#Diamond Bay Cliff Walk

[siobhantuite]

Uncover Sydney’s Hidden Coastal Gems: A Whale-Watching Adventure | Siobhan Tuite

Discover breathtaking coastal walks in Sydney on Siobhan Tuite's blog. Explore hidden gems and embark on a thrilling whale-watching adventure along Sydney's stunning coastline. Find your perfect escape!

[litnerdwrites]

Clandestine Affairs - Lust X OC (I)

A/N: Omg, the first part of Clandestine Affairs is finally done! I'm so excited to share this with you all. I'll try to update weekly, but if I can't, I'll see if I can get some Euphemia content out. Other than that, I have a Gluttony x Reader oneshot I'm working on to, but I don't know when I'd upload that. Tomorrow, I'll set up a masterlist that'll be pinned to my blog. If you have theories as to where this will go before we reach the point my Prince of Sin week work ended on, or want to be tagged in this series, comment and let me know. Finally, if you want some spoilers as to where this series is going, Speak Now is a oneshot for Lust with this same OC that I did for Prince of Sin week, and this is just fleshing out his and Amara's story a little, so feel free go check that out, along with @princeofsinweek for a bunch of KOTW content.

WC: 1887

TW: Implied suicidal behaviour, implied abuse, implied suicide attempt, implied suicide attempt by FMC.

Speak Now Chapter 1 (You are here) Chapter 2

She wasn’t sure how long she’d sat there, eyes locked on the crashing waves below, but not really looking at them. 

“Get out of my sight,” 

The sudden wind at her back had her lurching forward. Or was it a hand? Was the voice in her head? She couldn’t tell anymore. 

SMASH

The waves sound like shattering glass.

Or does the glass shattering sound like the waves crashing? 

Which one could she hear?

“I’m sorry, Mara. My poor, sweet Amara,”

Another crash draws her attention to the raging sea. If it were a little louder, could it, perhaps, it could drown out the rend of her heart when those words played.

It would be so easy to just… lean forward. 

Just a little. 

Chunks of earth crumble beneath her knees, where her legs dangle off the side, and disappear into the inky waters below. 

That could be her. 

It would be easy. 

Just lean forward. 

Grasp a piece of the sweet oblivion she longed for. 

Easy.

It’s right there.

Peace.

Oblivion.  

So, so easy. 

Just-

Something rushed through her, like rapids flowing through her veins, sudden enough to draw the air from her lungs, and has her lurching back. Pulled from her trance, her eyes searched around for the source of the feeling. Fishing boats, and personal ships bobbed in the distance, some hanging lanterns to mark their location from shore, while shadows danced below the surface. 

Dragging her gaze away, she scanned the area, searching for what might have been the cause of the sudden rush she’d felt. At a glance, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The night’s pearl had long since taken her place, surrounded by glittering diamonds, forming constellations in the sky. Stalls and vendors had been packed away, with every respectable merchant having gone home to their family, likely tucked into bed, or in front of a warm fire with a drink by now. Her heart clenched at the thought, just as a chilly breeze swept over her.

Suddenly, she longed for that warmth. A warm fire, or a blanket- anything to keep the cold at bay, and warm her chilled body. 

As her eyes searched, they caught on a light coming from behind a rock formation at the edge of the nearby beach. With slow, cautious steps, she walked along the edge of the cliff, until she could see a mass of figures surrounding a large bonfire. They were chatting, eating, and dancing to the most hypnotic music she’d ever heard.

For a moment, she wondered where the music was coming from, as she didn’t see anyone with instruments amongst or near the mass. The thought was quickly banished from her head with another gust of wind, and suddenly it was all she could think of, to get closer to that warmth.

It was such a familiar occurrence that she didn’t even struggle when she felt those dark thoughts and fatigue pulling her under, leaving her as a passenger in her own body, letting it run through the motions as she sank further into the darkness. Perhaps that was why she didn’t notice as her legs began to move, or that little voice inside, screaming at her to stop. 

Instead, she let her feet carry her towards the bonfire.

Entranced, she made her way down the side of the cliff, vaguely registering the way her limbs trembled. She wondered if it was from anticipation or the cold. The thought passed quickly though, and before long, she found herself right in front of the pyre, where the flames danced against the backdrop of night. But, something was different. When she turned her head, giving the area a slow once over, she realised; The crowd was gone. 

Instead, there was only a single person, dancing around the bonfire to an indiscernible source of music. That should’ve bothered her more.

The sculptures that nobles commissioned from renowned artisans to line their overly elaborate halls must’ve been inspired by the man. He wore a silver suit, though seemed to have either discarded or, more likely, forgone a shirt or vest.

His skin was gold, hair dark, and his eyes were the colour of charcoal. Yet, somehow, she got the impression that if she met his gaze, she’d feel like she was falling into a different kind of abyss than the one she was used to. This one would be darkened by desire, though be it to disrobe or begin worshiping, she couldn’t tell.   

“If you like what you see, then why not join?” The man’s voice jolted her from her thoughts. 

He had been across the beach a moment ago, but now he stood right in front of her. 

Too close. 

His face was too close, as he bent at the waist to examine her. It was only then, when she felt that flaming circlet flicker against her forehead that she realised how… Wrong- no. Not wrong. Off? How... Strange? No. How… Unsettling it was. 

“Doesn’t your head get hot during the summer?”

The man’s eyes widened, and he had jerked back, clearly surprised by the question.

No sooner had the words left her mouth, Amara dropped her head and slapped a hand over her mouth. She tucked her chin against her collarbone, stiffening, before taking two steps back. Every second she felt his gaze on her, searching her, as if peeling back every layer to find the deepest secrets, locked in her heart. 

With every ounce of strength left, she pulled her hands from her mouth, willing- forcing herself to stutter an apology. 

“I- I’m so-” 

“There are no summers where I’m from,” 

Amara’s head snapped up, but she kept her hands close to her mouth, ready to raise them to her face at a moments’ notice. The man was grinning casually, amusement clear in his voice. 

She blinked up at him, hands still pressed to her mouth, but eyes wide and curious. He seemed so jovial when she first saw him, then surprised at her outburst, but that was nothing new, and then, even without seeing his face, she felt like he’d instantly whittled down, through every layer of her until he found her secrets laid bare. Now, he seemed like any other bored noble’s son, seeking attention. 

“Should you not be more concerned by it?” he cocked his head to the side.

Amara dropped her hands from her mouth, and blinked up at him again. After a few moments under his expectant gaze, answered with a shrug. 

“I have… Seen stranger. I am a witch, after all.”

His brows shot up. 

“You seem remarkably comfortable sharing that, when all it would take is the wrong person overhearing for you to be condemned,” 

“You obviously aren’t human, and even if you were, then I guess that’s my mistake,” 

His eyes narrowed, as he circled her. 

Amara didn’t bother tracking his movements. 

Silence stretched on for what felt like hours, though was likely only minutes.

“Do you know who I am, Stella Stregah?” he finally asked, coming back to stand in front of her. 

“A Malvagi,” she stated, matter of factly, if not somewhat dully, before looking behind him, amd asking hesitantly, “Why are you having a bonfire all alone?” 

“Would you care to join me?” was the only response he gave, head cocked to the side.

“Why?”

“Dance with me, and perhaps you’ll find out,” the demon bowed at the waist, offering his hand to her. Amara eyed him, and his grin widened, before he asked, “What could you have to lose?”

Her eyes widened at his words. 

“My life,” she blurted. 

“But you don’t care about that,”

“What?” 

His eyes moved to the cliff she was sitting on, before she wandered down here, and she followed his gaze. 

“If you cared about your life, then why would you allow yourself to lean so close to the edge?” he asks. 

“Heights don’t scare me,” Amara responds, struggling to keep her voice even.  

The man simply grins wider, before shrugging, as if pocketing the information, and holding out his hand again.

“If a height like that doesn’t frighten you, surely a mere dance won’t shake you either, no?” 

She narrowed her eyes, intent on rejecting it, as his words replayed in her mind. 

What did she have to lose? If she died, no one could say she took the coward’s way out. If she didn’t, what would be the harm? Perhaps it would be fun? Perhaps it could breathe some life into her for the first time in what felt like forever. Perhaps she’ll be able to escape her torments for a night. What could be the harm?

With a sigh, she took the man’s waiting hand. 

Music filled her ear again, though there was no discernible source, as the demon guided her through the steps. Amara let him, keeping up with the steps expertly. She followed his lead, though never once made eye contact with the demon. 

“Which one of the seven are you?” 

“The best looking and most well endowed, naturally,” he grins. Amara’s expression deadpans. This seems to amuse him more. “I go by many names, Stregah, but you may call me Lust,” 

She narrowed her eyes on him. Taking a moment to examine herself, and thinking over their interactions thus far. It didn’t seem like he used his powers on her.

“Have you tried to influence me with your sin, yet?” 

Lust cocks his head to the side, examining her, as if considering if he should tell her or not. She leveled him with an impatient glare in response, though it only seemed to amuse him. Still, it seemed to convince him.

“For a time,” Lust admits, and Amara narrows her eyes. 

“What?”

“You have a lot of questions, don’t you, little witch. Careful, each answer will cost you,” he warns. 

“I…See,” 

“Tell me, why were you so close to the edge, Stella Stregah?” 

Lust raised a brow, examining the way her face scrunched. 

“That’s not your concern, Malvagi.” Amara snapped, moving to pull away.

He chuckled, yanking her into a spin, before she could, then caught her, and pushed her into a dip, hand cupping the thigh of her raised leg. His face was mere inches from hers.

“No need to be so wrathful, little witch. Let go of your troubles for a night. Release those pent up feelings and give in to your desires,”  

“I’m not sleeping with you,” she told him, point blank. 

“I never said you should. Not unless those are your desires,” Lust shrugged, not rising from the dip, letting his hand trail down her leg, “Dance. Drink,” she glanced behind him to see a table of drinks and food she hadn’t noticed before, and on the other side, comfortable looking chairs were laid out around the bonfire, “Rest. Talk. Sing. Give into whatever brings your pleasure,” 

“You mean to feed your sin-" Amara's thoughts came to a halt, her eyes narrowed, "If you are the Prince of Lust, why not encourage, or influence more..."  

"Why not influence more carnal or debaucherous forms of pleasure?" He finished, lips quirked into a wicked grin as his thumb began to trace circles into her thigh. "There are many forms of pleasure, Stregah, and fucking is merely one of them. Is happiness itself not a part of pleasure and satisfaction?" 

Amara's breath hitched, as heat trailed in his wake, spreading from her thigh to her core. 

"I- I suppose," she muttered, as she fought the warmth of his touch, as well as any indication of the sort of effect he had on her. 

The last thing she needed was for The Prince of Lust to assume she had any desire to be in any way... intimate... with him. Just the thought alone had blood rushing to her cheeks and her stomach in knots. 

“Can you deny that giving in to pleasure, forgetting what ails you, even for a single night, would be bad?” Lust's brow cocked as he posed the question, snapping Amara from her thoughts.

It wouldn’t. If it wasn't sex of any kind, then she knew it wouldn’t.

“Surely you have plenty of people available to feed your sin,” 

“Yet, at this time, I make this offer to you, and you alone," 

Amara’s eyes narrowed. 

“If I give into pleasure, you won’t use your sin on me?” 

“Not unless you ask, little witch,” 

“Then it’s a deal. Just for tonight.” 

“Just for tonight.” 

Just for tonight. What could possibly go wrong, in just a night?

[a-land-lacking-sleep]

Electric Trains are the Future Chapter 10: An Unexpected Disruption

Previous Chapter (9) - Current Chapter - Next Chapter (11)

We hit the angsty part today, sorry. Well, next chapter is the angst, this chapter is the catalyst. But for now, we send the group to go find a new village! We're ramping up for the climax of the first part, and then we're on to new pastures!

Chapter Summary: Jubilife needs to expand with all of the incoming immigrants, and Ingo and Akari are the right people for the job! Chapter Word Count: 4848 Chapter Warnings: Major Character Injury (Skip from the blue text to the next linebreak)

As always, read here or on AO3 with additional notes! Reblogs and comments are always appreciated.

-

13 Weeks since Elesa’s Disappearance

“Sorry, Uncle, but it seems that Solgaleo can’t get a lead on it,” Elio says, stroking the fur on their giant lion before feeding it a malasada. “He can feel that a Wormhole was here, yeah, but he can’t really get anything else.”

Emmet is standing with Elio and Volo down Tunnel 3 in the Nimbasa Subway System, in the approximate location where Ingo had disappeared during an inspection. Emmet clearly remembers what had happened. Several Depot Agents had seen figures of Pokemon rushing out of the way of trains in Tunnels 3 and 4, and once they were able to shut the lines down, Ingo and Emmet had split up to check each tunnel.

Ingo never came back. Emmet had found a small purple Pokemon, incredibly injured from when it had been clipped by a train. When he described it to Elio, the young Champion had exclaimed it must’ve been a Poipole. Emmet had cared for the Pokemon for a time before it suddenly disappeared.

Just like Ingo.

“Uncle?” Elio’s voice snaps Emmet out of his reminiscence, and he turns to face Elio. “Are you ok?”

“I am Emmet. I was thinking. I am fine, yup,” Emmet says, his smile looking verrrrrry tired, but still real. “This is where Ingo disappeared. An Ultra Wormhole makes sense.” He nods, and looks over as Volo clears his throat.

“Since we didn’t get any leads, should we get going?” He was back in his baggy blue hoodie, hands buried into the pockets. “We did make plans to talk with Cynthia.” The ‘old’ man began to tap his foot and look around the group. “And I really don’t like how these tunnels feel. I feel like I’m being watched.”

“Yes,” Emmet says, turning and beginning to walk down the tunnel, back towards the Subway terminal. “We should get going.”

—

16 Weeks since Elesa’s Arrival

The sun in the coastlands was brutal now that summer was beginning to roll in. With how bitterly cold the winters got, and how the Icelands stayed under a constant sheet of ice, one would expect cooler summers. But Ingo was a Unovan. He lived just as far north there as he did here, and he knows how hot the streets can get in the height of summer.

Elesa and Miss Akari, meanwhile, managed the heat by wearing lighter clothing for the expedition. Miss Akari had changed into the pajama shirt she’d worn when she first arrived and wore thinner pants that covered her legs, and Elesa had modified yet another uniform to be thinner with removed sleeves, and shortened her pants to capri length. Ingo refused to remove his coat and hat, though he had the sense to remove his Pearl Clan tunic. If they came across Palina, he was sure she’d understand.

“So, game plan!” Miss Akari says, putting a map of the Coastlands down on the table for both adults to see. “Kamado and Sanqua want us to find the best place to build an additional settlement for the Galaxy Expedition Team. We’ve been getting a lot of new incomers, and Jubilife is almost full!” The girl smiles and nods, satisfied with her explanation.

“We also need to remember to plot our course around Pearl and Diamond Clan lands,” Ingo says, picking up the fountain pen that he had haggled from Ginter, and circling the upper cliffs of the bay, and the area around Aipom Hill. “If we put tracks on these lands, we not only break the treaties, but risk discontent. The Clans and Jubilife are allies and on good terms, but if we accidentally start an invasion, then we have forgotten about safety checks and gone into a dangerous tunnel.”

Elesa swats his shoulder softly, drawing his look. “We’re not going to start anything, you Worry Seed! I don’t think Akari is that dumb!” She very much leaves the implication that Akari is dumb enough for other things unsaid.

Akari, thankfully, didn’t catch on, and motioned for the pen from Ingo. “Yeah, I’m not gonna start nothin’,” she says, circling the area at the end of the bottom hook of the bay, where the sand spreads out like a hand. “We already have a base camp here at Sand’s Reach, and it’s far enough from where Basculegion usually rests that it shouldn’t be an issue.”

The trio look at the map for a few moments, plotting the various courses there. Eventually, Ingo speaks up. “Though we already do now, we would have to route freight lines for the settlement through Aipom Hill itself, most likely right where Iscan lives.” He reaches over and grabs a pencil this time, marking the path of least resistance from the beach of Gingko Landing to Sand’s Reach. “While I’m sure he will be fine with us simply having a route past his house, it might cause a logistical problem down the line.”

“What?” Akari looks at the map intensely for a few moments, then shakes her head. “They don’t need to go that close to the cliffs, Uncle Ingo! There’s other ways through that pass!” She grabs the pencil as soon as Ingo sets it down, and amends his route to cut north of the pass, right over the mountains.

Elesa sighs as Ingo carries on. “Miss Akari, you forget that you and I have the ease of Lady Sneasler’s help. Even with her, we make only a two-car train. But if we need to build and supply a new village,” he smudges the line that she had made, then taps his original route, “then we have a freight train and must go through the pass. We can check the route again today, but we would need to discuss the plans with Adaman and Iscan to be sure.”

Miss Akari crosses her arms and huffs, knowing that Ingo was right but not wanting to admit it. Ingo, meanwhile, was proud of himself. Once Kamado and Sanqua had learned that Ingo was the head of transportation for a region the size of Unova, they had asked him to help with the planning of the next settlement. Someone with such expertise in planning trade routes and roads for moving people was invaluable, and the Galaxy Team was not going to pass it up.

The silence is broken when Elesa taps a spot on the map, a lake across from Firespit Island. “What about here? Would this be a suitable place for the village, if we can find a way through the mountain?” Labeled under the name ‘Spring Path’, the lake was isolated from everywhere else unless they took a boat all the way around the Veilstone Cape. But in a straight line from where the trio were now, they would entirely avoid dealing with the Pearl Clan land that stretched down Veilstone and the Castaway Shore, as well as the area directly around Firespit.

Ingo and Miss Akari look up at each other, both trying to communicate silently. How steep were the cliffs? Was there a shallower part to take carts? Maybe a small cave system that could be extended, and kept lit so that Zubat didn’t infest it? Were there any Alpha nearby that they would need to try and coax into relocating?

After a few moments of silently debating it between each other and alone, Miss Akari takes the pen and circles the lake. “This might work. I haven’t gone up here much, so I don’t have the best idea of what we need to do. But,” swapping the pen for the pencil, she circles the area of the cliffs that separate the lake from the main area of the Coastland, “if we can find a way through here, it’s viable.” 

Ingo looks at the map to think of ways around Akari’s conundrum, and eventually he shrugs. Dancing in excitement of her victory, Akari rolls up the map and puts it away before pulling out her Arcphone and opening the map app on it. “So, this one doesn’t show any more detail at all. But I can have it track my movement so that it plots a path for us!” She holds her finger on the screen and puts a pin. “There, it’ll track us now!”

“Then let’s hope we don’t have to go up and down cliffs, Akari,” Elesa says, ruffling the teenager’s hair as she starts walking down towards the beach. “But no use worrying about that until we get there. Might as well use the thing to route a way around the Alpha nests, no?”

The group carefully makes tracks through the Coastland, keeping off the sand itself to keep the path as straight as possible. The Alpha Walrein that normally rests on the coast north of the cliffs had decided to come visit the main coastline with their children, which Ingo made sure to note down as a potential obstacle to future routing. 

To say nothing of the normal Alpha Drapion, whose Skorupi minions caught wind of the trio as they passed by, even with the wide berth. Ingo didn’t miss the larger Pokemon trudge towards the edge of its territory. Nor did he miss the fact that it trailed their movement as they skirted around the Pokemon’s nesting area. 

Just from those two brief encounters, Ingo was second guessing this potential location. With this many Alphas nearby, most traders wouldn’t want to take the route, even with easy tracks for them to follow, let alone villagers with little protection. Gripping the brim of his cap, he looks down towards the ground as he walks, thinking to himself. They’ve stuck to the cliffs to the west of the area, barely staying in sight of these Alphas, yet the fact that they had to worry about them meant that they would have to worry about them again in the future.

Eventually though, Akari pops her hand up, her phone screen lit up. “We’re at the point!” She puts her hands to her hips triumphantly and looks around expectantly, though Ingo was unsure what she was hoping to find. All he could see was a cliff.

“Akari?” Elesa asks, tapping the teen on the head. “What are you Seaking? Cause I’m not seeing much of a path.” Ingo had to agree with her, there wasn’t much of a path at all. He knew to the east was a path up the cliffs towards Veilstone Cape, and eventually to Lord Arcanine’s grave. But that went in the opposite direction, and was decidedly in Pearl Clan territory.

Miss Akari crosses her arms and looks out east anyway. “We could see if there’s a place on the path that way that could either be workable, or maybe carved into a path with Pokemon?” It seems that Miss Akari had already given up on the idea of using this as a way to keep out of Clan territory, and she didn’t even sound too sure of it herself. 

Ingo opens his mouth to speak, but Elesa cuts him off. “That could be the case,” she says, walking past Miss Akari while tapping her chin. “How about this, Skiddo. I’ll go check that path for places we can use, and you two,” she pauses, pointing at Ingo and Miss Akari before pointing up the cliff and continuing, “can HM08 your way up the cliff and look for a way down on the other side.”

Ingo frowns, not that there is much of an outwardly difference. “I am not sure that’s the track to go with, Elesa. Honestly, that proves that this route is unsustainable for travel if we are needing to make concessions before construction begins. Always remember your safety checks, as Emmet would say.”

“And safety checks are why I’m having you two check up there,” Elesa says, gesturing to the cliff face again. “Sticking to the path down here isn’t too rough, so I can Gogoat around with ease!” She pops a cute little pose, putting her hand on her hip and popping it to the side while flashing a peace sign up by her face. Ingo had to struggle not to laugh at her joke, since he was trying to prove a point of not approving of the plan. 

But before the point could be argued, the pair were surprised by Akari blowing two loud notes from her Celestica Flute, then looking at the pair with a smile. “Sneasler’s on her way!” Elesa pumps her fists in excitement while Ingo just gives her a flat look.

“Fine,” Ingo says, pulling his cap down a bit to cover his eyes. “Once my Lady arrives, we can depart from this station.” Miss Akari dances in place in joy, then high fives Elesa. Ingo stews, having been betrayed by not only his adoptive niece, but by his own girlfriend. 

After a few minutes, Lady Sneasler climbs down the cliff that Ingo and Akari were about to scale. Elesa waves as she turns to head off, and Miss Akari climbs up into Lady Sneasler’s riding basket. “Now, my Lady,” Ingo says as he walks toward the cliff with his hands behind his back, “we’re planning on checking if the cliffs on the other side are conducive to regular travel.” Sneasler has a look of realization across her face, then nods enthusiastically. “I know that you would be able to traverse it easily, so Miss Akari and I need to check for ease of human travel.” 

Sneasler rolls her eyes and points at Ingo. “Snea?” Ingo just nods, and she shrugs before starting her way up the cliff. Adorably, Miss Akari sticks her arm out and waves at Ingo now that the basket is facing him, and Ingo waves back, his eyes crinkling slightly in his own kind of smile. Once Lady Sneasler gets a good distance up, her claws easily digging into and gripping the stone, Ingo begins to climb, finding the best path of handholds and footholds that he could.

The climb up looks like it will be easy, with plenty of handholds in view already, though it would take some time to actually traverse, giving Ingo the time to think. Since Elesa arrived, Unova not only had a name in his mind, but it was actually a real place to return to. Elesa would definitely go home, she’s talked about it a few times since she’s been here, and he thinks she may be getting homesick with how he’s been catching her looking at her Xtransciever.

Ingo missed Unova as well. He missed his mother Eiko in Anville; he missed his uncle Drayden and cousin Iris in Opelucid; he missed the sound of the Subway running down the tunnels as he would rest between battles. He missed his daily life with Emmet, and their teams, all 14 Pokemon and two humans in one house, existing together.

But can they even go back? Ingo remembers a few days after Elesa arrived, Miss Akari had admitted that she probably wouldn’t be able to send her or Ingo back. The fabric of time-space was still weak, and Dialga and Palkia were apparently refusing to do anything like that again. She said she had another plan, but nothing came up after that. Ingo wasn’t sure if the plan was being worked on or not, but the young girl had thrown herself into the Pokedex soon after.

And can Ingo even go back? He’s a Warden, an important member of the Pearl Clan, even if he doesn’t spend too much time around the Clan as a whole because of his duties and the general discomfort that the others felt with his origins. And in Jubilife, he was expected to conduct the Galaxy Team and various villagers in battling, teaching them how Pokemon battles work and how to properly care for them. He also had friends among the Wardens and Leaders, and each attachment was beginning to feel like a chain.

Ah, he has reached his destination. Ingo pulls himself up over the cliff’s edge, nodding to Miss Akari and Lady Sneasler, who were chatting as they waited for him. Even after 2 years of climbing the cliffs alongside her, Ingo could never match Lady Sneasler’s speed. “I have arrived at the station,” he calls out to grab their attention, gripping his hat.

Miss Akari jumps over to him and points away from the cliff, in the general direction of their destination. “Then we’re set! Let’s go check out the path!” Without a moment’s more wait, she starts moving. Lady Sneasler takes a moment to look back at Ingo, as if asking if she should follow, and all Ingo can do is shrug before following himself. 

After a few minutes of walking through what was honestly a calm route, Ingo speaks up. “So, Miss Akari, I do feel the need to ask.” Once he’s sure that the girl is listening, he continues. “Just as you don’t know the stations and towns in Unova, I don’t know those in Sinnoh. Is there actually a town here in your time?”

Miss Akari chews her bottom lip in thought for a moment before answering Ingo’s question, which he took as a sign that his suspicions were right. “Really, I’m not sure. Veilstone is supposed to be in this area, but the coastline is really different.” She pouts and puffs her cheeks out slightly. “I feel like the cape that Arcanine is buried on has either eroded or was taken down somehow, ‘cause that is not there back home.”

Ingo brings his hand from his cap and strokes his beard in thought. “That is a lot of stone to remove in a century and a half.”

“It’s a big change, yeah…” Akari says with a sigh. “Not only that, but Eterna, Oreburgh, and Floaroma seem to be in different places if their names are in the right spots, and Jubilife is Canalave in our time. I could’ve missed that sort of thing in school, but it feels wrong”

“If it helps, there are historical references to my position in this era,” Ingo says quickly, hoping to stop Akari from a potential spiral. “It was a joke my brother and I would share, so if we are indeed from the same 2022, then this is indeed the past of your region.” They walked silently for a few moments before he continued down similar tracks.

“Have you made any progress on returning us to our original homes?” Ingo had stayed behind by a pace or two while they walked, so he was able to see Akari stop in her spot, and so he stopped as well to let her think.

After a moment, Akari pulls out her Pokedex and turns to show him the filled out page for Munchlax. “I caught my last Pokemon yesterday morning. My Pokedex is complete, outside of one page that I think is… The Pokemon that sent me here.” She’d mentioned this Pokemon before, a deity from her region supposedly. She puts the Pokedex away and steps over, pulling out the phone that she had with her. “The page appeared after I got this text.”

Come to the Temple of Sinnoh for your final test.

“According to Arceus,” Akari says with a grimace at acknowledging who she thinks brought her here, “I should be going to the Highlands to see Him.” She sighs and puts the phone to her mouth, biting the small protrusion on the top before leaning against Ingo. “I was afraid to go, and leave you two behind. And not get to tell people good-bye.”

Ah, Ingo could see the problem. She was worried about the same thing he was, having put roots into Hisui, only to rip them up. “I miss home, Uncle Ingo,” she says softly, staying leaned up against his arm. “I miss my mom, I miss Auntie Cynthia, I miss Lucas and Barry. But I’m also scared to leave here, ‘cause I’ll miss everyone, like Rei, Irida, Adaman, Laventon…”

Ingo lets her linger for a second as he thinks. Akari had begun to feel truly at home, which makes sense. She’s still a child, in the bigger picture, and despite the trials she went through here with Volo causing the rifts and Kamado’s less than stellar reactions to disaster, she’d found a place to be comfortable. She had adults to rely on, a friend her age to spend time with, Pokemon to bond to. He could see her dilemma quite clearly.

Sighing, Ingo reaches up and takes his hat off, then plops it down onto Akari’s head. As she looks at him with a soft giggle, he points a finger upwards while keeping her left arm behind his back. “Follow the rules. Safe driving!” He steps back and points at her. “Follow the schedule. Now, everybody smile!” He pauses briefly to let her smile, before asking softly, “Have you checked safety?” 

Giggling through a smile now, Akari nods and mimics his current stance, putting her left hand up and her right behind her back. She’s been through this before. Even before Ingo remembered his past, he’d remembered this phrase, and often used it to help cheer her up during rough days. “Everything’s ready!” They both click their feet together and spin to face their path, pointing outwards before shouting “ALL ABOARD!”

Akari struggles to not fall into a giggle fit, and Ingo smiles at her, a genuine soft smile, before snatching his hat back. Akari immediately tries to grab it back while he holds it high above her head. “You can have a hat when you are a depot agent, young lady.”

“Fine then,” Akari says with a huff, crossing her arms and facing away. “I’ll be a depot agent, and fight so well that I’ll replace you in the Single Lines!” The both share a laugh, Ingo’s echoing off of the cliffs around them and nearly covering Akari’s entirely. After they calm down, Akari bumps her shoulder against Ingo and points at the cliff ahead. “We’re here!”

The pair approach the cliff and look over the landscape below. It’s nearly a sheer drop from their position, with the need of either Pokemon assistance in this time period, or machine-made paths in their time. Looking down, Ingo could see several swarms of Mothim in the area, including two Alphas actively engaged in a territory dispute. He lets the silence hang for a moment before gripping his hat. “This line is a bust, Miss Akari.”

His teenage passenger stays silent a moment longer before pointing over at the raised rock formation in the center of the area. “Well, there’s the lake. I recognize this area,” she says, her shoulders slumping. “It’s where I caught Giratina. There’s a cave on the water inside of the crater.” She kicks a rock by her foot, launching it over the edge of the cliff in front of them and tumbling down. “I came by the water last time, so I forgot it was this area…”

As the girl starts to wallow, Ingo pats her shoulder. “It’s fine, Miss Akari. Even if this line did not lead to a station, it is still information to use for future expeditions.” He watches her look out at the area below them and then pick herself back up. “Now, let us reverse course and return to our previous station. We shouldn’t keep Elesa waiting.”

“Yeah, don’t wanna keep Auntie held up much longer,” Akari says with a half-hearted grin, turning around on her heel and starting back towards the far cliff they had climbed. The way she swung her arms mirrors how Emmet had always walked when he got excited, swinging like the stiff arms of a toy soldier or nutcracker. “Besides, it’s not all bad, we got some exercise!”

“We get exercise daily, Miss Akari,” Ingo says, laughing as he falls in line with Lady Sneasler. “We could’ve used this time to prepare the route to the base camp and discuss plans with Iscan.” He didn’t want to rain on her parade entirely, but she had delayed their course pretty heavily.

“Oh, it’ll be fine.” Akari waves her hand in dismissal. “I know for a fact that the camp becomes a city in Sinnoh. It’s Sunyshore, the last city before the Elite Four.” She spreads her arms wide like she’s showing Ingo a floating image of the town. “A few buildings built on the shore, with raised platforms of solar panels that you can walk on to access the Lighthouse or Volkner’s Electric-type Gym.” She turns around and walks backwards so she can shoot finger guns at Ingo. “Pretty sweet, yeah?”

“So it was the correct choice, and this was a whim.” Again, Ingo didn’t want to actively rain on her parade, but this was absurd. They had spent almost two hours on this diversion, and it was completely unneeded. All it had done was send Akari’s mental state into disarray thinking she had been derailed so heavily that her future didn’t exist here for a brief moment.

“Well, kinda, yeah,” Akari says, visibly deflating and turning back around. “I was thinking we could find a place for Veilstone, but yeah, this was… This was kinda useless. Sorry.” Lady Sneasler shoots Ingo a tired look, basically reading as You don’t know how to talk to kids, and trots to catch up to the teenager, licking at her hair. “Hey! Sneasler! My hair is fine, I don’t need to be groomed!”

Ingo breathes in deeply and sighs before stopping next to the two parked girls. “I was not trying to imply that you made a worthless decision, Miss Akari.” Normally, he was the one to put out the bad news to an employee at work, as Emmet was far too blunt for his own good or Cameron’s self-esteem, but with the girl who genuinely saw him as an uncle figure, he was struggling. “Simply that this would’ve been better done by checking here after we had set up the other line. We’ve lost daylight, yes, but not the way.” He pauses for a moment, trying to think of how to wrap this up, though Akari cuts him off instead.

“You’re good, Uncle Ingo,” she says, reaching out to gently shove him. “It just sucks being wrong, y’know? Especially when it normally works ou-” Akari pauses suddenly, her brows furrowing and her head snapping towards the cliffs that they were approaching. “Do you hear battling, Uncle?”

That sets off alarms in Ingo’s head, and he tilts his head to listen closer. He hears the Growlithe in the distance running through the trees, the occasional Staravia or Chatot flying by, but beneath it, yes, he can hear a battle. There was a pattern to it, and then what sounded like a burst from a generator. Elesa was battling something.

“She needs our help,” Ingo says, immediately making for the cliff and looking down to see his partner fighting off the Alpha Drapion from earlier. It had seemed interested, and apparently enough so to leave its nesting area to investigate what they were doing. Looking back, he calls to Akari, “She’s fighting an Alpha, we should move to assist! All aboard!”

He turns back as Akari starts scrambling into Lady Sneasler’s basket, and kneels down to look for a foothold on the cliff face. Seeing one, he plants his hand and pivots, briefly hanging off a loose grip before his foot lands on the hold, and then he braces himself. A hurried Lady Sneasler comes over the cliff’s edge now, turning in midair to sink her claws into the stone, and quickly makes her way down the cliff.

Ingo moves fast to keep pace, moving from handhold to handhold, foothold to foothold in practiced motions. Release my hands here, plant my feet here, grip my hand here. Release here, plant here, grip here. Release, plant, grip.

Cool your engines, Ingo! Remember your safety checks! Is everything ready?

Before he can react, the small ledge where Ingo had planted his foot crumbles under his full weight, not only leaving him with no support from below, but also causing gravity to tear his fingers from the stone they were clutching. 

It’s a short fall to the next ledge, his extended right leg meeting it full force, and he can feel the bone snap, the pain nearly causing him to black out. He falls backwards, twisting to try and catch himself, his head barely missing the edge as he free falls for a moment. He swears he hears Akari and Sneasler, but he can’t focus to hear as the ground is now rapidly approaching him. Tuck and roll enters his mind, but he can’t get his body to respond, still twisting itself to try and right itself.

His shoulder connects with the ground, the bone snapping audibly before his head hits next. His flip completes as he slides across the ground on his back, and finally blacks out.

—

In Sinnoh, 16 weeks after Elesa had disappeared into a space-time distortion, Emmet falls to the forest floor and lets out a loud scream as he clasps his left arm.

[dylan82900945-blog]

FINDING SOUNDS---Walk along the Diamond bay reserve.

The plan was to record the sound of gulls while they are squawking for no reason. I found the beautiful reserve on google map, and I thought is would be nice and quiet, unlike Sydney city, too many sound that I don’t need, but when i got there, there was no gulls around within my hands can reach, they were all floating down the huge cliff. 

God didn’t close all the windows, i fround that the waves running on to the cliff create a wild beat, its powerful, deep, and clean with perfect rhythm, then i recorded that, and edited to make the sound of wave my background track in the Schizophonia assignment.

[frombeyondtheblackhole]

Hermit DSMP Swap AU: Part 4

... Skeppies- not in his house... he was in his mansion. Now he is in a mine. That’s not normal, or shouldn't be normal. Who knows what’s normal really. “I reject normal,” He muttered to himself before turning and yelling down the mineshaft “Baaaaaad... Very funny Bad!” He started back down the mine shaft, Bad had to be hiding around a corner up here somewhere. “How did you do it?... Bad?” No response “Bad! Stop hiding already, I know you’re there.” 

Wait, what was this. Skeppy stopped and squinted at the mineshaft walls. He’s a literal diamond, Skeppy knows a thing or two about rocks, and this was a rock he had never seen before. The whole wall was made up of large patches of this dark scaly stone. He knocked his knuckles against it, his diamond skin barely scratching it. “What the hell?” He said and was disappointed when Bad didn't interrupt with his typical ‘language.’ This gave him an idea. He cursed louder. Still silence. Skeppy frowned. Maybe Bad really wasn’t there. 

“Well, I'm leaving now. Last chance.” Still nothing. There was a sinking feeling in Skeppy’s chest. Bad wasn’t there. If this wasn’t a prank then what was this. Skeppy hurried down the mineshaft wasting no time in finding the ladder and climbing out into the sunlight. He exited the little house at the top only glancing back down the mine shaft once through the glass floor. He came out on the edge of a bay, mountains and trees behind him. There was some dirt scaffolding laid out in a massive square across the water, and a nether portal and some chests could be seen on a tiny island in the distance.  

He blinked at it for a minute and then Skeppy did what he always did when he didn’t know what to do. He started yelling.

“Hey yooo! Anyone, there!? Anyone out there?! Hellooooo, I’m talking to you!?” His voice echoed back to him and the water lapped softly against the beach. Skeppy scowled “Well, if you don’t want to be friendly then I’ll just leave. How about that? You hear me? I’m leaving, never returning. Not coming back.” He shouted for the benefit of any hypothetical hiding onlookers as he marched into the forest and started climbing the hill. 

The forest quickly thinned and the hill became more of a cliff, and soon he was climbing over rocky boulders and through flat patches of blue-green grass with the occasional grazing sheep. He came over the next hill and stopped short. The mountain dropped off in front of him and in the plain below looked to be some kind of a village. He squinted; a collective of houses built around what looked to be some kind of pole. 

He heard a bleating sound behind him and turned just as something white with horns rammed into him, knocking him off the cliff and sending him tumbling down the rocky slope, head over heels, till he slid to a stop at the bottom. He looked up at the blue sky and groaned. If he wasn’t a literal rock, he would have been covered in bruises. As it was he still felt like shit.    

“Well look at what the goat dropped in.” Someone laughed. Skeppy tilted his head back to look behind him, everything upside down. A man in a red sweater cast his shadow over him. 

He smiled and the corners of his eyes creased, his shadow growing as a pair of wings spread slightly behind him “Hey there, you seem new, welcome to Boatem town.” 

“Uuuuu... hey there?” 

“You just gonna to lie there, buddy?” He laughed again, reaching out a hand. 

Skeppy blinked and shook his head rolling over and taking the offered hand as the man helped him up. 

“By the way, I’m Grian, whatcha doing out here?” 

“Skeppy, and I, with my excellent sense of direction, was exploring and definitely not lost in any way. I know exactly where I am. And I’m definitely not the victim of some unnamed prankster” He said, starting to walk towards the village and looking around. They were behind a big mossy house.

“Oooh, a prank you say, I’ve got to hear this.” Grian said, following. They walked around the house into the village center, a tower of boats hovered in the middle over an ominous pit. 

“Naaah it’s boring really,” Skeppy waved his hand dismissively as he stopped near the edge of the Boatem hole and peered over. It went all the way down to bedrock, like L’manburg. “Huh... interesting...”

“Ah, yes. That is the Boatem hole, we're planning on opening it up to the void at some point.” Grian explained.

“The void? Wait, you can do that? That sounds awesome. Imagine the pranks you could pull with that” Skeppy said his curiosity getting the better of his caution.

“I know right, Scar’s already fallen down there several times,”

“Hey Grian, who’s your friend there?” A man with in a maroon coat and a tinny hat said coming over. When he came closer Skeppy noticed a long scar running diagonally across his nose and face. 

“Hey Scar! Speak of the devil,” Grian called out to the aptly named man. “This is Skeppy, he’s absolutely not lost.” Grian quipped, smiling, his voice full of sarcasm. 

“You’re lost you say,” Scar said his voice full of all the honey of a car salesman. Skeppy would know, he used the same honeyed tone when trying to talk Bad or Techno into something that probably wasn’t going to end all that well for them but would be absolutely hilarious to watch. 

“Not lost,” Skeppy quickly corrected. 

“Well even those who aren’t lost are trying to get somewhere. I’m sure you wouldn’t object to us sharing a shortcut or too.”

This man was good. Skeppy didn’t want to look too desperate though. Just add a bit of hesitation sprinkled with some skepticism, that should do it “Well... I suppose a shortcut sounds like a good idea. I am heading for the Badlands, know a faster way to get there?”

Skeppy was met with vacant looks, the car salesman gone. “Actually I have no idea where that is,” Scar shrugged sheepishly “How about you Grian,” 

Grian shook his head “Nope... now that I think about it, how did you get on the server anyway,”

“Um... I... I think, I think I just spawned... It’s hard to remember honestly, it’s been so long.” Skeppy frowned at the strange question. 

Grian and Scare glanced at each other in shock. New players weren't born, they were spawned, but it was very rare for players to spawn for the first time in a community server. Usually they spawned in a private server and then moved into a community when they found one that worked for them. 

“Oh!” Skeppies eyes went wide with realization then horror. If a diamond could blanch, Skeppy was the closest thing to that. “...This isn’t the Dream SMP, is it?” 

“Oh dear...” Grian Muttered, “That’s not good.”

---

TFC had been mining. Now he was standing in the middle of a quartz building. That wasn’t normal. His connection to the server had always been a bit glitchy. Maybe this was just another instance of server glitch. He had been frozen in place for days, lagged out, and even defended. Teleportation could just be added to that list. And it wasn’t all that bad, it’s not like it dumped him in the middle of the ocean or lava. As it was, it seemed like he was in someone's starter base. 

He walked down the stairs and out the glass front doors. There were pools of water to either side of a walkway and the yard was cluttered with large colorful statues. A muffin, a duck. Goodness the hermits were already at it with the pranks this season. 

He walked around the statues and came to the front gate of the grounds. A long wooden path lead off in one direction, and wrapped around behind the mansion in the other. A large red multi story building loomed in the distance. The hermits really had gotten busy. 

It was always nice to see what other people were making but he needed to get back to his mine. He took the path following it around the back of the mansion. The path dropped off suddenly. He jumped down and landed with a grunt before taking some bread out of his pocket and munching on it as he rounded the corner of the quartz building's foundation. 

He faltered as his eyes fell on a massive blackstone building looming out of the sea, two imposing lava infused towers book ending the walls at either side... And he had thought the Red build had been big for early game. This was definitely too big for early game... even by hermit standards. 

He slowly walked closer. Beyond the Quartz house was mostly just an open field until it reached the water. As he got closer he noticed his pickaxe suddenly become unnaturally heavy. It felt strangely like Mining Fatigue. What would a Guardian be doing out here? He returned his pick to his inventory. TFC had seen a lot of things in his time, and this thing felt off. 

“Pst..” 

TFC jumped and looked around for the source of the noise. 

“Over here,” 

Now he noticed the footprints in the ground and a floating potion bottle. That sounded like Etho. 

“Etho?” TFC queried.

“Yeah, it’s me. Here drink this, I can explain later,” Etho said, shoving the potion into TFC’s work calloused hands. 

TFC looked down at the bottle of bubbling silver liquid for a moment before uncorking it and downing the liquid. He trusted the young man with his life. 

--- 

Sam started up from his chair in the dark room where he had been flipping through the prison's security camera feeds, lit only by the glow of the computer screens. He expanded the outside front camera feed to full screen and rewound the feed. A strange old man he had never seen before slowly approached the beach by the prison then just disappeared. Who the hell was that and why did he take an invis potion. 

Sam scowled. “Not on my watch,” he muttered, summoning his trident from his inventory and marching for the exit.

[cloudninetonine]

Follow the light

Chapter 1

Synopsis: A Genshin impact/Avatar x fem!reader

A/N: INSTANT SECOND CHAPTER. Also, some stuff from my previous post about this crossover is probs gonna change

I do not own the Genshin Impact or Avatar franchise

Warnings

“Let’s try it again”

Nodding, you took a deep breath, focusing yourself on your actions as you began to move. 

Light on your feet, just like the leaf, if you meet resistance, you must be able to spiral away at a moment’s notice, move like the wind, move like you’re free.

Tsering had practically drilled that into you when you began to learn airbending. ‘It was a must’, she had told you, sending a blast of wind into the the spinning death trap- I mean, into the spinning gates, ‘if you are to be the Avatar you must know how to air bend, even if your power is just that of an average bender as of now’

She was right, of course, but the thought of helping restore Raava’s power and find your brother itched at your mind constantly, kept you awake at night as you practiced your moves, occupied your thoughts when you ate, never had you been so desperate to leave the temple.

Despite that, the thought of leaving these people caused your chest to burn, like you had been stabbed right in the heart with the intent to kill. These people had become family to you, on level with your brother, they cared for you and you cared for them, so you knew when it finally came time to leave, which if you were correct, would be a few days from now, you would shed tears.

You would be alone and it scared you.

“Much better” Tsering clapped, as did the other four nuns, the leading nuns, when you finally ceased, bright smile on your face “You’re improving every day, I’d say you could become a master in just a few more years”

You placed your hands behind you back, rocking on your heels “Would I be able to get my tattoos if I did?”

She smiled back “Of course, you’re considered a nomad after all”

A familiar squeaky voice piped up from your left “Paimon thinks you could improve in your stance”

You sent Paimon the stink eye “You can’t even bend, elf”

“Excuse you! Paimon doesn’t need to bend to know you’re stance stinks-”

“Alright you two, no need to fight” Another nun, Nun Palmo laughed, “(Name), you are dismissed, remember to keep training and if you need help, you only need to ask”

With a ‘thank you!’ and quick bow, you headed off with Paimon for your daily walk around the temple.

“Paimon was only joking earlier, you’ve really improved, your bending was pretty flawless! Though, Paimon noticed that you looked a bit distracted, is everything okay?”

Paimon, the ever so observant, when food wasn’t involved, or when she wasn’t talking, or when she was just...herself. The spirit seemed to know you well enough to notice the shift in your attitude as you bent, mind fogged up over other matters that you didn’t need to think about at that moment.

“Yes, Pai, I’m fine, it’s just…” You searched for the words “I’m starting my journey in a few days and I know Raava is here with me but...I’m going to be alone when I travel so I’m nervous. I’ve never travelled by myself before, my brother’s always been with me so….”

A sigh fell from your lips. “It’s stupid-”

“No it isn’t!” Paimon leaned in close, shaking her fists in exaggeration “Being alone is a big deal! Paimon knows from experience that it sucks being by yourself, so, Paimon’s decided to accompany you on your journey! She am a spirit of guidance after all!”

Your head snapped towards her “Wait...seriously?”

“Seriously!”

The grin that spread across your face was contagious, the spirit mirroring your expression as you hugged her tightly, both of you laughing. “Thank you, Paimon, thank you!”

“No need for thanks!....Actually, keep it coming”

Your heart filled with warmth.

You wouldn’t be alone.

The day came faster than you had expected. As cheesy as it sounded, it had only felt like yesterday when Raava had first spoken with you and the two of you had merged, but it had been just over four months with air bending training being a subject for every single day. A mix of grueling and fun, because learning how to fly using a glider brought you back to earlier days with your wings, but getting your arse kicked by spinning gates, falling from far heights when you mess up your bending- not as fun.

A sort of leaving party had been held the night before, a great buffet for you hard work and just fun games to play with your newly aquired airbending skills. (Tsering had beaten you 5 against 1 in Airball and even then, you were sure she had given you the last one out of pity)

You were changed in your older clothes this time, pulling on your gloves and boots, looking yourself in the mirror in your room the last time. It was weird, seeing yourself in your travelling attire when for the past few years you had been dressed in the familiar orange, yellow and reds of air culture, it only further settled as a reminder that you were leaving today.

You had successfully held back the tears till this point.

“(Name)” Glancing towards your door, Tsering stood with her hands clasped together, a small smile on her beautiful features “Are you ready?”

“Uh, yes!” Fumbling for your bag, you made your way over “I’m- I’m ready”

“Good, but before that” Pulling something from behind her back, she presented it to you “You earned this”

Sat within her palms was an airbending staff, accompanied by your familiar red sash that you supported on your clothes previous. You stood in awe as the elder airbender tied the sash around you, tightening it gently before grasping your cheek, stroking it softly with her thumb. “I will miss you, (Name)”

Tears finally pushed through, eyes glazing over as you engulfed the woman in a tight hug, face shoved into her chest. “I’ll miss you too, Tsering”

Ten minutes later, you were heading towards the bison, specifically your bison, one you had befriended by accident and now considered one of your lifelong pals. You hadn’t meant to bond with him, only airbenders received bison, but you had stumbled upon the ordeal when exploring and he just didn’t seem to care about anyone else. Tsering had let you have him without much argument and smiled when you named him Viator, something she didn’t quite understand back then but now was a completely different story.

“Food has been packed for you, along with water, spare clothes and other necessities” Paimon was already sitting upon Viator’s back, munching on what you guessed was something from breakfast, when you jumped onto the bison’s head, stroking through his fur with love. “Be safe, (Name) and please know, you may return whenever you wish”

“Thank you, Tsering. Thank you everyone, you showed me kindness for all these years and treated me as one of your own. I’ll miss you all so much but I promise I will come back” With a commanding ‘Yip, yip’ Viator had pushed himself off the ground “Farewell everyone!”

The younger airbender girls screamed their goodbyes, waving their hands wildly while the older nuns bowed, sending waves once you began to disappear West, towards the mainland of Teyvat.

Finally, your journey began.

-----

“Look, there it is!”

It had taken an entire day, much faster than you had originally expected and you couldn’t have been more grateful for the existence of sky bison. 

From your point, you could see giant cliffs, a small, sandy bay sat beneath them with a path that led deeper into the mainland, your bison following it when you finally hit the shoreline.

“Did Raava say anything about the statues, like, how to even get the power in the first place?”

You shook your head “No, so I’ll just have to see once we find one- woah”

It had taken only five minute to reach a clearing and boy, was it a sight to behold. Cliffs surrounded the area in a crescent shape, the valley holding a plethora of beautiful trees ranging from the famous forest green to autumn time orange. Beyond it stood a city of stone, laid within a sparkling blue lake, Mondstadt you believed. Dead center sat a small isle within the valley, containing just the thing you were looking for.

“That was quick”

Viator grew closer, groaning when you called ‘Yip, yip!’ to drop the lot of you onto the tiny piece of land, Paimon clapping her hands excitedly.

“Oh!” She cried in delight “That’s the statue of the Anemo Archon, Barbatos! He’s the spirit of Air!”

Floating down, you jogged up the statue with your companion following behind, eyeing the tall structure with intrigued eyes when you finally stood before it, glancing around it briefly before Paimon spoke up.

“What now?”

You shrugged “I...touch it?”

“Paimon..agrees?”

Delicate hands reached out, brushing against the golden plaque molded into the botton of the monument when a beautiful glow was produced from the carved diamond patterns, both you and Paimon gasping in surprise as a heavenly sounded resonated through the area, the glow winding up the statue and forming into a beautiful light orb within the hands of the figure head. Slowly, the ball floated down towards you, like a leaf in the wind, then flew into your chest, a feeling of weightlessness flowing through your entire being.

You glanced over yourself.

“Was...that it?”

Paimon huffed “You know, that’s kind of rude to say about the power the Archon just gave you!”

“I didn’t mean it like that-”

A brilliant light flashed before your eyes, blinding you, the whole surrounding scene blurring away. You threw your hands over your face, protecting yourself from the harsh brightness when it faded as soon as it came, the sound of nature that once encircled you now replaced with a deafening silence.

“(Name)”

You turned towards the voice, smiling “Raava”

The spirit flew towards you, you once again lending your hand out only to notice the slight difference within the being.

“You’re bigger” You noted in excitement, watching her wind up your arm “Have I already restored some of your power that fast? If so, this’ll be easy-peasy”

“You mustn't underestimate this journey, (Name)” She spoke with a wisdom that you hadn’t experienced for what felt like lifetimes, your body straightening up in response to her tone “We have only just begun and the road will only grow more treacherous as we push forward. Not everyone will be so supporting in our quest”

A sigh escaped you “Yeah, you’re right, nothing is ever that easy. I wish we had more help though”

“You are not alone in this, (Name)”

“I know, I’ve got you, Pai, Viator-”

“That is not what I meant”

The noise of confusion you made was cut short at the sound of….wind? It grew louder with it second, until the whisper because a magnificent howl, collecting around the two of you before bursting outwards, forms of multiple figures appearing from the darkness.

“Air nomads?” You glanced around at them all “Wait, not just air nomads”

“No, each is an air nomad in their own right” The multiple air nomads eyes snapped opening, revealing a familiar white glow “Not every nomad is in touch with their culture, some fade away, whether that be from their own choice or anothers, while others stick with air custom”

It hit you.

“Past air nation Avatars….” There were so many, you couldn’t keep count! They even faded into the far distance of this mind space! You had known there had been plenty of Avatars but seeing this much was just...wow “But, I don’t get it, the Avatar cycle was destroyed. Wouldn’t the Avatars have vanished? Like in that Water tribe….Korra, like in Korra’s era”

But then again, Tsering had told you that the following Avatar, an Earth Kingdom boy named Genji you believed, had somehow restored the previous Avatars despite the new cycle. No one ever found out how, but no one really cared, they were just grateful for the Avatar.

“I, as well, am not sure why they are returning” The spirit glanced around before facing you once again, sliding further up to reach eye level “Perhaps it is our connection? Your own spirit? Or maybe it is just luck that they return, but they will help you in your journey, they will be your guides alongside me”

You grinned “Good to know I have more backup”

“(Name)!!!!”

The voice of Paimon echoed around you, concern evident in her voice and you glanced around, trying to find her.

“It is time for you to return, but you can always find us again”

The world around you began to fade, the past avatars disappearing within the darkness along with the spirit.

Paimon sighed in relief when the glow finally dissipated from your eyes, you blinking a few times then glanced towards her with an apologetic smile.

“You can’t just go all Avatar on Paimon like that!” She chided like a mother, waggling her finger at you “Paimon wasn’t sure if what happened was worrying or not!”

“Sorry, Pai, didn’t mean to worry you”

She huffed, floating back to Viator “Let’s just continue on, Paimon thinks we should head over into Mondstadt!”

You hopped onto your bison, patting his head “Why, Mondstadt?”

“It’s the city of Wind of course! Poetry and language flow like the wind, so there must be someone who knows about your brother! At least that what’s Paimon thinks”

“Sounds like a good start, yip- huh?!”

A large shadow cast over you, a bellious roar sounding through the valley, deep, thunderous and strong. Glancing upwards, you both watched as a giant creature, with beautiful blue fathers flew overhead, aimed towards the heart of the forest that laid ahead.

“What was that?!” You cried as Viator groaned in alarm, Paimon looking as spooked as you felt “Paimon!?”

“A dragon! We’ve gotta be careful!”

Dragon? What a weird dragon indeed. You had seen quite a few in your lifetime, exploring different worlds with your brother meant you got to experience a whole lot of different things, dragons were no exception. They differed in different worlds, some violent, some passive, some young and naive some old and wise, but one thing that tended to stay the same was that their appetite was a meaty one and when you glanced down at Viator, you decided to take a cautious step for your furry companion.

“Paimon, stay here with Viator” Opening up your staff, you hopped off your animal and flew in the direction of the forest. Your friend called after you, voice high with panic as she begged you to come back, but you weren’t listening, no, you were focused on keeping the people close to you safe, even if that meant fighting a dragon, which you knew for certain you weren’t ready for.

The forest was practically silent compared to the valley. The sound of life that played within the sun had dimmed with the looming trees of oak, muffling the wind that blew through the perfect path that had been carved through the nature with perfect precision, it’s goal on leading to Mondstadt clear with each tentative step you took that lead to where you had seen the great beast land.

‘I wish I had my sword’ Such words shouldn’t come to a nomad, you knew that to be true, but you had lived through battle after battle with your brother for so long, the weight of the blade, the leather of it’s handle, it had been burned into the skin of your hand many times ago. Guilt boiled within you during your years with the nuns, how could you think of fighting while surrounded by such peaceful people? But then again, you could take a warrior from war, but not war from a warrior.

“Don’t be afraid. It’s alright now, I’m back”

You pushed your back against the nearest tree, glancing around it’s wide trunk at the scene.

The dragon was great, indeed. Coloured in an array of blues, from aquatic to deep ocean, feathers and furs adorned it’s body, tipping the tail, decorating it’s wings, lining it’s belly but ended at it’s claws, replaced with silvery scales that reflected the light of the day. From it’s back, however, protruded two tainted purple crystals, that you could sense, all the way from your hidden spot, held nothing but a dark energy that made your skin crawl. The creature’s sheer size was intimidating enough, especially compared to the boy who stood before it, but those crystals- wait.

Only then did you finally notice, too focused on the dragon to see the small male who held his hands out towards it. Sure, you had heard the voice earlier, but the blue beast’s appearance had overshadowed it, though now, you saw him, clear as day and your thoughts screamed about how such a small, fragile looking human could stand tall before such an intimidating animal-

A shout echoed through the forest, a familiar high shout that made you groan inwardly when the dragon let out an ear piercing shriek, swiping towards the boy only for him to jump back to your relief, snapping his head towards you direction, then disappear in a flashing light, the dragon leaving along with him into the sky with a final roar for extra effect.

You glared back at Paimon, panicked stricken face frozen in terror atop Viator’s head, who had tucked into himself at the appearance of the other animal.

“Really, Paimon?!” Running over, you soothed your bison softly “I told you to stay put! What if that dragon attacked?!”

“Paimon- uh- Paimon….” The spirit stumbled over her words for a few moments, when she noticed something within the short distance of where the dragon had been perched “What’s that?”

On closer inspection, it appeared to be a floating crystal, shaped eerily similar to a teardrop which glowed a crimson red, screaming an aura of negativity and…

“Sorrow” You hesitated when you reached out, but ultimately grasped it between your fingers gently “You can feel it right? That sorrow from it?”

“Yeah, almost like spiritual energy but just...sad, really sad” Frowning, Paimon turned towards you “Paimon feels kinda sad now too”

“Yeah, me too”

A cloth emerged from your pocket with a tug, the crimson glow disappearing under the raggedy brown of the material as you wrapped it carefully before stuffing it a bag on Viator’s back.

“Take care of this, will you bud?”

The animal groaned.

“Thanks”

Hopping down, you grasped Viator’s reins and continued down the dirt path.

“So, Mondstadt?”

It didn’t take long to reach the end of the woodland’s winding path. The once dense forestry parting way to a clear road to that great city that stood proud a few acres away, towering cliffs decorating your left for quite a way while to your right laid the beautiful crystal blue waves of what Paimon called Lake Cider.

A strange name, you had to admit, but your spirit friend’s explanation of the city’s famous winery industry only seemed to make it fit.

“-If we ask around, we’ll find some information! Oh, this city is famous for bards! So we can definitely-”

“Hey, you! Stop right there!”

Another threat?

Caution was thrown into the wind and you raced into action, pulling forth your staff in a defensive stance and ready to protect your companions with every last inch of you. Viator seemed to feel the same, as his large frame grew closer to you, towering in size with a guttural growl that even shook you slightly, bearing giant teeth.

Paimon merely fell behind, cowering away nervously.

‘Wow, thanks a lot Pai-’

A figure flew overhead, leaping off one of the shorter cliff sides and descending down to the dirt before you, rolling for safety then bouncing back up on their feet.

Long, dark brown hair, lively golden eyes, fair skin and covered head to toe in red.

Fire nation perhaps? Nun Tsering did say that descendants were fond of the colour.

“May the Anemo archon protect your stanger-...” She started, face kind but guarded until she fell upon your sash and bison “Ah! You’re an Air nomad! I am so sorry!”

Then she bowed, deep and apologetic and you sent Paimon a side eyed glance when she floated back to your side.

“Mondstadt is the city of wind and considered air nation territory” She whispered, “Monks and Nuns are highly respected, well, everywhere, but much higher here. You’re basically considered royalty”

You nodded in understanding before approaching the girl “Hey, it’s okay! It was an honest mistake! What’s your name? Mine’s (Name). This is my spirit guide, Paimon and my bison, Viator”

The younger woman bounced back up, narrowingly missing your head with her own while she stumbled over herself, finally findinger her words as she saluted (?) towards you all, forming a fist on her chest then being thrown outside, hand flattening by her side “Yes, of course! I am Amber, Outrider for the Knights of Favonius. I would like to personally welcome you to Mondstadt, dear Nun and once again apologise for my rude approach”

“Like I said, it was just a mistake!” Laughing, you bowed “It’s nice to meet you, Amber”

Amber paused for a moment, eyes wide then bowed in return “Likewise, Nun (Name)”

“You don’t need to call me that! I’m only a...nun-in-training, really, so, (Name) is just fine”

“Are you sure? It seems impolite to call you that, even if you’re only in training!”

From the sidelines, Paimon smiled.

The spirit had been informed by Nun Tsering of your inner conflict when you had first stumbled into this world. How hard it had been to open up, how you had struggled to interact with the others nuns, always so closed off and scared, the festering feeling of abandonment brewing a deep rooted fear of interaction, lest any person you may come across would be the next to leave you in the dust, by their own will or not.

When Paimon had first arrived, you had still struggled with that fear, even now if was still visible, if you looked close enough, but she knew she didn’t have to worry as much now, you were doing so much better and seeing you grow more confident made pride bloom in her chest, where her heart would be if she were human.

“Please-” Amber gestured over to Mondstadt, “Allow me to escort you to our city”

“Are you sure? If you’re a knight, you’re probably out here for a reason and I don’t want to get in the way of that”

“Not to worry, my duties have been fulfilled for today, so taking you to Mondstadt wouldn’t be much trouble”

With a smile, you nodded and off your little group ventured.

The walk to the city wasn’t long, no, only 5 minutes at least, filled with friendly chit chatter between you, Amber and Paimon, your bison huffing for your attention like he usually loved to do when your focus shifted. The knight looked ecstatic when you offered her a ride some time, bouncing up and down excitedly then engulfing the beast in a hug.

You liked her attitude, her excitement. It reminded you of simpler times and on a more somber note, of Aether. He always was kinda like the sun, even when you two bickered like normal siblings did, he kept on that lightened aura that just kept you from staying mad at him, a smile surfacing on your face while he cheered in accomplishment, a small tease of ‘You know you love me!’ before you smacked him right around the head and your famous fist fights ensued, the ones you always won.

You missed your squabbles, you his light, you missed him, but you had to remind yourself that this was the start of your journey to finding your brother and you would be reunited one day.

The guards bowed when you finally entered the city, as did the seemingly grumpy blacksmith you passed, the flower girl, the adventure guild receptionist, the jeweller- everyone and you did the polite thing of bowing back.

“You’re attracting quite the crowd already!” Amber laughed, the many citizens watching your group with wide gazes “It’s only natural though, I’m sure Paimon’s already told you that Nun and Monks are regarded highly in the city of wind!”

“Yup! Paimon made sure it was the first thing she knew!” You were positive the spirit ignored your stink eye, “So, who do we speak with about missing person posters?”

“Well, it’s best to speak with Master Jean, if you come with me I’ll show you the way! Here, I’ll give you a little tour around too!”

“That sounds great!” You glanced back to Viator, who stood patiently beyond the gates and watched you with soft eyes. “Stay here, bud! I’ll come back soon- and with some hay!”

The great beast groaned, waddling off somewhere beyond the gate and leaving the three of you to wander deeper into the city.

With each step you took, you felt as though you were being watched with the familiar sensation of eyes pinpointed onto you, though, it seemed... unwelcoming, their stare burning holes into your form. For a moment you glanced around, Amber and Paimon too distracted with talking to notice your focus shift. It didn’t take long to find the perpetrator, a man with long red locks, a few yards away, glaring at you with arms crossed.

You noted to yourself to look for the man later.

“Hey, isn’t that Barbatos?” Gaze shifting once again, your look upon the grande statue before Mondstadt’s church, a figure akin to an angel with long robes, wings and hands out, cupped towards the sky “You know, Paimon remembers him wearing less clothes”

The knight shared a disturbed look with you.

You didn’t really need that mental image.

“The headquarters is right over here-”

There was an instant shift in the air. 

The sky darkened with malicious grey clouds, hiding away the bright summer’s sun and replacing it with only a layer of doom, the wind picking up harsher undertones.

“The sky…”

There it was again. 

The dragon from the Whispering Woods.

It raced towards the city, circling it’s borders ominously while growling a thunderous and threatening growl before erupting into a blood curdling screech, the noise bringing forth a miniature cyclone along with powerful tornadoes. 

The people of the city screamed in fear, rushing around to escape the attack, parents crying for children, knights ordering for citizens to take cover, animals yowling out their own grievances, utter chaos reigned and you felt panic at the thought of Viator alone, waiting for you patiently where you left him.

“I have to go get Viator!” You were already sprinting back to the gates “I can’t leave him alone like this!”

Amber raced after you.

How had this happened so fast? And why when you had just arrived? What was going!? Only moments ago you were touring the city towards the Knights of Favonius headquarters and now this!

“Paimon thinks that the tornado is getting too close!” She was right, it was practically on your heels! “Hurry! Or we’ll get caught up!”

If only it had been that easy.

Amber had tried, you had seen her panic as you felt the pull of the powerful wind current begin to drag you closer, she had reached out, grabbing your staff with strength only adrenaline could cause, trying hard to keep you grounded but you could see it was for naught, as her feet slipped against the stone and the fear she would also get sucked in plagued you.

You made a rash, last minute decision.

“Get Viator!” Her eyes met yours “And take care of my staff!”

You let go and watched her horrified face as you were sucked into the winding wind.

It was terrifying, you had no idea what way was up and what way was down, left was right and right was left. Paimon was screaming, something you couldn’t hear in your throat crushing fear, curled into a ball and eyes shut tightly, hoping for it to end soon. If only you had your wings, if only Aether was here, if only...

“Ravaa” Your own whimpering could not be heard beyond the screaming of the wind, but you begged that the spirit still heard you. “Please, I’m scared”

A beat passed.

The wind still roared.

Another beat passed.

The screams of citizens still echoed through Mondstadt.

Then another.

And your eyes snapped open, glowing a brilliant white.

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Club Takamagahara (Part 1) Z

This is probably going to be the hardest to shove the MC into to be honest. But I think my premise is good, but let me know what you think!

MC sat on the edge of a mossy cliff that was covered in scrubby, grey grass. Rocks were patched with bright orange lichen that were splashed on like paint. The sea was blue with fresh melt water from the ice caps that defrosted, a pale blue that didn’t quite reflect the sky. You learned that it was the minerals from the earth that gave the sea this unique color. The breeze caressed your dark hair and drew it across your face.

You’re back in Black Swan Bay in midsummer. You feel that it should be night, but like the winter months were dark with the sun never rising, in summer, the sun never set and the sky was always bright. Most people would never understand how a place like this could be so familiar when for them it was like living on an alien planet, but for you, even though the sky was always brilliant in the summer, you could tell the time of day by the level of light in the sky, a technique acquired by someone who grew up with exposure to an eternal day.

You’re not alone. Boots crunched in the pea gravel and approached. They were black, and lined with fur and half covered with a long, black fur lined coat worn by a young man a few years younger than you. He sat down, stretching one leg in front of him and resting one arm on his knee.

He had dark hair like you, but his eyes were a bright gold in his pale face. You always thought they were beautiful eyes, but now you understood what they meant. He had dragon blood flowing in his veins. He turned to look at you.

You remembered him being reclusive, not talking to you much unless it was to exchange witty banter. He was relaxed, always smiling cryptically, never bothered by the nurses or the rules, but never really getting into any trouble either. He knew your name when you met despite never having met you before. He reached up and brushed your hair back with one gloved hand to tuck it behind your ear.

Your expression goes deadpan. “I’m not dead, am I, Z.”

The golden eyed boy’s expression reflects surprise and then breaks into a hearty laugh. He covers his face with one hand while you watch him try to get control of himself, a warm feeling spreading in your chest that teases a smile out of you. 

Z finally stopped laughing and sighed wistfully, looking out over the ocean. “I missed you.”

He turned to you again with a look that was affectionate but calculating, like he was holding in a secret but barely. “No, you’re not dead.”

Your smile fades and you turn back to the ocean. “Why not?”

Z reached to one side of him and lifted a thick book in black leather. On the cover, a golden cross was embossed on it, but the cross didn’t look like a crucifix. Instead, it appeared to be on fire, with the flames appearing to be like a dragon’s wings. Z lifted the golden ribbon that marked a spot near the beginning.

He read from the book, his voice rose over the wind and the crashing waves. “And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in thee my power…”

“You’re doing this?” 

Z clapped the book shut and it vanished in a haze of golden dust. “I can’t explain everything. The pieces are not in place yet and it won’t make any sense to you. You won’t understand until the very end. That said, I can’t do everything. You had a very close call. So I wanted to warn you not to be too reckless.”

You sit up straight. “You’re alive? Where are you, Z?”

“I am alive but… Like I said, you won’t understand. Just be more careful. Alright?” He’s staring at you seriously. Back in Black Swan Bay, most people ignored his existence, but you felt he was calling you, drawing you to him for some unknown reason. At times, he would just appear next to you, like he was following you around like a ghost. And now you feel lost in those eyes once again in this strange dream world.

“Okay. I promise.”

“Promises are meaningless.” He shook his head. “Just do it.”

You nod again. “Can I ask you one more thing?”

“One more, hurry.”

“Why me of all people? Why not Renata or Vera? Or Anton or...”

“Because you were the strongest … second to Renata.” The world started to go dark, like a curtain was falling over the sea, the rocks and the grass. The wind grew still and you felt a bit stuffy and tired. Soon all you could see were those golden eyes.

“And well… you make me laugh.”

You relax into the darkness and for a moment your mind goes blank. But then your mind revives again. “...was that a Roger Rabbit reference?”

“Dammit, MC! Wake up!” He says in a harsh whisper.

Your eyes open wide. Lu Mingfei - not Z - is leaning over your head, appearing upside down in your view, arms on either side of your face. You blink wearily. “Mingfei?” Your voice is hoarse coming out a dry and scratchy throat. 

He puts one finger to your lips. “Shhh… You’ve got to stay quiet. No one knows you’re here!” He’s wearing very fancy clothes, the type of suits you see in photos of weddings and official events from magazines that depict life in Moscow. A black suit, a button down shirt with a stiff collar. Diamond studded earrings were in his ears. His hair was swept back and gelled. "If you keep moaning like that you'll get discovered! The walls are very thin and if you’re discovered we’ll be in BIG trouble!" Lu Mingfei was indeed keeping his whisper very quiet.

You’re surrounded by walls on all sides of you, made of dark wood paneling and covered by shelving from floor to ceiling. Your bed takes up the rest of the space. In fact, Mingfei is leaning over you like this because he can’t squeeze his legs between the narrow space between the bed and those shelves. As you look up at him, you can’t help but notice Mingfei’s resemblance to Z. Perhaps if Z had grown older and been able to eat more, he would have grown as tall as Mingfei.

You examine the curve of his eyes and the lift of his nose and squint. You didn’t notice this before because Mingfei does look different, he talks differently, and he acts differently. He doesn’t give off Z’s mysterious, mischievous, and dangerous aura. Z always looked like he had something up his sleeve. It could be good or bad and you didn’t know until you had it in your hand. The way he talked made you want to know however.

Lu Mingfei always looked fearful, reactionary and caught off guard. If Z was the prankster, Lu Mingfei was the pranked. So it was no wonder that you never noticed the physical similarities between someone so different until you woke up from one face to another face.

He sighed, hanging his head. When he looked up again, deep concern was reflected in his eyes. “I’m so glad you’re alright. I seriously thought you were a goner.. If we hadn’t been picked up and taken somewhere they had a nice kit, you probably would have died out there on the street.”

He lifted your hand. A clear IV tube was running from it to a bag of fluid hanging from a hook nailed into one of the shelves. “Where am I?”

“I.. '' Lu Mingfei’s lips pulled down and he looked ill. “Ugh. It’s better you see for yourself. I don't even know how to begin.”

“Caesar?”

“Oh, he’s fine. And so is Senpai. I’m the one suffering here!” He whispered, casting his eyes to one side bitterly. 

He held a clean cloth to your hand, and removed the IV and bandaged it. “I’ll give you the rundown of the situation because we’re seriously up a creek. The Hydras are labeling us as dangerous foreign terrorists, gangsters, and everything else under the sun. They’re running the news to look out for us 24/7. If we show our faces anywhere we are absolutely doomed. They have the whole country after us. We can’t use any credit cards, we’ve lost contact with the college and as soon as we try to get into contact with them, Kaguya is on us like a ton of bricks.”

Ton of bricks. The phrase reminds you of the fact that you managed to get a bootleg copy of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit'' and watched it over and over on a TV hidden in a shed. If you could get your chores done quickly, you could watch the movie there without being noticed. “Mingfei… have you ever seen ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ Do you like it?”

“What? Are you feverish?” He put one hand to your forehead. “Please try to focus! This is important! None of us can touch the network because we’re traceable. Except you!”

“Me?”

“Yes. You’re the only one of us with zero internet presence. You’ve never had so much as an email. Almost all the information on you is held by EVA and not even Kaguya can breach her system so you’re more likely to be able to log in and find some way to contact the College without getting caught, so we need you to stay safe. Got it?”

“Yes, Senpai. I understand.” You nod. Z’s warning to you in a dream seemed even more relevant now. He was protecting you by some form of mystic way, but the danger now was so great that even he had to warn you to be careful. 

Mingfei stared at your deferential response in shock. “Are you sure you’re alright? I expected you to sneer at me.”

“It’s just… you remind me of someone else just now.” You whisper, you lower your eyes. “I’m sorry if I made trouble with you. I had to do it. I’m glad you’re okay. I’m glad everyone’s okay.”

Mingfei took a deep breath. “We’re all grateful for you too, MC. So don’t worry about anything. Senpai told the boss about what you did in the Trieste. He owes you twice now. There’s no way he’d rat you out in the reports. You’re fine with everyone, okay?”

“Even Zihang?”

“Zihang doesn’t take anything personal.”

There’s a stiff knock on a door beyond the closet. “Little Sakura! You’re needed on the floor!”

Mingfei turned around, his voice squeaking loudly. “Coming!”  He turned back to you. “Okay, can you walk?”

He helped you up out of bed. You were wearing a thin nightgown and your feet were a bit wobbly but you could stand on your own. 

“Good, Caesar prepped some clothes for you, but I suggest you stay down here for now. I have to go back to work.”

“Work?”

More knocking. “Little Sakura?”

“Why are they calling you that?” You whisper. 

Lu Mingfei growled low. “Why is my life so terrible all the time? I don’t know!” He returned his eyes to you. “Stay here okay? The Boss will be back once his shift is over.”

He hurried out of the closet. You notice he’s wearing some sort of shiny loafers. The type worn without socks. 

You hear a sliding door open and then shut and then the murmur of a television. Once you were sure everything was quiet, save the very muffled beat of music somewhere above the ceiling, you venture out. 

You peer out from the closet into what looked like a bathroom with wood paneled walls and a tiled floor. Three barrels with metal bottoms were suspended over wood fired stoves. A shower was in one corner. The TV in the other corner was on, likely to mask any noise you might have made while you were unconscious. A woman was sitting behind a desk, speaking Japanese, dressed in smart business attire. It looked like a newsreel of the destruction of Chizuru -- the wrecked streets, the firetrucks and the body bags. 

You start to think maybe you overdid things a bit. Your eyes scan over the date. You’ve been out cold for 3 whole days.

On top of the TV was a small comb that looked to be made of real ivory and adorned with a blue jeweled flower. Underneath was an envelope with your name on it. Inside the envelope was a note. “I hope the offer of lessons over sake still stands.”

You smile. Of course it did.

Hanging behind the TV was another cheongsam, this time, silver and blue with embroidery of flowers. There’s also fishnet stockings and a pair of blue heels. You take the dress off the rack and step into the shower. Once you were dressed you listened hard to the sounds outside the hall and heard footsteps. 

Another knock. And there’s a shouted warning before the door slides open. A short old woman is holding a mop and walks by you as you press yourself to the wall. She’s pulling a pile of logs on a cart. Her ears are stuffed with earbuds and she’s so focused on her work that she walks right by you on the way to the rack where the wood for the stove is held. 

Heart racing, you dash out the door.

Outside is a European style promenade, completely different decor, but with the same level of luxury. The floor was covered with golden teak wood. The walls were covered with paintings of naked young people drawing water from a well. The ceiling hung with crystal chandeliers, one after another.

“Wow.” You whisper.

At the end of the corridor was an elevator with wooden doors inlaid with swirling bronze motifs of ferns. You’re supposed to stay put, but so much for that! You probably couldn’t be seen out in the hall! You pressed the only button available on the elevator - Up - and school your face cool to pretend you belong there.

Already a story is in your head, you’re an heiress to a fabulous estate. You’re orphaned at a young age and just gained your freedom to escape your stuffy household! As the elevator rises, the sound of the bassline of the music gets stronger and stronger.

Your mind is still writing your backstory when the wooden doors part and you’re hit by the bass line full force. The heat from hundreds of bouncing and gyrating bodies rushes into the elevator. Right in front of you, a man is holding up a flute of that golden sparkling liquor - Champagne. His shirt has puffy sleeves and open to reveal dark curly hairs on his muscular chest. He’s surrounded by three women in colorful half masks who are climbing on him, grabbing his hands to get at the champagne. They were all wearing skin tight, sleeveless, low cut dresses and dangerously high stiletto heels that made your demure blue cheongsam look like a formal maid’s outfit in comparison.

“Ladies! Ladies! One at a time!” He’s shouting with a brilliant smile. One of the girls bares her teeth as if she were trying to bite him and you move away.

A crowd of people, women outnumbering men 10 to 1, were all dancing in front of a brightly lit stage that was smoking with dry-ice that poured over the edge.

The elevator doors start to close and you slip out, looking for Lu Mingfei - that is, Little Sakura. Everywhere is more of the same. There’s a circular couch where drunk women were reclining over another man while holding out money for passing waiters who seem to know what it meant. They took the cash from their delicate painted fingers and passed them another bottle of liquor in exchange. All of the women turned, shook and then uncorked the bottle, spraying the Champagne in the air! It all fell in a shower while they laughed and squealed with glee!

You take a breath. You were going to stand out like a sore thumb unless you did something right now. The beat of the music was jarring your rib cage but people were bouncing to it while shouting on the stage. “Ukyo! Ukyo! Ukyo!”

You had no idea what Ukyo meant so you do the same all the while looking for any sign of Mingfei in this scene and realizing he might not even be on this floor.

“Who wants glitter?!” Someone shouts next to you. A man with a bowl of silver glitter holds it up while people stuff money in his low cut shirt and press their hands into the bowl to turn around and smash it into the sweaty chest of another man, leaving their marks on him. Your mind makes a leap to a story you heard about human and animal sacrifices in Satanism and wondering if that was what was going to happen next.

You also realize you don’t have any money. Your voice is trained by terrible punishment to be quiet so you can only let out a weak little “Woo..” and “Yay… Ukyou” while your eyes search the crowd.

What happened next was that the music suddenly ended and the sound of a Asian music, something you might hear played in a period drama, replaced it. Rather than being subdued, the crowd flooded the quiet with screams so loud your ears rattled and you had to fight to keep your hands from covering them and stand out as an outsider. 

The curtain opened and there stood a lone figure on the stage. The lights all went out, leaving a single spotlight descending to illuminate him. He’s in a white cloak with flowy sleeves, with a blue hakama and long hair that covers half his face. Cherry blossoms blow from an unseen fan, fluttering his sleeves in the wind.

[gaamagirl565]

Matters of the Heart S3 ep 4

Matters of the heart Season 3 episode 4 The starlit cave

{OPENING CREDITS} {Open to the sun rising over the forest as very few people walk around camp in the early hours of the morning; Varian is discussing a map with Eugene; Rapunzel is helping gather water; Hector is chopping wood with his son; pan to a tent where Isaiah lay sleeping} Isaiah: ….dad stop...turning the apples...into...oranges… {Cut to something zooming in closer on the tent; cut back to Isaiah sleeping peacefully; it zooms in closer on the tent until it crash lands into it causing the tent to collapse making Isaiah scream and fumble out} Isaiah: AH! Wh-what the!? {Hamuel pokes his head out from the collapsed tent} Isaiah: UGHH! Hamuel! This better be good! {He grabs Hamuel and unties the message on his leg} Isaiah: I swear if this whole time you just did a big circle and this is the message I wrote I’m go-... {He reads the note and slowly a smile forms on his face; he grabs hamuel and runs off towards his dad; Cut to Varan talking to Eugene} Varian:  we scouted the whole area for healing herbs and I tried so many concoctions but I don't think we're going to be able to cure this. Eugene: we have to try something they're on the brink of d- Isaiah: DAD! {Varian turns to see Isaiah running for them before he trips and falls in the mud} Eugene: *snerk*...Like father like son. {Varian groans and takes out a blue orb} Isaiah: Huh? Dad...Dad no! No NO N-! {Varian tosses the orb and it explodes into a cloud of suds; as the bubbles slide away it leaves behind a clean but soaked through Isaiah} Isaiah:....really? Varian: Did you really want to walk around with mud on you all day? Isaiah:  that's not important, look at this! {He hands over the note and Varian looks it over} Varian:  captain of the SS Salvador? Eugene:  it sounds familiar. it's a trade ship I think. Passed through Corona a couple times. Varian:  Eugene listen to this he's offering us aid!  it says he has supplies and Manpower!   Eugene: probably not enough to take back Corona but hey it's a start!  how do you know these people? Isaiah: Captain Adrian Saved my life when I fell off the cliffs.  While I was on his ship I did some work to repay the favor.  he said if I ever needed his help again just ask.  I thought this situation was a good enough reason to ask for help. Eugene:  it says he's in the harbor he's using the cliffs to hide his ship from view. Varian:  I guess we're going on foot then... well as soon as Isaiah changes into some dry clothes. {Isaiah slings mud at him} Varian: EYY! Isaiah:  and as soon as you change your vest. {Isaiah runs off with Varian chasing him; Cut to the shore as Rapunzel, Eugene, lance, and Varian peer out from the cliffside at the ship wading in the waters;on shore a crew is taking inventory of supplies} Eugene: Looks like a crew of about 15 people… Lance: So what's the plan? Rapunzel:  well we need to make sure nobody's watching us first so maybe we should set up a scout around the perimeter and then- {Isaiah runs past them and down the shore} Isaiah: CAPTAIN ADRIAN! Rapunzel: O-or we could do that! Captain: Isaiah! There he is! {Isaiah jumps into his arms and they both fall over causing the captains powdered wg to fall off} Captain:  look how strong you've gotten! and I see you found your way back just as I thought you would. {The group walks over to meet the captain and crew} Isaiah:  Captain Adrian this is my dad the one I told you about. Varian:  it's a pleasure to meet you and I thank you so much for saving my son's life. Captain:  the pleasure was all mine. you've raised a fine young man. and you must be the king and queen of Corona. Rapunzel:  you guessed it! Captain:  I promise you my crew and I will do all that we can to help aid you.  I'm not really supposed to be doing this but I think the situation calls for it.  are cargo that were supposed to be trading should be more than enough supplies to last us for months. Eugene:  isn't giving away cargo you’re paid to deliver illegal in any way? Captain:  only if people find out. besides I'm pretty sure Corona can put it to better use. Lance: Those are a lot of crates and boxes. Captain:  indeed!  we have food, tools, clothing- Varian:  medicine? Captain:.... are people injured? Eugene:  we have many sick. Captain:  then we best not waste any time. Rapunzel: we brought horses and wagons to carry the supplies.  I suppose the sooner the better! Captain: Men! help load up the cargo! crew: aye sir! {Isaiah hugs the captain} Isaiah:  thank you so much captain… Captain:  as I said before the pleasure is all mine. {Cut to Noremoth laying in a cot groaning in pain; a rag is placed on his forehead; pan up to reveal Catalina} Keira: how's he doing? Cataliana:  not good… Keira:  you okay? Catalina: When Sterling was born... I said we could start over.  I was still mad at him but he really did seem like he was sorry.  and now that Isaiah is actually alive... not only that he risked his life to save them.  I just... feel like a jerk. {Keira walks over and hugs her} Keira:  don't.  you were mad and you had every right to be mad.  the fact that everything turned out okay is a good thing. Catalina:  it didn't turn out good for him. Keira:  look no matter what happens it's going to be okay. {Everyone walks into camp pulling the supplies along in two wagons} Captain: will look at this... quite the little community. Varian:  the best we got so fa- {A villager runs up} Villager: Your Majesty! Eugene: Whats wrong? Rapunzel: What happened? {The Villager looks up at them grimley; Rapunzel’s eyes dilate in fear} Rapunzel: no… { Rapunzel runs off in the direction of the sick bay} Eugene: Sunshine wait! {Eugene goes after her and everyone follows;  once they reach Sick Bay everyone notices a woman crying over a man laying still in a cot;  Rapunzel takes a minute to look over the man before giving the woman a tight hug} Eugene: oh no… {Eugene walks over and joins in comforting the widow} Isaiah: dad?... is he…? Varian:  yeah... I think he is. {The physician covers the man with a sheet} Varian: euggh...I'm... I'm going to go find your stepmother and brother.  don't go far okay? Isaiah: o-okay… {Varian walks off and Lily steps forward} Lily:  Isaiah... are you okay? Isaiah: what's going to happen to Nathaniel? Benny: ‘Saiah? {Isaiah runs into sick bay and over to Nathaniel’s cot; The others follow; Nathaniel's breathing is shallow and he's utterly pale;  Isaiah takes his hand and kneels next to him} Isaiah:  hey man... that's okay you don't have to talk. just listen okay?  it's going to be okay.  I'm not going to let you end up like that.  I promise that. { Willy walks forward and kneels next to Isaiah;  she holds his hand} Lily:  Isaiah... you can't promise that. Isaiah:  I can and I am! {Lily jumps} Isaiah: I can't lose anyone else. not again. { the hear someone walk up behind them and they all turn around to see the captain and one other sailor} Captain:  I've never seen an illness like this before. Isaiah:  we don't know what it is. we don't even know how to cure it. Captain:  I'm sorry. I've lost many fine sailors to illness. Some of them my best friends. if it's any consolation I know your pain. Isaiah:  I just wish there was some way I could... do something. Sailor: what about the Star Stones? Captain: oh do shut up… Isaiah: Star Stones? Captain:  old sailors tale, there's a type of stone thats said it to Glow like stars.  supposedly if you crush the stones into a powder they make a valuable medicine.  However… Sailor:  there's a reason they're so valuable!   these stones normally form in damp environments such as behind a waterfall making it very perilous to try and grab one! Captain: which is why it pays not to give the boy false hope… Sailor: sorry sir… {Isaiah looks back at  Nathaniel;  he then looks at Lily and Benny all of them seeming to have an understanding; Fade to later at night; Isaiah walks to the edge of camp meeting up with Lily and Benny} Isaiah:  okay everyone ready? Lily:  should we really be doing this? Isaiah: do you want Nathaniel to die!? Lily: no of course not! but the last time we tried to go off on our own we almost got killed. Benny:  yeah but this time you have me. and I'm kind of an expert on not dying. unlike someone here. Isaiah:  sometimes you really push boundaries you know that? Juniper: and where are you squirts going? {Isaiah jumps around clasping his hands over his mouth to muffle his scream} Isaiah:  don't do that! Juniper:  I'll ask again, where are you going? Benny: to get Star Stones! Isaiah: Benny! ugh...how’d you even know we were out here? {Akina peeks out from behind her} Lily: Akina? Akina:  I saw you guys heading towards the edge of camp and I got nervous! Juniper:  you want to get Star Stones? okay I'm going to put it out there right now yes those things exist but at the same time they are next to impossible to  obtain. even a grown man would have trouble grabbing  just one of those things. Isaiah:   people are going to die unless they get some proper medicine!  my dad can make that medicine out of these stones.  if there's a chance we have to try it! {Juniper groans and looks back at the camp before turning back to the kids} Juniper:  fine. but I'm coming with you. Isaiah: what!?  Why!? Juniper: no offense kid but you couldn't tell an onyx from a diamond.  secondly I know forests.  thirdly I know where we would be able to actually find these stones. Akina:  she does seem to know more about it than we do. Isaiah:  We?  now you're joining us?  am I just a leader of a tribe now!? {Juniper glares at him} Isaiah:  fine.  you can come with us only because you know where these things are. Juniper: ‘Kay! { she snatches the map from his hands and starts leading the way} Juniper: C’mon kids follow the leader. Isaiah: I really don't like her. Lily: *snickers* {cut to the forest as their walking through it} Isaiah: Do you have any idea where we're going? Juniper:  I know where to find Star Stones I just have to look on the map for where they might be forming. isaiah: excuse me... might? Juniper:  they tend to form in very dangerous environments.  normally behind a waterfall. Akina: there's a waterfall not too far from here! Juniper:  then I guess it's the first place we're looking.  come on slow pokes and try not to touch anything. I'm not going to get blamed if one of you catches poison oak. Lily: …. Hey um..Isaiah? Isaiah:  yeah? Lily:  no that were kind of alone you know with everyone ahead of us... was wondering if we could talk? Isaiah: oh um...okay. Lily: I've been meaning to ask... how are you really? Isaiah: honestly... not good.   people keep telling me I'm only a kid and that I should remember that.  but I feel like I haven't been a kid for a very long time. Lily:  what do you mean? Isaiah:  look at all that I've seen. what I've been forced to deal with.  and now my friend might be dying?  how can I be expected to stay a kid after dealing with all of this? {Lily takes his hand} Lily:  I don't know. But you want to know what I do know. Isaiah: what? Lily:  I know for a fact that I'm looking at a boy that's gone through hell and back and still come out smiling. if that isn't strength I don't know what is.  you're the strongest of all of us.  Just one of the many things I love about you. {Isaiah smiles softly and kisses her cheek making her giggle} Juniper: are you two done? We’re almost at the.... Isaiah: Well continue what you were saying? Juniper: Shut it! Isaiah:...im gonna kill her... {He moves forward with his dagger before hearing a large growl; All of them turn to see a large scarred up bear} Isaiah:...You know what, I'll let him Kill her. {The bear roars and charges at them; They all run following Juniper whom has taken out a sling shot and started firing sharp rocks at the bear} Juniper: GO! Up the stone wall! Climb! {They all start climbing the stone surface; Lily slips } Lily: AHH! Isaiah: LILY! {He grabs her hand and pulls her up to him} Isaiah: Hold onto me, okay? Lily: O-okay. {Juniper reaches the top first and helps Benny and Akina up} Juniper: Where are Isaiah and Lily? {They all look down and see Lily on Isaiah’s back as he climbs} Juniper: C’mon guys! Only a little further! Akina: You cando it! Benny: Get a move on stinky! Isaiah: Shaddup! {once they reach close to the top Juniper leans down and pulls them both up} Juniper: There we go! You guys okay? Lily: Y-yeah I think so.. {Isaiah looks down at his scrapped up and cut hands} Isaiah: augh… Juniper: c’mere… {She takes his hands and looks them; she reaches into her hip pouch and pulls out some cloth and wraps his hands} Juniper: When we get back to Camp you'll need some salve.  other than that you should be okay. Akina: Guys look! {She points to the waterfall cascading over the side of the rock wall; they all get up and walk behind the waterfall to find it’s covering a cave} Isaiah: Ladies first? No? Juniper: I’m no lady… {She kicks him into the cave; They walk down into the cave and come across a tunnel of glittering stones} Isaiah:....We found it… Benny: Woohoo! Look at em all! They really are like stars! Juniper: We better collect as much as we can, we don’t know how much the alchemist will need. {They start collecting as much as they need and put the stones in pouches; Isaiah looks over and stares at Lily in the glow of the stones; he grins but his smile disappears when they hear the sounds of the bear outside} Juniper: Crap...Everyone hide! {As everyone hides Juniper takes out her dagger; The bear walks in and notices her; it roars and charges her; she jumps on it and they fight their way outside} Akina: Juniper! {They all run outside to see Juniper holding her bleeding arm as the bear backs her into a corner; Benny picks up some rocks and throws them at the bear; The bear turns around} Benny: Come on! We gotta help! {They all pick up rocks and start throwing them; the bear backs further away with every throw} Isaiah: We can drive it off the cliff! Keep tossing rocks! {Isaiah grabs a handful and move forward; making the bear back over to the ledge; He throws one more rock and the force makes the bear slip off the ledge; it bites and pulls Isaiah’s cloak as its going down} Isaiah: AHHH! {Juniper lunges and grabs Isaiah as the cloak rips send the bear tumbling over} Lily: Are you okay!? {She runs into his arms} Isaiah: I’m okay lily.. {Juniper reaches into her pouch and pulls out some star stones} Juniper: Better get these back to your dad.. Isaiah: good point..But um..I’m leading the way this time. Juniper: Over my dead body! Isaiah: The bear is right down there that can be arranged! {cut to the camp at the dark early hours of morning; Isaiah and therest of the group runs into camp} Isaiah: DAD! Lily: Uncle Varian! Benny: Daddy! {Varian comes stumbling out of his tent half asleep holding his alchemy belt} Varian:uh da..wh-what happen? Isaiah: We have Star stones! We can make a cure from this! Varian: Y-your sure? Isaiah: Yeah! 100%! {Varian hugs Isaiah} Varian: That’s my boy!! {Start montage of Varian making cures and administering them to the sick; the purple spots fade from them and they start waking up} Nathaniel: hmm?...w-what’s going on? All 4: Nathaniel! {All 4 jump onto his cot to hug him knocking the bed over in the process} Nathaniel: AH!... {Cut to Varian opening a vial of the Medicine by Noremoth; Catalina looks on in worry} Lance: It’s gonna be okay… {Varian pours the Medicine into his mouth} Varian: now we wait… {Pan over to a candle and show the hours passing with it melting; pan to Noremoth finally waking up} Noremoth: mnn...owww my stomach… did I eat bad sausage again? Catalina: NOREMOTH! {She hugs him and he looks surprised for a moment before hugging back; lily peaks and smiles} Isaiah:Hey uh..Lily? Lily: eep! Isaiah you startled me! Isaiah: S-sorry! But um..I made you something. Lily: Really? {Isaiah holds out a star stone necklace} Lily: Oh Isaiah… Isaiah: I know it's not perfect... But... my dad gave my mom a necklace like that.  and I guess it meant a lot to her because I never saw her take it off.  I didn't even know Dad made it for the longest time.  but if it made her that happy... I want to make you that happy. so... I made you one. {Lily puts on the necklace and tears up} Isaiah: Lily? You oka-! {She jumps into a hug and kisses him; He smiles through it before they pull away} Lily: best present ever… {END CREDITS}

[capo-cedes]

Fishy Business [1]

INVOLVED: Mercedes D’onofrio, Nicholas D’onofrio, Bernice D’onofrio, &  Al Mazomonie TIME FRAME: LOCATION: -; New York City, New York NOTES: Bernice goes to Al begging for mercy on behalf of Nicholas, and the young man shows up. 

Nicholas ran his hand back through his hair nodding. He’d rather speak to her alone but he’d already stepped out of line once.  Now was not the time to repeat the process.  “Yes sir.  Give me an hour.  I’ll go get her now.”  He said, already moving for the door.

Bernice’s hand rested delicately at her neck, fiddling absently with the string of diamonds at her throat as she pondered what she was going to say to Al. She and every person had witnessed the exchange between Al and Nicholas. The cuse had been subtle but apparent to anyone who truly knew Nicholas. Al knew the game and that meant Nicholas’ days may be numbered. But how to ask if a Boss was going to kill your son or better yet, how to ask him not to without pissing him off? 

Al walked towards the woman who came all this way to see little ole him. He walked up in a tailored suit, freshly shined shoes, and a spectacular tie. His hair was combed perfectly and he sported a small smirk of appreciation. “Well what do I owe, your beautiful presence?” He asked her, hands in his pockets and he stood before the woman taking her in. “Ever the picture of beauty Bernice…” he said softly. 

Bernice turned on her heels, smiling softly at the mafia boss. “Al,”she sighed as she flowed across the floor to meet the man. A light blush crept into her cheek in the presence of the well groomed and aged man. Oh to be young again, Bernice thought tucking a lock of red curls behind her ear.  “Thank you.” She said, leaning end to place a light, innocent kiss on Al’s cheek. “It’s been two long since we’ve spoken. I thought it was about time that changed. Don’t you agree?” 

Al nodded his head at the woman taking her in and her words simultaneously as she ushered a small kiss on his cheek. He chuckled at that keeping his blush at bay, he respected her dearly departed husband. Had he been the animal people really thought he was Nicholas would’ve been his son. Licking his lips he said “a few months, I hadn’t kept count but you do make a fine point” he told her resting his hand on the small of her back. “It should be changed” he nodded his head at her as he moved with her into a more private area of the house. 

Bernice nodded her agreement, falling into step easily, guided effortlessly by the man. She reached around and tooked Al’s arms, resting her free hand on his bicep. “Well it finally happened.” She said, a smirk of pure mischief on her face. “We are officially family. I have to say, I never suspected Tiny and Nicky” she exhaled, fondly. “Are you ready to be a granddad?” Glancing at the man from the corner of her eye. 

Al looked at Bernice when she grabbed his arm, he made slight eye contact with his staff. His wife wasn’t home which worked out perfectly for him, they knew not to whistle on him. He’d been doing this for years and over time you learn somethings aren’t worth even mentioning. He nodded his head slowly “we are, amazing the way events pan” he commented. “In another life we could have been family in other ways” he said slyly. “The pairing wasn’t expected, but not shocking” he chuckled. The thought of his son-in-law still made his blood boil to no end. He wanted to fix his little ass really good. But hadn’t, for Mercedes sake. Distressing her wouldn’t prove to be a good thing right now he knew. “You know, I’m still straddling the fence… it hadn’t really caught up with me yet” he told her honestly. “I never expected her or Rebecca to settle down. They never proved to be those kinds of women. But Nicky makes Tiny a better woman…” he sighed. “Happy it is a boy” he added, rounding the corner and leading her into the private sitting area. “Someone to carry the name, generational wealth is the goal right?” He asked her as he moved to sit down, offering her any seat. 

Bernice cut her eyes up toward Al’s distinguished face, a deep rich laugh emanating from her chest. “I won’t ask how.  But I’d wager the world wouldn’t have been prepared for such a union.” She said as they strolled. “Oh… Nicholas was such a quiet child and an even more reclusive man.  I never would have thought he'd catch Tiny’s eye.” Bernice inhaled thoughtfully for a moment. “She’s a remarkable woman. I don’t think Nicholas has a clue. Who he’s married. But in a good way.” She corrected smiling in a thoughtful manner. Bernice held her face steady as Al commented on Nicholas. She couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not. Though even if he meant what he was saying, admiration has never saved anyone in this world’s life. She lowered herself elegantly, crossing her one leg over the other. “Yes, I suppose. It’s what we all strive for, yet few actually get it and know that it’s inheritor will make good use of it.” She said staring at Al pointedly. 

“I can contest that” Al said back to the woman smuggly. “Tiny’s choice of men… sketchy” he said gesturing with his hand and he waved it back and forth. “Not to take away from Nicky” he said in a gruff voice. “He uh” he said trying to say something nice about the man but he really had nothing to say. “Makes her a better woman” he repeated before he cleared his throat and moved to stand back up. He fixed himself a drink “wine?” he asked her curiously as he poured some Scotch into a glass for himself. “What is your favorite drink again?” he asked her. 

Bernice watched Al stut towards the bar. Ears intent on every word he said. His struggle to find a compliment for Nicholas brought another unpurchased smile to Bernice’s face. “Nicholas is an acquired taste. In that I have no doubt. I raised him. Remember.” Bernice ran her hand down her thighs, buying time. “Better?” She repeated the word tasting it, then clicking her tongue.  “Protected… And more dangerous. If that’s what you mean by better.” She glanced around wondering where the Mrs was. It would be rude of her to leave without saying hello. “No wine. Thank you. Hmmm.. I can’t believe you’ve forgotten. My, my it has been a long time. Tom Collins is my drink of choice.” 

Al turned to look at the woman only for a moment before he dropped a cube of ice into his drink gently. He dropped the tongues back into the bucket, her comment could have won her a slap but he liked Bernice too much to harm her. “She has claws to her, but you know that first hand right?” He asked her slyly. “She’s no more dangerous than she was before she met him, I’m no less protective” he shrugged “so you may be right” he corrected. “Is that why you are here? To try and protect your very lucky cub?” He asked her. “Tom Collins” he said back to her, nodding his head in remembrance. “Never was a gin guy” he stated as he moved to sit back down before her. “When I said better I meant, I actually see the qualities of her now that I tried to ignore over the years. She’s softer” he said with an eye roll. “All that bite I built over the years just gone like that” he snapped “motherhood is more enjoyable for her than cutting off heads… marriage is more important than my respect…” he growled. 

Bernice's smile slipped into a heavy chested sigh, “She’s one of your daughters. Claws and teeth are par for the course.” She said matter of fact.  “No. That’s not what I meant.” She shook her head, red curls moving lightly against her shoulders. “No that’s not what I’ve come to do either.” She leaned forward, eyebrows raised curiously as Al expressed how he felt about Tiny’s changes. Falling back against the back of the chair chuckling. “Do you believe becoming a mother made me less or more dangerous?” She sighed, “What you see is the novelty of becoming a wife and a mother, all rolled into one. Tiny is no less the woman you raised than she ever was.  Nicholas makes that better as you say,  not because he made her a wife, because like you he wants her to be who she was born to be.” She licked her painted lips, then stepped off a cliff. If she died today, oh well life had been good to her. “Al, you have all you need right here in this house.  Mercedes and Rebecca will require the same. Yet, they can align themself with me who they perceive as less than them.  It would never work.” He exhaled. “Did you expect Nicholas to take it? And If he had what would you think of him?” 

“I think she’s leaving herself wide open, yes” he nodded as he looked at her. “No one has time for marriage and kids…” he offered “I couldn’t always be there because I had a damn job to do” he argued. “She’s all in on this motherhood business” he added. “Nicholas has done more draining of the woman she is than anything, part of this is his damn fault” he told her. Al tossed the drink back and sat the glass aside. As she went on he looked her up and down, a chuckle left him before he sat back in his chair. His hand rested against his temple and he squinted. “Yes” he told her simply, a shrug falling from his shoulders. “Nicholas is only alive because it would break her heart if I killed him” he told her coldly. “You are the only reason your baby boy is alive Bernice” he said pointing to her. “You have a hold on me like Mercedes does. Women” he said licking his lips. “Why did you come here?” He asked her one eye squinting as he shifted his coat jacket, damn he was going to have to shoot one of the loves of his life if she didn’t shut the hell up. “I loved Nicholas as if he were my son, you and I both know he could have been” he said winking at her, a wicked grin graced his lips as he got up to pour him more to drink. 

Bernice sighed, “So which are you arguing Al? Your wife raised your children. So why are you surprised they want families? You and I both know it’s either in them or it’s not.  I did everything in my power to turn Nicholas away from this lifestyle and just like your girls -here he is.  My husband had a hand in shaping Nicholas the same way you shaped Tiny.”  Bernice pursed her lips into a straight line.  She pushed herself from the chair and moved up beside the man taking the neck of the bottle, before he could reach for it. Jaw tight she poured him another drink, before she turned to look at him in the eyes. Leaning back against the bar, she took a sip from the glass, then offered it to him casually. . 

“Tiny is different” he told her quickly “she was supposed to be different, I knew the moment I saw her” he said shaking his head. “Even as a baby she was just as fiery just as domineering” he chuckled. “I poured everything into her I could so that… she understood. So that she prepared for the power I was going to bestow upon her” he told the woman, why he didn’t know. She was the last person he should have told that too, Bernice was nosy as hell. Al looked at the woman studying her watching her closely, she didn’t deny nor confirm his comment. Right. “Why are you here?” He asked her again, accepting the glass and moving in closer to her, if they were any closer their noses would be touching. 

“And you think all your grooming was undone by a baby and man?” Bernice countered giving the Don a withering highly skeptical look. “It was in her and there it will remain.”  Now that was a piece of the riddle Bernice had never been quite able to figure out. Rebecca wasn’t the name sake she’d always thought. “Then you’ve chosen wisely.  And your years of tending your daughter are about to bear fruit.” Bernice had made a lifelong habit of keeping away from the Don.  Point of fact, she liked him. Even now he had her behaving in ways that were too young and forward to be her own.  She’d never asked for too much, never pressed her luck too far.  She'd allowed herself one tremendous favor, for her husband a seat at Al’s table.  And that had only been to keep the man and her family alive.  “I told you why I’m here.” She whispered into the millimeters between them.  “I missed you. I’m too old not to check in on my friends.”   

He wasn’t too sure about that, but he didn’t let her know that in the slightest. As she stated that she was there to check in on a friend he smirked and drew back only a little. Al swallowed down some of the liquor from the glass before he rested it aside. “My phone works” he reminded her in a joking manner before he stood upright sliding his hands into his pockets once more. He drew in a deep breath “Chanel number 5” he breathed before he smirked again “never smelt quite the same on Donna” he told her. 

Bernice’s eyes stayed fixed on his as he drank from his glass. A light laughter fluttering from her, responds to his jest.  Nodding she folded her arms over her chest, tapped her finger on her chin,  “Phones are so impersonal. Some things should be taken care of in person. Unless you prefer I call. I thought you might enjoy my company.”  She stayed put as he stood, hands moving to the countertop on either side of her frame.   “Since you introduced it to me. It’s remained my favorite. It’s also got a knack for making each woman feel uniquely special.” 

“I always enjoy you Bernice you know that” Al said to the woman as he raised the glass to his lips again and finished off the drink resting the empty glass aside once more. He licked his lips and stood there watching her as she spoke again. “Is that right?” he asked her, nodding his head at her he sighed. “Well” he started “despite what you’ve offered me” he told her, resting his hand on his chest. “It is very endearing… but” he paused. “You don’t have to worry” he said as he leaned in and pecked her lips. “He’s safe… I happen to admire him more than he probably thinks. I won’t harm your boy Bernice” he said as he nodded his head turning to walk away from her. “Against my better judgement that is..” he walked back over to the chair he was in and lowered himself. “I do have to make an example, if I let him slide these other pathetic excuses will think they can bitch me in front of a multitude of people. You do understand that right?” he asked her. 

It was Bernice’s time to smirk. Slick as melted butter she thought shaking her head. She didn’t move as he claimed a quick, respectable, friendly kiss. Yet felt completely unrelieved when he tried to assure her Nicholas would not be killed. “You won’t harm him? There’s a lot of wiggle room there Al.” She frowned, despite herself. Not for the first time she’d wished Al had fathered Nicholas.  It would have protected the man more in his chosen life. “Al” she pleaded, walking over to set herself in front of him again. “I can understand. Of course, but what did you expect him to do?” She asked again. “In his shoes what would you have done?” 

He hated to hear her beg, it didn’t sit well with him and the funny feeling it left in his stomach made him a little sympathetic. “There were no expectations, Bernice. I own New York City, if I told Mercedes to bark like a dog she damn well better had. And Nicholas' only job was to stand there and look cute in his thousand dollar suit strolling in late as hell might I add” he barked at her, eyes darkening. He swallowed hard and fell back against the seat he didn’t want to yell at her. Hm, in all the time he’d known her he’d never come out of character. She was the picture perfect woman, classy, and poised. She wasn’t Donna. Al exhaled sharply “I obeyed the men before me. I knew my place, Bernice. And Nicholas has seemed to have forgotten his” he told her. “I don’t care what name Tiny carries, she is still mine until the day they lower her into the ground….” he said seriously. “I won’t kill him, I won’t harm him, but he will be dealt with. Even you can’t stop that Bernice, not even on hand and knees” he said. “Besides, how could I keep you close if I did kill him after all?” he asked her. It was his time to question the room. “How could I ever expect Tiny to walk a straight line if I didn’t leave him on this Earth?” 

The Don’s storm rose and if Bernice hadn’t been planted it would have blown her away. With an effort, she looked down at her lap and smoothed her hands down her pants, crossing her legs, she rolled smoothly back in her seat.  Her face was unguarded, the mask of composure gone momentarily, she licked her lips, never acknowledging the remarks Al made where she was involved. It was a trick she unized for years. Keep things separated by who you needed to be in each little pocket of your universes and leave them where they were when they weren’t relievent. Al seemed determined to strain her limits today.  “Fine.” Bernice said, closing her eyes she rubbed at her temples with her finger tips. She exhaled after a moment looking away from the Don. “I swear. Our children will be the death of us. I have your word you won’t harm him?” She said resigned to the idea there was nothing more she could really ask of Al.  

Al watched the woman and he sighed again “forgive me Bernice, I would never raise my voice at you again and disrespect you in such a way” he said seriously. “I agree” he told her “I am truly getting too old for this shit” he said in a low groan as he ran his hands over his hair. “You have my word” he repeated “you know I am not a man that shall lie to you” he breathed. “I just want to talk to him,” he added. “Explain where the error was made and how I feel” he said. 

“Thank you.” Bernice said accepting his apology and respecting him more for offering it.  There were few men like Al left and each year the list only got shorter. “I’ll talk to him. He’s careful Al.  I’m shocked he hasn’t come to you already, but…” She shrugged. “He most likely believes he is a marked man. But I’ll talk to him.” She said reaching across the place her hand on Al’s knee. “Thank you, for hearing me out.” 

Al nodded his head knowing Bernice talking to the man would mean nothing at all, Nicholas was bound to do what he wanted either way. But he’d let her go down that road if that is what she desired to do. “Anytime,” he said to her, patting her hand “you are always welcomed to voice your concerns and opinions. You are one of few I actually allow to do so” he told her. 

Bernice slid her hand away from his knee swatting his comments away. “I’ll have to remember that and one day even actually believe it.” She smiled sweetly rising to her feet.  “I should excuse myself.  I’ve taken up enough of your time. Walk me out?” 

Al chuckled at the woman and he nodded his head, moving stand up once more. “Of course” he told her and he moved to usher her out of the hide away just as he ushered her in. 

Bernice took Al’s arm again, “laying everything aside, you’re going to love being a grandfather.  Don’t spoil him too much though. Boys should be a little rough but not spoiled. Save that for little girls.” She chuckled, “Oh and tell Donna I said hello.”   

“Well I see how you interact with yours. I always assumed when the baby arrived my outlook would change” he told her rounding the corner. “Now that will be hard” Al told her with a smirk “however I am sure Nicholas will keep him in line” he admitted. “I will” he said lying through his teeth and he continued to walk with her through the house.

“Those little devils are the highlight of my life.  Like you said, there is something wonderful about knowing your legacy will live on.” Bernice smiled as she pictured the man, happily handing out $100 bills. “I bet it will be.” She returned shaking her head.  “No, I think that will be Tiny.  Nicholas is a softer soul.” The silence grew as they made it to the door. Bernice was trying to figure out how she was going to even approach the subject of the Don with her son. At the door she released his arm, “Thank you again, Al.” 

Al chuckled at the woman’s words again, “exactly that is what it is all about” he told her nodding. “One day you’ll wake up and I’ll be gone” he reminded her. At her comment he smirked amused by her words no less, the kid was bound to be spoiled however you flipped it. She pulled away and he slipped his hands into his pockets once more “don’t mention it Bernice” he said to her. He leaned in and pecked her cheek. 

There was nothing for it.  Certain precepts must be maintained.  Nicholas approached this task with the same stoic drive that he'd face many other situations. He only briefly glanced at the black Lincoln Town car already in the drive.   The familiarity registered but was pushed to the side with more present danger of entering the Don's domain.  He hesitated briefly, taking a deep breath as he rang the doorbell.

Al heard the doorbell and raised a brow, he watched as his butler opened the door and he glanced at Nicholas. Perfect. Had this been Bernice’s plan all along? For the both of them to ambush him? “An ambush Bernice, tsk tsk?” He asked before he looked at the young boy “Nicholas” he said standing there with his hands still in his pockets. 

Bernice stepped aside as the butler answered the door. Her eyes stretched as Nicholas’ face entered in through the threshold.  “Ambush?” She said, shaking her head. “Of course not.” Bernice grimaced, moving towards her son. “Nicholas,  I’m glad to see you..” 

Nicholas moved in the mansion, eyes flickering between Al and Bernice.  “Don? Mother?” He entered as he leaned down to kiss his mother’s cheek. “I need to speak with you, sir.” He said respectfully to the Boss looking around the room.  “If you’re not busy.” 

Al gave Bernice a knowing look, he didn’t believe her. Damn. Now he had to go back on everything he had just told her, and he was not a man to lie. As the boy moved in further greeting him and his mother, he stood in his place. Al looked at his watch inspecting it and he said “I can give you 5 minutes” he countered coldly. “Better make it quick” he said snapping his finger once as he moved back into the home further. “Bernice, we’ll keep in touch” he tossed out cryptically. 

Bernice sighed heavily, eyes rolling closed quickly, the aggravation in Al’s tone clear. She held on to Nicholas’ arm, tightly for a moment.  “Yes, Yes. Goodbye.” she said eyes still on her son’s face. “We’ll speak later.” She told the boy, freeing him from her grip finally. “Dinner?” 

Nicholas frowned down at his mother, “I don’t know.  Maybe tomorrow.” He said, trying to read what the hell was going on.  Why was Bernice meeting with Al. He stepped away  following as Al snapped moving to follow. He didn’t have any place to ask but, confused he did anyway. “Was my mother here to speak with Mrs. M?” The question sounded wrong, but even a drowning man will grasp at a straw. 

Al continued to walk further into the home, he stopped by the common sitting area and lowered himself in a seat. At Nicholas' question he smirked at him and said “the Mrs. isn’t home at this time” answering the man’s curiosity. “Sit” he commanded as he eyed him “and while we are at that why not lay all are cards on the table” he told him reaching at his side and waving the gun at the boy as he sat it down beside him. “I’d hate for you to reach for it again and they actually kill you this time” he said, making mention of the men standing off to the side armed and ready. 

Nicholas let Al’s words sink in. So, she'd come to speak with Al no doubt it was about him. He unbuttoned his jacket, but went a step further and removed it all together, showing that his gun halter was empty.  He laid the jacket over the back of the chair and sat, hands gripping the chairs arms.  “Let me guess, my mother was here asking you to show mercy.  I didn’t ask her to do that.  This all looks...”  Nicholas rubbed his hands together then opened them palms up.  “Planned.  I assure you it’s not.”  

Al watched Nicholas tilting his head as the man removed his jacket. At the boy's statement Al smirked “two old pals catching up” he said simply to him. “You and Tiny may have come up…” he toyed childishly. 

Nicholas tilted his head quizzically. “Come up?” He sighed mulling over the statement.  “I didn’t realize you and my mother were more than passing acquaintances. Truthfully. I don’t want you to think we are setting you up.”  He held his hands out defensively, “Not like we really pull anything over on you, sir.” 

“Oh, Bernice and I go way back…” Al said as he rested one leg over the other and sat back in his chair. “Way” he held “back” he emphasized. “She seems to think I will harm you… she’s not the only one though” he said with a heavy sigh. “I have thought about how I am going to deal with you,” he said as he looked over at his soldiers. “But I care too much about breaking your mother’s heart… and Mercedes thereafter.”

Nicholas’ eyebrows furrowed. There was a heavy weight to Al’s words that seemed omnious to him.  “So,” he said, relaxing a bit. “It wasn't about me? Good!” Yet, his mind wanted to ask just  what was he implying about his mother?  He shook his head lightly, “I’m sure my wife has those thoughts....” He said looking down at the ground. Gathering himself, his eyes returned to the Don,   “As do I.” He spared a glance for the men around him.  “I apologize deeply Don.  I had no right.” 

Al didn’t respond to the boy, when he mentioned Tiny the older man simply rolled his shoulders. The simple gesture caused the men to move in closer to them both. He was the Don, sometimes he didn’t have to use words, his body language spoke for him. He gazed at Nicholas, his apology was felt half-assed in his opinion and he didn’t like that. So he said nothing and instead continued to gaze at the boy. When someone was bold enough to lift their rifle only mere feet away from Nicholas he raised his hand and “down boy” he breathed. 

Nicholas shivered in the temperate room, exhaling softly as the men moved in around him.  Wild dog on short, tight leashes.  “I never meant any disrespect. Tiny she’s everything to me even if I act out of turn sometimes.  I just....” His explanation sounded nothing like his normal controlled self. It all came out in a tumble.  Words falling over themselves as he thought to save his life. “The baby, her… I was completely out of line.” He ended.  “Please you have to understand.” 

Al looked at Nicholas as he went on to explain himself a little more, men had been killed begging mercy at Al’s very feet. Al dropped his leg “you are begging for your life and chose to use Tiny and the baby as a ploy…” he said lowly. “Smart man” he added as he leaned up in his chair “is that why you came to beg me?” he asked him. “After all this time?” he asked. 

Nicholas held the don’s eyes and swallowed hard. He nodded his head stiffly at the question, knowing the words wouldn’t come out unless he forced them. Begging on the life of his child and wife was low to him. “I..” He exhaled, trying to form the words he needed to say. “I knew, by right I should be dead. Delivering myself into death’s hands… It was a mistake.” He uttered lowly. 

Al face contorted at the man’s words, he wanted him to grovel at his feet but now seeing it, it was just disgusting and displeasing. “Please, your begging is making me sick,” he said. “Weak does not wear well on you” he said rolling his eyes. Al got up from his seat and moved to fix himself a drink, 1 man yet he had a dozen little bars in the home. 

Nicholas clammed up, biting down on his lip. Only his eyes moved to track Al across the room. He could still feel the weight of the armed men all round.  It was normal but in the time he’d had a seat at the table the guns had never been levied at him.  Of course he didn’t like it. Yet, it was the helpless feeling in his stomach that made him want to sick up. He licked his lips and waited for the man to address him again. 

Al poured his drink and then poured Nicholas one as well, the boy needed to take the edge off. When he was done he moved back to the seating area and handed the boy the glass. “Nicky, I am going to have to kill you son” he said simply. “Here, take the edge off” he said easily. “I must make an example out of you… which is sad” he said sighing. “I really loved you like a son” he told him before he breathed “take aim” to the men and sipped his glass. “Damn” he breathed “that’s a good cocktail” he told himself, moving to sit back down before Nicholas. 

Nicholas sat up slowly, reaching for the glass offered by the Don.  His shoulders untightened as he moved.  “What?” he questioned, the glass slipping from his fingers to shatter against the floor. “NO!” He said, arms out flung to either side. “Don, please…” He lowered his arms, “She could kill me. In a second, without thought.  Yes, she loves me but she’s not mine, she is yours.  I need to protect her. But I’m not Freddie, Don.  Please, you don’t understand. You sit at the head of your table.  In your home and mine.  But I… Please. At least let me meet my son. Mercy Don.” 

Al watched his glass shatter and he sighed “that was a pricey glass” he made mention as he looked at the man. There crowded around the man was over 8 guys who all had their AK’s aimed at Nicholas. If they pulled their triggers, he’d have more holes in him than a honeycomb. He raised a brow at the man, at his plea to see his child be born Al chuckled. “I snatched Tiny out of her crib and looked how she turned out. The kid will be fine without you Nicky. I’ll train him up in the right way, make sure he respects the men before him” he acknowledged. “It still amuses me, the nerve of you. After all I’d done for your little scrawny ass” he insulted “you seem to think you have bigger balls than me, I’ll make sure once they shot into every piece of your flesh that someone cuts them off and feeds them to you” he mused taking another long sip of his drink. 

Nicholas only stared at the shattered glass.  What did it matter in the face of certain death. He tried to think of a way out of this sinking pit, but nothing came to mind.  He for a moment allowed himself to wonder if Red’s running away plan wasn’t the right one.  He played the only thing he hand left. “You’re right. But we want the same thing. I have no desire to leave this life. Tiny… only thinks she does.  She needs me.. We need each other. I am her calm… that extra thought” He said wetting his lip. “You live not just for power or money but family.  What happens when doesn't have anything but lack luster, yes men.  What will become of the family you built?  She would turn in to Rebecca.  And sorry Don but no one wants that. The Maz… family wouldn’t stand the test of time if that happens. I should die but then at what cost”.

Al crossed one leg over the other once more, he sat his glass aside fully prepared to tell the men to fire when Nicholas began his rant. At his words he ground his teeth together, the son-of-a-bitch was right about this one. If he killed the boy that would just send Tiny into a deep black hole no one could get her out of and the plan for his future and the families future would be destroyed. “Lower your weapons” he said to the men and only a select few did as they were told, Al had a couple ‘Tiny’s’ on his roster so he repeated himself “lower” he said and reluctantly they did so. “You lucky bastard” left one of the soldiers' lips as they backed away and stood on each side of the living room space in a single file line. “You have a point” Al said, hating to admit it as he growled lowly at the man. 

Nicholas didn’t dare to breath even as Al told the men to stand down.  He looked to Al, searching his face for some hint of his next move.  As the older man repeated himself and one soldier came back with a smug retort. Nicholas made a mental note of who he was… Promising himself that if he lived through the next hour he’d have the man’s head in his lap before the year was out.  And that was a promise. He refocused his full attention on Al. He didn’t say a word as the man grudgingly agreed. He waited, mouth drawn tight. 

Al picked his glass up and tossed the rest of the drink back before he sat the glass back down against the table. He exhaled a harsh breath “I wanna send your ass flying over a damn bridge so bad I can taste it in my mouth” he told him bitterly. “Get out of my sight Nicholas, be lucky I showed you mercy today. You out of all people right now do not deserve it….” 

Nicholas tightened his jaw, with his head pitched low in a semblance of respect.  He gave the Don one quick sharp nod then rose to his feet. Mind awash. Tiny… He limply took his jacket from the chair and pulled it over his shoulder’s processing. With a stiff tug at his lapels he walked towards the door, taking note of the faces that had seen his shame.  It was an absent cataloging of the kind of thing he always did without thought.  He drew to a halt, cracking his neck he turned back to the Mob boss of New York. “Do you know anything about a hit being placed on Tiny’s head?”

As the man departed Al sat there watching him for a time, his son-in-law annoyed him sometimes. However at the man’s question he furrowed his brows and moved to stand up. How did he know about this? “Some punk down in Hunts Point mentioned it, I silenced him and told him never to mention something so preposterous again. How did you hear about this nonsense?” he asked him, his features creasing in anger. “No one is stupid enough to harm her….” Al commented.

The hackles rose on the back of Nicholas’ neck. Al knew. He bit his lip trying to better gauge  the man's response. “A random punk?“ He whispered as he looked away from the Don deep in thought. Al had spared him if he wanted to hurt Red his death would have done perfect. He swallowed, eyes dark. He stepped over the irony in the man’s statement as she answered his question.   “Freddie.” He said plainly letting the weight hang in the air. 

As the man went on Al shooed his soldiers away from his sight. “Freddie” he repeated to the boy knowing that if he were involved there was some damn truth to it. He’d taken it for a joke now the joke was on him. “I turned NYC upside down Nicholas” he said pointing a very deliberate and serious finger at him. “What did he say?” He asked him commanding answers. “What did she say?” He asked next. 

“The streets aren’t talking. Especially not to us.” Nicholas shook his head.  At least now he knew why.  “Freddie said the price was half a million.” He rubbed at the back of his neck.  “I didn’t ask Re-Tiny. Honestly until this very second I thought it was a lie or a half heart truth with no real bite. Even with your warning the street would be buzzing if it was true. That kind of money changes loyalties.” 

Al ran his hand down his mouth as Nicholas continued to explain his thoughts on this topic. “Does she know there’s a price on her head?” he asked next with a raised brow, he shook his head. He didn’t know what to think. “I thought someone was trying to get my attention, to stir a pot a little” he said squinting one eye. 

Nicholas scratched his chin as he took up pacing across the floor.  That was a million dollar question.  He’d been mulling the question over in his brain for quite some time.  “She knows something.  Freddie says she is afraid to leave the house. I was more inclined to believe it was for another reason…” He shrugged.  He stopped and looked at all questioningly.  “Who is powerful enough to challenge you in such a way.  -The Russo Brother’s may be trying to make a play for power.  Or some other family?” He was asking the question while still mulling it over.  “It makes more sense then this being some random.” 

“Is that why you came? To question me on this?” Al asked him “if so you should’ve brought her to me too” he said wildly. “How dare she leave us in the damn dark about this. It’s just like Cohen. Murdered that entire house full of people, and I had to clean up her MESS!” He growled. “Dammit Tiny” he cursed the woman. 

Nicholas’ blinked rapidly, the fog of thought and worry lifting. He took several quick steps back hand held in defense. “No sir.  I came out of respect for you…” He added quickly, the remembrance of death still fresh in his nose. “It’s Tiny. She always went her own way.” He said though he knew the question was rhetorical. “But who? Who is doing this?” 

Al squinted his eyes. He wasn’t sure if that were the truth but he let the boy live. “Go get her, bring her to me” he commanded and there was no joking laced in his voice. 

[gingerhaole]

Hey-o! Long time follower here. I know you live on O'ahu and I'm going to visit my cousin there for a week. Since you've lived there for a while, in your opinion what's something that I absolutely must do/see/eat while I'm there? I love nature and exploring outside, but I'm open to everything. I want to make the most of my time. Thanks!

Oh, that’s so exciting!! A week is a good time to visit, I think you can get a lot done in a week. Well let me think... If you love the outdoors, there is a LOT to do here! I haven’t done every hike, but I have some favorites. (And AllTrails.com is a GREAT resource, and incredibly thorough.)

Get ready, folks, this is gonna be IN DEPTH! Here’s a guide of Stuff To Do that I made for visiting family;

Near Ewa Beach (where we live):

Ko Olina lagoons: Our favorite beach is here. There are four manmade lagoons that look out over the west, so sunset is especially beautiful. All the major resorts outside of downtown are here, so there’s a very nice little plaza with some restaurants, ice cream, etc. But the beach is the best. You can see some tropical fish, and the waves are always mild.

Ewa Beach rail tour: The historic Railroad Society does a 90-minute tour on Saturday and Sunday afternoons and what remains of the cross-island track. It starts in Ewa and goes all the way down the Waianae coast, which is stunningly beautiful. The track passes through Ko Olina, and on Sundays they stop at the plaza so you can get some ice cream.

On the North Shore:

Dole Plantation: The original pineapple plantation is now a kind of museum. There’s a big main house with gift shop and a cafe (where you can get the famous Dole Whip ice cream, not to be missed). There’s also the world’s largest corn maze, a small botanical garden, and a train ride through the fields and garden.

Hale'iwa Town: The whole town is pretty charming; rainbow storefronts, great local restaurants, art galleries, lots of shrimp trucks, and a very pretty beach where you can regularly find giant sea turtles sleeping on the sand. Hale’iwa is the only “major” town along the road that runs the northern shore. You can stop almost anywhere and see amazing beaches. But mind the surf traffic!

Waimea Bay: The Beach Boys sang about this place! It’s arguably the most spectacular beach on Oahu, surrounded by lush mountains on three sides. We’ve seen turtles, seals, dolphins, even a whale in the distance. There’s a famous jumping rock, and you can find rough surf or lapping waves, depending on which end you go. And it’s convenient because it’s right across the road from…

Waimea Valley Audubon: A nicely paved 1.5 mile walk through a beautiful botanical garden, full of fruit trees, orchids, indigenous plants and flowers, and a nene preserve — that’s the endangered Hawaiian duck. The payoff is a waterfall and a natural freshwater pool that you can swim in! They even have changing rooms and a shave ice shack.

In Manoa:

Lyon Arboretum and Manoa Falls: This is up in the mountains, in the tropical rainforest. One trail leads you to Manoa Falls, but it’s a pretty rough hike. It can be muddy and slippery, and there’s a little bit of climbing over roots and boulders. The other trail is Lyon Arboretum, which I love, and there’s a second waterfall at the top of the trail, but I can’t recall how long the walk is. Mostly it’s a very even path, but some of the trails get steepish, so good walking shoes would be required. But it’s also great the just explore the lower gardens.

Pu’u Ualaka’a Lookout: The highest road accessible by the general public is here, on Round Top Drive. The lookout is a small park, but a million-dollar view, all the way from Diamond Head to Waianae, with Pearl Harbor smack in the middle.

In Kaneohe/Windward shore:

Pali Lookout: A park at the top of the Pali Valley, which is a breathtaking expanse, even bigger than the Pu’u Lookout view. This place is full of history. It’s the site of the the Battle of Nu'uanu, where Kamehameha’s warriors forced 400 of Oahu’s defenders off the cliff and to their deaths. It’s a beautiful, eerie, powerful place to be, full of ghosts.

Valley of the Temples: One of my favorite places is the Byodo-in Temple, a replica of a Buddhist temple in Japan. It’s situated at the foot of the Ko’olau Mountains, and features the largest Buddha statue in Hawaii. It’s a beautiful place, very peaceful, with lots of koi and swans and a lovely garden.

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Garden: One of the most beautiful places on the island, if you’re asking me. 400 acres of gardens, a lovely duck-filled lake, and the most breathtaking 360-degree mountain view. NOT to be missed.

Kualoa Beach: Driving to the temple usually takes us on the LONG drive around the windward coast. There are a few very small towns, and the beaches are beautiful. Kualoa is a huge beach park, almost always deserted. The water is calm and shallow, and right off shore is the tiny Chinaman’s Hat island. In back of the park is a mountain range that you may recognize from Jurassic Park! Driving this way takes between two and three hours, and eventually connects to the North Shore. It’s a great way to see this part of the island, and you can stop anywhere along the way for swimming or a bite to eat. Great shrimp trucks, too!

In Honolulu:

Bishop Museum: Our natural and indigenous history museum. It’s pretty incredible, with etymology and ornithology collections, a portrait gallery, a planetarium, three floors of Pacific island history, and a volcano-centric science building!

‘Iolani Palace: The palace of the former Hawaiian monarchy, which offers guided tours. I was really moved when I visited. It’s amazing to see the throne room or the royal jewels, but even more amazing to see the small room where Queen Liliuokalani was held under house arrest, and sewed a commemorative quilt that’s on display.

In Waikiki:

Ala Moana mall: It’s apparently the world’s largest open-air mall. I’m not like a fan of malls, but this place is beautiful to see and wander around. And the FOOD! There’s a whole lower section called Shirokiya Japan Village Walk, which is like a grid of little restaurants and bakeries where you can find any Asian food you’re craving (and the world’s best chocolate cream puffs, too). On Fridays at 8:15 pm, the harbor just across the street sets off a little fireworks show.

Waikiki Beach: A pretty unbeatable place to people watch, have a swim, or lay out in the sun (with a mai tai or a beer, maybe). You can see the historic pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel, the statue of famous surfer Duke Kahanamoku, or sneak into the lobby of the Halekulani and use their fancy Japanese toilets!

King’s Village: A couple blocks of shops and restaurants that looks straight out of Disneyland. I love to just look at everything. On Thursdays and Sundays at 6:30 pm, they perform a tribute to the King’s Guard — on Thursdays it’s fire knife dancing and Polynesian drumming, and on Sundays it’s hula dancing and ukulele. Pretty cool!

Honolulu Zoo: It’s a small zoo, but it’s still pretty awesome! Features a brand new gigantic elephant paddock, a new reptile section, and a very nice keiki petting zoo. Sometimes they give all the animals special snacks -- the elephants get giant popcorn balls!

Honolulu Aquarium: Again, it’s not a huge aquarium, but it’s beautifully laid out, and full of native fishes and monk seals. The zoo and aquarium are both right at the end of Waikiki Beach, so it’s easy enough to do one of these and see more of Waikiki in a day.

Diamond Head: The famous (and famously exhausting) trail to the top of the Diamond Head crater takes about an hour and involves the Hundred Stairs and squeezing yourself through a bunker, but at the top you get a 360 degree view, and it is pretty hard to argue the rewards.

In Hawaii Kai:

Hanauma Bay: This a smallish bay in a state park that’s filled with a coral reef, and chock full of tropical fish — sea turtles, eels, puffers, giant parrotfish, everything. You can even see the state fish, the Humuhumunukunukuapua’a! It’s really like swimming in an aquarium, and if you’ve never been snorkeling, this is a great place to learn because it’s fairly shallow and the waves are usually really mild. It’s closed on Tuesdays (that’s when they paint the fish).

Halona Blowhole: Just up the road from Hanauma Bay is a cliff that goes down to tide pools and the Blowhole. Like Old Reliable, only you get a geyser every time the waves come up through the rock.

Makapu’u Lighthouse trail: This one is a paved 3.2 mile walk, but it gets steep and it’s in direct sun. However, the view at the top is pretty spectacular, and I’ve never gone up and not seen whales below. You can, though, just walk to the first benchmark, which is maybe a quarter mile, and get a pretty fantastic view. This is just about on the opposite side of the island from our house, so we usually stay a while in Hawaii Kai and have dinner at our favorite Greek restaurant, and finish it up with some famous Bubbie’s ice cream and a sunset at the Koko Head Marina.

Bear in mind, this is NOT the most comprehensive list of activities, it’s just what I personally like. I hope it helps!

[pearlposts]

The Best of Soft Rock: More Than A Feeling

 SONG TITLE                                ARTIST       TIME

Lowdown                                     Boz Scaggs    5:18

Whenever I Call You “Friend”  Kenny Loggins    3:18

Piano Man                                    Billy Joel         5:40

Longer                                     Dan Fogelberg    3:18

Miracles                                Jefferson Starship  3:33

Lost in Love                              Air Supply          3:55

More Than I Can Say              Leo Sayer            3:39

Rosanna                                         Toto              4:03

More Than a Feeling                  Boston              3:26

Take It on the Run               REO Speedwagon  3:37

Make Me Lose Control           Eric Carmen         4:48

Total Eclipse of the Heart       Bonnie Tyler         5:35

Living Inside Myself              Gino Vannelli          4:25

The Flame                            Cheap Trick            4:50

Sara                                        Starship               4:23

SONG TITLE                                  ARTIST                   TIME

Livin’ Thing                         Electric Light Orchestra        3:34

This Is It                                   Kenny Loggins                 3:59

Africa                                                Toto                          4:59

Eye In The Sky                      Alan Parsons Project          4:35

Look What You’ve Done to Me       Boz Scaggs                5:18

You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling Daryl Hall & John Oates  4:36

All Out Of Love                              Air Supply                    4:03

Can’t Fight This Feeling           REO Speedwagon            4:55

The Search Is Over                        Survivor                       4:14

All by Myself                               Eric Carmen                    7:11

Without You                               Harry Nilsson                   3:21

Year of the Cat                           Al Stewart                        6:38

Dust in the Wind                         Kansas                            3:27

Vincent                                    Don McLean                       4:01

Please Come to Boston         David Loggins                     4:09

SONG TITLE                                    ARTIST                                  TIME

Baby I’m-a Want You                           Bread                                   2:32

A Horse with No Name                       America                                 4:09

Diamond Girl                                    Seals & Crofts                          4:04

I Saw the Light                                 Todd Rundgren                         3:01

Blinded by the Light                Manfred Mann's Earth Band              3:51

It Might Be You                               Stephen Bishop                          4:14

She’s Gone/Sara Smile/Rich Girl        Hall & Oates                           3:29

Minute By Minute                         The Doobie Brothers                     3:28

Sentimental Lady                                Bob Welch                              3:46

How Much I Feel                                 Ambrosia                                 4:44

Everybody’s Got To Learn Sometime The Korgis                               4:12

If You Leave Me Now                          Chicago                                   3:57

Sailing                                        Christopher Cross                             4:17

Waiting For A Girl Like You             Foreigner                                     4:52

Against All Odds                            Phil Collins                                    3:25

SONG TITLE                                    ARTIST                                              TIME

Ride Like the Wind                        Christopher Cross                                  4:32

Saturday in the Park                          Chicago                                              3:57

Sister Golden Hair                              America                                              3:20

You’re So Vain                                Carly Simon                                            4:18

If                                                          Bread                                                  2:35

Ooh Baby Baby                              Linda Ronstadt                                        2:42

Him                                                Rupert Holmes                                         3:40

You Are the Woman                         Firefall                                                    2:45

All I Need                                       Jack Wagner                                             3:32

Walking In Memphis                       Marc Cohn                                                4:19

Making Love Out Of Nothing At All  Air Supply                                                5:01

I Want to Know What Love Is        Foreigner                                                   5:00

The Living Years                    Mike + the Mechanics                                       5:33

Drive                                               The Cars                                                   3:57

One More Night                           Phil Collins                                                   4:48

I’ll Be There                             The Escape Club                                             4:57

SONG TITLE                                                     ARTIST                                TIME

Summer Breeze                                           Seals & Crofts                             3:26

Key Largo                                                     Bertie Higgins                             3:19

Make It with You                                                 Bread                                    3:12

Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?     Chicago                               3:22

Dream Weaver                                           Gary Wright                                  4:18

Hello It’s Me                                            Todd Rundgren                                3:52

Sara Smile                                      Daryl Hall and John Oates                       3:12

Chuck E.’s In Love                             Rickie Lee Jones                                  3:28

Black Water                                  The Doobie Brothers                                 4:16

Still the One                                             Orleans                                           3:56

Hurt So Bad                                      Linda Ronstadt                                      3:18

Cool Change                                  Little River Band                                      4:08

Biggest Part Of Me                            Ambrosia                                              5:27

Never Be the Same                    Christopher Cross                                       4:41

You Can Do Magic                           America                                                 3:57

SONG TITLE                                    ARTIST                                                TIME

The Guitar Man                                 Bread                                                   3:45

Tin Man                                           America                                                  3:27

Wildfire                               Michael Martin Murphey                                     4:50

25 or 6 to 4                                  Chicago                                                     4:52

Lotta Love                               Nicolette Larson                                             2:43

What a Fool Believes         The Doobie Brothers                                          2:27

Steal Away                              Robbie Dupree                                              3:31

You’re the Only Woman              Ambrosia                                                   4:22

Sexy Eyes                                Dr. Hook                                                       3:00

Kiss You All Over                       Exile                                                           3:30

Even the Nights Are Better   Air Supply                                                       3:59

Arthur’s Theme                  Christopher Cross                                             3:55

Dance with Me                       Orleans                                                         3:21

Beautiful in My Eyes            Joshua Kadison                                              4:10

Black Velvet                        Alannah Myles                                                 4:48

SONG TITLE                        ARTIST                                                         TIME

California Dreamin’      The Mamas & The Papas                                       2:54

Kokomo                        The Beach Boys                                                     3:36

Ventura Highway             America                                                               3:32

Listen to the Music      The Doobie Brothers                                               3:27

I Can See Clearly Now     Johnny Nash                                                     2:43

It Never Rains in Southern California  Albert Hammond                             3:38

Thank You For Being A Friend            Andrew Gold                                   4:45

Everything I Own                                    Bread                                           3:07

When Will I Be Loved                     Linda Ronstadt                                     2:10

I Keep Forgettin’                         Michael McDonald                                    3:41

Baby Come Back                               Player                                                2:16

Circle in the Sand                       Belinda Carlisle                                         4:27

Hold On                                     Wilson Phillips                                            3:41

I’ll Be Over You                              Toto                                                        3:50

Just the Way It Is, Baby          The Rembrandts                                           4:09

 SONG TITLE                            ARTIST                                                     TIME

We Don’t Talk Anymore       Cliff Richard                                                      4:13

Baker Street                       Gerry Rafferty                                                     2:13

When Your in Love with a Beautiful Woman  Dr. Hook                                  2:56

Fool (If You Think It’s Over)       Chris Rea                                                     3:33

You’re No Good                     Linda Ronstadt                                                 3:46

Reminiscing                        Little River Band                                                 3:17

The Air That I Breathe           The Hollies                                                       4:12

Sad Eyes                            Robert John                                                        1:55

I Go Crazy                          Paul Davis                                                           5:23

Hearts                                Marty Balin                                                           4:19

These Dreams                     Heart                                                                  4:17

Jessie                           Joshua Kadison                                                         4:22

Release Me                   Wilson Phillips                                                          3:54

The Doctor                 The Doobie Brothers                                                    3:45

SONG TITLE                    ARTIST                                                               TIME

Maggie May                Rod Stewart                                                               5:15

Higher and Higher      Rita Coolidge                                                             4:01

Whatcha Gonna Do?  Pablo Cruise                                                              4:15

I’m in You                   Peter Frampton                                                           4:11

Drift Away                     Dobie Gray                                                              3:56

More Love                   Kim Carnes                                                               3:37

Babe                             Styx                                                                         4:01

Into The Night        Benny Mardones                                                            4:31

It’s a Heartache       Bonnie Tyler                                                                 3:45

While You See a Chance   Steve Winwood                                                 4:06

Show Me the Way       Peter Frampton                                                        2:30

Fooled Around and Fell in Love    Elvin Bishop                                           4:37

Lonesome Loser           Little River Band                                                     3:54

I’m Not in Love                10 CC                                                                    6:07

I Just Wanna Stop         Gino Vannelli                                                           3:37

SONG TITLE                    ARTIST                                                              TIME

Daniel                          Elton John                                                                3:53

I Need You                   America                                                                    3:07

I Can Dream About You    Dan Hartman                                                       4:11

Escape                      Rupert Holmes                                                            3:54

I’d Really Love to See You Tonight  England Dan & John Ford Coley          2:38

On and On                 Stephen Bishop                                                          3:01

Tempted                        Squeeze                                                                  4:01

The Things We Do For Love   10 CC                                                           3:31

The Best of Times           Styx                                                                      4:18

Cry                       Godley and Creme                                                          3:55

Your Wildest Dreams   The Moody Blues                                                    4:51

Higher Love                 Steve Winwood                                                       5:46

More Than Words           Extreme                                                               5:36

I’d Do Anything for Love    Meat Loaf                                                          5:17

Do You Feel Like We Do      Peter Frampton                                              7:20

SONG TITLE                      ARTIST                                                          TIME

So In to You             Atlanta Rhythm Section                                             4:23

Fly, Robin, Fly           Silver Connection                                                     3:50

Sentimental Lady        Bob Welch                                                              3:46

Show And Tell             Al Wilson                                                                 3:29

Wild Flower             The New Birth                                                             3:59

Delta Dawn             Helen Reddy                                                               3:09

American Pie          Don McLean                                                                8:35

Rock Me Gently      Andy Kim                                                                     3:29

Go All The Way      The Raspberries                                                          3:22

Mr. Big Stuff            Jean Knight                                                                 2:49

Oh Babe, What Would You Say     Hurricane Smith                                   3:26

Hooked On A Feeling     Blue Swede                                                         2:53

 Having My Baby           Paul Anka                                                             2:33

Last Song                     Edward Bear                                                          3:13

The Streak                   Ray Stevens                                                           3:18

SONG TITLE                  ARTIST                                                               TIME

Rhinestone Cowboy   Glen Campbell                                                         3:16

Too Late To Turn Back Now  Cornelius Brothers And Sister Rose             3:20

Boogie Fever             The Sylvers                                                              3:30

Reminiscing            Little River Band                                                         3:17

I Just Want To Celebrate    Rare Earth                                                      2:54

One Bad Apple           The Osmonds                                                         2:43

Have You Never Been Mellow   Olivia Newton-John                                 3:33

Magic                            Pilot                                                                      3:05

Boogie Oogie Oogie     A Taste of Honey                                                  3:38

Right Back Where We Started From   Maxine Nightingale                        3:15

Sad Eyes                        Robert John                                                        1:55

Gonna Fly Now                Bill Conti                                                            2:48

My Sharona                  The Knack                                                            4:02

You Sexy Thing          Hot Chocolate                                                        4:05

Puppy Love               Donny Osmond                                                       3:06

SONG TITLE                 ARTIST                                                              TIME

Love Train                  The O'Jays                                                              2:58

Knock Three Times     Dawn                                                                      2:55

Brandy                    Looking Glass                                                             3:04

Little Willy                  Sweet                                                                       3:12

Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me    Mac Davis                                              3:06

Take Me Home, Country Roads    John Denver                                         3:13

It Never Rains in Southern California   Albert Hammond                           3:38

Brand New Key                Melanie                                                              2:26

Come and Get Your Love       Redbone                                                      3:32

More. More, More (Part 1)      Andrea True Connection                              3:02

I Can See Clearly Now         Johnny Nash                                                  2:43

Everybody Plays the Fool     The Main Ingredient                                       3:22

Indian Reservation             Paul Revere & The Raiders                              2:52

The Cover of “Rolling Stone”   Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show                2:55

When Will I See You Again      The Three Degrees                                     3:00

SONG TITLE                           ARTIST                                                      TIME

Rich Girl                    Daryl Hall and John Oates                                        2:23

Lady Marmalade                    LaBelle                                                         3:21

Best of My Love              The Emotions                                                      3:41

Fire                             The Pointer Sisters                                                  3:28

Miracles                        Jefferson Starship                                                 3:33

You Make Me Feel Like Dancing    Leo Sayer                                            2:51

Here You Come Again         Dolly Parton                                                   2:58

Disco Lady                        Johnnie Taylor                                                  4:25

Saturday Night                Bay City Rollers                                                  2:56

Rock On                           David Essex                                                      3:26

Wildfire                  Michael Martin Murphey                                              4:50

You Take My Breath Away   Rex Smith                                                    3:15

I Go Crazy                      Paul Davis                                                         5:23

Stumblin’ In        Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman                                      3:31

Torn Between Two Lovers    Mary MacGregor                                         3:44

SONG TITLE                      ARTIST                                                          TIME

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown     Jim Croce                                                         3:00

Don’t Pull Your Love     Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds                          2:41

Love Will Keep Us Together  Captain and Tennille with Neil Sedaka        3:24

Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song  B.J. Thomas             3:22

She’s A Lady                 Tom Jones                                                           2:51

How Do You Do?       Mouth & MacNeal                                                   4:07

Black and White        Three Dog Night                                                      3:51

Escape                      Rupert Holmes                                                        3:54

Drift Away                 Dobie Gray                                                              3:56

It’s a Love Beat     The DeFranco Family                                                 3:09

I’m in You               Peter Frampton                                                          4:11

The Candy Man     Sammy Davis, Jr.                                                      3:10

Spiders & Snakes   Jim Stafford                                                              3:05

Billy, Don’t Be A Hero  Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods                       3:40

The Morning After     Maureen McGovern                                                2:20

SONG TITLE                                   ARTIST                                          TIME

Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves          Cher                                               2:36

Maggie May                                Rod Stewart                                         5:15

Baby Come Back                            Player                                              2:16

I Just Wanna Stop                   Gino Vannelli                                           3:37

Jackie Blue                 Ozark Mountain Daredevils                                  3:37

Higher And Higher               Rita Coolidge                                              4:01

I’m Not in Love                           10 CC                                                   6:07

Y.M.C.A.                               Village People                                            3:45

Will It Go Round in Circles     Billy Preston                                              3:46

I Just Want to Be Your Everything   Andy Gibb                                        3:44

Do You Wanna Make Love        Peter McCann                                        4:01

Signs                            Five Man Electrical Band                                    4:02

Disco Duck                              Rick Dees                                                3:14

Montego Bay                       Bobby Bloom                                               2:55

If I Can’t Have You            Yvonne Elliman                                              3:00

SONG TITLE                         ARTIST                                                     TIME

Play That Funky Music      Wild Cherry                                                    3:16

One Toke Over the Line    Brewer & Shipley                                            3:21

Afternoon Delight          Starland Vocal Band                                           3:14

Life is a Rock                      Reunion                                                        3:31

I Can Help                         Billy Swan                                                       2:57

My Maria                       B.W. Stevenson                                                  2:31

Magnet and Steel            Walter Egan                                                     3:25

Beach Baby                    First Class                                                         2:42

The Rapper                   The Jaggerz                                                        2:45

Brother Louie                  Stories                                                               3:57

Precious and Few            Climax                                                              2:46

O-o-h Child               The 5 Stairsteps                                                      3:15

Playground in My Mind    Clint Holmes                                                     2:57

Put Your Hand In The Hand   Ocean                                                        2:53

Please Come to Boston    David Loggins                                                  4:09

SONG TITLE                      ARTIST                                                         TIME

Turn The Beat Around    Vicki Sue Robinson                                            3:24

Ring My Bell                     Anita Ward                                                        3:31

Sometimes When We Touch   Dan Hill                                                      2:22

Rose Garden               Lynn Anderson                                                      2:49

In The Summertime      Mungo Jerry                                                         3:37

Seasons in the Sun      Terry Jacks                                                           3:30

The Night Chicago Died   Paper Lace                                                       3:32

Rock The Boat            Hues Corporation                                                  3:09

Don’t Give Up on Us        David Soul                                                        3:39

Kung Fu Fighting         Carl Douglas                                                         3:17

Love Grows                Edison Lighthouse                                                  2:51

Sweet Mary              Wadsworth Mansion                                                 2:42

The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia   Vicki Lawrence                     3:36

TSOP             MFSB featuring the Three Degrees                                   3:35

Feelings                    Morris Albert                                                            3:45

[shelbyfm]

sorry this is late babes ! i got busier than i thought i was going to so without further ado i’ll put the cliff notes version of sy shelby’s starling existence under the cut and you know what to do from there !  🖤  but  if  you’re  gonna  slide  into  my  dms  do  it  on  scarlet  bc  that’s  where  i  am  on  mobile  ! 

jack gilinsky. cismale. he/his.  ／  josiah shelby just pulled up blasting st tropez by post malone  — that song is so them ! you know, for a twenty - four year old center fielder for the los angeles dodgers, i’ve heard they’re really -abrasive, but that they make up for it by being so +audacious. if i had to choose three things to describe them, i’d probably say the creak of a well - worn leather glove, shotgunning another cheap beer just to feel alive, and the taste of copper on your tongue. here’s to hoping they don’t cause too much trouble !

. ⊹       ┈    ›     𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐒    .

NAME  :  josiah  david  shelby  .

BREAKDOWN  :  josiah  (  god  supports  ,  heals  )   david  (  beloved  )  

NICKNAMES  :  sy  ,  jd  ,  josie  (  finn  only  tbh  )  ,  shelbz  ,  shel-bay  ,  bay  .

AGE  :  twenty - four  .

BIRTHDAY  :  november  twenty - third  .

ZODIAC  :  scorpio  &  sagittarius  cusp  .

GENDER  :  male  .

PRONOUNS  :  he  /  him  .

NATIONALITY  :  american  .

ETHNICITY  :  english  ,  french  ,  italian  .

HOGWARTS HOUSE  :  hufflepuff  .

MBTI  :  estp  (  the  persuader  )

INSPIRATIONS  :  lucas  scott  (  one  tree  hill  )  ,  adam  parrish  (  the  raven  cycle  )  ,  nick  miller  (  new  girl  )  ,  ron  swanson  and  andy  dwyer  (  parks  &  rec  )  ,  adam  groff  (  sex  education  )  .

HOBBIES / SPECIAL SKILLS  :  baseball  ,  procrastination  ,  midnight  snacks  ,  getting  the  last  word  ,  saucy  brow  lifts  ,  sleeping  in  ,  running  away  from  his  problems  ,  hitting  first  and  asking  questions  later  ,  developing  newer  and  more  creative  defense  mechanisms  .

VICES  ;   acerbic  ,  brash  ,  careless  ,  cataclysmic  ,  defiant  ,  duplicitous  ,  destructive  ,  greedy  ,  ignorant  ,  meddlesome  ,  narcissistic  ,  obnoxious  ,  provocative  ,  reckless  ,  selfish  ,  troublesome   ,  vain  ,  volatile  ,  wanton  .

VIRTUES  :   athletic  ,  challenging  ,  charismatic  ,  curious    ,  debonair  ,  forthright  ,  fun - loving  ,  intrepid  ,  invulnerable  ,  jocular  ,  loves  his  sister  so  much  he  could  die  ,  loyal  ,  passionate  ,  playful  ,  protective  ,  witty  .

PINTEREST  :  xx

˚  . ⊹       ┈    ›     𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃    .

sy  was  born  poorer  than  poor  and  spent  his  formative  years  watching  his  grandmother  do  her  very  best  to  keep  the  dust  from  coating  everything  in  their  ramshackle  little  trailer  in  oklahoma  .

his  mother  wasn’t  around  much  .  after  running  away  to  chase  after  one  band  or  another  and  coming  home  with  her  waistline  significantly  thickened  ,  she  didn’t  much  take  to  motherhood  ,  not  when  running  off  to  the  nearest  dive  bar  or  casino  to  spend  whatever  meager  paycheck  she  could  scrounge  up  was  just  so  tempting  .

in  fact  ,  sy’s  memories  of  her  are  often  fleeting  .  she  was  a  whirlwind  of  a  woman  ,  beautiful  despite  the  hard  life  she  led  ,  but  in  and  out  the  door  too  fast  for  him  to  ever  really  get  to  know  her  .  and  after  some  of  his  grandmother’s  jewelry  ended  up  in  the  pawn  shop  twenty  miles  up  the  road  she  didn’t  come  around  the  house  anymore  when  she  found  the  locks  changed  .

sy’s  grandmother  ,  affectionately  known  as  nan  ,  did  her  best  to  raise  her  grandson  better  than  she  had  raised  her  daughter  .  though  truth  be  told  ,  the  practice  wasn’t  much  different  ,  his   mother  had  just  been  a  bit  of  a  bad  seed  .

religion  and  discipline  were  a  staple  and  so  every  sunday  found  the  pair  walking  to  the  church  in  their  parish  to  give  thanks  and  receive  the  blessing  ,  a  tradition  that  sy  hasn’t  kept  up  with  since  her  death  but  i’m  getting  ahead  of  myself  .

his  nan  made  a  modest  living  for  where  they  lived  ,  she  wasn’t  spoiling  the  boy  but  it  was  enough  to  put  food  on  the  table  and  get  them  to  and  from  where  they  needed  to  go  .

he  had  a  few  close  friends  in  the  neighborhood  and  they  usually  got  together  in  the  evenings  to  play  whatever  games  they  could  ,  sometimes  soccer  with  a  ball  that  looked like  you  could  put  your  foot  through  it  ,  or  basketball  on  the  single  hoop  with  no  net  that  was  somehow  still  standing  in  the  local  “ park ”  .  summers  were  spent  walking  down  to  the  pond  that  passed  for  a  swimming  hole  to  get  some  sort  of  relief  from  the  heat  .

he  picked  up  a  job  at  one  of  the  local  motor  shops  to  help  with  the  bills  ,  though  his  nan  insisted  he  spend  his  time  working  on  his  schoolwork  first  .  he’d  still  slip  a  portion  of  what  he  came  home  with  into  her  purse  when  she  wasn’t  looking  .  

he  played  sports  in  school  ,  their  community  doing  what  they  could  to  scrounge  up  funds  for  a  ramshackle  team  for  each  sport  .  he  primarily  ran  track  and  cross  country  (  in  a  uniform  that  looked  like  it  was  straight  out  of  an  80′s  movie  and  felt  like  it  too  )  .  he  was  a  decent  hurdler  and  the  fact  that  he  usually  walked  everywhere  he  needed  to  get  gave  his  stamina  a  certain  edge  on  the  kids  who  were  better  off  .  but  his  true  passion  was  baseball  .  sy  could  write  poetry  about  the  diamond  ,  and  most  of  the  assignments  he  managed  to  turn  in  involved  the  sport  somehow  .  (  he  almost  got  caught  cheating  once  when  he  turned  in  a  paper  that  wasn’t  about  it  but  he’s  always  been  lucky  af  )

their  school  team  wasn’t  anything  special  .  they  played  with  heart  and  had  fun  doing  it  but  they  were  never  going  to  make  it  to  state  with  nothing  short  of  a  miracle  even  though  it  was  clear  sy  (  and  a  couple  of  his  buddies  )  had  the  potential  to  be  more  than  just  has - beens  who  got  stuck  living  in  their  hometown  for  the  rest  of  their  lives  .  during  sy’s  eighth  grade  year  ,  his  junior  high  team  made  a  pretty  valiant  push  and  made  it  to  the  regional  championship  but  they  were  simply  out - spent  by  some  of  the  other  teams  and  came  home  disappointed  .

someone  must  have  recognized  sy  though  ,  because  a  few  weeks  later  a  letter  arrived  from  one  of  the  elite  baseball  camps  in  the  country  stating  that  he  had  been  sponsored  to  attend  for  the  summer  .  his  friends  were  excited  for  him  and  it  was  probably  the  best  summer  of  his  life  ,  but  tensions  rapidly  grew  sour  when  he  returned  home  ,  after  all  ,  none  of  them  had  been  granted  such  an  opportunity  and  they  wondered  what  made  him  so  special  where  they  weren’t  .

it  certainly  didn’t  help  that  he  got  home  and  noticed  their  trailer  was  a  little  refurbished  ,  they  had  a  new (  ish  )  television  and  a  cable  antenna  on  the  roof  without  the  pieces  of  foil  sy  had  stuck  to  it  at  an  attempt  for  better  service  .  and  then  little  gifts  started  to  arrive  here  and  there  ,  new  cleats  ,  a  better  glove  ,  all  things  with  the  sheen  of  wealth  attached  to  them  and  all  in  the  name  of  this  new  sponsor  he  seemed  to  have  attracted  .  it  didn’t  go  over  well  with  his  friends  and  he  could  see  the  jealous  glint  in  their  eyes  which  led  sy  to  hide  away  the  new  treasures  ,  or  take  them  out  back  and  absolutely  destroy  that  gleam  that  came  with  new  gear  .  

high  school  was  not  a  time  he  wanted  to  spend  ostracized  ,  especially  when  everyone  in  town  always  looked  back  on  it  like  it  was  the  golden  time  of  their  youth  before  they  settled  down  into  the  daily  grind  of  adulthood  .  he  was  nothing  short  of  angry  and  miserable  ,  his  loneliness  that  festered  into  rage  finding  a  nice  outlet  in  smashing  his  fists  into  the  noses  of  whoever  crossed  his  path  or  looked  at  him  wrong  .

it  was  around  that  time  that  a  girl  showed  up  on  his  doorstep  ,  all  knees  and  elbows  and  with  a  big  smile  insisting  she  was  his  sister  .  judging  from  the  own  sparkly  state  of  her  attire  ,  sy   managed  to  put  two  and  two  together  as  to  just  who  his  new  sponsor  was  and  promptly  shut  the  door  in  her  face  .  (  the  fact  that  his  mother  had  suddenly  come  out  of  the  woodwork  and  ran  into  him  around  town  on  occasion  to  ask  for  money  was  another  clue  .  she  could  sniff  out  money  anywhere  )

finnley  buchanan  was  a  revelation  to  him  .  persistent  to  the  extent  of  climbing  in  through  his  window  to  press  her  point  home  until  sy  was  forced  to  accept  that  this  nonsense  story  she  was  spinning  about  his  father  and  her  mother  had  a  certain  ring  of  truth  to  it  .  he  didn’t  want  a  new  family  ,  he  was  content  in  his  small  town  with  his  nan  and  his  friends  and  everything  would  go  back  to  normal  just  as  soon  as  he  tossed  all  his  shiny  new  stuff  in  the  trash  .

his  nan  wasn’t  having  it  ,  plain  and  simple  .  she  wasn’t  going  to  force  him  to  reconcile  with  a  father  he  had  never  known  ,  but  she  certainly  wasn’t  going  to  allow  him  to  pass  up  an  opportunity  to  get  out  of  their  tiny  little  town  .  and  so  sy  kept  going  to  those  baseball  camps  every  year  ,  and  after  keeping  in  touch  with  his  new  sister  to  a  point  where  he  was  forced  to  accept  the  unlimited  texting  plan  she  forced  upon  him  just  so  his  nan  would  stop  good  naturedly  grumbling  about  the  amount  of  time  he  spent  tying  up  their  landline  .

he’d  spend  a  few  weeks  a  year  with  her  family  ,  a  holiday  here  and  there  ,  his  eyes  almost  falling  out  of  his  eyes  the  first  time  he  walked  into  a  house  with  an  honest  to  god  foyer  .  he  didn’t  exactly  see  eye  to  eye  with  his  new - found  father  and  step  mother  and  they  didn’t  seem  to  want  to  get  to  know  him  much  beyond  tossing  money  at  a  problem  to  solve  it  (  not  that  he  allowed  them  to  really  know  him  )  

he  didn’t  even  accept  their  money  for  college  ,  stubbornly  insisting  on  getting  in  on  his  own  merit  .  and  thus  shipped  himself  of  to  north  carolina  upon  accepting  a  scholarship  .  the  guitar  skills  he’d  picked  up  in  his  lazy  weeks  spent  with  the  buchanans  and  his  classic  good  looks  made  him  immensely  popular  which  didn’t  bode  well  for  the  state  of  his  ego  as  we  know  it  .  between  classes  he  managed  to  further  perfect  the  art  of  binge  drinking  and  beer  pong  and  with  his  scholarship  only  covering  tuition  and  board  ,  he  found  himself  employing  his  fists  at  night  to  earn  some  cash  for  incidentals  .  something  that  very  nearly  got  him  kicked  out  of  school  when  he  showed  up  to  practice  with  a  split  lip  and  bruised  knuckles  a  few  times  too  many  .

but  luck  was  on  his  side  and  he  was  drafted  after  his  sophomore  year  before  they  could  start  a  more  thorough  investigation  into  his  extra - extra - curriculars  .

sy  spent  about  a  year  working  his  way  around  the  farm  system  of  the  minors  while  they  tried  to  refine  his  issues  before  getting  called  up  to  play  for  the  baltimore  orioles  .  he  played  for  them  for  about  a  year  but  after  a  run - in  with  one  of  the  batting  coaches  that  was  rather  hush  hush  he  was  unceremoniously  traded  to  the  los  angeles  dodgers  . 

˚  . ⊹       ┈    ›     𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐘    .

being  a  cusp  baby,  he  kind  of  bounces  back  and  forth  between  his  moods  .  most  of  the  time  he’s  all  jokes  and  sarcasm  .  but  catch  him  at  the  right  time  and  he  can  be  broody  AF  .  

he  is  a  lot  smarter  than  he  looks  ,  but  that’s  an  incredibly  well  kept  secret  because  on  the  outside  he  is  a  Professional  Idiot.

makes  the  worst  decisions  i  have  ever  seen  anyone  make  ever  .  highly  impulsive  and  should  never  be  allowed  to  give  someone  any  sort  of  advice  .  

unless  you’re  asking  what  to  put  in  your  solo  cup  or  if  you’re  craving  a  midnight  snack  .  then  he  is  10 / 10  your  guy  .

he  is  incredibly  loyal  ,  so  long  as  it  serves  his  purpose  .  because  at  the  end  of  the  day  he’s  still  an  impulsive  idiot  and  that  devil  on  his  shoulder  made  the  angel  tap  out  years  ago  .

bought  his  nan  a  new  house  with  his  signing  bonus  and  sent  her  money  to  take  care  of  her  with  what  he  had  but  since  her  death  he’s  doing  his  best  to  spend  it  on  the  dumbest  shit  possible  and  acting  out  in  one  way  or  another  because  he’s  still a  child  .

tldr  :  he’s  a  piece  of  shit 

˚  . ⊹       ┈    ›     𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒    .

 just  going  to  add  a  little  disclaimer  that  i  am  the  biggest  hoe  for  anything  angsty  and  painful  .  i  also  love  love  love  when  people  slide  into  my  dms  with  a  hc  or  two  .  

𝐞𝐱 - 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬  ;  for  whatever  reason  there  was  a  huge  falling  out  and  now  things  are  just  super  awkward  .  half  the  time  at  parties  they’re  just  on  opposite  sides  of  the  room  mean  mugging  each  other  until  booze  and  tempers  flare  .

𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠   ;  these  two  were  never  supposed  to  be  a  thing  .  in  fact  ,  before  this  past  summer  they  hardly  ever  spoke  and  when  they  did  the  discourse  wasn’t  exactly  pleasant  .  but  there’s  a  fine  line  between  love  and  hate  and  all  it  took  was  a  couple  of  drinks  before  the  dynamic  took  a  turn  .  

𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐬   ;   i’d  sell  my  soul  for  something  that’s  just  angsty  and  messy  .  maybe  they  were  at  the  point  of  saying  the  l  word  .

𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠  𝐬𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬  ;   all  that  sneaking  around  ,  taking  the  back  doors  in  and  out  of  places  .  meeting  up  in  darkened  corners   👌 👌 👌  that’s  that  shit  i  do  like

𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞   ;   i’m  such  a  sucker  for  a  good  bromance  or  two  where  the  gc  is  just  filled  with  memes  and  dragging  each  other  up  and  down  the  wall  .  but  at  the  end  of  the  day  they’re  you’re  boys  and  no  one  else  can  talk  shit  about  them  but  you  

𝐭𝐡𝐞  𝐮𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐬   ;   a  fwb  here  and  there  ,  the  odd  one  night  stand  ,  someone  who  you  just  look  at  and  want  to  punch  them  in  the  face  for  some  inexplicable  reason  ,  an  unrequited  crush  (  on  either  side  )

[rohad93]

Bellow Diamond Week 2019: A Work In Progress - Day 1: Era 3

Bright yellow screens beeped and flashed, data scrolling across them at an inhuman rate. 

Reports and messages seemed to never stop flooding in. Gloved fingers tapped and swiped through the flashing lines of text nearly as quickly as they appeared. Typing replies and sending orders. 

Things were as hectic as ever.

It seemed to Yellow Diamond that Era three would begin in just as busy a fashion as era two had begun, though on a much more jovial note of the return of 'Pink Diamond' rather than her shattering. 

At the start of era two she had been consumed with finishing what had been begun on Earth, taking in the scattered remains of Pink's Court and consoling Blue as best she could all while dealing with her own grief and White’s seclusion. 

She could honestly say this was less hectic than that, but the recent turn in the empire's direction was taxing nonetheless. 

In an effort to cooperate with Steven they had agreed to cease all future colonization for the moment and instead focus on finding renewable resources to sustain the gem empire moving forward. 

It was working far better than the three matriarchs had ever imagined, but the sudden shift after eons of status quo was proving troublesome in some areas.

Gems were exceedingly adaptable but change took time, even for them. 

It seemed that every rotation there was a slew of new problems concerning the sudden changes in parameters. Kindergartens across multiple systems were being shut down and uprooted, battalions of gem soldiers were being rerouted from missions to exterminate the local organics to taming the terrain for construction projects instead.  

As much as she was irked by all the new problems filling her control room recently there were certain changes she was happy to accommodate.

The pneumatic hiss of her control room doors opening heralded one such change. 

"Hello, Yellow!" Blue Diamond glided into the room with a smile that lit up her once perpetually somber face. 

It was almost impossible for Yellow not to smile in turn at the joy that radiated from her companion now, more so now than even before the beginning of era two. 

“Blue.” She simply greeted, eyes turning back to her screens as new reports popped up, each flashing, vying for her attention. “Can I help you with something?” She asked distractedly, finger swiping at different messages as Blue stood beside her, looking down at the seated gem with a smile. 

“Yes actually, you can,” the other answered, prompting Yellow to look away from her screens and look up at her counterpart quizzically.

“The construction has just finished on the solar energy converters in sector six, come, I wish for you to inspect them with me.” Blue explained with a smile and an excited eagerness lighting the depths of her cerulean eyes. 

“Does such a task truly warrant two diamonds?” Yellow arched a brow at her fellow diamond, which only made Blue’s joyful smile morph into one of patient exasperation, the same face she often made when she would admonish Pink so long ago.  

“Hardly,” She scoffed. “I simply would enjoy it more in your company. Besides…” she trailed off, long elegant fingers reached out and flicked Yellow’s flashing screens out of existence, causing the generals eyes to widen in surprise. “You’ve been in here for six rotations. Take a break and come with me.” 

“These reports…” Yellow began, gesturing to the space her screens had once taken up.

“Can wait, just a little while. Please?” She smiled, eyes silently pleading and Yellow felt her usually unwavering resolve crumble to dust. Just as it always did when Blue looked at her that way.  

“Very well.” She stood from her chair, arms folded behind her back, distinctly ignoring the pleased smile on Blue’s face as they walked out of her control room to the nearest warp pad. Their pearls, with a quick word from Blue stayed behind, awaiting their return.

A flash of bright light signaled their arrival at the energy bay in sector six, sending their subjects scrambling into stiff backed salutes when the light cleared revealing the two monarchs.  

The head Peridot and Bismuth in charge of the project scrambled to the front, hands snapping into salute.

“My Diamonds,” They intoned.

“Show us the energy converters.” Yellow commanded. 

“Of course, please, come this way.” They quickly ran ahead of the larger gem’s long strides as they approached the large metallic panels facing Homeworld’s nearest star. 

“They were finished just a few cycles ago, my Diamond.” The peridot stopped, turning to look at Yellow, hands snapped back up in the diamond shaped salute.

“Are they working as intended?” Blue asked aloud as she looked up at the panels that would have towered over White Diamond were she present. They reached far above them, the large reflective plates meant to catch the radiation of the nearby stars blocked out the light, casting the two diamonds and all nearby gems in its shadow. 

“Yes, my Diamond.” The Bismuth spoke up. “Everything is up and operational.” A screen popped up and Yellow took it from the burly gem, expanding it to better look at the diagnostics filling the screen.

“As you can see, My Diamond, the amount of raw energy collected is even more than what we normally would have gained in the same time frame as resource drilling on colonies.” The Peridot piped up.

“Not by a substantial amount, but still…” She trailed off, talking to herself as she scanned the data. “Yes, well done.” she affirmed with a nod. The two gems beamed proudly. 

“That will be all.” Blue dismissed the two smaller gems with a flick of her wrist, who saluted again before scampering away with pleased smiles. “Well?” She turned to Yellow who was still scanning the screen of data.

“Everything seems to be working as I projected.” She gave a curt nod. “Yes, this should work well.” She decided.  

“Good. White will be pleased.”  

"Indeed. Everything seems to be in order here, I should return to my work…" she turned to go but was halted by Blue taking hold of her arm. 

"Not yet, there's something else I wish to show you. Something I've been working on." 

Yellow would be lying if she said she wasn't intrigued. Blue had worked on nothing for the last six-thousand years nearly.

She followed Blue back to the warp pad. A few moments later in a flash of light they were standing in an unfamiliar forest. Only the area around the warp pad and a trail leading through the towering trees had been cleared of vegetation. 

“This way,” Blue was smiling excitedly as she led the way down the path and eventually out of the trees to a flat grassland.  

A glance up at the darkening sky and its unfamiliar stars told her they were no longer on Homeworld. The north end of the Andromeda galaxy perhaps?

Blue glanced back and saw her scrutinizing the area,mouth twisted and nose wrinkled.

“This is Sauris Six, the last planet I began to colonize before we stopped everything.” She explained. Yellow hummed in acknowledgment.

Their earthquaking steps sent small creatures scattering through the tall grasses.  

“Where are we going?” Yellow finally gave into her curiosity as she followed the azure gem. 

“Were almost there.” Blue just smiled cryptically over her shoulder. A look that made the generals face heat up ever so slightly, luckily the burnt golden color was hidden by the bright light of this planets setting sun.  

It was about then Yellow became suddenly aware of the sound of rushing water growing steadily louder.

They crested a hill and Blue stopped, gaze locked onto something below them. Yellow stopped at her side, looking down at whatever had captured her attention.

Below them was a lake, towering cliffs of deep gray stone enclosed the dark water on three sides. The last rays of light were stretching over the jagged peaks, coating the dark water below in a golden shimmer.  

The sound of rushing water quickly brought Yellow’s eyes to the giant waterfall streaming over the cliffs across from them and falling into the lake below.

“Do you see that structure there?” Blue spoke up, pointing at a wall built across the top of the massive waterfall. “It's a Hydroelectric dam!” She smiled, seeming incredibly pleased. “A source of energy. It was Steven’s idea, really but it’s finally finished.” Blue clapped her hands together.

“How does it work?” Yellow asked, tapping her chin with a gloved finger, intrigued.  

Blue pulled a schematic from her gem and held it out for yellow. Explaining that using Lapis Lazuli’s they could reroute rivers on any one of their planets with abundant water sources to make waterfalls and convert the movement to energy.

Yellow was impressed by the idea and it showed in the set of her face. Blue could tell. 

“Like your solar converters these will take very little in the way of maintenance, gems we can easily spare.” She explained the lack of their subjects as they moved down the cliffs to the water's edge. 

Little waves lapped at the sand and their feet as they moved along the shore, their steps shaking the ground and causing the water to ripple.

Blue stopped a little way from the waterfall so that it’s roaring waters did not drown out the sounds around them and sat gently on a large boulder. Yellow stopped beside her, still studying the schematics for the dam.

Blue couldn’t help but smile at the furrowed brows and twisted mouth that made up Yellows face when she was deeply concentrating. It was adorable, and she was the only one around to see it.

She made sure of that by sending all the gems who had been working on the project to finish the construction of a secondary dam elsewhere before she brought Yellow here. 

She had initially chosen this plant for it’s lush resource filled landscape, now she was also quite glad for it’s calmness and remote nature. She looked up at Yellow, still studying the schematics.  

The fast fading rays of light bounced off her armor, making the already golden gem shine. 

To show her companion the completed dam was not the only reason Blue had brought her out here. 

It had been over a year since they had begun implementing change on homeworld, over a year since Steven had changed White’s mind and brought her out of her own head.  

Over a year for Blue to think about what White had revealed to her.

“She’s so strong, but so weak when it comes to Blue.” 

Blue had thought about those words many times since that day, it was obvious to her what White had meant, became more obvious everyday as she truly took notice of how her counterpart behaved towards her. 

She had thought of confronting Yellow with this information many times, but what was she to say? Was she just to accuse her fellow diamond of harboring such intense and tender feelings for her and then walk away? No, she thought not. 

She chose instead to wait and watch. 

The more she observed Yellow the more things began to come to light that she had been blind to before. 

 Things like the delightfully wide grin that would spread across her usually severe face whenever Yellow managed to make her laugh or the way she could get away with nearly anything if she smiled prettily and ghosted her fingers over Yellow’s cheek, which would turn a spectacular golden color before she relented to whatever Blue desired with a huff or roll of her eyes. 

Her comical obsession with the neatness of her control room was another thing Blue found oddly endearing. 

Then one day out of the cosmos, it had broadsided her without warning.

They had been finishing work on some notes from a meeting with White when she’d happened to glance over to find Yellow staring intently at the screens, her finger tapping her chin in quiet contemplation. Face relaxed and unguarded. 

Blue couldn't help but smile at the easy expression.

Perhaps sensing Blue’s stare she turned to meet her gaze with a questioning one and Blue found herself held captive by those glimmering, gilt eyes.

After a solid ten seconds of staring at each other wordlessly Blue had come to her senses and whipped her eyes back to her screen. She could feel her cheeks turning near violet and Yellow’s curious stare and it felt like the weight of a galaxy had fallen onto Blue Diamond’s head. 

Without realizing it, her affections for Yellow had swelled into so much more. Into something she was afraid to give voice to. 

Still unsure she had decided to consult Steven on her last visit to Earth, the young hybrid had been beside himself with joy when she admitted how she had been feeling.

The advice he offered was sound.  

“Just tell Yellow how you feel.” 

If simple. 

His reassuring smile did little for her now as the two gems were alone out here with no one to see or hear them. She clasped her hands together, nerves flaring in anticipation.  

“This is well done, Blue. I'll have to start my Bismuths’ on the construction of one of these dams on some of my own colonies as soon as we return…” Yellow’s voice broke Blue from her nervous thoughts. “Shall we go?” She turned to Blue, a brow cocked upwards in question.

“Not just yet.” She patted the space on the boulder beside her. “Have a seat.” She insisted. Yellow heaved a sigh.

“Blue, I have many things that require my attention… ” She started.

“I know.” Blue’s voice cut through Yellow’s words. “As do I, but please, Yellow. Just a few moments more. There is… something I must discuss with you.” Something in her face made Yellow walk over and sit gently on the stone besides Blue.

“What is it?” She asked and the tenderness of the question struck chords somewhere deep within Blues gem. 

Her mouth suddenly felt dry but she managed to force out the words. 

“When Steven tried to reason with White and she spread herself through us, do you… remember what she said, about you?” It was clear even before she had finished the question that Yellow knew exactly what she was talking about by the way her lips pursed and her form tensed. 

She sprang off the rock and away from Blue, as if burned. Her gloved hands curled into tight fists, jaw tense. Blue frowned at her back. 

She already knew this would not be an easy conversation. Where she excelled in expressing her emotions, Yellow had always struggled and been defensive. Now was no exception.

"What does that have to do with anything?" The stern diamond demanded, only looking at Blue over her shoulder.

"It’s what I wish to speak to you about..." She asserted, standing and following Yellow, but at a distance. She could feel the static building in the air around her aggravated partner. Yellow glared at her over her shoulder. 

“There's nothing to talk about.” She growled, refusing to turn around and face her.

“I think these feelings you have for me are something we need to discuss…” Blue answered just as resolutely in the face of Yellow’s stubborn refusal.  

“You would never have noticed if White hadn’t…!” She whipped around to face Blue but the admission trailed off as their eyes met. Shoulders untensed as she sighed “It doesn’t matter.” She finally finished, turning away from Blue. 

“Of course it does!” Blue walked around the stone still figure, and laid a cool azure palm against a warm yellow cheek, forcing Yellow to look at her.

“Your feelings matter to me.” She asserted. “I... have been thinking about it ever since and have come to realize that I care deeply for you as well, Yellow…” She admitted, looking back into wide, gold eyes. “I won't apologize for the time I spent mourning Pink, as pointless as it was and blind as it made me, but I am sorry it took me so long to notice the way you felt.” Her fingers traced a sharp cheekbone.   

A gloved hand reached up and covered Blues on her cheek. Her eyes slid closed as she held the cool hand to her face. The static in the air had vanished but the trepidation was obvious on Yellow’s face.  

“It wasn’t Pink that kept you from seeing, Blue.” She said after a long moment, opening her eyes to face her fellow diamond, staring back at her perplexed. “... My feelings for you are far older than era two.” Cerulean eyes widened and Yellow sighed.

“I have always loved you, Blue.” She admitted at last, curling her fingers into the spaces between Blue’s. “When you first emerged I thought you were the most beautiful and radiant gem I had ever seen.” Both their faces warmed at the confession. “I can’t remember a time I haven’t loved you.” She admitted shyly but refused to break her gaze.   

The admission shook Blue to her core. For that long Yellow had felt this way and she had never noticed? Was she that oblivious to the sole being she had lived in tandem with since her emergence? Fat tears began to roll down the well worn tracks of her cheeks. 

“Yellow… I… I’m so sor-” She started but Yellow shook her head as she reached up and for the first time in many years wiped away the tears streaming down Blues face with her free hand. 

“It was I who chose to never say anything. There is nothing for you to apologize for, Blue.” Yellow was adamant. Blue was quiet, staring back into eyes that were so familiar and yet so foreign. She had never seen such raw, unguarded emotion in Yellow’s face. 

 She pulled their still joined hands to her chest, nestled against her gem and held Yellow’s hand between both of hers. The burning gold on Yellows face could no longer be played off, as Sauris Six’s sun had fully set behind the mountains, casting both gems in the shadows of the planets twilight.

“Perhaps... era three can be the beginning of more than a change in the empire.” She smiled as Yellow wiped away the last of her tears.  

[adore-you-hs2]

For this fit I have decided to use lily James as my main girl mainly bc of how beautiful she is (but you can picture anyone you would like).

———

I hate pirates, they're filthy, cruel and horrible, I was absolutely sure I never wanted to meet one.

That was until I met him.

Ever since I was a young girl, I was taught to stay away from any kind of danger especially pirates. I hear tales of their attacks, of how they prey on the on ports and how they take pleasure on hurting the innocent civilians. I am lord Henrys, daughter. And never in my life have I met a pirate and I don't plan on meeting one soon.

I pulled back the lace curtains of my window, letting in the light of the morning sun enter my bedroom. I looked out my bedroom window. Like always, it's a typical boring day In port royal. Navvy vessels are docked in the bay while officers are rushing around doing their daily business. I wonder what it's like there outside in the ocean. I gaze at the currents and waves. The ocean is quite beautiful, I don't mind waking up to the glistening water every day.

I trace my fingers along the wooden windowsill. There's not much adventure in the life of a lady. My whole life has been planned out, actually.

I walked down the stairs of the manor, waiting for me at the bottom was none other than the commodore.

”shouldn't you be at the ceremony?” I ask him as I reached the bottom.

The ceremony ended an hour ago, miss James, was deeply disappointed to see wasn't there, he replied.

”I'm so sorry commodore, I forgot”.

”that's alright, ”he smiles. ” I have a very important question to ask you, Miss James”

He takes my hand and leads me out towards the docks. I gulp. He was a fine man. Marrying him would be a perfect match but I long for adventure and the commodore would fail to provide that.

”now, miss James, I have known you since you were a little girl, ” he says. We walk along the dock, his sweaty hand in my tiny one. ” and it would only be right if I marry a fine woman to match my image .” he turns to me” and you have grown to be a very fine woman, Miss James.”

I know where this is going and look away. I get uncomfortable when people call me ’Miss’. Suddenly I see something from the corner of my eye, I look out towards the ocean and see a huge ship with black sails disappear behind a cliff.

”Commodore!” I say alarmed, ”did you see that?”

He looks towards the direction I point at but by then, the ship has gone.

” I don't see anything, Miss James. Now what was I saying?”

I am pretty sure I saw something. I know I wasn't imagining it. I continue to stare at the cliff as if the ship would emerge again. The commodore starts to drone on, the mysterious ship distracts me from all he is saying.

”Miss James, is there something wrong?” he says.

I turn back to me, ” no, nothing wrong” I say with a forced smile.

He continues to talk while I think about the ship. black sails - I've never seen such a ship, but I have heard of one. A ship with black sails, a ship preying on ports and settlements for ten years, a ship crew by the damned. I instantly know what ship it is.

”commodore! pira-” there was a sudden boom as the front of the dock smashes into pieces. Wooded planks fly in all directions. The air also starts to fill with earsplitting screams as the ship with black sails come back Into view, firing cannons at the town.

I look at the commodore in horror as he squeezes my hand.

”get yourself out of here, go to the manor!” he yells at me over the noise.

”Whatever happens don't look back, just keep running”

I bolt down the streets. Everywhere I look, I see buildings on fire and pirates running around attacking two people. The town is in total chaos. By my side, windows are smashing and guns are firing, followed by clashes of swords and screams of Panic.

I run towards my home when a blast a few meters away Knocks me out. I tried to blink a couple of times but the world around me starts to blur, just as my eyes where about I close a pirate walks into view with long curly hair hiding over his shoulder and a long coat reaching his knees. A long sword is clutched tightly with his right hand and a pistol in the other. He was the last thing I saw before the world turns black

~~~~~

I wake with a pillow thrown at my face, I sit up. I must have overslept again and father was waking me up.

It seems as if I'm in a small room dimly lit by candlelight. Where am I? As my eyes start to adjust, I notice there is a table with charts on top and a long dining table with a bushel of fresh apples. There is also a glass window with no light singing through, I can tell it's night time. At the end of the room, laying on an armchair,is a sword.

” oh the princess is finally up”

I hear a voice and turn to its direction, surprised. Standing in front of me is a boy, No a man.

He has long curly hair the shade of mud, and hanging over his muscley shoulders he also had green sparking eyes that I could get lost in all day and a smirk across his face as he pierced Down at me.

His name is legendary in the sea, the ruthless young pirate has the world fearing him by gaining such fortune over the short years, the pirate also has a thirst for blood, tormenting the lives of enemies as well as the innocent and that was only a part of his reputation.

He's rumoured to be perfecting stunning, almost an angel says the number of women who were lucky enough to escape him.

He takes a few steps closer to me and I get I closer look at him as he gets into the candlelight.

” I know you, ” I say to him ”you’ re the one everyone is looking for. I see your face on the wanted posters all over town. Your Harold styles”

”captain styles, ” he growls with an annoyed look on his face. ” if you know you wouldn't dare speak my name without my permission”

I look up at him in disgust. ”where am i” I ask.

”you're on the rosebud revenge, this is the captain quarters princess”.

I let out a giggle, and he looked at me in confusion. ”the rosebud revenge isn't a very scary ship name, for someone like you”

”its not the name you should be scared of darling, but the person who owns it” he sat down on the bed next to legs, he looked me dead in the eye as he pulled out a tiny knife from his pants that was cover in blood

My eyes widen as he pulled it close in my face.

”what do you want from me” I ask horrified.

” I dont want anything from you, I was simply bored and seen your pathetic island” styles says.

I can't believe him, he and his crew killed innocent people because he was bored, I gave him a look of shock.

I watched as he ran the non-bladed side of the knife down my cheek causing blood to stain my skin, I gagged at the smell.

” you're disgusting, how could you do that they done nothing wrong to you” I snap at him

He chuckles and removes the knife away from my face ” your quite loud for a little thing aren't you”.

” I'm 19, you disgusting pirate. Just wait til my father sees you” I say to as he got up from the bed ”now take me home!”.

I followed him as I also got of the bed as stood in front of him, I need to act brave.

”dont talk to me like that you stupid little girl, your nothing but weak in the ship!” he grabbed me by the neck with his strong hand (I was suprized it doesn't snap from the strength) and pushed us up against the dining table.

” trust me, little girl you won't be the same of you go back there” I gasp in pain as he gripped my neck tighter.

”Why are you- saying all these things” I turned my face away from him and he moved his face to my ear unable to look him in the eye

” you wanna you know why, because I killed everyone on that damed island, from the firstborn to the very last dying man ” he whispered in my ear and chuckled at my reaction.

I turned to his as tears filled my eyes, the rumors were true he doesnt have a heart.

” you couldn't- no! You monster, how could you”

I sobbed in defeat as I realized I will never see my family again and how much everyone must have gone through.

Captain Styles squeezed my neck one final time before letting go of my neck, he did nothing but stare as I sank to the floor.

I rubbed my neck trying to smooth the pain.

He bends down so he was at my level and gripped my hair into his hand.

” trust me, princess, after I figure out what I'm gonna do with you, your gonna wish you died with them”

I chocked a sob

”save you stupid tears, I'm done for now ” he finally walked away from me and before he left room he threw a diamond ring at me .

” from your precious commodore, I took from him after I drained the blood from his body, you might want to clean his blood on your cheek, Princess”

And with that he left me so drown to my sorrow

-///

@c-h-e-r-r-y-y 😅

[trouvelle]

Emogust 22.08 — First Time

A/N: DCMK Emogust 2019 — First Time! Here’s some MakoSono as part of the ATLA!AU. Makoto is a true fullblooded Earthbender and no one can convince me otherwise lmao. @mintchocolateleaves @sup-poki !!

The sweltering sun stood high in the sky when Makoto walked along the shore of the Northern Water Tribe, such was the scene of his current mission. Everything was white and blue as far as he could see, and only some parts where the sunlight touched was shining a pale yellow. The Palace stood way above the coast, glistening like an enormous chunk of diamond hidden in the midst of all the ice in the region. The city itself was protected by huge ice cliffs which formed all around it as its walls. It had worked, Makoto knew; the Northern Water Tribe had remained standing without ever suffering any seizes from the other nations. 

Its position surrounded by all those icebergs had more than its fair share of advantages. Under the cover of darkness the night before, Makoto had arrived in a bay a little sideways from ice gate which functioned as the only entrance into the city. He’d hidden his dinghy, folding the sail carefully and covering the whole boat with anything he could find to keep it out of plain sight. He had left his Earth Kingdom tunic behind, too.

Now he’s sauntering around the village in a grayish blue Water Tribe robe, not attempting to find his target just yet, but opting to take in the layout of the town and the people that live in it. The water flowed smoothly in the canals, slithering here and there, connecting the whole city like a giant blue snake. Makoto supposed he shouldn’t be surprised to see the ambienceband tranquility of the whole city, considering its peaceful history and close proximity to the hidden gateway to the Spirit world. It’s almost like the war never reached this place at all, with how calm it seemed. Makoto knew he would be willing to stay here if he had the option to. Then again, war made people do strange things. He averted his eyes and kept walking up the main road in the middle of the city.

As he climbed his way up the tier to the courtyard, the entrance to the Northern Royal Palace came into view. It’s a stately place on the highest tier of the city, built in a true Water Tribe structure with ice paneling and statues, and a large, open staircase in the middle of it. He walked past some younger students, all of whom looked no older than twelve, practicing waterbending in the courtyard. He made his way around the palace. He knew precisely where to go and let his feet take him away. Although, if he must say, he felt really strange in these boots he’s wearing. The ice beneath his feet felt fragile and a little too smooth for his liking.

He reached another yard, this one not as open nor as wide as the main one in front of the palace. Another thing that was also missing here—the crowd. There was not a single person there. This one had multiple small fountains with pillars bordering the area, and he knew this was probably a private yard only accessible to the Elders, Council members or the royal family of the chiefdom. Makoto kept walking, until he can see around the to the very back part of the—

On one of the fountains near the east corner of the yard, sat a girl in an elaborate lavender kimono-like tunic over a light purple dress, with short and light brown hair. Instinctively, Makoto knew who she’s looking at. It’s Suzuki Sonoko, daughter of Chief Suzuki Shiro, ruler of the Northern Water Tribe. She was talking and laughing with another girl who looked the same age, but this one had a long hair that reached her waist. In order not to draw any attention to himself, Makoto kept walking until he found himself a bigger fountain to hide behind. He was careful to keep in the shadows that allow him to observe the Chief’s younger daughter without giving himself away.

Nothing much happened. The so-called princess kept talking, cracking big laughters as she conversed with the other girl, her short hair tickling her cheeks. Makoto watched with interest as the two of them chatted animatedly as if nothing that’s wrong in the world could ever reach them. The air is rife with rumors of the Air Temples dissipation, Makoto knew it’s all part of an elaborate conspiracy. The Fire Nation had been at the height of its power and the world’s peace was starting to be shaken.

Sonoko was still sitting in the same spot, still talking with her friend who occasionally guided some water to and away from the fountain, probably trying some new waterbending tricks. The sun was starting to set now, creeping lower and lower towards the horizon with every passing minute. It’s almost time. Soon enough, the long-haired girl stood up and waved her goodbye, running to the direction of the main courtyard. The chief’s daughter, now all by herself, slowly walked back into the Palace.

Now’s the time. He checked his surroundings one last time, heaved a deep breath and made his way forward. There were guards stationed outside the front entrance and no doubt within the palace as well. Makoto disregarded them; chances were they’d grown slow in the illusion of peace that this entire city seemed to have fallen under.

Eventually, Makoto found himself perched on a balcony that gave him a prime view of the chief’s daughter’s bedroom, where she was brushing her hair in front of a mirror. After deeming her hair acceptable, she made way to the balcony. There was no one around and no one with her. Twilight had descended by now and the moonlight softly framed her figure. After a long moment of consideration, Makoto decided to abandon what he had come here to do. With the rising moon that gives the whole city its power, Makoto turned around and got ready to jump down.

“Show yourself,” he froze in action when he heard her say. 

Was he not as silent as he thought? 

Makoto swung himself over the railing of the balcony in one swift jump, landing in front of Sonoko. To her credit, she didn’t look too shocked, though she immediately sprang backwards many steps, hands held in front of her body defensively. “Who are you?” Her voice is squeaky and raspy, but she sounded more confused than scared.

“You are Sonoko,” Makoto said as she approached Sonoko slowly. “Second daughter of Chief Suzuki Shiro.”

“Yes,” Sonoko said, stepping backwards with each step Makoto took. “But wait, please. I’m sure we can talk this out.” At Makoto’s confused look, she continued. “You don’t have to kill me. You don’t have to kidnap me. You can have whatever you’re after. Money, food, coins, all you have to do is tell me and I will ask my father for it, please.”

“Those mean nothing to me,” Makoto murmured, never once taking her eyes off the girl. “I’m here for you. And there’s nothing you can say that will make me change my mind. Especially if it concerns a mission I have to accomplish in the future.” Sonoko’s gaze slid from him to his hands. They were big, rough and calloused. They look nothing like the hands of someone who grew up in a Water Tribe environment, let alone be a waterbender.

“Ah,” she said. “So that’s what this is.” He must be sent from another nation to kidnap her and ask her father to give up their land in exchange for her life. Or, to kill her to reduce the chances of their hereditary chiefdom continuation down the generation.

“Then, let me ask you something,” Sonoko continued. “Tell me, what have I done to you, or your people? Did I steal something from you? Did I hurt you in some way? Why do you have to kill me?” She looked at him intently.

“I never wanted intended to,” Makoto responded, his voice silent instead of strong now, quelled by the resilience he saw in the blue eyes of the girl. “And I’m not here to kill you, or whatever you’re thinking.”

Sonoko knew she shouldn’t trust anything coming from a stranger, especially one who had been spying on her in her room, but she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding in. “Okay. Then why are you here? If you think you can get any information out of me, then I swear on the Spirits of the Ocean and Moon, that I know absolutely nothing.”

Sonoko looked hopeful and beautiful at once, and she’s not at all like what Makoto had pictured, apparently. He had heard that the younger of the Chief’s daughters was the one most spoiled, a good-for-nothing lady who couldn’t even be a trophy daughter simply for the fact that she wasn’t born with the ability to waterbend. It’s also been said that she had a shallow and brash attitude. But this girl in front of her seemed nothing like that: to him she appeared trusting, and optimistic.

“I am Makoto from the Kyogoku family in Ba Sing Se, Capital of Earth Kingdom.” Makoto suddenly continued, and he thought about what he had to say next, after telling her who he really was. “Please forgive my intrusion. And I apologize for the disturbance and unease that I have caused you, My Lady.”

He watched as her soft blue eyes widened in realization as she too, was probably recounting the last time she’d heard his name. “You’re… Are you the man I’m supposed to marry?”

“It appears so.” Makoto looked away shyly, and his right hand rubbed at his nape in an act of nervousness. Coming from a pretty influential family in Earth Kingdom’s capital city and equipped with years of battle experiences at a young age, he was deemed an excellent choice to be wed into a family member of the Water Tribe chiefdom. He was initially against the idea, but politics are politics, and there wasn’t much he could do except hope that the other side would reject the idea. Because normally, offsprings of a chief had to marry within the tribe to ensure the continuation of the chiefdom’s power. So, he’s surprised when the Water Tribe Chief agreed on it too himself. Makoto thought that the Chief probably had his city’s interest at heart. The marriage would ensure a small, albeit steady alliance between the two cities. And at the brim of a war like this, who wouldn’t want that?

After a brief silence, Makoto dared to sneak a glance at the girl. Soft blue eyes found his again, as she said, “I thought we weren’t supposed to meet until next month, on the agreed date of our engagement.”

“Yes,” he spoke, voice barely above a whisper, “that’s right.” If only he was patient enough, he wouldn’t have to waste his time and energy to come all the way from Ba Sing Se. “I just had to see what kind of person I am going to be married to.”

To be honest, Sonoko wasn’t looking forward to the day of her marriage either. It’s approaching unbelievably fast, and with every day, she’s getting more and more worried about having to marry someone she’s never even met. She sighed deeply and had accepted her fate.

This rugged man, however, was handsome and mysterious; she’s intrigued.

So was he. The young Lady stood in front of him with pride, although her eyes were full of uncertainty. She was probably just as nervous as he was. They barely knew each other and in a month, they’d have to be living together already. The thought of it sent him to a frenzy and he turned around, ready to leave the Palace, once and for all. “I suppose I have to leave now.” He murmured incoherently.

A cool hand touched his shoulder and Makoto was returned to his current situation, the tension in his shoulders dissipating at the contact. He looked down into Sonoko’s kind eyes, and for some reason it did make him feel better. Makoto decided not to think about it too deeply. Not yet.

“Actually,” Sonoko started, softly, “I’d rather get to know you more first, rather than at our engagement reception. I’m sure you think so too, or else you wouldn’t have come all the way here.”

He silently shook his head and Sonoko smiled in delight, tentatively. The hand on his shoulder squeezed in a gesture of comfort. “Then stay! I’m pretty sure we’re not so different, you and I!” She helped Makoto down even though she knew he was capable of doing so himself. 

Her hand lingered around his arm as she pulled him through the corridors of the Palace, expertly weaving around the pillars whenever any guards came into view. Before he knew it, they were at the open space at the very top, overlooking the entire Northern Water Tribe City and the broad Northern Seas. They stared at the night sky, where the stars were splattered liek random dots on a dark blue canvas, surrounding the moon that looked bigger than he’d ever seen before.

“So, future husband,” Sonoko said teasingly, deciding to start off easy. “Do you have any hobbies?” 

Makoto’s eyes left the familiar constellations and took in the childish expression on Sonoko’s face. For the first time that day, he smiled.

I ✥ II