#Brothers Pendergast at it again

[mydearaloysius]

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Meet My MC: Lyra Lexington

I'll edit this to make it cuter and more detailed while I play the story but here's what I have so far!

Nicknames: Ly, Little Miss Valedictorian, Doc, Lady, Queen

Born/Raised: Singapore -> New York -> Los Angeles

Books: Ride or Die, Queen B, Nightbound/Bloodbound, The Elementalists as a well-known Historian, and Crimes of Passion I and II (again, I haven't finished all of these books I just thought of this MC on the go)

Face Claim: Alyssa Raghu -> Naomi Scott/shredz55 (Insta)

Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Pansexual

Zodiac: Aquarius

Fashion Style: "Girl Next Door" with a hint of Bohemian Chic

Love Interest: Trystan Thorne

Past Relationships: Logan, Colt Kaneko, Professor Ian Kingsley, Nik Ryder, Violet Hale (OC) Past Flirtationships: Mona, Cal, Vera

Education/Major: BA in History at UC Berkeley; MA in Anthropology and Ph.D in Archeology at Harvard University; Magic Training at Pendergast College of Elemental Magicks

Family:

Great Great Great Great Great Grandmother: Desire and Decorum MC Great Great Great Grandmother: The Unexpected Heiress MC Godparents: Adrian Raines and Evelyn "Evie" Rouge Father(s): Lord Elric; Detective Antonio Lexington (FC: TBD) Mother: Lilavati "Lila" Solaris (FC: Nayanthara) Half-Brother: Tialo Maternal Cousin: My Queen B OC/The Elementalists MC Children (Twins): Amber Marguerite Thorne and Alice Nayeli Thorne Pet: Arcane (A Perrikin)

Backstory

Lilavati left her extremely controlling family after leaving for college to major in Economics, where she met Adrian Raines, and the two became close friends (she was already dating Lyra's father and unknowingly pregnant). As far as her family knows, she's a Board Member/Head of Business for Raines Corporation. In actuality, she's a witch who eventually started working as a kind of supernatural diplomat to ensure peace between supernatural beings, which ended up being for the NYC vampire clans. She's under the vampire clans' protection (but she associates most with Adrian since they're the closest). She was extremely happy for Adrian when he met Evie and fell deeply in love with her. After Lyra is born, she asks Adrian and Evie to be her godparents. In my head, Evie shows up at some point during Nightbound in the Priya Lacroix scene and mentions how much Lyra reminded her of her mother (it took Lyra a second to recognize who Evie was because it's been a while but she knew Evie was a familiar figure). Antonio blames Adrian and Evie (and the rest of the BB crew) for his wife's death and ensures they stay away from his daughter by moving to a smaller home in LA.

Fun Facts:

She's a very talented Carnatic singer! Her extended family wanted her to continue but as much as she loves to sing, she didn’t want to pursue it as part of her future

She is fluent in English and Spanish but proficient in Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, and Dravokian. She learned Spanish from her father and Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil from her mother. Her parents spoke those languages at home alongside English, but she became less fluent in the languages her mother spoke after she died. And after marrying Trystan, she obviously learned Drakovian

She’s from a wealthy family, or technically her mother was, but she left her old life to have her freedom before Lyra’s older cousins were even born. Lyra herself has an even larger inheritance after her mother died, but her father didn’t feel comfortable using her family money “irresponsibly.” She plans to use that money for her education.

[imaginependergast]

Hi, hope you r doing well🧡. Are you excited for the new Corrie and Nora novel? I love Corrie but Nora ...............,i don't know, just ok i guess. I miss Aloysius Pendergast like nobody's business 😭. And i wish someday the writers will consider writing a Pendergast and Corrie novel again . Stay well dear 💜💜. Green hair AP 😂.

I'm doing well, thanks! I hope you are, too :)

I kind of am in that it's something Pendergast adjacent. Granted, I say that but I've liked the other Corrie/Nora novels alright. As much as I love Corrie I don't really care about Nora. She's not a bad character, she just isn't very memorable to me. I also deeply disliked her brother and wasn't a fan of Smithback so that probably doesn't do her any favors.

I think a Pendergast/Corrie novel could be interesting! I think I remembering liking White Fire. I have a feeling though that Coldmoon is now Pendergast's FBI buddy- which is also good because Coldmoon is great.

Cheers~

[fallenfurther]

Homecoming - Together

Chapter 4 - The boys visit their father

Chapters 1 , 2 and 3.

A short one from Jeff's point of view. Enjoy!

*******

His whole family was relaxing in his private garden. Scott and Virgil sat beside him at the table, a pack of old playing cards between them with a game of rummy pretty much abandoned. It was a good thing they weren't keeping score as almost all their attention was on Alan. It was Alan's turn to share what had happened over the past eight years and he was currently standing before them, full of enthusiasm, as he recounted his mission to Europa. Gordon was perched on a cushion with his legs crossed, occasionally butting in with his own comments. His youngest still radiated energy, just as he’d done as a child, and Jeff could see the joy in Gordon's eyes when talking about the Pendergasts. He was going to have to look them up later to see what all the fuss was about, just as he'd done with Cavern Quest. Alan started to build up as he reached the climax of the rescue. Jeff had yet read the report for this rescue so wasn’t sure how much was being exaggerated, and although he knew they would be okay, his heart still raced at the drama. The sense of relief that washed over him when Alan informed them of their safe landing was immense. Alan really did remind him of himself, and brought back the memories and thrill of his own first trips into space. It hadn’t helped that Alan threw his arm into the air to show off their trajectory as they’d burst through the ice, face full of excitement. He'd hoped the young man would go to college, but with his eyes set on space and with access to a rocket, it might be hard to convince the boy otherwise. There was a round of applause and a bow at the end of the story, before Alan settled into the floor next to Gordon.

"So, Gordon, did you ever get to join WASP or did you go straight into the family business?"

Gordon had once had his eyes set on WASP after finishing his Olympic career. Jeff regretted that he wasn't there to see Gordon take gold, but they had shown him the footage. Gordon had been pulled into a hug as tears of pride fell from Jeff’s eyes. He'd re-watched the footage multiple times since, as well as the other home footage they had supplied over and over when he felt alone in his room. The boys had been his motivation to survive and they were still his biggest motivation now. They had all turned into respectable men despite his disappearance and he was so proud of them all.

"Actually, I did. Only for the training year though. They did say they would welcome me back if I ever got bored of International Rescue. It was definitely the right thing to do. WASP taught me so much when it came to the sea, currents and challenges of being in an underwater craft. That training set me right up for piloting Thunderbird Four, helping me work as a team and focus on learning the best ways to rescue people. They're a really cool bunch of people and I'm still in contact with them."

"That's good to hear, son."

Jeff wanted to place a hand on Gordon's shoulder, but he was on the wrong side of the table. He'd always worried about Gordon, who'd struggled with paying attention at school. Jeff had spent hours trying to convince him to study and do homework. If it didn't line up with his interests, Gordon never wanted to do it. The school teachers always compared him to his brothers, who had all been good studiers and never needed prompting, yet Gordon would always surprise them when given free rein on the topic. If he could make it about the sea, he would, and that was when Gordon would shine. The diorama of the coral reef and pollution levels had surprised his teachers, especially when Jeff had confirmed that Virgil had only helped by giving Gordon verbal painting suggestions. Knowing Gordon had still pursued WASP meant everything to Jeff. He'd only wanted the boys involved with International Rescue out of their own desire, and not pressured by a feeling of duty. Gordon had joined WASP, seen what it would have been like to work for the organisation and decided he wanted to be part of the family business. The man had still stayed true to his own hopes and dreams.

"Hey, Dad, I was…" Scott started before a beep came from John's wrist, who was sitting quietly on the bench in the shade next to their grandmother. The familiar voice of EOS filled the garden.

"Sorry to interrupt, John, but there is an emergency that requires International Rescue for the greatest chance of success."

"What's the situation?"

"A building site explosion has caused some steel framework to collapse against the skyscraper across the road. There is a high probability people are trapped and there is a risk of further explosions as the cause of the first is currently unknown. Further explosions could lead to more damage to the surrounding buildings. I believe Thunderbird One and Two are both required."

"FAB, EOS." John turned to the group, determination on his face. "Ready to go?"

"What are we waiting for?" Alan jumped to his feet, fist in the air. "Thunderbirds are go!"

The scraping of chair legs filled the air and Scott placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Duty calls, Dad. See you soon."

Jeff’s boys were running back into the facility with a wave goodbye over their shoulders. The pounding of their feet slipped away leaving the air still and the garden eerily quiet. Neither occupant spoke, waiting for the rumble that they knew would follow. It did just that. The roar of those great engines had faded in Jeff’s memory over the years, just as various other sounds of Earth had slipped from his mind. They were things he was experiencing again. This was Jeff’s chance to live again. Yet his boys couldn't stand down International Rescue when they visited as a family, so they always landed the craft in the field beside the facility. The downdrafts created by Thunderbird Two swept over the facility and his wind chimes clattered as the ship came into view. The quieter Thunderbird One was beside the green giant. Thunderbird Two picked up speed while Thunderbird One turned and sped away with a bang in the opposite direction. The green craft was soon out of sight, her roar fading away to nothing, and the slowing chimes and empty chairs the only evidence that they had ever been there. The rough scratching of a chair moving closer to him made him turn away from the sky before the space elevator came into view.

"They'll be back, don't you worry."

The smile on his mother's face was warm, familiar and filled him with comfort, even if it didn't chase away his worries. His boys were gone again, barely recovered from their last rescue. They had all been here. It still felt like such a rare treat, just as it had ever since Scott had left for the Air Force.

"It was never meant to be this way." Jeff sighed. His mother placed her hand on his and her cool blue eyes met his.

"This is your dream. Your boys are flying the Thunderbirds and saving people."

"Not like this though. I never planned for International Rescue to be needed as much as it is."

"Well, you couldn't have predicted just how successful and necessary International Rescue would be. They've risen to the challenge amazingly, Jeff."

"I know, Mum, but at what cost?"

Jeff ran his hand through his hair as he leant back and gazed at the sky. There was a small black dot that he believed was the elevator whisking John away. That's what the world did now. They called on International Rescue and snatched his boys away. Before, the rescues had been a few a month, leaving them plenty of time for relaxing and being together, especially when Alan and Gordon were home from school. He could see the exhaustion in his sons, the fact that there never seemed to be enough hours in the day for them to sleep. Alan seemed the least affected and appeared to have the most spare time, but Jeff had heard the yawns when they played Cavern Quest together.

"A cost they are willing to pay. Now, let's see if you've still got it in you to beat the master at Blackjack."

A bag of tokens landed on the table as his mother slid the discarded cards into a pile up and started to shuffle. Jeff smiled, though not entirely happy at the obvious distraction tactics, as he tipped the familiar coloured tokens on the table.

"If I remember correctly, you're in my debt at the moment, sure you want to deepen it further?"

There was a glint in his mother's eye as she met his own and her lip curled up.

"Just put the usual million on the table and we'll end the day with you owing me."

Jeff started stacking the counters into the required piles, happy to accept the challenge though he did wish his mother would let him listen in on the rescue. Hearing their voices would settle him a little, though Mum probably thought their daredevil antics would be too much for his old ticker. His heart worked fine. He'd just wanted his boys.

[gumnut-logic]

Callisto (Voyage - Bit 3)

Prologue Incident - Bit 1 | Bit 2 Fallout - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3 Voyage - Bit 1 | Bit 2 | Bit 3

This has settled down to a once a week post at the moment. I am still writing, but I’ve been writing the Prologue because I realised that I hadn’t written enough backstory to support the main story. So expect 4000-odd words of Jeff landing on Mars in the near future.

In the meantime, here is a little terrible twos being good bros.

As always, many, many thanks to @tsarinatorment​ @scribbles97​ and @janetm74​ for all their patient help. I’ve been a pain lately, so they have suffered greatly for my fic :D

I hope you enjoy this last bit of Part Two.

-o-o-o-

Gordon sat back and watched his father and Virgil leave the cockpit. John followed a moment later.

Gordon wasn’t hungry, not by a long shot. His stomach was still protesting the jump and he was quite happy staying where he was.

He wasn’t surprised that Scott, after reassuring himself that Alan was okay monitoring the course correction, disappeared after John. Gordon did not want to be in the room when that encounter happened. Not that he didn’t have his own beef with the astronaut over this. He couldn’t believe John would support their father going into space. John, of all people knew the health ramifications.

Speaking of which…

He unbuckled and pushed off his chair in the direction of his father’s chair. Formerly, his chair. He was of two minds regarding that fact, but considering he didn’t think Dad should even be in space, where he sat was of the least importance.

He hooked his foot around the base of the seat and pulled himself in beside his little brother.

Gordon’s eyes danced over the flight controls. “How’s it going?”

Alan glanced at him. “Computer is performing perfectly. We’ll stop to drop the buoy in about twenty-five minutes.” A raised eyebrow. “How’s the tummy?” And yes, there was a small smirk accompanying that.

“It’s fine.” As if to penalise him for lying to his little brother, his gut twisted.

Gordon let out a groan.

The smirk turned to a worried frown. “You sure you’re okay.”

He grunted at his brother. “I’ll live.” And he remembered that there were four more jumps there and likely five more on the way back. “Maybe.”

“Get Virg to drug you up. You’ll enjoy it more.”

‘Enjoy’ was rarely in the same sentence as ‘space’ in Gordon’s book. “Might do that.” Puking in zero-g was just messy and not to mention gross. “How come you aren’t feeling it?”

Alan shrugged. “Been playing with g-forces since I was a kid? This isn’t much different.”

Gordon grunted at him again.

They sat there together for a moment or two. There was something about hanging with his little brother that was different from hanging with his older brothers. More relaxed maybe, or just…different.

“Not often my ‘bird carries yours. This has to be only the second time.”

Gordon blinked. “Yeah? I think so. Not too many oceans in space.”

“Tell that to the Jupiter system.”

Space oceans were a thing. After the mad dash that was their trip to Europa, Gordon had made a point of reading up on all the extra-terrestrial oceans he could find.

Earth, of course, was the only body in the solar system with surface liquid water. There were buckets of ice on many of the other planets and moons, but none of that interested the aquanaut. He preferred his water well above zero degrees celsius.

Europa had been fascinating and he was still basking in the accolades from the scientific paper that he, Alan and his heroes, the Pendergasts, had jointly written. Readings from Four’s scanners had recorded everything and Earth’s scientific compliment were still going nuts years later. Tracy Industries had helped fund a proper scientific expedition to the moon.

Hmm, come to think of it, they should probably drop in and say hi on the way back. Would be interesting to catch up with Gwen and her team in person instead of over holovid.

Would be hilarious to knock on their door as a surprise. Hi, we were just in the area…

He grinned.

“What are you up to?” Alan was eyeing him suspiciously.

Gordon snorted. “Just thinking we should drop in on the Europa Extra-terrestrial Marine Expedition on the way back. I owe Gwen a jump-scare.”

His brother tilted his head, obviously calculating the possibility. “Could do. You should speak to Scott.”

That dragged him back to reality. “I guess it depends on Dad.”

Blue eyes darted in his direction. “Dad will be okay. You know that, don’t you?”

Gordon found he didn’t have the energy to get angry. “How can you know that?”

“I don’t.” Alan went quiet a moment. “But then how do you think I manage each time you go out on a mission?”

The aquanaut stared at him. “What?”

“Well, your health has never been and never will be one hundred percent, yet you still dart down to the bottom of the ocean, jump off high places and do things just like the rest of us. Do you think I don’t think of losing you all the time?”

Gordon froze a moment digesting that his little brother still worried about that… “That’s different.”

“Is it?”

“Dad…okay, I get your point. But I’m also worried about Scott.”

“What?” Alan stared at him.

“Can’t you see what this is doing to him?”

“Er, what?”

No, Alan hadn’t seen. “I have never seen Scott so terrified.”

“I repeat – what?”

“When Dad told us he was going. Scott just…” He swallowed. “Dad is hurting Scott and I, for one, am not going to stand for it. Virg isn’t either.”

Alan was staring at him. “You said Dad was cold and didn’t care. Abrupt, yes, that’s Dad, but I can’t believe he doesn’t care.” The astronaut shook his head.

“If he cared, he wouldn’t have come.”

“Gords-“

“Alan, trust me on this.”

His little brother stared at him again. “I trust you, Gordon, you know that. It’s a given. But I also trust Dad. He knows what he’s doing.”

Gordon pressed his lips together. “He doesn’t know everything and I really wish you guys would stop worshipping him as a god.”

“He’s not a god! He’s just…Dad.”

“Yeah, and that’s the problem.”

There was silence after that. Gordon not willing to berate Alan any further. It wasn’t Alan’s fault. He didn’t have the history with Dad Gordon did. He hadn’t had to fight to swim. Hadn’t seen Virgil struggle with his choices.

Hadn’t seen Scott give his everything to his father only to have it…ignored.

But no, that was history. Long ago. Before the Oort Cloud. Gordon had his issues regarding his father. He loved him, but he was a difficult man under all that passion. Being the son of a hero wasn’t everything it could be.

Scott worshipped the ground his father walked on. Gordon, not so much.

To see his father hurt Scott like that…Gordon’s blood just boiled.

“Is Scott okay?” Alan’s voice was smaller than usual.

“That’s just it, Allie. I don’t think so. You know how he gets. Like before the Oort Cloud. I, for one, don’t want him going there again.” ‘There’ being more a mental place than a physical.

Alan’s head dropped. “No.”

A voice rumbled behind them and both jumped. Michael was talking into comms, to Scott, something about the aft sensor array.

Crap. It was a sign of his distraction that he had forgotten the Mechanic was there. He glanced over, but the tattooed man showed no sign of even knowing they existed.

Gordon sighed.

A hand landed on his knee. “It’s going to be okay.” Blue eyes sought his. “It will be, Gords.”

He let out a breath, suddenly wishing he had Alan’s faith.

If anything happened to Dad…

“It. Is. Going. To. Be. Okay.” The hand on his leg squeezed tight.

But Gordon didn’t answer.

-o-o-o-

The drop of the communication buoy saw all of them back in the cockpit. John was the mastermind behind this little exercise and Virgil was, as usual, very proud of his space brother.

The design was ingenious, of course. John had taken a portion of the T-drive technology and applied it to communications. The same Tunnels created by the engine could be used to push what would otherwise be a simple comms signal through to the next buoy at a vastly accelerated rate. His brother had been working with Brains to realise this technology. Back in Earth orbit, a satellite connected the new network to the planetary network. On the way out, they would connect the Jupiter system. On the way back, they would connect Mars. Time delay communications would be a thing of the past.

Possibly as a tension reliever, John’s first signal went straight to Lady Penelope.

Gordon’s demeanour shifted immediately. His excited babbling did much to lighten the atmosphere in the cabin. The uninformed wouldn’t have been blamed for thinking he hadn’t spoken to her for years. Virgil knew for a fact the two of them had had a conversation shortly before they left.

The concept of ‘young love’ made him feel old.

And indicated just how tired he really was.

But sleep was something he couldn’t see happening very soon. Sure, he could try to take a nap en route. Hell, he had to. But his head was full of worry that likely wouldn’t let him rest.

Scott let Gordon babble for a full minute before cutting him off with the mission. Perhaps the commander saw how much the atmosphere needed to be lifted from the black depths they had fallen into.

Virgil hated it when his family argued. It didn’t happen often...okay, maybe they did quarrel every now and again - it came with the territory of working together. But nothing deep like this. Nothing that cut into the core of their very foundation. The surety that held them together.

Virgil sighed.

“Ready for jump.” Scott’s voice was all command and it forced Virgil to focus.

Pre-jump checklist as his brother called out to each of them.

“Airframe?”

“Craft secure. We are go.”

Blue eyes flickered to Michael. “Propulsion.”

“T-drive ready.”

“Helm.”

Alan’s back was tensed, his hand on the lever that would propel them further away from Earth. “Ready.”

The familiar countdown, such a part of their lives. Scott’s voice carried security...and Virgil’s faith.

Alan’s arm moved.

And the Excel jumped.

-o-o-o-

Next

[witchybluedeity]

Not Like This Part One

I blame @godsliltippy, @tsarinatorment, @gumnut-logic and @flyboytracy this entire idea.

John appearing mid-Pendergast marathon made Gordon jump way more than it should have, and the smirk on Scott's face proved the pilot had seen it. "John! It was getting to the good part!"

"We have a situation."

That got his attention. Within seconds Gordon and Scott both switched from casual brothers to International Rescue operatives, a skill they learned in WASP and the Air Force. "What's up John?"

"There's a whale beached on a sandbank off of Tasmania's West Coast, the caller said its name is… Gatsby?"

"You're kidding!”

John shook his head, bringing up the image of the beached whale. "Nope."

Gordon grinned and stood up. “I'm on my way!”

“Gordon, we don't rescue animals-”

“Scott, you don't get it! This is Gatsby! He's a research whale! He helps scientists and marine biologists monitor how much marine life take care of the ocean! They've already learned how whales are essentially the hearts of the ocean. They're a key participant in making sure the ocean's biological carbon pump is working efficiently by absorbing the dissolved atmospheric carbon from the surface and sequestering it to the sea floor. Since they're one of the largest marine animals, they can absorb up to 33 tons of carbon when they reach old age! They're helping the planet!" The aquanaut concluded his speech with a challenging glare towards Scott, who sent back a glare of his own.

"We're not an animal rescue association, Gordon. We rescue humans."

"Humans are animals too, Scott! International Rescue will rescue Gatsby, whether I have to go alone or not!" Gordon raced towards the small aquarium where the flooring concealed his chute, determined to postpone the argument until he wasn't in a hurry.

Scott had other ideas. "You can't be serious!"

"La la la, I can't hear you!" He nearly slammed his hand onto the hidden scanner in the class, impatiently waiting for the walls to surround him and take him to his awaiting 'Bird. "I'm going. And I dare you to try to stop me."

The venom in his brother's voice caused Scott to flinch despite everything, and he let out a heavy sigh, facepalming. Stubborn brothers.

The now-agitated aquanaut folded his arms tightly over his chest before turning to change into his uniform, releasing a heavy sigh. “Goddammit Scott.” Letting his training drop, his excited marine-loving side took over and a smile blossomed on his face. “I’m saving the Gatsby! Nothing could go wrong!” 

The mechanical arms helped him finish suiting up, and soon Gordon was taking a deep breath and diving into Four’s tank with eagerness he usually reserved for ocean swims. Thunderbird Four’s airlock opened for her pilot the moment he hit the water, and as always he patted her outer hull in thanks before pulling himself in. 

“Get ready girl.” He grinned as he positioned himself in the seat, flipping into the control room. “We’re saving one of the most famous whales.” Starting up her systems was mandatory, but it sent a ripple of calmness through him, as though she was reassuring him. As though she could sense his nervousness prior to every mission. 

One of the many reasons he loved her. 

“Thanks girl.” With a smile, Gordon patted her dash, watching the tank door slide open to reveal the ocean surrounding Tracy Island. “Thunderbird 4 is go.” 

“F.A.B Thunderbird 4. Professor Shikund is going to meet you there.”

“Professor Shikund?! No way!” Gordon couldn’t help bouncing in his seat a little, drawing a smile from his older brother. “You can tell him I’ll be right there!”

“Your ETA is half an hour.” 

Gordon fell still as he considered the time frames, biting his lip in worry. “How long has Gatsby been out of water John?” The other end was quiet for a moment.

“The Professor wants to talk to you personally. Should I-?”

“Patch him in John! Patch him in!” So what if he was fanboying? He’d read everything about the Professor, and had dreamt of meeting him.

Not even thirty seconds later, a new voice filled the cabin. “International rescue?”

Gordon nearly squealed, grin splitting his face in two. “Professor Shikund!!”

The Professor chuckled softly, shaking his head fondly. “I’m guessing you the marine expert of the team?”

“I wouldn’t say expert-” The aquanaut flushed lightly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I just have a great interest in what happens below sea level.”

“That’s an understatement” John piped up, his hologram still active next to the Professor’s.

Shikund’s lips quirked into a small grin. “As much as I’d like to have a conversation with you, I currently have a beached whale waiting for rescue.”

Gordon’s eyes widened slightly in remembrance. In his excitement to talk to the Professor, he’d forgotten about the reason he was headed to the sandbank. How had he forgotten about that? “Right, right! Gatsby. How long has he been out of the water for? I’m twenty minutes out.”

“Gatsby’s been out here for approximately two hours and thirty-four minutes. He can only be out for another fifty-three before he perishes.”

“Right, okay.” Gordon reached up above the viewing glass and flicked a few switches, narrowing his eyes slightly. “If I push it I can be there in thirteen minutes. Four won’t like it, but a life is a life, and we save them.” With a flick of his wrist, the aquanaut swiped John away when the red-head opened his mouth to comment.

He’d known his brother long enough to recognize John was going to verbalize something similar to Scott. He didn’t need unnecessary comments.

“That’ll give us forty minutes to get him back into the ocean.” The professor didn’t like it, and neither did Gordon. It was barely any time, and he only had Thunderbird Four’s gear. They would have to improvise.

“Then we’ll save him in thirty.” Determination filled his voice as the aquanaut pushed his ‘Bird’s engines, plans already being formulated. One thing he knew he could try was using the robotic arms to either dig away the sand or gently pull the whale back into the water.

A frown appeared at the thought. Both options could be dangerous towards Gatsby’s health, which was something Gordon wanted to avoid at all costs, but they didn’t have many options. Thunderbird Four wasn’t geared up like her sisters. “What equipment do you have with you now?”

“I don’t have much that’ll be useful I’m afraid, I only came out here to check up on Gatsby.”

A heavy sigh left Gordon at the confession, one hand leaving the controls to run through blond hair. “This won’t be easy.” But then again, nothing they ever did was. Even the easiest missions sometimes took a turn for the worst.

Scott at home while his brothers were all out on missions proved that.

“But can we do it?”

Gordon felt his heart stop. What if they couldn’t do it? What if he couldn’t do it? He’d come out unprepared, carrying only the minimal gear. Something an IR operative never did. Something an ex-WASP Lieutenant never did.

But he knew someone he could depend on. Leaving the professor’s question unanswered for the moment, the aquanaut touched the IR symbol on his baldric. “Thunderbird Four to Thunderbird Two, are you there?”

It was quiet for a moment before his brother responded. “This better be important Gordon, I’m en-route to a hospital with injured victims in cargo.”

Wincing slightly, phantom pain momentarily spiked through his back. He’d known Virgil had been sent to a damaged ship in the South Atlantic, but he’d opted to stay behind. It was a busy day, and Gordon knew his brother could handle it, especially since the GDF had also been dispatched to help out. “Anything bad?”

“Nothing that’ll keep them hospitalized for long. What do you need?” 

He chuckled, shaking his head with a stage-whispered “Lucky bastards” that would earn him a scolding if Grandma heard. “Those pods still functional? Might need one.” 

“Dear brother mine, I’m not heavy-handed. I’ll be ten minutes dropping these guys off, then I’ll join you. What’s your position?”

“One time! One time! And I’m headed to the West Coast of Tasmania, twenty minute fly from your location.” He wasn’t mentioning how he’d worked with Scott to keep on eye on their brothers. “Forty minute time slot already, gonna need a land pod but keep it watertight, it might get a bit wet.” Narrowing his eyes, Gordon could see the seafloor beneath him slowly rising, a sign he was nearing land. 

“What’s the situation?” 

“Beached science whale, he’s an important one Virg.” The hesitance in Virgil’s response sent a wave of irritation through his veins. A life was a life! 

“Scott’ll have your hide.”

“He can go choke on Grandma’s food for all I care.” And right now, he really didn’t. Scott was wrong, they did save animal lives. They’d never specified what lives they saved in all the years International Rescue had been operating, so why suddenly start now? ‘Because Scott is already riled up from being grounded’ was the answer in the back of his mind, but Gordon ignored it. 

“Ouch Gords.”  Virgil’s sigh was audible over the comms, reaching up to flick switches above the visual, a sure sign he was changing altitude. “Don’t chew him out, he’s just aggravated.” 

“Oh, and I’m not? You try dealing with his grumpy ass while everyone else is out for a good six hours and see how aggravated you are.”  The fact the two brothers had grown up dealing with each other while he, John and Alan had strayed to their own paths passed over him.

“Brother issues?” The professor queried, amusement clear in her expression when Gordon startled for the second time that day, not that he’d admit it to anyone still. “I know how you feel.” 

Gordon frowned, head cocking to one side. “You do?” 

“Veterinarian Harley Shikund-” 

“He’s your brother?! Do you realize how many injured animals I’ve taken to him?!” He could hear Virgil snickering beside Shikund, but Gordon paid no attention. 

“Oh I’m aware, he’s always mentioning an International Rescue operative bringing in injured animals for him to check over. Says it keeps him wondering what you’re going to bring him next.” 

Virgil’s hologram blinked out, and Gordon bounced in his seat. 

“When I saw Gatsby in trouble, that’s why I called. I knew this animal loving operative could help.” Shikund smiled, patting something behind her, most likely the beached Gatsby. The soft clicks that sounded through the comm unit confirmed it was the distressed whale. 

Gordon nearly melted at the communication, and his determination to help Gatsby grew just that bit more. “Tell Gatsby I’ll be there in three minutes. Then we can get started helping back into the ocean.” 

“You got it. Don’t get too close though, or you’ll be needing a tow. The sandbank rises fast.” 

“F.A.B Professor, see you soon.” Cutting the connection, Gordon allowed himself a deep, happy sigh. First the Pendergasts, now Harley and Professor Shikund. He was meeting all his idols in this line of work. Sitting up with a big smile, he decreased his speed in preparation. It’d take Thunderbird Four one minute longer to get there, but he didn’t exactly want to get her beached alongside Gatsby. 

That’d be fun to explain to Virgil.

[eirabach]

beneath the lightning and the moon

With apologies to Coleridge, the Navy Hymn and the Submarine Service, a very quick Halloween story.

“Sea monsters.” Scott pinches the bridge of his nose. “Actual sea monsters."

“I know it sounds pretty crazy but --”

Buddy twists, his hologram beckoning out to someone out of frame, and Scott takes the opportunity to roll his eyes in Virgil’s vague direction. His actual view of his brother is blocked partially by the Pendergasts, but mostly by Gordon who’s leaning forward like an over excited pup facing the prospect of a particularly juicy bone.

“Ellie!”

“Hey, Gordo!” She waves. “Buddy filled you in?”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah, about that.” Scott holds a hand out, palm up, to keep Gordon from jumping right out of his seat. Just like puppy training. Kinda. “Thunderbird Five’s been scanning the area since you called it in, we can’t find anything untoward.”

“I know what I heard.” Buddy shakes his head. “Ellie took a recording, didn’t you love?”

“Sure did, hold on.” She taps at her tab, and Scott calls up John.

“This again?” he mutters, side eyeing the Pendergasts who are pressing their heads together over the tab. “I’ve run every scan --”

“Ah ha! Here, listen to this!”

Gordon practically falls off the sofa in his eagerness, Virgil catching at his belt loops to hold him in place. John is already turning away, his concentration already caught by something far more interesting than Buddy Pendergast’s --

“Report. Report.”

“Crikey! Did you hear that? What in the --”

The roar that echoes round the villa has Gordon flying back in his seat, brings Alan to the top of the stairs with his fingers in his ears. It’s a deep, awful sort of sound, muffled by water and distance, but there’s a sharpness  to it that reminds Scott of sheering, screaming metal. Of blood and flame and dust. It is not the sort of sound the Pendergasts ought to have been party to in a bathyscope. Sea monsters or not.

“Lion?” Alan yells. “‘S new!”

“Not a lio --!” Scott bellows back, but then the sound cuts off as sudden and as awful as it had begun. On the recording the only sound is the panicked panting of the Pendergasts, the gentle, steady beep of the sonar, and;

“Report. Report. Report.”

“Ya hear that?” Buddy shakes his head, and Ellie pats his arm. “I’ve heard some things in my time -- the cry of the Ozarks Howler, a Yowie party but this --” His eyes drop. “Was something else.”

Ellie’s arm wraps around his shoulders, and she turns a pleading expression on Scott.

“There’s something out there, you heard it.”

“Most of New Zealand heard it,” grumbles Alan, dropping down to sit next to Scott. “But -- I don’t get it. If you’re looking for sea monsters -- maybe you found one?”

John scoffs, but Buddy’s already shaking his head again, his gaze fixed to his feet.

“That’s not the issue,” Ellie insists. “Could be a Kraken, could be a Pleido -- either way --”

“I’m sorry.” It’s Virgil’s turn to interrupt, though at least he's more polite about it than John’s likely to be. “If you’re not calling us about the Sea Monster --”

“Either way,” Ellie continues, eyebrows pulling together. “Since when do sea monsters ask you to report?”

---

“You there yet, mate?”

“I think he means status, Thunderbird Four?”

“No drama, status Gordo?”

Gordon grins down at the twin holograms. John’s arms are tightly folded across his chest, but Buddy’s bouncing on his toes, his eyes bright.

“I’m good, coming up within range now. No sea monsters yet.” Buddy deflates slightly. John rolls his eyes. "Anything on the scans, John?”

“Clean as a whistle, I might find you some nervous clams if you’re --”

“MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY KWLF034 KWLF034 KWLF034 POSITION 32.27.46.S 177.38.13.W.”

The words come again in a steady, heavy monotone. Male, probably. Human, anyway, and John’s eyebrows disappear into his hairline, his hand flying over his equipment as Gordon grabs for the comm. 

“Kilo Whiskey Lima Foxtrot Zero Three Four, this is Thunderbird Four.” He glances briefly at Buddy who’s biting at the skin of his thumb. “Report.”

Static blares through the comm. John scowls. “Nothing! How can --”

“I’m nearly five kilo deep, John. Whatever’s down here is not having a fun-- shit!”

The sound is worse down here, down deep in the dark where the only thing Four’s running lights catch on are the rising peaks of underwater mountains. It’s a scream, a shriek of metal and men and the thundering roar of water where there should not be and Gordon ducks, throwing his arms over his head in a frantic attempt to protect himself from -- from --

He peers out into the blackness. Four bobs gently in the current, unbothered and untouched. 

“Report,” pleads the comm and every hair on the back of his neck stands to attention.

“Nothing’s -- What --” He hits the comm, fingers slipping slightly even through the neoprene. “Zero Three Four, state your position!”

“Report, LR5.” Definitely human, definitely scared. “LR5? Do you read me?”

Gordon’s nose crinkles, “LR -- must be interference. Hang on. John I’m gonna send a pulse you ready?”

“Might as well,” John grumbles. “Nothing else is -- Eos! Have you been rearranging the databanks again?”

“Launching Ultra Sonar.” Gordon hopes that John’s too preoccupied with whatever Eos has done to the communication array to notice the way he squeezes his eyes shut before pressing the button. He doesn’t believe in sea monsters -- not Buddy’s kind of sea monsters anyway -- not any more than he believes in mermaids. 

But there’s something out there. Something loud. Something loud and invisible to human eyes and John alike, and the last surprise the Ultra Sonar turned up had really not ended well for him at all.

Lights flare into life across the dash as the Ultra Sonar sweeps through the crevices, dips down toward the distant trench bottom, and Gordon finds himself holding his breath, waiting, waiting --

“MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY KWLF034 --”

“Roger that Zero Three Four, I am receiving you loud and clear what is your status.”

The static fizzes again, louder, more insistent, and over it, through it, the clang clang clang of what sounds like a hammer against a hull. His hull.

“Jesus fuck what is that? John!”

“I’m getting nothing from here!”

The noise grows louder, closer, and he can feel it through his seat now -- any second -- any second and it’ll be beneath his feet, right where the running lights reflect his own sheet-white face in the plexiglass.

Until they splutter, stutter. Die away to nothing and the darkness left lit only by the faint, static laden glow of the comm symbol and two pale, watching faces.

The silence is perfect.

The silence is awful.

Buddy opens his mouth; Gordon presses a finger to his lips, and he snaps it shut.

The comm symbol flickers, red to amber.

“Zero Three Four,” Gordon hisses, “God damn --”

“-- ur power evermore whose arm doth reach the ocean floor --” the voice on the comm warbles, unsteady and growing much, much higher. A boy's voice, almost. Clear of static and as pure as though the singer were sat beside him, and Gordon listens, enthralled, as the running lights flicker back into life.

Or at least, someone’s do. Someone huge and black, rising from beneath him with running lights turned green with age and a hull torn and tattered. Colours not used for a century flying from a mast that hangs limp, a looming blackflashed conn tower where someone -- someone still sings.

“Virgil! Virgil I need you now!”

A dozen someones, no, more, two dozen, a hundred, and Thunderbird Four’s engines howl in displeasure as Gordon throws himself backward, heaves himself towards the surface, sweat in his eyes and blood in his mouth and his ears -- his ears ringing with a hundred voices, clear and bright and impossible as they beg:

“-- dive with our men beneath the sea.”

---

Buddy hovers over him, generously letting him finish puking his guts up against the wall of the module before he says anything. He’s good like that. “Not sea monsters, then?”

Gordon shakes his head weakly.

"Not unless season 17 is heading in a very different direction, no."

Virgil hands him a towel.

“Deep sea pressures can lead to hallucinations, there must be some --”

“Pardon me Virgil mate, but I heard --”

“Me too.” John is quieter than usual, his grip on his arms unusually tight. “There was nothing on the scans but --”

“M-mass hysteria,” Brains concludes, popping out of Virgil’s wrist comm to tut at the state of Four’s post-dive. “It’s the simplest --”

“General quarters.” Gordon doesn’t look at any of them as he wipes his face with a shaking hand. “The hammering -- they were calling me to General Quarters.”

“I don’t know --”

“Battlestations,” he rounds on Virgil, panic curdling into anger in the last of the bile he spits onto the ground. “No one -- no one came to help them. They wanted me to help them. And I ran.”

“Gordon --” 

"You don't get it!"

"Gordon, I do, I understand but -- there's no such thing as ghosts."

Buddy and John let out similarly uncertain little noises. Brains presses the heel of his hand into his forehead. Gordon just scowls, and jabs at his comm.

“Kilo Whisky Lima Foxtrot Zero Three Four, do you copy?” The line hangs, Gordon’s fingertips white with the force of pressing it down, the balric shaking under his hand. “Repeat, do you copy? I’m sorry.” It’s a whisper, a plea. “Zero Three Four, stand down. All clear, I repeat. All clear.”

“Gordon, there’s no one --”

It’s different up here. A thin, ready warble. Distant and skittish, as though being played through some ancient radio frequency that skips with every heavy breeze, but it comes all the same. Plays through Gordon’s comm and echoes off the carbon fiber frame of Two, wraps itself around Four’s still dripping nose. 

“ -- keep them safe from peril in the deep.”

Someone -- John -- whimpers, but Gordon grits his teeth, stares out at the churning ocean and swears, "Roger that."

[entity9silvergen]

Mosaic (Disenchantment Fanfiction)

Summary: We are just mosaics of everyone we love and that mosaic shows everyone we love how beautiful they are. Bean doesn’t think she can love like everyone else but maybe that’s okay.

Fandom: Disenchantment 

Word Count: 2K

Characters: Bean

Relationships: Bean/ Mora, Mentioned Bean & Everyone, Mentioned Odval/ Sorcerio, Mentioned Zog/ Oona, Mentioned Zog/ Dagmar

Warnings: Internalized arophobia, first person pov, some self-deprecation, sex mention, drug mention, mention of interspecies relationships in fantasy setting 

Other Tags: F/F, Mentioned F/F QPR, Reflection/ Self-Reflection/ Internal Thoughts, No Dialogue, Queerplatonic, Aromantic Character, Aromantic Homosexual Character, Arospec Character, Queer Themes, Unreliable Narrarator, S3E6, Oneshot, AroWriMo 2021

Author’s Note: My friend sent me the line “I am a mosaic of everyone I’ve ever loved” about twenty minutes after I watched “Final Splash.” I’m working on the prompt for Week 2 of AroWriMo rn but I had to drop everything and write a short fic about this. Again, I didn’t really use the prompt but it kind of fits with week 1’s prompt romo/loveless & future. 

I’m headcanonnoning Bean as aro or demiro/ greyro. I think in the show it was implied she never experienced romantic attraction prior to meeting Mora because she likes women and I don’t want to erase that in any way but Bean still gives off a big aromantic bisexual homo(queer)platonic vibe.

_____________________

My name is Princess Tiabeanie of Dreamland and I’ve never loved anyone.

I mean, I love my dad and my friends and all that but I’ve never loved loved anyone. Is that weird to say? That makes it sound like I don’t really love my dad and Elfo and Luci and everyone. I probably shouldn’t say that then because I actually love them a lot. They’re my everything. 

One time, I was walking down Elf-Ally and this elf was sitting on the side of the road with some chalk. I feel like elves would really like chalk but I’ve never seen any of them use it, not even Arto, except this guy. I’d never seen anything like it before so I asked what he was doing and he said he was making this mosaic to show his love for this other elf he liked. I didn’t really understand it so he explained it to me like this: we are just mosaics of everyone we love and that mosaic shows everyone we love how beautiful they are.

I still didn’t get it so I just laughed at him and he got kind of upset and threw a piece of chalk at me. It didn’t really hurt but Luci was with me and the elf started throwing stuff at him and you know how Luci gets when he hits his nose so we left. I couldn’t really forget what that elf said though. 

You see, a mosaic is a mix of a bunch of little pieces taken from different things that all come together to make one thing. There’s this mosaic at the church and it’s pretty freaking ugly but the mosaic this elf was making was just so beautiful. He used so many colors and he drew all these little pictures and hid these words I didn’t understand in them. I’d expect it to be all crude and gross like those scribbly pictures Derek would draw when he was younger that Oona pretended to love but it all came together so well. It didn’t even look like separate pieces. It was just one.

I couldn’t stop thinking about it. The influences of countless parts of my life, weaving together into an insanely complex mesh- That felt like me. I always felt like something was broken in me but maybe I’m just a mosaic. 

I think my dad made me who I am the most. Even if he wasn’t really present most of my life. Sure, we don’t see eye to eye sometimes but I think we’re better because of that. He made me strong. His actions guided me into becoming the woman I am today. He taught me how to keep fighting. Literally and figuratively. He taught me to keep my head up and he taught me how to stab people. It’s pretty cool. I remember this one time as a kid he took me out to the courtyard, stole this guy’s knife, and taught me how to use it. I think I still have the knife actually. I don’t stab people with it anymore though.

(I hope he’s okay. He hasn’t been the same in awhile.)

My mom… Well, I don’t really love her anymore but I did for a long time. She was… How do I put it? A constant in my life. Even though she wasn’t there. What I felt towards her, it kept me together for a long time. When I had nothing to fall back on, I always had her memory. Until she tried to take over Dreamland, obviously. Now I just say she gave me my love for alcohol and that’s pretty sweet too. 

(I still miss her. I bet she’s dead.)

You know those pictures where the guy has an angel and demon on his shoulders telling him what to do? That’s Elfo and Luci, and it’s literal for Luci. And maybe for Elfo? He did go to heaven that one time. It can be kind of annoying to hear them bickering all the time, especially since they almost never want the same thing, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything. Elfo keeps me safe and Luci pushes me to be more than I am. They make life fun. Fuller. Less lonely.

(I’m scared they might leave someday. I wouldn’t blame them.)

I don’t really like Derek but I still love him. Maybe a little less since he tried to burn me at the stake. Maybe a little more since he chickened out at the last second. And a little less because he still went through with it. And maybe a little more since it was an accident. We have a complicated relationship but he’s still my little brother, as weird as he is. He reminds me of what I have to fight for, if that makes sense. I don’t really see him as the future of Dreamland or anything but he’s still a little kid and I can’t really help but have a soft spot for him. Don’t tell him I said that.

(I wonder if he’ll keep me around when he’s king. I’d be lying if I said I was surprised.)

The same goes for Oona. I never liked her but I think I love her. Especially after she tried to save me from my mom. And since she became an epic pirate. She’s awesome. She’s the mom I always wished I had except she was actually there the whole time and I didn’t realize it. I’m happy with how things turned out though. I don’t regret it. Plus she’s got great taste in drugs. I still steal them sometimes.

(I don’t know if she loves me. Maybe she did once but not anymore.)

I kind of hate Odval and Sorcerio in a weird way where I like them at the same time. They’re not really family but always been there. Like they’re kind of like second dads to me. Second dads whose the sex lives I know way too much about. My gay polyamorous uncles? But they kind of care under all that court properness and tradition nonsense so they’ve kind of wormed their way into my heart. They’ve always made my life difficult but I don’t think I would be myself if I wasn’t challenged so much.

(I think they’d rather have me gone. They don’t hide it every well but I can pretend.)

I’m going to be honest, I was really bummed when Pendergast died. We were kind of the same age and he hung around the castle for most of my life. And my dad trusted him so we actually did stuff together sometimes. A lot of adventures that never really went anywhere. He could be kind of a stick in the mud but he never really minded that I’m a girl and let me tag along on crusades and helped me get better with weapons and stuff. And Pendergast was weirdly loyal to Dreamland, even after Dad forked his eye out. Or was it spooned? I don’t remember. Some kind of eating utensil. I wasn’t there when it happened. But it was nice knowing I could trust him. He could be kind of fun though when he was off-duty. Total lightweight though. He threw up on one of those little guys who carries dad’s cape once. 

(I wish I’d known him better. I really miss him but I can’t tell anyone since Dad gets set off by anything that even reminds him of the guy.)

Who else is there? That’s right, Mertz and Turbish. Turbish and Mertz. Two peas in a pod. Plus Mrs. Mertz. Don’t get me wrong, they are idiots. Totally incompentant. It’s a wonder they’re still alive. But they’re sweet. And they try. They’re not good at anything but they try. Sometimes I don’t want to try but they tell me I always can.

(I’m waiting for the day they realize they could have a better life. It’ll be weird not having them around the palace.)

I even kind of like Merkimer. As a pig, not a human. God, he was an awful human but he’s a funny little pig. He lets Luci ride on his back sometimes. Both of them like it way more than either of them will ever admit. It’s cute. I think they’re friends. If they’re not, Elfo and I will start plotting until they are. Or maybe not. A Luci-Merkimer friendship might be too much for Dreamland to handle. They’re kind of a lot, even on their own. Merkimer always kind of had a big head and it only got bigger when he accepted his new life. It’s actually kind of inspiring how happy he is now. 

(I don’t want him to change but he already has. It makes me sad sometimes.)

And Bunty. Oh, Bunty. And Stan! The world doesn’t really deserve Bunty. Stan does though. I think they’re the ones who taught me what real love is. Bunty always showed me love as a kid, she was like the second mom I never had but actually did have because Oona was there. But she gave me something neither Oona or Dagmar could. I didn’t really understand it until I saw her and Stan and their family together. I still don’t. They’re really sweet.

(I’d give them everything. I know they just see me as some spoiled princess though.)

I want what those two have. Or what Odval and Sorcerio have. What my dad had with Dagmar or Oona. What Elfo’s had, and Luci’s had, and Derek’s had, and the knights have had. It feels like everyone’s had that kind of deep love at some point except me. I didn’t even realize until I was talking to Mora. 

I’ve had the chance to have it. Merkimer, that brother of his I accidentally killed, that one time Pendergast made a pass at me, that Steamland guy… I don’t think any of it really would’ve worked out though. I’ve had a lot of things with guys and there’s been kissing and touching and I’ve always enjoyed it but I think I always knew it would never go anywhere. That it will never go anywhere. And I can’t even blame my dad because it’s all me. It’s always been me. And I’m okay with that? Maybe? I don’t think so but I’m not really good at understanding my feelings. It’s just another thing on the pile of things I won’t work through.

I think I understood what I had with Mora though. It wasn’t… romantic but it felt like it almost was. We just… clicked. It felt right. She was tough and funny and she didn’t hold anything back. She followed her dreams and didn’t let the world get her down. That one night we had together, I felt like we were alone in the world.

Mora gave me the ocean and the stars.

She was beautiful. Maybe that’s what was missing? None of the guys I ever screwed around with were beautiful. Not like Mora was. Not like a woman can be. I really felt like this was it but there was still that disconnect. Like something was there but not quite. Like something was missing. I don’t know what it was.

But then she just left. I had that dream and I just felt so happy. I’d never felt happiness like that. And I never felt pain like the pain I felt when I woke up and the necklace was gone. I definitely would’ve cried if Elfo wasn’t there. I might’ve actually cried a little bit. It’s kind of hard to hear anything when Elfo’s sobbing. Some of those tears might have been mine.

Did I love her? I don’t think so. Not like Elfo loved that boat. It wasn’t romantic. But it was real. It gives me hope. I don’t think I’m capable of the same kind of love everyone else seems capable of and that’s not even a slight at me. It’s just reality. But what I had with Mora, however brief and imagined it was, tells me that’s okay. I don’t need the kind of love everyone else has. Not when I have so many others in my life.

Still, I hope I see her again, even for a second, just to feel that kind of happiness again.

I think that’s what that elf meant when he said we are just mosaics of everyone we love and that mosaic shows everyone we love how beautiful they are. Mora was beautiful and she didn’t see it but maybe she would if she saw how I looked at her. 

Stars and the ocean, I’ll never forget them. They’ll be a part of my mosaic forever.

Other AroWriMo Fics By Me, Posted on Ao3, Posted on FFN

[ozpins-coffeemug]

Heyoo it's meeee, im still alive...somehow.... and I created the whole Pendergast Family today! Yaaaay. Also please excuse my awful grammar today - thinking is hard ya know.

So, since Braith is based on the swallow bird in Oscar Wilds 'The Happy Prince' i decided that her whole family will be based on real life swallow birds too. They represent the swallow birds (aka Braiths) friend that flew off to Egypt in the story.

Pendergast Family

Braith Howin Pendergast - Howin is a male chinese name meaning 'loyal swallow', referring to the swallow birds loyalty to the happy prince.

Her colors are based on the green-violet swallow.

Slate Fei Yen Pendergast - Since she got the male name i decided that her older brother will get a female name, funny i know. If i did my research correctly, Fei Yen is a female chinese name with the meaning 'flying swallow'. Flying away from Braith ya know. *puts on sunglasses* man I'm creative today.

He's based on the tree swallow.

Celeste Celandine Pendergast - Celeste means "heavenly" and Calendine comes from the Greek wors  χελιδών (chelidon) meaning "swallow (bird)". Again, 'heavenly' symbolises how far away they are from Braith.

She is based on the blue swallow.

Peregrine Parastoo Pendergast - Peregrine means “traveller” and Parastoo means Swallow Bird and is of Persian origin. I think you get why i named him Traveller.

[darkestwolfx]

Attack of the Reptiles - Re-Review #43

We’re in the centre of South Africa searching for the great horned ape today! Or rather, two humans?

I actually missed these two (probably not as much as Gordon though)! Buddy and Ellie are two of the good regulars that IR have on the books. But seriously, even Buddy asked;

“What could be worse than that?”

There’s always something to come when you say something like that on this show.

And this place doesn’t look at all creepy.

“These are badlands, very dangerous!”

Hmm... I wouldn’t have guessed.

I like this version better! You know before it became over run by giant reptiles. Even so, maybe this is a message we shouldn’t be messing around with nature.

“I’m not even going to think about how long that’s been there.”

How about all the way back when EOS was pinging Bagels everywhere at the end of ‘EOS’? That would be my best guess because I can’t imagine John as messy besides then. Anyhow, I love how he chucks it out of the way to become all IR business like.

“I checked the camera feed. Look what it’s filming now.”

“They’re either really into dirt or the camera’s been dropped. That’s not a good sign.”

“The guide said you’d have to be crazy to go in after them.”

“Oh, I’ll do it! We can’t let Buddy and Ellie disappear! They haven’t finished filming season 14 yet.”

We all know what that waiting for the next series to air is like.

“Yes! More adventure with the Pendergasts!”

That little dance he does gets me every time! It’s so realistically Gordon and the animation is on point.

“I’m such a huge fan!”

“Really? I never would have guessed.”

I love episodes where we get to see a bit of Scott and Gordon interaction. I mean, Virgil and Gordon, and Gordon and Alan both work great as duos, but there is still so much potential in scenes with these two. And there was a slight amendment to the launch sequence. After all, besides Brains, we’ve always seen Scott travelling alone in Thunderbird One.

“Do you have visual on ground?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then we need someone on the ground.”

“You’re clear. Ready to go into the unknown?”

Did anyone else here this line and instantly think Panic at the Disco? Or was that just me?

Is it a bird?

Is it a plane?

No, it’s a parachuting Tracy!

“Now to make a nice, soft landing. Oh no! Not exactly soft but it could have been worse.”

I’m holding off on commenting for a moment because-

“You just had to say something didn’t you?”

-Gordon said it for me for once!

He did stumble across Ellie though.

“Gordon Tracy!”

“I’m here to rescue you! Could you chuck me a rope?”

One of my favourite starts to a rescue. I’m not sure which is best - Scott and Ned, or Gordon and Ellie.

“We do search and rescue all the time. Couldn’t be simpler! Oops, sorry, did see the hole.”

“Uh, Gordon, that’s a footprint.”

“John, are you getting a life sign nearby?”

“Yeah, but judging by the size it has to be a glitch.”

“Nothing’s wrong with your equipment, John.”

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me.”

I reckon that doesn’t normally happen when Gordon says that, but we’ll go with it for now. All that hushed whispering was great as well. A nice difference to the usual shouting and orders that we get over the comms links.

“Gordon, what’s going on down there?”

“I don’t know!”

Loved that moment.

“My pet store nightmare just came true.”

Giant reptiles? I think that’s a nightmare for many people.

Now, in the original TOS episode ‘Attack of the Alligators’, on which many parts of this one are based, the nightmare was Alan’s, but it completely makes sense to put Gordon in his place and it works really well in my opinion.

“I can’t see anything- woah!”

Yeah, really well done, Scott, nearly smash Thunderbird One to smithereens. Look where you’re going! Talk and look, I believe in you.

And now we move onto one of my definite favourite moments. Although, not quite the size of Thunderbird Four, me thinks.

“Do you seeing what I’m seeing?”

“And peppers.. and cucumbers...”

“This is no ordinary jungle. We’re running through a supersized vegetable garden!”

We could feed the world with vegetables that size! Or we could release and single? Opinions?

I’m still not sure what was up with all the ‘Thunderbirds are Go’ title cuts that ran through this episode. It’s like they thought it would be too short without them, because I know they aired the episodes without advert breaks. Interesting. It happens about 4 times though and it’s actually really irritating.

“We’re safe for the moment.”

“But how? Who sealed the door?”

“That would be me love!”

“Buddy! You’re alive!”

I love how they’ve been running around looking for him, and here Buddy was, sitting pretty the entire time. All’s well and that’s all that matters, right? Right. Also, I still love how there is a character with a disability so openly shown on a program like this. It’s an absolutely brilliant choice.

“Orchard Industries.”

“John, can you check on that?”

“Orchard industries claim that they could greatly increase the size of crops. But they were shut down years ago.”

Yep, in TOS, Professor Orchard created said growth serum with carries this plot.

“Does it say why?

“The GDF found out The Hood was a silent partner. And there were reports of secret facilities in hidden locations. According to my files they were experimenting with a new type of growth serum.”

The Hood didn’t have any involvement in the original story, but the serum did catch eyes and there was an attempt to steal it, potentially with intent to sell it on, so The Hood could always have heard about it and been a perspective buyer.

“Well that explains the humongous plants out front.”

“And if the reptiles ate those serum filled plants, that would explain how they got so big! Scott, please get us out of here.”

Call on big brother for a rescue. Classic.

Gordon sneezing! Brilliant. I can imagine this was a little bit of a dream situation for him for a moment though - you know, taking away the giant reptiles and the allergies and the danger, and... well, maybe everything save Buddy and Ellie.

“It’s a hover boat. We have a hover boat!”

“And this canal could take us all the way to the river. If the boat was working that is?”

“I just need a hypo-spanner to fix it.”

“The good news is, I know where you can find one.”

“And the bad news? I had to ask.”

Yes, Gordon, you did.

And so, here we go. The desperate attempt to obtain the hypospanner from within the cluster of giant reptiles which nearly ends early when Buddy let’s the wire slip. And then does nearly end abruptly - after some success - when the clip breaks away.

“I’m not very tasty...”

Says you, Gordon, and I’m kinda hoping that you wouldn’t be certain of that.

“Hey, come and get us you overgrown amphibians.”

“They’re reptiles love.”

“Common mistake.”

Um... no comment.

Look, it’s Gordon of the Jungle! I think he’s been watching too many movies.

“I’ll give up celery crunch bars for a year is you please just start.... Yes!”

I would hold off on the cheering, Gordon. Gosh, think how much money will be saved on the shopping!

This is definitely another brilliant episode though. Very Gordon centric, but giving him a story where he definitely has to work out of his comfort zone of the ocean. Scott has to cope with hovering above doing very little actually - which was probably a struggle for him, and John really needs to clean Thunderbird Five.

“What an adventure!”

“Season 15 is just around the corner!”

“You’re doing another season! Oh, wait till I tell Alan!”

“I just hope we have enough material. Occasionally we’re told our show is too far-fetched.”

“Really? I never would have guessed.”

I love the repetition of certain lines in this episode - it adds to the humour.

“You shouldn’t have. You really, really shouldn’t have”

“Aww, they’re cute.”

Once again, in the original, Tin-Tin bought Alan a Pigmy alligator at the end of the episode as a birthday present, but Buddy and Ellie get Gordon two for saving their lives! That was classic and Gordon’s reaction was perfect. He really must enjoy being their number one fan now! And did Scott actually coo? I think he did.

But, they do look kinda cute...

Cuter than these fella’s were at least;

Sorry this one’s a little short - today is a poor internet day, so I had to take what I could get.

[dustofinsanity]

I was tagged by @kpop-choco. Thanks kitten!💜

Rules: answer 20 (or 19 at this point) questions, then tag 20 bloggers you wanna know better.

Name: Eugénie

Nickname: A lot but the “main” is Nauan (or just Na)

Height: 172cm

Languages: French and English (even if my English skills are not that great)

Nationality: French

Favourite season: Spring & Fall

Favourite flower: I love every flower, I live for flowers

Favourite scent: Male perfumes, flowers, paper (like book scent), gasoline, surrounding after rain, cut grass, leather, my mom’s perfume, etc... I have a lot.

Favourite colour: Black, grey/silver, every shade of red, purple and pink

Favourite animal: Cats

Favourite fictional characters: Once again, a lot. For movies, it’s Eric Draven from The Crow. Tv show... Hm... I’d say Spike from Buffy (and Oz, Willow, Drusilla and Tara xD) but I also love the Winchester brothers a lot. Cartoon... Snoopy. Animation movie, Stitch. Manga/Anime, Alucard from Hellsing and Pikachu. Books, Aloysius Pendergast from the books of Preston&Childs.

Coffee, tea or hot chocolate: All of them

Average hours of sleep: It depends

Dog or cat: Cat

Number of blankets you sleep with: One or two, sometimes three in winter

Dream trip: A lot of places, actually. Korea, Japan, China, New Zealand, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Peru, Egypt, Iceland, Canada, etc...

Blog established: 2012 or 2014

Followers: 897 and I still can’t believe that.

Random fact: I can’t stop buying books.

Tagging: @defsenses @listlessmaenads @jjpmoans @jinyoungsir @ayasmess @prettywordsyouleft and every kitten who wants to do it.

[neuroticphysiologist]

"You'll Get There"

Finally, a new one shot I've been thinking about writing almost a month ago.

I hope you guys enjoy this. And to confirm, Alan's eighteen in this story. And I mentioned my OC again from the first Alan-centric story I wrote.

There goes my nervousness again.

More of my TAG fics are compiled into one here.

***

Things went weird for Alan Tracy when he turned twelve. Yeah, growing up is great, but it feels weird when he had to adjust to the changes. As years go by, the adolescent stage has been every person's worst years of his life.

First, he was happy with his growth spurt, but it turned into a total bummer when he reached only around five foot four. He wished that he could surpass Gordon's height, but sadly he never did. Double the bummer when he was so close to Kayo's height on one and a half inch. Height increases at a slow rate at around eighteen, so Alan guessed he might have a little chance.

Second, his change of voice was okay. He was probably the late one than his brothers when that happened, he was thirteen. He can still sing pretty good when he jams to his favorite songs; one of them is, uh, what was it? Oh, yes, Live Wire. The riff's pretty badass though.

Sometimes he hated his voice when he squeaks. "You'll get there, Alan, you'll get there," he thought to himself. "I mean Scott sounded more manly when he turned twenty-five. Probably seven or eight years more."

Third, his face. This is what he liked the most, he grew more handsome. He looked for some tips on how to maintain that. Also, his freckles were a good feature of his. And his hair, he found a style that suited him at fourteen.

Fourth, he would stand in front of a mirror to have a look at himself, and sometimes take off his shirt if he wanted to. He may look short and a bit slim but it was quite okay for him. He's comfortable with his shape and also he's a bit lazy for a workout.

Fifth, part of growing up is to experience a little of adult life. He was okay with a few sips of beer and a good wine. Whisky? Not so much. No wonder why his brothers are okay with it. And talking about girls, a wee bit of trouble for him. He felt weird about himself showing signs of infatuation to some girls in school, especially his close friend Skye. And even Kayo when he's back on the island. Now he's a bit shy talking to girls near his age sometimes. Years later and after some sex education classes, he felt more embarrassed. More about girls and their best features, and even Skye, would suddenly pop up in his mind. Playing video games helped him to keep away. One time he was close to having those kind of weird dreams about being with a girl. "This is not me," he thought. "This is so not me. Why would this happen?"

Some are all because of crazy hormones.

And yes, everything was weird.

He wanted to surpass this stage already after years of weirdness. Right now he's the only teenager of the family. And as the youngest, he felt stuck. His brothers were way protective of him, especially Scott. He's growing tired of being treated like a baby brother. He kept telling them that he can deal with the job by himself.

And when situations came in, he reflected after what he had done. His brothers were right. He never thought those situations would occur. He had to think about it more and find a way to figure out the situation. One time Scott put him in charge for a mission in Europa, with Gordon, to save the Pendergasts. It's a challenge for Alan to make decisions on his own. Because by then, he'll reach the stage of maturity. He'll get there.

Scott advised him one time.

"Just enjoy it, Alan. Enjoy it while you still have the time. Because one day you'll miss it. You'll miss being a teenager. Everything gets busier and sometimes you won't have the time to chill. You're gonna miss the old days because yeah, your brothers and I have been through that. Yeah, you're growing up, that's great. We're here to protect you because you're our little brother and we love you. It may take time to surpass the stage where you are in. It's okay, it's part of life."

Alan thought about that for a while. Yep, he always knew that his brothers were right.

[gracieisnotmuchofawriter]

Liars

Jude’s car rolled across the pavement smoothly. They had just gotten it after they graduated from high school. It sat low with tinted windows and a boxy frame. Jude named her (yes it’s a her) Anastasia. It was a cute, compact car with a black paint job.

  The sky was bright and blue, the sun was just past the top of the sky. Long, flowing wispy clouds painted over the horizon. It was a brisk day, the first since April. We passed houses, strip malls, a couple of banks, all populated with the busy Tuesday afternoon traffic.

  Today, Jude helped me lie to the teacher. On Sunday night and some of Monday night, they helped me do all of the homework I hadn’t kept up on. By help, I mean they just sat in my room and asked if I was done with an assignment. After Asha showed me that “Finished Not Perfect” video (we talked quite a long time after we got dinner) I was inspired to try to put someone’s disappointment out of my head and just get things done. It didn’t work because I was an anxious wreck doing those late assignments. My leg bounced and it felt like I couldn’t catch my breath. I kept telling myself not to “fuck this up you fucking idiot.” I didn’t want to seem incompetent to Jude. They seem so smart and mature. We’re the same age(18) and they’re calm, collected and I’m just not. After I set the spaces between the letters right on the last assignment, I breathed a sigh of relief. Jude asked if I felt accomplished but I just felt exhausted and annoyed. I wanted to know that elated feeling of finishing something, flaws and all, but I couldn’t. I just kept chastising myself for how easy it all was. The minute I got going, it was fine, I was fine, everything was okay, but the fact that it was okay made me feel so stupid for being so afraid of it. Why am I like this? I want my auntie. I want my mom.

  After Jude left, I sat at my desk, motionless. The door was open, the orange floors were glowing with all of the lights still on. They didn’t shut off automatically like other suites. I just looked at all of the empty space, embarrassed with myself. Jude left thinking I must feel amazing and relieved, but I felt worse than ever. A sinking feeling weighed my stomach down. The uplifting speech Asha gave at Apple Bee’s seemed wasted. It could’ve gone to one of her friends, not a roommate scared of everything, no matter how difficult it is. I let these people down, I didn’t feel the accomplishment they felt for me.

  I sat there for hours, when I felt the confidence to get up and go to bed, the sun was already coming up. I looked at my phone, it was three hours before class. I took a shower, laid in bed and felt the pull of sleep at the moment my alarm went off. When I went to turn in my stuff, Missy asked me a few questions.

  “Why are you just now giving me these, Amber?” She says, the question is piercing, but indifferent.

  I grunted and looked for the words, but I couldn’t find any, my mind went blank.

  “She lost the thumb drive that had them on there.” Jude said, their voice gives nothing away, I look at them with what I hope is a look of gratitude.

  “Where was it?” Missy’s brow furrowed, she doubted Jude’s story and looked over at me.

  “At the bottom of my bag, under a book.” This was a lie. I don’t have a thumb drive.

  “That’s strange, because we have AirDrop and your computers are automatically synced to the printers.” Her voice is stern and much harsher now, her eyes are on me.

  “I go home sometimes and forget my computer, so my brother gave me a thumb drive and lets me use his old computer, it has all the design stuff on it. He pirated it.” I say, with as much confidence as I can, hoping my worried expression doesn’t give me away.

  “Okay,” Missy sighs, “it’s done, that’s what matters, but it’s late so you won’t get full credit.” I felt relieved. But she didn’t believe me. Before we walked out, she called after us.

  “Amber, it doesn’t matter where it comes from, as long as you made it and you printed it out, I just want you to be honest with me, alright?” She said, her voice was firm but somehow comforting.

  We pulled into Michael’s. An art supply store. I couldn’t think straight. Missy’s voice echoed in my head, her words dug into the soft flesh of my brain. We sat in the parking lot for a few minutes. Jude tapped my shoulder.

  “Hey, you alright?” They asked, I looked over at them, their face was filled with worry. I felt like I was being split in two.

  “I shouldn’t have lied.” My voice was small and low.

  “Maybe, but does it matter? I mean— okay, it wasn’t true, it was a lie, but the work still got turned in.” Jude said, their voice was sure and comforting.

  “But now I’m not just ‘Amber’, I’m now ‘Amber The Liar’, I broke her trust.” I asserted, my stomach felt hollowed out.

  “Yeah, now I’m ‘Jude The Liar’, too” they grab my hand, squeezing gently, “but it doesn’t matter—“ I cut them off.

  “How doesn’t it matter? I lied to someone I shouldn’t have.” I say, my voice is whiny.

  “Then don’t go along with my lie next time, it doesn’t have to be this big ole thing.” Their thumb runs back and forth over my knuckles. I just want a hug, but we’ve known each other for five days.

  “But what about now?” I say, my voice is small. I search their face, hoping to find an answer.

  “What about now? It’s over, it’s done, it’s okay to let it go.” They give me a soft smile, their voice was comforting.

  “How do I let go of this?” I look at my feet, my voice was quieter now.

  “By living, c’mon, I need pens and I have something to run by you.” They let go of my hand, the door opens with a pop and slams shut with that soft, dull thud.

  The store smelled like wood and disinfectant. The floors were white, cloudy and had warped reflections of the lights above. Vaguely human figures shimmered across as well, warped by the same cloudiness that folded the image of the lights. The aisle we were in had racks hanging with pens. At our waist sat a shelf with tiny, square compartments with little numbers carved on the top and bottom of the separators. Pens were individually taped shut with a weird foil strip with a barcode tab hanging off to the side.

  Jude read the top and bottom numbers, looking off to the side, eyes distant as they imagine what the pen may look like in action. Or at least that’s what they looked like. As an aside, even in the harshest light they were beautifully handsome.

  “So what’s this thing you wanted to run by me?” I ask, they glance at me for a moment before looking back at a pen.

  “You know that video? ‘Finished not perfect’?” They say, voice monotone as they read the sides of this number five pen.

  “Uhm, yeah, what about it?” I ask, recalling Jake Parker’s comforting, fatherly voice. Making the assertion that the only way to becoming a successful artist is by finishing things. It’s what inspired me last night to get caught up.

  “Well, Jake Parker, the guy who made the video, has a challenge coming up in a couple weeks.” They say, looking up at me with a smile.

  “Okay?” I chuckle, they’re so cute when they’re excited.

  “It’s called Inktober, every day in the month of October, you draw something based on the prompt of that day, here—“ they pull out their phone, they get closer to me, showing me a picture of all the prompts, “these are all the prompts, everyday, you draw something new.”

  “But with pens?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. They smell like honeysuckle, it’s my favorite.

  “Yup, with ink. It’s about discipline, endurance and I want you to do it with me.” They turn the phone off putting it back in their pocket. I know I already said it, but they’re so cute when they’re excited.

  “Why me?” I ask, a nagging feeling pulls at my stomach, “Why not that one chick, the ginger? She’s better than me.” I continued, she was a very studious individual, probably had all thirty-one illustrations already done.

  “Because Edith is done already and I barely know her.” Jude says, picking up another pen, reading the side.

  “You barely know me.” I say, it’s only been five days since they gave me a pop.

  “I know enough and for the record; no ones better than anyone.” Jude says, picking up another pen. “Fuck, I can’t ever find the—“ Jude looks up, staring at a pack of ‘Pendergast Writing Utensil’, “Son of a bitch, I like generic ass pens?”

  “What?” I chuckle, looking over their shoulder.

  “These pens are the ones that I used last year. They ran out of ink and I’ve been looking for them since.” They look at the package for a while, then turns to me, “Wanna split it?”

  “Sure, I got a couple bucks.” I grab my wallet from my back pocket that will inevitably shrink my leg due to always sitting on it. I read that happens somewhere.

  “Alrighty, let’s get out of here, I’m starving.” Jude says, walking past me, I follow after them.

  A burrito bowl sat in my lap in a brown paper bag. Jude’s tacos sat at my feet. We pull into their parking space, doors to the resident hall just ahead. Late afternoon, most students will still be at class.

  “Why me?” I ask again, remembering I didn’t get an answer earlier.

  “Because, I wanna do it with someone I can laugh with.” Jude says, smiling at me.

  “No I meant Inktober.” I say, trying to sound as small as possible.

  “I did mean Ink— shut the fuck up and eat your burrito bowl.” We laugh, the days events dull as we move through our time together.

—

The sun morphed the sky into a myriad of colors. Deep indigos gave way to a shining orange glow. The hills sang as the light breeze flew through the trees and across the deep cuts of land. I couldn’t move. My legs were numb from the settling blood. Tiny dull pins stabbed at my legs.

The paint on my canvas was a matte crimson. My mom wore a shade very similar on her lips, every time we went grocery shopping she put it on. I loved it, because she planted her lips all over my face, I always wore it like makeup. There’s a picture on my wall, just above my computer of my face filled with red ovals. My mom is next to me, she looks so sweet and happy. Her arms are around me, I have the biggest smile I’ve ever flashed. It was The Fourth and she put it on to chase me around my aunties yard. I ran, yelped, and giggled more than I ever have. I tripped on a twig and she held me down. I laughed as she planted her lips all over my face. We sat up, her lipstick was smudged, she hugged me and my brother took a picture of us. I looked so happy, my round face held up in a tight smile, my blonde hair, frizzy and unkempt. My mom and her short blonde hair, frazzled like it always was. Her smile was as big as mine. I miss her.

The cravings kept me up again, I sat with my leg bouncing for hours. Trying to get up and do something else, but all I could do was paint. The paint on my canvas was a matte crimson. The words I wrote asked if Jude was as fleeting as my mom.

Amber

[imaginependergast]

Crooked River: The Hot Take

I read it. I thought it was good. Better than City of Endless Night, less good than Verses for the Dead. Spoilers below the cut. 

N O D I O G E N E S

But seriously, I hope the next book picks up from that teaser short story from the newsletter some months ago. 

I like that the story picks up almost immediately from Verses for the Dead.

I really like the premise of feet washing up on shore.

Roger Smithback is still annoying and I’m always tempted to speed read or outright skip his chapters. I get what he did for the story- I’d still prefer him not exist.

Wallace Lam also annoyed me and I’m not particularly sad he got offed.

Dr. Gladstone was giving me some Viola vibes, but I did like her more. I hope she enjoys life sans foot trying to prove her theories.

I liked Constance’s mini-mystery, but don’t see much of the point aside to have her in Florida. 

I like Constambo, even if it is unrealistic even in the world of Pendergast novels. 

Can we stop hearing about how every male who meets Constance wants to do her? Or how physically attractive she is under her boring clothes. Three times I remember reading about how curvy she is. We get it- she and Pendergast at the two most attractive, fuckable people in this universe.

I wonder if Constance will actually make Coldmoon regret not taking her with him on his rescue mission of if we’ll get two sentences about how Pendergast smoothed it over.

While I see how the villians make sense, I’ve come to realize my favorite endings involve small scale operations- the Dunwoody’s and witches in Crimson Shore, the business man from Cabinet of Curiosities… I like my baddies intimate. Less paramilitary as here or Nazis in the Helen trilogy. In a similar vein, I liked Stranger Things best when it was just Hawkins lab and not some giant Russian conspiracy. 

Who’s Alves-Vettoretto?? She was introduced like we’ve seen her before and according to the Preston-Child wikia, we have. I have no memory of her and assume she came from the Helen trilogy or something with Alban. I didn’t like her. She was pointless and is set to come back again. Which is lame. 

It’s always amazing how an accomplished, intelligent woman could get behind a racist, sexist, homophobic institution that is seemingly against women being accomplished or educated. I’m not saying this is a writing flaw since it happens in real life all the time, just a note about how real it struck. 

“His gloomy reverie was interrupted by a vibration in his jeans- and not the kind he appreciated” -pg. 279. One of the best quotes. Full stop.

From what Constance was musing about when it came to love I assume that there’s been no deceleration of love or loss (yet). But I think it’s coming, or something is evidenced by how Pendergast held her by the waist. He’s kissed her before, but him holding her that close and protectively is something else. 

I really liked Perelman and am happy he made it. Gotta be honest, for a brief bit I worried he was a baddie. 

So much animal death :(

The Cuba debacle was a good part. 

I really liked Quarles and an not happy he was killed.

I was hoping for some sexy allusions between Constance and Pendergast.

I think that’s it. Overall a solid story. I don’t know if I’ll read it again, but there were bits I really, really liked. I’d say this is solid and better than average, but I feel like I don’t have much “meat” to my commentary aside from ‘thing good’ or ‘thing bad’. I’m also hoping I like the location more. Florida is was alright, but my favorite will always be the East coast. 

But seriously I want a Diogenes book and I want heat between Constance and one or more brothers. 

[n-chu4ever]

@themarauder1 have a very short fic bc I have a short attention span and honestly it’s just Gordon and two special guests. Spoilers for SOS Part II!

To be honest, not much happened between visits from his family. Gordon either found himself dozing off due to the anaesthetic or disassociating due to the anaesthetic. He vaguely remembered one of the doctors – a trusted physician who had long worked with the Tracy family, who knew each of the brothers inside out – telling him that he was lucky, that he had somehow not snapped his spinal cord. He would walk again. It would take a fair amount of therapy, but he would walk again. He’d be able to swim and work again… just not now.

He was recounting the finale of the Game of Thrones remake when someone arrived in his room.

“If it isn’t our number one fan,” came a familiar voice as two familiar faces popped up in his vision.

“Buddy? Ellie?” Gordon asked incredulously as a doctor also came in.

“Yep. We heard you were in pretty bad shape, so we pulled a few strings to come see how you were doing.”

“Thank you. I love my family, but it was getting a little boring.”

“Well, you’ll be pleased to know that you’re in Season 13!”

“Oh thank god!”

“So we brought you a signed copy for you to watch.” Gordon smiled at that.

“Thanks you two.”

“You’re welcome. Get some rest, Gordon. Spite your enemies!” Ellie declared, and that made Gordon laugh enough that it hurt his damaged ribs.

“Ow!”

“Mr and Mrs Pendergast!” a nurse yelled, “You were in here on the condition that you don’t hurt Mr Tracy more than he is already!”

“Sorry! Sorry! We’ve got to go, Gordon!” Gordon just giggled as the two explorers ran out of the room, before looking down at the holo-DVD in his hands. It would be a long journey for him, but a new season of his favourite show would make it just a little bit easier.

[carpetheotherfandoms]

She is Moon-Soaked and Dawn-Flavoured.

Meliodas and Elizabeth. Chapter 1 of 3.

Read Chapter 2 and 3.

“He had always been able to hear her across their lifetimes; they were bound to find each other after all. He could feel every ounce of her when she was in pain, when she was hurting, when she wanted nothing more than to be soothed by his embrace. At first it had been a calming reassurance. But it had become a curse. The demons knew he had this sense, knew that by taking her and filling her with dread he would be driven to the brink of madness.”

Warning: Explicit and Violent (blood, torture, pain etc.). 

Enjoy.

She doesn’t remember ever feeling so entirely empty, but she knows there was a time before this when she was. She couldn’t quite recall when or how or who had trapped her then, but it was in the creases of her memory. Like a deep, hollow, pitiful feeling that brought her shoulders to shake and her resolve to splinter. She wanted to be stronger for her sisters lying beside her now. 

Their skin was grimy, their clothing torn, their bodies weakened by the torturous infliction of no food and water on their human frames. She wished she could tear the chains from the walls of the dungeons that kept her and hold them close. She didn’t want to feel the cold stone under her bare legs or the harsh magical steel tightening every time she felt a surge of her own power flowing through her. She was bleeding enough already from the wounds they had torn into her flesh, and she knew if she pulled on her bindings any harder the markings would only deepen. She had to bide her time now, she would be no use to anyone if she passed out from loss of blood.

At first, she had tried to keep track of the time they had been encased. She had tried to back track in her mind, remember the days before but everything felt the same in the cold, wet room. Margaret had even tried notching the ground with the cracked remnants of her nails, but for some reason the room kept shifting. It was as if they were being transported, Elizabeth could sense the magical energy moving them, but it was fuzzy and displaced. She wasn’t sure who was doing this and whoever it was as keeping themselves well hidden from her. It was probably one of the many reasons they kept moving. Another was whoever had them probably knew he could sense her; knew he would come for her; knew he wanted to find her as badly as she wanted to be found.

She tried to leave her magical signature trailing behind her but the steel that bound her would singe her skin leaving a raw burn bleeding under the tightening of the bindings. Still she tried to let her energy flow to her sisters, let her warmth caress their skin just to stop the chattering of their teeth and rattling of their fingers if only for a few moments. She knew Elaine was trying to do so as well but from inside the tightly wound vessel that contained her, she could barely send anything through the powerful walls at all. She too was being constrained by a great force.

By now, it seemed like a life time ago that they had been taken, she knew it had only been days at most but in a darkened pit with no life and no air, time was almost a figment of your imagination. She was left with nothing but dark days and her sister’s shallow breathing. She wanted to think about softer, warmer things. His hands, his smile, their freedom. But it always disappeared with the scraping of cuffs on stone and the painful gurgle of a hungry body.

So instead she tried to find her memories of how this happened at all. It had slowly been flooding her as she spoke with the young women pressed closed to her side. They had been in a garden Margaret believed. A garden with purple and blue hues all around them Veronica had reminded her. She could see his face almost clearly in her mind, but the green backdrop was obscured. Grass maybe? She wasn’t entirely sure. All she knew was that she had to get her sisters out of here before they completely withered. Her and Elaine could survive much longer in the depths of these walls, but they could not.

So, she plotted.

Eying Elaine every so often willing her to understand her plan, hoping she was able to hear her muddled thoughts through the thick prison that encased her. They watched the comings and goings of the guards; remembered the routines of ill-smelling scraps slipping through a rusted metal slot; heard the jingling of iron keys once every fourth shift change. Elizabeth played with the angling of her cuffs wondering if she pressed the raw skin into the steel just far enough if she would have enough time to let her ability overwhelm Elaine’s confinement before they crushed her bones.

She knew it was risky; knew it would leave her alone, paralyzed, in more pain than she could possibly withstand. She would be left to succumb to the anger and will of the monster that chained them. It left her filled to the brim with fear. But then, the empath inside her screamed out for her loved ones. She needed to help, needed to save, needed to protect. It was her solemn duty as an Apostle of the Goddesses. Her duty as their sister, their friend.

When the third shift change came around whatever day, she opened her mind as widely as she could to Elaine, and it was then that Elaine affirmed her. With a soft nod and curt scurrying to the farthest corner the plan was set. And it was to the bright, wide eyes of the Maiden of the Fairy King’s Forest she smiled softly, a message she hoped shined clear as day.

I will be okay. You will come back for me.

She didn’t know if she believed her own words, but she knew if neither her nor Elaine did, he would. He would always come. He always had.

On the fourth round with the jingling of keys and the shuffling of feet Elizabeth pulled her wrists back tightly enough and let the beams of ark light blast through her body. She willed her white light to wrap around the structure trapping Elaine and despite the thick purple smoke that began to fight her she shattered Elaine’s cage. The next few seconds were vital but the blinding crushing of the bones in her wrist’s left her falling into a void. As she slumped against the wall with the darkness invading her sight and the sounds of scuffling filling her ears, she wondered if they had escaped.

And then hoped, for everyone’s sake, they had.

The lifelessness of her body and the shooting pains in her wrists told her that although she had been healing, although her body had been reaching outwards to keep her alive someone had surely been reinjuring her for their own gain. She wanted to raise her slumped head, but the tired ache was so deep in her bones. All she could seem to register was that she was standing now. There were shackles wound around her ankles, more shackles tightening her shattered wrists, and even one clipped around her neck. The steel felt like it was burning her skin at a low rate, just enough to make her uncomfortable, just enough to keep her awake and keep her power at bay.

‘This form is the most similar to the first time we met'

The deathly, cold that seared her skin made her wonder how she hadn’t realized before who had captured her. Surely, it must have taken an incredible mystical force that had been keeping his intense presence and powerful magic hidden from her. She forced her eyes to narrow in on the voice across the room despite the raging of her body that willed her to rest, to heal. His presence was overwhelming although he sat less than a few feet away. They were in a place that mimicked her father’s throne room with high ceilings and golden decorum. However, it was the sigils surrounding them that caught her eyes, they were that of the Pendergast name.

Camelot.

‘He will not be happy with me when he sees you. You shouldn’t have forced my hand.’

It was a startling reminder of how similar he was to the man she loved. The curl of his hair, the soft slant of his features. It made thinking of him all the more apparent in her mind. So, Elizabeth closed her eyes to focus on her body. She could already feel the wounds that brought her the most ache closing again. There was a cut the length of her thigh that was closing, blood drying on its outer edges. There was bruising lining her ribs and arms that slowly faded from a deep purple to a soft yellow. The jagged ridges of torn skin across her sternum and right shoulder. Her wrists were mending once more, her head regaining focus, her bottom lip sewing shut. She was stretched wide, her arms pulled up, her legs pulled apart, her head yanked back. Almost like a target. His target.

‘That won’t do.’

With speed that should have terrified her but simply left her paralyzed and reeling, he had gripped the shackle that bound her neck and let his hand crush a single wrist once more. She wanted to hold her pain inside herself, not let him know how deeply he was causing her to fear for her life, but the shout that ripped from her throat reverberated around the room almost as loudly as the cracking of her bones. He pushed her head back until she was staring in his unyielding eyes with his hand callously gripping the metal shackling her throat. The burning sensation on her skin all the more painful.

‘Now, now. We can do better than that.’

She could feel his hot breath against her skin and the cold feel of his other hand moving to grasp her healed wrist. She could practically smell the stench of hellfire and utter hatred seeping from every facet of him. His body was alarmingly tall, dangerously fearsome and the black, barely blue of his eyes a harsh reminder of why she was here. She knew they had been together before, but it was not like this. Maybe a festival of some sort? She was sure she had seen him laugh and yet that memory faded to black at the harrowing sound of his voice.

‘We want my brother to find you love.’

He grasped her wrist tightly as the bones began to crack underneath the weight. She couldn’t help the blood curdling yell that tore apart her throat as he willed his pain to radiate within her. The breaking of her wrist made to feel like her body had been filled with a level of dark magic specifically quelled up inside him for her. A taste of coal in her mouth, a flash of the darkness he dared place within her crossing her vision.

‘That’s better. I think one more and he should crash right into our little space.’

Elizabeth watched him as he raised a glass blade from the sheath at his hip.  It was beautifully crafted with a simple thin blade and a golden hilt. His fingers gripped the handle with a gentle familiarity and his other hand sought to graze her skin and pull her chin to level their eyes once more. She couldn’t help but notice how dark the purple hue that tattooed his skin had become, how black the symbol of the Demon King singed his soul.

‘He'll know it was me.’

He gripped her chin harshly and all Elizabeth could do was whimper as the steel shackles kept her magic tightly bound; marked her skin with fiery scars to remember them by. To remember him by.

‘You’ll tell him that when I am Demon King, he will keep his promise forever.’

The sneer that marked Estarossa’s face imprinted in Elizabeth’s mind. She had never felt something so tremendous; a statement he truly intended with every ounce of his dark magical spirit to keep.

‘Tell my brother I said hello’

As she stared into the eyes that should have reminded her of his brother, a man who would never dare bring her harm, she was left with a chill. That was until the glass blade tightly gripped in his hand was piercing into her stomach. Elizabeth could not control the anguish and rage that flowed from within her. The pain was unbelievable, unfathomable, unbearable. She could feel it in ever fibre that held her together, a never-ending wave of utter devastation worse than the reality of losing everyone she held dear. It was like she was reliving the worst pains her mind could imagine. Figments of her worst nightmare swirled in her eyes as a dark fog and she was suddenly surrounded by the bodies of those curled deeply within her heart. Their lifeless frames covered in their blood and her, stuck standing in place with nothing to do but stare, and scream.

The Sins surrounded her on demon spikes. Their bodies run clear through with a potent dark magical energy. He was there, his beautiful blonde hair matted to the grimy, sullen skin of his forehead. His eyes faded, each of his hearts pierced threw. He was strewn over rocks in pools of his own blood. She was left quaking as she screamed in horror, as tears flowed down her face.

She knew somewhere outside of herself that her blood was pooling below her and staining the tattered shards of her silk gown. It would nearly kill him to see. She knew because it was nearly killing her to have this imagine flooding her mind. She tried to break the fog that overwhelmed her with nothing but death, she willed herself to break that chains, to save herself from this trauma.

But all she could feel was the black hole swallowing her entirely.