#there are many different directions to take thia

[garlic-sauc3]

booster gold magical girl au tbh

[kimnjss]

plot twist!namjoon | a-z

⤑  series: plot twist

⤑ pairing: rapper!namjoon x rich girl!reader

⤑ genre: just smut talk.

⤑ rating: explicit. // unedited.

⤑ warnings: smut talk... (mentions of) shower sex, cum shots, brat taming, doggy style, reverse cowgirl... sex positions, hair pulling, masturbation, semi-public sex, roleplaying, oral sex (f/m. receiving), rough sex, use of toys, teasing...

⤑ A/N: literally not even a full day and i already miss them :( they were such a mess but sooo much fun ., ugh. 

A = Aftercare (what's he like after sex):

While he enjoyed cuddling with you before going to bed, after sex was a whole different story. The act would have both of you all sticky and hot and Joon wouldn't be a fan in laying in that, he'd be suggesting sharing a bath before snuggling under the covers... which would most likely result in another round.

B = Body Part (his favorite body part of his and also yours):

It was no secret that Joon had an interest fascination with your back, especially when he was fucking you. But, what he liked most were the dimples at the end of the back, he'd often times find himself pressing his thumbs into them as he held you steady.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum basically...):

The two of you were not really a big fan of condoms and while you were great about taking your birth control, the pull out method had worked itself into your routine. Joon was either spilling out on your back or thighs and on special occasions, you'd let him finish on your face.

D = Dirty Secret (pretty self-explanatory, a dirty secret of his):

Despite the excessive amount of eye rolls he gives you, Joon is secretly very into the spoiled brat act you put on. There was just something about the annoyed pout and scrunch of your nose that he found cute, more so when he was denying you.

E = Experience (how experienced is he? does he know what he's doing?):

You both were pretty equally matched when it came to the bedroom, although, you were a lot more adventurous than him. Always coming up with new things for the two of you to try, but it never took much convincing to get him to experiment.

F = Favorite Position (this goes without saying...):

Doggy style. Reverse cowgirl. Anything back to chest. Even if you were starting off facing each other, you'd soon be shifting into the spooning position, his face nuzzled in the crook of your neck and his arms wrapped around your waist.

G = Goofy (is he more serious in the moment, or is he humorous, etc.):

Joon was pretty serious, but not so much that it made sleeping with him boring. He'd just get real concentrated on making you feel good and his entire focus would be on getting you to cum. Like in any other aspect of your relationship, you balanced each other out. You were playful and goofy enough for the both of you.

H = Hair (how well-groomed is he, does the carpet match the drapes? how does he like you?):

He didn't really care how you kept yourself, however you were deciding to look down there was however he preferred you to look. It didn't make that much of a difference to him in the slightest bit. The same went for himself, he'd trim up from time to time but it never really was at the forefront of his mind.

I = Intimacy (how is he in the moment, romantic aspect...):

Very, very, extremely romantic. Joon was very into the emotional part of sex even if he didn't really vocalize it. Loved holding onto your hand and looking into your eyes while he was inside of you. And if it's been a while since the two of you have been together, he'd be putting together a special night complete with candles, bubble baths and flowers to make up for it.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon):

Not really his thing. Even before the two of you were getting together, he wasn't really into masturbation. Found it boring, actually. He'd much rather be with someone and experience that connection, rather than just getting himself off.

K = Kink (one or more of his kinks):

He's got an extremely subtle brat tamer kink. Unrealized, but definitely present whenever you were pulling your tantrums and he had something to say about it. Sometimes, without thinking he'd do things that he knew would get a reaction out of you, just so he could do something about it.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do):

Anywhere the two of you could be alone without interruptions. He had given you shit about it before, but Namjoon wasn't opposed to fooling around in his studio with the door locked or even in your office when you weren't busy. Surprise blowjobs were his absolute favorite, especially if they were taking place underneath his desk while he was working.

M = Motivation (what turns him on, gets him going):

You're always very direct and vocal about what you want. Whether it being what you wanted him to do with you or what you wanted to do with him, there would always be a stiffness in his pants following your words. Paired with the need to be alone with you. He liked knowing that you wanted him the most.

N = NO (something he wouldn't do, turn offs):

There aren't many things that are off limits for Namjoon, but something he couldn't really seem to wrap his mind around would be roleplaying. Not like the two of you have ever tried it, but he knew that if you had it would end up being more awkward than anything. He'd have trouble staying in character and most likely would ditch the entire story-line and fuck you without the mention of it.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.):

Receiving. While he was not selfish when it came to oral, he liked it a lot when you were below him. You knew what you were doing and you did it so well, never failed to have his toes curling. He'd always return the favor, but was always perking up when you were offering to go down on him.

P = Pace (is he fast and rough? slow and sensual? Etc.):

Rough and sensual. It was no secret that he enjoyed all the romantic parts of having sex with you, but he was often mixing that with a bit of roughness. Hair pulling, tossing you around, hard thrusts, and sometimes biting were to be expected when he was losing himself in the moment.

Q = Quickie (his opinions on quickies rather than proper sex, how often... etc.):

Nope. Not a fan. They just annoyed him. Didn't see the point of speeding through things when you could very much take your time with each other. If you were suggesting a quickie, he'd be eliminating whatever reason it was you couldn't go and have proper sex. Then going to do that.

R = Risk (is he game to experiment, does he take risks):

Joon never really came up with new things for the two of you to try in bed, that was more something that you were into. He'd always be down to give anything that you were bringing to him a chance, at least once. While extremely different, the two of you happened to be into the same type of things... so there wasn't much to worry about there.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can he go for, how long does he last...):

He's pretty good at keeping it together, insuring that he lasts a bit longer than you so you're getting everything out of it. Pretty spent after two rounds, but after one quick nap or something to eat, he'd be ready to go again.

T = Toy (does he own toys? does he use them? on a partner or himself?):

No toys. Not that he was against them, he's just never really thought about adding them in to your sex lives. Just like everything else, though, if you were curious about it, or wanted him to use something on you, he wouldn't hesitate.

U = Unfair (how much does he like to tease?):

He likes to tease just enough so he's bringing out your bratty attitude. Simple things like denying you kisses or acting as if he wasn't interested, so he can see that pout take over your features. Sometimes, he'd keep you from cumming... but that never lasted long because he liked watching you cum a lot more than not.

V = Volume (how loud is he, what sounds does he make?):

Not that loud or vocal. He'd talk dirty to you from time to time or ask if something felt good, but other than that low grunts were the extent of his vocalization. He's usually a bit too focused to keep up with dirty talk, but you didn't mind either way.

W = Wild Card

He found it attractive when you were working hard. Especially if you were doing something that he knew you enjoyed, he liked the look of accomplishment on your face whenever you've completed something. And was never hesitating to reward you for your hard work.

X = X-Ray (let's see what's going on in those pants, pictures or words):

The guy wasn't tall just for show, that's a fact. Joon was an all around big guy and that translated down south as well. Not only that, he was thick too. And he knew it, took pride in the little gasp you'd let out whenever he was bottoming out for the first time that night.

Y = Yearning (how high is his sex drive?):

He was very good at matching your energy, so he wanted you just as much and as often as you wanted him. But, if you were dressed a certain way or paying a bit more attention to him, it would make him want you in some type of way. He'd be thinking of ways to shift things to the bedroom.

Z = Zzz... (how quickly does he fall asleep afterwards?):

Joon was hardly falling asleep right after sex, he'd want to get up and shower with you before getting comfortable underneath the covers again. There have been times he's fallen right asleep, but each times he's woken up in the middle of the night to clean off before going to bed.

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[melzula]

Obstacles

~ part of the fire lilies series ~

requests: Could you write a Fire Lilies blurb where Zuko struggles with how to approach being around Princess Reader when she avoids him and/or gives him the silent treatment? // Hi- I was wondering if you could write a fire lillies blurb where, when the gaang first starts interacts with zuko, they are more protective of the reader. Simply because they know the history between the two.

a/n: the format of this is a little different than how I normally write but I think it works :)

Though Zuko had finally become a part of Team Avatar, he still found himself to be the odd one out of the group. From Katara’s cold glare to Sokka’s reluctance of being left alone with the prince, Zuko struggled to find his place amongst the group. It was odd and new and strange, but at least it was a start in the right direction, and his first step included mending things with the Princess. He had gotten her to fall in love with him once, so it couldn’t be that hard to do it again, right?

In truth, it was very hard. Zuko faced many obstacles and many set backs, and it would probably be some time before she even so much as looked at him, let alone forgave him...

~~~

Katara

Zuko watched from afar as the Princess handled her chores for the day, sitting peacefully by the fountain as she washed the clothes. Her movements were delicate but precise, the water flowing smoothly through the dirt and the grime collected on Toph’s green robes, and a faint smile graced her features as she hummed softly through the work. She was at peace and completely relaxed, more relaxed than Zuko had ever seen y/n in years. Even in Ba Sing Se there had always been a nervous edge to her, an edge she did her best to hide from Zuko, and she had almost been completely rid of it until the caves. He cringed at the thought, guilt overcoming him at the fact that she seemed so much better off without him.

“What are you doing?” Katara scowls accusingly, startling the Prince from his silent watch over y/n.

“I-“

“Y/N’s been really happy ever since she left you, and you’re crazy if you think I’m going to let you ruin that for her,” the water bender scolds harshly.

“I just want to apologize to her,” Zuko replies calmly, but Katara isn’t having it.

“A simple apology is never going to fix all the ways you’ve hurt her. Y/n deserves better, and if I ever see you make her upset or uncomfortable I won’t hesitate to step in.”

Zuko says nothing as Katara stalks away, he knows better than to get in her way when she’s angry, and when her retreating form finally disappears he looks back at the fountain.

The clothes have been washed, and the Princess is gone.

~~~

Sokka

The smell of stew was heavenly to Zuko’s rumbling tummy, and he was eager to join everyone by the fireside. Bowls had been served, seats had been chosen, and an empty spot beside the Princess was his for the taking.

“Excuse me, buddy,” Sokka chirps, patting Zuko heartily on the back before quickly sitting himself beside y/n. She smiles softly at the water tribe boy and offers him her leftovers to which he happily accepts.

Zuko deflates, choosing to sit next to Aang and enjoy his stew of failure. This isn’t the first time this has happened, and it probably won’t be the last. He knew Sokka was just protecting her, and he couldn’t be mad at him for that. Sokka had probably done more for y/n in her time with him than Zuko had ever done, who was he to blame his protectiveness?

Y/n offers to take the empty dishes to wash, and as Zuko attempts to follow after her his path is quickly blocked by Sokka.

“Listen, I know you’re trying to make things right, and while I respect that, y/n’s asked me to keep you away from her,” he explains as gently as he can. “It’s nothing personal, but I care about her and I want to make sure she feels comfortable.”

“Oh... I understand,” Zuko utters quietly. “Will you at least tell her that I love her?”

“...I’ll do my best,” Sokka replies solemnly, watching with a pang of guilt as Zuko retreats to his room for the night.

~~~

Aang

“What am I supposed to do?” Zuko groans whilst tugging at his hair.

“You know I’m a firm believer in peace, and I do think that neither of you will be happy until your issues are resolved,” Aang comments wisely. “But I also think you should never force anything. Y/n will come around in her own time when she’s ready.”

“But that could take forever!” He protests. “I’ve already been away from her long enough, and being near her but not being able to speak to her is torture.”

Both boys turn their gazes towards y/n in the distance where she carefully brush Appa’s hair and talk to him about his day. The sight is very Princess like, which is fitting since she is a Princess after all, but the sweetness of it all makes Zuko’s heart ache with longing.

“What you did wasn’t right,” Aang sighs. “And she’s still healing. But, if she truly couldn’t stand you then she wouldn’t have given her blessing to let you stay.”

“She only let me stay so I could train you,” Zuko argues.

“Okay, that’s true. But she also washes your clothes, serves you dinner, and just the other day I saw her mending a hole in your boot. She won’t talk to you, but she does still care.”

“She’s always had such a big heart,” he murmurs dejectedly. “Back when I was still hunting you y/n always went out of her way to take care of me even if I didn’t want it. I was a fool to take her for granted.”

“I really do think you guys will work it out. Just don’t force anything, and you’ll be fine,” Aang comforts, and the two continue to watch the Princess as she tends to Appa.

~~~

Toph

With a bouquet of wild flowers in hand and his hair combed in that same horrid style his Uncle had given him back in Ba Sing Se, Zuko headed to her room in hopes of finally talking to the Princess. He knew how much y/n loved flowers, and he also knew how much she loved that ridiculously dorky hairstyle, so he hoped that the two combined together would at least earn him a smile in return.

But when he arrived to her part of the temple he found that her door was barricaded with a smooth slab of rock, and sitting a few feet away from said rock was Toph. The little girl sat leaning against the wall, legs crossed over each other and hands folded behind her head.

“Sorry, sparky, boss’s orders,” she explains with a small shrug, and Zuko deflates. “Personally I think she just needs to man up and face you, but until then I’ve been put under strict orders not to let you in.”

“She really hates me, doesn’t she?” Zuko sighs, joining Toph against the wall. The flowers in his hand are beginning to droop from the lack of water, much like his demeanor from his lack of y/n.

“No, but she’s very angry,” Toph corrects. “Really sad, too. Sokka’s already been in there three times tonight.”

“Are they...?”

“Together? He wishes,” the girl scoffs. “His heartbeat picks up a beat or two sometimes when he’s with her, but he’d never make a move on her. Not when she’s so upset and he’s the only one she can talk to.”

“Yeah, well maybe they should be together,” Zuko grumbles, the flower stems charring in his hands from the sudden heat that emits from his palms. “They’re both water tribe and he obviously takes care of her better than I ever could.”

“That’s true,” Toph nods much to Zuko’s dismay. “But she doesn’t love Sokka. She loves you.”

“Loved,” Zuko corrects only for Toph to roll her eyes.

“You dunderhead,” she mutters before punching him in the shoulder. “I should just knock your heads together and make you kiss and make up right now.”

“Can you do that?” Zuko asks hopefully only to receive another punch from Toph.

“You sure do have a lot to learn, sparky.”

~~~

The Princess

The morning is quiet and calm as you rise with the sun, heading out to collect the dew on the plants of the temple so that you may use it as water for your group. Other than Momo, who sits comfortably on your shoulders, everyone is asleep, giving you some time to decompress and enjoy the solitude of the rising sun.

“Anything I can help with?”

Or so you thought. Of course Zuko would approach you now when there was no one to keep him away from you. You say nothing in response, refusing to even look at him as you set down your bucket and begin to remove the dew from the leaves.

“Y/n, please talk to me,” he begs. “Let me make it better.”

Zuko is met with silence and an eye roll. Momo chitters curiously at the Princess, receiving a head scratch in return which is more than Zuko can say.

“I never stopped thinking of you,” he says. “And I wish I could take back everything I’ve done to hurt you.”

“I don’t want your apologies,” you utter quietly. “I want you to go away.”

Hearing your voice after being met with silence for so long brings the boy to tears, and with a hesitant demeanor Zuko reaches out for you. However, at the sight of the water glowing your palms the Prince takes a step back. You’re not afraid to turn your bending on him, not anymore, and it isn’t until now that he realizes he really has hurt you, more than he could ever have imagined.

“Y/n...”

“Go. Don’t make me ask again.”

With a defeated sigh Zuko turns away and leaves the Princess to her own devices. She goes back to tending to the dew, and the Prince goes back to his room to wallow in his shame.

Both have tears streaming down their faces.

| tags: @rainteslerrrr @oddment-niwit-blubber-tweak @thebluelcdy @royahllty @the-firebender-girl @coldlilheart @ilovespideyyy @yiyibetch @eridanuswave @lammello @a-monsters-love @titaniafire @dekahg @emberislandplayers @kikaninchen-2 @eridanuswave @lozzybowe @izzieserra @melacholy @music-geek19 @thia-aep @thyunnamed @haylaansmi @nataliahaslosthershit @idkdude776 @aangsupremacy @thirstyforsometea @ihaveaproblem98 @brown-eyed-thang |

[bluejaytaco]

What up? it DND wit Jay!

(We return to the realm where we are standing in front of a giant gold gate. There's a dwarf standing in front of it with a clip board in their hand, just flipping through.)

Alabaster: (walks up) H-Hail and well met, my friend.

Dwarf: Names?

Alabaster: Oh! Um, I'm fine.

Dwarf, flipping through his clipboard: Fine.... Fine.... Nope, not seeing any "fine" here.

Art: (Walks up)....What about Ebony?

Dwarf, flipping through: Uh, yeah. We got an "ebony".... He's an orc. And considering none of you are Orcs, I doubt any of you are Ebony.

Art: Uh, that's racist.

Theodora:... Quite a detailed guest list...

Koejin: (Walks up and points at a random name) That's me.

Dwarf, looks down at the name: Your Grenadine Ceriph? High priestess in Calor? (Context: Calor is a Tiefling city. Koejin is human... well... was)

Koejin: Yeah, that's me.

Dwarf, getting sick of us: Look, I don't have tie for you people messing... (looks up at Koejin and goes silent).... You're not supposed to be here. This isn't your realm.

Koejin: Uhhh... Well, I have business with the man in charge.

Dwarf: I'm gonna have to call Pelor.

The entire group: (various ways of saying, "You do that" From "yes, please do" to "yeah, get that fucking bitch here! I wanna speak to the manager!")

Dwarf, mumbling into a sending stone before looking back at us: Is one of you named Theodora?

Theodora: Uhh.... Yeah.

Dwarf: You guys can go in. That's all I needed because now I know your names. But thanks for lying to me!

(The gates open and we all walk through. It's less blinding, but only slightly less on the other side of the gate. We see people walking around and just enjoying their afterlife. In the far off distance, there is a silhouette of a giant castle. We can also see the opening to a large garden where Pelor is standing with his arms crossed. Some of us see Alabaster's daughter, Eris, stomping on the flowers.)

Pelor, voice booming towards us: Everyone, front and center!

(All of us go with different levels of reluctance. Hennessy leads the way while Art and Jaquine kinda trail back.)

Pelor: So, what is it you need from me? (He's still standing over us while Eris continues to stamp through the flowers.)

(For a moment, we're all silent.)

Theodora: We want to speak to Thia.

Pelor: Thia is not in a place to speak. She is in my castle now, practicing her abilities for the Cleanse.

Hennessy: Is she okay? You don't have her locked up somewhere, hurt, right?

Pelor: Hennessy, my dear boy. Would you lock up a tiger in a small cage? No, you would respect the animal. Thia is in a place of comfort and has free reign.

Hennessy: She's got free reign? So she can go smoke in every room of the castle?! Even your room?!

Pelor: uhh....yes...

Hennessy: Ohh that just won't do. That smell of recreational drugs gets into the fibers and it can be a bitch to get out.

Pelor, suddenly giving off the impression he would like to hurry this along so he could go clean: It doesn't matter. She is my key to cleansing the world and making it all light. And I can save you all, if you kneel before me and accept me as your true god.

(No one kneels but Hennessy does raise an eyebrow at the "kneel" comment.)

Koejin: So how do you promise our safety.

Pelor: Well, you are excluded from this. Your friends, however, are protected because my followers will all survive.

Art: Don't you need the dark to have the light?

Pelor:... You would think that. Ticket Master would have you think that. And you, specifically, reek of him.

Art: Uh, rude?

Pelor: You know what he wants, don't you? He wants me dead so he can be the god of light. His best friend being the god of darkness would mean the two of them would take over everything. The two of them would rule all.

(Art was trying really hard to not say how he didn't see this as a bad thing, considering his bias. But somehow, as everyone was arguing against the cleanse, it was returned to the subject of Art and Ticket Master.)

Pelor: I think we've had quite enough of this talk.

Art: Yeah, let's stop talking about Ticket Master and the guy who may or may not have had sex with him.

(Pelor reacted in disgust which just turned into Art shouting "Sex with Ticket Master!" at the god of light. The tiefling was really aiming to make the god throw up.)

Koejin, joining in: There were definitely tentacles involved!

Art: Lots of tentacles! Sooooo many tentacles!!!

Pelor: Enough! All of you! (grabs Eris by the hair) If none of you will take this seriously, there is no longer a reason to speak with you.

Eris, punching at the hand: Let go! (turns to Alabaster) Daddy! I don't wanna go!

(They walk through a wall made of marble that Hennessy tries to reach through to grab for Eris. He just barely pulls his hand back before the wall solidifies again and he loses his hand.)

Vincent, rushing up to Hennessy: What did you think you were doing?!

Hennessy: The girl didn't want to go with the man! And when the girl doesn't wanna go, you don't let her go!

Vincent: You're gonna make such a great dad!

(behind the garden and before the castle there was a massive labyrinth. We walked up to see two different entrances. Koejin ends up smelling something familiar but can't really pick where it's coming from.)

Art: Hmmm (turns to Red) think you can turn into a dragon and fly up? maybe we can see where to go.

Red, not all that enthused by the idea: Uhh, yeah, I guess. Step back.

(Everyone stands back to give her enough room to transform. She flies up to the edge of the maze, but once her talons hit the edge, they shoot up another hundred feet and knock her back down.)

Red, turns back into her base form and glares at everyone: Well, that didn't help!

Art: (shrugging) well, my plans aren't ever without fault.

(Hennessy casts detect magic and, aside from nearly having his brain explode from all the god magic around, he discovers on direction is dark magic while the other is light.

We end up going towards the dark side because we figure that's where Thia might be hiding.)

(First stop is a room with a sword in a stone. Hennessy can sense that the magic is dark, but it isn't the source.)

Koejin: (climbs up and pulls the sword from the stone and holds it up in the air. She then hears the sounds of us screaming in agony.)

What we see: Koejin pulling the sword out and standing with it like she's posing.

Art: Uhhh.... what is happening?

Theodora: Koejin? You okay?

Koejin vision! Art: (melting away and falling apart) You killed us!!!!

Koejin vision! Theodora: (Also melting) You let us dieeeee!!!!

Koejin, turning to see all this: No! No, I saved Art's life so many times! (Turns to Theodora) I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

Art: Koejin.... we're fine!

Koejin: (runs up to start trying to put Art's face back together. To everyone else, she'd just smooshing his face while still holding the sword.)

Theodora: (dispels the magic from the sword and a little imp pops free)

Koejin: (can now see that everyone's okay and it still just kinda groping Art's face.)

Art:....uh, Koejin?

Koejin: Yeah.... sorry. You were melting just now.

(We talk to the little imp briefly to find that he is a prisoner in the maze. He asks if he's free to go but as soon as he does, he's struck by lightning.)

(We continue down the path for a little bit before Koejin figures out that we're going the wrong way because she can no longer smell the "smelly smell that smells." In that time, Hennessy incinerated some talking furniture which the DM disappointedly let us know that we wouldn't be seeing the IKEA Lich. I have a feeling the IKEA Lich might pop up in a future one shot.

But also, we got this exchange.)

Theodora: (casts a spell in attempt to sober Koejin.)

Koejin: (starts screaming as her skin starts to burn) Stop!

Theodora: (stops immediately) I... I was just trying to help..

Koejin: I'm the God of intemperance, Theodora! You can't just sober me up!

Theodora: What?!

(This starts into a fight about how this isn't the weirdest thing we've been through while she continues to talk about how she wasn't expecting to hear her daughter was a god.)

Red: If I may, I can see where Theodora is coming from here. Be it the weirdest thing or not, finding out your child is involved in some affair with the gods can be surprising. (Shoots a look at Art) Like your son being intimately involved with a tentacle monster god.

Art:.... you weren't supposed to know about that....

Red: You were shouting about it just before while I was standing there.

Art:... right..... forgot you were there....

Red: Either way; something for us to talk about later, Sweetie.

Art rolling his eyes, sarcastically: But Mother, I love him.

((Koejin's Player: And I have to remember to write proper notes about what everyone knows and doesn't know.

DM: Eh, it's all out now))

(We head from the dark part to the light part and find ourselves walking down a hall for hours. It gets to the point where Mrs. Red starts to complain.)

Red: Ugh... when is this fucking thing going to end? Doesn't anyone have a way to move this along faster?

Art: It's going to feel like longer if you keep bitching.

Red: I don't even wanna be here!

Theodora: None of us want to be here!

Art, agreeing: Yeah, and yet, here we are! So, how about you shut your mouth for a bit while we figure out how to get home and make sure there's even a "home" to go back to!

Red:.... Actually, Art. Considering that, I think this might be a good time for you and I to talk....

(Art is pulled off to the side by Mrs. Red, Reita following. Theodora tries to usher everyone a respectful distance away to try and ensure privacy. She does her best, but pretty much everyone is still eavesdropping.)

Red: I know I haven't been the best mother... In fact, I might be the worst... But know that I will try to make this all better and I'm just looking for your forgiveness.

Art:.... you might remember us as a nice, happy little family, but let me tell you what I remember.

Koejin: You tell her, Art!

Art, ignoring her and pretending he doesn't know people are listening: ....you slicing off Reita's face, blowing up Thia's bar, threatening the lives of my friends, destroying the lives of countless different people; I could go on! You barely get to claim the title "mother!"

Red: I did what I thought was best!

Art: You entrusted your children to the God of Death and Deceit!

Red: I didn't do that! (long pause)....I did do that.

Art: Yeah, you did. So, this is how things are gonna go. We're going to go through here and make sure there's a world to get back to, we're going to go to Calor and you are going to fix this. Then we can talk about forgiveness.

Red: ....That's another thing I wanted to talk to you about. I would love... to return to our people. I know I'm a tiefling, but I still feel the rage... of a red dragon. Someone would need to take care of our people.

Art:.... the people that treated me like a pariah....

Vincent, butting in: Like Hell I'm gonna let that happen! (storms over to them and looks at Art) Look Art, I'm willing to admit you are not evil. But do you really think you can run Calor? As soon as everything gets hard you run away! Hell, you abandoned your own sister-

Reita, with a surprising amount of clarity: He didn't... abandon me. He thought I was dead.

(The remaining three tieflings turn and look at her.)

Reita: And you're not exactly one to talk; you created weapons for a tyrant and turned a blind eye to the problems in Calor. We've all done things we regret, but we learn and grow from them. How can you stand there and judge him from running from a bad situation when he was a kid? Hypocrite (shoves a slug into her mouth)

Art, smiling and a little misty-eyed: I'm so proud of you! (hugs Reita)

Reita: Uhhh, yeah. Sure.... (doesn't push him away, though)

Red:.... You're not supposed to be talking like that... how are you doing that?

Art, pulling away: Yeah, that was going to be the next part. You feeling okay?

Reita, shrugging: I feel good.... Like, really good.

Red: (grabs Reita and rips open the back of her cloak to see the stone in her spine is not glowing) This.... this isn't working. It should be working.

Art:....We should keep moving. Put a pin in this for now.

(We keep moving ahead with different twists and turns leading into random encounters. One of which is a growing garden gnome that we put Wreybar on top of so she could see over the walls. She tries to say what she sees, but speaks in a way only Wreybar understands.)

Theodora: Okay, but now how are we gonna get her down?

Red: I could probably fly up an-

Wreybar, jumping: Catch me!

Hennessy: (rushes to cast feather fall on her.)

(She floats down and lands nicely on the ground as we hear Thia's booming voice "Giant garden gnome? Goodbye giant garden gnome!" And the gnome just vanishes.)

(Wreybar starts talking in her gibberish and Koejin asks for a translator. Reita steps in and kneels down to her, nodding along by what she's saying.)

Reita: Wreybar says there's a latter coming out of a hole on the other side. It's right next to the castle. How do you guys not get that, she was speaking clearly.

Theodora: Maybe to you. Not all of us can speak Wreybar.

(We ended up getting into a few more shannanigans. At one point, Art attempted to use mislead in attempt to move through faster only to have Reita get impatient and run ahead. Art and Reita had a quick little spat about that along the lines of "by the time we find her, she'll have destroyed everything already!" "We can't find her at all if we're dead! No running ahead!" There was also a bit with Hennessy and Koejin teleporting out of the maze where they met a murder horse and a weird inky blob creature.

At that point the latter was the literally the next turn. But possibly the worst moment.)

DM: You guys come to a dead end. The smell is still coming from over it.

Koejin: Shit....

(We all check the wall to find no traps. But then... Alabaster touches it and a had grabs hold of him. It pulls itself out with his resistance and Alabaster is looking at a marble version of... himself.)

Alabaster: O-oh! Hail and well met... uh, me!

M! Alabaster: Oh! Hail and Well Met! How are you, my fine friend?

Alabaster: I'm quite well, thank you! How... who are you?

M! Alabaster: Oh, I am what remains of you. The you left behind when you left the Pelor faith!

Alabaster: Oh, I see.

M!Alabaster: Have you killed your daughter?

Alabaster: oh, no. That is.... no longer apart of the plan.

M! Alabaster: (grabs hold of Alabaster) I will do it then. I will kill your daughter. She is born of darkness, thus she must die!

(Everyone around him tenses up, but he somehow knows if he looks away, the creature will fade from his sight and go to kill Eris. He can only stare at it to hold it in place.)

Alabaster: (puts his hand to the copy's mouth and uses Create or Destroy Water)

M!Alabaster: (starts to crack and burst under the pressure. The amount of water forced inside kills the creature.)

((Create or destroy water has been a running gag in the campaign. It's been used a few times, but nothing really dark. Not like this.))

Alabaster:....(Still holding his marble copy with a stunned look.)

Art:....(walks up and pats him on the arm) You did what you had to do... Eris is safe now.

Theodora, nodding: Think of it as... you made the right choice.

Alabaster: (nods to both of them and closes the creatures eyes)

Koejin:.... we should destroy it. Just in case.

(They then proceed to break the thing into dust and we continued on our way.)

( We found the latter that brought us up to the castle. As we walk around to the entrance, Pelor stands by the door with his arms crossed.)

Pelor:.... what are you trying to accomplish here? Do you really think you can stop any of this?

Theodora: We're here to talk to Thia. Where's Thia?

Pelor, sighing: Look, last chance before I wipe you out of existence; kneel before me or leave my land and accept your fates.

Red, arms crossed(as is usual for her): Yeah, I'm not one for bowing to people. People bow to me.

Pelor: This goes for all for all of you?

(All of us agree. There will be no bowing.)

Pelor:....then so be it.

(Before he can move in to fight us, he is turned inside out and sucked into a little stone. Thia then drifts down, takes the stone, and crushes it.)

Art: ....hi, Thia....

Thia, glaring: Shut up, Art.

Art, nodding: Hmmm, mhm.

Thia: (turns to Theodora) Go home, Theodora.

(for a moment, her powers work on Theodora, but all of us stop her. This turns into a conversation about why the wipe is unnecessary. Koejin leads the conversation, then turned and asked for someone more "charisma based" to lead.

Art couldn't speak. Probably for the best. He and Thia have never really gotten along.)

Theodora: If you wipe out all existence, we won't be learning from our mistakes. Everything will end up being repeated! The war will be repeated!

Thia: Not if I don't allow free will.

Theodora: And then what is life? that's not a world; that's a simulation.

Thia:... better that than allowing a kid to grow up in the woods all alone.

Theodora:.... Thia, we can make this world better. Create a place where something like that doesn't happen. But this.... this isn't the way.

Thia:....Do all of you agree? Should I.... give up my power?

(This was a major turning point in the story. Because this is where the end boss was decided. And we told Thia to give up her power.)

Thia, nodding: Alright... let's go back home. No reason to strand ourselves here. (she opens a portal)

(We walk through to find ourselves in the tavern Thia owns. She wills away her power, but it's no big ta-do.)

Koejin: Did it work?

Thia:.... I don't know.... Art, give me some money.

Art:..... no....

Koejin: It worked!

(We all celebrate before we all notice the portal hasn't closed. When we turn and look, we see Pelor's face.... on Ticket Master's body. He throws it away like a mask and grins at us.)

Ticket Master: Guess who's the new God of Light? (smiles and waves as the portal closes)

(Outside, we hear loud banging. When we run out, we can see darkness and light bouncing off of each other before they begin to swirl and spread. They head for us.)

Theodora: (hears the voice of Bahamut and an open blue portal) Everyone! We have to go!

(Everyone dives into the portal. Art takes a moment before diving in with the group.)

(There will be one last session and we can all really feel it now. I'm kinda sad that Ticket Master is now the BBEG, but we all saw that coming. There's just a lot to figure out here.)

[canid-slashclaw]

The Outliers - A Guildwars Love Story

Chapter 6

Two months had passed since the siege against the centaurs had begun in Kressex Hills.  During those tenuous months, Kaleb, Brad and Cynthia would alternate duties between fighting on the front line and running much-needed supplies from the lake-port town.   Kaleb's reputation as a fine cook also began to take hold.  Some of his recipes became so popular that troops from other garrisons would stop by just to sample some of his cuisine.  It was also during this time that he made it a point of volunteering for supply running duty to Triskell whenever the opportunity presented itself. 

He enjoyed the unusual rapport he had developed with the market owner's daughter.  Even though she was a charr and viewed by many of his people as the mortal enemy, he somehow found their respective differences to be intrinsically fascinating. 

Today he was scheduled to pick up a fresh supply of imported cheeses from the marketplace.  Along with the meats, soldiers discriminating tastes demanded an increasing array of finer foods.  He was well aware that all of this was his own fault.  But he simply couldn't help it - he liked to ensure that everyone enjoyed the little things in life for one never knew when all of it would suddenly end. 

The morning was overcast and the plume of smoke rising from the upstairs chimney of the meat market indicated one thing.  Amalthia was there, working away at whatever it was her kind liked to do.  But even during subsequent visits, Kaleb could somehow never work up the nerve to ask her what she was working on. 

He entered the shop and his nostrils were immediately greeted with the familiar array of scents from the spices and herbs.  As always, Ludrick the big tabby patterned charr was there to greet him the moment he walked in.

"Two-thousand pounds of freshly-slaughtered bovine are ready for pickup.  I hope you got some sturdy paws carrying this stuff.  My ankle has been giving me fits and I'm not gonna be much use to anyone today," Ludrick grumbled as he shifted his center of gravity on his crutches.

Two months of coming to these felines' shop and I still don't know either of them on a personal level.  Kaleb mused as he handed Ludrick the work order. 

"Amalthia. Get down here and help this customer.  He's got a meat wagon that needs to be loaded up," the old charr bellowed out towards the upstairs. "Just a minute.  One last spot and I'll be finished." 

Kaleb heard Amalthia's voice from upstairs.   Summoning his courage, Kaleb stood in front of the big charr and quickly asked in a rushed voice.  "So what has your daughter been working on?" Ludrick just shook his head and grumbled.  "Ask her." He then pointed towards the staircase to where Amalthia had already been present.  "Ask me what?" Kaleb swallowed as he was at a loss for words for the moment.  "I was..." "It's okay, just remember your fahrar training when learning to speak.  Or is it the Asuran School of Synergetics?  Either way, you seem to have a hard time completing sentences whenever you are around me." Kaleb looked at Ludrick then commented.  "Is your cub like this to all her customers?"

"Only to the ones who act like fools.  Which, I might add, seems to include everyone."   "Whathaveyoubeenworkingonupstairs? There!  I asked it!" "Is that some sort of lost Orrian gibberish?  Ohh... now I get it.  I think you were trying to ask me a personal question.  Something along the lines of what I do with my time while I'm upstairs.  Am I right?"  Amalthia conjugated her thoughts aloud.   "Well, the acrid smell of burning coal does pique my curiosity.  I can't help but to be curious." Amalthia gazed in his general direction with her amber eyes then replied.  "I am not in the business of forming personal relationships with customers.  If there is something business-related you or your people want to discuss with my sire, or me then by all means, do so.  Otherwise don't pester me with personal questions." Human or not, Kaleb could tell that she had her defenses on high alert. Like the Seraph army he served under, he wanted to strategically break them down.   "Business question." "Okay. Shoot." "How does your shop produce such a large volume of market cuts in such a short amount of time?  And please don't tell me it's a trade secret, cause I know you people have commonplace technologies that our people don't even possess." Amalthia looked at her father who gave his silent nod of approval.   "Did you bring anyone with you this time?" "No.  Just me." "Good. Now take off those filthy shoes and socks," Amalthia said as she pointed her clawed finger towards Kaleb's boots. She led him down the stairs and into the basement cutting room.  For the moment, the room was pitch black.  But with the flick of her hand, a series of gaslight propane lights came to life.   "Tada!  Welcome to the cutting room.  Or as I like to call it, the slaughter shack." The plucky charr beckoned him to tread carefully across the freshly mopped stone floor.   She reached up and pulled back a chain-mail curtain revealing a row of cattle quarters dangling on a series of hooks.  "The cattle are gutted just beyond that doorway over there.  Once they have been dressed, sire and I bring the carcasses here to be cleaned up and ready for quartering." "What do you use to quarter them with... a tree saw?"  Kaleb asked. Amalthia walked him over to a giant fearsome-looking machine that sported a giant saw blade.   As he got closer, Kaleb could hear the high-pressure rushing sound of water that was coursing through the complex array of pipes.   "Steam-powered quartering saw.  Charr trade secret.  You are to keep this mum under sever pain of a horribly gruesome death," she said laconically.  "How charming.  I suppose some of the meat I saw may have very well been the remains of customers who foolishly betrayed your secrets?" "Well, those and the ones who ask too many stupid personal questions.  But other than that, you needn't worry.  The chances of you inadvertently eating your dead uncle are practically nil," Amalthia quipped as she began adjusting the controls of the saw blade.  "Amalthia!  Customer with two little ones." "Great.  Well that's it for now.  I gotta put on the charming routine and help those pesky humans." As Kaleb and Amalthia emerged from the downstairs cutting room, a young mother and her squealing kids greeted them.  "Mommy.  Another charr!" The mother had a brief look of terror on her face as Amalthia kneeled down to make eye contact with the youngster.  Without any sense of fear or trepidation, the little girl started to run her fingers across Amalthia's large horns.  Within moments, the child was playing with her whiskers and ears, apparently being delighted by their twitching movement.   "What's your name, little one? Mine is Amalthia.  Can you say that?" The little girl tried to mimic Amalthia's feline muzzle phonemes as she attempted to sound out her name.   "Ah.."

"..mall.."

"...thia!" Kaleb was utterly stunned.  He was amazed at how patient she was with the human child.   "You are really good with kids.  I didn't expect that from someone like you," he said off-the-cuff. "What is that supposed to mean?  'Someone like me'?" "What I meant to say was, I didn't take you for the type to be so good around kids.  I thought they would push your buttons and drive you crazy," Kaleb replied humbly. "There is a lot about me you don't know or want to know about.  And for your sake as well as mine, it's for the better." Kaleb noticed the other child, a boy, clamoring over one of the displays. 

"Be right back."

He gently picked up the arrant boy then promptly returned him to his mother.  "There ya go fella.  Just keep off of high places, yea hear?  Otherwise you might fall and break something." Without Kaleb noticing, Amalthia witnessed the interaction as a wide grin came over her face that caused her ears to flatten with a sensation of happiness. 

Kaleb walked back over sans the child.  "I disagree.  With your last statement, that is.  Because I would like to get to know you better." "Do you have cubs?" Once again, Kaleb was caught off guard.  But he learned to recover from the initial shock of her bold questions.  "None at present.  You?" "Nada." "Havarti is my favorite cheese.  Okay, that one was pure randomness," Kaleb said in a relaxed tone.  "Goat cheese for me. The harder ones clog me up something fierce.  Randomness back at you," she chided.   "More fiber will fix that issue.  You've been served," Kaleb said gleefully. "Rebound - charrs don't consume fiber.  Two and zero, with Amalthia in the lead." "You moved the goalpost.  That's cheating!"  "Accusing an Iron Legionnaire of cheating is an insult worthy of a duel... to the death!" Amalthia gnashed her teeth at Kaleb.  "Match accepted.  But first - may I treat you to some refreshments?  You know, the kind outside this slaughterhouse?"  Kaleb said with a wink.   The little boy tugged on the hem of his mother's dress and pointed.  "Mommy, that man and that charr are really talking weird to each other." The mother looked apprehensively at the odd bantering between the two then quickly decided it was best to pull up her spawn and leave.   Ludrick planted the palm of his hand over his face as he shook his head. "You cubs are giving me a splitting headache.  Would the both of you be so courteous as to take your jabber-jawing somewhere else? Preferably somewhere far out of my earshot?" "Oh crap!  Where has the time gone?  It looks like the dessert thing will have to wait another time.  I was only supposed to be here for no more than an hour and now look at the time.  I'm going to be in deep dolyak doo with my sarge if she finds out I've been goofing around," Kaleb said with a sigh of disappointment.   Amalthia flicked her ears as she looked over the young soldier.  "Then I wouldn't want to be the one to keep you from your appointed rounds. Meet me by the bay door and I'll help you load up your supplies." As they were working together in stocking up his cart, Amalthia couldn't help but notice Kaleb's bulging biceps as he helped her heft the large hunks of rations.  But she immediately averted her gaze the moment he turned his head towards her.  Once the necessary cargo had been loaded aboard the wagon, Amalthia proceeded to close and latch the receiving bay door.  "That's the last of it," she said with a raised clawed thumb.   "Thanks for everything.  I couldn't have done this without your help.  And next time, I promise there will be desserts," Kaleb replied with a smile.  "Then I'll hold you to your word, Kaleb."

Her ears twitched upon saying his name.  And for his part, he couldn't have felt happier when she said it too.

[peaksresidence3-blog]

Peak Residence

Peak Residence

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Developer Tuan Sing is rising quickly with a diversified-portfolios in resort possession, property funding and property growth in Singapore and across the areas. In 2019, Tuan Sing has began its business transformation to reposition itself from a distinct segment developer to a leading developer by expanding their portfolio by venturing into residential, commercial and hospitality tasks across different key Asian cities like Australia, Indonesia and China. The Group’s present and previous monitor data of are Seletar Park Residence, Kandis Residence, Leedon Park, Mont Botanik, Cluny Park Residence, Sennett Residence and many extra. Over time, Tuan Sing Holdings has acquired a number of awards and accolades which includes Top 2018 Developers (Kandis Residence), 2018 BCI Asia Award, 2019 Singapore Panorama Architectural Award 2019 – Silver Award (18 Robinson Highway) and plenty of others. Peak Residence located at Novena Property is the group's latest upcoming new condo development.

Wealthy Capital Holdings Limited is is the market leader in each Native and Asia region for residential and industrial developments. The Group’s experience is in property management, investment and improvement and in addition providing specialist construction services. The Group current native portfolio comprises re- developments of a B2 Industrial @ at 6 Kim Chuan Terrace. Their overseas portfolio contains Oxley Conference City in Batam, Indonesia. The primary built-in premier growth in Batam.

Peak Residence might be their latest freehold challenge in Prime District eleven. A rare gem in Novena at 333 Thomson Highway. Peak Residence condo comprises 1 bed room to three bed room unit varieties which can fulfill all homeowners and investors’ requirements. Hopeful Buyers can expect another masterpiece improvement which presents high quality fittings and luxurious finishes from Wealthy Capital and Tuan Sing as soon as again.

[peaksresidence0-blog]

Peak Residence Showroom

Peak Residences Peak Residence is proudly offered to to you by three way partnership of SGX-Listed Tuan Sing Holdings Restricted and Wealthy Capital Holdings Limited. Tuan Sing is holding 70% stake and Wealthy Capital can be holding the remaining 30%. Tuan Sing is growing quickly with a diversified-portfolios in resort possession, property funding and property growth in Singapore and across the regions. In 2019, Tuan Sing has started its enterprise transformation to reposition itself from a niche developer to a number one developer by means of expanding their portfolio by venturing into residential, business and hospitality projects throughout different key Asian cities like Australia, Indonesia and China. The Group’s present and past monitor records of are Seletar Park Residence, Kandis Residence, Leedon Park, Mont Botanik, Cluny Park Residence, Sennett Residence and many more. Over time, Tuan Sing Holdings has persistently receiving a number of awards and accolades. Rich Capital Holdings is the market chief in both Local and Asia area for residential and industrial developments. The Group’s expertise is in property management, funding and improvement and likewise providing specialist development companies. Peak Residence shall be their latest freehold challenge in Prime District eleven. A rare gem in Novena  at 333 Thomson Highway. Hopeful Buyers can expect  another masterpiece development which affords quality fittings and luxury finishes from Wealthy Capital and Tuan Sing once again. Peak Residence Pricing is to be introduced quickly.

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Showflat For showflat appointment booking, kindly guide by way of this web site or simply dial +65 6100 9266 prior to making your approach all the way down to view Peak Residence Showroom. The showflat can be closed on sure day as a result of upkeep work or private occasions. Therefore it's strongly advisable to safe an appointment online earlier than heading down to the showflat. For all fascinated parties whom had registered a web based appointment, you will be assured of enjoying our Direct Developer Value with NO COMMISSION payable by you. In the event you had registered an online appointment with us, you should not have to register once more to avoid duplication. Please be relaxation assured that our gross sales employees will contact you in One hour time to verify your appointment. An e-mail may even be sent to you once registered with us. We are searching for indication of Curiosity for Peak Residence VVIP Preview. Register your Curiosity early to be the first to view our lovely Showroom as soon as its prepared for viewing. We are going to replace Peak Residence Stability Units Chart and Peak Residemce Pricing in this official portal as soon as the venture is launched. Please do observe that each one balance models for sale at Peak Residence are primarily based on first-come-first serve foundation. For any reservation of unit, it is valid for a period up to 2 hours and is topic to administration’s approval. Price is topic to change with none further notice.

About Peak Residence is the previous Peak Court docket located at 333 Thomson Highway. It is located within the Prime District eleven in Novena Estate. This model-new luxurious freehold rental comprise ninety residential condominium models jointly developed by SGX-Listed Tuan Sing Holdings and Wealthy Capital Holdings. Peak Residence rental has three towers of 5-Storey. It offers 1 to 3-bed room sorts to satisfy all home homeowners and traders’ needs. It sits on a land of web site area approximately 57,378 sqft. Novena MRT Station (NS20) is about 600-metres away from Peak Residence. Main Expressways like PIE and CTE are close proximity to this upcoming new condo which is very convenient for all residents to journey to the opposite components of Singapore. Residents can get pleasure from a myriad of amenities that are available. Procuring Centres like Velocity, Square 2, Novena Square and United Square are only a short walk or drive from Peak Residence. Novena which is close to to Balestier is known as a meals paradise with a wide forms of meals choices corresponding to native food from hawker centre and 5-Star rated eateries and eating places.

Prestigious schools in the neighborhood are Singapore Chinese Lady's Primary Faculty, St Joseph Institution Junior, Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) and Anglo-Chinese language School (Barker Road), Dad and mom should not have to worry about their youngsters’s brilliant future. By 2030 Well being Metropolis Novena would take shape and reworked with new facilities and constructing. Residents of Peak Residence Singapore would enormously benefit from thia transformation. All hopeful homeowners can browse and download both Peak Residence E-Brochure and Peak Residence Ground Plan right here.

Developer Tuan Sing is growing quickly with a diversified-portfolios in resort possession, property funding and property growth in Singapore and throughout the regions. In 2019, Tuan Sing has began its enterprise transformation to reposition itself from a niche developer to a leading developer by means of expanding their portfolio by venturing into residential, commercial and hospitality tasks across different key Asian cities like Australia, Indonesia and China. The Group’s current and previous observe data of are Seletar Park Residence, Kandis Residence, Leedon Park, Mont Botanik, Cluny Park Residence, Sennett Residence and plenty of more. Through the years, Tuan Sing Holdings has received a number of awards and accolades which includes Top 2018 Developers (Kandis Residence), 2018 BCI Asia Award, 2019 Singapore Panorama Architectural Award 2019 – Silver Award (18 Robinson Street) and plenty of others. Peak Residence located at Novena Estate is the group's latest upcoming new rental improvement.

Rich Capital Holdings Restricted is is the market leader in both Local and Asia area for residential and industrial developments. The Group’s expertise is in property management, funding and growth and in addition providing specialist development companies. The Group present local portfolio contains re- developments of a B2 Industrial @ at 6 Kim Chuan Terrace. Their abroad portfolio includes Oxley Conference Metropolis in Batam, Indonesia. The primary integrated premier growth in Batam.

Peak Residence will likely be their newest freehold challenge in Prime District eleven. A uncommon gem in Novena at 333 Thomson Road. Peak Residence rental contains 1 bed room to three bedroom unit varieties which will fulfill all homeowners and investors’ requirements. Hopeful Patrons can expect one other masterpiece improvement which offers high quality fittings and luxurious finishes from Wealthy Capital and Tuan Sing as soon as again.

[mybukz]

Fiction: Nona Annabelle by Peter Soh

Image  by T RR from Unsplash

This is a catastrophe. I must be dreaming. Wake up, Annabelle. Only when you wake up will you realise this is just a dream.

But they are still here. Pairs of black eyes are looking at me, no matter how many times I close and open my eyes. I can’t recognise any of them. They are not my family members and they definitely can’t be the servants in the house! He must have eaten a lion’s heart to simply enter a nona’s room! So, who are all these men? And the ladies here?

“Who is this girl? She looks like she has no idea where she is. I love mindless girls!” a boy smirks.    “Shut up, Andrew Zach,” the girls growl in unison.

“No girls will like an arrogant guy,” a girl with a ponytail echoes.

The boy scoffs. “Well, I can prove you wrong. Mr Ian always says no one carries the skinhead as good as I do. I don’t blame you girls. You girls have no taste.”

The man is Andrew Zach. His name resembles my cousin’s husband’s, Marvin Zach Pereira, who is a Portuguese.

Wait a minute. Am I in Portugal now?

This Andrew Zach indeed looks like a Portuguese. He has a natural tan on his face, neck, and arms – the one that is completely different from other men where their face and neck and arms are covered with different shades of brown. He has a pair of deep eyes and together with his almost-bald head, his piercing eyes make him a forbidding figure.

“Siapa kamu semua?” I ask faintly.

“She speaks Malay. I fail my Malay,” the girl with a ponytail turns to someone.

“I am not good in Malay too,” Andrew Zach seconds the girl. “Kah Heng, you go and ask the girl who is she instead. You come from the government school and your Malay is better than us.”

Everyone looks into the direction of a boy with small eyes. He shakes his head.

“I don’t want,” he splutters his refusal.

“What do you mean by ‘I don’t want’? Find out where she comes from before Mr Ian comes in.” Andrew Zach is rather loud.

The boy with the name of Kah Heng walks towards me. I retract my legs and redirect my gaze to the floor. I feel so uneasy – I have never come across a man face-to-face before. Except Father.

“Hi,” Kah Heng greets softly.

I avoid his gaze and continue to look at the carpeted floor.

What is ‘hi’?

Wait a minute. Did he mean ‘hoi’? I have heard of this Dutch greeting when Father held meetings with the Dutch in our home. Let’s just try.

“Hoi,” I mutter.

“She is weird,” Andrew Zach interrupts.

“Shut up, Andrew. Let Kah Heng do his job first,” the girl with a ponytail speaks again. This time she looks annoyed.

“All right, Isabelle the class monitor,” Andrew Zach jeers.

Isabelle? Is her name Isabelle? I think that’s a name because my name is Annabelle.

“Apakah nama kamu?” Kah Heng continues.

Did I hear it wrong? He speaks Malay?

“Lu tau cakap bahasa? Gua Annabelle! Kenapa gua kat sini? Ini tempat mana eh? Lu orang siapa?” I cough out all the questions I have in my mind.

“Kami pun tak tau kenapa you kat sini. You kat sini sudah bila kami semua balik ke kelas.”

“Kelas?”

I am in a class? I have never been to a school and I am forbidden from doing so.

“Mana tempat ni?” I try to probe further of my whereabout.

“Quincey International School,”

I can’t understand the language. “Apa?”

“Ni sekolah antarabangsa. You pelajar baru?”

“Pelajar?”

I look at the surroundings. There are many tables and chairs. Underneath those tables are cascades of papers and books. Two white boards are fixed behind me and there are many bright long tubes on the ceiling. The room is extremely cold and everyone looks bewildered.

#

I sit at a metal table not knowing why am I here. All I can remember is I uncoiled my long hair and washed my feet before I went to bed. I am very sure I washed my feet before bed because this has been a practice in my household for generations. It is said to prevent sleepers from having nightmares.

But why am I in a school now? Am I dreaming, still?

Many people are queueing up for food. I have no idea why they have to queue in such a manner – people are distancing themselves from one another for about three feet. They all look scruffy and depressed; the men have long hair and moustaches and their white shirts are full of creases and stains. The ladies have bags under their swollen and bleary eyes and most of them let their hair down like homeless people. And that’s not the worst.

I can’t bear to look at the ladies who are all in short skirts. It is despicable to even create such a dress in the first place, not to mention putting it on. Tak seronoh langsung. A self-respected and dignified nona will never make themselves seen by others, least of all to expose such immodest amount of legs to the public!

I am never allowed to make myself seen. Even my existence in the house is highly guarded and I can never cross to the thia besar where guests and visitors will be seated. The furthest I can venture out without company is the thia gelap. I used to peek through the gilded screen door in the second hall to catch a glimpse of the Dutch businessmen but it wasn’t long for me to have to stay at the quarter end of the household to learn about my jobs.

Mother never lauds me for keeping the thia abu immaculate nor pressing her favourite maroon kain chelay smooth. She often reminds me the laurels of my highest acclaim will be the day when she receives nasi lemak on the 12th day of my wedding. I do not understand what Mother means but I perceive it as the day where I am free to go out from the household without hiding myself in a gunnysack.

At the moment, in the event of me leaving the house – usually to a Baba’s household to help out in cooking for weddings or funerals – Mother will require two male servants in the house to prepare a gunnysack for me to sit in. After I am well covered, a thick bamboo pole will be placed through the gunnysack for the carriers to transport me out from the house. And even so, Mother will never leave me with the carriers; she will always tag along closely because I can never be exposed under the sun.

“This is for you,”

Isabelle carries a tray of food and lays it in front of me.

“Isabelle?” I point at her.

“Yeah, I am Isabelle. This is for you. Food stocks are running low. I hope you don’t mind. Eat something.”

The last thing I want to do is stare at her again but I can’t comprehend any of the words she said. Except her name.

“Makan sikit, Annabelle. You need energy to go through this time,” Isabelle starts tucking a sludgy brown piece of meat into her mouth.

It must have taken a voracious man to be able to swallow such abominable food. I gag at the sight of the food but I sniff a pungent reek of curry.

“Kari?” I ask.

“Yeah, this is green curry chicken.”

I whip a spoonful of gravy and taste it. It isn’t spicy. The food tastes sweet and I find it funny. How can a curry be sweet? Mother would have thrown this rubbish and commanded a re-cook had I possessed the gut to serve this on the family table. I remember the hot slap on my left cheek when I mindlessly put in an extra tablespoon of salt into the curry chicken.

It is always about concentration, precision, and perfection in prepping a nona’s dish, as a nuance in taste can take its toll on my prospective marriage. Mother doesn’t have to keep her eyes on me to know my shortcomings; she knows from the way the rhythm plays when I pound the spices to the taste of the food I prepare.

I find cooking a gruelling task because there is no absolute way to tell how much spices, condiments, and herbs one has to put in in prepping the dishes. It continues to elude me how much to put in; it depends on the portions served and the preferences of each eater. I find it an irony to base my cooking by mere estimation to achieve perfection but I choose to keep quiet. It is better for me to endure the long hours in the steamy kitchen to pound, grind, cook, and steam dish after dish, pastry after pastry, than receiving curses, pains, and humiliation. After all, I am waiting for the day when nasi lemak will be sent home. That’s the day when I can go beyond the thia gelap, step out from the Chan’s family door, to look at the world.

How does the world look like in 1800? I heard from Father that The Stadthuys – the previous residence of the Dutch Governor – is painted in white but I am yet to see it myself. How massive are its walls? How tall are the doors? I believe it must be a prominent building because Mother says it houses important people from the Dutch, and now Britain. It must be interesting to see how different the Dutch and the Brits are since I have never seen a Brit in our house before.

I also heard that there are also a lot of Chinese slowly streaming into Melaka but Father detests them. He always complains how the Napoleonic wars gave chances to the British to bring in more Chinese and my marriage should only take place between compatible families, and never with the sinkeh. I always wonder why Father hates them since our Chinese forebears hailed from Fujian, China, too.

Just like the sinkeh, we bear a Chinese name and we pray to Dato’ Hoot Chor for Her protection and blessings. We celebrate numerous Chinese festivals and these are times when I confine myself mostly to the kitchen, busy grinding flour, separating rice grains, washing pandan leaves, plucking, drying and boiling bunga telang to make different offerings for Mother to bring to temples, such as kueh bakul for Chinese New Year, kueh chang for Kueh Chang Festival, and nasi kunyit during Semayang Bulan Tujuh, where souls of the departed are free to roam around the streets.     I never understand much about Father’s concern for the presence of the new Chinese. The only thing that I am free from doubt is the fact that dishes can never be ruined for they are served to deities, ethereal beings and guests.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Isabelle asks. “Gosh, I keep forgetting that she doesn’t understand English. Kenapa tak makan?”

“Gua tak lapar. Gua dah makan semalam,”

“Yesterday? Then why are you here? Kenapa kamu kat sini?” Isabelle continues to munch on the chicken.

“Gua tak tau…”

“What? How do you come in to the school? The whole school is in lockdown.”

“She is probably a boarder who just somehow wanders into our classroom. We have many international students here, come on.” Andrew Zach chimes in.

“Maybe…Look at her costumes. She is definitely not a local.”

“Mintak tanya eh. Macam mana gua boleh balik rumah?”

“Balik rumah?” Isabelle frowns.

“I told you she is weird,” Andrew Zach concedes.

“Semua orang pun nak balik rumah. Tapi tak boleh,” Isabelle sighs.

“Kenapa?”

“Adui. The school has been placed on lockdown. How to go back?” Isabelle snaps suddenly.

I am shocked at the abrupt change of her tone. I think I must have said something wrong.

I never ask anything again. Everyone looks despondent and it seems like the people here are going through a difficult time.

I sit upright and rooted, watching Isabelle and Andrew Zach gulping down the green curry chicken. I never eat the chicken.

#

“Mr Ian, there’s a new girl in our class,” Isabelle chirps.

Andrew Zach sneers at my direction. “And she is weird.”

Someone comes into the classroom. A middle-aged man with spectacles. He stands in front of the students, his face oily, his hair tousled, and his clothes smudged.

What on earth is happening to the people in this school? Dirty-looking, eating rubbish, and speaking alien language.

Am I dreaming, still? Why on earth people want to behave this way? I must be dreaming.

“Are you a nyonya?” the man looks at me with utter surprise.

I can’t decipher what he says but he mentions the word ‘nyonya’, which is quite similar to the Dutch word ‘nona’ in describing people like me who looks foreign in Melaka.

I smile weakly at him and quickly avoid his gaze. I think he must be a teacher of this class.

“Is she a new student? Where does she come from?” the man asks around his students.

“Mr Ian, we found her when we came back from the lab. We have no idea where she comes from but we think that she is not a local. She can’t speak English at all. She can only speak Malay!” Isabelle explains. “And her name is Annabelle.”

“Annabelle the doll,”

“Shut up, Andrew. Stop being so mean!” Isabelle retorts.

“She can speak Malay? Then why don’t you all speak to her and find out where she comes from?” The teacher looks displeased.

“Well… My Malay is not good,” Isabelle says.

“All of us are bad at Malay. We just take it because we have to!” Andrew Zach adds while spinning a basketball.

I can sense that the teacher seems to be very fascinated of my presence. I can see from the corner of my eyes that his eyes are darting up and down at me. I tug the opening of my brown baju panjang to the right.

“Annabelle, you datang dari mana?” the teacher asks genteelly.

This man can speak Malay! I turn and look at him. I can’t hide my excitement.

“Gua datang dari Melaka! Boleh encik hantar gua balik rumah?” I gabble.

“Kenapa you kat sini?”

“Gua tak tau. Bila gua bangun, gua dah ada kat sini,”

The teacher looks baffled for a second. “Takpe, esok dah boleh balik rumah.”

Clearing his throat, the teacher turns to everyone. “After 60 days of lockdown, the government has managed to weather the Covid-19 situation. I am here to inform you that we can all go back tomorrow. And the school is going to shut down for the entire year so that everyone can take this time to stay at home, have a good rest and reconnect with their family. Today shall be the last day for us to be here.”

A deafening cheer erupts. The girls hug each other while some cover their faces and wail loudly. I am not sure why they cry but it seems like the class has won a victory as all the girls quickly gather and form a big circle around each other. The men look calm but I notice that they aren’t looking so depressed anymore. Andrew Zach smiles to himself and he turns to his friends when he sees me looking at him.

“Mr Ian, how are we going to send Annabelle home? She will have no place to stay since the school is going to close.” Isabelle asks.

“No worries, we can book a bus ticket for her now since we now know where she comes from.” Mr Ian says.

“Good idea!” Isabelle trills. “But she doesn’t know how to speak English. What if she is stranded in the bus station?”

“Hmm…” Mr Ian thinks for a moment.

I have no idea what’s going on. I just heard my name being read, and the man, Isabelle, Andrew Zach, and some other students are all looking at me.

“That’s easy. We can just pre-arrange a Grab driver for her upon her arrival to the bus station. We just inform the driver how she looks like and what time the bus will arrive. I am sure the driver will know who to pick up because she is the only one who dresses like an ancient person. Probably comes from the grave since her name is also Annabelle.”

Andrew Zach bursts out laughing suddenly and Isabelle rolls her eyes again. I don’t know what’s happening but the environment is jovial. I am convinced that something good must have happened.

Mr Ian looks pleased with what Andrew Zach has said. “That’s a good one. Let’s ask for her address and we can settle everything now!”

“Annabelle, esok dah boleh balik rumah. Kami akan hantar you balik. Boleh tolong bagi alamat you?” the man asks me.

“Gua tinggal kat 133, Jalan Gelanggang,”

“Okay, tunggu jap,”

The man opens a box and starts typing. The box emits light and Isabelle is looking at her teacher’s actions.

“Done!” the man exclaims. “I will send her to the bus station tomorrow. The bus will depart from Kuala Lumpur at 9a.m. and I have booked her a Grab driver in Melaka. I have also told the Grab driver how she looks like – a tan girl in a chignon and a white-and-green school uniform.”

“Our school uniforms?” Isabelle asks.

“She is going to change her attire now. I will get her one from the storeroom. She is going to freak people with this outlook!” The teacher points at me suddenly.

#

Isabelle brings me to a room with a huge mirror. There are five doors standing next to each other. I notice that there is a white vase in each of the room.

“Do you want to pee?” Isabelle asks. “Wait, I forgot you don’t know English. Nak kencing?”

I am bemused with what Isabelle says. “Kencing? Sini?”

Isabelle looks at me and frowns once again. “Yeah… sini.”

“Kat sini?” I point at the white vase.

Isabelle seems to be appalled by what I ask. She nods at me with much confusion as I do.

“And tukar baju you kepada ni,” she points at the school uniforms that she holds.

“Kenapa?” I put my hand across my kerosang.

“Cikgu kata you pakai macam ni nanti semua orang tengok. Dia kata you pakai baju ni dan esok you boleh balik rumah terus.”

Desperately wanting to go home – or hoping this dream to come to a halt as I wish it to, I quickly undo my three kerosang and pass them to Isabelle. I take off my baju panjang, later my baju kechik, and Isabelle turns her back hastily.

“Why are you not wearing bra?” Isabelle calls out. She passes the uniform to me on her left hand without looking at me.

I don’t understand what she says. My sarong drops when I unfasten my silver belt. I take the clothes from her and put on the clothes that I loathe.

I look at the mirror in front of me. Such an ugly and distasteful concoction – a white-and-green short sleeve and short skirt attire paired with my sanggol tiga batang and kasut seret. I feel like killing myself before Mother does.

I am no longer a nona.

#

I sit in a moving vehicle and the man drops me at a crowded and smelly place. I use my batik handkerchief to cover my nose from the nauseating black smoke coming out from the many moving vehicles.

“I bagi you ni. You bagi I sapu tangan you,” the man points at my handkerchief while giving out a small bag of white paper. It seems like he wants to exchange things with me.

Wanting to end this dream, I pass him my handkerchief in exchange for the white paper.

He points at my chignon this time. I can tell that he wants my three gold hairpins.

I shake my head. No nona will ever let their hair down in the public and I refuse to give him my hairpins.

The people around start noticing us. I start to believe that my outlook attracts unwanted attention. I want to cry.

I pull out my three hairpins and throw them at him. My long hair uncurls as people watch our – or my – ungodly affairs.

He looks satisfied with what he gets and I stand there repressing my urge to cry, waiting for his next instruction.

“Naik bas tu. You akan sampai rumah. Jangan khuatir.”

I look at where he points. It is a blue vehicle. I point at the vehicle and look at him again and he nods his head.

I scuttle to the blue vehicle in my kasut seret. This is the only belonging that I never exchange with the man. My precious gold hairpins, kerosang and silver belt are now gone, to a man that doesn’t even need these items.

The blue vehicle moves. I heave a sigh of relief. I believe I am going to wake up in the Chan’s household again. I weep silently until I drift off to sleep.

#

“Mr Ian is dead!” Isabelle screamed.

“What the fuck? Since when?” Andrew Zach was taken aback at what Isabelle said and everyone was aghast at what they heard.

“I heard from other teachers that he died of sudden cardiac death on the last day of school.”

“On the last day of school? What did he do?” someone chimed in.

Another student spoke. “I don’t know. I saw him leaving the school with Annabelle.”

“Oh yes! That mindless girl. Any way we can contact her? Maybe she notices what happens prior to Mr Ian’s death.” Andrew Zach suggested.

“I remember where she stays!”

Isabelle took out her laptop and started typing away.

“133, Jalan Gelanggang.” Isabelle murmured to herself. “Here we are! A temple?”

“How can she live in a temple? I am sure she is not a nun!” Andrew Zach tried to deduce things with rationale.

“But here’s the location from the internet. And there’s a phone number too. Let’s just call and find out. If it is wrong, then at least we don’t make assumptions anymore.”

Isabelle called the number. Andrew Zach snatched the phone and put the conversation on speaker. The ringing continued until someone picked up their call.

“Hello,” a breathy voice answered.

“Hello. We are calling to look for Annabelle. Is she here?” Isabelle asked.

“Annabelle? Who are you?” the man sounded stunned when he heard the name.

“Yes, Annabelle Chan. She came to our school for a day last year. Is she here?”

“That’s impossible. The little girl had passed away more than 200 years ago.”

“WHAT?” everyone bellowed in mystification.

“How sure are you, uncle? How come you know things that happened 200 years ago?” Andrew Zach confronted the man.

“Of course, I am very sure. I am the keeper of this temple. The lady whom you mentioned is the daughter of this temple’s founder. Their tablets are venerated here.”

Sense of creepiness swept through the students. Isabelle trembled upon hearing what the man said. However, she plucked up her final courage to ask the uncle one more question.

“Do you know how did she die?” Her voice quavered. She couldn’t process all the things that had happened.

“According to the previous keeper here, Annabelle Chan committed suicide not long after she got married to a Baba household in Kuala Lumpur. It was said that she didn’t want to stay at home and so she took lots of sleeping pills and killed herself. Some people saw from the newspaper that her name is in one of the many graves exhumed to make way for a school. I am not so sure about this because her plaque is placed here. Aiya, there are so many nyonya ghost stories nowadays. Some even said those who owned vintage nyonya costumes and jewellery are cursed because nyonya adored their costumes and accessories much. You young fellas are reading too much ghost stories. Bye! Stop fooling around. I am very busy.”

The students looked at each other in silence. Isabelle’s legs went limp suddenly and passed out on the carpeted floor – at the same location where they first found Annabelle.

*

Peter Soh is an ambitious Malaysian writer whose stories are about darkness, pain, struggles, identity searching and what it means to be a human being. He made his publishing debut with his short story, ‘The Missing Tomb’ in the ‘Emerging Malaysian Writers 2018’ anthology and has unknowingly written six features about the baba nyonya in Penang Monthly. He is currently teaching First Language English and Sociology in Kingsley International School.

[appolojustice]

>Think of a cute little shippy thing that you want to write into like a 1,000 word drabble >Turn it into almost 10k worth of character introspection and backstory with some strong shippy elements >profit

Title: Constant Fandom: Kallende DnD Pairing: Rilas Word Count: 7,687 Content Warning: Talk of parental figures and parental death, some very sad young Silas

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

“Do you have to go?”

Thia gave a sorrowful smile and knelt down next to her young son.

Silas was watching his mother with wide, sad eyes, waiting for her answer. There was a tiny pout on his face that she could tell he was trying to hide. Somehow, that only made it more effective.

She stroked his hair gently before leaning in to kiss his forehead.

“I'm sorry, love,” she said. “I know these trips are hard for you.”

Silas wrapped his small arms around Thia's neck, hugging her tight. Thia hugged him back, pressing another kiss into his hair.

“I'll be back before you know it,” she said, softly. “What should we do together when I get back? A picnic?”

Silas paused, then nodded, and Thia gave him one more kiss before he picked his head up. His eyes were wet.

“I'll miss you,” he murmured.

Thia gave him another smile, trying to be reassuring. “I'll miss you,” she said. “It won't be long. I'll be back soon.”

As Silas nodded, Thia grew a bit more somber. She carefully removed her necklace and placed it around Silas’ neck.

“Take good care of that while I'm gone,” she said. “You'll keep it safe, won't you?”

As he always did, Silas took the pendant in his hand, inspecting it closely, brow furrowed in concentration. Then, as he always did, he carefully placed the pendant back down on his chest, then looked up and asked her about his father.

It seemed the only time he had the courage to. These small moments when Aedan's necklace was around his neck.

This time, he asked, “Am I like him?”

Thia smiled at this, her chest filling with warmth,  and took her son's face in her hands.

“You have his heart,” she said, and it was the truth. She had never known anyone who loved as fiercely as Aedan, until her son was born.

Silas gave her a small smile at this, and she kissed his forehead one last time before releasing his cheeks and straightening back up.

“I have to go, love,” she said. “I'm sorry. I'll miss you so much.”

“Come back soon,” Silas said, and Thia smiled.

“I will,” she said. “Be good for Elaric, now. No trouble. I love you.”

“Love you,” Silas echoed, and his voice sounded just a tiny bit thick.

Thia left then.

Silas, as he watched his mother leave, didn't feel any sort of dread outside of the usual. No sense of foreboding, no drop of his stomach, no goosebumps or hairs standing on end.

This departure didn't feel at all different from the many others he'd lived through.

But this departure was different.

When the door closed behind Thia, Silas never saw his mother again.

Silas had a habit of fidgeting with his necklace when he was nervous. It helped keep him calm, though he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was its connection to the druids, who had done their best to teach him to control his emotions. Maybe it was the memory of his mother. Maybe it was simply the familiarity of it, it being the only thing Silas had managed to hold onto for most of his life.

Whatever the case, he was fiddling now, as the party made its way through the busy streets of a port city's marketplace. It was midday, and the vendors were pedaling everything from food to expensive jewelry, and the street was crowded enough that the group had to dodge and slip and push their way through.

It wasn't that Silas was afraid of crowds. They just set him on edge. He didn't enjoy being jostled, and he couldn't help but think of his youth, when crowds like this provided the easiest pickings for lifting wallets off clueless passersby.

More than that, though, he didn't enjoy the little skip his heart did every time one of the others would disappear into the crowd in front of him, as part of him feared they wouldn't resurface.

It was an irrational fear, but he couldn't stop it from getting to him every time.

So he fidgeted, his brow furrowed, trying his best to keep up.

That is, until he felt a hand take his own.

His pace slowed as he felt himself relaxing intuitively. When he looked over at Riley, she smiled, giving his hand a squeeze.

He smiled back, slowly letting his necklace fall back against his chest.

He'd been needing it less, lately.

“Where exactly are we going, again?” Seren said from a few feet ahead of him, obviously annoyed. No doubt she was having the same thoughts on pickpockets that Silas was.

“I found a guy who has a job we can help with,” Rhogar said, and then, with a knowing smile, “Seemed like it would pay pretty well.”

Sure enough, Seren gave a huff, but didn't argue further.

They continued on a little ways, winding through the streets, then ducking down one alley and another before coming to a stop in front of a little hovel of a shop tucked away into a corner. Though they’d left the crowd sometime ago, Riley’s hand was still in Silas’ own.

Rhogar knocked on the door, and after a moment a small, wizened human opened the door a crack, glaring out.

“I brought the others,” Rhogar said, in a dubious sort of way that fit the atmosphere enough to make Silas smile.

The old man looked them all over, before sighing and stepping outside.

“You’ll do,” he said, in a tone that implied an, I suppose. “I’ve explained all this to your friend here, but...I’m an apothecary. I usually go by myself to get ingredients, but...lately I’ve been having a lot of trouble.”

“What kind of trouble?” Mara asked.

The man snorted.

“The monster kind,” he said. “Kobolds moved into one of my favorite gathering spots. I need someone to clear them out. I’ll pay, and well. What do you say?”

“Just kobolds?” Seren said. “I think we can handle that.”

The man nodded before giving a grunt.

“Five gold an ear,” he said. “Ten gold a kobold. Here’s a map. Be quick about it.”

As he disappeared back inside his shop, Silas said, “Talkative fellow.”

Riley laughed at this, and Silas felt himself smiling again.

“Come on,” she said, “If we’re fast, we can be done before sundown!”

---

“This is the place, right?” Riley stopped walking and looked around. “I don’t...see any kobolds.”

“Maybe we have the drop on them,” Silas said, as he came to stand beside her.

“Yeah,” Seren said, voice wary. “Or maybe they have the drop on us.”

The party exchanged uneasy glances as they considered this.

They had followed the old man’s directions to an area not far from the sea, where salt grasses and tough, packed sand intermingled. Several dunes, covered in vegetation, dotted the landscape, providing ample cover to whatever could be lurking nearby.

And Kobolds were known for their traps.

Riley slipped her greataxe off of her back. “Guess we should be ready for anything, then.”

They began poking around the terrain, looking for any signs of Kobolds, taking note of anything suspicious.

As Silas passed by a particularly large tuft of salt grasses, something caught his eye within it.

Frowning, he took a few steps closer, squinting into the obscured area.

He was just about to reach out and part the grasses when something suddenly moved from within it, springing towards him.

He cried out and tried to get out of the way, but the creature had caught him too off-guard, and it slammed into his chest, knocking him over before barreling past him.

Silas winced and rolled into his stomach, wanting to warn the others, but soon saw there was no need.

A group of Kobolds, nine or ten in all, had descended on them, circling them in, and the others were all readying themselves for a fight.

Silas scrambled to his feet as the Kobold that had attacked him turned on him again. It started towards him, but Silas held his hand out, and a shard of ice flew towards it, burying deep in its heart. It gave a strangled sort of sound and fell over.

That done, Silas turned his attention to the rest of the group. Riley had made short work of two of the kobolds already, and was turning her attention to another. Silas watched as Orel knocked one over the head with his quarterstaff, giving Seren an opening to slip behind it and stab it in the back. Rhogar and Mara stood nearby, slinging spells towards some of the remaining enemies.

A kobold appeared behind Riley then, small axe raised, and Silas shouted a warning as he raised his hand.

A vine shot out of the ground, wrapping around the kobold and incapacitating it, just as Riley turned around and swung her greataxe at it, ending the threat. She turned and grinned at Silas.

“Thanks, sunshine!” she said, before turning back to the fight.

Silas blinked, momentarily stuck on the nickname he still wasn’t used to, before a growl to his right brought him back into the fight.

Silas slipped his quarterstaff off of his back, imbuing it with magic as he did. As the kobold at his side lunged, he swung the staff towards it, connecting with a satisfying thunk.

The kobold flew back in the direction it had come from, and while it was still in the air, a blast of fire caught it and sent it sailing back a few more feet. It landed and didn’t move.

Silas looked up and grinned over at Rhogar. “Nice shot!”

Rhogar gave a sarcastic little bow and fired another spell off.

“Uh, guys?” Seren said, a moment later. “We may have a problem!”

Silas, confused, followed Seren’s gaze.

The remaining kobolds had begun to gather around one of their own, who had raised an arm. The ground around him was changing.  Thick grass and vines spilled out from around him, barreling towards the others. Orel and Mara, closest to the new threat, were quickly swept up in the vines, restrained. Riley slashed at the vines with her greataxe, but they kept coming all the same, managing to wrap around her leg.

“Silas!’ Rhogar shouted, as the vines crept closer to him. “I think we could use some druid magic over here!”

--

“Are you ready, Silas?”

A few years back, Silas had stood in a clearing in the forest, surrounded by the druids of his grove. The druid elder, Jophyra, stood before him, a wooden quarterstaff in her hand, a kind smile on her face. Behind her stood the other archdruids, some of them looking considerably less kind.

Silas, a few years younger but no less stubborn, frowned and stuck his chin out.

“Of course,” he said.

Really, he’d never been more nervous.

Jophyra nodded and stepped forward, handing the quarterstaff over to him.

“You can do this,” she said, so only he could hear. “Just relax.”

Silas didn’t respond, instead turning his attention down to the staff in his hands.

He wasn't sure he could do this. No part of the druid ways had proven easy, but the magic had given him more trouble than anything else.

He wouldn't truly be a druid until he could do this.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

What would his mother say if she could see him now? Following in the footsteps of the man she had cared so much for?

The man that Silas had never met.

If he passed this test, if he became a druid and joined his father's Grove…would it help him understand, even just a little?

Silas gritted his teeth and put everything he could into his spell.

When he opened his eyes, the staff had changed. Fresh young vines spiraled their way along its wood surface, small white flowers blooming in certain spots.

More than that, the staff felt different. It was subtle, but the wood seemed to be humming slightly in his hands now. If you looked at it just right, it almost seemed to glow.

Silas had seen many staffs like this over the course of his training.

“Well done, my child,” Jophyra said.

Silas looked up at her and beamed.

Jophyra was smiling at him, pride evident on her face.

“Welcome to our Grove, Silas,” she said. “You are now officially a druid.”

It was a moment before Silas found his voice. “Thank you.”

Jophyra’s smile softened.

“You did all the work, my dear,” she said. “You should be proud of yourself.”

Silas smiled, but it wavered as he thought again of his parents. He wondered if they would be proud of him, had they been here.

“Is there anything else I need to do?” he asked, quietly, as he handed the staff back to Jophyra.

“No,” she said. “That’s all there is to it, my dear.”

Then she paused, before a sad smile crossed her face.

“Well,” she said, “Normally there is a second part.”

Silas gave her a questioning look, and she continued.

“Every druid,” she said, “Carries with them a symbol of their home Grove. It is proof both of their commitment to the ways of the Druids, of their hard work in becoming one, and of their rightful place in the community. It is a druid’s identity. But it is also a reminder of their call towards a greater good.”

Jophyra's expression grew more serious, and Silas had a hard time reading it.

“It is sacred,” she said, softly. “And it is a privilege very few will ever have.”

Silas’ heart had sunk by the time Jophyra finished. He couldn't quite meet her eye when he spoke next.

“Do I,” he said, quietly, “Do I not get one?”

Jophyra's expression softened again, and she smiled as she gently re-adjusted the necklace around Silas’ neck.

“Oh, my dear,” she said. “You already have one.”

--

Silas gritted his teeth as the overgrown vines began to creep towards him as well, and began preparing a spell of his own.

This kind of thing would be tricky, but if he really focused…

He opened his eyes, and the vines began to retreat, releasing the others and starting back towards the kobolds. The kobolds, who had been looking smug, were now looking panicked, and had only begun to retreat when the vines reached them, wrapping them up instead.

Rhogar gave a whoop.

“Yeah!” he cried. “Don’t bring plant magic to a fight with a druid! Easy pickings!”

“I’ll hold them there,” Silas said, still concentrating, fighting the kobold wizard who had cast the spell, “Just...hurry and finish it, yeah?”

The others nodded and started forward.

Silas watched as the others began to make short work of the remaining kobolds. His spell held, despite his struggling and any doubts he had. If he was being honest, he was more amazed than proud of that fact. He didn’t think he’d see a day when he could go toe to toe with another magic user and-

His thoughts were interrupted as something tackled him from behind, roughly, pushing him to the ground. He lost all concentration and control over the spell as his head hit the sandy ground beneath him, and before he could recover, that something was on top of him, taking swats at his head.

He tried to defend himself, pulling his arms up to block the blows, but the kobold only began attacking lower. Silas felt it grab onto his necklace and tug, and he panicked, bringing his own fist up to slam into the kobold’s head.

Unfortunately, Silas was never one for hand-to-hand combat. The punch seemed to do little but annoy the kobold, which glared down at Silas before raising its arm for another strike.

And then the Kobold was being yanked off of him and thrown, and Silas sat up in time to see it land at Seren’s feet, who drove a knife through its throat unceremoniously.

“That’s the last of them,” Seren said.

“Are you okay?” Riley said from beside him, as she put a hand on his cheek. “That one came out of nowhere.”

Silas gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine,” he said. “Just a tumble. Thanks for the help.”

RIley smiled back and helped him to his feet.

“Let’s finish up here,” Seren said. “I see eleven dead kobolds. That’s over 100 gold, if I can’t convince the old guy to give us more.”

“Yeah, because you’re such a sweet talker,” Rhogar said, as he accepted a knife from Orel.

Seren gave him a sharp grin. “Who said anything about sweet?”

Once they’d collected the ears and anything else worth taking, Orel sighed.

“Let’s head back,” he said. “It’s going to be dark soon, and I don’t think any of us want to be ambushed in the dark.”

Just as they were about to leave, habit made Silas reach up to squeeze the pendant around his neck.

His fingers met empty air.

Confused, he looked down.

And his heart dropped into his stomach.

His necklace wasn't there.

--

After Elaric had gone out one night and never returned, after Silas had given up hope that his guardian- or anyone, for that matter- was coming back for him, after Silas had packed what little he could from his childhood home and abandoned it, after he'd been scooped off the streets by a friendly boy a few years older than him, after he'd been fed for the first time in several days and had been given a bed and the promise of a safe place to stay for as long as he needed, Silas found himself thinking of his father.

He sat on his new bed with his legs pulled up to his chest and stared at his necklace intently, as if the pendant with its intricate design could somehow begin talking, tell him something about this man he knew nothing about.

Right now, all alone and ripped from his home, there was really only one thing he could think of that he knew about his father.

Is he coming back? He'd asked his mother once. And she'd given him a sad smile and kissed him and said, Of course he is, little fawn.

Silas’ frown deepened as he turned the pendant over in his hand.

Remember what I told you about that necklace, she'd said, and he'd nodded, because he did remember. She was holding it for him. She'd give it back when he returned.

But he hadn't, and now Silas had the necklace.

He's very busy, she'd said, but I'm sure he thinks of you every day.

Then where was he? Silas needed him.

His mother had raised him alone for five years. She'd died a year before.

His eyes began to water, and he gritted his teeth.

He didn't want to be alone. He didn't like it.

Your father loves you, Silas.

With a cry of grief and frustration, Silas removed the necklace from around his neck and hurled it at the opposite wall. It hit with a sharp tink and clattered to the floor.

A second later, cold guilt gripped at Silas.

Take good care of it, his mother had always asked. Every time. Including the last.

Silas scrambled out of bed and over to the necklace, praying that it wouldn't be shattered. He very carefully picked it up.

Your father loves us, both of us. Her warm smile. This necklace is proof.

Silas was crying now, and when he saw that the necklace hadn't shattered, but had received a small chip towards the top, he clutched it close to his chest and slid down to the floor.

When I'm away, she said, as she slipped the necklace around his neck, if you get lonely… Just hold onto this, and remember that your parents love you. And we always will.

He held onto it now, tighter than ever, because his parents were both gone now, and neither was ever coming back, and his father's necklace was the only physical thing he had left to hold onto that could remind him they'd ever been there at all.

--

Silas stopped dead in his tracks as the reality of the situation sank in.

His necklace was gone. It was gone.

“Wait,” he said, “Wait, my-”

But that was all he could get out before panic closed his throat up. He ran back the way he'd come, towards where the Kobold had tackled him.

“Silas?” This was Riley, concerned, but he couldn't manage to answer her, instead dropping to his hands and knees in the sand, sifting frantically.

His words came out in fragments as his mind whirled.

“My,” he said. “Gods. Where. I can't. Where did it. Gods. My-”

He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Riley watching him, worry clouding her face.

“Silas,” she said. “What's wrong? What happened?”

Silas stared at her for a few seconds before he looked back down at the ground. He took a deep breath. It did little to calm him, but he managed to answer.

“My,” he said, “My necklace. My necklace. It. I don't know where it-”

He wasn't able to finish, but he didn't have to. The worry on Riley's face changed to understanding, then back to concern as she scanned the ground beneath them.

“Guys!” She called to the others, “Come back! Silas lost his necklace. We have to find it!”

Silas was back to searching, feeling close to tears.

“I can't lose it,” he said. “I can't….it was my dad's. My mom gave it to me. I can't-”

He felt Riley's hand on his cheek then, and he looked up, eyes wet.

“Hey,” she said, “We'll find it. Don't worry. We'll find it.”

After a moment, Silas nodded, and Riley gave him a reassuring smile before joining him in his search.

Soon after, the others joined in to. They searched the area Silas had fallen. They searched the surrounding sands. They searched the body of the Kobold that had attacked him. They even expanded their search past where they had fought, combing the dunes as best they could.

None of them had any luck.

When the sun began to get low, Seren finally sighed.

“I'm sorry, Silas,” she said. “But if we haven't found it yet, we're not going to find it in the dark.”

Silas didn't look up from his searching, but the hollow feeling in his chest told him Seren was right.

“You all can go back to town,” he said, quietly. “You've helped enough. I can keep looking alone.”

“And leave you out here for more Kobolds to find?” Rhogar said. “No thanks.”

The hollow deepened, and Silas knew Rhogar was right, too.

He stopped searching and sat in the sand, looking up at the others, his eyes beginning to water again.

“I can't leave it,” he said. “I can't just…”

He trailed off and looked down again. The necklace was his one constant, the one thing he'd always had, no matter what, the one thing connecting him to his family, the one thing he'd managed not to lose.

“It can't be gone,” he finished, very softly.

“Silas,” Riley said, “I'm so sorry.”

Silas looked up to meet her eye, and he could tell that she really was. Not just that he had lost his necklace, but that she hadn't been able to help him find it.

The only thing worse than his growing feeling of dread, he realized, was adding the feeling of knowing Riley was upset on top of it.

“It's okay,” he said. “You all…You helped so much. Thank you, really.”

“We can try again tomorrow?” Mara offered, but even as they said it Silas knew it wouldn't do much good.

“We can't stay here a whole extra day on my account,” Silas said. “Let's just...let's just go back to the inn, yeah? Before it gets too dark.”

The others exchanged sad glances before nodding and starting off.

Silas thought he was ready to face the loss of the necklace, but it wasn't until they had left the area that the full weight of it all hit him, and his breath briefly caught in a sob. He pulled himself together immediately after, but not before Riley had noticed and taken his hand, squeezing it tight.

---

Riley had asked about the necklace before, of course. She was always curious, about everything, and Silas was one of her favorite subjects to learn about. Silas didn't mind. He adored her curiosity, her interest, just as he adored most things about her, and even though her questions weren't always easy to answer, Silas always tried his best to.

First, while they had been walking along the trail between one village and another, she had remarked, “You always have that necklace on.”

Which wasn't really a question, so he’d simply said, “Yeah. It’s...it’s important.”

She hadn’t poked further.

Then on another occasion, when they were sharing a watch and keeping each other company late at night, she had asked, “Where did you get it? Your necklace?”

To which he’d replied, “Oh. My mom gave it to me. It used to be my dad’s.”

Again, she let the discussion end there, though Silas was sure she had more questions.

It wasn’t until they had begun dating that she felt comfortable enough asking further.

It was a lazy morning in a tavern room, and Silas had been doing his best impression of a sleeping druid, trying not to notice that Riley had been gently trying to get him to stir.

“I know you’re awake,” she’d finally said, but didn’t make any moves to do anything about it.

Silas smiled and rolled over, burying himself deeper into Riley’s embrace.

“I’m not,” he said. “You must be hearing things.”

She laughed, though Silas could hear a bit of a pout in her voice when she spoke again.

“All I hear,” she said, “Is a very cute voice, lying to me.”

“Five more minutes,” he replied. “Please?”

And Riley had laughed again and coalesced.

A moment later, though, she’d said, “Your necklace….it. Was your dad’s?”

Silas, surprised at the question, didn’t answer right away.

“Yes,” he finally said. “He gave it to my mom when he...when he left. She gave it to me every time she went on a job, so…”

He trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish the thought. RIley knew what had happened to his mother on her last job.

Riley hugged him a little closer, and changed the subject off of his mother.

“What does the symbol mean?” she asked. “It’s very pretty.”

Silas shifted so he could look down at the symbol on the necklace. It was deer's head with tree branches for antlers, the branches curling up and around the druid triskelion.

He didn’t think about it much. Not because it wasn’t important, but because he’d seen it so often, for so many years. Like the face of a loved one, the details had blurred into a feeling.

“It’s the symbol of his grove,” he said. “Well...my grove too, now. It shows that we’re a member of it. Every grove has a different one.”

Riley thought this over for a moment.

“It’s kind of like...my satchel,” she said. “Rose gave it to me to help me remember my time in the circus, so...it kind of reminds me I. Belonged there.”

Silas smiled. “Yeah. Kind of like that.”

“I can’t imagine giving Rose’s gift away,” she went on. “I’d have to…”

She trailed off as she looked down at Silas, her face growing serious for a moment. Then, she smiled again.

“He must have loved her a lot,” she said.

SIlas stared at Riley in surprise for a moment, before looking back down at his necklace. “Yeah. I...I guess so.”

There was a long pause.

“He told her he’d come back,” Silas finally said, quietly. “He asked her to hold onto it for him, until he came back. It was like a promise.”

Riley seemed to understand what he was getting at.

She pulled him closer again.

“I think he meant well,” she said. “It seems like…he really wanted to keep that promise. Like he wanted you all to have hope.”

Silas didn’t answer, though his eyes were beginning to feel wet.

“I think that would make sense, anyway,” Riley added, softly, “If he’s anything like you.”

And in the quiet morning, Silas heard his mother’s voice in his head.

You have his heart.

--

The journey back to the inn was a long one.

Silas spent it in silence. The mood was more somber than it should have been, given their recent victory. Silas blamed himself for that.

He could tell Riley was watching him. She kept glancing over at him, concerned, but he didn't know what to say. It was all too much, and he didn't want her to worry.

When they finally reached the inn, Silas slipped away from the group and up to his room. He knew the others would notice his absence, but he'd be better equipped to answer their questions once he'd had the time to gather himself. Or at least, he hoped he would be.

His mind was too busy to even attempt sleep, so he sat down on the bed instead. He stared down at his feet, trying to come to terms with what had happened.

Gone. His necklace was gone.

He'd been alone for several minutes when he heard the door to the room open, and he looked up to see Riley approaching him, a bowl in her hand and a hesitant smile on her face.

He tried to smile back, to reassure her, but he wasn't sure how successful he was. “Hey, Ri.”

“I brought you some stew,” Riley said, holding the bowl out. “It’s not that bad, for a tavern stew. The meat wasn't even that chewy!”

Silas smiled again, a bit more genuinely this time.

“Thanks,” he said. “But I'm not...I'm not feeling too hungry right now, really.”

Riley's smile faltered as she set the bowl aside and came to sit next to him on the bed. Silas rested his head against her arm, thankful for the company.

“I shouldn't be this upset,” he mumbled. “It's not like anyone got hurt. It was just...it was just a stupid necklace.”

Even as he said it, he knew it wasn't true.

Riley seemed to know it, too.

“It was important to you,” she said, quietly.

Silas didn't answer for a moment, too busy trying to keep his emotions in check.

“It's just,” he said, his voice thick now, “It was all I had left of them. Either of them.”

Riley's arms were wrapping around him now, pulling him in closer. When he climbed into her lap, she gently pulled them both down onto the bed, wrapping Silas up into an embrace as she did so.

“I know,” she said.

Silas was crying now, because he could hear his mom's voice in his head, asking him for the last favor she ever would.

“She asked me to take care of it,” he said. “She told me to look after it, and I-”

“Silas,” Riley said, gently, “She'd understand.”

“No, but I still-”

He stopped as he sobbed, and buried his face into Riley's chest.

“How could I lose it like that?” he said. “Why wasn't I more careful? It was...the one thing I couldn't…”

He trailed off, unable to finish the thought. It was too much. The necklace meant too much. His last promise to his mother, the last thing she'd given him, his connection to his Grove, his identity as a druid, the only piece of his father he'd ever had, the chance to find his father, somehow, and show him that necklace, to have him understand…

It was all gone.

So he let himself cry, and he let Riley hold him, until her comfort and his own exhaustion helped his tears give way into an uneasy sleep.

--

“Mama, what’s this?”

Silas was four, and wearyingly precocious, but his mother liked to humour most of his antics, so when he scrambled up into her lap and began examining her necklace, she only smiled and ruffled his curls.

“It's a necklace,” she said, and Silas gave her a pout.

“I know,” he said, “But what's it for? You always have it.”

Thia laughed.

“It's not really for anything, dear,” she said. “I always have it because your father gave it to me.”

Silas blinked and looked down at the pendant again. “Oh.”

Thia noticed his change in demeanor, and shifted so she could wrap him up in a hug, giving his cheek a raspberry.

“Can I tell you a secret, little fawn?” she asked, and Silas, giggling, nodded. “Before you were born, your father had to go back to his home. He didn't want to, but they needed him. He told me to keep this necklace. He said he'd come back someday, and I could give it back to him then.”

Silas seemed to consider this. Thia gave him a kiss.

“Your father loves us,” she said. “Both of us. This necklace is proof. It was very important to him. So I'm keeping it safe for him. Will you help me do that?”

Silas smiled and nodded.

“Good,” Thia said, before lifting him off of her lap and setting him back on his feet. “Now, go play. It's nearly supper.”

And Silas had, happy and content, with the image of a father who loved him and a mother happy to welcome him home fresh in his mind.

--

Silas awoke feeling hollow.

It had been a long time since he'd felt that emptiness, especially in the morning, when he woke up next to Riley. But the loss of his necklace was still fresh on his mind; he could still almost feel its absence around his neck, and every time he thought of it his stomach tightened a little more into a knot.

And also, he suddenly realized with a start, he couldn't actually feel Riley beside him this morning.

Confused, he turned over, prepared to pull himself closer to her again, and instead sat up, surprised.

Riley wasn't lying beside him. She wasn't in the room. He was alone.

“Riley?” he called.

When there was no answer, he quickly got to his feet.

He shouldn’t be worried. There was no reason to think anything had happened. She’d probably just gone downstairs for breakfast, or for a quick morning walk.

But it was so unlike her to leave him without saying anything.

Orel was the only one in the inn's small dining area aside from the barkeep when Silas made his way downstairs. He gave Silas an acknowledging nod.

“Good morning,” he said.

“Have you seen Riley?” Silas asked.

If Orel was bothered by Silas’ lack of a returning greeting, he didn’t show it. He simply shook his head and gave him a curious look.

“She’s usually in your room with you at this hour,” Orel said. “Is she not?”

“No,” Silas said, his stomach twisting again, ever so slightly. “I'm...I'm going to go look for her, okay? I'll be back.”

Orel gave him another nod and a reassuring smile. “I'm sure she's nearby. Don't wander too far off.”

Silas stepped out of the inn into the salty morning air. It was refreshing, and the sound of waves nearby was calming, but Silas wasn't much in a mood to appreciate either of those things. He glanced about, hoping to spy a glimpse of Riley, and when he didn't, he started forward.

But where could she have gone? Where would he even start-

“Silas!”

He turned towards the voice as relief flooded through him. Riley was jogging up to him, looking equal parts overjoyed and sheepish, and he gave her a smile as she stopped in front of him.

“Morning,” he said.

“Silas,” Riley said, catching her breath. “Sorry. I wanted to be back before you woke up.”

“I was just a little worried,” Silas admitted. “Is everything okay?”

At this, Riley brightened up.

“Everything's great,” she said. “I have something to show you. Close your eyes.”

Silas raised an eyebrow at her, but did as she asked.

A few seconds later, he felt her gently place something around his neck.

He opened his eyes, blinking, and looked down at his chest to find a necklace resting there. A Druid necklace.

For a fraction of a second, Silas thought Riley had somehow found a new necklace, as similar to his as she could find, to help make his loss easier. But then he took the pendant into his hand and his heart leapt.

He saw the imperfections in the old metal, a pattern of wear that he knew by heart. He saw the small chip in the top, from the night he had thrown it at the wall. His thumb traced over the familiar groove on one side of the pendant, where years of fidgeting had worn down the metal.

Most obvious, though, was the pendant's design. A deer. Tree branches. A triskelion.

It was his Grove's symbol. The symbol of his father's Grove.

This wasn't a necklace. This was his necklace.

Silas looked up at Riley, shocked. He opened his mouth to say something, but found he didn't have any words.

She gave him a smile.

“I know how much it means to you,” she said. “And I hated seeing you so upset. So, after you fell asleep, I went back to try again.”

Silas blinked, surprised again.

“Have you,” Silas said, quietly, “have you been...looking for this all night?”

Riley smiled again, this time sheepishly.

“Yeah,” she admitted. “I knew I'd find it if I kept trying. It took a little longer than I thought it would. I really wanted to be back before you got up.”

Silas only continued to stare at Riley, blinking more as his eyes began to water.

“Riley,” he managed, before the words failed him again. He looked back down at his necklace, still not quite believing he had it back.

“How did you,” he started, trying to find the words, “It was...it was dark, and…”

“My prism!” Riley said, grinning. “It can cast light, so I just used that. I'm just glad I found it. I knew I was taking too long, and-”

She couldn't finish the thought, because in that moment Silas closed the gap between them and pulled her down into a kiss. When he pulled away, he wrapped his arms around her neck and kissed her cheek, once, twice, several times, as he started to cry.

“Thank you,” he said, as clearly as he could around tears. “Riley, thank you. Thank you. You didn't….you didn't have to do this.”

Riley smiled and straightened back up, taking Silas with her and scooping him up into her arms.

“I know,” she said. “I wanted to.”

Silas gave a laugh that was half a sob.

“This means,” he said, voice still thick, “So much to me, Ri. Really, I…”

But he couldn't put into words the sheer amount of gratitude he felt, so he settled for kissing her again.

It seemed to get the point across just fine. Riley smiled and brushed some of his curls away from his face.

“The cord was broken,” she said. “I sort of...tied it back together, but…”

“I'll fix that,” Silas said. “It's not important. I thought I'd lost the whole thing. I thought…”

He trailed off, looking down at the necklace once more, before looking back up at Riley, beaming.

“You're incredible,” he said. “You know that?”

She blushed at this, averting her gaze, but smiled all the same.

Silas saw this and smiled back as he leaned in to kiss her cheek again.

“You're incredible,” he repeated, softer this time. “I’m so lucky to have you.”

“Silas,” Riley said, before smiling again and kissing him back.

As she pulled away, Silas said, “This is. The nicest thing anyone's ever done for me, Ri, I...I don't know how I'll ever repay you.”

Riley laughed softly and shook her head.

“You don't have to,” she said. “You deserved it, because. Because you're, well...you.”

Silas’ heart skipped a beat, and he could feel himself blushing.

“Well,” he finally managed to say, “There has to be something I can do, right?”

Riley laughed again.

“I am pretty tired now,” she said. “You think the others would be okay with staying here an extra day after all?”

“I think they'll have to be,” Silas said. “I'm not going to let anyone disturb you.”

Riley rested her forehead against Silas’. “And will there be cuddling?”

“The whole day,” Silas said, smiling.

“Mm,” Riley said, as she started back towards the inn, “My hero.”

Silas laughed at this, then reached up to find his necklace.

He found the pendant, and held on tight.

--

It wasn't uncommon for Aedan's work to be interrupted.

His concentration on a book detailing the fauna of southern Byram was interrupted as he felt arms wrap around his chest, the soft feeling of lips just barely grazing his neck.

He smiled and put the book aside.

“Hi, love,” he said, and Thia laughed as she gave his cheek a kiss.

He never really minded being interrupted.

“Aedan,” Thia was saying, as she straightened up again and took his hand, “Look.”

She gently guided him down to her stomach, and pressed his palm against it, holding it there. Aedan held very still until he felt a small thump against his hand.

“Oh!” he exclaimed, as Thia released his hand. “They….they moved!”

Thia smiled and rested her own hands against her stomach.

“Getting restless,” she said, a bit wistful. “If he's anything like his father, I bet he's ready to see the world.”

Aedan smiled again, shaking his head. “You're so sure it's a boy.”

“Just a hunch,” Thia replied, shrugging.

“And me with the perfect name picked out for a girl.”

“I'm not naming my daughter Drusilla,” Thia said blankly, before shooting Aedan a grin.

Aedan smiled back, but then his smile faded as he began to reach for his book.

Thia noticed right away, frowning and putting a hand on his cheek. “Aedan? What's wrong?”

He sighed. “It's just...I'll be leaving in a week, and…”

Thia gave him a sympathetic smile. “I know, love. It's not ideal, is it?”

“I'll miss his birth,” Aedan said. “I don't know how long I'll be gone, and. Best case, I'll still probably-”

“Hey,” Thia said, taking Aedan's face in her hands. “We’ve already talked about this, remember? You'll be back when you can be back. It can't be helped.”

Aedan studied Thia's face for a moment before he answered. “What if I didn't go?”

She smiled and kissed him, before letting him go again. “You have to, love,” she said. “Your family needs you.”

Aedan thought of the letter he'd received from his Grove, asking for him to return. Asking for his help.

“You're my family, too,” he said, quietly.

Thia looked surprised for a moment before she smiled again.

“And this family,” she said, leaning in to kiss him again, “will still be here when you get back. I love you, Aedan. I'm not going anywhere.”

“I didn't think you would,” he said. “I just…”

He trailed off, and after a moment Thia pulled him to his feet before embracing him.

“I know,” she said. “I know.”

“You're too good to me, you know,” Aedan said. “Letting me go off to who knows where at a time like this.”

“Please,” Thia replied, not without warmth, “What kind of a person would I be if I didn't let you go?”

“I wouldn't blame you,” he said, and Thia laughed.

“You need to do this,” she said, as she pulled back from the embrace. “I know it, and you know it. And when your job is done and you find your way back here...I'll be waiting. And so will our son.”

“Or daughter,” Aedan added.

Thia shrugged. “I guess we'll see, won't we?”

Aedan laughed, his heart swelling, as Thia so often made it do. He thought of something, then. Something else he needed to do.

“Hold still,” he said, before slipping his necklace off of his own neck and placing it around hers.

Thia stared at him, then down at the necklace, then back up at him.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I want you to have it,” he said. “At least until I get back.”

“I thought you said this was important,” she said.

Aedan nodded. “It is.”

“Isn't this...what makes you a druid, or something? Can you just give this away?”

Aedan laughed again. “Sort of, and probably not. I might have some explaining to do back home.”

Thia looked hesitant now, so Aedan leaned forward and kissed her. When he pulled away, he said, “I want you to have it, so you remember I am coming back.”

“Aedan,” Thia said, “I already know that.”

“I know,” he said. “But, I just...I'll feel better, knowing you have that.”

He couldn't read her expression now. Even now, she was still so often a mystery, his Thia.

“I love you,” he said. “I love both of you. I hate the idea of leaving you. If I have to...I want you to know that coming back will always, always be on my mind.”

Thia stared at him for a few more seconds, and he could have sworn her eyes looked watery. Finally, she looked back down at the necklace again before smiling.

“Alright,” she said. “I'll keep it safe.”

--

Riley fell asleep almost as soon as she and Silas had gotten comfortable in their bed, but Silas hadn't quite drifted off yet. He was studying his necklace, flipping it over and examining every inch of it, re-committing it to his memory. He'd had quite a close scare with it. He didn't want to risk forgetting a single detail of it.

He still couldn't believe Riley had gone out and searched for it all night. Every time he thought about it, his heart felt like it might burst. What he'd said had been true. She was incredible, and wonderful, and a miracle, and far too good to him. Far too good for him, really, and yet here she was.

So many memories connected to his necklace. Not all of them were happy, but many of them were.

He was loved. He’d always been loved. His necklace helped him remember that.

And now Riley was included in that, too.

Silas let the pendant fall back against his chest as he turned to snuggle deeper into Riley's side.

For years, his necklace had been the steadiest thing in his life. The one constant, the one thing he could always count on being there.

That had been changing, recently.

He was pretty sure there was at least one other constant in his life now.

It didn't take much longer for Silas to follow Riley back to sleep.

[pjo-hoo-nextgen]

Thia’s Arrival

An Anon sent me this prompt from the list I posted!

Prompt: Please, just hold my hand.

— — —

There was no way to prepare for parenthood when you didn’t have months to plan for it. Percy and Annabeth? No worries, they had time to prep. Nico and Will? Time to prep. Thalia and Reyna? About five seconds to figure out what the hell was happening.

“I am literally going to drop kick my father in the balls,” Thalia’s hands sparked with barely controlled anger. “What was he thinking? Oh yeah, he doesn’t think!”

“I still don’t understand...” Reyna frowned examining the note over and over again. She’d flipped it over, turned it upside down, and even folded it before opening it again. There was no additional information.

“Read it to me again,” Thalia pressed her lips into a thin line as she paced back and forth.

“Thalia, it’s come to my attention that you’ve recently been looking to add a member to the family. I took it upon myself to sort out all of the necessary details for you. Prometheus has crafted a child in your likeness as well as Reyna’s. I hope this helps make up for the tough childhood you had. If you wish, I would happily recommend naming the little girl-“ Reyna didn’t bother finishing the note before she crumpled it up and chucked it across the counter.

“All of the necessities? What does he think you need to take care of a baby? Just two people and that’s it? That food spontaneously exists along with diapers and a bed and pajamas and more?!” Reyna was certain Thalia would spontaneously combust at any moment. It wasn’t that Thalia was upset at the child, it wasn’t the kid’s fault, but she was contemplating the many ways she’d beat the crap out of her father.

“Honestly, I don’t even know what to do.” Reyna groaned resting her forehead against the countertop. “I’m so far from the motherly type it’s ridiculous. When Maria was born she cried the first time she saw me!”

“That was a little funny-“ Thalia snorted before seeing the death glare on her wife’s face, “but I have a plan. It’s just temporary.”

“Thalia, love of my life, the best friend I’ve ever had, I hate to tell you that most of your plans are complete shit.” Reyna arched a brow as if she expected Thalia to deny the claim.

“You may be right, but I have some experience. It’s not the best, but I did handle Jason.” Reyna could practically see the gears turning in Thalia’s head. “I can run over to CHB in no time and see if there’s anything I can borrow from Percy. Last I heard Maria had outgrown pretty much everything and they probably have some of her old clothes.”

“Thalia I don’t want to be here alone! What if it cries?” Reyna frowned, she could feel her heart hammering in her chest.

“Then you hold her and rock her. If that doesn’t work maybe swipe some formula that’s left over from Eli. Make sure it’s not hot, test it on the back of your hand.” Thalia was beginning to remember the basics of how she’d take care of Jason all those years ago.

“And your knowledge is exactly why you should stay and I should go.” Reyna stood ready to pounce on the door and beat Thalia outside but the other girl was ready.

“Not a chance. I’m the fastest.” Thalia called over her shoulder already stepping outside. There was a slight crackle of lightning, a tit bit of thunder, and a gust of wind. Reyna groaned running a hand through her hair. Thalia has learned little less than a few months ago that she could run as fast as the wind itself.

“Why did I have to tell her to experiment with her powers?” A slight whine was the only response to Reyna’s words and her attention was drawn to the small baby still settled snugly in its blanket and box. “Oh Gods I’m so going to die.”

— — —

Explaining the situation was difficult but Thalia managed to rattle it off as quickly as possible. Percy had learned long ago to really stop asking questions when weird stuff happened.

Still, he was kind enough to scrounge up some bonus items from Leo and Calypso as well. Thalia had been smart enough to ‘borrow’ a backpack from a nearby store on her run over and it was now bursting at the zippers. “Thanks. Uh, gotta blast. Talk more later!”

And with that she was already jetting off back towards home. The trip took no more than a handful of hours which was quicker than if Reyna had taken a car or Pegasus. Bouncing up the front steps Thalia anxiously entered the house once more.

It seemed Reyna and the baby were having a staring contest. It was almost funny if it didn’t look like they were both going to throw tantrums. “Thank Gods you’re back.”

“What happened?” Thalia sighed taking the bag from her shoulders and digging through it.

“Nothing.” Reyna noted, “just...it’s weird.”

“Yeah, I’m with you on that.” Reyna watched as Thalia went on auto pilot. The daughter of Zeus seemed to know exactly what to do which was very different from Reyna’s ability at the moment.

The little baby seemed much more at ease the moment a bottle was in her mouth. Reyna watched curiously as Thalia kept one hand supporting the end while she also used the other to prop the baby upright. “So...how often do they do this?”

“A lot.” Thalia laughed. “It’s how they grow.”

“I see. Then what do we do after this?”

“You’ll see.” Thalia promised, “right now I’m just trying to make sure a baby doesn’t die in my house. We can decide the details later.”

— — —

Reyna made sure to stay out of the way through most of he evening. The only thing she really contributed to was putting back together the small crib Frank had dropped off which was Eli’s first one.

With the directions laid out Reyna did her best to follow the pictures. She hated small writing though, because it wasn’t just small-it was excessively small.

“Alright, you look old enough for this,” Thalia hummed. Reyna glanced up to see a soft towels sprawled on the counter with a very naked baby carefully settled on top. “Now, don’t you fuss. It’s actually pretty fun I promise.”

“She can’t understand you, you know that right?” Reyna laughed.

“Yes, but it makes things less awkward.” Thalia have Reyna an amused look.

“What’re you going to do?”

“Get her cleaned up. She was outside for a while which is bad. Immune systems in babies are horrible. That’s why everything has to be so sterile when they’re really young.” Reyna could tell Thalia was mentally cursing her father.

“Isn’t she too small for a bath tub?” Reyna questioned.

“Yes, which is why we’re going to use this.” Thalia picked up a small and soft little wash cloth and held it up for both Reyna and the little girl to see.

Reyna rolled her eyes on amusement and temporarily abandoned her work to curiously watch what was going to happen. “She seems excited.”

Thalia carefully took the end of the wash rag back from the little chubby hand that had grasped it. “I would be too, in all honesty.”

Reyna couldn’t help but be alarmed once more by how much the baby looked like her and Thalia. The same skin tone she had and the same colored hair. What small rift of hair the baby had literally wouldn’t lay flat and it was as wild as Thalia’s. Then there was the little smile that matched Thalia’s too.

The baby squirmed when the wet cloth first made contact with it’s skin but soon she seemed to be relaxed. Reyna noticed that Thalia’s touch was even more gentle once she reached the top of the baby’s head.

“Is something wrong there?” Reyna hummed in curiosity.

“Nah,” Thalia shook her head. “You just have to be careful. See, babies have a little soft spot on the tops of their heads where their skull hasn’t fused together all of the way. If they get hit or touched too hard their it’s bad.”

That bit of information absolutely terrified Reyna. “Oh.”

“There,” Thalia rested her hands on her hips for a moment, “done. You can dry her off if you want.”

“I’m perfectly fine with observing,” Reyna laughed nervously.

“Alright, if you insist.” Thalia bundled up the little girl with ease before tucking her snugly in the crook of her arms. “But she’s cute...look at her!”

“Believe me, I have.” Reyna replied. “For someone who was so ready to take on all of Olympus you seem to be rather...attached.”

“And you’re not?” Thalia quirked an eyebrow. “I mean look at those chubby cheeks. Though, they aren’t as chubby as Jason’s were when he was little. Boy did he have some baby fat.”

“Thalia, I’m gonna finish this up you can finish whatever you’re doing with her,” Reyna tucked her hands on her pockets, “then maybe it’s wise if he had a talk.”

— — —

Reyna had finished the crib and the baby was out like a light once it was set up in the edge of their room. Both Aurum and Argentum were curious as to what the heck was now in their house and sat outside the crib staring in expectantly.

“Are we really keeping her?” Reyna asked.

“Of course, what else do we do?” Thalia frowned. “It’s not like there’s a return policy.”

“I know,” Reyna rolled her eyes, “I’m just not-“

“Comfortable?” Thalia finished. “Rey, I wasn’t comfortable with Jason at first. You learn. That’s the whole freaking point. It’s not like we’re both at a complete loss. There’s an advantage in that.”

“Yeah well the whole idea of a kid being that small is-“

“Scary. Of all the things in the world you’re scared of a baby?” It wasn’t hard to read the mood of disbelief on Thalia’s face.

“It’s fragile.”

“Well duh.”

“I’m not good at ‘fragile’”

“Pffft, and I am?” Thalia laughed. Just the past week she’s accidentally punched a little kid too hard on the arm when trying to give him a pep talk. “You know what? Stay there.”

“What are you doing?” Reyna asked in alarm as Thalia scooped up the sleeping baby. “No, I am not holding her.”

“Come on! It’s not so bad.” Thalia sat on the edge of the bed giving Reyna a serious look.

“Don’t you dare.” But it was too late, Thalia had already thrust the sleeping child into Reyna’s arms. “Thalia Grace I will murder you!”

“I’ll take my chances.” Reyna was stiff, she sat with a straight spine, tense shoulders, and rigid hands gripping the sleeping little girl. “Loosen up, relax a little.”

“I am relaxed.”

“Then that’s horrible relaxation.” Thalia snorted. Reyna gave her wife a dirty glare and relaxed the slightest bit.

“Happy?”

“Very.”

— — —

Reyna still wasn’t sure about the situation. She watched the baby’s nose scrunch up like a little rabbit’s, saw a small fist squished up against its cheek, and she felt that it was all a ploy to get her to fall in love.

She couldn’t be tricked like that-but then there was the cute little sneeze, and then the yawn. Her defenses were absolutely destroyed, but she was still cautious.

“You doing alright?” Thalia asked after a couple of moments.

“Please, just hold my hand.” Reyna held out her hand expectantly and Thalia took it in her own. “I’m literally shaking.”

“Good lord you’re so dramatic!”

“In Latin you idiot what do you expect?” Reyna scoffed.

“Can we keep her?” Thalia asked seriously. There was a long pause and Thalia’s anxiety only grew.

“Yes...but I get to name her.” Reyna decided.

“What?! Why?!”

“Because this was your father’s stunt. Not mine!” Thalia wanted to slap the smug smirk off of Reyna’s face but she reluctantly agreed to the deal.

“Fine...but only because I love you.”

“That’s what I thought.”

[bangastrology]

Hello again! It's the OT7 anon - Thank you for responding. I really love Cap energy - so a coin toss between Jin and Tae - We got Tae xD

- both your suns square eachother: it means your core ego are completely differents and you may not get along well from the start,the good thing is that you two challenge yourselves to grow and develope but it may be frustrating just because of how different toy both are

-his sun conjunct your moon: this i good! it has the yin-yang dynamic like you two understand eachother and it’s because your moon is in the same sign of his sign(capricorn) and thia adds an athmosphere of mutual undertanging;this relationship inspires creativity

-his rising trine your mars: you both fill a boost of energy being in the other presence, you share the same interests and enjoy doing things togehter;this aspect can idicate sexual attraction

-his venus opposite your mars:There's an overwhelming sexual attraction between you but it is not always harmonic.Passion can take many forms, it also can surface in unbalanced ways as in quarreling and competition.Jealousy and possessiveness might also be issues.he may see you as too direct and lacking gentleness, while you may see his ways as seductive but lacking substance.

also your mars is in his 8th house, his sun in your 8th house and your moon in his 1st house(very interesting positions but these are for the overlay) 

[khrsecretvalentine]

Summer Woes

Tsuna sighed in his seat, staring at his phone with a dejected face.

“Man, I died again. This boss is too hard!”

Sighing once again, he checked his character revive at the capital city of Sofya. He clicked his tounge in frustration, checking his items once more before going to the blacksmith. It seems he couldn’t defeat Roshan with his character yet, so he would train his blacksmithing skills in the meantime.

But before that, he’d need materials.

After talking to the NPC, Tsuna went out and started asking other players for extra materials, which he obtained by buying from them. He then checked his blacksmithing skill - 86% which is not that bad.

“Tsu-kun, dinner is ready!”

Tsuna nearly dropped his phone in surprise. It was already 6? Really, he’d been playing that long?

“Coming!”

He teleported to his house inside the game and logged out.

- - -

“Yo!” “Good morning, Jyuudaime!”

Tsuna smiled and greeted the two. It was the summer holidays, and his guardians were all but scattered to different places due to training Reborn suggested one time. To his surprise, however, Reborn went away saying he had something to do, leaving Tsuna with no mentor, so he took the chance (really, this is a rare chance) and immersed himself with games.

Ah, right. Before Reborn came, Tsuna was already playing online games - mmorpg’s to be exact - since he gave up trying to study and it interests him. He played numerous games before, but now he’s playing a new game called Toram Online which was made by Asobimo.

He’s not the best at games though, but he seems to always pull through the challenges, so why not?

“Tsuna, you okay?”

The young Vongola blinked and smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, just thinking about something.”

This seemed to surprise the two. Gokudera put on his determined face and asked, “Is something bothering you, tenth? I’ll take care of it!”

“No, no! It’s nothing, Gokudera, really!”

“If tenth says so!”

Just then, his cellphone blinked indicating a notification.

- Maintenance at 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM JST (Japanese Standard Time) today! - New map to be explored! New monster and boss will be released! - Main quest will be updated! - Level cap will be raised from 80 to 85! - Fixing bugs about the inventory problem. - Adding new Gacha costumes!

Tsuna can’t help but to be excited. Asobimo seemed to be putting some good updates this time! He didn’t notice his guardians peeking from behind.

“Toram Online?”

“Hiiiieeeee!” Please don’t scare me like that!

"Maa, maa, that game seems interesting.” Takeshi said, fishing out his smartphone.

“Shut up, baseball freak! Sorry about this idiot, tenth!” said his storm guardian, also getting his phone from his pocket.

“Um, what are you guys doing?”

Gokudera beamed at him.

“We’re going to play with you from now on, tenth!”

- - -

As expected, the two we’re good at the game. Gokudera seemed to really liked the games mechanics - where he could pick his own skills and try to wear many costumes. Takeshi, on the other hand, was a casual player at most; where Gokudera was busy leveling his Alchemy skill, Takeshi would go and use the Mercenary system and would sometime hire another player - or Gokuder’s. Most of the time he would sit at Rakau Plains doing nothing, but he’s always with the other two when fighting a boss or completing a hard quest.

Gokudera picked a DPS (damage per second) mage, while Takeshi picked a dual-wielding swordsman. Tsuna himself was a DPS mage, but more of like a tanking-healing one since he really doesn’t like to die (this is why Gokudera’s second character was pure healer and would use it sometimes for support).

They progressed immensely by that time, and their main character were all above level 80 by the time the last two weeks of their summer started to roll.

It wasn’t until the next update for the incoming event happened that problems started to arise.

To begin with, Tsuna doesn’t spend money for in-game purchases, since gacha doesn’t really interest him - but this turned out to be a problem within the latest expansion when a bug targeted players without single purchase from the shop and rendered their currently weapons obsolete, which in turn raises millions of questions and anger from players around the world.

Asobimo released a statement, apologizing for the inconvenience and annound a full day maintenance the next day.

It was fine, really. But Gokudera wasn’t okay with it, so he sent out a full-blown letter demanding the company to fix everything within the day, which in turn they replied with more apologies and a promise they would fix it as soon as possible. They did this three days later, adding the new event, Summer Troubles, with limited time map dedicated for monster and a boss during the event as compensation.

Two days later the event was release - Tsuna was about to cry.

The game was fixed and everything, but another problen arose. The bug was removed but it affected the new map for the event significantly, making the monsters stronger and the boss even more so.

“This is ridiculous!” Gokudera snapped when they were killed yet again. The event boss, Yselenica, was an archangel that had fallen during the Battle of Worlds - meaning the story where the world of the game was created. The boss information also stated that during his long time of being alone, Yselenica’s sadness turned into hate making the once kind angel into something sinister.

For starters, her level was 100 - the cap was still 85, so overpowering her by level is impossible. Additionally, she has an array of attacks where her magic removes every buffs/bonuses a player has - and also instantly killing the entire party upon hitting them. Also, most of her skills were AOE (area of effect), meaning almost all of her skills were wide-ranged, making it hard for tanks and melee fighter to attack; save for one skill.

This skill was a single line attack, but also one of the deadliest. It deals thousands of damage to a player and unless you’re a tank, you should be worried. That’s when another problem comes in - the boss likes to target magic casters - which were already vulnerable as they were. Tsuna’s character for one, is a pure INT meaning most of his skills were for dealing damage rather than protection like tankers does.

Takeshi, who was always acting as a tank, always die first - which is funny, since his character build isn’t really for tanking. He’s a swordsman, damn it. Takeshi’s character is just a proxy tank - which gave them another problem - they don’t have a proper tank. So one day, they’ve decided that Takeshi would make a proper tank.

Once they’ve successfully turned it to lvl 80 (with the help of exp buffing items), they came back to the new boss to challenge it again - in Nightmare mode (because Gokudera wouldn’t want to defeat it in easy mode). The animation starts, and the battle begins.

“Takeshi!”

The swordsman responded by running towards the boss, activating a skill to get it’s attention; Tsuna and Gokudera hitting it with spells in the background. Then they started counting. Bosses, specifically, have predetermined attacks - meaning their attacks were set to a certain order. But if an attack hits it with flinch, it would suddenly get randomized and then its nigh impossible to beat.

“AOE, dodge!”

They ran away from the red circle, almost hugging the edges of the map. After that they continued this for minutes, with Takeshi taking aggro of the monster and the two buffing him and healing.

Until Tsuna’s attack made the boss flinched.

“Shit!” he cursed, running away from the deadly single attack that was suddenly aimed at him. Just when we managed to get his HP down to 8%! He managed to escape, but then got hit by another surprise attack and died. “Oh, come on!” he said as he stared at his dead screen. NO, god dammit, they were going to finish this thing off!!

“Takeshi, continue holding her down, Gokudera, keep healing him. I’ll use my revive this time.”

“Got it!”

“Roger, tenth!”

Tsuna wait for another attack to finish, before reviving his character and running to the other direction. “Takeshi, take her to the other side of the map! I’m going to use my new combo!”

“What, now?!”

“It’s fine! Let’s just hope she’d die before we did!”

Takeshi laughed at this, but obeyed nonetheless. Gokudera gave Tsuna an ATK raising buff and nod at him gratefully. “Right, here I go!”

Tsuna clicked the skill button and his character released a couple of attacks, each one hitting stronger than the last - and one attack managed to hit her too hard and the boss suddenly turned to him. He released another combo this time, and screamed when an attack made a critical hit, dealing 83,674 damage - killing the boss.

“YEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! WE DID IT! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Beside him, his guardians were screaming as well. “Good job, Tsuna!”

“No, idiot, tenth is more than good! He’s amazing, the best!”

Just then, something hard hit Tsuna’s head and he screamed in pain. “Having fun, Dame-Tsuna?”

“Reborn, that hurt!”

Reborn’s aura went dark. “Oh?”

“Hieeeeee! Don’t shoot my cellphone, Reborn!!”

- - -

Ryohei was doing his EXTREME jog to Namimori when he saw the trio walking down the road. “Hey, how’s yo- AHHHHHHHHHH!!! WHAT EXTREMELY HAPPENED TO YOU GUYS?!”

Tsuna’s pale, thin face greeted him. Takeshi and Gokudera seemed to be in the same situation. A small, hollow laugh came from the young Vongola, creeping the Sun guardian.

“Reborn punished us.”

Well, he didn’t have anything to say to that.

- - - A/N: Hi, yes, I love games you see. I hoped I didn’t made this one very complex, as that would be detrimental for both of us. I hope you like thia though! The bit part about Yselenica is made up, but Toram Online is very much real and I love that game! Thank you for participating in the event! You can ask me anytime for questions or requests if you do have one! ^^

From @iruiji to @transreborn

[todaynewsstories]

Political power, education and walking the talk: Education Minister Ong Ye Kung goes On the Record

SINGAPORE: My conversation with Education Minister Ong Ye Kung begins with him describing the lowest point of his political career.

Mr Ong has risen swiftly through the ranks since he, as part of a People’s Action Party’s (PAP) team, won in the Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in the 2015 general election.

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As we sit down to discuss issues recently brought up in the Prime Minister’s National Day Rally speech and the ups and downs of his own political journey, my first question to him is to describe the highest and lowest points of his career so far.

He chooses to start at the bottom, as if wanting to get it out of the way quickly.

“Let’s start with lows since I lost my first election. I don’t brood over it. But it was tough.”

He is referring to being part of the team that lost in 2011 to the opposition Workers’ Party (WP) team in Aljunied GRC. That was the first time an opposition party defeated the PAP in a GRC.

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“It opened my eyes to how tough it can be. The national mood wasn’t so good and we faced a very strong WP team led by Low Thia Khiang. His jumping over (to join the GRC team), I think, made a big difference. But we fought the best fight we could.”

He refers to it as a “baptism by fire” and says that going into the election, he didn’t expect it to be so tough.

I wonder why he failed to sense the national mood.

Mr Ong Ye Kung in an interview with Channel NewsAsia’s Bharati Jagdish. 

“I was a rookie and just wasn’t mature enough as a politician. With many things in life, you have to go through it, experience it, and then you grow up. The important thing is with a setback like that, you have to bounce back, learn from it.”

Indeed, he learnt a “tremendous lesson”.

“The reality of politics, how important it is to sense the mood, move the masses, be able to put yourself forward as a credible person who would help residents change their lives. Another key lesson is an internal one – when you face a setback like that, how do you pick yourself up and soldier on?”

After the defeat, he stayed in his job as Deputy Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress for about a year before leaving to go to the private sector to take on the role of director of group strategy at Keppel Corporation. 

Prior to this, he had been a high-flying civil servant who started off at the Ministry of Communications in 1993, before moving over to the Ministry of Trade and Industry in 2000 where he was the deputy chief negotiator for the Singapore-US Free Trade Agreement. He was also principal private secretary to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong from 2003 to 2005 and has also served as Mr Lee’s press secretary.

He has also held the role of chief executive of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency.

“Personally, I feel going through all this does make me a better person. You learn not to take yourself so seriously. You take your work seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously.

“Setbacks do happen, and you just have to deal with it and bounce back … Other people have much more severe setbacks and yet they bounce back. Those are inspirations.”

Minister Ong Ye Kung with residents. (Photo: Facebook / Ong Ye Kung)

THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER POLITICAL SETBACK

As our conversation continues to more recent developments, it becomes apparent that being ready for more political challenges is not far from his mind.

It comes up when I ask him for his views on the long-term healthcare and housing policies announced by the prime minister at the recent National Day Rally.

Mr Lee described the schemes as ambitious endeavours that will stretch over 50 years and more, several generations, and many General Elections.

I ask Mr Ong if this is a way of securing the PAP’s position ahead of the next election.

“It’s really not about who is in government, but to have the conviction that in this little red dot, you must have longer-term policies. If you’re caught by short-termism and popularism, it’s not going to work for Singapore. Already, we are disadvantaged by size, disadvantaged by the lack of natural resources. What we have as an advantage is that as a small place, we can be more united and we can have plans that are long-term in nature, and that way, we are more coherent, our policies are more sound, more sustainable.”

He says he doesn’t think in terms of political power.

“Who wins the election and who is the government is for people to decide, but this Government believes in long-term policy. So long as we are in government, this is how we will implement the policies and people know what they will get with us as (the) Government.

“Ultimately, this is about what policies can best serve Singaporeans for the long term.”

When I put it to him that in spite of this, it’s possible that the PAP may not be in power for the long term, he acknowledges that could happen.

“It may happen. Never think any ward is safe. We are a small place … When the mood swings, the entire island will swing. I believe the day the PAP loses an election and cannot govern is when things are very bad and probably policies go awry. People don’t feel that we’re serving them anymore. 

“When that happens, we will probably deserve to lose. And hopefully then, another party can come in and can carry on the long-term policies, and take the long-term perspective for the benefit of Singapore.”

“PARACHUTED” INTO POLITICAL OFFICE

After the 2015 election, Mr Ong was thrust straight into office when he was appointed Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills). 

A year later, he was promoted to full education minister (Higher Education and Skills), as well as Second Minister for Defence.

Earlier this year, as the Ministry of Education (MOE) reverted to having only one minister, he was appointed to that role.

The highest point of his career so far, he says, is very much tied to this ministry.

“In my earlier years, in 2015, after I came in, I explained the need for SkillsFuture, multiple pathways and the fact that students have different passions, and we should let them pursue their passions. 

“Then I introduced the early admission exercise for polytechnics, which is based not just on academic grades, but on aptitudes. That was very well-received and that was a very high point for me. It made me believe that whatever you do, you have to explain where you’re coming from, what are the principles, what are your basic foundational beliefs, and then I think you have a higher chance of people accepting it.”

His rapid rise through the political ranks has not gone unnoticed. In the initial years, some members of the public described him as having been parachuted in and questioned his credibility. This still happens from time-to-time.

“I would say judge me by what I’m delivering and what I’m doing. The path, to me, is not that easy, having to go through 2011 and the Aljunied GRC, then changing jobs and experiencing different sectors. If other people think it’s easy, and if I’m not doing a good job, I deserve the criticism. But I hope I do a good job.”

He points out that, in fact, his journey in politics began even before 2011, but he postponed his entry because of considerations for his father, who was one of 13 Barisan Sosialis legislative representatives elected in the 1963 General Election. He later had disagreements with the PAP.

“He had no misgivings with the current generation of PAP leaders, not even the 3G, 2G leaders. 

“His misgivings and disagreements were with the first generation PAP leaders and over very deep-seated cultural, language issues … over the merger with Malaysia. Those were the issues. There were still a few first generation leaders around in 2006, so, I could see he was not comfortable. He said, ‘Why not later? Why not later?’

“Although he blessed it, in the end, I counted myself out. It would not have been respectful to him. He had passed away by 2011, but even before he passed away, he was a lot more at ease with the idea. So, I decided I would enter politics in 2011.

“Maybe it was a parachute, but it took me a long time to jump out of the plane,” he adds laughingly.

He counts his father as his most powerful political influence.

“It’s really a subconscious imbibing of values. I watched him when I was young, what he believes in. In politics, I believe you must have conviction, and a view in a certain direction, because if you don’t, then you’re just managing the bureaucracy. I might have gotten that from my father. He has a certain conviction. He stood on principles. If you look at it in terms of the political parties we joined, it’s different, but in terms of wanting to make a difference, I think we were on the same side.”

He admits considering other options after his 2011 defeat.

“I didn’t know whether I’ll be welcomed back, having lost once, whether I would be happier in the private sector. But having experienced the private sector, the union and public service, by 2015, I felt public service is probably what I enjoy doing the most, what I find most fulfilling. My test is this: When you are on your deathbed and you think back what you have done, I think I would have regretted if I had not come in, so when the PM invited me again, I felt I should give it another try.

“If you are not in government, then you have no policy levers. I think this is where you have a platform and an opportunity to make a big difference to many people’s lives.”

Minister Ong Ye Kung with residents. (Photo: Facebook / Ong Ye Kung)

PSLE AND THE CULTURE OF LABELLING

We move on to discussing hot-button issues in education.

In Parliament earlier this year, he addressed suggestions by some MPs to abolish the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), or removing the practice of segregating students into different classes based on their academic results.

He said then that this may not reflect the preferences of a majority of students and their parents. Bold moves cannot be made recklessly, he cautioned, lest they “undo what had worked and served students well in the past”.

I put it to him that this might have served academically inclined students well, but the negative aspects of the exam cannot be denied.

Considering the stress it causes, how it judges students at a very young age, and labels them for so many more years of their lives, are the perceived plus points worth it?

“I accept that,” he said. “Sometimes the stakes are seen as very high. It really should not be. 

“The key purpose is for the students to feel they have an exam that they can work towards, that allows them to consolidate everything that they’ve learnt for the last six years in primary school and know what is their level, so that they can go to a school that is more suited to their standard of learning, their pace of learning. That will be a good school to that student and that way he or she has the best chance to go as far he or she can.”

He later admits that changing perceptions about the objectives of the PSLE is something that his ministry needs to continue working on. 

“You can’t have education without tests and exams, because you have to reflect how much I have learnt. So there’s nothing wrong with tests and exams. But I accept your point of view, that it can be stressful, it can be very high stakes. So, I think these are issues worth looking at.

“But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. We need PSLE as an important feature of the education system.”

The MOE is attempting to mitigate the perceived stakes. As part of a wider shift to move away from an over-emphasis on academic results, the T-score system in the PSLE will be replaced with eight broader “achievement levels” in 2021.

IS EVERY SCHOOL A GOOD SCHOOL?

He reiterates an example he raised in Parliament to make his case for keeping the PSLE intact.

“Switzerland doesn’t have any equivalent of PSLE, so you just send students to the school nearest their home, but as a result, there’s no choice for students. Students can’t say that I worked towards a certain PSLE result. I can look forward to a school that I want to go to. In Switzerland, there’s no such choice.”

I put it to him that if as the MOE says, every school is a good school, choice shouldn’t really matter.

“Every school being a good school does not mean every school is the same. If every school is the same, every school can’t be a good school. So when we talk about this aspiration or this vision, of every school is a good school, it is really to say, it is possible at some point, every kid can go to a school that suits him or her best and help him or her achieve the best that he or she can be … And that requires every school to be slightly different, to be strong in different areas that play to the strength of the kid. And for that to happen, choice is important.” 

Education Minister Ong Ye Kung speaking in Parliament on May 15, 2018. 

NARROWING THE GAP BETWEEN THE RICH AND THE POOR

He also cites other issues that proximity-based school admission raises.

“Just look at other countries where you have rich neighbourhoods with just that one rich school and all rich students go there. Then it will be a cocoon.”

I remark that under the current system, we are seeing this to a certain extent in Singapore too.

“But we can work against it, because we have the levers in place. We have the Direct School Admission (DSA) scheme that we can now make use of once we tweak the mechanisms,” he said.

“We can now recognise talent for admission into schools. And if there’s a singular talent, we can come up with a programme to develop those singular talents for students from poorer backgrounds as in the case of the Junior Sports Academy. So we take in students, including those from poor backgrounds, and train them professionally in sports.”

The subject of tuition inevitably comes up as the affluent can afford not just academic tuition, but sports tuition which gives them a leg-up even when it comes to DSA.

“The rich will always be able to take advantage of any system. Tuition is not a Government policy,” he says and maintains that the education system is being designed to narrow the differences between the affluent and the masses.

“With the right programmes and mechanisms in place, we can do this.”

He expects the expansion of MOE kindergartens to make a difference as well.

“One-third of the places are set aside for students from poorer backgrounds.”

However, I put it to him that if he is concerned that doing away with PSLE and implementing proximity-based admissions would result in greater social stratification, why not ensure a healthier socio-economic mix in neighbourhoods or situate schools better?

“You can mix the neighbourhood. Because 80 per cent of Singaporeans live in HDB, we can do some of it, but even so, not all neighbourhoods will be that mixed. But fundamentally, why take away the choice for a primary school student to work towards a secondary school that suits him best, that is strong in different areas that play to the strength of the kid?

“Different people have different strengths, and the system must be variegated enough to allow them the choice. First, to guide them to discover their own strength, and where their passion lies, their interest lies, and then have a multi-path system for everyone to pursue what is best for them.”

I wonder how he decided which school was best for him when he was growing up. 

In an interview with another publication, he was quoted as saying he wanted to go to Raffles Institution (RI) “because I wanted to do well”.

I ask him what made him think that he had to go to RI to do well.

“I wanted to follow my brother. He went there, so as a younger brother, you tend to follow your elder brother. For a 12-year-old it was really just based on the fact that kor-kor went there. It was really just as simple as that.“

As it turns out, he went to a Special Assistance Plan institution, Maris Stella High School, as his Chinese-educated father wanted him to.

Mr Ong says he is happy with that choice and he “wouldn’t change a thing”.

“I think from there, I learnt how to overcome setbacks, I learn how to deal with people, talk to people, get things done. It’s very hard to articulate.”

To illustrate that today, every school has its strengths, he points out the “wonderful things” different schools are doing in the form of applied learning programmes, enrichment classes, and varied pedagogies.

He claims that attitudes on the ground are changing.

“As an MP, I visit a lot of homes. I do feel on the ground PSLE is still a stressful exam, but I think on the ground, more and more parents and students are taking a lighter attitude towards it, that this is not the be-all and end-all. If you want to apply to polytechnic or university, increasingly, they don’t just look at your academic results anyway.  They look at your aptitude.

“But more importantly, is the job market. I think employers are also shifting and not just purely looking at academics. They are looking at your competencies and what you can do. The environment of moving towards advanced technology, high-tech innovative sectors is also making people feel that academics are not everything. In fact, getting your first qualification is a start of a lifelong journey and the deeper the sense of lifelong learning sinks in, the more we feel that PSLE is just really one small milestone.”

Minister Ong Ye Kung with students of Changkat Changi Secondary School. (Photo: Facebook / Ong Ye Kung)

IS THE GOVERNMENT WALKING THE TALK?

While private-sector employers might be progressively hiring based on skills and competence rather than paper qualifications, I ask him about his views on whether the Government’s hiring practices are changing accordingly.

Last year, it was reported that the Public Service Division (PSD) would stop distinguishing between graduates and non-graduates and grouping employees into divisions according to their paper qualifications.

Similar steps have been taken in the teaching profession to close the gap between graduates and non-graduates when it comes to salaries and promotions.

But is there still an unspoken partiality towards hiring graduates? Can the civil service do more?

“I would think yes, they can do more. It is doing more.  

“Academic qualification does matter, but don’t put everything on an academic university education. There are different kinds of qualifications out there now, all of which can signal whether the person has the competency to do the job. So be more open, don’t just insist on one type of academic qualifications.”

He cites the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore as a “model employer”.

“CAAS now takes diploma as well as degree graduates to become air traffic controllers. Whatever your qualification is, you come in as an air traffic controller, you go through their very rigorous training, after that you’re on probation. And once your probation is over, you can be a very good proficient air traffic controller. Everyone is paid based on performance.

“I hope the civil service, or statutory boards, because they do have quite a bit of autonomy fixing their own hiring policy, take a hard look. When a job is skills-based in nature, really, there’s no need to insist on different tiers of degrees, second-upper, first-class and so on. Really, hire based on skills and competencies.”

He emphasises that certain professions do still require a degree though and there is value in it.

“For example, don’t go to a doctor if he doesn’t have a degree, a medical degree. Certain professions you still need that degree, and therefore degree continues to be very useful.”

I point out that we don’t have a single non-graduate minister today.  Can’t the Government more boldly set the tone?

“We are products of an education system of the past. But today, you look at the education system, we have students who opt for a more applied pathway through the diploma route. So you look at the students now, they’re making their choices very differently from the past. I think when they grow up, if they have interest in politics, what will be the state of ministers in future. It’s hard to say. I think you’ll get a much more diverse group coming from different pathways. I certainly hope so.”

SAGA OVER PARKING FOR TEACHERS WAS “UNNECESSARY”

As we continue talking about education, Mr Ong acknowledges that teachers play a vital role.

“My sympathies are totally with teachers. They have to face a lot of stress, a lot of demands from students, from parents, from MOE. But they are a very professional lot. I have great respect for teachers in MOE. It’s the backbone of our system. The entire quality of (the) education system really depends on the quality of teachers. They have displayed a tremendous level of professionalism.”

However, I remark the recent saga over teachers having to pay for parking on school premises might have left many of them feeling under-appreciated.

The Audit-General’s Office (AGO) 2014/2015 Financial Year report noted that some educational institutions did not charge or undercharged for parking on their premises. It had called this a “hidden subsidy” which went against Government guidelines for public servants.

MOE had said that since then, it had been working with the PSD and Ministry of Finance “to determine an appropriate treatment for staff parking in schools”. 

Many members of the public took to social media to make a case for free parking for teachers in return for the numerous sacrifices teachers make in their jobs every day.

But the policy was implemented anyway.

“It is really unnecessary in my view – the whole saga,” says Mr Ong.

I ask him to clarify what he means since he had said in a Facebook post in May this year that charging parking fees at schools is about “upholding the value of self-discipline”. He had also said that “we have to respect our internal system of checks and balances. We cannot pick and choose which finding to address or comply with – we take them all seriously”. 

So is he not on the authorities’ side on this?

“It’s hard to argue against it,” he says to me.

“We argued against it for a couple of years because between it being raised and being implemented was a good few years gap. That was the time we tried to talk to the authorities that feel there has to be parity in terms of every civil servant paying for parking at their workplace. But in the end, I think it’s a principle that’s hard to argue. So we explained to the teachers. Nobody likes to pay. But I do think the majority accepted it. We have implemented it. Let’s just focus on the work from henceforth.”

Minister for Education Ong Ye Kung at the SkillsFuture Fellowships and Employer Awards ceremony in 2017. (Photo: Deborah Wong)

FOCUSSING ON THE WORK

And the work is indeed what he seems to want to focus on.

While Mr Ong has been widely touted as one of the front-runners to be the next Prime Minister of Singapore, he claims it’s something he doesn’t think about.

“I really don’t want to think about that. If you’re an MP, be a good MP and if you’re entrusted with a ministry, be a good minister. And that is where I am now. That should be my focus. I just want to be a good education minister, and there are so many things we need to do. So let’s just focus on that.

“Every ministry is a good ministry,” he adds with a grin.

However, he recognises that more still needs to be done in his ministry and when I ask him what keeps him awake at night, he lists the tasks ahead of him.

“Some of the issues you raised – do exams need to be so stressful, can we customise education without the labelling and stigmatisation and making people feel that they’re being sorted? How do we make sure that as we progress in life, there are still many options, many paths, so that not everyone is focused on just that one academic path? How can we make sure that there’s more joy in learning in schools, while maintaining the rigour, and not having so much rigour that you kill the joy of learning? So these are key issues that we need to resolve.”

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[thememeless-blog1]

Eliza Script - The Fish Bowl

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-The Script formatting would not carry over to tumblr-

INT. The Fish Bowl - NIGHT

Eliza approaches the double doors of The Fish Bowl, muffled music can be heard from inside.

Shadow Man

A young girl, a talking cat and a shadow creature walk into a bar. What could go wrong?

Eliza slowly pushes the doors open and is blinded for a moment by the colourful lights. The club is filled with different humanoid versions of different creatures sitting at tables and booths and drinking different coloured fruit drinks and chatting to each other. There is a Jukebox playing upbeat background music. Marbles walks protectively alongside Eliza.

Shadow Man

Well this establishment is definitely a step up from those ghastly sewers.

Marbles

It was your idea to exit through the sewers.

Shadow Man

Well...yes but-

Marbles

And we are technically still in the sewers.

Shadow Man

Alright yes I will admit our first moments of freedom haven't exactly been pleasant, or smelled very nice, but that was only the first step, once we arise to the surface we will be free to do whatever we desire. Yes we are still in the sewers but this place seems to be much more civilised than the rest of those dank tunnels.

Marbles

*Sigh* I suppose you're right.

Eliza

We must be heading in the right direction, maybe someone can tell us how to get topside.

Marbles

Yes, hopefully we won't run into any more aggressive amphibians.

Frog

Human!

A record scratch is heard and the music from the Jukebox cuts off. The room falls silent and all inhabitants of the club stare in silence at Eliza. A Frog, Lizard and Snake approach Eliza and Marbles in a menacing manor. All other patrons of the club watch the incursion from their tables.

Shadow Man

Oh dear, another aggressive amphibian.

Lizard

A youngling

Snake

(Hiss) It certainly seems to have entered the wrong club (Hiss)

Marbles moves in front of Eliza to defend her. The Lizard looks at Marbles.

Lizard

This human seems to have also brought one of the sewer rats with it.

Marbles growls at The Lizard and her friends.

Eliza

I'm not here to start trouble; I'm just trying to find a way to the surface.

Frog

Find a different way. Your kind isn't welcome here.

The Frog, Lizard and Snake begin to move closer. The Frog cracks his knuckles.

(O.S) Gregory Gills

(Clears Throat)

Everyone in the club turns to see Gregory Gills standing on top of the main bar, hands behind his back.

Gregory Gills

Ladies, Gentlemen, would anyone care to tell me what exactly is going on in my club?

Snake

(Hiss) This doesn't concern you Gills (Hiss)

Gregory Gills

Something goes down in my club it always concerns me. Now what is the problem here?

Lizard

We don't allow humans in here. We're getting rid of the vermin.

Gregory Gills

Last time I checked you didn't make the rules in here. I do.

Gregory hops gracefully off the bar, hands still behind his back and begins casually walking toward the group. He stops moving a few feet away from them.

Gregory Gills

I say whose welcome here, everyone, except bigots like you.

Frog

Well maybe you shouldn't be in charge here anymore.

The Frog, Lizard and Snake begin to move closer. The Frog cracks his knuckles.

Everyone in the club turns to see Gregory Gills standing on top of the main bar, hands behind his back.

The Frog punches his hand in a threatening manner. The group charges at Gregory. Gregory pulls three banana peels from behind his back and throws them on the floor, the three enemies each slip on one of the banana peels and slide across the room, they then slide into a large sewer pipe at the end of the room as Gregory calmly steps aside. Gregory approaches Eliza, marbles and the unseen Shadow Man.

Gregory Gills

Terribly sorry about that, I can't allow nasty people such as them ruin it for everyone else. It is a shame that those guys had to be a part of your first impression of this place, but I assure you this is a friendly club with friendly people.

Gregory tosses a coin across the room and into the Jukebox which then continues playing the upbeat background music, the patrons of the bar return to chatting amongst themselves.

Gregory Gills

Welcome to The Fish Bowl. I am Gregory Gills, the owner and proprietor of this humble taproot.

Eliza

I'm Eliza and this is Marbles.

Gregory Gills

It's good to meet you both.

Gregory shakes Eliza's hand and then kneels down and shakes Marbles' paw.

Marbles

We appreciate the help.

Gregory Gills

Wow, a talking cat. We don't see many of those around here, cool. Well why don't you both come down to the bar and we'll chat a bit.

Gregory leads Eliza and Marbles to the main bar. Gregory goes behind the bar whilst Eliza takes a seat on one of the stools and Marbles climbs up and sits on the bar. Gregory produces a glass from behind the bar a n-nd opens a bottle of juice and pours some of it into the glass.

Gregory

Some Raspberry Juice for the lady.

Gregory then pulls a small bowl from behind the bar and fills it with milk. He places the bowl in front of Marbles.

Gregory Gills

And some milk for her feline companion.

Eliza

Um...we don't have any money...

Gregory Gills

Don't worry about that. Consider it on the house, must make up for that unpleasant introduction somehow.

Marbles and Eliza smile at each other.

Eliza

Thank you.

Marbles

Yes, thank you very much.

Eliza drinks some of her juice as Marbles licks up some of his milk.

Gregory Gills

Don't mention it friends. Now I'm sorry but curiosity has gotten the better of me, I must ask what you are you doing down here. Humans are welcome here but that doesn't mean they are common.

The Shadow Man appears to Eliza and Marbles, standing behind them.

Shadow Man

Well what should we tell him? That you've just escaped from an orphanage, police most likely looking for you? That might cause some trouble; I suggest you leave the "fugitive" chapter out of your story for now.

Eliza thinks for a moment before responding to Gregory.

Eliza

I'm looking for something.

Gregory Gills

I see, and what might that be?

Eliza

Information.

Gregory Gills

What kind of information? I may be able to help.

Eliza and Marbles look at each other for a moment and nod to each other in confirmation. Eliza turns back to Gregory.

Eliza

Five years ago, my parents were in a car accident. No one...survived, except me.

Gregory Gills

Oh...I'm so sorry. I believe I remember the event, it happened not too far from here on the surface. I had no idea that you were the little girl they pulled from the car.

Eliza

Yeah...

Eliza forms a sad expression on her face. Marbles approaches Eliza, attempting to comfort her. Eliza pets Marbles on the head and smiles slightly.

Eliza

Something happened around that crash that wasn't...normal. I need to find out what really happened.

Gregory Gills

I see. I um... I may be able to give you the information you seek, but unfortunately I can't just give it a way I'm afraid. I need something in return.

Marbles

Of course you do *sigh* what do you want?

Gregory Gills

I'm sorry, but I'm in dire need of someone to do this job for me, no one else will take it. Look, if you complete this job for me I'll tell you everything I can about what happened that night.

Eliza

What do you need done?

Gregory Gills

There's a Witch that lives in the nearby woods, she has requested the retrieval and return of one of her...creations.

The Shadow Man appears and walks behind Eliza and Marbles briefly

Shadow Man (O.S)

Oh boy, this gets better and better by the second.

The Shadow Man disappears.

Gregory Gills

This creation is called the trickster, last I heard he was holding out at the toy store up on the surface. If you can get him to the Witch's Hut in the forest I'll tell all.

Marbles

It's your choice Eliza.

Eliza

...Okay, I'll do it. You've been nice to us so far, least we can do is help you out.

Gregory Gills

Thank you so much, I'm very grateful. Here's a map of the area, you should be able to find your way around with this. When you're ready to go, the passage through the surface is through the east door.

Gregory points to his right, showing the door at the end of the room.

Gregory Gills

Now I've got to go serve some people so I shall leave you to it. Best of luck, and be careful.

Shadow Man

Well, we have a route to the surface and now a task to complete that will get you the information you need.

Eliza

I didn't expect to get a lead this easily, good thing we came here.

Shadow Man

Yes, it's almost like coming through the sewers was...a good idea. Wouldn't you say Marbles?

The Shadow Man bends down slightly with a mischievous grin, looking at Marbles.

Marbles

...you got lucky I suppose.

Shadow Man

*Chuckles* luck. Well, let us set out on our quest then, shall we?

Eliza

Yes, let's.

Marbles hops into Eliza's arms and they all leave The Fish Bowl.

Head to the surface

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

Thia is the first section of the script written by me. This section of the script takes place in The Fish Bowl. This scene introduces Gregory Gills into the story.

I understood that in order for the events of the story to make senseI needed to make the introduction and first meeting of Gregory an impactful one so that you had motivation to save him in the end.

I wrote Gregory as a very kind and friendly person but one that doesn’t stand for hatred. I have made this clear through his direct yet calm confrontation of the three menacing people. He doesn’t rasise hsi voice and he doesn’t attack them, he waits to defend himself. When he does defend himself he does it in a non aggressive way, but in a more fun and fluent manor.

I also showed Gregory to be a fun guy by having him toss a voin across the room and have it land perfectly within the jukebox. I showed Gregory to be a friendly person with his very kind mannerisms toward Eliza and Marbles, even kneeling down to shake Marble’s paw. Then offering them free drinks as apology for the harrassers.

I believe how I have written this script relfects Gregory’s character very well and sets up the main quest well.

[pjo-hoo-nextgen]

Magic Is Dangerous I

The Sorting

Andy sat at the Slytherin table waiting impatiently for the newcomers to arrive. He was always eager to see new people, and what better way to be introduced than the sorting ceremony. Of course, he, like everyone else, remembered his own sorting like it was yesterday.

The tables were packed with ogling kids all craning their necks to identify fresh meat. Andy, unlike some of the others, had comfort in the great hall. His brother shouldn’t have been too far away, nor Maria, or Grey, or Sol, or Eli. In fact, he had eyes everywhere belonging to familiar faces.

However, there was the fact that Jaxon was one of the best wizards at the school and a prefect for Gryffindor. Andy couldn’t afford messing up like he did at home all of the time. Swallowing hard and stuffing his hands into the pockets of his robe, Andy watched others go before him.

Then, at last, it was his turn. He didn’t have to look to know Jaxon was watching him closely. Raising his chin, pushing his shoulders back, and walking with purpose, Andy took the stool with an aura of confidence he didn’t actually possess.

‘Mmmm. Another Grace. Interesting, your brother-I remember him,’ The Sorting Hat mused. ‘Currently the Gryffindor Prefect. But you, you’re different. Brave yes, but cunning too. A bit mischievous at heart but caring and playful too. Tricky, tricky, tricky.’

“Did I stump you?” Andy wondered softly to himself.

‘Quite on the contrary,’ The Hat replied, ‘Slytherin!’

Andy could practically feel Jaxon deflate. He’d been hoping to mentor his little brother, but instead, Andy shuffled off to the Slytherin table where Maria slung an arm around his shoulders.

“Welcome to the dark side,” She teased, ruffling his hair.

“Uh, thanks.” Andy smiled thinly.

Shaking his head Andy focused back on the current event at hand. He was aware of Maria beside him with a sort of distant look in her eyes. He supposed that she too was remembering her own sorting. He’d heard plenty of stories about it.

Maria couldn’t understand the insecurity of those around her. It was a hat. That was all. It could hardly hurt a fly unless it ate the fly. Still, there were kids all around her quaking at the knees over the prospect of a dusty old piece of clothing shouting out a word.

Sure, she had some empathy, but she was certain of one thing. She was Gryffindor like both of her parents. It made sense, the stats didn’t lie, and more times than not a kid with parents from the same house was also destined to be a member of the same house.

So Maria waited impatiently until she was finally called. With a few mumbled excuse me’s she took the steps with perfect poise and plopped upon the empty stool. “Alright mister hat, lets get this over with shall we?”

‘Bossy are we?’ The hat grumbled. ‘Well, that explains it. Jackson blood. Mother and father both champions of Gryffindor. True genetics must be impeccable. Yes, you’re brave, smart too, but there’s something else....yes...you’re a trickster aren’t you? Sly, cunning, prideful too. You know what you want and you take it. Efficient at everything but not without a little fun. Yes, I know where to put you. Slytherin!’

Maria’s heart froze. Slytherin. She couldn’t be Slytherin. It wasn’t possible, she’d done as much preparation for this as she could! How would she explain it to her parents? They’d both teased her about being anything other than Gryffindor but she knew a bit of truth was there.

She felt like crying. How could she be so different from them and yet so similar?

Grey laughed from his place at the Hufflepuff table, watching Andy make faces at Maria as she zoned out. He couldn’t believe how much they’d grown. He remembered each of their sortings. The way he’d comforted them against their doubts. It had been equally scary for him, as he’d been the first to go through he process, but it wasn’t too bad.

Grey locked eyes with his father swallowing nervously as he tried to convey his nerves through his eyes alone. Will gave him a reassuring smile, but Grey wasn’t too comforted. He wasn’t sure what to make of everything. Most kids ended up in a house associated with their familial relations but he was adopted! He’d grown up most of his life believing magic was a hoax and yet there he was.

“Mister Solace!” Grey snapped from his daze and awkwardly stumbled up the steps muttering apologies as he went. As soon as he was settled the hat set to work.

‘Aha! A Solace! I remember your father! Dashing young man, good natured, helpful, kind, and nurturing. You’re a shivering little lot aren’t you? Nervous?’ The hat chuckled.

“Y-Yes sir. I am.” Grey stammered.

‘Sir?! I quite like you!’

“Th-Thank you sir.”

‘Hufflepuff!’

“Really?” Grey’s eyes widened in surprise and he nearly took the hat off to hug it. Then, without thinking, he bolted from the stool and tackled his father in a hug. “Dad! I’m like you!”

“I know!” Will laughed, blushing slightly at the looks he was earning, “Go sit at your table. I’ll talk later.”

Grey nodded and after waving at the other teachers scampered off to join his fellow house mates. He couldn’t sit still the rest of the night.

Grey even recalled the night Eli joined him. How he’d sat so stoic on the stool, face unmoving, no indication of nerves, and then he was declared Hufflepuff. The singular word brought a bright grin across his face and he all but skipped over to Grey. The two hugged and the elder boy was happy to finally have a companion.

Eli had been worried he wouldn’t fit anywhere but the Sorting Hat saw a friendliness in him, a kindness, and a fierce protectiveness despite the cool demeanor at times. Grey couldn’t have agreed more.

Sol glanced up from where she’d been examining the table to scan the room. She felt a bit detached from the chaos at hand but she wasn’t keen on getting involved where it wasn’t needed. The last thing she wanted was another upstart Ravenclaw to think they knew everything. She remembered her first night in the common rooms, how it’d been a competition between first years to see who was the smartest, and how she’d gotten our first. It was humiliating.

She still couldn’t see the intelligence that stupid hat said she had. She couldn’t spout facts, emend unimportant things, solve riddles with ease, or anything of the sort. Her father was a mechanic at the ministry but magic usually solved everything. Her mother didn’t dabble in machinery of any sort, and focused on cooking more than anything. So Sol couldn’t figure out how and why she was so good at working with her hands. In a school of magic there was no use for it, and each day was a struggle. She hated the place, her inadequacy, and the fact that she was in Ravenclaw. She’d have complained but she didn’t have it the worst on sorting day. Thia took the icing on that cake.

Thia sat quivering on the stool. She was terrified. Too many people were watching her at once and what was worse-her friends and family were all there too. She was so rattled she nearly missed the sorting hat’s initial greeting.

‘Another Grace, my goodness. Well, I suppose you know where you want to be.’ The hat waited for an answer, but all This could do was shiver like a frightened chihuahua. ‘Interesting. You’re quite complicated.’

Thia swallowed hard and prayed no one heard the small whimper she’d made.

‘Brave, indeed. Protective too. Nothing stops you from doing what’s right. Your moral compass is driven in the direction of justice and kindness. However, you’re loyal to the bone. Impressively so. Never one to turn your back on a friend or family member. An intense compassion thrives in you. So strong I haven’t seen it in years. It’s tempting to stop there, but I sense other attributes. You’re clever. Not in the outright sense. No, you’ve got brains in other areas. Your mind wanders to the unknown. Contemplates the deep reality existing below the everyday surface of life. Cultivated your mind could be deadly. Then, beneath it all, and equally as strong-ambition. You know what you want. You desire to do something spectacular, grand, and meaningful. To right the wrongs of the world and to bring justice and strength to the weak. Noble in intention. Yes, you are very complicated.’

Thia wanted to puke. This was taking impossibly long. The longest had been an hour. She was certain she was already creeping up on that time mark.

At first she thought finding Jaxon would help but it didn’t. She nearly burst into tears and asked him to take her home then and there. The only thing that helped her remain relatively in control was the idea of her moms playfully arguing over what house she’d be sorted into. Even they had struggled to decide.

Still, the anxiety ate away at her temporary memories. It was always a nuisance that anxiety, and it only worsened with each second. Thia was certain she’d fainted at some point but upon refocusing he realized she’d simply zoned out.

When the voice burst out in a triumphant decision she fell backwards off the stool in fright. “Gryffindor!”

So shocked was she that Will, the medic, had to help her over to Jaxon. She’d never been so embarrassed in her life.

Even now Sol knew Thia felt the same she’d always had. ‘I’m not brave. Not like they say I should be’ and Sol only had to take one look at Thia to know despite the other girl’s seniority, she had identified every single first year that would be far better than her at any field.

Sol only paid attention when the names were finished and the food appeared because then she didn’t have to think. She just smiled like everyone else and set about the evening, destined to hear first years compete for their intellectual prestige, just as And and Maria would hear kids talk about their biggest wrong doings, or Grey and Eli would comfort home sick kids, and Jaxon and Thia would listen to people boast about everything and nothing.

“Here’s to Hogwarts,” Sol sighed, watching Thia shrink in her seat from afar, Andy go into his own world, Maria glare at unfriendly kids, Jaxon puff out his chest to appear authoritative, and so on, “and another year of disappointment.”