#kip the bold

[theridgebeyond]

of course Kip has a bullet journal

[operationslipperypuppet]

we all know work song is a hardshine song, so what if i put a bunch of naddpod moments together to make that more true.

Transcript:

Moments from Work Song by Hozier and (in order) C1E54, C1E68, C1E91, C1E70 (two clips), C3E39, C3E32, C3E30, C3E45 (two clips), and C3E44 edited together. Song lyrics are in bold. Episode jumps without lyrics between them are shown with "--".

When my time comes around

Murph [narrating]: Hardwon, you are in this strange, in between world. {Kingshammer begins playing in the background} Like, the Feywild right now looks like an oil painting, like it's gray and white, and you can vaguely see what's going on, but it's all blurry. And you hear a bunch of voices in the distance. You hear the voice of Gemma, in the distance going:

Gemma [Murph, whispering]: Hardwon, it's not your time yet, Hardwon. Hardwon, we'll be together but not now.

Hardwon [Jake]: Gemma.

Murph: You hear another voice calling to you.

Elias Stormborn [Murph]: Son, join me in the halls of Isgard.

Murph: And from somewhere else, you hear dissonant whispers, but amongst them you recognize the voice of the Widow.

Lydia Stormborn (The Widow) [Murph]: We can get out together, we can get out together.

Hardwon: Mother?

{Kingshammer slowly fades out}

Lay me gently in the cold, dark earth

Moonshine [Emily]: {Gutless plays in the background} Um, I just wanna remind you, not every problem needs to be fixed, but, if you want, I can reincarnate you.

Hardwon [Jake]: I wanna die, real bad.

[Caldwell laughs]

Moonshine: Okay, well, I'm gonna take that as a positive because if you die, then I can reincarnate ya.

Hardwon: Take it whatever way you want [chuckles]. Uh, but no, I, yeah, no, that's, that's the right interpretation.

Moonshine [overlapping]: Hardwon -

Hardwon: I w - I -

Moonshine: I really don't want you to want to die, because I want you to live so much and I don't wanna be alone in that feelin'.

Hardwon: I don't wanna die. I wanna - I wanna - I wanna live again.

No grave can hold my body down

Murph [narrating]: And you guys hear its voice, uh, simultaneously echoing through the cave and also sounding like it's right over your shoulder, somebody whispering into your ear.

[Emily hums in acknowledgement]

Death [Murph]: Hardwon Surefoot.

Beverly [Caldwell]: Woah!

Hardwon [Jake]: 'Sup?

Death: {The Purge starts playing in the background} You should be dead.

Hardwon: Yeah, looks like you can't do your job right, can ya? [Caldwell chuckles]

Death: The reason I can't do my job is because people like Beverly and Moonshine break the laws of death.

Hardwon: Careful, you're talking about my family.

I'll crawl home to her

Murph [narrating]: {Oh, Melora! plays in the background} Hardwon, your spirit, um, flies into this body. Uh, you see, Melora picks it up, pulls him out of the sea, and brings half-elf Hardwon into this, um, demiplane with all you guys.

[Caldwell laughs]

--

Hardwon [/Jake]: {Tale's End plays in the background} I smash my forehead against Moonshine's, too. [Emily laughs in delight] And say, hey, if I was gonna come back as anything, I'm proud to come back as half of you.

When my time comes around

Hardwon [Jake]: But, Beverly and Moonshine? They don't need me. [pauses] And, and I have to be okay with that.

--

Hardwon: {A Memory plays in the background} But I'm coming to understand the reality - that they're gonna stay as strong and heroic as we all once were, and I'm going to fade away.

Lay me gently in the cold dark earth

Hardwon [Jake]: Um, do me one, one favor? If I start to slow you down {bird chirping sound in background}, you leave me behind.

No grave can hold my body down

Hardwon [Jake]: {metal guitar music plays in the background} Hardwon kips up.

Murph [narrating]: Your eyes are closed, you're knocked out, you remember the last time you were knocked out by an avatar of Gruumsh, you know you can't let that happen again. Just pure, force of will, you jolt your heart and get it going again, and you kip up.

--

Murph [narrating]: {The Hexblood Centurions plays in the background} Hardwon, you are suddenly jolted back awake with the help of Sol, you see Sol hovering over you.

Hardwon [Jake]: Oh, my god -

Sol [Caldwell]: Hey.

Hardwon: - do I love the smell of mushrooms after I wake up from death. [Caldwell laughs]

I'll crawl home to her

Hardwon [Jake]: [other cast members laughing throughout] Moonsh - Moonshine, if you can hear me, I'll be there tomorrow. I'll be there tomorr- I'm coming. As fast as I can.

[cherrylng]

100 Albums To Understand Muse - Part 2 [STYLE Series #004 - Muse (August 2010)]

ASIA Asia (1982) The first album by the supergroup that brought together ex-King Crimson's John Wetton, ex-Yes' Steve Howe & Jeffrey Downes and ex-ELP's Carl Palmer. The band's catchy melodies and dense sound were more important than their progressive experimentalism and grandeur. ‘Heat of the Moment’ was a big hit. -S

ASTOR PIAZZOLLA Tango: Zero Hour (1986) Produced by the brilliant Kip Hanrahan, the world's greatest bandoneon player and the most important figure who changed tango history with his unique compositions that added elements of classical and jazz. In the early days Matthew spoke of tango influences, but if you want to hear tango purely as music, start with this masterpiece. It is a whirlwind of intense sensuality and emotion. -S

BAUHAUS In The Flat Field (1979) The first masterpiece from Bauhaus, led by New Wave/Gothic Rock legend Peter Murphy. The band's songs such as the hauntingly intense ‘Double Dare’ and ‘Stigmata Mater’, with Daniel Ash's guitar sharply driving, do not sound old even today. Peter's ever-changing vocals are also a charm. -S

BIFFY CLYRO Only Revolutions (2009) The fifth album from the Scottish trio, two of the three brothers, who have often fronted Muse for their heavy guitars, emotional melodies and playing ability. Uplifting songs such as ‘Mountains’, with its piano intro and intense development, and ‘Many of Horror’, with its beautiful strings, shine. -S

BLACK SABBATH Paranoid (1970) I've never heard the Muse guys mention Sabbath directly as an influence, but for Matthew, who grew up on 90s grunge, it's a huge indirect influence. It's a great foundation for musicians who aspire to heavier music beyond the categories of hard rock and metal. The groove created by the throbbing bass riffs heard in the songs on this second album is similar to Matthew's music… -J

COLDPLAY A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002) Matthew and Chris Martin are said to be friends, although both have been aware of each other since they were expected to be Radiohead's successor bands. It is clear that they have at least been checking each other and inspiring each other. The solemn, classical influences of this album give the impression of a worldview more in tune with Muse's. -H

THE CLASH London Calling (1979) The quartet at the heart of the London punk movement that erupted at the end of the 1970s broke down the framework of the formalised punk sound and expanded their musical range considerably by incorporating ska, dub/reggae rock ‘n’ roll, calypso and more on this eclectic third album. Tight, hard-hitting, yet catchy, this album is renowned as a masterpiece of 80s UK rock. -I

THE COOPER TEMPLE CLAUSE See This Through And Leave (2002) The first album from this talented multi-instrumentalist UK band, which split up in 2007. Loud guitars, bold synths and masculine vocals are fresh even today. Includes the exhilarating ‘Let's Kill Music’, reminiscent of Mansun, and ‘Been Training Dogs’ with its impressive three-beat riff. They also accompanied Muse on their ‘01 tour. -S

Translator's Note: I couldn't find the full album playlist for The Cooper Temple Clause's debut album on YouTube at all. Out of 11 songs, only 2 are available as music videos but the rest are hidden. So the Spotify link is my compromise. For what can be said, the debut album isn't available in my region on iTunes Store too.

[sincerely-sofie]

One writing idea that I think could be interesting is a piece exploring how Kip and Twig’s relationship with Grovyle developed during the dark future and after they found out that Twig used to know Grovyle. Since it seems like Grovyle’s attack at Crystal Cave was much more severe in your version of events than it was implied to be in the game, injuring Kip to the point that he almost died, I was wondering if their dynamic was a bit different then in the game. Like did it take Twig longer than finding out that she and Grovyle used to be friends to be ok with him? I imagine that there would probably be more animosity there since Kip was almost killed by him rather than just beaten up a bit like in the game.

Here you go! Angst train pulling into the station!

Grovyle hadn't suspected for a moment that Charmander was actually Twig— why would he? She was so bold, so self-assured in her every action— nothing like the timid human he'd found scrounging in the dirt for food all those years ago— he would've been quicker to assume that her mudkip partner was really a former human than this rambunctious youth before him. But Dusknoir hadn't been lying when he revealed the little fire-type’s name. Twig was alive. She'd survived not only the blow that sent her falling through time, but the aftermath thereof as well. 

Twig was alive, and she hated him. 

***

It was clear in the Dark Future that she didn't trust him— combined with her partner Mudkip’s own blatant misgivings, he couldn't help how irritated he was by their lack of faith in him. Perhaps it was the built-up frustration of having been framed as a villain for so long now, but he couldn't stand to look them in the eyes while they watched him with such open suspicion. Even after hearing his side of Dusknoir's tale, one that wasn't woven thickly with falsehoods, she was wary. 

“Maybe…” She paused and considered before continuing to address her partner. It was the first time Grovyle had seen her hesitate. “Maybe Dusknoir would tell us if he's lying. He would, right? We can go back and ask him. This has to be a misunderstanding. It has to be—”

“I find it hard to believe waking up tied to a stockade with executioners preparing to gut you alive is a simple misunderstanding,” he scoffed.

She rounded on him. “What, do you think you're any better? You almost killed Kip! Why should I believe you're not just trying to get a chance to finish the job? I can believe Dusknoir more than I can someone like you. Without him, he would've died!” 

The mudkip— so Kip was his name, then— set a paw on her clenched fist at her side. “I think he's right. We can't go back to Dusknoir. Sticking together is the best thing we can do right now.”

“I don't trust him!” 

“Then there's still no reason for us to continue on together.” Grovyle couldn't help the bitter scowl that found its way onto his face. “I wish you luck, but don't follow me again unless you believe my story.”

She called after him as he stormed off. “Go kick rocks, you fricking jerkwad!”

(He should have recognized her odd vocabulary. He should have known. He shouldn’t have abandoned her before, nor at that moment. Twig was always so small. She couldn't keep herself safe in a fight. He'd regret treating her so coldly for the rest of his days.)

***

Twig tackled him out of the way of Dusknoir's attack as Grovyle stood in stunned horror. She'd been there the whole time— she was alive, she was right there next to him—his mind was going hundreds of miles an hour and yet had ground to a halt at the same time. The noise of pain she made when her tail was caught in the path of torrential shadows jolted him back into awareness. 

Celebi called his name. The passage of time was ready. His every thought might be stuttering back and forth between rapid fire anxiety and blank-minded stupor, but he didn't need to think to know he had to get Twig out of harm's way. She darted for Mudkip, arms outstretched, but Grovyle caught her under his arm in a dash for the passage of time, barely noticing that she grabbed the boy by his scarf and bundled him up in her arms as they passed. 

He threw himself through the Passage as it closed, managed to turn himself in the air so that he'd break Twig's fall when they hit the ground— and the first thing she did as he lay dazed and in pain wasn't to fret over him like she always had as a human, but instead was to rush over to where Mudkip had fallen and check him for wounds. When she found none and Grovyle pushed himself up onto his elbows, she pulled her friend into a hug and glared at Grovyle from over his shoulder.

She was alive. 

She was alive, and she hated him. 

Judging by the venom in her gaze as she tightened her embrace protectively around her new partner, that wouldn't change anytime soon. 

***

Kip offered his old home as shelter for the unlikely trio. That night was an uneasy one— it seemed none of them were quite ready to relax enough to sleep after nearly being executed not even a day ago— but one by one, they all dropped off. 

Grovyle was the first to wake. It was a grounding ritual to watch the sunrise, and he never missed the opportunity while in this era, so he quietly slipped outside and settled onto the ground to watch as the ocean reflected pinks and golds amongst vivid blues. He took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly, letting the bite of the cold dawn air settle his nerves. 

Twig's appearance beside him did away with whatever progress he'd made towards calm. 

She hugged her arms tightly against herself, teeth chattering as she stared at him with a vicious hatred in her eyes. “You didn't finish the job last night,” she muttered lowly. 

It took a moment for Grovyle to grasp what she meant. “I don't have any grudge against Kip. There's no need to worry about that.”

“You almost killed him. What do you mean you don't have a grudge against Kip?”

“I mean exactly what I said. Twig, I'm sorry that we reunited like this, but I'm so relieved that—”

“Don't. Don't act like we're friends. Maybe I was dumb enough before to think you were a good person, but I'm not so stupid now. I know exactly what things you'd do to get your way. Just because you're on a mission to save the world doesn't make you any less of a terrible person.” 

He swallowed dryly. “I…”

“Kip nearly died because of you. Do you even know that? I keep saying it, but it's like it doesn't land in your head. He almost died. I was practically holding him in one piece after Dusknoir showed up and you ran off. There was—” Her voice broke. “There was blood everywhere, and I couldn't get it all off of me until I healed up enough to wash myself.” 

Legends and Life, she was shaking so hard. “He… He wouldn't stand down. I had to get to the time gear. Azelf would have lowered the crystals if—”

 “If what? If you beat him within an inch of his life?” 

His words were barely audible. “A mortal can't kill a Legend. He would have survived.”

She gave him a look of such potent disgust that he wondered how much further he would have sunk without her there to keep him on the straight and narrow. As a human, she was always arguing for peaceful solutions— things like subterfuge and stealth— where he was inclined to leap in head first with a more… direct approach. They'd been separated for only a year now, hadn't they? And look at the lengths he'd stooped to achieve his mission. 

“You're awful,” she hissed. “Don't think that just because I used to know you or whatever that we're friends now. We're not. You didn't care about me before you knew my name. Remember that.”

She stormed off, heading back into Kip’s home.

She was right. That was the worst part. He didn't care before he learned who she once was, and by letting his desperation to save the world harden his heart against any chance for mercy, he'd turned to a depth of cruelty he didn't recognize himself in. 

Twig hated him. 

And in that moment, Grovyle couldn't help but hate himself.

[bluemidnightmelody]

lover/fighter - my favorite moments

[Little snippets from my Finnick/OC longfic that are stuck in my head]

From Chapter 50 - Love is a tough business

As they walk along the docks, where the fishermen sell their fresh catch just after they've brought it off the boat, she's so busy questioning her own feelings that she doesn't even notice the familiar face.

"Well, well, prominent visitors. The way you've been seen sneaking around here lately, I'd almost think you didn't like it in the Capitol anymore." Kip sets down the crate he has just carried next to the others on the dock and scrutinizes the duo in front of him with a mixture of curiosity and critical appraisal.

"I, for one, still live here," Finnick replies immediately, with a slightly challenging tone but the usual confident grin on his face.

"Really? I almost didn't notice," Kip replies a little teasingly. The energy between the two of them can only be described as playfully combative and, to be honest, it reminds Rhea a lot of Mirella's children, pubescent boys who always have to stand up to each other, just on principle. "And what about you?" he turns to her, somewhat amused.

Rhea thinks for a moment and laughs a little. "Well, I won't deny that I like it here very much," she replies.

This earns her a deep, hearty laugh from Kip, and he gives her a companionable pat on the shoulder. "Fine, fine, at least you're honest," he grumbles back.

"How's the arm?" she then asks, remembering their first encounter. Thinking about it, she is glad that he seems to have had enough of testing her steadfastness, because this time he makes a friendlier impression right from the start and saves himself the intimidation attempts.

"Unnecessary question, I'm fine. You caught me in a tiny moment of weakness, but that only happens to me once a century, right?" Kip announces firmly.

Rhea smiles a little wryly and replies, "Sure, you're all super tough guys here, my bad." To be honest, she wouldn't have expected any other answer. Even if she still finds the attitude of the people here a little strange at times, she is slowly getting used to it, and admittedly such an attitude is probably necessary in the districts to a certain extent.

Finnick observes the meeting with interest and amusement. "Sometimes I forget that you probably know half the village by now. However, it still makes me sad that I wasn't able to witness your first meeting. I really would have liked to have seen that," he comments with a sassy little grin at Kip.

He puts on his grim face again and grumbles, "I can't believe you're still the same cheeky little brat you used to be. No wait, I liked you better then than I do now. At least you were good at knotting nets, now you're just annoying."

"How mean. Is that any way to talk to paying customers?" Finnick teases him back.

Kip snorts and raises his eyebrows. "You don't have to come up with that until you've actually bought something."

Men. It's almost as if they're all bound by a curse that forces them to retain the mind of a child who is then trapped in an aging body forever and ever. Rhea has to smile at the thought, but it's not untrue, it's a phenomenon she's seen in pretty much every guy she knows. With some it is less pronounced than with others, but even with Linus she has seen it when certain circumstances are met.

"Then offer me something," Finnick laughs playfully before his expression turns to a sinister grin. "But it'll have to be something good to keep Rhea from devouring me instead," he adds, giving her an amused, suggestive glance.

He's doing it again. As meek as his character may be, at least a small part of him seems to enjoy making her suffer like this and Rhea regrets that she has let him get away with it so far. He really is like a child testing his limits to see how far he can go and is bold enough to use her own words against her.

The fact that she can now hear the fishermen from Kip's crew, who were busy unloading the catch during their conversation, laughing around her makes it even worse. What is this fool thinking? The heat is suddenly unbearable, and she finds herself unable to utter a word in her defense.

"O merciful sea," Kip groans with a roll of his eyes. "Get a room."

This bursts the bubble and Rhea forces herself to wipe the pout off her face. "Give me that!" she orders grumpily, holding out her hand and pointing to the bag of groceries Finnick is carrying over his shoulder.

He stops grinning, but a slight smile remains as he looks at her with an innocent expression. "Don't make that face, I'm only joking," he says placatingly.

Rhea scrunches her eyebrows together and punishes him with a sharp look. "Give me that," she growls impatiently.

He raises his arms in resignation and does as she says. With a sigh, he begins, "Come on, I really am sorr - Hey!" His remorse comes too late, because after that all you can hear is the loud splashing and peals of laughter from the fishermen in sight, echoing across the water like thunder.

The feeling of sweet gratification more than makes up for the previous humiliation. She would have thought it would be harder, but apparently, she had the element of surprise on her side. He probably hadn't expected her to actually try something like this, which made it much easier to push him off the wooden walkway. Had he seen it coming, she probably wouldn't have stood a chance, but the feeling of having toppled a giant as a rather weak individual is even more rewarding.

She stops at the edge of the dock and looks down at him with satisfaction as he sticks his head out of the water and brushes his wet hair out of his face. "Seriously?" is all he can get out, bewilderment and a small hint of amusement on his face.

Rhea would love to have captured this image for eternity so that she can remind him of this moment whenever he tries to embarrass her again, because she doesn't imagine that he won't try again at some point. But from now on it is officially a game for two and she gets in with a strong move.

"I think you've been out in the sun for too long. Looked to me like you really needed to cool off," she says with a gleeful grin, slinging the bag over her shoulder that she wisely saved from the water. "Remember to bring the fish for tonight when you're done with it," she adds, and with a farewell wave to Kip, she strolls back across the dock to the quay.

It takes Finnick a few seconds to process everything, then he involuntarily starts chuckling, which quickly turns into uncontrollable laughter. Luckily, he's practically born to swim, otherwise he might end up sinking now, the way he's convulsing with laughter. But he quickly forces himself to catch himself before she disappears out of sight, calling after her, "Whatever you want, sweetheart."

From down there, he can just barely see her pause in response and cast a brief, restrained glance back over her shoulder. There is little sign of her air of self-assurance left and instead the slightly pouty expression is back along with the red color that adorns her cheeks. But he only has a brief moment before she turns around and continues walking.

Suddenly the cooling actually feels good. Finnick shakes his head and lets out a snort of disbelief and amusement. Then he glances up, where Kip is eyeing him, arms crossed and full of unveiled glee. "Can you maybe help me out of here?" he asks him encouragingly.

Kip pretends to think for a moment, shrugs his shoulders and then replies coolly, "I don't think so."

"You've got to be kidding me," Finnick snorts, stunned, but Kip has already turned his attention back to his fish. He is left with no choice but to fight his way back up to the top by himself, which is not so easy with the wet, slippery wooden beams that barely offer any foothold. The alternative would be to swim back to the harbor wall and climb out of the water, but he doesn't want to put on this show for the people unless he really has to.

Links to all the chapters: lover/fighter - Chapter Index

fanfiction on ao3 and wattpad

[kip-and-kit-nightengale]

KIP NIGHTENGALE

RECORDS OF MY RUNS

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

October 15. 1883.

My birthday.

I figured I'd treat myself for my 25th.

The perfect hit was comin' to town that day.

A nice train comin' down from the north full of all them high money folks. The ones with the nice houses and plantations and they own land. I was more than excited, I was thrilled.

I spent that whole mornin gettin ready.

I woke up bright an' early. I needed to get up right as the sun went up, catch that train on time. When all those well off bastards would show up. Boy was I excited.

I grabbed my bag, a simple one really, brown leather satchel my ma gave me long ago. I love that damn thing. I packed it with a red scarf. Also had it for awhile, its age was obvious with all its damn dust and stains. I had the damn thing since I was 10. Anywho, I grabbed my canister and a couple extra garments. I wasn't sure if I'd make it back home same day. I packed what cash I had at the time as well.

After my bag was set I decided I'd best get dressed. I wore what I usually wore, ain't nothing special!

Grabbed my jeans and threw them on. (Adnittedly, I almost fell a time or two) then grabbed my undershirt and flannel. I walked from my room to my dining room and grabbed my chaps, hat and boots. Then most importantly, my gloves. I was finally ready to hit the road.

I ran my way to the station and patiently waited for the train to arrive. Once it finally showed up it all flowed so well. I got on, I sat down in the back and I waited till we were about half way in the ride. That's when I threw on my bandana, grabbed my gun, stood my happy ass up and shouted my usual-

"-MEN LINE EM UP. WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO THE FRONT. I WANT ALL YOUR VAL-U-ABLES AT MY FEET IN THIS HERE BAG!"

I shouted this with my gun in the air. It's a powerful feelin, really. I knew I'd never hurt anyone unless it came to necessity but damn did I love the feeling of tricking all them into *thinking* I would. And immediately they all would follow through, them men all too cowardly to try me and my handy weapons.

They all lined it up and gave me what they had. I snatched the bag up, tied it up and open the back door. Hopping out the back with a, well, less than graceful roll off the train. But grace didn't matter when ya had a rush like mine and a successful grab in hand.

I took off my bandana and put it, along with my new items stash in my satchel before waiting for another train to come 'round. I'd hop in it before hitting a new town and startin the next day as if nothin even happened. I'm actually currently writing this from the inn I'm staying at in said town. Got myself something to eat and drink. They were also kind enough to lemme fill my canister with water. I sat at that bar for a few hours talkin to that pretty bartender till I was feelin tired. I went up to the room I'm rentin and am well, writing this entry, as I said.

Been a great 25th that's for sure.

Just hope one day I'll find the two things I'm currently lookin for as this happens.

My face with the words "WANTED" bolded above it and the one gal I care for the most in this world.

My sister.

Happy Birthday to me.

I deserved today

-KIP NIGHTENGALE

[pinonhallow]

Episode 1.01

“Yeah, I can pick that up.” She pursed her lips and closed her eyes as she listened to the voice on the other end of the call. “Mom, I got it. I know what size Fallon wears.”

She tapped the end call button and dropped her phone into the opening of her tote bag. She paused for a moment before collecting her bearings of where she was in the mall. She was only a few stores away from Imagination, the children’s clothing store. Pop music filtered over the different speakers until she was closer to the store, and she heard more of the kidz bop version of songs, than the actual songs.

The store smelled like cotton candy; the walls decorated with pictures of kids who looked like they had just walked off the set of a Disney Channel show. Bright smiles, perfectly done hair, bold colored clothing. This wasn’t really her first choice to shop for Fallon, but it was the one her mother wanted her to shop at. Try and keep Fallon a little girl as long as possible, she was almost a teenager though and most of what was available at the shop screamed preschooler instead.

“Shopping for Fallon?”

The friendly voice caused her to turn around, “Hey Maggie, yeah, Mom wants her to have some more cardigans.”

The blond nodded as she led her deeper into the store, “These should work. They’re a bit mature, classic, they should grow with Fallon for a year or two before she becomes a teenager and wants to pick her own stuff.”

She chuckled, “Oh, I sure did. I think that might be why my mom is so insistent on what exactly Fallon wears. Trying to keep her tame before she does something silly and dyes her hair teal.”

“Abby Adams with teal hair? I can’t see that.”

“I was fifteen, I was rebelling.” She searched through the rack for Fallon’s size, “But things happen, like becoming an older sister suddenly.”

“You’re a good older sister.” Maggie reminded her as she pulled out two cardigans in different colors and handed them to Abby, “if Fallon asks these are very Taylor Swift.”

Abby smiled, “She’ll love them.”

“Let me know if you need to find anything else.” Maggie looked around the store to see a customer going towards the register.

“Thanks Maggie, hopefully this is it.” She moved around the area of the store, finding a few more things that would suit her sister, and her mother would approve of.

After she paid and left the store, she made her way to the bookstore. Right on the front table was a display of all the books written by Chad Davis, a giant picture of him. He was a hometown name after all. She picked up the latest title and turned over the back, reading the synopsis; Teenage Wick wasn’t sure he could survive without his girlfriend Sketch. Yet their families kept them apart. Years later Sketch has been kidnapped, and Wick is an FBI agent sent to find her. Will he find more than just his first love?

Rolling her eyes she opened the dedication page, “To the real Sketch, I’m so sorry.” She kept the book in her hand as she moved to another table, looking for a copy of Fourth Wing for her book club. She found one, collecting it with a couple of other books she had found for herself as well as a few she found for Fallon and a book her mother wanted for her own book club.

After leaving the bookstore she walked towards the food court, stopping in at the coffee house. She needed a caffeine boost. “Abby, here you go.” She hadn’t even ordered yet and her best friend since the third grade was handing her a cup.

“Thank you, how did you know I was coming in?” She took a sip of the cold coffee, feeling her body relax as she ingested it.

Pam smiled, “I saw you pass by earlier. I knew you wouldn’t leave without stopping in. Mom, have you shopping for the sister again?”

“And some other errands.” Abby shrugged, “I had to get some stuff for my book club, for Mom’s too so at least I got to the bookstore.”

“You get Chad Davis’s new book? I heard that Marcy wants to make it next months pick.” She rolled her eyes, “Like that is going to help win over his brother Kip, or anyone in that family. I don’t think Chad has stepped foot in Pinon Hallow since high school.”

Abby shrugged, “No clue, and I saw it. I don’t know, his stuff isn’t my usual read.”

“Neither is Fourth Wing.” Pam snickered, “Just be glad that’s not the one your mom will be reading.”

“Wait why?” Abby took another sip of her coffee, “Her book club is doing some Hockey Romance or something. I think it was called Icebreaker.”

Pam covered her mouth with her hand, “Oh Mrs. Adams is going to be reading Icebreaker? Who picked it?”

“I don’t know, why?”

“It’s supposed to be spicy; I mean so is Fourth Wing, but that from what I have seen online is tame in comparison.”

Abby put her cup down and started laughing, “Constance Radford picked it, I think. Oh, I bet she has no idea.” She looked in the bag from the bookstore, “Oh I bet she saw the cover and thought it was just cute and sweet. I might have to just steal this copy from my mom once she realizes what it is and is scandalized.”

Pam put her arm around Abby’s shoulder, “I’m going to be honest; I don’t think your mom will be scandalized, but it will be glorious when Constance Radford is, isn’t this for the Church book club?”

“Yeah, it is.” Abby tried to keep the laugh in, but she couldn’t. “Oh, that will be a fun night when they meet.”

Pam didn’t respond, she kept her eyes on the guy walking by. He had several other guys their age walking with them. One had a camera out.

“Seriously Pam, still? Do you not remember what he was like in high school? Plus, have you seen what his videos are like? Maybe it’s an act, but I doubt it. He’s still the same slimeball he was when we were younger.” Abby watched her friend; she could see the defeated expression coming over her.

“I could fix him.” Pam finally suggested.

Abby groaned, “Oh Pam, you don’t want a man you need to fix. You want a man, that wants to build something with you. Create a life with you. Not one that just wants to create content.”

“You know he tried to revive the cinnamon challenge last week.” Pam kept her eyes as he stood in front of the shoe store across the hall.

Abby shook her head, “Think about all the stupid stuff Kip did when we were in high school. We’re in our late twenties now Pam, he’s still doing that stupid kind of stuff and posting it on YouTube.”

“Point taken.” Pam shrugged, “Are you going to join us at Moonlight tonight?”

“I don’t know. I must finish a project that’s due on Monday.”

“Then why are you at the mall right now?” Pam countered.

Abby looked at her bags, “Had to get out of the house. Mom was working from home too and it was just too much.”

“Move out. Why are you still living with your parents?”

Abby sighed, “I’m a freelancer, I don’t have steady work now. I’m just trying to save what I can so one day I am not worried about money.”

 “I could always give you a good deal on an apartment.” Pam reminded her.

Abby looked towards the fountain in the middle of the food court, “I know, but right now I need to still be at home.”

“Whatever you say. Please tell me you at least got Fallon something cute and not like a four-year-old would wear?”

“Yeah, Maggie helped me out a bit.” Abby felt a chill through her body for a moment, someone near the fountain caught her eye, but they were gone before she could see who it was.

Pam heard her name called from behind the coffee bar, “Text me later.”

“I will, I got to get going anyways.” Abby thanked her for the coffee again before leaving the coffee house. The mall was surprisingly busy for a weekday afternoon as she made her way past the fountain towards the outdoor promenade of stores, past the valet parking towards the lot. She felt the wind blow, and a shiver go through her body as she got into her Jeep Grand Cherokee.

She attempted to ignore the feeling as she started the engine. Maybe it was just the conversation with Pam, or the display in the bookstore. Yeah, that was probably it.

####

Maggie checked the time on her phone as she left the store. She was feeling rushed this afternoon as she made her way down the hall to the bookstore. She had scoured her bookshelves the past two nights looking for her copy of Emma, only to get a text message from her sister that she’d borrowed it for a book report.

Normally Maggie wouldn’t care, and would be thrilled that Cassie cared to read, let alone read Jane Austin, however it was this month’s selection for the book club she took part in. They had decided to read all of Jane’s books, starting with Emma. She did chuckle to herself at the selection, thinking Pride and Prejudice would be the first pick.

At least getting another copy would be easy enough. Though she wasn’t expecting the store to be as full as it was when she walked through the doors, moving around the display in the front, trying to dodge the booktok table, and almost getting knocked into a selection of cookbooks by people with failed daytime television shows.

“You good Maggie?” Conner McKay had caught her before she took out the pile of discounted cookbooks.

She gulped as she got lost in his eyes for a second, that was all she could allow herself to have, “Yeah, sorry just trying to get to the classics.”

“Cassie has your copy, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah.” Maggie shrugged as she ran a hand through her blond hair, “I’m thrilled she borrowed it; the timing could’ve been better.”

“Which one is it?” He walked with her to the section, feeling the crowd thin out.

Maggie looked around, “What has the store so busy today?”

Conner rolled his eyes, “New Chad Davis book got released. People still think he’ll show up to do a book signing. He never has. I only do the display right in front to keep Adel happy.”

“I fear the day that Kip knocks one of his groupies up and she or he wants a clothing sponsorship.” Maggie confessed as she reached for a copy of Emma.

“That is scary for a number of reasons.” Conner laughed, “I’m going to let you browse, I have to go check on Eric up front.”

“Thanks.” She bit her lip as she watched him walk towards the register area. She had been flirting with him since they met, and well nothing. For now, she would just have to stick with having a book boyfriend, if she couldn’t even get the attention of a real-life man.

Conner was silently cursing himself again as he walked away. Why could he never actually ask her for a cup of coffee, or a drink, or what did people even do these days for dates. He hadn’t gone on one since he was in college—and that had led to a baby and marriage shortly after. A daughter who was now sixteen, who only saw her mother in TikTok videos of all places—at least it wasn’t only fans.

“You didn’t ask her out again, right?” Eric shook his head as he worked on stocking the reusable shopping bags under the counter.

“No, I didn’t.” Conner sighed as he looked around the sales floor. “Lysa adores her, Bethany is never coming back—and I wouldn’t want to repeat that anyways. I don’t know what I’m scared of.”

“Moving forward.” Eric started to shrug and then stopped midway as he looked at the entrance of the store.

Conner followed his glance to the entrance, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Eric shook his head, “Shouldn’t she be trying to live in some random country for like $200 a month?”

“Yeah, last I knew.” Conner rolled his eyes as he walked over to the one woman he didn’t want to deal with. “Hey Bethany, looking for a travel book?”

She smiled, “Hey Conner, I was looking for you.”

“You should’ve called.” Conner crossed his arms over his chest as he looked down at his ex-wife, even in heels she was still tiny. “Have you spoken to Lysa?”

“Not yet.” She adjusted her purse strap, “I wanted to talk to you first.”

“Are you even going to see her this time?”

“I am.” She took an unsteady breath as she looked at him, “I’m going to be in town for a little bit. I’m working on a travel book. I have a deal with a publisher in Denver.”

“I hope you found a nice Air B&B or something like that.” He was terrified she was about to ask to stay with him and their daughter.

“I have my parents house.” She told him, “When they moved to Arizona, they sold it to me.”

Conner bit the inside of his cheek as he listened to her, “Good for you. If you want my help with Lysa, I can’t give it to you. You need to be the one to call her, to tell her you’re in town. You want to see her; you work to set it up. She’s sixteen now, she can make the decision to see you or not herself.”

“She’s fourteen Conner.”

“Sixteen Bethany, you’ve been gone for twelve years.”

Bethany was frozen for a moment, “You’re right.” She couldn’t believe she had gotten her only daughter’s age wrong. “I’m still jetlagged obviously. I will call her and set up a lunch this weekend.”

“Good luck with that.” Conner looked towards Eric, “The sooner, the better. People have seen you. It’s only a matter of time before Lysa finds out you’re in town. The longer you wait to tell her, the less likely she’ll be to talk with you or see you.”

He didn’t wait for her to reply, he walked back to the register desk. If Bethany didn’t call Lysa by tomorrow night, then he would sit her down and let her know. It really was a matter of time considering Eric, who loved to spill the tea as he said mentioned something if she dropped by the store.

“Is she gone?”

“Yeah Boss.” He passed him his phone, “Lysa was calling while you were over there. I didn’t answer.”

Conner looked at the young college student in the eyes, “Do not mention that Bethany was here. It’s the last thing Lysa needs to find out.”

“Yeah, Maggie didn’t look thrilled either while she checked out.”

“Maggie knows about Bethany, everything she’s done.”

Eric lifted himself onto the back counter to sit, “Boss, if you and Maggie are close enough that you can tell her about the ex. You’re close enough your daughter likes her, then just ask her out. She is clearly crazy about you.”

“I doubt that.”

“Fine, she’s just trying to get to you for the book discount. She did buy five books today.” Eric picked up his phone, “Yes, my food is almost here.”

Conner rolled his eyes as he checked the time, “I have to go. Can you handle this on your own?”

“Yes, I’m not going to burn the store down or anything.”

Conner knew Eric wouldn’t burn the store down, he really did. He just was afraid he would get sucked into whatever hot social media app was at the moment.

####

“Thank you for coming Detective Lane.” The officer led her under the crime scene tape as they moved through the wooded area of the local park.

“What do we have?” she pulled her dark hair back into a short, tight ponytail as she got closer to the crime scene.

“White male, early thirties we believe, beaten, left for dead.”

She nodded as the paramedics started to transfer the body. “Any ID?”

“Just this.” He passed her a Colorado Drivers Liscense.

“Shit.” She saw the name and then looked at the victim, “Get him to Memorial, we’ll work on notifying the family. Hopefully they’ll have some answers about what happened.”

“It doesn’t look like this is where he was attacked, just dumped.” One of the crime scene engineers pointed out several aspects of the scene. “If he hadn’t been found when he was, he would probably be dead.”

“Who found him?”

“He did.” The uniform pointed to the young man giving a statement to another uniformed officer.

“This kid, seriously?” She shook her head.

“Something wrong Siobhan?”

The thick voice caused her to turn around, “Lucas, you’ll never believe who discovered the body.”

He followed her glance, “Wait, seriously? The delivery boy?”

She nodded, “I can’t deal with that kid, will you please take his statement?”

He chuckled, “Fine, I got this but that means you notify the family.”

“I got it.” She watched as he was loaded into the ambulance before she took out her cell phone and walked away from the crowds of people. She searched through her contacts, she had lived in this town for so long, she almost always knew a victim’s family. This one though, he hadn’t been in town in many years.

The number she selected dialed, and the line started trilling. Before she had even taken one deep breath the call answered, “Hey, perfect timing.”

“Not really.” She didn’t give a greeting, “I’m actually calling on police business.”

“What’s going on?”

“Brighton, he’s on his way to Memorial Hospital here in town. He was found beaten, near death this afternoon.” Siobhan looked over as her partner laughed with the witness. She felt herself shiver.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“If you give me your parents number I can call them. They can probably make it faster from Arizona.”

“I’m in town. And my parents won’t help Brighton.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll see you at Memorial then.” Siobhan hung up, processing the information she’d just been given.

“Lane, you, okay?” Lucas waved his hand in front of her face.

She blinked a couple of times, “Yeah, I’m good. I just wasn’t expecting this family member to be in town.”

“We’ve got to get over to the hospital, see what the situation is, okay?”

“Yeah, you got the kid’s statement?”

“I did.” Be shook his head, “I don’t know why he irritates you so much.”

Siobhan looked back at him as he got into his Nissan, “He was delivering a pizza three weeks ago to a house just as we went in for a raid on their drug lab.”

“Wait, that was--.”

“And then, he was the one who witnessed that incident downtown when that guy drove into the shoe store.”

Lucas nodded, “Yeah, he’s got some bad luck.”

“Anyways, let’s get over to memorial and hope that Trista is on duty.”

####

“I don’t want to lose them. They’re a major anchor store for the mall.” Adel Davis paced around the living room of her family’s large estate, her phone on speaker.

“We understand, but we might not have a choice.” The person on the other end spoke.

“We need to keep them, and if God forbid, we can’t then let’s make sure we can get that space filled within a month. An empty space like that could ruin us.” She ended the call, for a moment wishing for the days when she could slam the phone down.

“The mall is always bustling Mom, no need to worry.” Her youngest son came into the room, for once not followed by the so-called camera crew he usually had trailing behind him.

“Kip, what brings you away from the cameras?” Perhaps she should’ve sent him off to school with his brother, at the very least he had a career, but he never came home.

“Getting ready to go and meet the guys for Taco Thursday.” He picked up one of the decorative glass balls sitting on the coffee table, “I saw dear Brother’s new book came out.”

“Yes, it did.” Adel braced herself, never sure what Kip would notice, say, bring up.

Kip tossed the glass ball in the air as he leaned on the arm of the white sofa, “I read it on my Kindle this morning. What a silly story. I can’t believe people buy his books.”

“Your brother is a very talented writer.” His father told him as he came into the room. “You are a talented content creator, even if I still don’t really get it.”

Kip rolled his eyes, “About that.”

“Yeah?” Adel perked up, perhaps her son would finally use that college education he had for something, anything besides sitting in his room and streaming video games all day.

“I was wondering if I could use the pool house, turn it into my studio. I’m looking to expand the kind of content I create.”

Adel looked towards her husband, mentally trying to tell him to tell Kip no.

“Go for it. It could use an update anyways. Redecorate it and use that for content too Kip.”

“Thanks Dad.” Kip smiled before looking to his mom, “You cool with that?”

“Yeah honey, though any thought of using that business degree?”

Kip shrugged, “I use it every day. I know you don’t think streaming is a job or anything, but I haven’t even touched my trust fund in five years. I sell merchandise, I have paid subscribers. I get it you want me working under you or under Dad, but it’s just not going to happen.”

Adel, “It’s getting late, you two figures out the logistics for the pool house. Just please Kip don’t knock down any walls.”

“Whatever you say Mom.” Kip slowly sighed as his mother left.

Doug sat next to him on the couch, “She loves you; she’s concerned, she doesn’t get it.”

“I’ve noticed.”

“Just maybe no more prank videos, especially done in the mall.”

Kip nodded, “Yeah, that probably doesn’t help her take this seriously.”

“Not at all.” Doug turned his iPad on, “Figure out what you want to do with the pool house, I mean besides move in it to get some distance from us.”

“You figured that part out huh?”

“Kip, you’re beyond old enough to have your own space. Okay yes you have a suite of rooms upstairs, but it’s time for you to move out. Even if it’s just to the pool house. Let’s be real that’s as far as your mother will let you move out without interference.”

“But Chad lives in New York, she sent him off to private school when he was in high school. He never comes home.”

Doug took a moment, “Chad’s situation is very different. What I can say is that might be why she holds on as tightly as she does to you.”

Kip tried to remember what he could about when his brother had been sent away. Whatever it was had to be bad, really bad. Kip had his own hiccups and scandals in high school, yet Chad had been sent away. “Think Chad will ever come back?’’

“When the time is right he will. Don’t know when that will be.”

“Thanks Dad, I’ll see you in the morning.” Kip gently put the glass ball he’d been playing with back in the bowl on the table.

“Be safe.” Doug called out as his youngest son left.

####

“Has he been disposed of?” she questioned as her chair faced the wall of Higher Education Degrees.

“We did exactly what you asked us to do.” He told her, his hands behind his back, “Unfortunately luck was not on our side this afternoon.”

The chair spun and she slammed her arms on the desk, “What do you mean?”

“The police have already discovered his body. Someone passing by running on the trail caught sight of him.”

“Why wasn’t he deep in the river?” She ran a hand through her white, blond hair.

“It’s April, the runoff hasn’t really started, and so the river is not as deep as we would’ve liked for this. We were hoping the current would take him downstream a bit more before he washed up.”

She rubbed her forehead, “Take care of this. We can’t be found to be connected to him in anyway.”

“Don’t worry, everything will work out in our favor.” He told her as he left the office. He knew he’d just lied to her. But that was everything he did these days, lie. He lied to her, to the people around him, none of them knew the truth. He was surprised he had reached this high in the organization, gotten in deeper.

Once he was alone in his car, he pulled his phone out and pressed stop on the recording. If Carla ever found it, he would play it off as him covering his ass if she ever turned on him. Really though he was uploading it as part of the case his department was working to bring against her.

“Hart” he answered his phone as he pulled out of the medical suite parking lot, “yeah, that’s good to hear. Yeah, I’ll swing by the hospital.”

####

Siobhan paced in front of the nurse’s station while Lucas had gone to get them coffee. She had let her hair down once they were back in their car, giving her the chance to twist it around her fingers as she put together the information she had already about the victim and what had happened to him.

She couldn’t ignore the fact that his sister was back in town, the same day he washes up on the edge of death in the river. Not that Siobhan realized he was even in town either. What the hell were either of them doing here? Was it a coincidence or a connection?

“Detective?” the doctor stood in front of her, “You, okay?”

“Yeah, just going over the pieces. What do you know?”

She frowned as she put her hands in the pocket of her black scrubs, “He is in a coma right now, a lot of swelling in his brain. He’s got broken ribs, and a lot of bruising and swelling. Right now, it’s touch and go.”

“Trista, any idea of what caused these injuries?”

“I’m not a medical examiner, but these aren’t the kind of injuries in a car accident, not even the kind that lands you in the water.” Trista looked around, “I’m still waiting on the tox screen.”

“You think he was high?”

“I’ve seen a growing number of patients you wouldn’t expect.” Trista confessed as her name got called over the speaker system, “I’ll check back in with you soon.”

“Thanks.” Siobhan called out as the doctor walked away.

“I’m looking for Brighton Simpson.”

A voice crossed Siobhan’s ears and it was not the one she was expecting as she turned around. “Holdon Hart?”

She saw him cringe at the sound of her voice as he turned to look towards her. She tried to ignore how good he looked in the tight white T-shirt that stretched across him, the leather jacket he wore. He had total bad-boy appeal all over him.

He gave her a smile, hoping to thaw the freeze he saw from her, “What a small world.”

“Why are you asking about my victim?” She had a new piece of the puzzle and at this moment she wasn’t sure she would like where this could be going.

He looked around, trying to see who was around him, them before leaning in close. “I’m just asking about a friend.” He knew he couldn’t tell her in such a public place. “Where’s your partner, or do they have you going on cases alone?”

“He’s getting coffee.” She kept her eyes steeled on him, “Why are you even in town, I thought the feds cut you. Shouldn’t you be somewhere disgraced?”

He smirked, “If I remember correctly Siobhan, you liked my disgraced side.”

“Shut up Holdon. I don’t have time for your nonsense. Or maybe you know exactly what happened to Brighton.”

“I promise you Siobhan, I don’t. I just wanted to check on him.”

“How do you know him?”

“We worked together.” That was all he could tell her; all he could say. It wasn’t a lie; it was the truth. He just knew that Siobahn Lane wouldn’t be ready for the truth right now, and not in such a public setting.

“He’s alive, for now.” She finally let her eyes go to the entrance, wondering why she had believed his sister would show up quickly.

He nodded, “Thanks Lane, I’ll see you around.”

“Hart, how about we don’t count on that?”

“Oh, but you can count on it.” He licked his lips as he walked out of the hospital. He had gotten way too close to blow his cover. And now he wouldn’t be able to sleep because he would be haunted by memories of his former police partner.

####

“Enjoy your stay in Colorado.” The attendant at the rental kiosk handed over a stack of paperwork and a car key.

“Thanks.” He gave her a smile before throwing his carrying on over his shoulder and dragging his wheely hardshell behind him. He knew he still had over an hour drive to Pinon Hallow—if traffic on I-25 wasn’t bad. He couldn’t be sure of the reception he would get when he arrived.

He found the car he’d been assigned and loaded his bags in. His phone automatically connected to the Bluetooth system in the car, and he listened to the messages he had received while in the air. He would deal with it all tomorrow.

He set the phone to play a podcast, listening to the story of a woman who ran away as a teenager to join a cult. Her family didn’t know what happened to her for a decade and a half.

He was almost at the end of the podcast episode when the familiar silhouette of Pinon Hallow came into view. It wouldn’t be long now; he would be home soon. He moved down the streets he’d known for his entire childhood. He was surprised by how familiar and foreign they were at the same time.

He pulled up the long driveway towards the stone mansion. The lights were on in many rooms, but he knew there weren’t people to fill them. Not now at least. They wouldn’t tell him they didn’t have room for him, unless they had turned it into a hotel—which his mother would never have done.

He parked in his favorite spot from when he was in high school and took out his carry-on bag. He locked the car out of pure habit as he went to the door. He let himself in, the foyer that led to the living room was empty. He glanced at the time on his phone, if his father was around, he knew exactly where he could find him.

Moving through his childhood home he stopped outside the bowling alley. He could hear the pins falling. “Alright Adel, let’s see what you’ve got.” His father’s voice was older, how had he missed that in phone and video calls.

“I will get this turkey.” Her voice teased.

He watched as his mother took her ball and moved up towards the lane, and then let the ball sail down the hard wood and got a strike. He started clapping as he walked into the room. “Good job Mom.”

His parents both turned, instinctively they knew it wasn’t Kip interrupting them. Instead before Adel and Doug Davis, for the first time in over twelve years was their oldest and first-born son Chad.

“I’m home.”

“Welcome home son.” Doug moved to give his son a hug, unsure if he would accept, but grateful he did.

“Why didn’t you tell us you were coming home?” his mother moved in for a hug of her own, holding him tightly.

“I wanted to surprise you. Why did you turn my room into something else?” He put his bag down as he picked up the blue bowling ball sitting to the side he had used throughout his teenage years, before he’d been sent away.

“No, though Kip did try.” Adel smiled.

“Ahh yes, probably wanted a room for his video games.” Chad put the ball down, “I don’t know how long I’ll be in home. I just knew it was time to come home.”

“We’re glad you did.” Doug told him. “I’ll call Simone and get your room ready for you.”

“Thanks Dad.” Chad watched his father leave the room before he looked at his mother, really looked at her. She was older of course, A sadness over her. “Is Kip home?”

“No, I think he went to get tacos with his friends.”

Chad nodded, “So probably making a stupid video with them.”

“I wouldn’t call them stupid.”

“Uninspired then.” Chad suggested, “Is that bookstore still in the mall?”

“Of course, why?”

Chad shrugged, “I might go sign some copies of my latest book, or if they have any of my past ones.”

“They do, they have a huge display of your stuff.” She gushed.

“Wow, I never would’ve guessed.” But he knew why, it was to stay in her good graces. Sure, he’d made the New York Times list three times already but here in Pinon Hallow, his mother had a lot of pull. Any attention he got, at least in a positive sense, was of her will.

“Do you have any dietary needs or requests. I can make sure Simone has a grocery delivery done early so you have what you want or need.”

“No, I’m not that fussy. Unless you’ve all gone gluten, meat, free.”

“Nothing like that, next week with your brother who knows though.” She sighed a little. “I do wish you had told us you were coming. I could’ve set you up with a proper book signing.”

“I prefer this way. I don’t generally enjoy crowds of people.”

“Simone is getting your room ready.” Doug informed Chad when he came back in. “She already has fresh towels in your bathroom and the sheets are being put on the bed as we speak.”

“Thank you. I think I’m going to go take a shower and go to bed. It’s been a long travel day.” He left the room before they could protest or say anything else.

He made his way up to his childhood room, unsure what he might find. The room had been cleaned up, cleaned out. It had been updated to a more mature style. Almost like his mother had expected he would return—which he had.

He dropped his carryon bag by the door, bypassing the bathroom for a moment. He needed to know if it was still here, after all these years.

The books on the bookshelf didn’t appear to have been traded out. He pulled out a copy of The Hunger Games, and as he flipped through the pages something fell out. He picked it up, the blue in drawing of himself, sitting under the tree at the high school courtyard.

It was here.

It still existed.

All this time he had told himself it had to be gone.

Was this a sign he should try to find her?

If he could, maybe he could apologize about how things ended.

It hadn’t been his choice.

Would she even want to see him now?

She was probably married, had kids.

She probably left Pinon Hallow.

She was probably in Paris or Sydney, exploring the world.

But she was why he came back to town. She had been haunting his dreams for months, years really.

It had to mean something, and Chad was determined to find out what. He would find his high school girlfriend. He would apologize for what happened. It was the least he could do all these years later.

####

Abby sat at her desk, staring at her computer screen, willing the inspiration she needed to finish the project in front of her. It just wasn’t coming.

She read over the client’s information sheet again, sighing. What was in front of her was perfectly acceptable, yet something was missing. She just couldn’t decide what it was.

She turned the monitor off and moved over to her bed, she looked at the bag from the bookstore she hadn’t unpacked yet. Pulling out the book by Chad Davis, she opened the dedication page again, letting her finger drift over the text.

She closed the book and put it on the shelf above her bed. The same shelf that had every other book he had written. Next to them was a box of notes she had received in high school, along with the breakup letter from her first boyfriend. On the other side of the books was a baby picture of Fallon, simple and classic.

Simple and classic.

That’s what her current project was missing. She went back to her desk, turning on the monitor and getting lost in her art.

Tomorrow would be a new day, and she wouldn’t feel the past encroaching on her the way she had today.

[multiplicity-positivity]

do you know of any place people talk about what trauma caused their system to form? or do you by any chance have a tag for it? I'm pretty sure I'm a traumagenic system, but I haven't seen that many people with my exact origin.

Hi! Any post we make that mentions trauma we tag accordingly. Different alters use different tags and we struggle to get on the same page… however, between all of us the tags “#trauma”, “#trauma mention”, and “#trauma tw” should include all posts we’ve made that reference trauma.

Kip has composed a post on seas sideblog about our trauma history and has hesitated to post it because of the heaviness and the amount of personal details… I’ll just ask our followers here:

If enough folks are interested, I’ll leave a note for Kip or Kandi to ask them to post it next time one of them is fronting.

We’d like to remind you, anon, that trauma can look incredibly different from person to person. Trauma is a reaction to a negative event - what that event is can vary vastly between individuals. For some, simply having strict parents can be traumatic. For others, growing up with a disability can be traumatic. Things like bullying, neglect, and being mistreated under the guise of ““building character”” may all qualify as trauma, depending on how the person responds to those events.

And finally, I’m gonna drop a link to this post: “Was I Abused?” which includes a lot of details of things that could be considered traumatic or abusive, especially when children are subjected to them.

Hopefully something we’ve said here may help you. Best of luck to you with everything, we know figuring something out like this can be difficult, demanding, and downright terrifying… but we believe in you! And you’re not as alone as you may feel ^w^

🌸 Margo and 💫 Parker

[shilohgreen]

CHARACTER STUDY: DEMEANOR & MANNERISM GUIDE. bold — applies | italics — sometimes applies | blank — never applies.

EYES. ㅤㅤavoids eye contact when nervous, maintains eye contact when nervous. | avoids eye contact due to being neurodivergent, enjoys eye contact as a means to read and convey emotion. | looks down when emotional, looks up when emotional. | cries openly, wipes tears quickly, suppresses tears. | wandering gaze when lost in thought, holds gaze while thinking. | seeks out eye contact for reassurance, seeks out eye contact to gauge enthusiasm during conversations, eyes move constantly during conversation. | expressive eyes, emotions only evident through eyes, uses eye contact to intimidate. | looks up while thinking, looks down while thinking.

HANDS. ㅤㅤclasps behind back, rests in lap, fidgets with clothes. | twiddles thumbs, chews at nails/skin, pushes back cuticles, draws patterns on table/counter surfaces. | animated gestures while speaking, only gestures to emphasize, utilizes sign language, speaks only through sign. | callouses, scars, smooth, wrinkled, worn, soft, delicate, boney, slender, thick, veiny. | touches others while speaking, reaches out while laughing, reaches out to comfort others, reaches out to seek comfort. | places face in hands when exasperated, places face in hands when exhausted, places palms over eyes to hide when overwhelmed, rests chin in hands. | taps fingers when impatient, taps fingers when nervous, taps fingers while thinking. | scratches scalp, strokes chin, rubs back of head, toys with objects around them, runs fingers over surfaces while walking by.

MOUTH. ㅤㅤchews lip, chews at inside of cheek, licks lips, bites tongue, chews on straws. | resting frown, resting smile, neutral resting expression, resting pout. | grinds teeth, flexes jaw. | covers mouth when laughing, covers mouth when shocked, covers mouth when concerned, hands to lips while thinking, covers mouth when chewing, chews with mouth closed, chews with mouth open. | smirks, grins, subtle smiles, wide smiles, sad smiles, intimidating smiles, menacing grins. | openly smiles, tries to suppress smiles, bares teeth when angry, lips quiver when emotional. | stutters, speaks quickly, speaks slowly, good pronunciation, poor pronunciation, moderate pronunciation. | purses lips, sucks in lips, holds mouth open when shocked or confused.

LEGS. ㅤㅤbounces leg when nervous. | draws knees to chest when sitting, draws knees to chest as a means of comfort, sits on knees, sits with legs crisscrossed, sits with legs spread open in chairs, crosses legs when sitting in chairs, sits with one leg folded under the other. | places feet on furniture, never places feet on furniture, sits on counters, sits on desks, sits on tables, sits on edge of seat, sits hunched over with forearms on knees, arches one knee up, sits on the arm of chairs/couches, feet on dashboard, swings legs back and forth when sitting somewhere elevated. | wiggles toes when nervous, wiggles toes as a general tick. | shuffles feet, kicks foot into ground, stomps feet. | loud footsteps, quiet footsteps, silent footsteps.

HAIR. ㅤㅤruns fingers through hair, tugs at hair, picks at scalp, chews on hair, twists locks of hair while thinking or nervous, smooths out locks of hair while thinking or nervous. | prefers hair out of face, prefers long hair, prefers short hair. | wears hair back, keeps hair down, smooths back hair. | plays with other’s hair while talking, plays with own hair while talking, strokes hair to comfort others, likes having hair stroked for their own comfort, braids others’ hair while talking, braids own hair while talking. | flips hair out of face, pushes hair out of face, leaves hair alone even when falling into face.

tagged by: @talentforlying tagging: @cstarling @pumpkinstabs @nefariuus (for kip or gideon maybe?) @ruinedmyself & anyone who wants to steal it!!

[queenaeducan-writes]

V. Song

I had this in my head for ages but finally took the chance to write it for @hanal-ghilan-prompts! It’s based on the Lambton Worm song, written about a legend of a worm (dragon) that terrorised the countryside around the river Wear in Northeast England. I’ve lifted and changed lines where necessary. It’s written/sang in a Northumbrian dialect and if you’d care to hear it you can listen to the original song here. I made the Thedosian version of the song reference an ancient, fractured version of an ancient Elvhen story of how Andruil and Mythal fought after Andruil brought plague back from the Void. The song, as you see, casts Andruil in a much more favourable light, with the dragon, instead, representing the Blight. It’s intended as a city elf song similar to the Denerim lullaby Where Willows Wail.

One early mornin’ Andruil went A-huntin’ in the woods; An’ found some tracks along the trail She thowt leuk’t vary queer (=thought looked very strange) But wharra kind a tracks they were (=what kind of) Andruil cudden’t tell- She tipped her bow with adder’s kiss An’ took after the creature

Whisht! Lads, haad yor gobs, (=Quiet! Boys, shut your mouths) An’ Aa’ll tell ye an aaful story, (=I’ll tell you an awful story) Whisht! Lads, haad yor gobs, An’ Aa’ll tell ye ‘boot the wyrm (=about)

Noo out tha treetops burst a beast (=Now) That’d set yor hair on end (=your) Two flamin’ wings, three rows a’ teeth Bore doon on Andruil (=down) She nocked her bow, her aim were true She let her arrow fly The arrow lodged inside its chest But on the beast did glide

(Chorus)

This feorful wyrm had come to feed (=fearful) An’ blacken all the land It swally’d up wee lambs and bairns (=swallowed little lambs and children) As they lay doon to dream An’ when she’d eaten aal she cud (=all she could) An’ she had has her fill Away she went an’ lapped her tail Ten times roond Knotwood Hill (=round)

(Chorus)

Whei, Andruil knew ‘twas only she (=of course) Who could hope t’ slay the wyrm She hewed armour from the blackest night An’ went t’ face the wyrm The trail it left were whole houses wide New rivers lay in its wake The dwarves deep doon in Kal’Hirol Were whingin’ ‘boot a leak (=whining)

(Chorus)

Seun Andruil came to Knotwood Hills (=Soon) An’ the wyrm stirred from her kip (=nap) One look in bold Andruil’s eyes An’ she knew she’d seen her death She reared back her old aaful head Fire kindlin’ in her throat Andruil struck with her mighty spear An’ skewered her through the heart

(Chorus)

Why noo ye knaa hoo all the elves (=know how) Aboot the Hafter’s shores Still sing Andruil’s praises high For all the world t’ hear So let’s hev one out for our Mistress of the Hunt (let’s drink to) Who kept our lands frae harm (=from) Saved the morra’s dreams by skinnin’ clean (=tomorrow) The famis Knotwood Wyrm (=famous)

Wisht! Lads, Ah’ll haad me gob, I’ve telt yiz aal an aaful story Of Andruil’s civvor job (=clever) An’ the aaful Knotwood Wyrm!

[gossipcentral]

Finn saying Tiffany will call him daddy in front of Kip was a bold move.

messy as heck. is this the start of the fight we're so longing to see?

[sincerely-sofie]

question about the mortality exchange au: what would exactly happen if the future trio/kip found twig the way she looked like after she 'disappeared' for 50+ years? i can imagine grovyle, celebi and kip just crying ugly and just holding onto her whereas dusknoir would steel his nerves for a moment to try and hold himself when he sees her after all these years. how do you think that scenario would play out?

I’d adjust the timeline a bit so that it’d be about 30-ish years down the line. I could see Kip accidentally encountering Twig during an archaeological expedition with a junior team he was supervising. It wouldn’t be something he does very often, but he’d help certain teams of archaeologist’s guild apprentices despite being retired due to an injury he received. Twig wouldn’t be able to turn him away no matter how much she wants to, and Kip wouldn’t be leaving those ruins without her. He wouldn’t notice anything suspicious about Twig’s appearance at first, and even once he caught on, he wouldn’t care because oH MY WORD TWIG’S ALIVE. SHE’S OKAY. HE MISSED HER SO MUCH, THANK ARCEUS SHE’S ALRIGHT, GET OVER HERE AND HUG HIM—

Thanks to some finagling with the apprentices, he’d be able to get them to run back to town and send a message to the Future Trio— or at least Celebi and Dusknoir, who’d take a few days to make it there thanks to the distance between the ruins and their home in Fair Fields, and they might have disregarded a few travel regulations to get there sooner. Celebi is zipping circles around Twig's head crying angry tears and chastising her for making them worry so much before she gets too choked up to speak and just hugs her and bawls. Dusknoir, meanwhile, would hang back at the fringes of the room, staring at Twig in shock, and she'd be the one to hug him when she finally became too overwhelmed by how relieved she is to see them despite her guilt and desire to stay hidden. He'd hold her as she ugly cries and he would have a hard time keeping up a strong front for her.

Once Celebi manages to locate Grovyle (who's on the opposite side of the globe at this point— when everyone else gave up on looking for Twig when their efforts to find her came up empty, Grovyle widened the search radius more and more. He hasn't seen the gang in years because he's been looking for Twig for so long) after teleporting all over the world and back, she'd tell him they found her, and he'd come this (👌) close to busting through the center of the earth in order to get to Twig faster.

Grovyle doesn't cry when they reunite, but he does shout at Twig for thinking he'd ever not want her around. He'd tear her a new one over the fact that he loves her and he doesn't care what she is because— human, charmander, or Legend— she still is and always has been Twig. Twig would murmur something about how she still is and always has been unworthy of anything and Grovyle just goes HUH??? WHAT'D YOU SAY??? YOU WANNA SAY THAT AGAIN??? BOLD WORDS FOR SOMEONE WITHIN HUGGING DISTANCE. IDIOT.

Celebi finds Cresselia, who had not spoken a word of Twig's location to anyone (she didn't know they didn't know where she was), slaps her, rips some lunar feathers off her shoulder, and returns to where everyone is still crying all over each other to dump the handful of feathers on Twig and say "There. You don't have the excuse of giving people nightmares anymore. Now come home."

Twig's going to be welcomed back to Treasure Town even if she has to be hogtied and dragged all the way there.

[dynamiteads]

DYNAMITEHQ. a non-au roleplay group welcoming wrestlers from all promotions and the indies as well as original characters in backstage roles.

ESTABLISHED JAN 2023.

most wanted: chuck taylor, wardlow, brody king, danhausen, montez ford, noam dar, drew mcintyre, wes lee, la knight, buddy matthews, bray wyatt, karrion kross, kip sabian, butch, bronson reed, xavier woods, zelina vega, isla dawn, kris statlander, maxxine dupri, bianca belair, jade cargill, tegan nox, alba fyre, aliyah, trish stratus, lita, mandy rose, nikkita lyons, shotzi, tatum paxley, brandi lauren, athena, riho, piper niven, willow nightingale, lash legend, elektra lopez, fallon henley, ivy nile, bella twins

** bolded names have been highly requested by our members.

main / taken / most wanted

[artofwrestlingrpg]

MOST WANTED MALES:

COREY GRAVES, MADCAP MOSS, MONTEZ FORD, BARON CORBIN, XAVIER WOODS, MATT JACKSON,NICK JACKSON, ANTHONY BOWENS, DAX HARWOOD, POWERHOUSE HOBBS,CHAD GABLE,NATHAN FRAZER, CASH WHEELER,GRAYSON WALLER, KYLE O'REILLY, DANTE MARTIN, DARIUS MARTIN, LUCHASAURUS, CAMERON GRIMES,CLAUDIO CASTAGNOLI, KIP SABIAN, ORTIZ, KEITH LEE, SHEAMUS, MIRO,CHANNING “STACKS” LORENZO, JUNGLE BOY, ANDRADE,JIMMY USO, JOSH BRIGGS, BROOKS JENSEN, BRAY WYATT,JOE GACY, PRESTON VANCE, WHEELER YUTA, WARDLOW, COLTEN GUNN, AUSTIN GUNN

MOST WANTED FEMALES:

NYLA ROSE, SONYA DEVILLE , ELEKTRA LOPEZ,RED VELVET, IVY NILE,CHARLOTTE FLAIR, WENDY CHOO, NATALYA, MADISON RAYNE,LASH LEGEND,  MICKIE JAMES, NIKKI BELLA, BRIE BELLA, AVA RAINE, DANA BROOKE, ZOEY STARK,  SAYA KAMITANI, SAYA IIDA,KIANA JAMES, STEPH DE LANDER, KAYDEN CARTER, SHAYNA BASZLER

Role names in bold have multiple member requests and multiple potential plots and connections within the group. Original characters are welcome!

Art of Wrestling is an established ( over a year old! ) non-au wrestling roleplay on discord, and we'd love for you to join us.

With biweekly tasks, game nights, monthly events, a biweekly tabloid, and so much more!

We currently have FIFTY NINE active members, and over ONE HUNDRED characters to interact with. Want to check it out before applying? No problem! Send us a direct message for an invite to the server today!

[kip-and-kit-nightengale]

KIP NIGHTENGALE

RECORDS OF MY RUNS

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

October 15. 1883.

My birthday.

I figured I'd treat myself for my 25th.

The perfect hit was comin' to town that day.

A nice train comin' down from the north full of all them high money folks. The ones with the nice houses and plantations and they own land. I was more than excited, I was thrilled.

I spent that whole mornin gettin ready.

I woke up bright an' early. I needed to get up right as the sun went up, catch that train on time. When all those well off bastards would show up. Boy was I excited.

I grabbed my bag, a simple one really, brown leather satchel my ma gave me long ago. I love that damn thing. I packed it with a red scarf. Also had it for awhile, its age was obvious with all its damn dust and stains. I had the damn thing since I was 10. Anywho, I grabbed my canister and a couple extra garments. I wasn't sure if I'd make it back home same day. I packed what cash I had at the time as well.

After my bag was set I decided I'd best get dressed. I wore what I usually wore, ain't nothing special!

Grabbed my jeans and threw them on. (Adnittedly, I almost fell a time or two) then grabbed my undershirt and flannel. I walked from my room to my dining room and grabbed my chaps, hat and boots. Then most importantly, my gloves. I was finally ready to hit the road.

I ran my way to the station and patiently waited for the train to arrive. Once it finally showed up it all flowed so well. I got on, I sat down in the back and I waited till we were about half way in the ride. That's when I threw on my bandana, grabbed my gun, stood my happy ass up and shouted my usual-

"-MEN LINE EM UP. WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO THE FRONT. I WANT ALL YOUR VAL-U-ABLES AT MY FEET IN THIS HERE BAG!"

I shouted this with my gun in the air. It's a powerful feelin, really. I knew I'd never hurt anyone unless it came to necessity but damn did I love the feeling of tricking all them into *thinking* I would. And immediately they all would follow through, them men all too cowardly to try me and my handy weapons.

They all lined it up and gave me what they had. I snatched the bag up, tied it up and open the back door. Hopping out the back with a, well, less than graceful roll off the train. But grace didn't matter when ya had a rush like mine and a successful grab in hand.

I took off my bandana and put it, along with my new items stash in my satchel before waiting for another train to come 'round. I'd hop in it before hitting a new town and startin the next day as if nothin even happened. I'm actually currently writing this from the inn I'm staying at in said town. Got myself something to eat and drink. They were also kind enough to lemme fill my canister with water. I sat at that bar for a few hours talkin to that pretty bartender till I was feelin tired. I went up to the room I'm rentin and am well, writing this entry, as I said.

Been a great 25th that's for sure.

Just hope one day I'll find the two things I'm currently lookin for as this happens.

My face with the words "WANTED" bolded above it and the one gal I care for the most in this world.

My sister.

Happy Birthday to me.

I deserved today

-KIP NIGHTENGALE

[unblockedgames766]

10 Best Unblocked Slope Games in 2023 April

10 Best Unblocked Slope Games in 2023 April

1. Slope Run

Slope run unblocked wtf isa fast paced game that requires quick reflexes and good hand eye coordination. Player must guide a ball down a slope while avoiding obstacles and collecting coins. Game gets progres sively harder as player advances through levels.

2. Slope Ball

Slope ball unblocked players must navigate a ball through a series of obstacles and platforms. Ball bounces and rolls down a slope and player must use precise timing to jump and avoid obstacles. Games colorful graphics and catchy music make it a fun and addictive experience.

3. Slope Racing 3D

Slope racing 3d is a game that lets players race against each other while rolling down a slope 3d racing features realistic physics and challenging tracks that require skill and strategy to master. Players can also customize their vehicles with different skins and upgrades.

4. Slope 2

Slope game 2 is a sequel to the original Slope game with improved graphics and new obstacles. Players must navigate a ball down a slope while avoiding obstacles and collecting coins. Game features an endless mode where players can try to beat their high scores.

5. Slope Tunnel

Slope tunnel rush players must navigate a ball through a twisting turning tunnel. Slopetunnel unblocked sleek graphics and smooth gameplay make it a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

6. Slope Multiplayer

Slope Multiplayer is a game that lets players compete against each other in real time. Players must navigate a ball down a slope while trying to knock their opponents off track. SlopGame features a variety of power ups and up grades to help players gain an edge.

7. Slope Roll

Rolling ball 3d slope unblocked is a game that requires quick reflexes and precise timing. Players must navigate a ball down a slope while avoiding obstacles and collecting coins. Games fast paced action and challenging levels make. It a great choice for players who enjoy a good challenge.

8. Slope Neon

Beon slope ball isa game with a retro inspired neon colored aesthetic. Players must navigate a ball down a unblocked games wtf slope while avoiding obstacles and collecting coins. Games catchy music and bright visuals make it a fun and engaging experience.

9. Rolling Sky

RollingSky isa thrilling and addictive game that requires skill speed and precision. Rolling sky unblocked is set on a series of 3D obstacle courses each with its unique challenges and obstacles. Objective of game is to navigate a ball through the course by tilting your device to control movement of ball. Courses are filled with traps obstacles and hazards that will test your reflexes and timing. Games graphics and sound effects are top notch creating an immersive and engaging experience for players.

10. Geometry Dash

Dash Geometry is exciting and fast paced game that tests your reflexes and timing. Geometry dash unblocked at school is set on a series of levels each with its unique challenges and obstacles. Objective of game is to navigate a cube through the level avoiding obstacles and hazards while collecting rewards along the way. Rhythm based game play is accompanied by a catchy soundtrack that kips players engaged and focused. Games graphics are simple but effective with bright colors and bold designs that add to game overall aesthetic.

What is Unblocked Slope Game?

UnblockedSlope game is a popular online Game that canbe played on any computer or mobile Phone device. Is called unblocked because it can be accessed from anywhere even. If gameIs unblocked on a school or work network. Game is very simple to play but these can be very challenging and addictive. Game you control a ball that moves down a slop and your task is to keep ball from falling off the edge of game slope. This may sound easy but the slope is full of obstacles and hazards that can cause ball to bounce spin and even fly off slope. As you progress through game slope becomes steeper and obstacles become more difficult to avoid. Game is known for its fast paced action colorful graphics and catchy music.

Conclusion

Slope is a popular online game that has gained a massive following over years. With its addictive gameplay challenging levels and smooth graphics Slope has become a go to game for players of all ages. 8 unblocked Slope games mentioned above offer a range of gameplay styles and challenges making them suitable for players of all skill levels.