#kailani ward

[sirianasims]

I picked up Freya so she could do her homework before we had dinner with Colten and Kailani. I’d once been angry with them for helping Katherine leave me, but I had later realised that they had done everything they could to help Katherine save our relationship.

Now they invited me and Freya over for dinner once a week. It was a great excuse to see Freya between her weekend visits, and Colten and Kailani’s youngest son, Samuel, was her best friend. He always came over when she was visiting me.

Samuel was only a month younger than her. I remembered how Kailani and Katherine had bonded over being pregnant together when we first moved in.

Their oldest son, Charlie, was a few years older, just starting high school.

Freya found him fascinating, and he was always nice to her, but obviously not too interested in playing with younger kids. Even so, Freya somehow often talked him into it, much to Samuel’s annoyance.

Charlie was just entering that rebellious teenage phase, and I knew Colten and Kailani had some problems with his attitude recently. But still, it was nice just seeing a normal, loving family.

Love.

What was love, anyway? I had tried so hard to love Katherine, but I couldn’t force it. I hadn’t been in love in over a decade. Not since Cecilia.

I felt my heart ache at the thought of her. Her smile, her eyes, her laugh. And her disappointment as she left me in the clinic, just after Freya was born. Had she hoped we would get back together?

I wondered what she was doing now. I briefly toyed with the idea of trying to look her up on social media, but no. I didn’t think I could handle seeing her with a husband and kids.

“Earth to Eric, are you even listening?”

“Oh, sorry, Colten, lost in my own thoughts for a bit.”

“Yeah, you have that post-therapy look. Did the doctor give you a lot to think about?”

I explained that I had to think about my long-term relationship goals and Colten smiled.

“Oh yeah, you should totally get back out there when you feel ready. I mean, now that even Katherine -“

He stopped abruptly, almost as if Kailani had just kicked him under the table. She glared at her husband and smiled innocently at me.

“Kailani? Please tell me, I know she tells you everything.”

“Alright… You should really hear this from her, but yes, she’s seeing someone. I mean, she’s obviously been dating on and off for the past few years, but she hadn’t found anyone serious enough to introduce to Freya until now.”

“To Freya? Has Freya met this guy, then?”

“I… I think so, his name is Conrad, he’s an actor like Colten. It seems pretty serious.”

Later that night, when Freya was asleep, I texted Katherine and asked for the whole story. Apparently, Conrad had talked about hiring someone to manage his stock portfolio, and Colten had recommended Katherine.

They’d gotten closer, and finally started dating a few months ago. It was going well. She had been planning to tell me soon, but couldn’t find the right time.

From what she told me, he seemed like a great guy. I knew Katherine would never let him near our daughter if he wasn’t – she wouldn’t even let me be around Freya when I was being a toxic idiot.

To my surprise, I discovered that I was happy for Katherine. I had felt incredibly guilty all these years for being the reason she ruined her marriage, but not give her the loving relationship she wanted. I genuinely hoped this Conrad guy could give her what I couldn’t. She deserved some happiness.

Then I felt a pang of worry.

He would become Freya’s stepdad. What if they moved in together? Would this man tuck in my daughter at night? Play basketball with her, comfort her when she cried?

Would my daughter start calling him dad? Suddenly I felt sick to my stomach.

I desperately wanted a drink.

“Don’t look at me like that, Zoe. No women, no booze. I know.”

I had to be strong, for Freya – and for myself. So I called my parents and cried instead.

beginning / previous / next

[justvea18]

ALRIGHT IT'S DONE.

also I made these at 2 am in my sister's room in the dark so I apologize if the colors are wonky

the silly goose

first time meeting his dad after TWENTY YEARS:

"YOU LOOK JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHERR"

"that's genetics, yeah??"

Penelope is trying to reason with Telemachus, meanwhile he just wants the suitors OUTT

yes I 100% over-accessorized Athena, no I do not care

also, my oc is literally related to telemachus

(in Ancient Greece, there was some kind of gesture for warding off evil with three fingers. So not only is telemachus offended, but kailani's doing it wrong.)

also, I was bored and found out that according to your timeline, Odysseus was 54 when he got home.

alright now it's time for me to pass out

OH MY GOD THIS IS SO PRECIOUS????? THANK YOU FOR FEEDING ME

[gray-isnt-real]

I’m alive! And I’m gonna be rewriting/reworking Dimensional Disaster- editing our cast, practicing how I draw them, working on the story, etc. So I will be working on it again soon!

For now, though, I present y’all with a close look at two of our main protagonists: the redesigned Kailani Hale, from a tech-reliant universe, and the revived Alex Mckay, who in the story originally comes from the small town of Perfection, Nevada in a universe that isn’t quite as perfect.

Kailani Hale

Kailani originally comes from a futuristic, technology reliant universe run not by a government, but by a major corporation known as MATRIX. MATRIX is the sole producer of anything and everything technology-related throughout the nation. They control internet access, the media, the economy, the political systems, everything. They keep everything going.

Kailani wasn’t exactly someone at the top of the food chain in this universe- think, the middle man. She was a project manager and head engineer, supervising major projects that would be put into circulation nationwide and monitoring the work of those beneath her. She worked alongside the Directors to put new concepts on motion and improve the company for public favor. She was a neutral party in this world.

Until she stumbled upon a project that the owner and founder, Joseph Alt, had been working on behind the scenes. Project D-100, it was called. A device that resembled a pocket watch, able to open doors to hundreds of different dimensions.

She only meant to take a look; she was only curious how it worked. But that didn’t mean anything when the alarms went off, when security guards pursued her down the halls of the laboratory, shooting with the intention to kill.

Kailani ended up using the device to escape, and ended up in a completely different universe, just as it was intended to work. The only issue was…she didn’t know how to get back to her own universe. And there began her journey through dimensions, exploring and gaining friends across the fabric of the universe.

That’s how she met her best friend, Alex.

Alex McKay

Alex McKay hails from Dimension TR-3M0R, a seemingly normal universe to anyone who didn’t know better.

Nothing dystopian or utopian about it. Just the regular earth, regular people, regular little towns.

Alex is a young woman who moved from Bixby, Nevada to Perfection, a little town in the middle of nowhere to start her life after college. She started her own little farm, with small numbers of livestock and crop to live sustainably and sell to others either in town or the next town over. She got on well with her neighbors, like the old guy who turned his house into a bunker and the girl who ran what was formerly Walter Chang’s Market.

Life was great. Until she found herself face to face with an infestation of giant sand worms that the town lovingly called Graboids. That’s right. Alex comes from the Tremors universe, where the Graboids roam and the Shriekers and Assblasters get blown up into a pulp.

Alex did eventually grow accustomed to the weirdness of Perfection, to watching out for El Blanco the sterile Graboid and warding off other strange creatures. She thrived out in the small town, even in chaos. And then she met Kailani.

•

•

•

I’m going to make a comic of how they met eventually. For now, have lore :D

[00stupid]

Ward MKIII

omg I had the scare of my LIFE like right before I met Khutulan, I never posted this bc I got distracted but listen up. So I was kinda floating mentally bc the crew was meeting up in the hangar to unbox Khutulan? I was getting back from Tombra with Anu, Amber, Kailani, and Shinsei and we rounded the corner and saw A HORRIBLE EVIL MESSED UP CORPSE-LOOKING ROBOT WITH NO HEAD JUST STANDING THERE IN THE PRINTING BAY

Literally the moment I started screaming, Kailani and Anu had guns drawn and braced over my shoulder and at my elbow. Kailani said it was Horus tech, so it might actually start moving(?!). Amber straight up thought she was tripping til she saw the guns and backed off, we all just kinda. Stared. It was so hypnotically gross, I was almost glad it didn't have a head bc I don't know if I'd wanna see it.

“Uhh...please don’t shoot it? Ward’s in there” Rasa's voice came from behind us and Kailani almost took my ear off my head whipping her gun around so quick, but luckily she didn't shoot. Rasa had all their hands up but one, which had a broom.

“Is that. Yours.” she asked through gritted teeth.

“Mmmmmmmmyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. We’re going with yes.” Rasa was kinda lurking the way they do, but they had a staticbroom full of shrapnel. I recognized the paint, and all of a sudden realized where the new (awful) mech was standing. Did...it print itself onto the Yonngan?! Where was Rasa's old mech, it had been standing right there!

"Did that thing eat your- oh shit, Ward!! Yoooo WARD you in there buddy??”

“I’m actually doing alright” his voice answered me through the chassis speakers pretty quick, I was so relived. “I may sound a little different. This seems to be an improvement, in some ways.” I thought that was really weird but told him to do his thing, I guess. He assured us that he felt really good, so we stood down and relaxed a little. Anu only lowered her gun just then. So I guess that's Ward's next new body. I liked the crab.

[sims4lizzyuk]

Kailani Queen: Things are going really well tonight. Judith Ward even came – Judith Ward! At my restaurant! Morgan and I thought we’d earned some food, so we ordered some. I love it when people call us Mr. and Mrs. Queen. I forgot for a moment that I can’t drink while I’m pregnant… it really is good that Morgan’s here to keep an eye on me. At least one of us knows what they’re doing. #sims #thesims #thesims4 #sims4 #ts4 #sims4story #simsstory #sims4lp #simsgameplay #playwithlife #simstagram #simstagrammer #girlgamer #simmer #sims4legacy #ts4legacy #mermaids #mermaidlegacy #sulani #islandliving #kailanicosta #kailaniqueen #morganqueen #marriage #husbandandwife #love #lovestory #pregnant #pregnancy #openingnight https://www.instagram.com/p/CTBAVxyjrq_/?utm_medium=tumblr

[devil-you-know]

Trouble On The Horizon

”So what y’do, is y’slip th’rope through this hole here, then y’loop it back, twist’n’pull n’ya got yerself a right decent slip knot. Ain’t all that fancy, but gets th’job done n’that’s what matters.”

Two pairs of eyes stared up at him, one focused the other wide-eyed, as they watched and listened. With their own, smaller ropes, they followed along. Unegen and Altai playfully nudged at one another, trying to mess the other up a they worked but their smiles were light and warm. They were having fun, and that was all he cared about.

“Awww...lookit this….I weren’t knowin’ there was a schoolin’ t’be had. Can I sit down and get a lesson too, mate?” The scratchy, haggard voice of an older man worn in from the sea and the weather hit the air like a punch to his stomach. Something in the gruff way he spoke sounded off, almost what….hungry? Turning around slowly, Gideon’s eyes trained upon the man, no, three men, as they neared him and the children on the edge of the dock. “Get on th’ship.” His words weren’t meant for the newcomers, and the children understood. Altai grabbed hold of Unegen’s hand, and tugged. The two Xaela younglings both took a step, but Unegen paused to look back. One more tug of her hand from her brother, and they both scampered across the plank and into the Siren’s hold. “Aw now ya didn’t have to send the lil ones away. We was just tryin’ to have a friendly chat.”

A bitter chuckle left dry lips as Gideon traced his gaze back and forth, sizing them all up from head to toe. The older one was the biggest, standing just shy of six foot with what looked to be about fourteen stone of muscle and some unfortunate roundness in the gut. The two others were a little shorter, but each of them had a worn scabbard at their hips with handles protruding and hands that lingered a little too close for comfort.

“Y’can be friendly out here, wit me, mate. What’s yer business ‘round this ship?” The man stepped forward, sweeping a hand up and pushing some of his grey hair aside.

“Real simple. We’re lookin’ for a friend of ours...cute little thing ‘bout yay high.” He lifted a hand to hover at a point that barely reached his chest.

“Got a right mouth on her at times, hair like the waters at sunset. Name’s Kailahni...ringin’ any bells?”

Gideon’s eyes narrowed, and he sniffed once at the air. His face twisted a little like he’d caught a bad scent, but then he gave a simple little smile and shook his head. “Nah mate, ain’t heard o’her. If ye fancy th’Miqo’s so much m’sure y’could find yerself a lil piece without me help. Ain’t really my business t’be gettin’ a...gentleman like yerself a wet anchor, is it?”

The two stared at each other for a long while before the old man gave a broad grin and a forced laugh. The other two joined in, seeming a little unsure as to what was so funny, but laughing all the same.

“Oho, ahaha mate, don’t ya be worryin’. I can find me a bit o’tail all me own, but this one’s special’n’well…” Another step forward and the two were within reach of each other. Gideon caught a slight movement and a swipe of a hand as a blade was drawn. He canted his head, not taking his eyes off the other’s. Green with a few flecks of grey.

“Word has it...ye’ve been seen wit her on more’n’one occasion. So m’gonna ask nice again...where might she be?” When he didn’t immediately get an answer, the blade swung up and sat pointed towards Gideon’s chest. Again the two locked their gazes. “A’right..well since ye ain’t plannin’ on takin’ no for’n’answer, answer me this. Why’s it you’re lookin’ for her?” With narrowed eyes, the old pirate studied the younger Quartermaster. “She crossed th’wrong fella, we need t’clear some things up. Simple’s that. Ain’t gonna hurt her..just need a chat.”

After clucking his tongue, Gideon shook his head a few times.

“Yer luck ain’t holdin’ mate. I know th’lass, aye, but I ain’t seen her since ‘bout a turn passed. Last I knew..she were workin’ some tavern out’n’th’Beds. Couldn’ tell ya th’plot or ward, though. Were a little soaked that night if y’catch me meanin’.” “That so?” The man inquired, sounding less than convinced. “Aye. Only saw her for a handful o’ticks then she were off servin’ drinks elsewheres. I been at sea n’elsewhere’s meself since then.”

They stood there again for a time, staring at each other. Finally, with a gruff sigh and a whispered curse the old man lowered the sword and spat to the side. “Fuck...I knew this were gonna be a waste of time. Fine, I find out yer lyin’ to me though, mate? I’ll be comin’ back and asking them lil ones what they know ‘bout anything. Come on.” Whatever faux levity Gideon had adopted through that exchange left his face the moment the old man mentioned the two children. It was bad enough to ask a friend when they clearly had more in mind than a ‘chat’. Implying a threat to children, let alone those two, snapped something.

The moment the man’s back was turned, Gideon launched after him. Thick, calloused fingers grabbed hold of the man’s shoulder, pinning him in place as a heavy fist struck the back of his head. It was like a cudgel landing on the fleshy crown and the man’s head snapped forward before he crumpled, dazed. “What the f-” Another fist connected with the smaller of the two remaining, and Gideon felt a wet crack as blood sprayed across his hand. He turned, expecting to catch the other with a jab when something metallic struck his face. The impact rocked his head back, and he felt something warm trick down his cheek.

Tasting blood on his tongue he spat it out as he twisted, retreating a few steps to give himself room. He saw light glint off the blade as it swung in and he curled his stomach back just in time to dodge. Off center, he grabbed the man’s wrist, twisted, and jammed a fist into his back sending him careening off the dock.

As the man floundered in the water, abandoning his blade for the simple sake of keeping his head above the surface, a boot connected with Gideon’s lower back. The wind blasted out of his lungs and he lurched forward, striking his knees before the dock rushed up to meet him. Splinters ached as they bit into his hand as he slammed it down, rolling to the side. On his back, the old man towered over him with his sword held aloft, the point aimed down towards his chest.

“Did this to yourself, m-” There was a crack of thunder as a gunshot broke the stillness of the air in that split second of a moment. Gideon watched as the old man stumbled, confused, before he turned around to find the source of the shot. Blood flowed from a new hole in the man’s back, and red quickly stained his linen shirt. The sword clattered to the dock, then his knees, then he fell limp and breathed his last. Gideon looked up, catching sight of Aeric leaning over the side of the main deck, rifle in hand. Smoke still rose from the end of the barrel as he lowered it down, and Gideon offered him a thumb’s up. “Thanks Cap’n!”

Groaning out as he wiped a little of the blood from his face, Gideon struggled to rise and glanced over. Water was still splashing about as one of the others kept flapping his arms. Soon enough a hand reached down and grabbed his collar, hoisting him up out of the water and throwing him to the dock. With a kick of a boot, the Quartermaster loomed over him, fists clenched and eyes looking hungry.

“Let’s chat.”

@kailani-ffxiv for the prompt!

[atwt-rp]

MOST WANTED:

I’ll be in and out throughout the day, although we would like to see all of our canon roles taken. Under the cut is a list of our most wanted roles that we would like to see in the roleplay. So have a look through. We start on February 14th at 8:30 PM so there is still time to come and join us.

ZACHARIAS WEST.

CELINE JORDAN-WEST.

ROLAND KING.

CARMEN BAEZ.

NICOLAS BAEZ.

KAILANI JOHNSON.

EMMANUEL BRUCE.

TREVOR ROCHON.

JAVON ROCHON.

ZAKARI MARSHALL.

DEJA GOLDBERG.

JADA BAPTISE.

DARIUS ROCHON.

JAMAL WALKER.

ALANA WALKER.

ANDRE WARD.

ROSHON JOHNSON.

GISELLE JOHNSON.

DANIEL BAPTISE.

CHRISTOPHER BAPTISE.

XAVIER BASQUIAT.

ISRAEL BASQUIAT.

TAYO ADEYEMI.

AJAHNI ADEYEMI.

[echoesofanotherworld]

[Alliance: Kailani] A Visit from the Rangers

A pair of candles illuminated the desk that the young dryad sat at, writing. Kailani looked over the words, scratched a few out, and continued her urgent, excited scribbling. The Ashbury Times had written to her, offering coin in exchange for details relating to current events in the Forest, and the child of autumn had known right away what she wanted to write about. She had sent a quick response promising an article as soon as she had written one, and now, the very next night, Kailani was working diligently at finding just the words to describe her experience. 

It wasn’t easy, finding words to explain the Wold. It was like explaining that up was up and down was down. They were things that Kailani knew, that she understood, but that she didn’t have words to explain if one did not have a common frame of reference. What the Wold was to her was a familiarity that she had not known for thousands of years, a home that she had thought was completely lost. It was also a whole new riddle to be answered, of dryads and centaurs and all manner of forces which Kailani so looked forward to understanding. Explaining all of that would hardly make for a good news report, though. And besides, finding an honest way to explain what she had seen at the edge of the Wold took no small amount of mental gymnastics. It wasn’t every day that one witnessed the most powerful elves in the forest throwing a temper tantrum at the mere fact of your existence. Kailani had expended most of her energy focusing on not cringing, as the rangers kept their bows trained on her and some more outspoken members of the council called her outsider and claimed that she would corrupt the forest. And that was just what they had said in the common tongue- the elven words had seemed twice as harsh, not that Kailani understood any of them except for “nandin,” the elven word for dryad, which they had almost seemed to be sneering as if it were some kind of an insult. Kailani had thought to herself that the elves were acting in a way reminiscent of the humans of Kosmara, in what she had come to know was called “racism,” but had elected to keep such thoughts private. Indeed, she didn’t speak a single word as the elves had their arguments, trusting Ezri to speak on her behalf instead. Ashamed as she was to be seen as lesser, she knew better than to try getting in the way of such anger when she was the source of it. She looked back at the paper, wondering how most politely to express what the wrath of the council had been like. Knock, knock. The sound jolted Kailani out of her memories, causing an involuntary flinch. She glanced at the darkness outside the window, wondering who would visit at so late an hour. She was staying on her own for the moment, as Ezri had been called to some extensive council meetings after they had returned from the Wold and Erden and Mouse had not yet returned from their trip to Entholm, but she did not feel exceptionally worried, as the town was well defended by the rangers, and she had enough binding to take care of herself for the most part. All the same, Kailani picked up the knife that Kantil had given her in Barran, and as she walked to the door she placed the knife within arm’s reach, just outside of what would be visible to someone at the door. She then grabbed a piece of cloth from the table, using it to carefully turn the metal door handle. A pair of elven men stood before her, their expressions neutral but their posture imposing. Kailani put on a nervous smile, noting that both men were armed with sword and bow. “Hello! Uh, how can I help you?” “Squire Kailani, we understand that you’ve offered to write an article for the Ashbury Times?” the shorter of the two spoke. He was not making eye contact with the dryad, but his voice was loud enough to make Kailani’s eyes sink downwards anyways out of reflex. “Um, yeah, I… May I ask… who is ‘we’?” Kailani silently cursed herself as she fumbled for words. She kept her hand on the door, using it to hide the tremor in her hand and to be ready to slam the door if the men turned dangerous. Kailani felt acutely unsafe as she took stock of the men before her. She wished for a ward, but part of being alone meant that the only real barrier she could put between herself and others was a circle of power. Which basically was only a little less than a test of patience. Elves had lots of patience. “We’re rangers, squire.” Kailani breathed a silent sigh of relief. “We just need to make sure that the situation is clear, here. What was your article to be about?” Kailani smiled slightly in spite of herself. “Well, I was going to write about my recent trip into the Wold,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm as nervousness about her situation and excitement about her subject matter waged war in her mind. The two elves frowned, and looked at each other. The taller one spoke, now. “Squire, the Council advises that you do not make your experience public.” Kailani’s jaw went momentarily slack, as a million thoughts raced through her mind at once. The first thing she was able to say, however, was a question of just one word. “Why?” The shorter ranger spoke up again. “It is not for us to explain. We merely were advised that you planned on writing for the paper and to ensure that your subject matter was one that the council deemed appropriate.” Kailani fought to maintain her composure. She closed her eyes briefly, and nodded. “Did you have any other business here, friends?” “No, squire, we did not.” “I… appreciate your passing along of the message.” Kailani paused, trying to find the appropriate words to sound like the proper squire of Icenia that she was supposed to be. “I wish you both safety in your travels. Namaarie.” Kailani closed the door, slowly. She walked back to where she had previously sat, and stared at the page were her words were written. Her vision blurred momentarily, as if there were tears that wished to be shed. Kailani was unsure if the tears were fear, or rage. The two tended to live closely, in her heart. The dryad picked up the page, lit the corner of it with the candle, and tossed it into the fireplace. She felt the urge to scream, and her head felt ready to explode. In less than a minute, the page was gone. She didn’t understand. She began to pace back and forth. The council didn’t want her journey into the Wold public. She didn’t understand why, but it was a thing. They sent a pair of well-armed rangers to deliver said news at a time in which they knew she would be alone, to deliver said message. Kailani knew enough of the world to know when she was being threatened. The dryad continued to pace, trying to wrap her head around what had just happened. She had figured that the issue would be done with, once it became clear that her entry had not been barred. She had assumed that the Council would understand that there was nothing more natural than a child of autumn in the forest. No. She was still an outsider. Kailani turned suddenly and flung a fist at the wall. Frustration met with pain, as the wall remained impassive to her surge of violence. “Thou. shalt. LOVE. the. country. to. which. thou. hast. sworn. fealty.” With each word, her fist again met the wall. By the end of the phrase, her hand was bleeding, with only a slight dent in the wood to show for her effort. She looked at the wall, and then at her own bloody knuckles. Kailani sank to the floor, her back to the wall, tears making their way down her face. For the first time in her life, the Forest did not feel like her home.

[sirianasims]

After that night, things slowly changed. Katherine would get up at dawn and go for a run before work. She got fitter and more confident, stopped seeking me out for reassurance.

We also welcomed Cooper into the family. His owner had come to the clinic, asking if I knew anyone who could take him in, and I’d immediately called Katherine to ask if we could keep him. She said yes, surprisingly. She was never a dog person.

Getting Cooper definitely helped me. After our night of rage, Katherine had been avoiding me. And while it was kind of a relief that she no longer tried to touch or even talk to me, it also made me even lonelier than before.

Katherine would be out jogging when I woke up, and I would run with Cooper late at night.

This way, she’d already be sleeping when I came back so I could have a drink and be alone with my thoughts before going to bed.

The clinic was going well. We were consistently making money, and I even considered getting rid of Lloyd and getting a nurse instead. His work wasn’t quite up to my high standards.

The seasons passed uneventfully. Katherine and I actually got along much better now that we no longer tried to make the relationship work. We made polite smalltalk, mostly about Freya or various household chores, and we rarely argued.

While Katherine and I grew further apart over the months, I became much closer to my daughter. It had started slowly, like when she was about eight months old, and I realised that her eyes had turned out green, exactly like my own. Shortly after Jamie and Athena’s wedding, she’d taken her first real steps and I was so proud I felt like my heart would burst.

The first time she called me “dada”, I cried.

The older she got, the more she looked and acted like me.

She was developing a nose that I recognised as mine – and my father’s. I would even see my mother in her features. She loved animals, especially Cooper, and could constantly be found hugging and petting him. It reminded me of the old pictures of Maggie and me on my parents’ walls.

In everything but our relationship, Katherine seemed to thrive. Her administrative talent and obvious intelligence had gotten her promoted to senior manager in no time, and she’d become interested in stocks and trading. She seemed mostly content.

On an average weeknight, we almost looked like a real, normal family. Things were fine. Not perfect, but I figured I could live like this.

I even made an effort to drink less. For Freya’s sake.

On family-oriented holidays like Harvestfest, however, the distance between us was especially noticeable. I hadn’t realised how much effort Katherine had been putting into our relationship until she simply stopped trying.

Freya was not a fan of awkward silences, though, and made sure the focus was on her whenever Katherine and I got too caught up in our own thoughts.

It was hard not to smile when she stirred up trouble only to then play innocent. Even Katherine would laugh at her antics.

It was impossible not to adore Freya, and I could barely remember why I had struggled so much in the first year or so.

What had been wrong with me? She was my daughter, she felt like a part of me.

Katherine and Kailani had become like sisters. I’d come home to find them chatting on the couch at least twice a week. We had tried having dinner with them a few times, but Colten and Kailani’s well-functioning relationship made me and Katherine look so much worse.

So instead Kailani came to our house, and sometimes she’d bring her own toddler, but Colten was usually home from work early to take care of both of their boys so she could come alone.

I always made a lot of noise coming in if I knew Kailani was there. I didn’t want to accidentally overhear Katherine complaining about me. I’m sure she did, based on how often she looked a bit guilty when I walked in.

But I was also glad that she had a friend to talk to. And whenever Kailani was here, it meant that Freya and I got to have dinner by ourselves.

In her eyes, at least, dada could do nothing wrong.

And I loved spending time alone with my biggest fan.

beginning / previous / next

[sirianasims]

Chapter 29

Just Like Fire

The year I turned 42 was also the year we lost my mother. My father soon followed her, just as he always had in life.

They had been inseparable through everything – demanding careers, the loss of my brother, all of my problems – for almost 45 years. And now, not even death could keep them apart for long.

I was shattered. I wouldn’t have gotten through it without Cecilia. I could only hope to get 45 years by her side as well.

I tried to keep it together for the girls who were also grieving.

Freya took it the hardest, of course.

She had known them for much longer than Grace, and had always been close with her grandparents. And she was already dealing with a lot.

At least something good came out of it. Samuel came over to comfort her, although things were a little awkward between them at first.

But their life-long friendship won in the end, and it actually seemed like they finally made up.

I don’t know if they ever discussed that fateful evening a few years ago, when he revealed his true feelings, but I was glad that she at least had the comfort of a friend.

Samuel always had a gift for cheering Freya up. It didn’t take long before he dramatically pretended to lose his balance, pushed her over and fell to the floor, flailing wildly, as they both laughed.

He would always do whatever it took to see her smile again.

I was happy that she had Samuel in her life. He was a good kid.

Very different from his older brother, Charlie. Whenever I felt challenged by my girls, I reminded myself that it could be much worse.

Charlie had been getting into all sorts of trouble for years, but it all came to a head a few months ago. He had been arrested at a rave while playing a gig with his band, and they found drugs on him.

Colten and Kailani had done their best, bailing him out and begging him to change before it was too late. But it was no use, Charlie had walked out in anger and they hadn’t heard from him since.

He hadn’t always been like that. Although he’d never exactly been the teacher’s pet, Charlie had still been a good big brother to Samuel, and he had often included Freya as well. Charlie and one of his band mates had even accompanied her to get her first tattoo when she turned 18, for moral support.

I was secretly relieved that Charlie wasn’t around anymore. I knew Freya had always found his odd-coloured eyes and rebellious attitude fascinating and I didn’t want her to get involved in whatever he was doing.

So compared to Colten and Kailani, I had it easy as a parent. But even though Freya was ridiculously talented, she still struggled with her self-worth. Confidence, she had. She knew exactly what she was capable of. But she was insecure when it came to other things, as if she couldn’t quite believe that people really liked her. She was popular among her team mates, but her only true friend seemed to be Samuel.

No matter what I did, Freya felt like the odd one out in the family. I tried to treat the girls the same, obviously allowing for the fact that Grace was only 9 and Freya had just turned 19, but it often felt like I couldn’t quite reach her.

She was, of course, under a lot of pressure. She had applied for several sports-related scholarships, and was constantly either training or studying.

Other parents with teenage girls mostly worried about stuff like drinking or going out with boys. Freya was extremely anti-alcohol – which was understandable, considering my past and the effect it had on her childhood. She also had some rather severe opinions on dating, it seemed.

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[sirianasims]

Chapter 32

Never Grow Up

Less than a year later, Samuel and I were married.

The wedding was everything I’d dreamed of. I’m sure our parents would happily have paid for an enormous wedding if we’d asked them to. But that wasn’t our style.

All I wanted was a small, intimate affair with our closest friends and family while I said ‘I do’ to the love of my life. We rented the Myshuno Observatory. It almost felt like my grandma Cora was with us in spirit.

Even Charlie showed up. I knew it meant a lot to Samuel, although his brother couldn’t stay for long.

At least he was there for the ceremony, and he came over to congratulate us afterwards.

He said he had a flight to catch, his band was on tour at the moment. I suspected that he was also trying to avoid talking to Colten and Kailani.

I wondered if Charlie actually preferred his solitude, or if he secretly wanted to be a bigger part of his family than he was.

I was grateful that I got along with my own family, especially my sister Grace. I couldn’t believe that she would be starting high school after the summer, it felt like yesterday that I’d taught her how to cross the monkey bars in our backyard.

By the time Grace and I headed inside for the reception, Charlie was gone and Kailani was talking to Jessica. Jessica had volunteered to do the decorations, beautiful blush-coloured roses everywhere, my favourite.

We kept the wedding alcohol-free for my dad, and Griffin and Daria had offered to do all the food for us as a wedding gift. It was impressive, the entire menu was vegan since Griffin had also stopped eating meat after his first visit to the cadaver lab during medical training. I didn’t blame him, it sounded horrific. Samuel hadn’t seemed as bothered.

Over by the cake, Conrad was making my dad and Cecilia crack up with outrageous anecdotes. It was strange to see my parents interact with each other. It had happened before, of course, they had celebrated my birthday together a few times when I was younger, but I couldn’t remember if they had been in the same room since my mom and Conrad moved to Del Sol Valley.

Looking at the four of them now, it was impossible to tell that things had ever been bad between my parents. Still, I couldn’t imagine two people less likely to work out. They both had a certain desperation to them, and they both needed someone to temper them, not stoke the flames.

Conrad, with his extravagant approach to life, gave my mother a safe outlet, a way to release all that intensity so she didn’t blow up.

Cecilia, kind but unwavering, calmed my father down and turned his particular brand of chaos into something less destructive.

But who was I?

Was I like my dad, prone to holding on in an attempt to do the right thing until I finally self-destructed?

Or was I more like my mother, desperately trying to make people love me until I gave up and left them in the dust?

I needed to do better than both of them. I wanted everything to work out. I shook my head lightly, trying to chase away the dark thoughts. This was my wedding day, why was I only thinking about disaster?

I went to find Samuel. He pulled me close and kissed me.

This was what I needed. My husband.

Samuel would temper me, like Conrad and Cecilia tempered my parents.

We would be fine.

By the time we were back in our bed that night, I was both exhausted and deliriously happy.

I took Samuel’s hand, marvelling at the ring on his finger.

“I can’t believe we’re actually married.”

He sent me a mischievous smile.

“Me neither. But you better let go of my hand. I need it for something.”

I was glad that we’d had some practice over the last year, otherwise I might have chickened out of my wedding night completely.

Samuel was gentle, always making sure that I was satisfied.

A small part of me wished he’d be a little less restrained, that he would lose himself in it, the same way he made me lose myself, but it was still good.

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[sirianasims]

My father pulled some strings and called in a few favours. We managed to find the perfect place in Brindleton Bay, all the way across the country.

We bought the most adorable house in a quiet neighbourhood. It was far away from my parents, but also far away from the scandal. Katherine and I needed a fresh start.

The most important thing, however, was that the house was right next to a vet clinic, and the owner was interested in selling it. My most important dream could still come true.

Katherine, being pregnant and newly fired, was not finding any jobs, and I was struggling to get the vet clinic up and running after years of neglect by the previous owner, but I finally felt a little optimistic about the whole thing. Maybe we could do this.

Soon after we moved in, some of the neighbours came to welcome us to the neighbourhood. I was very surprised to recognise them – Colten and Kailani, two of my brother’s closest friends in high school. My brother had even mentioned his secret crush on Kailani before he left.

Kailani was touched when she heard about our situation, especially the fact that Katherine was pregnant.

She told Katherine to ask if she needed anything – Colten and Kailani had just discovered that they were having their second child. I was glad that Katherine seemed to be making new friends already. I didn’t want to be her only support.

They were my friends too, of course – but I was mostly smitten with their beautiful dog.

I was still adjusting to being a proper adult – being a house owner was expensive and we wouldn’t have made it without the seemingly endless support from my parents.

The next few months passed, and we slowly settled in as Katherine’s belly grew.

I tried to be excited, but I was mostly filled with dread. Katherine was thrilled, decorating the nursery and constantly bugging me about baby names. She’d given up on ever having kids since Antony didn’t want any, but it had always been a secret dream of hers.

Kailani was also getting bigger. I’d often meet her when she walked Sansa as I was going to the vet clinic, and she was only a month or so behind Katherine.

I was much more relaxed around her – at least that baby wasn’t my responsibility.

It was harder to relax around Katherine. She was hormonal and frustrated with her new, heavier body, worried about her future job situation, and it didn’t help that Antony was dragging out their divorce.

Arguments seemed to erupt out of nowhere. I would be lost in my own thoughts for a bit, not paying attention to something she said, and she’d snap.

I tried to explain that I was thinking about important things, like how to make the vet clinic profitable so at least one of us could bring in some money. I didn’t really mean to be hurtful, but the money situation stressed me out. I hated relying on my parents for everything.

She obviously didn’t respond well to the low blow about her lack of career, and called me out for being immature.

She made me feel like a child. It was hard not to retaliate and say something that made her feel old, like how she clearly had all the maturity in this relationship – and then I was the bad guy.

I hated arguing with her. She clearly had more experience in that as well.

After an argument, I’d usually go for a run to clear my head and give us both some space. Sometimes I wondered what would happen if I just kept running. I was sick of worrying – about the bills, the clinic, the baby, and our strained relationship.

At least Katherine’s divorce was finally happening.

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[sirianasims]

“… it was really funny when Eric asked my father why he was always so grumpy, though.”

“Yeah, poor Wolfgang did not like that. Eric’s getting sassy. Before we know it, he starts school and then we blink and he’s getting married.”

“Cora, you’re doing it again. He’s only three years old. Relax.”

“Sorry, honey. I don’t know why I’m so worried. It just feels like the last few years flew by so quickly.”

“Cora! Are you saying I’m boring and forgettable?”

“No, you’re a huge dork.”

“Well, you’re a huge nerd!”

“Oh yeah? Would a nerd do this?”

“Mmmmguess not.”

“Stop worrying so much, Cora. We have all the time in the world.”

“I hope you’re right, honey.”

“Everything will be fine, my love.”

“So then I told her what the teacher said, and then -“

“Boys, there are three bathrooms in this house. Do you really have to wait for this one?”

“But, dad, the others are all the way upstairs!”

“The horror. Hurry up, or you’ll be late for school.”

“Yes, dad. Anyways, then she said…”

Daniel has grown into a charismatic young man, who has somehow managed to make being smart a cool thing in his school.

At first glance, Eric is growing up to look very similar to his father, but on closer inspection he does have mainly Cora’s features. The nose, however, is clearly Zane’s.

Daniel, always the popular guy, often hangs out with his friends after school, and tonight is no different.

The close-knit group of friends from school consists of three guys and three girls and they often go out for coffee and hot chocolate.

The beefcake is Colten, a self-assured guy with a tendency to brag. He and Daniel are best friends and work out together. Behind him is the equally blonde Lydia, who just so happens to be the daughter of Cora’s colleague Elsa. Lydia refuses to talk about her mother after she left to live with Payton, though.

There’s also Deon, the closeted environmentalist, and Maliyah, who spends most of her time sending Deon longing looks while pretending she’s not interested at all.

Finally, there’s Kailani. She’s very cool and confident, and would be the obvious leader of the group if it wasn’t for Daniel’s magnetic personality.

Daniel and Kailani always joke around in a somewhat flirty way, but both insist there’s nothing between them.

Especially when Lydia is around, because she has a huge crush on Daniel, which is very much a secret, and so of course everyone knows.

The evening is winding down, and the teenagers are debating whether to go home or stay a little longer.

Suddenly, Daniel gets up and stares across the café, looking confused.

“Hey, Danny? What’s up, you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

“Danny? Are you OK?”

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[sirianasims]

Chapter 38

Long Story Short

“I’m sorry for your loss. Your mother was a great woman.”

“Thank you for coming.”

My heart ached for Samuel as he stoically received their condolences. The room slowly emptied.

Samuel’s father stood mutely by the casket, grief lining his face. Hailey was talking to him in soothing tones.

Our big girl. I still couldn’t quite believe that one of my babies went to high school. And Ivy would join her soon.

At least Julia and the twins would still be little for a while. I glanced down at Julia. She always kept close to us when we were out.

Much unlike Kieran and Liam who were probably tearing something apart somewhere. Ivy had taken them outside during the service because they kept trying to eat the flowers.

The last people had finally left and Samuel looked exhausted. I went to him.

“You’re doing great, honey.”

“Thank you.” He kissed me as a sharp voice sounded behind us.

“Samuel, my boy, that was a very nice eulogy.”

He sighed deeply and let go of me.

“Thank you, aunt Jana.”

I only knew a little about Jana Ward. She was Kailani’s twin sister and lived in the enormous Ward mansion in Del Sol Valley, not far from my mother and Conrad. She and Kailani hadn’t been on speaking terms for decades. I suspected the mansion had something to do with it.

“I see that your brother never showed up. Typical. He never had any respect for his elders.”

The tension radiated from Samuel’s body.

“Charlie is still missing.”

“Oh? Surely he must be dead then. No one would be impolite enough to miss their own mother’s funeral. Even you and your entire brood showed up.”

I could see Samuel’s jaw working and felt Julia anxiously moving closer to me.

I desperately looked around for my father.

He was already walking towards us.

“Dad, could you…”

“I know, monkey. My grandpa sense was tingling. Julia, could you help me find your brothers, please?”

He picked her up and carried her towards the door.

I immediately moved in on Samuel and his horrible aunt.

“Say, Mrs. Ward, I believe you know my mother?”

I knew very well that she didn’t, my mother had always avoided her at all cost. Despite Jana’s pretentiousness, the fact was that she was nowhere near famous enough to move in the same circles as Conrad.

Jana turned to me, finally acknowledging my existence.

“Your mother, dearie?”

“Katherine Richards? She and my stepfather Conrad live near you?”

“Ah, no, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting them properly. Quite silly, really, we are practically neighbours…”

“Oh, then you must allow me to introduce you!”

I led her away from Samuel and towards Conrad and my mother, sending them an apologetic smile.

Conrad simply waited politely, a mischievous glint in his eyes as always. Jana wouldn’t know what hit her.

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[abyssalandromeda]

Up next- here's Kailani Ward! I based her off of colourpop's 'High Tide' palette. She wished to be able to spend the rest of her life living by the sea- which inadvertently caused the death of her parents, who left her their seaside cottage in their will. She works as a lifeguard in her spare time, and her weapon is a trident!

[echoesofanotherworld]

[Alliance:Kailani] Survive Deadwalk

“Kailani, stay in the ward,” had been the last thing Aikitza had said, before running out to face battle. That had lasted for all of two minutes, maybe less. She couldn’t stay in hiding while people she cared about fought a losing battle. And it seemed so very much like a losing battle, from the very first moment that the lich came onto the field. The undead had an orderly line, and their advance was unceasing. The Barranites and their allies ended up torn into two lines as they backed up from the onslaught. The Gilded Claw was stuck on the other side, as the path had forked. Kailani had been grabbed by Aikitza, and had helped ensure that the Hope-Bearers made it to a ward safely. Then Aikitza had gone back out into the fray, ordering Kailani to stay where it was safe. Safe was a small consolation, made utterly wrenching by being forced to listen in the darkness to the sound of fighting outside. The young dryad felt useless. A familiar feeling. 

After maybe a minute of sitting in the warded cabin like this, restlessness and the urge to help won out, and Kailani and Bupkis ventured carefully out of the ward, trying to find their allies. All they found was chaos. So many were down. Kailani focused on the fallen, and hadn’t even noticed Bupkis move to rejoin the few who were still fighting. She used both of her remaining life spells in quick succession. She stayed with Kantil, and they moved back towards the main fight. Then Kantil got cut down again. And then a nightmare came after her, as she had no choice but to turn and run. And that was how Kailani found herself in her current situation, bleeding profusely but not quite down for the count. She lay there, listening, and heard the nightmare run off. It probably figured that it had killed her. A season or two ago, a blow like that probably would have. The dryad chanced looking up. Nothing seemed to be paying attention to her. “I call upon earth to cure serious wounds,” she breathed. She felt the earth magic flow into her, stopping the bleeding. The tree line was right next to her. Kailani picked herself up and darted into the trees, moving as quietly as she could. I could just stay here. The undead, the nightmares, they wouldn’t be able to find me in this darkness. I would be safe. The thought was a tempting one. Kailani was so far from her home. These weren’t her lands, and this was not her fight. Thou shalt respect the weak and constitute thyself the defender of them. Thou shalt make war against evil without cessation. Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy. As soon as the Code came to mind, Kailani’s resolve returned. She was perhaps 50 feet into the woods, and if she moved parallel to the main path, she could make her way back towards the cabins without being seen, and hopefully find friends to help. She couldn’t move too quickly, for fear of making too much noise and having something notice her. After what felt like an eternity of moving through the underbrush, Kailani found herself behind one of the cabins. She peeked past the right side, peering into the area around the fire pit. Vile, necromantic filth was shambling around the town. She moved, looking to the left of the cabin. More undead, and nightmares, as well. She leaned against the back of the cabin, and closed her eyes, taking a breath to steel herself. Then she heard something approaching. Kailani dropped to the ground, making herself as small as she could be. The cabins were elevated- there was space underneath it. With a stifled sigh of relief, Kailani crawled underneath. She could actually see pretty clearly, as she looked at the area around the fire pit. There were lots of people down. Things were walking around. One pair of legs in particular came up to the cabin she was under. The young dryad held her breath as it stopped for a moment. A flurry of movement came up behind it. She heard the monstrosity grunt in pain, as someone attacked it. She then heard another cry of pain, as something else cut down the one attacking the undead. She peered out into the darkness. It was Bupkis. The Camulan laid on the ground, unconscious. The monsters, bored, stalked away into the night. She needed to bring him back up. She was out of life spells, she couldn’t let him bleed out. He was maybe 20 feet away. “I call upon Earth to cure serious wounds,” she said, throwing the spell as best as she could from under the crawlspace. It fell a foot short. “Dammit,” she muttered, and she saw something turn and move towards the cabin. Terrified, the dryad wriggled her way to the center of the cabin. If you could make something happen by wishing, Kailani would have become invisible in that moment. Something stopped by the side, and crouched, peering under the cabin. A Nightmare. Kailani held her breath, trying to not even shiver as she watched the beast look for her. That thing is going to crawl under here. It’s going to cut me down. I’m going to see the circle. The young dryad’s heart raced, and all she could do was watch the shadowy figure as it scanned the darkness under the cabin. “Somebody’s clever,” the Nightmare sneered, after a time. It stood up and stalked away. Kailani exhaled. She was alive. She was fighting back waves of panic and trying not to be sick, but she was alive. Bupkis was still on the ground. Another spell might actually work, but it was a severe risk… And by now, Kailani wasn’t sure if he needed healing or a life spell. She turned and looked at the area around the fire pit, trying to see if any friends were actually alive and well. She couldn’t tell. She could feel the moments stretch on, as she waited for reinforcements. Finally, there was a break. Actual, living people made their way close to the cabins. She heard Simon’s voice. “Squire Kailani!!” There aren’t words in the common language that can convey just how relieved Kailani was to hear her teammate’s voice. If Simon hadn’t fallen, then Kailani stood a chance at making it through the night. “I’m okay!” Kai shouted. Once she was sure that Simon had heard her, she continued, “Bupkis needs a life spell!” without moving from her hiding spot. She saw them turn, and then there was running. They brought him up. Kai had been right, he had been dead. She breathed a sigh of relief, and crawled out from hiding. Now she could actually get around to being useful.