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animation-recaps-by-sean · 4 years

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Gravity Falls Beyond the Woods Chapter Three

Almost year long hiatus? What almost year long hiatus?

Dipper and Wendy’s daughter prepare for a big day when Wendy gets some news.

Rated T for blood and violence

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The bell rang and the students got and left their sixth grade class for the summer. Two students stood out due to their red hair and height. The two twins were only 12 but could easily pass for 16. Ty and Rose stood a foot above the rest of their peers. Rose was very excited for the summer. Summer meant adventure. Summer meant mystery!

She had grown up listening to stories about her Dad and Aunt Mabel fighting gnomes and solving the mystery of the journals. Now on her twelfth summer, maybe it was her turn. But before that she had other business.

“Mom coming in twenty minutes, I’ll be outside shooting hoops.” Tyrone was much more popular than Rose. While height had made her a bit of a paria among peers outside her friend group, it had made Ty very popular. Star basketball player, big hit with the other boys in school. He has had the gall to have dated several of them all while Rose had never even kissed a boy.

Rose made her way to her locker, where she was greeted by her friends, Grace and Megan. Grace was African-American while Megan was latina. Both were of average height with their classmates, which means they were far shorter than Rose.

“You’re ready for tomorrow?” Grace asked.

“Ah, about as ready as one can be.”

“Come on Rose, we know that you can do it,” Megan said encouragely. Did ya bring the sword?”

Rose blew a raspberry. “The school wouldn’t let me bring it. It’s so stupid. It’s not even sharp.” Tyrone may have the court, but Rose has fencing.

Across the country, a teacher was saying goodbye to her class. Mabel strolled down the classroom, passing rows of kindergarteners. “It’s been a wonderful year, children, I’ll miss you all so much.”

“We’ll miss you too Mrs. Pines-Northwest!” The kids got out of their chairs and rushed over to hug the crying teacher.

After class, Mabel cleaned her face in the bathroom. Damn, saying goodbye was the hardest part of being a teacher. After washing up, she walked out to her sports car, a gift from her wife. The vehicle's black color stood out against the bright background of California wine country. She drove out of the suburbs and into the farmland, music blaring. She passed barns filled with cows, horses, and ostriches.

She reached the vineyards passing rows and rows of grapes. A smile broke out on her face when she saw her house sitting on the hill. She drove up to the gate and punched in the code. Driving up the road, she spotted her loving wife working in the field.

Pacifica was looking at the grapes. The former heiress wore overalls, coated with dirt. She had long stopped bleaching her hair, leaving it her natural dirty blonde. The long locks she wore as a child had been cut down to a pixie cut. The same style she had since college. After parking the car, Mabel got out and greeted Pacifica with a kiss.

“How was the last day of school?”

“Tough. It always is.” Mabel sighed. “Why do the kids move on to a new teacher every year!”

“Now, now. You’ll be just as attached to next year’s class.” Pacifica gave her a hug. “The kids are inside. I’m going to take a bath.”

“Bubble?”

“Of course.”

“Love you.”

As Mabel entered the house, her phone lit up. It was her twin. “Dipper what’s up!” She placed her puse on the kitchen counter.

“Doing alright after saying goodbye?”

“Yeah, how do you deal?”

“Well, I got college students so…”

Mabel blew a raspberry. “You got no soul Mr Pines.” At this moment Stanley walked in, Mabel and Pacifica’s son was five with dirty blonde hair. This was his last summer before he starts Kindergarten. “So, how’s Rosie? Is she excited for the big day tomorrow?”

Stan tugged on Mabel’s dress. “Mommy, I want a cookie.”

Mabel placed her hand over the speaker and turned her attention to her young son. “Mommy’s on the phone, go ask your mother.”

The young boy shrugged. He wandered over to the bathroom. He reached up and opened the door. The boy’s second mother was relaxing in a tub filled with bubbles. “Mom, can I have a cookie?”

Without opening her eyes she said, “Go ask your mother sweetie.”

Young Stan turned around and walked back to the kitchen. “Mommy can I have a cookie?”

“Any plans for the summer… hold on. Go ask your mother honey.”

Stan once again made the track to the bathroom. “Mom I really want a cookie. Can I have one?”

“Go ask your mother.” The blonde replied again.

The boy made his way back to the kitchen and asked, “Mommy can I have a cookie.”

“I told you to ask your mother!” Mabel said a little louder than she intended. If it bothered Stan, he didn’t show it. He just walked back to the bathroom, earning the attention of Ashley whose head peaked out of her room. She was a seventeen year old african-american girl who was Mabel and Pacifica’s foster daughter. She had been living with the Pines-Northwests for a year and a half. She was reading a robotic magazine when Mabel shouting drew her out of her head.

Stan walked into the bathroom asking, “Mom can I have a-”

“GO ASK YOUR MOTHER!”

Rose was standing in front of the school, waiting for both her brother and her mother to come. She wished that her father was coming to pick her up as Mom tended to be a bit.. embarrassing at times. But Dad was a busy important man. She could understand that he couldn’t pick her up everytime. Her thoughts were interrupted by a shrill voice.

“Hey daddy long legs, ready to embarrass yourself tomorrow?”

Rose sighed through her nose. “Hey Margaret,” Rose hissed at the popular mean girl.

Margaret was flanked by her two lackeys. “How much do you wanna bet she trips over her front feet?”

One of the girls next to her laughed, “Yeah, how’s the weather up there.”

Margaret exploded at her friend. “That’s not what we’re talking about Stacy! God, can't you think up something clever? Just shut up Stacy! Just shut up!” The mean girl pinched the bridge of her nose as she tried to calm herself down.

Rose could help but ask, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“I said I’m fine!”

The girls stood in front of the school unsure what to do now. The awkwardness hung in the air thick. A honk from a large fire truck pulled everyone out of their funk.

Wendy’s head popped out of the window. “Hey Rosie, Mom brought the fire truck.”

Margaret icily said, “Try not to rib off another locker door Mommy’s girl.” She stormed off, leaving her henchgirls to scramble after her.

Rose got in the fire truck, emotionally exhausted. Wendy picked up on something.

“Was that girl picking on you? Do you want me to punch her in her face?”

“Mom! You just can’t punch girls in their face. Can we just get home?”

“Where’s your brother?”

“Around the corner at the basketball court.”

As the Pines family settled in their apartment, Wendy heard her phone go ding. An email from her brother Marcus. They were having a Corduroy family reunion this summer, hosted by their father at Gravity Falls Organ. Great. She sent a reply confirming that she and her brood will attend. At least Rosie will be happy.

And her family wasn’t the only people still in Gravity Falls. She decided to call Tambry.

Tambry answered, “Wendy! How’s my favorite girl?”

“Seeing you soon actually. Can you talk?”

“Yeah, I’m not during anything. What’s up?”

“Dad’s hosting the next family reunion. So I’ll be in town in June.”

“Oof, hosting all those Corduroys sounds like an event.”

“Yeah, our family gathering can get pretty… pretty intense.”

“Too bad I’ll have to miss it. I’m traveling for work all June. In fact I’m in Chicago right now.”

“But didn’t you and Robbie like, just have a baby?”

“That was months ago.”

“Ah what do you do again.”

“I’m an associate statistician for cosmetic sales.”

“And what does that intel?”

“Oh it’s very technical. You properly wouldn’t understand.” Wendy rolled her eyes at that. “Well, I’ll tell Robbie that you and Dipper will be in town.”

Wendy heard gunshots over the phone. She pulled it away flinching. “Tambry are you okay?”

“Oh yeah. The asshole in the room next to mine is watching a movie and he has no idea how sound must work!” Wendy heard a few more gunshots and some sobbing. “I might as well be watching the damn thing myself.”

Tambry hung up the cell phone. Standing in her hotel room, she was wearing a simple suit and tie. What was really out of place was the pistol in her hand. A man knelt before her sobbing. His colleagues were corpses scattered throughout the room. Tambry wasn’t worried about being caught, the seedy motel they were in were far from prying eyes.

“Your country thanks you for your service.”

“Please,” the man croaked. “We did everything you asked…”

Tambry pulled the trigger, blowing his brain all over the room. She makes another call. “They’re dead. Send a clean up crew.”

#wendip #mabifica #gravity falls #gravity falls au #gravity falls fan fiction #wendip kids

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wigwurq · 4 years

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WIG REVIEW: THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT

Yes it’s true - the only things I’ve been watching lately are prestige TV shows starring women with bad red wigs. I’ll get back to movies someday!! In the meantime, I finally watched all of this miniseries that has Netflix and the world aflame with love - and I am aflame too....WITH HATRED OF ALL OF THESE WIGS!!! I have so much to discuss with this show, y’all. A friend of mine (who hasn’t watched this show yet) probably said it best when he told me he thought the wigs in this show were supposed to be wigs WITHIN the narrative of the show (and therefore allowed to be bad): “wait I thought this was about a chess spy - that’s supposed to be her real hair? NO” INDEED!!! Let’s take it episode by episode (SPOILERS ABOUND) and DISCUSS.

Episode 1 - Openings

We begin in Paris, 1967. Beth Harmon, chess champion (?) awakens in a bath of ice (?) in the dark of her hotel room, clearly hung over or maybe still drunk. Her red ‘60s flip wig looks like HELL as does she, so...ok I guess this bad wig wurqs...for now. She sits herself down to play CHESS!! This whole show is about chess, obviously, and everyone is just mad about chess now! I am mad, too, because the show does not make chess seem interesting or sexy and I still hate it.

Anyway, we rewind about 10 (?) years to a young Beth Harmon, who is suddenly orphaned after her mom definitely commits suicide via car accident. Her mom has super short bangs and cries a lot. We see some even further flashbacks to an even younger Beth IN THE MOST OUTRAGEOUS BABY WIG (MORE ON THAT LATER). We learn that her mom is very unhinged, but also probably brilliant, as Beth herself will become later. LET’S HOPE SHE NEVER GETS HER DRIVER’S LICENCE (note: she never does?)

Apparently the mid to late ‘50s were all about very VERY short bangs, and on this non-wigged little girl I guess that is fine.

BUT THEN! She is brought to an orphanage where they burn her old clothes (YES REALLY!) and cut her hair into a bob (the kid’s actual hair so again - ok!) and also give her and all the other girls constant drugs! The 1950s were really wild, amiright? If I have learned anything from movies set at orphanages in the 50s, drug abuse was the main issue (the only movie I’m referring to is obviously The Cider House Rules and the only thing I remember about that movie is that Michael Caine had an ether addiction). Anyway, the sedative drugs make her immediately put her hand on a hot radiator (safety first, orphanage!)

She also makes friends with an older girl named Jolene (I LOVE THE NAME) who teachers her to save the sedative drugs for nighttime when they can help her sleep. Great advice, Jolene! Also: there is absolutely no way that African American Jolene would be in an integrated orphanage in mid-50s KENTUCKY but this is just the beginning of issues I have with this series......

Moving on! In avoiding the orphanage’s weird insistence on Jesusy choir practice, she discovers the basement realm of janitor Bill Camp, who never actually does any janitorial work (that I could see?) but definitely plays a lot of chess. And thus, her chess obsession begins! This is also helped by those sedatives she takes every night which give her really absurd chess hallucinations on the ceiling. This orphanage has it all!

Essentially, this miniseries is Valley of the Dolls if those characters got addicted to both pills and chess at the age of 9. Beth gets very VERY good at chess and some rando chess guy from the local high school comes and gives Beth a doll (BETH HATES THE DOLL BUT LOVES DOLLS DO YOU SEE WHAT I DID THERE). And she goes to the high school and plays a bunch of terrible high school boys at chess simultaneously and beats them all. Also: the orphanage suddenly gets in trouble for giving sedatives to small children for years and Beth is PISSED. She goes through withdrawal and years for the big ol’ jar o’ pills!!!

AND THEN! During a kind of Jesusy film presentation, Beth sneaks away to the orphanage pharmacy and just goes hog wild on the pills! TRULY: Valley of the Dolls has nothing on this sequence.

Obviously, Beth is caught pill-handed and she also spills all the pills, breaks a giant glass jar, and then falls onto both of them. SHE IS 9. I THINK I LOVE THIS SHOW.

Episode 2: Exchanges

So after Beth’s completely insane pill odyssey, she is punished by being forbidden to play chess! Fast forward an indeterminate number of years, and we meet a slightly older Beth (now played by the bewigged Anya Taylor-Joy). AND THIS WIG, Y’ALL. WOOF. Completely dried out and bent, it really makes you appreciate the fact that they just cut the younger Beth’s hair. I realize that Anya is going to go through many 50s and 60s hairstyles to come but I really wish they had just done the same and used her real hair because we are about to take a bad wig odyssey that will last throughout this series. Also! I love that Jolene is played by the same actress! How old is too old to be in an orphanage?

Speaking of age! Beth is apparently now 15 but when a super weird couple expresses interest in adopting her, the orphanage director lady lies and says Beth is 13 and everyone just goes with it....FOR THE REST OF THE SERIES. Seriously, this age difference is never ever visited again or challenged. Beth is basically 15-17 for at least 5 years and no one gives a shit. OK? Anyway, Beth is adopted by Marielle friggin Heller (aka director of Can You Ever Forgive Me? and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood) who has a very Mamie Eisenhower wig which is just fine compared to the bent and dry-ass mess on Anya’s head.

It is later revealed that Marielle adopted Beth because her husband is mainly away on business and she needs an older gal pal around to fetch her....sedatives from the magazine store! I wonder if Beth will totally get addicted to them again! I’m no chess player but you can absolutely predict plot devices in this series about two pawns away (is that a chess term? I still don’t know or care!)

So yes: as predicted Beth absolutely gets addicted to sedatives again (also the specific sedatives she gets addicted to are the exact same ones she was addicted to at the orphanage - WHAT A COINCIDENCE! - and also they are made up sedatives for the purposes of this show only in case we all want to get the same magical chess sedatives and see chess on the ceiling too). ALSO! Beth is still mainly addicted to chess despite the fact that she was permitted from playing it for the last 5-7 years (depending on what version of her age you’re going on?) but still is good at it? Most upsetting: she rips apart her lovely bed canopy in order to see her ceiling chess hallucinations! THE NERVE OF THIS KID!

Also nervy: bitch totally stole chess magazines from the pharmacy when she was also stealing sedatives from her adoptive mom! Kleptomania is Beth’s #3 addiction after chess and pills also comes into play when it is revealed that her new adoptive mom is kinda poor since her husband is away all the time and doesn’t give her enough money so Beth can’t enter those chess tournaments she read about in the magazines she stole. SO she writes to janitor Bill Camp and asks for $5 to enter the chess thing and if she wins she’ll send him $10. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PLOT POINT WHICH WILL COME INTO PLAY LATER. So Beth goes to the chess tournament where she meets some not handsome twin dudes and a very handsome other dude named Townes.

Basically all the chess dudes at this tourney suck in the same way? To be fair: if I saw Beth walking up in her ugly orphanage clothes and orphanage cut wig, I would think she sucked at chess too? Oh also - all the girls at her new high school also think her style sucks. I WONDER IF IN COMING EPISODES SHE WILL GAIN MORE STYLE AND CHESS FAME THAN ALL THESE GARBAGE PEOPLE. Spoiler: she does and also beats this dude named Harry and becomes the Kentucky chess champion. Also! Beth’s adoptive dad totally abandons her and Marielle Heller! I still hate chess but will continue to watch this show because of its haunting wigs and lowgrade feminist vibe.

Episode 3: Doubled Pawns

This episode begins with a flashback to Beth’s shitty birth mother and her shitty banged wig and remember that time I said I was going to talk about the wig on the littlest girl who plays her? WELL HERE WE ARE. Baby Beth has the absolute WORST WIG ON THIS SHOW and given how terrible all the wigs are, that is saying a lot. This wig looks like it was ripped off an American Girl doll which had been mistreated for years and thrown of a jungle gym or something. IT IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST (as is her mom, who makes this poor kid believe she had drowned!!!)

ANYWAY. We get a new wig in this episode!!! Beth manages to grow out her orphanage bangs and allow her hair to have a 50s wave bob. Do not be fooled by the higher quality of this cut, however - the quality of the WIG continues to very much suck! WHAT IS THIS HAIR PART! No hair underneath! And everything is still a dried out, bent mess! ALSO HER ROOTS ARE A NIGHTMARE. This is also the episode wherein Marielle Heller basically becomes Mama Rose to Beth and really gets into Beth supporting both of them via chess winnings and becomes her chess manager (ACTUAL JOB TITLE). Also Beth gets nicer clothing. Hilariously, Marielle tells Beth’s high school that Beth is just constantly sick so she can skip school to go to chess tournaments even though Beth is straight up on the cover of Life magazine?! I wonder if this will at all come to the attention of the high school - IT DOESN’T! PLOT HOLES BE DAMNED THIS SHOW IS ABOUT CHESS! She does go to high school long enough for the snobby girls who once made fun of her to invite her to the dumbest party ever where they just sit around and ask Beth dumb questions about Chess fame and then all have a sing-along to a song Beth doesn’t know because she has no idea what pop culture is: ONLY CHESS CULTURE. I watched this show with my mom and asked if ‘60s parties were like this and she laughed her head off and said NO. ALSO! Beth’s kleptomania comes into play at this party where she steals a bottle of gin and leaves without saying goodbye to anyone. WHAT A BITCH.

Speaking of bitches, Beth meets a new chess diva in the form of Love Actually’s resident child drum prodigy! He has a character name but whatever: Love Actually is his name and he has longish shaggy (non wigged) hair and dresses like Crocodile Dundee and is loved and feared in the chess community for being such a non-nerd (?) chess player. I asked my mom if anyone dressed like this in the ‘60s and she said “NO! But I guess I didn’t know everyone” WHICH IS A GREAT ANSWER BECAUSE MY MOM DIDN’T RUN IN WEIRD CHESS CIRCLES IN THE ‘60s. We are lead to believe the ‘60s chess community of weirdos consists of the same 5 rotating dudes who are all at the same chess tournaments always and also possible love interests for Beth and she’s better at chess than all of them.

The only weirdo chess dude that Beth cares about is Townes, who you may recall from the last episode in which he was the only attractive chess dude at that first chess tournament Beth went to with borrowed Bill Camp money. Anyway, she runs into him at some chess tournament (LIKE I REMEMBER WHICH ONE PLEASE) in Las Vegas where he is now a chess reporter (ACTUAL 1960s JOB, Y’ALL). He invites Beth back to his hotel boudoir where he takes some non-boudoir pictures of her playing chess and Beth is all aflutter with chess love but SUCK IT BETH, TOWNES IS GAY!!! I have to say that the only believable part of this show is that the only attractive chess dude would be homosexual. It still does not forgive any of the other plot nonsense.

SO! It’s still the big Vegas chess tournament which is super duper important-chess wise (though this show also makes it seem like every chess game IS THE MOST IMPORTANT so who is to say?) Anyway, Beth and her 50s wave wig (even though it is the 60s?) play Love Actually and....they both win? I didn’t know this was a chess pastability but ok? Beth is pissed that she didn’t beat Love Actually, I hope I never have to see him again (SPOILER HE’S IN MANY MORE EPISODES AND HAD I KNOWN THAT MAYBE I WOULD HAVE STOPPED WATCHING NOW BUT I DIDN’T!)

Episode 4: Middle Game

We are still stuck with this weird ‘50s bob in this episode. IT STILL LOOKS BAD. New developments are: Beth is taking night classes at the local college (even though she is technically still in high school?) in order to learn Russian to better understand people who are more obsessed with chess than she is: Russians. Anyway, he ends up going to the most wild and stereotypical hippie party with a college dude after class and yep - loses her virginity to him. Ok? At least it wasn’t to a chess weirdo? She also stays behind and parties and drinks alone in the hippie apartment because of all her substance addiction and kleptomania. Also! She graduates from high school despite being 2 years too old for high school (a plot point never explained) and missing all that high school for chess tourneys (another plot point never explained!) OH WELL: CHESS!

Beth and Marielle go to Mexico City for some chess tournament (AGAIN I COULDN’T TELL YOU WHICH ONE). Marielle is excited because she is pen pals (OMG THE 60s Y’ALL) with some Mexican weirdo who I definitely feared would steal all the chess winnings but then ultimately just sucks in the same way the adoptive dad did. Beth also runs into those chess twin weirdos because the chess community is comprised of only 5 dudes as I said. Their hair looks bad but not as bad as her wig.

Beth doesn’t see much of Mexico City - nor do we unless you count a truly outrageous sequence in which Beth and Marielle go out on their hotel balcony and look into a green screen rendering of Mexico City that would have felt at home in CGI ghostmare, Bohemian Rhapsody. Anyway, Beth and her olde timey 1950s wig which is spending way too much time in the 60s even though she’s supposed to be stylish now, take a lot of chess baths while Marielle drinks a lot because that Mexican pen pal/boyfriend sucks so bad.

So Beth wins enough chess to play Borgov, who we are led to believe is the Russian white whale/Bond villain of the chess community and LOSES! She is pretty pissed about it but not as pissed as...

....coming back to the hotel room to discover Marielle Heller and her luscious Mamie Eisenhower wig DEAD. TWICE AN ORPHAN, Y’ALL. Mexican coroners tell Beth that her mom died of hepatitis (!!!) and Beth somehow implicates low quality tequila in this hepatitis death. I LEGITIMATELY GOOGLED ‘DOES TEQUILA GIVE YOU HEPATITIS’ IMMEDIATELY. I DON’T THINK IT DOES?!?!?! THIS SHOW IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS AND YES I WILL CONTINUE WATCHING IT DESPITE THE TERRIBLE WIGS AND MY HATRED OF CHESS.

Episode 5: Fork

Beth returns to Kentucky IN THE RAIN BECAUSE TV AND MOVIE DEATHS ARE ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY RAIN. She is about to be super lonely in the house she know owns (according to a super sketchy international phone call with her adoptive father which will definitely not hold up in court) and then...she gets a call from Harry! WHO THE EFF IS HARRY! Again, luckily, there are only 5 chess guys who need to remember and he is one of them (he is the one she beat for the Kentucky chess whatever in episode 2). She invites him over because she’s lonely!

Harry is definitely the saddest of the weirdo chess dudes because apparently he’s been harboring a secret love of Beth (who at the time of their first meeting was like 13-15 depending on what timeline you’re going on and he was...20? OK GROSS BUT OK). BITCH EVEN GOT HIS WEIRD TEETH FIXED SO HE COULD BE LOVED BY BETH AND HER BENT ASS WIG AND SERIOUSLY NO THANK YOU HARRY. Regardless, Beth lets Harry have sex with her a few times and live rent-free in her house and ultimately Harry gets enough self confidence to leave this effed up living situation since he will never be one of Beth’s obsessions (which are still: chess, pills/alcohol, stealing shit).

So Beth goes to Ohio for some other chess tournament and reunites with UGH Love Actually. At this point in the show, Beth starts wearing long scarves as headbands and her wig has never looked better because most of it is covered by the scarf. THANK GOD. So Love Actually totally chess hustles Beth for a lot of coin playing speed chess (DEAR GOD WHY HAVE I BEEN FORCED TO LEARN WHAT SPEED CHESS IS) but in the end, she still beats him for the chess title. EFF YOU, Love Actually! May I never see you again! OH SHIT HE JUST INVITED HER TO NEW YORK TO TRAIN HER FOR THE PARIS CHESS THING DEAR GOD WHY IS THERE SO MUCH LOVE ACTUALLY IN THIS SHOW OK FINE I’LL STILL WATCH IT.

Episode 6 - Adjournment

Ok so Beth and her ok wig that is mainly covered by a scarf go to Love Actually’s apartment in NYC which IS AN UNDERGROUND BUNKER AND SHE HAS TO SLEEP ON A BLOW UP MATTRESS. Again and for the millionth time: Love Actually is the worst! Especially the worst because he introduces her to all these rando bohemians he knows, including some French bitch who will definitely eff everything up when Beth is already teetering on her pill/alcohol obsession and should probably not meet any other enablers. Somehow, he does get her to quit the pills/alcohol long enough to have sex with him (UGH).

And so we are in Paris, 1967. Where we started the show with Beth’s awful 60s flip! AND WE MEET ANOTHER PLOTHOLE. Only a week before this, Beth was in NYC with hair about 3″ shorter and still wearing scarves in her hair. WHAT IN THE VERY HELL, SHOW! I realize that this show has a very vague sense of time or how old Beth is or whatever but truly: NOPE.

Anyway, it’s the night before the big match against Borgov and Beth is on her very best behavior when who should ring her up but that French bitch Love Actually introduced her to! She is downstairs at the hotel bar and just come down and have one drink and don’t ruin your entire chess career, mmmkay? THIS ENABLING BITCH!!!! NEVER TRUST ANYONE WITH THIS CRYING GAME WIG UNLESS YOU WANT YOUR LIFE TO BE A CRYING GAME. Of course, Beth goes downstairs, drinks every drink in the bar, has sex with some rando French dude and...wakes up in the icebath we see at the beginning of the show and sweatily plays Borgov in her wig that has never looked frizzier, loses, and is shamed from the entire chess community. Also Love Actually wants Beth to come back to NYC but NO THANK YOU TO YOU AND YOUR BUNKER OF ENABLERS.

Back in Kentucky, Beth....is shown learning how to flip her hair. WAIT WHAT SHE ALREADY HAD A FLIP HAIRSTYLE THE ENTIRE TIME IN PARIS WHAT KIND OF WIG GASLIGHTING ARE YOU PLAYING, SHOW?!?!?!??!?!?!!

UGH anyway, with THE EXACT SAME FLIP WIG AS WE’VE SEEN HER IN, Beth tries to be a responsible young person of indeterminate age who owns a house in Kentucky and not drink or take pills or steal shit. EXCEPT remember that time her adoptive dad said she could just have the house if she paid the mortgage? WELL BITCH SHOWS UP AND J’ACCUSES HER OF STEALING THE HOUSE FROM HIM. Which is hilarious because of all the things she stolen in this show, the house wasn’t one of them. In any case, she buys the house! And takes herself out to dinner! And has a drink! AND UH OH.

At this point the show just goes completely off the rails in addictive nonsense. Beth just goes around the house in her terrible flip wig applying makeup and barfing in to chess trophies. It’s every stereotypical drug/alcohol scene from every biopic ever except this chick doesn’t really exist and this show is wearing on my nerves and Beth has to stop making so many terrible live decisions and this wig has BETTER GET BETTER.

And then magically - Jolene shows up in the most fabulous afro wig!! WHAT! OK I WILL WATCH THE BITTER CONCLUSION OF THIS SERIES BECAUSE I LOVE JOLENE.

Episode 7: End Game

Jolene...Jolene....Jolene. Jolene. I love Jolene. I don’t love that this show uses her by making her be the “magical negro” trope who helps Beth get her life back together. Predictable nonsense! So yes, Jolene looks around Beth’s ramshackle drug den and tells her to get her life back together. AND THEN BETH DOES. No AA or rehab required! WHAT! I really appreciate that Jolene also compares her to Susan Hayward (star of Valley of the Dolls!) which is the sick burn/comparison I needed.

The other reason Jolene showed up was to bring Beth to janitor Bill Camp’s funeral. At the funeral, which is very poorly attended, Beth reveals THAT SHE NEVER PAID BILL CAMP THAT $5 HE LENT HER (AND $10 SHE PROMISED HIM) AT THE BEGINNING OF HER CHESS CAREER. WHAT A PIECE OF SHIT. It is at this point that I fully decided that I wanted Beth to fail at everything because she is a garbage person who never gave propers to Bill Camp for changing her life for the better. THIS BITCH!! She even goes back to the orphanage where she discovers Bill Camp’s CHESS SHRINE DEVOTED TO HER! SHE FEELS LIKE SHIT AS WELL SHE SHOULD! I FULLY HATE HER!!!!

Jolene is much more forgiving of Beth than me and also introduces Beth to a new obsession: squash! Ok? It does allow Beth to wear a headband which is great wig-wise (in that it hides all the seamwork). Beth also turns down these Jesusy people who want to fund her chess trip to Russia and so Jolene GIVES HER $3,000 TO GO TO RUSSIA. IF THERE IS ANYTHING I’VE LEARNED IN THE LAST 5 MINUTES OF THIS SHOW IT IS THAT BETH WILL NOT PAY THAT MONEY BACK AND JOLENE PLEASE DO NOT!!!!

Jolene does. Beth goes to Russia which is straight out of every Bond movie and gets her shit together and wins a lot of damn chess.

Though her midweight coat game rivals that of Nicole Kidman in The Undoing, her wig game ALSO RIVALS THAT OF NICOLE KIDMAN IN THE UNDOING IN THAT IT IS ALSO A RED NIGHTMARE WIG. This show spent so much goddamned money on clothes, sets, and CGI greenscreens of Mexico City AND YET NO MONEY FOR WIGS. BOO.

I did enjoy this one chess opponent’s walrus hair but otherwise, Beth’s flip wig has absolutely overstayed its welcome and is a compete and utter bent nightmare. Also! Remember that one hot chess dude? He shows up and helps Beth with Chess!! HUH?

Also every single weirdo in the chess community somehow form a chess calming circle in Love Actually’s bunker apartment and call Beth internationally to help her win against Borgov at chess! WHAT IN THE DAMN HELL? It is sweet I guess, but also makes ABSOLUTELY NO FUCKING SENSE AS BETH WAS A TOTAL ASSHOLE TO ALL THESE PEOPLE AND DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE A PART OF THEIR WEIRD CHESS GANG.

Ultimately, Beth beats Borgov and wears THIS FUCKING HAT. I think we’re supposed to believe that she is now the white queen chess piece (I HATE THAT I NOW KNOW CHESS PIECES).

She is actually dressed in head to toe white and somehow convinces her American handler that she will just walk...to the airport? And despite being invited to the Johnson White House (girl go there!) would rather just wander the streets of Russia without any purse or luggage or way of getting home. THIS BITCH. She finds a new chess community of old men who play chess outside at folding tables and decides to join them WITHOUT GOING HOME TO PAY JOLENE ALL HER MONEY BACK WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT SHE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT AND ALSO MAYBE SETTING UP A BILL CAMP CHESS FOUNDATION BECAUSE YOU NEVER PAID HIM BACK YOU PIECE OF SHIT. No, she is no longer addicted to pills, alcohol, or stealing but is absolutely addicted to chess on a level that is probably lethal. I spent the last moments of the show demanding that the Russian chess hobos murder her and her immaculate white outfit because BETH IS A SELFISH ASSHOLE AND ALL HER WIGS ARE GARBAGE LIKE HER!!!!

VERDICT: DOESN’T WURQ

#wigwurq #queensgambit #anyataylorjoy #garbagepeople #valleyofthedolls #babywigs #pillpoppinorphans #Istillhatechess #loveactually #marielleheller #wiggaslighting

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dillydedalus · 4 years

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january reading

why does january always feel like it’s 3 months long. anyway here’s what i read in january, feat. poison experts with ocd, ants in your brain, old bolsheviks getting purged, and mountweazels.

city of lies, sam hawke (poison wars #1) this is a perfectly nice fantasy novel about jovan, who serves as essentially a secret guard against poisoning for his city state’s heir and is forced to step up when his uncle (also a secret poison guard) and the ruler are both killed by an unknown poison AND also the city is suddenly under a very creepy siege (are these events related? who knows!) this is all very fine & entertaining & there are some fun ideas, but also... the main character has ocd and SAME HAT SAME HAT. also like the idea of having a very important, secret and potentially fatal job that requires you to painstakingly test everything the ruler/heir is consuming WHILE HAVING OCD is like... such a deliciously sadistic concept. amazing. 3/5

my heart hemmed in, marie ndiaye (translated from french by jordan stump) a strange horror-ish tale in which two married teachers, bastions of upper-middle-class respectability and taste, suddenly find themselves utterly despised by everyone around them, escalating until the husband is seriously injured. through several very unexpected twists, it becomes clear that the couple’s own contempt for anyone not fitting into their world and especially nadia’s hostility and shame about her (implied to be northern african) ancestry is the reason for their pariah status. disturbing, surprising, FUCKED UP IF TRUE (looking back, i no longer really know what i mean by that). 4/5

xenogenesis trilogy (dawn/adulthood rites/imago), octavia e. butler octavia butler is incapable of writing anything uninteresting and while i don’t always completely vibe with her stuff, it’s always fascinating & thought-provoking. this series combines some of her favourite topics (genetic manipulation, alien/human reproduction, what is humanity) into a tale of an alien species, the oankali, saving some human survivors from the apocalypse and beginning a gene-trading project with them, integrating them into their reproductive system and creating mixed/’construct’ generations with traits from both species. and like, to me, this was uncomfortably into the biology = destiny thing & didn’t really question the oankali assertion that humans were genetically doomed to hierarchical behaviour & aggression (& also weirdly straight for a book about an alien species with 3 genders that engages in 5-partner-reproduction with humans), so that angle fell flat for me for the most part, altho i suppose i do agree that embracing change, even change that comes at a cost, is better than clinging to an unsustainable (& potentially destructive) purity. where i think the series is most interesting is in its exploration of consent and in how far consent is possible in extremely one-sided power dynamics (curiously, while the oankali condemn and seem to lack the human drive for hierarchy, they find it very easy to abuse their position of power & violate boundaries & never question the morality of this. in this, the first book, focusing on a human survivor first encountering the oankali and learning of their project, is the most interesting, as lilith as a human most explicitly struggles with her position - would her consent be meaningful? can she even consent when there is a kind of biochemical dependence between humans and their alien mates? the other two books, told from the perspectives of lilith’s constructed/mixed children, continue discussing themes of consent, autonomy and power dynamics, but i found them less interesting the further they moved from human perspectives. on the whole: 2.5/5

love & other thought experiments, sophie ward man, we love a pierre menard reference. anyway. this is a novel in stories, each based (loosely) on a thought experiment, about (loosely) a lesbian couple and their son arthur, illness and grief, parenthood, love, consciousness and perception, alternative universes, and having an ant in your brain. it is thoroughly delightful & clever, but goes for warmth and humanity (or ant-ity) over intellectual games (surprising given that it is all about thought experiments - but while they are a nice structuring device i don’t think they add all that much). i haven’t entirely worked out my feelings about the ending and it’s hard to discuss anyway given the twists and turns this takes, but it's a whole lot of fun. 4/5

a general theory of oblivion, josé eduardo agualusa (tr. from portuguese by daniel hahn) interesting little novel(la) set in angola during and after the struggle for independence, in which a portuguese woman, ludo, with extreme agoraphobia walls herself into her apartment to avoid the violence and chaos (but also just... bc she has agoraphobia) with a involving a bunch of much more active characters and how they are connected to her to various degrees. i didn’t like the sideplot quite as much as ludo’s isolation in her walled-in flat with her dog, catching pigeons on the balcony and writing on the walls. 3/5

cassandra at the wedding, dorothy baker phd student cassandra returns home attend (sabotage) her twin sister judith’s wedding to a young doctor whose name she refuses to remember, believing that her sister secretly wants out. cass is a mess, and as a shift to judith’s perspective reveals, definitely wrong about what judith wants and maybe a little delusional, but also a ridiculously compelling narrator, the brilliant but troubled contrast to judith’s safer conventionality. on the whole, cassandra’s narrative voice is the strongest feature of a book i otherwise found a bit slow & a bit heavy on the quirky family. fav line is when cass, post-character-development, plans to “take a quick look at [her] dumb thesis and see if it might lead to something less smooth and more revolting, or at least satisfying more than the requirements of the University”. 3/5

the office of historical corrections, danielle evans a very solid collection of realist short stories (+ the titular novella), mainly dealing with racism, (black) womanhood, relationships between women, and anticolonial/antiracist historiography. while i thought all the stories were well-done and none stood out as weak or an unnecessary inclusion, there also weren’t any that really stood out to me. 3/5

sonnenfinsternis, arthur koestler (english title: darkness at noon) (audio) you know what’s cool about this book? when i added it to my goodreads tbr in 2012, i would have had to read it in translation as the german original was lost during koestler’s escape from the nazis, but since then, the original has been rediscovered and republished. yet another proof that leaving books on your tbr for ages is a good thing actually. anyway. this is a story about the stalinist purges, told thru old bolshevik rubashov, who, after serving the Party loyally for years & doing his fair share of selling people out for the Party, is arrested for ~oppositional activities. in jail and during his interrogations, rubashov reflects on the course the Party has taken and his own part (and guilt) in that, and the way totalitarianism has eaten up and poisoned even the most commendable ideals the Party once held (and still holds?), the course of history and at what point the end no longer justifies the means. it’s brilliant, rubashov is brilliant and despicable, i’m very happy it was rediscovered. 5/5

heads of the colored people, nafissa thompson-spires another really solid short story collection, also focused on the experiences of black people in america (particularly the black upper-middle class), black womanhood and black relationships, altho with a somewhat more satirical tone than danielle evans’s collection. standouts for me were the story in letters between the mothers of the only black girls at a private school, a story about a family of fruitarians, and a story about a girl who fetishises her disabled boyfriend(s). 3.5/5

pedro páramo, juan rulfo (gernan transl. by dagmar ploetz) mexican classic about a rich and abusive landowner (the titular pedro paramo) and the ghost town he leaves behind - quite literally, as, when his son tries to find his father, the town is full of people, quite ready to talk shit about pedro, but they are all dead. it’s an interesting setting with occasionally vivid writing, but the skips in time and character were kind of confusing and i lost my place a lot. i’d be interested in reading rulfo’s other major work, el llano en llamas. 2.5/5

verse für zeitgenossen, mascha kaléko short collection of the poems kaléko, a jewish german poet, wrote while in exile in the united states in the 30-40s, as well as some poems written after the end of ww2. kaléko’s voice is witty, but at turns also melancholy or satirical. as expected i preferred the pieces that directly addressed the experience of exile (”sozusagen ein mailied” is one of my favourite exillyrik pieces). 3/5

the harpy, megan hunter yeah this was boooooooring. the cover is really cool & the premise sounded intriguing (women gets cheated on, makes deal with husband that she is allowed to hurt him three times in revenge, women is also obsessed with harpies: female revenge & female monsters is my jam) but it’s literally so dull & trying so hard to be deep. 1.5/5

the liar’s dictionary, eley williams this is such a delightful book, from the design (those marbled endpapers? yes) to the preface (all about what a dictionary is/could be), to the chapter headings (A-Z words, mostly relating to lies, dishonesty, etc in some way or another, containing at least one fictitious entry), to the dual plots (intern at new edition of a dictionary in contemporary england checking the incomplete old dictionary for mountweazels vs 1899 london with the guy putting the mountweazels in), to williams’s clear joy about words and playing with them. there were so many lines that made me think about how to translate them, which is always a fun exercise. 3.5/5

catherine the great & the small, olja knežević (tr. from montenegrin by ellen elias-bursać, paula gordon) coming-of-age-ish novel about katarina from montenegro, who grows up in titograd/podgorica and belgrad in the 70s/80s, eventually moving to london as an adult. to be honest while there are some interesting aspects in how this portrays yugoslavia and conflicts between the different parts of yugoslavia, i mostly found this a pretty sloggy slog of misery without much to emotionally connect to, which is sad bc i was p excited for it :(. 2/5

the decameron project: 29 new stories from the pandemic, anthology a collection of short stories written during covid lockdown (and mostly about covid/lockdown in some way). they got a bunch of cool authors, including margaret atwood, edwidge danticat, rachel kushner ... it’s an interesting project and the stories are mostly pretty good, but there wasn’t one that really stood out to me as amazing. i also kinda wish more of the stories had diverged more from covid/lockdown thematically bc it got a lil repetitive tbh. 2/5

#the books i read #long post #sonnenfinsternis is so good the audiobook nearly made me cry in the supermarket

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ginalinettiofficial · 5 years

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a usa starter pack

alabama / deep south, conservative, hillbillies

alaska / far north, cold, nature, conservative rich white ppl + lots of native culture

arizona / hot, dry, scorpions, great mexican food

arkansas / yeehaw

california / socal is california of tv, norcal is hippies smoking a lot of weed

colorado / weed capital of the states, also lots of nature and skiiing

connecticut / to quote an SNL skit: “the haunting in connecticut?? what’s scary about connecticut?? losing your tennis racket at the pottery barn??”

delaware / ngl i never remember that delaware exists and i’ve never met anyone from here or heard anyone mention delaware ever. might be fake

florida / where the craziest shit happens. giant swamp with many major party areas as well as hella alligators, crazy politics, retirees, and felons galore. we all stan and fear florida

georgia / southern af but also p black. deep bible belt but atlanta is POPPIN and a super fun city.

hawaii / we colonized them and now like to invade their home regularly as tourists which sucks. hawaii is a cool little nation w lots of volcanoes

idaho / they make potatoes and racists

illinois / north side of the state is where chicago is, a HUGE liberal center in the US. very midwestern. as you get more south, becomes rural, small town, conservative middle america.

indiana / v conservative politically, illinois’ twin and bud, that’s where we get all our guns and fireworks. v midwestern. parks and rec is set in indiana and that’s p much all u need to know

iowa / worst state in the union everyone from iowa is just WEIRD yes i AM an iowa hater and i am PROUD. if u tell me ur from iowa i don’t trust you

kansas / they’re p chill. conservative state w some fun cities and midwestern weather. kansas city is cool

kentucky / horse races and hillbillies

louisiana / it’s a damn party. deep south, major french influence from back in the day, swamps, large african american population, new orleans is a jam, debatably the most melodic of southern accents

maine / rich white ppl in vests and chinos sailing on boats and eating lobster

maryland / baltimore & DC make maryland a pretty blue state

massachusetts / boston owns all of our assess. beautiful sprawling state w lots of old ass houses cuz it’s colonial and shit. boston has over a hundred universities so the whole area is very youthful and fun

michigan / michigan is vaguely shaped like a mitten so if u ever ask a person from michigan where they’re from they hold up their hand and point to somewhere on it as if their hand is a map

minnesota / the canada of the US. snowy, cold, midwestern af, hockey, casserole, mall of america

mississippi / s o u t h. education?? never heard of her. quality of life?? good joke

missouri / basically rhymes with misery and that’s all you need to know

montana / i think they have mountains and ranches and white ppl but don’t quote me on that

nebraska / even their cities are rural

nevada / las vegas and a whole lot of desert

new hampshire / whomst knows. one of those small east coast states

new jersey / new jersey is the florida of the north

new mexico / again, the border crossed them. basically arizona jr but they get mad if u say that

new york / nyc and then a bunch of suburban ppl who are mad they’re not from nyc but will go to their graves denying it

north carolina / racist white ppl who talk way too much about the confederacy in 2019

north dakota / one of the dakotas has that mountain with the four heads carved into it. that’s IT

ohio / ohio is deceiving cuz it has about six major cities and they’re all like fun and cool???? they all start w the letter c tho so good luck remembering which is which

oklahoma / ooooooooooklahoma where the wind comes sweeping down the plains (there’s a musical called oklahoma and it’s iconic) they share kansas city with kansas which is fun. cross between the south and the midwest

oregon / hipsters and rain

pennsylvania / philly is poppin, pittsburgh is slightly less poppin, scranton is where the office is set

rhode island / she smol

south carolina / see north carolina but with more ghosts and better food

south dakota / see north dakota

tennessee / memphis and nashville are FUN. p southern, p conservative, GREAT barbecue and huge music scene

texas / it’s texas

utah / mormons and conservatism

vermont / this is where bernie sanders and the people who make ben & jerry’s ice cream are all from

virginia / dc is in the north part of virginia which helps to split it into nova, the blue/urban/liberal part of the state, and sova, the conservative confederate lovin’ christians

washington / oregon but even more rain

west virginia / might be fake

wisconsin / cheese and beer and classic midwestern attitudes

wyoming / she’s a beaut ngl. it’s basically one big national park with some ppl sprinkled in here and there. harrison ford lives here

#d speaks #this is for yun who asked wtf arizona is #i accept criticism unless ur from iowa then ur complaints will be ignored

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sakuramoussy · 5 years

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what environments, lifestyles and customs make each of your world’s lands unique? how do these reflect in your characters’ knowledge and actions?

I haven’t designed the entirety of Whistold since this takes place on a single continent, but I have started looking into the primary locations of the world. I’m gonna just copy/paste some of what I already wrote if thats alright lol also putting under a read more cuz idk how long itll be.

I left out the holidays and a few other things (like education on the entire continent) since some need edits and this is already a bit lengthy. Additionally, I did not include what’s written about the Mountain, Jungle, Woodland, and Desert Districts since they are 1) not as important and 2) are incomplete for the time being. I also left off Hero’s Tower since I have info about it on two different documents and I haven’t looked over them for a while lol. Hopefully this answers your question (or maybe not, but this is what I’ve got so far lol)

The Wildland Kingdom

The Wildland Kingdom was founded by Lucitor, a travelling thief who stole food from the Desert and Rainforest tribes to feed his large family. Lucitor was assassinated by a deaf merchant named Uko shortly after his rule; people mistakenly believe Uko was a close friend of his. To sustain Lucitor’s legacy, the royal family consists of inbreeding (Uko’s bloodline).

Animal Species in this district:

Hyenas, African Wild Dogs, Coyotes, Meerkats, Gazelles, Antelopes, Warthogs, Aardvarks, Savannah Cats

Cuisine in this district:

Slow-cooked meats and filets are common in the Wildlands. The Wildlands has a large variety of meat accessible, but also provides plenty of options for vegetarians and vegans living in the Wildland Kingdom. Stews are a staple in the Wildlands, as well as steaks and poultry.

Wildland Castle Town consists of stone buildings whose bricks are marked by each family member; each family name has a large house that will remain throughout their families (following the ‘wolf pack’ idea) and a brick is engraved by every child who lives to their teenage years. These houses are passed to the eldest male of the family, and are only given to females if they do not marry or are a widow without children. The town is very organized, and the town’s shops are all located close to the castle. The paths glow with fire-lit torches at night and many gather at nighttime for activities and games before bed.

The Forest Kingdom

The Forest Kingdom was the first heavily populated area in Harmania. The Kingdom was founded by a man named Holland and his partner, Allister. The Forest Kingdom used to be very welcoming to outsiders, allowing anyone into their territory and helping others when necessary; however due to the war, the residents of the town have become somewhat reclusive and will not trust anyone they do not know.

Animal species in this district:

Rabbits, Foxes (Red, Bat-eared), Squirrels, Beavers, Weasels, Pine Martens,

Cuisine in this district:

The forest is known for incredible pastries and confections, and their incredibly diverse vegan and vegetarian options, however, little meat is served within the Forest Kingdom. Fish is sometimes served, but it varies by location. Vegetables and bread are staples in the Forest Kingdom.

Forest Castle Town is composed of wooden houses lit by glowing mushrooms and flowers. The lighting in houses are made using the glowing dust of the mushrooms. Forest Castle Town is always bustling with activity, even at nighttime, and it’s residents are very supportive of each other. Many residents of the town offer up whatever they have for the army in order to end the war. Forest Castle Town has more residents than all other capitals on Harmania. The castle is accessible by anyone in town, and many homeless foresters live in the castle.

Frigid Palace

The Frigid Palace is a hidden cavern inside the Big Sister Peak, where shapeshifters live due to their avoidance of other species. The shapeshifters are lead by Ulysses, who protects them from any intruders. The Frigid Palace is a network of frosty caverns with ice domes warmed with fire magic as housing. The palace is carefully crafted and cared for by the shapeshifters, who use their magic to keep the place intact.

Frigid Palace is known for an abundance of gems and rare stones, and many shapeshifters use these stones to forge unique weapons and antiques. The shapeshifters rely on their magic for protection, and they built small spaces for hiding when strangers encounter the Palace caverns. Many reptiles with pyro magic frequently attack the residents of the Palace, leading to a wary, fearful life at the Palace.

Frigid Palace is an unnatural network of caves in the Big Sister Mountain. The Palace was created using a heavy amount of magic to carve caverns inside the mountain for Shapeshifters to live. The Palace was created by Ulysses long before his Sea Kingdom travels, and Ulysses continues to expand on the Palace as he encounters new shapeshifters in need of homes.

Star Village

Star Village is the village at the base of Big Sister Mountain; it’s residents consist of ‘defective’ children that were abandoned or outcasted and were sent to the Sister Peaks in assumption that they would die along the way. Star Village was founded by a man named Igor; the village was created to protect innocent disabled or abandoned people. Star Village used to be very large and prosperous; it existed before the Frigid Palace was formed by Ulysses and the village was full of lively discarded folk.

The village slowly collapsed as the town became known; many enraged citizens of the Wildland and Forest Kingdom (currently the Woodland District) chased away the citizens of the village, leading to its eventual abandonment. Currently, Star Village is lead by a cat named Siy; he cares for the defective residents and ensures that nobody finds them and harms them and works to keep peace between all residents of the village. Siy found Star Village abandoned, and he worked to recreate the village to bring it back to its former glory to assist the defects that were left to die in the forbidden Twin Mountain district.

The housing at Star Village consists of tent-like structures made of sturdy wood and flat stones. Many of the villagers use their magic to make their houses more sturdy, but the village housing isn’t very reliable and is known to cause problems. The town is surrounded by a thick, sturdy stone wall with a guarded gate to prevent strangers from entering Star Village.

Everyone in Star Village is very close and friendly with each other, and many spend their time at the fountain at the center of town. Star Village residents welcome the shapeshifters of the Frigid Palace whenever they visit, but are terrified of strangers.

#ww #whistold world #ramble #locations #harmania

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leglesstv · 4 years

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The Dream Run: Greg Holzman’s Island Life

Part 2.

If you were born before the last twenty years of the 20th century you’re able to grasp how much new technology and cheap air travel have changed the world and the way we live in it: profound changes that have touched every aspect of our lives. Surfing has always required commitment to the pursuit of good waves, but the nature and depth of that commitment has morphed and grown. Greg joked with us about one of the photos he sent us - him perfectly framed in the spiralling mouth of a smooth and luminous barrel - saying it was “nothing money can’t buy”. He’s right of course, but money’s only part of it – to experience the kind of nirvana we glimpse in shots like that requires planning, preparation of equipment, logistics, lots of water-time and perhaps more than anything, fitness. Add to this the fact that as a self-employed fisherman, when Greg’s not working, he’s not earning. Sponsors? Well, he gets a few boards from Buddy McCray. His logistical team is a loose network of local contacts he’s developed to facilitate the various resources and services inevitably required at short notice in out of the way places. Greg’s strike missions are conceived, organised, funded and executed autonomously: it’s all his own experience, knowledge, time and money. There are few among us able to shut up shop and disappear, possibly for months at a time, living self-sufficiently on the road, chasing the chance of finding a particular spot firing for a limited time. You may plan for a road trip or a boat trip, but Greg’s is commitment on a whole other level. Access to technology is one thing, knowing how to put it to best use is a skill acquired over time. Greg’s background in fishing has been a huge help in interpreting long-range weather forecasts, weather maps, charts of out of the way places: all key factors in his ability to score quality waves. Help and advice from fellow travellers, including a smattering of kneeboard surfers spread around the globe. Behind all this though, remain two things. One is what started it all going more than half a lifetime ago in San Diego: an irrepressible drive to ride big, challenging, high quality waves. The other is what drove Greg to leave Oahu for the outer islands in the late 70’s: the drive to explore the outermost limits of his ability on his own, away from the crowd. While there are plenty of pro and semi-pro freesurfing footboarders criss-crossing the globe at any given time, each with a Youtube channel and an Instagram account, it’s kind of nice to know that kneeboard surfing has Greg Holzman out there pushing the limits of what’s been done and pushing the rest of us to step up our game and look beyond our comfort zone.

Greg views his big wave pursuits as “strike missions”. Track a swell, find a spot, check wind and tide permutations, airlines, local travel, accommodation, be ready to go at the drop of a hat, and be prepared to surf at 100% when you get there. He’s been doing this for about 40 years, perhaps with increasing sophistication and expertise, but that’s the only change. We received an email just after Christmas.

“So for fear of more words I’ll give you the story of my first solo big wave venture. It was at Pipeline. 1978. It was a giant West swell. Surf reports weren’t accurate back then but looking out I could see it was nice East winds in Kailua and I knew a big West swell was pumping. I was all about Pipeline at the end of my Oahu period so I felt very comfortable out there.

I surfed with the heavies of the day, so I was pushing my limits. Driving up Kam Highway, the hour it took really got the heart pumping, especially when I hit Indicators reef and saw how big it was. More often than not, the swell was huge instead of too small, but in the 70’s no-one knew how big till you got there. When I got to Ehukai Beach Park I saw no-one out, perfect offshores and third reef sets at 20ft Hawaiian. Some amazing waves but I wasn’t sure I was ready for that!

Jack Lindholm was headed out on his bodyboard. I watched him catch a few incredible rides that got me stoked. The Second reef was capping hard and seemed like easy take-offs, but that was Jack on a bodyboard and he could take off later than anyone at the time.

I remember he didn’t make it out of a tube on one and came up the beach with his board almost torn in half. I didn’t know him but commented on his board. He said he was going to change boards and go back out so I told him I would get ready and meet him out there. As I walked down to the beach I saw Sam Hawk paddle out, headed to the peaks at outside Log Cabins. I never saw Sammy again. Obviously, he lived, but that was all I saw of him as it was soon after this that I moved to Kauai.

Anyway, I paddled out. It wasn’t that hard; in fact it was really easy with the channel and a big West swell. Everyone was at Waimea Bay - for good reason. When I got out, I remember seeing the sets on the outer reefs break a minute or two before they hit us. What I remember most was how hard it was to catch those monsters on my 5’2” twin fin fish. The waves had a deep-water slope to them, and you had to take off as the wave was breaking. Jack had it down and before too long he was gone. I never saw Jack again either. So here I am and all I’m seeing is giant lines - just like the movies - and I’m getting further and further from shore. I’m thinking that I may need to get rescued and wondering if anyone’s watching in the lifeguard tower. I thought how embarrassing that would be and decided I needed to move inside and catch one underneath or I was not going to get in. Paddling in was a death sentence and it was obviously on the rise, so in between sets I paddled inside. When a set approached EVERYTHING in me said “move outside NOW”, but I waited. I thought if I didn’t catch that first one I was getting to that beach dead or alive. Luckily, I made the right call and that first wave was deep and inside and an easy take-off. In fact, I commented to myself on how easy it was, really. Once it hit that first reef I just sat there in this big easy barrel - no fear anymore - and the wave was just as perfect and easy a wave as I could get. It spit and I glided out onto the shoulder. I looked out thinking “I can do that again” when … the whole channel was closing out. I immediately turned for shore, just in time to see it turn to close-out sets. When I got there I heard the hoots and claps of tourists cheering. I had survived my first solo big wave event. It scared me but I never felt more alive and I never forgot it. Just like many firsts, they are worth remembering.”

So, fast forward to 2016, with Greg’s island life undergoing change, and another dream run about to start. While in Kandui in May that year, Greg picked up a Facebook friend request from Paul Macklin, an Aussie traveller who for years had sent him photos of his surf travels. Paul was then living in Bali. Greg decided he needed to return to G-land, so in July he left for Bobby’s Camp.

Paul met me in the camp. Bobby Radiasa remembered me - it was like I had never left. All the same guys. Many had gone back every year I was gone. Having that family vibe in camp is a very addictive feeling and Facebook has kept us all back in contact. So, 2018 became the thirty-year reunion for me and G-land. I had three trips in 2018 looking for the gold standard G-land of June - July 2016 that was still the three swells of recent memory. I got amazing waves, but that massive perfect Speed Reef (which rarely happens) eluded me. After seeing the photos of those days I swore I was investing in this as a goal: to get it at its best. I didn’t care how many trips it would take.

After G-land in July 2017, I was off to South Africa: from Bali to J-bay. I worried about the cold, coming straight from the tropics, and I did freeze, but I learned a few tricks there as well on staying warm - including a 1mm wetsuit top under my clothes - that let no cold air in on those freezing surf checks! That’s where I met Gigs and Stevo. I stayed with Mike Ruthnum, who I’m indebted to for introducing me to great people, fellow KB riders, and secret surf spots that I will always remember. J-bay was an eye-opener. Much had changed there. Crowds were always a factor, but the town had a great vibe. The South Africans have all the forecasting at their fingertips now, so they come from around the country for the bigger swells, which I found different than the 80’s. But with that came KB riders. I found a very cool group of fellow riders who were happy, very much a club feeling, and with a wide range of boards ... it was an impressive group. I came home knowing that I would return next season. A month is not enough time in Africa. But as soon as I got home, I saw $500 tickets return to Bali. I knew Gigs was going and Simon Farrer - who I hadn’t seen since he was 18 on my island with Buddy - was meeting Gigs at G-land. Simon was already a phenomenon at 18. Seeing his movies made me want to spend time with these two world champs. So back I went for more.

That took me right into the 2018-19 season with a passion for strike missions. I managed to strike a few Pacific spots early 2019 during Hawaii’s stormy moments. Each time selling more plants and looking: as soon as it was a good moment and I had cash I was going - sometimes with less than 8 hours to pack and be at the airport. I was on call for G-land when I saw a series of swells and good winds lining up. I told myself I wasn’t going to plan in advance for Indo anymore. My goal was one which wouldn’t end till I caught that 2016 Gold standard swell. Lucky for me it came on a day that looked like it wasn’t going to happen. The surf was huge and the direction was good with a high tide, but the wind was light onshore. I was pretty bummed when I saw the rain at 9 am, (not usually a good sign) but it passed quickly. All the guys went in. I knew the winds were changing with that sound the bamboo makes and quickly suited up. I got down to the beach and Donny the photographer said to hop on his bike. Blacky and he were headed out on the boat to take photos. I knew it was good and a heavy paddle out, so off we went. As soon as we neared it, we saw this was no normal day. When you see the photographer and boat driver pounding the boat and cheering like they were you know it’s not a normal day. Two guys were out, but they wanted nothing to do with those sets. My heart was pounding hard. I knew this was going to be a test - of all I had learned to stay safe, and the test of my equipment I so badly wanted.

What made it even better was my photographer was right on it with me to document. I paddled out to an empty lineup and two guys who just paddled over the sets. It was destiny, fate, or just plain perseverance.

I learned a lot: about my boards, my goals and how hard it is to drive through those shock waves deep in barrels when it’s like that. I could see that what I needed was a board with the fins further back for stability as one bottom turn is all you get and then you’re behind and flying. Some I made, some I should have made, and others were just plain heavy. The crowd eventually showed up and the tide went out. One of the biggest problems with this kind of swell is it’s only good at high tide for a maximum of 4 hours. Usually only about 2 to 3 hours at its best. That’s a lot of investment for such a short window. For me it was worth it. It taught me I could still do it and what my boards needed next mission to maximize my tube time.

It’s obvious that there’s a lot more to surf exploration at this level than meets the eye. A lifetime of preparation and expense may seem a high price to pay for memories - a few photos and stories representing the sole concrete evidence of mere minutes spent riding perfect surf - but to Greg, as for anyone else doing what he does, it’s not about money.

I’ve done 12 trips in three years and surfed Hawaii winters every swell I can in between. I’ve gone to 5 destinations and gone back to each - if I can - till I am satisfied I’ve caught it at its best. I feel I have only really achieved that this year (2019) at G land, which is lucky because next year isn’t going to be the year - with the WSL going off there in the middle of the season.

In Hawaii we take surfing very seriously. It has changed from when I started, Then, it was much more about the soul surfer and not publicizing where you went and not photographing your sessions. It wasn’t for money either. Now, everyone thinks they can get a free something if they’re good. It’s competitive and I try to remain in a collaborative mind-space. I have found it’s probably a help that I am a KB rider because we’re always trying to prove we belong in the lineup. At this point I rarely feel I can’t deal with things in a lineup, but often I know the fight isn’t worth the effort. I’ll voluntarily move out of the space as I don’t like catching scraps. If I have no chance for the sets, I’ll remove myself from the situation to save myself from certain mental crisis. Or a yelling match. This happened a few times at Jeffreys this year and in September 2018 at G-land with 80 guys in the water. Everyone - even your friends - are on a different level and chances are you’re not going to like what you see, so I’m out at that point.

Knowing how much effort went into getting himself into the line-up for those sessions, that’s a pretty big statement, one that we might all be wise to keep in mind every time we paddle out.

Words - Rob Harwood - Legless.tv

Photos: Donny Lopez, John Barber & Courtesy of Greg Holzman

#greg holzman #Rob Harwood #legless.tv #kneeboard surfing #kneeboard Hawaii #hawaii #steen #kneelo #gland #donny lopez #john barber #blast kneeboards

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sonicasura · 5 years

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Ninja Stars

Hey everyone. If you don't know, some of the things I do in my spare time is writing stories mainly crossovers. Just the idea of taking two completely different franchises and fusing it together just entice me. I decided to show you one of my latest works.

Growing up, one of the cartoons I loved watching from my childhood was Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles specifically the 2003 incarnation. The characters, story, humor, adventures and even the times when things went dark never took the smile off my face watching it.

So I decided to take this wonderful incarnation and mix it with something I got into last year...

Yep. I mixed it with Jojo's Bizarre Adventure of all things. Am I crazy? Yes. Do I regret writing this? No. The big star for this particular fic is none other than our favorite toilet licking wielder of the Chariot card...Jean Pierre Polnareff!

Without further ado, I present to you guys... Ninja Stars!

He didn't know what he unintentionally signed up for when deciding to live in New York with his friends in the Joestar Family. Jean Pierre Polnareff was a Noble Frenchman who owned a nice estate in his home country of France after his father passed away. He used to have two younger siblings that he loved dearly. His sister Sherry Polnareff and the youngest sister Fleur Marie De Polnareff. Sadly his sisters' fates weren't as good as his.

Sherry was defiled and murdered when he was preparing a meal once she got out of school. For Fleur, she vanished when a terrible storm had hit the land by their estate and she disappeared with it before even turning a year old. Fleur was declared dead since her body was never found and Sherry never got the chance to be a big sister since it was robbed before she turned 5. Tragedy always liked to mess with his family while distrust amongst parents harassed the Joestar Family.

He felt sympathy for his friends Jotaro and Joseph along with their siblings. Their father George having an affair with multiple women before his wife died and said women having children being Giorno, Josuke, Johnny, Josefumi or Gappy and Jolyne. George didn't even know about them until he caught word of multiple teens having their family's birthmark! Giorno's mother and stepfather were abusive, Jolyne's foster parents neglectful and untrusting, Johnny's foster father was abusive and Jotaro's foster father never being there for him. The only ones who honestly had a good parent were the twins Josuke and Gappy though it was hard for Tomoko to care for their needs and herself at times.

George was even harder on Jonathan and Joseph often cruel enforcing manners through starvation or hitting them at times! Even their step siblings Dio and Diego Brando who have shaky relationships with the Joestar siblings at best didn't have much faith in George, and their father was worse than him! It didn't take long for George to be declared not capable to care for his children and was lawfully removed from caring for them. He lost his title to the estate and fortune which went to the siblings so they could live and get the things they needed to live off of.

They were placed in William Zeppeli's care alongside his two sons Caesar and Gyro. Anyway… Joseph figuring France was just digging up old wounds had offered Polnareff to stay at their home in New York until he felt ready to move on. Kakyoin, Avdol and Iggy were also going to be living there so it wasn't going to be that bad. Who was he kidding? When were things ever easy or normal?

The plane from France had finally landed in New York's National Airport. A tall and buff Frenchmen with tall silver hair that reached seven inches high wearing a black one strap shirt, beige pants, broken heart earrings and black expensive Italian boots had walked through the crowded airport with luggage in hand. "Now, where are they? Joseph did say they were here 30 minutes before my plane landed." The Frenchman asked to himself as he looked around the building.

His eyes then landed on a sign that read Jean Pierre Polnareff, his name, in the arms of buff and tall young man with messy brown hair, green eyes and light peach skin wearing a green crop top, fingerless gloves, a scarf, blue jeans and brown boots around his height which was 6'5. Next to him was a teen who despite being around the brunette's height was a bit younger and looked to have some Japanese blood from the narrowed aquamarine eyes and slightly darker skin. He wore a black modified gakuran with a gold chain, black hat torn in the back with two gold pins, purple shirt, expensive black slacks and black boots.

"Over here Polnareff!" The brunette shouted as Polnareff ran over to them. "Hey Joseph! Good to see you too Jotaro. You didn't have to swing that sign like you were advertising a restaurant Joseph." Polnareff teased as Joseph merely chuckled. "I wanted to make sure you don't lose yourself in the crowd. Things have been a bit crazy in New York as of late." Joseph explained as Polnareff raised his eyebrow.

"What do you mean by that? Is something going on in the city?" The Frenchman questioned earning a nod from Jotaro. "Purple Dragons?" Polnareff questioned his two friends. They had taken Joseph's car after leaving the airport and the two brothers took the opportunity to fill Polnareff in on current events. "Yeah. They're a street gang that has been causing trouble around the city. Muggings, threatening people, burning down stores, break ins and a whole mess of trouble. A bunch of annoying pissants but dangerous ones at that." Jotaro spoke blowing smoke from his lit cigarette.

"Johnathan's friend Speedwagon and his gang, the Street Ogres, have been trying to get rid of them but these dragon bastards are relentless." Joseph explained making a hard turn through the city. "You told me about the Street Ogres on the phone. That they were powerful just as they were dangerous since the gang used to be based in Europe's own Ogre Street, a personal grave for intruders. Until Johnathan defeated their leader and they followed him here to serve as his protectors. The fact these Purple Dragons can match one of Europe's most dangerous gangs is just terrifying." Polnareff said.

"There is also a new rumor going about. People are saying ninjas had been spotted in New York. Good grief." Jotaro spoke with a hint of annoyance in his voice. "Eh?! Ninjas? Since when?!" Honestly this trip was getting weirder by the second. "A few days ago, a bunch of Purple Dragons were found hanging from a street lamp by their waists. Near the scene were shurikens, a Japanese throwing star and one of the tools a ninja uses. It was embedded into the brick wall and some in the concrete floor!" Joseph exclaimed surprising the Frenchman.

"Damn. Things really have been crazy here. I bet Dio and Diego aren't exactly happy with this nonsense." The silverette questioned as Jotaro let out an amused snort. "Considering Josuke took home one of the shurikens and his recent binge watching on ninja related shows, Dio nearly had the World strangle the dumbass and Diego almost using Scary Monsters just to chew up all his DVDs. Jolyne even chased him around the house with Gappy's pet turtle Joshuu just to get him to shut up." Jotaro spoke sounding smug from his tone.

"I bet Johnathan wasn't happy with that and Johnny locked himself in his room watching his spaghetti westerns to avoid the mayhem. What about Giorno and Gappy?" He questioned as Joseph raised an eyebrow. "I forgot how brotherly you could be. Giorno is keeping an eye out for any trouble reaching home while Gappy isn't really bothered about the mayhem like the Zeppelis. Kakyoin, Iggy and Avdol are already at the estate and were filled in about the stuff as well." Joseph explained. Clearly satisfied with his answer, Polnareff remained quiet for the remainder of the drive.

The Joestar Estate was huge rivalling the size of an actual town hall though considering who previously owned it being a holder of a massive amount of riches it was too be expected. "Can I just say your dad was too crazy with his money spending?" Polnareff said as both brothers shrugged. "Stay away from my hair Iggy!" Shouted a young rowdy male voice as a purple pompadour wearing young teenage male ran past Polnareff with a little black and white Boston Terrier following close behind. "Ahahaha! Looks like the little rascal found a new victim! Looks like Iggy hasn't changed a bit. Is he still giving the dog catchers hell?" Polnareff chuckled patting his hair.

"Yep. They even have $100 dollar bet going on about who will catch Iggy first. Tried getting Johnathan to take the bet but you know him and dogs." Joseph stated. "That's right. He's working as a part-time veterinarian since his archaeology research hit rock bottom when that cave in came out of nowhere. I still think it was a Stand related incident since the ground was guaranteed to be fully stable, diagnostics and all." Polnareff exclaimed remembering the particular incident.

A lot of people got hurt during the incident and Johnathan was nearly decapitated from collapsing debris on surface that had no pockets of any kind inside of it done naturally or not. "There is also that creep who came in a bit earlier. A guy named Baxter Stockman had an appointment with old man Zeppeli about a project to take care of New York's rat problem." Jotaro stated as they sat down on the couch and the delinquent pulled up the tape.

The video showed a large empty rat maze and an African American scientist with almost a buzz cut style dark hair, rimmed glasses and hints of madness deep within those brown orbs he called eyes. He had to agree with Jotaro that despite the man not saying a word, the madness is this eyes screamed bad news. The man Baxter Stockman soon unveiled an object that was covered in sheet just as the video began.

It revealed to be some kind of robot that screamed raptor to the Frenchman on how it's design nearly matched the prehistoric predator if this one wasn't made of metal, had huge jaws, and a single light to serve as an eye. The inventor's assistant, a young woman with crimson hair and the kindest eyes Polnareff ever seen unlike her boss named April O' Neil, had released a bunch of rats into the maze. Then Stockman let loose his invention which he named Mouser. And what happened next after the Mouser found a rat…

Polnareff was glad he hadn't eaten any food or his friends would see what he had earlier. "Holy shit. This guy really offered these as a solution to a rat problem?! A killer robot that can eat through walls?! Sure, I don't want a rat in my house but at least I have a humane trap to use than that!" The Frenchman exclaimed. "That's what I was thinking! Even that April chick looked like she didn't want to be there! Everyone on the house agreed to turn this guy down including Dio! And Dio is the type of guy to practically fry up live rodents and laugh while watching them burn before feeding them to his pet bird!" Joseph shouted as Jotaro smacked him.

"Shut up! I'm sitting right next to you, dumbass! Don't need to yell in my ear. Anyway… Gappy is looking into Stockman's background since something about that Mouser seemed off. The robot bastard also somehow seemed to creep Johnathan out too and the man has been around all types of machinery considering Gappy's profession. From what's been happening in New York as of late, this an omen for an absolute shit storm." Jotaro said before walking away. They couldn't agree more.

Later… Polnareff had finished unpacking all his stuff into his room. William was kind enough to give the man a nice large room with its own bathroom, closet and a small fridge that easily reminded the Frenchman of a 3 star hotel suite. He didn't pack any extra stuff that wasn't clothes or necessities like health products but there were some things he couldn't part with. His practice rapier, the portable toilet he bought considering the bathroom mishaps from that one road trip involving him, Jotaro, Joseph, Iggy, Avdol and Kakyoin and a few photos including the one of him, his sister Sherry and their newborn sister Fleur.

He looked sorrowfully at the picture of a young boy, a red haired girl and a small baby girl with a tuft of silver hair and a slash like birthmark on her neck with all three smiling or happy in Fleur's case. Polnareff rubbed his eyes so no tears would fall down. It felt wrong for a grown man to cry even for something as sad and important as this. He heard someone knocking on his door. "Come in!" Polnareff called as the door opened to reveal two people were at the door.

One was Jotaro and the other was a young man just as tall and as Jotaro but a bit older with soft blue eyes, wild blue hair and wore a purple sleeveless shirt, gray jeans, brown shoes, black fingerless gloves and what looked like a cast around his ankle. "Hey Jotaro and same to you Johnathan. I guess your leg isn't fully healed yet. I'm surprised you haven't let Josuke or Giorno heal you." Polnareff spoke as the blue Man Johnathan let out a soft chuckle.

"I don't want to rely on them all the time. Plus it's just a simple sprain so I figured to let time and my Hamon heal it instead. Anyway, I was wondering if you want to go to the store with me? I forgot to pick up a few things and also want to do a bit of grocery shopping while I'm at it." Johnathan asked while Polnareff turned to Jotaro. "I'm coming with him so he doesn't get himself hurt again. Plus I need to pick up some more cigarettes." Jotaro said as Polnareff merely shrugged and decided to join along. What was the worst that could happen?

Apparently the worst could happen was the street caving in from underneath your feet. Around halfway to the store, the ground beneath them had suddenly gave way dropping the trio of men down into the sewers below. Jotaro and Johnathan landed on the walkway while Polnareff fell into the sewer water. "Eww!!!" Polnareff shouted spitting the dirty water out of his mouth and getting to the walkway. "This is fucking ridiculous. How the hell can a street just fall apart like that?!" Jotaro hissed dusting himself off.

"It's just like the dig all over again. Now I believe it was no mere accident. Look at the walls." Johnathan said pointing to a wall of pipes behind him. They had been torn to create a large tunnel and the way the tunnel was made being all too familiar. "Are those...bite marks? The only thing that can do this…" Polnareff said only for Jotaro to finish his sentence. "Mousers. Stockman's little rat project tried to kill us!" The delinquent growled clenching his fists in rage.

The sound of clanking metal had grabbed their attention quickly as what appeared to be a squadron of Mousers heading their way. It was more terrifying seeing blood on some of their jaws knowing the poor rodents they must had devoured or an unlucky sap who ran into them. "I ain't taking this shit lying down! Silver Chariot!!" The Frenchman cried out as something came out of his body. It was a knight in a heavy silver suit of armor, a silver helm covering the head except for yellow eyes with blue iris, spiked shoulder pads and wielded a rapier as it gently hovered in the air.

"Pierce them Chariot!" He called as the silver knight let loose a barrage of sword swipes faster than the eye could see. The Mousers took multiple slashes with resistance but when the first was decapitated and went offline, Silver Chariot used it to his advantage. Soon a pile of Mouser heads and parts laid before their feet. "Good job Chariot. We should find a way out. Who knows how many of those menaces are down here?" Polnareff stated.

A loud feminine scream echoed through the sewers. "I recognize that scream. That's Stockman's assistant April! Come on! It came from down here." Johnathan called as the group took off deeper into the sewers. They ran as the sounds of fighting could be heard around them and grew louder the closer they were. It soon quieted as the three men turned the corner to find an unbelievable scene. Tons of Mousers destroyed and scattered across the ground, April unconscious in the hands of a man sized humanoid green turtle.

That's right. A man sized turtle wearing an orange bandanna, brown arm and leg straps, belt and orange wrapped nunchucks. To make it weirder, there were three more of them with one having a purple bandanna and held a Bo staff, blue bandanna and twin swords and red bandanna with twin sai. A clicking sound of a gun made everyone froze. "Hold still. Move and Showdown Bandit Aeon will put a hole right through blue haired pretty boy's head." A cold feminine voice spoke from behind Polnareff and Jotaro.

The voice sounded young around Jotaro's age maybe a year younger. The 4 turtles turned to see the group and looked nervous at the female holding Johnathan, Jotaro and Polnareff hostage. "Oh… Hehe. Hey big sister, lovely night for a stroll in the sewers and not hunting Mousers." The turtle in orange spoke only to get slapped on the back of his head by the turtle in red. 'My Lord! They can talk too! Fascinating.' Johnathan thought despite the clear hostage situation.

"Michelango, Leonardo, Donatello and Raphael, what did father Splinter say about running off? Not only did you disobey his orders but also got discovered by more humans. You know he's going to punish you four." The voice spoke as all four looked nervous. 'Seriously? A family dispute in a goddamn sewer? Good grief.' Jotaro thought with irritation. It was becoming awkward for the Frenchman and his two friends from how the situation was turning out. "Sorry big sister Fleur." All 4 spoke as Polnareff's eyes widened greatly.

It couldn't be… Could it? He slowly turned his head around to look at their captor. It was a young woman around Jotaro's age with wild silver hair and sharp blue eyes, she wore a headband with demon horns, a green bandanna, a red and black traditional ninja suit, purple shoulder pads, orange hakamaki sash, blue boots, an accessory silver tail with a gold hoop, two short katanas on her back, fingerless brown gloves and a gold hilted blue blade katana on the small of her back sideways but what grabbed him was the familiar mark on her neck and the red streaks under her eyes.

The spirit or Stand beside her had the appearance of a demonic grey skinned cowboy, a single red eye amongst the shadow of his red horned cowboy hat while the other covered by his purple bangs, a bandanna shaped like an opened fanged mouth on his face, peculiar red ribbons near the neck, a black outlined gold poncho over a gold shirt and brown vest, brown gun belt with red fabric by the empty gun holsters, a black tail with 5 hooks at the end ranging from orange to red, yellow jeans and on them were gray leg straps with red blades, brown and orange cowboy boots with large blades spurs, white arms with the right pointing an orange, black and gold gun at Johnathan's head and the other a giant black, orange, and red gauntlet with golden blades for fingers and three orange nozzles on the center fingers.

"Little Fleur… You're alive." Polnareff spoke with a shaky voice. "You speak as if your familiar with me when I never met you before in my life. Who are you?" Fleur questioned. "You are Fleur Marie De Polnareff, third child of Jaune Reyn Polnareff and Charlotte Maria. Mother named you Fleur because you were as beautiful as a field of blossoming flowers when you were born." Polnareff spoke as he looked at the little sister he lost.

"Wait a minute. How do you know so much about her?" The turtle in red questioned angrily. "Because she is my long lost little sister. My name is Jean Pierre Polnareff, her older brother." He spoke taking out the picture of him and his siblings when they were younger. The gasps in the room from seeing the photo was enough for Fleur to have a look for herself. Her eyes widened upon seeing the familiar mark on the baby's neck in the exact shape and place as hers. "We're taking them back to the lair. Father needs to hear about this." Fleur spoke walking off while her Stand followed.

The walk through the sewers was silent as no human or turtle decides to talk. It was too uncomfortable and awkward for everybody. Fleur led them to a wall with a strange blue pattern on it. The wall pulled apart revealing it to be a secret entrance and the inside blew all three men's minds. It was a secret lair with tons of room, wall of TV's, couch, workbenches, pinball machines and basically all kinds of stuff perfect for a comfortable living. "Incredible. All of this has been under New York for this whole time. Despite all the technology and items here, the walls and layout are much much older." Johnathan spoke practically breath taken.

"You are very observant young man. My sons and daughter, may I have an explanation on how we ended up with 4 guests?" An aged and soft male voice spoke as they turned to see a human sized anthropomorphic gray rat with brown eyes, a small goatee, white bushy eyebrows and leaning on a brown wooden cane wearing an orange and dark brown kimono. "Good grief. Things gotten really bizarre." Jotaro sighed at the weirdness they found themselves in.

One explanation from Polnareff later… The group were sitting down and gathered at the front while April who had woken up earlier after fainting again joined in. "So that explains it. Fleur was separated from you because that terrible storm had washed her away. It makes sense for her not to recognize you since she was a baby before disappearing." The turtle in purple spoke. "Though my question is, who or what are you guys? How did you even find her without being caught on the surface?" April questioned.

"That is a very long story. We weren't always like this. We used to be what you once called normal. I used to be an ordinary pet rat whose owner was a kind martial artist named Hamato Yoshi. On a trip to France, my master and I had came across Fleur crying by the edge of a river. The only clue to her name was a flower tied in her hair. A few years later, the home of my master was caught in a nasty blaze. I was able to get out with Fleur through my Master's sacrifice.

I hid Fleur in a safe place within the sewers and scavenge for food to keep her alive. On one of those scavenging days, I saw the beginning of an accident. A child had walked out of the pet store carrying four baby turtles. *That was us! From the orange bandanna turtle* Don't interrupt Michelangelo. Where was I? An elderly blind man was walking the street unaware of a massive truck heading straight towards him. A man near the child lunged to shove the elder out of harm's way yet accidentally sending the tank holding the four turtles near the sewer were they were gently swept down below.

The truck had flung open wide enough for a mysterious canister to jump out and went down the sewer bursting open and covering the four turtles in a glowing green ooze. I followed them down and took pity on them. I gathered all four and safely put them in an empty coffee can though one decided to shake himself and got the ooze on me too. I took them back to my den where Fleur laid sleeping.

The next morning, I woke up. All four had doubled in size and I was changed too. The ooze had affected us in many peculiar ways from enhancing our intelligence and strength along with affecting our growth. Then one day, one of the young turtles had spoken my name. Fleur manifested her own peculiarity in the form of a spirit that same day. I knew then that it was my duty to protect and raise them as my own.

To each I taught them the ways of Ninjutsu and to harness their new form and power. Fleur named her spirit Showdown Bandit Aeon after one of the tarot cards, the Aeon Arcana. For the four turtles, using a book on the Italian Renaissance Arts, I gave them their names. Leonardo(blue), Donatello(purple), Raphael(red) and Michelangelo(orange). That is our story." Splinter told finishing his tale.

"Yep! We're unbelievable!" Shouted Michelango who they could clearly tell was the goofball of the four. "Where's your off switch?" Raphael questioned as Jotaro snorted amused. "Been asking the same thing myself about our little brother Josuke." Jotaro said. "It's still incredible that you have a Stand Fleur combined with the fact that your family could see them." Polnareff said as that got the makeshift family's attention. It was enough for Aeon to manifest with a curious glint in his eyes. "Speak of the cowboy, hey Aeon." Michelangelo said as April looked confused.

"Stand? I don't see anything." April spoke clueless. "Only Stand Users can see Stands. Stands are the manifestation of a person's fighting Spirit with their own set of abilities based on their user. They are called Stands because they always stand beside you." Jotaro explained. "Maybe not for long. I came up with something that I've been dying to try out." Donatello said heading to a cabinet and took something out.

He came back with a pair of glasses with green half lenses. "I made this when I found out Fleur had a Stand. Using a bullet Aeon supplied me with, I created these beauties. The Spirit Lens. I didn't know if one day we would lose the ability to see or hear Aeon so I made these just in case. Aeon is considered the fifth brother of the bunch since we played and trained with each other from childhood. Try the Spirit Lens on, April." Donatello explained surprising the male trio.

'Glasses that can see Stands!?' Went through their heads as April put on the glasses before turning to suddenly scream. "Oh my gosh! There's a demon cowboy right in my face! Is this Aeon???" April questioned nervously as Jotaro, Polnareff and Johnathan's eyes widened. "Yeeehaw!!!! Looks like your little doodad was a success Donnie! The lassie can see me!" A young raspy and wild male voice came out from Aeon as he twirled his hat. Donatello chuckled at the Stand's obvious happiness.

"Oh. It's rude to leave a family member out of a reunion. Jotaro, Johnathan and I are also Stand Users. Come out Silver Chariot!" Polnareff called as Silver Chariot manifested. "Wow! An actual knight in shining armor! And that rapier looks fantastic!" Leonardo stated as he couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship of Silver Chariot's blade. "The elder Knight and young bandit. Very interesting. The Chariot is the tarot card for conquest and absolute victory. Quite fitting for a knight or crusader." Splinter spoke as both Stands approached each other.

"Aw shucks. Thanks. I had Silver Chariot with me since birth and both of us keep each other in fighting shape." Polnareff said scratching his head sheepishly. Both of the Stands eyed each other before Aeon decided to just give Chariot a big hug as his tail wagged wildly like a happy dog. "Aww. They look so cute! Someone take a picture!" Michelangelo said. "Wish I brought my camera." Johnathan mumbled.

"Let's get back to business. April, why were those Mousers chasing you?" Fleur questioned getting everyone back on topic. "I decided to spy on my former boss since it was too suspicious to build so many of something like the Mousers for a city rat problem. I discovered that he was using the Mousers to rob banks and jewelry stores of their valuables. One of the test runs even brought down an archaeological dig!" April explained as Johnathan's breath hitched.

"Dear god. Those things were the reason nearly everyone at my digsite was almost killed. To think the same man who pitched those awful things to us were responsible for the pain of so many." Johnathan spoke clenching his fists angrily. "Now I recognize you! You are Johnathan Joestar, the eldest son of George Joestar and heir to the Joestar and Zeppeli Corporation! Oh shell! I read a few of your books on ancient civilizations and they were really excellent. To meet one of my favorite authors is astounding!" Donatello explained as Johnathan couldn't help but smile.

"Well it's nice to meet a fan of my work. I would love to discuss about it later but I think it's best if we deal with Stockman first. He caused too much pain for a lot of people and must be stopped before he could do further harm." Johnathan said. "Yeah. That jerk destroyed our old home and those pieces of scrap metal try to make a meal out of our Sensei!" Raphael stated taking out his sai.

"I agree. My sons and my daughter, I ask of you to assist April in stopping Stockman before he could do even further harm. Jotaro and Jean, I ask of you to accompany them on this mission. I know my sons and daughter can protect themselves but it'll be good to have someone capable of protecting Miss O' Neil. Though Johnathan, I ask of you to stay here. The injury on your ankle needs to be checked and wounds like that on a battlefield can put you and others in grave danger." Splinter explained.

No one objected the elder rat's words for it obviously made sense. Even Jotaro silently agreed despite being known to be against any type of authority. "It's not going to be easy. Stocktronics has the latest top of the line security system. It'll be tough to get in without being spotted." April spoke only for Fleur to giggle. "We've got that problem already handled." The kunoichi said.

"May I present you our technologic master turtle, Donatello!" Michaelango said pointing at Donatello. "You're too kind." Donatello chuckled. "Can we go already? Please!" Shouted Raphael. "Follow us. We know these sewers like the back of our hand." Fleur spoke walking off. The group of 8 quietly walked through New York's Sewer system. April had stopped them to point a small security system.

"Seriously? Security systems in the sewer? This Stockman guy is really paranoid." Michaelango whispered only to be smacked by Jotaro. "Thanks big guy." Raphael silently chuckled. "Get a room you two." Michaelango spoke only to get shushed by Donatello. "Be quiet. April and I are busy! This is delicate work!" Donatello whispered annoyed as he dismantled the system. "*sigh* Little brothers…" Fleur muttered.

The system was soon broken allowing the group to travel to the building through the ducts. Using his sai, Raphael had opened the vent after the guards left. "Alright. The terminal is over there. If I can access it, I can make blank spots in the security for you guys to travel undetected." April whispered. "Let me do it. Star Platinum." Jotaro spoke manifesting his Stand.

It looked like a big purple Aztec warrior just as tall as Jotaro but buffer, had long black flowing hair, sharp teal eyes, gold wavy lines going down his body and wore gold shoulder pads with spirals, red scarf, gold circlet headband, black fingerless gloves with gold studs, black knee boots and a long white loin cloth. April had to hide her blush. "Oh shell. He's huge. Looks like you got a fellow purple lover." Raphael joked as Donatello rolled his eyes.

"Star Finger." Jotaro whispered as Star Platinum's middle and index finger thin and lengthen before using it to pick the lock open. Jotaro called Star back as the group got out of the duct and followed April into terminal room. "Nice lock picking Jotaro. When did you learn to do that?" Leonardo questioned the raven. "Jotaro has a crazy fanclub that follows him everyday at school. He picks the roof door lock to escape since students aren't allowed up there." Polnareff answered the blue mask turtle.

"Alright. I'm blanking the cameras in 10 second intervals. You guys have to keep moving and don't stop if you don't want to get caught." April warned. "Got it. We'll be back." Fleur spoke as the 5 ninjas disappeared without a sound to three clueless people until the Frenchman turned around. "They're gone! That Splinter can teach!" Polnareff stated as he couldn't help but feel proud at his little sister and a bit for her brothers.

The kunoichi and her four shelled siblings outran the cameras as they raced through the halls. Walking into a completely dark room, all 5 siblings were on guard. "It's quiet, too quiet." Leonardo warned pulling out his weapons like the others. Fleur kept her third blade on her back as she kept an eye out for danger. "Guys, my turtle sense is tingling." Michelangelo joked nervously. Suddenly the lights flashed on to reveal Stockman high above in a control room and there were manufacturing guns found above in high-tech factories, the type that fire beams of extreme heat.

"You really think I would be so lax in thinking to not anticipate intruders! Did you come here for my secrets because it wouldn't matter. None of you are leaving out alive." Stockman threatened looking at the thermal images of the 5 shinobi only to be disturbed by 4 non human shaped blurs. "What are you? I guess I have to dissect you to find out." Stockman spoke as the ceiling guns shifted to face the group before the ninja found themselves under fire.

It didn't take them a second to take cover behind the pillars. "Showdown Bandit Aeon!" Fleur cried out summoning her Stand. "This is quite a shootout but these pieces of scrap can't outshot me!" The devilish cowboy laughed aiming his gun and began firing bullets. Each bullet sniped into each barrel causing each laser gun to explode from its own blast. "Donnie!" Leonardo called as the turtle in purple came over. Donatello tossed Leonardo into the air so he could slice the guns in half with his katana blades.

Donatello using his staff, pole vaulted to one of the guns before turning it to shoot at the others and then finished by sabotaging it to explode. "Mikey! Hammer throw!" Raphael called Michelangelo ran over to the turtle in red. Michaelango jumped over Raphael as the red masked turtle kicked out his feet to launch his fellow turtle to the control room glass and break open an entry to Stockman's terror.

Fleur and the others quickly followed up there blocking Stockman as their friends walked in from the other side. "April! You're alive." Stockman said shocked. "And kicking. My friends here helped me out and get me to you. It's over Stockman, I have enough evidence to land you in jail for a very long time." April spoke only for Stockman to laugh and pull out a remote with a single button. He pressed it before Michaelango could grab him.

"It's too late! I called back all my Mousers. They'll be here to rip you to shreds!" Stockman chuckled as the group could see the beginnings of a swarm of the malicious robots surround them. Stockman had used their distraction to escape. "Guys! Stockman got away!" Michelangelo shouted. "We have bigger problems. We have thousands of things heading our way! Stockman must have made even more before robbing those banks earlier!" Donatello panicked as both him and April got to the control panel before trying to hack it.

Mousers began to come in the room from all around them as Jotaro, Polnareff and Fleur got their stands ready. Suddenly all the small killer robots stopped as their single eye began blinking. "April, what did you do?" Fleur questioned as Michelangelo picked up one of the Mousers. "I couldn't shut them down so I had to reroute their programming to overload." April warned as the orange masked turtle dropped the Mouser in panic. "Let's get the shell out of here! This place is going to blow!" Fleur cried as it didn't take a single second for all of them to scramble out of the building and down into the sewers.

Back at the lair… the news played the burning scene of the Stocktronics building as the group watched. "What are you going to do now April? I'm pretty sure you're out of a job." Splinter questioned. "We can help her get back on her feet. She did help us stop Stockman." Fleur offered as Polnareff couldn't help but smile. "Splinter, I want to thank you and your master for caring for my little sister. She has turned into a wonderful woman with your guidance." Polnareff spoke.

"It was an honor. Though it'll take time for Fleur to adjust knowing she has a living relative. You and your friends are welcomed back here. The boys still need some guidance that I can't provide." Splinter spoke as Polnareff smiled. "Wait, if Polnareff is Fleur's older brother and Splinter adopted Fleur, doesn't that make Polnareff our big brother in some way?" Michelangelo questioned as everyone looked at the Frenchman.

"I believe it does since Splinter is her parental guardian. Looks like Polnareff has gotten another chance at being a big brother again." Johnathan chuckled as the Frenchman looked ready to cry. Today was just an insane day for Jean Pierre Polnareff. Moving to New York for a new start had gotten him into a crazy adventure. Now not only did he have his little sister Fleur back but also has 4 teenage mutant ninja turtles to guide like a big brother should. It was going to be strange but he wouldn't trade it for the world. And this time he was going to protect them!

That's it folks. I honestly thought Polnareff deserved another chance at the big brother role because it just suits him perfectly in my opinion. Here is a drawing of Fleur and her Stand Aeon though his name on the picture is different since I drew it before writing this.

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dawnoftime21 · 6 years

Text

Come What May (Billy Hargrove x reader) (Part One)

Summary: Billy manages to turn back time after your unpredictable death after coming home from college at the age of 25

Warnings: Drinking, Death, Angst

It had been a whole week since your death and he still remembered the phone call like it was only a minute ago... His heart racing and head swimming with thoughts, the officer on the other line nothing but a white noise after the words left his mouth, "She died on impact, I'm sorry" He wanted to break down right then and there but he couldn't, physically couldn't...his head was so full his body couldn't react. It wasn't until about 5 minutes after the call when everything sank in...you weren't coming. He could remember the feeling of the hardwood floor clashing with his knee caps, his hands turning into fists in his hair just pulling and pulling. The sobs and screams that tore from him were enough to make his throat for 3 days. Susan came into the room, and for once in his life, he didn't push her away. She sat there, holding him and rocking him as he sobbed and sobbed. He knew his dad would call him a pussy, with that shit faced grin on his face but when the news of your death left Billy's mouth, that grin was melted away faster than anyone would have thought.

But what he really couldn't forget was your guys' last conversation face to face before you left to go start your final year of college.

"You know what? Fuck you Hargrove!" You shouted, tossing a pillow in his direction, in which he caught. "You said you'd stop drinking!" Tears brimmed your eyes as you looked at your drunken boyfriend, dishevelled with bottles around him. "Correction, I said I'd try ... TRY" His voice raised. Turning your back to him, you shake your head. "I have to go Billy, I have to make it to Massachusetts before moving day...I can't be doing this with you" your voice was soft, it was always soft after an argument between the two of you.

"Fine whatever! GO" His speech was slurred and you were barely able to get what he was saying, but you got it. This time tears did spill. "You don't mean that" you countered, but he just nodded "Oh yes I do!" He sat up, swaying slightly, eyes unfocused. "O-Oh well I...I love you" you grabbed your bag and walked out of the door. Turning to look back at him, he just layed back down, taking another drink.

He woke up the next morning, looking for you but unfortunately for him you weren't there. He found out what really happened through Max, she told him everything that went down. From telling you to leave to your soft I love you that wasn't returned. You deserved so much more than him, he always thought about this, you were so kind and gentle while he destroyed everything in his path. He regretted ever putting that bottle in his hand, but little did he know those were the last words spoken face to face to each other.

And now here he was, drunk and driving well over the speed limit going who knows where. Ever since you died the thought of alcohol was repulsive but it was the only thing to numb the pain, he had had a whole case before setting out onto the road with his music blaring.

"You took here away from me!! I never even got to fucking say goodbye! You bring her to me and you take her away, I never should have fucked up! I'm being punished!" He then broke down into sobs he didn't even know he was holding. He made you a promise and he couldn't even keep, it wasn't just the promise about drinking...there was one much greater than that and he hated himself over it. He pounded his hands against the steering wheel, anger and remorse flowing all through him. But before he knew it, his eyes were dropping closed and his head was against the steering wheel, car accelerating.

The sun was bright and directly in his eyes. He didn't sleep that long did he? The sun was going down when he started driving and now it looks to be about 1 or 2 in the afternoon. Squinting he could make out, brightly colored everything... Clothing mostly. Bell-Bottoms being worn and heeled shoes. Another thing he noticed was 'Vote For Jimmy Carter 76' ' signs scattered about... But Ronald Reagan was running for president and it was 1984, not 1976. What the hell was going on here and why is he in the 70s? This has to be some fucked up dream, he had been drinking...so it makes sense right?

He gets out of his car quickly and looks around. Everyone was dressed in pale colors and bell bottoms.. dear God this really was the 70s. Slowly but surely he starts to walk around Hawkins, Indiana, it looks so different but the similar at the same time. The cafe looks the exact same but the shop next to it went from being a shoe shop to a music shop. He continues to walk until he make it to the park in the town square. There he sees a group of kids, around his age listening to music, dancing, eating and just running around having a blast. The group consisted of 5 people, 4 boys and a girl in which he couldn't see. Billy leaned against a tree and lit his cigarette looking not only at the group but at his surroundings.... Could he really be in the 70s, is that even possible? He'd be about 9 right now still back in California, so he surely doesn't know anyone in this stupid town...maybe one of his teachers or something but that's about it.

He's drown out of his thoughts with a tap on his shoulder, turning to see one of the boys from the group of kids.

"Excuse me, could I borrow your light? I noticed you were smoking and I forgot my light" he sightly laughs at the end out of awkwardness. Billy slowly nods, handing the boy his lighter, which he takes and lights his cigarette.

"Thanks, I'm Charles" he smiles, reaching out his hand, "Billy" it was a short response and he definitely didn't shake the boys hand. Eventually he got the hint and lowered his hand.

"Anyway, some friends and I are over there hanging out. Eating and stuff, you're welcome to join if you want" usually Billy would say no but, he's not turning down free food.

"Sure, lead the way"

When they make it over there, Charles introduces the group.

"This is Connor, Jacob and Simon" he points to each boy as he says their names, Connor and Jacob were twin brothers, blonde hair and blue eyes..a jock looking type. And Charles himself looked exactly like his name suggested. Preppy and we'll kept, with dark brown hair and green eyes. Simon was African American and was the most normal looking out of the group he looked like everyone else around not some prep or jock.

"and this is my girlfriend (Y/N)" Charles points to the only girl in the group sitting beside Simon. He could feel his heart stop at the sight of her...not her... you.

"everyone, this is Billy" he saw a smile spread across your face. The smile he knew so well.

#billy hargrove x reader #billy hargrove imagine #stranger things imagine #masterlist

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crashdevlin · 6 years

Text

Marion- 11: Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now

Marion Masterlist

Author’s Note: Originally posted to ao3 (This is an edited and improved version). This started as an excuse to write some Castiel/OFC loving, but it blossomed into an epic-length fic and even an AU where Marion was with them the whole time.

Summary: Marion doesn’t like how Cas is acting and she’s preparing for the letdown Chuck warned her about.

Pairing(s): Castiel/Marion

Word Count: 3403

Chapter Warnings: Other side of Frontierland, Cas being a shitty boyfriend, angsty-angst-angst

Marion sat at Bobby’s kitchen table. She stared down at the locket she’d found in her pocket when she returned to the present time. It had to be from Castiel, some sort of apology for the fact that she’d barely been able to speak to him lately. It’d been months, actually. She’d gotten more conversation from his doppleganger in that other universe than she’d gotten from her beau. Misha had been very talkative. She’d been sad to see him die. Dean and Sam didn’t seem as affected by it. She listened to her twin cursing the amount of ash Colt had sent them as she tried once again to pry the locket open. There didn’t seem to be any glue holding it closed but she couldn’t get it open, no matter how hard she tried. As she heard Bobby’s front door open, she put the necklace in her pocket. She couldn’t feel bad for her failed relationship, right now. She smiled curtly and nodded slightly at Sam and Bobby as they headed for the basement where Dean was working.

“Hey.” Sam started. “How you doing?”

“Five shells.” Dean growled. “That’s how I’m doing.”

Sam sighed. “Well, you know, it’s a hell of a lot more than what we had last week.”

“Maybe.” Dean said, as Marion walked up.

“Meaning?” She asked.

“Meaning… I just had myself a little mishap a few minutes ago, and… uh, well, here, look.” Dean said, grabbing some of the ash and rubbing it on his arm. Nothing happens.

“Whoa.” Sam whispered.

“I mean, this stuff is supposed to burn the bejeezus out of Eve, doesn’t even give me a sunburn.”

“Lore says it works.” Bobby responded.

“That’s always reliable.” Dean said, cynically.

“Maybe that’s not how it works. You are human.” Marion chimed in.

“Yeah, you know what? Maybe it’s like, uh- maybe it’s like iron or silver. You know? Hurts them, not us.”

“Maybe, but a fat lot of good it does us ‘til we find the bitch.”

“I’m lookin’, but I’m thinkin’ maybe it’s time you made a call.” Bobby said, looking pointedly at Dean.

“Why me? He’s not my-”

Marion shook her head and started back up the stairs. She was exhausted on calling out to Castiel and him not answering her. She wasn’t sure she could take it again.

Dean turned back to the guys, knowing not to push it any further with his sister. “Why has it always got to be me that makes the call, huh? It’s not like Cas lives in my ass. The dude’s busy.”

Marion stopped at the top of the stairs as she heard the telltale sound of wings. She debated whether or not to turn back around for a minute, before settling to sit on the top step and look down on the scene.

Dean quickly moved away and spun around. “Cas, get out of my ass!”

“I was never in your-” Castiel started, but gave a confused look as he stopped. “Have you made any progress in locating Eve?”

“Well, we were gonna ask you about that.” Bobby said.

“No. I’ve looked, but she’s hidden from me. She’s hidden from all angels.” Castiel answered, casting a quick glance up to Marion.

“Awesome.”

“You know, what we really need is an inside man.” Sam said.

“What do you mean?”

“Something with claws and sympathy.”

“Like a friendly monster?” Dean asked. Sam shrugged. “Those are in short supply these days, don’t you think?”

“Sure, but we’ve met one or two, right?” Sam said.

“Maybe.” Dean responded sourly.

“So we can find one.”

“Anybody you can think of, somebody still alive?” Bobby asked.

A moment of silence passes as Sam and Dean rack their minds for allies who hadn’t been killed in the Apocalypse or the lead-up to the Apocalypse. Marion cleared her throat and stood from her spot at the top of the stairs. She stepped down 3 steps and avoided Castiel’s gaze as she leaned over the railing to look at her brothers. “Lenore. You need to find Lenore.”

“Vampire Lenore. Thank God you’ve got my memories, cause I forgot about her.” Dean said, before turning to Cas. “Lenore. She’s a vegetarian vampire. You find her, we might have a lead.”

Castiel nodded and disappeared.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat upstairs in the kitchen by herself. She was staring down at the locket again. It reminded her of the other gifts he’d left behind without a word. They used to make her happy. They had been proof of his love. But now she felt like they were just things, things he threw her way so she wouldn’t get in his way.

“Marion!” She heard Dean call from the basement.

She pushed the locket deep into her pocket and stood. When she gets to the basement, she sees Lenore dead and knows that Castiel killed her.

“Grants Pass, Oregon.” Bobby said.

“And Lenore?” She asked.

Dean and Sam both gave a quick glance at Castiel, but then looked away. “She asked to be killed, so that she wouldn’t kill anymore. I acquiesced.” Castiel responded.

Marion nodded. “I’m ready when you boys are.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion sat in a chair pulled up to the booth in the diner, a plate of fries in front of her that she had taken to playing with instead of eating.

“Alright. I finally got the police database, no thanks to this.” Bobby said, gesturing to the iPad in his hands. “I asked for a computer.”

“It is a computer.” Sam defended.

“No, a computer has buttons.” Bobby responded, as the waitress walked up.

“Can I get you anything else?”

“No, we’re good. Thanks.” Dean dismissed her.

“Anything?” Sam asked.

“Oh, nickel and dime stuff, nothing weird. Basically, a dead end. You think Vampira was lying?” Bobby asked.

“I’ll search the town. Give me a moment.” Castiel volunteered.

Everyone around the table looked at Castiel, waiting for something to happen. Nothing did.

“Cas, we can still see you.” Dean piped up.

Castiel looked around, confused. “Yeah. I’m still here.”

“Okay, well you don’t have to wait on us, you-” Dean said, trying to understand what was going on. Castiel cleared his throat and seemed to strain to fly. “Well, now it just looks like you’re pooping.”

“Something’s wrong.” Castiel said, plainly.

“What, are you stuck?” Marion asked.

“I’m blocked. I’m powerless.”

“You’re joking?” Dean asked incredulously.

“Something in this town is, uh, it’s affecting me. I assume it’s Eve.”

Marion rolled her eyes. *Of course it’s Eve.*

“So, wait, Mom’s making you limp?” Dean asked.

“Figuratively, yes.”

“How?”

“I don’t know, but she is.”

“Well, that’s great, because without your power, you’re basically just a baby in a trench coat.” Dean snapped.

Marion would have felt offended for her boyfriend if it weren’t so true.

“I think you hurt his feelings.” Sam said.

Bobby cleared his throat to get their attention back. “I got something here, maybe. Had to go federal to get it. Call went out from the local office to the CDC last night.”

“About what?” Sam asked.

“A Dr. Silver called in an illness he couldn’t identify. Patient’s a 25 year old, African-American, name- Ed Bright.”

“Well, that’s not much to go on.”

“Well, its our only lead, so-”

Dean interrupted Bobby’s thought with a nod. “So beggars can’t be choosers, right? I get it. Alright, let’s finish up.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion stood at the doorway of the frat house. Dean and Castiel had insisted that she not go into the infection zone, but she couldn’t stand out there next to a powerless Castiel, knowing that if he could disappear, he would. Marion was in the perfect position, though, to hear everything her brothers were saying.

“Hey, Ed. Ed, what’s going on?” Dean asked.

“Uh, nothing. You’re ok. You’re okay, alright? We’re gonna get you help.” Sam responded.

“What? No, no. No, no, no, no, no, of course not. You, uh, you have a fever. You’re hallucinating.”

“Marshall, Marshall. Hey, what happened here?” Sam pushed. “No, you’re not gonna die, okay? Now you need to talk to us. It’s important.”

“And before you got sick, before Ed got sick, did you do anything? Did you go anywhere? Hey, I need you to focus for me.” Sam asked. “A bar? What bar? 8th street, um, did anything happen at the bar? Did you- did you see anything? Did you meet anyone? Look, an ambulance is on the way, okay?”

“A girl? Okay, and?” Dean urged. Marion could hear the desperation in her brother’s voice and knew the boy was on the edge. “Good, okay. What did the girl in white do? Marshall? Wh-wh-what did she do to Ed? Marshall?”

Marion genuflected for the poor dead boy as her brothers walked over to join her. “I don’t get it. What, a bunch of regular Joes wake up shifters? What the hell?”

“Shifters usually run in families. This looks like an infection. Nobody touched nothing?” Bobby seemed to direct the question to Marion.

“Didn’t even go in.” She mumbled.

“Well, I am bathing in Purell tonight.” Dean said.

“So, he said they met a girl.” Sam informed the others.

“It’s gotta be Eve.”

“But why would she do this?” Castiel questioned.

“Mommy monster- make more.”

“No, no, no, no. Cas has got a good point. I mean if she’s gonna make a shifter army, why make one that’s sick, gooey and dying?” Dean asked.

Bobby shrugged. “Add that to the pile of Crap That Don’t Make Sense.”

“So should we hit the bar?” Marion asked.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion looked around the bar. She was a bit disgusted by the amount of dead people-monsters.

“Well, the sheriff’s a mook, but still.” Bobby started to say as he walked around the bar.

“You’d think he’d notice this many missing people.” Marion agreed.

“We got a vamp over here. Nope. Scratch that. We got a wraith. What the hell? What has teeth and a spike?” Dean asked.

“Nothing.” Marion said.

“Never seen that in my life.” Bobby confirmed.

“Oh, great. So Eve’s making hybrids now?” Dean asked.

“Looks like.”

“Yeah, the question is why. I mean what does she want with the… what do you call these?” Dean asked.

“Well, congrats.” Bobby droned. “You discovered it. You get to name it.”

Marion rolled her eyes, knowing a rock reference was coming. Dean looked around, before matter-of-factly saying, “Jefferson Starships.”

“Oh, god.”

“Huh, because they’re horrible- and hard to kill.” Dean finished, looking very proud of himself.

“I like Starship.” Marion muttered, leaning down close to the wood floor to examine a dead Starship.

“You would.” Dean quipped.

Sam chose to ignore it and move on. “Looks like the whole bar has been turned into these-”

“Jefferson Starships.” Dean interjected.

“Fine. But why are all the… Starships dead?” Sam finished.

“Can’t say, but looks like they all burned up.” Bobby said, examining the monsters.

“Burned up, like?” Dean asked.

“Like a high fever, like the flu.” Marion answered.

“What the hell’s going on here? Does every monster in this town have the damn motaba virus?” Dean asked as the sheriff and two deputies showed up at the door to the bar.

“Hands where I can see ‘em!” The sheriff yelled.

Marion dropped completely to the floor, hoping they wouldn’t notice her in the sea of bodies.

“Now this is not what it looks like.” Castiel said.

“Look, we’re the Feds.” Bobby insured.

“Yeah? Well, Feds are not allowed to do this. Cuff ‘em. Turn around.” Marion watched from the ground as Castiel, Bobby, and Sam were led out the door. She was ecstatic that she hadn’t seen Dean’s boots walking out the door. Once she was sure the locals were gone, she stood up, careful not to touch any of the Starships. She looked over to the bar and breathed a heavy sigh. Dean was standing up from behind the bar.

“When did you get smart enough to hide in bad situations?” Marion quipped. “Come on, we gotta follow ‘em.”

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion watched from the doorway as Bobby questioned the sheriff, slashing him with a silver knife. Castiel stood off from the side, just staring. He seemed cold, upset and not just at the situation with Eve or the fact that he was powerless. She didn’t know how to approach it. She knew that she should talk to him. He was her boyfriend, after all, even if he wasn’t a very attentive one.

“Got a couple of hungry human boys here.” Dean said, leading two boys in from the cells. “C’mon guys.”

“So, you two never heard ‘em talk… about a mother, or someone named Eve?” Sam asked.

Marion looked at the group. The two sets of brothers. Something… wasn’t quite right. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but something was wrong.

The older boy shook his head. “It was just me and Ryan in there.”

“And your folks?” Dean asked, knowing the answer.

“Cops said we were next. He said we were food.”

“You have any other family?”

“An uncle, in Merritt.”

“Merritt, what’s that, like 15 miles outside of town? Okay. We’ll get you there.” Dean promised.

“Dean, can I have a word?” Castiel’s gravel voice prompted Dean to get up and walk away. Marion kept her eyes on the boys, but focused in on the angel’s words to her brother.

“We need to find Eve now.”

“Yeah. Go. Me and Sam just need to make a milk run.”

“We need your help here.” Castiel insisted.

“Hold your water. We’ll be back in a few.”

“Dean. Dean. Millions of lives are at stake, not just two. Stay focused.” Marion cringed a bit at the reaction she knew was coming because of the angel’s words.

“Are you kidding?”

“There’s a greater purpose here.”

“You know what, I-I’m getting a little sick and tired of the greater purpose, okay? I think what I’d like to do now is save a couple kids. If you don’t mind. We’ll catch up. Okay, guys, let’s go. C’mon.” Dean said, walking out the door.

“Damn it!” Marion cursed under her breath before rushing out the door and behind them. She grabbed Dean as he was getting in the driver’s seat and pulled him back out.

Ignoring that her twin looked ready to punch her, she shut the car door and whispered, “Something isn’t right, Dean. These kids shouldn’t have been here. These creatures, the Starships, have you seen any of the others saving food? No, they feed, they worship Eve and then they die. Why would they keep these boys for later?”

Dean shook his head and rested his hand on the door handle to show he was leaving as soon as he was done speaking. “Look, I’m gonna brush this off as you trying to agree with your boyfriend. We tested them. They’re human. You wanna stay here with Bobby and Cas, fine, but Sam and me, we’re takin’ them to their uncle’s place. We’re getting them out of this town. Now.”

Marion stepped back from the car, conceding defeat. “You go right ahead and ignore us, Dean. Ignore your twin sister and the only friend you’ve ever fucking had. Glad I’m not the only one you do that to.”

She didn’t look back as the door slammed and the tires squealed, but she turned when she got to the station door, just in time to see the taillights disappear over a hill. She looked up, wishing she hadn’t burned ties with Chuck, wishing she could call on God to tell her how this one ended. And for a few minutes, she considered taking a nap in the middle of this war zone, just to get a little reassurance from Lucifer. Lucifer, who was old enough to have probably met Eve before.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

Marion walked inside about 20 minutes later, still sort of wanting a nap. As she walked past the sheriff’s office, she heard Castiel speaking in a hushed voice.

“I can’t go myself because Eve has… clipped my wings, so to speak. I would have to walk outside the area of her influence in order to fly there and take care of them. It would take far too long and Marion would notice my absence, even if Bobby did not. You must do this… I am certain… Even if they were not Children of Eve, you should have no qualms about killing them… I wouldn’t have asked you if I were not okay with the possible consequence… I will contact you after.”

Marion wasn’t sure what she had just heard but she knew it was something she wasn’t supposed to hear. “Hey. Who was that?” She asked, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.

Castiel put the phone back in his coat and walked out of the room. “It was Dean. They’ve left the boys in Merritt and will be on their way soon.”

Marion tilted her head a bit and followed him with her eyes as he walked toward the interrogation room. Castiel had just lied to her. No confusion, no misunderstanding, just a flat-out lie. She hadn’t even thought Castiel knew how to lie. “Oh. Okay.” was all she managed.

A few minutes later, Bobby was handing Marion a drink as Castiel came out of the interrogation room with his hands covered in blood. This wasn’t right. His actions were wrong. He was more distant, even darker than normal and that was bad.

“Eve’s at 25 Buckley Street. You can call Sam and Dean.” Castiel said, before walking off toward the restroom.

Bobby gave a pointed look to Marion, who tried to not show her discomfort. “How should I know, Bobby? The guy barely talks to me, anymore. We haven’t even kissed since right after Balthazar sent us to Bizarro-land. I have no idea what’s going on in his head, anymore.”

Marion pulled the locket out of her pocket and showed it to Bobby. “The only way I know we are still in a relationship, at all, is these little gifts he leaves for me. I’ve got a box full of them now.”

“Way he acts toward you, you sure he’s the one leavin’ ‘em?” Bobby asked, pulling out his phone to call Sam.

Marion stared at the drink in her hand and fought the uneasy feeling rising up in her stomach. “I need a nap.” she told herself.

~~~~~~~~~~##########~~~~~~~~~~^^^^^^^^^^~~~~~~~~~~**********

They walked up to the diner they’d eaten at earlier.

“You gotta be kidding me. She’s been in there the whole time?” Dean griped.

“Why’d she ever let us in?” Sam asked.

“Or out?” Marion added.

“Well, there’s one way to find out.”

“What, just stroll in? We don’t know who human or who’s her.” Bobby said.

“Well, there’s one way to draw her out. Me and Sam will go in.”

“Dean.” Bobby started.

“Look. If we don’t get a shot off, you three better.” Dean said.

“I’m going with you, Dean.” Marion said, pulling her brother’s arm toward her. “We both know that there is no ash in my shell. I’d rather be in there if shit goes down, then out here useless.” She whispered.

Dean nodded. “Didn’t mean for you to get that one.” He whispered back, walking forward.

She followed her brothers and sat down at the bar next to Sam. “Now what?” She and Dean asked in unison.

Sam pulled out his phone and used the camera to look around the diner for eye-flash. “Crap. Crap, crap.” He whispered.

“Starships?”

“Yeah.”

“Is there anybody in this diner that is not a flesh-eating monster?” Dean asked.

“Uh, me and Marion and you.”

“Okay, well, let’s get the hell out of here.” Dean said.

“Shall we?” Sam offered to Marion.

“Three specials, right?” The waitress asks, putting two plates down and then grabbing a third from behind her.

“Uh, no, that’s not for us. We were just headed out.” Sam said.

“Now that would be rude, Sam.” The waitress said, squaring off in front of them.

The siblings looked up at the woman for the first time. Her brunette hair was loose but pulled back. She seemed like a nice young woman. Except the coldness. Sam looked at both of his siblings before readjusting himself on the stool. “Let me guess. Eve.”

“Pleasure.” She said, curtly.

“Why don’t we step outside. Chat?” Dean asked.

“Why? This is private.” Eve said. She looked up and the Starships around the diner close the blinds. One of the monsters grabbed Dean’s bag and opened it, revealing the shotguns. Eve reached into the bag and grabbed Dean’s gun, she sniffed the end. “Phoenix ash. I’m impressed. I bet you had to go a long way for that.”

“You have no idea.” Dean mumbled. Sam scoffed.

Eve handed the bag off to a Starship. “Destroy these. Thank you.” She smiled curtly at the Winchesters. “Relax. I’m not here to fight.”

“No? Just to rally every freak on the planet, bring in Khan Worms and-and half-assed spider-men… and dragons. Really, sister? Dragons?” Dean goaded.

“So I dusted off some of the old classics. I needed help.”

“With what?” Sam scoffed. “Tearing apart the planet?”

“You misunderstand me. I never wanted that. Not at first. I liked our arrangement.”

“What arrangement?” Marion asked, the words coming out a little more meek than she wanted.

“The natural order. My children turned a few of you, you hunted a few of them. I was happy.” Eve replied.

“Okay, so what changed?” Dean demanded.

“My children, no thanks to you, started getting kidnapped and tortured. Even my first borns.” Marion threw a quick glare at her brothers as Eve continued. “I was pushed into this. After all, a mother defends her children.”

“Really?” Dean asked, incredulously. “You’re gonna use the Mother of the Year defense? You?”

“It happens to be true. Know what? Maybe you’ll believe it if I look a little more like this.” Marion had to force herself not to look away as Eve changed her visage to look like her mother.

“Oh, you bitch.” Dean growled.

“She died to protect you, didn’t she? See. You understand a mother’s love. I’m no different.” Marion gave a shuddering sigh at the sound of her mother’s voice. Dean looked over, seeing the enamored look on his sister’s face, got angry.

“Alright, you know what? This conversation’s over. If you’re gonna kill us, kill us.”

“You? No. It’s Crowley I want dead.” Eve said.

“Well, you’re too late there- that little limey mook roasted months ago.” Dean snapped.

“Crowley’s alive.” Eve said, matter-of-factly.

“That’s impossible.” Sam said.

But Marion knew it wasn’t impossible. As soon as Eve had spoken the words, she knew it was true. It had never made sense, she realized, but she’d been so desperate to rejoin her brothers, to stop hiding, that she’d made herself believe it.

“Your sister knows it’s not impossible.”

Sam and Dean were soon staring at her expectantly. Marion looked down. “It never made sense. It was too easy. The King of Hell brought down by a single pawn of Heaven’s army? No way that happens. That’s not even how it works in actual chess.”

“If you didn’t think it was true, why didn’t you say something?” Sam asked.

“If Crowley was at least pretending to be dead, then you guys weren’t working for him, anymore. If he was not around, then I wasn’t in danger and I could come back. I just… ignored that it seemed wrong.”

“He’s alive. I see his face through the eyes of every child he strings up and skins. Any idea why he’s hurting my babies?” Eve asked, walking around the counter to stand between Marion and Sam.

“He wants Purgatory, right? Location, location, location.” Dean said.

Eve laughed. “Is that what he told you? It’s about the souls.”

“What about ‘em?” Sam asked.

“Their power, you simple little monkey. Fuel. Each soul a beautiful little nuclear reactor. Put ‘em together, you have the sun. Now think what the King of Hell could do with that vast, untapped oil well. How powerful he’d be. Now Crowley wants to siphon off my supply, and torture my children to do it? Okay, fine. I’ll quit playing nice. I’ll turn you all. Every soul, mine. Let’s see how hot his hell burns when everyone comes to me. He asked for it.”

“You know, last I checked, there were a few billion of us. That plan might take a while.”

“What exactly do you think I’m doing here? I’m building the perfect beast.” Eve said.

“Wait a second, all those- all those things we’ve been finding.” Sam said.

“Call it beta testing.” Eve quipped.

“Well, I think your formula might be a little off. They’re imploding all over town.” Dean said.

“Oh, there were a few unfortunate failures. But I eventually got it right. Quiet, smart, inconspicuous.”

As her brothers went back and forth with Eve about the Starships, Marion’s stomach twisted. *Quiet. Inconspicuous.* She gasped a little, and at the same moment Eve smiled and said, “Little Ryan.”, Marion whispered, “The boy.”

Eve threw a little smile her way, before turning to the brothers. “You look upset. If it makes you feel any better, Ryan was bound to work on you. Little wayward orphan, like yourselves. I almost thought Marion was gonna ruin it when she ran out to the car, but there’s nothing you can do about it now. So, let’s talk.”

“Nothing to say.” Sam answered.

“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. I have an offer to propose. Crowley. As you know, not so easy to find. So, here’s the deal. You find him, bring him to me- I let you live.” Eve offered.

“Pass.” Dean answered, quickly.

“Dean.” Sam urged.

“Sam, no.” Dean turned to Eve. “The answer is no.”

“You say that like you have another option.”

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t.” Dean tossed back.

“You think?” A side door to the diner opened and Marion closed her eyes in silent futility as Castiel and Bobby were pushed in. “Well, so much for your plan B.” Eve said before turning to Cas. “And you, wondering why so flaccid? I’m older than you, Castiel. I know what makes angels tick. Long as I’m around, consider yourself unplugged.”

Eve turned away from the angel and came over to wrap her left arm around Marion. “Work for me. It’s a good deal. Bonus, I won’t kill your friends. This little princess would probably hate to lose her angel.”

“Alright, look. The last few months we’ve been working for an evil dick. We’re not about to sign up for an evil bitch. I’m gonna take my sister’s advice on this. We don’t work with demons. We don’t work with monsters. And if that means you gotta kill us, then kill us!” Dean said.

*Now, he listens to me?!*

Eve let go of Marion and walked around to behind the counter. “Or, I turn you. And you do what I want, anyway.”

“Beat me with a wire hanger, answer’s still no.” Dean said.

Marion and Sam jumped up as Eve suddenly appeared behind Dean, grabbing his shoulders. She felt two hands grasp her arms firmly at the elbow, holding her in place.

“Don’t. Test me.” Eve said, her head right next to Dean’s ear.

Dean turned his head a little and glared at her as best he could. “Bite me.”

Marion closed her eyes as her brother’s blood spurted across the diner and the shouting began.

“No!” from her little brother.

“Dean!” from her sometimes lover.

And then, the sound of coughing with an other-worldly rumble behind it. She opened her eyes to see Dean standing. “Phoenix ash.” He pulled out an empty shotgun shell from his pocket. “One shell, one ounce of whisky. Down the hatch. Little musty on the afterburn. Call you later, Mom.” Dean said.

Marion was sad to see Eve turn back into her brunette visage. Sad that she couldn’t see her mother’s face anymore. But when the black liquid began to pour out of her facial orifices, Marion knew that Eve was dead, and that she should focus on the Starship holding her arms. Apparently, everyone else had the same idea, because all the Starships started to attack.

“Shut your eyes!” Castiel yelled.

Marion threw her arm over her eyes, but the white light still made it through. She spent a moment blinking away stars from her eyes as Bobby stepped over a few bodies toward Dean. “We gotta take you on more monster hunts.”

“Hey, Cas, um… Dean’s bleeding pretty good.” Sam said, looking over at Dean pressing a rag to his neck.

“Yeah, I think she turned me into a Jefferson Starship. Could you clear that up, too?” Dean groaned.

Castiel touched Dean’s shoulder, lightly, and the wound healed. Dean rolled his shoulders and sighed. “Alright, we’re good. We got to go. Now.”

“Where?” Castiel asked, confused.

“The kid. The little kid. He’s one of ‘em.” Dean admitted.

“Unbelievable.”

“Yeah. I know, Cas. You told me, alright. Let’s just go.” Dean said, prompting Castiel to shake his head. Dean placed the empty shell on the counter and walked over to Castiel. Castiel shook his head again as he flew them to the uncle’s house in Merritt.

They all looked down at the dead uncle on the floor in the living room. “So, we kill the wicked witch and she still wins. I mean, they could’ve turned half the town by now.” Dean shook his head as Cas started to say something. “Don’t say it.”

Marion genuflected and turned away from the uncle as Bobby opened a door. “Found ‘em.” Bobby said, swinging the door open wider.

Marion followed her brothers and Castiel over to the door, which led to a cellar. “Well, who ganked them?” Dean asked.

Sam and Marion both bent down to investigate a yellow powder. Marion’s breath caught in her throat as Sam looked up and said, “Demons.”

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