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chimchimsauce · 2 years ago

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XS (XIV - Scotch)

“Give me just a little bit MORE”

Being the son of the largest gang in the country, Kim Taehyung might as well be a prince. He is more powerful than any one man should be and is not afraid to get rid of anything - or anyone that gets in his way.

So when a man is unable to pay back the gigantic loan he owes Taehyung, the heir is all too happy to take his life. Moments away from pulling the trigger, a girl more beautiful than he’s ever seen bursts in and offers her life for her father’s. Taehyung knows right away that he wants her.

And Taehyung gets everything he wants.

Thirteen

Fourteen

Even though Taehyung is gone, YN is still not able to have a peaceful night’s rest. She wakes with a start, shooting up in bed and clutching the silk sheets next to her pounding heart. She’s covered in a thin sheen of cold sweat that has her feeling icky.

With a shuddering breath, YN places a hand on her forehead, trying to calm herself down.

Taehyung isn’t here. You don’t have to be afraid.

But doesn’t she? Just because her biggest antagonizer is gone for the moment doesn’t mean she can let her guard down. YN is still in an unfamiliar place with only God knows how many people are inside. She doesn’t know who will want to hurt her to try and get back at Taehyung, or who she can really trust not to stab her in the back later down the line. Even Yoonji - YN’s closest thing to a confidant, clearly has some resentment toward her.

YN sighs. Working herself up thinking about all the danger she has herself in won’t do any good. All she can do is settle in and enjoy her few moments of peace before Taehyung comes back to terrorize her some more.

YN slips out of bed, hating to be there for any longer than necessary. She puts on something comfortable and then hesitates in the closet, unsure of her next actions. There really isn’t much to do in this room entertainment-wise, and she doubts she’ll be able to sneak out of here, so YN decides to head into the bathroom and take a good look at all the products Taehyung has stocked it with. Her eyes linger on the shower as she enters the room before darting away, wanting to push the memory into the furthest corner of her mind.

It seems that Taehyung has bought any and every beauty item she could possibly need. YN tries not to feel freaked out at the familiar items and reads the labels of products she’s never heard of before. She hasn’t been at it for very long before a voice interrupts her.

“What are you doing?”

YN looks up from her spot on the ground and meets Jungkook’s untrusting gaze.

“What does it look like?” YN snaps.

Something about the man just really gets on her nerves.

“Making a mess,” Jungkook says, crossing his arms over his chest, “That, or trying to see if there’s anything under there you can use to off yourself.”

“Ha ha,” YN says drily, “Did you come in here just to bother me or what?”

Jungkook’s expression doesn’t change. Could he really believe YN was trying to hurt herself with skincare?

“Someone wants to see you?”

YN’s blood runs cold. She can’t think of a single person who she’d like to meet in this wretched place.

“Who?” she says, trying to hide the slight tremble in her voice.

“You ask too many questions, princess. Come on, he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

As YN rises to her feet, her mind runs with a million possibilities. Is this some kind of test set up by Taehyung? Is someone trying to take her out of the picture already? What if she walks into the room to meet this stranger and is kidnapped?

“Calm down,” Jungkook says when he sees the look of pure terror on YN’s face, “I’m not marching you to your death. Taehyung would kill me if anyone but him hurt a single hair on that pretty little head of yours. Namjoon wanted to see you.”

“Namjoon?” YN asks.

“The boss’s brother.”

“Oh,” YN says, unsure if that makes her feel better or worse.

Jungkook doesn’t say another word during the entirety of their journey to meet Namjoon. YN tries to pay attention to all the twists and turns in this labyrinth of a house but gives up when she swears she sees the same painting three times. Besides, her mind is racing too much to really focus. Her palms are clammy, so she wrings them in her shirt, giving herself something to hold on to.

Jungkook comes to a stop so abruptly that YN runs straight into his back, jerking away immediately. The last thing she wants is to touch him. The bodyguard doesn’t acknowledge the small action at all, raising his hand and rapping thrice on the heavy wooden door.

The door swings open smoothly. YN peeks hesitantly from behind Jungkook’s back, sizing up the new man in front of her.

Sure, this isn’t the first time she’s had the displeasure of seeing Kim Namjoon, but it wasn’t like she was paying his face much mind when there was blood and the sound of gunshots everywhere.

“YN,” he says kindly, almost as if the two of them were coworkers who ran into each other at a coffee shop, “It’s great to see you.”

She doesn’t even attempt a smile, eyes scanning his face for some hint of his intentions. She finds done. Kim Namjoon wears a perfectly sculpted mask that hides his true emotions.

“I’ll take it from here, Jungkook. Feel free to go about your day,” Namjoon says, stepping to the side to make space for YN to enter the room.

“You know boss doesn’t want her out of my sight.”

“Oh, come on,” Namjoon says with an easy smile, “Lighten up. We’re just going to get to know each other better.”

That vague statement does absolutely nothing to put her mind at ease. YN glances past him, looking into the room. Nothing inherently dangerous can be seen, but who knows what his actual plans are?

“I can wait outside, if you’d like,” Jungkook concedes once it becomes abundantly clear that Namjoon is not budging, “But I’ll be the one to escort her back to her rooms.”

“Of course,” Namjoon says, then turns his full attention to YN, “Come in, dear.”

“What is with mafia men and their humiliating pet names?” She thinks to herself but doesn’t comment on it, knowing very well how precarious her situation is.

YN doesn’t acknowledge Jungkook as she enters the room. She feels equally unsafe with everyone around her. Her chances of making it out alive are probably the same no matter who she’s with.

Namjoon closes the door after her, still keeping on his polite airs. It’s crazy to her how nonchalant everyone is all the time. One moment they’re at fancy balls and the next they’re covered in the blood of their own family members.

“Please, take a seat,” Namjoon says, motioning towards a very expensive-looking leather couch.

YN does as told, sinking down into the comfortable surface. Namjoon does the same, sitting in a matching armchair. He grins at her, sending a huge wave of unease down her spine. Trying to shake the feeling, YN squirms under the guise of readjusting.

“I trust my brother is treating his new wife well,” Namjoon says, his tone playful.

He’s teasing her - mocking the horrific misfortune she’s been thrust into.

YN’s face contorts in anger before she can school her features.

“Easy there, tiger,” Namjoon says, “You gotta work on your poker face.”

“I will, thanks,” she grits out, trying not to offend him.

He studies her for a moment before snapping his fingers. Moments later, a smartly dressed butler comes through a hidden door, placing an empty glass with two perfectly square ice cubes in it down on the side table next to Namjoon. He's gone just as quickly as he arrived, vanishing without so much as looking at YN.

Namjoon picks up the ornate-looking thing on the table that YN had originally mistaken for a vase, pouring himself a glass of amber liquid.

“Scotch on the rocks,” Namjoon says, more to himself than to her, “The best drink for business negotiations.”

“Business negotiations?” YN asks.

A sickly feeling starts to rise up, but YN takes a deep breath, forcing the nausea back down.

Namjoon finishes his scotch in one go, setting the glass down with a loud clink.

“You see, YN, you’ve found yourself in a rather . . . interesting position. I bet you consider yourself just a poor girl who was at the wrong place at the wrong time. That this whole thing is a terrible accident.”

She doesn’t know what he’s implying.

“What do you mean?” YN asks.

“Our little organization here wouldn’t run smoothly if everyone went around making rash decisions. Everything we do is meticulously planned right down to the last detail. You don’t honestly think that the heir to the largest mafia in the country would just pick some random woman to marry, do you? Wasn’t it a little strange that Taehyung, someone who is as high up in rank as you can possibly get, would personally go hunting down some nobody who owed us money?”

That sick feeling returns, this time even harder.

“Namjoon . . .” she starts before cutting herself off, panic beginning to rise.

“Don’t work yourself up,” he says, leaning back in his chair without a care in the world,

“My baby brother’s been obsessed with you for years, YN. Every wonderful and horrible thing that’s happened to you in the past five years has been because of him.”

YN thought it was impossible for her world to shatter even further than it already has, but she was clearly wrong.

“There’s . . . no. That can’t be true,” YN says, rising to her feet so quickly she nearly gives herself whiplash, “That’s impossible.”

“You don’t really think you got into that fancy school of yours alone, do you? And what about the guys you’ve gone out with, hm? When was the last time one of them didn’t mysteriously go missing?”

“Stop,” YN says, beginning to tremble.

“And what about the care boxes that would show up at your dorm? The part-time job that paid you four times more than anyone else? The way you got banned from every dating app on the planet.”

“Please,” YN whispers, “What do you want from me? Why would you tell me this?”

“Oh, YN,” Namjoon says, sighing the same way a mother would after watching their child make a careless mistake, “I’m just telling you the truth. I want us to be friends, you see. And friends don’t keep secrets from each other.”

“What do you want from me?” YN repeats again.

There’s no way Namjoon is telling her this from the kindness of his heart. Based on the wide grin on his face and the amusement in his eyes, he’s got a sadistic streak, just like his brother.

“You want to leave, don’t you? To be free from Taehyung forever. You want to go back to your normal life, don’t you?”

YN doesn’t answer, feeling like his questions are merely a trap in disguise.

“See, I think you can help both of us out, you and me. It’s quite simple really. I’ll take over the gang and you can go back to your insignificant little life. All you have to do is kill Taehyung.”

#yandere bts #yandere taehyung #bts x reader #yandere bts x reader #yandere x reader #bts mafia au #i haven't written a fic in almost a year whoops #also i saw rina sawayama in tokyo so that's cool #xs #yandere

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lexenharte · 2 years ago

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Introducing my WoL (plural)

This will be a long one. To begin with, a little context. While I do not roleplay my characters, I enjoy exploring their stories. My characters are pretty much my babies and I am awfully fond of them all. Back when I first started playing XIV, like any seasoned altoholic, I spent hours in character creator before I emerged from it with several new characters of different races and backgrounds.

After a few days of running around as miqo and elezen, I settled on a female roegadyn by the name of Fair Rowan. In my head I imagined her to be an orphan raised by a mercenary company. Although I was tempted to violently retire the mercenaries and make her a sole survivor (in the spirit of the main character of another game), I figured that was too much trauma for my very first adventurer in the world of Eorzea (I KNEW NOTHING, OK). And so the mercenaries retired "peacefully" due to old age and the last fledgling of theirs was left to fend for herself. My lady roe was strong, beautiful, full of life. Her voice boisterous, her grip strength smashing... I digress. In some ways she was my emotional support during a rather difficult time in life, where I myself also needed to be strong, both physically and emotionally. Her adventure lasted all the way to SHB, during which I had to take a break for about half a year due to irl commitments.

Upon my return, for the first time in years I felt that it was time to make some changes. After many hours of agonising and staring at the fantasia potion, I finally convinced myself with "worst case I'll be buying another fantasia" and soon my main was reborn as Remi, a gorgeous elezen lady with a charming smile. I imagined her to be well-read, skilled both in magics and martial arts, and stalwart in her convictions. While I originally intended for one to pick up the adventuring and all that Warrior of Light business after the other, I did not have the heart to retire Rowan permanently and settled on pretending each of them existed in their own version of this universe. A promptly created alt with her appearance softened the blow.

For Remi, the backstory was a little more elaborate. Having completed HW, enamoured with Ishgard and its many characters, I liked the idea of Remi coming from a minor destitute Ishgardian house, which she would have fled from with her parents and older brother prior to the events of ARR. After a terrible accident at sea, Remi was then picked up by a Limsan pirate ship and brought to the marine city-state. Suffering partial amnesia, separated from her brother (who ends up in the Shroud but that's a story for another day), and not even fully aware that their parents are already dead - she drifts around until she becomes entangled with the Scions.

What I loved about Remi's character the most was that my headcanon was slowly beginning to overlap with the characterisation of the WoL in SHB/EW, in particular during the MSQ cutscenes. I remember feeling amazed by how well animated and alive the WoL seemed during the latter part of the SHB cutscenes. The facial expressions where like nothing we've seen before! And with each cutscene the animation was getting better. It fit so well - as she progressed through the story, Remi was beginning to piece together her memories - rediscovering herself, becoming whole again. The roller-coaster of EW that followed took her to places and people she wouldn't dare to forget. It was truly a beautiful journey, full of regret and longing. And at the end there, right after the cutscene in Revenant's Toll, I had a faint feeling that Remi, too, was getting ready to retire.

I loved her so much! How could I even entertain the notion of retiring her? After nearly a month of agonising and listening to a friend who kept encouraging me with something along the lines of "go bun, you'll love it" I finally caved in. Honestly, viera weren't even on my radar at first. They were pretty, for sure, but somehow did not strike me as particularly interesting. Until one night when I sat down to seriously think about what kind of character my WoL would become this time. I didn't want to simply use fantasia and call it a day - I wanted to know their background and purpose first. The result of this mental exertion was Soren, a mild-mannered quiet viera male who smiles mysteriously and laughs under his breath a lot.

He's gone through a few updates as far as the colour scheme goes, but in terms of story he came out pretty solid right off the bat. While the painfully limited viera lore left a lot of room for interpretation, I wanted to give him a lore-appropriate background but also a valid reason to be outside the Skatay Range. I also wanted to incorporate the fact that I myself am no longer a novice player into his backstory. I have about a thousand words written expanding on his background, which I will share another time. Soren came to Aldenard after spending ten years living in seclusion as a Wood-warder. Although it wasn't a decision that he made lightly, he left his birthplace in search of his exiled mother, hoping to fulfil his father's promise to her in his stead. This search eventually leads him to her last known place of residence, the city-state of Limsa Lominsa, where he later learns that she died during the Battle of Carteneau. Now, this is a very brief summary and it may seem like pretty standard fare, but the extended version contains more details, in particular with regards to his parents and their motivations. I'm hoping to expand on his story through a series of short memory recollections. Sort of, him looking back at the journey so far. A chapter on his youth, a chapter of his time spend in solitude, another on his journey to find his mother's whereabouts and several more during the ARR-EW timeline. I'm planning to go through new game+ just to relive those with him as the protagonist.

It's pretty obvious by now who the favourite child is. While I've only known him for about nine months, Soren grew on me so much that I am even considering throwing out all those unwearable hats that are taking up so much space with my retainers. No, I haven't gone mad. Don't look at me like that. This will be the first time I'm sharing anything about my characters outside a small circle of friends. I keep wondering, will I have the courage to share the stories when they are ready? Or will I keep stashing them away into folders with dubious names in some forgotten corner of my hard drive as usual? Would anyone even be interested in reading this? As much as I like to write because I enjoy the process, some vain part of me wants to share the results hoping someone would find them curious or entertaining. So if anyone manages to get through this post, do let me know your thoughts on the matter.

#ffxiv #ffxiv wol #ffxiv oc #viera #elezen #roegadyn #warrior of light #ffxiv writing #lexenharte #lexenstory

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lovehotelreservation · 4 years ago

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Formulaic

Summary: There was a process to every solution.

And while Cid was aware of one particular solution he so dearly wished to attain, the process was simply too formidable to even attempt:

To confess his feelings to Maria, the Warrior of Light.

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: WoL!OC/Cid

EVERY TIME I SEE CID I GET WHIPLASH THAT HE’S ONLY 34 HEWWO ??? MANS LOOKS LIKE HE’S GOT WERTHER’S ORIGINAL KISSES NOT LA CROIX MAKEOUT SESSIONS!!!

ANYWAY HFLKAFHAKL THANK YOU TO MY DEAREST COMMISSIONER FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY--ESP SINCE I PROGRESSED FURTHER ON THE OMEGA SERIES BECAUSE OF THIS!!!

---------------- Cid regretted ever fixing that damn kettle.

While doing so finally got the whinging pursed lips of Nero to finally hush up so he could hone his focus upon Garlond Ironworks’ current endeavor of seeking out Omega, the repair of the Mark XIV Thermocoil Boilmaster only served to give his lifelong rival all the opportunity to cozy up to the very person that Cid wanted him to stay the furthest away from.

Or attempt to at least.

A personality utterly kind and demure, eyes grey like rain clouds on a cozy morning, soft and silken locks of gold that cascaded to the middle of her back, a mind so brilliant and witty.

Eorzea’s Warrior of Light, but his own precious weakness.

She was Maria and oh how his heart yearned for her.

All while his eyes bore holes into the ground beneath which Nero stood every time he approached her with a mischievous glint in his eyes and an arrogant smirk on his face.

While Cid was more than overjoyed to see Maria fix herself a cup of tea during the lulls between endeavors in the Datascape, whenever she went to pour herself a drink, Nero was sure to be trailing after her, going on about superior blends in Garlemald and how he was more than ready to show her the breadth of his refined palate.

His intentions were clear.

And though Cid was ever prepared to step in as need be to keep Nero from pestering her further, the crux of the underlying issue in face of all this remained present in place:

His own feelings for Maria.

If the situation called for it, he could easily give a fully articulated lecture on the Allagans while inebriated to the point he was face planted on the floor in a drunken and naked slump right in the middle of Sapphire Avenue during peak Starlight shopping season.

But to confess how he genuinely felt about the woman who captivated him so dearly, who inspired him to go beyond any boundary?

The thought of risking the friendship that he treasured with her like nothing else was enough to push him to drink.

After all, with how often that the world relied on her strength to help defend it, he was protective of her--even lamenting that time he jokingly declared his need for her mainly due to her usefulness while he was guiding her through the tumultuous depths of The Praetorium.

Yet with the aftermath of that infamous night in Ul’dah and her subsequent escape to Ishgard, it was then that he began to realize that his fondness for her went beyond mere allies, mere friends.

This was made apparent the moment they were properly reunited after her far too close encounter with the Vundu at the Sea of Clouds, having successfully escaped pursuit by the Bismarck.

What with the way he could not hold himself back from taking her into his arms, hugging her close as all tension within his body was swiftly relieved as he took her in.

Her presence, her scent, her adorably surprised stammers as he embraced her right in front of Hauchefant and Emmanellain.

Along with Wedge and Biggs, with the former letting out a startled “Chief--!” while the other released the hearty chuckle of “Aye boss, demonstration of affection’s handled a whole lot differently in Ishgard, you know!”

For all his intentions to never let her go from the moment he feared the worst upon her disappearance, he was ever quick to relinquish her, a faint dust of pink spreading across his cheeks.

Cid was thankful that she didn’t seem to catch onto Biggs’s cheeky remark, looking so gorgeously flustered more so from his sudden embrace, despite her attempts to look composed in light of their reunion.

And it was from then on that he happily took his place within her journey, whether physically together during their attempts to thwart the return of Alexander, or when they were apart and remained joined together by way of letter or linkpearl.

To hear her say or see his name in her handwriting was a joy that could not ever be replicated by anything else.

As a pursuer of knowledge, he had to abide by what was factual.

There was no denying of his longing for Maria.

Not while he had Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie chiming in to ask if he had been talking to her whenever they handed her letters to him with knowing smiles on their faces.

And now, with Maria dedicating her time and effort to assist him and the rest of Garlond Ironworks with Omega’s ongoing trials, he could feel his heart welling with his increasingly overwhelming desire to express how he felt.

It was just only more irritating that Nero had stoked the flames by his pompous ways, of which left plenty on Cid’s mind, especially with the completion of the first gambit of battles under Omega’s watch and the return to Rhalgr’s Reach for some needed rest and recuperation.

Though, relaxation was in the furthest corner of his mind, whether by the mystery of Omega’s intentions or his current predicament of his feelings towards Maria.

With the hour late, rather than try to force himself back to sleep within the sleeping quarters set aside for Garlond Ironworks, he thought a walk around the now quiet compound would serve him better instead.

A change between sleeping clothes to a light shirt and a pair of pants--more suitable for the arid Ala Mhigan weather.

There was a small grin on his face as he emerged from the sleeping area.

Already he could hear Maria’s voice of exasperated curiosity with the inquiry of “How are you not evaporating?” whenever she saw his usual day to day attire.

Yet the voice that was in his head was heard by his very ears as he entered the common area that led out to the rest of Western Rhalgr’s Reach.

“Cid?”

Seated at one of the communal tables was none other than Maria, her expression curious and mug in her hands steaming, all while the Mark XIV Thermocoil Boilmaster presided by her on the tabletop.

The gods may toy but sometimes their mischief was simply too much.

His heart aflutter and his grin widening, Cid approached where Maria was sitting. “Well now, someone’s up late.”

The corners of her mouth quirked into a small smile as she proceeded to take a sip. “I see it as being up early.”

But though her tone was jovial and her expression relaxed, there was a distant look in her eye that signified a preoccupation.

He knew that look.

“I see--though, a warrior like yourself ought to get her rest, no?” Pulling out the chair beside her, he proceeded to take a seat, all while his grey eyes gazed towards her with concern. “Tell me, what keeps you up on this good night, Maria?”

While it was often joked that Cid was married to the pursuit of knowledge, he liked to think that his devotion to his studies made him especially perceptive of properly assessing emotion.

For surely, who else happily devoted one’s efforts to knowing so much of Maria such as he?

It was then that she set her mug down on the table.

Just before she turned towards him, her lips forming into a pout.

A pout he so dearly wished to kiss.

Huffing, she remarked as her arms folded over her chest, “Are we speaking about the general burden of being the go-to person for everyone’s dilemma, or that Nero is getting under my skin again? Take your pick.”

No words in modern and/or Allagan vernacular could fully describe the relief that washed over Cid’s body.

Still, always wishing for her to be at peace, he responded in turn with a sympathetic grin as he chuckled, “Ahh, one of those pesky reasons to stay up. What has our comrade in reluctant arms done this time?”

Maria turned her attention towards her mug on the table.

Her favorite one of the Garlond Ironworks’s collection, which Cid always made sure to have on hand whenever she was working alongside them.

Though many thoughts were swirling in her mind at this very moment--especially with Cid sitting right beside at an otherwise romantic hour--she continued as disdain intertwined itself with each word she spoke, “Earlier, Nero insisted that I try his cup of tea, and right when I did, he started gloating about an indirect kiss.”

If the thought of Maria’s voice energized his soul to go on a walk at such a late time, the mere utterance of Nero thinking himself to be so charming he could think to flirt in such a way made the inklings of a migraine begin to form within Cid’s head.

With her body visibly cringing at the recollection, the late hour had her lamenting out loud, “Is every brilliant mind from Galemand as big of a pompous know-it-all like him?”

“Well I like to think of myself as a humble servant to the majesty of study,” Cid teased with a shrug.

Setting her cheek against her palm while her elbow set upon the table, she remarked with a shake of her head, “You’re the exception.”

Cid had to wonder if he just gulped down a mug of tea himself with the rush of heat that suddenly surged through his chest. He let out another laugh, richer, deeper. “I take it that you’re not as keen to receive Nero’s odd attempts at courting?”

Maria’s eyes closed as she groaned at the thought, “I’d rather kiss the floor of the Gold Saucer during the summer season.”

“Then, would you prefer a kiss from elsewhere…?”

And then her eyelids fluttered open.

The lightheartedness in Cid’s tone had subsided into one of sincerity, as matched by the look in his eyes while he peered directly towards her.

Though unsure of how to feel or proceed, everything within her body encouraged her to step forward towards what she had yearned for so long.

And so, ever shyly but with her eyes gazing right into his, she murmured, “...If it must come from elsewhere, it can only come from one person.”

His breath caught in his throat. “‘One person…?’”

Her face grew warm from embarrassment. “I think you can figure it out, humble servant to the majesty of study.

Cid couldn’t resist from gasping with delight. “Gods Maria--”

His hands swiftly cupped her cheeks and their mouths met for a long awaited kiss, the warmth of the tea on her lips making them both melt further into their connection.

Her arms wrapped around his neck, bringing the two of them closer.

It was yearning now fulfilled, a flood of long withheld affection bursting forth, a craving for one another looking to be satisfied, to be changed from midnight fantasy to joyful fruition.

Kisses once shy and careful turned earnest and heated, tongues stumbling against one another as hands groped with need.

Were it not knowing her penchant for reservation, he would have ravaged her right then and there at the commons table.

Instead, he opted to lift her up into a carry, her arms and legs hugging around his shoulders and waist as he hurriedly brought her back to his quarters, his walk and her tea forgotten.

Surely, this had to be a dream in some way, no?

But as her back fell upon his mattress, as their hands continued to undress and feel each other as physical confirmation that what was occurring was very much real, the joys of the present couldn’t have been more sweet.

And how Cid savored her moans like that of an addictive confection.

Even without trying to be mindful of others at this late hour, Maria stifled her moans out of shyness, all while her back arched into warmth of Cid’s lips as they kissed over her dribbling core, the bristles of his facial hair scratching against her quivering as he eagerly lapped his tongue along her slit with long and indulgent strokes.

Though, she couldn’t quite be as quiet when she was eventually seated on his lap, her face buried into his shoulder as she rode his cock, all while one of his big sturdy hands held onto her hip while the other fondled her ass, guiding her up and down the length of his thick dick at a brisk pace.

This provided an ample opportunity to plant his lips along the crook of her neck, gentle suckles leaving red marks in their wake.

While he knew that Maria would do everything in her power to understandably cover up, the thought of Nero thinking twice to pursue her while seeing the marks on her neck was satisfying.

But nowhere near as satisfying as feeling the muffled whimpers of his name from her lips against his skin, the hot and slippery confines of her slick walls squeezing around his cock, up until they reached their orgasms with her core clamping onto his dick and his seed flooding inside her in a lascivious, scorching burst.

Much like as they began, they ended with their lips on one another’s yet again as they fell back onto his mattress, joined together now by their arms embracing one another, fingers intertwining, his lips against her temple, her head nestling upon the sturdiness of his chest.

Though they would have much to fully confide and earnestly convey once their bodies were properly rested, both Cid and Maria were relieved, their hearts feeling warm.

Far warmer than any brewed cup of tea.

#Cid Garlond #wol x cid #wol x npc #Final Fantasy XIV #FFXIV #Fic #super freaknasty writing

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whatdoesshedotothem · 3 years ago

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Sunday 29 January 1837

11 ½

No kiss

the ground covered with a thick snow and snowing and F28 ½° now at 10 5 am to 11 – A- did her French – from 11 to 12 ½ in the kitchens musing and measuring about the upper k. stairs – how so to contrive as to get well into the blue room and tent room and k. Chamber –

then with A- who feeling rather worsted in a[r]gument about Mr. Gilmore’s pamphlet began crying and I came away G- would take our pews and let them by auction for the support of the church repairs I said when my pew was so taken and let I would leave the church –

from about 1 to near 2 wrote the latter ¼ p. 2 and p. 3 and finished my letter began last night to M- sorry I had followed the bad example she set me after our meeting at the White lion – the Miss Salomons’ work black satin embroidered blotting book and 2 embroidered bags (sachets?) arrived safe on Thursday – ‘Had we been departed – or had we been yet able to fix the day, you would have heard from us before this – but there is a certain status quo about us that we are heartily tired’ – business bound and weather bound – do not know whether Robert (Chambers the footman) passed thro’ H-x or not – A- had no mind to have him back again ‘and I had nothing to say, after such a shew-up as your letter’ – ‘she hopes you have not forgotten her telling you that, if she had had her own way, he would never had clothes made for him here – and her great consolation is, that you saw him yourself, and engaged him after she had told you very candidly her opinion of him’ – dated today what I wrote today – ask when they got to Leamington and ask her to write – to go on directing to me here –‘I shall hardly name our journey again till the very day before our being off’ – Letters will be forwarded – ‘we shall be 9 or 10 days en route between here and Dover whenever we start’ – if delayed much longer ‘we must form our plans for not weather instead of cold’ – hope she will go to Wiesbaden next summer – it will do her more good than anything – very anxious about her ……….. ‘But let me hear from you – at least, set me a good example – I am quite sure I shall have more satisfaction in following the good one than the bad – I never feel at ease when you are too long upon the list of mu epistolary creditors – Adney’s love and mine – Do pray tell us how you are – Ever, my dearest Mary, very especially and affectionately yours AL’ – at church just in time (after leaving parcels at the school) - Mr. Fenton did all the duty – preached 18 minutes from Ezekiel xiv.13 considering us now nationally visited by some great calamity – the influenza, or the panic? – ½ hour at Cliff Hill – picked up the 2 women servants whom we had left waiting at the school, and at home in 50 minutes (so much snow on the road) at 5 20 –

read the little book good on etiquette

– set off my letter to ‘Mrs. Lawton Lawton Hall Cheshire’ – dinner at 6 ½ in ¾ hour – tea – Received per post tonight Mr. Matthew Naylor’s bill = 2 guineas for valuing Lower brea and Mytholm mill, and for valuing Dodgson’s damages done by the colliery and the damages paid last midsummer to him and Pearson on the same account – at my desk at 8 ½ -

read the little Atlas of the bible got on Saturday –

wrote the last 9 lines till 9 ¾ at which hour F27 ½° - small snow falling quietly almost all the day – from 9 ¾ to 10 35 sat with A- making a few notes for general index and letter index to this volume

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myrfing · 3 years ago

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of the present day relevant ocs I have for xiv in groups it’s like:

strike & gourd: met post-sb, they’re travelling buddies. kind of just happened gourd thought they’d split once he got his body back (which is what gourd initially was onboard for) but strike was just like Where next lol & he was like. okay

nyja & sol: strike’s rava childhood friends from the golmore, left after he did, part of lente’s tears before they were captured and escaped to eorzea. they’re best friends and nyja is in love with sol and sol probably loves her back but isn’t erm. thinking about it cause she’s. they go through a lot. They reunite with strike post-shb and get along a lot like they did as children somehow despite how changed all three of them are/diverging paths pretty sharply early on due to le viera gender seperation

zu & saran: zu (moonkeeper) dated gourd while they were kind of both in the drifting phases of life at 17-18. before the start of ARR she left overseas to go to the far east to learn how to make different kinds of wood instruments & met saran (xaela) on the steppe, who is basically one of the best morin khuur players known to reunion. She’s very shy and considerate compared to zu who is cool and laidback. they fell in lurve as she helped her make one and they’re honestly kind of on their own little happy bubble of the universe. zu would stay on the steppe for her but saran wants to travel a little bit before they settle down so they do set out late post-sb and zu reunites with Gourd (& meets Strike) while none other than chilling at the hotsprings at bokairo inn. they have their little hot springs episode together

jin, musumi, towa, lianhua: in order: gourd’s blood mom (raen), her friend (doman hyur), musumi’s son (doman-hingan hyur), towa’s childhood friend (xaela-raen). jin met the rest on her Nemo Have You Seen My Son journey; musumi & towa were saved from being kidnapped by imperials by gourd 16 years ago. which was when he was 7. he was very dense.

….(cont) uhhh obviously they did not find gourd but they went through a lot together, finding out that her shrimp son was wanted by the garleans and jin becoming a target as well, etc. Musumi is a painter who was married off to a very rich hingan merchant, and gradually became blind. Her husband died without a grown heir so she became a wealthy widow. Jin and Musumi are kind of each other’s first true friends after a very long life of general isolation and pulled some crazy gambits trying to outwit the imperials together. Jin’s like..ankles…? were severed though in the process and she lost the ability to walk with ease. When she realized it was impossible for her find her son, they remained friends and took care of each other. Jin is…a very VERY evidently just tired as hell woman with a lot of bitterness and a smoldering rage honestly but she just keeps her head down and works. She was very resillient and bright and spunky in her youth, if not a bit rebellious. She rediscovers that part of her through her determination to find her son & her friendship with Musumi. Musumi comes off as very wise and mysterious, and she is very sharp and introspective, but really has simple wants and has a silly streak that most people dont pick up on. Kind of got more eccentric with the passing of her husband, whom she neither loved nor hated.

….(cont) Towa, Musumi’s son who is Gourd’s age, kind of sees Jin as a mom as well and as he got older got gradually VERY angry at gourd for erm. vanishing and causing jin so much pain and never coming to find her. when he’s 22 he vows to find his ass and drag him back home. no he does not know he’s looking for the warrior of light. He wears glasses. He’s stronger than most but like…gourd could probably one hit him. He has a good heart, is (a tiny bit too) empathetic, and a strong sense of responsibility. Lianhua is a fisherwoman who is childhood friends with Towa; her mom and dad died pretty early so they kind of looked out for her. She’s very -_- (calm, serene) compared to towa who gets wrapped up in shit easily. Jin & Musumi ask her to accompany towa on his uhhh little adventure and she’s like ok. & towa is like You should help me & she was like ….well im just here & like. upon landing in limsa she signs up to work as a retainer & gets hired by NONE OTHER than gourd & is like. Oh okay. she does tell towa but shes like im not telling you where he is lol you’re going to get yourself killed & also he’s not the bad guy you think he is hes like wtf wtf wtf -_- but settles down and asks her to “keep an eye on him” and she’s like ? ok. she gets paid pretty good though to fish as his retainer so.

…(cont.) obviously gourd does meet his mom in postsb after hearing teqs’ last wish, and meets the other two as well. they all kind of reconcile and gourd does take care of jin until her passing. Musumi’s a bit like his godmother now? Towa never admits to liking him but when Gourd gets curious about his mom as a person, he cannot help but indulge him.

Kabocha & Kareli: Duskwight & Hellsguard respectively. Both around Gourd’s age, but they only met in their early 20s when both signed up to be retainers to pay for their respective educations. Kabocha’s a gridanian orphan, born in prison, and is none other than theee niece of Yulie, the spire’s duskwight drk pillar. Yulie didn’t want to involve herself in her life directly as by the time she learned of her existence, she ws already a BIIIGGGG TIME outlaw in multiple citystates and had already chosen the path. She did secretly pay for all her living and school costs; and on her birthday, would always leave an anonymous present. To Kabocha, she’s this mysterious angel who was the only one who looked out for her, so she tries to find out as much about her as possible. She found a passion in geology & is currently working to fund her education at the studium in hopes of becoming a gleaner. She’s very practical and astute and is a gets-shit-done person but often gets underestimated because she’s kind of short for an elezen and cute-faced.

….(cont.) She meets Kareli who is a Hellsguard arcanist (and later summoner) and NONE OTHER than the nephew of Determined Sun, the astrosage pillar of the spires. He’s also fascinated by his uncle who is considered a traitor & paraiah to Sharlayan & the forum, especially after he finds out he was considered a genius up to be one of the youngest people to inhereit a position on the forum prior to his exile & (unofficial but unchallenged) bibliothec death warrant. Finding out more about his uncle is a great interest of his; his other is the history of Aerslaent & Roegaedyn in general. He meets Kabocha & she helps him get accustomed to Eorzea & to get a job with her as retainers. They both kind of use their work in tandem for opportunities to study their respective majors; Gourd honestly kind of just pays them to do whatever and tell him about their findings, and occasionally get crafting materials for him. Kareli is very shy and meek and prone to overthinking and has a tendency to come off as overly rigid/polite as a result.

….(cont.) They both like Gourd but have never been close to him as they want, because they’re burning with curiosity about the two members of the spires. who are dead. They find this out when they do eventually approach him to talk about it and are understandably crushed, but they also see Gourd as just a normal, decent dude and opted to continue working for him. Kabocha admits openly to him that she’s envious that he got to be raised by Yulie and not her, but it’s not a resentment that compels her and she pretty easily lets go of it after getting to know him. They trade stories sometimes, and remain amicable. Also he forgot to tell them he’s the WoL and they find out sometime during heavensward and are like …

#gourdlore

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houseisekai · 4 years ago

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House Isekai: Shadowbringers -Interlude 1

House Isekai Shadowbringers AU Masterlist Here

—

Interlude: Konosuba Gang

Directly after the events of Act 1: Finale...

As House Isekai moves to Derdriu after escaping Church Forces at Garreg Mach, they decide to camp for the night and rest before continuing their journey.

Finally having a moment of calm, Sitri decides to speak with one of the very first members of House Isekai...

—

[No Greater Sorrow - Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers OST]

Sara stopped the group and turned around to do a quick head count.

All the students were accounted for. Blue Lions and Black Eagles not too far behind.

...Then there was Lahabrea and Sothis, keeping an extremely far distance from everyone. She was hoping they’d keep it that way.

(Sara) “Campin’ here tonight boys and girls. Wouldn’t do us good to get ambushed when we’re exhausted.”

Everyone nodded and moved into the woods nearby and cleaned up a spot.

(Ainz) “We will create protection spells in case anyone is watching.”

(Futaba) “Leave scanning the area to me and Fuuka!”

(Mitsuru) “Understood. Us Persona users will secure the area then.”

(Akira) “Roger. Let’s get going.”

(Dimitri) “Suppose we can make the area comfortable to sleep in then.”

(Edelgard) “Seems fine to me.”

(Megumi) “ We will help as well.”

(Kazuma) “Guess we’ll get a fire goin’.”

Everyone had their assigned roles and got quickly to work.

The Phantom Thieves hopped into the trees and disappeared into the night as S.E.E.S, Class VII followed on foot.

The Denizens of Nazarick began casting spells and aiming it above the campsite.

Lahabrea and Sothis set their own mini camp away from everyone.

Sitri noticed Lahabrea staring at her, then quickly looking away.

(Sharon) “Miss Sitri?”

Sitri turned around and saw Sharon with her smile as Doomguy laid Byleth gently on the floor and began patrolling the area.

(Sharon) “Would you like to get some rest?”

(Sitri) “As much as I would, I don’t like everyone doing work as I do nothing. I will go help Kazuma and the others with the fire.”

She took one last look at Byleth before Sharon bowed at her.

(Sharon) “Rest assured, Byleth will be in good hands.”

(Sitri) “Thank you, Sharon.”

Sharon went back to Byleth and took out some strange device and looked over him. Knowing she was not being any help by standing, she went after Kazuma.

...

(Megumin) “Hm...You know I just realized I can’t really see at all.”

(Aqua) “I can see just fine.”

(Kazuma) “Then hurry up and find some good firewood, would ya? Place is creepin’ me out.”

(Darkness) “If there are beasts here, I will intercept it!”

(Kazuma) “Listen we are NOT getting killed because you want to fuel your sick feti-”

Snap!

(Megumin) “W-WHO’S THERE?!”

Aqua turned around reaching for her staff before easing up.

(Aqua) “Oh, hi Sitri.”

(Sitri) “H-Hello...”

Sitri brought up a torch and looked at the four.

(Sitri) “Would you like some help?”

(Kazuma) “Sure. Though, shouldn’t you be resting?”

(Sitri) “I could ask the same for everyone. You all have been working and fighting tirelessly.”

(Darkness) “Hah, this is nothing, Mrs. Eisner! Byleth took us through worse!”

(Kazuma) “Pah, bullshit! He never trained us for all out war!”

(Megumin) “Kazuma! S-Sorry Mrs. Sitri, he can’t really control his language.”

Sitri couldn’t help but laugh.

(Sitri) “It’s quite fine. Jeralt wasn’t exactly the type of person to filter himself either.”

As she walked over to the group she began thinking to herself.

(Megumin) “If...I can say something, Sitri. We all knew Jeralt during our year at the Academy. He was a good man, and a good father. He talked about you almost every other day.”

(Darkness) “Indeed. I wish he was here to see you now.”

(Kazuma) “You uh...have our condolences.”

(Sitri) “...Thank you. It brings me some level of peace to know how he was...”

She looked up at the night sky longingly.

(Sitri) “Just like all those years ago...”

(Aqua) “By the way, why did you follow us out here of all people? Any reason?”

(Sitri) “No, not particularly. I’ve just had a few questions I’ve been wanting to ask.”

(Kazuma) “Hm? ‘Bout what?”

(Sitri) “Well, I think that floating girl to start. Everyone called her Sothis, but if I recall correctly Sothis was an all divine goddess.”

(Aqua) “Psh, divine my butt! She’s a little gremlin!”

Aqua had a smirk on her face, which confused Sitri.

(Sitri) “Gremlin?”

(Kazuma) “Eh, don’t mind the useless goddess here. She started a lotta bullshit between then two.”

(Aqua) “DID NOT!”

(Megumin) “A-Anyways, we don’t know the true story ourselves. But...from what I heard from other members of House Isekai, she was a true friend.”

(Kazuma) “Not was, IS, a good friend.”

(Sitri) “I’m not sure I understand then. You all seemed so hostile to her.”

(Aqua) “It...may not make any sense but she isn’t OUR Sothis. The Sothis we knew infused herself into Byleth during the encounter with Jeralt’s killers.”

(Kazuma) “Though that’s a story you need to hear from your son and not us. Anyways, only a select few of us could see her during the Academy. We didn’t know the true nature of her, but all we know is that she was with Byleth when it all began. Preeetty sure we were the first ones to meet her actually.”

(Sitri) “You were the first to arrive in Fodlan? Oh, by the way I think I may have found some wood.”

(Aqua) “Yeah, first us, Class VII, then Megumi, then everyone started pouring in.”

(Darkness) “Hm...No, too damp. It wouldn’t light properly. And yes, we were. The four of us were in Kazuma’s mansion when we suddenly found ourselves flung into a battle at Remire Village. It was there we rescued Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude alongside Byleth and Jeralt.”

(Sitri) “So he became a mercenary like his father...”

(Megumin) “Very good one at that! When we first met him, he didn’t seem to have too much emotion. Though overtime he became a great teacher!”

Sitri smiled as she continued looking.

(Sitri) “...Thank you for taking care of him.”

(Darkness) “If anything, I feel like that we should thank you, Sitri. We don’t know the full story, but you sacrificed yourself so that your child could live.”

(Sitri) “It’s something any mother would do for her child. Though I can safely say I had no intention of...being resurrected, I am happy to see my son alive and well.”

Her smile quickly faded when she started to think again.

(Sitri) “But...Why did Lahabrea resurrect me? He appears to be my son but-”

(Kazuma) “Frankly, I think we should be careful of that asshole. I don’t know what’s going on with him exactly, but I KNOW he doesn’t have our best interest at heart.”

(Aqua) “Right? Plus she resurrected her using some dark magic! That can NOT end up being good!”

(Sitri) “...”

Minato walked past them, not even facing their direction.

(Minato) “Could try and NOT talk like Sitri isn’t even there.”

(Kazuma) “Oh piss off, Arisato. Like you’re one to give me a lecture about manners.”

(Minato) “Hmph.”

(Sitri) “Um...Pardon my rude manners but are you all always this...um...-”

(Kazuma) “Dysfunctional?”

(Aqua) “Aggressive?”

(Darkness) “Violent?”

(Megumin) “Insane?”

(Sitri) “...Well I was going to use nicer words, but considering our first meeting was launching my body into the air and strangling each other-”

(Megumin) “Yeah, most of the time.”

(Kazuma) “House Isekai says you get used to it after a while.”

(Sitri) “I...suppose that’s true. I guess it’s not entirely set in since I’ve only awoken just a few days ago.”

(Aqua) “Alright, these ought to be good. Everyone got something?”

Everyone held up some wood and started to walk back to camp.

(Kazuma) “Oh hey, you finally weren’t useless.”

(Aqua) “Shut up, NEET.”

Sitri looked puzzlingly at them. She could tell they cared about each other, but why were they so...mean?

As they continued to walk, they saw Lahabrea sleeping underneath a tree nearby the camp with Sothis nowhere to be found.

(Aqua) “I got a real bad feeling about him...”

(Kazuma) “I’ve noticed him staring at us, including Sothis while we were walkin down the road.”

(Sitri) “Perhaps there’s a reason he looks like my son?”

(Megumin) “It better be a good one. We haven’t had the best experience with impersonators if you haven’t noticed.”

(Darkness) “Not to mention your resurrection appears to play a key role in all of this as well...”

Sitri looked at her hands and furrowed her brow.

(Sitri) “...Am I?”

(Kazuma) “Well, once we get to Derdriu and meet up with Claude I suppose we’ll get our answer. No use bustin our brains trying to figure shit out so early.”

(Aqua) “Oh hey, you finally said something intelligent-”

(Kazuma) “Fuck off.”

Sitri giggled.

(Sitri) “I guess you were right, you do get used to this.”

(Darkness) “That was....alarmingly fast.”

(Megumin) “Oof, whatever I’m exhausted. Let’s hit the hay yeah?”

(Sitri) “Oh um...”

The four turned around and faced Sitri, eyebrow raised.

(Sitri) “Thank you for taking care of my son.”

[This Beautiful Cruel World - Attack On Titan OST]

They all smiled and raised their arms in unison.

Without another word, the four went to their spot to sleep.

Sitri smiled and was about to sleep when suddenly a pain flashed in her head.

“…I can’t believe I’m missing her.”

“...do me one favor in case I go down for good this time? Protect everyone else. You’re the only one I can rely on for that.”

“Do not hesitate to call upon me or the others should the need arise. We will take care of you in these times…”

“Edelgard, what did you do…?!”

Sitri shook her head once the pain was gone.

(Sitri) “What was that...?”

She looked at the four who were setting up their beds, yelling at each other with profanity.

There was no way they had said all those things at her once.

...So why did their voices sound clear as day, and what was going on?

Her eyes glazed over to Byleth, who was finally put to rest with Megumi, Sara, and some of the other staff and House Reps looking over him.

She then turned to Lahabrea and frowned again.

(Sitri) “What have you started, my son...?”

INTERLUDE: END

Your dream is where your heart is

It’s something more fragile than life itself

No matter how many times you throw it away, you still find it

So rest in peace now

Your wish is violated by your pulsing urge

and as much as you forget about it, you recall it again

In this beautiful and cruel world

We only ask “why” we’re still alive…

Ah, what are we going to protect

with our strength and weakness? If reason no longer exists

TO BE CONTINUED IN:

#House isekai #House Isekai Shadowbringers #House Isekai Shadowbringers Interlude #crossover #fanfic #writing #sitri eisner #satou kazuma #darkness #dustiness ford lalatina #megumin #aqua

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haruatori · 4 years ago

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Common list of misconceptions

Had great fun learning about these, maybe now I will remember it better:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_common_misconceptions

Fortune cookies, despite being associated with Chinese cuisine in the United States, were invented in Japan and introduced to the US by the Japanese.[11] The cookies are extremely rare in China, where they are seen as symbols of American cuisine.[12]

The United States does not require police officers to identify themselves as police in the case of a sting or other undercover work, and police officers may lie when engaged in such work.[25] Claiming entrapment as a defense instead focuses on whether the defendant was induced by undue pressure (such as threats) or deception from law enforcement to commit crimes they would not have otherwise committed.[26]

Parody singer "Weird Al" Yankovic did not write or perform most of the songs and comedy sketches attributed to him or "Weird Al Yankovich" on the Internet.[48]

The forbidden fruit mentioned in the Book of Genesis is never identified as an apple,[51] a misconception widely depicted in Western art.The original Hebrew texts mention only tree and fruit. Early Latin translations use the word mali, which can mean either "evil" or "apple" depending on if the A is short or long respectively, although the difference in vowel length had already vanished from speech in Latin at the time. In early Germanic languages the word "apple" and its cognates usually simply meant "fruit". German and French artists commonly depict the fruit as an apple from the 12th century onwards, and John Milton's Areopagitica from 1644 explicitly mentions the fruit as an apple.[52] Jewish scholars have suggested that the fruit could have been a grape, a fig, an apricot, or an etrog.[53]

The Bible does not say that exactly three magi came to visit the baby Jesus, nor that they were kings, or rode on camels, or that their names were Casper, Melchior, and Balthazar, nor what color their skin was. Three magi are inferred because three gifts are described, but we only know that they were plural (at least 2); there could have been many more and probably an entourage accompanied them on their journey. The artistic depictions of the nativity have almost always depicted three magi since the 3rd century.[57] The Bible only specifies an upper limit of 2 years for the interval between the birth and the visit (Matthew 2:16), and artistic depictions and the closeness of the traditional dates of December 25 and January 6 encourage the popular assumption that the visit took place in the same season as the birth, but later traditions varied, with the visit taken as occurring up to two years later. The association of magi with kings comes from efforts to tie the visit to prophecies in the Book of Isaiah.[58]

No Biblical or historical evidence supports Mary Magdalene having been a prostitute.[59]

The idea that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute before she met Jesus is not found in the Bible or in any of the other earliest Christian writings. The misconception likely arose due to a conflation between Mary Magdalene, Mary of Bethany (who anoints Jesus's feet in John 11:1–12), and the unnamed "sinful woman" who anoints Jesus's feet in Luke 7:36–50.[59]

The Quran does not promise martyrs 72 virgins in heaven. It does mention companions, houri, to all people—martyr or not—in heaven, but no number is specified. The source for the 72 virgins is a hadith in Sunan al-Tirmidhi by Imam Tirmidhi.[74][75] Hadiths are sayings and acts of the prophet Muhammad as reported by others, and as such they are not part of the Quran itself. Muslims are not meant to necessarily believe all hadiths, and that applies particularly to those hadiths that are weakly sourced, such as this one.[76] Furthermore, the correct translation of this particular hadith is a matter of debate.[74] In the same collection of Sunni hadiths, however, the following is judged strong (hasan sahih): "There are six things with Allah for the martyr. He is forgiven with the first flow of blood (he suffers), he is shown his place in Paradise, he is protected from punishment in the grave, secured from the greatest terror, the crown of dignity is placed upon his head—and its gems are better than the world and what is in it—he is married to seventy two wives among wide-eyed houris (Al-Huril-'Ayn) of Paradise, and he may intercede for seventy of his close relatives."[77]

Ancient Greek and Roman sculptures were originally painted bright colors; they only appear white today because the original pigments have deteriorated. Some well-preserved statues still bear traces of their original coloration.[127][128]

The accused at the Salem witch trials in North America were not burned at the stake; about 15 died in prison, 19 were hanged and one was pressed to death.[172]

Marie Antoinette did not say "let them eat cake" when she heard that the French peasantry were starving due to a shortage of bread. The phrase was first published in Rousseau's Confessions when Marie was only nine years old and most scholars believe that Rousseau coined it himself, or that it was said by Maria Theresa, the wife of Louis XIV. Even Rousseau (or Maria Theresa) did not use the exact words but actually Qu'ils mangent de la brioche, meaning "Let them eat brioche" (a rich type of bread). Marie Antoinette was a target of attacks from radical jacobins; therefore, political activists attributed the phrase "let them eat cake" to her, to promulgate an image of her as disconnected from her subjects.[173]

Napoleon Bonaparte was not short. He was actually slightly taller than the average Frenchman of his time.[180] After his death in 1821, the French emperor's height was recorded as 5 feet 2 inches in French feet, which in English measurements is 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m).[181] He was actually nicknamed le Petit Caporal (The Little Corporal) as a term of endearment.[182] Napoleon was often accompanied by his imperial guard, who were selected for their height[183]—this may have contributed to a perception that he was comparatively short.

There was no widespread outbreak of panic across the United States in response to Orson Welles's 1938 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells's The War of the Worlds. Only a very small share of the radio audience was even listening to it, and isolated reports of scattered incidents and increased call volume to emergency services were played up the next day by newspapers, eager to discredit radio as a competitor for advertising. Both Welles and CBS, which had initially reacted apologetically, later came to realize that the myth benefited them and actively embraced it in later years.[200]

Rosa Parks was not sitting in the front ("white") section of the bus during the event that made her famous and incited the Montgomery bus boycott. Rather, she was sitting in the front of the back ("colored") section of the bus, where African Americans were expected to sit, but refused to give up her seat to a white man who asked for it (which was also the expected action of African Americans at the time).

Although popularly known as the "red telephone", the Moscow–Washington hotline was never a telephone line, nor were red phones used. The first implementation of the hotline used teletype equipment, which was replaced by facsimile (fax) machines in 1988. Since 2008, the hotline has been a secure computer link over which the two countries exchange emails.[220] Moreover, the hotline links the Kremlin to the Pentagon, not the White House.[221]

Bulls are not enraged by the color red, used in capes by professional matadors. Cattle are dichromats, so red does not stand out as a bright color. It is not the color of the cape, but the perceived threat by the matador that incites it to charge.[238]

Dogs do not sweat by salivating[239] Dogs actually do have sweat glands and not only on their tongues; they sweat mainly through their footpads. However, dogs do primarily regulate their body temperature through panting.[240] (See also: Dog anatomy).

Bats are not blind. While about 70 percent of bat species, mainly in the microbat family, use echolocation to navigate, all bat species have eyes and are capable of sight. In addition, almost all bats in the megabat or fruit bat family cannot echolocate and have excellent night vision.[244]

The notion that goldfish have a memory span of just a few seconds is false.[250][251] It is much longer, counted in months.

There is no such thing as an "alpha" in a wolf pack. An early study that coined the term "alpha wolf" had only observed unrelated adult wolves living in captivity. In the wild, wolf packs operate more like human families: there is no defined sense of rank, parents are in charge until the young grow up and start their own families, younger wolves do not overthrow an "alpha" to become the new leader, and social dominance fights are situational.[254][255]

Mice do not have a special appetite for cheese, and will eat it only for lack of better options. Mice actually favor sweet, sugary foods. It is unclear where the myth came from.[260]

Sunflowers do not always point to the sun. Flowering sunflowers face a fixed direction (often east) all day long, but not necessarily the sun.[287] However, in an earlier developmental stage, before the appearance of flower heads, the immature buds do track the sun (a phenomenon called phototropism) and the fixed alignment of the mature flowers toward a certain direction is often the result.[288]

Petroleum does not originate from dinosaurs but rather bacteria and algae.[308]

No human genome (nor any mammalian genome for that matter) has ever been completely sequenced. As of 2017, by some estimates, between 4% to 9% of the human genome had not been sequenced.[311]

Trickle-down theory of economics does not work.[325]

Waking sleepwalkers does not harm them. While it is true that a person may be confused or disoriented for a short time after awakening, this does not cause them further harm. In contrast, sleepwalkers may injure themselves if they trip over objects or lose their balance while sleepwalking.[332]

Stretching before or after exercise does not reduce muscle soreness.[338]

Exercise-induced muscle soreness is not caused by lactic acid buildup.[339] Muscular lactic acid levels during and after exercise do not correlate with soreness;[340] exercise-induced muscle soreness is thought to be due to microtrauma from an unaccustomed or strenuous exercise, against which the body adapts with repeated bouts of the same exercise.[341]

Shaving does not cause terminal hair to grow back thicker (more dense) or darker. This belief is due to hair that has never been cut having a tapered end, whereas, after cutting, the edge is blunt and therefore thicker than the tapered ends; the sharper, unworn edges make the cut hair appear thicker and feel coarser. That short hairs are less flexible than longer hairs also contributes to this effect.[355]

A person's hair and fingernails do not continue to grow after death. Rather, the skin dries and shrinks away from the bases of hairs and nails, giving the appearance of growth.[356]

Acne is mostly caused by genetics, rather than lack of hygiene, eating fatty food, or other personal habits.[360]

The order in which different types of alcoholic beverages are consumed ("Grape or grain but never the twain" and "Beer before liquor never sicker; liquor before beer in the clear") does not affect intoxication or create adverse side effects.[381]

Hand size does not predict human penis size,[385] but finger length ratio may.[386]

There is no physiological basis for the belief that having sex in the days leading up to a sporting event or contest is detrimental to performance.[390] In fact it has been suggested that sex prior to sports activity can elevate male testosterone level, which could potentially enhance performance.[391]

Glass does not flow at room temperature as a high-viscosity liquid.[442] Although glass shares some molecular properties found in liquids, glass at room temperature is an amorphous solid that only begins to flow above the glass transition temperature,[443] though the exact nature of the glass transition is not considered settled among scientists.[444] Panes of stained glass windows are often thicker at the bottom than at the top, and this has been cited as an example of the slow flow of glass over centuries. However, this unevenness is due to the window manufacturing processes used at the time.[443][444] No such distortion is observed in other glass objects, such as sculptures or optical instruments, that are of similar or even greater age.[443][444][445]

Most diamonds are not formed from highly compressed coal. More than 99 percent of diamonds ever mined have formed in the conditions of extreme heat and pressure about 140 kilometers (87 mi) below the earth's surface. Coal is formed from prehistoric plants buried much closer to the surface, and is unlikely to migrate below 3.2 kilometers (2.0 mi) through common geological processes. Most diamonds that have been dated are older than the first land plants, and are therefore older than coal. It is possible that diamonds can form from coal in subduction zones and in meteoroid impacts, but diamonds formed in this way are rare and the carbon source is more likely carbonate rocks and organic carbon in sediments, rather than coal.[446]

Although the Greek philosopher Pythagoras is most famous today for his alleged mathematical discoveries,[452][453] classical historians dispute whether he himself ever actually made any significant contributions to the field.[450][451] He cannot have been the first to discover his famous theorem, because it was known and used by the Babylonians and Indians centuries before Pythagoras,[454][455][456][457] but it is possible that he may have been the first one to introduce it to the Greeks.[458][456]

There is no scientific evidence for the existence of "photographic" memory in adults (the ability to remember images with so high a precision as to mimic a camera),[478] but some young children have eidetic memory.[479] Many people have claimed to have a photographic memory, but those people have been shown to have good memories as a result of mnemonic devices rather than a natural capacity for detailed memory encoding.[480] There are rare cases of individuals with exceptional memory, but none of them has a memory that mimics that of a camera.

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bluepenguinstories · 4 years ago

Text

Remoras Full Chapter XIV: Magna Mater

I wish I knew how to express my thoughts.

See, I’ve been restless as of late; the usual crowds I’ve come to expect at the airport had dissipated. For reasons that were unknown to me. It wasn’t like my workplace was a very popular one to begin with, far from it: no one (or I should say, very few) who showed up at the airport planned to stay in the area. They were either going to or coming from somewhere. Layover. In transit.

Maybe no one was going on any flights around the area. Sorry. That wasn’t really what I wanted to focus on, either. The restlessness was just a byproduct of not having as much work to do.

Was that what it was?

I found myself sprawled out on the hammock in the back of the airport. I stared at my phone and opened up Disarray, a chat app.

“Hmm...who have I talked to lately?”

There were a few names: Dennys, Kitten, Pien. I had met them on an LGBT server and the four of us became fast friends.

I cycled through the different chat windows, but decided not to message anyone. It had been a few days since either party last talked to each other, so I felt like if I were to start up a new conversation, it would be awkward.

But it was also awkward laying down in silence when it wasn’t even close to being evening. So I mustered up the courage and decided to type to my friend Dennys “hi”.

...And then I hit the backspace key and set my phone back down.

What was it about being alone with my thoughts that made me want to start up something, and then in the middle of starting, go back and erase my work?

Ray should have given me something to do. Or even Sunny. Either one of them could have texted me saying “we’ve got a flight booked for so and so.” I wouldn’t even have to see who I was flying. I’d fly them wherever, I’d serve them with a blindfold if I had to. I just wanted to be back in the air.

I wasn’t sure what had come over me. I couldn’t just chalk it up to restlessness or loneliness alone, as I was used to being alone and with long gaps between flights. There must have been other factors as well. I thought it over, something I already knew was a terrible thing to do.

When was the last time I saw or heard from either of them? About a month ago, right? When that girl came over and tricked me into taking her to New Hampshire? Oh shit.

Right. Those two were probably under a lot of grief. I mean, I guess I would be too, if I knew her better.

She said her name was Tony, but then Ray said it wasn’t. I guess Ray does know a Tony, though. So it’s not like there isn’t someone in the world named Tony. In fact, I think there are many people named Tony. So it’s not like I won’t run into one or two Tony’s one of these days.

There goes my thoughts again. The name isn’t the important part. The fact is, I was naive and fell for her trick, then she ran off. Over a week later, Sunny comes by and we go back. Then Sunny tells me that there’s a wildfire (really, I should have noticed what with all the smoke in the air. Sheesh, what world was I in at the time?) and that the girl had been caught in the middle of it. So yeah.

“It’s been a month,” I muttered as I put on a coat. “I wonder how Sunny’s been holding up. Ray too, for that matter.”

Truth be told, I still blamed myself, even thought Sunny told me I did nothing wrong. Never in my experience did I think I would contribute to someone’s death, indirect or otherwise. Which then led to the thought that maybe I had done so without my knowledge in the past. Oh, how I had a tendency to overthink. Or, to focus on the wrong thoughts. To let those thoughts drift and drift into topics far off from the things I wanted to focus on. How common it was.

Next to the coat was a pair of thermal gloves. Then boots. It wasn’t like I could just wear my typical flight attendant or pilot’s uniform, now could I? Not if I was going to walk several kilometers in the snow to check on my boss.

“How have you been holding up?” I planned to ask Ray. “How’s your restaurant doing?”

As I made my way out of the airport and into the outside world, I was hit by a strong gust of wind.

God, I hope there won’t be a blizzard.

Well, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if there was. As long as no one else was be caught up in it, I’d be fine.

“I’m used to this,” I told myself, but I knew better. Even the most seasoned of folks could face trouble if they weren’t well equipped. It was like how when I used to live in a city where it often rained and my mom would tell me to bring an umbrella and wear a jacket and I would sigh a theatrical sigh and huff and go, “I don’t need one. I’ll be fine.”

Of course, I got soaked. I’d come home all shivering and my clothes stuck to the rest of me. Didn’t stop me from forgetting to bring my umbrella.

It would be at least an hour before I would arrive at the diner. That meant I would be alone with my thoughts for a while. I could try to focus on the echoes of the wind, or listen for any wildlife, but I knew it wouldn’t do me much good. My mind would wander and I would daydream once more.

Focus on the environment. Focus on how the ground looks like mashed potatoes and how I’m just waiting for the gravy to come down. Wait. What is the gravy? Is it a metaphorical thing? Am I the gravy? No. I’m already doing it. OK. Focus on the destination.

“It’s the journey, not the destination” – That quote soon entered my thoughts. Makes me think of an adventure. When really it’s just going to see your boss. Still, what if Ray was like...a boss? Like the final boss of a game? Or the big bad of a fantasy novel. I think if I was in one of those, I’d want to be an elf. Maybe just for the pointy ears.

There was a great deal of things that sprung off from there and it took a while before I could bring myself back on solid ground. I wanted to go back and erase such thoughts, but then what would take its place? My mind seemed like an endless box of clutter sometime and no matter how much I tried to get rid of or give away the clutter, it kept piling up.

What would Sunny have said to that?

“Just go on an adventure and you won’t think so much!”

What I’m doing right now is the closest thing I’ve had to an adventure and here I am, thinking endlessly.

No. That wasn’t right. If I stretched the truth a little, if I could remember the right things and not focus on the irrelevant things, then the journey leading to meeting Sunny and Ray for the first time could have been considered an adventure in of itself. Maybe it would only be interesting to me, and no one else, but it would at least pass the time.

My earliest memory was of me arriving at the airport in Fairbanks, Alaska. Another chilly place. In some respects, my life wasn’t all that different than what it would eventually become. For starters, I was already a flight attendant, albeit, for a commercial airline. As in, I had to deal with obnoxious passengers on crowded flights. I’d go around with peanuts (and no, I wasn’t sure what the deal with them was) and soda and be all, “eat up, monsters!”

Okay, so, no. I didn’t say that. I couldn’t remember what I said, and I think I would have preferred to say something like that, but I was nice (on my good days). I’d carry around a big ol’ smile and play up a cutesy voice. I really wanted people to think of me as sweet and I thought that if I were nice enough with them, they would exchange the same courtesy. However, it didn’t take that long for me to crack, and it would sometimes be over the simplest of things.

“Thank you, sir,” some old lady would say after I handed her a cup of diet coke. My teeth would grind and most of the time I would ignore it or say, “you’re welcome.”

Sometimes however, it would play out like this:

“I’m not –” I would begin to say, but soon change my tune to. “Never mind. You’re welcome.”

I hated that. Yes, I knew that there was some universal experience (supposedly) that says “we don’t correct people,” but damn it, I felt like a coward when I wouldn’t speak up, and then I grew fearful when I would try. That was another thing: I didn’t even want to look back at those things, but those images and scenes would replay regardless. Why? Because my mind was more of an asshole than most passengers out there.

Yes, later, I would be more recognized for who I was and I would be much happier. Likewise, I was aware that most would rather not be reminded of such moments in their past. Not even I. But those things did happen, and they did affect me.

Whether such things happened the day I arrived in Fairbanks, I didn’t quite remember, but I remembered being rather exhausted. So as I waited for the flight back home, I sat next to the window and read a book about a warrior princess who fought dragons.

I found myself unable to finish the page I was on, so I skimmed down, set a bookmark in, and got up from my seat.

Rather than walk off to wander around the gift shops and kiosks, I became transfixed on the view outside; through the thickets of the trees, I thought I could see a fox scurry about. Snow fell from below and it wasn’t even winter. Outside of the pines and the fox, the land was a flat sheet of white. Ice as far as the eye could see (and even further, surely).

Yes, I must have thought. If I were to live anywhere, I would want to live here.

I couldn’t quite place why I was so enchanted by the view, which in hindsight, was rather minimal. One idea may have been that in the cold, empty space, what I thought I needed was a place to be alone. So it came to be that I would dream of a day where I could get lost in those trees, or burrow under the snow, and in the isolation, I would be at peace.

What shook me out from my dreamy ideals was one of my coworkers. If I tried hard, I could have remembered her name. Valerie, maybe? Macchiato? No. That was my favorite drink.

“Manager wants to see you,” she told me.

“Oh!” I jumped, startled.

“Daydreaming again?” She asked.

“Something like that,” I replied, then made my way to the manager’s office. All the while, thoughts cropped up of what it could have been about.

Did I do something wrong today? Did I snap at a passenger? I feel like I did everything right, but I’m not sure. I don’t remember everything that was in the employee manual and I thought I could just wing it. Ha. Wing it. Like wings of an airplane.

No. I don’t think I have anything to worry about. But if I did, what would I have to worry about? Guess I’ll find out. I could play a game of twenty questions on my way there. Ask myself all the things the manager could want to see me about. Oh, but that would be worse.

Ah, if there was one thing my thoughts were good for, it was to help me forget that my legs took me anywhere. I opened the door to the manager’s office, having how I even got there. Blame it on the jet lag.

“You wanted me?” I asked as trepidation seeped through each syllable.

“Hi. Yeah, have a seat, relax,” my manager motioned to the chair.

Ah, the seat of shame. Some days I wondered if there was a button that would send anyone who sat in that seat flying out into the atmosphere. Considering that I wanted to be a pilot, maybe the chair could eject me right into a pilot’s seat and I would have already had my license, and I could fly away, out into the atmosphere. Somewhere where everything could be still and silent.

“So what did you want me for?” I asked as I sat.

“Well, first off, some of the passengers said you were wonderful today, so whatever you did, keep it up.”

That was a surprise to me. ‘Whatever I did,’ I didn’t even remember what I did. As far as I could recall, I was on autopilot.

“Second, I’ve got a job offer for you,” he continued. “From a very wealthy man known as Mr. Chambers.”

“Is he here right now?” I asked.

Mr. Chambers. Sounds like Mr. Burns. Like an evil old man. And he’s wealthy, which pretty much seals the deal that I’m right to make such a comparison.

He shook his head. “No, his health isn’t the best. But he wanted to know if you were interested in working with him. He owns a private airline, and he’s willing to pay you much more than you’re making here.”

My heart faced turbulence. How was I supposed to react to such a thing?

“Why me?” I asked, choked up. “Why not Betty?” I didn’t remember if I had a coworker named Betty. My brain just filled in the gap, since none of my old coworkers’ names came to mind.

“I don’t know, to be honest. He said something about you giving off this air of innocence and reminding him of his lost love, Jeanne d’Eis.”

“Who?”

My manager shrugged. If that question couldn’t be answered, then…

“But me? Innocent?” I asked instead.

“Look, I never said he wasn’t eccentric, but this could be a good opportunity for you. Just think it over.”

Yeah. That I would do. Though I didn’t think I would. As much as I could use the money, the idea of working for a creepy old man got under my skin. Like a cockroach that decided to use my nostrils to hibernate for the winter.

Needless to say, I accepted the offer. Though not right away. When I took my flight back home (and I use the word “home” loosely; nothing against my mom, I’ve just always been distant around her, and I never really felt comfortable there. Still, it was where I was allowed to be, and it was where I slept, when I didn’t sleep on planes or in airports) I stayed a couple of days in my room.

“How was work?” She asked and I shrugged my shoulders, told her it was OK, then went into my room. There I had a desktop computer, an easel for drawing, two full bookshelves, and a bed filled with stuffed animals. Of course, I ignored all of those other items and fell back onto the bed.

“I wish I had boobs,” I said to myself and smiled. “Not too big, but just to say that I had them.”

You could say that I was a late bloomer. Very late. Being in my mid twenties, it seemed odd to say that they never developed, but...some things I just had to will into existence, and you could say that I was late to realize that I wanted boobs.

Of course, later I would have them, and I learned that they weren’t some perfect squish toys that were attached to you, but I was still glad when I got them, so my thoughts turned to them more often than not.

When it came time to go back to work, I remember how I stood against the door when after telling me bye, my mom added, “is this what you want to do for the rest of your life?”

Such a heavy question. That might have been the trouble I had with her: she could go from casual to heavy in the span of five seconds.

“Well, if I don’t live long, then yes,” I joked.

“Be serious. Wouldn’t you rather do something else?”

“I kind of want to get some poetry collections published,” I told her in earnest. Yes, I wrote poetry. They weren’t any good, but at the time I thought my life mirrored Sylvia Plath enough that I had potential (ha. Someone like me who couldn’t even get through a few courses in community college comparing herself to some misunderstood academic?)

“You can’t make a living off of that,” was my mom’s answer. Because of course it was. What else would she have said?

“I know. Well, I also want to be a pilot someday,” I told her. Again, serious.

“It takes money to get lessons, and you’re not very good at saving money. Not to mention, you have trouble keeping focus, and being a pilot requires a lot of concentration.”

In hindsight, I knew she just wanted me to think things through more, and maybe she thought she was being supportive. But with me, I didn’t want to hear anymore.

“Bye,” I told her.

It felt like whether I wished it to be or not, my life was defined by my mother. Worse yet, I sometimes got the feeling that I was just like her.

When I got back to the airport, I told my manager that I would accept the position. Almost immediately, my manager booked me a trip to the most remote part of the arctic. Within the hour of my arrival, I collapsed on the nearest couch, then when I awoke, I was directed to the office of one Mr. Chambers.

His office was a gloomy looking one filled with grotesque paintings of shadowy figures devouring smaller shadowy figures. There were bookshelves against the walls, but none of the books were ones I recognized. When I thought of someone rich, what came to mind was books on business, money, or something related to their profession. Like maybe books on aircrafts. In this case, however, each book was bound in yellow hardback covers and the titles were in a language I hadn’t seen before.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cybele,” Mr. Chambers spoke in a frog-like croak. He was a balding, frail man. Bones that seemed to protrude from his skin and wrinkles layered upon layers of wrinkles, as if some sort of wrinkly birthday cake.

What would a birthday cake made of wrinkles taste like? Skin? Hmm...I don’t think I would want to try one of those. Maybe if it was just really fluffy to the point that it looked like wrinkles. Maybe it could be a carrot cake. That I like. More than actual carrots themselves, in fact.

“Nervous?” He asked.

“Oh! Maybe a little!” I was startled to find that I was still in his office. “First time and all. You know how that can be.”

“Ah, yes, so I do. I was innocent once,” he closed his eyes as he spoke, a slow, cracked whisper. I had to walk closer just to make out most of the words.

Innocent? Me? See, I’m still confused. I guess he’ll find out sooner or later that I’ve had a habit of swearing at customers.

“Um. Yes. Say, what language are those books in?” I asked him. Maybe I thought that in doing so, it would be less awkward.

“Carcosian,” he told me. “A long forgotten language from the long forgotten land of Carcosa.”

“Where is that?” I asked, like a fool, a complete dunce. Less the court jester and more the court clown car. If he said the land was forgotten, how would he know where that was?

“If my memory serves me, it resides in a space between Italy and France, and intersecting Ethiopia. When I lived a more innocent age, I visited there and engorged myself in its kingdom. There, I met a beautiful princess, the mademoiselle Jeanne d’Eis. Oh, how I loved Jeanne d’Eis. I would give anything to see her again, but every time I tell one of my associates that I wish to visit Carcosa, they tell me they haven’t found such a place.”

I blinked. As he told me about this place, I tried to imagine where that would be on a map, but I never was good with geography. One of my online friends, Kitten, lived in France. Maybe I could have asked the kitten where Carcosa was. If she even knew.

Then there was the matter of this person he said he loved. Jeanne d’Eis? She sounded like Jeanne d’Arc, which got me thinking, just how old was Mr. Chambers? Was he old enough to be alive when Jeanne d’Arc was?

Oh, stop that, Cybele! That would make him like 600 years old.

“So what is it that I’ll be doing here?” I mustered up the focus to ask him. In response, he leaned forward and said:

“There are several business partners of mine who fly to and from here. You will accompany them and treat them to exquisite meals and beverages. You will treat them well.”

I gulped. I found myself worried over possible implications.

“When you say treat them well…?”

“Converse. Compliment.”

“Ah,” I let out a sigh of relief.

“If anyone dares to touch you, I will have their hands chopped off and will sew their mouths shut. Rest assured. You will remain innocent.”

Well, as relieved as I was, the ‘innocent’ part still bugged me. Maybe it was the whole idea of purity or something, but it just struck me the wrong way. Especially with how far from the truth that was: I was a jelly bean bag full of flaws.

So that would become my life: I had no true home. When I would stop at an airport, I would rest there. The closest thing I had to one was the airport in which Mr. Chambers resided. When I would stay there, I slept in the break room in the back. There was a hammock set up, and although it could be noisy, and the creaking sounds frightened me, it wasn’t so bad. Really, it was the closest thing to a home that I had.

When I had downtime, I would write poems in my journal. One such poem went something like this:

“I am in ill-repair, yet functional.

A space which permits entry.

Though out of order, you may walk.

Yet you will never go anywhere.

In regards to the past

I am permitted no entry.

Up the stairwell is cracked pavement.

I’m still waiting for that universal experience.

Others claim it exists.

Even in progress, there is discomfort.

In a mix of joy and bewilderment, I wonder:

Have I been an impostor?”

Like I said, they weren’t that good, but at the time I thought I was one hot potato. Like fucking Shakespeare up in this ass, or something. Whatever it was I felt, those poems were the closest I could come to writing a journal entry. I just wasn’t good with being so direct or staying on a single topic. With a poem, I could be more concise, so it was easier to make a snapshot of what I was going through at the time.

So I got all caught up in my work. Then I would catch up on sleep. Time zones were always the trickiest thing, and I wanted so bad to just give up on the concept of time altogether. Then, there were the poems, which also blurred into work, and with my exhaustion, I started to grow less coherent. Case in point:

“Discombobulated sponge bootleg.

Blisters in the back of the boa constrictor.

Bitter taste of kitchen skins.

Saliva in the form of raw dust bunnies.”

Anyway, I’ve tortured myself enough with reciting the words to old poems. The point I wanted to make was that I forgot all about my dream to become a pilot. Then, it happened: Sunny and Ray.

I returned to the barren airport which I called home-adjacent (if it wasn’t a place to call home, then it could at least have been in the realm of it). Right away, I went up the stairs to Mr. Chambers’ office. Except when I got there, the scenery had changed.

The office was near empty. No creepy paintings which I had grown accustomed to. No books that I couldn’t even read if I was allowed to. All that remained was the desk and the swivel chair behind it. Next to the desk was a man in a pinstripe suit with a cane. Next to him was a woman who sat on top of the desk with a tank top on and was chugging down what looked like a bottle of whiskey.

“’Sup?” The woman asked as she leaned her head back. I didn’t know how to answer, but it was clear that my presence was now known. On the other hand, the man took off his glasses and began wiping them down with a cloth rather than acknowledge me.

“Who...who are you two?” My voice shook. “Where is Mr. Chambers?”

While I always found that old man to be creepy, at least I got used to his presence. But those two were unknown and I didn’t know what to make of them. I would soon find out, as the man approached me.

“Ah! Nice to meet you! You must be Cybele! I’ve heard so much about you, haven’t I, Sunny?” He turned back to the woman. She nodded with a grin.

“Sure have, Ray, my partner in crime and in life. And Cybele, I must say! You’re even more adorable than I imagined! I just wanna coddle you!” Sunny added. She sounded like she was joking around, yet at the same time, meant no malice.

“Thanks,” I replied. “But I’m still confused.”

“Oh, Cybele, you poor thing,” Ray spoke. He too, spoke with a mixture; his a combination of concern and trickery. “Mr. Chambers wasn’t who you thought he was. All this time, you’ve been working for someone and had no clue who they really were.”

Well, true, but I didn’t think that would ever be important.

“He changed his name to Mr. Chambers at an old age. Started getting all these ideas in his head about who he was. For months, I befriended him, got to know him a bit, and found out that this place he’s obsessed with? Carcosa? Yeah, it doesn’t exist. It comes from a short story. Fiction, too, mind you. But fiction can be fact enough. All I had to do was convince him that I knew where Carcosa was and he was ready to give up all of his assets to me. Which included his money, this airport, and his private plane. Which is now mine, by the way.”

That was all a lot to take in. Mostly that I would now be working for some crooked couple, but that wasn’t all that important, was it? I mean, rich people tend to be pretty crooked, too, so what did it all matter? Really, as long as I was up in the air, I could disregard every other detail. Even if my head was in the clouds, at least I could make the rest of me be as well.

“Hello?” Ray snapped his fingers in front of me. “Were you paying attention, Cybele? We scammed a billionaire out of his money and made him think he was about to reunite with his lost love. Hey Sunny, was this the first time we’ve stolen from a billionaire?”

Sunny cackled. “First time it was this easy.”

“Did you catch any of that, Cybele?”

“I...I…” I stuttered. “He said he was in love with Jeanne d’Eis.”

“Yeah,” Ray replied. “Jaundice. The man was in love with jaundice.”

Oh. Why hadn’t I seen that sooner? Why was I so ready to accept that he really knew someone by that name? Why didn’t I think to question many of the things Mr. Chambers said further? Oh, why did I bother to ask myself such things when it wasn’t even important anymore?

“Anyway,” Ray went on. “You can rest assured we’re not billionaires. Well, we would be, except we just gave away all his money to hundreds of other people. But don’t worry: you can stay. I always find ways to pay the people I hire.”

I couldn’t figure out what to make of the situation. I collapsed onto the floor and the last thing I heard was Sunny saying, “oh dear, the poor thing fainted.”

That was my first encounter with the scheming couple. Really, they turned out to be great people. Ray let me redesign the office any which way I liked. Instead of buying a proper bed, I just made it into a break room, while the old break room remained my bedroom. Even if I still didn’t sleep on a bed.

Sunny and Ray also funded my flying lessons, and it was thanks to them that I was able to get my pilot’s license. There was only one catch, and it was that Mr. Chambers’ Ray’s private aircraft already ran on autopilot. But it still required help for liftoff and landing. So it was a bit of a compromise.

Really, my life was full of compromises. Like how I managed to get boobs, but then they didn’t end up growing very big.

I recall a poem I had written being about how everything in my life thrived on trade-offs:

“To know ‘thyself’ is an important thing.

If I am a self I am one that is compromised.

My life is defined in the middle of a line;

How I wished to occupy that other side.

If only I could be defined by my own words.

Without it being an autobiography.”

Not my best work, but after years of just using it as a means of journaling, I’ve more or less accepted it as a hobby. My recollections would have to wait before I could paint a more perfect picture of the order of events; I had finally made it to the diner.

When I opened the door, I expected to see customers. Maybe Ray in the kitchen. Or Sunny over the counter, making small talk with Ray. Instead, the lobby was just as barren as the landscape outside of the diner. There were only two people, one of which wasn’t Ray: Sunny, and some tall, dark haired woman with glasses.

Before I could approach Sunny, this little kid with cheddar cheese looking hair ran up to me.

“HEY! WE GOT A CUSTOMER!” The kid yelled at the top of her lungs. I backed away. My ears rang, although they were already ringing before I entered the restaurant, due to the cold.

“Shit! Shit!” I heard a squeaky voice respond. From the back, I noticed the sound of a door open, and then my eyes turned citrus: it was the same wavy green haired girl who I thought had died. She too saw me, and was taken aback as well.

“Uh? Can someone else take her order?” She looked around. “No? No one? Just me?”

She then looked up at me. I wasn’t quite sure what to say, though I was relieved, at the very least.

“Look, I…” She began as she shuffled her feet and looked down at the floor. “I’ve been avoiding the airport so I wouldn’t have to see you, ‘cause I, uh...feel bad about what I did. So yeah. Like, sorry, and stuff.”

“I’m just glad you’re alive,” I told her.

Once I said that, her expression changed from nervous to excitement as her eyes widened and her voice elevated.

“Really? Wow! Then I’ll be sure to come by again in the future! After all, I’m bound to nearly die again!”

“Maybe dial it back again?” I suggested with nervous laughter. “Besides that, I’d be happy to see you around.”

Would I? Yes, I said that, but was I just saying it to be nice? Not that I thought there was anything wrong with her, aside from tricking me and nearly getting herself killed, that is. Then again, I don’t know the whole story so I’d rather hold back judgment. Like I said, I’m just glad to see her alive. But does that translate to wanting to be friends with someone? Well, not that it was ever suggested. Maybe friendly, yes. As part of my job.

I was reminded of a poem I once wrote:

“One day I told a friend:

‘I don’t mind if you consider yourself unforgivable.’

Followed up by another statement,

‘I will remain beside you.’

But that was a daydream, a hypothetical situation.

Of a friend who didn’t exist.

Of one I wish I had so I could forgive.

Or, if I could be that friend, against all rationale

was forgiven.”

I remembered showing Dennys the poem when I wrote it and his reply was, “it’s a little on the nose, tbh.”

That response was something I would have expected from Kitten, being as blunt as she was, but Dennys was more known for smoking blunts, not being blunt. In turn, I grew defensive and went, “on the nose? Really? You’re saying I suck, then?”

“Nah,” he typed. “But come on. Obvs you feel bad for leaving home and being all alone, but you don’t wanna say it.”

“Then how should I be less ‘on the nose’?” I replied.

“Just be direct,” he responded with. I was puzzled, if I was being honest, but in my defiance, I was like, “fine. How’s this for direct?” And typed up a ‘poem’ on the spot:

“I’m restless.

I feel guilty about leaving things behind.

I’m anxious. I’m trans.

I don’t feel bad about saying it.

I’m uncomfortable in most situations.

That has more to do with anxiety than being trans.

I’m happy.

Also lonely.

I have trouble staying on a single topic.

Also I had an egg salad sandwich for breakfast.”

Then, I sent it to him. His response?

“Dang, that was the best thing you’ve ever written.”

“Fuck you,” I replied. Though I had to admit, I laughed.

“No, really. You should submit it, to, like, a waffle place. They’d probs pin it on their wall.”

“What. Does. That. What?”

“Yeah. Like, I don’t know. I just had this killer waffle burrito with pecans and maple syrup and it banged. Like, all the way.”

That was as much as I could remember of the conversation, which sucked, because there were probably more important things that were said right after that. Anyway, the first poem, more so than the second, reminded me of the little troublemaker waitress.

“Um? You alright there?” The girl asked me and I jumped.

“Yes, sorry. I spaced out.”

“Cool. So anyway, you gonna order anything?”

I thought it over. I was hungry, but I wasn’t sure what I would want to eat.

“For now, just some hot chocolate would be nice,” I told her.

“Cool, cool. I’ll go tell the manager,” she replied, then ran off into the kitchen.

The manager? Does she mean Ray?

“Hey! Cybele! Come sit down!” Sunny called to me. If she hadn’t, I might have stood in place for hours on end.

I walked over and sat next to Sunny, right across from the serious looking dark haired woman.

“Atta girl! Now sit on my lap!” Sunny patted her knees.

“No thank you,” I muttered. That was Sunny’s vibe: so energetic, so carefree and full of life. But sometimes, just a little too doting for comfort.

Everyone else gave off a different vibe, though they all seemed like they fit in just fine. Me, on the other hand, I knew I was going to be out of place from the moment I stepped in.

This isn’t my domain.

“So what brings you here, Cybele?” Sunny asked, though my focus turned to the person seated across from her. What kind of conversations were they having before I entered? Did I interrupt something? Something important?

“Oh, nothing really,” I replied. “There just haven’t been many people at the airport, so I figured I’d stop by.”

“Well, it’s good to see you!”

Then, the serious looking one extended her hand to me. I shook it.

“Nice to meet you, Cybele. My name is Rae Morris. I’m an accountant.”

“Your hand is remarkably warm,” I remarked. I guess. Damn, how I regretted using the word ‘remarkably.’

“No. You’re mistaken. It’s quite cold, actually,” she let go.

“Oh yeah, huh. Maybe you’re right. I was just outside for a while so maybe my hands haven’t quite warmed up yet.”

“Indeed,” she smiled.

“So, an accountant, huh? What are you here for?” I hoped my questioning didn’t come off as rude. My intention was the opposite.

“Ray hired me to manage his finances.”

“Isn’t that usually the manager’s job?” I felt like I dug myself deeper, but to my surprise, she didn’t seem the least bit annoyed.

“The interim manager doesn’t know math,” she explained. That just left me with more questions.

“Interim manager? What happened to Ray?”

“Oh hun,” Sunny put her hand on my shoulder. I really wanted to ask her to let go. “Ray’s in the hospital right now. He had a bit of an injury.”

“Oh…” I didn’t know how to react. I felt my heart sink into my chest. “I hope he gets better.”

“He will! He’s recovering! He’ll be back in no time!” Sunny reassured me.

“Who’s the manager, then?” I asked, and before anyone else could answer me, the green haired girl came up to me and handed me a mug of hot cocoa.

“The manager said this one’s on the house,” she told me.

“Thanks, but, uh –”

“I’m the manager!” Out stormed the cheddar cheese haired girl.

I was taken aback. “This kid?” I pointed.

Sunny giggled. “Ray thought it would be funny to put Tigershark in charge.”

“Tigershark?”

“Me!” The manager slammed her palm into her chest and declared. “The tiger-est! The shark-est! The best chef in the world!”

Well, that sure was something. I took a sip of the hot cocoa and was blown away.

“Do I taste nutmeg? And cinnamon?”

“Yes!” She put her hands on her hips and grinned.

“It’s really good.”

“I’ll go tell the chef! Wait! That’s me!” Tigershark then began to laugh a bellyful as she walked away.

The waitress then turned to Rae.

“I’m still not used to seeing you around,” she sounded like she suspected Rae of something. “And I haven’t seen Remora in days.”

“But Demetria, that is Rem –” Sunny began before Rae interrupted her.

“That is remarkable, indeed, Sunny. While I have no idea where Demetria’s friend may be, I hope that you will see her again soon.”

So Demetria was the troublemaker. Got it. I was getting acclimated now, I could feel it.

“Still,” Rae continued. “It really is a shame what happened to Ray. I heard some bastard shot his hand over some dispute. Now, who would react in such a manner is beyond me, but people these days.”

“But wasn’t the one who shot him y –” Sunny replied, but was cut off once again by Rae.

“Yes, Yukon gold potatoes. That will really do a man in. They’re so delicious, I don’t think even I would be able to resist.”

Ray was shot by potatoes? Gee, just goes to show how little I know. Now that I think of it, Ray...Rae…

“You know, your name is really similar to –” And just like Sunny, I too was interrupted.

“Ray’s, yes. That’s probably why he hired me.”

Yeah, that did sound like Ray, all right. Then again, I was reminded of a couple years ago when Ray came up to me out of the blue. I was in the “office” hanging some model airplanes from the ceiling when Ray barged in.

“Cybele, you won’t believe this!”

Probably not, I thought. Considering it’s from you. But I’ll nod along.

“So some of the regulars at the diner have said that they’ve seen this person around who looks an awful lot like one Ms. Rhea Flection. Now, you’re probably wondering who this mysterious woman is –”

What am I doing right now? What could I be doing right now? Is listening to Ray an effective use of my time, were the thoughts running through my head as he rambled on about some mysterious lady that had nothing to do with me.

“– So even though it’s probably nothing, I have a good feeling about this. Imagine: me meeting a hired killer. What would the odds be, huh? Still, if by some miracle she did exist, think of how good she would be for my restaurant!”

Oh dear. This is jaundice all over again.

Maybe it was something to do with the location that made people all weird. First there was Mr. Chambers, then Ray. At least with Ray, it seemed like he had managed to settle down and I didn’t hear much more from him about this (probably fictional) lady.

“Actually,” I told Rae. “Now that I think of it, there was someone else with a similar name as you that Ray told me about.”

As I said that, I watched Rae clench her fists and grind her teeth. I thought that maybe I had struck a nerve, but then she smiled once more.

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” she said, which sounded like a threat, though I would have rather seen it as a compliment.

“What? Really?” Demetria leaned in. “Yeah, I guess so. But Remora’s still cuter.”

“Demetria, Rae is –” Sunny was once again interrupted.

“Really wondering who this other person Ray told you about,” I watched as Rae’s eyes locked on mine.

“Oh, well, that,” I got all nervous. “I can’t really remember. I think she might have been native here?”

“Ah. Well, that explains it, then. I’m not from here.”

“You’re not?” I was surprised. She did look like someone who could have lived in Nuuk. Maybe it was the dark brown hair.

“I’m from Denmark. I’m just visiting. Hence why I can’t stop shivering here.”

That explained it. I should have realized.

“Hey!” Demetria leaned over and reached her hand out. “Are those my glasses?!”

Rae swiped Demetria’s hand away.

“Yes. But I didn’t steal them. I had Tigershark take them from your room.”

Demetria stood stunned. “It’s all coming together now…” She muttered. “You know, I would be jealous that you called Cybele cute, but after meeting Hera, I don’t even want to think about the word jealousy.”

“Hera?” Rae asked.

“Oh, you didn’t miss anything. She was just some assassin, apparently. She said I could be a janitor, which I guess is like an assassin, but –”

“No,” Rae wouldn’t let her finish. Which came as no surprise to me, given she did the same with Sunny. “I think you’re capable of better than that.”

“I dunno,” I spoke up. “I think custodians go underappreciated.”

“Yes, which is why I think she should find a place where her talents won’t go unnoticed,” Rae replied.

“That’s not the kind of janitors I’m talking about! And I only want to be noticed by you!” Demetria protested. Or argued. I wasn’t sure which, and if I tried to figure out which word was more appropriate, I might have missed a whole other conversation. Even if I had no stake in the whole thing, I figured any conversation they had would be far more interesting than anything I could bring to the table.

“I still can’t get over the fact that your hair isn’t red anymore,” Demetria added, or maybe a new conversation had started. I couldn’t tell which. I didn’t think that I missed anything, but at the same time, I didn’t notice any segue into that.

“Really?” Rae smiled. “But this is closer to my natural hair color and I figured it was time for a change. You know, before I dyed it red, my hair used to be blue.”

“Is that important?”

Good question, Demetria. Was there any significance in making such a comment? None that I could tell. So in my mind, it was just “much ado about hair color.”

“I don’t know. Sunny, do you think that’s important?”

Sunny gave a thumbs up. “It’s only important if you want it to be, dear!”

“Then no. It’s not important.”

“But what IS important is hugging Cybele! Because she’s so precious!”

Sunny then leaned over and wrapped her arms around my stomach with such a tight force. I just about jumped out of my seat and yelped in shock. Needless to say, I wasn’t prepared for something like that.

“Actually…” I spoke up. “I don’t like it when you pat my head or my shoulder or hug me without warning. It makes me uncomfortable,” the words forced their way out of me and I thought I was about to burst into tears.

Sunny let go and sat back up. She blinked and everyone else fell silent. I looked around the room.

“I’m sorry,” I tried to do damage control for myself. Even though I wasn’t quite sure what damage there even was.

“No, it’s okay,” Sunny smiled wide. “I had no idea, but now I know, so I’m sorry that I’ve made you uncomfortable! And we can do other comfortable things instead, right? Like go on a girls night out?”

“Don’t do it,” Demetria whispered my way. “She’ll take you to a volcano and try to sacrifice you there.”

I gulped. Was that true? No, that didn’t seem right.

“What about you, Demetria?” Sunny directed her attention away from me. Good. The less focus there was on me, the better.

“Not unless Remora comes along so I can impress her!”

“That’s between you and Remora,” Rae shook her head and smiled. “I’m Rae right now.”

Right now? I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but just hearing all four of them interact made me think of how quirky they all must have been. What fantastic lives they must have led. They really had that “main character” material. Even Rae.

But I on the other hand exhibited none of that.

There was that old saying, “everyone’s the main character of their own story,” but I never really saw myself that way. Whenever I thought about it, which I had ample time to do so, I couldn’t think of anything interesting about me. The closest thing might have been the interesting people who I met while daydreaming.

There was one day, several years back, when I lived in the city, and I had taken the subway train home. On one particular stop, an old lady got off and left behind a manila envelope. My instinct was to grab it, to try to run out and hand it to her, to tell her that she dropped it. But instead, I thought, “maybe she left it there on purpose? Maybe it has some secret documents that she wants people to find?” There was the possibility that if I were to open it, I would be thrust into a secret web full of conspiracy and espionage. I didn’t think I wanted that. So I ignored it and went home.

That was an odd memory to bring up, but it got me thinking about how often I was alone in that airport and if I really left any sort of impact on anyone.

“If I were to die, how long would it take someone to notice?” I blurted out. Without even thinking about it. Everyone else said nothing to that. Sunny had a worried expression, like maybe I was depressed or something, but I wasn’t. Rae responded:

“Not long. At first you think that no one really knows about you, right? But people start to notice after a while that you’re gone. So people begin to bring you up a lot more often in conversation, and everyone has all these little ideas about you. That said, if you wanted to go unnoticed, I don’t know what the best solution for that would be.”

Um. No. I didn’t expect such an answer. I didn’t even expect to say such a thing out loud.

“Sorry. I do want to be noticed. I just don’t really know where my head goes sometimes.”

That’s what I said, but I didn’t really like having the spotlight on me, either. Maybe there was a good way to describe being noticed without being noticed, but I didn’t know. All I knew is I kept making things uncomfortable for both me and everyone else.

I got up. It was too much to handle being there. Maybe I wasn’t in the right state to see others, and I had rushed it. “Thank you for the cocoa, and it was good to see you all. I’m going to head back now.”

Sunny got up behind me.

“Hey, it’s looking pretty bad out there. Wanna ride on my electric sled?”

That was a new one. I never knew she had one of those.

“Usually people have snowmobiles, but sure,” I let out a little laugh. “Why not?”

Well, I shrugged my shoulders and waved goodbye as Sunny brought out an electric sled and the two of us rode off. The whole trip back to the airport was a total rush. Maybe if nothing else, I could at least enjoy experiences like those.

#remoars full #writing #stories #autobiographical #cybele #flight attendant #fiction #slice of life #average #normal #creative writing

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ember-arrow · 5 years ago

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Never-Ending Survey || Hilven Morrow

RULES: Repost, do not reblog. Tag 10 blogs!

tagged by: @blood-of-the-dragons, @lavender-hemlock and @afreesworn (Thank you so much, the peer pressure was stroooonk)

tagging: @finishing-touch (THAT’S 5, BISH), @asraha, @whitherwanderer, @s-udarshana, @ahlis-xiv, @kazexvoss, @cfs-melkire, @gvnbreaker, @the-hawkeyes, @ephemeralrequital

BASICS.

FULL NAME: Hilven Morrow

NICKNAME: That bitch

AGE: 28

BIRTHDAY: 14th Sun of the 6th Astral Moon

ETHNIC GROUP: Highlander Hyur

NATIONALITY: Ala Mhigan by birth

LANGUAGE/S: Common, laughably poor Huntspeak

SEXUAL ORIENTATION : Heterosexual

ROMANTIC ORIENTATION : Aromantic.

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single

HOME TOWN / AREA: Ala Ghanna, Gyr Abania

CURRENT HOME: The deserts of Thanalan, though she may languish in Forgotten Springs for as long as she remains in good standing with the locals.

PROFESSION: Hunter, Tracker, Racketeer, Extortionist

PHYSICAL.

HAIR: Light blonde, falls to her shoulder blades

EYES: Sharp, pale blue

FACE: Oval, high cheekbones, somewhat severe-looking features

LIPS: Full, dusky, often curled in a smirk.

COMPLEXION: Tan

BLEMISHES: A small mole just below the right corner of her mouth

SCARS: Dark, discolored skin over both knees; the ghost of a gash from right elbow to wrist. There will soon be a fresh one in her left side, below her ribs.

TATTOOS: A faded yet striking black tattoo on the left side of her face, done in the fashion of an ancient Ala Mhigan sigil. She may or may not recall its meaning.

HEIGHT: 5′9″

WEIGHT: Constantly waffling between healthy and underweight for her height

BUILD: Athletic gradually transitioning to lean

FEATURES: Arched brows, a smokey layer of kohl smeared over her eyes

ALLERGIES: None

USUAL HAIR STYLE: Half-up in a loose plait

USUAL FACE LOOK : Keen-eyed, alert, and either smirking, or scowling

USUAL CLOTHING: Well-worn leather, thigh-high boots, belts and bandoleers, torn flounces, a tan turban and silver goggles, a trio of pilfered necklaces and medallions

PSYCHOLOGY.

FEAR/S: Deep water, open water, drowning, capture

ASPIRATION/S: To live free without compromise; to escape the consequences of her choices; to accrue enough gil to purchase the freedom she desires

POSITIVE TRAITS: Clever, hardy, inconspicuous, silver-tongued

NEGATIVE TRAITS: Stubborn, shrewd, apathetic, paranoid

TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine

SOUL TYPE/S: The Sage

ANIMALS: Jackal

VICE HABIT/S: Drinking, swindling, amassing loans she will never repay

FAITH: Agnostic at best, often only beseeching Nald or Thal in times of need, as her most desperate moments typically pertain to death and money.

GHOSTS?: Maybe

AFTERLIFE?: Also a maybe

REINCARNATION?: No

POLITICAL ALIGNMENT: Once a firebrand for Ala Mhigan liberation, now mostly disinterested in politics

EDUCATION LEVEL: Self-educated, with gaps; Well-read and spoken, but lacking any mathematical prowess

FAMILY.

FATHER : Deceased

MOTHER : Deceased

SIBLINGS : None

EXTENDED FAMILY: None to her knowledge

NAME MEANING/S: I thought I made this name up, but after some light googling, it’s a form of “Hilve,” which in a Finnish form of the Swedish “Hilvi,” which means “Strong Warrior.” Go figure.

HISTORICAL CONNECTION?: No.

FAVORITES.

BOOK: Textbooks

DEITY: Nald’thal

HOLIDAY: All Saint’s Wake

MONTH: What month is it right now? That one.

SEASON: Winter

PLACE: At the desert’s edges, under the shade of an awning.

WEATHER: Rain

SOUND / S: Silence

SCENT / S: Woodsmoke and lavender

TASTE / S: Wine, fresh melon, rosemary, cool water

FEEL / S: Worn leather, the weight of a knife, the bite of coarse rope

ANIMAL / S: Ducks, dogs, rodents

NUMBER: 8

COLORS: Sky blue, gold, rust

EXTRA.

TALENTS: Silver-tongued, persuasive, hard to kill, deception, sleight of hand, archery, fletching, tracking, making enemies

BAD AT: Staying out of trouble, swordplay, making friends, talking to children

TURN ONS: Uhhhh power struggles, ropes, height differences, gags, domineering personalities, being on-eupped

TURN OFFS: Weakness, blood, foul odors, poor taste in music

HOBBIES: Who has time for hobbies? Target practice, hunting for sport (and snacks), botany

TROPES: Dark action girl, The Woobie because I said so, look I don’t actually know very many tropes

QUOTES : No?

MUN QUESTIONS.

Q1 : If you could write your character your way in their own movie, what would it be called, what style would it be filmed in, and what would it be about?

A1 : It’d be a Scorsese movie shot in the style of the Departed, and would follow Hilven’s journey into the Ala Mhigan resistance, the beginning of the long con, her timely exit, and the subsequent fallout.

Q2 : What would their soundtrack/score sound like?

A2 : Moody, melodic, with occasionally discordant and unsettling tracks. Some lyrical songs, but nothing in English.

Q3 : Why did you start writing this character?

A3 : I have no clue, really. I wanted to roleplay, and I wanted to roleplay a character paying the price for a life of lies and hubris.

Q4 : What first attracted you to this character?

A4 : Her spooky blue eyes. I’m a simple mun, ok.

Q5 : Describe the biggest thing you dislike about your muse.

A5 : She just isn’t nice, even when I want her to be. It doesn’t make sense. And I love soft things. She is not soft. It’s better this way. This is what alts are for.

Q6 : What do you have in common with your muse?

A6 : I too have long hair and did an archery once. We’re also the same height.

Q7 : How does your muse feel about you?

A7 : I refuse to acknowledge that my muse knows I exist because that is weird to me.

Q8 : What characters does your muse have interesting interactions with ?

A8 : The Drake tribe of Forgotten Springs. They’re the closest thing she has to allies, and even then, their favor is fickle.

Q9 : What gives you inspiration to write your muse ?

A9 : Music, always music.

Q10 : How long did this take you to complete ?

A10 : Days and days and days because I procrastinated well.

#prompts #memes #oh my god this was a long one #please skip if this isn't your cup of tea but I am also super curious #except finishing-touch you're not allowed to skip we talked about this

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hows-it-holed-up · 5 years ago

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Perfunctory Photo Recap: The O.C. 2x14

Up until now I’ve only been doing these recaps for pilots, but getting stuck watching only pilots – which are usually the absolute worst episodes – of series I love sounds pretty grim. So as of now, any iconic episodes of any show are fair game. ERGO, despite the fact that The O.C. has what I’m fairly sure is a phenomenal pilot, I’m skipping ahead to the February sweeps episode of the show’s second season: “The Rainy Day Women.” If I remember correctly, it’s extremely emotionally satisfying and I will probably spend the last 15 minutes just pressing my hand to my own sternum and sighing.

My Disclaimer: None of these posts will be in any way comprehensive, because I’m lazy. All of them are probably going to have spoilers of some sort for the entire series…or at least what I remember of it from when I last watched it an eon ago. Exactly what you want in a recap!

California, Here We Come: Kirsten and Sandy (aka Mom and Dad) have been fighting because the former love of his life needed some PRETTY INTENSE legal help, and he jumped at the chance. Kirsten understandably doesn’t love this! Meanwhile, Summer is about to jet off to Italy for her BF Zach’s sister’s wedding, because somehow we’re still pretending like this is a thing. Plus some other stuff is going on with some other characters blah blah who cares. Welcome to The O.C., bitch!

I read somewhere that Josh Schwartz always hated this title sequence – that he could never find something he was super satisfied with and just kind of acquiesced to this. Meanwhile the rest of us are screaming the words to “California” while we head bang and strum our air guitars, every episode.

In the first big scene, we catch up with Mom and Dad, who have been struggling for a few episodes because an old flame came back into his life asking for help, and he dove in head first.

Kirsten is not pleased. This Rebecca situation was so heartbreaking. Sandy Cohen’s whole thing is that he always does what’s right. This was one of the only times in the series it felt like he had other viable options and he was obviously misstepping. I’m with Kiki here.

Oh hello Olivia Wilde! I forgot you were in this show! She’s insanely beautiful, obviously, but those mid-aughts pencil-thin eyebrows didn’t do anyone any favors. Not that I would know anything about this personally, of course.

And not doing the show itself any favors 15 years out: this “Marissa is a lesbian but it’s definitely just a phase” storyline. I remember thinking it was a little gratuitous and questionable even back in ‘05.

Speaking of questionable plots: We’ve been strung along for half a season watching Seth trying to win Summer back and her rebuffing him. And Summer’s right – it WAS pretty annoying! Seth’s still at it, heading over to her place as she’s packing for Zach’s sister’s wedding in Italy, but...not really having anything to say! (i.e. still not there to advance the plot.)

We get a brief interlude to watch Julie Cooper think about how she could snip the tip off her husband’s penis.

And then we’re back to the real story. Although I’d honestly rather stick with Julie because:

SANDY. NO. THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE! You cannot spend the night in a hotel room with your ex. You also cannot drink wine on the floor of said hotel room with said ex! Stop it!

Seriously. You know what could happen.

Anyway, Seth thinks he’s figured out how he might actually be able to move the needle with Summer. He’s bought his boat back and is going to take her...sailing in the pool? Sure! Foolproof!

I had a literature professor in college who would bring this show up in class every week, linking it to whatever we were reading at the time. He didn’t do this because he thought he was bridging some kind of gap between us and the material – only about 1/4 of the class even watched this show. He just did it because it made him happy. This “objective correlative” reference really made me think about him and chuckle.

At the airport on her way to Italy, Summer sees a little boy playing with a horse on top of some comic books. I guess she’s like, “Even though I’m only supposed to be 17 my biological clock is already ticking,” and she ditches Zach and heads to Seth’s.

Checking in with our other couple, Sandy has finally (sort of) come to his senses and headed home – after Rebecca straight up ran away from him because she was about to get caught by the cops. Helps when the universe just makes decisions for you, I guess!

Ehhhhh I mean it started a little!

Anyway, they kiss, and it’s very sweet. And we’re all breathing a sigh of relief. And we won’t sic Julie on him just yet.

Meanwhile, their son is on the roof attempting to adjust the satellite. He’s put on a Spiderman mask because it’s all he’s got to protect his head from the rain, somehow, and he’s decided the only safety precaution he needs is A ROPE TIED AROUND HIS MIDSECTION. Things, predictably, go awry.

HOW did Seth not get literally sliced in half by this? He must have slid like 30-40 feet from the top of the roof to where he’s dangling. I have no interest in doing the calculations to verify this statement, but I’m pretty sure we’re at least looking at some internal bleeding here.

Anyway, Summer arrives, finds Seth dangling in the back, and:

The emotional payoff for this arc, now that it’s FINALLY concluded, is excellent. And what a delightful way to anchor it for this character.

It’s hard not to love this scene – it’s heartwarming. But with the benefit of 15 years and a rewatch, it also seems like this must have been VERY uncomfortable to film. Like apart from having to hang upside down for who knows how long, how was there not water dripping down Adam Brody’s (or more likely, this stunt person’s) nose the entire time?? Somebody call OSHA!

Musings from the Poolhouse:

- This show is disguised as a teen soap, but it’s so much more than that. Between its overarching commentary on privilege and the status quo and its own self-awareness (exemplified by winks at the audience like show-within-a-show-cum-commentary-on-itself-AND-reality-television, The Valley), The O.C. is one of the cleverest series ever to grace network television. Despite a few things not aging particularly well, it’s still a really fun experience to watch it. Except for season 3. Skip season 3.

- Julie. Cooper. JUST. YES. YES YES YES.

- Marissa’s face when Alex is talking to her about having to do things like take out garbage and pay rent made me LOL.

- I may have been projecting a little bit about the kid with the horse at the airport. He was very cute. And I think my own ovaries have kicked into high gear.

- There was an entire (C? D? E?) plot in this episode about Lindsay’s paternity and moving to Chicago and some other stuff I can’t bring myself to care about. Ben McKenzie and Shannon Lucio had like negative chemistry, so despite the show’s best efforts to make us invested in that relationship, it just wasn’t landing. I remember caring way more about her storyline with her mom, Caleb, Kirsten, even Seth. So, shrug, she’s moving to Chicago I guess!

- Josh Schwartz is so good at music! Apart from Phantom Planet (obviously), I clocked Blind Melon, Louis XIV, Boyz II Men, Bell X1 and Matt Pond PA (covering Oasis) in this episode. A real auditory journey down memory lane. Did I miss any?

#tv recap #spoilers #the oc #2x14 #the rainy day women

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matsurimatsumoto · 6 years ago

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FF XIV Shadowbringers

First of all i will spoiler you guys so when you are not far enough please avoid my detailed text! otherwise have much fun with my long post :) (huge spoiler!)

I was really impressed with the new world we entered. Everything was so refreshing for me. The music was more than beautiful. For me it was really breathtaking and emotional touching. do not get me wrong. all other soundtracks until then were incomparably enchanting and had their charm but shadowbringers topped all the soundtracks in my opinion. The music is very emotional and very dramatic and i really love that a lot!

then the new journey began for our warrior of light or should I say warrior of darkness?

chosen by the Crystal Exarch we ended up in this new world and omg this scene was so heartbreaking! we saw so many characters that we love in those small crystals. (Haurchefant for example T.T) that was a really nice start for shadowbringers.

As you had to decide between the places I wanted to meet Alphinaud first again. Anyone who follows my Tumblr blog knows that I really love Alphinaud and that he also helped me in real life many times because he gives me strength everytime. To see that he is getting more mature fills me with joy and from him I have learned that it is never too late to take another step forward.

What I love about shadowbringers and generally about ff14 is the fact that you include many characters in your heart and i have noticed that especially in shadowbringers! so many characters are suffering from their past and their present. I have never shed so many tears as by shadowbringers.

For example Emet-Selch. He suffered so much in the years he lived and he wanted only what he loved the most. I can totally understand his actions against us. (but not what he did to the Crystal Exarch and the Scions) I’m sad about his fate and i really was hoping he would change his mind especially in the finale scene were he was forced to decide which side he would stay now. (Let me hope!)

Then we have our little sunshine and gentleman here. The Cristal Exarch, G’raha Tia! I was so so happy to see him again and at the same time I was touched emotionally when I heard his story. He too went through a lot. (The sentences in the second picture is in german and means “Farewell, my heroine. My great idol.” I do not know if I translated that well but I hope you understand that. :) )

Here we have our precious Ardbert. He has for me one of the saddest stories a character can experience. I felt sorry for him all the time and I wanted to hug him every time. However I was very happy when he started smiling again and helped our warrior. Ardbert managed to land in first place next to Alphinaud and both have conquered my heart ♥ ♥ ♥ (I ship my warrior with these two so hard *cough*)

and here comes the finale part now:

What i really love the most about shadowbringers was the fact that our warrior was in danger, nearly dying and needed help from her friends.

our warrior was feeling worse and worse and the more she got desperate, the worse it became.

she had too much light in her. Every time I saw that, I worried about my warrior.

but

It shows that heroes also need help from others and that is what I like a lot. If you can rely on others and trust, the feeling of being strong again is the most beautiful. That we are not alone and that we all don’t give up.

That's why I really wanted to write a summary about shadowbringers because it has taught me a lot. I hope so much that ff xiv gets much more attention because it deserves that. Everyone who has worked on this masterpiece has my fullest respect.

Thank you so much for this masterpiece Square Enix, Naoki Yoshida and the whole Final Fantasy XIV Team!

#ffxiv #shadowbringers #spoiler #5.0 spoilers #FINALFANTASYXIV #ffxiv spoilers #ff xiv #thankyou #masterpiece #Final Fantasy 14 #Final Fantasy XIV

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rune-writes · 2 years ago

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By the Babbling Brook

Fandom: Final Fantasy XIV

Word count: 989

Rating: G

Summary: Nayra tells Alisaie about her first meeting with G'raha

Note: written for the fluffvember thing on twitter. Day 1 prompt: First Meeting/First Kiss

Read on AO3.

~*~*~*~*~

“So,” Alisaie began when they were half a malm away from Castrum Oriens. “How did you meet him?”

They’d been sent out to scout the area for potential spies, traps, or any refugees wanting protection. But the East End was fairly quiet that night. The thick boughs hid most of the starlight—and moonlight, as a quick glimpse upward had shown Nayra the faint silhouette of a crescent moon behind thin strips of clouds. Both she and Alisaie had kept their steps light. But between hooting owls and the wind's whisper, there had been nothing much of note.

Nayra glanced over her shoulder at the young elezen, who skirted what looked like a lump of dung left by the local bears.

“Who?” she asked back.

Alisaie rolled her eyes. “Your friend.”

Friend?

Nayra pondered for a whole minute before an earlier conversation came to her mind. Prior to their journey across Baelsar's Wall, she’d told her of a friend she had slumbering inside the Crystal Tower.

“G’raha?”

The elezen nodded.

The sound of babbling water brought her attention to a creek cutting through the eastern side of East End. A small wooden bridge led across it and beyond, the trees fell away to a plain of rocks and a river far ahead. Nayra stopped in her tracks, finding the end of their scouting area.

Outside of the usual beasts—of which they’d steered clear off—there was nothing out of the ordinary. She thought to return, but the river bank looked enticing, and after an entire day coordinating with Raubahn and Conrad, surely a quick rest wouldn’t hurt anyone. She looked at Alisaie, then nodded at the waterbed. The elezen quirked an eyebrow. Without waiting for her reply, Nayra looked for a good place to sit, free of pebbles and uneven ground, then took a seat and dangled her knees down the side. She patted the spot next to her, and after a sigh and a shrug and a chuckle, Alisaie joined her on the creek.

“We met when we were children,” Nayra said once Alisaie had settled down. The current was slow and shallow. Every now and then, Nayra dipped the toes of her boots beneath it, only to raise them up again before Tataru had a fit at how wet her gifts had become. “I was nine-ish? Ten, maybe? My parents and I were traveling to Mor Dhona. They’re traveling merchants, by the way, so we always went to places. We were visiting this village on the southeastern side of Mor Dhona when I saw him.”

The memory surfaced to her mind—of these long-gone huts and the people working there. Her father’s client had been the smith, who had been looking for rare ores found in the precipitous cliffs of the area. While her parents had been completing the transaction, Nayra had noticed a group of children ganging up on a boy.

“He was being bullied when I first met him,” Nayra added with a chuckle.

“And let me guess: you came to his rescue like the knight in shining armor that you are.”

“I’m not a knight,” Nayra said, scoffing.

“Oh please, after all you’ve accomplished, I dare say you’re more deserving of the title than all the knights of Ishgard combined.”

“You’re exaggerating,” she replied with a laugh. “But, yes, I did go to his help.”

“See?!”

Nayra ignored her outburst though a soft chuckle bubbled out of her chest.

“Anyway, I helped him out of a tight spot and…he was obnoxious at the start, but, well, I warmed up to him.” Nayra broke into a smile. “He wasn’t from here—moved away from home due to reasons—but he knew a lot of things. He liked books the most, and this one time, he told me of a tale his elders used to tell him. Of dragons and empires. The way his face lit up every time he talked about it…”

She remembered it: the bank of a babbling brook beneath the boughs of great trees, sitting on a place very much like this. Raha would sit next to her, their feet dangling down the side, as he told her tales after tales of far away countries or fallen empires. Every once in a while, he’d dip his feet in the water and comment at how warm it was. Sharlayan was always cold all year around and so it brought him joy every time he came to visit Eorzea.

“Do you miss him?” Alisaie asked.

Nayra stopped playing with her feet in the water. The wind blew unusually cold. Judging by the gathering clouds, a shower might not be far behind.

“He did what he had to do,” came her quiet reply. “I’ve not the right to speak against it.”

Her chest rose then fell, trembling as she tried to close that chapter of her past. Shuddering in the sudden coldness of the air, Nayra pushed herself to her feet.

“Come on,” she said, “let’s go. We have reports to give.”

Alisaie’s face spoke of unspoken words, and maybe half of Nayra would appreciate the ear her friend was lending, but the other half would rather Alisaie let it rest. She'd set her gaze on her path ahead. There was no merit in looking back.

Her face might have shown whatever conflicting emotions were battling in her heart, because then, Alisaie pursed her lips, then drew a deep breath. “We shouldn’t keep them waiting then.” She rose to her feet then stretched her arms. “But I would very much appreciate it if you could stop keeping things to yourself. The Twelve know how much you can take before you burst.”

Her unexpected, yet not unwelcome, jibe gave Nayra pause. Had it been any other person, Nayra would have taken it personally, but maybe it was Alisaie's plain honesty that prompted her to respond in kind.

“Of course,” she said, and there was no lie in her heart. “I promise.”

~ END ~

#wolgraha #wolraha #graha tia #alisaie #fluffvember #alisaie leveilleur #warrior of light #wol #final fantasy xiv #ffxiv #ff14 #fanfiction #ff fanfic #ff14 fanfic #fluffvember2022

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keylimecliche · 7 years ago

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Versailles AU/Fake Marriage AU

OOF. SO this turned out to be much longer of a babble than I intended :D;; so I put it under Read More so no one’s dash is cluttered. This is an AU I’ve had in mind for years! But I’ve never made an aesthetic for it until now. I’m such a huge Versailles geek (not only the show but the place itself) and Louis XIV is my favorite monarch so OFC I had to write something about it. I’m also a huge fan of fake marriage AUs and what a better setting than another country to put these two salty squires and make them get along >) ?

True I always did imagine this as a Jane/Louis fic, but my endgame for it was always Janther. I also pictured this being a heavy enemies to friends story with the hint of lovers and not the usual Janther romance. Although I don’t really picture this being a crossover of the two shows, moreover just inspiration taken from Versailles TV, I love the charm, brattiness, and sensuality George Blagden brings to Louis XIV so I had to use him as a face claim and muse. He’s wonderful! c:

The ride to the palace had been a grueling, long journey. One that Jane never cared to repeat again. She’d become so used to blocking off her surroundings, just staring off into the distance imagining herself flying far away on Dragon, free from the form fitting corset around her waist, the strange smell of the carriage’s cushions, and Gunther’s encumbering presence across from her that she didn’t even notice when the carriage stopped. It wasn’t until Gunther cleared his throat that she turned, and from the overbearing brightness outside the door she saw him extend a hand outward to her in waiting.

“Please, lend me the honor of helping you” the words were dull and spilled from his mouth with difficulty “my loving wife.”

Jane swallowed down her frown and took his hand.

The outside of Versailles had been far too big for Jane’s liking. Perhaps if it was a proper castle, something made for defense and safety, then she would understand, but this--this was simply an ornament. A grand gesture of pompous propriety that the French were so well known for. She remembered Jester telling her grand tales of the French court; the dazzling women and men who wore dresses bigger than furniture and heavier than armor. He also warned her about the fallacious gossip and wandering eyes among the aristocrats. Stories that went as far back as Catherine de Medici and got no better with time.

Sadly, he was right about it all. Now those big-dressed individuals were all looking right at her as she passed with Gunther in hand. They weren’t saying anything, but she could practically hear their minds buzzing with anticipation to gabble as soon as the knights were out of earshot. She cast Gunther a subtle glance, but his expression was unreadable. His eyes stared forward as they strode, two set stones reflecting the brightness of Versailles like the sun, though the grip of his hand on her arm betrayed him. He was nervous and possibly as disdained as she felt. Her own hand tightened against him until she heard him take in a small breath. His eyes met hers in what she believed was gratitude.

Their footsteps echoed through the parted crowd without rivalry. Behind them the door began to close, and a split second before it met its frame, Jane heard the room erupt into whispers.

The king was everything Jane heard he was--well everything except magnificent. What was supposed to be magnificent came off very clearly as flamboyancy. That was Jane’s first impression, which she tried to keep as best hidden as possible through her tight smile. If they were to asses the full force of the French and bring back a possible treaty to Kippernia, then the last thing she should do was look as disgusted as she felt. And she felt very disgusted. It seemed that both the men and women of the court were either unconditionally loyal, or they had all fallen in love with their king with the way they all swarmed around him like an angel landing from the heavens.

‘Do not fall in love with him’ Jester’s joke chimed in her memory ‘King Louis XIV is said to gain the heart of any woman he sets his eyes on. Nuptials be damned--even if it is a fake marriage’. She couldn’t tell if the slight worry pulling on the edge of his lips was from Gunther being her supposed husband, or from actual concern that she would fall for the philanderer. Either way, Jane had heartedly laughed back then, and could have done so again now.

‘That man, thee wooer of women?’

Compared to any man in Kippernia, he was barely a man at all. His hair was longer than her own, and there was a frailty to him that made it apparent he had never sweated a day in his life. Yes, Jane could have guffawed as she looked up at him from his perch atop the staircase.

She didn’t though. Instead she bowed when Gunther did, a few paces behind him. There were no female knights in Versailles, no equal comrade to a man. At least, that the court knew of. Jane smiled despite herself, glad to be momentarily covered by her lowered head. “It is a great honor to meet you King Louis XIV” Gunther began “my wife and I have traveled all the way from Kippernia and I must say I am dumbstruck by Versailles’ beauty.”

Louis’ expression didn’t even flinch. In fact, he looked somewhat displeased with Gunther as he began to make his way down the steps in an agonizingly languid pace. Several men offered their hands to him along the way, but Louis merely brushed them off with a wave. Jane noticed they looked almost humbled by their king’s rudeness. The Sun King they called him. The Sun King indeed.

When the monarch finally met eye to eye with Gunther, he had to stay a step above him to do so, he patted him on the shoulder like some type of dog who had performed a particularly pleasant trick. Jane could see Gunther’s back stiffen in repressed agitation.

“And your wife?” Louis XIV finally spoke.

“Excuse me your Highness?”

“And your wife? Is she not impressed by palace?”

“No--she, of course she is” Gunther struggled to find the correct words.

“She does not seem very impressed at all” Louis’ eyebrows raised as he glanced over at Jane. She found his piercing blue eyes unsettling, almost as if he could unravel her if he stared at her long enough. The dagger hidden away in her skirts felt overwhelming noticeable in that moment.

“She is merely tired my king” Gunther’s voice was surprisingly steady, and luckily managed to pull the king’s attention back to him. “Forgive her for any face she may be making. I know she can appear a bit...harsh at times. The sight of her is not always gentle on the soul.” That last line was clearly a jab she would have to let go for now.

The king was quiet for a while, then without warning he burst into laughter. He laughed until everyone in the grand hall suddenly started laughing with him, and Jane found herself somewhat awed and afraid of this one man’s control over so many people. She laughed as well for good measure.

“I love Kippernians” Louis XIV said with a small shake of Gunther’s shoulder. “I have heard you are all very amusing. Come now, let me walk you two to your bedchamber while you continue to humor me with your stories of home. You are popular for your herrings correct?”

“Yes your Highness” Gunther agreed. Relief was practically spelled on his face. She followed behind the two, feeling oddly uneasy as Louis looked behind his shoulder to cast her one last, lingering glance.

“You spar?” Louis asked with a glint in his eye. He swung his sword gracefully around one hand and spun it to the next.

“No my lord, of course not” she lied, trying to not be enticed by the way the hilt shined against the light of the garden’s candles. It was an enchanting sight. “A lady of the court--” but he didn’t let her finish as he tossed the sword recklessly at her; Jane’s instincts overtook her and she caught the wobbling sword in her hand steadily. Louis laughed; it was a boyish, light thing. Nothing like the fake titters that grated her ears so many times before.

“Honestly Jane? You expect me to believe that a mere woman of the court would know how to do that?” With an amused smile he grabbed for another sword on the rack. “You cannot fool me. I know a warrior when I see one.” His hand waved the sword in a circular motion and he bowed to her in a quick show of respect.

“I--well I--”

“When?” he asked in a slight huff, flipping his hair to the opposite side of his shoulder. Jane followed the way it draped along the side of his neck and sat on across his shoulders; it too shined rather brilliantly against the dark. “When are you planning to reveal the true you? Not this--this boring Jane you have constructed in order to appease French court, but the actual Jane Breech. Where is she?” He began making his way towards her, and Jane gripped the handle of the sword nervously. Why was he looking at her that way?

“Is she here?” he patted one of her sides with the flat end of his sword, as if searching her. “Or here perhaps?” he raised her opposite arm to peek underneath.

Jane chuckled at his foolishness. “Stop that now, do not be so--”

“Foolish?”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Only fools keep lies Jane” he teased with a baiting smile. He looked so...human in front of her, dressed in nothing more than a loose white shirt, waistcoat and breeches. Not at all like the haughty peacock he usually resembled. Even his stance was relaxed, natural. Was it because no one was here to observe him except her?

“Then we are all fools.”

“Touché” he rolled his eyes but his smile stayed. She could tell he was completely amused by her like he had been a day prior at the dinner table. Gunther was still not speaking to her over the incident; a Breech’s bruised ego was a difficult injury to cure. “Do you always have something witty to say? I must admit I rather fancy that.”

“In a woman?” The question came out uninvited and Jane tapped the sword against her ankle punishingly.

“In anyone” he admitted. “Sometimes even my most trusted confidantes can be a bit boring. A bit too--polite if you will. I feel as if everyone around me walks on egg shells.”

“I wonder why that might be?” ‘Bogweevils Jane, do keep that mouth quiet!‘

Louis’s eyebrows raised with mischievous glee. The blue of his eyes was playful and friendly and not at all like Gunther’s murky, cold tone. “Careful my lady, or I might just imprison you for being too cheeky with the King of France. Or worse” he took a couple steps back and spun the sword in his hand again “give you an embarrassing defeat. One you will have to live with for the rest of your life.”

She smiled, taking on his playful one--or had she been using it all this time? “I do not think that is very fair. Seeing as a hit against the king is a hit against an entire nation.”

“True” he thought for a moment before proceeding “Well then, do not see me as a king. Merely, see me as a man. As Louis. And I shall see you as Jane. Then when one of us faces sure failure, the other cannot use their title against them. Is that a fair deal?”

Jane hesitated; her heart was beating against her chest. She hadn’t played around like this since she was a child, and in truth she missed it but...

“...Jane?” Louis called after a moment of her reluctant silence, and there that look on his face; the kind he had when readying himself for rejection, one she’d seen on him before in the dance hall, and after speaking in hushed tones with his brother. One that she found she couldn’t take anymore. Her heart pulled even stronger for him now than before.

“Alright” Jane readied herself, weighing the sword in her hand better until it fit like a glove against her skin. “But do not cry when I best you.”

Their animosity towards one another had only heightened within the days. Merely being in the same room was stifling no matter how large it was in size, but both had made a vow to their king, and what were they except failures if they didn’t see that promise through? After their talk yesterday Jane felt more at ease; Gunther genuinely appeared to want to make things right with her from then on and he had fulfilled his side of the bargain thus far. No unnecessary insults were thrown betwixt the two, and despite Gunther’s apparent uneasiness earlier, he was beginning to calm as the night went on. In all honesty, Jane didn’t expect him to dance half as much as he did, especially with her. Perhaps it was his way to make amends? She looked up at the masked man and although she couldn’t actually see his face, it felt as if he were almost smiling at her. She could almost feel his presence radiate through the painted face. It was in the way his hands held her own, in the posture of his shoulders, in the manner in which his body moved with hers like the tides of the ocean’s shore.

In the recesses of Jane’s mind, where she sometimes--embarrassingly--thought of him as something more than Gunther, she knew she wanted to keep an image of him like this. It was that corner that she held onto all peculiar thoughts and emotions regarding him. It all started on one particular evening when he turned to smile at her, and the sun’s passing light made his features soft and warm. Jane’s heart has skipped a beat then, and for a split moment she had the overwhelming urge to kiss him. To simply hold his face in her hands, reach up, and kiss him.

The thought was quickly dismissed without notice from her fellow squire, but it took a rather impressionable sucker-punch at her emotions. And all night long she contemplated where it had come from and why it was there until she could make some sense of it. She never did. So she merely kept adding to the mound whenever she found herself thinking of him that way, or more accurately, cramming such nonsense into a small space in the back of her mind as she could fit. Yet this one, this one moment she wanted to keep fondly. Her eyes capturing every twist and turn and subtlety to record into memory.

When the music stopped Gunther gave a small bow and turned to leave. He had left her about a dozen times tonight, coming and going, sometimes complaining about the food or the heat and other times staying completely silent. His behavior had been erratic the entire ball, and while she normally had no objections to him leaving there was just something about him now that made it difficult for her to watch him go. Were they not perfectly in sync with one another just a few moments ago? Did he not feel this energy betwixt them? Was he not having a good time like she was?

“Wait” she caught him by the wrist. Her cheeks burned as she spoke “Do not go please. I...do not wish to be left alone again.” She must’ve looked like a sad puppy, almost begging him to stay and she found that she could not hold his gaze beyond the mask. When he said nothing she dropped his wrist, ashamed she’d even brought it up. To her surprise, he took her hand and led her through the crowd. He walked on without a word until they had made it to a remote balcony Jane had only seen a few times in passing. Once there he stopped to look at her again. Jane somehow knew he was trying to tell her something, to convey what he was feeling but this time the meaning was lost to her.

“Gunther...”

A gloved hand came up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes. It stopped at her temple and caressed her cheek. It was the lightest touch Jane had ever felt.

“No...you are not Gunther” Jane realized. Gunther would never have touched her with such fondness. His touches could be gentle yes, but they were careful not loving. His presence wasn’t so intrinsically radiating, so powerful and self knowing; Gunther could only wish to give such a genuine aura of confidence through his everyday play pretend. No, she should’ve realized it earlier--and maybe on a small scale she had, she just didn’t want to admit it to herself. Perhaps she wanted to believe it was Gunther because it was easier to fall for him this way, to want for their relationship to improve from the mess it had become. She swallowed, feeling lost and afraid and yet so found. “I know who you are.”

“Pity” Louis replied, sounding melancholy even through the muffle of the mask “I almost wished you had not noticed at all.” He took it off with an ease she almost envied, remembering the struggle she’d gone through in failing to take off her own. “You look absolutely charming when you dance.”

The threat of hot tears began to spring into the corners of her eyes. Jane would much rather throw herself from the balcony than let a single tear spill, but it’d been too much. Fighting with Gunther, witnessing the court treating her like family one moment then like she had spit in their pudding another, the secrecy, the plotting, the constant worry of failure and death--Versailles. Versailles was too much for her. Its people and especially its king, was nothing like the honest kin found back home in her humble, little kingdom in the crook of nowhere. This was like a never ending dream and a constant nightmare all at once and she wanted to scream until her lungs gave out. “You make a sport of me? Of my emotions?” her fists clenched and she drew a power she didn’t know she had to stop herself from punching him then and there. “Are you enjoying your little game?”

“Jane” Louis looked horrified, his frown deep with concern “I--I did not mean...” he went to touch her again but she slapped his hand away, politeness be damned. He looked stunned at first, clearly not used to the sting of physical aggression. Jane waited for him to throw another one of his tantrums, to command her to apologize, or bring her back inside to humiliate her in front of an expecting crowd. To everything she’d expected him to be--but he did not. He looked at her instead, searching her face for some sort of answer; it wasn’t at all demanding, but rather pleading, almost desperate in its sincerity. Jane looked back and in her search tried to find answers of her own. She wanted to know even the smallest trace of who he was, this enigma, and found herself fulfilled by his response. For in Louis’ eyes she found what she had been looking for all along: honesty. Without fail or reservation it was there, open and giving yet waiting for nothing in return. A reprieve of her time spent in a place that had confused her so fully; a safe-haven from everyone, even Gunther. A reminder of home.

“I am sorry Jane” he said finally “I have no intention of hurting you, you must believe that. I cherish your company and in truth” not finding a spot to place the mask, he merely let it fall to the floor with a hollow clatter “I did this to be closer to you. All of it. The dressing up, the ball; it is all an excuse for me to spend time with you without prying eyes.” He let out a breathy, sheepish laugh. “I cannot stop thinking about you Jane. My thoughts have been intoxicated, they have completely lost their focus in everything else but you.”

She desperately wanted to hate those words, to discard them and walk away without a word, but she found herself stuck in place.

“Please, please I am sorry. I know this sounds like the madness of a rambling king and perhaps--it is, if this feeling is what you call madness then perhaps I am mad, but” he reached out for her more hesitantly, almost expecting a second slap. It did not come, and the warmth his hand brought Jane was a blanket offered in a snowstorm. “I am also utterly and fully enamored by you.”

The two said nothing, letting the words linger in the air. Slowly, Louis brought himself down closer to her and she could feel his breath brush against her cheek.

“May I kiss you?”

Jane’s chest constricted.

“Yes.”

She could hear him hold in a hesitant breath before planting a gentle kiss on her lips, then another, and another until finally she kissed him back. She held him by the shoulder and kissed him like she sometimes thought of doing with Gunther ever since that day, or with some other men she fancied, except she never had the bravery to do so before. In Kippernia she knew better than to facilitate a romance; she was a female knight, and any attempt at love would be seen as a sign of weakness. A moment of distraction that surely everyone knew she would fall into because of her sex, because women one day or another all will come to fall in love and get married and bare children and she was no exception. Jane had steeled herself, away from Jester’s advances, away from anyone’s eyes due to fear that she would lose it all and be proven wrong. Yet here, at Versailles, she was another person entirely. Sure there hadn’t been knights, but she’d seen the power the women here held in their own way; they shifted the pieces in and out of place as if they were bred to do it. Love at Versailles made a woman powerful, and Jane felt powerful in this moment. Each kiss was sure, if not a bit uncoordinated. Louis was a pillar, raising her up so assuredly and encouraging her with every breath and murmur, reminding her she was wanted and in command.

Gunther would’ve never tasted as sweet or made her feel the way she felt now; she was sure he would’ve never even bothered to ask just like he never bothered with much of anything at all. She kissed him and kissed him until the air in her lungs ran out and the pins from her hair came undone, and all else was around her was but a blur; however, somewhere distantly, perhaps in that corner--Gunther’s corner--she could still hear his words from earlier that day nag away at her mind.

‘Do not trust Louis, Jane. He is dangerous. Trusting him may lead to both of our deaths.’

#jane and the dragon #janther #JATD #jane and gunther #versailles au #fake marriage au #my aesthetic

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draginhikari · 7 years ago

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Final Fantasy XIV: Azure and Crimson Section 2: Kari Azuresol, Light Reborn Chapter 6: Rejection and Acceptance, The Path to Heavensward

Once Kari had fully recovered from her injures she began her journey once again. This time heading towards the snowy lands of Coerthas in the northern lands of Eorzea. This landscape, held by the Holy See of Ishgard, was transformed by Calamity from a mountainous forest region to a realm of endless ice and snow. It was in this land where Kari intended to once again meet with the Doman Shinobi, Yugiri Mistwalker. This time their meeting was less business and more of a personal matter for Kari. Kari had arranged this get together to accept Yugiri’s previous offer to learn about the Au Ra and her homeland. Meeting at the Observatorium, in the southeastern corner of the Coerthas Central Highlands, Kari and Yugiri enjoyed a little respite from their individual missions as Yugiri took the time to explain to Kari about the Au Ra people, the land they came from, and the differences between the two clans. Yugiri brought a map of the east to provide to Kari, which featured both regions of Othard and Hingashi, as well as some eastern tea for Kari to try. After a rather enjoyable and casual conversation between the two Auri. Kari decided it was time for her to take the next step forward on her mission.

Kari smiled as she finished her tea as they sat at a table near the stove keeping the room warm, “This stuff is pretty good. Thank you Yugiri. Someday, I would like to see it for myself, but for now it’s at least comforting to know where I come from.” Yugiri smiled and nodded to Kari, “Tis a pleasure Kari, I understand that this must all be perplexing for you. Tis a difficult thing to not know who you are and where you come from for so many years. Still, I find certain things in your story hard to believe. I had no idea that Ala Mhigian refugees had made their home on a southern island that is so close to home.”

Kari chuckled, “There isn’t much else to really say about them. It’s enough to know that the view that Shadros’ people held of me was not the reality. Spending a lot of years only knowing yourself as a…” Kari paused a moment before continuing, “freak. It was definitely hard but I feel better about myself these days and that’s all that matters.”

Yugiri sipped her tea before speaking, “If I may inquire Kari, that blue mark across your eyes? Have you always had it?” Kari ran her hand over part of the face marking for a moment, “Yes, for as long as I could remember. Why do you ask?” Yugiri thought for a second before she shook her head, “Tis just a curiosity think pray me none. What course of action will you take now?”

Kari went quiet for a few moments before she said, “I think it’s time I made my presence known to Alphinaud and Tataru. I had to be certain of my path before I met with them which is why I wanted to talk to you about all this before I went ahead and did so.” Yugiri put her hand to her chest looking down for a moment before looking back at Kari, “If it is your wish. I have business but if you can wait a time I could accompany you. Would be a simple task to vouch for your words.” Kari chuckled, “I appreciate that, but I’ve already taken up enough of your time so I will do my best to try to convince them on my own.” Yugiri nodded, “If that is your desire, I will return amidst the night and see how you have fare regardless as I worry of them as well. Till then take care, Kari.”

Kari would part ways with the Doman Ninja glancing northward, “Camp Dragonhead. Shadros, I’ve finally made it here. After all this time and after all this struggling, I’m ready to stand with them like you did.” Kari took a deep breath before she began up the path towards Camp Dragonhead. Fortunately Camp Dragonhead wasn’t all that far away from where she had been staying at the Observatorium. Kari let her eyes wander some as she arrived at the camp. So much of Coerthas had such a different feel from the rest of Eorzea. The realm seemed bleak and desolate not helped by the number of weapons aimed for the sky in preparation for more conflict with the Draconian hordes of Nidhogg. Kari only knew the basic history surrounding the Dragonsong War, a conflict going for over a millennium between the Holy See and the dragons, but she figured there would be more time to address that at a later date. Kari found herself standing before the Camp’s headquarters. Kari glanced inside the headquarters as she made her way inside, “Let’s see if my memory serves, Lord Haurchefant works somewhere in here. He was the one sheltering them so he probably know where to find them. I just hope Shadros’ letter is enough to convince him.” Kari would spy the silver haired Elezen working from his desk towards the back of the headquarters. Haurchefant looked up as Kari approached, though he did a bit of a double take when glancing at Kari’s attire. Haurchefant regained his composure quickly to greet her. “Welcome to Camp Dragonhead. Please, warm yourself by our hearth. By the fury, your appearance gave me a bit of a shock, I had been expecting return of a friend who wears a familiar garb not all that different from your own. Tell me, are a follower of the Warrior of Light? Tis a worthy role model to have in this current day and age.” Haurchefant said as he stood up gesturing his arms out in a welcoming expression before bring them back down. Kari chuckled finding something about the man interesting, she could only image how annoyed Shadros must have gotten at the man’s antics.

Kari would raise her hand in greeting “My name is Kari Azuresol and I suppose I am in a manner of speaking, I am a… student… of Shadros Hiku and am here on his behalf.” Haurchefant put his hand to his chin, “A student you claim? He didn’t seem like the type to keep students. I must admit curiosity. Why would he send you when he has no reason not to come himself?” Kari nods and reached into her bag pulling out a letter addressed to Haurchefant specifically, “A lot has happened and it’s a bit complicated. It might save you some time if I just give you this to read.” Haurchefant would take the letter and look at the outside, “Ah yes, tis definitely Shadros’… unique handwriting.” Kari had to hold back a snort as even Haurchefant seemed to struggle to find nice things to say about Shadros’ penmanship. Haurchefant began to read over the letter slowly. Kari saw his expression shift a few different times as he read through the letter as if trying to process what was being said. Haurchefant rubbed his eyes for a moment as if to collect himself and went silent much to the confusion of some of the other knights. After about ten minutes or so Haurchefant finally stood back up again with a more serious expression on his face, “I must ask you this Miss Azuresol. Do you plan on continuing to follow the path that your close friend did?” Kari wasn’t sure why Haurchefant was asking her this, but Kari responded with total honesty, “Yes, absolutely. It’s exactly what I want to do.” Haurchefant chuckled and extended his arms some, “Splendid! Tis what I needed to hear from you,” Kari was taken aback by Haurchefant forwardness, “Wait? That’s all you needed from me? You aren’t the least bit curious about anything else?” Haurchefant chuckled, “Why would I? The amount of passion and faith my friend had for you in his letter displayed I hath no reason to do otherwise. Though I am saddened to hear of the loss of such a noble soul and a dear friend, this is not a time for mourning loss. Would be disrespectful for me to put my feelings over his noble wishes and see you forward from here as he wished of me.”

Kari blinked some, “Then you’ll…” Haurchefant replied before she finished her sentence, “Yes, I will permit you to visit with the Scions that are currently here. I am still waiting to grant them access to Ishgard so this would be a good time to convince them of your case.” Kari bowed, “Thank you, Lord Haurchefant.” Haurchefant chuckled, “Think nothing of it. Shadros was a dear friend, I consider it my duty to support my friends and those they call friends. Especially one such as you, who is a sister to him? As such I must consider you the same.” Kari was a little surprised to hear him say that. Kari could only wonder how different that letter must have been from the others for the knight to reach that particular conclusion. Haurchefant would leave his desk and escort Kari the ‘Falling Snow’ as he called it where Alphinaud and Tataru were currently residing while they await word from Ishgard. Haurchefant and Kari would go inside. Tataru was the first to catch site of them, who was taken aback by Kari’s appearance. Soon, Alphinaud also turned once his thoughts were broken equally taken aback by the situation.

Alphinaud looked at Haurchefant, “Is something amidst Lord Haurchefant? Why is this woman dressed up like Shadros? Is this some unusual Ishgardian custom that I’ve not heard of?” Haurchefant gestured to Kari, “Nay Alphinaud. This is Kari Azuresol, someone who knows Shadros quite well, and she has something of the essence to speak with you about. I believe it best to hear it from the young lady herself.” Haurchefant would gesture to Kari before he step out of room leaving the three to their privacy. An awkward silence would pass between the three as if none of them knew what exactly to say. Kari finally took a deep breath deciding she had to come out clean with the two and explain what really happened. Her lie of being Shadros’ apprentice was not going to fool someone like Alphinaud anyway. Kari would start to tell her story beginning with how Shadros had been seeking the Hymn Venom order, the visions, his battle with the Hymn Venom order, and his very fate.

Tataru looked mortified by what she heard, “Shadro is gone too!? No, we can’t have lost another one. Not him too.” Alphinaud clutched his fists and glared at Kari, “You think this twisted jest is humorous!? You expect me to believe such rubbish? Shadros would not have kept these kind of secrets from his allies like this!” Alphinaud voice escalated and became angrier as he raised his tone, “After all we’ve be through you dare come here and speak such lies? We have been harmed enough by deception and I won’t be deceived by you here!” Kari looked stunned trying to find her words, “But I’m…. not lying… I’ve got Shadros’…” Alphinaud knocked a glass off the table causing it to shatter which stunned Tataru as such an outburst was unlike him, “Enough, I do not know wherever you came from or what kind of game you are playing at but you have no friends here. Be gone from our sight, Kari Azuresol, and never show yourself before us again!” Kari froze for a moment before closing her eyes some, this wasn’t how she expected this to go. Even if she provided Shadros’ letter now, it wasn’t likely Alphinaud would believe it. Kari turned around and left the two alone.

Kari returned back to cafeteria at the headquarters sitting down at one of the tables putting her head down as grumbled to herself, “This is not how this was supposed to go at all.”

Haurchefant sat across from her after a short time, “I take it that things did not go accordingly with Master Alphinaud?” Kari groaned, “No, it was an utter disaster. He wouldn’t listen to anything I said.” Haurchefant put his arms on the table looking at Kari, “Do not distress my lady, you must forgive Master Alphinaud and be relentless in your pursue. He has been through many difficulties since the fall of the Crystal Braves and learning of Shadros’ fate liken to worsen such things. I am certain you will convince him in due time once he given himself some time to calm.” Before Kari could answer him as a knight of the camp approached Haurchefant and he was force to raise a hand to Kari to give him a moment, “Speak, you seem to be in distress.”

The knight said, “My Lord, the tower just spotted an attack by dragons on a supply caravan heading here from the city! It’s utter chaos!” Haurchefant stood up, “Gather whatever units that are not currently off duty, we shall make haste!” Haurchefant turned to Kari, “Forgive me Kari, I must see to this situation but perhaps may we talk more once this dire situation has passed. Try to keep your spirits up, Kari.” Haurchefant would go at this point. Kari simply remained silent and put her head back down. She wondered for a moment if she should have offered to help but she really wasn’t in the mood at the moment. Kari simply dozed off for a short time. Kari would snap awake when she hear a woman scream outside of the Headquarters. Kari quickly ran outside as she heard people screaming something about dragons. Once outside, Kari caught sight of a Wyvern that was attacking the base with a small group of minor dragons. Kari glanced around, “The caravan attack must have been a diversion with the bulk of Haurchefant’s forces out the rest decided to strike at the base!” The remaining guards were doing the best they could and other adventurers that were in the area also provided back-up to the camp. Kari turned as the Wyvern dove down towards a few children had fallen in the snow while attempting to flee. Kari quickly ran forward drawing the Aegis Shield to block the razor sharp talons of the Wyvern. The children looked up, fearful and stunned at Kari. Kari shouted at them, “Don’t just sit there like a lump get to safety!” The children would run away as the Wyvern shrieked at Kari and gritted her teeth as the wyvern swooped down at her. Kari managed to get a slash on the wyvern wing as she moved out of the way. Though not with enough damage to knock it out of the air. The swoop was nothing more than a distraction by the Wyvern as several lower dragons, known as Dragonflies, descended upon Kari forcing her to content with them first. The biting and scratching of the lower dragons were little direct threat to Kari’s heavy armor but her focus on them meant she couldn’t watch the Wyvern very closely as it slammed into Kari throwing her into the wall. Kari let out a gasp as she made contact with the wall.

Alphinaud’s Amber Carbuncle took down another dragonfly that were attacking the anti-dragon weaponry on the upper levels of the base, “Another one down, there appears to be no end to this. Hm?” Alphinaud turned to see the Wyvern approaching Kari on the lower wall, “What in the name of the gods is she doing? Watch out!” Kari snapped back to focus as she thrust the shield to smack the Wyvern in the face when it got too close to her with its jaws, “I’m far from done arsehole!” The Wyvern stumbled back taking to the air, lurching its head back, and released a burst of fire in Kari general direction. Kari gritted her teeth in frustration, her anger reaching a peak as she shouted, “I’m not done! Not by a long shot!” A spark shot through the Excalibur and Aegis as she went to defend with her shield. Alphinaud thought Kari had snapped and completely lost her mind. However, the flames seem to spread around her rather than going through her as Alphinaud expected as another light formed within the fiery spread. When the wyvern’s attack dispersed, Kari stood back up slowly. The Excalibur and Aegis were now glowing with a new energy, for the first time since Kari had taken hold of Shadros’ weapon she had finally tapped into the true power of the Zodiac Braves and unleashed their full power that Shadros had originally obtained. Alphinaud was taken aback by what he just saw, “That sword and light pattern, Shadros’ sword had the same effect. Then that weapon isn’t a replica at all! It’s a real Zodiac Brave!?” Kari walk slowly towards the wyvern with a serious glare on her face. She was entirely focused, she was not hesitating, and she was entirely in control of the power flowing through her. The wyvern shrieked and attempted to charge Kari again but she moved to the side slashed through a chuck of the wyvern’s wing this time when it passed by her. Causing the Wyvern to clumsily stumble out of sky and crash into the wall a complete reversal of the situation from a few moments ago. The Wyvern roared angrily and began release balls of fire in Kari direction. Kari began to run towards the Wyvern strafing from side to side dodging the fireballs as she moved forward as if she were able to see the path of the attacks a second before they were coming towards her. Alphinaud continued to watch the scene play out, not believing what he was seeing, “These movements they seem similar to the manifestation of the Echo that Shadros used. Is it possible? Was Kari speaking truth?” Kari reached the wyvern shouting some as the Wyvern lunged towards Kari. Kari dodged to the side growling, “Spirits Within!” The light around the Excalibur intensified as Kari thrusted the blade through the side of the Wyvern’s head. For a moment, Alphinaud swore he saw Shadros. It wasn’t the case it was just her stance, her attack method, and her power seemed extremely similar to Shadros’ own, too much to be a coincidence. The wyvern’s eyes widen for a split second before the wyvern flopped down to the ground. Kari drew her sword from the Wyvern’s head panting heavily as she recover from the sudden adrenaline rush. Kari glanced down at her sword, “I did it, the Zodiac Brave’s power has finally awoken for me. Shadros, I did it…” Kari groaned as she slid to the ground, “I hope it’s not always going to be this draining to do.” With the Wyvern down the lesser dragons would begin to scatter or were easily taken down by the knights still at the base.

Haurchefant returned to the base with his men to wrap the situation up. Haurchefant personally defending Kari from a few stranglers going after her. Afterward, Haurchefant turned his gaze to Kari and the Wyvern, “Ah, my friend it seems I left you to clean up an unintended mess, my apologies.”

Kari groaned some, “Can’t talk… recovering…” Haurchefant chuckled some, “Of course my friend, as I suspected you have just much spirit as Shadros did and the ferocity to boot to take a Wyvern that large single handedly. Thank you, my friend, you likely saved a few lives by choosing to get involved like you did.”

“I must admit my impression as well,” Kari turned to see Alphinaud approaching the two, “I assumed you merely a charlatan but based on your actions just now it appears my initial judgments may have been on the… hastily side.” Kari just looked at Alphinaud unable to speak much yet. Alphinaud looked to her, “When you are ready. Come back to room, I will here you out again. I want to understand fully what has happened with an open mind. You’ve earn that much today.” Alphinaud would return to the chambers at this point. Kari just seemed kind of surprised as she stood back up putting her sword and shield back in their place.

Haurchefant chuckled some, “Well, my friend, it seems you now have a second chance to make your case. Alphinaud seemed to be in a better mood now so I wouldn’t waste your opportunity here.” Kari nodded, “Right.”

Kari would return to the chamber with Alphinaud and Tataru. She would retell her story and fill in some of the gaps she left out in the story earlier. Once Kari had finished her story she reached into her bag and revealed the final letter from Shadros and provided it to Alphinaud who would sit down and read through the letter carefully.

Alphinaud and Tataru,

If you are reading this letter it means that my personal mission to end the Hymn Venom Order has failed and I have fallen.

I owe you all an apology. It was never my intention to hide so many secrets from the Scions but I didn’t want anyone else getting hurt in my private matters. In the end I was not strong enough it seems to fulfill the role I was given. The truth is the power I held was not originally mine to wield in the first place but rather was a combination of circumstance and my close friendship of the young woman who has likely handed you this letter. The manifestation of the Echo I wielded was Kari’s soul united for a time as a result of a horrible tragedy. Kari gave me an extension on my life and with her help I would become the Warrior of Light that you would know me as, together we became unstoppable. However, it was simply not meant to be. Whatever boundaries we broke, the power of the echo needed to be properly restored.

Please, do not blame Kari for what has happened to me. She tried to stop me from pursing her but I would not listen. I could not ignore the guilt I had for allowing all this to transpire and followed what my heart was telling me to do. Whether successful or not I had to try to resolve this issue with my own hands. This was greatly selfish of me and I do it knowing so. However, I did not do so recklessly and believe Kari will want to continue where I left off. Kari is young and inexperienced, this much is true. However, Kari possess a potential that could easily surpass my own but only if she has the guidance to lead her down the right path. I have left Kari my memories, my experiences, and my Zodiac Brave. She has gone far and wide to seeking those that could help her learn and knowing her she has now come before you far different person then how I left her. Yet still, she has much left to learn.

My final request of you, my friends. Please accept Kari among you, let her grow, change, and become the person she always wanted to be. She will be the Warrior of Light you all have been truly waiting for. I truly believe that.

P.S. – Alphinaud please give my regards to your sister and… I am sorry that I failed to keep my promise to her too.

Sincerely,

Shadros Hiku Alphinaud sat quietly for several minutes re-reading the letter from Shadros a few times. Before he finally stood up again looking at Kari, “Tell me Miss Azuresol, what is it that you want to do?” Kari looked at Alphinaud answering him like she had earlier in the day to Haurchefant, “I wish to continue where my friend left off. I want to help his friends, clear his name, and continue protect my new home here in any way I can. I want the power to be able to do that.” Alphinaud tilted his head moving his hands to his chin in thought, “There is a certain sincerity in the words you speak but I am still uncertain on whether to believe them or not.” Kari frowned but the door would open again and a voice would speak out as it did. “Perhaps my words, Master Alphinaud, would settle your doubts,” Yugiri stepped in along with, surprisingly Aya.

Alphinaud turned to Yugiri slightly stunned, “You know of this Lady Yugiri?” Yugiri nods, “I do. This woman is Aya, she is a shinobi I recommended to Shadros when he was seeking help with his personal matters with the Hymn Venom Order. Shadros had also spoken to me on the matter on a number of occasions.” Alphinaud said, “And you decided not to inform us on such matters?” Yugiri said, “It seemed unnecessary as though I did not understand what he meant and he requested me to stay silent on the matter. After all Shadros had done, I feel he deserved at least that level of respect. Though I not know to the extent of his plans. He inquired of my race and his connection to a girl he had seen in his vision. He descripted to me a young woman of Kari’s appearance. He could list nearly every feature to me as if she were standing before me. Shadros requested that if something went wrong that I could provide him a trinket to help me identify her if she escaped the order. That is exactly what transpired and why I did not hesitate for a moment to help Kari find her way. Aya has agreed to step forward and speak on the validity of the story and confirm the nature of Kari’s character”. Kari was a little surprised by that, that Aya would stick her neck out for her so easily. Aya bowed slightly, “Master Alphinaud, I have been with Kari since she first appeared several weeks back and I was the one who worked with Shadros on his personal mission. I found the information on the Hymn Venom Order, accompanied Shadros to investigate the information and was the last to see him before his disappearance where he gave me a key to his belongings to give to a girl matching Kari’s description when she appeared before me. Whether you fully believe my story or not, Kari has already proven her worth on more than one occasion. Not only has she progressed in power faster than anyone I’ve seen. She unselfishly engaged in a battle she did not have to and saved a group of young women from abuse, manipulation, and assault. She even defeated a notorious criminal single handedly. She’s still a little bit green around the gills that’s for sure, but she bravely stood against a criminal far more experienced and powerful then she was and still managed to come out on top. I would trust Kari with my life at this point and there are about a dozen young women that could say the same.” Aya handed Alphinaud small stack of papers. Kari couldn’t tell what they were but with the different handwriting they appeared to be testimonials from different people. The entire thing just surprised Kari even more. Did Aya really do all this for her? Alphinaud listened and gestured to two shinobi, “I will take your council into consideration.” Aya would bow again and prepared to leave giving Kari a wink and her usual smirk dropping her polite act for a moment before she left. Alphinaud was quiet for a few more minutes. Tataru looked at Kari then at Alphinaud, “Alphinaud, I think I’m more then convinced, I think we should give her a chance.” Alphinaud stated, “Given the circumstances of our current predicament to turn down willing help would be a perplexing choice for sure.” Alphinaud looked back at Kari, “Miss Azuresol, you do understand that we walk a difficult path and that there is no guarantee of success in any sense of the word. Is that a risk you are willing to take?” Kari chuckled and gestured towards Alphinaud, “If I wasn’t I wouldn’t be putting myself through all this right now. I need to live for both Shadros and myself now. I don’t plan on giving up.” Alphinaud finally let a small smile show, “Very well, Miss Azuresol, then I will allow you to accompany us to Ishgard and will expect you to demonstrate your words on the trials ahead. Understand, I am still hesitant to entirely trust you. If your words are true however, I hope to be free of such hesitation soon enough.” Kari crossed her arms and nods, “That’s all I can ask and I prefer that anyway. Though I do have one request.” Alphinaud seemed a bit surprised, “And that would be?” Kari squinted her nose in annoyance and stated, “No more of this Miss Azuresol stuff all right? My name is Kari okay? The formalities give me a headache.”

Alphinaud was taken aback as if he wasn’t expecting her to be so forward, “Yes, of course. My apologies. Very well, Kari.”

Tataru approached Kari and held out a linkpearl for her, “Welcome aboard, Kari.” Kari would take the linkpearl with a slight smile. Kari had actually done it, after so much work she was finally on the way to starting her mission.

Alphinaud stated, “We still awaiting official word from Lord Haurchefant on when we can enter Ishgard. Once that time arrives we will contact you on the linkpearl. Once we contact, you please make haste as we will not be able to wait upon you for long.” Kari chuckled, “Very well, don’t worry you won’t be waiting up for me.” Tataru would clap some and Yugiri would nod to Kari before she too left the scene. Haurchefant provided Kari a bed in the barracks to stay for the night. The following morning Kari rose and grumbled as she wrapped her arms around herself, “Sheesh, another cold morning.” She reached for the Paladin Soul Crystal to get her armor on as quickly as she could before she stood up and walked outside noticing that the weather was actually calm this morning. Kari decided to take a walk and she made her way to the west from Camp Dragonhead. Kari would stop as she turned towards the Gate of Judgement that lead towards the City-State of Ishgard stopping for a moment looking towards the magnificent and ancient city in the distance. There was something impressive about the city, yet she had a feeling of dread when she looked upon it for reasons she could not directly explain. A burst of aetheric energy released as Midgardsormr suddenly appeared alongside her again. Kari looked towards the ancient Wyrm for a moment before turning back to the city. She didn’t even have to ask him why he was here. Midgardsormr gave a monotonous chuckle as he spoke, “Heh Heh Heh. Thou thinkest sanctuary lieth beyond? Delusion. Despair. Death. Thou shalt find naught else here.” Kari expression grimaced some as she heard Midgardsormr’s words. She would normally have questioned the ramblings of the Wyrmking but for whatever reason she believed his words on that matter. Midgardsormr would soon disappear and Kari turned back to make her way to Camp Dragonhead. Kari stopped a short distance from the camp looking towards some cliffs near the camp feeling like she was being watched for a moment but saw nothing. Kari shrugged some wondering if she was just hearing things before she continued towards the camp. Upon leaving a figure stepped forth, the Azure Dragoon of Ishgard, Estinien Wyrmblood. Estinien glanced down at the Eye of Nidhogg he was carrying that seemed to have lead him to this place.

“The eye reacts to a third? No, that is impossible. This feeling is familiar, tis like the day Shadros Hiku first appeared before me. That woman was dressed like him as well.” Estinien looked down at the eye again, “What is the connection? No matter. I will find out one way or another.” Estinien leapt off up to a higher cliff as another snow storm masked his exit.

Kari shielded her eyes as she glanced upward to the stormy skies when she arrived back at Camp Dragonhead, “This is only the beginning of my struggle… isn’t it Shadros?” The Scion linkpearl would go off and Kari would take it out and look at it, “It’s time…” Kari would begin to make her way back to the room where Alphinaud and Tataru awaited her arrival. Kari’s journey as the new Warrior of Light had just begun.

To preserve the dawn’s light the Heroes journeyed north. Their hearts filled with hope and eyes fixed Heavensward!

End of Section 2: Kari Azuresol, Light Reborn

Section 2 - Chapter 5: Duty Commenced! Life or Death Dance upon the Silver Waves

Final Fantasy XIV: Azure and Crimson Complete

Section 3 - Chapter 1: Azure Dragoon and Iceheart (Coming Soon)

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