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polygamyff · 5 years ago

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49. Part 3

It’s a weird feeling to feel like this, I am relieved to have met them, I am happy in a weird way. I feel like Daphne gives me such a calming vibe, such a neutering emotion she gives. To see the emotion all of that family holds for my dad, wow I am actually saying dad. Seeing those pictures really felt heart-warming to me, I now see it. I never looked like Thomas, but I mean who am I to question it when everyone said I looked my like my mom, I never did look like him. I feel good, they are so appreciative. Maybe this was missing in my life too, I wouldn’t blame my mom because I am sure she made the right decision for me at that moment in time. I think I have realised I don’t have any feelings towards Thomas, I couldn’t forgive the man because he treated me like a piece of shit and I don’t think I want him to even see me, I wish my mom will let that go because he deserves nothing from me. He treated me like all those years meant nothing, I can’t do it. He called me a whore for finding a man, I just can’t accept that, and he doesn’t deserve it. He should have loved me no matter what, he looked after me like his own and he should have stuck to that. I just can’t accept it but right now, I am in a good place “you’re quiet in the back” Maurice said “preparing myself for the argument” I said, Maurice laughed. He laughed like anything was funny about what he said about his mother “come on Robyn, it doesn’t need to be like this does it?” I shrugged; he will learn that I am not playing about “what did you do now?” Jay said, Jay knows this nigga does nothing but annoy me “nothing really, just Robyn being a drama queen. You know me? I speak the truth?” watching Maurice patring Jay’ shoulder like he’s right in any of this “I am not involved in any of this, nope!” Jay is clever because he doesn’t want the smoke with me either. Maurice thinks it’s a joke, everything is a joke to him “how is the family Robyn? Let’s all ignore Maurice” Jay turned in the front seat to look at me “nice, very emotional. I want to know so much more about him. It’s weird but I feel like there is a connection there, seeing those baby picture of him, he looks like Reign and me. I just, it was emotional Jay” he cooed out “that is sweet, shit like this is amazing. Bringing families together and stuff, when I got them. They asked who I was, I said I am a family friend. The lady, she is so sweet she said how is Robyn? What is she like?. I goes oh she is nice, she has a big heart. Be nice to her, they were all so cool. I get the feeling they have never recovered from their son dying, they mentioned him in the elevator” even Jay noticed that “like it’s been years and they haven’t, it’s sad” I find it sad because I could have had my real dad.

Walking behind Jay up the steps, who needs a gym when these stairs do it for me “is little mess asleep?” she must be asleep, I can imagine. Moving my head to the side to see “oh she is, you’re back. She fell asleep in her activity jumper, she wouldn’t let me put her to sleep. She just fell asleep now” oh Reign was playing up, that is not shocking “thank you Ally, for taking care of her. She wasn’t too much was she?” seeing Reign in her activity jumper, she looks exhausted “that girl of mine” shaking my head “she didn’t want to drink her milk, so like I left it here” Ally passed it me “and then I put her in there because I needed to go to pee and I didn’t want her to move, when I came back she fell asleep. Then you guys came” Reign hasn’t drank any of the milk “thank you though Ally, she can be a little bossy when she wants, I understand. Sometimes you need to trick her into having milk” let me get her out of this jumper, she is something else this girl. I will wake her to have this milk, or let her wake up crying when she wants it, see what happens with that “did everything go ok?” Ally asked “it did thanks, very well. I was nervous for nothing, and Maurice was no help” picking Reign out “it’s ok baby, it’s mommy” Reign woke up like who the fuck is touching me “that is a lie, I helped” here he is “ssshhh, it’s ok” placing Reign over my shoulder “if you say, I am going upstairs now. Goodnight everyone” I hope Reign wakes up so I can feed her.

Reign flat out just fell asleep again as soon as I laid her on the bed “what happened to Reign’ bedroom?” it’s annoying me, I cannot believe this “oh you really picking out fights today” Maurice said “no, it’s legit, what is happening? I am not picking a fight, why is it so long? Is it a grand opening?” I don’t get it “AI said he needs to fix the electronical circuit in the room, that is it. It’s done then, tomorrow, latest ok? Now can we be friends?” shaking my head “I want you to be truthful with me, do you actually feel that way about your mom? You can’t say those words Maurice, it’s not nice” Maurice does not want to talk about it, but we are right now “ok, so I feel disappointed in my mom and I will never forgive her, it still stands Robyn that she was with my dad for money. If she cared for me, she would honestly got me back. What you told me made it even worse, why didn’t she say that before huh? Tell me that Robyn, why didn’t she threaten him before why? I would have loved to be bought up with my siblings, you know that. It’s just bullshit, shit is too late. Mami bought me up, how you think I felt when my dad told me my mom let me go to be with him, she didn’t need another child after Nalah and then she had Malik, maybe my dad lied but I was a child. My mom didn’t think of me and you told me that? Where was she when I was a baby and I needed a mother, she is a bitch, she is a stupid useless money grabbing bitch and I will never like her. I will just put face with her, I told my dad to not hit her because you don’t hit women, but other then that fuck her. So now you know, I am going to get changed” Maurice stormed off, he needs to stop calling her this. I need to personally know who Joy is, I don’t think a mother would be like that. I don’t see it, he is seeing and feeling what his dad fed him.

I knew Reign would wake up; she wants her milk now. She usually likes holding her own bottle but not this time, she wants me to do it “did you miss mommy?” Reign is just staring at me as she drinks her milk “well I did, put your baby grow on once you fall asleep” looking back up at the TV, catching up with The Kardashian’s, I love trash TV and I am behind on episodes. I am trying to concentrate on this, but my mind is on this issue with Joy and Maurice, I mean for him to say to his dad don’t hit her, he does care. There is some care there, there has to be, but he is hurt, and I understand. The bathroom door opened, looking over at him and I had to double take “really? What if I so happened to let Jay come in? Walking around butt naked for?” I asked frowning at him “I am air drying, I can’t be bothered to dry myself so I am walking around to dry myself” shaking my head looking back at the TV “well don’t come here all wet, Reign is settling down” I don’t want his bare ass all in my face “I thought she was sleeping?” he asked, I don’t appreciate him stood there naked “you’re not sexy at all, stop it and she woke up. She didn’t have her milk that is why. So, are you going to dry yourself so we can talk?” Maurice groaned out walking off “I don’t want to talk Robyn, just let’s think about your family. Not mine” he wants to divert the conversation.

Maurice is finally back but with some boxers on “better, didn’t want to see that tiny sausage” Maurice jumped on the bed “hey! Watch it, Reign is there” my poor daughter got scared, he is so stupid “turn this shit off though, it’s wack” Maurice pointed “no, and also. I feel you have gained weight” Maurice frowned at me “also, this big dick be making you moan so loudly, don’t give me that shit, you can’t sit there and tell me my dick is small” shaking my head while watching The Kardashian’s still “your dick is small” I repeated “Maurice!” I shouted, watching the projector fold away “are you being real? Give me the remote now” holding my hand out “you said I am fat and my dick is small” I couldn’t help but laugh “so, give me” Maurice shook his head “ok fine, let’s talk” I said, Maurice rolled his eyes “about what? You know how I feel” reaching my hand over, placing my hand at the side of Maurice’ face “I feel like you do care, somewhere in your heart you do. You’re hurt and I get it. I have been thinking and Paula can visit, she can’t stay. Deal?” Maurice is not happy with that, I can tell “why the change?” he questioned “because” I dragged out moving my hand “I thought back to Spain, I saw the happiness in your eyes. I see you do love her, I don’t want to ruin that for you, she was nice to me but I can’t accept you saying bitch to your mom” I thought until I do my own research with Joy, I will leave it “I can take that, but are you excited about tomorrow. The meal?” nodding my head “thank you, you supported me. I love you so much” Maurice got up and started to crawl over to me “watch Reign will you” Maurice growled before licking the side of my face “Maurice” I laughed before nearly falling off the bed “I swear, you’re so bad” turning my face to him, he pressed a kiss to my lips “Latin mama, I see you” I chuckled “who would have thought” I said laughing.

Reign is really fighting me on this “Reign! Stop it, let mommy see your teeth coming through!” I spat, Reign screamed out “Pootie!” I have Maurice humping and Reign fighting me, she does not want me to see it “ok, fine. Mommy won’t look, calm down” moving back “why do you have to be like this?” looking behind me “I just saw your tee ride up and I was like I need hump her” playfully hitting his arm “dog” Maurice pointed at my phone, looking to the side table seeing my mom calling “woah!” Maurice flew by me, looking to the bed and seeing Maurice just only caught Reign “oh god, Reign” I totally neglected her there but Reign wasn’t phased by it, she giggled because Maurice caught her, she thought it was a game “it’s ok, mommy is bad” side eyeing Maurice “that bedroom better be done! Hi mommy” AI is here so the room has to be done now “Robbie, I didn’t want to call you yesterday because it was a big day but I have been stressed thinking about you, how was it baby?” bless my mother “well I was waiting for you to pick up but you didn’t call, what can I say mom. You was so right in saying he was a good man, I understand why you cried speaking about him” my mother breathed out “now you know baby, he was a great guy. How were they, please tell me” sitting on the edge of the bed “so nice mom, they are so appreciative of me. Daphne said she felt it in her heart that her son lived on and mom! He reminded me Reign as a baby, they showed me his baby picture and he had a bald patch the exact place Reign did, Wesley is Latin, well half Latin. I met Kiano. Mom, they are everything, I feel so complete” I can’t stop speaking “oh Robbie! I am sorry I kept them away from you, I just at that time I felt scared” my mom explained “don’t, it’s ok. Do not explain anything mommy, I don’t blame you but I feel happy, to see pictures of my dad” the name dad came out of my mouth “I wish I never did what I did Robbie, but I never thought Thomas would have changed” sighing out “mom I think you deserve better, I feel like you’re going to Thomas because you don’t want to start again. I don’t want you to be with Thomas” Maurice’ eyes widened overhearing what I am saying “tell me I am wrong mom, he hurt you like he did me. He made you tell secrets you held in your heart out, he did that to you. Mom listen to me, you can do better” my mom is ever so silent on the phone “Robbie, I am going to try. Let me try this again, if I don’t feel it’s right I will leave, please. I am so happy for you, I am happy that you saw your dad like I did” I wish she doesn’t “you loved him, not Thomas” my mom sighed out “I know” she admitted, and I am glad she admitted it.

Reign is banging on that tray on her high chair and will not stop doing it, I swear to god that baby of mine “Jay, Robyn says I have gained weight, what do you think?” here is he goes, placing Maurice’ plate in front of him “shut up and eat, always complaining. I made you waffles and steak! Watch it, and you Jay” placing his plate down “oh wow, Robyn this looks so nice. Marry her!!” Jay said so excited “I will think about it, this steak is a little burnt too” see what I mean with him “nah, I would marry her. I would marry any woman doing this for me!” Jay pointed at his plate, I feel so good, like a good wife “Jay, it’s fine. Maybe you and I can get married” sitting down with my plate “and you! Stop it” holding her hands, Reign is a drooling mess “this is your daughter, look at her” I can’t get angry at her at all, she is too damn cute “Maurice, oh wow. This smells delicious” AI said “made by yours truly!” I grinned “come on baby hype me up” I said “yeah, yeah whatever. Anyways are you done? Do you know how much she has been complaining?” AI laughed “I promise, it’s done. Officially but you are all eating, I will wait. I want to see everyone’ reaction” I am so happy my daughter’ room is made “well let me eat this and I will check, baby your room is done” I can finally have things back to normal.

I need to give Reign a bath, she is a mess. She wants to feed herself and the rest of her body while she is at it “let’s see what daddy done for you baby, this bedroom better be spectacular, I expect Mickey Mouse to be waiting” they are laughing but the amount of time they took “I can only apologise, we was going back and forth and we had to do a lot of changes but then we decided on something with the designers, Maurice doesn’t even know but we had to change a lot, first design didn’t go to plan so we changed it up, are we ready?” AI said, nodding my head “Reign and I are excited aren’t we, little stink” AI stood in front of me pushing the double doors open “and welcome to Reign-Texas world” AI moved out of the way, my eyes widened “oh my” stepping inside her bedroom, a chandelier in the middle of the room, the whites and light pink “oh my god” this is a like a princess’s paradise “we incorporated a bed for Reign just under the princess tower” turning to AI “she can walk up these steps, like she is walking up a real castle” watching AI walk up the steps “ and here, she has a castle doll house for when she grows up, so what happened is that we thought on it and we goes Reign needs a crib, she is not old enough so if you look behind you, she has a baby crib which when she is ready you can get rid of that. This room is ready for her, her princess dream room. There is nothing more she could want. As you can see from the sign, it says Reign-Texas world. The back of the room she has her own bathroom, we changed it up, to be pink themed, made it so when she is training to use the potty everything is accessible, then her walk in closet. We did already move the clothes, and Maurice set that out for her” I am in shock, I get why it took so long “Reign, look at this. Oh my god, I am sorry. I see why, this is one hundred times better then her room in Cali, you are amazing. I am in shock, she is going to love it” Reign whined out pointing “yes, is that Minnie, you want her” waling over to the side “this is yours, daddy did this for you. Ok, I will stop complaining” I laughed “you damn right, AI outdone himself. Thank you” Maurice said, Reign hugged Minnie so close. Maurice walked up to us “can daddy have a hug?” He got his hands out to Reign “you go to daddy” letting Maurice take her “I am so happy, her room is beautiful” moving back “Maurice stand just under the sign” getting my phone out “awww shit, it’s daddy daughter photo shoot Mi Amor” holding my phone up smiling, Maurice placed Reign on his shoulder but held her so she won’t fall back “you like that?” Maurice laughed looking up at her, I took the picture quickly “I love that you both are so photogenic” tapping on Insta, tapping onto the plus sign and adding the picture, captioning the picture ‘Weeks later and Reign-Texas world is now open!’ Pressing send, that picture is too damn cute.

We left Reign with Jay, she is asleep anyways so he just needs to watch the monitors and hear out for her, I am happy she has her own room because now she is in her crib asleep instead of being asleep on the couch waiting for us to go to bed, I prefer it that way and I am happy. I decided I wanted to put Reign to sleep before I go, I said I would meet them at the bar in the hotel for a while, I wanted to put Reign asleep and fed first “thank you for coming with me again” I said to Maurice, he didn’t need too “I would always come with you, you know that. Least we haven’t got Jay, that is one thing huh” watching Maurice as he waved to the receptionists “are you back again?” one of them shouted “I decided I missed you all, have a nice night” he is calmed down so much with his flirtatious ways, it’s none existent and I don’t feel jealous like I would “it’s nice you have a relationship with them like that” I mentioned “you see, some of them have been there since my dad, and he never bothered with them. Keep your workers happy” letting Maurice lead the way “are you wanting a drink?” Maurice asked me “erm, just get me a cocktail, anything nice” I said, Maurice let my hand go as he walked off “I am sorry that I had to reschedule” I said as I made my way to the table “it’s ok, you had to put the baby to sleep. How are you?” Wesley said, sitting down “I am ok thank you, what about yourself? Is New York treating you both well? Is Daphne not awake?” I asked because she is not here “she is not well my mom, so it’s just us tonight. She said she is sad to not see you and she will see you soon” nodding my head “I hope so, yesterday was emotional. I wanted to ask, if you can send me some pictures of Rell?” I asked Kiano “of course, I will do that” he is so sweet “my sister asked, I told her and she is very excited to see you, hi. Nice to see you again” seeing Maurice pulling a seat out, he’s shaking their hands this time around.

Makes me smile that Maurice has water, this is why I know he has changed “I want to invite you and your family to our home on Cinco De Mayo, we will have all of the family there, we eat food and have fun. I want to show you to my family, but if you not ready I will understand” I giggled “erm, I would have but it’s Maurice’ birthday at the same time, and we are celebrating or I mean we could drop in” looking at Maurice “we will be in California, for business. You should be coming” Maurice looked at me “I should be?” I said confused “yeah, I don’t mind it. We should be in the area, we can come” I didn’t know this at all “then that is it, you can come!” Wesley spat “I guess we can, it’s overwhelming. Just to feel the love you hold for Rell, the love you already hold for me. It means so much to me, and I know Maurice said it too, he said that how nice you all are, how hurt you are by Rell’ death. It is just something I needed too, you know to find out that Thomas was not my dad and then to find out my real dad is dead, it hurt me. I felt lied too, I was hurt but I am hurt still because I feel like I need to lay some flowers down at his grave, to feel I have family that like me, it’s a good feeling” I feel a lot right now “I can take you there, it’s crazy that this happened but it’s a blessing. It makes me happy, to see my brother in you. I can just imagine him now, he would be over the moon. His daughter a surgeon and I know he would have loved the name Robyn, I think you are the blessing we needed to heal us all” Kiano said, I just want us to heal together. I am happy that I got to know the truth, I can be less hurt now because I thought my dad called me a whore, when he is nothing to me so I am over that.

#Chrianna #chrianna ff #fanfiction

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sinrau · 4 years ago

Link

Angry Donald Trump yells at reporters at the White House following Robert Mueller’s testimony (screen grab)

President Donald Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien sent a long, rambling letter to the Presidential Debate Commission attacking them for being all-in for Vice President Joe Biden and demanding that they change the debate topics.

Moderator Kristen Welker said that the topics they intend to discuss will be fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, issues facing American families, race in America, climate change, national security and leadership in general. Stepien complained that “national security” or “leadership” doesn’t have enough to do with foreign policy as he would prefer.

“Sadly, this is not the first time the Commission has ceded to the wishes of the Biden campaign,” alleged Stepien after their campaign withdrew from the previous debate.

As David Badash noted, these rules were announced last week, so it’s unknown why the campaign took so long to complain about them.

These were announce last week. If they were such a problem why did you wait until today to say anything? Also, too bad. Presidents don’t choose which crises show up. Have to be prepared, period.

— David Badash (@davidbadash) October 19, 2020

Not only was Stepien ridiculed for the whiny letter, but he was also told his candidate should back out of the upcoming debate again because no one wants to hear him scream at them for an hour.

See the tweets below:

Remember when the most shameful thing on @BillStepien ’s record was Bridgegate?

Cleaning up the messes of a lying, pathetic man-child is infinitely more humiliating.

— Soros-Funded Deep State Operative (@ExGOPer) October 19, 2020

Shorter letter: Trump doesn’t want to answer questions about COVID. https://t.co/SeDYnsoIdQ

— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) October 19, 2020

looking for an excuse to RUN AWAY!!!!! pic.twitter.com/Z8JSlnjPBE

— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 19, 2020

You should just refuse to debate again, worked out great last time.

Biden can call a lid til Halloween https://t.co/M4wKc7dRFV

— Tim Miller (@Timodc) October 19, 2020

Trump’s campaign chair @BillStepien is setting the groundwork for @realDonaldTrump to forfeit a second debate to @joebiden. Man, Trump must be really scared if he’s willing to accept a third debate loss to Biden.

— John Aravosis

(@aravosis) October 19, 2020

No one agreed to “foreign policy.” But, hey, I’d LOVE to hear Trump try to debate foreign policy. Other world leaders quite literally laugh at him.

— Please Remain Seated, Time Travelers (@JJSingh) October 19, 2020

Ms.Welker picked the topics I, a Senior suburban female voter, am MOST interested in. Your topic choices not at all.

— Shut Up Man (@Oregon_birds) October 19, 2020

Trying to rig the game and move the goal posts, hey Bill? You are a world class a$$hole as is your client…

— Winttocs – I voted already, all blue! (@Winttocs) October 19, 2020

Trump is afraid to debate Biden because he knows that Biden mopped the floor with him in the first one. [^ChickenTrump](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChickenTrump?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) https://t.co/AbH1ZWIInS

— Holly Figueroa O’Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) October 19, 2020

It would be great if people remembered that Trump has rolled over for Putin and the leaders of Saudi Arabia over and over again, while insulting our allies, saluting a North Korean general, betraying our Kurdish allies, and condoning Saudi Arabia cutting up a man with a bone saw.

— JRehling (@JRehling) October 19, 2020

Here comes the “They changed the rules so we are having a RALLY”

— Vote TODAY for MR ROGERS not CHEETOLINI (@JaysonT72358001) October 19, 2020

Grown men crying is such a sad look.

— Great Odin’s Raven (@Gr8_Odins_Raven) October 19, 2020

That’s weird — I definitely heard the third presidential debate was always billed as the “Tax Returns and Debt to Foreign Powers Debate”

Huh. It’s fun just making stuff up, isn’t it, Bill?

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) October 19, 2020

Just like @JasonMillerinDC, @BillStepien is lying.

The @debates commission announced the moderators and format for the 2020 debates on SEPTEMBER 2ND.

The announcement specified that the topics for the 1st and 3rd debates were “to be selected by the moderator.”

See highlights. https://t.co/mQmzM5edaF pic.twitter.com/eQIfpkxmeZ

— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) October 19, 2020

Trump campaign manager @BillStepien has sent a letter to the @debates commission demanding the third presidential debate remain focused on foreign policy.

Stepien also protests rule changes, including “granting an unnamed person the ability to shut off a candidates microphone.” https://t.co/bJxc5sierq

— Nicole Sganga (@NicoleSganga) October 19, 2020

Yes, I’m sure Trump wants to focus like a laser on foreign policy in the final debate. pic.twitter.com/Mog9tTZ5yt

— John Reeves (@reevesjw) October 19, 2020

“Antics”? Tone matters.

This letter is not intended to change the debate commission’s mind. It is meant as an excuse for Trump’s fan base to rally around him in solidarity when he withdraws or fails to make a good showing.

— Coleen (@colcat20) October 19, 2020

You guys are in freefall, aren’t you?

— Cletus75 (@Cletus75) October 19, 2020

So in other words, you guys are about to back out of the debate? Ok. Got it! It’s not like it would’ve changed any minds anyway. But, nice try

— Bespoke MBA (@mba_jd) October 19, 2020

This screams weakness

— Nick (@MayorSengheiser) October 19, 2020

Who wrote this @BillStepien ?

Did you write, all by yourself, that the idiot won a debate against a MODERATOR? Or were you forced to?

FFS dude.[^GetASet](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GetASet?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) https://t.co/5KlYNPxlmT

— Paula Dillon (@SortedLilAffair) October 19, 2020

[^ChickenTrump](https://twitter.com/hashtag/ChickenTrump?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) is going to chicken out again, isn’t he? pic.twitter.com/z3z0rAmVub

— Private Joker, USMC (@Infantry0300) October 19, 2020

How does the person who wrote this letter have a job? Oh yeah, he works for Trump.

— Eytan Mirsky (@eytanmirsky) October 19, 2020

I have never heard grown people whine as much as you people do. We will always remember that your last gasp effort to stay in power was the “poor me defense”.

— CMK (@Carolkry) October 19, 2020

You know, it wasn’t that long ago, so I distinctly remember potus having hissy fit &refusing to do 2nd debate via virtual format; Americans got cheated out of questions intended for 2nd debate so we should hear those topics in addition to foreign policy!

— Ex-GOP MaryM500 (@MaryM500) October 19, 2020

Y’all fid’n to back out ain’t ya?

— Will Hoge (@WillHoge) October 19, 2020

pic.twitter.com/IZYZ8tvfrh

— DJ (@strive2Bkind) October 19, 2020

Waaaahhhh!!!!! Waaaahhhhh!!!!! pic.twitter.com/yAFhkuhgdq

— Fredrick K. Funseth (@FredFunseth) October 19, 2020

Gonna puss out and drop out of this debate too, @realDonaldTrump?

— Trump’s Micro Peen (@SpamEMcSpam) October 19, 2020

Here we go with the victim card again. Trump is paving the way to cancel because he knows he can’t afford yet another ass kicking by Joe at another debate.

— Jana Blade (@JanaBlade1) October 19, 2020

pic.twitter.com/N8OZQtbB1b

— Tommy J (@TomKnapp3) October 19, 2020

Here we go with the victim card again. Trump is paving the way to cancel because he knows he can’t afford yet another ass kicking by Joe at another debate.

— Jana Blade (@JanaBlade1) October 19, 2020

Never thought I’d see a letter sweating.

— Letters of Note (@LettersOfNote) October 19, 2020

What’s wrong, snowflake? Need a safe space? Can’t you take a little pushback?

— Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) October 19, 2020

I’m going to roll out my favorite picture of this campaign season one more time: pic.twitter.com/dqouc62uQM

— Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil (@abigailm1971) October 19, 2020

We all know you’re going to wimp out of the debates like you did with the last one, Bill. Just spare us all the drama and do it already.

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) October 19, 2020

Enjoy good journalism?

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Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.

On Monday, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) raged at President Donald Trump on Twitter for his ongoing attacks against Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Please, Mr. President – have you no decency and respect? Dr. Fauci has served the American people for 6 administrations – both Democrats and Republicans. He has always prioritized the health and safety of the American people.

— Senator Joe Manchin (@Sen_JoeManchin) October 19, 2020

Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand and the U.S. Treasury Department’s inspector general have advised Gov. Kim Reynolds ’ (R-IA) administration to reallocate federal money or repay it after it was found that $21 million in COVID-19 funds were not used properly.

Iowa used the money from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or CARES, Act to help pay for a new accounting system. The software was not approved under the CAREA Act. CARES Act money is intended for necessary expenditures incurred as a result of COVID-19. Iowa justified the allocation by saying the software would help to quickly assist essential employees during the pandemic. But Sand noted that the state had contracted for the work in 2019, which was before the pandemic, and concluded that it does not qualify.

President Donald Trump said he may increase the amount of time he spends campaigning before his second event of the day in Arizona.

CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller reported on Trump’s comments to reporters.

““I’m not running scared,” Trump claimed.

“I think I’m running angry, I’m running happy and I’m running very content,” he argued.

He went on to say he might “go to 5” rallies a day.

“I’m not running scared,” says Pres Trump of his campaign. “I think I’m running angry, I’m running happy and I’m running very content.” Tells reporters before heading to next rally in Tucson, that he’s unhappy the media’s not covering the corruption he alleges against @JoeBiden. pic.twitter.com/K61ONq8HKR

‘Backing out again?’: Trump ridiculed for trying to ‘wimp’ out of debate with whiny letter about the topics

#IFTTT #WordPress

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not-a-space-alien · 7 years ago

Text

Falling Hazard, Part 12: The New Archdemon

Series masterpost

On AO3

The war party’s progress was halted in the fifth circle.

This annoyed Maltha to no end. It was annoying to have to give a signal for those behind her to stop when they had just gotten going, but it was even more annoying to her that this group consistently thought, for some god-forsaken reason, that they had enough power to overthrow her.

Maltha held her hand up to halt the group behind her, armor clinking as everyone came to a standstill. She eyed the roadblock: A large group of demons of varying ranks, with a few higher-levels thrown in. And at the very front was a figure wrapped tightly with inexpertly administered bandages.

“Duke Jezebel,” said Maltha.

The duke looked very angry. “You will proceed no further! We settle this now!”

Maltha’s hellhorse pawed at the ground under her, snorting. “All right,” she said mildly. “Very well. You may speak.”

Jezebel looked surprised. “Er…all right! Maltha, we know that you’ve orchestrated the fall of the archangel Michael and are planning to use him for your own purposes!”

“I have, and I am,” said Maltha.

Jezebel paused, as though she hadn’t expected it to be so easy to get Maltha to admit it. “Ah… Well, whatever it is you’re planning on doing, forget it! We’re going to get him first and use him for our schemes!”

“Duke Hastur was the brains of this operation, wasn’t he?” said Maltha. “Remove him from the equation and everything falls apart.”

“It hasn’t fallen apart!” said Jezebel. “We’re right here!”

“I said Duke Hastur must have been the brains because it certainly couldn’t have been you, Jezebel. If you wanted to seize the archangel Michael as he fell, you should have tried to beat us to him in Limbo, rather than stopping us halfway with a much weaker force.”

Jezebel’s eyes roved Maltha’s forces, and then she flew into a silent rage when she realised Maltha was right.

“Well, never mind that!” Jezebel finally yelled. “We have demands! I demand that you listen to my demands!”

Maltha smiled politely. “All right. I’ll listen to them.”

“What? Really?”

“Of course. What kind of ruler doesn’t listen to their subjects?”

Jezebel drew herself up. “All right, then! Our first demand is that you release Duke Hastur to us!”

“All right,” said Maltha, not dropping her smile. “If that’s what you really want.”

The renegade demons all look at each other, murmuring unsurely. Jezebel watched her with suspicion.

Maltha turned. “Mammon, would you be so kind as to summon Duke Hastur from wherever they’ve put him?”

“Of course, lord.”

Maltha held out her hand.

“What are you playing at?” Jezebel said.

Hastur’s decapitated head materialised into her grip, and she held it up.

She was met with dead silence.

Maltha’s horse trotted lightly across the line, all eyes following her. “Oh, isn’t this what you wanted?” she said sweetly. “A proper demon lord who shows no mercy?”

When no one responded, she tossed the head. It rolled towards Jezebel before stopping, eyelids drooping and jaw slack on the ground. The demons towards the front of the company gasped and drew back slightly. Jezebel looked at it with incredible anger.

Maltha’s smile finally dissolved into a stony expression. “You’ve reached the line past which my patience expires, all of you. You will be treated with the same respect, or lack thereof, that you show me. I don’t have time to fuck around with you anymore. Have I made myself absolutely clear?”

The rest of whatever Jezebel’s demands might have been were not forthcoming. The demons behind her began to disperse slowly with shocked whispers.

“Come back here, you cowards!” Jezebel screamed. When they scattered away from her instead of regrouping, she turned back to Maltha, growling in frustration. “You won’t get away with this!”

Maltha crossed her arms. “All right.”

“Stop it! Stop that!”

“Stop what? I’m just standing here.”

Jezebel stomped her feet. “You’re infuriating! You’ll pay for this! You will!”

“All right.”

The last of her support finally bolted, leaving Jezebel standing alone. Her eyes raked over the opposing group.

“I see your snake and that angel with him aren’t here,” she said with some attempt at menace. “It would be unfortunate if something happened to them.”

“I have erected barriers a mile thick around them with the help of my most clever spellcaster. They are formulated to only permit entry to Aziraphale and Crowley’s allies, which you would not be considered by any stretch of the imagination.”

“We’ll see about that!”

“Jezebel, I would much prefer not to kill you as well, but you’re not leaving me much of a choice.”

Jezebel stepped forwards, as if to try and pass her. Maltha steered her horse to block her path. Jezebel side-stepped to try and get around her, but Maltha moved to match.

“Fine!” Jezebel yelled, whirling around and stomping away. “But you’ll regret this! I promise you will!”

The path up out of Hell was finally clear as Maltha watched the last rebel go. “I’m sure I’ll regret many things about today,” she said quietly. “But I don’t think your tantrum will be one of them.”

The sky was beginning to darken on Earth. A pair of stargazers leaned on each other, watching as the dots of light mottling the night canvas began to come on one by one.

“Sure is beautiful, isn’t it?” said one.

“Not as beautiful as you,” said the other.

They snuggled together, just watching. A shooting star winked across their field of view, a small and enormously bright object impossibly far away, or so they thought. They were too far away to hear it screaming.

“Good, he’s not here yet.”

Maltha dismounted from her hellhorse, examining the terrain of Limbo for the telltale crater that heralded the arrival of a newly fallen angel. The only one they could find was old and already had grass growing in it, which she guessed would have been Kabata’s.

Maltha found a small molehill and stood on it, clapping to get everyone’s attention. “All right, everyone, listen up, we’re going to do this exactly as planned or we’ll increase our chances of failing. First of all, does everyone have their rebellion buddy?”

They all looked at each other.

“We’re using the buddy system. If you don’t already have one, find one now.”

There was murmuring and shuffling around.

“All right. Now, we’ll go into Heaven as two groups. The party that breaks off with me will consist of six warriors, who can supervise me to make sure I do nothing outside of our agreement, as discussed earlier. Where is Paula. Paula?”

Paula raised her hand.

“You’ll have a group of principalities with you to supervise Abraxas the same way. We want plenty of witnesses around to corroborate if anyone in Heaven tries to accuse the demons in the party of something we did not do. It is essential we refrain from collateral damage if we are to keep this attack from dissolving into a full-scale war. We do the attack, we leave Heaven crippled, and we show the other angels they should be on our side, not the archangels’. Is that clear to everyone?”

A smattering of assents drifted up.

“All right. The main party with Michael will attack Gabriel, Uriel, and then Metatron, in that order. Gabriel’s section of Heaven is closest to the gate, so he should go down first. Uriel should be further inside Heaven and shouldn’t reach us until Gabriel is out of the way.” She took a deep breath. “And Metatron will probably be either in the throne room, or in the antechamber for the Book of Life. We’ll deal with that when we get to it. We’ll communicate long-distance via the smoke signals. Green for Gabriel, yellow for Uriel, red for Metatron. First signal means located. Second signal means terminated. My group will rejoin the main party once Beth has been retrieved, heading for the latest smoke signal. I don’t anticipate needing to use it, but send up the blue smoke signal if Michael’s group becomes overwhelmed and you need my support, and we’ll break off and re-strategise. The raid is over as soon as Metatron is dead. The principalities will fan out ahead of the war party to get bystanders out of the way and minimise collateral damage. Anyone resisting or challenging us should be left to me and Michael and our support. I understand we only have one healer here, correct?”

A hand stuck up from the crowd.

“Good, hello. What’s your name, dear?”

“Ramial.”

“Ramial, make sure you stay with Michael’s party. My group is smaller and I should be able to manage keeping everyone alive. Now, where is Angelo? There you are. Come up to the front, please. Okay, come on now, I know you can move faster than that.”

Everyone there who knew Angelo knew that the face he was making right now was the one he made when he was absolutely terrified beyond all reason, and they admired the fact that he came up to face Maltha anyway.

Maltha bent down so that she could talk quietly enough for only him to hear. “You want to comfort Michael after he falls?”

Angelo nodded mutely.

“Do you want to go back into Heaven with him? Do you want to be part of the rebellion?”

Angelo didn’t answer.

“I won’t judge you for your answer, Angelo. This is different than watching him cut down a bunch of demons.”

He slowly shook his head.

Maltha squeezed his shoulder. “All right. That’s all right, then. No worries.”

“Here he comes!” shouted someone.

All eyes turned up to the entrance to Hell, where something was beginning to burn closer and closer.

“All right, everyone!” Maltha said, turning away from Angelo. “Any last-minute questions?”

No one answered.

“Then let’s get moving!” A fireball plummeted into the cavern, streaking across the sky, illuminating her from behind with harsh yellow light. “It’s show time.”

Angelo was the first to take off, running at top speed towards where the meteor had landed. He could hear screaming the closer he got.

Maltha was lock-step beside him. “Hurry, Angelo. Don’t you want to be the first thing he sees?”

“Michael!” Angelo shouted. “Michael, I’m here!”

“That’s not his name anymore,” said Maltha.

Angelo bit his lip. The crater of Michael’s landing came into view. There was a creature in it writhing and howling at the top of its lungs, shape wavering and dissolving into something more bestial than man. Angelo crested the mound and slid into the crater.

He felt himself yanked backwards, then realised he had just narrowly missed being disemboweled by the new archdemon’s claws as it thrashed around in panic.

“Have some sense,” Maltha said, setting him down. “Don’t get yourself killed.”

The creature in the divot staggered backwards, yelling and crying, hands covering his face.

“What’s his name?” said Angelo over the sobbing.

“Why don’t you ask him?” said Maltha.

Angelo approached again. “Hey,” he said.

The new archdemon froze, stiff. “A-Angelo? Is that you?”

“Yes,” said Angelo, almost falling over himself to take the demon’s arm. “Yes, I’m here. I’m here.”

“Wh-where am I? I c-can’t see.”

“You’re in Hell. We’re in Limbo.”

Maltha looked up to see an angel with blue wings spiraling down into the cavern. “Raphael, hurry up!” she said, spreading her arms to gesture to him.

“Oh no,” the nameless archdemon whimpered. “No, no, no, no, this can’t be happening…”

“It’s all right. We’re not in danger. We’re safe. What’s your name?”

He did not respond, lip quavering.

“Hey, come on. Such a strong, handsome man just falls out of the sky. I’ve got to know his name.”

“M-Mykas,” he answered.

“That’s a nice name,” said Angelo tearfully. He put a hand to the archdemon’s face. “Nice to meet you.”

Raphael touched down and folded his wings. “Did I miss anything?” he panted.

“I was just about to examine him. Angelo, give us some room.”

Angelo took Mykas’s hand and stood to the side. Mykas reached his other arm out to grope around blindly. “I can’t see.”

“That will wear off soon enough,” said Maltha, removing her armored gloves and taking out a penlight. She shined it into Mykas’s canine eyes, which dilated as wide as they would go.

Raphael approached from the other side, feeling his pulse. “His shape seems stable already.”

Maltha tapped the top of Mykas’s head, where two brown ears had popped up from his hair. “Three guesses as to what his bestial form is.”

The two healers leaned over him to prod and poke. Angelo squeezed Mykas’s hand. “They’re just checking you out to make sure you’re okay,” said Angelo. “Don’t worry. Everything’s all right.”

“Did they hurt you?” said Mykas as Raphael took a blood sample with a small needle. “Did I hurt you? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

“Angelo, I’m scared.”

“There’s nothing to be afraid of. We’re safe.”

“What’s going on?”

“Let’s examine his aura,” said Raphael.

“You might feel something,” said Angelo. “Don’t worry. They’re not going to hurt you.”

Mykas blinked rapidly, then gave a startled yelp as Raphael probed his aura.

“I-I…” said Raphael.

Maltha joined him. “It’s…”

Mykas’s aura showed cracks, remnants of what had been happening to it, but it had welded back together in certain places, as though the heat of his fall had purged it from whatever had been breaking it down. And most importantly: It felt stable under their probing, distinctly different than the volatile aura they had both seen before.

“It worked!” said Maltha.

The two turned, smacking each other with a high-five.

“Yes!”

Mykas squinted as his vision began to resolve. Then, his eyes flew open directly on Raphael.

“Shit!” said Maltha, realizing what was about to happen.

With one mighty leap, Mykas threw himself at Raphael with jaws wide open, claws extended. Maltha moved in between the two just in time, her staff materializing for Mykas’s jaws to clamp onto.

“I thought you said he was better!” Angelo yelled over the snarling, too afraid to get any closer.

Maltha’s response could barely be heard over the screeching of his claws on her armor. “He is better! Now he’s just pissed!”

“Raphael!” Mykas yelled, trying to ram his way through Maltha to get to the archangel. “You said you were going to help me! You abandoned me! You let the other archangels throw me out!”

“Raphael is not your enemy!” Maltha shouted. “Mammon, get Raphael out of here.”

Mammon trotted forwards and scooped Raphael up with her snout. “Hey, wait!” said Raphael as he was carried off.

“Don’t argue with me, boy,” said Maltha. Mykas had knocked her flat, and saliva dripping from between his toothy snarl oozed around her staff and dripped onto her face. His jaws worked at her staff, trying to get past it to bite her head.

As soon as Mammon and Raphael were out of sight, a score of warriors rushed over to put their arms around Mykas, pulling him. Together with Maltha pushing, they managed to pry him off. He stood flailing around in their arms, growling.

“Sir,” said one of them.

Mykas looked over to him, recognition finally dawning on his face. “Vincent?”

“Hello, sir,” said Vincent. “How are you feeling?”

Flicking an ear, Mykas looked around to the faces of the warriors around him. “Nathaniel....Dina...Jophiel...” A lopsided smile slowly spread across his face, tongue lolling. “You’re all here. Everyone’s here.”

Puffing, Maltha pushed herself to her feet. “Raphael is not your enemy, Mykas. No one here is. We were all part of a plot to free you from Heaven.”

Mykas’s tail began to wag. “Free from Heaven?”

Maltha spread her arms. “What else would you call a demon, hm?”

Mykas looked over to Angelo, who tried to give him a reassuring nod.

Mykas broke free from their grasps, knocking Vincent to the ground and licking him. “This is great! Great! Great! Wait.” He raised his head. “All these angels in Hell? I’m sure Uriel wouldn’t like this very much.”

“You don’t have to worry about what Uriel wouldn’t like anymore!” Vincent laughed. “And I know she doesn’t, because we’re all here to rebel against her and the others!”

Mykas looked down at him, cocking his head. “Rebel?”

“You and I have been chosen for a great honour,” said Maltha. “These angels gathered here have trusted us to lead their attack against Heaven. When we are finished, the old authorities of Heaven will be gone. The Earth will be safe. And we will all be free. What do you say, Mykas? Would you like to help us?”

“Go on...” Mykas’s lip peeled back, showing wicked teeth like icicles. “This sounds fun.”

The room Maltha had locked them in was actually quite nice: It was carpeted and furnished with a bed and comfortable chairs. But the only thing Aziraphale was focused on was the item of the locked door.

He had already nearly worn himself out kicking at it, and now he was just pacing the room and muttering to himself. Crowley was seated in the corner of the room, watching him, wondering where he was getting all the energy for such a massive tantrum.

“Come sit down,” said Crowley. “You’re not going to accomplish anything stomping around like that.”

“Let her do it?” was Aziraphale’s response. “Let her do it? That was really the best you could manage in that situation?”

Crowley unfolded himself and stood. “She’s right. She has a good portion of angels on her side who would not take this lightly. She deserves to get Beth back. She is saving Michael. You yourself acknowledge how corrupt Heaven has become. This benefits everyone except those three archangels.”

“You’re going to betray me, too?”

“They destroyed the Temple, Aziraphale. They’ve proven by now that they’ll do anything to start the war, and they aren’t going to stop until the Earth has been transformed into a blood-soaked battlefield. Is that what you want?”

“Of course not!”

“Then what’s the problem? This is the only way to keep the Earth safe! Bloody Hell, Aziraphale, the first time it was you who suggested we should kill the antichrist to stop Armageddon!”

“That was different!”

“Why the hell was it different? Because he was a stranger to you?”

“Watch your mouth, serpent.”

“Watch my mouth? Watch my mouth? Are you even listening to yourself? ‘Traitors,’ ‘the arrogance’? You somehow sound like both God and Satan at once! Do you not see the problem?”

“Maltha has betrayed me. Everyone has betrayed me. What am I supposed to do? Thank them?”

“They didn’t betray you!” Crowley shouted, putting his hands on his temples. “They just didn’t tell you what they were planning because they know you’re a stuck-up self-righteous prick who would do this when he found out!”

Aziraphale crossed his arms and turned away from Crowley. “I can’t look at you right now.”

“Aziraphale, you’re smarter than this. Michael was going to die unless he fell—”

“You don’t know that. You don’t know if anything Maltha told us was true. She could be lying through her teeth. She could be deceiving us all. She could have just manipulated Raphael into making Michael fall so she could have him for Hell.”

“The sphinx was in the room.”

“What?”

“The sphinx. It calls out lies. It was in the room, but it kept quiet. Her entire story is true, down to why she and Raphael collaborated to get Michael booted from Heaven.”

“You just think you’re so clever, don’t you?” Aziraphale snapped. “I’m sure she could have found a way around that.”

“You don’t think Raphael would have been able to tell she was lying? All those angels? She’s tricked them all? Is that what you think?”

“She sits on the throne of Satan, the father of lies.”

“Satan is dead!” Crowley screamed. “You little pissbaby, you’re being overdramatic because you’re mad Maltha called you out on being a shithead. You don’t actually believe they’re traitors or any of that stuff you shouted at them. You’re just showboating. You’re no perfect little angel yourself.”

“I’ve never rebelled against Heaven like they have!”

Crowley dragged his hands down his face, laughing. “Ho-ooo-ly fuck, are you really this dense? Really? You really need to feel like you’re better than someone else that badly? To pretend you didn’t answer wrong when Maltha asked you to join? This is what you did during the original rebellion, isn’t it? Just clammed up because you couldn’t handle it, fell back on the mantras because they’re safe and comfortable.”

“Don’t think you know everything,” Aziraphale needled. “I’m positive this action is going to have consequences beyond what anyone could imagine.”

“You’re scared because you don’t like change, and you’re acting like a shithead because that’s what you do when you’re scared.”

“I was wrong to trust her. I was wrong to trust any of you demons. I should never have done any of this. Maybe I should have just left you down here and gotten on with the war.”

“What did you say?” Crowley hissed. “What the hell did you just say?”

Aziraphale remained stormily silent.

“Hey,” said Crowley, grabbing his arm and wrenching him around. “You fucker, what did you just say to me? I know you didn’t mean you should have left me to Satan when you put me down here in his hands, because that would be—”

“You heard what I said.”

Crowley’s fist came up and cracked across Aziraphale’s face. The angel leapt backwards out of Crowley’s grasp, cradling the cheek upon which a bruise was blossoming. His face screwed up into anger, and he shoved Crowley back.

And then the two of them slammed into each other, clawing and punching and cursing at the top of their lungs, tearing clothes and pulling hair and feathers with bitterness and rage they had never even held for each other before they had come to the Arrangement.

“Hey! Hey!”

The both stopped at the shout, breathing heavily, to see that the door was open and Botis was sticking his head in. His eyes were wide. “Um…Am I interrupting something?”

Aziraphale shoved Crowley off him. “No, Botis, nothing at all. What are you doing here?”

“Me and Adramelech were looking for our angels down here and…we heard you yelling. It’s improper for one’s lord to be locked up and not do anything about it. So we figured we would come rescue you.”

Even as he spoke he sounded unsure. Any other demon probably would have demanded to know what was going on first. Aziraphale tried to straighten out his clothes. “Thank you, Botis. Well, let’s go then.”

Aziraphale moved to exit, then turned back when Crowley didn’t follow. “Are you coming?”

“No,” Crowley spat. “I’m not going anywhere with you. Go to H-…go to H- go away from me!”

Aziraphale stormed back over to him. “I’m not leaving you here.”

“Don’t you touch me!” Crowley shouted as Aziraphale tried to take his arm. “You don’t get to say that to me and then act like this! Get the fuck away from me!”

“You know I didn’t mean any of that,” Aziraphale fumed. “I’m not leaving you down here by yourself. Come on.”

“Oh do I know that? Do I?”

“Crowley, stop being petulant and let’s go!”

“I would rather die than go with you!”

“Fine, if you’re going to act like a child then I’ll just go without you!” Aziraphale turned away, marching towards the open door and Botis.

“Are you sure you can trust him?” Crowley shouted to his back as it disappeared. “He might betray you like I did! Surely you can’t trust demons!”

Aziraphale closed the door behind him, but did not lock it. Botis and Adramelech looked at him, dismayed. He huffed and stomped away, heading back towards the antechamber of the ninth layer.

“Aziraphale, what’s going on?” said Adramelech, rushing to catch up to him, his light armor clanking with each step.

He realised these two would probably take Maltha’s side if he told them, even though they claimed to be his friends. “Don’t worry about it, Adramelech,” said Aziraphale. “Please just help me get back up to Earth, and you can go back to what you were doing.”

“Aziraphale,” said Botis, hurrying up to appear by his other side. “If something is happening, we should know so we can help you. We are sworn to your service.”

“No, Botis,” said Aziraphale. He only realised afterwards it had come out much harsher than intended.

The two demons looked dejected, but they nonetheless took their weapons out and escorted him.

They passed through the antechamber and entered the accursed hallway that led to the eighth circle. Voices could be heard echoing from the other end. Botis and Adramelech both cursed and pushed Aziraphale in opposite directions.

“We need to hide,” Adramelech whispered rapidly.

“We need to go back,” Botis said back.

Aziraphale caught sight of an enormous boar coming in at the other end, so he broke their indecision and dove into the room next to them. The two of them followed, crouching just inside the doorway with him, out of sight.

Mammon’s heavy footsteps passed by just outside their hiding spot, accompanied by the patter of a second pair of feet and an unexpected voice: Raphael.

“I don’t suppose there’s any point in trying to convince you to let me go?” Raphael did not sound particularly scared, maybe a little annoyed.

Mammon’s reply was low and indistinct as they reached the end of the hallway. Adramelech leaned out to see their progress.

He pulled back in and knelt. “They’re gone, if we run for it now we’ll probably escape her notice.”

“Come on,” said Botis, tugging Aziraphale’s arm. “We should go.”

Aziraphale did not come on. Aziraphale was frozen looking at the room they were in.

He had only been in a room like this once, and that was to get Crowley out, and he hadn’t had the chance to take a very close look at it. Now the he did, he was horrified by it. It was worse by far than the rooms Heaven held you in to punish you. Huge, barbed hooks hung from the ceiling by chains, tinkling softly against each other. The floor was sloped towards a drain. Someone had left a pair of rusty needle-nosed pliers on the ground in a smear of dried blood. There was a clump of hair plastered to the floor. The walls were peeling and corroded. Even now the smell of sweat and blood and fear hung heavy in the air.

“Why did I say that to him?” said Aziraphale. “I told him I should have left him here. Why did I…?”

“We must hurry,” said Botis, tugging at him again.

“Why did I say any of that stuff? To any of them? What am I doing?”

“We’re not safe here,” Botis tried again.

“We have to go back,” said Aziraphale.

“There’s no time!” exclaimed Adramelech. “Mammon will catch us as soon as she sees you’re gone, and we’ll surely be punished!”

“We have to get out of here,” said Botis.

He allowed them to push him out, indecision weighing him down. Aziraphale looked over his shoulder, suddenly remembering Crowley’s shrill cries under torture, regretting everything he had done and said over the past few hours, feeling absolutely worthless.

Aziraphale still had not made a resolution by the time they exited the ninth layer. Adramelech sprinted into a very narrow tunnel hidden in the rocks. “Here.”

“What’s this?” said Aziraphale.

“It’s safer if we don’t move about in the open,” said Adramelech. “You have many enemies here.”

They all ducked into the narrow space. Botis pushed Aziraphale to go further in, then sighed.

“Sir,” he said, throwing a salute as best as he could in the enclosed space, with as loud of a throaty whisper as he dared, “I can tell you are still distressed. Please allow Adramelech to escort you back up to Earth, and I will go back and retrieve Crowley and bring him up safely.”

“Oh,” said Aziraphale, relieved. “Oh, yes, please do that. Make sure he’s safe.”

Botis crawled back towards the exit.

“Botis, be careful,” said Adramelech. “I would hate to see anything happen to you.”

Botis grunted. “Don’t get too sentimental, you Crayola brand feathered disaster.”

Adramelech wrung his hands as Botis disappeared. “Come on. We need to get you out of here.”

“Can’t we wait here for Crowley?” said Aziraphale. “I need to apologise to him.”

Adramelech let out an avian hiss. “Aziraphale, we don’t have time to putz around in the lower levels of Hell! Any demon below a duke is in danger here, let alone an angel, and one the rebels have it specifically out for!”

Aziraphale deflated, chastised.

“I-I mean,” said Adramelech. “You’ll have time to apologise to Crowley later. He’ll be safe with Botis.” He added in a mutter, “It’s us I’m worried about.”

“What was that last part?”

“N-nothing! Come on! No time to lose!”

Aziraphale followed Adramelech as he led the way through the tunnels. “Hey, Adramelech,” he said, while navigating a particularly rocky corner. “What would you do if the foundation of everything you’d known for six-thousand years was about to be destroyed?”

“Hm?”

“If someone you always looked to for guidance was about to be killed by someone who you knew in your heart was right.”

“Well…I suppose I’d try and stop whatever was going to happen, and suggest talking about it instead.”

Aziraphale let out a laugh. “Talk about it, right. I’m sure. And what would you do if you had kind of, sort of, made a complete arse of yourself first?”

Adramelech paused with one foot on either side of a crag. “What’s this about, sir?”

What was there to do? If Aziraphale knew Crowley, he wouldn’t want to go with Aziraphale after that fight, even if Aziraphale apologised. No, Crowley would go home and sulk. That’s what he did when he was scared and out of his element. He went to a place where he felt like he had control, and just stayed put and hoped everyone would leave him alone.

Which meant Crowley would be safe, and Aziraphale wouldn’t have to worry about him if he, say, went up into Heaven.

There would be time to make up with Crowley later. Right now, the foundations of Creation were shifting, and it was happening up in Heaven. And Aziraphale had gotten in the habit of hanging around wherever Earth-shattering things were happening.

“Nothing, Adramelech,” said Aziraphale. “Forget I asked. Let’s get going. I have somewhere to be.”

Crowley was sulking.

He didn’t want to admit that he was sulking, because children sulk. Adults don’t sulk. Demons certainly don’t sulk. But he was sitting angrily in the corner with his knees drawn up against his chest, his arms crossed, hiding his face. It was the very definition of sulking.

He had a right to sulk, he thought. He had probably just ruined his relationship with Aziraphale. It wasn’t okay to hit your beloved, no matter how stupid and nasty they’re being—

He doubted if Aziraphale would even want to see him now, not after how he had been going on about betrayal and not trusting demons. This was a repeat of the fight they had had earlier, except now it was way worse.

And now here he was. Alone. Sulking in Hell.

Well, he suddenly realised, he could sulk at home. Up on Earth. The door was still open. He knew a way up that could get him to the surface while staying mostly out of sight. He could sit in his fortress and wait until whatever was happening was done happening. Maltha would take Michael to do her thing, and if she succeeded—God, he hoped she did, the alternative was unthinkable—the Earth would be safe for a very long time with the old management of Heaven pared down. And Aziraphale would huff and stomp and have his tantrum, and then he’d mellow out and see that she had been right.

Probably. Eventually…

He stood, wiped his face, and peeked his head out the door. He had heard footsteps outside earlier, but it was quiet now. He snuck out, moving as quietly as he could. But there was no one around to be concerned about.

Keeping flat to the wall, he slunk out of the wing and out into the antechamber. There was nowhere to hide there. He’d just have to cross it as quickly as he could.

He dashed out and almost ran smack into someone doing the same thing.

Crowley staggered backwards, fearfully eyeing who it was he had almost collided with. It was only one of the kitchen staff.

“Oh,” said Crowley. “Listen, just forget that you saw me, and—”

He stopped, because he suddenly noticed the jar she was holding under one arm filled with glowing liquid angel dust, and the expression on her face showing she knew she was not supposed to be holding it.

“Hey, where are you going with—”

Crowley was cut off as the imp rammed into him, pushing him away, and then bolted for the door.

Crowley flailed to right himself. “Shit,” he said. “Shit shit shit, who was that?” He took off out of the antechamber, sprinting to catch up to her. “Hey!” he shouted. “Come back here!”

The imp’s tail disappeared out into the light of the eighth layer. Crowley suddenly remembered what Maltha had said about putting wards up to keep him safe, and he remembered it because as he vaulted out of the exit to chase down the renegade imp, he felt himself cross the border out of the wards’ protection.

And almost directly into Kabata.

“Shite!” Crowley yelped, leaping backwards as fast as he could.

The imp, panting with exertion, held the jar out, and Kabata took it. “You have to drink it,” she said. “The whole jar.”

“Good girl.” Kabata’s fearsome gaze swung to Crowley, who backed further up into the wards’ range. “But I see you didn’t get away without witnesses.”

“He’ll tell,” said the small demon.

“He’ll stay quiet if he knows what’s good for him,” said Kabata.

“I’ll take care of him,” said the small demon.

“You’ll take care of me?” said Crowley.

“You’ll take care of him?” said Kabata, sounding equally shocked.

The small demon nodded. Kabata leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Then I’ll be on my way.”

Crowley watched, conflicted, as Kabata spread his wings and spiraled up into the upper layers of Hell. “That wasn’t for you!�� he shouted.

His gaze returned to the smaller demon. “And who the heck are you?”

The demon took a deep breath. “My name’s Yulera. And I’m not afraid of you.”

“Er,” said Crowley. “Okay.” He gestured around him. “I’m behind a ward, though. You can’t do anything to me.”

He did not like the way Yulera’s eyes raked over the situation, as though dissecting it for information to work out a puzzle. “No, I can’t physically pass back into the ward now that I’ve left it, it seems. But magic should be able to penetrate for a few feet into it.”

She raised her hand. Klaxons began to sound in Crowley’s head.

“This is from a book I read!”

Crowley pivoted his foot to leap back, but not fast enough. Yulera swiped her hand in a complex shape in the air with one swift motion. Simultaneously, Crowley’s shirt tore, blood spattered out, and he felt something like iron chains close around his wings as he tried to spread them.

He fell face-first into the dirt. He scrambled back to his feet, hand clamped on his side to stifle the blood welling up there. “What the f- What did you do?”

The demon thrust her arms into the air in a celebratory manner, giving a single excited hoot. Crowley drew his hand back to see that a sigil had been cut into his flesh, a familiar one.

“You bastard,” he spat, stumbling backwards. He frantically tried to pull his wings out, but his suspicions were confirmed: they would not budge.

“You won’t mess things up this time,” said Yulera. “You won’t get far enough to warn anyone he’s coming.”

“Do you even know what he’s going to do?” Crowley shouted. “Something horrible, I’m sure.”

“Next time I might work up the courage to finish you off! Best run off and hide somewhere!”

Yulera scuttled up the rock wall behind her like some kind of lizard, spreading her wings and launching up and out of sight.

Crowley stood there holding his bleeding side. “Fuck. Fuck.” He tried to invoke his healing powers, but they were locked down tight.

He put his hands on his head, walking in a tight circle. “Fuck. Fuuuuuck. Oh my somebody, where did she even read the Key of Solomon? What the fuuuuck.”

Now this was a shite situation. Kabata was going to tag along with Maltha into Heaven. Crowley had no idea what that ne’er-do-well would do once up there, but it meant Maltha’s entire plan was in danger of falling apart if he jammed himself in it like a wrench in gears.

He had to warn someone that Kabata was coming. But the war party had already left. That just left Mammon down here, but they were out of angel dust.

There had been two more jars in the kitchen, that imp had said. Three jars. One for Maltha. One for the fallen Michael. The third presumably intended as a backup of some sort. Now stolen for Kabata.

Mammon was powerless to do anything if they had already set off to Heaven, which they probably would have by the time they could reach the first layer.

Crowley had some leftover angel dust in his flat. But it had been made with the feathers from only two angels, and consequently was only strong enough for a demon his size. And it was the old version of the spell.

“What the fuck!” said Crowley, kicking a nearby boulder. “No way. No fucking way. I’m not doing that. Goddamn it. No way.”

And now he was inflicted with the restraining sigil from the Key of Solomon at the bottom of Hell, by himself. Even if he managed to make it up to the exit without the use of his demonic powers, would he even be able to get up out of Hell to Earth without his wings?

Maybe he could reach Aziraphale before he left. Maybe he could scramble up fast enough to warn Maltha. He could use the tunnels the smaller demons used to stay out of sight here. But he had to hurry.

He dashed away from the ninth layer, spotting the entrance to the hidden tunnel in the rocks, and dove towards it.

He settled himself into the tunnel, panting, grateful he had made it. Not only was he outside the ward now, but he couldn’t even use his powers, so it would be disastrous to be spotted.

He began to move forwards at a crouch.

A face half-covered by bandages appeared, with eyes that lit with anger as soon as they saw him.

“You!” Duke Jezebel raged.

“Shit!” Crowley said, scrambling to turn around in the narrow space.

He felt Jezebel’s hand ghost against his shirt just before he could haul his arse out of her reach, and he bolted back out of the tunnel as fast he could.

A vicious kick landed on his back, sending him smashing into a boulder. Crowley felt his nose crunch and blood begin to pour out. He looked up to see the wards were only a few meters away. He lunged for them, but a hand seized his ankle and began to drag him back.

“I know exactly what I’m going to do with you,” said Jezebel venomously.

Crowley had killed a duke before, but he had no holy water at his disposal and no alternatives with his powers locked down tight. He was no match for even an injured duke in this state. But that didn’t stop him from trying.

He brought his foot down on Jezebel’s fingers, and she yelped and released him. He scrambled away, but she cornered him against the boulder again.

“You can struggle if you want to,” sneered Jezebel. “That will make it more fun for me, actually.”

“Wait, hold on,” said Crowley, holding his hands out, spinning elaborate lies in his head on the fly, as was his habit when he was about to die.

“Maltha has killed someone very important to me,” said Jezebel. “And now I’m going to do the s…huh?”

This last noise was uttered as the ground began to shake under them.

“What in blazes?” said Jezebel.

A bellowing scream faded into existence, getting gradually louder and louder as the rumbling increased.

An enormous black horse broke into view, thundering hooves striking sparks against the ground as it galloped towards them at top speed. Smoke poured from its mouth as it let out a whinny. And in its saddle was a warrior in armor decorated with bones, sword held aloft, mouth open in a battle cry, baring his huge tusks.

Botis did not need to give a command or an ultimatum. He was angry, scary, ready to kill; in short, he was everything a demonic warrior was supposed to be as it bore down on those invoking its wrath, except he was aiming right for a demon who outranked him by a lot.

Either it was because Jezebel was too dumfounded to think correctly, or because she was still processing what she was seeing, or because her movements were slowed from her injuries, but she didn’t move out of the way in time. The hellhorse hit her at full speed, crushing her beneath its hooves.

She let out a painful shriek and extricated herself from under it as soon as she could, bloodied and bruised. Botis pulled the reins to circle back around. A second, unmounted hellhorse trotted up behind him, which Crowley assumed was supposed to be for him.

“Duke Jezebel,” said Botis simply.

“You,” sneered Jezebel.

Botis’s horse whinnied and reared back as Jezebel materialised a weapon and lunged at him.

Botis brought his sword up, but Jezebel’s whip cracked against him, wrapping around his arm and yanking him down off his horse. “You think you can challenge me? You think you can stop me?”

Her whip changed into a sword. Botis barely managed to scramble over and grab his own sword before she brought it down on his head.

“Ah, shit shit shit,” said Crowley, watching the two go at each other. Both hellhorses skittered out of the way of their fight.

A duke was no opponent to sneeze at in a fight, even one who was injured. Crowley tried to think of a way to help. He eyed the horses.

“I remember you,” said Jezebel, her sword clanging against Botis’s. “The cowardly deserter.”

Botis bared his tusks. “If I’m so cowardly how come you can’t scare me away?”

“Abandoned your station—“

“Hm?”

“—your teammates—“

“Maybe you’re just not scary enough.”

The flat of Jezebel’s blade smashed into Botis’s hand, knocking his sword away. He stumbled backwards, snatching his sword back up with his non-dominant hand.

“All you traitors deserve to die!” Jezebel yelled, raising her sword. “Just like this!”

One of the horses rammed into her from behind, knocking her into the ground. Crowley, clinging to its back, terrified, shouted, “Get out of here you bloody annoyance!”

He pulled the reins of the horse so that its hooves would trample her again. Botis, meanwhile, kicked Jezebel’s weapon out of her reach and pulled himself back onto his own horse.

When Jezebel finally managed to get out from under him, Botis had come around and was aiming for her again. She looked from one to the other and dashed off, hobbling as fast as she could away from them.

Botis pulled up and let her go, watching her spread her wings and get into the air with laboured wingbeats.

Crowley let go of the saddle, hands shaking. “Bloody hell. I hate these things. They don’t like me.”

“You handled your mount admirably!” said Botis cheerfully, palming the bloodied wound on his face.

“What are you doing back down here?” said Crowley.

Botis threw his hands into the air. “Heroically rescuing you, of course.”

Crowley wheezed. “Botis, I could kiss you right now.”

Botis’s horse pulled up parallel to Crowley’s. “Sir, I’m flattered,” said Botis. “And it’s true that you’re very attractive. But my heart belongs to Kyleth.”

“That’s not what I m—Wait, you think I’m attractive?”

They stared at each other for a moment, during which Botis grew considerably red.

“Nevermind that,” said Crowley, waving away the awkwardness. “I need you to heal me.”

“But I’m not a healer.”

“It’s just to my corporation. A small miracle should do the trick.” He turned to show Botis where the sigil had been carved into him. “Please, Botis, I feel like I’m suffocating in my corporation.”

“Oh, I think I can do that.”

Botis reached over and touched Crowley’s side. His skin writhed together, and he could feel the effects of the sigil lifting.

Crowley slumped forwards in the saddle with relief, letting his wings break out again. “Ohhhhh, sweet somebody, thank you, Botis.”

“Just doing my duty,” said Botis.

Crowley looked back up at him and realised he was still bleeding from a number of wounds Jezebel had inflicted on him.

“Here,” said Crowley, reaching out. “Let me heal you.”

“That would be an honour, sir,” said Botis.

Crowley worked to mend the one bleeding into Botis’s eyes. “I mean it, Botis. Thank you. There aren’t many people who would be willing to risk their life for me.”

“Well, that’s simply untrue!” said Botis.

Crowley looked up at the other demon, who was giving him an enormous grin. And for the first time, he realised it was untrue.

“Yeah,” said Crowley, smiling faintly. “I guess you’re right.”

“Everyone needs a little help every once in a while.”

“I could have died.”

“But you didn’t!” said Botis.

“I…I could have died,” said Crowley. “And the last thing I would have ever said to Aziraphale would have been that horrible argument.”

“We all have arguments sometimes,” Botis tried.

“No, I…” Crowley pulled his horse’s reins. “I need to go find Aziraphale. Right now. I’m positive he’s going up into Heaven to try something stupid, and with Kabata tagging along he—he might get himself killed, permanently killed. I can’t let that happen, even if I’m angry with him. Let’s go. Maybe we can reach him before he leaves.

“Let’s go then!”

It was straight shot up to Limbo. Most people knew better than to try and attack anyone on a hellhorse, Crowley guessed. Crowley was no better at horses than he remembered. He actually fell off at one point when they went around a particularly sharp bend, and he was embarrassed that Botis had to give his backside a little push to get him back up into the saddle again.

They made it up eventually, only to find Adramelech standing by a new crater in the ground, and no one else.

“No no no,” said Crowley, pulling his horse up. “We missed them?”

“Aziraphale just left a few minutes ago,” said Adramelech. “And by this here it looks like everyone else did, too.”

He gestured to a mishmash of chalk circles and spell ingredients lying scattered on the floor. Crowley recognised it as the setup that would get you straight into Heaven.

He seethed quietly, throwing the reins down. “Of course. Of course. Just bloody perfect.”

Adramelech and Botis both looked at him shame-facedly, as though feeling responsible for his problem despite having no idea what was going on.

Still raging, Crowley got down off his horse, spreading his wings. “Bloody fucking perfect. All right. I guess in my heart I knew I was going to have to do this, because otherwise it would have been too easy and safe for me, and we can never have that, can we? Hey Botis, do you remember Heaven’s gates?”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think a speeding automobile could generate enough momentum to break them open?”

“…Why?”

Crowley snapped his fingers, and a pair of sunglasses dropped onto his face. “Because so far my return to the Heavenly Kingdom hasn’t been nearly stylish enough.”

Mykas had not been able to change his shape, no matter how much he tried, and eventually he had given up and moved on. He stood behind Maltha now, looking halfway between man and beast, licking his lips from downing the last of the angel dust given to him. He would be the only one out of the entire lot to ingest it who thought that it tasted all right. They had fitted him with armor to prepare for battle, except for his legs, because they were shaped differently now and no one could find any greaves that would fit him.

“Are you ready, Mykas?” Maltha asked.

He reared back up onto two legs and summoned his sword. The celestial anti-demon sigils that had previously donned its surface had been wiped clean. The red jewels set in the handle now glowed with a faint, infernal light. “Let’s party.”

“Lyra, prepare the route, please.”

The court spellcaster finished the chalk circle as Maltha was speaking. The dozens of incense burners around them flared to life, and she began to say the incantation.

“All things bright and beautiful...”

There was the sound of dozens of weapons unsheathing simultaneously.

“All creatures great and small...”

“Get ready,” said Maltha. “We’re coming.”

“All things wise and wonderful.”

The portal zoomed open, a milky white disc stretching along the extra-long chalk circle, wide enough to accommodate a dozen at a time.

“The second rebellion begins now,” Maltha announced, stepping forward.

#good omens #my writing #my good omens fanfic

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