and hug her bear close to her chest. As Sally finished hugging her bear and placed him back of her bed, she had a lots of questions she wanted asked them so she decided this could be a good time to ask one.

"So what do two thi..."

"OK, bathroom free!" Charlie called from the door he was dress in his jeans and a red shirt with long white sleeves. "I'll get Ollie dressed and did anyone tell you not enter when someone in the bathroom" he said, directing this comment at the Princesses.

"Well you should keep the door closed laddie," Merida replied, his sisters covered their mouth by hide their laughter.

As Charlie leave, Rapunzel turned to Sally and Maria "well you two get yourself wash and dress while we continue exploring" as with that Rapunzel grabbed Merida by the arm and pull her out of the room with Rapunzel's hair trailing after them.

The sisters stood for a moment before Maria asked Sally, "We're you going ask them if they like Jack and Hiccup?"

"Mmm...maybe," Sally admitted after a moment.

Downstairs, Charlie found Oliver playing dinosaurs with Jack and Hiccup and the telling them about his toys. Charlie could see that the teen boy was having a good time. The winter sprite was a national with Ollie, asking him things and pretending one of the triceratops was nibbling Oliver and Hiccup was asking the name of them and if they could breathe fire.

"I heard in the medical ages, when they found dinosaur bones and thought they were remain of dragons" Charlie explained

"Oh that explained a couple of things" Hiccup answered as his dragon rested his head lightly on top of Hiccup's head.

Charlie smile at him before turning to his brother "come on Ollie, let's get clothes and then you can play with Toothless" he said holding out his hand.

Oliver got up and took Charlie's hand and the two climbed the stairs, Jack watched the brothers until disappear. It was then he heard noises at the front door, he turned to see the dragon was pressing his paw against the door. Hiccup approached to his friend and softly scratches his head.

"You want to go out, don't you bud" Hiccup asked. After Jack join them with Baby Tooth on the shoulder. The tiny fairy squeaked and pointed at a bunch of key hanging on the wall.

He took them out the hood and looked forward them until he found the right. Hiccup and Toothless watched him put the key into the lock and turn it. Jack opened the door and the two boys, Baby fairy and Toothless walk out onto the porch. The Night Fury immediately ran out onto the path, he stressed and spreading out his wings. The boys looked around from the porch all that they could see were trees, grass, flowers, a rock path and a gravel road.

"Jack? Hiccup? Where are you?" They heard Rapunzel from inside the door.

"We're out here" Hiccup called to them and soon the girls apparently. Merida instantly joined the boys and gazed from the stairs but Rapunzel hesitated.

She'd never been outside before, she'd always wanted to venture of her tower, even for just one day but her mother wouldn't heard of it. She would tell Rapunzel countless times that the outside world was dangerous and filled with heartless people. The gold haired girl would never disobey her, but after meeting her new friends and knowing she was in a different world. Her fears began to lessen, Pascal gave her a smile and Rapunzel step out of the door way.

"Well what do you think Punz?" Jack asked as she stood next to him.

"It's so beautiful, is this what all worlds are like?" Rapunzel gazing out in awe.

"Well not every single one" Merida said before something Made her laugh. Toothless was rolling about the grass obviously enjoying it "He's nothing but a giant cat"

Hiccup had to smile and then ran down the stairs to join his best friend. He began playing and scratching Toothless while the dragon licked his friend and rubbed his face lovingly.

Merida came down and watched the two of them playing, she'd never seen friends that were so close, it was actually sweet. But then she noticed something about Hiccup. Merida saw that Hiccup only had a one leg, the other leg had a prosthetic leg made out of wood and metal. Merida was surprised but not shocked.

The Viking had turned his head cause his dragon was trying his best to tickle him, he saw Merida looking at him,stunned. He followed her gaze to his fake leg.

Before Hiccup could say a word, Merida quickly said "No,no,no I'm not shocked, I've just never met anyone else that had one leg"

Hiccup felt relieved after what Merida said. It was a proud thing back home if you lost a limb. But he didn't know what people outside of Berk would think, so seeing Merida was ok with it, made him felt better.

Then he said, "Wait who else do you know who lost a leg?"

"Aya, my Dad. He lost his when he fought Mor'Du the demon bear," Merida told him.

"A bear?" Hiccup said before added. ' I lost mine during a battle with a giant dragon we called the Red Death."

"Oh how big was it?" Merida asked becoming more interested now.

"It was as big as a cliff side" Hiccup replied, he saw the redhead chuckling.

"I thought Mor'Du was big but I'm imagining him being squashed by Red Death," she admitted. Hiccup now had the image in his head and he laughed with her. They felt so comfortable with each other; it was like they'd known each other for years.

Jack had jumped up and landed on the ground, he turned and called to Rapunzel and saw the golden haired girl slowly stepping down and staring at the ground.

"Are you ok Punz?" Jack asked, Rapunzel jumped a bit when she heard him. She was too busy thinking if she should go outside as she wasn't used to just leaving the house when she wished too.

She laughed nervously before saying "Well, I.." She hesitated but nothing came out.

"Has she never been outside before?" Jack thought to himself. She appeared delightful and innocent; he wondered what her life was like back home. He wanted to ask but then maybe something she wouldn't be uncomfortable talking about so he decided not to push it. "Well there's nothing to fear" he reassured her and held out his hand to her. "May I?"

With a nod from Pascal, she had made her mind up and reached out and took his hand. Rapunzel put one foot on the grass then the other. She nervously laughed as she wriggled her toes in the soil. Rapunzel then looked up at the sky, a wave of excitement and wonder came over her. A smile started to grow on her face, she squealed and started bounding all around the yard, doing cartwheels, spinning and jumping even swinging from the trees using her hair.

Meanwhile Jack, Hiccup, Merida, Baby Tooth and Toothless watched in bewilderment.

"Has she never been outside before?" Merida asked the boy.

"I don't think so," Jack answered placing his staff on his shoulder.

"Do you think she was kidnapped or something?" Hiccup then said.

The winter sprite looked back to Rapunzel rolling in the grass, but her long golden hair cocooned her, and she tried to get out but she was laughing, obviously enjoying herself. Jack was always happy to see others people happy because that was his job, bringing fun and laughter to people lives. So, watching Rapunzel acting so joyful, made him feel happy too and he was starting to like her.

"I don't know," Jack simple said shrugging. After that Rapunzel ran up to them, still smiling from ear to ear.

"This is best day ever!" Rapunzel said, she giggled and then she gasped "we should go and explore this world, who knows what else this world has to discover".

"That's sounds like a grand idea" Merida agreed putting her hands on her hips.

"I would love to, but what about Maria, Sally, Charlie and Ollie? Shouldn't we tell them?" Hiccup suggested, rubbing his neck.

"Hey don't worry, we'll be back before they even known we're gone" Jack said. After they all agreed, they started to get ready. Hiccup climbed on to Toothless's saddle he looked behind him to check that the dragons tail was working.

"Do you mind if I ride with you?" Merida asked Hiccup.

He bit his lip for a moment before saying "No, by all means"

The Scottish girl grinned from ear to ear, trying hard to hold in her excitement. She always wondered what it was like to fly ever since she was little. Now actually getting the chance to ride on the dragon, she wasn't letting this chance go. As quick as a flash Merida instantly climbed up and was sitting behind Hiccup.

"Ur it will probably be hard for Toothless to carry all of us" Hiccup said Jack and Rapunzel.

"No it's ok. I can soon catch up" Jack replied

"Oh and how are you going to do that?" Merida asked him, the only response she got was a smirk from the winter sprite. Jack turned to Rapunzel and held out his staff.

"You've better hold on to this" Jack said with a glint in his eye.

Rapunzel instantly knew what Jack meant; she knew both Hiccup and Merida didn't know that he could fly. Weren't they in for a shock? Rapunzel grabbed the staff and Jack called to the heavens

"Hey wind, take us up."

Suddenly Rapunzel felt the wind blowing towards her. Her hair was going anywhere and she held on to Pascal.

Jack quickly put an arm around Rapunzel and they were launched into the air.

Merida, Hiccup and even Toothless were astounded as they watched them going higher with Baby Tooth right behind them.

"Holy bear cubs, do you see that?" Merida cried in disbelief.

"Yeah, but how?" Hiccup answered. Toothless grumbled allowed for he never seen a human fly on they own before.

Rapunzel felt as if they had stopped, she opened her eyes and could see all the things she always heard of the magnificent mountains, hills, rivers, houses, forests, roads and the shining sea.

"What do you think Punz?" She heard Jack say. She turned to him and smiled brightly to him.

"It's absolutely beautiful, I never thought it would be this big," Rapunzel replied as she smiled at her chameleon who was sharing in her excitement.

Jack smiled at her before seeing Baby Tooth giving him a look. He smirked then looked to see the others who were still on the ground. "Hey, are you guys coming?"

Merida and Hiccup looked at each other and then to Toothless. "Well what are we waiting for, ready bud?" Hiccup finally said. Toothless nodded and before Merida knew it, they were up in the air.

The sudden launch caused Merida to quickly put her arms around Hiccup and hold on but when she looked behind her, she smiled seeing everything getting smaller. Hiccup blushed slightly when he felt Merida's arm around him, he wondered if she was frightened, but hearing Merida laugh, eased his worries.

Soon they reached Jack and Rapunzel, the dragon hovered next to them

"Nice of you to join us" Jack said bowing.

"Ha ha very funny," Hiccup said dryly. "So where should we go first? He then said.

They have a look around before Rapunzel said "oh I can see a town over there" she pointed to a nearby town in the distance.

"Ok, let's go" Jack said before they flew off freely in the air. Soaring they divided as they headed toward the town.

As they set off, the Collins kids were all washed and dressed. Sally was first one to come down now wearing a blue dress with white leggings. She thought that the Big Four were still in the house; she looked all around but couldn't find them anywhere. She began to panic when they were nowhere to be seen.

"Ok I think we should try to figure out this situation." She heard Maria talking; Maria now dressed her green sweatshirt over her blue shirt and Denim trousers.

"Sally, what's wrong?"

"They're gone!" Sally replied.

"Gone! How!" Maria said.

"I don't know. I came down and they're not here" Sally said.

The sisters instantly search around the room until Charlie, carrying Oliver who was wearing a blue and white stripes t-shirt with shorts, came down the stairs.

"Hey what's going on," Charlie asked after seeing his sisters' worried faces.

"The Big Four are missing!" Maria said out of breath.

"How? How could they've can they all disappeared, especially Toothless?" Charlie said. Sally happened to looked at the door and noticed that it was open a crack.

"Oh no!" She said countless times, at she headed to the door and ran outside.

Maria, Charlie and Oliver followed her and saw Sally frantically looking around.

"They must have flown off!" She finally said puffing for her breath.

"How" Charlie asked. It made his sisters roll their eyes,

"One has a pet dragon and the other can control the wind. How do you think they flew?" Maria said loudly

"Oh no, they could be miles away now" Sally said beginning to panic.

"Ok we'll have to find them before someone sees them, let's check town first. Hopefully they're there" Maria told her and they quickly went to get their bikes from their Nan's.

"Maybe someone should stay here, just in case they come back" Charlie suggested but Sally shook her head.

"No, we have to stay together. That's what mum told us to do" she explained.

Charlie sighed; he placed his little brother in his bike seat and joined his sisters.

Maria grabbed the keys and locked the door.

"It will be easy to spot them if they're flying!" she said and they pedalled their bikes down to the opening and onto the road. Not knowing something was watching them, something dark was lurking amongst the bushes.

here the line to the story from the beginning-https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12967265/1/The-tribe-of-Paraven-Book-of-Magic

[crazy4thewinbros]

Tears of the Sun AU

Hi everyone, so here it is the last chapter, hope you enjoyed this!

Ao3

Chapter 15: Family.

3 months later…

He was nervous, the Langs had invited him to Cassie’s birthday party and he had bought her a Barbie set with a house and a convertible, the lady in the store said it was what every 7 year old would want, Kamala was smiling at him from Peter’s arms, the toddler was infatuated with her big brother, the Parkers were more than happy to let Peter babysit and stay with him for the summer break, he smiled and knocked in the door, a few seconds later the door open revealing Clint with a baby boy in his arms, the smile was blinding and made him lose some nerves.

“Tony!” Clint yelled, he step aside and opened the door widely for them to enter, Peter and Kamala went on first and he next “I'm so glad to see you, man Steve said you had a work thing?” Clint asked, he nodded

“Yeah, but Pepper let me go early”

“Tony!” Scott said hugging him when he saw him enter in his house, he smiled at the man

“Hey, so where is the birthday girl?” He asked when they pulled apart, Peter and Kamala had already went to the food and the other kids, even if Peter was 14 now he wasn't going to say no to free pizza and ice cream, he sighed.

“Cassie is enjoying the bouncy castle in the back yard, give me that, you shouldn't have you know” Scott said taking the big bag with the gift, he waved away his concerns and smiled, he followed the men and gave little Nathaniel a poke in his pudgy belly with made him gurgle and give him a toothless smile.

“He is so damn cute Barton, he must take after the ms Barton, no?” He joked making the marksman show his tongue, he smiled at the man, then strong arms surrounded his shoulders in a back hug, the clean smell of forest and sea salt made him smile and relax in the embrace

“Hi, sweetheart” Steve's baritone made him shiver

“Not in front of the kids! Jesus!” Clint exclaimed, it was his turn to show his tongue to the blonde, Steve laughed making him shake too.

It wasn't easy be with the ex marine, not after getting back from Wakanda, he was getting updated with what he had missed in SI, Kamala adopting papers and the fallout of SHIELD and how they wanted Steve to be in the chair, and still go for missions but Steve had decline altogether and was in plans of opening his own diner along with Buck and Sam; so getting time to go on a proper date was a challenge but Steve had asked and he had say yes and they were happy now, still balancing their times and schedules; but he was happier than ever.

“Tony, Tony! They have a huge bouncy castle can I take Kam, promise I will take care of her” Pete said with a wide grin, Kamala firmly in his embrace, he nodded “oh hi Steve! Mr. Lang this party is awesome!” The teen said, the quick smile and retreat made him sigh this kid was high on sugar and it hadn't even been 15 minutes since they arrived

“The crash will be spectacular in that one” Nat said next to them a beer on her hand an a mischievous smile on her lips, he smiled and nodded

“It's good to see you my friend Anthony” Thor voice boomed in the room, he smiled and waved at the gentle giant, Jane waved and smiled too.

“If you hold him on even more tightly the good doctor will be crushed” Bucky said behind them, Steve went to let go in embarrassment but he held tightly to his boyfriend frame

“I don't want him to let go Bucky, you are just dying with jealousy because now I hold your best friend attention” he remarked at the brunet, Buck smirked and rolled his eyes at him.

“Is that right?” Sam asked the glint in his dark eyes indicated trouble, he smiled in thanks when he handed him a beer

“I can see it, the green is not a good color on you Barnes” Bruce said

“Brucie!” He said dislodging from Steve arms and embracing his medic bro

“Auch! Green isn't good in Rogers either” Rhodey voice made him spin and launch himself to his best friend who was now accustomed to the hugs and openly public displays of love from him that didn't bat and eye to his clinging tendencies, after all it has been three months since he has seen him

“Platypus, sugar plum, my handsomest best friend to ever handsome in this ridiculous world, I missed you, Carol said you were stationed on the helicarrier for another month” he reproached

“I am, I gave myself a few days, Lang invited me to the party, I was ready to call you but Steve told me you were set in attending so I waited” Rhodey answered with a pat to his head and a fond smile that made him regress to his college years in MIT, he smiled at the man that stayed at his worst and smiled at his best. He pulled away when Carol appeared and held his platypus hand.

The party was a success, the kids were asleep or verily holding on awake, Scott and Clint were looking after them when they came to the yard when we were, cold beers on their hands and knowing smiles

“They are asleep?” Hope asked with a sweet smile, Scott nodded.

“To much sugar and that monstrosity of a castle” Bucky said with a smirk we all nodded the thing was huge and now that the kids were gone the adults went for a few rounds on it.

The chat was idle and light, he looked at the men and women that waved themselves in his life, Bruce and Betty who shared his excitement in medicine and engineering, Clint and Laura who were grateful to him for some reason he couldn't understand and their kids who were so cute and definitely took after Laura, of Wilson and Barnes who were like the big brothers he wished he never met now and longed to have as a kid, of Thor and Jane with their wit and perfect manners; of Nat and Valkyrie and their scary ways but who he loved non the less; of his platypus and Carol who loved each other so fiercely and loved him too, of Happy and Pepper and the Langs who made him part of their families; and Steve who smiled at him with a flicker of hunger and mischief; looked at him with those blazing blue eyes filled with love and happiness, he took his hand and smiled at the people gathered there, his friends, his family; mismatched, funky looking but loving and in that instant he knew he wouldn't let go for anything in the world.

The End.