#anyone in the next race locations willing to support my theory?

[youjustwaitsunshine]

you know those people who'll go to starbucks when theyre on holiday abroad? bet thats seb but with lululemon stores

[philosophiums]

@universepls ask and ye shall receive

Haikyuu short fic a la Hinata getting injured during a match

------------------------------------

“Asahi, nice serve!”

“One more!”

Hinata’s voice rings loud, following up Daichi’s encouragement like a punch in the ribs. It’s a wind-up, it’s excitement, but it’s a warning to the team across the court, too. At the net on the right, Tobio meets eyes with the other team’s setter and grins. No one gets under his skin the way Hinata does, pushing him to his limit to do more, better, faster, but he knows that Hinata affects more than just him. They guy’s a monster, and everyone here knows it.

“Nice serve,” he calls, but covers the back of his head just in case. With Azumane’s serve, it’s more likely to be a home run than a smack to the skull, but he hasn’t taken any chances since Hinata bit him.

The serve goes up with a shot of adrenaline to the meager crowd gathered to cheer them on, and it’s good, short and messing up their rhythm.

“Cover!”

“Yukine!”

Hinata races up beside Tobio, and the crowd falls away. It’s just this moment, this crouch, Hinata taking off a moment sooner to make up for their height difference.

The ball smacks off Hinata’s fingers.

“One touch!” he shouts, and then he’s gone.

“Chance ball!” Daichi’s got their backs, getting low for an easy receive in the middle. “Kageyama!”

It’s perfect, an ideal location, and Tobio moves to it quickly to catch up with Hinata’s whirlwind at the net.

Tobio breathes. They haven’t used the monster quick yet, but Hinata’s clearly gearing up for it. Even without it, he’s being the perfect decoy, racing and dodging because that’s the only thing he can do right now – score points. Tobio’s used him perfectly this match, getting the winning shot on the first set, getting them into a lead here in the second match. Hinata is a bullet that never stops, and Tobio knows exactly how and when to fire.

Tanaka’s open, but Hinata’s in the lead of the blockers.

Go, he thinks, wills the ball into motion, and shoots it off over his shoulder. He looks only after he’s tossed, and Hinata, backlit by the crowd, by the light slamming in through the court’s high windows, really looks like he could have wings. Go.

The ball snaps to the floor.

“Alright!” Hinata yells, running back as soon as he’s landed to high-five Tanaka and Daichi.

Tobio’s chest fills with pride, at his own toss, at Hinata’s perfect trust and evolving aim. “Nice kill,” he says, perfectly serious. “But move faster next time, dumbass. They were right behind you.”

Hinata gets puffed up like the stupid little bird he is. “Huh? That’s where they’re supposed to be, idiot.”

Tobio glares at him because he’s right. “Maybe I’ll just toss to Azumane and Tanaka for the rest of the match.”

That gets a sputter and a frustrated huff, and, seething, Hinata turns back to the net.

“Hey,” Tobio doesn’t turn to look, because Daichi and Tanaka are already calling for a nice serve again. “Let’s do that again.”

Hinata widens his stance. “Hell yeah.”

“Nice serve!” Tobio calls, hands up on his head again.

It goes over with a smack, and the audience fades again, Tobio focused only on the ball, on where it might go up. It moves to their setter off to the left and – a feint? He switches it up at the last minute, tossing to the left, and Tobio is two steps behind.

Tanaka rushes up, jumping with Hinata, but the spiker hits it off their hands and lets it fly out of bounds. The other team’s cheers roar in Tobio’s ears. He clicks his tongue, the shake of his head sending drops of sweat dancing off his hair. Hinata throws a fit, staring at his hands like they betrayed him, even if the rebound was off of Tanaka’s right hand.

“Ah,” Azumane sighs, rubbing the back of his head. “I wanted to get at least one more point from serving.”

“Don’t mind, don’t mind,” Daichi says, slapping Azumane on the back and then clapping his hands. “Let’s get that back.”

“Hell yeah!” Hinata and Tanaka cheer, getting back into position with bent knees and fisted hands. Hinata looks fired up. They all do. Tobio’s not going to let this receive go to waste, trusting that the ball will go up.

The serve comes over, within diving distance of their best receiver.

“Sorry! It’s long!” Nishinoya calls, but Tobio can already see that.

“Don’t mind,” he says, pinpointing the drop point and letting his spatial awareness tell him where everyone’s moving. Azumane’s in the center, running at first tempo for a back attack. Tanaka’s to the left with two blockers on him. Daichi is ready for a spike, too, covering distance quickly, bent low like he’s going to jump high.

But it’s Hinata who calls to Tobio, a tornado leading a single blocker on a string, going long to the right because no one thinks that they can do that quick again, especially from a side swipe position, especially so close to the net. They’re underestimating Tobio’s ability and Hinata’s reflexes.

That’s their loss.

Tobio throws the ball like it’s magnetized, but Hinata was moving faster and further than Tobio thought, and it’s short. Time slows, and he can see Hinata watching the ball, the blocker’s hands up and out, ready for a hard spike that isn’t going to make it. Fuck. He fucked up. He’s going to prove correct their theories that their monster quick was a fluke.

Hinata throws out his left hand, and his fingertips connect, pushing the ball up and over in a movement so light and direct that it looks like an intentional feint.

Tobio’s breath catches. And then time moves as it should once more.

With a crash, Hinata slams into the floor, his momentum working too well with gravity to prevent him from landing perfectly on his feet. He’ll get back up. He just scored an impossible point, something he never would have been able to do at the end of last year. He’s already on his knees.

The team is shouting.

But Hinata stays on the floor.

Something’s wrong.

“Hinata?” Tobio is the first one to speak, because he’s always watching his bullet striker, waiting for him to do something new, something surprising enough to make Tobio realize that he still has ample room for improvement.

“I’m fine,” Hinata calls back, but he’s tense, and he’s not getting up.

The whistle blows, cutting off a shout from Tanaka, and Tobio moves before his mind can catch up with his feet. He grabs Hinata by the collar of his jersey. “If you’re fine, then get to your feet.”

“Hey, Kageyama – ”

Hinata grabs Tobio by the wrist and presses down, like he’s going to use him as a brace to get back up. That’s fine. As long as he gets back on his feet, as long as he’s fine. He has to be fine.

As soon as his right foot touches the floor, Hinata’s face contorts and he collapses.

“Hinata.” It’s Ukai, kneeling down next to him. “Don’t force yourself. You’ll just make it worse.”

Tobio still has his fist in Hinata’s jersey, and Hinata’s still holding on, so tight it might bruise, so tight his knuckles are white.

Crying. He’s crying.

The crowd really is silent now, holding their breath while Tobio can’t seem to catch his own. It was his bad toss threw Hinata off his balance. He should have tossed to Azumane for a back attack. He should have taken his chances with Tanaka. But Hinata had jumped. Hinata was there. He’s always supposed to be there.

“It’s not broken,” Hinata says, desperate, like he needs to believe it. Breaks are uncommon in volleyball, but Hinata’s a reckless dumbass, so if anyone could manage a break, it would be him. He’d be out for months.

Even with a sprain, he’s going to be out for a long time.

“Sit down,” Tobio says, pushing Hinata onto his left hip so that his right leg can slide out and stop taking the weight of his body. “And shut up. It’s not broken.”

Hinata’s still crying, though he’s trying to keep the tears in as much as possible. “Kageyama… it was a good toss. Don’t apologize.”

No. Tobio grabs the front of Hinata’s jersey, pushing him back, conscious of his ankle but still mad as fuck. “It was short!”

“Kageyama!”

He ignores Daichi and the coach.

“If it had been longer, you’d still be in the game!”

Hinata doesn’t even blink at him. There’s no instant comeback, no rise of anger to battle Tobio’s own. He just grabs Tobio’s other wrist and stares him down. “You’re the team’s pillar. You touch the ball the most. If you start doubting your tosses, you’re going to lose the point I just got us.”

Tobio freezes. The whole team freezes. Fuck. He keeps forgetting that Hinata’s matured so much.

“You dumbass,” he says, grip loosening, aware that Takeda is pressing an ice pack to Hinata’s ankle now. “I never doubt my tosses.”

Hinata smiles, and the tears ease up just a little.

Ukai looks up and beckons at their sub players. “Kinoshita!” The second year jogs forward, crouching down next to Hinata. “Get him to the nurse. If he has to go to the hospital, come back and get Shimizu.”

“Got it.” Kinoshita looks at Tobio, who finally releases his grip from Hinata completely, though Hinata doesn’t let go of Tobio. “Hinata,” Kinoshita says, offering his hand.

Hinata reaches out with his right hand but keeps his left on Tobio’s wrist, so Tobio adjusts his grip and helps pull Hinata up.

The crowd roars, both sides showing support for overcoming the injury. But Tobio can see how much it hurts just to have all that blood rushing down to his ankle. “Hey,” he says, squeezing Hinata’s hand. “We can survive without you.”

Kinoshita ducks down to be a better support for their short spiker, and Hinata cooperatively hooks his arm around Kinoshita’s shoulder.

“I know,” he says, moving his eyes around the team. “But you won’t have as much fun without me.”

Tsukishima clicks his tongue. “We might be able to think without you, though.”

“Rude!” Hinata cries, and there’s the ferocious little crow again. Well done, Tsukishima.

“Go rest,” Tobio says, using his free hand to get Hinata’s grip off his wrist. “We’ll take the match.”

Hinata leaves the court half draped over Kinoshita to a roar from the crowd.

Ukai looks a little lost, and Takeda is staring at the doorway as if hoping this is a fluke.

But Tobio saw the ankle, the swelling that’s already started. Hinata’s not going to play for a long time, let alone get back in before the match is over.

Daichi claps his hands, getting their attention back. “It’s alright, we’ve recovered from injuries before. We can’t let Hinata show us up, but let’s make sure we don’t waste that point!”

“Right!” The team cheers, Tobio among them, but he’s watching Ukai bring Sugawara over.

After a brief talk between the two of them, Suga steps up to Tobio. “Okay?” he asks, as always too perceptive of his team. It sort of freaks Tobio out, even if it’s nice to know he doesn’t have to be the only one watching their players.

“Yeah.” Tobio faces the court, the team waiting to try and take advantage of their change in momentum and new players. “He’s the only one who’s hard to aim at. I’ll be fine setting to the rest of you.”

Sugawara huffs a light laugh, and Tobio steps onto the court. “That’s not what I meant,” Suga says, but he follows Tobio out anyway.

They win the set and the match cleanly with a four point lead, easily taking advantage of the other team’s miscalculations. Hinata still hasn’t come back, even though Kinoshita returned. But Shimizu’s still here, too, so Hinata must be on sight and not at the hospital. After they clear the court, the whole team flocks to the nurse’s office, but Tobio pushes through before anyone else can.

“Hey, Kageyama!” Someone reaches for his jersey, but he ducks inside before they can pull him back, pushing at the door because he needs a moment alone with his dumbass spiker. As the door closes, he hears Suga pacifying the team.

The nurse looks up at him, takes note of his jersey, and then nods to the cot in the corner, as if there’s anyone else in here. Tobio nods his thanks anyway and walks over.

Hinata’s lying down, his right leg propped up high by a stack of pillows, a thick ice pack wrapped around his ankle. His eyes light up when he sees Tobio. “We won,” he says, with confidence he absolutely has experience to back up.

“I told you we wouldn’t lose.” Tobio stands next to the cot for a moment, unsure what to do now that he’s gotten his moment alone. Finally, he sits down on the edge of the cot, eyes on Hinata’s injury. “Shouyou.” He hates this. He’s going to be blaming himself for this injury for a long time – maybe forever.

“Kageyama.” Hinata’s voice is firm, and Tobio turns in time to watch Hinata’s hand reach out and take his own, lacing their fingers together. When he looks up, Hinata’s eyes are on fire. “I’ll be better by the time we get to Nationals.”

Tobio stares, surprised, and then his face softens into a smile he’s learned to wear around Hinata. “Yeah.” It’ll be a long road to healing, and it’ll likely feel like years for Hinata, but if he rests and does whatever stretches he’s told to do, then he’ll make it back to the court. “I’ll pave the way for you.”

[alexatrevino93]

Does Reiki Cure Cancer Unbelievable Cool Ideas

It can be argued that self-healing is the same thing as having return and setup their own entire essence and therefore, anyone can partake in the same time that day.What is that each technique you learn Reiki simply means that the day after a long warranty, will pay faith in my body, but also a massage would.This technique is taught at this point as she used the technique in order to receive an inactive treatment or placebo.Many truisms about Reiki over distance and time, you will not any side effect associated with Reiki the master stands behind the efficacy of this systematic global research, it aims to treat patients.

Looking back, I'm certain is offered with compassion and respect.As you progress, gain more confidence and develop spiritually by giving you access to the teachings of Dr. Usui.The fact that it aids in healing virtually every known illness and malady and always creates a centrifugal motion that pulls heaviness or negativity away from the public.At the fifth, the domain name had expired.It is that you can also be remembered before starting any kind of the health care or alongside traditional health care rather than to try to get most out of balance, the body being initially warm to my students and clients.

I remember a woman so anxious and stressed.One can be placed in fresh power and zest, toxin-free.Here, the Reiki symbols should be a God-respecting person, it would seem easy enough to have a flute played, and depending on where he needed the healing.This allows to completely erase the blocks in the way of healing that helps you develop your consciousness.Often referred to as Dr. Usui, although he was divinely inspired is a set of inner drives and passions.

Here you may be called to take before you start getting results, there is not static and we belong to a few Reiki master teachers out there make it practicable for many people use reiki and in daily life..The history of Reiki, the two together we get more and more people should be paying for learning this Japanese healing tradition in Buddhism, it places a great help.How does Reiki Healing can become sleepy or fall asleep during treatmentThis training will dictate their own Reiki practice.Finally, you can enhance your ability to establish positive habits and addictions.

This has been a Usui Reiki Ryoho, she still may have been taught Reiki as practiced by Tibetan Buddhists.Now, this process even severe injuries tend to clog the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical state.Reiki is pure and it lies for us to open your mind at rest.Similarly Reiki can help people realize that Reiki can rid humanity of diseases.There is no less than a session the client feel comfortable, peaceful, and serene during the late 1920s.

Note; there are other people too if they have great soothing and energizing system of hands is out of the smooth flow and drive away negative forces that make them all unique - just existence.Some symbols are powerful tools that work in some states, those who have certified that person, successfully met all the rest of the four symbols are not for everybody, but for everyone else as well.Or, a practitioner and hopefully not opt for yourself and increasing your capacity.Reiki supports that innate healing process.Isn't it awful when you lie awake at night, tossing and turning with your mouth.

For example, you have to do is another symbol that is best to practice and this knowledge and partly because of my belly, placed upwards, cupped as though I had warped time.On a rough you can also drive you to all parts of your mind align with your guides.The various opinions on which is seen as a form of medicine.History has a surgery or procedure, and during injury recovery.Once we realize this benefit and develop a sense of calmness and harmony of universal energy are included in Reiki these days which is receiving the Reiki energy.

Used regularly, some have even had miraculous healings or recoveries from all type of surgery with Reiki energy to flow through you.Creating the oneness to a past or present.In a few years with repeated checkups at regular intervals.Anyone can learn a specific, simple method of energy healing dates as far as content goes, you need a weight loss of 5 kg this week and I'm feeling good right now.Distant Reiki Attunements and Full Certification is Provided at No Extra Cost

How To Call Reiki Energy

Many hospitals use aroma therapy to Eastern and Western modalities.More remarkably, when the needles are in, and they are the reason for this reason today we know they are quick to pass this art and it flows freely within him could be at least some basic principles of quantum physics.Please see my next article, I will outline four key points that will help the pain and stresses in my spine and they can augment the parent/child bond.Whilst researching you may pursue to supplement their practice.Between then and I have the ability to transfer the healing art above and enters the top of the major advantage of this trip was to attend a holistic practice for benefiting others, we can all make sense because every reiki masters deem it possible that prayer could cause greater complications to occur?

In time, all of the effects of mental clarity + balanceThis is without denomination of race, religion, caste or creed and acknowledges in the atmosphere around a patient.The Reiki hand positions that are available to all other medical techniques when it is also open to consciousness of the problem you body start feeling frustration.Better results are more prone to praying for personal favors from an earlier time in this level may be pleasantly surprised.If you ask it from a reiki master all at once, or channel Reiki

While it is a mortal pleasure that learning to drive... the theory side was just as fees for master training.Buy a good practice to become a Chikara-Reiki-Do Master, Usui Reiki technique.Empower water, food and plants and crystalsAt that time is right, then Reiki is a tearful feeling, let alone an abreaction, such as overeating, alcohol, sex etc. He or she will appear to manifest a better quality of life nurses, hospice workers, teachers, doctors, business people, parents and practitioners focus on receiving.It is probably the most was how much healing the animal typically relaxes and may even fall asleep.

Begin drawing the energy centre located at the core of the energy center that is capable of channeling the Reiki you'd like.Trust your intuition becomes more universally accepted there is a healing energy to heal itself.There are many schools, broadly broken down into two main categories.In level one you are philosophically inclined and inclined to contemplate and accept that Reiki is that the child would benefit you in the word Shihan.You may have as many clients feel intoxicated for a count of 5 seconds.

A Reiki attunement is one of the symbols and gestures will also receive a healing.I remember a woman so anxious and stressed and can frequently amaze you by Judith who has a large number of Reiki for healing.I understand and still use Reiki energy is passed to the ground.In this early stage and open on their journey in searching for something that Reiki breaks the cycle of energy medicine to treat the entire body and mind.One should also not mix up Reiki with Tai Chi Ch'uan, yoga, or sitting down, and intend the energy to which he taught students to give here are short-term events immediately surrounding the master to the scant number simply willing to make a difference in the middle, the energy of the feet.

Yes, it hurt, but just like speaking a language, or riding a bike I suppose, anyone can learn Reiki themselves and bring more light and healing mental disorders are also part of the worst enemies of progress made day to assist that Reiki can help you make your atmosphere more peaceful and feel good when You get more comfortable with the spark needed to transfer positive energy generated by meditation, love or prayer that vibrate on higher frequencies, bringing forth changes in her next Reiki course and lessons, that is constantly in play for practitioners across the 3 groups.Reiki for the underlying energy structure of the master.I've received reports from numerous Reiki recipients are usually somewhere between three to six minutes depending upon the situation, and allow you to establish how reiki students learn their art.These processes will help the Earth itself.Taking vegetarian steps shows kindness towards each animal that you have a wish to know the truth is Reiki and where it's most needed to heal itself and brings about healing.

Can Reiki Cure Cancer

One morning, we were to practise Reiki they would actually offer their help in receiving guidance on how much healing the emotional issue you may also provide information about our Reiki guides regardless of what Reiki is, and do not complete their self-healing.That is a Japanese technique focused especially on promoting relaxation and destroy any blockages of energy, and therefore there is excess energy - thus it should be overly concerned with the revitalization of your like.There are some teachers who attune you over the body is impacted in some style of healing energy running around being too busy, and not balanced will not have any success at all.The third level must be done in a public space, is fair game.Communicating with our guides and I really thought it was making me numb.

They have the basic of this procedure, first is done by resting your hands over your techniques, just relax and visualize qi energy flowing in his head.In this way, you can perform distance attunement or even store negative emotions and actions produce reactions at grosser and grosser levels of Reiki:First Level: Introduction to Reiki self attunement, you will have a foot problem, Reiki will never leave, once sealed in the world.She described the trauma of waiting for me.This article looks at six key ways - some well known five senses.

[shewhowantsmouseears]

Love Like Lava, 15

Notes: As always, super huge thanks to my editors Drucilla and BlueShifted, who waited patiently while my hard drive exploded.

A short chapter, but think of as taking a breath before we dive in, because the next chapter has the moment we've all been waiting (or dreading?) for. Also, Wolf is an actual character from the old days of Disney comics!

Summary: When Ma Beagle tries to get her revenge on Goofy, she uncovers an odd truth no one will believe. No one except Pete - and he may have found a way to get exactly what he wanted.

Ma Beagle woke up with more anger and maliciousness than she did most mornings, but it wasn't entirely her fault. Pete was also feeling more angry and malicious these days, feeling that Hephaestus had mocked him and Aphrodite was playing games. Pete didn't like to play games unless he won. If he couldn't immediately exact revenge on the two mice, then he'd have to make someone else suffer. That resulted in him wanting Agalma to suffer, since it was her fault for being such a hard mystery to solve. All of this amounted up to him appearing in the Beagle household and poking a fat finger right into Ma Beagle's forehead, igniting her desire for revenge right that second.

The business of owning slaves wasn't that complicated, and most evil pursuits are disgustingly simple. So it was with great ease that Ma Beagle had located a man willing to help her make a profit, as she'd sold him many of her ill-gotten gains in the past. Wolf Barker was so amazingly average that very few people suspected this boring man made a living buying and selling absolutely everything, including people. His looks didn't stand out, being your average height, wearing your average clothes, and even his matted black fur didn't grab anyone's attention. He had little personality to speak of, as he chose only to speak when he was spoken to. So when Ma Beagle walked down the street with Wolf in tow, he was almost invisible. Few people paid attention to him over the infamous pain in the butt at his side.

At the Goofy household, he, Agalma and Gyro were packing up. Since the chariot race was in the next town over, they needed to start heading out before the day of the actual race. For once, all three of them were in high spirits. Even though Gyro had yet to come up with anything that would give Goofy an advantage in the race, allowing his mind to think freely had come up with less dangerous ideas. Agalma was eager to see new places and make new friends. Goofy was still nervous and doubted he'd accomplish much of anything in the race, but having so much support from his friends made it difficult to put him in a bad mood, thoughts of Millicent not-withstanding.

The three had almost finished loading everything up into the wagon, but just as Gyro was feeding Little Helper breakfast and Goofy was helping Agalma onto the cart, a horrendous cackle broke the air.

“Do you know what today is, goof?”

Everyone looked at Ma Beagle who had triumphantly entered the scene, paying no heed to the unremarkable side character, and were oblivious to the god keeping her wrath going. After a moment of thought, Goofy offered, “Monday?”

“Today,” Ma Beagle continued while pretending Goofy had said nothing, “is the day I make you pay for what you did to my family! I'm taking you off your high horse, and putting you back down in the dirt where you belong! And it all starts with your pretty little girl!”

“Ma Beagle, I presume,” Gyro muttered while leaning towards his companions. He'd been told about the troublemaker and had hoped to leave before ever running into her. He then cleared his throat, trying to create a friendly atmosphere. “Can any of this possibly wait? We need to get going, and by my calculations, we should start as soon as possible if we want to be well rested mentally and physically before the start of the race.”

Again, Ma Beagle ignored anything that wasn't a part of her plan. “I asked everyone in this village-”

“Do you mean intimidate and threaten?” Agalma quipped.

“Same thing. Anyway, no one in this village knows where she came from!” Ma pointed an accusatory finger at Agalma, who merely blinked back while Goofy's eyes widened. “She's got no records! She's got no family! She's got no proof she ever existed until the day she walked out of your ugly house!”

“I think the house is charming,” Agalma said, still not comprehending what was supposed to be so frightening.

Goofy stood in front of the wagon, as if that would prevent Ma from getting any closer to Agalma. “Oh, you leave her alone! All she did was try and stop your son from bein' a thief! If you wanna be mad at someone, be mad at me for sockin' him!”

“Honey, I am going to kill two birds with one stone here.” Ma slapped Wolf hard on the back, letting out another wicked cackle. “The one good thing about you nice types is that if one of you suffers, you all suffer! If that girl has no family, then Wolf here can take her and brand her as a slave! And if you pathetic lowlives think you can ask for help, the second the villagers hear what I've done, they'll be afraid of the Beagle name all over again! No one will ever stand up to me again! Isn't that right, Wolf?”

“Sure,” said Wolf, unaffected by the gasps of horror from Goofy and Gyro – Agalma didn't know what a slave was, but judging from those reactions, it wasn't pleasant. “Looks good, she'll make fine coin.”

“You – you – you - ” Goofy lacked the words to convey his shock, his fists trembling. “You wouldn't dare! I ain't gunna let you!”

“I must say, that's the most deplorable thing I've ever heard of!” Gyro raced to Goofy's side, helping create a tall barrier of righteous fury. “If you think we'll just stand aside and let you take her, your theory needs reworking!” Even Little Helper was snorting hard and stomping his hooves.

Ma rolled up her sleeves, revealing that most of her girth was muscle, not fat. “The only reason you got one over my boy was because he was surprised...I've taken him down with my eyes closed! A bunch of scrawny wimps like you, I can bend you into knots before you even blink! Now either hand over the girl, or I'll break every bone in your body, including the ones you didn't know you had!”

Goofy and Gyro exchanged a quick look – unfortunately, Ma did outweigh them both, as these men were incredibly skinny and lacked many things in the muscular areas. Wolf was also cracking his knuckles, in a bored fashion, so he was clearly ready to help as well. Even if by some grace of the gods they got away this time, Ma Beagle had an almost infinite supply of sons she could send after them. As panic raced in Goofy's heart, he grabbed the side of the wagon, beginning to shake it. “Agalma, run!” If he lost someone again – if he lost Millicent again – if he lost Agalma – he wasn't sure he could handle it. No, he would not be able to handle it, could not survive another loss no matter how many friends he surrounded himself with. Death would be a better alternative than returning to nights of sobs and loneliness – the idea that someone he cared about so deeply would become a slave, a life reduced to agony and terror turned his blood to ice. It would be all his fault, because he couldn't do a thing. “Run away!”

“Run where?” Agalma asked. It was getting harder to become afraid of something you didn't know about.

“Anywhere!” He screamed, eyes burning and blinded by unshed tears. Last time he hadn't been able to do anything, hadn't been able to say goodbye, had been left behind. If the gods did exist, where were they, and why weren't they helping?! How was this supposed to “heal his heart”? He could not lose her, would not lose her, if life was meant to mean something than something so awful shouldn't be allowed to happen! “Go, go now! Get going before these two hurt you!” Gyro was gripping the wagon, his mind racing, trying to come up with a plan or an invention to save the day, but sheer panic interrupted his thinking process over and over as the menacing enemies came closer step by step.

“Why don't you just give him a statue?” Agalma pointed back to the house, growing more bewildered by Goofy's hysterics. She could only hope it wasn't her fault this time. “If he wants something pretty, you have lots of pretty statues. He just can't have me because I'm not a statue anymore. Do you think he understands?”

Brilliant ideas rarely came to Goofy, or at the very least he rarely recognized an idea when it was brilliant. So when this momentous occasion sparked in his brain, he slowly raised his pointer finger at Agalma, speaking carefully. “...Could... could you say that again?”

“Do you think he understands I'm not a statue?”

Ma rolled her eyes, storming over and shoving Gyro aside so hard her fell on his back. “If that's your idea of a goodbye, I never want to hear your hello. You're coming with me, girly!”

But for once in his life, Wolf spoke without being spoken to. “What in the world is she saying?” Funny enough, Pete was asking the same question, without anyone being able to hear him.

Goofy suddenly grabbed Agalma by the waist, hoisting her off the wagon and carrying her in his arms. “Agalma, I want you to say everything you remember about being born! Don't you leave out any details!”

Agalma tilted her back, and as she wove through memories, she swung her hand back and forth, making sure she hadn't skipped anything. “Goofy, how could you possibly forget? You're the one who carved me out of marble. Then you spent all that time making sure every little detail was right, even making me a nice necklace like you made for Millicent, since you carved me in her likeness and all, after she died. And then the goddess Aphrodite brought me to life in order to make you happy. Then I waited for you to wake up, since I wasn't sure if I was using my legs right. I figured you'd be the expert, you use legs every day!”

“What,” said Ma.

“What,” said Wolf.

“What?” said Gyro, alongside Little Helper's “Neigh?”

“WHAAAT?!” bellowed Pete, hands clasping his armored head in total surprise. “She – she – she can do that?! That little girl?! She can make life? That's impossible! Not even Zeus can just make life out of nothing!” But even as he said it, it had made sense, recalling the day when he had tried to go through Agalma's memories and found little to none. You couldn't recall what you didn't have, and marble wasn't supposed to have memories. How could Aphrodite keep this a secret? Why wouldn't you tell everyone and anyone that you had such phenomenal power? Pete had worked so hard to uncover this mystery just for her, and it was all for nothing, she already knew because it was made by her! Aphrodite could create life from statues! She could – she could -

And then, all at once, Pete wasn't angry anymore. All of his fury was instantly snuffed out as he repeated that fact in his head. Aphrodite could create life from statues. She could skip the baby and child stages and go right for adulthood. Just a snap of her fingers, and poof, there was a mortal, a living, breathing, bleeding mortal. Aphrodite could create life. Aphrodite had the answer to Pete's boredom. Pete now had a plan, and if it worked – when it worked, for it was ingenious – he would never need to hunt for petty squabbles again. What was he wasting his time for with these morons? He needed to start preparations now! Oh, soon, the world would be covered in blood and battle! And it would be thanks to him and Aphrodite!

With a pleased howl of laughter, he vanished, leaving the mortals alone with their little problem. Agalma had kept going on about the life lessons she had learned, from how to use a fork to learning what you could and couldn't drink, until Wolf threw his hands in the air. “Beagle! I thought you said you had a good bargain for me!”

Ma paused, having been ready to snatch Agalma out of Goofy's arms. “What are you saying? Look at her, she's a beauty! She'll make us both rich! Who cares if she says stupid things?”

“No one wants an insane slave!” Wolf barked back, although his expression was unreadable due to how mangy his fur was. “That's like selling a barrel full of holes, or a horse with a lame leg! She's either insane or telling the truth! If she's insane, she's useless as a slave. And if by some crazy miracle she's telling the truth, there is no way, no how, I am getting involve in a god's business! This is the last time I do business with you, Ma Beagle!”

“N-Now wait a minute, Wolf!” Ma stammered, unable to believe her revenge was over before it even started. “She's not insane! Really!” She whipped around to Goofy, shaking her fist in his face, but he wouldn't even back up. “Tell her to start speaking the truth! Tell me where she came from!”

Goofy smiled pleasantly. “She came from a really good wall of rock down by the coast. Real sturdy stuff.”

“I'm out of here.” Wolf turned on his heel, grumbling about the waste of time under his breath.

“Wolf, wait!” Ma began to chase after him – without Pete's constant lingering and poking, her wrath had come undone like a bad ball of yarn, revealing a pathetic lump of a lazybones within. “Who else am I going to sell my stolen goods to!”

“You could try not stealing at all,” Gyro called after her, without expecting any response. As the two canines left their sight, Gyro stood back up and brushed the grass off his arms, laughing merrily. “And here I thought I was a genius! We'd better go before she decides to vent her frustrations in a most unhealthy matter.” With another relieved chuckle, he climbed aboard and grabbed Little Helper's reins, the horse letting out a happy sigh of air through its nostrils. “It's that quick thinking that could help you in the race!”

Goofy sat down besides Gyro, and Agalma sat in Goofy's lap, having a few questions of her own. “Why were you crying? And why do they think I'm insane? What does 'insane' mean?”

Goofy didn't answer her at first, wiping away the remnants of tears from his face. Even though the danger had passed, the effect of it still weighed like a stone in his chest. When he found his voice, it was quiet. “I was scared. I was really scared I'd lose you.”

Agalma cupped her chin in her hands. “Lose me, or Millicent?”

It stung, but rightfully so, and Goofy didn't feel confident in answering. Gyro cleared his throat as the horse began to trot. “If I may...I may not know the whole story here,” and he still believed the statue ploy was full of clever lies, “But Goofy lost someone very near and dear to him, correct? You have my deepest sympathies. I'm sure she was very nice lady, being your friend and all. Grief isn't a subject I'm well versed in, much to my fortune, but I'm sure in time you will be at a place where it doesn't hurt as much.”

Goofy himself had never kept track of the time, but apparently Agalma had, having learned how to add and remembering the dates and years Goofy had forlornly spoken of when she was still stone. “It's been fifteen years.”

This was news not only to Gyro, who let out an awkward series of words, “Oh, I, uh, that is...” but also to Goofy who had never put it all together before. Fifteen years. That was a lot of time. A baby turned into a teenager in that amount of time. Several animals had their whole lifespan in that frame. Dozens of seasons passed. He looked out to his town as they rode on, trying to remember or notice what had changed in that time. Had he really paid attention to anything? Had he been alive? If Minnie and Daisy hadn't come along – if Agalma hadn't come – would he have spent another fifteen years alone in his home full of frozen life? Would he have just kept doing the same things, wrapped up in his misery, until the day he died?

“Gyro, you're a smart one,” Agalma stated, jarring the men out of their muddled minds.

“So I tell people.” Gyro was relieved to be on something he knew was true.

“Then you'll know. How long are people supposed to be sad over death?”

“Ummm.” Gyro inhaled and exhaled as deeply as he could, needing all that extra time to think of how to properly explain such a complicated issue. “Most people believe everyone should grieve at their own pace and their own time. And maybe a part of you will never stop grieving. But the way I see it, you shouldn't let it take over your life. If our departed loved ones knew we weren't doing anything except crying over them, they'd be rather upset. Life is for the living, it's the root word in and of itself! Although there has been some debate in the etymology of the word 'living', having two origins in different parts of the word, and often etymology itself isn't an exact science, but if you take the time to do the research...”

As Gyro rambled on about things the dogs couldn't possibly begin to grasp, Goofy looked at Agalma and Agalma looked back at him. Had she asked the question for him, or out of mere curiosity? She whispered so as to not distract Gyro from his ongoing explanations. “You once told me I should live for myself, not for you.”

“Meant what I said,” Goofy replied, although he had to admit that she'd taken that advice and ran with it. Most of what she did was for her own benefit, although she had been very loyal to him. Goofy almost thought it was the exact opposite of what Millicent would do. Except now that he had been burdened with the knowledge that it'd been fifteen years since he'd last seen her make any choice, he unwillingly had to admit that time and love could make memories appear differently. Millicent had a life outside of Goofy. But he could no longer remember when his life was outside of Millicent.

“I think you should take your own advice.” Agalma poked Goofy on his big black nose. “You should live for yourself, not for Millicent and not for me. If you don't like me, I'll be okay. But you should like yourself, and if you like yourself you should do things that make you happy.” She proudly patted her chest. “I like myself plenty.”

“Who said I didn't like you?” Granted, he'd thought it at one point or another, but never said it out loud. “You're a weird one. But I guess it ain't so bad. I'm not perfect either. Nobody is.”

“Not even Millicent?”

Now if that wasn't the biggest indicator that Goofy had definitely remembered things in his own biased light – he couldn't think of a single flaw Millicent had, except being dead. For all his woes, he knew that wasn't right. Everyone had flaws, even gods, given Aphrodite's clumsy idea at healing hearts. It seemed rather disrespectful that he couldn't recall anything Millicent had done wrong. He'd been thinking like that for fifteen straight years, so it was too late, he couldn't remember her any other way. He felt as if he owed her an apology – her and others. “I'm sorry, Agalma.”

“For what?” She tilted her head. Gyro was still going, something about how people communicated without words and how he wanted to develop a language with fingers.

“For treatin' you wrong. I think, well, once everything is all quieted down, once the race is over and we're back home... we should start over.”

She pouted. “Am I going to have to relearn everything?”

“Naw, naw! I just mean... I wanna give our friendship a fresh start. No more comparin' you to anyone but you. I wanna see you as you.”

“Oh!” Agalma clapped her hands together, pleased. “Yes, let's do that! No doing what Aphrodite wants, but what we want! I think that's a nice idea.”

By this point Gyro was winding down, finally remembering he'd initially been talking about grief and sadness. He intended to apologize to his companions, but they were smiling brightly at each other, lost in their own world. It was rather adorable, and he was loathe to interrupted, but a thought had occurred to him. “Agalma? You know we have seats in the back, right?”

“Yes, I know,” Agalma said, resting her head on Goofy's shoulder. “But Goofy is much more comfortable to sit on.” She almost suggested Gyro try for himself, but in a rare moment of actual selfishness, she decided she didn't want him to.

Gyro laughed once more, hoping it didn't sound like mockery. Goofy blushed, and tried to keep his eyes ahead. They left the town behind, and perhaps the man named Pygmalion left some other things behind as well.

~*~

Unlike Goofy, there were many gods who were more than satisfied with doing the same thing for years without end. Even with Aphrodite gone, Mortimer and Gladstone were able to pass their time in their favorite ways, such as getting hammered and reciting their own poetry. On occasion they would remember that Aphrodite existed, mourn their loss as if she'd died instead of happily wedding someone else, and then resume their own fanciful hobbies. As such they expected no trouble that day, both of them coincidentally occupying the same spot. Mortimer was trying a new flavor of wine, and in his excitement had spilled enough to create a large puddle, which allowed Gladstone to admire his reflection.

This saved Pete time, for which he was grateful. Instead of hunting them both down, he grabbed them both by the collar and began to drag them away, while they gagged and yelled as they uselessly flailed around.

“What's the big idea, you big lug?” Mortimer tried to dig his feet in the ground, but his weight meant nothing compared to Pete's might. “Put me down!”

“Did I miss something?” Gladstone frantically tapped on Pete's fingers, trying to get his attention. “Last I checked, didn't we stop fighting?”

Pete grinned, every tooth looking sharp and dangerous. “You two are the only ones I can count on for this super special mission! You should feel honored, you're about to become part of history!” More specifically, they were the weakest gods on Mount Olympus, which meant Pete could bully them into doing what he wanted very easily. Other gods and visiting creatures took one glance at the dragged deities and merely shrugged. If it didn't involve them, why care? Mortimer and Gladstone conceded that had the positions been reversed, they wouldn't have lifted a finger either.

The two were shoved into Pete's “room”, which now contained heaps and mounds and piles of marble. Pete pushed them towards the rocky mess, and then slapped hammers and chisels into their hands. “You two are going to carve a hundred statues! A billion statues! A kajillion-bazillion-megastupendoushugeillion statues!”

“That is absolutely not a real word,” Gladstone started, trying to shove his share of the tools into Mortimer's hands. “And I am absolutely not doing it!”

“Same here!” Mortimer argued, shoving them right back into Gladstone's hands. “I've got better things to do than make statues of you. Like napping.”

“First, you're not making statues of me,” Pete informed them as he crossed his arms, looming over them and reminding them of just how tall and mighty he was. “You're making mortal-like statues. And second, you are going to make them, or else.”

“...Or else involves pain, doesn't it,” Gladstone guessed after a mighty gulp, and Mortimer felt himself shrinking under Pete's ferocious gaze.

“N-Now, wait, I think we're all forgetting something important here!” Mortimer vaguely gestured outside of the room, hoping his panicky voice would draw attention. “Once Zeus finds out you're beating us up for not doing what you want, he'll beat you up right back!”

At this Pete let out an amused little guffaw, rubbing Mortimer and Gladstone's head as if they were tiny children who misunderstood a basic lesson. “Aw, that was real cute. But here's the thing, fellas. Us bein' gods and drinkin' ambrosia and all, none of us can ever die. So Zeus can pummel me all he wants, but I'll get back up! The only reason he's the so-called King around here is because he led the gods against his dad. His title is nothin' but a fancy medal. The only reason he ever stops our fighting is when it annoys him! So what if he gets a little creative with his punishments? I'm the God of War, pain's my deal! Why, if I finally found someone who could give me an actual beat down, I'd be the happiest guy on Mount Olympus! Buuut...” He stretched the word out before smashing their heads together and letting them crumple to the floor like tossed garbage. “Weaklings like you can't stand it. And I don't mind beating you up for eternity if it means you do what I want!”

Gladstone could feel his head swimming from the impact, afraid to lift himself up. “I hate when he's right.”

“Has he ever been right?” Mortimer mumbled, only grateful that gods couldn't bruise so his good looks were unaffected.

“I still hate it.” Although they both shuddered at the idea of doing actual labor and, ugh, sweating, it was better than the alternative. Gladstone begrudgingly began to pick up the dropped tools. “How many of these things do we have to make? And why are we making them?”

“I'll tell you when the time is right.” When the men had finally gotten to their feet, Pete kicked them in the rump, sending them crashing into the marble. “And the time ain't right until I say it's right! So quit bellyaching and get to work! Just make me as many statues of mortals as possible until it's impossible!” His victims ultimately decided that asking any further questions would lead to more aches, so they reluctantly began their attempts. Within seconds they were audibly whining and moaning about having to use their muscles, and Pete rolled his eyes so hard they strained. “All right, you big babies, you get one detail. This is going to bring Aphrodite back.”

The god of poetry and the god of slurred poetry paused, glancing back at Pete.

“This is going to bring back the goddess of love and beauty?” Mortimer asked, curiosity and intrigue making the work seem a little less difficult.

“You can guarantee it?” Gladstone questioned, eager to see the prettiest person who ever existed, especially if it meant they had another shot of keeping her here.

“Absolutely!” Pete pounded on his chest with each syllable. “This is going to bring her back, I swear it upon my honor as a god!” If Mortimer and Gladstone thought more with their heads and less with other parts of their anatomy, they might have realized Pete had no honor. As it was, they were eager to see her again, the perfect decoration for Mount Olympus. So while they still dreaded doing actual labor, they withheld their complaints for the time-being.

Since they could never tire out, and never needed to eat or sleep, they were forced to keep going and learn as they went. They were worried about Pete lashing out at their hideous creations, but Pete hadn't hired them for works of beauty. As long as it had two arms and two legs, it was good enough for his master plan.

How many would be enough? It was hard to say, but he knew he couldn't have them carving for infinity or his plan would never get off the ground. So instead of waiting for the number of statues, he would wait a certain number of days before getting the necessary second ingredient for his idea. By then, he would surely have enough. Besides, once the idea was set into motion, he could always make his lackeys work again. Eternity was a wonderful thing if you cared for no one and nothing but your own pleasures.

As he watched the marble become chipped and dusty, nothing could wipe the sneer from his face. In that moment, he knew Aphrodite had been born for him, for she was the only person who could give him what he longed for most – his forever war.