#yes. she knocks us off a cliff tries to capture the boy and beats the fuck out of our trico

[haydenhappyrave]

the beast

[loki-fanfic-whore]

Green Eyes in a Dark World

Loki x original character

Warnings: abuse (descriptive)/ suicide attempt (descriptive)/ bad grammar

Chapter 2

Hushed lies lie on their lips.

" I am also not of this world my dear....soon we will be able to speak openly, but not now." The voice was clear in Alessa's ears but she knew Torra had not spoken this aloud.

Torra brought Alessa to the classroom and they concluded after hours of book work.

At dinner that evening Alessa looked out the balcony of their dining hall to see the rain pelting the marble banaster. She ate very little as she contemplated all. Startled as a hand slid around hers.

"Mon cheri? What ails you?" Celeste spoke gently to her.

Alessa met her golden gaze with her dark emerald eyes.

"Celeste what was mama like?" She spoke randomly.

Celestes blinked slightly taken aback by the question.

"She was beautiful and graceful and had hair of spun gold and gold eyes. She captured fathers heart." She spoke softly. This was something Alessa had heard a thousand times.

"Did she practice with the workings?" Alessa asked feeling her heart beat faster against her chest.

"No. She did not have such a gift. She was not lucky enough to have been chosen to have that power. She passed away birthing you. Why do you ask dear child?" Celeste asked following Alessa's gaze to the balcony.

"Just wondering..." Alessa whispered. She stood up and excused herself. Recieving a glare from her father as she removed herself from the room.

As soon as the door closed she was running. Running through the crowd of servants and guards and civilians running out of the palace to the garden grounds and out of the gardens to the cliff. Her tunic and body soaked from the pouring rain as she stood at the cliff. Looking at her reflection in the rough waters.

'Their eyes' she thought.

'Their eyes are of gold....He cannot be my father'

She felt tears sting her eyes as her chest felt like it would crack. Sobbing she dove head first off the cliff into the water.

She felt the familiar icy stabbing as she began to sink. Her hair and tunic ebbing and flowing in the water. She focused as she sank head first to the bottom.

She felt another splash behind her. Her eyes widening she swam upwards temporarily to see.

A male was swimming towards her, his pale body naked save for dark trousers. He swam to her and grabbed her. Alessa began to panic and struggle. Why couldn't she breathe right now?! The boy began trying to swim upwards but Alessa was fighting hard. The boy cupped her chin hard to force her to look into his eyes; her own going wide.

His eyes were an emerald green. Like her own, but his hair was golden. The boy was looking into her eyes pleadingly trying to save her. She felt the burning in her veins as her skin glowed with blue once more. She gasped gently.

"Your eyes.... You are like me...who are you?!" She mouthed not knowing if he could hear it. The boy shook his head unable to practice the workings so he could not respond. His face turning pale and his body becoming ridged with lack of air he motioned up. Alessa shook her head no and moved forward. She cupped his face hard and pushed her mouth to his and parting her lips forcing air into his lungs. She could feel his body sucking the air greedily from her. The soft blue lines glowing onto his skin from her own lips before dissapearing.

Torra had said "To be able to heal herself and others. This was the blueworkings."

"I am called Maddox here your majesty, but ny real name is Loki..and these are my natural eyes. My hair is naturally black, but for obvious reasons it is blonde here." He spoke warmly into her mind. While connected like this they shared her workings. He could speak to her telepathically.

"Why did you jump? Surely you do not want to expire your highness." He asked her looking into her eyes as she breathed for them.

"..although it has crossed my mind before.... I am trying to grow in skill with this." She motioned to the blue glow under her skin swirling away. She felt herself beginning to get weak. Loki cupped her face and kissed her deeply.

"You are too beautiful to expire. Since I have seen you I have wanted to take you into my arms. You do not know it yet...but you and I are destined to wed." He kept eye contact as he spoke telepathically to her. Her eyes widened as she pushed from him feeling weakened.

"Loki...Maddox...I need you to swim. Please. I cannot keep breathing for us. I am losing my stamina quickly trying to keep us both breathing .. Once we are to the surface we will not be able to speak freely. My father watches me like a hawk especially near males." She whispered it to him as she felt herself burning alive inside. Everything ached. She closed her eyes and her body collapsed against him.

Loki's eyes dialated in fear as he felt her go limp. The blue fading from him. He pulled her body to his and kicked off the floor of the water swimming up to the surface. Once he breeched the surface he saw guards and the royal family were waiting.

"What took you so long?!" Snapped Lucreetus.

"Forgive me sire." Loki sputtered out of breath.

"She had sank to the bottom and was tangled in weeds. " he lied effertlessly.

The guards pulled him from the water and extracted the limp girl from him.

Celeste was screaming at the horror.

Alessa's body was unresponsive.

"Lay her down flat. Quick!" The voice came from behind Lucreetus. Torra stepped forward and took her gloves off. Her hands swirling with multiple colors. She placed her palms to Alessa's chest and closed her eyes. Focusing she breathed in and out. The blue in Alessa's skin moving towards where Torra's hands were placed.

A gasp sounded as Alessa began spitting and sputtering water. Torra flipped her quickly and rubbed her back as she retched.

Celeste was upon her side instantly. Trying to hold her wet hair back.

Lucreetus stepped up to Loki jabbing a finger in his face.

"If you touched her in any way inappropriately so help me." He said jabbing a finger at him again.

Loki straightened and looked at him with innocent golden eyes.

"Majesty. Maddox is my son. He would never harm the lady Alessa. He simply saw her fall over the edge and acted quickly. Had he not been near I would have feared a much darker outcome." The response was from Torra and not Loki, who stood with a clenched jaw.

Lucreetus straightened and turned to leave.

"Yes well, get some clothes on. You are not to be near Alessa again." He said curtly before marching off. The crowd of guards and civilians moving with him.

Alessa looked up at Torra trying to hide the tears that burned her raw eyes.

"I was just trying to-"

"I know... You were trying to get a run in to enjoy the fresh air and salt of the water when you accidently slipped and fell. I know your majesty. It is okay, no one blames you." Torra cut her off and answered for her. Alessa nodded accepting the lie as she looked to celeste.

"Alessa you scared me! You must be ice cold. Let's get you in a bath and to bed." She spoke standing. She motioned for guards to pick Alessa up.

As she felt strong arms under her lifting her up she looked to the still half naked man. His hair was golden and hung to his shoulders in wet locks. His jaw and shoulders both broad and his chest was muscular but not buldging. His eyes were a honey gold just like Torra's. Alessa blinked and looked at Torra.

"His eyes..." She spoke softly looking confused.

"What about them majesty?" Torra spoke aloud

"What you saw was no illusion. He is of your world. Do not discuss it now Alessa." Came the voice in her mind.

"They look like yours." She finished as Torra beemed at the compliment.

The guards moved quickly pulling her into her room and leaving. The maids took it from there stripping off her wet clothes and getting her into the hot bath. She had just relaxed and was warming up when the door crashed open and her father stepped in red in the face.

Alessa stood at the noise but quickly tried to cover herself.

Whack.

A hand reached out and smacked her face jerking her to the side. Alessa fell into the side of the tub with a shriek. Lucreetus went on to beat her until he left in a huffing rage. Alessa had cried out in the beginning but realized it was fruitless. She whimpered hoarsly as he continued to hit and kick her, even smashing something over her body. She laid in the water that was now chilled and surveryed the black and blue in spots. She sobbed softly. Only when Lucreetus was gone did the maid come in and help her from the bath. She dried her and dressed her and put her in bed. Acting as if nothing was different. This was soemthing all of Alessa's staff had seen many times. They knew to keep their mouths shut. Alessa's entire body ached now and she was sure she had a cracked rib. One eye was puffy and she had a pounding headache. Lucreetus would hide her away with excuses until the bruises healed. She prayed swiftly for sleep, but sleep eluded her until dawn barely krept over the edge of her windows. Illuminating just how dark her skin could get. She laid sore and aching as her last drips of tears had dried long ago. She was left in silence for her brain to continue to abuse her far worse than Lucreetus ever would.

There was a knock at her door. She hissed as she stood from the side of the bed. Breathing hurt and she could taste bile and blood. She definitely had a broken rib. Her head pounding harder than the impatient knocking at the door she moved to answer it slowly as it became louder still with insistance.

"Lady Alessa I will not have you lat-" the sentence was cut off as Torra stepped in the room and closed the door keping her back to the door staring in shock at thr young girl. She moved her hand behind her back and flicked the bolt latching the door shut. Alessa stood with her hands together in front of her looking to her feet trying not to move or show her face. Torra took a gently slow step forward and lifted a gloved hand moving Alessa's black hair from her face and lifting her chin to survey the damage.

Alessa met her gaze with one blacked eye and a busted lip. Her cheeks hot with embarrassment.

"Dear Gods....what has he done to you?" She whispered aloud.

[epag88]

Dragon Treasure Chapter: 15

Summary:  Hiccup is just a little seven year old boy running away from his father’s disappointment and meets a new friend hiding in the woods. Stoic is about to learn that one man’s burden is another man’s treasure. 

It had been a month since the Night Fury clan had come to the shores of Berk in search of an alliance with the human tribe. A month since one mistake led a little boy literally tumbling into the life of a dragon and a friendship was born. In just one month the course of destiny had been changed for both the dragon and human clans forever.

Toothless stood in the cove, disguised as a human looking around his temporary home in awe. He never would have thought in a million years that this place would be such an important place for him. The dragon smiled as his ears picked up the sounds of stomping feet and a child's giggles coming his way before he casually turned around to look up at the cliff.

The tiny head of his little human hatchling came into view, his tiny body leaning over the side smiling back at him before he said, "What are you doing Toothless?"

"Just thinking," he replied as he uncrossed his arms and approached the cliff.

"About wha-"

Hiccup could not finish asking his question before his hand slipped and he fell head first into the cove. The Night Fury had predicted this in advance when he saw the clumsy little boy leaning a bit too far out and easily caught the child.

"Omf," they both grunted as the power behind the fall knocked them both back to the ground.

Toothless took one hand away from his protective embrace on Hiccup and rubbed the bump that was forming on the back of his head. He looked down at the little boy that was lying on his chest who was staring back at him with concerned eyes.

"Sorry, are you ok?" Hiccup asked worried.

"Yes. I am fine," Toothless replied ruffling the child's hair as he sat up pulling the boy into his lap to check him over for scrapes.

"How did you know I was gonna fall?" Hiccup asked in amazement.

The dragon smiled before he replied, "Because you have got to be the most accident-prone creature I have ever met in my life."

Hiccup glared at him and stuck his tongue out before crossing his arms and turning away from his friend pouting.

"Don't be like that hatchling, I was only…half kidding. My bond with you as my treasure tells me when you need me. So, no matter how far you are from me I will always find you," Toothless explained pulling the boy in his lap into a strong, protective hug.

"You're still a jerk," the boy replied making the dragon chuckle.

"You're still clumsy but alas, we love each other anyhow, don't we?" the dragon said as he stood up still holding on to the human who reluctantly nodded in reply.

"So, what were you thinking about?" Hiccup asked curiously.

"I was wondering how terribly dull it would have been around here if my clumsy little human hadn't found me," He teased as he continued to tussle the boy's hair.

"Unbearably," the child teased back with a grin.

"HICCUP!" a voice called and the boys looked up to see Astrid and Tyra's terrified faces.

"It's alright I got him," Toothless assured them.

Tyra let out a sigh of relief as Astrid said, "He ran ahead of us and we saw him fall."

When the girl and human had climbed down into the cove, Astrid immediately stomped over to the pair as the dragon put Hiccup down. The blond girl pulled back her arm and punched the boy right in the arm making the boy cry out in shock before she let another fist fly to the same spot.

"That's for scaring the crap out of me," she cried to the boy who was rubbing his sore arm.

When Tyra heard the distinct warning growl of the other Night Fury she decided to step in before Toothless' papa dragon instincts kicked in.

"Alright I think we need to get started on today's training, don't you?" she declared.

The children nodded enthusiastically before pulling the equipment out of the cave so that they could begin their practice.

They had been working with the villagers of Berk to prepare themselves for the fight of their lives since their arrival. Toothless being the overly protective dragon that he was demanded more training for Hiccup so that he could protect himself the very best that he could.

"Brace yourself Toothless. Today's training is for you as well to practice what I've taught you," Tyra said as she watched the children grab their things.

Toothless looked at her confused before the human children came back with their shields and weapons and stood anxious to get started.

"Alright, first we review everything we've learned up until now," she explained as she began removing her clothing and smirked at the trio of groans.

As she removed the last of her attire she turned her head to them and said, "We review them up there."

"Astrid, you ride with me and Hiccup will ride with Toothless. Each team will have a ribbon tied to the dragon's tail and the first team to capture the other's ribbon will get the losing team's dessert," she explained handing a silver ribbon to Hiccup and a purple ribbon to Astrid.

The dragon and children quickly realized they were going to fight in the sky. As Hiccup and Astrid cheered with excitement of being able to fly, Toothless was completely terrified. He followed Tyra's lead and quickly transformed into his dragon form before glaring at her.

'What are you thinking taking them up there?' Toothless demanded.

'Like I said this would be training for you as well' she replied calmly.

The children quickly climbed onto the dragons and took to the skies. Toothless still didn't know how he felt about all this and only got more uncomfortable when Tyra nodded to him and flew into the clouds with Astrid.

"We gotta go in there?" Hiccup said gripping onto the back of the dragon.

'I'm with you. Don't be scared' Toothless cooed to the boy before flying off after the girls into the thick grey clouds.

Hiccup felt like he was going blind and tried desperately to see what was in front of him making sure to have his shield held out in front of him. Toothless looked around carefully keeping his eyes and ears open to anything that could attack them. They both suddenly heard the whining sound of a blast coming at them and Toothless quickly dived down to avoid the attack. The Night Fury couldn't believe it, as hard as he was concentrating he could not find the girls anywhere. It was as if they had dissolved into the clouds and had become invisible.

Suddenly out of nowhere there they were facing them with a smirk as if mocking them with their presence.

"What do we do she's so fast," Hiccup yelled over the clouds.

'I have a plan' Toothless grunted before he smirked at Tyra and flew up disappearing into the clouds.

Tyra watched him fly off and shook her head before flying off after them into the thick mass of grey but to her surprise they vanished.

'He's learning' she thought as she assessed her surroundings.

She could hear them above her and began flying up until she had to stop because she could hear Toothless' wings beating behind her…and then beside her. When she began hearing them in every direction she had to stop and focus.

'He's using my hearing and his speed against me, clever' she thought to herself.

Toothless was acting like a hummingbird zipping through the clouds to distract her, he had to have mastered his gliding in order to fly all around so fast that she couldn’t find him. When Tyra realized he was in front of her she decided to use his own tactic against him. She flew up and flew high before she assessed where he was below her. She looked over her shoulder to her passenger and nodded towards her weapons. Astrid looked at her strangely not understanding until Tyra nodded her snout to the pair below them. The little girl's eyes bulged out of her head before she did as she was told, putting her axe in its sheath and put her shield on her back before gripping the dragon's neck. When she felt Astrid was secure Tyra brought her wings in close allowing her to freefall on top of her prey.

Toothless yelped in shock by the sudden weight on his back. He could feel Hiccup clinging onto him terrified and became desperate to sturdy himself. He struggled to stretch out his wings to try and slow them down while trying to wiggle out of his attacker's grasp.

'What are you going to do? From here I could easily take your treasure away' he heard Tyra say.

Suddenly the Night Fury's eyes became slits and he angrily whipped out his wings to sturdy himself. In one swift motion he spun around and clawed at his captor who let him go before yelping in surprise at the sudden action. He moved so fast that Hiccup was suction cupped to the dragon's back and as quickly as he was upside down he was right side up again flying towards the safety of the ground.

'I think that's enough training for today' Toothless thought to himself as they landed.

Tyra and Astrid were not far behind them and landed soon after them. As soon as Hiccup had collapsed onto the ground shaken from the experience Toothless went after Tyra.

'What was that? Were you trying to get us killed?!' The Night Fury demanded.

'I told you this was training for you as much as him. You want to be able to protect him but yet you want me to go easy on you' she replied calmly as Astrid climbed down from her back just as shaken from the experience.

She gently nuzzled the girl's side forcing her to sit down beside her to rest before she turned back to the fuming dragon before her.

Toothless couldn't remember a time where he had been more furious then he was right this second with one of his own kind. Not only had she risked his boy but both children could have fallen out of the sky at any moment.

'She is right Night Fury the mad queen would not go so easily on you both simply because they are children. She wants the boy for herself to devoir not to coddle' a new voice said. The dragons turned around to see a colourful Nadder.

"Woh," Astrid said as she gazed at the new dragon before she slowly approached it.

The Nadder noticed her immediately. She crouched down on all fours to try and reach the little girl's eye level the best she could.

'Hello little one' the Nadder cooed at Astrid.

The blue dragon had always had a soft spot for hatchlings of any breed and had always chalked it up to maternal instincts. This little one though specifically had her undivided attention almost immediately which was strange even for her since she was usually very cautious around humans.

"You are very pretty," Astrid said holding her hand out to the dragon to smell just as Hiccup had shown her.

'Thank you, child. You are very lovely also hatchling, like gold' she replied taking in the little girl's scent and nuzzling her hand and arm making her giggle.

'Are you just here to spoil the humans with affection or are you risking your presence here for a reason?' Toothless asked still upset by events from before.

'Yes, forgive me I do have information given by the Nightmare. He has been instructed by the queen herself to lead the next raid into Berk. She is determined to have your treasure and will destroy the village in order to do so," she explained.

Toothless growled possessively as he claws dug deep into the ground. He looked over to Hiccup who simply stared back at him in confusion.

'He can't know that the queen is after him. He'll be terrified' Toothless thought to himself.

'I have a plan' Tyra said suddenly surprising both dragons.

'Tell your leader that the raid will happen, and Berk will attack you. We will take this opportunity to find out who the queen's spies are and destroy them. Then many of you will go into hiding and the rest of the raid party will go back to the queen and say that there are powerful allies on the side of humans and they 'destroyed' the missing dragons.' She explained.

'Won't that make the mad queen want to attack you more?' The Nadder asked.

'Yes, but she will be forced to realize that she has underestimated our power. She will have to think of a proper strategy which will buy us time to get stronger' Tyra explained to the two dragons who nodded in agreement.

'Very well I will inform the Nightmare and I wish you luck' the Nadder said and nodded to the little girl at her side before taking off.

Tyra and Toothless looked at each other thinking the same thing 'They needed to get the village to warn the others.'

They quickly scooped up their clothes and put the children on to their backs before they ran off towards the village. As they ran Tyra looked over Toothless thinking back to that day's lessons.

'Toothless' she called getting the dragon's attention.

'You did well today' Tyra commented to the dragon simply who nodded in reply as they continued their journey in silence.

"Hey guys who won?" Astrid asked suddenly.

The two dragons looked at each other curiously before they stopped and looked at their tails only to realize that they never did finish their 'game.' Astrid quickly jumped off the Night Fury and plucked the ribbon off Toothless' tail and held it over her head in victory.

"Your dessert is mine," she said to Hiccup who groaned in defeat making the dragon's laugh.

Toothless suddenly stopped and looked over to the other dragon and said 'Wait if she won Hiccup's dessert…what did you win?'

Tyra just smiled evilly at Toothless before the human girl climbed back on her back and they took off back towards the village.

[trevorbailey61]

Rickie Lee Jones

Assembly, Leamington Spa

Tuesday 27th February 2018

Thursday 6th September 1979. For many years this would have been the time I returned to school following the summer break but a few weeks before I had received a slip of paper through the post informing me that I had gained the grades I needed to secure my place at Nottingham University. My life was about to change but that wasn’t until the end of the month, in the meantime I had a few weeks to enjoy the break and prepare for a new beginning. The previous year Thursday afternoon had involved a long session of pure maths, struggling with differentiation and integration, matrices and transformations and the staggering complexity of a right angle triangle. Symbols, numbers, both real and imaginary, and obscure equations had taken the subject into the realms of the abstract and left me increasingly bewildered as to how it related to the world around me. Thursday afternoon maths would soon to reappear, in a lecture that began…. BEGAN!!! at 5:15, but for now I could saunter along the road that takes me to the No 9 bus terminus in Quinton without a care in the world. Whether it was football, music or the pubs and clubs of the city, the No 9 was our portal to the world, the route along the Hagley Road took us from comfortable detached suburbia to the city centre and beyond, a service it provided throughout the night. Growing up on the edge of the city certainly had its advantages.

Normally, waiting for the bus I would be accompanied by others, either the most unthreatening crew of football fans imaginable or a few friends sharing a late night out, but on this occasion I was alone. This was not unusual, most of the time I went to concerts I went alone as few, if any, shared my eclectic taste in music. Despite an obsession with collecting records that had started seven or eight years previously, I was still something of a novice in live music; it wasn’t until I went to University that I started to attend gigs regularly. Whilst my friends had parents who took them to see Bowie, T Rex and Pink Floyd, that was never something mine were interested in and it was only when I was able to make my own way and fund them myself that I started to go, mostly to the Odeon in New Street where I had already seen Status Quo, Genesis, Wishbone Ash and Gary Numan. This is not a list that gave me many credibility points later, a deficit made up a little by my only visit to Barbarella’s to see Blondie, an experience that scarred me for many years to come. As an aside, I only ever went to two concerts with both of my parents, one was Cliff Richard, we were kids at the time and needed some guidance, the other was Ella Fitzgerald and in terms of kudos it is difficult to think of a greater contrast.

That Thursday evening I was heading once again to the Odeon, this time to see Rickie Lee Jones. Quite what it was that persuaded me to forsake the lad rock of most of my previous gigs for Jones’ smooth woozy jazz intonations I cannot say but more than likely it was mostly to do with the success of the single “Chuck E’s in Love”; a song that had forced its way into my mind and challenged me to see music as something more than hairy blokes with guitars. Despite my naivety, even I was beginning to see that neither Rick Parfitt nor Phil Collins nor, despite how hard he tried bless him, Gary Numan were really cool. Rickie Lee Jones, however, was; the red beret, that covers her head as she lights a cheroot on the cover of her first album and which she wore that evening, told us that we were in the presence of, to take the title one of her songs, the Queen of “Coolsville”, the bohemian poster girl telling stories of seedy but exciting characters unencumbered by the trials of making sense of differential calculus. It would be nice if I could complete this story by saying that it was a transformational experience, that I was so moved by a performance of such intensity that I walked out vowing never to listen to “Supper’s Ready” again. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Firstly, as a support act, she had decided to bring with her a comedian about which the kindest thing to say was that his humour didn’t cross the Atlantic; more likely, however, was that he just wasn’t funny. Jones herself was not a happy bunny and complained relentlessly during the set that barely made it to the hour mark. She did do most of her eponymous debut album but having done that she either ran out of material or decided that she couldn’t be arsed and when the auditorium lights came on the audience stared vacantly at each other trying to find the words to express just how much they felt they had been short changed. It would be nearly forty years before we would share a room again.

Subsequent events, however, suggest that there have been a little more to this than just artistic petulance with Jones being more than an observer of the dysfunctional lives of the Venice beach characters that inhabited her songs. She may have fused intricate storytelling with jazz rhythms and chord progressions but her lifestyle became pure rock ’n’ roll; drink, drugs and self indulgence. Despite this, her skills as a songwriter remained intact and the albums that followed, “Pirates” and “The Magazine”, stand in comparison with the delicate beauty of that debut; her set is still mainly made up of songs from this period. I still feel a little trepidation, however, in renewing our acquaintance as her reputation as an erratic live performer remains and as I arrived at The Assembly on a bitterly cold evening the doubts began to intensify. The email that arrived about a week before had told us that rather than the 7:30pm time that was advertised, the doors would now open at 7:00pm and suggested that we arrive there early. I did, about ten minutes before the time stated, and a small queue had already formed of those making sure they were able to secure the best of the unreserved seats. The anticipated short wait, however, became longer as did the queue until eventually a rather harassed man, who I presume was the manager, appeared to say yes he appreciated that we were suffering from the early stages of hypothermia but unfortunately they weren’t ready and they couldn’t let us in. He then promptly disappeared and left his colleague, a girl who looked as if she had only recently entered her twenties, to deal with the increasingly hostile people shivering outside. The “they” was obviously meant as an attempt to deflect this frustration on to the artist and the fastidious soundcheck going on inside, an easy target given the temperamental reputation that Jones carries with her. At about 7:30, however, a group of four stockily built men made their way to the front of the queue and took up their positions on the door. It appeared that whilst the punters had been informed of the earlier start, no one had thought to mention it to the security detail.

Having done most of the waiting outside, it wasn’t long before the two musicians who form the backing band were onstage laying down some intricate jazzy tones by way of an introduction. The precision of the playing was immaculate and formed a sparse but beautifully layered backdrop to the songs throughout. The wonderfully varied percussion used an array of hand held shakers, cymbals and a vibraphone to hold together the complex timing of Jones’ story-songs whilst at other times laying down a solid 4/4 beat. Around this, the guitar would add brilliantly nuanced flourishes recalling the street sounds that formed the setting for the stories being told. As they had done forty years ago, the songs from the debut album still form most of the salient moments in the set, so familiar now that the few notes that form the introduction are enough to draw hollers of approval from an audience well versed in her work. A few strummed chords are all that is needed to announce the opener “Weasel And The White Boys Cool”, extended into a long jazzy ramble showing that whilst she was happy to play the songs we wanted to hear, she would do so at her own pace. “Young Blood” had a laid back funky feel whilst the yearning in “The Last Chance Texaco” would melt even the hardest of hearts. It is unusual for a female songwriter to find a metaphor for a broken heart in a malfunctioning automobile but Jones pulls it off spectacularly, even transforming her voice into the desolate howl of a passing car at the end of the song. In introducing “Chuck E’s in Love” she explains how an old school friend called Julie had introduced her to the chords around which her most familiar song is built, as she says; “thanks Julie”.  The set concludes with her tender reflection on childhood, "On Saturday Afternoons In 1963” where she is able to capture how fresh and exciting the world appears to a child before routine and familiarity dull our experience. With its haunting melody and Jones hushed singing, it is a beautifully emotional moment which she obviously feels she is unable to top as even forty years later she still doesn’t do encores.

Her inner child is evident in her strange girl/woman voice that makes astonishing jumps between registers, surely an influence on both Martha Wainwright and Cerys Matthews, but often this is set in a stark contrast to the deep pain and hard knocks found in many of her songs. She moves from acoustic to electric guitar, explaining her satisfaction at using the latter for rhythm rather than as a lead or for effect, before quietly moving to the piano towards the end. “Living It Up” is another wander amongst the bums and losers of Venice Beach, Eddie , Cunt-finger Louie, and a girl named Zero all drawn to a strange place where everyone seems to be “Living it Up”. “Pirates (So Long, Lonely Avenue)” is her breaking away from the familiar faces and routines; “Well, goodbye boys; Oh my buddy boys; Oh my sad-eyed Sinatras”; a recognition that the things are moving on and that staying around would diminish her. Written in the aftermath of her break up with Tom Waits it is clear eyed in its understanding that it is not just the relationship that is over but also that way of life. Both songs are taken her second album “Pirates” from which she also draws “We Belong Together”, like the others populated by flawed and dangerous characters who in some macabre ritual will always be drawn to one another. The depth in the storytelling so early in her career is astonishing and whilst she remains a songwriter of incredible insight, her more recent music doesn’t quite capture the same raw intensity. “Circle in the Sand” and “Haunted” were both immaculately arranged and played but still weren’t quite as moving.

The evocative melodies and delicate musical settings has always added a poignancy to even the darkest of Jones’ songs but with the passage of time, their emotional impact has been greatly enhanced. At the time, the characters and scenes she depicted were those that she saw around her but now they are like postcards from a past that has long ceased to exist; the Eddie’s, Johnny’s, Zero’s and even cunt-finger Louie having long since succumbed to the dysfunction of their lifestyle; the one that Jones herself was able to escape. As I listen to songs that have been with me for the best part of my adult life, I reflect on how my own world has changed since I sat in the stalls at the Birmingham Odeon, those friends at the time, most of whom I no longer see, and those in my life now who I hadn’t met, or who may not have even been born, then. In particular, I think of those eccentric characters who could, and possible should, have formed the subject of my own stories to preserve their life in the way that those who strolled around the streets of south LA have been preserved. Then it was probably not the will be the talent that prevented me from doing this. Jones remains a somewhat tetchy live performer who lacks the easy rapport to seem  quite fully at ease in front of an audience but her writing and the intensity of her performance bring to life the songs that retain their power even when their subjects are no longer around. A performance like this all those years ago really would have singled the end for “Supper’s Ready” - “Then again years may go by: Years may go by.”