#MY LESBIANS ARE BACK AND ON THEIR FIRST DATE*!!!!!!! | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ellaofoakhill · 3 months ago

Text

The Fairy Tales of Ella and Meline #2: Oak and Stone

Oak and Stone

“To Lord Ella of Oakhill,

“I hope you’re well. Thanks again for your help with that potion; I couldn’t have made it without your help. You also saved my life, and treated me as a guest in your house.

“To thank you, I invited you to the town of Oak and Stone, for food and fun, so I was wondering if you’re you available on July 8th?

“If yes, enclosed is a map from Oakhill to the town gate. If you can’t read my gryphon-scratch, just follow the line of oaks by the south end of the pasture to the cairns. I’ll be there, in a carrot orange dress.

“Truly Yours,

Meline of Wild Rose.

P.S. I recommend dressing for the heat.”

***

“Honourable Madam Meline of Wild Rose,

“I am indeed well, as are my hall and its environs. May this letter find a smile upon your face. You honour me with your praise, though my actions could have been no less in the face of such steadfast goodwill as your own.

“As per your invitation, I gladly accept. This 8th of July seems an auspicious day. I shall follow your directions as best I am able, and shall appear no later than the 3rd hour following the setting sun.

“Your Humble Servant,

Lord Ella of Oakhill.”

***

The cairns and oaks were strewn with fireflies and fairy lights. “In all my years here,” Ella said as Coarser trotted along, “I never knew about any of this. Did you, my handsome stallion?” Coarser nickered, nodding his head. “And you never told me?” She playfully slapped his rump. He swung his head back and smacked her shin. She checked the map. The gate should be close...

She dismounted at the base of three oaks. “I suppose you’ll hang around, basking in the adulation of fey women?” Coarser’s neigh sounded very much like laughter. “If a willing filly happens by, just make sure you’re home by sunrise, alright?” He rolled his eyes. She met them. “Have a nice night, my boy.” He gently butted her head.

Three cairns, each piled about the base of an oak, marked the gate to Oak and Stone, according to Meline’s directions. Every now and again, light would flicker from somewhere in between them, obscured by the brush, horsetails, and a surprising number of ferns. There were a few fey and creatures here and there, bustling about. The fey were mostly fairies and gremlins, though she saw a few gnomes, and even an elf.

She scanned each as they walked by. “Hmm, I wonder what’s keeping her…”

“Keeping who?” Ella spun around. Meline could not have stood much closer, a mischievous smile on her face. She pulled back her mantle, revealing a carrot orange dress and a deep green bodice embroidered with gold leaves. When she pulled back her hood, her long dark hair glittered with green gems.

“Meline!” Ella bowed. “How did… is that make-up?”

Meline clapped her cheeks. “I… it-it’s a Dullndeshi thing!”

“I know several fey from Dullndesh, and none of them covered their faces with make-up.”

“How well?”

“Pardon?”

“How well do you know them?”

“Pretty well, we’re old friends.”

“Well, we just met, and it’s more a first formal meeting thing, so they likely haven’t made themselves up in a long time.” Meline raised her eyes. “Should I not have?”

“Well, I can’t tell red from green with how thick it is.”

Meline half-chuckled. “I’ll try not to get angry or disgusted with you tonight.” She offered her arm.

Ella took it. “Alright. But I’ve been told I draw embarrassment like a worm draws robins.”

“Then we’ll be extra cautious.” Meline drew Ella into the brush between the cairns. “You aren’t carrying a blade, are you?” Ella pulled up the hem of her lightest jupon, revealing the pocket knife on her left hip. Meline sighed as she examined it. “Hmm… It shouldn’t exceed the length requirements.”

“Requirements?”

“You haven’t been here before,” Meline said as they resumed walking, “but the world has changed. The mayor and the Watch keep things quite safe, and part of that has been banning all blades above three eighths of an inch long.”

“Oh.” Ella thought as they walked between the cairns. “What about the artisans? The coopers, for instance. Or the butchers. Carving up a beetle is no easy task with a tiny knife.”

“There are exemptions,” Meline said, “but each artisan has to put their mark on their tools, and follow other restrictions.”

“I see.” They made it to the centre of the cairns. There was a flat slab of granite just above the grass. “Are we here?”

Meline nodded. She took a peridot from her hair, and asked it to knock on the door. She knelt, and touched the now-glowing gem to the granite. The stone glowed, fluid script and symbols racing across its surface faster than even fairy eyes could see. A harvest mouse appeared with a small “pop”, dressed in green, with a copper badge on his jacket and a monocle over one eye. He had a fly on a tether tied to his wrist, and a knobbly staff in the crook of one arm.

“Names?” He had a clipboard and was scrawling with impressive speed.

“Lord Ella of Oakhill, and Meline of Wild Rose,” Meline said.

The mouse, whose whiskers were longer than he was tall, looked up at them. “Ah, Meline. Back so soon?”

“Her Lordship did me a good turn recently, Jasper. I’d like to show her around town.”

“Ah, I see, I see.” Jasper turned to Ella. “Is her lordship carrying any weapons?”

“Just this,” Ella said, pulling the knife from her belt and handing it over. Jasper took the proffered blade, and unsheathed it.

“Hmm, fairy silver…” he bent the blade into a perfect U and it sprang back, then poked the tip into his staff; it bit deep into the wood without apparent effort on his part. “Good fairy silver…” he measured the dagger against his staff, the lower half ringed with measured notches. “Total blade length: three sixteenths and two sixty-fourths.” He handed it back with a toothy smile. “A fine blade, and yours to keep while in town.” He leaned in. “Who’s the smith?”

Ella chuckled. “Lord Ella of Oakhill, my good mouse.” She bowed.

Jasper looked a shade dumbfounded. Meline coughed. “Fine work, yes,” he said with a start. “Enjoy your evening in Oak and Stone, my lord.” And he rapped the butt of his staff against the granite.

“That’s n—” but Ella didn’t get to say what that was before light blazed from the granite slab, and her feet left the ground.

When they came back down, they no longer stood in the pasture beyond the yard behind the house.

Ella looked up. The stars were entirely different from those she had looked up at for millennia. She glanced over at Meline, who appeared to be barely containing her glee.

“Where do you think we are?” Meline’s voice was an octave higher than normal.

“Well,” Ella looked up at the stars. They declined to answer. “We are clearly not on Gaea anymore.”

“Right!” Meline was practically jumping up and down.

“And…” Ella frowned. “The sky’s purple, and I can’t see Fom, Tharn, or Dyn.” She shivered, catching just a bit of Meline’s excitement. “We aren’t on Fey either.”

“No, we’re not!” Meline was almost laughing.

“Alright, why is this so funny?” From the way Meline talked, she visited Oak and Stone once a fortnight.

“Mostly the look on your face,” Meline said. “I’ve brought a few friends here over the years, and while knowing a third world exists, first reactions to being here are without exception hilarious.”

Ella smiled. “What was your first reaction?”

Meline snorted. “Hold on, let me step into character.” She took a step backward and closed her eyes. She abruptly opened them. She looked left and right, forward, and then up. Her eyes bulged—Ella could discern individual stars in them—and her jaw dropped. She looked in Ella’s general direction, pointed down, then back up, then started waving her arms in perfect incomprehension. Ella started to laugh. “How was my acting?”

Ella shrugged. “I wasn’t there.”

Meline’s face went blank for a moment before she laughed. “Come on.” She stepped off the platform.

Most disorienting for Ella, as she followed Meline—south?—was that other than the sky, their immediate surroundings were almost identical to those they’d left behind, down to the same arrangement of three red, white, and black rocks, one of which had a wrinkled oak leaf sitting on it. Beyond the cairns were thick ferns and horsetails. “So then where are we?”

Meline shrugged. “We are neither in one of the heavens, nor one of the hells, obviously. We are not on Fey, nor Gaea.” She looked up at the sky. “Frankly, after I accepted that Gaea is very much like Fey, it wasn’t a huge stretch to believe there are three mortal realms, since I already knew there were two.”

Ella scratched her head. “Why don’t all of us know about this?”

Meline looked at her. “Most fey and creatures around here do, and virtually all of Fey knows. There are almost certainly portals connecting Fey and Nidd, but Gaea has all the portals to Nidd that I know of.”

Ella nodded. She nearly expressed her doubt that she could not know about a portal to a third world less than an hour’s ride from her house. She shook herself. “You mean to show me a good time this evening. I’ll save my questions.”

“Good.” Meline smiled again. “Let’s go.”

As they walked through the undergrowth, Ella saw lights passing nearby, and heard voices. There was an undercurrent of sound, though, like the wind rushing through the trees.

The ground rose beneath their feet, becoming rockier. The ferns thinned out, and suddenly they were on a ridge. On the slope below them was a cascade of lights that could only be the town, on a shallow bay perhaps a half mile across. Beyond that was another island, a low peak with a bite taken from its top, clothed in trees. Beyond that, to the horizon, silver-black in the starlight, was the sea.

“Do you know,” Ella said in a small voice, “how long it’s been since I saw the ocean?”

Meline took her arm. “Too long?” Ella nodded. “We have all night; we can stay up here as long as you like.”

Ella looked slowly around. Back the way they had come, the cairns sat in a small dip in a second, much higher mountainside. Ice glittered at its peak. Beautiful as it was, her eyes were soon drawn back to the water.

After a few moments more, Ella turned to Meline. “If we have time after you show me around, we can walk along the beach.”

The mischievous smile was back on Meline’s face. “Only if we have time.”

***

Oak and Stone was a bustling town, with fey and creatures briskly going about their business every hour of day and night, according to Meline. There were mice like Jasper here, as well as voles, weasels, ground squirrels, tree squirrels, stoats, a few bats, and many other creatures Ella knew.

And more than a few she did not, tuatarans and thritheles and cynos and a dozen others. Creatures like the lizards Ella had encountered on Gaea, or on Fey. But no lizard she knew of had four arms. The smallest of these was a head taller than her. Tusks twisted down from their jaws. Their bodies were grey-brown or mottled green, with frills on their jaws and crests on their heads, which many had painted or tattooed or pierced with rings and studs. Some had horns, and one or two had a pair of leathery wings. According to Meline, they called themselves drakles, and many of them were sailors.

What most surprised Ella about this place—unknown beings were really to be expected—was the abundance of elves. Well, relatively speaking; abundance was not a word one applied to elves. But there were more of them here than Ella had ever seen on Gaea. To be fair, impeccable manners and condescending undercurrents aside, elves were known more than anything for their love of the sea. And the sea Oak and Stone had in abundance.

Meline showed her down to the shipyards, where vessels from across this world—the drakles called it Nidd—docked and unloaded their goods. These went to the seaside market, a paved square by the water with canals running through. These allowed smaller boats to paddle or pole into town and drop their goods right by the stalls and shops.

There were fabrics Ella had never seen, some softer than velvet, others smoother than silk, still others so strong Ella’s knife could not cut them; according to Meline, those needed crystal-edged scissors to be cut into shape. There were spices alien to Ella’s nose and tongue, including one somewhere between lemon and banana that she particularly liked; Meline laughed at the incredulous delight that flashed across Ella’s face when she tasted it. There were strange rocks and shells, scales shed by massive beasts, and gems that seemed commonplace here which Ella had only read about.

Meline’s boast about the local wood was true. A fairy could mould kerdzgas, a local word roughly meaning “clay-wood”, with her bare hands while it was green—or, more accurately, orange—and once it seasoned it became like gnomish silver; Ella shaved the hair from her arm with a knife made from it. There were metals as well— all the harmless metals were sold in finger-sized ingots, and the mayor had banned the import of iron for all but a few specialized purposes—but this kerdzgas was so easy to work hardly anyone used the metals only smelting could produce.

Beyond the market were shops. There was a shop bordering the market that sold crepes filled with berry and honeyed cream; Ella laughed at the white moustache on Meline’s upper lip. Another sold kebabs of sweet and spicy fruits, of roots savoury, sweet, and spicy, and of the spiced meats of different fish and insects, or whatever the equivalent was here.

There were shops that sold fine berry wines, cordials, and ciders, and shops that sold candied chocolate mixed with granules of nuts and dried fruits. There was stronger drink as well, but Ella had hardly more than a sip of a spiced liqueur that made her fingers and toes tingle. Too much made a fool of anyone, and Ella was in a town she did not know, in a world she did not know, surrounded by fey and creatures she did not know.

But Meline knew a great deal about this town in another world. Many shopkeepers and stall-owners in the market waved or greeted her by name, and she knew each of them, their families, and how their business was doing. Perhaps it was Ella’s imagination, but the crowds around them seemed to swirl not only with folks moving toward Meline, but with a few who moved away as well, and there were some shopfronts she passed over unless Ella asked after them; they never stayed long in those shops, and Ella noticed more than a few quartz coins leave Meline’s purse whether they bought anything or not.

After they were quite full, Meline led Ella across the bridge and out of the square. Ella had heard the sounds of industry from this section of town for some time, but she suspected Meline had been building toward this.

Ella worked a wide variety of metals, woods, and some fabrics, but would have freely admitted her grasp of other materials was lacking. She saw a water fairy weaving six different materials into one cloth, a mole and a frog setting gemstones into a brooch, a squat, spiny

local—they called themselves ekidnes, according to Meline—throwing a clay pot, and a squirrel blowing glass.

Meline led Ella around a corner, and Ella’s fingers thrummed to the melody of hammer on metal. A shop with a sign depicting a hammer and anvil drew her. Beneath a slate lean-to beside a five-storey house, a drakle green as new leaves held a bronze bar in two pairs of tongs while his upper arms operated a hammer and punch. Ella watched as he twisted and worked the cherry-red metal into a whorl of vines and leaves. He had already finished the central portion, with three vines braided around each other. He had two trays of tools in easy reach, and the fluidity and precision with which he picked up and set down tools—hardly taking his eyes off his work—gave Ella to know this drakle might have plied his trade as long as she had. His lips moved; even with his obvious proficiency, the metal glowed more red than it should, and fell into shape a shade too easily.

She leaned close to Meline. “I thought only we fey had worldly magic.” Meline just shook her head.

Finally he set the piece on a frame and stood, reaching for the ceiling. His crest and frills were bright red. He wore a thick apron, a breechcloth wound to accommodate his tail, and a sort of brief, wide-necked poncho tied under his uppermost arms.

His eye wandered in their direction. “Ah, Meline,” he said, stepping out from under the awning, “good seeing you again.” He had a thick, unfamiliar accent, with something of a lisp.

Meline went forward and took his hands—well, two of them, anyway—with a bow. “And you, Art.” She turned to Ella. “Ella, this is Artur Bronzemonger, the best metalworker in Oak and Stone.”

Ella bowed. “It’s always nice to meet another of my kind.”

Meline turned back to Art. “Art, this is Lord Ella of Oakhill. She recently did me a great service, and to repay her I’m showing her around town.” She lowered her voice to a stage whisper. “Her smithing might give you a run for your money.”

Art raised a pair of scaly eyebrows as he took Ella’s hands and bowed. A forked tongue flicked out of his mouth. Ella pulled her head back. Art’s eyes widened—she realized each eye had two pupils—and he sucked his tongue back into his mouth. His frill reddened more. “Please forgive. Fey of island new to Nidd, have new ways, I am not young.” After an awkward pause he added, “You smell of metal, charcoal, and wood—mostly oak, also willow and poplar—but with lavender on top. Good.”

“I… will consider this a cultural miscommunication,” Ella said. She felt a flush creep up her neck. “Could you… would you honour me by showing us around your forge?”

Art’s eyes gleamed. “Always happy to show other smith my work.”

“Then lead on, good sir!” Ella said.

Artur reached for a clay pitcher by a sturdy door leading into what was probably his house. “Would you like ice water?” he asked. “Smithing is good work, but hot.”

Meline’s ears flicked up. “How do you keep your ice?”

“Carters bring ice down mountain in crates with sawdust,” Art said as he opened the door to his cellar and hopped down. He came back up with several finger-shaped chunks of ice, dropped one in each glass, and put the rest in his pitcher. “I put it in icebox downstairs.” He took a long draught from his cup. Ella noticed his frill start to pale. “Can also have water drakle freeze for you, but genuine article tastes better. Now,” he rubbed two of his four hands together, “I show you projects.”

Hanging from the ceiling was a bronze-bladed scythe. On two hooks on the far wall were a pair of axes, one with a silver head, the other copper. Tools of various kinds hung on the wall, including a number Meline was unfamiliar with; the only one that stumped Ella turned out to be a set of scale clippers. A pair of silver shields shaped like gigantic scales intrigued her.

Art, unsurprisingly, proved a fount of knowledge regarding his craft. There were a few points he was unable to clarify for Ella, though she suspected this was due more to a slight want in his Feyish than a lack of understanding. He had no trouble making silver and gold as hard and strong as any fey.

“And how’s Ingrid doing?” Meline asked in a lull in the conversation. Something flapped overhead.

“Like wyrm in dirt,” Artur said, cocking his head. “In fact—” Ella jumped as a hare-sized black shape landed like a hexcat on the street and started toward them, only distantly hearing Artur add “—speak of dragon and hear roar.”

Ella barely heard Meline as the wyvern approached, her body glistening black scales under a white garment like a gigantic version of Art’s top. Gold and silver piercings decorated her wings and face, and her left horn was wrapped in a spiral of gold; the right was broken off half an inch from her skull.

“Good to see you, Meline,” she said, touching her enormous wrists to Meline’s hands, as her eyes turned to Ella. “And who is your fr—”

A five-pupiled eye flashed through Ella’s mind, the memory of an age of hatred falling upon her shoulders, the sandy battleground at Nylthnash Rock strewn with the steaming dead, the flesh of those not boiled alive frozen like—

“Ella?” She jumped at Meline’s touch on her shoulder. Judging by her and Art’s concerned looks, she had been elsewhere for a while.

Ella took a deep breath. Ingrid’s eyes were a piercing blue, not gold, and there was no magic behind them. Her eyes each had only four pupils. “I’m sorry,” she said, handing the knife she had been examining back to Art. “Dragons have occasionally wandered onto Fey.”

“Killing and stealing what they could?” Art asked. Ella nodded.

Ingrid’s snort evoked numerous unpleasant emotions. “Is good to know they are consistent, and have been since most ancient writings.”

Art refilled their cups. “I set foot on other worlds thrice before. Each time, I think your worlds less dangerous than Nidd. Dragons are worst, wyverns and drakes plenty vicious—no offense, dumpling—”

“—None taken, handsome—”

“—Wyrms cause problems, when they leave the Underneath. Sea wyrms not so bad; we give them baubles," he gestured to the silver shields, “they leave our fishing vessels in peace. And lung are kindly.”

Ella leaned back. “So this is where all dragonkin come from?”

Art and Meline both stared at her. “Yes,” Art said, “but we are rare on Gaea, correct?”

Ella nodded. “I saw a lung once, long ago.” She sipped her water. “It danced on the clouds, even though it had no wings. And it conjured rainclouds as it danced, weaving in the sky like a glittering ribbon.”

She met Art and Ingrid’s eyes. “They’re so different from dragons, I never made the connection before.”

Ingrid shrugged. “Understandable. Take away long bodies and scaly hides and could not be more different.” She looked at her own scaly hide. “But kin we are.”

Ella did not ask which drakles and wyverns were closer to, dragon or lung. Maybe they didn’t know.

***

“I’m sorry.”

Ella glanced at Meline. Her tone of voice matched her drooping ears; they had done so a few times that night, when the pair were turned away from a shop Ella had wanted to visit. Ella wished Meline’s cheeks were bare, but she did look a few tints of blue. “Whatever for?”

Meline glanced up at her. “Tonight was supposed to be a lovely time for you, and you had to remember something horrible from your past.”

Ella gave Meline’s elbow a squeeze. “You couldn’t have known I’d encountered a dragon. They don’t wander onto Fey often.” She looked up at the stars.

“Still…” Meline’s head flopped against Ella’s shoulder. Ella took one finger, poked the side of Meline’s head, and propped it up. When it started to fall over again, Ella leaned with it, so they both almost fell over. A weak smile turned up the corners of Meline’s mouth.

“I promise those days are hardly more than a shadow on an otherwise fulfilling life.” Music started playing down the street. “And I’ve been having a lovely time.” Ella swept her arm up and around, offering her hand to Meline. “Care to dance?” Colour swirled about the edges of Meline’s cheeks too quick for Ella to make out. Meline took the offered hand, and Ella settled her other on Meline’s waist.

They danced as fey and drakles and creatures strolled by. Ella was confident Meline could dance better than her, by the way she pranced over the cobbles. Or maybe she had heard this exotic tune before.

A few others joined in, and then a few more. Soon the whole street was full of dancing and laughter. The light of the stars and fireflies glittered in the jewels in Meline’s hair.

The song eventually ended. The crowd clapped and cheered, and tossed coins and shells to the band. Ella and Meline both made sure a few found their way into the hat of the drakle who had so skillfully played the lute.

“There’s one last place I’d like to show you.” The colours Ella could see on Meline’s face were such a swirl Ella could not decipher them.

“Lead on,” Ella said.

The path they took turned and twisted through the streets. They were back along the waterfront. There were fewer ships here, but more boats. Taverns and pubs crowded the way, as did their boisterous patrons. Sea shanties tumbled over the waves like their singers over stools.

“Are we going to a bar?”

Meline gave her a baffled look. “Oh. No, my favourite bookshop’s just up the way. It has some books I thought you might like.”

“It’s in the middle of all this?”

“The shop was here long before the taverns.”

“Does it have any history books?”

“Of course.”

Ella raised her eyebrows. “Geography?”

“At least one whole shelf of atlases.”

Ella hardly dared to hope. “Any p… poetry?”

“It wouldn’t be a bookshop if it didn’t.”

Ella suppressed a squeal. “Let’s go!”

There was indeed a shop of blue-grey stone with a slate roof a block from the water. Ella suspected the architect of a certain quirkiness, as the building was in the shape of a tower with four floors like pails stacked one atop the other. And every single window was dark.

Meline snapped her fingers and spun around. “Mr. Oldview’s usually grabbing lunch about now. He’s usually at… the Wobbly Swallow? It’s back the way we came.”

Ella was having a hard time keeping up with her. “Should we bother him while he’s eating?”

“He’s never minded before,” Meline said. “For a fellow bookworm, he’d honk the Fey Queen’s nose.” Ella recalled her history with Fey Queens and decided, on average, that honking one’s nose entailed a valour bordering on madness. A friend from one’s youth might get away with it, though.

They arrived outside a tavern with a sign depicting a swallow flying maneuvers which could generously be described as loops. It was one of the louder establishments on the waterfront.

“Would you like to wait out here?” Meline said. “I should only be a minute.”

“I’ll be along the wharf.” As Meline stepped inside, Ella walked out onto the docks. A four-masted ship was anchored at the end of the pier.

The harbour was actually a strait, separating one island from the other. Ella found the two moons in the sky just then—both red—off-putting, and there was more purple in the sky than she was used to. The moonbeams were strange too. Nidd had four moons, apparently, and each made beams different from Fey and Gaea’s moons and from Nidd’s other moons as well. But the seashore had the same hush, the waves the same comforting rhythm as they splashed against stone. Even the shanties added to the quiet, rising and falling on the tide.

“Can we help ya dere, b’y?” Ella turned around. A quartet of sailors were rolling up the dock toward her.

“Just taking the night air,” Ella said.

“Ah, well, noo,” the speaker, a squat muskrat with a red vest and a headband tying back his thick fur, “This ‘ere’s our ship, an’ we don’ take kindly t’ any ol’ fool gittin’ too near ’n’ dear wi’ her, see?” His fellow sailors, a drakle, a squirrel, and a rat, were all chuckles.

Ella raised her hands. “Shall I find another pier, then?”

“Aye, be off wi’ ye,” the muskrat said, swaggering more with every word for no particular reason. Ella was almost past them when the squirrel spoke. “Wait.”

Ella stopped, and turned around. “Do you need something?”

“Fer all we know, you coulda been aboard aready and swiped awr swag.” She puffed up. “We just made port, see, an’ haven’t unloaded at market yet.”

“Do you not lock up your hold?” Ella looked from one to another. “Or keep a sentry on the boat to guard your valuables?”

They went a bit slack-jawed as Ella posed these complicated questions. The drakle said something in a violent-sounding tongue.

“I think Cap’n does lock the lower hold when we tuck in. Yer right, Scrafty,” the rat said. She sounded the soberest of the four.

“I’ll tell you what, then,” Ella said, taking a seat on a coil of rope. “How about I sit here with three of you, and the fourth checks the hold and makes sure nothing’s been taken?”

“Oi’ll go,” the muskrat said, fixing Ella with a beady black eye. He swaggered up the gangplank. There was a click, and a thunk of wood on wood, a muffled curse, and the sound of claws clicking on stairs fading into the ship.

“How long have you all been sailing together?” Ella asked.

“’Bout six months, now,” the rat said. Ella was fairly sure the caution in her manner was due more to Ella being a stranger than anything.

“Shh!” the squirrel said. “This ‘un might be a thief, Shara. She’s a metal fairy, after all.”

Ella decided not to take offense. “Shara? That’s much like my mother’s name, may she smile down upon me.” She turned back to the squirrel. “Do metal fairies have a reputation?”

The squirrel shrugged, even as Shara looked vaguely mollified. “Metal dra’kin like metal. Stands t’ reason metal fairies’d like it too. ‘m I wrong?”

“We do,” Ella said. “We usually like to work metal, though.” She looked at Scrafty. “Do you know Artur Bronzemonger? I just met him tonight, and I dare say he might be better than I am.”

“You know Bronzemonger?” Shara said. The respect in her voice bordered on reverence.

“As does half of Nidd,” the squirrel said, “You’ll have to do better than—”

“Kelly, yer lamp!” the muskrat thundered down the gangplank, almost falling as he came. “Yer lamp’s nicked!”

Ella sighed under her breath. She gathered her legs under her ever so slightly as the group turned to her.

“That lamp,” Kelly said, running a hand through her bushy tail, “was willed me by my late great aunt. It was bronze, with a gorgeous niello and onyx inlay, and I dare say would fetch a fine price.”

“You may search my things to your heart’s content,” Ella said, “but you won’t find your lamp on me.”

“Lads,” Shara said, “when was the last time you heard of anyone callin’ a fairy a thief and things goin’ well fer ‘em?”

“Shut it!” the muskrat said, smacking one fist into the other. “Oi been spoilin fer a jaw-knocker all night, an’ Oi ain’ afraid ah no greedy fairy!”

No knives, Ella thought to herself as she rose. At least not yet. Kicking the coil of rope at them and running might be her best move.

The dock lit up like a green beacon.

“What is going on here?” Ella lifted her eyes, and thought she saw a dozen fireflies clustered together. They sounded an awful lot like Meline. As she came closer, the bright green lights turned out to be the gems in her hair. There was also one in her hand. The four sailors stepped out from between the two fairies.

“Ah, Ella,” she said, relief plain on her face. “I wondered where you’d gotten to.”

“Just enjoying the night, Meline. Did you find—”

“M-Me-Me-Meline?” The muskrat’s voice rose a few octaves.

“Of Wild Rose, yes,” Meline said. Was her voice a shade sweeter than normal?

“Oh! How about that, lads!” Shara had a foot on the gangplank, “the Wild Rose!”

Ella believed, under their fur and scales, they had all blanched. The muskrat, all too eager to get as far from Meline as he could, backpedalled and flopped over the coil of ropes. Meline’s gems flashed like lightning. As he thumped against the ropes, there was a second thump as something flew out of the muskrat’s vest and struck the pier.

Meline stepped forward. No one else moved; none of the sailors so much as breathed. Meline walked past the muskrat, and picked up the fallen object. She stood, regarding it for a moment. Then she turned around.

“This is a beautiful lamp,” she said. Her voice was definitely sweeter. “The niello stands out so vividly against the bronze, and… is this onyx?”

Four heads, Ella’s included, looked at the lamp, and then the muskrat. He looked like he wanted to gulp, but just could not summon the courage.

She set the lamp in the muskrat’s hand. “You should take better care of your things. This deserves a special place in your cabin, not a dirty pocket. Wouldn’t you say?”

The muskrat nodded so vigorously his neck cracked.

“I was just going to finish a quiet evening with my guest,” she patted him on the shoulder, “so if you’ll excuse us, we must be going.” She rose, curtsied more prettily than Ella had yet seen, and walked back up the pier. She stopped to give Ella her arm and a most coquettish smile.

“I hope you weren’t waiting too long,” Meline said as they passed the door to the Wobbly Swallow. The last of the glow was fading from her gems. “Mr. Oldview’s at the shop opening up for us.”

“Oh, that’s nice of him.” Upon closer inspection, Ella thought she saw patches of white and red through the make-up. “Meline—”

“Stories get blown out of proportion sometimes, and I guess they know a few about me.” She grinned. “I’ll tell you what they’ve probably heard when you’re older.”

Ella laughed.

***

It had been a while since Ella had bought so many books: two atlases of Nidd, a bestiary, a primer on Draconic with companion Fey- Draconic dictionary, and volumes 1, 2, and 3 of a Fey translation of Coalheap’s Compendium of Niddling Poetics. She was unapologetically skipping back up the mountain.

“So,” Meline said as they crested the slope—she had several volumes of… humans called them… comic books?— “did you enjoy yourself?”

“Immensely,” Ella replied. “I shall have to visit Art a few times. Maybe trade secrets with him.”

Meline chuckled. “Glad I could make that connection.”

Ella sensed a different quality to the quiet between them as they passed through the undergrowth.

“Enjoy your visit?” Jasper said as they approached the stone. Meline nodded.

“It’s a whole new world out there,” Ella said with a smile.

“Never heard that one before,” Jasper said. The fly tied to his wrist buzzed about them, then settled back down. “Seems all’s in order. If you’ll step on the platform.”

Once again Jasper tapped the platform with his staff, it blazed with light, Ella felt weightless, and then she was back on the ground.

The air smelled of long grass and earth. There was no salt in the air. And the sky was its familiar blue.

“We’re home.” Meline sounded almost disappointed.

Ella fell in step beside her. “Are you alright?” she asked as they walked out from among the cairns.

“Oh. Yeah,” Meline looked toward her house, and then to the yard. “I suppose we’re even now.” She curtsied; even that was lacklustre, and Ella swore her ears were a mild shade of blue.

Ella thought a moment. “You know, I don’t believe ‘even’ is the right word.” Meline looked up. “I think we’re friends.” The transformation in Meline’s entire character powerfully reminded Ella that she hadn’t stopped to watch a flower bloom in millennia. “Let’s get together again sometime soon.”

The yellow showed even through Meline’s makeup; she looked at the ground. “Y-yes.” She curtsied again, this one as sprightly as her previous had been morose. “Of course. That’d be nice. Well,” she fidgeted with one of her gems, “until we meet again.”

Ella was about to step forward, but Meline already had her hand, kissed it, and was spinning away.

“… Until we meet again.”

---

If you liked this, you can also read this post and the rest of The Fairy Tales of Ella and Meline that has been published to date over on my patreon. If you like what you read, consider becoming a patron, supporting me on ko-fi, or even just liking and reblogging.

Thank you, and take care!

#my writing #my ocs #three legacies of magic #tlom #the fairy tales of ella and meline no. 2 #tftem #oak and stone #lgbtqia+#IT'S HERE!!!!!!!#MY LESBIANS ARE BACK AND ON THEIR FIRST DATE*!!!!!!!#*only one of them thinks of it as a date though

0 notes

yesyourstalker · 6 months ago

Text

Makeup artist:.......... Are you nervous?

Baja: a little bit.... This isn't like in front of a studio audience right

Makeup artist: No sweetie, it's just a one-on-one interview.

Baja: that's good. Who are we interviewing?

Makeup artist: You're going to have to ask the show-runner, Mickey.

Mickey: let's go. Let's go. Let's go what takes so long putting powder on a face. He has perfect skin anyway. We had to get him to the dressing room. We start filming in a couple minutes

Makeup artist: I'm finished. Just need to map down some scales and he's...... All done. You're free to go sweetie

Baja: thank you

Mickey: So you must be then host of the show. Sorry I wasn't able to meet you sooner. I was on vacation. Oshi told me you're a really good candidate for this show. You seem to be competent you know your way around music....*sip* ..... Coffee?

Baja: I don't really drink that much coffee. I like tea though

Mickey: Green tea! *Snap*. .*snap*

Assistant: your green tea

Baja: thank you

Mickey: Well I know one thing for sure. She was right about the pretty face. Now as you get dressed head to the studio so we start filming promotional material Ramon should be there with you. After your interview which will count as the pilot

Tammy: Mickey listen I really think you should reconsider about not casting me for the show

Mickey: No....*sip*

Tammy: but I really think you should I mean I can at least be co-host. I'm great to be around! Tell him, baba

Baja: it's Baja

Mickey: No, we need to bring up the sea slug viewership

Tammy: I can be the second co-host

Mickey:....*sigh*...... Tammy listen to me. You didn't get the job all right. You just don't fit the criteria we need for this show and this channel. But hey you have other opportunities for other networks alright. You're pretty, you're bubbly and you have a nice rack. You can get a job anywhere with those qualities around here.... You're just not going to find it at this station

Tammy: but-

Mickey: goooooood byyyyyyyyyyyyyeeee Tammy!!

Security guard: Right this way ma'am

Tammy: Mickey!!! I'll have your fucking job!!

Mickey: we'll see you next week Tammy we're filming the season finale

Baja: she seemed pretty upset

Mickey: eh she'll get over it ... She's been in a couple of shows here and there on the network. She plays Kate the baby sitter on 'dock and dingy' ......*sip* ..... She'll be fine. Here Is your dressing room your clothes should be folded

Baja: alright... and I just head to set after

Mickey: yep your's and Ramon's chairs will be the brown arm chairs. The musician or celebrity will be sitting on the loveseat and will perform on the stage behind you

Baja: they're going to perform?

Mickey: yeah.. yeah they're starting their Solo career

_______________________________________________

Ramon: hey... You look good. They spruced up your wardrobe too

Baja: yeah. I wonder if we're able to take this home with us

Ramon: probably. I think it'd be easier just to keep in our dressing rooms for now. Keep our work clothes separate from our regular clothes. Feels like bad energy to mix them together.

Baja: how so?

Ramon: I mean this nice brand name stuff fancy designs, colors and a hefty price on it. It's nice but it isn't really me. It's what the studio and the producers want me to be and I rather keep that at work when. I go home I wear my regular off-brand jeans, my 8-year-old sweater and a pair of kicks with a hole in it. That's me. That's who I am. A regular person, I'm not above anyone and I don't want to feel like I am. Get what I'm saying

Baja: yeah... I get it. You don't want the job to change you

Ramon: exactly

Mickey: All right! Hitch you got the shot?

Hitch: Yeah I got it. We can use this for commercials

Baja: you were filming?

Mickey: Yeah yeah no worries. We just wanted to film you guys interacting. We didn't tell you cuz we wanted to look natural.

Hitch: we didn't have any mics on so we couldn't hear what you were saying so don't worry about it. I'm the director by the way names Hitch. Nice to meet you..

Baja: hello

Ramon: hey

Mickey: alright so we're going to start filming the show in 30 minutes. Kikura is their dressing room.

Ramon: Kikura from C-side?

Mickey: yeah

Kikura: sorry I'm late.. I tend to procrastinate when I'm getting ready for these types of things...... Not a good excuse but... yeah

Mick: Well that's perfectly fine. We'll be filming in a couple minutes this is Ramon and this is Baja. They're going to be the ones interviewing you

Kikura: hey

Hitch: while we wait for that, let's do some more advertisements

______________________________________________

Assistant: alright..... Advertisement 2 take one...[clap]

Baja: Hi my name is baja and I'm the new host of the inklab's new show 'music at midnight'.... Me and my new co-host Ramon

Ramon: sup

Baja: we're going to be interviewing musicians from all walks of life

Ramon: and different genres.

Baja: We're going to have nice conversations getting to know them, telling us some really cool stories.

Ramon: a show airs Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. can't wait to see you there!

Hitch: CUT!.... Great! We're going to do some more editing and maybe some reshoots on that but here is your intro You're going to do this during every episode you introduce yourself. You tell them what show they're watching and then you tell the current news what's going on in the music world..... You're also going to have to do that when you start writing articles for the blog, but we'll get to that later. ... Here's the monologue script. If you want to go off script feel free... Go over it, memorize We'll film in 15...... Oshi! Good to see you..*mwah mwah* how are you baby

Oshi: Hitch! Hope everything is going well I just wanted to check in on everyone

Hitch: yes... You're going to start filming soon so have a seat....(Pat...Pat)

Oshi: alright..... I'm getting a call.....*ugh*..............[inhale].....[exhale]...... Hi Shimi! How are you doing dear?... Are you having fun on the farm? I saw some pictures warabie posted on squidder. You look cute riding the tracker hehhe....... Well you only have one week left honey..... yes I've enjoyed my break..... The church? If that works for you honey I guess it gives you a purpose.........*sigh*...(Eye roll)....acting is also your purpose I know...how's warabie is he having fun?......well tell him to try to enjoy himself..............yes ...... alright good bye hun.............

_______________________________________________

Shimi: hm.....

Merv: Shimi it's your turn to take the manatees out to graze, take your son with you. Noiji start up the tractor I need you to harvest the octoberries, ikkan pack up squidmelons and head into town. Koi would you help me harvest some of the squid lemons

Koi-koi: I'd love to

Merv: Cirrina sweetheart you said you're going into the city for a school project?

Cirrina: Yeah just for 2 hours. When I get back I'll feed the krill and clean out their coop

Merv: All right, be safe

Shimi: warabie help me load up the manatees

Warabie: yeah..... What were you calling Mom about?

Shimi: It's none of your concern she didn't let me talk anyway............

Warabie:... All right, the manatees are in (bump...bump).....

Shimi: alright...................

Warabie:............so what's mom up to at home?

Shimi: she's working on project O.E.T network

Warabie: that's nice she's been working on that for years

Shimi: *humpf*.... We've been working on for years.... Typical of her to go behind my back and do things without my permission or opinion

Warabie:...... Oooookkkaaay...........hm.................hey mahi

_______________________________________________

Mahi: hey dude

Warabie: what's going on at home?

Mahi: nothing much. Baja got a new job...... stop!........ Yeah, he's going to be on TV now. That's pretty neat

Warabie: tv?!

Mahi: some talk show.... Midnight music...... Music at midnight something.....neta stop spawn camping!

Neta: I'm not spawn camping

Warabie: he got the job!? How did he get the job?!

Mahi: I don't know, I really haven't had time to talk to him. He's been in and out of the apartment for like days now..... cod damn it!.... Let me leave the base at least...... fuck!

Neta:hehehehehehehe... I'm sorry .hehehe

Mahi: sorry... Neta's being an asshole...uhhhhh...Baja honestly hasn't been here and when he is here he's just there to get dressed and then leave.

Warabie:*sigh*....... good for him... Guess he's going to be the new breadwinner

Mahi: hey so when are you coming home?

Warabie: end of the week I should be home

Mahi: great apartments too quiet and-Neta!

Neta: what?! What am I doing wrong? I'm just playing the game. It's not my fault you always end up in my range of sight. Get good at the game

Mahi:*huff*... Can you come home faster? I miss you

Warabie: aww I miss you too mahi.. I honestly want to go home too. This place sucks ......I'm tired of scooping Manatee shit and hauling crates of squidmatoes

Neta: ask him the question

Mahi: *ugh*........are you able to bring home fresh produce and milk

Warabie: I....... I'm going to have to ask ikkan's dad that

Shimi: we're here unload the manatees

Warabie: I got to go.... text you later..........

Mahi: bye..... I'm not playing with you anymore! I'm done with this game....

Neta: One more round. I want to get a gold badge on this weapon I'm two games away. You can be on my team this time

_______________________________________________

Cirrina: .......this must be the address..........(Knock knock)

Bayou: Cirrina! You showed up!

Cirrina: yeah....hehehe sorry if I'm a little early ...

Bayou: no worries. Come in, come in you can use your shoes on the shelf right here. So what do you want to know about krillarney?

Cirrina: I'm just you know the origins and the history of krillarney...... You lived on the surface for most of your life, right? Is that true for most octolings here?

Bayou: yeah... Most of us here spent their whole lives on the surface though there are some who moved here who previously lived underground

Cirrina: Interesting......so... And did your family move here?

Bayou:...... I think you might get more information from my nan.... Nana!!....... You remember my Nana. from church?

Nana: yes!? Bayou? What is it love?.....oh... Dear the little girl from church. Nice to see you again sweetie

Cirrina: hello..

Bayou: Nan do you mind if she asks you a few questions?

Nana: I have no problems sweetie

Cirrina: It's just a couple questions .. . I'm doing a five-page essay on octarian history in other countries

Nana: wasn't that nice? Well what do you want to know dear?

Cirrina: uhhhh .... When did you move here

Nana: oh I have no idea sweetie It's been years...... The war started when I was around......10 of 11 years old. I lived with my two sisters in a small village My mother was a School teacher and my father passed away years ago.

Cirrina: *writing*

Nana at the time my village was not affected by the high tides but it was targeted with conflict over land and resources. Next thing you know, I was being drafted for the war along with my two sisters. They just turned 13. They never held a weapon before. My mother couldn't even imagine them going to war, it was only after the first bomb we decided to leave. We had to leave quickly so we weren't able to bring a lot. All we had to pack was whatever we could fit in our backpacks. I packed two dresses, pair of pants, three shirts and one skirt. I also packed my Adva doll she's the only toy I played with for years.

Cirrina: *writing*

Nana: My mother was good friends with a man who moved to our village before the war happened. He was a nice inkling man Mr. Doal he offered to help us leave. His son got drafted and passed away early in the midst of combat. He told us about a developing sovereign country called krillarney that was currently taking in anyone and everyone across the world who wanted to get away from the war

Cirrina: *write*..... So how did you get to krillarney

Nana: we were informed that there were fairies and ships offering to help people leave. We set our trip in the middle of the night and met up with Mr. Dole and other people who wanted to leave as well. The walk was 3 hours straight. No brakes, no rest until we made it to the coast and we got onto a ship. It was a squid beak ship if I remember, The S. S. Escargot. We sailed for a week to krillarney making several stops picking others in similar situations.

Cirrina: was it just inkfish who were escaping?

Nana: oh no there were so many people from so many walks of life on the ship. Urchins, fish, cephalopods, Crustaceans. So many were affected by this war. I remember seeing some still wearing their military uniforms. It was their only chance to leave and they took it

Cirrina: when you got to krillarney what was it like? Was different from how it is today.

Nana: Well I can tell you one thing we didn't have these malls, outlets or a nice studio apartment like I have now hehehe. .... When I first got here My mother could only afford a nice small house with two bedrooms. Our neighbor was young octoling and his wife was a bass. They were enlisted in the military for years. When the war started they were completely against it. They were planning on having kids at the time they couldn't do that if they were at war. Unfortunately they weren't able to have kids but they watched me and my sister so many times that they kind of saw us as their kids hehehe

Cirrina: *writing*...... Do you ever think about your old village? What happened to it?

Nana:............. Well....um..... Like I said at the time the high tides didn't affect my home but.............. Soon enough it was............. Everything was wiped out and everyone......... From what I know now....... The water levels have subsided and it is inhabitable but............ I just never went back. Everything I know about that place is gone. My home my toys.....some of my old friends

Cirrina:.... I'm sorry.......

Nana: it's alright love

Cirrina: ....... I think I asked enough questions

Nana: are you sure? I could tell you more

Cirrina: oh that's ok really.... I have enough to write my paper. I have to get home to do my chores

Bayou: alright..... Do you want me to walk you to the fairy dock?

Cirrina: (blush).... well........ok...

Bayou: great..... I'll be right back Nana

Nana: Come back safe

Cirrina:..........................

Bayou:...........................

Cirrina:..................

Bayou:..............you know we have tons of historical sites here if you ever want to check them out..... Add some photos for extra credit

Cirrina: that would be nice but I really need to get home

Bayou: we don't have to do it today.

Cirrina: I leave at the end of the week

Bayou: Well you can plan something for this week maybe Tomorrow maybe?....

Cirrina: I can see.... Yeah I think tomorrow would be good yeah..

Bayou: All right so why don't we meet up here again at 2:00 and I can take you to the lighthouse, The bridge of new beginnings and I can even take you to the museum

Cirrina: Great! It's a date! I mean....uh... No! It's not a date..... it's a day out....an outing yeah it's it's it's an outing we're going out......for the day! We're going out for the day

Bayou:..heheheheheh... Here's my number....... I'll text you tomorrow. See ya Cirrina!

Cirrina: bye..hehehehehe........*sigh*..........

_______________________________________________

Assistant director: 'music at midnight'.... Introduction take three!.....(CLAP)

Hitch:go!

Baja: welcome, welcome! Welcome my name is Baja! And this is my co-host Ramon

Ramon: hey!

Baja: I'm very excited to say that this is the first episode of our very new show called 'music at midnight'. What is music at midnight? Well as the names in the title says we're going to be talking about music and it's going to be airing during midnight.

Roman: yep so while we sit here and talk and do interviews. You're going to be sitting on your couch or in your bed and your nice warm jammies.....

Baja: I wish we could wear pajamas

Ramon: Right? We should ask the exacts for a pajama day

Baja: hahahaha...(CLAP)..... All right, let's get started.... Today's music news....... But before we do that, who's who's with us today

Ramon: today we have Kikura sitting in our guest seat

Kikura: hey everyone

Baja: so we Kikura here today and there the guitarist for the band c-side and she's a part of another group riot act.....now Kikura is it true that riot act actually came before the band C-side?

Kikura: uh....oh my cod.......uh wow..... Yeah actually that is true. It did come before C-side... Technically yes but at the time it was not called riot act.... It was actually called 'no boys allowed' uhhehe.... We were in high school that was our original band.... We were in an all-girls school. We were just a couple of weird kids just screwing around... We were all in theater together and we used to hang out under the bleachers and I don't remember who mentioned it but one of us said "wouldn't be funny if we started a band and we had no idea how to play the instruments"....and heh That's how it really started

Baja: it started out as a bit?

Kikura: Yeah it started out as a bit. We started to borrow instruments from The music room and we started to play, used to write music together like we had our own group chat and everything ... It started to get serious during second year of school. It started out as a joke and then just kind of started to really get into it and we really just stopped seeing it as a joke and started seeing it as more of a hobby and soon after we started to book gigs, shows and sets in people's basements. It just kind of took off after that.

Ramon: so what made you join C-side?

Kikura: so C-side started after I met Beika it was a small underground club. He recognized me from my band and he was really excited to see me! He told me that he was a bass player and his old roommate was a drummer and they needed a guitar player. He had a couple songs that he's written and he wanted my opinion on it. He wanted to see if I was able to do a demo track for him.

Baja: *nods*

Kikura: a couple weeks of talking I went to the studio and I met Uotora... He's such a sweetheart oh my cod.... We did rewrites and we wrote some more music. We did some test tracks and 5 hours later I was officially a part of the band...

Baja: what was your first concert like.... You played in sesame hall as the opener for wet floor

Kikura: I was surprisingly calm during the whole show. Really thought I was going to panic and freeze up because this is the first actual concert like a concert concert like it wasn't just a group of people hehehe in a backyard. I remember the crowd wasn't that enthusiastic when we came up but after playing 'click bate' people really just started to really get into it and we just formed a fan base after that.

Ramon: are you still a part of that band? After you released your new album with riot act

Kikura: oh yeah definitely. I'm still a part of the band I'm not going anywhere. This ain't that kind of band. Do we treat each other with respect...hehehe...hm... But no this is just a side project. We all just started talking again and it's just a passion project we're just doing really

Baja: and speaking of passion projects, let's get to the news....Nami one of the members of beloved yet controversial bands front roe has enough that branching off and starting a solo career. Today on Inkstagram she announced that she's working on a new album and writing her own songs she even took a selfie of herself in the studio showing in the recording booth.

Ramon: I think nami's very underrated in the band. It's good to see she's getting out there

Kikura: I'm so happy that she is. I only met her two times. It was during the black square music festival and the seashore awards she is so nice, she's so kind and so pretty. We were talking and I brought up keeping my music in a notebook and she did the same thing too. She has several notebooks of music that she really wants to make but it doesn't really fit the sound of 'squid squad'..... Well I guess it's front roe now but she's kept those book for years... I truly hope she's putting those to good use

Baja: You know this actually isn't her first solo work. She worked on a soundtrack for 'high-rise falling 4'. It was a video game for the gamer boy x system.

Kikura: really?

Raman: Yeah I know that she composed background music for the menu and she also made The third boss Battle song. Man If they ever make the movie of high-rise falling

Baja: they are never going to make that movie.... It's always in production hell for years now

Kikura: I've only played the second and third game in that series, but I heard the movie is going to be starting off with The fifth installment and going backwards which doesn't make any sense

Hitch: what is high-rise falling? I don't know what that is. What are they talking about?

Oshi: It's just a game that these kids play. The audience will know what they're talking about

Ramon: they should bring her back for the movie. It would be really cool if she remixed her original tracks. I love that for him. I'm happy that she's making music. I'm really excited..... What else we have for the news

Baja: SashiMori are no longer doing fall tours or winter tours like they used to

Raman: oh?

Baja: So one of the members, Paul. He's no longer able to travel because he has school so they're going to have to do summer tours

Ramon: that makes sense.... I remember their last tour was during fall during spook fest. Everyone dressed up in costumes and during their last set, people were giving out candy.... Folks was handed a bucket before they got into the arena. it was good candy too like people were getting full size candy bars..... What type of candy do you like? I like gum.... You could never go wrong with gum..... Good flavor, good texture... And you can blow bubbles with it. What about you?

Baja: I enjoy chocolate... I love a good piece of chocolate..... Especially if it has a filling in it like marshmallow or something.....Kikura?

Kikura: I would say I'm a hard candy type of person.... I enjoy jawbreakers

Baja: really

Kikura: Yes, it lasts longer than most candies and..... Besides lollipops It is the only candy that is socially acceptable to take out of your mouth

Hitch: do we have any chocolate sponsors?

Oshi: no but I can get with the marketing team and see what we can do

[one hour of banter later]

Baja: Well folks that's our show! Thank you for being here for our first ever episode. The riot act album will be released on the 22 so make sure you check your local stores for it....now enjoy one of their debut songs 'No planned survivors'

[riot act performing in the back ground]

Mickey: what are the viewerships right now?

Assistant: Right now the viewerships are sitting at 89.4 million...and online..... only 20k views... But that number might rise in the next week

Mickey: [inhale].....[exhale]...... What do you estimate the viewership for ink lab plus?

Assistant: Well..... Judging from the viewership on TV and the viewership on the app we might be able to gain..................... 100 million first episode maybe even more...

Executive: I don't understand it! they talked about video games and then candy, went on a tangent about handbags and backpacks. How is this popular?! This is supposed to be about music and celebrities.

Oshi: Kids today aren't really all that interested in celebrities showing off their fancy cars, expensive clothes and lifestyle. They're bored at that and so are the newer artists. They just want to know who they are as a person....if knowing about their favorite candy and opinions on games keeps them engaged and interested in their music and our show I see no problem with it

Mickey: hmmmm.....

Hitch: I think we might need a meeting for this. I have an idea

Oshi: what's the idea

Hitch: we haven't had that much traction on the app for a while. instead of making a recorded video the next time we film we do a live stream and have the audience involved with the conversation

Mickey: I like that. Keeps the audience engaged and keeps the viewerships high. it saves money on editing

Hitch:......... These kids are going to make us a lot of money

_______________________________________________

Neta had 12 kills in one match and 6 of them were mahi

lmao fish was fighting for their life @fish-at-fish-fish-resort

#Micky is also a shark #specifically a silky shark #Hitch is a Pickhandle barracuda #most who work in this type business are sharks and other predatory aquatic Life like barracudas piranhas and Bill fish #something something Hollywood something something it being a very cutthroat brutal and also predatory #Neta being an asshole maining a charger refusing to let anyone leave the base #squid break Splatoon ships are just old cargo ships #wow i wrote a lot I honestly should of broke it up into parts but what ever #I'm not shore if any of nana's back story contradicts any of the Canon Splatoon lore i honestly should of checked #i honestly wrote all that because I forgot about Cirrina's actual punishment and she needed to write something to help her grade #so she can go to her concert instead of summer school like she wanted #Cirrina going on her first date. yay! well I'm sorry not date outing it's just an outing not going out! just outing #i like writing realistic dialogue especially mundane conversations Idk if they interview came off as boring or not #i personally enjoy when interviews with celebrities are in a podcast format where they just talk about whatever and nothing really exciting #Baja has a very particular audience #autistics who also have an interest in music people you want to know more about their favorite musician #people who put on the show in the background so they can get their work or chores done #simps #me planting the first seed of a soon to be messy and very public divorce 👏🏾😈#mahi and neta playing Splatoon but it's not like the Splatoon we play its more like over watch or cod idk maybe team fortress 🤷🏾#Kikura is a lesbian and I think they should convince Nami to leave front row and be in riot act #they should also kiss and stuff #I know there's probably a little bit of spelling errors in this #especially in the #but it's 4:30 and this has been in my drafts for a week. I don't know longer than 2 days. I'll fix it later #ok I'm back I did some small edits #neta

3 notes · View notes