#compy you give the best asks

[ikkosu]

Ikko ikko ikko ikko

How do you think Met Prowl would handle an injured human💚.

As always you have lovely writing and I adore everytime I see you when I’m scrolling or when I see you in my inbox💚

｡⁠:ﾟ⁠(⁠;⁠´⁠∩⁠`⁠;⁠)ﾟ⁠:⁠｡waughh hejkejbhrrk,,,,sniff,,,,sniff ough you are too sweet for this world compy,,,,sniff sniff you are keeling me

GOSH PROWL,,, this man would not let whoever hurt his human scamper out scathe free.

Prowl has anger issues, yes. He's angry like half of his lifetime so nobody ever really bats an eye. But they know the only closest person to ever subdue his aggressive tendency to obliterate a fucking room, is you.

(They know for a fact that prowl would never hurt you, even when he's utterly pissed)

The moment they see you're there, in a puddle of crimson, half-conscious. They halt — literally freeze into place because Prowl is unusually calm standing before the con.

Unlike his usual scowl, this is a stare that pierces right through everyone's spark. Prowl calmly walks past the con, to his human and assessed the injury. Con is a bit baffled by the blatant ignoring and watches as he hands you over to Ratchet

(who, for once, has a demure attitude, unusually quiet with a concerned expression.)

But the concern isn't for prowl.

The rest of the crew watches as Prowl, with the calmness of a gentle breeze, obliterate the con. He's not even trying. Not even trying to throw jabs. Just lazily dodging, throwing hooks, throwing cuts that sting and he'll make sure to draw out the pain as long a possible.

He values efficiency, but sometimes unconventional means would have to be used when a certain kind of obstacle is faced.

Anyways, the con gets utterly destroyed (sent to med-bay where the medics would do their 'rounds' on them) and he scampers just in time they're dressing your wounds.

Prowl barges in and says he'll be taking over. The nurses are confused because what the hell is a robot doing here— but, is left no room for protest as he gives them the glare (tm).

They scuttle out without a moment's notice.

And, ohhh boy is he gentle with his human

:( his servos, once taut always so ready to pounce, wrap the bandages around their limbs with such care, it bores the weight of a feather. His other servo cradles your head and a digit it's rubbing against your cheek.

For once, prowls making a face that's not a scowl, and something akin to distraught. At that he feels disconcerted, for someone who preaches about logical thinking — he's incredibly emotional, right now, and would want nothing better than the bright smile and pull of your face.

He pulls you flushed to his chassis and closes his optics.

[mangosaurus]

Ceratosaurus, Dilophosaurus, and Compy for the ask game! Btw I’m so happy you get to finally participate in it 🧘‍♀️

HEHE same here! kind of wish i was around while it was still getting passed around by my mutuals so i could have sent in my own asks, but better late than never >:)

1. Ceratosaurus - Favorite character design from both series? (Also who in your personal opinion, had the best glow up from CC to CT)

AW MAN THIS IS SUPER HARD. of the nublar 6 my favorite designs in camp cretaceous are tied between yasmina and brooklynn from s3 onward, mostly because i love the way they both wore their hair. in chaos theory darius totally wins over everyone else though, the team really nailed his design there (but i am really fond of some of the concepts the artists came up with during pre-production! same goes for the other campers, especially brooklynn. that bleach blonde pixie cut is my roman empire tbh)

as for biggest glow up ... i feel obligated to give that one to ben, if just because of the growth spurt. also gonna take this opportunity to go on the record and say LEAVE KENJI ALONE I GET THAT HE'S SUPPOSED TO LOOK A BIT ROUGH BUT HIS HAIRCUT ISN'T THAT BAD 😭😭😭

2. Dilophosaurus - How did you discover Camp Cretaceous?

so, i didn't actually start watching camp cretaceous until a few months after the final season wrapped up—i think sometime around september 2022? but i had some close friends who had been keeping up with it for a while, and after hearing them talk about it so much i was like, hey, i want in! which is funny, because i was never really into jurassic park/world before then? i was more of a marine biology kid than a dino kid growing up. but even without knowing the ~lore~ of the franchise, CC and its characters still managed to reel me in, and now i'm here nearly two years later and my hyperfixation is still going strong!

3. Compy - Favorite duo/trio/friendship and why?

favorite purely platonic duo goes to ben and yasmina EASILLYYYY. they just get each other on such a personal level, and i love seeing ben go from this kid yasmina begrudgingly tolerates to someone she trusts enough to confide in, both in JWCC s5 when she realizes she might harbor romantic feelings for sammy, and then again in JWCT s1 when her relationship with sammy has hit a rough patch. shout out to yasmina and darius though, their interactions in JWCC s2 were really sweet, they don't get enough love imo. i've said this at least three billion times before but if kenji is darius's shitty older brother then yasmina is darius's cooler older cousin

as for my favorite trio, i feel like most people would probably say either yasammy + ben or the original three (darius kenji and brooklynn) but for me it's darius brooklynn and ben 🥹 their individual dynamics all mean so much to me, and it doesn't hurt that i also lowkey highkey ship them as an OTV with darius in the middle (although if i had to seriously ship ben with any of the girls, it'd be brooklynn, lol)

🦖✨ JWCC/CT ask game!

[internutter]

Fuckmylife.gif

My computer’s being a bitch, and the way it’s being a bitch is chucking a shut-down strike at ever-decreasing intervals.

Beloved has diagnosed it with being a dirty bitch and the cure is a thorough clean-out so it can stop overheating and thereby getting bitchy.

Insert joke about bitch in heat here.

This also happens to be the primary means of streaming, and it looks like my little lappy is not up to the task that my main compy does.

No stream, no flash fiction.

And nothing else either because I have pulled apart my rig, awaiting the next step in the shenanigans. Which requires my beloved to be conscious to help me out since I only vacuumed the thing, last time.

I don’t know when anything is happening today, but I will be getting a rattle on with A Devil’s Tale. So that’s something.

If you want a no-context quote, send me an emoji in an ask and I’ll pick something that I reckon is the best match.

It’ll give me something to do when I take a break from the writing.

[eldritchcreatureofwords]

Dino AU Chapter 3: WHEEEE! ___________________________

Caitlyn had not wanted to end up as a 'Parole Pal'. No one ever did. It was considered a position they slapped you into when they wanted you out of the way, or to get someone to give up and leave. Dangerous, stressful, and emotionally draining, most young Enforcers who got shoved into the position left soon after, if they didn't end up injured. So when they'd told Caitlyn Kiramman that she was not only going to be on Parole Pal duty, but with a third strike prisoner, she had huffed, and argued, and gone back and forth with Greyson before she'd finally decided she was going to be the best Goddamn Parole Pal anyone had ever seen. She would fix five sixteen and turn her into a productive, well educated, useful member of society if it fucking killed her. Now, looking at Violet, sprawled on the couch, beer in one hand, feet on the table, belligerent anger on her scarred, tattooed face, and a fourth cigarette in her fingers despite being asked three times not to smoke that inside, she wondered if it just might.

"Violet." "Vi-" "Get your feet off the table. And put that out, this entire place stinks-" "Look, Princess, this might be just another weird case for you. I get it. The Undercity folk, causing trouble again, making your life hard again. But if something is happening to Bonds down there, I've got people it affects." She glowered at Caitlyn, the long, thing stick between her lips, muffling her words slightly. (It wasn't distracting, it wasn't, the way it bobbed there, the way that it called attention to the little notch in her upper lip- the notch that Caitlyn did not want to touch, to explore. She wasn't staring. Stop.) Abigail made a disapproving noise in the back of her mind, and she ducked her head to hide the blush. Caitlyn. God, it was unnerving how much like her mother the Maiasaura sounded when she did that. Caitlyn pulled a face.

Go make sure the Compies are behaving and eating, Abigail, please. I'm not sure they're the ones I need to make sure are behaving. "Abigail, please." She didn't blush. She wasn't blushing. There was a time and a place- and a person- and this- and Vi-weren't it. "What's momma's problem now?" Vi had always called Abbie 'momma', in reference to their habit of nesting together and caring deeply for their hatchlings- which tended to spread to anything and anyone else. Abigail loved it, even if she wouldn't admit it. "Nothing. She's just- it's nothing." She cleared her throat, ignored the way Vi arched a brow at her. "Seriously, you'll want to have that out well before Greyson gets here or she's going to Disappointed at you." Vi snorted, the closest Caitlyn had ever seen her get to a laugh, her lips twitching around the cigarette and her nose crinkling a little. "Greyson's lost all faith in me. I'm immune to her guilt trips." Statements like that always hurt Caitlyn's heart. Vi sounded so- resigned to it. If it wasn't for the way her leg jiggled anxiously- it always did, when she was nervous or stressed- and the way she rolled her shoulder with a small grimace- an old injury that never healed quite right, and she always did that, too, as if preparing for a fight- she'd seem downright blasé. It was only those little details that gave away how upset the thought made her. She wanted to be better then she was, it was so clear- but for some reason, Vi was stuck in a spiral. "I don't think Greyson loses faith in any one. And I really don't think anyone is immune to her 'I'm not mad, just disappointed' face." She returned.

Vi chuckled again, stubbing out the last of the butt against her own palm, earning a startled, protesting cry from Caitlyn, before tossing the butt to Rockhead (earning a second, more offended cry.) "You can't do that! And you can't- feed him-" "You wanted me to get rid of it, I got rid of it." Vi shrugged, waving a hand lazily to dissipate the smoke and smell. "Your hand-" "Is fine. Open a window if you're so worried about Greyson, will you, Cupcake?" She made a frustrated noise low in the back of her throat, pushing a hand through her hair. "You're not supposed to be smoking still." She pointed out; she found herself doing as she'd been asked despite herself, annoyed at how much sense the request made. "I'm not supposed to be drinking, either. Or fighting, probably. I think being me in general is outlawed right now." Vi rolled that shoulder again, glanced at the door. Anxious. She was playing it off with jokes and casual behavior, but she was anxious. "I'm gonna call free pass today." "Did you have Rockhead or Rathead check in on your family?" Vi leaned back into the sofa, tipped her head all the way back to stare at the ceiling. "Yeah. They're all fine, no weird behavior. Hey, is she bringing Powder?" The question was so rushed that there was no way it was as casual as Vi clearly meant for it to sound. "Greyson, I mean." "Not to my knowledge." She only barely knew who Powder was; she knew she was related to Vi, that the relationship was strained, and that Powder was a very, very gifted young woman. She'd seen her in action, a time or two, watched her calm carnivores, talk to dinosaurs she had no bond with. "I think she may be trying to keep this away from her for now." "Good fuckin' luck. She hears everything. They tell her everything." "She doesn't want Powder frightened." Caitlyn finished, taking a seat across from Vi. The stocky woman leaned back, tipped her head against the back of the couch and stared at the ceiling. If Caitlyn didn't know better, she'd say she saw something aching on Vi's face, in that moment. Something very, very sad. "Well, it's gonna be a bitch to do that. She's scared of her own shadow." A bitter laugh. "Always has been." "She's not scared of the carnivores." Vi shrugged, a tiny smile dancing over her lips abruptly. "Go figure, right? Jumpin' at shadows but walked right up to this half-crippled Herrerasaurus like it was a lost kitten, puts a hand on it's snout and just goes 'it's ok, we'll fix you up.'" She chuckled softly. "Begged me to keep her safe from monsters but walked up to a real one without even a pause." Caitlyn didn't know what to say; couldn't think of what to say. She was so soft in this moment, caught in memory- it was nothing like the Vi that normally presented herself, rough and spikey and so full of anger it was like a human shaped porcupine. Seeing this side of her...felt like she'd been allowed access, just for a moment, to something secret, and private. She was surprisingly pretty like this, with a wistful smile touching her lips, eyes gentle and far away. "I was so proud of her." She went on, quietly. "I still am. Not that it's worth much, any more." "I think," Caitlyn tried, gently, "that she'd be happy her big sister was proud of her. Whatever else was happening in their lives." Vi snorted, and the softness vanished from her face, leaving that cold, jaded shell behind again. "Yeah, well. She stopped needing me or my pride years ago." "Vi-" "Drop it, Cupcake." Vi rolled her head along the back of the couch to glower at Caitlyn. "I don't want and didn't ask for your thoughts on the topic." She sighed, letting it go. She'd learned, by now, that pushing Vi on any subject she was asked to drop just resulted in very loud, very upsetting conversations that distressed their dinos. "At least get your feet off the table." Vi raised an eyebrow at her but did so, planting her legs wide and shifting to sit forward instead, arms resting on them. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to prove something." "It's just

polite, Vi. She's my superior, she's a guest in our home-" God, she sounded like her mother- "I just want us to put our best foot forward." "You want her to think you're fixing me." "That's not what I-" She stopped, blushing slightly. Because yes. Yes, she'd often thought she'd fix sixteen, like a broken lamp. The hard, faintly bemused steel gaze saw it, and Vi snorted disdainfully. "I'm not a thing you fix." She drawled. "I'm a person, Princess. I know that's hard for you to get but despite rumors, I am, in fact, human." "That's unfair. I never said that." "You didn't have to." Vi shrugged, took another drink from the bottle in front of her and rubbed the back of her neck absently. "I've seen it a few times." Caitlyn, Greyson is here. Maybe put the Soap Opera on hold? She grimaced, mentally swatting at her dinosaur. Be nice to me, Abbie, I've got a lot on my plate. She's coming to the door. "Greyson is here. We'll discuss this later." "No we won't!" Vi sing-songed behind her, as she pushed up to open the door for the older woman. There was no time to retort, as Greyson stepped in the door, putting a hand briefly on Caitlyn's shoulder in a fond gesture and sending her a smile. "Thank you for seeing me, Caitlyn." She greeted, in her warm, deep tones; her eyes flicked towards the other room, where Vi was humming off-key to herself, then back towards Caitlyn. "She's in a mood." Caitlyn grinned sheepishly, tucking her hair behind her ear. "And insisted on being here." "I rather hoped to keep this between us." "Awww, that's just not fair." At some point, Vi had gotten off the couch and now leaned against the door frame- or rather, hulked in the door frame. Loomed. It wasn't often she reminded people of how big she was- but when she wanted to, she could and would remind you that she was broad-shouldered and bulky. "I can't take a piss without Princess's permission and she gets secrets?" Her flippant grin vanished, and she dropped a hand down to Rockhead's back. "This might affect my family, Greyson. I get to be a part of this." "You aren't an Enforcer, Violet. And this isn't something I want spreading." "No, you want to go to a random low ranked parole pal and talk to her about it. That's weird, isn't it? Almost like you're trying to keep important people from finding out about this." "Violet-" "Vi. Fuck, it's one syllable." "Violet. If you're trying to intimidate or blackmail me, it's not going to work. The Council is aware of this situation and knows what I'm doing." "Why are you coming to me with this?" Caitlyn finally spoke up, eyebrows arched. "Not that I mind, of course, I'll do whatever I need to help in whatever way I can, but- why me?" Greyson looked at Vi again, sighed deeply. "Because there's a chance they'll talk to you. May I sit down?" Violet stood, for a long minute, in the face of the question. Her eyes were locked with Greyson's in a quiet, stubborn battle of wills, a conversation that Caitlyn couldn't follow, before Vi's shoulders drooped and she moved aside, eyes dancing away. Submitting. Backing down. "Why would they talk to me?" Caitlyn followed her, pushing past Vi, trying not to notice the hurt in her face, the shame, the frustration in the hard-set jaw, the eyes that stared at nothing. Vi went so still when she was really upset; mentally and physically. She pulled away into herself and locked her shell tight. "Because," Greyson glanced at where Vi was knelt in the doorway, rubbing her hands over Rockhead's back and muzzle, tired and defeated looking. She didn't look up, but Caitlyn knew she was paying attention to them. "you aren't going to be an Enforcer." "What??" Immediately, Caitlyn felt herself bristle. She had fought her family, tradition, other Enforcers to get even where she was- she had to claw and struggle and prove herself at every turn, and now- through no fault of her own- Greyson was taking it from her? "Did Mother do something? She can't-" "Caitlyn, Caitlyn, calm down." Greyson chuckled softly, holding a hand up in a

'peace' gesture. "I could have worded that better. I meant- you're off Parole Pal duty. You'll be going to Zaun. Undercover." "What?" "Ohhhhh are you fucking kidding me?" The two girls spoke at once, glancing at each other in discomfort. Greyson arched an eyebrow, smirked slightly. "I would have thought you'd be excited for this. This is the chance you've said you've wanted, Caitlyn." "She will not last a second down there alone." Caitlyn glanced over at Vi, offended, lips pulled thin. Thank you for the vote of confidence. "It'll eat her alive, Greyson. Possibly literally, if she gets too close to the wrong carnivore." "I, at least, have confidence in young Kiramman." Greyson replied, calmly, making a face as she nudged Vi's beer away from herself. She felt herself puff up, felt the smile and blush touch her face at the same time. All the bullcrap she'd gone through to get into the Enforcers, and Greyson had been her advocate and support unfalteringly. "And what about me?" Vi's voice was angry, defiant, cool- but when Caitlyn glanced over at her, she saw the way her hand gripped Rockhead with white knuckles. Saw the way her shoulders slumped, the way there was no light in her eyes. Scared. She was scared. "That's just it? Always knew your little 'parole pal' shit show was just to make people feel like they were doing something good. The second you decide it's not important enough, poof-" "Vi-" "Show's over, tuck the prisoner back in her cell, everyone go home-" "Vi, please-" "We did our best but it's just not worth the effort anymore-" "That's not-" "She's not worth the effort." Vi's voice choked, thick and raw, rasping with pain she was trying hard to hide under anger. "That is not what anyone said." Greyson's voice was sharp, cutting, and she had reeled back like Vi had slapped her. "You'll be reassigned-" "Reassigned. That means thrown back in prison, right?" "Until we can find a new Enforcer to pair you with, yes." Caitlyn listened, and looked. She looked at Vi, at the way her chest was rising and falling faster then it should have been- too fast. Her eyes were dead, listless, but her nose was crinkled at the base like it got when she was furious. She was still. So still in the way she only got when she was so upset. "Vi, breathe." She tried, gently, and those steely eyes flicked over to her without Vi moving another muscle. "Greyson, Vi volunteered herself to help with-" "Violet is not an Enforcer. She is a prisoner." "Parolee." Caitlyn corrected, offended on the behalf of the convict. "Whatever you wish to call it, we can not simply rely on convicts-" "Look, no, nah, I get it." Vi shrugged a shoulder, but her chest was still moving so quickly, inhale exhale inhale, right shoulder rolling. "Forget I said anything, Princess." "Vi, you're right. You could help-" "They don't want my help." She spat, and then the anger just...drained. Just faded, slowly, out of her, like she no longer had the energy to hold it. She leaned heavily against Rockhead, like it was too hard to carry her own weight, abruptly. "Whatever. I'm gonna go let Vander and crew know the problem child is back in prison." Shit. She was going to her dad. Like a scared child, she was going to her dad.

Stop it. I can hear you thinking. Abigail's voice was cool and tight with her disapproval. Bad enough she wants to send you to Zaun. But wouldn't it be better if I had a guide? She shot back. Safer? She is not safe. Came the terse reply. "Greyson-" She stopped, biting her lower lip softly. The older woman was watching Vi go with a gentle concern, brow furrowed. "Greyson, I could use someone familiar with Zaun. Someone I know well." Greyson stopped, glancing back at her with an eyebrow arched and lips thin. "Caitlyn, I can't-" She stopped, sighing and pressing her fingers into her eyes. "It was all I could do to get them to give you this chance. I can not let a repeat offender on that long of a leash." "I'll be with her!" Caitlyn protested. "She'll have the ankle tracker on, and I'll be with her-I can make her keep a compy with her, too-" "You feel strongly about this." Caitlyn sighed, looking towards the room Vi had vanished into, closing the door behind her. She could hear the steady thump, thump, thump of the other woman hitting something rhythmically after a minute. "I don't know what set her on this path," She said, slowly, "but how is a person supposed to do any better or different if the entire world has already given up on them?" Greyson sighed again, rubbing a hand over her face. "Give me...some time. I'll-see what I can do." She lowered her hands, gave Caitlyn a small, tired smile. "But she made her choices and I can't promise anything." She smiled back, feeling something strangely light and foreboding in her chest at the same time. "Thank you for trying, Greyson. It's all I can ask." ___________________________________________________________ She didn't realize how quickly she would regret dying on that hill. Hand over her nose and mouth, shuffling through a crowd of dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes and people to match, and every single one with a nasty look to throw her and Abigail, she had never felt so out of place...and Vi wasn't exactly being patient. "Will you slow down, please?" She hissed, tugging her hood down and holding onto Abbie's harness to keep from falling over as she was bumped into yet again. She checked herself to make sure all of her belongings were in place, and squeaked when a hand found her ass. "Vi! Where are we going?" "You don't recognize the way yet, Cupcake?" Came the flippant call back. Vi, meanwhile, was flowing through the crowd like water; moved with the graceful skill of someone well used to navigating tight spaces with tighter groups. She pointed, and Caitlyn followed her finger to the bar a few feet ahead of them. Ah. "Does- does Vander know you're coming?" "Nah. But he won't care." Vi adjusted the bag of her stuff over her shoulder; Rockhead was beside her, but for some reason she hadn't strapped it to his back, slinging it on herself instead. "Last week I was getting tossed back in jail, he'll just be happy that got veto'd for once."

"Low bar." She muttered, knowing it was cruel, and Abigail giggled in her mind shamefully. The compies, lead by Captain, danced around her feet curiously, chirping and cooing as they went; Ratbird sat on Rockhead's back, grooming himself absently, unfussed by the chaos around him. The bar she was pointing at, they were making their way towards, was run by Vi's father- well, one of her three father figures- and it wasn't Caitlyn's first time there. She'd often come down when Vi worked there- but they'd never stayed there. And now they were trooping up to the front door unannounced, carrying enough clothes and belongings for at least a week long undercover operation- a convict and her warden. And she was really not sure how she was going to be received. Her answer came not long after; Vi burst in the front door, and was immediately pounced on by an alarmingly large herbivore. "Ack, Medic, no! Get off!" She squawked. The first time this had happened, Caitlyn had damn near drawn on it; certain that Vi was being attacked for some perceived slight or old grudge. It had only been once she registered what she was hearing- Vi laughing, really laughing, a deep, proper belly laugh- that she'd stopped, hand on the butt of her weapon. It was the only time she'd ever heard Vi laugh like that. Well- aside from now, in a similar situation. Vi, who had never been much but bitter, waspish, and sharp edged, was now laughing richly, pushing and nudging at the Lambeosaur's neck and muzzle. Medic- so named because if you managed to piss the huge herbivore off, you'd need one- made a low, bell-like sound of happiness. She wrapped her arms around the big dino's snout, rubbing his forehead roughly. "Hey, big guy, missed you too." She murmured, and then Medic turned his attention to greeting Rockhead and Ratbird while Vi straightened her clothes and picked her bag up. She barely had gotten herself back together when she was, yet again, scooped cleanly off her feet- this time by a bear hug from behind. "Pink!!" The big, booming voice went along with the big man very well. "Long time no see, kiddo!" She chuckled softly as Vi kicked and yelled until she was set down, then turned for a fierce hug of her own. "Hey, Benzo." She rasped, and Caitlyn politely pretended not to see the tears in her eyes. "Your dad'll be glad to see ya." The man rubbed a hand up and down her back roughly, then tousled her hair. "I'm glad to see ya. You look good. Better then you have in a while." "Thanks." She stepped back, fixing her hair, running an arm over her eyes. In the gloom of the bar, she managed to hide her tears. "I need to talk to him. It's- it's important, Benzo." The man frowned, folding his arms across his chest, half-turning to see Caitlyn for the first time. He gave her a smile that was cautious and guarded but honestly kind, as it always was. "Something to do with Lady Kiramman over here, ey?" He asked, and she rolled her eyes. Once, it may have bothered her- she had learned that the rather harsh teasing wasn't truly mean spirited. Not any more, any way. None of Vi's odd, mismatched little family particularly cared for what she was, but every one of them seemed to see what she meant to Vi- what she offered, if the brawny woman would be willing to take it. "And all...this stuff?" Caitlyn kept her out of prison, and they appreciated her for that, if nothing else. "Something to do with me, yes." She affirmed. "And, some of this 'stuff' is for you." She smiled slyly. She knew the way to Vi's fathers' hearts, and she presented the alcohol strapped to Abigail's side...as well as the offering of odds and ends from her family's home that she knew her mother wouldn't notice or miss. It was a small bag, and she pressed it into his palm alongside the beer with a small, shy smirk. "Knew we'd rub off on ya eventually." Benzo tossed her a wink, and the bag vanished so smoothly she couldn't even see where he'd tucked it as he turned and whistled sharply. "Hey, Puppy, c'mere! Vi's girlfriend brought good shit!" "I am not her-"

She blushed, felt the heat of it, and pulled her hood up to keep either of them from noticing, hearing Vi laugh again. "I'm not her girlfriend-" Puppy- a rather overweight Magyarosaurus- wandered over from a table in the corner, yawning sleepily, and took the pro offered alcohol in her teeth, wagging her tail in lazy, sleepy sweeps as Benzo patted her head. "Take that to Vander, tell 'im to come up and greet his kid, huh?" It was all so warm. They had very little, comparatively; Zaun was an absolute trash heap, and Vi and her family lived in all but abject poverty, and it smelled like sweat and booze and unwashed bodies...but it was so warm, so loving, so rich. And open even to her. It was so unlike her own home, filled to the brim with the best of everything, with anything she could ever want, and yet so cold. So...lonely, so empty. "You two, head downstairs." Benzo put a hand in the small of her back, giving her a shove and a pat to the shoulder hard enough that she coughed. "Vander 'n Silco'll be down when they can. You know where t' take her, Vi." Caitlyn scooted past Medic, who had layed down- standing, he barely fit in the building, and even laying down he took up more then his fair share of room- trying to ignore the way he side-eyed Abigail. He called me shortie. The dinosaur complained, in her head, and she patted Abbie's side reassuringly. "I think you're much nicer then him. I'd need a step ladder to get on." She giggled in Caitlyn's head, ego appropriately soothed, and they continued on, following Vi in a pack downstairs to where the bedrooms (three of them, one larger, two smaller) could be found. Vi knocked in one of the doors with a foot, dropping her stuff on the bunkbed just inside, and flopped out on it with a low groan. "Home sweet home. I know it's not exactly what you're used to, Cupcake, but I promise, it's safe. Clean, even." She sighed, reaching out to unstrap Abigail's harness and set her belongings aside. "I didn't say anything, Violet." "Vi." She patted Abbie's side, and the dinosaur curled up in a corner of the room. The Drop, in general, was just barely big enough for most dinos; like Medic, she was more comfortable laying with legs tucked under her, or in the attached stables rather then indoors at all. "I'm not nearly as persnikity as you seem to think I am. I do live in an Enforcer apartment, you'll recall." "And have a bedroom bigger then the entire thing back at your literal mansion." "My parent's house." She sighed, tiredly. "I don't want to do this with you again. The room is fine. The bed is fine." Vi opened her mouth to retort, rolling over on her side, when there was a clear, distinct, scream from upstairs.

[secretshinigami]

routine and soft eyes

Author: @hazblogs For: @beyondplusultra Pairings/Characters: nearmellomatt, mention of lawlight Rating/Warnings: T, mentions of Mello’s scar  Prompt: Wammy House kids sleepover (A, B, L can be included, can be AU) Author’s notes: I had so much fun with this !!! soft bois…. thank you to anyone who reads it !!

Mello is positively fuming. Someone (who shall not be named, though if you want to know it starts with “N” and ends with “-ate River”) just got on top of Forensic Science and Investigative Skills and History of Crime and the Justice System. Those are Mello’s topics. They’re the best at these and they always have been (in the two years they’ve studied here. But that’s long enough, right ?), so the fact that Mister Nobody just came in and stole their turf… That’s infuriating. To top it all off, the dean did them dirty and assigned someone to the second bed in their room, knowing full well that they need that second bed for Matt. This week is just a pile of flaming shit.

As they swing the door open they are greeted by the beeping sounds usually coming from Matt’s bed, a comforting electronic melody. Matt doesn’t even turn around to raise his middle finger to protest against how loud Mello is, but that’s also common practice around here, so no worries. 

“Heard you got your ass beat,” Matt says a while later, Mello’s hand carding through his strawberry-green hair. “By the newbie no less. How’re you taking it ?”

“Matt, my hand is dangerously close to your eyes and you need those to play on that stupid console. Better not risk it.”

“Like you’d ever hurt me,” Matt grumbles, and the certainty with which he speaks makes their heart pulse just a little faster. Mello is hopelessly in love, aren’t they ?

The rest of the evening is quiet save for that same musical background, a welcome white noise as Mello finishes their essay for Writing Comedy. The teacher seems to have some trouble with their rather macabre humour so they try to tone it down for once - rather unsuccessfully.

“Also heard you’ll have a roommate,” Matt continues a few hours later as they prepare for bed - gotta put some moisturiser on that scar like a damsel doing her skincare routine, the doctor said, “or you’ll experience how actually painful it can be”. Talk about being threatening…

“I heard. I can kick them out.” Mello would do it. Without remorse, even.

“I can sleep in your bed too,” Matt offers. “But only if you promise not to kick me out from under the covers every single night.”

“Okay, first of all, fuck off, and secondly, why the hell would I want someone else to room with me ? You’re already here. You’ve always been here.”

“And I always will be, Mels. Just… I think it’s time you get out of your shell a little bit, you know ? You can’t keep pretending that talking to me twice every day and ignoring Linda a couple times a week is enough friendly interaction for the little pea inside your coconut.” Mello turns away from the mirror, moisturiser in hand, and sends a glare to Matt who sighs and raises his hands in defeat. “Don’t say I didn’t try ! Think about it, okay, Mello ?”

They do think about it. The whole night. They don’t sleep - it’s not because Matt snores but that’s the excuse they’ll use. Ever since the accident and the scar, people have usually been too impressed - or scared - by them to even consider starting a casual conversation. Matt was there even before, and he probably always will be, Linda is a weirdo who wants to draw them with a ponytail, and… Well, that’s it. Mello lives for schoolwork, to be the best and hope to right some of the wrongs in this world.

“Yo, Mihael,” the dean says when he sees them in front of his office the following morning. Lawliet is a TA at their university, still haunting the dorms. He has a creepy smile under his stupid raccoon eyes and he keeps using Mello’s birthname, like it makes any more sense to call them with that than to call them “xXx_sexy_blondie_xXx”, or however you pronounce that out loud.

“Lawliet. I saw you assigned me a roommate.”

“I did,” he smiles still, like there’s a joke Mello doesn’t get.

“Why ?” Mello would actually like to know - Lawliet never does anything at random.

“You’ll see when he arrives later today,” is the cryptic answer, and Mello sneers at their stupid fucking dean as they leave for their 8am lecture.

Because yes, multiple things are out to get their skin - though they won’t be deterred.

The day goes by in a flash, Screenwriting and Poetry being two of their most interesting classes, and by the time they’ve finished their Crime Prevision and Prevention homework at the library, the sun is well on its way down. Mello walks slowly to the dorms, enjoying the warm air - it’s still only September and winter hasn’t come yet. The music blasting from their headphones is a perfect background to the chill atmosphere, a few bird silhouettes dark against the wonderfully peach clouds. In a few minutes they’ll kiss Matt and they’ll eat a bite, and they’ll sleep knowing they’re safe now.

When they arrive in front of their room, a few cardboard boxes occupy the entrance. Shit fuck hell, they’d forgotten the roommate arrived today. All they can see from where they’re blocked from entering is a white blob of hair on top of baggy clothes, perched on the desk and looking at whatever Matt is playing.

“Uh, I’m supposed to be able to enter my own room,” Mello kind of yells. Only kind of. “Would you please not be a giant stupid bother before I even get your name ?”

“Sorry,” the snowball says, not looking sorry at all. “I’m Nate River.”

“But you can call him Near ! He plays retro games, which isn’t… let’s say it’s not my strong point, but I’m sure it’ll go well, we’re three whole weirdos with weirdo nicknames !”

Mello blinks. Near is still here. They blink again. Near is still here, looking a little like a frog with his lopsided smile, a hand playing with one of his curls. Mello blinks a third time and doesn’t expect Near to have packed his things and go, but that was a close call.

“Are you fucking kidding me,” they mutter. “Lawliet is gonna get killed.”

“You actually know enough about criminology to not be caught, so go you.” Near is smirking. Mello wants to cry. “But I would advise against it, because he’s dating that twink Light Yagami, the alumni who came last week to give the presentation about the War on Drugs and its consequences. He’s a police lieutenant now.”

“Called it !” Matt raises a fist in victory, taking five years from Mello’s lifespan. “Anyway, now that you’re here, please do help us with the last boxes. We’ve been setting up Near’s compy and it’s revoltingly difficult.”

“I will not- how can you ask me to- I’m gonna commit arson and this time I promise I’ll succeed !”

“Dramatic bitch,” Matt says jovially. “Just come in and drop your stuff, apparently someone from the ADA thing comes tomorrow to make sure the room is accessible with a crutch and to help Near settle in.”

Mello just now notices that Near isn’t fully standing up - he’s propped on the desk, a mechanical knee peeking through the bottom of his shorts. This changes nothing - though Mello feels the both grim and hopeful sense of community that disabled people get when they meet. Their ear still works wonky and their eye ? Not the sharpest either. Without talking about all the skin damage, the phantom pain, the- hell no, they won’t get into “reflective mode” without having eaten dinner first.

Reluctantly, Mello spends the rest of the evening avoiding Near as Matt and them help him settle in, surprised by the small amount of belongings he actually has - most of the boxes he brought are board games and hundreds of little kapla sticks. Is Near planning to recreate the Golden Bridge ? He looks like a nerd, maybe it’ll be the Death Star.

Routines are a persistent thing, and before they know it, Near has managed to get a small space - small, they insist - in Mello’s well-oiled machinery. He eats breakfast with Matt, a meal that Mello forgoes entirely, and he goes on unfortunate walks to his PT appointments, because he’s out of money from whatever government organism gives benefits to disabled people and can’t afford a cab. Mello thinks they should get into it a little more, maybe call their case worker, because ramen tastes worse and worse when you have it for every meal of the week. And then Near and Matt start talking about something or another, especially topics that annoy Mello, or Near gets a little too close to them while they both work on their assignments at their desk, his elbow barely brushing Mello’s side. It makes them shiver, but they will ignore that, thank you very much.

Another routine - bedtime - has gotten a little different. One single bed is enough for “one person and a half”, according to Matt, so the obvious solution to them being three in a two single beds room is to push the beds together.

“And now you have a perfect three people beddery !” Matt triumphantly declared. “Mello, you sleep in the middle.”

“Why am I in the middle ?” they protested. “It’s the least comfortable !”

“Oh well, we can take turns,” Near had snarked, knowing full well that the first one of them to sleep in the middle would have to accept defeat.

Mello does end up in the middle, Matt cuddled against their left side where the burn is, and Near an ever-closer presence against their right arm. It’s not as uncomfortable as they expected. Near doesn’t snore and he smells like minty toothpaste, a strangely comforting scent that lulls Mello to sleep way more easily than the five thousand melatonin pills they take before going to bed.

Oh well, maybe Lawliet can live a little longer. His boyfriend - Matt saw them kissing through the peephole, it’s official now - won’t have any (more) reasons to put Mello behind bars.

Near gets on top of International Law and keeps wearing strangely baggy clothes everywhere - or well, everywhere but in the dorms. Mello has time to get used to that mechanical knee, even asking a few questions about phantom pains on the days Matt is away and the itching gets unmanageable. Near is quiet like snow but they’re nothing alike in warmth, grey eyes like molten metal setting on Mello’s face and crinkling in a smile.

And it works wonders. One time they get a bad mark (for their standards) and they even study with Near for extra credit, a presentation about the death penalty that lasts about three quarters of the two hours class. The teacher gives them both full marks and Matt celebrates by crushing them both against his chest, the smell of motor oil and mint so comforting that Mello closes his eyes, just for a little while.

It’s winter before they have time to think about it, and finals go by in a blur of “no sleep, no food, no distractions”. They even manage to end up at the nurse’s office when they faint during the Criminology Theory exam, forced to drink sugar water until the world stops exploding in a million tiny stars when they move their head.

Mello thinks that surviving their last winter exam session ever - they should be able to find a job with a double Master’s degree in Criminology and Creative writing, right ? - deserves a celebratory nap and they sprawl on the bed as soon as they’re back from the last stupid oral presentation they have to do about stupid Foundations of Criminal Justice. Near is not in the room - which is weird, because he finished five minutes and thirty six seconds before them - and Matt is away for the day to try and get his internship at the garage, so they have the full three-person bed, and they fully intend to enjoy the luxury.

They enjoy it so much that they fall asleep, only noticing that time has passed because before they blinked, it was day, and it is now very much nighttime. Light giggles fill the room along with the muted light from Near’s bedside lamp, and Mello takes the time to relish in the quiet atmosphere. Hushed conversation rises from near the desk, giggles and the smell of hot chocolate both making Mello sit up at last.

“Lookit you ! Sleeping beauty arises. Though I haven’t kissed you yet,” Matt smiles, and he climbs on the bed to press his lips against Mello’s. “Love you,” he whispers as he pulls away and goes back to slump on Near’s shoulder.

At first, Near felt like an intruder each time Matt kissed them, but he’s become so embedded in their life that Mello doesn’t feel any awkwardness anymore - to the point where not including him has become the cause of their inner turmoil.

Because yeah, uh, there’s that. Near in a tank top and booty shorts, prosthetic being painted on by a very enthusiastic Matt, has become the new image they conjure up each time the need to strangle someone arises. And poof, instant peace. Discreet touches, Near sleeping fully cuddled against their right side now, Matt nosing through Near’s hair just after he’s washed it because his strawberry shampoo smells divine, Mello even going as far as ruffling Near’s hair without warning, just to see his little nose scrunch up… All that has become routine too, and suddenly the change is too big to go by unmentioned. 

They’ve managed to hold on to their feelings until then but as Matt starts talking again, Near’s smile is a little too tight - though his eyes sparkle, it’s like… something’s missing. 

“Emergency mee-ee-ting,” they yawn, the skin around their left eye crinkling up painfully. Near notices and doesn’t even ask before grabbing the petroleum jelly tube and throwing it rather inaccurately at their face. See, that’s what they were talking about, Near has just become… there, in the way Matt is there even when he’s asleep in another part of the universe where Mello can only hope to ever go to. “We gotta talk shit out.”

“Are you over your gay crisis yet ?” Matt asks, eyes calm and open, sipping hot chocolate with noisy slurps that Mello doesn’t bother mentioning anymore. His green hair looks more and more red as time passes, which is a strange feat of hair dye conspiracy. “Can we go back to playing ?”

“I haven’t even talked !” Mello protests. “I just really think it’s necessary to mention that…”

They don’t know how to continue that sentence. Near is looking at them with something strangely akin to hope, and Matt still has that infuriating openness about him like he just knows Mello so well he doesn’t need to be told what they feel. 

Near doesn’t, though, and he matters enough to Mello now for them to want to include him in the little bubble as well.

“I just think it’d be cool if we shared the secret chocolate stash with Near,” is what comes out of their mouth.

Well done caporal, please die of shame now.

“Mels, wow, that’s the most romantic thing you’ve ever said !” Matt’s voice drips with amusement - devoid of any mean spirit, they should add, because Matt is the one thing Mello knows is good in this world. And well, maybe there’s a second one they’ve stumbled on, and they want Near to know that he means a lot to them too.

“I mean it !” Mello whines. “He’s one of us now. I think we can share.”

“Mello. Please realise that I’ve been flirting with you this entire time,” comes Near’s deadpan answer. “The time I told you I wanted to braid your hair ? The time I made you sleep and finished the presentation alone because you’d gotten the flu and I hate being sneezed on ? The fact that Matt literally sits in my lap half the time, and only half because the other is spent on your lap ?”

“Okay, first of all, fuck off with me getting the flu.”

“You’re avoiding my question.” Near looks stubborn, and it’s a good look on him.

When did Mello start to think Near looks good ? “I, uh. I may be slightly romantically obtuse. Has Matt told you the time when-”

“-he kissed you and you thought he wanted to practice smooches for his secret best friend, because of course you wouldn’t be his best friend ?”

Utterly mortified, Mello can feel their cheeks become bright red. “Well, uh. Enough mushiness for tonight. Just pass me the chocolate, Matt, I’m starving.”

Matt giggles and throws a Kinder Egg at their face. Near munches on the leftover shell while Mello assembles the toy, and it’s peaceful - and happy, too, so when Mello raises a hand to their scar they smile still, in spite of their involuntary shiver.

[imjustheretoseetheprivateblogs]

The Lost World Rewrite

So, I recently watched the Lost World: Jurassic Park for the first time and all I gotta say is...

Yeah. So, in spite of the fact I feel that it would be Superfluous and self-aggrandizing, and a maturely written well thought out review would be a better use of my time, I decided to do a rewrite of the Lost World to make it a half-decent movie. I apologize to any fans of the film in advance. This is a rough Idea based on what could be done without completely throwing out the script. Here we go...

The film starts the same; little girl gets mauled by Compies on Isla Sorna

Cut to not Ian Malcolm; there is no Ian Malcolm in this film. There will never be Ian Malcolm in this film. Instead, we cut to Dr. Sarah Harding (played by Julianne Moore) who’s photographing a crocodile nesting. We learn a little bit about her from her assistant, Nick Van Owen (played by Vince Vaughn), namely that while her theories on Dinosaur young rearing are as on point as Alan Grant’s raptor research, she’s not so hot at rearing young herself. Case in point, she’s late for her daughter’s gymnastics performance.

Her daughter is of course Kelly Curtis played by Vanessa Lee Chester, who in this version will have a larger role and more developed personality. Kelly is Sarah’s adopted daughter and the two have been at a loss at what to do with one another since meeting. Kelly is the daughter of one of Sarah’s oldest friends who died while traveling and Sarah took her in. While their relationship isn’t horrible, it’s definitely awkward. Like when Sarah bursts through the gymnasium doors to see Kelly has completely finished her routine and the seat reserved for her has been given to someone else (maybe Michael Crichton or Steven Spielberg in a cameo?)

Later that night, Sarah is called by a mysterious voice on the phone, telling her to pack a suitcase and go outside. She does so and a black SUV pulls up. “Get in.” a man’s voice tells her.

“OK,” Sarah says, annoyed, “who are you people and what’s with the G-man routine?”

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a G-man routine.” says a familiar voice.

We pan over to reveal John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) sitting across from Sarah.

“Can I offer you a drink?” he asks.

The conversation is much the same as the movie with Ian Malcolm (Hammond explains Site B, tells Sarah about the JP incident, etc.). Only this time, there’s a big difference: InGen wants to cut ties with the Jurassic Park debacle and intends to let the Costa Rican Government fire bomb it. Hammond wants to get people onto the island and document the animals to drum up environmentalist support for turning it into a preserve and at least stave off the destruction until a humane solution can be found.

“How can I say no!?” Sarah says. A chance to photograph real Dinosaurs. Never in 65 million years did she think she’d get this chance.

The team she’ll be going to the island with includes herself, Hammond, Van Owen (“Nick’s the best person for the job” Sarah insists), equipment manager Eddie Carr (Richard Schiff), Dr. Robert Burke (Thomas F. Duffy) (“are we sure he’s not a country singer?” Sarah asked, eyeing the supposed paleontologist’s ten gallon hat and beard), celebrity big game hunter Roland Tembo (Pete Postlethwaite), and InGen executive Peter Ludlow, Hammond’s own nephew (“I made the mistake of trusting too many people last time,” Hammond said, “this time, I’m playing it close to the vest.”)

The team arrives on the Island, where Peter suggests setting up camp in a low clearing, much to Tembo’s chagrin (“that,” Tembo said, rolling his eyes, “is a game trail, Mr. Ludlow. Carnivores hunt on game trails. do you want to find dinosaurs or serve them lunch?”)

The group wanders through deep Jungle, Hammond and Ludlow being the slowest, one due to their age the other due to being a little on the wimpy side. As the journey goes on, it becomes apparent that there’s some friction between Peter and John, with Peter second guessing John every chance he gets and trying to act like the leader of the group.

They finally come across a family of stegosaur and we get that adorable pet the baby scene from the movie. Eddie is flabbergasted, Nick is taking pictures like crazy, Burke’s having a conniption, Hammond swells with pride, and we don’t really know what’s going through Peter and Tembo’s heads.

Something startles the Stegs (Tembo reached for his gun. “No!” Nick grabbed the barrel of Tembo’s gun.)

Nick fumed “An animal that hasn’t been seen in over a million years turns up and the only way you can express yourself is to kill it?” Tembo smiled. “Remember that chap about twenty years ago? I forget his name. Climbed Everest without any oxygen, came down nearly dead. When they asked him, they said why did you go up there to die? He said I didn't, I went up there to live.” (cryptic, no?)

“What could have set them off like that?” Wondered Burke. Roland, however, scented the air. “Smoke,” he said simply, pointing “coming from that way. They must have thought it was from a forest fire.”

The group rushes back to their camp, discovering the campfire burning. Eddie and Burke make to smother it. However, the camper door opens to reveal—

“I was gonna have dinner ready when you got back.” Kelly said.

Sarah and Kelly have an argument inside the camper, about how Sarah’s never there for her and how she just washed out of her gymnastics team (“I got bronze,” she said, “not that you’d know. You didn’t even stick around long enough for that part.”)

Kelly convinces Sarah she can stay. We cut to a scene of the group in jeeps, riding through grasslands in a heard of various Dinosaurs. Nick’s in the jeep with Tembo, Peter, and Hammond, while Sarah is with Kelly, Eddie, and Burke. (Tembo turned to Nick. “get in the outrigger. You're closing in on a parasaur.” “Parasaurolophus,” Nick corrected smugly.” “Whatever,” said Tembo, “The one with the big red horn! The pompadour! *Elvis!*”)

Nick climbs into the outrigger and begins to film the dinosaurs. In the other jeep, the group is trying to coax Eddie into their own outrigger.

“No way I’m getting into that thing,” Eddie said “not surrounded by dinosaurs.” “We’re gonna need better shots if we want to save these dinosaurs,” Sarah said, “and you’re the only one who knows how to work the equipment.” “So do you,” Eddie said, “Why not pull over and let me drive? I used to drive cabs for a living.” “I know how the use the camera.” Kelly said. Sarah stared at her. “You do?” “I was in AV club before gymnastics.”

The group snaps Kelly in and they begin their own filming process. For the first time in a long time, Kelly and Sarah seem to be having fun together.

After that moment of chipperness, we cut back to camp. (Roland nodded to Nick. “Tree hugger got a great shot of a Pachy... a pachy... oh, hell. One of those fatheads with the bald spot, Friar Tuck!”) Peter and Hammond are looking over a map. Peter insists that they should go to the abandoned worker village on the other side of the island, where they can find easy shelter and supplies (“IT runs on geothermal power, so it’ll still have power”). Hammond disagrees. (“Absolutely not,” Hammond said, “that part of the island has been overrun by Velociraptors.” Peter frowned “What’s that, veloc-o-?” “Velociraptor,” Burke said, “Carnivore, pack hunter. About two meters tall, long snout, binocular vision, strong, dextrous forearms, and killing claws on both feet.” “That doesn’t sound promising.” said Peter. “You should read Alan Grant’s latest paper on them,” said Burke, “It’s like he met one in real life!”)

Meanwhile, Roland Tembo is now kneeling, looking at a track.

“Come take a look at this.” he says. Everyone gathers around. “do you know what this is?” he asks. Sarah’s eyes grew wide. “We have to leave.” she said. “Why?” asked Kelly. “That’s a T-Rex track!” Burke said. “A T-Rex!” Eddie looked as if he was about to break for the beach and try to swim home. “That’s impossible!” said Hammond “the satellite photos showed that the Rex territory is nowhere near here.”

The group decides to risk staying in the area. Later that night, Kelly hears a noise. Curious, she goes outside to investigate. In the moonlight, she sees a team of unknown men in night vision goggles capturing the dinosaurs that they had been filming earlier that day. As the drive off, Kelly grabs onto the back of one of the trailers to follow them.

We cut back to Sarah’s tent. She’s asleep, not having been roused by her daughter’s departure. But she is roused by what sounds like deep breathing outside. She surreptitiously looks around and sees a massive snout sticking into her tent. It’s the Tyrannosaur!

Just then, Peter Ludlow comes out of his tent with a roll of toilet paper, but upon seeing the dinosaur lets out a scream that wakes the whole camp. The rex turns and bellows at him, trashing their camp all the while in a show of dominance. Soon, the whole group is running through the forest. Hammond is almost eaten by the thing if not for Tembo’s intervention.

Soon, however, the groups are separated from one another. Hammond slips down a river bank into a ravine, Peter just up and vanishes, and Sarah, Van Owen, Tembo, Burk, and Eddie run behind a waterfall with the rex in pursuit. The dinosaur, unable to follow, gives one last roar of anger and leaves. Out of all the people, however, Tembo looks the least scared. He looks…thrilled, actually.

Meanwhile, we cut away to Hammond. He rises (roughly) shaking away the delirium. He looks around, wondering where his party got off to. The T-Rex’s roar is heard in the distance. Better find the others, he thinks. He begins to follow the river; if the group has any sense, they’ll make a new camp on the water. But then he hears a noise and looks down. It’s a Compy.

We get a very similar scene to Dieter Stark’s (Peter Stormare’s) death in the movie (which was based off of John Hammond’s in the first book) with one or two caveats. First, we don’t cut away in the middle. We maintain the scene and the suspense as long as possible (with Compys popping out of the woodwork the more Hammond tries to get away from them). The second…

There was a sound of rifle fire. The Compys scattered and Hammond felt himself pulled up from the shallow water, finally able to breathe. “Tembo,” he coughed.

“If you have any more suicidal ideas,” said Tembo, “keep em to yourself.”

Cut back to Sarah’s group as Hammond and Tembo rejoin them.

“Has anyone seen Kelly?” Sarah asked, worried.

“I think I saw her run in the same direction as Ludlow,” said Tembo.

“Hopefully, they’ll be safe once they leave the Rex’s territory.” said Burke.

“Don’t bet on it,” said Sarah, “Tyrannosaurs have the second largest proportional olfactory cavity of any creature in the fossil record.” “What’s the first?” asked Eddie. “Turkey vulture,” said Burke, as casually as someone would talk about the weather.

“Any idea where we are?” asked Eddie, desperately trying the change the subject. “Somewhere west of the worker village, I think,” said Nick, examining a map of the island (one of the few they managed to salvage from the camp) “It’d be an easy hike there.” “Maybe that’s where Kelly and Peter are,” said Sarah, turning to Hammond. “Yes, but if they did go there, they’re in grave danger.”  said Hammond. “Velociraptors,” said Burke, trying to be helpful.

“Danger or not, we need a radio,” said Tembo, “that buck tore the hell out of our camp and I don’t think we can contact the mainland with smoke signals.” “How do you know the T-Rex was male?” asked Sarah.

Before Tembo can answer, a different roar is heard. A helicopter passed overhead.

“I thought you said we had a few weeks before they started razing the island?” Sarah said. “We do,” Hammond replied, “I don’t know what that helicopter’s doing her.” “It was headed towards the worker village,” said Tembo, “so, if we want to see what’s what, I think that’s where we’re headed.”

Cut to a scene of the group walking through the forest at night. Finally, they reach a vantage point overlooking the worker village…and it’s anything but abandoned.

More than three dozen people, some of them armed, are walking over the compound. Chain link fence ran the perimeter of the camp, newer than the rest of the camp. Tents, vehicles, mobile generators, the works.

Dozens of dinosaurs sit in cages, all bearing the same logo

“It says InGen on the side of that truck!” Eddie said. Everyone turned to look at Hammond. “I had no idea about this,” said Hammond, “why would I ask anyone to come here?” “I think I know who we should ask,” said Nick, pointing down at the camp.

It’s Peter, down in the camp, talking with the armed guards.

“What’s he doing down there?” asked Sarah. “I think,” Hammond said, sadness in his voice, “I’ve made the same mistake twice.” “Anybody seen Tembo?” asked Eddie.

Indeed, Tembo has disappeared.

Cut to Kelly, hiding in one of the trailers. She’d managed to evade her captors, but for how long she can continue to do so is up to debate. Stealthily, she creeps out of the trailer and around the camp over to one of the cages. She undoes the latch. She moves on to the next cage. Rinse and repeat.

Cut to inside one of the tents, Peter and several other people, all InGen personnel, stand around a card table where plans labeled ‘Jurassic Park San Diego’ are lain out.

“San Diego?” One man (a high ranking InGen worker) asked. “it’s already famous for its animal attractions,” said Peter, gesturing to plans on the table, “San Diego zoo... Sea World... The San Diego Chargers.”

“I don’t think John Hammond would have approved of having these animals on the mainland.” An InGen executive said.

Peter frowned. “Well, Hammond’s not in charge anymore. I am.” He turned to another man, this one a hunter by the look of him. “How’s the hunting going?”

“We’ve got plenty of plant eaters,” the hunter said, “some eggs. no raptors though. And our man hasn’t brought in the T-Rex like he said he would.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “What makes you think people want to see a bunch of veggiesaurs and eggs! They’re gonna want a T-Rex!”

“We’re trying, sir!” the hunter says, “but we haven’t seen any raptors since we got here!”

Suddenly, a worker bursts into the tent “The baby’s gone!” he said.

Almost as suddenly, a Triceratops bursts into the tent, smashing into the table and scattering the group. The camp is in chaos! Dinosaurs are running amuck. Vehicles overturned, people tossed into the air. But this is the chance Hammond’s group has been waiting for. They make their way down to the village in the bedlam, and make it into the main building of the worker’s village. Eddie manages to contact the mainland, and things are looking up. But then, we hear an ungodly moan from behind a nearby door. Slowly, Burke heads towards the door, picking up a nearby screwdriver to use as a weapon. He jerks the door open to reveal…

“Kelly!” Sarah cried. Kelly sat inside a broom closet, in her arms a baby T-Rex.

“They just left him tied to a stick out there,” said Kelly, “and I think his leg is broken.”

Despite the limited materials, the group sets to work splinting the baby’s leg. It’s pretty much the same as in the movie. Until the sound of a rifle cocking is heard behind them.

“I’ll be taking that rex now, Dr. Harding,” Roland Tembo said. Tembo has been on Ludlow’s payroll since the beginning. He was never here to protect the group. He’s here to hunt the T-Rex. He was the one who staked the baby out, to attract it’s parents.

Outside, the cacophony has died down. The Dinosaurs have mainly been recaptured. Hammond’s group has been brought before Ludlow, who looks at them condescendingly. “You really thought you were still CEO when you got here, Uncle John? I bought you out the day you asked for my help. We’ll still use the footage you took for our attractions, don’t worry.” “So, you’re going to reopen Jurassic Park then, is that it? Despite my warnings?” “No, not reopen. We’re moving these animals to the mainland so we don’t have to fly out here every time there’s a problem. You put us six million dollars in debt every day since you started making dinosaurs. It’s time to see good on that investment you promised. And the board agrees with me.”

InGen Exec: it’s nothing personal John. Why have a dinosaur and not use it?

“These are animals,” Sarah said, “they deserve respect”

“They’ll have the best of care.”

“And what if they break out! What then?”

Cut to part of Hammond’s team (Hammond, Sarah, and Kelly) being shoved into a trailer with the door locked behind them. Sarah tries to force the door open, to no avail. Kelly runs around, trying to open the windows. Hammond just sits down, despondent at the betrayal of his own family.

Sarah (trying to yank the door open): come on! You stupid…

A familiar roar is heard. A car flips past the window.

“What is it?” Hammond asked, “What’s going on?”

Sarah: I think things just got complicated.

The buck T-Rex from earlier has tracked the them to the Worker village and crashes through the fence. Suddenly, another roar is heard from the other side of the camp. It’s the female Rex, and she’s even more pissed than the male.

“There’s two of them!?” Sarah asked, incredulous. “We spared no expense,” Hammond said.

The rexes wreck the trailer the rest of Hammond’s team is in. Nick, Eddie, and Burke make a break for it. The female Rex sees them and gives chase. She and her mate bare down on them and soon capture Eddie, each taking one end in their jaws and pulling him apart for a snack.

Afterward we get a faceoff between Roland Tembo and the male rex (one that would have been really cool in the movie but we didn’t get it).

Tembo wastes two shot gun blasts on the rex. Out of ammo, he switches to tranquilizers, which finally manage to bring the beast down. The other rex is soon felled after. Subdued in special harnasses, the rexes are air lifted by helicopters to a boat waiting of the coast of Isla Sorna. All in all, the bad guys’ mission is a success. Well, Tembo wouldn’t say so. If you’d told him a year ago he’d get to hunt not one but two T-Rexes he would have kissed whoever told him that square on the mouth. But in the end, it had been so stupidly simple to catch them he just feels crapped on. Didn’t even get a trophy.

“You know, I remember the people who've helped me, Roland. There's a job for you at the park in San Diego if you want it.” Roland turns him down.

Cut to a group of hunters patrolling the tall grass outside the worker village. Suddenly, one of them is pulled under. A hunter a few feet away looks in his direction. “Manolo?” he asks. Another nearby hunter is pulled out of view. The hunters are starting to get scared. “Look alive, people.” one of them says. We hear a familiar coughing sound.

A velociraptor jumps out of the grass and mangles one of the hunters. Soon, pandemonium ensues. The crafty raptors had been evading the InGen hunters, watching them, waiting for the right moment. And with two dinosaur attacks in a row and both rexes out of the picture, now was the time to strike! (And there are no tails sticking up out of the grass cartoonishly! Raptors are supposed to be dangerous, not goofy).

Back at the camp, Roland runs towards the danger while Peter climbs aboard one of the waiting helicopters. “Get me out of here!” he cries.

The raptors swarm the camp. Roland manages to kill a few, but not before they massacre most of the InGen workers there. Tembo even has to watch Burke die in front of him. We get a scene where Hammond’s group escapes their trailer, Kelly defeats a velociraptor with gymnastics and the group plus Tembo manages to get onboard a helicopter.

The rest of the movie follows the actual TLW movie pretty closely with a few differences. Namely, there’s more than one dinosaur rampaging through San Diego, Tembo is helping the remaining team route the dinos back to the ship, we acknowledge the fact that the car they picked in the movie was due to reasons of masculinity, and Peter suffers a nervous breakdown when the dinosaurs break out of the ship’s hold and allows himself to be eaten by the baby rex out of guilt.

Roland fires a tranquilizer shot at the buck rex before it can clear the door. When that’s done, Sarah asks him what he’s going to hunt next.

“I believe I've spent enough time in the company of death.” he said.

We cut to Kelly and Sarah asleep on the couch while a TV plays news coverage of the boat being returned to Isla Sorna with a statement from John Hammond (once again CEO of InGen).

His speech is pretty much the same, ending with “as someone once told me, life finds a way.”

The final shot of the film is the rex family, the stegosaurs, all the dinosaurs back on Isla Sorna. Content as the Jurassic Park credits theme plays in the background.

So, what did you think? Like it, hate it? As always, I welcome feedback and comments!

[the-voice-of-hell]

Rent is Theft, part 23

Read from the beginning here, read the previous chapter here.  Note:  My MC is a Filipina trans woman and I am not.  If you have notes on that or anything else, hit me up.

                                                      ***

      I turned on the fans, turned off any lights I’d missed before.  Don’t panic.  The quick increase in the heat was counter to what the internet said about concrete, but maybe that was just because it’s a rather thin layer of the stuff.  Nothing supernatural in that, right?

      We drank our water.  I unlashed the twine that bound the ottomans into my fake bed, so we could space our bodies out a bit more as we lay there.  I retied them into two beds, as much as I didn’t want the extra labor.  You lay on three ottomans in a row, they’ll slide apart on you over time, and your body will be unconsciously tense as you try to hold them together.  That would be more work, ultimately.

      So we were on two improvised mini-beds, three feet apart, like a Hays Code era film about a married couple.  No implied fucking in this household.  The conjugal bed is hidden in the attic, along with the gay stuff and prospering criminals and other contraband concepts.

      “Did I apologize for this yet?,” I asked.

      “Yeah, stop doing that.”  She rolled the bottle on her forehead.  The cooling effect wouldn’t last.

      “Maybe we should talk about something to take our minds off the heat.”

      “I can’t think of what.  I don’t wanna tell cute stories when it’s like this, because when I think about the story after that, I’ll think about being hot.”

      “Yeah.  I could play music.”

      “But... same thing.”

      “Oh yeah, even worse.  I know whenever I hear a song I’ll remember other stuff that was going on when I played it before.  Maybe we’ll just talk about cold things, see if we can trick our imaginations.”

      “I don’t think my imagination is that good.”

      “Alright I thought of something I can do, but will you be OK just layin’ there alone?”

      “You’ll be here with me, right?”

      “You bet.  I was gonna go on my laptop and try to get more job interviews.”

      “Good idea.  Thank you, Courtney.”

      “You don’t have to say that.”

      I got my laptop out of the living room and brought it in.  I knew running it in that heat was a bad idea, but was getting desperate.  I lay down on my belly, chin propped with a thin pillow, arms dangling over the edge of the ottoman to my compy.  I turned it on.

      It took only a little longer to start up from nothing, but once I was past the loading screens, I found performance still very laggy.  Slow background startup operations, I’m sure.  But I had a bad feeling and kept my eye glued to the bottom right of the taskbar.

      I was waiting for a specific program to load - one that monitored motherboard performance.  I wouldn’t have to open it, because once it loaded from startup, it would display the processor temp right there in thumbnail.  A useful little thing.

      The thumbnail was only part visible glowing red beneath a pop-up window from the program.  “Excessive heat alert.  Shutdown recommended.”  Shit.  That made it official.  I couldn’t afford for my computer to melt now, so I turned it off.

      “My computer won’t work.  There goes that idea.”

      “Ugh.  I’m sorry.”

      “We apologize a lot, don’t we?”

      She seemed like she wanted to turn her head to face me, but that it would be too much exercise in her current state, and gave up after the most fleeting glance.  “Sorry about that.”

      “Love you.  I’ll think of something to talk about.”

      “OK.  Just remember.”

      “Nothing that will remind you of this later.  Roger.”  I drank my warm water and pondered it.  There was another knock at the door.  Fine.

      The doorknob was as hot as a hot shower now, initially shocking to the touch, but not scorching.  I got it open.  “Deandre.  Kids.  Pretty messed up, huh?”

      Deandre said, “Yeah.  Feels like we should all get out while we can.  This can’t be safe.  What are the odds they see us if we just use the stairs, go down one more floor, and hide out in the hall?  Ain’t nobody lives on that floor.”

      Knobby asked, “Are we gonna be alright?  I’m, eh, gettin’ kinda...”

      “I don’t know guys.  You could try it, I just...  I’d hate so much for any of us to get caught now, y’know?  It makes me sick.”

      “Heat can make you sick,” said Olivia.

      “I know it,” I said.  “I say, do what feels right.  I can’t tell you what to do and I wouldn’t want to.”

      “That’s the problem.  Nothing feels right,” said Deandre.

      “Well, until you make a move, drink plenty of water and rest as much as possible.  Guy said one hundred twenty-five degrees for three hours, but that’s up there.  Shouldn’t be that bad down here.  It shouldn’t.”

      “Yeah.”

      Me and Leimomi drank more water, as best we could.  It’s hard to chug when your body is starting to cook like a hot dog.  I searched my mind in increasing desperation.

      “Erotic Grime thriller.”

      “What?  Why?,” she asked.

      “Because it was the first thing I thought of, and the less we think of that guy sexually, the better.  You won’t wanna remember this later and you won’t.”

      “Heh.  Fuck it, OK.”

      “So Grime is a fast-paced computer programming man in the fast-paced world of computer programming.  The office is abuzz with activity.  It’s crunch time.  That’s when a product is about to hit a big milestone and we’re lagging behind expectation, so we all have to work extra hours.”

      “You’re there?”

      “Naw, no thanks.  Funny I was thinking of myself as part of that world.  I never do that, these days.  Maybe it was because I’ve been looking at job listings.

      Anyway, Grime is burning the midnight oil.  He’s wearing his skinny jeans and one of those ‘communist party’ t-shirts that has Karl Marx and Lenin with lampshades on their heads and bottles in hand.”

      “Don’t know that one.  Hard to imagine.”

      “It’s a bright red t-shirt.  It shrank in the wash a little bit.  Not enough he would throw it away, but a tighter fit than he’d usually go for.  In the cold late fall weather his nipples are pressing against the cloth.”

      “Ooh.”

      “Yeah, they’re ‘green’ buildings, so management skimps on AC in summer and heat in winter.  So Grime is there, nippin’ out, but typing so fast, like Sick Boy in Hackers, green matrix code raining down across his screens.  He’ll win the day.”

      “Does he have cool sunglasses?”

      “Is that hot?”

      “We’re all too hot right now, Courtney.”

      “His midnight black wraparound shades are ink dark portals to a level of Hell that is pure ice.  I think there was one of those in Dante’s Divine Comedy.  But yeah, frost is forming on the keys.  He has to step back, lest he freeze the whole desk like a liquid nitrogen bath.”

      “I can’t imagine it.”

      “Point is, he’s sexy action cool.  And he thinks he’s alone, but he’s wrong.  A sound from several cubicles away makes him leap for the katana at his deskside.”

      “Like a ninja sword?”

      “Exactly.  They let guys have those if they have enough corporate spirit.”

      “OK.”

      “His blade flashes like blue lightning, but nobody falls to his deadly moves.  He sees a guy step into the hall.”

      “A guy?  Huh.  A guy?  Are they gonna..?  Is there a girl in this one?”

      “No way.  It’s old school slash, baby.”

      “Does that mean..?”

      “Yup.  So he sees the guy stretching and is embarrassed.  He tosses the sword into a nearby cubicle, hoping he isn’t noticed.”

      “What’s the guy look like?”

      “He’s a silver fox.  Name is Michael Haeckel, he’s like six foot four.  Not chubby like Grime but not too skinny either.  You can tell just because he’s that tall and has big hands, he’s packing *redacted*”

      “Whoa.  Is he real?  Did you used to work with him?”

      “Yeah.”

      “Is it OK to make a dirty story about somebody else?”

      “I dunno.  We’re getting broiled like baby back ribs in here.  Ethics can wait.  Anyway, Michael was kinda sleepy and started to get *redacted*”

      “Can that happen?”

      “If you’re sleepy enough and you are packing *redacted* in my story.  So the outline of *redacted* is pretty visible in his acid wash jeans, and Grime is like, whoa, shit.  He hopes he wasn’t noticed.  He lucked out.  Michael does notice his situation though and picks up a clipboard fake casual to hold over his *redacted* while he goes to say hi.

      ‘Hey Graeme,’ Michael says.  ‘Hey,’ says Grime.  They talk about work, and how other guys don’t have the dedication like they do, to work so late on crunch.  Randomly, the subject of donating to charity comes up.  All the tech boys do it for tax breaks.”

      “That’s nice.”

      “It would be better for the world if any of those pricks paid their taxes.  Michael mentions that he’s giving to some LGBT charity.  Grime says that’s cool, but wonders why Michael feels like that’s a good one.  After all, he’s married to a lady and stuff.”

      “Hm.”

      “He says he’s actually bi.  One time in college he had sex with a dude and feels like it was beautiful and nobody should be judged for love.  Grime is like, cool, but you have been with nothing else but ladies forever.  Do you still feel bi?”

      “That seems rude.”

      “So does the funky bass music starting to play out of thin air - the sounds of love are soon to come.  Michael says, ‘Yeah,’ and they have a big moment.  Sexual tension in the air so thick you could cut it.”

      “Hm.  He’s six foot six?”

      “Yup.”

      “Silver fox?  Like a furry?”

      “Sure, why not?  So the guy says, ‘Maybe my wife doesn’t mind if I do stuff sometimes,’ and Grime is like, ‘Oh shit, I’ve never been with a dude before.  Is this really happening?’  And Michael is like, take it slow, and they do.”

      “Like taking off their clothes slow and stuff, or *redacted* slow?”

      “The first one.  Michael suggests they just watch each other *redacted* for a few minutes, see how it feels.  Grime and him are alone, think it’s funny.  Why not take advantage?  They *redaaaaaaaacted*”

      “Cool.  But I can’t *redacted* myself right now.”

      “Good.  That would be unethical, maybe.  I don’t know, whatever.  So the guys are showing each other what they got, and Michael is like, ‘Damn, Graham, what you wanna do now?,’ and Grime says ‘Graeme,’ but kinda chokes on it because he’s *redacted* like it’s water in the desert.  Oh. reminds me, drink some water, babe.”  I did the same, hard as it was.

      “So,” I continued, “Grime is *redacted*  Michael has to push him back a little and say, ‘Easy there, tiger.’  And that makes Grime all sad because he was fixin’ to experience *redacted*  That thing is too magnificent.”

      “What’s it look like?”

      “It’s like a white dude’s *redacted*, y’know, all *redaaaaacted, includes missile metaphor*”

      “Wow.  Haha, his *redacted* is the bomb.”

      “True.  So Michael says he wants to *redaaaaaaaacted*”

      “What’s it feel like, for somebody to have their *redacted* on a *redacted* ?”

      “Kinda crazy, like you got two *redacted* in a wrestling match, daring each other to make a move, but they can’t.  Not without help.  So Grime grabs *redacted*  He remembers to check in with Michael, because he doesn’t want to lose his privileges.  Michael lets him know, yeah, he’s doing it too *redacted*

      So he loosens up his grip a bit, and *redaaaaaaaaaaacted*

      “Yeah.  So they’re *redacted*?”

      “Yeah, y’know *redacted*  Does that make sense?  Anyway, it feels real good.  They’re feeling it, because *redaaaacted* lightly while *redaaaacted* tightly.”

      “That was a rhyme.  You should be a rapper.”

      “Oh yeah.  That’s a good job.  Where do I interview for that one?”

      “Sorry.”  She drank more water.  “Go on.”

      “They can’t take much more of it.  *redaaacted* so they gotta step back.

      So Grime is looking at the big man’s *redacted* and feeling inadequate, feeling like a child.  The guy senses his hesitance and says, ‘I like what you got, kid.  Let me see that.’  Then he goes down to his knees, taps an office chair to suggest Grime sit down in it.  Our boy rolls into position.

      He isn’t feeling it that much, like, *redaaacted*  But Michael gives him a look, so kind and beautiful like Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Then the older guy nuzzles Grime’s *redacted*  He feels Michael’s beard on his *redacted*  It feels crazy, but he knows he can't just *redacted* because it would scratch up his *redacted*

      Then Michael *redaaacted*  Grime is lightheaded, feeling like he might *redacted* at any moment, *redaaaaaaacted*

      But then Michael relents, right as Grime is about to *redacted*  He leans back and says, ‘You wanna feel this *redacted*?’  He’s gesturing to his *redacted*  Grime is speechless.  How can he say yes?  He’s never done anything like that before.  But still, he agrees.  Sometimes you hafta jump in the deep end.”

      “Whoa.  You think Grime would take a *redacted* in the *redacted*?”

      “Probably like it better if it was *redacted* but I bet he would.  Y’know, it’s just a story though.  Grime could have two *redacted* and taste like rose water if we wanted.”

      “Two *redacted* and he can *redacted* a furry?  OK.  Tell me about it.”

      “For real?  Grime has two *redacted* now?  And I’m supposed to get real about the furry thing?”

      “You mean he wasn’t really a furry?”

      “I guess he could be.  What kind of furry do you like?  Wolf boys?  Horse boys?”

      “Um, you said he was a silver fox.  And now Grime has two *redacted* and he wants to get a *redacted* in his *redacted* for a first time.”

      “Hm.  So Grime’s *redacteds* are kinda hanging there, like *redacted* but as soon as the older guy suggests *redacted* they both *redacted*

      “Why couldn’t Grime have had two *redacted* instead of the red hands thing?”

      “You really picturing that?  Because it’s just kinda abstract to me.  Hard to call the image to mind, really.  For me.”

      “I was thinkin’ like what it would feel like to have both in my *redacted* at the same time, be all filled up like that.”

      “Damn, baby.  I’d like to see that.  But I can’t *redacted* right now.  It’s too hot.”  I took a drink.

      “I know.”

      “Before I go on, should I describe the fox *redacted* looking like a fox *redacted* or a human *redacted* that maybe has some more hairs on it?”

      “What’s a fox *redacted* look like?  Don’t do it if it’s real weird.  That’s just gross.”

      “I don’t know, but I’d imagine they look like regular dog *redacted* which are pretty fuckin’ gross.  Moving on then, the silver-furred fox man stood up to his full height, his long human-like *redacted* brushing against Grime’s *redacted*  It was time for Grime to *redacted*

      They pushed all the printers and folders and three by five cards and highlighters and shit off of the desk, and Grime sat himself there with his legs up in the air.  Fox Michael probably made a sound like a fox makes, whatever that is.”

      “A howl, probably.”

      “Probably he howled.  Sometimes a howl is a mournful sound, the baying of bloodthirsty creatures on the moors, singing how theirs is a life of pursuit, of famine and violent feast, and eternal scraping in a social order from which the only escape is death.  But for the horny fox man, the howl is of Looney Tunes-esque hubba-hubba awooga-styled lust.  He rubs Grime’s *redacted* all over with his big fox paws, giving him little scratches with his short sharp claws.  Grime finds that exciting and bites his lip.

      Then Michael *redaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacted*

      “What are Grime’s two *redacted* doing?”

      “They’re wondering why they only have three *redacted* between them and not four.”

      “Three *redacted*?  What would that be like?”

      “Three *redacted* is good when you’re rubbing them on a regular set of two, because the *redacted* go between each other, don’t butt against each other and get sore.  It’s pure sensation, like God intended.”

      “Damn.  That makes me wish I had three *redacted* Courtney.”

      “Would you also like two *redacted*?  While we’re handing out body parts, it’s OK.”

      “No, I don’t know if I could have *redacted* right.  I don’t know.”

      “It’s OK, I prefer you with *redacted*  I mean, if you have a *redacted* and three *redacted* that might be kinda hard to *redacted* without being like you’re getting kicked in the *redacted* all the time, so you have some decisions to make.”

      “I don’t know what to do.”  She seemed a little upset.

      “It’s OK, babe!  It’s just a game.”

      “Ugh, sorry.  It was just the heat.  That would be weird if I was sad about pretend *redacted*”

      “Oh good.  I love you too much, honey.”

      “I’d laugh but it’s too hot.”

      “I understand.  Do you want me to keep going?”

      “Can you?  It’s bad in here.  Real bad.”

      “We’re just trying to kill time.  How much time have we been doing this?”

      “I dunno.  Feels like hours.”

      I got up the will to look at the time on my phone.  “Oh Christ.  It’s only been eleven minutes.”  I sobbed once, before I even noticed what I was doing.

      “Don’t cry, Courtney.”

      “You’re right,” I choked it down.  “Gotta conserve my water.”  I took another drink.  “So Grime is holding his *redacted* together loosely, one palm over the *redacted* kinda *redacted* so he doesn’t *redacted* before the fox even gets started.  Michael *redaaaaacted*”

      “Uh huh.”

      “Maybe I should be doing Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”

      “Whatever’s easiest.”

      “I guess we’re already here.  And I’ll have time to get through the whole fucking Grimm Brothers catalog.”  I almost cried again.

      “It’s OK.  You can stop, and we’ll just...”

      “No, no.  I can do this.  So Michael has his *redacted* all *redacted*  It’s *redaaaaacted*  I think if Michael is basically so humanoid his *redacted* looks like a *redacted* he’s gotta have a tail and an animal head.  So his tail is wagging like a happy dog and his face is all, again, awooga awooga.  You know, like a cartoon wolf when he sees a hot chick.

      He *redaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacted*

      Meanwhile, Grime is losing his mind.  He’s insane with ecstasy, didn’t even know it was possible to feel that good.  But he can’t get it together to help out, or say something, or do anything yet.  His mind is a technicolor CG explosion, like a commercial for expensive fruit juice.  Meanwhile his grip on his own *redacteds* has firmed into a stiff claw shape, like he’s clutching a stick shift in a muscle car.

      Finally, sometime around *redacted* Grime gets his brains back.  He says, ‘*redacted*’  Michael is ready and *redacted*  Grime knows if he actually *redacted* he’s gonna *redacted* on the spot, *redaaacted*”

      “Holy shit, Courtney.”

      “So Grime knows it’s basically game over, but he doesn’t wanna go out like a bitch.  He’s gotta get Michael to *redacted* somehow.  He knows he has practically no chance, but he begs for it, hopes that’ll work.  ‘Michael, *redacted* please.  I need your *redacted* dude.’  Michael likes that, but will he do it?”

      “I don’t know.”

      “You could make that up.  No pressure.  But does he *redacted* first?”

      “Yeah, but I can’t say it like you.”

      “OK, maybe I can teach you how someday.  You can be my bard apprentice.  In the meantime, Michael felt his *redaaacted*  His mind turned inside out, his mirthful expression went slack as lust stole the blood from his brain, then his eyes bulged and nostrils flared as...  I forgot he has a fox head.  Let’s say his long pink wet tongue flopped out the side of his mouth and he rolled his muzzle around and his ears went like... helicopters or whatever.

      Just for funsies, let’s imagine *redacted*  When it’s *redacted* hitting Grime’s *redacted* he feels a thrill *redacted* and he knows he actually won.

      He gets each *redacted* in a medium firm grip and they *redacted*  For whatever reason, *redacted*  Each got *redacted*  Grime’s *redacted* was *redacted* but in his excitement, and with his *redacted* it *redacted*  A *redacted* in a magic instant, then *redacted* their *redacted* like in the fancy grocery store, where they got those little pipes that spray water on the lettuce heads.  You know what I’m talking about?  Remember seeing one of those?”

      “OK, but it’s *redacted*?”

      “Yeah, it’s Grime’s *redacted* and it’s *redacted*  He yells in joy and then sucks in his mouth and bugs his eyes.  Oops, he thinks, somebody might be around.

      Michael *redacted* hastily, but not too fast, just to avoid accidents or discomfort, and uses his tall vantage to look around over the tops of the cubicles.  There’s nobody in sight, and he says as much.  He takes a wad of tissues out of a box and dabs up the *redacted* on himself while he watches Grime recover.

      He’s not recovering fast.  When Michael *redacted* the sensation prolonged his *redacted* even more, though there wasn’t much *redacted* left to *redacted*  It was kinda pathetic, just his two *redacted* rapidly *redacted*  Michael could see Grime’s *redacted* in the crappy green lights and the way they *redacted*  Grime’s head lolled and all he could say was ‘oh man’ over and over again.”

      “Oh fox man.”

      “Good catch.  I guess Michael’s probably lapping up the *redacted* from his muzzle and chest, leaving dabbed tongue shapes on his shirt.”

      “They didn’t get naked?”

      “I don’t remember.  That’s a missed opportunity.  Coulda said what they look like naked.”

      “Fox man and two *redacted* Grime.”

      “It’s true.”  I exhaled.  It would have been a sigh but I didn’t have the strength to muster a good inhale at the beginning, just weakly deflated my shallow lungs.  I had to hork down some air a moment later to make up for it.

      “You OK, Courtney?”

      “Ugh.  Sorry.  Let’s drink more water.”

                                                        ***

   Read next chapter here.

[poetyca]

Lo splendore è in te – The brilliance is in you

Lo splendore è in te

Piccola anima che a volte ti assopisci ed hai timore per quelle ferite che la vita infligge, una persona splendida sei tu! Tu che cogli sfumature ed attraversi la notte, che colori con magia mille istanti Con te non servono neppure le parole, con te che anche attraverso piccoli gesti sai proteggere e vivere emozione, vorrei che la vita fosse generosa. Con te non mi è difficile esserci, saper leggere nella tua trasparenza e cogliere ogni cosa. Non mi è difficile condividere il cammino di questo mio esistere. Esserci… Per me esserci è nella scommessa del quotidiano, nel passo leggero, quasi in punta di piedi ad osservare, cogliere e sostenere, se sento che debbo essere più vicina . E’ nell’ascolto intimo di quelle sensazioni che chiedono conferme – lampi ed intuizioni – che accolgo e rifletto, senza fretta – seppure io sia un’impulsiva, è nell’entusiasmo vivo che a volte mi fa correre lontano con la mente e con il cuore, con le mani piene di sogni che vorrei distribuire intorno. Ma è sopratutto attesa, senza aspettative, nella calma del silenzio, con la certezza che si compie per tutti la bellezza della realizzazione. Ogni giorno è meraviglia, è colore, incanto e respiro che sa porgere senso ad ogni attimo di vita, la cosa più bella è saperlo trovare insieme. Sogni, utopie e desiderio di unità per molti, per questo vagare senza saper trovare un senso preciso. Un nuovo anno nella mia vita non è peso ma ricerca consapevole di quel che è stato dono,di quello che potrebbe essere sfuggito ed attesa di quello che si coglierà ancora per essere consapevoli di cosa si manifesta lungo questo mio cammino. Non analisi fredda, razionale, non inventario e bilancio ma un toccare con il cuore e scorgere lo sbocciare di semi inaspettati: un filo sottile che ha saputo tracciare colori ascolto per scoprire da che parte si deve andare. Io sono in cammino da sempre e tanto ancora ho da scoprire. Io sono senza età, perchè quello che sono lo vivo e lo vivrò sempre con la consapevolezza che il vero senso delle cose è scolpito in fondo all’anima e solo chi lo sa vedere, lo coglie ed è capace di trovare valore nel proprio cammino. Cara Anima sappi che lo splendore è in te e non smettere mai di crederci, di stupirti e di rialzarti se cadi, di essere la persona che sei perchè è in questo la tua unicità. 5 giugno 2005 Poetyca The brilliance is in you Little soul that sometimes you fall asleep and you fear for those wounds that life inflicts, a wonderful person you! You cross that captures the nuances and night, color with magic moments that one thousand With you do not even need the words, with you that even through small gestures You know protect and live emotion, I wish that life was generous. With you it’s hard to be there, able to read in your transparency and seize everything. I can easily share the journey of my existence. Be there … For me there is the challenge of everyday life, in the light step, almost on tiptoe to observe, understand and support, as I feel that I must be closer. And ‘listening intimate feelings of those who ask for confirmation – Flashes and insights – that I accept and reflect, unhurried – although I am impulsive, you live in the enthusiasm that sometimes makes me run away with the mind and heart, with hands full of dreams I would like to distribute around. But it is mostly waiting, no expectations, in the stillness of silence, with the certainty that it does for all the beauty of creation. Every day you wonder, is color, charm and breath who knows how to give meaning to every moment of life, The best thing is to know to find together. Dreams, utopias and desire for many units, for this wandering without knowing how to find a precise meaning. A new year in my life is not weight but a conscious search for what was a gift, what that might have escaped and waiting for what that will take you again to be aware what occurs along my path. No analysis of cold, rational, non-inventory and budget but touch the heart and see the blossoming of seeds unexpected: a thin wire that has been able to trace color listen to find out which way to go. I am always on the move and so I still have to discover. I am ageless, because what I am I live and I will live forever with the knowledge that the true meaning of things is carved at the bottom of the soul and just see who knows, seizes him and is able to find value in their own way. Dear Soul know that the brilliance is in you and never stop believing, be amazed and get up if you fall, you are the person you are This is because your uniqueness. June 5, 2005 Poetyca

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[tentoriwrites]

Congrats again on 100! I would like to ask for 164: “ Stop teasing me so much… ” from the prompt list with Kageie because the thirst for more Kageie content is real after his (IMO) rushed birthday stories.

Thank you, Darling! Sorry for the wait, what with the compie issues and all. I hope you enjoy this!

164: “Stop teasing me so much…”

She hadn’t thought much of the request to empty her sleeves.Maybe Lord Kageie was looking for something and thought she had it? “I have asurprise for you.”

“A surprise for me?” No small measure of intrigued, shelooked up at him curious.

“Put your hands behind your back and close your eyes.” LordKageie had always been a mystery wrapped in an enigma to her. That said, thisrequest hardly seemed odd. She could never quite place his motivations. Notthinking too much of it, but still looking a bit skeptical, she complied. Thatis until he started tying her hands together…

“H… hey!” She gasped, eyes flying open and over hershoulder. She squirmed but his firm grip and fast fingers said it was all fornaught. As her eyes darted across the floor, it became clear she had fallen intoa trap. Of all the things in her sleeves, once laid out before her on thefloor, the cloth strip used for tying them was gone.

“Why? What did I do?” She asked in a small, worried voice.

“You ran away before I could give you what you reallywanted.” His reply, matter of fact though it may have been, was delivered witha tone she had never heard him use before. It, and the memory of the event inquestion, sent a chill down her spine even as heat spread through her.

That was several hours ago, best she could figure in heraddled state. During a lull in his wicked workings, she noticed the sameindifferent expression he always wore.

“Lord Kageie…” Her voice was more like a sigh as she triedto catch her breath at last. “You didn’t have to do this if you didn’t want to.”

A mischievous grin looked up from behind tousled silverhair. “Call me Kakki.” He started as he drew up to her face, fingers slowlywalking up her exposed torso. “You’re the only woman I’ve ever wanted to do this with. The only woman I’vewanted to pleasure like this. This isjust as much a gift for me as it is for you.”

“Stop teasing me so much!” The plea was meant to addressboth his actions and his words. It only served to make the corners of his mouthcurl up even more.

“I’m not teasing you… yet…”

[minijenn]

Universe Falls Chapter 29

Welp, I’m dead. This chapter fucking killed me with both its length and its intensity. Still, I hope you all enjoy it, seeing as how I hyped the ever loving fuck out of it. So here we finally are, for your reading pleasure: Revenge Trip!

Previous: http://minijenn.tumblr.com/post/156721748044/universe-falls-chapter-28

Chapter 29: Revenge Trip

4-15-14-20 5-22-5-18 21-14-4-5-18-5-19-20-9-13-1-20-5 20-8-9-14-7-19 20-8-1-20 13-9-7-8-20 2-5 7-18-5-1-20 20-8-5-25 19-5-5 20-8-5-13-19-5-12-22-5-19 23-9-20-8 12-9-20-20-12-5 23-15-18-20-8 2-21-20 23-8-1-20 20-8-5-25'12-12 4-15 3-15-21-12-4 19-1-22-5 20-8-5 5-1-18-20-8

“Well, ladies and gentlemen, we’ve just about reached the end of our tour,” Stan concluded as he addressed the large crowd of tourists crowded right outside the shack. The conman grinned broadly as he heard the collective sighs of disappointment from the enthralled guests, knowing he had them right where he wanted them. “I know, I know. It’s a shame such a good time has to end. But… just because you folks have been such a good audience, I’ll let you all get a glimpse at one last exhibit. What do ya say?”

Of course, the crowd cheered in pleading support of this idea, prompting Stan to comply and continue on to the curtained off area ahead. “Well, if you say so…” he said with a coy smirk. “But I should warn you: this isn’t for the faint of heart. Because right behind this curtain, is a real, 100% genuine living dinosaur!”

The tourists gasped in awed anticipation, their cameras already raised to snap photos of the rumored creature. Which was why Stan wasted no more time keeping any of them in suspense. “Here he is! The one, the only: Compy the Compso—Compa—Compasaort—Dipper!” the conman shouted, hoping his nephew could fill him in with a proper pronunciation. “What’s it called again?!”

“It’s ‘Compsognathus’!” Dipper corrected, briefly poking his head outside of the shack.

“Yeah, what he said,” Stan said to the tourists. “Anyway, behold!” Without any further ado, the conman lifted the curtain to where the supposed dinosaur was contained. Stan prided himself on swiping a small dino egg the other day during the gang’s journey in the abandoned mines. And, as he had hoped, the egg had hatched a baby compsognathus, a dinosaur that likely wouldn’t grow beyond the size of a chicken, but a dinosaur nonetheless. And given its small size and generally non-violent demeanor, Stan saw the miniature creature as a prime attraction, especially since “Compy” just so happened to be quite the little pick pocket himself. The conman had already profited quite a bit off of the baby dinosaur, and he was poised to do so again as he unveiled it to the anxiously awaiting crowd.

However, Stan’s wide grin turned to a confused frown upon hearing the crowd’s shocked gasps turn into angry boos. Alarmed, the conman quickly spun around to see that the enclosure he usually kept Compy in was completely empty, save for the dinosaur’s small haul of stolen watches and credit cards. But the creature itself had vanished, the only sign of its escape being the back of the gate of its enclosure had been somehow torn off.

“What?!” Stan shouted, aghast. However, things quickly turned from bad to worse as the tourists voiced their enraged dissent.

“I can’t believe this!”

“What a rip off!”

“I want my money back!”

“W-wait, no!” Stan exclaimed, trying his best to calm his outraged patrons. Unfortunately, it was to no avail as they all collectively stormed off, leaving the conman very distraught over his sudden loss of profits. “Kids!”

There was just enough heated rage behind Stan’s bellow to prompt both of the twins to come running out of the shack, both of them startled yet quite curious to see what all the fuss was about. “Grunkle Stan, what’s wrong?” Mabel asked with apt concern.

“Do you need to hear how to pronounce compsognathus again?” Dipper asked, crossing his arms. “Because I literally just told you.

“I wish,” Stan scoffed coldly. “You two runts notice anything missing back there?” he asked, nodding to the empty enclosure.

“Whoa, hey, yeah!” Mabel exclaimed, running up to the side of the enclosure. “Compy’s gone! What happened? Did he go for his lunch break?”

“Or did he just finally pick the lock and make a break for it?” Dipper suggested much more rationally.

“That’s just it! There’s no way he could have busted out!” the conman grumbled hotly. “I had Soos rig this thing to be foolproof! And dinosaur proof! Somebody tore that gate off on purpose. And no one around here is resting until I found out who!”

“Yo, Stan!” Amethyst called as she jumped onto the scene quite out of nowhere.

“Not now, Amethyst,” Stan quickly brushed her off. “We’re kind of in the middle of a crisis here!”

“Oh what, you mean your missing baby dinosaur crisis?” she asked knowingly. “Well then, you might wanna take a look at this. Found it nearby on the way down here.” The purple Gem handed the conman a small slip of paper, one that he proceeded to read aloud to the kids.

“Dear Stanford,” Stan began reading, squinting at the tiny writing. “Hope ‘ya’ll’ don’t mind me fixing your gate for you. I thought your newest attraction could use some extra roaming space. But look on the bright side. With that curious creature gone, all your customers are bound to come on down to my ‘lil’ ol Tent of Telepathy instead! Warmest regards: Lil Gideon.”

“You guys ready to see something funny?” Amethyst whispered to the twins the second Stan finished reading. “Wait for it… In three… two… one..”

“GIDEON!” Stan shouted, completely infuriated as he crumpled the child psychic’s spiteful note in his fist. While Dipper and Mabel were quite startled by this, Amethyst simply let out an amused chuckle at the conman’s frustration, especially as he threw the note down petulantly. “That four foot, pig-nosed, pompadour-pedaling little creep! Why, I oughta skin him alive for letting Compy out! That dinosaur was the attraction of a lifetime and now he’s gone thanks to that phony!”

“Aw, don’t be so upset, Grunkle Stan,” Mabel encouraged sweetly. “I’m sure Compy’s still around here somewhere! We’ll even help you find him, right Dipper?”

“Uh, yeah. I mean, he can’t be too hard to find,” Dipper shrugged. “You could probably track him by the trail of spare pocket change he’s always dropping.”

“I appreciate the thought, kids, but chances are Compy’s long gone by now,” Stan said with genuine disappointment. “Gideon probably pried that gate open last night when we were all asleep. I knew I should have had Soos stand guard out here all night!”

“Geez, Stan, don’t be such a sadsack about it,” Amethyst rolled her eyes. “Look at it this way. Sure, Gideon’s a clever little punk who ruined your new attraction and has a way flashier setup than yours. But you still have something that he doesn’t.”

“Oh yeah, what’s that?” Stan asked caustically.

“Oh wait… you wanted me to give you an answer to that?” the purple Gem asked with a frown. “Because I thought you would have one.”

“That’s not helping, Amethyst,” the conman said dryly. He paused for a moment, however, upon stealing a glance up at the temple. “Uh, speaking of not helping… have you seen your place lately?”

“Huh?” Amethyst turned around, confused, at first, before gasping at what she saw. She hadn’t noticed it upon emerging from the temple earlier, but now she could clearly see that the entire stony surface of the massive statue, save for the house below it, had been somehow coated in a rather obnoxious shade of pink paint, compete with a layer of shining glitter thrown on top. The purple Gem’s jaw dropped in absolute shock upon seeing such an alarming sight, and while both Stan and Dipper stared at it in apt bewilderment, Mabel let out a delighted gasp over it.

“Oh my gosh! The temple looks so pretty in pink!” she quipped brightly. “When did you guys paint it?”

“We didn’t,” Amethyst shook her head, still absolutely befuddled. “Besides, even if we did ever paint it, we wouldn’t-”

“AMETHYST!” the purple Gem didn’t have time to finish her remark before Pearl’s very loud, very angry shout coming from up the hill.

“Oh boy…” Amethyst cringed, already anticipating the white Gem’s inevitable rant. “I better run on up there before Pearl gets a crack in her gem. See you guys around. And hey, who knows? Maybe your missing dinosaur will turn up somewhere after all.”

“Yeah, maybe he will,” Stan deadpanned as Amethyst leapt off to head up to the temple. “Especially since you two munchkins are gonna go out there looking for him,” he said to the twins.

“Wait. By ourselves?” Dipper asked with a frown.

“You’re not gonna help us, Grunkle Stan?” Mabel questioned with a slight pout.

“Ha! You kids really think I have time to run around the woods searching for that thing?” Stan scoffed. “I gotta stick around here and get that fence fixed now, all because that skunk Gideon has to stick his nose where it doesn’t belong. Now what are you two doing just standing around here gawking for?” he asked the twins harshly, already ushering them off. “You got a compo-whatever to find. And don’t come back until you do!”

The twins simply exchanged an exasperated glance as they headed off into the forest, neither of them entirely sure how they were going to find, much less capture the baby compsognathus, despite the conman’s orders.

Amethyst let out a long sigh as she caught sight of Pearl, Garnet, and Steven standing before the now-pink temple. The elder two Gems looked far from pleased as they looked over the sight, though Steven glanced up at it in apt amazement, still wondering how such a thing could have happened in the first place.

“Oh, there you are, Amethyst!” Pearl huffed impatiently as the purple Gem arrived. “Care to explain this little disaster?”

“Uh, the temple’s pink, dude,” Amethyst shrugged. “Anyone with eyes could see that. Duh.”

“No, that’s not-” the white Gem cut herself off with a frustrated groan. “What I meant was, what in the world possessed you to do something as ridiculous as painting the entire temple?!”

“Wait… you guys think I did this?” the purple Gem asked in disbelief.

“Wouldn’t be the first time you did something like this,” Garnet noted stoically.

“Yeah…” Steven agreed with an apprehensive frown. “There was that time you filled the entire house with golf balls… Or that April Fool’s you washed all my clothes and shrunk them in the dryer on purpose…”

“Or the time you emptied a box of cicadas into my room!” Pearl interjected with an angry scowl.

“Or the time you broke the microwave trying to stuff it full of pinecones,” Garnet added.

“Or-”

“Ok, ok! I get it!” Amethyst interrupted, thoroughly annoyed. “Sometimes I get a little carried away with my pranks and end up making some pretty big messes. I know that. But do you guys really think I would waste so much time painting the temple pink just to get a quick laugh out of it?”

“Yes,” Garnet, Pearl, and Steven all answered in perfect unison.

“Amethyst,” the Gem leader said, her tone calm yet firm. “We understand that sometimes your emotions get the better of you and that acting out is the only way you can vent those emotions. But sometimes, you take things too far. And this is definitely one of those times.”

“But I didn’t do it!” Amethyst argued adamantly. “I’m serious! Steven, you believe me, right?!”

“Uh… well…” the young Gem frowned, not really sure what to think. After all, the evidence stacked against the purple Gem was pretty high, especially considering her countless past offenses.

“Oh come on!” Amethyst groaned, growing more desperate by the second. “You guys can’t be serious! I promise, I didn’t do this!”

“Well if you didn’t do it, then who did?” Pearl asked caustically.

“Uh… I don’t…” the purple Gem bit her lip, glancing around for a moment before gasping as she glanced down at the Mystery Shack and remembered something important. “It was Gideon!”

“Gideon?” Steven asked with a confused frown. “But he hasn’t really that bad since the whole thing with the size crystal and the Watermelon Stevens a few weeks ago. What makes you think he did this?”

“Because he just punked Stan too!” Amethyst exclaimed earnestly. “Gideon let Stan’s new attraction loose, a-and he even left a note about it behind saying he did it! Heck, if you guys need proof, then I can even have Stan vouch for me!”

“Oh because Stan is definitely a reliable source,” Pearl rolled her eyes.

“So what, are you saying that little punk wouldn’t do something like this?” the purple Gem asked harshly. “I mean, the kid’s made it pretty clear that he hates us. Messing with our temple like this would be jus up his dumb little alley.”

“We’re not saying he couldn’t have,” Garnet said. “But there’s just no real proof.”

“So basically… what you’re saying is that I’m getting the blame for this?!”

“For now, yes,” the Gem leader nodded. “At least until we figure out who really did this.”

“Which means,” Pearl added pointedly. “You’re the one responsible for cleaning this little ‘mess’ up, Amethyst.”

“Aw, what?!” Amethyst exclaimed in complete dismay. “You guys can’t be for real right now! You want me to clean the entire temple?!”

“Yes,” Garnet affirmed coldly.

“But that’ll take hours!”

“Well then, that leaves you with plenty of time to contemplate the consequences of your actions while you work,” Pearl remarked. “And maybe next time, you’ll think twice about doing something so… destructive and defiant!”

“I told you, I didn’t-” Amethyst cut herself off with a heavy sigh, knowing that Garnet and Pearl weren’t going to believe her, no matter what she said. “You know what? Who cares? I’ll clean the stupid temple. Even though I shouldn’t have to.”

“Taking responsibility for your actions is an important lesson to learn, Amethyst,” Garnet said as her and Pearl started to head inside. “You’ll thank us for this later.”

“No I won’t,” Amethyst scowled, kicking a rock once the two elder Gems were out of earshot.

“Aw, I’m sorry, Amethyst,” Steven frowned sympathetically. “To be honest, I… kinda don’t think you did this either… Though I guess there really is no way to know for sure.”

“Pfft, come on, Steven, I didn’t do this,” Amethyst reiterated. “That tiny dork Gideon did, I’m sure of it. If only I could make Garnet and Pearl see that. Or better yet, get back at that little runt for it…” The purple Gem scowled petulantly as she crossed her arms and glanced down. However, she was only silent for a moment before an idea struck her, one that would certainly satisfy one of those conditions. “That’s it!”

“What’s it?” Steven asked curiously.

Amethyst sucked in a sharp breath upon hearing this question, seeing as how she had forgotten the young Gem was even there. “Oh uh… nothin’. I… I just thought of a way to… clean the temple up really fast! Yeah.”

“Oh… well, do you want some help?” the young Gem offered selflessly. “Because between the two of us, I’m sure we could get it done a lot faster!”

“Nah, Steven, I got this,” Amethyst waved him off, glancing down to the Mystery Shack with a sly smirk. “Or should I say… we got this…”

Stan let out a long sigh as he finished off another can of Pitt Cola. Though had already sent the twins to bed roughly an hour ago, the conman stayed up and lamented the loss of his premier attraction by his lonesome. After hours of searching, Dipper and Mabel had finally returned with the unfortunate assurance that Compy was indeed gone for good, much to Stan’s deep disappointment. Not only had the conman lost plenty of customers thanks to Gideon’s underhanded scheme, but he had also lost any potential money the miniature dinosaur could have brought in for him in the future. And for someone who loved profits as much as Stan did, it was certainly a heavy blow.

“Ugh…” Stan finally groaned to himself indignantly. “Stupid Gideon…. Always ruining everything…”

“Tell me about it.” The conman perked up, surprised as he looked over to see Amethyst perched in the nearby open windowsill. A cross expression rested on her face as she reclined, her arms crossed and her entire body covered in flecks of pink paint and glitter.

“What are you doing down here so late?” Stan asked her, hardly even surprised by her sudden appearance. After all, this was far from the first time she had broken into the shack under the cover of night. “And what happened to you? You look like one of Mabel’s arts and crafts projects.”

The purple Gem blew her hair out of her eye with a huff as she jumped down at headed over to take a seat at the table across from Stan. “I just spent the past seven hours scrubbing paint off the temple because apparently Garnet and Pearl think I made the place all pink and sparkly,” she scowled, taking the conman’s empty soda can and swallowing it whole. “Of course, I didn’t do it. But you wanna know who I think did?”

“Let me take a wild guess…”

“Gideon,” the both answered with equal disdain for the child psychic.

“Ugh, that pint sized psychic is a real pain in the neck,” Stan remarked bitterly. “Who does he think he is, anyway? Messing with us. Somebody really oughta teach that kid a lesson.”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking…” Amethyst said with a growing smirk.

“Oh really?” the conman asked, somewhat intrigued. “And what did you have in mind?”

“Oh, nothing much,” the purple Gem shrugged casually, though it was clear her zeal was starting to get the better of her. “I just figured maybe finally it’s time for another one of our good old fashioned… Revenge Trips?”

Stan’s interest immediately pattered out as soon as he heard this. “No.”

“What? Come on!” Amethyst urged. “It’s been years since we’ve gone out on one! Don’t tell me you haven’t been itching for a wild night of righting wrongs, taking names, and getting even! You and me used to be revenge masters, remember?!”

“Yeah that’s just it, we used to be,” Stan pointed out solidly. “We haven’t pulled a Revenge Trip in over fourteen years now. And even back in the day when we used to do them every week, something would always go wrong. I told you after the last time we got arrested that I’m done with those.”

“Pfft, since when did you get so old and lame?” the purple Gem rolled her eyes. “So what if we got busted a few times? It’s like you always used to say: ‘no pain, no gain’. And we gained a lot back in our revenge days. You can’t deny that.”

“Heh, yeah we did,” Stan remarked with a small, reminiscent smile. It quickly faded however when he noticed the coy grin Amethyst was giving him. “B-but we can’t go on another Revenge Trip. Not now. Things around here… they aren’t like they used to be.”

“Oh yeah? How?” Amethyst asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

“Uh… well… I… I got the twins to worry about now. What if something happened on our Revenge Trip, huh? Who’d take care of ‘em?”

“They don’t live here all the time, do they?” the purple Gem reminded caustically. She let out a teasing laugh as she threw her voice to mimic the conman. “‘Oh, look at me! I’m Stan and I’ve turned into such a huge softie all because I took in two kids for the summer’. Chill out, dude,” she remarked in her usual voice. “Dipper and Mabel would be alright. They’d just get sent home or whatever. No biggie."

Stan let out a harsh scoff at this, glaring rather coldly at Amethyst upon hearing this. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, the thought of the twins being sent home because of his own misdeeds was a rather unsavory one. “Sure, ‘no biggie’,” he repeated sullenly. “By the way, don’t you have your own little munchkin to worry about?”

“What, you mean Steven?” Amethyst asked, glancing away briefly. “He’ll be fine if something happened to me. Heck, he’d probably be better off with just Garnet and Pearl taking care of him anyway.”

The conman’s expression softened as he noticed how suddenly forlorn the purple Gem was. “Hey, uh… you know the kids told me about your little trip to the Kindergarten last week…” he said rather hesitantly. “Is… is that what this is really all about?”

“What? No!” Amethyst retorted harshly. “This has nothing to do with the Kindergarten thing! This isn’t about ‘blowing off steam’ or anything stupid like that! No, you know what this is really about, Stan, just as much as I do. It’s about revenge!”

“Wouldn’t be a Revenge Trip if it was about anything else,” Stan noted with a small grin.

“And it won’t be a Revenge Trip if I try to roll solo,” the purple Gem huffed in annoyance. “Come on, Stan. I know you wanna go do this, even if you’re acting like you don’t. The look on Gideon’s face will be priceless once we get even with him! It’ll totally be worth it.”

“It won’t be if we get caught.”

“Then we just won’t get caught. Don’t tell me that you miss the thrill of going out on the road, the excitement of sneaking in and out of places, the sweet reward of sticking it to the man! You used to be all about that kind of stuff before you got all old and boring.”

“Hey, hey, hey! Who said anything about me being old and boring?” Stan protested.

“You did by saying you don’t wanna go,” Amethyst retorted, knowing she was getting close to convincing him. “Never would have pegged you to be such a scaredy cat, Stan. Especially given your track record. But I guess it was bound to happen eventually. You just can’t keep up with me anymore.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, I think you’re wrong!” the conman exclaimed, slamming a fist down on the table petulantly. “I could keep up with you just as easily now as I used to way back when!”

“Then prove it!” Amethyst challenged, jumping onto the table herself.

“Fine! Then I will!”

“So you’re in?”

Stan let out a deep, frustrated breath as he glared down at the hand Amethyst was extended to him, catching the clever smirk she was sending his way. He knew that this would likely be a risky endeavor, perhaps one of their most dangerous Revenge Trips yet, given their history with Gideon. But still, he had never been able to turn one of Amethyst’s dares down. And this one was certainly no exception. “I’m in!” he exclaimed, firmly shaking her hand to solidify their plans.

“YEAH!” Amethyst shouted excitedly, jumping up and down on the table happily as the conman simply smirked in subtle satisfaction. “Stan and Amethyst are BACK in business, baby! Revenge Trip, here we come!”

As with all of their infamous Revenge Trips, planning was by far the quickest and easiest part for Stan and Amethyst to get through first. It wasn’t their custom to leave any stone unturned in their escapades, which was why they had conceived a two-fold revenge scheme against Gideon, one that they were certain would even the playing field and then some. Still, before they set out, they had to make sure to gather the proper supplies; after all, there was no room for error in a Revenge Trip, as the pair had learned several times over.

“Ok, so Greg agreed to foot the bail this time in case things do go wrong,” Stan said as he hung the phone up. “Apparently he expects me to ‘pay him back’ this time or somethin’. I dunno.”

“I don’t even know why you bothered to ask him anyway. I already told you, nothing’s gonna go wrong,” Amethyst scoffed as she continued laying their tools of the trade out on the table. Hammers, screwdrivers, and crowbars were only a small part of the extensive collection that also consisted of gloves, gaffers tape, rope, magnifying glasses, flashlights, sponges, and more. Neither of them were exactly sure what they would definitively need until they were actually out in the field, but still, there was no harm in going prepared.

“Still, we’re better safe than sorry,” Stan remarked, crossing his arms as he looked over their supplies.

“Geez, Stan, since when did you start caring so much about the fuzz?” Amethyst rolled her eyes. “You were the guy who crashed his car into the side of the jail just to break me out, remember?”

“I sure do,” Stan couldn’t help but chuckle fondly over the memory. “And then the next time around, you shapeshifted into a bulldozer and broke me out.”

“Hey, you know I always come through,” Amethyst smirked proudly. “Still… we’ve had some pretty wild Revenge Trips. You can’t imagine how hyped I am to finally be going on another one after all these years!”

“Yeah, well save that hype for the road,” Stan chuckled, amused. “Cause the last thing I wanna do is wake the-”

“Grunkle Stan?”

Stan and Amethyst both froze as they turned to the threshold of the kitchen, where a very tired Dipper and Mabel stood, both of them looking to the pair in apt confusion.

“Uh… yo, you guys,” Amethyst greeted with a forced grin. “What’s up?”

“I feel like we should be asking you guys that question instead,” Dipper said with a yawn. “What are you doing with all that stuff?”

“Are you guys gonna go rob a bank?” Mabel asked curiously. “And if so, can we come! I’ve always wanted to be an accomplice in a high-stakes bank robbery, just like in the movies!”

“Yeesh, kid, we ain’t robbing any banks tonight,” Stan informed dryly. “We’re just going to take care of a little… personal business.”

“At 11 o’clock at night?” Dipper asked, glancing over at the clock.

The conman and the purple Gem exchanged an uneasy glance, neither of them really sure how to respond, seeing as how they had been caught on the spot like this. Still, as usual, Stan was the one who came through with an expectantly snappy response. “Yeah, maybe. What’s it to you, kid? I’m a grown adult and Amethyst is a… grown magical rock person. Which means we’re allowed to be out as late as we want and do whatever we want while we’re out.”

“Oooo, you guys are gonna do something super mischievous, aren’t you?” Mabel asked with an intrigued grin.

“We don’t know,” Amethyst shrugged vaguely. “It depends.”

“Depends on what?” Dipper asked, still quite confused.

“Depends on a whole lot of none of your business,” Stan retorted crossly. “Now why don’t you two just run on back to bed and pretend like this was all just a weird dream, k?”

“Yeah, and don’t go telling Pearl or Garnet about any of this,” Amethyst added firmly. “It’ll just be our little secret, got it?”

The twins looked to each other, quite bewildered by how mysterious the pair was being. Still, it was quite clear that both Stan and Amethyst were irresolute in giving away any concrete answers about their plans, which was why Dipper and Mabel decided that all they could really do was give up. “Fine,” Dipper said, turning with a relenting sigh. “We’ll go and leave you guys to whatever most-likely illegal thing you plan on doing.”

“Good luck with it!” Mabel exclaimed brightly as she began to follow her brother out. “Oh, wait, Amethyst, can I tell Steven about this?”

“No, because he’ll tell Garnet and Pearl,” Amethyst shook her head rigidly.

“Aw… ok…” Mabel sighed as she left. “Still, he’d think it’s so cool!” Stan and Amethyst waited for a moment or two, making sure to listen for the sounds of the twins going back upstairs and climbing into bed before letting out a shared sigh of relief.

“Yikes, that was a close one,” Stan remarked, crossing his arms. “I thought those twerps were never gonna leave.”

“Well, at least you managed to drive them off,” Amethyst laughed. “Guess you are still as smooth as you used to be. Still, it doesn’t prove that you can still handle a crazy, high-stakes, fast-paced night on the run.”

“Well then I guess there’s only one way to find out,” Stan smirked daringly, spinning his car keys on his finger deftly. “Let’s roll.”

Amethyst could barely contain her excitement as she hopped into the passenger’s seat of Stan’s car. The conman himself was a bit calmer as he got into the car himself, though he still smirked in amusement as the purple Gem jumped up and down in her seat.

“What are we waiting for?” Amethyst asked eagerly as Stan turned the key in the ignition. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go! We’re burning moonlight!”

“Geez, hold your horses!” Stan laughed as he pulled the car into motion. “The Revenge Trip hasn’t even started yet.”

“I know, but I can’t help it! I’m just so pumped! Tonight is gonna be legendary!”

“Sure, just as long as we don’t get caught.”

“Come on,” Amethyst rolled her eyes. “I already told you. Nobody’s catchin’ us. We’re way smarter than like, anyone in this lame old town. That’s why they call us the Kings of Revenge!”

“Oh yeah? Who calls us that?” Stan asked, raising an eyebrow.

The purple Gem paused for a moment, glancing down with a thoughtful frown before perking up once more. “I do!”

The pair shared a hearty laugh over this, one that eventually petered into a contented sigh as they drove down the dark, empty, narrow road. The sparse streetlights and the dim moonlight beaming down from above gave the road ahead a mysterious, yet somehow comforting vibe, one that Stan and Amethyst hadn’t really seen since their last Revenge Trip years ago. And experiencing it all again now certainly brought about more than enough nostalgic feelings for them both.

“Heh, I kinda forgot how nice this feels,” Stan remarked, hardly paying any mind to his speed as the car careened down the empty street. “Nothin’ but the open road and revenge schemes… It just sorta takes ya back to the good ol’ days, you know?”

“Yeah, I do,” Amethyst readily agreed. “Oh man, remember that one time we got revenge on ol’ Dewey for that zoning ordinance he put on the shack?”

“Of course!” the conman chuckled. “People around here still talk about how his dumb van was blaring ‘Mayor Screwy’ for a whole week! What a classic! Still, nothing compares to the time we pushed Toby Determined’s car into the lake for that stupid article he published about you Gems.”

“Hey, it served him right,” the purple Gem crossed her arms and smirked in satisfaction. “Dude should have known better than to try and get all up in our personal biz. But yeah, that was one of the best ones…” Amethyst sighed as she propped her arm against the car door and looked out the window with a contented smile. “Hey, Stan?” she spoke up after a moment of silence. “You still remember the night we met?”

Stan let out a small laugh at this, shaking his head but keeping his eyes on the road nonetheless. “Please. How could I forget that mess?”

22 years ago…

“Good night, ladies and gentlemen! Thanks for visiting the Murder Hut! And remember: we put the ‘fun’ in ‘no refunds’!” Stan exclaimed boisterously as he waved the last group of tourists out of the gift shop. He let out a tired sigh as he closed the door behind them, pinching the bridge of his nose as his grin faded into an exhausted scowl. “Sheesh, I thought they’d never leave.”

Since Stan had given Greg the rare day off today, he held the full responsibility of closing up shop for the day, which certainly wasn’t helped by the long night up that no doubt awaited him. Still, the conman dully attended to his duties of locking the shop up and making sure everything was in order for the next day. The good part about Greg being off for the night was that Stan wouldn’t have to waste time exchanging pleasantries with him in sending him off. After grabbing a quick bite to eat out of the fridge, he could easily head down and get right to work on what was really important.

After putting his fez down on the counter for the night, Stan headed for the kitchen to grab his rushed dinner, only to be caught off guard by an abrupt, quite loud crash from right outside. The conman had been around long enough to know that anything suspicious like this was enough to raise his guard over, especially considering his circumstances. To be fair, Stan had been on edge for quite some time now, though he honestly had every reason to be, considering he owned a surprisingly profitable business so far out in the woods. Not to mention the personal project he had been hard at work on, one that countless people would love to discover or get their hands on…

Acting quickly yet quietly, Stan crept to the side door, briefly glancing out the window first only to find no one immediately there. Still, he was hardly relieved by that fact alone. Making sure his fists were at the ready for a fight, the conman slowly opened the door, tucking just out of sight behind it as he surveyed the lawn. Still nothing. The area was silent, dark, and serene as always. Stan was just about ready to accept that his caution was mere paranoia and he had just been hearing things, until he happened to hear a soft rattle coming from the nearby trashcan.

While Stan’s initial assumption was that it was just a mere racoon or other wild animal, he still didn’t really want to take his chances with it. Which was why he carefully reached for the baseball bat he kept shoved under the couch on the porch before slowly approaching the trashcan, ready to swing.

However, before he could even really get to close to the rattling can, it happened to suddenly topple over, eliciting a startled cry from both the conman and the small purple figure who rolled out of the can and onto the ground. Stan stilled his bat from swinging upon realizing that it was a person, or at least he thought. Her small, stocky body and short, scruffy lavender hair were covered in filth, most likely from the garbage she had just been rooting through. Still, her eyes were bright and a wide grin was on her face as she looked over the stack of crushed soda cans she had gathered.

“Hey, buddy,” she said to Stan, who could only stare down at her, completely dumbfounded. “Mind kicking that can over here? These babies aren’t gonna eat themselves.”

“Uh… sure?” Stan shrugged in confusion, kicking the empty can near his feet over to her.

“Thanks, old guy!” the girl quipped happily, tossing it into her mouth and swallowing it whole. Yet as much as Stan was disturbed by this, he knew there was a much more pressing question that needed to be asked. Two actually.

“Hold it!” the conman exclaimed, still not letting his guard down at the sight of his diminutive intruder. “Who the heck do you think you are and why were you rummaging through my trash? You know I could call the cops on you for this sorta thing. If I wasn’t going to just fine you for it myself instead.”

“Whoa, wait a sec,” the girl exclaimed, jumping to her feet and letting the cans spill all around her. “Your trash? You mean you live here?”

“Uh… yeah,” Stan replied, though there was a hint of hesitance in his tone before adding more confidence to it. “Yes, I do. Why, you got a problem with that, kid?”

“Kid?” she chuckled, quite amused. “I’m way older than you, old guy. But still, this is crazy! Rose always says nobody lives down here, but what do ya know?! And here I was, thinking it was Music Man coming down here and squatting all the time, but no! It was you! …Whoever you are.”

“Wait, wait, wait, did you just mention… Rose?!” Stan asked, suddenly alarmed.

“Uh yeah,” the girl rolled her eyes. “Why, do you know her? Because everybody knows Rose. Especially me, and Garnet, and Pearl! Oh, and Music Man too, I guess.”

“Then that means… you must be one of those Crystal Crones who live up in that statue on the hill!” the conman exclaimed hotly.

“Sure am!” she proclaimed proudly. “Though we’re really called the Crystal Gems. But I get it. You humans aren’t always the best at pronouncing junk. At least that’s what Pearl is always saying.”

“Beat it, kid!” Stan snapped harshly, pointing up to the temple. “Your kind isn’t welcome around here!”

“Aw, what?” the purple Gem asked, dismayed. “But we just became friends!”

“Friends?!” the conman scoffed. “Please. I wouldn’t be friends with any of you ‘Gems’ if my life depended on it! I don’t want anything to do with any of ya! Now go scamper on back to your giant eight-armed statue before I have you run in for trespassing!”

The purple Gem simply looked to him with a confusion of slight expression, before shrugging in apparent relent. “K, fine. Whatever you say, old guy.”

Stan watched sullenly, his hands on his hips, as the Gem turned and began making her way back up to her temple home. She did stop on the edge of the yard, however, and cast a somewhat unreadable glance back at him, to which he simply responded with another dismissive wave of his hand. The purple Gem shrugged once more as she disappeared into the woods, leaving the conman satisfied enough that she was gone for him to head back into the house.

However, Stan had no sooner shut the door than something suddenly dropped right onto his shoulders, frightening him a great deal, especially as a pair of hands covered his eyes. “What the-?!” he shouted, stumbling around in an attempt to get whatever was sitting on his shoulders off.

Meanwhile, the purple Gem let out a rosaceous laugh as she gladly remained on her perch, having the time of her life as she watched this strange new human panic over her prank. “Ha! Gotcha! Guess you weren’t ready for a sneak attack, old guy!”

After what felt like several minutes of struggling, Stan finally managed to shove the Gem off of his back, glaring frustrated daggers at her as she landed on the floor with another playful laugh. “Well, that was fun!” she remarked, smirking. “Don’t ya think?”

“No!” Stan shouted, infuriated by this point. “Now get the heck outta my house!”

“Oh come on,” the purple Gem rolled her eyes. “You don’t really want me to go, do ya? Seems like this place is pretty boring and lonely. I could totally liven things up for you! If your beef really is with us Gems, then don’t worry! I’m not like Garnet, or Pearl, or even Rose, I promise! Cause unlike them, wherever I go, I bring the party!”

“I don’t care! I don’t want a party or company or anything else! All I want is for you to leave and never ever come back here! Got it?”

The purple Gem pouted insincerely for a moment before flopping down onto the floor lazily. “Nah… I think I’m just gonna hang around here for a while.” With another laugh, she threw her arms up towards the ceiling, watching the conman’s shocked expression in amusement as she shapeshifted them long enough so that they wrapped around the high support beam. With little difficulty, she shortened them a bit, but not all the way; just enough so that she was hanging from the ceiling almost like a hammock. “Get it? Hang around? Ha!”

“H-how did you…?” Stan began to ask, before quickly shaking his head clear of the amazement. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. What does matter is that you’re outta here, purple. Or else.”

“Or else what?” she asked with a coy, challenging smirk as she continued to lazily hang.

“O-or… or I’ll-”

“Ha! I knew you didn’t have anything!” the purple Gem chuckled, dropping down from the ceiling. “You humans are so funny when you try to act all tough like that!” Once again, she shapeshifted, this time into Stan himself as she mimicked his gruff tone. “‘Oh, you better get on outta here, purple. Or else I’ll… I’ll uh… do nothing!’” The purple Gem had worked herself into a fit of laughter by this point, completely ignoring the conman’s awe and subsequent frustration as she reverted to her original form.  

“Yeesh, you Gems are even more annoying than I thought…” Stan grumbled indignantly as the purple Gem continued to laugh at his expense.

“So, you got a name, old guy?” she asked curiously, still reclining on the floor.

“Yeah, I got a name for ya,” Stan scowled. “It’s amscray before I call the cops.”

“Huh, kind of a weird name, but whatever,” she shrugged. “K, Amscray-Before-I-Call-The-Cops, I’m Amethyst. Nice to meet ya!”

“Pleasure’s all mine,” the conman deadpanned, rolling his eyes.

“So, what do you wanna do now?” Amethyst asked with an eager grin. “Eat some more cans? Cause you got plenty of cans out there and I don’t wanna hog ‘em all to myself if you want any. That’d just be rude.”

Stan’s scowl faded into a sly smirk as a sudden idea came to him, one that could hopefully rid him of this annoying intruder at least for a while. “Actually, yeah, let’s do that,” he agreed, feigning interest. “Why don’t you head on out there and grab the rest of them up for us?”

“Sure thing, Amscray-Before-I-Call-The-Cops!” Amethyst readily hopped to her feet and headed for the door. “Oh man, we’re gonna have such a great time! I-” The purple Gem was abruptly cut off as Stan slammed the door behind her the moment she stepped outside. A shocked gasp escaped her as she angrily turned around, pounding the door in a futile attempt to get back in. “Hey! Amscray!”

“Yeah, that’s right!” Stan called with a satisfied smirk as he walked away from the door. “Just amscray back up to your little statue and your ‘perfect’ Rose. And stay the heck outta my hair! Goodbye, good riddance!” The conman heaved an exasperated sigh as he headed back to the gift shop. “And if I never see another Gem again, it’ll be too soon.”

Amethyst raised a confused eyebrow as she glanced out the window to see that Stan was veering off of their intended course and into the suburbs instead. “Uh… Stan? Where are we going?”

“What?” the conman frowned, glancing over at her. “You said so yourself. For our plan to work, we’re gonna need a good backdrop. And there’s only one artist I trust with getting us that backdrop.”

“Wait…” A wide grin spread across the purple Gem’s face as she realized what he was implying. “You don’t mean…”

“That’s right,” Stan nodded with a smirk. “We’re heading to V’s place.”

Amethyst let out a loud, excited cheer at this, one that lasted pretty much until they arrived at their destination. Zealous as always, the purple Gem rushed to the door of the house and eagerly knocked on it while Stan followed not too far behind. “Oh man, V’s gonna be so surprised to see us!” Amethyst exclaimed. “Well… at least me.”

“Hey, me and V always got along just fine,” Stan said defensively.

“Yeah, but were you ever her muse?” the purple Gem snickered playfully.

Before the conman really had a chance to respond, the door abruptly swung open, revealing a middle-aged woman. Her hair was worn in a short, thick bob while she was clad in a green artist’s smock and red slippers. And while there was both exhaustion and confusion written all over her face, the most startling thin about her was the shotgun she wielded as she faced off against whoever had knocked on her door.

“Who’s there?!” she shouted fiercely. “It’s almost midnight! You can’t just-” She stopped dead in her tracks, her jaw and her gun dropping as she noticed the familiar pair standing on her doorstep. “Whoa, hold it… Amethyst?! Stan?!”

“Vidalia!” Amethyst exclaimed happily, rushing to embrace her old friend.

“I can’t believe it!” the woman, Vidalia, exclaimed, hugging Amethyst as she glanced to Stan in disbelieve. “It’s been years since I’ve seen you guys.”

“Tell me about it,” Stan remarked with a small, yet fond grin.

“Man, you’ve changed!” Amethyst laughed as she looked Vidalia up and down. “You look terrible!”

“You look the same…” Vidalia mused before breaking into a joking grin. “Terrible! And Stan, well, I don’t even think I need to touch on how you look.”

“Yeah, yeah,” the conman rolled his eyes, even if he did let out a small laugh. “Good to see your personality hasn’t changed even if your looks have, V. You’re still just as bratty as I remember you being.”

“Hey, that’s what I was known for back in the day,” Vidalia shrugged. “Speaking of which, come on in, you two. Just keep it down. The kids are trying to sleep.”

“Whoa, kids?” Amethyst asked, bewildered as they stepped inside the house. “What the heck happened? I thought you only had one! What, did you and ol’ Farty Marty hook up again?”

“Please. I don’t know where that fool is! And I don’t care either,” Vidalia smiled. “It’s just been me and Yellowtail for a while now.”

“Whaaaat? Yellowtail?” Amethyst gaped.

“How’d you manage to land that catch?” Stan asked with a joking smirk. “Get it?! C-cause Yellowtail’s a-” The conman cut himself off as he noticed neither Amethyst nor Vidalia were laughing. “You know what, never mind.”

“Same old Stan, same old awful jokes,” Vidalia shook her head with a coy grin. “But yeah, things just kinda happened. Next thing you know, I’m living with a fisherman and I have another little troublemaker on my hands. And here he is now.” The artist smirked as Onion ran into the room and jumped into her arms. “You’re supposed to be in bed, mister.” As usual, Onion didn’t respond, even as his mother took the pair of scissors he was wielding away from him.

“Heh, we get it,” Amethyst grinned. “Kids, am I right, Stan?”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! I didn’t know you, of all people, finally decided to settle down, Stan!” Vidalia exclaimed, impressed. “How’d you end up turning into such a silver fox?”

“Please,” Stan scoffed, crossing his arms. “They’re not my kids. I just took in my great niece and nephew for the summer. And honestly, the little scamps are more trouble than they’re worth. Most of the time.”

“Aw, looks like somebody’s finally gone soft in his old age,” Vidalia goaded as she sat Onion down, allowing him to run back upstairs.

“That’s what I was saying!” Amethyst exclaimed. “V, can you believe that this old loser nearly chickened out on going on a Revenge Trip with me tonight?!”

“Yeah, well I didn’t!” the conman protested. “I’m here now, ain’t I?”

“Yeah, only ‘cause I dared you to.”

“Oh, so that’s what you guys are up to, huh?” Vidalia asked with a knowing smirk. “I kinda figured that this wasn’t just a personal visit. So what are you two in the market for tonight? Disguises? Life-sized doubles?”

“Actually… we we’re just gonna need… a painting,” Amethyst said vaguely.

“A painting? Of what?”

“The Tent of Telepathy,” Stan said firmly. “You know, that chump Lil’ Gideon’s place on the other end of town? We’re gonna need a pretty huge backdrop of it, as big and as real-looking as you can make it.”

“Oh yeah?” Vidalia placed her hands on her hips. “You guys are going after Gideon Gleeful? Sounds like kind of a risky move, especially since you two have been out of the game for so long. You really sure you’re up to this?”

“You know we are, girl!” Amethyst said with a daring grin. “We already got everything all laid out, we just gotta go do it! And we need one of your ‘masterpieces’ to help us, V!”

Vidalia let out a long sigh, shaking her head as she looked between the pair. “You two are never gonna learn, are you?” she asked with a smile. “Still, I gotta say, I’ve always respected that about you guys. You never gave up. So, I guess I’ll do your Tent of Telepathy painting. When do you need it by?”

“By the end of the night,” Stan said simply. “If not sooner.”

“What?!” the artist asked, alarmed. “Stan, it’s gonna be a ten foot canvas! I’ll be up all night painting if I-”

“V, come on,” the conman urged with a charming smile. “You’re the best artist in town. If you can’t pull this off, nobody can. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time you preformed a miracle for us. So… what do ya say?”

Vidalia gave him a skeptical look for a moment, though it petered out as soon as she caught Amethyst’s pleading expression. “Flattery will get you nowhere, old man,” the artist deadpanned with a coy grin. “But just for you guys, I’ll have it ready for you guys to pick up by sun up. If you don’t end up getting arrested first, that is.”

“Alright, V!” Amethyst cheered.

“Thanks, V,” Stan said with actual sincerity. “I knew we could count on you.”

“Who else would you count on?” Vidalia chuckled as she began leading them out. “I’m the only person who won’t rat you two clowns out. Now get on out there and get your revenge. And have some fun for me, will ya? After all, I am gonna be stuck in here all night painting…”

“Will do!” the purple Gem saluted as her and Stan got back in the car. “See ya, V!”

“Later!” Vidalia waved them off as they drove away. “And good luck!” The artist laughed to herself as she shut the door behind her, heading for her workshop to begin the task ahead of her. “Hard to believe that after all these years, the dynamic duo is finally back again… Who could have guessed?”

Stan grumbled indignantly to himself as he took in a long sip of his fifth cup of coffee, knowing that it was the only thing keeping him awake at the moment. Not only had he been up working all night, be he had to contend with the purple Gem still lingering around the shack, banging on doors and windows in a desperate attempt to get in. He had no idea what her reasoning was or why she was being so persistent, but his aggravation with her had grown steadily with each passing hour. And yet, right before he prepared to chase her off with the hose, she had apparently given up altogether and headed home, without so much as a single word. While the conman found it rather strange, he couldn’t deny that he was grateful for losing his unwelcome interloper.

At least until the Murder Hut opened for business the following morning.

“Hey, Mr. Pines!” Greg greeted with a smile as he came in for his shift. Stan merely responded with a sullen groan as he slumped against the counter, clinging onto his coffee mug like a vice. The former rock star frowned as he looked over his boss, unsure of what to make of his apparent exhaustion. “Uh… are you ok?”

“Yeah…” Stan mumbled tiredly. “Just had a long night last night…”

“Oh… Well, uh… then maybe now’s not a good time…”

“Not a good time for what?” the conman asked, sitting up a bit.

“Well… There’s someone who… kinda begged me to come down here with me this morning…” Greg said somewhat sheepishly as he turned to the open door. “Um… You can come on in now!”

Stan bolted upright in his seat upon seeing Amethyst walk in, a remorseful expression on her face as she looked up at him guiltily. “YOU!” the conman shouted furiously. “You little punk! I barely got any sleep around here last night what with you banging on stuff all night long!”

“I know… And I’m sorry, Amscray,” Amethyst pouted sincerely.

“Amscray?” Greg asked, looking to Stan in confusion.

“Ugh, stupid kid,” the conman scowled. “My name’s not Amscray.”

“But you said-”

“I know what I said!” Stan snapped. “Listen, couldn’t you just-” The conman cut himself off with a frustrated sigh before turning to his employee. “Greg, could ya give us a minute here? This won’t take long.”

“Oh, um… sure, Mr. Pines,” Greg nodded, exchanging a somewhat nervous glance as he passed by Amethyst and stepped outside. A long bout of silence lingered between the conman and the purple Gem, before the former finally spoke up, quite exasperated.

“I just don’t get you, kid,” Stan huffed, irritated. “What’s your deal with me anyway? Why couldn’t you just run back up to the statue last night when I first told you to?”

“I dunno…” Amethyst admitted with sincerity. “I guess… I was just so excited to meet you! I don’t know too many humans aside from ol’ Music Man out there, and he’s already super tight with Rose, so… you were like, a totally new face to me! I just thought you were kinda cool.”

Stan cocked an eyebrow at this, unsure of what to think after hearing something like this. After all, it wasn’t like he was called something as positive as ‘cool’ very often. Still, he wasn’t about to be taken in by such simple flattery. “Well… don’t you have Rose and those other two bozos to hang out with? Why do you have to pester me, huh?”

“Rose, Garnet, and Pearl are gone,” Amethyst informed with a frown. “They went on a mission yesterday and… they just… didn’t bother to tell me about it I guess.”

“Oh, well boo-hoo,” Stan deadpanned unsympathetically. “How rough it must be for you, not being able to punch monsters with all of your buddies.”

“It’s not rough,” the purple Gem remarked, pretending she really didn’t care. “After all, this wouldn’t be the first time they left me behind though. They’re always doin’ it. Probably ‘cause they don’t want me around, messing stuff up or whatever.”

The conman’s constant scowl suddenly lightened a bit upon hearing this. As much as he wanted to deny that he had anything in common with any of the Gems, he knew that thinking such a statement didn’t at the very least strike a cord with him would be completely false. “Uh… what do you mean?” he asked hesitantly, already regretting pressing any further, since he really wasn’t fond of the idea of striking much of a conversation with the purple Gem.

“Eh… It’s just… I’m not as smooth or strong as the other Gems…” Amethyst sighed, crossing her arms. “Garnet’s really powerful, Pearl’s super smart, and Rose… Rose can do anything. And me? I’m just the dumb ol’ rock that follows them around.”

“Heh, I know how that feels…” Stan muttered before he could really stop himself.

“You do?” Amethyst asked, surprised as she noticed the conman’s unexpectedly regretful expression.

“Course, I do. When I was a kid, everyone used to always compare me to-” Stan quickly stopped himself as he remembered who he was speaking to before revising his statement. “E-everybody else. And when it came right down to it… Well, let’s just say I was never at the top of anyone’s list.”

“Hey, same here!” the purple Gem exclaimed with a small, depreciating laugh. “That’s sorta why I like shapeshifting so much. Why do I have to be a nobody…” Amethyst smirked as she transformed into Greg, Garnet, and Rose, all in seamless succession. “When I could be anybody?!”

Stan couldn’t help but let out a small, sincere laugh at this, one that he actually didn’t retract on this time. “You know, as freaky as that whole shapeshifting thing is, it’s pretty impressive. You ever thought about goin’ on the road with that, kid?”

“Meh, it’s no big deal,” Amethyst shrugged as she turned back into herself. “But this place you have going on here? It looks awesome!” With an excited grin, the purple Gem looked around the gift shop, taking in all of odd sights on display. “What is all this cool junk anyway?”

“What, you’ve never heard of the Murder Hut before?” Stan asked, slightly offended.

“Murder Hut?” Amethyst stuck her tongue out. “Ugh, that name’s terrible! Who would wanna come to a place with murder in its name aside from crazy people? You should really think about changing it, dude. An old mysterious shack like this deserves to be called something just as mysterious!”

“Mysterious shack, huh…?” Stan mused thoughtfully. “Then how about… the Mystery Shack? What do ya think about that, kid?”

“Oh, man, yeah!” the purple Gem eagerly agreed. “That’s way better!”

“You think so?”

“Yeah I do!”

“Yeah, well I-” Stan cut himself off, his casual grin fading into a scowl once again as he spotted the gemstone on Amethyst’s chest. “Pfft, well, it’s not like I care about what someone like you thinks. I mean, I don’t even know you, much less like ya, kid.”

Amethyst rolled her eyes, her smile unshakable as she looked up to the conman. “You know what I think? I think that’s a lie, old guy. I think you do like me. At least a little.”

“No I don’t!” Stan protested adamantly. “I don’t like any of you Gems! I thought I made that pretty clear last night.”

“Yeah, sure,” the purple Gem laughed, calling his bluff. “Whatever you say, old guy.”

“Will ya stop calling me old guy, kid?” the conman asked impatiently.

“Only if you stop calling me kid,” Amethyst agreed coyly. “But if I can’t call you old guy and I can’t call you Amscray… then what can I call you?”

The conman sighed, part of him wishing he had kicked the purple Gem out of his house the moment she walked in. And the other part of him somehow strangely enjoying the bizarre conversation they were having and wanting it to continue. After all, it had been a long time since he had really opened up to anyone like this. And unfortunately for him, that other, softer part of him won out in the end. “Stan,” he finally answered, smirking just the slightest bit as he watched Amethyst’s eyes light up with delight. “You can call me Stan.”

“Well, we’re here,” Stan announced as he parked the car in the woods just shy of the Tent of Telepathy.

“Yeah! Here comes the revenge!” Amethyst exclaimed, bouncing up and down on her seat. “We’re gonna roast that little punk! I can’t wait to see the look on his face tomorrow when he-”

“Hold it, Amethyst,” the conman cautioned, stopping her before she could jump out of the car. “We can’t just go out there and do this as if it were any old Revenge Trip. If V was right about one thing, it’s that this is a high stakes job.”

“Heh, I get it! Stakes!” the purple Gem laughed. “Cause we’re gonna take the stakes outta the tent! Good one!”

“Heh, yeah sure,” Stan rolled his eyes, grinning in slight amusement. “But I mean it. Gideon may be a chubby little shyster, but he’s a chubby little shyster with a whole lot of clout around here. Which means if we’re not careful, then he could have the entire town turn on us in a heartbeat.”

“Pfft, like I care about what any of those squares think,” Amethyst scoffed. “But fine. If you’re so scared of getting busted, then I’ll cool my jets for you. And cause I don’t wanna get yelled at by Garnet or Pearl if we do end up getting caught.”

“Good,” Stan nodded, grabbing his gloves and hammer from the back seat. “Then let’s hit it.”

Amethyst nodded, holding up her can of spray paint briefly as they both got out of the car. Still, staying out of sight at the edge of the forest, the pair crept towards the tent, making sure to keep an eye out for anyone in the vicinity before they emerged to start their work. As Stan hurried around the tent and pulled each of the pegs holding it down out in quick, quiet succession, Amethyst stood at its rear, taking in the empty “canvas’ before her. She hadn’t really thought ahead too much about her manner of vandalism as much as her method, which was why she was at something of a loss about what to paint on the side of the tent now.

“Well, I got all the pegs,” Stan said as he joined her, holding up a full bag. “All it’ll take is one good gust of wind and this whole place will come toppling down. Plus, these pegs will make some great firewood back at the shack. What’s the holdup back here?”

“I can’t think of anything to write!” Amethyst groaned. “I mean, normally I’m super clever and witty when it comes to coming up with insults, but I’m so hyped on Revenge Trip adrenaline right now. I’m drawing a blank!”

“Geez, do I have to do all the heavy lifting on Revenge Trips even fourteen years later?” Stan asked with an amused grin, taking the spray paint from her. “Gimme that thing. I’ll show you what a good tag looks like.”

The purple Gem watched curiously as the conman graffitied on the side of the tent in deft, confident strokes, before letting out a rosaceous laugh upon seeing what he had written once it was done. “Oh my gosh. That’s hilarious. That stupid kid will never be able to live this one down!”

“Hey, I told you,” Stan shrugged as he tossed the spray paint back to her. “I haven’t lost my touch just yet.”

“Man, I’m sorry for ever doubting you!” Amethyst exclaimed brightly as she followed Stan back towards the car. “Guess you really can still hold your own in a Revenge Trip. So I guess that means you’re not boring. Just old.”

“Yeah, well we’re not done yet,” Stan rolled his eyes casually. “We still gotta-” The conman froze as he accidently bumped into one of the abandoned cars parked near the Tent of Telepathy by mistake. Much to the pair’s misfortune, the car’s security alarm immediately started blaring, which of course, woke up anyone within the immediate vicinity. Stan and Amethyst exchanged a wide-eyed glance as all of the lights in the nearby houses turned on, hoping that it wasn’t already too late for them to make a clean get away.

“Uh, I guess that’s our cue hightail it the heck outta here!” Stan exclaimed, dashing for the car. Of course, Amethyst made it there first, though the conman wasn’t too far behind. Acting as quickly as possible, Stan shoved the key in the ignition, though of course, the car just so happened to stall when he turned it. “Oh come on!”

“What’s wrong?” Amethyst asked, glancing out the front window anxiously. People had already started emerging from their houses as the car alarm continued to ring out obnoxiously through the night.

“Ugh, the stupid thing won’t-” Stan cut himself off as he threw his fist down on the dash of the car, which of course, somehow got it working finally. “There we go!”

“Well, come on! Let’s get the heck outta here before someone sees us!” the purple Gem urged anxiously.

“Hey, you don’t have to tell me twice!” Stan exclaimed, pulling the car into reverse before speeding back onto the road. Amethyst was thrown back in her seat as the conman floored it, practically burning rubber as he drove away from the scene as fast as his car would let him.

After regathering her bearings, the purple Gem sat forward and let out a loud, wild cheer, pumping her fist in the air with apt excitement. “Whoo! Yeah, baby! Petal to the metal!”

“Heh, ya think that’s fast?” Stan asked with a challenging smirk. “Then you ain’t seen what this baby can really do!” His grin widened as he put the car into the next gear, causing it to rocket forward even faster somehow.

Amethyst was practically screaming with exhilaration by this point, especially as she stuck her head out the open car window and let her long hair blow wildly behind her. “Aw, yeah!” she exclaimed with a warm laugh as she sat back down and Stan steadily slowed down. “This is the best! This is totally just how it used to be back in our old Revenge Trip days, and I love it! Doesn’t it just make you feel alive?”

“Heck yeah it does!” the conman boldly agreed with a wide grin. “I don’t even know why I was worried before! Like anybody’s ever gonna catch us this time! Even without Revenge Trips, we’ve still broken in and out of plenty of other tight spots over the years. This’ll be a piece of cake!”

“You’re darn right it will be!” Amethyst exclaimed. “I mean, we’re already one third of the way done! The night’s still young and the rest of this Revenge Trip is in the bag! Ain’t nobody gonna stop this party! And why?”

Stan laughed as he caught the eager, expectant look Amethyst was giving him. And of course, he gave her the answer he was certain she wanted to hear. “Because this party’s going all night!”

With the momentum gained from the first stage of their plan, Stan and Amethyst had more than enough to keep them going as they went on with phase two. Fortunately, the car alarm back at the Tent of Telepathy had hardly tipped anyone off to their presence there, as no one bothered to tail them or look into what had even happened, really. And so they were completely in the clear to ride through town unnoticed as they carried out the next part of their revenge scheme.

Part two was by and large the least risky stage, as it consisted of several brief, succinct stops all over town. They all did have a common theme, however: every stop they made was in front of some kind of advertisement for the Tent of Telepathy. Be it billboards, posters, bus ads, or anything else that had Gideon’s face on it, Amethyst and Stan made sure to stop by them and apply a healthy coat of graffiti. Their designs and messages were different on each one, from giving the child psychic an ugly mustache, to devil horns, to simply writing the word “fraud” on several of them. Whatever they could come up with, it was all fair game.  Fortunately, they only had to deal with one close call while they were working on a billboard in town, but thanks to Amethyst’s shapeshifting, they narrowly evaded being spotted by the passing patrol car.

From there, the rest of their work was relatively easy, especially as they took it to the side and back roads out of town. Along the way, the two of them continued to speed down the empty roads just for fun, laughing and yelling all the while. Whenever the decided to take a break from this, they would instead reminisce about Revenge Trips gone by, laughing over their many reckless escapades and close calls, most of which they could easily look back on as fondly as ever. And for a while, both of them were easily able to forget that they had ever stopped going on Revenge Trips in the first place.

For a moment, as fleeting as it might have been, they both felt just as young and as free as they had been during their very first revenge trip, over twenty years ago.

“Yo, Stan!” Amethyst exclaimed as she entered the gift shop. The purple Gem’s visits to the newly dubbed Mystery Shack had become rather frequent, to the point that she stopped by for a few hours at least once a week, if not more. While the conman did complain at first, he had gotten somewhat used to it after the first month or two. After all, when compared to her fellow Gems, Amethyst wasn’t really the worst company to have around, given her playful personality and her genuinely engaging sense of humor. Stan still wasn’t sure if he would ever refer to her as a “friend”, but at the very least, the two of them had reached an amicable place. For the most part.

“Amethyst,” Stan greeted the purple Gem dully, looking over his newspaper with a cross scowl.

“Whoa, what’s with the long face?” Amethyst asked, hopping up onto the counter as she usually did. “What, was someone a penny short on buying a bobble head?”

“Pfft, I wish,” the conman rolled his eyes as he set his paper down. “Have you seen this? Some chump “tourist destination reviewer” or whatever the heck he calls himself came by here the other day, disguised as a regular old tourist. And then, after I kicked the creep out for asking too many stupid questions, he writes this crummy review about the shack in the town paper!”

“Oh yeah? What’s it say?” the purple Gem asked curiously.

“Nothing but a bunch of complains about how this place is ‘run down’ and my business practices are ‘shady’,��� Stan tossed the paper away from him harshly. “What a load of garbage. Weasels like that deserve to be dropped off a very high cliff, if you ask me.”

“Dang, this fool sounds like a real jerk,” Amethyst said, crossing her arms. “What’s his deal anyway? This place is totally cool!”

“Exactly!” Stan asserted. “That’s why I’m gonna put that reviewer in his place tonight with a little good old fashioned revenge.”

“Ooo, revenge?” the purple Gem asked, intrigued. “Sounds neat! Whatcha you gonna do?”

“Eh, nothin’ too fancy. I was just gonna go find his house and then let a bunch of rabid squirrels loose inside of it. Maybe get some pictures of it and send an article of my own to the Gossiper on it.”

Amethyst nearly fell off the counter laughing at this insane, yet admittedly outrageous plan. “Dude, that’s hilarious! You gotta let me come with you and watch! Or better yet, help you round up all those squirrels!”

“Oh, no,” the conman firmly shook his head. “No way. I work alone, kid. Especially on petty heists like this.”

“Aw, come on…” Amethyst pleaded. “I won’t get in the way! I promise! Besides, I need to see some action! Everything’s been so boring lately…”

“What, you mean you haven’t been out tossing that whip of yours at creeps with your buddies recently?” Stan asked, his disdain for the other Gems clear enough in his tone. If there was one thing that both Stan and Amethyst (and Greg, seeing as how he had been roped into all of this too) agreed on, it was that they had every intention of keeping their newfound comradery hidden from the other Gems, particularly Rose. The conman had his own reasons for this, ones that he never really disclosed to the purple Gem, who didn’t really care too much about them in the first place. But for Amethyst, the main reason why she didn’t really care to hear any possible complaints her teammates might aim at either her or Stan for it. After all, she had to put up with enough of those as it was.

“Haven’t been any creeps to toss it at,” the purple Gem shrugged. “And when there are, the others usually just take care of it without me. As usual.”

“Hpmh, what else is new with those three?” Stan said with a scowl. “Still, kid, you can’t come with me tonight. Mostly ‘cause I just don’t think you can keep up with an old pro like me.”

“Pfft, I know I can!” Amethyst exclaimed, hopping to her feet. “I’m a magical Gem warrior! I can handle anything that any ol’ loser might throw at us!”

“That’s a pretty bold claim…” the conman mused with a growing smirk. “You really think you can back it up?”

“Duh!”

“Fine,” Stan shrugged. “Then I’ll give you a shot. But if you start dragging me down for even a second, kid, then I’ll drop you just like I’m gonna drop those squirrels in that reviewer’s house.”

“Deal!” Amethyst exclaimed, taking the conman’s outstretched hand and firmly shaking it. “Aw, man, this Revenge Trip is gonna be great!”

“Revenge Trip?” the conman repeated, aptly confused. “What the heck is a Revenge Trip?”

“It’s what we’re gonna do tonight!” the purple Gem explained brightly. “Ya know, since we’re going on a trip to get some revenge. So it’s a Revenge Trip!”

“Geez, that’s corny,” Stan rolled his eyes. “You may have been right about renaming this place the Mystery Shack, kid, but you might wanna think twice about that whole ‘Revenge Trip’ thing.”

“Eh,” Amethyst shrugged blithely. “You’ll warm up to it eventually.”

It had taken several hours, but soon enough, Stan and Amethyst had succeeded in vandalizing just about every Tent of Telepathy ad they knew of in Gravity Falls. Still, neither of them were really even that tired yet, even if it couldn’t have been any earlier than 3 AM. If there was something either of them knew, it was that exhaustion was never a factor of a Revenge Trip. And if it ever was, then it could easily be fixed with just a few cups of coffee.

With phase two now behind them, Amethyst kicked back in her seat, letting out a contented sigh as Stan drove up the steep hill towards their penultimate destination: the Gleefuls’ merchandise warehouse. By and large, stage three was going to be the most dangerous and most daring part of their scheme, one that could easily end up with them getting caught if they weren’t careful. After all, what they planned to do next was more than just mere graffiti or stealing tent pegs. Stage 3 entailed actual criminal offenses, including breaking and entering, theft, and destruction of property. Nothing the two of them hadn’t done before, but still, things that could carry pretty hefty penalties if they did actually end up getting caught. But still, there was only one rule that Stan and Amethyst had for all of their Revenge Trips: “Instead of just going big, always go bigger.” And this was certainly going to be one of the biggest things they had ever done on a Revenge Trip.

“So you know the plan, right?” Stan asked as they arrived right outside the warehouse.

“Duh,” Amethyst rolled her eyes. “We get in there, get all the stuff, get out, and dump it in the lake. Simple as that.”

“Sure, ‘simple’,” the conman deadpanned, getting out. “It’ll be real simple if we manage to make it outta here without getting busted. Now can you give us an in?” he asked, handing her a crowbar.

“You got it!” the purple Gem gave him a thumbs up, running up to the warehouse before leaping high at one of its windows. After grabbing onto the ledge and perching there, she used her crowbar to pry one of the windows open before hopping down into the warehouse itself. Stan only had to wait for a moment or two before its front doors swung open, revealing a very satisfied Amethyst standing inside.

“What do ya know?” the purple Gem asked as the conman walked past her into the factory. “Looks like I haven’t lost my touch either.”

“How could you when you break into my house at least once a week?”

“Aw, come on. You know you love it.”

“Love is a strong word. How about we say I tolerate it and leave it at that?”

“Pfft, whatever,” Amethyst scoffed as they both stopped to evaluate the large task ahead of them. The warehouse was filled to the brim with Gideon’s self-advertising paraphernalia, piled up in boxes and crates that stacked up to the ceiling. Still, neither Stan nor Amethyst were too terrible daunted by it. After all, they had the rest of the night ahead of them. “So…” the purple Gem began, rolling her eyes as she glanced down at a Lil’ Gideon plushy near her feet. “Where should we start?”

“With anything breakable,” Stan said, clutching his own crowbar. “And then everything else we’ll haul down to the lake.”

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Amethyst readily agreed, more than ready to get to work. And that’s just what they did. Releasing any and all inhibitions, the pair began storming the warehouse, swinging their crowbars at literally anything that could be shattered, bent, or beaten. At one point, the purple Gem even shapeshifted into a wrecking ball and proceeded to plow through as many crates at once as she could. Stan could only stand by and laugh as she did so, taking sheer delight in the unapologetic destruction of his rival’s property. If nothing else, then one thing was certainly clear: the best kind of revenge was certainly being had in this Revenge Trip.

After they had busted just about everything breakable in the entire warehouse, they steadily starting rounding up anything that was left. It was still a fairly sizable load, consisting of clothing, figurines, posters, and more, and not all of it could easily fit inside of Stan’s car. Fortunately, Amethyst came up with a rather clever idea about how they could haul the rest of it down to the lake. Shapeshifting her body thin and wide, the purple Gem scooped the rest of the merchandise into her arms and formed herself into something of a large “sack” to hold it all in. With Stan’s assistance, she managed to perch herself on top of the car, holding tightly onto the roof as she held all of the stolen goods under her.

“K-k!” Amethyst exclaimed down to the conman, clearly straining. “I… I think I’m ready!”

“Are you sure?” Stan asked with apt concern. “Cause you look like you’re pushing yourself pretty hard up there.”

“A-aw…” the purple Gem laughed roughly. “Y-you really do care about me, S-Stan!”

“Yeah, yeah,” the conman said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Let’s just get going already. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can finally go home and get in bed. Coffee only does so much, you know.”

“Then c-come on!” Amethyst urged as Stan got in the car. “L-let’s finish this!”

The conman complied as he started driving off, going slow at first to make sure Amethyst had a steady hold on the roof before resorting to the normal speed. They both knew they had to exercise a bit more caution now, seeing as how the purple Gem large, bag-like form on the roof would certainly be a dead give-away that they were up to something suspicious. Still, time was on their side, since nobody was out so very late at night. Which meant that they were able to ride all the way to the lake without passing so much as a single soul. Indeed, it certainly seemed that everything was going off without a hitch.

So far.

Amethyst let out an exhausted sigh, finally lifting her straining form as Stan pulled up on the shore of the beach. All of the stolen merchandise fell off of the roof right along with the Gem, several boxes already dropping into the shallows of the lake already.

“You ok?” Stan asked as he stood over Amethyst, who simply lay flat on her back in the sand as she recovered. “Or are you gonna need a minute?”

The purple Gem responded with a feeble thumbs-up. “I-I’m… good...” she assured breathlessly.

“Good, because we don’t have a lot of time to waste,” the conman said. “We gotta shove all this junk into the lake before sun-up, or else we’ll-”

“Or else what, Stanford?”

Stan and Amethyst gasped in startled unison as a pair of glaring headlights suddenly beamed down on them. And of course, standing in the middle of the spotlights, was none other than the very target of their Revenge Trip: Gideon himself.

“Gideon?!” the pair exclaimed in apt shock, glancing to each other first and then to the child psychic, who stood before them with a very smug smirk.

“Well, good evenin’ both of ya!” Gideon exclaimed with transparently faux friendliness. “Or perhaps I should be saying good mornin’ since its, oh, about 4 in the morning! Now that begs the question… what are ya’ll doin’ out here this early with such a fine array of merchandise from my factory, hm?”

“Oh, this?” Stan asked with a caustic scowl. “We were just moving it all for you. Yeah, we figured that a bunch of useless tacky junk like this belongs more at the bottom of the lake than it does all nice and cozy in that warehouse of yours.”

“Oh, well I’m much obliged, Stanford, much obliged,” Gideon nodded, still playing his amicable card for all it was worth. “’Course, you both realize that I can’t just let something like this lie. Especially since all of my signs all around town were also shamelessly vandalized tonight. Ya’ll wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?”

“Ugh, just shut up, you little twerp,” Amethyst groaned in exasperation as she stood up. “You already caught us red-handed, you don’t have to be an annoying jerk about it.”

“Very well then, I suppose your right,” the child psychic shrugged. “Guess there really is no need in bein’ pleasant if you ain’t gonna be. I’ll just settle for dialing up the police and letting them handle this,” Gideon grinned darkly as he pulled out his phone. “I’m sure the town prison will just love to welcome two new inmates in one night.”

“Ok then, go ahead and call them,” Stan challenged, unconcerned. Amethyst shot him a concerned look at this, but he was quick to reassure her with a subtle wink. “And while you’re at it, go ahead and tell them how you trespassed onto my property earlier and broke my fence. Or about how you vandalized the Gem’s temple and painted the whole thing pink. I’m sure they’d love to hear about that.”

“Ohhhh!” Amethyst exclaimed with a triumphant laugh. “You can’t smooth-talk your way outta all that, Gideon! We know you did all that stuff!”

“Maybe so,” Gideon acknowledged. “But it’s my word against ya’lls. And really, who are they gonna believe? Poor lil’ ol’ me? Or the town crook and a Gem with a known record of causin’ mischief?”

Stan and Amethyst both sucked in anxious breaths upon hearing this, knowing that as much as they hated to admit it, Gideon was right. He had the town practically wrapped around his little finger; it would take a miracle for them to convince anyone that they were in the right here, especially since all of the evidence of their misdeeds stood right beside them. “So are we making a break for it?” Amethyst muttered to Stan.

“Do you even have to ask?” the conman replied in a quick whisper. “Getaway time!” he shouted, throwing one of the smoke bombs he always kept on hand down. While the child psychic was blinded by the blast, Stan and Amethyst hurriedly jumped into the car and sped off down the shoreline, leaving their haul of merchandise behind completely in favor of escaping.

“Wha—hey!” Gideon shouted, enraged as he watched his foes get away. “Get back here, you—augh!” The child psychic ran to the car behind him, hopping into the passenger’s seat behind his father. “After them, Daddy!” he ordered harshly as he began dialing up the police. “Don’t you dare let them get away!”

Meanwhile, the conman was flooring it as he swerved back onto the road, while Amethyst took a nervous glance out the back window. “Uh, he’s following us!”

“Of course he is, the little troll!” Stan growled. “Wouldn’t have expected anything else from him. That’s why we gotta loose him!”

“Yeah! Now you’re talking!” the purple Gem exclaimed, her former pep returning. “Oh, wait! I got an idea!” Amethyst quickly turned around in her seat, reaching for the mound of plushies that they had shoved in the back and grabbing several of them. Opening her window wide, the purple Gem threw them hard at Bud’s car, watching with a satisfied grin as he had to swerve out of the way to miss one.

“Nice one!” Stan exclaimed, exchanging a high five with her. “Now we just gotta-” The conman froze the moment he started hearing police sirens from behind. Amethyst gasped as she looked out the back to see a patrol car had joined the chase, and now rode alongside Gideon and his father in trailing them.

“Aw, come on!” the purple Gem groaned. “How’d they get here so fast?! I swear, it’s like that kid can get anyone to do anything for him!”

“It doesn’t matter!” the conman exclaimed, speeding on the narrow forest road. “Cause we’re about to shake both of them as soon as I find the dirt path up ahead.”

“That old thing? You’ll never be able to find it as dark as it is out here!” Amethyst protested. “Let me drive, I have a much better idea!”

“What?! You really think I’m gonna let you drive my car?!” Stan scoffed in disbelief. “Now you’ve really lost it!”

“Come on, Stan, just trust me on this!” Amethyst pleaded, reaching for the wheel. “I have a plan! You know me! I always have a plan!”

“Yeah, well if you always have a plan, then why didn’t you plan on this happening, huh?!” Stan retorted crossly, pulling the wheel away from her. The car weaved back and forth wildly on the road as they grappled for it, but even still, both Gideon and the cops kept tight on their tail.

“I could have planned for it!” the purple Gem argued, pushing on the wheel hard.

“Then why didn’t you?!”

“Because… because I… Look out!” Amethyst let out a frightened shout as the car rounded the next turn hard. Fortunately, they managed to lose Gideon and the police in this turn, but unfortunately, neither of them were able to stop the car from veering out of control and off of the road altogether. The pair let out a unified frightened scream as the car plowed into the forest at an alarming speed, the breaks proving useless thanks to their drastic descent down the hill. They only narrowly managed to avoid hitting one of the many trees in their path thanks to Stan keeping his wits about him enough to swerve through them, though nearly every one they passed was a drastically close call. After what felt like ages of bouncing roughly through the woods, the car finally at last came to a gradual stop in the middle of a wide clearing.

As the car finally went still and the engine mercifully cut off, both Stan and Amethyst let loose the terrified breaths they had been holding all throughout their trip down the hill. However, as the conman leaned back in his seat to try and catch his lost breath, the purple Gem instead let out a raucous, excited cheer over their survival.

“Whoo! We lived! And it was awesome!” she exclaimed, stars in her eyes. “Man, I wish I could have seen the looks on our faces as we were rolling down that hill! What a wild ride! Huh, Stan?” Amethyst grinned widely as she glanced over at the conman, who was instead simply glaring down at his lap in utter disbelief. “Uh… Stan?”

“Amethyst, we nearly just died,” Stan said, his tone harsh and cold.

“Well, yeah, almost, I guess,” Amethyst shrugged. “But he, we didn’t! Cause like we said, this party’s going all night! And nothing’s gonna stop us from-”

“Amethyst!” the conman practically shouted, clearly in no mood for such merriment. “I’m serious!”

“Pfft, since when?” the purple Gem scoffed, crossing her arms as she glared away from him. “Oh yeah, that’s right. Since you got old and boring. Should have known you’d wimp out on me in the end. Just like last time.”

“And I should have known that everything would turn south, just like last time,” Stan scowled just as bitterly. “I don’t even know why I agreed to come along on this disaster. I knew I should have just gone with my gut and stayed home. At least then I wouldn’t be on the lamb again.”

“Yeah, cause anything’s better than going on another Revenge Trip with me, right?” Amethyst asked sourly. “Oh, and let me guess. You’re probably wishing that you never let me start hanging around you all those years ago either, huh? I’m sure that would have saved you a ton of headaches and annoyance! Well sorry that I thought you were cool for some reason back then. Because now, it’s pretty obvious that I was totally wrong!”

“Whatever,” the conman remarked coldly. “You really think I care what you think about me? Or about what anyone thinks of me? Well, I don’t! Never have! And you know why? Because unlike you, I’m totally fine on my own! I don’t need anybody to pick me up when I’m down and tell me I’m gonna be ok, because that’s not how the real world works! I don’t need to go out and act up like this just to make myself feel better! The only reason I ever went along and did any that was because of you!”

“Oh yeah? W-well, who said I ever needed you to make me feel better?!” Amethyst shouted, her temper getting the better of her. “I was just fine before I ever met you! Back then I had Rose, and she’d always tell me that I was special, that I was important, no matter what!”

“Oh wow, real inspiring,” Stan deadpanned. “I’m sure she really meant it too. Just like how she said she was gonna stick around you guys forever, huh? And look at how that ended up turning out.”

Amethyst suddenly threw her fist down hard on the dashboard upon hearing this. “Don’t you ever talk about Rose like that!” she practically screamed, tears welling up in her eyes. “You think it’s not hard enough that she’s gone?! I don’t need to be reminded of it, especially not by you! You couldn’t possibly know how hard it is to just lose someone like that!”

“Oh, really?!” Stan asked, completely appalled. “Because I know what it’s like to lose someone important too. I knew about that way before you ever did! In fact, I-” The conman quickly cut himself off before he said too much, but he still remained quite bitter, even if he calmed down somewhat and went off on an entirely different tangent. “See, this right here is why we stopped doing Revenge Trips…”

“What are you talking about?” Amethyst asked, letting out a frustrated huff. “We stopped because you got lame on me, just like everyone else…”

“No. We stopped because this happened last time too,” Stan said with palpable regret. “It nearly ended up ruining…” The conman sighed, knowing this would be one of the rare occasions he was actually going to admit to this, though he did so all the same. “Our friendship. Remember?”

The purple Gem stilled at this, her scowl fading as she looked to the conman somewhat gently. “Of course, I do,” she said, her tone strangely fragile and morose as she glanced down briefly. “How could I forget one of the worst nights of my life?”

Stan and Amethyst’s initial “Revenge Trip” had been a rousing success. In almost no time at all, they had filled the tourist reviewer’s home with rabid squirrels and had laughed together over it all the while. And of course, since their first Revenge Trip had gone so well, it didn’t take long for them to find reasonable cause to go on a second one. Then a third one. And a forth one.

Sure enough, Revenge Trips very quickly became a norm for the pair, at least a weekly affair that they always looked forward to. Under the cover of night, they would set off, with a different target in mind each time, always ready to right any perceived wrongs against them in the best of ways. Their methods were creative, their tactics, clever, and their zeal, undaunted. Rare was the occasion where they ever got caught, and if they did, then either Stan would talk their way out or Amethyst would force their way out. They had gained both allies and enemies along the way, but what they gained the most of by far were memories. Through their misadventures and scheming, Stan and Amethyst had gone from begrudging acquaintances to true friends, friends forged by nights of freedom, danger, and most of all, vengeance. For eight straight years, the dynamic duo felt like they were on top of the world, unstoppable in their many quests for revenge and excitement.

Until, of course, it all came to a grinding halt.

It was a simple job, one they had thought about and planned out as much as they could. A supplier up the road had failed to deliver a shipment of merchandise that Stan had already paid for, and they adamantly refused to give him a refund for it. So of course, the only way the conman could see to rectify the situation was contracting Amethyst for another one of their infamous Revenge Trips. The ride up to the factory had been a rather long and uneventful one, but once they arrived, they were more than ready to carry out their well-thought out plans. Making use of Stan’s wide variety of tools and Amethyst’s clever use of shapeshifting, the pair managed to sneak their way into the factory, where they planned on stealing several boxes of goods in order to make up for what the conman hadn’t received.

And yet, through years of successful Revenge Trips, Stan and Amethyst had gotten admittedly cocky in their scheming. Since nobody had ever really caught and held them for too long, they started to hold onto the belief that they were invincible, that no one could nab them because they were far too smart and far too fast to be pinned down by anyone. A belief that, of course, was their downfall in the end.

Usually, the places they raided on their Revenge Trips were abandoned by night, or far enough out of the way that they wouldn’t have to worry about being seen. However, what neither of them had anticipated was that the target of their heist was actually surprisingly upscale. While breaking in had been easy, evading detection was a whole other issue. The moment they dropped down into the factory, a siren alarm started blaring, prompting the security guards on duty to give chase. Seeing that their mission was immediately futile, Stan and Amethyst already started making a break for it. When they were inevitably apprehended at the door, they both tried to fight their way out of the officers’ gasp, with punches, kicks, and even a few whip lashes. But in the end, they were indeed outnumbered and outgunned, and both of them were ultimately arrested on the spot.

Since their Revenge Trip had taken them out of Gravity Falls, the pair found themselves in a precinct far harsher and more strict than what they were used to. What would have been regarded with a mere slap on the wrist in Gravity Falls was considered a serious offense in this new area. Breaking and entering, resisting arrest, and attempted theft were all on the bill for possible charges they were both facing. Still, there was little they could do to argue their case as they were locked in one of the police station’s small cells, awaiting further sentencing.

“I can’t believe we got caught,” Stan grumbled to himself, reclining against the stone wall behind him. “All these years of Revenge Trips and we’ve never been busted like this before! Guess that’s why got caught in the first place: we got sloppy.”

“Yeah, we did, but you know what’s not gonna be sloppy?” Amethyst asked with a sly smirk. “Bustin’ outta here.”

“What? You can’t be serious,” the conman scoffed. “Amethyst, we aren’t in Gravity Falls anymore. These cops aren’t as dumb or easy to fool as the ones back home. If they were, then I would have already talked us out of this cell and we’d be off the hook.”

“Oh, so what?” Amethyst asked, standing with an impatient scowl. “You’re just gonna sit here and serve five to ten just because we made one dumb mistake?”

“No, but I’m just saying. We need to see how this is gonna turn out before rushing into anything else. Tonight’s already turning out to be enough of a mess as it is, we don’t need to make it any worse.”

The purple Gem shot the conman a cold glare upon hearing this, but even so, she refused to sit down again. “Since when did you start wimping out on me, Stan? You’re always telling me about all of the wild and crazy things you used to do back in the day, so what gives?”

“‘What gives’ is that this isn’t worth it!” Stan exclaimed adamantly. “It’s all fun and games until something like this happens. And I’ve been in enough scrapes of my own to know that when things go downhill as bad as this, that’s when it’s time to bail out.”

“Wha—Yeah, b-but… that’s what makes it all so fun!” Amethyst protested. “It wouldn’t be worth it if it was easy! The risk is what makes a Revenge Trip a Revenge Trip! Duh!”

“See, that’s always been your problem, Amethyst!” the conman scolded. “You always gotta go bigger than you need to and it always ends up getting both of us in trouble! And… and I’m done.”

“D-done with that?”

“With this! With Revenge Trips, with getting arrested, with-”

“With me?!” Amethyst asked challengingly, her hands curled into tight fists.

“Maybe!” Stan shouted before he could really stop himself. He immediately regretted it though, especially as the purple Gem took in a sharp, very hurt gasp upon hearing this. Her bottom lip quivered as her eyes filled up with incoming tears that she refused to let loose as she simply glared piercingly at the conman, her expression saying everything that her words couldn’t. “A-Amethyst,” Stan quickly tried to redact his statement, his eyes wide as he realized he had definitely crossed the line in his frustration. “I… I don’t… I didn’t mean-”

“Amethyst!” The pair was abruptly startled out of the moment as a familiar pair marched up to their cell. Stan let out a disgruntled sigh upon seeing Garnet and Pearl, though Amethyst’s reaction was by far more worried.

“Oh no…” she muttered, knowing that the situation had just gone from bad to worse. For the past eight years, she had managed to keep her Revenge Trip escapades with Stan a secret from her fellow Gems, knowing that they would never approve of them. After all, she had learned over the course of the past eight years and whenever Rose and Stan so much as crossed paths, they would always buck heads in some way or another. And of course, Garnet and Pearl would always side with their leader, no matter what. But now, there would indeed be no denying it or trying to sneak off as Amethyst usually did. They had both been caught red handed.

“Oh, it looks like you were right after all, Garnet!” Pearl exclaimed, standing outside the cell with the taller Gem and glaring at the pair inside. “I didn’t want to believe that Amethyst would engage in something so deplorable, especially with a miscreant like you, Stan, but here we all are! Care to explain?”

“Sheesh,” Stan rolled his eyes. “As if getting arrested wasn’t bad enough, now we gotta sit here and listen to you lecture to us, Pearl? Might as well just send me off to death row and get it over with instead.”

Pearl was so livid upon hearing this that she was practically shaking with visible rage. “Did you hear what he just said to me?!” she whispered to Garnet harshly. “What a no-good, callous, irresectable, lying, cheating-”

“Pearl,” Garnet quieted her teammate evenly. “Calm down.”

“Ugh, what are you guys even doing here?” Amethyst asked, dismayed. “And how’d you find out about this anyway? We’ve been doing this for eight years, and you guys are only now busting our chops for it?”

“Eight years?!” the white Gem gasped, shocked. “We just started thinking that your little nighttime ‘solo missions’ were not what they seemed just the other week! How have you two been keeping this insane ruse up for eight whole years?!”

“Uh, maybe it’s because we’re way smarter than you, stretch,” Stan deadpanned. “Even thought about that one?”

“Clearly you weren’t smart enough to not get arrested,” Garnet remarked just as sarcastically.

“So what? Are you guys gonna break us outta here or not?” the purple Gem asked with an exasperated sigh.

“Of course we’re not!” Pearl exclaimed. “As far as I’m concerned, you both deserve to learn the consequences of your horrible actions! Isn’t that right, Rose?” The white Gem paused upon realizing her leader was nowhere to be found. “Rose?”

“Oh, sorry, Pearl!” the pink Gem exclaimed as she stepped into the cell block. Her stomach was starting to become even rounder by the day thanks to her pregnancy, which was still in its relatively early stages. Still, a look of palpable exhaustion was written on her face and her usually mirthful expression was anything but, especially as she took in the sight of the pair in the cell before her. “I was just making sure none of those officers you knocked out earlier were seriously hurt and—Oh…” Rose frowned, giving the conman a critical gaze as she regarded him. “Stan.”

“Rose,” Stan greeted just as dryly, not even bothering to hide his distaste for the pink Gem.

“Rose…” Amethyst muttered much more hesitantly, looking down to the ground guiltily.

“Amethyst…” Rose began, her tone soft yet firm as she looked down to the youngest member of her team. “What’s all this about? What were you doing to end up here and with… him?”

“Rose, these two have been up to no good for nearly eight years now, right under our noses!” Pearl quickly informed her leader, wrapping her arms around her arm. “Can you believe it?! Eight whole years! And we never noticed until now! I can’t imagine how they managed to-”

“It doesn’t matter now,” the pink Gem cut her off, surprising everyone. “Pearl, let me handle this.”

The white Gem sucked in a sharp breath, but nodded in relent, backing away to let Rose step closer to the cell. While Gems didn’t need sleep, there were clear bags under the pink Gem’s eyes, ones that seemed all the more present as she looked between the pair before her with an uncharacteristically cold expression. “Amethyst?”

“Y-yeah…?” the purple Gem frowned up at her leader, already feeling quite small under her imposing gaze.

“There’s no excuse for this kind of behavior,” Rose said, her admonishing tone still somehow strangely gentle. “You’re a Crystal Gem. You need to start acting like one. When I’m… gone, all that will be left is you, Garnet, and Pearl. And I need to be able to depend on you to protect humanity in my place. But I can’t do that if you’re going to be acting like… this. Do you understand?”

Amethyst nodded meekly, wrapping her arms around herself tightly as she fought back tears. While Rose’s words were hardly mean or hurtful, the purple Gem still hated being admonished by her leader at all. The very idea she had disappointed the pink Gem was enough to fill Amethyst with more shame than she could really handle, which was why she said nothing, but merely hung her head as Rose continued.

“And as for you, Stan,” the pink Gem’s tone turned harsher as she addressed the conman. “I just don’t understand. I thought we made it very clear where we stood with each other years ago. You said so yourself: you wanted nothing to do with any of us, which was perfectly fine. But then, all of the sudden, you start hanging around with Amethyst completely out of nowhere. It makes no sense. What could you possibly have to gain from that?”

“Maybe I didn’t wanna ‘gain’ anything from it, huh?” Stan retorted, scowling. “Maybe we just did it for the heck of it. And it’s not like you really gripe at me about any of this, seeing as how you three constantly leave Amethyst out of everything.”

“Wha—what are you talking about?” Rose asked, caught off guard by this. “We… we don’t… Amethyst… is… is that how you’ve been feeling?”

The purple Gem still didn’t meet her leader’s eyes as she slowly nodded once more. “Yeah…  a little…”

“I… I’m so sorry…” Rose said with genuine remorse. “I had no idea… But still. That’s no excuse for this. Stan, you had no right to inspire Amethyst to act so… so…”

“Morally irreprehensible?” Pearl suggested. “Deviously? Illegally?”

“Thank you, Pearl, that’s enough,” the pink Gem said with slight impatience.

“Oh, sure,” Stan remarked with biting sarcasm. “Go ahead, blame me for all of this. You already blame me for everything else, so why not this too?”

“Well maybe I would have to blame you if you had just let things be as we had agreed and left all of us alone!” Rose exclaimed, growing steadily angrier.

“Well maybe I would have left you alone if you had kept your nose out of things like you should have from the beginning!” Stan shouted, standing.

“Maybe I would have stayed out of things if you hadn’t shown up here in the first place and started undoing everything we had worked hard to-”

“Stop it!” Amethyst suddenly shouted, rushing to stand between the two to break the intense argument up. “Just stop it! I don’t even know why you guys are arguing anyway when this is all my fault anyway!”

“What?” Rose asked as both Pearl and Garnet looked to each other confused.

“Amethyst, what-” Stan started to ask, but the purple Gem was interrupt him.

“You heard me,” Amethyst said, irresolute. “This is all my fault. Not Stan’s. I was the one who went down to his house eight years ago and… I dunno, we just sorta became friends. In fact… I was the one who came up the whole Revenge Trip thing in the first place.”

“But-” Stan tried to cut her off, confused, but the purple Gem continued before he could say anything to incriminate himself.

“I’m the reason why we got in trouble and wound up in here,” the purple Gem affirmed. “So… if you’re gonna yell at anyone, yell at me. But… don’t blame Stan for this, please. I know you don’t like him, Rose, but… I do. We’re friends. He’s like… the only person who’s there for me when you guys aren’t. I feel… I feel like I can really be myself around him… Doesn’t that mean anything?”

Rose was silent for quite a long time as she looked down to her younger teammate, conflict written all over her tired expression, especially as she briefly glanced at Stan. And yet, after what seemed like ages of tentative silence, she finally released a long, pensive sigh. “Oh, Amethyst…” she began, glancing away guiltily. “I… We… We’ll talk about this when we get back to the temple… For now, let’s… let’s just get you out of there.”

Stan and Amethyst both looked to each other in confusion over Rose’s seeming acceptance over the purple Gem’s apparent outburst. Still, neither of them complained too much as Garnet stepped forward and summoned her gauntlets, easily bending the cell bars to the point that there was a wide enough opening for both of them to step through. Not too many other words were sparred between Stan and the Gems, save for a terse, dry thank you from the conman, one that Rose simply returned with a small, emotionless nod. And then, without any further signs of civility, they all parted ways the moment they all emerged from the police station.

And yet, as Stan headed back for his car, he happened to glance over his shoulder one last time to see Amethyst looking back at him too as she glumly followed behind her fellow Gems. While the conman wasn’t much for shows of gratitude, he did mouth her a soft ‘thank you’ before she got too far away. Amethyst’s only response was a small, yet bittersweet smile, one that quickly faded as she turned away from him.

And just like that, the final Revenge Trip was over.

“You wanna know what Rose said to me when we got back to the temple that night?” Amethyst asked, her voice still subdued as she hugged her legs tightly to her chest.

“Amethyst, I already-” Stan started, but the purple Gem quickly cut him off.

“Besides all that that. She told me she was disappointed in me. And… while that hurt, a lot, in a way it was sorta… ok. Because I took the brunt of everything for you and… I was really glad I did…”

The conman was silent for a moment upon hearing this, not really sure of what to make of something so touching. Even though that had been years ago, he suddenly felt compelled to finally give her the proper thanks she deserved for defending him that night, for sticking up for him even in front of the other Gems. But instead of any of that, a mere question escaped him instead. “So… are you still glad you did?”

Amethyst paused and seemed to muse over this for a moment or two. However, just as she opened her mouth to give him an answer, a sudden light flooded into the car from the outside. The pair shielded their eyes from it, all while exchanging a frightened glance because certainly Gideon and the cops must have found them by now. But as the light dimmed a bit, they were both equally shocked and dismayed to see who had really found them.

“Amethyst!” Pearl shouted hotly as she stood before the car, her hands on her hips. “Get out of that car this instant! You too, Stan!”

“Aw, geez…” the purple Gem groaned, complying as she opened her door and slipped out.

“Yeesh, history really does repeat itself, doesn’t it?” Stan deadpanned in a futile attempt to lighten the mood. Once they were both out of the car, the pair was able to see that Pearl was not alone. Garnet had accompanied her, of course, but so had Steven, Dipper, and Mabel, all of whom were clad in their pajamas and all of whom looked very tired and confused over having been roused out of bed so late.

“Amethyst? Mr. Pines?” Steven asked with a frown. “What are you guys doing out here in the middle of the woods this late?”

“Getting busted, apparently,” the purple Gem scowled, kicking a nearby rock. “Also what gives?” she asked the twins harshly. “I thought you guys agreed to not spill any of this to Pearl or Garnet. Not cool, dudes.”

“Just for the record, we didn’t tell them anything about what you guys were up to,” Dipper said defensively. “Mostly because we didn’t even know what you guys were up to ourselves.”

“Yeah, they just came by and got us out of bed so we could come down here and find you guys,” Mabel explained, letting out a yawn. “So what were you guys doing anyway? Racing through the forest against squirrels or something? Because that sounds like a lot of fun!”

“I can tell you right now what they were doing out here,” Pearl said, looking to Stan and Amethyst with a caustic glare. “Getting themselves in all sorts of trouble, that’s what.”

“Hey, we only got in trouble because we got caught,” Stan retorted crossly. “Besides, how’d you even find us all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?”

“Just like how we found you the last time,” Garnet said stoically. “Future vision.”

“Ugh, of course,” Amethyst sighed in exasperation. “That always comes in to bite us in the butt somehow.”

“Honestly, Amethyst, I can’t believe you would go out and do another one of these heinous… ‘Revenge Trips’ again!” Pearl scolded. “Didn’t you both learn your lesson last time when you got arrested for one of these nights of reckless abandon?”

“Whoa, you guys got arrested together before?” Steven asked curiously.

“Why don’t you guys ever tell us about all this cool stuff you used to do?!” Mabel asked, just as intrigued.

“Because it doesn’t matter, kid,” Stan remarked coldly. “That was years ago. Which means you two can’t hold it against us anymore,” he said to Garnet and Pearl.

“I think we have every right to, seeing as how both of you are still acting just as childish now as you were back then!” Pearl exclaimed. “Why, just think of the terrible example you both are setting for the kids!”

“Uh, to be fair, they really didn’t set an example that any of us would really follow,” Dipper pointed out. “What, with the whole driving a car into the forest thing.”

“Yeah, see?” Stan shrugged. “If the kids aren’t all torn up about it, then why should you be? It’s not even a big deal. You guys don’t have to get all bent out of shape about it.”

“It is a big deal,” Garnet said firmly. “What you two did tonight was irresponsible and reckless. You know that. And both of you should be ashamed for it.”

“I completely agree, Garnet,” Pearl affirmed pointedly. “Amethyst, didn’t you listen to a word that Rose told you that night years ago?! Oh, just think of what she would say if she were here now. She’d be mortified by your irresponsible, heedless, dangerous, selfish-”

“Hold it!” Stan interrupted, having heard quite enough, especially as he noticed Amethyst’s downcast expression. “Now you two can stand here and scream at me all you want for what happened tonight, but I’m not about to let you let Amethyst take the fall for any of it.”

“Uh, Stan?” Amethyst asked, suddenly confused. The conman largely ignored her however, as Pearl spoke up.

“Oh, and why is that?”

“Because… because this was my idea!” Stan proclaimed firmly, not even bothering to look over at Amethyst as she looked up at him in completely shock. “Yeah, that’s right,” the conman continued just as brazenly as everyone looked to him skeptically. “The whole shebang was my idea. Guess I was just getting a little stir crazy and needed some action. So I roped Amethyst into going on a classic Revenge Trip with me. And you can’t really fault her for saying yes, especially since you two are always fussing at her all the time anyway.”

“Whoa… Grunkle Stan, is all that true?” Mabel asked as both her and Dipper looked to him, concerned.

Stan did hesitate for a moment upon seeing the somewhat critical glances both his nibblings were giving him. He wasn’t too fond of the idea of painting himself in such a negative light in front of them, but still, Amethyst had done the very same thing before her fellow Gems for him years ago. It was only fair that he return the favor now. “You’re darn right it is,” he said with resolve. “Isn’t that right, Amethyst?”

The purple Gem looked to the conman in complete disbelief, knowing he had just lied to spare her from the criticism of her teammates. And while she wanted to turn right around and tell the truth to spare him from it all, she didn’t have the heart to undermine the selfless act he had just done for her. Which was why she simply mumbled her response, suppressing a smile of gratitude as she did so. “Yeah… That’s right.”

“Well, we should have figured as much,” Pearl scoffed coldly, glaring at Stan. “Nothing ever changes with you, does it, Stan? You’re still just as irresponsible now as you’ve always been. In fact, I have half a mind to-”

“Pearl,” Garnet suddenly cut the white Gem off, stepping past her as she approached Stan. The conman crossed his arms as he scowled up at her, but the Gem leader’s expression was surprisingly soft, as hidden as it was. “Stan,” she began, her tone firm yet calm. “Thank you for telling us the truth. This doesn’t make what either of you did tonight right, but… it does prove a lot that you’re willing to put yourself out there for Amethyst. Which… to be honest… isn’t something even we can say we do for her that often.”

“Well then, maybe you should start,” Stan said before Amethyst could cut in. “Cause you know, she really ain’t half bad.”

“Heh,” the purple Gem chuckled, clearly touched by this. Still, she made sure to hide it under her usual playfulness as she elbowed the conman in the knee. “Same goes for you, ‘old man’.”

The kids all exchanged warm smiles at this sweet exchange, one that Garnet shared and eventually even Pearl cracked a small smile over, her earlier frustration slowly ebbing away. However, the tender moment was cut far too short as the group overheard the heavy sounds of approaching footsteps and nearby voices.

“I saw a light over this way!” Gideon’s tell-tale accent called out. “C’mon!”

“Aw, man! It’s Gideon!” Amethyst whispered, worriedly. “We forgot all about that little loser!”

“Wait, you two were trying to get revenge on Gideon?” Dipper asked. “Well, I guess that makes sense considering what he did to Compy’s enclosure earlier…”

“Aw, you guys totally should have asked us to come with you then!” Mabel exclaimed with a smirk. “We would have loved to help you get even with Gideon!”

“Ugh, and he’s got the fuzz with him too?” Stan scowled, hearing other voices follow after the child psychic’s. “Whelp, that’s it! We’re pretty much done for this time! Might as well just surrender now, because how in the world would we ever get outta this one?”

“Like this,” Garnet said with resolve. “Stan, Amethyst, take the kids and hide. We’ll handle this.”

“Wha—we will?” Pearl asked as the others ran off to hide in the cover of the woods. She quickly redacted her hesitance, however, upon catching the caustic look the Gem leader gave her. “Oh! I mean, o-of course we will! Right…”

“Aha!” Gideon exclaimed as him and Blubbs and Durland burst into the clearing. “There they—are?”

“Evening, officers,” Garnet said calmly, leaning casually against Stan’s car as her and Pearl attempted to play it cool. “Gideon.”

“Wha—You two?!” the child psychic exclaimed, dumbfounded. “What are ya’ll doing here? Where are Stanford and Amethyst?! I demand you bring them out here so they can pay recompense for their crimes against me immediately!”

“Oh, we would, if they were still here, of course,” Pearl said with faux innocence. “And if they were guilty of any crimes at all. But, as it stands, you were the one who engaged them in a high speed car chase, Gideon and apparently from the looks of it… ran them off the road, endangering both of their lives and nearly causing a case of vehicular manslaughter…”

“What?! I did no such thing!” Gideon protested hotly. “Officers, they’re lyin’ to ya both right through their teeth! Can’t you see through their wicked little Gem trickery?”

“Hm…” Blubbs mused, glancing between the two Gems. “Well, if our two ‘culprits’ aren’t here, then where are they?”

“They went home,” Garnet replied simply.

“That’s right,” Pearl added with a nod. “The poor things were both so traumatized after the whole experience that they came and asked the two of us to retrieve Stan’s car while they recovered. And of course, how could ever deny a request from two… t-two… upstanding members of the community! Heh, right…”

“You really think we’re buying any of that trash?” Gideon asked with a scoff, turning to the officers once more. “I saw the two of them trying to dump all of my merchandise into the lake! Check the car! I’m sure ya’ll will find more than enough evidence.”

“You heard him,” Blubbs said to the pair of Gems as him and Durland stepped forwards. “Step aside, ladies.”

“O-oh… Of course!” Pearl exclaimed with apt nervousness. Fortunately though, Garnet had a plan as always.

“Wait! Look at that!” the Gem leader exclaimed, pointing in the opposite direction. Of course, the cops, as well as Gideon, were all gullible enough to fall for the ploy, allowing Garnet just enough time to grab all of the remaining merchandise out of the back of Stan’s car. While the others were still distracted, Garnet easily tossed her large haul across the forest right before they all turned around. “Alright, go ahead and check.”

The officers did so, shining their flashlight in the backseat only to find it was completely empty. “Well, golly, nothing’s in there!” Durland exclaimed.

“W-what?!” Gideon gasped, shocked. “But… but they-”

“Looks like you have no evidence for your bold claims, Gideon,” Pearl shrugged unsympathetically. “You might as well just head on home. It’s probably quite past your bedtime, after all.”

“Well it’s definitely past our bedtimes,” Blubbs concluded with a tired nod. “Come along, Durland. I’ll get pick us up some early morning coffee on the way back to the station.”

“Oh boy!” Durland exclaimed brightly, following his partner up the hill. “Can I have extra whipped cream in mine?!”

“No, wait!” Gideon called out after the cops, only to spin around towards the Gems with a hateful glare. “You conniving lil’ Gems may think you’re so clever, but very soon ya’ll are gonna regret ever makin’ an enemy outta me! You think painting your precious temple all up is bad? Well just wait until I smash it to smithereens!”

“Oh, so you were the one who did that?” Pearl asked, crossing her arms. “And here we were thinking it was Amethyst all this time! I guess we owe her an apology!” she exclaimed lough enough that the purple Gem would easily be able to hear it from her hiding spot.

“And believe us, we’re already regretting having you as an enemy,” Garnet deadpanned. “Having to put up with you alone is about as annoying as it gets.”

Gideon let out a frustrated growl upon hearing this, but even so, he spun on his heels and began to retreat, grumbling threats towards the Gems all the while. Once the child psychic had completely left, Garnet and Pearl called out for the others to assure them that the coast was clear and that they could out. And while the kids were the first ones to rush out and profess how amazed and amused they were with how Garnet and Pearl had handled the situation, but by far, Stan and Amethyst were the ones most impressed.

“Oh my gosh, you guys, what you just did was awesome!” Amethyst exclaimed with a rowdy laugh. “That little chump’s gonna be crying about this for weeks!”

“Yeah, I gotta admit you two pulled a pretty decent con back there,” Stan acknowledged with a smirk. “And believe me, I know all about cons.”

“Thank you, Stan,” Pearl said with a satisfied grin. “But for future reference, don’t ever make us lie like that to cover for you again. I nearly gagged trying to convince myself to call you an honest citizen.”

The group let out a collective laugh at this, one that faded as Steven spoke up. “Aw, well I’m really glad we’re all getting along again! But, uh… could we maybe go home now? I don’t know about you guys, but these past few nights haven’t been the best for sleeping…”

“Agreed,” Dipper said, aptly weary.

“Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!” Mabel cheered with as much waning energy as she could muster.

“Tell me about it, kid,” Stan agreed, rolling his eyes.

“Alright, alright, we’ll take you all home,” Pearl chuckled as her and Garnet began to lead the kids away. “Are you two coming?” she asked Stan and Amethyst.

“Eh, we’ll catch up with you all later,” Stan shrugged. “We still have one more thing we gotta go.”

“Oh yeah! That’s right!” Amethyst exclaimed, remembering Vidalia’s painting. “Uh… we’ll be back in a while. Don’t wait up!”

Pearl prepared to protest this, but Garnet was quick to stop her. “We won’t,” she replied as they all headed off into the woods, leaving the purple Gem and the conman alone once more. A stilted silence lingered between the two of them, especially as they both got back into the car. Only after Stan pulled the car into motion did Amethyst finally break the veil of quietness.  

“Uh… Stan?” she began hesitantly. “I… I, uh… Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Stan said simply, slowly maneuvering through the trees before eventually finding the road again.

“Um… you know, nobody’s ever really… stuck up for me like that before,” Amethyst admitted. “It… it was nice, for a change.”

“Yeah, well nobody stuck up for me the way you did all those years ago, either,” Stan shrugged, cracking a small smile. “So I guess that means we’re finally even, huh?”

“Guess so…” the purple Gem sighed contentedly, though her smile quickly faded. “Uh… I know tonight ended up being a huge mess but… you really did prove that you can still keep up with me so… that’s pretty cool. Guess we’re still sold off of doing any more Revenge Trips though, huh?”

“Are you kidding?! Of course we’re gonna do more!” Stan exclaimed as if it was obvious.

“What? But you said-”

“What, you really think I’m gonna let one bad night stop us now that we got our mojo back? No way! I haven’t felt this young in years. And just for the record, I’d absolutely do tonight over again if I could, mess ups and all.”

“Heh, same here,” Amethyst laughed warmly. “After all, where would mess-ups like us be without plenty of mess-ups of our own?”

“Old and boring,” Stan replied with a smirk. “That’s where. Now, let’s finish this Revenge Trip once and for all. Because how long is this party going?”

Stars were practically in the purple Gem’s eyes as the conman posed this question to her, and she was more than happy to give her usual reply to it. “This party’s going all night long!”

“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to humbly welcome you to my lil’ ol’ Tent of Telepathy!” Gideon quipped brightly, standing between a group of tourists and said tent the following morning. If there was anything the child psychic was good at, it was putting the embarrassing loss he had suffered last night behind him in order to put on his usual schmaltzy show without a hitch. Or so he thought. “Inside this tent, ya’ll will find a world of wonder and enchantment! So why wait any longer? Let’s head on-”

Gideon was abruptly cut off as he walked smack into the wide, large canvas behind him. The child psychic toppled over right along with the elaborate, realistic painting of the Tent of Telepathy, which had been enough to fool even him. His guests all let out simultaneous gasps of shock as the ruse collapsed, revealing the actual tent behind it. Or rather, what was left of it.

Without the pegs to keep it standing, the tent had easily collapsed to the ground overnight, creating a variable disaster in and of itself. Of course, to make matters even worse for Gideon, it had fallen in such a way that it was clear to see the insult spray painted onto it in bold red letters: “Gideon Peeful”.

“W-what?!” Gideon exclaimed, mortified and alarmed as he jumped to his feet. A mix of laughs and boos came from the crowd, which was quick to disband upon realizing the child psychic had nothing to show them.

As Gideon desperately ran after them in an attempt to get them back, he failed to notice the two figures hidden just out of sight in the bushes nearby. Stan and Amethyst finally let loose the pent up laughter they had been holding back once Gideon was out of earshot, both of them exchanging a high five over their rousing success.

“Man, V really came through for us this time!” Amethyst chuckled, glancing at the painting. “That worked perfectly!”

“Hey, all the best Revenge Trips always do, don’t they?” Stan asked with a satisfied grin.

“Heck yeah they do! I already have a bunch of new ideas for our next one, whenever that’ll be. That is, if you’re game for it.”

“You know I am,” Stan nodded, still grinning. “Though, uh, we might wanna wait a while before we pull another one. After something as wild as last night, I’m gonna need a little time to recover, you know?”

“Pfft, whatever you say, old man,” Amethyst joked, elbowing him playfully.

“Now listen, kid,” the conman started, feigning seriousness over this age-old nickname. “I thought I told you to—eh, you know what? What the heck. I’ll let it slide.” He sent a wink to the purple Gem, who was more than happy to return it, just as she always did. “This time.”

 Next: 

[kimayaacharekarposts]

HOW TO HIRE THE BEST COPY WRITING COMPANY IN INDIA

Copywriting is something that advises a visitor to turn into a customer in India. Having a professionally designed website with exact navigation functions is great, but without written content, it is not going to cater to you with the targeted results. Read below are some tips to help you hire the Best Copywriting Agency In India for your business success.

Check Out The Company Website

 When looking for a copywriting agency, take a look at the website and services of the company, and decide whether they could fit your needs or not. Check how they present themselves. Go through their webpages. Does the writing style look great to you? Do you feel a connection with their service pages? These are some of the questions that have to be answered before you choose a copywriting agency for the job. Choosing a copywriting service that can craft an attractive website copy describing and highlighting your products and services in an engaging aspect is hard to find. So, ensure to choose someone whom you enjoy working with.

Ask For Website Copywriting Samples

 Whenever you come across a website copywriting company in India, ensure to ask for links with website compy samples. Take a look at the copywriting samples. Check if it is simple to read. Go through it to check whether it is effective and engaging or not.

Make sure you go through the words of a copywriter and not just analyzing the website on the basis of pictures and design. Also, ask the company professionals about their genres and specialties. For example, if you own a technology organization, you have to look for a copywriter who knows, understands, and loves writing high-tech copy.

Google The Website Copywriter

 Finding articles and blogs written by the experts of a particular company is easy to find on Google if they are authorized. Checking their work on the web can cater to you with more insights about the capabilities and copywriting services of the company. Also, check if they have any feedback site with their assistance. Moreover, it is a wonderful idea to Google the company with whom you are planning to work. This may involve designers, copywriters, content writers, programmers, and more. Going through the reviews can help you get in touch with the top service providers.

 Ask If They Have Client Testimonials

 Check with the firm or company whether they have client testimonials or not. many website copywriters post comments on their website. Going through the reviews can help you get insights about the firm type as all comments cannot be the owners entirely. Additionally, ask for client references, in this case, if you want a better picture. The company professionals can give you contact information and written statements from their copywriting clients whom you can communicate with.

Go through these points to find the best copywriting company in India. Remember – a good copy can turn your visitors into clients. Therefore, make your choice accordingly.

[christinaepilzauthor-blog]

Victorian Monkey Tennis?

Notes written by a manager of the Alexandra Palace, c.1880? (Haringey Museum AP1/17)

These notes appear in the archives without an author, but display a series of one-line ideas, added over a period of time (months?) for developing the north London pleasure-ground of Alexandra Palace, which was perennially on the verge of bankruptcy. They provide a unique insight into the mind of a harassed Victorian entrepreneur.

Railway timetable given or sold at every Ry Station along lines to & from City & to and from AP with list of AP attractions;  ? charge 1/2d & illustrate nicely and get nearly the cost back

Arrange Waiting Room at Railway - Have at in Central Hall & at each end 

" next train to City ____  To King's Cross ___ [illeg] ___ for respectively

Study towns round Palace, Enfield, Barnet &c.

Subscription Skittle Ground (see the one Mr. Perfect plays at)

Volunteer Ball - have Central Hall gradually close-boarded

Sales of sporting and other dogs by Freeman ([illeg.] Rich called 8/11/79)

Hunters show & jumping Competn as at Lyons Down (see B, Booth, future)

Compare Ry fares without admt. to see what added 

Picturesque villas in the park

Exhibtn to illustrate Old London - Antiquarian & Relics - Photos Moods Maps & Pictures

Leifold & other organists - Foreigners for Saint Saens &c Stainer, Best

Smoking Gallery in Central Hall

No Touting but gentlemanly information given [illeg.] 

next  train leaves at ___ & so on. "Have you shown your children the Japanese Village, Sir?" "Have you seen the new ____" & so on

Panto & opera books shd have a few bars of most popular airs

3rd class Dining room where West Rooms now useless are

Big label with name of piece to be played by Band or sung &c (?Blackboard)

Plenty of information given to Visitors so that programmes not necessary

Print programmes on back of handbills

Steam [illeg.] Railway, Wm Eton 6 Rue des Fermieries, Batignolles, Paris

Offer Prize for the best £10 Piano. Also for Girl Pianists.

Sewing Machine Exhibt.  Prizes for machinists (girls)

Get Ry Co's to give small space on monthly bills for AP Calendar 

AP trains briefly stated & small

Trade Contests - Bartenders, Bricklayers &c

Plant a Maze

Sell Fruit and Cigars at Telegraph office

Exhibition of Taxidermy

Stall for novelties - Elect. Pen zylographing, Yankee Dodges

Big Strong aviary Macaws flying about   ||    Bear Pit

Entrance to theatre from top of Railway stairs

Amuse crowd on Bank Holiday nights with lime light [illeg.] (save gas!)

Make Working Models a really good exhibition

?Electric light for Palace & Park?

Goat Enclosure - high rock work as Jardin d'Acclimiation

Sell Reminiscences of S.G. like Royal Academy does

?Sea water Swimming Bath  (Willing, Had[illeg.], ?Lloyds homemade)

Get some of the features of Polytechnic, Madame Tussaud's. Aquarium (one or two tanks zoological f[illeg.] for specialties)

A Rabbit Warren   |   An Alligator Pond

Push books of admission tickets

Valentines Day Concert of Love Songs, Huge Valentine, Comic figure (as Guy show)

Fairy Groups by Wilson (Cinderella trying on shoes, R.Riding Hood & Wolf &c)

St. Patrick's Day

St. Andrews, St. Crispin's Day (Best[?] Show), French Fete (when?) Italian Fete [illeg.]

Exchange posters with Halls and Theatres

Programmes on sale at all Ry Stations

House to House dely [delivery] of circulars to be systematized

?Glaciarium - see one   ?for Slides

All Fool's Festival a la Guy show

Shows of artificial flowers \ mechanical toys

Mammoth Punch & Judy (Lightfoot)

Biscuit advertisements

Exhibtn of Engravings, Photographs

Exhibitors to pay for their gas

Half Holiday Entmts for Children ?on Satys or Wednys  of a Dissolvg View Polytechnic sort

Cultivate the Religious people, Sunday School Gatherings &c because N.L. so good 

Piscatorial Exhibition at end of fishing season (R. Ag. 78)

Paris Panorama  M.Marie

Exhibtn. Burglars Implements & means to outwit them, safe, weapons &c

(never let Stilemen work together long. The frauds perpetrated are:

Passing 2 at a time \ adults through children's stile \ Ry. tkts through S.T. tile & then cash at Ry.

Always put best men at ticket stile? & doubtful ones on cash

Skipping Ropes - send for, in grounds

Invalid Chairs if only one of Wicker

Doll Show Ancient & Modern Toys contrasted

Make statues of Kings & Queens instructive & great men in each reign &c

Always label gifts of birds[?] &c with names of donors. Get much in this way as advt. for donors.

We ought to be able to tell Excursion parties rates including admn. from any Station named for any number (Gower St. Walworth Rd &c)

Calendar of attractions posted in every Ry carriage of GNR, NLR, GER

Riding School

Get Joint Tckts issued at Crouch End, Edmonton & all stations.

Can more burners be stopped, Central Hall, to enable frequent entire lighting

Can Poultry Show be profitably revived (Nichols, W.J 6 Arnold Rd Tooting)

Ballad Concerts, Classical Concerts, English opera concerts

Meeting of Old Soldiers

Ballon captif

? Bookstall, secondhand books & at Publishers prices

Get gas lower price if more used

Water at 7.5 instead of 9d

Reading Room, Buy Maps & all periodls at trade price

? Subscribe for telegraphic news

Competition among Theatrical Property Masters

Singlestick - Profll & Amateurs, Volunteers

--- Military, All[?] Clubs 

Glee clubs, Chamber Music, Dramatic Recitations

[illeg.] in Latin and other languages - German & French particly

At Easter get chief attractive items of London Xmas pantos

Find employment for unoccupied Stilemen, Ladies [illeg.] Women &c

Prize for best Manifolder Zylograph &C Typewriter

Exhibn of means to do [ditto] - Electric Pen &c

Herriot & Louie & such for Entnts in dull times & Good Friday

Show Type Setting Machine & other interesting machine

Rail Staff tkts?  Pay lower price for Waiters, Choir &c than for general

Make W. green Doorkeeper's room Refreshment Bar

Get Paintings by Princesses? Buy.  2y Collection of Royal Artwork

Do a big Trotting match on a Race Day

Show [illeg. line due to folder paper]

advertised by R.Smith Ho. Nurserymen, Worcester

Prize for best amateur Water colour Sketch of grove

Grow water-cress in grounds

" cucumbers & sell them, letting Public cut them

Fancy biscuits to be made in Public & sold

[illeg.] Exhibit Ball [illeg.] water jet &c &c.

Milk & Cows or his idea of model farm combined

? Admit all children free or pass them free to Circus or -

? Cheap arrangemt for Mondays

Stiles to record by Electricity in Central Office

Alls Tkts Compy & paid shd have name & address on front

Get Wood Green Stn called A Park & W.G.

If Circus, Band specially for it?

Special Trains from City not stopping [illeg.] KX  ?at FP?

Exhibitors stalls in Central Hall & Corridors (Get a Naturalist)

Chess with living men

Encourage Amateur Walking & Runnung

Make Trotting Track perfectly level

Alter Bicycle Track

Make Stand over Ref Pavillion for Trotting or Buy a Stand

Cinder Track for Running

Alter Excursion Tariff Reconcile contradictions

Make Statues instructive by labels

Popcorn should be made & sold well away from sweetmeats

Choir Tickets to be limited in their date of admission

James B's [illeg.] for children's stiles

Blotting pad with sketches of AP & Calendar (see Brown B Kunder 7)

Shooting at glass balls thrown from spring

£7 A [LFA?] to hasten good housebuilding outside. Use surplus shrubs A. Park

Sell foods on commission

Morgan promised favourable advertising arrangement

Arrange a simple plan for sale of tickets available by Rail like Police Fete but simpler to suit Tonic-Sol-Fa people &c

? At Palace High level entr. combined work of Ry Tkt people & our Stilemen

D ___ ? after stiles so that visitors can use either stairs

Many more Ludgate Trains. More direct City Trains less changes at F Park

Erect earth works & Camp as at Ulundi Edowe, Rorkes Drift

? get the verulable defenders to undertake it?

Electric Tram in grounds (or Steam) [illeg.] from Wood Green

[illeg.] Deep Park

Festoon of Ivy Grove entrances  Ivy specialties

? offer a prize for Ivy Figures

Get Entce to Grove from Road & from Ry

Cultivate Miseltoe in the Grove

Advt at bottom of Tumbler glasses seen as one drinks

Dr Rosenthal of 52 Woburn Place & 110 Leadenhall St. offered to bring over by Emperors [illeg.] the best German Band (Army) asked £60 for one evg

Prize for [illeg.] Cornet Playing & other Instrumentalists (Girl Pianists) by Shirley [illeg.]

Watercress Exhibtn as held at __

Get a London office

Staff Bar where B & R's office now is

? Sell tickets instead of taking money at Entrances

? By people to divide by separate doors those with tkts including admns & those who will have to pay [illeg.]

Give away Daily programmes to those who pay for adm (see below)

Get GER to run trains from Enfield &c to meet down trains at [illeg.]

Hold an Autumn Bird Show (never yet done)

Find out about Water Shoes to float people across lake

?2/6 or [illeg.] if after a certain time for promenade

Machinery show as at Kilburn

Java Sparrows in Conservatory

Get Police to accept Staff Railway Tickets 

A Potters Wheel at Work

Reduce City Rail fares 1/6 3rd cl keeping 1st and 2nd as now?

Get Foresters, Odd Fellows &c on liberal terms

Settle Horse show, Dog Show, Machny exhbitn, Races & Trotting early

Ransome's Complete primer of work in Machinery kept where also (or S. Wolssom's Patent) place coles, ivory turning, printing, coventry weaving, silhouettes, cigarette making, carving meershaum pipes, Pencock's collection of Eggs, Picture frame making, card printing, sausage making, ? beer bottling, bottle cleaning, moot mending

Settle Rates, Gas, Water, Railway contract, before [illeg.]

Turn Bazaar into conservatory

? Put K & 2 into present conservatory

Get Races & all other licenses transferred first

Ry get % from Ry Cos from people travelling with free tickets by Ry

Get Field for Races transferred from B & R by  GNR

Ry Improvements - Better S.L. traffic via Ludgate - Better [illeg.] West End, Midland branch & cannot delay at York Rd be abolished? 

Horses, Ponies, Donkeys & Goat chaises on line in Park

Finsbury Pk Tramline prolonged to Wood Green

Open air ochestra for singing in Grove. ? Use small orchestra in Centl. Hall

Scarboro' plan of ascent & descent to ticket ground & Wood Green entc.

Races make saddling paddock in the angle by Weighing Room & chge extra

Fire drill in public - Volunteers & Regulars  [illeg.]

[illeg.] La Crosse  -  Football  - Billard Matches

Change bills with all theatres, music halls, running grounds

Squirrels in Grove - Rabbit warren

Big collection of Chimpanzees

Can Alphand of Paris be useful

Entrance to Grove

Competition of Facia Writers.  ?J.B. always at work in public

Scotch Buffet

Competition of Theatre Bands of London

Naturalists Competition in Taxidermy

Let backs of handbills be instructive - grammatical errors &c

With illustrations of possible

Artificial skating rink

Cart Horse Show (held Agric. Hall)

- get all Pickford's horses on say a Good Friday?

Season Prog to have train serve from all Stations tabulated

Ry sell Ry Tkts in sheets of 20 perforated, at reduced price

Ry sell S. Tkts at reduced price to Choir, Ry people etc.

Flock of Pigeons a la guildhall [illeg] Race

Authorised Itinerant Vendors on Race Days

? An Aquarium - Just the sensational tanks - Anemones &c

People dining should not pay for admin.

Use Banquetg Hall for big Billard Matches, Winter Evg Entmts &c.

Source: The Cat's Meat Shop

[poetyca]

Lo splendore è in te – The brilliance is in you

Lo splendore è in te

Piccola anima che a volte ti assopisci ed hai timore per quelle ferite che la vita infligge, una persona splendida sei tu! Tu che cogli sfumature ed attraversi la notte, che colori con magia mille istanti Con te non servono neppure le parole, con te che anche attraverso piccoli gesti sai proteggere e vivere emozione, vorrei che la vita fosse generosa. Con te non mi è difficile esserci, saper leggere nella tua trasparenza e cogliere ogni cosa. Non mi è difficile condividere il cammino di questo mio esistere. Esserci… Per me esserci è nella scommessa del quotidiano, nel passo leggero, quasi in punta di piedi ad osservare, cogliere e sostenere, se sento che debbo essere più vicina . E’ nell’ascolto intimo di quelle sensazioni che chiedono conferme – lampi ed intuizioni – che accolgo e rifletto, senza fretta – seppure io sia un’impulsiva, è nell’entusiasmo vivo che a volte mi fa correre lontano con la mente e con il cuore, con le mani piene di sogni che vorrei distribuire intorno. Ma è sopratutto attesa, senza aspettative, nella calma del silenzio, con la certezza che si compie per tutti la bellezza della realizzazione. Ogni giorno è meraviglia, è colore, incanto e respiro che sa porgere senso ad ogni attimo di vita, la cosa più bella è saperlo trovare insieme. Sogni, utopie e desiderio di unità per molti, per questo vagare senza saper trovare un senso preciso. Un nuovo anno nella mia vita non è peso ma ricerca consapevole di quel che è stato dono,di quello che potrebbe essere sfuggito ed attesa di quello che si coglierà ancora per essere consapevoli di cosa si manifesta lungo questo mio cammino. Non analisi fredda, razionale, non inventario e bilancio ma un toccare con il cuore e scorgere lo sbocciare di semi inaspettati: un filo sottile che ha saputo tracciare colori ascolto per scoprire da che parte si deve andare. Io sono in cammino da sempre e tanto ancora ho da scoprire. Io sono senza età, perchè quello che sono lo vivo e lo vivrò sempre con la consapevolezza che il vero senso delle cose è scolpito in fondo all’anima e solo chi lo sa vedere, lo coglie ed è capace di trovare valore nel proprio cammino. Cara Anima sappi che lo splendore è in te e non smettere mai di crederci, di stupirti e di rialzarti se cadi, di essere la persona che sei perchè è in questo la tua unicità. 5 giugno 2005 Poetyca The brilliance is in you Little soul that sometimes you fall asleep and you fear for those wounds that life inflicts, a wonderful person you! You cross that captures the nuances and night, color with magic moments that one thousand With you do not even need the words, with you that even through small gestures You know protect and live emotion, I wish that life was generous. With you it’s hard to be there, able to read in your transparency and seize everything. I can easily share the journey of my existence. Be there … For me there is the challenge of everyday life, in the light step, almost on tiptoe to observe, understand and support, as I feel that I must be closer. And ‘listening intimate feelings of those who ask for confirmation – Flashes and insights – that I accept and reflect, unhurried – although I am impulsive, you live in the enthusiasm that sometimes makes me run away with the mind and heart, with hands full of dreams I would like to distribute around. But it is mostly waiting, no expectations, in the stillness of silence, with the certainty that it does for all the beauty of creation. Every day you wonder, is color, charm and breath who knows how to give meaning to every moment of life, The best thing is to know to find together. Dreams, utopias and desire for many units, for this wandering without knowing how to find a precise meaning. A new year in my life is not weight but a conscious search for what was a gift, what that might have escaped and waiting for what that will take you again to be aware what occurs along my path. No analysis of cold, rational, non-inventory and budget but touch the heart and see the blossoming of seeds unexpected: a thin wire that has been able to trace color listen to find out which way to go. I am always on the move and so I still have to discover. I am ageless, because what I am I live and I will live forever with the knowledge that the true meaning of things is carved at the bottom of the soul and just see who knows, seizes him and is able to find value in their own way. Dear Soul know that the brilliance is in you and never stop believing, be amazed and get up if you fall, you are the person you are This is because your uniqueness. June 5, 2005 Poetyca

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[poetyca]

Lo splendore è in te – The brilliance is in you

Lo splendore è in te

Piccola anima che a volte ti assopisci ed hai timore per quelle ferite che la vita infligge, una persona splendida sei tu! Tu che cogli sfumature ed attraversi la notte, che colori con magia mille istanti Con te non servono neppure le parole, con te che anche attraverso piccoli gesti sai proteggere e vivere emozione, vorrei che la vita fosse generosa. Con te non mi è difficile esserci, saper leggere nella tua trasparenza e cogliere ogni cosa. Non mi è difficile condividere il cammino di questo mio esistere. Esserci… Per me esserci è nella scommessa del quotidiano, nel passo leggero, quasi in punta di piedi ad osservare, cogliere e sostenere, se sento che debbo essere più vicina . E’ nell’ascolto intimo di quelle sensazioni che chiedono conferme – lampi ed intuizioni – che accolgo e rifletto, senza fretta – seppure io sia un’impulsiva, è nell’entusiasmo vivo che a volte mi fa correre lontano con la mente e con il cuore, con le mani piene di sogni che vorrei distribuire intorno. Ma è sopratutto attesa, senza aspettative, nella calma del silenzio, con la certezza che si compie per tutti la bellezza della realizzazione. Ogni giorno è meraviglia, è colore, incanto e respiro che sa porgere senso ad ogni attimo di vita, la cosa più bella è saperlo trovare insieme. Sogni, utopie e desiderio di unità per molti, per questo vagare senza saper trovare un senso preciso. Un nuovo anno nella mia vita non è peso ma ricerca consapevole di quel che è stato dono,di quello che potrebbe essere sfuggito ed attesa di quello che si coglierà ancora per essere consapevoli di cosa si manifesta lungo questo mio cammino. Non analisi fredda, razionale, non inventario e bilancio ma un toccare con il cuore e scorgere lo sbocciare di semi inaspettati: un filo sottile che ha saputo tracciare colori ascolto per scoprire da che parte si deve andare. Io sono in cammino da sempre e tanto ancora ho da scoprire. Io sono senza età, perchè quello che sono lo vivo e lo vivrò sempre con la consapevolezza che il vero senso delle cose è scolpito in fondo all’anima e solo chi lo sa vedere, lo coglie ed è capace di trovare valore nel proprio cammino. Cara Anima sappi che lo splendore è in te e non smettere mai di crederci, di stupirti e di rialzarti se cadi, di essere la persona che sei perchè è in questo la tua unicità. 5 giugno 2005 Poetyca The brilliance is in you Little soul that sometimes you fall asleep and you fear for those wounds that life inflicts, a wonderful person you! You cross that captures the nuances and night, color with magic moments that one thousand With you do not even need the words, with you that even through small gestures You know protect and live emotion, I wish that life was generous. With you it’s hard to be there, able to read in your transparency and seize everything. I can easily share the journey of my existence. Be there … For me there is the challenge of everyday life, in the light step, almost on tiptoe to observe, understand and support, as I feel that I must be closer. And ‘listening intimate feelings of those who ask for confirmation – Flashes and insights – that I accept and reflect, unhurried – although I am impulsive, you live in the enthusiasm that sometimes makes me run away with the mind and heart, with hands full of dreams I would like to distribute around. But it is mostly waiting, no expectations, in the stillness of silence, with the certainty that it does for all the beauty of creation. Every day you wonder, is color, charm and breath who knows how to give meaning to every moment of life, The best thing is to know to find together. Dreams, utopias and desire for many units, for this wandering without knowing how to find a precise meaning. A new year in my life is not weight but a conscious search for what was a gift, what that might have escaped and waiting for what that will take you again to be aware what occurs along my path. No analysis of cold, rational, non-inventory and budget but touch the heart and see the blossoming of seeds unexpected: a thin wire that has been able to trace color listen to find out which way to go. I am always on the move and so I still have to discover. I am ageless, because what I am I live and I will live forever with the knowledge that the true meaning of things is carved at the bottom of the soul and just see who knows, seizes him and is able to find value in their own way. Dear Soul know that the brilliance is in you and never stop believing, be amazed and get up if you fall, you are the person you are This is because your uniqueness. June 5, 2005 Poetyca

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[poetyca]

Lo splendore è in te – The brilliance is in you

Lo splendore è in te

Piccola anima che a volte ti assopisci ed hai timore

per quelle ferite che la vita infligge,

una persona splendida sei tu!

Tu che cogli sfumature ed attraversi la notte,

che colori con magia mille istanti

Con te non servono neppure le parole,

con te che anche attraverso piccoli gesti

sai proteggere e vivere emozione,

vorrei che la vita fosse generosa.

Con te non mi è difficile esserci,

saper leggere nella tua trasparenza

e cogliere ogni cosa.

Non mi è difficile condividere

il cammino di questo mio esistere.

Esserci…

Per me esserci è nella scommessa del quotidiano,

nel passo leggero, quasi in punta di piedi ad osservare,

cogliere e sostenere, se sento che debbo essere più vicina .

E’ nell’ascolto intimo di quelle sensazioni che chiedono conferme

– lampi ed intuizioni – che accolgo e rifletto,

senza fretta – seppure io sia un’impulsiva,

è nell’entusiasmo vivo che a volte mi fa correre lontano

con la mente e con il cuore, con le mani piene di sogni

che vorrei distribuire intorno. Ma è sopratutto attesa, senza aspettative,

nella calma del silenzio, con la certezza che si compie per tutti

la bellezza della realizzazione.

Ogni giorno è meraviglia, è colore, incanto e respiro

che sa porgere senso ad ogni attimo di vita,

la cosa più bella è saperlo trovare insieme.

Sogni, utopie e desiderio di unità per molti,

per questo vagare senza saper trovare un senso preciso.

Un nuovo anno nella mia vita non è peso

ma ricerca consapevole di quel che è stato dono,di quello

che potrebbe essere sfuggito ed attesa di quello

che si coglierà ancora per essere consapevoli

di cosa si manifesta lungo questo mio cammino.

Non analisi fredda, razionale, non inventario e bilancio

ma un toccare con il cuore e scorgere lo sbocciare di semi inaspettati:

un filo sottile che ha saputo tracciare colori

ascolto per scoprire da che parte si deve andare.

Io sono in cammino da sempre e tanto ancora ho da scoprire.

Io sono senza età, perchè quello che sono lo vivo

e lo vivrò sempre con la consapevolezza che il vero senso delle cose

è scolpito in fondo all’anima e solo chi lo sa vedere,

lo coglie ed è capace di trovare valore nel proprio cammino.

Cara Anima

sappi che lo splendore è in te e non smettere mai di crederci, di stupirti

e di rialzarti se cadi, di essere la persona che sei

perchè è in questo la tua unicità.

5 giugno 2005 Poetyca

The brilliance is in you

Little soul that sometimes you fall asleep and you fear

for those wounds that life inflicts,

a wonderful person you!

You cross that captures the nuances and night,

color with magic moments that one thousand

With you do not even need the words,

with you that even through small gestures

You know protect and live emotion,

I wish that life was generous.

With you it’s hard to be there,

able to read in your transparency

and seize everything.

I can easily share

the journey of my existence.

Be there …

For me there is the challenge of everyday life,

in the light step, almost on tiptoe to observe,

understand and support, as I feel that I must be closer.

And ‘listening intimate feelings of those who ask for confirmation

– Flashes and insights – that I accept and reflect,

unhurried – although I am impulsive,

you live in the enthusiasm that sometimes makes me run away

with the mind and heart, with hands full of dreams

I would like to distribute around. But it is mostly waiting, no expectations,

in the stillness of silence, with the certainty that it does for all

the beauty of creation.

Every day you wonder, is color, charm and breath

who knows how to give meaning to every moment of life,

The best thing is to know to find together.

Dreams, utopias and desire for many units,

for this wandering without knowing how to find a precise meaning.

A new year in my life is not weight

but a conscious search for what was a gift, what

that might have escaped and waiting for what

that will take you again to be aware

what occurs along my path.

No analysis of cold, rational, non-inventory and budget

but touch the heart and see the blossoming of seeds unexpected:

a thin wire that has been able to trace color

listen to find out which way to go.

I am always on the move and so I still have to discover.

I am ageless, because what I am I live

and I will live forever with the knowledge that the true meaning of things

is carved at the bottom of the soul and just see who knows,

seizes him and is able to find value in their own way.

Dear Soul

know that the brilliance is in you and never stop believing, be amazed

and get up if you fall, you are the person you are

This is because your uniqueness.

June 5, 2005 Poetyca

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2YMVt9o via IFTTT

[poetyca]

Lo splendore è in te

Lo splendore è in te

Piccola anima che a volte ti assopisci ed hai timore

per quelle ferite che la vita infligge,

una persona splendida sei tu!

Tu che cogli sfumature ed attraversi la notte,

che colori con magia mille istanti

Con te non servono neppure le parole,

con te che anche attraverso piccoli gesti

sai proteggere e vivere emozione,

vorrei che la vita fosse generosa.

Con te non mi è difficile esserci,

saper leggere nella tua trasparenza

e cogliere ogni cosa.

Non mi è difficile condividere

il cammino di questo mio esistere.

Esserci…

Per me esserci è nella scommessa del quotidiano,

nel passo leggero, quasi in punta di piedi ad osservare,

cogliere e sostenere, se sento che debbo essere più vicina .

E’ nell’ascolto intimo di quelle sensazioni che chiedono conferme

– lampi ed intuizioni – che accolgo e rifletto,

senza fretta – seppure io sia un’impulsiva,

è nell’entusiasmo vivo che a volte mi fa correre lontano

con la mente e con il cuore, con le mani piene di sogni

che vorrei distribuire intorno. Ma è sopratutto attesa, senza aspettative,

nella calma del silenzio, con la certezza che si compie per tutti

la bellezza della realizzazione.

Ogni giorno è meraviglia, è colore, incanto e respiro

che sa porgere senso ad ogni attimo di vita,

la cosa più bella è saperlo trovare insieme.

Sogni, utopie e desiderio di unità per molti,

per questo vagare senza saper trovare un senso preciso.

Un nuovo anno nella mia vita non è peso

ma ricerca consapevole di quel che è stato dono,di quello

che potrebbe essere sfuggito ed attesa di quello

che si coglierà ancora per essere consapevoli

di cosa si manifesta lungo questo mio cammino.

Non analisi fredda, razionale, non inventario e bilancio

ma un toccare con il cuore e scorgere lo sbocciare di semi inaspettati:

un filo sottile che ha saputo tracciare colori

ascolto per scoprire da che parte si deve andare.

Io sono in cammino da sempre e tanto ancora ho da scoprire.

Io sono senza età, perchè quello che sono lo vivo

e lo vivrò sempre con la consapevolezza che il vero senso delle cose

è scolpito in fondo all’anima e solo chi lo sa vedere,

lo coglie ed è capace di trovare valore nel proprio cammino.

Cara Anima

sappi che lo splendore è in te e non smettere mai di crederci, di stupirti

e di rialzarti se cadi, di essere la persona che sei

perchè è in questo la tua unicità.

5 giugno 2005 Poetyca

The brilliance is in you

Little soul that sometimes you fall asleep and you fear

for those wounds that life inflicts,

a wonderful person you!

You cross that captures the nuances and night,

color with magic moments that one thousand

With you do not even need the words,

with you that even through small gestures

You know protect and live emotion,

I wish that life was generous.

With you it’s hard to be there,

able to read in your transparency

and seize everything.

I can easily share

the journey of my existence.

Be there …

For me there is the challenge of everyday life,

in the light step, almost on tiptoe to observe,

understand and support, as I feel that I must be closer.

And ‘listening intimate feelings of those who ask for confirmation

– Flashes and insights – that I accept and reflect,

unhurried – although I am impulsive,

you live in the enthusiasm that sometimes makes me run away

with the mind and heart, with hands full of dreams

I would like to distribute around. But it is mostly waiting, no expectations,

in the stillness of silence, with the certainty that it does for all

the beauty of creation.

Every day you wonder, is color, charm and breath

who knows how to give meaning to every moment of life,

The best thing is to know to find together.

Dreams, utopias and desire for many units,

for this wandering without knowing how to find a precise meaning.

A new year in my life is not weight

but a conscious search for what was a gift, what

that might have escaped and waiting for what

that will take you again to be aware

what occurs along my path.

No analysis of cold, rational, non-inventory and budget

but touch the heart and see the blossoming of seeds unexpected:

a thin wire that has been able to trace color

listen to find out which way to go.

I am always on the move and so I still have to discover.

I am ageless, because what I am I live

and I will live forever with the knowledge that the true meaning of things

is carved at the bottom of the soul and just see who knows,

seizes him and is able to find value in their own way.

Dear Soul

know that the brilliance is in you and never stop believing, be amazed

and get up if you fall, you are the person you are

This is because your uniqueness.

June 5, 2005 Poetyca

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