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xserenemeadowsx · 1 year

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Unconditional Love (Chapter 2)

By xSereneMeadowsx

Link for Chapter 1: https://www.tumblr.com/xserenemeadowsx/718627139001483264/unconditional-love-chapter-1-by-xserenemeadowsx?source=share

A/N: Thank you everyone for the likes of my previous chapter. I really appreciate it! :) The next chapter will have a certain encounter in it *wink wink.* Don’t want to be giving it away now. Enjoy! :)

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Chapter 2

“Luigi and I had just started our plumbing company a couple of months ago,” Mario began his and Luigi’s story. Y/N gave Mario her full attention.

Mario continued, “It was a tough start because we previously worked at another company owned by Spike.”

“He’s uh…not the nicest person,” Luigi filled in.

Y/N nodded, “That’s too bad.”

“Yeah. He didn’t treat us well when we left him,” Mario explained, “he said that we were a joke and that we couldn’t make it basically. It’s frustrating when people doubt your ability to do anything.”

“That is disappointing when people don’t give you enough hope,” Y/N said expressing sadness.

“Our mom on the other hand was proud of us,” Luigi said with a grin.

Y/N smiled, “That’s good! At least she was happy for you two.”

“Yep!” Mario exclaimed, “Anyway, to continue, we got to see our commercial broadcast and not too long after seeing it, we got a call from a client. Turns out it was the same client whose house we went to earlier this evening.”

“Oh wow! You were able to go to a fancy house for your first job. That’s awesome!” Y/N said with glee.

“Yeah, we definitely hit the big times!” Luigi chimed in.

“So,” Mario started again, “we get inside the house and fix up a busted sink. However, we had some trouble thanks to their dog Francis.”

“Francis was very sensitive,” Luigi said. “I stepped on his bone by accident and then he caused us to have a whole ruckus in the bathroom where we were fixing up the sink.”

Y/N expressed worry, “Oh my…how awful.”

“Yeah, not fun, but we managed to pull through,” Mario said. “After that fiasco, we went to have dinner with the family and then our dad had to go and say something to bring me down.”

“He said Mario was bringing me down with him,” Luigi said sadly. “Of course, I tried cheering him up letting him know that he wasn’t bringing me down at all. I was happy to help him out with plumbing.”

“Aw! You two have such a wonderful brotherly bond,” Y/N commented. “That is awful what your dad said though.”

“We’ve always been there for each other,” Mario smiled to Luigi and turned back to Y/N. “Don’t worry, Dad eventually came around. Next thing that happened after that was there was a huge leak happening in downtown Brooklyn. I happened to be watching the news when seeing that story. I told Luigi this would be our chance to prove ourselves.

“We headed out towards downtown and there was water everywhere! The biggest flood we have ever seen. We saw the other workers trying to stop more water from coming out of the sewage system, but they weren’t getting to the source of it,” Mario said.

“We had to go into the sewage system,” Luigi shivered in disgust. “That was horrifying.”

“It was the only option we had,” Mario continued. “We went down, and we found the source of the problem.”

Mario and Luigi continued with their story talking about a green pipe leading them to another world. From there, they went into detail about meeting a princess, a turtle named Bowser, and mushroom people. They also talked about meeting a gorilla named Donkey Kong and making go-karts. Y/N took everything in and almost couldn’t believe what she was hearing. It almost sounded like a fictional story. Soon, Mario and Luigi concluded their story saying they were able to defeat Bowser with a power up called the SuperStar.

“Wow…that really happened?” Y/N asked a bit bewildered.

“Yeah, we became heroes,” Mario said happily.

“We even have the newspaper clipping talking about our heroic deeds,” Luigi said excitedly. “We could show it to you!”

“Sure, that would be cool to see,” Y/N said.

Luigi pulled out his phone and searched for a screenshot of the story mentioning him and Mario. When the picture was found, Luigi held his phone up to Y/N for her to see. The picture was black and white showing Mario, Luigi, a girl, a gorilla, and a mushroom man all which Y/N assumed to be the ones the brothers mentioned. Upon looking closely at the picture, she could see a jar with a creature in it.

“The jar in this picture, does that have…Bowser did you say was his name?” Y/N asked inspecting the jar.

“Oh yeah,” Mario said. “Peach had fed him a blue mushroom which shrunk him down in size. He’s a very tall turtle. Apparently, the turtles where Peach is from are called Koopas.”

“Huh…interesting,” Y/N commented. “So, he, Bowser, is just stuck being that size?”

“Yep,” Luigi answered. “Although, there is a catch to that.”

“What do you mean?” Y/N questioned.

“When someone uses a power up and they get hit by something or someone, they lose the power up,” Mario explained. “I learned that the hard way when training with Peach.”

“Oof, sounds brutal,” Y/N said cringing. “I can’t imagine being hit only to lose your power up especially if it’s a great power up.”

“Yeah, it’s not fun at all,” Mario said.

“You know, it is crazy to think that there are other worlds out there,” Y/N said. “Like, I’m someone who enjoys reading fiction and everything you described sounds too good to be true. The picture from the newspaper is proof that there are indeed other places.”

“It does sound very far-fetched,” Luigi agreed, understanding where Y/N was coming from. “It’s all true though.”

“It sounds like it would be a fun adventure book for children to read,” Y/N said. “Maybe you should write a story about your adventures.”

“Eh well, I don’t know about that,” Mario said. “We’re not really the writing type. Maybe you could write it for us. Of course, you would have to join us on the adventure to get in another perspective besides ours.”

“Hmm…I don’t know…” Y/N became a bit flustered. “I like writing, but I haven’t really attempted to write anything other than songs.”

“Oh! You like writing songs?” Luigi showed interest.

“Yeah, I do,” Y/N smiled. “I’m not a professional, but I’ve dabbled a bit in it here and there whenever I have a moment to spare.”

“You should show us sometime when you have a song written out,” Mario said.

“If I can get one out,” Y/N said a bit doubtful. “I really enjoy singing and have been doing it for as long as I can remember but writing my own songs…it can be a bit tricky. I don’t really have knowledge of playing instruments. I only learned piano and guitar for a short time and got overwhelmed because I was trying to practice those along with singing.

“Pretty sad I know,” Y/N said with her eyes downcast.

Luigi put his hand on Y/N’s shoulder, “Don’t feel bad about that. Being able to sing is great I bet!”

“Yeah,” Mario said, “Don’t let that get you down just because you can’t play instruments. You could still write a song. If you know anyone that would work with you and can play an instrument or two, you could end up bringing your song to life.”

Y/N smiled, comforted by the brothers and their encouragement, “Thank you. Aside from the people I know here who play instruments, I don’t know anyone. Honestly, I’m still getting to know the musicians here. They’re all nice, but I know they’re all very busy with their lives and I don’t think they would have much time for me.”

“Don’t know until you ask,” Mario said.

“That is true,” Y/N said getting the message from Mario. “Well…I can work on writing a song and bring it to one of the musicians here. Hopefully they wouldn’t mind working on it with me.”

“I don’t think they would mind,” Luigi said. “You seem like a nice person and I’m sure the people here would agree on that.”

“I know I would!” a cheery voice joined in.

Luigi and Mario turned to the source of the voice to see a girl with dark hair walk up to them. It was Maria.

“Y/N has been very sweet,” Maria said.

Y/N smiled, a bit flustered, “Thank you Maria. I appreciate that.”

“I’m only speaking truth,” Maria smiled. “I hate to say this, but we need to ask you two to leave now. Our restaurants technically closed now.”

“Already?” Y/N asked. “That last hour went by so fast.”

“Time does fly when you’re having fun,” Maria said.

“Very true,” Y/N agreed. She got up from her seat and the brothers followed suit. She turned to look at the brothers. “It was so nice meeting you two.”

“Likewise,” Mario and Luigi said at the same time.

“I hope we can meet again soon,” Y/N said with hope in her eyes.

“Me too,” Mario said, and Luigi nodded in agreement.

“I’ll walk you two out.” Y/N headed toward the door and opened it for Mario and Luigi. “Take care out there and be careful.”

Mario and Luigi exchanged smiles with Y/N and told her the same thing.

Y/N smiled and closed the door locking it. She then walked over to Maria to see what else needed to be tidied up before leaving for the night. The cleaning took a great deal of time, but with Maria helping and the kitchen staff helping, it felt like it was easy to get it done. After cleaning up, Y/N went to the locker room to pick up her bags and head out.

Maria, the kitchen staff, and Y/N all exited the restaurant through the employee entrance/exit area. They all waved their goodbyes to each other and went their separate ways. Y/N was extremely tired. Remembering what Maria said earlier about getting into her pjs and snuggling under the covers, she too was looking forward to that now more than ever.

Getting into her car, Y/N sat down in the driver’s seat and set her bags down in the passenger seat. She sighed tiredly. However, as she started her car for the drive home, she couldn’t stop thinking about everything that Mario and Luigi had talked with her about. How could such things exist? How could such events happen? She still had a hard time wrapping her mind around the idea, but it was so fascinating. It made her wish she could go into the world they mentioned.

However, they didn’t exactly tell her where this green pipe was that they found. She only knew it to be somewhere in the sewers and she had never seen a green pipe elsewhere in the city. She decided maybe it would be best not to think about that so much for now and just focus on getting home and getting some sleep. Maybe a small bite to eat too. She didn’t exactly get to eat her free meal she got for every shift she worked.

With her apartment building in sight, she happened to notice a yellow van. Upon closer inspection, she read the words, “Mario” and “Plumbing.” Wait a second…

“Mario and Luigi live in my apartment building? What a coincidence.” Y/N was surprised to learn that. It made her happy though that at least there were two people she knew in the building now. She just didn’t know what floor of course, but that was alright. She was sure she could learn that later.

Parking her car and getting out of it, Y/N grabbed her bags. She made her way to the building’s entrance, toward the elevator and began the ascent to her floor. After hitting the Floor 5 button, Y/N leaned against the walls of the elevator as it took her up. The weariness was getting to her fast. As soon as the elevator reached her floor and the doors opened, she stepped out and went to her apartment.

Fumbling for her keys, she unlocked the door, stepped inside, and dropped her bags right there. She sighed and began her nightly routine. After getting changed and grabbing a small bite to eat, she was finally ready for bed. She went to her bed, moved the sheets, and snuggled into it. As her head hit the pillow and her eyes closed, sleep took over quickly for her.

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“We’ve made it home at last Sire!” Kamek said cheerfully.

“Finally! About time!” Bowser said.

What greeted the two was a castle made of stone with lava flowing on either side of it. The entrance had a head shaped like Bowser’s and it would open and close only on the king’s command. Kamek, still holding onto Bowser, slowed down his broom and landed on a balcony that was off to the far right of the castle with ease. He got off the broom and carried Bowser with him to get inside his room.

Kamek made his way out of the room and to his workshop. It was just down the hall from his room. The door of the workshop opened and Kamek set Bowser down on the floor. Kamek grabbed one of his spell books and flipped through a few pages.

“Ah, here’s that spell,” Kamek said as read over the contents. “Prizes and rises, bring this creature back to normal size.” He waved his wand and the red gem on top of it glowed. It shot out a red light around Bowser.

Bowser slowly got lifted into the air. His arms began to change shape along with his claws. His legs and feet did the same. Soon the rest of his body changed shape. When Bowser was set back down to the floor, he immediately could tell he was back to his normal size again since he towered over his wizard.

“I’m finally back,” Bowser smirked. “I’ll be better than ever this time around!”

“It’s good to have you back Sire,” Kamek said happily.

“It’s good to be back.” Bowser walked out of the workshop. “I’ll inform you of my plans first thing in the morning.”

“Yes, Sire,” Kamek replied. “Sleep well.”

Bowser began the walk to his room. He smiled, relieved to be home and normal size. He wanted to do something a little different to try and woo the princess’s heart. He had sung his heart out on the piano about her, but he thought if he worked on the song some more, it could win her over. Afterall, he could play and sing which were nice talents to have. He wanted to serenade her with the most heartfelt song. It may take some time to work on, but he figured he could do it.

He finally reached his room and a king-sized bed along with his fireplace and balcony greeted him. Bowser crashed onto his bed with a long and relieved sigh. It felt good to be back in his home and in his bed. No more sleeping on the uncomfortable cage floor. Finally, something soft for his tired body and fluffy pillow for his head. He closed his eyes and hoped that he would dream of his precious Peaches.

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The dawn greeted the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom by spreading its light through every window of every home. Princess Peach woke up to the sunlight hitting her face. Thankfully, she was able to get some sleep after that horrendous dream. She got up out of her plush pink bed and stretched her limbs. Changing out of her nightgown, she changed into her usual pink dress and walked out of her room.

“Good morning, Princess,” a couple of mushroom guards greeted her.

“Good morning,” she smiled back at them.

Peach made her way down the corridor and into the dining room. The fresh scent of oatmeal hit her nose. She was delighted to be greeted with such an aroma. Fresh fruit also awaited her. She took her seat. ‘Where is Toad?’ were her thoughts. She had invited him to join her for breakfast this morning.

“Morning Princess!” An excited voice called out.

Peach turned to the source of the voice. “Toad! Good morning! You made it just on time!”

Toad had become a very good friend of Peach. He was always willing to help and be there for her as much as possible. Toad in return enjoyed his friendship the with princess. He admired her for how brave she was and how kind she was to everyone in the kingdom.

“Mmm…the food smells so good!” Toad said excitedly.

Peach laughed. “Go on and dig in.”

“Ladies first,” Toad replied.

She chuckled, “Alright.” She took a bite of the oatmeal with a smile on her face. “The chefs always do such a great job.”

“Yes, they do,” he agreed.

“I wanted to tell you,” Peach started. “I would like to invite Mario and Luigi here for a visit. We haven’t seen them in a while, and I think it would be nice to have some quality time together.”

“That sounds great!” Toad grinned. “By the way, this oatmeal is…” He put his hand to his mouth imitating a chef’s kiss.

“I know we have been to their place once and they showed us where they lived, but would you like to accompany me?” Peach asked.

“Of course, I would!” Toad exclaimed.

“Great, we’ll finish up our breakfast and head into their place,” Peach smiled.

“Sounds good!” Toad said as he took another bite of his oatmeal.

The princess and Toad finished their breakfast and soon began the long trek from the castle to the green warp pipe that would bring them to Mario and Luigi’s world. The walk was nice and the two chatted about various topics. Reaching the green warp pipe, the two stacked up some mushrooms to bounce from and into the pipe.

They were then welcomed by all kinds of colors and other green pipes that lead to various places. It was always neat to Peach to see all the colors swirling around as she traveled. Toad too was impressed by the various colors. Nearing the end of the pipe, they both landed in the sewers that Mario and Luigi had shown them before. Peach dusted off her dress and helped Toad stand up. He had gotten knocked over.

“Thanks,” Toad said.

Peach nodded and looked for the ladders they had used last time. “There they are!” She pointed them out.

The two began to climb up the ladders. It took some time, but they finally reached the sewar cover. They both worked together to push the cover off. They climbed out and both breathed in the fresh air.

“Those sewers sure are nasty smelling,” Toad commented.

“Yeah, not pleasant,” Peach agreed. “Now…I believe it’s this way that we go to reach their home.” Peach pointed in a northward direction.

“I think so,” Toad said. “Let’s try it.”

The princess and Toad continued onward while getting a few glances here and there from people. Some of them waved and some of them looked bewildered but didn’t say anything. After a while, they finally reached the building and spotted the yellow van they had been shown before too.

“This place sure is big,” Toad said. “I think it might be fun to really explore this area sometime.”

“We should. Get to know their place and all,” Peach agreed.

The two entered the apartment building and went toward the elevator. The doors were already open, and they stepped inside. Peach looked at the buttons in front of her. “Hmm…I think it was number 5?”

“I think so too. I don’t remember going too far up into the building,” Toad said.

“Let’s go with it then,” Peach said as she pushed the number 5 button.

The elevator whirred and took them up to the fifth floor. When the doors opened, they stepped out and looked in the hallway of the various doors lined up on either side of them.

“Now there’s one problem…which one belongs to them?” Peach asked.

Toad sighed. “Oh boy, this could take some time. There’s a lot of doors.”

“Want to split up the doors?” Peach asked.

“Sure. That would be a good idea,” Toad agreed.

“I’ll take right and you take left,” Peach planned out.

“Got it,” Toad understood.

The two began to knock on the doors one by one. They were greeted by confused, scared, or angry people for being disturbed. It was terrifying for them to be yelled at so loudly. Finally, there were two doors left.

“One of these has got to be it,” Peach said as she knocked on her door and Toad followed suit knocking on his door.

Y/N had been sleeping when suddenly knocking came to her door. She got up and stretched her limbs. She had been having a pleasant dream about eating giant chocolates and wished to go back to it. Another time perhaps.

“Coming!” She croaked out. She went to her closet and reached for her silk robe. Wrapping it around her waist, she walked toward her door. When she opened it, she was not expecting to be greeted by a girl dressed in a pink dress.

“Uh…can I help you?” Y/N asked surprised.

“Oh, I’m sorry, this isn’t the right apartment,” the girl responded.

“It’s okay-“Before Y/N could finish, the door across from her place opened and two very familiar faces greeted her.

“Found them!” a mushroom man said excitedly.

Y/N looked at all of them. “Uh…good morning, Mario and Luigi.” She then looked at all of them again. Wasn’t this girl and the mushroom man the same ones the brothers talked about last night?

“Morning Y/N,” Mario replied. “Didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”

“Me neither,” Y/N replied. She looked at the girl and mushroom. “Aren’t you two…”

Luigi chimed in, “This is Toad and that is Princess Peach.”

“Ah! It is you two!” Y/N exclaimed.

“How about we all get out of the hallway, and we can talk more inside,” Mario suggested.

“That would be a good idea,” Y/N agreed. “Uh…is it alright for me to come into your place or do you all want to come into mine?”

“We can all fit in our place,” Mario replied.

Y/N, Toad, and Peach all went inside Mario and Luigi’s place. Y/N felt a bit awkward considering she was still in her pjs. Then again, Mario and Luigi weren’t exactly dressed up for visitors either. Both were wearing red and green pjs.

“This was an unexpected surprise,” Mario said.

“Yeah, what a wakeup call,” Luigi said.

“Well, we thought it would be fun to surprise you two,” Peach said.

“Oh, by the way, this is Y/N. Y/N, this is Peach and Toad,” Mario said introducing the three of them.

“Y/N, it is nice to meet you,” Peach said politely.

“It’s nice to meet you as well,” Y/N returned.

“Y/N huh? Pleased to meet ’cha!” Toad exclaimed.

Y/N giggled, “Nice to meet you too.”

“Now that we know who you are,” Peach began, “how is it you know Mario and Luigi?”

Y/N looked at Peach, “Well, we just met last night at the bar I work at. They were telling me all about their adventures and about you two. It was all very fascinating.”

“I see,” Peach said. “What exactly is a bar? Can you tell me that?

“Oh! Sure, I guess those aren’t in your world, are they?” Y/N asked.

“Not really…” Peach answered awkwardly.

“Well, a bar is where they serve alcoholic drinks. They do limit the number of drinks one can have, especially if someone is getting very high. That’s where the bouncer comes in and gets that person out of the bar. Thus far, I haven’t encountered that,” Y/N explained.

“Hmm…how many drinks are there?” Toad asked.

“I’m not sure…I’m still memorizing some of the menu to be honest. I’ve only been there for a week,” Y/N replied.

Y/N continued explaining more about what she did at the Heart and Soul Karaoke Bar. Peach and Toad were quite intrigued to say the least. They asked more questions while Mario and Luigi got a few good laughs out of Peach and Toad’s reactions to some of Y/N’s answers.

“Well, I have to say that your world is very interesting,” Peach said. “We definitely need to explore more parts of it.”

“Yep!” Toad agreed. “It’s cool that you can sing too Y/N.”

Y/N blushed, “Thank you.”

“I did want to ask if you two would like to come back to our place,” Peach started. “However, since there’s another person here who knows about us and everything, how about we invite her along?”

Y/N was surprised, “W-Wait a minute. We barely know each other at all, and you want me to come with all of you to your world?”

“Well why not? After all, you said you found their world interesting,” Mario said.

“Yeah, that’s true,” Y/N said.

“I don’t mind showing you around the place. I think you would like it,” Peach replied.

Y/N knew this would give her a chance at an adventure. Mario and Luigi already gave her so much detail and getting to know them along with Peach and Toad wouldn’t be so bad. Making new friends would be very nice. “Okay, I’ll come along if you really don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” Peach smiled.

“Thank you,” Y/N expressed gratefully. “Um…before we go…I really would like to change clothes. I don’t exactly want to go there in my pjs as comfortable as they are.” She chuckled.

Everyone laughed with Y/N and then Peach said, “Understandable. Toad and I will wait out in the hallway for all of you.”

“Thanks,” Y/N, Mario, and Luigi replied.

Y/N walked out of the brother’s apartment and back into hers. She quickly put together an outfit not wanting to keep everyone waiting on her for too long. She grabbed a pair of jeans and a short sleeved (favorite color) t-shirt with flower patterns all over it. She also decided to wear some (favorite color) converse shoes. She made quick work in brushing her teeth and putting her hair up into a ponytail. Satisfied with her appearance, she walked out of the apartment where everyone was waiting for her.

“Let’s go!” Y/N said with excitement. ‘I can’t believe I get to do this with them! Good thing I don’t have work today either.’ She smiled to herself, looking forward to what awaited her.

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Bowser had just finished his breakfast when he asked Kamek to meet with him in the meeting room. He was sitting in a chair and began tapping the table in front of him with one clawed hand. The other hand rested under his chin with his arm propped up. He sighed. He wasn’t very patient when it came to matters of the heart. What was taking Kamek so long? He wanted to get going on this soon!

Kamek opened the doors to the meeting room, “Sorry for keeping you waiting Sire.”

Bowser grumbled, “Now that you’re finally here, I want to discuss my next plan of action for wooing Peaches.”

“I’m all ears,” Kamek replied giving his King his full attention.

“Here’s what I want to do,” Bowser began. “I want to serenade Peaches with my song.”

“Brilliant!” Kamek exclaimed.

“My song still needs more lyrics to it,” Bowser continued. “I would like for you to find a musician or singer and bring them to me. If I have someone else with me, I think the lyrics will come along smoothly and quickly.”

“That is a wonderful idea Sire! The princess is sure to love it!” Kamek was very optimistic about this plan.

“If the princess is not satisfied with my song, I’ll just lock her up in my prison until she learns to like my song and love me,” Bowser said.

“I’m sure I can find someone for you my King,” Kamek said. “I’ll scour throughout all of the kingdoms for you.”

“Good,” Bowser smirked. “This will be just perfect for my Peaches and then she has to fall in love with me when she hears everything my heart desires of her.” He laughed, very happy with his plan.

Link for Chapter 3: https://www.tumblr.com/xserenemeadowsx/718885242606370816/unconditional-love-chapter-3?source=share

#bowser #bowser x reader #the super mario bros movie 2023 #mario #luigi #princess peach #toad #romance #adventure #fanfic

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laurenwritesfics · 3 years

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Here it is folks, chapter 5! Again, sorry for the wait but I hope it will have been worth it!

Read the previous chapter HERE / read the full series on AO3

Warning(s): Angst (sorry...again)

CHAPTER FIVE: ADJUSTMENTS

Things had started to feel calmer now. Time had begun to slow down, and Frank was grateful for the chance to breathe again. One Saturday, he returned from the boat yard to change his oil-stained shirt and caught sight of Mary’s journal on the kitchen table – Evelyn had forced her into therapy back in Boston, and though she had hated it, journaling was the one thing she kept on doing – it had been left open on a page filled with tally marks. At the top of the page, she had written ‘number of days without Fred’. Frank pressed his palms against the table and dipped his head. Perhaps Mary would always struggle emotionally in one way or another. He was beginning to feel like a failure. Was his best really good enough? It was impossible to tell.

Sunday was just as quiet. They ate together in silence. Roberta didn’t visit. Their new normal was frustratingly abnormal.

“School tomorrow.” Frank cast a glance at Mary. “Homework done? Books ready?” He knew he didn’t need to ask, but he couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

Mary’s fork danced around her plate. “Obviously.” She huffed.

“Sorry, I was just asking.”

No reply.

Mary scrunched her nose and continued to pick at her plate, retreating back into her bubble.

“Listen,” Frank reached over and put a hand on her cold arm “I know things are hard right now. But if you talk about it, sometimes it makes things easier.”

“You sound like Evelyn.”

Frank’s shoulders dropped. “You don’t have to finish dinner, okay? You’re cold. I’m gonna go get you a sweater or something.”

“I’m fine.”

He ignored her and left the table. Mary pushed him away every time he tried to slip her arms into one of her hoodies. He fought back, not realizing how roughly he was holding her until she winced and slipped off the chair. He immediately swept her into his arms.

“I’m sorry.” He rocked her slightly. “You need to stop being so fucking stubborn, Mary.” His voice cracked a little. Her tiny hands squeezed him as hard as they could and she rested her head on his shoulder. When Mary started to cry, so did Frank. He pulled back, brushed a strand of hair from her face and laid his hands on her shoulders. “I’m trying my best here. You’ve gotta give me something, kiddo.”

Mary nodded, paused and then ruffled Frank’s hair. He returned the gesture and tucked her under his arm, carrying her across the kitchen and into the living room. She was laughing now. They both were. Mary dangled in his grip, arms limp, then tumbled down, grabbing his hands and stepping on his feet.

“Can we watch TV?” She looked up at him, the dewy sheen of tears beginning to fade from her eyes.

“Sure. But only for a little while. You’ve gotta get up early for school.”

Mary threw her head back and groaned. “Why can’t I just skip class tomorrow? Everybody hates me anyway.”

Frank tugged on her wrists. “Hey, nobody hates you, okay? They’re just jealous of how smart and awesome you are.”

“You have to say that, you’re my Uncle.”

“I’m also an adult, which believe it or not, means I actually know more than you do. About people, at least.”

“Yeah, you are kinda dumb…” She nodded.

“That’s it,” Frank picked her up “you just lost your extra hour of TV.”

In spite of his attempt at sternness, he let her fall asleep on the couch.

Monday came, and Frank finally finished his work on the Celestia. One brief phone call later, he had been invited to join the owner for a trip out on the lake. Frank would usually have been cautious about this – especially with wealthy customers - but he accepted the offer simply because it would give him a chance to clear his head. It was better than sneaking onto someone else’s boat with a six-pack of Heineken at two in the morning, at least. As he wiped his hands on a worn rag, he reclined against the workbench in the corner of the garage. A soft ache spread through his chest. Deep into his biceps. Exhaustion snuck up on him without warning. The chaos of the past few months was finally catching up with him.

He waited so long for Mary to come home from school that he started to think maybe she’d gone on another adventure. His worries subsided when she arrived, shoulders pushed forward under the weight of her satchel. As she threw it down and began to unpack a stack of books, Frank realized exactly what had happened.

“Did you walk all the way from Jackson?”

“Yeah.” Mary squinted as she fumbled around for another book. “Lucy’s really nice. She let me take out a bunch of stuff.”

“She did, huh? Am I gonna be serving you dinner in your room tonight?” He half-joked.

Mary had already stopped listening. Frank shook his head and turned back to the stove to finish cooking. This time, eating in silence didn’t feel awkward – Mary brought a book to the table, fork occasionally missing her mouth as she sat absorbed in whatever it was she was reading. Frank pictured her walking down Jackson with her nose in another book and couldn’t help letting out a soft huff of amusement. She was almost happy. And at least for now, almost was enough.

When he checked on Mary, he peered into a room lit only by a small torch light. She was back in her reading tent. Even though the door squeaked slightly, she didn’t stir. Back in his own bedroom, Frank reached into his nightstand for his phone. Lucy would wake the next morning to a short, thankful text message.

Frank and Mary, however, woke to a prolonged, impatient buzzing. The doorbell.

He was tempted to rub his eyes again when he saw the woman standing on the porch.

Evelyn.

Frank was immediately skeptical, but he opened the door to her anyway.

“Well,” she popped a hip and adjusted her sunglasses “are you going to ask me to come in or shall I just stand here on the porch?”

“Mary’s heading to school in a couple minutes.” His jaw tightened a little as he watched her fingers flex against the handle of her travel case. This wasn’t an impromptu visit.

“I’ll say hello quickly, then.” She barged past him, the wheels of her case narrowly missing his toes.

Mary had a piece of toast hanging out of her mouth and a book clutched to her chest. She covered her mouth as she hurriedly chewed and then walked around the kitchen island to meet Evelyn.

“Hello, darling.” Evelyn planted a kiss on the crown of Mary’s head, leaving a glossy pink mark in her hair. “Off to school?”

“Yep.” Mary replied, popping the ‘p’ curtly. “Are you staying with us?”

“Maybe. That depends on your uncle.” She inclined her head towards Frank in a way that she thought was comical, but it just made Mary cringe.

“Why?” She knelt down to shove the book she was holding into her satchel.

“That’s enough, short-stuff.” Frank intervened, steering her away from Evelyn. “Let’s go.”

“Have a good day, darling!” Evelyn called out, pivoting her suitcase so that it would fit flush against the wall.

When Frank returned, he slammed the front door and crossed his arms as he glared down at Evelyn.

“Alright, what’s this about? What little scheme have you come up with now?”

Evelyn smoothed her sundress and shifted uncomfortably on the couch. “You’re so hostile.” She tutted.

“Can you blame me?” He strode over to her and perched on the arm of the couch.

“Not at all.” She clasped her hands in her lap and twisted herself to face him. “I wanted –“she stuttered, blinking “-needed to see my son and granddaughter.”

In that moment, Frank saw himself. The same sunken hopelessness. He noticed raw pink lines beneath her eyes. For the first time in a long time, Evelyn seemed human.

“This is about Diane isn’t it.”

“Yes. I couldn’t face another anniversary alone, Frank.”

“You called me Frank.” He mused. “Where’s the real Evelyn?”

She managed the smallest of smiles and reached out rub his arm. “I lost her a long time ago.” She was holding his hand now, squeezing lightly. “I won’t stay too long. I’m sure you must be busy.”

Frank placed his other hand over hers. “Stay as long as you want.”

“You don’t really mean that.” Her icy tone returned.

“I mean it.” He insisted. “It’ll be good for Mary.”

“How is she?”

“Honestly? She’s struggling. She’s stubborn about it, though.”

“I wonder where she gets that from…” Evelyn chuckled.

“She’s dealing with more than a kid should have to deal with right now. Losing Fred, the car accident…”

Evelyn’s head jerked to the side. “Car accident?”

“Don’t worry, Mary wasn’t in the car. It was just me. I was a little drunk, it was stupid.”

“For God’s sake, Francis!” Evelyn yelled. “You stupid boy!”

Francis. Boy. She was his mother again. Instead of fighting back, the ache he had felt earlier returned and he slumped against the cushions.

“After it happened,” his breaths were shallow, a lump forming in his throat “I just sat there thinking about what would’ve happened if...” both his hands and his voice had begun to shake “I can’t take care of her. Not in the way she needs to be. Diane would be so fucking disappointed.”

Evelyn took Frank’s face in her hands and kissed his forehead. He buried his face in her shoulder and allowed her to be the mother she suddenly wanted to be.

“Diane would be very proud of you.” She glanced up at the ceiling, fighting back tears. “I’m proud of you, darling.” She whispered, brushing her fingers through his hair. “So proud of you.”

“I just want her to be okay.” He sniffled.

“She will be.” Evelyn turned to kiss Frank’s hair and then stood up, brushing a crease from the skirt of her dress. “Why don’t I cook dinner for us tonight? It’ll give you a chance to rest.”

Frank’s defenses were down, so he agreed.

That night, Evelyn made a shepherd’s pie and sat with Mary as she completed her homework. She piled chocolate ice cream into a bowl and made herself a martini. His mother was back, but she was still putting on the airs and graces of the woman she once was. He knew that if she didn’t, she would be more broken than she had been when she arrived. So he played pretend too.

Almost happy. Almost a family. And that would be just fine for now.

Permanent taglist: @hiddelstannerbarnes @redlipstickandblacktea @just-one-ordinary-fangirl @optimistic-dinosaur-nacho @djeniiscorner @its-tortle @k347 @ixalit @iguessweallcrazyithinktho @cevansfics @capchrisevaans @thedamageofherdays @musette22 @mcubabydotcom @worksby-d @chuckbass-love @bluemusickid @fallinforevans @hellobeautworld @katiew1973 @just-dreaming-marvel @disaster-dean @rebthom89 @navybrat817 @just-dreaming-marvel-2 @sirisshamelesshoelibrary @denisemarieangelina @thesecretlifeofdaydreamss @deanscherry @celestialbarnes @the-iceni-bitch @caplanbuckybarnes @caplanreads @autumnrose40 @patzammit @mxsamwilson @hevans-angel @elvenfforestydd @harrysthiccthighss @cherry-gemz @brattycherub @brattycherubwrites @angrybirdcr @blossomslibrary @uncensored-steve-the-platypus @honeyloverogers @cloudystevie @steebsbabygirl

#laurenwritesfics #chris evans fanfiction #The Pieces We Leave Behind #Gifted #Frank Adler #Mary Adler #Frank Adler fanfiction #Chris Evans fluff #Chris Evans x reader #angst #Chris Evans x female reader #Frank Adler x Lucy Montgomery

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morceid · 4 years

Text

Beating the Dead Swan

Chapter 2: lonely angels wrapped in silk

read on ao3

<- chapter one

Summary: Penelope gives the profiles of Camille and other victims like her to the team.

Word Count: 1928

Category: angst

Content Warnings: general criminal minds murder stuff

A/N: noting here that this fic takes place in 2005 when criminal minds starts and spencer is 24

It started out a simple equivocal death investigation. Seven women had been found in their apartments, dead with their wrists slashed. Unfortunately not an unusual occurrence, Detective Conner thought nothing of it. Upon trying to contact the employers of each victim, Conner found they all worked for the same people, and decided to mark them down for further investigation just in case. When the fourth victim was found in her father’s beach house just outside of Virginia, the case became federal and handed to the FBI.

The case, being low priority, was given to Derek Morgan to monitor the progress of.

“You’re completely sure there’s nothing about the bodies that connect these victims?”

“Agent Morgan, if there was anything I would tell you. I think it’s time you tell Detective Conner to rule these deaths a suicide.”

“Alright, will do.” Derek hung up with the coroner. Just then his mobile phone rang with the number of the detective displayed on the top of the screen. Derek sighed.

“Agent Morgan.” He answered.

“Agent, there’s another victim-”

“Conner, listen, they aren’t connected, there is no signature unless you can consider the suicide, I think you oughtta-”

“She was called in by a friend. Not a family member, not an apartment manager, not a coworker, a real friend. Derek, he’s devolving.”

Derek sighed, “Detective, I’ll let you send her body over to the coroner but I doubt there will be anything remarkable.”

There was some mumbling on the other end of the line before Detective Conner gave a response.

“That’s the thing, Agent Morgan, this victim is remarkable. She had piercing holes in her ears just like the others.”

“And how is that remarkable?”

“Her ears weren’t pierced.”

“And you’re sure about that, Detective?”

“Her best friend swears it. Do you think they could be puncture marks?”

“I’m not sure, let me tell Doctor Phyllis.”

Derek set down his mobile phone and dialed the coroner on his office phone.

“Doctor Phyllis?”

“You back again so soon, Agent?”

“Look, we got a new victim, she's got puncture marks on her ears. Not piercings, puncture marks. Can you check the other victims to make sure they’re not puncture marks?”

“Okay, give me a minute.”

Derek heard the sound of doors opening.

“Well, shit, they are puncture marks. On every single ear.”

“Thanks, Doctor Phyllis.”

Derek hung up on the office phone.

“Do I still have you here, Detective?”

“Yep. Were they piercings?”

“Nope. Bring in the girl’s friend and call in the family members of the other victims. We’re gonna need to talk to them.”

Derek hung up the phone and ran up to Hotch’s office.

“Something up, Morgan?” Hotch asked.

“You know that case Detective Conner asked me to look into?”

“The one with the suicides?”

“Yeah, well they might not be suicides. I’m having Conner bring in some people to ask them some questions. You mind if I ask Rossi and Prentiss to help?”

“Of course not, but if we get another case then leave the questioning for Detective Conner, alright?”

“Gotcha, boss.”

Derek gathered Rossi, Prentiss, and Penelope in the break room to discuss the case.

“Babygirl, you want to read out the profiles of our victims?”

“Reluctantly,” Penelope pulled up each of the files onto her laptop. “Danica Wilson, a 45 year old woman, was found by her landlord. She grew up in Victoria, Canada, but when she was 12, her parents got a divorce. Her mother moved her and her three siblings to North Dakota shortly after. All throughout highschool she seemed immensely interested in biology and chemistry. She was really good at it too, she took AP classes and she was a promising student. Unfortunately, her mom didn’t want her to do anything of the sort, and set her up for ballet classes her junior year. To appease her mom she studied the history of dance during college and ended up climbing up from an intern at a dance company all the way to a choreographer. Her love for science was still there the whole way through though, she’s been taking free college courses online for biology for about a year. She was found with her wrists slashed and spread out in a star shape on the middle of her bed. There were no fingerprints anywhere in her home and the slashes appeared to be self inflicted. Her mom died a week before she was found, all of her siblings live in other states, and she didn't have any close friends. She never dated, even though she had perfect brown eyes and blonde hair. According to her siblings she had all of the boys at her school after her. Despite there being no evidence of depression or other mental illness officers deemed her mothers death as a stressor and marked her death a suicide.”

“Then we have Maya Peto, 22 years old, found by her sister.”

“So there’s no age preference?” Rossi asked.

“Precisely,” Penelope continued, “She grew up in Detroit. Her parents raised her in a Christian household and shes been openly gay since she was 18. Her dad died when she was 14, leaving Maya and one sister to be raised by their mother. She did exceptionally well in math, but seemed to have no interest in pursuing it as a career. Instead, she became captain of her dance team in highschool and went to Wirtson’s Dance Academy for college. Her last year there, she was picked by Next Star Theatre Company, the same one as all of the other victims, to be on their ballet team. She was found just like Danica, and would be just like the rest of the victims. Her now ex-girlfriend and her had a kid, his name is Gene, he’s a year old, and Maya had full custody of him because Khloe, the girlfriend, had begun doing drugs about a week after Gene was born. How could lesbians have a child? Khloe was cheating. Maya gained full custody of Gene after a year long legal battle, and she had left him with her sister for a weekend while she baby proofed her house. Unfortunately, when she went to Maya’s apartment to return Gene, she found her dead. It was the anniversary of her father’s death when she was found, so the ever so ignorant officers deemed it another suicide.

“Then we have Annie Carr, 24. A coworker found her. Born here in Virginia, Annie was raised by her dad after her mom died when she was about one. She seemed to have a pretty awesome life. Her dad worked two jobs and she’s never had all that much money, but she was a happy kid. She went to a community college and ended up taking the same internship that Danica Wilson took, but she has stayed in that internship for years, mooching money off of her dad and siblings. Mabel Golden, the coworker that found her, claims that there’s no way Annie could’ve killed herself. She didn’t show any signs of depression or mental illness, though she could be pessimistic at times. Mabel said their boss was threatening to let her go, seeing as she hasn’t improved her work ethic in the last five years. Deemed another suicide.

“The fourth victim was Valentine Orange, 36, found by her father. She grew up in Maryland, started acting and dancing at six, her family was pretty wealthy, and she got accepted into the same dance academy and theatre company as Maya Peto. She also danced on the same ballet team. She told her team leader she was going away for a week to her father’s beach house, and when her father came to get her on the day she was supposed to leave, he found her in the guest bedroom, just like the other victims. The beach house was located in Maryland, and due to Detective Cooper’s hunch, the case got handed to us for an equivocal death investigation.

“Francis Falstaff, our fifth victim, was found by her adoptive mother. She was 22. Both of her parents died in a car crash a month after she was born, so she grew up in a multitude of foster homes. When she was ten her and her sister were adopted by Baron Falstaff and Maggie Falstaff. They seemed to be good parents. They went to all of their school events and paid for both of the girls’ college tuition. Francis was trying to make it into the same theatre company that employed the rest of the victims, specifically to work as a jazz dancer. She seemed to have killed herself, just like the rest of the victims, but her mom insists that she couldn’t have. She had a very promising life ahead of her. When they dissected her room they found an evidence board in the back of her closet. Her sister, Yvette, was stabbed to death a couple years back on the way to a party, and Francis was obsessed with finding the killer. Which is why she didn’t have many friends. When it was all processed, they found that the evidence led to Yvette’s boyfriend at the time. It was assumed that this weighed heavily enough on Francis that she ended up, well you know, on the same day she found out.

“Jane Sweeney, the second to last victim who worked on the Next Star Theatre Company ballet team, was 29. She’s been with the company since she was 20, and unfortunately her private teacher was the one who found her. Her father left when she was young. She liked expressing all of her success, almost narcissistically so. According to some other people on the dance team she was the best dancer and loved flaunting it. She was a kind of queen bee and seemed to value herself more than others most of the time. It just doesn’t make sense for her to kill herself.

“Lillian Bonner was the next victim. She was 54. She taught modern dance at the company. She lived with and was found by her only son, Tyrell, who she had with her husband Ivan. Though they were still legally married, the two were separated. Tyrell, who’s 16, said she was a fantastic mom. She always made sure he was fed and had someone to talk to. He told her practically everything about his life and he is having a really difficult time without her. He doesn’t believe that she would do that to herself.

“Our last victim was Camille Price. She was 25. Her best friend, Spencer Reid, who was on the same ballet team, found her. She was the only one who really had people around her. She grew up in Virginia with her parents and two brothers, one older, one younger. She visited them whenever she could. Everyone in her apartment building loved her, she even made dinner for one of the elderly occupants every Friday. Spencer doubts there is anything that would want to make her commit suicide, and to put the icing on the cake, there were puncture marks on her ears that police mistook for piercings. ‘What were they?’ you ask? Injection sites. How do we know this? Spencer swore that there was no way they could be piercings because Camille never wore earrings the entire 8 years he knew her because the Next Star Theatre Company does not allow their dancers to wear piercings or jewelry.”

“Alright, let’s go see if these people got any info for us.” Rossi got out of his seat and headed towards the interview rooms.

TAGLIST: @hotchrocket @hotpotatowoman @thisdeathtollbringsnopeace @endingsbeginnings @d3pr3ss3d-w33d-wh0re @nonbinary-spencie @moss0ntherocks @scandinavian-punk @drinkingcroissants @penemily @izzyl13 @leomo0n @tiedyedrose1705 @natclis

#moreid #criminal minds #criminal minds fandom #criminal minds fanfiction #spencer reid #original female character #derek morgan #aaron hotchner #tw murder #tw death #tw bruises #emily prentiss #david rossi #penelope garcia #angst #criminal minds angst

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taliaquinn · 4 years

Text

Why Me!? Chapter 12

Mass Panic immediately ensued following the texts.

Rose couldn’t help but tear up at the thought that she won't be wearing the beautiful new dress she designed with Marinette. Alya was panicking because she knew how much Marinette's MDC dresses cost. Yes, she stalked her website, but only to trash talk it with Lila, Lila even told her how some of those designs were her idea and Marinette stole them.

Adrien decided to try and call his ex-classmates but was shocked to find that he was blocked . He decided to try calling Marinette but was even more shocked to find that the line was disconnected.

Alya finally had enough of the chaos and decided to try and get control of the room again. She blew a shrill whistle “EVERYONE QUIET, Look we lost only a few people, most of them bullies, we don't need them together we can handle this”

No one would admit the queasy feeling they got at the pit of there stomachs. They knew Marinette might've been a bully but she was an excellent president.

Gotham Airfield Gotham City, U.S.A 7 a.m

Marinette stirred and was shocked to find that her parents were up and getting there carry on luggage. Quickly glancing out her window she was shocked to find that they Landed in Gotham. Eep. Quickly gathering her art supplies she followed her parents down the steps.

Suddenly she heard a squeal “Oh my gosh she’s so adorablleeeee, Bruce are you sure this is your kid?”, she looked up to see a blonde girl jumping up and down while clinging to another boys arm.

Mr.Wayne seemed to have a look of eternal suffering etched on his face. “Yes Stephanie I'm sure, How’d you even know we were going to be here ?”

“Tim told me” The guy she was clinging to slightly grimaced while side-eyeing Mr.Wayne who was giving him a glare.

“Of course”

‘MARIBUGGGG” Dick quickly ran towards the steps and scooped her up and twirled Marinette around. Marinette couldn’t help but clutch to her supplies for fear of dropping them while giggling.

“Hi Dick,really happy to finally be here” She hugged him back, while he put her back down. Suddenly Dick was abruptly shoved away

“My Turn” Suddenly Marinette was engulfed in by a blonde tornado.

“Steph you’re suffocating her let her goooo” The guy Tim said as he was approaching them.

“But shes to adoranble~” the blonde said, still holding Marinette captive. Why was it always the Blondes who tried to kill her?

Oblivious to her plight her parents went on ahead and greeted Bruce and Dick who had to stumble back to Bruce's side after being viciously shoved.

“Bruce I want to say a huge thank you, We can’t wait to get Marinette situated and head back to Paris,” Sabine said making sure to quickly shake his hand and giving Dick a quick hug.

“Ha, I swear all three of us eventually dozed off on the flight,” Tom said while moving to do the same.

After a few more seconds Stephanie finally released Marinette.

“Oh gosh, you’re too adorable for words~ My name is Steph” Wait did Bruce have a second daughter? Marinette thought he only had one other daughter, Cassandra?

“Are you another one of Bruce's kids?”

“What!? Oh gosh,you’ve only been here for a few minutes and you already recognize that Bruce has an adopting problem, pfft luckily I am not one of those poor suckers. I am just here to eternally annoy them plus I’m besties with Cass, Bruce’s other daughter” Stephanie explained.

She quickly pulled Tim towards them. “This is one of those poor suckers, Marinette this is Tim Drake, He’s constantly sleep-deprived and suffers from severe caffeine addiction”

“It's not severe”

“Yet”

Marinette couldn’t help but snort. Being a Fashion designer/superhero/ highschooler, Marinette has learned how to make a dang good pot of coffee. Also how to tell if she’s hallucinating or not from lack of sleep. Seriously there was this one incident where she was seeing hamsters take over the school's library, there was also that one time where she saw a mob of pigeons chase a man, but that turned out to be pigeon man who got akumatized again.

“A fellow addict, nice to meet you,” Marinette said.

Stephanie suddenly started looking at two before seemingly coming to a startling revelation

“ OH GOD, THERE'S TWO COFFEE ADDICTS NOW!!!” She yelped. She suddenly scurried away in a desperate attempt to call Alfred and warn him about the new incoming addict.

Dick glanced down and noticed that Marinette dropped a few of her pens and markers. He knelt to pick them up quickly he handed them to Marinette.

“You like to draw?” He asked giving her another quick hug

“Yeppers I mainly focus on designing outfits and making them as well, where’d you think your jackets came from?”

“ No way, I thought you bought them!!! I love mines and I know for a fact Bruce loves his.”

“Well yeah I make a lot of my clothes, I have a website where I sell some of the clothing, I also do commissions” suddenly Dick was once again shoved away.

“MDC!!” Tim exclaimed

Marinette jumped back a few steps before suddenly realizing that he was a fan.

“M.D.C are your initials, I knew I recognized the Jacket from somewhere”

“Yep based off another Jacket I sold on My website, except some of the detailing is different”

“You’ve gotten recognition from Audrey Bourgeois and Gabriel Agreste,” Tim gawked. Dick was busy grumbling complaints “What is it with you two and shoving me”.

Marinette quickly went over to help him up. She quickly got one of her suitcases and opened it up pulling out a few articles of clothing. Quickly she handed Tim his jacket, and since she wasn't aware of Stephanie's existence she settled with Handing her a Trench Coat since it was cold.

Stephanie immediately shed her current coat and shoved it at Tim to hold. She put on the trenchcoat and admired the embroidered birds around the sleeves.

“Oh my gosh, you have such a good eye”

Stephanie immediately shed her current coat and shoved it at Tim to hold. She put on the trenchcoat and admired the embroidered birds around the sleeves.

“Well duh kinda necessary” Marinette teased

“Wait you didn’t bring any of your supplies?” Dick responded, noticing that Marinette didn’t bring Big enough suitcases to carry some of the bigger sewings and designing supplies.

“Well, we had to kinda leave in a rush so…. I didn't have enough time to pack some of the bigger supplies”

“I have an idea! We can go around Gotham and buy some of the supplies!” Dick suggested.

“Maybe on the weekend Dick, We gotta take her to the manor and let her and the Dupain-Chengs meet the rest of the family,” Bruce noted joining them. Honestly, though Bruce was more worried about a certain butler ripping him a new one for taking so long to introduce him to his newest granddaughter.

College Francis Dupont Paris, France 8:30 a.m

People walking into Bustiers Class couldn’t help but be disconcerted at all the empty seats the next day. They all decided to sit on the right, some glancing at the empty seats on the left.

Lila finally walked in and with the flip of her hair, she strolled straight and made sure to take a seat next to Alya. Right in Marinette's old seat. It was odd seeing someone else sit there. Eventually Madame Bustier walked in and only took a momentary pause upon seeing the small class size.

Adrien slowly walked in and lightly jumped at the new class size. He took his usual seat next to Nino. However, it wasn’t too long before he felt a tap on his shoulder. Both he and Nino turned to face Alya and Lila.

“Hey, Adrien you mind switching seats with me? I wanna sit to Nino” Alya announced. Adrien, however, didn't miss Nino’s slight grimace. However, Lilas's look of pure hopefulness was the thing that made Adrien slightly grimace as well.

Regardless of how Adrien felt he knew he had to say yes.

“Sure”

Meanwhile in Mendelievs….

“I call dibs on sitting next to Kagami!!!” Chloe loudly exclaimed and made a mad dash towards the empty seat next to Kagami.

Nathaniel immediately moved to sit next to Marc. Sabrina sat next to Juleka. Ivan decided to sit next to Max. At first, it was a slight adjustment getting used to Mendelievs class, she taught and had control over her class. No way was she going to permit and outburst or arguments when she taught. However, she did permit them to talk whenever she was done teaching.

“Marinette just quit ?” Probed Aurore. She was furious at the fact that Marinette was essentially driven to quitting.

“Yup” Chloe responded popping the p, “But now she’s staying with Family in Gotham for a bit, she even texted to mention how she might transfer schools and stay in the states”

“B-but sweet Marinette in Gotham, don’t they have like a gajillion crazy villains? At least the Akumas’ damage in Paris can be reversed and they're only temporary” Aurore mentioned

“Marinette is tough, plus she’ll be away from this crazy school” Nathaniel offered while finishing up a sketch for his and Marcs’ comic

“Plus Marinette said she’ll call us once she’s comfy and everything” Chloe finished.

“Poor Marinette”

Wayne Manor Gotham City, USA 9:00 a.m

Marinette knew Mr.Wayne was rich but holy cow, he makes both the Agreste and Bourgeious fortune look like pennies. She never understood how rich he was.Seriously he has a fleet of luxury vehicles in his garage. The inside of the manor looks photo-ready, AND all of his kids have gone to a 30k a year school. Thank God she was going to a Normal School.

Mr.Wayne made sure to take Maman and Papa to a luxury hotel suite to get them settled before bringing them back to the Manor. She quickly said goodbye and gave them big kisses on their cheeks.

Marinette was occupied still gaping at the giant Chandelier when suddenly she was face-to-face with two teenagers.

Dick immediately noticed that there was an awkward staring contest going on and moved in to ease the awkwardness.

“Marinette this is Cassandra shes the fourth oldest,” Dick said while introducing the two. Marinette was occupied gaping at Cassandra. She was so pretty. Cassandra took a quick step forward before quickly putting her hand on Marinette's shoulder.

“Cass” She gently chided.

Marinette only slightly stumbled before yanking out a sweater from her duffle bag and practically shoving it at her. Sue her she was intimidated and impressed.

“Me?” Cass was surprised. She took the sweater but couldn’t help but hold it close to her. It was so soft. Marinette made it for her, and she didn’t know her!!! Cass couldn’t help the grin that was overtaking her face. She made sure to get closer to take a long glance at Marinette who was giving a cynical Jason his own sweater, along with gloves. Nervous. jittery. uncomfortable.

“Huh, you are most definitely too sweet for this family" Jason couldn't help but coo at the sight of the petite blue-eyed girl.

"I'm Jason Todd, technically dead and black sheep of the family. Whenever you get tired or pissed at Bruce, trust me that is a guarantee, feel free to crash at my place.” He piped. While shrugging off his leather jacket and putting on his new turtleneck sweater. Holy crap was it soft.

Technically Dead? What in the world!? Are they choosing to ignore that!? Marinette was so confused. Seriously first off Cass has the biggest grin on her face and seems to be studying Marinette, Jason Todd just admitted he’s still technically dead!? Are all siblings this confusing? She’ll have to ask Luka. Seeing as he seems to be the only one in their friend group who has a sibling.

Taking a glance around the entrance. Marinette noticed that she suddenly had older siblings and even a younger one. One week was all it took. Marinette took a glance at Cass she mirrored her grin. She realized one thing.

THIS FAMILY IS INSANE!!!

And now she's a part of them. Crap.

Tag list:

@another-fan-of-anotherplan @damianette-is-life @amayakans @parallelparabox @miukiiu @valeks-princess @toodaloo-kangaroo @vixen-uchiha @thezestywalru @dreamykitty25 @souleateralicestein @thestressmademedoit

A/N:

I hope that all of you lovely peeps are staying healthy and safe. Please enjoy todays chapter. Feel free to reblog and leave a note <3.

#miraculous ladybug #mlb au #maribat #batfam #marinette deserves better #damian wayne #dick grayson #tim drake #jason todd #bruce wayne #class salt

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holidaywishes · 4 years

Text

The Light Beyond The Stars III

part iii: there is magic in you...

Summary of series: When Malcolm is young, he dreams of a place where he could run off to and leave his life behind. When he meets Cassandra, his perspective changes and his dreams only include her.

Summary of Chapter: Cassandra’s P.O.V when she meets with Malcolm in the square and the events that follow.

Warning: adding in some angst because that’s my jam, and some more fluff

Author’s Note: First, I wanted to say that this is a little longer than the last because it’s combining Cassandra’s P.O.V. as she’s waiting for Malcolm and what happens when she leaves him/her leaves her. Second, like I mentioned in my last chapter, I’m really enjoying writing this story and I know that it’s a giant departure from the fics I typically write, i.e. it has nothing to do with hockey (maybe I should start tagging not hockey?) That being said, I’m not sure if anyone is reading it but, honestly, I just want it to exist in the universe. If for no other reason than it makes me happy. Also, I want to point out, if anyone does read this series eventually, that I know the voice that I’m using for Malcolm doesn’t sound like the Peter we all know from OUAT and that’s done purposefully. Once he becomes Peter, I’ll be able to add in all the sass but right now, he’s just a kid whose kinda falling for a girl right now, so there has to be some softness to him. The idea is, as sadistic as this sounds, he’ll have so much love in his life and then lose it so suddenly, that he becomes cold and dark. I hope that whoever reads this, or comes across it, likes it and enjoys it. But know that, if you don’t, I will love you anyway. 😘

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Cassandra’s P.O.V

You waited for what seemed like hours in the square where you and Malcolm first met but when he never showed, you started to wonder if he was lost. Or if he wasn’t going to show.

“Cass?” your cousin asked as she noticed you standing in the same spot she left you nearly an hour ago, “what’s wrong?”

“Anthea? I thought you’d gone... you should go..” you answered

“I was going to leave but I came back and you were still here... What are you doing?”

“I’m.. waiting”

“Waiting for what? For who?”

“Go home, Anthea”

“This is about that boy isn’t it?”

“Anthea..”

“The boy who came over for tea last night”

“You weren’t even supposed to be there”

“He didn’t even know I was there”

“Luckily,” you snapped, making her gasp at your words, “Anthea, he doesn’t know who we are and you don’t exactly have the best track record with mortals. Or immortals for that matter. He’d just think you were rude and crass”

“I am rude”

“Maybe I don’t want him to think you are...”

“Why not?”

“Because.. I don’t know. Just go home, Anthea.”

“Home home or back to the small stone place you’re staying in home”

“Either one”

“Did he stand you up?”

“No”

“Was this supposed to be a date?”

“No”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, now go”

“If he doesn’t get here in.. 10 minutes, I’m taking you home”

“He’ll be here”

“Did you see it?”

“Are you asking if I looked into the future just to see if he’d be here? Because that would be ridiculous”

“So you did?”

“No I did not!”

“I’ll just be over there.. waiting and watching.” You watched as your cousin sat at a table nearby, dismissing the girl who attempted to serve her, making you roll your eyes at her. You paced around the spot for a few more minutes before you’d decided that he wasn’t going to come, you began the pathetic walk back to your cousin when you heard the clacking of horseshoes get closer and closer to you

“CASSANDRA!” you heard a voice call to you, looking back you saw Malcolm on a white horse, “wait!” he called again, jumping down from the horse to speak to you

“Malcolm?” you questioned as you took in what was in front of you, “what is this?”

“We have to go, we have to hurry..” he answered but it only left you more confused

“What are you talking about? What’s going on?”

“Get on the horse” he said forcefully, causing you to step back in concern

“Malcolm!” you shouted, hoping to get him to see why you were upset

“I’m sorry, I’ll explain once we get moving... Please, we have to go...” he pleaded and you reluctantly agreed, glancing over to where Anthea had been sitting and noticing she had already left

“Okay, fine..” you smiled at him, “but I’m trusting you, Malcolm, so you better not let me fall.” You laughed as did he, agreeing as he helped you up onto the horse. He quickly hopped onto after he made sure you were on securely, but without a saddle that was hard to confirm for him, so when he positioned himself behind you and grabbed the reins, he made sure to keep his arms close to your body so you wouldn’t fall as the horse galloped along a rugged path to Malcolm’s cottage. “So...” you finally broke the silence, “why did we have to hurry?”

“Francis..” he said simply, waiting for a moment until he spoke again, “he doesn’t know I left but I didn’t want you to think I didn’t want to see you...”

“You could get in trouble!” you replied, worried that he was risking his safety because of a note you’d written him on a whim

“I didn’t want you to think I would hurt you” he said sweetly, if not a little harshly but you attributed that to the bumps on the path

“So you stole a horse to come see me?” the sentiment was sweet and you wanted him to know that you thought so, letting your voice soften with the realization of what he’d done

“Borrowed,” he corrected you with a small smile that you’re not sure he meant for you to see, “he’ll never know the horse was gone.” You looked back at Malcolm, noticing him try to contain his smile and concentrate on the path, his seriousness making you giggle. The sound of your laugh must have caught his attention because he glanced down at you and you smiled back at him, losing yourself in his eyes before you felt the horse veering off the path

“Look out!” you shouted, causing Malcolm to jerk the reins and straighten the horse to the path, you both breathed deeply while he composed himself

“Are you alright?” he asked, keeping his eyes forward and, again, you smiled at his seriousness

“Yes,” you said softly, “are you?”

“I’m fine,” he replied, his voice shaking slightly, “just got a little distracted I guess.” Since the rest of the journey was spent in silence, the latter half of the horse ride felt like it lasted an hour and was beginning to feel awkward when you pulled up in front of a small, brown and white cottage with a small, tattered red barn off to the side. He slowed the horse to a stop and hopped off first so he could help you down, you swung your leg over to the side and pushed yourself off of the steed, Malcolm’s hands firmly placed on either side of you to ease you to the ground. “Come with me” he whispered, hunching his back low and gestured for you to do the same

“Where are we going?” you said at speaking volume to which Malcolm put his finger in front of his lips to shush you

“Quietly,” he smiled before pointing in front of him, “we’re going to the barn.” You nodded once to confirm that you’d heard him and followed him to the old, red barn where no animals seemed to be housed. When the two of you finally got inside, you looked around at the empty stalls and up to the roof, noticing a hole and thought ‘that’s odd’ to yourself. He led you up a ladder to a spot under that hole and you sat down on the surprisingly cold wood floor with your back against a bale of hay, looking for a blanket to throw over your legs with no luck.

“You should really get that fixed” you whispered to Malcolm who hadn’t come to sit with you yet, jokingly referring to the hole in the roof

“Oh what fun would that be?” he joked back, finally making his way to sit next to you.

“What if it rains?” you asked, staring up at the sky knowing that it wouldn’t rain but also knowing that your grandfather was likely watching your every move

“We move to the side” he chuckled, pointing at a spot just to the left of you that was out of reach of the hole in the roof

“Ahh I see” you smiled, scoffing slightly when you realized he’d been out here enough to know how to get away from the rain; you smiled to yourself quietly and leaned back against the bale of hay once more, staring up at the stars

“There are a million worlds out there..” he said, surprising you with his words and you turned your head to look at him, your eyes dancing between his and waiting for him to continue

“What?” you said, smiling at him

“In the stars...” he replied, his eyes searching your face for a reaction, “there’s a million worlds in the stars...” he turned his eyes away from yours, turning them toward the sky as he pointed at the stars

“You really think so?” you asked, wondering how he’d proceed

“I do...” he said softly, keeping his eyes on the sky, “and I think I’ll go to one someday. Get away from everything here...”

“Can I go with you...?” you asked, sitting up and turning your body to him, your knee grazing his as you angled your legs

“Of course!” he exclaimed, turning his own body to face you, “we can dream up one together...”

“And what will this world have?” you smiled

“Anything you want, that’s the best part about it.” He explained, “If you think it, you can have it.”

“So it’s... a magic world?” you said, contemplating what that meant to you and what that would mean for him. You’d lived in a magic world your entire life. You knew the dangers that came along with it, especially when mortals were involved.

“It will have magic but it will just be a wonderful place.” he corrected, “A lovely place where anything is possible”

“Will it have mermaids?” you asked happily

“If you wish” he replied

“Pirates?”

“Sure”

“Will we be able to fly?”

“Yep” he laughed as he nodded happily

“Fairies?”

“How else would we fly?” his smile beamed across his face, making your heart flutter ever so

“Pixie Dust!” she laughed, “how do we get to this place?” You watched as he leaned back against the bale of hay, following his lead and settling in beside him as he lifted his arm to the sky; you followed his arm with your eyes while he pointed at the Northern Star.

“See that bright star on the left?” he asked and you nodded, feeling his eyes on you as you watched the stars

“That’s how we get there?”

“No that’s too obvious,” he laughed, “we’ll take the second star to the right”

“And straight on ‘til morning” you said under her breath, feeling like you’ve heard of these directions before

“Exactly” he replied softly and you smiled in return

“So what should we call this new world?” you coaxed, trying to think of a name, “The Far Away Place?”

“No” he stated bluntly and you laughed, shaking her head in agreement

“Hmm.. The Enchanted.. something?” you laughed at your own inability to finish your thought scrunching up your nose when he tilted his head at the unfinished name

“How about.. Neverland?” he said simply and you pondered the name for a moment

“Neverland?” you asked, a small laugh starting on your tongue, “I like it. but why Neverland?”

“Because,” he said, “the best part of this new world is that we’ll never grow old!”

“Never?” you asked, the small laugh you’d had earlier all but vanishing from your face

“Never,” he exclaimed, “we’d stay young forever!”

“But what about... friends and family. The people we care about? The ones who don’t go to Neverland?”

“What do you mean?” he questioned, furrowing his brow as your concerns grew and you turned your body from him

“They will grow old and we’ll just have to watch?”

“Well...” he stumbled over his thoughts, not knowing what to say

“Or what about... falling in love?” you whispered softly, trying not to let the sadness be too obvious on your voice, “if we never grow up, will we never fall in love?” The words left your tongue as if you were talking about you and Malcolm but you’d hoped he wouldn’t read too much into it.

“I don’t think so,” he stuttered, furrowing his brow occasionally as he thought, “I mean.. you can fall in love when you’re young.” You thought about it for a moment, pursing your lips as you thought about what to say

“I suppose,” you replied, “it sounds like a lovely place, Malcolm. I hope we can go there one day.” The idea that he didn’t want to grow old affected you more than you thought it would but you weren’t entirely sure why; maybe it was because you hadn’t known true love yet, maybe it was because the idea that you would outlive people you cared about was a reality you’d already had to live with and something you wouldn’t wish on anyone. Especially Malcolm.

“Who’s there?” Malcolm called, bringing you out of your thoughts

“It’s just me,” a small voice came after a shuffle in the barn, whispering to Malcolm as she climbed up the ladder, “I’m sorry. I heard you two from outside...”

“Who’s this?” you asked, noticing the girl hide behind the corner when she finished climbing the ladder

“This is Charlotte,” Malcolm answered, introducing the girl, “Francis’ daughter”

“He’s like my big brother” Charlotte mused, smiling as you made your way over to introduce yourself

“Hi Charlotte,” you spoke lightly, as to not frighten the young girl, kneeling down so she could see your eyes, “I’m Cassandra. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Wow...” she gasped, letting her mouth drop as her eyes searched yours and examined your face, “you’re like an angel...”

“Thank you” you giggled at her response before looking back at Malcolm and smiling as he shrugged at the girls words

“Malcolm told me you were beautiful,” she continued, “but I didn’t think you’d be this beautiful.”

“You said I was beautiful?” you asked Malcolm, heat flooding your cheeks in a blush that you would later see Malcolm attempt to hide. Charlotte guiding you back to the bale of hay where Malcolm sat and she squeezed herself between you and him before looking up at the stars.

“I may.. have mentioned...” he stuttered, turning his head and you smiled

“Well...” you started, leaning down to Charlotte, “I think you’re quite beautiful too, you know?”

“You do?” Charlotte gasped, shock consuming her tone

“Mhmm,” you hummed, smiling sweetly when Malcolm turned back to you, watching you speak to Charlotte with poise, “and you want to know why?” The young girl nodded her head frantically before giggled, “I can see your heart.”

“My heart?” Charlotte asked, creasing her forehead as she tried to understand what you meant. You glanced at Malcolm before you explained, wanting to see his face as well.

“Yes. You have a kind soul and a pure heart. My mother taught me to see those things. My father taught me that those things hold value and they make a person so much more beautiful than the way they look,” you mused, remembering the stories that your mother and father had told you so many years ago. “that’s why my father says he fell in love with my mother. Because he saw her heart beyond her beauty.”

“Can you see Malcolm’s heart and soul?” she asked, looking up at you with a glimmer in her eyes that you’d only ever seen once before, from Malcolm when you first met. You looked at Malcolm for a moment, trying to find the glimmer in his eyes once more, smiling when you finally saw it again

“I can,” you said softly, “and he has a kind soul too.”

“And my heart?” he asked abruptly but not rudely

“Is pure,” you smiled, raising your eyebrows once before continuing, “though it’s tough. As though, you’ve made it.. impenetrable. That does not mean it’s unbreakable...” You expected him to drop his eyes at this statement but he continued to look at you, studying you as you inhaled sharply

“Because of his father...?” Charlotte added, breaking the silence that had fallen over the three of you

“His father?” you asked, looking down at her but keeping an eye on Malcolm

“He sold Malcolm to my father... when he was just a boy” she said and Malcolm finally dropped his head, staring at his feet

“Ahh I see...” you continued, letting your gaze rest solely on Charlotte now, “that could have something to do with it. Although, I suspect him wanting to run away has more to do with that than wanting anyone to be gentle with his heart.”

“Can I go to Neverland too?!” Charlotte exclaimed, rather suddenly. Malcolm’s eyes tore away from you to look at the young girl

“What?” he said

“I heard you talking about that magic land. About Neverland. About running away there. Can I go too?”

“Of course you can!” Malcolm’s face was beaming with the idea of the three of you starting over in Neverland but your broke at the thought of this beautiful child not getting a chance at a beautiful life.

“But, Charlotte,” you interrupted, “are you sure you want to go somewhere where you’ll never grow up?”

“I like being 10″ she giggled and you smiled, dropping your head with a small sigh

“But don’t you want to get married and be a mother?” you continued

“Well.. maybe one day..” you could see that she was confused because she didn’t quite know how to respond just yet. You knew that to her being a mother, a wife, was something she’d find someday, maybe by her own hand or the hand of her father, but she was so young to give it up just yet.

“If you never grow old, you may...” you began, catching a glimpse of Malcolm’s face that caused you to rethink what you’d been saying, “I’m sorry... I shouldn’t be.. I really should be getting home. My father will worry if I get home too late.”

“How will you get back?” Malcolm asked, standing up the same moment you did

“I will.. I’ll walk...” you stammered

“I can take you,” he said, “the same as we came.”

“I don’t want you to get into any trouble. You already risked yourself by bringing me”

“If you go walking outside, this late, you may run into trouble,” he said, his hand soon resting atop yours, “and I don’t want you getting hurt.” You smiled at him, the both of you forgetting Charlotte was there for a moment until she spoke

“Go. Quickly.” she said, bringing you and Malcolm back to reality, “if father wakes up, I’ll keep him away from the horses. Go. Now. Quickly!” Charlotte shooed both of you away and made your way as quietly down the ladder and through the barn as you could, letting Malcolm untie the horses while you said goodbye

“It was lovely to meet you Miss Charlotte” you whispered

“You as well Miss Cassandra, I hope to see you again.” she replied and soon you joined Malcolm, hopping onto the horse and waiting for Malcolm to jump behind, keeping your eyes focused on the path while the horse galloped quickly to get you home. Finally, you arrived in front of the home you shared with your father and Malcolm jumped down from the horse, once again helping you down quietly.

“Thank you for being so sweet to Charlotte,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, “I know she can be a bit.. nosy”

“She was a darling. Very sweet girl. And I meant what I said. About the both of you,” you replied, continuing only when you noticed him furrow his brow slightly, “your hearts are both pure and your souls are kind. You have goodness in you and... something else too”

“You’re talking in rhymes” he laughed but your smile was weak and insincere as you checked back to make sure your father hadn’t come outside yet

“There is magic in you, Malcolm. Magic I hope you learn to use properly. To coincide with the good that I know is in you because I see it so clearly. The good in you. The magic in you.

“Cassandra!” you heard your father bellow from the doorway, leading you to snap your eyes shut at the anger in his voice, “Inside. Now!”

“I hope to see you again, Malcolm. Get home safe.”

“And you, Cassandra.” He said softly as he watched you make your way up to where your father stood. Your attempt at trying to wave goodbye to him was foiled by your father’s dismissal of the boy. He directed you inside and scowled at you as you listened to the sound of the horse ride off in the distance.

“Cassandra!” your father yelled, “what are you doing?”

“Nothing!” You shouted back, “we were talking and looking at the stars!”

“Looking at the stars?” he asked, disgusted at the activity

“How mortal...” Anthea said as she appeared from around the corner, “the whole thing is so mortal, Uncle Apollo...”

“Anthea not now” he argued

“I thought you were going home?” you seethed

“You told me to go to either home,” she smirked, “so I came here. I wanted to hear all about your date, I just didn’t expect you to be so late.”

“It wasn’t a date” you countered

“Cassandra, you know you cannot change this boys fate” your father stated, moving closer toward you

“I’m not trying to change his fate!” you yelled

“Aren’t you?” Anthea chided, “what was it you were telling him outside? That there was good in him? Magic even?”

“You cannot tell mortals that there is magic in them.. They cannot know it exists”

“They already know it exists!”

“What do you mean?” Your father asked, narrowing his eyes at you

“He knows about Neverland,” you sighed heavily when both his and Anthea’s eyes widened at you, “I didn’t tell him. He already knew about it. And yes. Fine. I told him there was magic in him. That there was good in him. But I didn’t tell him what he could do with any of it!”

“That’s not the point Cassandra!” your father hissed, towering over you with each angry word he spoke to you, “we have the gift of sight. Of Prophecy. It is a burden that we have been entrusted with. You cannot use it to make the boy you love stay good!”

“I’M NOT!” you yelled, the anger boiling below your surface causing tears to brim your eyes, “I believe in him, papa, is that so wrong? I want him to know that he doesn’t have to go down that dark path. And he won’t, if he’s given a chance”

“You can’t provide that path for him, little one,” he said gently, placing his hand on your shoulder to calm you, “he needs to find his own path. To find his own light, not the light that you show him”

“I’m not trying to tric--” you started, stopping suddenly to bring up what he had said, “the boy I love?”

“What?” he and Athea said together and you furrowed your brow

“You said I can’t use our gift to make the boy I love.. stay good” you said to your father

“I--” he stammered

“I never said I loved him”

“But you do, don’t you?” Anthea added, “I saw the way your heart broke when you thought he wasn’t going to show...”

“I do love him,” you said, “but I never said I did”

“I’m not blind, Cassandra, and I think you forget, my sister is the Goddess of Love.”

“And what would she have told you of this mortal and I?”

“That you loved him!” he defended

“No,” you countered, moving toward him, “no, she wouldn’t have come to you just to tell you that ‘your favourite daughter was in love’ she would have said that you needed to stop me from falling for a mortal. From making the same mistake you did”

“You’re going to get hurt, Cassandra,” he shouted, “mortals think they know everything. Think they can handle anything. But they find out about us and they run away. He will run away if he finds out about who we are.”

“He’ll say you lied. That you kept secrets from him. He’ll never trust you again” Anthea snarled

“There’s nothing that says he has to find out. I love him but I am willing to put his future before mine”

“It’s not fair, my love, to him,” he said, sitting down and gesturing for you to do the same, “you know his future. You know his choices. He won’t know yours. Loving him and him loving you is not fair to him.”

“I haven’t looked at his choices or his future since I met him. Since I saw him.”

“But you knew it without looking,” Anthea added from where she sat, shrugging when you scowled at her, “that’s the point”

“Papa, please,” you pleaded, “what are you going to do?”

“Me?” he said, “nothing. Unless you lead me to it. No, I won’t do anything and neither will you”

“What?” you exclaimed

“You cannot see him anymore”

“Father, please”

“Enough,” he stated, standing up, “you are not to see this boy anymore!”

“Papa” you pleaded weakly

“Cassandra, there are rules,” he stated, “we are immortals, this boy is a mortal”

“So am I. I’m like him. Part mortal” you said, beginning to sob

“BUT YOU ARE ALSO MY DAUGHTER!” he yelled, the house shaking as the lights rose and fell with his voice, “and you will do as I say.” You wiped away the tears from your eyes and sniffling as you looked up at him, a rage burning inside you like you never felt, and smiled

“Would this have worked if someone told you to stay away from my mother? Or the Cassandra who broke your heart?”

“No but you are not me and you are not them”

“You can’t forbid from seeing him, father”

“I can and I did”

“Why?” you whined

“Because, Cassandra,” he said, seething as he stopped toward you, “he is not like us. You need to choose your family over a love you will never have!” It was all he needed to say for your heart to break and for your mind to rage. You nodded, inhaling deeply before walking away and locking yourself in your room.

“Cass?” Anthea called, “we’re just looking out for you. Doing what’s best. You have to understand that.” Answering her meant nothing at this point so you stayed silent as tears fell down your cheek and you swept away the roof above you so you could look at the stars. Imaging your own version of running away.

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yellowcanna · 4 years

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Two Sides, Same Coin

Summary: Since the beginning of Quirks, Yokohama has announced independence from Japan and closed itself from the rest of the world.

To this day and age, no one knows what lies within the city of Yokohama—or that was what the public was made to believe. In reality, Yokohama has long fallen into the control of the world’s largest criminal organization known as the Port Mafia.

Follow Class 1-A as their principal organized a field trip to Yokohama! In their short trip there, they must change their perspectives and learn exactly what it means to be justice and what it means to be villains.

Rating: T

Genre: Crossover, hint of shounen-ai (boy love)

Pairing: Contains mild Soukoku (Dazai x Chuuya) and Shin Soukoku (Akutagawa x Atsushi) if you squint

Author: Canna / Yellow Canna

Available on AO3!!

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CHAPTER 12

TWILIGHT DOOR (DAY 3: TUESDAY)

This story has been beta'd by Momentary_Flight

It was a typical Tuesday afternoon in Yokohama.

The sky was clear, prompting people to come out and enjoy the sunlight before winter comes.

Two housewives were walking down the sidewalk with groceries in their hands when they stopped at the sight of a young boy coming up to them.

“Hello!” The boy greeted with a warm smile, nearly causing the two women to swoon at the adorable freckled child. “If you have any trouble, please visit the Armed Detective Agency!”

He held out flyers which the two women took before bidding him farewell and continuing on their days.

After they left, Midoriya looked down at the stack of flyers in his hand and sighed. At the rate he was going, it would take forever to hand them all out.

“What do you have there, lad?” A voice asked from behind, causing Midoriya to quickly turn around with another flyer ready in his hand, stretched out to the speaker.

"I'm from the Armed Detective Agency! If you have any trouble, please visit the Agency and we will help you with your request!" He spoke out the standard greeting he had been using for the past three hours.

“Oh?” The man accepted the flyer.

It was then that Midoriya lifted his head to take a good look at this man and was immediately stunned. The man was not Japanese. The blond hair, blue eyes, and his obvious western facial structure immediately gave him away. However, despite being surrounded by Asians, he seemed completely at ease, wearing a creamy yellow suit and trousers with multiple shopping bags on each of his arms.

“The Armed Detective Agency flyer?” The blond man hummed, eyes twinkling in curiosity as he stared at the flyer with great interest. “Interesting! I didn’t know they used flyers for promotions as well!”

Midoriya’s mouth opened, but no words came out. A foreigner in a city that’s been sealed off for centuries? According to everything he’s learned since entering Yokohama, that wasn’t possible, unless…

“Tell me, young lad, how is the Agency?" The man suddenly asked, turning to Midoriya.

“They’re doing well…?” Midoriya replied unsurely—wary even. The first thought that came to his mind was Lucy. He remembered the older girl mentioning that she had come into Yokohama with her old companions…could he be one of them? But if this man was…then wasn’t he a terrorist?!

“Do you know the Armed Detective Agency?” Midoriya asked carefully.

“Well now, I don’t believe anyone who lives in Yokohama hasn't heard of them,” the man laughed. “But if you’re asking on a more personal level, then yes, I do know them. So tell me, how is it working at their place?”

“It’s uh…it's good.” Midoriya nodded slowly, silently wishing for this man to leave. He really wasn’t sure what else he was supposed to say.

“I see! And are you enjoying your time here in Yokohama?”

“Yes, I—” Midoriya lost his voice as he realized just what this man had asked. He must be wearing a look of horror right now, since the man began to laugh after taking in his expression.

“Why so shocked? You were quite the center of attention at the Sports Festival!” He said loudly, gaining brief looks from the people passing by.

Midoriya’s jaw dropped.

How could he have forgotten?! The people here have access to the outside channels!

Then…

What point was there in hiding their identities at all?! Considering their encounters with the locals so far…their covers had already been blown three times now!

Loud laughter boomed into the boy’s eardrums, startling him as he looked up to see the man…well…laughing. At him.

Midoriya flushed in embarrassment, wondering just what face he had made to have the other laugh like that.

“Allow me to tell you something, young lad!” The man chuckled as he patted Midoriya on the shoulder. “If you want to tell apart Altered Humans and Old Humans, look at their hands. Altered Humans generally have larger hands.”

Altered Human?

This was a term Midoriya had never heard before. Was this referring to them? During his stay, whenever the outside world was mentioned, everyone just referred to it as outside, or outsider for the people living outside.

They’ve never used any terms like this…

“Francis-sama!”

Midoriya turned to see a woman with light brown hair running up to them.

“Ah, Louisa-kun! Perfect timing!” The man beamed. “Come along! The bargain sale is going to begin in six minutes!”

“B-bargain?!” The girl paled, but the blond-haired man didn't even wait for her response and was already charging off like a wild bull. The girl frantically ran after him, and the two of them soon disappeared from the boy’s sight.

Midoriya blinked, not sure what exactly happened. However, if he saw correctly, that girl just now wasn’t Japanese either. Who are they? Could they really be terrorists?

But what kind of terrorist would rush off like that to a bargain sale?!

Midoriya felt like he would get a headache if he kept on thinking. Everything around here was just too weird for him to understand…

“Deku-kun!” Midoriya looked up to see Uraraka and Asui waving at him as they walked over.

“Uraraka-san, Tsuyu-san,” he greeted.

“Are you done handing out the flyers?” Uraraka asked cheerfully.

“No…I still have a lot to go,” Midoriya laughed weakly while scratching the back of his head. “Are you two done with your jobs?”

“Yep!” Uraraka pumped her fist into the air. “Door to door delivery is pretty easy since it’s all apartments here! Let me help you, Deku-kun!”

“Ah, no, that’s alright!” Deku said, clutching the flyers tighter. After all, he can’t make someone else help him with his work.

“It’s fine, gero,” Asui insisted, “the sooner we finish, the sooner we can go back—”

“HEY!”

Midoriya jumped at the familiar voice booming across the street. Everyone around them stopped and turned to see a group of teenagers on the other side of the road.

“Oh dear, another gang fight,” a woman behind Midoriya muttered to her male companion. “Should we call the police?”

“Kacchan?!” Midoriya cried.

On the other end of the street stood three boys looking around eighteen and dressed in the shaggiest clothes Midoriya had ever seen. And standing before those three boys was none other than Bakugou and Kirishima.

There were flyers scattered all around the two, and Bakugou looked beyond pissed.

“Pick them up, you fuckers!” Bakugou snarled at the thugs.

The thugs took a glance at the flyers scattered over the ground before they burst into laughter. That rubbed Bakugou the wrong way as, the next moment, the blond shoved his stack of flyers to Kirishima and stomped up to the gangsters. Kirishima grabbed his shoulder to stop him, but Bakugou shrugged him off.

“PICK. THEM. UP!”

“Hah?” The thug at the front used his pinky to dig into his ear and started scratching. “What’s it to you, poster boy?”

“What did you call me?!”

“What? Are your ears stuffed with earwax, punk?” The thug sneered, pulling out his pinky and rolling what seemed to be earwax between his fingers before flicking it at Bakugou. While he had dodged the filth, the action further enraged him.

This was bad!

Midoriya could tell he was about to explode!

“Going around handing out lame ass posters, you must be a mama’s boy!” Another yelled mockingly.

“Don’t go crying to your moms once I beat your ass into the ground!” Bakugou roared with a murderous smile as his hands rolled into fists.

The thugs laughed as they began to approach Bakugou. Both sides looked like they were seriously about to get into a fight in the middle of the street!

“Bakugou! Just ignore these people!” Kirishima couldn’t care about the flyers anymore. He dumped them aside and ran up to hook both of his arms under Bakugou’s to restrain him.

“FUCKING LET GO!”

“What’s wrong, mama’s boy? Weren’t you gonna teach us a lesson?” The thugs seemed extremely amused by Bakugou being restrained like that and continued to throw snide remarks to further fuel the flames.

“We have to stop him!” Midoriya gasped, dropping his flyers as he broke into a run with Uraraka and Asui following behind. They ran to the crossing, impatiently waiting for the light to turn red, before darting across the street and towards Bakugou and Kirishima.

At the same time, Iida also came charging out from around the corner behind Bakugou with Todoroki and Yaoyorozu—also having heard Bakugou’s loud voice.

“Calm down, Kacchan!”

“Bakugou-kun! Stop that this instant!”

“Bakugou, man, cut it out!!”

“FUCK OFF! I’M GOING TO KILL THEM!”

And that was how they all found themselves in the office half an hour later, kneeling on the green tile floor as they listened to Kunikida’s long lecture.

The rest of the students—at least the ones that were deemed too unique to go outside—were glancing over to the detention area every now and then. They were scattered around the office, helping out the staff with organizing documents and photocopying files.

Aizawa and Toshinori were sitting on the couch as they looked over to the kids in the group. Toshinori just sighed, looking as if he had a headache, while Aizawa looked like he was going to burst the veins in his dried-up eyes.

“I never asked to hand out those damn flyers!” Bakugou finally couldn’t hold it in anymore and talked back to the man.

“Oh? Then you prefer sorting out the documents?” Kunikida pointed to a stack of documents that were currently being sorted out by Kouda and Ojiro.

Bakugou opened his mouth, obviously wanting to continue arguing, but Aizawa had had enough.

“Enough, Bakugou!” His raven hair was floating upwards, revealing those bloodshot eyes glaring down at his student. Bakugou snapped his mouth shut, but the defiant look in his eyes was clear for everyone to see.

It was obvious that Bakugou did not think he did anything wrong. In many ways, the students that had witnessed the scene didn’t think Bakugou had done much wrong either. Sure he was in the wrong for trying to initiate a fight, but other than that he did nothing wrong in standing up for his friend.

“I’m sorry!” Kirishima bowed deeply, gaining the attention of their teachers and Kunikida. “It was my fault! Bakugou was just defending me! Those guys—”

“This isn’t about how this matter started.” Kunikida cut the redhead off. “The fact is that you,” glared at Bakugou, “attempted to start a fight in the middle of the street. I don’t know how Japan handles these kinds of situations, but here in Yokohama, that alone warrants you to spend the night in the nearest police station.”

All the students stared at Kunikida in shock, even the ones that were working.

Was it that serious?

Back in Japan, fights like those were a common occurrence, especially among teenagers. The most that would happen when they got caught was the police calling their parents to give them a stern talking to.

With one look at Bakugou’s eyes, Kunikida snapped his notebook shut and tucked it away with great care.

“All of you, come with me,” he said to everyone in the office.

The U.A students looked at each other before setting aside their work and following Kunikida out.

Toshinori stood up as he and Aizawa prepared to follow them outside, only to be stopped by Ranpo who was sitting on his desk while munching on a rice cracker.

“Just leave it to Kunikida-kun,” the young detective said. “He has a soft spot for kids. He won’t be too hard on them.”

“But—” Toshinori looked like he wanted to argued, but decided against it. They had agreed to let the Armed Detective Agency look over their students, after all. While Aizawa was still a bit concerned and wanted to follow, he knew that as well and sat down. If they were going to stay for a week, then it’s best to cooperate with the Armed Detective Agency.

Kunikida led the group of teenagers down the long stairs and exited through the back door of the building, coming to a small parking lot with no one in sight. There weren’t even any cars parked.

The kids were looking around, confused as to why the blond had brought them here, when Kunikida turned around.

“Come at me.”

“…Huh?”

They all just stood there, staring at Kunikida.

“I’m telling you all to come at me as you would in a real fight—without the activation of your Quirks,” Kunikida clarified, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“A fight?!” Kaminari gasped.

“What, have you never been in a fight?” Kunikida questioned.

“No, we have, but…” Yaoyorozu was hesitant. After all, how were any of them supposed to fight without their Quirks?

“What are you all standing there for?” Bakugou, who had been holding back his rage for the last couple hours, finally found an outlet. He smirked as he smashed his fists together. “Just surround him and beat him up!”

“Is this a street brawl?” Sato muttered. It was meant to be rhetorical, but the moment he spoke, everyone froze.

No…this is a street brawl!

“Yeah! Let’s do this!” Kirishima joined in, excited. “Real men should only talk with their fists!”

“We’re not men though…” Jirou muttered with a small shudder. Are they seriously going to fight barehanded? How were they even going to do that?!

Sure they have combat experience and had even encountered Villains before…but this…this felt different from anything they've gone through. Something about this just felt more raw, more…primal.

After all, in the age of Quirks, something like a brawl that involves only bare fists and no Quirk exists only in old textbooks. Nowadays, fights—be it for entertainment or otherwise—all involved Quirks in one way or the other. Something like a simple fist fight doesn’t exist anymore.

"I'm very busy," Kunikida said as he glanced down at his watch. "So if none of you are going to come at me, I will go to you.”

Suddenly, the blond man came running at them. The first to react were the people that have some skills in fighting barehanded—people such as Bakugou, Kirishima, Midoriya, Shouji, Sato, Ojiro and even Uraraka.

The rest of the class became an immediate mess. They staggered back, accidentally bumping into one another and, at that moment, forgot all the training they've gone through in the face of the restrictions on their Quirks.

Bakugou was the first to charge out, meeting Kunikida and throwing a first at his face. Unfortunately for him, Kunikida swiftly grabbed him by the wrist and threw the boy over his shoulder. The entire process had happened within a split second and, what’s more, Kunikida didn’t even slow down in the slightest. He didn’t even look back after tossing Bakugou away and kept running towards the group.

“That move…!” Uraraka gaped, recognizing it from her internship.

Kirishima and Sato both jumped out to strike, the redhead coming at Kunikida from the left while Sato took the right. Kunikida quickly paused in his steps. He crouched down, arms crossed in front of him before his palms thrust out—slamming the boys right beneath their chins. The force almost made the two of them black out, losing control of their limbs as they wobbled on their feet before dropping onto the ground.

Next up was Ojiro.

Ojiro was the only one that had any real and extensive practice in close combat. He managed to throw two kicks at the adult…though both attacks were blocked. When he tried to throw in a third kick, Kunikida grabbed him by the ankle and, with a spin, he swept Ojiro off his foot before throwing him into Shouji, knocking the two of them down.

While Kunikida’s attention has yet to move on from Ojiro, Midoriya tried to use this chance to tackle the man from behind. But without the power of his Quirk, he was as powerless as the rest of his classmates and went down with a fist to his gut. The boy collapsed over Ojiro and Shouji while Kunikida darted for Uraraka.

The girl tried to grab his arm to throw him over like what he had done to Bakugou. She had succeeded in grabbing onto him, but Kunikida easily broke free of her grip with a twist of his arm. With a simple push and a kick to the back of her knee, she stumbled and fell onto the ground.

If Ojiro’s attack was on the level of an amateur, then needless to say Uraraka was way below that. Despite knowing how to use the technique, Uraraka was much too inexperienced to execute it on a real martial artist. There was no possible way the technique she had only practiced for a single week could be used on an experienced martial artist who had practiced for years.

The rest of the students went down in a matter of seconds. None of them were even given the chance to even strike at the man. Before they could even lift their hands, their world was already flipped upside-down.

“Gyaaaaa!” The last student remaining was none other than Mineta.

The petite boy was lifted in the air by the back of his shirt, screaming, punching, and kicking, yet his short limbs were nowhere near reaching Kunikida. His image right now looked like a wet cat hissing and baring its nonexistent fangs and claws.

The man seemed to be pondering what to do with this last one when he took a step to the side, dodging the fist that came flying at him from behind.

Tossing Mineta aside, Kunikida grabbed Bakugou’s forearm. Instead of throwing him over his shoulder like before, he spun Bakugou around and easily pinned him down onto the ground. Bakugou immediately tried to get up, but he found that he couldn’t with one hand twisted behind his back and the weight of the adult sitting on top of him.

“Thirty-four seconds,” Kunikida said as he glanced down at his watch.

Yes, the fight had only taken a little over half a minute. Most of the students went down in just a second. The one who held on the longest was Ojiro due to the slight advantage over his classmates.

This was with Kunikida holding his strength back and going easy on the students. Despite how he may have seemed a bit too rough with some over others, the children were all unscathed. None of the damage he did would last more than a couple of seconds.

By now, all the students were getting up—even Kirishima and Sato were coming out of their momentary shock.

“You’re all weak.” Kunikida stated bluntly. "Perhaps it is due to your world being focused on Quirks that you've all grown to rely on them and neglect an actual workout. Of the twenty of you, only two have properly learned how to fight. Yet the fighting moves that you know are only basic movements that severely lack training.”

After that, the man looked down at Bakugou, tightening his grip on the boy’s arm when he attempted to struggle.

“Get off!” Bakugou snarled, humiliated at being pinned down for so long. Damn it! If only he could use his Quirk, then this guy would—

“Right now, you’re thinking that if only you could use your Quirk, you could easily throw me off, aren't you?" Kunikida asked, narrowing his eyes at Bakugou who was glaring up at him. “If I use my Ability, you will all be dead. Have you thought about that?”

That caused the boy’s struggling to stop as everyone stared at Kunikida. It's almost as if they just remembered that the entire Armed Detective Agency was made up of Ability users, and Kunikida was one of them.

“Kunikida-san, what is your Ability?” Midoriya asked, unable to hide his curiosity.

Kunikida reached into his shirt to pull out the notebook all of them were way too familiar with.

“My Ability allows me to manifest anything I write in my notebook.” Kunikida explained. "So long as the object I write is no larger than the size of the notebook."

“How is that going to beat us?!” Bakugou yelled out what everyone was thinking.

Kunikida’s Ability did indeed sound amazing, but if it’s limited to the size of his notebook, what could he do?

“Guns, bombs, gas, poison…” Kunikida listed out all the dangerous weapons he could create in just that notebook. "Human bodies are more vulnerable than you think. Don't assume that you're unbeatable just because of your Quirks. Here in Yokohama, we don't just battle with our Abilities. You may be considered elite in your world, but your explosive powers don’t mean a thing here. You will only get your whole class killed if you continue this reckless behavior.”

With that, Kunikida released Bakugou’s sore arm and stood up. He straightened his clothes before looking to the rest of the kids.

“I’m sure you all haven’t forgotten your encounter with Lucy Maud Montgomery.” Kunikida reminded them. “The lady came from a strong organization, but she is neither a fighter nor is her Ability made to fight. Up until now, none of you have witnessed the extent of what an Ability can do nor do you understand the power of what an offensive Ability is capable of. In the world of Ability users, only the strong can afford to be arrogant.”

The man paused, allowing them to absorb everything he said before continuing.

“Remember this: if you want to live, never pick a fight with someone in Yokohama. Any of them could turn out to be an Ability user. Even if they aren’t, there is a high chance that they belong to a gang. The next time you run into trouble, call the police like what any ordinary person would do, understand?"

The students nodded slowly, all of them wearing lost or dumbfounded expressions. Seeing them like this, Kunikida heaved out a small sigh. He wouldn’t expect these children to understand in a single day anyways.

He opened his notebook and wrote something down. Then with great pain, he ripped the page out and handed it to the nearest student, who happened to be Aoyama.

“Your work today is finished. This is the location of the Chinatown in Yokohama, go there to clear your heads. Just remember to return to your dorms before curfew.”

With that, Kunikida walked away, heading back into the building and leaving the kids outside.

For a moment, none of them spoke.

They just looked at one another, then to the piece of paper with Kunikida’s hand-drawn map.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

“Woah!!! Look at that!!” Hagakure jumped up and down as the group of twenty students stood in front of the gate to Yokohama’s Chinatown.

They stared at the huge Chinese styled gate and all the different stores beyond it. The style of the entire street looked so different from the rest of the city, it was as if they were going to walk into a completely different world.

“Hmm…they have exquisite style~” Aoyama said approvingly while striking a pose.

“This is freakin’ awesome!” Kirishima gasped.

"I-it's amazing," Koda said in awe.

“Gero!” Asui agreed.

“I wonder how big it is!” Uraraka squealed. “I can’t even see the end!”

“Tch…it's alright," Bakugou muttered, but the way he stared at the huge gate intensely said otherwise.

“This would have been a perfect place for a group pic!” Ashido sighed in disappointment.

“I’ve…I’ve never been to a Chinatown before…!” Yaoyorzu was literally shaking. Anyone could tell just how hard she was trying to suppress her excitement.

“I’ve never been to one either.” Midoriya agreed, also barely containing his joy. Todoroki, who stood beside him, nodded, showing how it was also his first time.

“Do you guys smell that?” Sato swallowed his saliva with his stomach already growling.

“Hey! We could get tons of souvenirs from this place!” Sero suggested. “As long as it doesn’t say it’s from Yokohama, we should be able to bring home!”

"I have a feeling this street will look even better within the darkness," Tokoyami noted.

“Cute girls in Chinese outfits!” Mineta shouted and did a high-five with Kaminari.

“It’s certainly rare to see such traditional settings nowadays.” Shoji admired, taking in the structure of the street.

"Well, yeah...our lifestyles right now are heavily influenced by the West. It's rare to see something so traditional," Ojiro nodded.

"Maybe I should have exchanged a bit more money," Jirou said unsurely as she checked her wallet.

“Everyone!” Iida called, standing in front of the group to gather their attention. “Since Chinatown seems really crowded, it would be better for us to move in smaller groups! We’ll split up according to our dorms since there’s only one phone per room! It is three o’clock right now, so let’s meet up back here in front of this gate at six o’clock sharp!”

With that, they split up into their groups and ventured into Yokohama’s Chinatown. The countless stalls and stores in the street almost made them dizzy as they stared at so many things that they’ve never even seen before.

There were buns made to resemble cute animals and different types of steam buns on a skewer! Despite being a closed-off city, the food and the flavors offered were extremely authentic.

There were a lot of souvenir shops, which was odd considering the lack of tourism, yet the locals flocked to them regardless. There was even a souvenir shop selling only panda merchandise!

There were huge, elaborate Chinese temples and also a side street that mimicked Hong Kong!

As the sky slowly darkened behind a thick covering of clouds, more and more people came swarming in. It wasn’t long before the kids found themselves swept away by the incoming crowd. An hour before the meetup, every store within Chinatown lit up, giving the street a festive feel to it. Tokoyami had been right in saying that this street would look better after dark.

It was already almost time to meet up when the scattered students remembered and began trying to find the gate…only to find out that there were multiple gates to Chinatown.

They tried asking for directions, but soon realized that they have no idea how to explain which entrance they came from since they didn’t know any of the street names.

It was at that moment that they heard a loud drum and the sound of firecrackers.

When they followed the sound, they found that a Lion Dance was going on. As part of Yokohama Chinatown tradition, tonight was one of the nights during which a Lion Dance would be performed. As they gathered to watch, they met up with their classmates one after another. It was a funny coincidence when they discovered that the performance was taking place near the gate all of them had been frantically looking for.

Everyone chattered in excitement, telling each other where they’ve been and what they’ve bought. They walked out of Chinatown together, each of them with a bag hanging from their arm and steaming hot food in their hands.

It didn’t matter which souvenir shops they went into. After making purchases, they were all given a large reusable bag free of charge once asked if they have any bags to carry it. Despite having gone into different stores, the reusable bags they were given were all the same with the image of the Chinatown printed on it.

They didn't notice before, but after meeting up and seeing everyone else's bags, they understood now. These weren't given to them out of the kindness of the workers; this was simply part of Chinatown's policy.

“Hey Bakugou, what did you get?” Kirishima called out to Bakugou, wanting to take a peek at the other boy’s bag only for Bakugou to push his face away.

“None of your business!” Bakugou hollered.

“Ah! This is sooo cute!” Hagakure squealed as she hugged a fluffy panda doll Yaoyorozu had gotten.

"Hagakure-san's collection is adorable as well!" The pony-tailed girl exclaimed over the other's entire bag of plush dolls.

“This egg tart is amazing!" Sato licked his lips as he savoured the last tart in his hand.

“Deku-kun! What did you get?” Uraraka asked as she hopped over to Midoriya’s side. “N-not that you have to tell me! I’m just curious is all!” She stuttered and quickly backed away a bit when she realized she was asking something personal.

"I got these," Midoriya replied happily, not even noticing the girl’s odd behavior as he showed Uraraka his bag. There were t-shirts, snacks, and all kinds of souvenir items from different stores. It was like looking into the typical bag of a tourist.

"Listen up everyone!" Mineta suddenly shouted.

Everyone turned to Kaminari and Mineta who were both standing there proudly with their hands on their hips. Ojiro was standing behind the two with his face buried in his hand like he couldn’t bother anymore.

“We have a very important announcement to make!” Kaminari exclaimed. “Since you’ve all eaten, no one’s hungry, right?”

“Well…yeah?” Ashido looked down to the half-eaten steam bun in her hand.

“Then let’s keep exploring!” Mineta insisted.

“Back to Chinatown?” Sero looked back to the gate they had walked out from.

“No, dude!” Kaminari laughed. “Mineta and I found this great place when asking around the locals! We should all go there!"

“Okay?” Jiro arched a brow, eyeing the two suspiciously. “And? Where is this place?”

“It’s a surprise! Come on guys, let’s go!”

With that, the petite boy and the blond hurried off. Everyone followed hesitantly. While they didn't trust these two not to bring them to some weird place, it wasn’t like they had anything better to do.

As Kaminari said, they’ve been eating all kinds of food and were pretty full.

It wouldn’t hurt to further explore the city. After all, what could possibly go wrong?

Trailing behind the group, Ojiro heaved out a long sigh.

The walk took about an hour.

None of them had minded. All of them were interested in taking in the different styles of the building and the people here. No matter how much they looked at the Old Humans, they couldn’t help but feel fascinated. It was still odd to them at how these people were all born with the exact same body structures.

It was then that Midoriya recounted the weird encounter with the foreigner he had this morning. Due to everything that had happened, he had forgotten until now. Everyone listened, each giving their own thoughts, yet no one could be sure who that strange man could be. What caught their attention, though, was the man’s explanation of their different hand sizes.

They began looking at the Old Humans around them and compared their hand sizes. To their surprise, the man was right. Their hands were bigger than these Old Humans’.

No, not just their hands. It was more like their bones were just thicker and wider, resulting in their hands being larger. The size difference wasn’t significant enough for any of them to notice if they hadn’t been told, yet now that they did realize it, it became plainly obvious. At this discovery, everyone began trying to compare their own hand size with anyone that passed by them.

This went on for until they began to notice fewer and fewer people as they walked. Eventually, there was not a single soul in sight and the sky was already darkening. When they walked by the narrow alleyways, the students swallowed nervously upon seeing wild dogs sitting in the shadow staring at them.

“Kaminari-kun, Mineta-kun, how far is this place?” Iida questioned.

“It should be around here!” Kaminari answered, looking at a small piece of paper with yet another hand-drawn map.

“There!” Mineta pointed to a building a couple blocks away. “A plain building with a black door!”

And by plain, he really meant plain.

It was just a simple building made of red bricks. There were no decorations, no graffiti, no signs…nothing. Not even a window. There was nothing but a metallic black door that was rusted on the sides.

The two boys ran over with the rest following behind. Since Mineta got to the door first, he tried to push it open only to find that the door wasn’t even budging!

“It’s locked?!” He gasped in horror as Kaminari came up behind him.

“That can’t be! Those people said it’ll be open tonight.” The blond instinctively looked for a handle, thinking that perhaps they were supposed to pull it, only to find that there was no handle on this door.

"I think it's just heavy," Yaoyorozu said as she placed her palm against the door and feel the cold texture of the metal. “It seems like this door is made purely of iron.”

“Which means…” Jirou trailed off as she gave Mineta a pointed look.

“W-what?! It’s not my fault that my body is small!” Mineta shrilled defensively as Kirishima stepped forward and placed his hands against the door. With a hard push, the door opened without too much trouble

The moment the door opened the sound of music that was trapped behind the door escaped and reached the children's ears. This made them curious about what the place was as they walked inside one after the other.

The door didn't stay open long. Just as Aoyama was walking through, the door slammed shut. Had Shouji not pulled him out of the way in time, he would have been caught in the doorway.

“Seriously, what—!" Aoyama’s complaint was cut off as lights flickered across them, followed by the roaring sound of cheers.

Everyone stood there, completely shocked at the people walking around, bobbing to the music, and waiters carrying trays of alcohol.

“T-t-t-t-t-this is?!” Iida spluttered as another flash of light swept by them. “WE’RE GOING BACK! THIS INSTANT!”

“Come on!” Kaminari whined. "This is once in a lifetime!"

“IT’S ILLEGAL!! WE CAN’T BE IN A N-NIGHTCLUB!” And then, Iida turned to Ojiro who had been quiet the entire trip. “Ojiro-kun!”

“Sorry, they made me not tell you guys.” Ojiro groaned. He knew things would turn out this way.

“It’s not illegal!” Mineta argued. “Remember what that guy said? We’re sixteen! It’s perfectly legal in Yokohama!”

It took a moment for the others to remember that weird man they’ve met in the spider lily field.

“Yeah! We even asked around to make sure we’re legal!” Kaminari pipped in. "People here come to age at sixteen, so we’re all adults here!"

“No, we are not!” Iida rebuked. “We’re leaving!”

“We can even drink alcohol!” Mineta added. “Beer! Wine! Sake! Come on! Don’t tell me none of you ever thought of trying it!”

That successfully pipped their classmates’ interest.

Be it boys or girls, all of them had at least wanted to try drinking alcohol once…well, except Iida.

"Do you think any of us will be swayed by something like that?!” Iida huffed with his arms crossed over his chest. He had a rightful look on his face as he turned to his fellow classmates, only for his jaw to drop when more than half of them were unable to meet his eyes.

“You guys!” The class president uttered in disbelief.

“I mean…if we’re legal…” Sero began as he scratched the side of his cheek.

Before Iida could say anything else, the hard sound of electric guitar echoed throughout the club. It happened only for a moment before the sound disappeared along with the music that had been previously playing. However, despite the sudden silence, excited screams of people began to echo throughout the club.

“What’s going on?!” Aoyama yelped.

The guitar sound came again, then stopped.

The crowds were going wild as they cheered.

Curious, the students decided to walk deeper into the club.

No one paid them any mind or even spared them a glance. The guitar sound came back, stopped for a split second before returning. Instead of coming to another pause like before, it went on, soon accompanied by the heavy sounds of drums.

They soon stopped at a handrail made with dark iron like the door to the club. Beyond this handrail, at a level lower than where they stood, was a huge dance floor crowded with people. They were all screaming and waving their hands into the air as colourful spotlights flickered across them.

“Over there!” Jirou gasped, eyes sparkling as a euphonious voice began to sing to the music.

“The beating sounds high

To an irreplaceable resonance

Incompletion upon incompletion

Moving towards the approaching abyss

Woah oh oh~!”

There, on the over side of the dance floor, was a stage.

There was a group of five people on the stage, four of them playing different instruments and one figure standing in the center with spotlight shining down at him from different angles, causing his shadows to stretch across the stage.

The singer was a slender man wearing a black with fedora with a red ribbon and wavy pumpkin orange hair brushed over his shoulder.

“Today as a virtual image

The visible scene bright red

I wanted to create it.

An improved self

Something's missing

Something I want to grasp!”

As the man sang, his hands that were covered in red fingerless gloves slid up to cradle the vintage microphone, pulling it closer to his lips. The red nail paint on his fingers created a strong contrast with the cold metallic glint of the mic.

“The instant I look into the mirror

All I expect is my pathetic face

Yet somehow, I still hope that I stand dignified

Living in continuous instants

But there's no such thing as impartial time

So that one moment is crazy

Aim for the light Deadly Drive!”

On the man's neck was a sparkling silver choker with a silver ring and black leather edge—identical in style to the belt he wore loosely on his hips. He wore duo tank tops, the outer tank top being white with black leopard prints while the one underneath was maroon red. A black leather jacket pooled around his elbows and showed off the lean muscles underneath the fair skin of his shoulders.

“Traces of it remain

The vestiges of tears

It burns faintly

The dappled sunlight of life

It merely spills over the melody of sorrow

I have no prayers on my left wrist

I'm fine disappearing like this

I just want to go to the end of the universe!”

The students’ hearts were beating faster and faster, as if their heartbeat was attempting to match the beat of the music and become one with it. None of them even realized how they became lost in a trance from the man's music and the strong aura being expelled from his body as he sang.

When they stared into the man’s icy blue eyes, it was as if their souls were sucked into them—unable and unwilling to pull themselves free. At this moment, they wanted nothing but to drown in that beautiful voice and the powerful music taking over their entire being.

The singer ripped the mic off the mic stand and kicked it aside. The wire of the mic flew up into the air from the violent pull, twirling around the man as if the two were engaged in a graceful dance. He brought the mic up to his lips as if to place a delicate lover’s kiss to it.

“The restraint in not kissing is akin to

The flowers concealing paradise

If the scars still hurt

Then break the chains and go forth

Yet the shadows left behind do not move

In disappointment, remember

Victory that brings forth truth and love!”

He reached a hand out towards the crowd.

It was a gesture that looked like a gentleman offering to take a lady’s hand, but the man’s fingers curled inward as his open hand curled up into a tight fist as he sang out the final part of the song.

“Prosperous immorality

Towards a darkness more beautiful than: Deadly Drive

Aim for a worthy light

Stray Dogs!”

The crowd roared.

Screams, claps, whistles…the massive jumble of noises snapped the teens back to reality. Affected by the atmosphere and truly having enjoyed the performance, they all were clapping and cheering for the singer as well.

“See?! I told you guys this is an awesome place!” Kaminari crowed to his classmates over the noise. Even Iida couldn’t find any more excuses to say no considering how he was just as into the song as the rest of them.

Class 1-A waited for the man to continue singing, but the redhead just tossed the mic to another person before jumping off the stage and vanishing into the wild crowds. While disappointed, they decided to look for a place where they could all sit down.

The club was way bigger than they had initially thought when they looked at the plain building from the outside. From what they could see, there were three levels to this club. The ground level, which is where they were at, the lower level consisting of the dance floor and stage, and the upper level.

As curious as some of them were, none of them could get close to the glass staircase, as it was guarded by two men in black suits. It was obvious that they were the security here, so they concluded that the upper level must be for VIPs. They couldn’t see anything due to the glass railing reflecting the light from the dance floor, but whoever’s up there must be important.

There weren’t any tables large enough to fit twenty people, so the group found three booths in the corner of the club. Since this corner was further away from the dance floor and the bar, there were very few people that would come over.

“Don’t you guys think that singer was super handsome?!” Ashido was beaming as the girls discussed the singer on the stage. “And that voice of his was so smooth! I’ve never heard anything like it!!”

“Did you hear how he hit those high notes?” Jirou praised, heart still hammering from the music.

“I did!” Uraraka was almost bouncing in her seat, unable to contain her excitement. “I wish we had something to record it on, it was so good!”

“Hey, let’s go to the dance floor later to see if he’s going to sing again!” Hagakure suggested.

“That’s a good idea!” Asui agreed happily.

“Yes!” Yaoyorozu nodded as well.

“Tch…guys with handsome faces should all die," Mineta mumbled while chewing the fingernail of his thumb.

The rest of the guys, on the other hand, were all absorbed by the drink menu.

“Hey, look, doesn’t this one look awesome?” Sero asked, flipping his menu around to show the others the picture of a cocktail. The vibrant colourful drinks greatly appealed to them and soon everyone agreed to try out the cocktails instead of the classic alcohols.

When Midoriya flipped to the cocktail page, he couldn’t help but be impressed by all the beautiful pictures. These cocktails came in all sorts of colours and glasses. Each one of them was decorated so beautifully that it's practically art, not a drink.

“It doesn’t say the price, it could be expensive.” Shoji frowned, not seeing the price written anywhere on the page.

“It should be fine! This is a once in a lifetime chance!” Kaminari reminded him. “We’re all just getting one drink so it shouldn’t hurt!”

"That is a very dangerous thought.” Tokoyami sweat-dropped, unable to understand the blond’s logic.

“Everyone, please feel at ease to order! I’ve brought enough money so if you don’t have enough, I can cover for you!” Yaoyorozu called from her table, immediately erasing the worries of money.

“YAO-MOMO!!” Ashido and Kaminari cheered.

“Thank you, I’ll definitely pay you back!” Jirou said gracefully as she looked down at her flattened wallet. She really should have brought more money.

With the cost now out of the way, everyone began to look over their menu earnestly.

“There are a lot of options though, what are you guys getting?” Sato questioned as he looked around the table.

“I’ve decided!” Hagakure’s gloved hand pointed at the drink she chose. “Isn’t this pretty? Doesn’t it look like it’s sparkling?!”

“The Sakura Martini!” Yaoyorozu smiled. “That’s a beautiful choice, Hagakure-san! For me, I think I’ll try the Sake Blossom.”

“That one sounds really elegant!” Uraraka gushed. “I think I’ll get the Peach Fuzz!”

“Hmm…the Tangerine Ginger Sake Sangria," Jirou said as she eyed the orange and leafy drink.

“Gero! I like the Matcha highball.” Asui smiled happily.

“You guys already decided?!” Kirishima gaped at the girls’ speed.

“Yep!” Ashido smirked proudly. “I’m going with the Raspberry Sake Tea! Don’t tell me you guys haven’t decided yet!”

“Of course we did!” Bakugou snapped before a nasty smirk appeared over his lips. “I’m taking the Sake Bomb!”

“Sake Bomb?!”

Everyone looked at a certain picture of a tiny cup being balanced by two chopsticks over a glass. Be it the name or the picture…wasn't this dangerous?! And moreover, that's not even juice anymore! It’s just one type of alcohol going into another type of alcohol!

“Alright!” Kirishima announced. “I don’t know what any of these are but I’m going for the Red Eye!”

“You just chose that because of the name and colour!” Sero snorted before deciding his own as well. “I’ll get the Umetini!”

“Cassis Grape!” Mineta didn’t even need to think to decide on his drink.

“Then the Lychee Martini for me!” Kaminari snapped his finger.

“Fuzzy Navel looks pretty good," Ojiro said.

“Mango Margarita for me!” Sato decided.

“Doesn’t the Samurai Caeser look perfect for me?” Aoyama hummed as he flipped his hair.

“I’ll have the Ginza Mary," Shouji stated.

“I…I want to try the Lemon Drop," Koda said shyly.

“Hmm…I suppose I’ll take the Sake Mojito.” Tokoyami said after a while of looking.

“Japanese Sling.” Iida decided firmly.

“Then…Shochu Melon Citrus.” Midoriya finally decided after some hard thinking.

“Pfft, what a pussy!” Baukgou cackled at the green-haired boy’s choice of drink.

“…Sake.”

“EH?!” Everyone, even the girls, turned to look at Todoroki who had his head down and his eye still on the drink menu.

“Dude, why are you only getting sake?!” Kaminari all but screamed as if Todoroki had done something that greatly offended him.

“…I can’t really decide.” Todoroki replied honestly. He blinked up in confusion, not sure why everyone was staring at him as if he had grown another head.

“Are you stupid?” Bakugou roared, snatching his drink menu to take a glance before slapping it down onto the table. "Just get the Umeshu, that looks perfect for you!"

“I see…thank you, Bakugou.” Todoroki thanked the hot head so sincerely that it made veins pop all over Bakugou.

“I’m fucking insulting you, you stupid half and half! Don’t thank me! It’s gross!”

“Pfft, that sounds like the line of some tsundere!” Kaminari snorted, only for his shirt to be grabbed with Bakugou just that close to beating him up. Fortunately for him, a person came up to interrupt them.

“Excuse me.”

Everyone gawked at the man in a waiter uniform who had just…appeared.

“Would you like me to get those orders right now?”

All of the kids stared blankly, unable to react yet. When did this person get here? How long had he been here?

“Just long enough to hear all of your orders. Please do not worry.” The waiter replied professionally as if somehow reading their thoughts.

“Would you like me to order them?” He inquired politely.

Midoriya noticed how this man wasn’t even holding a notepad or anything to record their order. It can’t be that he memorized all of their drinks…can it?

“Ah, yes—” Iida began, only to be interrupted by a loud shout.

“Hey! You kids over there!”

The U.A students all but jumped.

For a moment, they thought they were caught, but then remembered that they’re allowed to be here. They weren’t breaking any laws, so there’s no need to be scared. Despite trying to convince themselves so, they still couldn’t help but feel guilty.

They turned to the source of the call and their jaws nearly hit the floor at the sight of a familiar redhead walking up to them.

“I-it’s him!” Hagakure was barely containing her squeal as she shook Ashido who was sitting beside her.

There, standing in front of them, was the singer that they had seen on the stage just minutes ago. He looked exactly the same, except his leather jacket was hung around his shoulders instead of wearing it like he had done on the stage. This allowed the teens to see the silver handcuff on his left wrist that had been hidden when he had the jacket on.

Instantly, all of them remembered that strange man that had lied to them about using handcuffs as wedding rings. They quickly shook that weird memory out of their heads. This was a nightclub, maybe it’s a style here?

What was it called?

Punk fashion?

“Since when were kids allowed into a club?” The man spoke in his deep, husky voice as he approached them, blue eyes gleaming in the dim lighting.

◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥

“This is the place?” The man asked as he slowly walked out of the dark alley and stopped before the building with the black, metallic door.

“According to the information we’ve gathered, this is the club that he will be in.” A voice spoke from the mass of dark purple fog. “I suggest you rethink your plan, Shigaraki Tomura. It is too risky for us to—”

“Did I ask for your opinion, Kurogiri?” The man snapped at the person standing by his side, successfully silencing the other.

“Hey, can we go in now? I’m seriously bored~!”

One by one, people began to walk out of the alley, joining the two men in the middle of the street.

“Are you stupid, we need to approach with caution!" The green-skinned lizardman hissed to the girl with ash-blonde hair that had just declared her boredom.

“Spinner is right!” A man in tight bodysuit had his arms crossed, nodding to his companion's words before his attitude completely flipped. “To hell with that, let’s just charge in and show ‘em who’s boss!”

The raven-haired man beside him didn't say a word and just stared at the plain-looking building.

“These Yokohama citizens are all really good looking~” The muscular redhead hummed. “I wonder if there’ll be handsome guys in the club!”

“Shall we, Shigaraki?” Asked the man with a mask covering his face and a magician's hat.

Dry lips cracked open in a large smirk as blood-red eyes focused intensely on that black door.

“Yeah.”

┏━━━━━━━━━༻❁༺━━━━━━━━━┓

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#bnha crossover #bsd crossover #soukoku #shin soukoku #dazaixchuuya #mha fanfiction

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mxliv-oftheendless · 5 years

Text

Ruining KISStory: A Filthy, Filthy Story About Benjamin Franklin

So in celebration of surviving my French midterm (my anxiety over it was through the roof for some damn reason), I decided I would post this crazy little thing for y’all! So in like, actual real life, Shane for a while did his own show called Ruining History, which I totally recommend for you guys to actually watch. So this is a spinoff of my KISS Unsolved AU, appropriately named Ruining KISStory (a name I’m super fucking proud of actually XD), in which our resident Queen of the Trolls Paul Stanley gives us his own creative spin on historical events. And yes, it’s going to be just as chaotic as Unsolved lol. Here’s the link to the original episode if you want to watch that first.

And now, without further ado, enjoy!

Tag list: @cosmicrealmofkissteria @ashestoashesvvi @kategwidt @retronova

[camera opens on Paul, who is sitting at a panel. A map of the world is hung up behind him. The sound of tuning violins plays in the background]

PAUL: Some people think history is boring. But I think Benjamin Franklin might have been in some weird sex parties!

[intro, then title card. Grand orchestra music plays in the background]

[cuts back to the panel; the shot has been widened so the entire panel is visible. From left to right: Vinnie, Gene, Paul, Eric C., Tommy. Labels showing their names come up on screen]

PAUL: So what do you guys know about Ben Franklin?

VINNIE: … Kites!

ERIC: Ethics?

TOMMY: Oh! He used the kite and a key and discovered electricity!

GENE: Oh yeah, we learned about that in school.

PAUL: Pretty sure every school tells that story.

GENE: He also helped Nicholas Cage find treasure.

PAUL: [gives him a withering look before turning away] Okay. [Tommy laughs]

[screen cuts away to a title card:

CHAPTER I:

THE AMERICAN OVERACHIEVER

screen then cuts to animations as Paul narrates, while inspiring music you would hear in a film set during the American Revolution plays in the background]

PAUL [voiceover]: Born in 1706, Benjamin Franklin is often thought of as the model American citizen. Throughout his life, he was… well, he was a lot of things. Seriously, a lot of things.

[a list of text boxes appears on screen next to a picture of a statue of Benjamin Franklin:

POLITICIAN

AUTHOR

SCIENTIST

CIVIC LEADER

POSTMASTER

MEDIA MOGUL

INVENTOR

DIPLOMAT

I COULD KEEP GOING BUT YOU GET IT]

PAUL [voiceover]: Beyond all that, though, he seems like the kind of guy you wouldn’t mind having a drink with. But, if you did spend some quality time with Ben Franklin, things might get weird.

[cuts back to panel; Vinnie looks intrigued]

VINNIE: By weird, do you mean [waggles his eyebrows] weird or just eccentric-weird?

PAUL: I mean [waggles his eyebrows] weird.

ERIC: [looks a little nervous] Oh no… I really liked Ben Franklin as a kid.

GENE: Well, he’s gonna ruin the history books for ya, Eric.

TOMMY: Oh is that why it’s called Ruining History?

PAUL: Yep!

TOMMY: Nice, I like that.

PAUL: Thank you. [cuts back to animation sequence]

PAUL [voiceover]: In the years during and after America’s fight for independence, Franklin spent much of his time serving as a diplomat in Europe. And it’s a good thing he did. Author Walter Isaacson has argued that America wouldn’t have won the war without Franklin’s excellent diplomacy in France. It wasn’t all politics, though. At the time, Paris was regarded as one of the most cosmopolitan cities at that time in history. And a wave of cultural enlightenment paired with a strong economy gave the upper class the means to… well… [music intensifies] have many crazy, crazy, crazy… crazy nights…

But we’ll get to that in a second! Franklin seemed to find himself right at home in this environment. To give an idea of his bohemian life abroad, here’s a curious morning routine he picked up during his time in France.

GENE: I bet it was, powder on the balls. [Eric laughs]

PAUL: [snickering] Powder the wig, powder the balls.

TOMMY: Powder the balls, get out on the street, and do something! [Vinnie laughs]

PAUL [voiceover]: While writing to a friend of his, Franklin described his habit of taking what he called “air baths.” Quote, “I rise almost every morning and sit in my chamber without any clothes whatever, half an hour or an hour, according to the season, either reading or writing. The practice is not in the least bit painful, but on the contrary, agreeable.”

[cuts to the left side of the panel. Gene looks uncomfortable, while Vinnie just gives a raised eyebrow]

GENE: I don’t know what it was about how people wrote during this time, but describing sexual acts in this kinda language makes it dirtier than it actually is.

PAUL: There’s nothing sexual about this.

VINNIE: There’s no sexuality here, Genie, your mind is just dirty.

TOMMY: Yeah, he’s just sitting around his house naked.

VINNIE: I mean if the hand just happens to fall…

GENE: Vinnie, I can’t believe I’m saying this to you, but guys—we don’t just jerk off on accident!

ERIC: I mean… I have no idea how to respond to that.

PAUL: I think some guys do.

TOMMY: Peter does.

PAUL: [raises an eyebrow at him while they all turn to stare at Tommy] … How do you know that?

ERIC: I could’ve gone my whole life without hearing that. [cuts back to the animation sequence]

PAUL [voiceover]: Franklin’s social calendar in Europe was full of invites to gluttonous but incredibly classy all-night ragers, where his status as an American statesmen made him a pretty interesting guy. The women of France allegedly couldn’t get enough of him. One account describes hundreds of women surrounding him, placing a beautiful wreath upon his head, and lining up to kiss him.

ERIC: That didn’t happen… right?

PAUL: [shrugs] I dunno, it could have happened.

VINNIE: That sounds like something you would do to your old grandpa, though.

[silence. Everyone on the panel turns to stare at Vinnie in confusion]

TOMMY: What?

GENE: So you’re saying, at family gatherings—

VINNIE: No! I’m just saying, that doesn’t seem like something you’d do to someone you wanna get with. Like, would you put a funny hat on them? No. [silence] I’m just saying, you guys!

[cuts back to animation sequence]

PAUL [voiceover]: Ben’s home life was, according to accounts, equally spicy. When famous painter Charles Willson Peale paid Franklin a surprise visit one afternoon, he spied the elderly diplomat with a young woman seated on his lap. [cuts to a sketch showing a man with a woman on his lap] This sketch of his is believed to depict the two. Kinda weird that he would sketch that, but hey.

[cuts to the panel; everyone is looking at their own copies of the sketch]

GENE: She seems to have a pretty good grip on his balls.

TOMMY: That’s a, a vice-like grip there.

VINNIE: They’re still wearing pretty much everything.

ERIC: Did you guys notice their eyes? Their eyes are open and they’re just staring at each other.

PAUL: Yeah, their eyes are pretty striking.

VINNIE: Yeah…

ERIC: They’re kissing, but it’s, it’s a little unnerving. Wonder why the guy would sketch this…

PAUL [voiceover]: Some historians have evaluated Ben Franklin’s habit of charming the elite women of Europe as a strategic ploy, suspecting that he hoped that they would speak favorably of Franklin and his case for American liberty to their policy-making husbands. But many others argue that he was just a vulgar old man. Author Albert Henry Smith wrote that Franklin’s, quote, “animal instincts and passions were strong and rank.”

VINNIE: [looks mildly disgusted] Well that’s descriptive.

GENE: [snickering]: Y’know, good old animal Ben.

PAUL: An animal…

GENE: Hey, hey: I’m an animal.

PAUL: [stares for a second, then smiles] Ah!

GENE: Ah! [high-fives Paul]

ERIC: Wait, if he was born in… when was he born?

PAUL: 1706.

ERIC: If he was born in 1706… then how old was he when all this was happening?

PAUL: He would have been… probably between his late 60s and early 70s.

[Eric’s face looks very shocked, slowly contorting into disgust]

TOMMY: Oh man, he was as old as my grandpa!

GENE: [shrugs] Hey, if it still works… [cuts back to animation sequence]

PAUL [voiceover]: Based on Franklin’s party-animal-rock-star lifestyle, it makes sense that he would be in the same social circles as some of Europe’s more notorious scoundrels; and so he was. So let us now turn our attention to a man whose life would soon intersect with Franklin’s: Sir Francis Dashwood.

VINNIE: [snickering] Very English name. [mock British accent] Sir Francis Dashwood!

[screen cuts away to a title card:

CHAPTER II

THE FANCY ENGLISH SEX MAN

lighthearted music plays]

PAUL [voiceover]: Born in 1708, Sir Francis Dashwood was the only heir of a wealthy merchant. He’s perhaps best summed up by one author’s description: “An enormously rich man with a genius for obscenity.” Dashwood’s primary interests were seemingly set in stone when in his formative years, he embarked on his Grand Tour, a traditional rite of passage during which wealthy young men traveled through Europe on a cultural odyssey. As Dashwood’s tutor put it, he, quote, “fornicated his way across Europe.” In one instance, he even seduced the Empress of Russia while claiming to be Charles the Twelfth of Sweden, a man who was, at that point, dead.

TOMMY: Wait, did she not know Charles the Twelfth was dead?

PAUL: I mean, if she got fooled by this guy, I’m pretty sure she had no idea.

VINNIE: This was the era before email and the Internet, so word traveled pretty slowly. Also, [laughs] I love how his tutor says he pretty much fucked his way across Europe.

GENE: Wonder how he got her to sleep with him…

ERIC: I don’t think we need to know the details, Gene.

GENE: Maybe you don’t.

PAUL [voiceover; tense music plays]: These travels also inspired Dashwood’s fascination with sacred rituals of the past. He wasn’t really a fan of the religious institutions of his day, but he was simultaneously fascinated with Europe’s rich history. So when he wasn’t womanizing, he was sauntering through dusty catacombs lined with mummified corpses, or sitting in old Roman ruins imagining the orgies of the past. So it’s this odd mutual appreciation for debauchery and sacred history that would lead to Dashwood’s crowning achievement and ultimately his friendship with Ben Franklin: the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe. Or, as it was more popularly known…

[music reaches a climactic peak as the name appears on screen over burning flames. Paul reads the name]

THE HELLFIRE CLUB!

GENE: Oh shit.

VINNIE: That sounds awesome.

PAUL [voiceover]: Dashwood’s Hellfire Club was meant to attract the most depraved and intellectual men of the time. And over the course of its history, its lineup would allegedly include such notable men as the Prime Minister of England, the Lord Mayor of London, several of England’s greatest artists and poets, the Prince of Wales, and possibly, as evidence would strongly suggest, Ben Franklin. See, Dashwood was publicly known to sympathize with the cause of the American rebels, and he had exchanged letters with Franklin many times. Furthermore, Franklin actually visited Dashwood’s estate at West Wycombe for an extended period in July of 1772, and during his stay, there is a record of a club meeting taking place. According to one author, quote, “there seems to be no reason why Franklin should have gone to Wycombe at this special time unless he was a member. Only club members were allowed at Dashwood’s estate during club meetings.” So, keeping in mind Franklin’s likely involvement, let’s look at what he would have encountered during his visits with the Friars of St. Francis of Wycombe.

The members of the club reportedly donned white monk’s robes, and were each allowed to invite along, quote, “a lady of a cheerful, lively disposition, to improve the general hilarity.” These women also dressed up, wearing nun’s robes and masks to avoid an embarrassing run-in with a husband or acquaintance.

GENE: This is some freaky stuff.

VINNIE: [looks enthralled] This is awesome.

TOMMY: Eyes Wide Shut…

PAUL: [nods] Yep.

PAUL [voiceover]: The first location of the Hellfire Club was on the shores of an island in the Thames River. Shrouded in a thick grove of elm trees, the island was the perfect location for the not-monks to spend an evening with their dates away from the prying eyes of the public. It was also ideal because it was home to the crumbling remnants of an old medieval ruin built in 1160 known as Medmenham Abbey. Dashwood actually set about reconstructing the site, but since he had a flair for the dramatic, he asked that it still resemble a creepy old ruin. But he did install a few upgrades:

A series of stained glass windows depicting the club members in, quote, “indecent poses.”

A brilliant pornographic fresco that John Wilkes, who wasn’t known to shy away from vulgarity himself, described as, quote, “unspeakable.”

And an expansive library stocked with classical literature as well as, quote, “the finest collection of pornographic books in Great Britain.”

PAUL: So to help us get more immersed in what went down at a club meeting, I’ve provided for all of you the proper tools.

[everyone looks under the table and takes out boxes. In the boxes are black robes, 1700s-style hats, some with feathers sticking out, and Venetian masquerade masks that are black and a different color. Vinnie has black and gold, Gene has black and red, Paul has black and purple, Eric has black and orange, and Tommy has black and blue]

GENE: [as they’re all putting on their costumes] Man, you really went all out, didn’t you?

PAUL: Oh, just wait.

ERIC: I will say, I do feel more immersed in the experience now.

TOMMY: This is pretty awesome.

PAUL: Okay, now that we’re all dressed up, let’s get into the juicy stuff!

VINNIE: [looks incredibly excited] I can’t wait.

GENE: [laughs] You look so excited.

VINNIE: Because I am. [bangs rhythmically on the table] Get to the juicy stuff, Paulie!

[screen cuts to a title card:

CHAPTER III

THE DEBAUCHERY BEGINS

slow, tense music plays and animations show events as Paul narrates]

PAUL [voiceover]: In the cover of night, the hooded monks and their dates would arrive to the island on a red gondola. Stepping ashore, they were greeted by the far-off drone of the abbey’s organ and the ringing of a ghostly church bell. Outside the abbey, they’d come upon an ominous statue of Harpocrates, the Egyptian god of silence. [a statue of Harpocrates is shown with a finger over his lips, and a voice that sounds like Paul’s whispers “Shhhhhhut the fuck uuuup…”]

Once inside the abbey, Dashwood would pour his guests a special cocktail of brandy and brimstone, and they’d all raise their glasses in a toast to the powers of darkness.

VINNIE: This sounds fucking a-ma-zing! I love theme parties, and this is just, just fucking amazing. I wouldn’t stay for the sex, though.

GENE: You’d just be there for the theme part?

VINNIE: Yeah, I’d do all this, then when they start doin’ it, I’d just duck out.

PAUL: Also, before we continue, I was actually able to, to make this more immersive… [reaches under the table and pulls out a bottle of wine]

VINNIE: Ooooh, nice!

TOMMY: Is it the brandy and brimstone cocktail?

PAUL: [laughs] Heh, no, it’s not, it’s just wine. I also have… [reaches under the table and pulls out five silver ornate goblets] these babies! [passes them out]

ERIC: [looks over his in fascination] Wow, these are awesome! Where’d you get these?

PAUL: [laughs] The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. [Eric laughs]

GENE: Oh yeah, you took Erin there for her birthday a while ago.

PAUL: Yep, and I got these. [they all pour wine into their goblets and raise them in a toast] To Ben Franklin and the Hellfire Club!

PAUL [voiceover]: With the striking of a gong, the monks would move further into the abbey and file into the chapel. Here, it is suspected they practiced a black mass, in which a woman laid naked on the altar and the monks proceeded to drink sacrificial wine from her navel.

ERIC: We’re not doing that, are we?

PAUL: Oh no, we’re not doing that.

ERIC: Okay…

GENE: [laughs] Disappointed, Eric?

ERIC: No, I just—fuck you, man.

TOMMY: Would’ve been interesting.

PAUL [voiceover]: Now I should say, since I know you’re all wondering, it’s generally thought that the members weren’t actual Satanists, despite all these weird rituals. Some members actually found this aspect pretty boring. John Wilkes actually found the rituals so dull, that he once dressed up a baboon as a demon… bear with me… he locked it in a trunk, and he stowed it in the abbey. Then, when the members called upon Lord Satan to appear, Wilkes pulled a string to release the frightened animal. For a moment, the members stared in disbelief…

… And then they lost their minds.

[music grows chaotic as the animation shows the baboon leaping over terrified figures while screams are heard] The terrified baboon leapt onto Lord Sandwich—yes, that Lord Sandwich, the guy who invented the sandwich—causing him to allegedly shout, “Spare me, gracious devil! I never knew that you’d really come or I’d never have invoked thee!”

[cuts back to the panel, all of them laughing]

VINNIE: I love how, even among this weird society, there was that one guy who was like, “This society is dull!”

PAUL: Also, after this happened, the baboon jumped out the window, and they weren’t able to catch it.

GENE: [laughing] That’s hilarious.

ERIC: [laughs and waves] Bye, suckers!

TOMMY: Bye, Felicia!

PAUL [voiceover]: As the alcohol continued to flow, the monks and their guests might share dirty stories, or read from the era’s more popular works of pornographic literature.

PAUL: I’ve provided you all with a piece of pornography. These are all from a piece published in 1740 called, “A Dialogue Between a Married Lady and a Maid.” So without further ado, [gestures to Vinnie for him to begin] Vinnie?

[dramatic piano music plays as Vinnie starts to read, looking like he wants to laugh]

VINNIE: “There is between the thighs, just at the bottom of the belly, a piece of flesh… Underneath, hangs in a bag, or purse, two little balls, pretty hard, and the harder the better. They call them stones, and in them is contained that white thick liquor.” [he wheezes, then bursts out laughing, joined by Tommy]

GENE: “He took hold of that place which distinguishes us from men. At the same time he cried out, ‘O! I have a maid! A virgin to my share!’”

VINNIE: I love that they seemed to not know the exact words. [laughs]

PAUL: Well, it was a different time. They were more prudish, I think.

VINNIE: True. I’ve seen some stuff online that’s pretty vulgar. There’s this one person online who likes pugs that writes some naughty, naughty stuff. [looks at the camera smirking] You know who you are. I see you.

ERIC: Okay, my turn. “His member was stiff and hard as a horn. Just as he had finished…” oh God, why? “… my mother, who had heard me shriek, came into the room.”

TOMMY: “‘What a happy girl you are!’ said she. ‘Pluck off this smock, which I will keep for a relick, since it is stained with thy virgin’s blood.’”

GENE: [to Vinnie] I feel like we got the lesser of the four passages.

VINNIE: I dunno…

ERIC: You did! Mine and Tommy’s were pretty explicit. You just got a playful description of balls!

VINNIE: Hey, that’s pretty tame compared to some of the smut that’s out there today.

GENE: Fifty Shades of Grey? [Paul frowns and glares at Gene as the rest of the panel silently stares at him] … What?

PAUL: How dare you. [Tommy laughs] How dare you bring that crap into my show. [cuts back to the animations]

PAUL [voiceover]: With bellies full of drinks and minds full of smut, guests would start to pair off and retreat to any of the private cells, which were prepared and stocked with the, quote, “proper objects for lascivious activities.”

[cut back to the panel. Eric is slumped over the desk]

PAUL: [looks over in slight amusement] You okay there, Eric?

ERIC: I just… I don’t even want to know what they got up to.

VINNIE: [grinning and trying not to laugh] It seems pretty obvious to me what they got up to.

ERIC: I don’t want to—

VINNIE: [still grinning] They got some of that dirty rhythm.

GENE: [also grinning] They indulged in some sweet pain.

ERIC: Gene, no—

TOMMY: [just assume everyone is grinning widely] They went for a rocket ride.

PAUL: They rocked hard all night.

GENE: Took each other down below.

ERIC: Guys, c’mon—

VINNIE: Got some tough love.

TOMMY: Pulled the triggers of their love guns.

PAUL: Put the X in—

ERIC: STOOOP!

PAUL [voiceover]: After operating in secret for many years, the details of the Hellfire Club at Medmenham Abbey were recounted in a popular novel in 1760. It captivated the public’s imagination, to the point that tourists would line the shores to try and spot the sex monks arriving. But, not wanting to give up his elaborate sex parties, Dashwood bounced back by having an elaborate system of caves dug on his own private property a few miles away from the abbey, and it was here that the monks of the Hellfire Club continued to have their parties in total privacy. This new location, and the fact that it was gated from the public and accessible only to club members, lends further plausibility to Ben Franklin’s participation. As he once wrote in a letter, “The exquisite sense of classical design, charmingly reproduced at West Wycombe, is as evident below the earth as above it.” Author Daniel Mannix argues that Franklin’s letter must be referring to the underground caves, and also adds that, quote, “Franklin would have been shortsighted if he hadn’t joined the club. He was a diplomat trying to help his country, and the club gave him the entrée to some of the most influential men in England.”

But as the guest lists for secret societies are kind of hard to figure out, we will never know for sure if Ben Franklin really did attend the Hellfire Club. But his documented friendship with Dashwood and his time spent at the estate puts it well within the realm of possibility. And, if you’re left wondering if a sex club fits with Franklin’s moral compass, then let’s take one last look at the man’s true character with some passages from an infamous piece penned by Franklin himself titled, “Advice to a Young Man on the Choice of a Mistress.” This is a letter in which Ben Franklin encourages his friend to go after older women. It was written in 1745, a copy of it sits in the Library of Congress, and it’s kind of gross.

PAUL: And here to read us the letter, through the magic of theatre… [he turns and gestures off camera] Mr. Benjamin Franklin!

[the panel applauds and whoops, then they all start laughing as Ace walks in with a chair, dressed in 1700s style clothing with a wig that is long grey hair sewn to a bald patch, but we can still clearly see his real hair underneath. A text box appears on him as he sits down between Paul and Eric:

NOT A LICENSED BEN FRANKLIN IMPERSONATOR]

ACE/BEN: Tis I, Benjamin Franklin! Who by some extraordinary means, has come to a strange future time!

VINNIE: [has a hand over his mouth while he’s laughing] This is amazing.

PAUL: So, Ben, we’ve learned a lot about you and some possible details concerning your personal life.

ACE/BEN: Okay.

PAUL: But we still have a few questions. Guys?

VINNIE: Why did you enjoy the company of older women?

ACE/BEN: [reads from his paper] “Because as they have more knowledge of the world and their minds are better stor’d with observations, their conversation is more improving, and more lastingly agreeable.” Wouldn’t you say?

VINNIE: [shrugs and nods] Yeah, I guess.

GENE: Wasn’t he like, 70 years old when he wrote this later? How is he so young right now?

ACE/BEN: “Because the sin is less—”

PAUL: No, wait—

ERIC: [bursts out laughing]

PAUL: You have to ask him. He’s—He’s an old man.

ACE/BEN: I’m old.

GENE: Ben?

ACE/BEN: Go ahead, son.

GENE: Why do you prefer the company of older women?

ACE/BEN: “Because the sin is less,” my dear boy. “The debauching a virgin may be her ruin, and make her for life unhappy.”

ERIC: Huh.

GENE: Deep.

TOMMY: Do you have any more reasons?

ACE/BEN: Uh, yeah. [takes out another sheet of paper while Tommy and Eric silently laugh] “Because in every animal that walks upright, the deficiency of the fluids that fill the muscles appears first in the highest part. The face first grows lank and wrinkled; [cut to the left side: Gene is doubled over silently laughing while Vinnie is listening thoughtfully] then the neck; then the breast and arms; the lower parts continuing to the last as plump as ever. So that covering all above with a basket, and regarding only what is below the girdle, it is impossible of two women to know an old from a young one.”

PAUL: So… you’re saying, when you put a basket over their heads…

ACE/BEN: Yeah. I don’t know. [panel bursts out laughing]

VINNIE: You don’t know?! You wrote it!

ACE/BEN: History will tell. History will tell.

PAUL: I, uh, I think history has told. Do you have any final thoughts?

VINNIE: It was a different time, maybe stuff happened that you couldn’t do nowadays.

TOMMY: He got pretty freaky.

ERIC: I mean, it would be a pretty cool movie, but I wouldn’t really want to hang out with him.

PAUL [voiceover]: Well, there you have it, people! Ben Franklin; a surprisingly multi-faceted individual. History: it’s never that boring if you know where to look. That’s been Ruining History. Thanks for learning with us!

#kiss unsolved #ruining kisstory #this episode was short enough that i could post it all at once without having to break it up into parts #which is great because i really don't like having to do that #but anyway #yep #I thought of this like way back in december but never got around to writing it until quite recently #there's also one on darius the great that i really wanted to do but thought it would make more sense to do the pilot episode #also Ash if you're reading this: yes that was a callout XD #hope you guys enjoyed this crazy thing #because i really enjoyed writing it lol #all those sex jokes had me cracking up #kiss au writing #my writing #thanks for reading!

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journeysintowebcomics · 5 years

Text

Worm Liveblog #114

UPDATE 114: Simpler Times

Last time the Undersiders had managed to defeat Coil, and took over Brockton Bay as a result. Dinah is now safe, and all is well...until forty-five minutes later, when they found out Noelle has escaped her vault. Tattletale says that’s very bad. So let’s continue!

Ah, the arc ended, and it seems what follows isn’t an interlude, but a new arc. I’m surprised – while I thought it was possible the arc would continue for maybe one chapter more, I didn’t think this would go straight into the next one. Alright! So, the new arc is called Migration.

Oh, nevermind, this is an interlude, similar to the one with the Wards ages ago, I imagine. There’s a guy called Francis, who is getting scolded for leaving when family is coming over. This Francis person is making money with something his mother doesn’t approve, and he argues they’re on the verge of getting a sponsorship. Oh boy. ‘On the verge’ means it’s not certain. I hope this Francis guy isn’t gambling much on the possibility of a sponsorship. Given how he’s arguing with this as his cornerstone, he’ll be doomed if he doesn’t get the sponsorship.

It’s even worse when it’s revealed this Francis guy isn’t officially in the group yet. Oh dang, he really is gambling a lot. I for one hope it all works well, because otherwise he’s going to get a full serving of ‘I told you so’ from his mother.

That seems to be all. Having placated his mom, Francis walks with his luggage and gets on a bus, giddy he’s possibly annoying other people, and feels smugly superior to other people. Well that’s not an endearing character trait, is it. Still, someone having a bad trait is good, as long as it’s balanced with good traits! But yeah, who is this Francis guy, anyway?

Her face lit up as she saw him. He, in turn, snapped a smart salute. “Captain Noelle, ma’am!”

Oh, I see! I see now! So that’s Noelle...hmm...if Noelle is part of this gaming group, then that’d mean the Travelers are the members of this group. In which case this Francis is either Trickster or Ballistic. Most likely Trickster, I’d say. Alright!

Noelle doesn’t appreciate the playful greetings, coyly telling him to stop, and mentions they’re ‘probationary boyfriend and girlfriend’. So they’re a couple! I see. That’s why Trickster is so invested in Coil helping Noelle. I can sympathize with that, yep. During these outrageously saccharine public displays of affection, Marissa arrives. Mars. Sundancer, no?

I wonder if by now they all had their powers. Maybe they gathered as a gaming group because of their powers. Not that I can think of how they can use their powers. Making miniature suns sure isn’t going to help your gaming skills, unless you use that sun to melt the opponents’ systems, haha

There’s Luke, there’s Jess. Hmmm...by process of elimination, those must be Ballistic and Genesis – supposing Francis really is Trickster. They’re all together. Say, wasn’t there some guy named Oliver, who stayed in the headquarters while everyone else went and fought? I think there was someone with that name. That person hasn’t appeared yet here in this meeting.

Now that they’re all gathered, they can start their discussion for real. Noelle is in charge. Does that mean Trickster – leader of the Travelers – was the second in command, and had to take charge since Noelle can’t?

Apparently they have been discussing about kicking an average player out of the group, because he’s boring and doesn’t have as many fans. Francis, on the other hand, has so many fans – fans I imagine would be upset if he’s kicked out or something. If they’re a new team, then they’ll need as many fans as they can. Pragmatism dictates the person named Cody is kicked out. The emotional factor, though, is what’s giving them trouble. Cody is their friend and this will hurt him a lot.

Noelle nodded. “Say what you will about Krouse, like how he’s crap when it comes to calling shots-”

“Hey.”

“Or even the fact that he’s prone to ignoring orders if he thinks it’ll help us. Um, he’s right so long as it’s just him operating solo, but yeah… The thing is, if we’re talking about the big picture, international recognition and going head to head with the best in the world… Krouse has the natural ability to change things up, so we can adapt our strategies to whatever they’re able to pull off.”

Okay, that definitely is Trickster. Trickster’s pretty crap at calling shots, and adapts well enough during the fights. The main character point of view is Trickster’s.

To try to convince them he’s the right person to keep, Francis argues on his behalf, saying this Cody person can’t improve any further, while he can still play better and better. They can’t wait for Cody to improve; they have to act now.

“If you fuck this up for us, you know we’ll never let you live it down,” Luke said.

It’s not like they’ll lose a local tournament. If Francis screws up, they’ll lose boatloads of money and lucrative contracts. Many would think that warrants a little more than ‘never let you live it down’, hah.

Either way, Francis’ arguments were successful. Pretty much everyone agrees to kick Cody out and keep Francis. This can’t be easy to tell Cody, who will do it? Having decided it needed to be done now, they all walk towards the place Cody is at, and it’s decided Francis won’t be right there when Cody is given the boot. Yeah, good idea. It sure would hurt to be replaced and see the guy replacing you sitting right there.

Jess and Francis ride the elevator afterwards, Genesis noting Francis is rather nervous right now.

“The more overconfident you act, the more nervous you are. And when you’re feeling down, you poke at people, provoke them. I think you get some validation out of it, like, if you can test people and they’re still your friends after, you can feel confident in that friendship.”

Well, there’s also that Francis enjoys annoying people, apparently. I guess a lot of his behavior is all about needling and annoying other people.

I’m a bit baffled they keep saying Marissa can be a megabitch. She sure seemed like the person least likely to be abrasive towards other people. Maybe she’s the kind who yells into the voice chat.

As expected, Cody didn’t take it very well. They barely got off the elevator when they started hearing the yelling, Cody is accusing Francis of being a conniving prick who started dating Noelle after she was named captain. Hm. I don’t know, I don’t think he’d be that slimy. Francis is a hella unpleasant person, but is he that much of a jerk? I don’t think so.

There’s two people named Oliver and Chris. Ah, there’s Oliver. What’s Oliver’s role in all this? It doesn’t seem like he’s part of the gaming team, so...is he just a friend who tagged along? Is he with them all because he had a power and therefore fit in the Travelers, while Cody and Chris didn’t take part in that villain team because of the lack of powers? Or perhaps...perhaps Cody and Chris are dead? There’s not that many options as to what happened to them. For all I know, they just were left behind while the Travelers...traveled. It doesn’t have to be a sinister deal.

“Cody,” Noelle started, “We talked it over-”

“Without me!”

“Because we knew you’d react like this, and we wanted to be sure we all agreed before we moved ahead.”

“And I bet Krouse was there, wasn’t he?”

“He was.”

“Real fair.”

“He kept his mouth shut,” Noelle said.

Not exactly true, Krouse thought.

He’s got a point there, that wasn’t exactly fair. Francis got the chance to argue on his behalf, Cody didn’t get that courtesy. I don’t know, seems to me like they all had already strongly considered accepting Francis into the team, before the meeting started.

As expected, Cody is furious to see Francis here. He really shouldn’t have come. A few lines later, I’m proven wrong, he should be here. So, what’s happening is that they’re going to have one session right now. If Francis does awful, then he’s out and Cody stays. Obviously Cody wants to see Francis crash and burn. I think it’s a given what the result of this all will be.

“Here, Noelle,” Krouse said. He set his luggage flat on the ground and unzipped it. There were computers inside, each half the size of a regular desktop, wrapped in layers of towels and plastic sheeting.

“Thanks for the loan. Don’t trust mine with the sheer amount of crap my cousin downloaded onto it.”

“Actually…” He trailed off, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I took my old machine, I replaced the power supply, formatted it, installed a clean OS and done all my usual tricks for clearing out the crap that we’ll never use and optimizing it. You can consider it an early Christmas present.”

Say, doing this right in front of Cody’s not going to make him stop thinking Francis is trying hard to get on Noelle’s good side to get the spot in the team.

What follows is largely paragraphs of stuff I’m not sure what to think about, because it’s them discussing their strategies to play the game. The only thing I can comment about is that Chris and Oliver are like the reserves, although neither of them are very good. Francis used to be one of them.

The strategizing stops when the building rumbles, and a blackout happens. They barely have time to wonder what’s going on and complain about the blackout when there’s a moment of weightlessness.

A heartbeat later, the windows were directly overhead, and he was falling. He started to scream, but he managed only a monosyllabic, “Ah!” before he fell onto the side of the dining room table, tumbled to one side and slammed into the chairs, the wind knocked out of him.

It sounds like the room turned 90 degrees all of a sudden, fast enough for his body to not even feel how the floor tilts and everything goes topsy-turvy. Perhaps it’s the work of a villain?

Francis was lucky enough to be able to look around and get away from immediate danger, Noelle wasn’t so lucky. She crashed onto a chair, and then the computers fell on her. That’s got to hurt, those aren’t soft objects at all. There’s no word on how the rest are like, but they must currently be being pelted by objects. I hope they’re protecting their heads, but I’m kind of expecting a fracture or two.

Noelle is so hurt she’s bleeding from the nose and mouth, that sounds kind of like a concussion. I wonder if that affected anything in the present. But hey, you know what? All that’s happening right now is a good chance for trigger events, especially because soon it’s revealed Chris is dead. What about Cody, he okay?

Since the apartment has turned ninety degrees, leaving to a safe place is going to be rather difficult. Is this apartment the only thing that rotated? What’ll they see if they manage to get to the entrance door? Hmmm...also, what caused this? There’s a mention of a constant female scream. If it’s not one of the gals who are still awake and conscious, is it the parahuman who caused this to happen?

It takes a few minutes to be able to reunite with the rest, thanks to a knotted sheet. Francis manages to climb it even though he’s carrying Noelle, reaching the place with the rest. Chris had quite the gruesome death, but at least it sounds like it may have been instant. Everyone except Marissa is trying very hard not to look at it.

“We need a way out of here first.” Luke looked up at the windows, ten feet above their heads. Neither the floor nor the ceiling offered anything to grip.

Since it’s a window that’s on what’s now the ceiling, and it seems like this apartment was on the top floor, it’d give them access to the very top of the building, no? Hm...that’d be almost impossible to go down from, unless what turned ninety degrees was the entire building – which isn’t that unlikely, but I imagine it’d cause quite the commotion outside, enough for them to hear screams and panic.

It takes some effort, but they manage to get up there. It’s pretty cold, which is bad when you’re already injured and in shock. With some luck they’ll find a safe place, but yeah, they have to get help as soon as possible.

He stared out at the city around him. Snow had been stirred into clouds, and half a dozen buildings had obviously been knocked down, judging by the remaining wreckage. Luke’s apartment building had toppled. How did it not collapse in on our heads?

Oh! Alright, the entire building did fall down! I know this is a rough situation, but given how suddenly and quickly it happened the people inside didn’t even have time to notice everything was tilting, I keep imagining the building just...turned ninety degrees in the blink of an eye. It’s such a cartoonish mental image.

The state of the building is the least of their concerns, anyway. They have to do something to survive the current problem. The constant scream isn’t helping. Soon they find the source of the song, and here is when I get giddy. There she is!

“The Simurgh,” Jess corrected, her voice small. “What is she doing here? Why is she here?”

Oh boy, that makes two Endbringers seen in the story. No, the Simurgh interfering with Dragon’s communications didn’t count, that was too brief. Only one is left! Knowing Mr. Wildbow, it’s bound to happen at some point!

Francis’ suggestion is to run, which although is a sensible reaction and definitely what anyone should do, I don’t think it’ll be of much help. Good thing it’s guaranteed most of the people here will survive to be the Travelers. I suppose the city will be destroyed and, having nothing left and no family to go back to – ouch – they turn into their nomadic lifestyle? Also, Cody is so dead. I suppose something the Simurgh does will lead to his demise.

This is a bit of a short update, but I have to end it here.

Next time: next update

#worm #worm liveblog #webserial #liveblog #webserial liveblog

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nedcanquen · 5 years

Text

Chapter 10: Mr 7th Floor

When I posted Chapter 9 I mentioned that I applied to grad school. Well the good news is...I GOT IN! I had to once again move to a different country (in a different part of the world) and start my Masters. I’ve enjoyed it, but it was a huge adjustment for me, hence the long delay. Thank you so much to anyone still reading this and following this story. <3

---

Tags: Slow Burn (like…really slow burn) - endgame is NedCan but they don’t get there directly, Single POV, Yep, Canada will date other people before endgame because he’s very desirable even if he doesn’t always know it, Audit firm AU, Office AU, some angst…

Pairings: NedCan (endgame), NorCan, implied NedDen, DenNor, implied Spamano, France/Jeanne d’Arc, GerIta

Matthew is about ready to stop fucking crying already. But it’s therapy, so all he gets is a break until the next session, he supposes. Dr Laurinaithis is not fussed, he must have a closet full of tissue boxes in this job, and seen a few swimming pools worth of tears. Matthew doesn’t know how he feels about that, but he does feel like going through two boxes of tissue papers is too much, no matter how kind Dr. Laurinaithis is about it.

It's a relief to leave the building, though he wishes that the lightness he’s supposed to feel after a huge cry was actually there. It’s not. Because he’s forced to talk about things out loud that he usually tries to hide from himself, he’s feeling raw. It occurs to him that he may need emotional support to even get through therapy. His mind jumps to Lukas, just because it had been his idea in the first place, and immediately dismisses it.

Sometimes the hard thing about a breakup wasn’t the breakup itself, but breaking the habits that had been formed before it. Matthew and Lukas had moved slow, but he had always been aware of him in a strong sense, and knew that Lukas was a reliable man and a good listener. Maybe that was why Lukas was the first person he had called when he panicked about Arthur. He feels embarrassed about that now, Arthur is a grown man who doesn’t need anyone to be regulating his drinking, and when did Matthew care about drinking this much? It wasn’t the drinking he had responded to, he knows that now, it was the realization of the loneliness Arthur would have had to have been experiencing to over-rely on a bottle. If Arthur were still his direct Manager, Matthew would have found him and kept him company. As it was, not he never really knew where Arthur was in the world at any point of time, or if he would be welcome, or if Arthur the Partner would have any time for him, so he tried to get other people to make sure that Arthur was cared for. It’s a strange thing, Matthew doesn’t even do this for his own father, and his mother has never needed help. He’s always felt like the soft and vulnerable one in his family, but Arthur respected that, somehow teaching him how to succeed in this firm despite wanting to hide from the world sometimes.

Maybe it’s time to visit Mom. Except he feels bad for burdening her with his insecurities, and moving to the city and thriving here is supposed to be proof that he’s grown up now, all her hard work was worth it. She would see right through him the moment he walked through the door.

As he climbs into his car he looks at his now terrible reflection in the mirror. Not good, Arthur's farewell do is in a couple of hours. He really didn't plan this out very well, but Dr Laurinaithis‘ first available appointment had been today and sometimes Matthew was a little too efficient with getting through his to do list. He pulls out the wet wipes he keeps in the glove compartment and runs it over his face, hoping the cool and damp cloth will do something about the obvious swelling around his eyes and nose.

He can blame it on allergies. Yeah why not. They were going to a park after all.

But first, time to pick up Shell.

He knows the way to her place so he drives there almost on autopilot. She wouldn't be fooled by the “allergies”excuse, so he'll probably have to come clean to her about therapy. The idea makes his stomach clench, he knows objectively that Michelle wouldn;t judge him, but therapy is still something intensely personal. But still, shouldn’t he give her a chance? Friendship was also about vulnerability. Then again, she was also a colleague, and he doesn’t want their friendship to make her work more difficult. She just saved him from a terrible meeting earlier in the week, and now he wonders if she'll question his ability to work and lead, if his lack of promotion somehow pushed him off an edge.

Matthew takes a deep breath and decides to get on with it. She’ll notice or she won’t.

He drives up and sees her standing in front of her apartment, grinning at him in a light blue dress, and waving excitedly at his car. He cracks a smile at that. He's just thrown on an old red t-shirt and a pair of jeans, it's a barbecue after all and he'd rather not have his better clothes stained with fat and smoke.

The moment she gets in the car, her face drops. Yep, no fooling Shell. He opens his mouth to try to explain but finds he can't really.

Michelle squeezes his shoulder. “Matt… are you…” but maybe because he couldn't say anything, she opts not to either, and just leans in to hug him.

There's a moment of guilt where Matthew feels terrible for bringing her mood down, guilt that he can't admit something that is nothing to be ashamed of, but he appreciates the hug and leans into it all the same. Somehow it’s a little better.

“Sorry to worry you Shell, I just had a rough morning, I'll be fine.” Her hair smells like coconuts and there’s some part of him that thinks of warm island breezes and white sands, far away from his problems here.

When they pull back, she tilts her head, pondering. “Matt I didn’t want to bring it up earlier because I wasn’t sure if it would help and you didn’t seem to want to talk about it, and I’ve always looked up to you. But I feel like I have to say something. You’ve been through a lot lately, and you've been holding it together really well. Sometimes I don't know why you're still even in the team instead of running off to a well deserved island break. Francis would deserve it. And Lukas I mean… have you had a chance to talk about Lukas? And you invited him today so...Look Matt, no one will think less of you if you’re selfish for-.”

“I don't want to talk about it right now Shell.” He’s exhausted, he's talked all morning. “Thanks, really. It’s just that… trust me I'm talking a lot.”

She doesn’t press, and Matthew is glad, but she does pat his arm. “That’s great, but...I’m here too if you need me you know. Also, I would totally make up a good excuse for you if you decide you need to leave early today. You’re the one who told me that rest doesn’t mean weakness, it’s just strength in the long run.”

How did he come up with these things? “It’s a marathon, not a sprint.” He repeats out loud, but in his head he hears Arthur say it, because that’s who he had learned it from. Sure, Arthur wasn’t great at living by the occasional wisdom he managed to say out loud (and read in a book somewhere), but that didn’t mean it wasn’t wisdom. It was Arthur who showed him that you trudged on, no matter the difficulty or tears. He’s seen Arthur fight through insecurity and frustration with little to no guidance to rise on his own.. It’s another reason why Matthew has to turn up, has to celebrate his day with everyone. Arthur was the first person whom he felt had really seen the value in him and invested time into him. He’s a big reason why Matthew is the professional he is today.

“Yeah.” Michelle replies with a worried smile.

First they stop off at the florist to collect the flowers that Michelle had ordered. Gardening was one of Arthur’s passions, though Matthew wasn’t sure how many people remembered that anymore. These flowers wouldn’t imitate a garden, but they would be the closest they could get to recreating a happy space for Arthur.

Under Michelle’s guidance they had outdone themselves. Somehow, Michelle had secured two barbecue pits in the park. Jack and Gerard from Daan and Arthur’s team were cooking up a storm, and as far as Matthew could figure out - took barbecues very very seriously. But it’s exactly what Matthew had previously envisioned - children ran around on the green, playing with each other. The open air and casual atmosphere made everyone relax, the flowers they were setting up made everything look that much more festive. Although, the lack of beer at a barbecue was perhaps a little obvious and noticeable.

“Juice?” Ha strolls up with a grin, holding two cartons of orange juice in hand.

Oh man...they’re never going to hear the end of this.

“Or…” Ha grins “Are we holding out for the sparkling juice?” The alcohol-free ‘champagne’ - still get the pop, but no kick. For the purposes of the day, Michelle branded it “child’s wine.”

Matthew grins, “No reason not to have both.”

All the Partners are late, which doesn’t surprise anyone. It seemed to be a regular code of conduct to allow the rest of the staff to enjoy each other’s company before the bosses came in. What was surprising however, was who arrived next.

“How come there’s no music at this party?” Mathias grins as he walks in with Emil, rolling in a cart of danishes and other delicious foods. Just how much were they going to eat today?

“Mathias? Hi.” Matthew waves. Why was he here? Was it weird to feel like he and Mathias were kinda friends? Even though they didn’t know each other very well and had met under very convoluted circumstances. “Oh wow these kids are going to be on a sugar high all day today.” He doesn’t know how Arthur will feel about rowdy children - he knows the man loves kids but generally in an unrealistic way.

“That’s the plan!” Michelle laughs.

Matthew nods and walks around, greeting everyone but ultimately he’s just looking for a bench to sit on while everyone else is occupied. He lets the sound of happy children trill behind him as he takes in the view of people simply enjoying their lives on the green. He breathes in deeply, and lets his breath out, calming his mind and thinking about nothing in particular. When he finds his empty bench, he sits and muses a little. He realizes that he’s not changed as much as he thinks - he’s generally known who he is. But at the same time, he feels born anew, like he’s stumbling to figure out the world all over again for the first time. He thought he had it figured out, he’s been doing what some invisible societal book out there tells him he has to do, that Arthur had mastered, and the book wasn’t wrong per se, but it was wrong to deny him himself. As Dr Laurinaithis (Toris, he had told him to call him Toris - Matthew can only imagine how he must have butchered the man’s name) gently told him this morning - it’s about learning to rephrase, to be present, to be conscious and aware. Matthew is focused on what he hasn’t achieved, and not so much on what he has.

Easier said than done really. It’s one thing to understand the logic of doing that, it’s another to be personally sold on it. So he’ll start with baby steps - if he doesn’t feel comfortable with something, he won’t just push down that feeling, he’ll process it. Maybe Shell is right, maybe he needs a trip…

“Didn’t think you’d be the one to judge a party without alcohol.”

Matthew is jarred out of his thoughts by a somewhat concerned looking Daan, who’s holding a cup of orange juice in his hand.

Daan looks like he’s about to say something with his trademark dryness but stops. His expression shifts from glib to concerned. “Hey…” He doesn’t finish his thought though, Daan casts a nervous look behind at the party for a moment, then looks down with a sigh. He silently comes over to sit next to Matthew on the bench.

Matthew tries to saw something to dismiss the concern, some greeting, to steel himself to stand and join the party. But he’s just too tired. Instead he asks “I look that bad huh?” It’s not much of a question.

Daan doesn’t bother to voice the obvious, and offers the orange juice instead. “I haven’t had any.”

“No thanks.”

They sit in silence for a moment, and Matthew is glad. He’s glad he doesn’t have to explain himself, but he’s not happy that Daan has seen him like this. There’s nowhere to escape in a park though, so he may as well just sit here. Anyway, Daan’s presence has its advantages, like giving him a further excuse not to go back to the party. And now that he’s free to just return to his silence, Matthew finds himself observing Daan when the other leans over, resting his arms on his knees, sipping from his cup. He remembers what Lukas said, about Daan having to give away a project, about Daan going through a weird transition right now.

He can’t see a shred of evidence of it anywhere.

Matthew takes a breath “How do you do it?”

“Hmm?”

“Arthur drinks, I...well I work out and occasionally go hiking, but I’m obviously not dealing with my troubles well because you took one look at my face and decided it’s better not to drag me back to the party. But you, you’ve never looked weak, no one would look at you and go ‘hey...maybe I shouldn’t promote him, I don’t want to be guilty of manslaughter.’”

Daan let’s out an annoyed huff. Matthew observes him as Daan sits up and straightens himself. “I’m pretty sure you saw me during a pretty rough patch at least once. Like that night you brought Emil to Mathias’ cafe. Man...that was a really shitty time. I was doing a pretty good job at denying just how shitty it was just two days before that, but there’s nothing quite like enforced quiet solitude on a 24-hour flight to make you realize how much you’re not going to be able to lie to yourself about this one.”

Daan’s voice is filled with so much...regret? Matthew doesn’t realize he’s reached out until he’s squeezing Daan’s arm in reassurance. They both tense with the contact, and Matthew quickly withdraws his hand. Stupid stupid stupid. “Sorry.” He mumbles, though he’s not sure what exactly he’s sorry for.

Daan doesn’t move, he just stares at the grass. “I trust my people.”

Matthew screws up his face in confusion. What did Daan’s team have to do with anything?

“Arthur drinks; you work out and hike; I have pets, a sister who can’t ever stop mocking me to remind me that I’m not that great, a baby brother who somehow looks up to me enough that it balances out her mocking, a friend who makes sure I’m fed and will drag me out of my door kicking and screaming if needs be to just...cycle somewhere, a…” Daan stops suddenly and frowns, squeezing the bridge of his nose and taking a deep breath, which he lets out. “You get the idea. I have people that I trust, to see me like that, like this - the way you saw me when I forgot my keys. I didn’t always have them, I didn’t always appreciate them, but I get by because I have them. I’m not a particularly social man, but I have a community that’s mine. That’s how I do it.” Daan stands from the bench and Matthew’s eyes can’t help but follow him, looking up and Daan turns. “You do too. And so does Arthur to be honest, neither of you are the lone wolves you try to be.”

Matthew laughs. “Lone wolf? Me?”

Daan shrugs. “We never really knew each other until recently, but I remember seeing you around before. Always in a group with other associates, usually with either Michelle or Ha, or…well, leaving birthday cupcakes on Arthur’s desk in the early hours of morning...”

Matthew’s eyes widen, Daan had seen that?

“Made me jealous to be honest,” Daan continues. “No one’s ever left me cupcakes.”

Matthew laughs. “Your housemate makes damn good danishes.”

“Well yes, but let’s be honest here, he’s never really made them for me, I just happened to be around. Besides, is a danish a cupcake?”

Matthew shakes his head and rolls his eyes fondly. Honestly.

“My point is,” Daan adds pointedly. “You have a community. Let them help you. Not saying hiking isn’t a good coping mechanism though.”

Matthew finds himself feeling a little lighter, and able to stand to return to the party. He looks up at Daan’s concerned face and smiles. “Thanks for the pep talk.” Daan is really really good at his job - who knew that this guy could give good talks like this? No wonder his team did so well.

Daan nods and looks behind him. “You want to join the party? Or should I make up an excuse?”

Matthew turns and observes the party too. It’s happy, pleasant and perfect - Michelle’s magic in full displace. “I don’t want to ruin it by bringing down the mood, Shell worked so hard. But I haven’t quite reached the point where it’s polite to leave yet. I should at least speak to Arthur. It’s crazy, I haven’t really talked to him at all lately.”

Daan’s tapping his fingers on the back of the bench, and Matthew doesn’t look at him, expecting him to leave at any moment. But instead, Daan surprises him.

“Want company or to be alone? Lukas will text me when they’re about to arrive, no one’s going to hold it against you if you sit out here. You’ve already greeted everyone.”

“I…” Both? Matthew wants Daan right next to him, a solid presence on a day when Matthew feels cast out at sea, riding on tumultuous waves of his stamped down emotions. He also doesn’t want to be a burden.

“Right, don’t worry. Take your time.”

“Wait!”

Daan pauses in his stride surprised. He must have presumed that Matthew’s reluctance to speak was out of politeness, not indecision.

“I don’t mind company I’m just not great company myself right now so, it’s really up to you. I’m sure you have schmoozing to do.”

Daan casts a skeptical look at the party. “I see them practically everyday. I don’t mind some quiet. They’re all in love with Mathias anyway, I’ll give him a chance to keep charming his regulars, uninterrupted.”

Matthew can’t help but laugh. “So he knows everyone?”

Daan shrugs. “Well whenever we have a party we tend to buy food from him, so by now, yeah.”

“I distinctly remember him telling you that night at the cafe, that PKDE was your life, not his.”

Daan lets out a snort and a little laugh. Matthew likes that little laugh, a little too much. He churns inside because no.

No. No. No.

Nononononononono…

“Sometimes when I piss him off he says things yeah, but he’s such a softy now you have no idea.”

For lack of anything else to say (because he’s afraid to say anything), Matthew just replies, “Tell me.”

So Daan does, and Matthew looks down at the grass seeing nothing because he knows he’s gone and done something even more irrevocably stupid. It was inevitable really, just a matter of time, and he had been in so much denial because he hadn’t wanted to stop himself. But was there really any other way that this was going to go for him? He can’t even hide it from himself anymore.

He’s in love.

#nedcan #APH Canada #aph netherlands #fic: Mr 7th floor

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the-observant-frisbeetarian · 5 years

Text

Chapter 4 (Revised)

The Tiger and the Dragon by George deValier

The next morning, Yao was harshly woken by what sounded like a buzzsaw drilling into his head. The first thing he realised, with a small wave of relief, was that he was in his own bed. The next was that he was very, very hungover. The third thing Yao realised was that the buzzsaw was, in fact, his cell phone, and it had been ringing insistently for around five minutes now. Groaning huffily, he emerged from under a pile of pillows, reached for the offending phone, and squinted at it through bleary eyes. The words leapt off the screen: Incoming Call… IVAN. Yao was suddenly very wide awake. His chest fluttered, his stomach flipped, and he answered hurriedly. "Uh… hello?"

"Good morning, little Dragon!" That accent and cheery tone were unmistakable. After only one night, Yao was surprised by how intensely the mere sound of Ivan's voice affected him. His heart pounded and his breath stuttered… but he still felt his eyebrows draw together in confusion.

"Um… I don't remember adding your number to my phone."

"I took liberty of doing this last night when you were sleeping." Ivan sounded like he was about to laugh.

"You… oh." Yao dragged himself upright against the pillows. The room immediately spun around him. "Well, as long as that's the only liberty you took."

"I am sorry?"

Yao put his hand over the receiver, swore softly, then placed the phone back to his ear. "Nothing!"

"Silly Yao! I will be taking you out tomorrow afternoon."

Yao nearly fell out of bed. "Taking… wha… you will?" He felt something around his neck and pulled at it in confusion. The warm scent of leather and spice surrounded him - he'd fallen asleep in Ivan's scarf.

"Da, I will."

"Why? I mean… I have to work."

"No, you do not." Ivan's accent sounded even stronger on the phone. It sent strange, tingling shivers down Yao's spine. "I will pick you up at three."

"I… um… okay." The words were out before Yao was sure he meant to say them.

"I will see you then, Dragon!"

The line went dead. Yao sat still for a moment, holding the silent phone against his ear, unsure what he had just agreed to. Had he just been asked on a… a date? Not that 'asked' was really the right word for it. He'd basically just been ordered on a date. Yao wasn't quite sure how he felt about that. He drummed his fingers against the phone for a second, finally hung up, then realised that he hadn't given Ivan his address. He was just debating whether or not to ring the Russian back when his phone rang again. Incoming Call… ALFRED. Yao groaned. "Hello?"

"Yao!" Alfred shouted down the phone. "You gotta come downstairs now and cook me pancakes! Arthur tried but he's a shitty cook and he burnt them and…"

"You wanker!" Arthur yelled in the background. "Just see if I ever cook for you again!"

"Oh Lord, I pray for the day!" Alfred cried, followed by a loud bang and an incoherent scream.

Yao paused briefly. He was quite used to Alfred's demands for food, but he was a little concerned about seeing his friends this morning. He hadn't really known what to say to them last night. Alfred seemed to think Ivan was some sort of Russian spy, Francis was fixated on Yao's future chances of sleeping with the man, and Arthur had been too drunk to really participate in the conversation. But judging by the shrieks on the other end of the phone, Yao wasn't going to get any peace until he cooked his demanding friends their blasted breakfast. He sighed wearily. "I'm coming down now. Please stop shouting." He hung up again, noticing as he did that the time on his phone read nearly midday. Yao had to blink at the clock display a few times. He really must have drunk more than he thought… he never slept that long.

The night before was like a blur in his memory. Of course, certain things stood out more than others. Things like Ivan grasping his hand; touching his fingers with his tongue; kissing him on a balcony… Yao felt very warm as he kicked his clothes aside on his messy floor and headed for his small dresser. Its surface was covered in socks and comic books and cooking magazine clippings, while a Hello Kitty picture and a horoscope chart were taped to the little mirror. Yao inspected his reflection carefully. He wasn't too bad-looking, he supposed, apart from the dark circles - he had good skin, unusually changeable brown eyes, and he'd always been quite proud of his hair. But he still couldn't quite see what had made a man like Ivan call him beautiful. He certainly couldn't see anything extraordinary about himself. He felt confused about it all, a little embarrassed - and secretly, quietly, a bit thrilled.

Yao breathed out heavily, tried to ignore his pounding headache, and headed for the bathroom to get ready. His little apartment only really consisted of three rooms. It was on the second floor of a narrow three story converted townhouse, while the larger apartment on the ground floor belonged to Arthur and Alfred. Francis lived in the apartment on the top floor, and was not the easiest neighbour to deal with, what with him bringing home a steady stream of one nighters at ungodly hours and constantly having his two very loud, possibly insane best friends over. But he was also fun, loyal, and had secured Yao a great apprenticeship at the restaurant where he worked. Besides, the noise from Francis' place wasn't much worse than the alternating screaming arguments and screaming sex sounds that often drifted up from the apartment below.

Yao knocked on Arthur and Alfred's door, received no answer, and opened it hesitantly. He wasn't surprised by the scene he walked into. The kitchen walls were splattered with batter, the benches covered with dirty dishes. Arthur stood in the archway to the living room, throwing pancakes and verbal abuse at Alfred, who hid behind the kitchen island defending himself with a frying pan. Yao rolled his eyes. Just a regular day in the Kirkland-Jones residence.

"Morning, Yao!" Alfred grinned from behind his pan. He didn't seem too troubled by Arthur's tirade.

"Afternoon, more like." Yao fumbled to catch a flying pancake and inspected it closely. It had the consistency of a slightly soggy piece of wood. For politeness sake, he bit the corner cautiously. It tasted about the same. "I don't know what you're talking about, these pancakes are fine," he lied.

"Of course they're bloody fine!" Arthur shouted, his face twisted with rage. "You ungrateful little tosser!" He narrowly missed Alfred's head with the last pancake, then dropped the empty plate onto the bench. "Good morning, Yao." Yao just waved as Arthur turned and flopped onto the living room couch, his back to the kitchen and his face in a book. Yao snatched the frying pan from Alfred's hand, placed it on the stove, and got to work making pancake batter with the ingredients left on the bench.

Alfred immediately raced to Arthur and leant over the back of the couch. "Arthur, sweetheart, don't be mad. You know I love you, even if you can't cook."

"Sod off, I'm studying." But Arthur's voice didn't sound as angry as before.

Alfred laughed, ruffled Arthur's hair, then fell into a stool by the kitchen counter. He leant his chin on his hand and studied Yao for a moment as he worked. "You look like hell," he said finally.

Yao looked up and glared. "Thank you. I feel like hell. Now I remember why I don't drink."

Alfred scoffed loudly. "You need reminding? Between you passing out, Francis stripping off, and Arthur trying to fight anyone in a five mile radius, drinking with you guys is like an extreme sport."

Arthur flipped him off over the back of the couch. Yao just continued stirring the batter in silence. Silence would be best. Surely it wasn't a good idea to mention this date to Alfred. But after only a few seconds, Yao couldn't hold it in anymore. "Ivan called me this morning."

Alfred straightened up incredulously. "You gave that Russian your number?"

"No…" Yao paused his stirring. "No, I didn't." That was a little odd. But then, he'd probably just taken the number from Yao's phone… except that Yao didn't keep his number in his phone… "Huh." Yao shrugged. "Pass me the milk, will you?"

"I told you! He's a spy!" Alfred hurled the milk bottle across the counter. Yao barely managed to catch it. "You need to cut all contact immediately or before you know it you'll be defecting to the Soviet Union!"

Yao gritted his teeth. Yep – silence would have been best. "Ivan is not a spy. And there is no Soviet Union. This isn't the nineteen-fifties, Alfred."

Alfred did not look convinced. "What did he call you for, then?"

Yao looked back into the bowl of batter and tried to keep a stupid grin from his face. "To ask me out tomorrow."

Alfred's eyebrows shot up and Arthur twisted on the couch. They both spoke as one, their voices astonished. "You've got a date?"

Yao's grin fell immediately. Instead, he frowned huffily. "Don't sound so surprised. He's picking me up at three."

"I'd be very suspicious if I were you," said Arthur. "As Jean-Paul Sartre said, 'Three o'clock is either too late or too early for anything you want to do.'"

Yao ignored him and opened the cupboard to get the sugar. Why was he even cooking breakfast for these people?

Alfred snorted. "Yeah, well I think Jean-Paul must've been a pretty boring guy, because I can think of plenty of things to do at three o'clock. None of which involve going on a date with a Russian spy."

"He is not a spy!" Yao slammed the cupboard door loudly. Was it too much to ask for a bit of support? Yao had enough reasons to be nervous without his friends making it worse. Thankfully Arthur discreetly turned back to his book. Alfred, however, did not take the hint.

"Please tell me you didn't say yes." Alfred clenched his fists anxiously, his eyes wide.

Yao just shrugged. He added a little sugar to the bowl and stirred it in with more force than necessary.

Alfred closed his eyes, let out an exaggerated sigh, and flopped forward onto the counter. "You said yes," he groaned.

Yao took the opportunity to flick a bit of the batter into Alfred's hair. "Yes, Alfred, I said yes. Look, I like this guy. He's... nice. Besides, when was the last time someone asked me out?" Yao paused. "Wait, don't answer that."

Alfred lifted himself up and rested his chin on his hand. "Yao, be careful. Spy or not, this guy's gotta be a bit dodgy. I mean, he's a huge Russian who wears a trench coat!"

Yao tried to look insulted. There was a tiny part of himself which agreed that yes, Ivan did seem dangerous. But Yao's struggling sense of pride was doing a really good job of ignoring that part. "So your only problem here is Ivan's nationality, his size, and his dress sense? That is incredibly judgmental, Alfred. You are completely overreacting. Ivan is just a businessman."

Alfred looked horrified. "A middle-aged businessman, Yao? Next thing you know he'll be getting you to dress like a Japanese schoolgirl!"

Yao stared blankly for a few moments. "Alfred, I… don't even know if you're being racist anymore."

Alfred ignored him. "Did he say what business he was in?"

"I didn't ask," Yao lied. "But I suppose I can find out tomorrow, can't I?" Yao poured the batter into the hot frying pan. He'd given up asking himself why he was still cooking Alfred's breakfast.

"Fine," Alfred sighed resignedly. Then he leant forward and continued earnestly, "But if anything feels weird, you call me immediately, okay?"

Yao paused briefly. He supposed that, for all Alfred's ignorant offensiveness, he really was just trying to look out for Yao. It was slightly insulting, yet kind of sweet… in a sick sort of way.

"And I really can get you that can of mace, you know."

Yao clenched his fist around the frypan handle. But still insulting. "Okay, sure, and if that doesn't work I'll just hit him with my handbag," he replied sarcastically.

"Men carry mace!" Alfred cried indignantly. "It's totally manly! Arthur carried it all the time until he got banned after spraying his literature professor!"

Arthur snorted, turning a page of his book and muttering, "That'll teach him for calling a speech on embroidery in the time of Jane Austen 'tedious and uninspired.'"

Alfred put his hand to his forehead. "You're not exactly proving my point, sweetheart."

Yao shook his head in frustration. "Look, Alfred, you're the one who told me I should be less predictable and boring. Now you're getting all insane and irritating when I do just that. Ivan has been nothing but a perfect gentleman." Well, that was true, after all… "And may I also remind you that I am perfectly capable of looking after myself."

Alfred looked infuriatingly doubtful. "But…"

"Alfred!" Arthur snapped. "That's enough. Let Yao be happy about his date before he fucks it up."

Yao just sighed. In the end, he hadn't really expected his friends to react any other way.

That afternoon, like always, Yao managed to drag himself into work despite the hangover. Sure, he loved cooking, but sometimes Yao felt like he lived his entire life in the restaurant where he worked. Fusion was a few streets away from his apartment, in the busiest part of town; it was only small, but very popular, and incredibly busy. Yao knew that was because it served the best modern cuisine around, and had the best international chefs in the city. Yao hurried through the quiet front dining area, past deep red walls and stark black tables, waving half-heartedly at the wait staff as he went. Most barely acknowledged him, but Yao was used to that by now.

"Yao!" Francis cried cheerfully as Yao entered the small, sparkling-steel kitchen. He was the only other chef working at this time of day, and appeared to be dealing with about six meals at once. He placed a tray in the oven, tossed his hair from his forehead, and twisted his face distastefully. "Mon Dieu, you look like hell."

"So everyone keeps telling me," muttered Yao, throwing his bag in the corner and pulling on an apron. "It's called a hangover. I'll survive."

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought you had the day off."

A day off… what's that? "I'm filling in for Feliciano for a few hours. He's going to be late."

Francis scoffed and slammed the oven door shut. "You need to stop covering that lazy Italian's arse. Tell him to shove it next time."

Yao shrugged as he turned on the tap to wash his hands. "I don't mind." That wasn't entirely true. Although their first year apprentice spent most of his time slacking off, turning up late, and asking Yao to cover for him, Feliciano was also best friends with Yao's brother Kiku and almost like a brother himself. No one could stay mad at Feli for long.

Francis shook his head. "If that little slacker didn't make the best pasta in the city he would have been fired months ago." Yao scoffed at that. Francis doted on Feliciano worse than anyone. And besides, as long as Yao had known Feliciano there had been the implicit and unspoken knowledge that his Italian family were involved in dealings that were… less than legal. It guaranteed great protection for the restaurant, as well as the understanding that Feliciano was pretty much able to get away with anything he wanted.

"Actually, Francis, speaking of filling in…" Yao turned, leant back against the bench, and shot Francis his best pleading look. If anyone was going to be happy for him, it would be the perverted Frenchman.

"Hmm?" Francis barely noticed, absently reaching up to take a heavy mixing bowl from the cupboard.

Yao continued determinedly. He'd gotten this far, and he was going on this date with Ivan, no matter what it took. "I need you to cover my shift tomorrow."

That got Francis' attention. He swiftly spun around and stared at Yao warily. "Cover? Why?" Yao didn't blame Francis for being suspicious. Yao had never asked anyone to cover for him.

"Okay, don't make a big deal or anything, but…" Yao took a deep breath and braced himself for Francis' reaction. "I'm going somewhere with Ivan."

"The Russian?" Francis practically shrieked in excitement and immediately dropped the bowl on his foot. "Ah la vache!" he cried, hopping in pain. "I mean, Yao! That's fantastic! Good for you! Merde that hurt…"

Yao narrowed his eyes. Why is everyone so surprised by a simple date… Still, it was a better reaction than Alfred's. "I said don't make a big deal of it." He bent down to pick up the bowl.

"This is a big deal!" Francis was almost breathless, whether from excitement or pain Yao could not tell. He rubbed his foot as he continued. "The lucky Buddha I bought you must be working… this must be the first time you've ever made it to a second date!"

Yao promptly dropped the bowl again. This time Francis hopped out of the way.

"Oh mon cher, I didn't mean it like that..."

"So, you can work my shift?" Yao felt odd asking for the day off for no reason other than that he had a date. Maybe the little Buddha was working… he was certainly being more unpredictable than ever before.

Francis just seemed delighted. "Are you serious? This is the biggest occasion of the year! I will drag Feliciano in here by his ridiculous hair curl and make him work your shift. Oh Yao! A Russian! You are one lucky boy, non?" Francis winked. Yao just smiled politely and turned away. Francis really worried him sometimes.

The afternoon passed quickly enough, until before Yao knew it Feliciano was bouncing into the kitchen, grinning madly and carrying an enormous bunch of yellow sunflowers. "Buona sera!" he cried. "Yao you are soooo awesome! Thank you a million times for being the best big brother in the whole world! Don't tell Lovino I said that though, but it's true, because he's always cranky and nasty to Ludwig and he doesn't help me out at work like you do and hello Francis! Your hair is looking fabulous today! Did you try that new shampoo I told you about? Not that you need it your hair always looks fabulous and oh, Yao, these are for you." Feliciano thrust the bright flowers at Yao.

"Don't think you can get out of trouble with flattery, Feli," Francis muttered, even as he flicked his hair vainly.

"Oh, um, thanks Feliciano." Yao took the flowers bewilderedly. "A thank you present?" The little Italian's greetings always left him a little dazed.

"No, someone was dropping them off for you out front so I said I'd take them." Feliciano bounced to the cupboard to fetch his apron.

"Someone was dropping them off?" Yao's heart leapt to his throat. Could Ivan have delivered them? Could he still be here? "What did they look like?"

"Some little kid." Feliciano wrinkled his nose and giggled. "He looked far too young for you, Yao."

Ah. Yao felt a little disappointed – it must have been Raivis who delivered the flowers. He tried to appear indifferent. "Don't be absurd." Yao searched the flowers for a note, eventually finding one lost somewhere in the middle of the huge bunch. He practically tore it open, devouring the words as Francis and Feliciano both hung over his shoulders.

Dear Little Dragon, I hope you are not too unwell feeling today. Russian wine is very strong! I enjoyed talking with you last night and I look forward to see you tomorrow afternoon. Yours, Ivan. :)

Yao laughed at the little smiley face. How appropriate. He read the words over and over… look forward to see you tomorrow afternoon… Yao could not keep from smiling himself. That short sentence alone was enough to flood Yao's mind with images from last night - Ivan's unfathomable smile; his consuming presence. Yao's chest ached to see the strange Russian again, to experience that vivid intensity he had felt while with him.

"Ooh, Yao, what's going on? Do you have a date?" asked Feliciano in a singsong voice. "Is he cute?"

Francis placed a hand to his chest and sighed dramatically. "So cute, Feli. Your type, actually - big, tall, blonde..."

Feliciano clapped his hands together and actually squealed. Yao's chest felt like it was filling with air. This reaction he preferred. But suddenly his grin faded. He looked at the flowers, glanced towards the front door, then looked up at Francis with furrowed eyebrows. "But... how did Ivan find out where I work?"

Francis raised an eyebrow, but he didn't seem too concerned. "You didn't tell him?"

Yao tried to remember. The end of his conversation with Ivan was something of a blur. "I don't think so…" Okay, slightly weird... Yao shrugged off the uneasy feeling. He probably had mentioned it somewhere along the way. "Look, do me a favour. Please don't mention the flowers to Alfred."

Francis winced sympathetically. "Playing the hero again, is he?"

Yao rolled his eyes. "You have no idea."

Francis placed a finger to his lips. "Not a word." Then he snatched the note from Yao's hand and read it over again. "Little Dragon, hmm?"

Yao could feel his cheeks burning. "Uh… yeah. He seems to call me that."

Francis looked impressed. "This Russian may be quite serious about you, mon cher."

Feliciano nodded in agreement. "That's true, you know, because you only give flowers to someone you like, so he must like you, and he wrote you a note too, and yay, Yao!" Feliciano threw an arm around Yao's shoulder and squeezed far too tightly. "I can't believe you actually have a date!"

Yao's stomach turned in fluttering knots. He ignored the tiny worry in the back of his mind. Everyone he knew seemed amazed that he had a date. And yeah, okay, that was kind of amazing – but what was more amazing was that Yao was actually really, really excited about it. Yao just smiled superiorly at Feliciano and placed the sunflowers in a glass by the sink. "Believe it, Feli," he said simply. "I have a date."

Next Chapter (Original)

Disclaimer: This story belongs to George deValier. Hetalia belongs to Hidekaz Himaruya. I own nothing.

#the tiger and the dragon chapter 4

3 notes · View notes

lilacmoon83 · 5 years

Text

Finding You Always

Also on Fanfiction.net and A03

Chapter 190: I'll Make a Man Out of You

At dinner last evening, Snow and David detailed their plan to Phillip and Aurora, only to be met with overwhelming support and excitement from the other royal pair. In addition, Red was so excited that she could barely contain her joy. She loved her life with Mulan and being with her, but she missed her them, Granny, and her Godchildren very much. So naturally, Mulan was on board as well, knowing how happy it was going to make Red.

They graciously enjoyed Phillip and Aurora's hospitality and got a good night's sleep in the guest wing of their castle, before awakening the next morning to enjoy breakfast with them. And before they knew it, it was time to move on.

"We'll see you soon," Snow said, as she hugged Aurora and David shook hands with Phillip.

"We are excited for this new direction," Phillip stated, as Phillip Jr. and Bobby said their goodbyes too. The boys were about the same age and fast friends.

"Us too," David agreed.

"Where will you go now?" Aurora asked curiously.

"Well...we were hoping Mulan could get us an audience with the Emperor of her land and then I suppose we'll have to visit King Francis in the Southern Isles. As much as we never cared for him, we don't feel it's right to exclude a Kingdom solely based on their ruler," Snow explained.

"Oh...King Francis passed away two years ago. His eldest son rules now," Phillips said.

"Do you know much about him?" David asked curiously.

"He seems to be a more just ruler than his father, but I'm afraid I have not met him directly, only representatives of his. He seemed to be appalled by what his youngest brother Hans tried to do in Arendelle, but I don't know if that was because he got caught and it reflected badly on his Kingdom or if he was truly appalled by his acts," Phillip advised. David nodded.

"We'll go into that one carefully," he said. They nodded and gathered with their children, while Mulan and Red joined them.

"The Emperor does not take meetings from outsiders often, but he is well versed in the legend of the Dragon King. If I explain that you are the next pair to hold the title of truest loves, he may grant you an audience," Mulan explained.

"And if he doesn't?" Snow asked.

"I will present your case for you," Mulan answered. They smiled.

"Thank you Mulan," the raven haired beauty said, as her husband toss a bean and a swirling orange portal appeared before them. With that, they, their children, Red, and Mulan stepped through to their intended destination.

~*~

Nephilim

Regina and Mim followed Seth, as he led them to a chamber in the bowels of his palace. Once they walked in, it was clear that it was a treasure room. It was filled with gold, silver, precious jewels, ancient artifacts, diamonds, and acquired items that Regina assumed were probably significant pieces.

"So...is there something in here that can help us?" Regina asked.

"I believe so," Seth responded, as he retrieved a helm from the highest shelf.

"And what exactly is this?" she asked.

"You uneducated fool...you don't recognize such an ancient prize?" Mim snapped.

"Easy Mim...I obtained this helmet long before she was even thought of, let alone born," Seth eased, as he put the cap on to demonstrate its power and Regina was astonished to see him disappear. He removed it and reappeared again.

"Hades' cap of invisibility. I took it from him centuries ago, before my banishment. You see, before they ousted me from my home, I put many things I acquired in a sort of magical dimensional pocket and when I arrived here, I found that I was able to retrieve everything I had stashed away." he replied.

"That's a fascinating trick. Care to teach it to me sometime?" Regina questioned.

"Pff...you're barely worthy enough to polish his boots, let alone become an apprentice," Mim protested.

"Your ambition is very refreshing. Perhaps a lesson or two is in order, but first, we need to figure out how to conceal this land and the curse from Storybrooke," he purported.

"We need to be hidden in plain sight so we may infiltrate our enemies and only reveal ourselves when we are ready," he continued.

"And you think the answer is in Hades' invisibility cap?" Regina inquired.

"I think if we melt this helm down and add its magical invisibility properties to the curse...then yes, I think it will work," Seth responded. She smirked.

"I don't see why it wouldn't. This is a powerful artifact...it could be exactly what we need," she agreed. He smirked back.

"Then let's proceed with our plan," he said.

~*~

"Order up!" Frankie called, as he finished the last of the breakfast rush. He and Joe were thoroughly enjoying their new lives in this extraordinary little town. They were still astounded at how the Charmings had basically adopted them into their large family and they had never been so grateful.

The last order, being that of apple pancakes and other breakfast and lunch items, went out to Regina's table. They were enjoying a late family breakfast that morning. Joining her was Robin and Roland of course, along with Chad, Zelena, Jade, Alice, who naturally brought Emma and Killian with her.

"Thanks Joe," Emma said, as she dug into her grilled cheese and onion rings.

"You're very welcome. So...how do you think things are going for your parents?" Joe asked curiously.

"Oh, I actually talked to them last night through magical Skype," she replied. His brow furrowed.

"Magical Skype?" he asked. She smirked.

"Also known as an enchanted looking glass. With the chalice, it allows them to talk to us through an enchanted looking glass, no matter where they are," she clarified. He shook his head.

"Amazing…" he said.

"Yeah, so they've visited Agrabah, the Maritime Kingdom, and were in King Phillips Kingdom last night. All three are overall excited and on board with it all," Emma reported.

"Agrabah...that's Aladdin, right?" Joe asked.

"Of course it is. His knowledge of fairy tales is embarrassing," Frankie complained.

"And yours is a little scary," Joe retorted.

"Right. And the Maritime Kingdom is ruled by King Eric and Queen Ariel. My Mom and Ariel go way back as friends," Emma added.

"Snow White and the Little Mermaid...now how come Disney never made that movie?" Frankie joked.

"You did see what they did to my parent's story, right?" Emma reminded.

"Very true...I read the book version and the mouse didn't even come close to doing them justice," Joe agreed.

"So King Phillip...we talking the Sleeping Beauty thing?" Frankie questioned.

"Yep and today, they're going with our Aunt Red and Mulan to see if they can get an audience with the Emperor of China...not this Earth's China...but that China," Emma explained. Joe shook his head.

"Mulan...unreal," he said in amazement, as the bell on the diner chimed and Mr. Hyde walked in.

"Mr. Hyde...I see you're back from the Land of Untold Stories. I hope you have good news," Regina stated.

"I do...I was weary about any of the residents that still remain there putting their faith in me. Thankfully, I had the foresight to take Aesop with me," he reported.

"And?" Robin asked.

"They were leery of course, but Aesop used his own experience to convince them. He told them that he too was afraid to resume his own story, but that doing so was the best thing he ever did, because Storybrooke allowed him a fresh start," Hyde replied.

"So...the Land of Untold Stories is on board?" Killian asked. He nodded curtly.

"Yes...thanks to Aesop's help, they are welcoming this new endeavor," Hyde answered.

"That's good news," Regina agreed, with a smile.

"Yeah...and if Mulan's Kingdom is on board, that just leaves the Southern Isles, the Land Without Color, Oz, and Neverland," Emma said.

"Yes and we might as well already count Neverland in. Your parents have a good relationship with Tigerlily and the tribes," Killian added.

"Zelena says that Glinda will likely get on board fairly easily too. Let's hope then Whale has good luck and that the Southern Isles are ruled by a better ruler than Hans," Regina stated.

"Sounds like things are on track," Frankie mentioned.

"Yeah, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Mr. Hyde is the good guy. That's not the book I read, Joe joked. Regina smirked.

"Oh there's always a twist around here," she responded, as they continued to eat and enjoy each other's company.

~*~

The Nine Realms

Midgard or Earth

New Asgard

Rose and Fandral, along with the children, followed Valkyrie and Sif to a modest dwelling within New Asgard.

"I feel I must warn you one more time. He's in quite a state," Sif said, as she turned to them.

"To be fair, I've seen Thor drunk before," Fandral replied, but she gave him a dire look.

"Not like this. No one has ever seen him quite like this," she admonished, as she and Valkyrie went inside. Rose squeezed his hand, as he took a deep breath and their eyes met.

"I'm here, my love...no matter what," she promised, as she kissed his cheek and they followed them inside.

The first thing they noticed was how utterly messy the place was and it appeared that Thor already had company in the form of a couple of creatures, the species of which he was unfamiliar. They all held game controllers and he recognized the devices as items he had seen in Storybrooke in the Charming household around the television.

His old friend, looking as disheveled as he had ever seen, jumped up and cheered in victory, though Fandral could see that the victory was something happening on the screen.

"Yes...the strongest Avenger strikes again," he boasted, as he took another swig of beer and stumbled slightly.

"Okaaay...you were right," Fandral told Sif.

"Out you two," Sif ordered to Korg and Miek.

"But we're on the verge of winning the whole thing," Korg complained.

"He's right...and victory shall be ours!" Thor boasted, as he slammed the beer bottle down and it shattered to pieces.

"Now morons," Valkyrie ordered and the two aliens quickly scurried out of the house. Neither was stupid enough to cross Valkyrie or Sif.

"S'okay...I shall take on this valiant quest alone," Thor slurred drunkenly. Valkyrie rolled her eyes and shut the television off.

"Hey...I'm Thor Odinson, King of Asgard. You can't just turn the King's television off," he complained.

"Sit your drunk…" Valkyrie started say.

"Valkyrie...they're are children present," Sif warned. She looked annoyed by that. Not at the children, but rather at the fact that she had to watch her mouth.

"Just sit," she snapped and he did so, as he finally looked up and saw the people with them. He squinted his eyes and then shook his head, before squinting again. He looked at the beer in his hand with scrutiny.

"Okay...someone definitely spiked this stuff, because now I'm seeing ghosts," he drawled. Fandral sighed.

"You're not seeing a ghost...I'm real," he confirmed, as he knelt down at eye level with his troubled friend.

"But how…" he wondered, as one could practically see the mental gymnastics his brain was performing in trying to figure out exactly how a member of the Warriors Three was alive.

"It's a very long story; one of which I am eager to tell you. But it is also one that you are not sober enough for," Fandral replied. Thor chuckled.

"Yeah...I'm pretty drunk," he agreed, as he looked up and fought the tears in his eyes. Fandral had known him a long time and could see past his bluster and drunken stupor. His oldest friend was in a lot of pain.

"Are they part of your story?" Thor questioned, as clarity started to break through. Thankfully, the ale on Midgard was about as weak as he remembered, compared to that of true Asgardian ale. And that meant Thor would sober up much faster.

"Very much so," Fandral replied.

"Here...coffee," Sif said, as she handed a mug to him.

"Two creams and three sugars?" he asked. She gave him a stern look.

"No black...now drink it," she ordered and he didn't disobey, as he sipped at the scalding liquid. While he was sobering up, they all found chairs and prepared to hear Fandral's tale and learn about the family he had with him.

~*~

New Orleans

2018

Cecily walked along the docks in the reclusive Bayou marina and approached one empty stall, which was being manned by a lone deck hand. The deck hand looked up to see her and looked surprised.

"Ms. Clayton...you're alive," the man said.

"Yes...unlike father, I survived that fiasco in Seattle. I need the submarine. We're leaving this land, Sykes," she replied. He nodded nervously, as he spotted the Military officials with her.

"Something wrong, Major?" Cecily asked the other woman, who seemed glued to her phone.

"The fall out from Seattle is not going away. Social media is still on fire with the whole thing and the news outlets are discussing it to death. The magic is real thing isn't going away," she revealed.

"And it probably won't," Cecily responded.

"There are even civilians conducting expeditions in the woods of Maine, looking for the source. We never mentioned anything in the news about Storybrooke or Maine. How did they even know to explore Maine as a possible source?" she questioned.

"Rumors and whispers of Storybrooke, magic, and its existence, as well as the people that might dwell there have been on the dark web for years now," Cecily answered.

"But trust me, Snow and Charming have the town well protected. They're not going to find anything. There is only two ways into Storybrooke these days, short of an actual curse," Cecily revealed.

"And those are?" the Major questioned.

"Portal or through the barrier. And for that, we'll need mermaid scales, which is what the outer coating of my father's submarine is made of," Cecily answered.

"Fine...where is this submarine?" the Major snapped. Sykes fished something out of a net kept in the water and revealed it to be a control of some kind, obviously waterproof. He pressed a button and a massive submarine surfaced.

"Impressive," the Major stated.

"Tell me, Mr. Sykes, is it?" the Major questioned.

"Yes Ma'am," the nervous, scraggly man replied.

"How does this Submarine know which land to go to?" the Major inquired.

"The Submarine crosses realms through the All World River and the Collector had me program all the significant ones of interest into the GPS system on board," Sykes answered.

"Sykes was my father's technical guru," Cecily confirmed.

"Is that so? Then it's safe to say that you know much about these realms we're about to visit?" the Major questioned.

"Yes Ma'am...I have an entire database on all the realms the Collector ever visited. I also have an entire scope of Storybrooke and complete records of all the prominent members in the town. Add to that, I have the Collector's blueprints of Atlantis and a database of every item and person he ever collected," Sykes revealed. The Major smirked.

"That is excellent news," she stated, as she pulled a gun with a silencer out of her inside jacket pocket and shot Cecily in the head. Sykes put his hands up in surrender.

"Don't worry, Mr. Sykes. You work for me now and will be paid well for your complete cooperation, if so choose," she said. He nodded.

"I'm at your service, ma'am," he agreed.

"Tell me...are these waters infested with alligators?" she questioned. He nodded.

"Heavily, ma'am," he answered.

"Good…" she replied, as she kicked the body into the water. The animals would smell blood and there wouldn't be a body left soon.

"You're now our guide, Mr. Sykes. We have five years to find everything I need to take control of this magic and town concealed from us by the Charmings," she stated. Sykes nodded.

"I helped the Collector build his Empire...I can help you too," Sykes responded, as they boarded the Submarine and left the Land Without Magic.

~*~

While Mulan requested a meeting with the Emperor, Snow, David, the kids, and Red experienced the vibrant and lively Marketplace in the Capital city. Summer and Bobby were enthralled by the sights and sounds, especially the paper dragons and hand crafted lanterns. They got to sample some of the local cuisine too, which they all enjoyed.

It wasn't long before Mulan returned and seemed in good spirits.

"I have presented your request to the Emperor and he has accepted with an invitation for us all to join him for evening meal. He actually seems very eager to meet you," she reported.

"That's wonderful...thank you Mulan. Can you help us with proper attire?" Snow asked. The last thing she wanted to do was offend the Emperor.

"Actually, normally it would be required for you to dress in traditional robes of this land. But since you and David are royal dignitaries, the Emperor requests that you dress in traditional attire from the Kingdom from which you hail. He likes to experience other cultures when he the opportunity arises," she explained.

"Oh, then we'll still need a bit of time to conjure up some with the Chalice," Snow said. Mulan nodded.

"We have been granted a suite in the Emperor's palace," Mulan confirmed.

"Does this mean I have to wear another uncomfortable outfit?" Bobby complained.

"You'll get by," Snow assured, as she ruffled his hair and kissed his cheek.

"Mom…" he complained in embarrassment. David chuckled, as they followed Mulan into the palace and they were led to the suite.

Since Red was Mulan's consort and considered a citizen of the Emperor's Kingdom now, she dressed in a traditional silk Chinese dress, which was red in color, with a pink floral pattern. Mulan shed her armor and exchanged it for the traditional dress uniform that a member of the Chinese army would wear.

Snow chose Charming's red coat for him with his white tunic and black leather pants. And she had a lot of fun putting her son in a mini version of his father's outfit. Bobby endured his mother and Aunt Red gushing over how cute he looked. For Summer, she kept with her daughter's favorite color and chose a beautiful orchid colored gown for her and she and Red enjoyed giving her caramel colored hair princess curls.

Finally, Snow chose a white gown for herself that had a silver sheer overlay, which complimented her husband's attire well. She donned her tiara as well and Mulan led them to the dining hall where they would meet the Emperor.

When they entered, they were met by the steely gaze of the Emperor's top councilor, who looked none too happy about impromptu visitors, especially outsiders.

"Chi-Fu, I present Queen Snow and King David of Misthaven and their children, Princess Summer and Prince Bobby," Mulan announced. Snow and David bowed to the sour looking man and their children followed suit.

"You have been granted an audience with the Emperor, but his dining chamber is no place for children. They can eat in the servants dining nook," he stated.

"No...our children will eat with us," Snow refuted and the man fumed. It was painfully clear that this man not only didn't like outsiders, but he didn't particularly care for women, especially a woman in power.

"You are a visitor on this land...and you do not wield any power here," he refuted.

"Chi-Fu...your attitude dishonors us all and reflects badly on us," a voice said, as they looked behind the man to find a man in golden silk robes with a hat that signified his position of power.

"E...Emperor…" Chi-Fu squeaked, as he bowed deeply.

"The children are most welcome at my dining table," he stated.

"Thank you Emperor," Snow said graciously, as they all gave a deep bow.

"You must excuse Chi-Fu. I am afraid he is very much stuck in the past and chooses tradition over innovation much of the time," the Emperor stated.

"Tradition is important, but not at the price of making us stagnant," he continued.

"We couldn't agree more, Emperor and we are honored that you have accepted our request for a meeting," Snow said graciously. The Emperor gave a small smile.

"We once kept our gates closed tightly to outsiders and we were invaded anyway. Closing our gates only led to fear of outsiders and that is one tradition that I do not want to continue," the Emperor stated.

"I get the feeling that you somehow have an inkling of why we're here," David mentioned. The Emperor nodded at the younger man.

"I have studied ancient scrolls that detail this land's history quite thoroughly and within those scrolls foretells a prophetic future. As we dine, perhaps you will allow me to regale a tale to you that I believe you may find very interesting," the Emperor stated.

"We would love to hear it, Your Majesty," Snow agreed eagerly. The Emperor nodded and began to tell his story.

~*~

Flashback

Rose Red gasped, as she saw the injured man, who had seemingly dropped out of the sky. She had heard of such occurrences though; portals from other places and wondered if this man had come from such. As she got closer, she noticed how serious his wound was and called for the dwarf that lorded over her.

"He might as well be dead already. What do you want me to do about it?" he snapped at the girl.

"No...he's alive! He still draws breath, however faintly. You must heal him with your magic!" she pleaded.

"Oh...and just why would I do that? He has done nothing for me," the dwarf griped.

"Please...I will owe you the favor!" she begged. And the evil dwarf smirked deviously. He had just received word that there was a very rich Lord that wished to have Rose Red's hand in marriage. Just the riches a deal like that could barter him was too tempting and having her owe him ensured that he would benefit greatly.

"Fine stupid girl...I'll save this stranger and then you shall repay me with whatever favor I desire," he growled, as he used his magic and healed the handsome stranger's wound.

As the man opened his eyes, Rose was captivated by the bluest eyes she had ever seen. The stranger saw the beautiful woman kneeling over him and was also captivated by her beauty.

"Where...where am I?" he asked.

"You are in my garden...you were gravely injured. I bartered a favor from this dwarf to heal your wound," she replied. His brow furrowed.

"But you don't even know me? Why would help me?" he asked in awe. She looked down shyly.

"I could not let you die…" she said, as he sat up and their hands brushed, as an electricity passed between them.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Rose Red…" she answered.

"I am Fandral of Asgard...or at least I was," he introduced himself, as he stood up and towered over her.

"Was?" she asked.

"I'm afraid Asgard is gone...I was fatally wounded in an apocalyptic battle or so I thought," he replied.

"You must have fallen through a portal as your world collapsed," she surmised.

"And then you saved my life," he added.

"It seemed like the honorable thing to do," she said, as they stared at each other.

~*~

"And that's how I found myself in a new land. As far as we can figure, a portal was opened up as Asgard collapsed and I fell through it into the All World River, which would have killed a normal sentient being. But somehow, I clung to life, though unconscious and was deposited into the realm I now call my home," he explained.

"Extraordinary. We always suspected there were more than our nine realms, but never knew for sure," Sif stated.

"And you've been there for over twenty years now?" Valkyrie questioned.

"Yes...we have learned that time passes much faster in our realm than some others," he replied, as he looked at his wife.

"Rose and I fell in love, defeated her evil Uncle and took back her Kingdom from him, and started a family," he added. Sif smiled gently.

"I see that...care to properly introduce us?" she asked.

"Of course, this is my wife, Queen Rose Red, our eldest daughter Carina, and our twins Benjamin and Arianna," he said.

"A pleasure to meet all of you, though you seem to know quite a lot about us. And you seem to have knowledge of what has happened here. How is that possible?" Sif asked.

"My Kingdom has been tasked with guarding and maintaining the Library of Story for all the realms, a responsibility tasked to us by the Goddess Hermes. She even granted me an Asgardian lifespan so that I could live as long as Fandral and our children," Rose answered.

"Naturally, I became curious about the fates of those that survived Ragnarok and we retrieved the storybook for this realm. And to our horror, that's when we learned about the snap," he stated, watching his old friend, who had been silent, carefully.

"We wanted to come sooner, but I couldn't risk my family while that monster was still alive," Fandral explained.

"A wise decision," Thor finally spoke and Sif noticed the tension.

"Perhaps a tour of New Asgard is in order for Rose and the children," she suggested. Rose smiled and nodded.

"That would be lovely," she agreed, as she gave her husband a quick, encouraging gaze, before shuffling the children out, leaving Fandral and Thor alone.

"You have a beautiful family…" Thor mentioned, which brought a smile to Fandral's face.

"Thank you...they're my life," he agreed.

"As they should be," Thor agreed in return.

"I'm sorry...I thought that everyone was lost. I didn't come back…" Fandral started to say, but Thor put his hand up.

"You don't have to apologize for being happy and finding a life. I am happy for you," Thor said and Fandral's shoulders relaxed a bit in relief.

"Do you really think I would begrudge you such?" Thor questioned.

"No...I guess I'm just dealing with a bit of guilt since learning what really happened after Ragnarok. First, I was overjoyed that some of our people survived and that you killed Hela. And then…" Fandral said, trailing off.

"Thanos...you couldn't have known and by the time you did, judging by the difference in the passage of time, you had a family already," Thor replied.

"I know...Rose says I have survivor's guilt," he added. Thor smiled slightly.

"A friend told me that I have the same, especially since I could have stopped him," Thor added, as he got up and looked out the window, before turning back.

"I had him...I was so close to stopping him. I had my axe in his chest!" Thor ranted.

"You couldn't have known exactly what he was going to do," Fandral reminded.

"Oh but I did. He had all the stones and I could have cut the head off the monster himself, but I didn't," Thor responded.

"And when I did...it was too late. The damage was already done," he lamented.

"But you can still live. You can help other survivors move on," Fandral advised.

"How can I help them when I can't help myself?" Thor questioned brokenly. Fandral put a hand on his shoulder.

"Because I'll be there to help you," he assured. Thor smiled slightly.

"I appreciate that, my friend. But you have a family to care for and from what I hear, a Kingdom to protect now," he replied.

"And you have the bi-frost and I know a Goddess that can bring me here for frequent visits. Travel is not all that difficult between the realms anymore," Fandral said.

"I am not good company," Thor warned. Fandral chuckled.

"I'm familiar with your moods and I assure you that my wife and children can cheer up even the saddest sack," Fandral mused.

"Well then...perhaps we join that tour and I get to know your family," Thor suggested. Fandral smiled.

"An excellent idea," Fandral agreed, as they left the house.

~*~

And when the dust settled and the Gods finally banished the vicious and evil Typhon, there was peace in the realms for a time. But the damage was done. The battle was so catastrophic and so earth shattering that all the lands had been severed and broken apart from each other. Portals had swallowed up many of the lands and scattered them across the stars of their sector. Now, instead of one realm with many Kingdoms, they now had ten realms and a division that was never intended. But not even the Gods had the power to repair this.

However, Athena decreed a prophecy on that day that there would be hope. She prophesied that there would one day be a pair with the power to reunite the realms and end the division. They would not be Gods, but mortals that shared an incredible true love and many of the Gods scoffed at such a notion. But one Goddess did not, for she knew it would come to pass. The Goddess Aphrodite knew that one day, she could champion a pair with a love so powerful that they would bring light to the darkness and unite all. They would be hold the greatest amount of light magic ever and in turn create such magic into a bloodline that would flourish.

~*~

"Then it was this creature, Typhon, that caused all the realms to break apart?" Snow questioned with fascination.

"Yes...mother Gaia bore him from Tartarus itself as revenge for the Gods imprisoning the Titans and killing the Giants. He was so powerful that the Gods knew they could not kill him," the Emperor regaled.

"So they banished him," David surmised. The Emperor nodded.

"They suspended him with a powerful spell and then cast him into Oceanus where he would remain suspended for all eternity in the harsh oblivion of the All World River," he continued.

"And the prophecy...you think it speaks of us?" Snow questioned. The Emperor smiled gently.

"You and your husband seek to do just what the prophecy says, do you not?" he questioned in return. They exchanged a glance and then nodded.

"Yes Emperor…" David answered.

"There was a time that my ancestors thought that it would be your predecessors that would do this. But I am afraid, as powerful as their love was, they were not the ones chosen for this. But I believe, after everything the two of you have faced and accomplished, that you will be the ones to reunite the realms," he stated.

"Then we would be honored if your Kingdom agreed to be a part of the United Realms," Snow said eloquently. He smiled.

"My people and I will be honored," he said.

"Sire...are you sure this is a wise move?" Chi-Fu questioned.

"I know how leery you are of outsiders, Chi-Fu, but inclusion breeds ignorance. We learned that when the Huns almost destroyed us and we will not make the same mistake again," the Emperor decreed.

"We will join the United Realms and forge a prosperous path to a new future," he added. They smiled.

"Thank you Emperor…we are truly honored," Snow said graciously.

"The honor is mine," the Emperor said, as Bobby whispered something to his father. David smiled.

"Emperor...my son would like to ask you a question," David said.

"Of course young one, please," he replied.

"Can you tell us about the war with the Huns?" Bobby requested.

"Certainly...we faced a threat to our way of life in the form of Shan Yu. Now, there was once a Shan Yu that served in the Dragon King's army, over a thousand years ago. But when he betrayed the King, he was cast out and his descendants swore revenge for their leader's punishment," the Emperor said.

"They were exiled to Mongolia and their hatred of our Kingdom was harbored for a thousand years until Shan Yu's descendant, a man of the same name in honor of the man they considered their greatest leader, rose up and invaded us," he continued.

"Fortunately, thanks in large part to Mulan, he did not succeed," the Emperor said.

"Can you tell us more about the Dragon King and Queen?" Bobby requested. The Emperor chuckled.

"Our children love their stories," Snow said, smiling at him.

"As do I. It is not often that I find someone that wants to listen to my telling of the ancient scrolls. But yes, I can tell you much about those ancient times," the Emperor said, as he continued to regale them with tales.

~*~

"You know, I don't see why this is necessary. I'm fine," Emma complained, as she sat on her sister's exam table.

"Your heart was poisoned," Eva reminded, as they waited for the results of Emma's routine blood tests.

"But you just said that physically I'm in perfect shape," the blonde complained.

"And you are, but I want to make sure your insides are just as healthy. You may have been cured, but you know magic can be tricky. Just humor me, please," Eva replied.

"Mom and Dad put you up to this, didn't they?" Emma questioned.

"Maybe...but I would have wanted to do it even if they didn't suggest it, so hush," Eva retorted. Emma huffed impatiently.

"Honestly, you're a worse patient than Leo and that's saying something," Eva chided.

"You know I hate hospitals," Emma retorted, but Eva just shook her head at his older sister's antics, as the nurse delivered the test results. Eva took them and began looking them over.

"So…?" Emma asked.

"Everything is normal," Eva replied.

"Told you…" Emma said, as she grabbed her jacket and noticed the beaming smile on her sister's face.

"Except one anomaly," Eva said.

"What? What anomaly? And why are you smiling like you just one the lottery?" Emma asked.

"Because you, big sister, are pregnant…" Eva announced, bringing a look of shock to Emma's face.

"What?" she questioned.

"You heard me," Eva replied.

"But...I don't really have any symptoms at all!" Emma cried.

"I mean, I've felt a bit sick here and there, but nothing like I was with Henry. I was barfing all the time with him," she replied. Eva shrugged.

"All pregnancies are different. Remember, Mom could barely get out of the bathroom with Summer and then the morning sickness she had with Bobby was fairly mild," Eva reminded.

"Yeah...wow…" Emma said, letting it sink in.

"Are you happy?" Eva asked, watching a smile slowly eclipse her sister's face.

"Uh...yeah I am," she realized, as they hugged.

"Congratulations...when are you going to tell Killian?" Eva asked.

"Tonight I guess...and Mom and Dad will be over the moon, I know," she replied. Eva nodded.

"Oh yeah...another grand baby for them to spoil," the younger said with a laugh, just as Whale came in.

"There you are," he said, addressing Emma.

"Excuse me, but she's my patient and you can't just barge in here," Eva scolded him.

"Easy mini Snow...it's important," Whale replied. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Well, since you're back, then you must have news from the Land Without Color?" Emma questioned, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Uh yeah...I kind of blew it. Turns out, they all still pretty much hate me and think I'm some kind of mad scientist," Whale responded.

"You are," Emma reminded. Whale winced.

"Fair point, but maybe this is for the best. They're all scared of anything they don't understand. I'm not sure they'll ever accept any of this," he stated.

"Maybe...but I think we should give it one more try and this time Eva and Paul should go with you," Emma suggested.

"Us?" Eva asked in surprise.

"Yeah...you're both doctors too. And you have magic and amazing healing abilities. You can show them that this is a land of opportunity and they have nothing to fear," Emma replied.

"What makes you think she and Paul can convince them when I couldn't?" Whale asked.

"Because you're you," Emma deadpanned.

"Another fair point...well, I'll be off then," Whale said, intending to head for the Rabbit Hole.

"Wrong Frankenstein...you're going with them and the three of you leave in the morning," Emma said. Eva nodded.

"Fun...a trip with Whale. I'll go tell Paul. He'll be thrilled," Eva said sarcastically, as she went to find her husband.

"Hey...I'm a lot of fun!" Whale claimed. Emma rolled her eyes and walked out of the exam room, thinking about her news. She smiled from ear to ear and left to the hospital in search of Killian to tell him her news.

#Snowing #SnowxCharming #Charming family #OC Charmings #AU #original season 8 storyline #Fandral the Dashing #Rose Red #Dashing Rose #background Rumbelle #background OQ #background glass believer #background cs #romance #adventure #family #finding you always #the epic continues

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daphner20 · 4 years

Text

John Woodside

Forgiveness

Prologue “Today is the best day of my life,” said John Michael Woodside II joyfully. Am in grade 7 at the most prestigious Catholic High school in The Bahamas. St. Francis of Assisi, was the most competitive school to get in. There were almost a thousand entries, but only 100 applicants were accepted. John was in the top 5% with the highest score. He played soccer, baseball, basketball, and ran track. He also played the piano pretty well. Let’s see what they said “ he would be an asset to the school”. And the icing on the cake, I was an altar boy. My best friend Benjamin Hall, got accepted as well, this is so cool. John, didn’t think much of his life up to now. He was an only child. His father John Sr. , whom he loved fiercely, was his idol. His mother, (the prettiest woman in the world) whom he adore was his everything. His father, was quite a bit older than his mother (30 years). But they seem very happy. Most people called them wealthy, he knew they lived in a upscale gated community, he was chauffeur driven every where, and for as long as he could remember, he had travelled extensively, with his parents, ( his father had his own plane). He overheard, his father, telling his mom, that he was contemplating buying a yacht. “Time to go”, said his Father. “Do well, I am so proud of you”, beamed his Dad. “Thank you, daddy,” said John, as he hugged him, and kissed his mom. The first day of school, was everything, John, thought it will be, Benjamin, and I were in the same class. At recess, I heard my name on the PA system, to come to the Principal’s office. When I got there, my chauffeur, Mr. Lee was there.

He said , “there has been an accident.”

Chapter 1 John in his 12 years, never had to deal with anything distressing. Mr. Lee, didn’t offer any other information. We he got to the house, there were so many people there. He wanted to see his father, because Daddy will explain everything to him. However, it was his mom, who came to him. She was disheveled, no makeup, track suit and sneakers, this isn’t my mom. “ Where is Daddy?, I asked. “ Your father, is dead, he suffered a heart attack this morning,” she said sobbing. “ This can’t be, I just saw him this morning,” I said in disbelief. “I want to see him, this can’t be,” I shouted. ‘Its true Johnny,” she was openly sobbing. As I looked around, all the staff was crying as well. Then I knew, my daddy was gone, my heart just melted, and I just couldn’t stopped the tears. Suddenly, my father’s lawyer Mr. Campbell told my mom, that he needed to speak with her in my dad’s study. I noticed, that 3 men and a woman, entered, as well. I have never seen them in my life. About half and hour later, I heard my mom screaming, No! I can’t loose another parent I thought, as I burst through the study door. “Leave my mother alone,” I shouted. Then this man turned at looked with such hatred, “ so this is the bastard” he said cruelly. “ Stop it,” said my mother “ Stop what,” said the stranger, “ I am just getting started.”

“ What is your name?” asked the female stranger. ‘ John Michael Woodside the second,” I said proudly. “ Unbelievable,” shouted male stranger, “He gave his bastard his name.” “ Stopped saying that,” said my mother, “he is a little boy.” “ Do you know, who we are?, asked male stranger 2. “ No,” I said. The girl stranger, just starting crying, “he forgot about us,” she continued crying. Finally, stranger male 3, said, “ we are your brothers and sister. I am Jason, I am the second,, this is James, the third son, this is Jasmine our sister. And this is the eldest son, John Michael Woodside the second.” He pointed to the first stranger. I looked to my mother, for affirmation, she looked liked her worst nightmare had just came true. “ How come we have the same name, as our father,” I asked the first John the second. “That is not your name, he was not your father, and we are nothing to you,” he said angrily. Mr. Campbell, finally spoke, “Let us show some respect for your father. I know that emotions are raw, but don’t let us say anything we will regret.” “ Considering my father, never divorce our mother, from this moment on, I am now the head of this family.” John the first second said as a matter of fact.

Chapter 2 The day my dad was buried, it was dark and wet like my soul. My mother and I were not allowed to attend. The servants were, but not us. In one week’s time. My whole world was turn upside down. When my mom, meet my dad, she was 20 and he was 50. She was his junior secretary, at the Offshore Bank, where he was the President. My brothers were

28, 26, 23, and Jasmine was 18. With my dad being Catholic, he didn’t divorce their mother. My mom, got pregnant with me 2 years later. I was their love child. Because of the scandal, he was forced to retire, however, he took two thirds of the bank clients, and open up his own private trust company. My mom and I became his family. His children never forgave him or spoke to him again. So, in one week, because my dad didn’t leave a will. My oldest brother, became his heir. First decree, we were not allowed to attend the funeral. We were kicked out of the house. My name was taken from me. My dad’s name was never on my birth certificate, ( my parents were not married) so my name was John Michael Munnings. ( my mom’s maiden name) And finally, I never returned to St. Francis of Assisi. There was no provision for our future. My mother left all of that to my dad. I hated every thing and everyone. Things couldn’t get worse, don’t bet on it! We had no place to go, my mother didn’t want to keep me out of school, much longer, so she decided to return home. Because, we had little money, we had to take a mail boat to Orange Creek, Andros, that was my mom’s home. The boat took 10 hours, and we arrived at 5 am the next day. An elderly man, came to pick us up, in an old beat up truck. He didn’t say one word to my mom. He just loaded up our things on the truck.. I don’t know how long we were driving, but it felt forever. We pulled into a modest wooden house. I couldn’t see much, it was still dark. The old man, put our stuff in a small room, with an even smaller bed, and left. My mom told me to go back to sleep. Later that morning, mummy got me up. She told me she had to enroll me in school. This was another Catholic School, but it wasn’t like the one in Nassau. It had from kindergarten to grade 12. The average size of the class was 10 students. I could still wear my St. Francis of Assisi school uniform. Everyone seem friendly enough.

St. Thomas More, was the name of the school, it was a 20 minute walk to the house, everyone lived in the settlement. On the island, instead of towns, they were called settlements. When I got to the house, I was formally introduce to my maternal grandparents. Charles and Louise Munnings. My mother, looked exactly liked my grandma. My grandmother did all the talking. “Your mother, has brought shame and disgrace to this family, we will keep you, but she is not welcome here.” I looked at my mom, who was sobbing quietly. “Please Mummy, don’t leave me, “ I begged. “ It will only be for a short while,” Mummy said. “I will come back for you, and we will get our life back.” That night, as I lay on my tiny bed, I made a vow, I will never forgive my mother, or my siblings.

Chapter 3 “ Do you have your speech,” asked my Grandfather. “Yes sir,” I replied. I am the Valedictorian of St. Thomas More Prep. It’s been six years. I thought it was going to be 3 months! My mom, never came back. She got married, two years later, and guess to whom? Yep my oldest brother, John the second. He has truly taken every thing away from me. Life on Andros, was hard. Firstly, my grandparents who were devoted Catholics, had the mindset, church and work. My grandfather was a Catechist, and grandma played the organ in church. I took that role over when I became 15, 2 mass every Sunday, and the high seasons. My grandfather was a fisherman. He liked to say,” they were Jesus' s favorite people.”

So, for the last 6 years, this was my life: devotions at 5am, rain or shine; feed the chickens, rain or shine; (grandma sold organic eggs) ; school, rain or shine; mass rain or shine. After school, I helped Grandpa, with the nets and his boat. I asked God, that if I ever get of this island, may I never returned. My grandfather believed, that I will follow in his footsteps. I wanted to be an investment banker, like my dad. I wanted to make so much money, that no one will ever be responsible for my well being, only me. Unbeknown to me, my guidance counselor, Mrs. Smith had fill out several scholarship applications, and I got them all. Because I was 18. I didn’t need anyone’s permission or consent. Thank you Lord. As I walked down to the graduation ceremony, I knew my mother, will not be there, I haven’t seen or spoken to her in 6 years. My grandparents, never discussed her, and neither did I. I thought of my dad, and the last thing he said to me was “I am proud of you”. I have no more tears left. A month later, as I said goodbye to my grandparents. I was on my way to St. John's University, New York, on a full ride. I knew that I didn’t want to see this country again, or my family. “Thank you Grandfather,” I said as I shook his hands. “ Thank you Grandma,” I said as I kissed her cheeks. “Goodbye son,” they said in unison. Chapter 4 As I looked out on Central Park, from my penthouse, I had to pat myself on the back. You have made it. Forbes Magazine, had just listed me, as one of the youngest millionaires under 35 ( I was 32). It’s been 14 years, since I left Andros. I didn’t returned even when my grandma died 3 years ago. There wasn’t nothing there for me . I am living my best life. It’s 6am and my cellphone is blowing up, who is calling me? And from a 242 area code The Bahamas. “ Hello,” I said in my most annoyed voice.

“ Good, morning Johnny, this is Mrs. Smith from Andros, your grandfather, has been airlifted to the city on an emergency flight. He is at Nassau Hospital. He is asking for you, so don’t tarry. I came on the flight with him, so I will you see you when you get here.” Click. “Why me,” asked John, as he booked a flight, made hotel arrangements, and cancelled all of his appointments for the next week. As the flight touchdown in Nassau, the country of his birth, John heart was hurting. “20 years,” he muttered to himself. He hadn’t been back in 20 years. When he got at the hospital, Mrs. Smith, just hold him tightly. “ Go in John,” she said quietly. As I walked in the room, lying on that bed was not Charles Isaac Munnings. Not the imposing figure of my childhood. The man laying there was frail and fragile, he was hooked up to a lot of machines. He opened his eyes, and motioned me to come closer. “Forgive me,” he said weakly. “ No Grandpa, forgive me, I should have come back sooner.” “ No, son, unforgiveness, has robbed from me of a relationship, with your mom, my only child for over 35 years. When you came to us, it was like God was giving us a second chance. But we were so bitter and angry with Carol, that we couldn’t see that we were creating you to be like us. The greatest gift you can give your self, is a spirit of forgiveness. Johnny, my dear son, My departure is at hand. Forgive your mom, and your siblings. Forgive me and your grandma. Bury me in Andros, with your grandma. Now pray with me one last time.’ “Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespassed against us.” Then my grandpa died. And after 20 years, as the tears flowed, I finally found Peace.

As I knocked on my father’s door, Mr. Lee open the door. “ Master John,” he exclaimed with genuine warmth.

“ Hello Mr. Lee, I replied, is my mother here?” He hesitated for a moment, “ Don’t worry Mr. Lee, it’s ok.” He pointed at my dad's study. As I entered the room, to my surprise, they were all there. My mom, John the second, Jason, James and Jasmine. The glass fell out of my mom’s hand. “ Johnny?” It was more of a question, than statement. “Yes, I said, “ Your father died today, here in Nassau, but he wants to be buried in Andros, because you are his child, I need your permission to release the body. I will take care of all of the arrangements. My mother, still a beautiful woman at 54, aged immediately, that is when she finally moved, and cried in my neck for eternity. “ John, forgive me,” she cried. “ Its ok Mum, the hand of The Almighty, has been with me, all these 20 years, what the enemy meant for evil, the Lord made it for my good.” I said. My grandfather left me, every thing he owned, one hundred acres of land in Andros. And now I own the largest commercial fishing company in The Bahamas. It has provided over 90% of employment in Andros. Plus grandma organic eggs, has become a house hold name. THE END

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keikaku-sama · 7 years

Text

Book of the Atlantic: Chapter 5

Rating: Some early chapters are rated T. Some later chapters are rated M. Reader discretion is advised. Side note: Sentences in Italics without quotation marks are thoughts. Sentences in “Italics” with quotation marks are characters on the other end of a phone call speaking. Sentences in “Bold and Italics” with quotation marks are characters saying things angrily, venomously, for emphasis, or the like.

And, sentences in “Italics and are in headline font” with quotation marks, are two characters speaking in unison. Sentences in “Bold, Italics, and are in headline font”, are three or more characters speaking in unison. Sentences in Bold and Italics without quotation marks is a character telepathically speaking to another character.

“Larten, may I ask why Mr. Undertaker and Miss Eusford are sleeping together?”

“Hm? Oh. Yuki likes to sleep with someone by her side if she’s somewhere that makes her uncomfortable.”

Lady Francis had come to visit the strange trio first thing in the morning, wanting to see if any of them knew how to fight with a sword.

Larten had let her in, and quietly led her to Adrian and Yuki’s room to see if they were awake, and opened the door silently, letting them see Adrian, and his hair, sprawled out on the bed, with one arm around his step-daughter, with Yuki lying on top of him, snuggling into his chest.

Needless to say, the Marchioness of Midford was confused as to why a teenage girl was sleeping with her step-father, as she had thought that all teenagers wanted their own room.

“She…doesn’t want her own room?”

“Here, no. She…has a phobia of boats on top of her motion sickness, along with a phobia of large bodies of water. So, sleeping with Undertaker helps her feel safe while on the boat. She also occasionally……okay, she often sleeps with someone by her side at home. Mostly our uncle, or her boyfriend, though.”

“You let her boyfriend sleep with her?”

The orange haired vampire raised an eyebrow at that. “Yeah. They don’t do anything, other than talk about stuff, or read, until they fall asleep, though. They’re still virgins, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

The blonde woman looked a bit put off, when the man said the word ‘virgin,’ so casually when talking about his little sister. “How do you know that they’re still pure?”

“Vampires can taste it in their blood. Yuki and her boyfriend often donate their blood to us Eusford vampires, so we can easily tell if they still are or not.”

Lady Francis’s eye twitched, before she sighed. “That aside, I was wondering something.”

“Yes?”

“Do any of-“ She was interrupted by the sound of a phone ringing. Though it wasn’t a normal ringtone.

Despair, you call to me, with your poison and your misery.

Oh death, you come to sting, with your poison and your misery.

Death, death, death, death

Death surrounds me, singing to me softly (Death, death, death)

When the shadows spreads its wings around me-

Larten smiled in amusement, while the Marchioness looked appalled at the ringtone.

“I suppose that would be Mr. Undertaker’s phone?”

“Nope.”

Her eyes widened. “That’s……Miss Eusford’s?”

“Yep.”

“Why?”

“She likes the band. As do I, and nearly everyone in our family.”

“May I ask the name and genre?”

“Skillet. They’re a Christian rock band from….Tennessee, I believe.”

The woman looked confused. “Christian?”

“Yep.”

“Coffee.”

“Tea.”

The Marchioness of Midford yelped in surprise, at the sound of the two half asleep people behind her.

Larten smiled at them, and waved. “Mornin’. Coffee and tea’s already made, just the way you like it.”

The two grunted in thanks, before going to the kitchen.

“Are they….always like this, first thing in the morning?”

“Not always. For Undertaker, it depends on whether he wakes up next to mother or not. And for Yuki, it depends on what time she gets up, and the weather.

“Undertaker’s usually genuinely happy when he wakes up next to mother. And Yuki acts like she’s on a high, and is all blissful and happy, like a hippie fairy, if she ‘wakes up with the sun,’ as she puts it.”

“In other words, waking up to beautiful sunrises makes her happy, and almost nothing can upset her during the day?”

“Right on the nose….So, what were you saying before?”

Lady Francis blinked, before her eyes widened, as she remembered what she was going to say. “Oh! I was wondering if any of you three know how to fence?”

The orange haired vampire blinked at her, before responding. “I…..have no idea how to fence, and for that matter, I’m rusty with a sword as well.…..Undertaker….I believe he knows how to use a sword, but he hasn’t fought with one in a while….

“And….Yuki doesn’t know how to fence, but she does know how swordfight, and she’s pretty damn good at it too.”

“So, Miss Eusford would be my best bet in looking for a sparring session?”

The orange haired man stared at her confusedly. “Yes, but….Why do you want to spar with someone?”

“I’m bored, and I haven’t won a sparring session since last week.”

Larten’s eye twitched. “Lady Francis…..”

“Yes?”

“If you’re to fight Yuki, a piece of advice for you.”

She smiled at him. “Of course, Mr. Crepsley. What is it?”

“Don’t underestimate my sister. Doing so would be the worst mistake you could ever make.”

The Marchioness raised an eyebrow. “I understand that you care for her, as you are her older brother, but I doubt-“

“No. I’m being serious. She’s been trained to fight by our oldest brother, Shimazu Toyohisa, who used to be samurai, until he was turned into a vampire in the battle of Sekigahara.

“And the phrase ‘hold back,’ doesn’t apply to her.”

“So, you’re telling me that…..”

“I’m just telling you that it would be a huge mistake on your part, to underestimate her.”

Their conversation ended at that, as Adrian, and the ghoul they were speaking about, came out of the kitchen with mugs of coffee and tea.

“Miss Eusford?”

“What’s up?”

Lady Francis gave Yuki a smile. “How would you like to spar with me?”

The girl stared at her blankly. “I don’t know how to fence, and my fightin’ style ain’t exactly for sparrin’.”

“That’s fine! We’ll just spar with real swords then!”

The ghoul blinked at the woman confusedly.

She reminds me of Erza.

I know.

“Um…..Okay….I guess…”

■-----------------------------------■

It was later that morning, and Lady Francis had taken Yuki to the arena the ship had, after the ghoul had changed into the clothes she usually wore while on jobs in Earthland.

The white haired girl looked around in awe.

“Holy shit…..This is fucking awesome!”

The Marchioness cleared her throat at Yuki cursing so openly, which the ghoul ignored, before speaking, and gesturing at the girl’s weapons, which were strapped to her waist with white sashes.

“May I ask what those are?”

“Huh?”

Yuki blinked, before looking to her weapons. “They’re weapons.”

The blonde woman’s eye twitched, while Adrian, and Lizzie, who were in the stands with Ciel, Sebastian, Egin, Edward, Lord Midford, and Larten, laughed at Yuki’s clueless act.

Or, her sassiness. It could be either.

“I know that. But are they real?”

The ghoul stared at her, before looking to her brother. “TenTen? Can you see if there are any dummies around for me to demonstrate with?”

“What kind?”

“Sparring dummies, though you wouldn’t mind being that dummy for me, would you?” The girl had a sweet smile on her face that imitated Mira Jane’s, as she subtly insulted her big brother.

The orange haired vampire’s eye twitched, while Adrian laughed. “GYAH HA HA HA~!!! HEE HEE HEE HEE~!!!”

The vampiric Irishman glared at the renegade reaper, and threw a Styrofoam cup at the man’s head, which he caught.

Larten growled, before sighing, and getting up to go find the dummy his sister wanted.

♡●♡●♡●♡●♡●♡●♡●♡●♡●♡●♡

“Here.”

Larten set the wooden sparring dummies (3) down in front of Yuki, before going back up to sit with the others in the stands.

Only to glare with his eye twitching at Michaelis, who was chuckling at the vampire. “Though I dislike your sister, her jokes are quite funny.”

“Shut up.”

Yuki then drew her katana, which was nearly as long as she was tall, and poised it to strike.

The girl smiled, as she quickly charged at the sparring dummies.

She swung at the middle dummy, slicing its arm off, before switching her sword to her left hand, and quickly drawing her shotgun, and shooting the left dummy where its heart would be, then rushing at all three dummies.

She shot another bullet, which exploded on impact in the middle of the right dummies chest, before quickly slicing her katana too quickly for the human eye to see, then flipping backwards a few times, and shooting three times, and sheathed her sword, and her shotgun.

The people in the stands who didn’t know how she fought (Ciel, Edward, Lord Midford, and Lady Francis), gaped, while Sebastian and Egin’s eyes widened, as they hadn’t seen the full extent of Yuki’s fighting abilities.

The dummies had been sliced and blown to pieces, the stands they had been on had not even been given mercy.

Yuki was whistling along with the song that she had stuck in her head, when she noticed long silver haired man hiding behind a pillar above the stands.

She blinked, before looking to Adrian.

Who was still sitting in his seat next to Larten.

“Y-Yuki…..I can call you Yuki, right?”

“Hm? Oh, of course, Lady Francis.”

The woman’s eye was twitching, and her skin had paled a bit after seeing what the ghoul could do. “U-Um…..c-could you use just one weapon?”

“Yeah, sure. Adrian, catch.” The girl quickly drew her shotgun, and pulled her short sword which was still in its sheath, out of its spot hanging from her waist, before throwing them up to the Undertaker, who caught them, and gingerly held on to them.

Lady Francis wished that she had on a full suit of metal armor, instead of just a fencing jumpsuit. Despite only having one weapon, the blonde woman felt that Yuki would be just as deadly.

“So, on three?”

“Huh? Oh, uh, yes.”

“One.”

“Two!”

“Three.”

At three, Yuki immediately rushed the Marchioness, with her katana poised to strike. She held it at arm’s length, at her side, then quickly swung at the woman’s left.

Lady Francis’s eyes widened, as she blocked the strike, before countering it, nearly striking Yuki’s side.

The ghoul smiled, and dodged, before putting both hands on her sword’s grip. The girl then jumped back a bit, before running to the wall.

And running up it.

The Marchioness’s eyes widened in shock, before coming back to her senses, and dodging a strike Yuki flew at her with. The woman then used that moment to spin around, and stab at the girl’s arm, only to find that she had disappeared.

Then quickly turned, as she had felt a breeze on her neck, and blocked a fatal blow.

Edward paled, while Lord Midford was nervous, and felt as though his wife was fighting for her life.

Adrian smiled, feeling as though his step-daughter was having a spot of fun, while Lizzie watched, torn between who she wanted to win.

Larten watched interestedly, as he had never actually seen his sister fight before, and……Sebastian was glaring death at the ghoul, while Egin watched n awe, and Ciel’s eye twitched.

I am so glad that she’s my friend.

Yuki then glanced to the right, making Lady Francis think the ghoul was going to come from that direction, and preparing to block a strike from the right.

Oh, how wrong she was.

The white haired girl vanished, leaving behind an after image, which soon disappeared as well. The Marchioness glanced around quickly, trying to figure out where Yuki was, when her son shouted.

“She’s coming from above!!”

The woman’s eyes widened, before she looked up.

And sure enough, the ghoul had pushed herself off the ceiling, having stayed there due to her using…..ice?

She was now dive bombing the blonde woman below her, with her katana poised to stab Lady Francis’s shoulder, and from how fast she was falling, the sword could either graze her heart, or, go right through it.

The Marchioness hoped it would do neither, as she bent backwards, and positioned her sword so that it might send the girl off trajectory.

Yuki grinned maniacally, as she turned the blade in her hand sideways, before she was right on top of the woman.

Or, rather, hanging right over the woman.

Lady Francis fell to the ground, and sighed in relief, that she was still alive, before her eyes widened, at how Yuki was hanging from the ceiling.

She had four blue, purple, and red, scaled tentacles wrapped around two rafters.

The woman then looked to the girl’s eyes, and gasped quietly.

The scelera had turned from white to black, and her irises had turned from blue speckled with amber, to red.

The Marchioness then blinked in confusion, and, despite having a ghoul hanging over her, she took her attention off the girl, as she felt something warm and wet roll down her cheek.

She put her hand to it, then held it in front of her face.

It was blood.

Yuki had managed to strike her.

Lady Francis looked at the ghoul, who was still hanging over her, but was trying to figure out how to get down, as her tentacles had gotten all tangled up in each other, and wouldn’t come apart.

When the white haired girl noticed the Lizzie’s mother was staring at her, she smiled triumphantly. “I don’t know how to fence, but I once heard that one of the rules of a fencing match, was that if you strike your opponent once, you win, and the match is over. So, I win!...I think….”

“You won, Yuki!”

The ghoul looked excited at that. “Cool!....Um….I’d help you up, Lady Francis, but, I…..I don’t know how to get myself down….sorry…”

The blonde woman blinked before smiling slightly. “You’re fine, dear. I must say though, that was a most exhilarating sparring match! It felt as though I was fighting for my life! I never get that feeling when sparring against the usual people! I thank you, Yuki, for sparring with me!’

Yuki blinked, then smiled radiantly. “You’re welcome. But, that feeling of fighting for your life…..sorry……the habit of not being able to hold back rubbed off on me from my extended family.”

“That’s fine, dear. Not everyone is able to control their strength. Including me! Haha!”

The two on the arena floor smiled and laughed with each other, before Adrian spoke.

“Yuki, I believe that you can get down if you disperse your kagune~! Though you should disperse them-“

“Owwie…..”

“One at a time…”

The Undertaker sighed at his step-daughter. “You should’ve waited until I was finished talking, dearest.”

“Sorry……Oww…….” The ghoul had fallen flat on her face, on the floor of the arena, which was a gym floor wood painted white, and was now sitting on her legs, rubbing her nose. The bruise that had formed, had healed as quickly as it came, as with the bruise that had been on her forehead.

Despite the bruises being gone, her nose still hurt, and she had tears in her eyes.

“Are you alright, dear?”

“I’m fine, my nose just hurts a little…..Wait….” Yuki kept her hand on her nose, as she looked at Lady Francis, with her Kakugan still activated.

“Yes, Yuki?”

“You’re…..not….You don’t look to be….afraid of me….Why?”

At that, Adrian gained a soft look as he watched the ghoul, while Larten smiled sadly.

The Marchioness blinked at the girl. “Why am I not afraid of you?”

The ghoul nodded. “I’m a ghoul…..I eat human flesh……Why aren’t you scared, or running to tell security?”

Egin’s eyes widened, as he heard what Yuki had said.

Ghouls eat human flesh?

“Snake? Why do you look confused? You knew ghouls ate human flesh, didn’t you?” The snake man looked at Sebastian, still wide eyed, and shook his head. The demon blinked, before gaining a look of understanding. “Ah. I see. She didn’t tell you, because she didn’t want to scare you off. She was afraid of losing a friend, or getting hurt.”

The white haired half demon gaped, then looked at Yuki.

Lady Francis looked at the ghoul with a soft smile. “I’m not afraid, because you’re one of the sweetest….yet strangest…..girls, I have ever met. I don’t believe that you’re capable of killing an innocent human, or that you’re capable of thinking of humans as only food.

“If you were, I’m sure you would’ve killed and eaten almost every last human on this ship, as you are certainly strong enough to do it.”

Lizzie then cut in. “Actually, mother, if she killed almost every last human on the ship, it would’ve been for sport. Ghouls only need to eat once every one or two months. Though there is the exception of that Binge eater a few years back….

“Oh, and some ghouls-“

“Lady Elizabeth, I think that the rest of your extensive knowledge of ghouls should be saved for when we aren’t on a ship, where people get nauseous easily.”

The blonde girl blinked at Sebastian, before smiling. “Okay~!”

Lady Francis’s eye twitched, before she sighed at her daughters antics.

“You’re….not……afraid?”

At the small, quiet, and cracking voice, the Marchioness looked back to Yuki, who had started to cry. “You heard what I said, didn’t you? You’re too sweet to be feared.”

The ghoul let out a quiet sob at that, making the blonde woman crouch, and hug her. “Shh….Don’t cry…”

“I-I’m not-I’m not crying! I-I just got s-something in my eye!”

“In both of them?”

“Y-Yeah!”

Lady Francis chuckled at that, making the ghoul attempt to pout cutely, but it ended up looking like a severe frown as she was crying. “There, there…”

Yuki went to wipe her tears away, but scaled hands did it instead. “E-Egin?”

The snake man smiled at her, making her cry even more, and leap forward into his arms.

“I-I’m sorry I didn’t tell you…..”

“You’re fine, Yuki. I understand.”

At that, the ghoul bonked her forehead against his, and nuzzled his nose affectionately, making him blush.

“Sorry to interrupt the moment, dearest, but here are your weapons.”

Yuki looked up, to see Adrian smiling softly at her, as he handed her short sword, and shotgun back to her. “T-Thank’s, Adi.”

“You’re welcome, dearest.”

“W-Wait, hold on!” Everyone looked to Edward, making him yelp, before he spoke again. “A-Are we all just okay with her being a ghoul? I mean, this is the first time we’ve met her, mother!”

Lady Francis frowned at her son. “What, you want to turn her in to the CCG, and have her be locked up, or worse?”

At that, Yuki hid her face in Adrian’s chest, and whined.

Edward paled at how protective his mother was of the ghoul already. “W-Well….I mean, it wouldn’t …..be a bad….idea…”

That made Lizzie get up, and jump the barrier, before she walked angrily over to her friend, and hugged her tightly. “Wha-?! Lizzie?!”

“Edward.”

“Yes, mother?”

“Did you not hear what I said earlier? She means no harm. She’s just a child. She isn’t capable of killing innocent people. We will not be calling the CCG on her, or her family, if there are more.

“Understand?”

The blonde boy internally groaned at the tone in his mother’s voice.

It meant she would not, and could not, be swayed.

“Yes, mother….”

“Good. My lord. Do you have any objections?”

Lord Midford smiled. “Not at all, my dear! Miss Yukino has done nothing to earn my ire. She’s just as innocent as a toddler in my eyes!...Though she is a very deadly toddler…”

At that, Adrian had to restrain himself from laughing.

The Marchioness smiled, then looked to Ciel, and Sebastian. “Did you have any objections, or did you know the whole time?”

“We knew.” Ciel spoke before Sebastian could get a word out, as the boy just knew that the demon would say something to upset everyone.

Adrian smiled at the Earl, before looking down at Yuki, as he had felt her tugging on his shirt. “Adrian, I’m hungry…”

The mortician blinked, before smiling softly at his step-daughter, who had the cutest pout he had ever seen. “Alright, dearest. We’ll leave shortly. Okay?”

The girl nodded at him, as her tears went away, and she smiled.

■-------------------------------------------■

“Ciel, Yuki, look! Those cakes are so cute! Oh! And there are cakes inspired by Nightmare before Christmas!

“I’ll go get some for us, okay~!” Lizzie ran down the stairs, leaving Ciel and Yuki.

The ghoul was currently being used as a crutch, by one Sebastian Michaelis, who was squeezing her head tightly, seemingly wanting to see if her head would explode.

“Could you stop squeezing my head so tightly?!”

The demon looked confused. “Oh? Why? I thought you had a hard head.”

The girl growled at him. “I do, but your strength ain’t normal. My head will explode if you keep squeezing so tight.”

“Maybe that’s what I want to happen.”

“Fuck you.”

“Would you two behave?! I am not in the mood to deal with your bickering!” The two reluctantly stopped, making the Earl sigh in relief, when they made it down to the floor.

Yuki pulled Michaelis’ hand off her head with a bit of difficulty, before going to sit at a table with Egin, as they waited for Adrian. The renegade reaper said he had something to do before going to the dinner party, and had promptly left soon after that.

Ciel leaned against a pillar tiredly, while sighing in frustration. “Aristocrats really do do nothing but get together daily to talk nonsense about this family and that…And they will do it with exactly the same conversation partners every single day!! I feel like a fool for having traded in my work for this…”

Sebastian limped back to his master, with a plate of food in his hand. “Then how about you accept the Marchioness’s invitation for a fencing lesson tomorrow?”

The Earl’s eye twitched, as he took the plate of food. “Do you really want to keep me from greeting the goddess of freedom that badly? She may have lost in a swordfight with Yuki today, but she’s still confident in her fencing skills. She’d wipe the floor with me!”

Michaelis chuckled at that, before turning serious. “That aside, young master. Tonight is the night.”

“I know. It seems the convening of the ‘Aurora Society’ will be signalled by a waiter carrying empty glasses and walking the hall. Participants are to take a glass and then head to the meeting place.

“Don’t miss that signal.”

“As you wish, sir.”

Egin scanned the crowd, watching for Adrian, when he caught a couple of women in Victorian get up speaking about him.

“See there? Just look at his skin.”

It seemed that Yuki had also heard them, as she raised her head from its resting spot on the table, to look at the women with a frown.

“It’s like that of a snake.”

Yuki began to growl, but cut herself off when they heard the other woman speak.

“My goodness. There are certainly some very talented people in the cosplay community. The scales look so real! Maybe we should start getting into that kind of cosplay as well?!”

The first woman chuckled at the other. “But dear, we know nothing about how to make those detailed cosplays the anime and video game community makes. And we only know how to pretty ourselves up, not how to make ourselves look-Pardon my french-badass.”

The second pouted. “But the internet is a girl’s best friend! I’m sure there are tutorials somewhere! And practice makes perfect!”

Their conversation then changed to Yuki. “And look at her! She’s rocking those awesome tattoos! And the one from Supernatural looks really good on her!”

The ghoul’s face flushed at that.

They think my tattoos are awesome. They think my tattoos are awesome. They think my tattoos are awesome.

“Excuse me?”

“Huh?” Yuki yelped quietly when she saw the women standing in front of the table her and Egin were at. “Y-Yes?”

The second woman smiled politely at them. “Could you tell us where you got that wonderful Charmain?”

The white haired ghoul blinked, before stuttering. “M-My dad g-got it for me a-at Hot Topic….”

“I told you.”

The woman who spoke to the girl huffed, before speaking again. “Well, I just wanted to be sure. May I ask how your boyfriend’s scales look so real?”

At that, both Egin and Yuki blushed.

“S-S-She’s not my-“

“H-H-He’s not my boyfriend….um….but….I’m flattered that you think his scales look real. I made them, and painted them. I’m an art major.”

The two women, and Egin, looked surprised at that. “You’re in college? But you look about 15!”

“I am. I got in to college early because the elementary school, and high school thought that I was too smart for them, and sent me to college with a scholarship.”

The two women looked impressed, while Egin gazed at the ghoul in awe. “Are you in your first year?”

“Third year, actually.”

“Y-You were twelve when you got to college?!”

“Didn’t all of the adults intimidate you?”

Yuki smiled sheepishly. “They did at first, but my big sister was there with me, so the intimidation didn’t last long.”

“Well, that’s good…Oh, dear. We have to go now. We promised our husbands we’d go dancing after we came to the dinner party. How may we contact you? You seem like a nice girl to talk to.”

The ghoul blinked, before responding. “My Tumblr URL is reapers-daughter. You can contact me that way.”

“We’ll have to write that down. Thank you! Goodbye!”

The white haired girl waved at the women, before turning to her friend. “They were nicer than I thought they’d be.”

Egin nodded in agreement, before yelping, and jumping into Yuki’s lap, startled, as someone had suddenly touched his shoulder.

The ghoul smiled amusedly, as she held the snake man.

“Why so jumpy~? It’s only me, baby boy~! Hee Hee Hee~!” Adrian grinned amusedly at his charge’s ability to be startled easily, and laughed.

The white haired half demon blushed at the nickname the reaper had called him. “Adrian! I’m not a child anymore! You don’t need to call me that!”

“But I like to~! You are my baby boy, and you always will be~! ♡”

Egin’s face flushed even further at that, as he pouted at his legal guardian.

Who proceeded to smile softly, and chuckle at the snake man’s childishness, before going to pat the man’s head gently.

“Aaawww~ You’re cute when you pout, Egin~”

“Y-Yuki!”

“Very true~! Hee Hee~!”

That made the half demon get off of his friend’s lap, and huff at her and the renegade reaper.

“Snake.”

Said man, and the two he was with, looked to Ciel, who had walked up to them, with his demon butler following behind, surprisingly keeping up with his master’s fast pace, despite his leg. “Yes, Smile?”

“Take care of this. We have something to do.”

The Earl placed a plate of half eaten food in Egin’s awaiting hands, before the slate haired boy and Sebastian went off somewhere up the stairs, with Ciel helping the demon up them.

The snake man blinked, before looking at the food. “Adrian, Yuki, would you like some?”

“I’ll have a bite of the beef, please, baby boy~!”

“Huh? But…….Fuck it. I’ll have a small bite of the chicken.”

♧-------------------------------------------------♧

“So good!

“Ale! Ale’s the way to go! Much better than any fancy champagne! Y’think so too, don’t ye, laddies?!”

The dual tone haired reaper smiled, as he picked up a mug of ale, while his friend, an orange haired man, had a glass of whiskey. “Still, if you’re drinking with your lass, a real famous brand of champagne’s the way to go!”

Larten laughed, after setting down his now half empty glass. “I don’t know ‘bout you, but I’d rather give my lass a fine glass of Saint George’s red wine!”

“Oh~! ‘Ow nice! I envy your girlfriends!” The woman sitting next to Ronald looked at the reaper longingly.

“If only we had ‘em!”

“Wot?! You don’t?”

“Another glass o’ whiskey o’er here!”

The blonde reaper, and everyone at the table, gaped at the orange haired vampire, as he had drunk his whiskey quicker than anyone they had ever seen before. “That’s like your fourth glass, man! Your stomach’s like a bottomless pit!”

The vampire smiled, and laughed merrily at that, as someone poured him another glass, before he dropped a blood pop in the alcohol.

Ronald smirked amusedly at his friend, before grabbing his mug of ale, and raising it. “So! Even if we don’t have girlfriends, we do have plenty of time!”

Larten sighed in relief internally at that, as he was planning to leave as soon as Ronald, to make sure his sister was alright.

“Cheers to our free time!”

■-------------------------------■

“Would you care for some ‘Absolute purification water?’ It costs thirty pounds.”

Adrian’s eye twitched, as he brought out his wallet, and gave sixty pounds to the man. "Sure…”

Yuki raised an eyebrow at the renegade reaper, as they walked into the first class smoking lounge. “What’s up with you?”

“Thirty pounds for water is outrageous.”

“How much is thirty pounds in Yen and USD?”

“About eight hundred thousand to one million yen, and about eight thousand to one hundred thousand dollars.

“And in addition, about eight hundred thousand to one million jewels.”

Yuki gaped at that. “What the hell! Why are they making people pay more than they should for water?!”

“No clue.” The outrageous price for water was only one reason why Adrian was in a bad mood at the moment. The other reason, would be that the Earl and his insufferable demon butler were behind him and his step-daughter, and the butler was currently glaring daggers at the ghoul.

Yuki and Adrian hadn’t bothered to put on disguises like Sebastian and Ciel had, so the ghoul was just wearing the clothes she wore earlier, as was the renegade reaper.

The white haired girl hid behind her step-father, and clutched his hand, as she felt anxious around such a large crowd.

The silver haired man gently squeezed her hand in reassurance, and gave her a soft smile, before looking ahead, as a large man with fancy glasses walked up to them.

“Is this your first time here?”

The Undertaker gently ushered his step-daughter out from behind him, so that the man would be able to see and hear her, as she and Ciel began to speak in unison.

“The eternal flame in this breast, cannot be quenched by anyone.

“We are-“

The two teenagers, and the two adults, then got into ridiculous poses, which made Yuki and Adrian burst into laughter internally, while Sebastian seemed to be completely ignoring the pain that came with putting all his weight on his bad leg.

“Phoenix!!”

Ciel blushed in embarrassment, as he glanced at the ghoul and the mortician, before glancing at Sebastian with concern.

All three of them held straight faces.

What kind of pose is this?! No one would believe them sane!!

If we’ve got it wrong, all will be lost, Sebastian!

This must be the right pose, though. If it wasn’t he wouldn’t even bother with doing this.

The man in front of them widened his eyes, before striking the same pose. “Phoenix!! Welcome to the Aurora Society.” The man then gave them fire bird pins, similar to his. “Here are your membership badges.”

After the man left, Sebastian walked over to Ciel to fasten the slate haired boy’s pin onto his lapel, without his cane.

The Earl blinked in confusion, while Adrian and Yuki raised an eyebrow. “You taking oxycodone?”

“Hm? Oh, yes, I am. Surprisingly, it helps.”

“Guh! Hee! Hee! Hee…”

At the laughter, the demon, ghoul, and Earl, looked to Adrian.

Who was glaring at someone behind them, as he pulled both Yuki and Ciel close to him.

“EEEE! HEE! HEE! HEE! I NEVER IMAGINED YOU’D DO SUCH A THING!”

#Kuroshitsuji #Black Butler #Undertaker #Adrian Crevan #CIel Phantomhive #Sebastian Michaelis #Jack the Ripper #Lady Francis Midford #Edward Midford #ELizabeth Midford #Lord Alexis Leon Midford #Cirque du Freak #Larten Crepsley #SNake #Fanfiction #OC: Yukino Eusford

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hipsofsteel · 8 years

Text

Find Out For Yourself

A RusCan fic written during FemSlash February 2015 (FrUk and eventual AmeBel as well)

Prompt: Person A goes by an alias, to the annoyance of B. The only way B will learn A’s name is to “find that out for yourself.”

Anya Braginsky has been using an underground social site for years to speak to other members of the LGBTQ community. Her best friend is a user named MapleBabe, who was her first friend online. Two years after their first online meeting, they both agree to go to Hetalia University, and MapleBabe challenges Anya to discover who she really is. While trying to figure out the mystery, Anya meets Madeline Bonnefoy, a fellow member of the school's women hockey team, and develops a close friendship, all while still trying to discover and meet MapleBabe. She might be a bit closer than she thinks.

PS This work features Trans Girl America

[Chapter Masterpost Here]

Chapter One: Mystery

There’s always those ‘shady’ sites on the web. People assume that if you’re on them, you’re a bad kid or a pervert.

There’s one site though, that I love. It’s a chatroom site designed to bring in the closet kids to a safe place. There’s escape buttons on every page, and you can find support from people going through the same problems as you.

So, I guess that’s why I’ve been using this profile to meet people for the last two years.

My actual name is Anya Braginsky, though my online friends call me AnyaBee. I’ve known that I’m a lesbian from the time I realized some women like other women more than men.

I’ve never actually dated a girl. The town I’m living in is far too narrow-minded for that.

Next week though, I leave for college.

My laptop dings, and I pick it up.

MapleBabe is online.

Ah. My best friend.

AnyaBee: Hey, how’s it going tonight?

MapleBabe: Am I allowed to murder my little brother?

AnyaBee: What did he do this time?

MapleBabe: He decided it was cool to draw penises all over my sketchbook cover.

AnyaBee: What is he, twelve?!

MapleBabe: I know. I have to go burn the front cover now and purify my sketchbook. I was so fuckin pissed.

AnyaBee: So, ready for college?

MapleBabe: Yep. I guess we’ll finally see each other at some point, since we’re both going to Hetalia University.

AnyaBee: It would help if you told me your name. You know mine already.

MapleBabe: Well, you’ll just have to find that out for yourself, Anya.

We’ve been talking to each other nearly the whole time I’ve been on this website. Part of the reason why I haven’t actually dated anyone is because I want to meet Maple first. She’s sweet and funny, and rarely swears, unless her brother’s an idiot. However, she’s also a pro at online security. No real name, just that same phrase. You’ll just have to find that out for yourself. Drives me crazy in both bad and good ways.

We talk for a while longer, until the message MapleBabe has escaped appears on my screen. That’s the nice thing about this site. It informs you if they just disconnected or hit the escape button. Makes it easier to figure out if you want to keep messaging someone.

I lean back, sighing. I hope I’ll be able to meet up with Maple eventually.

Hetalia University is a small private school. It’s got a huge expanse of private property to it’s name, and the campus is a gorgeous green in the middle of a big city.

Really, it was the only option I even considered when I was looking at schools. Big city instead of small town, amazing science program, and a huge GSA.

And I got a dorm with one of my best childhood friends, Odeta Laurintinas.

“Oh wow. This room is just for two people?” She stated when we entered. There was a oven and stove, a decent sized fridge and mini-freezer, and two awesome comfy beds, along with a shower-tub.

“Basically a giant badass hotel room without the TV.” I said after examining the room.

She nodded, and we settled in for the night.

I was here at Hetalia on scholarship, for which I had no shame. I was here as a player on their women’s hockey team. They were one of the few schools to offer it.

So the next day I went to meet my coach and some of my teammates.

I was a tall woman, and I almost always ended up playing offensive, which I didn’t mind. Some of the older girls greeted me with smiles.

Coach Baudin grinned. “It’s good to see you again, Anya. You’re one of two new players to join us this year.”

I nodded. “It’s good to be here.”

At that moment, another player came out onto the ice. “Coach Baudin, I’m sorry I’m late.”

The coach turned, as did I. A small blond woman was skating out towards us. “Ah, good to see you Maddie. Girls, this is Madeline Bonnefoy, our other new edition to the team. She’ll be playing defense.”

She smiled. I was a little curious. I was the tallest of the girls, but most of them were either fairly tall or pretty broad. Madeline was a whisp. How’d she even get on the team?

I soon found out.

It was a usual test to put the new kids on opposite teams and see how well they did with the team and against each other.

Almost every time I got to the goal, Maddie was there, trying to steal the puck from me. Needless to say, we were fairly bruised by the end, especially when I slammed into her at one point and we both went down.

AnyaBee is online

AnyaBee: Well, I hurt in places I didn’t even know existed.

MapleBabe: What happened?

AnyaBee: Hockey practice was extremely brutal. I went up against the other new player. Nice girl, kinda small for a defense player, but she was super good.

MapleBabe: We small people have to establish we can kick the tall people’s asses sometimes, or else they forget to respect us.

AnyaBee: I know, but ouch at the same time...

MapleBabe: Well, how goes the search for my true name?

AnyaBee: I’ve literally been here two days, don’t get angry at me yet.

MapleBabe: I’m not angry, just curious.

AnyaBee: I’ve got a class early tomorrow morning, so I’m gonna sign off now.

MapleBabe: Okay. Good night.

AnyaBee: Good night.

I leaned back into my bed, glad for Advil. Odeta was watching Chopped as a study break. She was surrounded by medical textbooks.

“What’s the weirdest item in the current basket?”

“Fruit loops.”

“Mm, remind me to get some of those for breakfast sometime.”

“K.”

MapleBabe: Whatcha have for breakfast this morning?

AnyaBee: Fruit loops in my dorm room.

MapleBabe: Shame. Twas pancake day in the cafeteria. They actually make awesome pancakes. I was expecting something from the microwave.

AnyaBee: Given how much we’re paying them, they’d better not fed us microwave pancakes if we decide to buy food.

MapleBabe: It’s pancake day every Tuesday.

AnyaBee: I’m receiving the hint, my dear. However, trying to find out who you are is not going to be narrowed down much when we are surrounded by other people.

MapleBabe: But not all of them will be eating pancakes.

AnyaBee: Wow, that makes it so much easier…

AnyaBee: Do you know that there were exactly sixty-seven girls eating pancakes this morning in the cafeteria?

MapleBabe: Sixty-eight if we count you.

AnyaBee: Har har har how do you know I didn’t smuggle in some oatmeal?

MapleBabe: That’s easy. I saw you.

AnyaBee: ...

AnyaBee: you’re kinda mean, you know that?

MapleBabe: Well, that’s not very nice.

Maple and I talked nearly every day, though not very long after hockey practice, because I was usually ready to pass out.

In hockey however, I struck up a friendship with Maddie. She was gorgeous, and loved the sport. I learned she’d been raised by two dads. Her papa had gotten married to another man when she was about five.

“And that’s how I got a younger sibling. No actual relation, just by marriage. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love them.”

“I’ve got two sisters. One older, one younger. Their names are Sofia and Natalia.”

“Oi, Bonnefoy, Braginsky, get over here.”

“Yes Coach!” We both shouted and then skated over.

MapleBabe: So, have you come to any conclusions on my identity yet?

AnyaBee: No.

MapleBabe: We’ve been in school two months. I’m at pancake day every day, eating pancakes.

AnyaBee: Yeah, I’ve narrowed that list down to about fourteen girls you could be.

MapleBabe: I saw you had eggs this morning.

AnyaBee: I’m not as loyal to pancakes as you must be.

MapleBabe: Only because they are delicious and one can cover them in syrup and also it’s not just flapjacks. There are crepes, potato pancakes, all sorts of flat, delicious food you can make in a pan.

AnyaBee: Like hamburgers.

MapleBabe: Now you just sound like my brother…

Winter break came, and with it, dread.

I didn’t want to go home to see my family. If it was just my sisters, I would be fine, but my parents were not people I wanted to be around.

When I told Maddie about my dread, she nodded. “I just might have a solution.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. My papa loves having people over for Christmas. Dad’s not particularly social, but if papa insists, he’ll be fine. So, why don’t you come over to my house for Christmas?”

I paused. “Maddie, what religion are you?”

“Well, it’s weird. Papa is Catholic, dad’s Church of England, and both Alfred and I are protestant.”

“I’m Eastern Orthodox. I don’t actually celebrate Christmas on December 25th. I celebrate Epiphany on January 6th.”

Maddie paused. “Well, then there will just have to be a second celebration for Epiphany at my house.”

MapleBabe: So how’s it going?

AnyaBee: I’m fairly happy. I don’t have to go home for Christmas.

MapleBabe: Really? Where are you going?

AnyaBee: To Maddie’s house. She’s the other freshman hockey player, in case you don’t remember.

MapleBabe: Oh no, my Anya’s going to another girl’s house! How dreadful! I must speak to this Maddie and tell her you’re off-limits!

AnyaBee: Are you trying to write a jealousy sub-plot into my friendship?

MapleBabe: No, I’m being a sarcastic butt.

AnyaBee: I was also being sarcastic.

MapleBabe: Love you.

AnyaBee: Love you too.

Maddie’s house was a strange culture clash in a way.

I met her papa Francis. He was borned and raised in France, and seemed to be a flirtatious man, though Maddie told me despite the demeanor, he was only in love with her dad.

Arthur Kirkland was a stiff-backed, permanently on edge Englishman. He and Francis were always having little arguments, but you could tell there wasn’t any real venom in their voices. It was more like their way of teasing each other.

Maddie’s brother was a sophomore in high school. Alfred Kirkland spent most of his time in his room, ignoring us.

“He’s been acting weird lately. Don’t worry, it’s not you.”

I spent most of my time in Maddie’s room, and there I finally confided to her.

“I’m a lesbian.”

She looked at me, and then nodded. “Okay.”

She was the first person I’d ever actually said the words to, and soon I found myself spilling out everything. How I figured it out, joining the website, meeting MapleBabe, how I knew she was a student at Hetalia, but I still wasn’t sure who. How I thought I loved her, but I was beginning to feel like maybe she was just toying with me.

“I mean, I know she’s just worried about her life being compromised, but I just wish I knew who she was. It would make it hurt less when she tells me how good I’m doing in hockey, or how she knew what I had for breakfast on Pancake Tuesday.”

Maddie nodded. “That sounds pretty rough, Anya. I’m sorry.”

“The worst thing is just not knowing.”

She nodded, and then took my hand. “It’ll be okay. You’ll figure it out eventually.”

MapleBabe: How are you, y dear?

AnyaBee: Good.

MapleBabe: Happy Epiphany.

AnyaBee: Thanks.

AnyaBee: BTW, you left the M off my.

MapleBabe: M

AnyaBee: Wow, such fix.

MapleBabe: Wow, such grammer you has.

MapleBabe: We’re a back at the old Hetalia University.

AnyaBee: Yep.

MapleBabe: Random question, have you ever just said Hetalia over and over again.

AnyaBee: No…

MapleBabe: It’s really fun. Try it.

AnyaBee: No thanks.

MapleBabe: Fine. HETALIA HETALIA HETALIA HETALIA HETALIA HETALIA HETALIA HETALI-

MapleBabe: -A

AnyaBee has disconnected

MapleBabe: Fine, spoilsport.

Christmas had been good. Maddie’s whole family respected my religion, and Francis even offered to drive me to the nearest Eastern Orthodox Church, which I accepted.

After I came back from services, Maddie handed my a little box. “I thought you might like this when I saw it.”

I lifted the lid off the box, and inside, made of colored glass, was a sunflower.

“You had the image taped in your locker of a big Mammoth Russian sunflower, and I thought you might…”

“It’s beautiful. Thank you, Maddie.”

She smiled, and I nearly said something, but then stopped myself.

“Oh, and we made something special for you for dinner.”

I raised an eyebrow, and Maddie guided me into the kitchen-dining room. Francis had just finished setting the table. He turned and smiled. “I looked up some recipes online. I hope that nothing seems like I was stereotyping your heritage.”

Breads, fish, soups, and more. It seemed like an attempt at a nice Russian meal with a French twist.

“Thank you, Francis. I…” I wanted to cry, in a way. “It’s…”

“You don’t have to say anymore, Anya.” He smiled at me. “I’m just glad that you’re having a good time.”

MapleBabe: Do you miss your parents a lot?

AnyaBee: No. I miss my sisters. Sofia moved out, and she’s living with other people, but it’s too close to feel like I can visit. And poor Natalia’s got another two years before she can leave.

MapleBabe: I’m sorry.

AnyaBee: What about you?

MapleBabe: I had a really nice Christmas at home, though my brother decided to hide nearly the whole time. I wasn’t sure if I was glad or mad about it. I mean, I haven’t really got to see him since I left in the fall.

AnyaBee: Well, he’ll come to realize how awesome you are eventually.

MapleBabe: Oh god, you sound like one of my uncles. He never stops saying awesome.

MapleBee: It’s probably the first world he learned. Just like “Awesome blah blah awesome awesome awesome ME!”

AnyaBee: I will try to avoid accidentally impersonating your uncle in the future.

MapleBabe: Ow...

AnyaBee: What happened?

MapleBabe: Roommate threw her DD bra in my face. She just finished her laundry.

AnyaBee: At least it’s clean…?

MapleBabe: WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!

MapleBabe: And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end. We are the champions. We are the champions. No time for losers...

AnyaBee: Are you going to keep typing Queen lyrics?

MapleBabe: Shut up.

MapleBabe: And yes.

MapleBabe: 'Cause we are the champions...

MapleBabe: OF THE WORLD!!!

AnyaBee: I see you have heard the hockey results.

MapleBabe: My dear, I was there cheering you on.

AnyaBee: I’m glad you were able to come today.

MapleBabe: Yep. Though to be honest, I kinda think we need to change the spelling of hockey.

AnyaBee: ...Why?...

MapleBabe: Just think about it. Hock-i

MapleBee: Except without the dash.

MapleBabe: It’s Tuesday, oh glorious pancake TuEsday!

AnyaBee: I’ve narrowed it down to eight.

MapleBabe: It’s February 7th. You’ve got a few more days until the day of love. Which coincidentally, is the next Pancake day.

AnyaBee: Whee, thanks for reminding me.

MapleBabe: Yee of so little faith. I’ve been giving you clues since January.

AnyaBee: What are you talking about?

MapleBabe: I knew that by keeping this game going so long, you were gonna need some help. Go back to our chats since New Year’s, and use your code-breaking skills to find my hints.

AnyaBee: Alright. I’ll play along for now.

I groaned, and Odeta looked over. “You okay?”

“Supposedly I’ve been missing the coded message this girl has been sending me.”

Odeta paused. “Remember when we used to pass coded notes back and forth?”

“Yeah.”

“She’ll have probably used something that hid in plain sight. Otherwise it would have been too obvious.”

“Very helpful.”

Odeta shrugged, and returned to her textbook.

Two days later, I sat in the library, thinking.

Maddie came up. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah, just that Maple told me she’s been sending me coded messages since January.”

“A code? That’s kinda cool. Alfred and I used to send each other coded messages.”

“What type of code did you use?”

“Oh, I’d purposely misspell a word, and the missing letter or capitalized one was one of the letters in the word. Then I put them in order to spell the word.”

I paused. “That’s a weird code.”

“But it worked. Papa and dad never figured it out.”

Maddie’s phone suddenly started ringing. “Oh, I’ve got to take this. I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, same.”

I waited until Maddie had left, and then I tried her code. Maple was almost always a proud member of the grammar and spelling police. Misspells or weird spellings would be obvious.

MapleBabe: So, any luck today?

AnyaBee: Maie.

MapleBabe: No.

AnyaBee: The M left off of my, the hetali-A, the suggestion to spell hockey hock-i, and TuEsday.

MapleBabe: So close. You are so close!

AnyaBee: But not right?

MapleBabe: No, not right.

I might have just slammed my head into a brick wall. I paused before typing again.

AnyaBee: Where are the missing letters?

MapleBabe: MA-IE

AnyaBee has disconnected.

I found the date window in which I was looking at, and re-read every entry.

No misspells or strange grammar.

“Where are you, Maple?”

I scrolled through it again when I found the comment about her uncle. I stopped to laugh, until I realized that she’d capitalized ME

MAMEIE wasn’t a name though, unless Maple’s parents had an unusually cruel sense of humor.

I started to scroll down again, and then stopped.

MapleBabe: Roommate threw her DD bra in my face. She just finished her laundry.

DD…

I wrote it down, wondering, doubting.

But the name in front of me was one I knew.

MADDIE

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getseriouser · 6 years

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20 THOUGHTS: Super Saturday

RATHER important Saturday coming up. Going to be on for young and old in Mayo, Longman, and at Yarra Park as well

It’s going to be as big in the Adelaide Hills between Xenophon’s mob and the daughter of the country’s longest running Foreign Minister as it will be between two suburban tribes at the MCG, the reigning premier against one of the very finite group of contenders.

My tip? I reckon Sharkie gets her seat back.

1. Yep, the Giants are coming. The Cats dropping games to the likes of the Bulldogs, the Power losing to Freo, Hawthorn losing to Brisbane, all these have given the Giants a fast path up the ladder to ominously now be in the race for the top four where a month ago just making the eight seemed a challenge. They sit half a game off fourth, which is held by the Swans, a team they are definitely better than and they’ll have the chance to frank that when they host the next local derby in a few weeks’ time. The Demons in the last round looks the only real chance for a slip up for the Giants on the way in, so their form into September will be as cherry ripe as any. Big threats.

2. The midfield quintet of Shiel, Ward, Whitfield, Kelly and Conglio is the best group of five mids in the comp by a street. Remember, this is a team that late in the third term on Preliminary Final day last year was only two kicks off the eventual premier, and had lost Dylan Shiel early in the game to concussion. With Jeremy Cameron back in a week, if they keep this all going as planned, the Tigers wouldn’t be as thrilled to dance to a deep September tune with the orange tsunami again this time round.

3. Mind you, we’ve been lucky so far given the danger we were warned of years ago, that the Giants or Suns for that matter haven’t saluted on Grand Final day for the scenes post-match would be just weird. No noise from the crowd, no romantic story to fuel emotion, a lap of honour with the cup to a largely empty stadium; yeah let’s avoid that if we can for a little while yet please?

4. Melbourne. Round 23 last year, then a number of occasions this year, they are a good footy side without the results to back it up. But geez, they are stiff, if nothing but the Geelong losses in themselves – the Dees would be top four with a bullet, the Cats would be on the slide despite their favourite sun returning. Sliding doors much?

5. Still on the Cats – lucky they are in the eight really. Yes, let’s acknowledge the missed opportunity against the Dogs after the siren, but it’s not clinical for Geelong in 2018. Saturday night Gaz had 31 but Selwood was squeezed out a little, well held, but it seems he is having less influence on matches because of the presence of Ablett. And for mine, if we isolate duos only, Selwood and Dangerfield in the middle looks better than Ablett and Dangerfield, despite the two-time Brownlow medallist’s last term helping get that win no doubt.

6. Big tick to Travis Boak this week, wearing his old number 10 and not 1 as per the tradition for the captain at Port Adelaide. Why? Boak gave the honour of wearing the 1 at Alberton to cancer sufferer Henry Mickan, who was the nominal captain on the day. Great gesture, well done Boak and the Power, just grouse.

7. Rising Star watch, yep, Stephenson kicked three for the Pies whilst Ronke didn’t trouble the goalscorers. But Alex Witherden in the narrow loss to the Crows, 31 touches and 12 marks. This form continues and he’ll pip them at the post for mine.

8. The Swans have lost their midfield. Yes Kennedy had 33 but looks sore, Parker had 29 and kicked two, nice, but after that, what? Jake Lloyd has been industrious all year in the middle but after that it’s mega thin. Heeney has been brilliant but quiet of late, you can’t ask too much off Florent, it’s all looking a bit dire at Sydney.

9. Their run home too is awful. Of the five games left, right now, you’d have them favourites in maybe two of them, and even those odds would be anything but short. They’ll still win their fair share and all will not be completely lost, but they could so easily lose more than they win and their grasp on a top eight spot could go just like that.

10. If there’s smoke, there’s fire – mega legend of Australian netball, Sharni Layton, retired from the sport this week, only turned 30 this year, looks destined now for a stint in AFLW. She did play football as a junior, that’s the key, it wouldn’t just be about publicity Usain Bolt Central Coast Mariners-style, but the girl has got the skills and would probably be stellar. Keen to see her have a go if she so wishes.

11. Quick one on rule changes, I don’t want to be a broken record on this but bloody hell the footy has been good since the bye rounds, leave it alone would you please? Remember when flooding was ruining the game 15 odd years ago, we didn’t legislate the game to eradicate that and who even mentions the word these days? Seriously before the boys got stuck down the cave in Thailand, I hadn’t heard flooding mentioned since watching a Terry Wallace-coached Bulldogs all those years ago.

12. Unconvinced on where the Pies stack up compared to not just their rivals but also their ladder position but to defeat a decent side in North by 66 points is one thing, to have the ball more (+29) but then win tackles 83-47, bloody hell that’s some discrepancy. As impressive a stat for the Maggies as alarming for the Roos.

13. Ben Cunnington, who is just a truck, and Jed Anderson had 12 tackles between them, so that’s 35 tackles made by 20 of their teammates. Five of those 20 didn’t register one all day. Whereas the Pies had nine players register five or more.

14. Port Adelaide had a busy offseason, brought in Rockliff as a free agent, traded for Watts and Motlop, got Thomas and Trengove in as mature-aged recruits for the rookie list. Specifically the first three to be fair, as they are senior-listed players, have they made any real difference? Aside from Motlop’s winning goal in a Showdown, I’d say non grata.

15. Meanwhile, Essendon, further down the ladder, but all three big recruits are wins for mine. Saad looks great down back, Smith’s amongst their most important mids already, and Stringer will look even better next year, win them a few games off his own boot like he did for the Dogs a few years ago down forward. Just the bad losses holding the Dons’ progress back, lots to like about them but you can’t forget they’ve handed Carlton their only win for the year.

16. Also, Orazio Fantasia is close to the best small forward in the comp – he plays a full year next year he kicks 50 plus easy.

17. Ryan Schoenmakers. He may be judged really stringently by the Hawks match committee but gee he looks a rock solid CHF for 2018. 14 touches, 8 marks, two goals on the weekend, 27 years old, a great mark, a reliable set shot, those sorts of big blokes are worth their weight in gold. He’ll probably stay loyal at year’s end if the Hawks don’t secure Tom Lynch but for those other clubs who might be in the race for Lynch and miss or just could use a new target up forward one could do a lot worse.

18. Hawks play the Cats in Round 21 and that’s probably an early elimination final. Loser will be relying on results and maths whereas the victor is probably safe bar a shocking loss in the final fortnight. Always a big game between those two, this will be another chapter in that story.

19. As for big games, how we have 1st v 3rd on Saturday afternoon at the MCG not on free to air is awful. Did we notice that Channel Seven, who always had four games a round dropped down to three when there’s no Thursday night or special game to cover? I know we can’t move the game at last minute to prime time, but we are getting the Dogs-Power balltearer from Ballarat Sunday on Seven. Can’t we send that game to Fox Footy and get Seven to take the Tigers-Pies instead the day prior, surely that’s a better result?

20. And finally this week, Francis Leach. Why? Well its to do with the fact four or five blokes got in a decent shove on the Kardina Park terraces Saturday night. Not good, it is a problem with scuffles in the crowd, not dire but not great, so I’m glad its being picked up and hopefully addressed.

But Francis, heads on to the ABC Sunday morning and cynically said “that’d be a page one, two and three of the Herald Sun for the next three days (if it happened in the A-League), that’s not going to be on the front page the next three days”.

Firstly, the Herald Sun did make it front page the next day, it’s still in the press as of today, and we had fan segregation columns and everything. Sure, not three front pages, it wasn’t Thai boys getting stuck down a cave lets be frank. And yes, the Murdoch press has been unkind to the round ball code over the journey no doubt, but who has the tabloid industry missed, often unfairly, over the journey? Ask any African living in Melbourne at the moment, Francis?

But then too stop worrying about appropriate media coverage when the sport you’re needlessly comparing too, soccer, is pushing an Olympic sprinter as the saviour for the upcoming domestic season, not because he is a genuine onfield talent but because he is a novelty who might put bums on seats that otherwise are attracting cobwebs. That sounds like the exact recipe for a circus. If Kevin Muscat wears a red wig and face paint on the sidelines this season I call Bingo, Gin and Yahtzee.

The narcissistic, precious soccer society needs to stop worrying about Usain Bolt, stop demanding a Royal Commission for the lack of playing time Tim Cahill got in Russia, and stop critiquing whether an incident in a completely different code has been adequately covered by the media and start worrying about getting the world’s most loved sport working in this country again, because right now the way it’s going an unfair and undesirable bit of publicity again on a Tracy Grimshaw program would actually be a good result.

Francis. Take the lemon out of your gob and try and smile. To deflect the real issue onto sorrow into soccer looks as good as your haircut.

(originally published 24 July)

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