#also i fucking hated drawing that cloak. so youre never gonna see her wearing that again

[funky-dealer]

soap wanted me to draw moon so i thought id actually spend time making a design i liked instead of just rushing it like every previous time

[carryonmywaywardwriters]

One Day At A Time - Jensen x Reader

A/N: It’s been a while. My days off were spent with writing rather than posting. Now? It’s time to catch up a bit. Have an edited version of a story I’d only just begun getting into before I’d left Tumblr at the beginning of the year. As always, feedback is incredible. And, I hope you all enjoy <3

PSA: I am NOT a minor friendly blog. If you are below 18, please come back when you’re older. I don’t want to lose my blog because you were too eager to grow up. If I discover you, I WILL block. 

Also, this is NOT hate against Danneel. It’s a piece of fiction using real humans as the base. There will be NO negativity against her, the Ackles family, or anything tolerated here.

Upcoming Warnings: Widower!Jensen. Angst. Death. Grieving process. Upcoming smut. Age Gap. And more. Each chapter will be labeled accordingly.

Word Count: Roughly 3,700

“How's he holding up?” Genevieve Padalecki was an actual goddess as she sat across from you in the sunken living room. A loose, white tee paired with ripped jeans while resting on the navy blue couch. Even as drawn and tired as she appeared in that moment, beneath the LeMay hummingbird art, she was incredible. Somehow held mostly together even with the circumstances in front of her. You yearned for that kinda strength.

“He's been trying to smile... Laugh for the kids.” You answered quietly, not wanting to wake the napping children. Or, the resting widower.  As if your voice could carry that far in the massive home. But, it was the first bit of real sleep any of them had gotten since the nightmare had begun. You wouldn't chance it. They needed all the rest that they could muster. “It's falling short...but he's trying.” Your own tired eyes met the red rimmed dark orbs in front of you. “How about you and Jared?” She shook her head, slowly. Her actress's facade crumbling all at once.

“God, I miss her.” The once smooth voice cracked as she fought back the tears. Finally giving into the grief a little. “So...so much...It hasn't even been two weeks, yet, Y/N.” She looked so broken. So defeated. “How am I supposed to survive the rest of my life without my best friend?”

You wanted to give an answer. Wanted to be able to tell her it got better. But, you couldn't. It'd be a lie. Nothing was better in a world without the sunny smile the Mrs. Ackles had bestowed, undoubtedly, every time you turned around.

“I ask myself that question almost every second of everyday.” Jensen's deep voice was ragged as he stood in the hallway. His hair was spiked from the tossing and turning he'd done while he'd tried to escape the reality of his new life. Your heart shattered again at the sight.

“Jens-”

“It's okay,” He was gruff, but not harsh as he cut Genevieve off. Too worn to even begin to try to be angry. His jeans and shirt were wrinkled. Beard untrimmed. Eyes red and glazed with grief. “We're going to be okay. Danneel...she'd want that.” If he said it enough, he might just believe it. “Kids still out?” You could only nod. A lump too large for words to pass rested in your throat.“Good.” His head bobbed with that. As if in a trance. “I'm gonna take a walk...head down to the lake.”

He didn't ask if anyone would watch them. That's what you were there for. His pockets were filled with his beefy hands, and then he was gone as quickly as he'd come.

“I don't know if I can stay here.” You uttered when he was out of hearing range; tossing your hand through your tangled hair. Somehow even more ragged from the brief interaction.

It was all too much. He needed assistance with the twins and J.J. You knew that. But, it was terrifying having to face the grieving process head on. To feel the weight of a love lost residing in the air. Having to stand up to it all while losing your friend in the process. Needing to try and fill the void that was left behind after the accident while holding an entire family together. Anyone would strain under that level of responsibility.

Running would be easier. That was a fact you couldn't seem to escape. It always had been. God knows you'd done it enough in your life. Everything inside of you begged you to take the chance. Flee. And yet...you hadn't quite gathered enough courage to actually try it. Leaving yourself in an odd sort of purgatory.

“He'll understand.” Gen didn't even bother to look back at you. Having latched onto an image of the deceased in the corner. A happy little number showing her and her children.

“Will he?” You didn't believe it. Not even a little. She wasn't there to see the worst of his grief. How alone he was. Your fingers ripped at a hangnail as you pondered over it all.

Jensen had lost his entire future. And with that? He'd lost his focus. The undying optimism he'd once held. His charming dash of humor. Maybe once, he'd have forgiven you walking away. But, not anymore. The kids, his job, and the brewery were overwhelming at the best of times. It was unmanageable even with the help, then. He needed you more than ever.

That's why you'd been hired, initially. To break up the load. Or, so Danneel had claimed. In reality? She'd held everything down just fine with a babysitter on the side. She'd just used it as an excuse to draw you in. Now? It was time to live up to the promise.

You were pulled out of your thoughts with a small sigh, “Even if he doesn't?” Your heart ached at the thought. “You have your own life, Y/N...it's your choice.” Her final words went straight to the point. Injuring you with the bluntness of it. “And if there's anything we learned from all this? Life is too short to fuck around with.”

With that, she took her leave. Needing to find some air. Get back into a head space to handle the other half of the grieving family she was returning to.

You craved the same escape. Instead, the twins appeared. Miniatures of their parents clad in Paw Patrol footie pajamas. Hair mused as they crawled into the comfort you could offer. Solemn, as if their young minds could fully grasp the idea of death. Hours later, JJ walked in the large wooden door. A deep frown etched onto the smooth lines of her face. Her bag dragging the ground as she and Jensen joined. The false cheer emitting from the booming voice only made the tension in the air increase. It was cloaking.

As the night went on, things grew worse. A tight hold on the back of your neck crept forward until your entire skull felt as if it was being crushed. Far from the first time. Zep didn't want the lasagna you'd made. His once ravenous appetite long gone. Justice Jay was trying to step up; telling him how he needed to eat. How her mom would have got him to, and that anyone who couldn't get the boy to wasn't trying hard enough. Arrow sat crying, too distraught to take even a  bite.

Jensen had looked so damn lost while sitting in the tan backed kitchen bar-stool that you'd had no choice but to pull out a whistle. Danneel had used it during a girl scouts meeting months before. And then had brought it back around any time the family got to be too chaotic. Another brilliant idea from the lost soul.

Zep settled for a small, microwavable macaroni and cheese that had been reserved for emergencies. J.J was talked down, gently. Not taking away from her grief; simply bringing her back to a softer place. Arrow was able to eat on your lap; settling into the comfort of a woman's touch gladly. The widower watched in a daze. Being the only one in the room you hadn't needed to fix. Until you noticed that he wasn't eating. Leaving you to discard your plate even longer while you coaxed him into following his kids' lead.

Bed time didn't come nearly fast enough. Dishes with two toddlers flinging soapy water across the designer kitchen. Another night of fighting over homework with Justice. All you wanted to do was crawl into bed and never leave.

With a weary sigh, you left the room Arrow occupied to herself. Moving down the stairs as fast as you could to give yourself some distance. Slamming your hand through your hair all the while. Not sure how much longer you could go on, taking care of everyone. You never had time to process. To breathe. God, how you wanted to breathe again.

Your back pressed against the wall after you hit the main floor. Utter relief filling your veins at the lack of noise. Slouching, you turned to look out at the darkened lake. Hoping the peace of it would trail to you. Only to shoot straight up seconds later as footsteps lumbered down the stairs.

“Thanks,” Jensen appeared, looking worse for the wear. Before you could even think to start, he continued, “Seriously, thanks. I don't...I don't know what I'd do...” His throat worked as emotion threatened to spill over. “I know we're a lot.” That was the understatement of the century.

“Jensen-”

“Don't try n' down play it, Y/N.” He kept going. As if he had no choice. Almost as if he could feel your desperation to run, and was trying to stop it. “We're a wreck, right now. But, you? You make...make it a little less chaotic.” His eyes were watery as he talked. The dam threatening to spill over. Guilt snaked through you at the words. And then he pulled out the last batch of words you wanted to hear. “You're a lot like her. You know that?”

“I don't want to...to take her place,” Your words were garbled as you swallowed the emotion. Terrified that you'd be trapped into the empty space she left behind. Breaking all the while. “I don't...I don't want to just step into the role.” Your own eyes watered as you aired your fears. Gasping for some kind of air. “I don't know how...how to play mom full time. Or step in as the pretend wife of a TV star. I can't even take care of myself. That's why she brought me here.” The emotional fall had been doomed to show up, eventually. You simply hadn't expected it to be so soon. Or so in his face. But, that didn't stop the tirade of emotion leaving your lips. “I want her back, too. I want her to walk...walk back through the door, like every time she's left. To thank me for looking out for you guys... T..tell me how strong I was for holding down the fort... until she got back.”

Because that's the kind of woman she was. She'd loved her family. Her friends. Her careers. And most of all, life. She'd built everyone up. Having her gone had tore them all down.

A tear trailed down your face as you realized Jensen was openly crying. Silent as the water ran down both cheeks. Drop after drop as he fought back a sob. You comprehended then, the enormity of what you'd done.

“Y/N-”

“I'm sorry!” Cutting him off, you tried to find something to say. Anything else. But, words escaped you again. A gasp left your lips when he brought his hands up to your arms, but you didn't have a chance to pull away. He tugged you close. Breaking you further. His arms encompassed you as you both cried deeply. Letting out everything you'd held back since you'd gotten the call about the accident. “I'm...I'm s...so...s...sorry.” You hiccuped into his chest. No longer feeling the need to be strong. His own body shook as he tried to settle back down. “I'm...I'm such a...such a bitch.”

“You're a good friend.” He breathed out in a broken sigh when he could finally gain enough composure to take a step back. But, he didn't break the contact. Needing the sense of closeness as his world spun. “She would have been...she would have proud of you, you know.” You lost it again at that one. Thinking back to the day that had wrecked all of your lives.

Danneel had been going to the brewery. Just as she had everyday. She should have come back. She should have never have been found on the side of the road. A hit and run. The bastard who was guilty had yet to be found.

“I'm sorry,” You pulled away from his grasp completely that time. Wiping at your face clumsily.  Snot plugged up your nose. Your cheeks were stained from the tears. “What I said...I didn't mean it.”

“You did.” Jensen stated easily, falling back onto the closest couch. His head resting in his hands. “That's okay, though.”

“It's not.” Your eyes landed on the image from the wedding that rested on the coffee table as you dropped beside him. It was the closest you two had been in the entire time you'd known each other. Picking it up, you looked closer. Basking in the bit of joy that still resided inside the walls of the home. “She was beautiful.” Your thumb stroked over the image. “And, funny. Smart as a whip.” You'd thought you were all dried out, but another piece of water made its way down your face. “It was hard to not fall in love with the energy she put out there.” Gen had said Danneel had been her best friend. She'd been yours, too. Even though you'd only held her in your life a short time. “She saved me from myself...did you know that?”

“Kinda,” He answered carefully. His own eyes drawn to the ten year old image. “She never gave me the full details.” He leaned in closer, the pad of his finger brushing away the small piece of dust that gathered in the corner. “She just told me that you needed help...and to pretend that she did.”

“That sounds like her,” You whispered, your lips tugging up in a lopsided smile. Thankful to the ghost in the room. “I'd been kicked out of my boyfriend's place. He got bored, or something. I really haven't figured out the 'why' if I'm being honest with myself. Can't even remember why I was with him.” Your hand came back up to wipe against your face as your mind trailed back. You'd lived down the road. Only for a week or two. A perfect stranger. Your bag had hit the grass as she walked by with the twins. A daily stroll turned into more. She'd watched as you stared at the door in disbelief after it slammed shut. “She asked me if I was okay. I lied and said I was...she didn't believe me.”

“She's...She was good at that.” He caught himself trying to keep her in the present. You didn't bring attention to it. Didn't want to hurt him anymore than you already had.

“Dee didn't think twice. Packed me up and took me to a motel. Took my phone number to check in...” If you tried hard enough, you could still remember her holding out her phone. A simple smile on her face as she waited for you to do as told. Knowing you'd cave. You hadn't expected her to really call. Had been oddly relieved when she had. “I had trouble finding work, so she offered a place at the brewery. I didn't know how to take that kind of an offer.”

“Now that you mention it...” His head dropped to the back of the couch as he got more comfortable. Eyes closed as he traveled back in time mentally. “I remember that,” He looked a little lighter as he thought back to his wife. The frustrated call he'd received while on set about the woman who 'needed to come to terms' with Danneel's assistance. “The more you resisted, the more sure she was that she was going to help you out.”

“She used the twins.” Not that you'd complained. They were great. You'd spent hours making faces, drawing pictures, and the works with two of the sweetest children you'd ever met. “She was working on handling the paperwork, and asked me to play with them for a bit. Reeled me in like a fish.”

It had started with one day, with food as your payment. Then, it was for a few hours daily for food and some cash. Next thing you knew, you were in a small guesthouse they'd added to property. It had been the beginning of the best six months of your life. Helping with the kids, the brewery, and animals. You'd gotten a side job, but your notice had gone in as soon as you'd been able to. Jensen had needed all the help he could get with Danneel gone.

“Do you regret it?”

“She gave me a whole new life,” You sighed out, not quite answering the question. Looking at the animated face that rested in the frame. “And instead of being able to hold up? I break in half of a month...” Shame coursed through you.

“To be fair,” His voice was scratchy, “we're all a bit broken right now, Y/N...” No truer words had been spoken.

“What do we do, Jensen?” Your head rested against the back of the couch as he took the frame. Wishing like hell he could travel back to the day encased in ink, you were sure.

“We take it one day at a time,” It's all he knew how to do. Nothing else made sense. It was all too unpredictable. “It's hiatus...We don't have to worry about the show, for a few months. For now?” He tapped the glass, “For now, I'm going to take care of her babies.” The determined, pained note in his voice made your chest ache. “I know that I haven't been helping much-”

“Don't...” Letting him tear himself down wasn't something you could stand. “You're doing better than anyone would dream.” Your hand reached over and squeezed his. Offering a bit of comfort. Not knowing how else to handle it all. “Take care of yourself, too...Eat. Try to sleep. Take your time to clear your head.”

“You could stand to do that, yourself, Y/N...” He swallowed tightly. His own guilt raising its head. He'd been so stuck inside his own mind that he'd missed all the warning signs. How slow you moved. Raw pain lining your features. All of it amplified by how long it had been ignored. “Go... get some sleep. We can start looking for someone else to take over, tomorrow...if that's what you really want.”

With that, he led himself to his room. Leaving you to rest on the couch. Trying to decide if that's what you really needed.

–

“Morning, sleepy,” You whisked the batter. Working to get it as smooth as you could. Zeppelin rubbed his eyes deeply. The green dinosaur pajamas seemed shorter than they'd been the night before. He was growing fast. He'd need more soon. “Blueberries in your pancakes?” A tired nod was your answer as Arrow trailed behind in her favorite Elsa covered nightgown. “Chocolate chips?” Another sleepy, head bob followed. Justice Jay wasn't quite as easy. She was filled with seven year old independence. Ignoring the clothes you'd set out the night before in a way that only a strong headed child could. Instead, donning herself in a purple top with yellow leggings. Her hair, all but the back, brushed neatly. “Strawberries?”

“I can do it,” Her eyes turned up to look into yours. Demanding independence. After all, she was woman of the house, now.

You simply nodded, handing over a bowl of batter and the strawberries she wanted. They were pre-cut. All she had to do is mix the two together. You even let her flip them; feeling more than generous. It was the weekend, after all. And she needed to feel in control of something. Her mood increased slowly, but surely. Maybe I'm onto something...

“Smells good,” Jensen's lips smacked as he walked into the room, as you served up the first round of food.

His casual clothes were less wrinkled than the day before. He seemed more alert. Less like a bottle waiting to explode. The crying, despite how much everyone hated it, was good at clearing some of the pain. At least, enough to make everyone semi-functional.

“Good,” You gestured as you poured a bit of batter from each bowl onto the griddle. “Eat.”

“What about you?” His brows snapped together.

Gone was the mess he'd witnessed the night before. Mostly. The bags still rested beneath your eyes- something he hadn't noticed until tears had caught on them. However, he couldn't help but to zero in on every detail.

“I'll eat in a minute. I'm almost done.” The spatula waved his way. Killing any hope of him taking over. “Now, you eat.”

“Yes, ma'am,” He grumbled, sitting down with his children. Muttering about you being a bully to earn little giggles.

Slowly their personalities began emerging for what felt like the first time in forever. Zep was making zooming noises as he splashed his plane shaped- or as close to it as you could replicate- pancake into his syrup. Arrow was humming to herself, kicking her feet. Spreading more than enough butter across her crown shaped breaded breakfast- princesses were her current favorite thing. Dark hair bouncing on her head as she moved. Little J. Bird was telling her daddy about the animals they'd seen on their school outing the day before. And Jensen? He was enthralled. Giving her every bit of the attention she needed.

Your lips tugged up as you pictured Danneel watching over her family in the back. Her little content smile resting on her face as she looked at all of those she loved. She'd be leaning against the counter, ankles crossed with a headband holding back the hair that escaped her bun. Happy as a lark.

With a deep breath, you walked over to the table with the second plate to ensure that everyone got their helpings. When Jensen's eyes met yours again, he mouthed 'thank you'. You sent back a 'you're welcome' quietly before turning back to Zeppelin as he let out a mini roar, seeking the attention on him. In that moment, you understood. You weren't going anywhere...

Part Two

@winchester-ofthe-lord​

Dean/Jensen: @akshi8278​

Forever: @dean-winchesters-bacon​​ @supernaturalginger​​ @lilulo-12​ @awesome-badass-cafeteria-sauce​

[chubbyooo]

Blurred Lines: Cursed Past Chapter 85 - Love Over Great Distances

Hey all Gacen is back its been so long since this orange oaf has done stuff which kinda makes sense since he's been with Risha Gacen begins the search for Sumalee but makes sure to keep Risha close

Gacen felt calm, he hadn’t left Risha’s side since arriving on Gabredor Prime, the planet was so weird it was so remote but also so beautiful, he had to admit he hadn’t been looking at the planet's beauty much though. He looked down at her lying in his arms and smiled, she really had waited for him, their love was real, he stroked her hair as she looked up at him still looking as smarmy as ever but clearly happy he was here. It was impressive she’d managed to get this set up in five years but not surprising, she could do anything when she set her mind to it and he’d help her whatever it took, he wasn’t a coward anymore.

Gacen frowned thinking to himself “so how do you think Sumalee is going to react when she sees me, throw me down the stairs or just groan” Risha laughed shaking her head at him

She smiled “she doesn’t hate you that much just the right amount, that sweet spot I found too” Gacen faked a gasp acting all offended “oh come on don’t make me feel bad dumbass” she sat up putting her forehead against his

Gacen smiled “I know I’m just kidding I’ll do my best to convince her despite the fact I’d rather just stay here with you, I only just got back and now I have to go again” he pouts at Risha who to no surprise doesn’t jump to comfort him

She tapped the comm link she gave him “you may go but I’m not letting us seperate that easy you better talk to me the whole time i spent ages getting these encrypted so it’s safe for us to talk” Gacen smiled at her 

He teased “awwww you did that for me you must really love me” Risha smirked rolling her eyes

She leaned forward “don’t flatter yourself or I’ll be forced to divorce you” Gacen chuckled right back to their old routine

He faked surprise “you wouldn’t dare” Risha chuckled to herself clearly happy to have her ‘dumbass’ back

Risha winked “oh just watch me” she pulled him in close for what he assumed would’ve been a snide comment but as she did her face softened and she just hugged him tight

Gacen hugged her back “aw Rish I guess we can’t quite go back to what we were, a few things have changed after all” she nodded squeezing him tight “it’s ok it’s ok though I promise I won't turn this off ok” She let him go wiping her eyes and smiling

She punched him playfully “you better not we can’t have anything bad happening to the future Queen's husband” Gacen smiled at her laughing to himself what an odd nickname

He tested his comm “testing one two, ‘Rish...loves... me’ you getting that ‘best...I am…the...best” Risha put her hand on her forehead

She chuckled “I’m already regretting giving you that but yes it does work” she tests her own “and you should be able to hear this ‘No...he...isn’t’” Gacen gasped comically as she spoke

He smiled “well it seems to work Rish” he looked out the window “has M4-SK prepared the ship” Risha nodded following him to the door “and he understands his ‘role’ right he seems eccentric even for a droid” Risha shrugged holding onto his hand

She sighed “I dunno probably he may be weird but he gets really in character so is much more reliable if he gets caught just don’t give him too much backstory or he’ll try to work it in” Gacen made a mental note to avoid that

Gacen took her hands and smiled “thanks Rish I promise I’ll be back in a flash with Sumalee” he pulled her into a long kiss after which neither really wanted to let go holding each other for a few minutes

Risha eventually broke away “well you best be back soon I have other things I need you for” Gacen gave her a quizzical flirty look “I don’t mean that! I mean other missions, come on Gacen that stuff goes without saying” Gacen chuckled squeezing her hands before turning to walk to the ship

Once in the cockpit he turned on the comm link leaning against the wall “hey girl I hear your home alone want some company” a long elongated sigh came back through with what sounded like a stifled laugh as well

Risha tutted “you are the worst I swear” Gacen strolled to the cockpit and sat down in the pilot's chair

He responded “yeah but I’m your worst it’s too late to back out now you admitted how cute you find me” M4-SK looked at him quizzically but didn’t press the issue 

Risha groaned “are you gonna be like this the whole trip” Gacen knew what the answer was but just whistled innocently…

Later they were coming up on Wayland and M4-SK had been asking questions “if I may I’d like to know a little more about my character” Gacen had done his best to avoid answering questions so far but he couldn’t hold out forever

Gacen groaned “you’re a protocol droid for me a travelling mystic” he gestured to the robes he was wearing that vaguely resembled the Jedi robes he’d seen during his time in the republic

Risha came through the comms “ooo wow what a mysterious hermit of course he has magic powers why not show me a few” Gacen rolled his eyes she’d been making fun of his outfit non stop

M4-SK rubbed their chin “yes I’m aware but do you really think people will buy you as a mystic what if I played the mystic” Gacen frowned at him what was so unconvincing about that

He put his hands on his hips “um first of all rude and second of all droids can’t do magic it’s literally impossible” M4-SK tutted clearly disagreeing

He continued “maybe in your small minded universe but in the acting world anyone can be anything” Gacen had a look of disbelief on his face and leaned back whispering into the commlink

He asked “does he have any idea this isn’t a play?” why of all the droids was he stuck with this one

Risha responded equally unsure “Honestly I don’t know I’ve told him over and over but he just seems to ignore me so eventually I just gave up” Gacen sighed of course

He sat back up “hmmm maybe a good idea as an experiment but for now we need to nail this so I’ll play the mystic” M4-SK shook his head going back to co-piloting

He tutted “fine but it’s your funeral when the reviews come in” Gacen just decided to ignore him as the planet of Wayland came into view, it was a mainly mountainous planet with many trees dotted around and as they brought the ship down they found there was a decent number of inhabitants they landed close by and soon encountered the Crystal skinned humanoids.

After a quick translation from M4-SK and a crude drawing of a togrutas montrals they were directed towards a mountain with a flat plateau in the side of it, overall it seemed promising now it was just about convincing Sumalee to come with him

As he walked up the mountain he continued to talk to Risha “so why do you think Sumalee came here I thought she was a respected member of the jedi” Gacen put his hand up against the wind as it blew his cloak back he felt very out of his element

Risha responded quickly “I’m not quite sure apparently it’s one of those ‘strong in the force planets” Gacen got that vibe he wasn’t sure why “and you know she was never really the most ‘by the code’ Jedi” that was true 

Gacen smiled “I mean she knew us that’s pretty not by the book” she had given them far too many favours and pardons over the years

Risha agreed “exactly it may just be that she wanted to strike out on her own” Gacen guessed that was possible

He shook his head “well let’s just hope that she’s more agreeable to smugglers named Gacen than before” Gacen hoped so anyway he didn’t ever appreciate being on the wrong end of a lightsaber

He made his way up the mountain and by the end his feet were as sore as can be he was not a climber, he leaned on the stick he’d found to use as a walking stick. “Yes I made it oh my god I’m so tired” he took a moment to rest 

Risha teased him “oh you poor thing whatever will you do” Gacen rolled his eyes looking up at the rest of the Plateau

He saw at the end there was a figure floating in the air seemingly meditating, he recognised the montrals and hoped this had all been worth it.

She turned and lowered herself to the ground “you have come here seeking answers mystic? Well go ahead ask away” she lifted her hood revealing the red skin of Master Sumalee

Gacen gritted his teeth ready “well not exactly” he took his own hood off with a cheesy grin “I actually came here seeking you, what’s up girl how’ve you been” Sumalee’s expression dropped

She sighed “oh fuck” she strode towards him “what do you want Gacen and if you’re going to ask me where Risha is I don’t know” she folded her arms and turned away

Gacen held the back of his neck “weeeeeelll I actually may have the answer to that question” Sumalee turned around her face softening “and I’ll tell you if you listen to my proposition” Sumalee seemed to consider it for a few seconds

She took a long pause “you get five minutes otherwise I throw you off my mountain” Gacen nodded that seemed fair, he’d have to talk fast...

[stillpartofthisworld]

The next part of my fix for @inkedinserendipity ’s hit! Find her and @lichlesbian ’s collab to fix it here!

PART 1   PART 2

Kravitz has ten years, two months, five days and a handful of change until he gets to officially meet Taako from TV.

And so he passes the time. Ravens Roost is the easiest place to be most of the time, the ongoing civil war producing souls Kravitz leaps to acquire and escort. He sees Magnus at various times, on the battlefield and in the town. He seems happy, even more so than he usually was. ( A large hand, fragile and withered, takes his own.

"I miss her, Krav. I miss her so much."

"You'll see her soon."

"Promise?"

"...I promise."

A smile breaks onto the old man's face. He passes a week later.) He's there for their wedding, clapping and cheering right along with the crowd as Magnus picks up his wife and pulls her in for a deep kiss. He turns to his right, flashing a smile at a cloaked figure that watches on silently. "Beautiful wedding, hm?" He says and the figure jumps, white hair barely visible behind the hood that obscures Lucretia's face. "It is," she replies just as softly, the edges of her voice betraying her feigned composure. She's watching the couple intensely, her face hidden but has to be twisted in both guilt and bittersweet happiness. (They're standing together, sipping champagne and overlooking a cityscape as their family opens Candlenights presents behind them in the warmth of Taako's apartment. She downs her glass in one gulp, twirling the now empty flute with ease as she leans forward on the balcony rails. A necklace dangles from her neck; a diamond, the stone catching and reflecting a rainbow as it catches the white light of the moon.  They're silent for a moment, both of them enjoying a moment of reprise from the cacophony before- "Thank you." "Whatever for?" He says, turning towards her. "The necklace wasn't my idea, you know." "Even if you delivered to me?" He gives her a "you-know-him" look and she sighs, a smile crossing her lips. "Still. Thank you for everything. You've...helped us all, so much more than you could know." "By not killing your Reclaimers every time I saw them? I would assume so." She laughs softly before plucking his flute of champagne from his grasp and draining it in one go, never taking her eyes off of him.) They both leave gifts for the newlyweds, one box being gold with black trimming on the edge, another wrapped in red with an iridescent ribbon ("Where did you get that?" He asks, intrigued, and she smiles under her hood. He's made her smile almost a decade early.). They both turn to leave, making off in different directions before they hear a shout behind them, followed by heavy footfalls as Magnus Burnsides runs up to both of them. "Hail and well met, strangers!" He says, a grin already on his face. "There's no need to leave yet! The reception is gonna begin in a bit, and there's more than enough food to go around." He steals a glance at Lucretia to find her trembling slightly, frozen in place as she stares at her best friend. "I..." she starts, trailing off just as quickly. "I-" "We're a bit busy, sorry," Kravitz intervenes, slipping on his work accent. "Got a caravan to catch and all that."  He puts an arm around her and she thankfully doesn't tense, knowing the movement would probably catch Magnus's attention. "Marvelous wedding, by the way. Congrats." "Thanks!" He beams, and Kravitz feels himself grin back before turning with Lucretia and walking away, the noise of a joyous town fading slowly behind them. She asks him to join up with him, afterward, to help her create an organization to acquire and destroy certain relics of great power. He refuses, telling her that he is already employed to a higher power ("You're a cleric, then?" "...of a sort, yes."), but leaving her with a few choice people to contact.

He goes to the beach, sometimes, spending the day doing nothing but drinking and walking across the sand, never going more than ankle deep into the ocean (A lifetime away and he still gets nightmares). He passes by a beach dwarf village and stays in their inns, even making merry in their taverns, when he's up to it. There is a Temple of Pan in this village and he visits it frequently, sometimes finding and making conversations with Pans' worshippers. He leaves the temple in the evening, making his way through the various houses before stopping at one in particular, a home similar to any other- save for the muffled sound of raised voices from the interior, and the two small figures that sit together on the porch, curled into each other. He spends many a night distracting them, coming at times as a travelling magician with dancing lights and small candies, as a dog that plays tag with them through the yard, as a raven that brings trinkets to wear or sell. He likes to believe that he made their childhoods a little better. (He finds Merle sitting on the edge of the shore, staring distantly at the horizon with a beer in hand. He does not give any indication of noticing the muffled footsteps behind him, saying nothing of Death's presence until Kravitz is directly behind him. "I never knew you owned a plain shirt." This gets a laugh out of the dwarf, rough and sharp and devoid of mirth. "Yeah, well, it's not every day the mother of your children passes away. Had to commemorate her somehow.” He looks down at the button-up he’s wearing, fiddling with the silver-blue buttons on the sleeves. “She got this for me on our anniversary.”

“Of your marriage?”

“Naw, of our divorce.” He pats the sand beside him and Kravitz sits, acutely aware of the sand that’s plastering itself to his behind. “We tried to...reconcile, you know, after the Hunger. Mostly for Mavie and Mookie’s sakes. She-she didn’t despise me, even after all the times I went MIA, and I...didn’t hate her either, ya know? She was a good woman, smart and independent, but she got stuck with a chump like me.”

“You saved the world.”

“I couldn’t even save my marriage.”

“You forged a friendship in its stead.”

“Fuck, Krav,” he looks at the reaper with a wry smile. “Why won’t you people let me wallow in my self-hatred for a second?”

“‘Cause you’re better than that, old man. You really are.”

“You’ve been hanging out with Taako too much.”

“The same way you hang out with plants too much.”

This draws out a laugh, a real one this time, and suddenly it feels like the world has clicked back into place.)

Barry...Barry is something else.

Kravitz was looking forward to getting the jump on the man, marking down dates and going through all previous tricks Barry had pulled on him (an embarrassingly long list. He hopes the Queen doesn’t watch too closely). He marks off every cave, every town, every grave Barry has either dug for himself or had been made by nature Herself after his deaths and lies in wait at every one of them. He does not want to bring Barry in-no, that would mess with the flow of Fate-but like hell he’s allowing himself to fall for the same tricks.

And he doesn’t.

Barry, it seems, is not confined to a timeline like every other creature in existence.

He doesn’t follow the same routes he did the first time. His hiding spots have changed; only slightly, one cave over at most, but still enough to stump Kravitz for hours at a time. He dies at the same rate but for different reasons-falling instead of burning, burning instead of drowning, drowning instead of putting a wand to his head and bidding Kravitz adieu. He doesn’t even use the same spells when they confront each other; he finds himself subjugated to a Flame Strike instead of a Tidal Wave, trapped in Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere rather than in a simple Hold Person. Results are varied, and Kravitz does not like that at all.

(It seems that his quick mind is not confined to repeating the same patterns.

“It’s quite odd, My Queen. Is he..?”

No. That child cannot parse through the veil of Fate. He is merely...trickier than most.

A smile from the Queen. Does he irk you, my Emissary?

“No!” A pause. “Yes.”

The result is the same, nonetheless. But think, Kravitz. How varied must his suffering be, even through time. A different type of sorrow, every time.

“I don’t believe I understand.”

You do. You just don’t know it yet.)

There are those times, though, that Kravitz chances upon him in a bar staring distantly into his cup, or in a cave whispering names and images to himself as he fights to keep it together, pure emotion whipping off his ethereal form in arcs that not only hit Kravitz for 19 points of damage but also make his chest tight and eyes burn with an emotion he thought was sealed up for later use decades ago. Only later, as he gazes up at the two moons does he understand.

(A whisper, breathed out after escaping something worse than death.

How did you do it?

He looks up from his wife, limp but alive and cradled in his arms as he sets her down gently.

We all need phylacteries, he says softly, his hand finding hers on instinct. And they must be stronger than the pain. My love was stronger than my pain.)

It’s only on the bad days that he goes to see Taako.

Taako, with his glam-on-a-budget caravan and charming smile that hooks villagers in.

Taako, with his sometimes-perfect one liners, and other-times-not-so-much ones that are delivered with just enough sass and panache that the audience cracks a smile and moves on.

Taako, whose only spells at this point revolve around hiding his flaws and seeing through the same deceit he builds his life upon.

He looks happy, honestly, and Kravitz thinks that he never would have noticed the cracks if Taako didn’t enjoy drinking in the middle of the night(there is no one to hear you cry in the middle of a bumfuck town at 2 AM).

After a thousand years, Kravitz has developed enough self-discipline to let this by.

Sazed comes and it takes all of Kravitz’s willpower not to cut him down, settling instead for sticking his leg out when he passes him on the street, for chasing him as he races back to his caravan as a huge black raven that disappears when Taako looks up to see the source of the commotion. This too is a countdown-he will reap this fuckers’ soul in about twenty years, when he expires sad and alone in an alleyway.

He doesn’t get involved until after Glamour Springs when his love is on the run, broke and terrified, hidden behind glamours and comments that can go from sharp to seductive in an instant. He gets involved cautiously, heeding his Queen’s words and never actually revealing himself to the elf. A piece of gold here. A job posting sheet there. He is the strokes of good luck that one could survive without; but Taako hordes these moments, those feelings of being protected and taken care of. They are fleeting but they are there, the beginnings of a smile always creeping across his face whenever he wakes up to find a dropped wallet, a coin, or food tucked neatly beside him. “Thanks”, he'll say, to no one in particular, pocketing his new acquisition.

(Sometimes, on a high enough perception check, he swears he sees the shadows bow in acknowledgment.)

When Taako finally finds Craig's List, it's like the world begins to fast forward. There's Phandalin, there's the moon, there's the train and the festival and Goldcliff and Candlenights and-

Then, he is called.

The Raven Queen looks down at him, porcelain mask stoic and covering the darkness behind it.

You know your task, my Emissary.

For the first time in a long time, Kravitz smiles.

He cracks his knuckles, summoning his scythe to punch a hole through the Prime Material Plane.

“Let's get to work, shall we?”

(It's right then when our three heroes, dressed in different shades of red null suits, see a rift open in the Crystal Kingdom.)

[goforwardgreenwriter-blog]

The Worm Reads: Empire of Storms, Ch 11 - 12

Luckily we’re not in the boring Elide/Lorcan subplot in this chapter, but back to Manon!

Everything had gone to shit. Everything.

Kinda like this series, huh?

In the end, she’d barely participated in Rifthold’s destruction, leaving it to the others. But she’d again donned her crowned helm, then ordered Abraxos to sail to the highest spire of the stone castle and roar his victory—and command. Even at the distant white walls of the city, ripping apart the guards and fleeing folk, the wyverns had paused at his order to stand down. Not one coven disobeyed.

Yesss I freakin’ love Manon so much. Can this book just be about her and Abraxos conquering evil kingdoms for their own?

Iskra had landed on the only space left: a lower bit of roofing below Manon. The positioning had been intentional. Iskra’s brown hair had come untangled from her tight braid, and her haughty face was splattered with human blood as she’d snarled at Manon, “This was my victory.”

I really like how Manon plans it all out, even down to the positioning so she’s looming over the other witches, reminding them of who is in charge. I propose a Manon fanclub, she deserves one.

Iskra trembled with rage. Not from the words. The wind had shifted, blowing toward Iskra. Blowing Manon’s scent at her. “Who?” Iskra seethed. “Who of mine did you butcher?”

Manon lies and said that the first witch had attacked Manon while she had been supposedly hunting Dorian, and also says that the other witches were killed by Rowan. Isarka all but announces that Manon is a liar and that she killed those witches, and now Manon has to deal with the consequences and face her grandmother.

Manon said to her Second and Third, “This will be messy.” Sorrel said quietly, “We’ll deal with it.” Manon clenched the helmet a bit harder. “If it goes poorly, you are to take the Thirteen and leave.”

Again, another character who is a much better leader than Aelin, looking out for her group’s safety. And Manon is a blood thirsty murdering witch.

So Manon goes in and all the witches have gathered.

“The Crone’s Sickle hangs above us,” Cresseida intoned. “Let it be the Mother’s blade of justice.” This was not a meeting. This was a trial. Iskra began smiling.

Oh my god, characters facing consequences for their decisions?? It isn’t just swept under the rug or dismissed?? In MY SJM novel??

“And, as the sentinel was a part of the Yellowlegs’ heir’s own coven, it is also a crime against Iskra.” Her grandmother’s face was tight with rage—not for what Manon had done, but for getting caught. “Through either your own neglect or ill-planning, the lives of four other coven members were ended. Their blood, too, stains your hands.” Her grandmother’s iron teeth shone in the candlelight. “Do you deny these charges?” Manon kept her back straight, looked each of them in the eye. “I do not deny that I killed Iskra’s sentinel when she tried to claim my rightful prize. I do not deny that the other four were slaughtered by the Fae Prince. But I do deny any wrongdoing on my part.”

I like how it balances each character’s viewpoint. To the witches, Manon has murdered five of her own kind, but to the reader, Manon did it to save a main character and hero, so you’re sympathetic towards Manon but the witches disowning her doesn’t seem like a contrivance.

Petrah, who Manon saved in one of the previous two books, asks Manon if she considers her an enemy or ally, and Manon says she sees her as a rival. Then Petrah asks Manon why she rescued her then while another wyvern killed hers.

Manon lifted her chin. “Because Keelie fought for you as she died. I would not allow her death to be wasted. I could offer a fellow warrior nothing less.” At the sound of her dead wyvern’s name, pain flickered across Petrah’s face. “You remember her name?”

Awww.... this is so heartwarming. It shows Manon isn’t entirely heartless and has a kind side, and it’s really good pay off for Manon’s earlier actions helping her now. Manon really is the best part of these books.

Because of Petrah speaking for Manon, her grandmother decides it’s not worth losing Manon just to fulfill the blood that has been lost.

“The blood shed must be equal,” her grandmother intoned. Her attention flicked over Manon’s shoulder. “So you, Granddaughter, will not die for this. But one of your Thirteen will.”

Oof, that’s super cold. Her grandmother addressing her so personally adds to the impact of the blow. Seriously SJM, you struck gold with the witches, why couldn’t the books be about them?

At this point Manon’s grandmother announces that Asterin will die the next day to pay the blood debt, and the chapter ends. I turned the page after that desperate for more, only to see that Chapter 12 is Aelin’s POV. Isn’t that just...great.

Without Evangeline slowing them down, Aelin, Aedion, and Lysandra traveled with little rest as they hauled ass for the coast.

“hauled ass” are you fucking kidding me... this is a fantasy novel and you’re gonna describe the characters as hauling ass....

Aelin tried not to dwell on it too much—on the threadbare estates, the abandoned farms, the gaunt-faced people whenever they ventured into town, cloaked and disguised, for desperately needed supplies. Though she had faced darkness and emerged full of light, a voice whispered in her head, You did this, you did this, you did this. That voice often sounded like Weylan Darrow’s icy tones.

Yeah, because it’s totally Darrow’s fault that you’re a spoiled snot who did nothing to help your kingdom for years.

The town of Ilium was as ancient as Terrasen itself, and would likely have already been forgotten by traders and history were it not for the crumbling temple at the northeastern edge of the city, drawing enough pilgrims to keep it thriving.

So they arrive at Ilium and Aelin wastes no time missing her fae prince’s dick. I understand she’s worried and all for his safety, but I know as soon as he’s back they’re gonna fuck like animals because they can’t stand to leave each other for two seconds and I’m not looking forward to it.

Some soldiers of Lord of Meah,one of the Lords in Adarlan, are camped in the port. Apparently after Dorian left after the witches attacked, all the Lords are starting to try to take over bits and pieces of land. Naturally this should upset Aelin, since Dorian is her friend and here are the people supposedly on his side claiming territory for themselves, right?

Aedion kept quiet as they rounded a corner, aiming for the small seaside inn Lysandra had also scouted that morning. On the other side of the city from the temple. The temple the soldiers had the nerve to use as their barracks. “Is this about sending a message to Adarlan, or to Darrow?” Aedion asked at last.

FUCKING FUCK OFF WITH THIS DARROW HATE I S2G!!!! Aedion has his nose buried so far up Aelin’s ass he can’t take even one tiny piece of criticism directed towards her!!! Darrow was right to not trust you assholes hoooooly shit

“It is about freeing my people, who have dealt with these Adarlanian pieces of shit for too long,” Aelin snapped, reining her mare in to a halt before the inn courtyard. Lysandra’s talons dug into her shoulder in silent agreement.

At least Aelin doesn’t agree. And whoa, Lysandra, are you trying to tear Aelin’s shoulder apart? Unless Aelin is wearing something over her shoulder to protect herself, those talons have gotta hurt!

Aedion mentions the Mycenians, and maybe it is just my short attention span, but who are they...? Man, SJM just keeps adding new people and groups and I honestly cannot remember who any of them are.

“And [the Mycenians] disbanded and vanished soon after that, never to be seen again,” Aedion countered. “What’s your point? You think liberating Ilium will summon them again? They’re long gone, Aelin, their sea dragons with them.”

OH SHIT SEA DRAGONS??? Sign me up. Gimmie bad ass warriors on ships commanding their sea dragon companions. Hell yeah.

[Aedion] double-checked that Rowan’s knife was securely buckled at his side before he said to Aelin and Lysandra, still by the window, “I know you two are of the opinion that we males are here to provide you with a pretty view and meals, but I am a general of Terrasen.

Aedion, I used to like you, but now SJM has ruined you.

“That temple is my birthright,” Aelin said. “I cannot allow that insult to go unchecked.” She rolled her shoulders. Revealing her plans, explaining herself … It would take some getting used to. But she’d promised she’d try to be more … open about her plotting. And for this matter, at least, she could be.

Yeah, we’ll see how long she sticks to that. Also, love how she’s implying she’s only mad they took the temple because it is hers. As in, if they stole one of Dorian’s temples she wouldn’t care.

So Aedion mentions this kingsflame flower that used to bloom in the kingdom. Darrow is in possession of the last one. I have the feeling this is leading up to a scene where the kingsflame flower will bloom when Aelin takes back her crown. I love symbolic shit like that, but I know SJM is gonna make it allll about what a great ruler Aelin is and we’ll have 300 pages of everyone gushing about her.

Aelin and the rest leave to eat, and the chapter ends.

[skeletonmob]

An Extremely Long Post for the Shortest Day of the Year

My original plan was to release a demo for my visual novel today, since astrology and astronomy are major motifs and plot points throughout. But that’s gonna have to wait until the new year. So instead, here’s the intro of the game in all of its literary glory. Enjoy! Feel free to ask me questions if you want!

-----

I was anxious, I had never gotten my fortune told before.

I'd been working for the National Park Service for a few years now. Sometimes I'd be asked to inspect a local Khalahari ruin, but for the most part it was hiking trails and scenic overhangs. It was nice, but I wanted something more. I've always wanted to sail the seas, find buried treasure, or ride dragons, just like any other kid. I just wanted to go on some big, grand adventure, just to say I could. I've sort of achieved that, but I wanted to know if there was more. I wanted to know if there was some great adventure waiting out there for me.

After taking in the towering column of beige stone, I nervously stepped inside.

[scene transition]

A small magic shop greeted me at the front entrance, probably something to supplement this whole fortune telling business. Walking past the numerous books, crystals, and dried herbs for sale, I stepped through an archway of books. The rounded stairwell was painted a calming shade of blue, and was decorated with numerous paintings. Sunlight poured in from the windows, with faux gas lamps pulling the rest of the slack. After a decently long climb, I found myself at a set of carved wooden doors.

I cautiously entered. The room was cramped and adorned with a dragon’s hoard of junk. Paintings, maps, dragon skulls, decorative weapons, candles, all stuffed wherever they could fit. Bookshelves and colorful tablecloths lined the walls, along with padded chairs and a few display cases. In the center of all this was a marble statue of a woman, dramatically lit by light coming from the back windows. To the left you could see a door that led to a small kitchen.

"Ah, you must be Caelum!" A man stepped out from the back table. He was about average height and was wearing a bluish-mauve cloak that covered most of his face in shadow.

"I'm Corvus." He shook my hand.

"Mornin', so what's going on here?"

"Oh, this is just leftover from yesterday. It takes a while to clean up this sort of thing."

I helped Corvus move the statue aside and he pulled out a small, round table.

"So, what I had planned was to do a tea and oracle reading." He said.

"What's an oracle reading?" I asked.

"It's like a tarot reading but with oracle cards. Some say it's more accurate than tarot, but I'd say it's about the same."

“Are they really that different?”

“Depends on what deck you use. Tarot decks are all the same. They have the same suits, same messages, the only thing that really changes is the surface aesthetics. But oracle decks can be based off anything that draws upon the mystical energy of the universe.”

“Oh, cool.” My nerves started calming down.

“I can get a tarot deck if you want. Or we could do something completely different-”

“No, it's fine. I'm not familiar with any of this, so you lead the way.”

Corvus turned around and put a kettle on a small camping stove. It obviously hadn't seen the outdoors given the pristine condition it was in. Surrounding the stove were various jars of herbs and spices and another marble statue. This time of a priestess of some sort, her hands held out to receive whatever divine offerings you could afford.

Corvus rushed into the kitchen and rushed out with a small tin of loose leaf tea. Probably a sample from a local shop. He tossed it next to the stove and sat down. After a some moments of silence while he shuffled the cards, he split the deck into thirds and set them on the table.

"So I'm sure you have a basic understanding of how this works," he began, "This'll be a basic three card spread. This isn't a past, present, future spread, but just something to get a concise idea of the big picture. Just pick three cards and place them in the center."

[short minigame]

Corvus set aside the remaining deck and flipped over my cards, revealing three constellations, Corona Borealis, Cavalo, and Lepus.

“Oh!” His eyes lit up, “It appears your search for adventure will be very fruitful indeed! Luck is on your side. If you keep yourself motivated and keep pressing forward, you will receive great riches and fame! You won’t win the lottery or anything, but, you’ll make many new friends and maybe receive a promotion at work.”

“I doubt it, but that’s good to hear.” I commented, “So what will this adventure actually entail?”

“Since you’ve got Cavalo, I’d say it’s something that involves a lot of work and will be fairly fast paced.”

“Can you tell me anything more than that?”

“Nope, I think that’s about as much as I can gather from these cards. Which is why I also suggested a tea reading.”

Corvus got up and checked the kettle, which had come to a gentle boil. He turned the stove off and opened a small cabinet of teacups, probably set aside for this specific purpose.

“So, what kind of adventure are you looking for?” Corvus asked, “Even if you just have a vague idea, that would help focus the energy for the tea reading.”

I straightened myself and though for a moment.

“Well, I work for the National Park System, I’m one of those trail guides that give hiking tours of the area. So I’ve basically hiked through the entire Celestine Mountain region. If I were to go on my dream vacation, it wouldn’t involve anything like that.”

“You want something that isn’t nature related.”

“Yeah, or something minimally attached to it. I . . . well, it’s not my greatest dream, but one thing I’ve always wanted to do was sail along the Southern Coast. I’d get a sailboat or a small fancy yacht and drift from town to town. In the morning I’d explore the area, and at night I’d sail a little way outs, watching the moon and stars come out.”

“May I ask why you want to do this?”

“I . . . I don’t know honestly. It just always seemed like something fun to do. I think I’ve always been one try new things for the sake of it. I grew up in Rolha, over in the orchards, so that probably had something to do with it.”

“Do you have any plans beyond that?”

“Well, there’s a bunch of other stuff I wanna do. I definitely wanna visit the Khalahari ruins in Costervo, I wanna spend the autumn or winter in New England, cause that seems really nice. I don’t think it matters what order I do them in so long as I actually do it. If I were to go sailing first, then I would-”

[door slamming sound]

. . . . .

. . . . .

After a moment of bewilderment I stood up, walked through the kitchen, and peeked through the door. It was his bedroom. Corvus was lying on a thick pile of blankets, crying.

"Uh . . . what's wrong?" I asked, confused.

“Nothing, it’s just . . . sometimes I lose my nerve and need some time by myself.” He replied.

“Okay . . . are you alright?”

“I’ll be fine, just give me a few minutes. You can sit in the waiting room for a bit, I won’t charge you extra or anything.”

I stopped myself as I was closing the door. It always felt wrong to leave people like this, to leave people wallowing in their own misery. My mom was concerned with giving me an allowance, because a lot of the time I would give it to the first homeless person I saw.

“Hey, you wanna talk this over coffee or something?” I said, trying to think of some way to fix this.

“I hate coffee.”

“How about tea then?”

. . . . .

. . . . .

. . . . .

“Sure.”

I slowly closed the door and stepped back into the kitchen. Next to the pantry was a fairly small cabinet that, based on the smell, shelved all the tea. Searching the rest of the cabinets, I found a floral tea set and an electric kettle. So all I really need to do is to figure out how to open this cabinet.

[gameplay section]

"I made some tea if you want some." I said.

There was no response.

I gently shut the door and sat down at the table. I poured myself some tea and stared at it for a minute. I still wasn't sure if I was handling all this correctly. After a few moments Corvus finally stepped out of his bedroom and glumly plodded over to a chair.

"Sorry about what happened earlier." He said calmly, "I get overemotional sometimes and . . . it just helps to have a crying fit sometimes, y'know?"

"Yeah.” I said, even though I wasn’t that sort of person. “So what happened?”

. . . . .

. . . . .

“You . . . you just reminded me of my old boyfriend. That sense of adventure, that optimism. After high school he moved to Cabo Dourado to work. From there, I just started thinking about how everyone else went their own way, and how I’ve been stuck here.”

. . . . .

. . . . .

“Is this job really that bad?” I asked.

“No, but compared to working for some tech start-up it is. The actual work is fine, I find the culture and history of this whole thing really interesting, but sometimes it feels like I could be doing more. Sometimes it feels like there’s a better life for me out there, y’know?”

“Oh, yeah . . .” I whispered to myself.

. . . . .

“I got a new job, but now I’m even questioning whether that was a good idea. There’s just so much . . . I don’t know, just fuck me!” Corvus slammed his fists on the table.

“But why’d you come here in the first place?” I blurted out, trying to find some direction to lead this in.

Corvus sat up, took a deep breath, and sipped his tea. He meditated for a bit, trying to compose himself.

“I . . . For a lot of reasons, I guess, but I think one of the main ones was so I could say that I was apart of something. You know how when Wingspan or Snapshot were introduced, tons of business people were like, this’ll be the next big thing! I think that’s what attracted me to this place. Even if this ends up dying in five years, I can still say that ‘Hey, I was part of that!’”

“It seems a bit out of place for a math whizz like you.”

“Well, I first applied here to be an astrologer. I figured I’d have no trouble tracking the position of the moon and what not, and I do find basic astronomy interesting. Plus, it’s different than going into accounting or something.”

“I’m assuming you don’t do that anymore.”

“Yeah, I got ‘reassigned’ because I was ‘disrupting the energy of the workplace’. Personally, I think it’s because my presence ruined their jive somehow. People started acting passive-aggressive towards me when I came out. Not everyone though, just a handful.”

“You can sue them for harassment.”

“I know, but it’s wasn’t . . . You know how in pretty much every high school comedy there’s the alpha bitch and her clique? That’s basically what it was like.”

“Well, at least it’ll be nice to finally get away from all that.” I commented.

“That’s what everyone says.” Corvus sneered, sipping his tea.

“But it’s true. A lot of times, whether it’s clingy girlfriends or just the stress of modern life, it helps to physically distance yourself from all that. It helps put things in perspective. It might not be the solution, but it’s part of it.” I retorted.

. . . . .

. . . . .

“I guess so.”

The cloud of dread that hung over us slowly faded away as we finished our tea. Corvus poured himself his final cup and stared languidly at the table for a bit. I think he was trying to think of something to say but was still in a pretty gloomy mood.

"Do you want to have dinner sometime?" I asked.

"Why?" Corvus blushed.

"Just to . . . talk things over, I guess. I thought it'd be nice to do something together since nothing went according to plan today."

"Oh, sure, that's fine. Where were you thinking of going?"

"Capatin's Quarters, unless you don't want seafood. I'll have to see what day though, I don't have my schedule yet."

"No, that's fine. Wanna aim for happy hour?"

"Sure thing."

After finishing my tea, I thanked Corvus for his brief company and walked out into the cool afternoon sun.

[scene transition]

After sleeping I felt considerably better. I was still a little disheartened about what happened yesterday. The thing I was concerned about was the fact that I didn’t know where to go from here. I have tons of dreams I want to accomplish, but I don’t know how. I thought getting my fortune told would help get my bearings straight.

I finished my eggs and toast then went out to check my mail. I’m a trail guide, but instead of being assigned to a single park, I’m shuffled around to help pick up slack at other parks. I usually spend three to five days at one, then three to five at another. Despite, all the moving around, it’s pretty relaxed. However, this time I didn't find the usual stuff, just a wax sealed envelope and a small letter.

---

Caelum,

Smaragdus Silversmith, head librarian of the Library of the World in Ouroboros, has requested the services of the department. Specifically, they require someone with excellent communication and social skills, and considerable knowledge of the northern parts of the country. After reviewing multiple candidates, we have determined that you are the best fit for this job. Your current address and phone number have been forwarded to them. If either of those have changed, or you have any other questions or concerns, please contact the department using the information below.

Take care!

Diana – Management, National Parks & Wildlife Service

Prateado, S35PDC

112-3581

---

. . . . .

. . . . .

This felt . . . strange. It was not only sudden, but strange in general. I had been requested to help teach school kids about forest plants and basic first aid several times, but those had never lasted for over a month. I figured the wax sealed envelope would answer the rest of my questions, and instinctively opened it.

---

Dear Caelum,

For some time now the Lunar Society and I have had a strenuous relationship. I have blocked their many attempts to hold ‘spiritual healing sessions’ and other such nonsense at the library, but now they’ve suddenly altered their tune. Over the past few weeks they’ve been bombarding me with gifts and I’m unsure if they’re trying to bribe me or attempting to get petty revenge for a decades worth of disagreement. Which is why I'm asking you for help. I need someone with considerable knowledge of the area to help me confirm or deny my suspicions. Please come visit me, and I shall explain in more detail.

You should also receive a letter from the National Parks Service, either before or after this arrives, confirming the validity of my request.

- Smaragdus

Library of the World, Ouroboros N15O2E

Front Desk: 780-2357

---

I looked over everything. The envelope was addressed to me, so I was meant to receive this, this was the job he wanted me to do. I stared at the letter for a bit before my heart dropped. This was the same as those fantasy books mom read to me as a kid! Lots of stories started out with the hero getting a mysterious letter! But is this true? Was this the start of an adventure I’d always dreamed of?

I rushed inside and got ready for the day, anxious to find out if that childhood dream of mine would come true.