#also i had a strong sabrina phase when i started liking her after i saw clips of her concerts

[lunafresas]

no one is asking and yet i am sharing. such is the way

[yannowhatigiveup]

My One And Only - Chapter 15

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My gosh, wow! Thank you so much for 100 followers! I never expected to reach this far. And with this chapter, we’ll have finally caught up with it on wattpad!

TW: Injuries being described

The situation in Paris was much, much more serious than they assumed.

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Red. He saw red. Ladybug, his Angel was hurt, stabbed, for all of Paris to see. He couldn't stand there and do nothing, oh no. He wouldn't. Damian had to think quickly but logically. 'Father told me I wasn't allowed to bring my Robin uniform but even if I did the citizens would be suspicious. That means...' His eyes landed on the silver ring that was laying peacefully on the coffee table. He reached out and placed it on his right ring finger. It turned a dark grey as a black blur escaped the ring with a green light. It was another kwami, similar to Tikki but it was black and more cat-like. Damian presumed this was 'Plagg', the kwami Tikki talked about earlier. The black kwami yawned and assessed his surroundings in a flash.

"Look-"

"Who are you? Where's Pigtails? How'd you get the miraculous? Do you have any cheese? I'm hungry" Plagg interrupted. The Robin vigilante wasted no time.

"Damian, With an Akuma, She tasked me to take care of the ring and we have better things to worry about your hunger!" He shot back, his voice getting louder after each statement.

"What could be more important than cam... men... bert..." the kwami's voice trailed off as he noticed the screen. Césaire had stopped recording, thank god, but the screen still showed the last frame of the video, it was extremely far from a pretty sight. "This is bad" the kwami panicked.

"Yes, there's no time to lose! Tell me, what do I need to do" he looked at Plagg straight in the eye, showing that he could be trusted.

"To transform you say 'Plagg, Claws Out!'. You have a power you can call upon, 'Cataclysm', and you'll be able to destroy the first object you touch. But it only works once then you have five minutes before you transform back, Make it count!" The kwami was frantic, nothing like this had ever happened before in previous battles.

Damian was already making his way to the balcony "Plagg, Claws Out!" A dark green light engulfed him. He was covered in a black suit, black boots, black gloves with sharp retractable blades, 'Oh how much fun that'll be using them'. He also had a black cape with a hood similar to the one with his Robin costume but instead he had cat ears poking through, a dark grey baton appeared in his hand as well. Almost instantly, he mastered the weapon and launched himself in the direction that Ladybug went earlier. 'I'm on my way Angel. When I get my hands on Hawkmoth, I'll make him suffer. I promise you'

~~~

Ladybug had the situation under control. She had. Something had changed. Hawkmoth must've found a way to boost his powers, it was the only acceptable reason. Otherwise there was no way to penetrate the indestructible suits that the miraculous provided. Yet here she was, forced to watch the horror on her citizens face as a long blade protruded through her chest. The blade held her in the air as she was stabbed from behind. Their expressions, being outsmarted by Hawkmoth and the pain from the injury itself was unbearable for the spotted heroine. She then came to the conclusion that the blade was slowly draining her energy. Hawkmoth planned to have Guerrier collect her miraculous only after watching her suffer. How sickening. 'Hawkmoth, you bitch'

She had to get out of there. She needed to get out of there.

Mustering all the strength she had, she swung her foot at the figure behind her in a strong, hard kick. The long blade was quickly sent back along with the Akuma and Ladybug stumbled forward, one hand on her chest the other swinging her yo-yo to create a shield. Since she was weakened, Guerrier was only sent back a few feet but her kick not only had strength but pure determination. While the Akuma was distracted she looked at the distraught citizens around her.

"For your own safety, please, leave this area!" She tried to sound controlled but instead her voice had a big edge of fear. All the citizens, nonetheless, left. Though, she could see them peaking behind the buildings. Suddenly, Guerrier regained his footing.

Ladybug's eyes shot back in his direction, the nad on her chest clutched into a fist. The miraculous magic was healing her, but it wasn't healing fast enough. She was losing blood. Fast. She tried to use her own powers but that too was draining her energy, the energy couldn't afford lose. She could feel her heartbeat in her ears, she could hear it slowing down. She was panicking, she needed energy to call upon her Luck Charm, she needed energy to fight the Akuma and she needed energy she heal herself. She didn't have enough energy for any of that.

As Guerrier began to approach, her blood was luckily never on the blade, she braced herself for another fight and her vision started to get blurry. just as he was about to go for another swing, a dark grey pole shot out of nowhere, sending the Akuma far from Ladybug. Though she couldn't quite see, she recognised the aura that surrounded the black-hooded figure who was now standing defensively in front of her.

'Damian' she didn't have the strength to speak, she hoped that whatever telepathic link they had the other day would appear again now.

'How are you holding up?' The sound of his voice made relief wash over her like a waterfall. She stopped using her energy on her yo-yo and focused on healing her wound instead.

'Better now that you're here' she stumbled onto her knees, knowing it was safe to do so. 'Remember not to hurt the Akuma too much, Hawkmoth is the real villain here'

'I know' his voice echoed in her ears, 'Speaking of the Akuma, where is it?'

Ladybug's eyes snapped open, observing the fight between the cat and Guerrier. She remembered the blade. The blade that the Akuma was holding. The blade that impaled her. 'It's in...' Now filled with an unusual amount of spite, she snarled "The sword, Noir"

The black-cat themed hero understood immediately and, swiftly but carefully, aimed for Guerrier's hand. In the mean time, Ladybug had enough energy to safely call upon her Lucky Charm. She was given a piece of equipment that she had seen Sabrina's father have. She wasn't sure how to use it as it was still in 'testing phase' as said by Officer Raincomprix. Her Ladybug vision then kicked in and the item as well as Guerrier lit up, she knew what to do.

'Get him to attack you in a high guard motion'

The hooded hero understood the demand immediately and used his pole, now transformed into a 'Cat-ana', to get the Akuma frustrated. It worked perfectly as the black fencer had the sword and the blade above his head, ready to swing. Ladybug then used the moment of vulnerability and threw the lucky charm as if it were a boomerang at the Akuma, the two ends with magnets snapped together, holding Guerrier's arms in place. Though she couldn't see his face, she could tell he was mad. Very, very mad.

Not wanting to waste a moment longer, Damian swiftly grabbed the sword by the handle and swept the Akuma's legs so it hit the ground and had no means of escape. "Cataclysm" It was the first thing he had actually said with his voice during the entire battle and Ladybug has to admit, his voice seemed deeper and huskier. The sword in his other hand had disintegrated to dust, the purple butterfly fluttered from the remains. When Damian had first heard of it, he was completely unconvinced something such as a butterfly could cause devastation. But now, he sensed the ghastly energy that reeked from the creature, it was overwhelming. He only broke out of his trance when Ladybug's yo-yo caught the flying organism and he went to the akumatized victim to take the object Ladybug's Lucky Charm had summoned.

He handed her the item and placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her body as she threw it in the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" A bunch of bright magical ladybugs swarmed around the area, fixing and healing anyone who got injured, Ladybug included. But the pain didn't quite stop, so she clutched her chest where the wound once was. The Akuma, now destransformed, was a person around their age, it appeared that he was rejected from the fencing club. This theory was confirmed when Adrien, Ladybug was too exhausted to notice him, ran about to the boy.

"Maxime! Maître D'Argencourt said you can join the fencing club" Ladybug and the black-cat themed hero didn't bother to hear what the boy said in reply but Damian did speak to Adrien.

"Make sure he gets to where he needs to be, safely, Adrien" the new hero spoke as the ladybug hero fell back with pure exhaustion in his arms. After seeing the blonde nod, Damian carried Ladybug in his arms and not wanting to waste any more time, used his pole to launch them in the direction of the hotel. Adrien watched wearily at the two heroes until they were out of viewing distance.

As soon as Damian landed on his hotel room balcony, both his and Ladybug's transformations fell. He was still carrying her bridal style and walked inside, gently placing her down on the bed, being mindful and anxious about her injury, while Plagg closed the balcony door. Tikki circled her owner who was now drifting in and out of consciousness. He kneeled by the left side of the bed as Tikki used her kwami magic where the wound once was, Plagg slowly floated to hover next to his new chosen. When Marinette's eyes fluttered upon, both kwamis rejoiced and hugged both her cheeks. She moved so that her body was sitting comfortably with her legs in front of her, she then turned her head slightly towards the black-haired boy who was sitting besides her.

"Dami-"

He cut her off with a gentle hug and he made his way to sit beside her. "Malaki..." the perturb and pure solace in his voice made a lump form in Marinette's throat. He buried his face further into her neck. "You scared me damn it"

She let out a humorless chuckle, her hand unknowingly reached to stroke her fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry..."

Damian pulled away and lightly placed his hand to turn her face. He crashed his lips onto hers and Marinette melted into the kiss. He then pulled away but kept his forehead on her's, their breaths mingling. "Don't apologize when you are not at fault". He opened his eyes to look straight at her. "I know the wound itself is gone, but what about the pain?"

She smiled lovingly at him. "The pain's subsided, for now" Marinette pulled her shirt down a bit to inspect the area surrounding her injury. All that remained was a fading bruise where the wound once was. The bluenette let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry I couldn't heal it fully Marinette" Tikki's voice cut in. "This is your first physical injury from a miraculous so I didn't want to put any more strain on your body"

"It's fine and, thank you Tikki" Marinette reached out to pat the small kwami's head.

"Well to bring some good news" Plagg butted in. "We found my true chosen"

"Really?" Marinette tilted her head.

"Yep it's Damian, the lover boy here" the black kwami flew over to make himself comfortable in his black hair, ignoring Damian's growl, almost camouflaged completely. "I can feel the destruction in his soul like how Tikki can feel the creation in yours Pigtails"

"Yep!" Tikki chimed.

"Now that's over with, I want some Camembert" The black kwami kept chanting 'Camembert' and Damian sighed while getting off the bed to order some.

"Is food all you ever think about?"

"I can't control my hunger, Sugarcube!"

The bluenette watched the two kwami's banter, amused, and began to fully process the akuma attack. To think she was so close to death made her terrified, but she tried to think of the positives. Like how she and Damian could communicate without speaking, per se, or how he managed to call upon a weapon she had never seen before, his Cat-ana. She concluded it was the work of true miraculous magic and didn't question it further. She had something else she needed to think about. 'How do we fight Hawkmoth now? Obviously he's found out how to make his akumas stronger but he wouldn't go for the strongest one first without testing it. That would just be stupid. This akuma must've been a trial run' The thought worried her to no end. 'We were able to fight him off today but that doesn't guarantee us the win each time just by ourselves'

Soon, Damian returned with some Camembert and, unexpectedly, some cookies. When both kwamis flew to the plate and eat, the black-haired boy sat back down next to Marinette. "What are you thinking about?"

"If the Akuma today was just a test run to try out his new powers, Hawkmoth's akumas are going to get deadlier" The bluenette stated

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

She was silent for a few seconds, contemplating her answer. "I believe we should have some others join us on the field, as permanent holders" Damian nodded. "But we can deal with that later, right now I'm tired. Hold me please" the bluenette mumbled.

Damian adjusted himself so that Marinette could lay comfortably on his chest. "Rest well, mon cœur" he hummed and the bluenette slowly drifted to sleep, listening to his heartbeat. Damian averted his eyes to the ceiling, now was the time he could unleash a tiny amount of his anger. His hands turned to fists as he resisted the urge to punch the mattress. He blamed himself for Marinette's injury. 'Maybe if I could have convinced her earlier to use the miraculous then maybe she would not have gotten hurt' Damian forced himself not to dwell on the 'what if's and instead focused on the now, on Marinette. He could kill Hawkmoth later.

~~~

Adrien returned home from fencing class. The newest member, Maxime, was first denied entry which resulted in him getting akumatized. The blonde didn't expect the Akuma to be the danger that it was. Usually he would've jumped straight into battle but since he didn't have his miraculous anymore, he was forced to watch. Forced to watch as Ladybug struggled alone, forced to watch as she got injured. He hated not being able to do anything, not being able to save his friend and former partner. Luckily the new black cat stepped in, that was the only good thing he saw throughout the entire battle, except the end of it when the heroes won.

Adrien watched as the new black cat user stepped into battle, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous that he had been replaced so soon but he quickly pushed that feeling away. He wasn't the true user and this new hero probably was, he had no right to any entitlement of the miraculous. The blonde watched in awe at the new cat's fighting style, he looked as if he had been training his entire life for battle. Adrien also didn't fail to notice how Ladybug and the Cat were communicating, non verbally. There may have been words exchanged but Adrien never heard them as he was watching from behind a nearby building. This assumption was correct when Ladybug spoke to the hero verbally.

"The sword, Noir" the snarl coming from Ladybug was frightening to say the least but she did just get stabbed, he couldn't really blame her. The blonde noticed how some citizens around him shivered at the tone of the spotted heroine's voice.

The blonde watched as the new hero, Noir?, fought, more dueled, with Guerrier and couldn't help but be in extreme awe and admiration of this hero's skill. 'Where did Ladybug find him? He's incredible!' Paying even more attention to the battle, Adrien watched as Ladybug used her Lucky Charm to hold the Akuma's arms in place and how Noir swiftly stole the blade.

"Cataclysm"

'Well damn!' Adrien thought.

"His voice is hella attractive, I wanna marry it" he heard a citizen whisper, voicing his own thoughts. Though it did seem bad that that was the only thing they could think about, they had a point.

The usual actions after taking down the Akuma were done, the bright ladybugs healing everything damaged. Adrien ran up to the deakumatized victim.

"Maxime! Maître D'Argencourt said you can join the fencing club" He wanted to distract the boy from the fact that he had done something very wrong during his time of being an akuma, not as if he can remember it anyway. As he was about to leave, he heard Noir's voice again.

"Make sure he gets to where he needs to be, safely, Adrien" The blonde nodded, seeing that Ladybug was exhausted and probably needed to rest. He watched as both heroes bounded away, his gaze resting on where he last saw them both, only snapping out of the trance when Maxime asked what happened.

Adrien hoped that Ladybug wasn't too injured, she's far too valuable and important to be lost, especially at the beginning of, what looks like, Hawkmoth's new rise of power.

"Something tells me things are about to get a lot more serious from here on out"

———

Taglist: @little-bluestar, @miracleofadisaster, @frieddonutsweets, @jjmjjktth, @genderfluidmoma, @starlit-dreaming, @icerosecrystal, @lolieg, @kashlyn, @mochegato, @eggadoodle, @walkingthroughonautopilot, @toodaloo-kangaroo, @lady-bee-fechin

[lynelovespopculture]

THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA CHAPTER 19-SALEM FAUSTUS MUST RESCUE HIS DAUGHTER FROM WHERE NO WITCH SHOULD GO.

Zelda didn’t believe what she just heard. She walked across the room so she could read the text herself. She read it twice and still shook her head. “No, I don’t believe it. Our Cordelia just can’t be on her way to Salem. She just can’t be!”

Jake, who wasn’t exactly in the loop, gasped. “You can’t mean that Cordelia is on her way to Salem, that Salem, THE Salem?!”

“Apparently so,” Ambrose answered him.

Faustus, meanwhile, checked his watch and walked quickly to the front hall where everyone followed him.

“Where are you going, Uncle Faustus,” Ambrose called out.

“It’s 8:30 now and I know that the bus should have left at 5:30. Despite that 3-hour head start, I going to see if I can catch it before they reach Salem.”

“I’m going with you.” Zelda reached for her coat but Faustus stopped her.

“No, dearest.” Faustus shook his head. “I understand completely why you want to come along, but if worse comes to worst and I have to go all the way to Salem, I won’t be able to explain your presence. It’s my class on that trip. The only reason I’m not with them right now is that I told them I was sick.” Zelda looked upset and Faustus sought to comfort her with his next statement. “Our girl is very clever. She might get away and come home on her own so someone needs to be here.”

Zelda was still upset but managed to put on a brave face. “Faustus, your trip will go by faster if you don’t have to stop much. I could pack you some sandwiches if you want.”

“Excellent idea, my love.”

10 minutes later, the car was packed and Faustus was ready to go. Jake and Ambrose hung back to allow Zelda and Faustus a private goodbye.

“Do you have everything?” Zelda asked.

“I think so.”

“Call me as soon as you find Cordelia. I don’t care where you are.” Faustus nodded and Zelda sighed and threw her arms around her husband. “And for Hecate’s sake, Faustus,” Zelda whispered into his neck. “Please, please be careful. I simply wouldn’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to you or Cordelia.”

“Shhh, hush my love, the only thing that going to happen is mine and Cordelia’s safe return. Any other outcome is unacceptable.” He then kissed her goodbye. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Zelda returned “Bring home our girl.”

Faustus nodded, kissed her again before he got into the car, and drove off. Even before Faustus’s car drove out of sight, Zelda could feel Ambrose’s arm around her shoulders.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Z, if anyone up to this task, it’s uncle Faustus.”

“Absolutely,” Jake agreed. “They’ll be back before you know it.”

The 7-hour bus trip flew by. From the very back, Cordelia watched the other students filed off the bus. Cordelia took a deep breath and got up and tried to get off the bus. However, Mrs. Robinson blocked her.

“Not yet, Cordelia. They’re not ready for you.”

“Ready for me?”

Nina didn’t respond but when Cordelia was allowed to leave the bus, Nina was right by her side. Cordelia noticed that the rest of the class had formed a half-circle. Then, a tall, scary man dressed in a black robe walked out of the shadows and stopped right in front of Cordelia. “Is this the child, then?”

Nina nodded. “It is, your honor.”

Your honor? Cordelia looked from 1 adult to the other.

The man in black pointed at Cordelia. “Has she been charged yet?”

“No, your honor. We thought it best to get her down here and then charge her.”

Charge me? The horror finally dawned on Cordelia. This was no field trip, this was a witch trial. HER witch trial!

Meanwhile, the man in black continued. “What is the child’s name?”

“Cordelia Spellman.” Nina answered.

The man in black arched his eyebrow. “Really? SPELLman? And the name Cordelia hasn’t been in fashion for at least an century. It’s like she’s not even trying to hide it.” For the 1st time, the man in black spoke to Cordelia directly. “So, what do you say, girl? Do you deny it? Do you deny that you’re a witch?”

Cordelia stood tall. “Of course, I deny it. Everyone knows that witches don’t really exist.”

“Is that right, girlie? Let see if you say that after you see this!” He grabbed Cordelia roughly by the arm and guided her between 2 old houses.

“Hey!”

The man in black let go of Cordelia after giving her a little shove. Cordelia looked up and was in shock. There they were; all in a row, bound and gagged, all standing on barrels with nooses around their necks. Her entire family, Faustus, Zelda, Jake, LJ, Prudence, Ambrose, Sabrina, Hilda, and even Dr. C.

Without a 2nd thought, Cordelia turned to the man in black. “Okay, you got me. I am a witch. But I’m the only 1. My family didn’t even know, they’re completely innocent. Do whatever you want to me but let them go!”

“Bull!” The man in black declared. “Everyone knows that magic goes through the bloodline so if you're a witch, so is your family.”

“But I’m adopted!” Cordelia stressed. It was the 1st thing she could think of.

“Then why do you look exactly like your mother? You’re lying!” The man in black turned to the men behind the barrels. “Hang them!” He ordered.

“NO!” Cordelia screamed but the man in black held her as the barrels were kicked and the Spellmans were hanged.

“And as for you,” The man in black stared hatefully down at Cordelia. “You’re a witch by your own admission. Your punishment will be to burn at the stake.”

Cordelia didn’t, couldn’t say anything. Her entire family was just murdered for just being born witches. She choked back tears as she was tied to the stake.

“Daughter, would you like to do the honors?” The man in black asked.

“I would love to.”

Suddenly, Cordelia was face to face with Sara, who had a torch in her hand.

“I knew you were trouble since the 1st day I saw you!”

Sara only smiled. “Goodbye, witch. Thanks for the friends.” Sara lit the pyre and Cordelia watched the orange flames crack, flickering, and then it jumped? When the fire jumped for the 2nd time, Cordelia felt her body jump with it.

The next thing Cordelia knew, her eyes opened and she realized she was still on the bus. As the other students were laughing and talking, some about the recent speedbump they just passed, Cordelia sat up. Her hand on her chest, willing her heartbeat to go back to normal. Cordelia looked up at the sound of loud laughter. She grew sad when she realized it was Sara and the triplets. Cordelia frowned; she was so happy and excited to get the text this morning. She practically ran all the way to the schoolyard. When she discovered that they were already on the bus, Cordelia thought nothing of going on the bus. Yet the more she talked, the more Cordelia saw the triplets’ faces grew blanker and blanker. They had no idea what she was talking about! Cordelia’s heart sank yet she knew she wasn’t crazy. She knew that the text came from Erin’s phone. Cordelia suspected that Sara may have stolen the phone and sent the message herself to make Cordelia look foolish. Cordelia turned to get off the bus when Mrs. Robinson stopped her. Mrs. Robinson then showed her the paper and the name on it. Cordelia knew it was faked, (it must be!) There was no one there to save her. Cordelia’s heart fell into her shoes when she realized the bus to Salem was moving and she was still on it. With no other choice, Cordelia sat in the very back, which on a deluxe bus was like a padded bench with seat belts, and tried to control her breathing, just like she was trying to do now.

“Are you okay, Cordelia?” asked a classmate who sat nearby.

“I’m fine, Anne.” Cordelia lied. She was anything but fine! It was actual life and death if someone discovered her secret. As she sat up and looked around the bus, she envied the happy carefree smiles of her peers. Half of Cordelia just wanted the earth to open up and swallow her whole. The other half of her just wanted to stand up and scream. This entire journey was billed as an educational trip but Cordelia couldn’t understand what, if anything, could be ‘educational’ about a town infamous for killing witches, her kind, her people. For Cordelia, this was just as cruel as taking a person of the Jewish faith to tour a WW II death camp. Cordelia sighed as she quickly wiped a tear away. She had already decided that the only way to survive this weekend was to stay down and keep quiet. Hoping to distract herself, Cordelia took out her phone.

“Aw, man!” Cordelia groaned as she read the new message. Cordelia decided earlier not to involve her family. After all, nothing good could come from bringing even more witches to Salem. Despite this, by around 8:30, in a fit of panic, Cordelia texted her father. The instant she hit send, she regretted it. The only thing she could do now was hoping against hope that Faustus didn’t get the message. Now she knew; not only did her father get the message, but he also sent a reply.

Dear Cody,

Stay clam. I’m coming to get you as soon as can. I love you. Dad.

With a defeated sigh, Cordelia let her phone drop into her lap and rested her forehead against the window. She was already stressed as hades and they weren’t even there yet! When Cordelia noticed the sun was beaming down on her, she reached for the golden crescent moon at her neck. “Father sun, mother moon, make time fly. Make this weekend end soon.” She whispered.

Faustus didn’t understand. It was only 2 days ago that Cordelia came home crying at the mere thought of going to Salem, convinced she would die. Now she was on a bus going there? It just didn’t make any sense. Faustus knew how important Cordelia’s friends were to her but still, he just couldn’t imagine his strong-willed daughter being so desperate to win her friends’ favor that she would be talked into taking the trip. Further proof of this was Cordelia’s own text message. The message wasn’t a confessional of a kid who got carried away. It was more like a cry for help. It actually contained the phase S.O.S, which had to be a plea for help. Even if Cordelia had gone to Salem willingly, it shouldn’t have been allowed by her teachers. Even though he had always planned to claim illness and pull out at the last second, as the 7th-grade teacher, Faustus was preparing for this trip all week. Therefore, he knew that every student needed a permission slip signed by a parent or guardian to even go on the trip. Now he knew that Zelda would never sign anything that would put their daughter anywhere near Salem and Hecate knows he didn’t sign a permission slip so Cordelia should have never been able to leave with the others. She should have been kicked off that bus the moment a teacher saw her. Every time Faustus thought of his sweet, youngest child alone in that witch-hating town make Faustus pressed his foot hard on the gas pedal. He was driving on the highway, just about to enter yet another town, when something odd happened. The bottom left side of the car bounced and then dragged. The sudden movement startled Faustus so he took his eyes off the road for just a second to see what was wrong in the back. When he turned his attention back to the road, he saw a cat lying in the middle of the laneway. On instinct, Faustus turned to miss the cat and went up onto a curb. As soon as Faustus collected himself, he got out of the car. He slammed the door, angry at what he saw. The rear left tire had a big nail in it and was still leaking air. The front tire was busted up from hitting the curb.

“Damn!” Faustus swore. So much for catching up to the bus before it got to Salem. Unless…Faustus knelt by the rear tire, raised his hand, and was about to say a spell when-

“Hi there, fellow. Do ya need some help?”

Faustus looked up and saw a kind, elderly man with a tow truck right behind him. Faustus sighed, now he felt stuck. Yes, it would undoubtedly be faster to fix the car by magic, Faustus couldn’t use magic in front of a witness nor could he deny that he was in trouble. So he greeted the man, who was named Gus and it turned out that Gus owned an auto shop in the city. So Gus hooked Faustus’s car up to his truck and they drove to the shop. When they got there, Gus left Faustus in the lobby. 10 minutes later, Gus returned, frowning.

“I’m sorry, friend, but I just found a note from my partner and he had to go tend to an emergency so I’m the only 1 to look after the shop. Plus, I was just in the back, and I swear this never happens, but we seem to out of tires. So, I’m afraid you’re stuck here for a while.”

Faustus sighed. He knew he should have used magic! “Thank you for the ride into town.” He told Gus. Faustus began to walk around the waiting room as Gus went back to work. In the seating area, among the magazines, Faustus found a town map.

“Hey, do you have a bathroom here?”

“Yeah. 1st door on the left.” Gus answered.

“Thank you.” Faustus was pleased to discover that it was a private, single-person bathroom. After locking the door, Faustus unfolded the map and studied it until he found that there was A Walmart supercenter in this town. Astral projecting to a place you never been before was always risky, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He laid the map on the floor and then he laid beside the map. Faustus closed his eyes and slowed his breathing. It worked; for when Faustus opened his eyes again, he was right in front of the store. After thanking Hecate, Faustus entered the store. It was big and crowded so Faustus knew he had to hurry. Faustus made quick work of finding the auto department and selecting the correct tires. The trouble, as Faustus soon learned, was upfront. There was only 1 check-out station open and a very long lineup. Faustus stood in line, carrying a tire in each hand when he saw the 1st of those hateful birds in the window.

Oh no! Come on, come on, come on! Faustus silently willed the line to get a move on already.

Soon after, came another bird and another. By the time there were 4, Faustus realized his nose was bleeding. When 6 birds were all in a row, Faustus’s entire body was shaking and his head felt ready to explode. He could hold on no more. Sighing, Faustus dropped the tires and closed his eyes, only to return to his body on the bathroom floor. Faustus sat up and hit the titles with his palms. “Damn it!” He had to find another way to fix his car and get to his daughter and soon!

After all the stories about how all the mortals tortured and killed them, Cordelia wondered if any of the Salem witches ever simply died from boredom. If so, Cordelia may have found their descendent. It was late afternoon and the class was listening to a lecture in an old town hall. The only thing that Cordelia found remotely interesting about this guy was he has been talking for over 2 hours and had still to get a single fact right. If this so ‘witch expect’ attended the academy, Cordelia felt certain that he would easily fail 1st-year witch history. Cordelia sighed and looked out the window, only to see a graveyard, because, of course, there was a graveyard right there! Maybe it was because she was a real witch, but ever since she had arrived in Salem, Cordelia has been experienced odd things. Like wherever she went, Cordelia heard noises, like moaning and weeping, possibly from the murdered witches. Even though the Salem roads were paved, Cordelia could swear she heard splashing, as if she was walking on blood. Cordelia shook her head and turned the other way. Cordelia managed to lock eyes with Erin, and they smiled at each other. The bus had arrived in Salem at 12:30. So the first thing the class did was have lunch at a restaurant called The Witch’s Brew. (Salem got absolutely zero points for subtly.) Cordelia had a bit of luck when she was seated next to Erin at lunch. She was finally got to explain about the text, how the girls wanted to talk to her before leaving for Salem and how it came from Erin’s phone. Erin then explained that she lost her phone 3 days ago. In fact, the last thing Erin did before she left the house this morning was to ask her mom to keep looking for it. Therefore, Erin couldn’t have written that text. Still, the 2 girls got to talking during the meal and at least, for now, there was peace between Cordelia and 1 of her friends. The lecture was finally over and the class started to file out. Cordelia sneaked away to the bathroom. She did this several times today, whenever she felt the need to regroup.

You’re doing great, girl. Cordelia thought to herself. All you have to do now is get through supper, another walking tour, and then it’s off to the motel for the night. Then just 3 more days, Cordelia sighed.

When Cordelia returned to the front, she noticed that everyone from before had gone and only 2 maids were talking to each other.

“I don’t know, Dru. We come in here every day and we listen to that blockhead, every single day, telling lie after lie. But it seems especially wrong to let him tell all this to schoolchildren. It just seems so irresponsible to me.”

Drusilla, the other maid, sighed. “Shelley, if I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times. It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, he’s just another mortal spinning fairy tales for mortal children. It has nothing to with us.”

“Us?” Cordelia jumped into the conversation without thinking. “You’re not mortals either? Are you witches?”

The 2 maids were visually shocked. “Mortal? Who said mortal?” Drusilla asked. “I said more tell, yeah, more tell. That darn lecturer is always leaving without telling us.”

While Drusilla was trying, very unsuccessfully, to talk herself out of trouble, Shelley knocked over the bucket of water she was mopping with. “Oh, for Hades’s sake!”

Cordelia smiled. “For Hade’s sake? That sounds like a witch phase to me. Don’t worry, I’m a witch too.”

“Oh, great. Another little girl who thinks she’s a real witch.” Although Drusilla muttered this to herself, Cordelia still overheard her.

The Spellman witch raised her hand and the spilled water was back in the bucket. “Now do you believe me?” Cordelia smiled.

“You are a witch.” Shelley said with awe and then pointed to the door. “What about the class you came in with? Are they witches?”

“No.” Cordelia shook her head. “They’re all mortals, I’m the only one.”

Drusilla raised an eyebrow. “You’re here all alone? What are you? 11?”

“12, actually,” Cordelia answered. “Yes, I’m alone, but it’s a long and confusing story and I don’t know how to explain it. What about you 2? Do you live in Salem as well as working here?”

“Dru lives in town, but you wouldn’t find me here after dark.”

Drusilla rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t be such a baby, Shelley. I figured I’m safer here than anywhere else, kind of how like a farmer will never search for a fox in a henhouse.”

Cord smiled, she wasn’t sure whether that statement was madness or brilliant.

“Don’t worry, kid.” Drusilla continued. “Your day trip must be almost over. You’ll be home before you know it.”

“Oh, it’s not a day trip. The class will be here until Monday.”

“You’re staying overnight? Here? At a motel? But what about the rebels?” Shelley seemed frightened.

“The rebels?” Cordelia asked. “Who or what are the rebels?”

“They’re a secret group of mortals who believe that witches never left Salem. It’s said that to this day, they go around at night, leaving fresh blood on the motel door of witches.”

“Don’t scare her with that old wives’ tales! I’ve lived here for almost ten years and that never happened to me.”

“That’s because you don’t use motels.”

Drusilla dismissed Shelley with a shake of her head and took something out of her pocket. “Pay no mind to Shelley, but I would feel better if you took this good luck charm.”

“I just can’t take it. What if I pay for it?” Cordelia suggested. “$5 bucks?”

They agreed and as they exchanged items, Drusilla caught sight of Cordelia’s wrist. “Oh my gosh! Have you always had that?”

“What? My birthmark? Yes, I’ve always it.”

Drusilla rubbed it a bit with her thumb. “It’s not coming off. If this is what I think it is, well, honey, you are not a witch, you are THE witch.”

“What does that mean?”

Before anyone could speak further, Mrs. Applegate, another teacher from Greendale middle school, appeared at the door. “Here you are, Cordelia. Come along, it’s time for dinner and it’s starting to rain.”

It was still raining when Faustus watched the sunset from 1 of the auto shop’s windows then he sighed and turned away. Faustus simply couldn’t believe he had wasted most of the day here. This partnership with the van had yet to show up and Gus was busy with a steady stream of customers. Despite being in the same place most of the day, Faustus tried desperately to make contact with his daughter with a series of calls, texts, and video messages, all to no avail. It wasn’t surprising. After all, the class must have arrived in Salem hours ago and the 1st rule of any field trip was to turn off any and all cell phones. As for Zelda, Faustus sighed again. Faustus was too ashamed to call Zelda. Yes, he promised to call his wife as soon as he found Cordelia, but not only had he yet to find their daughter, he had no new news of her whatsoever. Maybe because it was later, Faustus thought he should try to reach Cordelia again. He took a seat in the waiting room and once again, pulled out his phone.

“Hey, I know that girl,” said the guy next to and tapped where Cordelia was on the family picture that was Faustus’s screen.

Faustus turned to the stranger. “You do?”

“Sure. I’m a traveling salesman and today I had a business lunch in Salem. Anyway, I was just leaving the restaurant when I saw a bus with a pile of kids coming off it. I remember that girl because she was the last 1 off the bus and she didn’t seem at all happy to be there.”

Faustus nodded as he listening to the other man. Knowing that his daughter was in fact in Salem and had been since lunch lit a fire under Faustus. He stood up and walked with purpose.

“What are you doing?” asked the salesman.

“What I should have done hours ago,” Faustus murmured to himself. He borrowed a phone book from behind the front desk, looked up the listing for a local cab company, and called. He then took a taxi to Walmart and picked out the 2 correct tires in person. 20 minutes after he returned to the auto shop, a man came to see him.

“Mr. Spellman, your new tires are on and ready to go.”

“Great!”

“But I’d like to have a look at your muffler.”

“My muffler?” Aside from the tires, Faustus knew that his car was fine. This guy was just trying to play him for a sucker and Faustus simply didn’t have time for this.

Still, he just said, “Sure, do whatever you have to.”

The man went back into the garage. Faustus found a discreet place to hide, where he could see his car. He waited until someone touched his car before he whispered a spell in Latin. Then the car roared to life, seemly by itself.

Faustus then ran up to the man. “Wow, you seem to have the golden touch. My car is purring like a kitten now. I gave Gus my address so you can bill me. Thank you.” Faustus got into his car and drove off while the man was still trying to figure out what just happened.

Before long, Faustus was back on the highway. One advantage of driving at night was there was barely any traffic. However, as the hours passed and Faustus got closer to Salem, the rain came down harder and harder. So hard that the paved road, that Faustus could barely see, seemed like silver. Still, Faustus kept on driving because of heaven or high water, he was determined to find his daughter…tonight! The clock on the dash read 10:37 when he finally passed the Welcome to Salem sign. Now, all he had to do was find the motel with a bus in front of it. He found it on the 3rd block he went down. Faustus parked his car and ran out of the rain and out the roof of the motel. He ran into some of his students that were lingering outside. They seemed surprised to see him but unfortunately, none of them knew where Cordelia was. Faustus was making his way to the motel’s office. He rounded the corner and ran into Nina, who smiled at him.

“Fausty! You made it! I knew you would.”

“Mrs. Robinson, please tell me, where is my daughter?”

“Oh, she’s rooming with a couple of other girls.” Nina said casually but then she leaned in and whispered “As for me, I’m in room 13, alone and ready whenever you are.”

As Nina walked away, Faustus rolled his eyes and beyond him, he heard a door open, girlish laughter, then a firm closing of the door, and finally a splash, as if falling in a puddle. Faustus turned and indeed, it was a mud puddle. It took a second for the girl to moan and turn over.

“Cordelia?”

Her eyes widened. “Dad?” Cordelia got up and went up to her father. With a quivering lip, Cordelia let go of the tears that she had kept inside all day as she threw her arm around Faustus’s waist.

“I’m sorry, Dad” She nodded. “I really am. I got scared and panicked. I regretted that text message the moment I sent it. I never meant for you or any of the family to come here.”

Faustus gently put his hand under Cordelia’s chin and forced his daughter to look up at him. “Never mind that text.” Faustus gently said. “What are you doing here?”

Cordelia shook her head, furiously. “I don’t know, I really don’t! I meant it when I told Jake I would be back in 10 minutes. I only got on the bus because the triplets were already on it when I reached the schoolyard. It was a total bust because Erin didn’t even send me the message and they just kicked me out because, for the 1st time in my life, I lied to the triplets about believing in witches.”

“Cordy, why didn’t you get off the bus?”

“I tried, but Mrs. Robinson wouldn’t let me. I begged and begged. I even considered teleporting myself home but there were too many witnesses. Then she showed me my permission slip.”

Faustus was confused. “What do you mean? Permission slips are useless until they’re signed.”

“But it was signed, Dad,” Cordelia told him. “It had your signature.”

Mine? Faustus thought, dumbstruck. Then, Faustus thought about how everyone was rightly surprised to see him, except for Nina. Faustus took off his coat and wrapped it around Cordelia. “You’re wet, muddy and you must be cold. Go and wait for me in the office. I’ll be right there, I promise.”

As soon as Cordelia was out of sight, Faustus sighed, turned, and muttered to himself, “Nina Robinson, for your own sake, I better be wrong about this!”

Faustus walked up and knocked on the door of room 13.

“Come in.”

As soon as he opened the door, Faustus noticed that there were candles everywhere in the darkened room, even on the 2nd bed. On the 1st bed, lay Nina, on her stomach, posed as if she was in a playboy magazine. All she wore was a black leather corset, a matching thong, and heels. “I knew you would come. All I had to do is get you away from the school and your wife.”

Furious, Faustus entered the room and slammed the switch that turned on the big light.

“Where are they?” He demanded.

“Where is what?” Asked Nina.

“The permission slips. You have them with you I know it!” Faustus returned, quite fiercely.

Nina said nothing so Faustus looked around and saw a teacher’s leather briefcase leaning against the TV.

“Ah!” Faustus went to the case and searched through it. 1 brief look in the mirror told Faustus that Nina had crawled to the end of the bed and was now was dangerously close to him. “Madam, I advise you to keep your hands to yourself.”

Oh?” said Nina in a flirty manner. “And why is that?”

“Because anything of yours that touches me, you are not getting back!”

Nina frowned. “You’re in a mood.”

Faustus turned to face her. “Yes, I am. Especially since I just found these.” There was a piece of paper in each hand. “Here is a permission slip for Cordelia Spellman and it does indeed bear my signature but I don’t remember signing this but this might explain it.” Faustus raised his other hand. “This is a lined paper, with nothing but my name written on it, over and over again, front and back. Yet the strange thing is at the top of the front paper looks like your handwriting, but the bottom of the back page looks like my handwriting. You forged my name on this permission slip, didn’t you?”

Nina wore her smile proudly. “It worked, didn’t it? You’re here.”

“I came here to bring Cordelia home!” Faustus fumed. “It has nothing whatsoever to do with you! And where do you get your nerve? Kidnapping my daughter and bringing her here, of all places!”

“Kidnapping? Oh, don’t be so overdramatic. It’s only a field trip.”

“To a town infamous for its injustice and murder! It wasn’t your place. It’s up to me and Zelda to decide what our daughter is exposed to!”

“Did you really have to bring your wife up again?” Nina asked, looking bored. “If you ask me, I think that Zelda is too old for you.”

“Not that’s any of your business, but Zelda and I are the same age and you want to know what I think? I think you’re not worthy enough to speak Zelda’s name!”

“Oh, come on, next you’ll tell me that you’re not attracted to me.”

“I’m not and another thing- “Faustus’s voice was drowned out by the ringing of a phone. Faustus automatically looked to the bedside table, where Nina’s phone lay charging. However, Faustus soon realized that the ringing was closer to him. In fact, the phone was in the briefcase. Nina leaped off the bed, trying to get the phone first but because he was closer, Faustus got it.

The pink, sparkly girlish phone looked oddly familiar. “Hello?” Faustus answered. “Mrs. Warner?” Faustus listened for a moment. “Oh, I see. May I ask how long has Erin been looking for this phone? Oh, I see. Yes, I’ll bring it by soon.” He ended the call and then turned to Nina. “Oh, this is low, even for you.”

Nina gave an innocent shrug. “What?”

“You know perfectly well ‘what’” Faustus snapped. “This cell phone belongs to Erin Warner. According to her mother, Erin had been looking everywhere for this for the past 3 days. This makes it impossible for Erin to send that message to Cordelia about wanting to make up at 5 this morning. You did it, didn’t you? You knew the girls were fighting and you knew that Cordelia and I were not coming on this trip. You took advantage of my daughter’s desire to make up with her friends, and once you got her on that damn bus, you kept her there, knowing full well I would come to collect my daughter!”

“But Faustus, I did it for us.”

“There is no us, you lunatic!” Faustus spat. “And I’m getting so tired of rejecting you.”

Nina smiled. “Then don’t.” She tried to put her around Faustus’s neck but he fought her off.

“Enough!” Faustus growled. “I have had it with you! I’ve tried to reason with you, to avoid you, and to explain to you how important my family is to me. All that’s left is the ugly truth so here it is. I will NEVER sleep with you! You could be the last woman, scratch that, the last person on earth, and I would still never sleep with you. In fact, you sickened me because you remind me of who I used to be and who I swore I would never become again. The fact that you would steal a child’s phone makes you a disgrace to the entire teaching profession!” Faustus then ripped up the permission slip and let the pieces fall to the floor. “Consider this me taking back custody of my daughter.” Faustus turned and left without another word, slamming the door behind him. Faustus didn’t want Cordelia to see him angry so he took a moment on the motel’s tiny porch. That’s where he first saw the thunder and lighting in addition to the rain.

The Spellman house had been filling with family all day. As word got around about Faustus, Cordelia, and Salem, people came running. Prudence was first. She was worried when Zelda, who was never late, missed the morning assembly at the academy. Prudence was even more worried when she learned when Zelda wouldn’t be leaving the house today. Hilda learned everything when she called the mortuary. By the time late afternoon rolled around, all the family knew and Ambrose, Jake, Prudence, Hilda, Sabrina, and LJ were all at the house. After dinner, they were joined by Dr. C and the other 2 weird sisters. At first, the plan was simple, just keep Zelda busy and distracted until Faustus called then everything would calm down. But the later it got, the more worried everyone got. By 11, they had run out of topics of conversation and games to play. They all felt helpless as they just sat in the drawing-room and Zelda walked0 up and down the hallway for the million time. Zelda couldn’t sit down; the only reason she ate at all was due to Hilda’s pleading. Zelda refused to go 10 feet without a phone so she stayed on the main floor all day. Zelda had no idea what to do with her hands since her last cigarette was long gone. Zelda sighed when she checked her watch. It was getting so late. If there was still no word from either Faustus or Cordelia by dawn, Zelda had already decided to go to Salem herself but she hadn’t told the others because she didn’t want anyone to talk her out of it. Zelda’s head whipped around as the phone began to ring. She ran to the phone and picked it up.

“Hello, hello?” Zelda tensed as the family gathered around her.

“Zelda? Dearest?”

Zelda’s grip tightened on the phone and closed her eyes and cherishing her husband’s voice. “Faustus! Finally, how are you? Where are you? Have you found Cordelia yet?”

“I’m fine, my dearest,” Faustus assured Zelda. “It’s been an insanely long day but I’m finally in Salem and as for Cordelia” The line went silent for a second and then… “Hi, Mom!”

Zelda bit her lip to keep her tears of joy and relief in check. “Oh, Cordelia, my sweet, precious girl. How are you? Did anyone hurt you?”

“No. I’m fine, Mom. I’ve been with the class all day and no one suspected me at all, I promise. And I definitely feel safer now that Dad’s here with me. Mom, is LJ there?”

“Yes, she’s right here.” Zelda passed the phone to her stepdaughter.

“Hello? Cordy? What’s wrong?”

“LJ, I’m so sorry.”

LJ was confused. “Why are you apologizing to me?”

“Because tonight was the night you were supposed to bring your boyfriend to dinner to meet the family.”

LJ was touched. “The fact that you remember that after all, you had to deal with today proves that you are the sweetest little sister in the whole wide world. Peter can wait. What’s important now is to get you and Dad home safe and sound.”

The sisters chatted for a few minutes and then LJ gave the phone back to Zelda and after a few moments, Cordelia passed the phone back to Faustus.

“So, now that you’re located Cordelia, are you in your home now?” Zelda asked.

“Oh, not exactly dearest. I know that it was my idea to just grab Cordelia and then drive all through the night back to Greendale, but there’s a problem here. You see, there’s a raging storm here and it’s not safe to be on the road. I barely made it here.”

“Can’t you teleport?” Zelda suggested. “Surely you must know the way home.”

“I do, but people saw Cordy and I come in this motel room so we just can’t up and disappear.”

Zelda frowned. “I don’t like the idea of you and Cordelia spending the whole night in Salem.”

“Neither do I,” Faustus agreed, “but it could be a lot worse. You see, Mrs. Applegate was kind enough to give up her room so she will have to share with Mrs. Robinson.” Was it Zelda’s imagination or was there laughter in her husband’s voice? “Anyway,” Faustus continued, “this is a single room so Cordy and I will have to share the bed tonight. The storm is sure to be over by morning and then Cordy and I will be on our way. I can assure you, dearest, I won’t be in this town a moment more than I need to.”

Zelda sighed; she still didn’t like it, but she understood. “Please be careful, Faustus, and give Cordy a goodnight kiss for me. I love you.”

“We’ll be home before you know it. I love you too.”

Although she had taken her wet clothes off when she first got to the room, Cordelia was still cold after the phone call home, so she treated herself to a hot bath. Since she had no PJs, she put the white plush motel robe back on and double knotted it so she could wear it as a nightdress. Faustus then took a quick shower to wash off his road trip. When he stepped back into the main room, he found Cordelia standing before the window, the rain and the moon casting her face in a ghastly glow.

“You know; you were born on a night very much like this.”

Cordelia looked up at him. “Don’t you hear them, Dad?”

“Hear what?”

Cordelia frowned. “The moans pleads and cries of our people. Thousands and thousands of them, crying out in pain and for justice. I’ve been hearing them all day, ever since I got off the bus.”

Faustus heard nothing and thought it must be a divine child thing. “Come on honey, we have a long drive home tomorrow. We better get some sleep.”

As they made themselves comfortable in bed, Faustus noticed something he hadn’t before. “Cordy, why are shivering? Didn’t that bath warm you up?”

“Oh, am I shivering?” His daughter asked. “I’ve been doing it all day. I guess I don’t even notice it anymore.”

Faustus could help smiling to himself. As a 12-year-old witch who had in the company of mortals, doing a tour of Salem all day, Cordelia had every right to be afraid but she would never admit it. She was so strong, so proud, so like her mother. “You’re very brave.”

Cordelia rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. If I was so brave, I would have never caved and texted you that message.”

“Oh, will you stop! I’m glad you sent that message. I’m glad that I was able to track you down. Besides, the text doesn’t take away from the fact that you just spent an entire day learning about 1 of the darkest chapter in our people’s history.”

“Yep, that’s me. Cordelia the brave…and the friendless.” She muttered.

Faustus felt his face grow hot. This whole thing started because Cordelia wanted to make right with her friends. She must have been heartbroken to learn that her friends didn’t text her this morning. Damn you, Nina! Faustus thought and then said out loud, “Don’t worry Cordy. You’ll make up with the Warners soon, I know it.”

Faustus turned off the lamp and despite being quiet, neither Cordelia nor Faustus slept all night. Maybe they were overtired or overstressed by being 2 witches in Salem. It was dawn when exhaustion finally took Cordelia and she rolled over into her father’s arms. Faustus curled his long-limbed body around her protectively before kissing her forehead. “Don’t worry baby, Daddy’s got you.” He whispered before sleep claimed him too.

1 hour later, a scream woke them up. They jumped out of bed and open the door to see the class, teachers and all of the hotel staff were in front of them. Faustus looked at the door. “Is that paint? Or blood?”

“The rebels” Cordelia whispered, suddenly remembering what the maids told her. She looked around and froze. Her room wasn’t the only marked. There was also blood on the door of the room that the triplets shared with Sara.

[recallingrealities]

Aligned, Chapter 5 (Zelda x Reader - NSFW)

For Chapter 1, click (here)

Chapter 5:  Revision 

(Warning: NSFW)

“As you are aware, the Academy of Unseen Arts has experienced sweeping change this past year. Our practice as a Coven, the source of our power, and the direction of our influence has changed drastically. We have had the blessing of our magics' resurgence, and I believe with the start of a new perspective, this comes a time where change is in great alignment - like the faces and phases of our Mother Goddess. It is time to begin new practice in our teachings. New ways of mending old are the only preparation for what is to come. I have been reminded in tidings with the Goddess that our students at the Academy are not only being molded as the witches of our future, but also the foundation of our Coven in times to come. 

Myself, like many of you attended the Academy yourself in peak age, and here we stand, the building blocks of a new Era. We are tasked to prepare them to surpass us, in every way. In the past, yearning for personal power has been detrimental and cast shadow over our students when it was our sole duty to guide and enlighten them. In my time here as Directrix, I find myself remembering not only my own schooling, but the memories of our interactions over the years. I believe it is safe to say a lot has changed since then. Remarkably, a lot has  also remained the same.”

 Her voice was genuine, a small smile imparted her lips momentarily before fading to neutrality, upon the exposure of her last sentence. Though the woman stood strong and charismatic in her words. Her breath fell, tender. She was speaking to us as if to a dear friend she was confiding in; unearthing a new season like a fresh break of dawn. A frozen meadow finally melting in glistening dew with the sunrise of the first spring. The radiant blue of the awakening sky, but also the surge of openness and radiance of her throat chakra - speaking her truth. It always felt enlightening to see visions of nature aligning with her human experience, it was intimate and honest in that way.

The closure of her enunciated words sent a whir of images to your mind; Faustus Blackwood. You weren’t sure why him specifically out of her centuries of life, but you knew better than to ever question the wisdom of the sight. You had never even met him, and yet somehow you had a sturdy certainty it was him who you saw in the energy he carried. His sour demeanor pressed the young woman, urging her to follow his every command. In the libraries and halls, over her shoulder in classes, and guiding in the way she splayed her hands. You felt his snaking energy intertwining even in the ways she prepared her tinctures, feeling his constant gaze on her. He played on her whiley independence and fondness for him during her time at the academy. He was making sure there was never too much space between them, that she was always within his sight if he willed to regain control of someone that had never belonged to him.

 You were an invisible bistander, witnessing moments of her childhood as if you had been there then - in touch with her twining regrets as she released them, and somehow through her projection, you could sense his will and desires as well. 

You witnessed the cruelty of Zelda’s youth - ferociousness, influenced by his eager suggestions and lustful teasing. He expressed to her the pleasure that arose in him, witnessing her engage in ‘vengent’ cruelty. He was excited by playing on her smallest resentments and projections of insecurity. He felt himself as if his own Dark Lord, enabling unprecedented harshness, like that of Zelda’s sister’s harrowing. The things she had regretted most, even to this day. She was pushed beyond boundaries of extremity. Faustus got high off the power he held over her, how easy it had felt for him to ignite small fires. Even pushing her to ease worry of her sister's possible death at her own hands It was as if he meant to tempt her despite his words. He was amazed he held such power over her, and never let her forget they were her decisions, not his. Despite his suggestions and blatant gaslighting, she had still found twinges of desire in him. You could not sense her reason why. Dancing in the twisted pleasures between guilt and need for validation, perhaps, he had become untouchable to her, or so he thought, in his moments of narcissism. Especially once he knew he could command her over someone she truly loved, her closest friend reputably, and blood.

The vision then, flashed forward. A wave of enchantment contorted the movements of her body, in polluting idiosyncrasy. She was in Rome, on her honeymoon and you watched as his mouth formed the words, as to summon her approach down the hall of some sect of the Vatican,  ‘Lady Blackwood’. ‘They were married..?’ you thought to yourself, surprised that she hadn’t seen the toxicity in him, even after centuries had passed. You would have thought she would’ve become aware by now, at least before the curdling idea of engagement. Arguably she would have justified she was looking for power, but you could feel in her deepest desires, she still yearned for his affection and approval. The same controlling boy, narcissistic, and power hungry had her dance to his whim in ways she would never - not even to appease him in preference or liking. He willed her to do so, if only to revel in his own ability to control her, or indulge pleasurably in her humiliation. You had no idea she had been married to the previous High Priest, let alone that he had enchanted her into the floral delusion of an obedient housewife, doing his bidding and curtsying coyly towards his every desire. The way he seemed so similar in pompous boyhood, how nothing had changed, sent a surge of disgust through you, a simmering rage -  watching her look longingly at him through visions that seemed to span years. The few moments where you witnessed her blinks of genuine affection for him, you felt as if they dragged begrudgingly slow and painful, in their mere seconds of resonance. As your sight began to retreat to the present, you were granted one last vision; watching her unfurl with fiery anger in final acknowledgement of his lifetime of mistreatment and control over her. It surprised you that such a strong cunning woman such as Zelda Spellman had been fooled by the lustful promises of such an ass for so long, but even in that you pitied her softness and desire. 

You understood now why she had built such a strong exterior, even to those she loved. You had never met Father Blackwood. From the little you had heard, you felt yourself unable to cast an honest judgement until now, able to witness his actions for yourself. The only general consensus had seemed to be a relief that he was exiled by Lucifer, long before even Lilith was actively reigning. In this moment, you were just grateful to watch how much more grounded she seemed apart from him. Time and self confidence: independent of anyone else. She had grown, severing from the monster she had been close to. She had moved on from the time when she would accept comfort in manipulation.

“I believe we can do better. Not only for our students, but to enhance ourselves as the ancestors of our Coven - as the capable casters we have grown to be in these passing centuries. This semester, we will not only begin the personal mastery of each professor's subjects, but encourage the students to find their paths in co-consciousness; weighing teachings and skills from each subject to help further engross their studies. This is a time to hone our own power -  to push ourselves beyond the boundaries we think ourselves capable - so that the students of the future will too surpass expectations and go beyond the capabilities of magic as we know it; ascending in strength and tactility as we have come to expect it from them. Amongst our faculty we will be prolific in each other's specialties, challenging ourselves in expertise beyond our own areas of concentration. We will use each other, the best in our fields, to make ourselves unhindered masters of all they will come to learn. We will give them a strong Coven to come home to. Not one shaken and scrambled by the projection of an uncertain future. We are strong Warlocks and witches alike, but we have grown strongest in our times together despite the aid of our individual origins. Teaching one another through our range of perspectives, we will show our students that they too can do the same, and be no longer bridled by the fears of the unknown. Before this semester begins, we will have already created a new, stronger curriculum to teach alongside one another. It has been no easy task altering history but we have already begun doing it by surviving Hell-on-Earth together. As we have seen in this chaotic, unexpected year, anything has become possible.”

 She couldn’t help but let a small smile purse her lips, Sabrina had seemed to be the impetus of so much. One young Spellman had tipped the scales in altering all of their futures, changing the expected value of bloodlines and witch traditions forever. One young, unstoppable woman had done this, and Zelda knew with all of their combined power and intention, they could bring so much greatness, so much honor to their Coven. The group seemed to nod in humming agreement as she spoke.

“By being taught to limit ourselves, we have limited ourselves - all this time bridled and bound by the will of the Dark Lord, our tutors, the Council. So much has been accomplished and so much has changed in such a short time. This change has brought us a new beginning. The death of an old way to bring life to a new one. We will challenge our old beliefs, our boundaries, and push ourselves, willingly - and this way of life will bring us to new heights and expectations. We will embody every element, every source of possibility in a mixed application of powerful, fearless magic. By our own experience we will fortify our Coven, and best serve its potential with both our dedications to self, and the preparation of our students towards the foundations of the future."

The consensus erupted in applause. The charismatic revelations of their Directrix and High Priestess cementing them in certainty that she would be the guiding hand towards a greater future. It was that moment after, we had spent days in frequent seminars, practicing the magics many were familiar with, but had never mastered to the levels of personal preference. You were mixing magics and experimenting with ideas never thought of before; honing gnosis to divination, expanding transfiguration with projection, and creating new blooms of alchemizing tactics - beyond anything you had attempted before. Though you hadn’t truly known the other professors before now, you were witnessing the bonds between them rekindling - the sight showing their younger selves overlapping their present bodies. Smiling, they pushed one another to expand, to think and act creatively with each exercise. The seminars were ending with note taking and collaborations, scrying plans for updates to the coursework to come, to be finalized with the Directrix in private critiques. 

Your private sessions with Zelda, like the other professors, were happening almost daily. As the days counted down, the finalizations of your class plans were solidifying, what felt like effortlessly. Though you were forming a natural rapport with her separate from professionalism, the way you connected through teaching was brilliant. Like a composer and a cellist, the collaborations of ideas and notes constructed a course forged through veritable passion. Though your original plans had required significantly less changes than you’d expected, you had both managed to contribute some substantial improvements in applying "Intuitive application" to the other core subjects. You could hardly believe this woman, this insatiably beautiful woman, that you now realized you were staring at. She was standing bent over the desk beside you, scribbling notes intently. She had just finished informing you of her plans to make your course on Intuitive Application, one of the core subjects to be taught at the Academy, henceforth. Your heart fluttered in your chest at her certainty and passion towards the lectures you’d written with her. It was as if she had the sight, to have such certainty in your ability to guide the students on interpreting their instincts, in applying their magic. She could practically feel you ready to protest questionably, when she said:

"I have no doubt that this is the final shift needed to connect so much valuable ancient knowledge to the new. There has been too much important study to be left drawl and dusted in the confines of a history course. All that I’ve read is far more relevant than that and there has been so much that deserves revibrance in modern application. The blank space between the old ways and what is considered modern knowledge has been deafening, and a great split in the community of witches and warlocks alike. Intuitive application is the consistency of what can be carried from the old and into the new, and always seems to have room for improvement. Your course is going to close the gap of wandering that has been left between the old books and present study. You should be incredibly proud" 

She looked up at you, peering over her glasses as is to question your silence or coyness. 

"I've read your journals, Y/N. I've read every lesson plan you’ve ever written, down to the draft and I am certain this course is going to change everything. It has shaken up so much in me - and my studies here at the Academy were a long time ago." 

She had spoken so openly; about her experiences growing up at the Academy, the culture of witchcraft she had been born into, and been exposed to her entire - and how you would change in history forever. She made these statements with no flattery, but firm earnestness. She now meant for you to be at the forefront of it all, when she could have easily claimed your teachings for herself. You were in wonder of her. A new 'Foundations' class hadn't been added in over half a millenia, but between the urging will of the Goddess and your prolific ability to apply her teachings to any scenario, the Directrix felt it would benefit everyone significantly to have ‘Intuitive applications’ as a prioritized mastery.

You couldn’t believe her, as a single tear welled in the corner of your eye. You could barely hear what she was talking to you about right now, only able to watch her lips as they moved, the fuzziness of gratitude clouding your present perspective. You tried not to be fearful, but you knew it was truly excitement that guided you and humility as you watched everything coming together so perfectly. Even with it so, the purposeful intent of everything, you found yourself surprised at Zelda. By this point, there was certainty that you were beginning to know her, or at least how she presented towards you, but when her mask came down, even just for a fleeting moment, you were always surprised. She was continually impressed with your work, in fact even in your zoning. She was expressing it now behind the poise and professionalism of your critique. But you noticed how hard of a time she seemed to have hiding it, her growing opinions of you. They hadn't been clear to you beyond what the sight explained, but you always felt as if you were being eluded, that there was more to her mind. 

You had witnessed Zelda's poker-face often during the faculty sermons, when you would flash her a wink or genuine smiles in reassurance. Once you had swept your hair over your shoulder, and you witnessed her maintain her composure, you hadn’t realized it did in fact affect her, when you realized she was avoiding gazing upon your exposed neck. You hadn't noticed it the first few times - the quirk hadn’t been purposeful on your part, not even realizing your mannerisms spoke to her. However, you were always able to find her, witness her true reactions through the spirit of her eyes. Her stone expression was bulletproof until you spoke in sections of Ancient Magics and wisdoms aligned with the history of Ancient Mesopotamians or Druidic peoples. It was your knowledge that seemed to affect her the most, in private. When your eyes would meet hers, effortlessly sharing your years of meditative work, and it was then she was in awe of you.

To you, this wasn't necessarily impressive, it was honorable. In resonance of truth and vulnerability you strove to embrace every moment of your life. With that being said, you often shared moments like this. Where Zelda was breathlessly enchanted, and held structurally sound by the quiet of her listening to you. With her active critiques and your witting ability to adapt with instinct, or connect intention she had not noted, you had finished tweaking your course structure with a quickness. As she set down her glasses, taking a step back to allow you to observe the final draft, you were surprised that she had not altered anything, only adding areas she wanted to hear more from you. It had been a martyr despite your clear attraction for one another. Both lustful and innocent, that you were able to keep the relationship so professional. Especially in the timing for how much you both could accomplish in the span of an hour. In fact, the last time you two had met, you'd gotten into such a deep conversation regarding intuition and intuitive desire, that she had almost lost complete track of time, making her late to her ‘Spellman family dinner’. She had been begging Hilda to make it a necessity, hopefully long enough for it to stick before Sabrina caught herself up in her next whirlwind of an idea. Luckily for teleportation, this was nothing that couldn't be explained. Before her fingers had grazed yours on her desk tenderly, she had leaned next to your ear and let out a lustful threat you had not expected. 

"I am not finished with you yet" 

She had managed to tempt you before quickly swifting away, with the blink of a transportation spell.

However tonight, you had finished in the first few minutes of your meeting. You had only smiled before when she left you with such taunting words. But now, as your fingers traced over her final notes, you couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Aligning each page's corners to match, you placed them in the main drawer of your desk. As if all at once, Zelda pressed on your back firmly, with strong force. Pushing you down so your face and chest touched the desk. You had not expected this kind of strength let alone action from the woman. ‘What was she… doing?’ With a swift slam she had pinned you forward over your desk, supported against the cold hardwood frame, her touch direct with purposeful intensity. The surprise of the action revoked your breath, a surge of heat stringing through you like sudden fingers striking a harp. Your mind jumped immediately to the thought of her fingers, and you knew she had turned on something in you that you never had felt in this way before. It was almost primal. You let out a guttural moan in response to the impact, hardly believing what had just slipped from the back of your throat. She pressed her hips up against yours with a harsh, quick movement.

 You could feel her strong hip bones digging into the flesh of your ass. Her movements we're so powerful and reactive. You weren't sure if it was the sudden lust that had blurred your thinking, or the quick change in events, but you felt yourself hardly able to distinguish what was happening in this moment. Only now, that you were terribly aroused. You couldn’t help but sway your hips against hers, not even thinking about how much you were teasing her. Her loins were pressed to you and when you moved against her it was like that electricity from before was shooting off from the impact, through your body, and into hers at the points of touch. 

“You dirty little little thing..." 

Zelda tutted. She had hardly expected this from you, and that only seemed to drive her with more certainty. Her voice was low and satiating, you found yourself lingering on every crescendo in her tone. You couldn’t help but close your eyes, a melodic hum vibrating from your chest as you continued to grind against her. She slipped a hand up from your back to caress your scalp with her tender fingers.

“I’ve been meaning to reward you… for all of the dedication you’ve shown recently. It is not often I find myself expressing gratitude for such risk taking behavior”

She hummed, a hoarse lusting in her throat as she was reminded of your insistence in meeting with her for a position at the Academy. It has been the Goddessend that had kickstarted a wave of successes for her as High Priestess, and she meant to show you how grateful she was to your boundless attentiveness to her wishes. 

She took a fistful of your hair before letting her fingertips trace there for a moment. Her left hand began hand slipping between the light space between her stern hips and your grinding body, roaming teasingly past the hem of your skirt. Wandering across your thigh, she didn’t stop you, but instead smirked, your rear now grinding wantonly against her curious hand. She paused for a moment as you stopped your movement, before connecting her manicured nails to your warming, sensitive thigh - dragging upward with a light twisting, stinged pleasure. Your eyes shot open, in realization that this had been like your vision; infectiously more desirable, even more now than the lustful moment you’d first experienced it. It was then you realized, not even consciously, you were feeling her thoughts, you were reading her mind. 

She was incredibly aroused by you, mouth agape as she stared lustfully at your arched back, pressed towards her with desire. She now realized how badly you’d wanted her, and that her level of desire had finally been met. She had had her fair share of tangles in sex and yet the desire she felt from you now in your amplifying and  prominent energy, spoke to her like nothing she had ever experienced. It felt like you were catering to her every desire. Though you were feeling her waves of emotion, you did not know what it was she was craving, exactly. You felt as though you were acting completely on instinct, leaning into waves of craving movement. 

You felt her amusement to your sounds, as her awareness came to the lack of protection on your door. She wanted to wait just a while longer before locking it, or soundproofing the walls. She was enjoying the thought of someone questioningly hearing you, knowing she had been there for your critique. At your quiet gasp, she took a moment to adore the heat arising from your quivering thighs. She rolled her hips into you before leaning teasingly in your ear.

 “You wouldn’t happen to be lusting, would you little minx?”

Her left index and middle fingers tips, swiped over the front of your panties, amused as they touched the damp silken fabric. A low chuckle warmed your ear, as one of her manicured nails played with its hem below.

 “To be lusting for your Directrix, and High Priestess during a meeting of utmost formality would be highly inappropriate.”

You felt yourself holding back a wine, your eyes were squeezing shut as your teeth gripped your cheek with a coppering tension. It was then, you felt her thumb, pull your panties aside with expert ease, her sweeping fingers slipping between the folds of your aching cunt. She had stopped, allowing her fingertips to lightly pass over your buzzing clitoris, feeling your quiet whine sing through your body with such a high frequency - that she could feel it through your harping body. It was as her nails ghosted, pressing you vulnerably at the heat of your core: your eyes shot open, realizing the dangerousness of no enchantment on the door. You quickly felt the urge to squirm beneath her, scrambling to regain enough composure to cast a spell. You felt your heart begin to patter quickly with erratic intensity.

“Zelda- I-..” Your voice caught, interrupted by a squeaking break in your sentence, unable to finish your statement as her middle finger, swept over your clit, dipping ever so teasingly over your entrance.

“Yes, little mouse?” 

She questioned, knowing exactly what you were likely to bring up. 

“I- euhhh…” 

You moaned, unable to speak properly between the melting relief you felt and the teasing tension of her touch

 “t-the door…”

“The door?”

She repeated back tauntingly, almost mocking you with sinister affection. Her hand gripping your hair, she pulled back to raise your face, having you stare at the door. You knew full well that at any moment you were at risk of it opening, a passing professor perhaps having heard your desperate moans - or even worse a student. You knew exactly how it would look too, unexplainable. Sprawled upon your desk, your hair tangled tightly between her fingers. Her hand, though behind the view of the desk, dipping slow and now deep into your cunt. You closed your eyes again, holding back another escaping moan, this time relieving a seeping sigh, as your abdomen began to tighten with desperation. “Zelda… please...” 

“Whom?”

She was fully aware you were not in a position with the strength to cast.

 “D-Directrix...”

 She ghosted another sweeping finger over your clit, before snaking painfully slow, leaving another finger to tease at your warm, dampening entrance.

“High Priestess..!” you begged, with a pressing urgency, as you attempted to move against the grasp of your hair, her hips quickly moving to jolt against her hand, sending another wave of shock and pleasure as her fingers entered you, with a curling tenderness, slowly pulling out only to leave you whimpering and unable to move.  

She took another moment, to tease inward and outward, growing used to the slickness of your warm, aching cunt before whispering a quick cantrip, two fingers from her tangled hand, twisting against the back of your neck as she enchanted the door to lock, and the sound to be confined to this very room.It was after that she praised you

“Good girl…” 

with a lusting tone, as she plunged her fingers deep inside of you. Thrusting herself into you with dexterous fingers, moving out just far enough to graze your clit with her palm between each stroking thrust. She began pounding you hard against the desk, your moans unwaveringly loud, as your shoulders arched towards her hot breath, now tender on your neck between powerful, talented thrusts. As your body flooded with waves of ecstasy, you began to feel her wet lips on your neck, leaving hot, entrancing kisses as if she was savoring the shivers of your desperate flesh, your galloping heartbeat.

 “Zelds…” you sighed relievingly as you opened your neck to her, your hips able to move back just enough to rock against her powerful hips. Her entire body, surging forward to fuck you with powerful ferociousness. You felt as if you were being conquered, and willingly allowed your hungry core to flex in pleasuring pulses at each thrust. You couldn’t explain how desperately you wanted to touch her, despite being fucked with such veracity, except only to think of how much pleasure you were wading in, realizing only now how badly you had wanted her up until this point. She curved her touches upward, her palm shifting in tight motions against her own gyrating hips. She began feeling you draw nearer, beginning to feel you come undone against her. Waves of pleasure cascaded your body in convulsive surges, wrapped your tired form slack against her. Her fingers slowing, she snaked from between your sopping thighs before breaking from your neck, realizing the tenderness she had left there. Her humming mouth kissed the edge of your ear before leaning back up to take her fingers in her mouth. She released her grip from your hair, catching your chest as she felt you begin to fall forward towards the desk. She caught you, before turning your hips, to have you face her. Your shaking breath, and shy expression now forced to look upon her, pulling her sweetened fingers from her mouth. She didn’t break eye contact for a second, looking at you with lusting affection. Her pupils were immensely dilated as she scanned your face, and the pulsing beat of your chest as it rose and fell with your returning breath. You felt your face flushed under her gaze. You knew you had come completely apart beneath her. You could barely stand, luckily having the sturdy desk and her structured touch to hold you upwards by the small of your back. You moved to straighten your posture, realizing you couldn’t yet stand as you fell into her arms, your shaking body pressed to her breast, as your erratic breath struggled to form words.

 She couldn’t help but smile as your forehead pressed to the crook of her neck, her touch lightly encircling tenderly across the span of your back, and up between our shoulder blades. It was there you two held in silence, the same tenderness as the night you had last spent together in your office. A sense of security in the shared intimacy, and embrace of your quiet breathing.

[thebigpapilio]

Unstoppable: My “Rival” Prompt!

Lila was almost ready to take on the Pokemon League; there was just one more thing to handle, and she’d be set.

Scratch that... 

Nathanael was no longer a thing.

As Lila advanced through the final legs of her journey, she took time to recount her past. It wasn’t a conceited action don’t misunderstand - it wasn’t her bragging to herself, and those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it, right?

Her starter, an Alolan Ninetales named Trixx, had been her first Pokemon. Blessed with the ability from his Kantonian ancestors to telepathically connect with his trainer, Trixx had become strong from the adventures with Lila, and the experience had allowed him to give even Gym Leader Ramos quite the run for his money.

Her official starter Pokemon, however, was a Delphox named Mago. Despite the name of her Fire/Psychic Pokemon, the magician ‘mon hated that particular kind of berry (other than Mago berries, oddly enough, any other kind of fruit would do). Mago had saved her life when the now-defeated Team Akuma attempted to “exterminate the fox;” she’d been traveling up Noslach Mountain with her friend Sabrina when they’d set up a roadblock right in front of her. Expecting a battle between the grunt and a clearly brainwashed Admin nicknamed Gorilla, Lila had pulled out her Pokeballs. Unfortunately, by the time she realized she was being pushed off the mountain by the admin’s Slaking. Mago (then a Braixen) immediately broke out of his pokeball, evolved into Delphox, used his newly-learned Psychic ability to save her bacon, then used his wand to keep himself from making a Delphox-sized splat upon the beginning of the trek. While he made his way back up, Trixx and the rest of Lila’s team destroyed Gorilla’s Slaking and Heracross (not to mention his ally’s Weezing), prompting the two to get the heck outta dodge.

Theo, her Zoroark, was another beloved member of the team. While she’d been in a phase during her school years in which she told crazy lies to make herself popular, she had met a newly evolved Theo getting beaten up by some Mightyena for doing the same general business (or so Trixx had told her). Inspired by the felonious fox, she scared off his attackers and caught him, using him as an inspiration to get her behavior together. Nowadays, Theo was a beloved member of the team (but not necessarily trusted - the Cruel Pokemon was the second worst jokester she’d ever met, first place going to her friend Adrien's Liepard Plagg).

There were other members of the team, of course, but Lila’s recollection was interrupted by a familiar voice crying out “Please, Lila, wait for me!”

Looking over her shoulder, she discovered it was her friend Nathanaël Kurtzberg. The young man had been abducted from his home a few weeks before Lila began her journey and was hypnotized into becoming an admin for Team Akuma to use as their boss Gabriel (who was also Adrien’s “often-away-for-business” father) saw fit. She’d rescued him in one of Team Akuma’s hideouts, and learned of Gabriel’s plan to resurrect Xerneas so that he could bring his wife back, although it would essentially kill all but those in Team Akuma. His grunts were “programmed” to serve him until they proved no longer useful, in which case they would be told to kill themselves (and the brainwashing made sure the blood wasn’t physically on Gabriel’s now-cuffed hands).

Nathanaël thanked Lila again for saving him, and to Lila’s immense happiness, he also admitted his crush on her (the feelings were reciprocated, but Lila hadn’t been thinking about it for a while - being in mortal peril can do that to anyone). The two decided to have one last battle before Lila entered the Pokemon League. Right before they threw out their first Pokemon, Nathanaël asked her “If I win, will you be my girlfriend?”

“Fine, but if I win, you’re gonna be my boyfriend. Deal?” Lila jokingly countered.

“Deal.” Nathanaël laughed.

The cave was quiet for a few seconds.

It seemed like one second, Lila and Nathanael were staring each other down; the next, however, Nathanaël’s Toucannon (Volaille) and Lila’s Jellicent (Calunnia) were released from their Pokeballs, duking it out with an immediate clash between Calunnia’s Hydro Pump and Volaille’s Bullet Seed. While Volaille won that little contest, Volaille took a second to recover from the Bullet Seed barrage, letting Calunnia recover and blast the bird with Psychic, knocking it out.

Next came Mago against Nathanaël’s Blastoise Wayzz. It was supposed to be Nath’s starter, but he was kidnapped before that could truly begin.

“What are you going to do, Lila?”

Whether Nathanaël was hypnotized or not, he’d always been a taunter. It was good-naturedly, thankfully, as Admin Nathan had been much worse. Nathanaël was to Admin Nathan as Luigi was to Mr. L: good and evil, quiet and timid, kind but free and cruel but subservient.

Lila just smirked. What she said next dropped Nathanaël’s own smirk quickly.

“Grass Knot, Mago.”

One fallen turtle later, Nath sent out his Sunflora Pomidor to take out Calunnia, who Lila had made the poor decisions of not only choosing to keep the Floating Pokemon in, but also choosing to attempt a Psychic attack by outspending the robust rafflesia. It didn’t work out for Calunnia, for the record - Petal Dance is a strong and supereffective move, after all.

Lila and Nathanaël clashed with KO after KO to each other after that. Pomidor fell to Mago’s Flamethrower, and the fox Pokemon was promptly knocked out after by an Earthquake from Chamelle the Camerupt. Another Earthquake sent Chamelle to lala-land with a thud, courtesy of Doccione the Gliscor.

Eventually, it came down to good ol’ Trixx versus a Revived Wayzz. The clever fox versus the wise turtle - this would make for a quite the interesting match, but it wasn’t entirely fair - Wayzz was at half of his HP.

The silent showdown began once more, each Trainer planning what could be the decisive move. At last, the last turn started.

“Trixx, Dazzling Gleam!” shouted Lila, the confidence that had enamored Nathanaël shining from her like light off a disco ball. If the young red-haired man hadn’t been focused on battle, he might have swooned. Nathanaël decided it was time to break out a secret weapon he’d prepared Wayzz with.

“Wayzz, Flash Cannon!” Nathanaël countered, the quiet smirk becoming a little less quiet.

Lila paled - she knew Trixx couldn’t take that; 4 times the normal damage was very intimidating, and Ninetales weren’t meant to tank attacks. Nevertheless, she steeled herself (pun not intended) for her inevitable defeat.

Then Trixx did the improbable; he jumped over the ball of energy, shooting off the light-based attack that was Dazzling Cannon midair and essentially sniping Wayzz with a flourish. As the Fox Pokemon landed on the ground, so did the Blastoise (albeit less gracefully; being knocked unconscious tends to make that happen).

Lila had known Trixx for almost her entire life, yet the Ninetales continued to astound her.

Sure, she wasn’t Champion Ladybug, but she was feeling rather lucky at the moment. While when she was with her team she felt like she could take on the League (well, after a bit of training), she felt like she could take on the world and then some with Nathanaël at her side as well.

[mrsmercyjevans]

Two Becomes One. [Part 1]

INVOLVED: Mercedes Jones-Evans, Samuel Evans, & Co. TIME FRAME: Flashback, 2008. LOCATION: Venue; Miami, Florida. NOTES: Samuel and Mercedes Wedding.

Reading each line in its entirety Mercedes fumbled with the piece of paper she wrote her vows on. She sighed softly before she looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn’t believe she was really marrying Sam. It wasn’t far fetched and she always knew she’d end up with him but the thought finally settling in, in all its glory had her nearly petrified. She had read these lines over and over and over again. She was nervous she was going to forget them and she had been so far. Looking back down to the paper she bounced her bare feet against the flooring, tuning out the other women as they moved about the room getting dressed. Mercedes’ hair was done, her makeup was done, she was draped in all her many diamonds. Yet she almost refused to put on anything else until she remembered more than half of what she wrote. After a few moments one of her sisters, Sabrina, appeared behind her “its okay if you don’t remember you know I will have it with me” she told her gently massaging her shoulders. “I know” Mercedes sighed exasperatedly. “Then calm your butt down” Sabrina said poking her sides before she walked away again. “Are you okay over here?” Jackie asked walking up behind the girl next and Mercedes nodded. “Sure you wanna do this? Sure you are ready?” She asked her. Mercedes gave her a knowing look through the mirror. “That’s not ever comforting” she told her and Jackie sighed “you know what I mean” she told her as she sat down beside her. “I do and that’s why I am asking you to stop. That phase of my life is over. It was just that a phase and I love Sam despite what people think. End of discussion. We won’t ever talk about this again” Mercedes warned and Jackie nodded gesturing a zipped lip, she stood up and moved to walk off from her completely.

Legs crossed at the ankle, Samuel sat outside with only his thoughts. The winter dream of a wedding was set. There was nothing left to do but wait, or go over his vows.  He unrolled the paper crumpled with wear and too long spent moving from pocket to pocket. Holding it up to the sun, he smirked. The only words printed on the entire yellow legal page were, 'Remembering to write your vows. Love you’re soon to be wife.’ Well, she should have known better. He re-folded the paper and tucked it back into his pocket. Inhaling, he watched as the bus boys took their last minute smoke break, he supposed to relax. The thought served to highlight how calm he was.  By all accounts on big days in his life, he was scared shitless. But not today.  All three times he started in his first football games: high school, college, and pro - he was nervous.  When he was drafted, he sweated through two shirts. However, today, marrying the girl of his dreams he wasn’t nervous a bit. “There you are? What on earth are you doing out here all alone?  I had your father looking for you everywhere.” Sarah Evans said her strong southern accents, heavier to him after years away from his hometown. She walked over to her middle son, hand moving directly to his collar. “There is no harm in backing out.” She said in a light tone that was meant to be sarcastic, but that seem to lose its bite on its way past her teeth. “Oh I’m only joking.” She smiled. “It’s normal to be scared on a day like this…” Sam drew his mother’s hand away from his collar, holding them in his.  “I’m not nervous”  he told her, and she knew it was the truth because his hands were as steady as a rock.  “I don’t have any reason to be.” He shrugged, “I’m one hundred percent certain I’m marrying the perfect woman.” Sam smiled a glint of mischief in his eye. “She’s the one that has to worry, she is marrying a fool.” He stood still holding his mother's hand. "Come on, let's get me hitched." He told his mother, her face a mask of stunned silence.

Mercedes sighed heavily, coming to the realization that she wasn’t going to remember all of this. She didn’t know why she was so nervous; this was the exact day she had been dreaming of for her whole life. Well part of it, mostly. She wondered if Samuel was as nervous as she was. She had these vows remembered and could recite them effortlessly months ago and now today. They were gone, they had left her far behind in the midst of all the chaos and busy bodies working to make this day as magical as she hoped it to be. Mercedes inhaled closing her eyes and she exhaled slowly. “Okay” she told herself as she folded the piece paper back up. She opened her eyes again looking at herself in the mirror one final time before she moved to stand up. “Okay, I can put the dress on now” she announced. “Yay” Caitlyn said happily as the sister to Mercedes moved to grab the dress along with Sabrina and the two took it out of the garment bag it was in. They slid the large white dress from its packaging and moved towards Mercedes to help her in it. Mercedes untied her silk robe and she sat it aside. Adjusting her garters and white stockings she also shifted the one over her stockings, adjusting it against her thigh as she stood upright. She adjusted the corset as well before she moved to step into the large white dress. They helped to pull the smug, tight fitted Vera Wang dressed that was customly made to her size. It sunk in near her sides, emphasized her hips and butt. And it sucked her mid-section in. The dress gave her the most natural hour-glass look, Mercedes loved it. The train long and filled with ruffles, behind her, her sisters pulled it out resting it against the floor. “You look stunning” her younger sister Bella said out loud covering her mouth slightly at the sight of her adoptive sister. Mercedes looked to her with a bright smile “do I?” she asked turning to look to herself in the mirror beside them. Mercedes gasp slightly herself “oh my God” she mumbled softly amazed herself at how she looked even as her mother added her veil and her sister’s placed her feet into her high heeled red bottoms. “Wow” Mercedes breathed again her eyes glossing over. “I think I’m gonna cry” she said softly, her chin already quivering as the words left her.

Samuel walked through the venue hand in hand with his mother. The shorter woman looked up at him almost uneasy at his quiet confident demeanor. “Sam…” She said.  “Yeah?” He asked never breaking stride. “Have you been drinking.” Sarah asked impatience in her tone. He snorted.  “Not since last night. I’m fine.” He impressed on her, squeezing her hand lightly. The guest had begun to arrive in waves; this wasn’t a small affair by any standards.  Yes, he was a professional ball player, but his wife to be came from high society. And though he was often pompous and unyielding around, well, everyone, they intimidated him. He was a backwater cracker who had managed to be better than average at throwing a football. When he looked into their eyes, he could feel them weighing and measuring. What if they saw him for the nobody he could have been, the womanizing, and one good hit away from the soup kitchen dude he was… and worst yet what if they told Mercedes. Sam skipped a step, only just catching his balance. He was a fool.  He didn’t deserve her.  He never would. “Sam!” came a sober voice from in front of him. He looked up only to look away not wanting to be bothered. “Dad.” He said, letting go of his mother’s hand. The old man pushed away the slight and placed his hand on Sam’s shoulders.  “Whatever you’re thinking forget it.” He said raising a knowing eyebrow.  “Mercedes loves you. If she didn’t she wouldn’t be here.” Sam blinked, surprised at how the man knew his mind. He exhaled. “You’re right. I just lost my mind for a bit.  But… I don’t deserve her though that’s the honest truth.”  Stephen laughed the booming sound filling the space. “No, you don’t.  But that just means you’ll think twice before you screw anything up.” Sam’s arms began to shake with mirth.  “Damn, you have a point.”       

“Aw, don’t cry” Jackie told Mercedes gently as she grabbed a few tissue for her just in case. The older woman didn’t want her to ruin her makeup after the extensive time it took to complete it in the first place. “I won’t” Mercedes said trying to willed herself not to, she told herself she wouldn’t until after everyone saw her in all her beauty and glory for the first time. “I think I’m okay” Mercedes told her mother softly as she looked to the tissue in the older woman’s hand. “Is everything perfect?” she asked her mother curiously. She turned to the side in the mirror before her examining the dress fully as best she could. Jackie chuckled lightly at the girl “yes you look breathtakingly beautiful baby” she said taking in the dress and her overall appearance with her veil on now. “Good” Mercedes said inhaling and exhaling softly to herself before she said. “I think I’m ready now…” gently and her mother nodded. “Let me go check on things out there and I’ll be right back girls” she said squeezing Mercedes hand gently before she moved to walk away completely. Creeping out of the door, closing it behind her and moving down the hallway as she did. Mercedes stared at herself a few minutes more before she finally moved to walk away from the mirror all together, she felt like if she had continued to stare she’d end up crying for real. Stepping aside she moved towards her written wedding vows again before another thought hit her. “Oh my God!” she breathed loudly cupping her hand close to her mouth but not completely, her makeup still in the back of her mind. “Sam and I are supposed to pray before the ceremony. Someone has to go catch mom and tell her. We have to pray together we just have to” she said explained in a panicked tone and her sister nodded her head at her. “Okay you calm down and I’ll go let mom know. Calm down now, I’ll be right back” the milky white skinned girl said as she moved to walk out the room herself closing the door and rushing down the hall quickly in pursuit of their mother.

Samuel moved back out of his father’s grip. Grudgingly he said, “Thanks. I almost lost it there. How did you ever make it through marrying mom?” He asked, as he squinted trying to remember the story. Sarah stepped up into the growing space between her men, “Oh, getting married is easy when there is a shotgun involved.” She smirked looking back at Stephen. A proud and disturbing look on her face that Sam hadn’t the stomach to decipher. Stephen bent, arm going around his wife’s waist.  “That was the scariest situation; I have ever gotten myself into.” He hummed against the side of his wife’s face. "Whoa, their guys focus.” Sam said, turning his head away, as he rubbed his stomach. “Oh boy.” Both his parent intoned, looking to Sam.  “Don’t forget we raised you.” Stephen said, with a warning challenge. “Alright, alright.” Sam said, waving his father's challenge away. He looked at his watch again, “Fat lot of good any of you are, it’s almost time I guess we should head that way. Umm, where Stephen Jr. Geez.  I’m the groom shouldn’t you guys be looking out for me?” Sarah slapped her son’s arm. “We are taking care of you.” Stephen jogged up. “I’m here ass, and it’s hard to play best man when you go disappearing on everyone. ”What do you mean playing?" Stephen Jr. gave Sam an amused chuckle, ”we all know if Seth could have been here he would have been your best man.  I'm just a convenient stand in”. "Lies." Sam said falling in beside his brother as they began moving up the hall. "You would have been my second round draft pick”. He chuckled.   

Mercedes sister caught up with her mother relaying the message from the bride before she moved back towards the designated room for all the ladies. Jackie licked her lips if it were not one thing it was the other. She moved down the hall in pursuit of Samuel or maybe someone who knew where he was. As she saw the guy and his family in the hall of the building she turned the corner and moved for them. “Hey” she said cheerfully “are we ready, because she is” she told them. “She just has one request that you two pray together before we actually begin and I have no clue how we are going to get this done. But somehow we will make do” the woman smiled brightly at the groom and future husband to her second youngest.

The whole group laughed as they made their way to the hall. The sound of Jackie’s voice caught their attention and the entire Evans clan slowed and gave the woman time to catch up.  Sarah fidgeted, fussing with her dress again for no reason.  The polished, high society woman, made her nervous.  Though she hated to admit it, even to herself. Samuel smiled, a slight feeling of relief  washed over him. “We are ready.” He told the pretty older woman. “We were headed that way to be honest.” Sam rubbed his head, “I forgot about that. Yeah, let’s get to it” he said, a sly smile on his lips. “It’s no biggie. It means I get to see her before she walks down the aisle.” An idea that he liked immensely.  

Jackie looked to Samuel with a wide smirk “yes, we can go this way. However Sam you can’t see her” she said with a smile as she lead the boy her way. She grabbed his arms locking theirs together as she moved with him the click of her heels slow as she told him. “You must know that it’s awfully bad luck to see your wife before the actual ceremony. We found the perfect place for you two to stand and pray together” she breathed out to him. “Besides that” she said making her way back to whence she came “are you ready?” she asked happily looking up at him.

Samuel glanced around, “You guys go ahead. I’ll be there as soon as we pray.” He said as he took a step towards Jackie.  “Your father and I are coming with you.” Sarah chimed in. If this woman was going to be there, then so was she. Sarah thought, and then locked arms with Stephen. Sam nodded to his mother, and glanced down as Jackie took his arm. He sighed “I’ve been told its bad luck”.  He said with a smirk, “But a man can hope…” As they made their way back towards the dressing area, Sam’s smile, turned serious. “I was ready to marry your daughter an hour into our first date” he said nostalgia heavy in his voice.  

Jackie chuckled at Samuel shaking her head “well with that being said” she said with a smirk. She was still very curious about their relationship considering all the things her daughter hadn’t truthfully told him but she could only hope this union lasted even though it was being built on shaky grounds. She licked her lips turning the corner with Samuel, she turned to see his parents and then turned back around letting the boy go. Looked towards the bathroom area and she thought to herself for a moment. “If you stand behind that wall, granted your parents” she said looking back to Sarah and Steven “ don’t let you peek or move. Then I will bring her out and you shouldn’t be able to see her on this other side” she pointed out to him before she turned her back to the three moving a few foot steps down the hall, a little further until she reached the room she knew Mercedes was in and she opened the door moving inside of the room and closing the door behind her.

Samuel gave his soon to be mother-in-law a smile, nodding as she instructed him on where to stand.  As she walked off, he moved into position devising a plan to peek anyway. “Oh, he’ll not be peeking on my watch.” Sarah said, stepping up in front of her son.  Sam face fell, “Hey I’m not five.” Stephen stepped up to his son, shaking his head... “Yeah, but you’ve always had a problem with authority.”  Sam laughed, uncaring at this point. It wasn’t long now… he thought to himself.

Jackie moved back into the room where her daughter resided. “Okay ladies, show time” she said clapping them all into formation. “Samuel is ready and right outside Mercedes. We can say a quick prayer while the ladies line up with the other men. So come on” she told her sternly. They were on a schedule and between both sets of parents everyone had invested more than enough money and time into this wedding being absolutely perfect and absolutely perfect it shall be. Or over Jackie’s dead body. She helped the girl to her feet again and she checked her over. “You look stunning, breathtakingly beautiful” Jackie told the girl as a reminded as the other’s scrambled to leave with their things in hand. “I have your vows” her sister told her as she two moved out the door. “Come on” she told her grabbing her hand and moving to pick up Mercedes bouquet as well. “Ready?” she asked her.

Mercedes nodded to her mother having been thankful for her kind words since she began offering them to her, the moment they all woke. She grabbed Jackie’s hand and she moved with her out of the door. This was it, after today she was no longer Mercedes Jones, instead she was Mercedes Evans. The moment she had been waiting for, for so long. And despite her past, she was more than ready to be Mrs. Mercedes Evans. She held her mother’s hand tightly holding part of her dress up as she walked down the hall to where her mother was leading. As she approached her in-laws she knew where he was standing and it made her chest hurt with worry. She was nervous all over again but she breathed evenly calling herself down. He was right behind the wall her mother was now spinning and pushing her up against. Mercedes inhaled and exhaled. Jackie grabbed her hand placing hers in Samuel’s before Mercedes father rushed around the corner to join. He promised to do two things for her today, walked her down the aisle and prayer over them ahead of time.

Sarah pushed Samuel back around the corner for what seemed like the hundredth time. “Sam! I swear you are impossible.” He had long since given up trying to actually look. He was only pretending, to annoy his mother at this point. “Okay, okay…” Sam said turning away from the wall folding his arms across his chest.  Stephen only lowered his head, chuckling at Sam’s antics.  “Sarah, calm down.  -Sam’s only trying to ruffle your feather.” Stephen said, comforting his suddenly nervous wife.  “Well he shouldn’t be such a... hard head.  Especially with all these, ‘people’ around.” Sarah stressed looking around them, as she offered broken smiles to anyone, passing them.  Sarah smiled inwardly as Mercedes approached with Jackie. She was a beautiful bride, even if she hated to admit it.  “Here they come.” She said in a harsh whisper. Sam turned back to face the wall, the sharp look from his mother told him, if he tried to look again she would kill him herself.  Instead of looking he clasped the wall in front of him, reaching for her soft skin.  “Hey babe, are you okay?” he said, a feeling of relief hitting him once Jackie joined their hands.

Mercedes heard Samuel’s voice and her heart skipped several beats as she held his hand in hers. “Yes baby. Are you?” she asked him lovingly as she stood upright against the wall. Mercedes looked to her mother and then her father as he approached them. The older man was the opposite of her mother, never needed attention, didn’t stand out in a crowd. Being the man he was it was hardly ever easy to disappoint him the children never had to work hard for his love and affection. So naturally a wave of calm came over her at his presence. She took a deep breath again and said “ready when you are daddy” in a cute voice.

Samuel’s head rested against the wall, trying to get as close as he could to his wife to be, who was currently hidden from view by sheetrock and tile. “Oh, I’ll be perfect in 20 minutes.” He smiled, “I bet you look gorgeous.” He heard Mercedes father more than saw the man; he closed his eyes wanting this part to be over so they could be married already. Stephen placed one hand on Sam’s shoulder, then linked hands with Sarah in preparation for the prayer.  

Mercedes father said a quick prayer something to hold the kids over and cover them, hopefully to put them at ease and prepare them for the next step. As he finished Mercedes said “amen” lifting her head once again. She smiled brightly; she was a lot calmer and ready to walk down that aisle now. “Okay” she said in a giddy voice. “Meet you there” she told Samuel squeezing his hand hard before she let it go. Knowingly she waited right where she was as her future husband was escorted to his destination and she looked to her parents happily, she found the man of her dreams and she was about to marry him before their family and peers. She couldn’t believe it, her, the foster care child hanging on to a thread of sanity and wishing to have nothing but a prosperous life, was marrying Prince Charming. Made her heart swell as she thought about it even now.

Samuel squeezed Mercedes’ hand back returning the assurance she was trying to give him. He moved forward as his parents bustled him off, on legs seemingly leaden as he pushed them forward step by step.  Outwardly he didn’t appear to be going any slower.  But then again maybe his brain was lying to him.  At the hall doors, Sarah stepped into Sam’s view, straightening his tie. On tiptoes his mother went up kissing him on the cheek. He nodded, and smiled and shook his father’s hand, which turned into a bear hung from the older gentlemen. “Son, take care of her.  She’s a special lady.” The older man let Sam go and prepared to enter the hall. Taking Sarah hand once more he moves purposefully down the hall. Stephen looked to Sarah and whispered, "you're hands are shaking”. He squeezed her hand trying to calm her down.  Finally it was Sam’s turn to walk up the aisle.  He took a deep breath and squared his shoulders, he had ran hundreds of miles on the football field and yet this was the longest walk he had ever taken.  He nodded to his brother and the minister.  Before taking his place, on the dais turning to watch for his bride. 

Mercedes stood there waiting before her mother helped her down the hallway. Holding up the train of her dress as she did. She walked alongside her dad and she looked to the bridesmaids and groomsmen as they marched in one set at a time. She smiled at everyone they looked so beautiful, it was perfect. She could faintly hear the music and she hummed lightly as she fixed her veil a bit allowing it to fall to the ground behind her. She tapped her foot lightly as she watched each sibling move towards the front of the venue and she inhaled and exhaled slowly. Her nervousness was subsiding and now if anything she was just ready to get it over with. To finally be Mrs. Evans, to rush off to their honeymoon. As the last set of people, her mother and usher, walked down the aisle she grabbed her father’s hand and the moved towards the now closed double doors. She locked her arms with him happily looking up at him and she leaned into his warm peck of the forehead. “Ready sweet pea?” he asked her and she nodded her head.  “Yes” she said happily as the doors open. Someone began to sing, and she looked towards them shocked through the long veil. It was Maxwell, singing ‘One in a Million’ and her heart skipped a beat. She had no clue this was going to happen, it was a surprise from Samuel nonetheless and she smiled brightly looking back towards the center of the stage seeing him. Now her heart raced a mile a minute, thumping against her chest as she held her father tightly with one arm and gripped her bouquet in the other avoiding the many faces standing up and watching her in ‘aw’.

The wedding march and the processional started. Finally, Samuel breathed as he bit his lip in anticipation. Even from the platform, he found himself stretching, going on tiptoe, eyes fixed on the open doors at the back of the hall. He held his breath as the music changed. Quickly he glanced to where Stacy was in the line of attendants giving him a covert thumbs up. And then almost out of nowhere there Mercedes was. The wash of mock snowflakes, and dancing white lights, surrounded his betroth. As beautiful as they had made the hall, all of it, paled and fell away in her wake.  Her skin seemed to have its own glow as she approached him. He never even noticed the tears that leaked from his eyes.

Her eyes had met his twice and each time she willed herself not to cry, to suck it up and hold it in. Not yet, she didn’t want to cry yet. Not before he got the chance to remove her veil and see her fully. Mercedes dropped her head slightly, she was getting closer and closer and in turn her heart was beating faster and faster. She lifted her head again as he father and she both made it to the edge of the stage. He gave her away, giving his blessing as he had many times before. She smiled at him as he let her go grabbing her hand and holding it out for Samuel, his new son to grab. He was crying and reluctantly she couldn’t help it. She sniffled as she stepped onto the stage, drawing Maxwell’s song to a close. She looked to him, standing across from his tall stature and she swallowed hard waiting for him to lift the veil.

There was something foreign on Samuel's face, as Mercedes drew closer he turned away from the audience and wiped the corners of his eyes. It was useless; they were replaced by new ones as soon as he turned back. He mouthed; "You look gorgeous" as soon as she was close enough to be seen through the veil. His face beam with so much pride, his smile was almost painful. He reached out taking her hand, helping her onto the dais. He licked his lips, as he stared at her for a moment. "Love you." He whispered, as his surprisingly, still hands lifted her veil, "You're gorgeous" came to his lips seconds before he kissed her, smoothing the sheer fabric over her head.

At Samuel’s words Mercedes blushed deeply, she dipped her head a bit before she looked up smiling at him. As he removed her veil, flipping it back she looked into his watery green eyes with her own watery brown ones and she beamed with happiness as he leaned in to kiss her. She giggled lightly as the pastor cleared his throat at she looked up and she blushed again. Gazing at Samuel one last time she looked to the pastor giving him her attention now.

The Minister looked to Samuel and Mercedes and then to the crowd before he spoke. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the presence of family and friends to join together this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony, which is commended of St. Paul to be an honorable estate, instituted of God and therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or carelessly, but reverently, joyfully and in the love of God. Into this holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined.” The man looks to Mercedes family and says "Who gives this bride to this Groom in marriage?" and Mercedes mother and Father says “I do” in unison. “Jesus Christ Reminds us, that at the beginning the Creator made us male and female, and said, For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. God loved us, and created us to love others. Our lives find completion only as we love and are loved in return. Together, we can become what we could never be separately. Marriage is of God” the Ministers says looking to them both as he continued. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails. Samuel and Mercedes come today desiring to be united in this sacred relationship” he breathed before he began to pray. “Let us all pray” he said bowing his head and closing his eyes. “O' Almighty God you have created us all in the image of Love, the image of yourself. Bless now these two who stand before you. Guide them in your wisdom, shine your light upon them, that as they journey through this life together they will walk as bearers of your Truth. Amen” he concluded.

Mercedes listened and watch the Minister taking key of what he was saying; she held Samuel’s hand, her flowers in the other all while the minister kept her attention as he continued to speak. She nibbled her lips slightly as she continued to listen to the older man before he asked for them all to pray. She shifted her weight, as she bowed her head and closed her eyes. As the man finished she said “amen” as well as she lifted her head up again this time looking to Samuel knowingly

“Samuel!” Sarah scolded sharp and crisp in time with the pastor clearing his throat.  Samuel pulled away from Mercedes, winking cheekily as he collected the vestiges of her sweetness from his lips.  He held her delicate hands in his, and bowed his head at the pastor’s request. Only throughout the prayer he kept stealing small glances at Mercedes. It wasn’t his fault he surmised, the man was taking too long.  “Amen” he intoned with his soon to be wife, opening his eye.  He looked down at Mercedes wearing his most innocent face. Smirking, he mouthed, “prayer number two.” At this rate one thing was sure; they should have a very blessed union. He thought, confidently.

The Minister looked between the two and said “please join hands.” He waited for them to do so before he says “The bride and groom have chosen to say their own vows” he announced.

Mercedes turned slightly handing her bouquet over and she turned back to Samuel. She joined hands with the man before she looked to the minister again.

The Minister looked to Samuel to start out his vows, with a sheepish smile.

Samuel gave the minister a sideways glance, and cleared his throat dramatically. “It’s that time already…” He asked finally nervous about his lack of vows. “Okay,” He said staring into her big brown eyes.