#and perrine's part in that song

[since-times-long-forgotten]

HOME IS WHERE I AMMMMMMMMM 🎵

[mybrainisslowlyboiling]

To be fair though, the project is so early on still the Lark's voices have been changing so much so quickly. In Harpy Hare Clemmie had a very clear and bright, high pitched voice which then changed to something nasal and whispery by Songs of Origins.

Cole's voice has gotten so much deeper too which is why I think Perrine's voice sounds so high now, they may have swapped out Cole and Perrine on that front.

Everytime I see someone addressing The Lark's line distribution they always mention how Perrine and Kingsley never sing and for Kingsley that might be true but Perrine??? Perrine has the second most lines!! More than Clemmie by far. They sing half of all their songs essentially. At least I thought so. I feel like the difference between Cole and Perrine's voices are so distinct (Perrine's is so much more smoother and melodic whilst Cole is a little more breathier and raspy I dunno it's hard to explain).

"Hazel beneath our claws..."

"Foolish dreamer, be awakened.."

And the verses in Harpy Hare are all led by Perrine! I suppose it's not necessarily confirmed but I always thought it was obvious?

Perrine sings everyone!

You can always tell it's Perrine cause it sounds like Cole but shifted a little lower and softer. Cole does not sing soft like that!

[ann1e-on-earth]

Meadowlark headcanons !! (There’s a lot.)

-Kingsley ate a cricket once and forced everyone else to eat one.

-Clémmie choked on their cricket.

-Cole threw up.

-Perrine refused to eat the cricket at first but eventually agreed to eat it and they choked as well

-Kingsley accidentally breaks bones regularly (both theirs and somebody else’s)

-Clém loves stuffed animals and has a million

-Cole drinks a lot of tea

-Since Clém loves stuffies and Cole loves tea the have tea parties together

-Perrine hates most people

-Kingsley climbs trees and will jump scare anybody walking past the tree that they’re in by hanging down from a branch like a bat and screaming at the top of their lungs

-Clém sews a lot and makes little outfits and accessories for their stuffed animals. They also repair any ripped parts of the Lark’s costumes

-Cole gets sick a LOT. It’s not because they eat dirt or don’t wash their hands or something (like Kingsley), but they just have a weak immune system

-Perrine sews as well, and they also do a lot of chores. The others offer help but they decline because they think they’re being lazy if they don’t work all the time

-Cole sometimes makes little drawings on paper while they’re composing because they get distracted (or because it helps them envision the story of the song if they’re drawing)

-Kingsley has the worst handwriting. Literally only Perrine has managed to read it

-Clémmie, however, has amazing handwriting because its mother made them learn to write in super fancy cursive as a kid

-Perrine, Cole, and Clém all like reading to themselves. Kingsley prefers being read to instead of being the one reading.

-Kingsley is 10-11

-Clémmie is 12-13

-Cole is 13

-Perrine is 13-14

-Perrine keeps their feelings to themself most of the time (because of their parents) but when its alone they just scream into a pillow

-Cole is really loud and energetic on stage but if a member of the audience comes up to them and started trying to ask questions or make conversation they panic and get extremely anxious and just nod and try not to cry

-When they’re performing Harpy Hare, Kingsley just does a little dance or cartwheels around the stage because they don’t really have any lines in the song

-Kingsley sees a bug, Cole screams to kill the bug, Perrine tries to kill the bug, Clém gets upset that they’re trying to kill the bug and brings the bug outside under a cup or something

-Clém would love dress to impress

that was a lot lol 😭

[nalebifrie]

Okay so following is a list of my notes on S3 ep.1 I took during the fan event (without what we already saw of the cold open prior)

Conclusion beforehand: I feel like everyone got their moment and the relationships also got their moments and so many things happend and I loved it

explicit show spoilers ahead obviously

Alanna, Maksim and Ihvon very efficient actually

Ihvon ...

MOIRAINE SAVES SIUAN

Lan searches for Nyneave! The hurt in his eyes when he found her <3

Mat speaking old tongue

EF5 making plans together <3

"Trial of Rhuidian" mentioned by Aviendha

Rand and Avi confrontation

Egwene, Nyneave and Elayne talking <3

Egwene has flashbacks/nightmares

The boys talking <3

Mat and Perrin saying "Selene" together :D

Verin and Moiraine conversation

Verin giving good advice

The boys are playing SNAKES AND FOXES

Perrin saying he is not a leader ...

Lanfear and Moiraine ... THE TENSION

Siuan talking to the girls and giving Elayne a last day of

Egwene REQUEST the Arches

Avilayne interaction

I love Egwene

Lan and Nyneave talking about the arches <3

Elayne doing maides hand talk!

Loial and Rand reading together <3 who better to read with than Loial

Elayne has the idea about the waste and Rands army

The river in the accepted test seems red at first

only one part of Egwenes testing (I am okay with that after thinking it would not be included at all)

Lan afraid of the forsaken, he wants to give Nyneave his second sword ?

MIADES KISS oh oh

AVILAYNE I repeat AVILAYNE

poor Egwene

Perrin also has flashbacks/nightmares of G. Bornhold

A grey man!

Nyneave and Mats conversation <3 (wisdom)

I don't like Moiraine and Lans involvement during the bubble of evil ... but Moiraine would do anything

Nyneave decides to stay at the tower to learn channeling

Lan gives Nyneave THE RING <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Mat pointing out the White Towe looks like ... lmao

Moghidian ... very disturbing but it heightens the stakes

Unfortunately I was interrupted during the "coming this season" part but I managed to see two things, don't read if you want to avoid those spoilers

Lanfear and her stone wheel in TAR/ dream world will be back, with Egwene on it

There was someone with a hat next to Elayne, might have been Thom

I'm very curious about the song with the credits

[yourdeepestfathoms]

Death is the natural end to the cycle of life. It will happen to all things, big and small.

Sometimes, though, that end comes too abruptly. Too unfairly. And it isn't right.

But there is also a balance. A scale that must always be equal.

Nothing is free. Not even a life.

--

“You, who weaves the past, and you,” they point a sharp, trembling talon at the Bellringer, “who rings the bell of the future. Together, you can fix this. Undo this.”

“Oh, my dear,” the Bellringer murmurs. “I wish we could, truly, but the dead are meant to stay—”

“They are not meant to stay!” the Croon cuts them off, their voice like the rumble of the earth about to crack open. “Perrine belongs to me. They were a part of me—connected. I felt them die. Do you know what that’s like? To feel that cord snap?”

“No,” says the Storyteller. “And we’re so terribly sorry that you had to feel that and that this had to happen, but…there is a cost. If we undo death, chaos will spread far beyond your control.”

* * *

OR: Chimera AU

--

Day 7: "It's us or them." - Magic With A Cost

[peaterookie]

Had to post this late because below is like a whole indepth analysis of this drawing + Perrin's history

Happy Birthday Perrin!!! It's really been 10 whole years... it's honestly astounding to even say this. Lil bro's so old...

Ok! if you clicked the keep reading button, expect to be here for a while, for i will be walking you through every single design and aus in this drawing and the history behind it!!

Perrin, or his old name, Peater, is a silly, bastardly little boy that has the magical powers to make people's dreams into reality. But that's just his canon lore. He also used to be a winged swordsman, a kirby with a repeater hat, and a little alien that escaped a lab. In different universes, he's a phantom thief, a god, a demon, or just a simple schoolboy!

Essentially, I use him for almost any story ideas that i find cool. He's one of the first ocs that I made and he gets involved in almost anything due to him being the favorite oc. His personality, still, has been very consistent, but you should just read his Toyhouse page if you wanna learn more because I don't want this to get any longer than it already is rn

Ok! Let's get started on the first design!!

~ Kirby Era ~

Before Perrin was a human, he was a puffball!

I used to be a huge PvZ and Kirby fan (still is) and so Perrin was born as a combination of both of those things. The general gist is that its a Kirby with a Peashooter hat. Simple enough.

The left design however, was I think another concept for Perrin that I had earlier or around the same time as Kirbypeater (this is the name for the Kirby version of Perrin) So I also considered that design a Perrin design as well. Also it's just super fucking funny because of how much it stands out. It straight up looks like a Mary Sue.

These two designs have absolutely zero lore, most of their lore will be coming with the next designs!!

2015 was honestly peak Kirbypeater era in terms of development. I drew him a LOT and gave him some personality and powers.

There were also a lot of design variations aside from these four (ignore the human one for now) most of them comes down to his bandanna color, his shoes, and whether he's wearing the repeater hat or not.

I was also a big Strikeforce Squad fan during that time so I reaally reaaally wanted him to be part of the lore and be a member lmao

You can notice that I changed the Peashooter to Repeater, which is my favorite plant in pvz. Around the end I changed it to Primal Peashooter, but that change was something I ended up not approving of in the future.

The katana is inspired by Zoro from One Piece, which is my fav OP character. His swordsman skill came extremely early on. The green hair guy (the one that got hit by the pea) is just mid 2015 Kirbypeater without the hat. Sometimes he has black hair however, which hairstyle was based off of Len Kagamine/Glutamine (the utaite)

~ 2016 - 2017 ~ The Blue Bitch Era

Sadly, the Kirbypeater era has now come to an end, because shortly after 2015, I decided to transition from drawing little funny kirby creatures to little funny boys.

Okay, let's go back to the guy riding the roadroller, because that was Perrin's first human design !!

The roadroller was a reference to this vocaloid song, if you didn't know already.

The first human design takes the black hair design from Kirbypeater, and the sweater was clearly inspired from my Undertale obsession back then 😔 little did he know that sweater was gonna stay for so damn long...

The part that did not stay long however were the green eyes and the black hair, that drawing was mostly a proof of concept only and didn't really reflect on what he'd become later.

ngl, this drawing is pretty damn good for a first time. I think i really didn't want to screw up back then.

THEN OUT OF NOWHERE?? HIS SWEATER THEN TURNED BLUE!!

I call this little era the blue bitch era because the sweater he wore turned blue for no damn reason, like no, you're suppose to be green, not blue... the disappointment i hold is immense right now.

Other than the blue, his iconic green hair first appeared during this time!! I also changed his eyes to brown, maybe as a way to make his design more grounded to real life? at least i think thats what little me was going at.

The second picture is the first AU i made for Perrin, based off of my playthrough of Pokemon Crystal where I named my pokemon after my Sony Sketch friends (hence Pokesketch.) Perrin would be the trainer and yeah.

I have no fucking idea what I was cooking for the third reference sheet, I think i wanted to imitate the ref sheet style a friend had and ended up making something INSANELY cringe. the undertale fan stink radiates off of that drawing and you guys are free to make fun of it as much as you want.

alright!! now its this fucker!!

this design was made as a sort of inside joke between my friends one day, where all of us just decided to have the same profile pic and name as this one other friend. the pfp (center) was of their ink sans oc and it was fucking funny as hell

it lasted like one day but i think that design is too good to not include in the art piece. you can see him fighting the chara perrin guy as a little nod to their similar inspirations #iloveundertale

~ 2018 - 2019 ~ Ninja Perrin makes an appearance ! Also these weird guys are here for some reason.

This era is kinda weird because there's nothing really stands out in terms of changes. But that's ok! Life isn't always just bumps and... idk where i was going with that uh anyways NINJA PERRIN

his swordsman ass is back again and now as a funny ninja guy!! honestly i cant recall lore wise why he was a ninja but i think it mightve been based off of naruto (i dont even watch naruto) also wow look guys his sweater finally stopped being blue! and now he has shorts!!!

also scratch that entire part about me saying there wasnt any significant changes because there was a time where i almost made perrin's hair NOT GREEN. that's right. absolutely BLASPHEMOUS. i shouldve been pelted with rocks for even considering such things.

but being real, i think a part of me back then felt? insecure about the fact that perrin's hair was an unnatural color for a while? green especially was not a common color to use back then so i felt like people didn't like him for that reason so i changed it to brown for a while to see if i liked it. uh spoiler alert i didnt and i changed it a month later i believe.

dude wait until 2019 peater sees gon from hxh

also you might be wondering why i only drew mid 2019 perrin wearing the ninja outfit and not early 2018. that is because that one drawing of ninja perrin from 2019 got meme'd to fucking DEATH by my friend because it had a funny face. i was forever scarred and so i decided to draw it as a funny reminder of that time.

oh yeah christmas tree peater. yeah bro.

moving on, here's the collection of weird perrins from this time.

the first is art i drew for art fight 2019, where I drew perrin with outfit themed with the team i joined which was team dream. i fucking lost horrendously that year. if i had a team i regretted joining it was team dream

next is!!! these four fucks!!!

these little guys are what was supposed to be representing peater's main personality traits, i made designs for them then that was it i did nothing with them. they were kinda dumb anyway

hopefully one of you guys know that thomas sander series with the four personality traits because that was what inspired these :smill:

and yknow what? I should probably cover all of the christmas perrins all in a row because getting rid of all of them rn would better fit the writing flow better-

oh. there's a picture limit. god fucking damn!!! see you later then!!!

Second Part

[yourlocalmuppetsfanx3]

This isn't cannon. This is just a theory!

So, like, are the songs in the album Hayfields dedicated to the Harkers? I know that the Larkers are dedicated to them, but I've been listening to the songs a lot, and I'm wondering if there's a connection.

I don't know if maybe this has already been confirmed and I'm maybe just a little stupid, but here's some of my thoughts anyway!

Neath the grove is a heart:

First off the bat, I think 'Neath the grove is a heart' is dedicated to the bellringer. I think this is seen in both the fact that it has the tune of 'Harpy Hare' in it - which I think is dedicated to the storyteller, which is (as far as I'm aware) the bellringer's significant other - and the fact that bells can be heard in the background of the song, you can hear this the best from 2:43 onwards. Also, the lyrics "will you stay and tell a tale" perhaps being directed at the storyteller may also back this up.

Harpy Hare:

Harpy Hare is definitely much harder to explain and is heavily just based on the fact that I think 'Neath the grove is a heart' is dedicated to the bellringer. It's more of a shot in the dark, you could say. Of course, the fact 'Hare' is in the title could be connected to Cole, who represents the storyteller, but again, that's kind of flimsy evidence. This one's more just based on a feeling.

And the hound:

I think 'And the hound' is dedicated to the Croon. This is more so found through the repeated lyrics of "The hound is humming.." As in Harpy Hare, we can see that Perrine, who represents the Croon, hums instead of sings for the most part. Maybe humming in general might represent the Croon. Furthermore, there is a lyric in 'And the hound' where they say, "Hear me here, listen to Croons and a calling" but this is flimsy evidence and may just be a coincidence in the lyrics, since Harpy Hare is referenced and the word Kindling is used near the beginning.

Hartebeest:

'Hartebeest' is the last one to cover, and that means I believe it represents the enkindled. This, of course, is also very flimsy. I think it's thrown off by the fact that "little rabbit" is a repeated lyric, and we know Cole wears a rabbit mask. But the song itself starts and finishes with the sound of nature, which I'm pretty sure is what Kingsley's mask is meant to represent.

There's no confirmation on any of this (as far as I'm aware) so this is all just some fun theories, please don't take it too seriously. For all I know each album could be dedicated to just one of the harkers, this is only the start of Yaelorke's project after all.

[medea10]

Medea Played Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, The DLC’s (Part III)

Just because the main story is over, doesn't mean you have to stop playing the game.

Once you get back from your adventure in Area Zero, Briar has quickly written a book about the ordeal.

An apology for doing absolutely fuck-all when Terapagos was kicking all of our asses and for not controlling Kieran. Fuck no and fuck you.

Actually, you don't have to keep it for long. In Kitakami, go to the Crystal Pond, have Terapagos, and watch as things make no sense.

That's right. A mist comes through and you meet with the professor. You have an in-depth chat about things and in the end, you exchange Briar's book for the Scarlet Book. Everything comes back around full-circle. Back at the school...

Go to Amarys and she'll feed Koraidon/Miraidon a supplement that'll make him fly now.

No, she still doesn't call them by their actual name.

Outside the school, you can meet Mr. Snacksworth. A man who has apparently met nearly every legendary (except Dialga and Palkia) and has crafted snacks for each one.

Once you capture 200 pokemon for your Blueberry pokedex, go to Perrin for a special quest in Area Zero. However, after you complete the request Perrin only gives you a Park ball. You know, the balls you use at the National Park in Johto.

In the clubroom, you can spend those BP's on the item printer, throwing styles, or changing the music.

Cute choices and all, but might I suggest some better songs?

*Mt. Pyre

*Route 27

*Route 44

*The three lakes in Sinnoh

*Lavender Town

Just to name a few.

And of course, you can invite coaches to the club room. Invite two certain coaches at the same time and they might strike up a conversation and you might learn something. Here are some of the things I learned.

*Katy was the one who gave Kofu the Venonat wallet

*Grusha was a fan of Iono's back when she first started streaming

*Nemona knows Lacey from a party a few years prior and gave us confirmation by saying her father Clay's name

*Poppy is nine-years old

*Hassel knows Drayton and his granddad

*Clavell thinks Mr. Jacq-strap is a total slob

*Drayton is a total dick to Kieran long-after the incident

*A lot of the gym leaders are a bit resentful towards Geeta

Let's not forget the gifts and trades! After you battle the coaches, you get a gift. The first time, you might get cool stuff like phone cases, Drayden's black tracksuit, and...

Clive's wig? I look so dead inside.

Invite everyone on the list at least 3 times and trade with all of them will allow you to invite the mystery person named Saffron. That person of course is Cyrano, the director of Blueberry Academy. Defeat him in battle and he'll trade you his Shiny Blitzle.

Let's return to Uva academy and help Team Star.

I got major whiplash seeing Eri here.

Giacomo and Eri ask you for help in tutoring the other Team Star members and hide it from Penny too. It didn't go as planned, but there was a happy conclusion. Plus, you get some new outfits in the process.

This leads to Atticus being grateful for the help that he makes his own garment knock-offs to be bidded on.

Many of these items you might recognize from past games like shoes from Aether, helmets from ORAS, and another reminder of Ball Guy's existence from Sword/Shield. Getting all the items are very costly with most auctions costing as much as 365,000 wing-wangs.

And now, let's get to the Mochi Mayhem.

First of all, you must get this mythical pecha berry from the mystery gift. Once you get it, go to Peachy's store in Kitakami. You notice a certain pink object move and then Arven calls asking to stop by your home. Next thing you know, the object is gone.

Back home, Nemona and Penny joined Arven. There, you also get a letter from Kieran asking for you and your friends to come to Kitakami. He's using snail-mail due to not having a smart-Rotom phone. Before we leave, we learn something about Penny.

Her father used the word "Adven-tour". So it's a good chance that her father is Peony. Which means her sister is Peonia. Which means her uncle is Chairman Rose. I have so many questions and this is the only time we hear about Penny's papa. Once we're in Kitakami, we're greeted with a familiar face.

Kieran is a meek cinnamon roll again. I guess the answer all along was to have him battle with Nemona. Nemona beat the pants off this boy but also had him enjoy himself.

Unfortunately, there is something wonky going on in Kitakami. Carmine has been acting weird. And...um, how do I go about this?

She flaps like a chicken and says the word "Mochi" over and over.

With Carmine acting strangely, there's only one thing to do.

I am...just wow.

After this idiocy, we step outside and it turns into a cliche horror film trope.

Everyone in the town is slowly turning into these flapping, mochi-munchers.

Even Kieran's grandparents get hit with this mochi-demic.

Also, not helping in my suspicions on these two being Jessie and James. I know that's not their names, but Gramps battles you with Arbok and Weezing.

Back at Peachy's, we find the mystery pokemon causing this trouble. But it winds up shooting mochi at us.

Penny and Arven eat up. I avoided it. And Kieran got conked on the head with it. And before you can say, "Mochi, Mochi"...

They were under the mochi spell.

Before you know it, the entire place is surrounded by moch-ombies.

It's just that Nemona is too hard to possess fully.

Once you beat Nemona, you have to fight Peacharunt and catch it.

And those are the DLC's.

The Teal Mask was just okay. I think the only thing I really liked was just Ogerpon and the ability to catch some of my favorite pokemon.

The Indigo Disk, I was actually surprised by. The fact that you couldn't play that one until you've finished Teal Mask and the main game in total meant some major stuff was going to go down. Plus, the battles are a lot harder than normal.

Mochi Mayhem was cute. It reminded me of some of those events for legendaries like the ones in R/S/E or the Victini one in B/W. I'm glad that we got an event pokemon through mystery gift. Something I wish we could have had with Zarude back in gen 8 instead of that bullshit joining a newsletter or something stupid.

So...I suppose this is the end of Scarlet and Violet. Unless we get more mystery gift surprises, this is probably it. I am a little upset that there isn't a battle tower like in previous games. And more important, Pokemon Horizons is going to go off and do it's own thing, not attaching it to the game whatsoever. We'll see what happens at the end of February as Pokemon Day always arrives with huge news in the games department.

And that was Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

[butterflydm]

wheel of time s2 trailer

First: Aaah!

Okay, spoilers below -- casting spoilers and what we know about S2 and spoilers through The Dragon Reborn in the books.

First impression is that everything looks amazing and I am so excited! But before I watch anyone else's reactions, I want to break my thoughts down for myself on what all the moments that we saw might mean:

okay, first: I love this song (Control) and this edit of it is very haunting and good. Nice choice, really works.

We open with Moiraine in Foregate (looking for Rand, I assume). In her severe and fancy Cairhiein duds. "Everyone has a choice."

So it looks like Moiraine and Rand are going to make a stop at Tar Valon/the White Tower? Because there's this shot here of a blue dress in the White Tower. We see later in the trailer that Rand is in his fancy clothes when he's here, so it would be later in the season -- would it be after the girls have already left/been tricked to leave or are we going to get a Rand-Egwene-Nynaeve reunion (Randlayne meeting? Cauthor reunion?).

Moiraine being Sad in the bath -- heartbreaking but we already saw part of this in the teaser, so I'll move on. "And every choice has a consequence."

Rand in a desert-y area in his Fancy Clothes, so this is maybe their approach to Falme?

"We didn't defeat the Dark One; we set him free." Heartbreaking! I mean, I already knew that, but poor Moiraine. We have her hiding from a Fade. I think this might have been in the trailer too.

Ishy looks good. And he disappears real fast. In TAR or was he using something spoilery there that only he at this point has access to?

We have Egwene in an underground chamber doing some weaves. Is she being watched by Liandrin or is that a deceptive cut to Liandrin there?

Brief look at the Darkfriend social. "No one should have that much power."

Nynaeve looking at Alanna, I think. This was in the teaser photos that were released yesterday. Working in the kitchens. Since Alanna maybe doesn't know anything about Rand at this point (maybe...) then she might be being nosy about Nynaeve specifically.

Ishy doing some channeling (air?). And we get a more full introduction to probably-Lanfear coming out of her blood pool vibes.

Seanchan attacking a poor village via the damane. Might be when Perrin & co encounter them?

13. A door being opened up. A vault/secured door of some kind? Ah, it looks like it's the entrance to the Testing chamber and this is probably when Nynaeve is doing her Accepted testing.

14. Perrin riding down a mountain -- this was in the teaser trailer. But he looks good!

15. "Together we face the impossible. But now we're in our separate corners of the world." Rand protectively cuddles Lanfear, likely going by the name Selene. Looks like he's still in more rough traveling clothes at this point and not in his fancy clothes yet. VERY INTRIGUED by Selene wearing blue and not white. Deliberately linking her to Moiraine?

16. Rand walks down a hallway.

17. Lightning lights up a city and Lan rides on a horse in the dark. "Protecting Rand, guiding him, that is the only thing that matters!" Moiraine says to Lan, and we cut to Siuan in her fancy clothes saying, "You can't control him." Talking to Moiraine?

18. Rand wakes up maybe? Already using the Power (fire?). Is this the same scene where he pushes Moiraine up against a wall? Guessing it's after he's separated from 'Selene'.

19. Perrin looking a wolf. "You know you have something inside you." Sounds like they might do some paralleling with Perrin-wolfbrother and Rand-channeler.

20. Rand (air helping him?) pushes Moiraine up against a wall, looking kinda angry.

21. Egwene captured. You can see what a fight she put up. Her cheek is very bloody and her eyes are bloodshot too.

22. Nynaeve is in her shift, covered in blood. Part of the Accepted test?

23. Mat is staring at the dagger. Dagger is on a fancy table, Mat is still in his Two Rivers clothes. He feels the temptation. Is this part of what happens in his plotline with Liandrin? "Something that calls for blood." Yeah, they're connecting all the Emond's Field mains with this idea in the trailer.

24. "I want to know how to control it," Rand says, and we see the Power swirling around him (I don't see the taint -- is Lanfear channeling here?) as Lanfear stands behind him. He's just in a simple shirt, so I think it's earlier in the season.

25. Rand is talking to Logain here, which another sign that Rand is going to be in the White Tower, since that's where Logain is being kept prisoner. Both of them are wearing blue.

26. "The Last Battle's coming," Moiraine says, as we look at the Seanchan dominating a village and forcing them down. We can see Suroth up on a huge platform (mobile throne) and then we get a close-up to see that she's hanging with Ishy and her Voice. The Seanchan design that the show came up with is AMAZING. I've said it before and I'm sure that I'll say it again.

27. Turak opens the box holding the Horn of Valere (though we don't see the Horn yet) and says, "The whole world will be ours". Interestingly, he's not wearing the face mask but he definitely has the nails.

28. The Seanchan attack Egwene & Elayne via damane. I can't tell here if Egwene has been captured and that's what her look of defiance is about or if she's still fighting back at this point. It looks like a burst of power comes from here, so this could be her fighting back.

29. There's an explosion but it looks like this is a Nynaeve scene -- she's back to wearing Two Rivers clothes so I'm guessing this is part of her Testing. Yeah, the style of the building looks like it matches the Two Rivers.

30. Whitecloaks riding horses fades to Liandrin (in the White Tower) looks at... is that the place they melt old & reforge new Aes Sedai rings?

31. Perrin plays with a little girl. Maybe a cute moment before the Seanchan arrive?

32. Siuaraine kiss! Both of them wearing blue. Reunion in the White Tower (when she brings Rand?) or a flashback? Siuan looks very casual here.

33. Egwene hugs Nynaeve. It looks like Egwene is already dressed in her novice whites while Nynaeve is still wearing Two Rivers clothes.

34. More of Nynaeve's Accepted Testing.

35. "If our friends are in trouble why would I ever stay here." Egwene is talking to Elayne, who looks a bit dusty and thoughtful.

36. Moiraine strides out of a doorway. We get the "no conception of the power they wield", which was in the teaser. Brief shot of Lan on his horse, then we hear him say, "You can't do this by yourself."

27. Aviendha veiling up and fighting some Whitecloaks! Perrin is there. Guessing this is when he/we first meet her.

28. "There are many paths to walk through the night," Moiraine says. I think that's a shot of Liandrin (maybe going to meet Fain?).

29. "It's not always the most powerful who write history," we hear over a shot of shirtless Rand.

30. Nynaeve comes back through the Testing Doorway, covered in blood.

31. Perrin killing a Whitecloak with white hair.

32. Egwene screaming in the damane collar.

33. Rand bound to the wheel in the desert (almost certainly TAR).

34. "It's the ones who survive". And we see here that this is Liandrin speaking.

35. Rand in a plaza in Falme! Fancy clothes partially hidden under a cloak, sword on his back. Looks like this is his confrontation with Turak. We hear him say, "I'm tried of being a spoke in the wheel."

36. We get a pull-out shot of him in the desert on the wheel and it looks like he has an audience, someone in front of him. Maybe Ishy? It pulls away much too fast for me to see.

37. Rand runs someone through with a sword of fire, it looks like? Mat stabs someone (still in his Two Rivers clothes). Is that a regular spear that he's using? There's an explosion -- in Falme? Or in Cairhien?

38. "You're not a spoke, boy," Siuan says to Rand (!). Are they in Tar Valon or did Siuan come to Cairhien? I am not certain from the trailer. There are certain things that indicate they go to Tar Valon but nothing definitive, I think? So it could be that Siuan comes to Cairhien. Because that earlier Siuaraine scene could be when she's dropping off Egwene & Nynaeve or it could be a flashback. "You are the water that turns the Wheel itself."

Wow that was a lot! Okay, I'm going to see what other people think now.

[potatoesandsunshine]

guess what...its me again. one from your skin, wearing thin - these two fics of yours have like got INTO my brain. yeah i havent seen the source material but i trust you. theres something soooo compelling and ive been trying to get into this kind of weird strange dance of people who kind of hate each other and kind of love each other and both are true and neither is true and yeah i do keep coming back and reading these two bc it kind of exemplifies the form 2 me. cant believe i haven't yet kudosed on ao3. well here is an extra kudos for u. there is a line in my finduilas/denethor/thorongil fic that is a LITTLE bit along these lines and. yeah. i hope that isnt weird and is more the being in conversation across wildly different circumstances that it is in my mind. anyway much love

Perrin glares at him, and Tay reaches forward and rights the wilting geraniums that frame his face. And then, as he goes to pull away, a warm hand clamps around his wrist. Uncontrollable is the wrong word—fury in his eyes, and his fingers tight against Tay’s skin, Perrin is wildly alive. It is not even a surprise when he tugs Tay close and presses a hot kiss to his mouth, in his fiancée’s garden on his wedding day. And maybe it is the wine; or the terrible feeling that the days of their youth are now behind them, to be brought out from behind glass and examined like artifacts before being returned there; or that they are so near Midwinter, and desperate to drive away the dark; or the way Perrin will be Mon’s, soon, and if he kisses her after kissing Tay it is almost as though Tay will be present in the act—whatever the reason, Tay kisses him back for far too long. When they part, Perrin turns away with a stormy look while Tay leans back, panting a little, staring up into the purpling sky. The sun has set. The ceremony will be soon. He dances with Mon during the reception. Tay bows over her hand with a smile as they part after a single song, excruciatingly proper, and proceeds back to his well-appointed guest room to drink himself stupid.

i don’t think it’s weird at all actually i’m super honored and happy that you think of this in conversation with your own writing :) us both working on our triad stories is parallel play to me

Perrin glares at him, and Tay reaches forward and rights the wilting geraniums that frame his face.

okay so i had a rule that i wasn’t going to open the wiki for any star wars thing and i broke that immediately; thankfully, due to The Disney Of It All (this might be directly because of the starcruiser hotel project?) canonically chandrila does have geraniums. i wanted a little bit of flora and fauna, i found my little bit of flora and fauna. and it was soooo funny to imagine young perrin in a flower crown.

And then, as he goes to pull away, a warm hand clamps around his wrist. Uncontrollable is the wrong word—fury in his eyes, and his fingers tight against Tay’s skin, Perrin is wildly alive. It is not even a surprise when he tugs Tay close and presses a hot kiss to his mouth, in his fiancée’s garden on his wedding day. this fic also had to establish that perrin is attractive. tay finds him very very appealing; bad taste personality wise, but it’s like... their lives are so constrained, meeting someone who wants to make you bleed and doesn’t care how he gets there feels like a revelation. this particular passage owes a little bit to off to the races by lana del rey: Because I'm crazy, baby / I need you to come here and save me / I'm your little scarlet, starlet, singin' in the garden / Kiss me on my open mouth. make bad choices. kiss your fiancee’s almost-lover in her backyard on your wedding day. perrin is great because he’s a catalyst for sooooo much stuff that happens with these three. he’s the one willing to say ‘no, fuck this, i’m taking what i want’.

And maybe it is the wine; or the terrible feeling that the days of their youth are now behind them, to be brought out from behind glass and examined like artifacts before being returned there; or that they are so near Midwinter, and desperate to drive away the dark; or the way Perrin will be Mon’s, soon, and if he kisses her after kissing Tay it is almost as though Tay will be present in the act—whatever the reason, Tay kisses him back for far too long.

it’s like this. if this was a fantasy setting and for some reason they needed someone to witness the consummation of the marriage from behind a curtain, tay would kill to be that man. he’s not somehow apart from this situation; all three of these characters are actors, none are victims. and hell, growing up is so terrible for them. they’re all way too young to be expected to be adults. ‘the days of their youth are now behind them’ and tay is the oldest and he’s like seventeen in this scene. it’s fucked. throw the whole chandrila away.

When they part, Perrin turns away with a stormy look while Tay leans back, panting a little, staring up into the purpling sky. The sun has set. The ceremony will be soon.

tay gets to have his ‘i’m being swept away’ romance novel protagonist moment. that’s a fun treat for him. this little rebellion from perrin wasn’t a decisive move that changed history; he’s still going to get married in an hour. it’s not that it was futile, but it only served to give him his first bit of ammunition against mon—very ‘i kissed your boyfriend and you never got to’.

He dances with Mon during the reception. Tay bows over her hand with a smile as they part after a single song, excruciatingly proper, and proceeds back to his well-appointed guest room to drink himself stupid.

again, tay isn’t going to break into their room. he’s not going to climb up to the balcony! he’s going to mope around like a sad dog about it, then see them in twenty years and then wreck his life and maybe die. he’s very doomed. i know you haven’t seen the show but i am convinced he is going to die.

thanks again!!!!!!!!

[serenemydeeer]

There has a deer. With a brave heart and a flaming fear. A precious deer. Oh, little deer

Serene is a hybrid between human and deer. They are approximately 35 years old. The sweet baker of the village, with a brave heart and an incredible sensibility. She has an incredible sense of motherhood, that she enjoys sharing with the little ones.

She’s the adoptive parent of Perrine, their relationship is kind of complicated, Perrine has some trust issues, but serene, embracing their name, took everything with calm and patience. Serene adores Perrine. She is very protective of them, and she gives Perrine a pet moose called hazelnut.

she´s also a foster mother, so in their house is so common see Childs. She lives near to the forest and knows every single lark in different circumstances. Her ways of show affection are subtle things like peel fruits, hugs, and a bunch of other things.

Serene is a strong woman, that, even being a deer, never doubt of defend the people that they consider need to.

some fun facts: serene knows Marlowe, and adore them, usually bakes them oat cookies. They have a deep connection. Serene has a partner (I’m still imagine them) Perrine invites serene one time to a lark show because they want to sing her a song (the song was love love love by the oh hellos) Talking about the lark, serene never forces Perrine to be part of their life, that includes knowing the lark. She eventually knows them. And ofc serene knows about the other perrine name but she ask them in what way she can refer them, and that’s why she always refer perrine as perrine (xd)

[diamondcrownacademy]

DCA Info Part 34: Meet Perrine Bousquet 🐸

Perrine Bousquet (ペリーヌ・ブスケ, Perīnu Busuke) is the dorm leader of Lagniappe. She's a cheerful young lady and very skilled cook who’s food can bring a smile to anyone's face. She's also known to experiment with various flavors and ingredients.

History

Perrine was born and raised in Marshland Port. She is the second eldest daughter of Elva and Jeremiah Bousquet, the younger sister of Theodore Bousquet, the older sister of Ida and Dixie Bousquet and the granddaughter of Hattie Bousquet.

She and her family used to live in poverty until her parents decided to start up a catering business. Words of praise quickly spread about the Bousquet family's cooking, which in turn resulted in them gaining the funds to open a restaurant. This eventually inspired others to start their own businesses too. Their community became a popular tourist spot because of the shops and restaurants that are connected to the houses.

However, with business comes rivalries, and rather nasty ones at that. After Theodore became the new owner of their family's restaurant following his parents retirement, a restaurant owned by a rich but greedy company opened up across the street from the Bousquet's and the owners frequently began to harass the family, even threatening an impossible debt on them. This makes Perrine fearful as she doesn't want to lose the community she cherishes so dearly.

Personality

Perrine is a cheerful and happy-go-lucky young lady who harbors a deep passion for cooking and is always open to trying new foods.

She is a hardworker but doesn't ask for help even when it gets tough, as she feels like she's not capable if others see her struggling, which is a bad habit of hers.

Appearance

Perrine is a young lady in her late teens. She has brown skin, green eyes and pale peach orange hair that's commonly worn in a bun.

2020 School Uniform

In her first school uniform, Perrine wore a green dress shirt underneath a light green peplum blazer with pale yellow green trim, a bow near the bottom of the blazer, two gray gem buttons on each side, and green cuffs with the same gem buttons as before. She also wears a two layered skirt, with the first layer being dark green with clover patterns on it and the second one being light green with various yellow green spots. For footwear, Perrine sports a pair of gold heels, that appear to be a fusion of kitten heels and mary janes, with light green soles and light green ruffles within.

Perrine accessorizes with a silver tiara with the center part being triangular and has a green oval shaped gem on top, while the sides of the tiara are swirled, behind the tiara is a crown of leaves and she has a gold ribbon wrapped around her bun. Other accessories include a yellow bow necktie with her brooch and a pair of black leggings.

2021 School Uniform

Like many others, Perrine revived some cosmetic adjustments to her design, though they're fairly minor.

Perrine's hair is now in a high bun and her bangs have a slight curl to them. The only major cosmetic adjustment is the skirt, the first layer is now transparent and turquoise in color while the second layer is a solid green. She also accessorizes with a pair of silver pearl earrings.

School Statistics

Perrine is a 17 year old 2nd year student. She is classified as Student #7 and is in Class 2-E. She is a member of the Roleplay Game Club and her best subject is Party Hosting. Her favorite school subject is Music due to the fact that her hometown always has music playing so she grew up with it as well as it being a nice reminder of home. Her least favorite school subject is Magic History because she has trouble with knowing when the events occurred and she keeps miswording the names, if it's not common knowledge like the great seven or the princesses.

For her idol performances, Perrine has a very strong voice that can capture an audience with how upbeat and loud it sounds. Sings pop and song covers from musicals.

For her choreography, Perrine favors jazz dances with a mix of street dance. There's a lot of light shows whenever she performs.

Relationships

Family

Perrine has a good relationship with her family and greatly follows their mottos of hard work and sharing pride of accomplishments with others.

Pet

Perrine has a pet tomato frog named Big Tom. He's an unusually big frog who looks like he's staring at your soul which might unnerve people. He often is on Perrine's shoulder or head.

Fellow Students

Perrine is known to go ingredient searching with both Cerule and Elu, though the former does question her tastes.

Night Raven College Students

Perrine is shown to have a close relationship with Ruggie, who is very fond of her cooking and she even personally delivers food she made just for him. She's also shown to cook alongside Trey.

Romance

Perrine would love someone who she could dance to jazz with but also she wants someone who is family oriented. Someone who cherishes their family like she does.

Powers and Abilities

• Magic: Much like her fellow students, Perrine can use magic. She mostly learns spells used for cooking so she has a great control in heat and cooling magic. It's a spectacle to watch her cook with magic.

• Culinary Skills: Perrine is known to greatly excel at cooking. She even has a talent for quick cooking.

• Strength and Stamina: Perrine surprisingly displays a vast amount of strength and stamina, often carrying heavy loads with little difficulty.

• Animal Taming: Due to growing up near a bayou, Perrine has a talent for taming dangerous animals, especially reptiles.

Unique Magic

Perrine's unique magic is called "Dancing Dolls" (小さな蛙の行進/ダンシング・ドール, Danshingu Dōru; lit. "March of the Little Frogs"). She can summon little dolls that follow her command. She mostly uses them to help in the kitchen.

Voice

According to her bio, Perrine would be voiced by Yūki Takada, who is known for her roles as Rin Kurosawa in Aikatsu! and Aoba Suzukaze in the 2016 anime television series New Game!

Trivia

• Her birthday is on December 25th, making her a Capricorn.

• She is 164 cm tall.

• Her favorite food is Beignets while her least favorite food are Frog Legs. She dislikes it when food is cooked wrong and messing with occult stuff.

• She enjoys playing jazz instruments.

• Her preferred Styling Jewel Outfit Styles are Classical, Quirky and Cool.

• For her casual attire, Perrine would mostly wear one piece dresses with a bolero jacket and some low heeled shoes.

• Her favorite colors are Blue and Magenta.

• She is dubbed "Little Catfish" (ナマズちゃん, Namazu-chan) by Floyd due to catfish residing in wetlands much like Perrine's homeland. They're additionally freshwater fish and is likely a reference to "Down in New Orleans", the main theme of The Princess and the Frog.

• Perrine enjoys playing jazz and experimenting with recipes in her spare time.

• Perrine’s Overblot would occur if her family business and other stores are threatened by rich business owners and are done dirty by having an impossible debt thrown on them.

• Perrine would be a restaurant manager in the future.

• Perrine loves all kinds of desserts but she especially loves ones with powdered sugar.

• Perrine would maybe smell like something that reminds her of the spices she uses.

• Her signature scent would be savory smells that stuck to her from the kitchen.

• Perrine fears losing her community. She doesn’t want to see the neighbors who have family-owned businesses that have become close with her family, leave because of some rich investor’s greed.

• Perrine keeps bottles and containers of spice in her room the smell is kind of overwhelming to those who are not used to smelling spices, Jinlong and Vidya are the only ones who can stay in her room longer because they're used to the smell back at home.

[liptonrm]

WoT episode three. Let's do this.

Nynaeve you are my everything.

Oh wait, is this the part where Zoe kept on out-running the cameras? Good stuff.

It's interesting how adaptations works. The sacred pool in the Two Rivers is an excellent mirror for the Eye of the World from the books (in this case a well of saidar rather than saidin). It's also in the pool where we see Nynaeve really battle evil for the first time and kick evil's ass.

It also mirrors what happens to Nynaeve at the end of the first book, without extraneous Forsaken and gross attempted rape.

The Dragon's Fang in the water is such a great touch.

The hair flip! Hot damn I love Nynaeve al'Meara.

"That's not how roads work." One of season one's most iconic lines.

Wolves are howling in the distance? I guess Perrin's around.

They're just, they're all friends, you know? They care about each other, they support each other, they call each other dumbasses (affectionate AND derogatory). I'm just having a lot of Feelings about Them.

Another quick book comparison. I recently re-read EotW and was really disappointed with the bits where Egwene and Perrin are separated from the group. At that point, RJ didn't have a really good idea of who Egwene was. And Perrin was written like a ginormous ass. Plus, the undercurrent of "Men think women are mysterious and women think men are stupid" that would permeate the rest of the series really reared its head for the first time.

Anyway, I like the show version a whole lot more.

Nynaeve gathering herbs my beloved.

Perrin, Perrin, Perrin. They wolves aren't trying to hurt you. They're trying to help you.

I love cowboy rockstar Thom Merrillin. Also this song is another banger.

Dana is such a good character. Such a great way to start off the series' true philosophical discussion.

Lan already has Nynaeve's number. Love that for them.

Maria Doyle Kennedy makes every show better. That's just science.

A little Aiel 101. I'm sure we'll never need this information at any point in the future.

This really is the Mat Studies episode. It's all about the contradictions with that one.

[apocalypticavolition]

Let's (re)Read The Eye of the World! Chapter 42: Remembrance of Dreams

Rest easy, child. Moiraine is keeping you safe from the spoilers. This post is filled with spoilers for the whole of The Wheel of Time series and I am trying to get them stabbed into you, but you can avoid your fate! Just block the tags! Leave this post! Read the damn books or whatever! And don't blame me if you see spoilers from here on out.

This chapter's icon is the ravens, a way of representing the Shadow that the gang is desperately trying to find a way to escape. Luckily, there's nothing really going on to threaten them in this chapter.

He took five steps into the library before he realized that everyone else had stopped, crowded together in the doorway, openmouthed and goggling. A brisk blaze crackled in the fireplace, and Loial was sprawled on the long couch, reading, a small black cat with white feet curled and half asleep on his stomach. When they entered he closed the book with a huge finger marking his place and gently set the cat on the floor, then stood to bow formally.

Aww, Loial snuggles with kitties too. This book doesn't have enough kitty snuggles, there should have been one in literally every chapter.

(Also it's cute that Rand forgets how unusual Ogiers are from everyone else's perspective because he's just that buddy-buddy with Loial already. Rand's a good friend.)

Loial liked to talk, and talk at length when he had the slightest chance, though he usually seemed to think a story needed two or three hundred years of background to make it understood. His sense of time was very strange; to him three hundred years seemed a reasonable length of time for a story or explanation to cover.

To an Ogier, this is only providing a decade or so of context, which isn't anywhere near as much.

“You always were crazy,” Perrin said, and for a moment he, too, sounded as of old. “No,” Nynaeve said. Tears made her eyes bright, but she was smiling. “None of us blames you.”

Dammit people, more hugs! Hug Mat! Hug Moiraine! Hug Loial especially and then tell me how fluffy it was.

“Yes,” Moiraine said quietly, “he still has the dagger.” The laughter and talk was still going on among the rest of the Emond’s Field folk, but she had noticed his sudden intake of breath and had seen what had caused it. She moved closer to his chair, where she did not have to raise her voice for him to hear clearly.

Rand again shows he's the overall cleverest of the group in that he notices what's up right away, and Moiraine briefly flirts with being the kind of assistant to Rand that she should be by telling him the facts straight out. See how well you two get along in this conversation, Moiraine? All of your conversations could have been like that!

Rand made a sound, and Moiraine raised an eyebrow at him. “I thought they were looking for Mat and me,” he said.

Rand's reacting to Moiraine's infodumping, which again shows just how great a team they are when Moiraine is providing all the facts instead of trying to manipulate them! This sequence is really good in the trust she offers to everyone and it's a shame she reverts to her old habits again by the second book. I blame Siuan showing up, it made her feel young again.

“That’s what I always say,” Mat said blandly, though he was suddenly grinning hard, and Egwene asked in a decidedly neutral voice, “Who’s Elayne?”

Egwene, you spent several weeks dancing with the hottest boy you could find. You don't get to be pissy about Rand interacting with another girl. It's just annoyingly hypocritical and we are leaving the part of the book where romantic misunderstandings are fun.

I met some Tuatha’an a few years back, and they wanted to learn the songs we sing to trees. Actually, the trees won’t listen to very many anymore, and so not many Ogier learn the songs. I have a scrap of that Talent, so Elder Arent insisted I learn. I taught the Tuatha’an what they could learn, but the trees never listen to humans. For the Traveling People they were only songs, and just as well received for that, since none was the song they seek.

Please internalize this, WoT fandom. The Tuatha'an aren't stupid, they're well aware of the Ogier songs, and the Ogier songs aren't what they're looking for. No song is actually what they're looking for, but the Ogier songs can't even be sung properly by people so there's no match here at all.

“That’s what the Tinkers told us,” Perrin said. “Yes,” Egwene said, “the Aiel story.” Moiraine turned her head slowly. No other part of her moved. “What story?”

See what it feels like when people won't communicate useful information, Moiraine?

(Also I am 90% certain that it was only the Three Oaths that kept Perrin and Egwene alive through this exchange, and also Mat and Rand once the dream info comes out.)

Had I known after the first such, I might have been able to. . . . There has not been a Dreamwalker in Tar Valon for nearly a thousand years, but I could have tried.

I'm pretty sure that the real reason the boys don't tell Moiraien, Pattern-wise, is that she would have worn herself out trying to help. She sadly cannot.

He can still send Halfmen against you, and Trollocs, and Draghkar, and other things, but he cannot make you his unless you let him.

I'm mostly quoting this bit to show that Moiraine and Lan are in definite philosophical disagreement here. She's way more hopeful about the task at hand than he is, though these Two Rivers folk are probably making her less optimistic by the millisecond.

Out of the mass of humanity, the Dark One can touch an individual only by chance, unless that person seeks it. But for a time, at least, you three are central to the Pattern.

Also of course, the boys aren't being touched by the Dark One. They're instead being influenced by Ishamael, who is now free enough to do whatever he pleases.

“The Father of Lies is a good name for the Dark One,” Moiraine replied. “It was always his way to seed the worm of doubt wherever he could. It eats at men’s minds like a canker. When you believe the Father of Lies, it is the first step toward surrender. Remember, if you surrender to the Dark One, he will make you his.”

And this is the part where Moiraine loses the trust again. She could have told Rand the truth, but she sidesteps so blatantly instead that he has no choice but to distrust her.

“The Pattern presents a crisis, and at the same time a way to surmount it. If I did not know it was impossible, I could almost believe the Creator is taking a hand. There is a way.”

I wonder if Robert Jordan read much of Asimov's Foundation. In those stories, a man had deduced a way to predict the future in broad strokes and had established the titular Foundation to avert the 30,000 years of barbarism he foresaw. As the project would still take a thousand years, he left behind recordings identifying various turning points and leaving hints for the Foundation's members to use to swing events the proper way - they were referred to in-universe as "Seldon crises".

Much like Wheel of Time, Asimov died with this story unfinished and had later authors revisit the series, though sadly they only did a prequel trilogy instead of resolving the cliffhanger of the final chronological novel. It also is getting adapted these days and attracting a lot of alt-right rage for having women and people of color in the cast instead of the series of interchangeable white dudes - and hopefully Amazon's Wheel adaptation will continue the parallels by having a much stronger second season after a shakier first one.

Anyway I dunno why this notion struck me here, it's just something about the way Moiraine said it. Fun fact: the Creator can intervene and we'll be seeing that before the book ends, though he won't be doing much useful.

“No!” Loial said, an emphatic rumble like thunder. Everyone turned to look at him and he blinked under the attention, but there was nothing hesitant about his words. “If we enter the Ways, we will all die—or be swallowed by the Shadow.”

Oh yeah, this is probably another thing that the chapter icon was referencing. But we'll see more about that soon. Next chapter: more bad dreams!

[sergeant-spoons]

I Will Follow You ~ Pt III

Perrine Blomme (Perry Bloom)

Taglist: @thoughpoppiesblow​​​​​​​​​​​ @chaosklutz​​​​​​​​​​​ @wexhappyxfew​​​​​​​​​​​ @50svibes​​​​​​​​​​​ @tvserie-s-world​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ @ask-you-what-sir​​​​​​​​​​​ @whovian45810​​​​​​​​​​​​ @brokennerdalert​​​​​​​​​​​ @holdingforgeneralhugs​​​​​​​​​​​ @claire-bear-1218​​​​​​​​​​​ @heirsoflilith​​​​​​​​​​​​ @itswormtrain​​​​​​​​​​​​ @actualtrashpanda​​​​​​​​​​​​ @wtrpxrks​​​​​​​​​​​​

Part 3/Finale of Follow Me, My Dear, And Know That Only I Will Follow You.

Plus a bonus epilogue!

Title comes from the song “Long Way Around” by The Sweeplings.

Apologies for the delayed update - this final part (+ the epilogue) clocks in at over 10k words.

Read it on AO3!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Easy Company departed Nuenen shortly after Bull and Victor's return. Rumbling away on their fewer transports and tanks, watching the smoke rising from a burning Eindhoven on the horizon, they sat and nibbled at rations or smoked, all in silence. By the time the sun found her midday perch, the mood of the company had lifted slightly. A few conversations had started up, though only among only the closest of friends, and Perry turned to try and find somebody to talk to. Garcia sat closest to her and proved her immediate choice, but he was staring up at the sky, a kind of hollowness in his eyes that made her wary to interrupt his thinking. She looked to Babe Heffron next, and he looked in turn to Bill Guarnere, who seemed pleased at the singling out. He started up a barebones game of craps just to pass the time, rolling the dice inside his upturned helmet so they wouldn't go flying off the transport with every bump in the road. The participants got a few ugly looks and a few kinder ones, too, but none seemed worth the bother. They just kept on playing.

Days passed, then weeks. It was in France, at that place known simply as 'the Island', that Perry found out she wasn't alone in her secret after all. 'Victor' Rich turned into Verity, and Perry clung to their sameness like it was the last chance she had of making it through the war alive. For the first time, she told someone what she thought she might be feeling for Joe Toye. Saying it aloud made it real, in a way. And in Perry's situation, truth was scary—truth made her vulnerable. Truth nipped at her heels as Easy paddled across the Rhine to rescue stranded British paratroopers and lost Lieutenant Heyliger to friendly fire and finally returned to Mourmelon-le-Grand for a bit of a breather with the rest of the 101st. As October turned to November, Perry (recently twenty-three) was getting antsier by the day. Verity was the first to notice, then Babe Heffron, and even Donald Malarkey, who she knew even less well than Skip Muck. By then, she knew the time had come for her to do something about her anxious heart before it got her killed.

A week into their stay at Mourmelon, Perry resolved to go to England and see Joe Toye face to face.

By the end of the month, she'd managed to secure for herself a four-day furlough, during which she intended to travel back across the English Channel and pay a visit to the hospital where Joe—restless, no doubt—was still recuperating. The little tugboat she took across the Channel puffed along slowly but surely, and she watched as the French coast diminished behind her, too nervous to look ahead to England. The seawater splashed up over the deck and Perry winced as it lashed, cold, against her ankles. She stopped on the docks and changed her socks before she went any further, but any sort of practicality was overshadowed by her guilt of stalling. She was finally here, wasn't she? Then why wasn't she getting a move on?

A kind of uncanny guilt kept her feet firmly affixed to the pier until a dockworker took her by the shoulders and moved her out of everybody's way. Embarrassed into making an exit, she kept her head down and moved quickly, skirting feet and crates and a few seagulls as she went. As her chin bowed further and further, her cap started to slip off her head, and when it finally fell, she fumbled to catch it. Her clumsy hot-potato-esque grabbing drew a few amused looks from English passersby, but this time, she didn't notice whatsoever. Standing there under a bulbless lamppost, her chin tilted steadily upwards as she took in the building at the end of the street. It was pale and broad and adorned with the largest stitched red cross Perry had ever laid eyes on. More jarring was that the place was twice as big as she'd expected, and then some. As she came closer, she saw there was a garden to the eastward side of the building, and that allowed her a bit of a smile.

Greenery was always good for healing the soul.

Little did she know that when she came around the side of the hospital and went into the gardens, Joseph Toye would be thinking the same thing, but for an entirely different reason. She came around a hedge and stopped in her tracks at once. It was hard to tell who saw who first, but Joe went as stiff as a statue and Perry had to look at his eyes in order to see him blink and reassure herself she wasn't imagining him standing not two yards away from her. He looked well. He was leaning on a statue as if he'd taken a moment to catch his breath, but he jumped up just as soon as he saw her as if she'd caught him in a state of leisure he shouldn't have dared enjoy.

Without knowing any better, she smiled.

"Joe."

Saying his name seemed to snap him out of whatever trance her sudden arrival had put him in. He balked and grabbed onto the statue to steady himself, and she started forward, concerned at his state of balance. But he shook his head and she stopped, easily understanding that he didn't want her to come any closer. She tilted her head, curious and a little hurt, but he just stared as if he didn't know what to say.

He stared because as soon as she'd turned that corner, her green eyes caught on his and his heart skipped a beat he could no longer ignore.

What she couldn't have possibly known was that ever since that night in Eindhoven, he'd been falling to pieces inside, thinking about Perry night and day, even at the times he shouldn't have. The hospital was boring to the point of annoyance, and his recovery was taking long enough that he'd started to snap at the nurses, who were still too nice to him even when he didn't deserve it. He'd started thinking about going AWOL these last few days just to get back to Easy, but he hadn't a clue how he'd manage it with his leg still stiff and achy as it was. The one main reason for him wanting to leave the hospital before he was ready was yet the same for him wanting to stay. And now that reason had appeared like a ghost summoned by the silent misery of his heart, come to England where she wasn't supposed to be, and when he looked into her green eyes, Joe panicked.

He panicked because they were a green he knew too well, a green he wasn't sure he could live without.

"Perry?" he asked, and she nodded, her faint smile growing a bit stronger.

"Yeah. Yeah, Joe, it's me." She laughed softly, a nervous thing, and it made him want to run away. "How're you doing?"

How was he doing? He wanted to tell her he was good—great, even—because it was her, but that's exactly why he couldn't. This was Perry Bloom, a man, who was making him feel all sorts of things he'd only ever felt with women, and now twice as strong. So forgive him for panicking a little—he felt as though he'd lost sight of himself, and fear like that is a bitter vice.

"Go away, Perry," he said, forcing himself to stand on his own although his leg trembled under the strain.

Watching that pretty face fall almost broke his shaken heart.

"What?"

"Leave me alone. Please."

"I-" She looked around as if she thought she might be dreaming. "I- I don't understand."

"I don't either."

It was the only honest thing he could really say to her at that moment, and it brought green eyes back upon him without any sort of warning or mercy. When he flinched, she saw it as clear as day.

"I thought we were friends."

He wanted to say so much but he didn't know how to make the words fit right, so he just turned and started to limp away. She hiccuped and he stalled.

He'd made her cry, hadn't he?

Shaken to the core, he left her there in the garden without looking back. She ran away crying and didn't stop for some time. Even as she wandered blindly around the streets of London, she cried, swiping at her cheeks with her sleeves until they were positively waterlogged. Eventually, she happened upon the inn where she'd meant to stay for the night. To her utmost thanks, the secretary at the front desk was sympathetic and didn't ask any questions about the tears still making tracks down the young soldier's face. She went upstairs to the room, turned the key in the lock, and shut herself away from the world. When she tried to look around inside but found everything was still wet and blurry, she gave up and sat down on the floor right there where she'd stood.

Leaning back against the bedframe, weepy and forlorn, she went over every second of that awful rejection in her mind, trying almost desperately to pinpoint her fatal mistake. Though she tried not to let it, every minute more thinking about Joe was tearing her up inside. What could she have possibly done so wrong? It had been nearly two months since they'd seen one another. Should she not have smiled? What didn't he understand? Had someone somewhere somehow found out about her by some cosmic stroke of wretched luck and let it slip to Joe? Every possibility seemed more outlandish than the last. She wished she could have called Victor or Babe or, hell, even Captain Winters, but she felt so low that she doubted anyone would have picked up, had they had a phone to answer at all.

At the hospital, a nurse came and found Joe a few minutes after Perry had left. She scolded him a bit, saying he shouldn't have gone out into the garden like that without somebody to make sure he got back alright. He almost told her that there had been somebody, but chances were that somebody would never walk at his side again. But he didn't tell her that. He couldn't. Instead, he limped along to the lunchroom, ate alone, and limped back to his sterile white bunk, and there he sat, silent, as the afternoon wore on and on. Just as he was readying to go to bed, having skipped supper, a different nurse tracked him down, and when he saw the bewilderment on her face, he knew Perry had been back. Indeed, the nurse passed him a note and told him it was from a soldier who said he was a friend of Joe's, a friend who would be heading back to his company much sooner than planned.

Joe's heart wrenched. He wasn't sure he could call Perry his friend any longer. The scary part was, he didn't want to—he wanted to drop the 'friend' and just call Perry 'his'.

Even scarier was the creeping suspicion that Perry just might feel the same.

He nearly crumpled up the note but stopped himself at the last second. Almost rebelliously, he unfolded the wrinkled paper and gave it a read.

Joe ~

I don't know what I did, but if you hate me for whatever it is, that's up to you. Maybe I deserve it. Either way, I've been keeping one hell of a secret from everybody and it's something you should really know about. Even if you never want to speak to me again, if we were ever friends, even for a minute, please let me tell you this one thing.

Find me once you're back with the company. I hope it isn't too long—

(For your leg's sake, not mine.)

P.B.

Joe ran his thumb across the paper and discovered that the spots that he'd first assumed to be natural blemishes were, in fact, damp to the touch. She'd been crying when she wrote this, and she didn't care if he knew it. Maybe she'd done it purposefully. He doubted it. There wasn't a vindictive bone in her body.

Or maybe there was, and he'd done enough harm to discover it.

Perry tried not to think of Joe on the boat back to France. The waves splashed and a few seagulls cried out to one another, and Perry watched the English coast grow smaller and smaller until her boots were back on solid ground and the little tugboat was long gone.

Twilight had fallen by the time she made it back to the Company the next day. Verity was puzzled by her early return and asked plenty of questions, but Perry wouldn't say a word about what had happened in England until Verity threatened to write to Joe herself. All Perry could think to say was that Joe hadn't wanted to see her. That quieted her friend into a kind of melancholic pity, and Perry shied away, escaping into the night. Babe found her before long and dragged her over to a makeshift firepit he and some of the other fellas had started up, and she stood there with them, warming her hands and wondering in silent grief:

How had it come to this?

Several weeks later brought a small high point in the matter of Verity's birthday, an event which culminated most unwelcomingly in the 101st's abrupt deployment to Belgium. The next day passed in a blur until Perry once again stood warming her hands at a firepit, now eyeing the woods ahead as her friends predicted what they'd find in there. Some joked, others were more serious, but all seemed a bit antsy to figure out exactly what they were doing here. Then the rows of battered soldiers began to march by, and they kept going for ages. The men began to speculate more darkly and Verity inched closer to Perry, protective. It didn't do much good. With every fallen face that passed her, Perry lost a little more hope.

Sergeant Lipton (who'd lit the fire this time around) tried to make small talk with the soldiers clustered within earshot, but few paid him any mind. Because Verity did, Perry did, too. Lip mentioned something about the forest and Perry mentioned that she knew the place. She'd never been, but her father had, long ago, and she was just about to tell him and Verity all about that 1912 camping trip when she heard singing and whipped about like her name had been called by the angels.

“I’ll be seeing you, in every lovely summer’s day…”

Verity immediately urged Perry to go to Joe, but she just couldn't seem to make her feet move. As her thoughts whirled and her heart thundered in her chest, all she could picture was the look of stunned distaste she feared she would find on Joe's face when she told him what she could no longer hide.

"I dunno if he’d be happy to see me," she told Verity (the understatement of the century), but her friend, opposed to her meekness, took her by the elbows and marched her all the way to the source of the singing.

There he was, gazing up at the night sky, his hands tucked nonchalantly in his pockets. He was standing in the shadows behind a truck, the shadows in which no one would find him unless they knew to come looking. As Perry inched toward him, he looked down and faltered, and she knew in a heartbeat that he'd picked the song because it would bring her to him. In that same heartbeat, all the resolve she'd had to tell him her secret came rushing back, and her steps became more assured, her strides steadier. She opened her mouth to try and speak, but before she could even start, he launched into a flurry of apology and uncertainty, disallowing her to get a word in edgewise. He was saying something about how he felt for her but she was so bewildered by the intensity and rambling nature of his speech that she couldn't make sense of it. His whole body was taut with emotional tension and fear, and Perry, blanking on what else she could possibly do, decided her best chance to get his attention was to grab his hand and place it palm-down upon her chest.

Doing so had her whole face aflame and her heart pounding so loud she was sure he could feel it against her ribcage, but watching the wheels turn in his head and the weight visibly lifting off his shoulders as it all clicked was worth it.

"Did you read my note?" she asked a bit lamely, letting go of his hand.

"I didn't get it," he breathed, and at her look of alarm, he shook his head. "Didn't understand it, I mean." He knocked on his head with a loose fist. "Not much up there, y'see?"

Perry, her eyes watering, threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Don't you talk like that," she grumbled into his chest. "You just got back, for Pete's sake. Have a little more faith in yourself or you'll be gone again in a week."

He softened, knowing she was probably right. Embracing her, he gave her a squeeze, a silent reassurance. After a quick glance around to check they weren't being watched, he dared to rest his chin on the top of her head. She sighed against his chest and it was heavenly, and for the first time, he wasn't afraid to believe in the way she made him feel.

"So you've prob'ly figured it out by now," she said once they stepped apart, "but I'm not a man."

"Yeah," he chuckled, running his hand through his dark hair. "Yeah, I get it now."

"Okay." She stuffed her hands into her pockets and pinched the inside corners, fidgety. "So?"

He blinked at her for a moment.

"... So?"

"So are you gonna... report me, or...?"

Before she'd even finished the flimsy question, he was shaking his head.

"Not my business to tell," he said, and her heart, already so full of love for him, made room for just a little more.

"Thank you," she said, and there was something in her quiet voice that hinted at what she really felt, but Joe blinked it away, labeling it wishful dreaming.

"C'mere, Lovely Summer."

He drew her back into a hug, and she settled into his arms as easily as if it were home. She felt a little thrill, relishing in the nickname, not knowing that it had never really been a tease, not really. It was a little funny at first, but as the days went on, the association of the pet name with Perry made it sweeter and truer. Since that night in Eindhoven when she fell asleep on him and he'd started to realize just how much he cared about her, he'd meant it in earnest.

"You sang because you knew I'd come," she murmured, smoothing her thumb over a wrinkle in his uniform, "didn't you?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I did."

"Keep doing that," she said, straightening up and fixing her cap. She sounded so even-keeled, but even in the shadows, he could tell she was blushing something awful. But he understood, and if he'd been a man to blush, he might have been a little pink himself.

"When I want to see you as you," he agreed, "I'll sing."

"Not just any song," she pointed out. "Just 'I'll Be Seeing You'."

"Of course."

She giggled—actually giggled—and it made Joe happier than he'd been in months.

"Of course," she repeated. "Of course."

They didn't get a chance to talk like that for nearly a week. The entire Company was up to its knees in patrols and skirmishes—not to mention the snow. Foxholes were dug and campfires were banned and everyone got colder by the day until you couldn't shake a man's hand without the both of you trembling like a leaf. Perry and Joe had taken up residence in a foxhole for three, joined most nights by Johnny Martin. On the seventh night, Joe and Perry got back late from a patrol and found Martin fast asleep. They slipped into the hole as quietly as they could and settled in, side-by-side. Perry's jaw was so shaky from the cold that when she mumbled Joe's name, she stuttered on the 'J'. He frowned, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and tugged her against his side.

"I should try to find us a blanket," he mumbled against the side of her head, pressing his lips there in what she hoped was a smile but could never be sure. "How're you holdin' up?"

"Well, it's cold." She snuggled a little closer to him. "I'm better now."

"Aww. Cute. Thanks."

"Oh, shush, you."

He smiled and closed his eyes. Perry looked at him for a moment, then tilted her head onto his shoulder and joined him, seeking rest.

"Perry?"

"Hmm?"

Joe cracked one eye to check that Martin was still asleep. He appeared to be, so Joe went on.

"What's it like, for you?"

"You mean as a...?"

"Yeah. That."

"Oh." Perry considered, lifting her head off his shoulder. "Well, gee, I dunno... Pretty much the same as anybody, I guess."

"But you're hiding all the time."

"Yeah. I guess that's the big difference, huh?" A weak chuckle. "It's not all that bad. Some things are harder than others. I can't shower with the group, of course. There's never any piece of the uniform that fits the way it's s'posed to, but then again, it doesn't fit half the men, either. And if people start noticing bloodstains on the sheets—when we had sheets, that is—they're gonna start asking questions, so that's always a bit... perilous, each month."

"'Perilous', huh?" Joe smirked. "I think you've been hangin' out with Rich too much."

Perry snorted. "What're you, jealous?"

He was quiet for a moment, then turned and nuzzled his face against her shoulder. Her face felt warm and for a moment, she feared frostbite only to realize she was blushing instead.

"A little."

"Well, don't be."

He looked at her, seeming a bit puzzled, and Perry couldn't help a giggle. She leaned in toward his ear and he shifted a bit closer to hear her whisper:

"You know Victor Rich?"

"'Course, I do. He's a Toccoa man."

"You mean a Toccoa woman."

Joe pulled back and gaped at Perry, and she shrugged, her smile fading a bit.

"What?"

"Jesus fucking Christ. I never would’ve-" He took his helmet off just to run his hand through his messy hair. "Well, shit."

"You can't say anything, though. Not a word."

"'Course not." He thought for a moment, then smirked. "So it's Rich and Roe, then, huh?"

Perry gasped and swatted his arm. "Shh! What'd I just say 'bout 'not a word'?"

"I won't, I won't," he reassured, smirking a little. "But hey, I gotta know..."

"Yeah," Perry sighed, unable to help a small smile. "You're spot on."

"Yesss," he hissed in victory, cuddling her a little closer, and Perry gave in to his embrace at once. Shivering in a cramped foxhole in the dead of night, what she felt for him was all-consuming. She'd known it forever but she just couldn't find it in her to tell him. She opened her mouth to ask if she was wrong, then, to feel so strongly yet unable to find the words, but Joe beat her to it.

"You got somethin' on your mind?"

"Maybe." She shrugged, just a little, so he would feel it against his cheek. "Nothing that important, though."

He kissed her shoulder and lifted his head, eyeing her with a small smile.

"C'mon. You can tell me."

"Ah, well..."

"Come on." He jostled her a bit and she giggled into her fist. "Tell me."

"Alright, alright. It's just..."

She took a deep breath and poorly stifled a wince to feel the frigid air pricking her lungs. Joe waited beside her, and Perry hoped he didn't realize she was looking anywhere but at him.

The last time I came close to telling you how I feel, you panicked and sent me away. I cried all day. I thought you hated me. I'm still afraid you DO hate me, just a little.

I can't face that rejection again, Joe. I can't. I'd fall to pieces, and then who knows what would happen to me out here in the woods?

So yeah. I can't tell you how I feel. And it's eating at me, day by day, but I just have to ignore it.

"Hey-" He bumped his shoulder against hers. "-what's going on in that head of yours? Let me in."

He asked too much of her, though he couldn't possibly know it.

"It's my family," she admitted in a rushed sigh. "I miss them. A lot."

Joe was quiet for a moment and she started to think he didn't believe her, but then he nudged at her arm until she laid her head on his shoulder again and settled his own head against hers.

"Yeah," he murmured, "I miss mine, too."

That was the end of that discussion. A few days passed. Perry hardly ever saw Joe, but no one would ever get her to admit it was by design. He was right, she did have something on her mind, but that something was entirely about him. He couldn't know. So she stayed away as she tried to come up with an excuse or a way to suppress her feelings even more than she already did. She wasn't having much luck. On the third day, Bill Guarnere tracked her down and told her to stop ghosting around like she was before she started looking like Lt. Dike. He didn't have to give a name for her to know Joe was looking for her. She capitulated, but before she could take a single step in the direction of their foxhole, the first shells started to hit and she had to run instead. A blast hit a tree not far behind her, and when she turned to look, her fear started to grow to realize Guarnere was no longer at her side.

"Crow! Hey! Hey!" She followed the call, a lifeline thrown by Babe Heffron from his foxhole. "Come on, get your ass down here!"

She sprinted for the pit of safety and threw herself in headfirst. Babe grabbed and righted her, and they huddled together, keeping their heads down until the barrage stopped. In the stillness that followed, Perry poked her head up above the rim of the foxhole despite Babe's protests and peered across the forest until she saw Bill's unmistakable limping form crossing the snow toward them.

"You alright, Sarge?"

"Fuckin' fantastic," he called back, grimacing; when Babe popped his head up next to Perry's, he grunted. "Watch it, Babe. This ain't over with."

"Yeah? You think?"

"Yeah."

"Alright."

Perry hauled herself out of the foxhole and let Bill take her place. He grabbed her sleeve and made her stop so he could ask:

"Where the fuck are you goin'?"

"To find Joe. I'll see you in a bit."

"Be careful," Babe said at the same time as Bill warned, "Don't stop movin', kid, that's how they getcha."

"I will. I won't."

She was a bit shaken, her heart still pounding away in her chest from the adrenaline of having been caught out in the open. It was a terrifying business, shellings. It all came down to mad luck, in the end, who got hit and who didn't. As she wandered, she looked for Joe and felt better as soon as she found him singing their song, looking for her.

"Jesus," he swore, "the hell are you doin' out here?"

"It's my hands, Joe," she mumbled lamely, showing him. "They're so cold."

He brought her away from the line and led the way to their foxhole, worriedly eyeing her hands as they walked. They arrived and Perry slipped into the foxhole without question, nodding as Joe instructed her to get down and stay down. When he got up to leave, however, she impulsively grabbed his sleeve, and he paused.

"What?"

He had the stars in his eyes and she didn't think she could bear it if he left her now.

"Stay with me a little longer?"

He did. Night fell quickly but Sergeant Martin did not appear. The longer they were alone, the shorter Perry's resolve became. Joe had tucked her against him just as soon as he'd sat down beside her, but then they blinked and it was truly dark out, and something shifted. They crowded one another like never before. Joe snuck his hands into Perry's pockets and wrapped his fingers around hers. She gasped, feeling the usual butterflies in her stomach kick it up into high gear. Joe just smiled.

"For warmth," he said, and she wouldn't argue with that.

Still, it wasn't enough, and they kept on snuggling closer and closer until Perry dared to turn and straddle his lap. He drew in a deep breath and she had to duck her head to hide her smile.

"For warmth," she mumbled, pressing her face against his scarved neck.

Thankfully, reassuringly, Joe hummed his approval against her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her. She nestled into his embrace, tucking her hands between their bodies to try and warm them up. They kept on shaking and shaking, and when Joe let go of Perry, she thought she might have gotten too close and panicked. She started to move off of him, but he grabbed her hands and kept her close, and as she watched, he lifted her fingers to his mouth and kissed each one before taking her hands and rubbing them between his own to stimulate heat.

"For warmth," he repeated, and she nodded.

"Thanks."

It was only a whisper, but he'd heard it nevertheless, and he slowed, then stopped. He let her hands fall back between them, but this time, she placed her palms flat against his chest. He sucked in a breath and when she exhaled, it came out all shaky. They inched closer, bit by bit, and there came a point where they could either let go or take the leap. Perry could feel Joe's breath on her upper lip the moment before he kissed her, slow and syrupy and everything she'd been waiting for.

"For warmth," he whispered when he drew back, but he was staring at her lips, and before she could lose the nerve, she leaned back in. In one fluid motion, she stuffed her fingers into the loose folds of Joe's scarf, cupped his face in her hands, and brought his lips back to hers. He hummed happily into her mouth and she kissed him like they might never have tomorrow. He wrapped his arms around her tight and reciprocated before deepening the kiss, his tongue grazing her bottom lip. She let him in with a whimpering sigh, and he held her even closer. His lips found their way down the side of her neck, and she gripped his scarf, tilting her head to give him better access.

"Warmer?" he mumbled as he nipped at her skin.

"Much."

They fell asleep like that, with Perry on Joe's lap, their lips a little raw and their arms squeezing each other tight to keep ahold of the dream. Warm and content, they dozed, but it wasn't to last. When Perry awoke the next morning, her hands had gone stiff and hot, and Joe dragged her over to Sergeant Lipton before she could even say "good morning". Lip scolded her for how she'd caught the frostbite ("You should have known better than to shovel snow with your bare hand") and sent her to Doc Roe without delay. Joe walked her there, holding her arm instead of her hands so she could keep them in her pockets. He kissed the top of her head when Roe's back was turned and whispered in her ear that he'd see her soon, and though it hurt, she made sure to wave as the truck drove away.

The day Joe Toye lost his leg was the day Perry hated the war the most.

In retrospect, she couldn't remember much of that time, just snippets of misery and terror and grief—kneeling in the blood-soaked snow, staring at Joe's twitching stump of a leg, pleading with God to let this all be a nightmare until Joe grabbed her hand and she knew it was real. She could, however, remember what he'd said to her before he went. For the rest of her life, that conversation would sound through her head, as clear as any tolling bell.

“You gotta hold your- Gotta hold your head up, okay?”

“Joe- God, I don’t know if I can-”

“I’ll be seeing you."

“You promise?”

“In- in every lovely summer’s day.”

The rest of the war was a messy blur of Foy and Haguenau and Mourmelon-le-Grand—then a brief spot of clarity at Landsberg—and Thalem and Berchtesgaden and, finally, Austria. Perry missed Joe every minute of every day, and every day, her heart broke anew to know she'd never told him what she should have before he went. It nearly ruined her, once, thinking about him off in that English hospital with the garden outside his window in full bloom as Spring turned into Summer. He wouldn't be able to go out walking there for a long time, if ever. Verity found her drunk and sobbing far away from the others the night they found out the Germans had surrendered. She took her up to the party and made her dance to the music from the radio until she was delirious with laughter and fell asleep on one of Verity's shoulders while Doc Roe took to the other.

She couldn't have known that while she was missing Joe all across Europe, he was trying his hardest not to think about her through weeks and weeks in a hospital bed. What could have been haunted his every waking moment, and he hated himself for having hoped. When Perry missed him in Haguenau, he hated himself in the hospital in England with the garden still dreary and devoid of green after the harsh winter. When she missed him in Berchtesgaden, crying in the corner, he hated himself on the hospital ship back to the States. When she missed him in Austria, he hated himself, sitting in the living room of his parents' house, back home in Pennsylvania before she could even imagine returning to California. He hated himself because he'd convinced himself he'd lost everything that day—his leg, his dignity, his girl. He'd never even told her he loved her, for God's sake, and now she was off in Europe with the rest of them, kissing somebody with both their legs and a chest full of medals to boot. These were the visions he tortured himself with in the dead of night, sleepless and in more pain than from just his leg. He'd become a bitter man and he hated himself even more for it.

And then a letter came—a letter from Eugene Roe, of all people. Joe didn't know what to make of it and so left it sitting on his bedside table for almost a week. When he finally worked up the nerve to open it and saw Perry's name in the first sentence, he put it down and didn't pick it back up until his mother told him he was being stupid. As he'd expected, Roe had news, but to Joe's surprise (and relief), the news wasn't about somebody dying. Perry was alive. Perry was doing fine. Perry had earned enough points to go back to California and was already on her way. Roe, God bless him, had found out Perry's mailing address from Verity Rich and enclosed it at the bottom of the letter. Joe stared at it for what felt like an hour though he'd memorized the number for the P.O. box within the first minute. Little by little, the shell of bitterness and grief he'd been carrying around for so long started to wear away. He knew what it meant, that address, and why Roe had enclosed it. It meant Perry hadn't forgotten about him. It meant Perry still talked about him.

It meant Perry was within reach.

Joe spent the rest of the morning writing back, and by the time he was done, there were pages and pages to be stuffed into one small envelope. He wanted to know everything—how was everybody? What had gone down in his absence? Most of all, how had Perry been getting along? All of a sudden, he was back to loving and thinking things through and wondering how his buddies were getting along without him. The resentment was gone. He still felt a sting when he thought about Perry, but the hate was gone, hope taking its place. Roe's reply took some time to arrive, but when it did, it was even longer than Joe's, and he knew the medic had taken the time necessary to find the answer to every single one of Joe's questions. He spent days pouring over the contents, reading the letter over and over until it started to wear and tear at the creases. He learned all about Rachamps and Haguenau and Berchtesgaden and Austria. He found out that Perry had been promoted to sergeant and felt the flame of pride spark inside his chest. He wished he could have been there to take the Eagle's Nest but was pleased to hear a toast had been made in his and Bill's honor with the finest of Hitler's champagne.

And all the while, he wondered what he would say when he finally sat down and wrote that letter to Perry.

It was inevitable. He'd have to write to her. Even if she told him she'd gotten married to God-knows-who in Austria and they'd honeymooned in Paris and now they were both back in California making babies, he needed to know. He couldn't live his life without knowing her. He wouldn't.

Still, he put it off. He was scared. He didn't think his writing was all that good, didn't think it would be enough to convey all he needed it to. What if he said something that dissuaded her from writing back? What if he implied something too quickly and made her balk away from his too-obvious, too-gripping love? What if she really had found somebody else?

Another letter came before he'd made up his mind, posted from Victor Rich (now also sergeant) but signed simply 'V'. It was brief but invaluable to Joe. Verity, of course, had been writing back and forth with Perry since the minute she left Austria. Joe trusted that Verity knew Perry almost as well as she knew herself, which was why he believed her when Verity said Perry had never stopped loving Joe. She was leaving Austria now, too, now that the war was fully over and no one would be going to the Pacific unless it was on vacation. Verity warned Joe he'd better not write back to her until he'd written to Perry. Though he usually wouldn't like being told what to do like that, he appreciated it this time around. She was pushing him to do the right thing. Still, he couldn't help but wonder why Perry herself hadn't written, but Verity answered that question too:

She's dealing with a court case right now, trying to keep her family together. It's a nightmare, Joe, and she's been so busy I only hear from her every other week. She told me she wants to write to you, but she's scared you won't want to hear from her. I told her that's bullshit but I don't know if she'll listen to me. You will. You know better than to let her slip away like that. Don't you?

He did.

Perry got the letter three days after Halloween. The verdict had come back that same morning: Clyde was a free man. Free from his mother, anyhow. Sacramento was looking ready for a nice, balmy Autumn, with the breeze sweeping inland from the ocean down by San Fransisco. Forks, Washington was behind them; a Californian future ahead. The court case was over, and the cherry on top was the letter sitting nice and neat in her P.O. box, the name scribbled in the upper lefthand corner already enough to make her heart go all-pitter-patter with anticipation. She tore it open as soon as she got back inside but had hardly started to read when her brother asked who it was from. She paused and looked up, and it was the not knowing what to say that gave her an answer.

"Well, Clyde," she admitted, "I'm not entirely sure."

He rolled around the side of the breakfast table, munching on a muffin from the Blomme's favorite bakery in town, and picked up the envelope.

"'Joseph Toye'," he read aloud. "Oh, it's him."

Perry was so astounded that she stopped where she stood. Clyde gave her a knowing look, and she folded the letter up and sat down in the chair beside him.

"What? How did you...?"

"You say his name in your sleep, sometimes," he told her. "It's only ever him. I mean, you talk about your friends to me, like Verity and Babe Heffron and George Luz, but whenever you get to thinking about this one guy, you go quiet." He shrugged. "It didn't take all that long for me to put the pieces together."

"Huh." She patted the letter on the table, a bit embarrassed. "Well, if you're so smart, what do you think he's got to say to me?"

Clyde raised his hand and started to tick off on his fingers.

"That he misses you. That he's meant to write but it's been hard since he got hit. That he loves you-"

"Woah, woah, woah." Perry went pink. "Why would he-"

"Because you love him, don't you?" Clyde smiled as he broke off a piece of his muffin and offered it to her. "He did write to you, after all, Nell. Hard to imagine he doesn't feel the same."

After a moment's hesitation, she took the gift and wrapped her arms around her brother in a hug.

"You're right," she said, giving him a grateful squeeze. "I do love him. Maybe he does love me, too."

She read the letter. It was exactly what she'd hoped for, but it still managed to fill her with such anxious energy that once she started pacing, it took her ages to stop. Eventually, she picked up the phone and called Verity over on the East Coast. Her friend reiterated what Clyde had said almost word-for-word. She was right, of course—Joe had called her 'Lovely Summer' in the letter. Five times. She’d counted. When they hung up, Perry looked at the phone in its receiver, took a deep breath, and turned around to start that letter. Clyde was already there behind her, holding out a pen and a few sheets of lined paper.

"If you start pacing again instead of writing him back," he said, a smirk playing on the edge of his mouth, "I will put you on a train to Pennsylvania this very minute, so-help-me-God."

Perry took the pen and the paper, eyeing him in awe for the second time that morning.

"How did you...?"

"His address is on the outside of the envelope, silly. Speaking of-" He produced it from the pocket of his jacket, the letter tucked inside. "-I checked out the San Fransisco timetables while you were on the phone, and it looks like there's a three-day overnight that ends up in Wilkes-Barre, so-"

"Point taken. I'll go write him now."

Her brother shrugged, following her down the hall.

"Hey, I'm just saying—you could be there by Saturday if you wanted."

In the doorway to her bedroom, Perry hesitated, then turned back over her shoulder to face her helpful, meddlesome brother.

"When did you say that train leaves again?"

"I didn't." He grinned. "3:10 in the afternoon on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays."

"Right." Perry swallowed thickly against her nerves. "Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah, anytime." He patted the doorframe. "And Nellie-"

"Yeah?"

"Good luck."

She'd expected the letter to be a challenge, but once she got started (just like with her pacing), she couldn't stop. She had to get up twice to get more paper, she just had so much to say. She wasn't sure how much he knew about what had happened with the Company since his departure, so she wanted to tell him everything—well, everything that wouldn't break his heart. She told him all about the trial and how glad she was for it to be over and that she was sorry she hadn't written sooner. She told him how much she'd missed him these last nine months and that she hoped he wouldn't mind her telling him something she should have told him years ago. When she finally penned those three words and all the reasons for them afterward, it felt as if a heavy fur coat she'd worn since January 3rd had finally slipped off her shoulders. She felt freer as she slipped the thick envelope into the P.O. box and walked home with a slight spring in her step. Clyde met her outside with a basketball in his lap, and they tossed it back and forth, talking about nothing in particular and feeling twice as good because of it.

Perry was going to get on the train. She really was. She just needed to hear back from Joe first. If he didn't want her the way she wanted him, well, then, she wouldn't go, simple as that. She'd just stay at home and let her heart break and wonder how she could have thought those kisses in a bleak winter could mean something beyond the war. The days passed, and the longer she waited, the antsier she became. Clyde did his best to keep her occupied, having her take him to the pictures and help build his model boats and read through pamphlets for California State at Sacramento, his dream school. Perry didn't mind. She loved her brother and wanted nothing but to make him happy. He was a good kid getting close to becoming a good man. Where had the years gone? The war had taken her away for just one, but just one was still one too much. She'd been away from Joe for almost a year now, too. She wasn't sure which was worse. But she was going to get on the train, she really was.

In the end, Joe—marvelous, unconquerable, would-go-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-for-the-people-he-loved Joe—beat her to it.

He showed up on her doorstep two weeks and a day after Clyde rolled out of court for the last time, his sister on one side and his father on the other. He was the one to open the door. Joe hadn't been expecting a kid with sandy blonde hair and a basketball in his lap. He cleared his throat and offered an awkward, brief smile. Just as Joe was starting to think he'd knocked on the wrong door, the kid stopped studying his face and offered up the basketball.

"D'you play?"

Joe glanced down at his leg.

"Not anymore, I reckon."

The boy shrugged. "I play, and I haven't got either leg."

A smile crept onto Joe's face, and the kid broke out in a grin. He rolled himself into the house backward and waved for Joe to come in, but the unexpected visitor hesitated on the threshold. Instead, he leaned on the doorframe and listened as a conversation took place down the hall of the single-story home.

"Hey, Nell."

"Hey, what's up? You wanna play?"

"Maybe later."

Joe heard a chair scrape back and a person stand. With his heart in his throat, he tried to make himself appear relaxed as he leaned on the doorframe. At the last second, he changed his mind and went back to his crutch, wobbling a little at the abrupt shift in balance.

"Something wrong?"

"Nah. You should probably go check the door, though."

"Mail's here? Already?"

"Eh..."

The young man in the wheelchair rolled back a few feet and nodded toward the end of the hall.

"Not exactly."

She appeared in the hallway, then, looking curiously at her brother, and Joe felt it all come rushing back, everything he'd missed about her. She looked good. She was wearing a green wraparound dress with white polka dots, and he could tell she'd been growing her hair out. When she looked up, she tucked a few locks behind her ear to see him better before she even realized who he was. It didn't take her long—no more than a second, really. She visibly jolted where she stood. Her brother couldn't stop grinning behind her. It was almost enough to make Joe laugh. He started to smile, and just as he crutched that first step over the threshold, Perry lurched into motion. She practically dove down the hallway, racing to meet him there, but when she collided with him in a hug, she was careful to lean back the way she'd come so she didn't knock him off-balance. It was that one little thoughtful thing that gave him the confidence to kiss her neck.

"Hey, Lovely Summer," he murmured against her skin. "Hey. Good to see you, too."

"Joe," she gasped, "oh, Joe."

Perry started to shake. He lifted his head and looked her in the eye. Balancing on his crutch, he reached up and cupped her cheek in his free hand.

"You never wrote me back," she whimpered, starting to cry, and he shook his head, smiling despite it all.

"Oh, I did." He chuckled. "I just got here first."

She threw herself back into his embrace and held him tight.

"God, I love you."

She went still, then, as she realized what she'd said. She started to pull back, but Joe didn't let her go far. He could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes and knew it was high time he remedied that.

"No more waiting," he swore, tenderly smoothing his thumb over her cheek. "I'm here, now."

"Joe?"

He pressed his lips to hers, keeping to his promise. She stumbled and almost fell over, and in doing so, nearly took him with her. They broke apart in laughter, but it felt out of place and so petered out too soon. Joe kissed her again, firmer this time, and it was when she eagerly reciprocated that he knew he was home.

"Hey," he said once they broke apart, kissing her nose just to see her smile, "guess what?"

"What?"

"I love you, too."

Her eyes were all watery again, and when the tears began to fall, Joe was there to wipe them away. Perry clung to him and wept, touching his arms and his chest and his waist as if making sure he was really here, really alive, really come back to her. Clyde rolled up behind her and bumped the wheel of his chair against her foot. She turned over her shoulder without letting go of Joe, and when he saw her all weepy-like, he patted the back of her knee.

"There, there," he said. "He's not going anywhere. Right, Joseph?"

Joe gave a start. "How'd you...?"

Perry gave a teary, hiccuping laugh.

"Apparently, I talk about you in my sleep," she admitted, and Joe positively melted.

"Cute," he said as he smoothed his hand up and down her arm. "Can't wait to hear all that."

As Perry went red, her brother laughed. He inched to the side and offered his hand for Joe to shake.

"I'm Clyde," he introduced himself, "Perrine's brother."

"Joe." He smirked. "Though I guess you knew that already."

"Yeah." Clyde gave a small smile. "Hey, Nell?"

She turned around to face him, evidently very pleased at how Joe tucked her against his side with his arm around her back, his hand resting familiarly on her hip. Perry smiled and reached down to ruffle her brother's hair.

"Yeah, Clyde?"

He swatted her hand away, still grinning. "Think I could be the ringbearer?"

Perry laughed. Joe went still, his hand freezing in his pocket where he'd been fingering a very particular box. Clyde pouted until Perry took his hand, squeezed it, and told him:

"Not the ringbearer," she informed him. "You'll be my man of honor."

Clyde brightened up significantly, hitting his fisted hand with his other open palm to emphasize his victory. Perry grinned and turned back to Joe but faltered, catching his hand in his pocket.

"Joe?"

"I'll do you one better, kid," he rasped, looking at Clyde. "You can be both. Catch."

He withdrew and tossed the little box in one motion. Clyde, star basketball player that he was, had no problem snatching it out of the air. He took one look at it and started to laugh in awe. Perry just gaped. After a moment, she turned back to look at Joe, who shrugged, unable to keep a nervous smile off his face.

"I was kinda hoping my letter would make it here 'fore I did."

"Why's that?" she breathed, glancing between an anxious Joe and her gleeful brother. "Joe, tell me why."

"Because," he breathed, watching her lips move, entranced, "I said I had a very important question to ask you once I got here."

"Ask it," she pleaded, and Clyde held up the box, nodding right along with his sister. "Ask it, please."

He took the box from Clyde, who then backed up several feet and swung halfway into the kitchen but kept watching around the corner, leaning so far forward he came close to falling out of his chair altogether. Joe crutched a step back from Perry, making sure he could see her whole face clearly before he began, and his smile turned a bit apologetic.

"I can't kneel-"

"Then don't." She rubbed her hands together and he realized she was just as apprehensive as he was. "Just look me in the eye and tell me you love me one more time."

That eased his nerves a bit. She wasn't asking anything of him he wouldn't have already done. Of course, she wasn't. She knew him, and he knew her, and that's why this didn't have to wait.

"Perry," he said, his voice low but plenty loud enough for her to hear, "I love you. I've loved you for more than a year, and I know I'll love you for a lifetime. And so I'm hoping, maybe you'll let me."

Even though she knew it was coming, she still squeaked when he opened the little box and showed her the ring he'd picked to promise her forever.

"I love you," he vowed, his voice dropping nearly to a whisper as a single tear crept down his cheek. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she wept, giving him her left hand as the other came up to cover her mouth. "Yes, yes, yes."

Clyde whooped. Joe wanted to pick Perry up and twirl her around, he felt so high, but he knew he couldn't, so he settled for slipping the ring onto her finger and drawing her into his arms. They shared a kiss or two and started laughing all over again, and this time, they didn't stop, knowing they had all the time in the world to make up for the war.

This seemed like a good start.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

April 4th, 1954

This wing of the hospital was blessedly quiet. The sunshine of early afternoon slipped through the windows and gleamed in thin lines across the painted floor tiles of the recovery room. Joe sat on a stool at Perry's bedside, his hands clasped together as if in prayer. The door clicked shut as the nurse left to give the couple some time alone. Perry raised her chin up off her pillow and pouted at Joe, wanting a kiss. He complied, then sat back, stroking her tangled hair. His gaze slipped toward the bundle resting upon her chest, and she smiled.

"About time we got to meet her, huh?"

Joe nodded, his brow creased in wonder.

"She's beautiful," he breathed, the tears in his eyes choking up his voice. "She's ours."

Perry reached out and took his hand. She looked down at the little bundle of joy sleeping on her chest, her tiny little cheek pressed to her mother's skin, and sighed fondly.

"She is," she agreed. "She's got your nose, see? And she smiles when she sleeps the same way you do."

When Joe didn't respond, she looked up and discovered he'd started to cry.

"Oh, honey..." She squeezed his hand. "Everything's okay. I'm okay. She's okay. You're okay. We're all okay."

"I love you," he wept, bringing her hand up to his mouth to kiss it over and over. "You're incredible."

He looked at the babe and carefully leaned down to kiss her on the top of her little head.

"I love you, too," he told her, whispering so as not to wake her. "I love you, little Mabel."

They sat in a comfortable, loving silence for a time, a family of three, at peace at last. Eventually, Perry squeezed Joe's hand and gave a slow nod.

"I'm ready," she told him. "Would you go get them?"

"Sure." He pecked her cheek and stood, tucking his crutch under his arm. "Be right back."

Clyde rolled in first. He was already smiling, but when he saw his sister and newborn niece, he completely lit up.

"Wow, Nell," he said softly, reverently admiring the sleeping babe. "You've really done it all now."

"Isn't she just perfect?"

"She is." His smile grew the longer he looked. "Oh, I'm going to spoil her rotten."

"As am I," Verity chimed in, smiling fondly at her friends as she followed Joe into the room, shutting the door behind her. "How are you holding up, Perry?"

"Better than ever, Red. How're the kids?"

"Gene's keepin' 'em busy in the lobby. Maddie's infatuated with her princess coloring book and Nicky's got his letter blocks." Verity rubbed her visibly-pregnant stomach. "Number three figured out recently how much fun it is to kick me right in the bladder."

Perry laughed gently, her eyes twinkling with some warm hidden knowledge. After a beat, she turned to her husband.

"Should we tell her now?"

A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. He nodded, and his wife waved for Verity to come closer.

"We've named her Mabel Rodezus Blomme-Toye."

Verity beamed and put her hands together, none the wiser. Clyde, however, went still and looked at his sister, wide-eyed.

"I love it. A beautiful name for a beautiful baby."

Clyde gave a soft whistle, recovering from his initial shock. He reached over to Verity and tugged on her sleeve. She quirked her head at him and dropped her hands, her smile fading.

"What?"

"'Rodezus'," he translated for her. "It's Dutch. Means 'red sister'."

Slowly at first and then far quicker, Verity's expression began to transform. She took a deep, shaky breath and started to cry. Joe came over, gently took her hand, and guided her over to Perry's bedside, allowing her to clasp his wife's hand between her trembling fingers.

"You're as good as my sister," Perry reminded her, tearing up just the same, "and I love you." She brushed her thumb over her daughter's swaddled body. "She will, too."

"I love you, too," Verity wept. "You're an angel, you are."

Perry just smiled, tired but happy as could be. Her friend turned to look at the rise and fall of the newborn's chest, smiling through her tears.

"Hello, little Mabel," she whispered. "You're gonna be so happy, you know that? You're gonna be such a happy little girl, with parents like these."

She looked at Perry and then Joe, wiping the tears from her eyes though they just kept on coming.

"You've got two of the best people in the world looking out for you." She bumped her hip against Clyde's wheelchair. "Make that three."

"Make that four," he corrected, rolling up beside Joe's chair. The two men shared a warm smile. Verity's cheeks pinkened a little, and though her laugh was weak, it was full of gratitude and devotion. The four of them—mother, father, uncle, and namesake—sat around that hospital bed and breathed in life, holding hands and smiling a thousand blessings upon little Mabel, who slept and slept and knew she was loved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read Pt I here. Read Pt II here.

[witch-with-a-thousand-faces]

"Oh my... Who would have guessed that Night Raven and Royal Sword alike had so many wonderful princes... *Sigh*...

I do wonder if any would allow me to be their knight in shining armor... I- I mean a suitor for my... Umm... Sister! Yes! Um. Oh dear..."

"Erm, your Majesty? No one here is going to judge you, you know..."

"I know, Minerva, but-"

"Besides... This is the part where you're supposed to... I dunno... Introduce yourself?"

"Oh... Well.. um... Alright then. I must ask though that you all forget my previous words, then.

My name is Prince Fali- I mean Filian Perrins. Filian. It's a pleasure to be here amongst you all, and I certainly hope we can become friends."

"You goof. Fifi. We're already your friends."

"I know but... What of the other people?"

"You're not hard to get along with, I'm sure you'll make plenty of friends! I just... Really wish you wouldn't spend so much time at NRC and would make some more friends here instead..."

"But... But there's so many beautiful suitors (for my sister, who is DEFINITELY back home) to choose from..."

"Fifi... You're not being discreet at all... You're going to expose your plot twist and character arc!"

"...my what?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all! Just... Nevermind..."

✨mod here. Filian's profile isn't available just yet so check back when it is! To put it simply for now, though, he's based on Prince Philip from Sleeping Beauty and is a lovestruck prince who seeks to find his(?) one true love. His unique magic is called "True Love's Kiss" and allows him to break curses or instantly heal (non-lethal) wounds by initiating physical contact with another (typically in the form of holding their hand or touching another part of their skin). He doesn't use it very often, since it isn't necessary at RSA, but he hopes one day he can use the spell with an actual kiss.

He's a bit of a hopeless romantic and often partakes in songs and books about romance. He's also got a bad habit of getting crushes out of nowhere. Rip.