#i should have yelled at that gate agent. She told me to watch my tone before I ever even said anything

[lovelyisadora]

love love love when wheelchair assistance at the airport is so fucked it makes you miss your flight, and the gate agent tells you to go fuck yourself as she looks you right in the eye and closes the flight in front of you 🙃

[gladerwolfstarkimagines]

Not just a soft princess - Azula x female reader imagine: Part One

Imagine being the earth king’s niece and princess of Ba Sing Se, who impresses Azula so much she decides to take you back to the fire nation with her...

Part two here

Part three here

Part four here

Part five here

Part six here

Azula’s POV

Here in the supposed “greatest” city in all the earth kingdom Azula had to admit she wasn’t impressed. The cities defences were abysmal, the whole population naively ignorant to the war and the poor were sickly and weak while the rich pompous and frail. The whole city was the opposite of fire nation efficiency but there were two things Azula admired; the dai li and you, coincidentally the two intertwined. 

You weren’t a dai li agent yourself, Azula supposed your title didn’t permit it, but you did train with them all regularly and Azula had seen first hand your skills.  When she arrived as a kyoshi warrior with Mai and Ty lee the earth king was only too eager to bring you out to show them. Azula supposed you’d be some helpless stereotypical princess but when you appeared before her she was surprised. Firstly because of how you were dressed. She figured you’d look like that god awful doll her uncle sent her as a child but there was not a skirt or dress in sight. You were in practical training clothes, your hair in messy plaits and your face gleaming with sweat from whatever physical activity you’d evidently just been doing. You certainly didn’t dress as she expected but you still looked like a princess to her. You had an easy appeal and noticeability that could only be royalty. Azula bowed to you with surprising ease. “This is y/n my niece and the jewel of the earth kingdom” the earth king declared happily. Azula resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his comment but saw everyone in the room was watching you fondly. All the guards smiled as you laughed and their eyes softened looking at you as a father would a daughter, The whole elite force was smitten with you and Azula was determined to use that. 

The earth king too her on a tour of the kingdom and Azula kept an eye on you as you followed along too. You started talking to Mai and Ty lee and she couldn’t believe she’d gotten the old king while they got you. When you reached a large yard however she was surprised to see you excuse yourself from Mai and Ty lee and rush to the soldiers down below. “Ahh we can’t kept that girl from the sparring yard, it’s her second home”. Azula watched the soldiers reactions to you and knew the earth king was telling the truth. “Y/n...” Azula said carefully “she trains with the dai li often...despite her title?” Azula asked. The earth king nodded “yes, ever since she was a child she wanted to learn, her parents were tragically killed when she was young so she came to me and infant and i’m ashamed to admit we indulged her in any hobby she wanted, archery, sword fighting, ostrichhorse riding and of course earth bending...I know they’re not usual activities a princess indulges in but I couldn’t say no to her and now she’s the best earth bender in Ba Sing Sei, just watch and you’ll see”. Azula followed his gaze to where you stood joking with a group of dai li agents. Four of you were stood in a square all armed and ready to spar. You were clearly confident and while the others took defensive positions you just carried on joking around. A bell was rung and Azula frowned as the three men all turned to you. “Three on one?” Azula asked and the earth king laughed “that’s nothing for my niece, watch”. Azula did watch as you tossed the men aside easily with your bending, so easily you showboated and took your time using flashy strikes to please the crowd that had gathered to watch. Azula had to smirk at you cockiness, you were good and apparently you knew it. “She is talented” Azula nodded as you finally showed mercy and eliminated the last man. “She’s the earth kingdom’s pride and joy” the earth king smiled and Azula realised the king wasn’t exaggerating. Long feng didn’t run Ba Sing Sei nor did the earth king...the key to the kingdom was you and Azula was determined to get you. 

So Azula’s plan started to revolve around you and she considered her options. There were easy ways to get your support of course, she knew she could challenge you to a fight. She’d watched you in closely in training and admired your form but growing up adored and protected by half the kingdom she doubted you’d actually have the killer instinct in battle. So overpowering you would be easy but Azula had a feeling fear wouldn’t work here. The people seemed so loyal to you, even if the odds were stacked against them they’d fight to defend you. So using force wouldn’t make the city bend so Azula had one option. She had to get you on side.

Your POV

You were just about to go meet with the war council when there was knock on your door. You opened it and were pleasantly surprised to see it was the leader of the kyoshi warriors. The warriors had been here several days now and they interested you greatly but with training and war councils you hadn’t got much time to speak to them so it was nice to see one of them in your doorway. You bowed and let her into your room a little excited and flushed, a real kyoshi warrior was in your room! “What can I do for you?” you asked happy to assist a warrior in any way but the girl’s response was not what you were expecting. 

“You war council is doomed to fail”. When you paused in shock the warrior smiled “that is where you were going isn’t it? Same time every day...your schedule is easy to pinpoint, you should be cautious of that princess”. Her tone confused you but you ignored her comment and focused on what she’d said about the war “how is the council doomed? We have the avatar on our side!”. “Yes but he’s not here right now is he? What if the fire nation attacked? How would you defend yourself?”. “Well we’d....the dai li are amazing benders, they’d defend against any breach...but there’s no point worrying about the fire nation we’d know if an army was outside our gates”. “What if they’re already inside?”. The kyoshi warrior was really creeping you out and you couldn’t understand why she was saying all this to you. Frustrated you sighed “Why are you saying all this it’s not like any of it is true. If you have concerns we can raise them at the war meeting”. “It’s too late for that” the warrior smirked and you rolled your eyes utterly done with this awkward encounter “and why is that?”. "Because i am Azula, princess of the fire nation and i’m here to conquer your city". 

Azula’s POV

Azula was impressed, not even a second after she’d finished speaking you attacked her and not to capture her...maybe you did have the killer instinct...but Azula was better. She easily outmanoeuvred your attacks, her theory about you never having been in a proper lethal fight proving to be true, and returned the fire. Literally. You soon has to use your earth bending for defence and that gave Azula the chance to attack, exactly what she did best. Azula had you cornered and secured within minutes. You glared as she chained your hands and stepped away from you surveying her work. "So what i’m the fire nation’s prisoner now?” you yelled once you realised the chain wouldn’t budge. “I won’t comply so you may as well silence me properly and be done with it" you spat. The look in your eye was so sharp it impressed Azula and she smiled, not just a soft princess at all. "No, you're more use to me alive" she said simply. "How?" you asked and Azula’s smile grew. She walked around you, a shark circling it’s prey, admiring the catch she’d caught. "I’ll be honest, your dai li have impressed me. Their skill and efficiency. Their determination....all qualities they seem to have taught you and that is why they are so protective over you but they are flawed...they listen to long feng". “Impossible! we arrested him after the avatar exposed his treachery”. “For someone so cocky you aren’t half naive” Azula smirked “of course long feng is not done, I actually made a deal with him directly to take your city”. Azula smiled as your anger exploded and you struggled against the chains to attack her. “Calm down” she smiled "they obey long feng but that’s not who they are loyal too....that’s where you come in. The army is loyal to you, they all adore you and who would do anything for you, they follow long feng but he’s just the figure head, it’s you they really fight for. You're their leader not the earth king and if you ordered them to stand down or even....to defect to the fire nation. They’d listen".

Your POV

"Why on earth would i do that! There’s no way i’d ever help you or betray my people". "Well princess it’s more complicated than that” Azula smirked coming closer. “As soon as i have the dai li it’s over. I could keep you out of the way long enough to use long feng to get them...sure some of them might resist but i’m sure long feng with put them down, then I will put him down. I could conquer Ba Sing Sei the old fashioned way, with blood and infighting or you can help me take it peacefully. You can order them to swear loyalty to me and it will all be over. If you refuse many will die but the result will be the same, i will win. You can choose to save your people and prevent all that. If you side with me and tell your citizens not to resist then i will be merciful. No violence needs to occur, no more blood will be shed. It will be a peaceful take over...unless you make it otherwise". "Peaceful?" You asked "since when have the fire nation been merciful". "We’re not" Azula admitted "but for you I can make the exception...or you can see fire nation ferocity at it’s worst....it’s down to you". You thought it over thinking of everything that would erupt if you resisted. "You have my word, princess to princess, if you get your people to obey nobody will be harmed. You won’t be harmed. I promise" Azula told you, her voice smooth like silk. You looked up and met the princess’s glowing eyes. They were scarily focused and bright but they weren’t deceitful. She meant what she said, If you agreed she wouldn’t attack your people, nobody would die. So you hung your head and sighed “I accept your deal, I will make my people cooperate and defect to the fire nation”. Azula smiled and let you out of the handcuffs “well there’s no time like the present”.

Azula’s POV

Azula was in an amazing mood as she walked to the throne room, Mai Ty lee and you beside her. You walked infront where she could keep an eye on you and Mai and Ty lee looked at her, “did she....is it done?” Ty lee whispered and Azula smiled “the princess is mine...now for the army and then the kingdom”. 

Azula entered the throne room alone and almost smirked to see long feng stood by the throne. “Princess Azula” he smiled patronisingly “your plan worked, the city is mine”. “Yours?” Azula asked and Long feng grinned “sorry to double cross you but i’m sure you understand...you’d have done the same thing if you were smart enough to think of it”. Azula resisted the urge to smile and looked at the man “ow? So you think I am without a plan? That I have been beaten?”. “Well of course you have! I have the army and so I have Ba sing sei”. “But what if you didn’t have the army?” Azula asked smiling. Long feng stared “Of course I have them! My men are loyal to me, I’ve trained them from when they were boys...why on earth would they side with you a stranger and an outsider over me?” Long Feng sneered and Azula smirked. “Because of her”. 

Your POV

On cue you walked out from behind her and Azula smirked to see Long Feng jolt in surprise. “Princess....” he stammered “I...this woman isn’t a kyoshi warrior she’s from the fire nation! She’s here to attack us!”. “I know who she is but she is not the threat here, you are”. Azula smiled at you approvingly. In order for the dai li to believe you, you had to pretend you and Azula were allies, you had to remove long feng and leave no doubt in the soldiers mind who the enemy was. “You kept the war a secret for years! You put me and my uncle in danger our whole lives, Azula has been honest with me and she’s offered me a deal, no harm will come to Ba Sing Sei, as long as we surrender to the fire nation”. “You cannot be serious?” Long feng cried but you raised a hand cutting him off “it’s your recklessness that has brought us here i’m merely saving the lives of my people! Azula’s alliance will protect everyone, none of you have to put your lives at risk” you said loudly addressing the dai li directly “so put down your weapons, swear allegiance to me through Azula and this will all be over”. Silence settled and Long feng smirked “you stupid child...” when a loud clatter of weapons being dropped cut him off. Every single dai li agent dropped their weapons and bowed. “We swear out allegiance” they said in unison and Azula smiled “perfect, your first order....arrest long feng”. The soldiers looked to you and you nodded your head. Immediately Long feng was seized and brought to your feet. Azula looked at you and you knew what she wanted you to say “put him in the deepest cell we have and let him rot”. Azula smirked as the guards filed out, you went to follow but the princess caught your arm “not so fast I have a task for you, it’s time to address your city”. 

"The fire nation has conquered Ba Sing Sei but there is no need to be fearful" you said to the large crowd so many scared and confused faces you struggled to carry on but you had to. You gripped the piece of paper tighter and carried on. "Their only wish is to assimilate our great city into their empire and i have been assured our cooperation will make the transition safe and swift. The fire nation are not to be feared, i am allied with them as are the dai li. You have nothing to fear. Rejoice the fire nation" you finished and Azula nodded "good, we will leave for the fire nation immediately”. “We’ll....i’ll be what?”. “Well you didn’t think I’d let you stay here did you?”. “But I...I gave you my word”. “And as sweet as that is I’m not stupid leaving you here in your city...well that’d give anyone ideas about a rebellion, no you will come back to the fire nation with me as will the dai li”. “For how long?” you asked and Azula shrugged “who cares? Your uncle escaped his cell and disappeared with the avatar, they left you. Your army is in service to me and your city isn’t yours anymore....what do you have worth staying here?”. You looked down and Azula smiled thinking she’d broken you but she was wrong. 

You were surprisingly unwatched after they put you onto the airship. Probably because there wasn’t any earth for you to bend but you didn’t need earth for what you planned to do. You snook past the people on the deck, quickly rushing away as you saw the prince and one of Azula’s friends stood there. You caught your breath thankful they hadn’t seen you and carried on. Azula’s chambers were also surprisingly unguarded but you weren’t too shocked. Azula was probably so happy with her victory nothing could make her feel mortal. You planned to change that. You let yourself into her room quietly and gripped the dagger in your right hand. You shut the door without making a sound and waited for your eyes to adjust. You made out Azula’s bed and a figure in it. You carefully crossed the room and came to stand beside it, the princess was snoring softly and you lifted your hand with the knife. You brought your hand down when suddenly a hand shot up and gripped your wrist. Another hand shot out and punched you in the stomach and the knife clattered to the floor. You pulled yourself away and scrambled after it. “Seeing as you can’t bend I won’t either” Azula called before following you. She grabbed one of your legs but you kicked out hard and caught her. She made a noise of pain and you gripped the knife. You dove on her without a thought and aimed for where would cause the most damage. Azula caught your knife with a piece of cloth and twirled it out of your hand sending it flying across the room. You followed it with your eyes and in that second Azula slammed you down onto the floor hard. You hit your head and breathed haggardly, the wind knocked out of you. Azula bound your hands and searched you for any more knives “just the one?” she laughed “not a good assassin...but I have to admit I am pleased you tried to kill me” she smirked. “You’re pleased?” you asked confused and Azula nodded “it proves what i suspected...you’re brave and head strong, you have fire” she smiled poking you hard in the chest “i like that”. “Is that why you decided to bring me to the fire nation, you think i’ll fit in?”. Azula smirked “no you’ll definitely stand out but you’ll be interesting”. Azula got off you and stood up straightened her tunic. She drew open the curtains and looked out. “Come here” she said and when you glared at her she smirked “don’t you want to see the fire nation?”. That did peak your interest and so, your ego and body bruised, you carefully got up and came to stand beside the princess. The sun was just rising and a massive city was coming into focus. The city was still a fair distance away but you could easily make out a large extravagant building. “Is that the...”. “The palace?” Azula smirked “your new home”. The way she said it made you shiver but not just in fear, it was also in anticipation. You weren’t sure how but you could feel that this was where your life would be determined. You’d always known you weren’t meant to live sheltered in Ba Sing Sei forever and this was the confirmation. This would change your life. 

[esoanem]

I.

“Let me tell you a story, about a Spaniard named Vasquez...”

Following this fantastic video essay by Rowan Ellis (contains spoilers for the entire show), I am currently rewatching Black Sails. The first season has a slightly different tone from the rest of the show and, in particular, has a major sexual assault storyline. I know several people who have been put off from watching the show as a result

So, with that in mind, I’m gonna give summaries and content notes for the episodes of the first season as well as timestamps of any scenes with particular content people may want to avoid. Hopefully this information can allow people to either skip those scenes or, read the summaries of these episodes and skip them entirely

Anyway, this post is about the very first episode

Major Content Notes:

Violence: some bloody violence, shot fairly brutally

Wikipedia Synopsis:

John Silver joins Captain Flint's crew as his ship's new cook whilst secretly holding a highly valuable page of the Captain's Log, which he takes from the first cook, who had stolen it from the captain himself. Meanwhile, Captain Flint faces a potential mutiny from his crew and must work to secure their support. The Captain recruits his first mate Billy Bones' help to overthrow the mutineer's leader, Singleton. Meanwhile, Eleanor Guthrie tries to keep order on the lawless island of New Providence conducting her father's business, as the Royal Navy's suspicions of the pirates grow stronger.

There’s quite a lot going on in this episode, with several speeches establishing important themes, because it has to establish all the major players, and most of their relationships, so the summary is actually quite a long (albeit quite condensed from my 8 pages of notes). Below the cut are the timestamps of any scenes requiring any of the major content notes, and then the summary (which includes all the events of the episode)

Timestamps:

All timestamps are from the “Complete Collection” DVDs which includes a Starz logo at the start. Depending on your source, timestamps may vary a little, which is why I’ve included the timestamp for the opening titles. Timestamps are only given for the start and end of scenes featuring any particularly warning-worthy content

06:30: opening titles

56:23-60:30: Flint & Singleton’s fight. The violence here is pretty brutal & bloody, moreso than most of the rest of the series

Summary:

1715 West Indies

The Pirates of New Providence Island threaten maritime trade in the region

The laws of every civilized nation declare them hostis humani generis. Enemies of all mankind

In response, the pirates adhere to a doctrine of their own… war against the world

A merchant ship is attacked by Captain James Flint’s pirates on the Walrus. During the attack, the cook steals a page from a logbook, and ends up barricaded in a compartment with the coward John Silver (below). The cook plans to joint the pirates after the fight, saying a good cook is always in demand. Silver spots the pouch the page is hidden in, causing the cook to draw his sword

The rest of the crew barricade in a separate room, but eventually the pirates break in, defeat them and the pirate captain, Flint (below), gets the merchant Captain to surrender

The quartermaster Hal Gates (below) walks through the merchant ship assessing the prize as the crew breaks down the door to Silver’s compartment, in which he finds the cook dead, stabbed in the back, Silver claims to be a very good cook and asks to join

On the deck, Singleton (below, and also pictured in the background of Flint’s picture) is giving a speech to the captured merchant sailors, appealing to their sense of class consciousness

"Now that the fight is over, you have nothing more to fear from us today. Because we know this fight was not of your making, it was the choice of our true enemy, your true enemy, the tyrant captain. Many of us once sailed on ships like this one, we know what it is to be slaves to his whims, his violence, his shit wages! His insufferable stupidity! So we’ve made for ourselves a different life, where we don’t rely on wages”

The accountant Dufresne (below, note that he is played by a different actor as his original actor sadly died after the filming of the first season) assesses the prize as barely covering their costs and, after four prizes in a row with little profit, Gates is concerned about dissent in the crew, and that Singleton is angling for the captaincy

Flint and Gates appear conspiratorial over the logbook, saying it proves that this is the ship, but Gates quickly spots the missing page, the schedule, without which the logbook isn’t very useful in leading them to the greater prize

“let me see if I have this right. This is the fourth prize in a row from which the profits will barely exceed the expenses it took to win it, Singleton’s out there trying to convince your crew to torture that poor bastard of a captain simply because he hasn’t worked out how to get them to do it to you, but all’s well, because you’ve discovered, that the information we can’t tell anyone we’re looking for, exists on a page, that we don’t have“

A Royal Navy Man-o-War, the Scarborough is spotted (unusual seeing as she’s based in Boston), and the Walrus leaves behind the merchant ship so it can get away

Belowdecks, the Bosun, Billy Bones (above) introduces Silver to Randall (below), who used to be the Bosun before him, before he was beaten to within an inch of his life and “lost his wits, but not their loyalty”. Randall is mistrustful of Silver, apparently because he feels like Silver is replacing him. Billy emphasises the equality of the pirate ship, that everyone should get the same food, including the captain & quartermaster

Gates tells Flint that Singleton plans to replace him, and now has the votes to do so. Flint tries to manipulate Gates into blaming himself, even though the crew’s poor morale is due to Flint’s seemingly poor choice of prizes to chases. Flint says that with a few more days, the schedule could be reconstructed from the logbook, but he’ll need a favour from Richard Guthrie who is responsible for selling all the goods the pirates steal. When Gates is skeptical that Guthrie will help them, Flint says they’ll just go back to normal and pretend none of this ever happened & Gates calls him out for lying

The Walrus arrives in Nassau, and the crew go ashore (below). One of the pirates tells Silver that it used to be English, now it isn’t, and that now it’s “ours”. Gates tells Billy that Flint is going to ask Guthrie for a favour and is likely to react badly when he refuses, and tells Billy to go with him and, when the time comes, restrain him, so they don’t lose Guthrie’s business. As Silver is unloading the cargo, he notices one of the logbooks is not among them and deduces the page must be from the missing volume and is in Flint’s quarters

Silver then gets hazed. He is accosted and told he needs to see Blackbeard, who “meets the new ones, no exceptions”. When thrust into a smoky room he’s told contains Blackbeard, he realises that the person in the throne is not, in fact, the pirate Edward Teach, but rather a prostitute. When he questions this, she opens her coat, revealing a large black bush. The pirates laugh, tell him to yell if he gets lost in there, and close the doors. As Silver is stripped, and has sex with the five prostitutes, he keeps glancing for the page that has fallen out of his clothes

Gates goes to speak to Eleanor Guthrie (below, left), in her tavern. She is introduced berating a captain for being scared of the mere whiff of the Navy rather than going for profit, and clapping back at a drunk pirate telling her to fuck herself. Gates warns Eleanor & her right-hand man, the former slave, Mr Scott (below, right) about Singleton’s plan to take over, and asks for a loan to buy the crew’s loyalty. Eleanor eventually agrees, but Mr Scott chides her, saying that he doesn’t think her father would approve

Max (below), one of the prostitutes from Silver’s hazing pours some tea as he scrambles for the page, which she already found, having noticed that despite having “a whore for every finger on your hand, but your eyes kept drifting to this”. Realising it’s valuable, but that Silver doesn’t know anyone to sell it to, she offers to act as a middle-man, in exchange for half

Gates enters a tent with several of the black pirates and negotiates with the eldest of them, who he knows the rest will follow, to buy their votes. Despite having spent the entirety of Eleanor’s loan on other sections of the crew, he persuades them to side with him in exchange for payment taken out of the next prize. Unfortunately for him, Jack Rackham (below) spots him and tells Singleton that Gates has been buying votes

Silver sneaks into Flint’s cabin aboard the ship with Max waiting in a rowing boat, where he finds the logbook and matches the page to it, but disturbs a feather Flint had left

Meanwhile, Flint has his meeting with Richard Guthrie (below), explaining his plan, how he heard of it, how the logbook confirms his lead, and that he needs Guthrie’s contacts to reconstruct the schedule

“Let me tell you a story, about a Spaniard named Vasquez. A few weeks ago, he staggers into a tavern in port royal, takes a seat next to an English merchant captain. Vasquez, it turns out, is dying, bleeding to death from a knife wound to the belly. The knife wound was courtesy of his former employer la Casa de Contratacion in Seville”

“Colonial Intelligence?”

“Navy, more specifically. One of the top agents in the Americas, responsible for the security of one particular ship, a ship with a cargo so rich, the king of Spain is very anxious to see it launched. Vasquez warned that it was too late, storm season was upon them and no escort could be mustered to guard her, but his superiors demanded that he sign off. They advised him that if he couldn’t arrange for an escort, he should plot a course unknown to anyone but our captain, and consider that route to be a state secret of the highest order. When Vasquez refused and threatened to report his concerns to the court things got ugly. The ship in question? Urca de Lima. The largest Spanish treasure galleon in the Americas. According to Vasquez, total cargo in excess of 5 million dollars”

Guthrie refuses to help, saying that the ship is heavily armed even without an escort, and that even making enquiries would jeopardise his standing with the Spanish. Flint twists his arm and goes to break his fingers, asking Billy to threaten Guthrie with his pistol, but Billy instead aims it at Flint

They hear a commotion outside, it’s the British! Captain Hume of the Scarborough to be precise. Billy, Flint, & Guthrie have all returned to their positions to maintain the pretence of respectability, but Hume isn’t buying it treating us to his pontifications on the relationship between gossip and civilisation, and attempts to take them all into custody. Flint & Billy resist, defeating the Navy men, but Guthrie is shot in the shoulder

“Tell me something, Mr Guthrie. Do you have gossip here?

“Gossip?”

“I’ve often wondered if it can survive in so remote a location. You see gossip is what holds civilisation together. It reinforces shame, and without shame, well, the world is a very dangerous place”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand”

“Do you know what the gossip is in London about you? The gossip is that you make your profits selling ill-gotten cargo, stolen by the pirates of Providence Island”

Singleton confronts the leader of the black pirates about his change of heart. When they refuse to change back to his side, Anne Bonny (below right) appears together with Jack Rackham and she kills them

Before the leader is killed, Captain Charles Vane (below) comes out of the shadows too

Gates tells Mr Scott & Eleanor that he’s secured the votes, only to be told by one of the remaining black pirates that their leader was killed, and his last words were “Vane”. Eleanor decides to do something about Vane

Jack, Anne, & Vane are drinking in a brothel, and discuss their plan. Singleton will become captain, fail at it, and the skilled hands will then defect to their crew. We also find out that Jack & Anne are fucking. At this point, Eleanor storms in, and punches Vane. He punches her back and then offers her a hand to help her get back up. He follows her as she goes to clean up. She explains that he’s fucked her over, and we find out he used to love her and, despite grabbing her face, he still tucks her hair behind her ears suggesting conflicted feelings about that. She threatens to cut him off from selling goods, but vane points out that her father is the one who buys the goods, and he’ll always choose profits over daughters

Max sees that Eleanor has been hit, and leads Eleanor to her bedroom, hand-in-hand. She correctly guesses that Vane is the one who hit her and, when Eleanor blames herself she scoffs at it. She nurses Eleanor, they kiss, and then have sex

Flint & Billy sail away from Mr Guthrie’s mansion, with his pale, unconscious body. Flint strips Guthrie’s rings & wig, and explains that he plans to hide Mr Guthrie, so as to avoid panicking the crew when they find out their fence is burnt

Billy calls out Flint’s constant lying, and wonders if maybe Singleton is right, and they do need a change. This causes Flint to move aggressively towards Billy, but he puts his sword between them forcing Flint to keep his distance. 

“War is coming, one ship is not the war. When a king brands us pirates, he doesn’t mean to make us adversaries, he doesn’t mean to make us criminals, he means to make us monsters, for that’s the only way his god-fearing taxpaying subjects can make sense of men who keep what is theirs and fear no-one. When I say there’s a war coming, I don’t mean with the Scarborough, I don’t mean with King George, or England. Civilisation is coming, and it means to exterminate us. If we are to survive, we must unite behind our own king”

“We have no kings here”

“I am your king”

Flint tells Gates about Guthrie, and finds out that whilst they were gone, Singleton has called a council to vote on him taking the captaincy. Flint takes a moment in his cabin and, whilst flinging some furniture, notices the feather Silver had disturbed

Taking the logbook to the council, Flint tells them of his plan, and accuses Singleton of having stolen the schedule from the logbook

"I’m sorry. For the short hauls. For the trouble I’ve caused. But most importantly, for the disregard it seems I’ve shown you

“The most important element of a healthy ship is trust. Trust between men. Trust between captain and crew. Without it, a ship is doomed

“For the past few months, you and I have been on the trail of a prize so rich, it could upset the very nature of our world. And for that reason, I felt it necessary to keep it secret

“I didn’t trust you. And that was my mistake. Right now I would like to tell you that prize is within our grasp and we are close, so close. But it would appear that my concerns about secrecy had merit

“Someone on this crew discovered my plans. And tore from this log the very page necessary to discover that prize. Stole it for their own gain. Stole it from us. And then, stoked your resentment to cover his crime, and make himself your captain”

Obviously, Singleton is confused, and protests that he doesn’t know anything about this. Gates points out that this is a serious accusation, thievery being punishable by death, and a false accusation likewise. Per the articles of the ship, Singleton must either submit to a trial (with Gates as judge, who Singleton does not consider would be impartial), or they can settle it by sword

This fight is analysed in a lot of detail by Matt Easton (a historical fencing instructor, well versed in military sabre of the late 19th and late 18th centuries, so only shortly after the period of the show) here (may contain spoilers for later in the show, I don’t remember). Flint has good form, and is clearly well-trained, but Singleton is stronger, tougher, and more ferocious, easily gaining the upper hand

There is some back and forth, with Flint temporarily gaining the advantage, before losing it again, ending up injured and covered in blood. He is finally able to grab a cannonball and smash Singleton on the head, before crawling over him and beating him to death in front of a shocked crew

Flint produces a piece of paper, seemingly from Singleton’s bloody corpse, and offers it to Billy (seeing this page, Silver confirms that he does in fact still have the real page). Billy opens it, sees that it’s a completely blank page, but as Flint coolly holds his gaze tells the crew that it is in fact the stolen schedule

“Friends, brothers, the prize that you and I have been pursuing, is l’Urca de Lima, the hulk, a prize of almost unimaginable value, now with this page securely in our possession, we can begin our hunt, and we will succeed, no matter the cost, no matter the struggle, I will see that prize is yours, I’m not just going to make you rich, I’m not just going to make you strong, I’m going to make you the princes of the new world!”

The crew all cheer whilst Billy, Gates, and Silver, who all know that this page is not real look on in disbelief

Max is called from her room, where we see Eleanor sleeping naked on the bed by Idelle, one of the other prostitutes. She goes down to meet Jack & Anne and, sitting on his lap (which Anne does not like), tells them she has something she thinks they may want to buy

[detectivejigsawpines]

The Next Adventure

The Pines twins wind up in the afterlife-and not one they were expecting, either.

Here it is, folks-the weird crossover that nobody asked for, but that you’re getting anyway!  (Hint: you don’t necessarily need to have watched Pixar’s Coco to understand this, but it helps.)

Enjoy.

Ford opened his eyes and found that he was standing in the middle of a bridge made of glowing orange flower petals, with walking, talking skeletons passing him by.

This was extremely different from his situation the last time his eyes were open, so for a moment he just stood there, nonplussed.

The skeletons took no notice of him, except to step around him with the occasional “Excuse me.”  Some of them were in groups, but most were walking in ones or twos; when he took a closer look at them, he saw that they still had eyes set in their sockets, and brightly colored markings decorated their skulls-calaveras, yes, that was the word.  And most of them were speaking Spanish, or heavily accented English.

It was like no world he’d ever been to, that was for sure; and he’d been to some pretty crazy worlds.  What was worrying was that he couldn’t even tell how he’d gotten here, or why.

In an effort to clear his head, Ford looked down at the bridge, wondering how such a thing was possible, and if there was some structure underneath all the petals to keep it together (though considering the number of things he’d seen in his long life that defied the laws of physics, you’d think nothing would surprise him anymore)-and let out a small yell when he saw his hands.

Namely, the fact that they were all bone.

No, really.  Six phalanges attached to six metacarpals and eight carpals, without any skin or muscle covering them but still staying together for no apparent reason.  And, upon rolling up his sleeve, he saw that yes, his arm was all bone too, and then that his turtleneck was hanging so loosely on him now because underneath there was just a spinal cord and a ribcage.

Ford gingerly poked at the space where his stomach used to be, and realized he could reach all the way to his spinal cord.  While fascinating, it was a little disturbing that it was happening to his own body. Especially if it meant what he thought it meant.

With a slow, sickening clarity, Ford realized that Bill had been telling the truth about what would happen when he was ninety-two, after all.  But it didn’t explain where he was, or why he was a walking skeleton now. Because he knew there were some cultures who believed in that kind of afterlife, but his family had never-

“FORD!!!!”

********

Before he could consider the matter further, he was crashed into and sent flying.

Even though they were both much lighter on their feet now (he didn’t see his attacker’s face, but he would have recognized that voice anywhere) because they were all bone, he was knocked right into the petals by his brother’s tackle-hug.

As he blinked and struggled to collect himself (literally-he thought one of his feet might have become detached from his ankle upon impact, and was grateful that he still had his boots on), he realized that Stanley was babbling excitedly in his earhole, without seeing any apparent need to release him; in his excitement he sounded a lot like Mabel.

“Holy Moses I missed you so much, I’m sorry you’re dead but I’m glad ya finally got here, knucklehead!  You’re gonna love this place, there’s all kindsa cool nerd stuff to look at and lots of food and-”

“Stanley, can you let me up, please?  I think we’re starting to sink.”

Maybe it was just his imagination, but it felt like the petals were shuffling and closing around them.

Stan let out an annoyed huff, and growled, “I’m not tryin’ to leave, ya stupid thing!  I just wanted ta tell my brother hello, that okay with you?”

“Stanley,” Ford reminded him in a tone filled with fond scolding.

He felt his brother’s now equally-bony arms unwind from him a little, allowing Ford to push both of them up into a sitting position-where he promptly pulled Stanley into a tight hug of his own.

“I missed you too,” he whispered, closing his eyes and squeezing him so tight that if he’d needed to breathe, he couldn’t have in that moment.

They sat that way until someone coughed behind them.  Ford glanced over Stan’s shoulder, and saw two skeletons dressed like security guards standing there, looking a little uncomfortable.

“Um, sirs, would you mind moving off the bridge?  You’re causing a hold-up.”

Ford turned his head the other way (amazing; if he wanted to, he could probably turn it all the way around like an owl), and saw that some of his fellow travelers were standing in a cluster, watching them.  Several of them were saying “Awwww!” for some strange reason, and one appeared to have been buried with her phone, because she was using it to take photos.

If he’d still had skin, he would have started blushing.

“They can wait!” Stan said petulantly, not letting go of Ford.  “They’re not gettin' any deader, are they?”

“We’re sorry, officers,” Ford apologized, accompanying the sentence with an elbow jab into Stan’s side, and began pulling them both up; Stan grumbled but didn’t resist.  Once they were on their feet though, Ford stopped and held his twin by the shoulders so he could finally get a good look at him.

Despite his being just a bag of bones now, Ford recognized his brother with little trouble.  The same eyes, the same red beanie he’d acquired after surrendering the fez to Soos, the same wide huckster’s grin that he’d been missing.  His clothes hung more loosely on him now, though; had the circumstances been different, Ford might have joked about that diet and exercise regimen he’d tried to get Stan into finally paying off.  As for his face, the skull was decorated with its own calavera markings, in blue and gold-the blue ones were shaped like ocean waves, and the gold mini versions of the fish symbol that had been on his fez.  It made the scientist wonder what his own skull looked like. He wondered if he should be disturbed that that train of thought wasn’t disturbing him.

Then Ford remembered why they’d stood up in the first place, and released Stanley so they could keep moving.

********

They followed the security guards across the bridge towards what looked a bit like a train station during rush hour.

“Apparently it’s a lot more crowded during Dia de los Muertos,” Stan commented.

However, there was still a line of people at the gate labelled “Arrivals.”

When they reached the line, the security guards left them to attend to business elsewhere.

Stanley looked him over, eyes practically aglow.

“You’re lookin’ good,” he said finally.  “Way too healthy to be here, heh heh.”

Ford rolled his eyes, and said, “I didn’t know this was the afterlife everyone got.  I thought it was just for people from Mexican culture.”

Stan’s laugh sounded a little nervous or uncertain this time.

“Yeah, about that…”

Before he could give what Ford was sure was about to be a very unusual explanation, they reached the front of the line, where a pretty (as can best be judged of a skeleton) young woman in a blue uniform greeted them with a bright, beaming smile.

“You finally got him back!” she said to Stan, sounding genuinely happy.

Stan nodded.  “Yeah, about time.”  He glanced at Ford. “This is Carmela.”

Carmela turned to Ford, still beaming.  “It’s been years since I’ve seen twins so glad to see each other again!  It’s wonderful that you made it-we couldn’t even get him to leave the bridge when he first got here!”

Ford blinked.  “Wait, what?”

Stan, he saw out of the corner of his eye, had suddenly become very interested in examining his shoes.

The arrival agent put her hand on her hip.  “When he arrived and we told him that we had no way of knowing when you would be here, he just sat down by the gates, right over there, and said, ‘That’s okay, I’ll wait.’”  She shook her head in a way that was meant to imply exasperation but didn’t fit with her still-upturned mouth. “And he didn’t move an inch until he finally saw you on the bridge, not for love or money.  We were worried that he wouldn’t even leave for Dia de Muertos if you weren’t here by then.”

Ford turned to his brother with a scolding look.  “Stanley!”

“What?!” he demanded, jaw clenching in defiance.  “It’s not like I had somewhere ta be!”

He was still trying to come up with a good comeback to that, when Carmela said, “Sign here, please,” and held out a paper.

Ford looked down at it-and blinked in bewilderment.

“...I think there’s been some kind of a mistake,” he said.  “This lists us as being part of a...Ramirez family?”

“No, it’s correct,” she assured him.

Ford turned towards Stan and glared at him sternly.  “Explanation. Now.”

“Soos,” Stan replied.

********

“...Soos?”

“Yeah.  He put our photos on his ofrenda, so that makes us part of his family according to these jokers.”  Stan rubbed the back of his neck with one bony hand, and did that uncertain laugh again. “Crazy kid, huh?”

This time Ford couldn’t speak because he was feeling a lump suddenly grow in the memory of his throat.  He’d known, of course, how devoted the former handyman was to Stanley, but he had never thought the same sentiment applied to him.

Slowly he took the pen from Carmela and, after reading over the paper just in case to make sure he wasn’t signing anything he might regret later, he scrawled his name on the dotted line.

“Thank you,” she said, taking it.  “Señora Alzamirano should be here any moment to bring you to your new home.”

“Soos’s grandma,” Stan clarified.

“Yes, I vaguely remember her.  Very...imperturbable woman.”

And together they walked through the gates.

[rainbowsinthestorm]

Chapter Nine

Summary: Returning to the palace after her night at Leo’s, Gideon calls her into his office to speak with her.

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters or the dialogue. They are owned by Pixelberry. I’m just borrowing them :) the only characters I own are the ones created by me :) I hope you like the chapter, and if you do, like, comment or reblog! Your feedback means everything to me If you want to be added, moved or removed from the tag list, just let me know!

All pictures credits to the owners. 

Thanks to @darley1101 and @brightpinkpeppercorn for being my beta readers ❤️

Masterlist

Word count: 2635

Tag list: @maxbeauthot @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat @larryssunflower @silviasutton1989 @leelee10898 @agent-bossypants @mrsdrakewalkerblog @andy-loves-corgis @katurrade @speedyoperarascalparty @annekebbphotography @texaskitten30 @drakewalkerisreal @whenyourheartskipsabeat @liamxs-world @furiousherringoperatortoad @ladyangel70 @mfackenthal

Permanent tag list: @cora-nova @blubutterflyy @indiacater

Eva clings to his back as he drives through the city back towards the palace. Thankfully the weather was better today and the sky was a bright blue, barely any clouds in sight. In no time at all, it seems like they are pulling up to the gates. Leo presses the buzzer on the intercom and briefly speaks to a security guard. Once the gates had been opened, he heads up the sweeping driveway, pulling into the garage. He stops next to one of the many palace vehicles. Turning the engine off, he climbs off the bike and offers his hand to Eva. Taking it, she dismounts and removes her helmet and exits the garage towards the main entrance. Walking back into the palace with Leo trailing behind her, she notices Bastien waiting for her just inside the entrance. “Duchess. Your Highness” he said, nodding at both of them. 

“Bastien” she responds, walking past him towards the staircase. 

Bastien places a hand on her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “His Majesty has requested to see you as soon as you returned to the palace. He’s waiting for you” he told her.

She groans. “Is he mad?” she asks him. He nods, a sympathetic look on his face. 

“Well, guess I should go and see him” she said, walking up the stairs towards his office as Leo and Bastien made their way up towards the rooms to deposit Leo’s luggage. 

Approaching his study, she pauses outside the door. Just as she was about to knock she heard him talking to someone. Pressing her ear against the door, she listens to see if she can make out what he is saying.  

“Thank you for your assistance. And remember, keep this between us. No-one can find out. Especially not Eva. At least for now”. Furrowing her brow, she backs away from the door. She needed to find out what he was keeping from her and she figured there was no time like the present. Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she knocks on the door. “Come in” she heard him call. 

Pushing the door open, she walks into the room. “What is it, Bastien?” he asked. She cleared her throat, causing him to look up. A brief look of relief flashes across his face before it was replaced by one of anger. He stands up and strides round his desk, leaning back against it and crossing his arms. “So you’re back” he said coldly.

“You wanted to see me?” she queries.

He nods. “What were you thinking, Eva?” he yells at her.

“I needed to get away. I couldn’t take it. I needed some freedom. I’ve been constantly scrutinised by the press and other nobles over the social season and your engagement tour and now it’s about to happen all over again. It’s too much, Gideon. I needed a break” she responds. 

“So you ran away. To Leo. Instead of talking to me. Do you know how worried I was? Anything could have happened to you!” he exclaims. 

“But it didn’t. I was in no danger. Leo can protect me” she told him. 

He pushes off the desk and walks towards her. “Don’t ever do that again” he snarls, an inch from her face. He was partially angry that she had ran away, but his anger was mainly caused by her running to Leo. He hated that she felt she couldn’t talk to him so she resorted to running away. To his brother, of all people.

“Don’t tell me what I can or can’t do. Who do you think you are?” she said, shoving him away and striding past him towards the windows. 

“I am your king” he shouts in fury. 

“Do not play the king card with me, Gideon. I’m not one of your subjects who will do as you say. I’m your fiancé” she responds, whirling round to face him. 

He sighs heavily, running a hand over his face. “Yes, you are, and my wife. My wife in practice if not yet by law, so you will honour me. You will honour me the way a wife is required to honour a husband. Because I will not be made a fool. Is this in any way unclear?”. She shakes her head. “So, you can’t just disappear when you need a break or you can’t take it. It wouldn’t look good for either of us. Over the next month everyone is going to be watching you. Watching us. Imagine how it would look if the press saw you sneaking away with Leo?”. 

She nods. “You mean, imagine how it would look for you? You don’t care how it looks for me or Leo. Just you. Because that’s all you care about. Your reputation. Which was the exact reason you picked Madeleine at the coronation ball. You couldn’t just pick me as it wouldn’t be good for you. So you picked her. I picked Drake and you hate that I picked him over you once my name was clear. But he was there, through everything, picking up the pieces everytime I had to see you with Madeleine on your arm. I don’t care how it looked. We weren’t seen but even if we were what could the press say? ‘Duchess Eva spends an afternoon with crown prince Leo’. For all they knew I was getting to know my future brother in law. Last time I checked that wasn’t newsworthy. I just needed to get away. I needed freedom. Freedom from being followed everywhere by a guard. I’m not used to this, Gideon. I feel trapped. At least during the engagement tour I was free, to an extent, to come and go as I pleased. I know it’s different now, but it’s difficult for me to adjust to not having any” she told him. 

Gideon’s brow furrows as he thinks about what she said. “I know, Eva, but this is how it is now. You can’t just disappear whenever you feel like it. It’s not safe. For either of us. After all, we were the targets at the ball”. 

“You don’t think I know that? How could I forget that little detail?” she snaps at him. He looks at her, slightly taken aback by her tone. She rubs a hand across her forehead. “I’m sorry, Gideon. It’s just difficult knowing we were the targets and that I’ll never be able to go anywhere without security detail from now on. I just wanted one afternoon where I could be Eva, not Duchess Eva or the future queen. Just to be me”. 

He sighs. “I wish you had told me how you were feeling. We need to be honest and open with each other”. 

She scoffs. “That’s rich, coming from you”. 

“What are you talking about?”.

“I heard you on the phone. Both times, in case you were wondering. When we got back to the palace after the night in the safe house. And just now. What are you hiding from me, Gideon?” she demands. 

Gideon’s face pales. “N-nothing” he stutters. She stares at him, one eyebrow raised, arms crossed across her chest. 

“Gideon, don’t lie to me. I know you’re keeping something from me. And I will find out” she said, turning round and walking out of his office, slamming the door into the wall. She almost collides with Bastien on his return from Leo’s room. She walks past him back to her room. 

Opening her door, she slams it behind her and starts pacing angrily. The door opens behind her and she turns to see who it was. “So I take it the chat didn’t go well?” Leo said as he entered her room, closing the door behind him.

She lets out a frustrated sigh. “No. He’s keeping something from me but yet he chastised me for not being honest about how I was feeling” she huffs. Before Leo can respond, she hears voices walking past her room and she glances at the door. Leo holds his finger to his lips as they both tiptoe towards the door. Cracking her door open slightly, she sees Gideon and Bastien walking down the hall, speaking in hushed whispers so can’t make out what they are saying but from their facial features she could tell it was something serious that was making Gideon seem anxious. Leo stands behind her, watching Gideon and Bastien. As soon as they are out of sight, he leans over her and closes the door. 

Stepping away from the door she flops down on her bed, wondering what Gideon is up to, eventually coming to the conclusion he was just anxious about the tour, the attack at the homecoming ball and that video. She knew he would want to find the culprits as soon as possible, to prevent further attacks. Plus he still had his kingly duties to deal with on a daily basis. Sitting up, she decides to head outside and get some air, maybe speak to Gideon and see if she can help in anyway to take some of the pressure from him. 

“Little one, where are you going?” Leo asks from the sofa. 

“I’m going for a walk in the gardens. I just need to be alone, Leo”. Heading out of her room, she makes her way to the main entrance of the palace. As she nears the bottom of the steps, she hears a door open to her left. Turning her head, she sees Maxwell exit a room a few doors down from the dining room. 

“Little Blossom!” he exclaims, walking towards her and wrapping her in a hug once he has reached her. “I’m glad to see you out of your room. I was getting worried about you”. 

“I figured it was about time. I can’t stay in there forever. Do you know where Gideon is?”. 

He nods. “I saw him leaving with Bastien about five minutes ago but I don’t know where he went”.  

She sighs heavily. “Ok, thanks Max. Guess I’ll catch him when he gets back. I just wanted to speak with him about the tour”. Turning away from him, she heads towards the back entrance of the palace.  

“Where are you going, little blossom?” Maxwell calls after her.  

“Just out for some air. I need to be alone, Max”.  

He watches her walk away with a worried look on his face. He knew she hadn’t been the same since the attack, since she lost Drake, but he knew she needed to grieve and he didn’t want to bother her. He also figured she needed to go through the grieving process, ideally before the tour started. He hated seeing her like this, broken and in pain and he wanted to help her, he just didn’t know how to. Once she has disappeared from his view, he pulls out his phone, contemplating calling Gideon to let him know she was asking after him. Deciding against it, he puts his phone back in his pocket and turns towards the entrance to the palace, heading out towards the fountain at the front, thinking of a way to try and help Eva. 

As Maxwell heads to the garden, Eva walks out into the gardens at the back, heading towards the wishing well at the back of the maze, just for some peace and to clear her head. She wasn’t alone for long as Rufus and Leo came into view, Antonio trailing behind them. Leo was on the phone as he was walking along and hadn’t seen her as he had his back to her. 

“Astrid, you can’t do this. They are my children too. You can’t stop me from seeing them. I want to show them my home, introduce them to their uncle. They know your siblings so why can’t they meet my brother?”. There’s silence from Leo as he listens to Astrid’s response. 

“You have to check with Ryder? Are you kidding me? You need to check with the man responsible for destroying our marriage if you can bring my children to Cordonia? I don’t care what he says. He does not get to make those decisions. I’ve cleared it with my brother and I can send the royal jet to get you and the twins”. There’s silence again. 

“Why would you do that? Because of him not feeling comfortable flying on the royal jet after what he did? Good. But if you must bring him, bring him. I’d rather you used the jet as it will be safer as there will be royal guards on board”. He turns and begins pacing up and down as Astrid responds. Eva felt awkward as she had been eavesdropping on his conversation when she could have given him some privacy. 

“Perfect. I’ll send the jet tomorrow for you” she heard him say as she slipped back into the palace before he saw her and worked out she had heard his conversation. 

Making her way back towards her room, Eva is lost in thought about where Gideon has gone and what he could be keeping from her when she spots movement out of the corner of her eye. She barely has time to react as an unfamiliar woman ducks from an alcove and swings her fist towards her. Ducking down, her assailants fist passes harmlessly over her head. The woman’s other hand comes up to drive another punch. Eva dodges out of her way as the strike whistles past her face. “What the—” she begins to say but before she can finish her sentence, the woman launches into a roundhouse kick. Eva steps out of the way just in time and her kick sails harmlessly through the air.

“Not bad” the mystery woman said, dropping into a standing position and squaring her shoulders. “I’m impressed. There’s always room for improvement but that was a decent start” she continues.

“Ok.... back up. You must be Mara?” Eva queries.

She gives a short bow. “Correct. You’re smart. That’s good” Mara responds. 

“So, this is what Bastien meant. But Gideon told me you hadn’t arrived yet” she said. 

“I only arrived a short while ago and asked Bastien not to be specific so I could surprise you and see what we’re working with. Bastien said you needed the best protection and I’m here to offer the best that I can” Mara replied.  

“So... do I just call you Mara? Do you have...a last name? A secret code name? Ooh, like Death’s Shadow or the Royal Dagger?” Eva asks her. 

“Mara’s just fine” she responds with a hint of a smile appearing on her face. 

“So, we’ll keep brainstorming then?” Eva questions. Mara just shook her head. Hearing footsteps behind her, she turns and sees Leo strolling up. 

“Eva. Who’s this?” he asks, casting a critical eye over Mara. 

“This is Mara. My bodyguard”. 

“Ah. It’s about time Gideon got you one sorted. Anyway, I have news. Astrid has agreed to bring the twins to Cordonia” he said. 

“Leo, that’s wonderful news. I can’t wait to meet them” she tells him. 

“I’m sending the jet for them tomorrow morning. Gideon said I could use it. They should be here mid afternoon. Will you come to the airport with me? I don’t want to go alone. Astrid is bringing Ryder with her and I don’t want to be alone with them”. 

She nods. “Of course, I’ll come with you. I wouldn’t want you to face them alone. Now, if you'll excuse me, I’m going to take a shower”. Leo nods, turning round and walking down the hallway towards his room. “Mara, if anyone needs me, I’ll be in my room” she explains. 

“I’ll be right outside, Duchess, if you need me” Mara remarks. Entering her room, she closed and locked the door behind her so she wouldn’t be disturbed.

[magitek-powered-calligraphy]

A Walk in Kugane

A backstory for Priscilla bas Scaevola in three parts ( 1/3 )

Sunset approached the streets of Kugane. The paper lanterns that adorned the streets gently feathered over the natural light with their yellow and orange hue. Priscilla strolled down the Kogane Dori Markets with confidence, her wide smile greeting  every local and merchant. She dressed in a fine set of gold embroidered red silks crafted to match and blend the Far Eastern scenery and fashion. She had tied her long auburn hair neatly in a high bun and kept a matching headband attached to her wrist instead of hiding her obvious Garlean heritage.

Priscilla had planned to find the up-and-coming seamstress who had crafted her new outfit. She wanted to commission more of her outstanding work, but it was more of a guise to enjoy a tea house or a nice restaurant. The night life was always more enjoyable with company.

Just perfect! After a few questions around the markets, she felt her hopes rise. The merchants and visitors were a pleasant bunch; the locals were already familiar with her. They told her the seamstress had stopped by to procure some fabrics. The tourists and visitors were harder to approach. Some just avoided her gaze in the hopes of not being bothered, while others carried angry or stern faces, probably hailing from a nation warring with hers. The angry ones never acted confrontational with her, proving Kugane a relatively safe place for those not looking for trouble with groups like the Sekiseigumi to keep the order and the Garlean embassy right around the corner to give her a peace of mind.

Priscilla’s hopes and plans for the night began to sink as she noticed a Garlean officer walking straight in her direction.

“Miss Scaevola, I was asked to escort you.” His voice carried a slight echo within his intricate helm.

Now? But I haven’t reached my cute new seamstress yet! “You know...” Her lips curled a slight smile as she examined his form-fitting outfit, almost certain of the man behind the mask. “I always appreciate the fashion the troops carry in the Far East.” She raised an eyebrow.

“Sc-caevola!” the man stuttered. “I was asked to escort you.”

“Please, Serbius, must you wear that helmet every time? I’d prefer to stare into your blue eyes instead… formalities I guess.” She grinned and stepped to the side with an over-the-top bow, gesturing for him to lead the way. “Is it Eustace again? I am sure it could wait until tomorrow. We could go get some tea instead? Maybe appreciate some of the night life?” Maybe my room later?

“Pris, please-!” the officer pleaded and cleared his throat. Her smile widened behind his back. “Miss Scaevola, let me just do my job. Master Farcia was the one that summoned you. He was quite sour. So-“

“So no jokes, got it. Not like he has a sense of humor anyway.” Priscilla rolled her eyes. “It should be fine, I am his new money-making machine. Oh!” She raised a finger as a thought occurred to her. “The Prima Vista will be in town soon! We should see it! Fine Garlean theater, right here in Kugane. We should gather your whole crew for it!” Her voice was clear with newfound excitement.

“Are they now.” A breathy chuckle finally escaped his helmet. “Yes, maybe we should gather up the crew for that. Most have not been back home in quite a while.”

Instead of  the usual restaurant where Priscilla met with her manager, Eustace cen Farcia, she was escorted to the Garlean embassy building in Kugane. Serbius exchanged salutes and orders with the guards at the gates before they were swiftly welcomed inside.

“So, tonight, then?” she teased Serbius as they parted ways.

“Just stay out of trouble, Pris.” He shook his head as he chuckled again, leaving to continue his duties.

Trouble… I know. Priscilla walked into the building, escorted by a pair of officers once inside. Her destination was a makeshift office: a desk table next to a fireplace and half a dozen chairs. The officers asked for any weapons. She handed over her purse which, aside for some pieces of candy and a small bag of coins, contained a well-crafted gun and a ceruleum grenade. They examined it and kept the purse with them as they stood watch over the door.

Minutes later a man hastily entered the room, smacking the door open with his palm and storming to the desk where Priscilla was patiently sitting. He wore a simple dress shirt adorned with a cravat. His glasses were as crooked as his messy blonde hair and the red of his skin showed signs of stress, anger or both. In his hands were a bundle of handwritten papers, which he tried to loudly throw against the desk between them. This man was Priscilla’s manager and agent, Eustace cen Farcia.

“So I take it you didn’t like it?”

“Priscilla!”

No last names? Oh he really is mad! “Well?”

“Well?! Well?!” Eustace grew more agitated. “You do know what your own manuscript is about, right?!”

“A group of adventurers’ struggle against an overwhelming force. Eikon slayers, the final page of a thousand-year-old war in Ishgard. The inspiring tale of their tenacity, come hell or high water.”

“And you have heard the news, right?” he asked, trying to compose himself.

“Assuming you are not talking about the sales chart of The Wildfire, yes. Garlemald lost some of its territories recently.”

“Priscilla, you are missing the part where the merry band of adventurers you like to write so much about killed the crown prince Zenos yae Galvus!”

Her eyes widened in brief surprise. She quickly pondered how to respond appropriately between her want to ask for more information and the excitement of the sheer stunt these adventurers had managed to pull off. “Good riddance-“

“Priscilla bas Scaevola!!” he yelled, drowning her retort.

“He was a genocidal arse. That man was crazy,” she mouthed at Eustace, out of earshot of the guards.

“Please, dear, do not let people hear you speak so. Your father worked too hard for you. I also worked very hard for you.” He took a deep breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We cannot have you writing about enemies of the Empire. At least not like this. They are rather displeased with your stance. There are things we can do, so let me fix this for you. Here is the deal.” Eustace threw the manuscript into the fireplace. He procured a folded letter sealed with the emperor’s insignia and handed it over to Priscilla. “We will forget about these Riskbreakers. In its place there will be something, maybe a biography, about the late Lord Zenos. Write about his prowess, about his face, it doesn’t matter. Write me something our motherland can mourn about. There will be remembrance service in a few months where we will present this. You will be the star. We will be rich. This might be the chance to change your status. You will make your father very proud. ‘Priscilla cen Scaevola’ - think about it!”

Priscilla stared intently at the fireplace for what could be a decade. Her heart felt heavy in her chest. Good thing I never gave the original away. She still mourned the hard work of the second copy that now was working as kindling. The fire burned brighter against a room that had come to feel a bit more claustrophobic. She knew they would come to invite her to participate. To bend the truth and be another cog to the great Garlean machine. But she hadn’t expected it would be so early. To comply or to resist. I don’t have the backing of the Majestic Imperial Theater Company, or half their talent. Maybe I could go to them, not that would get me the freedom I want. Maybe it could be like an internship…

“And if I refuse?” She broke the silence. One could almost hear the strain out of Eustace’s very soul.

“I believe you would lose all the help you have received so far. I won’t be able to sell this, or anything you write after that. Not that I would try. I have mouths to feed, Priscilla; I can’t keep playing these games.”

“And if I publish it myself?”

“That would be very hard. You would brand yourself a traitor to Garlemald the moment your novel reaches the people. When this little revolution ends and these Riskbreakers fail, you will fall right with them. They will seek to silence you and take your head.” Eustace sat down. “Pris, Priscilla, oh please listen to me. Let us do what is best.”

“But you are asking me to lie. To paint Zenos as a war hero, to paint people who only wanted their home back as savages and vile murderers.”

“Just write like you do for your fiction!”

“But it is not the same! This actually happens! We steal and plunder and take their land. We treat them like cattle and cannon fodder! Then when the people bite back, we don’t get to know what happened? To write off Zenos as a godsdamned saint?! He killed hundreds, and he bloody liked it! There’s actual people at the other side of these wars; these are not dogs biting back at their masters. This is not the glorious Garlemald, you know this Eustace! We have the greatest technologies and the greatest minds in all Hydaelyn! We could be so much better than these warmongering zealots, we-“

“Priscilla!” Eustace stopped her. He saw the flames burning deep within her eyes and he knew her heart was set, but he was not going to let her dig her own grave inside of the embassy. “It seems we are getting a bit carried away... His tone became more clear and punctuated. “We may have had a bit to drink, and our business discussion got a bit heated. Dear Priscilla, we do not need to come to a conclusion today. Have some time to think about your new book, and let’s catch up soon about it. I will let your father know how well you are doing. Let me escort you outside.”

Oh. She quickly remembered her situation as Eustace’s diplomacy carried on. I sure am on the Garlean embassy yelling treason. “Yes Eustace-“ She followed suit and stood. “Let me think about this and let you know as soon as I have something. Should we meet in our usual place?”

The two safely walked outside without raising concern. The real conversation resumed when they managed to get out of the soldiers’ earshot as they walked the premises. Eustace took her hand under his arm.

“Scaevola, you might be the literal death of me. Can I change your mind?”

“You are too valuable to them, old man.”

“Watch it, I am not that old.”

“Are you asking me out?” She teased a smile.

“Priscilla-”

“I know, I know.”

“Can I change your mind? Even if you don’t take part in writing for the remembrance, please bury that story away.”

“Not on this. I cannot do that.” Her tone was serious. “Will you sell me out?”

“Pris, Pris, Pris…” He took a deep saddened breath. “You know I won’t. I will make sure the guards that heard you are well fed. But I won’t be able to fund this. If you do not comply, no one will risk to fund this. When you make your move, I will wash my hands of you. I have a family.”

“I understand. Should I leave Kugane?”

“You should be safe here, at least until the moment you publish it. This city is not under our rules, but do watch your back.” Eustace frowned. “You definitely wouldn’t be welcome in Garlemald. Maybe you can find shelter with the Troupe. But don’t expect much from those heroes you love so.” He pointed at his own third eye. “I do hope they don’t execute you on the spot.”

“Charming.”

“You don’t know what to expect from the savages.”

“They are people.”

“Can I change your mind?” he asked a third time, but she just shook her head.

Together they continued in silence until Priscilla was out of the gates to the embassy. They shared a tight hug upon realizing it was the end of their partnership. She quietly parted and walked away, holding back the swirling emotions within her.

Her plans for the night wildly changed - from finding her new favorite seamstress and ordering some new clothes, to sending her life into an unexpected turmoil of uncertainty and adventure. Tears escaped her eyes as she hurriedly passed Serbius on her way back, his plain worry masked by his imperial helmet. Priscilla’s eyes were stressed and worried but her head soared like a bird to the sky. She entered her apartment and quickly prepared a bath as she contemplated a life aboard the Prima Vista. She dreamed of maybe meeting this band of adventurers that had time and time again shed tears and blood for their own safety and homeland. She dreamed of Garlemald, her glorious Garlemald. Not the power-hungry subjugators, but what was at its core: a home of brilliance and ingenuity. She dreamed of a metropolis of commerce and arts. She dreamed that maybe, just maybe, she could have a hand in making her vision a reality.

[newscheckz]

Are you a parent? READ THIS AND LEARN THE REALITY

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Are you a parent? READ THIS AND LEARN THE REALITY

Little did Mrs. Joseph know that the CCTV installed in their house, which almost caused a rift between her and her husband would be the saving grace to unravel the mystery behind a very unfortunate incident that would change the atmosphere in her home permanently.

Mrs. Joseph came back from work a few days before the ugly incident and met some guys from the technical department of their church working on certain installations.

When she enquired about what was going on her husband, Pastor Kim Joseph told her that he brought those brothers from their church to come and help install a CCTV camera in their home.

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This response did not go down well with Mrs. Joseph who felt that her dear husband should have discussed with her before going into such project for the home.

Agreed, they had talked over it some months back and even brought in some experts to survey the house and get some other technical details, but they later agreed that the project should be suspended till their son Dave, returned from NYSC.

However, Pastor Joseph explained to her that while he was praying in the house that morning after she had gone to work it was strongly impressed on his heart to get that work done without further delay.

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He is a full time pastor with one of the Pentecostal churches in Lagos, South-West, Nigeria while his wife, Dupe Joseph was a manager in one of the commercial banks in the same city.

The wife still could not understand the sense of urgency in the whole thing or why he could not wait till at least the next day so they could talk about it once again. Anyway, that’s that for the issue of CCTV installation in their home.

Mrs. Joseph was still nursing the wound from her husband’s rash decision before tragedy struck in their home.

Three days later, while at work, at about 1 pm Mrs. Joseph got a call from her husband to come home immediately.

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The tone of his voice did not give her any room to question him further. Even before she could open her mouth to ask any question he had hung up.

She quickly put necessary things in order in the office, called her driver and headed home not knowing what to expect. As she approached her home, she started having this kind of heavy heartedness, an indication that something was wrong somewhere.

When she got to their estate gate, the forlorn look on the faces of the security men who opened the gate for her car did not pass her unnoticed. Her house was just a few blocks away from the gate.

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He arrived at her house in time just to see the police and some paramedics from the estate medical centre putting a body into an ambulance. At that instant, her whole world came to a standstill.

She could not immediately make out what was happening or whose body it was. Before her eyes could span round the pockets of people gathered in the compound some women surrounded her and held her while leading her into the house.

On getting into the living room she met her husband sitting on the floor wearing a pair of trousers and no shirt.

That was probably the first time any of the people in that room had seen him that way. Pastor Joseph’s family was one decent and lovely family, which many residents of that estate admired so much.

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They are the kind of neighbours any person would like to have. Their two children are so homely and well-mannered that other parents use them to give example to their own children. Mrs. Joseph could still not fathom what was happening in her home.

Pastor Joseph had just rounded off their Wednesday Hour of Grace prayer meeting in the church when his phone rang at about 11.30am.

It was their nanny that called and tearfully said, “Oga I beg come home ooo! I no know wetin happen to Bisi ooo! (Sir please come home. I don’t know what happened to Bisi). She cut the line before he could say anything further, but not until the pastor heard some yelling and commotion at the background.

He quickly jumped into his car with deacon Udoh and Sister Margaret who were with him when the call came in.

Without wasting time with further details let me tell you what happened. The nanny said that she came back from the market and met the front door open, which is very unusual. She entered into the house, went straight to the living room and saw the only daughter of the Josephs, Bisola stone dead on the sofa.

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She ran outside the compound in fear and alerted the neighbours and the security men at the estate gate. That is the summary of what happened there.

Let us leave other events that happened in-between and address this sad incident: What do you think happened to Bisola? Who is the first suspect in this case assuming you are assigned to investigate this incident?

Your guess is as good as mine. But let us see more facts as they unveil…

In the midst of the uproar and confusion, one of the police officers who came there asked them if there was anything like CCTV in their house.

And Pastor Joseph answered in the affirmative. He then led the team to make the most painful discovery of their lives so far.

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From the CCTV recordings, they saw that a male figure came into the house at about 10.15 am and Bisola opened the door to him.

He came in and sat a while talking with the girl before other ugly things followed. From the moment he came in he went straight and sat near the girl on the 3-seater sofa she was reclining on reading a novel.

Bisola was relaxed and smiling heartily with him all the while. Suddenly the scene changed. He pinned her down on the floor and raped her. He was raping her and using the pillow to snuff the life out of her at the same time.

When he was done the first round he got up and moved round the house in search of God-knows-what.

After walking round he came back to the motionless body of the girl and raped her again then picked her and dropped her on the seat. He went further to bring out a small bottle from his pocket, opened it and tried to force some of the content into her mouth.

When it was obvious the liquid was not going down, he went into the kitchen and poured the content into the kitchen sink, came back and placed the empty bottle near the sofa where the girl lay; he made sure he opened it and dropped the cover on the floor. When he was done he quietly opened the door and left.

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Don’t cry yet because more horrifying revelations are coming. Let’s check this place tomorrow to know what happened next.

From the CCTV footage, it was not difficult for the pastor to pick who the killer was. Even the nanny was called in by the police and she immediately identified the monster. In other words, he was well known to the family.

Mrs. Joseph was too shattered to be made to watch any video, but I guess she too would have been able to recognize the assailant.

The policemen encouraged the pastor to put himself together and put a call across to the killer and invite him to come and help him to do something in the church.

He obliged and mustered courage and made a call to the guy at the other end. He was asked to put the call on speaker so that others could follow in the conversation.

The pastor sounded as calm as ever while the voice at the other end was enthusiastic to hear from him. And the brief discussion went thus:

Pastor Joseph: Hello my boy, how are you doing today?

Voice: I am fine sir. What of mummy and other members of the family?

Pastor: They are good; we bless God. Voice: Ok sir.

Pastor: I don’t know, ehnn, are you so busy this afternoon? Voice: Not really sir. Is there something you want me to do for you? Pastor: Good to hear that. Can you come over to the church now to help me type some mails?

Voice: Yes, sir. I will be there very soon.

Pastor: Oh, that’s my boy. I am expecting you dear. Line cuts.

The pastor entered his car while one of the police officers drove and they went to the church. On getting there the pastor went into his office with one of the police men while the rest waited in the car.

In a space of about 10 minutes a young man walked into the premises and went straight to the pastor’s office. You should know what happened there and then.

By now another police vehicle had joined them in the church. They drove back to Milimuck Estate where the Josephs live.

Back to the house, the CCTV footage was played for the young man the police came back with to watch. He was instructed not say a word but to watch quietly till the end, which he did.

At the end of the footage, the senior police officer announced, “young man whatever you say or do here may be used against you in the law court. Shall we proceed to the station please?”

Meanwhile, before they got back to the house Mrs. Joseph had been rushed to the hospital. The whole incident was too much for her to contain. Her elder sister, Dr. (Mrs.) Davies did not want to take chances knowing fully well that Mrs. Joseph was a known hypertension, as well as ulcer patient.

So, Dr. Davies arranged for her to be moved to her private clinic for close monitoring and observation, at least for that night.

I guess you may be asking within your mind, “who is that young man?” Don’t worry we shall soon find out. But before then let me tell you a little more about the Josephs family.

Pastor and Mrs. Joseph had two children, 20 year old David who is currently doing his NYSC in Rivers state, Nigeria and his 12 year old Bisola who was in JSS 3, in one of the private secondary schools in Lagos state before her gruesome murder.

As I said earlier, the Josephs family is a very godly and friendly family. Their 2 children are just good and also very intelligent. You hardly see them outside unless they are going to the church with their parents.

And they don’t even have many friends. They have few selected friends, mostly from their church and a few others from their estate.

Dave has a friend who is a member of their church music group. Both of them went to the same school from their primary to secondary school. But they separated when they were about to enter the university.

Dave did a 4-year course in the university while his friend went in for engineering, which was a 5-year program. Hence, Dave graduated before his friend and went to serve.

Meanwhile, when Dave came home after his orientation camp he discovered that his friend had been at home for some weeks.

When he asked him what he was doing at home he told him that there was a practical course he was sent to do in one of the firms in Lagos before coming back to finish his final year. And Dave believed him.

Dave and his friend were always together during the holidays. That was about the only friend he was allowed to visit from time to time. Both families became good friends because of the two boys.

This guy was like a second son to the Josephs. When Pastor Joseph traveled to the UK for a program he made sure that he bought the same kind of wears for his son and the friend.

Everybody in Pastor Joseph’s home loved this boy and even treated him as one of them. If he came to the house and wanted to eat, even if the family had finished eating the nanny would be asked to get him something to eat.

On several occasions he had spent not just a night but nights and days with the Josephs. To say that they were close may be an understatement but let us just leave it there.

It was barely 5 days after Dave went back to his place of service that his only sister, Bisola was gruesomely murdered. Bisola was at home that fateful day because their school was on mid-term break.

Her mum went to work while her dad went for a program in the church. The nanny had gone to Mile 12 market to buy some food items that morning.

I guess you are beginning to pick the pieces together as to unravel who killed Bisola. But before we finally name the dog, I want to ask you some questions.

· What do you know about your child’s best friend?

· Do you know that even the most trusted friend can be used by the devil to give your family a deadly blow?

· Are you sure the people you call your family friends share the same values with your own family? Are you sure they teach their own children same things you teach yours?

What of their religious beliefs and practices, because I have come to understand that some families believe one thing and practice another?

· When you are talking to your children and educating them on the issues of life, do you make it a point of duty to include their friends in the teachings?

· When was the last time you checked the call log and chats/messages on your child’s phone?

· Have you ever thought of organizing an in-house training/discussion on basic life issues like sexuality, friendship, academic excellence, and the likes for your children and their friends?

Even if you cannot handle it by yourself you can get some people who are good in such areas to help you.

· Do you agree with me that your own children are not safe until every other child out there is safe?

· Do you, from time to time, find out the state of the relationship between your children and their close friends?

· Apart from your children, who are the other friends kept by their close friends? This is because the friend of our friend is also our friend.

· Do you know that the fact that you are a child of God does not make your family totally immune to some of the pains other families are passing through?

· Do you know that you may be sincerely wrong to trust some unproven friends?

· Is there any reason under heaven why you should allow your daughter to be very close and relaxed with a young man without any measure of fear or suspicion?

· Are you aware that sexual hormones do not know who is a sibling or a friend?

· Do you know that at times boys can use their association with your son to get at your girls and vice versa?

· Am I wrong to say that none of my children should entertain their friends inside their room? Every friend must stay and be entertained in the living room, irrespective of who they are.

· Am I also wrong to say that I do not allow their friends to sleep-over in my home unless I am fully persuaded about who I am relating with, down to knowing the family and their value system?

· Who are your own friends?

· What is the testimony of people in your area about your family?

Please forgive me for throwing this number of questions to you at the same time. By the way, I still have many questions to ask but I just remembered that we are still looking for Bisola’s murderer.

At the police station, the police quizzed the young man they picked from Pastor Joseph’s house.

Officer: What is your name? Young man: (in a muffled voice) Edward Officer: Edward who? Young man: Edward Megida. Officer: Edward, did you recognize the man in the CCTV footage you watched before we left Pastor Joseph’s house? Edward: Ye-ye-yes sir. Officer: Who was that? Edward (stammering the more) I – I – I am the one. But sir it was the devil’s work (crying now).

Officer: (mockingly) you wrote an application letter to the devil and he employed you without pay but we are going to pay you here.

This will be a good lesson other devil’s employees like you. Now tell me, why did you kill that innocent girl?

Edward: Sir I I, it was the devil. Another officer: (kicking him from behind) come on speak out before I destroy you now! criminal like you!

Officer: My guy stop this your crocodile tears and just tell us everything you know about the death of that girl. And you better talk now before our oga comes here ooo! If you cooperate with us we may even do something for you before or when he comes. Edward: Sir I didn’t want to kill her but I was afraid that she might tell her family what I did to her. Officer: What did you do to her? Edward: I I raped her. Officer: (sounding amused) are you sure we will not collect that your dick from you so that it will not land you into trouble again? By the way, how did you gain entrance into the house? Was the door not locked? Edward: Bisola opened the door for me but the gate was open when I came. Officer: Why did she open the door for you? What did you use to threaten her? Edward: I did not threaten her at all. She just opened the door for me? Officer: Why?

Edward still has a lot of revelations and confessions to make, he may even have some accomplice(s) within or outside the Josephs family. Let’s cap it up tomorrow with those revelations. I am still your friend.

Edward: She knows me very well and I have been going to their house.

Officer: What do you normally go there to do?

Edward: Her elder brother, David is my best friend?

Another officer: (hit him on the head) you are a very wicked boy! You raped and killed the only sister of your best friend. You are not supposed to be alive by now.

Officer: Why did you do that, a fine young man like you? Did you want her to be your girl friend and she refused?

Edward: Sir I don’t know what came over me.

Officer: When was the last time you went to their house?

Edward: About six days ago, just before David went back to Rivers State where he is serving.

Officer: What happened that day, which warranted your going back to kill that girl?

Edward: Sir nothing unusual happened. All of us were just gisting and playing games in David’s room as we used to do before.

Officer: Who were the other people?

Edward: I mean three of us – David, Bisola and I.

Officer: So what happened?

Edward: Nothing sir. It is just that I became attracted to her. That day she was wearing one black bum shots like that, which was quite revealing of her very fair skin on her laps.

And as we were playing she bent over my body to collect her phone from David and her chest rested on my own. At that moment I didn’t know what happened to me again and I started imagining some weird things.

Officer: So?

Edward: I quickly got up and told them that I was going and I left. Officer: And?

Edward: When I got home I could not get her off my mind and I desired to have her by all means.

Officer: Continue.

Edward: That was just that. When my parents went to work in the morning I told my siblings that I wanted to pick some things from the mall and left the house. I went to their house straight.

Officer: How did you know she was alone in the house by that time?

Edward: I called her and told her that I just wanted to know how she was doing and if she was missing

Dave. It was then she told me that she was alone and would not mind if I paid her a visit.

Officer: So you accepted the invitation and went and killed her?

Edward: I didn’t mean to. I only wanted to have fun with her. But she just died when I was still on that.

Officer: (getting angry with him for the first time or so it appears) will you shut up your mouth you lying beast! She died while you were making love to her meanwhile the footage showed you suffocating her with a pillow.

You even came around to have a second round with her lifeless body. And that reminds me, what was that liquid you tried to force down her throat?

Edward: (obviously terrified) sir…sir, it…it was Sniper. But I just took a small quantity from the one in our house.

Officer: You said you did not want to kill her, why then did you go there with Sniper?

Edward: I…I…I don’t..

A slap from the other officer behind him could not let him complete the statement on his lips.

Officer: Now tell me, how many other girls have you done this to because you seem to be a master in the art?

Edward: Sir, this is just the first time I wa…

Another slap and a shove from the other officer brought him down to the floor with a heavy thud. This made him to cry out in pain. He was however mercilessly forced to stand on his feet again.

Officer: I am giving you the last chance before something sinister happens to you. Tell me how long you have been in this business and who your accomplices are. By the way, why are you not in school since they said you are a final year student of Victory Crest University?

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Edward: (shaking like a leaf with blood dripping from one of his nostrils) Sir, I was sent out of school about 2 months ago because I got involved in a cult activity. But my parents are still trying to see if they can work their way into getting me back to the school.

That is why no one knows about it yet. It was other members of the cult I joined in the school that introduced me into gang-raping of girls. They also taught me that the best way to avoid being caught is to eliminate the victim after using her.

I don’t know the number of girls I have raped from my second year in the university when I joined the cult but this is the second one to die in my hands.

Officer: Who and where was the first victim?

Edward: She was a girl in my department in the school and it happened during one of our gang activities in the school.

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We raided the girls’ hostel and her room happened to be one of the rooms assigned to me to raid. We were meant to raid the girls’ rooms and collect their hand sets and other valuables.

But when I got to their room her room mates were not there so I decided to rape her. While raping her she called out my name so I decided to kill her to cover my tracks.

Officer: Mhnn, oh boy you have gone far ooo. Listen to your language; you decided to kill her TO COVER YOUR TRACKS. How did you do that? Well, I don’t think that is necessary now. Are your parents aware of all these?

Edward: They got to know when they were invited to the school because of the last incident that involved the daughter of the deans of students’ affairs.

Officer: How old are you?

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Edward: I will be 20 years in December.

At this juncture those who went to the clinic to bring Mrs. Joseph and their nanny for some interrogations came in with them.

Of course they had told her to console herself with the fact that her daughter’s murderer has been caught and was already in police custody.

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Hence, Mrs. Joseph entered the interrogation room with the utmost curiosity to know who she offended so much that decided to take smiles from her face for the rest of her life.

And to think of it, that fateful day the T-shirt Edward was wearing was the same one Mrs. Joseph bought for him and his son, David when she took them to the trade fair complex about a year ago. She was not prepared for what she saw when she entered into the police interrogation office.

On seeing Edward in that dimly lit police interrogation room, every atom of strength that remained in Mrs. Joseph left her. Just before she collapsed on the floor, she managed to say in a trembling voice, “EDWARD, ARE YOU THE ONE?”

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These are the facts we have been able to pick from the story:

· Edward, David Jospeh’s best friend killed Bisola, the only sister David had. · Edward killed Bisola right inside her parents’ house, where he had always spent good times with the family before that fateful date. · Bisola trusted Edward so much and as such did not hesitate to throw their door wide open for him despite the fact that she was alone in the house. Another proof that 90% of pedophiles and other child sexual molesters are people known to the child. · Neither David nor his family knew that his best friend was a cultist and serial rapist.

ALSO READ: WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR JOB · They also did not know that he was already rusticated from the campus and could not conclude his final year. · Edward was filled with lustful desires to waste Bisola from the day she unconsciously exposed her thighs and chest in a very unbecoming manner before him.

Another reason why we should ensure that our daughters dress decently even at home, especially when there are male visitors in the house.

That is the end of the story for now. But watch out for another series. Draw your own conclusions as a parent and as a family. I am still your friend.

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[dbhilluminate]

DBH: Illuminate- Chapter 7.75: “Friction”

Characters: Hank, Connor, Vivienne, Gavin, Kate (mentions of Captain Allen, Fowler, Nicodemus) Word Count: 4,050

(This chapter will be undergoing retcons and heavy revision within the month- in preparation for that, I've divided the chapter more accordingly, and this summary will not match for a bit. Sorry for the confusion!)

Nick, Dennis, and Zero arrive at Central Station just in time to witness an argument between Viv and Perkins. Connor is apprehensive about why Cyberlife would send three additional RK's to help with their investigation.

Connor’s questions about the deviants lead him back to Kate, but Hank decides to crash the meeting without an invitation.

( Chapter Art by triple_jays_art , Co-authored by grayorca15)

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• Chapter Index • Characters •

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November 12, 2038- 4PM

“You really telling me, you’ve already been here a week and you have nothing yet?” “I didn’t say we have nothing,” she hissed back at the angry little man, “I said, we were in the middle of chasing down a perfect storm of leads and finally gaining traction on this investigation.” “An investigation that should never have been any of your concern to begin with,” he chastised, gesturing with an open palm. “So then what- you’re just gonna yank it out from under me?” she snorted as she shook her head with a disbelieving smirk. “You’re damn right I am!” he almost yelled. “I sent you here to find Illuminate, but instead you’ve been chasing down every other fucking lead that crosses your path!” “Well what the hell else am I supposed to do?” she challenged. “The girl’s smart, and she can change her appearance at will. Right now, the only way to get to Illuminate is to go through the deviants she’s helping,” she insisted, though the explanation didn’t hit as well as she’d hoped.

Above the clamor of ringing telephones and television broadcasts, her voice carried across the room to where Hank, Connor, and Gavin were huddled around Hank’s desk, watching the verbal lashing go back and forth as Lenore and Special Agent Perkins argued about her priorities. Hank leaned back in his chair with a huff and scowled, crossed his arms, and shook his head. “Ugh… that guy’s gotta be the biggest prick I’ve ever met in my life,” he insisted with a tired sigh. “You... sure about that statement, Lieutenant?” Detective Reed leaned over in the chair on the other side of the desk and flashed him a big, goofy grin that was just downright disturbing coming from him. Anderson’s face twisted hard as he glanced over at the man —who was hopped up on painkillers and couldn’t give any less of a fuck at the moment— and gave him a sick look as he turned his attention back to the Agents, struggling to get the words out. “As much as I hate to admit it, yeah,” he groaned. “He’s way worse than you.” Gavin projected an ear-shattering cackle, slapped his knee with his good hand and laughed with ironic delight. “Oh wow, that’s just rich... c’mon now, you gotta tell me- just how bad a taste did it leave in your mouth to admit that?” A low groan rumbled in his throat in response and he cracked in a defeated tone, “I think I need a drink.” Hank reached around for his lukewarm coffee, pulled a flask out of his coat and dumped a little of the whiskey into it before anyone could catch him.

“When your investigation strays from your objective, you call it in! Pass it off to someone else, and focus on the task you’ve been assigned!” he screeched back. “You don’t go chasing down stolen firearms just for the hell of it!” “So you would have rather had armed deviants on the streets than allow me a little freedom to work my case?” Viv shot him a vapid grin and forced a sardonic laugh as he reprimanded her for making what was by far one of the biggest breaks in the deviant case thus far. “Do I need to pull you off this and replace you with someone else who won't get sidetracked?”

Viv’s expression went cold as the frozen banks of the Detroit river. Her heart was palpitating, her blood boiling. Her eyelids flickered as she stepped back and placed a strong hand on the table to steady herself and pressed her fingertips against her sternum as her chest rose and fell in time with her labored breathing. Something about her biorhythm just wasn’t right. Connor’s brow hardened as he tried to analyze the arrhythmia from across the room, but there was just too much background noise to collect substantial data. “Something wrong, kid?” Hank asked, recognizing the scowl on his face as the same look he’d seen him wear at crime scenes when he’d found an interesting, but confusing piece of evidence. “No Lieutenant,” he lied out of necessity, “It’s just-” There was definitely something wrong, something she wasn’t telling them, but until he knew what he wasn’t going to say anything. There was no need for them to worry until he knew what to worry about. Connor sighed and clenched his teeth. “I don’t like him either.”

“No, I can handle it,” she asserted as her lip curled and her eye twitched. “Then stop giving me excuses, and get me some fucking results!” Perkins slammed his hand down on the table so hard it shook, and his scream echoed loud enough that for a moment, the background chatter stopped and everyone turned to stare. She bore the humiliation long enough for him to storm off, but once he was gone Lenore clenched both her hands into white-knuckled fists, snatched up the folder, then turned and stormed back to her temporary desk next to Hank’s before she said something she’d regret.

The file hit the surface with a loud slap but she continued right on past them to stand on the other side of the cubicle walls. As she stared out the window she curled her fingers into her hair and took a couple seconds to take in a few calming breaths and regain her composure. The three men glanced at each other and craned their necks to try and see around the wall without being too invasive, but Gavin’s concept of personal space and tact had gone out the window along with his sobriety. He pushed his chair back slowly until she was in his line of sight, and prodded in a sarcastic tone. “Sooooooo… he seems nice.” Viv whipped around, furious, and was about to verbally eviscerate him until she saw him rolling his eyes into the back of his head; instead, she sighed. “He doesn’t want me hunting deviants anymore,” she relayed. “He wants me to focus on finding Illuminate.” “Yeah, we gathered that much,” Hank replied apologetically. “I think the whole damn precinct heard.” “Well the only way you’re going to do that is by continuing to chase down these leads,” Connor chimed in, stiff and trying to redirect her away from the idea of investigating Illuminate. “One of them has to know where she is.” Vivienne heaved a morose sigh. “I know that and you know that, but…” She paused, gesturing across the room toward the front door where Perkins had exited the building, and flipped off the empty air with a strong middle finger. “He doesn’t care.”

Gavin stifled a quiet chuckle and she turned to glare at him. “Why are you laughing?” she retorted, but he just shrugged it off. “Nothin’... just nice t’see you fired up and pissed off at someone other than me for a change,” he replied and flashed her a sloppy grin that made her groan. He wasn’t anywhere near sober enough to drive. “Jesus… someone’s gonna need to get him home,” she volunteered as she walked over and stooped to pick him up. “Noooo, no no no.” Detective Reed shook his head and tried to push her away with his good arm, but kept missing. “I’m fine V, really.” “No, you’re high on percocet and need to be in bed,” she scolded with a small grunt and threw his good arm over her shoulders, then looped an arm around his waist for support. “Are you offerin’ to take me there?” He teased with a grin and another small laugh, but she wasn’t amused. Viv could have put up with most of his bullshit, but this time he had crossed a professional line.

Immediately she dropped him back into the chair, ignoring his yelp as the searing pain again ripped through the bullet hole in his shoulder. “I’m sorry, I can’t do it. I just can’t,” she apologized as she pressed her fingers between her eyes and turned away. “Someone else is going to have to get it done.” “I’ll do it, Vivienne,” Connor offered as he helped the injured man to his feet, against his loud objections and expletives of “Fuck you plastic prick! Get your hands off me!” “You two get some rest, I have somewhere I need to be soon anyway.” Even though Vivienne had missed the significance of Connor having a “prior commitment”, it wasn’t lost on Hank. The man narrowed his eyes in suspicion and watched him get about halfway across the room before he had to stop and help Reed to his feet again. “My hero!” she thanked as she leaned in to pinch his cheek on her way out. “I’ll see you boys in the morning. I need to get out of here before I go to prison for assaulting my superior.” “Hey!” Hank called after him as he stumbled toward to the door with Gavin, who had just noticed how dizzy he was now that he was up and moving around. “You be careful out there on the road, ya hear…?” “I’ll be fine Hank,” he promised with a chuckle, as he half turned to look him in the eye. “Just go home. I’ll see you in the morning.”

He watched them as they made their way across the room, down the hall, and through the security gates. For a good minute and a half after they had all left, Lieutenant Anderson sat at his desk drumming his fingers and debating whether or not he should follow him and find out what his partner had been up to in his spare time. He had been coming up with some pretty nonlinear theories recently that had turned out to be legitimate truth, so was it possible he had an inside source feeding him information? If so, who was he talking to? And why hadn’t he told him about them? Did Connor not trust him? The thought made his heart ache in a way he hadn’t felt in years. It had been a long time since he’d let anyone in, much less an Android, but he liked Connor. He was a good kid, and he didn’t want him to feel like he couldn’t trust him. That alone was enough to make up his mind for him. Without giving it too much more thought, he swiped the keys to his unmarked patrol car out of the top drawer of his desk and decided to find out what he’d been spending his time doing outside of their investigation. He had to know for his own peace of mind.

November 12, 2038- 5:30PM

It had been several minutes by the time he was ready to leave, but it wasn’t hard to figure out where they were headed. Hank pulled Reed’s address from his driver’s license in the database and arrived a few minutes behind them, just in time to watch Connor’s patience run thin. He chuckled to himself as he hoisted the sleeping man over his shoulder and carried him into the building, and tossed him carefully on the couch when he'd reached the top of the stairs. Gavin’s apartment was about what he’d expected- a cozy two-bedroom on the second floor in a “once nice” neighborhood around the corner from Miliken State park, which was about all he could afford on a detective’s salary in this city. Through the window, in the light cast by the floor lamp behind the couch, he watched the tired man protest as Connor threw a blanket over him and handed him a glass of water; they went back and forth for another minute before Connor locked the front door, descended the stairs, and made for the elevated rail train a few blocks over heading across town. Hank kept on him from a safe distance, following him for ten minutes before he darted up the stairs to the platform, but he didn’t lose him until Connor boarded the train that stopped a few minutes later. He’d tried to keep pace with rail car, but cursed when he lost it at a red light he wasn’t willing to run. The stops along the railway were at least predictable, but it’d be hard to know which stop he’d gotten off at without a direct line of sight. As he sat and watched the cars take turns, he glanced down at the GPS navigation system in his dashboard and realized there was an easier way. Twenty minutes later, after a quick call to Cyberlife, the Lieutenant had located his wayward partner and arrived at the docks on the west end of town. As the patrol car rolled to a stop, he killed the headlights and parked in an alley a few hundred feet from the waterfront. From his place in the shadows, he had a clear line of sight on Connor pacing the dock and rubbing his hands together feverishly. Every thirty seconds he’d turn and sweep the area, either looking for someone or keeping an eye out for uninvited guests, or maybe both, but as soon as he turned his back to him Hank exited the car, moved to the corner, waited, and listened.

Connor was on edge- more so than he had been in the past when waiting for her to arrive, but with good reason. Not only he was afraid of how Kate would react to him coming back not even twenty-four hours later asking for her help with something she had explicitly told him she wouldn’t help him with, but the situation with the armed deviants had him paranoid. The thought that she may have known about the stolen weapons had crossed his mind earlier in the day and had corroded his comfort to the point where he couldn’t think straight. Even though he was certain of what her answer would be, he wouldn’t be able to relax until she told him what he needed to hear, and he couldn’t really understand why.

To his surprise, he recognized her footsteps in the alley behind him before she could sneak up on him, and he turned to the corner to catch her the moment she stepped into the light. "What is so urgent it couldn’t wait until after dark?” she sighed and crossed her arms as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Connor hesitated, fear blurring the questions that had been so clear just a few seconds ago, but pushed it aside and steeled his resolve as he locked onto her pressing green-eyed gaze. “You’re not gonna like it, but I need you to listen before you get upset,” he pleaded as she rolled her eyes and turned away. “Please, it’s important.” Illuminate blinked wide-eyed and gestured toward him with one flexed hand, but dropped her frustration, slapped her hand to her thigh, and shook her head as she braced herself mentally. “What is it?” “It’s about the deviants from the pawn shop-”

Outrage exploded across her face, and she threw up both hands and turned away from him before placing them on her hips, leaned over and let out an uncomfortable laugh, then turned back to him. “RK, I told you- even if I knew where they were, I won’t give them up,” she almost snarled, an angry quiver in her jowls. “I’m not a rat.” “Kate, just listen to me, please,” he begged one last time as she threw her eyes to the sky and prayed for patience. “You told me to investigate, and I did- but I found something very disturbing that I’m hoping you didn’t know about, and this whole thing has gotten a lot more complicated since we last spoke, in a very bad way.”

Kate could hear the urgency in his voice. When she turned she looked deep into his dark brown eyes and saw the dread gnawing at the corners of his mind like he was unraveling, and knew he was telling the truth. Something was very wrong, but just what could have brought this out of him? What exactly had he found? Her expression softened before turning grim. “Bad how?” His eyelids fell shut and his shoulders relaxed, but he flexed his jaw before admitting the truth. “They were hoarding stolen military property- firearms, dozens of them.”

Of all the things he expected her to say, he hadn’t expected silence. When he opened his eyes again, she was gone- not physically, but mentally she had flashed back to a place she feared so deep, her dead eyes stared right through him. The ghosts of her past screamed at her through long forgotten nightmares of a future envisioned by a madman, driven by an unquenchable thirst for power. Jericho had never sought to change the world through acts of violence, and now they were hoarding weapons? Tools of war? The idea could have only come from one place. Nicodemus was still in Detroit trying to undermine her work. All this time, thinking she was safe, and he’d just been busy luring away any of her allies with even a shred of malcontent. Had he been watching? Had he been following her? How much did he know? How long had he been planning this? And how many of her friends had he turned against her? Who could she trust? “Kate?”

Connor’s voice interrupted her panicked thoughts and shallow breathing, and she blinked to try and shake off the disconnect and refocus on the conversation as best she could. “I’m sorry… th- they what?” she stammered, twitching eyes darting from him to the ground and back again. “DCPD raided the shop this morning,” he continued, as much as he wanted to ask if she was alright. “They’d already moved most of them during the night but the evidence left behind was enough for us to find a trail back to the source-” Before he finished the statement he paused, sighed and dropped his hands to his side. “They had enough for a small army.”

Her eyes drifted away from him to the ground as she listened, disturbed, and at a complete loss for words. She felt betrayed, angry, hurt, but most of all she was afraid- not just for herself, but also for any of her friends who had been seduced by Nico’s ferocity and charisma, as she had once been. They didn’t know the kind of man he was, the man she had known, the man who had almost gotten her killed and would surely get them killed one day if they continued to blindly follow him into hell.

The initial reaction the news had dragged out of her had given him hope, but Kate’s silence now worried him. This wasn’t the kind of calming silence that settled when she was deep in thought, she was haunted and lost, fighting an internal war he couldn’t see nor hear. There was something she wasn’t telling him, a missing piece of the puzzle she was keeping to herself. “I don’t know what they were planning to do with them, but we can’t let an armed deviant army become a reality,” he insisted, grasping at straws to just bring her back to the moment. “That’s why I need your help. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.”

After several quiet moments, Kate’s eyes finally turned up to look at him again, this time focusing on his face instead of staring through him. Connor stood his ground and waited for her to say something, but when she faltered, tore her gaze from him and stepped away, he caught himself moving toward her, afraid she’d leave him with more questions than when he’d arrived. “No, don’t-” His hand snapped away as she turned back in silent debate and he watched as she hesitated to say what was on her mind. Kate grimaced several times, each harder than the last as if she’d been yelling at herself to “just do it”, then finally got the words out. “Look… I don’t know where your lost deviant is or what he’s doing, but I can take a guess at who he’s involved with.” Connor’s forehead crinkled in surprise for a split-second, then squinted as her voice cracked and faltered, dread settling into her body language and tone. “And there’s something you should know-” “So this is who you’ve been sneakin’ off to talk to…!”

Before he could even ask, her attention snapped over his shoulder at Hank as he emerged from the alley behind him, and Connor whirled and came face-to-face with the barrel of his partner’s gun leering pointedly at the android fuming behind him. “You were followed!?” she raged as she stepped out of Hank’s line of sight and pulled her hat down to cover her face. “I- I didn’t- I wasn’t-...” he stammered as he stood between them, glancing back and forth, and held out a hand between himself and his friend, then hissed at him, “Hank, what are you doing here!?” “You’ve been actin’ weird, so I came to find out why,” he replied in a tone that was both cold and fatherly. “So you mind tellin’ me what the hell’s goin’ on? What does she know about the case?” “Easy Hank, lower your weapon,” he coaxed as calmly as he could manage with Kate itching to bolt behind him. “Just listen to me-” “I have to go, I can’t stay here,” she insisted as she stepped back, and he stepped with her. “No please, don’t leave,” he pleaded, knowing that if he didn’t fix this now she may never trust him again. “I really need your help-” “Help…? What do you need her help with?” he questioned as he took three steps forward and regripped his gun tighter, raising it around him this time until she could see the muzzle over Connor’s shoulder. It was enough to make her shiver. “Just who the hell are you anyway?” “Haaaaaank….!” Connor warned in a threatening tone as he turned his body to shield her, but when she moved away she stepped back into the light, and Hank gasped as a look of dawning realization washed over his face.

His arms dropped, his eyes grew wide. “Holy shit…” he muttered in awe. “Is- is that-…?” “Connor he knows,” she whispered, her voice quivering, eyes darting between them. “You have to let me go-” Before she could move away any further, he turned and grabbed her shaking hand and looked her dead in the eye with genuine determination she’d never forget. It was the first time anyone had truly stood up for her. “He’s not going to hurt you,” he promised with a reassuring squeeze as he redirected his piercing gaze on Hank. “I won’t let him.”

Anderson’s lip curled and twitched angrily as he clenched his teeth and stared him down with a heated glare that Connor endured without batting an eye, and after a while he growled in frustration, lowered his weapon and placed it back in the holster on his hip. “Fine, you win,” he sighed, holding up his hands in defeat. Part of him couldn’t believe the Lieutenant had backed down. Hank was as stubborn as the day was long, and he thought for sure he’d be taking at least one bullet, but it seemed that he trusted him more than he’d assessed. Perhaps he’d been wrong to think he couldn’t trust him with this secret. Perhaps... “But start talkin’. NOW!”

His grip around Kate’s hand loosened to let go but to his surprise, instead of slipping away her fingers pushed back between his and squeezed. Connor turned to look at her over his shoulder and found her staring back at him through teary eyes, gratitude radiating from crinkled cheeks and a tremulous smile. A warmth he’d never felt enveloped and uplifted him, giving him a strength he didn’t know he had, and then he knew that this was the kind of selfless act she’d been trying to bring out of him- something she’d seen in him before that he couldn’t see in himself, something to prove that she hadn’t misplaced her faith in him. Finally, he’d done something right by her. But now wasn’t the time to rejoice over small victories. Hank had demanded an explanation, and he knew better than to keep him waiting.

[supernatural-stuffs]

Seeing Clearly-Part 3

Warnings: swearing

Paring: ?? x Reader

Word Count: 1,248

Sam’s POV

“Do you think she’s home?” Dean peered up at her dark house.

“Maybe we should come back tomorrow…” I said uncertainly. “It’s getting kind of dark.”

We were parked in the Impala, about 100 feet from Y/N’s house. Well, house wasn’t exactly the right word for it. It was really more like a mansion. A huge three story Victorian-era house sat before us. An even larger gate surrounded it. At the moment, it was closed and locked. I’m not exactly sure why, but the house gave me a bad feeling. Maybe it was just because I was so used to tiny, cramped motel rooms, but this house didn’t feel like a home. It was just an outer shell of walls.

Just then, I caught sight of movement at the end of the street. I was astonished to see the girl Dean had been ogling in the street earlier run towards the house. I grabbed Dean’s shoulder and nodded towards her.

“Looks like you’ll be seeing her again after all, Dean.”

Dean’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas as we watched the girl stop in front of the gates and pull a key out of the front of her sports bra. I looked over to see Dean practically drooling over himself.

“Down, boy.”

He snapped out of it and wiggled his eyebrows at me.

“Come on, Sammy. Let’s go do our FBI thing.”

I groaned. How he managed to make impersonating law officers sound sexual was beyond me.

Y/N’s POV

As you jogged back to your house, you noticed a vintage black car parked down the road. Wait a second…hadn’t you seen that same car at the intersection a little while ago? And before that on Grandview Street? You remembered the driver. Short, light brown hair and piercing green eyes. You had made eye contact as you crossed the street. As you checked out his car, which you thought to be a Chevy Impala, possibly ‘68 or '69, a huge grin had spread across his face. The kind of grin that you had seen often in your life. The “I’m hot and I know it” smile, otherwise known as the “I can get any girl I want” smile. A tingle spread up your spine. He didn’t seem like a stalker, just your typical douchebag, but you knew it couldn’t be a coincidence. You weren’t sure what reason anyone would have to stalk you, though. Maybe this has something to do with Ava’s death. You know it wasn’t a suicide, the little voice at the back of your head whispered. You told the little voice to shut it.

The gears in your head turned. You avoided looking directly at the car. If they were some kind of serial killers/stalkers, you weren’t about to let them know that you knew about them knowing about you. You shook your head at your convoluted thoughts as you unlocked your gate. Think Y/N, think! You walked up to your door and stepped through it, flipping on your lights as you went. You grabbed a sweatshirt from the laundry basket, pulling it over your sticky chest. Your eyes lit on your gun, laying on the table from where you had left it after work. You grabbed it quickly, knowing you didn’t have much time. These serial killer sons of bitches aren’t about to get the jump on ME, you thought as you crept down the driveway and hid behind the gate. You had a plan.

Dean’s POV

I straightened my suit as I walked up towards Y/N’s house. I couldn’t believe my luck. Running girl was Y/N! Or rather, Y/N was running girl. Either way, I got to see her again. I grinned to myself. There was no way I was letting her go without getting some Dean action. I wondered if she liked the whole federal officer thing…

Sam punched me in the arm.

“Dude. You might want to tone down the Casanova act. We’re supposed to be federal agents.”

I scoffed. “I prefer to think of it as-”

But I didn’t get to tell Sammy exactly what I preferred to think of it as because as we crossed through the gate, a fist came flying at my face out of nowhere. I doubled over in pain and let out a choice swear word. I heard Sam getting the same treatment, a grunt coming from his direction. While I was lifting up my head to see the source of the attack, a kick in the stomach threw me to the ground. The next thing I knew, Sam and I were laying on the driveway, a gun pointed at our faces.

“Shit,” I muttered, rubbing my head and preparing to get up and confront the attacker, but then the gun moved slightly and I saw who it was. A set of clear Y/E/C eyes glared down at me. Was that…Y/N?

Sam’s POV

When I saw Y/N standing over us, I thought I must have been hallucinating. I mean, this girl didn’t look particularly intimidating. There’s no way she was the one who had knocked us down like that. But it became increasingly clear that I wasn’t delusional as she cocked her gun at me and Dean.

“Who are you, and why are you following me?”

Her voice was slightly husky, as if she spent a lot of time talking or shouting. Her long ponytail was being whipped back and forth from the wind. Though I’d never admit it to Dean, she was pretty hot.

When neither Dean nor I answered, she repeated herself.

“I said, who are you guys and why are you following me?” She yelled angrily.

I winced and sat up slowly. The narrowing of her eyes told me she didn’t like this, but as I didn’t have a bullet in my head I guess she accepted it.

“Woah ma'am. Please put the gun down.”

She gritted her teeth but didn’t move the gun.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

I pulled out my badge slowly. “I’m Agent Angus, and this is my partner, Agent Young. We just want to ask you a few questions,” I said, using the aliases we had agreed on in the car on the way here.

Her Y/E/C eyes studied my face closely. I thought she was going to lower the gun until they suddenly narrowed.

“Well although you do have excellent taste in music, the same really can’t be said for your lying skills. Now, you have exactly ten seconds to tell me who you are before you’re just another stain on my driveway.”

I looked at Dean in panic. We had always taken for granted our fake badges getting us wherever we needed to go. I guess this time our luck had run out.

“Seven and counting,”

“Okay! Okay,” Dean said, raising his hands in a stop motion. “I’m Dean Winchester. This is my brother Sam.” He clenched his jaw, as if revealing our real names physically pained him.

Y/N contemplated this answer for a few seconds, staring into Dean’s eyes as if they were a book she could read. I guess what she saw there satisfied her, because she lowered her gun. I breathed a quiet sigh of relief. I really hadn’t wanted my end to come while sitting on a dingy driveway. She jerked her head toward her house.

“Okay then, Sam and Dean,” She emphasized each of our names. “Let’s go. You have a lot of explaining to do.”

Part 4 here

[theloveablesociopath]

Whisper your love Part 4

Pairing: Bucky x Reader

Summary: As a hydra agent, you where the last person Bucky expected to be kind to him, but during the days of him being locked away as the winter solider, you where a Flower among the graves.

Warnings: Swearing.

Word Count: 2,079

Now that I knew this girl, or knew her again, I found myself seeing her almost everywhere. It was like our schedules where in sinc or something. She was in the cafeteria every morning, the training room in the afternoon, the lab on every day I had a check up, she was the only thing I really held as a constant and every night I wrote about her. How she would smile at me from across the room, or slip me a bottle of water after my trainers left me for dead after  a 5 hour workout. We didn’t really talk all that much, aside from the ‘thank you’ and hello, that seemed to come around when we saw each other.

She was something I held so close to me, a shred of comfort in a place full of so much pain and confusion. I didn’t understand it though, I don’t think I ever could, she’s a HYDRA agent with B level access and I was a weapon of mass destruction who couldn’t even remember his own name.

A part of me felt like maybe she was drawn to killers like me, maybe that’s why she’s in HYDRA in the first place. But I couldn’t see her as evil, even knowing she was so close to being on the A level, even knowing what it takes to get there, I couldn’t picture this women as anything more then some sort of angelic, magical being I had deemed her to be. Because to me that’s what she was, a beautiful, bright, wonder, among hundreds of dull and lifeless faces she seemed to be glowing with charm and kindness.

A hydra agent wouldn’t give me soft smiles and waves, wouldn’t share their meals with me and offer me water and pain killers after being dragged through the gates of hell. Hell , hydra agents don’t even want to look at me in fear that ill break their necks. But here she was, standing beside me in this gloomy, gray colored training room, watching her fellow agents throw them self’s on faded, blood stained mattes.

“He should really tie his hair back when he fights, how can he see anything through that mop on his head.” She whispered to me in a light tone, her breath huffing into a laugh afterwards.

I wasn’t used to people talking to me, and I certainly wasn’t used to laughter, so hearing both begin director towards me in the form of some light hearted joke, was almost scary. Her voice was like the tiniest shred of light through closed curtains for me, and it helped me the tiniest bit every day.

When I gave no answer, not even the light grunt I normally give, her eyes flicked up to me, and mine locked with hers, oblivious to the fact that I was now staring at her.

“You alright Winter?” she asked softly, and all I wanted to say was ‘no, not really, but you help’ but instead I went with the slightest movement of a nod, and she smiled as she looked back at the mattes.

After a few moments of silence, I gathered nearly every ounce of courage that I had and decided to start talking to her.

“Why, Winter?” I asked.

Her head snapped up to me in surprise, but a light smile soon spread across her features.

“Why the name winter?” she asked, seeming slightly confused at my two word question.

I nodded.

“Well you’re the Winter Solider right?” her eyes seemed to cause heat to rise into my face as she practically stared into my soul. “Winter is a nickname, its easier to say, and a lot less formal” she smiled as she glanced back at her colleges, now a heap of sweat and blood on the mattes. “I give all my friends nicknames”

My eyes went slightly wide at this, “friends?” I asked lowly.

“Yeah, like Theo, his real name is Theodore, but formalities aren’t really my thing.” She states.

I pause for a moment, thinking about her admission to being my friend, but im not sure if she truly meant it like that or if we were just friendly strangers.

I was about to gather more courage and ask her when the door slammed open and a rather angry looking women stormed in, her sandy blond hair bouncing.

“(y/n)!” she yelled, her tone stern and demanding.

(y/n) visibly tensed, straightening her posture and standing alert and ready.

The women, marched right up to (y/n), green eyes blazed in anger.

“do you have any idea what time it is?!” she seethed.

“well- i- no-.. I guess I just-“

“what? You what? You forgot?” the women barked.

“well- i..”

The women stepped closer to her, eyes narrowed and cold, her voice lowering as she grit her teeth. “do I need to remind you what happens when you conveniently forget about your duties?”

(Y/n)’s eyes widened, she shook her head violently, earning a smirk from the women.

“n-no miss.”

“good. Then GO.”

Before she even took so much as a breath, (Y/n) was out the door.

I was of course, completely puzzled by this, not that it was unlikely for an agent of her statues to have duties, but rather how afraid and unwilling it seemed for her to fulfill them.

Its true I didn’t know that much about the girl, and despite my better judgment I desperately wanted to. She seemed so different, so completely out of place here, and maybe it was just wishful thinking but I truly feel that she’s not hydra. Not monsters, not a killer, not even an agent. In my mind she was just this mysterious, beautiful, kind girl in my notebooks.

I read nothing about her being unkind or evil in the pages I had, so I could only assume that she had never done anything or at least that I had ever seen.

----------------------------

I didn’t see her again for what seemed like weeks, but given the fact that I was kept relatively busy, it could have been a lot longer.

I stopped being hopeful that I would see her every day, her presence that I once held as a steady, reassuring warmth was now something I just longed for deep down.

I found myself thinking of her, her kind smile, her soft gentle touch when she tends to my wounds, it helped. Even without her physical presence, she still helped me.

My mind was completely engulfed in the image of her smile, and the warmth it gave me as I sat on the uncomfortable operation table.

The obviously untrained agent digging deep into the wounds on my flesh arm with tweezers, making today a particularly bad one. Not because of the pain, or even the fact that I had wounds to begin with, but the fact that I felt the worst ache in my heart that something was wrong.

I wanted her hands gently tending to my wounds, not the unskilled, shaken hands of the agent that was at this point.

I wanted her soft eyes, and warm smile to flush away the sting of pain that that the limited assortment of tools brought about.

The pain killers she gave me were always nice, but in her own sweet, innocent way, she in her self was enough of a pain killer to me.

Where the hell was she? And why did they suddenly think replacing her with this half wit, was a good idea. It made my blood boil, and I wanted nothing more than to fling my arm against the agent and send him flying away from me. I wanted to demand her presence, but I knew better, and I knew never to show I cared for someone, at risk that they would be used against me.

After my wounds where tended to, and my arm was checked out, I was allowed to go down to the cafeteria for dinner. My body was worn out, and I was so close to just heading back to my room and skipping dinner all together, but something told me to go. And I’ll never be more glad I did.

When I arrived, I immediately noticed the lack of people, almost every table was empty, and the one that where occupied never had more than two.

And then my eyes locked on her form, sitting at the same table she did on the day I first sat with her. But something was different, her head hung low, I couldn’t even see her eyes. Her hand was slowly guiding a fork through what looked to be spaghetti, but she wasn’t eating, if anything she looked as though the thought was sickening.

I felt a slight tug at my mind, one that told me to leave her be, but another more forceful idea nudged my heart. She helped me more than anyone id ever encountered here, so I thought it only fair to return the gesture.

I made my way to her table, sitting down in front of her as she gently lifted her head.

“Winter?” she asked softly, she looked surprised, but gave a genuine smile, one that sent a warmth spreading in my chest. But it was quickly replaced with concern as I studied her.

she looked different, but it wasn’t the kind any normal person different, not a haircut, or makeup or new outfit. She looked tired, the skin bellow her eyes tinted the worst shade of purple. Her, (s/c) face looking incredibly drained of life, there was no color in her cheeks, aside from the cuts and bruises she sported. Her nose covered by the most uncomfortable looking band aid. My mind was blurred with questions, the main being, ‘who in their right mind would dare to hurt someone like this women?’

She seemed to notice my shift in mood, the way my eyebrows pulled together in worry, because she gave a bashful chuckle and shook her head.

“like the new look?” she joked, pointing to her face with another sheepish smile.

“What happened.” I asked, more demanding then I wanted, but I knew my voice was angry and tense for the right reasons.

She left out another soft, laugh, but it held no backbone, and no humor, as her eyes fought to avoid mine.

“Lying to you wouldn’t be very successful, would it?” she asked, not looking back to me. “Being out in the field so often I would assume you can pinpoint the minute someone’s eyes become dishonest.”

I gave her an almost none existent smirk, blowing air out my nose as I waited for her to continue.

“we need to go somewhere else to talk,  to many prying eyes here.”

I nodded at her, standing up and motioning for her to follow me, she complied and though I knew the risks, I lead her to my room, surprised at the lack of guards around its halls.

She sat down next to me on my dusty, hard bed, sighing heavily as she prepared to tell me why her beautiful face was bruised and bloody.

“I did go to my duties that day, but that blonde bitch isn’t whose in charge of me, so she wasn’t who got to decide if my lateness would go un punished.” She paused, and for a moment I thought she was going to get up and leave, but instead she turned her attention back to me.

“No, every decision involving me is made by Raymond, and good ole Ray only answers to Pierce. Who knows who Pierce answers to, if he answers to anyone, but he sure as hell doesn’t care enough to take care of my whereabouts in person. He sends that blonde, to fetch me, her names Alyssa, but im never allowed to address her as so, I call he ma’me or miss. She doesn’t hold much authority over me, but I know my place, and I know what she’s capable of.  Or I guess, what Rays capable of.”

I realize now that my entire attention is completely transfixed on her, I’m confused completely and utterly confused, but at the same time, I’m slightly relieved, because from what I can gather she doesn’t do the things she does willingly. It sickens me at the same time, the way she mentions punishment as if it comes as part of the job.

“why?” I ask, my voice lighter than I expected.

“why? Why what?”

“why hydra?” I replied.

(dont worry next part will be up really soon)

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