#Hoverboard fires are still a problem

[cartoonbrat16]

My DNA

Jen pov

I was laying on my bed adding a few last touches to the hoverboard when I smelt something. I pulled up another screen, this one was smaller but still had plenty of uses. I pulled up the security cameras I put on the outside of the RV and saw a burning building. "Bleep, we gotta go!" I said turning to my robotic companion. "Alright it's hero time!" Bleep yelled and a small propeller emerged from his head. I smiled and dashed to the front of the RV, I jumped out while still in motion and clicked a silhouette on my screen.

When the flash faded I was in the form I named Heatblast. My body was composed of red rocks, my head was on fire, and my bandana turned into lava. "How many are inside?" I asked Bleep as her flew beside me. "Two, a woman and child, top floor." Bleep said, I nodded and went to the top.

When I entered the apartment I saw the ceiling about to crash down. I was fast and caught the ceiling, the kid opened his eyes and started at me. "Don't worry we're here to help." I said and Bleep emerged from behind me. "Please follow me, I shall escort you to safety." Bleep said, the mother and son shared a look but followed Bleep.

Once they left the room I threw the fallen ceiling to the side. "Phew, that was getting kinda heavy." I said and then examined the fire around me. I smirked and held my hands out, the fire began to spiral and store itself inside my body until it was almost completely gone.

I smiled at my work and then heard a horn honking. I looked out the window and saw the RV, Gwen was pointing and I looked to see a car speeding away. "Tch, it was a diversion." I said and jumped out the window. I used Heatblast power and launched myself at the car.

"What was that?" I heard one of the crooks say when I landed on the car. "That easy, it your worst nightmare." I said as I ripped the roof of the car off. "What the heck is that thing!?" one yelled and I smirked, "I already told you, its your worst nightmare." I said and melted the tires. The car swerved and crashed into a nearby building, I grabbed the crooks and and pulled them from the car.

"You'll strand still if you know what's good for you." both crooks gulped and stayed motionless. "Now tell me, how would your mothers feel if they knew what you two were up to?" I asked and failed to notice the beeping of the device. I was about to carry on when I was blinded by bright green light. "Now let me tell- aww man." I said and looked at myself.

"Hey, it just some dumb kid." one crook said and I felt offended. "Dumb? As if!" I threw my hands to the side and a long silver rod with a black grip materialized. The entire rod, save the grip began to spark and buzz with electricity. "One touch from this, and it's night night, forever." I said and narrowed my eyes. The crooks shared a look and then brightened up at the sound of sirens.

When the police cars pulled up the crooks ran to the officers. "Hey, help us, this kid is crazy. She's got some kind of taser that could kill us!" the cried in unison. "Huh, I just wanted to see real police officers in action, i've always wanted to be apart of law enforcement." I smiled innocently. The police smiled back and then turned to the crooks with stern looks.

"You guys are going away for a long time." one cop said and the crooks were cuffed and put into the police car. The police then turned back to me, "You should head home, but with hard work and determination I think you could be a wonderful officer." One said and I nodded. The RV then pulled up and I could see Grandpa was furious, again.

~~~~~~~~~

I rested my face in the palm of my hand while I sulked. I just got grounded for two weeks, in all honesty I think it is pointless. I wasn't just gonna do nothing, and Grandpa can't stop me. I still don't understand the problem, or why he is holding back information. Before you ask how I know he is, it is obvious he knows something.

"I'd still like to know what you were thinking." "and if like to know why your withholding information." from the corner of my eye I could see Grandpa's hands tighten. "I don't know what your talking about." he said but I could see him sweating. "Sure you don't." I stood up and went to the back and closed the curtains.

"Hey Bleep, did the family get out ok?" Bleep rolled over and a blue screen appeared from his eye. It was a video message, "Thank you for saving us." the kid said and my lips curved into a smile. "They were very grateful." Bleep said and I nodded. "Any damages to you?" I picked Bleep up to examine him. "Only slight damage to my processing unit." Bleep said, that was nothing I couldn't handle. "Don't worry buddy ill get you fixed up." I said and materialized a screw driver.

Within a few short minutes, and the assistance of a screw driver, mini laser, and some programming, I had Bleep fixed. "How do you feel?" I asked and Bleep rolled around "I feel wonderful!" he cheered. "Now, since you fixed me, how about I fix that tear in your skirt?" Bleep said, I quickly looked down and the was in fact a tear in my skirt. I sighed and pulled up my inventory, I materialized a pair of brown shorts and changed before giving Bleep my skirt.

"Jen, we are at the Mega mart." Gwen pomed her head through the curtain. "Alright." I got up and followed my cousin and Grandpa into the store. "Alright girls, you two can go pick out a few things you like, once you do come and find me, but stay together." he said and handed us a cart, me and Gwen nodded and separated from out grandpa.

"Okay, lets be smart about this." I said and grabbed Gwen's hand to pull her along. I drug Gwen into the frozen section and pointed to the four pack frozen pizzas. "Smart." "Naturally." I said and me and Gwen each grabbed two boxes. Me and Gwen then grabbed various packs of sandwich stuff for a good deal and two loafs of bread. Next we grabbed toaster waffles, sausage biscuits, and two boxes of the twelve pack chips. "Okay, this should do us good for a while." Gwen nodded and we went to find grandpa.

Gwen pov

I pushed the cart and Jen trailed along beside me. I occasionally glanced at Jen from the corner of my eye, and she looked really bitter. "Are you okay?" I asked, Jen looked at me and shook her head "Don't worry about it." she said. I frowned but didn't voice my current thought and kept pushing the cart.

Me and Jen walked into the electronics still searching for Grandpa. "Wow, a gold sumo slammers card." I heard Jen say. I turned just in time to see Jen move to the display, I swear she had stars in her eyes. I moved closer and looked at the display, "What is so special about that card?" I asked, "It is really rare and really valuable if you have the whole set." Jen said.

Jen went on explaining and I actually listened for once. 'She is such a nerd.' I thought and the ground began to shake. "Earthquake!" Jen quickly pushed me to the ground and crouched beside me. Jen put her arms around me and placed her hands flat on the ground, everything was still shaking, but we barely moved.

I was about to ask Jen what she did, but then a giant frog broke through the wall. "Go to grandpa." I heard a faint beep and Jen stood up. "Jen?" I asked, "I'll be fine, go to grandpa, money says he's in the pet department." Jen said, and I nodded.

Leaving the cart behind I made a mad dash to the pet department. I could hear the fighting In the distance, things breaking people screaming, and it made me worry. "Oh man, this is a weird summer." I said and soon found Grandpa, he was indeed in the pet department. "Grandpa, Grandpa, giant frog." I panted out. I could feel the confused gaze, but Jen entered the scene just in time. Ok, I say entered, but in all reality she crashed into one of the shelves.

"Jen!" me and Grandpa said and ran to Jen. "You put up a decent fight my dear." someone said. I looked and on the back of the frog was a man, "Gwen, Grandpa, say hello to Dr. Animo." Jen said and stood to her feet. The mad doctor smirked and looked at the various animals, "Come my pets, rise to your full potential!" he said and Jen grabbed me and Grandpa.

Animo fired some strange laser at a hamster and a bird, and the began to mutate. Me and Grandpa screamed as Jen drug us along, "Stay here." Jen said and pushed me and Grandpa into another aisle. I was about to protest, but a spear materialized in Jen's hand and she was gone.

I peeked out from the corner, and Jen had some moves. Jen was fight the frog and the hamster with the spear, I never knew she could fight. I watched as Jen hit the hamster and scared it into an aisle, then she tracked the frog and it knocked the shelves over trapping itself and the hamster. "Alright!" Grandpa cheered and Jen turned and smiled at us.

"No, I won't be denied my place in history!" Animo jumped onto the bird, but Jen decided to tag along. Jen materialized a grappling hook and aimed for the bird, the cord wrapped around it's leg and they were off. "Jen!" Grandpa picked me up and ran out of the store and to the RV where we were greeted by Bleep. "Hello Max, Gwen, I have already started tracking Jen." he said and showed us a map with a moving red dot.

"She has a tracking chip?" I asked and sat in the passenger seat. 'Yes, it it in the blue cord around her wrist." Bleep said, Grandpa then started the RV and sped off. "Cool, and do you know what's up with the new gloves?" "Gwen, can we please focus on finding your cousin?" I quickly nodded and looked out the window. 'What is his deal, we have a tracking chip on her we know where she is." I thought.

~~~~~~~~~

Jen pov

The bird landed and I quickly ducked behind a sculpture. I looked up and spotted a security camera 'perfect' I thought. I pointed my finger at the camera and shot a blue beam at it, then I had access to the entire security system. I used the cameras to spy on Animo and help me hide from him.

I followed Animo all the way to the B.C exhibits and watched him. Animo was fiddling with his helmet, but he suddenly stopped, "You are a very persistent girl, I hate it." Animo turned around, he then became confused. I smirked to myself, Animo wasn't gonna find me unless he got some smarts and looked up. Quick explanation, the gloves I'm wearing I designed with three purposes, one of these purposes was to help my hide. I could touch anything and the gloves would magnetize to it, it didn't matter what it was, so long story short I was on the ceiling.

"Maybe I am mad." Animo said, he then shrugged and turned to a mammoth statue. "Ah well, mad, not mad, doesn't matter." Animo said, he then messed with his helmet and I knew something bad was gonna happen. "Now's as good a time as any." I said and demagnetized from the ceiling. "Heads up Animo!" I landed on Animo's back and placed both my hands on his helmet.

"Agh, let go of me you brat!" Animo yelled and threw me off. I slide and backflipped before landing like a cat. "I guess I'm not mad." Animo said and glared at me. "Hmph, your about to be." I said and pulled up my screen. "Nice blue prints, very neat, very easy to take over." I said. Animo looked shocked, "How did you-" Ha, he couldn't even finish his sentence.

"I built my gloves with three purposes. One helped me hide from you, the seconed scanned your helmet, gave me the blue prints, and the power to infect it with a virus." I smiled and pressed a button on my screen. Before Animo could even blink his helmet began to short circuit. "NOOOOO!!" Animo screamed before collapsing to the ground. I called the virus back then removed the helmet, I set it aside and restrained Animo.

I then looked at the helmet, I shrugged with a smile and digitized the helmet. I created a new section in my inventory and titled it souvenirs. I smiled and left the museum just as Grandpa pulled up in the RV. "I'm gonna assume Animo is taken care of?" Grandpa asked and I nodded. "Just call the police to come get him." I said and decided to turn in, I was exhausted.

[f1shbonez]

"You don't have to keep on checking on me." (@vastayan--vigilante )

Now that Scar was back, life was boring. 

No missions to plan, not even a revenge one!

No weapons to build. No high-stakes life-or-death games. Nothing. 

Everything was sleepy and peaceful and good and it made Jinx feel sick. Tinkering with gadgets and fixing up the gear from the Prigg’s job was boring. She’d fixed a MILLION hoverboards. It got old pretty fast. Besides, what was the point in fixing things when you couldn’t immediately go out and use them or make them do something different and better? 

There was nothing to play with. 

The reception of the Firelights to their old prisoner had taken a visible swerve, too. Nobody seemed to be watching Jinx as closely now, as she milled around unsupervised in the base. It was almost like they trusted her, liked her, even. That was weird. 

Everyone was busy. Or at least, they claimed to be. It would have been one thing if they were busy with activities that were fun, but not today. Maybe they were all just pretending to be boring so she’d leave them alone? That was rude. 

But there was one person who was never busy, at least, not really. He understood what it was like to feel useless too, now. Old Scarface had gone from fearsome deputy to a big, fuzzy kinda pet that lived in the Timeout Tunnel. It was pretty fun, actually, feeding him snacks, watching him throw up, taking him for walks…

Yup. If nothing else, Scar still knew how to have a good time. Plus, visiting him totally counted as helping. Of course, lately, Scar had been doing his best to be boring too. Sure, withdrawal sucked. Ekko sure didn’t like being on the frontlines to his buddy’s suffering. The retching, the need to keep microdosing, the need to insist the doses had to STAY micro, blah blah blah. It was enough to drive a wedge between any Pet Scar and their would-be helper. But not Jinx! Nope. Scar made for even better company when he was broken too. 

The problem was, Scar didn’t always feel like playing. Or talking. Or walking. Or eating. Obviously, he needed a distraction. Something - or someone- that didn’t know what ‘no’ meant. A grin split Jinx’s face as she skipped towards one of the small coloured houses, humming an idle tune as she went. 

Moments later, the heel of her boot collided with the large metal door of the Timeout Tunnel, bursting it open. Just a friendly game of Scaring The Crap Outta Ya, no biggie! That was allowed, wasn’t it? They were friends now, after all. 

“Knock knock!” The play at permission was brandished with a laugh as Jinx stepped into the tunnel, ignoring how dark and gross it was. 

Ahri gurgled from where she was slung under one of Jinx’s arms, a string of drool hung from the baby’s lower lip as electric green eyes mapped the unfamiliar space. A short while ago (on one of her ‘good days’ Jinx had come to the decision that the tiny, toothed creature was actually, quite good. After seeing the baby fire a snot-filled sneeze onto Ekko’s beloved coat (and spending the entirety of the day laughing about it), Ahri had shown that she was definitely worth keeping around. She was kinda cute, in a disgusting, obnoxious kind of way. Sort of like a Scar-shaped doll. It was fun to play with her, to make her snort and giggle. She was so small. It almost felt like the kids' insides were cotton stuffing, rather than blood and guts. 

And now Scar could play with Ahri too. Wasn’t that neat? That would TOTALLY get him up and about. It should at least get him talking, right? ‘Where? How? Why?’ Blah blah blah. It was the same obvious answer- one that she’d used before. I’m borrowing her. Without permission. But that was still borrowing, wasn’t it? It was Zee’s fault, really. People were weirdly bad at staying vigilant in their own homes.

 "You don't have to keep on checking on me."

At the sound of her father’s voice, Ahri let out a shriek of delight before wriggling against the air above Jinx’s hip.

 “What else am I ‘sposed to do?” Jinx replied flippantly, swinging Ahri up into the air (earning a giddy squeal) and catching her with a hand under each chubby arm.

[hoverboardstore]

How to choose the right hoverboard for your child?

Everyone in the family loves hoverboards. Kids love it; teenagers are always excited to get one and even adults too. This fact has made this self-balancing two-wheeled board a popular choice and trend nowadays. Whether you are looking for a gift for your child's next birthday or a cool option for your teenager's Christmas present, hoverboards can make everyone happy. This device is a perfect combination of advanced technology and outdoor activity. Kids these days are mostly involved in video games or watching youtube videos all day long. Hoverboards are a great alternative to get them involved in some physical activity in an outdoor space and make sure that your child spends some time off the screen, which is vital for your child's mental growth and physical well-being.

Hoverboards are recreational for kids and adults both, and with all these advantages, they are still sometimes criticized for not being safe enough for children. We highly doubt that, and those days are long gone when we used to hear about hoverboard batteries catching fire and manufacturers not following safety procedures. Now every legit hoverboard company is abiding by the new rules and legislation for its users safety. We all know that kids love these boards, and hoverboard companies are well aware of this fact. Over the last decade, the popularity of hoverboards has helped the industry grow bigger and better every day.

The market was estimated at around 2.8 billion dollars way back in 2017. Since then, the growth is ever-increasing, and we still do not have the figures for 2020, which will surely be massive.

Despite all these facts, parents and elders are still worried that if hoverboards are the right choice for their children's leisure or commute? Keeping in mind all these concerns, hoverboard manufacturing companies have designed many products, especially for kids and youngsters.

They have infused modern, stylish looks and safety features in these models, attractive enough for kids and safe enough for their parents to remain stress-free. There are thousands of manufacturers and hoverboard choices all over the world. It is quite challenging to choose which options are exciting and safe to use. This blog can guide you about some qualities and features to look for in a hoverboard to overcome your safety concerns and put a big smile on your Kid's face.

Finding an Appropriate hoverboard for your Kid:

Hoverboards are enjoyed by millions all over the world. Let's discuss some of the features that make the hoverboard suitable for your child. This article will make it easier for you to find the right one.

●    Size of the Hoverboard:

Are you looking to buy a perfect sized hoverboard for your kids according to their age? You are in the right spot.

The hoverboard comes in various sizes so that no one feels left out from enjoying this fun gadget. A correct choice can be made according to your child's age and weight. Hoverboards are classified into different sizes based on the size of their wheels measured in inches. The three main types are listed below

6.5 inch Hoverboards:

A big hoverboard is hard to carry, and if your child is about eight years old or younger, a 6.5-inch hoverboard is suitable for them.  A bigger hoverboard will create problems in handling and mounting, so always choose a size according to your child's age. The weight limit is generally up to 200 lbs. The average charging time for a 6.5-inch hoverboard is 2 hours, and it can last up to 20 km, which is more than enough for a young child. The 6.5-inch series is available in bright, eye-catching graffiti hoverboard designs and gorgeous prints just like kids like them.

8.5 inch Hoverboards:

Teenagers and older kids appreciate a hoverboard ride to its peak. Kids older than eight years have sufficient riding experience and expertise to use the gadget anywhere and swiftly carry a large hoverboard. So an 8.5-inch all-terrain hoverboard is the best choice for them. The minimum carrying weight for this series is 20 kgs. This hoverboard type has a broader base and is very suitable for older kids and teenagers. The maximum load capacity is around 100kgs. The charge limitations and complete distance coverage are the same as the 6.5-inch hoverboard series. The board itself usually weighs only 12 kgs approximately.

9/10 inch Hoverboards:

If you're an adult or a teenager older than 13 years, you should always go for a hoverboard model suitable for adults. A 9 inch or 10-inch hoverboard would be an appropriate choice because it's more sturdy. The base is more comprehensive, and the wheels are more robust. These boards are available in more definite designs, keeping in mind the user's growing age and the kids' developing choices. Kids of this age usually prefer subtle and not so bright designs; however, one can always find a pattern they like choosing from the wide variety of alternatives available.

●    Safety of the Hoverboard:

What is more important than the safety of your child? A right hoverboard for your child would be manufactured with great precision and checked by all the concerned authorities before launching them into the market. After choosing the right size according to your child's physical parameters and age, the next thing, you must check before investing in a hoverboard if that specific product has a UL 2272 certification. Avoid buying the board if it's not mentioned or mentioned in a suspicious way, which looks fake. It ensures that the risk of battery explosion and the hoverboard catching fire is significantly reduced. Your hoverboard must have this. Not only it make sure your hoverboard used the proper materials, but it also assures your safety

●    Structure of the board

It's always most helpful to comprehend everything about the product you are buying, and price should not only be the deciding factor. To make the right decision, it's a good practice to know what your hoverboard has got within. The hoverboard is made from a fusion of electrical and mechanical parts. We have listed some tips about what to look for in the structure of the hoverboard. Read below.

●     The frame of the board should be strong and well manufactured to support the weight of the rider.

●     The wheels should provide good maneuverability and a smooth ride. Kids hoverboard is equipped with plastic tires, expected to perform most excellent on hard surfaces. The plus point is they won't get punctured, but they are prone to wear and tear. More grownup kids can opt for rubber tires. They are best for an off road riding experience. They are durable and work best on every surface.

●     The control board should be fast and advanced. The control unit's goal is to detect the movement of the rider body and release appropriate signals to maintain the balance of the board.

●     The motors should be powerful enough to reach the maximum speed, as promised by the manufacturer. The riding experience should be enjoyable and not dull due to low quality motors.

●     Batteries should be safe, adequately packed, and should charge quickly, as stated. The capacity of the battery should be more powerful to ensure a long smooth, pleasant ride.

●    Speed of the Hoverboard:

Before buying a hoverboard, speed is also a deciding factor. However, it may not be vital in the beginning days because your kids are in the learning phase, but as they get familiar with the device, the kids can go a little extra in the speed section. Most of the boards suitable for kids have a speed limit of 9 miles per hour. Some hoverboards also allow the parents to control the hoverboard’s speed with the help of a mobile application.

●    Fun Features of the HoverBoard:

Nobody wants a boring, bland hoverboard. The right hoverboard for your child is the one which also has fashionable fun features. Most of the kid's hoverboard has color changing LED lights to give it a unique look. Nowadays, hoverboards are equipped with Bluetooth speakers, so you can easily connect it with your cell phone and enjoy your favorite music and the ride simultaneously.

Some potential dangers and the precautions you should take:

When you are riding a vehicle, there is always a chance that something terrible could happen. The damages can be reduced if you know about the dangers and take precautionary measures:

●     You can fall from the hoverboard due to human error or if you are not attentive. Always be careful, present minded, and never forget to wear your safety gear.

●     The battery explosion incidents are sporadic now, near to impossible. To stay safe, never overcharge your hoverboard battery. Unplug the charger when it's fully charged. It is advisable not to charge your gadgets overnight.

●     To avoid any accidents and damages, wear safety gear.

●      Never step on a hoverboard, which is not suitable for your weight. Know the limitations and always ride a hoverboard which is according to your age, height, and weight

Summing Up:

Hoverboards are an ideal gift, and every youngster wishes to have one. They are fun, cool, and efficient. These environment-friendly devices are quite affordable but finding the right one is essential. A top hoverboard is one which has maximum features, a safety license, and is affordable. We at the hoverboard store in the UK have everything you want, and our collection of hoverboards, 6.5-inch series, 8.5 inches all-terrain hummer series, and bundles is very broad and assorted. Buy your next hoverboard from our store and enjoy the best customer service, warranty policies, and much more.

Buy Now.

[tiesthatbind-tf]

With a pen in one hand, taking us and burned on kerosene Headed for a fire would find us something to believe Wallowing round with dirty hands on wires Singing songs in discord choirs Screaming in braille, no temptress prize Could ever yield anything so real

The original fire has died and gone, But the riot inside moves on! The original fire has died and long gone, But the riot inside moves on!

Ah Celtic knots my beloved and my bane but god damnit Hot Rod was going to proudly wear a part of his culture or bust. Also, he’s apparently challenging Soundwave to Best Dressed across the battlefield. 

(His ‘spoiler’ functions as a hoverboard!)

Full story below. 

There’s not much that Hanley Riordan remembers of his early childhood though given what he does, he pressumes it was for the best.

Coming from a lower middle-class household in Dublin, he was a ‘difficult child’ as his parents would put it; rambunctious, hyperactive, prone to outbursts, fidgety and having next to no sense of self-preservation.

He did poorly at school, lagging behind considerably when it came to reading and often struggling to finish the homework allocated to him due to being easily distracted, to the point where everything from detention to outright abuse was used to try and ‘correct’ his behaviour.

None of it worked however, and no one attempted to understand and help him deal with his issues, which eventually led to his father walking out on them when he was nine after blaming his mother for him being the way he was.

In turn, she blamed him for ruining the family and he internalized that guilt, which only compounded when she left one day on an errand and simply never returned, leaving him to the mercy of kind neighbours who fed him after he had been left alone for a day and half, but who had to surrender him to the authorities since neither were equipped to raise him.

He went into the system, moving from one foster home to another where he suffered either similar abuse from those trying to ‘set him straight’ or apathy from those who were just there to collect the monthly check and after a while, he decided that he wasn’t going to be anyone’s problem anymore and ran off before the system could assign him to another home.

At fifteen, he hitched a ride to Belfast with a bag of clothes and a hundred dollars pilfered from his most recent foster home’s last government check. He figured that the authorities wouldn’t put the effort into chasing down some punk kid that far and that the city’s booming economy could afford work for a school dropout who was never even assigned a work class.

He wasn’t quite wrong, yet wasn’t quite right either.

Work wasn’t hard to find; there wasn’t a shortage of unscrupulous employers who didn’t think twice about hiring a minor to carry out manual tasks for a pittance of what fully-employed staff were paid. Keeping said work however, was a different story as the same issues which plagued him at school haunted him still, whether it was distractions, his ‘twitchiness’ or him impulsively telling a boss to take a running fuck at a rolling donut after being screamed at to abide by arbitrary workplace rules.

He bounced from one job to another during the day, moonlighting at local pubs as a dishwasher and eventually as a bouncer once the owner of the property got wind of his talent for fistcuffs which was honed on the streets.

Despite his near-perpetual restlessness, his recklessness, the fact that he couldn’t read beyond a second-grade level and that he was late to work at least three times a week, he found friends among the street youth and took on the role of big brother to the younger children, even landing up with a benevolent boss, Liam Gallagher,  who paid him fairly and made allowances for his ‘quirks’ at the smithery the man ran.

When the Clampdown began however, violence erupted in the streets as  Sedgewick Princeton (Sentinel Prime) sought to increase control over UK’s cities to flush out dissidents who were decrying the institutionalized poverty and inequality driven by the working class stratification.

Belfast, as an industrial and commercial centre Sedgewick was dead set on “keeping in line”, quickly became a battleground between his security forces and the local populace spearheaded by workers’ unions and activists.

Hanley found himself in the thick of the conflict, establishing a street patrol group called the Hounds of Ulster with the youths he befriended to alert those in Castle district to security raids and sweeps, buying them time to hide or escape.

Liam led a sect of the workers physically involved in the protests, promising to bring Hanley into the inner circle and extolling the young man’s bravery to anyone who would hear about it.

When news came out on the grapevine that a massive meeting would be held with all union heads and activists in attendance to plan out their biggest rebellion against Sedgewick’s forces, Hanley was finally invited by Liam to attend the gathering as the leader of the Hounds who would officially be utilized not just in Castle district, but across all of Belfast as their scouts and first responders.

Hanley’s excitement turned to confusion and then suspicion as Liam brushed off his inquiry about a new scar they had on their left temple and brought him to an underground route which ended up in the bowels of a facility located in the heart of the Victoria district, which was Sedgewick’s stronghold.

Liam didn’t take well to his refusal to go any further, and the two were involved in a vicious struggle which would have ended up with him knocked out cold and dragged feet-first into the facility, which was dedicated to Mnemosurgery, had it not been for the timely intervention of Omar Parvez (Orion Pax).

Omar escaped Liam’s pursuit with Hanley in tow and brought him to a bunker where he met Morgan Trayton (Megatron) and the rest of the rebels fighting against Sedgewick’s rising dictatorship.

Here he found out about the true extent of the conflict beyond Ireland’s coast, and when he demanded answers as to what happened to Liam, Megatron explained that the man was likely compromised due to Shadowplay when told about the new scar.

While desperate for a way to get back the Liam he knew, the two rebel leaders told him about a rising concern——that there was no telling who else had infiltrated the protesters’ movement and that something dire was on the horizon.

Utilizing the Hounds of Ulster as ground support for Jace Zayden’s (Jazz) spy work, it was revealed that the gathering was a trap for the Union leaders and activists and their supporters, as Castle district was where the rebellion movement was strongest.

A bomb had been planted underneath the warehouse they were meant to gather at, linked to other explosives planted at locations known to be frequented by protesters and activists via the gas line underneath the district.

It was also revealed that the factories in the area, now run by compromised individuals, were churning out highly-lethal weapons of war for Sedgewick’s use.

With time running out, Omar instructed his team headed by Preston Wan (Prowl)  to discreetly conduct evacuations of the citizens over the span of three days with the Hounds, as to not raise the alarm and escalate the situation, while he and Morgan went to the warehouse to try and save the heads of Belfast’s rebellion, who could not be contacted by normal means as they were underground for their own safety.

Hanley demanded to join them, desperate to get Liam to safety as well even if the man was compromised, even when Morgan warned him that there may not be enough of Liam left to save after the procedure, and Omar allowed it.

They arrived at the location just in time for the start of the meeting as Hanley volunteered to distract Liam while Omar and Morgan got the rest of them to safety. He attempted to force his way in, claiming Liam had invited him to attend the event and caused enough of a ruckus that Liam took him outside to talk.

The argument and threats that ensued were cut short by the sound of gunfire, as one of the activists who had also been compromised and were sent to the meeting as a plant was shot by Morgan when they attacked him.

Chaos ensued as the leaders ran for cover from traitors among them and Omar covered their escape as Morgan dispatched the attackers swiftly.

Hanley fought with Liam who radioed in reinforcements from Sedgewick’s forces, who began to swarm into the district upon the realization that the plan had fallen to pieces in  an attempt to round up and kill any rebels and activists they could find.

Preston in the meantime had successfully co-ordinated the evacuation of 85% of the district’s populace but requested for more time to retrieve the remaining people, which led to Morgan and Omar splitting up to take on the swarm of security forces to keep them from sections of the district which hadn’t been cleared.

In the heat of the fight, Hanley managed to get through to Liam by bringing up the first time they met and how Liam had mentioned that he was like the son the man never had the chance to have.

Liam, wracked with guilt over how many people he had either killed or lured to Sedgewick’s facility to be ‘rewritten’, told him of an act that could deal the biggest blow to Sedgewick’s efforts to take over the capital; by being a plant once more, this time for the rebels, and luring all of Sedgewick’s men and resources into the area before blowing it up.

Hanley retorted that there was no need to go there, but Liam handed the detonator he had been given to Hanley and told him to make the choice; they could keep the area and struggle to defend it until Sedgewick’s money and influence eventually wore them down and the whole place was turned into the man’s personal weapons production plant, or they could make the man hemorrhage enough to be finally driven off these shores.

He radioed in Sedgewick’s head of security as Hanley, unable to change his mind about going down in flames, ran off to find Omar and informed the rebel leader of the plan.

They managed to evacuate the remaining residents just as 5,000 of Sedgewick’s men stormed the district after Liam announced that he found where the rebel leaders and their team were hiding.

As Hanley, Morgan and Omar got to safety, Stefan Scavarro’s (Starscream) aerial report indicated that the swarm had realised the ruse when a check on Liam revealed that the detonator was nowhere to be seen, and they couldn’t get the information from the man as to its location.

Omar told Hanley that as the trigger had been entrusted to him, it was his choice to make, before that choice was taken completely out of his hands; This was his home.

Hanley pressed the detonator after deciding that they could rebuild, though only if Sedgewick’s forces were wholly repelled, though it didn’t make it any easier to see a blast the radius of 19km engulfing the district in flames, all of it at his hands.

With Sedgewick’s ground forces and land resources completely obliterated and Victoria district’s rebels (having heard of the chaos) taking the opportunity to launch maritime attacks on the man’s fleet, he was forced to retreat, giving Belfast a conclusive victory for the first time since the conflict began a year ago.

As the fires in Castle district raged on for days, Hanley, crippled by guilt over the decision he took and that Liam had died in it, confided in Omar who supported him and gave him space and time to grieve.

He was the first to volunteer to help clean up Castle district after the fires had given way to smoke and ashes.

However, upon hearing that Sedgewick was actively rebuilding forces to launch attacks in other areas, he wanted to stop the man from inflicting similar suffering on untold millions and asked to join Omar and Morgan’s fight against the man.

They agreed to bring him in and he passed on leadership of the Hounds of Ulster to his second in command, promising to never let Sedgewick set foot on these shores again.

It was in Omar’s company that he finally had answers to why the way he was (He had a combination of undiagnosed ADHD and Dyslexia, and he cried in secret at the revelation, relieved at the idea of not being lazy or an idiot, which he had internalized since childhood), and it was during this time that he finally found proper coping mechanisms, aided by Omar himself as well as Benjamin Bane (Bumblebee), Charlie Watson and Memo Gutierrez, who made him remember what it was like to be a big brother figure.

He latched on to Omar (whom he would refer to as ‘Aul Man’ on several occasions) as a mentor and was devastated by the man’s purported death at the hands of Sedgewick, though he refused to join Morgan after witnessing the man’s nonchalance to killing unarmed prisoners…. more so after Morgan taunted him about his distaste for it after having caused the death of 5,000  men.

News of Omar’s miraculous reappearance gave him faith that he wasn’t destined to lose every single father figure in his life, and he was instrumental in the plan to liberate the newly-minted Autobots from Megatron’s Decepticon forces.

To this day he’s got his reservations about whether he is or isn’t a blight on those who care about him, but that they’re supporting him more than he thought was ever possible is all he can really ask for, and despite his quick mouth, he’s loyal to Omar and his new ‘siblings’ to the death.

[ctrl-alt-tahu]

“You do not remember those days, but each one of you was there: a Matoran of Metru Nui, each of you given birth in the great Millworks of that city, your very selves ignited when life was poured into your freshly-manufactured limbs.

“The Matoran Empire had stood for thousands of years, years beyond count, ever since the Great Beings made the first Matoran and placed him in the mechanical ecosystem that, at first, was just Metru Nui, but in time it spread: link by link, cord by cord, across the archipelagoes of the ocean, and Metru Nui was the head of a whole body of islands, united by a single engine. 

“I was manufactured not long before those days, as the age of the Empire was reckoned, though there were many years from my birth till the days I now count. I was a Matoran like any of you, made for labour in the fires of Ta-Metru, trained by aptitude and practice to be a Kanohi-Maker. 

“Outside my routines, a happy life of work and play, things were dark in the Matoran Empire. Communication had failed with the Northern Continent and all lands beyond, and we were besieged, though few Matoran knew it. His Toa winnowed, Turaga Dume ordered the manufacture of ever more Vahki, the fully mechanical sentinels of the city, and this could not be hidden from the Matoran, but few realised how isolated we had become, or that the reason we saw only one Toa at Dume’s side was because, at the end, he was the only one.

“I did not know what the Toa Stone meant when Toa Lhikan visited my smithy, six other Stones already dispersed. I was trying to solve a problem that had been vexing me for years, literally: trying to create the Vahi, the Mask of Time. This was a special directive from Turaga Dume, or so I thought: a request from the steward of the Matoran Empire. But it wasn’t.”

Vakama’s pause was slight, but in a conversation questions might have bubbled up. What did he mean “or so I thought?” Who was Toa Lhikan? Who was Turaga Dume? But the skill of Vakama as a storyteller held the Matoran and Toa Nuva, and his fellow Turaga were not inclined to interupt him. It had been Vakama’s plan to keep all this secret. Let him unravel the lie; they could nitpick it later.

“There was scarcely time to accept the Stone from Toa Lhikan before he grabbed me, and we fled. There, in the heart of Ta-Metru, the industrial heartland of the Matoran Empire, under the very shadow of the Coliseum, we were attacked. Two monsters, a lumbering hulk and an insect of titanic proportions burst into the smithy, seeking Lhikan. I did not know it then, but they were assassins, Dark Hunters who had been secretly admitted to Metru Nui to kill Lhikan, the last real threat to the Makuta’s invasion.”

“The Makuta?” Macku could not resist letting the question slip, though Hahli shushed her. 

“The very Makuta we have fought and resisted on this island for so many years,” nodded Vakama, “the very Makuta who, we now hope, is defeated by Takanuva. His is an ancient race, and they had tried once before to wrest control of the Matoran Empire, but were defeated and banished to a single island. It was that every Makuta who marshalled the forces against us, who isolated Metru Nui from the rest of the Empire, who who picked off our Toa one by one. He had already entered Metru Nui himself, in secret, taking the guise of Turaga Dume and replacing him. 

“But he played a dangerous game:attempting to control both the besieging forces and Metru Nui itself. Sidorak, the general of the hordes that waited to invade, did not know that his master was already in command of the city, and certainly no Matoran knew that Dume had been suborned. Even Toa Lhikan, though he knew something was wrong, did not know what. How fortunate we were that Lhikan kept his own counsel secret and not tell Dume his plan to replace the Toa needed to guard the city.

“No sooner had the wall of my workshop been burst asunder, and I was still processing what was entering, than Lhikan had grabbed me, throwing down his hoverboard and jumping on.

“‘Always playing the hero,’ hissed the more insect-like of the pair. 

“‘Some of us take our duty seriously, Nidhiki,’ said Lhikan, as we sped away.

“The insectoid shook an angry claw. ‘Next time your farewell will be forever, brother,’ he spat. I could only just hear, we were moving so quickly, but I did hear Lhikan’s quiet voice, speaking almost to himself, for certainly he could not be heard in the ruins of y workshop. 

“‘You lost the right to call me brother long ago, Nidhiki,’ he said, and that was the first inkling I had of fate that had befallen the Toa Mangai.

[royallyprincesslilly]

Title: That Old Thing Back {One Shot} ***

Charlie Hunnam x Ex-Wife Reader

Warning: Cursing, Angst, POV Changes, LOTS OF WORDS, NSFW, Mentions of miscarriage

Words: 8,888k 

Note: Okay, this is a first for Charlie. I am not familiar with his mannerisms at all, so I hope this hits well. If not, anon, I am sorry. As always, thank you all for reading! Also, y’all see 8888 words. 8888 must mean something right.

 ***Loosely Edited/Proofread***

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When you meet someone, within minutes, you know what you want from them. After the first conversation, you know what capacity you want them in your life. After a week, you know just how you feel about them. Charlie could attest to this. When he first saw you, he couldn’t keep his eyes off you. He was mesmerized by you and just sat and marveled as you danced around the great lawn of the park he happened to be in that afternoon. You looked carefree and so full of life. Nine other women were dancing with you, but he could only see you.

 That led him to stalk you for the remainder of the afternoon. Once the class was finished, he followed behind you and listened to your conversation as you walked through the streets and fell deeper under your spell. Your voice was like a finely tuned melody that sounded better than any song he’d ever heard. He sat in the same restaurant you did and just watched you as you spoke and laughed. Every story you told was so animated he felt like he’d been right there when it happened. You were the most captivating creature he’d ever seen.

 By the time he knew what had happened, he’d pushed his entire day to the side and had followed you, and he didn’t regret one thing. When he least expected it, you confronted him and called him out on his stalker antics, and that only made him want to know you more. It was the perfect imperfect meet. From that day, the two of you had been inseparable. You spent all your free time together. When he told you his aspiration to be an actor, you didn’t laugh or tell him to forget it and be more practical. You were his biggest supporter, and he fell harder for you.

A whirlwind, passion-filled eight-month romance led to him proposing and begging you to spend your life with him. When you excitedly screamed yes and leaped on him in the middle of the restaurant, everyone around you elated and showered you with applause and well wishes. The two of you didn’t bother waiting. A month later, you were married and more in love than ever. Neither of you were prepared when CJ came around, but it made your love deeper, your marriage stronger.

 You were by his side as he struggled through audition after audition, waiting for his big break. You were there rejection after rejection, always having his back and pushing him never to give up. You were his backbone, and when that role came, you were right there for him. The rolls came in one after the other, which meant he was gradually becoming busier and busier. Before you knew it, he was always on a movie set, and you were always home with CJ.

 No one prepared him for the struggles of marriage, a baby, and his budding career. He was warned about it by his agent early on, but he swore the two of you had what it took to withstand any and all struggles. He hadn’t factored himself in as a struggle. Thanks to his rapid rise to fame, everyone wanted a piece of him, and when they took their piece, there was none left for you. The arguments increased, and the miscommunication and unsaid words took a toll. The space that formed between you was wide enough to classify them as chasms.

 It seemed like he couldn’t do anything right. Everything he said was wrong. When he took a weekend off of work, it was wrong because you found it clear he would rather be working. When he tried to get close to you for any affection, you were always tired from your day with CJ, and every time you tried, he was too busy. He got lost in the Hollywood lifestyle, the parties, the socializing, the life that was bullshit, and had nothing on you or CJ. He turned into the monster in the fairytale, the monster that mothers warned their daughters about.

 He’d lost track of how many times he’d heard you crying, lost track of how many times he’d struggled with what to do, how to be. It wasn’t that he wanted to hurt you, he just didn’t know how to be who you wanted, how you needed him to be. The last straw was him missing your birthday to remain at the Cannes Film Festival, the festival he got pictured in a compromising position. One he was entirely at fault for, but one where absolutely nothing happened. The last thing you said to him was, “Your priorities are all fucked up, if you don’t want us fine I’ll solve the problem.”

 He came home to divorce papers and an empty house and not too long after you were in the hospital suffering from a miscarriage. A miscarriage the doctors blamed on stress, a miscarriage you blamed on him, a miscarriage he blamed himself for. After that, you made it clear you were done with him. He had the thought to contest and fight for you, but he knew the same problems would still be there. He had to face the facts that you’d probably grown too far apart, and that he would only cause you pain. He had to let you go. So, let you go he did.

 Groaning, he rubbed his face trying to keep the sleep at bay. The sound of the waves at his Malibu home was the soothing back noise he needed. It was the same noise that propelled him deep into his state of depression. It was a sate he’d been fighting for the last year. He’d been mostly successful, but tonight was hard. Tonight, was the anniversary of what would have been your seventh wedding anniversary.

 The whole night he’d been haunted by memories, haunted by feelings, and haunted by every regret he’d held on to for the last near two years. He thought of scenarios where he should have said something when he hadn’t said anything. He thought about the times he didn’t do something when he should have dome something—anything. He regretted everything that led to this point, the point where he had no wife and a son he was missing that was growing up without seeing him every day.

 “Fuck!” His shout was loud, and though the beach was vast, it still somehow echoed around him. There was no escaping you. He’d tried like hell every day, especially when you moved said the most hurtful words you’d ever said to him.

 -Fourteen Months Earlier-

 “Leave Charlie; you’re good at that.”

 “That’s not fair, Y/N, and you know it!”

 You spun around with pure vitriol radiating from you. “Fair! Do you know what’s not fair? It’s not fair that I’ve been by your side through everything, supporting you and loving you fiercer than a mother lion to her cubs, birthed your son, held you down through everything, the struggle, the good times only to have you do this!”

 “You’re the one who left me, Y/N!”

 He knew he shouldn’t have thrown that at you. He knew it was a bad idea.

 “Let’s be real. You left me long before I left you! Plus, what was there to stay for, a man who turned out to be my biggest mistake?”

  -Present Day-

 With his phone in hand, he pulled up your contact. It was one that he stared at so often—too often, he opened up his messages and did the only thing his head told him to.

 MSG My Wife: It’s insane today would have been our 7th anniversary. Seven years. The day I said those vows to you were the happiest day of my life until the day you told me about CJ. I thought seven would be just the beginning for us. I fully expected seventeen, twenty-seven, thirty-seven, seventy. I probably shouldn’t be sending this, but there was no way I could fight it. God, Y/N, this has always been my favorite day. Now it’s one of the most painful.

 He tossed his phone on the side table and dropped his head back, praying he could forget and move on. It was clear you’d already done it.

 As if that wasn’t enough, to add insult to injury, four days later he was staring down at the date your divorce was finalized. It was irony at its best and a just punishment for him. He’d been suffering the last year, so much, so pain felt like his best friend. He just wallowed in everything he’d lost, wallowed in it with no intention to pull himself out. It was that same pain that had him on this interstate driving out of LA to the place he shouldn’t be going anywhere near.

 When he pulled up inside the yard, he sat in his mustang for much longer than he should have. He looked around at somewhere he was familiar with but only loosely. He looked at the toys scattered on the lawn and smiled before it slipped and was replaced with sorrow. After taking a deep breath, he got out and walked to the door. He hesitated before his knuckles rapped on the door, then he waited.

  ~~~~~~~~~

-Y/N-

“CJ, please put this hoverboard away before I break my neck!”

 You wiped your hands on the dishtowel as you made your way to the front door. Your son was single-handedly working overtime to break every bone in his body. You’d heard that raising a boy would be difficult, but you were not prepared. He was a handful and a half, especially since he was the carbon copy of his father. Not only did he look just like him down to his blond hair, but he also had the same interests—skating, hoverboarding, biking, and soccer. Those were just the beginning of their similarities. With your head lost in thought, you didn’t see the fist-size fire truck that was lying in wait for you just in front of the door. You hopped and did your best football scrimmage to avoid the tragedy you foresaw.

 “Jesus Christ! Charles Matthew Hunnam, Junior!”

 You could hear the barrage of footsteps as he came running. He knew when you used his entire name; he was in trouble. As sure as the sky was blue, he came bounding around the corner with his blond curls bouncing and honey-chocolate sun kissed complexion on his way to you.

 “I’m sorry, mommy,” he sheepishly breeched as he bent to the floor to gather the death traps he’d left for you.

 “How many times have I told you to pick your toys up when you’re finished?”

 “I’m sorry, I forgot.” He looked so sad now and gave you those blue specked hazel eyes that were such an interesting mix of yours and Charlie’s that you were always a sucker for.

 Groaning, you shook your head affectionally. “Try to remember, honey,” you softly reminded. CJ nodded and threw his arms around your midsection. These were the things that made your day. The doorbell rang then, reminding you someone was there.  “Take them up, please.”

 “Okay, mommy.” You turned from him and continued your walk to the door. When you swung it open, you were shocked half to death to see Charlie standing on the other side.

 “Charlie,” you gasped out. Once CJ heard his name, you heard the clatter of the toys he must have just had heaped in his hands.

“Daddy!” You heard him running, and in seconds, he bound into Charlie’s waiting arms.

 “Ah! Hey, buddy!” Charlie stood and held onto CJ like he was his most favorite thing in the world; it was the same way CJ held onto him.

 You stood there and watched them half warmed by the sight of father and son and their evident love for each other and half seething that Charlie was there in the first place. He knew better than to show up unannounced. The only way this worked was if you had time to prepare yourself to see him. This was unexpected.

 “I missed you, daddy.”

 “I missed you too, CJ. Gosh, you look like you’re growing like a weed,” Charlie surmised, placing CJ back onto the ground.

 “I am, mommy says I’m half her height.”

 “Oh, is that right? So half her height means you’re still a ways behind me. I guess I better go back to eating my veggies,” Charlie joked. CJ found it funny, even if you didn’t.

 Clearing your throat, you brought the attention of your ex-husband to you. his smile faltered. “What’re you doing here, Charlie?”

 “I uh—I wanted to see CJ.”

 You dropped your head and sighed. This was going to turn into an argument.

 “I wanted to see you too, daddy. Can we do something? Can I show you my new bike? Then can we go down to the lake, and I can show you my new trick?”

 “Hold on there, bud. We gotta ask mommy,” Charlie said on a chuckle.

 “Can we mommy, please, please, please, please!” CJ was pouring on all the emotions and sweetness. You didn’t have the heart to say no.

 “Go ahead, have fun. Please, no broken bones!”

 “Thank you, mommy.” His hug was quick before he was grabbing hold of Charlie’s hand to yank him away. As he did, Charlie looked back to you with a melancholic smile, one you refused to read into.

 When you walked back inside, you were the one to pick up the toys you’d just told your son to pick up. You didn’t mind this time; you needed something to keep yourself busy. Picking up CJ’s toys turned into rearranging some of the things in the living room, and that turned into sweeping, then vacuuming and finally mopping. You could hear the jolly screams and laughs from inside the yard, and though it made you happy to hear how happy CJ was, it also filled you with a hint of sadness, one you’d worked hard to ignore.

 Every so often, you found yourself drifting to the windows to watch on as the two of them played. Every time you looked out, they were doing something different. Once it was tricks on BMX bikes, another time it was weird acrobatics like handstands and flips, and when you looked out once and saw them actually building mud monsters, you nearly lost your shit at how adorable they were together. That was when you stepped up the cleaning and began cleaning the kitchen.

 Once the cleaning was finished, you moved on to starting dinner. An hour passed then two, and you were in the thick of things. You’d only intended on cooking lasagna, but that turned into lasagna with sautéed broccoli, and garlic bread and dessert. It was apparent to you that you were anxiety cooking. Before you finished, though in they bounded downright filthy but over the moon.

 “Mommy, look!” CJ ran to you completely covered in a mixture of dried and wet mud with grass stains. He looked ready to throw his arms around you before you scurried behind the kitchen island.

 “Charles Matthew Hunnam, don’t you dare get me dirty.” His laughter was loud.

 “Fine, but look what we brought you.” He held out a bouquet of handpicked flowers of all varieties. A smile stretched across your face. You knew it was going to happen before it did.

 “You picked me flowers?”

 “Yup, it was daddy’s idea, then we had a competition who could pick the most. I won,” CJ happily boasted. The tears welling in your eyes could not be stopped from spilling.

 “Thank you, CJ, they are gorgeous. I love them almost as much as I love you.” CJ’s smile was just as wide, and your heart melted.

 “If you weren’t as filthy as a lost boy, I would hug you and kiss you, so if you want that hug and kiss, you better get showered.”

 “Okay, mommy.” CJ began to run away but stopped and came back to stand before Charlie. “Are you going to leave now?” His tone was low, and he looked like he was about to cry.

 “Uh—well, I hadn’t planned on staying this long.”

 “No! No, no, stay please, please, please. Mommy said she was going to make lasagna. It’s my favorite,” CJ rattled on.

 “Mine too,” Charlie admitted. You knew it.

 “Mommy, daddy loves your lasagna too; can he stay for dinner with us? Please, please, pleeeeeeease!”

 “CJ, I’m sure that your dad has things he has to do.”

 “No, he doesn’t, I asked outside he said he has nothing to do. Please, mommy, for meeeeee.” His whine was becoming incessant, sighing you accepted defeat.

 “Okay, only because I’d do anything for you.” CJ smiled widely again then hugged Charlie before he ran off, leaving the two of you standing there.

 “Uh—I can take shower duty, or have you transitioned him to alone ones?”

 “He’s all yours.” Charlie nodded and walked up the stairs where CJ just disappeared from.  

 Once alone, you looked at the flowers in your hands and ignored the flutter in your belly and the sight of one of your favorite wildflowers, dab smack in the middle of the bouquet, the one only Charlie knew about —poppies.

Nearly forty minutes later, dinner was underway, and it felt like old times, the times during your marriage before things went to shit. CJ talked about everything under the sun. He told Charlie all about his soccer schedule and who his friends were in school this month, he even told him all the gossip in his class. It was like he was making up for the last three weeks he hadn’t seen him. That made you sad, but you knew it was just how life was. Charlie was now a full-fledged movie star, and though his star rose years ago, it was still rising. Thanks to his insanely successful show, Sons of Anarchy, his name was a household one, and it came with thousands of thirsty groupies.

 Charlie laughed loudly as he threw his head back, clearly amused by one of CJ’s stories. He truly looked to be enjoying himself to the fullest. You’d long known that CJ was the best thing that had ever happened to Charlie. You’d spent long nights talking about just how much he loved that little boy and everything in you loved to hear him talk about how enamored he was with him. You knew that would never change, no matter what happened between the two of you.

 A little more than halfway through dinner Charlie’s eyes met yours, and it felt like forever ago that you’d looked into them. They looked different, sadder, more detached, and full of something that looked like pain. He looked different to you now than he had months ago. Maybe he was different, you thought.

 “Mommy, can I have dessert?”

 Snapping out of it, you smiled and nodded to your son. “Absolutely, a slice of pineapple upside-down cake coming right up.” You stood and walked into the kitchen to fix three plates of the dessert. When you came back, the two of them were doing thumb wars. Shaking your head, you put the plates down and tried not to think about how much different things could have been.

 The three of you ate your sweet treat and continued to emulate the perfect family. Once dessert was finished, Charlie was the one to initiate doing the dishes something you remembered he promised on your wedding day to do when he loved you the most to show you he cared and appreciated you. There was no way that was the reason now. While he did the dishes with CJ, you busied yourself with finding yet another thing to clean. It was a habit at this point.

 After the tidying was completed, you sat in front of the TV to watch an episode of CJ’s favorite cartoon, The Last Airbender. Through the entire episode, he and Charlie whispered and chatted about the episode then pretended to be from warning nations while they did their bending. It was then you faced how much you missed nights like this. It had been close to two years since the three of you spent time together like this. It was done on purpose. You didn’t think you could handle it. You had no idea how you were now.

 Before you knew it, the time had run away, and it was now almost ten. After telling CJ to get into bed, hit the bottle of your go-to liquor, hoping to find some form of strength to hold you up. Having Charlie there playing doting dad and husband as if he was no longer a part of your life hurt, it hurt a hell of a lot. You still had some animosity about the way things ended.

 When you made it upstairs, Charlie was sitting at the foot of CJ’s bed looking as if he were about to read him his bedtime story. “Oh, it’s cool. You guys go ahead,” you began.

 “Mommy, can you both read to me, like how you used to,” CJ pleaded. That was like a knife to the gut. You’d made CJ your top priority your whole like, and when you and Charlie began to have problems, his happiness was the only thing the two of you agreed on. You didn’t want him to feel as if he were missing anything, but right now, you saw he felt the void.

 “Of course, baby.” Walking around the bed to CJ’s pillow, you settled in your usual place and lifted your bare legs into the bed to cuddle beside your son. CJ dropped his head on your chest, where he knew he could listen to your heart. It was an action he’d always done ever since he was a little boy.

 You kissed the top of his head before you began. “Ready?” CJ nodded. Charlie held out the book to you, but you shook your head. “I’ve got it memorized. You keep it.”

 You took another breath, then began. “A mother bird sat on her egg. The egg jumped. Oh, oh! said the mother bird. “My baby will be here! He will want to eat. I must get something for my baby bird to eat! She said. I will be back! So away, she went.” CJ burrowed deeper into your side, making you smile. When you looked up, Charlie’s eyes were glued on the two of you. Nodding, you signaled for him to take over.

 Charlie cleared his throat and took a breath. “The egg jumped. It jumped and jumped and jumped! Out came the baby bird. Where is my mother, he said? He looked for her. He looked up; he did not see her. He looked down; he did not see her. I will go and look for her. So away, he went.” He read it without looking at the book. He just stared at CJ.

 With your turn, you read the next few pages, but you couldn’t keep your eyes off Charlie. He watched you as you watched him, and it was the most perfect thing. For the next ten or so minutes, you read the book to your son together. When he spoke, he never once looked down at the pages, never once broke the eye contact between you. The only time he glanced from your eyes was to look into his son’s. There were so many instances you had to stifle the flutter of your heart, and countless times, you found yourself looking over his hands and forearms. Even when he caught you, you didn’t seem to care. His voice coupled with how enamored he looked with CJ and vice versa and how rugged he looked, was wreaking havoc on you, especially when you remembered the miscarriage. Once you remembered that, a bitter taste filled your mouth, which brought you back to your reality.

 “All right, prince charming, that’s it,” you gently informed. CJ was still wide awake.

 “Aww. Does that mean you’re leaving now, daddy?” Charlie sighed, and it brought your attention to him. He looked equally as distraught as CJ did. The pit of your stomach knotted. This was never the fun part.

 “I’m afraid so, buddy.”

 “No. Stay, please. I don’t want you to go. I won’t see you for weeks. I miss you. Don’t you miss me? It’s like you don’t like being here with me or with us,” CJ rushed out. You could hear the pain in his voice, and it broke you in two. Looking at Charlie, you could see it was the same for him.

 “Of course, I miss you, buddy. I miss you more than I have the words to say. I always want to be with you, to be here, but you know that’s not our life anymore,” Charlie carefully explained.

 “Baby, it’s all right. Your dad loves you more than anything in this world,” you assured, hoping to smooth things over. It didn’t look like he believed one word you said.

 “Bud, I’ll be back tomorrow, I promise.”

 “I don’t believe you!” With that, the silence in the room was heavy. Charlie looked at his wit’s end with how to console him, and you knew what to do, but you didn’t think you had the strength. You could feel CJ’s tears, and that was the last straw.

 “Look at me, CJ.” Slowly he rose his head to you. you wiped his cheeks and kissed his forehead. “He’ll be here when you wake up.” It was a whisper because that was all you could muster.

 “What?” Charlie’s shock was evident. You looked at him and sighed.

 “You should stay. He needs this—he needs you.”

 Charlie searched your eyes before he spoke again. “Are you sure?”

 No, you weren’t sure. This was probably a bad idea for you, but for CJ, it was the best solution. Nodding your response, you looked back to CJ.

 “He can stay, mommy?” His smile was right back where it should be.

 “He can stay love, but you have to go to sleep.”

 Yayy!” CJ threw his arms around you to show his gratitude and excitement. You kissed him once more then stood.

 “Bed.” CJ kissed your jaw, then dropped back onto his bed and snuggled in his covers.

 “I’m going to stay; it’s been a while since I’ve watched him sleep,” Charlie whispered. Nodding, you walked out the door, leaving it slightly ajar.

 Again, you busied yourself preparing the guestroom, hoping the movement would distract you from not only thinking but worrying about the ramifications of your decision. This would be the first time in almost two years you’d slept under the same roof. Divorced meant over and done with. Of course, divorced with a child didn’t give a shit about over and done. He’d forever be in your life.

 The message you’d received from him a few days ago reminded you of just that. It was the most unexpected thing, the most heartbreaking message you’d gotten from him in a long time. It was so heartbreaking you had to lock yourself in the bathroom with the faucet and shower running to hide the sounds of your bawling from CJ. You ended up hiding in there for close to an hour, and even when you reemerged, you were emotionally unstable for the remainder of the evening. You were so emotionally unstable; there was no way you trusted yourself to respond, so you left it on read. What the fuck were you supposed to say to it anyway?

 After changing the sheets and straightening up a few things, you retreated to your bedroom for some quiet time, quiet time you desperately needed. You didn’t know how to get through the next twenty-four hours. You were struggling. Staring in the mirror, you objectively looked at yourself. You saw the truth, you always had. You just couldn’t afford to let that truth slip to the surface.

 The knock at the door had you leaping to your feet. When you opened it, there was Charlie, and your stomach liked what it saw.

 “Fast asleep?” He nodded and looked down at the floor.

 “I don’t have to stay in the house. I can sleep in my car,” Charlie suggested.

 “I’d do anything for you—for CJ.” The way he said it had your heart racing.

 “It’s fine. I have space. Come on.” You walked out of your bedroom and down the hall leading him to the guestroom you’d just prepped. When he walked into the room, you watched as he looked around.

“I just changed the sheets; they’d been on for weeks. It should be all good.”

 He turned to you, nodding his head. “Thank you, love dove.”

 The name hit you like a mack truck. You audibly “oofed” as you wrapped your arms around your midsection, instantly feeling the effect and the loneliness it brought on. He used to always call you that name, a day would never go by without him whispering it in your ear, against your neck, or your lips. You were brought back to happier times where you’d be locked in your room in bed, just ravaging each other, and he’d whisper it the entire time.

 Charlie must have been going through the same thing you were because he looked regretful before he spoke. “Sorry. Old habits.”

 Again, your stares lingered, and the air in the room was heavy and hot. It was like the last year or so didn’t happen, like he hadn’t broken your heart. He still had an effect.

 “Good night.” It was quickly said, and your exit was just as quick. You spent the next forty or so minutes in the shower. You hoped it would help to calm you down, but it didn't do that, it just gave you more anxiety.

 When you got out, you began to wonder if you’d placed towels in the room. When you saw them in your closet, you realized you’d brought them here mistakenly. Once you wrapped in your robe, you made your way to his room to drop them off. You knocked once, then twice, but neither knocks were answered. Deciding you could chance sneaking in to put the towels down, you opened the door. The sound of the shower running gave you your answer as to why he didn’t answer. Quickly you walked to the bed and put the stack of grey towels on the bed. As you neared it, out came Charlie in all his wet glory. In your shock, the towels fell to the floor and had your eyes snapping shut.

“Oh, god, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. I forgot to leave some towels. I knocked; you didn’t answer.”

 The room was silent; he didn’t speak. You wondered what he was doing. Was he trying to cover himself? Using your hands as your eyes, you felt for the towels you’d dropped. In seconds frustration filled you when you couldn’t find them. Opening your eyes for a second, you saw the towels, but when you looked only a centimeter up, there was his junk right in front of you. He hadn’t budged from his spot and hadn’t even made an attempt to cover himself.

 You meant to look away immediately, but that didn’t happen. He was maybe half a foot from you, close enough to touch. Charlie had always been the most attractive man that you’d seen. He’d always done it for you. With you on your knees before him, you realized that hadn’t changed. A son, a miscarriage, a messy ending to your marriage, and a divorce had done nothing to temper how much you always seemed to want him or be attracted to him.

 You were kneeling there in wide-eyed amazement. It had been years since you’d seen him like this. The deterioration of your marriage meant you spent lots of nights lonely and unloved. Before you gave him divorce papers, it had been seven whole months since you’d been intimate. When you added on the four months it took for the divorce to finalize and the year of being a divorcee, you hadn’t gotten laid in over two years. It was shameful because right now you knew why only he had an impact, only he would do.

 “It’s okay,” Charlie whispered. His voice was shaking, and he sounded hopelessly breathless. “It’s nothing you haven’t seen before in great detail.”

 Again, you remembered all the things you’d done to him in great detail over the six years of your marriage. Jumping to your feet, you tried your hardest to look away from his inviting appendage. You held out the stack of towels to him with your head turned to the side and waited for him to take them. When his hands grasped the items, they brushed yours and sent thousands of electric sparks through your hand and directly into your heart.

 Your eyes met again, and they lingered on each other. You hoped he couldn’t hear your heart, hoped he couldn’t tell what a fraud you were.

 “I should go,” you whispered.

 “You don’t have to.” His response awoke a need in you that you thought you’d buried. You knew what he was suggesting. Everything in you wanted to take the gentle suggestion and cross the room to him, but then what.

 Groaning, you peeled your eyes from his and turned. “Yes, I have to. Good night Charlie.” Those were the last words before you made your rapid exit.

 The following morning you awoke to the scent of food being prepared. When you looked at the clock, it was almost ten. Usually, you’d be up by eight. You’d slept in. Quickly you brushed your teeth and pulled on a pair of leggings then went downstairs. As you neared the kitchen, you could smell the evidence of what promised to be a delicious breakfast. You turned, and there was Charlie standing over the store in his tank cooking away. Good lord help you he’d buffed up even more, you thought. Times like these you wished things had been different. You missed mornings like this. Charlie looked up and smiled when he saw you. As you approached, his eyes roamed your body before his eyebrows knitted together.

 “What?”

 “Is that my hoodie?” You looked over yourself and realized your error. It was normal for you to sleep in his clothes, but you didn’t realize you still worse it.

 “Nope.” It was a lie but one he couldn’t fully prove.

 Charlie scoffed but didn’t speak again for a long time. You took the opportunity to bring up his impromptu visit.

 “You can’t just show up unannounced Charlie. That is not okay. You can see CJ whenever you want I have never kept the two of you apart but just showing up here—you can’t.”

 Charlie nodded and but kept his eyes down. “I know, I’m sorry. I just—I really missed CJ, and I had to see him, so see you. I couldn’t stay away. I wanted to talk.”

 What the hell were you supposed to say to that, you thought. Sensing your speechlessness, Charlie spoke. “I’m sorry about last night. I was out of line.”

 “Let’s not talk about it, CJ will be down any minute.”

 “I have to talk about it. I’m losing my mind. I’ve been losing it for the last near two years, and—I’m struggling,” Charlie admitted. His candor shook you. Half of you wanted to know more, but the other half was too scared.

 “Charlie, it’s fine. Let’s move on.”

 “I can’t. I can’t be like you. You have everything so put together. You’ve pieced this life together without me, and I can’t seem to piece any life together without you—without CJ.”

 It was then CJ came running down. It should have been sooner because you were absolutely ruined now.  You and Charlie stared at each other. He was daring you to speak, to acknowledge what he’d just dropped on you.

 “Daddy!” CJ jumped onto Charlie bringing his attention to your son. You took the reprieve to dip into the half bath to pull yourself together.

 You tried to wrap your head around what he’s said, tried to make sense of it. After five minutes, you still couldn’t come to terms with it, so you did the next best thing, pushed it aside. When you walked back out, CJ was sitting at the dining table, as was Charlie.

 “Ready to eat, mommy?”

 “Absolutely.” You sat at the table and dove into the food, all the while avoiding Charlie’s eyes. Through breakfast, he and CJ talked and joked with each other. It was a welcomed chatter because it took the attention off you.

 Once breakfast was finished, you cleaned the dishes while CJ got himself dressed for a playdate he’d been looking forward to the whole week. Now that Charlie was there, he refused to go. It wasn’t until Charlie promised he’d still be there when he got back did CJ agree. When the two of them came down, CJ was dressed and ready just in time for him to be picked up. You thanked Claudia for setting it up the playdate and waved goodbye to CJ from the front door.

 When you turned around, Charlie was leaning on the steps watching. You hesitated closing the door to enclose yourself in a confined space that had plenty of surfaces for him to bend you over. When you did, you quickly walked back to the kitchen.

 “We have to talk, Y/N.”

 “No, we don’t. There is nothing to talk about.”

 “Bullshit. After yesterday, last night, even in the kitchen this morning. We have plenty to talk about,” Charlie responded, following you through the house.

 “Charlie, don’t.”

 “I have to. Are you happy? Like really happy? It’s been a year. Are you happy? Is this what you wanted? Did you want our son feeling like a consolation in our relationship?”

 “Are you happy? You’ve gotten what you wanted.”

 “Me?! Y/N, you gave me divorce papers. You left our house and never came back,” Charlie shouted through clenched jaws.

 “Oh right, I’m the big bad wolf. You know how to fight for a role, but you have no clue how to fight for your marriage, your son. Classic.” You slammed the kitchen fridge unsure why you’d opened it in the first place.

 “Don’t pull that. I fought, I came to you over and over, begging you not to do it, pleading with you. You refused to listen.”

 “What did you come to me for Charlie? What the hell did you prove to me? What did you show me? What was I going back for? The same bullshit? The same treatment?! In all the times you came begging and pleading, you never once showed me how things would change. You just didn’t want a divorce under your belt. You didn’t want the press to get wind of it.”

 “That’s bullshit! I wanted my wife; I wanted my son! You didn’t want me. When did you stop loving me, Y/N?”

 You looked at him incredulously. He had to be fucking kidding, you thought. Your anger was rising by leaps and bounds, and you knew the next words out your mouth were going to be venom. “Is the weight of it all too heavy now, Charlie? A year later, a year after you switched up and changed? A year after you showed me time and time and again what was important, who was important. You showed me I didn’t mean shit; CJ didn’t mean shit. I was not going to stay and turn into those Hollywood couples who hated each other and only remained for the spotlight. No!”

 “You gave up on me,” Charlie whispered.

 “Fuck you! You gave up. You gave up on me and us long before I left you those divorce papers. You did.” You walked away because you could feel your tears spilling over, but you turned around back to him, tired of hiding the fallout of his actions. “You know what makes all of this so much worse? My friends told me this would happen. They told me before we got married, told me to slow down, be careful with you, and I defended you. I defended you till kingdom come. Look where we are, Charlie! Living in a perfect lie!”

 “I don’t want to live this lie. I miss you, Y/N. I miss CJ. I miss our life; I miss our family. I’m miserable,” Charlie dropped.

 His tears ran down his cheeks, and you flared your nose. This was always your weakness. Charlie had always been in touch with his emotions, but his emotions had to be overwhelming for him to cry.

 “Good. You sowed this Charlie. You brought all of this on. My baby--,” you began, but the pain was too much. Charlie sobbed and dropped his head back.

 “I’m sorry,” he said as he approached you. You steadily backed away from him, not wanting him to touch you.

 “Y/N,” Charlie began as you shook your head.

 “No. I’m not doing this with you. I refuse.”

 Charlie quickly caught you before you turned and kept you facing him. “You can’t run from this Y/N. Face it with me, please.”

 You kept a straight face, refusing to cry any more. You refused to allow him any closer than he already was. You wouldn’t survive it this time. Charlie grunted out in frustration when he realized you were hell-bent on keeping him at bay.

 “Y/N!”

 “What do you want from me, Charlie?” You shot death rays right at him.

 “I want you to say anything! Scream! Yell at me! Just something to show you fucking care.”

 “Why should I care? Why the hell should I give one flying fuck?”

 “Because I’m still in love with you!”

 The words felt like a slap in the face. You’d imagined how they’d sound coming from him during the whole divorce process, during the whole year after the divorce. You were convinced he didn’t love you anymore for him to have treated you the way he did, for him to have done what he did in Cannes. The stress of it brought on your miscarriage.

 Though you’d wanted to hear them, you hadn’t prepared to hear them.

 “I love you. God, I can't keep pretending like I'm okay with any of this. I can’t pretend that it doesn’t kill me to be away from you, to be away from CJ. I can’t act like I’m thriving or happy. I’m not. I’m miserable. I wish I could press rewind and go back and better, do better. I wish I knew better then, as I know now. I fucked up, and I regret it more than I’ve ever regretted anything in my life. If I had been a better man, none of this would have happened. If I’d only been the man you deserved our baby—our princess would be here right now. I will have to live with that for the rest of my life, the pain that I caused your miscarriage, the pain that I broke our vows, that I broke your heart, I broke us.”

 Charlie dropped his forehead to your collar, and his tears dropped across your chest. They felt like acid peeling away every barrier you’d built between him and your heart. He was saying everything you want him to, everything. He wasn’t holding anything back. They were words you’d desperately wanted to hear.

 “I’m sorry, love dove. I never wanted to give up on you--on us. I loved you so much. You were my world until CJ. Then you became my universe. I lost myself. I lost sight of you and me. I lost sight of the man I was and wanted to be. For that, I will always be sorry. Losing you and CJ, it broke me. I stand here a broken man. I had to find me again. It’s been hard, but the root of me is you and my son. My family. You have always been what mattered, and I regret I ever lost that, that I ever made you feel like you weren’t my everything.”

 One lone tear rolled down your cheek, and that was just the beginning. When Charlie swiped it away with the pad of his thumb, the flood gates opened. You bawled uncontrollably, all your emotions finally catching up to you. Charlie wept with you, and that was how the two of you stayed for countless minutes.

 When you opened your eyes and realized how close he was, you sniffled. Slowly the two of you inched to one another. Before your lips touched, both of you hesitated. “Fall back in love with me, love dove.” He whispered.

 He really thought you’d ever fallen out of love with him. “You’re an idiot if you think I’ve ever fallen out of love with you.” The hope you saw in Charlie’s eyes set your belly fluttering. It was overwhelming. Charlie claimed your lips in a soft but passionate kiss that took your breath away. It was so intense you felt as if you’d been possessed by sheer desire. The kiss began timid and soft, but in seconds, it had turned into a lustful and sensual soul transference. Charlie’s hands gripped your hips and pulled you flush against him before he lifted you in his arms.

 Wrapping your legs around him, you kissed him back with as much heat as you kissed you. Soon the two of you were walking through the house blindly looking for anywhere. Charlie plopped you onto something, and the backs of your knees said it was the kitchen island. Quickly both of you stripped each other. He pulled off his hoodie from your body as you peel his shirt off. Charlie cupped your breasts when he realized you weren’t wearing a bra then dipped his mouth to your mounds. Instantly you moaned and hugged his head to your flesh.

 Charlie nipped and hypnotizingly sucked your skin, bringing you more and more ecstasy. It had been so long since you’d felt like this; you didn’t want to think about anything else but the sensations. Charlie pushed you back onto the island and brought his lips down your stomach to your hip. Once there, he pulled off your leggings in one fluid motion. His beard tickled your skin and had you wriggling underneath him. Charlie’s groan was loud when he realized you wore nothing under those leggings.

 In seconds he’d draped your legs over his shoulder and reclaimed claimed ownership of the most intimate part of you. He moaned as he lapped at your wetness and teased and pleased your body. You bucked your hips against his lips, feeling your orgasm barrel toward you. Everything in you said it was going to be a catastrophic one. You panted and gasped his name as your body wildly thrashed, unable to control it any longer.

 “Aah, yes, right there. Yes, Charlie, yes, yes!”

 Your scream was loud, and the tightness of your legs around his head was enough to suffocate. Charlie didn’t panic. Instead, he lifted your lower half into the air and continued his feast, not caring if you were overstimulated or not. Your screech echoed off the walls of the kitchen, and you tried to pry him away from your sex. He refused to budge even when you’d unwrapped your legs the best you could. Yet another orgasm ripped through you, sending a gush of moisture all over his mouth and beard. Charlie groaned, gripped your breasts, and squeezed hard enough for you to know just how tightly wound he was.

 When he pried your legs from around him, you felt the renewed fire and quickly slid off the island to drop before him. You hurriedly stripped him eager to have him. Once he was free, his heavy cock bobbed in front of you. Wasting no more time, you slid him into your mouth, ignoring your gag and took every inch he was blessed with. Charlie shouted and hugged your head to his cock, keeping him lodged tightly in your throat. Sensing the low levels of your air supply, he pulled back enough to give you a brief reprieve. It was all you needed and more than you wanted.

 Slamming him back into your mouth, you lodged him in your throat again, all the while moaning enthusiastically. Charlie’s hands never left your head just as his mouth never closed. Moan after moan fell from him as you sucked and slurped his length. In no time at all, Charlie was thrusting into your mouth hell-bent on finding his long-overdue release. Just as you were finding a groove, Charlie pulled from your mouth with a loud “pop” before he pulled you up and pushed you onto the island.

 With you bent over the island and your ass poked out for him, Charlie rubbed his cock across your soaking folds sending shivers through you. He bent to your ear and kissed you.

 “I love you, only you. Endlessly for eternity.” It was the same thing he’d said the night of your wedding before he joined you for the first time as husband and wife. When you peeped behind you and locked eyes with him, you knew the two of you had an understanding. Charlie kissed your back then snapped his hips forward, harshly, and completely filling you to the hilt. You shouted and gripped the island. Your knees bucked from the sheer pleasure of just this. When you clenched around him, Charlie, have you just what you wanted—a rough tryst.

 Every slam into your core had you clenching around him. Each thrust was more bruising than the last, and each one brought tears to your eyes. They weren’t hurt tears; they were a mixture of relief and complete joy. You shouted his name over and over, not caring how needy or desperate you sounded. You could feel how on edge he was; his body shook every time he filled you, and every time you said his name, he shouted yours.

 When Charlie began jackhammering into you clearly lost in his pleasure, you left planet Earth. Only he could have you like this. Only he could fuck you into outer space. You knew he was close, and the second he whimpered behind you, you pressed back into him, throwing your ass back onto him. Charlie sucked in a breath, and his whimpers intensified. The slap to your ass was the last thing you needed to be pushed over the edge, an edge you dragged him over. Charlie grunted and groaned as he filled you with every ounce of his love.

 It took several long moments for the two of you to come down from your sultry sex bubble. After having you across the island, you rode him until his toes curled, and he saw stars on the kitchen floor leaned against the same island. By the time you’d both stopped, hours had passed. Neither of you were fully satiated. As Charlie hugged you to him still buried deep within you, he tipped your chin so you were looming at him.

 “Marry me again.” Shocked, you searched his face for his meaning.

 “You’re not serious.”

 “I am. Will you be my wife again?” the gleam of silver caught your eye, and you looked down to see him wearing your engagement and wedding ring on a chain around his neck. Your world shattered. He’d worn them this entire time. Locking eyes with him again, you knew he could tell you realized what he was wearing.

��“All this time?” Charlie held up his hand to show you the silver wedding band he still wore.

 “I promised forever; I wasn’t done with it.” Your tears fell, and so many emotions filled you; you had no idea which one to go with.

 “I have to do whatever it takes to stop my heart from being broken, Charlie,” you whispered.

 “I’ll never break your heart again. I know how it ends. I know what it means. I can’t risk my life without you or CJ anymore. I can’t.” His tears welled, and you believed him.

 “Surrender to me, love dove. Surrender to me as I can only surrender to you.” His voice was pleading with you. Closing your eyes, you listened to your soul, the place where no fear lived. When you looked at him, you trailed your thumb across his bottom lip.

 “Give them back.” Charlie looked confused for a few seconds before he got it. Quickly he yanked the chain from around his neck and slid the rings off to hover them over your finger before he locked eyes with you.

 “Never again will we be here. Never again will I lose us,” Charlie forcefully vowed.

 “Never again will I walk away,” you responded. He looked overwhelmingly emotional then, but you could see him holding as much of it back as possible. When he slid the rings onto your finger, both of you sighed as if you both felt instant relief.

 You knew this was a new beginning for the two of you but also for CJ. You knew that neither of you would ever again make the same mistakes.

 “I surrender,” you both whispered together.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[rubyspearsmegamanproject]

23. Total Meltdown

The beginning of the episode shows a large nuclear power plant. The Skullker is seen looming over the power plant. Dr. Wily sends his robots down on surfboard-like hoverboards.   "Cowabunga!" Proto Man cries out as they make it to the power plant below. "Let's break into this joint, dudes!" Proto Man says to them while they look for a way in through the roof. Proto Man and Cut Man shoot their way into the plant. Guts Man jumps through, but lands on the floor with a loud thud. The thud alerts the plant's security robots. "Guts Man, you moron!" Proto Man yells out to him. Some of the security robots run up to Guts Man and attack him. He grabs one of them with his Super Arm and throws it towards the others, smashing them into pieces. He smashes through the rest of them and joins the rest of the robot masters as they make their way to the plant's main reactor. "Wait for me!" he cries out to them. There are workers at the reactor's controls. Hard Man bashes through the door, and the robot masters enter the reactor's control room. Proto Man and Cut Man aim their

cannons at the workers and tell them to reduce the reactor's energy. The workers comply with their demands. Dr. Wily walks into the control room and presses some buttons. The plant's energy is now being directed towards some facilities hidden in the local forest. The facilities are actually some of his secret robot-making facilities. Dr. Wily is using the facilities to create more robots for his army. He laughs maniacally in victory.

Meanwhile, Mega Man is a special guest on a nighttime talk show. During commercial break, Mega Man and Dr. Light are speaking with the talk show host. A studio crew member walks up to Mega Man and tells him that Dr. Wily has taken over a nuclear power plant. Mega Man tells the talk show host that he has to go and apologizes for having to leave the studio. The talk show host forgives him for having to go, and tells him that he can reappear on the show the next time he has the opportunity. Outside the studio, Mega Man has Rush turn into his Rush Jet form and they both fly off to the nuclear power plant. At the nuclear power plant, Mega Man discovers that the power plant has been broken into. "Rockin' Robots, Rush! They've really done it this time!" Mega man says to Rush. They run right into the nuclear power plant to drive Dr. Wily and his robots out. Inside the power plant, they see that some security robots have been destroyed by Dr. Wily's robots. To his surprise, one of the security robots can still function. Mega Man and Rush walk up to the robot and ask him what happened and where Dr. Wily's robots are in the power plant. The robot tells him that they have gone off to where the control room is. The robot then shuts down. Mega Man and Rush then head off to the control room. On his way there, Bomb Man confronts Mega Man with a Hyper Bomb in his hand. "Deja vu, Mega Wimp!" Bomb Man cries out to him. "I guess so!" Mega Man shouts back at him. Bomb Man throws a bomb at him, and Mega Man grabs it and throws it back at him. To his surprise, Bomb Man catches the bomb in his hand and says "I'm not gonna fall for that this time!" He throws the bomb hard at Mega Man. The bomb explodes and severely damages Mega Man. Rush nuzzles Mega Man as he lies helpless on the floor. He then growls at Bomb Man. Bomb Man gets another bomb ready and says "Here! Fetch!" He then throws the bomb at Rush. Rush kicks the bomb away, causing the bomb to fly up back to Bomb Man, who dodges it. Unbeknownst to Bomb Man, the bomb has flown up into a hole in the ceiling above him, and has blown up a large ventilation duct. The duct breaks off and falls on Bomb Man, knocking him out. Guts Man walks up to Rush and Mega Man, as he had heard the commotion and is walking over to them to see what the problem is. He sees Rush and shouts out "You again!" Rush manages to say "You again!" to him. "You little copycat!" Guts Man snarls at him. He manages to grab Rush and throws him against a wall, smashing him into pieces. Mega Man cries out "Rush!" as he sees this happening before his eyes. He gets up a little bit and yells out to Guts Man, "You're going to pay for those damages, Jerk Bot!" Guts Man gets angry that he called him that. "Not unless I damage you first! Ha ha ha ha ha!" Guts Man says to him. He grabs him by one of his arms and drags him off. Rush can only watch as Guts Man drags him away. Meanwhile, as Guts Man is dragging Mega Man down a hall, Mega Man calls up Dr. Light on his arm cannon. Guts Man overhears Mega Man doing this. "Oh no, you don't!" Guts Man cries out to him. He drops Mega Man and reaches over to his arm cannon and turns it off. Mega Man snaps at him for doing that. Guts Man replies, "He can't help you now! Ha ha ha ha!" Guts Man takes him to the inside of one of the cooling towers. He places the weakened Mega Man right in the middle of the tower. "You need to cool off! Ha ha ha!" Guts Man yells out as he exits the cooling tower. Guts Man goes over to the control room and tells Hard Man that Mega Man is in one of the cooling towers. He tells Hard Man to turn the cooling tower on. Hard Man does so, causing steam to flow through the pipes on their way to the cooling tower.  Inside the tower, Mega Man is wondering if Dr. Light received the call. Meanwhile, Rush is putting himself back together. He then walks down the hallway looking for Mega Man. Mega Man can hear the steam approaching the tower. He begins to fear that he will end up destroyed. As he is looking up, he sees Roll flying over the tower in her Sky Jetski. He yells out that he is in here. Roll flies over, but flies back as she has heard him cry out for her. "I'm here to save you, Mega!" Roll yells out to him as she descends down the cooling tower. Mega Man yells at her to pick him up and get them out of the cooling tower before the steam escapes out of it. She uses her pizza cutter attatchment to cut Mega Man from his restraints. "I always knew that pizza cutter would come in handy!" Mega Man says as she cuts off the restraints. She picks up Mega Man and is ascending out of the tower. The steam begins to erupt into the tower. "Hurry Roll! The steam is flowing in!" Mega Man cries out to her. The Sky Jetski speeds up and they manage to escape the cooling tower before the steam comes out of it. Mega Man tells Roll that Rush is still inside the power plant and is in pieces. Eddie gives Mega Man some energy cans, restoring his energy.

The Skullker has been docked on the roof of one of the power plant's buildings. Elec Man is inside of the Skullker eating his lunch of a silicon sandwich, some pickled batteries and an energy can. He sees Mega Man and Roll landing nearby. He immediately goes outside to attack them. "Hey! What are you dorks doing out here!" he yells out to them. "Taking back the power plant from you scum bots, that's what!" Mega Man yells back at him. Roll gets out of the Sky Jetski and runs towards Elec Man while switching her arm to her axe attatchment. "Roll! No!" Mega Man cries out to Roll. Roll yells out "Don't worry Mega, leave him to me!" Elec Man fires his Thunder Beam weapon at her, causing her to nearly lose all of her power. "Now you've really done it!" Mega Man shouts out at Elec Man. He runs up to Elec Man and fires some shots at him. Elec Man has been weakened from the blasts. Eddie runs over to Roll and gives her an energy can. Roll drinks it and her power is restored. "Now let's go find Rush!" Mega Man says to Roll. They get on the Sky Jetski and head off back to the power plant's entrance. Inside the control room, Dr. Wily sees on the security cameras that Mega Man and Roll are heading back into the power plant to retrieve Rush. Dr. Wily sends out some Sniper Joes to stop them from entering. Inside the power plant, Mega Man and Roll find Rush. Mega Man is happy to see that Rush has literally put himself back together and is alright. Suddenly, some plasma fire is shot in their direction. They manage to dodge the shots and see that the fire came from some Sniper Joes running down the hall towards them. Mega Man fires some shots at them. A few of them are destroyed, but some still remain. They fire at them again. Roll sucks up the shots with her vacuum attatchment and fires them back at the Sniper Joes. The Sniper Joes reflect the shots with their shields back at her, but Roll dodges the reflected shots. Rush uses his super bark to knock them down. "Atta boy!" Mega Man says to Rush. He then fires a fully charged shot at the robot enemies and destroys the rest of them. Mega Man, Roll, and Rush high five each other in victory. Dr. Wily comes up on the intercom and tells him that he is increasing the power in the reactor so that his secret robot-making facilities can get more energy. Mega Man tells him that what he is doing is very dangerous and could cause terrible damage to living things and the environment. Dr. Wily simply tells him that he does not care as long as he produces more robots. Mega Man and his allies run over to the building where the control room is. On the security screens, Dr. Wily sees that they are getting near to the control room. He has Proto Man and Cut Man go outside of the control room in order to stop them while he turns up the reactor's power output.

Mega Man sees the entrance to the control room. "Look! The control room!" Mega Man cries out. "He's really going to get it this time, Mega!" Roll says to him. "Yeah! We're going to go nuclear on him!" Mega Man replies. Proto Man and Cut Man walk out of the control room and confront them. "Sorry guys, special invitation from Dr. Wily only!" Proto Man says to them. "It's okay, Proto Man!" Mega Man says to him, "We have some!" "...and where are they, might I ask?" Proto Man sarcastically says to Mega Man. Mega Man shouts out "Right here!" and shoots at Proto Man. Proto Man manages to endure the shot, and fires back at Mega Man and Roll. Cut Man throws his Rolling Cutter at them also.  Mega Man fires at Cut Man, knocking him out. As Mega Man is about to fire again at Proto Man, Dr. Wily tells Mega Man on a screen outside of the control room that if he were to break into the control room, he will subject the power plant's reactor to a total meltdown. Dr. Wily turns up the reactor's power as a warning. An alarm sounds over the intercom. Mega Man and his allies run over to the reactor room to see if they can shut down the reactor by themselves. As they approach

the reactor room, Mega Man and Roll begin to feel weak. Dr. Light calls up Mega Man on his arm cannon and tells him and Roll to get out of the power plant quickly as the radiation emitting from the reactor could irradiate their circuits and destroy them. Mega Man, Roll, and Rush quickly escape the power plant. Dr. Wily laughs evilly as they escape on Rush in his jet form. He gloats that not even Mega Man can withstand the power of a nuclear reactor, and returns to providing energy for his robot making facilities nearby.

At Dr. Light's Lab, Mega Man and the others are getting decontaminated in an underground bathroom. Upstairs, Dr. Light is designing a new suit for Mega Man. While they are decontaminating themselves, Mega Man and Roll discuss how to take the nuclear power plant back from Dr. Wily's control. Mega Man suggests making sure that all of the humans have been evacuated and then going in the plant to shut down the reactor. Roll recommends driving Dr. Wily out and then shutting the reactor down. Mega Man tells Roll that it is up to Dr. Light to decide what is the best way to take back the power plant. After they are done being decontaminated, Mega Man and Roll head back upstairs to the main lab to see what Dr. Light has come up with. In the main lab, Dr. Light has created a suit for Mega Man that will enable him to enter the reactor without the radiation harming him. A nuclear scientist calls up Dr. Light on the main monitor and tells him that the power plant is emitting some radiation and for Mega Man to go over there and shut it down before a meltdown can occur. Dr. Light tells the scientist that Mega Man is on his way to the nuclear power plant. Rush wants to come along with Mega Man, but Dr. Light tells Rush that he can't come with him this time because it is too dangerous for him to enter the power plant without a Nuclear Suit of his own. Rush whimpers in disappointment. Mega Man pats Rush's head and tells him that the next time he goes on a mission, he can have a suit of his own. Mega Man bids Rush goodbye as he gets into his Nuclear Suit and boards an armored air vehicle. He flies out of the lab and to the nuclear power plant.

Meanwhile, at the nuclear power plant, Elec Man and Bomb Man are walking into the control room and are giving Dr. Wily the progress on the robot production in his secret robot producing labs being powered by the nuclear power plant. Dr. Wily is excited that he now has robots that will protect the power plant from Mega Man and his allies. He then turns over to Proto Man and has him summon the newly manufactured robots. Proto Man gives him a thumbs up and presses a button on the control panel. "Two hundred Sniper Joes, coming up!" Proto Man says. In one of the robot producing facilities nearby, a warehouse containing Sniper Joes of various types is shown. The robots activate and walk out of the facility towards the power plant. Mega Man is on his way to the power plant in the armored air vehicle. He wonders if the news is picking up on the incident, so he turns the screen on the controls on to watch a bit of the news. The reporter on the news says that the towns and cities near the nuclear power plant are being evacuated due to the potential of Dr. Wily causing the power plant to suffer a meltdown. The news helicopter is showing an aerial view of the power plant, and then zooms in on the Sniper Joes approaching the power plant. "Wow! Wily's beefing up security now!" Mega Man says to himself. He then says, "But even an entire army of Joes won't stop me!" He flies over to the roof of the reactor building. As he is about to land onto the roof, his armored air vehicle is getting fired at from Apache Joes. "Sizzling circuits! An Apache Joe ambush!" Mega Man cries out. He then says, "Good thing I came prepared!" Mega Man presses the buttons on the steering mechanism and fires some lasers at the Apache Joes. The Apache Joes fire back at him in retaliation. The armored air vehicle dodges the shots from the Apache Joes and then takes them out with the vehicle's lasers. "Piece of uranium cake!" Mega Man says. He then says "Now to take care of Wily!" The armored air vehicle lands on top of the reactor building's roof. As Mega Man gets out of the vehicle, a fist comes flying towards him. Mega Man manages to dodge the fist and sees that Hard Man is getting ready to fire another Hard Knuckle at him. "You're not getting in the power plant!" Hard Man yells at Mega Man. As Hard Man fires a Hard Knuckle, Mega Man fires gel at the Hard Knuckle, causing it to swing back at Hard Man. The Hard Knuckle hits him in the face and knocks him out. Hard Man falls down with a powerful thud. Mega Man comments "Guess that wasn't so hard after all!" Mega Man jumps from the roof and makes his way down into an entrance to the building. The security cameras on the reactor building catch Mega Man on camera. The footage of Mega Man shows up on one of the monitors in the control room. Dr. Wily sees that Mega Man has entered the reactor room. He has Guts Man, Cut Man, Elec Man, and Bomb Man get into their Nuclear Suits and stop Mega Man from shutting down the reactor. Proto Man asks Dr. Wily why he can't join. Dr. Wily tells him that he needs someone to protect the control room in case Mega Man should infiltrate it after shutting down the reactor. Proto Man simply sighs in disappointment. Dr. Wily assures him that he will be able to finally destroy his brother. This cheers up Proto Man, who responds with a sinister snicker. The other robot masters run off to the reactor room. Meanwhile, Mega Man is inside of the reactor looking for a way to shut it down. He hears Cut Man crying out to him "Not so fast, Blue Dweeb!" Mega Man sees Cut Man up on one of the walkways above the reactor. Mega Man shouts out to him "Where did you get those nuclear threads?" Cut Man replies, "From Dr. Wily!" He aims his Rolling Cutter weapon at Mega Man and says, "This is also from Dr. Wily!" He shoots his weapon at Mega Man. Mega Man manages to dodge it. The cutter bounces off the walkway that Mega Man is standing on and hits Guts Man's Nuclear Suit, ripping a gash in it. Guts Man yells out to Cut Man, "You dumb bot! You've ruined my nuclear threads! Now I have to get it fixed!" Guts Man exits the reactor room to get his Nuclear Suit repaired. "Well that takes care of him!" Mega Man says. He then says to Cut Man, "And now to take care of you!" Mega Man fires a blast from his cannon, knocking Cut Man off of the walkway. Cut Man falls down onto the reactor floor. Mega Man then climbs down the reactor and reaches its manual control panel. As he is accessing the control panel, he hears Bomb Man behind him threatening to blow up the reactor if he dares to shut it down. Mega Man turns and says to Bomb Man, "Well if it isn't Bomb Breath!" Bomb Man yells out "How's this for Bomb Breath!?" and then throws a Hyper Bomb at Mega Man. Mega Man uses his Nuclear Suit's cannon to fire a metallic grey gel at the bomb. The gel envelops the bomb, rendering it harmless. The enveloped bomb rolls back towards Bomb Man's feet. Bomb Man looks at it in total shock, and then looks up at a smirking Mega Man. "Wanna try again?" Mega Man slyly asks him. Bomb Man yells out and charges at Mega Man. Mega Man fires his plasma cannon at Bomb Man, knocking him out in the process. He then copies his Hyper Bomb weapon. He then says to himself as he is looking at his cannon, "Just in case Guts Man should come back." He then returns to manually shutting down the reactor.

Dr. Wily sees Mega Man attempting to shut down the reactor on the screen in the control room. Dr. Wily calls up Mega Man on the intercom and tells him that he will regret attempting to shut down the reactor manually. Dr. Wily then puts the reactor on maximum power in an attempt to cause a meltdown. The reactor begins to rumble. Mega Man is shocked that Dr. Wily has turned up the reactor to maximum power. "I've got to do something quick!" Mega Man yells out to himself. He then remembers that his Nuclear Suit has its gel cannon. "Hope this works!" he cries out as he fires out the gel all over the reactor. The gel covers the reactor. As the gel is enveloping the reactor, Mega Man manages to reduce the reactor's power output via the control panel. As the reactor powers down, the gel

completely covers it, containing the radiation. The reactor manages to shut down on its own. Mega Man lets out a sigh of relief and says, "Finally!" At the control room, Dr. Wily is trying to find out what caused the reactor to shut down on its own. A robot voice comes over the intercom and says "Emergency shutdown complete." Dr. Wily yells out in frustration and pounds on the control panel in sheer anger. He presses a button and calls up his robots. Dr. Wily's robots appear on a monitor in the repair room fixing up their Nuclear Suits. Dr. Wily angrily asks them what they think they are doing. They tell him that Mega Man damaged their suits and that they were repairing them. Dr. Wily yells at them to forget about their suits and to remove them and go after Mega Man. "Nuke him!" Dr. Wily yells out to them as they leave their suits behind and exit the repair room. Meanwhile, Mega Man is leaving the reactor room and sees that his suit's cannon has run out of gel. "Aw nuts!" he says to himself. He switches to his regular plasma cannon. He runs over to the control room. "And now to get Wily!" Mega Man says to himself as he nears the control room. As he gets to the door, Mega Man hears something rolling under his feet. He looks down and sees that its a Hyper Bomb. He kicks the bomb away, but it still explodes. The explosion damages Mega Man's leg a bit. Mega Man sees Bomb Man with a Hyper Bomb in his hand. "Ready for another one?" Bomb Man tells him. "Uhhh...I don't think so!" Mega Man tells him. He blasts him with a shot from his plasma cannon. Bomb Man is immediately knocked out. Mega Man then copies his weapon. Guts Man smashes through one of the walls with Cut Man following behind him. "Uh oh!" Mega Man cries out, "Double trouble!" "Yes, Mega Dork!" Cut Man says to him, "Double the damage!" Guts Man swings his arm and Cut Man prepares to throw the cutter on his head. Mega Man dodges Guts Man's arm swing, causing him to knock Cut Man's head off. Mega Man then throws a Hyper Bomb at Guts Man, blowing him up into pieces. "...and double the weapons!" Mega Man cries out. He then copies Guts Man and Cut Man's weapons. Inside the control room, Dr. Wily sees that Bomb Man, Guts Man, and Cut Man have been defeated by Mega Man. He tells Proto Man that they should leave before Mega Man enters the control room. Mega Man interrupts Dr. Wily when he manages to break into the control room by blowing off the door with a Hyper Bomb. Dr. Wily tells Proto Man to distract Mega Man while he escapes. Mega Man tells both of them that they are not going anywhere. Proto Man fires a hole in the wall, goes up in the hole, and helps Dr. Wily up into the hole. Mega Man grabs Dr. Wily by his coat. He tries to pull him back down. Elec Man enters the room and apologizes to Dr. Wily for showing up late. He tells him that he will make it up to him by shocking Mega Man. Mega Man uses his plasma cannon to fire at Elec Man, who dodges the shot and zaps him with his Thunder Beam. Mega Man loses half of his power. He tries to fire again at Elec Man, but his arm cannon doesn't have enough energy to fire. Elec Man hits Mega Man with another Thunder Beam, but this time for some strange reason the Thunder Beam charges up Mega Man and restores his power. Mega Man thanks Elec Man for the help and blasts him with a fully charged plasma shot. Elec Man gets knocked out.

Mega Man looks up at the hole in the roof and sees that Dr. Wily and Proto Man have escaped. Mega Man walks out of the power plant, telling the workers outside that Dr. Wily has escaped. The workers don't care about it, and tell him as long as the reactor is under control, the area is safe. It is then revealed that the workers caught Mega Man talking to the workers on camera. The footage is being shown on the nighttime talk show. The talk show host thanks Mega Man for saving the area from a nuclear meltdown. Mega Man tells him that he doesn't need to thank him, and that he is still going after Dr. Wily. He says that he hopes that he captures him and brings him to the police next time. The talk show host then tells Mega Man that a special guest wants to see him. He has the guest come out onto the stage. The guest is Rush in his very own Nuclear Suit. Mega Man then says that it will come on handy for the next nuclear emergency. The episode ends with everyone laughing and applauding.

[my-brodie999-fan]

The Fats follows a evolved fox-rat family of 8 brothers and 1 sister as they fight a human mad scientist and other threats to humanity alongside their adaptive father/mentor, 2 human allies and other cross-animals in the distant future while trying to accept each other as family. Patriot Fat(voiced by James Arnold Taylor) is the “den-mother and leader of the team and is the most calm and experienced member, but hurt his family and he will hunt you down to the ends of the Earth. He is a hard-headed and serious cone, scolding his siblings when they don't follow orders. He is colored brown, blue pants, has a red belt, black gloves and boots and has blue eyes.

Wreck Fat(voiced by Nolan North) is the most angry and self-loathing loner of the group. He often argues with Patriot about who should be leader of the team. However, they will work together when the situation calls of it.He has intense arm firepower, wiping out enemies in a matter of seconds. He is coloured grey, speaks with a New Yorker accent, red pants, red belt and hazel eyes.

Engineer Fat(voiced by Yuri Lowenthal) is the kind-hearted, calm and gentle pacifist and inventor of the team. He is socially awkward and book smart so much so that his sibling cannot keep up with him. Even though he shows a greater interest in technology than his training, nevertheless, he will defend his family and fight his opponents when there is no other choice. He is also skeptical as he believes humans do not exist and that animals have always been the sole species of Earth. He has red eyes, has a mole on his right cheek, has a cyborg arm, has metallic yellow pants, a blue belt and is coloured silver.

Mischief Fat(Voiced by Mikey Kelley) is the most wild, funny, immature and party-loving surfer dude of the team. He loves riding on his hoverboards, fighting evil and is extremely creative with arts. He is also a member of the Prank Trio along with Runt and Bullsnark. He wants to be part of the human world and he will convince his family to do the same by any means necessary. He also serves as an unofficial second-in-command  whenever he comes up with brilliant plans that save the day or gets the Fats out of life-threatening situations, becoming the closest thing a team has to a second leader.He also has a sad side as he borders on depression as a result of spending years with his siblings and father on a island. He is coloured Yellow, has freckles, dark blue pants, a gold belt, has a beard at 16 years old and has green eyes.

Angel Fat(Voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessy) is the smart, tomboyish, arrogant and independent tech support of the team and bit of a narcissist and will often bring on about her intelligence. As the only female member of the family, she always has the best of intentions. She is coloured yellow, has a gap between two of her front teeth and has green eyes. She is a great mathematician as she can easily hack into any computer data base by correctly guessing their security codes, Unlike the rest of her family(who wear pants, gloves(except for Buster, Engineer and Growly), shoes and are shirtless), she has blond hair, wears a Fat shirt, is coloured mix-purple/Yellow as a result from a lab accident, has a pink belt and gloves and blue shorts with sockings.

Buster Fat(voiced by Steve Blum) is the biggest and most strongest member of the family. He loves training all day and he hates it when his sibling interrupt him. However, he has a good heart and will go by any means to protect them. He also cares for normal animals, fighting to his last breath to save them. He is coloured green, speaks with a Brooklyn accent, has dark green pants, yellow belt, black boots and has golden eyes.

Runt Fat(voiced by Josh Keaton) is the most dim-witted and dizy, yet lovable member of the team. He’s been part of the Prank Trio since Day One and is often made fun of his stupidity by siblings, however when the situation is necessary, it ultimately proves to be his greatest strength. He is also something of a womaniser as he tries to say something to cross-animal females, but can't bring out the exact words and he is the most gullible of the family, causing him believe whatever lies are told to him, even causing him to betray his family, only to rejoin them in one of the future games. Nonetheless, he is one of the most purest cross-animals, never truely joining evil and always finding out to know the truth about himself and his family. He is coloured red and has one red eye and one hazel eye.

Bullsnark Fat(voiced by Roger Craig Smith) is the adventure-loving everyman slacker, jester-like and thrill-seeker who wishes to travel the world. He is sarcastic, playful and completely devoid of cynicism. He is also one of the member of the Prank Trio along with Mischief and Runt. He’s very loyal to his family and always stands up for them and keeps his promises despite his impulsive and impatient nature. He can be sentimental when villains threaten the world and won't stop until they're defeated and can provide tactical strategies. He is coloured orange, has black boots and gloves, yellow pants, a blue belt and has purple eyes.

Growly Fat(voiced by Trevor Devall) is the strict and irritable, yet caring and kind-hearted powerhouse who breaks up fights between the family. He is prone to anger when someone pranks or tricks him, but deep down, he loves his family very much. He was born somewhere in Mississippi and he is also a history junkie as he collects every newspaper, article and art of the world's history. He isn't fond of humans too much until much later on in the game. He is coloured blue, speaks with a Southern accent, dark grey pants, green belt, black boots, and has blue eyes.

Hopper Frog(voiced by Billy West) is the mean, brash, cocky, militaristic and demanding yet kind-hearted father of the Fats, but as the game progresses, he becomes a more supportive, caring and wise parental figure. He has a soft spot for children and he will be a role model to them whenever he sees them. At the beginning of the game, he is overprotective of the Fats, fearing they could die if they go into the human world, but throughout the game, he accepts that his children are teenagers now and he says that he is proud of them. He wears a green military uniform with no pants, speaks like a mad scientist and has brown eyes.

Sarah Stewart(voiced by Jennifer Hale) is the most beautiful, kindhearted and attractive teenage girl the Fats have ever known. She was abused in school and she has recently graduated from high school to apply for science. She can also sense betrayal in strangers she doesn't know. She is also an orphan as she lives with her aunt, uncle and their daughter. She is a blond teenage girl with pink sleeveless shirt and blue jeans. She also has light freckles on her nose and baby blue eyes.

Peter Braxton(voiced by Ben Diskin) is the comedic, shy and loyal sports player whose life is forever changed when he meets the Fats. He is like a modern-day Prince Charming and he has a crush on Sarah Stewart when he first sees her, but does not kiss her until the end of the first game, He also becomes best friends with Wreck and Growly throughout the game as they play hologram games together. He is also a pacifist as he lost his father in a flying car accident and starts campaigns and TV ads to prevent anyone from suffering the same fate. He is a black haired teenage boy with orange eyes, a sports jumper and brown pants.

Dr. Otto Jekyll(voiced by Mike Pollock) is a highly selfish, insane, cocky and arrogant mad scientist and the main antagonist of the series. He wants to end peace and liberty on Earth and will do it by gaining control of the world's governments, police and money. He is also a deceptional liar as he constantly lies to the Fats and their friends, trying to convince them that he can help people have more improved lives until the end of the first game when he reveals his true motives. He is an mildly obese man with balding brown hair with a goatee and a lab coat with red clothing and black and white rubber gloves and boots. He also has yellow eyes. Gaming Mechanics:

1. The video game series will be an open-world where you can play side-missions and help people in addition to the main story. You can also visit other countries in free-roam in the game.

2. You can use multiplayer as 4 of the each titular 9 Fats with the ability to change between the 8 other Fats until all 9 are all dead and the game resets.

3. You can have collectibles, art and unlock new weapons throughout each level of the game.

4. You can also play as the human characters Sarah Stewart and Peter Braxton in stealth missions.

5. Once you’ve completed the game, you can revisit any of the levels. So you won't have to worry getting through 13 hours without completing the entire game 100%.

6. As I said, you can fire weapons with 2 of the Fats, Engineer and Angel who are the tech support of the team while the rest of the team fight hand to hand.

7. The game will have the feel of a Disney movie , Thomas Perkins-like art, the art of Ratchet & Clank and the backgrounds of Young Justice and The Super Hero Squad while still rendered as a 3D dimensional video game.

And lastly, here’s the title for the prequel tie-in novel: The Raoxs: Animals of Science.

Series Outline:Set in an utopian future where all war, problems and disease has been wiped out, the Fats live on a peaceful island with their adaptive Frog father, Hopper Frang, but they have never truly accepted each other as family or understood their father’s lectures, even starting a war with one another once. On their 16th birthday, they are allowed to leave the island and venture into the Human world. But when a scientist named Dr. Otto Jekyll(a pun on the Dr. Jekyll character from Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) becomes Dr. Peace-Destroyer and threatens to end the era of peace by conquering the world, the Fats are forced to come to term with their calling as a family and what it means to be heroes with the help of 17-year old science intern (smart blond) Sarah Stewart and 18-year old Sports player Peter Braxton.

This would be a Playstation 4 and Playstation 5-exclusive and would be rated E+10 for more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes.

Do you want to see this video game series brought to life?

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Globe, October 12

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Devil cult burns JonBenet Ramsey’s grave 

Page 2: Up Front & Personal -- Kaley Cuoco and her dog in a stroller in New York City, Donatella Versace off the coast of Italy, Johnny Depp gets a gander at fans in Spain 

Page 3: Jude Law jogging in London, Mama June Shannon gets her roots dyed, Jon Stewart lends his voice to support U.S. military vets in Washington, D.C. 

Page 4: Man-hungry Kathie Lee Gifford has a mad crush on Craig Ferguson but he’s married and since she’s isn’t about to be a homewrecker instead she cast him to play her kissy-huggy love interest in Then Came You a flick she penned and released a couple weeks back 

Page 5: Tyra Banks has turned Dancing with the Stars into a miserable sweatshop behind the scenes -- Tyra is not only the host but an executive producer and she takes that title seriously and even with all these big personalities and egos Tyra wants it to run like a military operation which was how she did things on America’s Next Top Model -- Carrie Ann Inaba is seething and Bruno Tonioli is revolted and Derek Hough is huffing with displeasure, Chris Rock revealed he’s in therapy seven hours a week after being diagnosed with nonverbal learning disorder meaning he doesn’t understand nonverbal signals when talking to people 

Page 6: Fierce fights during lockdown have shredded strong-willed sweethearts Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell’s 37-year love in -- Goldie and Kurt recently had their worst-ever clash which led them to axe plans to finally get hitched this winter, you’d think filming Elf would have been a ho-ho time but bad blood between star Will Ferrell and writer-director Jon Favreau killed plans for a sequel 

Page 7: Shocked by the frighteningly gaunt and frail appearance of Bob Newhart friends of the hard-working star fear he’s working himself into his grave 

Page 8: Queen Elizabeth’s personal wealth is estimated at $450 million but she could wind up in the poor house because most of her wealth is locked in her two sprawling country estates which cost a king’s ransom to run: Sandringham and Balmoral 

Page 9: Prince Harry is sporting a choppy-sloppy short-cropped haircut that makes him look like a pauper apparently given to him by his wife Meghan Markle

Page 10: Kirstie Alley has been firing herself into a frenzy about everything these days from her weight to world affairs and her yo-yoing antics are driving friends batty and she’s also becoming more of a recluse 

Page 11: Joan Collins claims she was haunted by her sister Jackie Collins after the novelist died from breast cancer in 2015 -- Joan recalls upon learning her little sis had passed away the electricity went out putting her and husband Percy Gibson in the dark, country music legend Willie Nelson admits to being far from a model husband in his no-holds-barred new book -- the four-time married Willie admits to cheating and says his wandering ways were too much for any woman to put up with 

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- Gabourey Sidibe (picture), Lisa Rinna laughingly brushes off claims that her husband Harry Hamlin had a steamy 2018 affair near their Canadian getaway home, Jane Fonda believes in ghosts because she’s seen the ghost of her mother who committed suicide when Jane was 12, Kim Cattrall is still hot and heavy for her British boyfriend of four years Russell Thomas and the two start each day with a cup of tea, not even two weeks after testing positive for COVID-19 Robert Pattinson dropped his mask at a London park to kiss girlfriend Suki Waterhouse even though production on his big-budget flick The Batman was thrown into a tailspin when Rob tested positive for the virus

Page 13: David Harbour grabs a bite in NYC (picture), Rebecca Gayheart runs errands in Beverly Hills (picture), Michael O’Keefe of Caddyshack plays a real-life caddie on Long Island to raise money for charity (picture), Tiffany Haddish isn’t joking when she says she tried for years to be on The People’s Court 

Page 14: The People’s Court’s judge Marilyn Milian enjoys filming her show from her Miami living room where she sees litigants testifying from their homes via remote and she can see how they live, it’s a true kiss and tell by Adam Levine who’s getting loose-lipped about a wet wild kiss he shared with the late Kelly Preston in the music video for Maroon 5′s hit She Will Be Loved, Fashion Verdict -- Gabrielle Haugh 3/10, Paris Hilton 2/10, Keira Knightley 5/10, Tilda Swinton 7/10, Janelle Monae 9/10 

Page 16: Leah McSweeney of The Real Housewives of New York City is sporting black eyes after getting a nose job, Storage Wars star Rene Nezhoda bought a storage locker abandoned by Daniel Baldwin that houses $2500 worth of model trains 

Page 17: The coronavirus plague, natural disasters, the stock market crash, civil unrest, raging wildfires and gruesome death are all signs we are now living in the biblical End Times as predicted by Edgar Cayce and Grigori Rasputin and Nostradamus 

Page 19: 10 Things You Don’t Know About Drew Barrymore, Wendy Williams has come clean about using binoculars to get an eyeful of the naked dude next door in the shower, The Real Housewives of Potomac star Ashley Darby dishes that she and husband have engaged in threesomes 

Page 20: American Justice -- dentist Seth Lockhart jailed for yanking a patient’s tooth while riding a hoverboard among other crimes, it’s game over for a deputy sheriff Pasquale Salas from Texas who was convicted of grooming and exploiting young girls he met while playing Minecraft with them online 

Page 21: Blake Lively is fed up with husband Ryan Reynolds’ juvenile practical jokes and she’s ordering him to knock it off and after years of putting up with ridiculous Ryan’s weird pranks her nerves have been rubbed raw since COVID lockdown, dog lover Jon Hamm handed a twice-rejected rescue pup a new leash on life and now the pooch Splash is turning him to mush 

Page 23: NeNe Leakes won’t be returning to The Real Housewives of Atlanta after a tumultuous season 12 which saw NeNe feuding with most of the cast, Lady Gaga claims superstardom helped feed her deep dark depression and she was terrified to leave the house and she was often catatonic and says she’d sit outside and spend hours chain-smoking and crying, the $6 crown that Notorious B.I.G. wore in his final photoshoot sold at auction for $594,750 

Page 24: Cover Story -- JonBenet Ramsey’s family is facing new horror after the murdered child’s grave was defiled in a shocking incident investigators fear is linked to Satanic rituals 

Page 26: Health Report -- anxiety linked to thyroid problems 

Page 36: Lindsay Lohan has pulled a vanishing act while begging pals for much-needed cash -- she’s been living out of a suitcase for years and very few people know how to get hold of her or where she is -- now a high-profile book publisher has sued her after forking over $365,000 for a tell-all that she failed to complete so she’s hitting up all the big contacts she can and the word is she’s running on empty 

Page 38: Real Life -- Alzheimer’s stricken granny’s home of 50 years was seized by cold-hearted bureaucrats because she owed a paltry six cents in back taxes 

Page 44: Straight Talk -- we’re tired of scripted reality shows 

Page 45: Just months after the deaths of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna his mother-in-law Sofia Laine says a shocking rift has shredded the close relationship she had with her daughter and Kobe’s widow Vanessa Bryant, Tom Petty’s kin have ended their feud that got so petty they sued each other over salad dressing and now the clan’s uniting to re-release his legendary 1994 album Wildflowers which was almost scrapped due to nasty infighting between Tom’s widow Dana and the grown-up daughters Adria and Annakim from his first marriage 

Page 47: Hollywood Flashback -- Jeff Goldblum as Tricycle Man in Robert Altman’s Nashville, Bizarre But True 

[sunevial]

Annus Terribilis

Commissioned by @kylethewarrior, the following story follows the Part Timer long before the genetic experiments and his attempts to play god.

I have commissions open here.

TW: Death, Illness, Child Death. I also recommend that if you have any recent anxieties regarding COVID-19, please keep yourself safe and do not read this.

---

Eleven years ago, she had dragged him far outside the city center, driving out past fields of golden corn and wild forests to ‘somewhere special’ that wasn’t too terribly far away. That somewhere happened to be an old farmhouse, still structurally sound but in need of an awful lot of time and love before it would be up to code again. She laughed at the time, saying that anything worth doing was worth doing well and slow, and so the two of them got to work. Or, well, she got to work, and he stumbled along realizing that construction was much more difficult in practice than in theory. It was always her project, her wish for a place outside the bustling and busy city, and she turned it from a house to a home.

There was always someone over, be it friend or family or business partner or just a neighbor passing by, and he was nothing if not a good host. It was a lively place, and the birth of their daughter, the thing he was most proud of in all this world, made the celebrations only last longer. In her spare time, they, she, Eveline, continued improving the place: lightning fast internet, holo-projectors for the walls and table, hard-light molded into bridges and fences, a virtual reality playspace for their daughter. Away from everything, this strange blend of archaic living and modern technology blended into something new, something beautiful. 

It was meant to last.

It was never meant to be this quiet.

“Hey kitty Cat, look at me,” he said, voice low and comforting as he wrung out a washcloth. It was the one with the dog print, the one she had picked out at last summer’s fair, the one she always used to wash her face before bed. Ever so gently, he set it over his daughter’s forehead, trying not to notice her burning red cheeks or the mound of quilts over her shaking body. “You’re gonna be alright, just keep looking at me.”

Slowly, painfully, wearily, she opened her eyes. Usually so cheerful and so inquisitive and so full of childlike innocence, they were heavy, dull, barely registering their surroundings. Clouded irises turned his way, looking up at him with an understanding someone this young should never have to consider. “Daddy…I’m cold,” she murmured, each word seemingly forced out of her lungs.

“I know, I know, I’ll turn up the heat soon,” he said, running a hand down the top of her head.

Two months ago, Catherine had come home from school with a fever, complaining of chills and a terrible dizziness. They kept her in bed for a couple of days, watching as medicines failed and tests for various diseases came back negative, the doctors quietly informing them that they had matched the genome of this disease to everything they had in the database and finding not a single match. It evaded all attempts at classification, exhibiting no real similarities to a known virus or a bacteria or a fungi. Discouraged with the doctors and geneticists, he took a strain to his own home lab and began work, spending hours looking through microscopes and sequencing DNA until he came to the same sobering conclusion.

If there was an easy and fast way to treat this, it was beyond science's current capabilities. They had been into deep space, mastered light speed travel, eradicated poverty and scurvy and food shortages, and they couldn’t figure out something to properly kill off a sequence of random chemicals.

He would give anything, anything at all for a cure to this damned disease that had stolen his daughter’s smile, her beautifully creative mind, her ability to walk and sing and play with her friends in the gardens behind the house. She should be in school, learning about the wonders of humanity and what they had accomplished in times of great peace, finding love kind of gross but bugs cool. She should be getting into so much trouble, trouble that he had to condone as her father, but he was secretly so proud of her attempts to create a Mentos and Coke geyser in the bathroom sinks.

They had taken her home from the hospital two days ago.

“Daddy…I’m scared…” she whispered, eyes drifting back to the stars painted on the ceiling.

“What’s got you scared?” he asked, grabbing a glass of water with a curly straw and setting it to her lips. 

She didn’t take a sip. She hadn’t all day. “I’m…” Coughs wracked her battered body. “I’m…not going to see you again.”

He quickly set the glass aside, kneeling down until they were at the same level, hand never leaving the top of her head. “Now, don’t say that, kitty, you’re going to be just fine, the doctors are working hard to find a way to make you better. You just gotta keep fighting for a little longer, you hear me?”

Another round of coughs, this one drier than the last. “Daddy…you’re a bad…liar…” she murmured, eyes fluttering faster and faster, voice dropping down until there was hardly more than a shakey breath. “I’m…I’m scared…”

He leaned in closer, smoothing away her shining hair, hair that she had gotten dyed a beautiful shade of red, hair that he was initially against but now would give anything to be mad at something as silly as her hair color. “Kitty Cat, come on, look at me, eyes up.”

She met his for just a moment, a defiant moment of fire and hope and desire and such a deep, dark fear that he couldn’t save her from, before they fluttered close.

Her fever, finally, went down.

How long he knelt there, one hand on her too-cool head, other clutching her galaxy-print bedsheets, he couldn’t tell. Tears streamed down his face, silent and furious and hoping that this wasn’t real, that it was all just a cruel nightmare or a simulation or some stress induced hallucination, and that all was just some cruel game played by someone who didn’t value life for its own sake. 

But that was impossible.

He was a man of science, and he had to believe what his observations showed.

Sliding the washcloth over his daughter's eyes, he slowly got to his feet and methodically made his way over to the next room, each step echoing down the wooden walls Eveline insisted on installing, each step muffled by rugs she had bought from far corners of the world and set down to keep Catherine and her friends from getting too hurt if they fell. The walls were lined with picture frames of happier times; the wedding and honeymoon, learning to walk, riding first a bike then a hoverboard, science fairs and talent shows, festivals and picnics and sports games. 

Between them all was a holo surface, detailing all the work he and Eveline had done trying to fight an enemy they couldn’t see. While he had dove headfirst into research, pouring days into a frenzy of sleep deprived desperation, she had never left her daughter’s side, doing everything in her power to keep her spirits up and the grim reality of the situation at bay. Up until then, the doctors had assumed that transmission was going to be rare and difficult, not requiring protective gear that would’ve made Catherine all the more scared of her situation.

When he emerged with only bad news, he found Eveline propped up in a chair, face flushed and eyes distant. She was so strong, so brilliant, so determined, but their first date had ended with him rushing her to the emergency room. They had laughed it off after the fact, because why would either of them be concerned about asthma? It was barely more inconvenient than poor eyesight these days, a problem of the past that had been thoroughly managed with reduced air pollution and specialized medication.  

Unlike Catherine, this disease ended up in his wife’s lungs. 

It was even less time before she was bedridden.

He hesitantly opened the door, quietly walking to his wife’s bedside and kneeling down next to her sleeping form. Face as red as their daughter’s, she was hooked up to oxygen, a last ditch effort to give her a couple more days when everyone knew that the inevitable would only be delayed, not stopped. A quick glance to her oxygen levels on a nearby monitor dropped his heart down even further. With a heavy heart and trembling limbs, he slipped his hand under the covers until he found hers, ring still wrapped around her finger. It wasn’t their wedding ring, no, that had been lost in a river a couple of years back when they went kayaking and it slipped off when their barely watertight vessel overturned. When the panic died off, they went to a new jeweler and got something new, a beautiful golden band with a diamond flanked on both sides with small rubies.

“Honey…” Her voice was barely a whisper.

“I’m here, sweetie, I’m here,” he said, scrambling up so they were face to face, her face, the face of the woman he fell in love with on sight and had never stopped loving since. 

She smiled weakly, each movement clearly bringing her more pain. “You…shouldn’t be here…with Catherine,” she muttered, each word sending her into a coughing fit more painful than the last.

“Hey, you shouldn’t be talking, you know that,” he said, squeezing her hand and trying to put on the gentlest smile he could manage. “She’s just resting.” 

The squeeze was not returned, her eyes instead meeting his and her face falling with a sorrow he had only seen a handful of times before. When her father died of cancer, when they realized there would be no more children, when the doctors said there was nothing else to be done. She was a radiant woman, slow to sorrow and slower to anger, and each time he saw either of them, his heart broke a little further. “You’re…such a bad…liar,” she said, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes. 

“I…I know…I’m so…so sorry…” he muttered, squeezing his eyes tight to keep the tears from falling again, to stay strong for the one he loved, to not make her worry when she was in so much pain, but she was the strong one. She had always been the one to take what life gave and spit it back with a cold demeanor and a stoic face. In the past two months, he had shed more tears than she had in all the years he’d known her, and each time hurt even more knowing that her heart was so much stronger than his.

“Don’t…” Her body shook and her lungs heaved, wet and painful coughs that didn’t stop for almost a minute straight. “Don’t…worry about…me. I’m…the one…that should be…sorry.”

“You’ve never been sorry for anything, why start now?” he said with what little humor he could muster up, gently trying to wipe away her tears. 

Her smile was weak, her calloused hands that had built up this house with so much love and care now so fragile in his own. “I love you…so much…promise me…you’ll keep on…for me…for her… ”

Any semblance of strength broke with such a simple phrase, sobs choking in the back of his throat as he brought her hand to his forehead and held it tight, a twisted mirror of when he knelt down and asked to be hers through all the good and the bad that was yet to come, through sickness and health. Through all the good times, through all the bad, please to anyone who was listening let this not be how it all ends, let the until death not be so soon. “Sweetie, please…don’t do this…don’t leave me too…I can’t…”  

He held her hand as it went limp, as it went cold, as tortured sobs echoed through the otherwise silent house.   

[windyfiend]

*knock knock-knock*

Runa pulled back on her speeding hoverboard, whirled along the wall and spun in midair to face the locked door, her heart caught guilty in her throat.

“That’s Al,” Sebastian announced with an edge of impatience. He tightened the last translucent thread of a reattached limb. “Ask them what they want. I can’t be disturbed.”

Runa breathed again. With a swallow and silent assurance to herself, she clicked away the locks and pulled the door open a narrow crack.

“Hi Al,” she said meekly. “Hi Pallas. Sebastian wants to know what you want.”

Alexis raised curious brows while Pallas snorted a laugh at the nickname. “Tell Sebastian,” Alexis said evenly, “that I must speak with him in private on behalf of the empress.”

“Is it about me?” Runa gripped the edge of the door, hovering a little lower so she wouldn’t meet Alexis’ eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you my legs don’t work, but it’s okay and I know he tried, it’s not Sebastian’s fault, and if I’m making too much noise I’ll be a lot quieter I promise, and I’ll give back the hoverboard and please don’t get him in trouble--”

“Runa!” Alexis sighed with a reassuring smile. They dipped their head, searching for her face until Runa looked up. “This has  nothing  to do with you,” they said firmly. “It’s okay. We’re very proud of you for being so brave. And of course you can keep the hoverboard.”

Runa sat a little taller, as if a weight had been lifted from her back. A bright smile returned. “Okay!” she chirped, then turned to call out to Sebastian. “They said the empress sent them to talk to you!”

“Tell them to make an appointment,” Sebastian snapped without looking up from his work.

Runa gave Alexis an apologetic grimace. “He says--”

“Sebastian, you are not in a position to make demands!” Alexis shouted through the narrow space of the door.

“I beg to differ,” Sebastian hissed.

Alexis squared armored shoulders. “Runa, please move out of the way,” they commanded calmly, then pressed an armored hand against the door and marched inside, backed by a shine of sunlight from the hall. “Sebastian. You failed to appear for your report to the empress.”

“An empress who declines to show up to her own appointments is  hardly  justified in keeping me to mine,” Sebastian said while he zipped up the last body bag.

Pallas beckoned to Runa from the hallway, her armor glittering. “Come on, little bee,” she said softly, a hand outstretched. Her smile trembled. “The palace isn’t safe right now, so I’m your escort out of here. Let’s leave these two old ladies to their bickering.”

Runa hesitated, and the hoverboard swayed and whirred beneath her. She cast a questioning look across the room at Sebastian, but he was too busy scribbling in his notebook to look up. She turned away from him, her shoulders slumped, and glided quietly out into the hall.

“Shut the door behind you,” Sebastian’s crisp voice echoed after her.

The door clicked shut. Alexis stood at attention in the flicker of lavender candles and the dead blue glow of hanging lights.

Sebastian lined up the luminescent bottles of sludge-veskal, his back turned to the Scythe commander while he bowed over his notes. “Your cold predator stare will never have the effect you want, Alexis,” he said boredly. “I look into the gaze of death every day.”

“You’re supposed to be working on a project that would finally put an end to the abductions,” Alexis enunciated clearly for the artificer’s benefit. “But instead you fired your employees, declined to file your report, and spent half the day entertaining a child. The empress believes you may have misunderstood the importance of your assignment.”

Sebastian took his time writing out the rest of his lab notes. He read them over once more, then closed the notebook softly and turned to face his accuser with his chin held high.

“Did the empress,” he said with a mocking air, “explain to you the details of this assignment-of-great-importance?”

“I understand the purpose of withheld information,” Alexis snapped. “I do not know what I do not  need  to know.”

“You need to know  this,”  Sebastian said, “because you’re going to assist me.”

“Hire back the artificers that were provided to you!” Alexis snarled. Their armor shimmered and rippled with anger.

Sebastian watched them coolly. A sneer crept into his words. “It’s not that sort of assistance.”

--

Runa raised an arm to shield her eyes from the sunlight of the garden, and she smiled at the warm rainbows of the flowerbeds. Roses and lilies blossomed bright among a shimmer of tiny blue flowers and bursting pink blooms. A fountain trickled softly at the heart of a crystal pond, where little frogs leaped from the ledges and plunked into the cool water.

Pallas watched while Runa hovered over the quivering gardens, the hoverboard turned almost sideways while she craned her neck to see the colors.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Pallas asked quietly, her arms folded over her chestplate.

Runa raised her head, confused only a moment before she dropped her gaze to the pavement at Pallas’ feet. “I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it,” she said. “There’s nothing anybody can do anyway, so it doesn’t matter. But look!” She smiled again and the hoverboard surged higher with a blue flash and a spin. “Sebastian gave me a hoverboard, and I made handles for it, and a backrest, and a sling for my feet, and I can do cool tricks, watch!”

Runa shot like a bullet down the garden walkway, a streak of blue light in her wake. She corkscrewed high into the air like a bird, dove straight down and rippled across the pond before she spun to a laughing stop.

Pallas stood frozen in place, her eyes blown wide. “Runa…” she choked while her heart resumed beating, “...I’ve been training with hoverboards for a decade and I’ve  never  seen them go that high. Are you sure that’s  sludge  veskal?"

“Yeah.” Runa glided curiously closer. “I watched Sebastian cut the mushrooms from the dead-people pieces. He blended them up and juiced out the veskal. He wouldn’t let me help, though.”

There was a twitch in Pallas’ strained smile. “You’re a weird kid, you know that?” she laughed.

“Briony says that a lot.”

Silence tightened between them while they walked toward the end of the garden, where the top of the long steps overlooked the city of Woondaly and the sun-tipped spires. Beyond the light, high above, the stars still glittered in the night sky.

“We’ve got four squads on rotation looking for Briony,” Pallas said gently, her voice braced and careful. “If there’s any evidence for what happened, we’ll find it.”

“Did you check the abandoned candy factory?” Runa skidded in front of Pallas, her coal-dark eyes shining determined. “And the theater attic? And the reptile house at the zoo? We sometimes hide in the bathroom until after closing and--”

“We searched all your leads.” Pallas laid gentle hands on Runa’s shoulders. “I wish I had better news, honestly I do, but so far there’s no sign of her. We may have to be prepared for--”

“NO.” Runa wrenched away, a stab of tears cutting down her cheeks, her clenched teeth bared. “You’re not looking  hard  enough!” she shrieked.

Pallas winced as if she’d been struck. “Runa--”

Runa flung away down the steps and into the city streets far below, slicing like a blue-shocked blade through the crowds, and she was nearly out of sight before Pallas could grab her own hoverboard.

Pallas hissed a trembling obscenity, jammed on her helmet and raced after the lingering trail of blue light.

--

“The problem with sunlight,” Sebastian continued, stepping closer to Alexis’ rigid stance, “is that the Kith are its only incubator. These past three hundred years, the empress has made unparalleled effort to maintain the light with the city’s own mechanics. The orrery, so far, has been the best hope. But even  it  must be replenished once a year.”

He produced a bottle of pure veskal from his pocket. He held it up, shining bright as a tiny blue sun. “I suggested an alternative solution: a separate source of light, equally bright and powerful, incubated and renewed by the same methods as the Kith. We reverse-engineer those skull-faced atrocities, imbue our own people with the gift of light, and sustain the city forever without heinous contracts.”

“You want to  create  Kith?” Alexis wheezed in disbelief. “You would deform our own people for the sake of light?”

“Children’s bodies are most adaptable,” Sebastian argued. “If the imbuement is introduced early enough, they will live healthy, normal lives without side effect. But there are elusive properties of the Kith that are impossible to replicate based on theory alone.”

Something in Sebastian’s voice made Alexis’ stomach drop. “Runa--”

“--must return here when her hoverboard runs low on veskal,” Sebastian finished smoothly. “By that time, the induction should have taken hold. But in its current state, the experimental infusion is inherently flawed in a way that cannot be repaired.”

Alexis clenched their fists and carefully controlled their words. “She will never walk again,” they guessed.

Sebastian tilted his head in grim affirmation. “This is where your assistance is required,” he said gravely. “You could supply me a consistent stock of children with which to further test my hypotheses--”

“You’re out of your mind!”  Alexis roared.

“-- or,” Sebastian went on as if he weren’t interrupted, “you could bring me a Kith.”

[goliath-de-senfina-sango]

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Danny Phantom Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Dash Baxter/Danny Fenton, Jack Fenton/Maddie Fenton Characters: Dash Baxter, Wesley Weston, OC - Character, Danny Fenton, Tucker Foley, Sam Manson, Ghost Writer (Danny Phantom), Andrew Riter Additional Tags: Soulmates, Reluctant Soulmates, countless headcanons, Not Phantom Planet Compliant, my canon now, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Identity Reveal, will tag with progress, No Betas we die like fools Summary:

Casper High is a school that has several clubs, including the Occult Club, which Dash should've stayed very far away from no matter what Wes said. Now thanks to the conspiracy theorist, Phantom was pissed at him and the jock and hero were soulbound by a spell that Wes had fudged and Dash had mispronounced. How's he gonna make it up to his hero?

Or

The soulmates fic that only my best bro really wanted out of me, which my brain was forced to provide.

Ao3 / Fanfiction.net

In hindsight, Dash should've stayed away from the occult club altogether.  Sure, Wes had said they were gonna use some magick ritual they'd figured out to summon phantom, but people generally wanted to think they could do that and a club at school was the least likely to succeed.   But Weston had been confident and Dash wasn't gonna pass on an opportunity to meet his hero without an attack happening.

So he'd gone along with it, even demanded to be the one to do it when they started.  There was a chalk circle on the floor, candles, and one of em had a fuckin needle to prick themself with for it.  Whatever, Dash wasn't unused to a little pain - he busted his knuckles on nerd's faces sometimes. So he got a drop on the circle, and he said the chant, and the candles turned green instead of reddish-yellow.  But while the room went dark and cold and started looking like the night sky had come down to grab them, Dash may have fucked up a word in the book.  

There he appeared, in a flash of light so bright Dash had to squint.  Sky blue skin, a halo of white hair, freckles that glowed green and that ghost hunting hazmat suit of his.  While Phantom was looking around like he was dizzy, Dash felt something. He Saw it, even, a line of bright silver that came out of his chest and turned toxic green before ending at the DP on Phantom's chest.  Frowning, Dash looked over at the head of the club. "The fuck is this? A cord?"

"Oh no… oh no no no."  The head nerd, a brunette with glasses and a mint green shirt, grabbed the book in Dash's hand and read what he'd said.  Then his head whipped over to Wes and the basketballer backed up, his camera flashing the recording light. "You fucked up the summoning ritual!"

"Austin, I swear I was just-"

"This is a binding ritual, Wes, it binds the spirit to the target object - the circle, it looks like?"

"Pretty shitty binding," Phantom said, turning everyone's attention back to him.  The blue-faced ghost was floating all around the room, soft green inner light casting weird shadows everywhere.   "I'm nowhere near it. What is this thing between me and Dash though?"

"… Fuck."  Wes quickly played back his recording on his camera to listen to what Dash had chanted.  Dash could hear the moment he fumbled the words and Wes paled when he heard it. "That was the wrong subject word-"

"So you've bound Phantom's soul to Dash's soul now, is what I'm translating here.   Cause that, wait lemme.” Austin grabbed the camera and replayed the video a few times while Dash dealt with a sea of complicated emotions.  Confusion, shock, anger, resentment, anxiety. Those last three weren’t new per se but they felt… off. Not his. “Wes this is a permanent binding what the fuck?!”

“It wouldn’t’ve been permanent!  We coulda scuffed the circle and the thing he’s bound to would be gone!”

Phantom reached down and grabbed the ginger by his shirt, lifting him two feet off the ground.   His eyes were blue and gold and red, that dim green aura was now white and yellow and flaring up in arcs.  “So lemme get this straight, Wesley. In your insane attempts to prove me as the still-living son of ghost hunters, you decided you'd bind me to a chalk circle.  Which might bind me to the chalk itself, tearing me apart to keep myself connected to since you're a fucking hack."

"I-I-I hadn't uh thought of that, b-"

"And instead of that you let Dash, a jo- no THE Jock, read off the spell and so now you've bound me, irreversibly, to another person's soul.  Did I get that right?"

Wes nodded the slightest bit, his entire frame shaking and Dash couldn't blame him.   Dash was entirely up for pummeling Wes for fucking up his hairbrained scheme, but Phantom looked like he was about to rip Wes apart.  He had fangs and his hair was turning into a cloud of fire that sucked all the heat out of the room instead of pushing it out into everything.  Wes' shirt was frosting over and Austin and his band of merry freaks were shivering.

"When you get to the afterlife, Wes, I promise you a world of pain.  And if you do something so fucking stupid and dangerous that it risks my safety and the safety of everyone else around you again, I'm tossing you to the police by your Fucking underwear!"  Wes was dropped on his ass and Phantom growled, fading from sight. There was a Pop, all the pressure in the room shifting, and Dash rubbed his head with a groan.

"Wes you fucking idiot!  Now Phantom is pissed at me and it's your fault!"  Phantom may have decided not to give Wes what he had coming to him, Dash didn't have superpowers to worry about getting out of hand.

And so Dash had detention that day for wailing on a fellow school athlete.

“I swear I’m going to shatter his camera into a million tiny pieces and make him eat them,”  Danny growled and struggled with not breaking his locker when he slammed it shut. The lights overhead buzzed louder and shone brighter from the energy pouring out of him, and Danny took several deep breaths.  “Not only was what he wanted to do stupid and dangerous, now I’m fucking - what, Soulmates? With him?”

“Chill, Danny, I’m sure we can fix this.”  Tucker pulled his sash from around his shirt and with a flick, it became a scepter once more.  Holding out the golden rod over Danny, a look of concentration passed over the geek’s face while azure light bathed Danny’s body.  The green thread leading off toward Dash was highlighted, though the silver threads leading to Tucker, Sam and Jazz were also visible and even the blue ones trailing off to his Mom and Dad.  Tucker’s magick wrapped around his green thread and for a moment, Danny was sure that it’d be cut and all of this would be over and dealt with.

Tucker’s scepter was knocked out of his hand and clattered loudly on the tile floor of the school and the green thread shone brighter than before, seeming to have simply soaked up the magick.  Danny’s growl was deep in his chest this time, and one of the lights blew a fuse. “That’s fucking ridiculous! He just read off the spell without even knowing what it did, why would that be stronger than the Pharoah’s command?”

“The language might not be from this world, Danny.  We’ll have to ask Andrew if he knows how to undo it.”  Sam patted Danny on his shoulder and he leaned onto her, embracing the calm of her aura.  The bell rang and Danny pulled his hood over his head, pulling it shut over his face with the drawstrings.  “C’ mon, let’s get you home and we can head over to see him right now.”

Danny grumbled as he was pulled along by Sam and Tucker outside to the parking lot, where all three of them pulled out their hoverboards.  Danny mounted his star and nebulae covered creation and slipped on his helmet. The one he’d made for Tucker was gold and chrome-colored, a techno styled F on the bottom of it, while Sam’s was black with creeping vines appearing to weave all around it.  It had been fun building these boards with Tucker and personalizing them since they made flying to school easier on them all. Magnetic boots locked in place, Danny slipped on the remote control glove and took off, followed closely by his friends into the even sky to the envious stares of their schoolmates.

The only ghosts that got in their way home were Skulker and the Box Ghost, and while Boxy was easy to take down with a few well-placed shots, Danny had to split off a Phantom copy while still in human form to take down Skulker, which sucked because he didn’t have the energy to make one as strong as he normally was in ghost form.  With a kick to Skulker’s head that removed his helmet, and a swift click of the button on the Thermos, Skulker was dealt with and they headed to Fenton works.

Descending the stairs of the Fenton home to the basement lab and finding it empty was a blessing, mostly available due to Sam and her meddling in the business affairs of Fenton Works.  Getting to the Ghost Writer’s library from there was a cakewalk, and soon they were knocking on his doors.

“Andy, I have a problem and I need your help fixing it!”  Getting no reply for a moment, Danny took a deep superfluous breath and whined loudly against the door.  “Aaandyyyyy!” The door opened inward fast enough that Danny hit the floor, and grumbled something rude about Vidya playing cruel pranks on him.

“Don’t pretend that Vidya doesn’t love you about as much as she does me, Danny, you’ll never get away with a lie that flimsy.”  The baritone laughter of the Ghost Writer, otherwise known to a few as Andrew Riter, met Danny’s ears and a shark-toothed smile greeted Sam and Tucker.  The librarian in grey and purple invited them deeper in to sit on couches and cushions scattered about the shelves of the library and cups of coffee and tea set themselves down on the table before them.  “Alright, what trouble have you gotten yourselves into this time?”

“This time it wasn’t one of us, actually.”  Sam nudged Danny with her boot and he slumped against Tucker, taking a long sip of his tea.  “An idiot, Wes, tried to bind him to a circle during an event that the Occult Club was performing to summon Danny, but they let Dash Baxter read it and when Danny appeared, apparently Dash stuttered the wrong words and now he and Danny are bound by the soul.  As far as we know.”

Andrew adjusted his glasses, eyes narrowed at Danny as a trio of books flew to him and Danny repeated the spell for Andrew to decipher.  “Give me a couple of days to look this one up. Artificially created Soul Bonds like that typically break with the right spell and if both parties agree to sever the link.”  Tucker groaned while Danny buried his face in his hands.

“I have to convince Dash to unlink himself with me?  Wonderful. Fuck me, I guess.”

Tucker patted the ghost boy on his shoulder and Danny whined.

Ao3 / Fanfiction.net

[darks-ink]

What A Nice Surprise CH.5

Sadly linebreaks are still gone from Tumblr so I went with (---) instead. Check it out via one of the mirror links instead, maybe?

First Chapter - Previous Chapter - Next Chapter AO3 - FFnet

Danny capped the Thermos in his hand, releasing a tired sigh. The ghost – some random non-intelligent wolf – hadn’t been strong, but it had proven exceptionally tricky to catch. Kept giving him the slip and was just fast enough for Danny to struggle to close the distance between them.

But, finally, he got it. And it wasn’t even that late. Late in the evening, sure, but if he went home he would still have time to work on his homework!

He grinned at the Thermos in his hand, pleased. Just to be safe, though, he cast out his ghost sense. No, it seemed like this was the only ghost nearby…

An ectoblast whizzed by his ear, and Danny flinched away. Whirled around to face the shooter.

Valerie. Of course it was Valerie. His one opponent that he couldn’t just blast, the one that just wouldn’t believe him. Whose truces just wouldn’t hold up, for no lack of trying on his part.

Valerie, who always insisted on seeing the evil Phantom did.

“Hey Red,” he said, shooting her a short wave. She just growled in response, charging another shot.

“Not very talkative today, are we?” he tried again, keeping his hands lifted and in plain view. Hopefully she would calm down a little like this, if she knew he couldn’t fight back.

And, well. If she shot anyway, he could easily raise a shield like this.

“Shut up,” she snarled, and her gun fired simultaneously. Danny yelped and formed a shield.

It blocked the hit, but the impact still blasted him back. He hit a building, hard.

With a groan he dropped down onto the ground. Half-crumpled, he tried to sit up to keep an eye on Valerie.

“Come on,” he complained, trying to keep the winded tone out of his voice. “What did I do now?”

She re-entered his view. Her board hovered only a foot above the ground, yet she hadn’t retracted it. The gun in her hand whined as it loaded another shot.

“You know what you did.” Her voice was firm. Unwavering. “Why I can’t trust you.”

“I really don’t.” He judged her hold on the gun, her aim. Braced himself, then shot a weak ectoblast right at the weapon.

The blast knocked her aim off, and the blast barely missed him.

Danny pushed himself off of the ground, zipping away. He just needed to throw her off of his tail – or to get out of her sight long enough to change back to human. He would risk walking home instead of flying if that got rid of her.

But her hoverboard has had some upgrades. And with Valerie’s agility, it was almost enough to keep up with him.

Certainly good enough to keep him in her eyesight.

He dove around a corner, then screeched to a halt to avoid collision. In front of him stood two more ghost hunters, guns aimed right at him. The ecto-green elements glowed as the guns charged. Light glinted off of the goggles of the hunters, the red of the woman and the teal of the man.

Then the guns stopped whining, and Danny huffed out a relieved sigh.

“Phantom!” his dad greeted, pulling his hood off and revealing the bright blue eyes underneath. “You’re in a rush! Chasing a ghost?”

“Uh, no.” Before he could explain further, his sensitive ears picked up on the ever-present hum of Valerie’s engines. And yep, there she was, rounding the corner he had just careened past.

“Phantom!” she roared, already lifting her gun up to shoot him. He yelped – in a very grown-up way, of course – and dove behind the massive bulk of his dad.

It was, maybe, an automatic response. These were his parents – it was their duty to keep him safe. Big and apparently powerful ghost hunting weapons definitely counted as a threat they would keep him safe from.

But having Phantom hide behind Fenton’s parents… might not have been the right thing to do.

Oh well, too late to turn back now.

Valerie faltered. The whine of her gun quieted, and its muzzle lowered. No matter the circumstances, Valerie would not – could not – shoot humans.

“Phantom, why are you hiding behind ghost hunters?” she asked, exasperated. Then, after a short pause, she turned to his parents. “Actually, why are you letting him?”

“Because… we don’t want you to shoot him?” Jack said, uncertainly. He was half-turned, looking between Danny and Valerie. “Phantom is not a bad ghost, Red.”

She snorted, disbelieving. “Yeah, right. You just want him for yourself.”

“We’re serious.” His mom shifted into a more defensive pose. It didn’t go unnoticed by Danny – and clearly not by Valerie either. Danny got the distinct feeling that Val was narrowing her eyes at them, but he couldn’t tell with her helmet still on. “We’ve had a truce with Phantom for weeks. He’s been helping us with our research.”

“He’s tricking you somehow.” Valerie shook her head, dismissively. “Or he’s controlling you, or something. There’s no way that he– that any of this is real. I’m not falling for this, Phantom.”

She raised the gun again, tilting her head as if she was considering taking the shot. Then she apparently decided it was impossible with the Fentons between them, as she lowered it again. She pointed between the visor of her helmet – where her eyes would be – and him. “I don’t trust you, Phantom. And I don’t know what you’re doing here, with the Fentons. But I don’t believe any of this.”

Then, with a hum that turned into a roar, she shot off. Her engines left a faint pink trail, but it faded off quickly.

Confident that she really had left, Danny floated back over his parents to face them.

“Thanks.” He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling sheepishly. “I, uh. Sorry that she didn’t believe you.”

“She really doesn’t like you, huh?” His mom eyed him, but he couldn’t read her expression with her goggles on. “Yet you don’t seem like the type to do so on purpose.”

He snorted, then shook his head. Dropped his hand again. “I didn’t, I swear! But Cujo just ruined some of her things, and she thinks that he’s my dog so she blames me for it.”

“That’s one hell of a grudge.” But she pulled the goggles up again, and Danny could see that she wasn’t angry – not at him, at least. “Must’ve been important to her.”

“I dunno.” Danny shrugged. Yes, Valerie’s money had been important to her at the time, but now? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t spend a lot of time with her anymore, not after the dating fiasco a while back. “Maybe. Or maybe she’s just full of spite and not ready to give up on her decisions.”

His dad snorted, but wiped the smile of his face immediately when Maddie turned to him. “Yes, well. I thought you two worked together before?”

“We have,” Danny acknowledged with another shrug. “But it was always only short-term. A bigger ghost, a badder ghost. And then once the troubles are over, Val- Red decides I’m not to be trusted.”

His parents shared a glance, clearly having caught the trip. Dammit, Fenton, he chastised himself mentally, couldn’t even keep Valerie’s identity safe? But it was too late now. At least it wasn’t her full name – not even her full first name.

“That’s… unfortunate. In a city like this, we could really use all the help we can get hunting ghosts.” Maddie pocketed her gun in her hip holster. “But if Red continues to threaten our ally, we can’t consider her one either.”

“Maybe we can convince her,” his dad said hopefully. “It’ll take time, sure, but it’ll be worth it. Right, Phantom?”

“I, uh. I mean, yeah.” He shifted, a little awkward. “If you can convince her, that would be great, yeah.”

They nodded. Then his mom smiled at him. “And, Phantom? We’ll take over patrol for you, alright? So she won’t try to ambush you when you’re alone.”

He smiled back, brightly. “That’s… That’s really nice. Thanks. Thank you so much.” This way he could focus on homework without even having to worry about ghosts popping up!

“Hey, it’s no problem kid.” His dad shrugged, also grinning. “It’s our job, you know?”

“Right,” Danny said, hesitant. Of course. His parents’ job as ghost hunters.

Jack grimaced, then suddenly swung an arm around his shoulders. He pulled him against his side, despite the cold Danny knew he gave off. “Which also includes taking care of fellow ghost hunters, you know?” He ruffled Danny’s hair. “Like you.”

Cold crawled up Danny’s neck and cheeks, and he knew he was blushing green. Embarrassed, he looked away – but he couldn’t deny that he felt comforted nonetheless. “I– Thanks.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Jack released Danny again, but remained close. “Go do… whatever you do when you’re not protecting the city. Be a kid, Phantom. You’ve earned it.”

Ha! Be a kid. Doing homework counted as being a kid, he supposed. “Yeah. I… Yeah. Thanks, you two.”

Danny smiled at his parents, then tugged on his invisibility. Certain that no one could see him anymore, he made his way back home.

The warm feeling in his chest remained with him for the rest of the night.

---

Mere days later, it was the weekend again. And, once again, Danny had made plans to visit his parents as Phantom. They had been busy this week – not with regular ghost hunting stuff, but with him, specifically. With finding ways to prove that Phantom wasn’t as bad as people believed.

With proving to Valerie that he wasn’t all that bad.

So. Danny figured that they deserved a reward of sorts. A show of appreciation – even if they couldn’t really know it was supposed to be that, because Phantom had no way of knowing how much they were doing.

He rang the doorbell, then phased inside immediately. He floated in the hallway instead. Floating outside his own house invisible was tiring, so he figured he could shake it up a little instead.

“Phantom?” an uncertain voice asked, and Danny’s eyes snapped to the staircase.

The staircase where Jazz stood. Whoops. He didn’t know she was home.

“Hey,” he said, shooting her a grin that he hoped wasn’t shaky. “D’you mind if I steal your parents?”

She snorted, coming down the staircase to join him. “They could use some time outside the lab. What are you planning on doing with them?”

“There’s this ghost in Casper High, dunno if you’ve heard of him.” The two of them entered the living room, and Jazz sat down on one of the armchairs, then nodded that she was still listening. “The two of us have a deal. I took your parents to meet them a week or two ago, but we had to cut it off early. I figured we could go for a second meeting.”

“Sidney Poindexter, right?” Jazz frowned, thoughtfully. “I’ve heard of him, but I wasn’t sure if he was real. Lots of people say he is – that he hurts random popular people around Casper High, and all that.”

Danny rolled his eyes. He knew they said that – but he also knew it was a lie. Or a twisted truth, at least.

“Sort of,” he told his sister instead. “Sidney hates bullies – was bullied pretty much all his life, and his afterlife isn’t much better. And, well. Most popular kids are bullies, and vice versa.”

“Ah, I see.” She nodded. “He picks on bullies and protects their victims because he used to be a victim himself. He empathizes. Fascinating… Ghosts really do have the same emotional range as humans.”

“Uh, yeah.” Danny shrugged, glancing away. “People just don’t realize it because of biased science by ghost hunters, and because most ghosts that leave the Zone are, well.” He gestured vaguely. “Y’know.”

“Violent and aggressive? Yeah, I know.” She smiled knowingly – teasingly – and Danny felt the green creep back onto his face. Stupid really obvious glowing blush! Stupid sister that did sister things.

In the silence that fell, Danny could clearly hear his parents scrambling around downstairs. They probably had a project they couldn’t just put down. That was fine. He could wait.

“Could I… come along?” Jazz asked, breaking the silence again. Danny’s eyes snapped over to her, surprised by the question.

“I, uh. Why?”

She shrugged, playing with a strand of her hair. Seemed uncertain now, like her question was more of a spontaneous outburst than properly thought out.

“I think it would be interesting to talk with… Sidney, right?” At his confirming nod, she continued. “Plus, he could use the socializing with more people his age. I don’t think a lot of kids at school talk with him.”

“They don’t.” He supposed Jazz was right. And Sidney would absolutely enjoy her company – they were both complete nerds. “And I guess you’re right. Sid would enjoy the company. Just be aware that he slips into old-timey ways sometimes. Mostly speech, but…” Danny shrugged. “Well, you get what I mean, right?”

“I do.” Jazz gestured over to the couch, and with a roll of his eyes, Danny perched on the arm of the couch. Not quite was Jazz had intended, based on her expression, but good enough. “Plus, I think he could use some psychiatric help. Bullying… it can hurt teenagers.”

“I know.” Danny sighed heavily. Despite Dash’s love of Phantom, his bullying towards Fenton hadn’t relented. And with his diminished friendship with Sam and Tucker, he had less hope of them distracting Dash. The only thing he had going for him was his supernatural speed – and his ability to turn invisible if he could get out of Dash’s sight.

But the way she eyed him made him think he said something wrong. Slowly, hesitantly, she asked, “You were bullied?”

Danny shrugged, uncertain. It was true, sure. But it wasn’t something he wanted associated with Phantom, per se.

“I… yeah.” He couldn’t think of a way to deny it. Might as well go with the flow, right? “A lot, actually. But it’s okay. Well, not okay, but… it is what it is. There is no way to change it.” The teachers never listen, anyway. Even if it’s still ongoing, even if it’s happening right in front of them. Bullies were never punished.

It was part of the reason why he was so eager to let Sidney have his way.

The calculating look in Jazz’s eyes didn’t go away. But her eyes did soften, and she smiled kindly. “That explains a lot, actually.”

“About?” He frowned, confused. How did this change anything?

“About you.” She shifted, looking at him earnestly. “I was wondering about that for a while, you see. Because even if you’re not the only good ghost, you certainly are the only one here. And you said you did it to protect your friends, your family, but…” The pluck of hair was twisted, twirled, again. “But there had to be more. More of a reason, more stakes.”

“What, the risk of my loved ones getting injured wasn’t enough?” Danny’s frown deepened as he looked at her.

“No, no.” She raised her hands placatingly. “That’s not what I mean. But not just anyone would do that, Phantom. Not just anybody would stand up to someone more experienced, and likely more powerful, than them just to protect others. But it makes sense now.”

The frown fell away, and Danny shook his head. “I don’t get it.”

“It’s easy. You were bullied in life. A lot, right?” The armchair creaked as she shifted again, her hands waving through the air as she spoke enthusiastically. “So now, in death, you have the power to stand up for yourself. But you don’t just use it for yourself. You use it for everyone, everyone who can’t do it themselves. The ghosts, the malevolent ones, are the bullies. And now you are the person you wished had been there for you, before. The person who stops the bullies, who stops people from getting hurt.”

“Oh,” he said simply. She… she had a point. Looking at it this way, he supposed that he had become the kind of person he wished to see sometimes. Like he had grabbed all the traits of the people he loved – of his parents and his friends – and mashed them together into Phantom’s perfect persona.

“You’re… really good at that.” He huffed out a disbelieving laugh. Count on Jazz to psycho-analyze him regardless of form, and nail it as well. “Yeah, you should definitely come along and meet Sidney.”

She grinned in response, opening her mouth to reply. But then thundering footsteps came from the lab, and their parents burst inside.

“Phantom!” his dad cheerily greeted, storming over to swing an arm around him. “Sorry to keep you waiting, kid!”

“It’s alright.” He grinned despite the rib-crushing strength of his dad, barely clinging on to the couch he was sat on. “Jazz kept me company.”

“Really now?” Jack released him, then turned to look at Jazz. “Jazzy-Pants, how nice of you! Finally showing an interest in our profession, huh?”

“The psychology behind ghosts is fairly interesting – and unexplored.” Jazz shrugged casually. “You, and all other ghost hunters, are so focused on the physical aspect that no one even realized that ghosts were just as complex as humans. It’s really fascinating stuff.”

Their mom nodded approvingly. “Yes, you’re completely right. You should come down in the lab to talk about your findings sometimes, honey. If you get it sorted out, you could even publish a paper!”

“Maybe…” Jazz’s expression was surprisingly thoughtful. She really seemed to be considering it, despite her former reluctance to associate with her parents – and ghosts in general. “I would like to focus on individual ghosts first, see if I can help them with their problems.”

“A whole new approach to ghost hunting!” Jack clapped her on the shoulder, and Jazz almost fell out of her chair. “That’s my kid!”

Maddie shook her head fondly, then turned back to Danny. “What earned us the pleasure of your visit today, Phantom? Dropping by for fun, or did you need us for something?”

“I figured we could go for another meeting with Sidney?” He shrugged. “Since we had to leave early last time. And Jazz said she was interested in meeting him as well, so.”

“Well, that sounds like a good plan.” Maddie nodded approvingly. “He was a nice young man, that’s for sure. Will we meet him in the parking lot again?”

“I thought we could meet in the courtyard instead? I’ll fly ahead to find him, and then we can sit down instead of standing around.” Danny rubbed the back of his neck. “If that’s okay, of course.”

“Sounds good to me. Jack, Jazz?” She turned to face the rest of the family, where Jazz was trying to free herself from her dad’s arm. “That okay with you as well?”

Jack, who didn’t seem to have heard any of the conversation, cheerfully agreed nonetheless. “Yeah, of course!”

“That’s okay with me as well.” Danny finally took mercy on Jazz and pulled their dad’s arm off of her so she could escape. She shot him a grateful look, and he grinned in return.

“Then I’ll get going.” Danny pushed himself off of the couch, floating instead. “If you guys pick a spot, Sidney and I will find you.”

“See you in a bit, Phantom!” his dad boomed, the sound following him even when he phased outside.

---

Finding his parents (and Jazz) proved as easy as he had expected. Besides the fact that the three of them were the only ones out here on a Saturday afternoon, two of them were also dressed in bright hazmat.

Yeah, the day Danny couldn’t find his parents in a crowd was probably the day he would officially declare himself blind.

He took a non-existent seat at the head of the table, floating in the open space in a sitting position. Sidney took the only actual free seat, next to Jazz.

“Didn’t keep you waiting, did we?” he asked, glancing at his family.

“You didn’t, no worries.” His mom flapped a hand, leaving the other resting on the hard wooden table. “We just sat down. Sidney, nice to see you again.”

The ghost grinned back. “You as well, madam. And you too, sir.” Then the boy turned to Jazz, straightening his glasses. “And I’m afraid I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you yet, miss.”

“I’m Jazz. Jazz Fenton.” She extended her hand, and they shook. “You’re Sidney Poindexter, right?”

“That I am,” he confirmed, straightening his bow tie. “Has Phantom introduced me?”

“He has. But I heard about you at school as well.” She twisted in her seat to face him properly. “According to Phantom, you help protect the kids who can’t protect themselves.”

Sidney blushed, his cheeks growing marginally darker and faintly green. “Ah, yes, well. I try my best.”

“And you do a good job of it, especially considering your past.” Smiling, she pushed herself out of her seat. “Speaking of which… Would you mind sitting down to talk in private?”

“Um.” Sidney glanced between her and Danny. Knowing what Jazz was trying to achieve, Danny nodding reassuringly.

“Sure,” Sidney said, floating up as well. “Shall we take a seat at a nearby table, then, so your parents won’t get worried?”

“Sounds good.” Jazz turned back to the Fentons. “We’ll be just over there, okay?”

“Sure sweetie.” Maddie smiled, and the three of them watched as Sidney and Jazz left. Once they were sure that the two were out of earshot, Maddie sighed, pleased. “We don’t deserve her.”

“She’s a good person,” Danny agreed, also looking at his sister and his friend. “She’ll do a lot of good things with her life, I’m sure.”

“I just… worry, sometimes.” Maddie shifted, and Danny looked back at her, confused. “About both our kids, I mean. I… We know we’re not the most conventional parents. And sometimes, I fear… I’m afraid that we’re hurting them.”

She sighed, deeply and wearily. Jack wrapped an arm around her before she continued. “Especially with how busy we’ve gotten nowadays. And Jazz will be going to college soon, and Danny is growing apart from us as well, spending less and less time with us… And I can’t help but worry. Are we doing the right thing?”

“I think…” Danny swallowed, heavily, then tried again. “I think you’re doing your best, and I think your kids know it. Parenting… Parenting isn’t easy, and neither are teenagers.” He huffed out a laugh. “Being a teen isn’t easy either. But I’m sure your kids know that you’re trying, and… and I wouldn’t worry so much. Everything will be okay.”

Maddie nodded, and her gloved hand wrapped around Danny’s. “It’s a parent’s job to worry, Phantom. Just because it’s not necessary doesn’t mean I can stop.”

But she smiled, kindly. “But… thank you. Hearing that helps a lot.”

“I’m glad to be able to help.” Danny glanced back to where Jazz and Sidney sat, and felt his own lips twist up. “And I think your daughter is doing the same for Sidney.”

---

“What, um.” Sidney paused, uncertain. Sure, Danny seemed to approve of this conversation but Sidney had no clue what the intention had been. The last thing he wanted to do was accidentally reveal his friend’s secret identity.

And, above all, how were you supposed to talk to the sister of your best friend if she didn’t know that her brother was the best friend of a ghost or that he was part ghost himself?

“What did I want to talk about?” Jazz smiled kindly. Sidney would be lying if he said it didn’t help soothe him. “Phantom mentioned something interesting about your past earlier today, and I wanted to talk with you about it.”

So… nothing about Danny’s secret identity? Oh, good.

“Oh. What, uh. What was it?” He couldn’t deny being curious. And… perhaps he did miss talking to other teenagers. Danny was nice, but they weren’t very similar. But Danny had often compared Sidney to his sister – said they were both studious nerds, and all that.

Jazz shifted, laying her arms on the table on front of her. Sidney had sat down on the bench in front of her, but was now growing increasingly uncertain at her relentless gaze.

“According to Phantom, you used to be bullied, back when you were alive.” Oh. Oh. Was this what she wanted to talk about? Seeing his probably panicked expression, Jazz continued to speak with a soothing tone. “Bullying… It can have a heavy impact on a teenager. And, I don’t know if you know this, but I have… a bit of an interest in psychology.”

This, Sidney did know. Danny griped about it a lot. That, and he joked about it a lot – about how Jazz would be thrilled if she found out about the Phantom thing, from a psychological standpoint.

“I think few would know that better than I,” he ended up saying. After all, of the many that had suffered from bullying, most didn’t stick around. Not like he had. “That’s why I protect the kids now. To make sure none suffer like I have.”

She seemed saddened by this knowledge, catching on the unsaid words. “That’s really noble of you, Sidney. But…” Jazz shifted, folding her hands together in front of her. “But you’re still around, so your old experiences can still hurt you. Are still hurting you, I think.”

“Maybe so,” he acknowledged with a loose shrug. He supposed that he was catching onto Danny’s manner of speech, but it was to be expected. The kid was pretty much the only person he spoke to, nowadays. “Most ghosts are still hurt by their old lives. It’s why they stick around as ghosts, you know? Happy people don’t become ghosts.”

“Then all of those ghosts deserve help. And I don’t know if I can help all of them, but you, you I can help.” She grabbed his hand, ignoring that the limb must’ve felt uncomfortably cold in her hand. He couldn’t help but lock eyes with her, the bright teal gazing back. “Sidney, your experiences have been hard and unkind. Traumatizing, even. Please, let me help.”

“I…” He didn’t know where he wanted to go with this. He didn’t know what he wanted to say. Didn’t know what to think.

What did it say about his life, that he was caught off-guard so badly by such a kind offer.

“I would really appreciate that,” he managed finally. “I… Besides Phantom, no one has ever… just been kind. There was always a plot behind it, or a trick, or… or something else. Never out of the kindness of one’s heart.”

Something about the Fentons, despite how strange they were, worked. Because both their children were so wonderful.

It made Sidney sad, sometimes, that no one knew what Danny really did. What he was really like. That no one appreciated Danny Fenton, because he could do more good as Phantom – and he was okay with that. With sacrificing everyone’s opinions of him, just for that.

“Good,” Jazz said with a firm nod. She released his hand, but patted the top of it comfortingly. “And if you ever want to talk… Well, I’ll be around for the rest of the school year for sure.”

“You don’t… mind? That people would see you talk with a ghost?” ‘With me’ went unsaid.

But Jazz just shrugged. “People know my family as those ghost-nuts anyway. It’s much better now that everyone knows ghosts really exist.” Her lip twisted into a smile. “Besides, people don’t get to pick and choose which ghosts they accept. If they are fine with people talking to Phantom, then they don’t get to throw a fuss about me talking to you.”

“But what if they do?” He didn’t want her to get punished because of him. He was just… He was just Sidney. Nobody special, even after death.

“I don’t care.” She looked firm, set in her ways. “They don’t get to decide what I do with my life, and who I talk with. And if the teachers get worried, I can tell them that my parents and Phantom both approve of you. That should get them off my back.”

“Oh.” He wasn’t… wasn’t used to anyone making such an effort for him. Danny tried, usually, but Danny was busy. Had a lot going on for him. Which was why Sidney tried to help to the best of his abilities, of course, but.

But this was different. Nice different.

“Um. Thank you.” He smiled at her, shaky and uncertain but heartfelt. “Really, thank you.”

Then he glanced over to the other table, seeing three pairs of eyes watching them. “But we should probably rejoin the others.”

“Yeah, probably,” she said with a laugh. “But seriously, Sidney. Talk to me, okay?”

He nodded. Then, the words slipping out without him fully intending to, he said, “You can call me Sid. If you want.”

“Sid?” Her smile widened. “Yeah, of course. Now come on, Sid, before they get worried.”

[anonarat]

And now for maybe the last one, Video Games!

10. Golden Sun: Dark Dawn (DS)

Golden Sun was my first fandom. To get a sequel after so many years made me ecstatic. It was a really solid game, that ended on a dang cliff-hanger. Not the worst I’ve been done by when it comes to game releases, but it’s close.

9. Soul Calibur IV (PS3)

Me and a housemate spent rather too much time on this when we lived together. We did manage to 100% it though. It remains one of the few true fighting games that I enjoy.

8. Europa Universalis IV (PC)

I like strategy games, and EU4 is one of the biggest of them all. It has the ‘one more turn’ draw that Civ has. It’s just a bit of a shame that new patches break old saves.

7. Tales of Xillia (PS3)

I’ve been interested in the Tales of games since Symphonia, but this was only the second one I actually bought. Considering you get the opportunity to play Maxwell, lord of the spirits, well I jumped at the chance.

It remains one of my favourite JRPGs out there.

6. Civilization V (PC)

That ‘one more turn’ feel? It’s addictive. I’ll admit, while it is a good game, the real joy comes from playing with user created civilizations. Where else can you have Holo duking it out with Remilia Scarlet, Elsa, Saber and Micaiah?

Or just throwing a load of Fire Emblem characters in together and creating a new story?

Again, I’ve spent far too much time on this game.

5. Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Switch)

For all that it has problems (NG+ fatigue), Three Houses remains an incredibly solid entry into the FE franchise. While I’ve not tried Maddening, it does seem a touch easy. The character writing is fantastic, and the gameplay is interesting.

4. Virtue’s Last Reward (3DS)

VLR was an even better successor than the original 999. It had interesting puzzles, a convoluted, but logical plot and fantastic characters. It also promised us the world with its sequel hooks that ZTD sadly failed to live up to.

Still, for folks who enjoy a good mystery plot, this is the place to come (after you’ve read Umineko).

3. Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn (Wii)

I will preface this by saying that I came into RD as a series veteran, which I feel is the only way you should approach it. Unlike pretty much everything else on these lists, this is the only thing I’ll outright say play other, newer player friendly games first.

Sometimes RD was an exercise in frustration because I played on ‘Normal’ but that made beating it all the sweeter. Sadly, the game lacks any real supports, but aside from that, it is the best culmination of Fire Emblem at its release.

And despite a flaw of not explaining what you have to do properly, or rather because of that flaw, RD gave me the most memorable boss fight I’ve ever had. Outright disbelief and despair as Ashera resurrected each successive time and my resources dwindled. It really felt like I was trying to kill a god and I can’t think of another game that’s managed that.

2. Tales of Berseria (PS4)

I love my murder kitten by the name of Velvet Crowe. Never before or since have I met a character who has so pure a hate as that of Velvet Crowe’s for Artorius. To write that, well... let’s just say the writing is fantastic.

The gameplay is rather fun, though I did need to kick the difficulty up a couple of notches. I love all the characters, all their little interactions. Tales of Berseria is without a doubt my favourite Tales of game. Also you get a hoverboard. More games could do with having a hoverboard.

1. Nier: Automata (PS4)

I very much enjoy the weirdness of Yoko Taro games, combined with their ability to throw up moral questions to the player. Combine that with Platinum style combat and one of the video game soundtracks ever? You’ve got yourself a winner.

And a game that asks you question at the end that is truly meaningful. 

[marvelmadam08]

The Princess & The Nomad (7)

With your hypnosis gone and your identity fully known, you and Steve reunite and pick you right where your left off. But with The Avengers disbanded and a new danger looming in the future, what’ll keep everything from falling apart?

Summary: You find out that Tony’s been lying to you since you’ve returned. And find a possible lead to Steve’s location.

Warnings: Mild violence, betrayal

A/N: After seeing Endgame this whole story is gonna take a sudden turn of events. Who’s seen Endgame? There will be spoilers in further chapters.

"You lied to me!" You threw a fifty pound dumbbell at Tony, he caught it before it could hit him in the head. He was armed in the suit before you even left the venue "You said you didn't know where he was!"

"I don't know where he is!"

"You have his number." You jumped over the stack of weights to tackled him down to the floor, but he backs out of the way in time to miss your fist. The floor, however, has a newly formed crack in it now "Don't lie to me Stark, where is he?"

"That number is for emergencies only."

"Then you better call it back, because you're gonna need some serious help once I'm done with you." Blue smoke rises from your hands and you start to bring the other iron suits to life.

One by one they closed in around Tony. He blasted through one of the suits whole holding off another.

"Where is he?"

"I told you already. He only gave me that number for emergencies, I don't know where he is. He never told me, I just know that he doesn't stay in the same place for too long."

"But you can find him, track him down using that phone."

"I can't track him the tech is too ancient." One of the suits grabbed Tony from behind, and slammed him to the floor. It pulled back, opening it’s hand, powering up a blast from its palm “(Y/N)!”

You pushed your arms apart, shutting the suits down and the power in the house. The both of you stood in the dark for a moment, Tony working to catch his breath. When the lights came back on your cheeks were wet, and Tony pulled away from the suit that collapsed on top of him.

“I’m sorry- I went too far.” You sniffled and drop to the floor in full on sobs

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to lie to you. I just- wanted to keep you safe. But we aren’t gonna get anywhere by fighting, I’ve lost enough family already.”

"Understood." You nod "We're not losing anymore family."

That night you and Tony stayed on opposite sides of the house, and continued to keep to yourself majority of the following day. You staying in your room, while he worked in the garage and if you were to cross paths you shares a simple 'hey, how's it going' to which the other person replied 'fine'. If you didn't know any better you'd think you and Tony were married.

Around six, while you were watching the news once more, Tony came up from the garage, a less hostile demeanor between the two of you.

"Got a second?" It was rhetorical "I gotta head back to New York soon."

"Okay, I'll be ready when we go. Not like I have anything to pack." You tell him

"No, Ross is sniffing around the compound for you now. And since you're against The Accords, and technically an illegal alien." Tony sighed "You gotta stay here while I'm gone."

"By myself?"

"I would check in on you. And I'd come back within the next month or so." He tells you "But if you got thrown in prison-"

"I'd break out, go to Norway and hide out with Odin until it's safe."

"Can't do that kid. He wasn't playing around when he said it was especially made for you. Remember back when Banner ran all your samples, there was still a few vials of your blood left behind." He paused "They built a cell, designed to inhibit your powers. And if you managed to get out of that, there are several things keyed in to your DNA that could possibly kill you before you gain your strength back."

"And who says working for the government isn't fun." you roll your eyes

"(Y/N), this is the safest place for you right now."

"Tony, there's never a safe place for me. Not New York, not Asgard. Like you said, I'm a beacon for bad." You look down at your hands "No one even wants me around, that's probably why Thor stopped visiting me. Maybe it's best if no one never saw me again."

"Hey, look at me. (Y/N), look at me." He turned your chin up "The bad things don't stop just because you're not around, if anything they just get worse when you ignore 'em. I can't convince you to stay, at least not for me. But do it for Steve. Stay in a safe spot for him, and I'll figure out a way to get you two back to each other."

You threw your arms around Tony's shoulders for a hug. "Thank you."

"We're family, but if your dad shows up first I'm sending you with him." He pats you on the back

"Fair enough." You laughed softly "And I promise I won't have any wild Asgardian parties while you're gone."

"Exactly, wait until I get back." He stood giving you a light smile "Watch the time will fly by."

***

"Are we recording FRIDAY?"

"Yes Princess (Y/N)."

"Just (Y/N) is fine." You look directly into the camera in the upper corner of the kitchen "Okay, day twelve in my lonely mansion series I pose the question: can I teach an iron suit how to cook? I guess it'd be easier if I myself knew how, but trial and error right?" You clapped and bounce over to the kitchen counter next to an iron suit that you performed a bit of magic on. Another stood by with a fire extinguisher.

The days weren't flying by as fast as Tony promised but you found small ways to entertain yourself without checking the news every ten minutes. Or meditating to check in on Heimdall.

"Okay we'll start simple, spaghetti and meatballs. We have ground beef, breadcrumbs, I read somewhere that breadcrumbs makes it taste better. And seasonings, I didn't know which ones to use so we're gonna do a bit of all of them."

"I could pull up a full recipe for the dish." FRIDAY suggested strongly

"Nope trial and error, FRIDAY. If I don't fail how will I know when I've succeeded?" You start throwing random seasonings in with the ground beef and breadcrumbs. Pepper, dried mustard, cinnamon, salt, ginger and chili powder just to name a few then push the bowl to the iron suit "Now mix."

It followed your orders, while you filled a pot with water for noodles. Out of habit you gave the TV a quick glance, a blurred photo of a woman with Wanda's features was on the screen.

"FRIDAY unmute the TV."

'...witch, a Sokovian refugee known to be in alliance with Steve Rogers, formerly known as Captain America, was allegedly spotted just outside of Denmark. Maximoff, along with Rogers, has been in hiding since the mass prison break. Possessing powers of hypnosis, and mind control, Maximoff is considered to be a weapon of mass destruction. If encountered, we warn that you call the authorities immediately-'

"Princess, I have an incoming call from Mr. Stark." FRIDAY announces

"Okay."

Tony's face pops up on the screen, muting the news again.

"Why is my iron suit wearing an apron?" He asked, watching the iron suit slide several meatballs into a frying pan

"He's cooking." You move over to the screen on the fridge "Have you seen the news? They're calling Wanda dangerous, a weapon."

"I did, that's why I called. Had to make sure you weren't escaping to Denmark. The media likes to twist things, matter of fact I wouldn't be surprised if it was a set up to get Rogers to go after her."

"If it is-"

"Then you need to stay hidden. I know you can handle yourself, but if it's a setup then you're the jackpot. Word will get to Rogers and then things will get really ugly."

You hopped onto the counter, somewhat oblivious to the meatballs still in the pan behind you. "I just feel like I should do something other than learn how to cook with the iron suits."

"And you will when the time comes. Until then- watch the meatballs!"

You turned in time for the second iron suit to spray the extinguisher onto the stove, putting out the smoking meatballs.

"Trial and error, just like I said."

"I swear you're gonna give me a heart attack, stay safe and don't burn down the house."

When the call ends, the TV pops back up. A girl with braids and a wide smile is on, her accent is heavy but she spoke clearly.

‘Wakanda's technology is far more ahead than anything Americans have experienced. That's why my people hid it from the world. My brother, King T'Challa, learned that by standing by and doing nothing we become apart of the problem. That is the purpose for our new outreach program.’ She told the interviewer

‘I must say Princess Shuri, there are some extremely outrageous devices you have here.’

The camera pans across the tech lab, showing off pieces of nanotech, virtual built cars surrounding seats made of glittering dirt and hoverboards that actually hover. You were fully intrigued by all of it.

‘Now correct me if I'm wrong, but you build your equipment from vibranium, the strongest metal on earth.’

‘Yes, all of our technical resources come from vibranium, however we are still debating the safest way to introduce it to the rest of the world.’ Shuri explained

‘And how do you feel knowing that former war hero turned rogue soldier, Steve Rogers, once used a shield made of vibranium?’ The interviewer practically shoved the microphone back towards Shuri

‘That is not relevant to the progress we've made in the program. Captain Rogers stood for something he believed in, and I believe he does what he feels is right.’ Shuri slightly narrowed her eyes at the reporter ‘If you'll excuse me, I have to return to my lab.’

She turned before the reporter could continue with her questions. You grinned at Shuri's attitude towards the reporter. It was one of the first time you heard someone other than Tony say something positive about Steve since your return.

"FRIDAY, pull up the address to the Wakanda outreach program."

Taglist: @classybai @moisoverennyi-thestarlessone @floralandspice @bi-bi-bi-bisexualz @theonelittleone @grey-junior @marvelousbuckystark @captainsthor @sebbystanlover-vk @jovialcalzonepaperzine @chook007 @dontchawishyouknewhowtosalsa @geekysimmerthings @codename-buckybarnes @marvelfansworld @emmaschhh @bruisedfaye @mackyk06 @teamcap4bucky @paigeem96 @lily-horvitz @tshollandlove @nerdypisces160 @mrs-captain-evans

New Taglist: @all-things-marvel-related @captainofallfandoms @purpleeyeswithgoldensparkles @slaymarvel @sinnfullyblessed @beterishot

[viralhottopics]

Hoverboard fires are still a problem, so here’s another product recall to remind you

Image: cpsc/Vecaro Lifestyle, image modified by Mashable 

Here we go again.

Following the tragic deaths of two children in Pennsylvania caused by a hoverboard fire earlier this month, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced the recall of yet another hoverboard brand.

SEE ALSO: The rise and fall of the hoverboard

The brand is Los Angeles-based Vecaro LifeStyle and the reason for the recall is the same as the ones we reported in 2016lithium-ion batteries.

“The lithium-ion battery packs in the self-balancing scooters/hoverboards can overheat, posing a risk of smoking, catching fire and/or exploding,” reads the advisory on the CPSC’s website, which specifically names the Glide65, Drift8 and Trek10 models of the Vecaro hoverboards.

Image: cpsc/Vecaro lifestyle

A visit to the Vecaro website shows its normal colorful promotions for hoverboards, but if you look waaaaaay down on the bottom of the page in small text you’ll see that the company has also posted its own recall notice.

“Customers, who purchased a Vecaro Hoverboard at any time during November 2015 through November 2016, should immediately discontinue use and choose one of the following remedies,” reads the notice, which then suggests returning the unit to the company for repair, or sending it in to receive a $200 credit toward the purchase of a UL-safety certified Vecaro hoverboard.

But considering that most of Vecaro’s hoverboards cost more than $200, the deal seems to fall short of doing the right thing, and outright replacing a potentially dangerous device.

You are a cool person! But can you be cool as #jamiefoxx riding his hoverboard? Tag someone you know that has a hoverboard in this post so they can share their cool pictures. #hoverboard #smartbalancewheel #selfbalancingwheel #skateboarding #skateboarder #skateboard #skatelife #electricscooter #hoverboards #selfbalancescooter #selfbalancingscooter #smartbalanceboard #christmaspresent #christmasshopping #birthdaypresents #birthdaygift #christmasgifts #giftshop #freegift #swag #airwheel #smartbalance #smartscooter #fun #instafollow #awesome #cool #lifestyle #vecarolifestyle

A post shared by Vecaro Lifestyle (@vecarolifestyle) on Nov 15, 2016 at 1:01pm PST

Just a few months ago, the company showed film and music star Jamie Foxx using one of its hoverboards in a splash across several social media sites including Twitter and Instagram. So while hoverboards have mostly fallen off the list of cool tech toys, it’s clear that hoverboard companies are still using celebrities to draw attention to the devices.

Hopefully, this new recall, which covers roughly 500 devices, isn’t the first of a new wave of recalls, but it definitely underscores the government’s renewed attention to hoverboards in the wake of the recent hoverboard fire deaths.

All that said, hoverboards may be corny, but no, they aren’t actually eviljust don’t assume you’re using a UL safety-certified device. If you insist on riding one, check it for what could be wrong with it first.

WATCH: U.S. government declares hoverboards unsafe

Read more: http://ift.tt/2mCn8IZ

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