#varyyn elyyshar

[marmolady]

Valinorim (Estela x F!MC)

Cetus is vanquished (for now!), the Island's Heart has cured Quinn (but at what cost?) and it's time to celebrate the new Elyyshar with the traditional festival of games and fun-- the Valinorim.

As she lets her hair down for once in a very long time, Estela finds herself growing closer to the rest of the Catalysts... and to one in particular.

Some slight adjustments to canon: --here I'm assuming Taylor went back in time after Varyyn's attack on their room in The Celestial to a point AFTER Estela told her about her mission on the island (so, Estela knows that Taylor knows), either that or she took her aside and told her. Because she would have done. -Estela gets in on more of the fun-- in Taylor's place at one point. I wanna see her finding her place as part of the group, damn it! -I'm putting the scavenger hunt after quuk'tanoi. A little change, but a change nonetheless.

[softmahito]

a/n: soulmate au in which soulmate always sneeze at the same time summary: diego can’t be sure but he and this new kid in his french class just sneezed at the same time and he doesn’t know if that means they’re soulmates or if that was just a coincidence so he does everything he can to sneeze and see if the kid will sneeze as well disclaimer: in this fic, there are people who were trapped on la huerta but it wasn’t our gang (beside varyyn) - basically es but with other characters +varyyn bc i wanted to be a little crazy with this fic lmao words: 1k+                                                                     🌈 MLM APRIL CHALLENGE 🌈                                                                               ⭐ MASTERLIST ⭐

“We have a problem.” Diego whispered to Ashton which made him jump because Diego appeared out of nowhere.

“We do?” Ashton raised his brow.

“Yes. C’mon!” Diego ushered and tried to drag Ashton with him but since Ashton was sitting on Sean’s lap there was no way.

“I’ll be right back.” Ashton murmured to his boyfriend and got up to follow his best friend wherever he wanted to go. They stopped near Diego’s locker and after Diego stopped looking around he finally explained what’s going on.

“Remember this new kid from History classes?” He started.

“Varyyn? Of course, I do! It’s kinda hard to forget someone with blue skin.” Ashton answered.

“There are literally superhumans in Northbridge who can fly or slow time and stuff like that and you’re surprised by a guy with blue skin? Really? Also, I’ve heard he was one of the people from that island.” Diego scowled at his best friend. “Okay, whatever. So he and I have French together and I don’t know if this means anything or if that was just a coincidence but we sneezed at the same time and now I kinda think he might be my soulmate?” He scratched the back of his neck.

“Oh.”

“Don’t ‘oh’ me! I don’t want your pity! The guy is super hot!” Diego pointed out. 

“Right, so why do you want from me exactly?”

“Remember how you thought Jake was your soulmate?” Diego teased and in exchange Ashton glared at him. “I take that as a ‘yes’. And remember how you tried to make yourself sneeze to see if you’re right? We’re gonna do the same thing right now. So go and give Sean a goodbye kiss because we're going to the library right now.” Diego looked at Ashton expectantly.

Ashton rolled his eyes but decided not to say anything and just do as Diego said to avoid more arguments. He said a quick goodbye to Sean and after he made sure he’s still up for the date today he came back to Diego who without saying anything more started heading out to the library.

“Quick question. Why the library?” Ashton asked when they were almost there.

“Because Varyyn is there, obviously.”

“Yeah, obviously...” Ashton chuckled silently.

After they entered the library Diego led them straight to the table next to the one Varryn was sitting at. For a moment they were just sitting there in silence. Ashton was tapping his fingers against the wood and looking around the place while Diego just stared at Varryn biting his lips until Varyyn looked up at him. At first, he was a little confused but then he recognized Diego and smile at him before coming back to the book he was reading.

“So? What’s the plan, boss?” Ashton asked finally bored with sitting around and doing nothing.

“Go on Google and search how can I make myself sneeze,” Diego ordered.

“’Kay... Let me see...” Ashton mumbled. “The first one is to wiggle a tissue in your nose but that would be super unattractive so we’re skipping this one.” He said. “Wait aren’t you like allergic to almost everything? Can’t you like rub something on your face?”

“Oh believe me if I just rub something on my face it’d end up being more unattractive than wiggling a tissue in my nose.” Diego asserted. “Gimme something else.”

“It says here that some people sneeze uncontrollably when suddenly exposed to bright light. So maybe look at the sun?” Ashton proposed.

Diego got up and went to the window. He even took his glasses off hoping it’d help. But unfortunately it didn’t work and he only spent a good minute standing there and staring at the sun.

“Nope.” He sighed and plopped down back in his chair. “Next one.”

“Since you can’t sniff a spice since we don’t have any... You want me to tweeze your brows or pluck a nose hair?” Ashton asked and then looked at Diego putting his phone down to take the tweezers from his backpack.

“Do I even wanna know why you have that? Y’know nevermind, let’s go with the first one.” Diego shrugged and positioned himself. “And how’s that supposed to make me sneeze?” He furrowed his brows.

“Supposedly this irritates the nerve endings in the face and stimulates the nasal nerve. Also, you may sneeze immediately, or it could take a few tries.” Ashton said and before Diego could react started tweezing his brows. And as they’ve found out later it didn’t work either.  

“Is there anything else?”

“Yeah but I don’t think any of this will work.” Ashton hinted. “Gum?” He offered Diego who only nodded and then went back to googling ways to make someone sneeze. “I think this one-” Ashton started again but was cut off but Diego actually sneezing.

His eyes immediately went wide and he looked at Varyyn to see if he sneezed as well which he did.

“Dude!” Ashton grinned. “You’re totally soulmates.”

“Really?” Diego looked at him and he looked almost scared. “You sure?”

“Positive. He sneezed as soon as you did!” Ashton assured him and patter his shoulder. “And just so you know he’s heading towards us.” He quickly added and quickly went right back to his book pretending he had no idea what was happening.

“Hi,” Varryn said standing by their table. “Can we talk?” He asked Diego smiling sheepishly.

Diego looked at Ashton but he still was pretending he’s not interested in the situation so Diego took a deep breath and agreed. He got up and followed Varyyn to the sofa in the back of the room.

“What’s up?” Diego asked casually like he didn’t just make himself sneeze to see if they were soulmates.

“I think you’re my soulmate? I mean I’m sure you are since we sneezed at the same time twice today.” Varyyn chuckled. “And I think you were suspecting it too... unless you tried to make yourself sneeze just for fun.” He added after second.

“Wait, you saw that?!” Diego turned red immediately and covered his face with his hands. “Ohmygod this is so embarrassing.”

“I think that’s cute.” Varyyn shrugged. “So considering we’re on the same page... Wanna show me the town later?” He smiled encouragingly.

“Yes, I’d love to.” Diego smiled as well and after they exchanged numbers Diego came back to Ashton. “Ashton... I’m in love.” He bit his lip and sighed happily.

[brightpinkpeppercorn]

Wonderful You (MC, Diego)

Inspiration: Round 70 of #choicescreates - “Old Habits Die Hard” - hosted by @clonedhayden

Summary: MC (Millie) and Diego talk about his insecurities (Diego x Varyyn)

Rating: G

Word count: 822

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, Pixelberry Studios owns them.

The sun was starting to set on the island, dark pink and purple hues ushering in dusk. Millie, with a rare moment to herself, sat on the sandy beach and watched the waves crash in the Caribbean Sea. Her attention moved to the Wolf Mask sitting next to her and she picked it up, inspecting it – the craftsmanship was impeccable, no detail left behind. After a quick survey of her surroundings, she put on the mask.

Diego had spotted his best friend several yards back and attempted to jog over to her. He never was very skilled at running on a beach. Since their reunification a few days prior, they hadn’t gotten a chance to spend any time alone together. Six months had passed and there was a lot to catch up on. “Hello there, Vaanti warr – aah!” His scream was a few octaves higher than he would have liked anyone to hear. Dropping next to her, he reached for the mask and pulled it off her face. “Warn a guy next time.” Laughing, Millie wrapped an arm around him, giving him a squeeze.

With her arm still around him, she studied her friend. Though it’d only been six months, his hair had grown past his ears, almost to his shoulders. His usually bare face was covered with a mustache and beard. Sighing, she smiled. This look was good on him, made him seem happier, freer.

As he moved his leg to cross it over the other, Millie noticed him wincing. “You alright, Diego?” He nodded, rubbing his shin.

“Yeah. Went for a long run with Varryn this morning. Limbering up for Valinorim.” She cocked her head towards him, raising an eyebrow. Diego Ortiz Soto did not go for runs, especially long ones. “Hey! During those six months, we spent a lot of time running and practicing sparring. I like it. It’s fun.”

Slowly shaking her head, she patted his arm. Millie knew Diego far too well. Her eyes shifted to the horizon, the sky quickly darkening. “You did great today with that sparring match. Especially against Craig.”

“Thanks.” He let out a deep breath. “Not like you, though. You were a badass climbing up on Jake’s shoulders and getting that disc … goal … point … thing.” The Wolf Mask was between them and he picked it up. “I wish I would have gotten this. Impress Varyyn.”

“Diego …” That confession alone affirmed her suspicion. “You don’t need this mask to impress him.”

“He’s the freaking Elyyshar, Millie!” Diego whined helplessly. “Why would he like a guy like me? I hate running. My sparring skills are rudimentary at best.” His speech sped up, “I never want to be on one of those hang gliders again. He doesn’t get my pop culture references!”

Luckily, it was dark enough that Diego didn’t see the look of sadness on Millie’s face. Her friend never seemed to be confident in the amazing person that he was – unless when it came to his writing and pop culture references. Tilting her head back and closing her eyes, she thought about when they first got to know each other at Hartfeld. He had evaded discussing his upbringing, making vague comments about his parents’ blue-collar careers – especially when trying to rush at the Alpha Theta Mu frarority. Not wanting to pull a four year ‘Romy and Michelle’ scenario, pretending his parents developed a popular small business iPhone app, he dropped out of contention.

Millie moved to crouch in front of her friend. At her new angle, Diego could make out her face with the lights of Elyys’tel in the distance behind her. “Maybe, just maybe, that’s not what he likes about you.” Looking down, she took Diego’s hands into her own. “After we won that wind disc game earlier, Varyyn sat Taari down and actually went through the entire Star Wars storyline.”

“Including the prequels?!”

“Including the prequels.” Millie adjusted to a seated position. “He hangs on to every word you say.”

“Yeah,” Diego pouted, “to learn English.”

Shaking her head, she squeezed his hands. “You were there for him after Ximaedra died. When he was crowned Elyyshar.” Her hands moved to either side of his face. “Diego, do you trust me?” He nodded. “First of all, he’s literally been living on a rock so he won’t understand the pop culture references … yet. Second of all, he likes you. For you. For the wonderful person that you are.”

Wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, Diego pulled his best friend in for a hug. “Yeah, I trust you.”

They held each other for a few moments until they heard someone coming towards them. Pulling away they saw Varyyn. “I have found you!” Reaching out a hand to both of them, he pulled them up. “I thought I had seen you two but Seraxa said I was wrong.” He beamed. “Could I BE any more right?!”

[blightarts]

POKÉMON SUMMER VERSION CHAPTER 7: IT’S BEEN A WHILE

Previous Chapter: Our First Step

Next Chapter: Our Second Badge

Disclaimer:  Pokémon is a property of Game Freak and Nintendo, while Endless  Summer is a property of Pixelberry. I do not claim any rights here.

Author’s Note: If the “Keep reading” doesn’t work, go here for the full post.

@princesstopgun, @mechaspirit, @queenaryn, @kaitloyalist, @choicesmarvel, @sceptilemasterr, @hey-its-vy, @skyila, @choicesyouplayandmore, @choicesaholic, @caroonfire, @roseblake, @choices-herald, @jakemckenzietrash, @xo-endlessmayhem-xo, @abhirio, @diego-vii, @izzycheeese

On the path to Orderve City, the three kids, Taari, Kaitlyn and Reginald, trek through Metropeal Forest while also training their Pokémon. During their travels, their respective Pokémon manage to evolve; Taari’s Turtwig evolved in to a Grotle; Kaitlyn’s Piplup evolved into a Prinplup; and Reginald’s Chimchar evolved into a Monferno.

As they near the clearing of the forest, they are greeted by a familiar voice.

Voice: It’s been a while, Taari. I am proud of your accomplishments in Metropeal City.

Taari recognizes the voice and immediately turns to direction where it came from. Kaitlyn and Reginald followed his gaze. Their eyes widen as they see the elyyshar of Elyys’tel, Varyyn, seated on a tree branch. The king drops down to properly greet the kids.

Taari rushes towards him and gives him a tight embrace.

Taari: Varyyn!

Varyyn: I’ve heard of your success over my dear, Diego. Excellent work, all of you.

Kaitlyn: Thank you, Mister Varyyn.

Reginald: It was a difficult struggle, but we managed to succeed.

Varyyn turns to Kaitlyn and Reginald.

Varyyn: Ah, Kaitlyn, Reginald, you two have grown quite well.

Taari tilts his head in confusion and drops the embrace.

Taari: You know Kaitlyn?

Varyyn: Of course. After all, she’s—

Before Varyyn could finish, Kaitlyn motions him to keep quiet. He stays silent for a moment and smiles.

Varyyn: Ah, yes. Your parents told me that they will be meeting you in Orderve City.

Kaitlyn: Yes!

Taari: Her parents?

Taari turns towards Kaitlyn.

Taari: Should I know your parents?

Varyyn: You have nothing to worry about for now, Taari.

Varyyn calls out his partner Pokémon, Sceptile

Varyyn: How about we should have a Pokémon battle to see how much you’ve learn after your fight against Diego?

Taari jumps for joy and calls out T’kal.

Taari: Yes, please!

Varyyn smirks.

Varyyn: Why not make this a little more interesting? If you beat my Sceptile right now, I could give you your second badge.

Taari: Deal!

Taari and Varyyn soon create some distance between each other. Afterwards, Reginald and Kaitlyn stand between them.

Reginald: Let the battle… BEGIN!

Taari: Alright, T’kal, use Fi—

Before Taari could finish, Varyyn swings his head, revealing a specially-designed hair tie. Attached to the hair tie is a Mega Stone. Taari is thrown by surprise.

Taari: A MEGA STONE?!

Reginald: Idiot! Did you forget that all La Huerta Gym Leaders have Mega Stones?!

Varyyn taps on his Mega Stone and begins chanting.

Varyyn: Deep within the trees of Elyys’tel, I call upon the great beast… Sceptile, MEGA EVOLVE!

Sceptile glows and begins to undergo Mega Evolution.

Varyyn: Now, we shall begin the battle, Taari.

Taari steps back for a moment after witnessing Sceptile’s Mega Evolution. But he then steps up.

Taari: Let’s do this!

Music: Kanto Gym Battle (HGSS)

Taari immediately goes for the offense.

Taari: We’re not going to let Mega Evolution intimidate use. If Reginald can beat Mister Diego’s Mega Lopunny without Mega Evolution, then we can too, right, T’kal?!

T’kal: Rar!!

Taari: That’s the spirit! Now, use Flare Blitz!

T’kal begins to surround himself with flames of very high temperature. Afterwards, he charges towards Mega Sceptile. Varyyn doesn’t say anything to let his Pokémon avoid T’kal’s attack. Eventually, T’kal tackles Mega Sceptile and the latter staggers backwards, but quickly stands back up as if nothing happened. Meanwhile, T’kal staggers due to recoil damage. Taari is surprised by the outcome.

Taari: Wha… WHAT?! I thought Grass-types are supposed to be weak to Fire-types.

Varyyn: You are correct, Taari. But you may not know that Mega Sceptile is part-Dragon-type. It negates the super-effective Fire-type attacks are used against Grass-types.

Taari: EH?!?!

Varyyn: Now, it’s our turn. Sceptile, use Focus Punch!

Mega Sceptile clenches his fist and starts to focus. As his fist starts to glow, he charges towards T’kal. Meanwhile, T’kal stands up and is about to avoid the attack but he was too late. Mega Sceptile was too fast and his Focus Punch connects. The attack delivers massive amounts of damage to T’kal and sends him flying towards a tree. T’kal crashes at the tree and faints. Taari is left astonished.

Reginald: T’kal is unable to battle. Varyyn and his Mega Sceptile wins!

After a few minutes, T’kal is healed and is returned to his pokéball. Sceptile reverts to its original form and is returned to his pokéball as well. The four regroups.

Varyyn: You understand now, Taari? The true power of Mega Evolution and the bonds between a Pokémon and its trainer?

Taari: I managed to get a scope of it, but I understand it a little more now.

Varyyn: Good. There’s still more for you to learn. If you’re ready, then feel free to come back to Elyys’tel city and challenge me again.

Taari: Will do!

Varyyn departs and says his goodbye to the children. Afterwards, the children reach the clearing of Metropeal Forest and finally arrive at Orderve City. Orderve City is a city known for its annual Pokélympics event and also great food. Its most prized restaurant is the Orderve Gym, led by the legendary Raj Bhandarkar. As the children are making they’re way to the Orderve Gym, Reginald accidently bumps into a girl.

Reginald: Oh, I apologize. I didn’t mean to. I was… occupied with a thought.

Girl: That’s fine.

For a moment, Reginald becomes intimidated by the girl’s glance and he breaks eye contact. His vision lands on the girl’s bag, which has the initials, “LHP” written on it.

Girl: Well, I’ll be going now.

Reginald: …Yeah.

Kaitlyn: Reginald, you’re lagging behind!

Reginald: Oh, sorry!

Reginald rejoins the group and they make their way to the Orderve Gym. As they arrive, they marvel at the sight of it.

Taari: Wow! It’s so awesome! You can even smell the food from here!

Reginald: The idea of mixing a Gym and a restaurant is brilliant. Customers can experience great food and entertaining gym battles all in one reasonable price.

Kaitlyn: Come on! We should go in. It’s time for you guys to meet them.

Taari: Meet who?

Kaitlyn: My parents.

As if on cue, the doors of the gym slide open and three people walk outside. Kaitlyn turns around and beams in delight. On the other hand, Taari and Reginald are stunned. The three people…

…just so happens to be Jake McKenzie, his wife, Taylor McKenzie (F!MC), and their close friend, Quinn Kelly.

Kaitlyn rushes towards Jake and Taylor. The two take notice of her and immediately smile.

Kaitlyn: Mom! Dad!

Jake: Well, if it isn’t my li’l Marshmallow!

Taylor: Oh, Kaitlyn! You’re here!

The three embraced after not seeing each other for a few days. Reginald approaches the three.

Reginald: It’s good finally meeting you Mister and Missus McKenzie.

Jake: Don’t call us that, Malfoy Jr. And is that you, li’l Blueberry?

Jake, Taylor and Quinn turn towards Taari, who is still stunned.

Taari: Wait! Kaitlyn… your parents…

Kaitlyn: Mhm!

Taari: But that doesn’t make sense! Miss Taylor got back here five years ago. How are so old by now if you’re her child?!

Kaitlyn: It’s because I was adopted when I was seven.

Taari: …Yeah. That makes more sense.

After regaining his composure, Taari joins the group.

Quinn: So, I heard you guys finally got your first badge. That’s great! I’m so proud of you!

Taari: Hehe. Thanks.

Reginald: Thank you.

Kaitlyn: I appreciate it.

Jake: So, my li’l Marshmallow told me that you guys will be battling Pineapple Express?

Reginald: We will. Afterwards, we’ll head on over to the Pokélympics Stadium and sign up for the event. Then, after that, Kaitlyn will be joining her second contest.

Taylor: Sounds like a great plan. We’ll be staying around Orderve City until Kaitlyn’s second contest is over.

Kaitlyn: Yay!

Quinn: Besides, the La Huerta League will be managing this year’s Pokélympics event. It’s going to be a big reunion for all of us.

Reginald: So, that means my father is coming, huh?

While everyone smiles at the exciting new, Reginald clenches his fist, but quickly loosens it. He pretends to smile so that others won’t notice his pain. Taari looks around to look for someone missing within the group, Quinn’s husband, Tyler Kelly (M!MC)

Taari: Hey… Where’s Mister Tyler?

At the mention of his twin brother’s name, Taylor goes on a tantrum.

Taylor: DON’T YOU DARE SAY THAT NAME!!

The children flinch at Taylor’s tantrum. Jake tries to calm her down, while Quinn covers her mouth and breaks into tears. Curious, scared and worried, Taari steps up.

Taari: Wh… Why? What happened to him? What did he do?

Jake manages to calm Taylor and proceeds to comfort Quinn. After regaining her calm, Taylor answers Taari’s questions.

Taylor: Tyler… has been missing for six months now. Ever since after… that incident… he hasn’t been the same. One day, he left us a note, telling us to not look for him or contact him. He said that he’s going to find out exactly what’s going on; why Pokémon are becoming corrupted; how the both of us ended up back in La Huerta; where exactly did Dialga and Palkia go off to.

Reginald: Incident? What incident?

Jake: I think that’s enough questions for now, you two.

Taari looks at Jake comforting Quinn, who is still heartbroken over the loss of her husband.

Taari: I… I’m sorry…

Reginald: Me too…

Quinn: Don’t be.

Quinn wipes of her tears and looks at Taari.

Quinn: You didn’t know. I’m sorry that we did not tell you. It was only between me, Taylor, Jake and Kaitlyn. I didn’t want the others to worry about my dear Tyler.

Taylor approaches Quinn to comfort her too.

Taylor: Come on, Quinn. Let’s head back to your room.

Taylor and Quinn start to head back to Centaurus Resort. Jake turns to the children.

Jake: Sorry you kids have to see that. Once you’re done scoping the Gym, head to the Centaurus Resort just beside the it. We’ve already reserved a room for you three.

Kaitlyn: Thanks, Dad. Take care of auntie Quinn.

Jake: We will, li’l Marshmallow.

As the three adults leave, the three kids enter the gym. They are soon greeted by the receptionist.

Receptionist: Welcome to the Orderve Gym. You must be trainers. I’m sorry but Chef Bhandarkar just finished his last battle for today.

Reginald: That’s fine. We’re just here to scope the gym.

Receptionist: Ah, I see. In that case, come with me. We will meet with Chef Bhandarkar now.

The receptionist escorts the three kids to the kitchen. As they arrive, they are immediately greeted by the head chef, Raj.

Raj: Hello, my little dudes and dudette!

Taari: Hey, Mister Raj!

Kaitlyn: Mmm! Those are some good-smelling food!

Reginald: Sorry if we’re barging in.

Raj: No problem, li’l Reggie. I was expecting you three anyway. Here…

Raj grabs a bag filled with take-out food and hands it to Kaitlyn.

Raj: Taylor said that you guys will be visiting so I made those for your dinner, free of charge.

Kaitlyn: Wow!

Taari: For free? Really?

Raj nods.

Reginald: Thank you, Chef Raj.

The three children said their goodbyes to Raj and they head to their room in the Centaurus Resort. Meanwhile, on the mountains of La Huerta, Tyler walks on a snowy path, looking for cabins to spend the night.

After spending the night, Taari, Kaitlyn and Reginald stand in front of the Orderve Gym to obtain their second badge and their second step towards the La Huerta League.

Will Raj be just as challenging as Diego? Or will he be more? FIND OUT ON CHAPTER 8 OF POKÉMON SUMMER VERSION!

[ladyseaheart1668]

Endless Summer Book 4: Daughter of Vaanu (Chapter 2)

Description: Alodia has returned from wherever she’s been. But celebrations may be premature.

CW: Strong language. Just take that as assumed. 

Chapter 2: The Long Night

Aleister

For a pregnant moment, the only sound is my son, wailing with irritation at having been awakened. Grace instinctively puts her arms around him and bounces from side to side, stroking his back, but even she isn't taking her eyes off Alodia.

“Alodia!” Jake breaks the stunned silence, dropping his glass and racing to take his wife in his arms, sinking to his knees with her tangled in his embrace. Alodia holds him back, pressing her face into his shoulder. Jake's whole body spasms with sobs. The rest of us start to edge closer to the treeline as Jake pulls back to press his mouth to hers, tears streaming down his face. “Alodia...Princess...are you real? Are you here? Please be real...”

“I'm here,” she murmurs back. “I think I'm real...”

“...Holy shit!” Craig finally exclaims. “It worked!”

A part of me can't believe that after five years, anything that comes out of Craig's mouth could be absurd enough to stop me in my tracks, but somehow he keeps finding ways to top himself.

“What in the heavens are you talking about?!”

“Alodia's back, dude! Five years we've been doing this voodoo, and it's finally paid off!”

“Wha...voodoo?! For heavens' sake, it was a ritual of remembrance! A way to honor our old friend, not ressurrect her!”

“I dunno,” Zahra murmurs. “I'm looking at pretty convincing evidence that it might have been a little more than that.”

“I think I'm with Zahra on this,” Quinn agrees.

“Do you honestly believe we've been unknowingly casting magic spells for the last five years?! Why would it suddenly work now?!”

“Aleister, shut up!” My head snaps towards Diego, who is kneeling beside Jake and Alodia, stroking the back of her head tenderly. Something in his voice makes any desire to snap back at him wither. He turns his attention back on Alodia. “...Allie? Are you okay?”

Alodia peers over Jake's shoulder, casting her eyes over her surroundings. She spots the manorhouse on the hill. “Are...are we on Sharktooth Isle?”

“No...we're on the main island...The Celestial...” he trails off. “...Wait...what's the last thing you remember?”

“Th...the last thing I really vividly remember is being on The Celestial's rooftop. I touched the crystal to let Vaanu take me back. ...It...all gets a little fuzzy after that...”

We're all silent for a moment. Then Raj pipes up. “Hey, why don't we go inside and see what's left over from the feast. We can bring you up to speed while you eat.”

Alodia offers us a shaky smile. “I...think I'd like that...” She yelps a little as Jake shifts, wrapping his arm over her shoulder and lifting her up in a bridal carry. “Woah! Jake, I'm pretty sure I can walk...”

“Princess, if you think I'm ever letting you go again, you're nuts.” Alodia doesn't reply, but the way she winds her other arm around his neck strikes me as consent. We all start to file toward the manorhouse. Estela hesitates as we pass the pool bar, where the twelfth cocktail is waiting. I pause, watching my half-sister as she studies the glass. Finally, she plucks it off the counter, marches down the beach and dumps it into the sea.

“What was that about?” I ask softly as she returns.

“It's what we do every year,” she murmurs back. “...Call me superstitious, but with Alodia standing in front of us, it feels like bad luck not to complete the ritual.”

“Do you really think--”

“I don't know what to think, Aleister. I didn't think this island had anything left for us but sad memories. If there's still any magic at all left here...if it's enough to really bring her back...”

“...If there is any magic left, we shouldn't tempt it. ...Perhaps you are right.” She nods, and we silently pick up the pace, catching up with the others.

At least whatever has happened to her over these past five years does not seem to have damaged Alodia's appetite. We get her into the manorhouse and Raj fixes her a plate of leftovers, which she immediately tears into like she hasn't seen a morsel in days. I doubt she even tastes it. Jake and Diego stay close on either side of her, passing glances between them. Jake's arm stays firmly draped over her shoulder. Ocassionally, Diego glances over at me and Grace.

When Alodia starts to slow down a little, I clear my throat. “...I am sure you must have questions about now...”

Alodia pauses, a forkful of citrus jasmine rice halfway to her mouth. She lowers her hand. “I'm sure all of you do, too. ...I'm sure a lot of our questions are the same.” She pauses for a moment. “What year is it?”

“2023. Five years since we left La Huerta. It was January of 2018 when we got back to the United States. ...My father was arrested and convicted of kidnapping as well as several counts of murder and attempted murder. He is currently living in a hospital for the criminally insane. By some miracle, which I suspect Iris had a hand in, Estela and I were named as joint heirs in his will. We each own half of Rourke International, and the whole of La Huerta. ...It's officially a private nature sanctuary now. The Vaanti are left in peace, and the eleven of us have come here every summer since you left us.”

“...Then...the Vaanti survived...?”

“Varyyn abdicated his throne,” Diego adds. “Seraxa is the elyyshar now. ...Varyyn is living with me in London. But yeah, in general, the Vaanti are thriving. ...Though we haven't seen hide nor hair of the Anachronists in five years...”

Alodia's hand finds Jake. “...What about Mike...?”

I see Jake's fingers tighten around her hand. “...He's alive, Princess. We found him Stateside. ...Lundgren, too. But we beat him. He's locked up for good.”

Her free hand flies to her mouth, tears gathering in her eyes. “...I can't believe I managed that...I didn't know if I would be able to...I was basically begging Vaanu to turn back that moment...”

“...Guess that explains why Lundgren got brought back, too,” he murmurs with a rueful smile. “I ain't complaining, long as I got Mike back...”

A tense silence settles over the table. There is a proverbial elephant in the room, the one big question that no one dares to ask, because we somehow know that Alodia will not have an answer for us: how did she get here? And then the follow-up question to that one, whose answer I dread: is she back to stay, or will we lose her again?

It's Zahra who finally braves the unknown. “...Okay, so...you don't remember any of where you've been for the last five years?”

“...I wasn't even sure how much time had passed,” Alodia answers. “I only knew that time had passed at all because you all look different enough that I knew it wasn't the same night I left. ...Plus Grace has a baby strapped to her chest...”

“Oh!” Grace exclaims. “Goodness, you haven't even met Reginald...”

“...Not officially. But I've seen him. In one of the visions Vaanu gave me.”

Diego sighs. “...Jake...I think this might be a good time to tell everyone what's been happening since the Prism Gate incident. And...” he glances at me and Grace in turn. “...it might be time to talk about the Prism Gate incident in general.”

“...Ohhh...” Raj winces. “...Did you guys see that, too?”

“I did,” Craig confirms. “And Z. We...figured it would come up here tonight.”

“Wait...so did everyone see the same thing we saw?” Diego looks around the table. All around, nodding heads confirm it. Alodia slowly raises her hand.

“...Um...I didn't...”

I run a hand through my hair, exhaling nervously. Slowly, I explain about my father's rivalry with Silas Prescott, and Prescott's crystalline-powered project called the Prism Gate, and its failure on the night of its unveiling. ...I slowly fold in my suspicions about the crystal's origins. Alodia watches me silently, her expression unreadable, which is more than a little unnerving. In all the time I knew her, she was never guarded with her emotions. I realize in retrospect that because we needed her to be warm and open then, that was who she became. But the thought of her being different from the girl we knew then scares me.

“...But that doesn't make sense,” Raj points out. “After Alodia merged with Vaanu, the crystals disappeared.”

“The crystals on the island disappeared. Silas Prescott said in his speech that he and his wife discovered the crystal on an expedition twenty-five years ago. And people were coming and going from the resort here well before the eruption...”

“...The island itself existed for millions of years,” Alodia confirms softly. “...I may not have come into being until the eleven of you entered the time bubble, but the island was here.”

“Right. I don't know how much power such a crystal would have outside the island, but evidently, it has enough to cause quite an explosion...”

“...And you think that's the reason Alodia was able to come back?” Michelle asks.

“I don't know.”

“Is she going to stay back?” Sean adds. “...Or is Vaanu basically broken again?”

“Surely you don't think I know the answer to that,” I answer irritably.

“No, I don't, Aleister. ...But it's a question someone needed to ask aloud. We're all thinking it.”

Silence settles over the table again, heavy with dread. Diego finally speaks again. “Look...Jake and I have some news. We were waiting for the right moment to share it. And I don't think we're going to find a better one.”

With obvious reluctance, he stands and retreats from the room. He returns a few minutes later with an old shoebox in hand.

“What is that?” Alodia asks.

“...It's...mementoes from my past. ...From...our past, Allie. I was watching the Prism Gate coverage from my parents' place in Riverside. Over the next few days...things started appearing that shouldn't have existed. ...Evidence of the past we built up for you before the cycle was broken. Our childhood in Riverside together.”

Jake rubs a hand over his face. “...There's...there's also a missing persons report. On you, Princess. It's a cold case. Five years old. Alodia Chandler, disappeared the summer before her senior year at Hartfeld University. My sister's a cop in LA, and she says she found it cleaning out the cold cases. ...I never told her what happened to you, but I did let her know I'd been married to a woman named Alodia...”

No one speaks for a moment. Diego puts the box down on the table in front of us and lifts the lid. One by one, he lifts out pieces of evidence. Pictures of the two of them as children. At their senior prom. A newspaper clipping about a junior gymnastics team, complete with a photo of Alodia and four other small, slim girls holding up medals and grinning into the camera. A friendship bracelet of silky woven threads. A birthday card.

“...The big thing for me is that I can remember growing up with you in Riverside,” Diego says softly. “...And I can remember growing up without you. ...I remember the small disaster that was our senior prom, and I can remember spending my senior prom at home alone...”

Alodia's placid facade starts to crack. With shaking hands, she reaches across the table and pulls the birthday card toward her, opening it carefully. Her mouth twists a little as she starts to read aloud.

“...'Happy 18th Birthday to my favorite dork. Hope it's more fun than a laser battle in space with pirates and dinosaurs. May the force be with you. Love, Allie'...”  

Her voice breaks, catching in her throat. She takes a breath, then another, then promptly dissolves into tears. Jake pulls her into his arms.

“You're okay, Princess. You're gonna be okay.”

He can't know that. But I don't believe I should say that in front of her. Not when she is clinging to Jake as if he is anchoring her to existence, trembling so violently that I can feel the vibrations through the table between us.

I find Grace's hand and grip it, perhaps just a little too tightly, but she doesn't complain. She squeezes back. I glance over and see that tears are slipping down her dark cheeks as well. Quinn and Raj have also given in to the flood of emotion filling the dining room. It feels strangely like grief, even though the very person we're grieving is sitting right in front of us. Then, so abruptly that I don't even register it at first, the mood shifts from heavy sorrow to urgency and alarm. Michelle's eyes go wide.

“Jake, let her go.”

Jake hasn't felt the shift yet. He grips his wife tighter. “I ain't letting her go.”

“Jake, she's about to hyperventilate! Get off her!” She leaps up, running around to the other side of the table as Jake pulls back sharply. Alodia, her breath coming in shallow, violent gasps, abruptly pitches forward, crumpling to the floor.

“Alodia!” Jake cries, barely managing to break her fall. Diego drops down beside her, and Michelle kneels at her other side.

“All right, everyone except Jake and Diego out!” she orders. “Give her some space, please!”

“You heard the doctor.” Estela takes Quinn gently by the shoulders, leading her out. “Come on, everyone.”

We reluctantly trickle out of the dining room, gathering in a crowd just outside. A scream from Alodia follows us out. We collectively grimace. The agony in her voice is unmistakable.

“...Dammit,” Estela growls. “What the hell is happening?”

No one answers. What could we say? It isn't as if we have any idea. For all I know, Craig was right, and our little ritual of remembrance was indeed some sort of magic spell we were weaving without our knowledge. Or...more likely, it has to do with Silas Prescott's Prism Gate. It was after the Prism Gate incident that Diego started to find evidence of her existence before the island.

Another cry of agony goes through us like a knife. Quinn chokes, pressing a hand to her mouth. Of course, Reginald starts to wail again. Grace sighs. “I...should feed him...” She looks hesitantly at the door to the dining room. I shake my head.

“I don't think anyone will flinch if you feed him here,” I murmur. She nods, and sits down against the wall, opening her blouse. I sit down beside her while she exposes her breast and guides our son to latch on. In spite of the fearful sounds coming from the dining room, he settles down, suckling contentedly, his tiny fingertips working the fabric of his mother's blouse. I scoot closer to my wife, stroking my son's head, capped with a dark layer of fuzzy hair. ...Would he exist without the woman screaming in the next room?

The dining room doors burst open. Jake emerges with Alodia cradled in his arms, Diego and Michelle close behind. Sean catches Michelle's arm as she passes.

“What's happening? What's wrong with her?”

“I don't know, Sean,” she answers grimly. “Right now, though, she's in a lot of pain, and all I think any of us can do is help her ride it out. ...I'm going to get my med kit. I don't know if I dare to give her anything, but I need to keep an eye on her vitals.”

Sean reluctantly lets her go as Jake and Diego disappear into Jake's room. Eight Catalysts are left fearful and bewildered in their wake. Eventually, it seems there is nothing else to do but drift back to our rooms and try to sleep.

* * *

I sleep for an hour or two, and I think Grace does, too. But when I wake again, around two in the morning, she is standing over Reggie's crib, peering down at him. I come up behind her, winding my arms around her waist. She leans back into me.

“...Do you think she's going to be okay?” she asks me.

“I don't know,” I admit. “...I suppose it depends on what we would consider okay...”

“...I'm not sure...”

“If she rejoins with Vaanu and disappears again in the morning, does that make her okay?”

“...I don't know. ...But I know it would make Jake...not okay...”

That gives me pause. “...He has not been doing well. I know Diego said as much, but actually seeing it...”

“What will happen to him if she does disappear again?”

“...We'll take care of him. All of us. For her sake, we'll take better care of him than we have been.” I kiss her cheek. “...Do you want to look in on her?”

“We probably shouldn't leave Reggie alone...”

“He's asleep. And we can turn on the baby monitor.” I reach over to flip the switch on the monitor clipped to the edge of the crib. The light turns green. I pick up the other and gently lead Grace away from our room towards Jake's.

The lights in his room are dimmed, but not off. Jake and Diego lie still on the double bed, Alodia sandwiched between them with her face pressed into Jake's chest. The two men have their arms draped over her and each other. Sean sits on the floor, leaning against the wall. Michelle is curled up with her head on his lap, a throw blanket draped over her shoulders. He rolls his head towards us as we enter, bringing a hand up to rub his eyes.

“Hey...” he mumbles.

“...She's still here?” Grace asks.

“Yeah. She's still here. And she's sleeping, sort of...” Before I can clarify his meaning, Alodia twitches on the bed, whimpering. Jake and Diego both startle awake and immediately set to quieting her, whispering comfortingly and stroking her hair. It puts me in mind of the first time Reggie got sick, when Grace and I kept vigil through the night with our son on the bed between us. After a moment, she stills. Diego glances up at us, nodding briefly in acknowlegment of our presence. Jake doesn't take his eyes off his wife.

Sean sighs. “...I think the pain has eased a little, anyway. Michelle thinks she's still in distress, though. But her vitals are strong.”

“She is still in distress,” Diego mutters. “That's clear from here. ...Goddammit, I wish I knew what was happening. I just feel so helpless...”

“Perhaps a few of us should travel ahead to Elyys'tel in the morning,” I suggest. “Let the Vaanti know what's happening. At least Varyyn ought to know. If she's still struggling a few days from now, it will be difficult to travel...”

“...I don't want him to worry,” Diego concedes.

“Yeah,” Jake sighs. “...Can't have that.”

“...Sean?” Grace asks. “What are you thinking?” I look over at Sean, whose brow is wrinkled with concentration. He appears to be studying intently the socked foot stretched in front of him.

“...Diego...you were saying you have memories of her before the island? ...That they just recently started coming to you?”

“Yeah. After the Prism Gate thing. ...Why?”

“...Because one just came to me. ...Sophomore year at Hartfeld. Second game of the year. The dance team was selling hot dogs and bratwurst at the game. I saw her while I was warming up. She was showing off some gymnastics moves. Using the bleacher as a balance beam.”

“...She was in our European History class...” Grace murmurs. “The one we had together, Sean. With Professor Franco. She got into that argument with him over whether Lady Jane Grey should really be considered an English Queen.”

As they are speaking, a memory drifts to the surface of my mind. A blonde-haired young woman in the campus coffee shop, sipping from a paper cup with a cardboard sleeve while pouring over a history textbook...entering the library a few yards ahead of me and pausing to hold the door open...chatting with Diego on the tarmac outside Jake's plane as we prepared to board in Costa Rica...

“...She was there in Costa Rica,” I murmur. “When we boarded the plane for La Huerta.”

Jake's breath shudders. “Oh, God...Goddamn...I saw her boarding pass...I checked her passport...” Alodia suddenly goes rigid, crying out. Jake sits up sharply, taking her hand. “I'm here, Princess. Just hang on. Everything's gonna be okay.”

Michelle sits up blearily, pushing the blanket off her shoulders and fumbling for her med kit. I'm not sure if she realizes that Grace and I are here before she's stumbled over to the bed and begun examining her patient. Sean sighs.

“She's been doing that all night.” He shakes his head bemusedly. “She doesn't even flinch. She accuses me of pushing myself too hard on the field, but an intern's hours make my job look cushy, even factoring in the risk of head injury.”

“...It's been a long night already,” I murmur. “And I think it's only going to get longer.”

Jake

In spite of Aleister's prediction, Alodia seems to finally fall into a restful sleep not long after three in the morning. Diego drops off not long after, still spooning his best friend from behind while I cradle her head against my chest. I don't get much sleep myself. I'm too scared that she'll disappear the moment I close my eyes. That this is all some cruel dream. I have dreams like this sometimes. The first year or two after La Huerta, I had them a couple times a week. I'd be walking on a beach on the island and she would appear in front of me, tell me how much she loved me, how much she missed me. We would make love and lie together in the afterglow, and she would slowly slip away as my traitor brain forced me to wake up and face reality.

...The others were never with us in those dreams. And she was never suffering, never in pain like she has been all night. But that's not much of a comfort, even if it does seem like evidence that she's real. About the time the sky starts to turn gray with the early light of dawn, exhaustion wins out, and I drop off.

The next thing I am aware of is a hand gently stroking my hair. Followed quickly by the fact that my arms are empty. I gasp sharply, my eyes flying to the face above me. Alodia, seated on the edge of the bed beside me, gazes down at me as she runs her fingers through my hair. She puts the index finger of her free hand to her lips and bends to brush my mouth with hers. She nods at my left. I turn my head to see Diego, huddled on the other side of the bed. She gestures with her head to the balcony, taking my hand and standing. I rise slowly, letting her draw me over.

We've barely made it out to the balcony and shut the sliding door behind us before need overtakes me and I pull her into my arms, kissing her hungrily. She winds her arms around my neck, kissing back. She tastes just how I remember her, fits in my arms so perfectly. The sparks that fly between us, the way the earth shifts under our feet, the fiery heat of our bodies together is intensely familiar. We're both breathless when we break apart, pressing our foreheads together.

“...Five years, and you still kiss me like it's our wedding day.”

“There's five years' worth of missing you in that kiss, Princess.”

“...I haven't been replaced, then?”

“No one could replace you. Ever. I won't claim I've been celibate, or that I haven't loved anyone I've taken to bed. But none of them could hold a candle to you. No one made me think I could stop running like you did. And ain't a one of them loved me back as much as you did.”

“...I almost can't believe you still love me after everything...”

“What do you mean by everything?”

“...Everything I did...”

“You mean saving the fucking world?”

“...I left you.”

“Because you were saving the fucking world.”

She smiles weakly, but it doesn't last. “...No one has really smiled since I turned up here.”

“Yeah, well, we were all kinda shocked at first. And scared you were gonna vanish. Then you started screaming in pain and that didn't exactly put anyone in the mood to tell knock-knock jokes...”

“Did I scare you?”

“Did it scare me to see the woman I haven't stopped loving in five years screaming and crying in pain for hours when I couldn't do anything but try to help her ride it out?”

“...Ask a stupid question, I guess.”

I feel the first ghost of a smile on my lips. I reach up to cup the side of her face in one hand. “At least you seem better this morning.” I sigh. “...I admit, I ain't had the easiest time of it since I lost you. We'd just got married. We were supposed to have our whole lives together. And then just like that...nothing.”

“...There was just no way to have it all, Jake.  Letting Project Janus go ahead would have remade the world in Rourke's image. I could have stayed here with you and the others forever, but that would have meant letting the world burn. ...The eleven of you mean everything to me. ...And the price for giving you all everything you deserved was losing myself.”

“...But...now you're here...” I let the question hang unspoken in the air. She is quiet for a very long time. I don't let go of her for a moment. When she speaks again, her voice is low and husky with emotion.

“...I made the choice that I thought was right because all of you deserved everything. I put on a brave face because I didn't want any of you thinking I was doing something I didn't want to do out of fear or panic. ...But don't think for a second that I wasn't fucking furious. It was right, but it wasn't goddamn fair. ...I wanted to exist. I wanted to stay with all of you. I wanted the life that had been imagined for me, and I wanted to have it all without giving up the world. ...I wanted our little cottage by the sea, maybe a few of your kids if you were game. I wanted to look in the mirror one day and see the Endless staring back at me with a wrinkled and balding Jake McKenzie beside me.”

“I'd wince at the image, but it's what I wanted, too. These last five years, I've pictured us slowly growing old together. I wanted to hug you to my beer gut and tell you that you were beautiful while you fretted over every wrinkle and every gray hair. Every liver spot...” I grin a little and tap her chin. “Every hair sprouting where you didn't want it to...”

She laughs. “Never has chin hair sounded so romantic.”

“There'd be hot flashes, digestive distress, hemorroids, flatulence...”

“Don't push it, Top Gun.”

I chuckle, but it quickly dies in my throat. “...I don't think you realize how badly I wanted it. I'd take all the gas and backaches just to have you beside me again.”

“...I gave my energy back to Vaanu so that it could finally leave Earth. ...But after all that time, living as myself, living as the Endless, loving all of you, being loved back by all of you, needing you and being needed by you...I was too much of my own person to fully merge with Vaanu. Trying to take me back with it was like...trying to but a baby back in the womb once they've been born. We broke apart not long after leaving. That is...Vaanu released the part of our consciousness that had become Alodia. I...didn't have a body per se...but my consciousness was always reaching back to the earth. To all of you. ...I couldn't fully get back right away, though. Then...suddenly...I felt energy. The same kind of energy that had willed me into being in the first place. The next thing I knew, I was falling...and then I was here. On La Huerta, and all of you were gathered around a bonfire. And...now I have memories of an entire childhood spent in Riverside, growing up beside Diego, doing gymnastics and dance, majoring in history at Hartfeld...getting trapped on La Huerta...That's why I was in that state last night. ...All those memories rushing back was kind of overwhelming, and...it hurt. A lot.”

“Thank god it's over. But...Alodia...” I take her face in my hands. “...Does this mean you're back? For good?”

She bites her lip. “I...think so...? I mean, I know Aleister was talking about the Prism Gate thing, and if it really is powered by one La Huerta's crystals, then it seems like a pretty safe bet that's what brought me back. If what I remember from being merged with Vaanu is correct, that crystal will still have a great deal of power, enough to do some damage if it's used incorrectly. But nothing on the level of the Island's Heart or Vaanu itself. ...And I don't think that any amount of damage it could to would be undone if I merged with it. I'm not even sure that I could.” She smiles at me. There's something a little anxious in her smile, but it doesn't seem forced. “...As far as I can tell, Top Gun, you're stuck with me.”

Tears seem appropriate right now. I can feel them in my chest and my throat as I grab hold of her and pull her close. But instead, I find myself laughing. I clutch her in my arms and rock her joyfully, laughing like a madman.

“Princess, you crazy fucking miracle. Goddamn, I shoulda known you'd fight your way back if you had half a chance.”

“I love you, Jake. I love you so much.” We pull back and our lips meet in a wild frenzy, everything we've stored up over five years of separation, grief, anger, heartache, and longing turning to desire. She bites at my earlobe, her voice husky as she whispers, “I want you...”

I reluctantly pull back, just enough to press my forehead to hers. “I want you, too. ...But why don't we get the others up to speed? Way you were last night, there's no way anyone's gonna give us any privacy before they know you're okay.”

She laughs. “Right now, they could watch for all I care. ...But you're right. And I do want to see them again now that my head's on straight. I've got five years to catch up on.”

[bladesoflightandshadow]

yo. yo. just a thought. but like. what if varyyn........ends up betraying the endless summer gang somehow? like, since the start of book 3, we’ve seen his loyalties shift more and more towards the catalysts, especially diego. but in the end, he’s still elyyshar of the vaanti and it’s clear that he’s still loyal to his people, first and foremost (think of that scene where he refuses to follow the gang to quarr’tel bc he couldn’t bring himself to relinquish his obligations to his people). what with the whole fake vaanti religion thing, and uqzhaal potentially having stolen the heart, it kind of makes sense that varyyn would be put in the spotlight in future chapters.

in that scene in episode 4 or 5 of book 3 where the endless reveals themselves to be the MC from an alternate timeline, and that the vaanti religion is made up, varyyn is upset, but only very briefly; in fact i was surprised by how quickly he seemed to get over it. initially i was disappointed that PB made him have that reaction, because if i had just found out that the religion i was raised by and the people that died because of it, including my MOTHER, were all a means to an end for these 12 kids to get home safe, i’d be pretty fckin upset, regardless of how close i was to them. but come to think of it, it might have been PB choosing to store that conflict for later -- somehow, all of varyyn’s experiences might cause him to explode in some important way later in the plot, possibly by betraying the gang.

in fact there’s a slim chance that he might have been the one to steal the heart in the last chapter -- i don’t think it’s likely, given the cute ass scene with him and diego at the end of the chapter (which shows he’s still loyal to the gang), but he might have helped. like, uqzhaal (who at this point i’m almost certain was the thief) or one of his anachronist helpers might have come to their cabin in the middle of the night, ran into a wide awake varyyn, and may have convinced him to help them somehow, by guilting him about the whole situation with the catalyst religion and ximaedra’s death.

if not, then i think there’s going to be a scene at some point where varyyn and the gang are trying to confront uqzhaal, but uqzhaal tries to guilt varyyn into joining his side, and it messes up the gang’s plans somehow -- maybe varyyn does something reckless and stupid thinking it’ll save both the vaanti and his new friends, maybe he straight up joins uqzhaal’s side, maybe he kills uqzhaal, who knows. what i hope either way is that PB somehow resolves this plot point bc if not then i feel like it’s wasted potential. plus it just wouldn’t make sense for varyyn’s character if this isn’t addressed somehow. 

[mechaspirit]

Lost

Author’s Notes: So this is basically the aftermath of what happened after all that crazy shit going down in the final chapter of Endless Summer Book 2. Seriously, that chapter was...painful to watch. I didn’t want to restart it, but I have to just so I can gather all the idols in order to solve the puzzle. Dang, Pixelberry really has outdone themselves in Endless Summer. They know how to break our hearts on this one. Makes me wonder what’s going to happen in book 3.

So onto the actual fanfic here. Everyone in the group, of course, are separated and should still be alive somewhere on the island. Otherwise, the amber idols wouldn’t be activated in that temple. Here, I’m trying to do the possible insights on what actually happened after all that...crazy attempt to escape only to be separated again. And that’s actually worse than in the first book in my opinion. Emotional wise, of course.

Anyway, to those who are really emotional, prepare your tissues. Because...you might need it.

Rated: T

Pairings: MCxJake, DiegoxVaryyn, & CraigxZahra.

Summary: After being separated and going through the terrifying escape attempt, the gangs are left with what’s to come as well as trying to piece through what just happened.

“Diego, just go!”

“No way!”

“He’s trying to stall us! You have to go, now!”

“Hey D. You’re okay? You’re looking really pale right now.”

“Huh?!” Diego sat up straight just to see three of his friends surrounding the campfire, looking at him in concern, “Oh, sorry guys. I’m just...worried about the others. Y’know...”

“Even Yurika?” Raj asked. Seeing his head down and his hair covered his eyes indicated that Raj was correct, “Hey man. It’s okay. We’re all worried for them.”

“I know,” Diego responded as he wrapped his arms around himself, “It’s just that...I have a bad feeling for her. I didn’t want to leave Rika there even after she told us to leave without them. I mean, we did see the top part of the MASADA facility exploded. And now...”

Michelle sighed at the dark haired man’s response, “Look Diego. Yurika’s a tough girl. And she knows what to do with this kind of situation ever since we entered this island. You gotta put more trust in her. Trust me, if it weren’t for her putting others before herself, any of us would’ve been dead by now.”

Both men were surprised to see the pre-med student making an encouraging comment rather than a snarky one. Nevertheless, Raj nodded in agreement.

“Michelle’s right. We just to trust that Yurika and the other’s are fine and that they escaped! Plus, as soon as we find them, we have to save Grace as well. There’s still a lot to do before we leave this island, so don’t fret just yet, D.”

Diego managed to smile a little, seeing encouragement from his two friends. “Thanks, guys. I kinda need to hear it.”

Just then, a cold wind breezed through the campsite and Diego started shivering from the cold. Dammit. Part of him wished that they were at the Elysian Lodge instead, but none of them want to risk staying there in case Rourke and his goons managed to catch up with them and find them there, so they just have to stay at the campsite.

“Diego, you’re cold. Here.”

The Latino man felt a blanket wrapped around him and saw that the blue-skinned, golden-eye elyyshar was the one who gave the warm fabric to him.

“Thanks, Varyyn. But aren’t you cold, too?” Diego said in concern, noting the lack of warm clothing on Varyyn.

“Do not worry. I know how to adapt to the heat,” Varyyn responded, “Besides, you need it more than I do.”

The dark-haired man smiled in a loving gratitude and gently rest his head on the blue man’s shoulder. The latter responded by wrapping his arm lovingly around Diego and holding him close, telling him that he should rest for now since they still have a long journey ahead of them.

After helping Raj putting out the campfire and preparing to sleep for the night, Michelle looked up at the starless sky...and then to the remains facility where they barely managed to escape. The dark blonde hair woman can’t help but wondered what really happened to the rest of the gang. Then, she let out a whispered in prayer.

“Sean...Quinn...Yurika...everyone. Please be alright.”

Cold...Numb...Alone...Freezing...

Those were what Zahra was feeling right now ever since that damn Arachnid commander dragged her down along with him from the helicopter after she manages to electrocute him.

She did vaguely remember seeing Craig reaching out trying to save her, but failed to do so in time. Zahra may not be the most amiable person in the world, but she does care about that dumb jock a lot. No matter how much she tried to push that feeling away. Being on that crazy island made her realized that.

But is Craig still alive along with the others? Did they at least land somewhere safely? If that’s the case, is Craig still worried about her, perhaps maybe even looking for her?

Just then, as if being pulled back to the surface again, the dark hair woman woke up with a jolt, panting really heavily. As soon as Zahra readjusted her senses, and saw that she was in a white room, wearing white pajamas, and lying on a white bed. Zahra could feel white bandages wrapped around her head, and her arm was hooked to an IV as well as a heart monitor.

What the actual hell? Zahra thought, Where am I? This can’t be a hospital.

As far as the hacker genius is concerned, there are no actual hospitals in La Huerta. Hotels? They’ve been to two so far, so yes. Laboratories? No doubt about that. But hospitals? No. Definitely not normals ones unless that scumbag wants his workers to do some experiments or dissections on them. Zahra, who was trying to recover from her fall, still have no idea where the heck is she nor did she knew where Sparky went.

“Well well well. The hacker is finally awake.”

...But Zahra now knows who had found her unconscious. And that voice confirms it. She turned to her captor and glared at him menacingly.

“You...!”

Rourke can only grin in satisfaction as a response.

“Now there’s no need to be hostile like that, Namazi. In fact, I have an interesting proposal for if you’re willing to listen...”

“Ngh...Where am I?”

A young woman, possibly around twenty to twenty-one years old, woke up groggily and found herself on a sandy beach. She could hear the waves flowing and the seagulls chirping. Although the scenery is beautiful, the woman appeared to be more confused than awe with her surrounding. She has no idea why is she lay unconscious on the beach...

...nor she knows she is. Not even her name.

Slowly, the woman approached towards the shore where she can see her reflection above the clear, blue water. She could make out that she had really long, red hair and beautiful, bright blue eyes filled with confusion. Her outfit consisting of a simple white-button up shirt and blue shorts were covered in ashes, which confuses her even more because she couldn’t recall anything that she had done with anything with fire.

Just what the heck happened to her?

Suddenly, a flash appeared before her eyes. The red-headed woman could make out the sound of the alarm ringing, the helicopter flying...and another young woman around her age with long blonde hair and dark green eyes looking back at her in shock and realization.

The ginger can hear her own voice saying, “...I won’t forget you, Yurika.”

“What? Quinn, what are you-”

Then, her visions started to flash in green and that was the last thing that she could remember before everything else ended up in explosions.

Quinn? Is...is that my name? And who is Yurika?

The red hair woman clutched her head. This...this all of a sudden became too much for her to process what’s going on and what really happened to her. Unbeknownst to her, the red-headed woman’s eyes started glowing green again in confusion and remorse...

Somewhere in an unknown part of the mysterious island, a dismantled, burnt Arachnid helicopter landed in the middle of the tropical forest. Sean, Jake, Estela, and Craig were fortunate enough to survive the crash. However, that crash has cost them some medical attention due to the impact from the landings they have before that helicopter exploded.

Luckily, the survivors were able to snag a medical kit left in the helicopter before the explosions and are in the process of patching each other up. Despite their best effort of doing that, none of them are medical experts like Michelle and they wished that the Vietnamese pre-med was here to patched them up because their injuries hurt as hell.

For a couple of them, however, their physical pain from their injuries felt nothing compared to the pains in their heart.

Craig slumped down next to a palm tree and stared down at the sandy ground, looking remorse. The star quarterback noticed this and sat next to his best friend.

“Hey man. Is something wrong?” Sean asked, concerned.

“It’s...it’s nothing,” Craig muttered.

“...It’s Zahra, isn’t it?” Sean heard his partner whimpered slightly, indicating that he was right.

“I...I let her fall, Sean,” Craig cried, burying his head into his knees, “I’ve could run fast enough and grabbed her to safety, but I was too late. She...She-”

Craig couldn’t finish his words and instead, let more tears fell from his dark brown eyes. Sean gently wrapped his arm around his best friend and let the latter cried onto his shoulder. He knew how important Zahra is to Craig, and he also knew that they were starting to become closer again ever since they entered this island.

“Don’t worry, Craig. We’ll find her,” Sean told him, “We’ll find Zahra and everyone else on this island because we aren’t leaving this place without them.”

As he said this, Sean looked across the sandy path straight of them and a worried look crossed his face as he realized that Craig isn’t the only one dealing with his loss.

Meanwhile, a dead look crossed his face as Jake sat against another palm tree, blankly staring at the dark sky. There were no stars shining this time, which certainly fits the mood here. The pilot really wished that he has a flask on him, filled with whatever alcohol there is it the numb the pain inside him.

First of all, not only did Jake found out that his best friend, Mike, was alive, but he also found out that Mike turned out to be one of Lundgren’s lieutenant, Mouse. To make that situation worse, that fuckin’ commander did something to the poor guy to make him a mindless soldier and work for him. Jake could tell that because of the emotionless look Mike gave him while hanging onto to the mountain cliff of the MASADA facility. Part of Jake wished that Mike remained dead because the latter didn’t deserve to go through all of this and he also wished that he could’ve killed Lundgren sooner while he had the chance. Hell, he wasn’t a hundred percent sure if he could bring Mike back despite Yurika encouraging him that they should at least try.

Yurika...Tears began to fall from his cerulean blue eyes. The thought of his princess caused the pilot to slumped down and buried his head to his knees. Memories from that helicopter crashing were coming back to haunt him. Jake remembered hearing Yurika screaming Quinn’s name in desperation before ended up slipping out of the helicopter and clinging onto the landing ski for her dear life. Jake didn’t hesitate to abandon the control of the copter, despite Estela, Sean, and Craig cussing at him for doing so just so he can grab the young woman to safety. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas. As soon as their hands slightly touched each other, Yurika’s other hand slipped from the ski and she fell and crashed into the ocean, much to the pilot’s despair.

That was the last straw for him. Jake lost another person close to him, yet again. He lost Mike. He was forced to abandon his mother and his sister. Lost his plane. And now, he lost the love of his life. The one who can keep up with his recklessness and sarcastic banter. The one who continues to impress him with her leadership and quick-intelligent skills. The one who chooses to always be by his side to comfort him, despite his attempts to push her away. The one who revealed her love to him at the campsite on the snowy mountains after he did the same to her. And now...she’s gone. Just a slip away from his fingers.

Estela glanced at the pilot and noticed a familiar dead look on his face. It was the same look she bored when she found out that her mother was killed and it took her couple of days before she finally broke into tears after locking herself in her room. Estela knew what it was like to lose someone important to them, and Jake’s situation was no different. She knew how much Yurika meant to him...to everyone...to Estela herself especially since she always admired Yurika’s honesty and the way she handles the dangerous situation despite not being a skilled fighter herself. It was hard for all of them to handle the fact that she was gone.

The skilled assassin walked up to the crestfallen pilot and silently next to him, letting her presence at the very least calmed him down. It was the same method that her uncle used when he found Estela curled up into a ball and crying from her mother’s death. Funny thing is that neither of them is the kind of people who show affections, yet they’re attempting to comfort another people by sitting next to them and remaining silent, which works sometimes. The young brunette wasn’t sure if it’s going to work on the pilot, but at the very least she was attempting to do so.

As she does that, Estela looked up to the sky and noticed a column of smoke rising from the tip of the volcanic island realizing that their time on the island was far from over.

[choices-and-more]

An Assassin’s Latent Desire to Love - Memoirs from Estela’s Personal Journal

This is the second part of my ES Book 2 and 3 fanfiction told from Estela’s point of view.  The entirety of Book 1 was pretty much straightforward, but Book 2 will be adding more details. Some chapters are R-rated and NSFW.

Book 1 Epilogue

Thanks to the portal gun, we escaped from the Watchers by going forward in time to six months.  However, our group lost Diego, who was captured by the Watchers.  Before embarking on our journey to rescue Diego, we had to figure out the solution to accessing Rourke’s computer. Taylor, Aleister, IRIS, and myself rushed to the topmost floor to Rourke’s office.  True enough, Aleister managed to access his father’s office computer. According to the notes left behind by unknown persons, it says: “12 letters = Hadean Zodiac.  The runes are the key.”  During our adventures, Taylor managed to find and collect all dossiers containing information on all of us.  He is Andromeda.  Aleister is Serpens, and I am Draco.  My profile also appears to be heavily redacted, and I was born in June.  Compiling the dossiers, we found our answer: A L C C A D D S C C U P...or “all adds up.”   To our surprise, we found who we were searching for – the CEO of Rourke International himself.

As soon as we learned that Everett Rourke was on the tank, I was eager to awaken and release him.  He was feeling delirious.  Fueled by anger, I punched him repeatedly, and neither Aleister nor IRIS could ever stop me.  Taylor initially wanted to restrain me, but later stepped aside.  Aleister was furious that Taylor did not stay put, but he understood the reasons why I wanted to get back at Rourke.  I was incensed that I wanted some time alone.  Taylor and Aleister brought Rourke down below, while I gazed at nothing.  I eventually followed them shortly.

Book 2, Chapter 1

Now that all of us are gathered at the atrium, we can now focus our efforts on finding Diego.  I returned to the security office, sighing in frustration.  When Taylor came by, he was wearing something new. I couldn’t believe my eyes.  It must be one of the new outfits he brought.  I was telling him that I was completely helpless whenever I'm around him.  I confessed that I was so in love with him.  I want our relationship to go farther than last night. He answered, “Then be helpless with me.”  At long last, we dated each other.  We emerged out of the friend zone and are now in a relationship.  We started from being casual.

Zahra called our attention and we rushed to an area within the atrium which has been dry-walled.  We found out that there were hidden doors which contained Rourke’s personal library.  One of the items IRIS identified was a caduceus, and it was a key that was used to open the door to something.  Taylor continued to impress me with his wits, having correctly guessed that the secret room will open at exactly twelve noon.  We found that Rourke also had a trophy room where he stored his collections.  In the said room, Michelle found an amber statuette in the shape of a peacock.  She then gave it to Taylor.  Our group also found a satellite image of La Huerta, concealed behind a wall, where Rourke pointed out the “Hostiles’ Stronghold.” To our surprise, as well as my disgust, Rourke clapped his hands, praising Taylor and our group for having found his secrets.  

Book 2, Chapter 2

From the Celestial, we journeyed into the western rain forest, where Taylor encountered something only known to him.  I was able to discover the lake which he and I visited.  We discovered snow, which is very unusual given that La Huerta is a tropical island.  We traveled to the city where Diego was being held hostage.  Rourke accompanied us on this trip.  Meanwhile, Sean found an amber idol similar to the one Michelle had.

Book 2, Chapter 3

We found ourselves at the city outskirts.  Taylor was determined to go alone, and while Craig and Zahra were annoyed, Jake and I were more than impressed, though to me his decision to go alone would be stupid.  Both Craig and Zahra were bickering on which strategy would work best, but Taylor told them to shut it and listen to Rourke.  In any case, we had to spy on the Watchers, but we needed some backup just in case something goes wrong. Aleister would signal us in a monkey call, something which he despised greatly, but which Craig was more than giddy to see. Jake brought some camouflage gear with him, which Taylor used in order to cover himself to avoid any detection. A real soldier, he is.  It’s just like the time I was still in San Trobida.  As per Rourke’s instruction, Lila had to come with them.

Taylor and myself quietly made our way to the Watchers’ temple, where an elderly Watcher was making Diego pick up an amber statue.  It was a Catalyst Idol in the shape of a kneeling dog.  We already had three of them – Diego’s, Sean’s and Michelle’s.  The Watcher was about to retrieve Diego’s idol, when Rourke turned on us and set the temple on fire.  Realizing we had been double-crossed, I lunged back at Rourke, but was stopped by IRIS.  In a split second, Taylor managed to take the idol from Rourke, who fled the scene together with IRIS.  We escaped from the burning temple, but were caught by the Watchers, or in Rourke’s terms, the Hostiles.

Book 2, Chapter 4

All of us had been taken prisoner by the Watchers, who we came to know as the Vaanti.  Taylor, Aleister, and Lila represented our group, as we were tried by the Vaanti leader, Ximaedra, known to them as elyyshar, or chief.  The elderly shaman introduced himself as Uqzhaal, who had been seeking the Catalyst Idols for a greater purpose.  His rival was Seraxa, the War Chief of the Vaanti. The Vaanti in the lion mask - the one who broke into Taylor’s room - was known as Varyyn, and he was the son of Ximaedra.  Apparently he agreed to help Taylor by speaking on the Catalysts’ behalf.  Aleister likewise accused the Vaanti of being ignorant of the fact that the King Crab - the one Taylor and I fought a while back - had also attacked the Vaanti, and proof of that was the arrowhead which I recovered.

We were exiled by the Vaanti to Sharktooth Isle, so we made this place our home for now.  It was built more like a prison, and Rourke deserved to be locked up in here.  In the morning, Taylor found Raj climbing up to something, and found his Catalyst Idol – a centaur.  Shortly thereafter, we were paid a visit by a mysterious pirate.

Book 2, Chapter 5

The pirate, who identified herself as Yvonne, was holding us at gunpoint, thinking we worked for a certain Captain Malatesta.  Jake said he doesn’t know who Malatesta was, and she lowered her pistol.  Taylor wanted the golden ball in Yvonne’s hands, in exchange for offering assistance to the pirate in locating some treasure to be found within the old manor.  Some of us had to wait outside because the manor was full of traps.  In fact, Aleister was sedated with darts. Within the manor, Quinn found her Catalyst Idol – a swimming mermaid. All of a sudden, the manor was getting filled with black smoke no thanks to Craig’s carelessness, and Yvonne said it was dangerous for us to inhale it.  I wanted to break open a door using an old lamp, but Grace had a brilliant plan to blow a hole in the manor’s wall.

After we barely escaped from the dilapidated manor, we explored the Jeweled Cave where I can hold my breath for 14 minutes, longer than either Jake or Yvonne.  Thanks to Lila bringing in some underwater diving gear, Taylor was ready to explore the cave with me.  It was a beautiful cave with some pirate treasure.  Speaking of treasure, I only had one of sentimental value – Taylor.  I swam to a remote part of the lake, and he followed me.  As we were all alone under the cave, we slid off each other’s clothes.  I pulled off his diving suit, and he took off my swimwear. 

Our bodies joined together, and we just had very torrid sex on the shore. Oh god, he was really erotic.  My fingers were intertwined with his as we were feeling the love all around our bodies.  After a while we got off each other, but I wished for more sexy times with him.  We fished our clothes from the lake and put them back on, and subsequently told Yvonne that we found an opening in the cave.   After having found a compass of no apparent value, Yvonne upheld her part of the bargain and helped us out of the islet.

[marmolady]

I've realised why they put pointless Kele in Endless Summer! To force the predicament in the end where MC has the deciding vote.

Six want to shut Rourke down and seal off La Huerta (Estela, Aleister, Grace, Diego, Raj, and Craig) and only FIVE want to go along with Rourke's plan if you don't count Kele (Jake, Michelle, Sean, Quinn, Zahra).

Varyyn, bless his heart, really drops the ball on his role as Elyyshar, happy to throw his say away as if he and his people were unaffected. But one could assume his interests and those of his entire people lie squarely in the choice of the Endless ending. Why would he willingly put them at Rourke's mercy? To set up a dramatic choice for MC of course!

Basically, if the writing made any sense, and characters weren't thrown in for no purpose but to set up the end conflict (taking away precious time and space when there was already a large cast), the Endless ending would win the vote, easily. Fairly sure Estela's mama and Mike giving their lives to stop Rourke count as votes against him.

I do wonder, if the three way choice was removed (because the Rourke ending has been rejected by the majority), if the option of the MC sacrificing themselves could have been handled better? It was SO abrupt.

[smilingformoney]

Endless Summer 2 Diamond Scene: Let Diego and Varyyn Have Their Moment

You motion to Zahra. She shrugs and heads back toward the beach. Aleister takes Furball and follows. Diego and Varyyn lie on the jungle floor amid shimmering, bioluminescent flowers. Diego: You know < ireally owe you a whole handful of those seeds right in the face… Diego: How many times did I get in trouble for telling everyone you were studying when really you’d snuck out to surf Colonnade Cave? Varyyn: Many times. You are a very good tutor. Diego: Tch. Diego: And now you’re the elyyshar and I’m one of the Twelve. Who would’ve thought? Varyyn: I never expected to take my mother’s place. It happened so fast, I… Varyyn suddenly seems on the verge of tears. Varyyn: …Never got to say goodbye. Diego: … Diego places a hand on Varyyn’s shoulder in an effort to comfort him. Diego: Ximaedra was very brave to do what she did. Diego: She did it for all of us, but mostly because she loved you and knew you’d make a great elyyshar. Varyyn: Yes… Diego: And as it turns out, you’re basically Aragorn! The king no one expected, but everyone hoped for. Varyyn: …You really think I’m Airborne? Diego: Ara… Never mind. Yes, I do. Varyyn grabs Diego in a tight hug. Diego: Heh, uh, easy… there. Varyyn: Thank you, Diego. Diego: Of course! They separate slightly, and their eyes meet. Suddenly, they pull apart. Diego swallows hard. Varyyn’s gaze drifts around the area. Diego: Uh, so… how many tribal festivals have you guys had, anyway? Varyyn: Aside from today, I’ve only attended one other Valinorim. I was no older than Taari then. Varyyn: My mother was occupied with hosting and I wasn’t receiving much attention… So I took Uqzhaal’s symbol of office, a very special clay whistle, to the top of a coconut tree. Varyyn: And dropped it on the quuk’tanoi champion’s head! It broke into countless pieces! Diego: Haha. Sounds like you were a little brat. Varyyn: I was. Poor Uqzhaal. The two of them lean back on their hands in silence, looking off into the rainforest. Diego moves his arm nearer to Varyyn’s. Varyyn tentatively reaches out to take his hand. Varyyn: Diego… I am grateful to have met you. Diego: Pleasure’s all mine. Varyyn: You have pleasure? Diego: I mean, pleasure not like… that’s not… er-- Diego: I’m gonna try to pretend the last three seconds didn’t happen. Varyyn: Do or do not. There is no try. Diego: That… was actually a pretty solid reference. Diego intertwines his fingers with Varyyn’s. Varyyn turns to squint into the trees. Somehow you can tell that he’s picked up on your presence. A smile spreads across his face. Varyyn: Taylor is a very good friend to you. Diego +2 Diego: The best I’ve ever had. Why do you-- Diego: Oh. Hey, Taylor. You: Ahem. Hey, guys. You: I’ve got good news. Let’s get everyone together.

[sceptilemasterr]

Endless Winter (ES Book 2) Act 2, Scene 1 - Portal to Home

Title: Endless Winter

Main Pairings: Estela x Ian (M!MC), Jake x Alyssa (F!MC)

Other Pairings: Craig x Zahra, Grace x Aleister, Michelle x Quinn, Diego x Varyyn

Genre: Full Rewrite

Rating: PG-13 for swearing, violence, alcohol, and sexuality

Summary: Lila brings news of a way for the Catalysts to get home... but can she be trusted?

Previous Scene: Valinorim

Masterlist: Link

INT. ELYYS'TEL THRONE ROOM - DAY

The next day, Varyyn, Seraxa, and Uqzhaal meet with most of the Catalysts within the throne room. Craig and Zahra are absent, as Craig is presumably recovering from a severe hangover after the events of the previous day’s celebration. Lila stands apart from the others, in a similar position to where the other Catalysts had been during the Tribunal.

RAJ: You’re sayin’ Rourke has a magic teleport portal?! ...Actually, now that I think about it, that’s not all that weird compared with everything else that’s happened.

LILA: Technically, it’s called a “Prismatic Interdimensional Transporter.” But yes, you’re basically right. With the proper power source--what you call the “Vaanusor”--the device could be used to instantly transport all of you home!

Jake crosses his arms and scowls.

JAKE (skeptically): And you expect us to just believe that? I dunno about the rest of you, but I don’t remember any magic portals back at the Celestial.

LILA: It’s not at the Celestial. Rourke has several facilities all over the island. The Gate is kept in his experimental research installation, codenamed “MASADA.”

ALYSSA: Yeah, this is smelling more and more like a trap every second.

LILA: No, I swear I’m not lying! I told you, Rourke nearly killed me! I did whatever I could to escape!

ALEISTER: That does seem in-line with what my father would do...

DIEGO: Where is this place, Lila?

LILA: It’s just off the tip of the island’s northernmost peninsula.

SERAXA: The northern reaches. The most dangerous part of the island.

ALYSSA: You’re saying this part with the sabertooth tigers, killer crab, and giant sea monster is the un-dangerous part of the island? Well, that’s just fantastic.

RAJ: I mean, this place ain’t so bad now that you Vaanti dudes are on our side! Do we even need to leave?

MICHELLE: Given the number of times we’ve almost died since coming here... I’d say “yes.”

JAKE: The real question is, can we trust Dimples?

SEAN: Varyyn’s the elyyshar. Why don’t we let him make the final say? Varyyn?

He gives Varyyn a respectful nod.

VARYYN: Hmm... There is much to think about when it comes to Auriga. I am not certain--

LILA: Wait!

She seems to suddenly remember something, pulling out her pack and rummaging through it. A second later, she pulls out another vaalta statue much like the others that had been seen, depicting a toga-clad woman riding in a chariot. Uqzhaal gasps in surprise at the sight.

UQZHAAL: Ah! This vaalta... it is yours--

LILA: Yes! I took it from Rourke’s collection before coming here. I know it’s important to you Hos--uh, Vaanti. You really think Rourke would let me just give this to you?

Uqzhaal approaches, and she hands the statue over to him. Ian and Alyssa both gaze at it curiously.

IAN: Keeper Uqzhaal... should we, y’know--

He mimes touching the idol. For a split-second, Lila tenses up, then sighs in relief a moment later when Uqzhaal shakes his head.

UQZHAAL: There is no need, Perseus. It shall be brought safely to the Temple of Auriga where it belongs, alongside the others.

ALYSSA: Oh, that reminds me...

She pulls out Sean’s vaalta and hands it to the old Keeper. A second later, Ian does the same with Michelle’s.

UQZHAAL: Excellent! We have nearly all of them now. This is truly a joyous day!

VARYYN: Yes, but still... I will need to think on all of this. Auriga, thank you for bringing this back to us. I will make my decision later, after conferring with... those I trust most.

He smiles briefly at Diego, who blushes and smiles shyly back. Then he turns back to face Lila.

VARYYN: Until my decision is made, you are to remain in the city. Understand?

LILA: Of... of course. Thank you.

Lila nods respectfully and nervously backs out of the council chamber. Taking their cue, most of the others do the same, aside from Diego. Jake shakes his head as he walks toward the entrance alongside Alyssa.

JAKE: I dunno, Princess. Just... somethin’ really rubs me the wrong way here.

ALYSSA: The statue, though. This is one elaborate trap if it involves Rourke willingly handing one of those over. Especially with how important they supposedly are.

JAKE: Yeah... (sighs) I just can’t shake this feeling. This all seems too easy.

ALYSSA: Y’know, Top Gun, there’s no law that says you have to be paranoid 24/7. It’s okay to lighten up once in a while!

Jake nods.

JAKE: You’re right.

ALYSSA (teasingly): Aren’t I always?

JAKE: Except for when you said I was asleep on the plane, which I definitely wasn’t--

She shoves him playfully.

ALYSSA: You were asleep, and I’m never gonna let that one go.

JAKE: ‘Course not. You’re too stubborn for that.

ALYSSA: Right back at you.

She hesitates at the doorway, catching sight of Ian and Estela a short distance away.

ALYSSA: Go ahead, I’ll catch up. I’ve gotta ask my brother about something first.

JAKE: Alright, Princess. See ya around.

He gives her a quick kiss before turning and leaving the throne room. Alyssa dashes over to her brother and Estela.

ALYSSA: Ian! Este--

Ian fixes her with a look, jerking his head toward where Lila stands just out of earshot. Alyssa quickly understands and drops her voice to a low whisper.

ALYSSA: Lila doesn’t know?

ESTELA: No. And I’d like to keep it that way, at least for now.

ALYSSA: Uh... this is embarrassing, but I kinda forgot your alias. Sorry. Guess I’m not used to friends needing to use--

ESTELA (surprised): I’m... I’m your friend?

ALYSSA: Well, yeah! Duh? Of course you are!

ESTELA: Sorry. I just... that surprised me, that’s all. Thank you.

ALYSSA (laughs): No problem. Anyway, your name...?

ESTELA: Oh, right. “Elena Hernandez.”

ALYSSA: Got it. Sorry. (no longer whispering) Hey, “Elena!” Hey, Ian!

Ian gives her a subtle nod.

IAN: Great. So, what’s up?

ALYSSA: ...Right, almost forgot. Ian, can I talk to you?

He and Estela exchange a quick glance. Estela nods.

ESTELA: Come find me.

She turns and leaves the throne room.

ALYSSA: Bye, “Elena!”

IAN (whispering): Okay, you’re overdoing it a little.

ALYSSA (whispering): Oops. Sorry. (normally) Anyway, I, uh... so y’know how I’ve been kinda scared about this... power thing we can do?

IAN: Yeah...?

Lila walks past them, leaving the room, as Alyssa holds up a hand and concentrates. Small wisps of energy dance around her fingers for a moment.

IAN (impressed): Wow! ‘Lyss, you’re--

ALYSSA: Yeah. I talked with Zahra the other day. Promised to stop being afraid of myself. But so far, this is all I can do... Got any tips? I mean, you yanked me back onto that log the other day, that was pretty cool.

Ian shakes his head.

IAN: All instinct. When I actually try to do anything, I can’t do much more than you. I mean, it’s gotten a little easier with practice, but...

He demonstrates, achieving a similar series of energy wisps with significantly less effort than Alyssa needed.

IAN: No idea how to scale it up.

ALYSSA: Damn. So what are we supposed to--

Their conversation is interrupted by Kele, having finally recovered from his battle with Cetus, entering the chamber.

KELE: Elyyshar! I apologize for my long recovery. I am...

He stops as he realizes Varyyn is still deep in conversation with Diego, Seraxa, and Uqzhaal, none of whom have noticed his arrival. Then he spots the twins.

KELE: As long as I’m waiting... Good to see you two. How have you been?

The Czasa twins look up in surprise.

ALYSSA: Oh! It’s you! Water guy!

KELE (laughs): It’s “Wave-Lord,” actually, but really I’d rather just be Kele.

IAN: Fair enough. Glad you’re back up and about. That stuff you pulled off... how many times do we owe you our lives now?

KELE: Doesn’t matter. I’m happy to help. ...Actually, speaking of helping, I’ve been meaning to talk with you two for a while.

ALYSSA: With us?

KELE: That power of yours. It’s a lot like mine. I suppose you wouldn’t mind some friendly advice?

ALYSSA: I mean, sure, but I don’t think it’ll help much. I definitely haven’t been able to control water--which is super cool, by the way. All we can do is--

KELE: No, no, that’s not what I meant. I mean that your power is a form of stoicheal energy, like mine. They function on the same principle, even if they manifest differently.

IAN: “Stoich”-what?

KELE: Where I’m from, there’s all kinds of people like us. Some, like me, control water. Others control metal, fire, air, earth, wood... The point is, you two seem to have what I would call Time Stoichi. Similar in effect to my own Water Stoichi, at least enough that I could give you some basic pointers. So?

Alyssa and Ian look at each other and nod.

ALYSSA: Sounds great! So, what have you got for us?

Kele reaches into his pocket and pulls out a handful of small berries.

KELE: These are mezzberries. Watch.

He summons a swirl of water in his hand. Then, with pinpoint precision, he sends the water out to perfectly envelop a single berry, holding it in place within a watery shell. A moment later, he snaps his fingers and the water evaporates instantly into the air, leaving the berry unharmed.

KELE: First step: precision targeting. Try picking one of these berries out of the group, then holding it in place. Okay?

IAN: Got it. Alright, let me try.

He concentrates, summoning the energy around his fingertips. Then, he squints, concentrating hard on one of the berries. A faint greenish-golden glow starts to surround his entire body.

KELE: Good so far!

IAN: And... here!

He points one finger at one of the berries. The power leaps from his skin and toward the set of berries... but instead of surrounding one of them, it slams into the whole bunch, scattering them all to the ground! ‘Lyss doubles over in laughter as Kele stoops to pick the berries back up.

ALYSSA: He said hold the berry, not knock ‘em all on the ground!

IAN: You try, then!

ALYSSA: Alright, fine! Watch this!

She concentrates, a similar glow erupting around herself much like her brother had done previously. Kele nods in approval.

KELE: Keep it up. You’re doing--

VARYYN: Wave-Lord! You’ve returned!

Kele looks up and smiles at Varyyn.

KELE: Indeed. I apologize for my long recovery.

VARYYN: Please, no need for that. Come. We have... a situation. We require your input.

Kele nods to the twins.

KELE: Keep it up, you two. I’ll have some more basic exercises for you later, alright?

He heads over to confer with Varyyn while Alyssa manages to capture two of the berries in a time-field. She concentrates harder, sweat beading down her forehead, when suddenly the berries squish together, exploding with a POP and spraying berry juice all over her face!

IAN (mockingly): “He said hold the berry, not make it explode into juice!”

ALYSSA: Ha ha, very funny.

She picks up a berry and throws it at him. It smacks him right in the face, exploding into juice.

IAN: Hey!

ALYSSA: There, now we’re even!

IAN: That isn’t how that works at all--

ALYSSA: Hey, if I have to be covered in juice, then so do you!

The two continue to bicker playfully as Diego watches them, laughing to himself. Kele, Varyyn, Seraxa, and Uqzhaal continue debating Lila’s claims, as the camera shifts to the platform just outside the throne room...

EXT. ELYYS’TEL - MORNING

Lila sits on a bench, her head in her hands, as she gazes out across the city. Taari sprints across a rope bridge just below them, while Sean and Quinn chase him, all three giggling and laughing. On a platform above, Jake helps a pair of Vaanti repair the damaged hang gliders. Raj busily cooks something over a large cooking fire, with several Vaanti civilians looking on curiously. Lila sighs as she watches everyone enjoying themselves.

ESTELA (O.S.): Lila.

Lila looks up in surprise as Estela walks into the scene and approaches her. She takes a seat on the bench.

ESTELA: So...

LILA: I don’t know what you or anyone else expects me to say. I’ve told you all everything that happened. Still, you don’t believe me.

ESTELA: Can you blame us? With everything that man has done...

LILA: I know. I wasn’t lying, Elena. He tried to kill me! The longer I stayed with him, the more afraid I got. That all it would take was one mistake, one wrong step, and I’d make Mr. Rourke angry... and that would be the end of me.

Estela’s expression softens. She nods in understanding of Rourke’s cruelty.

LILA: All I ever wanted to do was be a good employee! Do my best to help Mr. Rourke! And still... he almost shot me. Almost killed me. I... I...

Her eyes start watering. Estela hesitates before awkwardly resting a hand on her shoulder.

LILA: I’m sorry, Elena. I shouldn’t be... I should be stronger. Better. It’s my job to be cheerful, happy, optimistic. I’m a Rourke International tour guide! And yet--

ESTELA: Rourke hurt you. It’s okay to be affected by that.

Lila sniffs.

LILA: Thank you. You’re right. It’s just...

ESTELA: I’ve been hurt too, y’know. Rourke is not a good man. He puts on such a show for the world, yet deep down... I think we both know what he really is.

LILA: I suppose we do.

They sit side-by-side in silence for a few moments. Then, the door to the throne room swings open, with Ian and Alyssa emerging, both of them laughing and covered in berry juice.

IAN: Oh! Hey, Es--Elena. Lila. Hi.

ESTELA: Why is your face covered in... whatever that is?

Ian shrugs.

IAN: Mezzberry juice. ‘Lyss and I were practicing with our... powers. Turns out Kele is a pretty helpful teacher!

ALYSSA (shouting): Yo, Top Gun!

She sprints toward the nearest ascending ramp toward the hang glider platform.

IAN: Everything okay?

LILA: I’m alright. Thank you, Ian.

ESTELA: Yeah. We just... y’know, I don’t think she was lying about Rourke trying to kill her.

Estela stands up and moves closer to Ian.

ESTELA (quietly): Nobody can fake that kind of emotion. At least about that, she was telling the truth.

IAN: Good to know. Varyyn wants us all to gather again. He’s ready to make his decision.

INT. ELYYS’TEL THRONE ROOM - MORNING

Everyone has gathered in the throne room once again: even a tired, groaning Craig has managed to make his way down, being propped up on one side by an annoyed-looking Zahra. Varyyn looks down at Lila from his seat on his throne.

VARYYN: After much deliberation... I have decided. The Catalysts have done much for our people. It is only right that we help them return to their own people... and to that end, I myself along with my best warriors shall accompany them to this device. This way, we can ensure that the Vaanusor stays safe until it is time to use it.

UQZHAAL: After all, what better use for Vaanu’s heart than to assist their children?

Ian and Alyssa smile at each other.

VARYYN: We depart tomorrow morning. Seraxa, Uqzhaal, and the Wave-Lord are in charge of the city whilst I am away.

LILA: Thank you. I’ll guide you all to the Gate with the best of my ability, I promise!

ESTELA: I know you will. Thanks, Lila.

QUINN: This is so exciting! We’re going home!

She pulls Michelle into a hug as Furball darts around at her feet, yipping excitedly. Diego squeezes Varyyn’s hand.

DIEGO: Look at you, Varyyn! You’re really taking to leadership well. It suits you.

VARYYN: Thank you, my light. The burden of leadership is lessened with you at my side.

DIEGO: Yeah. I just wish this could last forever.

He sighs and gazes pensively up at the ceiling, knowing that at the end of their journey, he and Varyyn will need to go their separate ways...

_______________________

Scene Notes: And so Act 2 begins... with the journey to MASADA! Good thing the twins have finally started really learning to use their powers, thanks to Kele...

_______________________

Next: Climate Change

CIU Tag List: @brightpinkpeppercorn @endlesshero1122 @bbaba-yagaa @acidsugar0 @shaylan211 @griselda1121 @acanthisorbis @marmolady @choicesbabie @mauvecatfic

Endless Summer Tag List: @mysteli @edgydepressedchoicesthot @endlessly-searching-for-you @lovelywrites

[ivyschoice]

Child of the Island

the day you’ve dreaded has come! Hide your kids and lock your doors - I have produced something for Choices Creates again! no really it’s been way too long, but moving on:

Story: endless summer

Rating: T

Plot: based on the theory that MC is half/ part Watcher: What if MC had grown up on the Island with the Wacthers? What would happen when the other Catalysts come to La Huerta?

I couldn’t hold back so this is way too long (sorry not sorry)

thanks to @catsrtheboss for hosting and to @hollyashton for bringing us #ChoicesCreates weekly for 21 times now like wow!

-

I’m on my way back to the village when Varyyn comes running towards me.

“Hurry up! You gotta hear this!” He grabs my wrist and pulls me with him so that I almost drop the fruits I’ve been collecting all afternoon.

“Woah, Varyyn, slow down! What’s going on?” “You’ll see!” He answers and accelerates. The trees seem to fly past us. Normally I’d assume we or the village were in danger if Varyyn was in such a hurry, but he sounded more excited than scared, like something good had happened.

We cross the first bridges and I notice that no one is to be seen. Where is everyone? My question is answered as we reach the center of Elyy’stel. There is a big gathering going on. Aunt Ximaedra is standing in the middle and is making an announcement. I’m out of breath, but I try to be quiet, so I can hear what she says.

“Scouts have seen them in and around the Hydra’s lair. They could be working for him, but we don’t know that, yet.” Is she talking about-? “It is important that we bring them here, no matter which actions have to be taken. Seraxa will lead a mission to keep a closer eye on them. We have decided that the following warriors will accompany her to watch them.”

Whispers go through the crowd. It’s the Vaalta carriers. I see it in the faces of the people around me. They’re here and we will get them to stop Raan’losti. My heart starts beating faster. I’ve dreamed of being one of those who get to meet them since I’ve been a child. I have to be part of this mission.

Everyone holds their breath as Ximaedra lists a few names. Varyyn is among them. I’m not. That’s not fair. Before I can stop myself I hear myself saying: “I want to go, too.” Dozens of faces turn towards me. As they stare me down I realize that I shouldn’t have opened my mouth. It’s not my place. Ximaedra’s eyes scan the crowd and find me.

“Moryin, I can-“ She’s cut off abruptly.

“You won’t go. That’s a final decision.” It’s my father. If he weren’t the Queen’s brother he would never get away with interrupting her.

I make my way to the center, till I stand right before him. “Why, father? You know I can do this!”

“No, you cannot. You don’t understand what’s at stake here!” He looks down at me and I see the anger in his eyes. But is there more? Worry? He seems more emotional than usual, not that guarded.

“I know you lost mother, but you won’t lose me, okay? I’ve got this. I’m as skilled as Varyyn!” He swallows. Suddenly it’s so quiet you could hear a butterfly’s wings. Mentioning mother is risky. Father never talks about her. I just know that she died shortly after I was born and that he still misses her a lot. And he’s overprotective of me because I’m the only thing he has left of her.

“Don’t. Argue. With. Me.”, he presses out and this time I’m smart enough to keep my mouth shut. Ximaedra puts a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Let’s come back to important matters…” She’s trying to smooth out the situation and I’m grateful for that, but not even the Elyyshar can make being scolded like a child in front of the entire village less embarrassing. I back away and start running as soon as I’m out of sight.

“What is he thinking? I’m not a baby! And it’s just scouting! I wouldn’t even come in direct contact with them!” I let my frustration out loudly and let my fist crash against a tree. Which hurts me more than the plant, but I can’t help it.

“What has that poor tree done to you?” I jump. Varyyn has snuck up on me.

“Nothing.” I mutter.

Varyyn sighs. “Too bad that your father won’t let you come see them… I actually didn’t want to have to do this, but it seems like we have no other choice but to go by ourselves…” I stare at my cousin with wide eyes. Did Varyyn just suggest going rogue? The ‘Prince’? The mother’s boy himself? I don’t know whether to laugh or to gasp.

“Varyyn, you never ever go behind Ximaedra’s back…” He cracks a smile that makes him look surprisingly rebellious.  “There’s a first time for everything, you know…” I role my eyes, but have to grin, too. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a mask. A green and blue chameleon. My mask. I reach for it and as he puts on his own I follow suit.

We make our way through the forest, setting our feet on paths we learned to see when we were young. I’m ecstatic and nervous at the same time. What if we get caught? Father is gonna be so mad, if he ever finds out… But we’ll see the twelve!

Varyyn nudges my side and when I look up I can see the top of Hydra’s lair between the tree tops. With a deep breath I keep following Varyyn. I’ve never been closer to the strange building – probably because of father, I now realize – and I really want to get a closer look.

It’s even bigger from close up. We have stopped and look up taking the whole thing in. I clench my fists and take a step forward, but Varyyn holds me back from crossing the tree line. He shakes his head. I want to answer, but he puts his finger over his lips to signal me to be quiet. This is the point where it get serious.

We carefully make our way through the underwood and up to a tall tree. Varyyn starts to climb with strong and graceful movements and after a moment I do the same. I’ve climbed trees a thousand times, but this time I can barely concentrate on grabbing the right branches.

When I reach the top, Varyyn is waiting for me with a smug grin. Show-off. He has taken off his mask for better sight and I push mine up, too. Sometimes I feel like all I ever do is imitate my cousin.

We have a perfect look on the area in front of Hydra’s building. But will we actually get to see them from here? I prepare myself for a long time of waiting, when the door flies open and a group of people storms outside. Humans. I’ve never seen so many of them at once.

I lean forward to get a better look. They all look so… different. Not only from us, but also from each other. So many skin and hair colors and the clothes they’re wearing are so colorful. I’m in awe. They’re beautiful. And they’ll stop Raan’losti. One of them especially catches my eye – the way they walk and move and how their hair shines in the sun. I really want to-

“They’re fighting”, Varyyn says. Now I see it, too. They seem to be shouting at each other and two of them are chest to chest ready to punch each other until one of the others steps in between them. This seems to be not the first time it happens.

“Monsters”, growls Varyyn and as I turn to him, I’m surprised by his hard expression. “They come here to a place they’re strangers to and the first thing they do is getting violent with each other…”

“But it’s normal to have disagreements”, I answer, because I feel like he is misjudging them. “We have fights in the village all the time.”

“Yeah, but with words and words only. What kind of person do you have to be to physically harm your own people?” His fists are clenched and his face is full of disgust. “Let’s go back”, he adds and it’s more a command than anything else. The normal Varyyn is back. The one that does as his mother says and believes that only we are good people.

Doesn’t he get that they are in an extreme situation? And they stopped the fight, so they can’t be that bad…

I take a last look down at them walking around, talking to each other and get the feeling that they’re more important than we know. They seem so small from up here and I want to be closer. Want to meet them. Be the one that brings them to the village. My calling. I feel it like a pain in my chest that tries to pull me down there. My whole body is tingling.

“Moryin! Your skin!” At the sound of my cousin’s voice I look down at myself and almost lose balance on the branch. My skin is blurry like it’s in motion. What is happening? Varryn’s eyes meet mine and I see the confusion and panic I feel in his face.

“Let’s get out of here!” He orders, suddenly the leader he’s born to be. He begins to climb down. I’m still staring at my hands. The blurring continues and brown spots start to appear on my fingertips.

“Come on!” Varyyn shouts when he notices I’m not following him. I snap out of it and make my way down.

When I’m on the ground I can’t even remember the climb down. I’m shaken. Why do I suddenly feel so strange in my own body?

“Hey”, Varyyn says, “breathe slowly and concentrate on me, ok?” I do as he says and focus on his face. A face I’ve known own my entire life. With blue skin and green hair – like it’s supposed to be. Slowly my skin stops feeling like there are hundreds of fire ants walking over it.

“See, you’re fine”, Varyyn says nonchalantly, but I can also hear the relief in his voice. I nod and smile at him. “Well, we better get back before anyone notices we snuck off”, he decides and guides me away with an arm around my shoulder.

I look back at the high building and shiver. Varyyn had not seen my hands, before I went back to normal. But I had – and they had looked… human. What is going on with me?

[alwaysanotherooc]

Fics Masterlist!

PlayChoices Fanfictions

These fics are listed under the main books associated with the fic, though there may be crossover between books, and if so, it will be listed. These fics will also be listed in order of a suggestion with which to read them. Not necessary, but recommended for ease of reading. Have fun!

Endless Summer: 

What Is A Soulmate? Part One

Rating: G

Warnings: None

Characters: The De Vega Siblings

Timing: Takes place WAAAAY before any of the books.

Pairings: None, Ken is seven here, but Ken De Vega & Diego Ortiz Soto

Description: Choices Creates Round 17 entry prompt ‘Some souls just understand each other upon meeting.’ How Ken and Diego met.

Word Count: 2060

What Is A Soulmate? Part Two

Rating: T for mild language

Warnings: Heavy mental illness themes, namely anxiety, depression, and volatile anger issues, though they are dealt with. Also mentions of homophobia in a familial setting, allusions to homophobic language employed by family members, and bullying, though it’s only mentioned.

Timing: Takes place during Ken and Diego’s junior year of high school for the first half, and then jumps to Book 1 Chapter 11.

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle (not noticeable), Ken De Vega & Diego Ortiz Soto

Description: Choices Creates Round 17 entry prompt ‘Some souls just understand each other upon meeting.’ How Ken and Diego are two halves of a whole, and how their friendship works.

Word Count: 4262

At Last I See The Light

Rating: G

Warnings: None

Characters: Endless Summer Squad

Timing: Book 1 Chapter 13, after you’ve booby-trapped the hotel but before you invite someone up to your room.

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle

Description: Choices Creates Round 14 entry prompt ‘Any Disney Song, mainly just a cute moment with the squad pre-battle.

Word Count: 2923

What Is A Soulmate? Part Three

Rating: M for language and themes

Warnings: Heavy mental illness themes, namely Ken’s volatile anger issues, which are in full force here, as his coping methods and patterns are not working because Diego is not here. No one gets hurt.

Timing: Book 1 Chapter 16 right after the group goes through the time portal and Diego sacrifices himself.

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle (barely), Ken De Vega & Diego Ortiz Soto

Description: Choices Creates Round 17 entry prompt ‘Some souls just understand each other upon meeting.’ What Ken does when he realizes that Diego sacrificed himself for Ken and that Ken has been gone for six months, abandoning his best friend, his soulmate, to the Watchers for that whole time.

Word Count: 1512

Addendum Book 2 Chapter 1

Rating: M for language and themes

Warning: Mentions of physical illness, mental illness, military conspiracies, child abuse, alcohol abuse, and business conspiracies. Mainly, everyone spills their secrets from Chapter 15.

Timing: A small, time-based AU of what happens right after Book 2 Chapter 1 ends.

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle, Endless Summer Squad & Each Other

Description: After discovering Rourke’s hidden room underneath the fountain in the lobby, the group decides now might be a good time to, well, come clean about some things.

Word Count: 7984

Hurricanes and Earthquakes Just Don’t Compare

Rating: MA for language and themes.

Warnings: A character death, graphic violence, blood and pain and canon typical fighting. Though there is a happy ending

Fandom: Endless Summer

Characters: Endless Summer Squad + Enemies

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle (Male MC/Sean Gayle)

Description: The night after the group finds themselves thrust six months into the future, Ken and Sean have nightmares. In Sean’s, the Watchers have caught up, and it looks like there’ll be no escape this time.

Word Count: 4220

Close Your Eyes And It’s Not Over Yet

Rating: M to be safe but it’s just for cursing and it’s probably not necessary.

Warnings: Mentions of homophobia in sports careers, heartbreaking situations.

Fandoms: Endless Summer

Characters: Endless Summer Squad

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle (Male MC/Sean Gayle)

Description:  The night after the group finds themselves thrust six months into the future, Ken and Sean have nightmares. In Sean’s, the Watchers have caught up, and it looks like there’ll be no escape this time. 

Author’s Note: Angsty as hell. Like, wow. This is my entry for #ChoicesCreates Round 16, with the prompt: “Don’t ask me to say I don’t love you!” This round is hosted by @texanhuskerand @hollyashton.This is from the POV of my Male MC for Endless Summer, Ken De Vega. (Rating: M to be safe, but probably not necessary) Double Angst™ if you read while listening to New York City by The Chainsmokers.

Word Count: 4198

Never Be Ready

Rating: T for language and themes

Warning: Contains allusions to possible future major character death.

Timing: Starts halfway through the vision you get when you touch the Eagle Idol.

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle

Description: Ken will never be ready to lose Sean.

Word Count: 898

Addendum Book 2 Chapter 3

Rating: T+ for languages and themes.

Warning: Frank talk of mental illnesses.

Timing: Right after the end of Chapter 3.

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle (barely), Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto (hinted)

Description: Diego’s alive, but Ken still can’t believe it.

Word Count: 2539

When Winter Reaches Vaanu

Rating: T to be safe

Warning: Slight Angst

Timing: Just after Book 2 Chapter 4

Pairings: Varyyn/Diego Ortiz Soto (one-sided)

Description:  Made for Round 20 of Choices Creates. Varyyn thinks about how he wishes he could have said goodbye to Diego, as they watch Sharktooth Isle grow smaller and smaller as they sail away.

Word Count: 1210

How Broken Hearts Bleed

Rating: M for Intense Violence

Warning: Canon Typical Themes of Possible Major Character Death, Emotional and Psychological Uproar, and Heartbreaking Situations.

Timing: Directly before the start of ES Book 2 Chapter 7

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle, Pre-Zahra Namazi/Estela Montoya, Pre-Michelle Nguyen/Quinn Kelly, Pre-Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto, Pre-Grace Hall/Aleister Rourke

Description: Quinn has fallen into the last stage of Rotterdam’s Syndrome, and the group doesn’t know how to handle it.

Word Count: 2648

A Good Time Had By All

Rating: M for Language and Adult-ish Themes

Warning: Sexual thoughts, explicit language, SOME FLUFF

Timing: The Endless Summer Squad, The Vaanti

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle, Pre-Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto, Pre-Zahra Namazi/Estela Montoya, Pre-Quinn Kelly/Michelle Nguyen, Grace Hall/Aleister Rourke

Description: Cetus has been defeated, Quinn is alive, and Varyyn is now Elyyshar. During the Valinorum, the squad gets to laugh and relax for the first time in what feels like a long time.

Word Count: 3674

How the Wind Howls

Rating: T+ for language and scary situations.

Warning: Canon-typical angst and fluff.

Timing: Book 2 Chapter 9

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle, Pre-Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto, Pre-Zahra Namazi/Estela Montoya, Pre-Quinn Kelly/Michelle Nguyen, Grace Hall/Aleister Rourke.

Description: The squad has just escaped the Arachnid troops and have a brief moment of peace.

Word Count: 896

Scratches Down Your Back Now

Rating: NSFW, Extremely Sexually Explicit

Warning: Sexual Intercourse, Cursing, Slight Kinkery, Joking Mentions of Illuminati.

Timing: Book 2 Chapter 10

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle, Quinn Kelly/Michelle Nguyen, Zahra Namazi/Estela Montoya, Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto, Grace Hall/Aleister Rourke.

Description: It’s New Years, the group is Sean has been waiting to get Ken alone for days and he just can’t hardly wait anymore.

Word Count: 4156

Where We Could Roam

Rating: T+ for Language

Warning: Explicit Language, Canon-Typical Mild Angst

Timing: Book 2 Chapter 12

Pairings: Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle, Quinn Kelly/Michelle Nguyen, Zahra Namazi/Estela Montoya, Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto, Grace Hall/Aleister Rourke

Description: The group is waiting around the campfire by the chasm between the falls and the MASADA facility, talking about anywhere they’d rather be in that particular moment.

Word Count: 1287

We All Do What We Have To

Rating: T+ for Language

Warning: Angsty Like HELL

Timing: Book 3 Chapter 3 just before they go to find the Heart.

Pairings: Jake McKenzie/Mike Darwin, Ken De Vega/Sean Gayle, Quinn Kelly/Michelle Nguyen, Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto, Zahra Namazi/Estela Montoya.

Description: Jake is trying to reconcile who he’s been with who he needs to be, who he’s loved and who he still loves.

Word Count: 2030

Reunions Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5

Rating: M

Warning: Canon-typical Angst, violence, and feels

Timing: Book 3 Chapters 3 through 8

Pairings: Sean Gayle/Ken De Vega, Craig Hsiao/Diego Ortiz Soto, Quinn Kelly/Michelle Nguyen, Nahra Namazi/Estela Montoya, Jake McKenzie/Mike Darwin, Grace Hall/Aleister Rourke

Description: This five-part series shows the groups reunions in Book 3, and how much they’ve all come to depend on and love and protect one another.

Word Count: 2080, series isn’t fully published yet

Rules of Engagement:

Family Ties That Bind Tight

Rating: G

Warning: None

Timing: Set in the Parker Family’s childhoods.

Pairings: None

Description: Choices Creates Round 18 entry prompt ‘We are made of all those who have built and broken us.’ In which Nana Parker has taken the kids out to the beach, and gifts Nixa with a secret of life.

Word Count: 933

Sunrise Sunset

Rating: T+ for language

Warning: Really dorky.

Timing: Set directly after the conclusion of Rules of Engagement Book 3.

Pairings: Alma Parker/Michael Sloan, Ada Parker/Audrey Baker, Ava Parker/Blake Yasuda, Asher Parker/Elena Sanchez

Description: After their summer on the cruise ship, and each of them getting their inheritance, the five of the Parkers decide to visit their Grandmother’s favorite beach before going back to their lives. And Nixa, after cutting ties with her mother and losing her job over it, is feeling a little lost. Luckily, with Alma and her siblings around, she won’t have to feel that way for long.

Word Count: 1271

The Wayhaven Chronicles Fanfictions

These fics will be listed in chronological order of plot points when it comes to the timeline of the series, and as such is a suggested order of reading them.

Shock To The System

Rating: M, just in case

Warning: Rating is for language and sexual tension. (It’s probably not necessary but I like being cautious.)

Timing: The Wayhaven Chronicles Book One, just before they go out on night patrol.

Pairings: Pre-Will Kingston/Adam du Mortain, previous relationship Will Kingston/Bobby Marks

Description: Adam is determined not to get close to Agent Kingston’s son. He’s determined to get through this assignment without knowing one thing about him. Nate and Felix think Adam is a dumbass.

Word Count: 2795

oh, your heart and how it beats; Part One, Part Two, Part Three

Rating: Explicit, Mature Audiences only

Warnings: Rating is for canon-typical, moderate descriptions of torture, blood, pain, angst, and trauma.

Timing: The Wayhaven Chronicles Book One, just after the Detective returns to Wayhaven after learning about the supernatural at the Agency Facility.

Pairings: Pre-Will Kingston/Adam du Mortain

Description: Despite all their efforts to protect Detective Kingston, Unit Bravo couldn’t have planned for every scenario, and now Murphy has finally gotten his hands on his prey. Every minute Adam has to go without hearing the steady beat of Will’s heart drives him further and further into what feels like insanity.

Word Count: 7516

Five Outfits Adam Saw Will Wear +1 He Didn’t; Part One, Part Two

Rating: Explicit, Mature Audiences Only, NSFW

Warnings: Rating is for sexual themes and one explicit NSFW scene

Timing: Mostly through Book 1, plus the demo of Book 2.

Pairings: Pre-Will Kingston/Adam du Mortain

Description: Despite Adam’s best intentions and efforts, he’s noticed Will. And now he can’t stop noticing him.

Word Count: 7008

Lovestruck Voltage Fanfictions

These fics are listed under the main series associated with the fic. These fics will also be listed in a chronological order of plot points when it comes to the timeline of the series, and as such is a suggested order of reading them.

Starship Promise

Promise You This, Chapter One

Rating: M, I guess

Warning: Rating is just for language, cause we all know Atlas can’t stop cussing. Also, the pining is REAL, fam.

Route: Atlas Molniya Route

Timing: Season One, Episode Seven

Pairings: George Washington/Atlas Molniya

Description: They’ve rescued George from the Union and from Admiral Sol, but Atlas can’t seem to make himself walk away yet.

Author’s Note: First of all, no, not that George Washington, don’t ask me why I named my MC that. Also, in this fic series, I will be changing the Starship Promise MC’s gender to a guy with he/him pronouns. (Which, also, no, I would never do in a girl character’s or even a non-binary character’s route, and yes, this SP MC is still hella bi) So. Heads up.

Word Count: 1201

[ladyseaheart1668]

Endless Summer Fan Novel (Book 3, Chapter 2)

We make our way over to the cluster of huts. As we approach, I realize that some of them actually appear to be stalls, but if there are any wares for sale, they've all been packed away for the night.

“It's...some kind of market,” Jake murmurs. “But it looks like everything's shuttered up.”

I start to feel doubt creeping in at the edge of my mind. “Do you really think someone out here might have seen our friends?”

“It is an island after all,” Yvonne remarks with a shrug. I'm not sure if that answer is a yes or a no.

“Guess we're gonna hafta start pounding on doors.” Jake walks up to what looks like the central hut and raises his fist to knock. But before his fist meets the wood, a small round window on the door flies open. I yelp as a male Vaanti, his face covered by a bright orange frog mask with enormous red lips, appears in the window.

“Salabok tijii!” he growls. “We're closed!”

“Even for the Catalysts?” I ask.

Jake nods. “Twelve Catalysts of myth and legend. Well...three of them at the moment. Perhaps you've heard of us?”

“Catalysts, you say? Yes. That is very impressive. Still closed.” He grunts, drawing back from the window, preparing to close it. “There were others like you at the cove recently. But not nearly as annoying!”

“Others?” I gasp. “Like us? Who? How many?”

“How should I know? Go away!”

“Wait! I, uh...I might have something that'll interest you...”

Jake looks at me in surprise. “You're gonna barter with this guy?”

I pull off my backpack and dig around inside for something that might be useful. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have much. I've got the destroyed time-portal gun, an amber arrowhead that he probably has dozens of, a few filthy quarters that have probably been there since before I even left on this trip, a bottle of Midol that's probably been there even longer than the quarters...I look around frantically, and spot something sticking out of the pocket of Jake's green bomber jacket.

“How about this sublime cigar?” I pluck Lundgren's partially-smoked Havana cigar from Jake's pocket and hold it up. “You haven't lived until you've tried one of these babies!”

Jake grins. “Princess ain't wrong. I, uh...may have sampled it a little...”

“Hmm.” The Vaanti strokes his chin. “Promising.”

I hold it out to him. “Okay, so I'll trade it to you for--”

“Gurgi does not need it,” he snaps. “Have several. ...Your selling technique, though. That has promise.”

“I...what...?”

He stares at me for a moment, chuckling softly. “Come back tomorrow and Gurgi will have a business proposition for you.” With that, he slams the window shut.

“Rude,” Estela mutters in irritation. Jake brings a hand to his mouth, trying in vain to cover a yawn. It occurs to me that he and Estela have probably not had a proper night's sleep in three days.

“Sounds like our best bet'll be to ask around in the morning,” he murmurs.

“Agreed. In the meantime, we should probably all get some sleep.”

“Good call, Princess. I think that patch of sand over there is callin' my name.”

“I will take the first watch,” Yvonne volunteers.

We find a secluded spot near the treeline to spend the night. Before I sleep, I take off the heaviest pieces of my amber armor and set them aside. As much as I feel safer wearing it, particularly since it protected me from a hail of bullets back at MASADA, there's just no way I could possibly sleep in it. I lie down in the sand, curling up on my side. Jake's arm curls around me, and pulls me gently against his chest. I feel him kiss my ear.

“You looked like you needed a big spoon.”

I smile in the darkness, twining my fingers through his. “I definitely did.”

Curled up with Jake, feeling secure and protected in his embrace, I let my exhaustion take me, dropping immediately into deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

The distant sound of shouting breaks through the darkness. Blearily, I climb back towards consciousness, making my way to wakefulness through a dense fog. I open my eyes to find Yvonne standing in front of a market stall, now laden with wares. The same Vaanti from last night, the one with the frog mask, is there, looking highly agitated.

“Gurgi said go away!” he shouts. “We have had enough of your kind raiding and pillaging!”

“Not all of us are like that, ami,” Yvonne protests. “Some of the most respectable people you will ever meet are pirates!”

“Oh, really? Is that why you pocketed those mezzberries?”

“What, these? Were they not samples?”

“You're all the same! Thieving good-for-nothings!”

Behind me, Jake stirs, sitting up groggily. “Mmmuh...whershtha fire...?” he mumbles. Nearby, Estela pushes herself up on her hands, blinking sleepily. I sit up and start to gather the discarded pieces of my armor, putting them back on.

“Come now!” Yvonne is saying. “I'm a customer like everyone else.”

“Leave! Unless you have some throats to cut or property to steal!”

“C'est dommage,” Yvonne sighs. She turns and walks back over to us.

“Everything okay?” I ask, fastening my cuirass. She merely shrugs, munching on a handful of berries.

I look back at the collection of huts. The little area seems to have come alive with Vaanti now, weaving in and out of stalls, examining the wares. The trader in the frog mask is trying to get their attention.

“Kostarii!” he calls. “Gurgi's stall is where dreams are bought and sold! Come trade with one who is patronized by Elyyshar Varyyn himself!”

Any lingering sleepiness vanishes in an instant. “Varyyn?” Three Catalysts escaped MASADA with Varyyn. And one of them was my best friend.

“That's our cue,” Jake says, getting to his feet. He, Estela, and I rush over to the stalls, Yvonne following behind us with a scowl on her face. Several Vaanti turn as we approach, peering curiously at us behind their masks. Gurgi looks up at me.

“Ahh! Just the one Gurgi wanted to see! Come, there's a deal to be made!”

I rush over eagerly. “Varyyn was here? When? Where did he go?”

Gurgi looks up at the crowd, and then back at the wares on his counter. “Gurgi can take you to the elyyshar. But first your help is needed. You see, there hasn't been a single sale today. If things don't turn around soon, Gurgi will have to close permanently.”

“We didn't come here looking for a job!” Estela snaps.

“Just help complete one barter,” Gurgi pleads. “Then we go see the elyyshar.”

I grit my teeth, curling my hands into fists. I don't want to delay. Diego was with Varyyn. I want him back. But I know better than to bite the hand that feeds me.

“...I...suppose that sounds simple enough.”

“Hawk Frog Mart's wares?” Jake says, shaking his head in dismay. “What even is most of this stuff?”

“Pah! The value of my goods will be obvious to any who see them!”

“If you say so,” Estela says skeptically. We each gather an item, and wander through the market, trying our luck with the various patrons. I pick up what looks like some kind of doll made out of wood and leaves. After about thirty minutes, I've gotten nowhere. And it doesn't seem the others have had much luck, either.

“Aw, come on!” Jake says to a disinterested Vaanti woman. “It's, uh...a hat made of bananas! What's not to like?”

“Come and get your seaweed crackers!” Yvonne calls. “Mes amis, I can attest to their deliciousness!” She stuffs one into her mouth.

“No, no!” Gurgi cries. “Those are opaba lisi! Dried leeches!” Yvonne's eyes widen and she spits out the mouthful onto the sand, gagging.

Nearby, Estela thrusts a bag at another Vaanti, her exasperation plain. “It's simple. I give you this bag of seashells and you give me something in return. Ready? And go.”

“Go,” the Vaanti repeats. Then he turns and continues on his way. I sigh, tossing the doll thing back on the counter. I wander over to Yvonne and cup my hands over my mouth, calling out to the gathered crowd, “Anyone wanna trade for some opaba lisi?”

To my mild surprise, a ram-masked Vaanti turns eagerly toward me. “Opaba lisi? Koh!” He removes a wriggling centipede from a pouch at his waist and holds it out to me.

“Oh!” I look down at the squirming thing. “You want to give me that in exchange?”

“Khalarat ryysa! Tosskal!” The man drops the cetipede into my hand, and happily accepts a handful of dessicated leeches.

“Yes, indeed,” Gurgi declares. “Opoba lisi is a powerful aphrodisiac.”

“Really?” Jake asks, wandering up to us. “Go figure.”

I glance over at Yvonne, who seems to have cornered a male Vaanti beside a hut.

“Mmm, I do like a man of mystery,” she says coquettishly. “Perhaps you'll give me a glimpse of your handsome face?”

The Vaanti lets out a weak, “Uhhh...”, glancing around for an escape route.

“An aphrodisiac is about the last thing she needs,” Estela remarks. I chuckle, turning to hand the cetipede to Gurgi. He accepts it eagerly.

“Oh, thank you, Catalysts! You have saved me!”

“Oh, don't thank us,” Estela says with a smile. “That was all Alodia.”

“Seriously, nice work, Princess.” But my attention is on Gurgi.

“Okay, we made a sale. Will you tell us where Varyyn and our friends are now?”

Gurgi pulls out a small bundle wrapped in leaves and places it on the counter. “These are the elyyshar's requested goods. He and his entourage are camped in a hidden inlet west of the cove.” He points toward a gap in the cliff face, through which I can see an expanse of beach. “Perhaps you would not mind delivering these goods to Elyyshar Varyyn?”

I don't need to be asked twice. I snatch up the bundle and run towards the inlet. Jake and Estela follow close behind me. I hear Yvonne's voice from across the market.

“I will be here if you need me, mes amis! Now where were we, mon beau mec bleu?” ...Good lord, I hope the poor man manages to escape. But selfish as it probably is, I can't think about him right now. I am thinking about another man.

We duck between an opening in the cliffs and arrive on a secluded strip of beach. Michelle, Raj, Varyyn, and Diego are sitting together on the sand. I drop the bundle and race towards them, my heart in my throat.

“Diego! Diego!” Diego turns and immediately leaps to his feet, his eyes wide.

“Allie!” I throw my arms around his neck and he scoops me up, gripping me so hard it almost hurts, even through my armor. “You're okay! I knew it! I knew you had to be okay!”

“It's Alodia! It's Alodia!” Raj's massive frame nearly knocks me and Diego over when he joins in the hug.

“Alodia, thank goodness...” Michelle comes up on the other side to add herself to the group hug.

“Ah...is this a proper greeting?” I hear Varyyn ask from where I am buried inside a magnificent pile of my friends' arms. I feel him approach from behind me and awkwardly put his arms around the group. “...It is good to see you, Alodia.”

“I missed you guys,” I croak tearfully.

Jake clears his throat. “Hey, Estela and I are okay, too, just in case you hooligans were wondering.”

They step back from me to look at Jake and Estela. Diego is the first to break away to pull them both into a hug. “Glad you two are all right. Thanks for looking after Allie for me.” Jake snorts and ruffles his hair.

“You gotta know by now I ain't gonna let anything happen to her.”

“Wait,” Michelle says suddenly, her expression falling. “Sean was in the helicopter with you. Is he...?”

“We don't know,” Estela says grimly. “After Alodia fell, he and Craig went to search along the coast while Jake and I went into the forest.”

“What about Zahra?” Diego asks. “And Quinn?”

Jake's face is tight with pain. “No idea, Short Stuff. ...Skrillex fell just before Alodia. And Red...”

He trails off. I glance at Jake uncertainly. ...There are things I know about him that he doesn't know I know. Things I saw in the visions that came when I touched his idol. I know that his habit of handing out nicknames came from Mike. Just three days ago, he saw Mike alive after believing he had been dead for three years. ...Alive, but with his mind imprisoned inside some wretched cybersuit. The fact that he has barely called anyone by name since I reunited with him has not escaped me. I take his hand and squeeze it, feeling him grip back.

“...I've sent my best scouts to locate everyone,” Varyyn says softly. “If the others can be found, they will find them.”

“I don't like that 'if'...” Michelle declares, her voice breaking.

Raj claps his hands. “Homies, what we need right now is a dope-ass brunch. You can't be anxious on a full stomach.”

“I am starving,” Diego admits.

“The supplies from the trading post should arrive soon.”

“Oh! Fuck me, I almost forgot!” I look around for the bundle. Apparently, Estela picked it up after I dropped it to hug Diego, because she passes it to me now. I hand it to Varyyn, who inspects it briefly before passing it to Raj.

“All right! The good stuff's finally here!” He eagerly tears into the bundle. His expression wavers slightly. “What the...a mango and a bunch of seaweed? Where's the coconut milk? And the spices?”

“Oh...I guess that's all he had?” I scratch my head awkwardly. “Sorry, I didn't look in the bundle beforehand...”

Raj shake his head. “It's fine. I've made feasts with less than this. I'll just...” He falters, swallowing. “I'll just...I can...um...” He stares at the pile of seaweed and the meagerly sized mango, his hands trembling.

“...Raj...?”

“I can't make anything with this!” he screams, making us all jump. He flings the ingredients to the ground and storms off down the beach.

“I...think we broke Raj again,” Diego murmurs.

I bite my lip. “You guys wait here. I'm gonna go check on him.”

I hurry to catch up with Raj. To my mild surprise, he slows down to let me catch up with him. For a moment, we walk silently along the water together.

“...You okay?” I ask. As we round a rocky outcropping, light reflects off the tears on his eyelashes.

“I'm sorry, Alodia. I can't do it.”

“Raj, it's okay. You don't have to prove your cooking skills. You're our resident top chef and everyone knows it.”

“I know. It's just...I'm always the one to bring everyone together, to lighten the mood...” He stops walking, his gaze falling. “I don't think I can do it now, Alodia. After everything we've seen...I don't think I have it in me anymore.”

I put a hand on his shoulder. I'm searching for words when a soft green glow filters onto his face. I look up sharply. The same translucent, sexless figure we encountered last night is suddenly there beside us, leading concernedly towards Raj.

“...You again?”

Raj sees who I'm talking to and yelps, staggering back. “Ohhh, god! I am too sober for this to be happening!”

“What are you?” I ask the ghostly thing. “What do you want from us?”

The figure flares with light, and extends its hand towards Raj, offering him a leatherbound book. It gestures with the book, almost imploringly. Raj looks down at it, trembling.

“...That's...Grandma's recipe book...? But...I thought that got burned up!” He shakes his head wildly. “I shouldn't. It's a trap. It's a trap!”

But my mind is making connections. I do not know what this thing is, if it's been sent by the Endless or if it's something else entirely. But if I'm right...

“It's not a trap. I've seen this before. I think it's trying to help us.” I reach out to take the book. Once again, the figure vanishes the moment my fingers close around the slim volume. “Here, Raj. You'll want to see this.”

Raj reaches out uncertainly, and I let the white haze consume me.

In an outdoor marketplace, stalls lined with brightly colored produce stretch as far as the eye can see. Raj stands in the middle of an empty walkway, surrounded by a small film crew and a cameraman.

“All right,” a woman I assume is the director says. “Let's take it again. Can I get starting positions?”

Raj frowns a little. “Sorry, uh...does somebody have my coffee?”

“Get Raj his coffee, please,” the director calls. “And we're rolling in 3...2...1...”

The crew quiets. Raj picks up a bundle of leeks and smiles into the camera. “Hey, guys! Raj Bhandarkar here. We're outside of one of my favorite outdoor markets in the world, La Boqueria in Barcelona! As you know, my cooking is majorly inspired by my buddies from college. That's why I'm here with my bro of bros, Craig Hsiao!”

Craig, in a T-shirt and denim jacket, steps up beside Raj, grinning. “Yo!”

“You ready to get sickly leeked, dude?”

“Uh...what?” Craig's face suddenly lights up. “Oh! You mean your grandma's chicken and leek curry? That stuff's bomb!”

“You know it! We're gonna need fresh ginger, a few cinnamon sticks, and, uh...” He suddenly trails off, frowning.

“You okay?” the director asks.

“I'm fine. Sorry. Late night last night.”

Craig grins, clapping him on the back. “Hey, it's not his fault everyone wants to buy drinks for the star of Bhandarkar Fills Bellies!”

“Okay, let's try starting with the interview instead. Ready? And...action!”

Raj grins into the camera again. “So, broseph, I'd ask you what your favorite food is if I didn't already know your feelings on the subject of fried chicken.”

Craig laughs. “I try to keep it gourmet, you know? Plus a little szechuan makes everything tastier.”

A series of beeps from Raj's pocket interrupts the filming again. He pulls it out of his pocket and glances at the screen.

“Oh, it's Chris! Sorry guys, I gotta take this real quick.”

“Like, Chris Winters?!” Craig yelps. “The movie star?!”

The camera man stops recording as Raj puts the phone to his ear. “Chris, my boy! S'up? ...Milan? Tonight? I dunno, man...All right, all right, now we're talkin'! It's a deal. See you there, dude!” He puts his phone away and turns to the crew. “I'm gonna have to cut this short, guys.”

“What?!” the director yelps. “Raj, we've barely got enough footage to work with for the episode!”

“We're about to get a whole lot more! We're gonna take Grandma's curry to a premiere afterparty in Milan!”

“Whaaaaaaat?!” Craig cries. “Hell yeah!”

“Chris wants me to take over catering. He says we can film whatever we want. You're coming, right Craig?”

“Bro, Imma keep living your dream with you as long as I can!”

The world is once again awash with light, and I am back on the beach with Raj. I release the book, smiling at him. He stares at the leatherbound volume quivering in his hands.

“Did...Alodia, did I just see the future?”

I nod, my grin widening. “Yeah. And I saw it, too.”

“In my family, my grandma was the only one who believed in my cooking...Do you really think I could have my own show someday?”

“Raj, your food is already legendary with us. It's only a matter of time before other people catch on.”

“...Yeah...you know, I think you're right.” He flips open the recipe book, drawing in a deep breath. “All right, Grandma, let's do this!”

The two of us head back to the others. They look up as we approach, concern in their eyes.

“Everything okay, Julio Child?”

“Guys,” Raj says seriously. “The X-Files was right. The truth is out there!”

“You know that was just a TV show, right?” Diego deadpans. I snort, coming over to ruffle his hair with both hands.

“You're one to talk!” He laughs, swatting my hands away. Michelle frowns at Raj.

“Hey, Raj...where did you get that book?”

He shakes his head dismissively. “Never mind, doodlejumps! We're goin' back to the market!” He jogs towards the break in the cliffs.

“Come on, everyone!” I call. “Follow that chef!”

As we're making our way back to the trading post, Varyyn suddenly stops and looks out at the water. I turn to see what's caught his eye, and spot brightly-colored sails bobbing and swaying amid the tide.

“Windsurfers,” he says wistfully. “This cave has the best waves in all of Vaanu.”

“Little do the people of Elyys'tel know that surfing is their king's true calling,” Diego says with a grin.

“You are my true calling, Diego,” Varyyn replies, smiling as a blush creeps over Diego's handsome face. “...But surfing is also very good.”

Diego snorts. “You just had to ruin it, didn't you?”

Varyyn smirks, leaning down to plant a kiss on the top of Diego's head.

“There you are, mon chers!” We turn to see Yvonne striding over to us, smiling widely. “My masked beau was shier than I'd expected. Though he was kind enough to give me his sea catch for the day...” She holds out a woven satchel filled with oyster shells.

“Oh, sweet!” Raj exclaims. “I should be able to crack these babies open.” He digs around in the sand for a moment and pulls out a rock before sitting down next to the satchel.

“Yvonne,” I say, “are you sure he gave these to you? You didn't take them?”

“Oh, my,” Yvonne replies cheerfully, “but this is a beautiful view...”

“Ugh, these are tough,” Raj mutters in annoyance. “Where's Sean when you need him?”

I can't help but notice how Michelle's expression darkens at the mention of Sean. She wanders towards the trading post, searching for something to distract her.

“What's that hut there?” she asks, pointing. “The one decorated with flowers?”

“Ahh,” Varyyn says. “Someone has been joined in a handfasting.”

“A handfasting?”

“In Vaanti society, when two people love each other deeply, they may choose to bond their lives together in a ceremony called Niala'rei. Before friends and family, they are symbolically joined and must spend a year and a day in each other's presence. If they still love one another after that time, their spirits are believed to become one for all eternity.”

Jake comes up beside me, silently placing a hand on my back. I edge a little closer to him.

“That's...beautiful,” Diego says softly, meeting Varyyn's eyes.

“A beautiful hell perhaps!” Yvonne scoffs.

Jake looks over at Raj. “How those oysters comin', Cookie?”

Raj opens his mouth to reply, but he's cut off by a scatter of cries from the Vaanti bustling through the trading post. We look up to find that they've all stopped to stare in alarm at the water.

“He is back!” Gurgi yelps. “Run for your lives!”

I pull away from Jake to find a better vantage point, and squint out across the sea. My heart leaps into my throat as I see exactly what has the Vaanti in such a panic. A massive wooden sailing ship, like a brigantine or a galleon, is cutting through the waves toward the beach.

“Is that a pirate ship?” Diego gasps. Yvonne's hands curl into fists.

“Malatesta,” she growls through gritted teeth. “You bastard!”

Distant explosions accompany bursts of white smoke on the sides of the ship, and then there are cannonballs arcing through the air towards the Vaanti dwellings.

“Look out!” Estela screams. I drop to my knees, covering my head with my forearms as a hut next to me shatters apart, raining down sharp flinders. I feel debris striking at my arms and against my armor. When it seems to have all settled, I look up and find Estela in front of me. She takes my arms, helping me to my feet. The others are rushing over.

“You all right?” Jake asks anxiously, looking me over.

I nod, shaking a little. “I'm fine.”

“Good reflexes,” Diego quips.

“Well, someone around here has to be the clearheaded one,” Michelle remarks. Around us, the Vaanti are scattering, running for the cliffs. Gurgi is at his stall, frantically gathering his goods.

“Get out of here, Catalysts!” he cries. “He's coming to--” He is interrupted by a loud thunk from the side of his stall that makes him yelp. A harpoon is lodged in the wood, connected to a hemp rope in a makeshift zipline.

“Is it the Caped Crusader?” Raj gasps.

“Please be Christian Bale, not Ben Affleck,” Diego mutters.

The man in the long coat does not appear to be either Bale or Affleck. He is a tall, handsome young man with a bushy blond beard and the weathered skin of a sailor. He hops onto the sand beside Gurgi's stall. Yvonne marches over to him, her own lovely, sea-weathered face twisted with rage.

“Look what crawled out of the cesspools!” she sneers.

The man narrows his sapphire-blue eyes at her. “If it isn't my least favorite ghost. Stand aside, Yvonne. Unless you're ready to return to the grave.”

“What's going on here?” I demand.

“Parley's just finishing up. Now it is time to take what's mine.” He pulls a wheellock pistol from his belt.

“Malatesta, you scabrous bilge eel!” Yvonne roars. “I'm not about to let you sack this place!”

“These people live peacefully here!” Varyyn growls. “You will not harm them.”

“Wait, Malatesta?” I gape at the man in front of me. “You mean this is your old captain?”

“The very same,” Yvonne confirms flatly. She draws her own pistol, but with a sharp crack and a puff of smoke, Malatesta shoots it from her hand and sends it tumbling across the sand.

“Missed,” he sneers. “I was aiming at your head. Second time's the charm, eh?”

“Stop!” I shout. “That's enough!” Malatesta turns to me, looking me over with a critical eye.

“Tell me, Yvonne. Who is the tiny one with the yellow hair? She is the size of a kitten, and yet in that armor she clearly fancies herself a lioness.”

“My name is Alodia!” I snap. “And you can turn right around and sail away. There is nothing of value here.”

“How dare you!” Gurgi squawks indignantly.

“That's a little harsh, Allie,” Diego adds plaintively.

“Gurgi works night and day to supply this shop with...” He trails off suddenly, catching my eye. “...With...nothing! Gurgi has nothing!”

“You don't gotta tell us twice,” Raj agrees.

“You see?” I say, looking back at Malatesta. “Are you really gonna try to kill people over fruit and seashells?”

Malatesta is already reloading his pistol. “I said the talking is finished, little kitten. Get out of my way!”

Yvonne lets out a wordless roar of fury and runs headlong at Malatesta, tackling him into the surf. They devolve into what can only be described as a brawl, neither gaining the upper hand as they wrestle and box in the shallow water.

“That's it!” Gurgi shouts. “Give him a good throttling!”

Diego moans. “I can't watch! They're like bloodthirsty animals on National Geographic!”

“More like animals in heat,” I mutter, smirking in spite of myself. “I almost wonder if we should give them some privacy.”

Finally, soaking wet and heaving with exhaustion, the two pirates stop and break apart, glaring murderously at each other.

“You always thought you were better at everything!” Malatesta snarls.

“I am better, you pox-ridden guttersnipe! You remember what you told me on the coast of Barbados? That you were the greatest wave rider? You were wrong! I was I who was the best!”

“Tell it to my arse! You're a wave rider like a cabin boy's a first mate!”

“Okay, I'm seeing your point, Allie,” Diego murmurs to me. “This is clearly foreplay.”

Malatesta points to the natural pillars rising out of the sea in the distance. “See those columns over there? I'd bet my ship ye couldn't get a group around the lot of them in less than an hour's time!”

Yvonne straightens, raising an eyebrow. “What did you say?”

“I said, I bet my ship ye can't...” He stops, his eyes going wide. “Oh...never mind...”

“Oho! You can't get out of it now, you leprous barrel monkey! You're on!”

Malatesta growls in frustration. “Fine, ye fork-tongued scalamagdrion. But come back in more than an hour and I get every last plantain and filbert out of that stall, understand? Blasted blue elves owe me after what they did to me crew! And if your friends even try to stop me, I'll blast this place sky high!”

“What?!” Gurgi yelps. “No! No deal!”

“Bon,” Yvonne declares. “The wager is accepted. And since I get to choose a condition as well, I select Alodia to represent me in the test of skill.”

“Wait...windsurfing?” I sputter.

Yvonne retrieves her hat and straightens her jacket, making her way out of the surf and over to me. “Oui. For a ship. A ship that will help us find your friends.” She slings an arm around my shoulders and whispers in my ear. “The fact is, he's right. I am a terrible wave rider.”

“But then, why would you...”

“Tricks of the trade, ma fille!”

Malatesta pulls out a small hourglass and trudges toward the other side of the cove. The rest of us follow.

“Woooo! It's on!” Raj crows.

“Oh, boy,” I groan. “What have I gotten into...?”

“You will do very well,” Varyyn says reassuringly. “You bested even Uqzhaal at quuk'tanoi.”

“Yeah,” Jake agrees. “It was enough to win you a mask. You'll be fine.”

I look to where Malatesta has managed to acquire two boards. “I guess I won't be alone out there...but I don't know who I'm supposed to take with me.”

“Well, if you're looking for speedy maneuvering, Jake's your dude,” Raj says. “He killed it in our jet ski race at The Celestial. And we all know you two work well together.”

“But Alodia's going to need stamina and control more than speed,” Michelle argues. “Those pillars are scattered way out. I think Estela might be a stronger choice.”

“Or Varyyn,” Diego suggests. “He understands the area better than anyone. He's been coming to this cove for years.”

Yvonne is hoisting the single sails on the two unclaimed boards. She smiles coyly at me. “Who will it be, Alodia?”

I sigh heavily. “Sensible as it might be to take someone who knows the area, Raj is not wrong when he says Jake and I work well together. And not just for the obvious reasons.” In spite of myself, I grin at him. “We're proven to work well in tandem, by land, sea, or air.”

“I like the way you think, Princess. Time to get wet.” He pulls off his shirt and heads over to the surfboards. I carefully remove my armor, and strip off the clothes underneath until I'm down to my bra and panties.

“You've got one hour to make it around the farthest pillar and back,” Malatesta informs us. “A breath longer, and it's time to pay up or get blown up. ...Go!”

He flips the hourglass and slams it down in the sand. Jake and I grab the sails on our boards and run toward the water. When the water reaches our knees, we swing ourselves onto the boards and angle the sails backwards. I grasp the rig attached to the sail and feel the sail catch the wind and push me forward.

“I think this is probably the quickest path,” Jake calls. He maneuvers and harnesses the wind, taut muscles rippling under his skin. “Stick close, Princess, and we'll be home in time for supper!”

“Only if you can keep that up!” I call back.

We skim along the water's surface, and I start to wonder what I was so worried about. I survived quuk'tanoi, and it seems whatever windsurfing skills got me through that aren't as rusty as I feared. As we near the first set of columns, a huge wave comes crashing through the area around us, forcing us toward the cliffs. In the water below us, I see a school of fish riding the powerful current, and follow their example.

“Let's give it all we got!” I call.

“What floats your boat floats my boat, Princess!”

We angle our sails back and surge along the cliffside. Carefully, we make our way through the jagged spurs of rock. It's not long before the final column comes into view. We plot a safe course and round the pillar smoothly, turning back toward the shore. We wind our way back through the colonnade, eyes on the prize. As we pass a rock outcropping, something heavy and black drops onto my sail.

“What the hell is...” I look up and hear myself yelp when I find a large black spider crawling down the sail fabric.

“Good gravy!” Jake exclaims. “Keep cool, Princess. He probably just wants a ride or something.”

“Well, he's weighing me down!” I reach up to grab the creature. “Get off my boat!”

To my unwelcome surprise, my fingers close around something metal. The spider's limbs are mechanical. Instead of a head, there's what can only a tiny camera. The moment I tighten my grip even slightly, I hear a crunch as the delicate machinery crumbles. I keep it clasped in my palm as I turn my attention back to my task. I won't throw it overboard now. It may be useful later. I lean my sail into the wind, gunning for the shore.

Finally, Jake and I glide smoothly onto the beach. At the other side of the cove, I notice a small crowd of Vaanti have gathered to watch us. Our friends cheer as we climb ashore.

“Damn!” Raj gushes. “You guys were like a couple of those walks-on-water lizards!”

I rush towards Malatesta, my heart knocking painfully against my ribs as I peer at the hourglass. I let out a shuddering breath.

“There's still sand running through it! We did it!”

Malatesta stares at the hourglass, his eyes wide with disbelief. “...No...”

Yvonne grins wickedly. “Oui.”

“No!” he bellows, violently kicking over the hourglass and sending sand flying. “No! No! You cheating little wench!”  

“I believe you mean Respectable Sea Captain, cheri. Now, say the words.”

“I won't!”

“Say them or I'll tell everyone from here to Tortuga--”

“Fine!” Malatesta grits his teeth, his hands curling into fists at his sides. “The Dorado...is yours.”

“Hahaaaaa!” Yvonne crows. She pulls off her hat and descends into a sweeping bow, grinning at us. “Make whatever preparations you need, amis! We depart at dusk!”

“Well, we won't sail on empty stomachs!” Raj declares. “Let me back at those oysters!” The others disperse slightly, but Varyyn and Diego hang behind with me as I pull my clothes back on.

“I guess we're gonna be a pirate crew,” Diego remarks, grinning. “Can't say I'm complaining!”

“If everything works out, maybe we'll find the others sooner this way.”

“Alodia, you have my deepest gratitude for solving this conflict peaceably,” Varyyn says. “I'll make sure my scouts know where we're headed.”

Diego shades his eyes, looking towards the sun, which is already sinking low on the horizon. “Gonna be another beautiful sunset.” He gasps. “Ohmygod, Allie! Have you been up into the hills yet? Varyyn showed me this spot where you can see for miles out to sea.”

He points to a secluded hilltop, thickly covered in soft, swaying grass. It looks inviting, even from where I am now.

“A very special place, that,” Varyyn says, nodding sagely. “The view of the sunset from there is...inspiring.”

Diego elbows me. “You should totally take a certain someone up there while we've got a couple hours to kill.”

“Especially if you would like them to fall in love with you,” Varyyn adds. I can't help myself. I burst out laughing.

“Geez, guys! Matchmaker much?”

Diego grins and comes up behind me, grabbing my upper arms and swaying with me while he sings, “Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match!” On the last word, he shoves me gently towards Jake, who is at the water's edge, vigrously rubbing sand and saltwater out of his hair. Relenting, I walk over to him. My armor is still discarded on the beach, but I have a feeling I won't need it for a bit.

Coming up behind Jake, I cinch my arms around his waist and nuzzle his neck. He chuckles. “Hello to you, too, Princess.”

“So, there's a secluded hilltop over there, and a gorgeous sunset due very shortly. Care to join me?”

“Is, uh, clothing optional?”

“Might be. Wanna find out?” Jake turns in my embrace and laces his fingers together at the small of my back.

“Absolutely.”

Hand in hand, we make our way up the hill. When we reach a sharp incline, Jake leaps it deftly before offering me his hand with a playful smile.

“You remember the last time we went hiking together?” he asks. I take his hand.

“That feels like forever ago,” I reply as I hop over the incline.

“Time is so weird on this island, maybe it was.”

“I'm glad there's no rock climbing on this one, though. I have a feeling we'll need our energy for the top.” I wink coquettishly.

We reach the top within a few more minutes. I immediately feel the breath rush out of my body. The sky looks like the sort of sunset painters dream of. The impossibly beautiful palette of pastel pink and lush orange brushed with fingers of purple, the dramatic swirl of color around the sinking sun, look like something a film crew labored to create to set the perfect romantic mood, even knowing no one would be paying that much attention to the background. Meanwhile, the sea glistens in the bath of light, the water dark and sultry in contrast to the colors reflected on its undulating surface. I feel my throat tightening.

“Oh, god...I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life...”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Jake murmurs. I turn to look at him and realize he's staring at me. I can't help laughing, and give him a playful swat.

“That was corny as hell, Top Gun.”

“Aww, you saying you don't like corn, Princess?”

“It's like when those ridiculous action movies try to shove a romance plot in at the end.”

“Hey!” he says indignantly. “Action movies are awesome!”

I grin. “...I like them, too,” I confess. He raises an eyebrow.

“Seriously?”

“Diego insists on watching Die Hard every Christmas. You could say I was indoctrinated.” The memory tugs at the corner of my mind, an image of Diego curled up on the sofa under a blanket, munching air-popped popcorn from plastic bowl while the movie flickers on the screen across the room...

“So Pop Culture Petey has some taste after all.”

“Yeah...”

We sit down together in the grass, and I nestle into Jake's side. He winds an arm around me as the wind picks up, trailing cool fingers over our faces. For a moment, I close my eyes, savoring the scent of the man beside me. Sweat and saltwater, notes of spicy-sweet cologne woven deep into the fibers of his green bomber jacket and lingering even though he probably hasn't reapplied the stuff since we landed on the island god-knows-how-long ago...

“So, what do you like about action movies?” he asks me. I open my eyes.

“The protagonists,” I answer promptly. “They always manage to keep it together even when the world around them is falling apart.”

“That must be why I like you.”

“What?”

“Feel like you just described yourself there, Princess.” I snort, elbowing him lightly.

“Flatterer.” I turn to him with a grin. “You know...I may well be pretty, but I think I would look even better kissing you. I mean, have you seen yourself?”

Jake grins back, bringing his other arm around me. “What's a pair of good-looking people on a romantic sunlit cliff to do?”

“I have a few ideas,” I reply, brushing a few strands of hair from his eyes. I close the distance between us, pressing my mouth to his. He kisses me back eagerly, hands slipping under my shirt. I'm glad I didn't put my armor back on immediately.

Since I fell from the chopper, Jake's horrified face has haunted me. Suddenly, all the tension I've built up since then, all the fear I've been forcing down since we've been separated just so I could stand a chance of keeping it together long enough to actually find him...all the wild relief and desire I've held back since I saw him again...everything...absolutely everything is bubbling up and threatening to consume me. He tugs at my clothes, his whole body quivering, and I know he's feeling the same.

“Princess...do you want to...?”

“Yes,” I whisper. “Right now.”

“Good.”

We pull desperately at each other's clothes, tearing them off as fast as our hands will move, and it isn't fast enough. Not for me. He laughs in my ear as I fumble with his belt.

“In a rush there, Princess?”

“Are you asking me to slow down?”

“Not a chance.”

He sheds the rest of his clothes and rolls on top of me, kissing me hungrily. Then, for just a moment, he breaks the kiss and pushes himself up on his elbows to look down at me. One hand strokes my face, brushing stray wisps of hair from my forehead.

“Alodia...”

“...Jake...” His hand drifts down my body towards my hips. I gasp, arching my back as his fingers find a sensitive spot and press in gently. I reach down to grasp his lower back, pulling his hips towards mine. He sinks into me easily, and we find our rhythm. It doesn't take long. We may have not known each other long...but all things considered, we have probably known each other for at least a thousand lifetimes. How many times have we fallen in love? Did it take longer before? Did it happen so quickly this time only because we already knew it was meant to be? Does any of that really matter, when I'm here and entwined in pleasure with the man I love? No. Fuck destiny. Fuck fate. Fuck La Huerta. Fuck the Endless. Right now, nothing matters except me and Jake, together in front of the sunset.

“Alodia...Alodia...I love you...”

“I love you, Jake...” My fingers curl into his flesh as I throw my head back, moaning with ecstacy, not caring who hears. Finally, satisfied and slick with sweat, Jake rolls off me, nuzzling close to me on the grass. The breeze has turned cooler, and as it passes over my sweat-soaked skin, I shiver. Jake smiles a little, grabbing his jacket and drawing it over me like a blanket. I smile, curling into him.

“...How 'bout that sunset, huh?”

“It's pretty great, Princess. But it's great because I get to share it with you.”

“What can I say? I have a great copilot. Really makes a difference.”

… I don't know why I said that. As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I know I've made a mistake. But the way Jake's expression suddenly alters frightens me. Suddenly, he's looking through me, his gaze distant and haunted. I raise a hand to stroke his cheek, trying not to tremble.

“Jake? You okay?” He shakes his head slightly, as if waking himself up. He clears his throat and sits up.

“We should...uh...we should go back...”

“Wait, what?”

He offers me a half-hearted smile. “Don't wanna climb down in the dark, right?” He starts to get up, but I catch his arm, pulling him back down.

“Jake, let me help you,” I plead softly. “I can't help you work through whatever's going on if you don't talk to me.” It's hypocritical as hell for me to be saying anything like that, but I'll let him scold me later if necessary. Right now, I only care about him. My grip on his arms tightens and he meets my gaze. His eyes start to water as his composure cracks. Finally, a strangled sob escapes him.

“I'm not good to my copilots, okay?!” he cries. “Everyone I care about's been hurt because of me! Whether I run or fight, something happens, and I...” He trails off, exhaling hard. He looks out over the water as if searching for answers from the sea. He picks up a fistful of dirt and grass and throws it over the cliffs edge. I stroke his back, gently.

“I'm here, Jake,” I murmur. “I'm right here.”

He lets his head fall into his hands. “...I love you, Alodia. I love you so much. I want to give you the best life I can. But when I think of everything I've had to do to survive the last few years, I just...” He tilts his head back, running his fingers through his hair. “You don't deserve to deal with that. To deal with me.”

He lowers his hands, looking back out over the water. I lay a hand on his shoulder and kiss his cheek.

“Hey. I think I get to decide what I deserve.” His eyes snap towards me. He looks uncertain. Skeptical. “We've been through more together than anyone else in this world could understand. By all accounts, we should be dead, insane, or both. But whenever things got tough, you were there. Whenever I didn't know what to do, you did. Given all we're facing, I can't think of anyone I'd rather have by my side.”

Jake stares at me for a long moment. Finally, I see the ghost of a real smile on his lips. He draws me close and kisses me gently, gratefully.

“You're somethin' else, you know that?”

“I try.” I look back out over the horizon, where the sun has almost entirely vanished. “We should probably get back. We'll be leaving for the ship soon.”

“Yeah. Don't want Blondbeard getting his panties in a twist.”

We gather our discarded clothes and start to pull them back on. Jake shrugs on his jacket, pausing a moment.

“Hey, Alodia...Thanks. I mean it.”

“Anytime, Jake. I mean it. ...I love you.”

“...Love you, too, Princess.”

* * *

Back on the beach, Raj has turned oysters, seaweed, and mango into stew with his usual skill and flair. We fill our bellies, and then Jake helps me put my armor back on. The moon is coming into view as we make our way onto a pair of rowboats bound for the galleon anchored in the harbor.

“Guess Frenchie and Cap'n Crunch are already aboard,” Jake muses.

Diego grins. “Hey, guys, think we'll get to release the kraken?”

“This time there'll be rum, right?” Raj asks. “I mean, there's gotta be...”

I chuckle, looking back towards the marketplace, where a large crowd has gathered around Gurgi's stall.

“Now Gurgi can not only boast that the elyyshar is his patron, but the Catalysts, too,” I remark. “Looks like he might be getting a little more than he bargained for.”

“May he do well with it,” Varyyn replies mildly.

As we reach the ship, a rope ladder is lowered for us, and we ascend it one at a time. At the top, I hop over the side and find myself on an ornately appointed deck. Yvonne waits to greet us.

“Welcome aboard The Dorado, mes amis! She is quite yar, non?”

“Lovely,” I agree, glancing around. “But...is it just us?”

“Just us and la femme mysterieuse.”

“...Who?”

“She means the witch,” Malatesta mutters, gesturing towards the prow of the ship. I turn to look, and I feel my heart stop.

A woman in jeans and a brown suede jacket stands at the prow of the ship, her back to me as she gazes out at the water. I can't see her face, but I don't need to. A long, copper-colored braid cascades over her shoulder, tumbling to her waist. I would know her anywhere. I speak her name, my voice coming out in a weak croak.

“...Quinn...?”

[sceptilemasterr]

Endless Winter (ES Book 2) Act 1, Scene 12 - Valinorim

Title: Endless Winter

Main Pairings: Estela x Ian (M!MC), Jake x Alyssa (F!MC)

Other Pairings: Craig x Zahra, Grace x Aleister, Michelle x Quinn, Diego x Varyyn

Genre: Full Rewrite

Rating: PG-13 for swearing, violence, alcohol, and sexuality

Summary: The Catalysts participate in a Vaanti festival of music, food, and games!

Previous Scene: Sunset Chat

Masterlist: Link

EXT. ELYYS’TEL - MORNING

The next day, the city is filled with colorful banners, Vaanti dancing and singing, the sounds of horns and drums, and multiple plates and bowls of food set out everywhere. From within a small hut near the top of the city, Jake emerges, wincing against the morning sunlight as he yawns loudly.

JAKE: Damn... these Vaanti start their parties early.

ALYSSA (O.S.) (groggily): Top Gun, can you tell ‘em to shut that light off?

Jake laughs and glances back at the hut.

JAKE: That’s the sun, Princess. I could ask your brother, see if he can undo it for ya--

ALYSSA (yawning): Ha ha, very funny. Alright, I’m up. Give me a sec.

The camera pans away from Jake and down through the city until arriving at the city’s central platform. Most of the other Catalysts are already there, as is Seraxa along with a large crowd of other Vaanti. Varyyn stands atop a platform, looking resplendent in the ornate robes and brilliant red headdress of the elyyshar. He raises his arms over the crowd.

VARYYN: This has been a time of great loss... and yet, also a time for celebration. Cetus has been driven back. The Children of Vaanu have returned to us. Delphinus’s life has been restored by the grace of Vaanu!

He spares a glance for Quinn, who is smiling broadly as she leans against Michelle. Her skin is back to its normal color and she looks healthier than ever. Michelle smiles back at her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

RAJ: Yeah! Go Quinn!

ALEISTER: Curing Rotterdam’s Syndrome in an hour? Let’s see my father do that!

From his position at Varyyn’s left side, Uqzhaal adds:

UQZHAAL: And let us not forget: we have also crowned a new elyyshar! Varyyn Ximaeiho!

Varyyn blushes a faint blue as the crowd erupts into cheers. Diego cheers the loudest of all. As the cheers die down, Varyyn speaks once again.

VARYYN: Yes... there is much to celebrate today. So let us put aside the pain we have suffered, and enjoy this day of joy! Let the 212th Valinorim begin!

As the crowd erupts into jovial cheering, Varyyn climbs down from his platform. Seraxa approaches him and bows respectfully.

SERAXA: My elyyshar. I must apologize for my harsh words yesterday. I misjudged you and the Catalysts, and I am sorry. I--

VARYYN: There is no need, Seraxa. I am just happy to have you here today with us. Now, go! Enjoy the Valinorim; I certainly shall!

Seraxa smiles faintly as Varyyn heads straight to Diego.

DIEGO: That speech was incredible! Nice job, Varyyn. And I agree with Uqzhaal: you are definitely a reason to celebrate, too!

VARYYN: I thank you, Diego. Truth be told, it all feels a bit... much.

DIEGO: Nah. It’s great! Speaking of which, what exactly do we do here? This is my first time seeing one of these... uh...

VARYYN: “Valinorim.” It is a day of celebration held after the crowning of a new elyyshar. It is one of our oldest rituals, and is traditionally celebrated with dancing, music, games, food, and drinks!

JAKE: You had me at “drinks,” Kermit the Chief.

He and Alyssa approach from a nearby ramp. Alyssa yawns, clearly still waking up.

ALYSSA: Somebody said something about food?

DIEGO: Yeah! You don’t wanna miss the Valinorim!

RAJ: It’s time to party!

A set of four Vaanti walk past, a large table laden with food being carried between them. Raj stares excitedly at it.

RAJ: Alright, that looks amazing! Where you going?

SERAXA: Only the bravest of souls dares take on the Challenge of the Feast. It is not for the faint-of... stomach.

RAJ (excitedly): You’re sayin’ it’s an eating contest? I am so in!

SERAXA: Eating, yes, as well as the imbibing of liquors. You will also need a partner--

CRAIG: Count me in, bro!

Craig claps Raj on the back.

CRAIG: Humans vs. Vaanti, let’s go!

Zahra smiles at Craig, nudging him playfully.

ZAHRA: Make humanity proud.

CRAIG: You know it. I got this!

He smiles back at her before he and Raj head off in pursuit of the group of Vaanti and their table. Alyssa sidles up to Zahra.

ALYSSA: ...I assume things worked out last night?

ZAHRA: You bet. Thanks for the support.

ALYSSA (shrugs): Guess Diego’s matchmaking instinct must’ve rubbed off on me. Glad I could help.

ZAHRA: And your half of the deal...?

Alyssa holds up a hand and shuts her eyes tightly, concentrating. A few small wisps of greenish-golden energy dance around her fingertips before vanishing.

ZAHRA: Nice. It’s a start.

ALYSSA: Thanks.

Varyyn approaches the two of them, a happy spring in his step.

VARYYN: Andromeda! Corvus! Come, you must celebrate with the rest of us. Most of my people will be gathered down at the beach.

ALYSSA: Alright, point us to the party!

Varyyn reaches out and literally points down in the direction of the water’s edge. Alyssa and Zahra double over in laughter.

ALYSSA (laughing): Sorry--that wasn’t--it’s a figure of speech!

ZAHRA (laughing): Aw, man! That was hilarious!

Varyyn stares in puzzlement for a moment... then starts laughing as well.

VARYYN: I suppose even as elyyshar, I still have much to learn. Come, let us join in the festivities!

He leads them along with most of the other Catalysts toward a nearby ramp. As they leave the area, Quinn lingers, looking into the sky, her gaze unfocused. Michelle hesitates.

MICHELLE: Quinn?

She walks back to stand beside Quinn.

MICHELLE: How are you feeling? Gonna head down to the party?

QUINN: Yeah. Just need a moment to collect my thoughts, I guess. It’s...

Michelle nods.

MICHELLE: You’ve been through a lot. Understandable.

QUINN: It’s... I feel completely fine. Even better than before, and I still don’t know what to do with this weird “feeling” I’ve got inside now. But it’s not that.

Michelle waits patiently for Quinn to continue.

QUINN: Michelle, I’ve been defined by my illness my whole life. Every moment, every choice, everything I ever did or tried... it was because I was Quinn, the Dying Girl. Even when I started at Hartfeld and decided not to tell anyone, to not let it define me... somehow, I guess I ended up letting it define me to myself.

MICHELLE (suddenly understanding): That’s why you were so secretive about it. I’m so sorry, Quinn. I never meant to pry, I was just worried--

QUINN: It’s fine. I know you meant well. All of you did. And it caught up to me anyway. No matter how hard I tried to hide it, I’d always be “That Girl Whose Days Are Numbered.”

MICHELLE: You were always more than that, Quinn.

QUINN: Sure, I found ways to cope. To stay optimistic. To keep living my life. But I always knew my time was limited. I’d never get married... have a family of my own...

A single tear drips down Quinn’s cheek as she gazes into Michelle’s eyes.

MICHELLE: Quinn...

QUINN: I’d accepted all of that. I’d come to terms with it. And now... it’s all just gone? Magic cure, poof, just like that? I...

She laughs weakly.

QUINN: It sounds stupid, I know. I should be happy. But I don’t know how to accept that. I don’t know who I am now, without my illness.

MICHELLE: It’s okay to feel sad.

QUINN: ...It is?

MICHELLE: Sure. In a way, someone did die last night. The old you. Now, you’ve been given a second chance, a blank slate... the chance to be someone new. Yeah, you should be happy about that, but it’s okay to mourn the person you were, too. It’s a big adjustment, and it’s not easy.

QUINN: Thanks, Michelle. That seriously helped a lot.

Michelle reaches out and gently touches her shoulder. She follows Quinn’s gaze toward the celebration going on at the beach below.

MICHELLE: I’m glad. So, uh... you ready to check out the festival?

QUINN: The old me always lived life to the fullest... and that’s one thing that hasn’t changed. Let’s go!

Michelle extends her hand, and Quinn takes it. Together, the two of them start walking across the wooden platform toward a nearby ramp.

MICHELLE: I know it’s not exactly the same situation, but if you’re looking for someone to talk to... the twins could probably relate to handling a sudden, drastic change in what they know about themselves--

QUINN: I hadn’t thought about that! You’re right.

MICHELLE: I mean, it can’t hurt. But only if you’re comfortable with it.

QUINN: It’s a really good idea. I think I will talk to them about it. But later! Right now, it’s time to celebrate!

Quinn grins happily and starts running toward the ramp, pulling Michelle along behind her. As they run, the camera zooms in on the floor beneath their feet. Tiny green shoots are instantly sprouting up from the spots where her feet touch the wooden platform...

MONTAGE

Quinn and Michelle emerge onto the beach, where the festival is already in full swing. Hundreds of Vaanti mingle, play games, eat, drink, and dance. A Vaanti band plays a bouncy tune on flutes, horns, and drums. At the shore, Sean eyes a set of windsurfing rigs docked on the sand as a pair of Vaanti enthusiastically explain something to him. Jake and Alyssa stand at one of the feast tables; Jake guzzles down some type of Vaanti alcoholic drink while Alyssa valiantly attempts to fit a sample of every available food selection onto a single plate. Furball follows, eagerly gobbling up any food that she drops. Zahra sits nearby, sipping a blue Vaanti drink with an actual flame flickering across its surface; Seraxa sits beside her, sipping an equally “fiery” drink while regaling Zahra with a story about some long-ago battle.

ZAHRA: Dude. Seriously. How many did you fight off?

SERAXA: Alone, I vanquished twenty-seven of the foes before requiring assistance--

Zahra spits out some of her drink in astonishment. A nearby Vaanti yelps as the spray drenches his legs.

ZAHRA: No. Freakin'. Way. Badass.

SERAXA: What is wrong with my “ass?”

Zahra is unable to hold in her snort of laughter.

ZAHRA: Oh, right. It’s a figure of speech. Sorry, but that was hilarious. “Badass” means...

* * *

A short ways off from the crowd, Estela and Ian walk along the beach, hand-in-hand as they talk quietly amongst themselves. Diego and Varyyn come sprinting up behind them; Estela whirls around instinctively, already raising her spear to attack before she realizes who it is.

ESTELA (awkwardly): Oh. It’s just you two. Sorry.

DIEGO: Geez, please don’t skewer me next time!

VARYYN: I would not let her “skewer” you, Diego. I would vanquish her in a heartbeat if she tried.

ESTELA: You’re lucky I’m not trying to hurt Diego, or I’d beat you easily--

VARYYN: Ha! As though anyone could defeat me in combat, one-on-one!

ESTELA: Oh, I bet I could--

DIEGO: Whoa, Varyyn, Estela, Ian, calm down!

IAN (confused): ...What did I do?

Diego grins broadly.

DIEGO: So, Varyyn and I have a great way to solve this. We challenge you to quuk'vaalanan!

He pauses expectantly. Estela and Ian simply stare blankly.

ESTELA: Care to explain?

VARYYN: The Challenge of the Body. A contest of strength which we Vaanti have been celebrating with since ancient times. Myself and Canis, against the two of you: Perseus and Draco. Do you accept?

Estela and Ian exchange a quick glance, a silent conversation passing between them in an instant. Then they both turn back to face Varyyn, nodding in unison.

IAN: Bring it on.

* * *

Raj sits across from a Vaanti named PAACHEL, who is wearing an elephant mask. The two of them shovel as much food as they can into their mouths. Paachel’s partner sits beside him with a series of empty drink glasses laid out on the table. He and Craig each guzzle down drink after drink, with both starting to show clear signs of intoxication. Raj takes another heaping helping of food and looks his opponent in the eye.

RAJ: Alright, dude, ready to give up yet?

Raj shovels another pile of food into his mouth. Paachel struggles to push another spoonful of food into his own mouth. Craig laughs and cheers.

CRAIG: Whassa’ matter, elephant man? Can’t handle it?

Raj and Paachel continue attempting to ingest more food; Raj is clearly winning. Paachel’s partner downs another drink as Craig attempts to do the same, but misses and knocks one of the drinks off of the table instead. He points at Paachel.

CRAIG: Maybe we should call ya... “Ele-pants!” ‘Cuz your pants are gonna... are gonna...

Craig flops over face-first onto the table, completely passed out.

PAACHEL: It is two against one now, Centaurus... do you surrender?

RAJ: Nah. I’m just gettin’ started!

* * *

In the jungle not far from the city, Uqzhaal leads Aleister, Grace, and little Taari down a trail. Aleister is deep in thought, clearly puzzling over something.

ALEISTER: “Always at home...” “...strong and mindful...”

TAARI (singing): Zawak na bahom, matapoten vo maistrom!

GRACE: I suppose one wouldn’t expect the riddle to rhyme in English as well as in Vaant’igua.

ALEISTER: Thus far, all of the answers have been natural aspects of the world around us. Therefore, this clue is most likely something in nature as well. “Always at home...” Ah! Perhaps a snail? They forever carry their “home” in their shells along with them.

UQZHAAL: Is this truly your answer, Serpens?

GRACE: No! No, it’s not. Al, snails aren’t exactly “strong,” are they? I don’t think that fits.

ALEISTER: Hmm. You are correct.

As he and Grace struggle to think of the answer, Taari skips around them excitedly.

TAARI (singsong): Pastudo, pastudo, the answer’s a pastudo!

UQZHAAL: Taari! Do not give away the answer to the Catalysts! They must solve this riddle on their own!

TAARI: I didn’t say it in their language! They won’t understand--

GRACE (thinking out loud): “Pastudo...” “always at home...” I feel like I’m missing something.

ALEISTER: Hmm... (with sudden realization) Of course! "Pastudo..." “Studo...” Testudines!

ALEISTER AND GRACE: It’s a turtle!

UQZHAAL (sighs): You are correct. And this is why certain children ought to stay silent and not spoil the answer for others.

TAARI: I didn’t know! How do you know our language, Cat-a-lissus?

Aleister and Grace exchange a glance.

ALEISTER: We... we don’t. It would seem much of your language is derived from Latin, which we both have studied extensively.

GRACE: Right! Even the Catalyst names you’ve given us... Serpens, Cygnus...

She gestures to Aleister and then herself respectively as she says the names.

GRACE: Both Latin. “The Serpent, The Swan.”

UQZHAAL: That cannot be. Our ancestors arrived to this place thousands of years ago. How do you know--

ALEISTER: Latin is an ancient language in our world. It is entirely possible your people were influenced by Latin in some way when developing their language.

Uqzhaal frowns, clearly unsure what to make of this statement.

UQZHAAL: Much of our people’s early days on this island remains shrouded in myth. I shall have to think on this more.

Taari frowns, tugging on Uqzhaal’s cloak.

TAARI: I promise not to spoil anything else! Keeper, Keeper, give them the next riddle!

Uqzhaal smiles at the young Vaanti boy.

UQZHAAL: ...Very well. The Challenge of the Mind continues.

GRACE: We’ve got this. Right, Al?

They exchange warm smiles.

ALEISTER: Naturally. There is no test of intellect the two of us cannot overcome!

UQZHAAL: We shall see, Catalysts. Now then, the next riddle is as follows...

* * *

Out on the water, not far from Elyys’tel’s beach, Jake, Sean, and Alyssa play a game against the three Vaanti who Sean was talking with earlier. The six of them all ride windsurfing boards as the two teams each attempt to gain control of a wooden ring in an effort to score points by slinging it over an ancient wooden buoy. One of the Vaanti, RIALA, speeds past Sean, her board’s wake causing him to nearly capsize. As he struggles to stay upright on the board, Riala snatches the wooden disc out of his hands.

RIALA: Too slow, Aquila! The Wind-Disc is mine!

She beelines straight toward the buoy. Alyssa and Jake follow in hot pursuit as Riala’s teammates attempt to block them. At the last possible second, however, Alyssa and Jake expertly dodge around the two other Vaanti and head straight for Riala in a perfectly timed pincer. As they draw closer, the faint glow of a Cuhupla bond becomes clearly visible in their eyes. Riala panics in surprise and accidentally drops the wind-disc; Jake deftly scoops it up and passes it to Alyssa with perfect precision. She jams the disc onto the buoy; the bond dispels shortly afterward.

RIALA: A Cuhupla bond?! That is not fair--

JAKE (shrugs): Hey, all’s fair in love, war, and... uh, whatever this game’s called.

ALYSSA: That’s not how that phrase goes, Top Gun--

RIALA: It is called quuk’tanoi! The Challenge of the Sea!

JAKE: ...Yeah. That.

Riala and her teammates circle around the buoy, picking up the disc and bringing it back to the shore to “reset” the game. Jake and Alyssa follow, joining up with Sean along the way.

RIALA: Fine, Catalysts. Let us play again. We are ready for your tricks this time, Daughter of Vaanu!

ALYSSA: Best two outta three? You’re on!

She, Jake, and Sean move close enough to each other to exchange high-fives before returning to their starting positions.

* * *

Further down the shore, Quinn and Michelle hold hands as they cheer in excitement from within a crowd of Vaanti spectators. A series of dozens of narrow wooden posts stick up out of the water a short distance away. Estela and Ian face off against Varyyn and Diego, leaping from post to post in an effort to knock the opposing team into the water with their wooden sparring-staffs.

QUINN: I don’t know who to root for! I want Estela and Ian to win... but I don’t want Diego to lose, either!

MICHELLE: I don’t care who wins. I’m just cheering for the fun of it!

Quinn smiles at her.

QUINN: Y’know? That’s a great idea! Gotta just have fun, right?

She takes a sip from a fiery drink much like the one Zahra was drinking earlier and lets out a loud whoop of excitement.

QUINN: GO EVERYONE! WOOOOO!

Diego leaps toward another post to avoid a swing from Ian... but he overbalances and wobbles precariously!

DIEGO: Whoaaaa!

IAN: Sorry, Diego... but I gotta play to win!

He prods Diego in the back with his staff, gently but strong enough to send him falling into the water with a splash. Much of the Vaanti crowd boos, but Diego quickly stands up in the waist-deep water, laughing.

DIEGO (dramatically): Avenge me, Varyyn!

Varyyn leaps to a post next to Ian and swings his staff. Ian catches it on his own staff; as they struggle to push each other back, Diego starts making lightsaber noises in the background. Finally, Varyyn overpowers Ian, sending him splashing into the water right next to Diego. The two boys exchange a brief, amused look at each other before breaking into laughter.

DIEGO: Y’know, I think the lightsaber noises did the trick. (shouting) Use the Force, Varyyn!

VARYYN: I am using much force, Canis!

IAN: C’mon, you’ve been here for six months and he doesn’t know Star Wars?

DIEGO (shrugs): They don’t exactly have online streaming out here, y’know.

IAN: Sure, but you’re great at recaps. You could tell him the story!

DIEGO: What, like Threepio with the Ewoks?

IAN: Yes, exactly like that!

DIEGO: Huh... hadn’t thought about it before--

Another splash makes them both look up. Varyyn has fallen into the water on the other side of the posts. Estela twirls her staff, turning to smile triumphantly at Ian. Diego nudges Ian as he smiles back at her.

DIEGO: Well, that was a predictable ending.

IAN: Hey, your boyfriend put up a good fight--

DIEGO: Who, Varyyn? I mean... he’s not...

IAN: Is this opposite day or something? Because me teasing you about your relationship feels backwards.

DIEGO: I... (laughs) Alright, fair enough. If I can dish it out, I can take it. I mean, it’s been six months. Varyyn and I...

* * *

Some time later, Raj staggers back toward the rest of the party, his belly full to bursting with food as he supports a barely-conscious Craig. When he spots the others, Raj shouts excitedly to them.

RAJ: Catalysts win! We are the champions of eating contests!

CRAIG (slurring heavily): We... yeah... we win... whooooo...

The other Catalysts all start cheering.

ALL CATALYSTS EXCEPT RAJ AND CRAIG (chanting): Raj! Raj! Raj! Raj!

RAJ: You know it! ...Though I don’t wanna look at food again for a while. Another few days, at least.

SERAXA: Congratulations on your victory, Centaurus.

RAJ: Thanks!

VARYYN: This has been an enjoyable time. Truly a Valinorim that will go down in our people’s memory for many years to come. Now, then, let us continue with--

A sudden commotion from the direction of Elyys’tel’s entrance catches everyone’s attention. Estela immediately tenses up, ready to fight, while the other Catalysts all look toward the entrance with apprehension.

GRACE: ...What’s going on?

DIEGO: Varyyn? Is, uh... is this a normal part of the Valinorim?

VARYYN: No... I do not know what is happening. (authoritatively) Warriors! What is the meaning of this--

The crowd of Vaanti parts, and the warrior Calvia roughly shoves someone down onto the floor in front of Varyyn. The figure is clearly human, not Vaanti... her hair is a mess, filled with stray twigs and leaves, and the yellow shirt she wears is wrinkled, torn, and covered with dirt. She looks up at the assembled crowd, and the Catalysts gasp in recognition.

ESTELA (suspiciously): Lila? What is she doing here--

Quinn rushes forward to help her up as Calvia nods to Varyyn.

CALVIA: My elyyshar. We found this one wandering the nearby jungles. She was previously seen assisting Hydra at the Temple of Canis--

LILA: No, wait! Please! I had no choice... Rourke would’ve killed me if I hadn’t gone with him. I escaped as soon as I could and came straight here! There’s something you need to know--something he’s kept secret from all of you...

UQZHAAL: It cannot be a coincidence that one of the First Catalysts has arisen in our midst so soon after the Valinorim. Auriga, what brings you here?

She looks at the Catalysts one by one.

LILA: Rourke wants to keep you all trapped here. But I know a way home.

_______________________

Scene Notes: And so Lila returns to the story! Just like Kele and Varyyn, she's been given a Catalyst name as well, "Auriga." Also, we've reached the end of Act 1!

_______________________

Next: Portal to Home

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[sceptilemasterr]

Endless Winter (ES Book 2) Act 1, Scene 10 - Heart of the Island

Title: Endless Winter

Main Pairings: Estela x Ian (M!MC), Jake x Alyssa (F!MC)

Other Pairings: Craig x Zahra, Grace x Aleister, Michelle x Quinn, Diego x Varyyn

Genre: Full Rewrite

Rating: PG-13 for swearing, violence, alcohol, and sexuality

Summary: Quinn's secret finally catches up to her following the battle with Cetus.

Previous Scene: Trial by Water

Masterlist: Link

INT. ELYYS'TEL THRONE ROOM - EVENING

Light from the setting sun shines through the throne room’s eastern windows along with a series of large holes left by Cetus’s teeth. The Catalysts all stand inside the room; Ian, Alyssa, Jake, Estela, and Diego are now clad in Vaanti warrior garb. Kele is notably absent, as he is still recovering. A large number of Vaanti civilians begin filing inside. Varyyn, seated on the throne, taps his feet nervously.

DIEGO: Relax. You’re gonna do great. The people love you!

VARYYN: I am not... I am not ready for this burden, Diego. Compared to my mother, I am only--

DIEGO: “Only” a hero! “Only” a city-saving, tower-raiding, Cetus-butt-kicking amazing warrior!

VARYYN (completely seriously): I do not believe Cetus has what one could properly call a “butt.”

Nearby, Zahra and Craig start giggling uncontrollably. Varyyn looks at them in confusion.

VARYYN: Why was this funny? I do not understand...

Uqzhaal enters the throne room, carrying Ximaedra’s headdress in his hands, and the room immediately goes quiet. Diego gives Varyyn’s hand a quick squeeze before taking a few steps away to take his spot between Ian and Raj. The crowd of Vaanti part, allowing Uqzhaal to approach Varyyn, who nods to the old shaman.

UQZHAAL: And so the cycle renews once again. Just as all life begins and ends through Vaanu, so to does the hope of all Elyys’tel rest upon the shoulders of our elyyshar.

At the mention of Vaanu, the entire crowd of Vaanti involuntarily glances toward Ian and Alyssa. Alyssa shrugs and waves at them while Ian simply shuffles his feet awkwardly.

UQZHAAL: Rise now, Elyyshar Varyyn Ximaeiho, Orion of the Catalysts.

Uqzhaal places the crown atop Varyyn’s head. Varyyn takes a deep breath, then slowly stands up as the other Vaanti kneel in reverence. Raj and several of the other Catalysts break out into applause.

RAJ: Whooooo! Yeah! Go Varyyn!

Uqzhaal and several of the Vaanti give him a look.

RAJ (embarrassed): ...Guess you guys don’t do clapping. Whoops.

VARYYN: Fear not, Centaurus. I understand that this is a show of respect and appreciation among your people. Please, do continue!

Raj resumes clapping, and this time all of the other Catalysts join in enthusiastically. Many of the Vaanti begin attempting to do the same, though not always properly (clapping only with the fingers, or using the entire length of the forearms to clap, or waving one’s arms around aimlessly). Varyyn smiles at the assembled crowd, and eventually the applause dies down.

VARYYN: We have much to answer for. Nearly six sheaves of days ago, I led a war party to the Torehydra. Rather than making an effort to explain ourselves to the Catalysts, we made the mistake of resorting to violence in our efforts to bring them here to Elyys’tel. For that, I do formally apologize.

He looks over at the Catalysts, who all shake their head and smile back at him.

SEAN: It’s in the past. We’re here now, aren’t we?

VARYYN: Indeed we are. Thank you, Aquila.

He turns back to face the assembled crowd.

VARYYN: Now, we move forward together. Catalyst and Vaanti, side by side. The Children of Vaanu have returned to us... and yet we nearly exiled them earlier this very day. We shall not repeat these mistakes. We shall look ahead, to the future, which we shall face as one!

The Vaanti look on in silence, until Varyyn sits back down in his throne. The Catalysts all break out into more applause... and soon the Vaanti follow suit!

CRAIG (chanting): Var-yyn! Var-yyn! Var-yyn!

The others join in on his chant, and the hall is quickly filled with the sounds of jubilant cheering. Diego pulls Varyyn into a brief embrace.

DIEGO: Told you! You were awesome!

VARYYN: I--!

Varyyn quickly recovers his composure.

VARYYN: Yes. Thank you, Diego. For believing in me.

DIEGO: Any time!

As everyone is celebrating, Quinn places a hand to her forehead, wincing in pain. She starts to sneak her way around the edges of the throne room, heading for the exit. Michelle gazes after her, concerned. She nudges Ian.

MICHELLE (whispering): Quinn doesn’t look good. I’m worried. Somebody should--

IAN (whispering): She trusts you more than anyone, Michelle. Except maybe ‘Lyss.

He nods toward his sister, who is currently deep in conversation with Jake, Diego, Zahra, and Craig.

IAN (whispering): Better go after her. Ceremony or no, she needs you.

Michelle gives him a grateful smile.

MICHELLE (whispering): Thanks, Ian. Be right back.

She follows Quinn’s lead, sneaking her way around the edges of the crowd and out of the throne room as well. Ian watches her go for a moment, then turns his attention back to the quickly-dispersing crowd as Sean claps him on the shoulder.

SEAN: Hey, Mr. Big-Shot. “Son of Vaanu” and all that. How are you feeling?

IAN (laughing): Yeah... it’s a lot to take in. But I’m not getting attacked by a sea monster anymore, which is a plus.

SEAN: Ha. True. (more seriously) Listen. Just because the Vaanti gave you this huge destiny, that doesn’t mean you and your sister have to handle everything alone. We’re all still here for you. I’m still here.

Ian smiles at him and pulls him into a quick hug.

IAN: Thanks, Sean. Seriously. It’s nice to know you’ve got my back.

He looks back at Varyyn and Diego, then over to Alyssa, before returning his gaze to Sean.

IAN: Honestly? This whole “children of Vaanu” thing kind of explains a lot. I might not understand all of it, but it’s starting to make some kinda sense. So, that’s a plus.

SEAN: Great attitude. Keep it up!

IAN: I will--

MICHELLE (O.S.) (shouting): HELP! SOMEONE, QUICK! WE NEED HELP!

The Catalysts all tense up, glancing toward the entrance of the throne room. Michelle sprints in a moment later, Quinn’s limp form cradled in her arms. Sean immediately dashes to her side, helping her carry Quinn.

SEAN: What can I do?

MICHELLE: Find something to lie her down on! Quick!

Varyyn leaps to his feet, grabbing the cushions off of the throne and arranging them in a neat pile on the floor. Michelle and Sean gently lower Quinn onto the cushions. Quinn is completely unconscious, breathing shallowly. Michelle looks over her with concern.

MICHELLE: I’m such an idiot! I should’ve figured it out before! The fatigue, nosebleeds, coughing, severe weakness... textbook Rotterdam’s Syndrome! I should’ve-- I could’ve--

Furball brushes his nose up against Quinn’s comatose body, purring sadly. Michelle pounds her fist on the floor, making the little creature yelp in surprise.

MICHELLE (angrily): I’m so stupid! Why didn’t I see it earlier?

In the background, Uqzhaal approaches Varyyn, and the two begin doing something with the elyyshar’s throne. Alyssa rests a gentle hand on Michelle’s shoulder.

ALYSSA: Michelle...

IAN: I can try... y’know, ‘reversing’ her? Maybe that would--

MICHELLE: This isn’t an injury. It’s a genetic disorder. You won’t change the fact that she’ll inevitably progress slowly from slight fatigue, to respiratory difficulties, to bleeding and weakness, then end up in a coma...

RAJ (confused): But... none of that was slow at all! When we landed here, she was fine, right? All that only started a few days ago.

ZAHRA: Yeah. Just after we jumped... forward... in time...

Alyssa stares down at Quinn’s comatose form in shocked realization.

ALYSSA (horrified): No... I can’t... I didn’t...

IAN: ‘Lyss, it’s not--

JAKE: Princess--!

She shuts her eyes tightly and sprints out of the throne room, tears streaming down her face. Jake starts to go after her, but Estela holds out an arm, stopping him.

JAKE: Move it, Dragon Rage--

Estela says nothing, simply fixing him with a look. She shakes her head.

JAKE: ...Ah, you’re right. She needs her space. Dammit, I wish she’d stop beatin’ herself up over all this.

ESTELA: She’s strong. She’ll pull through.

JAKE: Yeah... just wish we could say the same for Ariel back there.

He nods his head in Quinn’s direction, where Michelle is hovering over her worriedly, clearly wracking her brain for some kind of solution to the illness.

MICHELLE: Ugh, this is--no. I wish we were at the Celestial! At least there we had some kind of supplies... but here I’m even more helpless. Quinn, please! I can’t--

Tears begin streaming down her face as she gazes at Quinn’s unconscious face helplessly. Uqzhaal and Varyyn approach her; the old Keeper holds an unusual glowing, crystalline orb in his hands, encased in vines. It glows with the same greenish-golden light as the energy from Alyssa and Ian’s powers. Michelle looks up at Uqzhaal curiously, as beside them, Ian gazes with rapt attention at the orb.

IAN: What... that thing... What is that? It’s almost calling to me. Is anyone else feeling that?

CRAIG: Nah, dude, that’s all you. Somethin’ to do with that crazy “Veenoo” stuff?

ZAHRA: It’s “Vaanu,” you moron.

CRAIG: Yeah, that’s what I said!

Zahra sighs and rolls her eyes.

MICHELLE: Uqzhaal...?

UQZHAAL: The vine intertwined with Delphinus’s branches has woefully pulled her down. But... the Endless Ones spoke of this moment. The Catalysts must live... all of the Catalysts.

Michelle blinks at him, his words beginning to register. She is hesitant, afraid to hope.

MICHELLE: "The Catalysts must live..." you can...?

VARYYN: Keeper Uqzhaal holds our most sacred treasure. The Vaanusor: the heart of this island itself. A single touch from the Heart is said to renew any living thing.

MICHELLE (laughs weakly): About a week ago, I would’ve called that nonsense. But... now...

She glances at Ian, remembering all the incredible things she has already witnessed since coming to the island. Then she nods at Uqzhaal and Varyyn.

UQZHAAL: Our legends warn us never to use it ourselves. But the Endless Ones have spoken. As Catalysts, any one of you will be able to benefit from its power. To be renewed.

JAKE: Hold up. “Any one of us?”

UQZHAAL: So the Endless Ones said.

MICHELLE: I...

She looks back down at Quinn, then swallows and nods resolutely.

MICHELLE: Do it.

UQZHAAL: Prince Varr--ahem. My elyyshar. The honor is yours.

Uqzhaal hands the Vaanusor to Varyyn, who takes it reverently. Vaanu kneels and sets the orb beside Quinn’s head, then unties the knot of vines from the top of the orb, allowing them to fall away. The orb pulses with a faint light, which almost seems to be flowing into Quinn. Ian can barely take his eyes off of the orb.

MICHELLE: What now?

UQZHAAL: Now we wait... and hope.

As the others begin to talk softly amongst themselves, Zahra looks down at Quinn, a pained expression on her face. Then her gaze drifts over toward the exit. She sighs.

ZAHRA: I need some air.

Craig stares after her, confused, as she turns and leaves the room without another word. Behind him, on the makeshift bed of pillows, Quinn lies comatose... and her skin begins to glow a faint dark green...

_______________________

Scene Notes: Finally, an explanation for some of the deviances from canon: turns out the Endless One(s) have been taking care of a few more things behind the scenes! Hence the Island's Heart being already found here, and the time-loop crystal having already been broken in an earlier chapter. It's also a convenient way to streamline the plot a bit more, of course!

_______________________

Next: Sunset Chat

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