#Mayor Kasumi

[jedifarmerr]

Chapter 9

Pairing: Frankie Morales x F!Reader/OFC (no y/n or physical descriptions)

Rating: E (18+ blog)

Word Count: 4k

Chapter Warnings: language?

Series Masterlist

You watched as Santi tacked five pieces of paper on the wall, one for each member of Council. You would need their stamp of approval like some rite of passage to prove yourself. Without it - well, you didn’t like to think about that. 

You watched Santi tack five pieces of water-crinkled paper on the wall, one for each member of Council. 

Like some rite of passage, you would need their stamp of approval to get in. Without it - well, you didn’t like to think about that. 

Whack. 

Santi hit the wall, the middle piece of a paper with a plastic ruler. “Preston Garvey. Mayor of Sanctuary. He’s the one who’ll run the session.” 

Benny leaned in and whispered, “Nice guy. Don’t worry about him.” 

“Like that’s possible. I’ll be worried even if he’s wasteland Mother Teresa.” 

“Who’s Mother Teresa?” 

Whack. 

“Kasumi, Preston’s right hand and Head of District Planning. Deacon - Trade Relations. Then, Curie, Technological Advancement.” Santi turned to Will with a mischievous smirk. “Got anything you’d like to add about her, Ironhead?” 

Santi wiggled his brows, and Will swatted the ruler out of his face. It boinged, but somehow didn’t break. Even though Will was trying to act annoyed, the tiny smile on his face gave him away. 

Will crossed his arms. “Curie’s easily the smartest person on that Council. Hell, she’s probably the smartest person in all of Sanctuary.” 

“No joke. She’s got it all,” Benny tagged in. “Brains, looks, and funny as shit. I think the two of you will get along just fine.” 

Fingers crossed. Hopefully their confidence wasn’t misplaced. 

Santi took a deep breath before looking at the last paper on the wall and tapping the crusty edge. “Tom - Military Operations.” His voice dimmed out like a dying light as his gaze swept across the room. 

You wondered if this could be the same Tom from their stories. Redfly. If so, why were they acting so weird? 

Your fingers drummed against the throw pillow in your lap. “So, what’s the deal with him?” 

Will peered up at you. Furrowed brows - ice-blue eyes. 

“There’s something you should know about Tom,” he said in that steady, even tone of his. “Tom grew up in the vaults, and it wasn’t good. We’ve been friends with him for a long time, and so we know he’s not gonna be too happy about this.” 

“Oh.” You didn’t know what else to say. This was the same Tom who took down a monster bear, so he could easily squish you like a bug. You cocooned into the musty, dusty and mildewy armchair. The carpet was stained in swirls of brown and green.

“Hey, we’re gonna talk to him, alright?” Frankie’s eyes bore into you. Burnt-umber. Determined. “We’ll deal with him.” 

You tugged at a loose thread on the pillow, twisted it around your finger. “Do you think that will help?” 

Santi wobbled his head from side to side. “Probably not, but technically - you don’t need his vote. Just the majority.” 

You almost chucked this pillow at his head. “What the hell is wrong with you? Why wouldn’t you start with that?” 

Santi gave a guilty smile - conceded. “My bad,” he muttered with a small chuckle. 

“Anything else I should know?” 

“Deacon also came from the vaults,” Will added, “But he’ll come in with an open mind. He’s not - he was too young to remember it.” 

“Kinda like how Piper is,” Benny threw out casually, as if you somehow would know that. 

You blinked, and suddenly your conversation at Fallon’s made a lot more sense. I’m not one of those, you can talk to me. 

It was a relief to think not everyone would hate you. At this point, you kinda thought they might, and if they did, you couldn’t really blame them. 

After all, your family had done something incredibly fucked up. 

—-

After a few days of planning and prepping her, Frankie stuffed his sleeping bag into his pack and swung it over his shoulder. He’d finally get to sleep in his own bed tonight. 

Frankie adjusted his cap before walking over to her. “How’re you feeling?” 

“Like I’m ready to get this over with,” she said, following him onto the front porch. 

They were back on the road and headed towards Sanctuary. It was just north of Salem, south of Lynn - a coastal town crowded into a peninsula. 

“Does anyone ever go in there?” She pointed at the riled up ocean, murky and brown as boa skin. 

“Not unless you got a death wish.” Benny snorted. “Whole things swarming with irradiated sharks and these giant crabs.” 

“Well that’s fucking terrifying.” 

“Exactly.” Frankie huffed out a laugh. “That’s one of the main reasons they chose this place.” 

“And here I thought they picked it based on its charm.” She grinned at him. “I always loved Marblehead. Nora had gone to college at Salem State, so on weekends when I’d stay with her, we’d always come over here and shop and eat by the water.” 

“Nora? Is that a friend of yours or something?” Benny asked and her head tilted. 

Surprised, she turned to Frankie. “I thought - did you not-”

Frankie shook his head. Even though he told them about her agreement and conditions, he’d left out the part about Nora. It didn’t feel like his story to tell. 

Benny eyed him with rapt suspicion before slowly turning away as if he was intruding. Frankie was willing to bet that Benny was gonna hassle him about that later. 

She didn’t get a chance to say anything else before they arrived at their destination. A rundown Baptist church. 

Santi checked his watch as he stepped through the large double doors. “Patrol should be here soon, so don’t get too comfortable.”

“That won’t be a problem,” she mumbled under her breath as she plopped down on a wooden pew without any cushions and threw her bag on the hard ground. 

He dropped down beside her, dug two granola bars from his bags, and offered her one that she eagerly accepted. Before she could grab it, he switched the flavors. 

Cautiously, she plucked it out of his hand. 

“I’m not trying to poison you,” he said. “Those are your favorite, aren’t they?” 

A teensy smile toyed with the edge of her lips as she nodded. “I didn’t think you would know that.” 

He shrugged, and maybe he shouldn’t have said that. Silently, he ate his own granola bar. 

The sun burnt through the stained glass windows, igniting the room in a burst of jewel tones. He could remember coming to this church in his early days as a lowly private when there wasn’t a lick of stubble on his chin. It was usually Santi and him on this route, their name scribbled over and over in the log book under the gangrene cross at the altar. 

“Do you really think this is gonna work?” Her voice was small and timid, her big eyes peered up at him.

“I wouldn’t put you up for this, if I didn’t think so.”

She bit at the inside of her cheek - chewing on it thoughtfully. She glanced at where Benny and Will and Santi were talking, a few rows away. They seemed engrossed in their own conversation. He assumed it was about Tom.

“Is there a reason you didn’t tell them about Nora?” 

Frankie shrugged. “Just didn’t feel like my place, I guess.” 

She smiled at that. She opened her mouth to say something, but Benny interrupted.

“Guys, they’re here.” He pointed at the shadows passing the windows. 

Frankie felt his stomach twist. There was no going back, now. 

—

Tom’s relief quickly morphed into confusion as the two guards shared the news. 

They were back, but nobody could know. 

Immediately, Tom stormed out of the Council building and towards the wall with the two guards trailing behind him. 

There were no bells - no family - nobody running from town to welcome them home. He didn’t know what the fuck was going on or why they wanted discretion, but he knew it involved that girl. 

The Diamond City caravan had come through town recently and told him about her. They didn’t know who she was or where she came from, and neither did these guards. 

As he approached the gates, Sergeant Kessler saluted him. Most of the time, she was surrounded by a small army, but the majority of their soldiers were out doing rounds. Smart move. Less people, less witnesses. It had Santi written all over it. 

At his command, the gates opened and they were home. Tom couldn’t help but smile when he saw them intact, every arm and leg accounted for and barely a scratch. 

“Well, look who finally decided to show up.” He gave each one a hug. It’d been too long. 

When he finally spotted her, he stepped back and puffed out his chest. His lips formed into a flat line as he crossed his arms. He was fully aware of his size, used it to his advantage as he scrutinized her. 

She didn’t squirm like he’d expect. Her expression remained unreadable, but she appeared to study him. 

Blue. What a stupid fucking name. 

He didn’t extend his hand, neither did she. He checked her finger for a ring - nothing. Thank God, though her nails were surprisingly clean. Enough for him to notice. 

“It’s nice to finally put a face to the name,” she said. “I’ve heard so much about you.” 

Tom curled his lips into what could translate as a smile or sneer. “Likewise.” 

Frankie blinked - she glanced over at him, uneasy. 

“The Diamond City caravan said there was a girl traveling with you,” he explained. “And they sure had a lot to say.” 

“How much did you have to pay for that?” Santi scoffed at him. 

“Couple bucks,” he lied. In fact, Molly had forced him to sleep on the couch for how much he spent. 

The stupid caravan had baited and taunted him like bratty kids: I know something you don’t know. 

“Well, I can only hope it was all good things.” She smirked. “Or, at least that you got your money’s worth.” 

Tom’s nose twitched - what the fuck did that mean? He squinted at Frankie, who gave a puny smile. 

“Why don’t we talk in your office?” Will patted him on the shoulder as if to placate him. 

Tom went over to Kessler and stared down each and every guard individually. “Make sure they know one word about any of this, and there’ll be consequences.” 

The Council building was a lone wolf aside from the wall. Town was over a half-mile down that dirt road, so they didn’t have to worry about anyone catching them. 

Benny dragged a chair from the lobby to outside of his office for her to wait. Then, he closed the door. 

“Everyone was beginning to think you guys were dead after nobody spotted you for what? A month.” 

Santi sat down in the chair across from Tom’s desk, “Yeah, we got a little held up.” 

“A little? I’d say that’s more than a little. I hope it was worth it.” 

“I would say so,” Santi said before telling him about the vault, the hall of frozen bodies and Tom could not believe that those rumors were true.

He’d nearly forgotten about the woman outside the room until they mentioned a girl, alone in a vault suit. 

Tom’s hands began to shake - his skin felt hot and stiff and too tight over his bones. They had brought the enemy into their home - into Sanctuary. 

“You can’t be serious.” Tom spotted Frankie in the corner. The gray t-shirt nearly blended into the wall. He wondered if Frankie wore it on purpose, like camouflage. 

“She’s agreed to help up,” Santi stated, too calmly. “But she does have a few conditions-”

Tom could not bear to hear anymore. He smacked his desk with a flat palm, rattling the jars of pens and pencils rattled, the picture of Molly and the girls face-planted. This was not happening. 

Santi sighed, “Look, I know you don’t want to hear this, but we need her help-”

“Fuck her help. We’ll be fine without it.” 

Santi’s gaze flickered to the thin stack of files on his desk. Tom almost flung it across the room. 

“How long’s it been since we actually found a Vault? 6 years? 7? Come on. We don’t stand a chance without her. Think about it - she’s the answer.” 

“Goddamit Santi. Don’t you feed me that bullshit.” 

“It’s not bullshit, man,” Will interjected. “She’s our best bet. We’re fucking dead in the water without her.”

Tom stared dumbly at Ironhead.

“She’s willing to go against her own family-” 

“What’s that say about her?” 

“Fuck you,” Benny shot from his seat. His nostrils flared as if he was personally offended. “You don’t even know her-”

“Oh, and you do?” A chuckle twisted Tom’s lips into an ugly sneer. This was insane. None of them knew this woman. She could be a spy or a liar of a fucking lunatic. “Fish, come on. You’re not really going along with this, are you?” 

Frankie’s gaze was slightly pained, but sure and steady as he looked at him. It plunged through his stomach - carved out his insides. He felt betrayed. He felt wronged and raw and he could barely stand the sight of him - any of them, in fact.

“I wasn’t sure at first, but -” 

“Fucking save it.”

“Just give her a chance.” Frankie’s voice was soft, pleading and suddenly, Tom realized this wasn’t just about the vaults. 

No - this was about her. They actually fucking cared about her. 

Tom stared at the plaque on the wall - ten years of service. He knew this never would’ve happened if he was still out there with them. She’d be dead or, at the very least, in cuffs. 

Tom picked up the knocked over picture frame of his family, and set it back into place. “If you’re looking for my approval on this - it’s not gonna happen.” 

“We didn’t expect you to,” Santi answered. “We just thought you deserved a heads-up.” 

Curtly, he nodded. There was nothing else to say. 

The first person to stand up was Will. He came over and squeezed Tom’s shoulder, followed by Benny and Santi. As they left, Frankie stepped in front of his desk. 

“Tom-”

“Do you actually trust her?” Tom interrupted. “Even after everything you know - all we’ve seen - what we’ve been through - you trust her?” 

Frankie’s boots scraped over the course carpet when he shuffled from one knee to the next. His hands were firmly latched on his hips, and Tom thought he was about to shake his head. He expected Frankie to say he was overruled - outnumbered - of course he didn’t trust a girl like her. 

He waited for Frankie to say no, but he nodded instead. Under the brim of his cap, his eyes were clear as he looked at Tom. It felt like a knife in his sternum. 

Tom sniffed, half of his face twitched. His anger bubbled into an uncontrollable rage. “I wonder what your dad would think of that - about all of this.” 

Frankie’s lips parted; his face blanched. The corded muscles in his neck tensed as if he was about to be sick. It was a low blow, but Tom didn’t fucking care. They had carelessly decided to bring her here, putting everyone, Molly - his girls - in danger. 

Right now, he couldn’t find it in him to regret what he said. Not even as he watched Frankie silently leave without looking back. 

—

The Council building was nothing special, despite the name. It used to be a convalescent home - Chambers was the cafeteria. 

The founders of Sanctuary had created this bench by shoving two banquet tables together, casing it with red cloth, then setting it atop a small stage on the eastern wall. 

Tom took his seat at the far, right end. The guys went first, Santi as the mouthpiece, and while he went into slightly more detail, it still didn’t sway him. Tom was rooted firmly in the opposition. 

The double doors opened and Tom frowned as she stepped in, everyone in the room stared at her.

“Damn, she’s kinda hot,” Deacon gaped and Tom rolled his eyes. 

He scrutinized her again. Just like Frankie and them, she had not bathed in days. She’d probably look much better clean because she was not ugly, he supposed. Different - but not someone who would catch his attention. 

During her introduction, she added two hundred years to her age and he gagged at her attempt to be cute. Everyone else laughed, of course, but he swore Tess could’ve come up with something better and she was eight. 

He tried - really, he did - to give her a chance, but every detail he learned about her only soured his opinion.

Her sister worked for the company, as well. Alice had been involved with figuring how to keep the vaults sustainable in the long-term. Hello - red flag? 

Her mom was the fucking lead architect - her dad was Chief Director. One of the top dogs. 

“You said earlier, you weren’t very close with your mom and sister, but what about your dad?” Kasumi twirled a pen in her hand. Out of everyone, she seemed to be the only one on the fence, though barely. These people were eating out of the palm of her hand. 

Blue frowned. For a moment, he thought she was gonna turn on the water works, but she didn’t. She seemed to swallow it down with as much grace as a shot of bathtub bourbon. 

“My dad and I were close. We have - had a good relationship.” 

“And he never said anything to you?” Tom had to interject and she shook her head. “And you never overheard anything? Nothing?” 

“Trust me, I’ve spent the last few days thinking about the same thing, trying to figure out if I missed something, but nothing has come to mind yet,” she said. “My family was pretty tight lipped about Vault-Tec. I used to think it was because they wanted me to work there - and what they could tell me was pretty limited with their NDA-”

“An ND-what?” 

“A non-disclosure agreement.” 

Preston cleared his throat. 

“From what I’ve read, it basically prevented the person from sharing information with anyone outside the company. If you did, there could be severe repercussions,” Preston clarified for him, and Tom huffed. 

Preston spent his free time reading any and every pre-war book that he could get his hands on about law and government and espionage. In another life, Preston would’ve been an attorney - or the fucking president. He was a distant relative of Barack Obama. At least, according to him. 

Again - Preston regained control and asked a few bogus questions before one perked Tom’s interest. 

“So, why you? Why did you get out?” 

She shrugged, seemingly at a loss. 

“I wish I could tell you. It had to be some mistake. There’s no other explanation.” 

Shit answer. Too bad no one else seemed to think so since Preston moved on to her version of events with the guys. 

“-so, once I had a few days to think about it, I decided to help-” 

“Why?” Tom interfered - Preston’s eyes seared into his profile. 

She raised her chin - her gaze level with his. “It’s the right thing to do-”

“And what makes you say that?” He, again, cut her off. Her head tilted in what seemed to be confusion. He scoffed. “What changed? What happened? You said it took a few days to decide, so what made you-”

“Guilt.” Her voice didn’t waver. “It became pretty clear I couldn’t live with myself if I just sat by and did nothing. It’d make me no better than them-”

“So, you think you’re better than them?” 

“Tom.” Preston hissed, but Tom’s eyes remained glued to her face. 

She swallowed - her fingers curled at her side. “I’m not perfect, but I’m not a bad person-”

“But you’re not helping us for free, right? Don’t you have conditions?”

As she let out a huff, Preston pounded on the table, a single strike of his gavel. 

He pointed the gavel at Tom’s chest and warned him, “Don’t push it.” 

Tom’s nostrils flared. There was a bitter taste in his mouth and he grimaced. 

Preston nodded at her. 

“I do have some conditions, but they’re not what you think.” 

“Go on,” Preston encouraged her, then shot Tom a pointed look. 

“I’m not just gonna hand over all the information at once. As much as you may not trust me, I don’t trust you,” she said, looking directly at him. “We don’t know each other. So, we’ll start with one vault and go from there.” 

“Would you be willing to tell us how many locations you know?” Curie thoughtfully pursed her lips as she twirled one of her box braids around her finger. 

She agreed, “Let's say around 20.” 

“The exact location?” 

“Yeah and I could get you within a mile or so of a couple others. I believe there are two, possibly three more vaults like mine, as well.” 

That was a lot of intel, but it still didn’t change his mind. 

“Okay, what’s your second condition?”

Her feet shuffled along the gritty cafeteria tile - black and white checkerboard. “Everyone in those vaults will receive a fair trial-”

Tom jolted, nearly shooting from his seat. “No fucking way-”

“It’s not just Vault-Tec employees down there. It’s families - kids - people who might be innocent.” Her jaw started to tremble. She rubbed at the center of her chest as if it burned with acid. Then, she took a deep breath. “There has to be others like me. I can’t be the only one who didn’t know. I can’t.”

“So, you’re leaving it up to us to decide whether they’re guilty or not?” Kasumi asked, her brow arched, pen stalled above her notepad. 

“Just as you’re doing for me, today,” she pointed out. He hated that she was actually kinda smart.

“Anything else?” 

“I want immunity for me and anyone else found innocent. They’ll get a chance at a new life.” 

“Is that it?” 

She hummed - nodded. 

Preston looked down both sides of the table, and with no further questions, he dismissed her. 

“The Council will now convene and we’ll call you back once a decision has been reached.”

—

You were in the lobby, waiting - pacing. Everyone, but Frankie, was knocked out. There was a soft snore coming from either Santi or Will. 

For a moment, you lingered around the double doors leading to the Council Chambers. Perhaps, if you got close enough -

“Don’t even try - soundproof.” Frankie leaned forward in the chair that must’ve been taken from a waiting room at a doctors office. It was shocking that he could fit in the space between the armrests. His legs were stretched, open wide - arms draped across the two empty chairs beside him. It was like he was purposefully taking up as much space as humanly possible. 

Groaning, you flopped onto the worn loveseat that stank of dust motes and elderly, forgotten ghosts. The ceiling tiles above you were bruised with water stains. After a moment, you rolled over onto your side and traced along the coarse, tufted buttons on the cushion, examined the pattern - maroon and amber florals, olive leaves. 

You let out a long sigh. “How much longer?” 

Frankie snorted, likely finding you dramatic. It felt like you’d been out here for hours, but it’d probably been somewhere closer to 45 minutes. If even that. 

“You’re so impatient.” 

“And you wouldn’t be?” 

His head ticked to one side - fair. 

Behind those doors, there were five strangers who were determining your future; a fact you were trying very hard not to dwell too much on. Easier said than done. 

“Would it help if I told you how great you did, again?” 

You hummed, slowly tapping your chin. “I mean, it couldn’t hurt.” 

The corner of his lips twitched with a smirk. “You were perfect.” His voice dipped low - you couldn’t tell if he was taunting you or not. Either way, it made your stomach feel warm. 

Immediately, you sat up and petted your shirt. “I was, wasn’t I?” 

He huffed out a laugh, then looked away. For a long moment, he stared at an oil painting on the wall - a lighthouse under a dark, stormy sky. He bit down on his cheek, nibbling it pensively. 

You figured he was likely thinking about Tom. Their early conversation in his office didn’t seem to go well. 

“What about you, Frankie?” 

“What about me?” His head rolled back in your direction. 

“How’re you doing?” 

He brushed you off with a wave of his hand. “Don’t worry about me.” 

“Too late.” 

The words had slipped out so easily, it seemed to surprise both of you. His eyes met yours and the double doors opened. It jolted the guys awake. 

“We’re ready.” 

Again - you entered the room with a pit in your stomach. The Council’s expressions were as blank as the King’s Guard, except for Tom, who appeared annoyed and slightly disgusted. Same as earlier. 

Despite the pounding of your heart, you managed to smile. Under the can lights, you wondered if they could see the sweat on your temples. Your hands were equally as damp as they twitched at your side. 

Preston rose from his seat. 

“After much deliberation and based on majority vote, the Council has reached a decision.” He paused and a smile spread across his face. “Blue - welcome to Sanctuary.” 

[tealenko]

i'm ultra tired, but worth it...

Wooooo!!! Finnally finished planning my fic (cost me a while to find the right order to tell everything T-T)

So yeah... Tomorrow I'll start writing the last chapter of Didn't Have the Heart. Wish me luck!

🔽NOTES🔽

Looking at the drinks at the bar -> 1st flashback -> she took a nap on the kodiak -> nightmare happened -> she does direct to port observation

Pours the drink, has a deep moment staring at the gin and then changes her mind -> she needs it, and she has learned to never drink when you feel like you need it (cause ME2)

Instead she looks at it one more time, toast to the air and leaves to go to her room.

Lies in bed -> cannot sleep -> 1st flashback -> the kodiak, back to the Normandy, with Legion / Kaidan / Garrus

Garrus (could be Tali, but I don’t think she’s been present for all of it in ME2 [project overlord] and ME3 [Grissom Academy], consult the timeline) freaks out a little

Recalls project overlord

Kaidan is like: yeah, I kinda agree, but Shepard is gonna do Shepard things.

He’s also processing all the new info like: wow…

He loves/hates her courage 

Perhaps Legion’s comments that they wouldn’t endanger Shepard.

G to K: “Aren’t you gonna say a fucking thing about this!?”

K to G: “What do you want me to say? I have no power to stop her from being that way. I’m a mere spectator here. Just doing my best to process everything while helping.”

G to K: Thanks for the help man.

G: I’m more affected: after all these years of suicide plans and all the Cerberus shit.

S to G: I appreciate the sentiment, Garrus, but I’m fine, as you can see.

Kaidan leaves them arguing and talks to Legion for a while -> last opportunity

Back to reality, in bed, keeps turning around

Sees her uniform -> #distracted

Goes to see Kaykay

Stops at the door -> receives message from admiral korris (to tell he’s already saved lol) and when she is about to knock decides not to -> goes to the kitchen instead

Maybe a short conversation with Chawkas??

“Mayor Alenko was looking for you not too long ago?” + the I know look on her face -> that’s all she needs to return to her og plan

Goes back to the room ->Have her mention the amount of reports she has to do -> hesitation followed by a fuck it!!

Enters. -> The rest happens

Mention that there’s a cot in Starboard observation (Kaidan’s room) -> It’s Kasumi’s old cot

Fluff to spicy banter

Smut

They spend a while talking on the sofa

She falls sleep

Nightmare

Mention the ring here perhaps

Flash to the bar chapter in LBIG?

She wakes up less shaken than usually -> Bittersweet moment of mourning the dead but being comforted by spending some time in their company, even if it’s on her dreams

Or maybe I can show a little on the ME2 beginning when she gives it to Kaidan

When she’s woken up she sees him passed out on the cot, surrounded by datapads -> she pulls all that stuff on one of the tables and checks that he’s done indeed all her job (informs and all that stuff)

Grabs a blanket and covers him

She’s about to leave but remembers his words -> She hesitates, almost leaves, but doesn’t in the end

And we end with fluff

She joins him in the cot

He hugs her and smiles

She reprimands him for not following her orders (waking her up to do the reports and doing her job instead)

We end the chapter as he replies: I didn’t have the heart

[slocum-dodson]

I finally left Bar Harbor.

I hated this shitty little island. I hated Nick's creepy brother. I hate the people of Bar Harbor. I blew up the cult that was intentionally poisoning all of them and they got pissed with me. "Oh boo-hoo, you blew up all those people." Those people were poisoning your water supply, you fucks. I wore the stupid hat that you guys gave me for doing the Captain's Dance while I mowed down those cultists.

I got Kasumi Nakano to return to her family. I won and everyone who wasn't with me suffered.

Fuck you Bar Harbor, your mayor or whatever is a synth. The only good thing about visiting Maine is Vim! Soda. A controversial opinion, I know. But I think it tastes better than Nuka Cola.

Look at that factory, bee yoo tee ful. (ignore the fire.)

[nahirrojashopeandlove-blog]

Parejas en mi AU

Ash (33) y Dawn (31). Hijos: Gemelas de 12 años (Akiko y Akira) y un hijo de 10 años (Yasuo)

Paul y Zoey (34). Hijos: El mayor de 11 años (Yoshito) e hija de 9 años (Kaede)

Reggie (38) y Maylene (36). Hijos: El mayor de 15 años (Takeo) , el del medio de 12 años (Kazuya) y la menor de 10 años (Kasumi)

Brook (38) y Olivia (37). Hijos: El mayor de 15 años (Asahi) , los gemelos de 14 años (Luano y Reo), el cuarto de 13 años (Huali), las gemelas de 12 años (Ani y Hani), los mellizos de 11 años (Kaleo y Keola), la novena de 10 años (Hitomi) , la décima de 9 años (Kalea) y el menor de 8 años años (Koi)

James y Jessie (41). Hijos: La mayor de 15 años (Nomi) y la menor de 13 años (Reiko)

Tracey (37) y Misty (35). Hijos: El mayor de 13 años (Kaito), el del medio de 11 años (Mizu) y la menor de 10 años (Kano)

Kenny y Leona (31). Hijos: Un hijo de 11 (Kenji) años

Drew y May (34). Hijos: Trillizos de 13 años (Katsuo, Daiki y Nyoko)

Clemont (34) Serena (33). Hijos: La mayor de 10 años (Levi) y la menor de 8 años(Sasha)

Max y Bonnie (26). Hijos: Un hijo de 3 años (Zentaro)

Cilan (37) e Iris (34). Hijos: Trillizos de 12 años (Kimura, Jiro y Mako) y la hija menor de 11 años ( Mayumi)

Kiawe y Mallow (32). Hijos: el mayor de 11 años (Maui), la del medio de 10 (Malia) y el menor de 9 años(Nakoa)

Gladio (33) y Lana (32). Hijos: Trillizos de 11 años (Keano, Keawe y Kekoa) y el menor de 9 años (Hani)

Tilo y Lillie (32). Hijos: la mayor de 9 años (Nohi) y el menor de 8 años (Masahiro)

Chris (32) adopta a su hijo cuando él tenia los 7 años, ahora tiene 15 años (Jiraiya)

Koharu y Gou (30). Hijos: La mayor de 8 años (Sakura) y la menor de 7 años (Saori)

Barry y Bianca (35). Hijos: Gemelos de 12 años (Kane y Katsuo)

Gary y Leaf (33). Hijos: El mayor de 12 años (Ikki) y el menor de 9 años (Shiro)

Cress (37) y Georgia (36). Hijos: Gemelas de 12 años (Emiko y Hayami)

Zeo y Burgundy (37). Hijos: Trillizos de 12 años (Alphonse, Bastian y Vincent)

Alan y Aria (35). Hijos: Una hija de 14 años (Camille)

Tierno y Shauna (33). Hijos: El mayor de 11 años (Bruno) y el menor de 10 años (Christophe)

Trevor y Nini (33). Hijos: El mayor de 14 años (Jean), la segunda de 12 años (Mélodie), el tercero de 11 años (Adrien) y la menor de 10 años (Lucie)

Sawyer y Miette (33). Hijos: Mellizos de 12 años (Adrienne y Luc)

Guzmán (56) y Plumeria (54). Hijos: El mayor de 17 años (Koa) y la menor de 16 años(Nalu)

Profesor Kukui y Burnet (56). Hijos: Un hijo de 16 años (Lei)

Lionel y Sonia (35). Hijos: El mayor de 11 años (Ethan) y el menor de 10 años (Noah)

Roy y Cathi (35). Hijos: La mayor de 11 años (Elizabeth) y la menor de 10 años (Amelia)

Hop y Gloria (32). Hijos: El mayor de 10 años  (Connor) y el menor de 7 años (Kyle)

Berto y Roxy (32). Hijos: La mayor de 10 años (Ema) y la menor de 7 años (Emily)

Víctor y Penny (32). Hijos: El mayor de 10 años (Seth) y el menor de 9 años (Zac)

Arven e Iono (36). Hijos: una hija de 12 años (Charlotte)

Trip (36) x Nemona (32). Hijos: El mayor de 12 años (Harry) y la menor de 8 años (Lilly)

N (38) x Anís (36). Hijos: La mayor de 14 años (Astrid), el del medio de 12 años (Conall) y la menor de 10 años (Alisa)

Matis x Faitsu (35). Hijos: El mayor de 11 años (Silver) y la menor de 7 años (Jenika)

Lucho x Liza (35). Hijos: un hijo de 11 años (Oliver)

Cheren (35)  x Oryza (41). Hijos: el mayor de 14 años (Leonardo) y la menor de 12 años (Venus)

Rizzo x Lía (35). Hijos: Una hija de 11 años (Jade)

Gold x Cristi (34). Hijos: Un hijo de 13 años (Akemi), la del medio de 12 años (Aoi) y la menor de 11 años (Amaya)

Silver (34) x Lyra (33). Hijos: La mayor de 13 años (Akane) y la menor de 11 años (Ima)

Bruno (33) x Ariana (32). Hijos: Una hija de 12 años (Aiko)

León x Angie (33). Hijos: El mayor de 12 años (Katashi) y el menor de 10 años (Akihiro)

[vldfanenesp]

Voltron Legendary Defender Fanfiction

Hilos de Telar

Epilogo: Código: Paladin blood

.....o.o.o.o.O.O.O.O.0.0.0.O.O.O.O.o.o.o.....

E.1

Por la calle principal que conducía a la explanada principal de la academia Galaxy Garrison se podía escuchar un par de pasos retumbando con fuerza en la solitaria acera en lo que se aproximaba a su destino. Era un recorrido que realizaba Kasumi todas las mañanas, pero finamente, ese día, su entrenamiento rendía frutos; estaba solo unos minutos tarde y acelerando su paso podía compensar la tardanza que traía encima.

Era un día importante, algo estaba por suceder y era una suerte que llevara con sigo sus zapatos deportivos.

En la gran explanada de la academia Galaxy Garrison se encontraban las nuevas generaciones de pilotos especiales (los MFE fighters), así como legendario pilotos que servían de maestros para aquellos alumnos. Al frente del imponente edificio de la academia que había sobrevivido al mayor enfrentamiento galáctico que había visto la tierra, se encontraba un podio donde se esperaba con ansias la llegada del interlocutor principal.

Kasumi contó con suerte, aún no comenzaban cuando ella finalmente alcanzó su asiento.

–¿Qué me perdí? –dijo tranquilamente una vez que se dejó caer contra en su puesto junto a Luana.

–¡Kasumi! ¿Dónde estabas? –la regañó la chica de rostro redondo y moreno –. Llegas tarde.

–Elegantemente tarde, lo prefiero, por favor –respondió Kasumi ajustando la coleta que recogía su larga cabellera castaña. 

–“Tristemente tarde”, yo lo llamaría –dijo a su vez un joven de rostro pálido y cabellera negra al otro lado de Luana.

Kasumi estaba por responderle despectivamente a Mathias cuando Estrella, la joven menuda y de lentes que estaba sentada al final de la fila, acalló a todos con:

–Silencio – dijo la joven más pequeña de estatura de los cuatro –. Están por empezar.

Los cuatro jóvenes volvieron la vista al podio principal donde tres figuras se aproximaban al centro del mismo. Ataviados con sus mejores y formales trajes se encontraban el capitán Curtis a la izquierda, la comandante Verónica a la derecha y el almirante Shiro al centro.

–Les agradecemos mucho que asistieran este importante día –dijo el almirante Shiro mientras en su rostro se dibujaba una cálida sonrisa –, una fecha importante para la academia Galaxy Garrison. Hace quince años la humanidad enfrentó un difícil reto cuando la armada galra atacó la tierra, pero con la ayuda de Voltron y los valientes MFE fighters de la academia logramos juntos vencer la amenaza.

Murmullos se escucharon entre los espectadores, probablemente recuerdos de la dura guerra que cambio para siempre a la tierra. Los chicos en la fila no habían nacido cuando tal suceso ocurrió, pero los hechos estaban grabados en los registros de historia, así como en los relatos de sus padres.

–Como resultado de aquella guerra, la humanidad hizo fuertes lazos de amistad con otras razas espaciales, fomentados los lazos de la hermandad, la unidad y la libertad. Desde entonces, la academia Galaxy Garrison ha sido el primer contacto con la coalición de planetas que busca la paz en el universo.

De nuevo los murmullos se multiplicaron, algunos en diferente dialecto, sin duda por algunos de seres pertenecientes de los seres espaciales parte de la coalición que habían encontrado su hogar entre los humanos.

–Y honrando esa amistad, la academia Galaxy Garrison ha organizado una expedición intergaláctica con el propósito de visitar y fortalecer las relaciones con los mundos aliados de la coalición. Sabemos que será un viaje muy largo que tomará años, por ello les agrademos enormemente a todos los voluntarios y a sus familias, y una vez que volvamos a la tierra, nuestro hogar, sé que la encontraremos protegida por una nueva generación de los mejores pilotos.

Las palabras de Shiro fueron recibidas por fuertes aplausos y sutiles chiflidos.

–El viaje de la humanidad hacia el espacio ha sido larga, pero el conocimiento y la aventura siempre ha traído grandes recompensas. De nuevo, gracias a todos ya que, sin ustedes, el más brillante sueño de los seres humanos, estar entre las estrellas, será de nuevo una realidad.

Los ánimos estaban alzados y rápidamente los espectadores comenzaron a ponerse de pie en lo vítores aumentaban de fuerza. Kasumi, Luana, Estrella y Matthias se levantaron por igual, aplaudiendo con el entusiasmo que le caracterizaba a cada uno su personalidad. No podían evitarlo, los discursos de su padre Shiro siempre tenían el mismo efecto en ellos.      

  .....o.o.O.O.0.O.O.o.o.....

–Nunca creí que este día llegaría –repetía una y otra vez Kasumi en lo que avanzando dando brincos por el largo corredor de la academia en dirección del laboratorio de robótica.

–¿De qué tanto hablas? –les espetó su hermano Matthias secamente, en lo que andaba con las manos dentro de sus bolsillos –. Lo estuviste repitiendo una y otra vez cada segundo, de cada día, por las últimas cuatro semanas.

–Es la gran oportunidad –continuó su hermana ignorándolo por completo –, la primera vez que saldremos de la tierra. En una aventura conociendo otros mundo y seres…

–Con toda la familia –agregó Estrella con un picara sonrisa que había heredado de su madre –. Prácticamente son vacaciones familiares.

Kasumi no pudo evitar hacer una mueca ante tal comentario.

–Pero olvidas un detalle –comentó también Luana antes de que las puertas del laboratorio se abrieran automáticamente para cederles el paso.

–¿Cuál sería?

–Que no vamos a descansar ni un segundo –contestó ella apagando aún las sonrisas de sus hermanos –. Mamá no lo va a permitir. Nos va hacer trabajar como mulas.

 –¿Quién los hará trabajar como mulas? –dijo una voz a espaldas de los chicos provocando que se crisparan en segundos y se volvieran de golpe para toparse cara a cara con su madre.

Su madre, Katie “Pidge” Holt se encontraba parados a sus espadas en compañía de su hermano Matt, tío de los chicos, y su robot asistente en forma de esfera que flotaba a suavemente a su alrededor. Ambos ataviados con sus batas blancas y gafas de protección.

–¿Quién los hará trabajar como mulas? – repitió nuevamente Matt a lo que los chicos solo pudieron responder con rápidos movimientos de los ojos indicando a su madre –. Oh –dijo este percatándose de las señas y agregó –: Definitivamente.

Por suerte, Pidge se encontraba distraída con su tableta electrónica informativa para percatarse de los actos culposos de sus hijos.

–¿Qué tal estuvo el discurso? –preguntó ella enfocada en su trabajo en lo que se dirigía a una mesa.

–E-estupendo –tartamudeo Luana nerviosa en lo que tiraba con sus dedos el dobladillo de sus mangas –. Otasan Shiro es muy elocuente.

–Bueno, dar discursos es el super poder de su otosan –dijo Pidge concentrada en lo aparatos en la mesa, en lo que su asistente robótica escaneaba cada uno de ellos.

–Creí que era regresar de la muerte –soltó Matt desde el otro lado de la mesa.

–No, ese es su don –sentencio la mujer con una sonrisa pícara.

–¿Qué hacen? –preguntó Estrella aproximándose a los artilugios en la mesa con interés, sus hermanos solo la copiaron.

–Estamos revisando que los generadores de enfriamiento estén listos para el viaje –explicó su tío mostrándole en una tableta electrónica las mediciones –. De que servirían almacenar una tonelada de papas fritas si estas se echaran a perder al atravesar el primer agujero de gusano – comentó ganándose algunas risas de sus sobrinos.

–Ya no puedo aguantar, deseo que ya sea mañana –soltó de nuevo Kasumi casi brincando. Su madre tuvo que poner una de sus manos sobre su hombro para calmar sus ánimos.

–Sí llegaste tarde al discurso de otosan Shiro –la delató de inmediato Matthias.

–¡Kasumi! –finalmente la mujer levantó la vista de su tableta para lanzarle una mirada desaprobatoria a su hija.

–Maaaa…. Pero tú tampoco fuiste –se defendió la chica haciendo un puchero.

–Salvé a la galaxia en compañía de ese hombre, no hay nada nuevo que pueda decir que no haya escuchara antes –se defendió por igual su madre desviando la mirada.

Pero a sus palabras, los hijos de la mujer comenzaron a discutir entre ellos, principalmente Matthias y Kasumi, como solía hacerlo la mayor parte del tiempo. No tardó mucho para que Pidge se hartara de los reclamos de sus hijos por igual, por lo que le dijo:

–Si tiene tanto tiempo para desperdiciarlo peleando, porque no va a buscar a su papi Lance. La abuela Colleen quería ver con él algo sobre las cosechas de hidroponía de la nave.

–Está bien mamá –aceptaron lo chicos marchando hacía la puerta.

–Les dije que no haría trabajar –masculló Luana tratando no ser escuchada.

–¡Oí eso! –bramó de ultimo Pidge, provocando que sus cuatro hijos salieran despavoridos por la puerta del laboratorio. La mujer continuó revisando las mediciones en su tableta electrónica, en lo que le lanzaba una que otra mirada de soslayo a su hermano, quien prácticamente tenía escrito en la cara que ansiaba decir algo –. ¿Qué? –le espetó ella.

–¿No crees que a veces eres un poco… fría con ellos?

–Tienen doce años y está por embarcarse a viaje espacial donde visitaran diferentes mundos y pilotearan naves experimentales, alguien tiene que ser la agua fiesta que se asegure que sigan con vida.

Ya que el hecho de que estuvieran con vida era ya todo un milagro en sí. Después de aquella batalla con príncipe Lotor, lo paladines se enfrentaron a muchas sorpresas y cambios, habían perdido su castillo de los leones, descubierto que aquel que se presentó como Shiro era en realidad un impostor, el verdadero se encontraba perdido y Keith había recuperado sin querer cuatro capsulas de una base de clonación galra.

Era mucho que procesar aquel momento y más, cuando sus análisis del contenido de aquellas capsulas, revelaron que se trataban de cuatros embriones humanos, con la mescla del código genético de los cinco paladines.

Por mucho tiempo pensaron que hacer con ellos, tenían una lucha por delante y otras preocupaciones antes de enfrentar esas nuevas formas de vida. Pidge siendo la más jóvenes de todos, tardó más que los demás en aceptar la existencia de los mismo.

Esas dudas llevaron a mantener guardados en un lugar seguro a los embriones por bastante tiempo, hasta que los paladines estuvieran todos de acuerdo en que hacer con ellos; ya que todos tenían diferentes opiniones. Pero los años de almacenamiento no ayudarían; los contenedores de los embriones que comenzaron fallar y la decisión debió tomarse de una vez por todas. 

Pidge era aún joven y su mente y cuerpo no estaban listos para enfrentar tal carga que representaban esos cuatro niños. Alguien más dio el paso adelante y cargo dentro de su vientre a los niños hasta término. Todas las dudas que tuvo la paladín verde se despejaron una vez que cargó por primera vez a Matthias en sus brazos, pero a diferencia de sus compañeros, Pidge tuvo que enfrentar diferente los retos de la maternidad, algo que sin duda había afectado un poco la relación con sus hijos. 

–Tienen casi tú edad cuando salvaste el universo –comentó Matt con suavidad.

–Por eso lo digo –señaló Pidge tajantemente –. Y en lugar de estar discutiendo de eso… ¿No estás emocionado con el viaje por igual?

–Por supuesto, ansió ver a mis viejos amigos de la rebelión.

–Y tal vez una persona en especial –se burló su hermana ocultando parte de su rostro detrás de su tableta, pero lanzándole una mirada incriminatoria.

–Eso es historia antigua –soltó Matt levemente sonrojado tratando de ignorar el tema, pero hasta el robot asistente comenzó a medir su temperatura corporal –, ella nunca se dio cuenta en mi interés.

–¿Y por qué no ahora? Las cosas no funcionaron con N-7 –dijo Pidge –, no veo porque no intentarlo.

  .....o.o.O.O.0.O.O.o.o.....

Lance tenía una difícil decisión entre manos. No sabía si debía de llevar el retrato de la última navidad o la de acción de gracias de hacía cinco años entre el gran equipaje que tenía pendiente por preparar.

–¿Crees que es necesario llevar tantos marcos? –dijo la voz de Keith desde la pantalla sobre el escritorio –. ¿Todos estaremos ahí?

–Sabes bien que me gusta tener la fotografía de la familia cerca –se quejó Lance lanzándole una mirada de desdén a su compañero por la transmisión.

–Esa fotografía es solo tuya –señaló el otro indicándole la imagen que llevaba en sus manos.

Lance no respondió a su comentario, solamente le dio la espalda a la pantalla en lo que guardaba discretamente los últimos marcos en su equipaje y ocultaba su leve sonrojo.

–Y sobre eso de que estaremos todo juntos –comentó este finalmente volviéndose en dirección de la pantalla –, espero que no le falles a los chicos y estes a tiempo en el punto de encuentro.

A pesar de que la familia de los paladines era muy unida, sus deberes con el universo estaban lejos de terminarse a pesar del descanso de Voltron. Solían turnarse a cumplir misiones necesarias, dejando al resto en la tierra para cuidar a sus hijos. El viaje de la nave no solo era la primera vez que los chicos saldrían del planeta, sino que todos los paladines se encontrarían de nuevo juntos en el espacio infinito desde la guerra.

En esos momentos, solo Hunk y Keith se encontraban cumpliendo sus deberes de la coalición.

–¿Dudas de mis capacidades de vuelo? –soltó Keith a lo que rápidamente agregó a ante la mirada crítica de Lance –: Pregunta tonta.

Lance estaba por agregar algún comentario irónico cuando las puertas de su oficina se deslizaron dándole paso a los cuatro jóvenes hijos de los paladines.

–¡Papi Lance! –exclamaron casi provocándole un infarto al paladín, pero al ver el rostro en la pantalla de comunicación, soltaron –: ¡Papá Keith!

–Hola chicos ¿Qué tanto hacen?

–Papá Keith –exclamó Kasumi con alegría casi lanzándose contra la pantalla –, te hemos extrañado mucho.

–¿Te veremos pronto? –preguntó de inmediato Estrella haciendo a un lado a su hermana.

–Era lo que estaba diciéndole a Lance –respondió Keith con calma tratando de calmar los ímpetus de sus chicos –. Estamos por terminar el proyecto para este sector. Con eso ya hemos logrado reconstruir las conexiones intercomunicacionales entre tres sistemas.

Keith continuaba trabajando con la espada de Marmora y los remanentes de lo que una vez fue el imperio Galra. Con ayuda de  Acxa, Ezor and Zethrid, buscaban cambiar la imagen de su especie y demostrar que el régimen de Zarkon había desaparecido con él. Esa era la principal razón por la que Keith solía ser el paladín más ausente del recinto familiar.

–Después me encontraré con mi mamá y Kulivan para actualizarlos en los planes –explicó él – , luego los esperare en el punto de reunión.

–¿Vendrá la abuela Krolia? –soltó Matthias.

–Probablemente. Aún hay mucho trabajo para mejorar la imagen que tiene los galra en el universo, pero estoy seguro que podrá tener unos días para verlos.

–Y hablando de abuelas –recordó Luana volviéndose en dirección de Lance –. Mamá no dijo que la abuela Colleen te está buscando papi Lance, tiene que ver con las cosechas de hidroponía. 

–De nuevo –masculló Lance dando un respingo –. Creí que ya había resuelto todos los problemas cuando traje el ultimo cargamentos de la graja de mis padres. Será vaya a ver que está faltando –agregó encaminándose a la puerta, en lo que se ponía su chaqueta sobre los hombros –, porque si no lo resuelvo yo mismo, esta misión está condenada al fracaso.

–Yo te ayudo –indicó Estrella, siguiendo de cerca a Lance.

Luana y Matthias lo siguieron de cercas, dejando de ultimo a Kasumi en la habitación.

–¿Emocionada con el viaje? –le preguntó Keith a su hija una vez que quedaron solo. 

–Es decir poco –respondió ella con una sonrisa.

–Me lo imaginaba –dijo él.

–¿Cómo? –preguntó Kasumi.

–El deseo que todos tenemos por la aventura está concentrado en ti.

–Yo solo espero que sus habilidades de vuelo también se concentren en mí.

–Son nuestros hijos, todos serán estupendos pilotos.

La sonrisa de Kasumi se volvió más grande.

–Te veremos pronto papá Keith.

–Lo ansió.

.....o.o.O.O.0.O.O.o.o.....

El momento había llegado. Ahí estaban los cuatro jóvenes frente a la poderosa nave ATLAS casi lista para su despegue. Cargaban sobre sus hombros sus mochilas con sus ultimas posesiones que llevarían al viaje, mientras a sus alrededores el resto de los pilotos, cadetes de la academia, así como otros miembros de su familia, se preparaban para el viaje o se despedían entre sí.

Finalmente, la realidad los golpeó. Era un hecho, estaban por embarcarse en un viaje de cinco años en el espacio.

El impacto fue tal, que prácticamente brincaron del susto cuando su padre Shiro pudo sus manos sobre sus hombros.

–Otosan –soltó Luana.

–Es maravillosa ¿verdad? –dijo Shiro sin apartar la vista a la gran ATLAS.

–Será genial –comentó Estrella adelantándose a los pensamientos de sus hermanos.

–¿Pero saben que será mucho mejor? –masculló Shiro casi en un susurro.

Pero antes de que alguno de los jóvenes contestara, una voz detrás de ellos dijo:

–Que lo haremos todos juntos.

Kasumi, Luana, Estrella y Matthias se volvieron para encontrarse nada menos…

–¡Tama Hunk! –exclamaron ellos entusiasmados lanzándose a los brazos del recién llegado. Para Hunk no fue difícil apretar a los cuatro contra su pecho y alzarlos en el aire, en lo que reían en carcajadas.

–Llegaste a tiempo –lo saludó Shiro tomándolo por el hombro, Hunk lo abrazó por igual. Hunk había cambiado desde la última vez que estuvo en la tierra. La barba le quedaba bien.

–Eso fue gracias a que recibí ayuda de unas cuantas balmeras –comentó este –. Y no me perdería esto por nada.

.....o.o.O.O.0.O.O.o.o.....

En algún lugar lejano en la galaxia, había un planeta que había regresado del olvido. En este, dos figuras caminaba aprisa por los corredores de un deslumbrante y nuevo palacio.

–Coran, recibimos una trasmisión a través de los canales de la coalición –dijo la joven entregándole un dispositivo informático al alteano mayor –, la nave ha despegado y ha iniciado su viaje de cinco años.

–Son estupendas la noticias –respondió este sin detener su marcha –. Después de tanto tiempo volveremos a ver a todos nuestros amigos juntos.

–Nueva altea no es el primer punto de llegada en su viaje –le aseguró Romelle haciendo el mayor esfuerzo por seguir sus pasos –, según su bitácora les tomará un mes en llegar.

–Es suficiente tiempo para preparar una gran bienvenida –agregó Coran casi dando un brinco de alegría en lo que se introducían en una la gran sala principal del palacio –. Su majestad la reina estará muy emocionada.  

Y al final de aquella larga y deslumbrante habitación se encontraba un imponente trono, resguardado por una imponente estatua de un león blanco. Ahí, estaba sentada la reina de Altea, antes conocida como la princesa Allura.  

.....o.o.O.O.0.O.O.o.o.....

En las partes más alejadas de la galaxia, un lugar olvidado por el tiempo y los recuerdos; el hogar de dos individuos que sobrevivían en los restos estrellados de una base en un planeta enano flotando en el olvidado universo.

Uno de ellos reposaba con dificultad en una silla, mientras maquinaria formada de basura y metales lo ayudaban a continuar vivo. A sus pies una figura más joven, le juraba lealtad y obediencia.

–Estoy listo para cumplir tus deseos –dijo el joven.

–Ha llegado el momento, hijo mío –masculló el otro con un voz cansada y rasposa.

–Pronto, toda la familia estará reunida –le aseguró este, el ultimo prototipo del general Fros.

.....o.o.o.o.O.O.O.O.0.0.0.O.O.O.O.o.o.o.....

Hola a todos, finalmente les traje el final esta historia y ahora ya puedo dejar descansar Voltron. Pero ¿Qué dicen? ¿Qué es todo lo que presente con este epilogo?

Como lo mencione en el capitulo anterior, no tenía intención de seguir escribiendo el fanfiction abarcando más allá de la segunda temporada, ya que tendría que hacer muchos cambios. Aquí pueden ver algunos detalles de ellos. Sin tienen dudas pueden preguntarme por cada uno de ellos y con gusto les contare.

Otra, es que claramente deje el final abierto. Eso se debe a que por mucho tiempo me imagine una secuela. Aunque ahora no estoy muy segura de escribirla. Tal vez si tengo el suficiente apoyo… no lo sé…

Aún así espero que disfrutaran este capítulo, final y todo el fanfiction en general. Y aquellos que siguen otros de mis fanfiction, aún tengo mucho que presentar. Así que, sin más que decir, gracias por leer.

Un brazo. 

[onenettvchannel]

BALITANG INTERNASYONAL: French Antagonist Suspect 'Chloe Bourgeois' and Racist African YouTube actress 'The Virtual Celebrity' facing legal consequences on the double, attacking production team of Miraculous Ladybug on Social Media [#OneNETnewsInvestigates]

PARIS, FRANCE -- An update from a multi-talented racist female YouTuber, and member of the pro-LGBT named Faizah Mohammed Aruwa from Abuja, Nigeria in Africa, known as 'The Virtual Celebrity'; along with antagonist character suspect of a French cartoon show 'Miraculous Ladybug', who temporarily serves and resigned one Paris mayor 'Ms. Chloe Bourgeois' merely attacking and extremely harassed both show writers and creators combined on social media during 3 new episodes aired last year in August 2023, covering these controversial episodes titled "Collusion", "Revolution" and "Representation".

Four years ago in March 2020, Faizah and the anti-Chloe basher fans have been boycotted, ranting, and plans to murder Chloe; especially the episode writers, French and English dubbers, and the only show creator himself (Mr. Thomas Astruc) by putting into justice for her on the spot.

In mid-October 2023 last year, she uploaded 3 new episode reactions on her own YouTube channel, 2 months after the actual worldwide airing. She does NOT have any of her defense from Ms. Faizah, despite of her dramatic anger, social media toxicity and brutally attacked online on the X Network (formerly Twitter) and video-sharing platform 'YouTube' (owned by Google's Alphabet). Faizah completely refused to apologize as part of our investigative report.

OneNETnews is the only online news organization to expose the worst, as the 5th Season of 'Miraculous Ladybug' becomes an absolute manipulative, cheating, relationship failures, and abuse of power in France that shocks you to the world.

Per during, and the near episode end "Revolution", Chloe declares a nationwide ban of superheroes affecting our media correspondents 'Marinette Dupain-Cheng' and 'Adrien Athanase Agreste'. She found out about that Chloe was reportedly akumatized, much allegedly disguise as a monarch. Ladybug and Cat Noir already de-evilized the akumatization, breaching the agreement from Ms. Cerise Bianca (formerly known as Lila Rossi).

Paris saved the evening, after a controversial Paris mayor 'Chloe' resigned that night, while some of its laws are already being lifted the next day. But Adrien's father 'Gabriel' forced him to move, in the early morning to be taken off via private jet from 'Paris, France' to 'London, United Kingdom', and become having a date with 'Ms. Kasumi Tsurugi' instead of Marinette, due to a mental breakdown and pre-determined relationship break-ups.

Ms. Marinette recieved her final video call, before she permanently blocked Chloe in their digital phone calls, despite for physical and online bullying for a long time: "I already know your little secret. I know because Adrien told me. I also know that he loves me, and there's nothing you can do about it. Nothing! You've lost any and ALL the power over us. You're the one who's ridiculous, Chloe. Utterly dogshit ridiculous. Enjoy your fucking trip asshole!", concluded Marinette.

Some time later… Marinette returns home, and possibly, she committed suicide a few days later if, Adrien Agreste failed to returned back home, yet supposedly to get married here in France, after ruin her life, because of forced jealousy of relationship, especially in addition with Chloe for a potential threesome dating.

Faizah realizes that, during her new reaction episode video of "Representation", trauma before suicide is a serious red flag, even after Chloe became the local French mayor and later resigned afterwards, which resulted to have a bad cliffhanger end. Our news team of OneNETnews was learned that these both perpetrators in the online, and the real-world, are less likely to have a safe space for Marinette.

All in all, the management of YouTube will soon terminate her channel 'The Virtual Celebrity' sometime later this year, and the antagonist fictional bullying character suspect 'Chloe Bourgeois' will face jail time on both of their countries in France and Africa. Faizah was charged with the upgraded online and several physical crime cases committed under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2015, Criminal Code Act: Section 375, and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, in relation to Cyberstalking. Her fines as a female YouTuber like 'The Virtual Celebrity' is being sentenced to 9 years in the African prison, with a fine of NGN35 million (or U$D22,020).

While for Chloe, on the other hand, as we conclude our exclusive investigation… She was also charged by illegally become a local French mayor, online & physical bullying in school, severe psychological harassment & distress, and absolute cheating of relationship with Adrien Agreste, leading Marinette ended up suicide as a death penalty on her. Chloe is also sentenced to EUR30,000 (or approximately U$D33,500) with a 2-year fine. We can all agree that the actions of these individuals have both crossed the line and red-handed.

These scandalous relationship turn of events, in the controversial episodes of Miraculous Ladybug's 5th Season has left a mark on the lives of those involved. The online harassment and physical bullying carried out by the r*c1st YouTuber, and the antagonist suspect have devastating consequences: the possible suicide of the beloved heroin 'Marinette Dupain-Cheng'.

It's just that-real-world implications don't get any harsher than this, seeing online and offline abuse play out. Taking away to Ms. Marinette, symbolic of hope and heroism throughout the show, her impending death being a gut punch at least to say for international and French viewers.

Yet, it is a fact that the nuisances brought on by these incidents are now a part of France's history; likewise, the issue of public cyberbullying and harassment would need to be pursued relentlessly, if Paris has to build a more empathetic and responsible digital community in Paris.

EDITOR's NOTE: Mga ka-Serbisyo! If you or a loved one like Marinette Dupain-Cheng feeling emotional sadness, traumatically and psychologically harassed, commited, extreme mental issues, or attempting suicide in your specific country, call the Suicide Prevention Hotline by dialing +1800-273-TALK or 988 in the United States of America (U.S.A.) for National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL). For France, dial SOS Suicide at +331-4539-4000; For Africa, call SURPIN (Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative) at 09080217555 or 09034400009 (country and area codes must add before the phone number to call in). And in the Philippines, including Central Visayas, call the Crisis Text Line at +63918-873-4673 or text TALK 8527 for Globe and Touch Mobile subscribers. Or call the 'Tawag Paglaum Centro Bisaya' (TPCB) at +63966-467-9626, +63939-936-5433 or +63939-937-5433. English-speaking counselors are available to take your call in some specific countries. International standard charges apply.

FILE SCREENGRAB COURTESY: RTS1 Switzerland / TF1 France and The Virtual Celebrity via YT VIDEO BACKGROUND PROVIDED BY: Tegna

SOURCE: *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuGzOCy2_8E [Referenced YT VIDEO #1 via The Virtual Celebrity] *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvqukbFLZRk [Referenced YT VIDEO #2 via The Virtual Celebrity] and *https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXjxd3ur30o [Referenced YT VIDEO #3f via The Virtual Celebrity]

-- OneNETnews Online Publication Team

[love-bokumono-fics]

Fresh Crops! September 25 - October 1, 2023

This week's newest stories and chapter updates for Harvest Moon and Story of Seasons on AO3!

The Egg Thief - by dicelady20; WIP, 11/19, 41k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence; Category: F/M Fandoms: Dragon Ball GT/Z, Friends of Mineral Town Characters: Trunks Briefs, Claire the Farmer Additional Tags: Harvest Moon, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Romance, Slow Burn, Martial Arts, Cussing, Crossover, Healing, city vibes, dark scenes, POV Multiple, POV Third Person Limited, Mild Gore, References to Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons Games, Supernatural Elements, First Meetings, story of seasons, Superheroes Summary: Claire decides to give the city life another chance, but as she does, she is haunted by her nightmares. Mr. CEO of Capsule Corp., Trunks, needs to keep a secret. He is bound by the oath of an unsealed dragon. What happens when their two worlds collide? And what is lurking in the shadows of West City as these two learn to show vulnerability? Is it something that could shake up the dragons emotions?

Forest Of Echoes: Shattering Scarlet - by Robotkitty5848; WIP, 10/80, 10k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Graphic Depictions Of Violence; Category: F/M Fandom: A New Beginning Character: Allen Summary: All her life, Alex was told to never go into the Forbidden Woods, the trees behind her house hiding an unknown danger. Anyone who goes into the forest doesn't come out. After a tragic event, Allen refuses to shift back into his human side. But when a stranger enters his life, can she help him overcome his troubles? Or will war break them apart?

Earth and Rebirth - by TheBeckster; WIP, 20/?, 82k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: Gen Fandoms: Trio of Towns Characters: Holly | Nanami, Frank, Marlena, Wayne, Ford, Lisette, Brad, Carrie, Ludus, Iluka, Siluka, Hinata, Yuzuki, Komari, Kasumi, And Cast Additional Tags: Undecided Relationship(s), Additional Tags to Be Added, lots of headcanons, Minor Character Death, Eventual Friends to Lovers, I'm not going to tag every single character, but they will all have a part in the story, Grief/Mourning, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy, New friends and found family, world building, Angst with a Happy Ending, Holly is an extrovert, endgame ship tbd, Cover Art, Festivals, Slice of Life, Establishing the Farm Summary: Holly considered herself fortunate to be living about as close to the dream as any young twenty-something could. A great family, a loving husband, and well, she'd admit their apartment was awful, but they'd be moving onto bigger and better things soon enough. She truthfully couldn't wish for more. But when an accident rips it all away from her, Holly finds herself seeking a change of scenery. Her Uncle's farm out in the middle of nowhere is the perfect place for her to hide to mourn. A familiar story with a twist or two.

Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life - Hybrid Crop Guide - by Wikketkrikket; Complete, 6/6, 6.2k

Rating: Not Rated; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Fandoms: A Wonderful Life Additional Tags: this is NOT a fic, walkthrough, Guide, hybrid crops, hybrid fruits, I think this is meta so doesn't break guidelines, I hope, I mean well I promise, SOS:AWL, SOS AWL Summary: Not a fic, but a guide to the hybrid crops and fruits that can be made in game.

The End of The Journey - by HarukazeRen; Complete, 1/1, 1k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Category: F/M Fandoms: HM3 GBC, HM GB Relationship: Maria/Pete the Farmer; Characters: Pete the Farmer, Maria the Mayor's Daughter Additional Tags: Heartwarming Summary: Pete really wants to go back to where his heart lies…

Finding You - by HarukazeRen; WIP, 5/?, 4k

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences; Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings; Category: F/M Fandoms: HM64 Relationship: Karen/Pete | Jack; Characters: Karen, Pete | Jack Additional Tags: Harvest Moon 64, Tsundere Karen, Flashbacks, Slow Romance, Handsome Pete, Karen's hearts event, Some of Gray/Popuri and Ann/Cliff

Our Story of Seasons: Pete x Claire - by Ry2_Sinheart; WIP, 23/30, 34k

Rating: General Audiences; Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply; Categories: F/M, Gen Fandoms: Friends of Mineral Town Relationships: Claire the Farmer & Pete | Jack, Claire the Farmer/Pete | Jack; Characters: Pete | Jack, Claire, Thomas, Zack, Dog, Harvest Goddess, Ann the Innkeeper | Ran, Karen Additional Tags: Romance, Slow Burn, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Slice of Life, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Developing Relationship, Strangers to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Video Game Mechanics, Game Logic, Male-Female Friendship, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Relationships, Slow Romance, Digital Art Summary: A story that revolves around the protagonists of Mineral Town. After a series of unfortunate events, Pete and Claire agree they'll have to raise the farm together, whether they like it or not. Through their farming-ventures, they realize that maybe farming together… isn't so bad.

And one Not Safe for Tumblr fic by Thefallen1986.

[pvrseide]

“Do you know how bad I want you?”     /     @thundcrous .

bufido que se escapa por instinto de sus labios sin poderlo evitar, recargando la cabeza en el respaldo del sofá donde se encontraban.  ‘  ¿por qué?  ’  pregunta después de un rato, ladeando su rostro para poder observar a la mayor.  ‘  justifica tu respuesta.  ’  con aquél comentario busca disimular la curiosidad que motivó su interrogante. sabía lo mucho que kasumi gustaba de ella, pero no lograba comprender sus motivos.

[full-pockets]

A little mixed up but oh well.

I made this to have more Princess Peach colours and to go with the Peach Parasol Mayor Kasumi always carries.

[kimurasakura]

Tenía que admitirlo, desde la última vez que había visto a la mayor, le había preocupado bastante el como se encontraba, por lo que pedirle que la acompañará a una cafetería que recientemente le habían recomendado no era tan mala idea, además de que así podrían tener un rato agradable, al lograr visualizarla levanta una de sus manos para hacerse notar “Hola Kasumi” canturrea antes de esbozar una pequeña sonrisa “Nunca he estado aquí, así que espero te guste” (@kgagneux )

[honey-hippie-harper]

through the burning shell

Hello it’s been 84 years.

This is fun :): I wrote this as a Christmas present for @obsidianfr3sk (YES DAWNIE KEEP POSTING YOU CHRISTMAS FICS DURING MARCH. YOU GO GIRL) and it’s a sequel to my other fic “through the bleeding shell” where I basically try to save Simon and Hugh from the queerbaiting MM turned them into by adding a certain degree of complexity to their relationship. This is a story about gays, grief and a dead friend + Simon defending Nova bc I don’t roll with Supernova. Hence, I am not morally obligated to obey canon <3

Anyway afgdhjafghsj i don’t think you need to read the first part to understand this, and I hope you like it <3. I don’t want to give much away, but this sort of turned into a collaboration that got out of control and @obsidianfr3sk might write a third part in the future ;)

through the burning shell

“There have been rumors that the public revealing of Agent N is to include a public execution as well.”

Being all together, right there, Simon saw Hugh narrowing his eyes, staring directly at Genissa Clark, formerly Frostbite, now neutralized, along with the rest of her team.

Well.

Almost all of them.

“That’s true.” Hugh started, and Simon couldn’t help but think he shouldn’t have answered. A part of him was getting a pretty bad feeling from this. “For his crimes against humanity, Ace Anarchy has been sentenced to death.”

“Why stop there?” Said Genissa. “I would argue that his accomplices deserve the same fate.”

The same fate.

His brain struggled to make a connection between that sentence and the one Hugh had uttered. At first, he didn’t understand. A couple of fast seconds later, Simon realized that, by saying “fate”, she was referencing something.

She was referencing, more specifically, Ace Anarchy’s sentence.

A death sentence.

Accomplices.

The Anarchists.

“Nightmare deserves the same fate.” Nova deserves the same fate. “Nightmare must die… And I want to be the one to do it.”

Nova must die.

And I want to be the one to do it.

A child killing another child, publicly, with the Renegades’ permission.

A child they had taken under their wing, Genissa Clark that is, killing another child, who had been in Simon’s house, who had touched Adrian’s heart, and who had made bad choices but was still a person. The official version of the events said she had stabbed Max, and Danna claimed she was Nightmare, but they hadn’t taken any declarations or anything, so that story might as well just change.

Simon couldn’t help but feel she didn’t deserve to die.

Maybe because she actually didn’t. It didn’t feel fair.

One thing was sentencing Ace Anarchy, the man who had lifted an entire city, leaving a ridiculously huge number of deaths in the process, who had stolen, broken and burned, who had killed a man (the mayor) and his pregnant wife, who had killed his own brother, sister-in-law and possibly his two nieces...and another, pretty different thing was to allow this 19 year old girl kill a 16 year old one, who had some crimes that could put her into jail for like 3 or 5 years, but weren’t horrible enough to give her a death sentence. She was a minor. She wasn’t yet beyond repair…

And if she was to be executed, then she was still a minor. She didn’t deserve to be humiliated like that. She didn’t deserve her life to be taken away with so little dignity.

Not by Genissa Clark.

Not like that.

And, stars, please, not now.

Not right now.

It was unthinkable, it was barbaric, it was animal, it was almost as if…

A quiet chuckle.

A quiet chuckle that, suddenly, interrupted his train of thought and, with all the pain in his heart, he was able to recognize in a blink.

Evander was chuckling.

Genissa Clark, nonchalantly, was blackmailing them. She was trading her silence for the legal permission to kill someone, in front of a crowded arena. And Evander was chuckling.

Genissa Clark wanted to murder Nova, and Evander was chuckling.

“Is that all it will take to quit their complaining?”

What else did he want?

“Works for me.”

Simon almost flinched to the audacity. To the severity of the implication. To the way he was saying it. So smug. So relaxed, so….Evander it almost made Simon mad.

That was so Evander lately.

Because, lately, Evander didn’t understand anything. Not even because he had a pregnant wife waiting for him at home. There was life inside that woman. Life that had come from him.

How couldn’t he understand?

How could somebody be so cold?

“These are lives we’re discussing.” Simon reminded him, shooting a look in his direction.

“Villains’ lives.” Evander responded. “Nightmare doesn’t deserve mercy any more than Ace Anarchy does. She was the one who neutralized them, so it seems fair to me.”

Villains’ lives were still lives.

Nova was a person.

Nova was...Nightmare, but before Nightmare, she was Nova, and Hugh and him had met her personally. Adrian had met her personally.

And, besides, with this logic, then all the Renegades were to be executed.

After all, Agent N was meant to be used by Renegades. They were the ones who were planning to neutralize people when they felt threatened. But when Nightmare did it, then she immediately deserved the death penalty.

Hugh would understand that. Everyone would understand that, just like Simon did.

They had to understand it.

Hugh had to understand it.

-.-

Yet, he didn’t.

Some time ago, Hugh had pledged to understand. Not directly per se, but he had pledged it in the name of his cause.

He promised he would understand.

And then, when he needed to understand the most, he didn’t.

He said he would.

Then he fucking didn’t.

“How can we run a city, much less an entire world, if we’re busy dealing with every trivial bit of bureaucratic nonsense that comes up?” He said.

“This solves two problems at once.” He said.

And he said that to Adrian’s, their son, face. Their son, who was just trying to help, by questioning how morally correct was to do something like that, just like Tamaya, Kasumi and himself had done, being ignored in the process.

“We need that right now. And we need to be united in this decision.”

“And why’s that, exactly?” Adrian asked. “Do we not want the world to know this is actually a dictatorship?”

In that moment, Simon knew Adrian had never spoken to Hugh like that. He had always been a pretty calm kid, who liked to question their decisions sometimes because, as a Renegade himself, of course he would feel uncomfortable or have doubts sometimes. But never had he called Hugh out. Not in that tone. Not with that entire bottle of venom flowing out of his mouth, melting his teeth, and mixing with his boiling blood.

Simon felt unable to tell him to stop, after his own voice had been ignored, and Hugh pretended Evander was the only one who mattered in the team. And it wasn’t that Evander didn’t matter.

It was just that he was wrong.

Besides, harsh as that sounded, Simon still couldn’t believe that those stinky, rotting, putrid, nauseating words had come from Hugh’s mouth. His Hugh. The man he had decided to marry, because he loved him so, so much, for him had been able to see him even when he was invisible. Literally.

Right in front of his eyes, Hugh morphed into a caricaturesque villain. His hands, which Simon had held so many times, were suddenly covered in both dry and fresh blood, red as an apple, but smelling like death.

Death.

The same death that was living like a parasite inside of his eyes, the only place that other people could harm. And the parasite was traveling through his system, all the way to his brain, spinning it around like a mirrorball, and eating from it like he was nothing.

Hugh’s hands were tied, too, and the strings were made of rope, a material he could easily tear apart, but seemed to have forgotten about that.

He was like a puppet, as the press, as society, and as tons and tons of eyes pulled from the ropes.

And nobody knew how to free him, not even himself.

“Do we not want the world to know this is actually a dictatorship?”

Adrian’s voice haunted him for days. The way in which he said that haunted him for days, and after a while, Simon just accepted he wouldn’t be able to get rid of it. It had become another one of the wounds he carried, open and bleeding, through life. The worst part of it all, was that Simon knew Adrian was right. That, at this point, everyone but Hugh, Evander and Genissa Clark were right.

But if he knew where had they gone wrong, and if he knew he didn’t agree with this monstrosity...why did it hurt so much?

How did you speak to a person who didn’t want to listen?

And, most importantly: Where were you supposed to get the courage to do it from?

 -.-

 Nova had spent seventeen days in Cragmoor Penitentiary when Adrian said he wanted to see her. He had been so mad at her, that it caught Simon off guard.

Not that he wasn’t able to understand it.

Adrian had had a couple of girlfriends and boyfriends throughout his life but, from what Simon could see, Nova was by far the one he had been the most serious about, to the point it almost seemed she was the one who would stay. Simon would’ve wanted to see his partner too, no matter how mad he was at said partner, if he knew they had been sentenced to death.

As fast as they could, knowing they were facing an authority (Adrian had asked them to be with him in the room), the wardens brought her right away, in a matter of minutes.

Through the glass, Simon saw her, on the metal platform, with her arms and legs being held, tightly, by braces, which were equally made of metal. For the look in her eye, Simon could almost hear her desperate begs for her visitor not to be Adrian. Yet, he had been, and he wasn’t alone, which, if anything, only made it worse.

Simon, from his part, was staring at two different glasses at the time. The one that divided them from Nova, and Adrian’s glasses, which revealed the pain he was penetrating Nova’s soul with, and also the rage he was entitled to feel.

But Nova looked small.

She, in fact, looked as small as she actually was.

She was almost a kid. She hadn’t yet started living. Yet, she was locked up here, and would only be taken out to be killed.

Nova’s body was shaking, just like Adrian’s. Her chin was quivering so much it almost seemed like she was cold, and Simon felt a twinge in his stomach. He felt nauseous and dizzy. And so evil and so guilty.

For some reason, he pictured a child, because Nova had been a younger child once, full of joy and innocence.

 He pictured a child. Just like that.

 Maybe she was wearing pigtails, had a gap between two of her teeth, and bruised legs, because she liked to play outside with her friends. Maybe, before she became Nightmare, she had something else to hold on to. Maybe she, like many people out there,  had hoped for the Renegades to come, and when they didn’t do it, something became numb, and cold, and she started freezing to death, just like she would remain freezing, suspended in History, as the interrupted life who was the proof the Renegades had become the one thing they promised they would never be.

And Simon didn’t want to be part of that, yet he was still here.

He was still here, thinking about how fortunate he was that Nova wasn’t staring back at him, but at Adrian instead, as selfish as that might’ve sounded.

Simon felt he had lost the right to look her in the eye, having been the one who promised her, on several occasions, that she could look into theirs.

With each one of his limbs becoming tense, Simon took a deep breath. His mouth tasted like bile, and his whole body was pounding along with this heart. It felt like one of those times when you were almost a hundred percent sure you were having a heart attack, despite knowing that, if that was the case, you would already be on the floor crying for help.

Next thing he felt was the sudden and strong urge to speak.

He would’ve liked to talk to Nova, but through this glass, she couldn’t hear anything.

Besides, Simon knew that this moment wasn’t about him, or Hugh. They were involved in it. They were carrying it in their backs like a cross, but it wasn’t about them. It was about Nova and Adrian. There was glass between the two. They could press their hands together through it, but they couldn’t touch the other’s skin. They couldn’t feel the air the other breathed in the short distance. They couldn’t kiss. It was scary. It was sad. And it wasn’t awfully familiar.

But it wasn’t about Simon or Hugh.

“Do you need some privacy?” Simon asked, perhaps to both of them, knowing one wouldn’t be able to hear him, even if she tried.

In response, Adrian turned his gaze away from Nova, staring at Simon instead, nodding.

“I think that would be nice.”

Before Simon could say anything else, Hugh reached for his son’s shoulder, and once he touched it, he caressed the fabric, and the skin beneath the fabric, briefly.

“We’ll be in the lobby.”

Adrian nodded again and then, after gulping, he said:

“I love you, okay?”

The weird thing was, he didn’t look them in the eye for much. He did, but he turned his gaze away pretty fast, barely leaving time to process his own words. For that reason, nor Hugh or him responded.

They left right after that, leaving Adrian alone inside the room.

With Nova, but alone.

 -.-

They dropped Adrian at the hospital once they left Cragmoon. There was barely any sound throughout the whole ride, except when Hugh asked if they wanted something from the store, and when they said goodbye to Adrian.

Obviously, Adrian couldn’t get close to Max. Not if he wanted to avoid being neutralized by him, but sometimes, according to Adrian himself, he liked to stay in the waiting room, and help the staff with whatever they needed, for he liked Max to know he came to visit often, and that he wasn’t alone, even if he couldn’t touch, or be in the same room with him. So they just allowed him to stay in the hospital as much as he needed. After all, it’s not like he was hurting anybody.

After that, everything was silent, all the way home, because, instead of driving towards the Headquarters, Hugh drove towards the mansion, leaving Tamaya in charge, under the excuse they would take a two hour break to have lunch together at home. She wasn’t so happy about it, but agreed anyway, because it’s not like Hugh had given her an option in the first place. He had just notified her. At this point, Hugh’s volume was getting the tiniest bit loud.  And Simon wasn’t talking about his voice.

Upon arriving into the house, Hugh threw the keys by the entrance’s table and proceeded to walk all the way towards the living room, to lay on the couch, one arm covering his eyes, without even taking his costume off. He didn’t have a reason to, because they were supposed to be back at the Headquarters in two hours and, besides, the elephant in the room was making it cold. Maybe he felt his armor would protect him from what they were doing, and from what they were still doing.

Sadly, the fabric of Simon’s costume wasn’t as warm. And as he took his mask off and placed it next to keys, he felt nothing but cold wind. He was back again at being Simon, and Simon only, without anything protecting him, in the same room as the husband who rarely ever kissed him anymore.

There was an elephant in the room, and it was killing both of them, though Hugh looked like he was already dead.

Simon tried not to pay attention to him, but when he was crossing to the kitchen, he couldn’t help but ask, in an unintentionally harsh tone:

“Are we going to have lunch or did you just want to make Tamaya more stressed?”

Hugh lowered his arm, staring at him with an arched eyebrow, lifting his neck just a little, to have a clearer view. Simon was starting to feel bad for having snapped at him, but not enough to take it back.

Sometimes you had to do the right thing, and sometimes the right thing was not taking it back.

His husband, from his part, looked rather confused, as if he couldn’t recognize the person in front of him.

“Are you feeling okay?” He asked.

The question caught him off guard.

Was he okay? Simon wasn’t sure, nor did he want to answer. In times like these, Hugh wanted people to answer him what he wanted to hear and, sadly, this time Simon didn’t have any answer he would like.

“Did you take your pills, Si?”

Something inside of his body turned into a tight knot, and Simon turned his gaze towards him, in a violent act. He frowned so deeply he felt his skin itching, and though he knew that, under normal circumstances, he would’ve just interpreted this as a routinary question, this time it wasn’t the case at all. This time it felt like an attack. Like something Hugh had to take back immediately because it was not his place to ask it, that is:  a question he always asked anyway.

But not this time.

Because ,this time, he wasn’t okay.

“Don’t pull the anxiety card on me, Hugh.” Saying that left a bitter, disgusting firm on his mouth, right under his tongue, which was dry. He felt like he had just chewed on a pill.

“The anxie--” Hugh narrowed his eyes, shifting into a sitting position. “I’m not pulling that card on you. I’m just asking a question.”

“Then don’t ask that question.” Simon snapped again, heading towards the kitchen to get a class of water. His feet were making too much noise when in contact with the floor, and his mouth was too dry. It was making him crazy.

It was only then that he realized they still had something else pending, and for some reason that was enough to make him stay. Simon spun on his toes, facing him. Hugh was breathing heavily, and his brows were almost touching each other.

“You didn’t answer my question, though.” He told him, in a dry tone. “Did you want to have lunch with me or did you just think taking a break while Tamaya loses her mind would be fun?”

“If Tamaya didn’t want to be in charge, she would’ve told me, and you know that.”

“Tamaya talks back when she is given a chance to.”

An empty feeling of freedom filled Simon’s body, pushing his way into the hollow all his mixed feelings had been carving at the center of his stomach.

And it wasn’t just about Tamaya, really. It wasn’t just about how lately none of her ideas were taken into consideration. Rather, it was about how nor were Kasumi’s, or his own ideas, when they tried to speak up. It was about how things were getting weirder and weirder as time went by, to the point where Simon would see a very pregnant Tamaya in the hallway, apparently fine, but stating she didn’t know if her water was breaking or if she just really needed to use the restroom (the restroom where she didn’t fit in); it was about how everyone knew damn well that Kasumi wasn’t good at public speaking and that, if anything, it just worsened her selective mutism, and yet many important speeches were given to her; it was about how Simon felt like he was talking to a wall, and how that made him feel, suspect, even, that Hugh was back to being trapped in a closet he was already too big for.

It wasn’t just about that, in conclusion.

It was just the tip of a bigger and more messed up problem.

“Well, if you want Tamaya to go bathe in her Greek goddess shower-pool-whatever that thing is, then fine. I’ll call her, I’ll tell her to take the day off, and we go back to the Headquarters.”

 “That would be great, actually!” Simon laughed sarcastically. “But you know what would be even better?”

“I don’t, Si. You tell me.”

It was a rhetorical question.

The nerve.

“That we would act like a team. That we would stop lollygagging around and take realistic turns to have our breaks, because each one of us have lives, and we’re not the only ones who have needs.” And that was about Kasumi feeling like she couldn’t do it today but having to anyway; it was about Tamaya crying in the BBQ Sunday, explaining to her husband how she wanted her baby to be with her, as a baby bawled into her arms, trying to reach for his father, because she spent so little time at home her youngest son wouldn’t recognize her sometimes; it was about Evander claiming Sandy didn’t feel like being alone with her baby bump today, but showing up at work anyway.

And yes, they had pledged to do this, but they were supposed to be in it together.

“But how should I know?” Simon hissed. “It’s not like we’re a Council or anything.”

The bile was all over his mouth now, and Simon felt possessed. He didn’t know how to stop it, and the words just kept coming, and coming and coming, as Hugh stared, half-startled, half mad.

Simon felt like he was a loaded gun that was ready to kill everything that moved, for a reason and a cause.

All those repressed feelings. All those things he desperately wanted to say but never could. The anxiety. The desperate, insatiable craving for a touch that never came. For a kiss. For anything. For a sign. A sign of whatever. One single sign, that would just let him know Hugh was still here.

“It’s not like you needed the majority of us to agree to sentence that minor to death.” He let it go, and all the air, along with his soul, left Simon’s body. “It’s not like Evander and you needed such thing, did you?”

Hugh’s confusion frown suddenly shifted.

Then, all Simon saw was the embodiment of anger, with his cheeks becoming flushed, and his knuckles becoming yellow.

“So that’s what this is all about.”

There was one word to describe that tone, and that word was condescension.

To Simon, the gut-wrenching feeling of frustration that caused him was indiscriptable, and he didn’t wish it to anybody. He would’ve preferred Hugh to scream at him, or just refuse to answer at all, because he couldn’t take it.

He had had people talking down to him his entire life. He wasn’t willing to keep tolerating that.

And in the moment he stared into Hugh’s blue eyes, Simon knew there was no turning back. Because sometimes the right thing to do was not taking it back.

Others, it was not holding it back.

“No. In fact, it’s not about that.”

“WHAT IS IT, THEN?!”

“YOU TELL ME!” Simon howled, getting one step closer to him, and all the memories started flowing...more likely, overflowing, including that time when he had talked to Kasumi and Tamaya in the living room, just like as if they were teenagers, instead of grown ass people, about how Hugh was leaving, even though he was still right there.

Right there, looking like a corpse.

A blue, stiff corpse.

“Why don’t you ever kiss me anymore?” Simon asked, and his voice sounded way less threatening than he had intended. “Why?”

“Are you really going to pull that card on me?”

“I am going to pull it because I want to know!” Simon barked, pointing at his own chest, which was getting tighter and tighter with every second. “Why don’t you ever touch me anymore? Why am I always invisible to you, even when I’m not? Why are you so fucking cold all the time? Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong?!”

Hugh wheezed, maybe pretending it didn’t make sense, or maybe pretending he hadn’t understood at all. Still smirking, he ran his fingers through his hair, and stared at Simon, scratching his chin, and clicking his tongue.

“So...Sex.”

Simon’s heart was pounding.

“Yes, sex!” He yelled, shameless. “And kisses, and hugs and my husband! That is what am I asking for!”

“WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO?! WE’RE BUSY!”

“WE’RE NOT BUSY NOW!”

“SO YOU WANT TO GET LAID NOW?!”

“I’M NOT GETTING LAID WHILE THINKING ABOUT HOW A CHILD WILL BE EXECUTED BY ANOTHER CHILD BECAUSE I WASN’T ALLOWED TO DO ANYTHING TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING!”

“SHE TRIED TO KILL ME! SHE TRIED TO KILL MAX!”

“FIRST: AN ATTEMPTED ASSASINATION IS NOT ENOUGH TO GIVE SOMEBODY A DEATH PENALTY, AND, SECOND: THAT’S WHAT GENISSA SAID!”

“ISN’T THAT ENOUGH?!”

“THAT’S NOT ENOUGH!” Simon screamed, covering his ears with hands.

He didn’t know why, specifically, the ears, knowing that, in reality, his eyes were the problem, because every time he closed them, he saw Nova in that chair, like an animal. And he saw Genissa standing in the lobby, playing with them like puppets; he saw Evander’s despicable smirk when he told Genissa to go ahead; he saw Adrian’s furious eyes as he called his own dad a dictator; he saw Hugh.

Mostly, he saw Hugh, and the caricaturesque villain version of him, which Simon despised with every inch of his being.

Then he was back at the beginning. At Nova.

Nova, who had tan skin, pitch black hair and slanted blue eyes. And Nova, who looked familiar when she smiled, because she looked similar to that man who had come to the Headquarters asking for help, whose smile looked similar to the other person who carried their blood.

And Simon couldn’t help but consider it as a real possibility. And if he happened to be right, then they were failing her.

For the second time.

“It’ll never be enough, Hugh.” He declared. “Because she…”

Simon’s internal knots became tighter, to the point they were suffocating him.

“How do we know who this girl is?” he questioned. “How do we know it isn’t her?”

“Her, who? What are you talking about?”

“Her. The one we failed to protect.” Simon felt a tear slipping from his eye, as he became closer and Hugh walked backwards. “Uh? How do we know that? How do we…?”

But something stopped him.

 And that something was Hugh’s eyes, turning grey as chromium.

He was breathing fast. Faster with every second, and where maybe he saw anger, Simon saw nothing but deep, stored pain, flowing out of him like sweat, or like the tears that weren’t there.

There was Hugh’s bleeding shell again, protecting him like he was a small child curled up on the floor, in a ball, through a polarized surface where Simon and him couldn’t touch, and where nothing could hurt him, while everything could at the same time.

There it was.

The despicable, horrid, bleeding shell.

Except this time it wasn’t bleeding. No. No.

This time, the dense, bubbling blood was falling off it, reaching Simon’s feet, and the shell was in flames. Tall, untamable flames, that were burning the roof and everything surrounding them.

The shell was burning, while Hugh was inside of it, and nobody could get him out before he was burned to death.

Why didn’t he let anyone help him?

Why did he insist the flames weren’t there?

Why couldn’t Simon hold his hand?

Why was he so far?

“We didn’t fail to protect her. She died.” Hugh declared, and when Simon saw his lips quivering, he realized they weren’t talking about Nova anymore.

“She didn’t fail. She died. “ Simon saw the silver painting Hugh’s fingertips, as tears started rolling down his face. “She died! SHE DIED, WHEN IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME, SIMON!”

The bleeding shell was burning, and Simon still couldn’t find his way in.

“IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME! AND SHE DIED! SHE DIDN’T FAIL TO PROTECT ANYONE! SHE DIED! IT SHOULD’VE BEEN ME! SHE DIED, SIMON! SHE DIED!”

Their eyes met for a couple of second, and the connection vanished after a blink.

“IT’S NOT HER FAULT SHE DIED, IT’S MINE!”

Hugh was sobbing, like a small child, and Simon was too.

“...It’s...it’s mine, Simon. Always has been.”

And they were so far, despite being so close, that they were left with holding themselves tight.

Because there was no way to get into the burning shell, for Hugh, strangely as it sounded, had never said those words out loud, because he thought the picture on the wall behind him, the one with the woman wearing a floral pink dress with their son -who was also hers- sitting on her lap, would hear him and that would make her sad.

Yet, Simon knew she wasn’t sad at the moment.

He knew her well enough to know she would’ve been disappointed, instead.

Anybody would be if they had to see their family kill the one thing they had died trying to protect.

“No.” Simon declared, calmly. “But I’m not going to go and try to convince you otherwise because I know it’s not the right time.”

Hugh started shaking.

“Si…”

“And I won’t be a part of this, either.” Simon declared, firm, still staring at the picture through the corner of his eye, yet still fully focused on Hugh. “From now on, all you’ll get from me is silence in regards to the issue. I’m not willing to be a part of it. I don’t agree with this. I will never agree.”

“You don’t understand.”

“And I’m glad I don’t. In fact, I hope I never do.” Simon wiped his tears with his palm, and before continuing, he tried to find his Hugh one more time.

He was still there.

Simon hadn’t yet given up on him, but he didn’t feel like telling him that at the moment.

For some reason.

“If Adrian wants to see me, tell him I’ll be at Kasumi’s.”

“Simon.” Hugh grabbed him by the wrist, and a simple wave from Simon’s hand was enough to get it off. Way too easy, for a person who happened to have super-strength. “Simon, please. Don’t do this again. Please. SIMON!”

But Simon did it again anyway.

Later, he wondered what Adrian had felt when he abducted Max from the hospital and left a note for them.

He also wondered what everyone else had felt when the real Nightmare showed up.

Not that he was mad at them.

He just wondered what they had felt.

[kmexk]

Desde Instagram

"Ayer tuve una aparición en el programa de la NHK "21kai Waga Kokoro no Osaka Melody"!

Estuve con Emiko Kaminuma y con Kasumi Ishikawa, tan lindas y geniales!!!

De hecho, conocí ahí a Kaminuma-San, y lloré! Fue muy amable cuando la salude, y sobre todo, tan linda; me dejó con la sensación de que se preocupaba mucho por mí.

Su canción fue realmente maravillosa, me conmovía y terminé llorando!

Y Kasumi-chan!

Es demasiado linda para ser verdad...

Bueno, charlamos mucho en el camerino♡

Siempre me inspira su actitud de luchar con valentía!

Una chica maravillosa a la que apoyaré!

Realmente espero que continúes dando tu mayor esfuerzo!!"

[obsidianfr3sk]

Malos días

OLI OLI CABEZA DE FRIJOLI

Salutations, fandom de renegados en español (? La Obsi decidió subir un fic en su idioma porque tiene mucha hueva de traducir pero quiere subir algo cute:) Fue super raro escribir en español sin tener constantemente en mente que iba a tener que traducirlo xd ALSO PINCHES GUIONES ME OLVIDABA QUE ERA UN PEDOTE PONERLOS. Pero lo logré y creo que quedó mamalón:’) Ahí dispersen

Summary? Idk... pues son los Everhart-Westwood siendo una familia disfuncional con final feliz (? Okno.

YA PUES PONGANSE A LEER. 

Tag list: @nodrianbcyes @dawniebb @healing-winston-pratt @alecjamesartino @everyone-has-a-nightmare (si también hablas español, únete. Somos buena onda a veces)

Detrás de la máscara, Simon podía mentirle a toda la ciudad. Podía aceptar con una enorme sonrisa sus “gracias”, sus cientos de miradas de admiración y todo la responsabilidad que le ponían en los hombros a él y al resto de sus amigos. Podía decir con seguridad que ninguno de ellos tenía que preocuparse de nuevo por los villanos. Los héroes habían triunfado. El mal se había terminado en la ciudad.

Los Renegados lo tenía todo bajo control.

Sin embargo, apenas se apagaban las luces del escenario, él dejaba de ser Dread Warden y se convertía en Simon Westwood de nuevo. Y Simon Westwood era un desastre.

Todos eran un desastre.

Aunque intentaran disimularlo, Simon los conocía lo suficientemente bien (se conocía a sí mismo lo suficientemente bien) como para saber que las cosas no estaban bien. Que quizás jamás volverían a estarlo.

Las cosas nunca iban a volver a estar bien sin Georgia a su lado. No importaba cuánto intentaran converse a sí mismos que así era.

Kasumi había intentado empezar una conversación al respecto. Unas semanas después del Día del Triunfo, después de visitar  a Max en su recién inaugurada área de cuarentena, ella y Simon los llevaron a su antigua casa. Era de noche. Adrian se quedó dormido en su cuarto de la infancia y los adultos hicieron un círculo en la sala.

Para explicar la dinámica, Kasumi tomó una pequeña almohada.

—¿Ven esto?—preguntó ella. Los otros tres asintieron—.Yo tengo una almohada. La almohada de la palabra. La vamos a ir pasando en el círculo y quien la tenga, va a tener la palabra y va hablar de cómo se siente.

—¿Cómo nos sentimos sobre qué?—preguntó Evander.

—Evander—lo regañó Simon—.Kasumi tiene la almohada de la palabra. Ahora no es tu turno de hablar.

Le arrebató la almohada a Kasumi.

—¿Cómo nos sentimos sobre qué?—repitió.

—¿Pues sobre qué más, Evander?—exclamó Tamaya rodando los ojos. Al diablo con la almohada de la palabra—.Sobre esto. La Anarquía, el Consejo…

—Sobre Georgia—interrumpió Hugh.

Le lanzó una mirada a Simon. Kasumi le pasó la almohada de la palabra, pero Hugh se la regresó.

Bueno, quizás eso no iba a funcionar con Hugh. Pero al menos iba a funcionar con los demás, ¿no?

Pues no. No funcionó con nadie.

Tamaya rompió la almohada cuando se la pasaron. Evander tomó una mitad y comenzó a hacer chistes sobre esa “maldita actividad toda ridícula” que solamente les estaba haciendo perder el tiempo, e hizo que Kasumi, una mujer de veintitrés años, se pusiera a llorar como niña chiquita, porque “ella solamente quería ayudar”. Eso solo hizo que Tamaya se enfureciera más y comenzara a gritarle a Evander por ser un “puto niño desconsiderado”.

Evander le respondió con más gritos. Kasumi lloró más fuerte.

Dos estaban gritando, una estaba llorando, y Simon…

Simon sintió que se quedaba sin aire.

Era un ataque de pánico aproximándose.

Volteó a ver a Hugh. Estaba sentado en el suelo, mirando sus manos con expresión vacía.

—Hugh—lo llamó con voz temblorosa—Hugh, haz algo. Por favor…

Hugh alzó la vista. Evander y Tamaya se llevaron la pelea a la cocina, y Kasumi los siguió, probablemente para asegurarse que no se mataran.

Creyó que los iba a seguir también. Que les iba a decir que no iba a seguir tolerando ese comportamiento. Que Adrian estaba dormido en el cuarto del fondo y que podían despertarlo. Que así no era como se comportaban unos adultos y mucho menos, unos gobernantes.

Que Georgia no hubiera querido que eso ocurriera.

Tú la conociste mejor que nadie. Tú sabes qué haría ella. Hazlo entonces. Haz lo que ella haría.

Pero no lo hizo. Porque Hugh era Hugh y jamás iba a poder ser Georgia.

Así que solo se acercó a él, lo tomó de la mano y lo acompañó durante todo el ataque de pánico, sin quejarse y sin dejarle de recordar, sin palabras, que estaba ahí para él.

Apenas su respiración volvió a la normalidad y su cabeza dejó de sentirse como si fuera a explotar, Hugh le preguntó si podían irse. Simon aceptó.

Mientras Hugh iba por Adrian al cuarto, él asomó la cabeza a la cocina. Kasumi había dejado de llorar, y estaba sentada en una silla con los ojos y la nariz rojos como un conejito. Evander tenía la cabeza pegada a la esquina de la cocina y golpeaba su frente ligeramente contra ella. Tamaya se dio cuenta de eso y no dudó en pararse para decirle, con voz muy calmada, que dejara de hacerse daño.

Estaba llorando. Tamaya estaba llorando.

Los dos se fueron sin despedirse. Adrian iba en los brazos de Hugh, envuelto en una cobija roja y completamente dormido. Durante todo el trayecto, le estuvo dando palmaditas en la espalda, mirándolo de reojo de forma tan…

Arrepentida.

No fue tu culpa. No fue culpa de ninguno de nosotros.

Ver a Kasumi derrotada, a Evander lastimándose, a Tamaya llorar y Hugh tan callado en una sola noche había sido demasiado para Simon.

Durmieron dándose la espalda.

No sabía qué hacer.

Solo ella hubiera sabido qué hacer.

Lo peor es que al día siguiente, todos se vieron en el trabajo y se hablaron como si la noche anterior no hubiera ocurrido. Pareciera que el Consejo entero hubiera tenido una reunión a sus espaldas y que hubieran llegado a un acuerdo: pasarían el resto de sus vidas haciéndose los locos cada vez que alguien les preguntara sobre las cosas horribles que habían pasado.

Pero Simon se negaba a hacerse el loco.

Es por eso que tampoco podía ignorar a Adrian. No como ellos.

A ver, los demás no ignoraban a Adrian del todo. Estaban constantemente pendientes de él. Kasumi más de una vez le había contado cuentos durante las horas de trabajo, Tamaya hacía de crítica de arte cada vez que le mostraba algún dibujo y Evander siempre le estaba tomando el pelo a las personas con tal de hacerlo reír.

El problema era que en todas las ocasiones que hablaban de Adrian, alguno de los tres terminaba diciendo: “Adrian es un niño muy maduro. Ha llevado muy bien la situación.”

Y eso lo enfurecía. No sabían de lo que estaban hablando.

Ellos solo veían a Adrian en sus buenos días. Cuando estaba rodeado de gente, cuando correteaba los pasillos del Cuartel General, o cuando le hacía gestos chistosos a Max desde el otro lado del cristal. No veían a Adrian cuando tenía terrores nocturnos. Cuando le daban ataques de pánico cada vez que alguno de ellos dos se tardaba más de lo normal en ir por pan a la tienda. Cuando pasaba horas dibujando encerrado su cuarto, porque dibujar era lo único que lo distraía del dolor.

No lo veían en sus malos días.

No tenían el vivo retrato de Georgia jugando con muñecos de acción al otro lado de la pared de su cuarto, haciendo que se preguntaran constantemente si estaban haciendo lo correcto.

No, no sabían de lo que estaban hablando.

Y lo peor de todo, es que ese día, era un mal día.

Estaban cenando en el comedor. Simon había preparada arroz con espárragos y coliflor. Ninguno de los tres estaba hablando.

A Simon le recordó demasiado a su infancia.

Adrian le dio unos toquecitos en el brazo.

—¿Ya me puedo ir?—le preguntó.

Simon miró su plato. Únicamente se había comido el arroz.

—Todavía tienes comida en el plato.

Adrian hizo una mueca.

—Pero no los quiero—respondió—.No tengo hambre.

Volteó a ver a Hugh. Estaba jugando con los granos de arroz de su plato. Simon suspiró.

—Bien. Puedes irte.

A él tampoco le gustaban mucho los espárragos o la colifror. Mucho menos en malos días.

—No, Adrian. Termínate las verduras.

La sonrisa se borró de inmediato de la cara de Adrian.

¿Por qué no pudiste decirle eso cinco segundos antes?

—Pero no los quiero—insistió.

Hugh levantó la mirada y lo señaló con el tenedor.

—No me importa. En esta casa…

—Creo que yo puedo con esto—intervino Simon.

—No es cuestión de si puedes con esto o no, Simon—le respondió sin voltearlo a ver—.Es cuestión de que tú, Adrian, aprendas a valorar las cosas que te da la vida. Cuando nosotros éramos niños, no teníamos el lujo de una cena caliente cada noche y te apuesto que hay muchos otros niños que quisieran comerse esos espárragos—clavó su tenedor en un pedazo de colifror—.Termínatelo.

No iba a salir bien, no iba a salir bien…

La cara de Adrian se contrajo de coraje. Empujó el plato fuera de su alcance, volteó a ver a ambos, y con la voz más molesta que alguna vez le hubieran escuchado, les dijo:

—Pues cómanselos ustedes.

Simon escondió la cabeza entre sus brazos.

No salió bien.

Nada estaba saliendo bien.

¿Algún día nos van a salir las cosas bien, Georgia?

Pero Georgia no respondió.

Sin embargo, Hugh sí lo hizo.

—No me hagas repetirlo.

Y le acercó el plato otra vez. Y Adrian empujó. Otra vez.

—¡NO QUIERO! ¡NO QUIERO COMER ESPÁRRAGOS! ¡Y TAMPOCO TE QUIERO A TI!

A Simon le habían dado muchísimos golpes a lo largo de su vida. Pero ni los niños de la escuela, ni los peores villanos le habían dado golpes tan bajos como ese.

Es solo un niño. Es solo un niño muy triste. No te está tratando de lastimar, es solo que…

Es solo que él está muy herido.

Como todos.

—Esa no es forma de hablarle a tus mayores.

—¡NO TE QUIERO A TI! ¡QUIERO A MI MAMÁ! ¡QUIERO A MI MAMÁ!

Simon se miró en el reflejo de la cuchara. Concéntrate en tu respiración, Simon. Mira tus ojos. Mira tus manos. Estás aquí. No te has ido. Nada te va a arrebatar de nuestro lado. Estás vivo. Estás a salvo.

Ojalá le pudiera decir a Adrian la verdad.

Decirle que ambos pensaban lo mismo.

—¡Bueno, pues tu mamá ya no está!—gritó Hugh—¡Georgia ya no está!

Intentó disimular su voz rota. Ay, Hugh...

Adrian no se dio cuenta de ese detalle. Él siguió llorando. Siguió gritando. Y siguió terco con que no iba a comerse sus espárragos.

Ninguno de los dos notó cuando Simon se puso de pie y se fue a su habitación.

Desde el piso de arriba podían escucharse los gritos. Qué horror. ¿Qué estarían diciendo los vecinos?

Felicidades, señores, arruinarán a ese niño.

Todavía no tenían muchas cosas en su armario. Se puso de puntillas para llegar a lo más alto y tomar aquel objeto que tan celosamente habían escondido en lo más oscuro de su hogar.

Una caja en forma de durazno.

Simon la abrió. Olía a vainilla y crema para las manos. En la parte interior de la tapa, una Georgia de veinte años había escrito con letra cursiva: Propiedad de Georgia Rawles. ¡Mañana será un mejor día!

Ay, Georgia siempre estaba con sus cosas. ¡Mañana todo será mejor! ¡El mundo no se ha acabado, así que las cosas no están tan mal! ¡Al menos llegamos a la noche!

Cuando era adolescente, Simon recuerda haber odiado el optimismo inquebrantable de Georgia.

—¿Por qué no puedo sentirme mal?—le dijo una vez—¿Por qué no puedo quedarme aquí, a llorar un rato? ¿Por qué tengo que estar feliz todo el tiempo? ¿¡Por qué no puedes tenerme tantita empatía, Georgia, y dejar que me rinda!?

Incluso detrás de su mirada nublada por las lágrimas, pudo ver que la había herido.  

Simon creía que iba a darse la vuelta y dejarlo solo.

Pero en vez de eso, se sentó a su lado y lo abrazó.

—Va—le susurró al oído—.Entonces llora. Llora y siéntete terrible todo lo que tú quieras, ¿de acuerdo? Pero no voy a dejar que te rindas. Nunca me vuelvas a pedir que te deje rendirte. Nunca me voy a rendir contigo. ¿Entendido, corazón? Ven, cuéntame si quieres. Soy toda oídos.

Simon entendió. Esa noche, lloró muchísimo. Sin embargo, tener a Georgia con él lo había hecho mucho más llevadero.

A partir de ese momento, pudo comprenderla mejor. No era que pensara que nunca había que sentirse triste. Era que pensaba que siempre había que tener en mente que mañana podía ser mejor.

Se preguntó si alguna vez Georgia tuvo que recordarse eso a sí misma.

Cuántas preguntas no le había hecho en vida.

Dentro de la caja había un diccionario de bolsillo, un paquete de notas adhesivas rosadas, un barniz de uñas turquesa a punto de terminarse, una foto de bodas antigua...

Y sobre ellos, las únicas dos cosas que se habían atrevido a tomar del cuerpo de Georgia cuando la encontraron. Una gruesa liga amarilla con la que siempre se peinaba y la máscara dorada que ocultaba su verdadera identidad.

Dejó la caja sobre la cama y sostuvo en cada mano un objeto.

Georgia y Lady Indómita jamás habían sido tan diferentes.

Adrian rompió un vaso.

La verdad es que yo también quisiera que estuvieras aquí.

Se paró enfrente del espejo de su habitación.

No tengo ni idea de qué tengo que hacer.

Su reflejo tenía la misma mirada confundida. Él tampoco sabía.

Bajó la vista. La máscara y la liga no lucían confundidas.

¿Qué es lo que tengo que hacer?

Y Simon supo la respuesta.

Sujetó su cabello con la liga. Colocó la máscara sobre su rostro. Miró al espejo una vez más y ya no era su reflejo el que estaba ahí. Era el de Georgia.

O… bueno. Algo parecido a ella.

Haz lo que yo haría, Simon.

Simon abrió la puerta del cuarto con una patada. La pelea dejó de escucharse de inmediato.

Bajó las escaleras estoicamente, mirando al frente y con la barbilla en alto. Hugh se había detenido en su camino a las escaleras, probablemente a punto de ir a ver si Simon estaba bien. Adrian permanecía en su silla, con los ojos hinchados de tanto llorar, pero abiertos a más no poder.

Georgia no se dejaría intimidar por sus reacciones.

—No vuelvas a gritarle al niño—dijo con la voz más aguda y estrictamente maternal que pudo—.No vuelvas a gritarle al niño o a ti será a quien te voy a gritar, ¿entendiste? Ahora,—lo tomó de la muñeca y lo dirigió de regreso a la mesa—termina tu comida. De aquí nadie se levanta hasta que lo hagas.

—Sim…

—¡Nadie se levanta hasta que lo hagas!—chilló—.Usted mismo lo dijo, Capitán. Hay que valorar las cosas que nos da la vida. Así que… valore las verduras que le da la vida.

Sígueme el juego, Hugh. Por favor, sígueme el juego solo en esta ocasión.

Y como si le hubiera leído el pensamiento, Hugh comenzó a comerse un espárrago. Pero seguía teniendo esa mirada extraña en él.

Parecía estar preguntándole qué carajos estaba haciendo.

Lo que ella haría.

—Ahora, tú—señaló a Adrian—.Tú tampoco me tienes muy contenta, corazón—acercó su silla a él y junto las manos sobre la mesa—¿Qué es lo que está pasando?

A Simon le parecieron cinco horas y no cinco segundos el tiempo que Adrian se quedó boquiabierto, mirándolo como si fuera un fantasma.

Quizás lo era.

Quizás eso es lo único que terminaría siendo Georgia. Un fantasma.

Por suerte no pudo seguir pensando en ello, porque Adrian recuperó la voz justo a tiempo.

—Es que… no me quiero comer las verduras—respondió.

—Mmmm, qué interesante caso—contestó asintiendo ligeramente—¿Pero… por qué no te las quieres comer?

—Porque saben mal—exclamó él—.Y huelen feo. Luego se desintegran cuando intentó ponerlas en mi tenedor y es de… ¡Agh!

Simon tuvo que aguantarse la risa para no salir de personaje.

—Okey, se vale—aceptó él—.Pero a veces tenemos que hacer cosas que no nos gustan porque son buenas para otros. O para nosotros mismos.

Adrian frunció el ceño y giró la cabeza ligeramente. No entendía.

Tomó un espárrago entre sus dedos.

—Por ejemplo… ¿tú sabes por qué yo y Simon estamos tan fuertes?—le preguntó haciendo como si le estuviera mostrando sus músculos—.No es porque hayamos nacido con superfuerza, como el cuate de allá, es porque nosotros nos comimos todas nuestras verduras cuando teníamos ocho años.

Y Adrian… Adrian soltó una carcajada.

Casi llora del alivio.

—¡No es cierto!—exclamó—.Eso es algo que los viejos le dicen a los niños para que coman sano.

—¿Le dices a tu madre mentirosa?—preguntó haciéndose el ofendido—.No, no, no, peor, ¿le estás diciendo a tu madre vieja? ¡Hazme el bendito favor! ¡Qué niño tan descarado!

—Okey, pero es que sonaste como una vieja—aclaró Adrian sin dejar de reír—.No es que lo seas.

—Ah, bueno, gracias por la aclaración—contestó, ya más calmado—.Porque sí, yo nunca miento. Los espárragos y las coliflores juntos hacen que te pongas más guapo y fuerte. Es decir, yo siempre fui súper guapa, pero Simon era un niño bastante feo. Antes solo comía…

—Galletas de polvo de estrellas—intervino Hugh. Simon lo volteó a ver. Casi se había terminado todos sus vegetales—.Antes solamente comía eso. Nada de verduras.

—¡Exacto! Antes Simon solo comía eso—siguió diciendo—.Pero apenas yo lo introduje al maravilloso mundo de la comida sana, te lo juro, Adrian, que se empezó a caer de lo buenísimo que se puso. ¿Confirma, Capitán?

Hugh casi se atraganta con el pedazo de coliflor que estaba comiendo.

—Este… confirmo. Eso pasó—balbuceó.

Adrian hizo como que vomitaba. Simon le guiñó el ojo antes de volver a dirigir toda su atención a su hijo.

—Así que ya sabes. Si comes tus verduras, serás muy guapo y fuerte. Tú decides—y masticó su espárrago.

Adrian se rascó la barbilla y miró al cielo, como considerando la propuesta.

—Es más—dijo Hugh—.Si te comes tus verduras, tu mamá te va a enseñar a volar. Así como ella lo hace.

—¿De verdad?—preguntó entusiasmado.

Simon luchó por no rodar los ojos. Muchas putas gracias, Capitán, me diste más trabajo.

—¡Claro!—respondió él—.Ven, para que no me digas de nuevo que soy una mentirosa, te doy una prueba gratis. Párate en la silla—Se puso de pie y extendió los brazos—.Ahora, te comes una colifror, saltas y volarás.

Adrian se paró en la silla torpemente.

—¿Segura que funcionará?

—¡Segurísima! Solo… brinca con cuidado.

No te mates, por favor.

Adrian tomó una colifror, la comió sin hacer ni una sola mueca y brincó hacia él.

Simon lo atrapó y lo alzó sobre su cabeza lo más alto que pudo.

—¡Wow, Adrian, estás volando!—exclamó—¡Estás volando!

—¡Estoy volando!—se rio Adrian—¡Mira, estoy volando!—le dijo a Hugh.

—¡Y lo haces muy bien!

Simon y él cruzaron miradas por un segundo. Y decidió vengarse.

—¡Atrápalo, Capitán!

—¡ESPERA, NO!

Pero Hugh lo atrapó a tiempo. Adrian no dejó de reírse en todo el rato.

Entonces, Hugh se rio también. Lo puso sobre sus hombros cuidadosamente y Adrian comenzó a jugar con los mechones de su cabello.

Lo estás haciendo genial, Simon.

—Adrian—lo llamó Hugh—creo que… te debo una disculpa. Tu mamá tiene razón. No debí haberte gritado.

—Yo tampoco debí haber gritado—balbuceó Adrian.

—Pero yo soy el adulto. Debí haber reaccionado de mejor manera.

—Otra vez tiene toda la razón, Capitán—comentó Simon encogiéndose de hombros.

Hugh asintió, aceptando la derrota.

—Nueva regla en la casa: nadie le grita a nadie—sentenció—Bajo ninguna circunstancia. ¿Qué te parece, Adrian?

—Me parece una regla excelente—contestó alegremente.

—Y a mí me parece excelente que te parezca excelente.

Tú también lo estás haciendo bien, Hugh.

—¿En qué quedamos, entonces?—preguntó Simon poniéndole el plato de comida debajo de la nariz—¿Comerás tus verduras?

—Bueno, mamá, es que yo no veo qué nuevos beneficios eso me traería a mí—respondió Adrian encogiéndose de hombros—.Yo ya soy muy fuerte y muy guapo.

—¡Vaya! Parece que alguien piensa muy bien de sí mismo—exclamó carcajeándose—.Bueno, se entiende. Lo fuerte y guapo lo sacaste de tu ma… de mí. Eso lo sacaste de mí.

Hugh lo miró como si Simon acabara de matar a alguien.

Simon sí se sentía como si acabara de matar a alguien.

Lo arruinaste. Lo echaste todo a perder.

Pero Adrian le sonrió con más intensidad que antes.

—Me convenciste—respondió quedito—.Pero solo los comeré si Simon está aquí. Le quiero decir que al final sí voy a terminarme la comida. Y que él me dé su permiso, claro.

Se sujetó el pecho y suspiró. El terror se había dio tan rápido como había llegado.

—De acuerdo, iré por él—masculló. Dejó el plato en la mesa—.Pero antes, corazón, me tienes que hacer un favor.

—Comer vegetales ya es un favor que te estoy haciendo.

—Otro favor, entonces.

Adrian recargó la barbilla sobre la cabeza de Hugh.

—Soy todo oídos.

Por supuesto que lo eres.

—Corazón, necesito que cuides mucho a Simon y a Hugh—respondió. Adrian alzó las cejas—.Sé que tú me extrañas mucho. Créeme que ellos lo hacen también. Saben que jamás serán como yo y la verdad es que van a equivocarse mucho. Muchísimo. Mil veces—con una mano sujetó la de Adrian—Pero quiero que te quede muy claro, Adrian—y con la otra, lo tomó de la barbilla—.Yo nunca me rendí con ellos. Ellos nunca se van a rendir contigo.

Adrian le apretó la mano con más fuerza.

—Claro que voy a cuidar de ellos. Son mis papás.  

Se le hizo un nudo en la garganta.

Esa era la primera vez que los llamaba así.

Papás.

—Confío en ti, entonces.

—Confía en mí.

No volteó a ver si Adrian y Hugh lo seguían con la mirada cuando subió las escaleras. Se quitó la máscara, soltó su cabello y las metió dentro de la caja de durazno. No fue hasta que había regresado todo a su lugar que se atrevió a mirarse al espejo una vez más.

Volvía a ser Simon.

Quizás las cosas no volverían a ser las de antes. Quizás nunca dejarían de ser un desastre.

Pero se seguían teniendo mutuamente, y si algo habían aprendido, era que tener a alguien para afrontar los malos días, hacía todo mucho más fácil.

[femalechibiblogger]

5 Anime Series with Weird Plots

1. Akikan!

Plot: Akikan (”Empty Can”) is the unlikely story of high school boy Kakeru Daichi, whose can of melon soda magically transforms into a human girl. More "akikan" girls begin appearing, each of them needing to be infused with carbon dioxide from their respective drink types to survive. The akikans were created as part of the 'Akikan Elect' to determine whether steel cans or aluminium cans are superior. The akikans must battle each other until only the strongest type is left standing.

This series doesn’t really make much sense. I mean...humanized, fizzy drink girls fighting to prove if steel or aluminum drink cans are superior? And it’s all part of a military experiment run by a gay guy and a strict secretary whose name is always mispronounced? While there are anime series about magical girls and a normal guy who gets involved with them, which is not unusual at all in the world of anime. But at least give it a storyline that actually makes sense!

It’s like they just came up with something random that could be used to advertise carbonated drinks. What better way to do that than to make fizzy fruit drinks into sexy, battle girls!

2. Asobi Asobase

Plot: The series centers on Hanako, Olivia and Kasumi, second year students at an all-girl middle school and the only three members of the Pastimers Club, a not officially recognized club. The club has very ambiguous goals, usually consisting of whatever so-called "pastimes" the girls happen to think up.

While this series does have its good moments, and has some clever jokes...the odd visuals, outrageous episode plots, and out-of-this-world facial expressions are what make it very, very strange. It’s basically one of those shows that is weird but good at the same time, depending on what you like.

If a Pastimers Club were to exist in real life...it would probably be something like this.

3. Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

Plot: The show revolves around the exploits of the Anarchy sisters, Panty and Stocking, angels who were kicked out of Heaven due to their bad behavior. They are sent to Daten City, a place on the border between Heaven and Hell, which is besieged by evil spirits referred to as "Ghosts". The sisters take refuge under the care of the reverend Garterbelt; under his watchful eyes, the sisters are tasked with using their ability to transform their lingerie into weapons, and using them to destroy malicious Ghosts. By doing so, the sisters earn "Heaven Coins" with which they intend to one day use to buy their way back into Heaven. However, Panty and Stocking are constantly sidetracked by their respective interests in men and sugary sweets.

The series is, by far, a very weird one. I mean...two fallen angels who turn their lingerie into weapons to fight evil ghosts, an afro priest with an interest in boys, a nerdy guy with a crush on the slutty sister, and a dog who looks like a knock-off of ‘Gir’ from Invader Zim? Just when you think it couldn’t get any stranger. 

While I admit, the show does have its serious moments...but it still goes pretty overboard with adult jokes and visualizations. No wonder these girls were banished from Heaven.

4. Powerpuff Girls Z

Plot: It takes place in Tokyo City (New Townsville in English dub) where Professor Utonium and his son, Ken Kitazawa and his toy dog, Peach were busy working on Chemical X, a powerful chemical substance but when they decided to have a tea break, Peach accidentally dropped a daifuku to a vat of Chemical X and the vat magically transforms to Chemical Z, a whole new form of the original powerful substance. However, when the Professor, Ken and Peach were discovering Chemical Z, a sudden climate change happened where several countries around the world were having an instant weather calamity so Ken used a beam ray attached to the vat of Chemical Z and blasts Chemical Z on one of the main icebergs in the Tokyo City bay and the impact of Chemical Z from the iceberg causes several black and white rays of light to appear in the skies above it.Then, three ordinary 13-year-old girls, Momoko Akatsutsumi, Miyako Gōtokuji, and Kaoru Matsubara, were engulfed in separate rays of white light and transforms them into Hyper Blossom, Rolling Bubbles, and Powered Buttercup, the heroines of justice, the Powerpuff Girls Z and Peach was also engulfed in a separate ray of white light transforming to a toy dog who can speak and calls the girls to transform into the Powerpuff Girls Z and then, numerous rays of black light engulfed several people, animals, objects and transforms them into evil monsters who wants to take over Tokyo City, so the Powerpuff Girls Z must protect the city thanks to the Professor, Ken, Mayor Mayer and his assistant, Ms. Bellum and uses their respective weapons like Blossom's yo-yo, Bubbles' bubble rod and Buttercup's hammer from evil monsters like Mojo Jojo, Fuzzy Lumpkins, Princess Himeko, Sedusa, the Gangreen Gang, the Amoeba Boys and numerous monsters to defeat them.

Everyone knows that this Japanese remake can never replace the original Powerpuff Girls. While the series isn’t terrible, and does have its moments, it’s still strange to see Blossom, Bubbles and Buttercup not being sisters or having Professor Utonium as their father. I think the only part of the story that I actually liked was how the villains became the villains. 

But hey...we can see that the studio tried to make it a bit like the original cartoon. But it’s like they say: You can’t beat the classics. 

5. Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo

Plot: In the year 300X, the entire world is under the tyrannical rule of the Maruhage Empire and their ruler Tsuru Tsurulina IV (Chrome Dome Empire and Baldy Bald the 4th in the English dub). His Hair Hunt troop captures innocent bystanders' hair, leaving the people victims of the Hair Hunt troop's head shaving and their villages in ruins. Standing against this evil regime is the heroic, but bizarre, rebel Bobobo-Bo Bo-Bobo who fights the Hair Hunt Troop with his powerful Hanage Shinken (Fist of the Nose Hair). His team consists of the normal teen girl Beauty, the smelly teen warrior Heppokomaru (Gasser) and the Hajike leader Don Patch (Poppa Rocks). Bo-bobo is on an exciting, gag-filled quest in which he uses his hair as a weapon in many locales to fight the forces of the Maruhage Empire as he gains other allies along the way.

I don’t even know where to start. While we all like having a full head of hair...one could have never imagined that there would be an anime about it. This series is obviously a comedy and isn’t meant to be dramatic or anything serious like that.

We all know that this show is meant to be weird on purpose. If you love shows that are random and don’t make sense...then this show is perfect for you.

[draconicmagicalgirl]

so i don’t have their cure designs yet but i have their civilian designs so!! here’s the main three girls for Vocalize! Pretty Cure Debut, my fancure series! (more info and lore to come.................eventually)

the themes/motifs are voice, elements, and courage (specifically the courage to work towards your goals and stand up for what you believe in)

under the cut for more detail!

Kasumi Inoue/Cure Alto

-pink leader, obvs

-sorta has the peppy generic personality but it’s actually more of a public face than anything. she’s actually kinda quiet and melancholy in private

-daughter of the mayor of the town the series takes place in. he always brought her along to mayoral events and stuff if she was allowed in and everyone’s always like “you’d be a great mayor!! you should run for the position when your father steps down!” so she feels kinda obligated to go for it since it’s what everyone expects of her

-actually loves singing and dreams of one day starting a band. ends up being able to when she becomes a cure and starts building up a team!

-becomes a cure when an attack from the series monster thing (haven’t thought of a name for them yet whoops) nearly destroys her house

-cure themes are the contralto voice type and the earth, signature colors are pink and red

-obvs ends up being the lead singer in the band

Kaoru Yamazaki/Cure Soprano

-surprise! purple cure right off the bat!

-sorta fits the ‘lone wolf’ trope but its mostly bc she’s rly socially awkward and has kinda unintentionally snapped at people for talking to her out of the blue so people kinda avoid her

-she also gets crushes on cute girls easily and doesn’t want to make things weird between her and any possible friends so that’s another reason she keeps to herself

-ends up befriending kasumi by chance and becomes a cure soon after when she sees kasumi fighting on her own and wants to help her

-cure themes are the soprano voice type and the sky, signature color is purple (with a bit of a dark blue accent)

-lead guitarist in the band and also a sorta ‘secondary lead singer’

Akemi Hisakawa/Cure Falsetto

-green cure!! also she’s trans

-honors student, set to graduate earlier than the rest, SUPER serious about studying like she even does it during summer break

-wants to be a marine botanist! she loves the sea and the plants that grow in it. def wants to help restore some coral reefs that’ve been damaged around the world

-finds out kasumi and kaoru are cures by pure chance, becomes one herself when she sees a fight happening near the ocean that might cause damage to the things living within it

-cure themes are the falsetto/countertenor voice type and the sea, signature color is green (with a bit of a teal accent)

-bass/rhythm guitarist in the band, occasionally provides backup vocals

[mochi-moss]

Mayor Kasumi of Moriyo

@full-pockets

Credits In Captions