#and just so no one asks. that pearl is also dead. because if rusty is not there to save her in the final then no one is

[jekyll-doodles]

6 8 1?

Funeral Shrouds

To finally confess to the one they love, even if too late.

Railroads/Locomotives

so. so remember when rusty almost died. well that, but he lands in a lake.

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[robinnblood]

Explanation

These did just accidentally become short drabbles ngl

*I haven't rewatched some seasons in a real long time so sorry if I'm rusty on the information*

Also I didn't include bigb, etho, and impulse just because I got kinda burnt out at the end (even though I was the most excited about writing bigB, I might do that one day) just know impulse was mostly because of his betrayal in 3rd life

Bdubs- the desolation

Bdubs as the boogeyman likes to get it done with, it doesn't matter if it's an acquaintance or a friend he will kill them, he loses people’s trust with a swing of a sword, even if he wins the battle he doesn't win the war

In last life he fears losing Etho, he's told that he's already lost him and that he's not wanted anymore, he wants to disprove it but before he can he's already dead. In limited life he has the same fear that he's losing except this time he already knows it. His family doesn't love him and he's disconnected from other teams already so he just has to wait and turmoil until it's over.

Gem- the slaughter

She's new, she's fresh, she has potential.

Gem comes into the life series like a riot, immediately becoming the dominant one when it comes to pvp. Everyone already knew she was good but then she made them turn into each other. Two sides are formed in secret life once she starts to stain the server with blood, she killed, and those she killed killed, and they kept killing. She brought terror and heartbreak, people flead, they fought back, but it was no use. She lead those out for blood, she shook the server and started the biggest mass killing that wasn't the end of it all, she brought war

Scar- the lonely

He used to have a friend, in 3rd life, he used to have a friend in magic mountain but the curse of bloodlust leaves him alone, he's rejected by other groups and he dies without friends. He should have a friend in double life, but he doesn't, Grian is desperate to escape Scar and he's aware of it, forever without connection again… secret life is promising, kind of, then he's screwed over by his task, again, and again, it forces people to dislike him, to leave him to himself alone. When he wins secret life he doesn't even register he's alone again, still looking for Pearl, but she's gone. He's the only one to ever survive after a life series but that just means he's now truly alone, with no one to come find him. His only visitors are the tricks his mind plays on him to comfort him with the voices of those he once knew

Grian- the buried

Okay so this is definitely the one people were were asking about the most and I can see why, when you think of Grian he doesn't seem like he would be defined by claustrophobia, you'd probably think the eye but I didn't feel that fit his character much honestly

Grian is weighed down by his debt to Scar, what he does and how he acts is completely changed by his own suffocating guilt. He becomes restricted in what he can do like his wings were clipped, during the war in 3rd life he hides underground in the bunker hoping that being surrounded on all sides will protect him.

During double life he is trapped with scar again but this time he tries to escape, but instead his first death is underground while his soulmate suffocates in soulmates

Throughout the entirety of the life series he is trapped in a cycle of watching his allies die, he knows they'll all die but he can't escape it.

Martyn- the dark

I didn't want to rely too heavily on the watchers but with them in mind, they're an entity that is always hidden in the shadows lurking, Martyn isn't the one watching, he's the one acutely aware that something he can't see is there, hidden in the dark. The watchers are beyond the realm everyone else resides in and martyn takes a step in to it

For some non-watcher related reasons, he's always the one exploring the nether going into the unknown head first

It's never clear where he'll end, always misstepping in the wrong direction, in 3rd life he's loyal to Ren and would give his life forever him yet out lives him, double life he stumbled and landed somewhere he didn't think possible (without a soulmate) because he went in blind, limited life he blinded Impulse and Scott by doing something unexpected and unknown in the life series by not being fair in the final

Lizzie- the vast

Everything going on around Lizzie seems so much bigger than her, she has her own schemes and plots yet she always gets caught up in other people's plots, she dies in wild life because she just happened to be someplace at the wrong time that had nothing to do with her, a whole arching plot of revenge and murder and she was just there…

In last life she dies in confusion with no real idea of why she's even being targeted, in limited life she was only just a small ant randomly placed into a huge garden for a short period of time and taken out again, having to figure out the environment alone as everyone else had a more important goal in mind

Secret life she dies by pure accident forever falling in the vastness of the void as everything moves without her

Mumbo- the stranger

While yes mumbo is sort of a clown that's not why I put him as the stranger

Mumbo is silly guy but because of that it's hard to understand him, during secret life he seems obvious and inviting yet it turns out he had different intentions the whole time

He's nervous and docile but when opportunity rises he'll willingly indulge in chaos and violence, unlike his usual self he becomes bloodthirsty and needy, not wanting to let go of Grian, needing him for himself.

After he dies in wild life he's brought back, but not as himself but as a taxidermy replica, pale skin, glossed over eyes, rotting and drooling. It's someone unrecognizable who doesn't get anxious anymore, isn't worried anymore, not nice, not docile, blood thirsty and willing to betray someone he once cared for in a whim

Pearl- the lonely

I mean c'mon what else was it going to be?

Isolated in a tall tower shivering, looking into the distance to see small moving figures. The only companion is her wolf Tilly but she can't actually talk, Pearl just projects her thoughts on to her and honestly that's even more sad. She's abandoned by her soulmate and the rest of the server is terrified of her. Even when they reunite it's short lived, too short to warm up again

Even when she did have allies they die before her, leaving her to fend for herself in the end, in secret life when it's just her and Scar she doesn't die close and in his blade but out of sight, without even realizing she left.

Ren- the flesh

Ren mutilates himself, in 3rd life he kneels at the altar and willingly chooses to have his head chopped off, leaving him grayed and bloodied, he's no longer than man he was, he becomes rash, angry, and commanding, a husk of what he was, he's the meat being butchered

Even in double life we see how puts flesh on his base, disfigures it to ward off enemies, and calls it home

Wild life is obvious, he changes, tears apart, and stitches his body back together to hold on closer to martyn, his body becomes a corrupted meat pile with a voice that's not quite his anymore

Skizz- the spiral

Honestly surprised with myself that it took so long for me to get Skizz’s when it was right in front of me

Skizz spirals, he loses, he gets lower, he dies, and then loses again. After getting on his red life he starts to get manic, impatient, he needs blood.

In 3rd life he joins the red army, not out of violence but out of loyalty but he then he dies and he rushes into battle without another thought, he does it again and again, limited life he starts out with love in his heart and tries to give compliments and joy out, but then he's killed. And he's killed again right after by someone he thought he was going to team with, that's when he gets mad. He seeks out revenge and murder

He never starts violent, but all his deaths are in bloodlust

Scott- the corruption

Even though the corruption most of the time manifests with sickness and disease it also appears in unhealthy love, companionship, and loss of individuality

Scott throughout out the life series has been known for sacrifice and the support of his allies, in 3rd life he loved Jimmy to a sickening degree and died because of it, last life he was infected with the boogeyman curse and he let it take him down to his red life rather than get rid of it. Double life he had his unhealthy love with Pearl where they would harm each other but were bound together no matter what. In limited life when he's the boogeyman again he does the opposite and gets rid of the infection right away, ruining the fun.

He starts to loose his identity over the season, giving, giving, and giving more of himself to others so they have a better chance of winning, he's less prone to killing if it's not for an allie or self defense, since winning he has no attachment to the games

Joel- the extinction

Joel was a lone wolf in 3rd life, he didn't have long term allies yet was in the war that took place, he burnt walls and killed no one, the only sign of him was his lonely dogs lost in the desert after all humans had died. It was like an apocalypse had happened

Afterwards in last life he killed people every opportunity he got adding to the end of the server. Double life he burnt everything destroying just the people but their homes and civilization. He might've died early in limited life but he left craters in the earth like the aftermath of war.

But once he let go of his bloodlust and made a major change to be peaceful is when he finally prevailed and survived

Jimmy- the end

This one was easy and I had no trouble with it, for obvious reasons, he's been dead first almost every time and when he isn't he's closely trailing behind, it's always too soon, too inevitable, his story is always a cliffhanger, not even being able to see who won since he died a session before

But also, he's determined and he runs from death or in other cases actively searches for it, he wants to kill people so bad just for the rush, his pride, to prove he is more than a death loop and has effects on others, so much so that he forgets about life, he doesn't know anything about what happens after he died, how people grieve him

He'll never understand true war and bloodshed like the slaughter, he just knows the stop of a heartbeat

Tango- the desolation

The desolation manifests in heat and burns, a flaming candle, it is pain and destruction

In 3rd life he makes one mistake and is forced to dance with fire, dodge flying arrows when backed against a wall, and wear the helmet that caused this. Cruelness for the sake of it. Last life he became the flame, angry and hot, he gave kindness and was faced with cruelty, so he gave it back. In double life he meets his soulmate because of loss, he dies a pointless death and his soulmate is lost because of a pointless loss too in the end… he has destruction thrown at him and so he throws it back full force, just like last life he's angry and destructive… all over again.

Secret life is full of flames, his home burning up, and he dies like that too, pointless cruelty

Cleo- the spiral

Deceit is what Cleo despises in the life series, throughout the seasons she has faced betrayal and patterns within people

In 3rd life Ren betrays her for someone that's not even loyal to his cause and has to figure out of impulse is really on their side, she doesn't let go of last life, double life she leaves their soulmate because he's an untrustworthy soulmate, in limited life she can't trust etho with their children and bdubs because he's too loyal to etho

She has the constant theme of being cautious with people because people are so deceitful to them which leads to spiraling

If you read all that let me know which one you agree with the most

Life series members as TMA fears:

Bdubs- the desolation

Bigb- the eye

Etho- the hunt

Gem- the slaughter

Scar- the lonely

Grian- the buried

Impulse- the web

Martyn- the dark

Lizzie- the vast

Mumbo- the stranger

Pearl- the lonely

Ren- the flesh

Skizz- the spiral

Scott- the corruption

Joel- the extinction

Jimmy- the end

Tango- the desolation

Cleo- the spiral

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Kissing Dead Pearls (Part 15)

Warning for blood and death in this chapter.

She had been there when her mother died. She had been there when their sunny day turned so abruptly sour. When the clouds unleashed a big one without warning. It was just like the most recent storm, the news anchors had failed to adequately report the incoming storm and so they, alongside, several other families had gotten caught in it.

The day had been so kind and promising. Ursa packed their lunch, three grilled hot dogs that Ozai had left for them before heading off to help out at the marina, a bag of hotdog buns, a bowl of watermelon, and several water bottles. Zuko, newly sixteen, insisted that they bring some of the leftover cake too.

Ursa had caved and they were on their way out for a day of shell hunting and tubing. Azula couldn’t have been more pumped, she knew that she would come out bruised and sore, she always did in her successful efforts to outlast Zuko. In doing so, she had taken some rather hard falls. She very vividly remembers a summer ago when they’re competition got particularly heated. Both she and Zuko were clinging on for the sake of their pride. Typically they could last a good ten minutes of Ursa speeding over the waves before a good bump would dislodge one of them. They were on minute twelve. Her hands were cramped and achy from clenching the tube’s nylon handles for so long. But Zuzu had still been clinging and she would too. He let go first. She found out why soon enough. He informed her later that she had been tossed several feet into the air and did several backflips both before and after hitting the water. It had knocked the wind out of her and her entire body ached for days. But she had won.  

The sky was so blue. The clouds were fluffy and white and the seagulls circled and squabbled over dropped french fries. Nobody seemed to have noticed when they suddenly disappeared. Maybe if they had, they would have known something in the air was amiss.

But everyone remained, a group of college kids at a volleyball net, a family building sandcastles, a different family departing with fishing poles at the ready, and a couple and their dog throwing a frisbee.

Ursa arranged their lunch and as they ate, she inquired about how Azula was enjoying her first year of high school so far. She had said that she was only a month in and needed more time to decide, but that she loved her new surf team so far. It was much more serious and competition driven. And then Zuko got to talk about how well his cooking was improving.

She remembers the smell of sea and barbeque in the air as she helped Ursa load the rest of their shells into the back of the car. She remembers the smell of the sunscreen that Ursa sprayed on her when she refused to do it herself. She remembers how her mother too smelled of sunscreen but also faintly of strawberry perfume.

Strawberry sunscreen, still lingers in her mind. Strawberry sunscreen is what she remembers most about her mother.

She tries to focus on strawberry sunscreen instead of strawberry colored blood mixing with seafoam.

They had just secured the innertube, a bright orange and blue thing with a company logo and name plastered in bright red on the front. The air seemed electrified, and in retrospect, maybe Azula should have said something. But she hadn’t and they were well into the ocean a crackle of lightning upset the waves.

It happened so unprocessablely fast. One minute there was sun and in an instant there was an impenetrable curtain of rain. How quickly fluffy and white had turned to wispy and concrete.

They abandoned their tube and hurried into the boat. Her heart had never raced faster and she thanked every higher power there was that she had Zuko had been so furiously competitive. They probably wouldn’t have had the ability to cling on for so long otherwise. Even still she was shaking by the time Ursa managed to reel them in.

There was no time for relief, she helped her mother navigate while Zuko helped hold her steady. Azula could see the shore. She could also see a boat turn over, spilling several fishing poles. She hadn’t known it then, but she would later find out that a girl in her class named Yue and her family had perished.

She zeroed in on the shore and guided her mother around rocks and debris. They were going to make it, they were going to…

She hadn’t spotted the reef on time. She underestimated the tides.

The tides pulled them right into the reef and shredded the bottom of their boat. They were going down and fast. Lifejackets were no match for such ruthless tides. She saw Zuko go overboard first. The same wave took her mother. She had room in her arms for one of them.

She emerged from the water with her legs and arms shredded. Blades of coral proved to be just as merciless as the tides. The sensation was searing and blood trickled down her arms and legs. She felt so dizzy and weak. She couldn’t tell how much of the blood was hers and how much was Zuzu’s.

She dragged him to the shore and scanned the water for her mother. The woman was fighting the waves, and for a moment, Azula thought that she would make it. Maybe she would have if their boat hadn’t…

Azula’s memory goes blank there, she just remembers seeing blood on the seafoam. Blood like strawberries and foam like sunscreen.

She never did tell Zuzu that she had to choose between he and their mother. She never told father.

.oOo.

He writes the letter out, it is sloppy with haste, but he thinks that it is to the point. It will probably speak for him better than he can. He bunches it up in his hand and shoves it into his pocket, alongside his first AA chip.

He tries the beach first. He finds Zuko and Katara, he hears them calling out for Azula but the girl is nowhere in sight. Nor does he spot Jet. It occurs to him that they are looking in the wrong place. Of course she won’t be on the beach, not as furious and upset as she is. His second guess is the cliffside, but he would have seen her already. Those are her two usual spots. There is one other.

Ozai considers taking the car, it would be alot faster but he thinks that walking is the way to go. He isn’t one to place his bets on gut instincts, that is what Iroh does. This time he does though, he walks for several miles. Walks until his already spent and exhausted body threatens to give. What a horrid way to spend his birthday. It is his own fault, he reminds himself.

He takes a deep breath and resumes his walk until he comes upon a rickety old park. It had been a dilapidated wooden accident waiting to happen when Azula was just a child, now it is completely crumbled. The only thing left standing is a rusty old merry-go-round, the only metal structure at the park. The shoreline that it is built on is a cluttered mess of driftwood, broken shells, and pollution; glass bottles, both broken and intact, deflated beach balls, discarded plastic shovels, forgotten goggles now fogged with algae, and empty beer cans.

It smells potently of dead fish and runoff. Ozai isn’t sure why she still wanders over here, but he does find her. She is perched upon a structurally unsound picnic table. Jet stands next to her, likely aware that any more weight will collapse the rotting table. He has a hand on her back and is rubbing ever so tentatively while she rather openly vents.

Jet notices him first. “She doesn’t wanna talk to you, old man!” He brazenly declares.

Ozai opens his mouth to berate the boy for his brash disrespect. Instead he says, “no talking involved, just give this to her.”  He leaves no opening for the boy to decline. He isn’t sure if he should stand here and wait as she reads it or if he should begin making his way back to the lighthouse and hope for the best.

He stands with his arms folded while he waits for Jet to hand his daughter the note. He never drops his glare as he passes it off. Azula looks briefly at him before unfolding the note.

He tries to read her expression as her eyes follow the lines. She sets the note aside and presses her lips together. Her brows crease and her eyes narrow, she fixes them straight on the crashing waves in front of her.

Ozai waits. She is drawing the minute out.

.oOo.

Azula isn’t quiet sure how to take it. She can’t recall a time when her father has ever apologized to her--or anyone for that matter--vocally or otherwise. She fidgets with the note for a moment. It is very short and concise, a little lacking, but it is an apology no less. An apology and a thank you. She rubs her lips against one another and squeezes Jet’s hand harder. “Why?” She asks at last.

“Because,” he answers. “I don’t want to lose you too.”

“No.” She says. “If you appreciate what I tried to do for you then why? Why did you get angry with me? Why were you angry with me before.”

“Before?”

“You wouldn’t let me visit you. It’s because I tried to leave, isn’t it?”

The statement seems to take ten years off of his life. Suddenly he looks so tired. “I wouldn’t let you visit me because there are some things that you don’t need to see. You already saw your mother…” he trails off.

Her stomach knots all over again.

“I wasn’t angry with you.” He says again. “I’m not angry with you.”

“Then why did you…”

He rubs his hands over his face. “I just wasn’t expecting company, Azula. You don’t like to  be seen before you’ve had a chance to fix your hair and makeup.” He tries.

It is a fair point. Even still… “I thought that it would be a nice surprise. You know Katara and I thought that you would want to meet…” She trails off, unsure if this is a good time.

“Your boyfriend?” Ozai guesses. She opens her mouth but he answers before she can ask, “I can’t imagine that he would be so bold if you were just a friend.”

Jet gives a slight chuckle.

Azula crosses her arms.

“Come home with me. We will gather your brother and Katara and have that cake. It would be a shame if you wasted all of that time cooking for nothing, yes?”

.oOo.

Azula nods. That slight pout doesn’t leave her face. She has grown so much, in the last two years. But there are still moments, still small flashes when he can see that she is only a child. “You are getting the smallest piece though.”

He rolls his eyes but he will let her have this one, it is fair enough all things considered.

She continues. “Cake is for grateful fathers.”  This gets another chuckle out of Jet.

But he is grateful, and not just for the cake. He is thankful that she won’t walk the same path that he has. She is resilient--he can’t help but stare at the scars on her legs, she has too many of them for a girl so young. She is strong, maybe stronger than he is. And she is moving on, just as she had done with her mother.

“Your brother is going to be a bit harder to convince.”

Azula shakes her head, “he just doesn’t think that you’re trying. I think that he’ll come around when I tell him that you walked all of this way just to hand me a note.” She holds up her cellphone. “It was on the whole time.”

Ozai sighs, he always lets his temper drive out clear thinking. For once that is probably better. “Would that have been as effective?”

Azula thinks for a moment before shaking her head again. “You walked all that way just for me.” She flashes him a smug smile.

“That or he really wants some cake.” Jet comments with a shrug.

“He wants the cake because I made it.”

“We made it.”

“It was my idea!”

At least he can take comfort in that he hadn’t irreparably broken her mood. He can take comfort in that he hasn’t lost his girl.

[workofthediesel]

The Outcome of Honesty and Playing Along  - Chpt 1

Read also on ao3!

(Chpt 2) (Chpt 3) (Epilogue)

Summary: Ever since the championship, Rusty has taken to avoiding CB and his permanent bad mood. But when CB wants to start dragging Rusty with him on all his crazy schemes, how can Rusty (safely) say no? 

Word Count: 7012

Rusty rolled through the yard, idly listening to the chirps of the birds and the gentle rustle of the wind through the trees. He was out on his own and really enjoying the peace, especially after spending so much time in the louder, more industrial freight yard. He’d been kept busy for the past few days—he didn’t know if it was due to a rise in status or just a coincidence, but ever since he won the championship a few months back, there seemed to be a lot more problems in the yard that everyone insisted they trusted no one but Rusty to fix. He was, of course, always happy to help, but he was starting to feel a little worn thin.

As Rusty breathed in the fresh air, he felt the lingering tension in his shoulders start to melt away. A small smile made itself at home on his lips. He really needed this, he thought as he rolled along.

The sun was glinting off an unusually shiny spot on his arm, and it kept catching his eye. Every time it did, he looked down, needing to remind himself that it was him causing that glare. While he was still a far cry from looking like new, he was a lot more polished than usual. It was strange to see. He’d spent the early afternoon scrubbing off as must of his rust as he could, an extra bit of effort he hoped Pearl would appreciate. 

A brief frown flicked onto Rusty’s face at the thought of his girlfriend. She’d seemed a bit preoccupied lately, always spacing out and frowning thoughtfully. Rusty had asked her once or twice what was on her mind, and if it was anything he could help with, but Pearl had just given him a wan smile in return and told him not to worry about it. No matter when or how he put the question forth, he always received the same result. Rusty quickly stopped asking.

Today, however, they had a special date planned. Rusty hoped it would help Pearl take her mind off whatever it was that was bothering her—he really didn’t like seeing people upset, especially when there was something he could do about it. In an effort to cheer her up, Rusty had spent the last few days planning the perfect date. He’d carefully chosen all of their activities based on everything he knew she liked: tickets to the botanical gardens with a path in mind through all of her favorite flower fields, dinner at her favorite restaurant, late-night tea and pastries at her favorite café. Even though he knew he didn’t like anything on the menu at the restaurant, and the prices at the café were outrageous, and being so close to all those flowers would only make him sneeze, it would make Pearl happy. That, Rusty told himself, was what really mattered.

He was on his way to Pearl’s at that moment. He knew it wouldn’t take him long to get there—the coaches’ depot was only about ten minutes away from the freight yard, even with the leisurely pace he was setting—but he’d left his own house with plenty of extra time, just in case. That meant he was likely to reach Pearl’s about twenty minutes early, but he’d rather that than show up late.

When he caught sight of CB loitering just off the side of the track, Rusty was glad for that precaution.

Rusty came to an abrupt stop, his heart picking up speed in his chest. He hadn’t expected to see CB when he was out today, and he hadn’t wanted to, either. In fact, he’d spent quite a bit of time recently carefully planning how not to see CB, and all things considered, he was sure no one could blame him.

These days, CB had been… the best word Rusty could up with was moody. Or perhaps touchy, or volatile. Ever since it had come out just how much cheating CB had done in the championship—and all the rumors of the things he’d been a part of before then—he seemed to be leaning into the fact that he was no one’s friend. Overnight, he’d gone from being a member of the freight family to being snappish, sulky, stubborn, and short-tempered. From what Rusty could tell, there was at least one incident of him turning against one of the freight a day. The Rockies, Flat-Top, even Dustin had all ended up on the receiving end of CB’s new bad mood.

Only Rusty seemed to have escaped the caboose’s sudden sourness. For as hostile as CB was to the rest of the yard, he was equally as sweet to Rusty—always hanging around, offering to help, showering Rusty with compliments and encouragement. It was almost as if he was trying to make Rusty forget everything that he’d done to him. If that was the case, Rusty wanted to tell him to save his breath: every sugar-coated word out of his mouth just made Rusty feel sick.

The worst part was that it hadn’t always been like this. Once upon a time, Rusty had thought of CB as a friend. They all had. He’d been a member of the freight family—it was something that everyone, even Flat-Top, took to heart. Rusty and CB hadn’t been particularly close, but he was always happy to see him. CB had always been cheerful and helpful, if a bit excitable; he was the sort of car that just about the whole yard wanted around.

But that had all been an act. CB had shown his true colors at the championship, and no amount of sweet talking or favors from him now was going to make Rusty forget it.

Still, Rusty reminded himself, he had to be careful. CB was dangerous; if Rusty said the wrong thing and set him off, who knew what he would do to him? He thought back to the crash in the finals and shuddered—Greaseball and Electra had been completely wrecked, and CB had done that just for fun. Rusty didn’t even want to think about what he would do if he were mad.

Thankfully, CB wasn’t looking in his direction—he was staring at something off in the distance, his back to the track. If Rusty was careful he might be able to sneak by without CB noticing. It didn’t feel nice, but Rusty told himself it had to be done. As far as he was concerned, the less attention he drew to himself around the caboose, the better.

Rusty knew his wheels had a tendency to squeak sometimes, despite his best efforts to keep them well-oiled and working smoothly. Rather than risk CB hearing him pass, he pushed himself up onto his stops.

Walking on his stops wasn’t something Rusty did often. It was a stunt he’d seen Electra pull on more than one occasion, particularly when he was in the mood to show off. He always made it look so easy, so effortless, but Rusty was never able to get over how strange it felt—every time he tried it, he wobbled around like a newborn fawn trying to walk for the first time. Still, in moments like this, it had to be done.

It took him longer than he would have liked to find his balance, but after a few seconds he did. Then he was off, carefully picking his way across the open stretch behind CB. He tried to move as quickly as he could while still staying upright—after all, CB could turn around at any second, and Rusty didn’t want to be out in the open when he did.

After a few minutes of tip-toeing, Rusty switched back to his wheels. He was far enough past CB that he figured he was safely out of earshot, and besides, rolling was much faster—and much more comfortable—than walking on his stops. The speed was what he wanted now—he wanted to be out of there as soon as possible.

He almost got away with it. In fact, he truly thought that he had. He didn’t know what gave him away—whether it was something he could have prevented or sheer dumb luck that CB turned around at the wrong moment—but unfortunately, he was spotted.

“Rusty!”

Rusty stopped dead in his tracks, a sinking sense of dread settling in his chest. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves before turning to look over his shoulder. CB was speeding after him. Despite—or perhaps because of—the caboose’s signature wide smile, Rusty was overcome with the urge to run before he caught up. He forced himself to stay still—running, he was certain, would only get him into trouble.

Just be nice, Rusty reminded himself, forcing a friendly smile. You need to stay on his good side. “Hey, CB,” he said, hoping the nervous crack in his voice wasn’t noticeable.

CB was practically beaming as he swung himself around and came to a stop in front of Rusty. “Hi, Rusty!”

Rusty waited for him to continue, but he didn’t. He just stood there in silence, rocking back and forth on his wheels, staring at him. Rusty cleared his throat awkwardly. “Yeah, hi.” If it were up to him, Rusty would have left it at that, but the place where CB had stopped was—Rusty suspected intentionally—blocking his path. Rusty doubted he would let him get past. “What are you, um… what are you doing?”

CB looked delighted at the question. Too delighted. Rusty’s stomach dropped thinking about all the reasons CB would be happy to be asked such an innocuous question, and though he didn’t know why, he immediately regretted asking it. “I was just out. For a stroll,” CB said, emphasizing the words in a pattern Rusty couldn’t quite make sense of.

“That sounds nice,” Rusty said. He took a step to the side, trying to inch his way around CB. CB, unfortunately, took a step to match. “Are you headed anywhere in particular?” he continued with another step.

“Not really. Just wandering.” CB took another step as well, keeping himself in front of Rusty so he couldn’t get away. “What are you doing?”

“Um. Mostly the same, I guess.”

CB’s smile grew impossibly wider, and the only thing Rusty could think was that it had to hurt. “Is that so?”

There was something in his voice that sent a chill running down Rusty’s spine. Letting CB think that he was just out on his own, no one waiting for him and nowhere he was supposed to be, suddenly felt dangerous. “Well, not just wandering. I do have somewhere to be this afternoon. I’m on my way there now, actually.”

“Yeah?” CB asked, cocking his head to the side like he was considering something. “Anywhere nice?”

“Nice to me.” Rusty wasn’t sure if he should actually mention where he was going or not; it was possible that CB might follow him there if he did, and he knew that Pearl would hate nothing more than for CB to show up on her doorstep. Quite frankly, Rusty would hate it too.

CB just stared at him, and Rusty could practically see the gears turning in his head. “If you want,” he said after a moment, voice just a little too bright, “we could go together!”

A flash of panic shot through Rusty’s chest. “What?”

“It’s a nice day to be out and about,” CB said, and that was true. It was on the cool side, but warm enough in the sun, with only a few streaky clouds hung high in the sky. Rusty, however, couldn’t think of a single way in which the weather would lend itself to him spending any more time around CB than he absolutely needed to. “And I don’t have anywhere I need to be, so I can come with you! Won’t that be fun?”

No! Rusty screamed inside his head, though he wouldn’t dare say it out loud. CB was looking at him expectantly, as though he thought Rusty would want him there, and suddenly Rusty’s head was filled with flashing memories of the crash in the championship. He could remember it all like it was yesterday: the panicked screech of failing breaks; the sickening crunch of the impact; the tiny shards of wood, metal, and glass that had gotten scattered around the track; the sight of CB, Greaseball, and Electra actually fused together into one big ball of misery.

Rusty was desperate to make sure nothing like that ever, ever happened to him.

“Fun. Right,” he said, clearing his throat to buy himself enough time to think of a way to turn CB down without it actually seeming like he was turning him down. “Um. Thank you, but I kind of have to go alone.”

“No one ever has to go places alone,” CB said, and Rusty couldn’t help but think that that wasn’t true—though it wouldn’t come as a surprise to learn that CB had, more than once, followed someone someplace he shouldn’t have.

“Well, I’m expected to be alone when I get there.”

“So?”

“So,” Rusty said, trying to scoot to the side so slowly that CB wouldn’t notice, “I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to show up… not alone.”

“That’s fine,” CB said as bright as ever. For a moment, Rusty relaxed, relieved that he had gotten off the hook and that CB had taken it so well, but then CB continued, ��I can just leave before we get to wherever it is we’re going; whoever’s there won’t know a thing. In fact, I could probably go right up to this place with you and still get away without being seen.” He puffed his chest out proudly as he told Rusty, “I’m good at being sneaky.”

“I know,” Rusty said, hoping that CB would take it as the compliment it wasn’t meant to be, “but I wouldn’t want to make you do that. Besides, I don’t think you’d even like this place. You wouldn’t want to come anyway.”

Too late, Rusty realized that what he said sounded like a challenge. He held his breath as he inched a few more steps to the side, hoping that it wouldn’t make CB more determined to come, just to prove him wrong.

“Oh?” CB said, and with that one word, all of Rusty’s hopes were dashed. “Well, where is it?”

Rusty scrambled to think of as many things as he could that might deter CB. “It’s kind of far,” he said, even though it wasn’t, “and it’ll be pretty boring. Just a house, nothing really around it. I’m meeting someone, and we’ll be sitting down and having a chat, maybe some tea.” There. It sounded like a very pleasant afternoon to Rusty, but he was sure CB would find it dull enough to be entirely off-putting.

He could tell by the look in CB’s eyes that he did, in fact, find Rusty’s supposed plans to be frustratingly boring. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to make him give up. “If that’s all, I could meet you when you’re done. Then we could come back together.”

“That’s a really nice offer,” Rusty said carefully, “but I might be there a while and I don’t want to make you wait. Besides, I have other things to do today, too, and I don’t think you could come to any of those either.”

“Like what?” CB seemed to have finally noticed Rusty’s escape attempt, and he once more moved in front of him, trapping Rusty where he was. He also started rocking back and forth on his wheels again, almost like he was trying to lure Rusty in with a show of innocence and enthusiasm.

If that was his plan, Rusty thought, it wasn’t going to work. He slid another few inches to the side and started listing off every responsibility he had that he could think of. Most of them were half-truths, things that he had to do eventually, just not necessarily today. “Poppa wants me to double-check the latest schedules to make sure they’re all okay, and I promised Belle I would help her fix her door—you know, it’s been squeaking a lot and she said it’s starting to get stuck when she tries to open it—and Dustin wanted to talk to me about getting tickets for the yard to that play that’s coming into town to make up for missing the bonfire, and Rocky 2 wanted to talk to me too but he didn’t say why, and I have a date planned with Pearl this afternoon, and—”

Instantly, CB froze.

Rusty eyed him warily. The stillness wasn’t lost on him. It was such a change from his usual constant motion that it sent Rusty’s nervousness up a few notches. “Pearl?” CB echoed, his voice uncharacteristically flat.

Rusty cringed, realizing what he must have just revealed. He hadn’t meant to say that, but unfortunately, he couldn’t take the words back. “Yeah,” he said, continuing to edge slowly around CB. “We’re going out a little bit later today.”

“Oh.” CB didn’t even move his head to follow Rusty’s movement. He stood still as a statue, staring off into empty space.

As much as CB’s sudden stillness felt dangerous, Rusty couldn’t help but notice that it also provided the perfect opportunity for him to get away. “Yes, so, thank you for the offer, but today’s just not good for me. It was a, uh, really nice thought, though.”

With that, Rusty sped off, trying not to go too fast so it didn’t look like he was running away. He glanced over his shoulder once to make sure that CB wasn’t following him. Rusty had already put a fair amount of distance between them and CB was little more than a speck against the wide spread of the yard behind him, but even so, Rusty could tell that he hadn’t moved a muscle.

Uncertain of whether he should be relieved or worried, Rusty continued on to Pearl’s, trying his best not to think about the strange encounter.

***

Rusty was careful to arrive at Pearl’s exactly on time. Doing so meant he had to wander around the tracks by her house for a bit to kill time, but he didn’t mind; he’d been thrown off by his conversation with CB and welcomed the chance to clear his head.

His thoughts were still a bit of a mess by the time the hour rolled over. He stood in front of Pearl’s door for a moment to collect himself before ringing the bell. Just a few moments later, he heard the sound of someone coming closer, then Pearl pulled the door open. She was such a welcome, familiar sight that Rusty couldn’t help but smile.

“Hey,” he said, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. Pearl was smiling at him when he pulled back, but it was strangely stiff. She stayed where she was, making no move to follow Rusty out of the house. It gave Rusty some pause. “You ready to go?”

“In a minute,” Pearl said, waving him inside. “Come in for a bit first.”

With some trepidation, Rusty came, following Pearl into the living room. Something about the situation didn’t feel right to him. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was, but it was putting him on guard. And, he noticed, Pearl didn’t seem quite comfortable, either. She had sat down on the couch, staring at her hands in her lap with a slight pout. “Is something wrong?”  Rusty asked, hovering anxiously in front of her.

Pearl opened her mouth to say something, then closed it without a sound. After a moment, she tried again, only to get the same result. Eventually, she sighed. “Come sit down. I think we need to talk.”

Rusty’s heart dropped. Nothing good ever came after a sentence like “we need to talk,” and he had a sinking feeling that he knew where this was headed. His head was suddenly spinning with objections and explanations, pleas and promises, but his mouth was too dry to voice any of them. Tentatively, he took a seat next to Pearl, silently begging the universe for this not to be what he thought it was.

For a long minute, neither of them spoke. Pearl was staring at her feet, brows pinched slightly like she was trying to focus on something. Rusty watched her, hardly daring to breathe and certainly not daring to say anything. A small part of him wanted to ask her what this was about, but truthfully, he already had a pretty good idea.

Eventually, Pearl seemed to have gotten her thoughts in order. “I know this probably seems like it’s coming out of nowhere, but it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while. We’ve been dating for a few months now, and we’ve reached the point where I think we both need to reflect on what we’re really looking for. I don’t know if we’re both hoping to get different things out of this relationship or if we’re trying to move at different speeds or what, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that all of this isn’t what I want.” She took a deep breath before saying the words Rusty was dreading: “I want to break up.”

“Pearl—”

“Please, let me finish.” Rusty obligingly closed his mouth, choking back his words so that Pearl could say everything she needed to. Pearl waited a moment before continuing.  “It’s not that I don’t like you—ever since we met, you’ve been so important to me. You’re one of the people in the yard that I care about the most; you always have been. But that hasn’t translated into a relationship at all. And it’s nothing to do with you,” she said, although it wasn’t as reassuring as she had probably meant it to be. “You’re still as sweet as you’ve ever been, but I don’t think dating you is right for me. We’ve both been putting in a lot of effort to try to keep this relationship going, but it just feels like work at this point, and honestly, Rusty, I’m tired of it. And you have to admit, your heart’s not really in it anymore, either.”

The first thought that jumped into Rusty’s head was that that wasn’t true. He was happy to put so much time and effort into their relationship, and Pearl knew that. She should know how committed he was to her. “Pearl, I really do like you.”

“I don’t doubt that you like me as a friend,” Pearl said, and that ending—as a friend—sunk Rusty’s heart even further, “but romantically?” She shook her head.

“Pearl, I—” Rusty started, but the words died in his throat.

“And it’s not just you,” she went on. “You know you’re one of my closest friends, but I think we’re best as just that: friends.”

“I know we’re good as friends,” Rusty said, heart pounding quickly even as it continued to sink down and down towards his feet, “which is why I know we can be just as good as a couple. We just have to try a little harder.”

Pearl shook her head sadly. “Don’t kid yourself, Rusty. We’ve been trying to make it work for months, but we’re just not right for each other. And there’s nothing wrong with that—not everyone is meant to be a couple. But I don’t want to go on like this; I’m not happy. And I know you aren’t, either.”

A twinge of guilt plucked at Rusty’s heart. The last thing he wanted to do was make Pearl unhappy. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t realize…”

“That’s part of the problem,” Pearl cut in. “You were so focused on trying to make us into the textbook-perfect couple, you didn’t even notice how miserable I was.”

Rusty cringed, his guilt only rising. Was that true? Had Pearl actually been miserable because of him?

The words might have been harsher than Pearl had meant them, and she sighed. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to accuse you of anything. But you need to understand that this relationship isn’t right for either of us. It needs to end.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Rusty was quick to reassure her. “If what I was doing was making you unhappy, I deserve to know that. And you should do whatever you need to to be happy, even if that means we need to break up. If this is what you think will be best for you, I need to respect that.”

Pearl sighed again. This time, there was a hint of exasperation in it. “Rusty, that’s sweet, but can’t you think of yourself for once?”

“What?”

“A relationship isn’t just about making the other person happy. Your feelings are important, too.”

For a moment, Rusty just stared at her. What did that have to do with anything?

Pearl must have picked up on his confusion, because she went on, “You don’t need to ‘respect’ my decision for my sake. You can be sad about it. You can be angry about it. You can be angry at me. But always putting your own feelings aside to make everyone else happy is doing you no good at all.”

Rusty wanted to object, to say that he liked making others happy even if he had to struggle for it sometimes, even if it meant giving up the things he wanted, but he got the feeling that that would only prove her point.

Silence hung between them for a minute before Pearl broke it. “I’m sorry to just throw all of this on you out of nowhere,” she said. “I’ve been trying to find a good time to bring it up for a while now, but there never is a good time, is there?”

Rusty cast his memory back, trying to think if there would have been a better time to have this conversation, but Pearl was right: like with all bad news, it was going to hurt no matter when she said it. It would be, he supposed, better for her to get it over with sooner rather than later.

Rusty took a measured breath, fighting against the way his throat was threatening to close up on him. “So… I guess this is it, then.”

“I’m not trying to say goodbye,” Pearl rushed out. “We can still be friends.”

Rusty smiled ruefully. “That’s what everyone says, isn’t it?”

“But I mean it. I know things probably won’t be great between us for a while, but just because we’re not right for each other as a couple doesn’t mean I want to lose you as a friend.”

“I don’t want to lose you, either,” Rusty said, though he couldn’t help but think that he was already losing her anyway.

Pearl watched him for a moment, a touch of sadness in her eyes. “You know I still care about you, right?” she said softly. “This doesn’t change that.”

Rusty nodded, not quite trusting himself to speak.

Pearl watched him a moment more before reaching over and taking his hand, giving it a light squeeze. Rusty forced a tight smile onto his face in return. He knew it didn’t reach his eyes, but he supposed that it wouldn’t have made a difference if it did; Pearl wouldn’t have been fooled either way.

A suspicious stinging pricked at the corners of Rusty’s eyes and he knew that if he didn’t leave right then, Pearl’s last memory of their relationship would be him dissolving into a puddle of tears of her floor. Determined not to let that happen, Rusty took a deep breath, blinked hard to clear away the wet blurriness that had settled over his vision, and pushed himself up off the couch. Pearl let his hand slip out from hers without a fight, but she stood up as well, following him to the door.

The sun was still shining brightly when Rusty stepped out. A strong breeze had picked up, but the day was still pleasant. Rusty breathed in the fresh air, forcing down the lump that was clogging his throat. He looked back at Pearl over his shoulder, feeling like he had to say something but not quite sure what. “I guess I’ll see you around, then.”

Pearl was hovering in the doorway, looking at him with a touch of concern. “Take your time, Rusty,” she said. “You don’t have to okay right away.”

Rusty nodded silently—it was the only response he could come up with. Then he took another deep breath and mustered up all the composure he could manage so that he could keep his head held high until he was back home.

***

Rusty slept in later that day than he’d meant to. He normally rose with the sun, but today he didn’t wake up until it was already bright out. He tried to cut himself some slack; after all, he’d just gotten dumped. It only made sense that that would be occupying his mind when he was trying to sleep. And occupy his mind it did—he’d been up late into the night, thinking.

In the early hours of the morning, he came to the conclusion that Pearl had been right: they weren’t a good fit for each other, and he knew it. Had known it for quite some time, actually, but kept stupidly trying to make it work. Because that was how it happened in the stories, wasn’t it? The underdog hero overcame his challenges and everyone pushing him down, proved himself, got the girl, and lived happily ever after.

He’d been an underdog in the race, all right, and he’d certainly had plenty of people trying to keep him down. But he’d managed to win in the end, which meant… what, exactly?

In all the stories, this was when the girl finally saw the hero for who he was and realized her love for him, and for Rusty, the girl had always been Pearl. They’d been friends for ages, and she ticked all the boxes for a classic story-book love interest: pretty, kind, popular, the girl all the guys wanted. She’d been so proud of him after he won, and he’d spent so long chasing after her, why wouldn’t they start dating?

Right from the start, though, something felt wrong. Their friendship was as strong as ever, but the romance just wasn’t there. Rusty had done his best to ignore it. It didn’t matter, he had told himself; he was sure he could make it work in the end. Him and Pearl dating was what was supposed to happen—he’d fall in love with her soon enough.

Even as time dragged by, and soon enough was changed to eventually, Rusty refused to let go.

But Pearl was right: neither of them had been happy. Sure, they’d been able to put up a good front when they were out with their friends, but once it was just the two of them, things quickly got awkward and strained. Still, he’d deluded himself into thinking that things would be alright. If they just kept trying, if they worked a little harder, they’d get the happily ever after they’d been promised.

But life doesn’t work like that, Rusty told himself, finally pushing himself out of bed. Really, he should have known better. If all his time spent working as a shunter had taught him anything, it was that life very rarely matched your expectations. You didn’t get something just because you wanted it, dreamed of it, thought you had earned it.

Apparently, you don’t get something just because you work for it, either, Rusty thought bitterly as he made his way into the kitchen. He knew that you couldn’t force feelings, but still, after all of the time and effort he’d put into trying to get it right, he’d hoped he would have had a little more to show for it.

The worst part was, though, he wasn’t actually that upset about losing Pearl. She’d said that they would still be friends and he didn’t doubt that; things would probably be awkward for a while, but they’d been too close for too long to let something like this come between them. No, what got him the most was the realization that he’d been wasting his time. In fact, he’d wasted both of their times, just dragging it out when the break-up was inevitable.

Rusty shook his head, setting the kettle on the stove so he could make himself some tea. Maybe, at the very least, he’d learn something from this. Like to pay more attention to what was happening right in front of him, or to not get so swept up in chasing fairytales. Or perhaps, like Pearl had said, to put more value on his own feelings.

That was another thing she’d been right about: he hadn’t been happy in their relationship either. He saw that now. Although the breakup had—and still did—hurt, he couldn’t deny that it’d also given him a sense of relief. It had taken away a huge tension he hadn’t realized he’d been carrying.

Pearl had told him that she’d been miserable for weeks and he hadn’t noticed; now, he could honestly say that he’d been miserable as well, and somehow managed not to notice that either. And what did that say about him? Rusty mused, pouring the water over a tea bag and bringing it over to the table. He always thought of himself as being fairly sensitive, but could he really claim that if he had missed not only his girlfriend’s but his own unhappiness?

Rusty sat down, resting his chin on his hand as he stared out the window. Clearly he needed to rethink some things about his life. He’d never put too much effort into looking out for people’s emotions; he was sure that he was naturally tuned in to such things so he didn’t think he had to. It wouldn’t be too hard, he decided, to make a conscious effort to pay more attention to how people were feeling. He almost felt he owed it to the rest of the yard to start. After all, if he hadn’t been able to see his relationship falling apart right in front of his eyes, what else had he missed?

A sudden pounding on his door made Rusty jump. Abruptly shaken out of his thoughts, he glanced over his shoulder towards the door, then at the clock. He couldn’t think of anyone who might be coming to see him when it was still relatively early and especially not why they would be knocking like that. It was possible that there was some emergency that Poppa needed him to help handle, but he hoped not; he wasn’t in the mood to deal with anything like that today.

Not wanting to risk ignoring it, in case it was serious, Rusty pushed himself up from his chair, reluctantly leaving his tea behind on the table. As he pulled open the door, Rusty quickly wished he hadn’t: on his front step was CB, slightly out of breath as if he had sprinted there. Rusty was only able to process one emotion—confusion—before CB started talking. “Dinah said you and Pearl broke up.”

Immediately Rusty’s confusion turned into something sour. Hearing it put so bluntly felt like rubbing salt on the wound, but he tried not to let it show. He wasn’t surprised that Pearl told Dinah what happened, but he wouldn’t have expected CB to hear about it, especially not so soon. After all, why would he care?

A large part of him was tempted to just shut the door in CB’s face, but he knew how the caboose would take that, and he really wasn’t in the mood for any trouble today. “Yeah,” he said shortly, sounding every bit as tired as he felt. “We did.”

“Really?” There was a tinge of happiness in the question, tied in with excited disbelief, like someone had just told him he’d won the lottery. Rusty didn’t like it one bit.

He got the sneaking suspicion that CB had only come to rub it in, and he didn’t want to give him the chance. But CB already knew what had happened, so there was no point lying about it. “Um. Yes.”

A bright smile grew on CB’s face and he leaned close into Rusty’s space. “Oh, Rusty. I’m so sorry,” he cooed, not sounding sorry at all.

Rusty leaned back, extremely uncomfortable with CB’s increasing proximity. He cleared his throat, not quite sure what to say. “It’s fine. I probably should have seen it coming.”

Either CB didn’t pick up on Rusty’s discomfort, or he didn’t care. “I’m here if you want to talk about it,” he said, taking a step forward and trapping Rusty in a tight hug.

Rusty blinked, momentarily stunned. This certainly wasn’t what he was expecting, and he had no idea what to make of it. Although, he thought, it probably didn’t bode well—nothing with CB ever did these days. “Um… thanks, CB,” Rusty said, awkwardly patting his back to try to make him let go, “but I’m alright.”

CB held on for a moment more, rubbing his cheek against Rusty’s shoulder. Then, just as suddenly as he grabbed on, he pulled back. He kept his hands wrapped around Rusty’s upper arms, his fingers squeezing as tight as vices. “Let’s do something tonight!”

“What?”

“Something fun,” he continued as if Rusty hadn’t spoken, “just the two of us. To take your mind off it!”

All of Rusty’s previous feelings were quickly overtaken in a rising tide of panic. Spend an extended period of time with CB? Alone? Doing something “fun”? Rusty wasn’t entirely sure what CB’s idea of fun might be, but he was sure he didn’t want to find out. “No, that’s okay,” he rushed out. “I was planning on having a night in tonight. Alone.”

He had meant it to sound like he was looking forward to having some quiet time to himself—which he was—but that wasn’t how CB took it. “I know,” he said sympathetically, giving Rusty a sad smile. Then, like a switch was flipped, he brightened considerably. “But now you don’t have to!”

“That’s really sweet, but…” But what? Rusty tried to think fast; he needed an excuse. “I already planned what I was going to make for dinner, and a lot of the ingredients will go bad if I don’t use them tonight, so—”

“Don’t worry about that; we won’t be going out until after dark.” CB had said it like it was a reassurance, but to Rusty it was anything but.

“After dark?” His voice rose up into an embarrassing squeak. Spending time alone with CB sounded bad enough to Rusty; doing it late at night sounded almost dangerous. He cleared his throat, trying to force his voice back down to a normal level. “I don’t usually go out after dark.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” CB said with a grin.

“Well, normally, yes, but maybe I can save the firsts for another night? Because it sounds like a lot, and I was kind of hoping to be doing comforting things tonight. I’m not really in the mood to be pushing myself.”

CB cocked his head to the side, squinting at Rusty in confusion. “Do you not want to come?”

No! Rusty screamed in his head. He bit down hard on his lip to keep himself from screaming it out loud too. “It’s not that I don’t want to,” he said instead, trying to think of a way out that wouldn’t end with making CB mad, “I’m just not sure that tonight’s the best night.”

CB’s eyes narrowed even further. “So, you don’t want to?”

“No, I do,” Rusty lied.

“But you won’t?”

Rusty’s mind raced. It felt like this conversation was getting away from him, and he wasn’t thinking clearly enough to come up with anything that might save him. In his panic, he started to ramble. “It’s just kind of short notice, and I already had things planned for the evening, and I get up early in the mornings so I don’t really know if it would be a good idea to stay out late, and I usually prefer things quiet so I probably wouldn’t really be comfortable with any night life stuff anyway, and you haven’t even said what we might be doing, or how long it might take, and…”

CB opened and closed his mouth a few times, but no sound came out. His brows drew close together and his eyes narrowed, like there was something he was trying to figure out but couldn’t. He gave up on whatever it was he’d been trying to say with a shake of his head. “Rusty, I am inviting you out. Are you coming?” he said. Frustration was sharp in his eyes, and he sounded on the verge of snapping.

Rusty’s heart beat double time in his chest. Stay on his good side, he reminded himself. You need to stay on his good side. Pushing away all the panicked thoughts screaming about what he was doing, he took a deep breath and forced out, “Yeah, thanks, CB. I’d… I’d love to.”

Immediately, CB’s face relaxed back into its signature grin. “Great! I’ll go get things ready. I’ll pick you up later, okay?”

It was not at all okay, Rusty thought, but he watched CB speed away with no small sense of relief. He shut the door, feeling very shaky, and ended up leaning against it for support. Slowly he let out a deep breath, steadying himself before making his way back to the kitchen. His tea was still sitting on the table where he left it, rapidly cooling. Rusty looked at it and frowned. What, he wondered, had he just gotten himself into?

[hobotalesaus]

Episode 3: A Hesitating Pulse Is Good Company

I still remember the first time I came to Melbourne; I was about 18. Everything was foreign and weird and busy and sunny. ‘People are strange, when you're a stranger. Faces look ugly, when you're alone.’ I ended up in Collingwood, another planet to me back then. I found solace in a corner pub. The porch light was on and it was the closest thing to home as I could find. 

Living in the big smoke isn't for everyone, but certain people just fucking thrive. Jay is one of those people. Totally sober in the spot he lives, figuratively speaking. When I first met the bloke, he showed me through his place in his moccasins (yeah I remember mate) and pointed out different pieces of art, memorabilia, just stuff. The stuff that we fill our spaces with because we love looking at it and it's a puzzle of what makes us, ‘us’. This was the shit that he loves and you could see it straight away. Outside, there was this faint buzz of the city, with a heartbeat and tyre noise and the smell of god knows what. Maybe a police siren or some shit. It reminded me of a song, with the line "A hesitating pulse is good company". If I was to sum up Collingwood, especially in that house on that day, it would be with that line. "A hesitating pulse is good company". 

Firstly, Jay is a bloody good bloke. My old man would always tell me the best way to approach somebody is like this: If you think you're a good fella, I do too, until you prove me wrong. Something tells me that Jay hasn't proven anyone wrong. 

Knowing this about him, we approached Jay recently about doing a story and he was more than happy to go with it, which actually sort of posed a problem; he's got so many fucking things on the go, and is equally good at all of them, that we were hard pressed to make room for it all. But we'll give it a red hot crack anyway. 

Born in the early 90s, Jay spent most of his time as a young fella riding BMX like most of us did. Outside til dark, jumping kerbs, ruining your shoes by putting them in between the forks and the front tyre. Yeah we all did it. "How do you keep ruining your shoes so quickly??" the words rang out across the house and you knew you were about to get whooped. Street Sharks on the telly, poster of Matt Hoffman on the bedroom wall. How good was that? Then the natural transition (as if that isn't the best fucking pun I've ever heard) to skateboarding. "The first skate video I ever saw was a FLIP SORRY part. That got me so pumped up to go skate, the whole soundtrack and attitude was surreal! Skateboarding basically consumed my life from then all the way up til now," he says, and yeah, it fucking shows. "I tell you what, I had a few Margera decks growing up. But Geoff Rowley stood out for me, and still influences me for sure, even to this day."

There's always been this weird connection between skating and motorcycles; we're not talking your $40,000 BMW touring bike or your Hyabusa. We're talking about Triumphs, Harleys, chopped up Honda's. Making noise and pissing people off. Literally giving the finger to anyone who gives you that greasy look. "I got into motorcycles when I was about 21 or 22, after a trip to the US. All I'd ever wanted to do was go to the U.S and skate all the spots I'd seen in the videos. I had organized with a friend from Geroa (check a map) to head over; his old lady owned a condo in Oceanside, Cali. They were kind enough to invite me over to stay." 

“We're talking about Triumphs, Harleys, chopped up Honda's. Making noise and pissing people off. Literally giving the finger to anyone who gives you that greasy look”

"I took some photos of that chopper on this 35mm Minolta 201 I got for $30 on eBay.”

"So there we are at a skate park in California, and a mate of Ray's rolled up on this bad-ass cone Shovel chopper that he built himself. I didn't grow up around parents or a cool uncle who rode motorcycles, so when I was confronted with this dirty, leaky machine, I was fascinated. No foot pegs, looked like it hadn't been cleaned since the 80s. We were in the car on highway, watching him haul ass, weaving in and out of lanes, skateboard strapped to the sissy bar. That was it for me" he says, and you know that you had the same moment at some point in your life where you went "Yep, that's what I'm all about". He continues, "I took some photos of that chopper on this 35mm Minolta 201 I got for $30 on eBay. Turned out the mechanism to eject the film was broken so I lost it all. Still have the memories though. I came home to Australia and maybe a month later I went and bought a 2016 Sporty 48; because what the fuck do I know about building old motorcycles?" But who the fuck cares what it is right, as long as it's not a street bike. 

This leads us into another jack of all trades moment with Jay; photography. "Sometimes when I'm feeling frisky, I whip out the old Nikon D700. I take 6 photos or maybe 30, and sometimes 1 will come out good. I'm not a photographer, I just take photos sometimes.", which is pretty much enough to sum it up. "I'm stoked with a whole bunch of photos I've taken, and that's all that fuckin' matters." Too right bloke. 

"Sometimes when I'm feeling frisky, I whip out the old Nikon D700. I take 6 photos or maybe 30, and sometimes 1 will come out good. I'm not a photographer, I just take photos sometimes."

"Sometimes I paint, sometimes I get angsty sitting there for long periods of time trying to figure out colour blending and all the rest. I did the Knucklehead painting and that's pretty much where that ends." I was actually lucky enough to grab said Knucklehead painting, which takes pride of place in my lounge room. It's a wicked, dusty, rusty painting that tells you that the motor is as old as sin. Just how we like it. "I can't draw to save my life, but I spent what felt like 3 months working on it here and there." That led us to a pretty significant point in the story, with what I guess I'm trying to capture with these interviews. "Expressing yourself is a great way to be heard; you can tell a story through an action, a photo, a drawing..whatever. And without self expression, the world is a pretty boring place."  

“I was actually lucky enough to grab said Knucklehead painting, which takes pride of place in my lounge room”

So, as far as the nitty gritty, I think a lot of us have seen Jay's scoot by now. That 48 Sporty we mentioned earlier was written off "trying to pull a wheelie leaving work", which is a pretty standard outcome I reckon. So the white beast is a 72 Sporty, which was stripped down and and built back up by David at Primal Garage, with some work being done by Sean at Bar-None Moto. He cut the rear fender struts, and had some solid bar machined up to look like suspension, but it is actually hard-tailed. He also lifted the tank a little, modified the seat pan that Sean made, fit a new rear fender so it tucked nicely around the tire. He also freshened up the bike by re-painting the tins pearl white, with champagne stripes fading to silver. He also chucked the Leviathan cross on the tank at my request. He finished it all off with a set of bad ass up sweeps! Sean smashed out new bars, sissybar, license plate/ brake light bracket, and gave Dave a good start on the king/queen seat pan. Now I have a sweet ass looking bike that I’ve barely ridden this year. Covid has been a struggle", he says, and those of you in Victoria can attest to the fact that this year has been a total write off. Not being able to get out, hit some pubs, roll the swag out beside the bike and sleep in the dirt; that's our lockdown. "I’ve gone damn near everywhere on that bike, I love it to bits!" 

“He cut the rear fender struts, and had some solid bar machined up to look like suspension, but it is actually hard-tailed.”

There aren’t too many ways to describe riding a motorcycle to somebody who hasn't done it. And there's a difference again between riding in total comfort, heated grips, perfect riding position, had vitamins this morning, has a go-pro strapped to his head, has every supply under the sun in his bags, middle aged dentist on a touring bike. I'm talking about being stripped down of all fancy equipment, burning your legs, can't hear anything, welts on your face, hot, cold, numb fingers, sore arse, no fuel left, phone is dead, you're still 50kms from where you think the camp spot is but you know what? You could keep riding for another 1000kms because fuck me, this is what it's about. 

“..total comfort, heated grips, perfect riding position, had vitamins this morning, has a go-pro strapped to his head, has every supply under the sun in his bags, middle aged dentist on a touring bike.”

The smell of a campfire, the taste of a bug on your teeth, the spine shattering crack from a pothole on your hardtail, losing your house keys somewhere in the last 2 days riding, unpeeling yourself from the bike and finally being able to stretch your hips as the locals stare. "Passing out in the dirt, waking up in the rain. Skateboarding was my first love, but riding motorcycles is one big adventure, and the best one I've been on in years." says Jay, as I think we all for a moment realize that from now on, whenever anyone asks "Hey, lets skip town for a night on the bikes", you're going to say yes regardless, for fear of never being able to do it again. 

"Passing out in the dirt, waking up in the rain. Skateboarding was my first love, but riding motorcycles is one big adventure, and the best one I've been on in years."

If our readers are anything like us, and I think they are, living in the city is doable if there's an escape in between the chaos. "Pre-Covid, my girlfriend (Asti) and our dog (Luna) and I would head up into the mountains every other weekend. Find a cool spot to park and just walk around for awhile, explore. We could let Luna off lead and she loved it. I like shooting photos in the forest. Nature is the best". 

"Camping holds a special place in my heart. I love the smell of a campfire, endless banter between mates, NO RECEPTION. Not showering for awhile is also a guilty pleasure. We've all had our fair share of wet-wipe showers". I'll be honest, as long as there's water near by, that's good enough for me. Winter or not. Which reminds me, little tip for painting the town brown in the bush; dig two little holes for your heels, stick a log or the shovel in the ground, hang onto it and lean back. Opens up the bowels. (You'll thank me I reckon). 

’’We've all had our fair share of wet-wipe showers"

Everyone has a favorite camping story. I think as time has gone on, they don’t stand out as much as they used to, they're all great. Even when you ended up broken down in the rain, lost, hungry, hungover. Still better than a night in the city if you ask me. 

"My favorite camp spot was something not easily forgotten.  My girlfriend and I tripped out to Wilson’s Promontory one weekend. We paid to spend the night in the camp site which was basically a grass car park with no fires allowed and we decided that it just wouldn’t fly with us. We packed a couple of backpacks with the tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bags etc. We hiked a trail for an hour or so, scouting a suitable place to set up shop along the way. We eventually decided to veer off the trail, and head down through the shrub toward the ocean. We ended up finding the most insane spot! On top of a cliff, a nice flat piece of land on some moss covered rocks. Looking over the ocean. We were even graced with a sunset, right over the water, directly in front of us. Romantic as fuck, it was amazing. Golden hour blew us away. Not a single person in sight, but us. We got a little fire going and just marveled at what we found and where we were. That was the best camp spot for sure. If it were possible to accompany that with motorcycles, shit. I could have died right there and then."

‘’Even when you ended up broken down in the rain, lost, hungry, hungover. Still better than a night in the city if you ask me’’

“We packed a couple of backpacks with the tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bags etc. We hiked a trail for an hour or so, scouting a suitable place to set up shop along the way.”

I reckon that's a pretty good image to leave this story on. I think there's something special about people who can find solace in nothing, in no-one, just being content with what's happening at that moment in time. A sunset, setting off a car alarm with your pipes, burning away from a servo with a full tank of fuel. The big picture is made up of a million little pictures.

We always ask people what their life motto is; what they stand by. Jay gave us this. "Do more of what makes you happy. Whatever it is.”

Thanks bloke, it's been a time and a half. First beer is on me once the wall comes down.

"Do more of what makes you happy. Whatever it is."

All photos by Jay except for top photo by Sean (Bar-None Moto). 

[roslinadama-sinequanon]

Auld Lang Syne-A New Shandy Fic

This is a little later than planned. Due to some winter winds, I was without power for almost the whole day. But, the power is finally back on and here is the latest in a year of FUSRIA stories that I began last Christmas.

I hope you all have a great 2019!

It's New Year's Eve and Sharon and Andy celebrate with friends at a Gatsby-style party on the Queen Mary, then enjoy a relaxing New Year's Day together. Just a quick little fluff, finishing up the first year of the Shandy marriage.

You can read this here: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13166086/1/Auld-Lang-Syne or here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17266316

or right here:

“Sharon, you almost ready? Don’t forget, we have to pick up Provenza and Patrice.” It was New Year's Eve and Andy by default was the designated driver.

“I’m coming.” Sharon spritzed a little Black Opium on her wrists, her neck, and, what the hell, her cleavage for good measure. After one last look in the floor length mirror on the door of her walk-in closet, she slipped on elbow length gloves, grabbed her purse, and stepped out into the bedroom.

“Andy.” His name came out rather breathless. Her sexy as sin husband was leaning against the fireplace in a pose meant to allure. And it did. His light brown suit, plaid check vest, and dark brown bow tie were stylish and dapper, and as she approached him, her insides did a little butterfly dance at the twinkle in the rich depths of his velvet brown eyes. “You look like you just stepped out of ‘The Great Gatsby’.”

“Well, uh, that was plan…right.” He could barely speak, his tongue felt thick and he could not stop staring. If he looked like something out of the pages of  ‘Gatsby’ than Sharon, in her vintage 1930’s gold lame gown, a liquid satin that clung to every curve before spilling sensuously about her long legs, was the glamorous epitome of a Golden Era movie star. She smiled at the jaw-dropping look he was giving her and twirled around, giving him a view of the plunging back.

“You like?” She asked.

“You really have to ask?” He stepped forward sliding an arm around her waist and pulling her in tight. “You sure we have to go to this party?”

Sharon shivered as he began nuzzling along her neck. The man did know her weak spots. But, she pulled back with a throaty little giggle before he got too carried away. “We paid an arm and a leg for these tickets, we’re going.”

“Okay. Okay.”

Provenza’s response when he saw the two of them in shades of gold and brown was to roll his eyes. “Eh Gods, do you two always match?”

Patrice shook her head. “Don’t listen to him, you both look stunning.”

“You too, Patrice,” Andy kissed her cheek. “You, on the other hand.” He gave a glance at Provenza, who had done nothing but grumble about having to a New Years Eve party. “You look like Edward G. Robinson.”

“A mighty fine actor. I’ll take that as a compliment,” Provenza huffed.

The party was on The Queen Mary, docked in Long Beach. Each deck and ballroom had a differently themed celebration. They planned to attend the Art Deco era festivities. Stepping onto the huge ocean liner, now a hotel/tourist attraction really was like a journey back in time. And, when they walked into the Grand Salon, decorated in rich black and shimmering gold, the centerpieces dripping with feathers and pearls, and a jazz band playing in the corner, they were transported back to the 1920s and 30’s when speakeasies and jazz were all the rage and Hollywood was in its heyday.  Also joining them for the evening were Gavin and his partner Elliott, it was Gavin who had convinced Sharon to get tickets for the event, and Sharon’s good friend Rachel and her husband Jim.

They enjoyed a tasty, elegant dinner, and then spent the night dancing to big band swing music. Well, some of them of them anyway. Andy could really cut a rug and Sharon loved to dance, so they were out on the dance floor all night. Provenza refused to get near the floor unless it was a “slow one“ but, thanks to Andy, Gavin, Elliott, and Jim, Patrice was not short on dance partners.

At the countdown to midnight, cheers filled the air and balloons dropped from the ceiling. Sharon wrapped her arms around Andy’s neck, pulling his face closer to hers.

“Happy New Year, baby,” he said.

“Happy New Year.” They grinned at each other like the sappy newlyweds they still were, then kissed in 2019.

Afterward, while the band played ’Auld Lang Syne’, everyone sang along, then moved out onto the deck to watch a dazzling fireworks display over the water, with the glittering lights of LA off in the distance.

Sharon snuggled back against Andy with a little shiver. The wind was cool off the water. Feeling her chill, Andy slipped off his suit coat and wrapped it around her bare shoulders. She gave him a smile of gratitude and then gazed off at the bright bursts of color in the sky. For many years, New Year's Eve had been bittersweet for her. She was happy enough in her life, even happier once she had gotten the job in Major Crimes. But, after her children had left home, there had always been a feeling that maybe her best years were behind her. Not anymore. She could look back nostalgically on the previous year, but she had nothing but excitement for the new year ahead and the things she and her husband had planned.

With the fireworks display over, they returned inside and made their way to the Promenade Café where a midnight breakfast buffet had been laid out to help them refuel after all that dancing.  Sharon chose a mimosa with a couple slices of French toast, while Andy had straight orange juice and a veggie omelet. They both had bowls of vanilla yogurt with the house-made granola.

“All that food and you choose yogurt and granola.” Provenza grimaced and shuddered as he sat down.

Andy eyed his friend‘s plate. “Better than that heart attack on a plate.”

“He’s right, Louis.” Patrice shook her head at the pile of biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage and potatoes that filled her husband’s plate. “You’re never going to be able to sleep tonight after eating all that.”

“Well, it will be worth it.” Provenza dug into his biscuit and chewed with gusto.

By the time they finished eating, dropped Patrice and Provenza off at home, and then continued up the coast, Sharon and Andy did not get home until well after 2:00 am. Exhausted, they slept in late New Years Day, enjoyed some lazy cuddle time, and then had a simple breakfast of buttery croissants, fruit, and coffee out on the sun porch. Feeling a little more refreshed after their coffee and showers, they changed into jeans and sweatshirts and made the quarter-mile walk down the hill to the beach. It was low tide and they walked along the hard-packed sand, hand in hand, seagulls diving and cawing overhead.  After about a mile, they stopped near an outcropping of rocks and sat in the soft sand, watching the waves crash into the rocks and enjoying the feel of the January sun on their faces. Sharon laid her head against Andy’s shoulder, enjoying the peace and tranquility. She loved their walks on the beach. They stayed that way for quite a while until dark clouds started to move in and it looked like they might be in for a shower.

Back at the house, they took down the Christmas tree that had been up since the weekend after Thanksgiving. Christmas was Sharon’s favorite holiday and she always tried to hang on to it for as long as possible. For her, Christmas started the day after Thanksgiving and didn‘t end until New Years Day. When the kids had left for college and she’d moved into the condo, it had been easier to have a fake tree--though she always sprayed it with that pine scent because what was a tree without its scent. This year, in their big new house, they had bought a giant live fir, and even though they had had the guy at the tree farm make a fresh cut, and Sharon had faithfully kept the tree watered, it was still clearly time to take it down. While Andy dragged the tree out to the backyard, he left behind a trail of pine needles and broken branches. Sharon followed behind him picking up the dead branches and by the time he returned she was vacuuming up the needles. With that task completed, they sprawled out lazily on the big leather couch in their family room to binge watch college football bowl games on their 65-inch TV, Andy’s first purchase when they bought the house. With Rusty up in San Francisco enjoying the New Year festivities with Ricky and Tess, they didn’t bother with supper, simply munched on cheesy nachos with guacamole while they watched the games.

Overall, 2018 had been a great year and with a new baby on the way, Ricky moving closer to home and a trip to Russia to watch Emily on tour at the Kirov and Bolshoi ballets looming ahead, 2019 looked like it might be even better.

[sanomo-blog]

Blue Skies

Synopsis: Sometimes even the bad days can have good moments. Contains Pearlmethyst and Lapidot.

Also available on:

FF.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/12894559/1/Blue-Skies

Archive of our own: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14234547

With gentle ease she draws the tip down the center of the fingernail, her patient stroke leaving behind a streak of carnelian. The brush fans out, yet still missed the edges. Pearl goes back to finish. Eyebrows knitting in concentration, to far enwrapped in what was supposed to be an enjoyable activity. The hand over top of her palm giggles when her fingers curl, stroking the underside of a pudgy wrist. That laugh is free spirited, kind, loving, tender, and so much full of love. Enough to disperse some of the storm clouds.

Still, the feelings are there, like a perpetual sensation of dropping from a great height playing on loop in her gem. Pearl takes a moment to rub the big jewel in her forehead. Frustration built towards a flat sigh. It should be easy to just-put it all away. To hide all these thoughts that want to clutter the room of her mind. If only it could be so easy to be rid of this, but why wasn't it?

Pearl painted another nail while taking the time to consider that youthful face. It was hard to tell who he had inherited those features from. They were dark, those eyes, but she likened the feeling they conveyed to that of a very friendly sheep. Especially with such springy hair. Not that she was inferring Steven was an animal of some kind. Even if his table manners were a little...poor. Especially when those cookie cats are involved.

With the final touches Pearl makes sure the cap is screwed tightly before she takes the Childs hand and brings it close for scrutiny.

"How do they look?" Steven asks, a bubbly happiness in his words.

"Yo Stevey you looking hot." A comment thrown from a small pair of legs sticking out from behind Pearls tall, yet skinny frame. White boots unable to touch the ground even when draped over the side of the couch. Purple tinted hair consumes her face when she sits up. Stubby hands part the heavy curtain reveals a wide grin.

"Aw shucks Amethyst." The boy blushes, even bats the air to shoo away the compliment.

There is a wink given somewhere in all that hair.

The small glass bottle rattles when it is placed on the coffee table, caused by the unsteadying hand which places it. Pearl grabs for it with the other, clenching the tiny glass bottle between both to keep it from falling, from-shattering. An ungodly familiar sound pervades her ears and shakes her spine.

Steven is on his knees, "Pearl?" scared to scoot ever closer. Afraid he might cause her more undue pain keeps him away. Knowing it was best to let a more experienced gem take control of the situation.

That hand is her lighthouse during choppy seas, those purple fingers stroke against her skin as they hold her; crawl slowly towards the end of her arm, "Gentle." Amethyst whispers, a rarity for such a usually loud gem. With encouragement, Pearl lets go, and Amethyst makes sure Pearls hands are returned to her lap. "Remember to breath, P" Amethyst demonstrates by swallowing a slab of air. Expanding that thickset body of hers.

Pearl copies, although, it is a struggle not to cough on the unseen smoke; but a frantic blink washes the images away. She is back in the house. A comforting hand having cheekily snuck itself round her waist. Steven, with those deep black eyes which she still cannot discern whether they were from his mother, or father.

Steven makes sure not to get the same bottle, that one is left where it was placed. "Can I do your nails?" So caring, and unfortunate, that he sounds so strained that it makes Pearl feel ashamed for her little outburst. I've been a mess this whole week.

She's tried many times to retrace her steps.

To out her finger on the cause, but cannot find the trigger, this time.

His hands worry. Leaving un-dried nail polish on his palms.

Rather than give need for worry Pearl gingerly outstretches herself.

Steven is hesitant. The fear is a rusty nail pinned between his joints.

Pearl makes the move. Gracious that nothing pops into her head to make her arm to stiffen in freight. In fact, it is quite slack, too slack, a dead fish almost. Fingers tickle the spot right above her sash.

The cap is unscrewed and Steven begins to paint her nails.

A grumble makes its way down to her ears. Remarkable how she could hear anything with such dense hair; so big and square.

"Hey! Keep it steady." Came an angry shout.

A pair of sunglasses which could reflect either the intensity of the sun, or the gentleness of the ocean catch a stray band of sunlight as they are adjusted. Yet all the tall gem can see is a pair of tiny legs straddling the sizable wooden beam she is holding. There comes no apology, or better yet she makes no effort to acknowledge one. It is there in the way she straightens, the way she puts her other hand back upon the wood.

Those small feet swing upon the beam, toes fidgeting inside the thin material. An adorable sight for those bellow, an inconvenience to the one above. Her reach having diminished due to...a series of unfortunate miscommunications-is what Peridot was now calling them. Between her and her new (as Steven put it into earth terms) family. The rough beam prickles her behind as she slides across to get what she needs. Things were much more of a struggle without her limb-enhancers. Hmm, yet maybe that wasn't the best way to put it. As Peridot felt a better sense of accomplishment doing things in this more primitive fashion. As she puts the drill in her lap and slides the massive metal bracket into place over the damage. Her fingers prod the large crack in the wooden beam. They feel the roughened sharp splits.

"Garnet…"

"A little fusion fun. That's all, Peridot." Such a calm voice. So serene.

A face swings over the side of the beam. Lips are curled, hair extruded into the sharp point of a diamond, "I really wish you wouldn't cut me off."

"Sorry, can't help but see it coming." A chuckle.

"Yes well," Peridot swings her head back up to look at the crack and position the bracket into the optimal position so that it could support the brunt of the strain without allowing anymore damage to be done physically to the beam, "if you would elaborate more I might be able to come up with a better solution. Furthermore, do you think it wise to be doing combat training within Stevens living quarters?"

Although she was bellow Garnet was sure that Peridot had her hands on her hips. "It was all in good fun." She explained, as if the sparser the details gave more clarity to everything.

As if the word fun was a complex enough term to explain- everything. Such round about ways of what she thought of as the gem trying to get out of elaborating upon her actions. Sure, when you have an on-call repairman. Yeah sure, why don't we just have Peridot come and fix this, or the broken microwave, or…everything.

"You know we don't think that way about you."

Peridot growled, unsure why she should feel defensive. "I said nothing."

"I didn't ask this time." Such vagueness was…aggravating.

Peridot heard a chuckle which dwelled deep in that large chest.

"You infuriate me,"

"I know."

"Yes, well, just making sure that we're clear." Peridot began to drill pilot holes through the ones in the plate.

The whirring twisted the feelings of those occupying the room, though not visibly in Garnets case. Limbs locked. Her lips nonplussed as the tip of her tongue licked the backs of teeth hidden within. This would be fine. Pearl-would be fine. Their work wouldn't add to her current unfortunate cloudy spell.

Shavings fell as dying butterflies and brush the super thin material of her form. Although Garnet enjoyed any feeling that touched her senses; the wood shavings however, weren't at the top of that list. Not like air. Oh, how she loved the way air worked its magic. The most marvelous invisible presence on this planet. Intangible, add unpredictable too; you can't predict what something will do if you can't actually see it now can you?

Some wood shavings fell into Garnets afro. She was unaware of this. Charmed with thoughts of forces even she couldn't predict. This planet always amazes her. New constants continuously popping up on this beautiful blue ball. New friends for Steven, and new gems for them. Her shades reflect the small dangling leg as her lips curl.

Those feet vanished, taking an unsafe stance as the smaller gem put her full weight on the drill with its tiny motor coughing due to heavily incurred abuse.

Yet with such a deep and commanding voice, it easily boomed over the noise of the drill. "Peridot!" This had been a mistake. One rather so unfortunate, yet unavoidable, as far as Garnet could 'see'.

For having gotten the other gems attention also drew painful memories. Of times best forgotten. Those times that were already forgiven. However, it was hard letting go of the past.

The drill died, and Garnet heard Peridots croaky voice, "What?"

"Be careful. You might slip." Even though she was sure the gem was tough, could take a beating well above that of a normal fall. Still, Garnet didn't like to see her friends hurt. The outcome of which would have been far worse if it had been allowed to happen. Not here. Not for 'their' group. But later, when Peridot went home a little grumpier than average because of a broken drill, and-without asking for that bit of advice.

Garnet felt the gentle coax in her mind, the cool whisper when sapphire was trying to let her know something. A way of avoiding a worse outcome. Garnet took one hand from the beam to adjust her sunglasses. Her tick, or nod as a thank you to the seer in her head.

Those shoulders had gone locked. Hand rigid, the nail polish still wet and glistening. Pearls eyes were wide as a deer caught in headlights. Not frightful (at least on the surface), that she was able to keep well hidden from Steven and Amethyst. The two of which looked as if they were diving for fish without masks. In this case it was easier to smooth things over, to wash that anxiety from that pale face with a thumbs up, and letting more of a smile show. Garnet even showed a little teeth to stack the future better in Pearl's favor. At least that's what the whisper thought best. A parent who never wanted to steer their child in the wrong direction.

A slow blink allowed a little resemblance of happiness to return to those sky-blue eyes. Or invigorate them at least.

Garnet Waved.

Pearl returned it in kind with shaky fingers as a smile crept out of the sadness.

Peridot spoke, "I'm ready to get down now." It sounded annoyed for needing to seek help. "Here let me hand you the drill and stuff first." The words helpful now, not as nocuous as when they had first meet. Gone were the insults to her constant...being. After so many centuries with the same gems Peridots new dynamic was refreshing. Again, this planet always had a habit of throwing new things their way in the most unexpected forms. Not bad, just somewhat unforeseeable that these new-family members had a far easier and shorter time adjusting to living on Earth. Garnet had thought it would, or should, of taken them at least a little longer. Then again this was the magic in the air, wasn't it? This place, Garnet thought with a rueful smile to herself.

For a few seconds as she dangled her legs over the beam Peridot took it all in as well. What to her was a completely unique trait to the beings populating her new home. Such a waste of time these dwellings were. Yet it wasn't like Peridot was on some sort of schedule now that her ties to homeworld were cut. No more threats from superiors, or having to answer for any mistakes. She could make them all she wanted; sometimes on purpose to get a giggle from her. As Garnet said, she was her own gem, and could decide how she wanted to spend her days here. Whether that was trying to accomplish everything, or...I need to get back to Lapis, Peridot reasoned.

Blue, lots of it, under her feet swelled a ghostly ocean. Reflective of what must be happening back at the barn. The others were oblivious to the imaginary ocean constructed by Peridots own mind; having an enjoyable time with their painting activity. Although Peridot thought of a better method than localizing the canvas to a small part of her body, why not paint everything on her form. Interesting, that may make a unique morp. Rather than herself, an analog might be better suited. Maybe she could get Steven, or better Amethyst, to volunteer.

Peridot gave a shrill scream as she felt something grab her leg.

A calm voice answered for the hand that was giving a sort of tickle to the back of Peridots calf. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." Garnet said.

Face slight with green, Peridot coughed her embarrassment into a closed fist. "Yes, well…I'm fine."

With her feet back on the ground Peridot breathed a bit of relief. Not because she was afraid of such a meager height. Heck, Lapis has taken her on a short trip before...once. It was Garnet who had become a gem that Peridot felt held as much useful information as Steven about this planets…peculiarities, with hands so large and strong. Even the slight pressure as she took her down forced an intake of air.

"Wow-Thanks." Peridot says as she takes a few steps away to begin to pack her things into an old leather bag scavenged from under a pile of junk in the barn. At first Lapis wanted to use it for meep morp, but with some persuasion Peridot got to keep it. It had become very handy for holding things. Now that she didn't have her limb enhancers the gem was without the convenience of having multiple tools on hand (sort to speak). Really, why make only one tool fulfill only one single purpose. Clearly these 'humans' were still technologically behind gems by...oh how incalculable a number. Their television might be something to call homeworld about but what category would that even fit in? Homeworld doesn't have television. And the theaters were for higher class gems such as that of the Diamonds, or those well beneath them but considered to be of a noteworthy status still.

There was a nod, but no reply. Again, that was sufficient enough from Garnet, at least. Anyone else Peridot would expect a little more words in an exchange, unless it was Lapis too. This was what Steven called courtesy, rather wasteful of one's time to eat it up with fluffy words, but this was earth. Peridot would think that these humans with their short life spans would want to speed things up rather than waste precious time on…formalities. Those were for the diamonds anyway, who did these humans think they were? Diamonds? Peridot openly scoffed into her shoulder as her eyes rolled in her head.

She looped the bag over her shoulder while laying a hand over the flap to keep everything secure inside. Peridot's other hand grabbed the strap for some unconscious moment of security as she stepped forward. The tip of her hair a meter to measure how far her head had to tilt back in order to look up into those patient features. A handshake that was seemingly stronger than the gem nestled in the palm of that hand; even more so it swallowed Peridots like the mouth of a gem beast. Yet a kind smile spread, and Garnet made sure not to linger long with the gesture.

"It's been fun..."

"Yes, it has."

"...but I must be getting back to the barn." Peridots fingers lightly drummed on the weathered leather strap feeling the rough stitching where it had been re-sewn, by who? That was a mystery Peridot really didn't care much about. What was interesting was the gem before her. An enigma with hair 'almost' as extraordinary as her own. The records in homeworlds archives reflected poorly of her character. Which was much richer an experience in person. She had been wrong; which Peridot was wholly willing to admit now of her initial reactions to the fusion. This-Garnet 'could' be intimidating, even dangerous with the way she threw her strength about. However, her behavior when they first met, after the...hiccups, then there was the almost fusion, and the singing (although still silly), and everything else after. What changed it the most had been Steven, or specifically the way Garnet interacts with him, that caring, thoughtful, and often considerate time spent with the half-gem boy. Anywhere else, with anyone else, Steven might not...Peridot understands why homeworld, why the diamonds are so afraid of this planet. It not only inspired the very first rebellion in gem culture, but because of the way this planet affects everything's perception of which comes to breath from its atmosphere. It might be worthwhile to study the composition of the air, maybe it has traits which are different from the other planets they had colonized before. The life was certainly strange from what she had seen compared to other planets in other systems.

Garnet calls Peridot's name, freeing the gem from her thoughts.

Her hmm still carries the contemplative tone that had captured her attention before.

"You should be getting home now"

Referring to her place of dwelling got her feet moving. Peridot ran to the warp pad and was gone in a flash of crystallized light.

Garnet turns at the sound of disappointment.

Steven is frowning. Toes splayed on the coffee table. Showing off the fresh coat of nail polish. There is a slender arm perched across his shoulders.

Pearls nails are a very warm rose color. She minds the polish when her hand closes in comfort around the teens round shoulder. "I'm sure she'll be back again-soon." Irritation is painted better than her nails as she notes the stray marks onto her skin. The back ends of her pixie cut fray even more as she dips her nose to her breast. Pearl looks down the length of her nose at the tips of her flats, crossed, next to Stevens's feet on the coffee table. Under the thin layer of fabric she can make out the nervous twitch of her toes as they cross and un-cross.

The couch cushion sinks low as Garnets heavy frame settles in next to Steven. Her fingers are caught by the boys' brown curls.

"She'll be back." A knowing statement.

"Yeah, things are soooo much more funnier when P-doh comes around." Amethyst's thickset frame is pressed into Pearls side; two ill-fitting puzzle pieces of a much beautiful picture.

Pearl harrumphs.

And Amethyst pounces, "You jelly, P'!"Such a cackle should only come from a cartoon hyena, not-a physical being who was much older; very much older.

"A pearl such as myself, jealous? Of a Peridot," Pearl harrumphs, "Whatever you two get up to is hardly anything to be worried about." Those rose-tinted fingernails flash out in front of her. They curve and dance side to side as they descend lower and lower like a leaf before falling on a swollen purple knee. For a moment Amethyst looks into Pearls eyes, can see them clearing. All the things the gem had been fretting over pushed to the side in order to express her desire. "That is one thing I do not need to worry about, Amethyst."

Blue sky above, green growth beneath, and a slanted wooden roof in-between.

Such beauty was lost to her. Lips fretting, as fingers much the same blue color as the ocean wrestled nervously, maybe even angrily, with each other. No sort of dominant play going on here. Simply a means to whittle away the time and her feelings as they needle her mind gratuitously.

Fear of the past, of the present, and of an uncertain future. Well, maybe Lapis Lazuli knew the kind of future she wanted, yet felt it might have been easier to extinguish a star. A pipe dream, was all she made it out to be. As if a gem such as her could ever have anything resembling happiness graced upon her. As if she deserved to be happy. These thoughts spoke in venomous whispers with sharp fangs that bit her mind with lethality. They inflicted scars. Opened the wounds that were freshest first, before going for the older ones.

Steven was wrong, I'm a horrible person for what I did to all those other planets, what I could have done to the earth if I hadn't been poofed. That mirror had been my punishment. Those thousands of years hadn't been enough. The sentence should have been longer. He had no right letting me free.

As the thoughts formed, her eyes turned to mirrors. Lapis was unaware the pool of water in front of the barn slowly began to drip into the sky.

"Lapis? Are you up there?" Said a loud scratchy voice.

Water came back to the earth. Some made it into the pool, while the rest soaked into the dirt.

Lapis crawls to the edge of the roof. That green gem in the middle of Peridots forehead sparkled with childish exuberance. Reflected in those eyes as well.

"Wait one moment! I'll be up." The gem calls.

Those slight arms wrapped themselves around her knees. Lapis really wasn't in the mood for company. A grumble helped her chew her already raw lip.

Wood shingles creak and flex with a need for replacement. "Hey." Peridot greets, as she struggles to keep her bearings with the weight of the satchel.

A grim face with blackened eyes and a lethargic hand that paws the air. "Hey." Lapis returns with much less energy. She struggles to keep her hand from simply going limp as she sets it back in her lap.

"I see you are-still on the roof." Peridot points out; the exact same spot she had left her when she had been summoned to Steven's home in fact.

Lapis snorts, however could she move? Her legs felt like rocks rather than the pure weightlessness of light.

"I make a cool lawn ornament, huh." As Steven had informed them of the proper earth term for all the meep morps which occupied the front of the barn. Peridot thought them more like sentries. Except-you know-without the whole being able to protect them thing, which was a project termed: in the works.

Lapis had a feeling this had been more for her benefit, to help set her at ease if they were to be thought of as such. Maybe it was to put them both at ease really? As with any unknown noise, or weather phenomenon, insistently evoked thoughts of a threat to their safety. And Peridot never said it aloud, but she probably would have labeled it something to do with homeworld if not for the tight hold over her lips.

The strain of the weight could be heard through the painful stretching of the leather straps as the bag was set down so that Peridot might take a seat. Two and a half hand lengths between them. That always seemed to be the length lapis measured in her head. A reasonable distance. A comfortable one? A safety zone so as not to invade another's bubble. Except, no one was truly safe at any distance so long as there was even a bit of moisture in the air. She should be afraid like everyone else, Lapis reasoned, except-this was Peridot. Her emotions and intents were as visible as her gem. To argue that was a waist of energy. Especially when Lapis felt she had so little at the moment.

Eyes as green as her gem, while being just as sharp, noted the suns lazy stroll across the sky, now high over their heads. Shriveling their shadows close to their forms for warmth (or comfort?).

Their shoulders meet awkwardly; Lapis being much taller found her tricep stabbed by Peridots. Those two and a half lengths were now zero. The semi-wet smell of stagnant water mixed with and washed out Peridots oily metallic one.

Peridot went stiff as stone.

A cause for alarm? Had Lapis finally done it? They weren't really like the other two. Who never seem to keep their hands off one another. At least from what Lapis saw of the gems that made up Garnet.

There was that one time-after the boat trip with Steven…she was pushing too much. Of course she was. Learn to read the mood, Lapis chastised her own ineptitude.

From the shingles around them, to half her body, was suddenly, forcefully, bathed in a faint green glow.

Peridot had her hands over her gem in an instant trying to stifle the glow. "Sorry." She apologized. Her lip set in a deep frown, "I'm still having trouble with my gem."

Such a uniquely Peridot way of putting it. Trouble? 'Really?' was what Lapis wanted to say, instead she snorts loud enough to disturb the birds in the tree's behind the barn. Would one call that kind of reaction something to be trouble by? It was flattery at its worst. Wasted on someone as undeserving as herself.

Though Lapis found it a struggle the expenditure of energy was well worth it. Taking those tiny hands off that glowing gem to stare into the eye of emotion; sort to speak. Or more frankly, the heart. That's what their gems were right? Their...hearts? Well, Peridots was a dazzling network, layers of crystalline anatomy. As intricate as her personality, while not so deep or secretive.

Lapis had never seen her gem, but she was sure there would be parts that were hidden, dark, sinister even, under its blue glow.

She said nothing more yet gave a smile which came off rather strained looking to Peridot. It caused the gem some grief. To know that her...that Lapis was experiencing such an unfortunate distress.

"Would you like to watch Camp pinning hearts?"

"No." Tone flat while more of her weight began to rest upon the other.

"How about we make some meep morp?" Peridot proposed.

"No."

"How about you help me feed the fish."

"No."

Fingertips nervously tap against one another, "Is there anything you want to do?"

Again, Lapis answered with that frank two letter reply, however her actions next caused some confusion for Peridot. The steady glow became a thumping pulse, intense and frantic, the green light was beating almost such to that of a heart trying to pump all its vital blood out.

Those blue hairs tickle of a shoulder, even with such thin wears in the way of Peridot's sensory receptors. What humans called skin. Peridot assumed it could be called the same thing for gems even if that wasn't a completely accurate statement.

Lapis closed her eyes. The thoughts had gone slightly quiet; still there, but had at least shut up a little bit so she could think. Comfy, surprisingly considering how small Peridot was. Bony too.

She turns her head till the side of her nose can touch a swollen cheek. Instantly a shiver courses through those small thighs. Oddly enough this too was pleasant, but it touched a feeling inside that caused her some regret. She did not want to dominate Peridot. Not like how things had gone with Jasper. She can see it so clear. When they were fused, when they had been that thing. The orange flesh shivering. How Jaspers-the veins in that thick neck bulged as she struggled; to break free of the mental hold she had been trapped in. That Lapis had trapped her in. Had taken such a proud gem and broken her. This was what lapis did. She broke things. Planets, and gems alike. It made no difference to a Lazuli

We are horrible, aren't we?

Allowing a little selfishness Lapis drags a finger down Peridots leg. The response thrilled her horribly so.

Peridot might as well of been sending a distress beacon out of her noggin.

Such jubilance made Lapis sick to her gem. Especially, when it was made for her. She didn't deserve any of this. Steven, the barn-Peridot. Her frustrations bubbled. Lapis twisted away; undeserving. Hands finding her eyes. A comfort taken in the pain she caused herself by pressing hard enough to see stars. Such lonely stars they were.

Frustration boiled into anger, "why do you put up with me?"

Confusion settled like a misbehaving insect, "I don't get the question? I've never had a problem with you Lapis. If you remember, it was you who had the problem with me. But I thought-you-we were passed that now. I mean we've been getting along fine? Haven't we? Did I do something? I told you that if you had a problem that you could tell me and I would stop immediately."

As Peridot shifts the blame onto herself it only heated the others emotions more, "No! It's not your fault. Stop-stop putting all the blame on yourself Peridot. I'm at fault too. I can be the bad guy too."

Those eyes swirled with blue as Lapis opened them to look; to take in everything as she had been trained to do in the mirror. Green cheeks, green eyes, less green hair though. Small, and oh so vulnerable right now; always really. Lapis' fingers lace over her chest to be held there for good measure. Waves of thoughts swept over her mind. The swell gained fervor once more.

"But you aren't that bad a 'roommate'" Peridot quoted Steven's term for their living arrangements; was it also supposed to be humorous. What with that eerie not so hidden snicker?

Peridots lashes flutter; she takes a gulp of air as she allows one of her hands to wonder close to a blue cheek. Hovering, but never touching. Keeping a boundary between them. Safety, Peridot assumed to be for the others benefit.

Nostrils flare as they eject air. Lapis grabs the green hand not so kindly and cups it too her cheek. "If you're going to comfort me at least do it properly." The words angry, yet her eyes closed when skin met skin.

A strangled hiss makes Peridot squeamish.

"Your bad at this."

"I'm trying." Peridot grumbles. Gem pulsing, albeit at a much calmer pace. Gentle, steady, the green, although bright, was more becoming now. At least in Peridots case, and this only being from only Lapis' point of view.

Things take a turn with lapis' next words, "You should hate me."

"I don't."

"I was the reason you got stranded here."

Peridots fingers tap a little hard on Lapis' cheek, "No." Air fills that small chest. Peridot observes the movement of the trees; proof of some unforeseen factor. "My mission was to come to earth and check on the cluster. It was-inevitable I'd meet the crystal gems at some point. Then the rest..." She took a moment to go over everything in her head. Carrying the variables and thinking of all the outcomes. Unlike Garnet, she didn't have future vision. But there was only one clear path. Always, only one clear path, "the rest would follow much the same. If not exactly as it happened. I could never beat them, and I probably would have always wound up joining them...may I?" Such confidence through-out the entirety of her rambling on the inevitableness of fate, yet coming to those two words her voice shrank to a whisper.

Lapis sees that the hand is hovering near the tuft of hair which frames the side of her face. Tiny fingers wiggle in anticipation.

"Knock yourself out." She shrugs and the feeling of anticipation is...not something she likes to think about. Far to pleasant.

The glee cannot hide. It shows in Peridots eyes and the curve of her lips. She is quick to lay her touch upon each of them. However awkwardly so they were positioned on the roof.

"Ouch." Lapis frowns.

"Sorry." Peridot says with painted cheeks.

There was a strange heaviness to the hair. Peridot would have thought the opposite, but no. Lapis' hair was sort of like a lead weight in her fingers. It didn't struggle to flow through them, however, it fell out of her hand with an eerie deadness. Curiosity caused a need for a closer inspection; again, Lapis was not so keen as to have her form mishandled.

"I'm not going to let you touch me if you're going to abuse the goods." How the grin swallowed the others self-confidence so easily. Lapis had turned Peridot into a stuttering, apologetic mess. "Chill." Words Lapis regretted. Delicate went hand in hand with innocent; Lapis did not consider herself such.

Things ran a little smoother thereafter. Peridot enjoying her 'studies' of the mysterious properties of her roommate's hair. While Lapis twiddled her thumbs and bit the inside of her cheek nervously; her eyes focused on the horizon before them.

She felt the pull of her emotions; the desire to give into them. To caste everything to the side. To ... "Sometimes I wish I could leave again." Stern, focused, eyes and chin tilted upward so she could be face to face with Peridot.

Apparently, it was something worth scoffing at, "Why would you want to do that? It's not like there's anything out there for you." She said, touching a nerve she didn't consciously mean to touch so foolishly.

"Is there anything here for me either?" Suddenly closing the distance between them. Her eyes are challenging. They make Peridot shy away from their scrutiny.

"We-I-I thought that-um this was our home away from homeworld? We are free-from them, and their rules. We can be whoever we want." Peridot wanted to add a 'with' to that whoever, but that be too much to say; currently.

A blue hand grabs hers, "We can never be free from Homeworld Peridot. They'll come for me, for you, for Steven, and the gems." Somber truths; things which should not be spoken aloud because somehow that would suspend the magic which had taken over their little slice of earth.

Yet always and ever defiant Peridot says with as much a stern face as she could, "I won't let them take you, ever."

Lapis inches close till her lips can brush a quivering green cheek, "You're just a Peridot." The words uttered in such a manner that lapis hops will still trigger some of the indoctrination ingrained in the others psyche. That homeworld had instilled in all of them. Know. Your. Place.

"So what!" Peridot brimmed with anger. She turned the tides by reversing the hold, while adding her other hand to make sure Lapis couldn't get away. "I'm no ordinary Peridot anymore! I've got powers!"

Seeing such bravado from someone so pint sized-how those dimples deepened and those green cheeks expanded in anger. Lapis found her mood dispelling. She laughs, and cries, and is thankful that her world shrinks to just the two of them and the roof they are sitting on.

Homeworld is forgotten. Jasper...is forgotten. Lapis can forget all of it for one blessed moment.

"Thank you, Peridot."

"Wow, thank you too, Lapis. Although I'm not quite entirely sure for what."

Lapis rubs her thumbs along Peridots cheek, her smile cheeky, "Guess it's a mystery you'll never know the answer too huh?"

"That isn't fair! You can't know something that I don't."

"Oh," a hot breath turns green flesh warmer, "well I guess you'll just have to get comfortable. That's going to happen a lot in our home away from homeworld."

Peridot's giggle isn't so sweet, but much more maniacal instead, "I will discover all the secrets of this planet!" The statement was meant as a challenge unto herself; so why did Lapis derive so much pleasure from the others professed forthcoming victory?

Hair fluffed, cheeks bloated with mirth; that blue hand curled under her chin. Laughter tumbled like grass clippings caught in a gust. She was…Lapis was…Peridot knew what kind of gem she was, classification, facet, and cut-but beyond all that was still being written, all the data was still being logged before she might draw her conclusion. Who was Lapis Lazuli?

Infuriatingly true, I do still have a few mysteries left; to join in on the fun Peridot let her lips widen.

"Heh, still needs some work. You look like a feral gem." This got another laugh that began and ended with a series of snorts. After which silence took them, and took them pleasantly enough without the need for kicking or screaming. What else to do but to settle in.

BARK, BARK, BARK.

Orange face alight with happiness, and a little drool. Lush green vine whipping as frantic as her movements. Its stubby paws scratched the side of the barn leaving behind an orange residue.

Lapis and Peridot observe the living vegetable. It's roundish body, and oddly animalistic features; such as limbs, and a mouth. Not something naturally occurring on earth as 'human' scientists might say.

"You think he's hungry?" Peridot asked Lapis, "ARE YOU HUNGRY VEGGIE-HEAD!" The gem shouts below.

The vegetable tilts its head, as if it didn't get the message.

"She's always hungry." Lapis says.

Peridot rubs her nose proudly, "Well, she's a growing girl, of course she would be."

With a laugh as noisy as a song bird, lapis said, "Of course you'd say that." Unable to hide a smile bigger than the hand in front of it. "Well," The gem stands, a signal which makes Peridot do the same. Their difference in height more noticeable now. "let's feed her then?" Without warning the gem draws in the moisture in the air to her back where it forms a pair of squabbled wings. Lapis then hooks her hands under two armpits and glides them down to the other member of the barn.

That weightless feeling made Peridot's gem flip-flop. Totally different from levitating on a trashcan lid, less solid, more…terrifying if she were being honest.

The greeting that awaited was warm, wet, yet not displeasing. Peridot was affectionate, nurturing. With plenty of good girls mixed between jarring head pats. Which the vegetable responded in kind. Nipping at the gems green fingers. A solid couple of barks too.

However, the 'animal' grew calmer when standing before blue feet. Settling onto, presumably, its backside. Veggie-head tilts itself just so. Mouth slightly open so it could vacuum in the air. Lapis greets with a single stroke from the ridges of what is probably her forehead to the stem in the middle of her back. That was enough for the vegetable. Whom gave a comforting purring sound, instead of a noisy bark. Then, she breaks into a trot around the two of them. A prideful strut, as if saying to the world that these two beings were hers. Her caretakers. Her…parents. Something, that others could put a label on yet the three were at a loss as to how to define their dynamic. Maternal words didn't exist on Homeworld.

They watch her, and she them. Pale green, and pale blue, against dark black, the kind of black which stole the affection of your heart.

Veggie-head's tongue lolled out, a teaser, to get them to bite. To come to her. For she really wanted those pets from the blue one again. So rarely given, yet absolutely amazing. The blue one had the right amount of pressure behind her strokes. While the green one was wild and uneven. Bordering on unwieldy when she was brimming with excitement.

"Bark, bark." Said Veggie-head, rolling onto her back easily enough due to her shape. Yet mindful of the stump lest she get stuck like times before.

"Ooooh, someone's going to need a bath before their meal." Peridot chuckled, humored by the prospect of engaging in earthly chores to show doting and affection. Hands clasped together. The gem's lips spread to each ear. She found the whole bathing concept thrilling. Earth creatures were wholly inefficient in their ability to simply will the dirt away, not like a gem could; since they are made of light and all; which clearly still proves their superiority to this planets species.

Lapis frowns with her words, "Don't expect me to help." Crossing her arms.

"This is a partnership Lapis, you have to do your part."

"Well she never sits still."

"She's just a free spirit like her Aunt Amethyst." As they began to stroll towards the barns wide entrance. Meeting and passing what were several makings from two-very interesting minds. Lumps of metal, bottles in different states of usability or none at all. An umbrella flipped upside down with the upper torso of a scarecrow impaled upon the handle. Its legs posed in a frozen trot a few feet away. Suggesting that they may be pursuing its other half which had-cheated on it with the umbrella? Was that the meaning behind it? Neither were dead set on that connotation just yet; it was still a work in progress.

"What's an-Aunt?" Lapis paused by another Meep Morp. A single ear of corn taped to a lamp post, which then was secured to the ground by a few irregular lengths of rebar snaking their way around it like roots of a tree. The blue gem peeled the corns husk just a hair more to expose the little yellow teeth inside. She then continued their walk without another thought of her morp.

Peridot followed, flaying the air with her fingers as she explained, "It is another one of those human things. Like the Greg-dad. Steven says he's Veggie-head's Uncle. Although this seems to be simply another one of his silly naming games. Like shoes. Really, their just feet coverings. That's more appropriate a description for such an item. Wouldn't you say?"

Lapis nodded her agreement, none of this really interested her but everyone seemed less annoyed if she nodded to whatever they said. Sometimes she would pretend to pick something off her forearm. She didn't feel like it at the moment.

"I told him that Veggie's ours and that I don't get why he's trying to worm his way into our group dynamic; he's got the gems anyway. Let us have our own thing."

Lapis nodded again, although actually in agreement rather than to placate her roommate. The less the crystal gems got involved in their cozy little slice of earth the better. "I don't like Amethyst thinking she has rights to Veggie either."

"She doesn't know how to take care of her own stuff from what I've seen of her room."

"You've been inside the Temple?" Lapis snarled her lip.

Unaware of the others anger, "Once, only in Amethyst's portion of it, though I rather hope Garnet and Pearl keep their spaces much tidier." Peridot says as she steps around a small mishmash of metal piled up. Some were leftover parts from the drill, and others she had scrounged from the barn. They were arranged to look like a face. Sprockets for eyes and a heavy motor chain arranged in a frown. "She says," Peridot gestures with air quotes, "she's got a system. Yeah," Peridot snorts, "a system."

Lapis laugh's much to do at the expense of another.

"Let's just say I don't think I'll be making another visit until she embraces a new form of organization." A snort flares a stubby green nose.

"Good."

"Huh?"

Her blue dress sweeps behind her as Lapis edges around the small man-made pool of water to the right of the barn doors. Lapis takes a seat in a beach chair. Making sure to pull her skirt to proper length so it's just shy of her exposed ankles. She folds her hands over her chest and tucks her chin into the crevice of her clavicle.

"You really aren't going to help me?"

"Nope." The gem nibbles the side of her cheek to seal her lips so the conversation can end appropriately.

With a huff Peridot looks down at her vegetable companion whose all bright eyed with vine tail a swinging.

"Bark. Bark. Bark." Veggie-head rambles. Pawing the ground to freshen the earth so its scent sticks to her nose. Alluring enough that it makes the vegetable roll in it so that she may carry the smell with her.

A small green foot stomps the ground right by the wiggling pumpkin, "Stop rolling around in that mess and get yourself cleaned off or else you will not be getting anything to eat." Peridot points to the pool of water which is still, but not stale, and nearly a matching blue to that of Beach City.

Veggie-head laps at the foot which causes Peridot to recoil. The gem clenches her fists at her waist, yet a puffy pouted lip tries to be intimidating, "No! You are filthy and have to properly maintain your form Veggie. Now-listen to me, and get in the pool. No! Don't show me your belly, I am not interested in that right now…Lapis!"

Eye's mirrored the carefree disposition of the clouds as Lapis now watches their slow crawl. Giving no inclination having heard a word. Her thumbs twiddle one another soothingly.

"Fine! Come here."

"Bark!" The vegetable quickly bounces out of reach.

Peridot lurched, arms forward and pumpkin width apart.

"Come here now." She tries another step. Hesitant, with due reason.

The pumpkin takes another as well, "Bark, bark."

Peridot stabs one of her tiny digits towards the ground, "Sit!" Her voice booms across the hills of the farmland.

Veggie-Head does as she is told; her rump lands on the ground. The pose held for more than four seconds before the vegetable thinks that her owner may enjoy it if she were to roll onto her belly. Though she forgets about the stump this time in her excitement. Now pole vaulting from side to side as she tries to expose herself.

Peridot rubs her temples, mumbles, then reaches down. That orange stomach spasms as tiny fingers hook underneath. Peridot hoists the vegetable into her arms.

"You shouldn't do everything for her." Lapis chastises, her chin still aimed skyward.

Peridot grits her teeth, "Well she won't listen when I talk, so the only way is to show her." Her statement received well from the vegetable in her arms. If, Peridot thought Veggie-head had any ability to understand her. Green fingers skimmed the top of the pumpkins head. Peridot sighed, If only.

A small smile just as the cloud shadowed her view of the blue sky. Just like the ocean, Lapis thought, as both arms twitched in her lap, her knees tighten to stop the involuntary motion. They are here now. Her neck may have been composed of light, but it still hurt to move it so fast.

Blue eyes followed that small green figure, tight body suit, nowhere as fashionable as Lapis thought her own clothes were. Then again everything about the other gem was in the name of being efficient. Lapis snorted, how does that explain the height? Maybe not everything then. Though this was homeworld stuff that Peridot probably could have easily explained to her, not easily, what would be thought to be layman's terms for a gem as knowledgeable as her though.

The two marched (one being carried in this instance) to the edge of the pool. The cloth of her body suit shifted, shallow divots as her shoulders began the wind up which resulted in a splash as water welled up.

Peridots voice boomed again in the open air, "Now paddle around till your clean." She instructed their…roommate? Pet was a word Steven told them was what he would refer to the vegetable-but that didn't sit well in Lapis' mind. Veggie-head was more like how Peridot put it, they'd made their own kind of kindergarten. One that left no holes behind. No reduction in their lands hearty glow. No destruction attributed to Veggie-heads growth at all. The things they had grown on this land invigorated it, not decimated. The pumpkin had been born from the good things of the earth. Plants were a good thing, it meant the land was thriving, that the world was still living, that Steven was right. What homeworld had done could be reversed. It hadn't been too late.

Lapis eased her legs straight. Hands brushing up the sides of her shoulders to instill more comfort to her claims.

The end of the chair sank, "Lapis?" Peridots face was a mixed drink, brows knitted yet lip trying to put on a comforting upturned greeting.

When Lapis speaks, it is low, but confirming, "Yeah." Is all she says along with a nod, and a slight smile. It is enough to assure the other.

There comes barking from the edge of the pool. Their Veggie-head had her paws on the grass.

"Don't forget to wash your stem. I don't want to find ants crawling around it again." Peridots tongue darted out quickly before retreating to allow a loud BLEUGH out after.

There was a bark of acknowledgment before the pumpkin disappeared below the rim of the pool.

Lapis crawls to sit beside Peridot. Shoulders not quite touching. The silence there. Pleasant for one, while creating a nervous energy for the other. Building, and building till a bright flash of green. POP, like a snapper, and Peridot is grumbling about her gems 'unfortunate' malfunction…to Lapis it would be better to call it a betrayal of one's feelings.

Peridot still didn't get it.

The End

[talesofealdancynedom]

Pollux Erolcyning, in the gear her brother made her; Which is an excuse to look up aboriginal art and draw lightening.

27. Trees with Ties (chapter 2 - Guns Made with Love 2/4) part 7. Stories of Magic Forests

none

Home Grown; Like an apple picked in an orchard, by a cedar cabin BnB. Not the overly bred apples, but the good ones that taste like nothing else. One tree bears fruit, that is a product of the areas rich deep soil, and passing rains. By autumn the bountiful harvest of each unique imperfect pome, can be said to be nothing short of a gift of the land.

           Castor, found himself returning to the idea of Terralith Trees, as he found himself in a public library nook. He stood out in his protective fairy robes, of terracotta silks, doted with pearls. He carried his alchemy camera, and a pocket book of summoning diagrams. His nails were filed to a point, and painted with magic pigments to perform spells quickly. Castor’s eyes were a sunny yellow, and his hair now a rusty red to match his robes. His unnatural colours were the result of going dark with his sisters, and reminded him of his worst days. Castor was deeply sad while browsing the books. The youngest sister, Polaris, now dead, loved books about animals. Castor had to skip that section. He had an agenda; His father sent him to find a book in modern Bantian, which was his childhood favourite. Hephaestus hadn’t been home in years, and craved some nostalgia. It was a trap however.

What Castor’s father really wanted, was for his son, regardless of chromosomes, to connect to the Southlands. Maybe stories of it, may give his son wanderlust once more. After asking around the library, Castor found the children’s book his father asked for. It was about an albino boy, living in a village near an odd stand of trees. However, the book was in their local lounge of Francian. Hephaestus laughed, and sat next to his son to read the small traditionally illustrated book. He knew the story so well, he recited it in the original Bantian; His first language.

“I Like the way your language sounds, but I honestly started just reading instead of listening.” Castor shrugged

“That’s ok Cassie; My people speak a lot of languages. Regardless of the words, this story about this poor mage being forced to live alone in an ominous forest, and being content anyway, always seemed to represent my favourite part of home. Everything feels safe, so it doesn’t matter where you are. No one uses the book though, as the tale is oral tradition. We all knew it well, but never tired of the tale.”

“You always talk kindly of that compound village; I always imagine vibrant clothes, close people, a simple life and excellent music.” Castor laughed. “Maybe also your obsession with yams…”

“Not bad assumptions to make. There is little of the Southlands, outside the Southlands. We’re too content to leave, and have security strong enough to keep the wars of other lands away. As underrated and relaxed as my homeland is, I left out of curiosity and stayed for love. I choose to go to Fort Da Lapin, and along the way I met your mother; And found out I couldn’t have children. Good things can happen if your put yourself out there. If you want to visit the place I was born, it might be worth it.” Hephaestus’s said.

“Why would I want to leave? I’m content in this town.” Castor protested. The thought of leaving Pollux unnerving him.

“Well Cassie, the Southlands are where people housed by the tree kingdom live, because that is where the magic forest of the Tree Gate was made. Tucked within the tree stands outside the walls of my village; Like in the story! Within the woods, is a closed gate to the shadow veil of magic, that leads right to a whole orchard of Terralith Trees. Augustine protected you by not mentioning your magic talent is due to magery; But I see you craft magic things, which only mages can do. Another thing only mages can do, is go into the shadow veil; am I right? Don’t worry, most common folk are like me, and don’t care if magery is forbidden.” His father prompted. Again, Castor began to feel his inner child beam from excitement. The book Castor’s father chose to read, wasn’t just a story about magic in the Southlands; It was bait. An appetizer, so Castor could take the leap into a life that would get him to reconnect to what he buried deep inside.

           Meanwhile, Pollux was getting a similar treatment. Their mother Matilda always spoke to Pollux in her first language, from The Far North. Teaching it to Pollux, was like a secret language only they knew. It was good for telling stories, and singing. Today, The two where in an imports store. Beaver Co was the only Far North ‘trading post’ in The Central North of Francia; And it happened to be in little impoverished Fort de Lapin. It sold: art, comics, beaded bracelets, authentic buckskin cloths, maple candy, fur hats, parkas, work denim, carved tusk toys, and other marked up goods from Matilda’s homeland. Sometimes, Matilda would recall the Far North in autumn, while there was still good daylight to keep warm, but it was dark enough to see the lights dance between her and the stars. Just out of debt, Pollux’s mother could only afford to buy one thing from home at the store, and she wanted Pollux to choose. Normally they bought the comic strip WanWan, about a stray wolf dog helping out a neighborhood. It is a cult classic that still serializes in the news paper, over thirty years; releasing an annual international volume. Matilda expected Pollux to pick that. Instead, Pollux looked at something she hadn’t before; A traditional indigo velvet court gown. It had rows of bells, attached with silver thread. Pollux was genuinely looking at fissionable articles of feminine clothing.

“We Can’t Afford that. But maybe a book or some candy?” Her mother said, peering over the denim. Pollux looked to the store keeper.

“Hey, clerk dude; Where was this made?” Pollux asked the merchant, pointing to the gown.

“Oh, North Moon by the magic forest of wolves. It’s not for sale, but we have a discount on sealskin items this week.” He responded. Pollux shrugged. Matilda joined her daughter, in examining the radiant dress. It looked like midnight in winter.

“Mom, what are the odds of me finding a paladin apprenticeship in North Moon?” Pollux asked.

“North Moon is a small town; Seal hunting, dog sledding, and cattle I believe. Nothing up there but rocks, snow and sky… But it is a magic forest. Augustine never said, But I think you are a mage, and just like your brother, a magic forest is not a bad place to be.” Matilda said, picking out a nice embroidered leather satchel. It had fringe, and poppies traditionally beaded on the front.

“What scares you more? Being away from us, or failing to protect a magic forest?” Matilda asked. She knew her daughter well.

“Being persecuted for howling stars from leaf litter.” Pollux scoffed. She was convinced her whiles and use of feared magic would get her hung; If they could catch her. If she ever left home that is.

           At dinner, everyone enjoyed a good home cooked meal; Made with love and fresh ingredients. Everyone began to relax while sharing a pot of evening tea.

“Me and your mother are keeping the trailer home; Apparently they can be gentrified as you can see. It’s like a trash can on the outside, but au boudoir on the inside.” Hephaestus said. Prompting a giggle from his wife, and groan from his children. “Where are you two going to live?” Hephaestus asked Caster and Pollux. Their parents were hesitant to let their babies fly the coop, but their relationship was unsustainable. The two needed to be primed for independence, and pushed out of the nest.

“Are you kicking us out?” Castor asked.

“Are you both legal adults? With dreams and the ability to find employment?” Hephaestus snorted. Castor narrowed his eyes in disdain.

“I can’t just go and be a potion maker, picture taking, hermit in a country that’s not technically ethnically related too; And the strict at the boarders dad!” Castor said, throwing out any excuse. He was no longer relaxed.

“But if you go to the forest of the Tree Gate, you might get your dream of seeing a Terralith Tree; The dream you used to never shut up about, remember?” Pollux said. She looked at her mother for support, but instead got side eyed.

“What about you?” Castor scoffed, grabbing his sister in. Their mother was still glaring at Pollux.

“Oh, yes, me! I’m going to North Moon! Yes! To get a proper paladin apprenticeship, in the land of the wolf kingdom’s gate! I’ll be a shoe chewing, thunder musket wielding, guardian of a magic forest too.” Pollux rambled. They were now reaching the point of being unable to breath in a deathly embrace of affection. Their parent’s gambit had worked; Pollux and Castor were starting to come around to the idea of finding their childhood dreams.

“Also, we won’t tell Augustine. He might use one of his magic mirrors will make you change your tunes in a jiffy. He tends to care too much to let things go, even if he won’t admit it.” Hephaestus said. The siblings loosened their grip, but still weren’t breathing. Their father pointed to their packed belongings near the door, with train tickets next to the junk bowl.

NEXT--->

<---PREVIOUS

[3d10fire-damage]

red sun summary 7/9/2020

jumping right back into combat at the mine entrance. one of the wisps got a crit on zoroe, and calypso ran up to punch it right back. davke, dealing with the now-weakened wraith, was like “i’m gonna smack its ass!!!” then got a nat 1, so really she smacked her own ass. then the wraith crit on her and nearly took her out. calypso took down the wisp engaged with zoroe, after repeatedly telling it to get fucked. the wraith narrowly missed zoroe, and probably would’ve taken her down if the attack had connected. phosphorra brought out her Spiritual Wiggle, and zoroe finished off a wish and healed up cluk.

after taking out another wisp, the remaining one used some sort of breath of rot and decay on the whole party, and calypso was the only one to fail the save. cluk, not appreciating the halitosis, ran up and attacked it, getting a crit (get used to reading that). phosphorra went to the entrance of the next room and immediately started taking fire from the pile of cultists waiting inside. somehow she hadn’t expected that even though calypso had mentioned earlier there were lots of people in the room. phosphorra cast Fire Ball on nearly everyone in the room, dealing serious damage and destroying the totem powering another wraith. her Sanctuary spell then dropped as a result. calypso took out the final wisp then ran up to join phosphorra with a “hey.” “i’m not dead!” “nice fireball, cake pop” (then a wink). phosphorra then got hit with more sling stones, despite davke stepping in front of her.

cluk, upon learning that many of the cultists were grouped together, cast Shatter. at this point i accidentally typed “thursday” as if i were speaking as calypso, so we treated it as canon and phosphorra also said “thursday” despite currently losing a lot of blood. also, re: the cultist with a cold: “you ever just have a day where you wake up with a cold and then someone sets you on fire?” despite zoroe’s insistence that phosphorra come back, phosphorra cast Fire Ball again, killing three cultists, and then finally stepped behind a wall to rest. “i’m... gonna be somewhere else now.” calypso said that she earned it. zoroe asked if phosphorra had a healing potion, and that she should drink it if she did. after a powerful hit of Sacred Flame, calypso rushed up to the wraith and failed spectacularly at hitting it, missing FOUR times. she wasn’t happy about that. cluk flew over to another cultist, kissed her on the cheek, then killed her with a critical rapier stab. (the cultist lightly touched her cheek before she dropped.)

the wraith noticed that calypso appeared to be full of life and vitality, and gouged into her soul. calypso failed to resist this attack, and fell unconscious as the wraith seemed to heal itself significantly. phosphorra ignored zoroe’s suggestion and used Cure Wounds on herself instead of taking a potion. zoroe healed calypso and instructed for her to disengage from the wraith and fight a cultist. back to consciousness, calypso bounced back onto her feet and went to the cultist. upon taking a hit, she used Hellish Rebuke on the cultist, dealing serious damage. calypso also noticed she did not feel well, like weird and light after the wraith’s attack. cluk got another crit on the cultist, who did not return the bard’s wink because her face was kinda fried. phosphorra hurt the wraith badly with Fire Bolt and her Spiritual Wiggle, and zoroe finished it off with Sacred Flame. davke, in a very “she confused but she got the spirit” fashion, swung her weapon before moving up the cultist, but did connect, and then cluk finished the cultist off while holding davke’s hand. cluk is just... yeah. (she and calypso shared a high five, which was not 100% since calypso wasn’t well).

finally, with a chance to relax for a moment, zoroe checked in with calypso, who declared that she felt like shit. zoroe suggested the party go outside and rest. calypso insisted that someone make phosphorra not be bleeding anymore. phosphorra was a little concerned, but agreed to go, after zoroe said that they could camp by the door and stop anyone that tried to leave the mine. settling outside, phosphorra approached zoroe, asking about how prayer is supposed to work. zoroe said that praying to Hvare is like a conversation, and that what she does to pray is find a quiet, comfortable space as if she were talking to a friend. sometimes she talks aloud, other times she just keeps her words in her head, and she knows her goddess will hear her. phosphorra said she wanted to try praying, since she had just come pretty close to death. though, before she finished her sentence, zoroe excitedly told her she had a good place for them to sit and pray together. calypso shouted that she was a nerd, from where she was sprawled out on the ground. phosphorra quietly mumbled her way through a prayer to Rasantat, saying she wasn’t sure if she was doing it right, and that she was thankful that she helped keep her friends alive. this was the first time she had felt she had her powers for a reason, and felt a sense of happiness and comfort. 

zoroe asked her how she felt, and phosphorra said that it felt a little silly, but that it wasn’t the wrong thing to do by any means. zoroe said that praying brought her peace, since she knew someone was there to help her. “i hope it does the same for you.” phosphorra said that she thought that Rasantat needed her help too. troubled, zoroe changed the subject to ask how phosphorra seemed to know the King was a dragon when they entered Amata’s scrying room. caught off-guard by the question, phosphorra explained that she felt a connection to Amata’s magic in there and that she saw something. she could recall a similar feeling to that of Rasantat’s presence, and suggested it was the first secret she had shared with her. zoroe admitted that she doesn’t trust Rasantat, but she does trust phosphorra, so she would follow her and look out for her best interest. “what else did you see in that room?” phosphorra recalled seeing visions of a large eye on a scaly face, the feeling of corrosive poison within her body, and the visual of vines choking an entire city (like what the druid in the aqueduct had mentioned), and the general memory of something extremely powerful. she insisted that Rasantat is trying to help her, and that she believes in her. zoroe asked phosphorra why she followed Rasantat so blindly. “it’s not blindly. years ago she set me on this path and i didn’t know why, but now i have answers.” she explained that in the past, she had suddenly been able to use magic, and she knew now that that was because of Rasantat. “i’m no cleric, but i have divine magic and healing. i finally felt like i belonged somewhere.” zoroe still seemed conflicted, but was glad to have shared prayer with the tiefling. phosphorra thanked her for listening, and said that it must be weird for the others, but she wants to help them. zoroe told her she had just been worried for phosphorra, since she had been in unfamiliar land and enveloped in darkness, but that she would support her. phosphorra countered that darkness isn’t bad, and that she had felt that way since before Rasantat’s presence.

meanwhile, calypso had requested that cluk play some music for her since he felt like shit. cluk seemed off her game, giving two lackluster performances. calypso said it was better than nothing, and took to drowsily staring at zoroe and phosphorra during their conversation. finally everyone took a long rest. zoroe touched a hand to calypso’s forehead, to check on her condition. calypso shouted that her hands were cold, and zoroe said calypso was just hotheaded. after some banter, zoroe was like “well, if you can banter with me, then you’re fine.” “pfft, i could banter in my sleep.” “uh-huh. do you think you could punch some more lights out?” “again, could do that in my sleep.” “you’re fine.” heading back into the mine, the party unlocked the door and headed further into the tunnel under the mountain. the tunnel seemed to merge with a large natural cavern, where perhaps against better judgement calypso yelled for an echo. the party proceeded into a basement with many shelves of very old tablets.

calypso, being extra, climbed over a shelf, and zoroe and phosphorra found a secret door. in the hidden room was a table with unreadable tablets, and a rusty chest that calypso opened. in this chest was a Scroll of Bane and a pearl of some sort, which calypso did not recognize since she grew up in a desert, far away from any oceans. “what’s this weird... rock?” phosphorra explained that it’s not exactly a rock, but it comes from the ocean. cluk Identified it to be a Pearl of Power, and zoroe took it after some discussion. davke said this room was like her mom’s “quiet room,” which is apparently a place where one goes when she doesn’t anyone to hear her. the party then went downstairs, into a very large central chamber. there was a large sigil painted(?) on the floor, and a big raised platform at the back of the room. on this platform were some cultists, but also a very large, fully armored woman with a very large maul.

making no attempt to sneak in or anything, the party walked into the chamber. zoroe said that she was a fan of the artwork on the floor. “ah, we have company! are you the troublemakers?” the party vaguely made like they weren’t, and the woman said that she saw the party’s performance outside. cluk pointed out that she is a bard. the woman introduced herself as Sapphira, She Who Eclipses the Light, the Left hand of the King, a Devotee of the Order of the Tainted Sun and that basically she was gonna kick the party’s ass. COMBAT

cluk acted first, running up and cast Blink, though she didn’t actually blink away at that point. more cultists ran out from an upper room. calypso threw her javelin of lightning, bloodying a cultist and dealing some damage to Sapphira. then she took a defensive stance. a couple of cultists tried and failed to grapple cluk, and zoroe cast Beacon of Hope, only missing cluk with its radius. Sapphira hit cluk twice with her maul, dealing serious fucking damage, what the fuck is this woman’s deal. additionally, cluk’s armor began to rot and her AC dropped??? at this point we entertained the idea of running away, thinking this was too risky of an encounter. even more cultists emerged from a lower room. phosphorra was like “this is the king's left hand? he's powerful? and she is too? so we should leave? right now? this is not gonna happen? look at her? and everyone else? maybe without her, but... we should leave." cluk, bleeding, agreed with her. we bargained that we got some information and some items from this place, so it wouldn’t be a total loss if we ran. calypso, using Step of the Wind, ran to grab her javelin and started running for the exit. based off of a majority vote, we settled on running away.

zoroe threw a Fire Ball at the group in the center of the room, trying to thin the ranks before starting for the door as well. phosphorra threw another Fire Ball as well, and Sapphira seemed not too fazed by this damage. we then stopped to more fully discuss what our plan was, as one of our players felt that we shouldn’t run, that we could manage this combat if we were smart about it. we decided as a group to stay and fight, planning on a strategy where we do not engage in melee combat with Sapphira, and we take out the other cultists at range.

and that’s where we’re picking up next tiiiime

[wildishmazz]

semi-coherent ramblings from the Starlight Express workshop tonight

[jbhenwiler]

David and the Crystal Gems in... Return to Henleaf Town

David and the Crystal Gems in... Return to Henleaf Town

 Autumn in Beach City… David is watching the news while Steven is making dinner for himself, David, and Amethyst.

TV Announcer: In other news, an artist who was missing for the past day has been found.  However, he has a very strange story to tell.  According to the man, who goes by the name Daniel Rost, he was attacked by what could only have been described as a monster.

 David immediately perks up upon hearing this.

David: Hey, guys!  You should probably come see this!  (Everyone comes over to the TV)

TV Announcer: What I’m about to show is Daniel’s depiction of the monster.  Take a look.

 The “monster” walked on four legs, appeared to resemble a wolf, and the drawing even showed a clearly defined gem on its head.

David: You thinking what I’m thinking?

Pearl: A corrupted Gem… How many of these people did we miss?

TV Announcer: The sighting was reported to have happened in the forests west of a small town outside Empire City, Henleaf Town, and-- (Camera pans to David; David is dumbstruck)

David: Wait a minute--WHAT!?

Steven: Isn’t that the name of your hometown back in your own dimension, David?

David: Darn right it is!  I always wondered if this world had a copy of my home, but it’s actually there!?

Pearl: And on top of that, there’s a dangerous-looking corrupted Gem in its vicinity.  We should head out and neutralize it before it does any harm to the humans there.

David: I thought we got all the corrupted Gems?

Pearl: I have a theory.... (Pulls up a holographic map of Earth from her pearl, dots it with the locations of all the warp pads, and puts the rotating globe in front of David)  Where on the globe is Henleaf Town, David?

David: (Points to its location southwest of Empire City)  There.  Hmm… There aren’t any warp pads anywhere near it!

Pearl: My thoughts exactly.  It’s likely we couldn’t find this Gem because we couldn’t easily get to its location.

Steven: So that means there’s only one way for us to get there.

David and Steven in unison: Road trip.

David: It’ll be a tight squeeze fitting us all into Greg’s van.

Amethyst: Ehh… We’ve done it before. 

Pearl: It’s a little too late to be going out, especially that far from home.  We should make preparations and head out tomorrow.

Steven: I’ll call dad and ask him if he’s OK with us doing this with him.  (The food in the oven starts sizzling loudly)  Oh man, our dinner’s overcooked!  (Rushes to the kitchen)

 After saving the dinner, Steven got on the phone and informed his father that he was needed for a mission.  Then they got together and began to plan.

Pearl: Henleaf Town is far enough away that we will likely have to spend the night there.

David: If this is indeed an exact copy of Henleaf Town from my world, then there’s going to be a chain hotel right outside of the town limits.  It’ll be perfect for us.

Amethyst: Look at you, our little inside man!

David: (Kinda blushing) Well I did live there, after all.

Pearl: We should also pack supplies for the trip.  Steven, Greg, and David will need extra pairs of clothes, as well as comfortable shoes for the long hike through the forest--

David: I’ve been through that forest before, Pearl.  We don’t need to get that carried away with preparations.  It's not that inhospitable of an environment, and there's trails running everywhere so it's not quite as easy to get lost in as the Beach City woods.

Steven: Wait, are we bringing dad along for the ride in the forest? You know, where the monster lives?

Pearl: Absolutely not.  Greg is too vulnerable.  He’s human.

David: Excuse me, I’M human, and I can hold my own in battle just fine!

Pearl: I didn’t mean you, David.  You’re not like most humans.  That being said, don’t forget to pack your sword.

David: I haven’t had the chance to use that thing since I fought the scorpion.  I should probably refresh myself with a training exercise before we go.

Pearl: Good idea, David.

 David goes out onto the beach and draws his sword, feeling a little giddy at using it again. In his mind he imagines a Quartz soldier in front of him.  David takes a deep breath, counts to three, and begins practicing.  A few minutes later, Pearl comes down from the porch and observes his moves.

Pearl: Your technique is spot-on.  Your world's version of me must have been just as good a teacher as I am.

David: (Training stops) I don't know how you train your students, but my Pearl was a maniac.  Her idea of "training" was throwing me into a forest clearing with a whole army of Holo-Pearls.  Those things hunted me down like a pack of wolves!  Then again, I guess that really helped me learn how to fight.  Nothing like mortal danger to get someone to learn.

Pearl: (Somewhat distraught) Well, there's training, and then there's putting your student's life in jeopardy.  I'm not sure if I'd approve of her methods, even if it was effective.  What happened when you lost to the holograms?

David: Oh, Pearl'd shut them down if they got too close to killing me.  She knows that Rose would never forgive her if I died in her care.  She took her time doing it though.  By the time the Pearls would fizzle out, their swords would be inches from my neck.

Pearl: Anyway, you don't seem to be too rusty.  Why don't you come in for dinner?

David: Sure.  What does Chef Steven have in store for us tonight?

Pearl: From what I've seen, it appears to be vegetarian lasagna. 

David: Ugh.  I respect Steven's decision to become vegan, but I wish he didn't impose that stuff on me and Amethyst.

Pearl: It feels like seconds ago the boy was obsessed with hot dogs and fry bits.  But I guess that was the point of Rose having a son.  She adored you humans' ability to change and grow.

David: You're talking to a person who knew her.  I've heard that spiel from her so many times.

Pearl: (Laughs) I guess it's nice you had a bond with her as well.  I've learned to move on from Rose Quartz, but sometimes I still miss her...  Living with humans did something to Pink Diamond that the other Diamonds never could.  Humanity matured her.  She became such a strong Gem.

David: I only knew her as Rose anyway.  And at that, the Rose I knew was a psychopath.  She pretty much locked me in a cave all day.  If it wasn't for Pearl, I'd have been dead weight with no weapon or fighting experience.

Pearl: Your world was such a dangerous place that I suppose it would harden any being's heart.

David: It's still Earth though.  It has its beauty.

Pearl: Yes indeed.  Let's go inside.

 David and Pearl go up the stairs to the porch. David drops off his sword in his hut, hanging the scabbard on a set of hooks on the wall above his television, and then walks to the main house.  The living room is permeated with the smell of fresh pasta and marinara sauce.

David: (To himself) Ok, I'll admit, this does smell good.

Steven: Hey, David!  How'd your brush-up training go?

David: Let's just say I'm ready to take on anything.

Steven: Cool.  We could really use some extra muscle on our team.

David: Don't flatter me, kid.  I'm not that strong yet.  (Looks at his arms, which are still stringy)

Garnet: True, but as a human, you can always get stronger.

David: Yep.  Yes I can!  Anyway, let's eat!

Steven: Help yourself.

 David takes a serving of plant-based Italian food and walks to the couch, and begins to dig in.  Despite not containing meat, the food was delicious.

David: You've really outdone yourself, Steven.  This is good!

Amethyst: Eh.  It really needs beef though.  I miss your hot dog diet.

David: It's his choice, Amethyst.  If you want to chow down on animals, get your own food.

Amethyst: Aw, man!  You're no fun!

Pearl: We should start planning for tomorrow.  Steven, did you let you father know about our mission?

Steven: Yep.  He's okay with it.  He'll drive his van over here at 9 AM tomorrow morning.

David: (Now finished with his food) I'll go pack my bags.

 David goes back to his hut and turns on the lights.  He takes a duffel bag Greg had given him for trips and sets it on his bed, and then opens his dresser and takes out an assortment of clothing, including jeans and a hoodie.  He also packs a charger for his phone and hygiene supplies like shampoo and deodorant.

David: That should be enough.  We're probably only going to be there for one night.

 The next morning, David made himself breakfast and met up with the other Crystal Gems.

Pearl: David, you know the area better than any of us, so you're going to be our guide in this mission.

David: Very well.  Hopefully this universe's Henleaf Town isn't any different from mine.

 Steven comes downstairs.

Steven: Everyone ready?  (All nod)

David: I'll go bring my bag and my sword out.  (Leaves)

Steven: Oh, right, I need my duffel too!  (Leaves)

 A few minutes later, both David and Steven return with their luggage.

David: Hey, there's something that's kinda nagging me.  Henleaf Town isn't as familiar with Gems as Beach City is.  We might attract unneeded attention if a bunch of oddly colored humanoids show up.

Pearl: Hmm, you're right.  Any ideas how to blend in?

David: Come to think of it, around this time of year Empire City has a Comic-Con event.  We could just say that you guys are cosplayers.

Steven: Great idea!  We'll be the Crystal Gems from the epic fantasy television show, Steven Universe!  (Instrumental theme song plays in the background)

David: (Having a strange feeling) A little on-the-nose, don't you think?

Steven: What, want me to be any more creative?

David: No, it's just that there's something familiar about this.

Steven: It's the best I can come up with right now.  Anyway, dad's almost here.  He says he's booked a room for us in that chain hotel you mentioned, David.

 A horn honks outside.

Steven: Never mind, he's here!

 Everyone leaves the house.  Greg's signature panel van is outside.  David, with his scabbard in one hand and the duffel in the other, approaches the vehicle.

Steven: Your first official Crystal Gem mission, David!  How do you feel?

David: I'm not feeling so much of the mission part as the fact that I'm going home.  (Gets into the van)

 Everyone else gets in.

Greg: Hey, David?  I'm not entirely sure how to get to this Henleaf Town of yours.  Could you help me with directions?

David: If you can get to Empire City, I can direct you from there.

 The van takes off across the beach.  It drives through Beach City towards the local northbound highway.  Miles and miles later, they stopped for lunch at a fast-food restaurant.

Greg: We'll eat here.

Pearl: Us Gems will stay in the van.

Steven: Does this place offer salads?

David: I've been to one of these places before.  They've got everything: burgers, sandwiches, and yes, salads.

Steven: Cool.

 David orders a burger combo, Steven gets a strawberry salad, and Greg decides on a ham sandwich.  They quickly eat their meals and go back to the van.

Pearl: Everybody ready? (Everyone nods)

Greg: Let's go.  (Turns over the engine on his van)

 Several miles later...

Amethyst: Hey, guys, does anybody think that there might be another David in our world's Henleaf Town?

David: (Eyes widen with shock) Oh my gosh, you're right.  I can't imagine what would happen if there were two of me in one spot.  What would happen to the space-time continuum?

Steven: Well, there was that time a bunch of mes from different timelines met up in an underwater temple.  Nothing bad seemed to happen to the universe then, other than the fact that we started fighting.

David: (Is struggling to come up with a response to this)  H-how did you even do that!?

Steven: With a Gem time machine.

David: You people are crazy.

Amethyst: Don't deny you love us!

David: Well, you're definitely not the most normal family around, but to be honest, I'm honored to be a part of it.

Amethyst: Haha, you do love us!

David: I never said I didn't!

 Everyone laughs.  Soon they reach the Empire City limits.

Greg: Okay, David, where do I go from here?

David: (Looks out the window) Uhh... There should be an exit onto Route 11 a mile ahead, take the left ramp.

 Greg took the ramp, and soon he saw a sign reading: "Exit 31, Henleaf Town, 5 miles."

Greg: Okay, I see where I'm going now.

 Four miles down the road, a shift in the environment occurred.  The highway was soon surrounded by trees enveloped in pure shades of orange, brown, and yellow.  Everyone is transfixed.

Greg: Look at this gorgeous fall foliage!  Did you really grow up here, David?  In your world, I mean.

David: Just wait until we're in town; the trees alone were something I missed the most when I lived with Rose.

 Soon, they were there.  Greg drove through the center of town, where a sign read;

*Henleaf Town: The suburb nestled in amongst the majestic trees of an ancient forest.*

 Surrounding the town were massive, tall trees crowned with fall colors so vibrant they almost could hurt a person's eyes. 

Steven: You weren't kidding, these forests look amazing!

David: Mom would always take me on long hikes through the woods here...

 They drove to the edge of town where a 3-story chain hotel by the name of RestInn awaited them.

Greg: We're right on time.  Let's get ourselves checked in.

 The interior of RestInn's Henleaf Town location was plain and simple in design, without looking too generic.  Dominating the lobby was a large painting above the reception desk of Henleaf Town's famous trees, in all their splendor.  At the center of the painting was a stone monument.  Greg walked up to the counter and began to talk to the receptionist, who gave him two card keys, while looking with a somewhat bewildered face at the odd assortment of guests that the middle-aged man had been accompanied by.  Greg then walked back to the team.

Greg: We're on the second floor.  Follow me.

 David, Greg, Steven, and the Gems all crammed into the hotel's single elevator, and ascended one floor.  Out of the elevator, they walked down the hall to their room.  Inside the room were two queen-sized beds, a large flat-panel television, a desk, a window overlooking the parking lot, and a small, basic bathroom.

Greg: Well, there's not enough beds for all of us, but that doesn't matter anyway 'cause most of us don't need to sleep.  Let's get settled in and then you guys can plan your Gem stuff.

 The group sat down in various locations.  Greg, David, Pearl, Steven, and Amethyst sat down on the beds, while Garnet sat down on a small wheeled office chair in front of the desk, looking comically too big for the seat.

David: Sooo... Where do we start?  I'm still not familiar with how these Crystal Gem missions work.

Pearl: I suppose we should start by locating the corrupted Gem.  Garnet, just like before, your Future Vision should give us an idea for where the Gem is.

Garnet: Hmm... I see that the wolf Gem is constantly moving.  That will make it difficult to find.  It does seem to be following a pattern though.  Give me a few hours, I may be able to figure out its movements.

Steven: Aw, man... I don't want to be crammed in this room for that long!

Amethyst: Then let's not!  We can go out on the town!

David: Are you sure that's a good idea?  You saw the look the receptionist gave us; we're not exactly the people this town's used to.  But, I guess there's also our little cover story.  You know what, let's do it!

Steven: David, lead the way!

Pearl: I'll come with you!  Someone has to keep the group together.

Amethyst: You mean keep us from having fun?

David: (Grabs one of the card keys) Greg, you coming?

Greg: Sure, why not?

 David, Amethyst, Pearl, Steven, and Greg all left the hotel room, went down the elevator, and left through a side entrance out into the parking lot.

Pearl: David, we're going to have to rely on you to get around.

Amethyst: Yeah, this is your home turf after all!

 The group walked for a few minutes until they reached the town square they had passed through on the way to the hotel.  At this point, David finally succumbed to nostalgia.

David: (Head swiveling, looking mystified) This is freaking surreal... I-it's like it was never destroyed...

Steven: This is a parallel universe, after all.  The Gems never invaded, so the town was never burned down in the first place.

David: Doesn't make it any less weird.  Last time I saw this place, it was a pile of ash...

Pearl: I'm more concerned with running into this world's version of you, David.  Or anybody who could recognize you, for that matter, like your mother.

David: Even if such a thing wouldn't cause the universe to explode, it would certainly confuse everyone and cause a ruckus.

Amethyst: So let's just find that Gem and get outta here then!

David: Let's not hurry too much, though...  (Head still swiveling, a distant look in his eyes)

Steven: This place holds so many memories for you...  You must be overwhelmed right now.  Am I right?

David: There's so many places I could show you guys.  The restaurants I ate at.  My old school.  You guys were so good at showing me around Beach City, it's only fair I give you a tour of my town too.

Amethyst: I guess we have SOME time… Why don't we go get something to eat?

Steven: Yes, let's!  What do you recommend, David?

David: Well, my favorite restaurant is down the street from here.  I'm not sure if they have any veggie dishes though.  I hope you don't mind, Steven.

Steven: I can always go somewhere else later.  Like Amethyst said, this is your home turf, David.  We'll go wherever you want.

 David led the team to a homey-looking eatery.

David: This is Maxwell's.  It's kinda like a diner.  Man, this place never fails to get me salivating.  Let's go in.

 Everyone goes in.  David looks around, both taking in the sights and making sure no one who knew him was there.  After finding no people who could recognize him, he approached the check-in counter.

David: Table for five, please.

Waitress: Right this way.

 The waitress led them to a large circular table in the back of the restaurant.  They all sat down.

Waitress: So, you guys on your way to Empire City Comic-Con?

David: (Surprised that she had already guessed their cover) Yeah, we are.  We're cosplaying characters from our favorite TV show.

Waitress: I heard this year's Con has a great lineup of special guests.  The place is going to be packed.  Anyway, what can I get you?

David: I'll have the house special.

Waitress: Meatloaf OK with you?

David: (Trying not to act like he knows that the meatloaf is the best dish Maxwell's offers) Sure, that's fine.

Steven: (Sees a veggie burger on the menu)  I'll have the Amazing Meatless Burger.

Greg: I'd like the fried chicken.

Pearl: Nothing for me, thanks.

Amethyst: I'll take the chicken quesadilla.

Waitress: Okay, that'll be right out for you.  (Leaves)

Amethyst: So... This place isn't bad.

David: ...This is the restaurant I was eating at when the Gems attacked.  (Sighs) My last few seconds of innocence were spent here.  

Pearl: You probably shouldn't dwell on those memories too much.

Amethyst: Yeah, everything's okay here.  We're going to go catch that corrupted Gem and everyone in this town will be safe again.

 An elderly man, appearing to be in his 60s, approached their table.

???: (British accent) Excuse me, may I speak with you?

 Everyone startles and looks at the man who just spoke to them.

???: My name is Daniel.  Daniel Rost.  I'm an artist based here in Henleaf Town.

David: You're that guy on the news who got attacked by that corr-- By that monster in the woods!

Daniel: Indeed I am.  I notice your companions have a feature that resembles the creature who stalks the forest.  (Everyone looks uneasy)  May I ask; are you related to it?

Steven: Guys, should we trust him?

Pearl: It's not like he's a threat.  He's just an artist.

David: Daniel, we'd love to talk, but maybe we shouldn't do this in public.

Daniel: Very well.  (Reaches into his pocket and pulls out a notepad and a pen, and writes onto it, then tears off the page and hands it to David) This is my address.  Come visit me, if you desire.  (Leaves)

Amethyst: ...That was weird.

David: That guy must really have a sharp eye.  He was able to make the connection between the "monster" that attacked him and you guys just at first glance.

 Just then, their food arrived.  David takes one look at his food and is immediately overcome with a mix of nostalgia and happiness.  David, Steven, Greg, and Amethyst chow down.

Amethyst: Mmm, this is soo good!  No wonder you love this place, David!

David: The house special meatloaf is their signature menu item.  I'm so glad we were able to come here on a day they have it on.

Amethyst: You hear that guys?  David's food is special!  (Swipes a forkload of meatloaf from David's plate)

David: Hey!

Amethyst: (Goes star-eyed) You weren't kidding.  This is the best meatloaf I've ever tasted!

 They eat their food, and Greg pays the bill.  They then leave the restaurant.

Steven: So, what should we do about that artist?

David: Well, Daniel has a first-hand account of the corrupted Gem.  He could have vital intel about the wolf's behavior.

Pearl: That is a great idea, David!  Where is the address he gave you?

David: (Takes the slip of paper out of his pocket) 18 West Market Street... Wait a minute... That's literally two doors down from my mom's house!

Pearl: That could be a bad thing.  We shouldn't be getting too close to places where you're commonly found around here.

David: Well if we want to meet this guy we don't have a choice.  In any case, it's the middle of the afternoon right now.  Other Me should be at his/my job right now, and my mother is probably in Empire City doing her job.

Steven: Then we're good.  All agree?

Everyone: Yes.

David: Let's move out.

 The group went down the street through the square, down several roads into a residential area lined with autumn-laced trees.  Soon they passed a one-story house that David's heart practically burst with emotions for.

Amethyst: (Sees David staring intently) That's it, isn't it.  Your place?

David: ...I just wish I could talk to mom...  I know that in this universe, she isn't MY mom, but still...  I'd give anything to see her again...

Pearl: I suppose that's Mr. Rost's house over there?  (Points to a Tudor-style bungalow down the road)

Amethyst: Sheesh, that place screams "I'm more cultured than you."

David: Interesting... In my world, that house wasn't there.  Where I come from, that property was home to a more modern-looking building.

 They approach the house.  David rings the doorbell, and it is answered by Daniel himself.

Daniel: Ah, you came.  Please come in.

 Inside the home...

Daniel: Come to think of it, one of you bears an uncanny resemblance to one of my neighbors.  I don't suppose your name is David Heatherson?

David: (Realizes his cover's blown, and struggles to formulate a response)  Well, it's a really long story, and one that's kinda hard to believe.  Long story short, yes, I'm David Heatherson, but not the one you're familiar with.

Daniel: After what I recently experienced in the forest, I am ready to believe anything.  Please tell me your story.

 Everyone sits down in the living room.

David: First things first, the creature who attacked you in the forest is indeed related to the beings who are with me here.  They're called Gems, and they come from another galaxy.  I personally am a parallel version of David from another Earth.  You following me so far?

Daniel: Yes I am.

Steven: We're attempting to capture the wolf Gem so we can restore it to its real form.

Pearl: And any details on how the Gem you encountered behaves would be greatly helpful to us.

Daniel: Well, I noticed that it appeared to be looking for something.  What it was searching for is beyond my knowledge.  Perhaps you could find out for yourselves.

David: Not to insult your age, but judging on appearances, you definitely wouldn't have been able to fight off that Gem.  How did you survive the attack?

Daniel: That is another thing that fascinated me about the "Gem" you speak of.  It made motions to attack me, but none of its moves hit me.  I ran as fast as I could, and eventually I lost the creature.

David: It almost sounds like a territorial display rather than an actual attempt at hurting people.

Pearl: Good observation, David.

Amethyst: Is there anything else you can tell us, like where exactly you found the Gem?

Daniel: You're aware of the Forest Guardian's Shrine deep in the forest, correct?

David: Of course!  I've been there so many times.

Daniel: It is said that in times of old, festivals were held there to worship a being believed to have guarded the Henleaf Woods.   I often make trips to the shrine for artistic inspiration. The painting in the lobby of our town's hotel is my work.

David: "Those who dare to permeate the glades of Henleaf with violence, beware, for Our Guardian will hunt you to the end of time."  It's a legend handed down among some of the older families here.

Greg: Wow, we're not even that far from Beach City, and it's like this place has its own culture.

Daniel: When my family immigrated here from England, we heard many stories from locals regarding the being said to be the Guardian.  Most agree that the Guardian takes the form of a huntress, a lady of boundless grace and poise, ever ready to jump into action to defend Henleaf and all who inhabit it.  Her bow was said to fire arrows of pure light that could pierce the thickest of armor. 

Pearl: I wonder if the wolf Gem is tied to the shrine?

Daniel: The wolf did appear to be guarding something there.  Who knows, perhaps the wolf is an incarnation of the Guardian herself.

David: It's pretty well-established that the wolf is a Gem.  Maybe...

Amethyst: The Guardian of Henleaf Forest was a Gem!

Pearl: It does make sense.  After all, Opal does wield a bow with light arrows.

David:  You've given us a great lead, Mr. Rost.  Thank you.

Daniel: I am glad I was able to be of assistance.

David: If I can ask a favor, Daniel: Please don't let anyone else know who we are, especially the other me or my mom.  I don't want the David of this Earth to know that there's a parallel version of him running around with aliens.

Daniel: Your secret is safe with me.

Pearl: I think we have all the information we need.  We should go.

Steven: Okay.  Thank you, Daniel.  (Everyone gets up)

 Daniel walks the team to the door.

Daniel: Farewell.  And good luck on your mission.

David:  Goodbye!  If I ever come back here I'll make a point of visiting you.

 Back at the hotel room...

David: Garnet, we're back!

Garnet: And I already know you've come back with knowledge of the Gem we're looking for.  Great job, everyone.

Steven: Did you find any information on the Gem's movement patterns?

Garnet: It seems that the corrupted Gem is following a trail surrounding a local landmark deep in the forest.

David: That's the same thing we found out from Daniel.  The Gem is guarding the Forest Guardian's Shrine.

Garnet: We have our Gem in our sights.  We depart tomorrow.

 The next morning...

 Following David, Greg, and Steven's breakfast in the lobby of RestInn, the entire team set out for Greg's van, taking the side entrance so the people in the lobby wouldn't be unsettled by the fact that David was wearing a huge sword on his back.  Inside the van, Steven took the wheel, as Greg was staying behind at the hotel.  They drove through town, and beyond, until they reached a gravel parking lot at the mouth of the forest.  A sign read: HENLEAF WOODS STATE PARK.  Steven parked the van, and everyone got out.

Steven: This is it, David.  Be ready to fight.

Pearl: And whatever you do, DON'T shatter the Gem.  Be careful where you slice.

David: I understand.

Garnet: Crystal Gems, let's go.

  -Henleaf Woods-

 The Crystal Gems were completely surrounded by blazing oranges and yellows.  It was everywhere, on trees and on the ground.  Birds were tweeting.  Bushes were rustling.  The forest was teeming with life.

Amethyst: I'm honestly jealous you had a place like this to hang out in as a kid, David!  Why can't Beach City have some super-awesome forest like this?

David: ......... (Reminiscing) 

Garnet: In his world, this forest is no more.

Amethyst: Oh, right.  The Gem invasion in David's universe.  Man, it's so sad to even think of a place like this burning down.

Steven: How much longer until we hit the shrine, David?

David: If we follow the yellow trail, it'll lead us straight to it in about a mile.

 The group reached the shrine fifteen minutes later.  The Forest Guardian's Shrine was a medium-sized stone structure with wooden benches surrounding it, dominated by a statue of a woman clad in a loose-fitting gown, the lady looking skyward, her bow stretched taut in her hands as she aimed her weapon towards the sky.  The hood on her cloak covered most of her face.

Amethyst: She certainly looks like a Gem.  Only I can't see any gem on the statue.  I wonder what type she is?

Pearl: If the Forest Guardian is a Gem, than she had to have been a Crystal Gem.  Why else would she be protecting life here?

David: The Forest Guardian earned enough of the humans' respect in this area that they worshiped her as a deity.   

Amethyst: If she was such a big fighter in our movement, how weren't we aware of her?

Pearl: The Crystal Gems were a planet-wide organization comprised of hundreds of thousands of Gems.  We weren't in contact with everyone at all times, and certain sectors were cut off from the central movement.  This Guardian may have been a lone fighter comprising her own zone of protection.

 The animal noises abruptly stop.  David notices this, and a chill runs down his spine.

David: G-guys??  I think we're being watched.

Garnet: Crystal Gems, battle formation!  (The Gems summon their weapons; David draws his sword)

 The camera flies a wide field around the Crystal Gems.  All is silent.

Pearl: Get ready, everyone.

 Out of the forest jumped a large gray wolf, adorned with a shining opalescent gem on its forehead.  The corrupted Gem moved with a frightening agility, running circles around the team.  David tries to stay calm, but his arms holding his sword are shaking.

Steven: Stay cool, David!  You can do this!

 Garnet, with a battle cry, launches after the wolf.  However, to her surprise, her gauntlets went straight through the "Gem's" body.  The wolf flickered and disappeared.

Garnet: Drat!  It's an illusion!

 Three more wolves jumped out of the bushes.  Steeling himself, David swings his blade at one, only for the sword to cleave through air, and that wolf flickered out as well.

David: Oh my gosh, this is just like my training!

Pearl: (Holding a wolf hologram at bay with her spear) Is this really a good time to be talking about that!?

David: Just hear me out!  Imagine that these wolves we're fighting are Holo-Pearls, and the real Pearl, the real corrupted Gem, is hiding somewhere on the sidelines!

Steven: Wait a minute, that's it!  The real wolf Gem is hiding somewhere at the edge of the battlefield!  Garnet, any clues?

Garnet: (Holding off several wolves) I can't focus!  There's too many of them!

 David fought his way to the edge of the clearing, his sword mowing through the fake Gem-wolves, who now covered the area like a gray carpet.  Then a wolf got through his defense, slashing claws slicing through his t-shirt into his stomach, leaving shallow but painful cuts, causing David to cry out and lose some of his resolve.

Steven: David!

 David regained his focus and continued pushing to the edge.  The other Gems got his strategy and also started fighting towards the edge of the clearing.  The number of wolves in the fight totaled around twenty.  David looked around the canopy, and soon he saw it: a solitary wolf, whose form was noticeably more detailed than the other wolves.

David: Guys!  Up there!!  (Rapidly points to the wolf)

Pearl: Garnet!  Throw me up there!

 Garnet throws Pearl straight up thirty feet into the canopy.  Pearl collides with the Gem before it can react and they both fall from the tops of the trees.  The Gem's focus lost, the other wolves instantly dissipate.  Now the fight is just between the real wolf and the Crystal Gems.  Garnet throws her gauntleted fists at the Gem, but it easily dodged her attacks.  David ran over from where he had been standing, bleeding from the cuts on his belly, and joined the final clash.

 Steven threw his shield at the wolf, but it misses.  Amethyst also fails to get a hit with her whip.  Garnet continues to attempt to land a blow on the wolf and eventually succeeds.  Her fist collides with the wolf-Gem's mouth.  This stuns the wolf long enough that an opening occurs.  Pearl stabs the wolf through the chest, causing it to snarl in pain.  Everything then goes silent, and the Gem finally poofs.  Everyone breathes a collective sigh of relief.

Garnet: Good job, everyone.  We got her.

Steven: (Sees David's injury) David, you're hurt!

David: Yeah, I know!  I wasn't any help in this battle at all!

Pearl: That is absolutely not true!  If you hadn't made that connection between the wolves' fighting patterns and your old training regimen, we would have been fighting those holograms indefinitely!

Amethyst: Yeah, kid!  You totally rocked it!

 Steven heals David's cuts.

David: Yeah, you're right!  I guess I did help!  Yay for us!

 Steven walks up and bubbles the Gem.

Steven: Let's head back.  I'd like to uncorrupt this Gem as soon as we can.

 Back at the hotel room...

 In the bathroom, Steven takes the three bottles of Diamond essence out of his duffel bag, and goes through the process of turning the bathtub into a de-corruption pool.  He drops the bubbled Gem into the tub and in moments, the Gem reforms.

 Out of the bathroom came Steven and the newly recovered Crystal Gem.  David perks up when he instantly recognizes the form the Gem had taken.  The cloak, the pure pearly sheen of her Gem, the graceful manner in which she carried herself: David was in the presence of the very being who defended his hometown thousands of years ago.  The only signs of corruption left over were patches of gray fur on her body.

David: F-Forest Guardian!  It's you!

Guardian: (She has a chirpy Scottish accent) Please, human, call me Moonstone.  Thank you all for freeing me from the Diamonds' curse.  You have my heartfelt gratitude.

Steven: So, where are you going to go from here?

Moonstone: What has happened in the time since I was struck?

Pearl: The Gem War is over.  We have made peace with the Diamonds and Earth is now a free planet.  Before you is Pink Diamond's half-human son, Steven, who was responsible for un-corrupting you.

 Moonstone turns to Steven.

Moonstone: Pink Diamond's... Half-human son?  I'm not sure I follow.

 One story later...

Moonstone: So... Rose Quartz was Pink Diamond all along...

David: How do you feel, Moonstone?

Moonstone: To be honest, I feel somewhat relieved.  To know that all this time my Diamond really cared for Earth just as I do is a weight off my gem.

David: You're certainly taking the news better than I did.

Moonstone: How do you know Rose Quartz, human?  I saw through my corrupted eyes that you took damage while fighting my holograms.  Why do you fight alongside these Gems?

David: That's kind of a tough question for me to answer.

 Another story later...

Moonstone: I see, so our fight could have ended a lot worse...  I would presume that in your plane of existence, I went down with my forest.  Such a shame...  And it could only have been destiny that brought you here to our world.

David: Do you plan on staying here in Henleaf?

Steven: We have a community of Gems living near Beach City.  You could join them, if you want.

Moonstone: I appreciate your offer, but my place is among the trees here.  Someone needs to ensure these stands stay vibrant for millennia to come.

Steven: Oh, okay.  If you ever change your mind, our doors will always be open to you.  We'll drive you back to the woods.

 With Moonstone delivered back to her home, the Crystal Gems checked out of the hotel and drove home to Beach City, with David vowing to visit again someday.

 A few days later...

 Daniel Rost was on a stroll.  He arrived at the shrine, surrounded by fall leaves.  Out of a bag strapped to his shoulder he pulled a sketchbook and a pencil.  Sitting on the ground in front of the shrine, he began to draw the monument.  Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a blur of silver dart through the treetops.  Instantly recognizing the blur, his heart filled with gratitude.

Daniel: Thank you, Crystal Gems, for returning our Guardian to us.  Thank you dearly.

Episode end.

[youremyonlyhope]

Twice Upon a Time

For the first time in 5 years, I am watching the Christmas Special as it airs.

Ft. My dad. Who got sucked in by the opening scene of the Doctors meeting and decided to stay and watch the rest.

Ahhhhh 709 episodes ago! Amazing He did this before???? Oh Capaldi how I’ll miss you. Oh god if One doesn’t regenerate then... everything’s a paradox. Why is time frozen for him too? AND WHAT IS THAT GHOST THING? AND WHAT DO THEY MEAN BY TIME LINE ERROR. OH NO. “World War One? What do you mean, ‘one?’” God. That moment got me in the promo scenes and it’s still getting me. I have a weak point for WWI for some reason. “My nurse.” OH DOCTOR HOW I ALWAYS LOVE YOU. Ok but not the “It seems weird that he’s a man.” part. That’s a no.

My dad is watching with me. He’s enjoying the two Doctors interacting.

They’re being taken by a giant Sim’s diamond plumbob thing. Ok. Chamber of the dead? “The Doctor of war.” Oh god no.  BILL! OK yeah but is it the real Bill? Sunglasses! I LOVE THE SONIC SUNGLASSES. Wait, they harvest from the dying? What? What do they harvest? And how does this fit into the Nethersphere and the Duroc death nothingness of Torchwood? The Whoniverse has introduced so many different forms and theories of the afterlife in the last 10 years. This one at least can fit in with the other two, just time pausing before their death to take memories, then they die and go to the Nethersphere/Torchwood nothingness. Why would the Doctor have to trade the Captain for BIll? BIll’s immortal last time I checked.

Just did a general background of season 10 and the puddles to my dad because he was like “Did she say she’s a puddle?” And I was like I’ll explain later.

Also my dad and I got into a huge argument about Doctor Who and theology and god and death and heaven and hell so I might have missed some stuff.

Is this when the Tardis starts constantly messing up and taking the Doctor where he needs to be not where he wants to be? Bill is not having this sexism. Thank god. FIRST DOCTOR OH MY GOD. SMACK BOTTOM WHAT?!?!?!?!?!! WAS THE FIRST DOCTOR REALLY THIS SEXIST ALL THE TIME? I’VE ONLY SEEN A FEW FIRST DOCTOR STORIES BUT HE WASN’T LIKE THIS! OR I DON’T REMEMBER. The Doctor has had some MAJOR character development over the last 50 (or 1500) years. OH how I am going to miss Bill and Twelve. My dad also really liked the scene and how they interacted. OH NO IT ISN’T BILL. Do they harvest their memories? Or maybe their souls? Something like that. Because it seems like Bill. Is it a Dalek shooting? IT IS A DALEK!! RUSTY!? I THINK I REMEMBER RUSTY! Oh if they mention “Good man” one more time I will either cry or I’ll scream because they still won’t acknowledge Frobisher. Ooooooh an older Doctor Who theme is playing. I KNEW IT WAS MEMORY. I CALLED IT. OK at least it’s Bill. Kind of. Basically Bill. HEY. THAT’S BETH FROM TORCHWOOD. SLEEPER. YES GIRL. “Well I don’t really know what to do if it isn’t a evil plan.” Amazing. Both me and my dad died of laughter.

“OH she’s even cuter off the show! You think they make her cute for the show, but just interviewing her she’s even cuter!” - My dad on Pearl Mackie during the little behind-the-scenes bit in the commercial break.

My dad’s been analyzing this episode theologically. He thinks this is some sort of Holy Trinity, the First Doctor, The Twelfth Doctor, and the Thirteenth Doctor (or maybe glass Bill is the Holy Ghost). And I googled “1 12 13″ and it gave me John 1:12-13 and I read it to him and he thinks it applies. I don’t. But whatever.

He’s gonna be related to someone. He’s gonna end up being related to someone we already know. OH MY GOD LETHBRIDGE STEWART!!!??!?!?!??? OH MY GOD. I SQUEALED. I HIT MY HEAD ON THE BACK OF MY COUCH BECAUSE I THREW MY HEAD BACK. I KNEW IT. OH MY GOD. THEY’RE SINGING SILENT NIGHT. I JUST HELD MY DAD’S HAND. THIS IS A TRUE STORY. HE’S TOLD ME THIS STORY MANY TIMES. I’m not crying you’re crying. Oh this is an older theme too playing why the First Doctor regenerates.

Oh, we could not have asked for a better send off for Capaldi. My dad just was like “Oh this must have been a great Christmas special for fans” after the old footage of his regeneration finished. And Capaldi’s loved Doctor Who since the beginning. So they really could not have had better end for him.

Oh, he’s gonna regenerate in the next 10 minutes. Noooo Capaldi stay a little longer. CLARA. Oh my god he forgot Clara AND HE REMEMBERS HER. I LITERALLY FORGOT UP UNTIL THIS MOMENT THAT THE DOCTOR FORGOT CLARA. I literally was like “...is it Clara? It’s Clara! Clara - b-but hE FORGOT CLARA.” out loud since I realized it mid-sentence and my dad was like “What?” BUT BILL GAVE BACK THE MEMORIES. OH ALL THE PAST DOCTOR REFERENCES. AND THERE SHE IS!!!!!! WHITTAKER! OH NO. HER FIRST ADVENTURE IS GONNA BE FINDING THE TARDIS. GREAT.

Ok. I swear. The first person that I see say something along the lines of “See, the Doctor can’t drive the TARDIS anymore since she’s a woman” I will personally murder them. PERSONALLY. Because I know someone out there will make that joke. And they will be found dead in the morning. And you will know who did it.

Oh I miss Capaldi already.

Watching the End of an Era look back at Capaldi’s run now.

OH. Oh how I love Capaldi.  I’d forgotten about him telling Strax “Shush” immediately when he opened the TARDIS doors. Me and Dad laughed so hard just now. I love Capaldi. Capaldi is definitely nearly tied with Nine in my heart. Twelve is officially above Ten and Eleven. It’s official. Sorry Tennant and Smith, I love you, but I love Capaldi more than you two. Moffat has had a very important impact on Doctor Who, no matter what his devoted haters think. (Me, I have my issues with him, but I don’t hate him. I appreciate him for what he’s done.) My dad’s saying he loves Vincent and the Doctor the best out of the episodes shown from Moffat’s era. “We always hope we can make people cry on Christmas Day.” YEAH OK. THANKS. PROOF THAT DOCTOR WHO HAS NO CLUE WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT. Oh god I’m gonna miss Capaldi.

I loved this episode. And I loved David Bradley coming back to be the First Doctor. And I loved Capaldi’s everything.

I think the only thing I’m iffy about the episode was the remembering Clara part. I liked that the Doctor forgot her, even though I love Clara and it broke my heart. I don’t like that they reversed all that 2 years later. BUT THAT’S LITERALLY MY ONLY COMPLAINT. SO YAY.

[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

Tonight, A Lead Singer Died in Detroit. Somebody Knows Why... Somebody Knows... Part I: So Now You Know

Chris Cornell is dead. I almost feel like Rorshach in Watchmen reporting this. “A comedian died tonight.” Well, a lead singer died tonight. This impacted me more profoundly than I once thought. I didn’t think it would, but yesterday I started playing Hunger Strike over and over when I came to some pretty stark realizations. It was so bad listening to it in the car that I wasn’t sure if I could control my emotions visiting a friend who wasn’t even born in 1992. I will try to outline them here for you, so everyone can understand. This is something that I feel compelled to tell.

I was taken back to high school when I first heard of Soundgarden while riding in my brother’s Escort, which was my first car. Damn, that car was not the best vehicle. He had this amplifier in the car, which made the sound concert-like. The two moments I remember was the chorus to Outshined and the beginning riff to Rusty Cage. It was like, oh my God, what is that, I know I’m just a lowly freshman, but that is kind of awesome. My naive freshman mind somehow thought they were the same song at the time. This got me to thinking that if you could pick one year to be a freshman, why not the most seminal year in music. I never really appreciated that fact until now. I love music now because I was a freshman in 1992. I can remember lots of things about that year. I got Pearl Jam’s Ten through Columbia House (I probably still owe those assholes money), which seems like 100 years ago. I remember a rumor starting that Nirvana was going to come to Palmer Auditorium that freshman year in my Spanish class. Coincidentally, I chose the name Gerardo that year for my name because…rico suave, why not. My junior year when Nirvana returned the mainstream wasn’t so hot on them anymore. They came back and played Palmer, but I only remember one guy actually going to see it. His death changed everything. I found out about it before we were to take the ACT test. I find it a bit surreal that it was that particular day because it was a Saturday. Some students didn’t want to take the test, but at the time, I and a lot of others laughed at that stupid notion. I guess the errors of a capricious youth. The funny thing is about Soundgarden was I loved the beginning riff of Rusty Cage, but now that I am older, I really don’t prefer anything else in the song besides that riff. They should have put it in the intro to Outshined because all it sounds more relevant and appropriate with that track. I also remember borrowing aka stealing my brother’s Temple of the Dog cd with Hunger Strike. I never imagined it was a supergroup to honor Mother Love Bone. All I knew was that had Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell on the same song, which made you say..Heck yeah, Seattle! I never knew the story behind it, which makes things even crazier. These bands were all friends. In this day and age, I cannot believe it. The even more insane thing is that all the members of Pearl Jam besides Mr. Vedder were in Mother Love Bone. I remember listening to the Singles soundtrack after seeing it in theatres with my best friend thinking, holy shit, I need to hear that Chloe song. I believe that Eddie Vedder may have had one regret much like Chris Cornell. They were not Andrew Wood. 

Over the next few years, I kept track of Soundgarden even getting back into them with the release of Spoon Man and Black Hole Sun. Yet, they were always in my mind behind Pearl Jam and Nirvana as far as bands from Seattle go. You could almost say that the Smashing Pumpkins slid in there with Siamese Dream. Why is that? I think for the most part the quality of their meh songs was much better. Soundgarden had a great number of songs, but none of their albums had what I call, track to track greatness. I could pop on any track and know the song would be very good. I lost track of Soundgarden as I didn’t really feel one way or another when they broke up. I was in the throws of the New York garage rock revival at that time. Yet, around 2006, I heard about Audioslave. Once again, a few great songs surrounded by a few average ones in my mind, but Cochise was perfect. It was the perfect symmetry of Tom Morello and Chris Cornell. One could make the case that actually this was Tom Morello’s best song and not Rage Against the Machine. Some will say blasphemy, but I would say that Cornell’s more traditional vocals highlighted more appropriately the talents of Morello. I even purchased tickets to see them in Milwaukee at the Eagles Ballroom. I never went. If I knew they would break up soon, I probably would have gone, looking back in retrospect. I have missed so many great concerts due to my drinking, it is not even funny. I either stayed at the bar to drink instead of going or was too hungover to go anyway. Oh, well, I guess. All you can now is…YOLO. Yes, I am sure I was probably hungover when I missed Audioslave. I would hear Cochise in the    In 2010, 

Soundgarden hit my radar again when the lineup for Lollapalooza was announced. They were to play Sunday and I had planned to see them. Yet, the festival took its toll on me as old age was catching up to me even then I guess. I went to see Cypress Hill right before, but could barely stand. My entire body felt an exhaustion I had never really felt before. I sat there on the curb in Grant Park unable to move a muscle. I heard Soundgarden for a few minutes, but I just had to go home. The last band playing can sometimes be a gift and a curse I guess. In my mind, I saw the Strokes on Friday, so I was cool with leaving. Yet, I did feel some sense of regret because I never did watch the video on YouTube from their set. Lollapalooza can be hard anyway. There are so many bands and seeing them all is almost impossible. I was also thinking of my luck as well. When would it run out? 2 years previously at the same festival, I broke 2 knuckles, In 2009, I almost got arrested at the Metro, so in my eyes, I was pushing my luck. I just thought that they had just gotten back together, so I would see Chris Cornell and Soundgarden soon. Not Soundgarden, but I did see Chris Cornell soon unexpectedly.

In 2011, Pearl Jam announced they would be playing 2 shows at Alpine Valley to celebrate their 20th anniversary. I probably would not have gone, except The Strokes were playing. My friend Steve came with too, who was always a good sport. Classic rock was his thing, but he could get into Pearl Jam as well. I remember that it was really rainy that day. So much so, we drank Bud Light in the car before the show, rather than get drenched. It was really a miserable show because we had lawn seats, which is good, if it doesn’t fricking monsoon all night. We got there for the Strokes and I quickly realized something about Alpine Valley. The lawn pretty much sucks because they might as well been playing over at the country club for all I could see. Last year, I returned for the first time and figured out it was still the same. You can’t see jack shit there. I heard some parts of their set, including a duet on Juicebox with Eddie Vedder. We stayed for Pearl Jam hoping to hear some classics. It was mostly their 2000-2010 catalog, which I pretty much can’t stand. If I’m being honest. I kept saying that they were going to play a good one. I said, “Steve, trust me.” I remember not really getting into a lot of the songs, but instead I was drunkenly fascinated by this girl hula-hooping in the mud. We were more entertained by that at one point, rather than Pearl Jam. Oh, well, I guess. The time came for the encore and Steve wanted to beat the traffic, I said, let’s listen to one more song, you never know. The next song was Hunger Strike with a guest appearance from Chris Cornell. My earlier Temple of the Dog experience came flashing back instantly. I would later tell Steve how special that was and I am not sure he truly grasped it, but I did. That is something to tell people you were there. My friend Steve asked after, “Can we go now?” I smiled, “I would think so.” I just thought of it as another concert until in 2015 Steve tragically passed away. This emerged as our last concert together. What a last concert to attend! Time passed again until a couple of days ago when Chris Cornell passed away as well. In a way, I feel a sort of kinship towards Eddie Vedder now because we both lost close friends from that show. I know it is not really the same, but I tell you what, if we ever meet, that is what I’m talking to him about. Also, that Wrigley being drunk thing, I totally understand. Despite my crappy view, I could tell how towering a figure Cornell could look. The man was fairly tall, which people probably didn’t expect this generous, sensitive guy, especially with his hair long like a lion’s mane. As tributes have been posted, many media sites are posting that show. I have been behaving myself, not trolling anyone, but simply posting, “I was there. :). Concerts are a lot like life that way. Sometimes it is all about just showing up. You never know the surreal twists and turns concert experiences can take some time. Stay tuned for Part 2 coming this week where I discuss the legacy of Chris Cornell, Soundgarden, grunge, 1992, and more.

[roslinadama-sinequanon]

Why?

So, we are now a day into my grief. I am still experiencing shock, anger and a deep and pervading sadness. I know Sharon is a fictional character but she has become like family to me over the past nine years. I feel like a family member has died. I was hoping today that I’d feel better about what happened last night. But that isn’t the case. I honestly did not sleep all night. It took me a couple hours to get through the initial grief and anger before I could even try to go to sleep. Instead, I tossed and turned all night. I couldn’t seem to shut off the shock, anger, bitterness and sadness that I was feeling. I kept asking myself “Why? Why would they do this to us? What did we do to deserve this ending? Why did Duff lie?” I just couldn’t find any reason for Sharon’s death. I haven’t felt this filled with angst and shock and betrayal since the election last year. I have the same kick to the gut feeling that I had in November 2016. Thanks Duff for making me relive that frakking nightmare.

Sharon dying was hard enough to accept, but the way it was done was what I found even more appalling.

First of all you had James Duff saying he was writing season 6 for the fans, because he owed us for all our enthusiasm and loyalty over the years. He said he was going to finally give Mary a great storyline and use her amazing acting ability and he was giving us the Shandy wedding we’ve been waiting for. Even though I was saddened to hear the show had been cancelled I was excited for season six. When the season did start and the fandom freaked out at Sharon’s ominous inability to kick the flu, it was intimated that we were over reacting. Duff point blank said that he was not killing Sharon off. So, at least we didn’t have to worry about that.

As season 6 progressed we did get some amazingly tender Shandy moments along with an illness storyline I despised. But, still I thought, he’s doing this so we can see the love between Sharon and Andy and then she’ll get well and by the end of the season she will be Darth Raydor again and will take out Stroh in the last installment.  Or, as it became more apparent that he was NOT going to let Sharon have a quick fix, I thought she would spend the Stroh storyline waiting for a heart transplant, then she would have her heart transplant just as Stroh is taken down and we would end MC with her saying she was taking an extended leave to recover from her surgery and might end up retiring depending on how she progressed. And Andy would say he was retiring to be with Sharon and that he might do some PI work on the side. That way if MC was picked up by another network they could come back  and decide if they wanted to portray the show with Sharon back in charge or make it more of a PI show with Sharon, Andy and Provenza. It left the options open. And if another network didn’t pick up the show, we were left feeling good about Sharon getting well, spending time with her new husband, living a full life, embracing her future grandbabies. Instead Duff took away all happiness and all hope. He destroyed us and I’m sure he’s taking great pride in that.

The entire sixth season was heavy and depressing, like a black cloud was hanging over it. They even managed to take away the joy of the wedding we’ve been waiting for.  I would have expected that if Duff was actually writing the season for the fans that he would have made this season more exciting, joyful  and enjoyable. I didn’t enjoy one part of this season. I went into every episode sick to my stomach, wondering what he would do to Sharon. But, I NEVER expected death. I trusted Duff when he said he wasn’t going to do that, and I trusted the fact that everyone was saying we’d be left feeling satisfied with how the show ended. Duff has trolled before and exaggerated things he was going to give us in regards to Shandy, but I don’t remember him outright lying about something before.

And how did we go from “we caught this early and no matter what happens you’ll end up in a good place” to less than a month later being DEAD.

So, yeah,  killing Sharon off? How could anyone with a heart think that the fans would want to experience her death. Not only did he kill Sharon off he did so in a way that took her entirely out of character. As I said on a previous post, he had her die the way Brenda would have died, not the way Sharon would have died. Sharon always followed the rules and she wouldn’t have been running around collapsing at crime scenes. She would have informed her superiors about her illness and stayed on desk duty. She would have done what her doctor’s told her to do because she didn’t want to be an hindrance at work and because she wanted to LIVE.

No, Sharon Raydor would not want to be a burden to her kids and her husband, but she wouldn’t say they would all be better off with her dead and then start planning her suicide, because that’s what it was. When I was reviewing a previous episode I said I was afraid that Sharon talking to her priest meant that she was giving up and letting Gods will take over and that is exactly what she did. She gave up…And why? Sharon Raydor Flynn is not a quitter. She is tough and strong and faces challenges head on. Sharon also had options to deal with her health crisis and she chose not to just let herself die, but to force the issue.

It doesn‘t make sense. Sharon was the happiest she’s ever been in her life, she had so much to live for. She had new husband she adores and who adores her and who told her he just wants her with him to hold her hand and be there at his side. She has three children who love and need her. She would NOT disregard them this way. All that talk about the woman in the heart transplant ward (Laura Roslin anyone) was rubbish. Her feeling like she didn’t deserve a heart or didn’t want to take someone else’s was ridiculous. Sharon is not 85 years old thinking she’s lived a good life and would rather someone with more life ahead of them get the heart. She still had a lot of years left. Other than the heart issue she was healthy and fit—she could have had 20-30 years with Andy, to travel and cuddle her grandbabies etc. Instead she chose to get last rites knowing she was going to force the issue and let herself die. She knew exactly what she was doing. She filmed her last will, words and requests for her children—because she saw how it effected Mini Pearl that Bonnie didn’t do that and then she pushed herself when she knew she should be resting. She forced herself into that anger in her office. Hell, I’ve seen Sharon deal with much worse people and completely keep her cool, it was like she forced herself to feel that rage just so she would bring on a heart attack. And she did it knowing that the husband who loves her with all his heart, the man who only wants her by his side, who couldn’t wait to call her his wife, was watching. She did it knowing her SON was watching and would have to witness and live with watching his mother die in front of him. She did it without seeing her other two children who meant more to her than anything.  That is NOT Sharon Raydor.

Sharon Raydor was a fighter, she would have fought to stay with Andy and her children. She would not have given up at the first sign of adversity. She would have taken on the challenge of her illness and would have WON. Sharon always put family before work.

Work was never her be all end all and for Duff to change things up now and allow her to kill herself over her stupid job was just awful. It was an awful thing to do to her and it was an awful thing to do to Andy and to Rusty. Sharon just wouldn’t have done that.

So, now we come to why? Why did Duff do this? Sharon’s death was completely unnecessary. It didn’t further a plot ,it didn’t help with a storyline. Mary did not ask to leave. There was no need for it at all. In fact all it did was devastate people and make a lot of us not want to bother watching the last four episodes.  I remember saying of TNT execs “What kind of idiot cancels their number one show?  Well, now I say of Duff “What kind of idiot kills off his star, the most popular cast member on his show?”

As I said earlier in the post there were a lot better ways to end MC that would have left fans feeling good about the show and satisfied with how it ended. Killing Sharon was just purposely cruel. It was a complete betrayal of the fans who stuck by this show even when they weren’t getting what they wanted or needed from it because they hoped “one day”. It was a betrayal to the fans that Duff always lauded as amazing and loyal. It was betrayal to the fans who believed Duff when he said he was writing season six for us and that we would be satisfied by how it ends. It was a betrayal to those of us who believed him when he said he wouldn’t kill Sharon off. It was a huge colossal betrayal and a stab in the back to all of us. It was completely and utterly cruel.

Did Duff have a fallout with Mary? Is that why he wanted Sharon gone? I always got a weird vibe between him and Mary and between he and Tony when they did the Facebook chat with him. And now I know why Mary has been so silent on twitter over all the episodes, even the wedding, and how she’s only done one WWSRD and was not active in the #savemajorcrimes push. I thought it was because she’d moved on from the show but I’m thinking it’s because she was pissed with the direction it took and understood how utterly wretched we fans were going to be feeling.

Was Duff just blowing smoke out his ass when he said he wasn’t ready for MC to be over and felt he still stories to tell? Maybe he was glad the show was cancelled and knew that there would be a big #savemajorcrimes push so he decided that he would kill Sharon off and that would stop the fans from pushing other networks to take it on. I for one quit that campaign last night. I don’t want MC to continue on anymore. You can’t have MC without it’s heart, without it’s soul and that’s what Sharon Raydor was. She was the glue that held them all together.

Did Duff really hate Shandy fans and Mary fans so much he had to kill Sharon Raydor off? We all know that Rusty was his baby, his favorite, and yet he was not a fan favorite. Sharon was the fan favorite and many just wanted Rusty to GO. Mary/Shandy fans often complained because Sharon was not given great storylines that were personal to her and Shandy fans complained because their entire relationship took place off screen. Those were valid complaints. But did Duff allow his jealousy and irritation with the fans to cause him to kill Sharon off? Let’s face it fans would be FAR less upset if he killed Rusty off compared to the agonized grief all over the fandom over Sharon’s death.

Duff had such an amazing character in Sharon, a confident and complex, completely together and not neurotic mature woman and he did not know how to write that. The first couple of seasons we did see a lot of Sharon but it was all through Rusty’s eyes and it all had to do with Rusty. When that needed to move on and Sharon should have been getting her own storylines Duff didn’t bother with her anymore. He didn’t delve into her past and he didn’t give her any personal storylines. I would love to have seen things come up from her FID days or storylines with her being a woman in such a male dominated profession. He did allow her to fall in love with Andy, but never let us see any of that actually happen. We didn‘t have a clue as to the depths of the love they had for each other until this season, two years into their relationship.  I mean what great opportunities he had for some of those emotional season 6 conversations to take place over something that wasn’t her possible death. Conversations about Sharon’s “Jack baggage” and why she was so afraid to give her heart to Andy and trust him.  Conversations about how things could change at work if they started dating and it didn’t work out, conversations about Andy’s drinking and serial dating and how he was trying so hard to fill the hole in his heart .  Conversations about the letter he wrote her in the hospital that we never saw again. Instead, he allowed ageism to take over—as if he couldn’t fathom an actual romantic/sexual relationship for people in their fifties. Hell, we had to wait until season six, after they were married to have an actual reference to them having sex---and it was as doctor telling them they couldn’t have sex for a week.

The worse thing that Duff did with this ending is that he completely ruined the entire MC experience. I will never be able to rewatch all the touching Shandy scenes from the season or even the wedding, because now it’s so frakking apparent that every one of them foreshadowed her death. It wasn’t about him finally caving in and giving us some tender loving Shandy, it was him letting us know it was never going to last before he ripped out our own hearts.  I’m not sure I will even be able to watch my previous seasons on DVD and that was supposed to be the balm when this show was cancelled. I will at least save money on buying season six, no way I’m watching this shit show again.

I really feel like this was a huge frak you to the fans--you know--the ones he was supposed to be writing season six for and are now sitting with mouths agape and tears streaming from their eyes thinking how on earth could ANYONE could think that fans would be happy and satisfied with THAT ending. So, frak you Duff, you ruined Major Crimes, you ruined Sharon Radyor, you ruined Shandy and I’m done.

The only reason to continue watching would be for Andy and I just can’t. Just thinking about the depths of his grief makes me sick to my stomach. Either he will be so grief stricken it would break me or they will just have him move on as business as usual and that will piss me off even more. At least with Adama we only had that one heartbreaking scene with him at Laura’s grave talking about the cabin by the lake. It KILLED me and I’ve never watched it again--never watched Daybreak again. But to have to see Andy go on for four more episodes would really do me in. At least if they’d had Sharon die saving Rusty from Stroh in the last episode we wouldn’t have to go through four episodes of Andy without Sharon. When he clutched his heart after being told Sharon died I almost wish he’d had a heart too and went with her (Titanic ending anyone). But my main reason for not continuing is that I just don’t give a flying frak. I don’t care if Stroh gets Rusty or not. You killed off Sharon and that’s the only thing that mattered this season.

Still filled with bitterness…Still filled with anger...Still filled with sadness...When will it get better?