#I don’t want to be responsible for making sure everyone’s safe during a tornado anymore

[gothneighbor]

> tornado alley

> basements and storm shelters don’t come standard with wherever you live

>????

[ellanainthetardis]

Effie is going hooooome! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know!

[ff] or [ao3]

68. 11 Months & 5 Days

“Would you quit this childish foolishness!” Elindra snapped, placing her hands on her hips in the authoritative stance that had terrified Effie in her childhood.

Effie barely paid it any attention now. She was pacing the length of her hospital room, clutching the stuffed giraffe Eileen had brought for Aidan earlier that morning to her chest…

The place felt so strange now that the flowers, the colorful paintings and everything that had made it hers was gone. She might have hated it but she had been in there for almost ten weeks and it had been… Well, home might have been too strong a term for it but it had become familiar, a cell with another name, and the prospect of leaving, of being allowed to leave…

It had been five days since she had given birth and Larcher had declared the previous day that she would be free to go that morning. The surgical wound was healing nicely, she didn’t need constant supervision anymore, she could spend the rest of her recovery at home, she could start living a normal life again although she would need to be careful not to do too many strenuous activities for a while… She had been overjoyed when she had been told. At least until she had understood Aidan wouldn’t be coming with her.

“I do not want to leave him.” she snapped. “I do not understand why I cannot stay with him until he is released. This is ridiculous. I…”

“Euphemia.” her mother hissed, clearly out of patience.

Her suitcases were already in the car her father had rented to take her home, Haymitch had come and gone to kiss her and tell her he would stay with Aidan and that she should just go home and relax and enjoy… Enjoy what?

April and the children… Snowball… Being in your own house, free to roam as you please, free to walk out of the room at any time, free of professional hands handling your body…

The voice of reason at the back of her head was weak and it wasn’t enough to quell her dread. “What if they take him away?”

Without her there to protect him…

“Who is that they supposed to be?” her mother asked, lips pursed. Elindra’s coat was on, her purse was wedged under her armpit as she held out Effie’s pink jacket.

Effie wasn’t even sure she would fit in that jacket. It was a piece of clothing from before. Before she had spent months in a hospital room. Before she had spent months trapped once more. Nothing had fitted her after she had been released the first time. She had been skinnier than a corpse and…

Not the same thing, the little voice calmly objected.

And it wasn’t.

She pushed her loose hair back, annoyed by its length, and caught a whiff of the expensive perfume her father had gifted her with a couple of days ago. The smell was strong, a bit musky, but so very much not rot that it helped her breathe a little better. The blue long sleeves dress she had on clung to her body and she could barely bear to see herself so… misshaped. It wasn’t just the remnant of her pregnant belly – she hadn’t gotten as big for Aidan as she had with April and now that the baby was gone it fell strangely flat even if it was still budging – it was how tiny her arms looked, her thighs… All her muscles seemed to have melt away during the weeks of forced bed rest.

She felt like she had after her rescue, like at the beginning of her first pregnancy: a stranger in her own body. It wasn’t hers. And yet it was. It was a strange dichotomy she had troubles reconciling with.

“Effie.” her mother called, a little harsh.

She came back to earth with a start and turned to her, making an effort to remember the conversation at hand. She wasn’t being released from the hospital after her stay in prison, she was being discharged after her delivery.

“I don’t know.” she admitted.

“Of course, you do not.” Elindra sighed. “Because nobody will try to steal that child. Why, for one thing they would have to go through your husband and I would like to see anyone try.”

Haymitch was with Aidan so Aidan was safe.

She touched her face with shaky fingers. “And I can come see him when I want. I could go home and just come back in a few hours.”

“Yes.” Elindra confirmed, shaking the jacket she was still holding pointedly. “Now, your daughter is waiting at home. Don’t you want to see her?  What about that dog of yours… I know you are overly fond of him. Haven’t you missed him?”

“Yes…” she whispered.

She took a deep breath and stepped closer, finally slipping her arms in the pink jacket’s sleeves. It fitted like a glove. She flipped her hair over the collar with the hand that wasn’t holding the giraffe, pursing her lips at how unmanageable it had become. It easily reached the middle of her back now – when it was curly – and she was losing fistfuls of it – which was apparently normal after a pregnancy.

“You need a haircut.” Elindra observed, her own lips pursed.

“I really, really do.” she agreed even though she couldn’t see herself taking the time to go to a salon any time soon. Perhaps the hairdresser would be willing to come around the house. That was the positive side to small Districts where everyone knew everyone else, people were always happy to do favors to each other. “I apologize. I…”

“Oh, it is alright.” her mother dismissed impatiently. “Now, we really need to go, dear.”

Effie nodded and took the few steps that brought her out of the room. She forced herself not to look back, feeling stupid. She had spent weeks wishing to leave and now the hospital room felt like the only safe place on the planet.

She had been missing her cell too at first. Sometimes. Not that she had admitted as much to anyone, not even Haymitch. There had been comfort in the familiarity, in the walls surrounding her, fencing her in but protecting her too.

The walk to the clinic’s main doors was overwhelming. She smiled at the nurses who wished her a speedy recovery, nodded at those who waved her goodbye… She was barely breathing when they finally stepped outside and into the warm sunlight of April.

Being outside after so long… Feeling the soft breeze on her face… The familiar smells…

“Oh dear.” Elindra muttered with irritation.

Effie didn’t know what had alarmed her so. Her mind was having troubles making the difference between the last time she had been allowed outside after being trapped in a cell for so long and… She barely noticed the reporters hanging in front of the clinic in clutches. There were cameras, flashes… Questions hurled at her head…

Effie, how’s your baby?

Is it a boy or a girl?

Is it true the baby was stillborn?

The last one hit her straight in the chest and she startled, looking around in confusion. Aidan… She needed to return to Aidan…

“What an absolute nonsense!” her mother exclaimed next to her, gripping her elbow hard and dragging her more than guiding her toward a grey car.

Elindra, are you going back to the Capitol soon?

Are the rumors that you will move to Twelve permanently true?

Effie, can you tell us about…

The car’s door slammed shut behind her mother and Effie blinked, running her palms on the leather seat, surprised not to feel cold calloused stone.

But she wasn’t in her cell anymore.

She wasn’t…

“Plutarch Heavensbee has a lot to answer for, let me tell you.” her mother raged after having told the hired driver to take them home. “Why, he promised press wouldn’t be allowed in the District until the situation was resolved. Your husband will be furious.”

“Mother?” she whispered, rubbing her mouth. “When are we?”

It was probably a testament to the last couple of months that Elindra didn’t even blink at that question. She had seen enough of her panic attacks by now to know the signs and the symptoms as well as Haymitch did. “You are in Twelve, Euphemia. The war is over. You are safe. We are going home.”

“Home.” she repeated. “My home.” She closed her eyes and forced herself to focus. A warm yellow kitchen, a cozy living-room slightly untidy with children toys, the dog sprawled in front of the fireplace… “With April and the children.” Yes, she could picture it and it went a long way in helping her stay calm. “Aidan and Haymitch…”

“Are still at the hospital.” Elindra finished, patting her hand. “Your father stayed behind too. Do you remember?”

She did.

She wanted to go back for her son.

But Haymitch was with him and their daughter was at home. And she also wanted to see her. And the children.

She let out a long deep breath, licked her lips and nodded. “My apologies.”

“They are not necessary.” her mother rebuked without heat. “You are hardly responsible. I did not expect to be ambushed by the press either. Why, I would have worn different shoes.” Elindra scoffed. “Are you in pain, darling? I have your medicine right here. Doctor Larcher did say…”

“No.” she refused. The painkillers made her drowsy and she hated that.

It wasn’t a long trip from the clinic to the house and soon the car slowed down to a stop. Effie stepped out with a mix of impatience and apprehension at coming back to a place she loved so much after so long. The familiar honking of the geese greeted her as they wandered around the yard…

“I told Haymitch to lock them in this morning.” Elindra complained.

Effie didn’t truly mind, she pushed the gate open, keeping an eye on the birds but mostly eager to reach the front door… It opened when she was halfway there and the only thing she saw was the white tornado that shot out of the house and straight for her.

“Easy, Snowball!” Katniss called behind the dog. “Snowball, no! Down! Down!”

She supposed the girl was wary of the Samoyed hurting her but Effie could only laugh as the dog jumped around her, barking and whining in turns, his tail wiggling hard, so happy his bladder gave in…

She was worried he would accidentally hit her in the stomach so she sank to her knees, ignoring her mother’s pleas for her to be sensible, and embraced the dog.

“I missed you too, my pretty baby.” she cooed. “So much. I will never leave you again… Oh, how I have missed you…”

“Mama! Bow!” her daughter chirped, escaping Peeta to run the short distance between the porch and them. The commotion with the dog had fortunately scattered the geese but April wasn’t entirely steady on her legs yet and with the speed she took, it was no wonder she toppled over. Effie caught her before she could hurt herself too badly though. The baby hiccupped as if she was going to cry, afraid maybe by the impressive almost fall, but Snowball licked her whole face and she started laughing instead, tossing her chubby arms around the dog’s neck. “Bow!”

Snowball was so happy he was whining, butting his head against Effie’s, nuzzling her chest only to turn and lick at April’s face or arm…

It was a few minutes before Elindra managed to tear them all apart, ranting all the while about proper behavior and tossing fretful glances around in case the neighbors had seen. It took Peeta’s help to get Effie back on her feet without hurting herself. Snowball didn’t move from her side, he walked at the same speed she did and regularly nudged her leg so she would scratch his head. She couldn’t carry April, not yet, so she held her hand and patiently waited for her daughter to put one foot in front of the other.

It was a slow process but they eventually managed to enter the house.

Everything felt the same but a bit different at the same time.

For one, there were baby gates at the bottom and at the top of the stairs as well as on the living-room’s door to prevent April from walking around unsupervised. She briefly wondered how that worked out with Snowball but the dog quickly demonstrated by jumping over the gate when he realized they were headed toward the living-room.

“I’m going to put one on the kitchen door and her bedroom too.” Peeta told her when he saw her looking. “Haymitch didn’t have time with Aidan and all… It’s safer this way.”

“Thank you.” she smiled at him.

“Do you want some tea?” Katniss offered, dashing into the kitchen before she had time to answer. “I have your strawberry one.”

She was ill-at-ease for a moment and she only realized why when her mother urged her to go to the living-room, sit down and get herself comfortable.

They were behaving as if they were at home – which was fine – except it was her home. She was not a guest. She was not…

April curled up against her side, snatching the rag doll from the couch where it had been abandoned, sucking on her thumb, staring at her. Effie glanced at the clock, lunch time wasn’t far away and the girl must have been hungry and a little tired. She ran her fingers in her blond hair, happy to realize she would be able to feed her for the first time in forever… She had missed this. The little daily things.

Snowball hopped on the couch and sprawled on her other side, pushing his head on her lap, rolling on his back until she rolled her eyes and scratched his belly…

Katniss brought her a mug of tea and her mother hastily picked up some clothes belonging to April that had been left on the armchair, muttering under her breath about Haymitch always leaving a mess and her not being a maid… The children debated what to have for lunch behind her back…

At no point did anyone ask her opinion.

Effie kept her peace but annoyance bubbled.

It wasn’t that she wasn’t grateful. She was. They had all gone above and beyond what she could have expected of them but… This was her house, her home, and they made her feel like a stranger in it.

She busied herself cuddling her dog and her daughter while sipping from the mug of tea. Lunch was a nice affair but the well-rehearsed routine they all had going on made her feel on edge. When had her mother ever helped set the table before in her life? She watched her and Katniss place plates and cutlery with wide eyes.

Peeta handed her the bowl with April’s meal, hiding his smile. “She was hard to train.”

Effie smiled back in amusement, relaxing a little.

Being able to feed April was good. Being able to read her a story to lull her to sleep once the boy had put her in her crib afterward was even better.

She was starting to feel a little tired when she walked back downstairs, clutching the baby monitor in her hand.

Katniss and Peeta had left after lunch. He had to go back to the bakery but Katniss had promised she would hang out around her house and that Effie shouldn’t hesitate to call if she needed anything. Elindra was very busy tinkering with the framed photographs on the fireplace mantle. Apparently they weren’t arranged properly enough.

“Ah, there you are.” her mother exclaimed when she spotted her on the threshold. Not that she was hard to miss given that Snowball still wouldn’t leave her out of his sight. “Do you need anything? I noticed you did not take the painkillers along with your medicines. You should not overdo it, Euphemia. There is no shame in…”

“I thought perhaps you would like to get some alone time with Father this afternoon.” she cut her off before she could launch herself in a rant about medication. She had no intention of taking the painkillers if she could help it. Maybe before she went to bed and even then it wasn’t a given. She didn’t like how they made her feel and she didn’t trust herself not to become dependent on them in the long run. She could be weak where pills were concerned. “You do not need to stay with me. I can manage. And Katniss is next door if I need anything.”

Hurt flashed on Elindra’s face. “I see.”

Effie winced, feeling bad. “No, that is not what I meant. I…”

“No, no. You have been very clear.” her mother snapped. “I simply wanted to help, that is all, but…”

“No. Mother…” she interrupted her again, passing a hand on her face. “I am so very grateful for all you have done, for staying here and for… We would never have managed without you and… I am so very grateful. I just… I haven’t been alone in forever…”

“For good reasons. You will forgive me for saying so.” Elindra commented with a vexed huff.

“Yes.” she sighed because that was the truth. “But… Mother, this does not even feel like my house anymore. You have all done more than anyone could hope for but…”

“But you need some alone time.” Elindra accepted with a sigh of her own. Her mother studied her attentively for a long moment and then pursed her lips. “I suppose if you are certain and if you promise to rest… I did see some shoes in town that did not look entirely horrible. And I would not mind a strawberry frappuccino from your friend’s coffee shop. They are rather tasty.”

“Oh…” she beamed. “Would you bring me one back?”

It took some more convincing and a lot of promising that she would be alright but eventually Elindra relented and left the house. As soon as the door closed behind her, Effie breathed a sigh of relief. She tried to relax on the couch for a while but when she turned on the TV it tuned in to a news channel that was showing her release from the clinic. She looked absolutely ridiculous standing there, stunned, clutching the stuffed giraffe that had now suspiciously gone missing – she was certain she would find it in the dog’s bed though.

In the end, she ended up roaming the house even if she was really starting to be in pain. Nothing she couldn’t handle but still…

She visited every room, taking in of the changes her mother had brought and making mental notes as to what she wanted to keep and what she wanted to revert. She checked on April who was still sleeping and then told herself she would only peek in the nursery she hadn’t yet had a chance to take a look at before finally lying down on her own bed. She had missed her bed. She had missed her room. She had missed going to sleep without the beeping of machines or nurses poking inside the room to check on her.

But once she had opened the nursery’s door with the bright Aidan letters stuck on it, she couldn’t move.

It was absolutely perfect.

She felt tears threatening to spill because… Haymitch had done an amazing job.

The only thing missing was their son.

She ended up sitting on the rocking-chair, Snowball lying down on the carpet at her feet.

She must have dozed off because next thing she knew, the dog bumped against the door when he scrambled off with a joyful bark. She realized there were noises coming from the baby monitor still clutched in her hand and she felt guilty. She shouldn’t have sent her mother away when April might need someone able.

She hurried into her daughter’s room, smiling when she found the girl sitting in her crib, playing with her stuffed toys.

“Hello, darling. Did you have a good nap?” she hummed, reaching inside the crib and stopping herself at the last minute. She leaned against the wooden crib, a little short of breath. She knew the pain was normal and to be expected, it was already much less than the very first day, but still… “Mama cannot carry you yet. Don’t you worry, I will call Aunt Katniss…”

“No need.”

She startled badly and turned around, a hand pressed against her chest in fright.

Haymitch was smirking even though she glared at him for having scared her. He waved a see-through cup branded with the Clarkes’ coffee shop logo full of a pink grainy ice cream and she couldn’t help but grin, snatching it from his hand before he could comment on her obsession for anything strawberry flavored.

“Aidan?” she asked after having taken a sip of her frappuccino.

He chuckled when April used the bars to pull herself upright, immediately waving her arms in the air.

“Dada!” the girl demanded.

“Yeah, princess, I’m coming. Hold your horses.” he snorted, lifting her up and propping her on his hip before finally turning to answer her question. “Your mother said she would sit with him for a while. She said you were… fretting.”

“I was not.” she huffed, coming closer to press a kiss on her daughter’s cheek. April was far more interested by her frappuccino though and Effie let her have one sip. “Is it safe for him to be alone? I do not like this. I…”

“He’s in a clinic full of nurses with his grandparents.” he cut her off, bowing to capture the straw. Everyone was stealing her snack and she pouted but didn’t outright protest. “I’d hardly call that alone, sweetheart.”

“I should…” she started only to be interrupted by a peck on her lips.

“You should go and get some sleep.” he declared. “If you feel up to it we can go back to the clinic when you wake up.”

He looked tired. He had dark bags under his eyes. And yet she knew he would insist on spending the night at the hospital anyway. She wished she could help but if Larcher caught her trying to sleep on an armchair, there would be a stern lecture.

She brushed her fingers against his cheek, smiling softy when he leaned into the caress. “I love you.”

“Was thinking… We could take April later, yeah?” he suggested, excitement creeping in his voice. “I haven’t showed him to her yet… I was waiting for you for that… We could introduce them. You can take her home with your mom after, yeah? Your father is keeping the car and the driver until you’re good to walk around. At least that’s what he said. I don’t think he likes walking too much himself.”

Introducing April and Aidan was a nice thought and she nodded enthusiastically. The prospect was such a happy one that she didn’t protest when he insisted she got some proper rest. Lying down in her bed, between sheets that didn’t smell like hospital detergent, was paradise. It wasn’t long before Snowball jumped on the bed and occupied Haymitch’s side and she fell asleep hugging him.

She could hear Haymitch playing with April in the girl’s bedroom and it wasn’t hard to imagine their new baby in his nursery.

She was at home at last.

[arkus-rhapsode]

Lucy vs Brandish

From my “how I’d do alvarez” post this is my version of Lucy vs Brandish. Enjoy

Magic

Thought

*Open in some wasteland far away*

Lucy: Where are we? Why did you bring me here!?

Brandish: *Grabs tiny Marin* Thank you for bringing us here

Marin: My pleasure lady Brandish!

Brandish: *Crushes him* Now get lost. * Throws him off into the distance.

Lucy: He was your comrade! How can you just treat him like that!?

Brandish: *stares at Lucy with malice*

Lucy: *Slightly unnerved but quickly braces herself* I remember you! You’re all that Spriggan who has the power to shrink an island!

Brandish: Correct. And I remember you, daughter of Layla…

Lucy: *Surprised* Layla..? My mom…

Brandish: You look just like her…

Lucy: You knew my mother?!

Brandish: Yes... your mother killed my mother!

Lucy: T-that isn’t true!

Brandish: Your mother was a great celestial wizard, wasn’t she?

Lucy: *Doesn’t show any form of response*

Brandish: And she had disciples, did she not?

Lucy: *Thinks about miss Spetto and Capricorn telling her about Zoldeo* Yes…

Brandish: One of those disciples was my mother…

*Flashback*

Brandish: *monologuing* The 12 keys of the zodiac are legendary and 3 of those keys were entrusted to Layla Heartfilia.

Layla: *standing in front of her three disciples* You 3 have become such great celestial spirits mages and I couldn’t be prouder to give you these.

*Cut to Brandish and Grammi in Vistarion, Alvarez*

Young Brandish: Mommy, why do you spend so much time polishing that key?

Grammi: Because Brandish, this is the key of the water barer, Aquarius, and it was given to me by a dear friend…

*Image montage of Grammi tending to her key*

Brandish: That key… Meant the world to her. But one day…

Grammi: *frantically preparing her luggage*

Young Brandish: Mommy? Why are you…

Grammi: I have to get to Crocus in Fiore! Under urgent request of Lady Layla!

Young Brandish: *rubs her eyes* But its so late. Why do you have to go for some lady?

Grammi: *kneels down* because she is my friend, and when something or someone is close to you, you must always be loyal.

Grammi: *Gets to the door* I’ll be back in 2 days! 3 at the latest!

Young Brandish: Bye mommy! I love you!

Brandish: But then those days passed.

Young Brandish: Gee, Mommy’s trip must be really long.

Brandish: And more days passed.

Young Brandish: Where is she…

Brandish: Till finally…

*knocking on the door*

Young Brandish: Mommy!

*Standing in the doorway is a much younger Yajeel and two Alvarez soldiers*

Yajeel: Brandish Myu?

Young Brandish: Where’s my mommy?

*cut to Young Brandish at her mother’s funeral weeping*

Brandish: I was surrounded by many high up Alvarez officials who knew my mother

Yajeel: Poor girl…

*A Younger August was there and watched Brandish weep*

Young Brandish: H-how did she die..?

Yajeel: She went from Crocus to the Heartfilia Konzern, inside their manor she was murdered and autopsy shows it was done by a knife stabbing.

Young Brandish: *in tears* Heartfilia… K-k-key…

Yajeel: hmm

Young Brandish: My… My Mommy’s golden key! Where is it?!

Yajeel: Oh the Key of the water bearer. It is in the hands of Miss Layla Heartfilia.

Young Brandish: *shocked*

Yajeel: Yes apparently Miss Heartfilia specifically wanted the key to stay with her.

Young Brandish: She… Took my mother’s key… and wouldn’t even come to her funeral..?

Young August: *walks to Brandish*

Young Brandish: General August?

Young August: Child. I know the pain of never feeling your mother’s love ever again, and I want you to stay with me until you’ve grown.

Young Brandish: Thank you…

*Flash back end*

Brandish: It was then I realized that my mother had died because of your mother’s greed. She wanted to once again hold the golden key, that my mother valued more than her life!

Lucy: That’s not true! My mother would’ve never killed anyone for Aquarius’s key!

Brandish: Is that what you really believe or are you just in denial that your mother was someone who could easily throw away their “friend” for a key?

Lucy: *bracing herself and holding out Taurus’s key* I don’t know what my mother did but she is gone… But I have a new family I must protect! Even if it cost my life I’m glad to know I died against a Spriggan protecting the smiling faces of my friends!

Brandish: Fool. Do you think you can stand against a member of the Spriggan 12?

Lucy: *summons Taurus and changes into the Taurus star dress* Lets find out!

Taurus: Ready when you are Lucy-san! Moo!

*Lucy and Taurus punch the ground creating a massive earth wave heading at Brandish*

Brandish: *jumps up and out of the way of the attack* How trite…

*Brandish is caught off guard by Lucy who’s in the air in a drop kick stance heading right for Brandish*

Brandish: *gets into blocking stance but the kick still connects and knocks her back.*

Brandish: *Regains her bearings* Very well daughter of Layla and enemy of his majesty *Removes her coat* You shall fall at the hands of the country demolisher!

Lucy & Taurus: *Rush towards Brandish*

*Taurus swings his axe but Brandish dodged it and kicks Lucy in the stomach*

Lucy: *Knocked Back*

Taurus: Lucy-San! *Swings Axe at Brandish* Mooo!

Brandish: *Holds out hand and shrinks the axe*

Taurus: *surprised* Moo?!

Lucy: *regaining her bearings* Taurus! That’s her mass magic! *closes the gate for Taurus*

Lucy: *Summons Scorpio and changes her dress* Sand Buster Kai!

*The large tornado of sand produced strikes Brandish head on*

Lucy: Gotcha!

*Sand settles showing a barely scratched Brandish*

Scorpio: How the hell is she still standing?!

Brandish: *rushes at Lucy and Scorpio. Punches Scorpio in the abdomen*

Scorpio: *eyes widen in pain* Gahh! *falls to his knees*

*Lucy is distracted by Scorpio in pain allowing Brandish a moment to kick Lucy in her Abdomen*

Lucy: *Falls on her back* KYAAA! It stings! Gah!

Brandish: *Walks towards Lucy* I decreased the mass of your outer layer of flesh around your torso while winding up that kick. Essentially I hit you and your spirit on your raw muscle.

Lucy: *Struggling to stand up*

Brandish: Time to end this, Command T: Reduction!

Lucy: *Shirks down and is captured in Brandish’s hands*

Scorpio: *fades away* Lucy!

Brandish: Now this can all be-

*Brandish’s train of thought is interrupted by Cancer being summoned*

Brandish: What?! AHH!

*From Brandish’s hands springs Lucy in her cancer star dress. Utilizing the twin blades of the dress she slashed her way out of Brandish’s grip.*

Brandish: *looks at her bleeding hands*

*Tiny Lucy is caught by Cancer*

Cancer: I got this, snip! *trusts his left scissor at Brandish*

Brandish: Reduction… *shrinks Cancer’s scissor. Punches Cancer in the face*

Cancer: *Falling backwards but making sure Lucy is safe* S-snip…

Lucy: Did she reduce the layer of flesh over his face along with his scissor? And her hand. I know I gave it bigger cuts than that. There’s got to be a limit to this.

*Cancer is on the ground and Lucy stumbled out of his hand*

Cancer: *fades away*

Lucy: *Notices the body of tiny Marin laying on the ground near her* Hmmm…

Lucy: *Readies a key*

Brandish: *brings her foot down intending to stomp Lucy*

*Brandish’s foot looks like it crushes Lucy but Brandish she’s surprised that Marin is in front of her*

Brandish: Marin?!

Marin (Gemini): Piri Piri!

Brandish: No. Another spirit.

*Behind Brandish is tiny Lucy and a newly summoned Sagittarius. The two begin firing arrows*

Brandish: *reacts quick enough shrinking the incoming arrows to become incredibly small*

*Gemini Marin teleports to Lucy and Sagittarius’s location*

Marin (Gemini): Teleportation magic is quite useful, piri! *small cut showing Gemini saved Lucy using teleportation*

Brandish: You just won’t die.

*They 3 teleport far away from Brandish. During the teleportation Lucy becomes big again*

Sagittarius: It appears we are clear of the magic’s range, moshi-moshi.

Lucy: Yeah *huffs* good…

Marin (Gemini): Let me handle this! *Transforms into Ichiya*

Ichiya (Gemini): Take this pain relieving Perfume, Piri piri.

Lucy: *Begins to recover from her wounds* Thank you… *wobbles*

Sagittarius: It appears that you’re suffering from opening an closing many gates, moshi-moshi?

Lucy: *fully recovered* Yeah, but I can still fight! I just need to find away around that Spriggan’s mass manipulation.

*suddenly a massive Brandish appears who begins walking towards Lucy’s location*

Lucy: It’s not enough that she can effect the size of attacks and objects but I noticed that her wounds are no where near as bad as they should be. It’s because she’s reducing the mass of her wounds!

Sagittarius: How do we overcome that, moshi-moshi? She’ll reduce any damage we do to her!

Ichiya (Gemini): And that’s if we even land an attack. Almost everything we have has mass, Piri Piri

Lucy: *smiles* Not everything! I think I know what to do. *closes the two spirits gates*

*Cut to Brandish walking towards Lucy’s location and closing in*

Brandish: Time to meet your end, daughter of Layla! Your death will finally give Grammi her peace.

*Giant Brandish standing over Lucy*

Brandish: So you aren’t fleeing anymore?

Lucy: I’m a fairy tail mage! I won’t flee from someone who threatens my guild! *pulls out three keys*

Lucy: Open! *Summons Loke, Virgo, and Aries*

Brandish: *raises brow* Three gates?

Lucy: *changes into Leo star dress* Okay everyone remembers the plan?

Loke: Yeah.

Aries: Umm yes.

Virgo: Affirmative princess.

Lucy: Let’s take her down!

Aries: Wool Bomb! *creates a massive explosion of wool that envelops most of Brandish’s eyesight*

Brandish: Pesky wool. Command T: Reduction! *shrinks the pluming wool*

*Using the wool like a stepping stool while it’s shrinking Loke, Aries, and Lucy jump at Brandish.*

Lucy: Regulus Lucy-

Brandish: I’ll just reduce this as well!

Lucy: Kick! *Kicks brandish across the face at full force*

Brandish: What!? How come it didn’t reduce?

Loke: *falls towards Brandish’s chest and delivers a Regulus punch to it*

Brandish: Kya!

Lucy: Light has no mass so you can’t affect our Regulus!

Loke: Truly this light can’t be diminished.

Aries: *uses wool magic to hold up Loke and Lucy in mid air by making platforms and wool*

*Lucy and Loke begin striking Brandish with Regulus enhanced attacks*

Brandish: *Notices the wool platforms that they are using* Command T: Reduction!

*the wool disappears into a compressed ball as Lucy, Loke, and Aries fall to the ground*

Brandish: You want it back? Take it! Command T: Expansion! *Releases the wool in a massive burst washing over them and slamming them to the ground*

Lucy: *getting up* Ugh

Virgo: *pops her head out of the ground* Okay Princess I’m finished.

Lucy: Perfect. Loke now!

Loke: *Regaining his bearings* Got it! Lion’s Brilliance!

*The light emanating from Loke slightly blinds Brandish causing her to backup and her feet suddenly collapse into the ground*

Brandish: My legs! *Keeps herself up by pushing up with her arms*

*Small flash back*

Lucy: Open! *Summons Loke, Aries, and Virgo*

Loke: Lucy! I heard from the other spirits that you were fighting someone really strong!

Lucy: Yeah, she’s coming right for us… *points at the giant Brandish*

Aries: How do we beat her?

Lucy: I have a plan but it hinges on the 3 of us being a distraction for Virgo.

Virgo: Me princess?

Lucy: While we’re fighting I want you to hollow out enough ground to ensnare her.

*flash back end*

Lucy: All according to plan…

*Brandish’s head hanging over the 4*

Loke: Lucy, I think it’s time we finish it!

Lucy: *nods head and begins glowing* This light grows For all the friends I have in Fairy Tail, for all the missions we went on, and villains we fought, for the mage you made me into today, You have made me reach my zenith…

Loke: I’m ready Lucy!

Brandish: *eyes widen*

Lucy and Loke: Dual Regulus Impact!

*A burning Lion and Lioness head come forth from the bright light and collide directly with Brandish’s face. This knocks Brandish back who now begins to shrink*

Lucy: It’s over…

*The 3 spirits fade*

Lucy: Guess I used up most my magic… Ugh!

*Lucy fall to the ground clutching her chest in pain. Brandish begins to stand*

Brandish: Did you forget I can just reduce my wounds? I should’ve done this from the start. But… But I wanted you to at least suffer for Grammi’s death!

Lucy: *On her knees*

Brandish: I’m shrinking your heart, now you can finally just die!

Lucy: *reaches for her keys and grabs one she can’t see* Open! *Summons Capricorn*

Capricorn: Miss Lucy!

Lucy: *struggling to breath*

Brandish: Too late, goat man, her time has come and Grammi can finally be avenged!

Capricorn: Grammi!? But she was killed by Zoldeo!

Brandish: What? Lies!

Capricorn: No please I can explain only if you let Lucy live, then you’ll never know.

*Lucy recoveres from the pain as her heart returns to normal*

Lucy: *catching her breathe* You know Grammi?

Capricorn: Here it’s better if I show you. Star Memory!

*The girls are enveloped in borderless space*

Brandish: What the?

Capricorn: As the wisest spirit it is my job to preserve and observe all memories that come before us.

Capricorn: Here I may start at the beginning

*Flash back*

Capricorn: *monologuing* It was 400 years ago that 12 celestial wizards gathered and opened the eclipse gate. They were led by Anna Heartfilia possibly the greatest celestial mage.

Anna: * staring at the eclipse in the sky* Are the children ready?

Brandish: The emperor?!

Zeref: Yes. Igneel and the others have done a wonderful job raising them.

Capricorn: The gate was opened under the eclipse on this side by Anna and opened under the eclipse on the other side by Layla…

Toma: Lady Heartfilia are you all right?

Layla: Opening that gate with Aquarius’s key… I didn’t know it would take that much…

Lucy: She didn’t have Aquarius’s key?

Capricorn: Grammi wasn’t able to make in time for the eclipse, so it had to be opened with Layla substituting her own magic for it but that caused more adverse side effects than thought…

Layla: *in bed*

Spetto: *Wiping her tears* I can’t believe you used up your own life force for this…

Layla: I had to. There wasn’t going to be another eclipse in my life time.

Zoldeo: *tears coming from his eyes* This is all Grammi’s fault. If she had just come on time…

Layla: No. Don’t blame anyone Zoldeo. It’s no ones fault, but mine. I wanted to spare Lucy the fate of opening that gate…

Zoldeo: *Leaves room* Damn Grammi! Damn her! I’ve lost my kind, sweet, beautiful master because that woman arrived late!

Grammi: *running towards Zoldeo* Lady Layla… *huff huff*

Capricorn: She came here after hearing of what happened to Layla…

Zoldeo: You!

*Zoldeo murders Grammi*

Brandish: No!

Zoldeo: Now you pay for what you’ve done!

Grammi: Yes… It’s my fault…

Zoldeo: *Sneers*

Grammi: *Gives Zoldeo a Key* please return this to Layla, I don’t deserve it…

Brandish: No! Mother!

Capricorn: Layla wanted the key because she feared Zoldeo wouldn’t relinquish it. This act caused Jude to eject Zoldeo from the manor…

*Exit Star memory*

Capricorn: There. Miss Lucy, I must tell you that a new key for Aquarius has appeared.

Lucy: Really?!

Capricorn: I do not know where but I has returned. Also appears you’re out of magic… *fades away*

Brandish: *On her knees*

Lucy: Hey…

Brandish: Run…

Lucy: huh?

Brandish: We are at war you’re my enemy and you have the chance to run…

Lucy: *hesitates but leaves*

Brandish: Mother…

End

[thecrimsonarcher]

(Note: This is an interview scene between the last remaining member of the cult responsible for the destruction of Zion Mountain and a young intern whose loved ones were lost during this tragedy.) Continued from Part 1-- LM: Did it ever cross your mind that he needed to be stopped? KC: If you want my honest opinion on it, we made the stupid mistake of not takin' him seriously when we should've. Hell, we thought he was just a smug asshole ridin' off his family's good name. LM: Shit, isn't that how it always is around here? The little guy never gets a chance because the big to dos whore themselves out like they're the greatest thing to happen to this place? KC: *laughs* Ain't that the truth? You know what? I'm startin' to warm up to you, kid. Pretty soon, we're gonna be good friends and you'll be just as bitter and cynical as I am! (Pauses) Kalona had told us he needed more power before the ritual could begin. When we asked what he meant 'bout that, he said energy. Human energy. He needed it so that his body wouldn't break down any more than it had by this point. Joseph was right there the entire time. He didn't say a single word, which caught me off guard 'cause this fucker loved to hear himself talk no matter what the subject was. He was off on his own little world, he was so deep in thought. He suddenly steps forward and says, "You don't need to worry about that. In fact, none of you do. I can get you all the energy you need in no time at all." I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up end when he said that. Just the way it came out of his mouth, even. There was none of his usual cockiness. He never explained what he meant, but I had this really bad feelin' in the back of my mind that I couldn't shake. I mean, Joseph was...for all intents and purposes, a narcissistic son of a bitch that cared for no one else but himself. He was that guy in high school, the jock who preened like a damn peacock as he walked through the halls. He was that asshole online who posted gym selfies on Instagram and shit, like he was better than everyone else because he existed and by God, he's gonna make sure he graces you with his presence. That's what made him so scary. No one took his promises seriously. We thought he was just blowin' smoke up our ass like always. Little did we know, he passed the point of no return on that day. As the Sheriff, it was his job to serve and protect the people who lived here in the valley....or so I thought. There's a certain line you're not supposed to cross, when you confuse havin' that much authority with bein' able to do whatever the hell you want without consequences. LM: I don't like where this is goin'. KC: You shouldn't. It was much worse than that. Much worse. Around that same time, there was a big storm that hit Zion Mountain and it made a pretty big mess downtown. You remember when that happened? News said it was a downburst or somethin', but those folks livin' back in the holler kept swearin' up and down it was a tornado. LM: Hell yeah, I do. There was a big oak tree that broke off and fell on my uncle Matt's new shed he built for his bikes. That's what he did for a livin', motorcycle repair. He had his own garage outside of town that he ran with Jared Martin. Uncle Matt was pissed, too, because he had his Hondas in there. They were both flattened. He couldn't do anything to salvage them, unfortunately. KC: Shit, that sucks. Now that I'm lookin' back on it, I think I remember your uncle. His name was Matt Marshall, right? Jared Martin lived just up the road from my apartment I was livin' in at the time. Don't know if I mentioned it, but I was your age when the Incident happened--20 years old. I was just a few months shy of turnin' 21. *sighs* Damn, what I wouldn't give to go back, knowing what I know now... LM: I don't think it would've mattered, anyway. Sounds to me like Joseph wouldn't stop at nothin' until he got what he wanted. KC: You're probably right. By the time it was all said and done...he had already doomed Zion Mountain. It was too late to reverse what he had done. He took some of the prisoners to help clean up after the storm...and they never made it back to the jail after their shift was done. He'd come back the next day with more prisoners...guess what? They were gone, too. LM: That son of a bitch-- KC: And that's how far he had fallen. He was so obsessed with the idea of becomin' a god that he threw everything away. His morality. His humanity. His conscience....Joseph became a monster even before the ritual started. That's when I started to question my own faith. I grew up believin' in that bullshit, that Kalona was our savior, that prayin' to him would fix our problems and make our lives easier. But prayin' did nothin' but cause more pain. We were just talkin' to ourselves, thinkin' we were in the right the entire time and that everyone who believed otherwise were lower than we were. Some good that did, right? Guess we were too blind to see the truth right in front of us. No one was safe from him, not even Joseph. I was young and naive back then, see. I'd been under the impression we'd have some sort of ceremony, like what we'd do all the time in the church, you know? You won't believe this shit, but I'm gonna tell you anyway. LM: *laughs* With all do you respect, I've heard enough to where it won't surprise me anymore. Try me, man. KC: You might look at me and think to yourself, "that Kevin Cook looks like a dumbass redneck who drinks beer, loves guns, humps his country's leg, and thinks he's more entitled than everyone else". Your observations would be further from the truth. I studied necromancy and the dark arts for years, on the behalf of the church-- LM: Never said you were an ignorant hick. You're very intelligent--I can see that. I think it's a damn shame they exploited your mind for that purpose. They just used you because they thought you could figure out how to transfer Kalona's soul into another body, right? KC: That was their intention, yeah. The higher ups would say I was some sort of prodigy 'cause I caught on really quick with my studies and figured out how to manipulate energy by the time I was about 16 or 17. That was easy for me, but....to transfer one soul that was inside of a corpse to a body that was still alive...hell, that's unheard of. Even if it was possible, I could list a whole bunch of reasons why it could go terribly wrong. LM: Hold up a minute--I'm startin' to get a little confused here. Just a few minutes ago, you told me that Kalona needed energy from humans to prep him for this ritual you all were plannin' to do. And now, you're tellin' me that it's impossible to transfer energy from somethin' that's dead to somethin' that's alive? KC: That's right, but you've gotta let me finish 'cause I'm fixin' to get to the point. We misunderstood Kalona. He wasn't talkin' about some mythical glowin' orbs of light like you'd see in the movies. No--when he said he needed human energy, he wasn't talkin' about some transfer of power like we had pictured it. In fact, there wasn't even a need for a ritual to be performed. LM: So...what was the whole point of it all? If you didn't need to do the ritual, couldn't he get the energy he needed on his own? KC: By that time, the host's body had deteriorated so much that Kalona wasn't capable of doin' things as he should've been. His powers were pretty much contained within the corpse he was trapped inside of. All he could do at that point was give us the orders to....(pauses) LM: Are you okay, man? You don't look so good. You know, you don't have to talk about that-- KC: No, I'll be fine. You asked me to give you closure and that's what I'm aimin' to do. It's just...to this day, I still can't get it out of my mind....Let's just cut to the chase, kid. All those people we brought to him....every single one of them...He...he ate them. LM: ....What the fuck?! He ate them? KC: He never explained it to us before....except that we needed to bring these people to him. You want to know what he meant by takin' energy from humans? There was no rituals, no magic words, nothin'. He did not say a damn thing to us about what he was gonna do until it happened right in front of us. LM: That's what he meant by this transfer of power....the only way he could properly absorb their energy was to eat them. Kinda makes sense in a way, since he was practically a zombie. KC: You're exactly right. The first thing he did was grab this guy by the throat and bit down on him...hard. He wasn't gonna let go of him until he stopped thrashin' around, which led me to theorize that he has some sort of paralytic agent in his saliva, very much like some of these venomous snakes. Once they stopped movin'....that was it. You don't know what was goin' through my mind as I watched that thing, the thing I worshipped as my personal Lord and Savior, disembowel that poor bastard while he was fully aware of what was goin' on, but couldn't fight back because he couldn't move or breathe or cry out. I couldn't hardly believe it myself. I felt so betrayed. Everything I had ever known in my life was a big fucking lie. This was my god, who I had dedicated my entire life to up until that point. This was the God I prayed to every single day to ask for His forgiveness for every alleged sin I had committed, to watch over and guide my friends and my family, the angel of mercy who gave Duncan Yearwood the power to save Zion Mountain....that God of mine was straddled on top of this guy I knew from church, rippin' his guts out and tearin' his body apart like some sort of crazed animal. The fear I felt as I watched this goin' on right in front of my eyes....you can't even imagine what was goin' through my mind. It was like some sort of a surreal nightmare you'd see in a horror movie. And do you know what made things even worse? They were fucking cheering and laughing while this guy they knew their whole lives was bein' mutilated in the most horrible ways imaginable by this monster who tricked us into thinkin' he was a supreme deity. I couldn't process it for the life of me, that mentality they had. They lost their damn minds, just like Joseph. It was like the entire world had collapsed around me. Nothin' made sense anymore. My heart was pounding out of my chest. My mind was racin'. My head felt like it was gonna explode. I wanted to get out before things got worse, but my stomach caught up to me first. All I could remember after that was runnin' back to the woods and throwin' up. Those fuckers started giving chase after me, yellin' shit like, "Aw, c'mon, Kevin--you're missin' out! What's wrong with you? Don't you wanna see how great our God is? We're gonna take Zion Mountain back from these sinners, Kevin!"

[tak4hir0]

“Incident management and disaster recovery have always been on the corporate agenda, however, many companies have delegated these responsibilities deep in the organization. Now with the COVID-19 crisis, these issues have moved front and center,” shares Bob Sibik, co-founder of Fusion Risk Management, as he chats with me over webcam from his living room in Chicago, “Suddenly every CEO and executive leader is learning a lot they didn’t know about risk management to prepare for the board meeting, to talk to employees, and to reassure customers.” I virtually met up with Bob to discuss returning to the workplace safely. That’s because Fusion Risk Management is extending Work.com, and an AppExchange partner that has been working quickly to help businesses reopen. Bob shared 35 minutes' worth of advice on keeping employees, customers, partners, and communities safe and informed during COVID-19 and beyond. Here are the highlights. Bob Sibik, Co-Founder, Fusion Risk Management Tell us about risk management. Why is it important, and why now more than ever before? Bob Sibik: Any company can and will manage risks when they become urgent. The real question is how much will managing that surging risk derail your ability to do anything else? How much will your business fall off the rails as you turn your focus and attention to a crisis? The most resilient companies plan ahead and take a proactive approach to risk management so they can keep teams productive and business on track when things get tough. It’s all about resilience and business continuity and how you can function effectively in crisis. And it has become significantly more important now that we’ve experienced the global disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. A few months ago, CEOs and executive leaders were focused on growth and operating efficiencies. Now, the C-suite is also focused on risk and resilience. It has become the third pillar of business success. We want to get people back to the workplace safely, learn from this pandemic, and be better prepared in the future. The C-suite is looking to risk management experts for help, to make sure they don’t get caught unprepared again. How can companies make this shift? How can they make risk management a core capability? Sibik: There are a number of strategies to achieve this kind of change. First, we counsel CEOs that risk management and operational resilience must be part of the core values of an organization. But it has to be balanced. It must not impact your ability to grow the business, and you should not overspend on operational resilience to the extent that it has a negative impact on the bottom line. Putting the value of operational resilience in proper perspective will better position you to accept risk. Accepting risk includes dealing with it, managing events like COVID-19, and ensuring that you can deliver for your customers. Second, bring together the various silos within your organization, and discuss learnings from this pandemic. This exercise will help you function more collectively, and act more collaboratively. Collect these lessons to understand what worked well, and what didn’t work well. This understanding will inform your plan to reopen, get you back into business, but perhaps most importantly, get you ready for what is next. Isn’t it true that operational resilience looks different for each organization? How do you plan for that? Sibik: No matter the company, the ability to bring together data with technology presents you with a single perspective, enables your inherent resilience. By studying your resilience, you’ll understand where your organization might break, how it might break, and what else might break as a result. Create that single pane of glass to understand where to invest. For instance, you might determine that you need more capacity or redundancy for availability of critical systems. Determine your deficiencies, weaknesses, or single points of failure in your supply chains, in order to put preventative measures into practice. This way, things won’t break, or won’t break as easily. Another example is remote work. It’s not uncommon that companies have had to relocate their entire workforce to work from home, but in doing so, it’s crucial to understand how working from home might disrupt processes. Rapidly working with the most critical employees gets the most important things up and running first. The relationship and the dependency mapping between these critical aspects helps focus on the most important business processes. How should customers prepare for what is next? Sibik: We have to consider the immediate future, such as a second wave of COVID-19, but also what the new normal looks like. Consider the new world order, a new business as usual, the post-COVID-19 era. What does that mean for organizations as we try to operate in that environment? That might include a different way of understanding and interacting with customers and employees, while ensuring productivity. To prepare, bring all of your customer data together to get a clear perspective, act collaboratively, and focus on the ongoing management and maintenance of those proactive and reactive measures. This ensures that you can respond quickly and effectively now and in the future. One of our customers is tracking every issue that occurs going forward, and then rapidly reporting on it, assigning resources to work on that issue, and tracking the progress of the remediation. They have learned a lot of lessons, and through Fusion’s dashboards developed leveraging Salesforces’ technology, the executive team can see these issues, the status, and make informed decisions fast. It’s about shifting your mindset. It’s about survival now; this is not a subtle ROI. If you don’t plan for these contingencies, you can be wiped out. We’ve seen this with a hurricane or when a tornado hits a power plant. But now, everybody gets it because everyone is facing the same crisis. You can’t plan for everything, but you can prepare for everything. Technology must play a huge role in this. Sibik: I find it hard to even contemplate how someone could do effective risk management without technology. Data is crucial, and technology manages and houses data. Without current and actionable data — which is going to depend heavily on technology — you can’t run an effective risk management program. Technology automates the management and maintenance of your data, which enables companies to see and understand, in real time, threats and risks. This will prepare you for breaks inside your organization. Paper and pencil can’t do this anymore. It’s got to be done with technology. Our 300+ customers know technology plays a huge role in risk management. They have all embraced our system on the Salesforce platform. Many had Salesforce, but hadn’t contemplated using it for business continuity and risk management. Now they are with the Fusion’s Risk Management System. How can you set yourself up for success with technology? Sibik: Technology works when you have a good database, a good data model, and good workflow automation. The administration of keeping data current is not something that can be done with annual updates. Your operational resilience information needs to be updated constantly, so that when things change, you’re prepared for the impact, and can swiftly take action. And Fusion is that natural extension of your CRM, helping you understand how crises and other events are impacting your ability to deliver services and products to your customers, directing your organization where you need to act immediately, and what can wait. Our customers have become some of our best and most innovative product designers. With all of the different ways they’ve utilized Fusion Risk Management, they have enlightened us about what can be done with the data model, and have helped us understand that we could do more with the platform. This is an opportunity to digitally transform your organization. How does Fusion Risk Management and Work.com help with that? Sibik: There’s tremendous synergy between Work.com, Salesforce, and Fusion. We’ve built a business continuity, crisis management, and risk management system on the Salesforce platform. This securely integrates both the Fusion framework system with Work.com, enabling customers to return to work effectively and safely. Relevant data might include your critical locations and vendors, and the status. You can tie your processes to the locations that you’re opening, including the employees in those locations. These types of actions can take place in Lightning app builder. You can drag and drop Fusion Lightning components onto the Work.com Command Center, to see relevant data that’s important for making decisions as you go through the process of reopening your business. Critical information about your sites, critical services and products you provide your customers, the underpinning processes, people, systems, and third parties are displayed from the Work.com Command Center. We take that information and extend it to help customers make effective decisions by prioritizing what matters. You’ll be making informed decisions not because it’s next on the list, but because it’s the next most important thing on the list. Thank you, Bob and Fusion Risk Management for your time and insights. It’s inspiring to hear that getting back to work requires working together, as people and as a community, and with technology, we can make it happen. Learn more about Fusion Risk Management and other solutions that extend Work.com at AppExchange COVID-19 Resources. This post was originally published on the AppExchange and the Salesforce Ecosystem blog.