#and that has been peak entertainment for EONS

[insertdragonpun]

Y'ALL

I had this dream last night.

It was WILD

So basically the entire dream was in the style of ORV (Omniscient Reader's View Point) I would switch from watching the scenes unfold like a comic and from actually being in the scene as a character.

The story started as the Mc (a very tall and lean masculine character. Very reminiscent of DKJ, so I'm pretty sure I'm excited for the next episode to come out lmao) was traveling through a twisty cave until he came across this ancient dragon. It wasn't majestic like most of my dream dragons (I like dragons ALOT) it was this grungy dirty gray with ram horns and a face that I can only really describe as a pig skull with the skin barely holding on. the wings were all torn, but he could still fly. In fact he grabbed Mc by the back of his shirt and hauled him out of the cave and threw him onto the dirt in front of this old pavilion.

The rest of Mc's teammates caught up and were ready to fight the dragon before it quite literally whacked it's tail against the ground and caused a landslide. The whole group was terrified and were ready for their deaths before the dragon chuckled and spoke.

"You are fools for coming near, and now you must pay the price of your stupidity. One of you will stay while the others run free. Take your pick then you may leave."

So the group got together and decided to send Mc, not because they didn't like him but because he volunteered.

"I'm the one who woke him, you shouldn't pay for my deeds."

So the party left Mc alone with the dragon at the old pavilion. Mc was fairly scared as hell as he faced down the dragon who was sitting there patiently as they waited for the party to make it to the base of the mountain.

Once Mc's friends(?) Were gone the dragon looked at him and smiled.

"You are the first in many years to choose yourself. Most throw out the weakest, the dullest. But you chose your strongest. Why?"

Mc looked down with a tiny little smile, "why would the other parties send their weakest? I do have to fight you don't I?"

The dragon's smile grew bigger.

"Of course."

With that something changed. The air felt electric as the dragon shifted into the form of a ragged young man. (Shaggy hair muscles and VERY PEIRCING EYES. It's a mix of really any tired mentor character but younger and not at all tired.)

"Follow me." The dragon (man?) Left Mc to the Pavillion where some weapons laid out, the dappled light from the torn fabric roof was dancing across their blades.

"Under here you can die, but you will not stay dead. Until you best me we will fight once a month. You will not grow old, but you will grow stronger."

The man (dragon???) Turned with a smirk and lunged.

It takes centuries before Mc is strong enough to actually pose a challenge, a couple more centuries until he's strong and cunning enough to beat him.

But he honestly does not want to. They only fight once a month and for the rest of the time they have to co-inhabit the pavillion. They raise food and keep ea h other entertained through stories of their lives as well as little games that once they grow stronger seem like great disasters to the people who look up at the mountain peak.

Through this time, Mc has learned that the dragon is, in fact, an ancient man (when I said the style was that of ORV I meant the time period as well. Mc is a modern man in a world where fantasy monsters run amok) that lost his closest friend to something that could have been fixed if they had the money for it. So he went to a mage to bring him back, the cost was that DragonMan could never return to his home, he must instead live up at the top of the mountain only coming down when she told him to. Eventually after destroying enough villages for her, killing so many innocent families in her war against tyrants he was finally able to kill her and moved permanently to the pavilion on the mountain where the mage used to live for eons and eons. The ancient man also said that while Mc will come back to life under this pavilion, he will not. He will instead be granted the peace of death and see his family again. (The mage cursed him as she fell to live forever until he was killed by his other half. I'll get to that in a second)

Mc and the ancient man had grown close. Close enough that neither dared to name it lest the other thought of it differently. Instead, they simply relished in their life atop the mountain peak moving in sync in both body and mind as if together they were two halves of a whole.

But Mc really needed to get down from the peak. (I don't remember the reason why) He was stronger than the ancient man now since he was the only one growing over the centuries. (Another part of the curse), but he just couldn't bring himself to slay his person. Not while looking in his eyes for so many nights as the stars danced across them.

So he came up with this plan. He made an illusion of his body with a sword through its chest right outside the pavillion (yes, he has magic. I was just as shocked when this happened in my dream. He covered his face and his body in as much fabric as he could to hide who he was. He stood in front of the table full of weapons and waited for his person to get back from the forest (he was hunting)

(Pov switches to the ancient man's, but I'm still watching it like a comic. I can just hear all of his thoughts)

He walked through the forest to the grave where his house of eons and home of millennia sat. Where his person was waiting with a smile and a joke. They would cook some food, have a spar (as he liked to call them now. He hated the fact that they had to do this but that was the deal they had made before they knew each other. So he called the fights-to-the-death spars in his mind.) And eat dinner right after.

He walked through the last bit of treeline to see him. Cooling against the pillar of the pavillion with his favorite sword rammed between his ribs. The silhouette of a man was standing beside the table just inside.

He saw red.

(The entire fight I'm watching, like I'm literally a fly on the wall. I can't hear what either of them are thinking. I can just see it. Neither spoke through this entire thing.)

The ancient man barged through the pavillion and lunged straight for the cloth covered man. They rolled across the table and had a mini slugfest before the Hidden man (idk why I'm giving so many names to the Mc right now, but I think it's fun) was launched towards their fields where a few yellow chick's were roaming freely. He twisted his body so that he wouldn't land on anything and crush it. An old habit since they first grew the farms together, it was a pain to have to regrow everything.

The ancient man noticed that the hidden man did this, but he was so full of rage that he didn't seem to care. He was also too angry to even think of turning into a dragon like he typically did. Instead, he threw a sword at the hidden man intending to peirce him and reached for another weapon.

When he turned back, the hidden man was in his face and pushed him back into the pavillion. The hidden man twisted around his body and held the ancient man's throat between his legs, crushing it as his eyes started to water.

He hated every second of this.

Once the ancient man collapsed not long for this world Mc looked down at him.

The ancient man was watching the illusion with tears in his eyes, so Mc took his covers off and stood to the other side of the ancient man. He took his head in his hands so that he wouldn't be looking at the illusion and instead at him.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He started to cry "please rest now. I have some business to do here but once I'm done I'll join you there. Please just wait for me."

The ancient man couldn't speak as blood filled his lungs (his ribs peirced them at some point in the fight) but the light in his eyes showed that he realized that his person was the hidden man. He knew the reasons he did this. He was there every time his person was lost in thought about why he had to return. He honestly couldn't bring himself to kill him during their fights either. They always ended in a draw.

He took his shaking hand and placed it against Mc's cheek to catch a tear and smile. His lips were closed since he knew his teeth were already stained with blood.

In a raspy voice that still somehow gurgled "I'll see you there."

Yep. It's fair to say that I woke up from that part crying.

[zealctry]

of course he likes to talk. but then again, given the present company, his talking is a bit less of a liking and a bit more of a mandate, a necessity, because if he isn’t doing the talking, who the fuck will? the nonexistent crickets? Levi sure as fuck wouldn’t initiate it. and silence leaves a gaping void that makes Hidan uncomfortable ( it’s an empty space ; and no matter how you run or twist away from it, nature always finds a way to fill emptiness with something. and that something is preferable to be his own voice rather than what could trickle out, unbidden, from the spoilt sourness of memory. )

but all of this is left unexplained. Levi doesn’t give voice to his thoughts ( of course he fucking doesn’t, ugh ) so Hidan needn’t explain ( which he, also, wouldn’t ). the world keeps on spinning. Hidan chews on a handful of fries, gobbles them up with shocking efficiency.

pauses just to launch that question between them, a volley he doesn’t really expect an answer to. strangely, though, it sticks. ( the other seems inclined to answer, and genuinely at that, if one is to believe his body language. Hidan does. violet eyes blink. huh. )

beneath heavy lashes, he observes, something shifting in the silence. ( a bit of a prelude, a morsel to entertain him —beyond the allure of cheap food— while awaiting the answer. ) and it’s not a disagreeable task. Leviathan is a bit of giant, virtually all muscle ; a bit too quiet for his own liking, but surface-calm waters betray hidden depths, and so Hidan often wonders what it would take to tick him off just right– make his shackles rise, temper snap like a twig underfoot and bam! there he goes, rabid like a pitbull on fucking cocaine ( it’s a funny lil’ mental image; Hidan often entertains himself with it for minutes at a time. . . or, at least, as much time as his own attention-span would allow. ). he wants to see Levi lose it, just once. he wants to see it in the same way some people dream about seeing the aurora borealis or the sunrise from the peak of Mt. Fuji. once in a lifetime. in the expectation of it being spectacular. hell, he might even take fucking pictures as keepsakes, y’know.

——wait.

               “ oi. what’s this bullshit about all of these new gods? Lord Jashin is an ancient entity known across time and civilizations! a rose by any other name and all that! He has been worshipped for eons, and will be until the end of time, as long as people will be born and will die. don't be so fucking disrespectful! ” a scowl. he works out his irritation by chewing another handful of fries. brutally chopping and grinding them between his teeth. then, more mellowed out:  “ .. . . .I suppose you could say. a Death God…? ” the modulation of his own voice almost makes his words seem like a question. but fuck; it isn’t as if gods came in flavours, like a bottle of coke ( cherry, vanilla, lime. . .) or something.

@zealctry asked: "Hey Levi, have you heard about our Lord and Saviour, Jashin?" / unprompted.

Over the time Leviathan has come to spend with Hidan ( unwilling, at first, though as with many things he has experienced in eons upon eons upon eons, he gets used to it. and then, oddly enough - though he will never admit it out loud -, has come to like his presence ), he realizes that he likes to talk a lot: succumbing to his own curiosity, asking questions about the intricacies of hell. And in between his own speculation on whether the other needs to breathe in between sentences, he wonders how much of this comes from his relationship with Abaddon and how much he simply wants to know because it interests him. An odd child, perhaps, and even worse than Dante himself but Leviathan enjoys the food, the music and the odd sense of normalcy that is born from it all.

Even if Hidan asks weird questions like these.

His head lifts to properly look at him from the backrest he had it propped against, the lines on his forehead deepening but not in irritation; in thought. Has he? The name seems familiar but he finds no association, no strong feeling, even if the determiner our is a little jarring. A shrug comes as a genuine reply.

" No. I don't keep up with all these new gods. " He almost hesitates to ask. " What kind of god are they? "

[nyashykyunnie]

Hello hello can I request first date and first kiss with xiao and diluc? both of them need sum love, especially xiao his angst potential is too much QwQ anyway thank you have a great day!!

A/N: Hi Hi Chirumiii!! Tysm for the request </3!! And I really agree with u that these bbs need more love hnnn!! I hope u enjoy this hc:D Have a great day too hnnn!!

𝕏𝕚𝕒𝕠, 𝔻𝕚𝕝𝕦𝕔 x 𝙶𝙽! ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣: Fɪʀsᴛ Dᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ Kɪss

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚𝕏𝕚𝕒𝕠˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

﹢　˖    　✦      ¸ .　﹢　 ° 　¸.    ° ˖ ･ ·̩　　 ｡　☆.     　﹢　˖    　✦      ¸ .

I tell you, Xiao was very serious when it comes to this. Well, of course he is, this is for you after all. He doesn’t want your first date with him to be very...Disheartening.

The adeptus did his research thoroughly, he even went so far as to ask Verr Goldett for help.

She was very pleased seeing him like this, for once- He wasn’t thinking about his dark memories or his job. He was thinking of someone very dear to him, seeing him like this made her hear sigh in relief.

When she gave her suggestions, Xiao managed to come up with a good plan.

Xiao was very stiff in your date, appearing at some point nervous. His mind constantly trailed with thoughts like ‘Am I doing this right?’ ‘Are They Enjoying this?’ ‘Is this how mortals do it?’ ‘Am I missing on something?’

Give your boy a comforting pat in the back, it’ll really help him feel a little more assured. 

When you’re both walking, Xiao matches your pace. He’s not a beat slow or fast. He is with you and Xiao wants you to know that.

 Don’t expect him to be too into skinship, it seems...Too awkward for him and he’s afraid of exerting the wrong strength and might end up with you being hurt because of his carelessness.

However, if your eyes are very sharp- You’ll see him trying to reach for your hand but ends up retracting it and clenches his fist.

He wants to hold you, as close as you can possibly be- But the fear of just hurting you haunts him ceaselessly. 

But it’s alright, it doesn’t mean he wont hold you. He’ll eventually build up the confidence and he’ll softly take yours with his.  Xiao’s grip was firm, it’s obvious in his hold that he is someone who has fought numerous battles and wields his spear alone. Maybe his touch will feel a little sad no matter how loving and careful it is.

He wasn’t used to this, walking peacefully with someone beside him. It felt unreal.

Years of never-ending bloodbath, years of always being on high guard- It changed him drastically to the anguish he now suffers alone with.

Xiao was used to being able to not call someone his own, the walls around built up to the point he is trapped in the tight space of darkness of his own grief. Entangled by the karmic binds, forever cursed in the ways of always on the hunt- Xiao walks alone in a path he paved himself, nothing but suffering awaits him.

But when you came into his life? He felt like he wanted to lay down everything of him and just offer it all to you. His heart swore a silent oath to protect and love you in discreet ways.

Xiao takes you to Qingyun Peak and brings you further up the the floating island. He softly pushes your shoulders down to have you sit and he follows beside you.

“Wait a bit” He says, his amber eyes trailing off to the scenery ahead.

You look ahead to see the sky painted in amber and gold, the traces of the blue sky slowly disappearing as the sun takes it’s rest. Your eyes glistened, gsping at how stunning it was.

But Xiao’s eyes weren’t looking at where your gaze wanders, his orbs only looked towards you. 

To him, this sunset doesn’t compare to the beauty that is sitting beside right now. With you, the Golden Winged King didn’t feel like he lived in eons of slaughter. 

It was as if you broke down the walls around him and removed the binds that tortured him, you presence felt like it was the sun itself to him. Your ascension in his life gave him a new light.

You were his flame, without you, Xiao won’t have his light. Where you are, is his guide to peace.

“Xiao this is-” He cuts you off, immediately locking his lips with yours. 

His eyes carefully shut as he brings you in closer, softly circling around your waist and maybe pulling you to his lap. 

His lips were warm, it was soft and it nibbled on yours lovingly.

When he realized what he had done, Xiao immediately pulled out- his face burning to the point even his ears were pinkish.

“I-I” He fumbled in his words, not knowing what to say. “I-I! I!”

Xiao tripped, humiliation flooding him and now he wanted to bang his head somehwere. HE EVEN PULLED YOU TO HIS LAP, HOW DID HE JUST LOSE CONTROL NOW?!

“Xiao?”

“I-I...”

No doubt Xiao won’t be able to look at you straight in the eyes after his -ahem- fail in restraining himself

ₓ˚. ୭ ˚○◦˚𝔻𝕚𝕝𝕦𝕔 ˚◦○˚ ୧ .˚ₓ

﹢　˖    　✦      ¸ .　﹢　 ° 　¸.    ° ˖ ･ ·̩　　 ｡　☆.     　﹢　˖    　✦      ¸ .

Who would have thought that the Head Of The Ragnivndr, who tirelessly rejected the proposals of many wealthy nobles who offered their beautiful daughters- Would eventually fall for someone and ask them out on a date.

A date with Diluc will no doubt be very luxurious (Well duh, this man is a walking wallet). This man might even dress nice, probably in a suit. 

Diluc isn’t used to something like this so expect him to be a little awkward at some point. But he’ll make ways to make this outing for the both of you entertaining. No one wants a date that is just bland, right?

He’ll take you to the wonderful sight in Monstadt. But expect him to avoid going inside as much as he can, Diluc doesnt want to deal with his annoying step-brother after all. He wants to save himself from the Cryo user who will probably wont let him hear the end of it.

He want’s this date to be perfect, he made a lot of efforts for this after all. When was the last time he fully devoted himself to something that isn’t about work or his nightly Darknight Hero agendas?

Who knows, but he doesn’t care. All that matters now is that he will please you, the person who he is willing to give his all to. 

He was always blinded by work, he never batted an eye towards anything else. He wasn’t interested a tad bit in romance, he believed he didn’t need it. He just needs to do what he needs to do. No need for that.

But when you came? Boy did he want to open his own head and check how much water had gone in. Maybe he wanted to smack himself and say ‘So, love is insignificant?’

When he fell for you, his heart burned with to desire to be wanted. He wanted to get your attention. 

The peaceful walk with you felt unreal since he was too used to being in front of piled papers or a blade in hand to slice down. Something serene like this.... Just felt like omething that he’ll only experience inside a dream.

His crimson orbs will always wander to you. Looking at you makes him feel cozy and his heart roared out bbecause he just wants to protect you. 

If he’s confident enough, he’ll softly interlace his fingers with you. He’ll even rub his thumb at the back of yours to have you know that he’s there and he wont be leaving you anytime soon.

Well, in fact... Diluc doesn’t even want to leave you alone ever. He wants to keep you by his side if you also want to.

Moments like this, precious time spent like this, he’ll cherish it closely in his heart.

After all, this might be the last time he’ll get to experience something as soothing as this. 

“Close your eyes” He softly says and you obey him, Diluc then takes your hand and leads you softly.

His touch, full of adoration. He steps were slow and steady, he even has his hand at your back to catch you incase you trip. 

“You can open them now”

The moment your eyes opened, the night sky painted with stars took your breath away. The wind softly blew, brushing against your hair and your strands now softly flew against the breeze. 

Diluc smiled at how you bright your face was now, seeing you this radiant made him feel as if he had been granted a wish of a lifetime.

This is all he wants. He knows this moment will eventually fade into a distant memory that he will no longer be able to ever reach, but it doesn’t matter. He’ll hold this as close as it can. It will now become a piece of his heart.

“Did you enjoy?” He broke the silence between you both.

“Yeah!” You cheered, turning your face that glistened it delight towards him. “This is too stunning, I want to see this every night!”

“That won’t be too hard to grant, I’ll bring you here anyti-”

His words were cut off when you suddenly pounced on him, bringing your lips together.

Diluc frozen in his spot, his orbs blinking in utter disbelief on the sudden move you made. He gulped, unable to function but he eventually returned the affection you were giving him, his arms snaked around your waist, pulling it closer to his figure. 

His heart raced at the contact your lips made, he locked it in for a second before lovingly kissing you even deeper.

Under the moonlight, two souls have united. The wind blew a soft breeze, as if announcing the fuse of two who were made for eachother. 

A/N: Aiyaaa, I’m beat. I’m sleepy and tired, I still have homeworks to do tomorrow so I’m taking a rest now jasjsksg. Have a great day/night everyone! Hope you enjoy this headcanon! **IMMEDIATELY PASSES OUT AND SLEEPS**

[interstellarre]

Delve In The Depths. Chapter II.

Word Count. 1.5k

a/n. Just a quick btw, Meno gave Xiao the nickname "Emerald duck" because emerald ducks have greenish teal stripes on their heads and Xiao has teal undertones in his hair.

Trigger Warnings. Mentions of death and violence

Series Masterlist

Chapter II.

Again and again these waves crash over Xiao's subconscious. Riptides of lost human dreams, the tsunamis of guilt, and the eons of pain build each other up, growing larger as they drown him in endless suffering. Waves of black vapor cloud his person. He clutches his mask

He can hear their screams now as he writhes on the top floor of Wangshu Inn in agony, barely supporting the weight of his body with his arms leaning on the balcony rails.

"Xiao, Xiao!" he turns his head to see Verr Goldet franticly searching for him.

"There's someone downstairs, the-they, Verr Goldet stutters on her words, waving her arms around unlike her usual composed self.

Xiao doesn't wait for to finish, he grabs his pole arm by reflex prepared to strike the threat down.

Instead he's met with a person grappling with pain on the floor.

"Why slime condensate exactly?"

"Hm?" Xiangling gives you a genuinely confused look despite it not exactly being the social norm to add slime liquids to a meal. She was climbing up a sandbearer tree. The striped squirrels on the ground scatter upon her arrival.

"What gave you the idea to add slime into your dishes?" you clarify, trying not to come off as rude. Tossing the wicker basket between your hands as a form of entertainment while your culinary friend ducked her head underneath a branch.

The trees ruffle and flocks of crimson flinches and golden flinches fly off to the sky as Xiangling forages around in the tree branches for bird eggs.

"What gave you the idea that not everything is edible?" she playfully teases, now placing bird eggs by sets of two in the basket she previously gave you in Wanmin Restaurant.

You giggle, covering your hands with your mouth. She motions for you to put the basket down and come over while she grabs you by the shoulders ("Don't you dare-") and hops down. Unfortunately, you aren't heavy enough to support her body weight when she jumps down with her full force.

"Ugh!" you groan as you both tumble down to the floor. You raise a hand to your head and cover your forehead. "Was that really necessary?" you sigh, already far too used to her antics. She snickers.

As you regain your footing, you ask, "How far along are we exactly? My mother will have an aneurysm if we step foot in Moon City.*" Xiangling had already run off, and with the basket no doubt.

You look to your right and find her by the lake counting hydro slimes behind a crack between a few slabs of stone. You crouch down besides her. Her charcoal hair brushes against your mulberry silk skirt.

"1,2,3,4." Yes! this is definitely enough for my new dish!" she pumps her fist in the air.

You don't remember there being a lake to the far right in the places your mother told you to stick to.

"Let me guess," you strike a thinking pose, you want me to set up a new shop here for your new culinary competition?" you sarcastically muse.

She rolls her eyes. "No, silly I-," she stops at your amused expression. "Ah- well go on than."

You reach your arm to summon your now unsheathed dagger attached to the leather belt on your waist, ignoring the long bow and arrows attached on your back and rather choosing a melee weapon,

Standing up from your hiding spot, the group hydro slime flock, well bounce towards you.

The air turns frosty and Xiangling's teeth chatter while she rubs her arms in hopes of warming up. "Don't turn me into a chef popsicle before I get the slime condensate [Name]!"

As you kneel down to slam the stiletto dagger into sand, sharp edged flower patterns appear on the ground. The slimes teeter back at the sound chill between their mass before large icicles spring up, piercing their bodies and turning them into goo.

"Woo!" Xiangling jumps above the rock pile and excitedly cheers. Pumping her arms up. "That's my girl!"

"It was nothing really. What was it you needed next again? Of course after you've collected the slime condensate of course." you stop talking as Xiangling sweeps the slightly frozen slime fluids off the crystals you've created into a glass bottle.

"Well talking about other ingredients, I actually wanted to try something." she mentions with a certain twinkle in her eyes.

"You have my attention." You wave your hand at her to go on.

"You know that cooking competition? The one I had in the Mondstadt with the chef named Brooke?"

"I don't recall you telling me that, can you specify?" racking your brain for memories of Xiangling's rantings about food. You suddenly feel drops of sweat on your back despite not being lukewarm at the very best. It must just be from the excitement from fighting the slimes, you think pushing away your other thoughts on the matter.

"Well anyways, we found this extinct species of boar with the help of the traveler, I believe they're called the honorary knight now?" she taps her chin. "That's besides the point but, anyways, it made me think of the different varieties of possible meat options I could use with different monsters. Can you go with me north of Jueyun Karst with me to find a Stonehide Lawachurl?" She claps her hands together into a begging motion. "Please, Please?"

"Mhm, I'm not sure how fast we can make it there? You didn't hear my question before when I was asking where we were before. I'm planning on packing my bags early when I go home overmorrow." you say counting the possible time it would take you to pack all your belongings. Black spots appear in your vision. You open your mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

"Hmm, I'd say if we're lucky, a few hours? It's lucky that it's still the early morning huh?" Xiangling turned her attention to you from the mushrooms she was picking underneath the trees.

"[Name]?"

She looks over to see you on your knees, black substance withering out of your body. Sweat drips down your forehead.

She frantically shakes you, but your vision has gone black.

"[Name]!"

The blood on Bosacius' arm dripped to the ground creating a thin string trailing only to be diluted by the pouring rain water behind Bosacius and a certain teal haired adeptus. Bosacius gripped his injured arm with his other.

"You need to treat that wound," Xiao said, glaring at his fellow adeptus' wound. He could see the majority of Bosacius bone creeping out of his flesh. A familiar sight.

"Rest assured, I've been in worse state. I just never expect it to hurt as much as it always does," grimaced Bosacius through his smiling expression. The water soaked through his garments and drenched his hair.

"You sound like one of those mortals, trying to fight through their deathly injuries only not to see the next day," replied Xiao looking forward to their destination of Jueyun Karst. He could see the towering peaks getting larger and larger as they move on despite the misty atmosphere.

"We're all too mortal for our liking these days." said Bosacius, his expression unreadable.

The sound of steps softly crushing the blades of grass underneath them and thunder rumbling filled the air while their owners remained silent.

"Have you told Rex Lapis about the constant pain you've been experiencing?" said Xiao, breaking the silence.

Bosacius bit his bottom lip while his working hands, well, what was left of them tensed up. "No, I didn't see the need to bother him. I'm sure he has other pressing matters to attend to now, especially with the incline in aggression from monsters around Liyue Harbor recently. It's strange," The older man looked up to the sky, while Xiao had a distracted look on his face from thinking about the increased monster attacks. "I have yet to figure out the cause behind it."

"I believe Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper are free this evening, I'll ask them for their input on the situation later."

They had arrived at Jueyun Karst, the floating island in the middle of the adepti abode was lit up, symbolizing the availability of Cloud Retainer.

"I'd imagine we don't have the need to place an offering in the middle of the lake huh?" Bosacius winks at Xiao. Xiao looks down at the lake, full of ripple currently from the cloudburst. The empty bowl in the middle overflowed with liquid.

Bosacius gave a forced smile at his correct prediction of their fellow adepti's availability. "Well, I suppose it's best for me to head off and find Indarias to heal my wounds."

"That would be for the best." confirmed Xiao

"Thank you for accompanying me for this trip."

Xiao turned his back and Bosacius was gone

"Hey! Emerald duck!"

Xiao swore he heard the inter layers of hell again as he pinched the bridge of his nose

"Oh archons," he cursed under his breath. Menogias tumbled towards him, no grace or posture in her current childlike state.

*Moon City refers to Mondstadt as Mondstadt translates to Moon City in German.

a/n. Incase anyone was wondering the reader's constellation is "The Maiden" or "Virgo". I'm planning on making a character sheet for the reader soon, so watch out for that!

[thegeneralguy]

The Champion of Olympus - Prologue

This is the first series I´ve ever worked on. I remember I saw a post about the gift of the gods from @absqrst in the past, so I worked a bit around that general idea. It´s gonna be long, but I hope the patience makes it worth your while. I want to clarify all the characters in the stories are adults.

The flaming chariot sped over the clouds as thunder roared through the night sky. The vessel of the sun had its usual flames dimmed, but there was no doubt who was commanding it.

“He must be really mad to be throwing such a tantrum.”

Said Apollo to himself as he drove through the dark clouds. He was in the middle of a particularly erotic composing session with Terpsichore, muse of music, when the message from his father blasted through the roof of the mansion and engraved the urgent message on the floor. His presence was being requested for an extraordinary session of the twelve. Apollo couldn´t even remember the last time he saw his family together, but it usually meant bad news for everyone.

The last time his father and Poseidon argued, a massive tidal wave ravaged the land of the rising sun down on earth. The celestial plane wasn´t always indifferent towards mortal matters, and Apollo made sure to keep inspiring those beautiful human minds in order to create both beauty and a form of expression that eased up tension in difficult times. The fact that his family was meeting again could only mean disaster, both for mortals and for gods.

The sky grew increasingly stormy the more the chariot approached the thunder palace. Zeus´s residence was directly on top of Mytikas peak in Mount Olympus. The home of the gods was on an entirely different plane than earth, but vaster and richer. It existed both parallel to the terrestrial plane, but above it in hierarchy, and was ruled by the will of the deities that inhabited it. Each Olympian had its dominion, but Zeus ruled above all.

The chariot slowed down as the imposing marble columns of the palace became visible. It stopped on one of the gardens, and Apollo rushed to the nearest entrance heading to the meeting. The door to the throne room was guarded by celestial Sentinels, the latest invention from his brother Hephaestus. The automatons had the shape of the pinnacle of the masculine physique and were made of gold with a tiny bit of ichor, the blood of the gods. They served mainly as guardians, although he had made use of a couple of them for more personal matters, like an extra boost for the sexual soirees he usually hosted.

Apollo could hear the heated discussion from outside the room. The Sentinels opened the doors and suddenly twelve pairs of eyes were instantly focused on him.

“Apollo. So glad you decided to grace us with your presence. Take a seat.”

Said Zeus with a sour scowl. He was indeed the last one to arrive. Even Hades was there, so it must be serious. He took his seat next to his brother Dionysius, who gave him a knowing look.

“How many were there this time?”

Asked Dionysius with a cheeky smile. Apollo remained with his sight to the center of the room, trying his best to ignore the provocations of his brother.

“Come on I´m dying for a little excitement. Things have been rather grim around here, and I´m dying for a little spark of *hic* entertainment.”

Apollo gave his brother an irritated look. The God of wine was looking as disheveled as ever. His muscular body was partially covered by a glowing white cloak, with some grape vines hanging from his belt and decorating one side of his head. He was holding his everlasting wine cup with one hand, while his face rested on the other.

“I was with Terpsichore. We were looking for some inspiration.”

“Right, right. Maybe next time I can join you both. I could use some inspiration too you know. Remember the parties we used to throw with the muses and the nymphs? I´m pretty sure you got more inspiration than you bargained for back then…”

A lightning bolt stroke right before Dionysus, who sighed and diverted his attention to Zeus.

“I apologize father. Please do continue to illustrate us with your crucial monologue.”

He said disinterested as he took a big swig from his golden wine cup.

“This is no joke Dionysus. It is the first time since the Titanomachy that we´ve faced a situation like this.”

Apollo had heard legends about the epic war against the titans, an event that changed the course of the world. His aunts and uncles fought alongside Zeus for ten years in order to dethrone Cronus and other titans loyal to the Golden Age regime. He tried his best to focus on the near future, but he couldn´t get past the next few days. He felt like a thick fog over him interrupting his vision of the future.  It was unusual for the god the sun to have his gift of prophecy clouded, specially in an event of such magnitude like his father was describing. His curiosity started to turn into genuine worry, and he focused his attention on Zeus once again.

“The Fates contacted me recently with news from the underworld. It seems that the king of the monsters found a way to break through the veil separating his prison in Tartarus from the rest of the infernal plane.”

“That’s impossible. The abyss in Tartarus is inescapable. Not even Typhon is capable of gathering enough power.”

Said Poseidon skeptically whilst stroking his magnificent beard.

“It is a different kind of problem brother. Typhon is trying to seep some of his energy into the terrestrial plane. We´ve grown disconnected from humanity in the last century, and Typhon is trying to take advantage so he can gain some adepts of his own in order to amass divine energy to break free. I already consulted with Hades, and it seems a breach in Tartarus´s security is not impossible.”

“But what would that mean for us father? We still have enough divine power to launch a counterattack if he does manage to escape, we will be ready for battle.”

Said the mighty Ares. The god of war was known for taking aggressive decisions that lead to confrontation. His mighty physique was a testament for his strength and his prowess in combat.

“Not if he gains some divinity himself. The monster already possesses enough strength on his own to blow up half of Olympus. If he acquires some power from human devotion, not even I will be able to stop him.”

It wasn´t fitting of Zeus to admit inadequacy of any kind, and Apollo knew it. He grew only increasingly uncomfortable imagining the possible outcomes of a monster invasion. In any scenario, Earth would face the biggest catastrophe.

“What do you suggest we do now father? Humanity isn´t what it used to be. The facilitated communication of humans has bred doubt and paranoia. It won´t be hard for Typhon to appeal to humanity´s loss of self in order to succeed.”

Said Athena who out of her siblings seemed the most invested in the problem at hand. Hades who had been cautiously quiet listening to the conversation raised from his seat to answer the wisdom goddesses’ question.

“It seems we got time on our side, my honorable niece. Infusing earth with energy direct from Tartarus will take time. And the first thing Typhon will try to gain are champions. Without some avatars directly on earth he is still powerless”

“Don´t be ridiculous Hades. There hasn´t been a champion on earth since ancient times. Let alone a hellish spawn from the original monster himself.”

Exclaimed Poseidon with a booming laugh whilst slamming his gigantic trident on the floor.

“Hades is right brother. A champion serving as a recruiter is the only way of gaining direct adoration. The negative energy coming from Typhon will take care of the rest. It´s only fair we do the same.”

Zeus´ stern face showed a glimpse of amusement, his muscular body almost twitching with excitement.

“It is time we choose a new Champion of Olympus.”

Everyone went completely quiet for a second. The incredulous eyes of the twelve Olympians were staring at the god of thunder. Then the room was immediately filled with chatter and discussion. Apollo looked around as his brothers and sisters talked aggressively between themselves. The idea of gifting divinity to a mortal hasn´t been touched in eons, so it was only natural for the godly unrest to take place. The ritual was long, complex and it required the cooperation of all the Olympians.

“But why father? What makes you think a new champion will do anything to stop the monster from breaking out? Last time we tried to make one divinity rejected him.”

Said Ares slamming his powerful fist on the armrest. The main reason the gods didn´t get celestial conduits on the terrestrial plane was because few humans were eligible for the gift. And even after getting one who was compatible with divinity, all Olympians had to agree on the candidate, and there was always someone who chose differently. If the will of one god was against the chosen one, the ritual backfired and the person would be consumed by the divine power.

“A champion will help us connect with humans again. Times have changed, and we won´t be able to amass enough power to retaliate against Typhon if we don´t gain adoration again. Besides, we are going to do things differently this time. Each of you will have the possibility of choosing one eligible candidate. Afterwards we will put the chosen ones through three heroic tests. The one that manages to complete the tasks will get our blessing, and so divinity will be achieved. If we all agree on these terms, we won´t kill the candidate during the sacred ritual. And we will be sure the best choice was taken.”

“It seems you already had this planned out brother.”

Said Poseidon in a slightly suspicious tone. It wasn´t unusual for his brother to come up with grandiose plans that required thorough cleaning afterwards. The god of the sea laid back his heavily muscled back on the chair and wondered about what Zeus was really planning.

“This is madness father. And even if the plan worked, we are not sure divinity won´t corrupt the champion. It has happened before. And I´m sure some of us won´t have Olympus´ best interest in mind when choosing a candidate.”

Said Athena whilst eying the god of wine, who was in-between drinking and undressing the Sentinels with his eyes.

“Of course, it would be you who started judgement sister. Perhaps if you sought interaction with other one than your precious little owl, you wouldn´t be practically embodying neurosis instead of wisdom.”

Said Aphrodite clearly in odds with her sister´s self-perceived moral high ground.

The room exploded in a cacophony of displeased voices. Apollo sighed as he looked at his family once again imploding on its own. He knew that deep inside everyone was excited with the idea of gifting a mortal with divine powers, it was a fascinating process. It allowed the gods to mold a person according to their needs, and of course desires. The trip down to the terrestrial plane could be a hassle, but nothing none of the twelve Olympians could handle. He was particularly keen on seeing what his normally silent brother Hephaestus and his hermit twin sister Artemis would come up with.

Suddenly Zeus slammed his hand on the giant round table on the center and thunder flashed all across the room and resonated with a deafening sound that completely drowned the gods´ anxious voices.

“The decision is made. According to Hades we got exactly until the next lunar cycle for Typhon´s energy to start leaking out of Tartarus. Until then the champion has to be chosen and ready with his task so we can avoid the most corruption possible. Each Olympian must have their candidate ready by the next full moon and present him before the celestial gateway on the base of Mount Olympus. That is an order.”

Zeus´s eyes flashed excitedly with the glow of golden lightning.

“Meeting adjourned.”

The king of the gods then disappeared with blinding thunder. Each god made their way out of the palace to get ready for the task at hand. Apollo got on his chariot and smiled. Apparently, a new form of inspiration was presenting itself to him, and he was going to enjoy every second of it. It was fitting for his father to turn a crisis situation into a competition, but this time Apollo was excited to participate. The chariot of the sun then departed hastily into the night sky as the thunder clouds dissipated and a dark moon adorned the firmament.

[1863-project]

I’m at the end of my first-ever Omega Ruby run, and I’ve honestly had a great time getting to know Hoenn. I just have to evolve some Pokemon and catch the Regis and Deoxys before I move along (I’m waiting to trade with folks to finish the Dex properly, but I can do that at any point), but I think it’s worth doing a retrospective on the characters and Pokemon I met along the way.

As a region, Hoenn is unique in that it has a LOT of water routes. You spend a large portion of the second half of the game traveling via Surf. The Azumarill in my party, Pikablue, ended the game knowing Waterfall, Surf, and Dive (it also carries Play Rough), and it was one of the most crucial members of my party for transport purposes.

When I won the Hoenn League, the team May (named ‘Hatshepsut’ in my playthrough because we love cool historical figures in this house) had with her was her evolved starter, a Blaziken named Cluck You, along with Pikablue the Azumarill, Pangaea the Groudon, Charles II the Shiftry, Friendo the Latios, and the team anchor, Bastet the overleveled Skitty. I beat Steven because Bastet dodged a Zen Headbutt from Metagross and gave me the time I needed to revive both Blaziken and Groudon in the back, and their fire moves handled the rest. Bastet went on to become the first party member to reach level 100, way ahead of everyone else. She was absolutely incredible and I love her. Her final moveset: Heal Bell (surprisingly useful, especially in Doubles), Thunder, Ice Beam, and Play Rough. She’s a Dragon Slayer.

As soon as I got my hands on the Eon Flute I started running around to check every Mirage location that came up in the hopes that it would be a Mirage Cave. I knew that was where Tynamo was, and I needed Eelektross to complete the Submas team I was building (the other nine members are in SwSh at the moment; Eelektross will hopefully someday join them). On November 30th, my persistence paid off, and I went and caught three Tynamos so I could have the entire evolutionary line in my National Dex in Pokemon HOME. As it turns out, Eelektross still hasn’t been added to HOME because Third Rail has become a vital member of my party in postgame and I love him and he loves me. (I’m just Emmet, really.) The Eon Flute is also really nice in that using it allows you to literally fly in real time over the entire region, and I prefer doing that to using Fly because it’s just so aesthetically nice. Friendo just swoops down and picks me up, and we have a nice time exploring together. It’s especially pretty at night when everything is all lit up. It’s a lovely little feature exclusive to Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, and it’s so great.

Character-wise, Hoenn has produced some notables. Magma and Aqua are two of the most beloved villain teams in the entire franchise, and the reboots gave them so much more personality and gave the leaders and admins some excellent updated designs. (Years ago, when the remakes were first released, my dash was filled to the brim with Hardenshipping.) I had OR, so I had Magma to contend with, and one of the single most entertaining things in the entire game is Maxie’s losing animation. It’s perfect, it suits his character so well, and it’s just really funny. Also, shout-out to the Team Magma grunt that I met in the Extremely Obvious Hideout who told me how proud he was of kicking his soda habit whilst standing next to the vending machines. I love that guy. In terms of reformation, Magma and Aqua come around very easily when they realize that they’ve had a very bad idea - they ultimately were well-intentioned but made a really horrible mistake and set out to set things right (with the player’s help, of course). It ultimately makes both teams very likeable.

In terms of other characters, not every Gym Leader from Hoenn is a complete standout, but a few are very, very popular. Flannery is a perfect time capsule of 2003 fashion and I love that so much, and I don’t think I need to say much about Wallace. He’s just Wallace. He’s so freaking entertaining. Steven is also a very popular Champion, and he plays a pretty big role in the plot, so you see a lot of him throughout the game. (He and Wallace are also a very popular ship, with Originshipping - named for the Cave of Origin which Wallace has to grant you access to - actually being referenced in Pokemon Masters on, of all days, Valentine’s Day. Make of this what you will, but I’m here for it.) The Gym Leaders all received redesigns as well, with a lot of them benefiting greatly from it - I like Roxanne’s new school uniform so much better than her old one, for example, and once again, Wallace outshines everyone with an ensemble that would go wonderfully at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. I wish we got to know the Gym Leaders a bit more as people, because they don’t get to stand out as characters as much. Galar actually did this very well by allowing us a lot of interactions with the Leaders outside the Gyms and as teammates and rivals in the Galarian Star Tournament. A big part of the reason Wallace is so popular as a Gym Leader here is that you see him outside the Gym multiple times and can even compete with him in Contests. You get to know him as a person more and not just as the eighth Gym Leader, and it makes him a much more interesting character.

In short, here’s how the League stacks up for me:

Roxanne: Benefited massively from her character redesign, which gives her a lot more personality. Would like to see her and Steven interact since they’re apparently friends, which I imagine revolves around going out and licking rocks together or whatever geologists do with their geologist friends.

Brawly: He still isn’t very distinct. He’s a surfer who trains Fighting-types, which is a bit of a subversion since you’d expect Water-types from someone like that, but nothing about him really pops for me.

Wattson: Gives off Grandpa Vibes. Wattson actually gets a lot of expository development via his work on New Mauville and Sea Mauville, where you find out he halted the projects to protect the Pokemon ecosystems in both locations. A lot of employees were angry about this and he was even investigated briefly for stopping the projects, even being called a traitor to the company (which appeared to overwork its employees and prevent them from unionizing), but it was apparently evidently clear that he did things out of environmental concerns, and the employees were able to find work on other projects elsewhere. This actually slots nicely into the themes of the game involving environmentalism and how to ensure the livelihoods of people and nature both.

Flannery: Time capsule from 2003! I was, of course, around in 2003 (I turned 14), and Flannery was at the peak of fashion back then. Flares were in, and I miss that trend so much. For that alone, she’s one of my favorite Gym Leaders in this generation, but I also appreciate that she’s shown trying to find her footing and figure out who she is instead of pretending to be someone else. There’s a certain performative aspect to being a Gym Leader, but it needs to come naturally from them and be an extension of their own personality, not be artificial. I would, however, love to know who her grandfather is. It’s still never been confirmed. (As a side note, a lot of people headcanon her to be Kabu’s niece, since he’s from Hoenn, which is cute.)

Norman: A Dad. More specifically, the player character’s dad. There’s really nothing that stands out about him except for that damn Slaking, which gives a lot of people trouble. I did, however, appreciate the conversation he had with Wally’s father as Wally and the player character departed together, because I’m actually pretty close to my own father (who I’m very similar to in many aspects). I’m 31 years old and I still get emotional every time my parents tell me they’re proud of me. Notably, Norman is the only player character father we have ever seen in Pokemon, though, which is odd.

Winona: In-game, she doesn’t feel like she has much of a personality, although she goes off on aesthetics pretty well. It just weirds me out that that’s her hair coming out from under the helmet and not wings attached to it. She could have been really cool but she gets the short end of the development stick.

Tate and Liza: The two of them intentionally playing up the ‘weird twins’ angle by completing each other’s sentences actually comes across really cutely because they’re kids. You can also run into them in the Lilycove Department Store being children and buying toys, a good reminder that they’re still very young and evidently very skilled for their ages. Battle-wise, my Azumarill knew Surf by this point so I ended things quickly because I’m into Doubles as it is and like using spread moves when I can.

Wallace: I’ve discussed him a lot above, so I don’t need to say much else, but he really is the most notable Gym Leader in the region, and not just because he’s the last one you face. He has a lot of personality and development, you meet him outside the Gym several times, his niece Lisia is also out and about in the game and the family resemblance is notable, and you find an old magazine in Sea Mauville featuring a woman on the cover who looks like Lisia - likely Wallace’s older sister, Lisia’s mother. The entire family gets more development than a lot of the other Gym Leaders in this region.

Sidney: The first member of the Elite Four you face...I’d actually like to know more about him. He seems like an interesting person, and I personally enjoy Dark-types myself so I always appreciate seeing Dark-type users not being portrayed as evil. His upbeat nature is nice, and it’s a pleasant surprise to run into him at the Battle Resort, even if he was only there to track down Steven.

Phoebe: I love how much her appearance contrasts with her Pokemon typing. She’s a Ghost-type trainer and you’d never guess that from her outfit! Her grandmother is the old woman on Mt. Pyre, which is why Phoebe has an affinity for Ghost-Types, and I’d love to see more interactions involving them together. You can run into Phoebe on Mt. Pyre after you beat the League and talk to her briefly - she was likely visiting her grandmother - but sadly she doesn’t get much development outside of that.

Glacia: An Ice-type trainer who we learn next to nothing about. Glacia is mentioned outside of the context of the Elite Four by an NPC in the Mauville Food Court who says she was slurping down ramen so intensely that she broke a sweat, but that’s all we know about her aside from that she’s originally from a different region, and she tells us that herself. Not very memorable.

Drake: Yet another Dragon trainer late in the game, and not one of the more notable ones. Lance and Clair are remembered for being cousins and for being the first Dragon trainers you really come across in the series, and later Dragon-type trainers like Iris (who becomes Champion of Unova in B2W2) and Raihan are carried by their personalities and distinct looks. Drake is just an old sea captain with Dragon-types, and he doesn’t really jump out at me much either.

Steven: A major player in the plot - one of the most active Champions we’ve had in the franchise - and a perpetually popular character. I never minded running into Steven out and about in Hoenn, even if it meant I’d have to listen to an infodump about rocks, and his Champion battle was actually fairly difficult for the team I brought in despite having two team members with Fire-type attacks to handle the Steel. As I mentioned above, it was my Skitty that made the decisive dodge to allow me to bring in the team member I needed to deliver the final blow, meaning this is now the second time in my life I’ve beaten the Champion with an unevolved house cat. (Rick Pratt the Purrloin is a vital member of my beloved Young Ones Galar Championship Team.) Overall, Steven’s a very likeable Champion, and I did enjoy the little detail of the rocks on display in his home - he has them labeled so you can see where he found them, and they’re from every region featured in the games up to that point.

Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire also have the Delta Episode, which features Rayquaza (which you’re forced to catch) and a character named Zinnia, who isn’t in RSE at all and is new to ORAS. Besides being named after my favorite flower, Zinnia’s personality is actually very interesting because although she comes across as cheery it’s clear she feels the weight of a massive responsibility and that the cheeriness is covering a lot of pain. Her Whismur named Aster is evidently named after someone important to her who is no longer around, and it’s never revealed in-game who the original Aster was. Whoever Aster was, though, Zinnia misses her deeply. In a 2015 interview, Ohmori Shigeru stated that the original Aster was the person who held the position of Lorekeeper before Zinnia, but we don’t know anything more than that - a shame, really, because that makes for some interesting backstory.

Overall, I had a lovely time in Hoenn, and I’ll be moving on to Kalos in the next few weeks once I finish up this Dex business first. I just wish I got to get to know so many of the characters I’ve met a little better, but I adore the team I put together and I’m super proud of them and all they’ve accomplished.

[icecry]

“Shades of Morning”

TITLE: “Shades of Morning”

PAIRING: Beerus x Heles  SUMMARY:  In the twilight hour after a night of celebration in the Seventh Universe two Gods reflect on the small pleasures of life and the burdens of immortality. FEEDBACK APPRECIATED :)

It was unorthodox really. To leave a cosmos ungoverned and a throne of balance unattended. Unheard of. Fine and elaborate feasts and balls of grandeur filled her reality and there certainly wasn’t a shortage. However, this particular celebration in this foreign world was certainly needed. It’s  dedication was to the Victory of it’s home Universe and savior of all the remaining. Yes, her attendance there was definitely appropriate. And after, she was of course sociable and loved an occasion.

The haze of a midsummer sky filled the air with a thick warmth that could only be fully enjoyed at the end of a day in July. Sweet flavored aromas lingered from the festivities prior as sleeping, restless warriors dwelled well below divine eyes. Colorful papers and golden shimmering favors littered the ground that only hours ago was filled with dancing and laughter. Spread across cluttered tables once decorated with large spreads of endless delicacies lay a battle hungry warrior. Wild black hair and a  fiery orange uniform pressed against table cloth, finally exhausted from both tournament and fork. Across on balcony slept a weary prince, arms crossed and head pressed back against a long white piece of furniture the mortals of this reality lounge upon. Their comrades followed suit in similar positions, hands still around plates and bottles, cascaded across the cushioned outdoor furniture or just on the stone ground that was warmed from the heat of the summer night. One lonely warrior slept on top the roof. Arms crossed, white cape dancing with the cooler wind of that altitude. Wives and children had retired indoors, visible through the glass that separated them from  the large patio. With a sigh of fatigue, the owner of the home gently draped a soft blanket over two dutiful mothers exhausted from the preparation of the party. Brushing a strand of blue hand behind her ear, should could’t help but chuckle a little as one of them mumbled something about not touching the tempora before she hadn’t finished preparing it. Always working. Always tending to her husband and sons. Her thoughts were interrupted as something grabbed her attention through the corner of her eye. Through the glass now littered with fingerprints, she slowly slid open the heavy door. Two figures pressed against the sky, almost blending in completely if not for the faint light of the sun’s arrival. A smile crossed her lips when she realized who the spectators were. Pressing her head to the side of the door, she had wondered throughout the night if the two were ever going to engage in conversation.

“Such a vibrant star.”

A soft voice spoke among the silence. Green vibrant eyes studying the change light of the horizon. The stillness of the air around them didn’t make for less then enthusiastic conversation, but the Goddess wasn’t one to find awkwardness the company she kept. Her interests were in that of the changing sky. How slowly the burning star of this world turned the sky from a deep endless blue into a lovey shade of lavender and pink. Her hands clasped in embrace, golden rings making audible contact.

“How perfectly balanced.” The deity in her company kept his silence, arms crossed as smell of the water below filled his delicate sense of smell. This conversation was mundane and pointless in his mind. He had not interest in discussing the intricate details of this world’s orbital path. However, a code of conduct for a deity was something he more so than often adhered to when it came to interacting with his counterparts, though he certainly did not bother to practice this with his brother. None the less she was a guest in his Universe after all. It would be uncouth not to entertain her interests. At least until his patience ran out. She was certainly overbearing. And her jewelry was too damn loud. Cracking his neck, he led out a small groan of thought before drawing in an all too loud slew of air through his nostrils. “I suppose.” He answered, much later than he should have. “Though I can’t speak of cleverness of the name. The Earthlings call this star ‘The Sun.’” “The Sun?” The foreign Goddess blinked in what someone might observe as childlike look of confusion. She turned to the slender God, brows pressed in a bit of discernment. “Why not the daughter?” Golden eyes slowly opened and rolled in her direction. The corner of his mouth perked somewhere between a smirk and smile. “Not sure. “ He with little enthusiasm. “But I wouldn’t give it too much thought. The Mortals of this world also refer to this planet as “Mother.” A smile quickly formed her lips. Arms crossing as her weight in mid air shifted to one side. Her eyes fluttering closed before spoke. “Well of course. She is quite beautiful after all. It’s to be expected.” Her attention returned to the sky as the remainder of the stars began to melt into into nothingness. “And in your opinion, only women are capably of such beauty and grandeur?” The powerful God asked, head rolling in her direction. He surprised himself with the amount of effort he put into his sarcasm. “Oh certainly not.” She responded with a hint of assurance. Arms remaining crossed as her head tilted in thought. “The Victors of your Universe certainly are a testament to the impeccable raw beauty of a man. Especially in battle.” She smiled only to roll her shoulders to the other side. “Well…” She started. “…at least most of them. That Frizzy- Frezzy  or whatever you call him certainly doesn’t inspire me much.” The laugh that erupted from the God that followed her statement left her so surprised that she had to turn to make sure it even came from him. He raised a finger to wipe his eye, letting out a sigh to regain his composure. “I can’t imagine that he would.” “Your Saiyans, however. Now they’re a formidable force.” Her arms slowly unfold and lowered in almost a dance like manner as the gap between them grew smaller. The God, however didn’t budge as the silk draped deity floated to his side, nor did he flinch when she pressed her hand to his shoulder. “In both Strength AND beauty. Perhaps you were interested in a trade?” “No.” “Oh but my dear, sweet Beerus…” She reached one ringed finger up to outline the shape of his ear. Certainly a bold move. One that that not many would attempt. One that would anger him instantly. However, this certainly didn’t erupt anger within him. It just didn’t erupt anything at all. She kept up her pursuits none the less.

“It would only be to recognize their heroism! Monuments would rise from the ground in their likeness. Parades would fill the streets in their honor. And you would deny them such pleasures?” Motionless, only Golden eyes rolled to meet hers. “I’m denying you such pleasures..” He said with little emotion. A hand that was once so gentle upon his ear now came down to smack his bare shoulder. He chuckled at her reaction, knowing that he had struck a nerve. “Are you implying that my intentions are anything less than respectable?” She pressed her painted nails to her chest, head pressed forward in a accusing stature. Beerus, however, kept his gaze unmoved by her offended tone. Narrowing her eyes, she finally turned her head in the opposite direction in a huff. “I wouldn’t ask for much. 2 strong arms to accompany me on my cosmic strolls. A few nude poses for my oil paintings. “It’s not that much…” She flung her braided hair over her shoulder. Her head turned to an unamused Beerus, who’s eyes simply rolled as he yawned.

“Their wives certainly wouldn’t appreciate it.” Replied the God, finally turning to give her an almost amused smile. The elegant Goddess snorted in a laugh, wrinkling her nose as she did so in spiteful humor. Her hand rose to hip, turning her head to meet his gaze with less than enthusiastic smile. Her tone was deep and impactful and rolled off the tongue. “Do I look intimidated?” He certainly had no arguments there. Remaining motionless his eyes scaled her confident posture. Over the outline of her figure draped in white silk, down to the golden bracelets the decorated her ankles. Quickly however, as not to imply interest of any sort. It would be unbecoming of him. “Never.” He responded, humored.

She winked at his response, happy to see a more playful side of him emerge. Something she was sure she wouldn’t be seeing before she left. Slowly, her head leaned down to try and catch his eye. A small mischievous smile crossed her lips.

“Perhaps I haven’t been singing enough of your praises, Beerus.” Slowly, she floated to face him directly. “You are the God behind the victory, after all.” “Thank you, but I couldn’t possibly be any less interested. ” Heles laughed, hugging her shoulders  that were now becoming cool from chilled morning. “Of course. I always forget. Hungry as man. Fickle as feline. Stubborn as an ass.” It should have insulted, but only drew a small smirk from the corner of his mouth. Arms folded, her simply leaned forward, gilded eyes meeting emerald. “Helpless as a romantic. Delusional as a child. Vain as a peacock.” “Goes to show you… I don’t even know what that is.” Her shoulders rolled in victoriously, her levitation rising above his height as smiled proudly down at him.

“Your eons of silence has never been convincing, Beerus. You find me as lovely as this world’s morning star, don’t you?” He gave her no response. Only a slow  cold blink. The sun had finally peaked above the distant mountains, filling the cool sky with a golden hue of morning. The vibrancy of her complexion was shadowed by the rays of light cascading over the hillsides. Eyes that once pierced the night seemed be muted down to a dull green. Her smile, never the less remained bright and filled with as much warmth as the new day. He couldn’t be bothered by such vanity especially from someone who insists that he had always found her beauty to be unsurpassed. Rolling his neck over his shoulder he only offered a twitch of the nose. Perhaps she was right. Not likely, but perhaps. “My Lord!” The voice of a dutiful attendant broke through the silence. Down below on the cool concrete of the grounds stood two angels, staffs in hand and in glow.

“It’s Morning, my Lord. The Earthlings will be waking shortly. We should take our leave before we find ourself distracted by conversation.” “I concur, my lady. It’s well past our time of departure.” “Oh” As quickly as their conversation started so it came to an end. The was a small glimmer of sadness that shown in emerald in her eyes as her head tilted before speaking. “…And we were having such fun.” The two deities slowly hovered towards the ground. The stillness of the air around them propelled their clothing to float around them as if they were weightless. The God of this Universe landed seconds before her, turning to extend a hand to assist in her decent, and a moment of pleasant surprise she accepted it. Her feet gently touched the ground below, hand still grasped by the strength of her counterpart. The silence was deafening. Perhaps he could have easily broken it with a yawn of disinterest, or perhaps he could have released her hand more quickly. Needless to say the attendants took their time making their way to the their masters, and this was intentional. “I had an enchanting time. Give my kind regards to your champions and their wives.” In true self fashion, Beerus only offered a small bow of hospitality, barely an effort. He stood up at his full height, deep golden looking down the Goddess foreign to his reality. “I don’t envy your trip home. There’s quit a distance between the Seventh and Second Universe.” Her eyes hung heavy in response as a slow smile crossed her rose colored lips. “A perfect opportunity for some beauty sleep, no?” She laughed at her own joke, taking the sides of her silk garments to wrap over her shoulders. She let out a content sigh, eyes rolling upward to the dawn broken sky one last time.

“It really is beautiful, Beerus. This Universe of yours. Even your stars are lovely. Close as some are.” Her soft voice held hints of fatigue, but warmth none the less. “Isn’t that the burden of immortality?  No more  surprises? No corner of the cosmos unseen. No beauty that could truly humble a god.”

A chuckle escaped her lips. If one were to listen close enough, you might have heard a hint of sadness. Not for herself, but for the truth she had spoke. Their eyes have seen things others could never truly comprehend. They have looked into the eyes of heaven and have seen what comes after the veil of death. No more surprises. Nothing left unexpected. Nothing left to appreciate. The moment to leave was now. A simple nod of approval would have sufficed. It would have been more than enough. To turn and bid farewell. But no. Curiously enough a foot stepped forward towards the Goddess lost in admiration. A spectacle that did not break her concentration, but certainly surprised the God who approached. “Well. Maybe not in my reality.” A quickly as he spoke, her head turned to face him. She studied his face a moment, eyes fixating on the silhouette of his stature. Eyes of Gold remained still however, taking in her visual responses. Slowly her shoulder turned to face him, a smile holding back what could be described as a chuckle of disbelief caused her lips to shift in form. Another step forward from the usually indifferent God. Her eyes narrowed as her small laughter finally broke. “Was that your attempt at paying me a compliment, dear Beerus?” Her disbelief was expected, the gold in her hair clanking as she shifted in her posture. “Have you lost your senses? Silence followed her question as one last step forward left pitiful amount of room left between them. The feeling in her stomach surprised her. He was her equal after all, but the power that radiate from every pore certainly was felt at all times. Perhaps it was act itself that caused tickling sensation she felt. Clawed fingers gently reached down to take a piece of her gilded jewelry that held her braiding in place between his fingers. His eyes lowered to the cold metal as he rolled it between his fingers studying it. His voice, though not known for being soft, was much gentler in tone. Very uncharacteristic. Barely above a whisper. “Such noisy things.” The intimacy of the moment was not lost on her, her eyes relaxed and remained fixated on powerful deity before her. “Ceremonial.” She replied looking down at the jewelry herself. Her hands reached up to touch smooth surface of the metal, fingers of course brushing against his knuckles in the process. “And heavy.” He lingered for a moment, fingers still twisting and turning over the gold compartment before his hand lowered to place it back with the collective of other braiding. Smaller hands reached up to press his against in tandem, eyes watching the contact through thick heavy eyelashes, Before gently making their way up to meet the golden hue of his. Oddly enough, he remained still and gave no resistance. “Not many get to lay their hand upon a Goddess.” Her soothing voice was just above a whisper. “No. I imagine not many are granted the privilege.” His response was drawn out over a thick baritone voice. The sound of controlled breath was the only thing in the air between them. How bold. How exhilarating. How unlike him. What was stirring? What was inspiring these action? Who was thinking of these words to say? What was creating these thoughts.? “Not many…”Her red nails, kept and manicured began to strum over his hand like a harp. “...not even a touch. Not many would know how.” Every detail played into the responses of this moment, bedchamber eyes looked up at him as the pink of a small tongue gently rolled over a plump upper lip. Deadly. A tilt of the head, a lowering of the eyes, a circling of a clawed thumb gently grazing over the soft skin of a flawless beauty. Perhaps he had lost all his senses. At least only for the moment. “And how should I touch you?” His ears picked up on the sound of air being drown in deeply through he nose and slowly outward. This game of seduction was not new to her, but it certainly proved unexpected with the likes of Beerus.

With fluttering eyes, her hands gently pulled his hand up to her cheek, pressing into his palm. Her lips pursed together, pressing against the top of his hand before raising her gaze to meet his. “Eagerly….and thoroughly.” Her shoulders swayed a bit, hands still holding his powerful one in place. “As if you were mortal, and tomorrow was longer a promise.”

Those words rang like thunder in his ears, piercing like a flash of heat lightening. The moment was too delicate to truly grasp. Fleeting like a spark of a dream forgotten after waking. Golden eyes met emerald and remained in an agonizing lock. Perhaps he was drunk? Perhaps she was suffering from a fever? Was it so unlikely that one could be so drawn to the other so suddenly? Was her beauty suddenly so undeniable? Was the charm of his demeanor suddenly so tantalizing? Did eons of coexistence suddenly alter after one brief hour as the sun rose over the hills of a mortal world?

Or perhaps it was because they both HAD faced their death? Tomorrow as NOT promised just a few days ago. It was confusing. Enraging really. They should conduct themselves more appropriately. No thoughts of furthering this moment. He was a God of proud repute.  Physical pleasures must remain fleeting and random so long as he maintains his title. Every few hundred years or so. No metaphorical strings. Certainly no immortality. However, eyes of  gold held onto those green eyes which were equally feline and they both seemed to share the same reservations, the same concerns, the same desperation. “Even the hands of a destroyer can still hold tenderness, right?” Delicate yet powerful hands lowered from his, gently raising to press against the ancient patterns on his dutiful uniform of a Godly title. Unmoving eyes remained determined in their position, reflecting neither response nor hesitation as a long thumb traveled from the softness of her cheek brush across her lips which proved to be even softer. “And If I’m rough? “Careful Beerus…” Her head shook back and forth playfully, causing his hand to gently slide down her neck to the crook of her shoulder. “You’re not the only one with claws.” She tapped her long red nail on his chest. “Hmm.” A long drawn grumble from deep within his chest kept her eyes focused on his. She didn’t even feel the unseen hand of his which remained free find it’s way to the curve of her hip pulling the weight of her body closer. It was electric. So sudden. So personally forbidden yet desperately waned. Quiet filled the small space between them now. He titled his head to study her features closely, imprinting everything to memory. Powerful as she was, the night air still chilled her, goosebumps decorating her honey colored skin. “The air chills you...” He said quietly, hand slipping up the side of her waist feeling the fabric of her silk gown collect in his palm and spill back down. “I’m looking forward to a warm bed.” She replied sweetly, fingers outlining the deep indentations of his collarbone. “Hmm.” He repeated himself from earlier. “Mine is quite warm. Quite comforting too...” The heat of his breath felt damp against the cartilage of her ear as leaned down towards her. “And in the spirit of hospitality-

”Oh! My Lord and Lady!  “Whis’ cheerful harmonic voice pierced through the quiet like a hot a needle. “This morning is quite chilly! You both must be eager to leave. Brr!”  The loud  sound of the footprints of their attendants approached rapidly and both Gods separated their contact in haste. As quick as his reflexes allowed him, Beerus’s hands were back behind his back. A soft smile was the only thing remaining from their exchange on Hele’s lips. A smile she kept as she watched Beerus return to that of his normal stature and mood. Eyes warm, sad, pleading yet content all the  same time. He didn’t dare meet them. His will failed him. A moment incomplete, never to be fully regained, never to be fully realized. “Safe travels, Lady Heles.” Whis said with a bow. “It was an honor to have your company in our Universe.” “Alright Whis.” Spoke his Lord with a sigh of impatience. “Let’s get going.” “Do come and visit us sometime!” Heles called over her attendants shoulder. “I’ll have banquet prepared in your honor. It shall be the finest in the whole of the multiverse!” As bursts of light shot through the morning sky, the angel of the seventh universe kept his focus through the ever expanding universe around their path of travel. He couldn’t help but notice silence from his Lord. Silence not brought on by sleep. “What a lovely celebration. I trust your enjoyed yourself?” “It was perfectly adequate.” “And what a generous invitation from Lady Heles. It’s not often Gods get to break bread and enjoy one another’s company.” Silence was all that greeted the Angel. The God behind him tapped a clawed finger to the side of his face in thought. What were these feelings? Regret? No. Reservation? Perhaps. Annoyance. Absolutely. Curiosity? Shameful, but true. Too many thoughts to be racing around his head, especially before a well deserved nap. Nothing comes before self interest. Nothing above ones own happiness and pleasure. Certainly not hers. Certainly not the pleasure he could give her. And certainly not the pleasure that could be shared between the both of them. Wait what? Thats was silly. Stupid. Nothing. Forget it.

Sighing in self defeat, he shifted his attention to the blue world growing smaller and smaller in the trail of light that followed them, eyes fixed on the glow of the star that caught her eye and painted the skies those lovey shades of morning.

[blackkudos]

Tamia

Tamia Marilyn Washington Hill (born May 9, 1975) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, producer, and actress. Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Tamia performed in various singing and dancing competitions as a child. In 1994, after signing a development deal with Warner Bros. Records, she was asked by veteran producer Quincy Jones to appear on his album Q's Jook Joint (1995), earning her Grammy Award nominations for their collaboration on "You Put a Move on My Heart" and "Slow Jams." Her self-titled debut album was released in 1998 and followed by a series of successful albums with Elektra Records, including A Nu Day (2000) and More (2004). Several songs from these albums became hit singles on the pop and R&B record charts, including "So Into You", "Stranger in My House" and "Imagination" as well as her collaborations "Into You", "Missing You" and "Spend My Life with You".

Since her departure from Elektra, Tamia has released most of her projects independently on her own label Plus One Music Group, through ventures with Def Jam, eOne Music and others. In 2015, her sixth album Love Life debuted and peaked at number two on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, becoming her highest-charting album on the chart. A NAACP Image Award recipient for her work with singer Eric Benét, Tamia is a six-time Grammy Award nominee and has been nominated for numerous other awards and accolades, including a Soul Train Music Award, a Source Award and four Juno Awards. She has been married to former basketball player Grant Hill since 1999; they have two daughters. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2003, Tamia is an advocate for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) on behalf of others affected by the disease.

Early life

Tamia was born in Windsor, Ontario. The only daughter of a white father and black mother, Barbara Washington-Peden, she has three younger brothers named Tiras, Tajhee, and Trajan. Peden gave birth to Tamia when she was 17 years old and raised her children as a single mom between Glengarry Avenue and McDougall Street in downtown Windsor. Aside from the music she heard and sang at church, Tamia was exposed to diverse music from an early age by her mother. As early as age six, she was on stage singing at the local church, and by age 12, had already been involved in several musicals which helped hone her musical skills. Tamia studied piano and voice with renowned Windsor musician, Eugene Davis, who was also instrumental in encouraging her to pursue her vocal talent. It was not long before she was able to develop her skills in the Walkerville Centre for Creative Arts program for visual and performing arts students, introduced at Walkerville Collegiate Institute in Windsor.

Along with attending high school at Walkerville, she made several appearances in local theater and choral concerts before winning Canada's prestigious YTV Vocal Achievement Award in 1993. In 1994, Tamia performed at a multiple sclerosis benefit in Aspen, Colorado when she met music manager, Lionel Richie's ex-wife Brenda Richie, who was cosponsoring the event and introduced herself to Tamia after the show. A few months later, Tamia, who was being courted by Warner Bros. Records at the time, called Richie to say that she was coming to Los Angeles for a photo session, resulting in her lasting stay and a management deal with Richie. Weeks later, Richie arranged for her to perform at a star-studded party that she held for singer Luther Vandross. Her performance reportedly impressed all in attendance, including veteran producer Quincy Jones, who took notice and later offered her the chance to appear on his album Q's Jook Joint (1995).

Career

1995–98: Collaborations and Tamia

"You Put a Move on My Heart," a Mica Paris cover, was one out of several Jones songs Tamia recorded vocals for. Selected as the first single from Q's Jook Joint, it became a moderate commercial success, reaching the top twenty of the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, but earned acclaim from critics, resulting in a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 39th ceremony. Tamia along with Babyface, Portrait, and Barry White received a second nomination that night for "Slow Jams", the second single from Jones' album, which fared similarly on the charts, peaking at number two on the New Zealand Singles Chart, and received a third nod in the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category for her performance on "Missing You", a collaboration with singers Brandy, Gladys Knight, and Chaka Khan for the soundtrack of the 1996 motion picture Set It Off. A top thiry success on the US Billboard Hot 100, it was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

In 1997, Tamia made her film debut in the action-thriller Speed 2: Cruise Control. Playing the cruise liner's musical entertainer, she performed the Diane Warren-penned single "Make Tonight Beautiful", which was released as part of the film's soundtrack. The same year, she has also appeared in television sitcoms such as Rock Me Baby and Kenan and Kel and recorded the all-star charity single "Love Shouldn't Hurt" for the National Committee for the Prevention of Child Abuse along with All-4-One, Michael Bolton, and others. Following this, Jones enlisted the services of several producers to work on Tamia's debut self-titled album, including Jermaine Dupri, Tim & Bob, and Mario Winans, many of which would become frequent producers on subsequent projects. Upon its April 1998 release, Tamia received a mixed to positive reception by critics, who complimented Tamia's vocal performance and the progression from her earlier recordings but found the material uneven. It debuted and peaked at number sixty-seven on the US Billboard 200. Five singles were released from the album, including the top twenty entries "Imagination" and "So into You." In 1999, Tamia garnered the singer two Juno Award nominations for Best New Solo Artist and R&B/Soul Recording of the Year.

1999–2005: A Nu Day and More

In 1999, Tamia collaborated with American singer Eric Benét on his single "Spend My Life with You". The song reached the top of Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and earned her a fourth Grammy Award nomination as well as the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Song. Frustrated by Qwest's label politics, Tamia transitioned to Elektra Records the same year and began worked on her second album A Nu Day. Rapper-producer Missy Elliott, frequent co-producer Bink, Dallas Austin and Shep Crawford worked with Tamia on the majority project, which she declared ″not as ballad-driven as" her debut album and felt it was "more aggressive in terms of the formats of the songs." Released in October 2000, A Nu Day received a mixed response from critics, who complimented her more stylish sound but found the material inconsistent. It debuted and peaked at number forty-six on the Billboard 200 and became her first top ten entry on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, peaking at number eight. A steady seller, it reached gold status in the US and produced three of Tamia's commercially most successful singles, including her only US Billboard Hot 100 top ten hit single "Stranger in My House". In 2001, A Nu Day was nominated in the R&B/Soul Recording of the Year category at the annual Juno Awards.

In 2003, Tamia appeared on the international top ten hit "Into You", a collaboration with rapper Fabolous from his second studio album Street Dreams (2003) based on her 1998 single "So into You". It reached the top five in Australia and the US and was followed by "Officially Missing You," the lead single from her third album. Initially titled Still, the project was indefinitely bumped from its original August 2003 schedule after Tamia's multiple sclerosis diagnosis and subsequent treatment. With the illness in remission, she resumed work later that year and arranged additional recording sessions to revamp parts of the album. Finally released in April 2004, More was released to generally mixed reception from music critics and debuted and peaked at number 17 on the US Billboard 200 and number four on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, with first week sales of 71,000 copies, marking the highest-selling and highest-charting opening of Tamia's catalogue yet. In support of More, Tamia was featured as a special guest on the Verizon Ladies First Tour, co-headlined by Beyoncé, Alicia Keys and Missy Elliott, which became one of the biggest concert tours of the year. In 2005, More became Tamia's third consecutive album to earn a Juno Award nomination in the R&B/Soul Recording of the Year category.

2005–2013: Between Friends and Beautiful Surprise

In order to gain more creative control over future projects, Tamia left Elektra amid its merger with Atlantic Records in 2005 and decided to go independent, founding her own record label Plus One Music Group. Unlike previous projects, she only consulted longtime contributor Shep Crawford to work with her on her fourth studio album. A rather intimate process, the pair met on a daily basis in an Orlando recording studio to write and produce new songs, with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins providing additional material late into the production of the album. Alluding to her working relationship with Crawford, it was eventually titled Between Friends, and first released in South Africa in May 2006 in South Africa, followed by a worldwide distribution in the fourth quarter of 2006. A moderate commercial success, it number 66 on the Billboard 200, while peaking at number 2 on Billboard's Independent Albums. Its first two singles, "Can't Get Enough" and "Me", both reached the top 30 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

In November 2009, Greatest Hits, a compilation album, was released in South Africa. The same year, Tamia announced that she was working with Crawford to form a supergroup called TDK along with singers Kelly Price and Deborah Cox. Their joint album The Queen Project failed to materialize however due timing issues and label politics. In August 2012, Tamia's fifth studio Beautiful Surprise was released on Plus One and EMI Music. The singer worked with a vast of different producers on the album, including Chuck Harmony, The Runners, and Carvin & Ivan. Beautiful Surprise earned a mixed reception from music critics and debuted at 23 on the Billboard 200 and at number six on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Lead single "Beautiful Surprise", co-written by Claude Kelly and Salaam Remi, peaked at number 24 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Both the single and its parent album received nominations in the Best R&B Song and Best R&B Album categories at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards, while garnering Tamia a Soul Train Music Award nomination at the 2012 Soul Train Music Awards. In support of Beautiful Surprise, Tamia joined R. Kelly during his The Single Ladies Tour from October until December 2012.

2014–present: Love Life and Passion Like Fire

In August 2014, Tamia signed with Def Jam Recordings, marking her return to major label ranks. Love Life, her sixth album, was completed in ten days and released on June 9, 2015 in the United States in collaboration with her own label, Plus One Music Group. A departure from her previous independent projects, she worked with a wider range of high-profile producers on its songs, including Polow da Don as well as Oak Felder and Pop Wansel from duo Pop & Oak as well as frequent collaborators Christopher "Tricky" Stewart and The-Dream. Love Life earned generally favorable reviews from critics, who summed it as "grown-up, worn-in R&B at its finest," and debuted at number 24 on the US Billboard 200, selling 16,000 copies in the week ending June 14, 2015. It also debuted on top of Billboard's Top R&B Albums and at number two on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, becoming Tamia's highest-charting album ever on both charts, and spawned produced three singles, including lead single "Sandwich and a Soda" and follow-up “Stuck with Me” both of which reached the top twenty on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs.

Passion Like Fire, Tamia's seventh album, was released in September 2018 through Plus One, 21 Entertainment, and eOne Music. A breakaway from her previous album, the singer worked with a smaller team of collaborators on the album, involving longtime contributors Lil Ronnie, Shep Crawford and Salaam Remi. While critical reception was generally lukewarm, the album debuted at number 145 on the US Billboard 200, becoming her lowest-charting album yet, also reaching number 17 on Top R&B Albums chart. Its release was preceded by the singles "Leave It Smokin'" and "Today I Do", the former of which became her biggest hit in years, peaking at number two on Billboard's Adult R&B Songs. In support of the album, Tamia embarked on the Passion Like Fire Tour which launched on September 18, 2018 and visited most of the major US cities.

Personal life

Singer Anita Baker introduced Tamia to American basketball player Grant Hill through a blind date in Detroit, Michigan in 1996. After a courtship of about three years, the pair eventually married on July 24, 1999 in a private reception in Battle Creek, Michigan. The ceremony was officiated by Rev. John H. Grant, Hill's cousin, and attended by 250 guests. The couple initially resided in Detroit, but later relocated to Orlando, Florida when Hill left the Detroit Pistons to sign with the Orlando Magic team. Their first daughter, Myla Grace, was born on January 23, 2002. A second daughter Lael Rose Hill followed on August 9, 2007.

In 2003, amid the recording of her third album More, doctors at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina diagnosed Tamia with multiple sclerosis, a demyelinating disease in which the insulating covers of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord are damaged, after she had been suffering from mystifying bouts of fatigue and numbness in her hands, feet and legs. While the music project was indefinitely bumped from its original August 2003 schedule, the singer went into subsequent treatment, using corticosteroids to help delay the onset of more severe symptoms. Diagnosed early, the illness has since been in remission though she has occasional but controllable symptoms.

Discography

Tamia (1998)

A Nu Day (2000)

More (2004)

Between Friends (2006)

Beautiful Surprise (2012)

Love Life (2015)

Passion Like Fire (2018)

Tours

Awards and nominations

Grammy AwardsNAACP Image AwardJuno AwardSoul Train Music AwardsUB Honors AwardsRLM World Music AwardsBillboard R&B/Hip-Hop AwardsSource Awards

[samcroslut]

The Devil's Wife - Part 3 (Lucifer Morningstar Series)

a/n: Hay guys! So the third part, I decided, was going to be a sad one but there is still a tad bit of a cliffhanger. Let me know what y’all think happened to Esther when she was gone and also what you lot think of the series! Have a great day.

Tag list:

@badwolf-in-the-impala @hismissharley13 @cole-winchester @lovereyes22 @rosepetalsandfandoms @anne-kollay @spnfan-96 @squirreln-moose @thatravenclaw04

If you want to be added to my taglist, just send me an ask!

It had been a few days since Lucifer and you had talked about it all: the things you had missed, the notoriety, even his day job (including Chloe). You were happy that he had found a friend and something to fill his spare time with but you couldn’t help but feel immensely jealous of this Decker girl. She had filled your job, even though she never filled your place he said, and been there for him when you were unable. You were yet to meet her but you also knew that he hadn’t mentioned that he had a wife and hadn’t spoke of his previous life, other than the obvious and the fact that she wouldn’t believe that he was actually the devil. To be fair on her, which was showing to be troublesome, you understood her reluctance. A good-looking guy in Prada and Italian leather who owns a popular club claims to be the devil. Any civilian would call them insane, and she did. And, unfortunately, for you that peaked his interest; following her around like a puppy dog.Stepping out of the car, Lucifer closing the door behind you before taking your arm in his and walking up to the house. After knocking and waiting a few short moments, a little girl answered. Her black braids bouncing as she bolted for him, wrapping her tiny arms around his legs and letting out an excited trill.

“Lucifer!” She was adorable, her eyes looking up at his heightened frame. “And you brought someone..” She was sceptical at first, like anyone would. You bent down, in a squatting stance, and smiled, your leather trousers squeaking under the pressure as you introduced yourself.

“Hello, sweetie. I’m Esther, and you would be?” Your voice was calm and inviting.“Beatrice, but people call me Trixie.” She looked proud as she replied, standing up straight and smiling her toothy grin.“Well do they now. Can I call you that?”“I suppose so..” Her retort made you laugh. She was a smart little thing, you’d give her that. Standing up to your full height next to your husband, his hand coiling around your waist in a protective manner. Glancing forward, you noticed a woman new standing in the archway.“Go inside and help set up Trixie,” the woman waited until the girl had disappear to continue, “Lucifer, you brought..entertainment. I’d prefer it if you didn’t bring her when Trixie-” You stopped her before she went any further. Her words offending on a whole new scale. 

“Excuse you? Would you like to try that again because this will entertaining for me if-” It was your turn to get interrupted, your voice threatening and crescendoing into a harsh hiss. Lucifer had missed your short temper and had to let out a chuckle as he stopped the, what would be, growing argument, using his spare hand to create a barrier between the two of you.“Ladies. Ladies..I usually enjoy two women going at it but this surely isn’t the place,” he looked between you to and smiled when there was no escalation.“Now that’s better, a bit of civility. Anyway, detective, this is Esther Morningstar: my wife.” Her reaction was priceless and for a split second you wished that you could frame it and hang it on the wall in the sitting room. The jealousy lessened as you smirked. His wife. His. “I didn’t know you had a wife. You’ve never mentioned her before.” The tone of her voice immediately gave away her jealousy, her eyes scanning you up and down but you just smirked.His hand rubbed soothingly around your back. You leaned into his touch and took his hand in yours.

“Yes, well, we have been apart for a while but she finally came back for me.” Chloe just nodded and stepped aside, allowing you in.As the night progressed, dinner was served. Everyone gathered around the homely table and, as you became acquainted with the surrounds, you found it extremely…. cosy. Photo frames lined the walls and you found yourself becoming more calm about the whole situation. You intended to come as a show of dominance and to, hopefully, understand the mind of the woman that has replaced your space in your husband's life. However, now? You still wanted to exert your superiority but, at this point, you found it amusing to watch her fight for Lucifer’s attention and affection. The way that she placed his meal down first just to make sure that she could hold the action a little longer than necessary and how she would glare a little harder when he done something, but you knew that she was just trying to memorise every detail that made his face. The food was, surprisingly, appetising and the conversation flowed. Emotion started to come loose when Trixie was sent to bed. Chloe was clearing up the table and you made your way over to her, picking up dishes and making polite conversation. It never was your goal to cause any drama or trouble, however, you weren’t afraid to say what needed to be said if it came to it. 

“So I didn’t know that Lucifer had a wife. How long have you two..?” She trailed off her question, not really sure of how to phrase it. You understood. “Well the start of time. Literally.” You tried to joke, knowing that she probably wouldn’t laugh but you wanted to put things into perspective for her. The both of you walked towards the kitchen, sorting out the mess. You began to dry the dishes as she washed them. It was quiet.

“I appreciate you looking out for him, you know? I want to thank you for that. We both know the amount of trouble he can get himself into with that mouth of his.” She did laugh at that. “Yeah, Lucifer is something else.” She scrubbed at a cup before continuing, “ Why weren’t you around? Not meaning that harshly but if he’s your husband…” You noted the tendency she had for trailing off questions around you.

 “No, it’s alright. There was some family drama and it’s an extremely long story to tell. One i don’t think should be told over washing up but, rumours were spread and things were believed. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.” Silence fell again and you realised what that explanation must of sounded like to her.

“I love that man, you understand that right? We were, literally, meant to be together and now that I am back, I’m not letting him go ever again. He means everything to me.” 

~~~~

It wasn’t until later that night that you and Lucifer talked about what happened while you were gone. He had grown curious of the reason for your absence and you knew that the subject was inevitable. As you were preparing for bed, not that the two of you needed sleep, he sat behind you as you perched at the end of the bed. His hands unzipping the back of your top and mouth placing kisses to your exposed shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” You turned around before he had the chance to fully see your back. Taking in a deep breath, you kept your back to him, attempting to deter conversation.

“Nothing. I just… I want to explain why I wasn’t there for you. I know that you are curious and you don’t want to ask but..” Lucifer knew that there was more to it than that for the reason you pulled away so suddenly from his touch but he dropped it, hoping that you would tell him in your own time. He nodded, urging you on and taking your spot on the bed, you standing straight in front of him. Your feet stuttered forward, kneeling down before him and gazing up into those eyes that you fell in love with all those eons ago, capturing his toned hands in between yours, cradling them. 

“When you were exiled, your father was a mixture of emotion. My one job in his eyes was to ‘save’ you, and I failed. He thought that I would know more about your true intentions and how to get inside your head. He wanted to be one step ahead. He tried to get the information out of me but I didn’t even understand the questions he was spewing half the time.” Bowing your head, avoiding certain details and aspects, “in the end he gave up, claiming I was useless. He cast me out just like he did to you. That’s when I came to find you. I promise you I tried to escape, to come find you but I couldn’t. He had me guarded 24/7, there was no possible way.” Tears dripped from your eyes as you relived the memories of the guards and the events that took place in that monstrous chamber: the torture, the pain, the suffering. With your mind reeling, you didn’t even notice Luci’s hand come up to grasp your chin, the contact nearly making you jump but you refrained. He noticed. He noticed all that emotion flood out of you. He noticed the fact you were breaking in front of him but still keeping a strong face, one thing he admired most about you. He also noticed the horrid scarring poking out from the slightly unzipped back of your shirt. He said nothing, it wasn’t the time. Pulling you up onto his lap, kissing your forehead and whispering love into your ears in the british accent that you adored so much. Lucifer’s mind went into panic and submerged with anger. What exactly happened to you? 

[zeezzerpan]

Inktober 10/12: Dragon

Fighting the cult of the dragon queen meant interacting with dragons. Kharon new this, after all they had already talked with one dragon twice. It was when he personally was given specific summons, supposedly by a dragon herself, that his heart fell into the ground and perhaps into the Underdark. He had to leave everyone behind, forcing Kharon to go to the desert wasteland of the Shaar Desolation. The name alone was enough to make him think against going, but one did not simply deny a dragon’s call.

He traveled by phantom steed, not wanting to subject his horse to the harsh wilderness, and had soon arrived at the destination marked on a map that came with the message. Supposedly he had arrived, supposedly he was there, and yet all he could see was sand. Taking a deep breath, Kharon dismounted and dispelled the steed, before concentrating.

The dragon who lived here, was according to the summons blue one named Ryoko, and blue dragons were known for their skilled use of illusory magic. Kharon, being an illusionist himself, was assured that his knowledge of illusion magic was appeasing to the dragon and that maybe, possibly, he wouldn’t die. There was quite the argument that followed about Kharon going by himself, but the summons mentioned his return, so long as he followed instructions and go alone.

Kharon narrowed his eyes, practically glaring into the desert sands as his body went stiff. He felt something, something almost like another presence, but that wasn’t what he was looking for so he pushed it aside. For minutes he stood in silence, staring, before he gasped and looked up to the sky shouting.

“I CAN SEE IT! I CAN SEE IT’S AN ILLUSION! I KNOW YOUR HOME IS HERE, RYOKO, AND I AM SORRY FOR DISTURBING YOU, BUT APPARENTLY WE NEED TO HAVE WORDS, OR, SOMETHING!”

Kharon’s response was silence, at least initially. He was eventually however, responded to. The voice spoke in draconic, each word rough yet smooth like the fine sand all around them. To assure he understood, Kharon cast comprehend languages, and listened. The voice spoke as if directly in front of him, and if he wasn’t already surrounded by hot desert air he might be able to notice the warm breaths reaching his face.

“Who are you that you can see through my illusions?”

“I can’t see through them, I can just see that it is one.”

“No normal person should even be able to see that much.”

“I mean, I’m not exactly norma-”

“Silence. Stay still.”

Kharon’s heart crumpled into a tight ball, and his chest felt like it was about to burst, but he did as told. Before him the illusion fell away revealing a magnificent rock formation, and a very large, very intimidating, blue dragon. Her face was inches from Kharon’s own, and Kharon’s heart stuttered and strained and his eyes went wide as the rest of his body froze.

“What reason do you have for me not to ruin your mind right now with illusion after illusion before killing you?”

Kharon couldn’t speak, he could only stand there and watch as Ryoko drew back and opened her mouth. Lightning crackled and spit at the back of her throat, as her teeth glistened in the desert sun. She was going to kill him, right there, it was the panic of this thought that caused him to bring out the letter that brought him to Ryoko in the first place.

This caused her to stop, and slowly lower her head to be level with Kharon’s once more.

“I was right, it is you, Clever. Oh, but your name has changed after all these centuries, Kharon Newsummer.”

Kharon was trembling now. She knew him, but… That was impossible? Unless she knew him before the amnesia? If she did, then what did she even mean by centuries? He wasn’t even close to fifty yet. He rattled out a single breath, staring back at Ryoko, and then choked out a single word.

“H-how…?”

There was no response, at least, not verbally, instead she lifted a claw and caught it on the back of Kharon’s shirt before taking flight up to the tallest peak of the rocks. There was an opening there which she flew into, and then down into her lair. Kharon was stunned once more, all of his senses plummeting past his feet as he was lifted off the ground. The moment he was settled, on an oasis beach inside the cavern, his legs gave out beneath him and he hit the sand. The rate of his breathing increased drastically, he was hyperventilating, but as Ryoko parted from him and curled up a few meters away on the waterfront, he felt a calm roll over him. He was too stunned to even consider fighting the calm emotions spell.

“Settle Kharon, I have much I wish to discuss with you.”

Kharon’s breaths evened out, until he lifted a trembling hand that fell onto his chest, just to feel his own heart beat. As if the slowing thunder in his chest wasn’t enough for him to feel the ease that was creeping into him.

“Kharon Newsummer, do you know who you are?”

Did… She know about his amnesia? “N-nn-no…”

“Eons ago, back before Mystra was murdered, you were alive, as a tiefling named Clever. You look nearly exactly the same, but there are many people who look exactly the same as others. I had to be completely certain you were the one I had asked for before letting my guard down, I do hope you understand. You had my hopes high when you mentioned the illusions surrounding my home, and you did not disappoint.”

So… She meant, his past self? He didn’t even think those were a thing, but he wasn’t one to question the logic of dragons. He stared up at the openings in the rocks above him, the gaps that allowed sunlight through, his whole body unwinding.

“As Clever, you had foolishly come under my domain, not here, not in the Desolation, but elsewhere before the world changed. As is my will, I showed you illusion after illusion to steer you off course, to break down your brain before I broke down your body. Yet never once did you seem to believe in their reality. I, young as I was, grew frustrated, and confronted you directly demanding to know how you saw past my magic with my crude common.

“Once the shock subsided you smiled at me, a grin I’ve only ever seen as wide as on your face, and you tapped your horn. You explained in draconic that you had a knack for illusions, that you could see them for what they were no matter how masterfully made they were. I opened my mouth to kill you for your hubris, but then you spoke again. “Your illusions were fantastic, I had really hoped to see more of them. The magic of a dragon is incredible.”

“It caught me off guard. I had been praised before, as any dragon has in the face of those fearful of them, but you were no longer afraid. Your words were genuine, spoken in true awe of my skills and prowess, despite the intent behind them. You had accepted your death in that moment, you were ready to die, and in a mix of frustration and curiosity I decided against your slaughter.”

Kharon listened. He knew none of this, none of what she was saying, but he believed it was true. If it wasn’t, what reason would she have to call him at all? It certainly wasn’t worth sending a summons just to trick someone to their death when she had much easier ways of doing that without asking for someone so far away.

Ryoko continued, though watching Kharon, paying attention to his chest to see its rising and falling ease the longer he lay there.

“When I didn’t respond, not even to lay my breath on you, you laughed. It was pathetic and desperate, a glimmer of relief knowing I wouldn’t kill you in that moment. Despite accepting death, you were still glad to be allowed to live, which I couldn’t fault you for. Those who are weak cling to their lives, even when they are ready to leave it behind. It was what you said next that set the courses of our lives to entangle. “You should teach me how to do that.”

“It was my turn to laugh, but you didn’t waver in your sincerity. You really thought you could be taught magic by a dragon, instead of dying by their breath. I said nothing else and left you, and then I was blind sided by your foolishness once more. You found my lair, and I was enraged by your audacity. You came inches from death once more, again to be saved by opening your mouth and spouting absurdities. “Before you kill me, can you just teach me one thing?”

“You were once again ready to die, you had been given the opportunity to live and flee, yet you sought me out and persisted with your death wish. I was bewildered, so much so that I laughed once more, and humored your foolishness by saying yes; if only for the pleasure of seeing anguish on your face when my lightning finally struck you.

“We began lessons in illusions, you were quick, and were reaching the end of your rope quickly. Every night before you left to the small shelter you had made outside my lair you would tell me how you wished you didn’t have to die, that you wanted to learn from me forever.

“After three weeks, I taught you mirage arcane, and it was time to end your life. Yet when the moment came for me to strike you down, I realized something. Teaching you was entertaining. Watching you use your own magic to torment and taunt others who passed through my territory was enjoyable, and in fact, so was your simple company. I never admitted that part however, and instead told you I would teach you one more thing before killing you. This began the years we spent together, until you were taken from me.”

Kharon slowly sat up, propping himself on his hands which rested behind him in the sand. He watched as Ryoko closed her eyes, lowering her head to rest it on her feet. He could hear the sadness in her last words, and noticed it in her next.

“The Spellplague hit, and with the destruction of the Weave came the destruction of so many spellcasters, and you were among them. First your mind was ripped to shreds, the insanity was almost enough to kill you as it rendered you limp save for the spasms of your body as wild magic coursed through you from the blue flame. Then the magic became too much, it tore you apart from the inside out until you were nothing more than viscera.”

Hearing this, Kharon winced. He didn’t experience it, not personally, but the pain in Ryoko’s voice was enough to give him an inkling as to the anguish Clever had felt.

“In your final moments, I attuned our souls, so that when you were reborn, I would know of your return, and then I waited. I waited eons, and you never came back, but then I felt you. Somewhere, your soul had returned to Toril, and I began my search. It wasn’t like a beacon, I couldn’t tell how close or how far I was from you no matter what distance I crossed. I merely knew you were there. Eventually, I had to halt my search, when the time came to settle my clutch.”

Kharon blinked, and spoke his second word since landing by the oasis. “Eggs?”

Ryoko nodded in the direction of a patch of sand that was aglow from the sun passing through a hole in the ceiling. “I cannot leave them, but it was then when I heard word of you. A tiefling amongst a group that was set on dismantling the cult of Tiamat who excelled in the art of illusion. At first I thought little of it, but out of an old hope I looked past the distance with the use of magic, and I saw you.

“I didn’t trust it at first, as I said before, there are many who look the same and I cannot be bothered to tell the minute differences apart between so many weak beings. However with desperation I watched you. The longer I watched you Kharon the more I saw my dearest friend Clever. I watched until I could see into your soul and the moment I had that clarity I was completely certain of who you were. I had correspondence sent to you, as I couldn’t leave my clutch, and then I waited, and then you came.

“Clever was finally reborn, Clever became you, and you came here. You should be able to feel it now, my soul. We are connected after all.”

Kharon and Ryoko’s eyes locked, and the presence Kharon had felt earlier made itself known to him again. It was Ryoko, her soul, acting like a beacon to his own, a light saying, “I’m here.” He blinked, and looked down to his chest, where the sensation resonated the most, and then back to Ryoko. This was more than enough proof for Kharon to believe and trust her completely.

Noticing the recognition in Kharon’s face, Ryoko lowered her head once more and exhaled a heavy breath. As relieved as she was, there were still issues.

“Though your soul is Clever’s, and though I am loyal to you, we are far too different in this lifetime of yours to be companions again.”

“I… I don’t see why not.”

“I am a tormenter of those who creep upon my land, I take pleasure in pain, Kharon. Though I agree with your cause, our worldviews are wholly different. You live your life in a gray area, neither good nor bad, but that gray is slowly fading to white, while I exist solely in a deep black. I cannot be your friend, but if you would humor me, I would like to be your teacher.”

A thick silence caught itself in Kharon’s throat before he spat out a, “Par-pardon?”

“I would like to teach you, again, all that I can about illusion. Though we have little time now, as you will want to return to your companions and aid them, if you would let me teach you even a little I would not wish for anything more. Except perhaps, for you to return once your quest is finished, so I may impart all my knowledge to you if you will have it.”

The shock faded much faster now than it had before, and Kharon got to his feet, closing the distance between them and putting a hand on the side of Ryoko’s head. “Just teach me one thing, before you kill me.”

---

This is a bit of non-canon backstory I made up for Kharon when trying to figure out this prompt. I really like this one, even if it’s longer and basically just a bunch of exposition. ;w;

[missmorior]

just a thing- unfinished but i wanna share it elsewhere so i’m putting it here

Log date 24/09/XX

My name is Fen.

This was the first thing that had returned to me upon resurrection. Eons ago it may have been longer, as this feels like a nickname more than one proper. This… Ghost, assures me that forgetfulness is normal. To remedy it, I have decided to keep a log with what I know, so that I might piece together who I once was before I was chosen by the Traveller to wield its light.

I know that now, I am… Something. A protecter of those without the light. There are not many of us, and in the wake of the Darkness, humanity is scattered to the winds- terrified but still trying to survive. Many struggle to wield this power, to shape it, but I have no such hurry. My priorities lie with the people. I pick up what weapons I can scavenge or piece together, and when bullets run out, I have my fists. The energy that consumes my actions feels… empty. Like a Void. There is comfort in it.

Log date 08/04/XX

My name is Fen. I am a Defender Titan. My ghost is called Horus. My mission is to protect the Last City.

I have not been as good at keeping a log as I had once thought. The scattered entires have been bothering me more and more now that I have remembered who I once was. A scientist under the employ of one Clovis Bray. I did not always agree with his methods but… I believe it was the only way for me to have had the freedom I desired for my work. Exos. I was one of the few who helped develop the creatures. I see them, every now and again, and am filled with mixed emotion. Joy, at seeing a creation realized. Sorrow, at knowing that not all of their programming was entirely mechanical. Disgust at…

But I digress.

I log now to account for my found fireteam. It has been decades since I have thought to form such a close knit unit, I had thought this old woman too seasoned for it. These two are young, having only recently been brought back to life. I fear for them at times. Their youth begets recklessness, believing themselves truly immortal after the first few deaths. They are high on their Light and eager to earn approval. The Warlock burns as bright as a star, her Light blinding and difficult to look at when she bursts from ash like a Golden Age myth. She is an Awoken, a true child of the Reef who fought against the Fallen, and still has the rage to show it. There is no quiet of the Void within her like my own Light, and I believe it frustrated Ikora at times to see a guardian under her watch who is so determined to buck her teachings. Never let her learn of the storm- I fear instead of control, she would let the Arc run rampant. Speaking of… Our odd third member. An Exo that was found within the depths of the Hellmouth, whose ghost knew of her existence but was terrified to traverse the Moon. I understand. But years rotting away within that unknown liquid which spawns the Hive have left her without a voice and whatever color her metal once was, it is now unnatural darkness. Fitting that this creature became a Hunter. The Bladedance called to that one, I see her blinking from perch to perch. I wonder what Cayde-6 thinks of her; a silent Hunter among his yipping coyotes.

We have worked together to bring down the Hive creature- Crota. Our part not too significant but with these two I have no doubt we will be throwing ourselves into the fray all too soon. There are stirrings from the outer reaches of the Reef and the Fallen have grown too quiet. The Warlock grows restless. We may yet be flying out to her home soon.

Log date 10/10/XX

My name is Fen. I am a Defender Titan. My ghost is named Horus. I miss my Fireteam.

Nostalgia is a new thing. I have never longed for days gone by, but in the wake of the containment of SIVA Lyra and Blink have left to pursue their own goals while I remain behind in the city. Don’t get me wrong, I love the people of the city and have found fulfillment in helping to train new Guardians. These young people, so full of life and light.. They make me feel young again! One young Titan has become something of an apprentice to me. A human by the name of Claudius. He too has no memory of his past, like so many I’ve seen, and views the loss as a challenge. He wants to become someone who his past life would have been proud of. I wonder… Have I become that? Ha, the youth these days… He’s fallen in with two Warlocks also under my tutelage, and I have faith they will be an incredible team. And we once more return to what began this log. Lyra remains out at the Reef, assisting her people in rebuilding their home and consoling those still reeling from the loss of their Queen and Prince. She manages to send messages now and again, that their work is going well, and the Awoken are banding together even stronger than before. However they are few and far between… I wonder, will she ever return to the Tower? Or will she choose to remain with her kin now? Blink has chosen to remain at Fellwinter Peak among the Iron Lords, and recent news has shown that she has fully proven herself as one of them. I still see her now and again within the Crucible when I take my trainees to see how fully fledged Guardians fight. Her Bladedance is still chaotic as ever, and the laughter as she blinks her way through seasoned fireteams to unleash destruction makes me long for our days as a team. To bring us together again and show these young ones how a real fireteam fights.

Ah, I’ve wasted enough time. A message is coming through from Commander Zavala on an urgent channel.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==

Log… Request Access… ********* Access Granted…… >Name query…. Data missing Query- “who are you?”….. >Data missing Query- “what are you?”….. >Exo. Model- unknown. Function- exploration and scouting. Query- “can you see me?”….. >Answer: yes. You are the annoying little light. You are also entertaining to irritate. Query- “can you speak?”…. >Answer: no. sensors indicate voice module has suffered extensive damage. >System query: how long have i been deactivated? Answer: “A very long time.” >System query: what am i? Answer: “A Guardian. Specifically? A hunter, though I don’t know what s-“… >Answer terminated. Too longwinded. The glowing human with you thinks I’m funny too. >System query: what is your name? Answer: “Well, I’m a ghost- oh no I can see that look don’t you cut me off again! I don’t have one-“….. >Understood. System memory recalls someone of similar fondness. They are dead now. >System believes that you would fit the name. >System query: set ‘Ghost’ name to ‘Desmond’…..? >Permission Granted….. Saving for reference….. >System query: can we hurry up and destroy some hive monstrosities Answer: “Copy that, Guardian. Let’s get you armed.”

Log……. Request Access… **************** Access Denied… ‘Cayde_is_a_loser’ is not the password, no matter how many times it has been tried >System message: Damn. Request Access… ************** Access Granted……. >System query: how long since the SIVA crisis?…. 2 years. 14 days. 7 hours. 57 minutes. >Name query….. System name set to “Blink” >System query: search systems for reference of prior system names…… Results found, would you like to restore name to “Nova-88”? >Denied…. System name remains set as “Blink” >System message: So.. Another of these logs. Des thinks he’s the only one with fancy machine bits, ha! It’s been.. A while, since I’ve bothered with these. I never took stock in the past, but more and more it’s been coming up. I don’t trust it. This SIVA business was made by Clovis Bray, who Fen and Whatever-good used to work for. There was the simulated emotions as well that were transmitted biologically and mechanically by Guardians a while back there too. Secret-y nonsense that not even the Warlocks understood. The Iron Lords returned and as much as I adore my brothers and sisters here… I think even Saladin realizes that my pack is not among them. My calling, yes. I can do the most good here and out in the wilds, not under the Vanguard’s jurisdiction. Systems still remain dodgy but I think I’m finally over it all. The Light fills in what bits are missing from my programming so I don’t even bother with trying to recover any lost memory from the previous 87 iterations of myself. They aren’t me anyway. I’m the only one who’s been a Guardian. Probably has a lot to do with the Vex tech that always makes me malfunction anyway and I don’t want to know more about them. They’re murderous robots. I kill the murderous robots. Tada! The End. Done. Anyways I have this story to record about the newbies who keep trying to climb to the top of Fe- >System reminder….. Meeting with Fireteam member ‘Havoc’ in approximately: 2 hours. Travel by ship will take: 1 hour 30 minutes. >System message: Ughhhhhh… I promised to meet her new protege. Right. This is Blink, signing off.

Log……….. Request Access….. ************************* Access De- >nO FUCK THAT THIS IS MY PROGRAMMING. SYSTEM OVERRIDE. Access Granted….. >System message: It’s gone. It’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s gone it’s all gone. Why did this happen? How did this happen? Desmond is nowhere- I’ve been looking. Please let him be okay, please please please please- I can’t find my guns. There’s nothing to fight with. Where is Havoc? She was here too. I know she was I KNOW she was. What was his name… what was his NAME. I’ll KILL him. How DARE he. HOW DARE HE. >Proximity alert: friendly signature detected on approach >System query: identify signature. who’s still here >Signature identified as: Rabbit (Fiery Space Witch) >System message: Oh praise the Traveller, it’s Lyra. Someone’s alive. Someone’s safe. We need to get out. Away. I still need Desmond oh please please let him be- DESMOND. >Desmond: “Guardian… You’re alive.. I was so worried….” >System message: It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay. I was so scared. The Light is gone.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[fastre537]

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Wu-Tang: An American Saga Season 2 Release Date. 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' season 1 premiered on September 4, 2019, on Hulu and aired ten episodes before concluding on October 23, 2019. In January 2020, Hulu announced that it had renewed the show for a second season. However, RZA told Variety in July that the show's production had. Artist: Wu-Tang Clan Album: The Saga Continues Released: 2017 Style: Hip Hop Format: MP3 320Kbps Size: 120 Mb. Tracklist: 01 – Wu-Tang The Saga Continues Intro (feat. RZA) 02 – Lesson Learn’d (feat. Inspectah Deck and Redman) 03 – Fast and Furious (feat. Hue Hef and Raekwon) 04 – Famous Fighters (Skit) 05 – If Time Is Money (Fly. EMMY® NOMINATED Wu-Tang: An American Saga is inspired by “The Wu-Tang Manual” and “Tao of Wu”, and based on the true story of the Wu-Tang Clan. Set in early ’90s New York at the height of the crack cocaine epidemic, the show tracks the Clan’s formation, a vision of Bobby Diggs aka The RZA, who strives to unite a dozen young, black men that are tor.

DOWNLOAD *1080P* Wu-Tang: An American Saga Season 2 Episode 5.

Sep 22, 2021 · Download Euphoria Movie Season 1 Movie 6 One of the streaming movies. Watch Wu-Tang: An American Saga Season 2 Episode 5 Miles Morales conjures his life between being a middle school student and becoming New Amsterdam Season 2 Episode 5 (2021). However, when Wilson “Kingpin” Fiskuses as a super collider, another Captive State from another. Find the song lyrics for Wu-Tang - Top Tracks. Discover top playlists and videos from your favorite artists on Shazam!... Download App. Connect. Download Shazam; Apps; Charts; My Library; Help; Connect to Apple Music to play songs in full within Shazam.... Wu-Tang the Saga Continues Intro (feat. RZA) Wu-Tang. Hood Go Bang! (feat. Redman. "The Saga Continues" is another 2017 Album by "Wu-Tang". Stream & Download "ALBUM: Wu-Tang - The Saga Continues" "Mp3 Download". Stream And "Listen to ALBUM: Wu-Tang - The Saga Continues" " fakaza Mp3 " 320kbps flexyjams cdq Fakaza download datafilehost torrent download Song Below.

Wu Tang Clan-The Saga Continues by codedtestament.

Wu-Tang Clan. Follow Artist + Sprawling group of hip-hop revolutionaries who brought to the rap mainstream their sparse, dark funk and bracingly violent martial-arts imagery.... The Saga Continues: 36 Chambers / eOne Wu-Tang Clan - Artist Details. Active. 1990s - 2010s. Formed. 1992 in Staten Island, NY. Genre. Rap.

Wu-Tang Clan Albums and Discography | AllMusic.

Wu-Tang Clan's latest album, The Saga Continues, brings back the essence that made them so great — Shaolin shadowboxing, and the Wu-Tang sword style. From Method Man to Inspectah Deck, RZA to GZA, Ghostface to Raekwon, Wu-Tang Clan once towered above every phony New York rap group in cutthroat fashion. Ever since 36 Chambers, and. On new Wu-Tang Clan-related song "Lesson Learn'd," Inspectah Deck disses Martin Shkreli, the infamous "Pharma bro" who reportedly paid $2 million for a copy of the group's one-of-a.

WU-TANG - Lyrics, Playlists & Videos | Shazam.

Name: The Saga C Size: 120.62 MB Uploaded: 02-09-2019 19:18 Last download: 09-05-2022 04:24. Advertisement. Z News: HTTPS/SSL activation.... After a succesfull upload you'll receive a unique link to the download site, which you can place anywhere: on your homepage, blog,. Wu-Tang Clan and Redman 10. Family (Skit) 11. Why Why Why f. RZA and Swnkah 12. G’d Up f. Method Man, R-Mean and Mzee Jones 13. If What You Say is True f. Wu-Tang Clan and Streetlife 14. Saga (Skit) feat. RZA 15. Hood Go Bang! f. Method Man and Redman 16. My Only One feat. Ghostface Killah, RZA, Cappadonna and Steven Latorre 17. Message 18. The official podcast of the Hulu Original Series Wu-Tang: An American Saga. Host King Tech talks to show co-creators The RZA, of Wu-Tang fame, and Alex Tse about the real-life events that inspired the show and what went into making it. He also interviews rappers who came to fame or were influenced by the Wu-Tang Clan. New episodes of Wu-Tang: An American Saga are.

(2017 ZIP!#) Download Wu Tang Clan The Saga Continues MP3.

New episodes of Wu-Tang: An American Saga debut Wednesday mornings on Hulu. The presumed Season 2 release schedule is as followed: Episode 5: Wednesday, September 22. Episode 6: Wednesday.

Will 'Wu-Tang: An American Saga' Return For Season 2? This Story Has.

Sep 04, 2019 · Wu-Tang: An American Saga: Created by RZA, Alex Tse. With Ashton Sanders, Shameik Moore, Siddiq Saunderson, Julian Elijah Martinez. The show tracks the Wu Tang Clan's formation, a vision of Bobby Diggs, who strives to unite a dozen young Black men who are torn between music and crime but eventually rise to become the unlikeliest of American success stories. Download All Tracks Next Library Listing Return to Library. WU-TANG ft Redman - PEOPLE SAY EXPLICIT. Album: The Saga Continues... Inspektah Deck, Masta Killa plus Redman. The New Album "Wu-Tang: The Saga Continues" was crafted by Wu-Tang DJ and Producer Mathematics. DJ Feedback. hot. dj b love, sc. love it Redman and Wu I'm faint can i get a.

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[shardclan]

The Sunbeam Citizen: Pre-Riot Report

Peak of Starfall Sees Clan Welcomed Back Into the Arcanist's Grace

There isn't much to say about the event that can be done proper justice in mere words. The final night of Starfall when most of the clan climbed from the lowlands to was quite healing, but it was not about healing. It was about coming home. And for Telos and some others who followed her into exaltation, it was about going home.

This final catharsis now rests over the clan, and though the empty space of the moved on is felt, new and wonderful connections are forming in response:

Junior and Zo [Finally] Married. Their binding tie sits new and fresh on both the Old Staroak and hybrid Daystar Oak in the courtyard of House Betelgeuse. Theirs marks the first to be tied on the new tree, and has rekindled interest in the tradition.

Haematica and Serir are taking a brief pilgrimage to The Scarred Waste. The surgeon hopes to visit the abandoned lair of her mother and return to Clan Thanatos to formally apologize for cutting her diplomatic visit short after the breaking of the Armistice. On good word from Middlemist, Haematica is very likely to propose marriage to Serir if he survives the journey.

Gethsemene has surprised many of the dragons who know her by opting into partnership with Fadil, the butcher who was formally granted ownership of the Sundial Brewery prior to Cloudwhyte and Alchemilla's exaltation. While Fadil has a great sense for pairing meats and spices, he is a neophyte at brewing. Gethsemene has a slight knack for her favorite wines, but more importantly she has trade agreements with many water clans. 

While the Sea of a Thousand Currents is still unstable, a land route from the islands off the Tangled Wood to the Bramble Step Entertainment District is feasible. The pair are already in talks with Mme. Caress to establish appropriate tax rates in exchange for establishing and protecting the route.

Prophecy has returned from the Court of Charge Law in the Sea of A Thousand Currents. With Kea gone with Iblis to the Arcanist, the most ardent of her opposition is no longer present, but she got quite an earful from Kiele in her stead. She accepted this gracefully, and apparently submitted herself to not see Hihi'o at all if Kiele wished, despite the fact that Hihi'o is no longer a juvenile and now lives with the other witches. Forgiveness in the situation is unclear, but at least it seems that Prophecy now understands the proper way to behave toward a charge and she is beginning to bond with the young imperial whenever he is not at the coven.

She has discovered to her own delight that she may also have charge of Kea and Iblis’ daughter, Koki’o, who has inherited the Leyline Gardens and Orchards. This would more or less make her the guardian of Kea’s lineage.

Turan has stepped down from her positions as Weaver's Voice, Light Liaison, and Magistra of House Betelgeuse. The former two responsibilities were handed off to Samhradh, who was hatched in thanks to Lightweaver for allowing the clan to stay in the Sunbeam Ruins. She has eagerly snapped up this position as well as that of People's Tribune, with the less than noble rationale that she will always have first access to Aphaster's news as well as the governmental right to be the first to announce it.

After a dozen long talks with Queen Rebis and Imperator Invigilavi, Saber will be leaving the Ruins to operate out of Horizon's Landing for its founding eons. While he is not stepping down as Tribune, and will in fact be working hard to build the economy of the clan's satellite territory, he recommended Stellaria as Acting Tribune in his absence.

In addition to taking over as Magistra of both House Betelgeuse and House Perihelion on top of her existing duties in logistics to Noon Point, this places Stellaria at the head of both the logistics sector and the commerce sector. Merchant suitors who were previously lining up to court her are now practically falling over themselves to win her favor.

Horizon’s Landing: A new name for an old way of life

Opinions toward the young Imperator have softened as several dragons prepare to take new homes and roles in Aphaster’s satellite clan. Some by choice, and some at the mysterious whim of the Lightweaver. Though the Imperator has made it very clear the sub-clan’s primary purpose is to restore the Chalcedony Circle, there are easily a dozen dragons looking to advance their studies, build their fortunes, or merely spice up their lives.

Among them: Equinox, Middlemist, Heaven, Ginger, Eaqarab, Opalite, Astrit, Otahunaiti, Camellia's twins: Zinnia and Vervain, Shekhinah, and Mars.

The Farewells of the Unexalted

Moksha has wandered away with only the barest goodbye spoken to Hart. Ever disquieted by his existence even once he was among a caring clan, perhaps he has gone to find peace he could not find in Aphaster.

Chernobog, having reached his limits, has gone on the final pilgrimage that all of his kind take. Phage, in an uncharacteristic show of friendly loyalty, has accompanied him--though he promises that "we aren't going to be free of him so easily".

Tungsten and Sunrise have gone together to the Sea of a Thousand Currents to investigate the whereabouts of the Tidelord. When asked if we would see them again, Tungsten merely said that she was old and ready to settle down somewhere where the water could take her bones when the time came. She leaves her protege, Alala Tahalil to become new Tribune of Health and Welfare. Sphalerite, in a curious show, chose to follow them. Or rather, to follow Tungsten who had been her primary guardian throughout the eons. Perhaps a quiet shore will suit her better than the outskirts of the busy and overwhelming Noon Point.

Mote has settled with the longnecks at the Sunbeam Ruins in the company of his dearest friend, the longneck mender Asklepius. He permitted visitation, but this was more a matter of politeness. Though he has no ill will toward Aphaster or his longtime clanmates, he is ready to disconnect from everything that isn’t beastclan in origin, and would prefer if dragonkind left him alone.

As promised, Fletch and Willowalk departed immediately to assist the uprising in the Ashfall Waste. 

Estevao returned to the depths of the Viridian Labyrinth with his wealth, hoping to hole up somewhere where the breaking of the Armistice can have no effect on him. The latex industry is discontinued in his absence--while it had a positive effect on the medical sector, the waste it generated was a significant drain to take care of. With Chernobog gone to die, Serir likely to become part of the medical sector, and Eaquarab leaving for Horizon’s Landing, Queen Rebis opted to let the industry go. This has immediately increased her popularity among the maren and dryads.

Frelia and Harvestasha have returned to being one with Eoria until such time as they are needed again. The Foursong Nursery will not change names--they are still there within their eldest sister according to Metafalica-- and will be tended by Eoria and the mysterious Metafalica henceforth.

[blueanddeepblue]

10/30

In my dream, a giant grizzly has pressed his head into our tent and down onto my chest. His breath is deep and ragged and smells wild, except it's a dream, so there is no smell. Alexis knows something is wrong and calls my name from the sleeping bag next to me. I freeze and hold my breath, a few millimeters of flimsy tent fabric between me and the grizzly's muzzle, pressure building, hoping that my heart doesn't betray me. My heart pounds three times, and then I wake up. ----- Something about the American west denotes bigness and wildness. Weather changes in a breath. Plains stretch out endlessly, only to be hemmed in by bluish peaks even further out. In Wyoming we drive through arid desert arroyos, greenish-yellow hues rippling across the dull, brown gullies, only to climb quickly into mountains surrounded by pines and snow, the sky gone grey and the clouds obscuring the highway's next curve. Later in the same drive, we descend again to the plains, pronghorn stretched out in the grasses basking in sunshine. Fall here means rivulets of gold and red, oaks and maples that indicate hidden streams and trout-riddled rivers cutting through swatches of brown and yellow grasses. The drives are longer now. And the land itself implies reflection. The sky is big too, as they say, and the sunsets seem eternal in our westward push. Rock outcroppings jut out along ridges and at the edges of buttes, and the striated layers mark the passing of eons. The rock was here before man existed and will be long after man has gone. So too, the color of the world. In the Black Hills, Alexis and I look for mountain goats among the boulders. We climb to the highest point in South Dakota, a CCC built fire lookout called Harney Peak. A dam and small retention pond have been built nearby, which helped keep the lookout alive back when the tower was used for such purposes. The structure itself is made of rock and continues up along a sheer cliff face on one side. We push open the wooden door, and inside the wind is held at bay, exposing us to a quiet we didn't know was absent. A heavy steel ladder leads us to a narrow walkway surrounded by 360 degree views that stretch into Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska. The windows at the top are made of plastic, not glass, presumably because stronger winds will inevitably break these windows, and plastic is an easier replacement. Our teeth, our bones, behind the pits of our stomachs fire warning spasms, twinges of fear, the evolutionary hardwiring put in place to keep us from pushing our limits in high places, little bursts of adrenaline every time the wind rattles the tower's windows. I imagine the tower breaking away from the cliff face; I imagine us hurtling through nothing all the way to the flatlands east of the Black Hills. Or I imagine getting stuck in a tree halfway down. I'm not sure which is worse. But the tower holds. It is well built. Harney Peak Lookout tower is comprised of 7,000 surface stones; 15,000 hollow tiles; 200 tons of sand; 32,800 pounds of cement; 500 bricks; 500 pieces of reinforced steel, angle iron and other metal accouterment; 300 iron poles, averaging 25 feet in length; 20 kegs of nails; 1,000 feet of steel cable; 1,300 pounds of steel wire; and 800 feet of railroad track. I imagine the CCC boys from Dolan Camp, young and hopeful, working to overcome the Great Depression, climbing these steep slopes and blasting away rock here, boring into rock there - carving out a safe haven for someone they'd never know. I Imagine them being good Americans - sending part of their paycheck back home at the bequest of their country, for the good of their families. I imagine them being good Protestants and good Lutherans, quoting Psalms to one another before setting out for the day's work: Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea. I'm encouraged by their industriousness. I've hiked here and I look out as a conquerer, part of the same spirit, the same resoluteness that left such an indelible mark on the landscape. I munch on my Cliff Bar, victorious. But I'm not Protestant or Lutheran. Or anything for that matter. But maybe the Quran has it right: And they hewed their dwellings out of the mountains, feeling secure. But the shout seized them in the morning. And that which they had earned did not help them. ----- We drive up into Yellowstone through the snow. Once inside the park we see bison, bear, fox, and elk. The sunset lands on the tops of the mountains and they glow like embers from a neon fire. The sky dances purple and orange and the heavy grey of precipitation. The lake ripples a deep blue out where the wind blows the water into waves, and thin sheets of milky ice float in the shallow bays. We follow the road along the shoreline in awe. Gas and steam hiss from a crack in the earth. The lake and sky are a theatre of color and light; we are specks floating inside a terrarium of mountain and pine and snow and ice and water and cloud and light; we are the settling dust at the beginning of creation; we are fixtures in a miniature, insignificant pieces in a snow-globe shaken by some unseen hand. The earth is bigger and more defiant than we could ever know. Mystery issues forth from every crevice, peers out from behind the corners, stabs out in rays of light between the clouds. Alexis's little car behaves nobly on the snow and ice, guiding us to one of the three open campgrounds at Yellowstone. We find a spot and set up camp in the snow. We build a fire and warm ourselves. Our tent behaves nobly. And our sleeping bags too. We linger as long as we can, cocooned in warmth, before hunger spurs action. We make coffee and eggs, stamping our feet in the cold and trying to blow life into our hands. I've been to Yellowstone before a few times, but never in the cold. The earth is on fire. It smokes and churns and steams. We start at the geyser basin that includes Old Faithful. Alexis bubbles with the same excitement and wonder that she brings to all experiences, her eyes big and blue and beautiful, open and seeking; however, this is her first time to the park, so there is an added electricity, an additional burst of wonder that only a place as bizarre and other-worldly as Yellowstone can summon. There is no place quite like it. I understand, at least theoretically, how volcanic pressures create fissures in the earth, cracks that spew geysers, boiling pots of mud, or dark cavernous holes that spout steam, but to stand in front of Artist Paint Pots or to look down on Grand Prismatic Pool or to hear the roar from Black Dragon's Caldron…these things defy explanation. Experience is different than understanding. ----- We are funny creatures, us humans. We build a park and throw up signs that acknowledge change as the only constant; we erect placards to the previous times when the earth moved, when the geyser blew up unexpectedly, when the hillside gave way to pressure; we pay lip-service to the fact that someday the geyser will blow again, but we build lodges and visitor centers on the living earth and lay out boardwalks over the surface like we were meant to walk there. It's probably this same boldness that enables tourists to get out of their car and point their camera in the face of a bison. It's probably the same look of entitlement that washes over the face of a politician who's about to accept a bribe, that peculiar human trait that makes people think they're an exception to the rule, that helps them believe that they'll beat the odds. But so too, the mountains shall crumble into the sea. ----- I remember, as a kid, taking out the trash after dark had fallen. The dumpster was on the north side of our property, down a stone staircase and up a dirt driveway, maybe 100 hundred yards from the house. I had done this chore before, but something about the dark and having to turn my back on the accumulated clutter beneath the house made me wary. I ran the rest of the way, somehow both highly aware of everything around me while also afraid to look too closely into the darkness. We grow into fear. We wake one day to encounter it, to entertain the idea that the shadows hold something sinister. But in waking, we also encounter a world of mystery. We open our eyes to wonder. If we're careful, if we choose to move consciously, if we choose to look closely at the world around us. ----- In Yellowstone, Alexis and I abandon our plans to backpack. In some ways, this decision is weather related, although it warms up and the snow melts as the week wears on. In other ways, we don't quite feel comfortable in our preparation: our two-season tent, non-waterproof boots, our inexperience in grizzly country. Maybe fatigue is part of it as well. I've been camping and crashing at friend's for over two months now. Alexis and I have been on this journey longer than any of the tours that I went on during my stint as a professional musician, which is no easy feat. I continue to be amazed by the simple nature of our journey, where hardships, indecision, or disparate moods reveal themselves momentarily, only to become insignificant passages that we walk through together. This is a gift. In Montana we camp along Rock Creek. Most of the national forest campgrounds have closed for the season, but there are a few individual, roadside primitive spots left open and we set up for a few nights. Fly fishermen in waders occupy the creek's picturesque bends hoping to catch trout. Our site is nestled in close to the bank, and the constant gurgle of water over rocks both comforts and obscures. We build a fire and drink hot toddies and try to learn songs late into the night, or at least what passes as late when you've become accustomed to letting the sun set your schedule. In the morning, we wake cold and hike across Welcome Creek among the pines and over rock scree and in the quiet radiance that is summer's dying splendor - the grasses gone dry and the long-dead blooms of plants whose names I haven't learned, plants that twist and curl and delicately surrender to the changing of the season. We walk and talk loudly. We stay vigilant for bears. In the afternoon we play cards and warm ourselves in the sun. I set up the hammock and read. A bald eagle makes a pass along the creek. We gather firewood and organize it for the evening. These are moments of respite, easygoing and slow. At night, the sky stays clear, the Milky Way overhead, and at times I lean back from our conversation, from the beautifully whirling way that Alexis speaks, from the fire and the whiskey and the warmth, and I lean my head back and look straight up to see stars and galaxy and darkness in unison, and I think, "How lucky am I?". ----- What is this thread between fear and wonder? Where does it lead? Does fear exist without mystery? Does wonder? What does it feel like to be seized by a shout? So much of our lives are spent in routine, in the rituals that safeguard us from fear: the trips to the coffee shop, the radio DJ on the way home from work, the gym, the peck on the lips as you head out the door. But often we feel most alive when the ritual is interrupted: when the car careens from its lane and time slows to a crawl, when the morning kiss becomes a whirlwind. However, neither ritual, nor routine are the enemies of wakefulness, of living. Instead, I'm convinced that both the roadblock and the way forward exist within. Like a child, we must open our eyes and look in earnest. Can we observe without fear? Can we wonder in joy? Can we engage with the world around us with rapture and glee? Or maybe the child is a poor metaphor here, especially since a child looks to its elders as guideposts and soaks up their insecurities, their idiosyncrasies, their fears. Especially since a child can't articulate or share in the full experience of the world, but only observe, only look forward to joining the ranks of adulthood. Maybe we have to grow beyond innocence and become students of the world, looking and learning, testing out new ideas and asking questions that matter. Or maybe that's not right either. Don't we know that the accumulation of knowledge is also the accumulation of fear? The gathering of an ideology or worldview that, if broken and damaged, would also shake us to our core. Don't we know, that sometimes as students we purport to know the answers already? That we ask questions to make ourselves look good in the eyes of teachers? Colleagues? Don't we fear asking the wrong questions? Maybe all the metaphors are poor. From the self-same well spring fear and wonder, and we are merely passing through. Look. For in looking we see the world. Seek and ye shall find. But we won't find answers, or at least, we'll be sorely disappointed if answers are what we seek. Instead, look at the light on the hills. Look at the color in the cornfield. Listen for the woosh of eagle's wings. Smell the dank richness of rotting wood. Feel the strong embrace of a friend or shiver in the cold that lingers just beyond the fire. See how the rock stands poised on the cliff, defiant towards time and the law of gravity. Listen for the chickadee among the pines and hear how big the chipmunk sounds in the underbrush. And if the chipmunk emerges from the underbrush as a bear, snarling and charging, teeth ragged and neck bristled, then try to meet the bear's eyes with your own and see what rages in its depths. Brace yourself and look straight at it. Look to see if the mountains are indeed crumbling to the sea. Look at how lucky you are to be this close. Try to feel the earth, alive and hissing, beneath you. Try to smell the wildness on its breath. The blood in its fur. Then, goddammit, use your bear spray. ----- Thank you internet…Wikipededia for the metrics on Harney Peak Lookout tower Psalm 46:2 Surah Al-hijr 82-84

[sybillsilver]

As a little saying that we have in my country “promised is debt”here I leave it this fic that started as an idea proposed by @gisabarrow I hope you like it, and, if you have any idea I am open to suggestions. kisses

I woke up because of a nightmare, I open my eyes and rise violently, my heart beats so fast that I feel it will come out from my cheste, I took a deep breath and try to relax “it´s just a nightmare, none of that is real” I said to myself , groped my winged but I only find the wall of my cell, I close my eyes and looked away, I thought that custom had disappeared long ago, I should have done it, but I want or not, I still dream of turning and seeing it there , lying down sleeping placidly, his relaxed expression would tell me that everything was fine, that nothing would happen to me near him, but I know that it's no use dreaming about it, I know I will not turn around again and find Cal on the other side of the bed. I sat while the cold stone edge touches my bare legs, I shudder, in this momento I am messing mi bed in our cublicle in Tuck altought I only slep there once I know is better than this little step of my cell. I stend and walk to the metal bars, there is not a soul in the whole corridor, my sharp ear tells me that there is also no one in the corridor that follows, and, possibly, this alone in the tower; After testing experiments with me and realizing that I could not take the powers and save them in a bottle, and for a couple of other conflicts ... (I will only say that the silver ones will not have red blood, but my saliva all over their face.)

 Maven had lock me in the only cell of an old tower located vehind the castle, I heard that is use as a deposit and nobody knows about the existen of a cell at the end of a corridor where lives the Lightning girl, beside, Who would want to come and save me? The silvers hate me , and th eones who got faith in me and in the Scarlet Guard, red and silvers had forgot for obligation or because they get tired of beeing let down, I can´t blame them, I can´t blame anyone for my mistakes.

A sound of trumpets takes me away from my moans, stold my atention for a second, but, realizing it is the change of guard loses mi attention just as fast, each twelve hours when the trumpets sing the guards move to the right rotating places I get away from the bars and climbed the stairs, where, taking advantage of the fact that nobody saw me, I took a stone from the wall and watch them move, the tower was not very high, and it was only a few meters from the square and the Headquarters, but still so I have to squint my eyes to be able to focus in the distance through my precarious little Windows while the hot air entering absorbing the cold of the room, the spring was noticed in all its splendor. In that moment a few steps resound on the stone floor and a guard looks down the hallway, standing in front of my gavel, I barely notice his existence, but after ten minutes have passed and he was still standing there waiting, his presence began to irritate me.

-Your king sent you to pick me up?- I asked, he just nod, is more conversation than ana gent gave me since I came in here I wait him to move the cell like most magnetrons guard  do but remains immobile, observing, I get closer until I am in front of him, the stone around the bars make me peak turning off my abilities, my head star to spin and I stifle, slowly so I move without looking at him, prepared for anything, maybe I don´t have mi Lightning here with me right now, but my reflexes as a thief can´t be taken by anyone, before I can even complain, the guard puts his hands around his neck and takes off the helmet, I'm confused at first, but I barely see those curls (which now came to his shoulders) and green eyes I can not help but smile.

"Whatever you have planned, I want you to know that I do not agree with you being here knowing that Maven could recognize you -Kilorn smiles as he puts his helmet under his shoulder.

-"I miss you too Mare-," he says as runs a gloved hand through his hair, pulling the curls back. Kilorn try to open the door but it is useless, there is no lock or latch, only a curtain of thick metal bars. I approach and touch his wrist with my hand he raises his eyes, staring into mine, although this smiling I can see the stormy green of his eyes, is no longer the apprentice fisherman of the Piles a year ago, his body is full with scars, has deep circles, is thinner but more muscular, looks like a young man who lived a thousand lives, he has always been easy to read, through his mind come many feelings: sadness, anxiety, fear, surprise, etc. , he wants to speak, but there are not enough words to express his concern, so we communicate with the looks as we did before, I tighten his wrist a little, conveying a message "I'm alive and that's all that matters" he nods, as if having understood, although I would have liked that moment to last longer, to be able to have a talk with my best friendo but he jumps up as if remembering something, and then reaches into his pocket and removes a red scarf like the ones the Scarlet Guard use.

- Shake it through the hole .- he tells me passing the scarf through the bars, I do not stop to think how they knew the hole but I approach, jump on the step, take the stone, I give a quick glance around to see if anyone was watching me, and when I decide they are not , I reach out and shake the handkerchief a few seconds before putting it back on I turn to go and return the handkerchief to Kilorn but this gesture hae hand holding me -Watch - says in a whisper, I turn back and look through the hole, at first I found it difficult to know what it is, until I see some figures moving away. Just diagonally to where I was, there were two soldiers only a few meters to the left of the tower, one starts talking to the other, the one who starts talking seemed entertained, as if they know since they were kids the other hardly stirs to move, at first I do not understand what is happening until  a door is opened to the side of the tower and a guard comes out carrying a red slave, they are positioned in front of the other two guards and without releasing the struggling scramblethe the guard begin to tell a story, I could imagine what they were saying, I turned to see Kilorn but he does insist that I turn and keep watching.  When the guard finished the story the other two remain thoughtful, the speaker turns to see his partner that, just then I realize that he was of a higher rank, thick shoulder pads were attached to his uniform as a badge which hung from his chest, from here I  couldn´t see what it was but they were probably two crossed swords, the door opens again and another guard comes out but this one was of a much lower rank, he was not wearing a uniform as thick as the other three , it was only composed of a pair of trousers and a gray shirt that had a light blue sleeve, once Cal  told me that the guards with blue sleeves were simple apprentices, silver in the process of becoming official guards, Cal ... , I push away my feeling  thought and turn my concentration to the young apprentice. He was broad-shouldered, could see his muscles under his shirt (both on his back as arms and chest) he had long legs, his black hair was crushed by a visor, also gray, his skin was white with a silvery sheen, His walking is slow. Maybe the fatigue me down and really everything is a dream, maybe I'm still in the lab connected to that horrendous machine, maybe I died, I don´t know, I just know that what happened next was something I had not imagined in a million scenarios , The apprentice turned almost completely, he looked at me, and winked at me, that's when I realized because the apprentice made me remembered so much Cal. The apprentice was Cal.

I stopped myself from shouting his name, choking on my gasp, and covering my mouth, behind me Kilorn laughed, while Cal put his cap on and placed himself behind the officer, he had barely noticed his presence but that did not seem to discourage Cal, indeed, was right behind him and looked at the waist of the officer's trousers from where, with well-trained nimble fingers, he stretched a cord from the officer's waist and stretched it by dropping a small object in his hand, only when the moonlight reflects let me saw what object was: a key. Cal quickly puts the key in his pocket, turned around and walked where he came in the direction of the door, and only a few feet he bends to tie the laces of his boots, rather to pretend that he was tied, he raises The sight and our glances cross again, suddenly I felt as if my whole body trembled in a spasm, as if I had been slapped so hard that I had traveled in time to that hot night outside the tavern, with a smile Lips without words but the message is clear: Thief. He only smiles and puts my expression on that night to perfection, surprised, almost offended, to my surprise moves his lips and gestures another word without sound: -Obviously.

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[TH] The Midnight Drummer (Notes much appreciated)

The Midnight Drummer By Devon MacNerland

I have spent what feels like ages, slowly melding into my couch. A new sitcom that will be gone by next month, I change the channel. A rerun of last night’s game of Jeopardy, saw it last night. Blackouts on the East Coast, slow news day. I sluggishly break the crust forming on my neck to search for tonight’s entertainment. I crane my neck around the room. I’ve used too much energy. I’m exhausted. I slump back into the same pattern as before and glare at the iridescent screen. Nothing's on TV. “In other news, the 7 crew members of Space Shuttle Challenger have been confirmed…” I switch back to Jeopardy. My stomach growls like thunder, I’ve been putting it off for hours but eventually a man’s gotta eat. I slowly peel myself out of the leather couch. With each vertebrate a rip tears through the air as my skin forcibly removes itself from the mold I have created with my comatose state. My stomach roars. “Yea I’m going.” I say to myself. The light from my fridge shocks my weary eyes. I peer through the thick light to see an almost empty fridge. The only thing that sits there, lonely, is a can of sardines. I open up my contacts and scroll through the assortment of delivery restaurants and stumble upon my sister. I haven’t seen in her yet. I haven’t seen many people in a while. I continue through my phone. I call the Chinese food place and shuffle slowly back to my self-molded chasm. I succumb to the will of the broadcast stations and watch their bubble gum TV, sweet but hard to swallow and it leaves me empty. The doorbell finally rings. It’s so far away. I lay in the perfectly molded crevasse wondering how to climb out. With Herculean strength I ascend. I shuffle towards the distant door knowing that the teenager on the other side has more to live for. I can’t stand him. I haven’t even seen his face, but I fucking hate him. I reach for my wallet and open the only entrance to my shelter from the outside world. It’s my neighbor standing in the dimly lit hallway; stains riddle the carpet. Where the hell is my food? I almost said that out loud. I have to slow down. “Hey” I pause a bit off put. I’ve never said anything past hello. He doesn’t seem my type, well dressed and timid. He seems lonely. I scramble for the right words. “What do you want?” Wrong words. “Uh, hey, man, I’ve been getting your mail for a little bit. Been meaning to hand it off for a while” “Thanks”, I grab my mail. Why didn’t he just leave it in front of my door? A long pause almost like he is waiting for something. Spit it out. “Well… enjoy your mail.” “Yep.” Christ, I remember why I don’t go outside anymore. I sift through the daily reminders to ‘Shop at Kroger!’ the over due utility notices and a bible’s worth of porno mags. They weigh heavy in my arms, but my soul has accepted my gluttony. I pass a few more letters, mostly cards apologizing for my loss. I never appreciated those, they’re hallow. People expect good karma from something so disingenuous. As I keep sifting I stumble upon a letter from my sister. Huh, coincidences. I stare at the letter not really sure what to think about it. How old is this? Why write a letter, we’re at the peak of technology, we have dial up for fuck’s sake. Maybe I should call her. Not yet I worry a bit too much sometimes. I rip open the Envelope.

Dear Charlie, The funeral is cancelled, I’m sure you’ve heard about the blackouts in New York, I am safe for now but completely terrified. I couldn’t call, my cellphone died before I could charge it and the landline is down. I can barely sleep anymore. The feral cats make the most disturbing noises, sometimes I’m not really sure if they are actually feral cats or not. My across the hall neighbor went outside during maybe the 3rd or 4th day, he came back and didn’t say a word. He’s usually so friendly and polite. I’ve had him and his wife over for dinner so many times. They’ve babysat Delilah almost everyday after she comes home from school! I don’t know what could have happened, but when he came I could see what I thought was blood on his shoe. How could something get that bad out there? There haven’t been riots at least any that I am aware of, so my mind wanders to more brutal more personal crimes. I’m running low on food. I’ll have to go out soon. I don’t know what Delilah’s going to do, she’ll have to stick here alone for a little. The nights are unbearable for me, shadows move outside the window, I can hear things climb the fire escape. I’ve run out of excuses to tell Delilah. The worst thing by far is every night, midnight on the dot, there is this sickly drumming and with every thud is a disgusting moan. I tried ignoring it the first few nights but it’s so eerie. It reminds me of the blood on my neighbor’s shoe. Every time I hear that moan it sends shivers down my spine. This is going to sound crazy but the voice that’s moaning sounds so familiar, I know, I know crazy right? How can you tell a voice from a moan? I’ve tried my best to find out what it is, but nothing. I’ve looked out the window I couldn’t see anything in the pitch black, especially anything that would be on street level. I’ve shined my flashlight down…nothing. I would try to go back to sleep, but it’s torturing. Every Goddamn night drum after drum after drum, my mind is being splintered. I need to get out of this place. Brandon’s death has devastated all of us, Charlie. I guess the reason I’m writing is I was hoping to stay with you until the blackout clears up. It would mean a lot, I’m just so scared. Love your Sister, Claire

Cancelled the Funeral over a little power outage? Christ, the blackout’s gotten to her head. Do I write back? She might already be on her way. I look around at the filth and waste that has built up around me. I look at the clock 11:37. Damn my sleep schedule is messed up. I go back to the cozy indent in my couch and continue mindlessly consuming last night’s episode of Jeopardy. I’m not really paying attention. Should I call her? Her phone is dead. She’s probably on her way. “What is Nestle?” I tell Alex Trebek half-heartedly. Maybe she charged it at a Gas Station? She’s on her way. “No, you idiot!” Maybe I should be on Jeopardy. My phone is shaming me. I can feel it. She’s on her way. “Fuck”, I give in. I pick up my cell phone and scroll past the multitude of delivery food contacts to finally reach my sister. The dial tone lazily drones on. I’m getting impatient and Alex Trebek won’t shut up about the Daily Double. That fucking funeral was already messing my mind up and now this blackout shit. The dial tone drones on. There’s a knock on my door, what now? I swing open the door to see a shitty disgusting teenager with my food. Fuck, I completely forgot I even ordered. I hand him the cash, take my food and slam the door before he can even hand me the change. It’s ringing there must be a charge. It goes to voicemail. “GOD DAMNIT!” I chuck it across my apartment. I can’t loose another sibling. I breathe. She’s on her way. She’ll call me in the morning she’s probably just sleeping. Maybe I Tivo’d the 11:00 news. Each fucking bong the Tivo makes sends me into a rage of fury. I search through my pointless DVR, nothing! I run to my computer, hopefully this clunky piece of shit will run. “Bwaaaaaaaaaaannngg” The Windows logo stuns me as the shine creates a halo around my face. I stare at the screen, inch by inch the starting up process moves along. I stare it down. Intimidation usually works. The letter lingers, building an acidic pressure in the back of my mind. With each and every second that passes by, the burden gets heavier and heavier. “FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!” Where’s my phone maybe I should call her one more time. While the computer is loading I try to recollect the general direction I chucked my phone. I’m destroying carefully built skyscrapers of trash, scrounging through the crusty and damp laundry delicately and softly covering the floor like sand dunes on a desert. I hear my computer croak and I give up on the search for now. I type in my password but each letter takes eons to finally show-up in the password bar. “AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH” I pause and close my eyes as frustration drains from my body. A knock on the door launches me back into eclectic fury. Who the fuck, is knocking on my door? I storm over to the breach in my sanctuary and swing it open. It’s my neighbor. “Hey, uh… I couldn’t help but hear you from down the hall. Are you okay?” “Yea, I’m fine thank you.” I’m about to shut him out for the sake of my peace, but a thought slithers into existence “Have you heard anything about the blackouts on the East Coast?” I’m sure his answer will be as mundane as he is. “Not much, but nothing good. Why?” Fuck him, he did that on purpose. “Nothing thanks for checking up on me.” Like he even fucking cared to begin with. “Oh no problem let me know…” I slam the barrier shut. I can finally look it up for myself so I can prove the lying scumbag across the hall wrong. Everything’s fine on the East Coast. “She’s fucking paranoid.” The words come out soft and weak. I run Internet Explorer, my computer struggles in late hour as if I woke it up. I bang it a few times. A thud from down the street grabs my attention. Why did she focus on the drumming out of all things? That could be anything. Finally, Explorer opens, I quickly type in ‘East Coast Blackouts’. Green slowly crawls along the search bar, standing its ground every few seconds as if it’s trying to taunt me. “C’mon, C’mon” It’s so fucking close. I can taste it. Every grueling second here is one more in ignorance. I think about screaming again but that attracts pests. I am stuck in this eternal rage with no release. It’s grueling. The search bar freezes mere nanometers from the end. It is so close. Another nanometer goes by. “C’mon.” I say under my breath. It just raises my anxiety. Another nanometer. I am beginning to crack. Another nanometer. I am going insane. Another nanometer. I freeze in anticipation. Another nanometer. The search bar stops. I am going to pop a vein. I clench my fists and teeth. Giving into to my rage I… The web page loads. “YES!” It’s at that exact second the power goes out. Alec Trebek’s voice no longer fills the room. I sit in silence. I’ve been defeated. A groan echoes across the darkness. A transformer probably blew that’s all. It’s just my building, I try to look out my window but the city is dark. It’s just my block, I tell myself. My eyes adjust to the dark and I stand perfectly still trying to listen for feral cats. It’s nothing it will all pass in the morning. I look at the clock it’s dead. I should just sleep it off. I stay frozen. I tell myself again, ‘Get some sleep’. I ignore it. What was the blood on her neighbor’s shoe? No matter now, my sister’s going to be here in the morning. I just have to keep calm. I wander off to my bed stubbing my toe on the kitchen counter. I sigh maybe I’m delusional; his death is rough on everyone. I lay down and my exhaustion is already getting the better of me. Is Delilah okay? A long blackout like that must freak her out. I take a deep breath and try to put it out of my mind. What’s with those cats? My sister’s paranoid, she’ll be here in the morning. I leave the thought behind. The phrase ‘things climb the fire escape’ flickers across my restless brain. The electricity’s out, people used the fire escape instead of the elevator. I toss the idea aside and pay no attention to the glaring discrepancies. I silence my active imagination and rest.

“Thud… uuuuuuuuuuhhhhh. Thud… uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh. Thud… uhhhhhhhh.” I’m dragged out of my slumber, groggy. What the hell is that noise? “Thud… uuuuuuuuuuhhhhh. Thud… uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhh. Thud… uhhhhhhhh.” My heart skips a beat as heavy realization hits me. “Thud… uhhhhhhhhhhh. Thud… uuuuuuhhhhhhhhh. Thud… uhhhhhhhh” I bolt out my bedroom. I’m going to fucking kill this guy; he’s fucking with me! He must have read the letter. I go to my balcony and shout down. “Hey what the absolute fuck are you doing?” He looks up. I see no eyes staring back at me, no mouth to respond. A faceless drummer is staring back at me with his deep cosmic blue skin. My heart races as I try to piece this impossibility together. I can feel my brain breaking. I must have mistakened. I wipe the tiredness from my eyes. He’s still there. It’s hard to tell in the dark but his head seems smooth, no hair. A dull blue void stands before me holding a band drum. “Get outta here kid, your jokes aren’t funny” “Thud” He bangs the drum in response. “Uuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhh” Where did that noise come from if he doesn’t have a mouth? Doesn’t have a mouth? What the hell am I saying? It’s probably some kid looking through people’s fucking mail. A thought pops into my head. It’s my fucking neighbor! I fucking knew I couldn’t trust him. “STOP LOOKING THROUGH MY MAIL CARSON!” “Thud… Uhhhhhhhhhhh” He bangs the fucking drum. I’m done with this. “You wanna play dumb huh?!” I bust out of my apartment and start banging down the entrance to his flat. The door opens. “Hey Charlie you okay?” I’m paralyzed. It’s my neighbor “Thud… uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh.” I don’t say a word. “Thud… uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh.” The drum echoes down the hall. “Thud… uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhh” I walk back into my apartment. “Thud… uuuuuhhhhhhh.” It’s timed perfectly with each step I take. “Thud… uhhhhhhhhhh.” I grab a flashlight. “Thud… uhhhhhh.” Open the sliding doors to the balcony. “Thud…uuuuuuhhhhh.” Shine the flashlight down. “Thud”, the drumming stops. The light seems to terrify him, he uses his drum to shield himself against it and I see it. Her mouth is gaping open. It looks like her organs are shoved down her throat. She is living and breathing. Tears flood her eyes. Her face, stretched across this monsters instrument. My sister.

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