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one-winged-dreams · 2 years

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“ship” >:c : Uniform Nonconformity (Bastille (boo) x Adriel) word count: 1645

don’t look at me

Adriel huffed, his head resting in his hand as he sat watching his crew milling about their usual routine.

'Like ants,' he thought to himself as he made a face of indignation. It's not like they were a particularly troublesome group. On the contrary, they were quite well-behaved and loyal to boot. So dedicated to the cause, were they, that they would lay down their lives if given the order, practically without question.

It made him sick.

The idea of how anyone could be so dedicated to the corruption of the World Government eluded him. Yes, he hated this crew with every fiber of his being. But the job demanded he play his role and play his role he would. Easy enough, one could say.

"Captain! We've spotted pirates off the starboard bow!"

Adriel arched a brow as his eyes came back into focus, staring down the crewman before him.

"Eh? What do you want me to do about it?" he straightened himself a bit, scoffing internally. He had no intention of getting into it with pirates today. He generally wasn't too bothered by them, personally. Someone wants to break the laws of the sea, be my guest, was his standing on the matter.

The crewman wilted a bit, seeming to falter. "Well... We just... Thought-"

"Intercept them at once -dara!"

Adriel's blood boiled immediately. Easy enough job, except for HIM.

Scowling hatefully, he stood up and turned to look at the giant man that had come up behind him, fists clenching at his sides.

"Oh? And for what reason?" he tried to maintain his demeanor as best he could, prickly as it still was.

Bastille's arms were folded as he looked down, down, DOWN at the smaller man. "We uphold the laws of the sea, Captain. It's what the Navy, does, taking care of pirates included -dara!" he didn't seem at all phased by Adriel's glowering, nor his reluctance to carry out his job. No one ever was.

"With all due respect, VICE ADMIRAL," he practically spat the words, "this is MY ship and MY crew. I think I can handle our courses of action well enough," his teeth were grit tightly, fighting back the rage this man brought him. Like it always did.

God, he hated the Marines, but Bastille was a whole other level.

The man in question opened his mouth to speak, but Adriel suddenly perked, his eyebrows raising as he abruptly turned. His gaze darted around, eventually landing upon a trail of red smoke only he could see, leading directly to the center of the deck.

"FUCK'S sake," he sighed gruffly, turning to the crew. "Battle stations!"

Everyone stood around looking at each other. Morons. Adriel mentally counted down before a cannonball exploded directly into the area that had been projected, sending shrapnel showering everywhere.

"I said BATTLE STATIONS, fucking idiots!"

That got them moving.

Everyone scrambled to their posts, readying cannons and swords and guns; whatever they felt was best to keep themselves alive or make pirates very dead.

Truthfully, he didn't care how many of these cretins died. But he did have some sense of self-preservation, so might as well make sure the ship didn't go down in flames.

With that, he strode across the deck with the utmost confidence, occasionally adjusting his trajectory as he seemed to dodge cannonballs like magic. Any implication of such would be met with a huff of disdain.

No, it was all attributed to his specific Devil Fruit power. The track-track fruit. Able to see the trajectory of incoming objects as a red smoke and outgoing objects as a green smoke, he was downright formidable when it came to ranged battle.

So far, he was displaying his uncanny ability to dodge. Now it was time to demonstrate his offensive capability.

As he neared one of the gunners, he took a stance behind him menacingly, arms folded. "3 inches to the right," he ordered gruffly.

The crewmen on this ship knew that their Captain was not to be questioned when it came to taking aim. Immediately making to follow his order, he froze when Adriel growled.

"I said THREE inches, that was four. NO, you moved it two inches BACK. FUCK'S SAKE, GIVE ME THAT."

The gunner was grabbed by the back of his shirt suddenly, tossed aside without so much as a warning as Adriel manned the cannon. He began adjusting it methodically, and with the kind of purpose of a man who didn't want to waste a second of time, he fired.

Aim proving just as true as ever, the sound of an explosion could be heard clear across the space between the two ships. It sounded as if a powder keg had been ignited by the blast as several more explosions followed suit.

The Navy dogs barked their triumphant cries and Adriel scoffed. Why his displays of power set them off so, he would never understand. Before he could order them to get back to their damn battle stations, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Impressive as ever, Captain! With a few more shots like that, I wouldn't be surprised if you finished them off so soon -dara!" Bastille praised, giving the shoulder he had touched a pat.

Adriel's face went red. With rage? It had to be. Whirling around, he stared up at him with burning bewilderment. "D-Don't touch me!" his flustered stammer was utterly unflattering to his usual aggressive demeanor as he took a few steps back. Wide-eyed gaze so fixed upon the Vice-Admiral, it wasn't until a crewman shouted 'Incoming!' that he noticed the cannonball hurtling towards him.

"SHIT!" Wood shrapnel. Air. Splash.

When his wits returned to him, he had already begun to sink. The surface of the water swallowed him and then began to fade further and further away. Down into the sea he continued to fall, engulfed in the salty brine as he held onto what little breath he managed to salvage before going under. The sound of cannon fire was becoming more muffled, and suddenly, he gasped out, losing his precious breath as the pain of a shrapnel wound clouded the water around him with blood.

'Fucking... embarrassing,' he thought to himself, grinding his teeth with rage even as he began to black out. 'Stupid...'

It felt like only an instant passed before his eyes shot open. Coughing violently was his first priority, all but vomiting seawater across... the deck? He was being held? Still weakened by the sea, he struggled to raise his head, noticing he was under the arm of 9'7" of Vice-Admiral. As he looked up further, he was just in time to see the bastard Bastille look down at him, his frown the only indication of concern Adriel could make out past the mask.

'Put me down, goddammit!' he wanted to yell at him, wanted to hit him, and scream all sorts of obscenities. But deep, heaving breaths were all he could do to not pass out again, so he didn't resist. Forced to be painfully aware of every single second of being manhandled like a doll in this giant man's arms.

After what seemed like an eternity, he was placed down on the deck, more hacking coughs wracking him as his worthless crew gathered around.

"Captain!" "Are you alright, Captain?" "That was close!"

A dozen jumbled voices buzzed in his ears and he growled, his head snapping up. "Shut the fuck up and leave me alone...!" he croaked, weakly raising a hand and trying to wave them off.

"That was a close one -dara."

Adriel's head whipped around, seeing Bastille crouched next to him, his hair and clothes dripping wet. Of course he'd still be there, why wouldn't he? What else would he do, leave him the fuck alone like he wanted? No, he had to rub proverbial salt in the wound by lingering about as if he was concerned about his well-being.

"Shut u- GH!" he winced, doubling over. Speaking of salt in wounds.

"Captain, you're bleeding!" One of the crewmen, being an idiot as usual.

"I'm fine...!" he rasped, looking down to see an amount of blood dripping from his outer thigh. It wasn't substantial by any means but the wood shard lodged within might have constituted as a problem.

Bastille was frowning, his mouth pursed into a thin line. "That doesn't look fine," he DARED to comment, making Adriel simmer with hate. Looking over his shoulder, he huffed. "Looks like the pirates are retreating -dara."

Adriel wanted to growl. "You want us to go after them?" his tone was dripping with sarcasm.

The Vice-Admiral watched the ship become a small dot in the distance. "No point now -dara. Hopefully, they learned their lesson. Besides," he turned his attention back to the smaller man, "You need medical attention. No sense in letting the Captain bleed out on the deck -dara."

He SMIRKED. Adriel wanted to tackle him back into the ocean.

"Fine. Whatever. Get me a doctoRRRWHATAREYOUDOING!?" he shouted out in surprise as he was lifted again, trying to struggle but letting out a 'ghh!' as the pain from the shrapnel wound flared with his movements.

"You don't think you can walk YOURSELF, do you -dara? You're headstrong, Captain, but not invincible," Bastille chuckled in a way that made Adriel want to go for his throat.

His face was on fire, this was humiliating. The pit of his stomach burned with the intensity of the sun, immolating him from within as he was carried oh so effortlessly. Rage. It was rage. It had to be.

"You can't just pick people up without their consent, it's rude as shit! You can't- ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME!?" Adriel weakly struck his shoulder and the bastard LAUGHED. The tips of the Captain's ears began to burn now.

"You can punish me for it later -dara."

Adriel saw red.

#self ship #self shipping #dream fics #uniform nonconformity

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luverofralts · 3 years

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Post Arkhelios

The cards were saying nothing intelligible to Roman. He had been stuck for almost a week now in Arkhelios, pretending to be unable to leave his house. He was pretty sure that his mom was buying it, though his grandmother had given him some sideways looks when he stepped half an inch off the porch. She noticed everything, and what she didn’t see for herself, she claimed the cards told her.

Roman was getting a little better at reading the tarot cards, but nothing really popped up but death, death and more death. Malika had assured him that the death card was usually just a warning of endings and change, but seeing it pop back up again and again was wearing thin on his nerves. Who was in danger now? Were the cards warning him of his death, or Abe’s or even that of their baby?

It made matters even worse that the cards never mentioned a baby in his readings, something Malika said was unfortunate, but not unexpected. Those types of things happened all the time. If Adriel had been right about him, and he was actually related to a demon, his major suspicion was that Malika was the branch of the family tree it had come from. Who said things like that to their grandson? Fortunately for his sanity, Malika was in the middle of a seance and was safely out of range for Roman to hear her grating voice.

He broke his concentration on the cards when a small buzzing went off across the table. Malika had left her phone there to prepare to “channel the dead” or whatever it was she really did, finally giving Roman access to the internet. It was a super old flip phone, and he couldn't log into any of his accounts, but just being near modern technology was a welcome break from card reading.

He looked at the text message that had just come in. Snooping was only fair for imprisoning him for weeks. It was a text from Melvin Hydes. Roman opened the text and nearly dropped the phone in shock.

Malika

Abe Chun has lost the baby and is in serious condition. Air lifting him to a different hospital now. Elaine and family en route as well. Please meet me before I leave in Factory Park in about twenty minutes. I will tell you more in person. Don’t tell Roman until we know more about the situation, I don’t want to inflame the situation until Abe is stable.

Roman felt like the room was spinning all of a sudden, and he was losing control of his lungs. Abe lost the baby? Abe was being airlifted somewhere? The death card mocked him on the table, and Roman was certain that he was dying himself the way his senses were failing him. He had to go to Factory Park and meet with Melvin, or at the very least overhear what he would tell Malika. Who had been planning on telling him about Abe? Would they have just let his grandparents tell him while smugly telling him that they had been right all along about the message from the cards? Was he going to miss what could be Abe’s last moments because their parents were constantly fighting?

Roman checked to make sure he was alone before jumping. Salem was snoring on the living room couch, and he could hear Kamalani’s pottery wheel spinning. He wouldn’t be noticed for a while, especially since Malika was still doing her seance, and it could be some time before she saw her message.

Hold on Abe, I’m coming.

Factory Park was always dark at night when the factories shut down, but it seemed even darker now with the news about Abe and the memories of Kaeileen’s recent death. She had loved this stupid park, and now she was dead. Like Abe could soon be dead.

He took a seat on the bench and waited for Melvin to arrive. Why bother hiding like he’d initially planned? He needed answers about Abe and the baby and Malika was never going to share those with him. Lucy must be terrified right now, both her and her mother. Roman wondered if anyone was planning on telling Ian the news. He had a right to know too, even if he was...strange and unpleasant at the moment.

Oh Abe....

Roman tried to grapple with the idea that he was no longer going to be a father. This pregnancy wasn’t something he had planned for, but so much had happened to him since he found out about it. He had a storage locker full of baby things from Pleasantview that he had no idea what to do with, but that was nothing compared with the crippling sense of loss he felt. He had grown excited to be a dad, to be out of the closet living with Abe, but what would happen now?

What would he do if Abe didn’t pull through? Roman wished that the text message had been more specific, but maybe that’s why Melvin had wanted to meet in person. Hearing bad news via text usually made things worse. What had even happened? Adam was supposedly worried about Abe enough that he hadn’t been able to fly to Pleasantview, but was it something so severe that his life was in danger?

Roman could hear footsteps coming towards him, and he stood to greet the person approaching.

It wasn’t Melvin that approached him.

“What are you-” Roman started a sentence, then realized what was truly happening here. A different sort of panic now washed over him. “Abe isn’t really hurt, is he? This is a trap.”

You’re so stupid Roman! Why would Melvin be texting your grandmother about a medical emergency? Especially one that required a meeting in Murder Park late at night?

The figure nodded slowly. “For now,” it said. “But his turn is next, don’t worry. You’ll be together again soon enough.”

Roman gulped as the figure produced a gun from their jacket.

I’m going to die. Oh my god, this is where I actually die.

“Why are you doing thi-”

An echoing bang cut through the air, and Roman collapsed on the ground, slumped not too far from where Abraham’s body had been found. Roman could hear footsteps on the sidewalk as the figure left the scene. No, as his killer left the scene.

Blood was quickly pouring out of the wound on his chest, and Roman closed his eyes and tried to move through the pain. It was no use, he wasn’t going anywhere.

I wonder if they will have to bulldoze this stupid park now that there have been two murders here.

He was starting to feel drowsy and light headed from the blood loss.

Abe, please don’t forget me. Be smarter than I was and leave this cursed place while you still can.

#ts2 #sims 2 #arkhelios #post arkhelios #tw: blood #tw: death #sims 2 pictures #Roman Bellamy

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thanks--for--listening · 4 years

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resurrection

ok i know i still have other fics to write but i got mad at those so here’s a little warrior nun fic instead. consider this my formal request for a better wig for lilith in season 2. (also on ao3.)

Lilith had never cared much about her hair. For as long as she could remember, it held no importance to her or the people around her. When she joined the OCS, when she began to cover it, she’d felt no sense of loss, no internal conflict. She’d hardly paid it any attention — what did she care whether others could see it or not? Hair didn’t matter, appearances didn’t matter. Not as much as strength, intelligence, coordination. Not as much as duty. Not as much as a legacy.

Now she couldn’t stop staring at the mirror. Her reflection looked back at her, but all she saw was a stranger. She didn’t know this girl, with her grey hair and her coward’s eyes. She didn’t know this body, with a mind of its own and a history it refused to share. The person she used to see had died in that warehouse, and it’s replacement was second-rate. Undeserving of taking her place. Damaged beyond repair.

“Hey, Cruella DeVil, you done admiring yourself yet? Or do the rest of us have to find another bathroom in this godforsaken place?” Mary’s voice broke her train of thought, and Lilith watched in the mirror as she walked up behind her. Something inside her twisted at the sight, at how every part of her appearance remained familiar. Despite everything that had happened, everything she’d lost, Mary hadn’t let it change her. She’d been strong enough to hold onto consistency.

“Don’t say that,” she heard Camila say, before seeing her head pop into the reflection behind her other shoulder. The hotel rooms they’d managed to hide in after the battle didn’t leave much room for privacy, it would seem. That, or her roommates simply didn’t comprehend the concept, or care enough to respect it. “I think it looks beautiful.”

“Oh, it’s definitely badass. There’s no doubt about that. I’m just saying, put on a fur coat, adjust the colors a little...”

“Her hair is prettier than that silly cartoon’s. And you know, I think grey is in right now.” She ran her fingers through it, and it took everything Lilith had not to flinch at the touch. “Lots of people would spend hours in a salon to try and get that color.”

“Yeah, you’re a real trendsetter now,” Mary laughed, and Lilith wanted to laugh with them, wanted to give a snarky response, wanted to do anything the old her would have, but she couldn’t. That woman was dead. And no miracle or Halo could ever bring her back.

She saw rather than felt Mary’s hand on her shoulder. “Hey,” she said, her voice soft and serious in an instant. “What’s wrong?”

Lilith didn’t know why she was asking until she shifted her gaze, saw the tears slowly making their way down her own cheeks. She couldn’t find it in herself to care enough to wipe them away. “I don’t know who that is,” she whispered.

“You don’t know who who is?” Camila asked hesitantly. “Do you...see someone?”

Lilith shook her head. Words had never been her preferred method of self expression, but she searched for an explanation nonetheless. “I look in the mirror and I see myself, but it’s not me. Not really.”

“It doesn’t matter what your hair looks like. You are the same Lilith you have always been.”

“You and I both know that’s not true, Mary,” she whispered. “Something happened to me. Something’s...wrong. And I don’t know what it is. How to fix it. Whether it can even be fixed.”

No one spoke for a moment. Between running away and desperately searching for a place to regroup, they hadn’t found the time to discuss her recent resurrection, or any of the complications that came with it. Part of her wondered if she’d even still be here if they had. There were only so many times she could apologize to Ava for trying to kill her, and if she couldn’t trust herself, how could she possibly expect the others to do the same?

“Maybe,” Camila said, “it’s not supposed to be fixed.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you were supposed to be dead, but you’re not. Nobody’s ever come back the way you have. That has to be a good thing.”

“What part of this could possibly be considered good?” She snapped. “I don’t remember what happened to me. I keep losing moments, losing control. And when I do, I hurt people.”

“That’s not what it looked like to me when we were fighting Adriel.”

“That’s because you weren’t at the tomb. I attacked Ava. Fought against us. I almost ruined everything.”

Mary’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Did you?”

The memory of being restrained, held back, held together, echoed in her mind. “You know I did,” she said softly, shame creeping into her voice without her permission. “You were there.”

Mary shook her head. “No, I mean, we thought you were attacking us. But that’s because we thought Ava needed to get into the tomb. You were the only one who knew going in there was a bad idea. That it would put us all in danger.”

She tried to think back. She remembered fighting, but it was all blurry. Like she was watching herself from above. Like she wasn’t the one in control. The feeling hadn’t gone away until she’d felt Mary’s arms wrapped around her, her words an anchor bringing her back to the surface.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I don’t know why I did it. I don’t know how I knew. It was as if someone else was using my body — I was just along for the ride.”

“Was it like a voice in your head?”

“No. It was more like...a feeling. Like I was acting on instinct. Only, I don’t know whose instincts.”

“Well,” Mary said, “I don’t know about you, but the next time you get that feeling, I say we let it play out.”

“Yeah,” Camila said. “Everything we thought we knew was wrong. Maybe wherever you went is trying to help us. Maybe it sent you back because it knew we’d need you.”

“Need me? You can’t even trust me. I can’t even trust me.”

“Hey,” Mary grabbed her shoulders, turned her until they were face to face. “There is nothing you could do to make me not trust you. You are the most honorable person I know— I’d follow you anywhere.”

“I tried to pull the Halo out of Ava. And that was before the Tarask.”

“A brief lapse in judgement doesn’t erase what I know to be true. And that is that you will always try and do the right thing, even if it kills you. So if something hitched a ride with you on the way back from wherever that Tarask took you, maybe we oughta give it a chance.”

“You could be the key,” Camila said, and she couldn’t see her but she could hear the smile in her voice. “You could be what saves us all.”

“I just—“ she turned, stared at her reflection, waited for something to change. “I don’t see it.”

Camila gasped. “I know what you need!” She exclaimed, before turning around and running out the door.

Mary sighed. “I love that girl to death, but I’m one squeal away from sending her to Ava and Beatrice’s room.”

Her words almost dragged a smile onto her face, but the feeling didn’t last. “Mary,” she said quietly, “I know you want to believe that whatever happened to me is good.”

“We don’t know that it isn’t.”

Lilith just nodded. “If it isn’t, though, if...if I ever go too far, if I get too lost, I need you to promise me—“

“No, Lilith, I—“

“Promise me you’ll save them. Promise me you’ll stop me. No matter what it takes.”

Mary shook her head. “Find someone else to fulfil your death wish. I won’t do it.”

“I can’t ask anyone else. Camila’s too gentle to hurt a friend. Beatrice wouldn’t be able to live with herself afterwards. And Ava’s too important to have the others turn on her for doing what I told her. It has to be you, Mary.”

“What, and you think I’d be totally fine with killing you?”

“No, but--”

“How heartless do you think I am?”

The words hit her like a knife to the gut, the look she gave her twisting it until the pain was almost unbearable. Lilith forced herself to talk through it. “I’m not asking because I think you’re heartless. You’re the strongest person I know. I trust you more than I trust myself. I don’t want to ask you, but I also don’t want to hurt you. That’s why I need you to promise me you won’t let me.”

Mary hesitated. “There’s more to it than that, isn’t there?”

Lilith nodded, forced herself to keep eye contact, to pretend like she still had the courage she used to. “The others believe in divine intervention; you and I both know whatever happened to me is more likely the other way around.”

“We don’t know anything yet, Lilith.”

“Please, Mary,” she begged, and she knew the tears had come back but again she let them be. “If I hurt you, if I hurt any of them, I—“

“Hey,” Mary pulled her closer and she let her, rested her head on her shoulder. With anyone else she would have run, would have had to fight through the discomfort, but Mary had a way of making her feel safe in a way no one else did. “I trust you, 100 percent. And I promise I’ll make sure you don’t hurt anyone if you ever lose control. But I’m not killing you, Lilith.”

“Mary—“

“I won’t need to. I’ve always been the better fighter, anyway. Possessed or not, I’m coming out on top.”

She scoffed. Leave it to Mary to turn her heartfelt moment of vulnerability into a contest, although she had to work to fight back the smile that threatened to make an appearance in spite of the tears. “Maybe I should have asked Beatrice — at least she’d have a chance at beating me. If she got lucky.”

“Oh, it’s like that, huh? You take a trip to the other side and forget about the ass kicking I gave you on the pier?”

“One fight doesn’t outweigh years of victories.”

“Yeah, if that’s what you need to tell yourself to sleep at night, go ahead.” Mary laughed, and Lilith wondered what she’d done to get so lucky, to have someone like her stick around after everything she’d done. She wasn’t sure she could ever do enough to deserve her.

“Got it!” They turned to find Camila running back into the room, scissors raised above her head.

“Oh, absolutely not.”

“It’s Girl Code 101, Mary! When something bad happens, you cut your hair.”

“That’s for getting rejected by your crush, not getting stabbed by a—“

“It’ll still work! Trust me, all the magazines say that when you need to make a fresh start, you have to change your appearance. And since the Tarask did the dye job for us…” she opened and closed the scissors a few times, and Lilith wondered if maybe she should be nervous.

“Yeah, no. I’m getting Beatrice.”

“Get Ava, too!” She called after Mary as she walked out the door. “She’ll agree with me!”

The door shut behind her. Lilith felt her absence like a weight, heavy and hard and impossible to ignore. She’d known Mary the longest, had grown to find every part of her familiar, but Camila was still a bit of an unknown. The only significant time they’d spent alone together had been at the lab; now, Camila crept up next to her, put the scissors down and reached for her hair with no hesitation. Lilith didn’t flinch, didn’t pull away, even when her mind begged her to run. Something kept her in place, something stronger than logic and habit. She couldn’t put a name to the feeling.

“I won’t do it if you don’t want me to,” Camila said as she collected all the stray strands of grey, “but I think maybe your problem is that you’re trying to look for the past in your reflection. You can try all you want, but the mirror can’t show you that. So maybe,” she folded her hair up so it looked like it hung just above her shoulders, “it’ll be easier to let go if you get to control what the present looks like instead.”

Lilith couldn’t look away. She knew it wasn’t real, not yet, but there was something about it that felt...better. She caught Camila’s eyes in the mirror. “How did you get so wise?”

Camila winked. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

They looked at each other, and Lilith thought maybe she’d underestimated her, had seen a smile and a shiny surface and failed to look deeper. She decided she wouldn’t make that mistake a second time.

“Okay,” she sighed. “Do it.”

She closed her eyes, felt Camila drop her hair down her back. She thought about everything that led her here. The life she’d had, the future she’d envisioned for herself. It felt so far away, so irrelevant in comparison to everything that had happened since she’d given her life for Ava’s. The Lilith who’d dreamed about that future didn’t exist anymore, but maybe that was okay. Maybe the one that replaced her would be better suited for the war that was sure to come. Maybe this, whatever it was, was her destiny after all.

She heard the cuts, heard the footsteps and gasps of the others right after. She kept her eyes shut for another second, tried to savor how light she suddenly felt, as if Camila had rid her of more than a few inches of hair. When she finally looked, she saw someone brand new. Someone free.

“It’s beautiful,” Beatrice said, and she watched the way Camila beamed at them through the mirror.

“I told you it would work!”

“What do you think, L?” Mary asked, and she didn’t look at the mirror, but stared straight at her. Lilith turned and stared right back, tried to communicate a million things she’d never have the words for.

“It’s nice.”

“It’ll be nicer once I clean up the edges,” Camila told her, and as they all began talking over one another, each making the case for why they should be the one to finish the transformation, Lilith let her eyes drift back toward the mirror. She watched the way they bickered, their words completely void of malice, their spirits somehow lifted despite the horrors they’d all seen. They let themselves find happiness in the quiet moments — maybe she could, too. She stopped trying to fight the smile, and found that letting it be felt more natural than stoicism ever had.

#warrior nun #i do be loving comments tho so if u wanna tell me what u think.....pls do #also im too indecisive about whether i ship anyone other than beatrice/ava or whether i just want them to be like sisters #which is why this is vague lol u could probably read a ship if u want idk #im just a sucker for some good found family #sister lilith #shotgun mary #sister camila #also new wig for lilith pls we need it #its so bad its just so so bad #but i love the idea of the grey hair #TFLAO3

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zztophat · 5 years

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Discord Chat: Mage Murders

SUMMARY: Lucifer is called in to assist Detective Chloe Decker in a gruesome killing of a magician in the downtown theater district. The victim, Tracy Maloney, happens to be a student of Zatanna’s and a close friend of Rachel Roth. Her murder becomes a clear message to both Zatanna and Michael: No one is safe. TRIGGERS: Blood, Gore, Murder, Michael 🥵, Lucifer 👿, Angst WRITTEN WITH: @mcrninqstar, @dxtective, @ofleviathcns, @ofwarriors

LUCIFER: He was getting rather bored at the club so he was more than a little overexcited when he'd gotten a call from Chloe to meet him at the Theater District for a fun little homicide investigation. It'd been a while since he'd helped on anything other than a petty theft or a wiener truck vandalism. He swaggered into the shitty little dive bar on the corner edge of the district, ducking beneath the yellow tape like he belonged here, and froze almost mid-stride as he took in the crime scene. A young, dark haired girl in a costume similar to that of Zatanna's lays dead on the floor, angel wings drawn around her in her own blood, her spine twisted at an odd angle, and her haunting eyes open, staring toward the heavens. "Bloody hell," he replied as he reached Chloe. "Well, looks like you've had a morning already. Wanna fill me in?"

ZATANNA: She'd asked Michael to assist her with a few errands today. Some big ticket magic items had just flown in and she needed to pick them up personally from the vendor. He was a bit of an...eccentric and the items in question were rather bulky. The magician didn't trust her teleporting abilities just yet so, she figured Michael could assist her with the contraption. On her way out the door of her shop, she'd received a text from Chloe asking her for assistance with some situation at a little dive bar just across from Zatanna's own theater. The place wasn't too far away so Zatanna figured she'd have time to stop by the bar before meeting with the vendor. "Hey," she smiled up at Michael as he approached her on the sidewalk. "Before we head out, you mind if we stop by Flanagan's down the street? Detective Decker said she needed some help. I owe her one for the jewel heist she busted for us."

Michael: When Zatanna had asked him to help her grab a few things from one of her vendors he was more than happy to help. It was part of his job after all, but another part of him was just happy to be around her. He meet her half way as she exited the shop. She'd been staring intently at her phone. When she looked up at him, smile dazzling as always, he fought back the tugging feeling at his heart. This was business. He reminded himself. "Flanagan's? I think I saw a couple police cruisers out that way," he replied before nodding. He knew Chloe didn't exactly believe in the supernatural or the magical so he was curious to see what she wanted with Zatanna. "Let's see if we can help the detective out."

Chloe: “We don’t know much.” Chloe barely glanced up at Lucifer, eyes glued to the scene. “Remind you of anyone?” She tossed her chin towards the body, lingering on the fishnets and the dark hair. “At first I thought it was her...” Chloe wasn’t her usual “just the facts” detective. This had her shaken up, and though it wasn’t heavily apparent- those who knew her well would be able to notice. “I’m not sure what the wings are about.” She shook her head. “Apparently she’s a magician. Not as high ticket as a Zatanna but, not exactly an unknown either.” Chloe bent down, looking into the girl’s lifeless eyes. “Cause of death hasn’t been confirmed but I can see several contenders. They’re still photographing the scene since it’s so unique. This is clearly a message of some kind.....but what?”

“Also I called Zee in to consult, so play nice.” She shot him a glance.

LUCIFER: He pulled his gaze away from the body and observed Chloe for a moment. She kept the straight, rigid this is business posture she always had, but he noticed the difference in her voice. He knew she'd helped out the magician before and that, much to his dismay, the pair had gotten friendly over the course of the past few months. "Ah, come on, it's just a clever illusion. It looks nothing like her," the devil lied. The lie was more to reassure Chloe that her friend would be okay rather than one of actual concern for Zatanna's life. He listened to Chloe lay out the details of the case which appeared to be in the very preliminary stages of investigation. When she brought up the bloodied wings, Lucifer knew exactly who those were for. Michael. This had been a message to Michael. Anger flared in the devil's chest. Someone was deliberately disobeying his order to stand the fuck down. He clenched his fists, fighting to control the rage. He had an inkling of just which one of his brothers was stupid enough to do that. "It looks like a threat of some kind. A very personal one. Perhaps Ms. Zatara can provide some clarification as to who--I'm sorry," he shook his head, as if just now getting clarity of the situation. "Did you say you invited her on?" That was the last thing he needed right now.

ZATANNA: Her brows furrowed as Michael mentioned that he'd seen squad cars out by the bar. She knew Tracy worked at Flanagan's. Rachel had introduced Zatanna to Tracy not to long ago and the Zee had taken the girl under her wing so to speak. She was kind, soft spoken, and truly gifted with magic. Zatanna figured Tracy would surpass even her in stage craft one day. Worry flickered over her face but she pushed it down. No sense in panicking until she knew what was truly going on. "Thanks you," she replied as they began heading in the direction of the bar. "I'm sorry I'm running you ragged these days. I've never been without my magic for this long."

Michael: He saw the concern that fell over Zatanna's face as he mentioned the squad cars. Michael knew Zee had taken to mentoring a young girl that worked at the bar. He'd met the kid once, she hadn't said much. Just gone jello legged around him. A deep dread filled him almost immediately. He hoped this wasn't about the girl. Zatanna didn't need another blow like that. "You're not running me ragged, Zee. I'm glad to help. After everything you've done for me, my magic is your magic," he promised as they walked in step toward the bar. It wasn't a far walk. The theater district was stately and small and pretty close to the shop itself. As they got to the bar he opened the door for Zatanna. He could see Chloe in the distance just past the yellow tape and right next to her...he sighed. Lucifer. This was going to be a long day.

Chloe has expected Lucifer to be...difficult- but his behavior had her somewhat befuddled. “Lucifer are you....ok?” His anger was apparent, but why? She knew there was no love lost between her partner and the magician...so what had him so heated? “What do you mean by....threat?” She looked at him, his furrowed brow and clenched fists and then back at the body. What was it he was seeing, that she wasn’t? “Apparently they knew each other. We need her.” And with that she spotted Zee and Michael headed towards them. With long strides she attempted to head them off before they got too close. “Zatanna, thanks for coming.” She tossed a quick, strained smile at Michael as well. “Before you go over there- you need to know....” she placed a hand on the magicians arm. “She’s....she’s gone. I’m so sorry.” She nodded her head a little, a sympathetic expression on her face. “It’s not just that.” Glancing back towards the body, and her partner. “The scene is...severe. If you need a moment to prepare yourself, I encourage you to take it.”

LUCIFER: He unclenched his fists and tried to relax his face. There was no sense in worrying Chloe any further. "I'm fine, Detective," he gave her a small, reassuring smile. "This is just so much more than our usual stuff lately. To go from wiener truck vandalism to murdered magician," he clicked his tongue. "Well, they say New York is never boring." He turned to gaze at the body once more as a flash from one of the crime scene camera's illuminated the various injuries. "Ms. Zatara isn't as beloved as you think. This is clearly a message for her. Perhaps a crazed fan," he suggested knowing full well it wasn't. He looked up as the door to the bar opened and in walked the magician flanked by none other than his brother. Of course. Of course Michael would be with her. Lucifer glanced one more time at the body. He knew what his brother would think once he saw it. He knew the kind of danger Chloe was in...but she had no idea. Lucifer tried to reach out to her, to stop her, but she was already making her way toward Michael and Zatanna. His muscles tensed seeing her that close to his brother. Michael had no qualms about casting his brothers out of heaven or taking Adriel's wings. Once he saw this... "Detective!" Lucifer called out, trying to get Chloe's attention. As long as Michael's attention was on him and off of her, she would be safe. "There's no easing them in gently. Come on then!"

ZATANNA: Her heart dropped and her hands became clammy as Chloe confirmed her worst fears. Tracy was, oh god...Zatanna felt bile build up in the back of her throat and tried hard to push it back down. This wasn't her first crime scene. She'd seen several dead bodies in her line of work, but this one was personal. She squeezed Chloe's hand and nodded. "Thank you for warning me," she replied, taking a deep breath. "Do you know wha--" before she could get her question out she heard Lucifer's voice calling them forward. She exhaled and took a step forward. Lucifer's lanky frame was obscuring the body from view so she took another step forward until she saw it. She let out an audible gasp and the color drained from her face almost immediately. Chole wasn't lying when she'd said the scene was severe. Someone had dolled Tracy up in a show outfit that resembled Zatanna's very own. While the young woman had been a fan of Zee's work, she had her own signature look that did not at all resemble Zatanna's. Someone had forced the girl into this outfit before killing her. Someone who wanted to send a very specific message. The wings registered to Zatanna next. Angel wings. Michael's wings. Tracy Maloney was dead and it was all because of them. "Fuck," she breathed as she ran a trembling hand through her hair. She felt the burning sting of tears fill her eyes as she took another shaky breath. She could hear Michael calling her name, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the body. "I-I don't I don't--" she couldn't get words to form. "What happened?" she finally breathed.

Michael: He nodded courteously in greeting to Chloe and listened as she informed them that Tracy was gone. The news was almost like a physical blow to Zatanna. Her face dropped and she went pale. For a moment, Michael thought she might lose the contents of this morning's breakfast right then and there. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder as she collected herself. Lucifer's protests pulled Michael's attention away from Zatanna for a moment as he eyed his brother. The man was blocking his view of the body, but based on the faces of the other detectives he could tell Chloe wasn't lying. Something about this scene had shaken them all. He moved to follow Zatanna toward the crime scene and almost bumped into her when she stopped abruptly. His eyes swept over the dead body on the ground and he felt his heart jump to his throat. The girl on the ground, Tracy...shy but kind. Good with card tricks and slight of hand. Always smiling, always sweet...lay on the ground dressed in a costume that resembled Zatanna's very own. Michael felt himself reaching out to Zatanna, almost as if to reassure himself that she was still there. That it wasn't her lifeless body on the ground. Gods. Tracy's body lay mangled and twisted, whatever she'd gone through it had been long and unpleasant. She'd been carefully dressed and laid in this position on purpose. Angel wings drawn around her, eyes staring toward Heaven. This was a message to Michael. A warning that Zee...he tore his eyes away from the body to look at Zatanna. She'd gone pale and he could feel her trembling. The air in the entire room was changing. "Zatanna, breathe," he reminded her gently as he ran a soothing hand across her back. Michael's eyes turned to Lucifer, cold and accusing. He felt rage, anger, and bloodlust building within every fiber of his body. Who else could have done this but the devil himself? "What happened?" he echoed, his question terse, harsh, soldier like and pointed directly at Lucifer Morningstar.

Chloe knew Lucifer was hiding something. That he knew something she didn’t, but there wasn’t time to grill him now that Zee and Michael we’re here. She’d ask him later when they were alone, and wouldn’t let him get away with evading her questions. Something had ruffled his feathers and she would find out what it was. Seeing the look on Zatanna’s face made her feel like her heart was in a vice. She may have an excellent poker face, but the detective was highly empathetic- especially with those she cared about. Rolling her eyes and sighing as Lucifer called out, she seemed to say “ignore him” with her mannerisms. “Im so sorry you have to see this.” She told Zatanna. “But you may be the key that helps solve this, and get justice for Tracy.” She also couldn’t help but notice Michael’s demeanor change once he saw the body, and how quickly he stiffened and shot daggers at Lucifer. He couldn’t think....her partner was somehow involved? “Ok. Someone needs to tell me what’s going on, because suddenly I feel like the only one here who isn’t seeing the whole picture.”

LUCIFER: He stiffened as he watched his brother's reaction to the whole thing. So, it was true. His brother was in love with the magician, even Lucifer could see it. Fuck. A shiver went down his spine as Michael's cold glare landed on him. The last time he'd seen that look in Michael's face, the archangel had cast him out of heaven. He needed to get Chloe out of here and fast. "I'm not sure what's going on myself, Detective. I only just arrived here ten minutes ago. I've been with Gadreel all weekend, trying to coax the poor demon out of his depression," he replied, offering an alibi should his brother want to look into it. "To me, it looks like a threat to Ms. Zatara. Is there anyone that would want to harm you, Zatanna?" he asked, knowing full well the list was extensive. ZATANNA: Her mouth was dry and her tongue felt heavy. Her eyes continued to drift over to Tracy's lifeless body. She was finding it difficult to focus on anything else. She felt Michael's hand at her back. Her eyes fell on him for a moment; there was so much anger and ferociousness in those blue hues of his and they were all directed at Lucifer. While Lucifer was never the biggest fan of Zatanna, he was more of an annoyance than a murderer. "The list of people who want to hurt me is lengthy, Lucifer. It probably includes some people in this very room. Tracy was--" her voice cracked a little and she cleared her throat again. "Tracy was a student of mine like Rachel. She was--" Zatanna's eyes filled with panic as her heart dropped to her stomach. "Rachel!" she exclaimed, looking frantically at Michael and then at Chloe. "Rachel and Tracy were out together last night. They went to see a movie. I got a text from them when they got to the theater, but no text letting me know they made it home!" The words came out rapid and panicked. She glanced at the body one more time. Not Rachel. No, she couldn't lose Rachel too. She grabbed her phone and began to frantically dial Rae's number.

Michael: His cold gaze never left Lucifer as the devil tried to provide an alibi for the night. Whether this was or wasn't his doing, Michael didn't care. It was clear one of the Princes had something to do with it. Lucifer needed to get his house in order and Michael was about to remind him why. He wanted to strangle the devil himself as he asked Zatanna if there was anyone that would want to harm her. All of them wanted to harm her because of him. Zatanna had her own fair share of enemies, but now she'd inherited his too. Michael only had himself to blame. He should have never...he was pulled out of his thoughts by the panic in Zatanna's voice. "Rachel?" he repeated, trying to push back his own panic. No. He'd recalled something about the girls going to see a movie. They'd stop in at the shop on their way out to pick up snacks to sneak into the theater. He watched as Zatanna's panic grew when Rachel didn't answer the phone. "Detective Decker, can you send a few men out to The Ancient Bookshop?" he asked. "Zatanna and I can come down to the prescient later and answer all your questions about Tracy, but right now the last person to have seen her alive would have been Rachel and she might be in trouble herself." He swallowed hard at the thought. Anyone but Rachel. Please let it be anyone but Rachel.

Chloe knew that Lucifer had deflected her question. Maybe he HAD only gotten there ten minutes prior but that wasn’t really what she’d meant. At first she’d wondered if he’d known the victim, but he’d never hidden that fact from her in the past- and now that Michael and Zee were here, it seemed far more complicated than that. Apparently, her questions would have to wait. She nodded at Michael’s request without comment, clearly unhappy with being left in the dark. She reached out to squeeze Zatanna’s hand one more time before leaving the three of them alone to direct a couple uniformed officers that would no longer be of use at the scene, and would be better suited to go and check on Rachel.

LUCIFER: He watched as panic crossed the magician's features. He'd never seen such a guttural reaction before. The fear...it was that of a mother. Something he'd never truly had. He watched Michael's face soften only slightly as he tried to calm the woman. This was eerily similar to how Lucifer worked to calm down Chloe. He'd never seen his brother show even the remotest amount of affection for anything and yet here they were. "Rachel might just be with Levi," he replied. He wasn't sure why he was offering comfort to either of them, but something about Zatanna's panic was incredibly genuine. He was relieved when Chloe followed through with Michael's request and went over to her officers. Lucifer needed her as far away from this until he could calm the situation down a little. He noted the way Chloe worked in silence. He was going to catch hell from her later, but he'll take it if it means she's away from Michael and safe for the moment. "Detective do you need me to come with y--" he didn't even get a chance to finish asking her if she wanted him to come with her before she exited the pub, leaving him alone with Michael and Zatanna. ZATANNA: She couldn't stop the panic that was building as she tried to call Rachel again and again with no answer. She felt like she was going to hurl. The room was spinning and she could barely stand. She barely registered Chloe's exit out of the pub with a few officers. Zatanna couldn't stand to be around the body any longer. "I'm going outside. I need air. I need to see if I can reach Rachel," she replied as she looked at Michael. She didn't even wait for him to answer as she brushed past a few officers and walked out of the back door of the pub and into the alley behind the lot leaving Lucifer and Michael to their own devices.

Michael: He nodded as Zatanna walked out of the pub and toward the alley. He'll check on her later. Right now he had business to discuss with his brother. Michael's gaze turned back to Lucifer who seemed nervous. Good. He should be. The angel slowed time to a stop around them. Detectives and investigators froze mid sequence and everything stood stock still. Before realization even dawned on Lucifer's face, Michael clenched his fists and swung at the devil, landing a hard punch to his brother's gut. As Lucifer doubled over in pain, Michael landed another blow with his elbow into the man's back causing him to crumple onto the floor beside the body. "It's time we have a little talk, Lucifer," his voice was cold and hard, cut from stone and years of doing God's dirty work. "There was an agreement that Zatanna wouldn't get hurt in this and one of you broke that agreement. Who. Was. It."

LUCIFER: He knew he was screwed the moment the magician left. He never wished more than now that she'd just stay put. He felt time around them start to slow. Fuck. Not this parlor trick. Before he had a chance to react, his brother's fist slammed directly into his diaphragm, knocking the wind clear out of the devil. Lucifer doubled over in pain only to be met with an elbow into the back, forcing him down onto his knees. He was face to face with the cold corpse of the young magical talent. He looked away from the brutal, mangled body. Being up close to it now he could see Aamon's signatures all over it. "Oh, how I've missed our little talks," he wheezed, trying to catch his breath again. "Always so heavy handed, Michael. It wasn't me."

Michael: He saw Lucifer's eyes dart away from the body. "No," he replied, grabbing a fist full of his brother's hair and forcing him to look up at the mangled body. "You don't get to look away from this. In fact, let me remind you how serious this is," the archangel all but growled, snapping his fingers and watching as the body of the corpse began to change shape, taking the form of Chloe Decker for only a moment before shimmering back into Tracy. It was a cruel parlor trick, but effective. "I didn't ask you if you did it. I asked you who did it. Am I understood, Lucifer?" he asked as he released his grip on his brother. "Or do you need a more pointed demonstration?"

LUCIFER: He gasped harshly as Michael pulled on his hair. "Well, darling, if you're going to get that kinky you could at least buy me a drink first," he grimaced. He was walking on the very edge of his brother's patience. There was murder in Michael's eyes now. He'd only ever seen that look from him in battle. Fierce, unforgiving, unrelenting. Pain crossed Lucifer's face as he watched the corpse take the shape of Chloe for only a split moment before chancing back into Tracy. This pain was worse than any physical blow Michael had offered. In fact, he'd take another punch to the gut over this. Hell, he'd take a stab wound from an angel sword over this. Anything to make the image go away. The implication was clear and heard. Michael was teetering on the edge of starting a war and Chloe would be the first casualty. He'd seen his brother turn his sword on family members, what was the life of another mortal to him? Lucifer couldn't afford a war. He couldn't afford to lose Chloe. That's why he'd initiated this peace in the first place. But one of his brothers, Aamon, broke that peace...put everyone at risk. Lucifer gasped once again as his brother released his vice like grip. "I heard you loud and clear, Father dearest," he replied, his tone now just as dark and cold as his brothers. "It's Aamon. These are his signatures all over the place. He's been pushing the limits of our peace treaty for some time now, but he's pushed too far this time. I didn't order this, Michael. Why would I want this? I know loud and clear what all of this means...I wouldn't put Chloe in danger like that." He was done kneeling, done taking shit. As brash and heavy handed as Michael was, he was right. His brothers princes needed to be taught a lesson in respect. Lucifer pulled himself onto his feet and straightened up. "Go to your magician. I will handle Aamon."

Michael: Aamon. He should have known. He should have fucking known that prick couldn't let go of anything. Not even a centuries old grudge against Michael. When the Archangel had burned that one it had clearly left an impression. Michael was fine with most of his brothers being in New York, but he knew the moment Aamon walked through the door he'd be nothing but trouble. He let out a harsh breath of air as Lucifer replied that he would handle Aamon. "And I'm supposed to believe you? You couldn't even honor the promise you made to Gadreel that Zatanna would be left out of this. I'm just supposed to trust that you're going to handle Aamon?" he scoffed. He took several steps forward until he had Lucifer back up against a wall. "Contrary to popular belief, I care about Zatanna more than you'd know. Don't give me that bullshit that you know what it's like. You don't have a fucking clue. What you have for Chloe is an illusion. A stage trick almost as good as one of Zatanna's performances," he replied knowingly. "I'm going to need more than a promise this time, Lucifer. Your word is about as good as the blood it's written in."

LUCIFER: His cold eyes turned to glare at Michael. How was he supposed to know Aamon would take things this far out of hand. The demon prince was always darker than the rest. Lucifer wasn't one to control his own dark fantasies, but he'd made the rules pretty fucking clear to each and every one of them at that meeting. "I can and will handle Aamon," her replied swiftly and firmly. "Believe it or not, I know how to control my kingdoms. I've been at this for centuries now. How long have you been at daddy's job, huh? It's not easy being king is--" he took several steps back as Michael came forward, backing him up into a wall. "Easy, killer. You want more than my word? Fine. I'm calling a family meeting. I will banish Aamon back to his circle. You and Zatanna are more than welcome to watch the show. I'm sure it'll be--" he stopped as Michael's words registered. "Michael, be a doll and stop presuming you know a goddamn thing about my relationship, yeah?" he pushed passed his brother. He'd had enough of this horseshit. "You act like you're the only one here burdened by a heavy heart and it's bloody nauseating."

Michael: He rolled his eyes at his brother's reassurance that he'd handle this situation. He wasn't buying any of it, but if Lucifer didn't follow through on the banishment, the Archangel planned to do it himself. He would show Aamon no mercy. The demon prince hadn't shown any for Tracy. Why would Michael spare him in kind? "I've been doing Father's job better than he has for the past couple decades now. It's time you followed in suit, Lucifer. Get your house in order or I'll do it myself," he warned as the devil brushed past him. Michael stared at his brother for a moment as he retorted that Michael knew nothing about his relationship. "He really did blind you to it when he made her, didn't he? I could feel Father's imprint the moment she walked into that shop to help Zatanna with the jewelry theft. So, I asked around in Heaven. Chloe Decker was designed specifically by Father for you. Her love for you and your love in return isn't a conscious choice you made. Dad might be gone, but this was his final little fuck you, Lucifer," he replied as he snapped his fingers and unfroze time around them. The detectives around them looked confused for a moment as the brothers had moved positions since the last time they'd seen them, but they quickly regained composure and went about their business. He stared at his brother for a moment, letting the news sink in. "I'll see you at the family meeting, Lucifer," he replied before turning away from his brother and heading out the back door and into the alleyway to check on Zatanna.

LUCIFER: Typical Michael. Hotheaded and demanding just like Father. His way or the bloody highway. “You don’t need to tell me how to take care of my house,” Lucifer retorted. “I stopped taking orders from you a long time ago.” He wasn’t in the mood for Michael’s self-righteous bullshit. His brother acted like he was burdened with such a heavy weight, what about Lucifer? Lucifer never asked to have the responsibility of hell thrust upon him. All he did was ask father a bloody question the man didn’t care too much to answer! His eyes narrowed as Michael commented that their father had really made him blind to it when he created Chloe. Blind to what? “What are you talking about, Michael?” he questioned. His breath hitched as Michael continued his rant, explaining….no. No. He was lying. He was full of shit. Lucifer felt his breathing get heavy and panicky as all the memories of Chloe came filtering in. They couldn’t have all been Father’s design. They just…they couldn’t. He hadn’t even noticed that time around them seemed to return to normal. He felt his hands going clammy and his entire body felt numb. He wanted to lash out at Michael, but when Lucifer looked up the angel was already out the door. This just couldn’t be right. It just…NO. Lucifer clenched his fists and bit back the rage as his eyes began to glow red. FAMILY MEETING. THREE DAYS TIME. LUX. He unclenched his fists and sent out the telepathic message to all the princes, not caring how painful it would be. He needed to make preparations He needed to get his mind off of this blatant lie. He glanced at the body of Tracy Maloney one more time before brushing past a few officers and making his way out of the pub.

ZATANNA: She was pacing back and forth in the alleyway behind the pub, trying to get ahold of Rachel, but the phone kept going to voicemail. Gods. Zatanna’s mind kept venturing to the worst possible scenarios. What if Rachel was dead? What if the police got there and she was in the same condition as Tracy? What if—Zatanna felt her breathing get heavier and more panicked. She stopped pacing as the alley around her began to spin. Zatanna grabbed onto the brick and mortar building to support herself. Her legs were weak and wobbly; she felt like she was losing it as she crouched down on the ground and held her head in her hands. She let out an anguished scream causing just about everything in the vicinity to shake and rattle with magic. It was then that she felt arms around her. She didn’t have to look up to know it was Michael. She’d grown to recognize his aura, the power about him. When she’d first summoned him to New York, she’d been frightened of it, but now she found comfort in it. And it was that comfort, that love for this angel that had gotten Tracy killed. Guilt stung at her as she clung to him. He knew much the same. He knew why this had happened. “I can’t get ahold of her,” she sobbed into his chest. “Rachel…I can’t—” she couldn’t stop the panic anymore. “Michael what if she’s dead? I can’t—I can’t—”

Michael: When he'd stepped out into the alley, his heart dropped to his stomach. He thought dealing with Lucifer would have been the hard part, but he was wrong, very wrong. He saw Zatanna on the ground, head in her hands, clinging to her phone. She let out an anguished scream that rattled everything around them. Michael was blasted by the wave of fearful magic which only intensified his concern. He ran over to her, kneeling beside her and sweeping her into his arms. "Zee..." he ran a hand over her back trying to calm her. "It's alright. It's okay..." He didn't know if it was okay. He had no way of sensing what was going on with Rachel. If Az had reaped her, Michael had no knowledge of it. A deep sense of pain and guilt threatened to paralyze him as Zatanna cried into his chest. He'd been the cause of all of this. His affection for her, his love for her, was the reason Tracy Maloney lay dead not 15 feet away from them. And the worst part? Michael couldn't stop it. He couldn't stop any of it. Not the death. Not the pain. And not the feeling he had for Zatanna. "Zee, look at me," he cupped her face in his hands, wiping away her tears as he did. "It's going to be okay. I'm going to have my brother check in on her, alright? I trust him with this." He couldn't believe he was saying it but he did trust Levi with this. The last time they'd spoken, he genuinely seemed to care about Rachel. Michael placed a kiss on Zatanna's forehead before closing his eyes and muttering an age old summons he still hoped would work on Levi. "Come on, brother. Angel hotline calling, pick up the phone..." he muttered to himself as he opened his eyes and hoped to high heaven it would work.

Levi had a bad feeling all day, it was something he couldn't put his finger on but he knew one of his siblings were up to no good. He had been reading when he felt the pain, the pull of an angelic summons "mike you son of a bitch." Levi groaned, barely able to grab his phone off the table before he was pulled across town and into an alley. He let out a growl "What the fuck MICHAEL! You couldn't have just called?" Levi straightened up, taking in his surroundings, eyes falling on the crying magician "Jeez Mickey, what happened?"

ZATANNA: She wished she could stop crying. She felt so weak not being able to hold it together. She always held herself together, but these past few weeks had just been so much. She was tired of pretending to be okay. She was so far from okay she didn't even know the definition of the word anymore. She didn't know what it felt like to wake up in the morning and not feel sad. Her whole body shook with tears as Michael made promises that everything would be alright. That he would have someone check in on Rachel. She was fully expecting him to summon Gabriel, but was surprised when the smooth, but angry voice of Levi came through. Zatanna took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself enough to talk, but she was struggling getting the words out. "It's Rachel," she managed to gulp through her tears. "Someone's targeting people close to me and we can't get ahold of her."

Michael: All Michael could do was hold her. He had no right to, but he couldn't bring himself to let go. He was to blame for most of this. The imbalance, he'd dragged her into that causing her to lose her father and her magic briefly. And now Tracy. She was dead because Aamon wanted to send a clear message to his brother that he could do the same to Zatanna. Michael would not and could not let that happen. He looked up at Levi as the demon prince appeared before him, angry and spitting fire. The summoning spell wasn't exactly a pleasant trip, especially if you tried to fight it. "It's Aamon," Michael explained. "He's broken the covenant. Rachel's friend Tracy...she's gone. We can't get ahold of Rae. Chloe's out there with a police unit, but we haven't heard word back yet. I need you out there now." It had been some time since Michael had given Levi an order let alone done it nicely, but he couldn't risk losing Rachel in this mess too. "Levi, please, it's important."

Levi paled at the mention of Rachel in trouble. He'd felt her power, he knew he could take care of herself, but if Aamon was involved... well he didn't want to take the risk. He clenched his fists, eyes flaring green and his jaw ticking as he stared as his brother "I'm going, but don't think this conversation is over Michael. I told her you and Lucifer had things under control, that she had nothing to worry about." he took a breath, before looing at the magician "I'll take care of her Zatanna, you have my word." Levi stood and ran out of the alley towards Rachel.

ZATANNA: She was surprised by the fear that arose in both Michael and Levi at the situation. It was clear they both cared about her family as much as she did. Zatanna nodded, her vision still burred from tears that would not stop falling, as Levi's promised he'd take care of it. How could he? What if it was too late? Zatanna pushed away the fearful thoughts as she watched the demon prince disappear. Her worried eyes fell on Michael. "Aamon?" she repeated. "He did this?" She'd kept her distance from Aamon for as long as she could. Michael had warned her that out of all his brothers, Aamon was the most dangerous and she had reason to trust and believe in that. Aamon was the reason her relationship had crumpled with Dimitri and now...he'd killed Tracy. "Why is he doing this?" she asked, but as she looked up at Michael she already knew the answer. It was in his eyes, in the way he held her, in the kiss he'd placed on her forehead. Love.

Michael: Michael knew he'd catch hell from Levi later, but he didn't care. He just needed to know Rachel was alright. He watched his brother sprint away in the direction of Rachel's shop before turning to look at Zatanna. He clenched his jaw as flashes of Tracy's mangled corpse filtered through. It could have been Zatanna. That was the point Aamon was trying to make here. He'd found Michael's Achilles heel and he intended to use it. Michael nodded at Zatanna's question. "Lucifer is a lot of things, but he's not very good at murder. The body had Aamon's signatures all over it," he confirmed. Her next question all but paralyzed him. Why had Aamon done this? They both knew why, but were too afraid to speak it out loud. Michael swallowed hard and looked at her for a moment, debating for a moment whether he should own up to the feelings he'd been burying. No, he decided. Not like this. She didn't need to hear these words 15 feet from the corpse of a kid that just died because of them. She didn't need to hear it while her mind and her heart were frantically waiting for news of Rachel. So, instead, he opted for another truth. "Aamon wasn't born the embodiment of rage. He was made into that. My father made him into that. I made him into that. Some sins don't get forgiven, Zee," he sighed as he brushed the stray hairs away from her face. "Lucifer plans to banish Aamon back to his kingdom. He's extended the invitation to the both of us. If Lucifer cannot get Aamon under control then I will. I should've done it a long time ago," he sighed as he helped her to her feet.

ZATANNA: She swallowed hard, knowing he was right. Lucifer was flamboyant and temperamental, but he didn't strike her as that volatile. If he'd wanted to get to Michael through Zatanna he'd had plenty of opportunities to do so, but he hadn't used them. Why? She knew why. Lucifer was in love with Chloe. Anyone with eyes could see that. Just like anyone with eyes could see Michael was in love with...she sighed. She felt him tense up when she'd asked him why Aamon had done it. Her eyes looked at him, begging him to just say it. Her heart skipped a beat for a moment as she watched the words dance at the tip of his tongue only to be pushed back. "And here I thought the Graves family liked to hold their grudges for a little too long," she sighed as she wiped at her face. "Aamon can't spend the rest of eternity blaming you, Michael. Eventually, he has to own his part." She wanted the prince to pay for what he'd done. She wanted him to burn. She wanted to put him in the ground herself, but she knew she didn't have the strength. She didn't believe in Lucifer. Didn't trust that he'd follow through on his word, but she believed in Michael. She knew that if Lucifer didn't put an end to this, Michael would and it wasn't going to be pretty. There was a reason the others feared him. She felt her phone vibrate and looked down to see a message from Chloe. Zatanna's numb fingers worked to open the text message and relief flooded her face as Chloe confirmed that Rachel was alright. "Stars and moon, thank you," she breathed as she let out a cry she had no idea she was holding back. "Rachel's alright. Levi's with her now. She's alright, God..." she took in a breath of relief and rested her head on Michael's chest. "She's alright."

Michael: "I'm afraid the Graves family might be a cake walk compared to mine, Zee," he replied apologetically. He couldn't take back the things that had been done. Gods how he wished he could. He wouldn't just take back tonight, no, he'd go as far back as the war. Erase it all. Aamon was a monster of Michael's own doing. He would always be there to remind Michael of just that. He watched as Zatanna checked her phone and an instant relief flooded her face as she confirmed that Rachel was alright. Michael felt a small heaviness lift from his shoulders. Aamon hadn't come for her. She was going to be okay. Michael wrapped his arms around Zatanna as she laid her weary head on his chest. He stood there for a moment just holding her, relieved that she was still here and not laying dead on the ground beside Tracy. "Come on," he replied as his wings enveloped her. "Let's get you home and cleaned up." In a flutter of wings and wind, they disappeared from the pub and made their way back to the loft.

#╰☆☆ you know the devil would be jealous of your silver tongue | replies ☆☆╮#Discord Chats #╰☆☆ no grave can hold my body down; i’ll crawl home to you | michael ☆☆╮#╰☆☆ and lights will guide you home | rachel ☆☆╮

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anescapefromtheworld · 5 years

Text

Imagine

Sirens Calling Pt. 2

Dylan Sauge (Tidelands) x Reader

...

Your return to Orphelin Bay takes a turn for the worst when you become the centre of attention after your cousin Cal is found to be a Tidelander. Thrown into a challenging situation, secrets are uncovered and the mysteries of the Tidelanders are brought to light.

====================

Dylan was sprinting towards the tree line intent of finding you. His thoughts were clouding his judgement. So much so he didn’t hear the blonde goddess call his name until he was behind the tree you were curled up against.

The rise and fall of your chest increased as you saw his hand loop against the tree’s trunk, ready to inspect behind it.

His movement, however, was frozen as he turned to face his queen. Had she been following him?

“What is it you are doing?” She inquired, as she held one of the dead mans eyeballs up, her steady gaze on Dylan.

“Nothing my queen.” Dylan answered as he walked towards her at the edge of the water. Silently he cursed himself for not disposing of the remains when he found them. Or doubling back to make sure he wasn’t being followed.

“Well if you don’t mind, return to L’Attente. Lamar will be needing some help controlling the crowd for tonight’s festivities.”

Her steady gaze never left his. Challenging him to refuse and continue in the quest to find whatever had him so riled up.

However, Dylan was growing aware of her manipulative ways. And with all the strength he could muster walked past Adrielle towards L’Attente without looking in the direction of where (y/n) was hiding. “Of course, my queen.”

With Dylan gone it was now Adrielle you needed to hide from. A sudden wave of further anxiety washed over you knowing she would find you much easier.

“I know you’re here.” She softly hummed, once again inspecting the eye before looking at the tree line for you.

Her voice sickly sweet as her bare feet trod softly against the sand

“We can do this the easy way, or the hard way (y/n). Which do you prefer?”

You shook. There was no escape. No scrunching of the eyes and wishing for the ground to swallow you up would turn your reality into something better. You were caught. You were probably going to endure the same terrible things as your cousin Cal.

Lost in a trance of worry which had frozen your shaking form it wasn’t until a hand clasped around your neck did you return to reality.

Cold sharp nails dug into your neck as another hand latched onto your hair. A disgruntled yell left your lips as pain coursed through your scalp. Your hands flew to her hand attached to your hair. Frantically clawing at it to let go.

She had strength however. More than you realised.

Quickly she had you on your knees in front of her. Both her hands moved to your hair and just as quickly as she captured you with her talons your eyes closed as the world went black. Your head was thrust against the tree trunk and you were out cold.

-----

The world was black. The bag over your head was black. The boot of the car was black. The world outside, black. A state of perpetual darkness where you could no longer see anything in the world.

The confides where you were jostled, throwing you around in the small space. Tires screeched as the vehicle you were in swerved to the side before coming to a stop.

Your head flew to the side as the car turned the corner, hitting the back of your skull against the stiff metal edge. A throbbing sensation reverberated through your skull as the already pulsing sensation became overwhelming.

Your eyes closed, your brain was beginning to slow, processing the situation became harder. Your mind becoming fuzzy.

Music pulsated in the background. Joyous laughs and mumbled speech of tens of people captured your fading attention to the celebratory atmosphere playing on outside the car.

The Sound of the boot popping open drew a breath out you had unknowingly been holding in. Two pairs of strong large hands clasped around your bare arms.

The singlet shirt and boy shorts you’d dressed into for bed before your kidnapping were no match for the cool air that swept over your body as you were yanked from the small box.

A shiver ran down your spine as your bare feet touched the cold jagged gravel below. Weak knees gave way and you fell to the ground. Grunting in discomfort, you winced as you were pulled back up straight. A trickle of liquid, probably blood, ran down the front of your legs and over your feet.

Suddenly your ears picked up the noise. Or lack thereof. The surrounds were quiet; eerily quiet, aside for the few mumbles and whispers that travelled to and fro as you were walked t what felt like a wooden step.

Just as quietly a pair of heels clicked their way from behind you, coming to a halt at your side. Long cold fingers wound their way across your shoulders and hooked onto your singlet shirt strap. The bag over your head was pulled forcefully away; scraping against the open wound next t your eye from where your head had been smashed against the tree trunk.

Fresh blood trickled from the cut, falling onto your white shirt and staining it crimson.

Your chin was caught in the tight talon grip of Adrielle and pointed towards the growing crowd of Tidelanders.

“My people.” Adrielle spoke with authority. “Let this be a lesson to you all. Those who refuse me, deify me, challenge me, will be met with consequences.”

She was trained on speaking to the crowd. However, as her tight grip on your hair raised your swelling eyes you noticed a pair staring back at you.

He held his head high, eyes wide as he refused to break the contact between you both. Your own eyes, however, were growing weary. Eyelids becoming heavy as sleep beckoned. The pain that reverberated throughout your entire body began to numb.

Hence, when Adrielle kicked your knees out from beneath you and you fell to the ground with her talons still rapped in your hair, you never felt the pain as she dragged her blade down the front of your collarbone and chest; piercing the skin and shredding the singlet covering your bra and naked form.

Your eyes were glazed over, focusing on nothing but the blur of the surrounds. Void of noise, of movement and emotion, blood wept from the fresh wound and a single tear escaped from the corner of your eye and rolled down your bloodied cheek until it hit the wooden deck below.

Disregarding Adrielle’s annoyance to your response and your bodies effort to keep you in reality, your mind began to shut down. The world around you once again falling into darkness as Adrielle let go of your hair and your body slumped down onto the ground.

-----

Sunlight shone softly on your face. Your eyes fluttered open as they admired the golden rays. Where you in heaven? Had your body given up in its fight for survival?

Your attempts to sit up answered your questions when your body gave way and you fell back onto the soft mattress you were laying on. A disgruntled groan left your lips as your body began to ache. Sharp pains echoed throughout. The room began to spin, and you reached your hand up to clutch your head feeling the damp bandages wrapped around your forehead.

A noise from another room made your hairs on your arms stand tall. Your eyes were now wide, observing your surrounds. An unrecognisable bed, or room for that matter was where you were laid. However, the decorations and colour were likeable to a Tidelanders.

Nerves began to take over your body again as you searched for anything on the nightstand to act as a weapon. Who knew what wandered the room outside the bedroom door? Or who wandered them?

Just as your fingered grasped for the glass of water on the bedside table the door creaked open to in fact reveal a Tidelander. Or more specifically, Dylan.

Your eyes grew wide in worry and anxiety of what he might do to you. The little remaining water was thrown out the glass as you threw it in the direction of him. He ducked behind the door, just in time for the glass to smash against the wall right next to where he was stood previously.

“Woah.” He speaks calmly, hands in surrender next to his face as he trends slowly into the room. “Calm down (y/n), it’s just me.”

“Where am I-.” You croak out, throat dry and tired. “What happened?”

“I will explain everything but-.” Dylan begins but you cut him off.

Your breathing becomes rapid and your eyes swell with tears. “No! What do you want from me?” You bring both your hands up into fists at your chest.

His eyes go soft as they concentrate on your breaking resolve. “(y/n),” he sighs, hands coming down to his sides, “just let me fix the bandage on your face”.

Your hand brushed up to the bandage above your eye. It was soaked, and as you brought your hand back down you noticed the crimson blood that had seeped onto your skin. A light trickle of blood began to run down your cheek and onto the clean grey shirt you were wearing.

All resolve broke as the tears that had been building overflowed and ran down your face. Sobs racked your chest as your head fell back down on the pillow with your hands covering your eyes.

The mattress dipped next to your hip and warm fingers gingerly pulled your hands away from your face. Still clutching them in his lap. His face was directed past you. Attention focused on the nightstand. He opened his mouth as to say something but just as quickly shut it. After taking a gulp he turned his head slowly and his warm eyes met your teary ones.

“Let me help you (y/n).” He whispered. “Please.”

#anescapefromtheworld #dylan sauge x reader #tidelands #tidelander imagine #dylan sauge imagine #x reader #tidelander #sirens #mermaids #imagine #dylan sauge #marco pigossi

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blindbatalex · 6 years

Note

1-word prompt: Wrath, for the fallen angel au pls!

i delivered but it’s long. content warning for hospitals, violence and minor character death (an oc).

[patrice is a fallen angel, brad is the human who took him in and now is hurt]

send me more prompts!

There is a room on the fifth floor of Mass General Hospital, larger than strictly necessary to hold a bed and the life support equipment, two chairs with faded blue upholstery lined up against two opposing walls. Patrice has been in it more times than he can remember, ever since the wing has been first built.

It’s always the same in ICUs.

Doctors come and go and nurses with kind smiles sit alongside family members around a life that lies prone in the center of the room, faltering, as they watch and wait and hope against hope and as death circles around.

Brad looks no different than every other soul he reaped in this room. A thin blanket covers him up to his waist, tubes and wires snake their way from all directions around the bed to his body. There is a brace around his neck, a nasty laceration on his right cheek where his head hit the pavement. His chest rises and falls in regular intervals as a machine breathes for him.

When he was sent on standby Patrice would hover and watch and listen in these rooms for hours sometimes, mesmerized by the repeated patterns, the rhythmic beeping of monitors in time to the beating of a heart until it no longer did.

He holds the chain with its simple metal cross tighter in his palm - Brad’s and his father’s before that, something he hardly ever took of - and imagines Brad’s face when he tells him he had to pose as his fiance and cry to convince the nurses to let him stay.

Brad laughs and tells him that’s genius.

He winks and says all he had to do was ask if he wanted his hand. He frowns and tells him to go fuck himself.

Brad is alive and he is well and Patrice realizes he is praying, he has been ever since he got the call.

What an odd thing to do, when he knows for a fact it doesn’t work.

Footsteps entering the room break him from his reverie. He looks up, expecting another doctor or a new nurse, and blood turns to ice in his veins instead.

“Long time, no see brother,” Adriel leers, hands in the pockets of his leather jacket, sauntering closer to the bed. He gives Patrice an appraising look-over before telling him that hanging out with the scum hasn’t done well for his complexion.

“Didn’t know you could think that deep,” Patrice shoots back. He knew it didn’t work, the doctors told him this was coming, and Brad’s is one soul no different than the millions and millions he took and-

Reapers are nasty as a whole - beings created to fight in the war against hell and left on earth to do God’s dirty work once it was won - but Adriel-

Adriel throws his head back and laughs, the sound monstrous and sickening. Distantly Patrice is aware of Brad’s heart seizing, the beeping of the monitor now frantic and uneven.

“Let’s get to business, shall we?” Adriel says, turning to Brad, whose soul is slowly sitting up though still anchored to his body from the waist down.

“Patrice?”

Patrice has to try hard not to wince or close his eyes. How dearly he wanted to hear that voice, hear Brad say his name again but- not like this.

Worse still, Brad is looking at him, eyes wide with confusion, trusting Patrice to help place what’s happening, as more nurses and doctors rush in and the monitor turns to a flat tone.

“Hey,” Patrice says quietly. Someone has grabbed him by the shoulders and is shouting at him to leave.

“Humans, humans,” Adriel interjects with a roll of his eyes. A wave of his hand and the outside world slows down from the nurse trying to rip Patrice from Brad’s side to the doctors trying to resuscitate Brad, and he smiles to himself, pleased.

Adriel was a garrison leader in the war, still gets to slow time when he pleases, drags reapings out because ‘they are more fun that way’.

Brad doesn’t ask what’s happening. He is a surgeon, one look around and he knows by the time he turns back to Patrice.

“You were an angel of death,” Brad tells him calmly, not a question per se but a confirmation of something he already knew, even though Patrice never told him what he did. When Patrice nods, there is more hurt in Brad’s eyes than fear.

“See Patrice here thinks he is better than the rest of us,” Adriel pipes in with glee, “because he won’t drag souls to afterlife kicking and screaming. But everyone he meets is a means to an end for him. I saw him assure people who sold their soul to the devil they were going to heaven and he told the nurse he loved you just so he could watch you die. Probably played you all along.”

That’s not true, Patrice tries to say, anger rising red hot in his chest, even though it is in a way. He told souls he was taking whatever they needed to hear to get them to behave. Brad is hesitating like he doesn’t want to believe Adriel but can’t be sure.

Adriel shuts him up with another wave of his hand, tells him he talks too much.

And then he smiles, like he has had an excellent idea.

“In fact,” Adriel continues, “I bet daddy would forgive you, if you reaped your human toy. He’d even give you your wings back.”

Brad winces, recoils from Patrice.

Patrice tries - he tries so hard to stay calm.

“Go on,” Adriel prods, dangles his blade in front of Patrice with the handle facing him. “Get your hands dirty for once. You know you want to.”

Almost in a trance, Patrice takes the blade. It fits in his hand, the metal cool and smooth like no earthly material could ever be, feels good.

There is no way Adriel could have access to that sort of information, senior as his rank is, but he has a point. This is what Patrice has done for millenia. This is who he is, and he’s missed it, the blade in his hand.

Brad’s soul clenches his jaw, looks at Patrice dead on, a challenge; he won’t beg for his life.

And he is just one human, no different than all others he has reaped, and Patrice remembers how soft he looks in the mornings, his hair mussed up from sleep, how his face lights up the moment he can smell the coffee Patrice made for him.

He raises the blade and gives Brad a shallow cut on his wrist, not wide enough for his soul to pass, though it’s enough to get him to panic, to thrash and wriggle against Adriel’s grip.

“What the fuck are you doing?” Adriel asks, leaning in to see, and that’s all Patrice needs.

He drives the blade into Adriel up to the hilt, right in his abdomen. When Adriel gasps and doubles down he takes it out and stabs him again this time to his chest and again and again.

He can hear Adriel screaming and time stretching and coalescing as he writhes in pain. His ears are ringing and he remembers, just in the nick of time, to cover the cut on Brad’s wrist with his palm, use Adriel’s dying breath to seal his soul back in before something snaps and the world goes dark.

He is lying on the floor in the dark when he comes to, Nurse Shelley and Brad’s sister Melissa kneeling beside him. There is no beeping and he can’t hear Brad’s heart. They stop him when he tries to get up but he can’t hear and he has to know if it worked, if Brad is-

“Your fiance is fine,” Nurse Shelley assures him. “He scared us for a hot second there, and the electricity in this room just went off but we got him back. He is in the next room over now.”

Melissa nods and Patrice closes his eyes. He can’t hear anyone’s heartbeat, only generic noise and muffled conversation from the hallway. The floor is scorched next to where he lies and there will be hell to pay for what he did.

(And Brad is alright.)

#fallen angel au #my fic #bergy/marchy #its def too long for tumblr but #here it is #pls validate me

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jesscopeland · 7 years

Text

DADS ARE THE WORST ...peter & jess.

Peter had a rough few weeks, to say the least. Since the fiasco at the ball, it had seemed like he just couldn't win. He had barely spoken to his daughter-- scratch that, he hadn't spoken to his daughter. The whole point of her coming to live with him was that he could watch over and guide her, and after the election had gone awry, he was either too busy scolding her for her wiley behavior or trying to avoid her with work & alcohol. Today, though, he finally shambled out of his room for the first time, although still in his pajamas, settling in on their couch and turning on the television. He needed the sunlight. Upon seeing Jessica enter the room, he immediately felt the guilt and anxiety rush into his throat. "Jess, hey, haven't seen you in a while." He gave her a tight lipped smile. "Why don't you, uh, come sit, pumpkin?" he patted the seat next to him awkwardly.

It didn't matter where Jess tried to hide these days, assignments were out to kick her ass. Whether it be a collection of short essays on anyone between Beethoven The Great and David Helfgott The Unheard Of — when she wasn't bored out of her mind reading their memoirs, she was thinking about Ophelia and how Jess was going to get a mind reader to trust her, or Thiago and how crappy he must feel these days being Capital D-Dead. It was safe to say that much like her dad, she'd been preoccupied lately, not to mention that Jess still held a bit of a grudge against her father for not telling her about Adriel. Having come home well after midnight the night before and leaving bright and early to go see Sylvia about one of her college assignments, it was safe to say that Jess looked like shit. Tired, moody and kind of short even with herself at the moment, she tried to creep up the stairs only to be spotted in the doorway. Twisting on her heel slowly, she eyed her dad, puffy faced and in his PJs. Must have been nice. "Yeah. That kinda happens when you get into a serious relationship with your bed." She was being snide, and looking at her dad she knew in her gut that he didn't deserve it. So taking a beat, she sighed and folded her arms, but didn't sit. "Guess even those protected by the angels get the flu sometimes..."

Oh, she was going to go this route, eh? He couldn't say he was surprised, and at her remarks, simply gave her a disappointed frown and let out a sigh through his nose. "Jess." However, he was at least happy to see that she corrected herself, even somewhat slightly. It was hard to look at her these days, especially when it seemed as if she could barely look back at him either. All he could remember were their times together-- trips to the movies, camping, waterparks, father and daughter vacations, birthday parties -- it all flashed before his eyes, blending into her now dismayed expression. When she refused to sit with him, he picked his spiked coffee back up, taking a sip before then leaning forward. "That's what this is about?" he huffed, "I really don't know what you think Adriel meant by those comments, but they're really just a helpful ally around town. Your friend--Nolan is it? Was being a bit confrontational."

The sound he made when he used her name was as familiar to her as her own body, and yet each time she felt a shiver run through her, as if warning her of uncharted waters. It took everything in her not to say 'Dad' back in the same tone. "Nolan's a cop it's his job to be confrontational." She defended quickly, perhaps too quickly. So instead, she made a face and lifted a hand out incredulously. "Anyway, what do you mean that's what this is about? Dad, you knew. You knew this whole time that something weird was going on and yet every time I ever mentioned anything about supernatural people in West Hollow you acted as if I'd lost a hunk of brain cells." She accused, not happy about that. "Every time I tried to make you listen to me you looked at me like I was crazy."

Where did he draw the line between protecting his daughter and helping her? Seeing her speaking with Catherine, and then her veiled threat when she had walked off from it had sent chills down his spine. Just when he had thought he had control back at the ball, it had been ripped from him yet again. For a moment, her tone made him reconsider his stance on telling her about it all. If he should confess the blackmailing, show her the scars, tell her who to avoid and who to go to for help. It only took a second for him to go back on it, though, as he realized her ideas about the whole thing were twofold. The way she spit at Adriel's existence meant even angels, literal angels from heaven, weren't even safe from her little club's wrath. Peter's eyebrows furrowed at her, his lips drawing into a line of frustration. "Jessica, I wanted to just sit and talk with you and now you're back on this--this...conspiracy nonsense." Peter then sat up slowly, walking over to be closer to her. "I'm not saying you're crazy, but pumpkin, do you honestly believe that Adriel is an angel? Just because she answered your off duty friend's aggressive questioning? I mean, jeez, when we brought you to Sunday school they weren't being literal, honey."

"It's not nonsense, Dad!" She whined like a child, resisting the urge to stamp her foot in protest. It wasn't nonsense. It was real and it was every day and they weren't the only ones aware of it, she was sure of that but she wasn't new to this conversation either. This was how it always went with her dad. The Mayor of Naiveville. "We were all there — at the ball. We saw what happened, there was something major going on and I know you know something about it. Why won't you just admit it?" She looked at him square-shouldered and determined. "What did you and Catherine fight about?"

Peter let out another frustrated sigh, rolling his eyes upwards towards the ceiling as his body turned away from her. God, would she ever shut the fuck about this? For a moment, he had to ground himself in the reality that Jessica was his daughter, and not some constituent he could wave away with an empty promise. "Jessica, please," Finally, looking back at her, he shrugged in the face of her passion, as if the whole thing was nonchalant. "Catherine, as you may have figured out, is a very passionate woman. She was upset about some of the awards, and then about some of the food. She owns a 5 star restuarant, honey, her standards can be a little high even for myself." The frustration inked into the lines of his face, wearing him down as he looked at her once more and tried to convince himself that this was all alright. Somehow. "I got a little cocky after having a few glasses of wine and she pushed me in frustration. You're reading into things as if you're in one of those literature classes, Jessica, when really there's nothing there. This is what being in that group does to you. Everything is a conspiracy, and when you get evidence otherwise, it's just another part of it. Honestly, this is why we can't talk anymore-- you're obsessed."

Everything he said rattled Jess's nerves right down to the embers in her core, rare to make a real flame but every so often, yes, there was a spark. Her dad was one of the easiest to ignite it and for a moment, she felt like her mom, a raging argument brewing in her belly and not even knowing where to begin. "No, Dad, we can't talk anymore because you're either too busy lost in a bottle or you're pretending I don't exist. Usually both." She snapped, wanting to yell in his face about Thiago possessing Camila's body and Holt lifting up couches but her stubbornness had Jess in a quiet fit of rage. If her dad didn't want to share what he knew, then fine. Neither did she. Twisting to storm to her room like some prepubescent kid, Jess paused to quickly add. "And for the record, maybe I am obsessed. But at least that group isn't afraid to talk to me. And sooner or later, we're going to find out what you're up to whether you like it or not."

Her words hit a cord in him he did not know even existed. How was it that children were able to frustrate one so much? Peter wasn't sure, but right at this very moment he could feel his blood boiling. She had only gotten worse as time had gone on being here, and he wasn't sure how to address it. As she mentioned his drinking though, that was it, and he scoffed, "Jessica, we talked about that. I'm an adult who can make my--" before he could even continue, she was on yet again, interrupting him. Peter's arms crossed over his chest, watching as she went with an aggrivated expression. "Afraid to talk to you..." he repeated her words with a grumble, shaking his head. He then followed as she walked up the steps, calling after her, "You and your friends can do whatever you want, but at the end of the day I'm still going to be your dad--your family, and that's what matters! If you don't like it, though, I'm sure your mother wouldn't have any problem taking you back!"

As her father's voice elevated behind her, Jess swore her feet got heavier with every stomp left behind. "Oohhh, and you'd just love that! Whenever anything gets too hard for you, just dump it in mom's lap, she'll take care of it! You know — she's not your actual secretary." Jess twisted around halfway up the stairs, hating those stairs, they always felt endless. Sighing, she tipped her head back. All she was doing lately was fighting with people and that wasn't like Jess. First Nolan, now her dad... who knew, maybe Jace would turn up and say the wrong thing next and she'd be completely out of friends. "Why does it always have to be like this? Why don't you trust me? If there's something going on, if you need help... Mystery Inc. can help you. That's what we're trying to do." She gestured out with her hands. "We're not just dumb kids in someone's basement anymore, Dad. We've got leads, we have real information... We have proof..."

At the accusation about Jackie, he felt the cord pulled once again. He scoffed loudly, angrily, "I do not think of Jackie as-- you know what? My relatonship with your mother is non of your business, Jessica!" Peter yelled back at her. As fired up as he was, he was upset inside, feeling the tension eating away at his own heart with every yell. As she stormed upstairs, he shook his head, letting out a depressed sigh at both his relationship with his own daughter and his actions. Just as he shuffled back to get his coffee, he heard her call to him yet again, halting his movements as he looked back to her. At her words about being in trouble, his mind swirled yet again with the guilt, weighting his feet down into the hardwood itself, as if he could somehow indent it just by standing there. As much as he wanted to tell her, it would only make her more of a target. But when? When would she stop asking? What if she never did? What if they went after her anyways? Peter let out a long breath through his nose, looking to the floor as he stil felt the anger from her words now mixing with the conflicting disappointment in himself. "Pumpkin, I....whatever you think you have," he finally looked back up at her, "you need to stay away from. This town is dangerous and not in the way you understand. That doesn't mean that there are angels or devils flying around, but once you go accusing someone of things like that, who knows how they'll react."

Jess felt her eyes turn glassy, blaming the salty feeling in the back of her throat on being so frustrated with being treated like a child. He didn't get it — she was capable. And hell, if she wasn't, then other people were in the group. Tougher people. Like Harper and Nolan, they'd be fine no matter what, Jess believed it. She just wanted her dad to believe it too. "Whatever, I'm tired." She surrendered with a disappointed wave of her hands, wanting nothing more than to go upstairs and call Jace or Nolan to complain about the whole thing. "If you see Catherine this week, tell her she can shove her 5-Star food," Jess called out, going to take the rest of the stairs to her room.

At her metaphorical waving of the white flag, he felt his whole body hunch over in not only guilt, but disappointment. The whole situation had gotten so out of hand, he couldn't even believe how fast it had happened. His one chance he tried to reach out and blew it, and yet again, he was left to regret her actions. Damned if he did, damned if he didnt. "Jess, pumpkin--" he called up to her, putting one foot on the first step only to hear the bedroom door slam and lock.

#c: jess #npc: peter copeland #jess; family

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alovestorysoconfusing · 5 years

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Well IX

Here's the next part, where I guess that you wanted to know how I got close with these two girls so yeah the girl from Winnipeg and the girl from Vancouver. At the time the reason I got close to the Winnipeg was because of us just talking a lot for some reason someone told me that she had a cc on me ( Conference Crush LOL ) and guess what she was my CC TOO LOL okay anyways dead. We started texting a lot and snapshotting, facetime and all these things, we were in the same group for our pre-conference, we basically were near each other that whole conference and yeah we got super close that way... We started to bond more way after the conference ended and everyone started to leave Toronto, she also went to our leaders summit and from there we started to talk more and hang out more, but here's the plot twist someone in that same guy group that was in the same room as me had also had a crush on her yikes, he was way younger and I felt bad so I didn't really act on anything because of it. The only reason we started getting close again was that we had actually started talking after she rejected the other guy :). Does that make me a bad person? I honestly don't know but yeah for me and Winnipeg girl we shared the same style of music at the time and also we had a crush on each other.... it lasted for a few months but I realized that she was too uncorrupted and good child so I didn't want to go after someone that isn't like me. So yea we had decided to end it at some point a few months later after talking for a while. For Vancouver girl, it was the same story except I didn't see her like that tho lol, I know right weirdo I am, but anyways for her story in that conference was after the conference we started going out, apparently she got close with my sister and also a lot of people were competing for her so yeah I ain't trying to deal with the stress of fighting over a girl when all I wanted to be was friends, but somehow when we were walking around the six we had a good 3-4 hours just alone at the back talking about things, how the community was going what certain people did. Just a lot of shade that happens in YFC in general and we clicked right away she was also very sweet and genuine. I could tell she could differentiate from right and wrong and for some reason, people got jealous of me. They were like oh Adriel is just out to play with your heart, oh Adriel is just trying to get at you. ( In my head I was like yeah this is also the reason why I fucking hate the community, you slander people without even thinking or realizing what their true intentions are, when you want the same person you put them down, It's like a whole competition when the other person isn't even competing I don't get it you know. ) But yeah her and I got super close during the after conference hangouts, we had been talking a lot after and even had late night calls and sessions after the conference but like all good friendships, everyone stops prioritizing me after a few months and I just become second or nothing haha.... it's a common occurrence, only needed at the time but after a few months, it's like there's no need for me after that. So that's how our friendships of talking almost every other night for a few months to stop talking again. Anyways that's the story of how I got close to two girls specifically. So let's continue the conference in Toronto during the conference I again went out of my way not to be around Calgary cause of toxicity and didn't want to deal with any of that. My conference went pretty well for the most part bonded with a lot of people from Toronto, actually got to explore the city and during the Regional leaders' summit I got close with certain people there and as you saw from my photos I also got a bit close with them, I actually stayed overnight at one of the girls houses lol, but yeah we also had Skype sessions me a guy and two other girls and it occurred a few times after the conference but same story everyone gets busy. During that conference tho I really experienced what it was like in Canada how to get close with people, see a certain point of views and really bond with the most chill, relaxed and some corrupted people lol. However that's not where the story ends in Toronto when we were flying home, there was another girl her name is Tricia and she became one of my closest friends and even to this day even though the distance exist we still talk a lot and voice call once and a while. The funny thing was the way we had started talking was the exact same way we started talking through snapchat first and I told her, hey you good and she sort of just opened up to me and from there we started talking and I found out how fucking corrupted she was and how perverted and horny lol damn. I guess we really bonded cause of how shit YFC also treated us and I could tell how broken she was but yeah relationship problems and friendship made us become really close and to this day we still talk as best friends, if anything she's the second closest to me after you. So that's where this story ends for now about how Toronto trip went I mean I was still sappy about this conference but overall, new friends, losing lots of them and gaining 1 good one, I'd rather have a best friend than many friends.

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stephaniefchase · 7 years

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Bajan Newscap 6/6/2017

Good Morning #realdreamchasers. Here is your daily news cap for Tuesday 6th June 2017. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

HIGH SICK LEAVE CLAIMS TOO COSTLY – The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) paid out $24 million in sick leave claims at the end of 2016 and Minister of Labour Dr Esther Byer-Suckoo has embarked on a mission to remedy the problem. Speaking at a church service marking the 50th anniversary of the National Insurance Department at the St Michael’s Cathedral yesterday, Byer-Suckoo said she has already begun to petition the island’s medical practitioners to think twice before prescribing sick leave. She lamented that the large volume of sick leave claims had also created a backlog of “unacceptable delays in processing”, but assured that the NIS would ensure Barbadians received their benefits. Some 54, 000 people benefited from last year’s sick leave payouts and Byer-Suckoo urged Barbadians to adopt healthier lifestyles to fight off the epidemic of non-communicable diseases, which she suggested, was a major contributor to the number of sickness and disability claims being processed by the National Insurance Department. (BT)

BUSINESS FOLK MUST TELL OF CHALLENGES – Entrepreneurs have been asked to tell their stories so as to inspire those who want to pursue a similar journey. This came from general manager of the Barbados Youth Business Trust (BYBT), Cardelle Fergusson, during the launch of Evolving Business, its official magazine, at the Barbados Manufacturers’ Exhibition (BMEX) at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Saturday. Fergusson said the motivation behind the launch was that there were many persons interested in becoming self-employed, but one of the obstacles was ignorance of the process. She therefore thought that if current entrepreneurs could tell the stories of how they got started, some of their challenges and the benefits of becoming entrepreneurs, it would motivate and possibly empower others to pursue their goals. (DN)

LEGAL SHIFTING – More people are opting to have their civil suits settled through arbitration and mediation, rather than go through the long drawn-out court process. According to a number of prominent lawyers, many have been seeking such recourse to avoid the lengthy delays rampant in the administration of justice. Queen’s Counsel Hal Gollop told the DAILY NATION: “It is not unknown that several matters in the civil courts have gone on for in excess of ten years. That cannot be a happy situation for someone seeking justice . . . . Justice delayed is justice denied.” Alternative Dispute Resolution is an option that has often been mooted by Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson. Last July, Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite revealed that a pilot project had resulted in 75 per cent of matters being settled outside of court. (DN)

TOURISM PUSH – Barbados has begun the process of improving its tourism product to meet the demand of visitors. This assurance was given to cruise ship executives by chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Product Authority (BTPA), Dr Kerry Hall. She said her department was engaged in research designed to bring ordinary Barbadians engaged in tourism ventures into the mainstream of the industry, and was also working on exploiting new forms of attractions for visitors. Hall, addressing a recent town hall meeting of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) at Hilton Barbados, was responding to calls from key executives from major cruise lines and the FCCA for Barbados to create new areas of interest for visitors. (DN)

MESA CALLS ON DADS TO PLAY THEIR ROLE – THE MEN’S Educational Support Association (MESA) is calling on men to step up to the role of fatherhood because it is critical in the development of a child. The organisation is also insisting that the system be structured to facilitate men’s access to their children so they could meet their parental obligations. These were some of the burning issues raised at a MESA meeting last week at The St Michael School which looked at The Indispensable Role For Men In The Parenting Journey. Panellists were former chairman of MESA, Ralph Boyce; parent Orlando Lorde, and deputy chairman of MESA, Sean Fields. (DN)

MARCH AGAINST BEACH PROJECT – Three years into a protest against plans to set up a breakwater off Sandy Lane beach, St James, activist and surfing instructor Samuel Inniss is still standing firm on his position. He continued his objection to the proposed beach regeneration project yesterday, when a group of six, including Inniss, marched with placards from the area of Holetown Police Station to Sandy Lane beach. Inniss is charging that the proposal to have a barrier built out into the sea to protect the coast from the force of waves will eventually contribute to damage of the existing reef and lead to erosion of the neighbouring Paynes Bay beach. He said he heard the project would take effect in September. (DN)

BUS DRIVER ESCAPES INJURY AFTER COLLISION - Transport Board bus driver David Best escaped injury after being involved in an accident along Fairchild Street, in the vicinity of Tistal Laundry and Dry Cleaners around 7:30 a.m. today. Best, 55, of Clevedale Road, Black Rock, St Michael was the lone occupant of the bus at the time of the incident. According to police, Best was trying to avoid hitting two men who were fighting on the road, when he lost control of the bus, collided with two parked vehicles and then crashing into the building housing Tistal Laundry and Dry Cleaners. Police are continuing their investigations. (BT)

POLICE INVESTIGATE STABBING INCIDENT – A 20-year-old St Michael man is nursing injuries following a stabbing incident this morning. Reco Kirton of Spruce Street received three stab wounds to his right side while he was in The City around 7:45 a.m. According to police, Kirton was walking along Fairchild Street with his girlfriend, when he was attacked and stabbed by a man. The man fled the scene while Kirton made his way to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by foot for medical attention. Police have appealed to anyone with information about the incident to contact the Criminal Investigation Department at Central Police Station at 430 7175 or 430 7167; police emergency 211; Crime Stoppers at 1-800-8477 or the nearest police station. Investigations are continuing. (BT)

RUBIS SERVICE STATION RESUMES OPERATIONS AFTER FIRE LAST NIGHT – Panic broke out at the Rubis Service Station, Harmony Hall, St Michael after a vehicle caught fire around 9:20 last night. Quick action by fire officers, however, brought the blaze under control and no one was injured in the incident. Police public relations officer Acting Inspector Roland Cobbler told Barbados TODAY the alarm was first sounded after smoke was seen coming the vehicle, a 2008 Toyota van, driven by Harry Clarke of Fustic Village, St Lucy. It subsequently burst into flames and was destroyed. No one was injured in the incident. Police are continuing investigations. (BT)

TRADEWINDS GEARS UP – Authorities have fallen short of their call for 1 000 volunteers, but say all is still set for the launch of Exercise Tradewinds 2017 today. Exercise co-director Major Carlos Lovell told the DAILY NATION yesterday they had only recorded around 700 of the requested volunteers to take part in the week-long regional, multi-agency, multi-national security and disaster management exercise. However, he said more people were expected to fall in line. “We have one or two other organisations who have also committed volunteers, so I don’t know what the final number will be, but right now we have around 700 and we will be able to work with those. I am pleased with the response of the public; they have come out in a way I have not seen for any other military event in Barbados,” he said. (DN)

TWO LONDON ATTACKERS NAMED BY POLICE – SOURCE: BBC NEWS: Two of the men who carried out Saturday night’s terror attack in London have been named by police. They said Pakistan-born Khuram Butt, 27, of Barking, London, had been known to police and MI5 but there had not been any intelligence about an attack. The other attacker was Rachid Redouane, 30, from Barking, who police said had claimed to be Moroccan-Libyan. The pair and one other man were shot dead by police after killing seven people and injuring 48. They drove a hired van into pedestrians on London Bridge before stabbing people in the area around Borough Market. A vigil was held at Potters Field Park near London Bridge on Monday evening to remember the victims. NHS England said 36 people remained in hospital, with 18 in a critical condition. Redouane, who was a chef, also used the name Rachid Elkhdar. He had not been known to police. Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Mark Rowley said: “Inquiries are ongoing to confirm the identity of their accomplice.” He said the investigation into Butt had begun two years ago but “there was no intelligence to suggest that this attack was being planned and the investigation had been prioritised accordingly”. He added: “Work is ongoing to understand more about them, their connections and whether they were assisted or supported by anyone else.” Butt featured in a Channel 4 documentary last year about Islamist extremists with links to the jailed preacher Anjem Choudary. The attacker, who had older siblings and was married with at least one child, could be seen in the programme arguing with police officers in the street. An online CV seen by the BBC shows that Butt had achieved an NVQ Level 2 in business administration. He went on to work in an administrative role for a company called Auriga Holdings, based in East Ham, which manages Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets. He had also worked for London Underground for just under six months as a trainee customer services assistant, before leaving in October last year, Transport for London said. Butt was the sole director of a now-dissolved company called Kool Kosmetics. (BT)

AG URGES ADULTS TO LEAD BY EXAMPLE –Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite has publicly rapped the Barbados Cricket Association and the Barbados Association of Principals of Public Secondary Schools (BAPPSS) for failing to settle differences, which led to the abandonment of the Sir Everton Weekes Under-13 Limited Over Final. Citing the development as a poor example of conflict resolution, Brathwaite appealed to adults and parents to better demonstrate how to resolve their differences to influence how the island’s youth handle their disputes The BCA pulled stumps on the May 25 final between Combermere and the Christ Church Foundation School after the BAPPSS boycotted the deciding game, citing greivances related to changes to regulations governing the 2017 domestic cricket season. (BT)

PSYCHIATRIC TAKE T20 – Psychiatric hospital Sports Club etched their name in the annals of local cricket history yesterday by becoming the inaugural champions of the Barbados Cricket Association’s Twenty20 Shield Competition. The Black Rock institution hung on to get the better of a nail-biting finish at Kensington Oval over Lords Sports Club of St. Lucy to be crowned champions of the shortest format among teams from the lower divisions. Asked to bat first, Psychiatric battled their way to 119 for nine before dismissing Lords off the last ball of the final over for 115. The triumph continued a successful sequence of championship victories for Psychiatric, who are also defending champions of the prestigious 40-over Shield for junior clubs. (DN)

PROVIDING A VOICE FOR THE DEAF – Eight aspiring entrepreneurs are seeking to provide a voice for the deaf community via a new media venture. Operating under the business name of Broad Street Media, the eight young people, who are all deaf, recently completed a special digital media programme catering specifically for the deaf community. The inaugural course was a joint project between the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports’ mainstreaming programme and the National Council on Substance Abuse. Some of the members had their business on display at the just-concluded Barbados Manufacturers’ Exhibition (BMEX) and also took the opportunityto speak about their thrust into media. (DN)

BARBADIAN CHEFS PREPARE A RANGE OF DISHES FOR ALL PALATES – Barbados has finished the team competition at the 2017 Taste of the Caribbean Competition in Miami. Out of a mystery basket, they had three dishes to prepare and have put a range of tastes and flavours before the judges from the savoury to the sweet. For the starter, the team rolled out curry chicken and spiced plantain roulade, roasted bell pepper coconut sauce and piña colada crumble. This was followed by a main course of herb coated Bajan rubbed certified Angus inside skirt medallion, Bajan seasoned pork sausage, aromatic sweet potato with smoked herring, curry cream cheese stuffing, spicy beef gravy, eggplant churney, pumpkin ginger brulee and spinach coral tuille. For those who like it sweet, dessert comprised nut dusted molasses chocolate pop, sorrel pipette, cinnamon crusted choux filled with rum and raisin cream, passion fruit cilantro gel, citrus coconut cream and guava gelle. Individual members of the team will also be going after honours in the annual competition. (DN)

OFFICIALS PLEASED WITH GROWTH OF CROP OVER HERITAGE TOUR – Barbadians are becoming more interested in learning about their heritage and how their ancestors lived, producer of the Crop Over Heritage Bus Tour Alison Sealy-Smith has said. Speaking to Barbados TODAY on the sidelines of yesterday’s tour, Sealy-Smith disclosed that the response to the event now in its fifth year was overwhelming. The acclaimed actress was particularly pleased that new presentations used to bring the historic stories to life appeared to be a hit with participants. The tour took hundreds of Barbadians on an entertaining and informative journey, telling them bittersweet stories of molasses and rum. The tour commenced at Cavans Lane, The City, a former burial ground for slaves. Participants first observed a minute of silence for the African slaves who died before a brief introduction from lead tour guide Morris Greenidge. The presentation on the slaves’ arrival was so captivating, especially the monologue by young Saniyah Braithwaite, that it left some members of the crowd dabbing tears. The tour then went on to Sunbury Plantation, St Philip for the party at the Great House. From there it was on to Foursquare Rum Distillery, where the crowd learnt the story of the evolution of the rum enterprise. The next stop was the Newton Plantation, a former burial ground for enslaved blacks. The tour then concluded at an old Bajan Rum shop in The City. (BT)

WINNER TAKES ALL – The winner-takes-all model stays. So said Yello Media Group chief executive officer (CEO) Collin Francis as he responded to a question about the current prize model of the Bashment Soca competition. He told those present at the launch of the 2017 Yello Phenomenal Friday competition that it was a different model from those in the current entertainment arena. “We had a lengthy discussion about it. The team of 4D and I met and the thinking behind it is that the first prize is for a winner. We believe that if the artistes out there really want to be No. 1, there really is no room for second, third or fourth place. There is only room for No. 1.” (DN)

ENCORES FOR ALL STARS – Ronnie DE ANNOUNCER Clarke is back. Receiving two encores for Vote and one for Bashment Soca, he could easily be considered the A-lister when Cave Shepherd All Stars Calypso Tent pitched last Saturday night in the Ann Johnson Auditorium of St Gabriel’s School. Appearing on stage close to midnight in a large, black plastic bag with an X on the front and the word VOTE on the back, he energised the large audience, making them sit up, listen and sing along to his admonition to go the polls and vote in the next general election. This, instead of opting out of choosing the party they want to govern the country. (DN)

That’s all for today folks. There are 214 days left in the year Shalom! #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #bajannewscaps #newscapsbystephaniefchase

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shanewuyx-blog · 8 years

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King Saul: A Study on Envy

The Book of Ecclesiastes was written by King Solomon in his late ages reflecting upon his experience in life.

ENVY in the context of WORK - all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-8

Evil Under the Sun

4 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man's envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh.

6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind.

7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

What is ENVY?

It is a ‘painful or resentful awareness of an advantage enjoyed by another joined with a desire to possess the same advantage’.

It is not wrong to desire to be like someone else. It is a problem if the desire is resentful.

What is resentful?

Resentment is a feeling of indignant displeasure or persistent ill will at something regarded as a wrong, insult, or injury.

Indignant means ‘feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy’.

ENVY in The Fall

Genesis 2

15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 3

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.

Awareness: That God knows good and evil, and she did not.

Desire: The tree became a delight to the eyes, and was desired because Man wanted to be like God.

Saul's Jealousy of David

1 Samuel 18

7 And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,

“Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” 8 And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” 9 And Saul eyed David from that day on.

10 The next day a harmful spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand. 11 And Saul hurled the spear, for he thought, “I will pin David to the wall.” But David evaded him twice.

12 Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul. 13 So Saul removed him from his presence and made him a commander of a thousand. And he went out and came in before the people. 14 And David had success in all his undertakings, for the Lord was with him. 15 And when Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in fearful awe of him. 16 But all Israel and Judah loved David, for he went out and came in before them.

Anger and displeasure because Saul perceived that people loved David more than him and that David will have greater possessions - and what more can he have but the kingdom?

David had the Lord with him, and Saul did not. Saul was afraid that David will become MORE powerful than him (and that he will be LESS powerful than David); he took action and removed him from his presence.

But even though David got demoted, he still had great success - the people loved David MORE than Saul.

What are the consequences of Envy?

Envy can lead to serious actions - In the verses that follow, Saul tries to kill David through a scheme that involved marrying him to his daughter Michal. In Chapter 19, Saul tries to kill David himself.

Saul’s envy INCREASED. David became Saul’s ENEMY.

David Marries Michal 17 Then Saul said to David, “Here is my elder daughter Merab. I will give her to you for a wife. Only be valiant for me and fight the Lord's battles.” For Saul thought, “Let not my hand be against him, but let the hand of the Philistines be against him.” 18 And David said to Saul, “Who am I, and who are my relatives, my father's clan in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?” 19 But at the time when Merab, Saul's daughter, should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite for a wife.

20 Now Saul's daughter Michal loved David. And they told Saul, and the thing pleased him. 21 Saul thought, “Let me give her to him, that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.” Therefore Saul said to David a second time, “You shall now be my son-in-law.” 22 And Saul commanded his servants, “Speak to David in private and say, ‘Behold, the king has delight in you, and all his servants love you. Now then become the king's son-in-law.’” 23 And Saul's servants spoke those words in the ears of David. And David said, “Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king's son-in-law, since I am a poor man and have no reputation?” 24 And the servants of Saul told him, “Thus and so did David speak.” 25 Then Saul said, “Thus shall you say to David, ‘The king desires no bride-price except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged of the king's enemies.’” Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. 26 And when his servants told David these words, it pleased David well to be the king's son-in-law. Before the time had expired, 27 David arose and went, along with his men, and killed two hundred of the Philistines. And David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king's son-in-law. And Saul gave him his daughter Michal for a wife. 28 But when Saul saw and knew that the Lord was with David, and that Michal, Saul's daughter, loved him, 29 Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David's enemy continually.

30 Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle, and as often as they came out David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his name was highly esteemed.

What does the bible say is God’s will on Envy?

Galatians 5 tells us that the DESIRES of the Spirit are against the Flesh. Envy is but one desire of the Flesh.

Keep in Step with the Spirit 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

How should we fight Envy?

Galatians 5 teaches us that:

Envy is one of the desires of the flesh.

If we:

walk by the Spirit,

are led by the Spirit,

have the fruit of the Spirit,

live by the Spirit,

keep in step with the Spirit,

THEN we will not gratify the desires of the flesh (not that we do not have those desires).

How to have the Spirit?

By belonging to Christ Jesus.

Galatians 5

24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

How to stop FRETTING ourselves?

Psalm 37

He Will Not Forsake His Saints Of David.

37 Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!

The word ‘fret’ comes from the Old English word freton which means to devour like an animal. When you fret over something, it consumes your thoughts.

The phrase ‘fret not yourself’ appears 3 times in Psalm 37.

Hithpa`el Imperfect אַל תִּתְחַר Psalm 37:1; Psalm 37:7; Psalm 37:8; Proverbs 24:19 heat oneself in vexation.

2 For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. 3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! 8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. 9 For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

Further questions for personal reflection

What are some examples of envy in your life? (Envy can be subtle)

What does it feel like?

What actions do you take in response to envy?

Do you feel that envy is wrong?

Acknowledgements

http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/battling-the-unbelief-of-envy for helping me structure this post.

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stephaniefchase · 8 years

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Bajan Newscap 3/28/2017

Good Morning #realdreamchasers! Here is your daily news cap for Tuesday 28th March 2017. Remember you can read full articles via Barbados Today (BT), or by purchasing a Daily Nation Newspaper (DN).

WRONG TURN – Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite has dismissed calls for tougher legislation to curb the number of fatal road accidents here, arguing that new laws would not stop road deaths. “This is unprecedented in the history of Barbados. I don’t believe that we have ever had so many road fatalities in such a short period of time. We must all be concerned because it not just a legislative issue because from what I am being told it is mostly recklessness,” the Attorney General said. The number of road deaths so far this year have surpassed the ten recorded for all of last year, and have matched the total for 2014. The latest victim is 49-year-old Station Sergeant Clifford Sherlock Bridgeman of #4B, Church Village, St Philip, who passed away at the scene following a five-vehicle smash up on Carrington Road, at its junction with Edgecumbe Hill, St Philip around 6 p.m. Sunday. Reports are that the police vehicle, in which Bridgeman was a passenger, was stationary when it was struck by a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Tre Murray of Spring Hall, St Lucy, who was attempting to overtake a number of vehicles along the road. However, rather than adopting a hard-line approach, Brathwaite is suggesting that more could be done to educate young drivers about the dangers of reckless driving, while placing some of the responsibility on the shoulders of local motorsport associations. He said there was a worrying trend of young drivers speeding after attending motorsport events at Bushy Park, St Philip. In a swift response, President of the Barbados Motoring Federation Andrew Mallalieu said any attempt to link motorsport events to reckless driving was without merit. “We in the federation are concerned about what appears to be the increasing number of road fatalities … . However, anyone who takes part in events by the federation has to have a special licence, and any infraction on the road can bring that licence into question. “We would like to urge drivers on the public road to save their high speed driving for the track. Our experience has been that having more motorsport creates more responsible drivers because it actually helps to give those drivers an outlet. I don’t think there are more people riding horses because there is horse racing at the Garrison,” Mallalieu said. (BT)

CANCEL STREET RACERS POLICIES – Fast cars combined with fast fingers are allowing illegal street racers to thrive. That’s the concern of senior traffic cop Sergeant Seibert Johnson, who yesterday condemned the increasing prevalence of street racing and the use of social media messaging services to warn that police officers were on the way. In a bid to curb that activity, Johnson, of the Traffic Division, and general manager of Co-operators General Insurance, Anton Lovell, have called for insurance companies to get involved and cancel the policies of street racers. Johnson told the Daily Nation yesterday that the dangerous practice was growing as the speedsters used their cellphones to message other racers to alert them of any police presence where they planned to race. (DN)

DETECTIVE’S FAMILY STRUGGLING TO COPE – The toughest job relatives of little Azanii Bridgeman have ever had is upon them. They have to help the eight-year-old to come to grips with his father’s untimely death. “Azanii is eight and is struggling to deal with the fact that he saw his dad yesterday [Sunday] and now he is gone. “We are just trying our hardest to get him to understand and be supportive right now,” the boy’s cousin said yesterday when the DAILY NATION team visited Church Village, St Philip, where Bridgeman lived. Azanii’s father, 49-year-old detective Clifford Sherlock Bridgeman, a station sergeant with the Royal Barbados Police Force, died after the vehicle in which he was a passenger was involved in an accident on Sunday night. (DN)

DEAD COP’S BROTHER WANTS STIFF PENALTIES – The brother of Station Sergeant Clifford Sherlock Bridgeman, who Sunday evening became the island’s 14th road fatality for the year, is calling for stiff punishment for the person responsible for the officer’s death. The 49-year-old Bridgeman, of #4B Church Village, St Philip, died at the scene following a five-vehicle smash up, which occurred on Carrington Road, at its injunction with Edgecumbe Hill, St Philip around 6 p.m. Sunday evening. According to police, Bridgeman was the front seat passenger in a stationary police vehicle that was hit by a vehicle driven by 23-year-old Tre Murray of Spring Hall, St Lucy. Murray had attempted to overtake a number of vehicles along the road and apparently struck three cars in the process. Bridgeman’s brother Anthony Holder promptly arrived at the scene after he got news of the accident. Overcome with a combination of grief and anger, Holder told Barbados TODAY the penalty for causing his brother’s death must be severe. “I don’t believe my brother should have died so … [on] his job and I feel … that the man that do it should pay more than a double penalty for it,” he said. Holder also complained about speeding and those who “can’t steer a car at high speed, you are looking to kill people”. “You want to do 100 miles an hour and turn a foolish corner and kill my brother for noots [nothing],” he said. The death of the station sergeant, who was responsible for the Criminal Investigation Department in the southern division, has left the entire Church Village community in shock. When Barbados TODAY visited the residence he shared with his son and partner, neighbours said Bridgeman’s death was a blow to the community. A respected and well-liked member of the community, the policeman was fondly remembered as a nice and amiable family man, who was frequently seen playing with his son. The tragedy has also rocked the officer’s colleagues at the Royal Barbados Police Force, some of whom underwent counselling Monday. (BT)

COPS IN MOURNING – There was a sombre mood prevailing at a number of police stations yesterday as many officers mourned the untimely passing of “an ace detective”. The tragic death in a road accident on Sunday evening of Station Sergeant Clifford Sherlock Bridgeman, 49, forced the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) to activate its chaplaincy as a number of its members needed counselling. The faces at District ‘C’ and Oistins all painted a picture of sorrow and grief. Bridgeman’s relatives said they were still in disbelief, while his girlfriend, fellow police officer Roslyn Gittens, was too distraught to speak. (DN)

DEATH TRAP - St Lucy resident Lecia Francis Monday revisited last Saturday’s fire which took the life of her cousin Nigel Corbin, wondering whether there was anything she could have done differently. The 59-year-old Corbin received third degree burns when a fire gutted his #2 Broomfield, St Lucy home, and died early Sunday morning at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Francis, who was Corbin’s caregiver, said things happened at such dizzying speed that she was still trying to make sense of it. Yet, because she felt powerless to help, she sometimes blames herself for her cousin’s death. “I smelt smoke, I look through the window, I thought my neighbour was burning stuff, but it wasn’t. So I went back doing what I had to do. But I kept smelling the smoke. Then when I went outside, the second bedroom of his house, I saw the flames coming through the window. So before I could figure out what was happening, I went out and a big crowd was there and I said to them, ‘Nigel is inside there’, and few of the guys tried to make it but it was so smoky, dark and hot they couldn’t get in; two turned back but two wet themselves with water and went in and got him,” Francis told Barbados TODAY, while shaking her head in disbelief. Francis said her cousin was “a wonderful man who was loved by all”, but who suffered from Parkinson’s disease and an undiagnosed disability, which slowed him down considerably. It was this disability, she concluded, that impacted his mobility so badly that he was trapped in a burning inferno. “He was always slow. But he is not foolish. One of his senses like it never developed properly. He moves around very slow. So it wasn’t enough to get out of the heat,” Francis said. “I feel very sad for Nigel. He was not only my cousin, he was my friend. We had our good moments together. It’s real sad and I would miss him. On evenings when I come from work he would be there by the neighbour and I would shout him and tell him I’m going home and he would come with me. We would sit and watch TV and he would tell me certain things that went on during the day. He was no fool. Anything that came over TV he could tell you.” The sorrowful cousin praised the neighbours who risked their lives in an attempt to save Corbin’s, suggesting they were all heroes. She was also thankful that none of the other four occupants of the house was home at the time of the blaze. “In everything you must give God thanks. It could have been worse if the others were there,” she said. Police are continuing investigations into the incident. (BT)

ROLE FOR PTAS IN SBA FIGHT - The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTA) has to get more involved in the long-running dispute between the Ministry of Education and the teachers’ unions over the marking of school-based assessments (SBAs). Minister of Education Ronald Jones made that declaration Sunday as the fight with the Mary Redman-led Barbados Secondary Teachers’ Union over teachers’ marking of SBAs shows no sign of letting up. Though he was adamant that his ministry remained committed to the issue, the minister told party faithful attending a Democratic Labour Party St Andrew branch meeting that the umbrella grouping had a bigger role to play. “What has to happen, and I’ve had conversations up to [Saturday] with somebody in the NCPTA, I said to them, ‘You’re the ones who really have to carry this fight now’,” Jones informed the meeting at the Alleyne School. (DN)

IN BED TOGETHER: GOVERNMENT UNCOMFORTABLE WITH BLP’S RELATIONSHIP WITH NUPW - Two Government officials have gone on the offensive against the National Union of Public Workers (NUPW), suggesting that top officials of the island’s largest public sector union are in bed with the Mia Mottley-led Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP). Addressing a branch meeting of his ruling Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in St Andrew last night, Minister of Education Ronald Jones joined with Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and International Transport Irene Sandiford-Garner in launching the attack against the trade union. It follows a warning issued just over a week ago by the NUPW President Akanni McDowall that the ruling DLP was seeking to influence the outcome of the union’s internal vote on April 5. In fact, McDowall had suggested at the time that the current challenge that has been mounted against his presidency by the NUPW’s Deputy General-Treasurer Roy Greenidge was “another attempt to prevent union from holding Government’s feet to the fire”. At the opening of the union’s 73rd annual conference last Thursday, NUPW General Secretary Roslyn Smith further sought to underscore McDowall’s concerns, saying the union, which was once viewed as “a darling for agreeing to hold strain and not seek a pay increase for its membership” was now considered, not only to be “the worst institution in Barbados”, but also to be “partisan and mad” because it decided “that it cannot morally continue to support Government in this particular regard”. However, without calling the NUPW by name, Jones spoke of trade union leaders “holding the hands of the political leader and marching up and down”, in a clear reference to participation of members of the NUPW’s top brass in the recent Opposition-sponsored national March of Disgust. Prior to that, Mottley had also participated in protest action led by the NUPW in defence of workers at the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation. In a spirited speech in which he also castigated Mottley saying, she thinks she must be the first female Prime Minister of Barbados, Jones was admittedly taken aback by the seemingly close relationship between members of the NUPW’s executive and the BLP. Jones also suggested that the founders of the trade union were turning in their graves, even though he was himself a teachers’ union representative before he became a politician. His position was strongly supported by Sandiford-Garner, who also addressed the meeting in her St Andrew constituency, and called on the NUPW to “leave politics out of trade unionism. “Your union leaders must not come to you as politicians. Leave the politics out of trade unionism, leave it out!” Sandiford-Garner advised. She also likened last week’s NUPW annual conference to a BLP political rally. “Someone who attended told me they were never more uncomfortable at a public meeting, furthermore a union meeting… . He felt as if he was at a Barbados Labour Party mass rally. He said he was sent by the Prime Minister, but he did not know the protocol. He felt like walking out. He was that uncomfortable. I told him he should have walked out. The sort of things he told me that were said would have made me walk out, protocol or no protocol, because at some point you have to decide when you would not be politically correct,” she said. Sandiford-Garner, who said she was invited to attend opening of the NUPW conference, said when she heard that the guest speaker was the BLP’s economic advisor Dr Clyde Mascoll, she threw away her invitation. “You do not invite persons to your house to disrespect them. Not only did the disrespect come from the guest speaker, but I understand McDowall and other members of the executive were exceedingly disrespectful. “I am going to be very frank with you my colleagues. Until the NUPW acquires respectful, mature, and disciplined leadership it can take my name off their guest list. I will not be attending any functions they invite Senator Garner to. I heard the [former] First Lady of the United States of America [Michelle Obama] said, ‘when they go low, you go high’. That is a different situation … . There will be rallies, there will be meetings, but when you invite people to your home you do not disrespect them. There has to be a line drawn. There is open and blatant disrespect now. The Prime Minister is called all sorts of names on social media. Then we hear about victimization,” Sandiford-Garner added. (BT)

CARRINGTON: I DON’T STEAL – In a scene reminiscent of former Philippines president Benigno Aquino, Speaker of Parliament Michael Lashley last night told supporters of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) he was no thief. Referring to allegations made by his challenger, Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) candidate Reverend Joseph Atherley, Carrington told a meeting of his St Michael West branch he was an honest and sincere man. “I am very straightforward. I don’t lie and I don’t steal. So tell him to leave me alone,” Carrington said of Atherley. It brought back memories of Aquino, who, in an attempt to confront a growing corruption scandal that had threatened to derail his political agenda, had said in a radio and television address in 2013, he was “not a thief”. “I have never stolen. I am not a thief. I am the one who goes after thieves,” Aquino had said at the time, while accusing the opposition of sowing seeds of confusion. Carrington made no such accusations last night, neither did he repeat the allegations, which he said were made during a BLP walkabout in an area known as “Vietnam”. However, they so upset him that he felt the need to vow for his own honesty before party faithful, including Senator Verla De Peiza. “Each time a dog barks you don’t look out, so each time the Reverend opens his mouth I am not going to open my mouth or anything. But sometimes you have to answer or comment,” Carrington said. Meantime, in an apparent reference to Minister of Commerce Donville Inniss, who last week complained about the pace at which the DLP was progressing with the selection of its slate of candidates for next year’s general election, Carrington told supporters there was no need to worry. “It is the Democratic Labour Party that is in office, and we set the pace. The Government still has its legislative agenda to finish, and when last I checked elections are due constitutionally next year,” he said, adding that he had not heard any of the current 16 DLP parliamentarians announce they would not contest the election. The DLP parliamentarian also assured supporters he would retain the St Michael West seat for the ruling party. “I am going all out to ensure that this seat remains firmly and safely in the bosom of the Democratic Labour Party … . That is so because of my approach. I think I’ve done a good job. I’m a good man,” he said. (BT)

EXPECT MAJOR CHANGES AT ICBL - A top official of the Insurance Corporation of Barbados Limited (ICBL) Monday warned that it would not be business as usual, as the Bermuda-based insurance giant prepares to make significant job cuts. In a statement in which he formally announced that staff had been offered a voluntary separation package (VSP), acting Chief Executive Officer Goulbourne Alleyne stopped short of revealing the precise targets of the internal cost-cutting exercise. However, he cautioned that pending staff changes would occur soon. In the carefully worded statement, Alleyne also described the package as an “enhanced one”, saying it was developed by management with a view to ensuring that staff were treated fairly and appropriately recognized and compensated for the service they had provided to the company. The move comes on the heels of the sudden departure of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ingrid Innes, who resigned from the top position back in January. That announcement came in a brief statement issued by ICBL, in which it was also revealed that Innes had given up her position on the board of directors. However, to date no reason has been given for her sudden exit from the insurance company, which had promised in its 2015 report that its staff level “will remain stable with necessary changes to be made as required”. In fact, the report had suggested that there would be further strengthening of the team by way of specialized and talented managers in critical areas. The well-capitalized company had also boasted at the time of shareholders’ equity in the amount of $149.1 million and an investment portfolio in excess of $223 million. However, based on 2013 data, its total staff complement stood at 191 permanent employees, making total staff costs of just over $17 million, including a $14 million wage bill. (BT)

ELDERLY MAN FINED FOR KILLING HORSE TO FEED DOGS - A 61-year-old retiree admitted to animal cruelty and was fined for it when he appeared before a Bridgetown Magistrate today. Vincent Tyrone Clarke of Stadium Road, Bush Hall, St Michael pleaded guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to a horse on March 25 by beheading the animal to use as meat for dogs. Police prosecutor Station Sergeant Janice Ifill told the No. 2 District ‘A’ Criminal Court that Clarke owns a kennel with 14 dogs and usually purchases meat to feed them. He reportedly made arrangements with a man to purchase a horse that had health issues. Acting on information, lawmen went to an area where they saw Clarke at the back of an abandoned house cutting meat from the carcass of a horse. He was taken into custody and admitted to slaying the horse for the purpose of providing food for his dogs, and was subsequently arrested and charged. In court today, Clarke told Magistrate Kristie Cuffy-Sargeant that the owner of the horse had given him the animal because it was sick and dying. He said he had a first-hand look at the animal and it was unable to stand. Clarke claimed the horse had colic and he initially thought he could make it better, but he could not. “So I say I would take it out of its misery,” he told the magistrate, adding that he had planned to give the dogs some of the meat and discard the rest of it. Magistrate Cuffy-Sargeant was not impressed with Clarke’s explanation. She imposed an $800 fine on Clarke who had one week to pay the money to the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court to avoid three months in jail. He wasted no time, however, and paid the money before he left the precincts of the Bridgetown Court today. (BT)

BUILDING SPORTS BRANDS – This year has been designated the year of sports and the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. (BTMI) has added a number of new events to their yearly calendar. At the press launch to announce the details at the BTMI headquarters, chief executive officer William “Billy” Griffith said that following last year’s increased visitor arrivals and spending, the aim was to encourage visitors to get engaged and immersed in all the island had to offer. Therefore, he explained that within the year of sports they were exploring various sporting avenues which would attract visitors. “So the year of sports initiative is the result of months of research and talks with our industry partners about the feedback they received from these markets and what we found was that Barbados had several sporting streets that are not exploited,” he said. (DN)

MCCARTNEY, WALCOTT WIN AT BUSHY PARK - Devan McCartney and Andre Walcott each claimed a hat-trick of class wins as Bushy Park Motor Sport Inc (BPMSI) opened its 2017 Championship at the Bushy Park, St Philip raceway Sunday. Meanwhile, Kyle King overcame a 10-second jump-start penalty to win the Hilti Handicap on his circuit racing debut. The St Philip facility staged the island’s first-ever joint event for horsepower and pedal-power, as BPMSI combined with the Barbados Association of Dragsters & Drifters (BADD) and the Barbados Cycling Union (BCU). Driving the Honda CRX, McCartney qualified on pole position for Group 1/Class 2, ahead of Derek Edwards (BMW 318ti Compact) and class champion for the past two years, Adrian Bailey (Peugeot 205). Walcott (Suzuki Swift) was the fastest in Gp1/C1 qualifying, ahead of William Jones (Datsun B310), while neither Darren Lashley (Peugeot 205XS) nor Kevin Armstrong (Datsun 120Y) made it out for qualifying. (BT)

HC SEEKING CHESS TITLE – Defending divisional champions, Harrison College will be playing with a special incentive when the Massy United Insurance Secondary Schools Chess Championship climaxes next month. Kolij, the Under-15 and Under-20 champions will be saying goodbye to FIDE Master Yu Tien Poon from the ranks of secondary schools chess and are aiming to give him a winning send-off. Poon, who started with The Lodge School, is in his final year of 6th Form at Harrison College and will be the top bill on Board 1 in the Under 20 Division. This makes this year’s edition of the Massy United Insurance tournament critical to the preparation of the top juniors as they play for honours and bragging rights after Queen’s College captured the overall title in 2016. At the tournament launch last weekend, Barbados Chess Federation president Allan Herbert also noted that his organisation would be hosting the CAC Under 20 Championships for the first time in June and will be vying for a historic third CARIFTA Championships in Kingston, Jamaica, next month. Hence, performances at this year’s tournament will be noted for selection. The contribution of Massy United Insurance continues to be critical to the development of chess in Barbados as trophies for teams and individual prizes in the Under 13, Under 15 and Under 20 Divisions plus for the over-all champions all derived from their sponsorship. The Massy United Insurance Secondary Schools Championship is a team competition played in three age categories, Under 13, Under 15 and Under 20 and is open to all public and private secondary schools in Barbados. The competition ends on April 1. (BT)

PRIDE FEEL PRESSURE – A Barbadian stole the spotlight at Kensington Oval yesterday but his effort was the main source of frustration and not joy for the Barbados Pride, as they had to settle for a draw with table leaders Guyana Jaguars. The final day of the eighth-round contest between Barbados Pride and the Guyana Jaguars in the Digicel Regional 4-Day Tournament ended with Barbados 18 runs short of a victory which was denied largely through the effort of Jaguars’ all-rounder, Barbadian Ramon Reifer. He made an unbeaten 35 off 175 balls in 224 minutes and then took four for 49 to frustrate the Barbados run chase. “Being in the position we were in earlier, to come out with a draw we are definitely proud about that,” Reifer told NATIONSPORT after the game. (DN)

MIXED FORTUNES FOR BAJANS – Team Barbados have had a mixed start to the 2017 FIH Men’s Hockey World League Round Two in Tacarigua, Trinidad and Tobago. Opening their tournament against Chile, the local boys went down 2-1 in a gutsy showing for the aquamarine and gold. The lone item came from national standout Akeem Rudder from a penalty corner conversion. The Hockey Tridents looked in good stead for their grudge match with the USA after losing out on the gold medal at World League Round One late last year. USA, however, had written their own version of the story and in the Hockey Tridents’ second outing took them to task in a 7-1 drubbing. USA opened their account in the tenth minute through veteran midfielder Pat Harris. They added another one minute later, through Tyler Sundeen. Second-quarter action would see Bill Holt add another to the USA’s tally. Eight minutes later Aki Kaeppeler would bury a USA penalty corner making the half-time score 4-0 in the USA’s favour. Nine minutes after the restart, Nick Molscan would finish a USA build-up adding yet another to the growing tally. Pat Harris would secure his second goal of the game with a brilliantly taken shot in the 50th after play broke down from a USA penalty corner. Che Warner would end the scoring when he managed a consolation for the local boys converting a penalty stroke seven minutes before the end of the encounter. The Hockey Tridents now look forward to Canada in their final pool match on Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. local time. With quarterfinal match-ups at stake the Barbados men will be trying to have a strong showing against the tournament favourites, while hoping for the USA to do the business against Chile. If they get favourable results tomorrow the Bajans can avoid the top seed in the neigbouring pool, as they try to keep hope alive for reaching the top tiers of the crossover. The FIH Hockey World League Round 2 is the second stage of the FIH’s four-stage World League competition. The top two teams from this Round will join other Round Two finishers in the World League Semi-Finals, to vie for a place in the eight-team World League Finals and World Cup Qualification. Quarter-final matches play on Thursday, March 30th, with the semi-finals and final scheduled for this Saturday and Sunday respectively. Matches are being streamed live on the FIH’s YouTube Channel. (BT)

SONICS END LAKERS RUN – Lumber Company Lakers have finally lost. Urban Vybz St John’s Sonics guard Jamar King scored two go-ahead free throws with 17.3 seconds left, as Lakers got on the wrong end of questionable calls on the very last two plays of Sunday’s 71-69 thriller in the Co-operators General Insurance Basketball Premier League. It was a crushing end to an impressive 6-0 start by the league leaders, who looked to remain unbeaten in a huge prime time matchup against the preseason favourites at the Barbados Community College. (DN)

JULES A JOY FOR BARBADOS – RASHAD JULES was the hero for Barbados on Sunday night. It was his brace which propelled the local football team to a 2-1 win over Martinique at the Usain Bolt Sports Complex. Jules’ two well taken strikes jolted an initially tentative home side into life and pushed them to a 2-0 second half lead before Martinique replied, giving Barbados a late scare. Stephan Abaul pulled the visitors to within a goal in the final minutes, but the home side managed to hold on in the end, much to the satisfaction of the sizeable crowd on hand. (DN)

UPBEAT OVER CARIFESTA – Barbados is set to benefit significantly from the hosting of CARIFESTA XIII in August. With the festival budget set at $6 million, Minister of Culture Stephen Lashley has predicted a favourable outcome for the island from the regional arts and cultural exposition. “Suffice to say that we in Barbados are gearing up for one of the biggest cultural extravaganzas to come to our shores in a very, very long time,” he said while delivering the feature address at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre for the launch yesterday. Noting that the last time Barbados held the regional multicultural event was in 1981, Lashley noted that first CARIFESTA cost the island $25 million. (DN)

That’s all for today folks. There are 279 days left in the year Shalom! #thechasefiles #dailynewscaps Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram for your daily news. #bajannewscaps #newscapsbystephaniefchase

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