#Sparks has three dads and a lot of uncles and one grandpa

[loco-warehouse]

Could you give us some insights into how each member of the foot reacted towards Britney after meeting her?

hmmm this one i have been thinking about probably not great to be honest, mainly because she isn't known for being baxter's daughter or what her motivation is yet. Chris probably thinks she's a brat, a kid way over their head. The two will always have beef with each other, even in the most meniscal of ways. I think Xever and Britney would be on equal footing. Not friends, but shows a lot of potential. He notes how she can be tricky and fast, even to the most armature of levels. I had an idea in mind where Britney is trying to adjust her hair but keeps messing it up further, and he calls her over and quickly do it for her, which sparks the conversation, "How do you know how to do hair?" "I wasn't always a fish, you know." Karai doesn't see much in Britney but does get proven wrong often. They would probably make a good friendship, especially as a babysitter in a way. The two keep an eye out for the other. Tigerclaw refuse to have too many interactions with her. She's a kid that gets in the way, an enemy at most, and that's that. Britney has absolutely try to shoot him with her grandpa's shotgun. Bebop and Rocksteady are her UNCLES through and through. You cannot leave those three alone together, the amount of mischief and chaos they make is HORRENDOUS Shredder and Britney have met. He does not care for her, but he isn't afraid of hurting a kid who gets in the way. Also, tiny scene I had in my head where it's finally reveal who she really is, where she throws herself at Shredder and cling to his head and helmet and repeating "PATEL STOCKMAN. SAY IT. SAY IT CORRECTLY." before being thrashed against a brick wall. She's badly hurt from this point on and probably is noted as an enemy against the foot, and bait to use against Stockman. And then there's Hun. I won't give too much away right now but in the same gist of Jim and Strickler from Trollhunters, Hun becomes her purple dragon step dad and they constantly fight and beat each other up when Angela isn't looking.

[secret-engima]

Tomorrow is looking up to be - absolutely terrible. Can I beg you for some RWBY or FFXV snippets, please?

Of course! I know it is the "tomorrow" you speak of but lemme see what I can dig up-

Team Gremlin:

There was silence for a long, long time. Nothing but Ruby’s sobbing and Yang’s pounding heart and the fear that pressed down on them from all around. Formless, but not nameless. Then she heard the stairs creak and for one moment Yang was sure that “Salem” was coming upstairs to get Ruby.

But then the door opened and Yang saw Dad’s boots, “Girls? It’s okay. Come on out.” Yang didn’t move, Ruby just sobbed a little louder and clung tighter to her. Dad sighed and bent down to peer at them, “You heard all that didn’t you.” He looked … not mad, but stressed. Maybe scared, and that made the fear worse for Yang. Yang clung to Ruby, her precious baby sister with silver eyes that no monster should be able to get to, and nodded. Dad’s face pinched, then he gave a smile that even she could tell was fake, “Come on out, girls. It’s okay. I promise. That was all just- that was adult talk okay? You don’t need to worry about that until you’re older-.”

“Ruby’s eyes,” Yang bit out, “R-ruby has Mom’s e-eyes.”

“It’s okay, Yang, Ruby, I promise. We’ll take care of it-.”

A creak of wood behind Dad and he frowned before straightening up and turning to face whoever was there, “I’ll be down in a minute, just let me-.”

“Taiyang,” Professor Ozpin sounded weirdly calm, more calm than Dad did, “may I speak to them?”

“…I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

A sigh, “I am well aware of your opinion on this matter, Taiyang, and I respect it. But they have already heard enough to be terrified. Telling them to forget it now is not only impossible but potentially worse than talking to them. You made your stance on this matter very clear, but that does not apply to your children if it will put them in danger.” Professor Ozpin’s voice softened, “Either I speak with them or Qrow does, but please. Let one of us help.”

Dad didn’t move for a long time, then his boots made for the door, “Fine. But don’t drag them into this more than you have to.” A deep breath, “Girls? I’m going downstairs to check on your mother, if you need anything, just shout, okay? Professor Ozpin is going to talk to you for a little bit. He’ll be very nice.” The last bit was said in the same voice he used when warning Zwei not to dig holes in the yard.

Dad’s boots disappeared and fancy black shoes came closer. There was a pause, then, “Would you prefer to stay under the bed?” Ruby whined and Yang glared without a word. She didn’t know what was going on, but Dad seemed mad at Professor Ozpin and everything was scary and so yes, she wanted to stay under the bed. The tip of his fancy cane tapped the floorboards a few times, then there was a hiss and a whirr of gears like from her parents’ gear and the tip disappeared. With a grunt, he knelt down and then lay down on his stomach like even Mom rarely did. He pillowed his chin on his crossed arms and it was so strange seeing a fancy, famous person lying on his belly on the floor of Ruby’s room that Yang snorted despite herself.

Professor Ozpin’s face crinkled into a faint smile and it looked real and warm, “Hello there. You must be Yang and Ruby. I am Professor Ozpin, I’m a friend of your uncle and your mother. Can I safely assume you heard the most important parts of that conversation? The Grimm and the silver eyes and,” the briefest hesitation, “Salem?”

Ruby finally pulled her face away from Yang’s shoulder to whimper, “I-is she gonna take Mom away and m-make her a Grimm? Is she gonna t-take me?”

“Ah. You have silver eyes,” Professor Ozpin murmured, then his face fell back into that faint, warm smile, “Your mother is alright now, and now that we know what is going on, we will be much more careful. I promise, I will do everything in my power to keep your mother and you safe. But to do that … I would like to tell you a story, and you must both promise me to never tell it to anyone. For the safety of you and your mother.” They nodded, hesitantly, even though Yang certainly didn’t want to hear anymore scary things today. But if it would help keep Ruby and Mom safe-.

Professor Ozpin’s smile faded, but his eyes were still warm, “Once upon a time,” he began, and they listened intently as the man with white hair slowly outlined a story that sounded right out of a fairy tail.

...

Always I Dreamed verse:

Summer had no idea what Professor Ozpin had been thinking, making her the leader of Team STRQ. Then again, the only other real option would have been Taiyang, and as much as she enjoyed his company and was coming to think of him as a good friend and teammate, he wouldn’t have been able to handle the Branwen twins.

Not that Summer was much better at handling the Branwen twins.

They hadn’t done anything to get the team in trouble, but she didn’t know how to deal with them. Taiyang made sense, even if he had a few oddly adorable hangups on things like “modesty” —they were two guys and two girls living in the same room, she didn’t really see what modesty had to do with anything when they weren’t out in public—. Taiyang understood her when she tried to … bond with the team, tried to get them to be more than just four strangers living under the same roof and tackling the same assignments in class. Raven and Qrow on the other hand…

Every time she suggested a group activity, they watched her like she was going to bite. Like they couldn’t fathom the point of learning more about or bonding with anyone outside themselves. Taiyang had suggested it was an out of kingdom thing, but Summer had lived outside the kingdoms until five years ago, and she had never acted like that. Her family hadn’t either. That feral behavior, wary distrust and eerie staring in the middle of the night like even the room wasn’t safe to sleep in without a watch wasn’t anything like what Summer and her family or neighbors had grown up with. The only ones who had acted even similar had been-.

Oh.

Now that’s an idea.

...

Blood of My Blood verse:

The next one was a whole month after Grandma Crepera had first appeared and only a week after the scary man with the mace, but three times was enough for Dionysus to be able to immediately tell what was happening when he blinked his way to awareness in a dream. He looked around uneasily, afraid of being yelled at by someone again, but … there was no one scary nearby. He was in a small little building inside a big, unfamiliar garden. The building was just a roof and little pillars holding it up and a stone floor to stand on with a little table inside and-.

A woman.

She was sitting at the table, working on something, but instead of it being paperwork like Grandpa or taking care of a sword like Uncle Cor, she was … spinning mud? She was making mud spin and pulling at it with her hands, changing its shape with her fingers, and Dionysus hadn’t realized he’d drifted into the gazebo to watch her in awe until she glanced up from her work and smiled at him. She went back to watching her mud, and when she spoke, her voice wasn’t echoing and scary, “Hello. Would you like to join me? I have enough for both of us to use if you like.”

Dionysus watched the spinning-spinning-spinning in awe, but shook his head and tucked his hands behind his back, “Iggy says I can’t play in the mud cause I’ll get dirty an’ it’s unb- unbe- bad for a prince.” He blinked up at her, “How come you’re playing in the mud? Iggy says old people don’ like mud.”

The spinning slowed to a stop as she stared at him and he wondered if she was going to get mad. But then she started laughing, an old, deep sound that felt nice, all the way to his bones, “This is not mud, Cheeky Prince, this is clay. People use it to make things like mugs and teapots and vases. Come, come sit and I will show you how.” She waved her muddy hand and set down a chair next to hers in a flash of magical rosy-blue sparks. So she was family, just like the last ones had been. Dionysus hadn’t known he had so much family before. Then again, he was pretty sure they were all dead, and that’s why they were talking to him in dreams rather than when he was awake —and a part of him wondered if that should scare him, but it didn’t, so as long as they didn’t act scary, he didn’t bother trying—.

Dionysus climbed onto the chair and watched her in curiosity. It still looked a lot like mud to him, but it was a different color from mud, so he supposed it could be something else. The woman was spinning her clay again, fingers deftly shaping and pinching and rubbing, “My name is Nyssia, though some once called me the Just.”

Dionysus thought of the Hall of Arts and all the pictures and statues in it, including some of Grandma Crepera, and wondered if she was one of the pictures in the Hall, “Just like Grandma Crepera?”

An amused twitch of her lips, “Yes, I am like Crepera. We are both related to you, but we are older than King Regis.”

He tilted his head, partially mesmerized by what she was doing with the spinning clay, but curious despite himself about other things. She was like Grandma Crepera and the others, but she hadn’t used a scary voice at all, “How come?”

She hummed without looking away from her work, “How come what, Cheeky Prince? I cannot read your mind.”

Dionysus pouted at her, because wasn’t it obvious what he was asking? But then he said, “You don’ have a scary voice like they do.”

Now she did glance up at him with a look like Grandpa had when he said something silly, “Oh, don’t I?” Dionysus jolted in his seat, startled, but not … scared. Her voice had echoed just now, deep and layered like when Grandma Crepera or Leon had spoken, but it didn’t make him feel like he needed to go hide. It reminded him oddly of the big, booming bells that hung from old church in his favorite movie, loud but mellow. He kind of liked it, but he was still glad when her voice went back to normal as she shrugged, “I merely thought you would not like it if I used that voice. So I did not.”

[timewormbloom]

Thank you @rangerpippin for the idea of writing Gilan and Jenny as parents

    “Please do not tell me you gave her what I think you just did.” Jenny’s scathing tone was enough to pull Gilan out of his reports to give her a confused look.

     She wordlessly pointed to the chair next to him, where a little girl sat enjoying her first cup of coffee, courtesy of a distracted Gilan. Despite her pointed looks, Gilan failed to see what was wrong with the situation.

    “It’s just some coffee?” he asked, very confused by the whole ordeal.

    “Yes coffee. The beverage that gives people energy. Energy that a ten year old does not need. Do I need to be more clear?”

     A spark of understanding appeared on Gilan’s face, promptly followed by a whole lot of horror and regret.

     “I forgot about the energy part,” he said, sheepishly, trying to appease his wife who was clutching her ladle a little too tightly for his liking.

     “Oh course you did. Well I have work so you can have the glorious job of watching Ally till it wears off,” she demanded curtly.

     “I get to spend the whole day with Dad? This is awesome!” shouted the girl in question, who had begun to vibrate noticeably with excitement. Gilan’s only response was to nod and attempt to hide in his own cup.

     Jenny gave him a pleased look before heading downstairs to make sure everything was running smoothly for breakfast.

    “Hey Ally, do you want to go see Uncle Will?”

     The child held still for a fraction of a second, before exploding into cheers.

      “Yeah! Uncle Will! Can I shoot his bow this time? Please?” She shouted, giving Gilan puppy dog eyes.

     “We’ll see what Uncle Will says when we get there, how about that?”

     While Will was happy for the surprise visit, he could do without the hyperactive child attempting to do the obstacle race.

     “You gave her coffee, didn't you,” he said to Gilan, giving him his best rendition of Halt’s ‘are you stupid?’ look.

     “Maybe….” was Gilan’s only reply.

     “I made the same mistake with Maddie when she was about this age. Cassandra was ready to rip my head off. I’m guessing Jenny wasn’t too happy.”

     “No, she was not. What did you do with Maddie?”

     “Gave her my cloak and toy bow, called it ranger training and let her loose on some hay bales. Didn’t hear from her for hours. Though Ally seems to be doing alright on the course,” Will remarked.

    “How’s Maddie doing? Dealing with all those aristocrats must be rough,” Gilman idly said, watching Ally stubbornly try to climb up a rope.

     “Last I heard she threw one of the out a window. Good girl, and fantastic technique I might add,” a gruff voice added behind him. Will and Gilan has been warned of his arrival several minutes ago by the horses, but Ally was still shocked.

      “Grandpa Halt! You’re here too! This is the best!” Ally screamed, abandoning her attempts at the rope to fling herself at Halt. His quiet grumbling about the title was ignored by everyone. Despite that, he still affectionately ruffled her hair and knelt down to her level.

    “Hey there, I got something special for you,” he whispered. Ally’s eyes widened comically and she gasped. “Now, close your eyes and hold out your hands.” She nodded, her head looking remarkable like a bobble head and held her hands out. Halt placed a small bundle of leather straps with a pouch in her hands. A slingshot. “Open them.”

     The delighted screech that erupted from Ally’s mouth could be heard for blocks.

     “My own slingshot! Thank you, thank you Grandpa Halt!” she threw her hands around his neck before sprinting off.

     “Forgetting something?” Halt called after her, holding up a small bag of lead balls. She scrambled to turn around and raced back to grab the bag. She ran off the targets that had been set up for Maddie when she was still Will’s apprentice.

     The three men sat comfortably for another three hours, watching Ally fire off shot after shot. She had been taught how to shoot by Cassandra and Maddie, but had never had her own slingshot. Well until now.

     Eventually she wandered over to where her family was and curled up against Gilan’s side.

    “Ready to go?” Gilan asked, ready for this whole ordeal to be done with. Ally sleepily nodded and nuzzled closer. At this moment, Gilan noticed a new problem. Ally was covered in mud from the obstacle course, sweat, and leaves from chasing  after runaway shots. He groaned and stared up at the sky.

    “Jenny is going to kill me. Say your goodbyes now, my executive brain functions are about to be destroyed with her ladle,” he moaned.

    Halt just laughed, and Will gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder while laughing.

[aggimaginary]

The Grinch 2: Happy New Year Capter 2-Agatha Galido

Somewhere in the big universe, the Earth is one of the planets of the Solar system, and our home planet or home world. The world of the Whos is quite different from our world, the world where we lived in. The world of the Whos is probably from other solar system or other galaxy. It's like a dimension. And in Earth, in the country called Philippines, there was a woman named Agatha Galido, a.k.a Aggie.

This human girl is born with large insect-like fairy wings and is the only human around with such wings. Ever since she was a child, she was always loved by her family and relatives, but never have good friends in school because of being so different, making her feel miserable and friendless. When she was almost old enough, her father invented an interdimensional remote control that can open portals or gateways to many different worlds in the whole universe. Using this remote, Aggie made lots of friends that are different and unique species than her. Some are also humans like her, some are animals, and some are like cartoon and animated characters from TV. Some are also super heroes and magical creatures that weren't exist in Aggie's world. When she started making friends, like when she was 10 years old, Aggie created a team, called the Imaginary team, a.k.a. the I team, that can spread love and friendship in different worlds in the universe, and showed to everyone how friendship is important to everyone and everywhere. Since Aggie made almost more than 200 friends, she created groups according to the respective worlds where her friends lived. Since there are 36 groups, she also divided the whole team into three division; Main, Honorary, and Back-up. 22 groups in Main, 10 groups in Honorary, and 4 groups in Back-up. Aggie became the leader of the whole I team, despite that her teammates themselves are her mentors. Aggie and her team became the new owners the most power elements in the universe; The Elements of Friendship. Each group owned just one element. Some group shared the same element, according to which they represented. As the leader, Aggie represented the leading element: Imagination. Because of her position, Aggie have to look out for her team, and she loved them all like a family.

When she was 21, Aggie received a family heirloom that was originally owned by a dark god of the Land of the Forgotten in Mexico, and it's called a wand staff. Aggie's family heirloom was protected and kept by five families; Galido, Borra, Resano, Mondejar and Besares. Aggie belongs to these five families, with Galido (at her father's side) and Mondejar (at her mother's side) as her major families. Even before she received a wand staff with different magical powers, Aggie already developed super and magical powers from her powerful friends by giving her half of theirs, like sharing powers. The wand staff has been a magical heirloom of the five families, required with a spell book that contained the histories of the previous owners and magical spells they have written in it.

For many years that the I team kept organizing, the team had increased their status that each group was called by their respective element to fix a friendship problem that is related to their element either in their respective world or in other worlds that they never visited just yet. So, Aggie asked her dad to make more interdimensional remote controls for her friends, but it's quite impossible since the remote needed more energy and power for the remotes. Since the team has magical wishing members, like fairy godparents, Aggie wished for a interdimensional remote control for each group, and the leader/s are in-charge to hold the remote.

Since it was so many years, Agatha Galido is now 43, got married with one of her friends from another world and her third-in-command, which is was a red bird named Red, when she was 24, got three children and one egg. Ever since she has the power to transform into any form, she was an albino bird when she got pregnant with her 4th child, and laid an egg. The egg was five days old, so it won't be hatch so soon. Today, after Christmas, Aggie was having a great resting time with her team and family in their secret I team HQ under her and her parents' house. Aggie's parents are not as old as we thought, so they are still alive. They didn't mind of their daughter taking care of her team and family under their house. Aggie and only the Main division were sitting on the meeting table that shaped like a big letter 'I'.

"Wow, that was the best Christmas party ever we had last night," Lily said.

"I know! I can't wait for another party next year," Blueberry Pie jumped up in excitement.

"That's too soon, Blueberry," Cubby chuckled.

"I thought this is called 'Hearth's Warming day'" Gemstone thought.

"Christmas, Hearth's Warming, they're the same," Poof corrected.

"Everyone's always excited for Christmas, including us," Jet added.

"It's a good thing you two didn't ruin Christmas again this year," Saltor scoffed.

"Because Jet and I learned a lesson that we should respect our holiday; Halloween," Jack Skellington stated proudly.

"Well, at least you survived. I almost cried when I thought you two were dead!" Aggie cried out loid.

"You're 13 that time. You always cry," Sally Skellington reminded.

"Thank you for reminding me," Aggie replied sarcastically.

"It's quite shame that Mom, Dad, Phineaks and Israbellra didn't spend Christmas with us," Marie Flynn said.

"Yeah, neither do Uncle Flerk and Ferb," Maren Flynnto added.

"Yeah, well, your parents had to go to back to your world and to Switzerland for the award ceremony next week," Aggie explained. "And even Ferb and Flerk are still in Camp David. Those guys are very busy. At least Vanessa, Varessa, Thomas and Themas attended."

Marie sighed dreamingly, "Yeah, Thomas is so sweet."

Frantis almost barfed in disgust, "Uh, you do know you guys are cousins, right?"

"Umm, their fathers are stepbrothers. So, their not related," Tootie corrected.

"I just still don't get why Basil wasn't in a mood to celebrate Christmas," Jerry said. "Sure, he attended, but he doesn't seem to have fun with us."

"You already know detectives, like Sherlock Holmes, Basil was not in a mood for Christmas joy. He's always been like that for years," Pilair replied.

"So, any plans for New Year? We only have five days left," Skenda asked.

"We can have colorful fireworks," Roo suggested.

"Fireworks can be nice, but no fountain, no firecracker, no harmful firework stuff. They might blow your fingers," Leia warned.

"She's right. We don't want to have fireworks incident in the team, just like what happened to Aggie's neighbors last year," Chet agreed.

"Yeah, lots of fingers blew up last year," Smantha added.

"We can use my Pixie dust Snow ball Firework Shower spell. That's safe," Aggie lifted her wand staff.

"How about the candles? You know, the sparking ones and colorful flame ones." Fred Figglehorn inquired.

"As long as they don't explode," Azul was concerned.

"But, where can we celebrate?" Lola questioned.

"Grandpa Leo and Grandma Bernadette invited us upstairs," Amaranth Red raised her hand. "The backyard is so wide, so there's enough space for all of us to watch the fireworks in New Year's Eve."

"Close enough. We didn't celebrate New Year with Mr. and Mrs. Galido for a while," Blossom nodded.

"Okay, so we already know where we will celebrate and what stuff we will use, any more ideas?" Baby Bugs asked as he listed in the what-to-do list about New Year plans.

"How about a song for New Year?" Chyna got up from her chair, and then, pointed Aggie, "And Aggie will sing!"

"What? Why me?" Aggie asked.

"Come on, Aggie, you haven't sing a song every New Year for years. You only counted on us. It's your turn," Miley explained.

Aggie sighed, "Fine. I'll try my best. I'll just find a perfect song."

"Great! All we have to do is to invite the Honorary and Back-up divisions here for the New Year," Perry said.

Just then, Crimson Red noticed his mother's element on her I team ID began to glow.

"Mom! Your element! It's glowing!" He pointed out loud.

The whole Main I team heard the half-bird as Aggie looked down at her ID where she saw her element glowing and blinking.

"Sweet Celestia, Aggie!" Rarity gasped. "You were called. This means there is a friendship problem!"

"How come there could be friendship problem after Christmas and before New Year?!" Red growled.

"Everyone has problems all the time, Red. Including you before you became a hero," Stella recalled.

"Yeah. Thanks for telling me that, sis," The red angry bird rolled his eyes.

"Kowalski, Kelda, activate the map!" Skipper commanded.

The tall penguin and his adoptive guardian or wife saluted as they pushed two buttons together, and the table showed the hologram of the Earth.

"Alright then, where the friendship problem could be in my world?" Aggie looked up at the Earth hologram.

"Let's see here," Kowalski swiped the hologram of the Earth to rotate it and find a friendship problem, "So, there's no friendship problem in your world, Aggie."

"How about all of our worlds?" Captain Jake inquired.

When Dr. Blowhole and Dr. Blest typed something on the keyboards, the hologram showed a live footage of every world that the I team lived.

"Okay. The New York City and Central Park Zoo is okay. No friendship problem," said the reformed villain dolphin.

"Not even in Halloween town," Samuel checked on the footage of his and his family's home world or home town.

"The Hundred Acre woods is always peaceful," Rabbit said.

"Fairy world and Dimmsdale is fine," Timmy added.

"No monsters, crime or even quarreling happened in Townsville," Bubbles said about her world.

"Bird Island is still peaceful and happy community," Hal told them.

"Webster High and Z-tech is still good," Fletcher looked at the footage of his and his two friends' old and current schools.

"Our world is okay," Tom announced.

"So was ours, and Kat and Kit's home planet," Coop gritted his teeth, not wanting to mention his former enemy's home planet.

"Our world seems good too," Oggy said.

"So was Danville, O.W.C.A., and other countries," Pelry concluded.

"Including the 2nd dimension," Dofelia added.

"Pixie Hollow and the Winter Woods are still balance," Tinker Bell stated.

"Neverland is still clean," Skully scanned the footage of Neverland.

"Acme Acres in the future has no trouble," Petunia announced.

"Not even at our home," Baby Petunia added.

"Hollywood is still shining," Oliver made a thumb-up.

"My home town is also good," Fred Figglehorn nodded.

"No Devinos attacking in our town," Serio pointed.

"The Do-Jo and our world weren't affected by the master," Yin said.

Her brother, Yang, cleared his throat, "Umm, it's because there's no night master anymore, remember?"

"Shut up," the pink rabbit was annoyed by the blue one.

"Everything's fine all of the planets we visited years ago," Han mentioned.

"Starlight City has no trouble at all," Skidmark said.

"Equestria is also good," Twilight looked at the footage of Equestria.

"Did you guys check the worlds of the Honorary and the Back-up?" Aggie asked.

"Yeah, the chickens, the Kids Next Door, the herd of sheep, Pasadena, Transylvania, Zootopia, Mousedom, the garden gnomes in their world, Stork Mountain, and cars world are all okay and safe. No friendship problem at all," Clover Scarlet answered her mother.

"The Danger HQ, Smurf Village, the Lands of the Remembered and Forgotten, and the ocean where Marlin, Nemo and Dory lived are in peace too," Roy added.

"If none of our worlds have any friendship problems, then we have to search the whole universe," Aggie suggested as the whole team nodded in agreement.

When the hologram map extended, showing the hologram of the whole universe, there was blinking white light on another galaxy, just beside Aggie's home galaxy.

"There it is!" She pointed.

The hologram zoomed on the blinking white light, and showed a town with lots of houses.

"Wow, that's a pretty cool town," Bubs commented.

"And snowy!" Crimson Red exclaimed, then frowned that there's no snow in the Philippines, "Lucky!"

"Oh well, I think I have to go dimension travel again," Aggie stretched her hands and arms.

"You mean, right now?" Piglet inquired, "But what about the plans and New Year?"

"I'm sorry, Piglet, but this is very important." Aggie apologized. "But this is very important."

"Are you not going to celebrate New Year with us, Aunt Mom?" Rebecca made a sad face.

"Of course I'm going to celebrate with all of you guys. Don't worry. When I'm done with the friendship problem, I'll be home in no time."

"That's right, Rebecca," Ruby patted her daughter's head. "Your step-mom is going to spend New year with all of us. She does this every year."

"Thanks, Rubs. Now, I have to bring my wand staff and my interdimensional remote control." Before Aggie gathered her things, she was interrupted for a moment.

"Just a moment, sis," Joseline halted her, "It's snowy in that world and the town. You need to wear your winter clothes."

"Don't worry, I got this," With a smirk on her face, Aggie wore a gray jacket and warm gloves to prepare herself before going to that world where she was called.

"Is that all you have to wear?" Lumpy asked.

"It was never snow here in the Philippines, so this is all I've got. Don't worry. I'll warm myself when I get there." When Aggie opened the portal with her remote, she turned her wand staff into a sled.

"Since when Xibalba taught you how to turn your wand staff into a sled?" Periwinkle inquired suspiciously.

"He didn't. I made the spell myself. Hey, I'm the owner of the wand staff now, so it's my turn to create my own spell," Aggie explained to her wing sister, "Oh, that reminds me…" She grabbed a backpack, then her big spell book, and put it inside of her bag. "Can't use my wand staff without a little guidance from the spell book!"

"Are you sure you have to do this?" Red looked at his human wife in concern and worry.

"I have to, Red," Aggie answered with a sigh. "It's my duty."

Her bird husband exhaled in defeat. Red truly respected Aggie's duty. Then, he pecked her on the lips, "Just be careful out there."

"I will. Thanks," Aggie kissed him back and waved at her team and family, "Bye guys!"

"See you soon, Aggie." Bomb waved.

"Bye, Mom. I love you!" Amaranth Red did a flying kiss gesture.

"Be safe," Wands added.

Aggie waved one last time before she stepped into the portal until her body disappeared as the portal closed.

When the whole Main I team was left behind, they still felt sad for their leader and best friend that a friendship problem called her just before New Year.

"Man, this is a rough New Year for Aggie," Matilda said.

"I know. I feel bad for her, too," Screwball added, worried for her adoptive aunt.

[melissa-isabel]

Dairy Entry 1

07/14/2018

Dear Diary,

Thursday through to today have come in like a tornado. I have had an amazing paradigm shift, I couldn’t have possibly seen it coming, but then we never do see the big ones coming. The kind that pull the rug from under your feet only to send you soaring into the clouds completely free. Devoid of all of the baggage you had left on the rug.

I feel as though a blindfold has been removed from my eyes and the gates to my hear unlocked, access granted. 

I wouldn’t say it all started on Thursday, as I believe every second of life leads to next and so on and so forth. That being said I feel like I finally broke through a plateau I had been stuck at for years on Thursday. It started with a gut cleanse I am doing with my friend this past Sunday. This cleanse restricts a lot of food that weighs you down energetically and interrupts your digestive system, listen to my podcast for more information on that. The cleanse allowed the stagnant and suppressed energy and emotions to start flowing in my body so the week as a whole was a whirlwind of emotion. Little epiphanies left and right, along with a plethora of questions left unanswered for so long.

On Thursday I agreed to go to a sound bath meditation with my sister, an invitation I had rejected just one week prior. This week though, I just really needed to clear out the inner gunk to get my flow, well flowing. So I went.

I went and let me tell you. It was powerful shit. Like aliens experimenting on me crazy, swords for combat permanently attached to me intense, and being held by all creation comforting. With tears streaming down my face, I emptied my cup and filled it back up, realizing that I am truly never alone. 

Friday I had the day off since I worked on Sunday last week and I had a perfectly productive day planned to the T. Though feeling slightly nauseous from the prior night’s energy work, I went on my almost daily run and felt more powerful than I ever had before. Seeing not only myself though new eyes of love and appreciation, but also the world around me. I followed my run with several to-do list tasks that cleared up my space and my mind. 

Finally able to take a break I made vegan, gluten-free cream of broccoli from scratch and sat down to eat. Soon after, my day’s tasks nearly done, I decided to take some books to a donation spot, roughly 30 minutes away from my house. Books delivered, I went grocery shopping for more fresh veg to fuel me and upon coming out of Sprouts Farmer’s Market, the other shoe finally dropped.

My car’s engine would not start. Fuck me, right? Daf, my barely 3 year old car that I had driven off the lot as a fresh graduate was going to give up on me. Except the high from the night before was fighting the anxiety inside, making my stomach flip. So I hit pause.

Pause.

I read my car’s manual because a few emergency lights had turned on. Nothing of use. Damn.

I called my sister 3 times, no answer. Finally a text, oh wait her boyfriend has her phone. Oh pues. 

I called my mom, and in true mom style she freaked out and wanted me to wait for her even though she was an hour away. Hmmm, would my groceries go bad?

My mom contacted my uncle, who suggested I get a kind samaritan to jump start my car just so I could get home and then he could check it out later.

Ok, I can do this, I thought. So I went back to the grocery store and tried to find someone who could help to no avail. 

Breathe.

I went to the CVS next door and bought jumper cables, AND found a guy willing to help. Score!

During the process of jump starting my car, the cables started smoking and sparking, the rubber? plastic? melted off of them. Shit, Fuck, Fuck, Shit, Fuck.

Breathe.

My car turned on and the kind gentleman who helped me out told me to go return the cables. He would stay with my car until I got back. I did, and he did.

THANK YOU!

On my drive home I realized how blessed I am. How in my time of need the right people were presented, and I just started crying. Because in that moment all I could do to process the immense ocean of love and gratitude inside was to let it flow through the faucets on my face. Wow. I drove slow, and gave everyone with a blinker turned on space to merge, something my usual road rage self would never do. Not if I could help it anyways. 

I made it home safe. Decompressed. Checked in with my mom, only to find out that my uncle wouldn’t be able to make it out to my car until Sunday night. Cutting it too close to be sure I could make it to work. Feeling the threat of anxiety I went on a walk with my close friend and roommate. (thank you C, love youuuu)

Hours later I got a call from my grandpa saying he would stop by to take a look at my car the following morning. But I didn’t want to worry him. He just had surgery, he should be relaxing at home. I asked my mom and sister who told grandpa I had car troubles, as they were the only ones I told. Mom told dad, who told grandpa. Slightly peeved. 

Breathe. It is ok. 

Trust. 

Just trust.

The next morning I woke up after a crazy dream about an arranged marriage and chapstick. I know, don’t say it.

I had this weird sense of clarity in regards to a friendship I had quit cold turkey two years ago. I ghosted and blocked that girl like my life depended on it, because on a camping trip in the middle of the wilderness with a small group, she did the unthinkable, crossed all my sacred boundaries. The culmination to a slow brewing resentment finally coming to fruition. It hurt. It hurt like a mother fucker. Hurt past the three days I cried and puked, so disheveled, mourning the girl I once called a sister. It was like watching my family fall apart all over again. A fallout she had been there for, supported me through.

I surprised myself by unblocking her to send her a message. I finally after two years was able to tell her how I felt and why I had cut her out, shut the door and installed 10...maybe 20 locks. I felt relief, finally voicing the pain I had kept locked inside for so long. I think because I was also able to recognize that I was at fault too, for not defending my boundaries, for not communicating with her. The situation was created by the two of us. I was not blame-free.

A couple hours later my grandpa showed up, mechanic friend in tow, carrying various tools and equipment for my car. Roughly and hour and a half later Daf had a new battery, engine filter, and a fuel cleaner. Free, though I tried to pay. 

Blessed. I truly felt so blessed. I have the luxury of a family that though they have their own faults, as do I, love me regardless. Unconditionally. And will always show up when I need them. Even when I don’t realize I need them. Even when I don’t ask for help. They are always there. Arms wide open.

Thank you, truly.

Grandpa & Co. gone, I went inside to find a message from my once friend. My stomach flipped. I didn’t want to open it. 

Breathe.

I put on my big girl panties and opened it. She said sorry. She had been thinking about it a lot and she was genuinely remorseful and hoped I was doing well. She was glad I finally put words to my feelings. I was too. Glad we were able to clear the air. A huge weight off my chest. I can breathe. I can fly. 

I am blessed and have so much to be grateful for.

[kneesheee]

Stark Sibs

Stark Siblings for the Win

Warnings: Details have been manipulated and shifted to fit to the flow of the story. This is NOT TeamCap friendly like at all. So yeah, I wouldn’t recommend reading if I were you.

The Stark Siblings all watched as the news began coverage of the battles with the Winter Soldier and Captain America. Their dad had told them from the start to not get involved. That didn’t stop them from reading over the accords. They made notes to give to their Dad when he started his campaign to change them.

But as they watched everything that was happening. People losing their family members and the destruction of their property. They all glanced over to James. He nodded determinedly and pulled out his phone. He had calls to make with Aunt Pepper to help with getting people jobs for those that loss a member that was their source of income, condolences baskets, paying for hospital bills. Selene may be the one that can put fear into her enemies’ hearts, but James (and Azari) was the one who was equipped to deal with public assistance. Azari took that as his cue to call upon the rest of their father’s lawyers to go ahead and pull them into the loop.

Their Uncle Rhodey was in the hospital. They were all furious. Their existence wasn’t made public yet. Only Aunt Pepper, Uncle Rhodey, Uncle Happy, and Grandpa Fury knew of them being Tony’s children. They couldn’t even go see their Uncle.

Then their father didn’t check in and their hearts stopped.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. pinpoint Dad’s last location and send Vis there. I don’t care what the Accords have to say. Dad could be dying!”

Fri immediately actively Protocol TPS.

Siberia.

The suit had been offline in the area for three hours. Vision found their dad there delirious and slowly freezing to death. Captain America’s shield was thrown not too far away and the Winter Soldier’s broken mental arm was also in the vicinity.

This time all of their siblings turned towards Selene and Francis. Both unconsciously bringing forth the power of the Grecian gods.

“I’m going to fucking slaughter them all,” Selene hissed before leaving out of the room to begin searching for them. -- Selene was never of fan of her father growing up. No matter how many stories of his bravery and unwavering loyalty and kindness and all around good intentions her Uncle Tony told her about him… Selene hadn’t believed any of it. No one was that perfect and Uncle Tony did used say her father had his faults, but he was a good man.

It had taken going to another dimension to finally get proof that she was right.

Captain America. He didn’t deserve that named after what he did to Tony. She knew her and her pseudo siblings had made the right decision in waiting to tell the respective parents about their existence. Now look, her biological parents were world class fugitives alongside her supposed Uncle Clint. Her supposed Uncle T’Challa were harboring said fugitives and her suppose to been Uncle Hank is old enough to be her granddad and hates her dad (because Uncle Tony is Parent Tony in this dimension) and her Uncle Thor was off doing gods (Greek gods because sorry Torunn, your Asgardian blood is filled with assholes) knows what.

She basically hated them even Uncle Bruce because he ran out on her dad. Dad always said not to put too much trust into people. They all leave eventually.

So one can imagine her distaste when they all started to crawl back into her dad’s life.

She had been in her room looking for something to wear with F.R.I.D.A.Y.’s help to the Father-Daughter dance she had signed her and Tony up for. She heard a long crackle of something and set out to find the source. She was surprised to see Thor Odinson stroll into the living room.

His gaze swept over the room before landing on Selene standing in the doorway staring at him.

“My apologies for arriving unannounced, is the Man of Iron around,” Thor asked her. Selene could feel it in her bones that F.R.I.D.A.Y. awareness shifted back to the room no doubt telling her father that he had a guest. “Ah, I’ve been remiss. I am Thor, Son of Odin, Prince of Asgard, God of Thunder, Wielder of Mjolnir, and a proud Shield Bearer of Midgard.”

A flash of amusement coursed through her veins and she smiled all teeth at the Prince. “I am Selene, Daughter of Tony, Champion of Poseidon, Wielder of Τσουνάμι, and Protector of Earth. I’ve been waiting on your return. I have some things I would like to say to you.”

Thor, at least, had good sense to know that he should be wary of her intentions. It wasn’t like she was Poseidon’s Champion or anything. Selene gestured towards the couch for him to sit down and crossed the room to stand in front of him.

“I’m going to say this once. When my father is outside of the Iron Man armor, he is human. Remember that time when you walked up to him and wrapped your godly hands around his neck. And what was it that you said he had done? He messed with forces he didn’t understand. Let’s remember those forces are magical and who in the vicinity were hefting around magical items that day. That’s right, YOU. Your little light show with your hammer set off a spark that awoken the powers of the Mind Stone that had corrupted Ultron’s initial programming. Those forces he didn’t understand came from you awakening them. So the next time you dare lay a finger against my father,” Selene clothing shifted to the traditional Ancient Grecian armor and her trident appeared in her hands. “I will gladly rip you apart from the inside out and I will show you why I was chosen to be the Champion of Poseidon.”

She took a deep breath and willed her clothing to return to normal before making her move to leave. “There is also someone else, you should meet. Dad had it arranged earlier, but you disappeared to Asgard before you could meet her. And I warn you now, Shakespeare in The Park, if you break her heart; all of the armies of the nine realms will not stop me, dad, or any of our other family members from killing you.”

Selene walked away and headed back to her room. Not even half a minute later, she heard her father excitedly and little suspiciously greets the Asgardian prince. That didn’t matter to her though. His return only meant things were about to get messy.

Selene needed to start her training again. -- James Rogers had always been just a boy that had wanted to get to know his father. He was Captain America’s number one fan. When the Tony from his dimension presented the hologram shield disguised as a watch, James happily took it whereas his sister sneered at it. She couldn’t see the appeal. She just couldn’t understand how their father was a good man. She resented him; always ready to point out any faults he had.

It had taken going to another dimension to finally get proof that she was right.

Captain America was not the guy from the stories Uncle Tony used to tell them. He didn’t care about the little people. He only cared for himself and his happiness. He wasn’t just a bully. He was a selfish one too.

And don’t even get him started on his mother. She surely did a wonderful job of being a backstabber. He didn’t think he could forgive any of them. “Team Cap”. Ha! Aunt Pepper and Cousin Hope were already working to tarnish that name. He did not stand for the hope nor freedom or protection unless it benefits him and his best friend Bucky. And yet thinking about Bucky didn’t bring the wave of disgust he thought it was, but James was still ashamed to be named after a man who killed and attempted to kill innocent people while following behind Steve Rogers and his delusions.

James’ shook his head to clear his thoughts. He had suppose to been training, but he zoned out. He tapped his wrist and let the holographic shield disappear. James needed to take a shower before heading towards the living room where he could hear his now reinstated Uncle Thor loudly retelling tales of Asgard. James didn’t know what his twin said to the god, but Thor had put a lot of effort into making amends with his dad after choking him. Thor was even being patient establishing a relationship with his daughter. Which is good, James would hate to have to kill the god. He would’ve begged and pleaded to one of the Grecian gods that blessed his sister and his cousin Francis for all the strength he would’ve needed.

After James got out of the shower and dressed, he headed towards the others but stopped and got into a defensive position of the man standing idly in the hallway. James had no idea who he was until he turned to look at him. With a jolt of shock, James realized that he was staring at a younger version of Bruce Banner. The Hulk. Well, James had a few words for him. His twin couldn’t be the only one to strike fear in the hearts of those that hurt their dad.

“Robert Bruce Banner. Born on December 18, 1969. Place of Birth Dayton, Ohio Caught in the blast of gamma radiation, now cursed to transform in times of stress into the living engine of destruction known as Hulk.”

James leaned against the wall. Bruce looked at him strangely and defensively. “Who are you?”

“James G. R. Stark. And I have a few things I need to say to you.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow and took a deep breath to maintain his control over the Hulk. James’ facial features dropped into a scowl.

“You turn your back on dad again and I swear I will steal ‘Lena’s trident and stick up yours and Hulk’s greenly ass. Dad had your back through everything and was not above showing you that just because you could transform into the Hulk meant you were a monster. He calls you his science bro and when things get too tough, you run away. I can understand the need to calm down and gain some control, but you could have at least sent something out to let dad know that you held accountability for your hand in creating Ultron. No, you condemn him instead. Says he gives you too much stress and you’re not the kind of doctor that listens to problems. Newsflash, Raging Green Asshole, you were his friend and friends listen to each no matter how big or small the problem is.” Taking a deep breath, James glared at Bruce who had green slowly pouring into his irises. “If you think you can come back here and be friends again, you got another thing coming. I have three family members that can take down the Hulk using strength. I have two siblings that can give a electrical charge so high that you’ll think that Thor and every other gods of thunder and lightning all conspired together to shock you. And I and my youngest sibling each have the authorization to call on V.E.R.O.N.I.C.A. and we won’t stop fighting even if you crush us like a pop can. You gotta earn that spot back, buddy and none of us will make it easy.”

James said no more and walked away from the new arrival. He had more important things to do than sit around and worry about someone’s delicate feelings. -- A mug of hot chocolate hit the floor as Selene stared at the woman before her. Her heart sped up in awe before she calmed herself down. She hated this woman with everything in her. She shouldn’t be delighted to see her.

“Who are you,” the Black Widow asks. Selene cocks her head to the side. She’s not a good spy, she muses internally.

Before she could even think to answer her question, her father rushed into the room to check on her. He ignored F.R.I.D.A.Y. report saying that she was fine. He checked her over for injuries, produced a small flashlight out of nowhere and shined it in her eye, before he hugged her tightly.

“Little Red, I was scared.” She was happy. He had a hard time expressing emotion more likely from just about everyone in his past. Selene was more than happy that he was willing to open up to her. She wouldn’t even dream of abandoning her dad.

She smiled sweetly at him ready to reply before he cut her off again. “Romanov, I’d like to know what you are doing in my home.”

Her dad turns to fully face the woman effectively cutting off her view of Selene. Selene could basically feel the Black Widow eyes on her through her father. A shiver ran through her before she patted her dad on his back twice before stepping around him and back into her room.

She’d let him handle the Black Widow, then sic Francis on her later. -- The Rogue Avengers ended up getting presidential pardons. In the face of the upcoming invasion (oh, look Dad was right.), the UN has agreed to temporarily clear their charges until after the battle

. The kids were not amused. The UN begged and pleaded for the Avengers to be housed at the tower since the compound was turned into a school for enhanced individuals and were all willing to pay for their cost of living. Some of the countries even agreed to donate toiletries and weaponry for the rogues to use if it made the transition easier.

It didn’t.

In the end, the Avengers were to be housed at Stark Tower until after the Infinity War. They were to keep their distance away from Tony Stark and his family in any case that is neither training nor talking battle strategy. Then they were to face the consequences of their actions with no option of signing the accords.

The Rogue Avengers made their way to the living room unnoticed. They all watched confused as the New Avengers and the Next Avengers laughed and chatted it up in the room. A short, petite red head stood proud and tall in a sleek black jumpsuit holding on to what look like a trident talking to the Black Widow. Beside her was a carbon copy of her except male with the original Captain America shield rested on his back and an impressive and expensive looking watch perched on his wrist talking to Ms. Marvel.

Not too far away, a platinum blonde male stood in a corner talking seriously with another golden hair teenager and the female Hawkeye. They all had bows and arrows on their persons. Running a hand through her hand and talking excitedly with Thor stood a blonde female in what looked to be traditional Asgardian armor. Bruce Banner stood to the side and was talking animatedly with a small boy in what looked like a male version of the Wasp suit with a vaguely familiar woman standing beside them dressed in the actual Wasp suit. A short African male was perched like a cat on the couch and was speaking seriously in English and some Wakandanian with T’Challa. Tony, himself, was caught up in a four-way conversation between him, Spiderman, Vision, and Rhodey who was slowly, but surely walking on his own.

“What the hell,” Clint questioned aloud. All heads turned in their direction before scowls crossed all of the unfamiliar children faces. The redhead female’s clothing shifted into a form of armor and the trident in her hand seemed to spark with power. The blonde male with arrows nodded at the platinum blonde teen before disappearing in thin air.

“Welcome back.” Tony waved, but there was no friendliness in his movement. “Congratulations on receiving pardons for your impressively long list of crimes.”

“Tony,” Steve started before he cut off at the growl of anger from all of the teenagers present.

“It’s Dr. Stark to you,” Francis sneered. Selene’s gripped tighten on her trident as the champion of the Twin Archer gods’ came to her side. He placed a calming hand on her shoulder despite the fact that he wanted to grab his arrows and stick them far up all of their self-righteous asses, Thanos be damned.

“And who are you,” the Scarlett Witch questioned. Selene decided to take over from there. She shared a look with her family and they all looked at their dad. Tony nodded his consent before turning to leave.

“When you learn the truth, remember you left and torn apart one family already, Mr. Sometimes-My-Teammates-Keep-Secrets-From-Me.”

Then he walked away without as much as a fleeting glance at the rogues. Spiderman and Rhodey followed after him each giving a glare to the rogues.

“Free range, huh?” Selene started moving closer towards the rogues. An icy smile crossed her features that had Bruce and Thor twisting uncomfortably. Their time amongst the Stark family over the past few months has led them to see how vicious and defensive she could be. Even though she had somehow found it in the glacier that she calls her heart to forgive them, that doesn’t stop her from keeping them up on their toes and making sure they tread lightly and carefully in regards to her dad and siblings. “Oh, I’m going to have fun with this.”

“You didn’t answer her question; who are you?” Scott asked meekly. He was staring at Hope, but was still glancing at all the teens surrounding him.

“Oh, me? We’ll get to that. Let’s talk about you,” she sneered. She gestured towards her youngest adopted brother Pym. “Pym, take the stage.”

Pym, sweet little Pym, turned to look directly at Scott. He glared death into the soul of the man that broke his biological sister’s heart and stole from his biological father.

“I’m Hank Pym, Junior. The current Antman and the next in line heir to Pym Technologies. I’m also the adopted son of Tony Stark. And you? Well, you’re not important,” Pym slowly made his way towards Scott who looked on warily. With lightning fast movements, Pym snatched the Antman suit from Scott’s pocket. “This does not, has never, and will never belong to you. You have been defaced to the engineer of your team and hold no rights to the Antman name. You’ll be hearing from my father’s lawyers in the next twenty four hours.”

Pym reached a hand out towards his sister who then handed him another set of papers. “You also have a meeting with your Parole Officer, another with your divorce attorney, and here is a restraining order to keep at least one hundred and twenty feet away from Hope van Dyne unless on the battlefield which of course you’re not able to appear on. Effective in the next twenty four hours of you receiving this.”

Then he stepped back and to let whichever one of his other siblings give it a go. Selene and James had wicked smiles on their faces as they looked at the renegades. All of them looked so hurt and angry in their teammates honor.

“Oh, don’t look so surprised. What did you think was going to happen when you run across the globe, stealing someone else’s property to fight a battle you knew nothing about just because Steve Rogers called?” Azari questioned from his seat beside his father.

“Pathetic,” the twins’ sneered.

“I am Prince Azari of Wakanda. Black Panther in training. Heir to the throne of Wakanda. Adopted son of Tony Stark,” was all he said before turning back to his father.

A small electrical charge ran up his arms that had Sam, Scott, and Bucky take two steps back. The blonde girl that was talking to Thor turned to look at the renegades.

“I am Torunn, Adopted Daughter of Tony, Daughter of Thor, Princess of Asgard, Goddess of Thunder, Wielder of Rezača, and a proud Shield Bearer of Midgard.”

“And you, Clint Barton, you have a lot of things to answer to. Mama B, you can come out now!” Francis’ yelled out as Laura Barton made her way into the room and marched directly over to her husband.

“Well this is going to be entertaining,” Selene laughed. -- The Next Avengers were in the training room just hanging around and half-assing their routine. The Black Widow was in there also watching them trail around. It’s not like they needed the training, but Selene and Francis had training with their godly mentors soon and no one wanted to risk either of them getting even the slightest injury.

Then Captain Righteous and his team of bandits walked into the room.

“Francis, wanna go a round?” Selene called out to her brother from where she was doing pull ups. Francis stopped over in the archery range and looked over to her. She had her famed wicked grin on and it continued to send shivers down Sam’s, Steve’s, Wanda’s, and Scott’s spines. Even Bucky, himself, had to suppress his own tremors.

“Sure, you wanna do that Little Red?” Francis pulled a similar grin to hers even as he made his way over.

“Let’s do it, Katniss,” Selene mocked moving over to the mats. “I’ve been practicing, teaching Dad a couple of tricks. You?”

“Did you now? His form has been looking good,” Francis admitted. “Bet. I could make it better.”

“I don’t doubt that,” Selene shrugged. “Full Out or Half Assing?”

“You should watch your language,” Black Widow called out. “Steve doesn’t like it.”

“Do I look like I give a damn what Steve likes,” Selene drawled before her and Francis began their match. James and the rest of their siblings laughed aloud.

“Rude. Just like their father,” Wanda sneered. “It doesn’t surprise me that they don’t respect those that deserve it.”

Selene growled before kicking Francis in the stomach. He flew away from her and she turned towards Wanda.

“Respect those who deserve it? Like your precious Steve Rogers?! RESPECT HIM WHEN HE LEFT MY FATHER TO DIE IN SIBERIA WITH A BROKE ARC REACTOR? RESPECT HIM WHEN HE HID THE FACT THAT HIS LITTLE BFF FROM THE ‘40s KILLED MY FATHER’S PARENTS?”

“IT WASN’T BUCKY!” Steve immediately defended.

“THAT’S NOT BUCKY! GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEAD!” Selene screeched. The ground around her was shaking like an earthquake. Her eyes’ connected with Steve who looked like he was struggling to contain his anger. “Bucky Barnes died when he fell off that train. That is James Buchanan Barnes. Former Hydra operative. And because of you, Steve Rogers, because you couldn’t sit your ass down and do something to protect your already fragile life. Because you signed up for Project Rebirth and became Captain America. Hydra took your friend and made him a killer. Made him kill my grandparents.”

She took slow steps towards him and the wicked smile began crossing her features again. “Look at you, Steve Rogers. You hated bullies so much that you became one. And you work alongside them. Former Hydra operatives. One by your own unconscious hand and another by her own choice. The Accords made the way for them to be free.”

“What do you know about the Accords?” Sam asked warily. Red Wing was perched on his back delicately and Selene scowled. He may have gotten the Falcon wings from the army, but the upgraded Red Wing was supposed to be hers. He was suppose to keep his little army wings. She will be taking her back.

“What I know? I know when they came to Dad he read them over, laughed for an hour, then called all his lawyers up to get to get them fixed for you. I know when he walked out the room that I had F.R.I.D.A.Y. copy every sheet of paper and we all read them. Every single one of us read through it. Paragraph by paragraph. And yeah, they were shit. So we kept reading them. Every new clause that was added. Every one that was changed,” Azari laughed cruelly. “And you, Rogers, were going to sign them.”

“Wait, what?” Sam questioned aloud thoroughly shocked.

“Here’s a little secret,” Francis said as he walked up beside his sister. “You see, you might have magical powers, Wanda. But Dad is tons of more powerful than you.”

“When a person with unquestionable and unrestricted power kills over 27 people, the public gets angry. And they want death. YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WANTED YOU DEAD!? My dad was trying to protect you and you threw it in his face! You messed with his mind! You put the idea of Ultron into his head! You killed your own fucking brother! You pushed our brother down seven floors! You dropped cars on our damn father! You threw my mother into a truck! I should kill you for all of that!”

“What” Natasha gasped and took a step back in shock. Steve was bursting to the seams with anger. “She saved lives!”

“You think the public cares about how many lives were saved when faced with how many died? Yes, she saved them from the bomber but let’s talk about those she killed because she doesn’t have full control of her powers. Let’s talk about those she mind-raped. Or the stress she cause in the creation of Ultron. Or those deaths that she had a hand in because she sided with Ultron before she realized that he was going to kill her too. What did you tell her? That it was collateral damage. You told Dad that you can’t expect people to not die in a war. Weren’t you supposed to be Captain America? The Man with the Plan? The Best Strategist to ever live? So her brother’s death was a necessary sacrifice? The only family she had left was collateral damage? Please. That’s a load of bullshit,” James sneered.

Shaking her head, Selene glared at Wanda, who looked like she was trying not to cry. “You killed your own brother, and condemn me for not respecting someone.”

Selene’s body armor changed into traditional Grecian armor that shimmered like water.

“You want me to respect Steve Rogers?! Respect the man that can’t take what he dishes out?! He was going to sign the accords! None of you of would have become criminals if he trusted my father because that’s what it comes down to.”

“He had Wanda locked up! She’s just a kid!” Steve objected.

All of the Stark Siblings glared at him. They didn’t even register when F.R.I.D.A.Y. called out for their father. Selene sneered and felt a deep pleasure when he hit the ground screaming in agony as she burned his blood and the serum running through his veins.

“Don’t raise your voice at her. She has the power to undo the serum running through your bloods. That witch is not a child. She’s over the age of twenty-one. Not only that, you may technically over ninety years old, but you are biologically roughly twenty four years of age. Are you a child? We didn’t think so.”

Tony stopped outside of the door and looked in as Selene let Rogers up. She was breathing heavily as her twin came and wrapped an arm around her carefully. “My dad only wanted the absolute best for you. He gave you a home. He gave you a family. He gave you somewhere to train your skills. He upgraded your suits and your weapons. He didn’t have to do that. He wasn’t supposed to do that. He closed down the weapons program, so he wasn’t suppose to continue to make weapons. He broke the Accords for you. It’s not that you didn’t trust the accords, Rogers. You didn’t trust him, so don’t ever think he can trust you.”

“The Avengers were always Tony’s family,” Steve tried to argue.

“His family? So that’s why they all ended up in exiled in Wakanda with you, huh? Yeah, Dad knew about that,” James snorted.

“We’re his family,” Torunn declared.

Selene shook her head. “I think that hippie juice did more than mess with your body, Rogers. It messed with your mind too. A good man? You’re still the little scrawny asshole from Brooklyn that doesn’t know when to back down. And that’s going to get you killed one day. Funny thing about it? I pray I’m the one that does it.”

Francis and Selene turned their heads to the sky as the call from the Grecian gods played in their mind. Selene took a deep breath before walking over to her siblings and giving them hugs. Tony decided that he was cue to walk in.

“What’s going on?”

It was quiet for a moment before the Pym replied, “We were just having a talk about respect?”

The other siblings nodded their agreements enthusiastically as Selene held onto him tightly. Selene drank in his presence before she went away. She needed to reassure herself that he was there and alive and not slowly freezing to death in a Hydra base in Siberia.

“Gonna miss you too, Little Red.” Her dad said as he wrapped her up in a hug. He used to be so awkward with showing affection, but Selene was her mother’s daughter. She always got what she wanted no matter how hard she had to fight for it.

Francis moved in to get a hug from their father while Selene stood off to the side with her siblings. She glared ahead at the renegades, but she spoke quietly to her siblings. “Take care of dad. Keep him safe and keep them away.”

“No problem with that. We’ll take on a schedule to make sure they never end up in a room alone with him,” James assured as he also glared at the renegades.

“Pretty sure the Black Widow is going to do some more snooping around,” Pym pointed out. “I can keep her out though. Can’t have her figuring out all of our secrets.”

“Perhaps, we should put our information to the team back on clearance level,” Torunn suggested.

“Reasonable. We did make everyone else have to work hard for information on us,” Francis stated as he walked up to the group. Their father was standing off to the side moving the little amounts of things blocking the wall the two champions were to use as their passage.

“Keep basic information. Adopted by dad. Skill set. Only what they know so far,” Azari started. “Anything more about where we’re from needs to be level 10 clearance level?”

Selene snorted. “I don’t care what number of clearance you give it. Our secrets should stay secrets as long as they can. Give them hell.” She walked slowly over to the renegades ignoring how the Black Widow stared intently at her. “Not a single piece of hair. No chip teeth. No broken bones. I have the reports from today on my dad’s health. It better be the same when I return because if it’s not, I can’t promise that your pardons will mean anything.”

She threw her hand out to the wall and let the power take control of itself. The portal slowly began forming, but once it was completed; it was beautiful. Lord Poseidon, Lady Artemis, and Lord Apollo were standing in front of it on the other side. Beautiful smiles crossed their features at the sight of their champions.

The feeling of returning home danced across the hearts of the champions as they shared one last glance at their father and siblings before crossing the threshold. -- Without his twin at the tower, James felt uneasy. He didn’t feel complete. Selene was more than just his other half. She shared the womb with him. She was what she affectionately dubbed, “his wombmate”. The Yin to his Yang. He hated when she was gone, but he was dealing with it. Training with their other siblings and learning his way around their dad’s workshop really helped with his coping.

It didn’t help that the renegades had all tried engaging their dad into some type of communication outside out of anything Avenger related or the fact that Natasha or Natalia or as dad says, Natashlie, took to spying on him. The firewalls and clearance level kept her from snooping around into too much their business.

And then one day, she just stops. She stopped trying to talk to dad outside of the field. She kept her distance from them and kept the renegades at a respectable distance.

Pym and Azari believed that she could have finally taken the hint. Torunn has not paid her any attention instead talking to her birth father and learning as much as she could about his Lady Jane. But James was his sister’s brother and he was his mother’s son, he knew she was up to something else.

Which why it wasn’t surprising to him when dad started speaking to her more outside of the field. He didn’t spill all of his secrets out to her, and he essentially made himself harder to read to the spy. He slowly started to treat her as more of a friend.

He was; however, surprise when the renegade ask for a meeting with him. Sighing, he ran a hand through his hair and wished for his twin to hurry home. He hated having to be the go-to person out of the official Stark Siblings.

She was in one of the office rooms that Selene only used to hide under the desk to sleep. Selene’s Iron Man blanket was even poking out from under the desk. Selene’s blood red leather jacket was thrown carelessly over the back of the chair. Tony Stark’s Daughter written on the back with the t in daughter shaped somewhat like an hourglass.

“I know who you are. I don’t know how, but I do,” the Black Widow stated. He just raised an eyebrow at her. He pressed his watch to scan for hidden comms.

“Who am I?”

She pursed her lips before turning towards him. Her face was set in an indifferent mask, but after years of spying on the spy, James could see the unease, doubt, and disbelief dancing across her features.

“You’re my son. I can see every bit of me in you. I don’t know how, but you are. You look how I imagined my father to look like,” she stated. On the inside, he was panicking. He didn’t know what to tell her. He wanted to tell her the truth, but what about Selene? How would she feel? Then he remembered that Selene basically outted the information herself so she couldn’t be too mad that he told their mother.

“I’m from another dimension,” he admitted. “You’re my mom and this is my first time meeting you as my mother.”

Natasha took a deep breath as she gazed at him. She took in the red locks on the top of his head, the sharp blue eyes that watched her every move, his strong build. This was her son and Tony took him in and took care of him. He somehow managed to one up one of the greatest assassins in the world. She didn’t know if she wanted to be offended or impressed.

“What did you know me as in your world?”

“You were dead,” James stated bluntly. He took deep satisfaction of the way her mask drop and complete and utter shock crossed her features. “Tony Stark raised me in that dimension, and he’s raising me in this dimension. I couldn’t ask for a better parent no matter who I’m biologically related to.”

She paused for a moment to take in his words. He didn’t care for her or whoever his father may be. And isn’t that all kinds of fucked up. Another version of her apparently could have children and still missed out on their life. Tony Stark. The man with an ego bigger than the sun took in her children twice in different dimensions and she had betrayed his trust in more times than were acceptable.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to inform my remaining siblings that you know the truth. But let me be frank, if this information ends up in any of the sub-par Avengers hands, I won’t go to Selene or Francis. I will end you myself, biological mother be damned.”

Then he turned to leave the room. He may love her to some extent, but Tony Stark was his father. Maybe he should get a Son of Stark leather jacket made.

Now where did Mrs. Laura hide the chocolate chip cookies? -- Francis made it back to the tower before Selene. An eclipse was coming soon. Artemis and Apollo needed to prepare for it. Then they also had their own godly training for the upcoming war against the titan Thanos. He still didn’t understand how Selene managed to punk the King of the Gods into aiding the Asgardians.

Shaking his head, it was late at night when he portaled home. He was faintly sure one of the only people that would still be up was his dad. Adopted dad. Not the biological father that decided that Captain America was more important than his wife and kids.

Francis made his way to the kitchen to see what his stepmom (can she even be his stepmom? His dad was never with his mom in this dimension and wow, this is just a completely different level of messed up) cooked and if there were any leftovers for him.

“F.R.I.D.A.Y. where’s my, uh… Where’s Mama B?”

The comforting and familiar Irish accented voice replied, “Welcome back, Arrowhead. Mrs. Barton is currently reading a novel in the family room of her floor. Shall I let her know you’re looking for her?”

“I see Pym’s been having fun with messing around with your name protocols. But no, tell her that I’m on my way up though.”

“Of course.”

By the time Francis made it to the Barton Family sans Clint Barton floor, Laura had already had a game of Scrabble set up for the two of them to play. It was his way of opening up and talking to her about things that were bothering him. He needed motherly advice, but his mother was on the run from the Russian Government with her ex-husband (or reinstated husband... he didn’t care for the details when he learned that he’d never exist in this dimension).

Laura Barton meant a lot to him and he’d be proud to call her his mother stepmother. So that’s why he decided to tell her the truth…

“Uh, Mama B, I got some things I need to get off my chest,” he started. He looked down at his pieces. He knew if he looked in her eyes at the moment that he might chicken out.

You’re the champion of the god of truth. I don’t want you lying or lying by omission. I understand you humans have a flawed sense of understanding and we gods are no better. But you are the champion of the archer twins. Zeus’ favorite kids no matter what anyone else says. Be better than us gods. Prove that you are worthy to be our champion. (Yeah, no pressure or anything, Lord Apollo. And can you please stop staring at my little sister?)

“I’m listening,” she replied. Francis could imagine her giving him an encouraging smile with a completely worried look in her eyes. He wondered if he would’ve grown up in better times back in his own dimension would his mother ever look at him like that.

“Me and the rest of my siblings have been keeping a secret for you all. Dad… Tony just gave us permission to be able to tell anyone we want. It was our secret to tell... We just had to wait until it was the right time and… this is harder than I thought it would be.”

“Francis, take a deep breath.”

He did what he was told before trying again. “What I’m trying to say is… me and all of my siblings are from another dimension. We showed up in this dimension around the time of Ultron being defeated…”

He was finding his voice. The flow of how he was going to tell her. He found his footing to say. “You see in our dimension, the Avengers had never parted. I never even heard of the Scarlet Witch. Hank Pym went by Henry Pym and he was around Tony’s age. Hope wasn’t born. Janet, the original Wasp, was still around. War Machine wasn’t well War Machine. The lineup for the Avengers was Iron Man, Captain America, Black Widow, Black Panther, Hulk, Thor, Antman, Wasp, Vision, and Hawkeye.”

Francis was so deep into his story that he didn’t notice when Clint slipped into the room. He didn’t hear the patter of his half-siblings' feet. He didn’t notice when his adopted dad slipped in through the elevator. He needed to get this off his chest and besides, Tony (and Pepper and Rhodey and Happy and Vision and Thor and Bruce and F.R.I.D.AY. and the Greek gods); Laura was the only person he trusted.

“Everyone had split off to live their own lives. They were in a peaceful, ready for the call to action at any given moment but peaceful retirement. In my dimension, Hawkeye ended up marrying another SHIELD agent…Bobbi Morse. Code name Mockingbird. They had one son. Raised him together for a few years when Iron Man’s coding went haywire. Ultron was supposed to do the same thing he was initially created to do in this world. Be the extra fire power for a great war. Outer space police force. But the coding scanned through all of mankind’s history and decided it didn’t like what it saw. It killed nearly everything. The Avengers were plowed through. Mockingbird went down with them. Only five survive. Iron Man, who had been given the orders from Captain America to get four of the other Avengers kids to safety. Thor had return to Asgard during the times of peace to take over as king. Hulk went into hiding. Vision could stay hidden by remaining intangible. And Hawkeye was always good at staying out sight and living on the streets. Not too long afterwards, Thor sent his daughter to earth. To continue to prove his father wrong about Midgard. That left Tony with five kids to take care of. Hawkeye raised his son on his own while Ultron continued to wipe out humanity.”

“Fast forward to around the time, Hawkeye’s son was 9 years old. Hawkeye slipped up. Ultron killed him. In honor of his father, his son took on the code name Hawkeye and continued to lead a group of rebels that went by the name of the Scavengers. They took out whatever bots they could and scavenge what they could get by with. It was in the name. Five years later, one of the kids under Tony’s care set off some bots. Avenger Robots that Uncle Tony had made to battle against Ultron in case their location was ever compromised. By then, Ultron was able to integrate his programming into other pieces of machinery. Tony sent the kids off alongside Vision to go find somewhere else to hide while he distracted Ultron.”

He shook his head and laughed. “I did say these were the kids of the avengers so they were all pretty stubborn. They figured that Ultron had kidnapped Tony to lure them out, so they convinced the youngest and more technology intrigued sibling to fly them to what was called Ultron City. That’s where they met up with the young Hawkeye after he basically saved their lives and formed a somewhat better plan to save Tony. It worked for the most part and the young Hawkeye had to save them again. I’m pretty sure a part of him was getting tired of saving their behinds. Later on with some guidance from one Betty Ross, they escaped to the desert to hide out with the Hulk until they could come up with a better plan. And well, these are the children of the avengers and they hadn’t had much guidance when it came to making plans. Well except for the bossy little redhead girl who deemed any and everybody as a threat and wanted details ways to take everyone down rather it be emotionally, mentally, or physically. She was frightening pint size ball of pure fury and distrust.”

“The kid from the beginning that activated the bots modeled after their parents came up with a plan to bring Ultron to them. And well, let’s just say, they defeated everybody and Hulk was declared the strongest there is. Antboy was also purely threatened to never shoot at Hulk again and Thor said Hi. A few years later, our dimension Thanos decided to grace them with his presence. When they heard about him, they nearly wished for Ultron back. But Thor, Vision, Tony, and Hulk decided that Thanos wasn’t worth the risk of losing them. Tony had had come to love all of them like his own even the new Hawkeye who had more attitude than he had arrows. Tony’s words. They all plotted together and with the help of some Asgardian technology and magic, they had made a dimension transporter. They knew the kids were gonna go snooping. Antboy had thing for wanting to know how things work. The little redhead female didn’t trust it. Thor’s daughter recognized the Asgardian magic within. Younger Hawkeye went wherever the little redhead went. They were two peas in a pod once they got over their arguing and baiting each other. The defacto leader of them wanted to see what it could do. The last of the group wanted everyone to get away from it without Tony’s permission, but also wanted to know what it did.”

Francis’ eyes gained a faraway look as he stated his next piece. “They didn’t notice Vision fade in, slip a disk into Hawkeye’s and the little redhead’s pockets, and activate the transporter. One second they were all standing in front of it, the next second the little redhead female was calling out for Tony as they were all being sucked in, and then the last second we all woke up lying in the medical wing of the tower. Selene and I later found out from the gods that our dimension had been destroyed in an epic battle of magic, technology and strength. We’re stuck here for the rest of our lives.”

He cleared his throat before he looked up at Laura. He still didn’t seem to register anyone else in the room as he said, “So what I’m trying to say is…”

He trailed off as his gaze flickered over to Clint who was staring at him wide-eyed like he couldn’t believe it. But Tony ran the tests that showed signs of Asgardian magic and influx of power source not yet created and data streams not from around them that were attached to each of their persons. He had the videos from the disks that was sent through with them that detailed why they were sent to that dimension and who they were. Videos ranging from their childhood on up and videos as them as a new family after Ultron’s defeat. Lists of the foods they were allergic to, etc.

The smirk that crossed Francis’ face was filled with bitter loathing as he stared at the stunned Clint. “Hi dad.” --

Selene was walking around the ponds in Olympus gardens. Lord Poseidon had a meeting to go to with his brothers regarding their monthly visit to the titan’s prison. They always went to see who was worthy of rehabilitation and becoming an ally to the gods. Selene didn’t think they actually cared as no one had been freed, but it was Lady Hestia’s idea so it made sense for them to put on a show.

Selene was just ready to get planet side to be back with her family and give the Pardon Avengers hell. She had already managed to scam a promise out of King Zeus and the rest of the Olympians to fight in the war against Thanos. Chaos would look favorably on them for not destroying one of his favorite planets.

Then the leaves in the trees rustled, but no one was there. Selene’s eyes narrowed before she moved ankle deep into the war.

Something ran past her and brush against her arm, but it couldn’t get far before Selene willed the water to anticipate and throw them down. There was a big splash as the water knocked the mysterious figure down. Before they could recover, Selene rushed over and wrapped her arm around their throat making sure to cut off their airways. She pressed one of her daggers to their heart.

“Oi! I didn’t see that coming,” a rough Sokovian accented voice made its way to her ears. She heard that catch phrase before. When she was rewatching the Avengers battles from the recordings of her dad’s suit, she heard this voice mocking them in the comms. You didn’t see that coming.

She remembered hearing it again as the man the voice belong to DIED!

Selene growled fiercely and squeezes her arm tighter around his neck. “Welcome to the Pond of Truth. For every attempt to lie, the water will give you third degree burns. For every truth, I may think about releasing you. Understand?”

She waited for him to nod his head before she began. “Are you Pietro Maximoff?”

“Yes.”

Selene risked a glance down at him instead of the water surrounding them. His hair was a perfect shade of white with flecks of brown at the roots. He sort of reminded her Lord Hermes and somewhat of Lord Poseidon’s son Perseus (“It’s Percy.” “You don’t like Perseus?” “No. I prefer Percy.” “Okay, Perseus.”).

“How old are you? Earthling terms; not godly.”

“Physically 17. Actuality, I’m 25 years old. I died.”

Selene’s suspicions were confirmed. But she had more questions than answers. Like what the hell he was doing in Olympus instead of doing on Earth keeping his sister sane.

“I could not return to Earth. At least, not yet. Lord Hermes said that I could not leave until another champion of the gods found me. I have spent the better half of my time here trying to capture the champion of the archers’ attention. It was more of a desperate hope with you.”

That answers that then.

“Lord Hermes?”

“I am the Champion of Hermes. God of trave-“

“I know what he’s the god of,” Selene cuts him off.

She released him as she felt the presence of Poseidon draw closer alongside the familiar presence of Hermes that she was used to. The two champions bowed before their mentors and rose with the gracefulness that was blessed upon them.

“I see you two have finally found each other. I had hoped that it would have been sooner instead of keeping you up in the lands of gods for pointless endeavors, noelani.” Poseidon stated as he looked at her proudly. “You are like my own daughter and only one I have blessed with near all of my powers and you have made me extremely proud of you. My latest test for you, is for you to guide him back onto earth.

“How-how did he survive? He was killed by Ultron. I saw the footage!” Selene was getting angry and even Poseidon was wary of her angry. She made the three furies of the underworld look tame when she let out all of her anger.

“His cellular structure broke down except he had accelerated healing. Though instead of healing him from his wounds, they continuously broke down. I had previously been watching him when it was brought to my attention that his cells were reversing his aging process and killing him quicker than the blasts from Ultron. I visited the fates and stole his life thread freezing it until I had the proper chance to steal his body away from the earthlings around him. I saved him, but he was already years younger than previously. I made him my champion and he has partial immortality like you and the rest of your family.”

Selene blushed a little as remembered how she basically threw the biggest fit inside of Olympus throne room to get her father, Aunt Pepper, Uncle Rhodey, and Uncle Happy partial immortality alongside her other siblings including the nonofficial adopted siblings Peter and Harley. She just hoped they all be careful and not get themselves killed to realize what she did. She didn’t need them dying just for the immortality to become fulltime and they realize that they cannot die. It was bad enough that Lord Apollo had to hold off on healing her Uncle Rhodey because she didn’t know if they were going to be mad at her from making such a decision of their lives.

“I will take him back with me to earth. I won’t let you down.” She declared as she stared determinedly into Lord Poseidon’s eyes. He nodded once before waving his hand and a portal opened. Pietro gazed into it in awe and longing. Selene smiled fondly and felt the shift of her clothes. Another leather jacket (courtesy of Lady Aphrodite and Lady Athena) perched onto her shoulders. Hot pink with bold gold lettering stating 5tark Child. She placed her new pair of Christian Dior shades on before she bowed to the gods and led the newly younger Maximoff twin back to earth.

People to see; lives to ruin; families to reconnect; threats to be put into place; biological parents to ignore; adopted parent to love

“Welcome back, Little Red.”

[crossroadsdimension]

Lucky!Ford ch 2

So, uh...you guys remember that drabble I posted a while back for the start of Forduary? I’ve decided to keep going with it. Just...gonna pick up right where we left off with Ford getting dropped into the attic right in front of Dipper. Heh heh.

@howtotrainyournana, I know you’re gonna want to read this. @leukaraii, @blankrslate07, and @happy-fazzbear-ponies2 might be interested in it, too.

Here we go!

Dipper’s wordless shriek quickly turned into mile-a-minute questions and excited babble -- mostly the latter. Ford was only able to catch “Are you the Author of the Journal??” out of the excited, stumbled-over mess.

“Y-you know about my journals?” Ford asked in surprise, looking down at the boy who was looking up with bright, eager eyes at him. He heard footsteps slam down on the stairs below them -- someone else was coming up.

“Yeah!” Dipper scrambled over to his bed and pulled a familiar red and gold book out from underneath it. “I-I found it in the woods on my first day -- wait, did you say journals? I’ve only got the one! Does that mean that there are more hidden around Grav--”

“Ford?!”

Ford turned his head sharply at the gravely voice, for a second expecting to see a one-eyed mirror with a golden fish embroidered on an eyepatch. He blinked in surprise when he saw that the fish was on a fez, and two normal eyes were staring back at him, wide with shock.

Dipper trailed off and looked at the old man, blinking in confusion. “Y-you...you know him, Grunkle Stan?”

Ford and Stan -- for it was Stan -- stared at each other for a moment. Stan in Filbrick’s suit -- something that Ford was sure he had buried in the back of a closet somewhere -- and Ford in his survival gear, black from head to toe, and still carrying his weapons.

A moment later, Ford found himself trapped in a bear hug from his brother.

“You’re okay!” Stan let out a laugh that carried and released so much all at once. “You’re okay….”

Ford blinked a couple times out of surprise at Stan’s show of affection, and he saw three figures standing in the doorway -- a little girl who appeared to be Dipper’s age wearing a sparkle-covered sweater, a red-headed teenage girl, and what looked like a hairless gopher (how one happened to have come to be here, Ford had no idea).

“Uh...Grunkle Stan?” Dipper asked.

“What’s going on?” the girl asked in confusion. “Who’s this guy? And why does he look like Grunkle Stan?”

“I don’t know, he just dropped into our room from out of nowhere -- literally! Some kind of...portal, I guess, opened up in the ceiling and he just dropped right through it! There was this teenager with him too, and he was wearing some kind of armor and he knew who I was without me having to say anything!” Dipper waved his hands about. “It was so weird and awesome at that same time!”

“Portal?” Stan repeated. He let Ford go and looked at him with an odd expression, eyebrows furrowing together into a confused frown. “I’ve been working on your damn machine for thirty years and you find someone who can get ya home?”

“Machine?” Dipper repeated. He frowned and put his hands on his hips. “Grunkle Stan, what’s going on?”

“Yeah!” the girl spoke up in agreement.

“Come on, Mr. Pines, you’re not going to leave us hanging, are you?” asked the redhead in typical teenage fashion.

Stan snorted and looked around the room. “Yeah, yeah. Well, cat’s out of the bag now, I guess.” He clapped a hand on Ford’s shoulder, a wide grin appearing on his face while Ford still stood as stiff as a board. “This is my twin brother. The real Stanford.”

The hairless gopher gasped. “Another Mr. Pines?!”

“Wait, what?” the teenager blinked in confusion as Ford’s eyes widened -- partially because what he had thought of as a hairless gopher was actually human, and partially because of something else.

“You stole my name?!” he hissed at Stan. “Stanley, why did you--”

“Did you really expect that this house would still be standing after 30 years if you weren’t around to pay the bills for it?” Stan shot back. “I had ta find a way to get you back, and I wasn’t about ta just let this place fall apart and find a new spot in town.” Stan’s brow was furrowed in a frowning glare of sorts. “Besides, there was that monster machine in the basement, and I had ta work on it.” His face relaxed, and he shrugged. “So, I faked my death, basically became you, and that’s the end of that.”

“Stanley, that machine is extremely dangerous -- don’t tell me you turned it on--”

“It’s not working yet!” Stan shot back. “I should know -- I know the ins and outs of that thing, and I’ve been working on it for the last 30 years! All the stupid thing does is throw sparks. And now, all that work’s been for nothing because you got to go and find a way back here on your own! Couldn’t you have done that sooner?!”

“Like it’s possible to meet a World Jumper on purpose!” Ford snapped in reply. “I’ve been relying on natural rifts between dimensions to go from one to the next; I wasn’t ever expecting that I would ever be given a route home, much less one from someone who travels across dimensions as a job!”

Stan jerked back at that.

“Was that who the guy in the armor was?” Dipper frowned, then pulled a pen out from somewhere and started chewing on the end. He pulled out a notepad and started writing, as though he was taking notes on the conversation. “I wonder how he knew who I was, though….”

“What guy?” Stan demanded.

“A-a teenager in this blue and green armor who dropped through the portal with -- Dipper cut himself off as his eyes widened. “Oh my gosh, the Author of the Journals is my Great-Uncle!” He squealed loudly again and started writing in his notepad more vigorously.

“Wait, this guy’s the Author?” the girl asked as Stan looked between the two of them sharply.

“Great-Uncle?” Ford repeated, blinking in surprise.

“Oh, yeah. Right.” Stan motioned to the two kids. “They’re Shermie’s grandkids. Dipper and Mabel. Twins, too -- like us.”

“Sh-shermie...Shermie has grandkids?” Ford looked down at the two of them with wide eyes.

“And Dipper, what was that about a journal?” Stan turned to look at Dipper and frowned disapprovingly, hands on his hips.

Dipper ducked his head, hands gripping the notepad and journal underneath it a little more tightly. “I found it at the beginning of summer.”

“Hand it over, kiddo. It’s too dangerous for you to be carrying that around.” Stan motioned for Dipper to hand the journal over.

The boy held it tightly to his chest for a moment, reluctant, but when he saw the look Ford was sending him over Stan’s shoulder he reluctantly handed the journal over to Stan, who handed it to Ford.

“How was it that you didn’t know he had this?” Ford frowned at Stan as he hid the journal away in his coat.

“I wanted to keep the kids away from that junk; they went behind my back!” Stan motioned to Dipper. “What number was that one, three?”

“What does it matter?” Ford replied tersely.

“Because number two might have been found too, dum-dum.” Stan poked Ford in the chest. “Did you really think that hiding them was a good idea, you idiot?”

“Hid them?” Dipper frowned. “Why did you hide them, Great-Uncle Stanford?”

Ford’s eyes narrowed at the question. “I had my reasons.”

“Uh huh.” Stan folded his arms across his chest. “Considering how you were acting thirty years ago, I wonder how much of that was because you’d gone nuts.”

“Hey!” Mabel suddenly popped up between the two of them. She looked up at Ford and smiled sweetly. “Hi, I’m Mabel.” The smile faltered a little. “And I’m really confused. Could you fill us in a little on what’s going on? I mean, Grandpa never said we had another grunkle.”

Ford looked down at the girl -- his niece! -- for a moment, his mouth pressed thin and his brow furrowed. After a moment he sighed. “Oh, all right.”

“Can we start with what happened between you guys?” the human/hairless gopher asked. “Because it sounds like you’ve had a lot of drama.”

Stan snorted. “That’s one way to put it, Soos.” He went over and sat down on Dipper’s bed; Ford moved to stand with his back to the window, hands behind his back as Dipper sat down next to Stan and the other three sat down on what Ford guessed was Mabel’s bed. “If you really want to know the full story, it started back in 1960-something, when we were kids.”

Ford rolled his eyes, but Stan kept going, ignoring his brother...mostly. The mention of the Stan o’ War caused his mouth to tighten up a little at the memory, but he managed to keep his emotions in check -- especially when it came to the incident with the science project later.

“West Coast Tech?” Dipper frowned. “Dad said that they were a hoax school that just wanted to be known for getting really, really smart people in. A lot of the people who have graduated from there are really stuck up -- he has to work with a few of them.”

Ford jolted a little in surprise at that, losing his composure rather quickly. “Wh-what?”

“Oh yeah, that’s right.” Mabel put a finger to her chin and cocked her head to one side slightly. “Didn’t he tell us one time that he was just about ready to deck a guy over something that he’d said that turned out to be completely wrong, only for some other guy to end up getting the blame?”

“Yeah.” Dipper nodded. “The boss didn’t want to get sued by the guy’s parents for firing him or something like that.”

Ford couldn’t believe what it was that he was hearing. He shook his head slowly as Stan snorted and the teenage girl and Soos rolled their eyes.

“Sounds like someone needs to grow up,” the teenager commented.

“You said it, Wendy,” Stan agreed. “Maybe I oughta find this guy and deck him myself.” A sneering grin crossed his face. “Or, y’know, lighten him of a few bucks. That place is majorly expensive -- I bet he uses hundred dollar bills for tissues.”

“Grunkle Stan!” Dipper and Mabel both yelped at once.

“You could get our dad fired if you do that!” Dipper yelped.

Stan snorted and waved Dipper off. “Yeah, yeah. Anyway, Ford didn’t get to go to his nerd school and he thought I was the one who broke his machine when I hadn’t, so Pa kicked me out.”

“That’s horrible,” Wendy muttered. “I’d like to find your old man and deck him one for that -- you don’t do that to kids!”

“You can deck his tombstone back in Jersey -- the old man died a couple years back. Could’a gone to the funeral, but…” Stan shrugged. “Ma’s still around, though -- she’s living in one of those old folks’ homes somewhere. I’ve got the address somewhere in the house. Anyway, I roved the country for a bit after that, met some people, picked up a few skills, that kinda thing. Then Ford contacted me, and I came up here.”

Ford got the feeling that Stan was glossing over a few points.

“What about you, Great-Uncle Stanford?” Dipper looked over at Ford.

Ford shook his head. “Ford is fine, Dipper.” His expression soured. “Well, after I wasn’t able to get into what was at the time my dream school, I was forced to fall back on the last option that I had.” He was going to have to look into West Coast Tech and see if what Dipper was saying was true, obviously; for now, he let the comments about WCT slide to the back of his mind. “Backupsmore. In a place like that, I had to work twice as hard. I got my Ph.D a year ahead of schedule and received a grant for any future research I could undertake.”

From there, Ford launched into a rather dramatic retelling of events: how he had decided that, since he was an anomaly himself, he would study anomalies -- and that Gravity Falls was a hotspot for them. He described how he had hit a roadblock, decided that building a portal to another dimension was the best way to solve it, and called up his old college friend Fiddleford McGucket in order to get his help.

He saw looks exchanged between the others at the mention of Fiddleford; Ford decided he’d look into that later as well and filed it into the back of his mind next to WCT.

Then came the day they’d tested the machine, and Fiddleford’s running out on him. Ford left Cipher out of the tale, simply saying that something had gone wrong and he needed to shut down the project and hide his research materials.

“It was at that point that I managed to locate Stanley and request he come up here,” Ford said. “I had been planning on giving him a portion of my research so that he could take it and hide it somewhere I would never know about it, but he apparently had other plans.”

“Well of course I did!” Stan snapped back. “Ten years without contact from anybody and you suddenly show up out of the blue with ‘Please Come’ and nothing else?! I wasn’t expecting you to just push me away again, that’s for sure!”

“So...why the portal thing?” Mabel asked. “And how come we didn’t know that the Shack has a basement, Grunkle Stan? I haven’t seen any stairs to the basement!”

Stan muttered something about a vending machine, causing Ford to look at him sharply.

“I hid the entrance behind a bookcase, Stanley,” Ford said pointedly.

“Well, not anymore. Did you really expect me to be able to keep the house without paying the bills?” Stan frowned back at his brother.

“You mean, the Mystery Shack is--”

“A cover so that you could get Mr. Pines 2 home?” Wendy finished Dipper’s question.

Soos hid his face in his hands as he started bawling. “That’s so beautiful, Mr. Pines!”

“Mystery Shack?!” Ford repeated. “Stanley, what have you done?!”

“I did what I had to do, okay?!” Stan snapped back. “Conning people is the only gig I know -- you try living out of the backseat of a car for ten years, Poindexter! You try to find a living, jumping from job to job and never knowing if you’re gonna find a place to call home again!”

The attic fell silent at that. Even Soos stopped bawling as they all stared at Stan with wide eyes. Well, everyone except for Ford, who frowned grimly instead.

“Try that for thirty years,” Ford said shortly.

Stan’s angered face fell in an instant, eyes widening at Ford’s words.

“After the fight that led you to push me into the portal, I have been traveling from dimension to dimension, never staying in one place for too long because there are bounty hunters after every single version of me from here to the Nightmare Realm. There are people out there who would be more than willing to find my head and bring it to--” Ford cut himself off and shook his head; they didn’t need to know about Cipher; this was his burden, not theirs. “The point is that my life hasn’t been easy, either. If you think that you can one-up me on how bad each other’s lives has been, think again.”

The others all stared at him with wide-eyed expressions; Soos seemed to be gnawing on his fingernails as Dipper gripped his pen tightly.

“Whoa,” Wendy said.

Mabel looked at Ford with a concerned, furrowed brow, then slipped off her bed and came over and hugged him about his waist. “Well, you’re home now. So you shouldn’t have to think about it anymore, right?”

Ford looked down at his niece with an uncertain expression, then nodded a little. “No, I...suppose not.” His eyes flicked up towards the door of the attic, and his expression hardened. “Which reminds me.”

“Reminds you of what?” Dipper asked.

“I have a portal to dismantle.” Ford slipped out of Mabel’s hug and strode out of the room and downstairs, nose crinkling up in disgust when he saw how much Stan had changed what had once been his place of research.

Stan moved down the stairs after him and went through a swinging door that was on the other side of what had started as a lab and had been repurposed into a living room. Ford frowned at the dinosaur skull that was being used as a table as he passed it…

...and stepped into a gift shop.

This was the last thing that Ford had wanted to see.

“Stanley, what the he--”

“Watch it.” Stan sent a pointed look at the door Ford had just came through. “Those kids are twelve, you know.”

Ford gritted his teeth as Stan hit the buttons on the vending machine where his bookcase had been, opening the hidden door to his basement lab. “What the heck have you done to my house?!”

“Did what I had to.” Stan shrugged. “And hey -- I’ve got some good money coming in anyway, and people like the place. So I’m not planning on putting a stop to it anytime soon.”

Ford brushed past Stan as the door to the basement opened up, and he flew down the stairs and into his basement lab. Of all the things that Stanley could have done, turning his house into a -- a tourist trap had to be the worst thing possible. He had chosen this location because he wanted to be alone, not because he had wanted to be bothered!

At least Stanley had had enough sense to keep the portal away from the children, if their confusion about the mention of the machine was any indication. Although, that hadn’t kept Stan from tinkering with it.

Ford felt a chill run down his spine as he entered the one room that he had hoped never to see again. He moved passed the security cameras and other controls and paused at the door leading into the larger part of the laboratory.

The dark, dead, triangular portal rose up over everything.

“You know, I questioned your design choices for that thing after a while.”

Ford jumped and whirled, only to see Stanley standing back by the entrance into the lab. He frowned.

“I mean, if ya had come through it, you’d have landed flat on yer face because of that drop,” Stanley added. “You have a thing for triangles now, Ford?”

Ford’s shoulders stiffened at that, eyes narrowing. “Had.” He turned and walked into the main portal room, Stanley trailing behind him. “Go back upstairs, Stanley. I can handle this myself.”

“Yeah, no. You’re just going to throw all this out when it can be reused, like that old science project.”

Ford paused at that, turned and looked back. “What?”

“Yeah, see, there’s this thing that people are going on about called recycling now and--”

“No, no, not that!” Ford retraced his steps and frowned at Stan. “You saw me throw it out?”

Stan scratched his neck, averting his gaze from Ford’s. “Well, yeah. I didn’t leave Glass Shard Beach right away. Did ya really think that I’d hoof it as soon as Pa kicked me out?”

Ford hesitated at that, looking at Stan with an expression that was mixed.

Stan noticed, then snorted and moved around Ford. “Well, we’ve gotta demolish this thing, right? I can think of a few parts I could use to make sure my car still runs, and I bet that Soos can find a way to use some of the other bits. Could get a pretty penny for recycling the metal, too.” He pulled off his suit jacket and shirt, revealing a sweaty undershirt and a pot belly that Ford hadn’t expected to see on his brother.

“Stanley, a lot of this technology wouldn’t work well with Earth--”

Stan grabbed a part of what looked like metal and yanked off a strip of silvery material.

“...is that duct tape?”

“Well, yeah. Best thing to hold stuff together when it’s falling apart, y’know?” Stan grinned at Ford. “Come over here and give me a hand, huh?”

Ford’s fists clenched. “You attempted work on my portal and used duct tape?!”

Stan finished pulling off a strip from the base of the lever and looked over at his brother, grin fading. “Come on, Ford, did you really expect that I would have been able to afford ta get this thing looking like new when I’ve only got a third of the instructions?”

“You didn’t hide the Journal?!”

“Course not! I wanted to get you back! Why would I hide the damn thing that would help me get you back, huh?” Stan waved his arms about, the length of duct tape flapping in the air and following his hand’s movement.

“Because I told you that this was dangerous!” Ford motioned to the portal wildly. “You saw what happened! This machine could have very well ended the world!”

“Then why’d you build it in the first place?!”

“Because I didn’t know any better!”

The basement echoed with Ford’s yell; Stan stared at him with wide eyes.

Ford took a moment to collect himself, breathing in deeply for a moment before relaxing. “If you want to help me, then fine.” He reached into his coat and pulled out a short baton before flicking his wrist; the baton expanded into a large staff before what looked like the large head of a sledge hammer expanded out from one end.

“Whoa.” Stan stared with wide eyes.

Ford hefted the hammer over his shoulder and stalked over to the main part of the portal, muttering math calculations and scientific compounds under his breath as old memories resurfaced. Stan turned and watched him as Ford gripped the hammer’s handle tightly in both hands.

He stopped in front of the thin tip of the portal that was buried into the ground, lifted the hammer off his shoulder, and swung.

The metal crumpled under the head of the hammer, and the entire portal groaned as Ford jumped back, bringing the hammer with him. The entire triangle listed to one side, then collapsed slowly, colliding with the rocky floor and causing the entire room to shake.

“Hot Belgian Waffles!” Stan yelped, trying to find his footing as the shaking subsided. “You got beefy, Poindexter!”

Ford grunted, letting the hammer head hit the ground and leaned against the handle for a moment, looking the toppled portal over. Then he picked up the hammer again and started towards the toppled triangle.

There came the sound of running feet as Ford slammed the hammer against the triangle again.

“Grunkle Stan, what -- whoa!”

Ford let the hammer down and looked back sharply at Dipper’s cry. Upon seeing the boy standing a short distant away from the entrance into the basement lab -- along with Mabel, Soos, and Wendy -- he glared at the group of four and pointed back towards the entrance. “Back upstairs, now! This is no place for children!”

Dipper backed up a couple steps at Ford’s barking tone.

“Go back up, Dipper,” Stan replied. “We’ll be up later. Stay in the house, don’t let anybody in, and don’t go runnin’ out in the woods for no reason. You got me?”

Dipper hesitated, then nodded a little.

“It’s cold down here,” Mabel commented. “I’ll make hot chocolate for you when you’re done!” She turned and disappeared from sight.

“So that portal thing was real,” Wendy commented. “Sweet. Why are you taking it apart?”

“Because it is dangerous and highly unstable.” Ford hefted the hammer again, then swung it at the portal again, denting the metal. “Now, I would appreciate it if you left.”

“All right, all right. Mr. Pines, mind if I crash here for a while?”

“Do what you want, Wendy,” Stan called back.

“Thanks. Come on, Soos.”

“S-sure.” As the larger man left, Ford could have sworn that he heard him mutter, “This is nothing like what I had written in my fanfictions….”

Ford looked over at Stan with a pointed look and raised an eyebrow. Stan shrugged.

“They’re curious kids who don’t know any better, what do you expect?”

Ford sighed irritably. “I expect them to have sense. Now are you going to help me or not?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna help, Poindexter. Don’t give me that look.”

Time Break

Stan and Ford tore the portal to pieces in a matter of hours, but there was still tension in the air even as Ford gave the remains of the portal one last slam with his hammer.

“So, uh….” Stan looked over at Ford as he leaned against his hammer again for a breather. “What now?”

“Now?” Ford replied crisply. “Now I recover my second journal and reclaim my house. What month is it?”

“June. The kids are staying here for the summer.” Stan’s shoulders sagged. “So...yer gonna kick me out, huh?”

Ford was about to respond, but then the World Jumper’s voice echoed in his head again.

“And get to know your great-niece and nephew while you’re here? It wouldn’t do if they simply knew you as the strange man who lives in their basement and plans to kick out their other great-uncle at the end of the summer.”

Ford paused, looking away from his brother for a moment. During the time that it had taken them to tear the portal apart, he had seen the work that Stan had done in order to keep the portal together. It had looked shoddy, to be sure, but it had done its job of holding everything together.

If he was completely honest with himself, he would have admitted that there were times when he had done something similar on his travels with whatever materials he could find.

Still, he was angry that Stan would attempt to do this, but...if he was open to revealing his feelings….

“First, I need to find my second journal,” Ford replied. “Then I’ll consider any possible future actions.”

Stan relaxed and let out a sigh of relief, even though he didn’t seem to register the fact that it was relief. “Okay. Good. The kids are gonna want to get ta know ya now, anyway. Wouldn’t want ta keep ‘em in the dark, right?”

“I...suppose not.” A smile flickered across Ford’s face. He had a niece and nephew. He hadn’t expected to return home and discover that he had more family than when he had left.

“We’ll have to see about cleaning up this garbage later.” Stan kicked one of the dented metal plates that used to cover the inner workings of the portal. “Man, thirty years of work, down the drain. Doesn’t exactly seem right that it never got used ta bring ya back.”

Ford’s smile disappeared abruptly as he frowned at the comment. “If it had been used, it would have created a rift in space and time and who knows what kinds of monsters would have followed me through. Gravity Falls would have been placed in the hands of a Weirdmageddon.”

Stan snorted, but he looked serious. “I would have still gotten you back. And you and that nerd brain of yours would have still thought of a way to fix it.”

Ford tapped the bottom of his hammer’s handle, and the staff shortened as the hammer head folded in on itself. Snatching the short baton out of the air before it could fall to the floor, he hid it away in his coat again. “Maybe. But even I have my limits, Stanley.”

“Really? Considerin’ how we were as kids, I’d have thought you didn’t think you had any. Especially with how ragged you looked when--” Stan cut himself off, appearing suddenly uncertain. “How did ya end up like that, anyway? Was there someone already houndin’ ya fer your research or somethin’?”

“...something like that.” Ford took one look around the large room, nodding in satisfaction at the large pile of metal and other materials that were scattered around the room and bludgeoned to the point that it was hard to tell what they could have been used for in the first place. Then he turned and started back upstairs, leaving the rest of the machinery intact.

For now, anyway.

“Yer not gonna tell me everythin’ about what happened back then, are ya?” Stan came up behind his brother as they started up to the main floor.

“Some things are best left buried where they were,” Ford replied grimly, not looking back.

There came a grunt from behind him. “Got it.”

The tone in Stan’s voice almost made Ford stop on the stairs...almost like there was something about Stan that hinted at how he might know more than he let on.

Ford shook his head and kept going up, back into that abomination of a room that Stan had turned part of his home into.

He was going to figure out something to do with that abomination after he’d gotten his own affairs in order. There had to be something that he could do about Stanley….

[cwebberphotography]

  Having so much time and so little to do I don’t feel bad if there are days I don’t go outside. I still wake up early, if I’m feeling motivated I’ll still go to the roof and stretch and sit and quiet my mind while the sun peaks over the mountains. Once I have my groceries there is a certain comfort in not leaving the building. I know outside is beautiful but also full of the usual, people staring, people trying to sell stuff you don’t want, people sleeping under tarps and pigs covered in shit. Taking a day or two off of that has been nothing but helpful.

Days and weeks can pass slowly or slide away and suddenly it’s sundown and although I haven’t done much I’m tired and ready for bed. Even when I don’t do anything I look back and see yes, I did mop the floor, which needs doing since the dust comes in daily through the screen windows. And yes I did laundry although I only had to wash a couple things since I barely wear clothes anyway, when I’m home it’s just a bathing suit or sweat pants and putting it on the line to try only takes hours if that.

Yes I did make lunch, sometimes I’ll even go around the block for milk, cauliflower, bananas or just a walk to the end of the lane to sit under a roof by the river. Sometimes that’s as far as I want to walk in the heat, I’ll take a podcast down there and sit until it’s over then walk back.  Even that turns into a story.

Just going to the bank can be an adventure. Last week I met a woman from south Africa and helped her use an ATM while talking to a local about my tattoos.  Then I had to walk to find a tank top because even a t-shirt is too much to wear in this heat, and in walking to and from I walked with a guy from another Indian state while he practiced his English he taught me some Hindi.

Then at dinner sitting alone, talking to my friend in Tokyo via WhatsApp and listening to a podcast I see a monkey climb the fence next to me. He looks down and jumps over another table onto mine, full of food. As soon as it lands I’m eating with my right hand and instinctively shove it off with my left. It goes flying, knocks over my carrot juice and my camera and a chair and is pissed off. Lucky the waiter comes over with a stick and chases it off as I continue eating.

There is so much here I can’t bring myself to photograph. So much poverty, so many sunsets with people working, people sitting in the golden light, the moon rising over the mountains long after midnight.  Masses of colours, monkeys, massive fires I can see from the roof.

If you’re in the right mood the wind in the trees can sound like a flowing river, the birds cry encouragement and clouds will spell out your lovers name. If something is bothering you, which in India it can be easy to drown in others sorrows and your own discomforts, you may smack someone who passes too close on their scooter. And hope they turn round so you can toss them off the bridge.

You have to watch what you eat, your sleep must be sound, intoxicants at a minimum, even sugar can set you off if you’re still adjusting the a warm climate. Over population can grind under your skin as you jostle for space on the stairs amongst hundreds of people who are concentrating on buying plastic souvenirs.

The early morning clouds made it possible for me to leave the house. I worked against the wind  and crossed the bridge perilously amongst many other pilgrims. It swayed under us as each step my legs were blown off course causing a sea sickness so strong people were holding onto the sides and in the middle was a standstill.

On the other side clouds of sand spread and stood in walls blocking us from going any further.

I stop for tea and sit next to some sadhu and wait, once I’m drinking, no one is around then a little girl comes up and shakes my hand and asks for a photo. Then another older one, then the mom dad grandpa grandma and aunts and uncles, about 12 people gather around with their cell phones out as each of them sits next to me. Eventually I pull out my phone and take their picture and then selfies with each of them until they are all satisfied and shake my hand again and walk away.

Midway through this a sadhu in orange robes, lots of beads and bracelets, asked me to take his photo and to see it, when he saw his face on the back of my camera he knelt down and put his head on my lap and thanked me over and over.

Without the morning rain and the cover of cloud I would never have got that far. Fleeting weather can make great photographs, people blowing away, things falling over. I had set out just to see and came to the bridge and crossed it, then decided to check a road I had been afraid to go down days before. That’s where I found some interesting people and photographed them, and then decided to try to get into the woods. I walked and walked and climbed and got way above the city, in the wind, climbed until I had a 360 view and turned on the Beatles in my headphones, and looked down and saw the ashram where they stayed, saw my apartment, the river looked tiny, the mountains mightier than ever.

Another day another walk to the Ganges. Listening to another podcast. Looking down at the path by the rocks and saw an ambulance with a covered body inside and a man consoling a crying man. Then I took a seat and stared out at the river and as always contemplated the volume of water that constantly flows down from melting glaciers in the  mountains, day and night non stop, forever. And not just a trickle, this is full heat of summer, some rivers are dry, this one is lower than the high water mark but still fierce. Still a greeny blue with white caps. Where is it coming from, how is it so eternal? Then looking down there are three or four men carrying wood out to the edge of the river and I know they are going to burn that body from the ambulance.

Soon there are 20 men carrying logs and sticks and brush to that spot. The podcast goes on, someone is talking about Hindu death rituals and how death is the last taboo in the West. It’s the worst thing you can do to someone, it’s not always ok to talk about, it’s scary because we don’t know anything about it because no one comes back, because we’re not supposed to talk about it we’re ignorant and what we don’t understand we fear. Then they carry the body under a sheet out to the river and pour some water over it and put it on the logs and cover it with more sticks and wood. They all surround it so I can’t see much. Soon there is a spark of fire and a few minutes later people are standing way back as the flame grows strong and bright. I can see the heat waves as the orange disappears into smoke into the atmosphere. It is one of the biggest fires I’ve ever seen, I’m about 50 yards away and it looks like the surface of the sun.

The man I saw crying earlier is now clearly not a man but someone around my age probably younger and he is accompanied by two other younger guys. He leaves the crowd to cry alone and people sit with their arms around him. Someone comes and gives him instructions to stoke the fire so he does and then walks away. Soon after that, two people come and shave the heads of all three brothers right down to the scalp as they do with each cremation, shave the family in mourning. Now the fire is barely there and all the wood is turned to grey ashes. Each person scoops some of the river and tosses it on the flames as they walk away and the remains crumble into the rushing water, carried off downstream.

Namaste in bed Pt.2 Having so much time and so little to do I don't feel bad if there are days I don’t go outside.