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chromecutie · 5 years

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Not A Ghost - part 30

A/N - Multi-part fic. Colossus x OC where OC has come home after being wrongfully imprisoned in the Icebox. Warnings for whole fic - references and flashbacks to harsh prison environment, including various types of abuse. Takes place shortly after events in Deadpool 2. Whole thing will end up on my AO3 eventually.

Taglist: @emma-frxst @ra-ra-rasputiin @holamor @empressme-bitch @marvel-is-perfection @hazilyimagine @marvelhead17 @rovvboat @angstybadboytrash @whitewitchdown @master-sass-blast @mori-fandom @mooleche @dandyqueen @emberbent @leo-writer . Wanna be added or removed? Holla at me.

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Piotr’s gut was in knots, sick with worry. Each minute passing by was a minute that his wife and best friend were in terrible danger.

Charles Xavier reviewed the plans of the Icebox, projected onto the wall of his office. One of his teams had hacked into government servers to steal them. Even so, they weren’t complete plans. Some of the files were redacted, and the team was still looking for full versions. But, it was enough to confirm what Xavier had suspected for years. “Part of the structure has the very same alloy that Magneto and the Juggernaut use in their helmets, to keep telepaths from finding them.” He centered his gaze on the distraught Russian. “That’s why I could never find her with Cerebro, Peter. I’m sorry.”

Piotr clenched his fists, then released. “I always knew it wasn’t for lack of trying, Professor.”

"What we don't know," Xavier inhaled, deep in thought, "is how they acquired so much of it."

Cable pointed at one section, then another, "I initially breached here. In this section is where I first engaged Wade. We did a lot of damage they'll have repaired by now." He looked back at the others. "Do we have anything on the repairs?"

Xavier shook his head, "The hackers are still looking. It will be a matter of time."

"We don't have much time," Piotr huffed, agitated, and paced around the table.

"The plan," Cable said firmly as he followed the Russian giant with his gaze, "is for them to take the control office where the DMC keeps the hard tokens. They will need time for that. If we rush in too soon, there's too many factors we can't control."

Usually, Piotr was the levelheaded one. Usually, Piotr was the one talking down Logan or Scott from doing something drastic without thinking. His shoulders were tight with guilt and fear, tension etched into his expression. He turned to the youngest person in the room, "Russell, what can you tell us? What is the daily routine, how do new inmates get processed?"

Russell swallowed. It didn’t seem that long ago since he’d been in the Icebox himself, and he remembered even being a little excited to go, thinking he’d take over the whole prison with pure aggression and willpower. A lot had changed since Wade had taken a bullet for him, including realizing how dangerous the prison really was. He didn't dare say aloud that he thought taking over the place was impossible. “New inmates,” he began, licking his lips, “get hosed off before they give you the jumpsuit. They took mugshots of me and Wade and assigned us numbers, but I heard they don’t do that with everyone…” The adults shared a pointed look that made him pause.

“What else?” Xavier prompted gently.

He thought for a moment, then continued, “They brought me and Wade in at bedtime, put us in the same cell at lights-out. They did meals at six, twelve, and six.”

“What about guard rotations?” Piotr asked. “Or anything about the control office?”

When Russell couldn’t recall much specifically, admitting that wasn’t what he had been paying attention to, Cable filled in what he could. On the schematics, he pointed out a central box where he had previously encountered the officers gearing up in the armory. It had mostly glass walls, a bank of monitors to track security camera footage, control panels to operate every door in the Icebox.

“If they’re smart,” he added, “They’ll have changed a lot of this in the repairs.” Cable cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. “Superior firepower aside, I had next to no trouble just walking in there.”

Xavier nodded, carefully considering their options and the best approach to breaching the most secure mutant holding facility in the world.

Brows set in a scowl, hands clenching and releasing, heart pounding with worry, Piotr asked the teenage boy, “Is Rhonda well known in that place? What is her reputation?” He couldn’t bring himself to say his real question aloud.

Russell’s eyes widened slightly, then his gaze fell to the surface of the table under his fingers. He grimaced, sucking his teeth before answering, “The main thing I was told was you only sign the ‘Book in a group.”

"Already making the boys cry," Mimi purred in the dark. "I always liked you."

“You arranged this on purpose,” Rhonda didn’t move from having her back against the cell door, wary of every word and action from the leader of the Vicious 13. One hand rose to her collar and rubbed at the scabs.

Mimi leaned into the glow from neighboring cells’ lights, revealing dark, pointed scales like a viper. In more light, the scales would shine shades of green and purple, but in the dark, they looked charcoal grey. Her pale eyes, framed by big, fake, very contraband lashes, greedily drank in Rhonda’s frame, from the green of her hair to the clenched fists. “Of course I did,” she showed a little slip of pointed teeth in a smile, “I couldn’t have you getting killed too soon.”

Rhonda rolled her eyes and slipped onto her cot, but her shoulders didn’t relax. “So you can give me the Join Us Or Die pitch again.”

The reptilian woman clicked her tongue, a delicate sound, “I never say ‘or die,’ please.”

“Well, someone trying to kill me after every time I turn you down isn’t subtle.” She started to settle under the thin blanket. It would never keep her warm enough.

There was a rustling sound like dry leaves as Mimi shifted around. “What about that husband of yours? Did he toss you back in here, or was he never real to begin with?”

Rhonda delayed her answer. It was best to give someone like Mimi as little information as possible. “He’s real.” Over the dull murmuring of inmates settling into bed, someone a few cells down coughed. Maybe Wade.

“Ah,” Mimi hummed with too much amusement, “Homecoming didn’t go as planned. My condolences.” The rustling sounded again, with an added swishing. “Well, a few things have changed since you ran off. What if I told you I’m the only gang in the Icebox now?” Rhonda was quiet long enough that she prodded, “Guestbook?”

“I’ll think about it,” she finally said, even as her skin was crawling.

“You’re a wonderful conversationalist, as always--”

“Good night, Mimi, shut up.”

One night down and Rhonda’s muscles were already getting stiff, joints already starting to ache. The hottest the showers would go was just a shade less than lukewarm. A grid of pipes hung from the ceiling in the completely open shower area, a spraying spout at each intersection. Sixteen inmates could shower at once, but there was no privacy. Between being exposed and cold, Rhonda couldn’t get the goosebumps on her skin to lie flat. She tried to imagine the tepid water was just a light summer rain, one she might go dance in just so her husband would laugh and say she was ridiculous.

The showers were a dangerous place, surrounded by other wet, naked inmates, and Rhonda kept her eyes peeled the whole time, even when she got a little soap in them. Other inmates bumped into her or brushed close enough to slash her open if they’d managed to palm a shiv, but none of them gave her anything worse than a sidelong glare.

The towels managed to be both threadbare and scratchy. At one of the cubbies that lined the walls of the shower area, Rhonda scrubbed herself just dry enough that she wasn’t dripping, and yanked on her DMC-provided underwear, grey t-shirt, and yellow jumpsuit. Another inmate, a wiry man with stringy blond hair lazily walked toward the cubby next to hers. She slipped on her flimsy velcro shoes without her socks, ready to fight or run. Getting shanked wasn’t the only danger in this place.

“Tick tock, motherfucker,” the wiry man hissed. “We all know you’re gonna tell Mimi no. Hurry up so we can have some fun with you.” So they were waiting. Either Rhonda would make an arrangement with Mimi and the Vicious 13 and she would have a modicum of protection, or she wouldn’t, and the attack could come from anywhere at any time. How long would they wait? Hopefully she would have time to talk to Wade.

Rhonda had gotten to the mess hall with just enough time to get a tray and scarf down some breakfast. She found Wade and took a seat beside him. Between bites of the thinnest, most underdone waffle ever, she noted his fresh black eye. “What happened to you?”

“Oh this?” he laughed, “My cellie was practicing our secret handshake. You should see him.”

“Try not to get in any more fights,” Rhonda replied firmly. She nearly choked on the dregs as she took a swig of what they said was coffee. “We’re joining a gang.”

Wade guffawed loudly enough to make a few people briefly turn their heads and look. “My friend is hilarious!” he told them, waving them off, “Just - just an inside joke, don’t worry about it.” Then he lifted some of Rhonda’s damp hair so he could say low in her ear, “Did you already get kicked in the head? What are you thinking?”

She leaned away until he let go of her hair and grumbled, “I think our options are real fucking slim unless we get some kind of alliance, and I have an in.” She gave the quickest, most casual of glances past Wade to the end of the tables. “You see the snake with eyelashes?”

Wade gave a much more obvious glance, and even waved. Turning back to Rhonda, his eyes went wide in a bright smile. “She’s a giiirrl dragon!”

Rhonda finished her last bite of cold hash browns and shook her head. “I wouldn’t make any more Shrek jokes unless you plan on being the donkey who fucks her.”

#piotr rasputin x oc #colossus x oc #not a ghost #xmen fanfic #deadpool fanfic #longfic #multipart fic #angst #deadpool 2 #colossus #piotr rasputin

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innerpostmentality · 5 years

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Prelude - Aeneas & Sarissa

Four thousand years ago gods and magic shaped and ruled and were plentiful in the world. Man and all magic diminished and the things of science took precedence until magic became a myth tucked away safely in children’s fairy tales and skilled entertainer’s parlor tricks. It’s been the creatures were shaped and marked by it. Then things began to change. Gradually those things of a thousand years of progress unmarked by true magic. Things are about to change.

This fic is part of a collaborative AU created by my talented friends @tornbetween2loves, @kennaxval and myself. This part was written 50/50 by myself and @tornbetween2loves.

Disclaimer: all original TRR characters and references belong to Pixelberry, however we are claiming their beautiful children as our own creations. Please see the Series Master List here: Arcana Unbound Series Masterlist Word count: 4800 + Warnings: mild angst, pretty PG-13 for this part. Future parts will be erotic and deal with some serious problems.

Tags: @darley1101 @gardeningourmet @speedyoperarascalparty @hopefulmoonobject @bobasheebaby @carabeth @sawyeroakleyscowboyhat @riseandshinelittleblossom @stopforamoment @teamtomsato @furiousherringoperatortoad @indiacater @sirbeepsalot @alesana45 @strangerofbraidwood @museofbooks @eileendannie @furryperfectionlover @ao719 @blackcatkita Her intent when she told Leo she might just shoot some pool after he showed off his horse was to get a little time to think and kill time while Xiphos and Calais did… whatever. Now as she stood before the door into the billiard room alone, light seeping below the door, the last thing she wanted was to possibly interrupt, whatever.. so she cupped her ear and listened at the door for a moment. She heard what sounded like someone breaking to start a game of pool but no conversation. She thought to herself that it must be Aeneas. The future king. The king that she would most likely protect one day. She hesitated at the door as she contemplated if this was a good idea. Sure, they had grown up together, and attended a lot of the same parties and events. And they had spent a decent amount of time together but always in the presence of Calais or Xiphos or both. Never alone. She could not think of a single instance when she was alone with the crown prince.

She suddenly felt nervous. What would she say to him? Would they even be able to hold a conversation? She sighed, suddenly in need of a drink. She raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door.

He was surprised as he leaned over the table and heard the soft knock. "Enter" he called as he made the shot before he turned to the door. His eyes widened in surprise. "Sarissa? Hey, are you okay?"

She smiled at him. “Yes, I’m fine.” She glanced over at the bar. “I was hoping to have a drink. Care to join me?”

He smiled. "Sure" He set his cue stick back in the rack. "What is your preference Sarissa?

She smiled at him as she noticed for the first time how good-looking he was. She didn’t know why she hadn’t noticed before. Hell, she hadn’t noticed anyone before. “I’d love a vodka tonic, please.”

He lifted a brow and grinned... "Vodka tonic eh?" He poured her drink and put some ice in a glass and poured some black label whiskey over it for himself. "So what has you drinking vodka tonic tonight?"

She sighed deeply and narrowed her eyes at him with a small smile. “I think you already know the answer to that, Aeneas.” She took the drink from him and took a long swig. “But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it. Let’s talk about something more pleasant.”

He searched her dark eyes for a moment before he nodded. "Very well. What is your favorite hobby, Sarissa? I have known you forever; but I think this is the first time you have ever come to talk with me. So tell me about what you like?"

“I like to read.” She suddenly felt very shy as she tried to think of something else. Her face grew hot. “I’ve never talked with you before because I was never sure it was appropriate. Please don’t take it personally.” Her eyes shifted downward to avoid his gaze.

"Hey," he lifted her chin gently to look in her dark eyes. "I am not offended. And reading takes in a lot of territory. What do you like to read Sarissa?" He grinned and studied her as he contemplated her with his amethyst gaze. "Mystery?"

She smiled as she gazed into the violet swirls of his eyes. In that moment, she found him mesmerizing. “I definitely find mysteries interesting. I also enjoy true crime stories. And I’m a sucker for the classics. Anything written in the late 1800s to early 1900s.”

“What about you, Aeneas? Do you like to read?”

He grinned and his eyes were bright. He nodded. "Oh yes. I love reading... well not so much reports about minutiae." He crooked his finger at her, "I can tell you a secret. But you can’t tell..."

She leaned in a bit closer with a sly grin on her face. “You can tell me. I’m great at keeping secrets.”

"I love to read really good cookbooks." He whispered low in her ear his breath warm on her cheek.

She couldn’t help the laughter that escaped her at his confession. “Cookbooks? Really?” She chuckled and gulped down the rest of her drink. “That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting.”

"Shhh,,," He looked around like the walls might be listening. Then smiled. "Seriously a really great cookbook is like travelling with the added benefit of some amazing recipes and stories about their origins." "You have a great laugh, Sarissa."

A slight blush crossed her cheeks. “Thanks. And I must say, you are more fun than I thought.” A moment later, she realized that he might have found that offensive. Her eyes grew wide as she slapped her hand over her open mouth. “Oh, I’m sorry, that was so rude of me. I didn’t mean to imply that you aren’t fun, Aeneas.” She looked away from him, cursing vodka tonic under her breath.

He shook his head. "It is fine. I might be a little tipsy. You would not believe … Well you might. Just please do not Highn ASS me and we will be fine. And I give you official permission to remember when it is private please just let me be Aeneas."

She smiled at him as relief washed over her. At his mention of it, she realized she hadn’t referred to him once as ‘your highness’ or ‘your royal highness’ or even ‘sir’. The thought truly never crossed her mind once she entered the room. She studied his eyes, she found the violet pools captivated her to the point where she couldn’t break their gaze. She swallowed hard as she battled her nerves which were normally made of steel. “So what do you do for fun Aeneas?”

"Fun? What is this foreign language you speak?" He grinned as he teased. "I make horrible messes in the kitchen trying to make some of the things I have read about. Hand spun sugar and sugar work are especially messy. Even when they go right. I play guitar and sing... mostly in the bathtub. Sing that is not play guitar. Oh... and I play billiards and pool. Billiards mostly to think. Pool mostly to beat my little brother."

She smiled at him, her eyes danced with amusement. “I didn’t know you could sing. Or play guitar, for that matter.” She smiled as she leaned in close to him again. “Will you cook for me sometime, Aeneas?” She knew somehow that she might wake up tomorrow and be mortified about this conversation. But in this moment, she didn’t care. “I guess I won’t challenge you to a game of pool then. Leo beats me all the time so I’m sure you would totally kick my ass. I would need lessons to prepare.”

Aeneas nodded and smiled, "I would be happy to cook for you. Or with you." His eyes were intent but he seemed happy and relaxed as he leaned toward her. "There is a secret with pool as well. You really want to know how to get a good break. It is all in the wrist. It is not how hard you hit it but rather how much spin you put on it." There was a soft knock on the door and Aeneas laughed as he looked up at the door. Then he grinned at her and whispered, “Quick, who do you think that might be?" He was close. Close enough she could smell his fresh woodsy cologne and faintly the whiskey he'd been sipping.

Her heart pounded in her chest and she wished whoever was at the door would just go away. She flashed Aeneas a smile as she rolled her eyes. “I’m guessing it’s our two favorite people. I wish we could hide and not answer it.” She nuzzled a bit closer to him as she breathed in his scent to commit to memory.

"Do you?" He looked in her eyes a moment then grabbed her hand and pulled her over to the cue rack. He reached down and pressed the molding and there was a faint click. He opened the panel into darkness and stepped in tugging her hand for her to follow him before it closed. It was almost pitch dark and he was right behind her, warm against her back. He whispered softly in her ear. "We have to be quiet. Calais knows this is here. If they hear us we are stuck."

She leaned into him, the warmth of his body against hers. His whisper in her ear sent shivers down her spine and she trembled just a bit. She sighed and hoped he didn’t notice. Her voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t think they’ll try too hard to find us anyway.”

A moment later they heard Calais voice, "Sarissa?" "Well she's not in here now, Xiphos. But there are two glasses still on the table and there's ice and ... whiskey still in this one. Aeneas doesn't usually leave a mess. Leo?... " The room got quiet. Aeneas shook against her back as he tried to keep from laughing out loud at the mystery they had posed for his sister and Xiphos. After a moment he whispered, "Give me your hand and follow me." His hand was warm and large as he held hers gently and led her through darkened passages. After a few moments he paused not letting go of her hand and feeling around on the wall. He pressed a button and a light at floor level came on illuminating stairs going down. "My dad used to tell stories of him and Uncle Drake playing hide and seek in the tunnels. Apparently, your dad was the only one who could regularly find them." He led her down a couple of flights of stairs and then paused at another panel that from this side looked like another doorway. He listened intently for a moment then opened it with a small lever. It opened into a large well stocked pantry. Aeneas smiled broadly enough to show his one dimple. And bowed to her. "Mi Lady your pantry awaits... Let's get some ice cream. They may find us but hey... we will have ice cream."

“Mmmmmm ice cream. Now you’re speaking my language.” She followed him to the freezer as he opened the door to display the flavors. She tapped her index finger to the side of her cheek as she contemplated the selection of favors. “I think I’ll stick with plain chocolate.”

He smiled at her as he got two bowls down and scooped a couple scoops into each bowl. She watched him as he served the ice cream. She smiled at the way he stuck his tongue out of the corner of his mouth as he concentrated on scooping the ice cream. She never realized there was an actual person behind the stoic demeanor he presented to the public. She was curious. She wanted to know everything about him. He finished and put the ice cream away then turned to her with a smile, holding out a spoon. She took a spoonful and held it up to him. “Ice cream cheers?”

"Wait!... " He dug around in the fridge side for a moment and came up with a gallon sized jar of maraschino cherries and put one on each of their spoons before clicking them together. "To mischief managed?"

She smiled as she clinked her spoon against his. “Yes. Managed is the word.” She giggled as she shoved the spoon in her mouth, savoring the feel of the coldness as it flowed over her tongue. “Mmmmm.” She gazed into his eyes intently. “This may be the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted.”

He was grinning, "A true culinary masterpiece. It's the cherry on top." He looked at her as a mischievous sparkle appeared in his violet eyes. He lifted one brow and then touched the back of his spoon to her nose leaving a little chocolate there. "Tag!" He dashed off into the kitchen as he chuckled.

“Hey!” She giggled as she wiped the chocolate off with the back of her hand and took off after him, spoon still in hand.

* * *

After they didn’t find Sarissa in the Billiards room Calais led Xiphos up to Leo's room. They could hear the drum solo being played before they even got halfway down the hallway. Calais grimaced. "I'm going to murder him." She went to his door and didn't bother knocking because he wouldn't hear anyway. He had headphones on one ear as he listened to a track and was very, very much into his playing, no Sarissa in sight. She closed the door and led Xiphos upstairs to her own room and pulled him into the elegantly appointed room. "I give up. Any ideas where she might be?"

Xiphos furrowed his brow as he shrugged. “I think she’s somewhere with Aeneas. They’re messing with us.” He wrapped his arms about her waist and kissed her softly as he looked around the room. He raised an eyebrow as he glanced in the direction of the bed. “We could just let them have their fun....”

She smiled up at Xiphos. "If we really, really want to find them we have several options. We can call or text them. Even if Sarissa is angry I know Aeneas has his phone connected to his royal jewels and will answer me. There's one more place we could look... Aeneas’ personal hang spot... Or I can poke the guard and ask him to locate them." She grins. "How much trouble would you like to cause?"

* * *

In the kitchen, Sarissa took a moment to glance around at her surroundings. The room was dimly lit with lots of shadowy corners to hide in. She slunk into a dark corner and surveyed the room. This was her area of expertise. She could be quiet and stealthy. She disappeared into the corner and waited for him to reveal himself. After a few moments she saw him reappear in the middle of the room with a puzzled look. “Sarissa?” His voice was a loud whisper. She waited until his back was turned then crouched low behind him, until they almost touched.

Aeneas chuckled.. oblivious to her behind him. "Saaaa rissaaaaa…. I'm going to eat your ice cream...."

* * *

Xiphos returned her grin. “Normally I would be all about causing trouble. But considering we’re both in the dog house with my sister; and Aeneas and I aren’t exactly on the best terms, maybe we should just keep this on the down low?”

Calais ran her hands up Xiphos’ chest and kissed him again then pulled out her phone and texted Aeneas. ….. Hey, have you seen Sarissa? A worried look crossed Xiphos’ face. “I hope she’s ok. She’s used to hanging out with Leo, but she hardly knows Aeneas. I know we’ve all hung out together a few times, but she has always insisted on maintaining a professional distance between her and Aeneas. She feels it’s unprofessional to be close to the future king she aspires to guard. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

"Hey... Aeneas is pretty gentle. He's just oblivious to things sometimes. But Love, if she's hurting he'll do his very best to help her. Trust me."

* * *

Sarissa couldn’t help herself. She chuckled softly right by his ear. “I’m right here Aeneas.” He turned around to face her and she quickly touched her spoon to the tip of his nose. “Tag!” She took off and ducked back into the pantry before he could react.

He laughed. "I'm glad you are on my side." He opened the door to the pantry. "I have to go reload..." He went back into the kitchen and grabbed a can of whipped cream from the fridge on his way back to his bowl of ice cream.

Sarissa stood on the other side of the pantry as she ate her ice cream. Aeneas walked into the room, obviously holding something behind his back. She put her spoon back in her bowl and took on a fighting stance. She knew he was up to something. He moved closer to her. She started to giggle. “Aeneas, whatever your planning, don’t.....” Just then his phone pinged.

Aeneas’ face transformed and he instantly turned serious as he set the cannister of whipped cream on a shelf and pulled out his phone. He looked at the text and smiled again. "It's Calais wanting to know if you are with me? Shall I tell her to join us for some ice cream tag?"

* * *

Xiphos grumbled. “I wouldn’t exactly call our conversation gentle.” He sighed deeply as he pulled Calais close into his chest. “That’s really not fair. I said a lot to provoke and anger him. I knew how he’d react.” He kissed her softly then pulled back with a questioning look. “When he and I were having our discussion, I asked him for permission to court you. He in turn asked for permission to court Sarissa. I thought he was joking and I laughed at him.” He sighed again. “He insisted later after we calmed down that he was serious.” He looked deep into Calais’ dark eyes and stroked her cheek softly. “What do you think about the two of them together?” Calais hugged him and considered for a moment seriously. "Your sister can be pretty stubborn. I think it depends a lot on if she decides she wants Aeneas. Not the future king, the man that is beneath the crown. I think she could get to him. But it's going to take a lot of stubborn."

Xiphos sighed and stroked Calais’ cheek. “Then let them be. She will find us when she is ready.”

Calais smiled at Xiphos and plugged her earphones in to her phone and offered him one and put the other one in then selected Ed Sheeran’s 'Perfect' and held her arms out to him. "My dad taught me to waltz to this song. It's older than I am but I still love it. Dance with me Love."

Xiphos smiled down at her and his emerald eyes sparkled as he wrapped one arm around her waist and took her hand in the other. He pulled her close and they moved around the room in perfect unison as they gazed into each other’s eyes. Enchanted with each other so much more than they would have thought possible in one night.

* * *

Sarissa’s mouth dropped open and she laughed as she realized what Aeneas was about to do. She eyed the whipped cream playfully. When he mentioned Calais’ name it was as if a dark cloud passed over her.

The joy left her face and she looked away from him. “No. I do not want her or my brother anywhere near me right now.” Her eyes stung with hot tears as she turned her back to hide her face. She knew that Xiphos was probably concerned. She cleared her throat. “Please just tell her that yes, I am with you and I am fine. Ask her to tell Xiphos I will find my own way home from the palace.”

Aeneas looked puzzled. Then closed his eyes and took a deep breath before he dropped his phone back in his pocket and pulled her against him into a hug. "Sarissa… help me out here. What happened? I am sorry I hurt your brother. He caught me off guard and I was honest with him. Why are you upset with them? He asked me if he could court her. And I thought if we were being formal I should ask his permission. I am a bit dense at times according to Calais. I know I should have asked you first." He stroked her back as he held her close.

A confused look crossed Sarissa’s face as well. “Aeneas, I am not upset about what happened between you and my brother. I don’t really know what happened, I can only make educated guesses because everyone just keeps me in the dark.” She cast her eyes downward to hide her tears again. It was unlike her to show weakness like this. “I’m upset because Leo and I walked in on them in the stables and interrupted a passionate kiss.” Her voice was soft and shaky. “Calais is my best friend. How could I not know she had feelings for my own brother?” She hesitated for a moment, her face buried in his chest. She pulled back to look into his violet eyes. “Wait. You asked his permission? You should’ve asked me first? Maybe I’m the dense one here because I haven’t the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

"Welcome to my world, Sarissa. I feel like I have been on an alien planet most of the day. Since my sister walked in my room upset about the social season and told me she didn't need a social season because she already liked someone. She did not tell me who. And I knew she had not told them. So I sort of threatened her. She knows me. She knew I would find out who. I want her to be happy. The next thing I know Xiph is texting me he needs to talk. He has been like an older brother to me my whole life so I was completely caught off guard... " He shook his head. "When you came in and told me I knew why you were drinking Vodka I thought it was because I had asked Xiphos' permission to court you rather than asking you." He frowned. "I am sorry." He held her gently. "Xiphos was seriously kissing Calais?"

She looked up into his violet eyes, caught off guard by what he just said. This was the last thing she expected. She felt like she should pull out of his embrace, but there was something so comforting in his touch. Her brother and best friend were suddenly the furthest thing from her mind as she absorbed what he just told her. “Y-you asked Xiphos’ permission to court me?” She didn’t know how to feel. Flattered? Angry? Hurt? Excited? Lucky? Her head was spinning. This was so unexpected. This was the future king she was supposed to protect. Yet here she was, wrapped in his arms, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. Maybe she was wrong. Maybe she wasn’t meant to protect the king as a member of the royal guard. Maybe she was supposed to protect him as his queen. She looked up at him almost hopeful. “And what was his response?”

Aeneas smiled, "Well he gave me permission and told me good luck because you were going to guard the crown. Then I opined that you might prefer my brother, who is honestly the better catch. Then he said that wasn't funny and things went downhill from there..." He frowned. "You deserve better, Sarissa. Truly."

She looked at him with a shocked expression. “I deserve better than the affections of the crown prince?” She shook her head in disbelief, then searched his eyes. “I think you have more in common with your brother than you realize, Aeneas.” She hesitated for a moment as she tried to think of what to say next. She felt as if her entire life path could change in this one moment. Her grey eyes swirled with emotion as she gazed at him and she knew she needed to choose her words carefully. “I am not so special, Aeneas. I am just a girl who thought she knew exactly what she wanted in life. But really I know nothing. My brother was not wrong, I’ve always had aspirations of following in my father’s footsteps. That’s the only dream I’ve ever had. To guard the crown.” She sighed deeply. Her voice was soft and quiet. “That was so much my dream that I had blinders up whenever I was around you. I felt I had to keep a professional distance.” She looked up into his eyes. She whispered softly as she stroked his cheek. “Tonight the blinders came off. I didn’t realize what I had been missing.”

He took her hand and delicately feathered circles across her knuckles with his thumb. The brilliant amethyst of his gaze met her beautiful dark eyes. And for a longtime he just lost himself in her gaze. He finally closed his eyes a minute and sighed. "You deserve someone who can devote themselves to you. Not divide their attention to you with the attention that the Crown demands. You deserve someone who doesn't have to be fair and subject you to the cattle show of a social season. You deserve someone who can wrap their arms around you and kiss you on the street corner, or on the beach, or on a park bench and doesn't have to worry about which paparazzi outlet may capture a photo." He shook his head. "It's likely the most selfish thing I've ever done asking to court you, wanting to court you.."

She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Aeneas, you are worthy and deserving of all those things too. I understand the demands of the crown. Probably better than any of the other girls who will be at social season. You deserve happiness too. You deserve to be loved.” She looked deep into his eyes as she thought for a moment. She spoke softly, her voice full of emotion. “I give you permission, Aeneas. Please don’t push me away.” She shifted her gaze downward, then looked back up at him. “We will never know if we don’t try. And if you choose not to court me, I will be here anyway. Ready to protect you with my life. Always wondering what could have been in the back of my mind. Watching the queen and wondering what made her good enough when I was not.” She turned her head away suddenly as her voice cracked with emotion and tears welled up in her eyes. She took a few deep breaths to compose herself, keeping her hand clasped with his. She looked up at him with sad eyes. “You’re not being selfish. Wanting a true connection with someone who can know who you truly are beyond the crown is not selfish. It is brave.”

His eyes searched hers in turmoil as a deep desire to kiss her raged through him and waged war with his resolve. Finally his voice deep and soft he managed, "I am honored Lady Sarissa." He bowed over her hand as though to kiss her knuckles but turned her hand and softly kissed her wrist, then unable to quite let go smoothed his thumb across her palm and planted another kiss there. He stood up straight, shoulders square, composed crown prince and offered her his arm. "It is very late my lady. May I get you a car to take you home?"

Sarissa’s breath hitched as Aeneas’ kisses on her wrist and palm sent electricity up her arm and straight to her core. She trembled slightly as she threaded her arm through his. “I’m sorry. Am I keeping you awake Aeneas?” She knew it was late and her 8 am class the next morning was the furthest thing from her mind at the moment. She never thought that he may have an early day as well.

His eyes flew to hers with a flash of startling intensity. His voice was very low and flowed through her. "It is a certainty that you will Sarissa." Then he blinked. He laid his hand over hers on his arm and escorted her back to the hallway. He smiled at the first guard they came across. "Tevi, could you please call for a car for Lady Sarissa?" The man gave him a short bow and spoke into his headset. Aeneas turned to her and smiled softly. "I have enjoyed this evening tremendously, Lady Sarissa. Might I call on you tomorrow?"

Sarissa smiled up into his violet eyes. “Please do, Aeneas.” She smiled shyly and broke their gaze as she glanced downward. “This is the best night I’ve had in a long time. Thank you.”

#arcana unbound #choices trr #aeneas x sarissa trr au fanfic

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oh-my-otome · 8 years

Text

Midnight Cinderella Suitor’s Fashions

@aquisces-arts wanted to see what the suitors would look like in modern clothes, so I did my best conceptualizing what each would wear and why.

Let’s start with King Byron:

Byron dresses very monochromatically-- wearing different shades of black head to toe, and choosing gold accents that catch the light.

If you look at his hair, you can see that his wisps are very controlled. Even his cowlick is styled neatly. He would probably use a light pomade. The details on the jeans give texture without distraction, like his black casual shirt in the game.

The gold zipper on the knees also satisfies his love of gold hardware. If you notice, Byron does not wear jewelry aside from his earring, which he shares with Nico, so I think a planetary key chain would be a good choice for him, as it combines his star-gazing hobby with an outlet for an accessory.

Of course, a Rolex is a must, and I think he would always give himself a chaste spritz of cologne before stepping out of the door. This scent is unisex and has a dry-down that smells of vanilla, woods and leather.

I don’t think he would shy away from stylish shoes-- he may even be a subtle trend-setter. Because Byron can hold his liquor with the best of them, and because he doesn’t tend to let himself get too casual out in the open, I thought martini glass novelty socks would be a fun twist. It would be his own little secret. While it may not be that wild of a thing for the rest of us, considering Byron’s aloof personality, he may feel that it really is daring indeed.

Let’s keep going with another king, Robert:

Robert’s overcoat may be green, but he actually wears a lot of brown and beige. I feel like Robert would want to keep a low profile-- he’s not into drawing attention to himself.

Robert seems like he would be at home in comfortable clothes that are no-fuss, and extra-comfy. He may purposefully fly coach, but his fancy schmancy luggage would be designer first class-- the better to spot it on the carousel in the airport.

I think he would splurge on some plush headphones to pass the time on the plane, as he country-hops. Since he likes rather long necklaces, I kept the length, but changed the style, so that it wouldn’t compete with his favorite tee.

Because he likes to switch up his hair-do, flexible shaping spray is a must; and you just know he’s the type to carry a pocket comb. I also added some scrub because he just seems like the type to exfoliate at least once a week.

In his bag, he probably has a small journal for jotting down whatever corner bistros catch his fancy. Maybe he even has a small sketch pad and colored pencils, too, for when inspiration strikes.

As for footwear, he would need something super comfortable to carry him from museum to museum. The paint splatter on these are a callback to his profession.

Here’s what I think Nico would wear:

Because Nico’s hair is already dyed pink, I think he wouldn’t try to be too matchy with his clothing. One item that matches and that’s it, so I tied in the color of his locks with a button-down. The pants give him ease of movement, since he does all types of ninja stuff when you’re not looking. Plus it has lots of pocket space; you just know he’s got all types of short swords, poison darts, tea cups and whatever else. As one does.

As Nico is the only suitor who canonically conceal-carries, I thought having him carry a large pocket knife, with other accessories, would suit his tastes. Nico also tends to wear suspenders, both on his butler uniform and his casual clothes, so I gave him a pair here as well.

He seems, to me, to be the type who just sticks their hand in the closet and puts on whatever comes out, so I gave him items which are both black and brown to maximize his styling options for whatever he throws on that day.

He has a comfortable pair of shoes for quick escapes. Nico likes wearing scarves and neckties. Here, I’ve given him a bandana instead, which he can wear for fashion or use as a bandage. In keeping up with his big bro, they have the same headphones, only Nico’s are silver.

Here, Nico’s overall look reflects his character: completely unassuming badass.

I feel like Alyn would be a sneaker head:

He tends to make his shoes the focal point. He would be the type to have a whole closet section just for his shoes. He needs style and function-- something that would suit his tastes and also allow him to defend the princess even when off-duty. I feel like he would choose hard-toe boots and sneakers with a lot of cushioning.

Alyn keeps his shirts plain, almost always choosing raglan shirts and henleys in baby soft modal cotton. He goes with a basic feel-good pair of jeans in a deep color, every time.

He almost always chooses to wear red and navy together. Playing up the red in his eyes, and his auburn hair, you can find that color in everything from his tees, to his shoes, to his phone case.

As he is technically always on duty to guard the princess, Alyn, like Nico, would carry a small knife. Since he wears a necklace with almost every outfit as it is, I chose to give him a ring instead.

Alyn trains hard everyday as part of his job, so I feel like he would be concerned about smelling like it, too. This exfoliating soap smells of cedar wood and oak moss, and would keep him smelling so fresh and so clean.

Leo, like his twin, also accessorizes with red a lot:

I didn’t want to make them too matchy, though. Unlike Alyn, Leo tends to roll his sleeves up, so I gave him a tee, plus a flannel shirt that has tabs to hold up the sleeves. Leo calls more attention to himself, so he would like louder jeans than Alyn, who doesn’t go in for distressing.

Leo wears a lot of hardware every day, so I simplified it to just a bracelet and a necklace. The dog tag has a cross on it, just like Leo’s brooch. Because he is afraid to sleep, I imagine Leo drinks a lot of coffee to keep himself awake. Since he’s always encouraging the princess, I chose a coffee mug that encouraged him instead.

If you look at his sprites, Leo wears a lot of different materials, so to visualize that, I went with different textures. The stars on his sneakers are raised, the tee is textured jersey for softness, and the jeans have mock rips. To pull in the reds that he goes for, I thought he would like this phone case with a colorful snake.

Let’s do Giles:

I feel like Giles would be the type of person who would be chucking deuces on the way out of the office door, on a Friday, like “lmao, see you suckers!”

He would be as dressed down as possible. He wears so many hats, so I think he would be the most likely to sleep in. Rather than drinking coffee, he would probably have a hot chocolate overflowing with marshmallows to satisfy his sweet tooth.

I gave him a feather soft twin set with flocking so that he could cozy up with his kitty and get some shut eye. But, should the princess suggest it, Giles would throw on some smart duds and hang out at the local coffee shop, no matter how pooped he felt. Here, he’s drinking a mocha cookie crumble frappacino. His second one that evening. And don’t touch his vanilla scones! Okay, maybe a bite-- a small one.

Albert has no chill, so I think that this is as dressed down as you’ll ever see him:

The jeans are quilted and paneled for a biker inspired look, and they are flexible enough that he can take down any attackers without a wardrobe malfunction. I didn’t give him a knife, because I thought he would probably go for hand-to-hand combat.

If Albert was going to make a statement, I think he would do it with actual words. So you can not only feel his disdain, you can read it, too. He’d definitely have a snarky coffee mug and his phone case reflects his work ethic.

Because Albert canonically works until he drops, his version of casual clothes are simply whatever is under his uniform that day. He just takes his coat off, but it probably feels like heaven to him at the end of the day. It looks so heavy!

While Alyn and Nico would have shoes with traction so they can do knight stuff, Albert would choose oxfords because he is also the king’s adviser. He has to do two jobs at once, so he needs to be able to look the part as he transitions between supporting the crown and actually defending it.

I gave him a sturdy watch and kept his glasses mostly the same. Since this is modern Albert, I imagine that he would wear contacts for the most part and switch to glasses after hours.

Albert often wears ties, but I gave him a dog tag made with black sapphire stones instead.

Louis wears almost all blue, so I added in some brown accents to switch it up:

I gave him some dressy-casual oxfords to take him from the ball room to the chic café in town. He has a patterned scarf since, like Nico, he can’t go without something covering his neck. Instead of gloves, I thought he might like a thick cuff bracelet. Louis looks so delicate, so I wanted to choose different materials and textures.

I get the feeling that, no matter what, his sense of style is always semi-formal, but he tries to use at least one piece of clothing to make it a little casual. Even though he complains about the formalities of his social rank, he can’t quite bring himself to dress down like a townie, but he doesn’t feel like himself all dolled up in a tux either.

Louis’ hair is always on point-- and it looks so fluffy! But I bet if you touched it, it would be full of hair gunk to keep those tresses right where he wants them.

I wanted to give Sid something he could run to the store or hang out in:

I think Sid is very meticulous about his skincare and always buys the full product line. He would always have a pair of sunglasses in his pocket. His faux leather jacket has an attached hoodie, providing not only warmth-- but he can also use it to disguise himself.

I think this look will help him blend in, since he tends to go to more casual places to do his work. Similar to the hood, the sunglasses also give him an incognito look. Since Sid works all over in different countries, he would listen to music during his commute.

I didn’t pair Sid with any fragrance, because I thought that would make him stand out more-- which is bad for the type of work that he does. He doesn’t need people remembering specific details about him, and the sense of smell is the strongest.

I don’t know much about Rayvis, but I wanted to style him anyway. He’s another one that wears a lot of one color, so I pulled out his accent color here:

He looks like a rather stiff person at first, so I imagined him as someone who has a really cute secret weakness, like indulging in decadent desserts at the end of the day. Chocolate strawberry cheesecake seems like it would do the trick, and it fit with the colors of his formal clothes.

For texture and mixed materials, his wool coat has leather sleeves, the maroon sneakers have plush velvet and the cable knit cap provides interest.

I added a color-blocked button down and his black skinny jeans have distressing that you’d have to get up close and personal to see.

His sunglasses also have a subtle hint of color. I don’t know what it is with MidCin guys and scarves, but I couldn’t let Rayvis be chilly, so I added something for him to cover himself with.

@astridapples, @widzzicles

#midnight cinderella #fashion #amalthea

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theonyxpath · 5 years

Link

Of course the big news is that we’re starting the Trinity Continuum: Aberrant Kickstarter campaign tomorrow, Tuesday July 2nd, at 2pm Eastern US time. And above is one of the pieces of artwork; this one featuring the dramatic moment when Randel Portman manifested his powers. Becoming then, The Fireman – the first known Nova (Aberrant).

Just one Word of Warning about the KS: as of the time I’m writing this, we are still waiting for the OK from Kickstarter after their review of the site. Certainly, we don’t expect issues after 30+ KSs, but if they don’t green-light this in time – just keep an eye out on our social media for when it will be live!

And while I’m at it, please note that you’ll need the Trinity Continuum: Core book in order to play TC: Aberrant, and we’ll have options for how you can include that with your rewards. We’re also going to give backers links for the finished TC: Core character creation chapter and the TC: Core Jumpstart along with the Trinity Continuum: Aberrant preview text released during the Kickstarter.

As previously, our goal with this Kickstarter is to raise the funds to print more books than the ones backers pledge for, so that we can get Trinity Continuum: Aberrant into retail stores. Scion 2nd Edition has only just been available for a month in retail, and our next Storypath System books to go into stores will be the Trinity Continuum: Core and TC: Aeon projects, followed by Dystopia Rising: Evolution and They Came From Beneath the Sea!, so we’re just getting started with introducing Storypath to the world.

Any help you can give by pledging to this Kickstarter will certainly help that effort!

Shunned By The Moon art by Leo Albiero

Like I mentioned last week, I personally have a long history with Aberrant, so I’m really looking forward to seeing where this KS goes. Plus, I got to work with Steve Kenson on this edition, a designer whose work I’ve loved since Mutants and Masterminds, and who was great to chat with on the couple of Diversity in Gaming panels we were on together.

I was so glad that after having pitched him on joining the team, and then poor Steve having to wait years as we hammered out the core Storypath rules, when at last I could finally contact him and say we were moving forward. A fair amount of that gladness was that he was still interested in the project after so much time had passed since we first talked about it!

But he was, and, in fact, you’ll be able to hear his fascinating thoughts on Trinity Continuum: Aberrant, as well as many other games and issues, on this coming Friday’s Onyx Pathcast where he is interviewed by the team!

In parallel with the Trinity Continuum: Aberrant Kickstarter, we continue to run the TC: Aberrant web comic You Are Not Alone right here on this site. So far, we’ve been thrilled with everyone’s comments as the storyline begins to talk about the world situation in TC: Aberrant and hint at the changes we’ve made to the setting in this edition.

Please be assured, we made no changes lightly, but this is very much a new edition, not a continuation of storylines from first edition. Our real world has significantly changed since the late 90’s when Aberrant was conceptualized, and so must the game’s setting. Plus, then, the idea of examining personality cults and deconstructing super hero tropes was still something fresh to the genre…not so much now.

We think we’ve moved the whole setting forward in ways that will thrill newbies and long-time fans alike, but we should know better how that has registered once You Are Not Alone and the TC:Aberrant KS have finished. Come along with us – and let us know what you think – it should be a fun ride!

Related Storypath System news: the Storypath Nexus Community Content site looks like it’ll be ready to go after this week. The July 4th holiday just jams up our effective time, so after this week we’ll be more readier.

Speaking of another world entirely, July is also the start of the Scarred Lands mega-campaign.The Vengeance of the Shunned starts, why, right about now, on the Slarecian Vault Community Content site for SL.

This was all planned by a team of community content authors headed up by Travis Legge, who we just recently brought on to lead the development of Scarred Lands. So, you could think of this mega-campaign as a really huge “audition piece”! But really, there are so many talented people who contributed, and I’m sure you’ll be seeing their names in official projects before long!

Wraith20 Book of Oblivion art by Mel Uran

Finally, I’d just like to encourage our community to give a listen to last Friday’s Onyx Pathcast. Our Trio have had a lot of fun during this past year of podcasting, and while they continue to bring their positive energy to last Friday’s episode, the subject matter is really not something that they are joking about.

The subject is Harassment, which is an issue that we at Onyx Path have been dealing with in a variety of ways since the company was founded. In fact, some of the strongest sections of this Pathcast are when Dixie, Eddy, and Matthew, speak of the different kinds of harassment they have personally encountered during their time in the TTRPG business.

From over-eager fans, to other industry “professionals”, to attacks and threats from strangers on the internet; all of these and more demoralize and frighten the very creators that our community look to for creative and engaging work.

I’ll provide you with another anecdote: if you look at our production in the 2017 time-frame, and the relative dearth of Kickstarters and number of seemingly stalled projects, a large number of these issues were because our creative teams were simply exhausted from dealing with harassment across the board. They had no creative impetus because so much of their time was spent defending themselves, and friends and co-workers.

A large part of our 2018 and 2019 Onyx Path Summits were about how to deal with all this negativity, including my shifting these blogs away from talking directly about these ongoing problems and into focusing on the fun and creative things we are doing. Not as a smoke-screen or panacea, but as a deliberate effort to remind both our community and ourselves of how awesome it is that we are able to create whole worlds for a living.

We can acknowledge the seriousness of the issues involved without letting that drive us away from the truly magical projects we create. You can hear that in the voices of Eddy, Matthew, and Dixie, and the conversation they have.

This is why this episode of the Onyx Pathcast is important.

Please take some time and give it a listen, if only to get a better grasp on the challenges we all face to bring you all of these:

Many Worlds, One Path!

BLURBS!

Kickstarter!

Starting Tuesday July 2nd at 2pm EDT, the Trinity Continuum: Aberrant Kickstarter will blast its super-powered way into our lives!

ONYX PATH MEDIA

Onyx Pathcast art by Michael Gaydos

This Friday’s Onyx Pathcast features world-renowned expert on all things super-heroic in games, Steve Kenson! The gang talk with Steve about his huge body of work, his specific brilliant design work on Trinity Continuum: Aberrant, and his many other interests: https://onyxpathcast.podbean.com/

And Here’s More Media About Our Worlds:

The live Onyx Path News was such a hit last week (watch it again here: https://youtu.be/ssolzT5iGOo) that we’ll be doing it live again this coming Wednesday! Subscribe to our channel and click the bell symbol to be informed whenever a new video goes up!

Matthew’s Contagion Chronicle actual play continues apace with multiple parts uploaded over the last week! Here’s episode seven, where our characters encounter (and slaughter) a bunch of Beshilu: https://youtu.be/U5yrLR1WYmI

Keep watching Travis Legge’s Scarred Lands actual play of Myths & Matchmakers over here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLmiXCaSrrCIjmCJQQ7oLwLNahmDbdn_2J Seriously: he’s one of the best people to watch if you want to find out about this setting!

Devil’s Luck Gaming haven’t stopped with their epic journey through Scarn either: https://www.twitch.tv/DEVILSLUCKGAMING

And our journey through the Scarred Lands doesn’t end yet, as the always excellent Caffeinated Conquests continue to march through the Gauntlet of Spiragos here: https://youtu.be/ygamfg9yBak

Returning to the Chronicles of Darkness, Occultists Anonymous‘ latest episodes of the Mage: The Awakening 2E continue here: Episode 25: Igniting An Old Flamehttps://youtu.be/2va2Eae2jfcMammon has some time alone to reconnect with an old acquaintance. Atratus speaks with her dead brother. Wyrd has some concerns. Songbird… meditates.

Episode 26: Escalation https://youtu.be/L4pADEK8aPo Atratus, Songbird, and Wyrd the Seer have a discussion of what is necessary to handle the mysterious Letter Man. Plans are made to investigate the original meeting spot. Songbird remains in his room..

And the Keeper of the Archive continues their overview of Scion Second Edition here! https://youtu.be/nCg8aXg1c0c and https://youtu.be/iaLFToU6OD0

Please check any of these out and let us know if you find or produce any actual plays of our games!

ELECTRONIC GAMING

As we find ways to enable our community to more easily play our games, the Onyx Dice Rolling App is now live! Our dev team has been doing updates since we launched based on the excellent use-case comments by our community, and this thing is awesome! (Seriously, you need to roll 100 dice for Exalted? This app has you covered.)

ON AMAZON AND BARNES & NOBLE:

You can now read our fiction from the comfort and convenience of your Kindle (from Amazon) and Nook (from Barnes & Noble).

If you enjoy these or any other of our books, please help us by writing reviews on the site of the sales venue from which you bought it. Reviews really, really help us get folks interested in our amazing fiction!

Our selection includes these fiction books:

OUR SALES PARTNERS:

We’re working with Studio2 to get Pugmire and Monarchies of Mau out into stores, as well as to individuals through their online store. You can pick up the traditionally printed main book, the screen, and the official Pugmire dice through our friends there! https://studio2publishing.com/search?q=pugmire

We’ve added Prince’s Gambit to our Studio2 catalog: https://studio2publishing.com/products/prince-s-gambit-card-game

Now, we’ve added Changeling: The Lost 2nd Edition products to Studio2‘s store! See them here: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/all-products/changeling-the-lost

Scarred Lands (Pathfinder) books are also on sale at Studio2, and they have the 5e version, supplements, and dice as well!: https://studio2publishing.com/collections/scarred-lands

Scion 2e books and other products are available now at Studio2: https://studio2publishing.com/blogs/new-releases/scion-second-edition-book-one-origin-now-available-at-your-local-retailer-or-online

Looking for our Deluxe or Prestige Edition books? Try this link! http://www.indiepressrevolution.com/xcart/Onyx-Path-Publishing/

And you can order Pugmire, Monarchies of Mau, Cavaliers of Mars, and Changeling: The Lost 2e at the same link! And NOW Scion Origin and Scion Hero are available to order!

On Sale This Week!

This Wednesday, we are offering the Changeling: The Dreaming 20th Anniversary Edition Player’s Guide in PDF and physical book PoD versions on DTRPG!

CONVENTIONS!

Gen Con: August 1st – 4th Save Against Fear: October 12th – 14th GameHoleCon: October 31st – November 3rd We’ll also be back at PAX Unplugged later this year!

And now, the new project status updates!

DEVELOPMENT STATUS FROM EDDY WEBB (projects in bold have changed status since last week):

First Draft (The first phase of a project that is about the work being done by writers, not dev prep)

M20 Victorian Mage (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Exalted Essay Collection (Exalted)

Trinity Continuum Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum Core)

Wraith20 Fiction Anthology (Wraith: The Oblivion 20th Anniversary Edition)

One Foot in the Grave Jumpstart (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2e)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #2 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Exigents (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Terra Firma (Trinity Continuum: Aeon) Titanomachy (Scion 2nd Edition)

Crucible of Legends (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Many-Faced Strangers – Lunars Companion (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Contagion Chronicle: Global Outbreaks (Chronicles of Darkness)

W20 Shattered Dreams Gift Cards (Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th)

W20 Art Book (Werewolf: The Apocalypse 20th)

Redlines

Monsters of the Deep (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Tales of Aquatic Terror (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

Kith and Kin (Changeling: The Lost 2e)

Scion: Demigod (Scion 2nd Edition)

Second Draft

Tales of Good Dogs – Pugmire Fiction Anthology (Pugmire)

Dragon-Blooded Novella #1 (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Across the Eight Directions (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition core rulebook (Mummy: The Curse 2nd Edition)

Masks of the Mythos (Scion 2nd Edition)

Scion: Dragon (Scion 2nd Edition)

Geist 2e Fiction Anthology (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Development

WoD Ghost Hunters (World of Darkness)

Oak, Ash, and Thorn: Changeling: The Lost 2nd Companion (Changeling: The Lost 2nd)

M20 The Technocracy Reloaded (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

Creatures of the World Bestiary (Scion 2nd Edition)

Heirs to the Shogunate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Scion Companion: Mysteries of the World (Scion 2nd Edition)

Let the Streets Run Red (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Cults of the Blood Gods (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Legendlore core book (Legendlore)

City of the Towered Tombs (Cavaliers of Mars)

TC: Aeon Jumpstart (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Manuscript Approval

Trinity Continuum: Aberrant core (Trinity Continuum: Aberrant)

Pirates of Pugmire (Realms of Pugmire)

Hunter: The Vigil 2e core (Hunter: The Vigil 2nd Edition)

Chicago Folio/Dossier (Vampire: The Masquerade 5th Edition)

Deviant: The Renegades (Deviant: The Renegades)

TC: Aeon Ready-Made Characters (Trinity Continuum: Aeon)

Editing

Memento Mori: the GtSE 2e Companion (Geist: The Sin-Eaters 2nd Edition)

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed (Mage: the Awakening Second Edition)

Spilled Blood (Vampire: The Requiem 2nd Edition)

Lunars: Fangs at the Gate (Exalted 3rd Edition)

Heroic Land Dwellers (They Came From Beneath the Sea!)

DR:E Threat Guide – Helnau’s Guide to Wasteland Beasties (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

DR:E Jumpstart (Dystopia Rising: Evolution)

Post-Editing Development

M20 Book of the Fallen (Mage: the Ascension 20th Anniversary Edition)

V5 Chicago By Night (Vampire: The Masquerade)

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ART DIRECTION FROM MIRTHFUL MIKE!

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M20 Book of the Fallen

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Hunter: The Vigil 2e

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They Came From Beneath the Sea

TCFBtS!: Heroic Land Dwellers

Night Horrors: Nameless and Accursed

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Today’s Reason to Celebrate!

On this day, at about 11:30 in the morning after 23.5 hours of labor, my first daughter was born, singing, well cooing, from first breath and looking right into my eyes with her baby blues. And today, she’s a Psychiatric Resident and mother of her own cute little baby. Time, it flies! Love ya, kid!

#Onyx Path Publishing

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itsworn · 8 years

Text

This Nasty Classy 1931 Ford Model A Roadster is as at Home at a Show as it is Dragging on the Beach

Full-tilt.

Our story’s title may sound like a contradiction in terms, but Cedric Meeks coined the phrase himself to describe his Model A roadster’s mix of badass and beautiful.

Cedric has actually owned this gennie ’31 Ford twice. He first spotted it about three years ago in the yard of Stan Ochs, another hot rodder in the Portland, Oregon, area where Cedric lives with his wife, Kim.

At the time it was a bone-stock A. “Stan told me it was the body that Dee Wescott took molds off of to make his fiberglass roadster bodies,” Cedric recalls. “My dad worked for Dee in the 1960s before he worked for Gene Winfield. We’ve known him forever. When Stan told me that, I really wanted the car bad.

“Then Stan goes into his shop and comes out with these chopped windshield stanchions,” Cedric continues. “He told me, ‘These were the stanchions off your dad’s car.’” Cedric’s dad is Russ Meeks, a longtime hot rod builder who, among other cars, built the rear-engine Model A for John Corno that won the America’s Most Beautiful Roadster award in 1972.

“Well, I couldn’t say no,” Cedric admits.

“I bought the car at about 2 in the afternoon, had it home by 4, and then I called my dad and some buddies, and they came over at about 6 and stripped the car down,” Cedric says. They took off the hood, fenders, and running boards, and about a week later Cedric put a set of bent-spoke Kelsey-Hayes wheels on it and a straight pipe. “It looked just like an early gow job. I drove it as a prewar hop-up for six months.”

But then another car “popped up,” he says, a sectioned ’56 Nomad that Russ had built when he worked for Winfield. “Mom and Dad brought me home from [the] hospital when I was born in that car. In 1969, he tore it apart, never finished it, and it went into storage. I used to play in that car when it was just a mothballed show car full of rat turds.” And here it was, back. He sold the roadster and “every piece of speed equipment I could part with” to buy the Nomad, he says. The roadster went to a guy who worked with Russ.

But about a year later, that guy wanted to buy a house and offered Cedric first right of refusal to buy back the roadster. Cedric and Kim had just built a shop, so it wasn’t a great time to buy another car. “But I didn’t know if I would ever get a car this nice again,” he says.

So in November 2015, the roadster returned. And in January 2016, Cedric heard that the Race of Gentlemen was headed west. He had been working on a Model A coupe for Kim, but the coupe went on the back burner to get the roadster ready for TROG at Pismo Beach in October.

“In the meantime, my wife says to me, ‘What are we going to take to Santa Maria [the Cruisin’ Nationals by West Coast Kustoms]? I said, ‘The roadster. I’ll have it ready to go.’ So it was full-tilt, to see how fast I could do it.”

It helped that during the year it had been out of Cedric’s hands, the previous owner installed a dropped front axle, and Russ had built a custom steering arm for it. “So it was already dumped in the front.” The rear was left at the stock height, though Cedric swapped the original rearend for a Halibrand quick-change. He had a stock ’39 transmission to mate to the motor.

The Model B four-banger, which has a Miller-Schofield overhead-valve conversion, came from a fellow Estranged car club member, Mike Thompson. “It was in a roadster that had come out of Idaho,” Cedric explains. “He raced it at the Billetproof drags in Washington a couple years before. I raced him in my wife’s sedan, and this thing was fast. Even with a single 97, it ran hard.” Portland’s Model A Works freshened the motor, Cedric added some speed equipment—Thomas intake, dual Stromberg 81s, and a Charlie Yapp exhaust—and “it’s been running like crazy ever since.”

After stripping the roadster’s body, Cedric painted it in a custom-mixed green hue that’s “based off Kevin Sledge’s ’40 Merc,” he says. “I took a copy of The Rodder’s Journal with that car on the cover to a buddy at a paint shop, and he mixed a base/clear that was pretty close without being candy. I didn’t want to spray candy for my first car.”

Two days before Santa Maria, Cedric had the roadster running, and he and Kim made the trip. It turned out to be the beginning of a very busy year for them. “After Santa Maria, we went to Billetproof Chehalis [in Washington state], got Best of Show from the Slowpokes, from there to Deuce Days in July in Canada, came home, took it to the Billetproof Hot Rod Eruption drags in Toutle [Washington], broke the rear axle racing it there, fixed it, and then went to TROG.” The weekend after TROG, they went to the California Hot Rod Reunion and that same weekend drove up to El Mirage, where the roadster served as a push car for Russ’ XO modified roadster.

Once they got home, Cedric could assess the damage from TROG. “There were 2 inches of sand on the framerails,” he says. “I forgot to put nylons on the intakes, and the rear carb just sucked sand into the engine. It still runs fine; I’ve changed the oil quite a few times, but I’m guessing the cylinders got a fresh hone, just not with the right crosshatch pattern.” He also had to work on the car’s paint, as “every panel was scratched” by the slinging sand.

It was while cleaning TROG off the car that Cedric decided he wanted to take it to the Grand National Roadster Show, “and I wanted it 100 percent finished for GNRS.” That meant fabbing a hood, building top bows for a new top from Guy’s Interior Restorations, swapping out the tires and wheels for the whitewalls and Olds caps seen here, and then having Mitch Kim pinstripe the car, inside and out.

“In just a few months, this car has had three totally different looks,” Cedric points out. “When I raced at Billetproof, I took off the blackwalls on green wheels and made a new set of reversed rims to run really narrow 5-inch slicks. Then for GNRS, I put on the new top, hood, and different tires and wheels. It totally changed the look from a down-and-dirty early ’50s hot rod to a mid- to late ’50s custom show rod. It has just the right attitude. It’s nasty looking, but nasty classy.”

There are more shows in the car’s near future, and then Cedric plans to “do nothing but drive the paint off the thing. Or my wife will until the Model A coupe is ready. I have to get it ready for GNRS, so it’s nose to the grindstone again.”

Compare Cedric Meeks’ Model A in its “100 percent finished” state to how he ran the roadster at The Race of Gentlemen West. It’s amazing what a hood, top, and new tires and wheels will do to the look of a car.

More TROG action, here on the soft, downhill chute to the beach. Note the black smoke coming from the engine, the result of the banger ingesting sand. The scrunched look on fellow Estranged club member (and HRD contributor) Kleet Norris’ face is from all the sand the right front tire is throwing at him.

The Model B four-cylinder is pressurized, fitted with insert bearings, and topped with a Miller-Schofield overhead valve conversion. Cedric bought it as a running motor but added the Thomas intake, twin Stromberg 81s, Winfield cam, and Charlie Yapp exhaust manifolds, which are hooked to an exhaust system Cedric fabricated.

Engine is fired by a 12-volt Mallory dual-point ignition. “It’s an honest 100hp motor, maybe 110,” Cedric says. “Reliable as all get-out.”

Mitch Kim pinstriped the firewall, as well as the dashboard inside.

The Vintage Moon fuel pressure gauge is cool, as is a small example of Cedric’s handiwork with copper tubing. Cedric and Kim operate Schmeer Sheet Metal, an architectural sheetmetal shop.

Front suspension consists of a dropped axle hung by a reverse-eye recurved spring. “It’s my dad’s design that we put on everything,” Cedric says of the spring. Boling Brothers early iron brakes stop the roadster. Note that the tires have whitewalls on both sides. “There’s so much black up front [so] I wanted something to contrast with the backing plates,” Cedric says. He sent his Coker wide whites to Diamond Back Classic Tires for the inner whitewalls.

Rearend contains a magnesium Halibrand 101 quick-change. “It’s an in-and-out box,” Cedric says of the q-c. “You can see the shifter hanging down.”

Guy’s Interior Restorations handled the upholstery and also made the roadster’s new top. Pinstriping on the dash is by Mitch Kim, and Cedric fabricated the brass engine-turned panels inset in the beautifully stained floor.

The Ford Crestline wheel was originally intended for Kim’s coupe but wound up in the roadster. “I bought an original Bell wheel for her car, but she doesn’t like it,” Cedric says. “Not enough bling.”

Stock Model A gauges in the dashboard are complemented by a 1950s-era aftermarket Stewart-Warner gauge cluster underneath.

A stock 1939 shift lever is capped by a knob with an inset brass coin, commemorating Ford’s “40 Years of Progress” from 1932-1972. “I bought the knob from Lucky Burton,” Cedric says. “He makes them. I liked the color combination, the Ford script; it just worked.”

Roadster’s nice rake is achieved by dumping the front end and leaving the rear at its stock ride height.

“We have had so much fun in the car,” Cedric says. “The engine is really torque. It goes down the freeway at 65 to 70 with no problem and leaves the line hard. It’s not quite as snappy as something with more cubic inches, but it sings down the road. It just flies.”

The Miller-Schofield/Cragar OHV Conversion

Harry Miller, most famous for his Indy racing machines in the 1920s and 1930s, formed the Miller-Schofield company in 1928 with several other investors, including financier George Schofield. Among the company’s products was an overhead valve cylinder head that was designed by Leo Goossen, one of Miller’s chief engineers. Moving the valves out of the block and into the head improved the engine’s breathing to such a degree that a stock, 40hp Model A motor could make nearly 70 hp with the addition of the head alone.

According to automotive historian Art Bagnall, Miller-Schofield was making up to 50 of these heads a day at its peak. That peak was short-lived, though; Miller-Schofield was bankrupt by 1930, one of the many victims of the 1929 stock market crash and ensuing Depression.

Not long after, Harlan Fengler, a former board-track racing driver, teamed with a young plumbing heir named Crane Gartz and bought the remains of the Miller-Schofield cylinder head business. They formed a company and named it Cragar by contracting Gartz’s first and last names. For a couple of years, they manufactured the OHV head as a Cragar component, but they, too, couldn’t escape the crush of the Depression and went bankrupt in 1932. The Cragar name was saved, though, by George Wight, founder of Bell Auto Parts, who bought Cragar’s leftover parts from Gartz.

The cutaway illustration of a Cragar head you see here was drawn by Rex Burnett for an article by Don Francisco called “Ford 4-Barrel Speed Secrets” in the Nov. 1950 issue of HOT ROD. The 4-barrel term referred to the number of cylinders in the block and had nothing to do with carburetion. This was one of a series of tech articles Francisco did in 1950-1951 that examined ways to hop up banger motors for the street and track.

The post This Nasty Classy 1931 Ford Model A Roadster is as at Home at a Show as it is Dragging on the Beach appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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