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tagthescullion · 9 months

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Welcome to Camp Jupiter

Fandom(s): Heroes of Olympus

Summary: "A safe space" is what Nico di Angelo, Hazel's new brother, had promised her. That's where their father, Pluto, wanted them to go. Now, they just needed to meet Camp Jupiter's leaders. Surely Nico and Hazel, who were always so well-liked, would have no trouble with that, would they?

Rating: G (but beware a bit of swearing)

Words: 3786

AO3 link

Hazel threw up.

Literally.

It was awful, she decided, shadow-travelling.

Her body felt as if it had been compressed, expanded, heated in a microwave oven —magnificent invention, by the way—, and then squashed thin with a rolling pin.

In other words, it reminded her too much of Gaea drowning her and her mother in mud in Alaska.

Hazel felt a couple of hands hold her hair back carefully.

“I’m sorry,” said Nico. “I didn’t know it would be so bad for you. Perhaps it’s because your body’s still being pulled by the shadow realm.”

He had a way of making everything sound very dramatic, Hazel had learned in the past week.

She wiped her mouth with a tissue her brother offered.

“It wasn’t that,” she reassured him. “Just a bad memory.”

But she didn’t go into details. The last time she had, she’d literally flung herself back in time into the real memory.

Neither she nor Nico could figure out what that was either. As far as Nico was concerned, she could just avoid thinking about her past. Easy for him to say, he didn’t remember much of his past. To Hazel, the modern world was a constant reminder of how much things had changed, and as it happened with comparisons, it made her vividly recall her own version of things, which then in turn sent her back into… Well, Nico hadn’t called it ‘the memory realm’, but he might as well have.

Luckily for her, her brother didn’t inquire too much about it. He nodded his head with a worried frown and offered her a hand to get up from where she’d knelt to vomit.

When she stood straight, Hazel had to study her surroundings well. She had no idea where they were. There was a highway ten yards from them, where cars flew by —vehicles went way too fast these days, Hazel had grown mildly afraid of cars—. The landscape was dotted with hills, and the sun was shining rather strongly for September. The highway went into one of the hills, a tunnel per each direction of traffic.

She studied her brother properly. He seemed exhausted. She asked: “How far away from New York are we, exactly?”

Nico shrugged. “Around four thousand kilometres? Not sure, but that doesn’t really matter. Welcome to San Francisco.”

“It doesn’t look very touristy,” Hazel noted.

Her brother snorted. “Not here, no. You see, I told you there was a safe space for demigods. That cannot be in the middle of the city, it would push the limits of the Mist too far.” He pointed at a door between the two lanes of the highway as it went into the hill. “That there is the access to safety.”

Hazel didn’t want to seem ungrateful, but that looked like a maintenance door. And to make matters worse, there were two workers having a smoke right by the entrance.

Nico caught her dismissive face.

“Ye of little faith,” he said with a smile. “Look properly, don’t let the Mist fool you.”

Hazel pressed her eyes shut for a couple of seconds and focused her gaze back on the maintenance door.

There was a rumble of energy coming off it in low waves. Not from the traffic, but from the entrance itself. And she noticed the two workers weren’t workers at all, unless these days the uniform included Roman armour.

“Come on!” Nico took her hand and put it in the hook of his elbow. “Now we have to cross the road.”

Hazel didn’t want to get judgy, but crossing roads was not her favourite pastime with her newly found brother. He’d never wait for the street lights to turn green, he’d run in front of moving vehicles despite not having enough time to cross, he’d yell at drivers when they —expectably— were affronted about nearly running over a 12-year-old child… It was a stressful activity. She didn’t want to try it on a highway.

But another trait that characterised her brother was determination. Once he’d set his mind, nothing and nobody could change it.

Just as she was about to suggest they wait for the car flow to lessen, her brother jumped over the guardrail into the asphalt.

Swearing, she followed suit.

Be it luck, agility, or his faith in Saint Expeditus moving the strings of destiny, Nico had never been hit by any of the vehicles he’d tempted death with. This occasion was no different. He sprinted, stopped, dodged, and jumped over the guardrail on the other side unharmed.

Hazel wasn’t entirely sure who she should pray to, but she figured there was no time anyway.

She didn’t dare follow her brother’s fearless approach to crossing streets irresponsibly, so she decided to wait a few seconds.

“Oh, come on!” Nico yelled from the other side. “Hurry up, we’ll be attracting every single monster on the West Coast!”

“I’ll die again!” She shouted back. “I don’t know how you do it but—!”

It was madness.

But the little white boy’s smug face pushed her nerves.

If he could do it, so could she.

Hazel waited until the following car passed and started her crossing.

This side of the highway had three lanes. The first she went through well enough. The second won her a loud honk that made her jump into the third lane. Where a motorbike swerved off to avoid her, hitting the guardrail where the driver catapulted twenty feet forward.

“Merda, cos’hai fatto?”

Nico’s eyes were wide open, but far from being concerned for her, he seemed to be trying not to laugh.

He grabbed her hand and helped her clumsily jump the stupid rail into the lawn between the highway.

“We need to hurry up,” he pulled from her arm until she was running beside him, with the direction of the maintenance door. “That man’s calling the police, we’ll get in trouble.”

“This is not my fault!” She cried. “You’re the one who—”

But it was pointless, Nico looked rather mirthful, and regardless of whether he took the blame or not, if the cops came, they’d be a lot more likely to find her guilty than him.

They rushed all the way to the two Roman… soldiers?

Hazel tilted her head when they were in front of them.

They were teenagers. A girl and a boy, late teens by the look of it.

“That was one hell of a show,” said the boy. He was drumming his hand on the spear he held.

“Who are you?” Demanded the girl.

“We’re children of Pluto,” Nico announced. All traces of cheerfulness gone, his face had become a mask of solemnity. “Our father sent us to this place.”

The teenagers exchanged a troubled look. Apparently, just like Nico had predicted the day before, these people wouldn’t take to them too joyfully.

“You better come with us, then,” said the boy.

“But, Dakota—”

“They weren’t sent by Lupa, Gwen,” the boy, Dakota, interrupted. His fingers had stopped drumming on the spear, but they were clenched around the weapon. “Nobody finds this place without the Wolf’s guidance, it must mean something.”

Gwen hesitated a moment more. She glanced behind them, where Hazel imagined the biker was getting up, and perhaps taking too much of an interest in the gang of teens talking in the middle of a highway.

“All right,” she said. “But give us your weapons first.”

Dakota nodded. “That’s a good idea.”

Nico gave them his black sword, which made for an awkward moment in which Dakota and Gwen both refused to grab it.

“It’s safe,” Nico assured them. “Just don’t touch the blade and you’ll be fine.”

Dakota took a deep breath and took the weapon at arm’s length. When nothing happened, he held it more confidently.

“Right, now,” said Gwen. “Let’s go before the bloke calls the police on us.”

“Are we supposed to leave our post?” Asked Dakota.

Gwen shrugged. “They’ll understand. It’s a special situation, besides, we’re almost done with our shift. Bobby and Anne are bound to be here soon.”

They were shepherded into the door; Gwen first, then Hazel and Nico, then Dakota. The tunnel wasn’t a big deal, it did look like a maintenance cavern carved into the mountain. It wasn’t too long, and relatively well illuminated. On the other side, instead of a door, an arch let sunlight through.

Hazel gasped as she walked out into the open.

It was impossible.

Then again, nothing was really impossible, was it? She’d walked off the Underworld by going upstairs into Central Park…

But this? Where did the highway go? How did this valley go unnoticed by mortals? The place was enormous.

“Welcome to Camp Jupiter,” said Gwen, waving an arm invitingly in front of her. “The town you can see over there is New Rome, a place for demigods who’ve already been trained.”

Hazel looked at her brother and caught him raising a disbelieving eyebrow. As if he couldn’t believe a town of demigods could exist.

That made her wary. Nico had known about everything they’ve encountered so far —and if he hadn’t, he hadn’t been surprised at all—, the uneasiness radiating from him made her feel wrong-footed.

“Demigod adults?” Nico wondered.

Dakota nodded. “From university onwards. You serve ten years in Camp Jupiter, and then you get to start a life of your choice.”

Nico was still not quite convinced, but his face had become agreeable again, so Hazel trod forward side by side with him.

“Where are you taking us?” Nico asked after around ten minutes.

“To see our leaders,” said Gwen swiftly. “Any new recruits are met by our praetors.”

“Jason and Reyna,” Dakota apported. “They’re good people. A bit stressed these days, of course, but they’ll give you a chance.”

Being given ‘a chance’ didn’t sound particularly welcoming to Hazel, but she bit her comment back.

“What do you mean these days?” She wondered.

Gwen and Dakota exchanged a glance.

“There was a…” Gwen struggled to find the appropriate word. “A conflict, you could say.”

“A war,” Nico supplied. “The titans challenged the gods’ powers. It didn’t go well for them, the gods are still here… obviously.”

Gwen’s expression closed off. “How did you know that?”

“I told you,” Nico reminded her. “My father sent us here. It’s not the first time I follow his orders or his advice. I convinced him to fight with his siblings last month.”

It was Dakota and Gwen’s turn to look mistrustful.

Hazel couldn’t really blame them. It was hard to imagine this tiny boy convincing a god to do anything. But after just a week with him, she didn’t doubt him anymore. If that’s what Nico said, then that’s what Hazel believed.

Nico had left to talk to Pluto a few days before. It hadn’t been longer than a couple of hours, but he’d come back with a location for a safe place, and the order from their father to join ranks with ‘those demigods in California’.

If Pluto felt comfortable enough to call Nico for a private audience and advice, why wouldn’t she believe Nico had turned that around at some point to coerce the god into action against titans.

Hazel wondered if that had anything to do with Gaea. The titans trying to challenge the status quo… it was auspicious at the very least.

Regardless, she felt better knowing Nico could pull in a favour or two from their father when needed. If not protected, it made her feel less abandoned. A bit, anyway.

“I’ll explain everything to your leaders,” Nico offered with a tight smile. “Surely if they believe me, that’ll be enough for you.”

The pair of teenagers turned sheepish. She guessed they thought themselves very friendly people, but they weren’t coming across as the most tolerant.

“Of course,” said Gwen. “I didn’t mean— It doesn’t matter. The praetor house is just over there.”

“The principia,” Dakota corrected. “Reyna doesn’t like it being called praetor house.”

Gwen shrugged.

They’d arrived at a magnificent building. To Hazel it looked a bit like photos of banks in the richer states. Those that had appeared in the newspapers every time the economy was going through the mud.

They were led in by their two tour guides, who took them through spectacular halls into a room with a wooden bench in front of a door. It looked a bit like a waiting room.

“Give me a minute,” said Gwen.

Dakota didn’t sit down, so neither did Hazel or Nico.

Luckily for them, Gwen took even less than a minute. She was leading them through the door and into a room that made Hazel feel small.

It had reddish marble panels on the walls, and a long wooden table.

A jar of jelly beans stood in the middle of the table, and a couple of high-back chairs remained empty on the side opposite from the door.

On their side of the room, a couple of teenagers, a bit younger than Dakota and Gwen, were discussing the contents of some official looking papers.

Hazel noted Nico was studying the room with interest, but she felt more worried about the two teenagers.

She got the impression that if she had to fight either, she’d take her chance with the boy. Then she told herself that despite the girl’s scowl, they weren’t here to fight but to be introduced to these people.

A safe space. That’s where she was.

The girl’s dark eyes studied them intently. She had dark hair in a braid that was coming loose, and she looked pale, as if she was missing some sunlight.

The boy had purple bags under his blue eyes. He gave Hazel and her brother a onceover before speaking.

“Welcome to Camp Jupiter,” the boy said. “The Twelfth Legion Fulminata. I’m Jason Grace and this is Reyna, we’re your praetors.”

Hazel glanced at Nico and found him staring back at her.

“I’m Hazel Levesque,” she said. She pointed at her brother with her hand. “And this is Nico di Angelo. My brother.”

She saw them look unconvinced for a fraction of a second, and assumed it was hard to believe the white boy next to her could, in any way, be related. But then they caught on the fact that gods are gods, and their children are not necessarily from the same mother.

Hazel wondered whether the gods themselves could change their appearance at will. She knew in old myths they could turn into animals, but did that include changing their own features?

“Gwendolyn told us you found your way here unconventionally,” Reyna said, and she seemed to think finding the maintenance entrance between highway lanes was the weirdest thing to ever happen.

“Our father sent us,” Nico told her quickly. His voice was level, and to Hazel, he sounded slightly older too, more mature, as if he was trying to make an impression. “The Lord of the Dead.”

Jesus. Nico just couldn’t keep that to himself for a bit, could he? Hazel guessed it was better to leave that out in the open from the beginning.

Praetor Ramírez-Arellano’s eyes widened. “You’re children of Pluto? And he sent you?”

Jason Grace was surprised too, but he looked more inclined to accept the possibility. He put a hand on his comrade’s arm to either calm her down, or to stop her from being openly dismissive of the Lord of the Dead’s kids.

“It’s not common to have Big Three children,” Jason told them kindly. “There’s not many of us.”

Nico perked up at that. “You’re a child of the Big Three?”

Jason nodded.

“It would be Jupiter, right?” Nico asked. Was he guessing, or had their father told him there was a son of Jupiter leading the safe space he’d sent them to? “A leader such as you. You have your father’s eyes. You said your surname was Grace, didn’t you?”

Good Lord, did Nico know some of Jason’s relatives? Obviously, he’d met Jupiter, or he was bullshitting about Jason having his father��s eyes —which, knowing Nico, it could also be—. But he was interested in Jason’s surname. God, she hated it when her brother didn’t tell her things beforehand, she felt like a fool, ten steps behind while he moved the strings like a puppeteer.

To her relief, Jason seemed taken aback too. His expression, that had remained open despite revealing their godly parentage, had closed off.

“When did you meet Jupiter?” Reyna demanded.

“Last month,” Nico replied. He glimpsed Reyna’s left side, but turned his attention to the praetors quickly enough. “I convinced my father to fight in the gods’ war against the titans. Afterwards, he saw it fit that I… met the family.”

Her brother looked away from Jason and Reyna again, and this time, Hazel could see he was looking at a couple of dogs beside Reyna. They startled her, she had thought they were decoration. They were metal, but seemed to be alive. And they were staring at Nico as if expecting something, but they appeared to be calm, so she tried to ignore them.

It was harder to ignore their presumed owner. Reyna had turned towards her and her eyes were burning into Hazel’s.

“But not you, Hazel Levesque?” She inquired.

It took her a second to understand what she meant, until she recalled they were talking about meeting the gods before Hazel had gotten distracted with the dogs.

She shook her head, and added: “I only met Nico a week or so ago.”

“And Pluto brought you here,” Jason spoke up. “He told you how to find us.”

“He wishes for Hazel to be trained here,” Nico told them. “He’s given me other tasks to do elsewhere, but he hopes you’ll accept me as his ambassador. I would only stay here every so often.”

That made Hazel hesitate. Every so often? Was he going to dump her here and just leave? Was he out of his goddamn mind?

She took a step towards her brother and muttered. “When were you planning on telling me you weren’t staying?”

“It’s okay,” Nico murmured back. “I’ll be here whenever you need me, but our father wants me to handle other errands for him.”

“That wasn’t the plan,” she insisted. “You don’t know these people…”

“Hazel,” he interrupted. “Father wouldn’t put you in danger, trust me. He likes his daughters better than his sons. He wants you to be okay.”

Hazel wasn’t too sure about it. Pluto had let her die but had kept Nico safe for decades. But she decided she would resolve the family conflict later when they weren’t under scruple by the leaders of the place.

Reyna cleared her throat. “What exactly would Pluto need from an ambassador?”

“He didn’t say anything specific,” Nico shrugged nonchalantly. “Information, I gather. We learn a lot from the dead, but you can also learn a lot from the living. These past years have been a difficult time for everyone, my father felt… disconnected from the rest of the gods. He only wishes to be kept up-to-date with any threats he might have to face in the future.”

Pluto only wished to, but Hazel was sure it was the closest thing to an order Nico could give without being disrespectful.

She couldn’t care less what power grab Nico had attempted. She was still fuming about him not telling her he was planning on going away.

She heard her name being mentioned but she didn’t catch what Jason had said. Whatever it was, Nico agreed to it.

“But I—” Hazel began. She would speak for herself, she didn’t need a 12-year-old to accept invitations on her account, especially if he’d just buzz off later to who-knows-where.

“It’s okay,” Nico put a hand on her shoulder. “We’ll talk later. You can trust these people.”

“But can we trust you?” Reyna had tired of waited for them to stop talking it seemed. She’d crossed her arms and was looking at them with a skeptic expression.

“Have we shown any evidence of the contrary?” Nico asked. To Hazel, it sounded defensive. “Other than the —what did you call it?— ‘unconventional arrival’.”

Jason seemed to realise shit was about to hit the fan, because he stepped in.

“None,” he told Nico in a reassuring voice. “We’re interested in your proposal.” Turning to Hazel he said: “You’ll be wanting to get better acquainted with the place, since you’ll be staying.”

He didn’t wait for her to reply. He took a step between her and Nico, went over to the door, and spoke to whoever was on the other side.

He reentered the room and leaned back against the table, in the exact same position he’d been in before.

Gwen appeared after a few seconds. Earphones on her neck, their wire connected to something she was putting into her pocket.

“Gwendolyn,” Jason grinned. A real smile, it made him look like a kid from a toothbrush commercial. “Would you be kind and give Hazel a tour of Camp Jupiter? Get her something from the bakery, too.” He turned towards Hazel. “You’ll love those pastries, they’re amazing.”

Hazel wasn’t too sure. She glanced at her brother again.

Nico gave her a confident nod, like, ‘I’ll handle them.’

She raised an eyebrow. Nico hated people, leaving him alone would be a gamble on their behalf. But she wasn’t too sure there was much of a choice. The praetors wanted to talk to her brother. She imagined it was better to allow them some privacy rather than be escorted out by security on her first day.

Nico gave her a harder look. Hurry up.

She rolled her eyes.

“See you later,” she told the praetors, ignoring her brother as she left and followed Gwen out of the building, where Dakota joined them for the tour.

“You know Praetor Grace well, don’t you?” Hazel asked. She wasn’t sure it was appropriate but there’d been such a familiarity between them, it made her curious.

Gwen smiled. “Yeah, he stayed with my family for a while when he was younger. We know nothing of his mortal family, he was very little when he arrived.”

Except that Nico had been surprised by Jason’s name, not just his godly father.

She kept that to herself. She was annoyed at her brother, but she wasn’t about to betray his secrets.

Instead, she smiled and let Gwen keep talking.

Hazel went off with her and Dakota, they were much friendlier now that they seemed to have got over their shock about Pluto having demigod children.

When she met Nico again, she’d sit him down to talk. She wouldn’t allow him to leave yet, not until he told her everything he knew.

#hazel levesque #nico de angelo #jason grace #reyna avila ramirez arellano #gwen pjo #dakota pjo #camp jupiter #pjo #hoo #pjo hoo toa #riordanverse #pjo fic #mis fics #tagthescullion

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raventheenigma · 2 years

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Ranwan Playlist

Here’s my mainly Ranwan playlist, it started as a Chu Wanning playlist I built while I was reading; but it became a Ranwan playlist as I kept reading. So I hope you enjoy and I hope it inspires. All of these songs can be found on spotify. Song Count: 184 Estimated Time: 12 Hours Trapdoor-Twenty One Pilots Weight of the World-Citizen Soldier Would Anyone Care-Citizen Soldier I’m not okay-Citizen Soldier Always December-Citizen Soldier Empty Cup-Citizen Soldier Better Place-Citizen Soldier Kill my memory-Citizen Soldier Mess of Me-Citizen Soldier If these scars could speak-Citizen Soldier Face to Face-Citizen Soldier Phoenix-League of Legends, Cailin Russo, Chrissy Costanza Life Vest-The Material Lil’ Red Riding Hood-Amanda Seyfried I’m not an angel-Halestrom Elastic Heart (Rock Version)-Written by Wolves Someone you used to know-The Dark Element, Anette Olzon, Jani Liimatainen The Way Down-The White Tie Affair Trench Coat Angel (Accoustic)-Tyler Ward Walk You Home-Karmina Your Light-Will Morton, Julie Wemyss At War-Letters from the fire Last Goodbye-Dead by April Unbreakable-Citizen Soldier That’s no way to break a heart-Sherrie Austin Ten Million Voices-Shaman’s Harvest It’s Over when it’s over-Falling in Reverse Last night on earth-Delta Goodrem A dangerous mind-Within Temptation Only you-Ellie Goulding You’re my melody-Arion Marionette (Radio Edit)-Antonia Oblivion-Enemy Inside False Kings-Poets of the fall Sally’s Song-Amy Lee Ophelia-Natalie Merchant Bitter-Citizen Soldier Hope it Haunts you-Citizen Soldier The Raven-Karliene Sleep-Poets of the fall End of the World-Juliet Simms Never Enough-Karliene Possession (Piano Version)-Sarah McLachlan Madness-Ruelle Stand my ground-Within temptation Hate Me-Eurielle Wash it all away-Five finger death punch The man I used to be-Thomas Borchert Shot-The rasmus He’s hurting me-Maria Mena Home-Cavetown Far from home-Five finger death punch Remember everything-Five finger death punch I apologize-Five finger death punch Wrong side of heaven-Five finger death punch Can’t forget you-My darkest days Break your heart-Natalie Merchant I’ll be ok-Nothing More Paradise (What about us?)-Within temptation, Tarja Dog teeth-Nicole Dollanganger Head above water-Roll for it War-Poets of the fall My nocturnal serenade-Yohio In pieces-Citizen Soldier Kind and Generous-Natalie Merchant Killing me softly with his song-Fugees, Ms. Lauryn Hill Illusion and Dream-Poets of the Fall Bury me alive-We are the fallen As the world falls down-David Bowie Teeth-5 seconds of summer Dig the crazy-Faith Marie Hysteria-Def Leppard Fire and Ice- Olivia Bray You took the words right out of my mouth (Hot summer night)-Meatloaf No end, no beginning-Poets of the Fall Show me the meaning of being lonely-Backstreet Boys Battle Scars-Paradise Fears Don’t Speak (Epic Trailer Version)-Hidden Citizens, Tim Halperin Eat you-Caravan of Thieves Rise/The Greatest-Jacob Sutherland My little secret-Citizen Soldier Children of the sun-Poets of the fall The unquiet grave-Karliene Over and Over-Three days grace Just one yesterday-Fall out boy, Foxes I waited for you-Valora Please don’t make me love you-Jeremy Roberts, Frank Wildhorn, Kate Shindle Fair Game-Nivek Ogre, Lyndon Smith, Adam Pascal, Emilie Autumn I am only one-We are the fallen The willow maid-Erutan Fading Star-Weaving the fate In all my dreams I drown (Room 8:36)-American Murder Song Creature of the Night-Zombie girl, Sebastian Komor of Icon of Coil Welcome to Life-Awake at last Monster- Stream of Passion Warrior-Eliza Smith, Nathaniel Todd Young, Richard Tsutomu Williams, Taylor Lorraine Miranda, Tren Kiss from a rose-Seal Love Bites-Def Leppard Addict-Jonathan Young, Christina Vee scaPEGoat-SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:Yosh Bleed like me-Garbage All the way/4U-Poets of the fall Killer in the mirror-Set it off Bottom of the River-Delta Rae Not gonna die-Skillet Carnivore-Starset Hero-Skillet My demons-Starset Dance with the devil-Breaking Benjamin Monster-Skillet Alpha-Little Destroyer Chasing Twisters-Delta Rae End of Me-Ashes Remain Everything Burns-Ben Moody, Anastacia How do you love someone-Yvan and Gabriel Skin and Bones-Marianas Trench House on a hill-The pretty reckless This is gonna hurt-Sixx:A.M. The Wolf-PHILDEL Even if it hurts-Sam Tinnesz Bad Word-Panicland Heal my wounds-Poets of the fall Moments before the storm-Poets of the fall My dark disquiet-Poets of the fall Carnival of Rust-Poets of the fall Breath of life-Florence + The Machine Save me-Morandi Better than I know myself-Adam Lambert Runnin’-Adam Lambert Can you hear me (Single Version)-Poets of the Fall Dancing on Broken Glass-Poets of the fall Lie to me (Denial)-Red Let it burn-Red Trip-Hedley This is war-Thirty seconds to mars Again-Flyleaf Seven Devils-Florence + The Machine No Light, No Light-Florence + The Machine Good to you-Marianas Trench All to Myself-Marianas Trench Comatose-Skillet Falling Inside the Black-Skillet Memories-Within Temptation All I need-Within Temptation Frozen-Within Temptation What have you done-Within Temptation, Keith Caputo I caught fire-The Used Walls could talk-Halsey (I just) Died in your arms (Epic Trailer Version)-Hidden Citizens Amen-Frankenstein World Premiere Cast Courtesy Call-Thousand Foot Krutch A little death-The neighbourhood Emperor’s New Clothes-Panic! at the disco Pit of Vipers-Simon Curtis Cruel-Tori Amos My Skin-Natalie Merchant For the man I loved-Karliene Tears of Blood-Karliene The wolf and the moon-Karliene Alone-Heart Hopelessly Devoted to you-Olivia Newton-John Innocence-Halestorm My arms-LEDGER Young and Beautiful-Eli Lieb We won’t be falling-(Guardian theme) The Analyst-Delta Goodrem I want your world to turn-Heart I hate myself for loving you-Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Dreaming wide awake-Poets of the Fall I want you here-Plumb Lead the fight on-She is we Monster-Beth Crowley MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT-Loveless Fairytale-Alexander Rybak Words that don’t exist-Citizen Soldier A new hope-Broken Iris Bag of Bones-Mitski As long as you love me-Backstreet Boys Quit playing games with my heart-Backstreet Boys Ashes-Celine Dion Careless Whisper-Skillet Dirty Thoughts-Chloe Adams One more night-From the Ash

#ranwan #husky and his white cat shizun #chu wanning #mo ran #taxian jun #2ha #erha #playlist

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sieglinde-freud · 1 year

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sorry im late but 4, 12, 14 for the female character ask game

im sorry im late holy shit anyways hi zorua! 💜

4. A heroine you love?

EIRIKA FIRE EMBLEM MY BELOVED 🩷🩷🩷 im gonna be honest my memory of sacred stones is hazy, but it was my first dip into gba fire emblem and eirika (and ephraim i suppose but he doesnt make an appearance until a bit into the earlygame) was my introduction to that era of fe and for that she’ll always have a special place in my heart. also spoilers for ss but idk. i dont think she was stupid for handing it over to lyon bc hello? are we forgetting he’s her childhood best friend???? of course she trusts him! “oh but i wouldnt have done that” YOU CAN SEE THE VILLAINS PERSPECTIVE YOU FUCK. SHE CANNOT!!! worst discourse ever. eirika get behind me

12. An interesting female friendship?

i dont know if this counts as friendship or romance (its been a while since i read it and i dont remember if the queerness was real or if i was imagining it) but have you guys ever read the haunting of hill house by shirley jackson. i actually dont want to say too much bc i think everyone should read it. been thinking about rereading it myself! dont tell me anything about the netflix version though. i dont care. itll never be the book and i cried when i googled the title and the first thing that came up was the show. my life is over. yes im an annoying book > tv/movies person sorry

14. An interesting familial relationship with female characters?

iris and dahlia hawthorne from ace attorney. spoilers for aa3 but i think the idea that you can be so loyal and loving to someone the way that iris was to dahlia that you’d go so far as to impersonate her to let her get away with murder is soooo. urrgghhhhhjkjffkeiahdh. and i dont remember they specified but i think the fact that they left it up in the air as to whether or not dahlia actually loved her back is really fun! did dahlia know iris loved phoenix? was it a mercy that she let their relationship go on as long as it did? or just a misguided error that came to bite her in the ass later? i dont know and i love that! theyre so much fun and theyre so interesting and god i need to replay trials and tribulations.

#FORGOT THE READ MORE SORRYYYY #asks #sorry again for taking like five years #or at least its felt like five years for me #normally i try to answer asks asap but i got this ask and i was like omg zorua my friend zorua :)#and then life came and kicked me in the face like five times over #it still is but like. wanted to answer this 🥹 wanted to talk about women 🥹#ok i checked its only been like 3-4 days. but i feel like ive lived three months this past week so i dont know

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mybeautifulchristianjourney · 2 years

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Abijah Succeeds Rehoboam (1 Kings 15:1-9)

1 During the eighteenth year of the reign ofa King Jeroboam, Abijah became king over Judah. 2 He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother was Uriel’s daughter Micaiah from Gibeah.

A war started between Abijah and Jeroboam. 3 Abijah started the battle with an army of 400,000 specially chosen valiant soldiers, but Jeroboam opposed him with 800,000 specially chosen valiant soldiers. 4 Abijah stood on Mount Zemaraim in the hill country of Ephraim and announced:

“Listen to me, Jeroboam and Israel! 5 Don’t you know that the LORD God of Israel assigned the kingship over Israel to David and his descendants forever by a salt covenant? 6 Even so, Nebat’s son Jeroboam, who used to serve David’s son Solomon, rose in rebellion against his own master! 7 Useless troublemakersc soon gathered around him, who turned out to be too strong for Rehoboam, because he was young, timid, and unable to withstand them.

8 “So now you think you’ll be able to withstand the LORD’s kingdom as controlled by David’s descendants, just because you have a large crown and have brought with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made for you as gods. 9 Haven’t you already driven away the LORD’s priests, the descendants of Aaron and the descendants of Levi? Haven’t you established your own priests like the people of otherd lands?

10 “Now as far as we’re concerned, the LORD is our God, and we haven’t abandoned him. The descendants of Aaron are ministering to the LORD as priests, and the descendants of Levi continue their work. 11 Every morning and evening, they’re offering burnt offerings and fragrant incense to the LORD, the showbread is set out on the pure table, and they take care of the golden lamp stand so its lamps can continue to burn every evening. We continue to be faithful over what the LORD our God entrusted to us, but you have abandoned him. 12 Now listen! God is with us to lead us, and his priests are about to sound their battle trumpets against you. Descendants of Israel, don’t fight against the LORD God of your ancestors, because you won’t succeed!”

13 But Jeroboam had sent an ambush to attack from the rear, so Israel was in front of Judah, with the ambush set in place behind them. 14 When the army of Judah turned around to look, they were being attacked from both front and rear, so they cried out to the LORD while the priests sounded their trumpets. 15 Then the army of Judah sounded a war cry, and God routed Jeroboam and the entire army of Israel in front of Abijah and Judah. 16 When the descendants of Israel ran away from the army of Judah, God handed them over to the army of Judah. 17 Abijah and his army defeated them in a tremendous slaughter that resulted in 500,000 special forces from Israel being slain. 18 And so the descendants of Israel were defeated at that time. The descendants of Judah were victorious because they trusted in the LORD God of their ancestors. 19 After this Abijah pursued Jeroboam and captured Bethel and its villages, Jeshanah and its villages, and Ephron and its villages.

Jeroboam’s Death and Asa’s Reign in Judah

20 Jeroboam never recovered his strength for the rest of Abijah’s life. The LORD struck Jeroboam,f and he died, 21 but Abijah continued to grow more powerful. He took fourteen wives for himself and fathered twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. 22 The rest of Abijah’s accomplishments, his lifestyle and his memoirs are recorded in the Midrashg of the Prophet Iddo. — 2 Chronicles 13 | International Standard Version (ISV) The International Standard Version of the Holy Bible Copyright © 1995-2014 by ISV Foundation. All Rights Reserved internationally. Cross References: Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 2:13; Numbers 10:8-9; Joshua 6:16; Joshua 8:4; Joshua 18:22; 1 Samuel 25:38; 2 Samuel 3:39; 1 Kings 12:28; 1 Kings 14:19; 1 Kings 15:1-2; 1 Kings 15:7; 2 Kings 18:7; 2 Chronicles 9:29; 2 Chronicles 14:11-12; 2 Chronicles 16:8; John 11:54; Galatians 4:8

#Abijah reigns in Judah #Jeroboam's death #God routs Jeroboam and the entire army of Israel #2 Chronicles 13 #Book of Second Chronicles #Old Testament #ISV #International Standard Version #Holy Bible #ISV Foundation

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mewtagen-mau · 5 months

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Entry 12

We made our way to the farmland, wary of what we might find in the farmhouse where Aldern Foxglove was supposedly captured by these ‘scarecrows’.

The first scarecrow we came across Krysa set ablaze—but as far as we could tell afterwards it had just been an ordinary straw man. Further up the road, however, we came across two more, which we noted were moving unusually. We destroyed them before they could ambush us. We found exactly what we expected to beneath the scarecrow guise: more ghouls.

At the next crossroads we saw another suspiciously moving scarecrow. Thankfully, before we attacked it, we heard a voice from it, muffled and begging for help. We discussed what to do with the captive—would it be safe to save him or would he turn into a ghoul in moments? We determined his wounds were fresh, and while carrying Ghoul Fever, he was not yet in the advanced stages and could still be saved. So we cut him down and led him back to wait outside the farmland where our horses were tied. But not before another ghoul tried to jump us from behind. Unsuccessfully, as Krysa burned it to death with a single spell.

As we made our way up the hill leading towards the farmhouse, we took note of another scarecrow with drag marks in the ground leading to it, implying another innocent had been tied to a post a little ways away. We also noted four scarecrows down one road, placed suspiciously close together. We decided we would take care of them on the way back, however. For now, we went to help the other victim—the wife of the first man we’d saved—and led her to wait with her husband.

Then we made it to the farmhouse. Inside was ransacked, but there was nothing living or undead waiting within. So we decided to check the barn. We heard the telltale groans of the undead, as well as a familiar voice—or more precisely a familiar pathetic whimpering. There was no doubt Foxglove was within and being held captive by the ghouls. Which meant we needed to save him…if only to clear out the danger to the people and farm animals living here.

We decided to take a pincer formation, Nanel and Krysa stationed at the front entrance while myself and Tabot went through the back door. Nanel made some noise at the front door to grab the undeads’ attention, so that they would all be focused on one side and be caught by surprise when Tabot and I came up behind.

The plan went off perfectly. Nanel and Krysa killed the leader, a ghast, in a split second. The rest followed quickly. One up in the loft even tried to leap at me from above—but must not have noticed Tabot between us until it was sailing over him, its stomach getting split by Tabot’s sword. He’d merely held it up to let the thing impale itself on.

When the fighting was done with we released Aldern. More out of obligation to learn what he might know than out of any love for the man. It seemed he’d only gotten more conceited and rude since the last time we spoke. He made frequent comments that clearly showed he only respected Nanel—or at least the version of Nanel he’d built in his head. He had this weird fixation on how strong and wrathful our companion was, claiming he was everything a hero should be.

I mean no offense to Nanel, as he’s done a lot to keep me alive in the past few days. But I don’t think ‘the pinnacle of heroism’ is what I would call him, especially knowing about Donyoku whispering in his ear. I don’t think any of us really fits the ‘heroic’ archetype. Krysa is chaotic and destructive—not necessarily a bad thing given it’s generally aimed at our enemies—and Tabot is naïve and judgmental, with a clear preference to not try to save those he deems irredeemable. And I’m just an alchemist with a bad leg and a few useful tricks, I neither seek nor embody the title of ‘hero’, despite the events since my house was burned down.

Regardless, Aldern was clearly only going to defer to Nanel. Despite Nanel making no effort to hide his distain for the man, even going so far as to violently lift him off the ground and threaten him when he refused to tell us everything he knew about the ghoul situation.

What we finally got out of him was that he had, in fact, helped with the recent murders. But he was not the Skinshaw Man. His ‘girlfriend’ was. I noted immediately that this must have been Sheyless Vinder, the younger daughter of Ven Vinder and the sister of one of the victims. Aldern confirmed, Sheyless was holed up in his manor and was the source of the ghouls and murders. He insisted he come with us to rectify the situation and get his home back. We were, obviously, less than thrilled at the prospect of him coming along. However he insisted, telling us that he could give us information about the manor and its ‘five ghosts’. He would not give us that information unless we brought him along, and he laughed off threats to his life from Nanel and Tabot, telling us he had worse to fear than mere death. Whoever was pulling the strings would apparently do worse, making him live in agony instead of the relief of a quick death. He would not devolve who this was, saying he only would once he had his house back.

I called a group huddle to discuss, out of Aldern’s earshot. I told the others that I thought it would be in our best interest to keep him nearby, even though I didn’t relish the thought of him traveling with us either. We could get whatever information we needed from him, and if he did anything to hinder us that made him more of a threat than a benefactor, we could get rid of him then and there. I’m not generally one to suggest cold blooded murder, I assure you. But Foxglove was a vile little man who was as likely to stab us in the back as he was to actually be of any use. At best he would likely be dead weight.

The others agreed with my assessment, and after some back and forth we agreed to return his armor and rapier—with the promise that if he proved to be useless in combat we would take the incredibly fine rapier back and make him stay out of the way.

I think, given the circumstances, we were being exceedingly kind. He’d had his hand in the multiple gruesome murders we’d seen in town, and the fact we even gave him a chance instead of turning him in to Sheriff Hemlock immediately was more than he deserved. A Sarenrite saint could not have had more patience and grace than we managed to muster.

That being said, we did tie him back up and leave him on the farmhouse bed while we returned to town for the night. Because none of us trusted him in the slightest, and we were not taking him back to town or letting him wander on his own.

I sincerely hope we do not come to regret this decision.

#journal entry #pathfinder #rise of the runelords #rotrl

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bills-bible-basics · 6 months

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EAGLES IN THE BIBLE -- KJV (King James Version) Bible Verse List Visit https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/ to see more. "Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." Exodus 19:4, KJV "Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions." 2 Samuel 1:23, KJV "The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it." Proverbs 30:17, KJV "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31, KJV "Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled." Jeremiah 4:13, KJV "Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness." Lamentation 4:19, KJV "The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws." Daniel 4:33, KJV "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together." Matthew 24:28, KJV "And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together." Luke 17:37, KJV Following are all of the verses where the singular word "eagle" is used : "And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray," Leviticus 11:13, KJV "And the swan, and the pelican, and the gier eagle," Leviticus 11:18, KJV "But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray," Deuteronomy 14:12, KJV "And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant," Deuteronomy 14:17, KJV "The LORD shall bring a nation against thee from far, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand;" Deuteronomy 28:49, KJV "As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings:" Deuteronomy 32:11, KJV "They are passed away as the swift ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey." Job 9:26, KJV "Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?" Job 39:27, KJV "Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's." Psalm 103:5, KJV "Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." Proverbs 23:5, KJV "The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid." Proverbs 30:19, KJV "For thus saith the LORD; Behold, he shall fly as an eagle, and shall spread his wings over Moab." Jeremiah 48:40, KJV "Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart, O thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, that holdest the height of the hill: though thou shouldest make thy nest as high as the eagle, I will bring thee down from thence, saith the LORD." Jeremiah 49:16, KJV "Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs." Jeremiah 49:22, KJV "As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle." Ezekiel 1:10, KJV "And every one had four faces: the first face was the face of a cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle." Ezekiel 10:14, KJV "And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:" Ezekiel 17:3, KJV "There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers: and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation." Ezekiel 17:7, KJV "The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it." Daniel 7:4, KJV "Set the trumpet to thy mouth. He shall come as an eagle against the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant, and trespassed against my law." Hosea 8:1, KJV "Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD." Obadiah 1:4, KJV "Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee." Micah 1:16, KJV "Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat." Habakkuk 1:8, KJV "And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle." Revelation 4:7, KJV "And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent." Revelation 12:14, KJV If you would like more info regarding the origin of these KJV Bible verse lists, go to https://www.billkochman.com/VerseLists/. Thank-you! https://www.billkochman.com/Blog/index.php/eagles-in-the-bible-kjv-king-james-version-bible-verse-list/?feed_id=156452&EAGLES%20IN%20THE%20BIBLE%20--%20KJV%20%28King%20James%20Version%29%20Bible%20Verse%20List

#All_Posts #Bible_Verse_Lists #bible #bible_study #bill_kochman #bills_bible_basics #eagle #eagles #king_james_version #kjv #list #scripture #scriptures #topical #verse #verses

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jdgo51 · 1 year

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DAILY DEVOTIONAL FOR MARCH 29, 2023 Lost but Found By Olaiya Muyiwa Benralph (Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria) READ LUKE 15:3-7 "If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?" MATTHEW 18:12 (NIV) "'It was our practice in high school to look for one another’s lost items (pens, rulers, pencils, etc.). Whenever a lost item was found, the class prefect would stand in front of the class and shout, “Lost but found!” The announcement enabled the owners to identify and reclaim their lost items. Motivated by the accolades awarded to finders, everybody was actively involved in the search. Whatever was lost within the school would certainly be found. In today’s scripture reading, Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep, where a shepherd went out to search for one lost sheep. “I am the good shepherd,” Jesus said (John 10:11, NRSV). As Christians, we should not lose hope over anyone who leaves the faith. The Good Shepherd can find any sheep that has wandered off and lost its way. For Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:28, NRSV). We can trust the Good Shepherd to bring the lost sheep home. “Lost but found,” he will announce. And whoever we thought was lost will be lovingly restored to the fold."' Those who have lost their way will cross your very path. You are responsible to guide them back into the way of Jesus. It has always been word of mouth or living by example. Other people need to know that Jesus is very important to you and can be the same for those your cross paths with. Be diligent! TODAY'S PRAYER "Dear God, thank you for caring for each one of us as the shepherd cares for each sheep in the flock. No matter how far we may wander, you always guide us back home. In Jesus’ name we pray." Amen. Luke 15:3-7 New International Version "'3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."' Every individual is a potential part of the flock. None should go away lost and alone. All need to hear Jesus' gift and be given opportunity to receive the gift. God never wants anyone to be lost. He sent, His Son, Jesus to bring the wayward back home. Do your part in assisting with this endeavor. Blessings! Joe

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mylyricpages · 2 years

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‘ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN’ ( FULL LENGTH VERSION ) ( 2022 )

ACT I

01. Welcome To The Big Sky 02. Weathering The Storm 03. All Alone In A Crowd 04. Hold Onto The Light 05. A Place With Your Name 06. Going Under/ Rising Up 07. The Way You Did Anything ( Was The Way You Did Everything ) 08. Insomnia Blues # 1 09. Night Walkin’/Waiting For The Sun 10. When The Sun Comes Up 11. On The Outside Looking In I. The Summer Of Song II. A Bitter Sweet Reminisce III. Back To Where It All Began ACT II

12. On Many Roads/ The Importance Of Being Kind 13. Were We Ever Glorious 14. A Time To Share 15. When You Feel Time Speeding Up 16. I Miss You All 17. Far & Away ( The Best Of Days ) 18. I Salute You 19. The Boy Who Never Was

20. When The Sun Goes Down 21. The Sound Of Waves I. The Art Of Self Deception II. We Need To Fix This III. The Last Hurrah

May 2022 - September 2022

01. WELCOME TO THE BIG SKY

( Sound of waves washing on a beach, sound of seagulls flocking … )

Welcome to the big sky, always looking to what lies beyond Welcome to the big wide open always hearing the words of a distant song Welcome to the big sky Welcome to the big sky

Gotta get yourself over that next hill across those many fields toward those many towns through those many streets always looking for anything new that lies ahead to spur you on

Welcome to the big sky Welcome to the big sky

Welcome to the big sky, always looking to what lies ahead Welcome to the big wide open always seeing the story inside your head Welcome to the big sky Welcome to the big sky

Gotta get yourself to that next river along those many lanes around those many bends past those many ways always looking for anyplace new that lies ahead to move you on

Welcome to the big sky Welcome to the big sky

On the horizon you can almost see your dreams waiting in a faraway place somewhere you’ve never seen and you know you have to go there some day if you’re to be who you’re meant to be

Welcome to the big sky Welcome to the big sky

02. WEATHERING THE STORM

It’s been a long hard ride and now we’re nearly to the other side we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

we had to batten down the hatches then lock ourselves away we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

we had to plug up the damn cause on the horizon a flood was coming we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

we found our shelter and the days they passed us by we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

we hunkered down and we put the barricades up we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

We’ve been weathering the storm weathering the storm me and you

we’ve been weathering the storm weathering the storm and look here now we’ve almost made it on through

We’ve been weathering the storm We’ve been weathering the storm

we had to change our lives and we had to learn to start anew we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

we learned to live in each others company again, learnt how to talk again we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

our world got so much smaller yeah at least for a while we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

we got to know each other again see each other so much clearer again we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

we got to see the good and the bad we got to see the selfish and the kind we’ve just been weathering the storm me and you

We’ve been weathering the storm weathering the storm me and you

we’ve been weathering the storm weathering the storm and look here now we’ve almost made it on through

We’ve been weathering the storm We’ve been weathering the storm

The world got so damn quiet the streets so empty and the sea so clean I heard the breeze in the city and it felt like a dream

They were such strange times when things were bad but the days were kind of good they showed us sometimes things work out just the way they should they showed us at our best when the chips were down

We’ve been weathering the storm weathering the storm me and you

we’ve been weathering the storm weathering the storm and look here now we’ve almost made it on through

We’ve been weathering the storm, we’ve been weathering the storm

03. ALL ALONE IN A CROWD

Sometimes I can be that best friend you can always call and sometimes you’ll find it impossible to know me at all

Sometimes I can walk in and act just like I own the whole place and sometimes I’m the wallflower taking up too much space

And there’s always this battle going on, two nations at war battling for borders and hearts somewhere inside of me and there’s always a rift between who I think I am and who I want to be

Sometimes I want people to hear every single word I have to say and sometimes I just feel a need to step out and fade away

Sometimes I feel a need to have someone so badly at my side and sometimes I just want to turn away from every one and hide

And there’s always this struggle going on, two states in conflict struggling for unity and grace somewhere inside of me and there’s always a divide between who I think I am and who I want to be

And I know what it’s like to be all alone in a crowd when all you need is the right kind of company And I know what it’s like to be all alone in a crowd when all you need is just a small hint of empathy And I know what it’s like to be all alone in a crowd when every face you see looks on at you in sympathy

And everyday it feels like I’ve got a fight on my hands and everyday I’m looking for someone who under stands this thing I got going on

when I’m all alone in a crowd when I’m all alone in a crowd

04. HOLD ONTO THE LIGHT

Night falls and the day is done another battle fought another fight won still sometimes you just want to lay down and cry don’t you

Every night you wonder if you strayed from what you were aiming for you wonder if you passed by too many open doors shut yourself off from what life was trying to show you

And by week’s end you just want to turn this whole damn thing around and by week’s end you’re drowning in all the things that always bring you down

But hold on, hold onto the light for sooner or later everything may turn out right just hold on, hold onto the light

Dawn comes and the night wanes another dream faded another haunted refrain still sometimes you just want to run away and hide don’t you

Every night you wonder why you never had your moment in the sun you wonder what more you could have done if you missed all the chances that came your way

Oh, and by week’s end you just feel so damn burnt out

Oh, and by week’s end you’re screaming at all the things that always bring you down

But hold on, hold onto the light for sooner or later everything may turn out right just hold on, hold onto the light

And it feels like someone’s gone and taken your dreams stolen everything that ever meant something to you and it feels like someone’s gone and taken all the things that ever meant anything to you

But hold on, hold onto the light for sooner or later everything may turn out right just hold on, hold onto the light

Just hold on, hold onto the light

05. A PLACE WITH YOUR NAME

( Sound of background chatter/ sound of pub glasses/ sound of a guitar being tuned )

Walking through the streets of this old town I hear the sound of the rhythm and the strum the memory of the electricity in the air, the rumble and the hum you brought the music to this place and in its heart I still feel your spirit linger in every word and every voice and every chord from every finger

For a minute, for just a minute I saw you standing there and then, then you were gone again

Oh, but I still see you everywhere I still see you every where this should be a place with your name because without you this place just ain’t the same

When I heard the news that you were gone it felt the same way it always feels at the end of my favourite song like something special that was here a moment ago was now suddenly gone and in the days after, when the world felt so quiet and empty across the way I felt your spirit and through the air it touched me

For a minute, for just a minute I saw you standing there and then, then you were gone again

Oh, but I still see you everywhere I still see you every where this should be a place with your name because without you this place just ain’t the same

You were the beating heart of the rock god stage playing guitar in a midnight black cape like thunder from the sky and a voice straight from heaven your legend will echo down the ages the amp always turned to eleven an image that will never ever fade away

because this should be a place with your name this should be a place with your name because without you this place just ain’t the same

( Sound of a crowd cheering and clapping and whistling )

For Phil Jones, the song never ends …

06. GOING UNDER/ RISING UP

Well, now found myself staring in the mirror one too many times wondering if I’d wasted my life not wisely used my time not done the things I was always meant to do always fighting the habits I’d gotten so used to living day after day just getting through, making do always trying to figure out just how I can change things

Trying so hard to bite down on the fear I was feeling trying so hard not to talk myself out of doing what I needed to do

I thought I was going under I thought I was going under barely keeping my head above water

Constant whispers in my head yeah, telling me something’s wrong like the insistent beat of some half forgotten song always reminding me of those days already gone didn’t want to leave the things I knew so well didn’t want to leave all those I knew so well but it’s all too easy not to do the hard thing it’s all too easy to sing the words you already know how to sing

Trying so hard to keep a grip on the anxiety I was feeling trying so hard not to live the life I was so tired of living

I thought I was going under I thought I was going under barely keeping my head above water

Jumping into the unknown stepping out on my own sometimes the things you truly need to do can scare you half to death if you let them shed my skin, exposed my soul left myself out in the cold nearly lost myself to all the things I couldn’t give up on

I thought I was going under I really thought I was going under barely keeping my head above water until I began to change it until I really began to change it

Now I’m rising up I’m rising up I’m rising up

07. THE WAY YOU DID ANYTHING ( WAS THE WAY YOU DID EVERYTHING )

You were always the best kind of company but I never really knew what you thought of me but that’s okay ‘ cause you still stuck around you took me back to the start slipped your way into my heart you stumbled right into my life story

Yeah, you shone like the sun Yeah, you shone like the sun

Yeah, I was down on my luck and stuck in a rut and somewhere along the way I stopped giving a fuck about any of it any more and then you came along singing my favourite song you bought right into my life story

Yeah, you shone like the sun Yeah, you shone like the sun

The way you did anything was the way you did every thing with grace and beauty and a startling sense of self how is it you knew yourself so very well

How is it, darling? How is it, darling?

The way you did anything was the way you did every thing with a special kind of dignity and a soothing sense of ease how is it you held yourself so very well

How is it, darling? How is it, darling?

And you said sit right down next to me tell me your story all the many things you wished to be all the many things you used to be all you hopes, your dreams, your fears

The way you did anything was the way you did every thing

I was awe, I was in awe of you I was awe, I was in awe of you

08. INSOMNIA BLUES # 1

I can’t get no sleep, when the night it comes I can’t get no sleep, my doubts and fears they got me on the run I can’t get no sleep feel the walls closing in on me I can’t get no sleep need something to soothe my anxiety I can’t get no sleep lying here staring at the stars I can’t get no sleep can’t drift away when you don’t who you are

Feel the stillness of the quiet Feel the breath of the night’s steady breeze

You can’t keep everything bottled up ‘cause it’ll all come out in the end it always gets to the point where you just can’t pretend it’ll always rise to the surface if you refuse to face it

I can’t get no sleep, I can’t escape my head I can’t get no sleep, my limbs feel pinned to my bed I can’t get no sleep feel like the flame put to gasoline I can’t get no sleep maybe I’m too afraid to dream I can’t get no sleep restless side of me wide awake I can’t get no sleep got this nervous energy can’t seem to shake

Hear the traffic outside my window Hear the silence of the night’s empty streets

You can’t keep everything bottled up ‘cause it’ll all come out in the end it always gets to the point where you just can’t pretend it’ll always rise to the surface if you refuse to face it

And I know if I go to sleep when I’ll wake I’ll have to start again it’s always on my mind in every moment I find whether in the day or in the night

I can’t get no sleep when the dark falls around me I can’t get no sleep sometimes I can barely even breathe

All I wanna do is lay down and fade away lose myself in my dreams for maybe just a day All I wanna do is lay down and fade away lay down and fade away fade away, fade away

09. NIGHT WALKIN’/ WAITING FOR THE SUN

Sometimes in the dead of night don’t you just want to curl up and cry like a child crushed by regrets with nowhere to hide and you’re waiting for the sun to come up

Find yourself out in the dark way after midnight just looking for something to ease your mind your life playing like a cheap movie in your head all the critics being so unkind and you’re waiting for the sun to come up

Night walking, onward towards the dawn

See the figures in the doorways shimmering like ghosts under street lights see all of the many lost souls and you’re waiting for the sun to come up

Freedom hangs close when the world feels so empty like you can reach out and touch it and you’re just a shape in the moon light no one even knows you’re there and you’re waiting for the sun to come up

Night walking, onward towards the dawn

Gazing up at a sky full of stars seeking a path for your dreams any disguise falls swiftly away when the world is fast asleep and you’re waiting for the sun to come up

Night walking, through the streets of my home got a restless spirit down to the bone night walking, just lost to my thoughts as I idly roam

Night walking, onward towards the dawn

10. WHEN THE SUN COMES UP

( Sounds of the city, traffic, people, horns honking, the city waking up )

The city wakes, a deep long sigh when the sun comes up the horizon alight like it’s aflame when the sun comes up

sleep lingers, dreams fade when the sun comes up millions of eyes open awake to the sound when the sun comes up

bells ring the day in when the sun comes up watery air shimmers bridges lay in shadow when the sun comes up

morning air on my skin when the sun comes up

And I feel it, yeah I feel it

shutters open, trucks roll out when the sun comes up smell of burnt rubber symphony of horns when the sun comes up

radios crackle, news hits when the sun comes up buskers take up position strum their first chords when the sun comes up

players ready for the hustle when the sun comes up thousands of bodies caught up in the bustle when the sun comes up

crisp breeze wakes my soul when the sun comes up

And I feel it, yeah I feel it

And I feel a need to wander always feel a need to wander

I’ll roam, I’ll roam until I find my way home

( Sounds of the city, traffic, people, horns honking, the city waking up )

11. ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN

( I ) THE SUMMER OF SONG

Do you remember how it felt when our days were full of music and laughter When we drank until long after the sun went down and never thought of what came after

I really miss those days when it seemed we didn’t have a care in the world When we thought somehow it would last forever

Do you remember how it felt when we first heard the songs that made us we sang the words like our lives depended on it and thought no one could ever stop us

I really miss those days when it seemed for us like the nights would never end When we thought somehow they would go on forever

Well, we felt the heat of the summer of song when the sound of guitar was in the air and the rock and roll blasted from the radio

Well, we felt the heat of the summer of song when the sound of music was in the air and you and me we still had so far to go

Yeah, you and me, we made our memories in the summer of song You and me, we made our memories in the summer of song

( Sound of music playing on a radio/ Sound of a DJ Speaking )

( II ) A BITTER SWEET REMINISCE

And you’re thinking of all the lost days and the stupid mistakes the things left unsaid and the hidden regrets And you’re thinking of all the places you never went all the people you never met

Don’t get too caught up Don’t get too caught up in all the things you can never hope to change

And you’re thinking of all the lost evenings and the wasted nights the things left undone and the passion denied And you’re thinking of all the times that never were all the moments you never tried

Don’t get too caught up Don’t get too caught up in all the things you can never hope to change

Because you can never change all the times already gone You can never change all the things already done

those days are never coming back around again

( III ) BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

( Sound of birds singing/ sound of a river flowing/ sound of children playing )

Watching people living normal lives and I know that’s not the way my story goes

Watching the scenery go by and I know I’m on a train headed to a place no one knows

And I know I’m the ghost among the living, the loner always trying to atone forever lost in a landscape I only feel a part of when I’m alone

And I know I’m walking my own path, singing my very own song everyday trying to figure out where it is I really belong

I’m on the outside looking in always waiting for my life to begin

I’m on the outside looking in out under the street lights until the last one dims

this should be so much easier by now this should be so much easier by now

( Sound of birds singing/ sound of a river flowing/ sound of children playing )

So take me back to where it all began when the first words of the song were sang So take me back to where it all began when the very first steps were taken and I learned how to breathe for the first time

So take me back to where it all began

So take me back to where it all began when I thought I had the world in my hands So take me back to where it all began back when I first found my dreams and I learned how to fly free for the first time

so take me back to where it all began

12. ON MANY ROADS / THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING KIND

Old man said no need to be a saint just help some folks along your way don’t put off till tomorrow what can surely be done today we don’t have to stay in no garden of Gethsemane simply waiting for our fate

Old said some moments feel just like a dream, when you can, keep em close to your chest and when it comes to helping others always try your very best only do unto them how you’d like done to your self

On all the many roads you will travel On all the many paths you will roam

Old man said always try to give a helping hand when ever you can put yourself in others shoes always try your very best to under stand for we’re all in this together in the same ol’ travellin’ band singing the same ol’ song we always sang

Old man said always try to smile even on a cloudy day when the flood comes you can just simply sail away get yourself from under the rain get yourself ahead of that oncoming train walk off those mainline tracks and don’t you ever go looking back

On all the many roads you will travel On all the many paths you will roam

Old man said it only takes a moment to be kind, to some one you know even someone you may find it only takes a moment to do the right thing and if you mess it up least you can do is try again

Old man said love your brothers love you sisters too and to thy own self always be true help the weary pilgrims along their way say a simple prayer every single day and don’t you go letting all those good intentions go idly astray

On all the many roads you will travel On all the many paths you will roam

II.

Old man said we all end up in the ditch some times we all hit a bump in the road some times Old man said we all take a wrong turn some times we all go down a dead end some times but it’s okay, it’s okay, long as we find our way home again

All you need to do is be kind some times All we need to do is be kind some times

13. WERE WE EVER GLORIOUS?

I saw you across the street I was a stranger to you you were a stranger to me separated by the gulf of years between us

there was a look in your eyes I remembered so well that spoke of all the secrets we used to tell but it swiftly passed like all good things must

Oh, I often wonder if I drifted too far, blew past everyone and everything around me looking for I know not what, always looking for the next stop

Do you think we were ever glorious? Do you think we were ever glorious?

I saw you across the station just like you used to be saw your face in a recurring dream you were rewriting how our story should have been

there was a knowing in your smile I remembered so well that spoke of all the places we used to dwell but it swiftly faded just like any other end scene

Oh, I often wonder if I wandered too long, left everyone and everything behind me looking for I know not what, always looking for my next shot

Do you think we were ever glorious? Do you think we were ever glorious?

I’ve left lovers and friends stood waiting in my wake while I searched for answers I could never seem to forsake oh, I’d look behind me but I could never turn back

Do you think we were ever glorious I swore myself to you you swore your self to me but all our young promises we failed to keep, didn’t we

oh, it makes my heart ache when I think of all we could have been but somehow, somewhere we gave up on all the things we used to dream

Do you think we were ever glorious? Do you think we were ever glorious?

14. A TIME TO SHARE

It’s getting late, hours since I watched the sun go down I’m thinking about the past all the times I never stuck around and wondering why it always went down the way it did I guess I was never really able to settle down unless it was the real thing it had to be that or nothing at all

Hey, do you want me to spare you a moment of my time or just simply pass you by I’ll catch a look or even a smile but you know I’ll never act on it

I guess sooner or later I knew I’d finally feel a need to share to let someone else breathe the same air I guess sooner or later I knew I’d have to let go, let myself grow finally let someone in if it’s not too late to even begin

Hey, do you want me to let you in for maybe just a while or just simply continue to deny that in a crowd of stranger’s faces there’s someone who could actually know me

We all need someone to share the good times with they say We all need someone to share the bad times with they say just someone to share your story with they say wonder if it’s time I should finally listen

Hey, do you want me to spare you a moment of my time or just simply pass you by I’ll catch a look or even a smile but you know I’ll never act on it

You know I’ll never act on it even if I want to

15. WHEN YOU FEEL TIME SPEEDING UP

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when you see everyone moving forward but you’re still stuck in a rut

So what are you going to do when it feels like time is speeding up when every open door you seek always ends up being shut

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when every passing year barely feels more than a month

And everyday now, you and I we feel time speeding up on us

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when the road behind you is longer than the one up front

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when your days get so busy and you get caught in the rush

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when you just can’t shake that feeling of having never done enough

And everyday now, you and I we feel time speeding up on us

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when you’re alone with your thoughts and lost to the hush

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when some days all the old regrets come on like a flood

So what are you going to do when it feels like time’s speeding up when some days all the many choices you’ve made weigh too much

And everyday now, you and I we feel time speeding up on us

And this is my life now, this is where I find myself now, neither caught between heaven or hell where I am I really can’t tell but I’m moving forward trying my very best not to look behind facing up to all the things I used to deny

And I’m trying my very best to use my time the best way I can holding on tight ‘cause I don’t have a plan making my way through just the same way I always have

And everyday now, you and I we feel time speeding up on us so let’s not go wishing our life away ‘cause it’ll all catch us up soon enough So let’s not wish wish our life away So let’s not wish wish our life away

16. I MISS YOU ALL

The day I left, I left something special behind I wish we’d had more time to say good bye but how much time is ever enough for any of us sometimes I feel your absence so strong, maybe it’s already been too long everyday, even in small ways there’s things that remind me of you all the things you helped me get through yes, all the ones like you are all too few

oh, there really should be more like you

I miss you all I miss you all

Ain’t too many people know me too well but you, you know me so well I miss you all I miss you all

Life changes as it always changes it twists and it turns and it rearranges as we blindly stumble through the moments of our day You and I, we’ll find ourselves in so many different places You and I, we’ll meet so many different faces so many times we’ll drift apart but just as sure we’ll always come back together no matter the time passed, no matter the weather

oh, there really should be more like you

I miss you all I miss you all

Ain’t too many people know me too well but you, you know me so well

I miss you all I miss you all

One sweet day we’ll meet again One sweet day we’ll meet again

One sweet day One sweet day

* For the Barry Crew

17. FAR & AWAY ( THE BEST OF DAYS )

You’re growing up, more and more with everyday that goes by You’re growing up, that much we can no longer deny

You’re growing up, you’re out there finding your own way You’re growing up, you’re changing every single day

You’re growing up, you’re starting to find out who you are You’re growing up, you’ve already come so very far

You’re becoming your own man You’re becoming your own man

You’re growing up, with each and every year that passes by You’re growing up, with such a sense of wonder it’s hard to deny

You’re growing up, there’s such a curiosity behind your eyes You’re growing up, you’re no longer just the boy

You’re growing up, you’re starting to find out what your life is all about You’re growing up, you’re already starting to figure it all out

You’re becoming your own man You’re becoming your own man

And hopefully you’ll remember me fondly when I’m gone and you’ll smile when you think of me look back on how good our times together used to be

For it’s far and away the best of days far and away the best of days and no one can ever take that away from us

We’ve had our times and that’s a fact no need for us to turn the clock back for we do pretty well with the times that we have

For it’s far and away the best of days far and away the best of days

For Jayden, the boy who keeps growing

18. I SALUTE YOU

To all those who said it’s now or never I salute you, I salute you to all those who dared to dream I salute you, I salute you to all those who kept the faith I salute you, I salute you to all those who left it all behind to find something new I salute you, I salute you

One and all one and all I salute you

To all those who came before me I salute you, I salute you to all those who took the plunge I salute you, I salute you to all those who did this first I salute you I salute you

to all those who shut the fuck up and just did it I salute you, I salute you

One and all one and all I salute you

to all those who had the guts to face up to their fears I salute you, I salute you to all those who simply took a risk I salute you, I salute you to all those who defied the ever present doubts I salute you, I salute you

One and all one and all I salute you

to all those who never gave up never gave in I salute you, I salute you to all those who walked their own path I salute you I salute you to all those who looked to the sky I salute you I salute you

One and all one and all I salute you

I salute you I salute you

19. THE BOY WHO NEVER WAS

( Sound of children in a school playground/ sound of a school bell ringing )

Well, I guess it’s fair to say since those days we’ve grown apart we’re such a long way from the start and we’ve lost a few of the best of us along the way

Yeah, I guess it’s fair to say each of us has more lines on our faces and all the scars we gained across the years but in our hearts maybe we’re just the same as we ever were

It’s true that it’s been a long road and we’ve ended up in the gutter one too many times it’s such a long way back when we look how long it’s been for you and I

There’s been no real winners and no real losers but there’s been plenty of draws and everyday, more and more, I find myself looking back at the boy who never was

When you look in the mirror do you see the boy who never was?

And the river flows and none of us knows which direction it will take us

And the river flows and none of us knows whether we’ll sink or we’ll swim

And the river flows and none of us knows how long until we finally reach the sea

20. WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN

( Sounds of the city, traffic, people, horns honking, music drifting from bars and cafes, the night life waking up )

The city slows, a deep long pause when the sun goes down frosty air hangs just like a cloud when the sun goes down

guitars tuning, bands on stage when the sun goes down cafes and bars already humming with life when the sun goes down

sky dims, lights flicker on when the sun goes down neon sizzles, steam rises from drains when the sun goes down

evening air on my skin when the sun goes down

And I feel it, yeah I feel it

headlights blur in the gloom when the sun goes down purple cloaked priest in the church yard when the sun goes down

graffiti punks in the dark when the sun goes down red and blue bathes the alley ways when the sun goes down

Wild dogs howl to the sky when the sun goes down psychedelic cowboys dealing highs by the gram when the sun goes down warm breeze soothes my soul when the sun goes down

And I feel it, yeah I feel it

And I feel a need to wander always feel a need to wander I’ll roam, I’ll roam until I find my way home

I’ll roam, I’ll roam until I find my way home

( Sounds of the city, traffic, people, horns honking, music drifting from bars and cafes, the night life waking up )

21. THE SOUND OF WAVES

( I ) THE ART OF SELF DECEPTION

( Sound of birds singing/ sound of a river flowing/ sound of children playing )

Does it still surprise you every single day how somehow we’ve even made it this far truth is I always kind of wondered if maybe we were doomed from the start we could have lay there forever staring up at the sky heads resting on the soft grass, the world passing us by

Some days now I feel like we’re falling but I know we really need to see this through maybe we shouldn’t be fooling ourselves but we still gotta believe in ourselves if we’re ever to make it through

Oh, but look at us now Oh, look at us now when did you and I go our separate ways

Maybe the art of self deception is the cruellest joke fate can play but do you really think you and I would have it any other way hey, maybe you and I should have hitched a ride on an outgoing train maybe lost ourselves out on some remote plain went to a place where no one could find us, breathing in the clear air

Oh, but look at us now Oh, look at us now when did you and I go our separate ways

( II ) WE NEED TO FIX THIS

Everyone has that moment when the bone shows through the skin when the walls between us start to grow too thin when all we’re feeling we just can’t keep in and it feels like the dam’s about to burst

We all want to wake up not being worried all the time We all want fall asleep not being scared all the time we all want to feel we’re doing something worthwhile with our lives

We need to fix this, all the things we messed up back in the day We need to fix this, all the things we broke along the way We need to fix this, we need to pick this up and start again

I hear the sound of the waves gently washing I hear the sound of the tides slowly turning I hear the sound of angels quietly sighing I hear the sound of something ending but what it is I really can’t tell

( III ) THE LAST HURRAH

When the last hurrah comes let’s face it with a smile and a song let’s simply embrace it like a race that’s been won When the last hurrah comes let’s welcome it with a well earned sense of pride let’s embrace it all cause we’ve got nothing left to hide

When the last hurrah comes let’s accept our journey’s end with a dignified sigh let’s open our arms to the glory up on high

When the last hurrah comes let’s sing it a song for the distance we’ve come let’s sing it a song for the distance we’ve come

( Sound of waves washing on a beach, sound of seagulls flocking … )

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chrancecriber · 2 years

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Radio NET Bulgaria (October 18, 2022)

23:57 JAZZ FUNK SOUL - Timmendorfer By The Sea 23:52 INCOGNITO - Move It Up 23:47 DARRYL WILLIAMS - Reflections 23:42 LAWSON ROLLINS - Quest 23:38 REGGIE CODRINGTON - Possibilities 23:34 KIM SCOTT - SHINE! (feat. Blake Aaron) 23:29 WARREN HILL - Daydreamer 23:25 RICHARD ELLIOT - City Lights 23:19 PIECES OF A DREAM - Let's Do This 23:16 GARY METZ - Cruisin' 23:10 RHYTHM LOGIC - Sweet Talk 23:05 RICK BRAUN - Bahia 23:00 EUGE GROOVE - Gimme 6 22:59 CHRIS REECE - Overflow 22:55 CONJURE ONE - Only Sky (Lounge Edit) 22:51 DARK MATTERS, ANA CRIADO - The Quest Of A Dream (Original Mix) 22:46 ARNEJ - People Come, People Go (Chillout Mix) 22:40 ASCENSION - For A Lifetime (Chillout Mix) 22:37 ASHLEY WALLBRIDGE, ELLEAH - These Walls (Album Mix) 22:32 ASTRID SURYANTO - Distant Bar (Original Mix) 22:26 ATB - Remember That Day 22:21 BEN GOLD, SENADEE - Today (Chilled Datt Remix) 22:17 BENYA, PENNY NIXON - Serendipity (After Meridian & Dave Costa Remix) 22:12 BISSEN, THE CROSSOVER - Washout (Piano Mix) 22:09 BRIAN - Drowning (Acoustic Version) 22:06 BT & AQUALUNG - Surrounded (Tony Awake Remix) 22:00 FARUK SABANCI - As Faces Fade (Domenico Cascarino & Luca Lombardi Chill Out Remix) 21:54 CERF, MITISKA & JAREN - Beggin' You (Aeron Aether & Gorm Sorensen Remix) 21:49 E ONE, ARUNA - Still Holding On (Aruna vs Conjure One Chill Mix Lounge Edit) 21:46 CERF, MITISKA & JAREN, RANK 1 - Witness (Acoustic Mix) 21:43 CHRIS REECE, ROMINA ANDREWS - Right Back (Album Mix) 21:40 DARK MATTERS, CATHY BURTON - Together (Album Mix) 21:35 DASH BERLIN - Till The Sky Falls Down (Monokini Beach Mix) 21:29 CHAKRA - I Am (Vox Mix) 21:24 CHICANE - No Ordinary Morning (Original Mix) 21:21 CHICANE, KATE WALSH - Playing Fields (Original Mix) 21:17 DJ SHAH, ADRINA THORPE - Who Will Find Me (Acoustic Version) 21:12 CHRIS WONDERFUL - History (Original Mix) 21:07 CHRISTIAN BURNS, MARCO V - Frozen Heart (Acoustic Version) 21:02 CIARAN McAULEY, ROLY, OONAGH - Forgotten (Ambient Mix) 20:59 CLAES ROSEN, NATALIE PERIS - Stay (Original Mix) 20:55 COSMIC GATE, EMMA HEWITT - Be Your Sound (Live Acoustic Version) 20:51 FARUK SABANCI, JOSIE - Wake Up (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 20:47 COASTLINE, MADELIN ZERO - Alone With You (Chillout Mix) 20:43 CONJURE ONE, LEIGH NASH - Under The Gun (Original Mix) 20:38 ROGER SHAH, SUNLOUNGER - Trademark White (Omega 3 Bossachill Remix) 20:34 JOHN O'CALLAGHAN, AUDREY GALLAGHER - Big Sky (Acoustic Mix) 20:31 DARK MATTERS, DENISE RIVERA - Take Me Home 20:26 DASH BERLIN, SECEDE, SARAH HOWELLS - Believe In You 20:23 DEEP'N PURE, RADBOY - R We Ever Gonna Be (Original Mix) 20:18 DELERIUM, SARAH McLACHLAN - Silence (Acoustic Mix) 20:13 DJ SHAH, NADJA NOOIJEN - Over & Over (Acoustic Mix) 20:09 DT8 PROJECT - Hold Me Till The End (Unplugged Mix Lounge Edit) 20:06 KRONO, VANJESS - Redlight (Original Mix) 20:00 MOUSSA CLARKE, TERRAFUNKA - She Wants Him (Dynamic Illusion Chill Mix) 19:53 KIRSTY HAWKSHAW, TENISHIA - Invisible (Kopi Luwka Mix) 19:49 EMMA HEWITT - These Days Are Ours (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 19:46 FARUK SABANCI, CAMI - Awaken (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 19:43 JOSH GABRIEL, WINTER KILLS - Forward Facing (Zetandel Chill Out Mix) 19:38 JAN VAYNE - Fruits & Passion (Armin van Buuren's Downtempo Mix) 19:33 JEROME ISMA-AE - Underwater Love 19:28 JOHN O'CALLAGHAN, LO-FI SUGAR - Never Fade Away 19:23 JULIAN VINCENT, CATHY BURTON - Certainty (Andy Prinz Chillout Mix) 19:19 LOWLAND - Seven Cities 19:15 ORJAN NILSEN - Drink To Forget (Original Chill Out Mix) 19:10 ROGER SHAH, ADRINA THORPE - Island (Album Mix) 19:06 MATT DAREY, ERICA DRISCOLL - Too Far (Zetandel Chill Mix) 19:01 NADIA ALI - Fantasy (Original Mix) 18:57 NASH & PEPPER, ROGUE RAVEN - Am I Wrong (Acoustic Mix) 18:54 ARNEJ, JOSIE - Strangers We've Become (Acoustic Mix) 18:51 PUBLIC SYMPHONY - Wings 18:46 TENISHIA, TIFF LACEY - Burning From The Inside (Tenishia Frozen Mix) 18:43 TENISHIA, CHRIS JONES - Memory Of A Dream (Unplugged Mix) 18:39 ROBERT NICKSON - Spiral (Chillout Mix) 18:33 SIR LOUNGEALOT - Silver Beach (Original Mix) 18:29 SUNLOUNGER - In & Out (Chill Mix) 18:26 STONEBRIDGE - Don't Matter (Album Mix) 18:22 SUNLOUNGER, SEIS CUERDAS - A Balearic Dinner (Chill Mix) 18:17 SUNLOUNGER, ZARA TAYLOR - Crawling (Chill Mix) 18:11 SUNLOUNGER, ZARA TAYLOR - Found (Downtempo Version) 18:07 JAY KING - Opened Up My Heart 18:03 SUSANA, DARK MATTERS - Sleepless Ocean (Extended Mix) 18:01 HARDWELL, COLLIN McLOUGHLIN - Call Me A Spaceman (Unplugged Version) 17:57 THE SPACE BROTHERS - Beyond The Sun (Original Mix) 17:53 TYDI, AUDREY GALLAGHER - World's Apart (Album Mix) 17:47 WAY OUT WEST - One Bright Night (Original Mix) 17:43 YORK, ASHENI - Iceflowers (Original Mix) 17:38 ORKIDEA - Beautiful (Ambient Mix) 17:34 JIM ADKINS - See the Light 17:29 SIMMONDS, JONES - Home (Vox Mix) 17:25 SOLID SESSIONS - Janeiro (Chiller Twist Blue Line Remix) 17:20 LUSTRAL - Love Shines Through (Vox Mix) 17:17 TINA COUSINS - Wonderful Life (Ballad Version) 17:10 EDWARD MAYA - Stereo Love (Yonta Chillout Remix) 17:05 BRAVE - The Muse (Chill Out Mix) 17:00 JAY KING - Soulful Bossa Nova 16:58 ROBERT HARRIS - Standing by a Friend 16:54 GARY PALMER - Lisa 16:49 BLAIR BRYANT - Lightning Bug 16:43 BOB BALDWIN - It's a New Day 16:39 DARRYL WILLIAMS - Do You Remember (feat. Michael Lington) 16:34 REZA KHAN - Painted Stories 16:30 JULIAN VAUGHN - On Notice 16:26 PHIL DENNY - Radio Flyer 16:21 JAREZ - I'm Leaving 16:17 BRENDAN ROTHWELL - Keep On Keepin' On 16:13 RICHARD ELLIOT - Desire 16:08 PIECES OF A DREAM - On The Move 16:05 JOHN NOVELLO - Put Your Records On 16:00 RICK BRAUN - Versace On The Floor 15:58 STEVE COLE - Five6oh83 15:52 EUGE GROOVE - Too Cool 15:48 GARY PALMER - Coast 2 Coast 15:44 BLAIR BRYANT - Footsteps in the Dark 15:39 ROBERT HARRIS - Midnight Rendezvous 15:35 DARRYL WILLIAMS - Don't Ask My Neighbors (feat. Ashling Cole & Greg Manning) 15:30 BOB BALDWIN - Morning 15:26 REZA KHAN - East Bound 15:22 FREDDIE FOX - Smooth 15:18 AL DEGREGORIS - My Father's House 15:14 GREGG KARUKAS - Show Me The Way 15:09 ROB TARDIK - Two Much Fun 15:05 RICHARD ELLIOT - Lip Service 15:00 PIECES OF A DREAM - No Doubt 14:56 PHIL DENNY - Stand Together 14:52 RICK BRAUN - Me And You 14:47 JULIAN VAUGHN - Sunset Station 14:44 GARY PALMER - Chicago by Morning 14:40 NILS - Malibu 14:36 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Subway 14:31 BLAIR BRYANT - Sapphire Rain 14:27 DARRYL WILLIAMS - My Story (feat. Jeff Lorber) 14:23 STEVE COLE - Pulse 14:19 LINDSEY WEBSTER - I Didn't Mean It 14:13 BOB BALDWIN - Every Breath Is A Gift 14:09 BILLYRAY SHEPPARD - On My Way Now 14:04 ROBERT HARRIS - Forever Yours 14:00 TIM BOWMAN - Tan Hermosa (So Beautiful) 13:56 GREGG KARUKAS - Lost In Negril 13:52 BRIAN SIMPSON - Emerald City 13:48 NICK COLIONNE - When You Love Somebody 13:44 JAREZ - Take My Time 13:40 GARY PALMER - Waterfalls 13:36 JEANETTE HARRIS - Non Stop 13:32 KIM WATERS - On a Mission 13:28 NILS - Good Times Are Better 13:23 EUGE GROOVE - Summer Stroll 13:18 STEVE COLE - Laws of Attraction 13:14 ANDY SHITZER - Some Quiet Place 13:09 JACKIEM JOYNER - In Love Again 13:05 BILLYRAY SHEPPARD - She's Lovely In Yellow 13:00 FREDDIE FOX - Groovin' 12:56 AL DEGREGORIS - Autumn Chill 12:51 GREGG KARUKAS - Love Is In Your Own Backyard 12:47 DANIEL DOMENGE - Patchwork 12:42 NICK COLIONNE - Is This Love I'm Feeling 12:38 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - C-Funk 12:34 GARY PALMER - Misunderstanding 12:30 TIM BOWMAN - Seaside Drive 12:26 BIRDS OF A FEATHER - In The Shade 12:21 BRIAN SIMPSON - One of a Kind 12:17 JAREZ - All I Need 12:14 NILS - All Roads Lead to You 12:10 STEVE COLE - Can'T Get Enough 12:04 EUGE GROOVE - God Bless You 12:00 BILLYRAY SHEPPARD - Dancing In The River At Midnight 11:59 ANDY SHITZER - She Loves Me 11:55 JACKIEM JOYNER - Where's The Love Gone 11:51 GREGG KARUKAS - Nightshift 11:46 FREDDIE FOX - Champagne Tonight 11:42 AL DEGREGORIS - People Power 11:38 PAOLO RUSTICHELLI - Voyager 11:34 BLAKE AARON - Feels So Right 11:31 GARY PALMER - To the Top 11:26 NICK COLIONNE - Latin Lover 11:22 DANIEL DOMENGE - Back to the Past 11:18 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Midnight Groove 11:13 JEANETTE HARRIS - All I Do 11:08 JEFF KASHIWA - When It Feels Good 11:04 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - LA Nights 11:00 MICHAEL ROSS - Hot in Brazil 10:57 TIM BOWMAN - Light of Love 10:53 OLI SILK - Hurry Up And Wait 10:49 JAMHUNTERS - Tah-Two 10:45 DARREN RAHN - Easy Does It 10:40 BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Thickets 10:35 JIM ADKINS - The Secret Place 10:30 BRIAN SIMPSON - Chemistry 10:26 NILS - Life is What You Make It 10:22 JAREZ - Can't Get Enough 10:16 EUGE GROOVE - Get Em Goin' 10:13 DAVE KOZ - It's All Love 10:09 BILLYRAY SHEPPARD - Take Flight 10:04 ANDY SHITZER - On and On 10:00 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Pardon Me 09:59 MICHAEL ROSS - Four Seasons to Cross 09:55 JACKIEM JOYNER - This Time Around 09:51 GREGG KARUKAS - Happy The Man 09:47 FREDDIE FOX - From The Heart 09:43 JAMHUNTERS - Eurabian Fantasy 09:39 AL DEGREGORIS - After a Rain 09:34 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Stan's Groove 09:30 STEVE COLE - With You All the Way 09:26 NICK COLIONNE - There It Is 09:22 ADAM HAWLEY - I Don't Mind (Feat. Euge Groove) 09:18 DANIEL DOMENGE - Cool 09:14 JEANETTE HARRIS - P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thang) 09:08 JEFF KASHIWA - You're The One 09:04 TIM BOWMAN - Let It Shine 09:00 DARREN RAHN - D-Luxe 08:55 KIM WATERS - Love's Melody 08:52 MICHAEL ROSS - Bumpin' on Sundown 08:49 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Pocket Love 08:44 BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Rendezvous 08:38 BRAD ALEXANDER - Through the Fire (feat. Andrew Gouche) 08:34 KIRK WHALUM - Desperately 08:30 BRIAN SIMPSON - Sky Watcher 08:26 JAMHUNTERS - Room for Milk 08:22 NILS - Above the Clouds 08:18 MEKIEL REUBEN - Corey 08:14 OLI SILK - So Many Ways 08:09 SHAWN RAIFORD - Good Vibrations 08:05 JAREZ - How I Feel 08:00 BLAIR BRYANT - Hello Beautiful 07:55 EUGE GROOVE - Straight Up 07:51 ANDY SHITZER - On Extended Wing 07:46 TONY SAUNDERS - Sleepless Nights 07:42 JACKIEM JOYNER - I'm Waiting For You 07:37 MICHAEL ROSS - Almost Home 07:33 KIRK WHALUM - Ruby Ruby Ruby (feat. Earl Klugh) 07:28 GREGG KARUKAS - Heatwave 07:25 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Just the Two of Us 07:21 FREDDIE FOX - Southern Ways 07:17 AL DEGREGORIS - Into the Sun 07:12 STEVE COLE - Believe 07:08 NICK COLIONNE - Born Again 07:04 ADAM HAWLEY - Old School Jam 07:00 DANIEL DOMENGE - Always to Run 06:57 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Tidal 06:52 BLAIR BRYANT - EmberGlow 06:47 JEFF KASHIWA - Meet You There 06:42 TIM BOWMAN - Travelin' Road 06:39 DARREN RAHN - I Can't Go For That 06:34 BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Only You 06:29 KIRK WHALUM - The Wave 06:24 JIM ADKINS - No Ordinary Love 06:21 TONY SAUNDERS - Tonight (Best You Ever Had) 06:16 MICHAEL ROSS - On the Beach with You 06:12 NOTEWORTHY BAND - Sweet Breeze 06:08 JESSY J - Hot Sauce 06:04 BRAD ALEXANDER - Feel da Music (feat. Gerald Albright) 06:00 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Black Shoebox 06:00 EUGE GROOVE - Rewind 05:55 BILLYRAY SHEPPARD - Heels And Pearls 05:51 BLAIR BRYANT - Power UP! 05:46 ANDY SHITZER - September '79 05:42 JACKIEM JOYNER - J Street 05:37 DAVE KOZ - Still Got It 05:32 GREGG KARUKAS - Napa Road 05:28 FREDDIE FOX - Thank You 05:24 KIRK WHALUM - Roundtrip (feat. Kenneth, Peanuts, Kyle, and Kevin Whalum) 05:20 BRIAN SIMPSON - Here with You 05:17 NILS - Don't Hold Back 05:12 KIM WATERS - Water's Edge 05:08 MICHAEL ROSS - Moments in Fall 05:04 OLI SILK - Just Can't Resist 05:00 TONY SAUNDERS - Interlude In Paris 04:57 DARREN RAHN - Midnight Sun 04:54 SHAWN RAIFORD - All Systems Go 04:51 JEANETTE HARRIS - Down Wit' It 04:47 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - REM Funk 04:43 BLAIR BRYANT - Kiss of Life 04:39 JAREZ - Sounds Good to Me 04:35 AL DEGREGORIS - JD's Groove 04:32 NICK COLIONNE - Nite Train 04:28 STEVE COLE - Starting Over 04:24 KIRK WHALUM - Inside (feat. Shanice) 04:20 ADAM HAWLEY - Traveling Mood (Feat. Julian Vaughan) 04:17 DANIEL DOMENGE - French Connection 04:11 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - New Hope 04:08 JEFF KASHIWA - It's Up To You 04:04 PAUL MESSINA - Above the Clouds 04:00 MICHAEL ROSS - We Slept in the Rain 03:57 NOTEWORTHY BAND - Surf to Smooth 03:53 JOYCE COOLING - South of Market 03:49 TIM BOWMAN - All My Life 03:45 DARREN RAHN - Rock with You 03:42 BIRDS OF A FEATHER - Phoenix Rising 03:38 JIM ADKINS - Straight Ahead 03:34 BLAIR BRYANT - Red Tiger 03:30 JESSY J - Daylight (Gregg Karukas feat. Jessy J) 03:25 TONY SAUNDERS - Bigger Than Outside 03:21 BRIAN SIMPSON - When I Say Your Name 03:17 KIRK WHALUM - Courtney 03:13 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Groove Love 03:09 NILS - In The Moment 03:05 BLAKE AARON - Drive 03:00 KIM WATERS - Possession 02:55 MEKIEL REUBEN - Lovely Day 02:50 OLI SILK - Take Me Away 02:47 SHAWN RAIFORD - Rude Boy 02:41 NELSON RANGELL - City Lights 02:37 JEANETTE HARRIS - Chi Town 02:33 JAREZ - One Take 02:29 EUGE GROOVE - Slam Dunkn 02:25 BLAIR BRYANT - That Girl 02:21 BRAD ALEXANDER - Straight Up (feat. Donald Hayes) 02:16 BILLYRAY SHEPPARD - Silk 02:12 ANDY SHITZER - Only With You 02:05 KIRK WHALUM - Afterthought 02:00 TONY SAUNDERS - Alaya 01:57 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Club Life 01:54 JACKIEM JOYNER - Say I Do 01:49 BLAKE AARON - Fall For You 01:43 GREGG KARUKAS - Home To You 01:39 FREDDIE FOX - Cool 01:35 AL DEGREGORIS - Tranquility 01:31 STEVE COLE - Slinky 01:27 NICK COLIONNE - Be Urself 01:22 ADAM HAWLEY - Just A Friend Of Mine 01:18 BLAIR BRYANT - Relentless 01:13 DANIEL DOMENGE - Last Summer 01:09 THE SMOOTH JAZZ ALLEY - Always & Forever 01:04 JEFF KASHIWA - The Attraction 01:00 KIRK WHALUM - Big Ol' Shoes 00:59 MARK CARTER - Swingtown 00:54 JOYCE COOLING - Another Time 00:50 TIM BOWMAN - Into The Blue 00:46 DARREN RAHN - Our Love 00:43 PHILLIP DOC MARTIN - Hip Today 00:38 TONY SAUNDERS - Melody In My Heart 00:34 BLAKE AARON - Weekend In Paradise 00:30 KIM WATERS - East Coast Strollin' 00:26 BIRDS OF A FEATHER - City Life 00:21 JULIAN VAUGHN - All To Myself 00:18 JIM ADKINS - Wind Dancing 00:13 JESSY J - White Sand (Paul Brown feat. Jessy J) 00:09 BLAIR BRYANT - B's Bounce 00:04 BRIAN SIMPSON - Closer Still 00:00 NILS - Shine Your Light On Me

#Radio NET Bulgaria #Smooth Jazz #Chillout #Lounge #Downtempo #Ambient #Trance #2022 #October 2022

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pascalpanic · 4 years

Text

Alpha Beta Charlie- A Frankie Morales Story

Summary: Frankie is a lonely man with a big heart. His life changes when a new girl comes into his life.

W/C: 4.1k

Warnings: This one is a little heavy. Lots of language, talk of poor mental health (Frankie has depression and anxiety), Frankie’s recovering from a coke addiction, alcohol is prevalent here, harm to animals, lots of talk of blood and injuries.

A/N: This story is different than I normally write. There’s no reader in the story, this is just a story about Frankie Morales and a moment in his life. Please note that this is darker as it centers around an injured animal. Be warned of that. P.S. some of my friends might see ur names in here :) thank u to all of my friends who helped me pick Charlie’s name, and to @ilikechocolatemilkh who helped me create this whole story!

Frankie Morales is a kindhearted man. Anyone who meets him knows it instantly. He’s got a wonderful laugh that’s warm and inviting, and it’s often on display to anyone who chats with him for more than a few seconds. He’s caring, it’s clear, with big brown eyes that radiate compassion.

His friends would describe him more as an idiot. Frankie, who they call Catfish from their days in the military, insists that they’re the idiots. He’s the voice of reason in their group, making the rational decisions and de-escalating fights within their group.

That’s not to say Frankie is entirely sunshine and rainbows. He’s now several months sober from a long and grueling addiction to cocaine. It ruined him: it took away his pilot’s license, his everything in life. Flying helicopters was Frankie’s passion, but he’s recovering. He’s on the right track.

He had a girlfriend, who became his fiancée, and left him not long after he returned home from a dangerous mission in South America. It didn’t matter anyway; her child, who Frankie had dedicated all of his heart to before the birth, was revealed to be another man’s. As much as she resented him for taking the mission, he resented her for cheating and lying and holding the information back.

So now Frankie lives on his own. He resides out in a more rural town, not far from where Benny has his weekly fights and Will (also known as Ironhead) works with young military recruits. It’s been a couple of months, and it’s hard to be alone. Santiago pops into town once or twice a month, and it’s always the highlight of Frankie’s very being. His best friend brings light and laughter into his life. When he leaves again, Frankie’s small home feels massive and quiet.

He plays lots of CDs. He has bluetooth speakers all around the home and blasts his favorite songs. He’s learned how to cook and clean and has even learned how to bake a decent, basic version of a nice loaf of bread. He works as a mechanic at a shop in his small town’s center, working the odd hours that no one else wants, the hours where others want to be home with their families.

He’d considered different options to make the house more home-like, more welcoming. He tried his hand at gardening, only to find that he had the opposite of a green thumb. He painted the walls a warmer color, then painted them again. He was currently considering changing the colors for the third time. He’d burn candles that he thought smelled nice. He’d hung up a few photos of him and his friends, or his family. Nothing really worked.

A typical night for Frankie held one of two patterns:

-Night A: Frankie gets home from the shop at about 7:30, hands covered in grease and smelling of burnt motor oil. He gets in the shower and cleans up, then either ends up at Benny’s arena to cheer him on, or at the bar with both Miller brothers.

-Night B: Frankie gets home at the same time. He showers to clean himself, simply because he hates leaving smudges over his home. He cooks a nice dinner or orders takeout. He eats it on the couch and watches a new Netflix series. He gets sad and feels alone and drinks a beer, then a few more, to drown the sensation. He goes to bed early and calls into the shop to see if any of the morning shift workers want to go home early, because he can come in an hour or two before his shift. He claims it’s for the overtime pay. It’s really to avoid the loneliness.

Frankie likes patterns. He likes routine. It’s soothing. Maybe it’s a remnant of his military days, where not a second would pass without having a title affixed to the very second he was living in. Predictability made the hurt easier.

Tonight was an A Night. Frankie and the Miller brothers sat at the bar of McCreary’s and talked about everything and nothing at once. Will talked about the new girl he was seeing. Benny made lewd comments. Frankie smacked his arm and ordered another round for the other two, then nursed one beer for the entire night.

Winters were the worst for Catfish. He lived in the South, where snow was uncommon, but the dreary February weather stole whatever energy he could muster up and sent it up to join the gray masses that hung in the sky, yet never shed their raindrops. It gets dark early, another thing Frankie hates. It reminds him of the look on Tom’s face when he died. Of the way his bachelor home never made sounds unless he created them. Of the way the craving for one more hit of that devious white powder felt, the way it scrambled his brain until he thought it was the only thing that could take it away.

This A Night, which also happened to be an especially chilly Tuesday, Frankie drove home from the bar at 12:21. The backroads that lead from the suburbs out to the rolling hills are dark, with a rare streetlight or two illuminating a fork in the road that led to a house. The radio droned on, some old Waylon Jennings song that was threatening to send Frankie into a fit of rage and smash a fist into his dashboard. He turned off the radio instead.

Another car drove the opposite way, far in the distance. He could see the lights approaching, then dim slightly. Frankie turned off his brights, instead allowing the road to be illuminated just by his front headlights. He turns up the heat in his truck as a shiver runs down his spine.

Something is running across the road. Frankie can see it now. It’s far from him, but visible in the other car’s light. He slams on his brakes, his body jerking forward.

The other car doesn’t slow.

He slams his horn several times, for whatever is in the road and the other driver.

The thing doesn’t move.

The car doesn’t slow.

The car and the creature- oh fuck, it’s an animal- collide.

Everything that happens next is too quick. The car stops for a moment. Frankie whips the truck into park and turns on his hazards.

The other car stops for a moment. Frankie can just make out a silhouette inside. He gets out of his truck, eyes wide and frantic. He runs to the animal’s side.

The car drives off.

Dust swirls across the road as the car’s tail lights fade into the distance. Leaving just Frankie and his truck and the mangled mess of fur and blood.

“Fucker!” Frankie screams after the car. “You fuckin’ bastard! You didn’t even check, you motherfucker!”

He gets closer and realizes it’s a dog. Its fur is white and brown and so painstakingly red with its own blood, and it whimpers and cries and Frankie realizes the poor fucking thing is still alive. Whether it’s his caretaking or his military instincts that kick in, Frankie isn’t sure, but before he knows it he’s ripping off his jacket and picking up the poor poor baby, oh you little angel, he coos to it, wrapping it in the denim and setting it in his passenger seat.

It’s still whimpering and crying, and Frankie gets in the driver’s seat and grabs his phone. “Nearest 24-hour pet hospital,” he shouts into it, hands shaking. He doesn’t realize either reaction is happening. It gets the words wrong. “No, fuck,” he groans, shifting the truck into drive and whipping a U-turn. He types in the words as he starts to speed back in the direction of the town. He knows he shouldn’t text and drive and normally he doesn’t, but he’s a fucking former military helicopter pilot, he rationalizes with himself, he can handle this. He finds the directions and types them in and tears start dripping from his eyes.

“Hang in there, buddy, hey,” he says and rubs the poor dog’s big ears as they drive. “It’s gonna be 30 minutes. Think you can hang on for me?” he asks it, not expecting a response. He wants to check the dog’s sex but now is certainly not the time, not while he’s doing 85 in a 60 zone and the dog’s blood is seeping into his denim jacket and his passenger seat.

The tears are flowing freely from his eyes now, his heart breaking. He can feel the animal’s shallow breaths as he drives, and he sobs to himself. “Hang on, buddy. It’s gonna be okay, I gotcha. I’m Frankie,” he introduces himself to the dog, “and I’m gonna take real good care of you. You’re gonna be alright and we’re gonna get you fixed up and back to your owners.”

The drive takes 24 minutes when Frankie is flying down the backroads. Fuck if a cop sees him. Fuck blowing a tire. That can be cared for later, when there’s not a dying creature next to him. A steady murmur of ‘it’s okay’ spills from Frankie’s lips. He’s not sure if he’s saying it to the dog or himself. One hand firmly grips the steering wheel and the other never leaves the animal’s body. He comforts the poor creature, murmuring more reassurances the closer they get.

“Please hang in there for me, cariño,” Frankie whimpers, chewing his bleeding lip. “I gotcha. It’s all gonna be alright, bud.”

When he sees the hospital, he drives a little faster. He pulls into the emergency room area and parks in front of the door, turning on his hazards and running inside. There are a few veterinary nurses inside and they greet him, but their looks turn to fear when they see the denim-wrapped animal. “Please, please, Idon’tknowthisisn’tmydogitwasahitandrunandIpickeditup-”

“It’s alright, sir, come with us. Please breathe and tell us again,” a kind woman tells him with a hand on his arm, rushing him and the dog back. Frankie calms down after a moment and explains what happened. “It’s not my dog, I don’t know whose dog this is, you gotta check it for a chip-” he rambles.

“It’s alright, sir,” the nurse tells him kindly and takes the dog from his arms. Frankie clutches after it and a new woman pushes his arms down. “We’re going to take it back and operate on it. Would you please wait here for us? We’ll come give you updates as we get them,” she tells him, gesturing to the waiting room. He nods. “And is this your dog’s first time here?” She asks.

The tears come back, choking his throat as water falls steadily from his eyes. “It’s not even my fuckin’ dog, man,” he whimpers, worrying his lip between his teeth again.

The woman is still kind. “I see. Please, sit, Mr….”

“Morales,” he manages out.

She nods. “Mr. Morales. I understand you’re worried. Please just wait in here for us and we’ll bring you information when we have it.” He nods softly, grabbing a tissue from the front desk. He wipes his eyes and nose. “My truck is parked right outside, it’s in the way, I’ll go park it somewhere else,” he tells her.

“That’s perfectly fine, sir. You can even leave and come back if you’d like.” He shakes his head. “I’ll be right back,” he tells her and walk-jogs outside, getting in his car and bringing it around to park.

Frankie enters the emergency room again and sits in a chair. He worries and worries for hours, texting his group chat with the Millers and Santiago. He gives them a play-by-play, but only Santiago responds. He sits awake for another hour, nervously wringing his ball cap.

The dog must be alive, or at least be able to save, he rationalizes with himself. After a while, the worry fades and he falls asleep. Two hours later, no other patients around to disrupt him, he’s woken by the nurse who took the dog back. “Mr. Morales?” She calls out gently.

He jumps awake. “Yeah, yeah, that’s me.” He sits up from his slumped state, readjusting the cap from where it had been resting over his eyes.

The nurse smiles softly at him and sits in a chair across the waiting room from him. “The dog is safe now. We had to amputate her front left leg, and she had a lot of stitches, but she’s stable and looks like she’ll do well.” He lets out a sigh and her smile becomes more genuine. “You told us she isn’t yours?”

She. The dog is a girl. Of course she is, Frankie smiles a little. The smile falls as he remembers the fact again. “No, no. It was a hit and run. I saw it happen, the other guy took off, it wasn’t me who hit her, I’m-”

“Mr. Morales.”

“Right. No, she’s not mine.”

The nurse nods and writes that down. “Well, we scanned her several times. She has no chip, no identifiers at all. Our options now are to send her to some rescue or kennel of some sort, or you can take her home with you.”

His heart breaks at the image of the sweet dog in the front seat of his car going somewhere without daily love and affection. “She’ll come with me,” he answers before he can rationally think about it.

“Wonderful,” she nods, marking that down as well. “She’s looped up now on some drugs. We’ll let her sleep them off for a bit and then she’s all yours. We do have some procedures we’ll need you to follow, for caring for the wound and such. But after that, it should be all good. You’re free to head out now. We can call you when she wakes up.”

Frankie nods. “Yeah. Yeah, that would be great.” He looks down at his watch and notices how early in the morning it is. “Thanks,” he tells her with a genuine smile, taking off his cap and running his hands through his hair before replacing it.

- From that moment on, Frankie was enamored with the dog. He called in from work when the shop opened bright and early at 6:00 A.M.

“Hey Carol. It’s Morales.”

“You can stop asking if you can come in early, Frank. Just do it,” the woman chuckles on the other line. A loud slurp is audible- it’s the coffee she’s always drinking, the dark sludgy shit that she brews in the break room that Frankie can’t stand but she absolutely adores.

“No, uh. Actually, I was calling in to see if someone else could cover for me today.” He explains the whole story to her, wringing his cap between his hands. “So. I was kind of hoping I could take the day to look for the dog’s owners and care for her.”

There’s a beat of silence over the phone. “Of course, Frankie,” the older woman says kindly. “You got a real big heart, kid. Real big. That’s awful kind.”

He smiles a little. “Just doing what I can. Thanks, Carol.”

“Keep me posted, Catfish.” The woman hangs up.

Frankie’s in more comfortable clothes now. He didn’t sleep at all once he got home, waiting for the hospital’s call. He distracts himself, cooking a breakfast he only picks at, watching his new series halfheartedly on the couch.

The animal hospital calls him again at 7:30. He gets off the couch immediately and into the truck. There’s a bit of blood on the passenger seat, from where the dog wasn’t immediately covered by his jacket. It’s not a worry, though, he thinks to himself. He’ll get some stain remover and maybe a new and nicer jacket.

When he arrives, they usher him back to a check-up room. The dog is lying down but she wags her tail at Frankie, looking up at him with big brown eyes that could rival his own. “Hey, sweet thing,” he calls softly, and the dog stands and walks over to him. It’s pained, that much is clear, but she’s already adjusting to walking with one less limb. She rests her head on Frankie’s lap and he scratches her ears gently.

Some paperwork is filled out and Frankie leads the dog out to his truck with the leash and collar the hospital provided. He lifts her into the passenger seat and she snuggles in. The scent is familiar to her.

Frankie drives her to a pet store nearby, smiling over at her. She looks at ease with him, relaxed and trusting. Of course she is. This is the man who saved her.

He helps her down once they arrive and leads her inside. Her walking is pained, he can tell. “Aw, honey,” he frowns. There are carts right inside; Frankie sees the immediate solution. He scoops her up and sets her in a cart. Her tongue hangs out happily as they go through the store. “We’re gonna get you all kinds of fun stuff, huh?” He asks, scratching her head.

Frankie spares no expense for the dog. As they cross through the store, the cart fills: bags of food and treats, a new leash, and a pink collar decorated with donuts “because you’re such a sweetie, right cutie?”, doggie bags, and food and water dishes. Finally they reach the toy aisle. “Do you wanna pick your own toy?”

He picks her up and sets her down on the ground, unclipping her leash to allow her to explore the toy aisle. She meanders, sniffing toys here and there, even considering one big bone. A few moments later, she comes tottering back to the cart with a toy in her mouth. It’s a big plush hedgehog. Frankie grins. “Aw, that’s a good one! Good choice, cutie.” He kisses her head as he puts her back in the cart.

They check out and drive home, and Frankie allows her to wander inside. “Welcome home. At least for now. I suppose I should put an ad out for you online.”

The dog doesn’t respond, just wanders around the house, sniffing the furniture warily and looking back at Frankie. Asking if he’s coming. He smiles and leads her to the couch, sitting down on it. “I know they say you shouldn’t let dogs on the furniture, but I think you and I can share.” She jumps up and Frankie praises her, giving her a smooch and earning a big lick in return. “Oh, pretty girl, I think you’ll like it here,” he coos to her. She snuggles into his side with a sigh and Frankie sighs too.

Over the next few days, he posts ads for her, but no one responds. He reaches out to people from the area he was driving in, but no one responds. After Day 4 of searching, there’s no response and he allows himself to sigh in relief. “You’re mine now, baby girl,” he coos to the dog, who’s happily panting and grinning.

During the first week, Frankie tries out different names for her. None of them seem to stick. He wonders if she ever even had a name before. Ada, Lucille, Thea, Sunny, Miki, Zulu, Fox, Pancake. None of them work right for her personality.

It’s not until late one night when Frankie’s coke cravings decide upon a name for her.

It’s 2:24 in the morning and Frankie is quaking like a leaf. The dog is cuddled up into his side on the bed. Wherever he goes around the house, she follows. He’s biting his lip so hard it’s drawing blood. Normally when he’s this anxious, when he yearns to call his dealer, he rides it out by balling his fists so tight his knuckles turn white. But his dog seems to notice.

She rests her chin on his hip, wagging her tail against the mattress with a steady thump. She whines quietly. She knows.

Frankie’s at least momentarily distracted. “Hey, beautiful, what’s wrong?” He asks her, scratching his head and rolling over to pet her. He’s still desperate but the focus shifts from the sensation of one last hit to the feeling of her soft fur beneath his fingers. She sighs happily and snuggles into Frankie’s side, and he starts to cry.

No one has ever needed him. Not his plants: they’re succulents. He deals with them once every other week. Not his former fiancée. She didn’t need him, just liked him for his money and his dick late at night. Not his friends. They had other friends to go to. No, this dog needs him, and it makes his heart feel like it’s going to burst.

Sitting up, Frankie turns on the television. He hits a random button to choose a channel, and Princess and the Frog comes on. He chuckles a little. “How about Tiana?” He asks his dog and scratches her ears. She doesn’t react.

It’s near the beginning of the movie. The relaxing music soothes him as the movie starts. The dog lies with her head on his thigh, happily receiving scratchies from her new father. Her head perks up when she hears a shrill noise from the television: Tiana’s best friend in her puffy pink dress.

“It’s okay, it’s okay baby. It’s just Charlotte.”

Charlotte. Her ears perk up and she looks at him. “Charlotte?” He asks again, and she looks at him in confusion. “Do you like that one? How about Lottie?” No response. “Or Charlie?”

The dog pounces on him with her one front paw and licks his face. Frankie laughs happily scratching her sides. “Is that your name, pretty girl? Is your name Charlie?”

The answer, it seems, is yes.

It’s funny, Frankie thinks. Charlie is the third letter of the military alphabet, after Alpha and Beta.

Before Delta.

She would be, he realizes. She’s more important to him than his Delta Squadron guys. More important to him than the terrible things he did in the military. She comes before Delta.

And that’s how Charlie got her name.

The guys finally came over to Frankie’s house on Night 9 of owning Charlie.

All of the men are dog lovers, and Charlie takes to Benny quickly. He gives her her favorite kind of scratches: one hand behind the ear, one hand on the tummy. “Yeah, that’s a good tripod,” he teases her as he snuggles her.

“Hey man, cut it out,” Frankie frowns and smacks his arm. “She’s insecure about it! Be nice.”

Santiago laughs. “Hey, you know what, Fish? This isn’t what I meant when I said that you should get a girl, but I’ll take it. Especially when she’s such a sweetie- oh hi, beautiful,” he coos as Charlie hops his way and licks his face.

Frankie shakes his head. “Isn’t she a cutie?” He laughs happily as he watches his dog. “I tried posting ads for her, but no one answered. She’s such a sweetheart, potty trained and everything. I can’t believe I got so lucky.”

Benny grins. “And all because we asked you to get a beer and you caved and said yes.”

“What the hell do you mean caved, Ben? I get beers with you two fuckers three times a week,” he laughs and shakes his head.

He’s been home alone with her all week, but he hasn’t felt as anxious as he normally does. Her companionship is all he needs, the way she snuggles up tight against him, the way her meal schedule motivates him to eat more. He has a purpose now.

After the initial excitement, Charlie finds her place sitting at her dad’s feet, panting happily and looking around the room. “She fits in well,” Will nods and leans over as he scratches her head. “She’s the newest member of our group, I suppose.”

“She’s much less work than Fish. Maybe we replace him with her,” Santiago teases and Frankie flips him off, chuckling softly.

This was a pattern that came to be known as the newly named C Night in Frankie’s head. These are the nights where they order a pizza or takeout and hang out in Frankie’s living room with Charlie. She’s the entertainer of the group, giving the men each some individual snuggles and wandering around the room. She’s funny, flopping onto her back at a human’s feet so that she can get tummy rubs, spending an absurd amount of time sniffing one specific spot on one man’s jeans. They all adore her.

Life improves for Frankie when he has Charlie. He works shorter hours, spends time brushing her fur. He sleeps at better hours and cares for himself better as a result of caring for her.

He takes her on a jog every morning. At first, he was nervous to do it. It’s been a long time since he’s been able to pass those Special Ops fitness tests. The thing that encourages him most is that Charlie is just the same speed as him. She runs along happily on three legs at the perfect pace for Frankie to match.

Frankie lovingly refers to her as his copilot. She loves riding in the passenger seat of his truck, letting the wind from the open windows run through her fur. She gets excited when she hears the word truck and demands that Frankie snuggle her when they’re on a long drive. She even fell asleep on his lap once, with her face resting in the curve of the steering wheel.

Charlie is Frankie’s baby, and Frankie is her favorite human. The two of them are each other’s soulmates, Frankie thinks. His baby girl, his fluffy baby, his cuddlebug. His girl. His one true love is his dog, his Charlie.

taglist:

@remmysbounty @mishasminion360 @softly-sad @blo0dangel @luxurybeskar @binarydanvvers @sleep-tight1 @apascalrascal

#frankie morales x reader #frankie morales #frankie catfish morales #triple frontier #triple frontier fanfiction #pedro pascal #pedro pascal x reader #jose pedro balmaceda pascal #pedro pascal fanfiction #pascalpanic

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toscrollperchancetomeme · 3 years

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Lestat de Lioncourt - A playlist

So, guess who made a Lestat Playlist (like there aren't enough already) and decided to sit down for 4-6 hours to find some excerpt corresponding with each song? Featuring 80s and 90s music (clearly showing my age...) as well as many european songs and showtunes. Enjoy!

1. Cathedrals – Ramin Karimloo (Original by Jump, Little Children)

In the cathedrals of New York and Rome There is a feeling that you should just go home And spend the lifetime finding out just where that is

And that was not a good year for me. I was wandering aimlessly. I was sick of things. I was furious with myself that the „beauty“ of life wasn't sustaining me, wasn't making my loneliness bearable.

I wanted to join them. Always do want to join them and never do. „Go home,“ he whispered. - Prince Lestat

(I actually feel like there are quotes that would correspond to this song in every one of the books and indeed have not yet found any other song that captures the general spirit of The Vampire Chronicles as perfectly.)

2. Edge of Seventeen – Stevie Nicks

Well, I went today Maybe I will go again tomorrow Yeah yeah, well, the music there Well, it was hauntingly familiar Well, I see you doing what I try to do for me With the words from a poet and a voice from a choir And a melody, and nothing else mattered

He sat next to me, hugging me and asking me why I was crying, and though I couldn't tell him, I could see that he was overwhelmed that his music had produced this effect. There was no sarcasm or bitterness in him now. I think he carried me home that night. And the next morning I was standing in the crooked stone street in front of his father's shop, tossing pebbles up at his window. When he stuck his head out, I said: „Do you want to come down and go on with our conversation?“ - The Vampire Lestat

3. I ain't scared of lightning – Tom McRae

No I ain't scared of lightning And thunder never killed I was born in a summer storm and I live there still

I wasn't part of the world that cringed at such things. And with a smile, I realized that I was of that dark ilk that makes others cringe. Slowly and with great pleasure, I laughed.

And the labor that brought it forth was rapture such as I have never known. - The Vampire Lestat

4. Junge Roemer – Falco (Young Romans – Full Translation)

Don't ask for new old values See white light, see only feeling The night is ours till morning We play every game Don't ever let this journey end The doing comes only from the being Only from dimensions, that Are worth illusions and sensations Give me more, give me more, give me more...

... and again she laughed. „Ah, but we are splendid devils, aren't we?“ „Hunters of the Savage Garden,“ I said. „Then let's go into Paris,“ she said. - The Vampire Lestat

5. Running up that hill – Candy Says (Original by Kate Bush

If I only could, I'd make a deal with God, And I'd get him to swap our places, Be running up that road, Be running up that hill, Be running up that building,

„Not even with Nicolas?“ „No, god, no!“ I looked at her. She nodded slightly as if she approved of this answer. „Why not with Nicolas?“ she asked. I wanted this to stop. „Because he's young,“ I said, „and he has life before him.“ - The Vampire Lestat

6. Florence – Notre Dame de Paris (Full Translation)

The little things always triumph over the large And literature will kill architecture The school books will kill the cathedrals The Bible will kill the Church, and man will kill God This will kill that

„I never lived in it. I push against the glass. But how do I get in?“ „I can't tell you that,“ I said. „You have to study this age,“ Gabrielle interrupted. Her voice was calm but commanding. He looked towards her as she spoke. „You have to understand the age,“ she continued, „through its literature and its music and its art. You have come up out of the earth, as you yourself put it. Now live in the world.“ No answer from him. Flash of Nicki's ravaged flat with all its books on the floor. Western civilization in heaps. - The Vampire Lestat

7. Go your own way – Fleetwood Mac

Loving you isn't the right thing to do How can I ever change things that I feel

If I could maybe I'd give you my world How can I when you won't take it from me

You can go your own way You can call it another lonely day

„Keep your promise,“ she said. And quite suddenly I knew this was our last moment. I knew it and I could do nothing to change it. „Gabrielle!“ I whispered. But she was already gone. - The Vampire Lestat

8. Désenchantée – Olympe (Original by Myléne Farmer - Full Translation)

If death is a mystery Life isn't exactly tender If heaven has a hell Then heaven can still wait for me Tell me how to handle this headwind Nothing makes sense anymore, nothing's fine

Laughter. That insane music. That din, that dissonance, that never ending shrill articulation of the meaninglessness... Am I awake? Am I asleep? I am sure of one thing. I am a monster. And because I lie in torment in the earth, certain human beings move on through the narrow pass of life unmolested. - The Vampire Lestat

9. A kind of magic – Queen

The bell that rings inside your mind Is challenging the doors of time It's a kind of magic The waiting seems eternity The day will dawn of sanity

And quite completely I understood that it was looking for me, this sound, it was seeking me out.

Blood like light itself, liquid fire.

It seemed beneath the roar of the flow he spoke. He said again: „Drink, my young one, my wounded one.“ I felt his heart swell, his body undulate, and we were sealed against each other. I think I heard myself say: „Marius.“ And he answered: „Yes.“ - The Vampire Lestat

10. La quête – Bruno Pelletier (French version of „The Impossible Dream“ from Man of La Mancha)

To try when your arms are too weary To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest To follow that star Ooh, no matter how hopeless No matter how far

I would remain in New Orleans if New Orleans could only manage to remain. Whatever I suffered should be lessened in this lawless place, whatever I craved should give me more pleasure once I had it in my grasp. And there were moments on that first night in this fetid little paradise when I prayed that in spite of all my secret power, I was somehow kin to every mortal man. - The Vampire Lestat

11. Wicked Game – Chris Isaak

What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you

Yet Louis gained a hold over me far more powerful than Nicolas had ever had. Even in his cruelest moments, Louis touched the tenderness in me, seducing me with his staggering dependence, his infatuation with my every gesture and every spoken word. - The Vampire Lestat

12. Do I disappoint you – Rufus Wainwright

Do I disappoint you, in just being human? And not one of the elements that you can light your cigar on Why does it always have to be fire? Why does it always have to be brimstone?

„And suppose the vampire who made you knew nothing, and the vampire before him knew nothing, and so it goes back and back, nothing proceeding from nothing, until there is nothing! And we must live with the knowledge that there is no knowledge!“ „Yes!“ he cried out suddenly, his hands out, his voice tinged with something other than anger.

And then I sensed it. He was afraid. Lestat afraid. - Interview with the Vampire

13. Ordinary World – Duran Duran

What has happened to it all? Crazy, some'd say Where is the life that I recognize? Gone away

But I won't cry for yesterday There's an ordinary world Somehow I have to find And as I try to make my way To the ordinary world I will learn to survive

I do not remember when it became the twentieth century, only that everything was uglier and darker, and the beauty I'd known in the old eighteenth-century days seemed more than ever some kind of fanciful idea. - The Vampire Lestat

14. I'm still standing – Taron Egerton (Original by Elton John)

And there's a cold lonely light that shines from you You'll wind up like the wreck you hide behind that mask you use And did you think this fool could never win? Well look at me, I'm coming back again

But after the third night up, I was roaring around New Orleans on a big black Harley-Davidson motorcycle making plenty of noise myself. […] I was the vampire Lestat again. I was back in action. New Orleans was once again my hunting ground. - The Vampire Lestat

15. Catch my fall – Billy Idol

I have the time so I will sing, yeah I'm just a boy but I will win, yeah Lost song of lovers, fellow travelers, yeah Leave me sad and hollow out of words

It could happen to you so think for yourself If I should stumble, catch my fall, yeah

I've survived, obviously. I wouldn't be talking to you if I hadn't. And the cosmic dust has finally settled; and the small rift in the world's fabric of rational beliefs has been mended, or at least closed. I'm a little sadder for all of it, and a little meaner and a little more conscientious as well. - The Queen of the Damned

16. I want it all – Queen

I'm a man with a one track mind So much to do in one lifetime (people do you hear me) Not a man for compromise and where's and why's and living lies So I'm living it all, yes I'm living it all And I'm giving it all, and I'm giving it all

It is not enough any longer that my little rock band be successful. We must create a fame that will carry my name and my voice to the remotest parts of the world. - The Vampire Lestat

17. Let me entertain you – Robbie Williams

Hell is gone and heaven's here There's nothing left for you to fear Shake your arse come over here Now scream

I'm a burning effigy Of everything I used to be You're my rock of empathy, my dear

So come on let me entertain you

"I AM THE VAMPIRE LESTAT!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I stepped way back from the microphone, and the sound was almost visible as it arched over the length of the oval theater, and the voice of the crowd rose even higher, louder, as if to devour the ringing sound. - The Vampire Lestat

18. La bien qui fait mal – Mozart l'Opera Rock (Full translation)

I can feel a violent urge I feel like I'm sliding towards the ground If I don't find out where this plague is coming from I adore having it under my skin Bewitched by mad ideas Suddenly all my cravings take off The desire becomes my prison Until I loose my mind

Yet I was in her arms in this chilling darkness, in the familiar scent of winter, and her blood was mine again, and it was enslaving me. When she drew away, I felt agony. - The Queen of the Damned

19. Tainted Love – Soft Cell

And you think love is to pray But I'm sorry I don't pray that way Once I ran to you Now I'll run from you This tainted love you've given I give you all a boy could give you Take my tears and that's not living, oh

„What do you think I am that I am so easily swayed? I was born a Queen. I have always ruled; even from the shrine I ruled." Her eyes were glazed suddenly. I heard the voices, a dull hum rising. "I ruled if only in legend; if only in the minds of those who came to me and paid me tribute. Princes who played music for me; who brought me offerings and prayers. What do you want of me now? That for you, I renounce my throne, my destiny!" What answer could I make? - The Queen of the Damned

20. Dancing in the Dark – Ruth Moody (Original by Bruce Springsteen)

They say you gotta stay hungry Hey baby, I'm just about starvin' tonight I'm dyin' for some action I'm sick of sittin' 'round here tryin' to write this book I need a love reaction Come on now, baby, gimme just one look

"I want you to put the book aside and come join us," he said. "You've been locked in here for over a month." "I go out now and then," I said. I liked looking at him, at the neon blue of his eyes.

"Do you love me now?" I asked. He smiled; oh, it was excruciating to see his face soften and brighten simultaneously when he smiled. "Yes," he said. "Want to go on a little adventure?" My heart was thudding suddenly. It would be so grand if- "Want to break the new rules?" "What in the world do you mean?" he whispered. - The Queen of the Damned

21. I want you – Savage Garden

Oh, I want you, I don't know if I need you But oh, I would die to find out

"You don't think you'll be back?" he asked. "I think you will, whether I call or not." Another little surprise. A little stab of humiliation. I smiled at him in spite of myself. He was a very interesting man. "You silver-tongued British bastard," I said. "How dare you say that to me with such condescension? Maybe I should kill you right now."

I thought of David Talbot's face, and that moment when he'd challenged me. Well, maybe he was right. I'd be back. Who said I couldn't come back and talk to him if I wanted to? - The Queen of the Damned

22. Lay your hands on me – Bon Jovi

I'm a fighter, I'm a poet, I'm a preacher I've been to school, oh baby, I've been the teacher If you show me how to get up off the ground I can show you how to fly and never ever come back down

I sat down on the bed beside him. And then I bent down and kissed his face again gently, as I had in New Orleans, liking the feel of his roughly shaven beard, just as I liked that sort of thing when I was really Lestat and I would soon have that strong masculine blood inside. I moved closer to him, when suddenly he grasped my hand, and I felt him gently push me away. „Why, David?“ I asked him. He didn't answer. He lifted his right hand and brushed my hair back out of my eyes. „I don't know,“ he whispered. „I can't. I simply can't.“ - The Tale of the Body Thief

23. 20th Century Boy – Placebo (Original by T-Rex)

I move like a cat, charge like a ram Sting like a bee, babe, I wanna be your man, hey!

He drew back with a speed that astonished me, cleaving to the wall. „Don't do this, Lestat.“ „Don't fight me, old friend. You waste your effort. You have a long night of discovery ahead.“ - The Tale of the Body Thief

24. Way down we go – KALEO

Oh, Father tell me, do we get what we deserve? Whoa, we get what we deserve And way down we go

„In chains, to my friend and my scribe, I dictated these words. Come with me. Just listen to me. Don't leave me alone.“ - Memnoch the Devil

25. Personal Jesus – Depeche Mode

Reach out, touch faith

"Don't tell me," Gabrielle said slurringly, "that it's a matter of faith." She sneered and shook her head. "You come like doubting Thomas to thrust your bloody fangs in the very wound." "Oh, stop, please, I beg you," I whispered. I put up my hands. "Let me try, and let him hurt me, and then be satisfied, and turn away." - The Vampire Armand

26. Papillon – Editors

Darling Just don't put down your guns yet If there really was a God here He'd have raised a hand by now Now darling You're born, get old, then die here Well that's quite enough for me We'll find our own way home somehow

"And if I spill my blood down into this coffin now," Lestat asked her, "what do you think will come back? Do you think it will be our Louis that will rise in these burnt rags? What if it's not, chérie, what if it's some wounded revenant that we must destroy?" "Choose life, Lestat," she said. - Merrick

27. Sunday Light – Choir Boy

Why, why, why, are you silent on the ride home? I'd love to see the temple with you Heavenly and bright, golden angel twisted scathing You were one of us, one of us, one of us, you were one of us

"Then come, Little Brother, take me to where you want to talk," he said, and I felt the soft squeeze of his fingers on my arm. "Why are you so kind to me?" I asked him. "You're used to people being paid to do it, aren't you?" he asked. - Blackwood Farm

28. Für mich solls rote Rosen regnen – Hildegard Knef (It should rain red roses for me - Full translation)

It should rain red roses for me All wonders should encounter me The world should rearrange itself And keep its worries to itself

I want to be a saint. I want to save souls by the millions. I want to do good far and wide. I want to fight evil! I want my life-sized statue in every church. I'm talking six feet tall, blond hair, blue eyes- Wait a second. Do you know who I am? - Blood Canticle

29. Constant Craving – K. D. Lang

Even through the darkest phase Be it thick or thin Always someone marches brave Here beneath my skin And constant craving Has always been

I was hunting, thirsting though I didn't need to drink, at the mercy of the craving, the deep agonizing lust for heated pumping human blood. - Prince Lestat

30. Kalte Sterne – Jan Ammann (Cold Stars from the musical Ludwig² - Full translation)

Get up, ride home, on your horse, through your land Across the morning with your reins trailing behind you Build a castle like a dream, build it with mighty hands And it shall be named „future“

Build a castle like a dream Up from the ashes and close to the heavens Build a castle like a dream And realise the future as king

If we wanted to survive, if we wanted to inherit the millenia […] then we had to meet the future with respect as well as courage and count fear and selfishness to be small things. - Prince Lestat and the realms of Atlantis

31. C'est une belle journée – Mylene Farmer (Full translation)

I'm going to bed To bite eternity With my mouth wide open It's a beautiful day

And I felt the cold numbing shell of alienation and despair which had imprisoned me all of my life among the Undead – I felt that shell cracked, broken, and dissolved utterly into infinitesimal fragments. - Blood Communion

32. Princes of the Universe – Queen

Fly the moon and reach for the stars With my sword and head held high Got to pass the test first time, yeah I know that people talk about me, I hear it every day But I can prove them wrong 'cause I'm right first time

„I know that you meant full well to bring Rhoshamandes down, of course you did. But you had no way of knowing that you could. And no one would have predicted that you could. And with the willingness to die, you gave yourself over into his hands... and you disarmed him and destroyed him.“ – Blood Communion

And finally, because I can, a bonus track:

33. Primadonna – MARINA

And I'm sad to the core, core, core Every day is a chore, chore, chore When you give, I want more, more, more I wanna be adored

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pandawriterstuff · 3 years

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Pinehallow Summary & Character List

This is my main WIP, if I'm complaining about characters doing whatever they want, this is them.

Pinehallow Summary-Monty, an eleven year old boy who has spent most of his life traveling from place to place with his in-demand lawyer mother, Irene, is sent to live at his uncle's horse ranch because she thinks he needs roots. Used to nearly everyone but his mother not being around long enough to get to know, Monty is more than a bit uncertain about this. But in scrambling to find his place in a town different to anything he's ever known, he finds friends, both human and animal, makes discoveries, and even manages to foil a plot against Pinehallow Ranch itself.

Character List

Monty (Montgomery) Cade Waller- Main character, 11, white. Monty is curious, bright, and more than a little awkward. He has a tendency to state the obvious, which can be endearing or annoying depending on your perspective. Big vocabulary and grown-up way of speaking because he’s spent more time around grown-ups than other kids. He’s quietly stubborn, particularly when it comes to being told he’s wrong when he knows he’s right. Insecure about socializing and friendships because of constant moving and traveling. Can’t hold a grudge for the life of him, even when he likely should. He likes bugs, birds and turtles, would rather read nonfiction than a story. Fills lonely afternoons with sketching, nature sketching on the ranch.

Irene Waller- Monty’s mother, 36, white. Irene is a powerful corporate lawyer, either full of energy or exhausted, never in between. She loves using words to sway minds and deciphering documents to find exactly what the opposition doesn’t want her to find. Sometimes Irene wishes she was using her skills in more meaningful ways, but also really likes the money, the traveling, and the competition. Has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of show tunes from musicals. She has a hard time letting people get close. Would stab someone for her baby, but knows it’s better to teach him to stab for himself. Only partially joking. Dolly Parton is her hero, and as much as she loves her music, it’s Dolly the business woman and Dolly the philanthropist that she strives to emulate.

Keith Waller- Monty’s uncle, 34, white. Horse Rancher. Keith loves working hard and getting dirty, and if he’s not exhausted at the end of the day he’ll be looking for something else to push him there. Otherwise he gets antsy. Loves animals and absolutely will not tolerate anyone mistreating any of the animals on his ranch-ordinarily he’s very careful of his size and strength, in that situation, all bets are off. Times that by about ten for any of the ‘barn rats’ that help around the ranch for riding lessons/time. Loves romantic comedies and telanovas and doesn’t care who knows it. Keith doesn’t read a lot, it never came easy to him, but if he’s taking a long trip he’ll always check an audio book or two out of the library instead of just relying on the radio.

Juniper - Keith’s goddaughter, 15, white. She has a calm, confident personality with a smile for most everyone she meets. If she doesn’t have a smile for you and it isn’t because her head is in the clouds over a girl, you’ve probably earned her scorn and will be ignored as much as possible. Juniper raises rabbits and it’s taught her patience, and a lot about unfairness when a kit doesn’t make it. She helps out with riding lessons at the ranch in exchange for riding time of her own, and has become a fixture, spending more time there than she does at home, and when she can get away with it, school. Loves sunflowers and her sunflower comforter is probably her most prized possession.

Nell - Caretaker/cook for the ranch house(would cooking lunch for the workers still be a thing on a modern ranch?). 38, white(?). Not about to put up with nonsense. Will make you cookies if she doesn’t have to put up with nonsense. Please. At one point she wanted to be a chef and has a year of culinary school under her belt, but quickly decided the super fast paced and competitive environment wasn’t for her. Anything that was making her hate one of her favorite things that fast could not be good for a person. She intends to live a long, long life and that kind of stress can just walk right out of the door. Loves to go on long walks, often into the hills (BLM land) behind the ranch. (maybe she was taught/took a class on foraging, and teaches Monty to find wild onions and stuff? But this would mean *I* have to learn about foraging in Idaho.) This leads to a contented, if often silent, companionship between her and Monty, who desperately wants to explore/record/sketch everything about the natural world of his new home, particularly the parts that are off limits to him without an adult along.

Ray- Family Friend/Co-Owner of R & M General (designed to feel vintage, but shiny. Bit of a tourist stop now, they decided to lean into it.), 50, Black. He uses his background in chemistry to make amazing looking candies and chocolates, using that to deal with a time he used it in less pleasant ways when he was in the military. He never expected anybody outside of his small town, or maybe the folks at the county fair to make so much fuss over them. This might embarrass him, if he weren’t so delighted. A cheerful man with a dreamer’s heart, a magazine once referred to him as a small town Willy Wonka. He dotes on his wife, often making and gifting her small surprises. An amputee in honor of my Grandpa (missing left leg at the knee, possibly missing one arm as well, but I’m not sure how that would affect candy making.). Has certain parts of his past he just doesn’t talk about.

Mavis- Co-Owner of ____ with Ray, 48, Black. Fierce and kind in equal measures, Mavis believes in protecting what’s hers, and as far as she’s concerned the entire town of (oh my god, it needs a name) is included in that. Mavis is very selective about the battles she fights, but when she chooses one she throws herself in whole-heartedly. On several committees around town, she’d be on more, but then she wouldn’t have enough time to really get into the work of the ones she loves. She knits in her limited free time, often while listening to the news, but sometimes opera. Has started knitting stuffies in the shapes of the more unusual candies Ray makes, it’s silly, but fun, and tourists and the local kids love it. Still head over heels for Ray, even though his often dreaming about things for ages instead of just doing them is also still baffling to her.

Leanna - Juniper’s sort-of girlfriend, 15, Vietnamese. Quiet, a little cynical, but very empathetic. She avoids the news because it’s that or be mad and want to cry all the time-until she hears about something she can’t not research, and goes on a 24 hour google search and learns far more than is probably good for her about a species going extinct due to logging in prohibited areas, or genocide being covered up by claims of violent uprisings. She loves manga and comics. Leanna sometimes tries for a cottagecore* type aesthetic, but mostly thinks it's too much work. She’s starting to worry about what she’s going to do with her future, and people telling her that she’s only 15 and doesn’t have to worry about it yet is NOT HELPING.

*even though cottagecore isn’t a thing in the early-mid 2000s this is maybe/vaguely set in. Shh, let me have this. Anne of Green Gablesesque maybe?

Winnie - Leanna’s mom, 45, Vietnamese. Widow? A little ditzy, but a lot loving. Everyone in town is convinced she’s the stoner type of hippy, but no one minds as she’s someone who truly wants to know how you’re doing when she asks and strangely almost always has very spot on advice. She’s rarely on time anywhere, but that’s because she’ll have stopped to talk, and often to help, whoever she’s run into. Leanna and her bicker over this when she’s late picking her up. Always wears bright colors. Loves Agatha Christie books. Calls everyone, even people 50 years older than her, hon.

Logan - Juniper’s stepdad, 40, white. Kind of a jerk, but most of the jerky things he says are actually jokes that fall flat or have simply gotten old. Tries really hard, like *really* hard, but has a tendency to get annoyed if people don’t appreciate his efforts right away-more in his personal life than professional, possibly because of his profession. A contractor, hard worker, loyal, has worked for the same company since he was twenty even though they don’t often treat him right. Sometimes tries to buy people’s affections. Wants to have better communication with Juniper, but it’s gotten really hard the last few years and he’s never quite sure why.

Candice - Juniper’s Mom, 39, white, works at a nursery that sells seedlings and baby fruit trees, has a cheerful, calm personality, but a lot softer and more lowkey than Juniper’s version. Very house proud, but has a ‘maximalist’ approach to decorating-everything is in its place, but there are places for lots of things. Loves spending time outdoors, but would rather spend it tending her garden than hiking or riding, preferably with a cup of tea by her side. On the weekends, a fruity beer or wine instead. Wants to go on one of those train rides where you get to drink wine, eat canapes and try to solve a mystery, thinks Winnie might be a good candidate for someone to go with her.

Ura - a ‘barn rat’, 12 and a half, white(maybe a Czech immigrant? 2nd generation?) . A cheerful, rough and tumble boy who is always climbing things, and often being told to stop when he gets too high for other people's comfort. Ura is fearless when it comes to physical feats, but has a fear of ‘slimy’ things like worms and frogs. He has a thick layer of pudge and a big appetite, but is athletic and strong enough that anyone bullying him over it would be doing it at their own peril. Not that he’s the type to start fights, or even finish them most of the time. Doesn’t feel he quite fits in with his family, who are all more serious, reserved people. Redwood is his favorite of the horses, and Keith has all but given up on telling him that sitting on the floor of Red’s stall to talk to the horse isn’t exactly safe.

Elliot - Ray and Mavis’s son, Black, 19 and a college student-maybe/probably at U of I. Lives on campus, but comes home at least a couple weekends a month. Has an older car that he and Ray fixed up together, that is his pride and joy. Quiet, with an irreverent sense of humor that he unleashes somewhat at random. Interested in robotics, engines and mechanics and generally has some project he’s working on, a piece of which may or may not be in his pocket. Often has oil, grease, or ink on his hands, either from working on or designing a new project. A bit of an overachiever, he can spread himself thin trying to live up to all his responsibilities at once. He’s best friends with Randy, a friendship his parents want to disapprove of, because the few times Elliot’s gotten into trouble not only was Randy there, but 99% of the time whatever it was is Randy’s idea, but never quite manage too.

Randy - Handyman at the ranch, mixed race Hispanic and white, 21. Technically head handyman, because the old head retired six months ago, and is a little young/inexperienced for the job, but he’s not the type to back away from a challenge and has risen to the occasion beautifully. Loves rock and metal music, and spends a lot of his free weekends at concerts, the ones crammed into little venues and bars where people are practically on top of each other and the beat is so loud and solid it throbs through you, connecting you to everyone even before you hit the mosh pit, are his preference. He’s been working at the ranch since he was 16, and feels like he has a claim on it, not afraid to speak up if he thinks a decision Keith is making isn’t right or that he isn’t taking something important into consideration. Can be a bit wild when he’s not being the responsible one, definitely doesn’t always think before he acts.

Alma - Local artist/worker at R & M’s, Hispanic, 25. Alma is a painter and poet, a confident young woman who’s figured out that half of surviving as an artist is being your own agent/a salesperson as well, and in addition to several shelves at the R & M that hold postcard prints of many of her pieces, both the coffee shop and cafe have some of her larger paintings displayed, and she always has a booth at the Saturday market, though the majority of her sales come from her website. Alma is cheerful, and likes to tease, and growing up the middle child of four brothers, is very able to hold her own in verbal sparring. She’s close with her family, still living with her parents, and while at first her father was dismayed at her choice of career, he now hands out her business card to basically everyone he talks to.

Miriam - Nell’s Mom, white, 71, a little deaf, speaks loudly, partially because of the deafness, partially because she spent too long letting other people push her around and when she hit about 50 decided she was going to be the one talking over people now. She’s earned it. Age has made her more delicate than she likes, bruising and scraping easily, but she’s determined to do most things for herself. Those that are beyond her she has no problem loudly ordering someone else to take care of. Volunteers a lot, often fosters kittens for the local animal shelter. Used to chain smoke, quit when Nell was a teenager because she kept leaving pictures of diseased lungs everywhere. Still uses the candy ones as a substitute.

Places

Unnamed Town- Somewhere in Latah County, Idaho, where there is not already a town in the way. Around 200 years old and has grown and shrunk and grown again, and currently has a population of about 12,000. Having grown out from a traditional mainstreet, _______ no longer has the western style boardwalk seen in old pictures, but it does have a large cluster of local businesses and ‘hot spots’ still along that old main street, a coffee shop, a diner, a combination bookshop and independent library, a hardware store, a bar, a few places I haven’t thought of yet, and of course R & M General. There is a historical barn half a mile or so away from mainstreet that has been converted into a theater/meeting hall/dance hall, and a community center was added onto it in the early 90’s. During the summer there is a farmer’s market on the property every Saturday. The elementary school and junior high are all on one property, several miles out of town, because the majority of families live on farms, ranches or small rural properties rather than in one of the neighborhood clusters in the town itself. The junior high is 7th, 8th and 9th graders, in a newer two story building, and the elementary school is divided into lower and upper elementary with the bracket shaped building basically being cut in half, K-3 on one side and 4-6 on the other. The high school is outside of town on the other side by several miles, and actually serves kids from another town(s) as well. There is also a trailer park with about forty units, not exactly sure where it is yet, but Miriam(Nell’s Mom) lives there. There is also an animal shelter, a vet’s office, a cemetery, and a couple churches, and I’m sure more things to come.

R & M General (working title?)- Ray and Mavis’s store, a general store with a candy focused twist. A vintage Pepsi sign, neon still bright, and a charming green glass juke-box filled with hits from the 1940’s onward grace the front porch of the R & M, along with a long bench that locals are encouraged to use for a spell or to listen to a couple songs, provided they can behave themselves (teenagers arguing over who their favorite member of the rat pack is might be amusing, considering they were already ‘mom and dad’, or at least older brother and sister, music by the time Mavis and Ray were teenagers, but when they get loud it also gets annoying.). The store itself still has the original wooden counter up front and built-in shelves along the walls, but all refinished and polished to a high shine. A mixture of display types going down the middle of the store, barrels and baskets filled with skeins of colorful yarn and cloth or Mavis’s knitted stuffies(and during winter sometimes socks and mittens), other sewing and craft supplies, display racks with local arts, postcards and carvings, sometimes wind up toys made by Elliot, and of course many, many displays of candies and chocolates. They also have a lot of dry goods, and some of the simpler candy types have little instruction booklets and the ingredients it takes to try out making them yourself stocked in the same display, drink coolers, and sometimes have local produce available. Basically, they have a bit of everything, except for building equipment/home repair supplies, and that’s because of the hardware store across the street.

Pinehallow Ranch-A sprawling 100 acre ranch in Latah County, Idaho where the Waller family has been doing something or other with horses for four generations now. Originally it was a horse breeding ranch, but Keith and Irene’s grandfather felt the money was in training horses, and offered boarding as well, and Keith has continued to build that up, offering lessons for a variety of styles, ages, and skill levels. Butting up against BLM land that allows additional grazing and trail riding, the ranch has four pastures, a large corral, a medium sized indoor arena and two horse barns, one for boarded horses and one for the ranch's own stock, and an equipment barn, an old bunkhouse that is mostly used to store feed-though Randy has slept there when in between places, mostly unbeknownst to Keith-and some smaller equipment sheds, placed where they’re needed. The main house is an L-shaped ranch house with a porch that goes around the entire long front of the house with a large herb/kitchen and rock garden arranged around that. There are treed pockets scattered here and there, left alone as the rest of the ranch was developed, but the creek Monty and Juniper sometimes hang out at is on BLM land, as is most of the forested area around the ranch.

Pinehallow Taglist @sleepysera @enchanted-lightning-aes @odysseywritings @thegreatobsesso @writing-is-a-martial-art and @hiitsolivia If anyone else wants to be added just interact with the post :) (My more advanced tumblr knowledge has led me to believe this is better than asking people to reblog/comment to be added, but if I'm wrong just let me know.)

#character list #oc list #someday I'll do a proper series introduction #and an introduction for me #but today is not that day #pinehallow ranch #original writing #I tend to build my world around the characters #backwards I know

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thewidowsghost · 3 years

Text

The Daughter of the Sea - Chapter 9

(Y/n)'s POV

It doesn't take me long to pack. I decide to leave the Minotaur horn in the cabin, which leaves me only an extra change of clothes and a toothbrush to stuff in a backpack Grover had found for me.

The camp store loans me one hundred dollars in mortal money and twenty golden drachmas. The coins are as big as Girl Scout cookies and have images of various Greek Gods stamped on one side and the Empire State Building on the other. The ancient mortal drachmas had been silver, Chiron had told us, but Olympins never used less than pure gold. Chiron said the coins might come in for non-mortal transactions - whatever that might mean. He gives Annabeth, Percy, and me canteens of nectar and Ziploc bags full of ambrosia squares, to be used only in emergencies, if we were seriously hurt. It is god food, Chiron reminds us. It would cure us of almost any injury, but it is lethal to mortals. Too much of it would make a half-blood very, very feverish. An overdose would burn us up, literally, Fun.

Annabeth is bringing her magic Yankees cap, which she tells me had been a twelfth-birthday present from her mom. She is also bringing a book on famous classical architecture, written in Ancient Greek, to read when she gets bored, and a long bronze knife, hidden in her shirt sleeve. I'm sure the knife is going to get us busted the first time we go through a metal detector.

Grover is wearing his fake feet and his pants to pass as a human. He wears a green rasta-style cap, because when it rains his curly hair flattened and you can just see the tips of his horns. Grover's bright orange backpack is full of scrap metal and apples to snack on. In his pocket is a set of reed pipes his daddy goat had carved for him, even though he only knows two songs: Mozart's Piano Concerto Number 12 and Hilary Duff's 'So Yesterday,' both of which sound pretty bad on reed pipes.

We wave good-bye to the other campers, take one last look at eh strawberry fields, the ocean, and the Big House, then hike up the Half-Blood Hill to the tall pine tree that used to be Thalia, the Daughter of Zeus.

Chiron is waiting for us in his wheelchair. Next to him stands the surfer dude I'd seen when I was recovering in the sick room. According to Grover, the guy is the camp's head of security. He supposedly had eyes all over his body so he could never be surprised. Today, though, he's wearing a chauffeur's uniform, so I can only see the extra eyes on his hands, face, and neck.

"This is Argus," Chiron tells me. "He'll drive you into the city, and, er, well, keep an eye on things."

I hear footsteps behind us.

Luke comes running up the hill, carrying a pair of basketball shoes. "Hey!" he pants. "Glad I caught you."

Annabeth blushes, the way she always does when Luke is around.

"Just wanted to say good luck," Luke tells us. "And I thought . . . um, maybe you could use these."

He hands Percy a pair of sneakers, which look pretty normal.

Then, Luke says, "Maia!"

White bird's wings sprouted out of the heels. The shoes flap around on the ground until the wings fold up and disappear.

"Awesome!" Grover exclaims.

Luke smiles. "Those served me well when I was on my quest. Gift from Dad. Of course, I don't use them much these days...." His expression turns sad.

Annabeth stomps down the other side of the hill, after arguing with Percy, where a white SUV waits on the shoulder of the road. Argus follows, jingling his car kees.

Percy picks up the flying shoes and then looks up at Chiron. "I won't be able to use these, will I?"

Chiron shakes his head. "Luke meant well, Percy. But taking to the air...that would not be wise for you."

I nod, getting an idea, "Hey, Grover. You want a magic item?"

His eyes light up. "Me?"

Pretty soon, we'd laced the sneakers over his fake feet, and the world's first flying goat boy is ready for launch.

"Maia!" Grover shouts. He gets off the ground, okay, but then falls over sideways so his backpack drags through the grass. The winged shoes keep bucking up and down like tiny broncos.

"Practice," Chiron calls after him. "You just need practice."

"Aaaaa!" Grover goes flying sideways down the hill like a possessed lawnmower, heading towards the can.

But before I can follow, Chiron catches my arm. "I should have trained you two better, Percy, (Y/n)," he says. "If only I had more time. Hercules, Jason - they all got more training."

"That's okay. I just -" I stop myself.

"What am I thinking?" Chiron cries. "I can't let the two of you get away without these." He pulls two pens out of his coat pocket and hands one to me and one to Percy.

Looking down at it, I see a teal-colored gel pen. Maybe cost thirty cents.

"Gee," Percy says. "Thanks."

"Percy, those are gifts from your father. I've been keeping them for years, not knowing you two were the ones I was waiting for. But the prophecy is clear to me now. You two are the ones."

Instinctively I take off the cap, and the pen grows longer and heavier in my hand. In half a second, I am holding a shimmering bronze sword with a double-edged blade, a teal and silver leather-wrapped grip. This is the first weapon that feels balanced in my hand.

"That sword has a long and tragic history that we need not go into," Chiron tells Percy. "Its name is Anaklusmos."

"Riptide," Percy translates.

"I have never seen anyone use that sword that I'm aware of," Chiron says, turning to me. "Yours is named Τυφώνας."

"Hurricane," I translate, surprised that the Ancient Greek came so easily to me.

"Use them only for emergencies," Chiron says, "and only against monsters. No hero should harm mortals unless absolutely necessary, of course, but neither sword would hurt them in any case."

I look down at the wickedly sharp blade. "What do you mean it wouldn't harm mortals? How could it not?"

"Those swords are celestial bronze. Forged by the Cyclopes, tempered in the heart of Mount Etna, cooled in the River Lethe. It's deadly to monsters, to any creature from the Underworld, provided they don't kill you first. But the blades will pass through morals like an illusion. They simply are not important for the blade to kill. And I should warn you two: as demigods, you can be killed by either celestial or normal weapons. You are twice as vulnerable."

"Good to know," Percy says.

"Now recap the pens," Chiron says.

Percy and I touch the pen cap to the sword tips and instantly Riptide and Hurricane shrink to ballpoint pens again. I tuck it in my pocket, a little nervous because it's pretty easy to lose a pen.

"You can't," Chiron says.

"Can't what?" I ask, slightly confused.

"Lose the pens," he says. "They're enchanted. They'll always reappear in your pockets. Try it."

Warily, I throw the pen as far as I can down the hill and watch it disappear in the grass.

"It may take a few moments," Chiron tells us. "Now check your pocket."

Sure enough, the pen is there.

"Okay, that is extremely cool," I admit.

"But what if a mortal sees one of us pulling out a sword?" Percy asks.

Chiron smiles. "Mist is a powerful thing, Percy."

"Mist?" I ask.

"Yes. Read The Iliad. It's full of references to the stuff. Whatever divine or monstrous elements mix with the mortal world, they generate Mist, which obscures the vision of humans. You will see things just as they are, being a half-blood, but humans will interpret things quite differently. Remarkable, really, the lengths to which humans will go fit things into their version of reality.

I put Hurricane back into my pocket.

For the first time, the quest feels real. I'm leaving Half-Blood Hill. I'm heading west with no adult supervision, no backup plan, not even a cell phone - Chiron said cell phones were traceable by monsters; if we used one, it would be no worse than sending up a flare. I have no weapon stronger than a sword to fight off monsters and reach the Land of the Dead.

"Chiron . . ." Percy says. "When you say the gods are immortal . . . I mean, there was a time before them, right?"

"Four ages before them, actually. The Time of the Titans was the Fourth Age, sometimes called the Golden Age, which is definitely a misnomer. This, the time of Western civilization and the rule of Zeus, is the Fifth Age."

"So what was it like...before the gods?"

Chiron purses his lips. "Even I am not old enough to remember that, child, but I know it was a time of darkness and savagery for mortals. Kronos, the lord of the Titans, called his reign the Golden Age because men lived innocent and free of all knowledge. But that was mere propaganda. The Titan king cared nothing for your kind except as appetizers or a source of cheap entertainment. It was only in the early reign of Lord Zeus, when Prometheus the good Titan brought fire to mankind, that your species began to progress, and even then Prometheus was branded a radical thinker. Zeus punished him severely, as you may recall. Of course, eventually, the gods warmed to humans, and Western civilization was born."

"But the gods can't die now, right? I mean, as long as Western civilization is alive, they're alive. So...even if I failed, nothing could happen so bad it would mess up everything, right?" I ask, feeling rather uncertain.

Chiron gives me a melancholy smile. "No one knows how long the Age of the West will last, (Y/n). The gods are immortal, yes. But then, so were the Titans. They still exist, locked away in their various prisons, forced to endure endless pain and punishment, reduced in power, but still very much alive. May the Fates forbid that the gods should ever suffer such a doom, or that we should ever return to the darkness and chaos of the past. All we can do, child, is follow our destiny."

"Our destiny...assuming we know what that is," I say grimly.

"Relax," Chiron tells me. "Keep a clear head. And remember, the two of you may be about to prevent the biggest war in human history."

"Relax," I say. "I'm very relaxed."

When Percy and I get to the bottom of the hill, I look back. Under the pine tree that used to be Thalia, daughter of Zeus, Chiron is now standing in full horse-man form, holding his bow high in salute. Just your typical summer-camp send-off by your typical centaur."

Argus drives us out of the countryside and into western Long Island, It feels weird to be on a highway again, Annabeth and Grover sitting next to me, Percy on the other side of Grover, as if we were normal carpoolers. After two weeks at Half-Blood Hill, the real world seems like a fantasy. I find myself staring at every McDonald's, every kid in the back of his parent's car, every billboard and shopping mall.

"So far so good," Percy tells Annabeth. "Ten miles and not a single monster."

She gives Percy an irritated loo. "It's bad luck to talk that way."

"Remind me again - why do you hate us so much?" Percy asks.

"I don't hate you two."

"Could've fooled me."

Annabeth folds her cap of invisibility. "Look...we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."

"Why?" Percy asks.

Annabeth sighs. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."

"They must really like olives," Percy comments, and I stifle a snort of laughter.

"Oh, forget it," Annabeth grumbles.

"Now, if she invented pizza - that I could understand," I add, in a slightly teasing tone.

"I said, forget it!" Annabeth says, hitting me lightly on the arm.

In the front seat, Argus smiles. He doesn't say anything, but one blue eye on the back of his neck winks at me.

Traffic slows down in Queens. By the time we get into Manhattan, it is sunset and starting to rain.

Argus drops us at the greyhound Station on the Upper East Side, not far from my mom and Gabe's apartment. Taped to a mailbox is a soggy flyer with mine and Percy's picture on it: Have you seen these children?

Percy rips it down before Annabeth and Grover can notice.

Argus unloads our bags, makes sure we get our bus tickets, then drives away, the eye on the back of his hand opening to watch us as he pulls out of the parking lot.

I think about how close I am to the apartment. On a normal day, Mom would be home from the candy store by now. Smelly Gabe is probably up there right now, playing poker, not even missing her.

Grover shoulders his backpack. He gazes down the street in the direction I am looking. "You want to know why she married him, (Y/n)?"

I stare at him. "Were you reading my mind?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Just your emotions," Grover shrugs. "You were thinking about your mom and your stepdad, right?"

I nod.

"Your mom married Gabe for you and Percy," Grover tells me. "You call him 'Smelly,' but you've got no idea. This guy has this aura . . . Yuck. I can smell him from here. I can smell traces of him o you, and you haven't been near him in a week."

"Thanks," Percy grimaces from Grover's other side. "Where's the nearest shower?"

"You should be grateful, Percy. Your stepfather smells so repulsively human he could mask the presence of any demigod. As soon as I took a whiff inside his Camaro, I knew: Gabe has been covering your scent for years. If you hadn't lived with him every summer, you probably would've been found by monsters a long time ago. Your mom stayed with him to protect you. She was a smart lady. She must've loved you a lot to put up with that guy—if that makes you feel any better."

I soften, looking down a the ground. I'll see her again, I think. She isn't gone.

You will be betrayed by one who calls you a friend, the Oracle whispers in my mind. You will fail to save what matters most in the end.

The rain keeps coming down.

We get restless waiting for the bus and decide to play some Hacky Sack with one of Groer's apples. Annabeth was unbelievable at it. She could bounce the apple off her knee, her elbow, her shoulder, whatever. Percy wasn't too bad either, but I found that I wasn't that great at it.

The game ends when I toss the apple towards Grover and it gets too close to his mouth. In one mega goat bite, our Hacky Sack disappears - core, stem, and all.

Grover blushes. He tries to apologize, but Annabeth, Percy, and I are too busy cracking up.

Finally, the bus comes.

I am relieved when we finally get on board and find seats together in the back of the bus, Me and Annabeth in one row, and Percy and Grover across from us. The four of us stow our backpacks.

I glance over at Annabeth beside me, who keeps slapping her Yankees cap nervously against her thigh.

As the last passengers get on, Annabeth claps her hand onto my knee. "Look!"

An old lady had just boarded the bus. She is wearing a crumpled velvet dress, lace gloves, and a shapeless orange-knit hat that shadows her face and she is carrying a big paisley purse. When she tilts her head up, her black eyes glitter.

I see Percy slump down in his seat.

Behind her comes two more old ladies: one in a green hat, one in a purple hat. Otherwise, they look exactly like Mrs. Dodds - same gnarled hands, paisley handbags, wrinkled velvet dress. Triple demon grandmothers.

They sit in the front row, right behind the driver. The two on the aisle cross their legs over the walkway, making an X. It is casual enough, but it sends a clear message: Nobody leaves.

The bus pulls out of the station, and we head through the slick streets of Manhattan.

"She didn't stay dead long," Percy says, his voice quavering a little. "I thought you said they could be dispelled for a lifetime."

"I said if you're lucky," Annabeth murmurs. "You're obviously not."

"All three of them," Grover whimpers. "Di immortales!"

"It's okay," Annabeth says, obviously thinking hard. "The Furies. The worst monsters from the Underworld. No problem. No problem. We'll just slip out the windows."

"They don't open," Grover moans.

"A back exit?" she suggests.

There isn't one. Even if there had been, it wouldn't have helped. By that time, we are on Ninth Avenue heading for the Lincoln Tunnel.

"They won't attack us with witnesses around," I say. "Will they?"

"Mortals don't have good eyes," Annabeth reminds me. "Their brains can only process what they see through the Mist."

"They'll see three old ladies killing us, won't they?" Percy asks.

She thinks about it. "Hard to say. But we can't count on mortals for help. Maybe an emergency exit in the roof . . . ?"

We hit the Lincoln Tunnel, and the bus goes dark except for the running lights down teh aisle. It is eerily quiet without the sound of the rain.

"I need to use the rest-room."

"So do I."

All three demons start coming down the aisle.

"I've got it," Annabeth says. "Percy, take my hat."

"What?" he says with disbelief.

"You're the one they want. You killed one of them. Turn invisible and go up the aisle. Let them pass you. Maybe you can get to the front and get away."

"But you guys -"

"There's an outside chance they might not notice us," Annabeth says as she glances over at me. "You're a son of the Big Three. Your smell might be overpowering."

"I can't just leave you," Percy says, looking desperately at me.

"Go," I say, frowning and Annabeth hands him the cap.

The old ladies are not old ladies anymore. Their faces are still the same - I guessed they couldn't get any uglier - but their bodies had shriveled into leathery brown hag bodies with bat's wings and hands and feet like gargoyle claws; their handbags had turned into fiery whips.

The Furies surround me, Grover, and Annabeth, lashing their whips, hissing: "Where is it? Where?"

The other people on the bus are screaming, cowering in their seats. They see something, all right.

"He's not here!" Annabeth yells. "He's gone!"

The Furies raise their whips.

Annabeth draws her bronze knife. Grover grabs a tin can from his snack bag and prepares to throw it.

Word Count: 3222 words

#percy jackson x sister reader #percy jackson reader insert #female reader #reader insert #fem reader

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