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writingmorsels · 3 years

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Prompt: Surprise...?

One year after the happenings with The Company, you and Alex have finally found kind of an equilibrium. You two have bought a house together in some white-picked-fence neighborhood and you were even thinking about adopting a pet, to fill out the house. Well, you're gonna fill the house alright, but not with an animal.

You've been under the wind for a while now and it was frustrating.

You were temporarily the only breadwinner in the house, while Alex tried to have his old job back, and responding to a dispatch call while retching on your toilet wasn't the greatest feeling to start the day with.

You stopped a fight between two very angry, very 'I want to see your manager' looking women. You had to do a welfare check for an old man that almost shot you in the head with a sawed off shotgun. You had to respond to a domestic violence report only to discover it was for a couple really into roleplay.

You were tired.

Legs like jelly, you barely managed to reach for the bathroom before you could empty the contents of your stomach against the porcelain for the upteenth time that week.

Alex didn't know any of that and for a good reason: he already crucifixed himself for not being able to regain his job or any job really, because of his past. He didn't have to worry about your health, either. He was already a sweetheart with you as is.

It was just a stomach bug, you had worse.

Besides, Alex was busying himself at home while you were back on the field: he kept the house clean, did the laundry and, especially, he finally learned to cook something other than 'reheat bought stuff into the microwave'.

The first dishes were… okay. Edible.

But lately he managed to make something actually delicious… and it all ended up in the gutter, after you had another episode.

You came out of the precinct bathroom and flopped onto the nearest chair, at dispatch's station. "Ugh, someone got smashed yesterday or what?" You heard one of your coworkers joke and you groaned back to him, massaging your aching stomach. "Shuddup Mitchell... it's a stomach bug I can't shake off," you whined a little, making the man smirk. "Oh, so you don't wanna meet the recent reject from K-9? He was so eager…!" and a yapping sound made you perk up again. At your feet was a German Shepherd puppy, the fluffiest and cutest you ever seen.

Your eyes lit up as you bent down, meeting with the jumpy, shaky, ecstatic pup. “Oh my God you so cute! Awww yiss you aaare!” your voice came out as a high-pitched mess, almost mimicking the puppy’s yapps.

Your hands went to grab him underneath his front paws and hoisted him up, laughing as the little doggie started to lick your face.

Needless to say, not even ten minutes later you were sitting on the chair with the now sleepy pup melting into the crook of your elbow.

He had his front paws folded on themselves and he was nuzzling against your chest with small little snores coming from his nose. "He sure warmed up to you quickly!” Mitchell laughed, seeing the dog relaxed “Ready to bring him home already?"

Mitch knew of the cat-dog debacle in your home, so it came natural for you to ask him to keep him in the K-9 kennels for a little while. “I still have to speak with Alex about it… but I’m sure he would love him. Look at him…! Aww sho tired, good boy!” your attention went back to the puppy again, feeling him turn a little into your baby-hold.

You were having the time of your life, for once not even remembering your terrible mornings. “Aww, you’re practicing?” a voice joked and you moved your head to see one of your friends from dispatch, Lauren, approaching her desk.

You smiled, confused. “Practicing?” “Yeah! For the baby!” she replied to your question, pointing a finger towards the sleepy puppy in the crook of your elbow.

Baby?

“What are you talking about?” your voice came out with a slight hint of fear in its tone and Lauren giggled, putting her coffee down just so she could grab her headset. “Morning sickness, it never changes! In my second pregnancy it was even worse! If you want, I can give you a recipe for a miraculous smoothie."

You froze on the spot, her words hitting you so hard they almost knocked you over; all slowly came together with the nausea first thing in the morning, the strange tiredness, the moodiness that seemed to anticipate a shark week that never came.

Lauren noticed your uncomfortableness and furrowed her brows. “What’s wrong?” “N-no!...no I’m...it’s- I've changed pills recently, I’m not...” you lied through your teeth, eyes large as eggs and skin going a little pale.

You felt nauseous again, for different reasons.

You didn't even think about the possibility of…

Yeah your shark week still wasn't nowhere to be found, but you were only just a little late, it happened all the time. You were just...stressed.

That wasn’t the time nor the place to be pregnant. If you got stuck in maternity, how would you two pay for bills and food?

And Alex...oh your poor darling, after a year he still wasn't over Cameron's death and you wouldn't blame him.

You couldn't give him another heartache like that, giving him another child like some kind of substitute.

He would start spiraling down again like after everything ended with the Company, when he finally stopped worrying and let himself grieve.

You couldn’t do that to him, no no no...

With panic starting to fizzle in the back of your brain you watched Lauren, who looked amused. "Oh I get it! Yeah, changing those is always a pain…!" she shrugged before taking a sip of her coffee, booting up her computer.

Even Mitchell felt the awkwardness of the moment, because he broke it by leaning forward and grabbing the pup from your arm. “I’ll keep him for a little more, alright! No problem…!” the man smiled forcefully at you, silently asking if you were fine.

You were not fine.

The doubt had been planted.

On your way home you stopped by the nearest pharmacy and after grabbing an antiemetic from over the counter, you stopped in front of the rows and rows of pregnancy tests, uneasy and confused.

Old style? Electronic? Did the type change something? Did it matter?

"Fuck this…" you muttered as you bought a random one.

During the rest of the drive home you felt that little plastic thing weigh on your passenger seat like a block of cement, the pastel-colored box peaking through the paper bag, laughing at you with it’s ‘oh the joy of motherhood!’ packaging design.

Of course if things would’ve been different, you would’ve been thrilled. Having a family with the love of your life was something you always desired.

You would’ve been so happy to give Alex another baby, give Cameron a little brother or sister. Unite their fractured family once again.

Instead, you now had to suffer all that psychological turmoil, because of the Company.

Even after their defeat, they managed to give anguish to you all.

When you finally arrived home you parked in the driveway and waited for a second, for two. Waiting for someone to pop out from outside the frame and yell "That was a joke, there's the camera!".

Nothing moved but you, as you got off the car and trudged inside.

You passed the front door and approached the small table near the entrance, slowly removing part of your gear, one piece at the time.

The radio, the gun, the handcuffs with their keys, your hat and your boots. Everything found its place while your mind was still in utter chaos.

The only thing still glued to your fingers was the small brown paper bag from the pharmacy. "Welcome back honey!" You heard Alex’s voice come out of nowhere, right next to your ear, and you gave out a shrill yelp, grasping at your chest like trying to stop your heart from pounding out of it. "Alex!" You heaved as you turned, seeing him grinning down at you with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "For fuck's sake you gave me a heart attack! Stop being sneaky when I come home!" You added, watching him now starting to laugh uncontrollably, a half apron around his hips and sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

He was cooking you dinner, as always… sweet bastard. "One of these days I'm gonna shoot you by accident–" "That's why I wait until you're unarmed…!" Alex chuckled back, leaning down to kiss you hello.

You replied in kind, sighing just a little against his lips when they met. "What's that?" you felt him reach for your hand, grabbing the paper bag from your grasp. You came back to reality and his hand on your hip suddenly felt uncomfortable.

You immediately reached back and yanked the bag from him before he could even look inside, taking your forbidden loot to your chest. "Ladies have their secrets…!" You tried to joke, to sell him the lie as best as you could.

You couldn't, but he didn't inquire for the moment. Alex only rose an eyebrow and watched you with his interrogation gaze, making you squirm a little. "Don’t look at me that way, mister! You don’t have to know all that happens to my little lady down there!" you tried to double down on being light and jokey, maybe letting a little frustration come through.

It was a half-truth, was it not? "Well I would love to be let in the loop… Maybe I could help you out with that," he spoke softly, his voice in a good spot between affectionate and erotic.

Out of instinct you took one step backwards, away from him. "No no! No one but my eyes have permission to gaze upon the horrors of some yeast infection...or shit like that" while holding the bag closer, you put a hand on his chest to push him away. “I’ll handle it...just…” your eyes wandered for an instant, thinking. “Just think of this a ‘biohazard zone’ for a couple of days, ok?” your free hand now waved in front of your crotch, making him chuckle. “As long as I can kiss you, I don’t have a problem with that,” he replied, stealing another quick peck from your lips. “Dinner’s almost ready hun, go get changed.” Alex then moved away, towards the kitchenette of your lovely home.

You didn’t wait more than a second before bolting up the stairs to the bathroom, clutching the box through the brown paper. For a moment you remained impressed by your bullshitting ability.

You bullshitted your way out of that situation like Michael Scofield strolled in and out of his jail cell at Fox River (Sucre told you several times about that at every chance he got, when you invited the whole gang over for the holidays).

Closing the door behind you, you aimed for the sink counter and dumped the content of the bag on top of, grabbing the furiatingly pale box and almost tearing it open. Your fingers trembled when you finally grabbed the white-and-pink stick.

It felt like a murder weapon, in your hands. “Ok...how do I…” you mumbled, scared.

You never even think about researching it, it was your very first encounter with something like that. Did you have to...stick it in?

You grabbed the flimsy instruction papers from deep inside the box and opened it, trying to find the right language to read it.

Oh…

You peed on one side and see the result on the other.

Simple, right?

Sure, technically it was as basic as it could come, but no one prepared you for the longest. Three minutes. Of your life.

You sat on the toilet after you did the do, holding the test flat as it was written and watching intently at the little white window.

You saw the first line starting to appear, coloring in a light blue, and your stomach started to churn again. “Please stop there, stop there, c’mon it's just a stomach bug, c’mon c’mon…!” you begged the little demonic stick, your knuckles turning pale for the sheer force you used to hold it.

Your blood thickened in your veins, when the second little line started to appear, the color deepening by the second.

"Oh no."

Oh no indeed. You had to call someone...and your mind immediately picked the best number to call.

"Thank you for coming... I didn't– I don't know what to do."

Sara Tancredi had sat herself in front of you, in the small diner you chose for your encounter.

Little one-year-old Michael had been sleeping in his stroller from the moment he and his mother came in. "No problem, I was around!" The woman smiled at you, her eyes already scanning you.

She saw the paleness of anxiety, cold sweat and dark circles. And the way you grasped at a small brown box like it contained a rabid beast. "What's the problem that Alex isn't allowed to know about?" Sara immediately asked and you shrank in your seat, looking guilty. "Why you thought–" "We're in a public place outside his usual zone, away from your place of work where he sometimes surprises you and you didn't explained over the phone while he was at home," she never dropped the smile, watching you with her seemingly sweet eyes...but you knew there was a tigress behind the gentle façade. "I…" "I've been a drug addict for a good portion of my life...and on the run the rest of it. I can recognize the signs, Y/n. Just tell me, I'm the last person who would judge you."

Slowly your fingers let go of the brown paper and pushed it towards her, across the table. Sara grabbed it, confused, and gasped a little when she saw the pregnancy test box. "You mean…?" She whispered, opening the box and immediately looking at the result window. "I had this stomach bug and–" "how many days are you late?" Sara immediately asked and you blinked, counting mentally. "Five-no, six days. It happens all the time, I didn't think I could be…" your voice trailed off as your favorite Doc smiled even brighter, letting the text down to hold your hands. "Is wonderful! Aw I'm so happy for–" "Sara, is not wonderful…!" You heaved, clawing at her hands. "I'm the only one with a job, a dangerous job. And-and Alex is still mourning his son, how can I...just waltz in and tell him 'here take a replacement'! I... don't know how he would react…"

Silence fell between you two for a long instant, where you felt ready to vomit.

You weren't ready for any answer, really. You didn't want Alex to know and you felt repulsion at the thought of aborting Alex's child, making him lose another.

Then, Sara sighed, patting your hands. "Listen... keeping this a secret is horrendous, for both you and Alex. You have to tell him." The woman tried to find your eyes, pulling at your hands to grab your attention. "Everything could happen, Y/n, especially in your line of work. What if you got wounded while hiding your pregnancy and the first doctor Alex will speak to will make his condolences because your child died? It could lead to a lot more drama…" Sara's usually bright eyes turned dark a little, her expression souring. "If… I never told Michael about his son, he would've died without knowing it... and I plan on telling my son who his father was. Please tell him, Y/n. He's a smart man, you will work this through as a couple…" The good doctor then smiled again, shaking the melancholy off her shoulders. "Think about it, if you decide to keep it, Mike will have a friend to play with!"

You had to wait at least three more weeks for your plan to work out.

The first week and a half were spent building up the courage to make the announcement.

In the remaining time, you studied on the internet how to do it in the best way.

Eating anti-emetic pills as if it was candy, you lied through your teeth when Alex asked if your little lady felt better, telling him that yes, you felt better.

You tried to act natural, but the more time passed, the more you felt sick and the more time you spent evading Alex, knowing he would grill an answer out of you if he ever suspected something.

After work, you spent as much time as possible driving around searching for the items you needed.

Sara agreed to accompany you to your gynecologist, making it look like a girls' day out. You and your baby were healthy, the doctor assured you, and the pregnancy was going well. "How come hubby's not here?" The doctor asked and you choked on your saliva. "W-well I'm... I'm planning a surprise for him and-" "aww dear that's so nice! What about taking the baby's first photo to add to the surprise?" The man cheered, prepping the machine.

Your hands shook around the freshly printed black and white photo, Sara laughing at your side and telling you to breathe.

You practically sat in front of the entrance door when you bought online one of the items you needed, grabbing the Amazon box like Gollum would do with his precious, running upstairs where you hid all away in your closet.

Then, THE Sunday morning came.

You two had a really intense, really intimate encounter the night before and Alex was still asleep on his side of the bed. His naked body was always a pleasure to see first thing in the morning, you thought as you rolled over to give him a soft kiss on his cheek. "Breakfast in bed…?" You asked in a whisper, obtaining a low 'yah' muffled in the pillow.

With a little chuckle you kissed him again, this time searching for his lips. “Stay here, I’ll do it.” and then you got off the bed, walking downstairs towards the kitchenette.

Everything had been hidden the night before in strategic places, knowing you'd be the first to come and open the cupboards: there sat a new mug you bought for the occasion, with a cheerful 'good morning handsome' written on the side.

As you grabbed it, you smiled a little when you read the other phrase etched and colored on the inside of the mug.

You're going to be a dad.

Heart, heart, heart.

Then, behind it, you grabbed a pair of boxes. One contained a shirt that you immediately donned, bold text reciting 'sending backup' on your chest.

The second remained closed and found its place on the tray you prepared on the island.

Coffee was made, mugs were filled and a plate of cookies was strategically placed on top of the thin box. Then up you went towards upstairs, where Alex was still enveloped in the blankets like a tired mummy.

You smiled against your anxiety, feeling your hands tremble while holding the tray and the teaspoons inside the mugs clinked as you approached.

You tried to remember Sara’s words, he loved you and you would work that through, as you put down the tray near the end of the bed, but when you bent down you felt your stomach churn again, reminding you that yes, you forgot to buy new antiemetics.

Grin and bear, grin and bear… “Good morning…!” you called in a little singsong voice, feeling your heart stop pounding in your ears when he opened his wonderful, glassy-looking blue eyes, still sleepy but oh so shiny. Gemstones filled with entire oceans. “G’morning honey…” he replied, voice husky and a little gruff, stretching his neck to reach for your lips.

The kiss had been gentle, sweet and warm, his lips still soft from a whole night of good sleep. “Coffee’s ready, c’mon...I brought up your favorite cookies, too.” you moved aside, letting him sit up on the mattress, but instead reached for your hand and pulled you closer for another barrage of soft little pecks. “Mmmh ‘m up,” he mumbled between kisses, eyes closed and body one step closer to fall asleep again.

Oh no you didn’t go through all that trouble for him to just sleep on it..! “You’re not up…! C’mon sleepyhead, before it gets cold!” you chuckled, sincerely amused by his weak try in seducing you back to sleep.

Alex huffed and almost dragged himself to sit up, scratching at his collarbone for an instant before his eyes would finally take in the content on the tray. “What’s the occasion?” he smiled confusedly, brows furrowed as he grabbed the new mug, chuckling as he read the outside.

You sat down on the edge of the bed, facing him. “Well, we’ve been in kinda of a rough patch, lately...with too much job or no job at all,” you started to explain, putting a couple of fingers on the thin box so he couldn’t take it immediately. “This is...a gift...for you,” your voice cracked for a second, nervousness starting to show.

He saw that and for a moment Alex paused, mug mid-air.

“...it’s not a ‘sorry I cheated on you’, is it?”

The question came out maybe a little too harsh, Alex noticed only after the last word left his mouth, but he had that strange feeling that you were hiding something, for so long now.

You only snorted for the absurdity of the thought, shaking your head. “You wish! So you could dump my sorry ass and find yourself a rich cougar, uh?” you smiled, trying to ease his deep furrowed brow. “I’m not cheating, you should know-” “Then why have you dodged me for the last three weeks? I saw you talk to Mitch from K-9 a lot, last month” his husky voice came out with a tense curiosity in it.

“Eugh…!” you rolled your eyes. “Why do I stop talking to you about Christmas gifts two weeks before the twenty fifth? Because you spoil yourself with that smart brain of yours!” you grabbed a cookie from the platter and gently threw it at him, making him giggle just a smidge. Alex seemed appeased by your reply, taking another long sip of his coffee. “I would understand, if you cheated. I know I have a terrible personality, even if I try to-” his voice stopped all of a sudden, when his eyes focused on the bottom of the now nearly-empty mug.

His eyes shot back to you almost immediately, finally realizing what was written on your chest. “...that’s why!” he breathed. “That’s why you were all buddy-buddy with Mitch…! Oh no, Y/n, we already talked about it!” he almost whined, putting down the mug. “Don’t tell me you adopted one of the rejects from K-9...please tell me that’s not it…!” he added, a little desperate. “I love dogs, I do, but we’re rarely home one way or another and it would feel alone all day and it would destroy stuff and-” you stopped his rambling by handing him the thin box. “Open it,” you whispered, now nervous for his initial reaction.

If he seemed so negative about life with a dog, what would he say about a child…?

“Please don’t be a collar…” he muttered as his bony fingers removed the lid of the box.

His face became even more confused, as he saw a little square of fabric with some words written on them.

"What…" Slowly he brushed aside the crinkly paper and raised up what he thought was a shirt, but as the piece of clothing unraveled, his entire body froze, trying to compute what he was looking at.

A tiny, black onesie, soft as can be, with tiny little handcuffs on the front.

"Daddy's best backup" was impressed underneath the handcuffs, in bright pastel colors.

Alex didn't react for a good handful of seconds and now you knew how criminals felt while lining up for witness' identification. You never unglued your gaze from your lover, seeing him trying to understand, behind his clear, crystal eyes. You saw his hands tremble as he lowered the baby clothing, his attention passing from the fabric to yourself, then towards the box again.

A couple of fingers moved towards the ultrasound picture that you left on the bottom of the box, barely touching it before letting them sink again in the little onesie's softness. "Y/n…" he croaked your name and your chest went taut out of pure fear. "Is... you're telling me that...that you…" "y-yes" you immediately reply, as to cut short the torturous wait. "I -uhm… I took a couple of tests...and...a-all positive…" you managed to add, watching him sitting on the bed completely lost, as if the news didn't fully hit him.

He looked at the mug, then at the photo without stopping cuddling the tiny onesie with his fingers. "I... we're still in time if you...i-if you don't want–" "What?" He rounded his head towards you, as if snapping to reality.

You gulped, worried. "You...if you're not ready yet...we can wait...I could find a doctor, Sara will help me after the...t-the…" you stopped yourself from crying, the thought of losing the baby feeling like a wound opening in your very soul.

"What do you mean...not ready?" He then asked with a tender whisper. "I…" Alex gave out a shocked chuckle, but the corners of his mouth curled up in a smile. "I'm not the one pregnant with our baby, am I?" The word finally came out of his lips and the way he said it just melted your heart away, its panicked pounding now filling with warmth at every beat.

You watched Alex slowly fold the onesie again, this amazed and completely baffled expression on his face. "Because of Cameron…" you uttered, gripping at the hem of your t-shirt.

Every doubt you had, every fear, it poured out after that. Alex had always been your confident, your wise guide to ask for help and not being able to tell him your grudges for so long did a number on you, especially for something so important like a pregnancy. "I feared you would take this...as a replacement. Make you remember all over again…! I don't want you to….to fall back down in that dark place, Alex. I could never–" your voice gave out in a sob and immediately he seemed to turn back to his usual, protective self.

His hands grabbed the tray and moved it quickly on the other side of the bed, before taking both your hands and pulling you toward him. "Come here honey..." he called under his breath, enveloping you in his strong arms as you found place on his lap. One of his hands came up and started to gently stroke your nape, as the other wrapped around you.

For a moment, you didn't think of anything but his presence. His beating heart underneath his skin, finding your palm. His breath whispering in his lungs and falling onto the top of your head. "Listen... I'll never...never get over Cam. The death of a child is… devastating." He leaned slightly forward, completely hugging you with his frame. "And yes I was in a dark place… I got blinded by my pain and didn't see what I was causing you…and maybe I got addicted to my misery..." his hands shook against you, but he only pushed them a little harder to grip your clothes. "But don't you ever...ever think that I'll make you do something as horrible as abortion. I can't have you experience that kind of pain."

His lips came and kissed your hair, his whole body starting to tremble as well as his fingers. "And this...oh my God Y/n, I'm not accustomed to this kind of happiness anymore…!" Alex laughed now, his voice that stumbled for a moment in his throat. "And now I can't even... I can't find the words to describe how happy I am right now..."

All of your anxiety melted away as he hugged you now even more. "So...we keep it?" "It's our baby! Of course we keep it!" He chortled at your question, now letting you go only to grab the onesie again, looking at it with tearful eyes, a bright smile on his face.

Alex brought the piece of clothing to his face and closed his eyes, to feel the softness of the fabric. "You always bring me the biggest joys in my life...even in my worst moments, you were there..." his glassy eyes opened again and found yours, the lights in them shining like a dawn after a long storm. "And now you gift me this miracle…our little miracle…"

Silence fell after his words, the speech hanging in the air like mistletoe at Christmas. Heartwarming, hopeful.

He always had his way with words, didn't he?

"This is way better than a dog..."

Sometimes his way with words was the dumbass way.

#Alexander Mahone #Prison Break #Alexander Mahone x Reader #post series #kinda fluff?#oneshot #fanfic

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theradioghost · 5 years

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I don't know if you're still doing podcast recs, but if you are, I really like dramas, horror, sci-fi, honestly anything that gives you the feels (especially if it has lgbtq+ rep). I am not much of a comedy person though unfortunately. The only podcast I finished was tma and I really loved it.

The recommendations are always on tap here, whenever my askbox is open! You might wanna check out:

Archive 81, for a found-footage horror about mysterious archives of tapes full of encounters with otherworldly horror, dark rituals, cults, and a long-suffering archivist with the same name as the show creator who plays him, which despite all that could not possibly be more different from TMA and yet easily matches it as one of the best horror stories I have ever enjoyed. The sound design on this show is basically unparalleled – where TMA has fairly minimalist sound design, A81 goes all out. Quite a few lgbtqa+ folk also.

I Am In Eskew, for a surreal, Lynchian horror about the city of Eskew, where it’s always raining and the streets are never the same twice, as narrated by a man who is trapped there and the woman hired to find him. Take the most viscerally disturbing episodes of TMA as a baseline for how intense this show is, then imagine the Spiral built a city and invited all the other fears over for a party. Also right up there as one of my favorite horror things ever, and recently ended, so you can listen to the whole thing right now.

Within The Wires, for a found-footage scifi dystopia, telling stories from an alternate-history world. Three of the four seasons focus on lgbtqa+ leads, and the first season, a set of instructional meditation tapes provided to a prisoner in a shadowy government institution, is still some of my absolute favorite creative use of medium and framing device ever.

Kane and Feels, for a surreal noir-flavored urban fantasy/horror hybrid, about a magically-inclined academic (and sarcastic little bastard man) named Lucifer Kane and his demon-punching partner with a heart of gold, Brutus Feels. They share a flat in London, they bicker like an old married couple, and they fight supernatural evil. This show WILL confuse the hell out of you and you will enjoy every second of it.

Alice Isn’t Dead, for a weird Americana horror story about a long-distance truck driver, criss-crossing the US in search of her missing wife. Along the way she discovers that both of them have been drawn into a dangerous secret war that seethes in the empty and abandoned expanses of America, and that inhuman hunters have begun to follow her. Also finished! And as the title kind of gives away, the lesbians do not die!

Janus Descending, for a sci-fi horror miniseries about two scientists sent to survey the remains of a dead alien civilization on a distant planet, only to learn all too well why the original inhabitants have disappeared. You hear one character’s story in chronological order and the other in reverse, with their perspectives alternating, which is done in an incredibly clever way so that even technically knowing what will happen it still holds you in suspense right to the end. Also, it made me cry, a lot.

SAYER, for a sci-fi horror with a touch of dark comedy, and probably the single best use of the “evil AI” trope I have ever seen. Tells the story of employees of tech corporation Aerolith Dynamics living on Earth’s artificial second moon, Typhon, in the form of messages from their AI overseer SAYER. The first season is great, the second season is okay, and the third and fourth seasons are fucking amazing.

Tides, for a really interesting sci-fi about a lone biologist trapped on an alien world shaped by deadly tidal forces. It’s different from just about any other sci-fi I know, focusing more on the main character’s interactions with and observations of this strange new world, where she’s very aware that she is the alien invader. (Also I don’t think any of the characters are straight.)

Station to Station, for a thrilling sci-fi mystery where a group of scientists and spies on a research ship (the ocean kind) discover that the time-warping anomaly they’re studying might be causing people to vanish from existence. Corporate espionage and high-stakes heartbreak abound. (And once again I’m not sure anyone is straight.)

The Strange Case of Starship Iris, for Being Gay And Doing Crime IN SPACE! Or, decades after a war with an alien species leaves humanity decimated and under the control of totalitarian leaders, the lone survivor of a research mission joins up with a ragtag crew of rebels and smugglers to figure out why the very government she worked for tried to kill her, and to stop them from inciting a second war. 100% lgbtqa+ found family in space heist action and it’s glorious in every way.

Unwell, for the horror-ish Midwestern gothic story of a young woman who returns to her hometown to help her estranged mother after an injury, and discovers that there is something just a little bit wrong, not just with her mother, but with her mother’s house, and with the whole town. Subtle and creepy. The protagonist is a biracial lesbian, one of the other major characters is nonbinary, the cast in general is super diverse.

The Blood Crow Stories, for an lgbtqa+ focused horror anthology! The four seasons so far have been the stories of an ancient evil stalking the passengers of a WWI-era utopian cruise ship, a dark Western mystery about a group of allies trying to stop the mysterious killer known only as the Savior, a 911 operator in a cyberpunk dystopia who starts getting terrifying phone calls from demons, and strange and deadly goings-on at a film studio in the golden age of Hollywood. Everyone is Very Gay and anyone can die, especially in season 1.

The Tower, for a melancholy experimental miniseries about a young woman who decides she’s going to climb the mysterious Tower, from which no one has ever returned. Quite short and very, very good.

Palimpsest, for a creepy, heartbreakingly sad and yet incredibly beautiful anthology series. Season one is the story of a woman who suspects her new home is haunted, season two is a turn-of-the-century urban fantasy about a girl who falls in love with the imprisoned fae princess she’s been hired to care for, and season three is about a WWII codebreaker who begins seeing ghosts on the streets of London during the Blitz.

Mabel, for a part-horror, part-love story, the kind of faerie tale where you feel obliged to spell it with an E because these are the kind of faeries that are utterly inhuman, and beautiful, and dangerous. Anna, the new caretaker for an elderly woman, leaves messages for her client’s mysteriously absent granddaughter Mabel. An old house in Ireland has a life and desires of its own, few of them friendly. Two women fall in love and set out for vengeance against the King Under The Hill. Creepy, strange, and gorgeously poetic.

Ars Paradoxica, for a sci-fi time travel Cold War espionage thriller. Physicist Dr. Sally Grissom accidentally invents time travel, landing herself – and her invention – in the middle of a classified government experiment during WWII. As the course of history utterly changes around them, she and what friends she can find in this new time must struggle with the ethics of what they’ve done, and the choices they’ll have to make. An aroace protagonist, Black secret agents, time-traveling Latina assassins, Jewish lesbian mathematicians, two men of color whose love changes the course of time itself, this show says a big fuck you to the idea that there’s anything hard about having a diverse cast in a period piece and it will break your heart, multiple times. Also finished!

The Far Meridian, for a genre-bending, poetic, at-times-heartwarming-at-times-heartbreaking story about an agoraphobic woman named Peri who decides to begin a search for her long-missing brother Ace after the lighthouse in which she lives begins mysteriously transporting to different places every day. I can never forget an early review that described this show as “the audio equivalent of a Van Gogh painting.” Suffice to say it is beautiful, and fantastically written and put together.

What’s the Frequency?, for a Surrealist noir horror mystery set in mid-20th-century LA. I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I can really explain what goes on in this show, but it features a detective named Walter “Troubles” Mix and his partner Whitney searching for a missing writer. Meanwhile, the only thing that seems to be playing on the radio is that writer’s show Love, Honor, and Decay, which also seems to be driving people to murder. Fantastically weird, deliciously creepy.

Directive, for a short sci-fi miniseries about a man hired to spend a very, very long trip through space alone, which doesn’t seem all that sad until suddenly it hits you with Every Feel You’ve Ever Had, seriously I don’t want to spoil it so I won’t say anything more but listen to this and then never feel the same way about Tuesdays again.

Wolf 359, for honestly one of the best podcasts out there, containing all of the drama and feels, seriously this show ended over two years ago and I still cry literal tears thinking about it sometimes. It has definite comedic leanings, especially in the first season which reads a bit more like a wacky office comedy set in space, but it takes a sharp turn towards high stakes, action, and feelings and that roller coaster never stops. Take four clashing personalities alone on a constantly-malfunctioning space station eight light years from earth, add some mysterious transmissions from the depths of space, toss in some seriously Jonah-Magnus-level manipulative evil bosses, and get ready to cry.

or, may I suggest Midnight Radio? It’s a lesbian-romance-slash-ghost-story completed miniseries about a late-night 1950s radio host in a small town who begins receiving mysterious letters from one of her listeners, and I have been assured by many people and occasionally their all-caps tweets that it provides ample Feelings! (also I wrote it.)

#holy fuck when did this answer get that long?#anyway I uh. hope at least one of these sounds good to you!#podcast recs #bobbie recommends things #Anonymous #asks #my posts

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fanfic-inator795 · 5 years

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I’ve been thinking a lot about Michika and my “A New Slice of Life” fic (and it’s sorta sequel-oneshot) lately, so screw it. Headcanon time

Warning: this got SUUUUUPER long

Michika:

Despite being semi-aquatic, Michi doesn’t really care for seafood. She’d rather have cucumbers/other veggies or noodles. She also just LOVES fruit and baked goods, but strangely enough also enjoys black licorice

Along with being friends with Mikey, she runs into Piebald during one of her swims on the surface, and the two become fast friends. While she’s not super into horror movies, they definitely bond over their love of pranks

One day when they were bored, Mikey taught Michi about splatter paint art, and now it’s one of her fave things to do

Prefers lakes over oceans, and will hang out in parks on the Surface because of this

Has excellent aim and is great at long range attacks, thanks to her water gun and a decent throwing arm, but is below-average when it comes to close combat, and will resort to scratching/biting if she can’t get away

Despite her trickster personality, she’s loyal enough to keep a promise (sort of a Kappa’s thing) though only for friends. For anyone else, they have to get her to somehow spill her bowl water in order to ‘earn’ a promise from her

First few times she slept over at the Lair, she just slept in that moat they have in the atrium. Though, as she and Mikey got closer and she was more okay with sleepover cuddle piles with the others in the tv room, she was willing to pour her head water into another bowl and sleep somewhere dry

If she comes over when Mikey’s in the middle of doing art, she’ll just grab a bowl of chips or salad and sit on his hammock, munching away and watching, occasionally giving a comment. Mikey likes having the company and the extra perspective

She only steals food. Everything else she has, from her clothes to her water gun, she found abandoned or in the trash. She doesn’t have any morals about stealing non-food items, it’s just that she doesn’t feel like she needs to. She needs to eat, not wear fancy clothes or glittery jewelry

TV is kind of a novelty for her, since I don’t think there’s a ton of it in the Hidden City. She enjoys watching Cutthroat Kitchen with Mikey and gets a mild kick out of Lou Jitsu movies. She’s also a huge fan of comedies

Speaking of Cutthroat Kitchen, she and Mikey love to egg each other on into doing these sorts of challenges when they feel like cooking together

*Raph, walking into the kitchen to see Mikey and Michi doing a sort of three-legged thing, half-laughing and half-yelling at each other* “Uhh, are you two angry or havin’ fun?” “YES!”

After hearing enough of it from Mikey and Hueso Jr., she develops a mild love of rap/hip hop and Spanish music

She and Junior take a while to find common ground, but they do get along pretty well. They like to sass each other at times, and while Michi likes to make herself laugh, she appreciates that Junior can make her laugh with his jokes and comebacks

Hueso Jr.:

He’s autistic and finds it really hard to be social at times, but can be very talkative and expressive around his father and his friends, and when comfortable, he can be a bit mischievous and silly/loud. He also has anxiety, though is able to work through it for the most part

Has a dry sense of wit, just like his dad

Is actually quite skilled at cooking technically, he just doesn’t have any passion or drive for it

Likes playing sports ball/soccer/baseball with Mikey and the Turtles when he’s in the mood. Is also good at fencing, thanks to lessons from his dad

Through the events of ‘A New Slice of Pizza’, he ends up discovering a love of flower arrangement and table setting/making centerpieces, and while it starts out as just a hobby, he can’t deny it’s his love and makes a decent career out of it

That being said, he sometimes helps with the management stuff at Run of the Mill when Senor Hueso needs him to

Given that the Turtles have already paid his way for it (lol, love that line in ‘Portal Jacked!’), Junior does go to college for two years. He gets an associate’s degree in Literature

Through his love of wordplay and skeleton puns, he also ends up sort of getting into poetry. It’s more comedic and clever, though it’s still embarrassing for him to share. He sometimes help Mikey with rap lyrics as well

Likes music (classical, easy listening, alt. rock) and usually listens to Spanish artists

While being the same age as Mikey - 13 years old - he’s a few months younger (the opposite of Michi, who proudly reminds others that she’s 13 and a half, thank you very much)

While he may literally be all bones, he still enjoys hardy and filling foods. Lots of meat, lots of spices and heat, and (naturally) enjoys Italian and Mexican cuisine

He’s good at avoiding Michi’s pranks, which both impresses and annoys her

He’s not very good at art in terms of drawing or painting, but will still sometimes doodle and color with Mikey when Mikey’s in the mood for it and will still enjoy himself

Will watch anything and be okay/mildly entertained, but specifically likes watching sports

Mikey:

Works at Run of the Mill from age 13 to age 18, coming up with no less than a dozen one-of-a-kind dishes while there, becoming friends with all of his co-workers and earning plenty of fans through his awesome cooking skills and table service

When he starts traveling the world for a few years, both above and below the surface, to learn even more about food and cooking techniques, Michi comes along for the heck of it, and they both make sure to keep in contact with Junior as well as the Turtles/April/Splinter

When he does eventually open up his own restaurant in his late 20s/early 30s, he only had one name in mind for it: “Razz-ma-Tazz” A mix of Italian/American/Mexican/Asian cooking. Pretty much any delicious dish any human, mutant or yokai could ask for!

Enjoys cuddle sessions with his friends as much as he enjoys having fun and getting into shenanigans with them

Often sketches out candid moments he remembers (Michi catching a snooze under water, Junior smiling to himself as he’s writing out a poem, stuff like that)

As soon as he’s old enough for them, he switches from covering himself with paint and stickers to covering himself with tattoos, and is VERY proud of them

Takes care of the stray animals that hang out behind his restaurant, feeding them leftovers and giving them names

In his early-20s, after seeing April and his bros get into romantic relationships (April with Sunita, Leo with Usagi, and Raph and Donnie with two of my best friend’s OCs, heh), he starts to realize “Hey, you know what? I think I like Michi and Junior that way too!” He never really thought or cared about his sexuality too much beforehand, so realizing he’s bi and polyamorous isn’t too big of a deal for him

Unlike his brothers, who were absolute DISASTERS when it came to romance, Mikey ironically was the most mature and straight-forward about it despite being the second-youngest in the Jitsu fam. He just sat them both down, told him how he felt about them - BOTH of them - and was honest, along with telling them that he loved them just as much as friends, so if they didn’t feel the same or weren’t comfortable with the poly idea, that was totally cool.

As such, Michi and Junior both took some time - first thinking about it alone, then discussing it with each other. Eventually, they came to the conclusion that they loved Mikey too, and that they were close enough to each other that they didn’t mind being co-partners and having the same boyfriend along with being friends with each other

Everyone but Splinter was surprised with this outcome, but the entire fam (Senor Hueso included) was totally happy and supportive of them ^v^

Isn’t totally sure about being a parent with how busy his restaurant and his art keeps him, but in the meantime he volunteers with programs like Big Brothers/Big Sisters and mentorship programs, and occasionally fosters kids for several weeks

Two decades or so and hundreds of dishes later... and his favorite food is (and always WILL BE) pizza or pizza-esque dishes

Aaaaaand that’s all I have for now! If you made it this far - thanks for reading!! ^v^

#rottmnt #michelangelo tmnt #headcanons #my oc's #my fanfics #long post #lgbt headcanons

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whiskynottea · 6 years

Photo

This is my celebratory fic for hitting a milestone this month! I know I owe you many more stories (I do!) and I promise I’ll be back, writing more, once things calm down a bit here!

Again, thank you so much for following my blog! I hope you’ll enjoy this story!

@ianmuyrray said: Happy Follower Milestone! Prompt: Jenny and Ian, modern au, relationship milestone. First date!

A Date.

So what. Ian Murray had asked her on a date.

They had been out before. Countless times. Just a week ago they had been at their favorite pub and she had ended up drunk, singing in the street as he carried her to his car.

Everyone had been drunk that night; everyone but Ian. She’d raised an eyebrow when the barman set a pint on the bar in front of him, but he’d simply jiggled the car keys at her with a suggestive look. They had had a second and a third round of whiskies, and then some shots, but Ian hadn’t ordered again.

Jamie had left the pub with Claire around midnight, announcing loud enough for everyone to hear that she was too intoxicated to go home alone. Rupert’s boisterous laugh, however, had made clear that Jamie couldn’t fool anyone. Ian’s smile at his best friend’s attempt to escape had crinkled his eyes - eyes that had immediately searched for hers, and he’d offered to drive Jenny home.

She had almost reached the passenger door when he’d surprised her, grasping her hand and pulling her back to him. “Ye’re drunk,” he’d said, half-smiling, and his eyes had burned in her.

“I’m not!” she’d exclaimed, offended.

Frasers never admitted their drunken state unless they couldn’t stand on their feet. It was a rule, and Jenny had been standing on her feet just fine. Maybe leaning into Ian a bit - just fine.

“Good, then.” He’d taken a breath, let it out slowly. “What are ye doing next Saturday?”

She’d shrugged, then frowned.

“Will ye have dinner wi’ me?” he’d continued, and run a hand through his short hair.

“Yes, sure,” she’d replied, not realizing what he was actually talking about.

He’d looked at her intently, still holding her hand, his thumb tracing the rises and falls of her knuckles. He’d opened the door to her then, and they hadn’t said a word during the short ride home.

When they’d arrive at her place, Ian had walked her to the door. “Next Saturday, at eight,” he’d said. “It’s a date.” And vanished in the night.

Jenny had stood there, suddenly sober and unable to move, until the sound of his car’s engine faded out.

A date.

Ian had left for Edinburgh on Sunday and she hadn’t seen him since. Maybe that was for the best. What was she supposed to do if she’d wake up in the morning and see him sitting in her kitchen, drinking coffee and talking with Jamie about rugby?

Ian had always been one of her favorite people, but she had never dared to think of him that way. Too much was at risk and their friendship was too important to let any other thought sneak inside her head.

Without him around, Jenny pretended it was just an ordinary week. She hid the anticipation inside her chest and didn’t even admit to herself that her first thought every morning was a countdown to Saturday. She was determined to work and exhaust herself to a point when she’d have no time or stamina to think about him, about their date, about the irreversible turn their lives might take.

But since he’d asked her out, a door she’d kept closed for years shifted on its hinges. Ian invaded her thoughts when she was least expecting him. She was thinking of him when she was at work, how he’d tease her for this or that, and ended up smiling for no reason, gaining inquiring glances from Mary and Mrs Crook. She started paying more attention to Jamie when he talked with Ian on the phone, trying to discover where he was and when he’d be back without having to ask her brother. And worst of all, she was constantly thinking of all their little moments together, trying to understand if he had felt this way all the past years.

Saturday came, and Jenny spent a good part of the day in front of her closet - as if he didn’t know all her clothes already. Finally, she decided on the floral green dress she had worn at Mary’s birthday party last year. She remembered Ian’s glance returning to her more than once, that night.

Now why she could remember that particular detail was another matter altogether.

Jenny got ready, grateful that Jamie had left the house after lunch, murmuring something about staying at Claire’s for the night. She then wondered if Ian knew, if he had orchestrated everything so that they would be alone without raising any suspicions. She loved her brother dearly and he was Ian’s best friend, but he could become one of the most stubborn, meddling people she knew. Better to leave him in the dark - for now, at least.

At eight, the doorbell rang. Jenny checked herself in the mirror one last time, smiling to make sure the red lipstick hadn’t stained her teeth, and walked to the door.

Her heart was already dancing inside her chest. Ian, their Ian, was waiting on the other side of the thick wood. Waiting to become her Ian.

Or maybe not. It was only a date. Just a first date.

She opened the door and smiled at him. “Hi,” she said, straining not to fidget with the soft fabric of her dress.

“You look amazing,” he said, his eyes fixed on her. “Wow, Jen.”

“I look as I always do.” She shrugged. “I always look amazing, I guess.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “I guess,” he repeated. “Ready?”

“Ready!” she said, softly closing the door behind her. “Where are we going?”

“Surprise.”

She raised both eyebrows, but her smile betrayed her excitement. They walked across the small garden in front of the house, and as his glance wandered on the colourful flowers, Jenny took a moment to look at him.

We wore a blue plaid shirt and jeans. Jeans that had a certain fit on his backside, making her want to dip a hand inside his back pocket and -

Wait. Since when did she want to do such stuff to Ian?

Jenny tore her eyes away, pressing her lips together. She remembered melting in his hug, crying in his arms when her mother had died. She remembered lying next to him, burying her head between a pillow and his chest when they were watching horror movies. And then, she remembered wanting to kiss him when they played ‘truth or dare’ in high school.

But she never had and he had never shown any interest in her. Never, before now. She saw his wide arms again, and decided to ask him what had changed. She needed to know and knew he would tell her. He had always been open with her.

“Jen?” Ian called her, bringing her back to the present. He was waiting for her a few steps ahead. “Are you coming?”

“I’m thinking about it, Murray,” she replied as she walked to him.

“Too late for that. Ye had a whole week to do yer thinking.”

She saw Ian moving in the opposite direction of his car.

“Are we...walking to the restaurant?” she asked a moment later.

“D’ye mind? Ye usually don’t -”

“I don’t,” she interrupted him. “It’s okay. I’d love to walk,” she said, gracefully lifting her foot, demonstrating her flats.

She fell in step beside him and they headed towards the river. Inverness was beautiful in the summer. It was late, but the sky was still a vibrant blue above their heads, with pink and orange clouds close to the horizon. They reached the river and then walked next to it, its constant movement pacifying Jenny’s busy mind, calming her.

If she wanted to be honest with herself though, it wasn’t only the water that inflicted such an effect upon her. It was Ian’s presence, the nonchalant way he dipped his hands inside his pockets, the soft glances he stole at her as they talked.

“Ian,” she called him hesitantly when he headed to Greig St bridge to cross Ness. He stopped and turned to face her. “Can we cross by the Ness bridge?”

“Why?” he asked with a small frown and an imperceptible smile.

“I don’t like that one. It’s too narrow.”

“Dinna tell me ye’re still afraid, Jen. Tis stable enough, ye should know that by now!”

“I know.” She pursed her lips and stared at him, hard. “I still don’t like it.”

“Oh, come on,” he urged her, walking to the bridge again.

“I’m not coming. I’ll go the other way around.”

He shook his head, coming back to her. “It just moves a little, that’s all. I promise nothing will happen.”

“If kids come running, or someone with a bike -”

“I’ll be there. Come, Jen.”

His voice was soft and reassuring - not the mocking one someone would expect. It was silly, she knew it. There was no reason to hate that bridge. And yet, she did. Her heart was in her mouth every time she walked on it, feeling it tremble under her feet.

But not this time. Ian walked behind her, keeping a steady hand on her waist. It kept her grounded, safe.

Fifteen minutes later, they were in front of an Italian restaurant Jenny had insisted on going for a while. Her wide eyes elicited a smile on his face, making it plain that he, at least, was paying attention when she was talking.

The food was delicious, and it was the first time Jenny didn’t care how fast she was eating or what topic of discussion was good enough for a first date. They talked as they had always done. They argued and made fun of each other, shared memories of the past and plans for the future.

“So ye were in Edinburgh this week?” she asked, stuffing her mouth with pasta.

“Aye.” He heaved a sigh. His brow was furrowed and she saw his Adam’s apple bobbing in his neck.

“It didn’t go well?”

“It went fine.” He finally tore his eyes from his plate and looked at her. “But I’m still stressed, I guess. I had a meeting with an important collaborator and he still hasn't called back to announce his final decision. But he seemed positive.”

Jenny covered his hand with hers, squeezing it softly. “I’m sure everything will be alright.”

“Thanks, Jen.” His smile was genuine and his gaze traveled onto their hands, now interlaced as if in their own accord.

“What about ye? How’s the expansion of the bookstore going?”

“Oh, ye ken. We’ve a lot of dust around now, and Mrs Crook canna stop brushing up the shelves and the books, but we’ll make a perfect little nook wi’ soft couches and armchairs for everyone to read a book wi’ a cup of tea or coffee.”

“Pretty much what ye were always doing at Lallybroch, ye wi yer wee books, since I remember ye.”

She blushed. It wasn’t just the picture of her he had just described, but the way he looked at her, honest and straightforward as he had always been. The way he was thinking of her.

“Cheers,” she said and raised her glass, trying to blame the wine for the colour on her cheeks.

“Cheers,” he repeated, keeping his eyes on her as he drank.

It was dark when they left the restaurant and a cool breeze coming from the river made Jenny shiver in her light summer dress. The cobblestones were wet, and she vaguely wondered when it had rained. They had been walking back to the house, when Ian wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to his side, rubbing some warmth into her.

“God, ye’re freezing,” he whispered, and pulled them to a stop, turning her to face him. He worked both his hands against her arms now, and she smiled contently as her body temperature increased. She stepped closer to him without realizing it, and his hands moved to her back, moving more softly now. He was warm and smelled like oranges and cardamon. His hands finally stilled on her waist, and she looked up at him to find him staring into her eyes.

A long moment passed and none of them breathed, as if the tiny movement of their chests would break the spell that bound them together. Then, moving closer, they inhaled together, sharing the same air. Ian pressed her softly against his body and she placed a hand on his chest, feeling his lean muscles going taut. She saw his head bend as she rose on her tiptoes, his tongue licking his lips and the next moment they were on hers, building a fire in her chest that ran along her body, danced under her skin and drove the cold away.

She forgot herself in his kiss, not realizing how much time had passed when they stopped for breath.

Ian looked at her, a smile spreading on his lips.

“How come you asked me on a date?” she blurted, surprising him.

He increased the distance between them, rubbed the nape of his neck and watched her with a bashful smile. “When ye leaned against me, singing and laughing last week, I thought none of my sins was that bad to have me tormented this way for life. ‘Tis now or never, man,’ I thought to myself. And then, drunk as ye were, there was a good chance ye wouldna remember in the morning in case ye rejected me.”

“I wasna drunk!” she laughed and stepped closer to him again, taking hold of his shirt.

“Thank God ye weren’t,” he replied and pulled her to him, suddenly finding the distance between their lips unbearable.

#a date #Jenny x Ian #modern AU #one-shot #milestone celebratory fic #outlander fanfic #outlander fanfiction #Jenny Fraser #Ian Murray

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lillaxtrigger · 5 years

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Young Hope: Chapter 21

The salty starch of a curly french fry is dipped into a small cup of delicious ketchup; the spicy delight soon chomped in half by Kingsley’s teeth. “Mmmh...” After swallowing the piece, he goes on to compliment the flavorsome fries with: “This restaurant always makes some of the best fries. The salt and spices in each piece just burst flavor. You really outta try them Damian.” From the opposing side of the table does a tan brown hand pinch one of the longer curly fries before him; lifting it near the head of a hooded teenage boy with curly black hair drooping out from underneath. Before him, the boy watches as the long strand of potato simply droop down until it rips under its own weight; a depressing sigh escaping from his mouth as he turns away. “Hey, what’s the matter? Afraid you might burn your tongue? They’re not that hot.” Kingsley question. “I’m just not that hungry is all.” Damian moans.

Right after saying such, a small toddler smacks into his chair; Damian disappearing upon the sudden bump. The toddler looks back, staring curiously towards the seat he’d just ran into; Kingsley watching as the little kid slowly starts to approach. Right when he was near, both hear the cry of a woman; demanding the toddler to: “Get over here, Jimmy! Quit bothering them!” On those orders does the little kid retreat from the table; the boy genius looking back towards the seemingly empty seat. “You wanna talk about what’s been eating you up? You been acting more withdrawn then usual this past week or two.” Before Kingsley does the boy reappear back in his seat as a disheartened groan leaves his lungs; answering him with: “I don’t know. I...I just haven’t been the same since that whole Circe episode. Going through that whole kidnapping and life threatening drama’s just been a little hard for me.” “I ain’t really seeing anything wrong with ya.”

Beside the two, Cayenne sat woofing down the burgers and fries before her like a savage animal; bits of fries and meat spilling back onto the table as she scarfs her food down. “Ya still lookin like the same overly dramatic try hard emo pansy you’ve always been.” she mentions, her mouth stuffed with overly greasy burger pieces. “I don’t think that’s the case. I haven’t heard him speak a single poetic line the whole time he’s been around.” Kingsley denies. “I still ain’t getting what’s eating your ass. Ya got outta that circus of horrors and lesbian magic without losing a single speck of your powers. So what the big deal?” “Cayenne! He’s probably still scared about being kidnapped and nearly getting killed. I’d know I’d be.” “You did, and so did most of my cousins too. Most of the kids that went through that shit storm turned out just fine in the end.” Hearing the spice queen recall such causes Damian to let out a disheartening moan; the boy hanging his head over the batch of spicy fries. “Uh, Cayenne. Maybe it’d be best if you sit this one out.” the boy genius suggests. “Whatev.” Rising from her seat, she takes whatever food was left in front of her before taking her leave; bidding her adieu with: “Still thinking he should just get over it.”

Watching the Spice queen depart, a defeated groan leaves Damian’s lips; hesitantly agreeing with her crass judgment with: “Saying it hurts, but…she right. A lot of the kids that witch had snatched up bounced back from it all without so much as a hiccup. Like the mighty grizzly, the chilling winter of her icy grip had lulled them into a long slumber. But the comforting spring of your warming rescue had awoken them once more; springing back from the brink with more vigor than before. Alas, the cruel winter shows little mercy for me. Like the graceful gazelle, unfit slumbering through the harsh bitter ice; growing ever more frightened and frail than ever.” “Quit thinking like that. You’re not as weak as you make yourself out to be. Everyone just goes through trauma differently, that’s all. That doesn’t make yours any less valid.” The boy genius’s encouraging statement unfortunately fails to perk Damian’s spirits, remaining ever drowning in his woes.

Kingsley slapping the table baits the ghost boy’s attention; Damian hearing him offer: “Tell ya what, how about you and I go out on day through Townsville together. It’s been a while since we done something with just the two of us. We can go wherever your ghostly heart desires. Whadya say?” “I-I don’t know Kingsley. The only thing I’m really wanting to do now is just go home and cry my eyes out.” “Did I mention that the underground cafe downtown is having a poetry evening?” “...Alright, you win.” Rising from his seat, Kingsley rejoices from the agreement by concluding: “Fantastic! Just need to pay the bill and we can hit the road.” Picking up the bill, the boy genius’s chipper demeanor is swiftly cut upon viewing the cost; finding several meals that he knows neither of them had ordered. Over a hundred bucks worth of burgers, fries, sides; Jesus! Only one person was with them that could stuff themselves that much. “Ugh, Cayenne.”

Through the streets of Townsville, the duo walk together among the countless urbanites going about their day; the boy genius asking Damien: “So, you still listen to stuff like Hip Hop and Rap?” “Nn, yeah. I’ve also been branching out more towards the tranquil melancholy that Lofi has to offer.” “Glad to hear your music tastes are still intact. I’ve been seeking out stuff through techno and synth wave myself. Guess our first stop on this cheer up trip’ll be something that both of us will be into.” “Where exactly are you taking us?”

Stepping through a shop door, the specter’s question is answered then and there; beholding a vast cavalcade of music in a slew of forms. Cassettes, records, CD’s, all hailing a multitude of countless genres for all to enjoy. “A music shop? Why is our first stop here of all places.” Damian wonders as both he and his host enter. “I figured since both of us are exploring new genres, I figure we’d stop here to look through some of the new and retro stuff they’ve got stocked.” “Can’t we just do that online?” “Well, yeah. But I find there’s this oddly comforting novelty of having physical media as opposed to just pure data. Just nice to have something displayed on the shelf I guess.” Grabbing hold of the specter’s shoulder, Kingsley guides his guest towards the collection of music as he urges him to: “Come on. I bet we’ll find a ton of amazing stuff sitting in these racks.”

Along the racks of tracks, the duo search the surprisingly vast collection of synthwave music; one of which was a CD labeled “Mitch Murder”. “Think that this might be good, Kingsley?” “Mitch Murder? Oh yeah. My dad used to listen to him a lot while he’d be making gadgets and bots. I remember when I was little, I’d here the soothing synth echoing through is lab and just lull me to sleep. Really relaxing stuff there. Thinking about taking it home?” “Me? Hmm, maybe. It be rather a curious to listen to what music others might enjoy and find out what got them hooked to it.” “Really?” “Venturing out in such unexplored territory can offer a window into the souls of others. Even if it’s completely subjective, you can tell a lot about a person from the sounds that best resonate with them.” “Sounds like you know more about this stuff then I do.” “The souls of others are a very curious endeavor to explore, Kingsley. Every single life in existence is a completely unique being.”

Their search through the shop send them leaning towards the newest lofi hits; Damien trailing his finger across the cases until coming to a particular album. Pulling out the track makes the ghost boy lets out a small sigh, followed by mentioning: “The first Lofi artist I’ve discovered, a hidden diamond sparkling out in the rough that would spark a love for the secluding melody that such a genre offers.” Popping the CD out form its case, Damian flips it into the drive of a nearby music player; grabbing hold of both the headphones attached. “Care to drift along in the sea of melancholy with me, my friend?” the specter asks; offering the extra set of headphones to Kingsley. “Uh...Sure.” Grabbing hold of the pair of headphone, the boy genius dons them right over his ears; first notes and beats he listens to sound...depressing, like really depressing. Slow beats, low droning reverb, soothing piano and guitar; really sounds like something you’d listen to when wondering of the pointlessness of life and contemplating the futility of our own existence, wondering if anything that we strive to achieve will simply just waste away in the march of time until it corrodes into something far less than memory… Depressing stuff, honestly. Not really the kind of music anyone going through those thoughts should be listening to. Best to switch to a much more joyously relaxing experience.

While Kingsley moves over and flips through the countless other lofi tracks, Damian takes in the idyllic desolation playing in his ears. The depressing strums the guitar mixing with the low key strikes of the piano truly a create a comforting misery that eases the pain; as if the musician sympathizes with the woes of trauma and depression.

Such a symphony of gloom is swiftly silenced; the specter opening his eyes as he snaps back to reality. His gaze shifts over towards the player; a new CD being inserted into the slot. Looking to who changed the track, he found Kingsley holding onto the music he was listening to with a caring smile; a new piece swiftly playing for them. This time, a more upbeat, relaxing melody fills Damian ears. A piano, playing higher, more uplifting strikes sings alongside a similarly slow beat much like the previous melody. A complete contrast of the last lofi track, this one envelopes more of a chilling beat, a far more comforting rhythm. Like a friend saying: “Let’s just kick back, relax, and listen to some sweet, sweet sound.” A relaxing breath leaves the specter as a faint smile cracks between his cheeks.

After that change of tune, their journey through the genres continues unabated; both Kingsley and Damian scanning through the seeming endless walls and racks of music track. It’s in this moment that an all too familiar tune reaches the boy genius’s ears; gazing up towards the intercom to find it playing: “You used to call me on my...” Is that… “You used to, you used to” Is that really… “Yeah...You used to call me on my cellphone.” Oh my god, it’s playing Hotline Bling. It’s one of Damian’s favorites. Does he even knows its on? “Late night when you needed my love.”

Turning back to the ghost boy, he found not a single inch of his body dancing to the rhythm of the bass. “Call me on my cellphone.” Guess Damian hasn’t caught on yet. Probably too preoccupied with his woes to even notice. Perhaps a little push in the right direction might break him out of his shell. “Late night when you needed my love.”

Vaulting right over the racks between him and the specter, Kingsley slowly encroaches over to Damian’s side. “And I know when that hotline bling.” The boy genius’s head next to Damian’s, Kingsley starts to serenade along side the songs hot bassline; following the rhythm as the intercom continues with: “That can only mean one thing. I know when that Hotline Bling. That can only mean one thing.” Though not strong at first, Kingsley starts to see the specter’s body moving with the music; Damian foot stomping to the rhythm. “Ever since I left the city, you...Got a reputation for yourself now.” The further he hears Kingsley repeat the songs lyrics, the more Damian starts to break from his shy and apathetic standstill, beating his hands in tune to the bass. “Everybody knows and I feel left out. Girl, you got me down, you got me stressed out.” In the midst of harmonizing with the song, Kingsley begins to hear a low hum from the side; turning to the ghost boy to find him humming to the words. “Cause Ever since I left the city, you...” In tandem with his humming, the ghost boy starts to bop his head to the beat; slapping the racks with more vigorously. “Started wearing less and goin’ out more.” Damian’s whole body begins to move with the rhythm; Kingsley backing away from the dancing boy with a smile. “Glasses of champagne out on the dance floor.” The specter backs away from the rack of music tracks; his hood lowering to uplift his curly black hair. “Hangin’ with some girls I’ve never seen before.”

Finally, Damian turns away from the rack, dancing in full as he joins the boy genius on his chorus; singing out: “You used to call me on my cellphone.” Kingsley soon joins the phantom in his rhythmic bop; dancing side by side with Damian to the beat. “Late night when you need my love.” Both boy spin with one another, soon catching the attention of everybody in the music shop. “Call me on my cellphone.” Both boy then halt their twirl close to the carpet, slowly rising as they stay back to back to each other. “Late night when you need my love.” Once having fully risen, Damian jumps in the air and starts leisurely floating across the CD racks. “I know when that Hotline Bling.” All of the shops patrons watches the ghost boy glide through the store; the cashier even can’t help but gaze upon Damian as he moves to the rhythm of the music. “That can only mean one thing.” One of the shoppers joins in the phantoms serenade; her hips swaying with the beat. “I know when the Hotline bling.” Alongside her, the other shop patrons are gradually pulled into the rhythm; shaking their hips and bopping their heads to the music. “That can only mean one thing.” From the back of the store does a man with a shirt labeled “Manager” burst from the door; joining his patrons in their rapping chorus. “Ever since I left the city, you, you, you.” Gliding through the store; Damian twirls through the air as the other shop goers dancer. “You and be we just don’t get along.” Kingsley looks towards the ghost boy; happy to see a bright smile across his face as he sings with all his heart. “You make me feel like I did you wrong.” Damian lands back upon the carpeted floor with a dazzling flip; spreading his arms out in both directions. “Going places where you don’t belong.” The specter soon leaps back in the air; the people beneath him throwing CD cases in the air all at once. “Ever since I left the city, you-”

From the phantom’s carelessly joyous flight, Damian smacks himself into a whole wall full of tracks; the wall careening down upon another set of tracks beside it. That wall soon knocks over another wall of CD’s, spiraling an entire domino effect of collapsing sets of music tracks. The other patrons scatter away from the chaos, fleeing out the exit in panicking packs. Kingsley rolls away from the falling walls of music track, soon finding an entire rack threatening to topple upon him. Before the collection of songs could slam down upon the boy genius, somebody push him away from the descending rack; Kingsley finding himself thrust out from danger by his phantom friend. The boy genius can do little but witness the CD display tumble down upon his savor in a thunderous bang; soon seeing him buried under more dropping walls and racks.

The collapsing mayhem soon settles into a calming close; leaving the shops vast collection of music in ruin. Though the destroyed merchandise be the furthest worry from the boy geniuses mind; screaming out for his fallen friend. “Damian!” Kingsley lunges towards his buried friend without so much as a hint of hesitance; lifting up one of the falling rack as he assures him that: “Don’t worry buddy, I’ll getcha outta there soon! Just hang on!” Just as he ready to lift away the next piece of debris, the boy genius soon sees the translucent head of his friend; the ghost boy insisting that: “I’m okay. I’m okay.” Like an intangible spirit free from the physical plain of this world, Damian phases right through the toppled collection of tracks; turning corporeal once more as he lands back in front of the boy genius. “I’m fine. Don’t worry.” A hearty sigh slips out from between Kingsley lips, the boy genius admitting: “Thank goodness. I really though you were done for a second there. Are you sure you’re feeling alright?” “Trust me Kingsley, I’ve made out out of worse.” “I meant like...Are you feeling any better?” “Um...Kind of, but not a lot. Thanks for trying Kingsley.” “Hey, don’t quit just yet. This is just the first stop on the encouragement express; the next surprise in store might just fix your spirits yet.”

“You think so, huh?” a third voice questions. In that moment, a wayward fist breaches out from the rubble of the racks behind the boy genius; the emerging arm soon erupting out to show it belonging to the music shops managers. “You figure out how you’ll do the same with my store?” the manager growls. Presenting the resulting destruction to the two, he points towards the wrecked racks of broken CD’s and cracked case; reinforcing how: “The walls of records ruined, the racks of CD’s reduced to rubble, the tracks that I’ve stocked in shards. My entire music shop’s been completely destroyed! You got a way to fix all that!?” With a worrying groan, Kingsley pulls his wallet out from the depths of his pocket; slipping out from one of its folds his credit card.

Strolling through the concrete streets, the boy genius can’t help but notice Damian’s troubled glare; a gloomy moan leaving his lungs as the phantom stares out into space. “Hey, don’t look so down. I guarantee that the next stop were gonna visit will turn that frown upside down.” Kingsley promises. “You think so?” “I know so. It’s been someplace I’ve been wanting to take ya for quite awhile now. I guarantee your ghostly spirits will soar when you see it.” “Mind I ask where exactly are you planning to take us?”

Guided to his next stop, the ghost boy’s question is answered right then and there; Damian caught off guard by Kingsley surprise. Witnessing the astonishment in his eyes, a smile stretches across the boy genius’s face. “So, what do ya think? Your mood lightening up?” he asks. “I- I can’t believe it.” Standing before them be a brightly colored shop; the phantom beholding the assortment of exotic, almost otherworldly flowers displayed beyond the windows. “I’m guessing that’s a yes. Come on, I want to show ya the inside.” Taking the ghost boy’s hand, Kingsley gently leads Damian through the bright blue doorway; the wind chimes attached to the door ringing through their ears as they enter.

From within the shop, the duo beheld the quaint collection of blooming bunches surrounding them; a rainbow of flora encircling the pair. “All this is simply beautiful. The colors and fragrances all just blending harmoniously together in a symphony of natural beauty. How did you know?” the specter questions. “You kidding? With the whole array of flowers I see all over your house, it’s just a matter of putting two and two together. But all this, it simply pales in comparison to what they got set up in the back. Amazed me the first time I saw it all. It’s what got me thinking it bring you here.”

Stepping out the stores backdoor, both beholding a majestically expansive site spread before them; flora from every corner of the world and beyond gathered within a single enclosed garden, free from the influence of the outside world. The numerously vast collection of foliage leaves the phantom utterly speechless; left at awe of the overwhelming beauty of nature his eyes lay upon. Noticing the amazement in Damian's eyes, Kingsley lets out a little chuckle alongside mentioning: “Yep, that’s pretty much the same face I made when I first saw all this. Ain’t it neat?” “Neat? Neat simply isn’t enough to describe a site such as this. A wondrous union of flora from every corner of the world. The enchanting allure of such an earthly gathering simply draws forth the soul of nature within.” Having poetically described his feelings of wonderment and awe; Damian glides further into the wide collection of flowers before him.

The first set of flora to bait the ghost boys site be the seemingly dangerous cacti; planted upon patches of dry earth surrounded by brick. Drifting closer towards the green desert plants; Damian can’t help but let out an admiring sigh. “The mighty cactus, flourishing among the scorching desert sands. And yet, despite their unwelcoming appearance, they hide beauty among their prickly spines.” Glazing across the barbed patches, the specter soon finds a disturbance to the green; a bright pink flower, blooming right on the surface of a single cactus. “A single beauty; radiating among the harsh shells of the countless cacti.” Gliding his fingers across the flowers petals, Damian feels the gentle, almost silky texture of its petals. “Such a truly remarkable site bares with it a striking statement. How even the seemingly deadliest among us can show truly tender beauty.”

Breaking his site from the cacti underneath him; Damian is soon drawn towards another gorgeous site. “Ah! A deceptive contrast.” The ghost boy floats right over the prickly spines of the cacti and soon faces a glorious set of bell shaped flowers; a glass cage standing between him and the pure white flora. “The duplicitous brugmansia. The Angels trumpet. Truly a name none more deserving to represent the diabolical side of nature.” Phasing his arm through the glass, the specter delicately lifts one of the bells; continuing his description by adding: “Though their bell like bulbs may show themselves to be delectable and tempting, their petals hide an insidiously toxic poison. Even a single bite of this bell may very well send one on a terrifyingly painful trip towards the gates of heaven.” Taking his arm out from beyond the glass cage; Damian concludes is poetic statement with: “An example none more fitting for deceptive beauty. For what we may find as graceful and innocent may well be far more deadly and toxic than we perceive.”

Away from the lethal bells, the specter continues to drift through the glorious garden. Swiftly are his eyes taken towards a small bush sporting white flora all throughout its branches. “Quite the rare site. Never in my life would I imagine laying eyes upon the delicate hawthrons.” Nearing the bush of white, Damian gently brushes his palm along the white flora; adding how: “A flower seemingly so bland and uninteresting; blending in alongside the other beauties of nature. Alas, these tiny, fragile flowers hold within their stems an extremely potent healing property; the perfect ingredient to create powerful herbal medicine.” Pulling his hand away from the delicate flora, the phantom finishes his poetic dialect with: “A bold statement on how the small and blandest in our lives can have the biggest impacts.”

Out from the side; the ghost boy hears the call of his friend; Damian turning towards the source of his voice: “Hey Damian, come check this out.” Quickly, he glides towards the boy genius; gazing up to the majestic site right behind him. Witnessing the look of amazing upon his ghostly friend, Kingsley questions him with: “Ever seen something like this before.” “Only in myth.” Standing tall above them was the grand centerpiece of the entire exotic garden; a glamorous emerald tree enveloping a regal fountain. “An emerald evergreen. I’d never thought I would lay eyes upon such a wondrous site.”

The dazzled specter begins to ascend towards the top; the emeralds shine glimmering across his body as he rises. Near the trees crest, Damian plucks a piece of emerald hanging from one of the crystal branches; holding the piece of naturally grown jewelry towards the sun. Through the glass dome, the sun shine beams through the emerald; shining green upon the phantoms face. Dancing whimsically with the piece of rock in hand, Damian recites how: “This beautiful tree of shining jade truly brings the entire garden together; standing alongside the majestic flora to create a stunning symphony to represent the earth as a whole. A magical union of natures wonder.”

Finishing his dance, the ghost boy casually tosses the emerald leaf in his hand aside; soon descending back down towards Kingsley. The piece of rock ends up lodging itself into the sprinkler set at the top; the rock blocking the fountains water flow.

Landing right beside the boy genius, Damian lets loose a blissful sigh; Kingsley questioning if: “Guessing your spirits are soaring high now, aren’t they?” “As high as the stars themselves, Kingsley. My soul has soared beyond the atmosphere and has drifted through the planets themselves.” “Great to hear. You uh...You still hung up about you know who?” “As a matter of fact, I-” Right before the specter could give his say, both hear a violent shaking of metal and rock behind them. Turning back towards the tree, the duo witness the emerald evergreen swiftly start to furiously tremble; the loose bits of jade shaking off the crystal branches.

Right in front of them does a jet of water breach out from the hard emerald; Damian turning intangible before the gushing stream could hit him. The water jet phases right through the ghost boys body, soon striking the boy genius right behind him. “Kingsley!” Damian screams; watching as his host careens across the garden. Soon, the boy genius is smacked against the shops back wall; dropping down upon the grass with a thud. Witnessing Kingsley rise from the wayward flight, a relieved moan escapes from the phantoms lips. That same relief is swiftly withdrawn when he turns back towards the evergreen; geysers of fountain water breaking out from every side of the emerald tree; the sharp shards of which scatter all across the garden. As he gazes upon the disaster acting out before him, panicking cries reach Damian’s ear; glancing to his side to find the people fleeing from the ensuing chaos. One of these passerby’s lags behind the absconding crowd as he trip right onto the tiled walkway; looking above to witness a shower of sharp emerald pieces raining down towards him. The man braces for his inescapable demise; curling up as he awaits for the shards to impale his backside. But he feels not a single sting to his back, soon curling out from his brace to notice an emerald green glow shining right behind him; gazing back to discover the specter shielding him from the lethal shower with a translucence green plasma shield. “Get out of here!” he hears his savor demand. Not hesitating for a single second, the man scampers away from the ghost boy; Damian’s shield dissipating from the palm if his hand once the emerald rain ceases.

Back upon his feet, Kingsley beholds the escalating pandemonium ensuing before him; whole chunks of the evergreen now spraying out from around the fountain. Oh god. This is getting bad, really, really fast. They got have a water pressure control around her somewhere that can shut all this down. Hoping to find such, Kingsley swiftly scans through the garden for something that fails to blend in with the scenery; an element that clashes with the background as a whole. Out from the other side, his eyes soon lay upon a gray box nestled among a bed of gorgeous lilies. Jackpot!

The control box in his site, the boy genius sprints through the tiled walkway; passing through the retreating garden patrons. Kingsley glances up to witnesses his ghostly pal surveying through the sky; Damian’s attention soon baited by the boy genius when he calls. “Damian!” Gazing down to Kingsley below, the phantom listens as the boy genius orders that: “I’m going for the water control box! Get everyone outta here!” Hearing these demands, Damian descends down to the tiled pathway towards a couple of fleeing people. Hugging both by their wastes, the phantom sweeps the two out of the enclosed garden; phasing both him and the couple right through the glass dome.

Witnessing his phantom friend working on rescuing duty, Kingsley continues his race towards the control box up ahead. Out from the evergreen does another chunk of emerald come blasting out from the tree’s surface; the large jade rock careening towards the sprinting boy genius. Rolling along the tile, he slides right under the careening jewel as it passes right over him; the rocks rugged shards just inches away from his back. Once the emerald flies by, Kingsley leaps right back on his feet and continues towards the control box.

From there, the boy genius hurries towards the patch of lilies; green shadows sliding across the pathway baiting his attention up. Above, Kingsley witnesses several large shards descending right towards his path; refusing to halt for their landing. Continuing through, he sidesteps out from emeralds piercing crash down; witnessing the sizable shards digging straight through the tile. Finding another ready to crash before him, he jumps out from the jade jewelry’s landing; pieces of tile scattering upon impact. One more jagged jade digs right into tile pathway in front of him; Kingsley moving right by the broken piece of emerald.

Within the shop itself, two scruffy looking fellows calmly browse through the selection of flora along the shelves. One of them puts his nose up to a set of blue flowers and takes in the present aroma they emit. “I’m telling ya man. These hydrangeas will really make the place pop. Be a nice site among all those moldy hallways.” one of the suggests. “Hmm. Not to sure if blue really is the color we should go for.” the other doubts as they withdraw their nose from the flower. “Well, what kind are you thinkin about?” “I don’t know, man. Something like looks more natural. Maybe something green?” “Man, don’t fuckin joke about that. You remember the last disaster that happened when green came into our lives?” Before the other gent could answer, a crowd of fleeing patrons passes right behind them; the two turning their sites to the absconding shopper. “The hell’s got them so worked up?” one of them wonder. Glancing out through the window, the other answers with: “I think I might know what.” Both gazing out into the enclosed garden, the two scruffs stare out as they watch the specter and gifted scientist zoom through the scenery; their sites specifically locked towards the racing Kingsley. “Oh ho… ain’t that a familiar motherfucker.”

The boy genius lethal race through the garden seems to begin reaching its finish; Kingsley making out the piping hooked to the water control box among the lilies. Threatening to halt his progress however be another jet of water erupting from the tree. Though none of the shards tempt to fly in Kingsley’s direction, the speeding stream of water shoots right for him. Right on the mark, the geyser of fountain water strikes him aside; the technician sent flying through the garden. Kingsley’s forceful flight starts to take a turn for the worse, soon finding himself rocketing right towards the desert dwelling cacti. Kingsley closes his eyes, knowing there’s little he can do to to stop his careen towards the sandy pin traps but brace for the spiny impact.

Just before he could feel the sting of their sharp needles, he’s is snatched out of harms way. Failing to feel any of the cacti’s deadly pins pierce his skin; Kingsley opens his eyes and gazes up to find himself held in the air by his ghostly friend. “You okay?” Damian wonders. “I’m fine. Just fly me to the control box.”

At his friends request, the phantom teen glides across the garden to deliver his friend towards the lilies. Right when nearing the control box, Damian hears his passenger then order him to: “Now, drop me down!” “What!? But where nowhere near close to the ground! You’ll get hurt!” “There’s no time to land, Damian! Other peoples lives are at stake!” Although reluctant, the ghost boy heeds to his friends request and releases his grip on Kingsley’s arms; the super genius plummeting down towards the lily patch. While Kingsley’s descent proves trouble free, his landing shows to be anything but; breaking his ankle upon the solid concrete. The rough landing makes him tumble back; the gifted technician grabbing hold of his foot as he cries out; “Ah! My ankle!” “Kingsley!” his phantom friend concerns as he starts to descend. “Don’t worry about me! Just keep getting people out of here!” With that order, the ghostly teen flies away; leaving Kingsley to limp towards the control box.

Zooming back into the fray, Damian witness a huge chunk of the evergreen burst from the tree; the emeralds trajectory sent straight towards a fleeing elderly couple. With all his might, the specter jets straight towards the couple; coming neck and neck with the careening piece of crystal. Outracing the chunk of jade by only several inches, he reaches his arms out towards the two; grabbing hold of both senior citizens. The hunk of shining rock however slams down upon all three; the tiled pathway around the crashed emerald fracturing on all sides. Thankfully, all of them remain completely unharmed; Damian intangibly leading them out of the chunk of jewelry.

Finally making it to the control box, Kingsley leans over and begins digging through his pockets; soon pulling out his beloved screwdriver. With but a single stroke, he jams the tip of his tool right between the box and its cover; soon starting to wedge the lid off. It takes only several motions before he finally pries off the lid, revealing the valves and button controls held within; immediately beginning to turn the valve clockwise. The fountain set around the broken evergreen begins to finally calm; the water spurting out from the shattered walls of emerald soon dying down as a shimmering rainbow is left in its wake.

Finished leading the elderly couple out of the garden, Damian zooms back towards his technically gifted host. Kingsley himself sits relieved; a peaceful sigh escapes him as he knows the destruction is at an end. Seeing his phantom friend approaching, he rises from the patches of dirt to complement the ghost boy with: “Thanks Damian. You’re a big help. Your bravery and swift thinking here saved everyone's lives.” “Are you kidding. You’re the real hero here. I just simply kept people out of harms away. You...Your the one that actually stopped this whole mess.” Tempting to rise from the dirt, the boy genius stands on his feet; his ankles soaring horribly upon standing. Watching Kingsley fumble back down, Damian approaches worried; asking him if: “Oh my god! Are you alright!?” “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just my ankle. I’ll walk it off.” Rising to his knees, another question pops into Kingsley head; making him wonder aloud: “Still, kinda curious to know what screwed the fountain up so bad. Piping just doesn’t burst outta nowhere like that.”

Wondering such himself, Damien glides over towards the fractured fountain; taking a curious glance at its crown. Looking within the warped pipe at the top, the phantom teen spots something green clogging the inside. Phasing said object out with an intangible hand revealed to be a solid emerald leaf, a very familiar emerald leaf actually. Upon wondering why it seemed to recognize the jade crystal foliage; the answer suddenly hits him. “Oh...Oh my...” “What’s the matter, Damian!? Find something up there!?” he hears his host shout from below. Reluctant to show him; the phantom teen slowly descends to the base of the fountain where Kingsley stands. Without a word, Damian shyly presents the jade leaf to the boy genius; Kingsley surprised how: “That little thing caused the fountain to burst? That’s nuts. How did it even get up there?” “It’s because of me...” the specter shamefully admits. “What?” “I was the one who carelessly tossed this beautiful crystal leaf into the fountain’s crown. It’s because of me that the pipes burst and caused so much trouble.” “So it’s you’re fault, is it?” a third voice blames.

Gazing towards the source of the raspy intrusion, the duo are joined by an approaching old lady pointing her finger at the phantom as she continues with: “You’re the reason the piping went haywire!?” “Huh?” Damian wonders. “Look at the mess you made out of my precious garden!” Gazing upon the destruction that the owner presented, the two see before them the countless chunks of emerald having destroyed the tiled walkway, but the various flora as well. The rhododendrons ripped to shreds, the carnations crushed, the anemones annihilated, the peonies pulverized; almost every single flower in the garden pierced by jade shards. “All the work that I’ve put into this glorious garden, now reduced to nothing but a bejeweled catastrophe! But the worse of it all is the centerpiece.” Pointing towards the crystal tree; all three of them behold the result of the fountains clog; the emerald evergreen fractured by the burst piping. “My beautiful evergreen, shattered and destroyed beyond recognition and repair. Never to be beheld in its former glory again.” Contemplating the destruction of this once gorgeous garden that he had caused, despair ridden feelings begins to well within Damian. “Look, we’re sorry, okay. We didn’t mean to cause any of this.” Kingsley attempts to defend. “You think saying that’s gonna fix my garden? You know how much I’ll have to spend to restore all this; to track down another emerald evergreen!? How do you think your gonna compensate for the destruction you’ve caused!?”

With a guilty conscience weighing him down; the ghostly teen digs through his pockets to pull out his wallet. “I can-” Getting his wallet out, Kingsley lowers his phantom friends while he insists that: “Relax, I got it.” “But Kingsley, I can’t let you pay for what I did.” “You really think that you or your parents can afford to pay for all this? I got this covered.” A weak moan leaving his lips, the ghost boy puts his wallet away.

Limping through the twilight streets, Kingsley can’t help but hear his ghostly pal beside him berate himself on how: “It’s all my fault. All the wonder and beauty held within that glorious garden, all the CD’s and records that the music shop had gathered; all squandered and ruined because of my carelessness. The very pleasantries that deliver me joy and happiness, all come to ruin by my thoughtless actions. Truly, the universe wishes for me to weep; to wallow in the sorrows of my own doing.” “Step beating yourself up so much. You managed to save a whole bunch of people today; twice myself included. Swooping in and flying people out of the face of danger. You should be proud.” “Danger that I’ve caused. None of them would even have to be saved if it weren’t for me.” “It ain’t even remotely your fault. It’s how those places were constructed that was the problem. What made that flower shop keeper think that growing an emerald tree around a fountain wouldn’t lead to a disaster.”

Even with these statements, Kingsley finds his words showing little in lifting his friends mood; Damian simply staring down onto the concrete streets. “But uh, hey! Don’t be too down. We still got one more stop left on this encouragement express, and I guarantee that this final stop will really make the day. Trust me.” Upon those words does the boy genius lead Damian down a small flight of stone steps; soon opening the door at the bottom to reveal a small bar. The specter’s eyes are set alight on beholding the small stage behind the crowd; hearing the woman on stage sound off a haiku. “The wind is blowing. With it carries the glow of spring. The lily orchid blooms.” The end of her poetic haiku is met with a slew of snapping fingers; Damian's mouth open in astonishment. “The underground theater bar. I was so busy wallowing that I’d forgotten.” “I knew this would brighten you’re mood, even if it is kinda smokey. Think your up to get on there and perform.” Kingsley asks, waving away the puffs of cigarette smoke. “Are you kidding? I can’t wait.”

Brimming with excitement, the ghost rushes to the nearest empty table; soon pulling out a notebook and pencil as Kingsley sits next to him. Teething upon the neck of his pencil, a pondering groan escape from Damian’s lungs. “Nnn, I just can’t decide. What do you think I should write about?” he asks his host. “Whatever you want to write about, Damian. Poetry is a beautiful free form art with only the limits of your imagination.” “Kingsley, that not an answer. I need inspiration, dammit.”

The chime of the mic cuts in between their conversation, both looking out towards the stage to witness a woodland dressed gentleman tapping upon the tip. Drawing the entire bars attention, the gent clears his throat and begins his poetic anecdote with: “Few have never had the pleasure to experience an enchanting encounter with the heart of Asian nature such as I; beholding the unfiltered majesty of the Thailand jungles. The sunlight shinning through the bamboo thickets revealed the beauty reflecting within our precious earth. The elephants marching through the tall foliage as they guide their young showed to me the parental bonds we humans take for granted. Witnessing firsthand the symbolic relationship between the flock of oxpecker birds and pack of hippopotami proved to be a heartwarming example of the harmonious relationship between different creatures. All stunning examples of what we as a species should be striving for.” The woodland gents description of his trip through the Asian jungle lends him a mild snapping applause from the audience.

Fresh off hearing this performance does the distinct sound of rumbling hit Kingsley’s ears; the boy genius glancing down to see his stomach in an uproar. “Esh, guess those fries ain’t sitting too well. I’ll be in the bathroom if you need me.” he mentions as he rises from his seat. “Don’t take too long in there, Kingsley. Once I’m done, it’ll be my turn on the stage.” Damian insists without looking up from his notebook. With the boy genius strolling into the bathroom, he fails to witness the next poet come on stage; a woman in gothic attire standing within the spotlight.

Grabbing hold of the mic with her nail polished hands, the goth girl begins to recount the her tale by starting with. “The waxing moon shines down upon the decrepit remains of a Norwegian castle; the midnight lunar glow illuminating the rustic and dust ridden ruins of its halls revealing a haunting beauty one of which can only behold to believe. Traversing through the keeps darkest corridors, I had witnessed a magical site before me; fractured vision of the abodes glory days flash through the hallways. Passing through these sparks of nostalgia, the very air itself felt out of time; the furnishings and decors feeling new down to the very touch. But alas, these visions fade all too soon; the battered and decayed remains of the castle returning to shambles once more. Never have a seen anything more decadent such as that Norwegian keep, as if whatever haunts its halls is attempting to recollect memories lost to the unforgiving ages. Perhaps the day shall arrive when those that linger within the castle release themselves from the grip of their troubled memories and finally rest once and for all.” Having finished retelling her trips throughout the haunted castle, the gothic woman sets the mic back onto its pedestal; the audience lending her story a much stronger set of snaps. This haunting experience also sparks inspiration within the ghost boys own thoughts, Damian rapidly scribbling down words within his notebook.

Fresh from leaving one of the bathroom stalls, Kingsley draws in as much of the ocean breeze air fresheners captivating scent as he can; a refreshed breath leaving his lips. Ahh! That smells so much better. Certainly beats the puffs of smoke wafting outside. Don’t really know how anybody can live in that nicotine fueled air.

His shadow trailing behind the streetlights out the window, the technician strolls to the sink as he takes in more of the bathrooms pleasant incense. As he turns the sinks nobs, he wonders where exactly the refreshing smell originates; pressing the soap dispenser to find the scent coming from it alone. Whoa, that is some strong smelling soap; the scent itself leaking out from the dispenser just to grace everyone with its majestic scent. Almost as if the air of the very tropics themselves boarded a plane to town just to forcefully jam themselves straight into the noses of others. Wonder who sells this stuff?

Beside him does another stall open, a shadow trailing along the tiled floor as it approaches the boy genius’s backside.. All the while Kingsley himself remains distracted by his personal hygiene. Lathering his hands with the strong smelling soap, he finally rinses his palms; washing away every last bit of the suds. Taking in the smell of his palms, a relaxed sigh escapes from Kingsley lungs; the ocean breeze soon replaced with the scent of chloroform as a rag is forced over his mouth. Struggling against his assailants grasp, the boy genius looks within the mirror to find somebody holding him tightly, unable to make out any distinct details as his vision slowly fades. Kingsley soon falls into a deep slumber, the red swirling goggles once strapped to his neck slipping off onto the bathroom tile.

Upon the bars stage, the Damian’s chance in the spotlight finally arrives; the specter shyly putting his mouth to the mic as he announces: “Thank...Thank you all for giving me the chance to tell all of you my own tale. Truth be told, I’ve had this chronicle on the back of my mind for quite a long time now, and am happy to finally share with all of you one of my stories.” Sharing such earns the phantom teenager a small set of snaps from the audience before him; Damain looking down onto the paper of his notebook.

“Through a man made portal of swirling green, my entire body was cast into the emerald afterlife. Beyond the gates of the dead, I float through a seemingly endless void of tormented spirits and haunting beings; wailing in never ending agony over the mortality they’ve lost. Among the countless lost souls, creatures beyond words drift alongside them; praying upon their despair and sorrows like emotional predators. Floating along the swirling madness, a countless cavalcade of doors rest to my sides; each one unique to the next. Living behind their wood lie the countless memories of the departed, some being little more than single lit rooms, other massive expanses as far as the eye can see; though they all attempt to keep what little shards of memory their mortal lives once held. Soon, my journey led me faced with exotic islands beyond the reaches of the living; struggling against weathers of blistering heat and freezing winds. Venturing through the beautiful paradises of lost roman cities, to the unkempt hellscapes of torturous ruined prisons; I’ve ventured out through the most alien and imaginative worlds that human imagination has yet to comprehend. But at long last, my search for home came at an end; led to the very portal I was thrust into. Without a single moment of hesitance, I bolted through the swirling gate, soon met with my loving parents arms once more.”

Upon finishing his daring story through the dimension of the dead, Damian steps away from the mic and gives the audience a graceful bow. The silence is then shattered by a wave of snapping fingers, everyone in the bar applauding the ghostly teen’s haunting tale. Hearing himself receive such an ovation brings a bright smile to his face, the phantom casting away his dark hood to reveal his long sleeved dark yellow garbs underneath. That smile however starts to dissolve upon staring back towards his table; realizing his friends failed return from the bathroom.

Entering the men’s washroom, Damian sees not a single soul beyond the door; not even a sign of his host. “Kingsley? You in here?” he calls out. Alas, he fails to bait even a remote response, hearing only the acoustics of the tile repeating his call. His sites soon turns to the stalls, checking underneath to find not a single pair of feet. Opening all three of them yield nothing either, each one completely vacant. Quite peculiar to be honest. He definitely said he was going to the restrooms, certain that he was. It’s not like him to just depart without so much as warning, especially during a day out such as this.

Upon pondering this does Damian feel something crack below his feet, glancing down and lifting his foot to find a familiar set of goggles, one of the lenses shattered by the specters foot. Picking them off the floor, he knew right away who they belonged to. This-these are Kingsley’s favorite pair! He’s almost always has them around his neck. Something must have happened. He wouldn’t just leave them on the floor so carelessly like this. Betting he was kidnapped, this is a job for the cops.

With this in mind, Damian feverishly pulls out his phone; his finger resting on the police dial. Right when he was ready to make the call, a worrying thought perks up and causes him to hesitate. Hang on! If he was kidnapped, it’s almost a safe bet they plan to hold him hostage; having him at gunpoint and could cap him at any sign of the heat. Might wanna call in somebody that can make things go smoothly. Thinking this, the phantom teen scrolls up to the “C” list; his finger hovering over Cayenne’s number. Eh, maybe not. She might wind up making things worse.

Putting his phone back, the ghostly teen lets out disheartened groan. It’s no use. It doesn’t matter who can help out, they’ll just draw attention and put Kingsley in danger. Guess its more of a solo rescue mission then. Still, there is one thing that can track him down. Something that Dad talked about a couple years back. Might be kinda rusty at it, hadn’t really had much need to practice. Oh well, guess now’s a good a time as any.

Taking in a deep breath, Damian lets out calming sigh; shutting his eyes as he holds the pair of broken goggles before him. An emerald green aura begins to emit from the ghost boys palms, soon enveloping Kingsley’s swirling goggles in their glow. From the aura do the pair of goggles start to ascend from his hands; the phantom focusing upon the eye wear until nothing else remains in his mind. With enough concentration, the aura surrounding the goggles transforms into a violet hue; soon trailing away from the pair of eye wear and drifting towards the left. Opening his eyes, Damian witnesses the aura trial phasing through the bathroom window. Walking to the small window, the specter lightly taps the glass; the window falling over onto the concrete street. From there, Damian phases out from the bathroom and in to the alley; swiftly following the aura of his friend out into the streets.

Trapped within the dim confines of a ruined room, two thugs finish tying the gifted technician from neck to toe tightly to a wooden chair; remaining oddly calm to the daring situation at hand. “Sooo...why did you guys kidnap me again?” he nonchalantly asks his captors. “For real, you saying don’t remember a thing about us?” the one to his front wonders. “Mmm...Nah.” “Not even the time we kidnapped ya a few months back?” the goon wonder, hurt by the boy genius’s lack of memory. “Eh, ain’t ringing any bells.” “Seriously, how often does ya sorry ass get ganked that you don’t recognize us?” the other behind him wonders as he walks to Kingsley’s front. “Happens more times then you’d think, honestly. Ya mind being a bit more specific?” “The Raw Shuck gang?” Mentioning their identities leaves their captive ever clueless; Kingsley simply starring at them with a confused gaze. “Those three brats you had with ya tore up our sweet hideout the last time we took ya.” “Nnn...sounds familiar, but...You sure that was you guys?” Upon this absence of memory, the two crooks are left speechless; one of their eyes beginning to well up with tears. Wiping the tear off his face, the goon pulls his partner aside to talk in private.

Facing away from their captive, the one goon goes on to mention: “Told ya our reputation’s been plummeting the past couple months. Gotten so bad that this mofo we ganked a while back can’t even remember us.” “Maybe it wouldn’t have took a nose dive down to the earths core and out the other side if we had more than one hideout. The damage that assholes kids caused took out half our gang.” “Hey, it ain’t my fault that some new brats in town are muscling in on our turfs and beaten the shit outta us.” “Who’s even stompin us out anyway? Didn’t even hear a single name.” “I don’t fuckin know. Bunch of young ass mofo’s going around callin themselves the “Yellow Jacket”. Some shit like that.” “You fuckin playin with me here? What kind of twink ass freaks just strutten through the streets like tough shit name themselves after a bunch of damn wasps?” “Well, who names their gang after a psychological test?” Kingsley interjects. From behind their back, the two goon look back towards the boy genius; glancing to each other to realize their captive listening their private conversation. Fulling turning back to their tied up hostage, the two gaze upon Kingsley with intimidating glares; one of them putting their face to the boy genius’s and threatening with: “Ain’t nobody gonna bust you outta here this time.” Both make their exit out; the other goon leaving Kingsley with a departing promise. “You gonna pay for make fools outta the Raw Shuck.”

With these parting words to the two thugs leave the boy genius tied up; Kingsley himself left apathetic to their warning. “Oh no. I, Kingsley Spicer, have been captured once again by a menacing gang of thugs and entrapped under their ropes. If only I had come prepared for this inevitable situation. Oh wait...” he claims with droning sarcasm. Loosening his wrist from the tight hold of his restraints, the boy reveals a watch from under the ropes. Pressing a button to its side causes the watches face to open; a small mechanical appendage soon firing a small laser. “I did.” the boy genius sarcastically recounts as the laser cuts through the rope holding him down. Once the last of his binds has been severed, Kingsley rises from the wooden chair, brushing off the loose strands of rope. “And people wonder why I wear a watch with smartphones around.”

Outside, Damian stares onward as a nervous gulp passes through his through; beholding the run down hospital blending into the night. “Get it together, Damian. It’s an abandoned hospital...filled to the brim with murderous thugs ready to unload their guns towards an intruder at a moments notice. No big deal, nothing to fear.” Glancing down to the pair of broken goggles in his hands, the phantom teen witnesses the voilet aura trail winding through the front door. “If I play my cards just right, I can swoop in and get Kingsley right out. All with no one else the wiser.” This strategy cemented in his head, Damian makes himself invisible to the naked eye and glides right through the front door.

Set deep within the dark corridors of the hospital, two goons stroll past an open desk sitting right in the middle of a big intersection. “So they asked you how you want your pork cooked?”. “Yeah, it was really weird. You told me that pork has to be cooked in a specific way right?” “It has to be cooked thoroughly so that all the bacteria in it get burned off. Kinda shocking that they even asked in the first place.” “Yeah, probably won’t be long before they catch the heat of the FDA. That steakhouse is a lawsuit waiting to happen, just wait.” Once the two turn the corner, their thought to be captive peeks out over the counter; glancing in both directions before sneaking away in the opposite direction.

Prowling through the molding hospital halls, stealthy technician gazes up towards the ceiling; the exit signs hanging over head beaten in. Beyond it however laid another sign, pointing where the fire escape is located. Seems like the perfect getaway at first, doesn’t it? Just slip through the emergency exit and book it as fast as ya can. But with the tempting bait lies an insidious trap. Judging by the dim lights, this place is still holding the power together. The alarm to the fire escape probably hasn’t been cut. Try and walk out through there and the blaring alarm will get the whole hospitals attention. Still, there’s gotta be another way out. Somewhere nobody will even notice anybody making their getaway. Upon wondering such does Kingsley witness a shadow creeping out from the corner; soon frantically looking around for a place to hide.

Out from beyond the corner, disgruntled goon walk through the empty hallway with a mop and bucket in hand. “Man, why the fuck do I always get stuck with janitor duty. Ain’t like anybody else is going through this moldy ass shit hole. Only got me on this one man clean up crew with just fucking mop and bucket; don’t know what makes em think that anybody can clean this whole crap dump with just these thing.” Caught up in his aggravated rantings, the janitorial grunt fails to discover Kingsley hiding within one of the open patient rooms; the door broken from its hinges. Once the angry cleaner was clear from the halls, the sneaking genius slinks away from the janitor; sadly unaware of his invisible ghostly pal searching for him on the other side of the hall.

Passing the pissed grunt overhead, Damian continues to trail through the dim hospital halls; following the violet aura emanating from his friends broken goggles. His trailing search soon takes him to a split in the middle; Kingsley’s energy venturing off in both directions of an intersecting hallway. The phantom ponders why his trail would fracture so distinctly like this; only two explanations at the top of his head. Either these thugs couldn’t decide where to stow him, or...he must have broke free! If the latter is true, then Kingsley would be attempting to sneak out towards the exit. Best track him down post haste, lest these brutish thugs catch him in the midst of his escape. Judging from where the entrance is located, Kingsley would likely be going...right. Having thought this, Damian takes a right on the 4 way hallway; resuming his rescue as he continue to follow his friend’s aura.

His invisible pursuits soon lead him to an alarming predicament. Standing before him be a whole cavalcade of thugs, crooks and grunts, mingling to one another of their criminal escapades within what looked to be a small lobby. Oh...oh boy...Okay, this gonna be tight. Just gotta not make a single sound and this’ll go as silky smooth as melting butter on top of toasted bread.

Carefully does Damian start to fly over the pack of thugs without so much as a peep; as getting close to the ceiling as he possibly can without touching it. Only a few feet of space stand between their countless heads and his body; the specter quieting his breath so not to draw any attention. As the phantom teen carefully floats over the murmuring crowd, he regrets not making enough time to practice his other ghostly abilities with his father; maintaining intangibility alongside invisibility being a skill that would have come in handy in situations such as this. Perhaps once this is all over, the father could explain how to do so without contracting overwhelming migraines.

A trouble that bares its fangs when Damian’s clothes are caught on the ceiling, the unexpected jerk making the mineral fiber tile over him tremble. Glancing back, the phantom had found the bottom back of his shirt caught along a loose wire. Hearing the murmuring cease underneath, Damian gazes down to find the crooks below him staring up towards him. “Anyone else see that?” “Yeah, part of the ceiling moved.” “I saw it too!” “Probably just rats! This place is crawling with them.” “I don’t know, I ain’t hearing any scuttling.” With the crowd under him growing curious, Damian slowly attempts to pick out his shirt from the wiring; his endeavors causing the tile over him to shake. “There! It’s moving! I knew it!” “Da faq’s goin on up there!” “Someone got a stick or somethin?” “We could just stack on each other and reach up there.” “Hell, no. I ain’t havin someones dirty ass dick on the back of my neck.” “Found a broken IV pole. Will that work?” The crowd beneath him gathering ever closer, Damian hurries to unhook his shirt from the loose wire; someone from the band of crook drawing forth with a long metal pole. Right as the goon with the broken IV pole was under him, the phantom manages to free himself from the wires grasp. The crook below begins to thrust the pole upward; Damian slipping right past its metal neck just in the nick of time. Floating away from the mineral fiber tile, the lackey instead pokes at the loose bit of ceiling; lifting the tile to reveal simply the loose cables underneath. “Huh, maybe it was just some rats.” “Well, what else do you expect from an abandoned hospital?” “Don’t know. Fuckin ghost.” “Josique, shut yo damn mouth.” Finally putting the curious crowd behind him, Damian lets loose a quiet sigh; glancing back to find not a single one of them the wiser.

The phantom then attempts takes off from the gang of goons, hoping to gain as much distance from them as possible; his getaway immediately interrupted when slamming into a wayward henchman. Both the invisible ghost and goon fall right on their asses on impact; the entire crowd behind them drawn by the unexpected fall. “You okay there, man?” one of them worries. “Ah! Anybody see what the hell happened?” the crook on the cracked marble wonders. “Think you might have tripped?” “No, felt like I ran into somebody.” The crowd of criminals behind him approaching the two, Damian wastes not one more moment to escape while he’s still remains relatively undetected; zipping right past the baddie before those behind him could realize his presence.

Peeking out from the other side of a thick metal door; Kingsley finds himself having reached the roof of the hospital; the full moon illuminating the entire top of the building to reveal not a soul wandering outside. With nobody in site, the wonderous genius steps out into the night; the cool fall winds brushing past as he shuts the door behind him. Although a little shivering, the freezing night air is welcoming none the less; taking in a breath free from the foul stench of aging mold and dried blood. It never really crosses the mind the kind of horrible odors that can originate from a hospital with cleanup being a constant need. With barely anybody around to keep up maintenance, all the fowl smelling bacteria comes out to play. Kinda surprising then that no one down there has contracted any diseases yet.

Putting these thoughts behind him though, Kingsley opts to take a glance out from the side; staring down below to spot an armed thug patrolling the face of the hospital. Pretty obvious that they’d have the front of their hideout covered, but what about the sides? Looking down to the left shows a couple of crooks creeping along their HQ’s first half. Okay, maybe the right might prove more lax. But alas, walking across the rooftop revealed the hospitals right side to be just as secure as its left. Right, they probably have the back covered as well. And just as predicted, the back shows to be just as covered as the rest of the outside. They’re not really being lazy with security, are they? There isn’t a single blind spot to climb down to and sneak off. With every corner of this place covered, there’s really only one option left to take. Digging through his pockets, the boy genius pulls out his smart phone; unlocking his screen and brings up his contacts. Hard to believe they didn’t think of taking this away.

Scrolling through his friends number, he ponders who exactly to call in this time of need; knowing all too well that calling in someone like Cayenne would risk causing one heck of a commotion and could end extremely poorly. No...a situation such as this calls for someone with a far more careful hand. Somebody who can easily slip into the shadows and go by undetected; as if turning invisible to the naked eye. But who exactly can fulfill such an insanely careful and incredibly crafty roll... Eh, Damian could fit the bill.

Finally making his decisions, Kingsley taps on his ghostly pals number; putting his phone to his ear to hear the dial tone sound off. Come on, please pick up…

On the floors below, Damian himself floats through the dim halls of the hospital in pursuing his friends aura. The phantoms search soon leads him to a run down patients room, opening the door to find before him a peculiar site. Behind the destroyed equipment at the end of the room be a lone wooden chair with a set of rope surrounding its bottom. Picking the rope off the old marble floor shows the binds having been cut in half at the back; sporting scorch marks around the severed end. Touching these marks felt hot to the touch; the smell of burnt cloth still fresh.

They definitely tried to keep him held up in here; but knowing Kingsley, he swiftly figured out a way to escape. The goons outside don’t really seemed particularly alarmed; they must not realize that he’s free yet. Gahh! Should’ve took the left instead of the right back at the split. Guess there’s not much else that can be done but backtrack and hope that Kingsley can stay outta site long enough.

Right as he ready to trudge back through the halls, the phantom’s phone blares out Drakes “In my feelings”; Damian scrambling through his pockets to pull out the source of the echoing ringing. From the side, the phantom feverishly puts his call on hold and shuts down his phone entirely; regrets of not doing so sooner flaring in his mind. Though there’s little time for self deprecation, as the specter soon hears the sound of approaching footsteps. “Who the hell’s playing Drake in here?”

Three thugs soon storm through the doorway; gazing within the seemingly empty patient room as one of them assures that: “Swear I heard it come from in here.” “Think some dumbass might’ve left their phone in lyin around?” the other wonders. “Maybe. Let’s look around. See if someone’s hiding in here.” the last suggests. All three of them start to look deeper within the ruins of the patients room, unaware of the source of the noise standing right beside them. Damian remains completely quiet as the crooks search through the broken hospital furnishings; inching closer towards the rooms open exit.

One of the lackeys soon comes across the chair surrounded by freshly cut rope. “Hey, guys. We kidnapped anybody recently?” he wonders. “Yeah, somebody finally knocked that Spicer brat and brung him back. Have him stowed up somewhere. Why?” one of them questions. “Uh, think they might have got out.” “What!?” From the other side of the room, the goon rushes to her comrades side and beholds the very same site as he. Picking the rope up, she ran through its string to come upon its severed end. “Dammit! How the hell, he get out so fuckin fast!?” “We gotta go tell the others. Who know’s how long he’s been sneakin around here?”

With the crooks alarm does Damian finally leave through the doorway; soon meeting with the blunt force of a wayward baseball bat. The impact causes the phantom to fall to the marble floor; soon becoming visible to the world once again. All within the patient room stares down onto him; surprised of his sudden appearance. “The fuck! Where the hell’d he come from!” “Swear, this town is full of freaks!” “Didn’t even see him at all. Who punched his lights out?” “That be me, mofo’s.” someone speaks up. Coming out from the hall, a forth crook wearing an odd pair of goggles comes in wielding a baseball bat. “Josique!?” “Ya’ll callin me fuckin stupid for blowin my cash on inferred goggles! Bet all ya’ll asshole kickin yoselves for constantly given me shit! “God dammit, Josique. You wastin yo greens on stupid shit stead of crack or hoes? The fucks wrong with ya?” Well, that look like a waste a greens, mofo’s!?” he gloats, points to the groaning ghost boy. Writhing on the floor; Damian’s consciousness begins to elude him; the last words he hears before blacking out be: “Just shut up and get the cuffs.”

Anxiously awaiting atop the roof, Kingsley stands by as he attempts to call for his phantom friends; the droning ring sounding out in his ear sweat drips down his forehead. A disheartened sigh leaves his lungs when the tone goes straight to voicemail; spurring the chance to leave a message and jumping back to his contacts. Guess there really isn’t much options left to take now, is there? Things might get kinda messy with Cayenne charging straight in, but what else can be done at this point. Just hope she doesn’t go overboard this time.

The boy genius scrolling back up towards the C’s in his contacts, his finger hovers over Cayenne’s number. Just when he was ready to make the call, his phone picks up an incoming call; the oncoming number soon turning to Damian’s name. Seeing his ghostly pal calling, Kingsley waits not one more moment to take the call; putting the phone up to his ear and pleading: “Damian! Thank goodness I finally caught you. Listen, I’m trapped up here at the top of an abandoned hospital. I need you come get me before the goons down below find out I’m-” “Hello, dear friend.” a deep voice greets. Kingsley nerves wind right back up when hearing the unfamiliar tone on the other end. “Mind staying on the line as you come back down, buddy? I have a guest down here that I think you be interested to reunite with.”

Held within the dim confines of a central office, Damian struggles to free himself from a set of neon green handcuff. Turning intangible fails to release his hands from their grip; a painful shock delivered to his whole body that forces him back to the physical plane. As he recovers from the sudden shock, a voice to his side warns that: “Slipping outta those cuffs ain’t gonna be that easy for ya, pal.” The specter gazes over towards a slim man donning a pale business suit; his face sporting black markings around his eyes. “I know. These are standard phantom containment cuffs. Only official phantom patrol officials are allowed access to these. How did someone like you get your hands on a pair?” Damian demands. “Kinda hate to admit it, but nabbing a pair of those puppies wasn’t easy. Had to go through a ton of black market channels just to try and find the damn things. Course since last time, we knew that it had to be a necessary investment. A little precaution just in case. And judging from the way your struggling in those cuff; I’d say it was all worth it.” Turning away from his ghostly captive, the man puts his feet up over his desks and lays back on his chair.

Right after he gloats does his office door creaks open, the boy genius himself being led in by a crook with a gun pointed to his back. “Ah, speaking of which, glad to see you back. Allow me to formally welcome you into the depth of the Raw Shucks den.” Damian steps out from the shadows, fervently asking: “Kingsley! Are you okay!? Did they hurt you!? I- Hang on second.” The phantom then turns his sites back towards the man behind the desk, wondering: “The Raw Shucks? Really? What kind of crime boss would name their gang after some psychological test?” “I was asking the exact same thing.” Kingsley adds. Slamming his fist against the desk, the boss rises from his seat; insisting that: “It’s meant to be a bad ass name! It’s supposed to tell others that we’ll psychologically ruin them. Get inside their mind. The trauma we cause’ll fuck them up. Ya get it? Come on.” Everyone in the office stands in the office in silence; perplexed of the boss’s naming reasons. Glancing to the goon holding Kingsley at gunpoint; Damian watches as she simply just shrugs. The lack of a response makes the boss pinch his nose as an irritated groan escapes his lungs. “Where the hell was I?” Snapping his finger; he reminds himself that he cut off at: “Right. Right. Threats.”

Sitting back down, the boss picks up where he left off; promising Kingsley that: “We’re gonna make you pay for crashing our party last time, Spice boy. Those brat you sicked on us ain’t here to help you out this time. Not to mention having your ghostly pal here on his leash. The bust up since then set us back big time. Rival gangs have been coming in and muscling in on our turfs, drug trafficking ring’s been shafted, heists and robberies have been dwindling to a crawl; it’s all been just a really shitty month to be honest. But ya know something?” The boss then vaults right over his desk; finishing his statement as he lands with: “All that’s gonna change real soon once we cash in on the pretty pennies both your ransoms will make. The investments we made in our hour of need will pay themselves back tenfold. With all those greens fueling are return, we’ll take back Townsville’s underbelly and conquer what lies beyond!”

His painted gaze aimed towards the boy genius, boss commands him with: “Now, hands up, phone down.” Feeling the cold steel of the iron barrel on his back, Kingsley calmly complies with the bosses orders; dropping his phone and raising both hands over his head. After picking up the mobile device, the boss glances right above his hostage’s head to find the boys hands balled tightly; immediately ordering his guest to: “Fist...Open.” With those words does Kingsley look towards his ghostly friend; Damian staring back as his eyes squint. Following the bosses words does the boy genius open his palms; releasing a small black ball that drops towards the ground. Both the boss and phantom watch as the featureless ball rolls along the marble crack; Damian’s eyes widening as he realizes his friends plan. The little ball finally explodes; Kingsley giving his phantom friend a determined smile as the entire office is swiftly enveloped in a shroud of white. Coughing up the smoke bombs discharge, the crime boss flails about to try and clear out the clouds; several gunshots sounding off in the chaos. The smoke eventually dissipates, the boss and his armed lackey finding their guest having vanished. Glancing back to his desk’s side, they saw that the phantom has disappeared as well. A small growl coming from between his teeth soon morphs into a full blown scream; the boss crushing the boy genius’s phone with his bare hands. He swiftly turns towards his goon; demanding that she: “Don’t just stand there, go after them!” Once the crook sprints out into the hall, her boss vaults back on the other side of his desk; grabbing hold of the intercom and announcing to the entire hideout. “Attention, my lovable pack of marauders. We got a couple escapees scuttling in our halls! Get yourselves armed and scramble towards the west wing, on the double!”

His announcment echoing across the entire hospital, Kingsley and Damian sprint as fast as their legs can carry them. “You really can’t phase us outta here?” the boy genius question. “Unfortunately, no. As long as these accursed cuffs cover my hands, nearly all of my powers are locked under its steel. Curse the bounding achievements of paranormal technology!’” “Damian, relax. I can get them off. We just have to find someplace to hide so I can pick the lock.”

Winding and weaving themselves through the molding halls, the duo attempt to break down every door they can in hopes of finding a place to hide; most of the doors they encounter either locked or stuck shut. Those few with no doors fail to be effective hiding places; rooms they come across either being cluttered messes or small closets.

Their escapades are eventually come to a dead end, Damian stopping in his tracks when turning the corner. Kingsley unintentionally tackles him down, both boys falling upon the dirty marble floor. “Ah, why’d you stop?” the boy genius wonders; soon looking along his side to find the answer. Rising from the floor, the duo are faced with a squad of armed goons and crook; all their firearms aimed right at the two. “Oh, wow. They gathered faster then I anticipated. That’s...quite impressive actually.” the technician admits. “Yeah, bitch. The Raw Shucks don’t slouch around. Now, you two piss ant’s scramble back your rooms before we cap yo asses.” one of them warns.

To the specters side, Kingsley whispers that: “I only packed the one smoke bomb. I don’t got anything else up my sleeves.” Gazing out to the group of armed thugs set before him, the phantom puts on his bravest face and counter that: “You might not...but I do. Stay behind me and plug your ears.” With that answer, Damian start to approach the front of the crowd; Kingsley frantically whispering: “What are you doing!?” “Something that my dad said that I should only do in emergencies.”

The phantom teen stepping to the front of the pack of lethal crooks; one of them warns the boy to: “Come on, kid, don’t be a hero. Just back away and play nice.” Breaking his determined glare, Damian takes in a mighty breath of air; the crowd before him perplexed why the boy was holding his breath. Their answer is soon given in the form of a bellowing screech; Damian letting loose powerful emerald waves from his mouth. Kingsley backs away towards the wall, covering his ears upon the horrifying screech. The intense wail starts pushing the thugs before the phantom back; the emerald waves causing them to careen into the walls. While some try to block out the unholy shrieking, others attempt to fire upon the bellowing phantom; their bullets failing to travel far as the emerald waves push them back. The constant blast of booming screams starts to make the entire hospital tremble; the walls before him beginning to give way. Soon, Damian’s tormenting wails breaking through the facilities structure, entire chunks of the hospital being blown away by his green screech.

Eventually, the boy genius hears the ear piercing screams die down; Kingsley opens his eyes to find an astonishing site. Before his ghostly friend, the entire side of the hospital had been completely destroyed; a funneling hole left remaining in the aftermath. He finally breaks his stare out into the open night sky when he witnesses Damian fall to his knees; the specter coughing up blood onto the broken marble floor. “Damian!” the boy genius shouts; rushing to his phantom friends side. Kneeling to Damian, Kingsley worries if: “Are you okay!?” Ignoring the boy genius’s question, the ghostly teen puts his entrapped hands before Kingsley. “Get these cuffs off. They’ll be here any minute.” he wheezes out. Upon this request, Kingsley frantically digs through his pockets, soon pulling out his trusted screwdriver and jamming its tip straight into the cuffs lock. As he shifts his tool through Damian’s binds, both begins to hear the echo of constant footstep approaching; the ghost boy urging his friend to: “Hurry...” Kingsley looks back to see shadows he begin to creep out from the corner, making him haste his lock picking. Finally, the specter’s cuffs come undone, the technological metal binds falling to the floor.

Damian witnesses a pack of crooks turn the corner, witnessing their barrels aimed right towards the two. Before a single one of them could open fire; the phantom bounces on the boy genius. Kingsley hears the sound of gunfire echo through the hall; looking beyond his phantom friend to find the goons behind them unleashing their salvo atop the two. Though dozens of bullets pass right through them, not one does any harm to them. The teenage genius looks down to find Damian hugging him as tight as he possibly can, the phantom turning them both intangible against the led shower. With whatever strength he bares left; the specter jumps away from the small cavalcade of armed of criminals and rockets out from the very hole that he’s created. The thugs behind them attempt to shoot the escaping duo right out of the sky, none of them coming close to land a single bullet on either of them.

In his flight, Kingsley looks back towards the hospital disappearing in the distance; admitting that: “I can’t believe we actually made it outta there in one piece. Damian, your-” Just before the boy could speak any further, his friends strength finally fades; both boy soon begin to plummet down towards the buildings below. Both soon land right on top of an apartment building; the duo rolling across the rooftop before stopping right near the edge.

Slowly rising from their rough landing, Kingsley looks on towards the direction of their escape; claiming that: “I don’t think they’re gonna pursue us this close to the city.” Turning back to his savor, he begins to conclude that: “I think we should be safe to-” Silencing his statement, Kingsley witnesses his phantom friend kneeling on his knees; the sound of sniveling sounding out across the rooftop. “What...What the matter? Are you still hurt?” the boy genius wonders, nearing Damian’s side. “I’m...so...worthless...” Taken aback by his self loathing statement, Kingsley looks to his phantom friends face to find tears trickling down his cheeks. “What?” “I screwed practically everything over. I couldn’t keep you from getting kidnapped, I broke your favorite pair of goggles, and when I tried rescuing you, I just wound up getting caught myself.” he reviews, presenting Kingsley shattered lens to him. Taking the eye wear from his ghostly pals palms, the boy genius hears him continue with: “All day, things how been taking a turn for the worse and its all cause of me. I’m nothing but trouble. Cayenne was right. I’m nothing but a melodramatic coward.” Kingsley throws his broken set of goggles aside; patting his self loathing friend on the shoulder as he denies that: “Damian, that ain’t true in the slightest. Far from it. I probably would have wound up becoming a led filled organ pinata if you hadn’t came in and got me out of that nest of crooks.” “But...you still had to come and save my spectral hide after I got locked in ghost proof cuffs.” “And you still went and blew a ton of them away. Even with those things on; you not only took them out, but blew up a whole half of a hospital, all just by screaming. We would have been caught dead if you couldn’t do that.”

Wiping away the snot from his nose; Damian adds with his retort with: “No one’s gonna believe any of this coming out of our mouths though. People like Cayenne’ll still see me as nothing more then a spineless poet.” A melancholy sigh escaping from his lungs, the teenage specter, continues with: “Much like natures mighty lifeline, the graceful honeybee. Keeping their world beautiful and full of life. But alas, those that benefit from them the most see them as nothing but a nuisance, much like I.” “Stop thinking like that. You shouldn’t care what the vast majority of people think of you anyway. Doing that’s just gonna make you get all kinds of unnecessary stress. You know who’s opinion you should really be concerned with?” “Who’s?” Pointing his finger right to his ghostly pals nose; Kingsley simply answers: “Yours.” Kingsley sees that this statement fails to waver Damian’s self doubt; swiftly thinking what he should add to cheer up his phantom friend. “But…even if you still aren’t too sure about yourself. Just know that...you’ll always be a hero in my eyes.” This final guarantee makes a smile crack between the spectral teens cheeks; a laugh soon escaping through his teeth. “Thanks Kingsley.”

Rising from the course roof, Damian stands tall by Kingsley’s side; both boys starring out up to the full moon as it shines its lunar glow down upon the town. “The full moon. Shining its brightest when facing the earth and its struggles. Much like how all of us can shine when we face our existence.” “Glad your feeling better, buddy.”

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Might’ve given credit about Damian earlier, but just in case:

Damian belongs to: @princesscallyie

#lillaxtrigger #Young Hope

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barelylivinblog · 6 years

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We Went to Canada to See A Lot of Water

After driving through what seemed an endless route to the north pole, my boyfriend and I were crossing Lake Erie and heading across the border into Canada towards Niagara Falls.

Traveling there wasn’t as bad as I’m letting it off to be, but being in a car for six hours definitely put a toll on my childlike soul. I spent almost an hour of the ride harassing my boyfriend by wearing his sunglasses and being ridiculous, which I now realize was a lot funnier in person than written out.

If there’s anything I can tell you about taking a road trip, it’s very simple: Pack Snacks.

Had my boyfriend’s mother not supplied us with a sandwich bag crammed with two breakfast bars, a nutty butty, and two bags of popcorn, I would have perished. We made the mistake not to stop when we saw food, and when I say food, I mean the shady gas stations along side the highway to nowhere. This was the best option because after so far along when we were actually hungry there was NO WHERE to eat until we got into Buffalo. At that point it made no sense to travel into buffalo when we could just wait until we got into Canada.

Starving, we hurried along to our hotel and then quickly settled to eat at the Apple Bee’s right down the street from our hotel. Had we not been so hungry, I’m sure we wouldn’t have settled for the most American option. However, as my boyfriend said, it was easier knowing we were going to a place where we knew we would enjoy the food.

BUT.

To my horror upon looking at the menu: Canada’s Apple Bee’s DOES NOT SERVE BONELESS WINGS. I am an expert when it comes to American Apple Bee’s because if there was one close to my house I would eat there every day. The menu at the Canadian one was, to my surprise, much smaller. They didn’t even offer two for $25.

Another thing I picked up on quickly was how expensive everything was. Even with the conversion I ended up spending double my anticipated amount just from eating and sightseeing. The only free part of the trip was seeing the Falls themselves. My boyfriend even had to pay to park his car for the weekend.

Anyways, after paying what seemed like a million dollars for a meal at the facade that they called Apple Bee’s, we headed down to the Falls for the first time in the dark. In order to get there you had to walk down this steep hill (which continuously killed me when we hiked back up it) and walk under this bridge that still had been decorated for Christmas. The whole city was still decorated for Christmas which was nice considering our trip was a “Christmas” trip.

Once you got so far down the hill there was a picture view of what I believed to be the only Falls. You see, there are two waterfalls in this area: The American side and the Canadian side. In my head the two falls were facing their claimed countries, but it turns out they were both facing the Canadian side.

So I was staring at the American side, lit up by colorful lights, and thinking that this was the big sight to see. To be honest, I hadn’t even realized what I was looking at until my boyfriend said that the Falls were straight ahead. They, especially in the night, looked like projections of water. It was unreal.

And then I saw the Canadian side, or the Horseshoe Falls. Which, again, looked like a large projections. My eyes could almost not adjust to what I was seeing because it was so unbelievable.

After the magic of the falls and being showered in positive ions, my boyfriend and I headed back to our hotel. Below is a list of things we discovered about our hotel:

1. You cannot use bath bombs in the hotel tub or else they will charge you $350.00

2. Channel 4 is the fireplace channel

3. The vending machines only take dollar coins, HOWEVER, the dollar coins they have set out for you are a three dollar charge.

4. The pillows were garbage.

5. Hotel IHop was delicious but I paid 13.00 dollars for a meal I get at Denny’s for 4 dollars.

6. The curtains that would make sense to be able to move DO NOT move.

7. The elevator will smell like weed.

8. The hotel gift shops snacks are very pricey. We lucked out after I spotted a general store directly across from our hotel and got snacks for a little bit cheaper. It was a good business, still selling stuff obnoxiously priced but not as pricey as the hotel.

Our second day we went behind the waterfalls, and climbed over to Clifton Hill in search for something to do. We ended up at a glow in the dark indoor mini-golf course. It was a good way to waste some time and I think was worth the admission price. I was worried it was going to be crowded but everyone was good about waiting their turn which made it a cool experience.

That night, however, my boyfriend took me to the casino.The casino was really dazzling to the eye, but once you looked past the fancy decor and colorful flooring, it was scary how hypnotized some people were. I watched people who looked like their lives had been sucked out of them from hitting a button and betting away a lot more money than one should to a computerized slot machine. I had never been to a casino because in America I’m not old enough, but here all I had to do was show two forms of I.D. and I was stamped and sent on my way.

I ended up not gambling because it was a weird concept to me, but my boyfriend did. He was laughing and carrying on and all the older people were giving us dirty looks. It was fun to watch him, but now I fear he’s hooked (not really, I just like to give him a hard time).

The best part of the casino was the buffet. It was beautiful inside, the food was all very good, and it was one of the cheaper meals we had. We ended up eating there twice because of this, so I strongly recommend that if you are in a touristy area where food is expensive, look for that casino buffet.

On Sunday, we explored a wax museum. It was the worst idea I’ve ever had. Like, I’m ashamed to admit that I was the one that suggested it. The museum was about the size of a house, but laid out in a way that made it seem larger. In order to appear this way, each room was sectioned off by doors rather than archways. At one point I felt overwhelmingly claustrophobic because we were in a small room with about five different figures. The figures themselves looked to be completely real or like creepy dolls -- there was no in-between. I thought this uneasy feeling of being scared that one of them was going to come to life was just me and my overactive imagination, but once leaving I found out that my boyfriend was also pretty spooked about the whole experience.

So to calm down we went and sampled beers. The servers never carded us or looked at us strangely, which made me uneasy as well but also reassured that I wasn’t being illegal. My boyfriend and I argued for which beer was best, but to be honest I don’t really care for beer at all.

Speaking of servers and overall employees, they will never be paid enough to deal with rude tourists. I watched numerous encounters where tourists were being unreasonably rude to staff members and if there’s any advice I can give you about traveling: be nice to the workers and they will usually give you a nice experience. It’s the famous “treat others the way you would like to be treated.”

When Monday morning came, we headed back to the States and I took a well needed nap while my boyfriend played Smash Brothers to make up for his lost gaming time.

Overall, Niagara Falls was beautiful. I assumed that because of winter there wouldn’t be as many people, but it was pretty crowded over the weekend. However, we never ate a bad meal or experienced anything negative (other than the spooky wax museum but we have erased that from our memory). My only regret is that we didn’t explore as much as we should have. It was very easy to do things that we were familiar with instead of taking risks. My prime example of this was the Apple Bee’s, and although the buffet was amazing, next time I would enjoy to explore what Canada’s menu has to offer, food and experience wise. The most exploring we did was nearby, and we typically stayed close to what was familiar to us. The farthest we went was to a Hershey Chocolate World only to discover that it didn’t have the Hershey Factory Tour ride that our beloved Hershey Park has. In the long run however, we did a substantial amount of walking around and had a very relaxing trip.

To summarize: pack snacks, have a lot of spending money, and enjoy the view because it was the best part.

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seenheardunderstood · 4 years

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“All of the parents around me told me one scary tale after another. And the theme of their stories was always the same: Nothing you’re planning will work. Everything will be a million times more tortuous than you’re imagining.”

“What you don’t realize when you hear these stories is that the people who tell them do so in the spirit of “Here, this will help you to prepare for the shitstorm to come, which we both know is totally amazing and exciting and scary all at the same time.” They forget that you don’t even know if you’ll ENJOY being a parent yet. They take it for granted that you’ll love it, because — and this part is weird, I know, but — telling horror stories is part of loving it. It’s like jumping out of a plane and then gushing about how you wanted to vomit the whole time.”

“And I was sure that I would have a colicky baby plus postpartum depression plus the flapjack tits plus the peeing in the pants. I was certain I would have all of the things, no matter what. But most of all, I thought I wasn’t like other women. I wouldn’t feel the right way about kids. I would feel indifferent. My mom kept saying, “Don’t worry, you’ll love your baby.” My husband, who already had a son, kept saying, “Trust me, babies are easy to love when they’re your own.” But I didn’t believe them. I wanted to give birth to a puppy instead.

It’s not like I sailed through, had the dream birth, the dream baby, the dream children, and now I have Scarlett Johansson’s body and my whole life is sheer perfection. But 11 years later, my career, my marriage, my body, and my life in general are all better than they were before I had kids. I know that sounds absurdly self-congratulatory, but everyone acts like the opposite is always, always true. It’s not. And when that crazy little human burrito with big eyes blinked up at me from her hospital blanket — I mean, the little motherfuckers SEE YOU. They look right at you like OH, YOU’RE MY MOMMY I GUESS. It’s unbelievable. It’s probably adaptive, looking right at your mom, seconds after birth, with an expression of HMMM, MOMMY. HELLO THERE! But goddamn it, it works. You can’t believe how effective those tiny freakish shitting screamers are. Just five seconds of blinky looks, and you are prepared to bathe in their shit and throw your body in front of the nearest steam train.

And since you might have to throw your body across the tracks, your body doesn’t matter to you for a long time. It’s something built to feed a small person, and otherwise mostly languish about, eating food in order to make more food. I strongly recommend this lifestyle. Going FULL COW is nicer than you think. Overthinking neurotic worrywart mothers often really bask in the afterglow of birth. We expect the absolute worst, and we are pleasantly surprised to wake up in something other than hell. We’re shocked to discover that dropping a sore nipple into the mouth of a tiny snapper brings on a rush of contentment, as we prevent the snapper from dying. We don’t even mind cut-open guts or blasted lady parts or unwieldy fuck-doll tits or milking machines that go AHWOOOONGA AHWOONGA with all of the subtlety of a V6-powered dildo. We aren’t used to accepting what our bodies were apparently, at least partially, built to do. We’ve been fighting against our bodies for decades, pushing them to be smaller and cuter and better. Letting your body be what it is and keep a human alive is fascinating and relaxing as hell.

Not all babies have special needs. Not all tits get worse. Not all lives unravel into a blur of sippy cups forever. Not all husbands go away for a full month when their infants are 1 fucking month old. Do not under any circumstances let your husband take off right after you have a kid. That was a huge thing for me, having my husband and my mom around for two weeks. It was unexpectedly exciting and also not that taxing.

The point is, you might be surprised at how relaxing and fun it is to have a baby. Personally, I loved it. I had an excuse to just exist for the first time in my life. I was not depressed at all. I was happy.

People don’t write about that. Or if they do, they write about it in such sugary clichés that it makes you sure that you aren’t the same species as them. They write things like “It will change your whole life” and “You will love like you’ve never loved before” and “Nothing else will matter.” All of these things are true, but they’re also somehow totally annoying. Nothing else will matter? How is that good? You don’t know how to feel love unless a helpless thing needs you? Your life, as a woman, was designed to melt into shit and chaos?

People don’t tell you that you will feel really good and right in a new, visceral way. People don’t tell you that your existential angst will leave you for a solid decade, if you’re lucky. People don’t tell you that life will suddenly feel very short, and that brings a kind of delicious urgency to everything you do. People don’t tell you that you will be slower and more present and also more ambitious than ever.”

“It’s a roller-coaster ride. You’re not always in control. The trick is to embrace the thrills of the ride. You have to be able to marvel at the hard work, the mess, the absurdity of it all. You have to be able to laugh about it. When my second kid was 1 month old and my first kid was 2 and a half, my husband got all high strung with me about how to pack the diaper bag and then we all got into the car with my mom and I just started yelling. “I AM NOT SLEEPING, OKAY? I AM THE ONE WHO DOES NOT SLEEP AT ALL! I AM BARELY HOLDING ON HERE, SO CUT ME SOME FUCKING SLACK! ALL OF YOU! CUT ME SOME SLACK!” And then I was driving and crying, crying and driving, and at some point my mom told my husband that she was worried he would leave me.

Now you’ll read this and you’ll say to yourself, “Oh my Christ, I hope to hell I don’t turn into an enraged beast and ruin my marriage like this sad woman!” You think this is the nightmare reel, but this is actually the highlight reel. Because when my mom said that, my husband and I both burst out laughing. It was just so absurd. We both knew he wasn’t going anywhere. We were both really deeply happy. That’s what people don’t explain. You’re in the fucking trenches, but it feels damn good, as long as you have each other, and you can laugh about it, and you know that this is what you wanted. You wanted to be cast into this circus together. You understand the gift of this insanity. You see the humor in packing everyone into the car and THEN yelling. You see how terrible and funny and bad and perfect that is.

I know it doesn’t seem funny now. But it is. It’s funny because you know in your heart that it’s all so worth it. Even with all of your worst-case scenarios, it’s so worth it. Those blinky eyes, they don’t stop looking into yours. OH. I GUESS YOU’RE MY MOMMY. Sure, sometimes you’re a disappointment. You disappoint yourself and your kids, too. The world is a scary place, and you are a volatile imperfect human who sometimes fails to rise above the shitstorm. Even so, you are doing your best, maybe for the first time. You can be whatever you are, and it’s okay. You won’t recognize yourself. But she will. He will. They will. It’s beyond worth it.”

#ask polly #motherhood #parenthood #reading

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fyeahwheein · 8 years

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[TRANS] HARU*HANA Magazine Interview with MAMAMOO

Q: How do you feel about promoting in Japan for the first time?

Whee In: We all like Japan, and we have traveled here privately before. However, since we do not have much opportunities to meet fans like this, I am very happy. Hwasa: Although it is slightly different from rookie days, it feels like going back to the beginning. Moonbyul: There are many fans that I have seen for the first time, and there are also fans who cried when they saw us. I hope there can be more chances for us to meet fans like this. Solar: Because I’ve liked Japanese anime since I was little, I familiarized myself with the Japanese culture very quick. Although I am nervous, I am very happy to be able to promote in Japan like this.

Q: What motivated you guys to become singers?

Whee In: I became naturally invested in music due to my mother who works with art. I really like singing and dancing, so I started practicing hard since middle school. Hwasa: We all got put together through passing auditions. Whee In and I were in the same class in middle school, and carried the same dream ever since we were at our hometown. One time, we told our parents we were going to Seoul for auditions together. But actually, we lied as we went there to play. (laughs)

Q: If we talk about MAMAMOO, we must mention your adlibs during performances on stage. The SBS Gayo Daejeon performance was really great!

Moonbyul: That was Solar’s and my idea. Although I wasn’t able to show the best during the broadcast, Whee In’s part is worth to watch. Solar: Because I look like Sechskies’ Kang Sung Hoon, Whee In pointed at me while saying “Our team has a Kang Sung Hoon too”. (laughs) Moonbyul: As for me, I referenced BTS’ “DOPE” in my rap. I am good friends with Jin, so I messaged him a few days before the show. After the performance ended, Jin told me gratefully, “With such a grand line-up, I am very happy that you referenced us.” Hwasa: Our strength is to utilize adlibs to perform freely on stage. Even with the same song, we will deliver a different performance each time. I am glad that people are able to enjoy our performance every time, not only once, twice or thrice, with new set of expectations.

Q&A Session

Q: Other than rap and vocal, what are the other members’ role?

Whee In: I am the secretary. For example, if we have to leave a message under the name of MAMAMOO as a team, I am always the representative to write it. Hwasa: Whee In is in charge of aegyo (cuteness). There is a sense of cuteness in her that makes people want to take care of her. Whee In: Yes, that’s it. (laughs) Hwasa is the “guide-to-good-food”. Every time we go eat, Hwasa is the one who looks up delicious restaurants. Hwasa: I am the type of person who cannot tolerate hunger. (laughs) Rather than knowing where to eat, I am just good at quickly searching for good food around. Solar: Moonbyul is the one who is first at anything. She is always the first to do makeup and hair styling. She is a stable person. Even when she has to wake up early or is tired, she is always first to get up, and then she rests after getting her makeup done. Moonbyul: Solar is the organizer. It isn’t the type of organizing where you tidy your room, but she “organizes” in order for MAMAMOO’s schedules to be carried out smoothly. She is good at leading the members.

Q: MAMAMOO is very popular among females. What do you think is the secret to this?

Hwasa: Why is it so? Maybe because we give people a friendly image. We have many songs that directly reflect female’s perspectives, and that probably created some sort of sympathy.

Solar: I think so too. Majority of our songs reveal the emotions of females that cannot be expressed usually. Especially through Moonbyul’s rap, the emotions are expressed more directly, which touches female’s hearts. Also, when Moonbyul raps with strength and energy, rather than guys, girls make these “Ah~~~~~” screaming sounds. (laughs)

Moonbyul: As females, we also want to hear others call us cute, but we really don’t know how to dress ourselves. (laughs) But then our fans tell us that they like it the way we are.

(Reporter: Are there any other compliments on you guys?)

Whee In: “Very handsome.” (laughs)

Q: Is there anything you are interested about the Japanese culture?

Whee In: Fashion and food. There are many good Ramen restaurants that I often visit at Itaewon in Korea, so I have wanted to try Japanese Ramen for a long time already. I am looking forward to it. Solar: I really like dramas and anime. We really love “Spirited Away”. I also liked “Gokusen” before, and watched the entire series. Moonbyul: For a period of time, I was really interested in the hot spring [at Yufuin Floral Village]. Because Solar visited there before and it seemed fun, I went afterwards. Just a few days ago, Hwasa went as well. (laughs) Hwasa: I actually just went there two days ago. (laughs) I had so much wagyu beef~ If I go overseas, the food never really fits my taste. However, Japan is the only place with food that fits my taste, so I really like Japanese cuisine! Also, lately I have been enjoying Junji Ito’s horror manga. Honestly I used to not favor horror things, but after reading reviews of it I decided to read it and I was shocked. So I went and bought the entire series. Whee In: I was most shocked by the fact that you bought the entire series to read. (laughs)

Q: What is your ideal type like? What kind of person will you become when you are in love?

Whee In: I like people who are romantic and sentimental. If there is someone I like, I will only look at that person. (laughs) Hwasa: I am the type who is dedicated too. No tactics, but just expressing everything in my head. When I was little, I longed for a romantic love, and I liked men who carry a slight aura of danger. But now I prefer someone who is bright and humorous. Solar: Me too! Someone like Yoo Jae Suk sunbaenim and Jung Hyung Don sunbaenim.

(Reporter: What about Eric Nam, whom you partnered with on “We Got Married”?)

Solar: His personality is really good and he is very gentle. He has good manners and is a very nice person. But because he is a heartthrob, if I had to date him for real, I don’t think I could tolerate it. (laughs) Moonbyul: I like someone who is fresh and polite, a very honest boy. It will take me a long time to fall in love, but once I do, I will only think about that person.

Session where they have to introduce each other

Hwasa, according to Whee In: She surprisingly looks like a kid in private. For example, she is easy to be cheated. She looks like she knows everything, but turns out she does not know anything. For a Hwasa like this, I discover new things every time. Whee In, according to Hwasa: When I get to rest, I enjoy going out and travel or something. But in Whee In’s case, she is at home playing with her cat and resting. We have areas in common but also not in common, that’s why we are this compatible. We’ve known each other for almost 10 years already~ Solar, according to Moonbyul: She is like a vitamin, with a healing kind of presence. She gently gets along with me like a friend, and understands me the most. Without Solar unnie, I don’t think I will be able to come this far. Moonbyul, according to Solar: She is a very dependable kid. The group’s driving force. I am the youngest at home, so in the beginning, it was very difficult to take on the role as a leader. But with Moonbyul’s support, I was able to do well. She is a buddy that I can share everything with. Knowledge as a MooMoo #KimDoHoonCEO

(Tell us something about you and Kim Do Hoon CEO)

Moonbyul: Kim Do Hoon CEO is like a father who gave us each our individualistic colours. When we go off track, our CEO brings us back to the right track. Whee In: During trainee days, our CEO often allowed us to sing demos as a way of practice. Hwasa: I would practice until dawn during trainee days. Our CEO would stay up and compose until very late too, so we would listen to songs together at night. I really like old hit songs, so our CEO would recommend me many good songs. #MooBoong

(Your lighstick is a radish! What led to this?)

Whee In: It is because there is Moo in MAMAMOO, which means radish in Korean. When we still haven’t had the official lightstick yet, our company gave fans each a radish doll to cheer. Since that, fans even brought real radishes. (laughs) Hwasa: Our fans designed that lightstick! Solar: It’s called “Design By MooMoo”. There were many occasions when we used our fans’ designs. We also performed on stage with outfits that our fans designed. Moonbyul: And the baseball cap. (laughs) #MOOMOO

(What leaves you the greatest impression when interacting with MooMoos?)

Solar: Our fans are very fun. I am very happy that we get along well. During ISAC, they even wore radish masks. Although they looked like ghosts from afar. (laughs) Among the fandoms of other Korean groups, MooMoos are pretty popular! Moonbyul: I am happiest when I hear compliments from other singers saying “MAMAMOO’s fans follow the rules really well”. With MooMoos’ presence, I feel more reliable. A feeling that makes me feel that I can do anything. I am always thankful.

Trans by tgc. Chinese Trans cr. Guarding Star (Weibo)

#Mamamoo #Wheein #Solar #Moonbyul #Hwasa #170126 #t:interview/article #t:translation #era:memory #m:OT4

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collinsportmaine · 8 years

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For sometime I've been toying with some idea for Dark Shadows FanFiction. I finally typed one up. It's not a complete story - more of a story treatment with minimal dialogue. The story is part of a large idea where the modern family is in peril. This segment follow Elizabeth as she flees from an unspeakable horror. I've included some actor suggestions above - Alexandra Moltke as a young Elizabeth, Roger Davis as young Paul, and fittingly John Karlen as young Jason. I thought it would be fun to imagine some guest stars - Vincent Price as Jamison Collins and Joan Crawford as Nora. Crawford once appeared on a daytime soap opera. So here the scenario. Do you find it interesting? Should I flesh it out? Add your comments or message me. ELIZABETH'S JOURNEY TO 1946 Something was coming for her and she had to escape. If she locked herself in the tower room Elizabeth knew she would be trapped. She hurried down the corridor, trying to think of a route that would get her outside unnoticed. Then as she turned a corner she saw something that was wrong. Something that shouldn't be there - a stairwell. She had been in this part of the house many times and this was the first time she every saw that stairwell. She had no choice but to go down the steps. There wasn't another way out. She didn't even know where the stairwell would lead her. Tentatively she began walking down. Almost afraid the stairs would disappear out from under her. Each step she took, the air around her got colder... almost freezing. But as she reached the last step suddenly she was warm again. The temperature changed so abruptly that she stumbled. And when she looked back, the stairwell was gone. She could see a light at the end of the hallway and she walked slowly towards it. A radio was playing... swing music like she used to dance to as a girl. Standing in the shadows she looked into the room - it was the kitchen. But it was the kitchen of her youth, with all the remodeling undone. Matilda, the family's cook stood at the counter filling a china teapot with hot water. Elizabeth had always loved Matty, her name for the cook, and the delicious muffins and cookies she would bake. Elizabeth slowly looked about the room, trying to make sense of it all. Then she saw a calendar on the wall. She nearly gasped, having to cover her mouth in case she made a sound. The year was 1946! Each preceding day had been carefully X's out. Today was March 2, 1946. It two days Elizabeth would have one of the most important and saddest days of her life... her daughter would be born and she wouldn't see the child... Victoria... for over 20 years. Elizabeth couldn't repress the tears so she moved further back into the dark shadows of the hallway. She was about to turn away when she heard Matty speak to one of the maids. "Phyllis," she said, "Miss Nora will be retiring to bed soon. Please take this tray of tea up to her room." Nora! She had forgotten Aunt Nora was staying at Collinwood that winter. She didn't know what to do but she knew Aunt Nora would help her. If she could only explain how she got there. Elizabeth made her way up stairs using the servants stairwell. She hid in a linen closet, with the door slightly ajar, and waited until Phyllis came up stairs with the tea tray and put it in Aunt Nora's room. When the coast was clear, she entered the room. The lights were on but she quickly turned off the lamp at the table. Then she sat in the darkness, waiting. Later Elizabeth heard someone at the door. It was Aunt Nora. She fumbled at the doorway and tried to turn on the light switch but it didn't work. "Aunt Nora... I've turned off the lights..." "Elizabeth? Is that you? You know you should be out of bed. The Doctor said---" Elizabeth interrupted. "Aunt Nora... bear with me for a minute... please... I need help." Nora sounded concerned, "What is is Betsy? Is the baby coming?" "No, it's not that. Will you come in and close the door. I need to tell you something." Elizabeth said. Nora entered the darkened room, shut the door and sat on the side of the bed nearest her. "Very well, Elizabeth... what's wrong?" "Aunt Nora... do you remember that time you and I went to Frenchmen's Bay. We had such a wonderful time. You let me sip my first taste of champagne..." "And you promised not to tell you father!" Nora smiled. "I never told him... I never told anyone. You and I are the only ones who know about that day. You also told me about many of the strange things that happened at Collinwood when you were a girl. Some were so fantastic they were hard to believe. But because you told me, I believed you." Elizabeth explained. "It seems as if every 20 or 30 years things go bonkers at a Collinwood." Nora said. "Then things go back to normal for a while." "I think something strange has happened again." Elizabeth said in a whisper. "Earlier today I was upstairs near the tower room. I discovered a stairway I had never seen before---" "The stairway..." Nora said to herself. "I went down the stairs and found myself... in a different time... it sounds incredible but I seem to have traveled 20 years into the past!" Elizabeth turned on the table lamp and stood up. Nora stood as well, in shock and in joy. "Elizabeth! Betsy! You've grown into such a beautiful woman!" Nora crossed to Elizabeth and embraced her. After many hugs and tears, the two women sat on the bed side by side. "My grandfather told stories about his crazy inventions. A stairway through time! We never believed him but Jamison once swore that he saw a stairway appear out of nowhere with a woman with red hair hurrying up the steps. Then he said the stairway disappeared." Elizabeth didn't tell Nora the circumstance that she found the stairway. She didn't want to scare her aunt. Just that she was now in 1946 and didn't know how to get back. Nora concocted a plan. Nora and Jamison had a cousin by their uncle Caleb. She would be about the same age as Elizabeth was now. But she moved to California many years earlier. Until they could figure out how to return Elizabeth to her own time, Nora would introduced her as cousin Katherine Collins. Nora went through her own wardrobe and found several outfits that would fit Elizabeth. She gave her "niece" a stylish traveling suit to change into, then packed the other items into a valise. She called Hendricks the chauffeur to bring the car to the entrance at the rear of the house. When he met her, she told him she'd forgotten her purse and asked him to fetch it. That's when Elizabeth snuck into the rear of the limousine. When Hendricks returned she asked him to drive her to the train station. Nora knew from her many trips from Boston that a train would arrive at the Collinsport station in 20 minutes. She asked Hendricks to park then told him to go an fetch some coffee from the cafe. Once the we're alone, Elizabeth, now Cousin Katherine, climbed out of the car with her luggage, and enter the waiting room. A few minutes later both Hendricks returned with the coffee and the 9:05pm train from Boston arrived. Elizabeth exited the waiting room just as the passengers from the train filed out of the station. Nora greeted her "cousin" with a hug and instructed Hendricks to pack her bag into the car. They returned to Collinwood, with Elizabeth's new identity established. Jamison, the current head of the household, seemed perplexed by the arrival of Katherine Collins. But it seem like a tradition for one odd cousin or another to arrive at Collinwood unannounced. The fact that Katherine looked like an older version of his daughter Elizabeth was not unusual. One only had to look at a few of the family portraits that lined the walls to see how strong family resemblances passed on through the generations. Elizabeth wanted desperately to meet her younger self and warn her of the heart ache to come. But she knew that was dangerous. Jamison her father would take her baby away and put it up for adoption. Then in less than a year's time he would marry her off to Paul Stoddard. At the time she felt like damaged goods. But there was one important thing that came from her marriage to Paul - her second daughter Carolyn. Elizabeth needed to make sure that she didn't do anything that might Carolyn's birth never happen. Even if that meant marrying Paul. But once Carolyn was born... if Elizabeth was still stuck in the past she would make sure both her daughters lived happy lives. Two days later Elizabeth could hear the faint cry of a baby. Young Elizabeth had been sequestered several months with a delicate unspecified illness so that no one would discover she was pregnant out of wedlock. History repeated itself and her father Jameson had the baby sent to an orphanage never to be seen again. But Elizabeth already knew which orphanage... the Hammond Foundling Home. With Nora's help, Elizabeth would ensure the baby would not be forgotten. When young Elizabeth eventually recovered, she was pleased to meet her new aunt Katherine. Older Elizabeth showed affection to the girl but was careful not to get too personally involved... just yet. When Nora was ready to return to her townhouse in Boston, Elizabeth/Katherine joined her. As much as she wanted to stay at Collinwood she knew that she needed to let history follow it course. Soon they heard news of Young Elizabeth engagement to Paul Stoddard, a young manager that Jamison recently hired. Of course Nora and Katherine attended to wedding but Katherine (older Elizabeth) stayed in the background, making sure she never appeared in any of the photos. Then two months later Jamison died in a car accident. And Young Elizabeth was now the mistress of Collinwood. When it first happened Elizabeth was too grief stricken to consider he might have been murdered. But with a clearer head, older Elizabeth saw other possibilities. Paul Stoddard had never been ambitious in the sense that he wanted to improve himself. But he was greedy and wanted easy options. Could he have murdered Jamison to get at the Collins fortune that much quicker? After Jamison's funeral Nora and Kathrine returned to Boston and waited. Older Elizabeth finally told Nora her suspicions and about her misery with Paul. How he had mistreated her and cheated on her. And of Paul odious friend Jason Maguire. And especially of how Maguire tricked her into thinking she had killed Paul. And her self imposed exile at Collinwood. How different her life would have been if she never married Paul. But the bright spot was her daughter Carolyn. Could she hide out in Boston for 20 years while her younger self was in a prison of her own making? Nora asked for details of Elizabeth's last night with Paul. And exactly how Maguire tricked her. Elizabeth clearly remembered it was exactly 6 months before Carolyn was born. Carolyn was born in July 16, 1947 so the date was January 16 of the same year. For a year and a half since her arrival Elizabeth avoided impacting the timeline. But now Nora insisted they do something. On January 15, the two women took the train to Collinsport. When they arrived at the Great House there was tension in the air. Young Elizabeth, barely showing from her pregnancy with Carolyn, was distraught. Paul Stoddard and his crony Jason Maguire were drunk. Paul had sent all the servants away several days earlier. They taunted each other and teased Elizabeth, even with her two aunts present. It was clear Stoddard thought he was king of the Collins empire. What happened next was Nora's doing. Older Elizabeth might have stopped her if she knew in advance. Nora asked Katherine to help Elizabeth to bed and sit with her. Alone with Paul and Jason, Nora point blank asked Paul how much he wanted to leave Collinwood and never return. He laughed. Why should he give up collinwood when it was already his. But Nora reminded him that with a wife and child on the way, he would never be as free was he wanted. Then there was Elizabeth's brother Roger. He was away at college but he owned half of the estate. Wouldn't Paul be happier without any strings attached. Maguire told Paul to listen to the logic of the offer. If Nora, who had wealth of her own, could buy them out, then the two of the could travel the world as carefree playboys. It was Maguire who negotiated. He asked for half a million dollars. Nora looked him straight in the face and said yes. She had jewels worth twice that much that she would give him. They were the famed jewels of Naomi Collins given to her by a pirate in 1767. As part of the agreement she asked Paul to write a letter to Elizabeth, asking her forgiveness and saying they should get the marriage annulled. Paul did so quickly and Nora put the letter in the desk drawer. She told the two friends to come join her at the limousine outside where she had the jewels in a box. Stoddard and Maguire were both still tipsy from the wine and Brandy they had imbibed that evening. At the car she asked them to wait on one side while she got the jewels. Maguire was already talking about how he knew where to fence the jewels and where they should go first. Both men were nearly shocked sober when they saw Nora walk around the car with a shotgun. The men protested. They threatened. Paul said he could get rid of Nora as easily as he had gotten rid of her brother. If Nora had any hesitation, it was gone now. She would avenger Jamison and ensure Elizabeth would have a happy life. Nora ordered the men to walk towards the nearby forest. They didn't obey until she shot a round into the air. Paul seemed genuinely scared but Maguire was convinced the old lady was bluffing. Soon they found themselves at Widow's Hill, the dangerous cliffs overlooking Collinsport Bay. Nora gave them a choice - jump willingly off the cliff. Since they were both new comers, they didn't know how dangerous the cliffs were. She told them they had a better chance diving into the bay than surviving a shotgun blast to the gut. Maguire wanted to try and overpower Nora but she told them she was an expert shot. She fired the gun into the air again but Paul was so startled he lost his balance. He reached out to Maguire for help but he'd already started over the edge. Maguire tried to pull away but Paul clung on to him. Soon both men tumbled over the edge, into the darkness. Nora could hear them both scream then a moment later the splash into the fridge water below. Nora had never heard of anyone surviving that fall. She would tell the police how both men had been drinking all evening. How they decided to walk down to the village. She warned them to stay on the path but at night it could be very confusing. They must have turned left instead of right and ended up at the cliff. Such a shame. Now Elizabeth Collins Stoddard was another widow. Back at Elizabeth room, Older Elizabeth heard the first gun shot near by then a few minutes later another, but from further away. She considered going down stairs to investigate but decided to stay with her younger self. A short while later Nora returned and suggested that she and Katherine go to bed. Tomorrow would be a busy day. The next morning Nora called the sheriff's office to report the men missing. A few days later a fisherman found them washed ashore miles north as the current flows. Based on Nora's, Elizabeth's and Katherine's testimony, the authorities concluded the two men accidentally fell of the cliff while intoxicated. A short time later, Nora showed Elizabeth the note from Paul. It helped to ease her grief. Six months later Elizabeth second daughter was born - the beautiful Carolyn. While Nora split her time between Collinsport and Boston, Katherine (the older Elizabeth) helped with caring for the baby. She noticed that sometimes as young Elizabeth nursed her child, she looked wistful. One day while Baby Carolyn was napping she spoke quietly with the young mother. She revealed she knew where the first baby was... now named Victoria. She suggested that she could adopted the child and bring her to live at Collinwood. Elizabeth's two daughters could grow up together without anyone knowing their secret past. Young Elizabeth hugged her older self. There was a small part of her that made her realize that Katherine wasn't who she said she was. But she knew in her heart that Kathrine cared for her more than anyone could know. Soon the great house was filled with laughter like it had never been before. Dark haired Victoria playing gleefully with her cousin (sister) Carolyn. Even Roger who usually had a sneer on his face enjoyed the company of his two little "kittens". Katherine wondered whether she should warn Roger about Laura Murdoch. But she had a few years to decide.

#dark shadows #fan fiction #elizabeth collins stoddard #Paul stoddard #Jason Maguire #Nora Collins

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moomoocentral · 8 years

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Japanese Haru Hana Magazine Interview with MAMAMOO (TRANS)

Q: How do you feel about promoting in Japan for the first time? Wheein: We all like Japan, and we have travelled here privately before. However, since we do not have much opportunities to meet fans like this, I am very happy. Hwasa: Although it is slightly different from rookie days, it feels like going back to the beginning. Moonbyul: There are many fans that I have seen for the first time, and there are also fans who cried when they saw us. I hope there can be more chances for us to meet fans like this. Solar: Because I’ve liked Japanese anime since I was little, I familiarized myself with the Japanese culture very quick. Although I am nervous, I am very happy to be able to promote in Japan like this. Q: What motivated you guys to become singers? Wheein: I became naturally invested in music due to my mother who works with art. I really like singing and dancing, so I started practicing hard since middle school. Hwasa: We all got put together through passing auditions. Wheein and I were in the same class in middle school, and carried the same dream ever since we were at our hometown. One time, we told our parents we were going to Seoul for auditions together. But actually, we lied as we went there to play. (laughs) Q: If we talk about Mamamoo, we must mention your adlibs during performances on stage. The SBS Gayo Daejeon performance was really great! Moonbyul: That was Solar’s and my idea. Although I wasn’t able to show the best during the broadcast, Wheein’s part is worth to watch. Solar: Because I look like Sechskies’ Kang Sung Hoon, Wheein pointed at me while saying “Our team has a Kang Sung Hoon too”. (laughs) Moonbyul: As for me, I referenced BTS’s “DOPE” in my rap. I am good friends with Jin, so I messaged him a few days before the show. After the performance ended, Jin told me gratefully, “With such a grand line-up, I am very happy that you referenced us.” Hwasa: Our strength is to utilize adlibs to perform freely on stage. Even with the same song, we will deliver a different performance each time. I am glad that people are able to enjoy our performance every time, not only once, twice or thrice, with new set of expectations. Q&A Session Q: Other than rap and vocal, what are the other members’ role? Wheein: I am the secretary. For example, if we have to leave a message under the name of Mamamoo as a team, I am always the representative to write it. Hwasa: Wheein is in charge of aegyo (cuteness). There is a sense of cuteness in her that makes people want to take care of her. Wheein: Yes, that’s it. (laughs) Hwasa is the “guide-to-good-food”. Every time we go eat, Hwasa is the one who looks up delicious restaurants. Hwasa: I am the type of person who cannot tolerate hunger. (laughs) Rather than knowing where to eat, I am just good at quickly searching for good food around. Solar: Moonbyul is the one who is first at anything. She is always the first to do makeup and hairstyling. She is a stable person. Even when she has to wake up early or is tired, she is always first to get up, and then she rests after getting her makeup done. Moonbyul: Solar is the organizer. It isn’t the type of organizing where you tidy your room, but she “organizes” in order for Mamamoo’s schedules to be carried out smoothly. She is good at leading the members. Q: Mamamoo is very popular among females. What do you think is the secret to this? Hwasa: Why is it so? Maybe because we give people a friendly image. We have many songs that directly reflect female’s perspectives, and that probably created some sort of sympathy. Solar: I think so too. Majority of our songs reveal the emotions of females that cannot be expressed usually. Especially through Moonbyul’s rap, the emotions are expressed more directly, which touches female’s hearts. Also, when Moonbyul raps with strength and energy, rather than guys, girls make these “Ah~~~~~” screaming sounds. (laughs) Moonbyul: As females, we also want to hear others call us cute, but we really don’t know how to dress ourselves. (laughs) But then our fans tell us that they like it the way we are. (Reporter: Are there any other compliments on you guys?) Wheein: “Very handsome.” (laughs) Q: Is there anything you are interested about the Japanese culture? Wheein: Fashion and food. There are many good Ramen restaurants that I often visit at Itaewon in Korea, so I have wanted to try Japanese Ramen for a long time already. I am looking forward to it. Solar: I really like dramas and anime. We really love “Spirited Away”. I also liked “Gokusen” before, and watched the entire series. Moonbyul: For a period of time, I was really interested in the hotspring [at Yufuin Floral Village]. Because Solar visited there before and it seemed fun, I went afterwards. Just a few days ago, Hwasa went as well. (laughs) Hwasa: I actually just went there two days ago. (laughs) I had so much wagyu beef~ If I go overseas, the food never really fits my taste. However, Japan is the only place with food that fits my taste, so I really like Japanese cuisine! Also, lately I have been enjoying Junji Ito’s horror manga. Honestly I used to not favour horror things, but after reading reviews of it I decided to read it and I was shocked. So I went and bought the entire series. Wheein: I was most shocked by the fact that you bought the entire series to read. (laughs) Q: What is your ideal type like? What kind of person will you become when you are in love? Wheein: I like people who are romantic and sentimental. If there is someone I like, I will only look at that person. (laughs) Hwasa: I am the type who is dedicated too. No tactics, but just expressing everything in my head. When I was little, I longed for a romantic love, and I liked men who carry a slight aura of danger. But now I prefer someone who is bright and humorous. Solar: Me too! Someone like Yoo Jae Suk sunbaenim and Jung Hyung Don sunbaenim. (Reporter: What about Eric Nam, whom you partnered with on “We Got Married”?) Solar: His personality is really good and he is very gentle. He has good manners and is a very nice person. But because he is a heartthrob, if I had to date him for real, I don’t think I could tolerate it. (laughs) Moonbyul: I like someone who is fresh and polite, a very honest boy. It will take me a long time to fall in love, but once I do, I will only think about that person. Session where they have to introduce each other Hwasa, according to Wheein: She surprisingly looks like a kid in private. For example, she is easy to be cheated. She looks like she knows everything, but turns out she does not know anything. For a Hwasa like this, I discover new things every time. Wheein, according to Hwasa: When I get to rest, I enjoy going out and travel or something. But in Wheein’s case, she is at home playing with her cat and resting. We have areas in common but also not in common, that’s why we are this compatible. We’ve known each other for almost 10 years already~ Solar, according to Moonbyul: She is like a vitamin, with a healing kind of presence. She gets along with me gently like a friend, and understands me the most. Without Solar unnie, I don’t think I will be able to come this far. Moonbyul, according to Solar: She is a very dependable kid, the group’s driving force. I am the youngest at home, so in the beginning, it was very difficult to take on the role as a leader. But with Moonbyul’s support, I was able to do well. She is a buddy that I can share everything with. Knowledge to become a MooMoo #KimDoHoonCEO (Tell us something about you and Kim Do Hoon CEO) Moonbyul: Kim Do Hoon CEO is like a father who gave us each our individualistic colours. When we go off track, our CEO brings us back to the right track. Wheein: During trainee days, our CEO often allowed us to sing demos as a way of practice. Hwasa: I would practice until dawn during trainee days. Our CEO would stay up and compose until very late too, so we would listen to songs together at night. I really like old hit songs, so our CEO would recommend me many good songs. #MooBoong (Your lighstick is a radish! What led to this?) Wheein: It is because there is Moo in Mamamoo, which means radish in Korean. When we still haven’t had the official lightstick yet, our company gave fans each a radish doll. Since then, fans even brought real radishes. (laughs) Hwasa: Our fans designed that lightstick! Solar: It’s called “Design By MooMoo”. There were many occasions when we used our fans’ designs. We also performed on stage with outfits that our fans designed. Moonbyul: And the baseball cap. (laughs) #MOOMOO (What leaves you the greatest impression when interacting with MooMoos?) Solar: Our fans are very fun. I am very happy that we get along well. During ISAC, they even wore radish masks. Although they looked like ghosts from afar. (laughs) Among the fandoms of other Korean groups, MooMoos are pretty popular! Moonbyul: I am happiest when I hear compliments from other singers saying “Mamamoo’s fans follow the rules really well”. With MooMoos’ presence, I feel more reliable. A feeling that makes me feel that I can do anything. I am always thankful. Trans by tgc. Chinese Trans cr. Guarding Star (Weibo) http://media.weibo.cn/article?id=2309404067873952776702&jumpfrom=weibocom&lfid=2302832169099637&luicode=10000370

#mamamoo #ot4 #interview #tgc #haru hana jan 2017 #170126 #t:interview #t:trans

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iidiosyncraticc · 7 years

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Julia Ducournau’s Raw will not cater to your expectations of a moral compass. This French-Belgian horror drama is a delicious plate of obscurity and tantalized adolescence. It lives up to its ambiguity through a grisly coming-of-age tale. Raised as a strict vegetarian all her life, Justine (Garance Marillier) undergoes intense hazing as a first year rookie in a vet school her older sister also attends, and where her parents met long ago. As part of the initiation rituals, the new students are splattered in blood for their freshmen photo and forced to eat raw rabbit kidneys. Reluctantly and to the pressure of her older sister, Justine eats a small piece. Raw takes us on a wild and visceral escape as Justine experiences a newfound hunger for raw meat and the curiosity for human flesh. Premiering at the 2016 Toronto Film Festival, Raw immediately gained critical reception, along with way too much hype. If you ask me, I enjoyed it. It kept me lurking in its gruesome glory. Does it entertain me as a well put story? Not entirely. I do have some questions I’d like answered.

I’m not too hard to please when it comes to filmmaking that likes to kick it up a notch and try new things, or things that are rather taboo to the general audience. And holy cow, cannibalism is up there with taboo. Raw is experimental enough to lay out its redeeming qualities with grace. Justine’s older sister Alex (Ella Rumpf), a ‘veteran’ among the upperclassmen, prefers to stay distant as Justine navigates her way between studies and a weak social life. After nights of blistering rashes and shamefully discarding her stolen beef patty at lunch, Justine begins to feel a deep hunger manifesting within.

I know what you’re thinking, “This film is just gonna be sick crap.”Maybe it is, but Ducournau is careful in using cannibalism as the driving force in Justine’s growth as a young woman. There’s an actual story to her madness. We see a young female, who was a virgin and vegetarian all her life, discover savage urges of hunger and sexual discovery. As Justine experiences these changes in her body, it invites us to feel it as well. I admire the leap into uncharted territory. I felt unsettled in moments of Justine’s helplessness. I wanted to know why this character had felt like a wallflower for so long. We later watch as her confidence, and hunger, consumes her and she takes a step into a stronger woman, going head to head with her sister at times.

With a bold story, it’s only right to put out outstanding shots and nice scores. I was not going to let the discussion of visuals and sound slip on this one. Ruben Impen’s close encounters behind the camera cast an alluring shadow over Justine’s transition off the edge. It is meticulously noir, intimate, and in your face. The feature image for this review alone is literally my favorite shot in the film; a quietly menacing, but still vulnerable girl, just watching the object of her lust and hunger from afar. Of course, much thanks is given to an eerie, mellow score throughout. Thank you, Jim Williams. Soft acoustics, violins, and pianos help create a tragically serene beauty to the film. Let’s not forget the film’s title sound, the baroque organ, that caresses this French-made horror.

Raw is a competitive horror. If you really dig the peculiar sensibility in things, give it a go. I’d hate for the over hyped violence to dissuade you from seeing this film. Maybe you’ll hate me for recommending it! The only thing that didn’t sit well with me wasn’t the macabre scenes, but the dismissive way it decides to end. It teases us, but also carves out an alarming subplot. I know friends who loved it. I know friends who disliked it. One thing I hope we can all agree on is this: It is an impressive as hell full feature debut (considering visuals and sentimental structure) for a female writer/director. I hope to see more from Julia Ducournau kicking ass in French cinema.

Film Review- Raw (2016) Julia Ducournau's Raw will not cater to your expectations of a moral compass. This French-Belgian horror drama is a delicious plate of obscurity and tantalized adolescence.

#Belgian #Cannibalism #cinematography #Coming of Age #drama #Ella Rumpf #france #French #Frightfest #Garance Marillier #horror #Julia Ducournau #Raw #Ruben Impens

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wilwywaylan · 8 years

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... As a very late ask, Pasiphaé, In and Ulrich~!

I’ve already done Pasiphaé and In, but since there’s a newelement in the relationship, I’m gonna start from scratch with thosetwo too !

Very long so under the cut !

How differently do they think of each other now compared towhen they first met?

Pasiphaé met In during a crisis, so the first thing she thoughtabout her was that she needed help, and she was ready to give herthis help, even if she looked kinda forceful with it. But In was lostand scared and cute, and reminded her a bit of a lost kitten, and shereally wanted to do something for her because she couldn’t bear tosee her so miserable.Now, they know each other better and that Inis comfortably settled in her new life. She’s not scared anymore, andPasiphaé could learn to know the real In at the same time In herselfdid. And she finds her immensly perfect. Not only is she pretty as apicture, but she’s nice, she’s smart, she’s very calm and patient,especially with her. In fact, Pasiphaé thinks In may be the bestthing in life, including sliced bread. She may be slightly in lovewith her, yes. She just stopped comparing her to a lost kitten,because you know. Maybe it’s not that smart.

At first, In was quite weirded out by this strange lady. Scratchthat, she was terrified. She was living the worst day of her life,andthere was that girl with wild hair who kept trying to talk to her andto help her, to the extent that In kinda believed that she washarassed by a witch (okay, maybe not, but she thought there wassomething really wrong with her and she was up to no good). Nowthat she knows her better, In realizes that Pasiphaé can’t be up tono good, except when she wants to help someone, and even that doesn’tmean anything evil or bad. She thinks that Pasiphaé is a wonderfulperson who dedicates an impressive amount of time to help otherpeople and try to make things better, even if she sometimes is a bitmisguided.

When Pasiphaé first met Ulrich, she kinda wondered who was thatman who was acting as unrefined as her, raiding the buffet during areception. But he was fun, witty and provided good distraction whilethey gobbled on toasts and sushis and things, so she found hiscompany quite enjoyable. Now she… still finds him witty and funand good company, but she knows that he’s also serious, hard-workingand has a lot of integrity, which is very important in his line ofwork. He’s a strong man, who can endure trials and provides support.And he’s still very fun to raid the buffet with and bitch abouteveryone around them~

In was a bit more wary about Ulrich at first. After all, she onlyknew about him what Pasiphaé had told her, and she knows hergirlfriend tends to assume the best of all people, includingmilitary. Nevermind that more than half the people in the army havebeen revealed as being corrupted to the bone, so she was more than abit wary about that new « friend » suddenly popping intotheir lives.It didn’t take too long for her to discover that no,Ulrich is not corrupted, he’s a good soldier who does his best tomake things better, in and out of the military. Besides, he’s niceand quite fun, outgoing and very interesting, and she quickly came totrust him. And by being around him, In realized that marechals couldbe nice and honest people, which helped her regain a bit ofconfidence in them. It helps that Ulrich himself protests againstcorruption in their ranks.

As she did with him, Ulrich found Pasiphaé quite fun to bearound. It wasn’t everyday that he met someone in those stuffyreceptions that did as he does, and lingered around the buffetinstead of dancing to stuff their face with all the delicious food.It was nice to have someone to stand around with and exchange tips onwhich little toasts were the tastiest. Now, on top of being funand witty (and without manners), he thinks she’s a very strong personwho can endure a lot (which is good seeing the chaos she sometimescauses). He still finds her funny and witty and loves bantering withher, with the added bonus of having someone he can trust fully andshow his true nature without fear. And some nice, homemade music justfor him.

As for In, Ulrich immediatly noticed that she wasn’t comfortablearound him, and he felt the judgement gaze fixed on him. But sheseemed to tolerate him around because Pasiphaé seemed to like him,she was still nice and polite, and he had to admit, it was quite niceto have her around because she’s pretty, calm and wise.Now thatshe trusts him and ditched the wary behavior, she’s like super niceand patient. As with Pasiphaé, he loves to have someone he trustsfully around, and who he can be 100% himself with. He just needs toremember to not lay the stupid jokes too heavily, because he knowsshe doesn’t have a lot of tolerance for those (except in a reallyjoking tone and/or in dire situations), but it’s not that hard to do.

What do their friends/family think of their relationship?

Bérengère was kinda sceptic at the start, as were almost all theZürns (except maybe Alizée), because your brother just jumped intoan existing relationship with two intriguing and very… unique…ladies. But then, they realized that they were doing all they couldto make it work and that there was actual effort from all three, thatthey were showing true love and companionship and support. Bérengèrenow things that they fit together well, and Ulrich chose wisely. Shelikes both ladies, and goes along well with In. Amadeus askedUlrich if he was trying to one-up Bérengère or something. Maybebecause he got a step-Waylan AND a person with long black hair. Orjust because he has two of them. But yes. One-upping so hard.Alizéejust finds the three of them adorable in their interactions. She, Inand Pasiphaé sometimes have a drink together and share horrorstories from their respective hospitals.Ludwig was the one to dothe « I have a feud going with my sibling and of course I don’tlike him ! » sibling thing and ask the obligatory questionof « are you sure ? Because he’s really, reallyannoying ». But in fact, he’s quite happy for his brother –he just doesn’t want anyone to know it. He gets along with In quitewell, because she’s calm.

Arrakis’ reaction was something along the lines of « are youfucking kidding me ? » because that man was already hisbrother-in-law AND his superior, and now he’s TWICE hisbrother-in-law ? And could his superior brother-in-law reallyget along with his sister and her opposite girlfriend ? Wellyes, they could and they are very happy. He still can’t totallybelieve it, but as long as everyone is happy, well… It makes forinteresting family reunions, at least.

The other brothers are all happy. After all,if Pasiphaé wantsmore than just one person to cuddle with ? She’s free. They arekinda protective of her and In at first, but Ulrich isArrakis-and-Bérengère approved, so there’s no real risk to harmtheir sister or their sister-in-law (they are kinda protective ot Intoo, because who’s going to be, if not them?). Since everything isgoing smoothly, they accept Ulrich in their circle and make lots ofjokes at his expense. Antarès already wrote two short stories aboutthem, including one in a fantasy setting.

As for Pasiphaé’s little chicken, One was… kinda apathetic. Manokay, seems nice, doesn’t yell or hit : good. Can nap on him.Fun. Llyr was a bit wary of him. Not to say he’s scared of him,no… but a man he doesn’t know entering his surrogate mommy’s lifelike this took a little time for him to accept it, and not tiptoearound him anymore. Now that he knows that he’s a good man whodoesn’t hurt little doves, he’s more comfortable around him, and eventries to talk with him sometimes. Menthe knew Ulrich from hiswork before he entered the relationship, and if she didn’t trust himthat much at first, she came to see him as, if not totally trustful,at least not an immediate danger for her. So when he started goingout with Pasiphaé and In, she was okay with it as long as they bothwere too. Now she’s at ease around him, and she can joke with him andtrust him with her run-ins with the laws when the need arises.

How do their personalities/skills complement or contrast with each other?

They are quite well-balanced. WherePasiphaé is always active and juggling several projects or tasks atonce, In and Ulrich are more relaxed and take time to do each thingseparatly. Both of them have great patience, whichis very good whenone is always followed by a vampire, a dove, a cat, a seethinghospital director, drama, a swordmaster looking for a fight andseveral other weird persons and chaos-makers. Most of the time, she’sthe driving force between their activities together, but she alwaystakes care to plan things they would like, and to take their tastesand levels of energy and sociability in account.

The problem, when you’re always runninghere and there, trying to do everything at the same time, is thatyou’re not always perfectly organized. Pasiphaé is far fromorganized, and she often keeps looking at things she had in her handsfive minutes before, or what was she doing again ? Luckily,Ulrich is organized, you have to in his line of work, and In evenmore. Joining their forces, they manage to contain that whirlwind ofmess that is their girlfriend.

As a group, they aren’t that sociable.They clearly prefer staying home when they have some free time andlounging around in sweatpants and Ulrich’s shirts than going out andrunning around, they do that at work already. Sometimes, they go out,for a walk, for lunch, or to a museum, those kinds of activities, butthey never plan anything big. When they do have to go to an importantreception, they drag their feet and stay close to the food, or go andtry to dance together, which either leads to a steamy relay-tangonumber, or an utmost catastrophe. For those occasions, In puts herknowledge of clothes, make up and hairdressing to good use, so herpartners don’t look like crazy rednecks (especially Pasiphaé, sinceUlrich can wear his uniform).

Even in their day-to-day life, they arewell-balanced : Ulrich is a good cook and take care of feedingthem so they don’t have to rely on take-out everyday, the dishes (buthe enrolls them to help) and their stashes of food (he freezes a lotof food so they always have ready-meals at hand), In is now an expertat laundry, and Pasiphaé takes care of the cleaning. The one who’sfree the most gets to do the grocery shopping, which means it’s neverdone on time. They were very happy to find a mall that deliversdirectly to their home.

And to be honest, it’s very cool tohave two doctor girlfriends when you’re a military man. It meanschances of being treated in priority, private treatments at home andyour own two lovely little healers~

What is their favorite aspect of each other?

In loves the energy anddedication Pasiphaé puts in each and every thing she decides to puther head into. It’s amazing to see someone ready to move mountainslike this, even if it can sometimes be… kinda tiring, to be insurrounded by that much chaos. And not to be shallow or anything, butshe thinks she’s very aesthetic when she’s working on something, allconcentrated, with her hair falling in curls all over her face andher tiny nose scrunched in concentration and freckles and too-bigshirts and aaaaah.And she likes Ulrich’s…firmness. Not that he’s strict or anything, especially outside hiswork (insideis another story entierly). He can be serious, solid,reliable. Not to say that Pasiphaé is flaky, but it’s good to havesomeone to rely on someone, someone who can take matters in his handsand get serious things done. Ulrich can deal with anything lifethrows at him, or that’s the impression he gives. Even panic attacks,he’s very good at that, and that’s a really, really helpful andcomforting skill.

Pasiphaé loves all thequalities that make Ulrich a good man. Not only is he nice andpatient with her and In, being a nice, trustful companion, he ishonest, has lots of integrity, especially in his line of work, andit’s nice to know that there are still good men in the military. Andhe doesn’t have any qualm about acting like a peon at receptions withher, it’s quite refreashing for a noble person.What she likes about In,besides the fact that she’s absolutly gorgeous and looks perfect atall times, even when she just woke up, is that In is a very gentleperson. She may look cool and aloof, but that’s just the facade sheputs up for her work. Underneath, she’s a very nice and patientwoman, and she can endure a lot before losing her temper. That, andthe fact that she’s a bit dorky too. It’s the perfect mix.

Ulrich, like In, findsPasiphaé’s dedication admirable, and he finds it wonderful thatshe’s so generous, always dedicating countless hours to her causesand always ready to help people with their problems even if there’snothing to gain for her. Of course, it makes for an… interestinglife full of weirdos crashing on their couch and strange events thatsometimes mess with their routine, but Ulrich and In are patientenough for that.But if he likes Pasiphaé’sendless energy and motivation, he likes In’s calmness a lot. She’s asdetermined as their girlfriend, but she’s way quieter in her actions.It’s relaxing. He likes too that she’s very honest. If she doesn’tlike something or thinks your outfit is hideous, she won’t have anyproblem telling you. And her fashion advice is on point.

Do either of them have pet peeves about each other?

The thing that aggravateUlrich the most is when Pasiphaé lets herself be caught in herwhirlwind of activities and forgets that they had plans, or makesother plans at the last minute. At least, she has the decency of nottrying to find excuses, and honestly tells him that she didn’tremember or that she let herself be carried away, but it still grateson his nerves.With In, his pet peeve isless important. She’s patient, remembers appointments and dates, andplans accordingly. But she ALWAYS forgets to take her hair off theshower or bathtub drain, and it clogs the evacuation. And it’s hardto pretend it’s not her when she’s the only one to have long, longblack hair. She always apologizes and promises she’ll remember nexttime… and promptly forgets again.

Pasiphaé loves Ulrich andIn with all her heart, they are her precious anchors, partners,friends and fellow idiots, but sometimes, she can’t help but findthem a bit… too serious. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing,because they need someone serious in their relationship, but shesometimes can’t help but lament their lack of… fantasy. Andimpulse. They need things like plans, budgets, they need to look atschedules and programs and hours and such, and never decide to dosomething at the drop of a hat. And sometimes, she wishes that theywould lose all their control for a while and do something really wildfor a change.

As proud as she is of hergirlfriend, In sometimes wishes that she would just… calm down.Stop running around, meddling and trying to save the world, andjust… sit down, take a cup of tea, and stop doing things all thetime. Sometimes, it feels good to unwind, and Pasiphaé really needsit because she’s under a lot of stress, even if she denies it all daylong.As for Ulrich… besidessometimes acting like an idiot with Pasiphaé and leaving her withthe hard task of dealing with two idiots instead of one, she doesn’treally have a pet peeve. She just doesn’t know if it’s due to hisattitude or her boundless patience.

How would eachreconcile with each other after a fight?

By talking. It's still the best way. Ulrich likes toverbalize his feelings and get everything out instead of letting itbrew inside until it reaches uncomfortable levels. It's important forIn to say things out loud too, and fight the initial impulse to keepeverything inside and bottle her feelings in the hope of themdisappearing without her having to think about it. As for Pasiphaé,it's equally important to take the time to stop and sit down to talkabout the problems.

What would be their ideal vacation getaway together?

Vacation ? What is that vacation thing you talk about ?No seriously, they get vacations at the same time once in a blue moon(okay maybe not, but when you have busy schedules, it's hard to findmore than a few days to get away for a moment). So when they manageto get enough time to tae a real vacation, they take care of choosinga place where they are sure they really will get all the calm theyneed. They would probably find a resort far from populated areas, ina tiny village, in the moutains or near a beach, but not a popularone, rent a small cabin or a hotel room, a cozy little place, stockit with all their favourite foods and everything they need, abandonall cellphones and internet connexions (except, you know, foremergencies or find good restaurants around), and disappear for twoweeks. There, they would go on walks, hiking, playing cards or music,visit the tiny villages lost around their place, or just relax andlounge around together.

Think of a new way (AU, different situation, etc.) they couldhave met for the first time.

Spiritverse ? Spiritverse!

It's the story of a ladydoctor-princess-musician who's very tired of doctoring, princessingand playing music all day long. She loves helping people, and since afew months, a new bunch of people, that she has never seen, hadappeared on her doorstep, seeking her. Those strange persons alwaysappear at night, and look at her like she could be dangerous to them,but they let her help them all the same. She couldn't be happier tohave found evidence of their existence, and that they seem totolerate her. Let's get real, they could off her in a second. Andstill, they come to her.

But it's tiring. It'sexhausting. Helping people during the day, and starting again atnight, and trying to find little shards of time here and there forher, and all she has to do... She can't keep on like that and expectnot to fall to pieces. But what can she say ? How can she turn themaway ? She can't and that's the problem.

Sometimes, she goes onwalks, to relax a little. With the added bonus that, if she's nothome for a moment, they can't find her, and she can breathe and actas if she didn't have a mountain of her own problems topped by theproblems of others. Of course, she thinks, it's her fault. She couldsay no, really, she could throw them out, or just tell them that shecan't, but she doesn't have the heart. And the problems pile up.

It's during one of thosewalks, along the river, that she suddenly spots something. Or rather,someone. Under the moonlight, she can see long, black hair fallinglike ink on pale skin, a long tail covered in tiny spots of light,splashing in the water below, and dark, dark eyes, as deep and darkas the abyss below her, looking at her. It takes her a second toregister that it's a mermaid looking at her, one of those mermaidsthat tales and myths say that they are very dangerous and will eatyour heart in a blink.

But that mermaid doesn'tlook dangerous. She just stares at her, doesn't move. And sincePasiphaé is Pasiphaé and cruelly lacks any sense ofself-preservation, she sits down at a raisonnable distance, andstares back. They stay like that a full minute at least. Then,finally, the mermaid starts to laugh. She has a nice laugh, Pasiphaéthinks, and she doesn't look athat threatening, so they starttalking. The mermaid is called In, just In, and she likes to stop atthe surface to enjoy the moonlight. They talk until late in thenight, until Pasiphaé just can't stay awake anymore. Before sheleaves, they promise to meet each other again.

When she comes back nearthe river, In is talking to a man, a strange man with long blond hairand a weird voice that gives her goosebumps. She's half-tempted to bejealous and ask if she has to wait for her turn, but In spots her andsmiles, and all ideas of leaving or protesting immediately disappearfrom her mind.

The man introduces himself: his name is Ulrich, and he's a banshee. Pasiphaé almost remarksthat she didn't know there are male banshees, because that wouldn'tbe very polite, and instead asks if he's there to tell her she'sgoing to die. Which earns her a confused look, because no, bansheessometimes like to take some time off and meet with other creaturesfor a chat. So why not a mermaid ? Despite the awkward start, soonthey are completely engrossed in their conversation. Ulrich, if hisvoice is weird, is a very nice guy. When the moon finally disappearsand it's time to go each their own way, they decide to meet againlike that again, at least once per week.

And they do, week afterweek. Pasiphaé brings all kinds of things from the human world toshow In, and her guitar to play them music, Ulrich tells them all thegossip he hears among the psychopompes and everything, and they bothhelp Pasiphaé relax and not try to save the entire world. And asweird as it sounds, their relationship works quite well.

#lumeha #pasiphaé dukas #in schwarzwald #ulrich zürn #my OCs #OCs of Lumeha #look at that weird ship being cute #because they are so cute #they are adorable #really #aaaaaaaaaaw

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