#magma also works if you wanna draw together

[sproutastronaut]

HELLOO!!!!! first tumblr post this is crazy!!!!

my name is Sprout, and I mainly draw ocs, jrwi fanart and qsmp fanart!

HERE'S MY MOST RECENT JRWI ART

[choochooboss]

I did read the pinned post but just to make sure if I were to use a different program (Medibang, Procreate, ClipStudio etc) it’d still be a valid entry?

Also is there anything I should be aware of? Like rules and things like that

(Also sorry if this is annoying I just wanna make sure I get everything right :,) )

Hello! I'm glad you asked! Yes, you can participate in the event outside of Magma, with any art program you prefer! Magma is just a nice platform for us to hang out and draw together, but I know not everyone has access to it or they find it intimidating (at first). What matters to me the most is that you feel comfortable! And I'm really happy to hear this event inspires you to draw! Just try to send the piece on time, that would make my post-processing work easier! That can easily take several days eheh, but the results are always worth it!

[savofid]

Been working on a fanfic for over a year now. Not actively the whole time, really more "a lot to start, big lull, back at it again at Krispy Kreme." Anyways, in all that time, I've rewritten the intro chapter some 4 or 5 times. Still needs to be edited but I'll do that after I at least finish the first real chapter.

But I've got these big, grand ideas for it, along with a spinoff in the concept phase: an alternate timeline. However, while planning this out, cause I wanna be able to write with functional plot points and not make it up as I go, I'm looking at the CYOA system I'm using and I'm just confused. Not by the system or anything regarding the rules, but by my reaction to certain things.

People that know me personally would not describe me as prudish. When given the proper audience and a fitting segue, I have plenty of stories about some fairly unorthodox things I've done with my exes and by myself. However, when it comes time to write a scene that even tries to express love, let alone sex, I never want to.

Most people would assume that means that I'm bad at it or something because who wants to do the things they're bad at? Fair point, but I'm quite capable of writing erotica. I can go into full detail about how you should structure your sentence and which words fit best for a certain mood or how to make a sentence feel sexy, how to influence the breathing of the reader themselves and get them into it, too. Believe me, I can do that. Plenty of experience with long distance relationships and gently building anticipation over days or weeks, and that was just the foreplay to the foreplay.

It's using third person limited as a perspective in those scenes that I don't like. Maybe it's the vulnerability that the characters are sharing with each other and using the moment to keep our eyes fixed behind theirs, knowing their thoughts and feelings, that makes it feel wrong in some way. To watch, to listen, to experience it through them feels like a betrayal of their trust, this rapport we've established with them as we've journeyed together since the beginning. Who are we to invade their most intimate of moments?

I know most people would likely say, "Savo, they're not real. It doesn't matter." They might not be real but I still care about em. I want to see them happy and healthy and where they needed to be, and I'm the author that can make that happen but they're working for it just as much as I'm working to get them there. Some moments write themselves, a natural conclusion built out of what's long been established, not some Superman power of the week, but writing a character that would both draw him in and keep ahold of him long enough to stick in his life is gonna be extremely difficult and hard to justify. I can "make" them do whatever, yeah, but that's not a good story. Why is she there? Why him? What drew you in to want to spend time with this guy? What motivation would one have that would make them want to actively spend time with a guy who can't do basic math, travels around with a bunch of strange animals, and openly admits that his goal in life is to "fight (God)." He's clearly deranged, likely on some intense drugs, and possibly homicidal. This is not a safe person and alarm bells should be sounding to get away.

Without context, sounds insane. It's a Waifu Catalog-ish SIOC CYOA jumpchain that starts in Pokemon with its second stop being in Star Trek. Both similarly utopian, but much different in size, scope, and intent. Also no Pokemon in Star Trek, so gonna be tough trying to explain away one, especially if it's actively on fire, made of magma, or a sentient pile of garbage or slime. He wants to have a fistfight with Arceus because he thinks that it was Him who interfered in his Isekai and sent him to the manga version of the universe instead of the game version, resulting in him almost getting mauled to death by a group of angry Rattata. He's sworn an oath of vengeance.

Anyways, moves on to some federation colony and starts learning some math and science because what would be basic education there is guaranteed beyond college level stuff in today's day and age. It's at the school that I want him to meet his first true friend of the journey, someone hell be in and out of a relationship with for a number of years to come, failing every time until they decide to just be friends, moving on with their lives, and time passes. There's a quiet in their conversations, the knowing that that might be failing, too. They've become different people than they were before, and worry sinks like a stone into their stomachs. In some instinctive urge to put your all in just before it looks like death, they crash together one more time and it works. They've both grown and matured and become the one that the other needed, which led that sputtering ember to finally ignite a roaring blaze within their hearts.

The scene I'm worried about writing isn't gonna even happen for the next few real life YEARS at this rate, somewhere around the midway point of Arc 10 or 11 with another 7 or 8 beyond that, so the ⅔rds mark in the story, which is where it happens best because it often leads into the story's climax. Two people fall in love, bad guy learns about it, innocent partner is now a hostage and hero but fight to save their love. Those sorts of tropes.

But, again, what draws her in? What motivates her? Why does she want to be his friend? Why does he want her as a friend? Does he want friends this time around? Does he even want to try again with another potential ex? What's the point? He'll be moving on in time, so why bother putting down any roots at all?

Then again, he did just spend a year wandering the first two regions and suffered some pretty rough injuries throughout. Probably wants to take it easy and that's always best with friends. I've made really close friends over less, like a girl who worked in my office and at my old desk from before my mental break. Came in for two days straight and she was just gone. No one asked about it. Third day, she was back for only a few hours and just spent that whole time crying. Last day of the work week and she's back and still just crying at her desk. After about an hour of it, I decided that I was done hearing her cry and was gonna drag her out of this slump if I had to. I miss you, Jess.

But, again, why is she drawn to him? What is her motivator, the very thing that drives her to try him of all people? Maybe she's smart and is tutoring him? Nah, that's tired. Big dumb jock is failing a class and he gets the average looking nerdy girl as a tutor, but he's actually got a sensitive side and she falls for him but the popular girls don't like it so they bully her by pretending to be friends with her just to learn her secrets and publicly embarrass her, but she's too worried that BDJ will see her differently now and he actually still cares. Very tired formula.

I think I've got it: it's initially for selfish reasons. Not only is she smart and a bit of a geek, but she's an astrobiologist. He has living, breathing Pokemon. Also, Star Trek is just set in the future, so it's possible that maybe some Pokemon cards or games survived, especially digital copies, and she just so happens to be a fan. Basically, she's a weeb and a dude just showed up one day with a group of very real Pokemon. Dude just walked out of a literal manga and into her life.

Cool. Thanks, void. You're a good listener.

[shokudou-boogie]

Another day, another dish.

If you can’t tell already, I’ve been watching so many Munchies videos. Watching all these chefs on the Munchies channel has been inspiring me to cook more, and these chefs having such a chill personality are definitely another factor that makes me get up and cook.

But yeah, I made butter chicken following Matty Matheson’s recipe! Matty is one of my favorite chefs and I really like his energy and his recipes (and his fashion sense!)

Here’s the video below:

This was a super fun recipe to follow, although I actually followed the recipe Matty provided on Vice’s website, and whew, was it a recipe to follow.

I’m gonna write about this, so if you wanna just watch the video and look at the picture, you can stop here, haha.

One of the things that he doesn’t specify in the video is controlling the heat. The blended vegetables in hot ghee was like creating napalm. It was bubbling a ton and splashing all over the place. In that state where you’re cooking the blended veg, you don’t need to have it super hot.

Let me tell ya, having hot ghee’d up vegetable mix splash your arm was not a pleasant feeling, and that was the whole butter chicken experience.

After adding the spices and deglazing with water, it also turned into hot magma and it became a point where I had to use the pot lid as a shield. Then I realized I could turn down the heat, put the lid on, and then turn up the temperature and let it boil a little bit. Just enough to draw out the flavors that Matty was describing.

Here are some pics from the cooking process! I’ve used some cheap collage-maker to show a little bit of the cooking process. Some of the ingredients that I needed were such a ball-ache to find initially. Thankfully, I was able to find a store that provided a lot of the things that I needed.

Note to self: stop trying to buy spices at non-Asian grocery stores.

It was a bit of a mental struggle for me too. The whole time I was assembling and brining things together, I was wondering if it was actually coming together. But once I’ve added the chicken, cream, and butter, everything started to come together and my confidence shot up. This was really fun to make!

The recipe actually yields a ton of servings, so be prepared to cook a lot of rice so you can have a ton of leftovers. I legit have lunch for the rest of the week, and then some.

Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed the frequency of posts! I’ve got another post that I’d like to work on soon! Hopefully I can crank out another one in a day or so.

[ladyseaheart1668]

Endless Summer Fan Novel (Book 3, Chapter 12)

Damn, this chapter was hard to write up! But I’ve included a lead in and a little preview of the fanfic I’m working on, which I will begin posting tomorrow. Stay tuned! 

Rourke. The Endless. Vaanu. Their voices echo in my mind, terrible and inescapable.

You don't understand, do you. Of course not. But you will. In time.

In the end, it's up to you to decide who you truly are.

To be alive is to never know what will happen next.

Choose. I must choose. Rourke. The Endless. Vaanu. The world. My friends. Or both, at the cost of myself...

… As quickly as I vanished, I find myself back on the rooftop of The Celestial. Above me, the vortex whirls faster than ever, a malevolent clock counting down the last fleeting moments before the end of everything. The crystal pillar shimmers serenely beside me. My husband is at my other side, tenderly stroking the back of my head.

“Still with us, Alodia?”

“Y-yeah. I'm...here...” I doubt I was ever really gone. Not in a way that he could see. Sean and Kele still have Rourke pinned firmly down. He struggles against them.

“If – I – may...just--”

“Let him up,” I say flatly.

Sean and Kele exchange a glance before reluctantly releasing their grip. Rourke stands and brushes himself off. He clears his throat pointedly.

“Thank you. Now. Project Janus was designed to purge the Earth of time anomalies. It can fix all of this. Estela has given us the chance we needed. All that remains is to allow the process to bring the Earth to an optimal state.”

Anger and disgust bubble up in my gut. “You're a liar!” I spit the words, seething. “You've almost killed my friends. You've left others heartbroken and despairing. Go on, I want to hear you try to talk your way into this so I can spit in your face when I refuse!”

“And when Alodia is done, I'll carve out your lying tongue!” Estela adds.

“We're gonna need his help to get out of here, guys,” Sean cautions.

“We can help each other,” Rourke declares. “And thereby help the world. Whether or not you respect me is inconsequential. I always knew you were different, Alodia. You have a connection to the Island's Heart. You can drain its remaining energy into the Omega Mech and finish this. The world will be restored, save for ignorance, suffering, and death. Qualities that have limited mankind for eons. It's all a matter of strategically revising Earth's history.”

“That sounds bad, guys,” Raj says shakily. “Real bad.”

“You can't just tamper with history!” Grace agrees. “Countless carefully balanced equations have made the world the way it is!”

“There will be differences, yes, but you will remain together. And those you've lost will be returned to you.”

I feel Jake freeze beside me. “...You mean...”

“Your friend Mike will be alive.”

A stunned silence grips him for a moment, broken by a ragged gasp. His hand finds mine. “Alodia...if that's true...it would mean everything to me.”

Rourke's gaze passes to Aleister. “Imogen, too, would be as she once was.” Aleister hesitates, his jaw tightening.

“Guys, we can't do what Rourke wants!” Diego cries. “What about Varyyn?!”

Varyyn shakes his head. “Do not be concerned with me, my love. The Vaanti have prepared for this moment for generations.”

“I'm not talking about the Vaanti!” Diego cries angrily. “I'm talking about you! I'm talking about us!”

Varyyn draws Diego into a tender embrace, cradling his head against his chest. “We are joined as one. If our bond is meant to last, what happens here will not change that.”

“I can ensure that you all survive,” Rourk declares. “That's a promise.”

“The promise of a snake,” Estela growls.

“I suppose skepticism is...understandable. Iris, confirm setting's regarding Alodia's friends.”

“Only if that is what Alodia wishes,” Iris answers firmly. I nod.

“Go ahead, Iris.”

“Project Janus will return the Selected to the beginning of their freshman year at Hartfeld University. La Huerta will not exist, nor any trace of its impact remain. Further, Alodia's past will be altered, giving her a family and also placing her at Hartfeld.”

“Huh? That's how Alodia's past already is, though.” Zahra looks at me questioningly. “...Isn't it...?”

“But...” Diego protests, “If we go back, won't we lose everything that's happened here?”

“You'll be alive. You'll have your families. And you'll all be together.” He pins me with a gaze that makes me shrink. “No one is offering you a better deal than that.”

He is a clever bastard, I will give him that. I do not know how long he has known what I really am, but it is clear he does. He knows what I am and he knows what that means for him. He needs me to complete his vision, and this is how he plans to tempt me. With the promise of an existence of my own. A past. A place in my friends' lives. And he will tempt my friends with their own losses to push me toward it. ...Of course it's my Diego who is the first to be the angel on my shoulder...

Aleister looks achingly at Iris, exhaling slowly. “...If the Mech's energy is returned to the Heart, it should reverse the vortex, allowing us to stay on La Huerta,” he says softly.

“Then I say we stay,” Raj replies. “The world's gone anyway. Maybe it's okay in another timeline, but in ours we just gotta accept that we lost it.”

“Yeah,” Craig sighs. “And I don't wanna try to go home only to have it blow up in our faces again.”

“We can make a life for ourselves here,” Grace agrees. “We have everything we need.”

“But...what about the people we've lost?” I ask uncertainly.

“I'd...really like to see my family again,” Jake concedes. “And Mike...”

“I promised my ma and sis I'd come back from the war one day,” Kele adds. “I'd hate for my last words to them to be a lie.”

“There were so many things I wanted to do,” Quinn murmurs. “To see the world, and go on new adventures...”

Zahra nods. “I already gave up on all of that once, back when I holed myself up in the ruins. Kinda hard to do it all over again.”

“I can understand,” Estela assures her. “But isn't this what the Endless wanted for us? To be safe here forever?”

“She spent decades trying to give us that,” I say softly. “...And now she's gone.”

I find my thoughts drifting back to her. To the last moment I saw her, underneath Mount Atropo, her last words to me:

“Alodia, please...wait! Rourke will promise everything...then take away the very thing we've fought so hard to protect...”

It's all impossibly vivid. I can see the rock walls around us, the gleaming red magma reflecting off the joints of her spacesuit as she crawls desperately toward me. I can feel the heat coming off the lava, hear every scrape of her metal arm against jagged stone. It hits me like a lightning bolt.

...This is real. Whether she or her suit on my body has done it, I'm here. I'm back at that moment underneath Mount Atropo.

“Endless, are you doing this?”

“Let me show you, Alodia. All that I've seen. All that I've lived. Every variation of our lives on La Huerta over my two-thousand one-hundred thirty-nine attempts to save everyone.”

She struggles to pull herself upright, reaching toward me with her intact hand. I can already see images starting to flicker to life in my mind. Swallowing, I approach, kneeling before her. Her hand brushes my forehead, and I experience the familiar brilliant flash that heralds the beginning of a vision...

… I find myself deep in the jungle. Laughter and the sound of splashing trickles through the foliage. I follow the sound, brushing back leaves and branches as I go.

“No way!” Sean protests. “That was totally out!”

“If it hits the water, it counts!” Quinn retorts.

I see my friends, playing volleyball in The Celestial's pool, sending a colorful beach ball back and forth over the net. And I am among them.

“Yes!” I crow. “That's another point!”

I stagger back, dazed by the sight. For the first time, I look properly down at my hands. One is gloved in red. The other is skeletal steel. I raise my flesh and blood hand to my face. The glove is thick, but I can still feel the wrinkles on my skin, the sparse hair on top of my head. It's an unnerving feeling, to be in the body of the Endless, but the laughter of my friends is soothing. At that moment, Sean spikes the ball a little too hard. It bounces over to the edge of the jungle, nearly at my feet.

“My bad! I'll get it.” Sean pulls himself out of the pool and jogs over to the treeline, chuckling to himself as he picks up the ball. As he straightens, his eyes find me among the trees. He gasps, retreating a few steps, his easy smile giving way to shock. “Who are you?”

I swallow. “Sean...it's me.”

He stares at me for a moment, his eyes going wide as he starts to place my features. “...Alodia...?”

I step toward him. But as I do, reality shimmers and ripples around me. I'm on a snowswept mountain now. A bellowing roar shakes the pine trees. Grace and my younger self come barreling down the slope on skis, Murphy clinging to my shoulder.

“Come on!” I shout. “She's gaining!”

“Oh god, oh god!”

The Yeti burst through the treeline after us, thundering after us with a furious howl...

… Under the volcano, Michelle makes her way toward the observatory, struggling to keep her balance as she tiptoes across the narrow catwalk. The metal groans beneath her feet, buckling and bending towards the magma beneath her. She screams, and I can't hold back a cry.

“I've got you!”

Out of nowhere, Fiddler appears, diving toward Michelle and tackling her to safety as the catwalk crumples into the gleaming pool of magma.

“Jeanine...you saved me...”

“Yeah, well, we're even now,” Fiddler snaps. “So don't expect it to happen again.” …

… In Quarr'tel's workshop, Uqzhaal addresses a small crowd of Anachronists. “It is a joyous day, brothers and sisters. We finally have a new Clockmaker!” The shaman kneels in front of the chair in the center of the workshop. The Anachronists follow suit. “We are yours to command, Clockmaker.”

Zahra grins, leaning back in the chair. “Dope.” …

… A sharp clang brings me to the edge of a roof on top of a burning building, where Rourke and Aleister face off, fencing sabers singing in their hands.

“Not bad at all,” Rourke purrs. “Perhaps I underestimated you.”

“Your observations regarding me have been summarily wrong, Father,” Aleister snarls. “But I'll afford you no time to regret your errors! En guarde!” …

… A battle rages at the base of Elyys'tel's tree. Arachnid soldiers are struggling to defend the city from hoards of furious Vaanti, led by Varyyn's mother Ximaedra.

“To me, warriors!” the queen roars. “Let us slay the Hydra and the Spider and reclaim our home!”

The Omega Mech strides across the beach, charging its weapons. Estela glares out from the cockpit. “Let's do this.”

A thousand feet above the fray, Tetra tosses Rourke's lifeless body from the branches. He watches it pinwheel for a moment, sneering, before he turns and strides back toward the audience hall.

“They're getting close, boss,” he says nervously. The red glow on the end of a smoldering cigar illuminates the face of the man on the throne.

“Let 'em come,” Lundgren growls. “And when they do, we'll burn this damned tree to the ground with them inside it.” …

… My friends are gathered in the LHO laboratory. Gurgi is on the table, pinned down by mechanical restraints.

“Help! You must help Gurgi!”

Raj's eyes scan the computer terminal. “There's gotta be a way to—”

“I'm sorry, Raj,” Iris intones, flickering to life. “I can't let you do that.”

Raj whirls to face her, his expression registering shock and alarm, but no recognition. Perhaps we never found Iris in this timeline. “Woah! Who the hell are you?!”...

… In the jungle, Quinn walks with Taari, who fiddles with a charm hanging around his neck.

“Taari, where did you get that necklace?”

“Oh, this?” Taari holds up the golden key. “I found it! Do you like it?”

Quinn kneels to get a closer look, and her eyes fall on the dolphin-shaped rune engraved on the side...

… Lila stands outside the hangar where Jake's plane was stored, inserting her key into the padlock. She gives it a twist and it drops open obligingly.

“I hate to mess with private property,” she mutters to herself. “But I have a job to do.”

Checking over her shoulder, she hastily douses the plane with gasoline, splashing a trail leading outside the hangar. Tossing the empty can into the hangar, she bends and flicks open a lighter, setting the flame to the shining puddle at her feet. The flames race along the gasoline trail as she drags the hangar doors shut.

“That should keep them from leaving...”

She hurries away, forgetting the padlock in her haste...

… In The Celestial's ballroom, Estela flips open a pocket knife and slashes at a painting of a sailboat, reaching behind the torn canvas. She withdraws a folded piece of paper, pinched between her first two fingers. Carefully, she opens it, her eyes scanning the page.

L,

There's a second Omega Specimen. Whatever it takes, we have to make sure Rourke doesn't get his hands on her.

--O

O. Oliva. Olivia Montoya. And clipped to the note is a photo of me.

“He won't, Mom,” Estela murmurs. “I promise.”...

… A rusty taco truck rumbles down ruined jungle roads with Jake at the wheel.

“I've got it! I've got it!”

“You're gonna get us killed!” Mike protests from the passenger seat. “Again!”

“We'll be fine!” Jake replies blithely. He adds, turning to call over his shoulder at the back of the truck, “Ain't that right, Sebastian?”

The Shore Guardian clicks his claws in what sounds like a reply...

… At MASADA, I stand in a laboratory beside a complex machine, staring at Michelle and Aleister.

“Hold on. You're telling me that--”

Michelle groans. “For the love of...Alodia, we've discussed this protractedly. I'm Aleister!”

My gaze shifts warily to Aleister. “And you're--”

“Michelle,” he sighs. “Can you please just get us out of this nightmare?”

“What surprises me most,” Grace says, studying the machine, “is that Rourke literally labeled this machine 'Freaky Friday Device'.”

The Michelle body with Aleister inside winces. “It's his favorite movie.”...

… Outside the remains of Rosencraft Manor, we all stand staring at the little creature before us.

“Uh, guys?” Raj finally breaks the silence. “...WHY IS MURPHY PURPLE?!”

Murphy trills curiously at us, apparently unconcerned that he has suddenly shifted from icy blue to bright violet...

… On the deck of The Dorado, struggling to stay on our feet as the storm rages around us, we stare out at the angry waves.

“How did he even get up there?!” Sean cries.

“Is he gonna be okay?” Diego asks.

“Just like Malatesta,” Yvonne grumbles. “The fool never understands when it's time to let go!”

Cetus breaches the surface again, Malatesta riding atop his head like a cowboy on a bull.

“Will one of you bloody fools do something?!” he bellows. Cetus roars, lightning blooming in his teeth...

… A figure levitates over the frozen, rapidly cracking surface of Lake Tethys, blazing with time energy.

“Run!” Tetra yelps. “That freak's gonna kill us all!”

Emerald light blazes in Craig's eyes. He laughs dazedly, and the sound rings with the power of Vaanu.

“Chyeah-heh-heh boi!” …

… In Rourke's barren marble office, Lundgren smirks, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction in the light of his cigar. “I knew you'd come around eventually. Welcome back...Wolf.”

Jake stares hollowly back at him. There is something haunted in his gaze, something broken. “What can I do for you, Commander?” …

… Aleister steps through the Lernaean Gate, Grace's lifeless body cradled in his arms. He falls to his knees, clutching her to him as tears trickle from his eyes.

“...This is your fault.”

“Aleister,” Quinn whimpers. “I'm so sorry...it was an accident...”

“Oh, Grace...” Diego murmurs, his voice soft and heavy with grief.

“Her blood is on all of you!” Aleister snarls. “And soon yours will be, too!” He lays her body down and draws a snake-hilted knife...

… Varyyn sits alone on the moonlit shore, cradling a florescent-colored seashell to his ear. Sobs bubble up in his chest as tears leave tracks on his cheeks. A voice echoes faintly in the shell, a voice from long ago.

I'll always love you, Varyyn... Diego's voice whispers. I'll always love you, Varyyn...I'll always love...

And then the echo is gone forever...

… Craig dangles over the edge of a sheer cliff, gripping Sean's hand. Sean strains to keep his grip, sweating with the effort.

“I got you, Craig! I can pull you up!”

“Bro...I'll just pull you over with me!”

“Craig, no! Don't!”

“Face it, Sean,” Craig answers mournfully, wearily, “I've been dragging you down my whole life. I'm done.” He releases his grasp and drops like a stone into the empty air, plummeting toward the rocky ground below. Sean's wordless scream of anguish follows him...

… In The Celestial's restaurant, Rourke cuts a slice off a thick steak, twirling the tender, juicy morsel on his fork.

“I must say, it's lovely to finally have a family dinner together.” Across the table, Estela sits perfectly still, her eyes blank. At her temple, a vicious device pulses with light. Rourke pins her with a steely gaze. “Wouldn't you agree, my dear?”

Estela blinks, but she does not move any more than that. “Yes. Father.” …

… Back on the moonlit beach, Taari skips over to Aleister, throwing his arms around his legs.

“I love you, Uncle Al!”

Aleister stiffens uncertainly, but softens after a moment, laying a hand on the back of the child's head.

“I...love you, too, Taari.” …

… In The Celestial's game room, an arcade machine flashes a message: HIGH SCORE! Craig whoops with delight, hoisting Diego onto his shoulders.

“Chyeeah! My boy Diego just crushed the all-time leaderboard!”

“Aw, yes!” Zahra pumps her fists. “Billy Mitchell who?”

“Hey, I couldn't have done it without you guys,” Diego replies, grinning...

… On the rooftop of Elysian Lodge, Grace sits beside the hot tub with her knees drawn to her chest, sniffling. Michelle sits beside her. She reaches out, gently brushing away a tear as it rolls down Grace's dark cheek.

“I don't think you're timid at all. You're probably the bravest person I've ever met.”

Grace turns a watery gaze on Michelle. “R-Really...?”

Michelle smiles tenderly, her fingers lingering on Grace's cheek. “Really.”...

… Outside The Celestial, Jake pulls the slide on a pistol.

“You seriously think I'd let you go it alone? I told you, I've got your back. For life.”

“I know, Jake,” Sean answers solemnly. “And you know I've got yours.” The men embrace like brothers, clapping each other on the back. Jake pulls back, smirking.

“But if you tell anyone I said that, I'll kill you myself.” …

… I watch myself raise a glass, my friends surrounding me.

“So this toast is to all of you,” I say, an impossibly happy grin splitting my face. “You're like family to me. And more than that, you're the best family I could ever hope for.” …

… On the glistening beach, Sean lifts Michelle into his arms, dancing in circles across the sand.

“I can't believe I ever let you slip away.”

“I can't believe I ever watched you go,” she whispers, beaming.

“Never again. I'm yours, Michelle. And you're mine.”

Framed by the sunset, their lips meet in a fierce kiss...

… In a bedroom at Elysian Lodge, Estela sits up sharply. Her breath shudders with anxiety. She pushes back the covers, but before she can rise, a hand grasps her wrist.

“Where do you think you're going?” Zahra mumbles.

“Just...got stuff on my mind.”

“Then talk to me about it. That's what I'm here for.”

“I know.” Estela settles back in bed, drawing Zahra into her arms...

… “Like this?” Outside the temple in the jungle, Quinn frets a chord on Kele's guitar. Kele grins.

“You're a natural. So what makes you wanna learn guitar anyway?”

“Well, because...” Quinn's cheeks flare with color. “I want to write a song for you.”

Kele smiles, leaning forward to brush her mouth with his...

… The visions come on me all at once, wild and chaotic; images, colors, and sounds. Sometimes smells and tastes. Then, amid the chaos and the countless possibilities, one moment repeats itself over and over. Jake, clear blue eyes shimmering with emotion behind strands of shaggy brown hair, smiles softly at me, speaking words that echo across every timeline: I love you, Alodia...I love you, Alodia...I love you, Alodia...

And my answer: ...And I love you, Jake...

In the space of a single moment, I watch myself fall in love with Jake more than two-thousand times. When the light fades, I am back in the cavern with the Endless' hand still pressed to my forehead. My body spasms with helpless sobs.

“Are you...sad?” the Endless asks me.

“No. I've just...never been so happy...”

“You've seen everything now, Alodia. You know everything you can know. But this is where my sight ends.”

I am quiet a moment. “...Those false memories were very convincing.”

She nods. “You had many lifetimes to develop them. And I allowed you to believe them because I could not let you or the others discover the truth before you were ready.”

“...Am I ready, though? Am I ready to know what I am?”

“You were ready the moment you passed my test at the Threshold. If you think about it, you'll realize that's when the illusion started to break down. When your memory of life before La Huerta started to become clouded. And now that you know exactly what you are, you can...see the wires, so to speak. See how your memories were just like scenes from a play or a movie.”

“...Rourke won't give me that past, will he. The one I dreamt for myself. A childhood with Diego, being there for him every time he needed me...”

“It is hard to say exactly. I expect not. ...He certainly won't give Diego his lover. You know what sort of a man he is. Do you think you can trust what he is offering you?”

“But...if I reverse the vortex...”

“You'll all have each other. You'll have the Vaanti. You will have your family, Alodia, and your existence.”

I am quiet a long moment. I could have my family. All could be as it is now, except we would be safe. Jake and I would have our little cottage by the sea, Varyyn and Diego would reign over Elyys'tel...but while I would have my family, they would lose theirs. Craig's little brother, Quinn's parents, Raj's grandmother, Sean's mother...can I do that to them? To the people who love me and trust me above anyone else in existence? Can I look my own Jake in the eye and deny him his best friend's life? Can I look at my own best friend and deny him his lover? ...Can I look at any of them and deny them anything? ...What about myself? Can I deny them my presence? ...Can I deny myself existence?

“...They are worth it,” I hear myself murmuring. “...Aren't they.”

“You know the answer to that as well as I do, Alodia. They are worth everything.”

I draw in a shuddering breath and nod, wiping away the tears. And I feel myself wrenched back to the present. My friends are still arguing, weighing the merits of going or staying. Rourke scoffs at them.

“I can't believe some of you would simply wall yourselves up and consign the world to its fate! Think for a moment of those—”

Estela whips around, sending her fist into his jaw. He grunts in surprise, staggering back.

“You have nothing to tell anyone about selfishness!” Estela snarls, fury snapping in her eyes. “In my family, we don't tolerate hypocrites!”

Sean shakes his head. “It's almost impossible to decide this...but it sounds like Rourke's way is for the best...”

“I guess so far, we're evenly split,” Diego remarks fretfully, clutching Varyyn's hand. “Half of us want to stay, and half of us want to go home. ...What about you, Allie?”

I shrink under the question. A moment ago, I swear I knew what to do. But now I'm the tiebreaker. It's bad enough knowing that no matter what happens, it's going to be my decision, but when I have to be the tiebreaker...? I'm sure my terror shows on my face.

“...I...” My chest feels tight. Too tight to take in enough air. “I...need a moment to think about this.”

I turn away, taking a few steps away to grip the railing as I look out a the cosmos whirling around the rooftop. How can I choose? How could I ever choose? ...Somewhere in that swirling chaos is the world I saw in Vaanu's past. I wish it wasn't true. But it all makes too much sense. Vaanu brought me into being. It is my mother and my father. And if I give myself back to it, if I play the dutiful daughter and complete the Heart, it may be able to leave Earth. I'll be gone...but they'll be safe. And all of the timelines will finally merge. I picture my friends, and their frightened, weary faces.

I could save them. ...I could save them all...

Murphy trills at my feet. I look down at him to see him eyeing me worriedly.

“Don't worry, fella,” I murmur. “We're gonna figure this out.”

I feel a hand slip into mine, and look up to see Jake beside me. He cups my cheek in his other hand, brushing gently at the wetness under my eye with his thumb.

“Hey. I know you'll make the best choice. Whichever way you decide to go with this.” He frowns, and I can see fear nipping at the edges of his features. “But that look in your eyes has got me worried. Because it's telling me that I might lose you.”

I startle, staring at him like a deer in headlights. “Uh, no, I just--”

“Alodia, please.” He presses his forehead to mine. “Something's going on. I need to know what it is. Don't try to spare me. Just tell me the truth.”

I close my eyes, letting out a shuddering breath. “...There's another way.” The words well up in me, sticking in my throat. I gulp, fighting past the block. “I c-can complete the Island's Heart. By gi...giving myself back to it. The world will go back to normal...but Vaanu and I will be gone forever.”

Jake's head pulls back sharply. I open my eyes and look up at him, my heart sinking as I meet his anguished gaze.

“Dammit, Alodia...don't you know I'd come after you? I'd find a way! Cross every mile of space to get you back!” He chokes. “My heart is where you belong, not Vaanu's!”

A sob bubbles up in my chest and I can't hold it back. I fall into Jake's arms, pressing my face into his chest as I cling to him.

“I know...” I whimper. “I know...”

Jake clutches me, cradling my head and kissing my hair. He holds just a little too tight, but I won't tell him to loosen his grip for anything in the world. I hear footsteps, crossing the roof toward us.

“Alodia,” Rourke says almost gently. “I know what you are. I know you were cheated out of a normal life. If you see Project Janus through, you'll be able to make real memories with those you care about.”

I don't look at him, but I can't help snarling, “I have made real—”

“Whatever you may feel about my methods,” he interjects, ignoring me, “draining the Heart is the only means of staying with your friends and restoring the world.”

I don't answer, tightening my grip on Jake. ...Whatever else he would do, I cannot deny that Rourke is right. His way is the only way I keep my existence and save the world. I slowly turn my face to glare at Rourke. ...In spite of everything, I feel myself weakening. The carrot he's dangling in front of me is unfathomably tempting. A full existence...separate from Vaanu...everyone I love alive...everyone they love restored...

Aleister shakes his head. “A gamble at best. We know what we're getting if we reverse the energy and stay on La Huerta, Alodia. We've done well for ourselves here, and can do better still. I believe this is where we're meant to be.”

...Or I could fix everything. Give myself to the Heart and allow Vaanu to leave, taking away all the anomalies it created. ...Including me.

Reluctantly, I pull away from Jake, my heart heavy with the weight of my decision. I approach the shimmering crystal pillar, and clarity floods through my mind.

“...Time is inevitability,” I murmur. “It always wins in the end.”

“...Allie...? ...What's with that face you're making?”

I almost laugh. So Diego's picked up on it now, too. Now that I have made my choice. I turn back to smile at him. “Diego, can I borrow your phone?”

“My...phone?” Reaching into his pocket, he pulls it out, looking at it as if he's surprised to find it there. “Uh...sure. I'm still not getting a signal, though.”

“That's okay.” I take the phone in one hand, and stretch out my other toward my surroundings, willing a change into effect. It works. Time stops. The vortex, my friends, Rourke, even the plants and decorations writhing in the wind are frozen in place. But already, I can feel time slipping out of my control. I can only hope I bought myself enough time...

I draw in a deep breath, pressing the record button...

… When time resumes again, I hand Diego his phone and pull him into a tight embrace. “...Thank you.”

“...You're welcome, Allie. ...But...what's going on?”

I sigh, stepping back and turning toward the pillar. I don't answer immediately. But finally, I find my voice again, and the words come.

“I guess...most people spend their lives searching for a purpose. Something to dedicate themselves to. It's a beautiful journey, really. But it's one I'll never undertake. You see...I've only ever existed to serve my purpose: You. All of you.”

I turn back to them. My whole soul swells with love for them, and I let it shine through on my face. No more tears. Not now. I won't let their last image of me be one of fear or sorrow. They need to know that I am not doing this out of desperation or panic. They need to know that I am doing this because I love them. Because I believe in them. I look at each of them in turn, my eleven Catalysts, each one a beautiful, unique light. The world had better be damned grateful for every one of them.

“I'm not afraid,” I assure them. “I love every last one of you so much. Take care of each other. And if you remember one thing, please remember this: you're worth it. You're worth this. You're worth everything. And you deserve everything.”  

Diego's face is pale as he begins to understand. “...Allie...”

I smile at him. “...Here's to adventure. ...Goodbye.”

Before anyone can stop me, I turn and grasp the pillar with both hands. A shockwave of time energy surges outward from my body, so painful it roots me to the spot. I can't even cry out. I barely manage a whimper as I cling to the pillar.

“Alodia!” Jake cries out, anguish in his voice. The vortex is descending, its spiraling arms winding ever tighter. The building buckles and begins to crumble under my feet.

“W-what's happening?!” Grace cries.

“The hotel's breaking up!” Craig yelps.

The Omega Mech rocks backward and teeters over the edge.

“No!” Rourke howls. “What have you done?!”

I feel every cell in my body vibrating. My bones feel like they're shaking to pieces as my teeth rattle in my mouth. I can barely keep my grip on the pillar. Then I feel Jake embrace me and the crystal from behind, bracing me against the shaking.

“Just...keep holding on...” he growls through gritted teeth. “If I can't go with you, at least I can get you where you need to go...”

“...Jake...”

“Just remember...you're in my heart forever, Alodia. That's a promise.”

“...I love you...”

He presses his lips to mine, and I kiss back desperately, tasting him for the last time, breathing in his scent, feeling his arms around me. Then, for the last time, I am overtaken by bright, white light. And I feel myself dissolve. Blindness is replaced by vast clarity, like looking out at the world from a mountain top on a cloudless day. I am falling into the sky, every future, present, and past occuring around me in a single moment as I rise. I can't help but be awed. I hear Vaanu's presence in my mind, echoing strangely familiar words:

Doesn't feel real, does it? But we are finally on our way...

* * *

Outside The Celestial, the sky is calm. The vortex that had dominated it only moments before has been replaced by tranquil stars, shimmering against a blanket of dark blue silk. Eleven Catalysts, Varyyn, Murphy, and Rourke stand in the courtyard, dazed.

“We...were on the roof,” Raj finally says. “How did we get down here?”

“A parting gift, I imagine,” Rourke spits bitterly.

Jake gazes up at a dark plume of smoke winding from the hotel's collapsing tower. Tears gather in his eyes and his lips quiver, struggling to form her name. “...Alodia...”

“Not to worry,” Rourke snaps. “We're all going back. And this time, Alodia will make the right choice!” He draws a portal gun from his sportcoat, aiming it at the group.

“He's gonna send us back in time!” Zahra yelps.

“Like hell he is!” Craig growls. He and Estela launch forward, but Rourke has already pulled the trigger. But nothing happens.

“What? I tested it only yest--” He is cut off as Craig drives him to the ground and Estela wrests the inert gun from his grasp. She tosses it aside. Rourke struggles to reach into his pocket, but he comes up empty-handed. “The crystals! Where...where are they?!”

“They're gone, Rourke,” Quinn replies flatly. “Forever.”

Rourke struggles out of Craig's grasp, backing away from the group. There is panic behind his eyes.

“Th-that's not possible! There were too many! I built everything on--” The rest of his words are drowned out as The Celestial's main tower finally gives out, collapsing into the rest of the resort. A massive cloud of dust billows out to envelope the area. Everyone rushes toward the beach.

“Wait!” Michelle suddenly cries. “Where's Kele?”

“I don't think he made it down,” Raj answers solemnly.

“Look, my friends!” Varyyn gasps, pointing out over the ocean. “The horizon no longer burns!”

“...Does that mean...the world's okay?” Diego asks.

Grace nods. “The anomalies, the crystals, the energy...it's all gone.”

“And the disparate timelines are finally unified,” Aleister finishes.

“I guess Kele's gone back to his own time,” Quinn concludes softly. As the group looks out over the ocean, Murphy paces nervously on the sand, gazing back at the ruined resort. Rourke falls to his knees and begins frantically digging in the sand.

“There are more! There must be more crystals...”

“Yo, I see ships out there!” Craig calls. “Two of them, coming this way!”

“Those are American Coast Guard cutters!” Jake confirms.

Gasping for breath, Rourke collapses onto his side, weeping brokenly. “No...no, no, no...Damn you! This island was mine! Now you've taken it! You've taken everything! My dream, my ambitions!”

A searchlight flashes across the beach from one of the Coast Guard ships. Estela gazes at Rourke, coldly observing his grief.

“Ambition, yes,” she sneers. “Hard work and thrift. But not dreams. Dreams come from the heart. They're for those who see the goodness in mankind and want to enlarge it.”

“You wanted only to enlarge yourself,” Aleister agress. “And here you are, weeping over handfuls of sand as they slip through your greedy fingers.”

“M-mine...” Rourke whines.

“You own nothing,” Aleister answers coldly.

The Coast Guard ships are approaching the shore, the first light of dawn brushing away the stars at the horizon behind them.

“How are we gonna explain this?” Diego wonders dazedly. “Where we've been? What we've seen?”

Jake sighs, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Let's just say I have a feeling tomorrow's gonna be one hell of a news day.”

* * *

On the deck of the Coast Guard cutter, eleven Catalysts huddle together, exhausted and silent as they watch a distant shore grow closer under the rays of the morning sun.

“Do you need anything else?” an officer asks. “We'll be in Miami in a few hours.”

“I think we're fine for now,” Michelle replies, forcing a smile that doesn't reach her dark eyes. “Thank you.”

Diego gazes out in the opposite direction, back toward La Huerta. Varyyn had slipped quietly into the jungle before the ships reached the shore, leaving his lover with a soft kiss and a promise that they would meet again. Jake comes up beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Diego covers it with his own. Just like him, Jake has lost his lover and his best friend in the space of a single day. ...Though at least Diego has the hope of seeing his lover again...

His phone beeps softly in his pocket, distracting him. He pulls it out and sees the notification for a new recording. Heart pounding, he raises the phone to his ear, pressing play.

“Hey...it's Alodia...I hope you get this. ...And I hope you can forgive me for going on one last adventure alone...”

It's all he can do to keep from doubling over as a sob bubbles up from the core of his being and tears burn in his eyes. He presses his palm to his mouth.  

“God...” he whimpers. “...Goddammit, Allie...”

“She left a message, didn't she?” Zahra whispers.

Diego can barely nod. His fingers shaking as they move over the screen of his phone, he forwards the message. One by one, the Catalysts receive the recording and raise their phones to their ears.

… “This is what I was meant to do. You might even say it's why I was born. I've realized something that I think I must've known all along. You've probably all realized by now that you can't quite remember me from before La Huerta. There's a reason for that. There's a reason I've had trouble talking about parents or school. The truth is...I'm not who you think I am. I'm me. I'm Alodia. But I exist because Vaanu, and all of you, willed me into being.” …

… Eleven catalysts settle onto the plane, leaning back as the aircraft gathers speed and lifts off the tarmac. Jake glances at his phone. Sighing, he taps the message again, pressing the phone to his ear...

… “Jake, I promised you a year and a day, and I'm sorry I won't be able to fulfill that vow. What we had is very rare. I'm so grateful that I got to experience it. It's because of you that I'm able to face this decision. The strength and confidence you taught me...you gave me a lifetime worth of love in a few short weeks. I will always be with you, and I carry a piece of you wherever I am going now. I love you, my Jake. Forever.” …

… On the couch in a dorm apartment, Zahra and Craig snuggle together, watching TV.

“Zahra and Craig, on an island where nothing was what it seemed, your perspective grounded me. You never took anything at face value, and you taught me that the truth can sometimes be complicated. You're such an awesome team. I couldn't have made it without you guys.”...

The television screen flashes to a courtroom where Rourke is being restrained by security personnel. His face is slick with sweat, his eyes wild as they dart over the judge and jury.

“Don't you understand?!” he cries. “The crystal people are coming! They're coming for us all!”

“What a douche,” Craig mutters. Zahra snorts, poking him, but she grins with satisfaction at the screen.

Across the apartment in the kitchen, Raj puts the finishing touches on a platter of nachos loaded with melted gourmet cheeses, jalapenos, and avocados.

… “Raj, thank you for your big heart. You never took any credit for being the glue that held the group together, but I saw what you did. You made us more than a group of friends. You made us a family. I'm counting on you to make sure the Catalysts don't lose touch, okay? I would really hate to see you guys lose each other.” …

Raj sprinkles one last handful of cilantro across the nachos and kisses his fingertips. “Bon appetit!” With a flourish, he carries the platter back into the living room...

… In the Hartfeld University quad, the dean addresses the crowd of graduates and families seated in chairs across the lawn.

“I'm proud to present your Class of 2018 Valedictorians, Grace Hall and Aleister Rourke!”

Aleister and Grace approach the podium under a shower of applause and smile out at their classmates.

“Thank you all. Now, before we begin, we would like to share some words from someone very special to us...”

… “I've learned that sometimes, when trying to get from one place to another, you can end up somewhere unexpected. It's all part of the journey. You might have already arrived where you were meant to be, whether you realize it or not. Savor every moment you spend there. Chances are, you won't be back.”...

… In an empty locker room, Sean sits on the bench with his phone on speaker beside him. He closes his eyes against the tears that threaten him as her voice washes over him...

… “Sean, you showed me what a true leader is. Compassion is strength. Selflessness is bravery. You made us all better just by knowing you. Don't forget how special you are, how important you are to the world. Even if you feel sometimes like you aren't doing enough, I know you. And I can promise that you are always doing your best.” …

… In London, Diego walks through the streets, his fingers entwined with those of the man beside him, a man with a braided ponytail and a long coat. Diego stops, reaching up to adjust the man's hat and glasses. Varyyn grins at him through his disguise. Diego smiles back, bringing a finger to his lips...

… “Diego, you more than anyone made me who I am. Literally. It was your will that provided the first spark that brought me into being. God, where would we have been without each other? I'm sorry that I wasn't there all those times I thought I was, but I don't believe you were ever alone. The piece of you that became me was always there. And you carried me through the nightmare on La Huerta. You mean so much to me, Diego. No one makes me laugh the way you do. You've always been the missing piece that completed my heart, and I carry you with me forever. I just want you to know before I go that you are my hero, and I love you.” …

… Quinn slides a tray of cupcakes into an oven and sets the timer. Pulling off her oven mitts, she sits down, staring at her phone. Michelle walks in, setting her purse on the counter.

“Whatcha doing?”

“Just a little baking for the trip...and listening to Alodia's message again.”

Quinn places the phone on speaker. Hearing her voice, Murphy leaps up from where he had been napping under the table and hops into Quinn's lap. Michelle pulls up a chair beside her...

… Michelle, I have no doubt you're going to get what you want out of life, and you deserve everything. And Quinn, more than any of us, you know what it is to fight for something with every fiber of your being. You weren't willing to give up on a better tomorrow, so neither could we. Whenever things felt bleak, the power of your hope was a beacon, reminding us to look toward the future with optimism.” …

… Quinn brings up a hand to finger an antique set of military dogtags hanging over her heart. “I miss Alodia,” she whispers. “And Kele.” …

… Estela places a pile of carefully folded clothes into a suitcase, gazing outside at the sunny shore of San Trobida. She picks up her phone, hesitating for a moment before pressing play...

… “Estela, you're a force of nature. Your unbridled fury can level mountains, evening out the landscape for all who reside within it. You taught me how to be fair, how to be true, and how to be just.

… I didn't get much time with all of you, but our memories will last forever, I can promise you that. ...My time is nearly up now. So before I go, let me just say one more time that I love you all. Our summer is over now, but another will come soon. When it does, imagine me there with you. Spending our days on the beach, watching every sunset melt into the sea, and gazing at stars that fill our hearts with wonder. Because with you is exactly where I will be.”...

… Her voice dies away. Diego puts away his phone and looks out over the other ten catalysts, gathered around a bonfire on the beach.

“Happy Reunion, everyone. Here's to five years.” He raises a glass, and the others lift their drinks in reply. “...And to Alodia.”

“...To Alodia,” the others echo.

Murphy dozes at Quinn's heels. His furry blue ear twitches, and he blearily opens one eye. Abruptly, he leaps up onto his paws, yipping excitedly.

“Hey, what's the matter, fella?” Diego asks. “You see something out th...”

Diego trails off, his eyes going wide. The others follow his gaze and freeze. The twelfth Catalyst stands at the treeline, the moonlight reflecting off her yellow hair and pale skin. Alodia laces her fingers behind her back, smiling almost shyly.

“...Hey, guys. Did somebody call me?”

Now, as promised, a sneak peak at my fanfic, Endless Summer Book 4: Daughter of Vaanu: “...I can remember it, Jake. ...I can also remember spending senior prom in my room watching old sitcoms.” He reaches across the table and taps the first picture. “That was the first day of third grade. The first year we went to school together. She went to one of the fancy private schools in Riverside for first and second grade. But one day her class was asked to draw pictures of their best friends. She drew me. But some snotty girl who had decided she was her best friend took offense, and insulted me. ...Allie got kicked out of school for sucker-punching her at recess.” 

 “...That sounds like her...” 

 “...Except it never happened. When I had to draw a picture of my best friend, I drew a blonde girl in a fancy dress and told everyone she was my friend who went to a different school. No one believed me, and my story fell apart under cross-examination. Plus the boys made fun of me for drawing a girl in a fancy dress.” 

 “...Diego, what the fuck is going on here?” 

 “Shit, Jake, I have no clue. ...But suddenly, I feel like I'm remembering two timelines. One where she existed, exactly as I imagined her, and one where she's just my imaginary friend come to life, who gave herself up to save us all...” 

 “Which definitely happened. ...And if it didn't, I'm frankly gonna be pissed as hell that I've spent five years mourning my wife for nothing.” 

 “...But now I have evidence of her existence. Photographic evidence. ...What's more is that I swear I can remember her address in Riverside. I can picture the house. I...haven't driven over there, or even Google mapped it, I admit. A part of me is too scared to...” 

 “...I don't get it, Diego...I don't understand...” 

 “I don't either.” His expression starts to waver, his dark eyes sparkling with tears. “...I miss her, Jake. I miss not knowing what she really was. I miss believing that she really was my childhood best friend who stood by me for years. ...I miss believing she would always be a part of my life.”

 “...Aw fuck, Diego...please don't make me break down in a diner...”

 “I had to see you. I had to show this to you. To the other person in the world who loved her as much as I did. ...I needed you to see it, too. Because if you can see it...if anyone can see it besides me who knows the truth...” He trails off. He's quiet long enough that I start to look in the box again. 

 “...What's the rest of this stuff?” 

 “...More keepsakes. More memories that I know don't really exist. ...The friendship bracelet she made me. ...A birthday card she gave me... There's a funny note in there, in her handwriting. With her signature.” 

 “...And your parents don't remember whether you went to your senior prom?” 

 “I haven't asked. I'm scared to, just like I'm scared to drive by the house where she grew up.” He bites his lip. “I don't want to ask and have my hopes dashed. I don't want to say what I'm thinking, either, because I don't want to get my hopes up. But...Jake...I think she's coming back.”

[teechew]

Presenting you officially miss redbot aka IRON FURY !

DISCLAIMER: I HAVE A VERY LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRANSFORMERS’S UNIVERSE AND LORE !! SO BEAR WITH ME!!! I just wanna have fun with OC ;__;

Hope you like her :D I probably won’t draw her often since SHE’S A PAIN AND HAS TOO MANY DETAILS !!! But I might draw chibis maybe ;D If you have any question don’t hesitate to ask !!

Name : Iron Fury, aka Fury Role : Terra-former, exploited as constructicon. Large model (Optimus size, approx) Particularity : Very old model, the Terra-formers were build to explore planets with hard climat in search of Energon: Fury own a sturdier alloy than any kind of bot. A lava core around her spark ensure the constant generation of energy, yes this make her spark slithly unstable but this gives her a highter intern temperature to fight any artic climat and she has a cooling programms to avoid her spark reaching too-high temperatures in case of hotter climat planet. She can scan the ground formation to find presence of Energon and her entire morphology is made for exploration and physical activity. She possess a synchronised spark brother somewhere in the galaxy – she's worries about him a lot. Weapon : Hand-to-hand specialist, She can grab her tail to use it as a whip or a long sword. Her fighting style imitate the tiger school of martial art. She own build-in canon in her palm and shoot magma amunition, not the most efficient when it comes to hurt other bots but efficient mostly against natural obstacles. Disguise : Red crane truck. Sigil: On her kidney region. It’s in the middle of a tatto-like inscrinption. When in vehicle mode it’s on the rear end, perfectly visible. Personnality : Loudmouthed, hot-head and short fused are gentles words to explain that Fury has anger issues and a big problem with authority. She is of  a joker nature and will gladly go out of her way to help her friends instead of obeying orders. She's extremly curious and care deeply about foreigner form of life. Being isolated during a long period of time she can be pretty talkative and familiar, she found out that her unstabble spark can be manage by expressing her feeling, all of them, not only the negative one ; she’s adamant into always telling what she’s thinking in fear that bottling up migh mess up her spark. Story : Activated from well before the war, her makers explain to her and her brother that they weren't supposed to be. Their spark had separated during incubation and they had expected only one of them. Her brother was choosen to fill the place he was supposed to and Fury was send among the constructicon to make use of her size and strength. Due to « incompatibility » in their personnality the Primes take it to constantly separate her from her brother. Little did it stopped them from seeing each other illegally and make rowdy trouble in differents city, they were both loud, reckless and sturdy. They even participated in some of the arena games together. But no one defies the Prime's orders, so Fury and her brother often got punished. And the last stand for Fury was to be send on an artic planet to find an « artefact ». She tried her best to find it but after hundred years and the entire planet scanned by foot she didn't find anything and the Primes still refused her return on Cybertron.

Taking care in her own hands she hitched a ride on Cybertron and discover that a lot happen : a new Prime appeared and her brother had take side with Decepticons that were fighting the Primes orders. She sided with them, much too happy to contribute into the demise of the old ones. She participate to many battle with her brother, both known for their savagery together... She is not happy with what happen to Cybertron, she is a constructicon after all and seeing all their hard work reduces to ruins is heartbreaking to her. Her only consolation was that her type of people (the constructicons) will be needed once the conflict over to rebuilt the planet... But the last Prime seems to be a tough one to defeat.

She rode with de Cons during a long time, tracking fleeing autobots, obeying to Megatron's orders but very fast things took an all too familiar turn : separated from her brother, taking orders after orders, they were using her to dig up energon in great mass thanks to her tera-forming abilities. Slowly but surely she got tired of getting orders again and again and felt like a deja-vu... Until they sent her, alone, on an artic planet. This send her magma afire. She rebelled, refusing to take anymore order until she and her brother were reunited and for good! She even went as far as comparing Megatron to the Prime, saying that they already tried that trick, that she was NOT going to be isolated during a hundred year again... She did not joigned the Decepticons to be exploited like a lesser-bot ! Let’s say that the officiers didn’t take her rebellion lightly and attacked her.  She own her survival to her sturbiness. Now alone of a wrecked ship she fixed it the best she could (having been used as a constructicon has it’s good side) and drift across space. She eventually came across the New Dawn, a ship that claim to be neutral. Not wanting anything to do with the Primes and the autobots but unable to get back among the Decepticons she joined them as engineer.

After many years aboard the ship found itself low on energon, getting near a planet that might get them back on their feet they were spotted by a Decepticon warship and had to flee. Trying to cross a galactic storm to escape the ship was damaged and they had to try to land on the closest planet: Earth. The Decepticon presence around the planet finished to destroy the few of power the New Dawn had. During the plunge the engines blewup, Fury who was working on holding them together until the actual landing was blasted with it. She survived... barely. Crashlanding on top of a shaolin temple (China). Not being in condition of moving or even contacting her crew she stayed in the temple where the monks were welcoming.

Timeline: Since I create her for the movie version of Transformers, here goes, She crashed a little before the first movie events, but being still damaged she didn’t received any message from the Decepticons back then. The mons were helping her with parts and even learnd her a bit of their martial art. Due to her localisation, she get worldnews pretty late. She learned of the Chicago event (3rd movie) a month late and keep a low profile as much as she can since then. She got under the radar until 4 year later when, during the Typhoon season. Her valley got hit by floods and she couldn’t stood there while defenshless humans were in danger. Plus she insisted that it was what a constructicon was made for: managment of natural habitat for better civilian use. Of course she had to be out of her vehicle disguise, of course the humans saw her, of course hey tried to destroy her. Her monk friend tries to keep her hidden but she eventually had to flee. She decide to join the USA on her own and she didn’t find a better way to do so but to walk on the Ocean floor... Yes it took her a while, but damn wasn’t see MADE for exploring ? A little Ocean isn’t what gonna stop her! When she finally made it out of the Ocean she was met with the sight of Cybertron crashing on Earth (5th movie). She was quite buse at first, trying to survive aggressive human’s forces but also surviving Cybertron falling. Now that the situation is “stabilised”, Iron fury make her way up to Cybertron.. Why ? 

“Because it’s broken ! Even a larva could see it! And I, am a constructicon. I fix and build stuff.”