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deletingpoint · 5 years ago

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destiel fic recs part 3

Part 1

Part 2

I’ve added heart to the ones i really-really love for perhaps personal reasons, but otherwise these are all beautiful fics and you won’t regret reading them! (same goes for my previous lists obvi :))

<10 k

The Secret Santa of Cubicle Land by followyourenergy Castiel Novak has never loved the workplace Secret Santa tradition, but he loves watching his coworker (and his very straight, secret crush) Dean Winchester’s enthusiastic responses to his daily gifts. Dean is so enthusiastic that he declares he’s going to ask his Secret Santa on a date.

Dry in the Downpour by almaasi Dean was in half a mind – nay, three-quarters of a mind – just to turn back, go home, make coffee, call in sick and watch wrestling and porn all day, when the rain stopped abruptly.

He glanced around in surprise, then looked up.

An umbrella. Someone had put an umbrella over him.

Adagio by noangelsinthegarrison

<3 “His name’s Dean," Cas sighs, "And he’s really stupidly attractive, and when he dances, he feels it, you know? And it makes me feel like I know him, even though I don’t. He makes me feel like… like he’s dancing just for me.”Gabriel rolls his eyes, “Wow, you’re over-dramatic when you’re horny.”

He Thought He Was Reckless by MajorEnglishEsquire Cas settles back and rolls his head on the seat. Tugs on the corner of Dean’s jacket.

Sits there. Pathetic-looking and unnecessarily bleeding.

(a.k.a.: Dean is a super Soft Boy.)

The Age-long Rivalry Between Pilots and Engineers by Winglesss <3 Living on a space station isn´t easy. Especially when you share your quarters with someone like Castiel Novak.

Irresistible by raths_kitten

<3 Castiel is a lonely wizard longing for a familiar to bond with. Dean just really wants a taste of this pie that’s luring him in somehow.

so this is the miracle by deanniker He doesn't believe in magic, or fairytales, or happy endings. If someone were to ask his opinion, he'd say that the ball is nothing more than a clever stunt, something meant to drum up popular support for the new king, that would inevitably come to naught when he married some foreign princess.

No one asks him his opinion, of course.

10-50 k

A Brief Glimpse by cloudyjenn Castiel is utterly convinced he can't love anyone, but Sam, so when a strange occurrence at a carnival shows him otherwise, he doesn't know what to do.

Unholy Ground by teacass (Fushigi) “And I’m not a vandal,” the man shoots back. “My name’s Dean. And I think there’s been a misunderstanding—”

“No,” Castiel hisses. “I have watched you. I have seen you creep around with your shovel and your gun and I have seen you trying to desecrate the graves, my graves, so do not talk to me about a misunderstanding—” Dean holds his hands up and shakes his head. “Shit, man, I swear I’m not trying to—” Castiel has had enough, though, so he flicks his wrist and pushes Dean over one of the tombstones and down to the ground. Dean falls with a grunt and tries to stand up quickly, but Castiel keeps him pinned to the ground with a raise of his eyebrow. “I am the guardian of this cemetery,” he states when he stops and looks down on the struggling man. “I will not be made a fool of, especially not by someone like you.”

Chili Peppers by justanothersong for literaryoblivion Dr. Winchester hears an off hand comment from one of his students and find himself browsing a website dedicated to rating university professors. He's not surprised by his rating -- but is a little miffed to see the department chair has an even better one. Clearly, something needs to be done about this.

The Choice by RedheadedSuperhero To solidify the alliance between the Houses of Veenah and Winchester, Castiel agrees to marry one of Lord John’s sons. It’s not like he has any say in that matter anyway – as a marriage of convenience is the fate of almost any royal omega. He is even grateful that the king of Winchester had offered him to make his own choice between his three children. From all he had heard, Castiel already likes the scholar Samuel from afar; he certainly prefers him to the infamous Demon Knight or Adam, who is hardly more than a pup. So, he believes his decision is already made as he travels towards his new home.

But unfortunately, things go horribly wrong, and Castiel finds himself alone in an unclaimed forest, with only a strange hunter to help him find his way the castle of Winchester. And by the time he arrives, he might have already changed his mind.

Don't Be So Charming by PieDarling - Very loosely based on the movie “Prince Charming” -

Prince Dean was always meant to be fortunate, all the fairies and witches in the kingdom of his father would shower him with gifts. However, one of them had a deep darkness in her heart and out of selfishness cursed him instead, condemning him to have everyone fall under his charm and never know true love. His only hope is to break the curse before his 21st birthday.

At first, Dean is lost. How can he fall in love when everyone he meets falls under his charm? He finds hope in a magic coin his mother left him and in search of that hope he sets out on a journey with his childhood friend, Castiel, as his companion. Castiel is the only person Dean has ever met to not be affected by his curse, he trusts him more than anyone else.

Manifest Destiny by KreweOfImp The year is 1899. The Wild West is in its dying days—but don’t tell that to the outlaws of Eastern Kansas. The gangs are Winchester and Novak, and the feud is bitter and blood-soaked.

The families were friendly once upon on a time, but that time is long gone, and when Michael Novak, the second-in-command to the Novaks, sees the opportunity to have Dean, golden boy and heir apparent to the Winchester gang at his mercy, he takes it. They have history, Michael and Dean, and he’s been waiting on this opportunity for a long time.

What Michael didn’t bank on was that his cousin Castiel, the Novak gang’s resident scapegoat and outcast, would have some sympathy for the prisoner—let alone start to like him.

Eyes Like Knives by jennyfly for palominopup When rockstar Dean Winchester comes home to Austin to play a stop on his sold-out tour, he's surprised after the encore by a hot cop barging backstage to deliver some awful news. Not only is Detective Castiel Novak the bearer of bad news, but he also wants to question Dean's estranged brother, Sam. Can a frantic police investigation over the course of a single weekend result in a lasting romance? Hey, this is fanfiction; why not?

Knocking on Heaven's Door by sir_kingsley Dean Winchester left Castiel Novak in pieces when he broke off their engagement 21 days before they were supposed to get married. Now, a year later, Castiel has put himself back together and is moving on with his life and he seems to be doing okay. Until Dean comes knocking on his door at ass-o'clock in the morning. Now Cas must come to terms with the mess of a man who broke his heart but somehow still... has it.

Shadow and Storm by zaphodsgirl One night, a mysterious visitor appears in young Prince Dean's bedroom, and he suddenly finds himself transported to an abandoned replica of his home in an unknown land. He learns quickly that the borders are finite, and none may leave without incurring the wrath of the guardian: a dragon the people call Storm.

Left with no choice, Dean adapts to life as the others have, tending to the animals and working the land to survive. As he grows up, the life he knew as a prince seems more and more distant, until a new person arrives that he remembers from his childhood. Shaken by this arrival, Dean’s desire to escape returns anew, and he discovers more than he wanted to know about the Shadowlands and its occupants -- especially about the mysterious guardian of the castle, Castiel.

Such Familiar Magic by saltnhalo When solitary witch Castiel finds an injured dog unconscious in his garden, he takes it in. He's expecting to heal it, look after it for a few days, then perhaps return it to its owners.

He's not expecting it to be one of the strongest familiars he's ever met.

The Greatest International Love Story the World Has Ever Seen by MalMuses Dean wasn’t the type of person who did this kind of thing. He just wasn’t. GISH?? Ugh. The whole thing was just further proof that Dean would do anything his brother wanted him to do. Why else would he be in a Stormtrooper costume, calling up his ex-girlfriend for a private yoga class? Had he been stuck in a rut that long? Given that he’d been pining for the same freakin’ guy, his professor and coworker no less, for three long years… maybe.

Cas was definitely the type of person who did this kind of thing, not that many people knew that. He was one of the most well-respected professors at KSU. His students and coworkers didn’t need to know that he was captain of a GISH team, or that he knitted kinky accessories and made art with his online friends. His TA certainly didn’t need to know either. Just professionalism, of course. Nothing at all to do with the failed attempt at a relationship, three years of pining, and frequent inappropriate daydreams.

A two-person love triangle with online friendships, costumes, and a lot of glitter.

Scintilla by WinchestersRaven Dean Winchester: ghost hunter extraordinaire! Call now for all your paranormal needs!

He cringes at the flyer. It's tacky and cliche, but Sam insisted it would bring in more customers. And dammit, if he wasn't right--this new case sounds like a doozy.

Dean’s a medium with a unique gift of being an empath. Seeing and speaking with the dead is as normal to him as speaking with his brother, Sam. A new job leads him to Georgia, Castiel Novak, and a historical home that’s tucked away on a mountain. As he investigates, he not only uncovers the secrets of his client’s family but also one of his own that he may not recover from. One that has the potential to destroy the budding relationship that is quickly forming between him and Castiel. Will they make it through to see the light on the other side? Or will the darkness that surrounds the home claim them as its next victims?

If At First You Don't Succeed (Destroy All Evidence That You Ever Tried) byjustkeeponwriting “Three days, Cas,” Dean groaned. “You’re not going to call her tomorrow and scare her off, like you always do! Or worse, tonight! That has ‘creeper’ written all over it.”Or, the one where Dean pretends to be a woman who likes to text Cas in order to teach him a lesson, and finds that he’s way in over his head. (Inspired by How I Met Your Mother's episode 4x21, "The Three Days Rule".)

Pineapple on Pizza by HigherMagic In a world where everyone is colorblind until meeting their soulmate, Castiel suddenly sees color during one of his concerts.

Lois Lane Never Had it So Hard by FunnyWings <3 It started with the most humiliating picture of Dean Winchester's life and just snowballed from there.When a sinister new big bad moves into Lawrence Kansas, will the local heroes (and maybe a few villains) be able to band together and save their home?

Get a Whiff of This by bendingsignpost <3 When no good deed goes unpunished, Dean ends up sentenced to community service for physically defending another Omega at his job. That is, at his former job. It's all a steaming pile of shit, and that's exactly what he has to clean up at the joint animal shelter and clinic he's been assigned to.With a face full of allergies and a horrific mood, all Dean has to do is get through six weeks of this sinus-assaulting torture. That's not so easy with a smartass Alpha receptionist, but at least the weird Beta vet might just end up being kinda cool.

Dean Winchester is Not Afraid of Ghosts by Desirae When photographer Dean Winchester is not capturing momentous occasions like weddings and graduations with his Nikon, he is moonlighting as the cameraman for the South Shore Paranormal; a ghost hunting series on YouTube, headed by his brother Sam, and Sam's best friend Gabriel.Despite his brother's adamance, Dean Winchester does not believe in ghosts. And no one is going to change his mind. Certainly not a scam artist like Castiel Novak. Castiel is a self-proclaimed medium... and Gabriel's brother. When a member of the SSP team has to leave the crew, Castiel is the replacement, much to Dean's dismay. But the more they work together, the more Dean is drawn to Castiel, the man stirring up protective instincts usually only reserved for family.What happens when Dean realizes that Castiel is not the fake he always thought he was, but instead, a generous soul that Dean is rapidly falling in love with?

Looking For Group by athaclena Dean Winchester is in love with his best friend, a man he has never met, who goes by the handle AngelofThursday. Problem is, Thursday values his privacy and refuses to meet. Dean buries himself in his work at his bakery Slice of Pi and in computer games, desperately trying to move on from a man he can never have.

James Novak has problems of his own. Trying to cling onto what sense of security he can, he drifts around the city from café to coffee-shop to bar, using their wi-fi to keep his online footprint anonymous. He falls in lust with The Beautiful Man at his favourite coffee-shop, Study/Break, and turns to his best friend The_Michaelsword for advice.

A two-person love triangle for the digital age.

Time Still Exists by starespressos Castiel Novak has dreamed of participating in a theater dancing project forever. When a spot opens at Rowena MacLeod's theater, he jumps right in -- even though it means taking over from someone who has recently passed away. Soon enough, he meets Dean, who spends almost as much time at the theater as Castiel does but refuses to share any details about himself. Castiel is intrigued by him, and not only because Dean is the first person in a long time to treat him with anything less than admiration. As their friendship and the mystery around Dean deepen over time, Castiel’s perception of both himself and the universe is changed forever.

Falling Through The Ice by athaclena for JupiterJames Dean's finally retired from the Dallas Stars, and he's back at his original home ice-rink for a publicity stunt for his autobiography. Problem is, he has to do something that terrifies him. Second problem is, he has to do it in front of the man he was best friends with as a kid, until the ice cracked under him and he was left on the wrong side of an increasingly large chasm.

A story about smashing expectations (and some pumpkins), what it means to be brave, and how to follow your heart. Also, smut.

Genie in a Bottle by thepopeisdope

<3 When Dean finds (okay, steals) a bottle containing a strange, glowing blue substance, he does so thinking it's a cool novelty, at best. It didn't exactly cross his mind that the substance might be a living being, let alone a grumpy, sarcastic, perpetually-underdressed genie waiting for a new master. But now that he has a bona fide genie at his disposal, well-what better chance will he have to help things along with Lisa?

Except, things don't always go as expected, relationships are complicated, magic is never the solution, and sometimes the person you want isn't the person you need.

Between the Lines by JhanaMay Environmental rights activist Castiel Novak may not have grown up on the Plains, but he has thrown himself into protecting and conserving South Dakota’s natural treasures as if he was a native. When Dean Winchester, Hollywood’s modern day John Wayne, comes to South Dakota to film his next movie, Cas is more focused on preventing the environmental damage Dean’s movies cause than hoping for a chance to meet him. After Cas makes some negative comments on social media about the actor’s authenticity as a cowboy, he is invited to spend a week alone with the star, roughing it in the wilderness. Cas sets out to prove exactly how fake Dean Winchester really is, but he isn’t expecting to find out that Dean is a troubled man running from a past that is just as difficult as his own.

50-100 k

so bitter and so sweet by superhoney Dean has known about the family curse ever since it claimed the life of his mother: anyone who dares to love a Winchester is fated to die. When he takes a chance on love and loses his husband Benny, his belief in its power only grows stronger.

Two years later, a late-night phone call from his brother Sam sends both of their lives spinning wildly out of control. Then Officer Cas Novak arrives in town, looking into the disappearance of Sam’s girlfriend Ruby, and starts asking questions Sam and Dean can’t answer. Complicating matters even further, Dean feels an immediate, overwhelming connection to the intense, blue-eyed source of their problems.

Dealing with all the secrets, the lies, and a brother slowly crumbling under the weight of his guilt doesn’t leave much time for romance, but as Cas gets closer to the truth, he also gets closer to Dean.

Will you be my ten inch hero? by NotfunnyDean (IronEyes) When John Winchester kicks Dean out, after he saw him kissing another boy, and Dean sees that Sam has a perfect life at Stanford without him, Dean starts a new life in Santa Cruz. He works at a tiny shop as a cook, has found some friends there, and is overall happy enough. That changes when Castiel comes into his shop and his Co-worker Azara, who has a different man every night, starts flirting with him right in front of Dean. Not that he would be jealous or anything, but there is something about Castiel that makes him weak in the knees. Only that Castiel would never want him back, right?

Reality of Dreams by sternchencas for my sister Dean Winchester has been living a boring life. At least until his brother is missing, the police think he has something to do with it, and a group of people who call themselves 'Liberi Somniorum' and live in an underground bunker ask him to join them so they can teach him how to use his dreaming abilities. As if that isn't bad enough, the police also took his car and then there's this guy in a trenchcoat who's guarding him, and some dark secret. Dean does his best to convince himself it's a dream. But somehow, sometimes, dreams can be very real, and this time, he just can't wake up.

Green Corners by rustling_pages

<3 After the death of his son, there is nothing left for Dean other than his garden market. His days are tough, the nights are tougher, but at least there's a reason to get up in the morning. And with the new boom on do-it-yourself garden magic, his business is going okay.

Amidst the passing of time, there is only one thing that distracts him from functioning like a normal human being: Diagonally across the street, in the display window of that traditional Herb and Potion shop, plants are dying in masses.

Storming in to confront the owner goes differently than he imagined, though. Castiel Novak may be the kind of guy who wears old-fashioned mage robes and keeps his shop in sweltering heat, but he's also a talented herbalist, the kindest soul Dean has ever met, and utterly beautiful.

Not that Dean is ready for anything other than friendship.

(Not that Cas doesn’t get sick a bit too often.)

And This, Your Living Kiss by opal_bullets <3 Only a very few people in the world know that the celebrated and reclusive poet Jack Allen is just Kansas mechanic Dean Winchester, a high school dropout with a few bucks to his name. Not that it matters anymore; life has left him so wrung out he never wants to pick up another pen.Until, that is, a string of coincidences leads Dean to auditing a poetry course with one Dr. Castiel Novak. The professor is wildly intelligent, devastatingly handsome...and just so happens to be academia's foremost expert on the poetry of Jack Allen.

Turn the World to Gold by superhoney, teacass (Fushigi)

<3 Just as Dean is starting to get comfortable at his new mining job in Nevada, the site is shaken by the announcement of a six-week visit from a team of consultants hired to make changes to the practices and procedures of the mine. Among that team is Castiel Novak, one of the most coolly infuriating, stuck-up, unfairly attractive men Dean has ever met.

The friction between them comes to a head during an unexpected but scorching hot makeout session at a company picnic, and they soon fall into a pattern of hooking up at the site or after work at Castiel’s hotel. But it’s just sex, or so they keep telling themselves. Castiel is only in Nevada for six weeks. They’ll have their fun, and then it’ll be over. But as those six weeks go by and they gradually get to know each other, both of them find themselves wondering if there might be a chance it could become something more.

Where the Lightning Splits the Sea by thepopeisdope Seattle’s hero never fails to live up to his given nickname. Like an angel, he appears when he’s needed most, a miracle when none is expected; he gets in quick, then gets out quicker, and like the angel he is, he goes off to perform his miracles elsewhere, often without any link between one miracle and the next, aside from the fact that he shows up when someone needs help.That’s how Dean met him, after all. The Angel is the only reason he’s alive.And that’s also why Dean is more than a little bit in love with him.But when the Angel is suddenly defeated, Dean’s world turns on its head. His city is in a vacuum, heroless for the first time in years, and to make Dean’s life even harder, his roommate has turned quiet, withdrawn. Dean doesn’t know what happened to make Cas’ mood swing so drastically, but he wants nothing more than to see him happy again. Dean owes the Angel a debt. Choosing between the two isn’t an easy thing to do.When the Hunter is born, the balance becomes nearly impossible to keep up.

Pining Sickness; Or, Murder With One Stone by athaclena, iraeim New York, 1895. The rigid customs of the old century are beginning to fall away, allowing access to the professions for more people than just Omega men and Alpha women. Dean Winchester, the city’s first Alpha male Detective, uncovers evidence that a mysterious new illness killing mated couples might have its origins is the criminal rather than the medical.Castiel Novak is a respectable Omega doctor who has started to see patients dying cruelly of something he cannot cure or even effectively treat. Approached by the Detective to once again give his medical expertise, he is eager to work towards finding a cause and, he hopes, a cure for the unfortunate sufferers. But both men harbour a secret attraction towards the other, and the quest for the truth will stretch their relationship beyond its limits.A historical murder mystery set against a backdrop of a non-traditional Omegaverse.

Silver and Cold by superhoney The death of a young man in an apparent animal attack brings hunter Cas Novak to the small town of Sydnam, Maine. It doesn’t take long for him to realize he’s tracking a werewolf, but discovering the killer’s identity is no easy task. All signs point towards Dean Winchester, a lonely recluse who lives in the middle of the woods and whose antagonistic behaviour does little to lessen Cas’ suspicions.As the investigation drags on, their mutual distrust gives way to a wary alliance. Cas’ instincts warn him that Dean is hiding something, but as he uncovers the man beneath the mystery, his professional interest becomes far more personal. Praying his faith in Dean isn’t misplaced, Cas races to catch the killer before the next full moon rises and another life is abruptly cut short.

The Horse-King by cloud_wolfbane, opal_bullets When orphans Sam and Dean Winchester get jobs in Horsetown, they figure that being stable boys is just their lot in life. But when King Metatron takes a peculiar liking to an even more peculiar horse they find themselves in the middle of an intrigue they barely understand, leading to an adventure full of magic and mystery, faith and betrayal, and maybe - if they survive it - love.

In Some Sacred Place by Hellosaidthemoon, schmerzerling Dean has cystic fibrosis, a brutal respiratory disease that means he can’t cut it in the life his father chose for him, despite his very best efforts. He also has a give ‘em hell attitude and a dogged crush on his childhood best friend. Castiel has an absent father, a stellar GPA, a comprehensive ten-year plan, and—a lot of reservations about all this.

Should've Just Asked by Annie D (scaramouche) Despite their age gap and differing social circles, Castiel has struck up a warm friendship with Mary Winchester, a wealthy widowed socialite. When Castiel needs a place to stay, Mary invites him into her house, where there’s loads of spare room. Castiel’s aware that they make an odd pair, but he doesn’t fully realize how things look to outsiders, especially to Mary’s eldest son. All Dean Winchester sees is that his mom has apparently hooked up with a hot young guy (who is totally Dean’s type) and that makes things… weird.

100+ k

The Brave and the Bold by manifestingwings In a world where dragons reign over the mountains and terror looms in the streets of the city of Lavendel, Dean Winchester never expected his main problem to be a surly thief with eyes like the sea and a rare smile. As Captain of the Guard, he knows he has to arrest him for his crimes, but there may be bigger things at stake…

Shot Through The Heart by peanutbutterjelly-pie (Aleakim) As a hunter Dean finds himself more often than not relying on the help of the Men of Letters. Most of the time that's not much of a problem - if it wasn't for Castiel, the smartass bookworm with the piercing blue eyes, the messy hair and the rude attitude.

He's been an annoying thorn in Dean's side since day one - and the hunter doesn't see that change anytime soon!

Everyone's a Critic by Englandwouldfall The one where uninspired chef Dean Winchester has a one night stand with the male (!) food critic who described the flavour of his garlic bread as 'closeted' and accidentally ends up dating him to try and prove that he's a kick ass chef, thank you very much.

(He may have a point about the 'closeted' thing).

Dreaming in Digital by Ltleflrt for jupiter_james Set in a Cyberpunk world where global warming and climate change has driven most of the human population into domed cities, Sam and Dean hunt rogue tech and science experiments gone wrong in the shadows, protecting the lives of those the government doesn't care about anymore. On a trip to the dump to scavenge for valuables Dean finds Castiel, an Angel Industries sex bot, which is worth his weight in credits. But when he turns the sex bot on, he learns that Castiel is sentient.

Artificial Intelligence is illegal, and for good reason, but Cas doesn't put off dangerous vibes. That doesn't stop Sam from researching his creators while Dean's off making friends with the android. If there's someone out there creating a robot army unconstrained by the 3 rules of robotics, Sam's going to make sure the operation is shut down for good.

Castiel just wants to exist. He wants to read and work in the Winchester's greenhouse and have movie nights with Dean. But he also wants to understand. Himself. His unexpected reaction to Dean. What it it means to feel.

A Graced Kingdom by angvlicmish

<3 this is a wip but i can’t not add it!!! Ten years ago, the Northern Continent was at peace, angels and humans living side by side until the human King Winchester of Torrin waged war against the angels in an attempt to wipe them out - an attempt that almost succeeded. However, to this day some angels still remain in hiding and with an unpredictable turn of events one of them finds himself as the personal guard to King Winchester’s firstborn son, Prince Dean. With a strange ability no angel has had before - to hide his own wings - no one knows that they have just let their greatest enemy into the heart of their kingdom.

Alone and struggling to deal with being surrounded by the ones who slaughtered his people, Castiel comes head to head with the Crown Prince. But what he finds within the man is not what he expected and they soon become each other’s only comfort.

Will Dean be the strength Castiel needs to pull through or will he be the weakness that will tear everything to pieces?

#destiel fic recs #destiel rec list #spn fic rec #destiel fic rec #destielfanficnet #destiel #these are almost all au-s

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idreamofhazeleyes · 5 years ago

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Ties in Blood -- Chapter 34

Notes: Yeah, I’m taking longer than usual in getting the chapters/drabbles up.

@mrswhozeewhatsis @thing-you-do-with-that-thing @squirrelnotsam @impala-dreamer @optimisticpeacecollector5 @bamby0304 @kittenofdoomage @idreamofplaid

Chapter 34

“There’s no way there’s angels,” Aaliyah argued.

“Then what else could it be?” Sam countered.

Aaliyah had been pacing Bobby’s living room where he sat at his desk, Sam sat in a chair with Dean standing not far from.

“All I know is that I wasn’t groped by an angel,” Dean tossed into the conversation.

“Okay, Dean. But what would this Castiel have to lie to you about it?” Sam asked.

“Maybe he’s some kind of demon. They lie.”

“A demon that’s immune to salt rounds, devil’s traps, and Ruby’s knife,” Aaliyah said, her pacing coming to a stop. “Lilith’s afraid of that thing.”

“Don’t you think at one point a hunter … you know … woulda seen one?” Dean asked them both.

“You did,” Aaliyah pointed out.

“I’m trying to figure out a theory here; work with me,” Dean pled. “One with less fairy dust.”

“Okay, look.” Sam leaned forward in the chair. “I’m not saying we know for sure. I’m just saying that we …”

“That’s the point, we don’t know for sure. So I’m not gonna believe that this … thing’s an angel of the Lord just because it says it is.”

“You three chuckleheads gonna argue religion, or come look at this?” Bobby called over to them.

Aaliyah looked over at the older hunter and walked over to look at what was laid out.

“I got stacks of lore,” he started. “Biblical, pre-Biblical. Hell, some of it’s in cuneiform. It all says that an angel can snatch a soul from the Pit.”

“What else?” Dean prodded. “What else can it do?”

“Air lift your ass outta hell? Nothing.”

“This is good news,” Sam said.

“How’s this good news?” Aaliyah asked.

“For once this isn’t demon crap. He was saved by the good guys.”

“Say it is true,” Dean jumped in. “Then what? There’s a God?”

“At this point, Vegas’ money’s on yeah,” Bobby said.

“I don’t know, guys.” Dean took a few steps away from the desk.

“I know you’re not all choir boy about this,” Sam said. “But it’s becoming less about belief and more about proof.”

“Proof?” Aaliyah questioned; her eyes narrowed. “What proof?” She heard Dean join them back at the desk.

“That there’s a God out there …”

“And he gives a crap about me personally?” Dean cut Sam off. “I’m not buying it.”

Aaliyah nodded. Why would God, or any deity, give a crap about someone who was in Hell? Or a misfit family of hunters?

“Why not?” Sam asked.

“Because why me? If there is a God, why would he give a crap about me?” Dean asked. “I mean, I’ve saved some people, okay. I figured that makes up for the stealing and ditching chicks. But why do I get to be saved? I’m just a regular guy.”

“Apparently you’re a regular guy that’s important to the man upstairs,” Sam argued.

“That creeps me out,” Dean said. “I don’t like being singled out at birthday parties, much less … God.”

“What do we know about angels?” Aaliyah cut in. She watched Bobby lift up a pile of books and dropped them on the desk.

“Start reading,” the older hunter instructed.

Aaliyah took a book from the pile while Dean told Sam he was getting pie. She flomped down onto the couch and got comfortable. After a while, her attention drifted away from the book. Her head started nodding as sleep crept up on her. The sound of her phone ringing caught her from answering sleep’s call.

“Mm’lo,” she muttered.

“Is this Aaliyah Fisher?” the caller asked.

“Depends on why you’re calling?” Aaliyah adjusted herself on the couch into a sitting position.

“I’m calling on the behalf of one Casey Fisher. My name’s Georgetta Hayes, Mr. Fisher’s lawyer. I need to get ahold of any one of Mr. Fisher’s children.”

“What about?” Aaliyah dug.

“It is something I feel better discussed in person with my retainer’s children,” Georgetta told her. “Can you pass on the message to them?”

“Only if you can provide an address for them?” Aaliyah countered, searching for a scrap piece of paper and pen. She jotted the address down as the lawyer provided it. “Thank you.” She ended the call as she pushed herself off the couch.

“Guys, something’s come up,” she called out, gathering her things.

“And you’re taking off?” Dean asked. “What’s so important…”

“Family issues, apparently. I know finding out what brought you out of hell, but maybe dealing with this…” Aaliyah held up the address. “Will finally stop my father coming out of the past.”

“Your fault for digging him up in the first place,” Dean told her.

“Yeah, I know.” Aaliyah made sure she had her things packed and headed for the door, stopping long enough to give Dean a kiss on his head. “I’ll keep in touch. Promise. Call me if anything major happens.”

She stepped out the back door and down the steps to her cycle. With her things secured in the saddle bags, Aaliyah mounted the cycle and started it up. Her stomach knotted a little from guilt in leaving the three hunters, but the lawyer refused to discuss matters over the phone. No matter, she would just call Leo and Nissa when she stopped on the way back to her hometown.

***

Aaliyah dumped her bag on the motel bed and fumbled through it for clean clothes. Having pushed through the night, the only things she was looking forward to was a hot shower and a quick nap. Her cell started ringing as she started up the shower.

“I hope you’re not planning on yelling,” she spoke. “After all your family drama I was dragged through…”

“It’s your family drama too,” Leo cut in. “Just so you know. Where are you?”

“In town, just got a room. Why?”

“Feel like lunch with me and Nissa? Think Xander’s looking forward to seeing you.”

Aaliyah stopped in middle of stripping off her shirt at the mention of her brother’s name. Guilt crept in before she shoved it off to a side. “The rehab place let him out?”

“After our work with the Djinn, they were a bit … eager to get him out,” Leo said. “You’d know that if you kept in touch more often.”

“I’m bad enough trying to keep myself in check,” Aaliyah countered. “We can play catch up in, say about an hour at Annie’s Kitchen.”

“Sure, sounds good.”

She waited for Leo to end the call before putting her phone on the sink counter. Making the shower quick and putting on the clean clothes, Aaliyah made sure she had her things before grabbing her helmet and heading out.

***

“Liyra,” Nissa greeted as she pushed herself to her feet for a hug.

Aaliyah accepted the hug, returning it. “Hey, Nissa.”

“What’s up with the biker get up?” Xander asked.

Aaliyah pulled from Nissa and looked at her older brother. “I was taken in by a biker gang a few months back; adopted more or less.” She shed the leather jacket and draped it over the back of a chair. “It’s been quite a while since Christmas last year.”

“Anything to drink, love?” the waitress asked as Aaliyah sat.

“Coffee, or coke. Anything caffeinated.”

The waitress nodded and headed off.

“So, what’s happened with you and the Hardy Boys?” Leo asked. “How much trouble did you guys get into?”

Aaliyah sat there as memories flashed through her mind between Christmas the year before and then. Her body shuttered when her mind froze on the images of Dean bloody on the ground after being torn to shreds by the hellhounds.

“Aaliyah, what is it?” Xander’s voice cut into her memory.

“It’s … um … Dean had made a cross roads deal to bring Sam back from the dead a little more than a year ago,” she started. “But unlike the usual ten years, he got one. All of last year, even during Christmas, I with the boys tried to find a way to break the deal. We weren’t that lucky.” She took a breath, trying to steady herself. “A hellhound ripped Dean to shreds when his time was up. I had checked out mentally for a week at Bobby’s after that. I took off from his place, getting his words all twisted up, and went off on my own before the bikers took me in.”

She looked around at her siblings just as the waitress came back with the drink for Aaliyah. “Do you all need a minute or two to decide?”

They nodded, sending the waitress off.

“That’s rough,” Leo said. “Remind me not to make any deals like that.”

“You should know not to do that period,” Xander told him. “So, you got involved with a biker group?”

“The Dragons. They know all about Hunters, the supernatural, and all things that go bump in the night,” Aaliyah kept her voice low. “Through no fault of my own.” She grabbed a menu and glanced over the options. “I actually kept out of active hunting until I heard on the news about all the windows being blown out by something.”

“Sub sonic boom,” Leo tossed out. “I’m sure a fighter jet broke the sound barrier that caused it.”

Aaliyah shook her head. “Wasn’t a jet. It was whatever brought Dean back from hell.”

Leo and Nissa half choked on their drinks.

“Wait, he’s back? How?” Nissa asked.

Aaliyah half shrugged. “According to Sam, it was an angel. Dean doesn’t believe it; and I’m …” She shrugged again. “I’m not fully buying it. Being used to dealing with demons and things that wanna kill me, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that there are legit actual angels out there willing to help one lone hunter.”

“You’re joking, right?” Leo asked. “Demons, I get. But even they won’t let someone escape from hell. Why would any angel help any of us?”

“Why would a demon let any of us out of hell?” Nissa countered.

“They wouldn’t.”

Aaliyah looked up from the menu when the waitress returned. She waited for her siblings to order before placing hers. “So, am I to naturally assume we’ve all been called by father’s lawyer?” She watched each of them nod. “Something she couldn’t discuss over the phone?”

“And trying to reach any one of us,” Xander added. “And reaching all of us, it seems.”

“But what’s this business?” Leo asked. “And why in person?”

“Maybe he finally died,” Aaliyah suggested. “The world’s better off with one less of him.”

“If that’s the case, the lawyer might be trying to execute whatever will Father had,” Nissa said.

“If he died, why didn’t mom call us?” Leo asked his sister.

“Maybe she wasn’t listened as one who was to receive anything,” Nissa guessed. “Or the lawyer already told her what she was getting.”

“Or she already got it,” Xander added.

“Does she even know about us?” Aaliyah asked, gesturing between her and Xander. “I saw no pictures of us at the house a few years ago.”

“Wait, you were at our house?” Nissa asked, putting her drink down.

Aaliyah shot a semi guilty look over to Xander, who shrugged. “It was a few years ago when I was trying to figure out what happened to Xander and dad. Before I got caught up with the Winchesters full time.”

“Whatever the lawyer wants, we’ll find out after breakfast,” Leo said.

***

Aaliyah shifted in her chair as the receptionist went about their work and ignoring the four young adults. They had arrived soon after breakfast nearly an hour ago. The woman that had arrived well after them emerged from the lawyer’s office while Georgetta and the woman exchanged farewells. The woman walked out while Georgetta walked back into her office.

“Forget this,” Aaliyah muttered to her siblings as she got to her feet.

Behind her, the receptionist called after her; which Aaliyah ignored. She threw open the door just as Georgetta sat down at the desk.

“You can’t keep us sitting out there all day, Ms. Hayes,” Aaliyah snapped at the lawyer. “You called all four of Casey Fisher’s children, and all four showed up. Now, we’re going to handle this business in person just like you asked of us.”

“I cannot unless…” Georgetta trailed off when the other three siblings walked into the office.

Aaliyah heard the door close behind her while the other two took a seat in the offered two chairs. “Now, you have all four of us here. What is this business to be done in person?”

She watched Georgetta shift in her chair before turning around to dig through some folders. The lawyer returned with one folder.

“I never liked giving bad news like this to relatives,” Georgetta started. “Your father had died about month ago in a freak accident.”

“What sort of accident?” Xander asked.

“All I was told was his body was found out in the woods torn to shreds and his heart missing.”

Aaliyah swore she heard her siblings share a look while she focused on Georgetta. Sounded like the classic werewolf case to her. “What happened to the rest of him?”

“His wife, a Helen Fisher, had him cremated due to his final wishes. And she currently still resides in their house,” Georgetta replied. “Which is acceptable. Which leaves you four. Which of you is Xander?” She nodded when he raised his hand. “You are granted the deed for the land of your childhood home. If you so wish to have it.”

Aaliyah glanced back at her brother, who shook his head. “He doesn’t want it; how does he go about selling it and getting the money from the sale?” She crossed her arms.

“Don’t worry about the details,” Georgetta assured her. “I take it that you’re Aaliyah. He’s given you the keys and title to his truck. Saying how it will work for those jobs when you need to move a dead body. And for Nissa and Leo…” She scanned the paper. “Your father’s other truck. It seems your father had a well off roofing company and the two trucks had been there since the beginning.”

“So, that’s all it was? Handing out property?” Leo asked with a scoff.

“And monies willed to Aaliyah and Xander from their mother’s will. I understand she passed a couple decades ago. It took me this long to hunt you four down for your father.”

“So, they get money and a truck while we get just a truck?” Leo started.

“Not now,” Aaliyah cut him off, barely turning to look at him. “Is there anything we have to do?”

Georgetta flipped through the paperwork. “I’ll sign over the trucks over to you and your young siblings, and start the paperwork for the funds to be transferred into Ms. Aaliyah and Mr. Xander’s accounts. IF there’s any other questions…”

“How’d our father pass away?” Nissa asked.

“The corner’s report says wolf attack with the heart missing.”

Aaliyah uncrossed her arms and actually turned to look at her siblings.

“Well, that’s … unfortunate,” Xander said. “Thanks for telling us. Guys, I think our business here is done.”

Aaliyah heard the warning in her brother’s voice and turned back to Georgetta. “If there’s anything to be mailed…” she reached into her back pocket and pulled out her walled; dropping a card on the desk. “Send it there.” She turned for the door, opening it for Xander to roll through. “And I and one of my siblings over there will be by later for our trucks.”

She was the last one out, closing the door behind them.

“What now?” Leo asked, leaving the building. “Dad’s dead, finally. And we get little from it.”

“You still got a house and a mother to go back to,” Aaliyah snapped. “We don’t. So, go back to your middle class life and leave us alone. And stay out of hunting. I shouldn’t have to remind you what happens if things go bad in a hunt.”

She helped Xander into his vehicle and started off down the road.

***

Aaliyah killed the bike as she came up to Bobby’s. With a call from Dean on the way back from dealing with the lawyer as a warning, she had arrived at the house ready for a fight. She hadn’t seen the Impala, but expected it to pull up at any second. No time to wait for the men to arrive, Aaliyah checked her handgun and eased her way to the door. Just as the rumble of the Impala’s engine echoed through the salvage yard.

One of the brothers had called out to her as she slipped into the house. She ignored them. The call she had with Bobby hadn’t gone well when she told him that the lawyer was going to send paperwork there. The fire poker was laying on the floor in the living room.

“Bobby,” she called out, gun ready.

She heard a door creak open and turned toward. Behind her were the footsteps of someone being quiet in their walking. A hand went up and gestured toward the door.

“Come out, come out, whoever you are,” Aaliyah called.

#supernatural family drama meg bobby ofc Dean Sam

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iblue-kitzune · 5 years ago

Text

Of Rising Calamities Beyond the Cosmos: Chapter 7

The clouds, the morning blue sky, the birds—and just the world around them in general blurred by, meshing together in one huge swirled mess like an abstract painting on a white canvas, as the speeding figure of Rayquaza zipped through the air, weaving in and out of the flock’s way who flying near the group.

Upon reaching a city that he spotted below them, he swooped down and flew over a few buildings, casting a huge shadow over the citizens bustling through the busy streets and causing them to look up.

The legendary dragon briefly smirked at the different looks of joy, shock, wonder, awe, curiosity, and slight recognition flashing through their wide blown eyes as he passed them by while Celebi, on the other hand, just casually waved at the gathered citizens with a smile on her face.

And before the group knew it, the Sky High Pokemon ascended and flew through a giant white cloud, bursting free from out of the other side seconds later.

This caused Nero and others to shiver. So, without a moment to lose, the gang shook the moisture off their clothes before it could even began to settle.

‘These two must do this kind of thing a lot, which would make sense seeing as some of these people didn’t look that surprised by Rayquaza and Celebi’s appearance. This must be normal to them I guess...’ the devil hunter mused with closed eyes. ‘Heh, imagine that...living in a time where pokemon exists...’ a smirk appeared on his lips as he thought this. ‘Living in a time where it’s normal to see a giant legendary dragon pokemon who rules the skies and a small mythical fairy who has the power to travel through time fly over your home, and you think nothing more of it as you go about your day.’

“Hey Celebi, what were you and Rayquaza whispering about back at Tony’s home?” Lady asked from behind him.

Without looking back at the group, Celebi sat up from her lounging position she had unknowingly slipped into earlier and answered the devil huntress.

“{Rayquaza was letting me know that there was a disturbance around the island.}”

“A disturbance?” Elize and Darcy echoed.

That didn’t sound good to Nero’s ears. “What kind of disturbance?” he opened his eyes. “Did someone attack the island?”

Celebi folded her arms as she looked down at the yellow ring on her friend’s head. “{No, not really, but there is a battle going on near it,}” she ignored their shocked gasps and continued speaking. “{Apparently, three of our friends are involved, and they’re fighting against three speedy powerful opponents. Though from what it seems...}” the green fairy gave a pause as she looked up, her features twisted into a frown.

Teepo gulped a bit. “What is it?” he anxiously asked.

The frown on Celebi’s face deepened.

“{Other than looking like it got hit by a tidal wave—which is quite possible in a scenario like this, the island is still intact and seems to be holding up pretty well,}” she looked back at the group out of the corner of her blue eyes. “{But I have no clue how long that’s gonna last...}” the psychic/grass type looked ahead and finished with, “{Even though I’m worried about Manaphy, Kyogre, and Lugia, I’m more concerned about those on the island.}”

“I hope those poor animals, monsters, and spirits are alright,” Jude said as he looked over and below the flying serpent pokemon.

“I hope so too,” Alvin muttered in agreement.

Silence enveloped the group soon after that.

At least until...

“{Plus...}” Celebi spoke up in a sad tone, gaining everyone’s attention. “{There’s the situation with Jane we need to keep in mind about. If we don’t hurry up and bring her to Tony then—}”

“{I believe we’re all aware of what could and will happen, Celebi...}” Rayquaza quietly cut in, his attention solely focused on something else. “{My initial plan from the beginning was going to be alerting Tony of the situation, and possibly get his help to stop this battle—or end it before it escalates any further,}” he explained to the group right as he stopped in front of a cluster of clouds. “{But now with this news...and now that you guys are here, you can assist me with this mission instead,}” after catching flashes of blue light and lots of movement below him, the legendary pokemon narrowed his yellow eyes and made his move.

Before any of them could ask why he was descending or speeding up, a blast of wind and blue electricity shot up into the sky and collided into one another fifty feet away from them.

KABOOM!

“Whoa! Is that the battle you were talking about earlier?!”

At Darcy’s exclamation, Celebi looked down. “{Ye—aaaaas!}” she yelped in surprise, nearly flying off her seat when she and the others felt Rayquaza zip to the right to avoid a stray beam of blue-white fire. “{Careful Ray! We’re still on your back you know, I almost fell off!}” she hollered in protest, ducking her head as a bolt of blue electricity soared over her and her dragon friend’s head.

“{I’m trying!}” he shouted over the roar of the wind as he dodged another wave of stray attacks that almost him. “{Greaaaaat...}” he growled and flew above a crackling black-purplish orb of energy that exploded in the spot he just left seconds ago. “{Whoever the girls are fighting up against, they’re firing at us now!}” he said and dodged the second Shadow Ball that was fired at them.

Suddenly, he was struck from the side by a speedy glowing blue-yellow blur that came out of nowhere and slammed into him.

“{What the—A Wild Charge attack?}” the sounds of everyone’s cries as they fell off his back drowned out his voice, and Rayquaza looked up through half-lidded eyes only to spot a familiar semi-tall yellow and black-blue cat with a long ponytail-like piece of fur in the shape of a lightning bolt extending from behind its upper back, black zigzag stripes on various parts of its body, and pure red eyes fly by him. “{No way...Zeraora? But why are his eyes red—}” his surprise was cut short when he spied some kind of metal headband contraption with a glowing red jewel on the mythical pokemon’s head. “{I see now...}” he whispered in realization as he felt his now uncooperative body fall from the sky.

“{Oh no...}” Celebi, who was falling somewhere below him to his left, whispered in horror. “{They’re...}” the rest of his friend’s sentence became nothing more background noise to him as the roar of the wind drowned her voice out.

And the last two things Rayquaza saw in the distance before he closed his eyes in pain as the electricity surrounding him ripped through his body were two other familiar mythicals. It was a small cream and orange colored rabbit-like pokemon with large V-shaped ears, pure red eyes, and two tiny wing-like tails on his butt, and a small smoky grey and green-yellow colored humanoid pokemon with pure red eyes and green-yellow wisps on the back of his hands.

“{Not Victini and Marshadow too...}” came Celebi’s faint comment.

To their shock, the two pokemon were also wearing the same metal contraption on their head like Zeraora had on his.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A wave of crackling pain exploded through Lugia’s whole being as she fell out of the sky and into the water with a giant splash. The Diving Pokemon didn’t have the time to react since it all happened so fast. And she even didn’t see him coming at first!

One second she’d been trying to fire a multitude of a Hydro Pumps at the little fire and psychic pipsqueak, who had successfully dodged every single one of them, and just when she thought she had him cornered behind a pillar of ice she made in the water with Ice Beam earlier, Zeraora zipped through the makeshift ice battlefield in the next second and jumped into the sky right at her.

He clipped her in the stomach with a powerful Wild Charge, and out of the corner of her eye right as she crashed into the ocean, she caught sight of the Thunderclap Pokemon flying towards a group of people and her two friends who appeared in the area.

BOOM!

“{Damn cat is about as strong and fast as ever,}” she involuntarily closed her eyes and turned her head away from the sight of them falling into the section of water that had not been frozen over with a pained wince.

“{Lugia!}”

The legendary psychic and flying type snapped her eyes open to see Manaphy land on the ice field in front of her.

“{Are you alright?}” she asked.

Lugia gritted her teeth as she waddled through the water and climbed onto the field. “{I’m...fine...}” she panted a bit as she slowly got up.

And it looks like she wasn’t the only one because out of the corner of her eye, Lugia spotted a green blur flying out of the water and back into the sky within a blink of an eye, which made her sigh in relief.

“++Oh? You two are still standing? Impressive...” came the low and warped monotone voice of Victini. “Such magnificent creatures you all are. Powerful, intelligent, and quite resilient. I never would’ve thought Midgard held such...interesting specimens. So much more useful and less dreadful than the humans and non-humans alike of this pitiful planet.++”

“{Shut up!}” Lugia roared as she and Manaphy turned their attention the two pokemon descending from the sky in front of them, hovering just a few feet above the water. “{You’re annoying and awfully chatty right now for whatever reason. But I’m assuming the only reason you’re able to talk to us through them in the first place is because of that blasted headband thing, which is giving you some kind of hold over our friends and granting them extra power they didn’t have before!}” she retorted back with a growl. “{Mark my words whoever you are, fiend! Once this is all over, I’m gonna find you and destroy you for turning my friends into mindless puppets you hear me!}”

Marshadow gave off a dark smile that looked so unsettling on his face it was enough to make Manaphy shiver in fear as she took a step back and hid behind her friend’s giant tail.

“++I will be looking forward to your future visit, Sea Guardian.++”

“{Don’t Lugia! It could be a trap!}” Manaphy tried to reason with the Diving Pokemon.

“++Oh don’t try to stop her now, Little Water One. I’m quite eager to see what she’s like and how her psychic powers stand up to mine when we meet face-to-face.++”

The glint of interest as well as the knowing look in both Marshadow and Victini’s eyes confirmed her suspicions. Manaphy knew exactly what the mysterious fiend was gonna do if Lugia wasn’t too carefully.

Sensing her friend’s turmoil, Lugia place a place wing on Manaphy’s head. “{Worry not, Manaphy. I will be careful,}” she said softly in reassurance, not taking her eyes off the fighting/ghost type and psychic/fire type. “{As if I’ll let this fiend touch me!}” she bit out with disgust swimming in her harsh voice.

Victini narrowed his red eyes and was about to say something until something caught his attention. “++What...++” he uttered, turning his head towards the island sitting some miles away behind the Diving Pokemon and Seafaring Pokemon. “++Well I’ll be...he’s here,++” an eerie smile crawled on his face, much to the confusion of Lugia and Manaphy, when he spotted a familiar person approaching the crowd of pokemon standing near the water on the island.

“{What are you...}” Lugia noticed his diverted attention and her eyes widened in shock when he flew past her, heading towards the island. “{Oh no you don’t!}” she quickly fired a Hydro Pump at the Victory Pokemon to stop him.

“++Shadow Ball!++”

Unfortunately, Marshadow’s attack flew in the way and collided with her water attack, which exploded upon contact.

Lugia growled in frustration. “{Damn you!}” she cursed, turning her eyes back on Marshadow, who finally decided to land on the field with her and Manaphy.

From not too far away, she could still spot Zeraora in the sky firing barrages of electric attacks at Kyogre from out of the corner of her eye. And despite the type disadvantage and state the Sea Basin Pokemon was in, Lugia knew her friend was doing okay.

However, there was one thing that concerned her.

Where was Rayquaza, Celebi, and the group of humans at? She couldn’t see them anywhere in the sky now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A sudden uproar of surprise slipped out of the mouths of every single pokemon when Victini appeared before them in a flash, “++Fire Blast!++” and attacked them with a huge blast of intense fire in the shape of 大 symbol.

Some of them tried to dodge the attack, but they weren’t very successful. And so, they got blown back in the process.

“++False Asgardian Prince Loki, we meet again...++”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

At the sound of his name being spoken, the raven haired god looked up and spotted Kagome and some of the other pokemon lying on the ground in front of him and his large group, groaning in pain.

“++I see you managed to get free of your chains but not your muzzle. Has that silver tongue yours been silenced for good this time?++”

After kneeling by Kagome’s side and confirming that she and others were still alive, Loki slowly turned his attention to culprit responsible for this hovering off the ground in front of him, fifteen feet away, and narrowed his eyes at the small mythical pokemon.

“((Do I know you?))” he asked, completely ignoring his mocking question as he stood to his feet and laced his hands behind his back.

“++You may have not met this...pokemon...here, but I assure you, we have met before, Liesmith. Surely you haven’t forgotten my voice in the two weeks you got away from us, have you?++” Victini tilted his head.

Recognition flashed through Loki’s eyes as he assessed the pokemon in front of him very carefully. “((Ah! Thanos’ Chief Thinker and Sorcerer of the Black Order, Ebony Maw,))” he said with a grimace. “((I see you’ve found another...victim...to break in and play the role of a puppet to carry out your dirty deeds.))”

Victini raised an invisible brow at the slight hitch in the god’s voice, which may have been unnoticeable to others but not to him, and he looked down his nose at Loki, as he if he was the superior being and not the Jotun runt in front of him. “++He’s not quite the loyal follower yet, but he will be soon enough after this,++” he admitted, much to the surprise of Loki, who wasn’t expecting that. “++And it appears I have touched a nerve. Does this bring back fond memories for you, Liesmith?”

“((I forgot how weirdly chatty and obnoxious you can be at times,))” Loki’s aura turned cold in response to the slowly growing trepidation and anger churning within him, bringing a deep chill in the area that nearly had everyone except for the fire pokemon in the vicinity break out in shivers. “((And I wouldn’t consider those memories of mine fond at all, Lapdog.))”

Victini blinked when the last thing he received from the trickster god was a flash of red that briefly appeared in his hard green eyes before they disappeared.

“Loki...”

Gardevoir, who was unfortunately next to Loki, felt the full force of his true emotions that he was struggling to keep down as she adjusted her hold on Jane. And she could feel the half-spirit woman stirring in her arms as she leaned over and whispered right by the man’s ear. “You know this person who’s controlling Mr. Victini?” she asked.

Without taking his eyes off from the mind controlled Victini, Loki spoke back to her in an equally quiet tone of voice.

“((Let’s just say he’s someone who I had the misfortune of meeting and being around with, along with his so-called siblings, at one point in my life.))”

Before she could even form a response that, the ears on mind-control Victini’s started to glow bright gold.

“++Enough stalling! Come forth and surrender yourself, Liesmith!++” he commanded the god as his eyes started to bleed pink from the power he pulled from within him. “++In death, you will find true peace and freedom. Two of the most valuable things in the whole universe, and two of the most valuable things that mankind and non-humans alike striven for at some point in their lives. Even you, Loki Laufeyson, fought for those valuable things too in the past, fervently. You wanted to get them at all cost, but even that spirit of yours wasn’t enough. They soon became out of your reach, and as a result, you failed. Just like you failed at keeping the throne, failed at destroying the Jotuns, failed at winning your father’s love and approval, failed at being an equal to your golden brother, failed at taking your life, and failed at your mission given by the late Great Titan himself!++” he continued his speech. “++But you don’t have to be a failure no more. So come quietly and accept your new fate...accept it just like your brother, mother, father, and the rest of Asgard did. You can join them and the Loki of this universe in the afterlife now.++”

Time seemed to have slowed down for Loki at those words; however, once the Sorcerer’s speech fully seeped into his brain, everything around him came crashing down.

“((......W...What......?))”

He didn’t hear Kagome or Gardevoir shout his name as he slowly sunk to ground on his knees...

Didn’t hear the frantic battle cries of the pokemon as Victini form duplicates of himself and shot Inferno at some of the incoming pokemon trying to stop him...

Didn’t hear Kagome summon a bow and fire a glowing purple arrow at the metal headband on the pokemon’s forehead...

Didn’t her cry in shock then pain when she got thrown back into both Gardevoir and Bisharp...

Didn’t hear all three of them collapse next to him with a groan and drop Jane on the ground in the process...

And, he especially didn’t hear what sounded like Nero and several other people’s voices shout:

“Loki! Get up and move!”

Or see a charging Victini on fire about to burn him alive until he was fifteen feet away.

“++Psychic!++”

He quickly snapped out of his frozen state, eyes blown wide the size of dinner plates, and tried to get up only to find himself stuck in place. He chanced a quick look down, and to his complete shock, he was hit by the sense of déjà vu at the sight of a bluish-white light surrounding his body.

‘Shit!’ he panicked, struggling and working up a sweat trying to break free from Victini’s strong telekinetic hold. And by the time he managed to break free and conjure up a knife halfway into existence in his hand, he was too late.

“++V-create!++”

“Good grief, how could someone like you let someone as pathetic as Voldemort here get the upper hand on you, and nearly kill you!” a familiar voice, sassy and a bit angry in tone, cut in.

Before he could blink, a brown and black colored blur jumped in front of him and took the fire attack head-on.

BOOM!

The God of Mischief covered his eyes with his free arm from the bright light of the flames erupted in front of him. “Oh my god...I can’t believe it...” he heard Kagome along with all of the pokemon in the area slowly get up. “Auntie’s finally up. She’s finally up and standing on her feet!”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“{Quite the daring and reckless one your friend is.}”

“{I agree with Rayquaza on this one.}”

When the light that lit up the whole sky slowly began to dim down, Nero and his friends opened their eyes and turned back to the island. “Well, that’s just her. She wouldn’t be Jane Foster either way,” he said with a chuckle. ‘Huh?’ upon hearing the sound of a whirring engine, the devil hunter looked to the side and smirked.

“Sup y’all!”

‘And he’s right on time!’ his smirk widened at the sound of Sota’s voice coming through the huge black and grayish-white alien-like fighter jet he was piloting.

“Ready you guys?” Lady asked.

“Yeah! / I sure am!” everyone else, except for two pokemon who gave silent nods, roared in agreement.

Together, all of them started making their first descent on New Stargate Island.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“[That girl is going to drain herself even faster if she’s going to do what I think she’s going to do.]”

“[That may be the case, Raiden. But let’s not count her out just yet. I can still sense a lot of fight left in her being right now, even if the poison is sapping some of it away.]”

The two great spirits materialized in the area not too far away from Rayquaza and the others heading down the island. They looked to the left to see a worn out Kyogre fighting an exhausted, red-eyed Zeraora, and looked to the right to see a worn out Lugia and Manaphy fighting an exhausted red-eyed Marshadow.

“[Really? Mind control...]” Raiden pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head with a sigh. “[How pathetic. The wretched fiend is too much of a coward to show his or herself face-to-face, and would instead, use others as their puppets to fight the battles for them.]”

“[Yes, it truly is my friend...]” Gale folded his arms, and with a contemplated hum, he turned his head to the Great Spirit of Lightning. “[So...how should we go about doing this?]” the humanoid cabbit motioned his head to scene below them.

A glint of various emotions appeared in the humanoid griffin’s ruby red eyes as he gauged both fights in his head. “[You go on and head over to the island and check on Jane and the others. Meanwhile, I’ll stay here and help out these three with freeing their friends since they look like they’re ‘bout to faint any moment now,]” Raiden suggested as he drifted downward.

Gale followed him with his eyes, raising an eyebrow as he did so. He wasn’t fooled by his fellow spirit’s nonchalance one bit. “[That’s because you don’t want to approach Jane right now at the moment in fear of playfully mocking and teasing the poor young woman to death,]” he called out and smirked when the humanoid griffin stopped in his tracks mid-flap.

And just when he was beginning to think he got him, Raiden spoke back to him over his shoulder.

“[It’s no so much the fear, but I think the temptation would be too great for me to ignore if I were to go over there now in my current mood.]”

And just like that, the Great Spirit of Lightning glowed bright yellow before taking off toward the battlefield like a bolt of lightning.

A sweat drop appeared on the side of his head as he placed his hands on his hips and let out a small chuckle. “[Well at least you admit it and acknowledge it now, Raiden. That’s more than enough for me.]”

He dropped his hands from his waist and turned his attention to the island, noticing that the light which had engulfed it and the sky earlier has now died down completely.

“[Good. Now I can approach the area without the worry of being blinded by the light.]”

The Great Spirit of Wind glowed bright green before taking off like a mighty gust of wind.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“++Reality Stonewielder, I see that you finally woke up.++”

“Well yeah, no thanks to your obnoxious speech and you trying to kill everyone here!”

Loki removed his arm from his face and turned his eyes upon his savior only to stare at her, a bit flabbergasted.

Standing in front of him and some of the pokemon, in all of her fiery burning glory, was none other than Jane Foster, glowing with so much power as she held the intense flames of Victini’s attack back with just one hand. And the strange energy, mana, which she possessed, glowed a purple-white color as it wafted off of her illuminating body in waves.

“++How are you...++”

Unknown to the ones behind her, a ghost of a smirk appeared on Jane’s lips.

“I think you’re going to find out the hard way just how useless your attacks are going to be now...” the mana around the woman pulsed, as if it was alive and breathing. “Because such moves have little to no effect...” then the wind began to pick up in response to the gradual build-up of raw energy, and it swirled around Jane like a miniature twister until her whole being became covered in a thick veil of mana-like fire that made it extremely hard for anyone, even with keen eyes, to see inside. “...On someone like me.”

And finally, in a grand explosive burst of power, the veil grew twice its size and blew up in flames that turned from purple-white to blue-white.

“Someone like a half-spirit...”

Specks of mana flames fell around the field, showering the newly transformed Jane standing in the middle of the circled crowd in with its petals of light that shone golden orange the moment they touched her ethereal body, or warmed those under her protection the moment they landed on their bodies.

“...Who wields the power of light...” Jane gave the mind-controlled Victini a fanged frown, her purple eyes narrowed in determination and her fire colored wolf ears flicked back in preparation. “...And the power of fire...” with a low growl, she grabbed his fiery large v-shaped ears and squeezed them, canceling the V-create move out completely. “...With so much ease...” she immediately released the struggling mythical pokemon only to whirl around, conjuring up a knuckle knife in hand as she did so, and flipped it backwards. “Got it!” then in one smooth fluid motion, she turned back and smashed the butt of her weapon into his stomach.

“++Gaaahh!++” he flew back from the force of the surprise attack with the wind completely knocked out of him, and crashed to the ground, flinging up dirt in the air as his body flipped and skidded across the grass until he came to stop at the edge of the island.

Everyone stared in awe at the orange and yellow-red haired half-spirit with her four fire colored tails moving beside her in the wind as she vanished her weapon away.

“Loki...”

Jane’s voice snapped the trickster god out of whatever trance he had fallen into earlier, with such ease too he thought to himself a little embarrassingly, and looked up to see a dark blue hand in front of his face.

Loki blinked, his green eyes traveled from the hand, to the arm, and finally stopped at the woman’s face, who looked at him with a smile.

“Need a hand?”

Without saying anything, he shook his head, politely declining her help as he stood up from the ground with the grace of a panther and vanished his weapon away too. He looked down at Jane, and with a smile, he realized the mortal woman wasn’t that much shorter than him.

Just by five inches from the looks of it.

Still, he didn’t know why he felt so happy about that.

“What are you smiling about?” she asked curiously.

Loki shook his head again, his smile disappearing. “((Nothing important concerning you,))” he told her then gave her his signature grin. “((It’s nice to see you up on your feet, Jane Foster.))”

Jane pouted at him, and was about to say something, until a thought hit her. Then her eyes flew straight towards his muzzle, and noticed how badly damaged it was. Maybe if she...

“((What are you doing?))” Loki asked with slight suspicion in his voice, his eyes staring intently at the hand reaching for his face.

“Just hold still. This will only take but a second,” she moved closer to him.

Before Loki could protest, she touched his muzzle, freezing him in place. Jane cradled the side of his head with one hand, and with the other, she summoned a small pure white flame to the surface to surround the tip of her index finger. Then with a few simple quick taps on the left side, right side, and smack dab in the middle of his muzzle, she dropped her hands and stepped back.

Silence surrounded the clearing, other than Victini, who was quietly groaning in the background and struggling to get up.

“((What was the point of that—))”

CRACK!

“No way...” Kagome blurted out in shock.

CRACK!—

THUD!

Everyone stared at the shattered and melted muzzle embedded in the grass a bit dumbfounded.

Jane picked it up, destroyed the remains of it until there was nothing left behind, and turned around. “You were saying?” she folded her arms, her voice sounding a bit cheeky.

Despite having no words for that, Loki had something else in mind as he stepped closer to woman and whispered one word in her ear. “Why?”

“For taking care of me while I was knocked out from the poison.”

Before he could ask her how in the world did she know that, Victini finally managed to pull himself up, and with a frustrated growl of anger, the Victory Pokemon channeled some electricity into his hands.

“++It seems I have once again underestimated your power, Reality Stonewielder.++”

The God of Mischief and everyone else turned to the worn out mythical pokemon, and the first thing they noticed was the giant crack in the red jewel.

“You sure have,” she glared at him, her tails flickering behind her in irritation. “And there’s a lot more where that came from too! Wanna see it?” the half-spirit unfolded her arms and summoned her weapon back out again. ‘((Hey Loki?))’ she called out to him in her mind.

The raven haired god shot his eyes to her. At this point, he wasn’t even surprised that she could speak telepathy as well.

‘((Yes?))’ he answered back.

‘((This fight is just about as much as yours as it is mine. Think you can help me infiltrate his mind and free this poor pokemon from Voldemort’s control? I’ll even let you get first dibs on him the next time he makes an actual appearance for real...if you’re still gonna be around that is,))’ she offered.

‘((First dibs?))’

‘((Oh! Sorry about the Midgardian jargon. It means you get the first shot at him.))’

‘((I see...))’ he gave her a smirk. ‘((Well then, I accept your offer, Dr. Foster. But what about that poison of yours?))’

She gave him a small reassuring smile, despite the slight hint of pain that quickly flashed through her eyes. ‘((I’ll be fine for now. Just concentrate on trying not to get yourself killed, okay?))’

“++I see that you two are getting along pretty well.++”

Jane looked at Kagome and motioned for her and the pokemon with a single head gesture to leave, who nodded in understanding and herded all of the pokemon out of the way.

Now it was just her, Loki, and the mind-control mythical pokemon hovering in front of them.

“I guess you can say that,” Jane decided to humor him as she gripped her knuckle knife and slid into a battle stance.

Loki mimicked her stance, and brought out his knife again.

Victini narrowed his eyes. “++Two against one is a bit unfair, but that doesn’t matter...++” he looked down his nose at the two and readied himself. “++I can kill you both here now and go after the Stone myself later!++” he charged at them with a nice burst of speed.

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mint-yooxgi · 6 years ago

Text

[1] - Belonging - Wolf!Junmyeon X Reader

Wolf AU - Part of the EXO Trails of Moonlight Series

Genre: Fluff, Angst, Mature, Smut (In later chapters)

Pairing: Junmyeon X Reader

Words: 2,414

A/n: So I'm super excited to start this series and I hope you guys are too! I know I have a whole bunch of other stuff planned to write, but I promise that won't change. I hope you all can continue to support me and my writing, and I do really hope you all enjoy this series! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated.

Moving to a new town in a new, unfamiliar territory, is never a fun time for you, or your pack. Scouting out the area for weeks in advance, scarcely hunting while you’re in wolf form to try and divert unwanted attention away from your pack, but also only shifting once in a while to keep your scents low, and to avoid suspicion.

It’s no secret many supernatural beings walk the earth, living side by side, and doing their very best to pass as normal to the humans surrounding them. Wolves, witches, fairies, banshees, vampires, you name it, they’re here.

The biggest worrisome feature for new wolves moving into an already occupied territory, is that packs never truly know the boundaries of the existing territories unless they are shown. There are certain parts of an existing pack’s territory that may not have been traversed in years, to the point the scent has worn down. It’s hard to tell what has been claimed if a scent is not immediately obvious. That, and the fact that all new wolf packs to the area are to report to a communal meeting so nobody steps on another’s toes.

Unfortunately, your uncle doesn’t like to play by the rules.

“When can we go out for a run in our wolf forms?” Dani complains, frown clear on his face.

“We can’t all go out at once since we don’t know the terrain very well, but a few of us can go tonight,” your uncle explains. Before anyone can protest, he continues, “I’m choosing who’s going, and how many.”

“No fair! We all know you’re just going to pick (Y/n) again,” Yisung whines.

The sound of your name catches your attention, causing you to raise your head slightly from your position on the couch to look at the three males standing around the kitchen table. Your uncle turns his gaze towards Yisung.

“Well, I was going to suggest you and Giyeon go out tonight, that way the two of you could have some alone time away from the pack, but since you’re so inclined to assuming my choices, I’ll just go with who you thought I was going to pick,” your uncle states, turning to look at you. “Congratulations, (Y/n), you get to go on the first official run by yourself.”

Yisung lets out a low growl in discontent before turning around and storming out of the kitchen. Your eyes follow his movements until you can no longer see him. As soon as he’s gone, you roll your eyes.

“Max, I still can’t believe they accuse you of favouritism every time, just because we’re related,” you scoff. “How many times have you continuously proven them wrong, yet they still won’t drop the subject?”

“No kidding,” comes your uncle’s reply as Dani sulks out of the kitchen.

“I heard that!” Yisung yells from upstairs.

“No shit, you were supposed to!” You yell back, sitting up from your relaxed position on the couch. “Also doesn’t have anything to do with the fact that we’re werewolves!”

“That’s it!” You hear a thump, and quick feet heading back towards the stairs.

“That’s my cue to skidoo,” you jump up from the couch, and head towards the back door. “See you later.”

“Don’t go too far!” Your uncle warns as you rush past him.

You make it out the back door and down the back steps just as Yisung makes it downstairs. However, you’re too quick for him, shifting and running off into the woods as your uncle steps in front of Yisung to block his path and calm him down.

You can’t help but let out a small chuckle as you sprint through the woods. It’s been weeks since you’ve been allowed to run this freely. The wind rushing through your fur sends chills down your spine, feeling a grin pull at your lips.

You continue running straight for a little bit until you start picking up on another pack’s scent, opting to change directions before you can get too close, wanting to avoid them being able to pick up your scent, and chasing you back to your new pack house.

You slow down to a jog, trailing along the edges of the trees as you come to a little clearing, panting heavily. You don’t recognize any immediate threats, so you walk out of the trees and over to the small spring of water at the opposite end.

Dipping your front paw into the pool, you immediately recoil at its cold temperature. This still doesn’t stop you from having a drink to quench your thirst from running.

After you’re satisfied having drunk some of the fresh water, you turn around and sit on your hind legs, taking in your surroundings. You watch as a gentle breeze floats through the tops of the trees, their colourful leaves swaying back and forth with a few falling to the ground below. The signs of autumn are becoming more apparent everyday.

For the first time in weeks, you feel at peace.

With no one to bother you, or disturb your alone time, you allow yourself to relax. Laying down on the ground you rest your head on your front paws, tail twitching every now and then like a cat’s would. Your uncle always loves to mention how you seem more like a cat than a wolf at times, but it doesn’t bother you, you know he’s just teasing. However, if any other member of your pack says it, there’s hell to pay.

It’s no secret that over half of your pack doesn’t like you, and part of the reason is because you’re related to Max, your uncle and the alpha of the pack. No matter what you do, they will always accuse you of favouritism.

The other reason is because you’re not afraid to stand up to them. The previous female betas never stepped out of line or disobeyed any of the males. You’re not afraid to challenge them. Over the years, this has earned you a few scars from getting into fights with the other members of the pack, but you manage. You’re lucky you have your uncle, since sometimes when they gang up on you, you’re not sure if you could survive their attacks.

Your pack consists of four males, and two other females besides yourself. Your uncle, Max, the head alpha. Yisung, who makes it clear everyday he likes you the least out of everyone, and his mate Giyeon who is another female beta. Dani, who tries his best to take a neutral stance on everything. He’s probably the least problematic of your group, and the one who actually gets along with you. Well, besides your uncle.

Vivian is the other female beta in your pack, and she hates you one day, but then acts decent towards you the next. You still can’t get a read on her, but you’re pretty sure she doesn’t like you either. Her mate Woosin is another male who can’t stand you in the pack. Whether it’s because of you in general, or Vivian’s influence, you do not know.

You let out a sigh as you think of everything that has happened in the past year. You just hope to all hell you can start living your life soon, without having to be chased out of your home again, whether it be by another rival pack, or hunters.

The sound of a twig snapping close by causes you to jump to your feet, tensing as you let out a low threatening growl. You receive two back as two wolves step out from the trees, fangs barred.

Fuck, this is not good, you start to mentally scold yourself for being so careless.

You prepare for them to attack, waiting for one of them to pounce, but movement to your left catches your eye. You manage to jump back just in time to avoid the new set of claws that come lashing your way.

The three of them surround you, backing you up to the edge of the water, leaving you with nowhere to go. Not wanting to start a fight without knowing you have backup on the way, you do the only logical thing you can at the moment. You howl.

Back at your house, your pack-mates hear your call. Your uncle, Dani, and Yisung all sprint out of the house, and in your direction, shifting as fast as they can. Most of them may not be able to stand you, but if they didn’t answer your call for help, your uncle would skin them alive, and use their pelts as blankets.

Meanwhile, the pack these three wolves are apart of also hear your howl. A few of them prepare to run out of their own house to help their own pack-mates who went to check the perimeters, but before anyone can head out the door, a voice stops them.

“I’ll go,” Junmyeon states. “I can handle this.”

Before anyone can protest, he’s already out the door, jumping off the porch, and shifting in midair. He bounds across the field and into the woods, many thoughts flying through his head at once. However, one thought keeps repeating itself over and over again.

Mate.

It shouldn’t be possible. It can’t be you, can it? He’s waited all his life to find you, searched all his life for you, yet when he’s least expecting it, the universe reveals you to him.

He can’t explain it, but ever since he heard that howl, his whole body felt like it came alive. Almost as if little jolts of electricity are coursing through his veins. The overwhelming need to protect you from his own pack is the first thing he feels. He needs to get to you, to make sure you’re real, that what he’s feeling is real, and not just some sick trick of nature.

He makes it to the little clearing in record time, slowing down just before he breaks the tree line to assess the situation. He can clearly see Chanyeol, Minseok, and Kyungsoo fighting off what looks like three members of your pack as you prepare to strike from behind.

There you are, in the midst of battle, and Junmyeon can feel his heart skip a beat in his chest, the electrifying feeling he felt earlier multiplying tenfold. However, it doesn’t hurt him. In fact, it feels more pleasant than anything, sending warmth throughout his entire body.

Your fur is the most brilliant shade of golden brown he’s ever seen, almost as if it was made to compliment his own dark brown coat. You look like everything he could have ever imagined his mate to look like, and more. Actually, you look even better than anything he could have ever imagined.

He takes a deep breath and recognizes the scents of his pack mates, as well as the three unfamiliar wolves. One scent in particular stands out to him, and it’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever smelt. Hazelnut and caramel drifts through his nostrils, and he knows it’s you. Wolves’ mates smell like each other’s favourite scents, and those are his.

Just before you can strike, Junmyeon decides to make his presence known. A warning growl escapes his lips as he steps out of the woods. Immediately, his pack mates back off, moving to stand behind him in a line.

Who Junmyeon assumes is the alpha of your pack steps forward, the three of you coming to stand behind the grey wolf in front. Junmyeon cannot help but keep glancing at you from the corner of his eyes, and he can tell you are too. He puffs out his chest a little bit, wanting to impress you for your first time meeting him, your first time seeing him.

Are you the alpha? Junmyeon questions.

I am, comes the reply from the grey wolf. We’re new to the area, and haven’t been able to figure out all the territories yet. I apologize for my niece’s intrusion on your land, she can get a bit… adventurous.

You let out a low warning growl at your uncle’s words, and he turns around to glare at you, successfully silencing you.

Junmyeon just chuckles in response, it’s alright, just make sure your pack comes to the next town meeting regarding new packs and established territories. It’s this Friday at the atrium, I wouldn’t miss it if I were you.

Wouldn’t plan on it, your uncle replies. I apologize once more. We’ll be on our way then.

With a final nod of his head, your uncle turns around and leads the three of you back to your pack house. Junmyeon watches as your wolf retreats further and further away, his tail swishing behind him in discontent. He lets out an involuntary growl, as just before you completely disappear from his sight, he sees one of the other male wolves from your pack ram into your side, causing you to let out a small yelp.

Junmyeon! What the fuck was that all about? Minseok questions, coming around to stand in front of his alpha and successfully pulling him out of his thoughts.

I don’t know, you tell me, Junmyeon rounds on him, anger spiking more than usual at the thought of any one of his pack members harming his mate. You know we have a set rule not to attack new wolves right away. Speaking of which, why did you all choose to attack her?

She smelt of unfamiliar wolves, plus we thought she was sleeping when we first found her. She growled at us first, Chanyeol explains as they all begin to walk back to their place.

He’s right, we thought she was going to attack first, so we countered before she got the chance, Kyungsoo adds.

I still don’t like it, Junmyeon says, letting out a huff of air. Hopefully something like this doesn’t happen again.

With that being said, no one else says anything for the rest of the journey back to their place. However, Junmyeon’s mind can’t help but to wander back to you. When will he see you again? Did you feel the same way about him when you saw him as he does for you? Do you feel the pull?

He shakes his head slightly, clearing his thoughts. All he does know, is that he will see you again, and if fate won’t make it happen, he sure as hell will.

#part of the exo trails of moonlight series #wolf exo #exo wolf au #exo werewolf au #exo au #au #kpop #Kpop au #kpop scenario #exo scenario #Kim Junmyeon #junmyeon scenario #suho #suho scenario #wolf au

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batwynn · 8 years ago

Text

Stiles listens to his dad ask him the same question that comes up way too often, and gets lost counting the dark flecks that scatter across the white expanse of the all-too-familiar hospital ceiling. Here again, and ‘He’ll be fine,’ the doctor says.

His dad wants to hear it from Stiles’ lips, though. Is he okay?

Is he really okay?

His answer doesn’t come as easily as it used to, no quip or snap back like it’s easy come easy go. The feckless lie sticks in the back of his throat, burning away like a hot coal choking the life out of him.

I’m fine.

He’s said it more than a million times, and no super-hearing anybody has heard his heart skip a single beat. Or maybe they did, but that thought doesn’t make it any easier, because that means they’ve ignored it a million times, too. And it should be easy, he’s brilliant at lying straight to his father’s face these days. Stiles knows how to twist a definition to make it true, how to believe in nothing and make it something.

He’s fine.

Molehills out of mountains. Tip of the iceberg.

Shrink it down until it’s just an ember, a single flicker of pain low in his chest. It burns enough to remind him that it’s there, but cool enough for him to force the words out.

He stops counting the tiny holes in the ceiling, and plasters a bright, brilliant lie across his face.

________________

College is like walking on stage without knowing a single word or what the play even is. Stiles has no idea what the fuck he’s doing here or why he chose to do this alone; but he knows how to rip tattooed skin of a Druid to save the lives of his friends. He knows how to trap and kill a rabid alpha. He knows a spell to turn blood into glass. He knows how to run, and hurt, and grit his teeth through it all. Not exactly stuff he can use in his essays on anthropology, but maybe his psychology professor can diagnose his brand of fucked up.

Still, college is safe, and so what if Stiles doesn’t know what to do with safe. It’s not anyone’s fault but his own. So what if he’s across the country, a secluded hermit in the middle of one of the most crowded cities in America. He calls the pack every single day, he talks and talks and talks until they have to go. Back to class, back to work, back to unsafe and life-saving heroics. Scott will never change, Jesus Christ, he’ll never change.

Do a flip, Scotty. Forget to call me, again. Forget the promises we made. Forget what words set me off. Forget our plans. Forget my voice. Forget me.

It’s no one’s fault but his own.

Stiles doodles on his notes. Okay, so to be more accurate, he notes on his doodles. It might kind of be a problem, if he cared—that’s a whole other problem—but he doesn’t fail any of his classes so obviously there’s a method to his madness. He’s doing really well here, alone.

He’s fine.

__________

New York City is actually not safe. Like, holy shit. Maybe it’s just bad timing on his part, because there’s literally seven different wars going on all the time while the tourists ooh and aaah their way through the busy streets. In the back alleys, the quieter places, five packs and two human gangs are trying to annihilate each other. Each one is almost exactly the fucking same, so much so that it would be totally hilarious if they weren’t killing people. Furious supernatural and humans pulling out the big guns and pissing on everyone else’s trees. It’s dangerous, stupid, bloody stuff.

Stiles dives into headfirst the second classes end.

And for the first time in the past year and a half, he’s numb to the lie burning in the back of his throat.

Of course, it doesn’t last. There’s hunters called in to 'settle’ the 'dispute’. Hunters that maybe vaguely care about peace, but get hard for a good ol’ shoot out. So of course it doesn’t last—Stiles doesn’t last. He gets tired, gets slow. Slips up.

Gets shot.

. . .

A few times.

_________________

Is he really okay?

The coal is back, cooking away his torn up insides. Three bullets later and he’s just so fucking tired.

Maybe that’s why he doesn’t even blink when Derek shows up in his hospital room. He doesn’t even question the fact that Derek is the one who’s here, or that he was the one to call his father, the pack, and Scott. (It turns out, Stiles might have forgotten to call them for a few weeks while he scuttled around a war zone.)

Stiles is also just too tired for Derek’s anger, even if it does come from a place of concern. He’s too tired to do their usual song and dance, and for once—for goddamn once—Derek lets it go.

Stiles tells him, ’I’m fine,’ and Derek Hale just nods, sits down, and exists with him.

______________

When he finds out that Derek has been in New York all along, Stiles is suddenly not tired at all anymore

There’s a lot of WTF’s.

Derek seems really smug about those, though, like that’s what he wanted to hear when he told Stiles he’s been living in the same city this whole time. So much for skipping their song and dance, he’s got Stiles flailing his cast-heavy arm at him and everything is sliding into place until they’re actually laughing.

The coal shrivels. Hello ember.

_________

Stiles has a nice rest of his summer vacation after his little foray into the New York Pack Wars.

'Nice’ means: pleasant, agreeable, satisfactory.

Stiles means: the rest of his summer vacation isn’t as horrible as certain previous summer vacations, and therefor sets a new standard for 'not as terrible as it could be.’

Because healing sucks. It’s slow, painful, mysterious—stitches are weird and fun!—and on its own, healing can be very annoying. Add Derek Hovering Hale to the mix, and Stiles has to use his outside voice more than a few times.

Smotherwolf.

(His stupid heart skips a beat when he says how much he hates it. Fuck, he used to be so good at this.)

But it’s not awful. Because, apparently, now that the wolf is out of the bag about sharing city space, Derek decides it’s time to hang out. And by 'hang out,’ Derek means move in together. And by 'move in together,’ Derek means Stiles has to leave the college housing he had planned to spend the summer in, and live in a new place near the college that Derek SugarDaddy Hale decided to buy.

He says, “just for the summer. Just until I’m done healing.”

Stiles is still there by the start of the new semester, and he’s totally fine with that.

______________

Three days into fall classes he has an attack.

Which, whatever, he’s used to them now. There isn’t always a trigger, but when there is, Stiles goes right off the deep end. Hallucinations, voices, flash backs, shaking, crying, screaming, sometimes puking, sometimes punching things… and people. It’s a medley of unhealthy stuff that typically leaves Stiles curled up on the floor of a bathroom stall somewhere after bolting out of class or lunch before the worst of it strikes.

This time, it’s a picture of a dead man in a trench. Black and white, a blurry nameless man. But Stiles just… he can’t take his eyes off of him. The teacher’s voice turns into static, whatever whatever whatever.

The guy looks a tiniest bit like Scott.

Stiles is already shoving himself in behind a toilet and making himself as small as possible before he even realizes what’s happening. Where’s his bag? Fuck, he forgot his—shit, he’s shaking too much, maybe he dropped it. His nails have blood under them oh god, it’s happening again. It’s happening again. He’s hurt someone. It's—there’s marks on his arms, blood. Good. Okay. Good. Just hold it together, it’s okay. You’re okay.

“You’re okay.”

It takes Stiles way too long to realize that someone else said it, and even longer to notice that it was Derek.

And it’s just Derek being Derek. He doesn’t turn into a fairy godmother to grant all of Stiles’ feverish wishes, he doesn’t become a medical professional and do exactly what one is supposed to do when handling a shit-storm of a panic attack, and he sure as hell doesn’t magically slay all of Stiles’ demons.

He’s just there, sitting on the dirty floor of a public bathroom, one arm loosely wrapped around Stiles’ back, one hand offered to hold or squeeze or bite or whatever Stiles needs. He doesn’t make promises he can’t keep, or tell him what to do. He says, “I’m here,” and, “you’re okay.”

And yeah, maybe he will be. _______________

The day he graduates is mostly forgettable. The stress of finals, the general hyperactivity over the whole ceremony, hotels for the couples of the pack who want romance in NYC, spare room for his dad who wants quiet and to be near his son. It’s mostly a blur until later, when all the 'Congratulations!’ and You did it’s have tapered off into a more quiet affection. When the pack has made itself at home in their home—His and Derek’s home—half of them pleasantly buzzed or crashing from sugar highs, that’s when the memory become solid. Because this—this simple and perfect sort of moment isn’t all he’s ever needed. He still needs to be active, to get out there and shove his foot up some kelpie ass every once in a while. (Derek’s SugarDaddy status has upgraded to buying Stiles new shoes because of this.) Stiles still needs his alone time, space to clean out the spiders in the attic of his brain. And sometimes he still gets forgotten, sometimes Scott isn’t there for him when he reaches out. But he’s not alone, and maybe it’s okay that it’s Derek taking his hand these days, and it’s Derek who never, ever forgets what words trigger Stiles because he has his own triggers. It’s okay because the pack is still here for him.

But these lovingly crowded moments where he can feel the pack bond almost as strongly as the arm Derek has curled around him are a part of that Whole that Stiles needs.

This time, when his dad leans against the couch and asks him the question, Stiles doesn’t choke on a lie.

“Better. I’m doing better.”

Stiles smiles, and snuffs that ember out.

#stiles stilinski #Sterek #Drabble #fanfic #short fic #Derek hale #is a smotherwolf #sometimes #I don't know #I wrote this half asleep and feverish #angst #junk

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readingsanctuary · 6 years ago

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I was so good this month when it came to book buying, in that I actually didn’t buy any! I’m genuinely quite proud of myself for exhibiting some self-control for once. I still have quite an impressive book haul this month however, because it was my birthday on the twenty-second and my family knows me so well, that I ended up receiving an impressive stack of books from them. I’m very excited about all of these, but enough rambling from me, let’s get started.

Catwoman: Soulstealer – by Sarah J. Maas

When the Bat’s away, the Cat will play. It’s time to see how many lives this cat really has. . . .

Two years after escaping Gotham City’s slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Batwing is left to hold back the tide of notorious criminals. Gotham City is ripe for the taking.

Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove he has what it takes to help people in his role as Batwing. He targets a new thief on the prowl who seems cleverer than most. She has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and together they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman may be Batwing’s undoing.

In this third DC Icons book–following Leigh Bardugo’s Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Marie Lu’s Batman: Nightwalker–Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse, forming unexpected friendships and entangling herself with Batwing by night and her devilishly handsome neighbor Luke Fox by day. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the heist that’s closest to her heart?

This book crept up on me. I honestly had no idea that it was out this month, it’s been so quite. I wasn’t even sure whether I wanted to read it until I saw Zoe from NoSaferPlace’s review, and she convinced me that I wanted to give it a try, also she mentioned that Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn make appearances, which caught my attention. So when I unboxed this beautiful hardcover in the August Illumicrate Box, I was pleased, because I definitely want to give it a chance, and I have the matching Wonder Woman edition.

Howl’s Moving Castle – by Diana Wynne Jones

“How about making a bargain with me?” said the demon. “I’ll break your spell if you agree to break this contract I’m under.”

In the land of Ingary, where seven-league boots and cloaks of invisibility really exist, Sophie Hatter attracts the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste, who puts a curse on her. Determined to make the best of things, Sophie travels to the one place where she might get help – the moving castle which hovers on the nearby hills.

But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the hearts of young girls…

I’ve been sort of wanting to read this for a few years now, and I’ve been thinking about it a lot just recently. I love the studio Ghibli film, and am looking forward to seeing how the book compares. This was a gift from my sister, and she knows me so well.

The Backstagers: volume 2

All the world’s a stage . . . but what happens behind the curtain is pure magic—literally!

Jory and the rest of the Backstagers have one goal this semester: to put on the best show their town’s ever seen. But best laid plans aren’t easy to achieve when there’s an entire magical world that lives beyond the curtain! When one of the actors suddenly goes missing, the Backstagers must band together to save their comrade and maintain the natural balance of . . . theater.

This was also a gift from my sister, who remembered me reading and enjoying the first volume while we were on holiday. I am incredibly excited for this one. The Backstagers is just such a cute and enjoyable series. I’m so excited to see where the story goes, and maybe learn more about the mystery’s of the backstage world.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – by J.K. Rowling (Hufflepuff Edition)

Exclusive Hufflepuff House Edition of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets – a highly collectable must-have for all Harry Potter fans!

Let the magic of J.K. Rowling’s classic series take you back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Issued to mark the 20th anniversary of first publication of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, these irresistible House Editions celebrate the noble character of the four Hogwarts houses. Featuring gorgeous house-themed cover art and interior line illustrations by Kate Greenaway Medal winner Levi Pinfold, each book will also have vibrant sprayed edges in the house livery. Entertaining bonus features exclusive to each house accompany the novel. All seven books in the series will be issued in these highly collectable House Editions.

A must-have for anyone who has ever imagined sitting under the Sorting Hat in the Great Hall at Hogwarts waiting to hear the words, ‘Better be HUFFLEPUFF!’

I adore my Philosophers Stone Hufflepuff hardcover edition, and knew that I wanted the matching Chamber of Secrets edition to go with it. I hope that they continue to release the whole series in these editions, because I am so in love with them. This was a gift from my parents, who have always fed and supported my love of Harry Potter and reading in general.

Hunted – by Megan Spooner

Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them.

So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance.

Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

This Beauty and the Beast retelling has been sort of distantly on my radar for a while, I’ve heard good things, but I’ve never gotten around to reading it. Now I have no excuses, because my parents got me a copy for my birthday, and I am so happy about it.

Undead Girl Gang – Lily Anderson

Mila Flores and her best friend Riley have always been inseparable. There’s not much excitement in their small town of Cross Creek, so Mila and Riley make their own fun, devoting most of their time to Riley’s favorite activity: amateur witchcraft.

So when Riley and two Fairmont Academy mean girls die under suspicious circumstances, Mila refuses to believe everyone’s explanation that her BFF was involved in a suicide pact. Instead, armed with a tube of lip gloss and an ancient grimoire, Mila does the unthinkable to uncover the truth: she brings the girls back to life.

Unfortunately, Riley, June, and Dayton have no recollection of their murders, but they do have unfinished business to attend to. Now, with only seven days until the spell wears off and the girls return to their graves, Mila must wrangle the distracted group of undead teens and work fast to discover their murderer…before the killer strikes again.

I knew I wanted to read this the very moment that I heard about it. It looks and sounds so awesome! I love almost anything involving witches, and I think this will make a great autumn read.

Reign the Earth – A.C. Gaughen

Shalia is a proud daughter of the desert, but after years of devastating war with the adjoining kingdom, her people are desperate for peace. Willing to trade her freedom to ensure the safety of her family, Shalia becomes Queen of the Bonelands.

But she soon learns that her husband, Calix, is motivated only by his desire to exterminate the Elementae—mystical people who can control earth, wind, air, and fire. Even more unsettling are Shalia’s feelings for her husband’s brother, which unleash a power over the earth she never knew she possessed—a power that could get her killed. As rumors of a rebellion against Calix spread, Shalia must choose between the last chance for peace and her own future as an Elementae.

I saw a lot of reviews for this around the time it was released, and I was completely sold on the concept. I have a weakness for elemental magic, and I’m in a major fantasy mood right now.

Of Fire and Stars – by Audrey Coulthurst

Betrothed since childhood to the prince of Mynaria, Princess Dennaleia has always known what her future holds. Her marriage will seal the alliance between Mynaria and her homeland, protecting her people from other hostile lands. But Denna has a secret. She possesses an Affinity for fire—a dangerous gift for the future queen of a kingdom where magic is forbidden.

Now, Denna must learn the ways of her new home while trying to hide her growing magic. To make matters worse, she must learn to ride Mynaria’s formidable warhorses—and her teacher is the person who intimidates her most, the prickly and unconventional Princess Amaranthine—called Mare—the sister of her betrothed.

When a shocking assassination leaves the kingdom reeling, Mare and Denna reluctantly join forces to search for the culprit. As the two become closer, Mare is surprised by Denna’s intelligence and bravery, while Denna is drawn to Mare’s independent streak. And soon their friendship is threatening to blossom into something more.

But with dangerous conflict brewing that makes the alliance more important than ever, acting on their feelings could be deadly. Forced to choose between their duty and their hearts, Mare and Denna must find a way to save their kingdoms—and each other.

This has been on my TBR for a while now, but I never got around to buying myself a copy. I’m really glad to now have the chance to read this. I mean honestly, I was sold on this from the moment I heard that there was a f/f ship with two princesses.

A Crown of Wishes – by Roshani Chokshi

Gauri, the princess of Bharata, has been taken as a prisoner of war by her kingdom’s enemies. Faced with a future of exile and scorn, Gauri has nothing left to lose. Hope unexpectedly comes in the form of Vikram, the cunning prince of a neighboring land and her sworn enemy kingdom. Unsatisfied with becoming a mere puppet king, Vikram offers Gauri a chance to win back her kingdom in exchange for her battle prowess. Together, they’ll have to set aside their differences and team up to win the Tournament of Wishes – a competition held in a mythical city where the Lord of Wealth promises a wish to the victor.

Reaching the tournament is just the beginning. Once they arrive, danger takes on new shapes: poisonous courtesans and mischievous story birds, a feast of fears and twisted fairy revels.

Every which way they turn new trials will test their wit and strength. But what Gauri and Vikram will soon discover is that there’s nothing more dangerous than what they most desire.

I got my copy of Star-Touched Queen for my birthday two years ago, and fell in love with the beautiful writing style. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on A Crown of Wishes ever since. This book is so beautiful, and I’m really looking forward to reading it.

Ms Marvel: vol 9 – Teenage Wasteland

Kamala Khan has vanished! But where has she gone, and why? Jersey City still has a need for heroes, and in the wake of Ms. Marvel’s disappearance, dozens have begun stepping up to the plate. The city’s newest super hero Red Dagger and even ordinary citizens attempt to carry on the brave fight in Kamala’s honor. Somehow, Ms. Marvel is nowhere…but also everywhere at once! Absent but not forgotten, Ms. Marvel has forged a heroic legacy to be proud of. But when an old enemy re-emerges, will anyone be powerful enough to truly carry the Ms. Marvel legacy – except Kamala herself?

COLLECTING: MS. MARVEL 25-30

This was another birthday gift from my parents, who are totally awesome, and know that I love this series. I’ve already devoured this, and really enjoyed it.

The Ancient Magus Bride: volume 4 – by

“I am not alone.”

Chise has been summonsed to the Dragon Aerie to begin crafting her very own wand, but her journey has more to offer than she had anticipated: magical wonders, enlightening visions, and perhaps most importantly, insight into Elias’ past and the secrets he has been reluctant to reveal about himself.

Yet while Chise finds some answers about the inhuman mage’s history, mysterious beings are displaying an unexpected interest in Chise herself.

I love this manga series, it’s definitely one of my favourites. So I was thrilled to receive the fourth volume for my birthday, especially since I’d been having trouble tracking it down. I’ve already read, and really enjoyed this.

Giant Days: volumes 4 & 5

Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.

My Auntie picked these out for me off my wish-list because she liked the look of them, and I am thrilled that she did. I’d been really looking forward to continuing on with this series, and naturally dived right on them. I’ve already read and really enjoyed both volumes, this series is always a fun time!

So, this haul is kind of big, and more than a little bit late, but I can’t put in to words just how grateful and lucky I feel to have been given so many wonderful books this year. I feel so inspired and motivated to read right now, and I’m looking forward to getting to some of these next month.

Have you read any of the books I’ve hauled recently? What did you think of them? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Want to chat, about books or anything else, here are some other places you can find me:

Twitter @reading_escape

Instagram: @readingsanctuary

Goodreads

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August Book Haul I was so good this month when it came to book buying, in that I actually didn't buy any!

#august book haul #book blog #book blogger #book haul #bookish #books #bookworm #to read #YA #ya books #young adult #young adult books #young adult fantasy

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takenews-blog1 · 7 years ago

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Oh, No! Disney Motion pictures Have Soiled Little Secrets and techniques, Too

New Post has been published on https://takenews.net/oh-no-disney-motion-pictures-have-soiled-little-secrets-and-techniques-too/

Oh, No! Disney Motion pictures Have Soiled Little Secrets and techniques, Too

You could have most likely seen a film and found an “Easter Egg” whilst you have been watching. An Easter Egg is one thing that’s hidden in plain sight. Whereas a few of them are humorous and supposed for some kind of leisure worth, some Easter Eggs are downright soiled. That is very true about Disney movies, which most individuals assume are meant for teenagers. Some animators prefer to have just a little enjoyable, however a lot of these messages are inclined to push the restrict just a little too far.

Hercules is in regards to the Greek demi-god of the identical identify. Within the movie, Hercules should defend Mount Olympus from the imprisoned Titans and the demi-god Pluto. This movie did very properly within the field workplace and spawned a advertising frenzy of video video games, tv reveals and such.

After an uppercut to the River Guardian, Hercules flies into the air and lands. As he lands, a lump grows on his head. A horseshoe then falls on the lump. Look very intently and it resembles male genitalia. Woah, nelly!

Toy Story is a film animated by Pixar and launched by Disney, a couple of boy who will get a brand new toy. One of many toys (Woody) feels ignored due to the looks of a brand new and superior toy (Buzz Lightyear).

There’s a toy with Barbie doll legs and a hook. The toy is a symbolic “hooker.” What bizarre and twisted minds thought to make this!

The Lion King is a film a couple of younger lion who’s duped into believing that he murdered his father, when the truth is it’s his uncle who murdered the younger lion’s father. For a movie that’s aimed toward kids, this looks as if some fairly heavy stuff.

When the younger lion (Simba) falls, some dusts flies into the air. It spells out a sure three-letter phrase that may be a bodily exercise for adults. One of many animators mentioned that the phrase is definitely SFX for the particular results division. Disney claimed that this was an harmless mistake, however many individuals aren’t shopping for that clarification.

A Bug’s Life is an “harmless” story about an ant who tries to recruit a bunch of robust bugs with the intention to battle a rival gang of harassing grasshoppers. Though the movie is focused in the direction of kids, this movie is loaded with grownup humor and innuendo.

There’s a scene in A Bug’s Life when Francis meets one of many Fly Brothers. One of many fly brother’s says, “Hey, cutie! Wanna pollinate with an actual bug?” It is a direct reference to an grownup exercise that I can’t point out.

The Rescuers is a movie about two cute little mice who set forth to rescue an orphan. This looks as if an harmless sufficient movie — a cute couple of mice doing good. However one thing at all times has to occur to screw the film up.

A scene in The Rescuers reveals the mice in a sardine can taking a journey. Slowing down the scene reveals a topless lady in a window. This film was recalled from video shops due to the hidden scene.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit is a cartoon a couple of human detective who helps a cartoon rabbit clear his identify of a homicide he didn’t commit. It was a extremely profitable movie which spawned Disney’s animation renaissance.

There’s a scene within the film the place Jessica Rabbit is thrown from a automobile. Her gown comes up and she or he doesn’t have any underwear on.

Vehicles is an animated story a couple of automobile that will get misplaced on a technique to a race and is befriended by the folks in a city known as Radiator Springs.

A scene within the movie reveals a automobile being “flashed” by two feminine automobiles. The hidden message is that the flashing lights have been used to suggest a girl lifting up her shirt and flashing a person.

Like plenty of different Disney films, Vehicles has plenty of suggestive grownup humor that you just may miss when you weren’t searching for it. A lot of this film takes place on the highway, as Lightning McQueen is travelling to California for a tiebreaker race of the Piston Cup.

Whereas on the highway, the automobiles drive by “Prime Down Truckstop” the place they promote “All Convertible Waitresses.” As a result of all of the characters on this world are automobiles, the waitresses at this truck cease is likely to be all convertible automobiles. This may be seen as a play on phrases, for the reason that waitresses may presumably supply extra, because the signal suggests.

The Little Mermaid is a movie a couple of mermaid (after all) who has a want to develop into a human being.

There’s a priest within the movie who has a bulging crotch which could be very seen in the course of the wedding ceremony scene.

The Little Mermaid‘s title poster depicts the entire film’s fundamental characters in a enjoyable and colourful scene surrounding King Triton’s underwater citadel. Harmless, proper?

Incorrect. Many individuals have scrutinized the picture, saying that phallic imagery was purposefully drawn into the scene.

Fantasia is a film about Mickey Mouse as a wizard. It’s a musical movie, primarily based on classical music.

Taking a look at this, you possibly can see one thing bodacious. Every thing is true there!

Alice in Wonderland is a movie a couple of lady who falls down a rabbit gap and finds an odd and distinctive world by which the eye is targeted on her.

Many have mentioned that this gap seems to be like one thing. Girls ought to already know what I’m referring to. Look very intently.

Pocahontas is a love story in regards to the legendary Native American princess and her romance with Captain John Smith. Pocahontas’ father disapproves, however can love save the day when Englishmen attempt to rob the Natives of their gold?

Check out this scene. The water is splattered with soiled three letter phrases in a number of locations. Somebody has some actually good eyesight to catch all of this.

Okay, we’ve a number of tribal folks round a mystical campfire. We are able to all agree that this innocent gathering is secure, proper?

Out of the frying pan and into the hearth. Wow, these guys caught the subliminal message once more. This soiled three letter phrase is not going to cease, will it?

Doesn’t it virtually appear magical? Disney films are magical alright, in additional methods than one!! We’ve all seen this to this point, so don’t be stunned if…

Look behind the captain and Pocahontas. You will notice these magic phrases. Now in an actual life setting, this could possibly be on their minds, and greater than possible it’s, however for goodness sake, this can be a film for teenagers. Or is it?

Penguins of Madagascar is a couple of group of penguins who’re a part of a particular elite pressure that should save the world. If that is so, what are they doing right here? Slowing down the image on this scene reveals some freaky and downright nasty stuff.

Don’t ask me for any clues — like I mentioned, I’m not telling what that is. These of you who know what that is, properly, it seems to be like a “quantity.” That’s all I’m saying.

Within the kid-favorite Toy Story 2, Woody returns and finds out his origins. He needs to go away his toy pals behind. Aww. Isn’t this a candy sounding story? Properly, it’s, however you recognize what occurs.

Jessie reveals the toys a few of her cowgirl methods. Allow us to simply say Buzz Lightyear will get “excited” as his wings increase and light-weight up.

This film is about Remy the rat. He needs to be a chef, and sooner or later finds himself beneath a restaurant. He units his sight on fulfilling his culinary desires.

Chef Linguini explains his little drawback to Colette. Whereas he says that Remy the rat is doing the entire cooking, Colette seems to be at his non-public space. Very subliminal, to not point out embarrassing.

Tarzan is the story of a person raised by chimps. It looks as if a pleasant transition from ebook to movie. Tarzan is primal, however he’s the basest of kinds on this film!

Within the movie when Tarzan meets Jane for the primary time, he will get just a little too touchy-feely. You possibly can see that Jane is uncomfortable with Tarzan laying proper in her bosom.

Tarzan is made out to be just a little pervy on this animated adaption of the story. Do you see what the loin material he’s carrying seems to be like?

Tarzan seems to be up Jane’s skirt. She replies to him with a kick.

Cinderella is the basic retelling of a younger lady who has to cope with her merciless stepmother till her fairy godmother cheers her up and brightens her life with a Prince Charming.

The scene the place the mouse threads beads onto Gus’ tail appears fairly graphic when you pause it in the precise place.

Bambi is a couple of deer and his animal pals who play delightfully within the forest round them, however hunters spoil the enjoyable and put the animals in horrible hazard. There are some scenes within the movie, such because the ice scene, which put Bambi in very awkward positions.

Whereas exploring the woods, Bambi and Thumper hit the ice. Whereas Thumper tries to assist Bambi out, you possibly can clearly see this can be a fairly graphic nose-to-tail scene.

Along with Thumper, Bambi meets plenty of different woodland creatures alongside the best way. In a mattress of flowers, he encounters an enthralling skunk, whose identify is “Flower” paradoxically. Flower could be very candy and flirty, whose allure impacts these round her, as may be seen within the subsequent slide.

Flower kisses a fellow skunk, who has fairly a response. He will get shy on the kiss, turning crimson and stiff, then rolling over. We are able to consider different elements of the physique that get stiff when the joy of kissing is concerned.

The Emperor’s New Groove tells the story of an egotistical teen emperor who will get changed into a llama on the expense of his evil adviser, Yzma, and her henchman, Kronk. Yzma and Kronk’s dynamic is such that though Kronk is powerful and overpowering, he’s dimwitted and straightforward to regulate, which Yzma makes use of to her benefit.

In a single scene, Yzma and Kronk had arrange camp throughout their seek for Kuzco, after Kronk loses him post-llama transformation. Yzma has a giant luxurious tent however Kronk, as vastly muscular as he’s, has a small tent that hardly covers his physique. However take into consideration the position of this tiny tent in relation to Kronk’s physique. Is that this a technique to symbolize that Kronk is “pitching a tent”?

A Goofy Film follows Goofy and his son, Max, on an epic highway journey. Goofy, eager to bond together with his son, takes a begrudging Max on a fishing journey. Alongside the best way, they face many obstacles, together with an encounter with the wilderness legendary creature, Massive Foot.

After escaping, Goofy and Max drive away as Massive Foot rummages by means of their containers of clothes. Massive Foot finds a pair of underwear, not sure of what it’s, and comically places it on his head. Whereas his hair sprouts out of the leg holes, Massive Foot discovers one other gap within the underwear, out of which he peeks together with his eye. This picture makes Massive Foot the “one-eyed monster,” in additional methods than one.

This basic Disney story follows a thief, Aladdin, who falls for the Princess of Agrabah, Jasmine. After discovering a lamp within the Cave of Wonders and unleashing a magical genie, who grants him three needs, Aladdin makes use of one in all his needs to develop into a prince in order that he can woo Princess Jasmine. In a single scene, Aladdin makes use of his magic carpet to fly as much as Jasmine’s balcony. Many have argued about what’s heard subsequent.

As Aladdin enters the balcony, the audio that’s heard is interpreted as “Good youngsters, take off your garments.” It’s unclear as to which character is saying this. May or not it’s Aladdin as he enters Jasmine’s bed room? May or not it’s Genie as he and the carpet are eavesdropping under the balcony? Both means, many imagine that this scene was deliberately sexualized due to these misheard strains. Disney has defended this, saying that the script truly has Aladdin say, “C’mon… good kitty. Take off and go,” to Jasmine’s pet tiger that growls at him.

Within the closing installment of Disney’s Toy Story franchise, Andy’s toys mistakenly find yourself at a daycare middle. There, they meet a plethora of different overly-used and mistreated toys, in addition to a menacing stuffed bear named Lotso.

In an altercation between Andy’s toys and Lotso, Mrs. Potatohead characteristically will get just a little mouthy as she talks again to the evil bear. Lotso then pulls off her mouth to make her cease speaking, after which Mr. Potatohead involves her protection saying, “Hey, no one takes my spouse’s mouth besides me!” Take from that what you’ll.

One among Disney’s newest main blockbusters is Frozen, which is about two princesses who navigate the world of affection and self-acceptance. Anna units on a journey to carry again her sister, Elsa, who has run away as a result of she was ashamed of her powers. For the journey, Anna enlists the assistance of Kristoff to assist her navigate the treacherous winter panorama.

Throughout the journey, Anna talks to Kristoff about Prince Hans, who she has fallen in love with however later finds out after the journey (shock, shock) that he’s evil and was solely utilizing her to take over her household’s kingdom. However throughout their speak, Kristoff questions Anna about her love for Hans, rattling off a bunch of random questions equivalent to Hans’s favourite meals and eye colour. Lastly, Kristoff asks, “Foot dimension?” To which Anna innocently replies, “Foot dimension doesn’t matter…”

Peter Pan is the basic story of the boy who by no means, or would by no means, develop up. In Disney’s model, we meet Wendy and her two youthful brothers. Wendy loves the tales of Peter Pan however is upset at her father who tells her that she is changing into too previous for them and her little brothers. Later that evening, Peter Pan himself pays Wendy and her brothers just a little go to.

On this scene, Peter Pan may be seen enjoying together with his shadow with the sunshine of the kids’s bed room. Nobody may be positive if the animators knew that the shadow of Peter’s shirt would produce such a suggestive picture, however there you’ve got it.

Most likely one in all Disney’s extra forgotten classics, The Hunchback of Notre Dame tells the story of Quasimodo, a deformed man who lives contained in the famed cathedral throughout 15th-century Paris. Sooner or later Quasimodo is inspired to exit in public in the course of the Competition of Fools, which solely ends badly as he’s publicly humiliated. Esmerelda, a gypsy, frees him from his disgrace, a lot to the dismay of Frollo, the minister of justice. Frollo calls for that Esmerelda be detained, however she escapes with magic.

In a single scene, Esmerelda is seen dancing in flames. Many would take this second to note how overtly voluptuous Esmerelda’s physique is beneath all her gypsy garments. Her gown, at one level, appears to be non-existent. Many have argued that this scene is just too sexually graphic for a kids’s film. Oh, and what phrase may be seen within the flames? Take a wild guess.

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rainbow-roxie · 7 years ago

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How I met the Kelpie (New Draft)

Prologue

It was the Summer of 1987.

I’d moved to Scotland in the spring. I had been staying with my Grandparents all spring and summer while my folks were finalizing their divorce and settling the custody issue. I didn’t really like my mother; “Useless. Just like your Father. Rockwell; You’re useless!” she’d tell me when she was pissed. And it hurt, I didn’t deserve that. But she wasn’t totally wrong there: Dad was a good for nothing drunk, he could never hold a job for more than a year and it was always up to Ma to keep the rent and feed us and hey: I’m pretty laid back but at least I had that part time job with Vinny for a while. So I knew who was gonna win that fight after all was said and done; but Dad had friends in high places so it was kind of challenging to get as far as she had. I’m staying out of it I’d decided Ma ain’t bad. She’s just at the end of her rope. It’ll be okay regardless. I figured once the divorce was done and she had some time to herself she’d be the kind woman who seemed to bail when I was eight and hired the evil twin harshing my mellow. I remember she was my hero when I was little; when the other boys were making fun of my braces. But then mom and dad started fighting after Dad was laid off at the factory. Then it’s nothin’ but downhill, rock-bottom blues for poor ol’ Rocky.

Anyway, I hadn’t seen Gram and Gramps since I was eleven so it was kinda nerve wracking when I arrived. They had moved to Scotland and were my only other living relatives besides uncle Barry, and he was staying with his Girlfriend so just my Gram and Gramps. My Grandparents lived in a two story Bermingham style house with all these rad old things like a Grandfather clock (I had made a Joke that got Gramps to shoot milk out his nose, he was always cool like that) and this huge front deck. We lived in a small town, like an old village or something, and there was a real big wooded area nearby the farmhouses right outside town. But Gram insisted I keep on my studies. I was finishing my Senior year in my Grandma’s home school class. Forget that noise, man. I wanted to have some fun.

So one day I asked if I could just wait until summer’s end to hit the books. That was very the same week I met her; The girl of my dreams. But I also learned a terrifying secret about the lake there. This is that Story. I’ll start from that week, it was Sunday August 9. The last month of summer.

Day 1

I had gotten up like any other morning at the crack of dawn. I was used to it though, no prob. I finished my eggs and sausage, guzzled my OJ and turned to Gram. “So, for the rest of Summer I’m free? Like go into town and hang with the guys free?” I asked. She just smiled. “Yup. So long as you promise to apply yourself next month. You want to graduate on time right?” I was headed out the door already so I just said “Yeah, sure. I’m gonna be at Hamish’s for a few days okay?” She waved her hand in a dismissive ‘okay’ and I left.

I was 17. I was old enough to take care of myself in this small town, which was good because I was full of youth and wanderlust and an adventurous spirit. I walked into town and met my pal Hamish “Heeeeey man how’re yeh doin’?” His accent wasn’t too heavy but he was indeed a local Scottish boy. He’d grown up here his whole life. “Dude, did you get her to come?” I asked him eagerly, “Seriously man, I made it clear as day that she HAD to be there!” I was talking about his younger sister Elinore. She was this foxy Scottish redhead that I just… I couldn’t get the nerve to tell her how I felt. Hamish was cool about it though; I was glad to have a man on the inside and he was glad to help.

“Calm down there Rock,” Hamish said with a chuckle, “she’ll be there. Liam, Paul and Alice; and Heather’ll be too. Yeh got your Gran’s okay right?” I groaned, “She doesn’t need to know, right? It’s just a little campout in the woods what harm could it be?” Hamish frowned, “Yeh know the stories Rock…” I groaned even louder and rolled my eyes.

The stories he meant were about this ghost thing. People had a superstition about the Kelpie, a creature that lurked in the creeks and ponds and ate weary woodsmen at night. But those were just old legends.

“People get lost in the woods all the time. Doesn’t make it supernatural.” I said flippantly “And when was the last time you heard about a missing hunter, huh? Never. So shut up and let’s get our supplies.” Hamish shrugged and relented. He didn’t believe the stories any more than I did. But the old folks around here were paranoid of a stalker or maniac in the woods and I didn’t wanna get them worried. Gram said that the guy who sold them their house went missing out in the woods and before that it had happened to another couple camping and then 3 hunters before that. But that was 15 years ago and people go out there all the time these days.

We spent the day buying camping stuff with the money mom gave me for the time I’m out here as well as his allowance. We took our knapsacks and met the rest of the gang at the old well in the middle of town. I told them the plan; 3 days of camping in the woods down by this lake I’d seen a couple weeks back. Paul, Alice, and Heather chickened out almost right out the gate and Liam was a little older so he had work the next day. But Elinore said she’d come as long as I didn’t try and prank her.

“I’d never do that.” I reassured her. “You do that sort o’ thin’ all the time Rockwell.” retorted Elinore. “Yeah, but I’d never do anything to scare YOU, Elli.” I replied, giving her a smooth wink that made her blush. She was just so cute! I couldn’t take it sometimes. Elinore was 15 going on 16 in a month and Hamish was like me at 17. Hamish was actually a month or 3 older than me but he was the only one who ever noted it. We were the Three B’s; Brawn, Brains and Beauty. I was Brains and he was Brawn; guess who the Beauty was? The plan Hamish and me concocted was that I confess my feelings to Elinore under the light of the moon. I’d tell her; “Hey, Elinore; I dig you baby. Will you be my girl?” and with the chirping insects and starlit sky and the moon hanging there like a gift from the Gods of love…

There was gonna be a full moon that night and Hamish promised he’d keep me from bailing on the plan. Truth be told I wasn’t as confident as I seemed around Elinore. I actually constantly doubted myself at almost every turn. Luckily I had some good friends that motivated me whenever I lost face to keep trying my hardest and they were the friends I was with that fateful night.

We made our way to the woods at early dusk. Elinore was nervous and Hamish said he was feeling kind of creeped out too. But I took Elinore’s hand and reassured her that nothing bad would happen. ‘The plan is going PERFECTLY!’ I thought to myself as I daydreamed all about all the romantic moves I was going to pull and grinned to myself.

We built a fire and started roasting marshmallows: All according to the plan. But then disaster!

Soon the moon came out and Elinore started feeling really scared. She started jumping at every little sound and complained how eerie the full moon was in the mist. It got so bad that she demanded Hamish take her home. Which he did.

He left saying he’d come right back. He was having fun. It was weird; I thought Elinore would be thrilled at the fairy tale setting with me and that Hamish would have a boring time while I wooed his sister. But it was Hamish who ended up liking the trip. So I said I’d wait and started sulking. “Stupid… Dumb… Lake… Woods… Like, this is romantic; isn’t it? A Lake lit by moonlight under the stars by a campfire? I thought she’d love it! I guess she’s just a timid girl at heart…” I grumbled to myself for a long time. After a while I thought I heard something. “Wait… Singing? No… more like crying…”

I stood up and followed the sound. I came to another clearing by the lake and that’s where I saw her: It was this girl, about my age, facing the water in a filthy gown and weeds in her hair. She was sitting on the root of a tree, shivering and crying. It looked like she was trying to sing herself to sleep. The song was in Gaelic or something. ‘She sounds so… lonely.’

“Hey!” I said, raising my voice a little in concern, “Hey, you okay? Are you alright?” The girl turned around to see me. She looked shocked at first but she saw my face and just started weeping quietly. “Hey, are you hurt? How long have you been out here?” I asked as I put my hand on her shoulder. She was freezing and wet, “Jeeze!” I said, recoiling at her chill skin, “You’re frigid! Hey, I’ve got a fire burning by the other shore, you should come with me and sit by it.”

She paused and looked at me again. She had tears in her eyes and looked like she’d been through a rough time. But there was another thing, ‘She’s…she’s so…beautiful.’ She opened her mouth and said something in that Scottish language. “Whoa whoa, hey, I don’t speak…” I paused and ran my fingers through my hair, “I speak English. Can-you-speak-en-glish?” She blinked a few times in wonder. “English?” she whispered, “You… You are from England?”

I sighed in relief. The girl didn’t even have an accent, which was weird, but at least she knew my language. “No, I’m from Chicago.” I said snarkily, “We speak English in America too, y’know.” I gave her a wink and she smiled a little bit. I was flirting, I admit. But she seemed so scared. I had to try and make her feel safe. “C’mon, let’s go sit by my fire.” I said, “You’re freezing.” I took off my jacket and draped it around her shoulders. I then led her down the shoreline to our campsite. It was then that I’d heard Hamish calling my name and asking where I was. “Hey Hamish!” I shouted, waving my hand, “Over here!”

I walked her over to the fire and we sat down. She rested her head on my shoulder immediately and took my left arm in hers like a lover. Then she seemed to just fall asleep in front of the fire. Just like that. Arm in Arm with her head on my shoulder.

‘I…She’s…This… Ooh Boy…’ My heart just kind of… Well, it melted. “Um… Hey Rock… who is this?” I snapped my head up, almost forgetting Hamish was there. “I dunno man,” I answered sheepishly, “she was sitting at the lake edge over there crying herself to sleep. I think she got lost and fell in or something. She was freezing and wet.” He looked her over for a second. “I’ve never met her.” he said, almost growling in a weird and sudden annoyance, “She isn’t from town.” She then stirred and opened her eyes. “I live… nearby.” she mumbled, stretching, “I was so sad, I thought no one would ever find me. Who are you?”

She turned to look at me again. Her big green eyes were glistening in the moonlight. She had this dark auburn hair, pale skin and a petite figure. I took a deep breath. ‘You gotta stay cool man, just stay cool man’.

“My name is Rocky,” I said, repressing a nervous stutter, “I’m staying with my Grandparents for a while. This is Hamish.” I gestured to my confused and annoyed friend, “He’s, like, my pal.” She tilted her head and barely glanced at him out the corner of her eye before she returned her attention to me. “Are you a Nobleman?” she asked innocently. I paused awkwardly and bit my lip. “W-what?” I stuttered. She giggled. “Do you hail from a well known family?” she asked again. I looked at Hamish, who was feeling more and more like a third wheel. “Nah,” I said, gently moving her hand from my arm, which she immediately replaced before snuggling her chest closer into me, “I’m nobody. I’m not even sure if I have any... Nobility?” I was uncomfortably at a loss for words. I was good at playing the cool guy but this was so unexpected. She talked like a princess or damsel in distress. She smiled very warmly at me and my heart skipped a beat. “Then you are a scandalous rogue? Or a pauper? Perhaps you are more simply modest and more noble than you let on...” She buried her face into my shoulder, giggling like a giddy little girl.

“Hey, how about you tell me why you’re out here? What happened?” I asked, desperate for a change of pace. She stopped giggling and looked sad again. “I was left out here a long time ago.” she sighed, “Eventually, I helped to build a house with a man. He left me behind too, like my first love who never came. I have some friends. They are kind. But they never stay here too long. There are things that frighten them in this wood and they hide. So now I live here all alone. My home is nearby, so I am free to roam this part of the wood and never be lost. But it is so, so very lonely…” She started to tremble, tears in her eyes.

“Wait, yeh just said yeh were scared no one’d find yeh. Then yeh said yeh have a lotta mates. An’ what do yeh mean yeh live nearby? Nuthin’ yeh say makes a lick o’ sense. Who even are yeh?” Hamish was skeptical now and I could feel he was angry with me. I could see that he was getting pissed at how I looked at the girl. This trip was supposed to be about asking Elinore to be my girl.

The mysterious girl just looked confused. “…who am I?” she asked, “I am me.” Hamish’s nostrils flared. “Don’t gimme that rubbish!” she shouted, causing the girl to flinch, “Yer NAME Girl. What’s yer NAME?” She looked at him with an insulted scowl, “I just told you;” she cried defiantly, “I have been here for a very long time! If I have ever had a name I do not remember it anymore!” Then she started crying again. “Hey man!” I barked, shocked that Hamish could be so cruel, “That was harsh, Hame!” Hamish shot a look at me that made me surprisingly terrified and enraged as he ranted, “And YOU! What about Elinore, eh? Yeh said yeh wanted to be with her right? Now yeh can’t take yer eyes off this lil’ tart?”

“TART?!” she shrieked at him, standing in outrage, “That means whore if I am not misunderstanding you?!” This was all wrong. At the time I had no idea what was so unsettling, the out of place fear and fury, but Hamish turned toward her with a grin full of malice, “Well if the boot fits, yeh slag.” The girl stamped and howled. She seemed like she was trying to restrain her emotions. “I would have you know,” she hissed in a low voice, “that the every man I have tried to love has been a scoundrel and every one left me behind! Tart?! I was never the faithless one! I was always loyal in my heart!” Her face twisted and contorted in many pained emotions before she burst into tears sobbing in her gibberish-sounding foreign words. “Dude!” I shout, trying to get a grip on things, “What’s goin’ on? What’s she saying?”

“She’s cryin’ “oh poor me oh poor” me like a melodramatic lil’ attention whore!” Hamish bellowed, “I’ve had enough Rock! Yeh wanna entertain this little tramp go right ahead. But I’ll have nothin’ to do with yeh anymore! Elinore’ll be heartbroken; She actually LOVED you, arsehole!” He raged off in the direction of town. “Wait!” I cried suddenly. She loved me? Elinore LOVED me? “Hamish! No man, please don’t freak out! It isn’t like that at all, pal!”

I get up and take a quick jog forward, bounding a few steps from the lake. I looked back in time to see the girl look at me again, tears of anguish in her eyes and she darted off back down the shoreline. “I KNEW IT! No one can love me! I was a fool to leave my home!” I turned ran a few yards back in her direction, I couldn’t let her just run into the woods like that but at the same time, I didn’t really know what to do at all. I quickly lost sight of her and turned to chase after Hamish after all.

I figured she was going home so I caught up with Hamish at the edge of town. We argued a while before we made it to his house. Elinore heard us both out but she still couldn’t accept I was just being nice to the girl. Hamish and Elinore said they’d never speak to me again. That night I cried myself to sleep. I woke up later and sat on the deck. As I looked out at the woods I thought about that poor girl. So sad and alone.

I could actually empathize. I knew what it was like to be an outcast. No one cared about the real me. When they got to know me well enough they bailed. The only friend I’d ever had was Hamish until this fiasco… ‘I hope she’s okay.’ I thought, ‘I’ll go again tomorrow and see if I can find her.’

As I stood and turned to go inside and sleep some more, I thought I heard a horse galloping in the distance.

Day 2

I went back the next day in the afternoon. Our campfire had been doused, so I assumed she might have gone back after what happened and looked for me. I scoured the woods for a while until I found a cabin on the other side of the lake from our campsite. It was old and run-down. It had moss growing on the outside and old semi-rotted furniture inside.

‘She lives here?’ I thought to myself sadly, ‘That poor girl… no wonder she’s so miserable.’

I decided to stay there until she got back. Eventually I fell asleep in the chair and drifted into a dream.

It was a nightmare. I felt like I was drowning. I could see other guys in the water. Some women too. They were being pulled down by the reeds in the lake-bed. I turned left and right and I felt like something was swimming with us.

The others were screaming, drowning and terrified of something. But as I drifted into the murky bottom I saw her. The girl from the other night swam up to me and started pulling on my arms. “Rockwell of Chicago!” she cried in a strange disembodied voice, “Please do not drown! I am sorry! I am so very, very sorry! I never meant any of this! Please!” I took her by the elbow and fought the reeds back. She seemed so relieved. Like it was a true miracle that I would fight for her. As we rushed to the surface together, another tangled lake-vine ripped up from the depths and wrapped itself around her; pulling her back into the nightmare. She started drowning now. Just like the men around us. As I turned to dive deeper and retrieve her, to go back for her: I woke with a start.

“YEEEAAAEEEHH!!!” I fell from the chair with a crash. There was a screech of fear outside. “Who is in there?!” demanded a very startled little voice. I looked up and saw the door of the cabin opening slowly. It was the girl from my dream all wet again and this time she was naked. There were less weeds in her hair so I assumed she was trying to bathe outside and I immediately covered my eyes.

“Oh jeeze!” I stammered, “Oh jeeze; I’m so sorry! I didn’t know when you’d be back so I just came in and waited! I’m-” I was cut off by arms thrown around me and heavy sobbing. “You came back!” she cheered loudly, catching me off my guard and my heart in my throat from a fluttery feeling inside, “You came back for me! Oh joyous day!”

I opened my eyes and saw her naked body pressed against me. She was crying so hard but she was smiling so brightly. I looked out the window and saw it was already dark. Then the mystery hermit-girl recomposed. “I thought you would be gone forever!” she cried, tearing up with joy, “I… I went to your fire and saw you were already gone. I splashed water on the fire and looked for you forever! When I arrived at the edge of your town you were already turning in to sleep for the night and I…” she paused and became very solemn, “I was too afraid to approach you… I thought for sure you would hate me…”

Then she went totally silent, saddened by her own words.

“I am so very sorry.” she said after a moment, “The woman you loved… She does not love you anymore, does she? I ruined true love.” she began to cry, “I am so sorry…” I waved my hands wildy. “No!” I said, smiling as broadly as I could, “No! No, no. It wasn’t your fault. Hamish and Elinore are just really old fashioned and have a lot of personal pride, is all!” I explained, “It isn’t your fault that they won’t forgive me. Not at all. It was just a big stupid mess of unfortunate events and to be honest it was my fault. I was staring a lot in an almost swoony way. It gave Hamish the wrong idea…”

I blinked hard and realized she was still naked. I shut my eyes tightly. “Y-y-you should get some clothes on!” I stammered, “like, you’re….You’re EXTREMELY naked right now…” I heard her gasp and she said something in her language that sounded apologetic. I think she was also cursing. I tried my best to hide the crotch of my pants as she shuffled around in front of me. “Is this better?” she asked. I opened my eyes and saw her wearing that ratty old gown again. “Is…” I hesitated, “Is that all you’ve got to wear?”

She slowly drew her eyes sheepishly to the ground. “I…I am all alone out here. I do not have many things that were left for me…” Then I realized what she’d said last night. “Wait… Did you have a boyfriend with you? I mean, at first?” I asked. She just looked away. “No…” she mumbled in a shaky voice, “I cannot remember where I lived before here. I had a lover once, I think. A strong man who would come here and lay with me. It was he built this house, I believe…” She trailed off, moving her hand in front of her as if she was touching a man’s face in her reminiscing. “But one night he betrayed my love; and I lost him forever.”

I became very angry. “Wait,” I said coldly, “So this big burly woodsman guy came out here to meet you and he just fucked you? And then he left you here at a private little house just so he could get some whenever he wanted like a free hooker?!” I stood and started pacing back and forth. Of course I was justifiably angry, this was a very disgusting situation. But I was also just putting together a story based on assumptions. I was heated. “So he does that and then he just up and left one day after breaking your heart? How long ago even was this?! You’re, like, sixteen! Was this guy just Scottish Grizzly Adams, the Master Pedophile?!” I flew into a frothing rant. I was livid. I had been screwed over by ‘friends’, cheated on, neglected and abused; but this was a whole other level of screwed up to me.

“Who does that? Who even DOES that?! ARGH that grinds my gears, man! Jesus CHRIST! I can’t even believe that!!!” In my frenzy I knocked over an old clay pot and it shattered. The sound made the girl jump a little. I calmed down. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…” she just took my hand and smiled, pulling me closer before wrapping herself around my arm again like last night. “What’s your name?” I asked. She just looked at me sadly and shook her head. “That’s right. You’ve lived here so long you can’t even remember.” I paused, “Well, I’ll give you a name, okay?”

Her eyes lit up and she nodded feverishly. “Oh, Noble Rocky, I would be delighted to accept a name from you!” she was wiggling and squirming with excitement and I grinned. “I really ain’t any kinda nobleman sweetheart,” I added with charm in my voice, “I’m just a guy who knows what it’s like to be…” I stopped grinning and looked deeply into her emerald eyes. She was so beautiful and alone. “Alienated.” I finished. Then I looked away before continuing, “My whole name is Rockwell Theodor Chance. I only ever had two real friends and now I don’t have any at all.” I felt her hand slide up my arm and touch my shoulder. Cold and clammy. Wet skin. She had gotten dressed so fast she forgot to dry off. “Well, Rockwell of Chicago,” she whispered, “You have a strong heart and that is enough for even a Savage to be a Nobleman.”

I looked at her. She was very pretty but she was very…odd. Her innocent attitude and thesaurus way of talking to me was kind of charming, though. I thought for a minute. “Well, believe it or not; I used to be a real big geek in school…” I confessed, “Hame and Elli don’t even know it, but I read a lot of fairy tales and epics from the old days and way back then I used to read this awesome story about a Hero. King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table.”

She lit up like a neon sign and started jumping up and down excitedly. “A King?” she squealed, “A King and heroic knights? Was there a princess? Was there a war? Oh, do please tell me this story!” I smiled at her, she was incredible. “Alright. I’ll tell you what I can remember.”

She sat down on the floor next to me and I told her the story of Arthur Pendragon pulling the sword from a Stone and Anvil and she was so in awe by my way of talking. I told her about the knights and Merlin, their brotherhood and fellowship. We both noted how much we’d have liked that in lonely times. It was a bonding moment. The story of the Questing Beast scared her a little and the fight between Arthur and the Saxons made her cheer for their victory. The wedding between the fair maiden Guinevere and King Arthur was by far her favorite part and then Lancelot’s Affair, the eventual destruction of Camelot and the Death of Arthur in his fight with his great enemy Mordred had the girl nearly in tears. I decided to go back and touch on the heroic feats of Galahad, Lancelot and Gawain to cheer her up and especially the bravery of Gawain made her cheer again.

“This is a wonderful story!” she said, laughing a laugh that made me feel warm and tingly inside. “Well, I always thought about it being too sad to be ‘wonderful’, I mean; it is a tragedy.” I laughed. She frowned at me. “But,” I quickly added, “I always liked crazy love stories like that. Shakespeare. Homer. Wagner…” I paused to smile at her, “Sometimes Tragedy is a good story. Sometimes the saddest things are the most beautiful. They remind us how precious things like laughter and love truly are...”

Our eyes met and we stayed that way for maybe as long as 5 minutes. I think she knew what I was saying even if back then I didn’t exactly know myself. “Anyway,” I finally said, “The Lady of the Lake. Her name was actually Viviane.” I thought a second, “...So I was thinking, since we met here at this Lake I’ll call you Viv or Vivian?” I looked at her while smiling but I stopped when I saw her lonely expression. “I do not want to be the lady in the lake.” she mumbled, “This lake is a horrible thing. It is why I am always sad. No one comes here because of the Kelpie…”

She looked at me awkwardly. “Can…” she said in a nervous voice, “Can I be Guinevere instead?” I looked at her. She was always so sad and alone. I couldn’t take it anymore. I wrapped her up in my arms and said “Okay. Then your name is ‘Gwen’ from now on. The Fairest Maiden in the Land; I’ll call you my Little Gwen.” She let out the most adorable little squeak and nuzzled into me.

After a few hours longer I told Gwen that I had to go back to my Gram’s house or she’d be worried. “Will you ever come back for me, Rockwell?” she said, pleading in her eyes and whimpering voice. I had to beat back tears at that. “I’ll come visit every day after chores.” I said, “I swear on my Mother’s life.” That made her jump for joy and laugh.

She seemed legitimately happy for the first time. As I walked home through the woods I thought about her more and more. Eventually in my daydream I reached the door of my Grandparent’s home and looked back at the treeline of the wood and saw something that gave me a shock; It looked like there was a big, dark, equine creature standing there among the trees. It seemed to be watching me. I rubbed my tired eyes to get a better look; but there was no creature, just a weirdly shaped fallen tree.

I decided I was seeing things and went to bed.

Day 3

That Tuesday I got up just before sunrise and started my chores.

When Gramps came out to till the fields he was surprised to see me up so early and working so hard. Gram came out at a quarter to 10 and insisted I come inside and eat some breakfast. I finished up a little before 2pm and went into town to MacMillan’s Sewn Goods. The town looked kind of like an Amish village except these folks haven’t outright refused the modern world. This humble and kind little backwoods community was so far out in the boonies that it took a few hours to get to the nearest city. Because of this and the hassle it would be to go that far every day they had resources like their water well and agriculture here on site as well as a mechanic, a blacksmith and a tailor all local in case they ever needed anything fixed. Their people were surprisingly friendly with outsiders, as isolated as they were, and their small businesses were incredible. The local tailor, for example, worked cheap and made high quality clothes. But the part that made me so nervous is how Mister MacMillan would react to me as a customer today.

He was Hamish and Elinore’s father. Mister MacMillan himself just said that we were all being dramatic teenagers, thankfully, and that he wasn’t involved. I asked him for a few dresses, a coat and sets of pants and blouses. He said he could only sell me 1 dress, as it was all he had ready that day, but he did ask why I was spending so much on women’s clothing.

“They’re, ah…” I stuttered, trying to think of a white lie, “They’re for my cousin back home. She’s always wanted a European dress and I know they ain’t so fancy but she’ll appreciate it just the same; especially being handmade.” Mister MacMillan accepted my answer with no real fuss and handed me my bags. “Hey, Mister MacMillan…” I said suddenly as I recalled something, “Are there Elk out here?” MacMillan looked puzzled. “Not that I’ve seen for a few years now, Lad…” he said, scratching his red-gray beard, “Though Flann, the town drunk, thinks he saw one the other day and was boasting how he’d mount it’s head on his hearth. So I suppose they may be back now, eh?”

I sighed, “Yeah, they are. I saw a big deer in the treeline last night and the other day I thought I heard it running around the field or something. Thanks Mister MacMillan.” He nodded and I picked up my new gifts for Gwen. ‘Gwen’s gonna love these,’ I thought, ‘I can’t wait to give them to her. Now she can change out of that filthy-’

“OOF!” I wasn’t looking where I was going and bumped into Hamish. There was a cold quiet minute as he glared at me and I watched him pleadingly. I felt truly awful about what happened and I had been so torn up about losing my only friends in the world. Finally he cleared his throat and I prepared for the worst.

“…What do yeh want then, Rock?” he growled, icy blue eyes and nostrils flaring, “Why yeh comin’round? I told yeh. Yeh broke Elinore’s heart. Yer not welcome.” Hamish gave me a threatening look and postured subtly. I stood up straight and put on my bravest face. I didn’t want to make him any madder but I also wasn’t going to let myself be pushed around based on a misunderstanding.

“I was just buying some clothes from your old man.” I said, keeping my voice calm and confident dispite my growing anxiety. Then I had a thought and relaxed a little. “Hey man,” I said, trying to convey my remorse, “can we just talk about this? We were friends, right? I don’t want to lose...”

Hamish just chuckled a little. “We HAVE talked about it, Laddie.” he shot back, “We talked’bout how much yeh really liked Elinore an’ how much yeh wish yeh could pluck up the nerve to tell her. An’ I was so happy that my sister had a good bloke vyin’ for her. A great guy. But the minute yeh feel a lil’ discouraged this little harlot comes from the trees an’ you listen to the wrong head.” I grit my teeth, “That isn’t what happened at all, Hame. I swear it’s not like that.” Hamish snorted, “She was all over yeh, Rock!” I blinked back my tears, “She was tired and cold and scared, Hamish! How can you be so cruel, man!” Hamish leaned forward and I inched back a little bit. “She’s a wee trickster lil’ slag an’ a bloody bitch an’ yer no better, Rockwell Chance.”

So I was getting very angry now. I kind of knew where he was coming from but I couldn’t just sit there and let him slander me and Gwen so thoughtlessly. “Dude, you have NO IDEA what she’s even been through.” I said, keeping my eyes boring their own way into his and a firm voice, “You have no fucking idea.” Hamish’s breathing got heavy. Tesosterone was rising and I swear I saw steam escape his orifices. “And neither do you Rockwell!” He snarled.

And then I snapped.

I’d never thrown a punch in my life but I dropped my bags and brought my fist to his chin with a hard connection. He hit the ground and I put my foot on his chest so I could get this monkey off my back and say my peace. “I know EXACTLY what she’s going through! YOU wouldn’t, course’ not because you have like fifteen buddies and your awesome sister! Me? I grew up an only child and the son of a Drunk and Workaholic. I was beat up in grade school and alienated in high school. I accidentally got me and my only friend fired from a burger flipping part time paycheck and he never spoke to me again. All based on a misunderstanding and an accident; sound familiar? No?! How about my own fucking mom hates me and my dad is stuck in a bottle so far I swear his blood is almost a hundred percent rum and gin now! So here I am, left on my Grandma’s doorstep as a factory-reject in a foreign country and my only two friends in the world won’t let me tell my side of the story. I am alone in this world.” I took a breath and the dam behind my eyes broke. “But her?” I whimpered, “That girl two nights ago? At least I have Gram and Gramps when I’m here and I even have Mom part-time when I go back, much as she hates my guts and that’s even IF I go back… But she has no one. Gwen has NO ONE! She was abandoned in the GODDAMN FOREST-”

“ROCKWELL! Hamish! That’s ENOUGH, you two!!!” Mister and Mrs. MacMillan came rushing out of the shop with Elinore hot on their tails and broke up the fight. “Elinore has plenty of dudes who’d give anything to be her man, Hame; and I’m still one of them despite your heartlessness!!!” I spat at my former friend, “One real friend is is worth more than twenty fake ones, man! I’ll pick that poor, lonely little soul like me over you two spoiled assholes any day!!!” Then I picked up my sack and walked back to Gram’s.

I stole a couple of blankets and a good pillow from the cupboard and food from the pantry then I left for Gwen’s shack. All the while I ranted at no one in particular about how a real friend would give me the benefit of the doubt and a good person would be kind to those in need and I made my way to the other side of the lake in no time, it seemed like.

I knocked on her door but she was out somewhere. “She’s probably foraging for food like an animal…” I mumbled, trying to hold in my tears again, “She’ll be so happy when she sees what I have here.” I then let myself in and unloaded the Clothes on the bed before using the bag as a table spread. I arranged the food all neat and in an arrangement like Ma would at family reunions before they all got old and croaked or left us all behind.

That was the worst thing. My whole family that mattered was my Mom’s side and she was an only child. My father’s side were all lowlives and scum. My father was ironically the black sheep because he (and to a lesser degree my Uncle Barry) was a better man than the rest of his kin. Barry himself had been in trouble with the law countless times and even ran with a dangerous street gang as a youth. He wasn’t a bad man but he was dangerous and disowned by my father for my mother’s sake. My mother hated him and as much as she loved my father on his good days she still couldn’t tolerate hm on his bad days after that. My dad wasn’t abusive so much as he was a lazy and thoughtless prick. Because of his inattentiveness my mother became really bitter really quickly during my early adolescence and with puberty, she became a very harsh and callous person… And now you can see why they have to get a divorce. My father comes from a family of crooks and addicts and Ma was never ready for it.

I made up Gwen’s bed all nicely and placed her new dress and clothes on it. I had waited for a few hours afterward and then got worried and decided to go out and look for her. While I was out and about, I saw these bell-wire things. They were the kind that a certain someone uses to let themselves know where an prey was nearby. I was careful to avoid ringing them. The person I mentioned is Drunken Flann and he was a real douchebag. I heard some real bad rumors about him. The few times I had seen him around town he reminded me of my father and my uncle in many ways. But he didn’t seem to have any of the redeeming qualities Barry and Dad had. No. Flann was a very bad and at times dangerous man.

It started to get dark so I made my way to my former campsite hoping to find her there. There were these weird prints pushed in the mud like ‘U’ shaped marks kinda like footprints. But they didn’t belong to any animal I know so I assumed Flann was using a new crazy trick for hunting.

“That guy…” I muttered in disgust, “He’s gone way past idiocy. All drunks are the same; useless wastes of flesh and oxygen.” My fire-pit was made back up so I figured I should get back to the hut before Drunk Flagon Flann came back. I knocked on the door when I got back and again there was no answer so I let myself in and lit a candle I had smuggled from Gram’s.

“Rockwell? Is… is that you?” I jumped out of my chair and ran to the door when I heard her voice. I swung it open and a little shriek came out of little Gwen. “AH!” she said breathily, “Oh, oh Rockwell, it IS you!” She seemed startled but relieved. “Hey, what’s with the jumpy jitters Gwen?” I asked, smirking at her. She grinned, loving her new name and my flirting. “There has been a frightening man in the wood lately. I was worried he had broken in. I saw the light and...” She then stopped talking. Gwen was looking at the table and the makeshift tablecloth. She now saw all the food I’d laid out and she walked in, awestruck.

“You…Is this..Your doing Rockwell?” I chuckled, “Yeah, and that’s not all; Look.” I moved to one side. She saw her bedspread and the clothes I’d bought her. “Oh… Oh ROCKWELL!” She rushed over to the bed and hesitantly reached for the dress. “Are…are these…?” she stared lovingly at my gifts as I stood there grinning. The expressions she was having. Gratitude. Joy. Excitement. Enthusiasm. I could see every emotion just processing in her green eyes and fair cheeks. ‘Am…” I thought to myself as my body got warmer, ‘What is going on with me? She’s…I dunno she’s just so-’

“THANK YOU!” She cried, crashing my train of thought. Gwen then spun around and her eyes were streaming with tears and happiness. “You are so very wonderful Rockwell! I…” she struggled with her words, she was so joyous, “I cannot find words to described…. Oh Rockwell!” Gwen lunged forward and held me tightly in her arms, “Thank you! Thank you so very very much!”

‘What’s this feeling?’ I kept thinking, ‘I feel really… She’s so…’ My head was spinning. It was a very nice feeling but a very overwhelming and confusing one. “Gwen,” I said, “You should get ready for dinner. I brought you some of these cool little donuts my Gram makes; you’ll love them.” She sniffled and nodded feverishly and I turned away while she changed. “Where were you today?” I asked, “I was worried. You were like, gone. Just gone. All day.” I heard her rustling the garments behind me as she answered.

“Well, I am not here during the day. I… Go somewhere nearby and wait for you” she paused and I heard her grunt as she slipped into something, “And then this evening then I went to the fire pit and retrieved your Coat there were bells everywhere. They did not seem like good bells and then that fearsome man arrived and-” Then I spoke up, interrupting her, “I KNEW he was using my firepit! He’s hunting this big deer that’s been hanging around the woods.”

I rolled my eyes, “He’s got some nutty ways to track and trap and I think he just comes up with random thoughts when drinking and thinks they’re ideas. He’s a drunk idiot and a lunatic. You need to stay as far away as you can from hi-”

She then interjected on my dialogue by taking my hand and turning me around. Gwen was wearing the dress and some socks. Her sun hat rested on her still leaf-ridden hair and she was holding my jacket. “Here it is, Sir Rockwell of Chicago.” I took my jacket and placed in on my chair. Then I turned back to her and tenderly put my hand on her cheek. It was still cold from the outside air. “One of these days I’ll help you get those reeds out of your hair, okay?” I muttered just loud enough that she could hear me. Then I realized something. “Why don’t you ever come into the town?” I asked, “Like, I’m sure you could find some way to-”

She took my hand off of her cheek and turned away, then she said in a quiet, fearful voice: “I cannot.” I stepped even closer, “Why not?” I asked, “I mean… There’s no reason not to, right?” Gwen was very still. “I cannot ever leave here, Rockwell. This is my home. I may hate it but it is the only place I can live. Be it in misery or happiness…” She started to tremble. She was terrified of something.

“Gwen, what’s going on?” I demanded, “Why have you stayed out here for this long? There’s people who would help you out here, Gwen. C'mon, Gwen. My Little Gwen.” I held her in my arms from behind, draping my arms like the jacket I’d lent her 2 nights ago, “Come back with me, Gwen?” I said almost like I was begging, “I..You’re NOT happy here. You deserve to be happy and I…I can’t…” I started crying now, “I c-can’t stand this. You’re s-so wonderful and a-amazing… and… incredible… Why can’t you just live in a w-warm house with a…a fireplace and a real bedroom and be warm a-and happy?” I started crying so hard. “What happened that made you have this shitty life?” I finished.

I felt Gwen’s hands on mine and she turned within my arms. Her eyes were big and glimmering with a sadness. “Do… Do you love me, Rockwell Theodor Chance?” I slowly stopped crying and looked at her carefully. ‘Love?’ I asked myself, wondering, ‘But I only just met…her’.

“…How…” I began, nearly stammering, “How would I know if I’m in love?” Gwen smiled sadly and touched my face with her cold hands. “You did not run from me?” she smiled a very peculiar smile, faint but very much there on her lips as if playing some game with me, “But… I am a stranger and you did not run from such a question? You did not lose your composure. You did not avoid the question. Do you?” her eyes flashed a strange and ominous emotion, “Do you love your Little Gwen, Rockwell Chance of Chicago?”

It dawned on me right then what I felt; but I was still full of too much pride and insecurity so instead of answering I asked a question of my own:

“Can… Can I come and see you tomorrow night?” I stammered, “I’ll know the answer to that question then. I promise you I’ll come back and tell you then.”

Something flashed again in her eyes. Something like very sad and worried. Something like dread. But she took a deep breath and just grinned that strange foreboding grin again. “I will wait for you Rockwell.” she whispered almost mystically, “I will be here tomorrow at sunset. I swear.”

She took her hands off of my face and held the door for me. As I moved to leave, I looked at her once more. “I’ll come back for you.” I said with conviction, “Every night. Unless I’m dead; I’ll always come back and see you.” Then I walked home in silence.

I was thinking about her words. “Do I love her?” I muttered aloud, “Can I love a girl I’ve known for only three days?” I heard a gunshot a ways to my right, the western part of the forest. “If you touch her, Flann; I swear you won’t live to regret it. You drunken piece of shit.” As I muttered those words, I felt that the maybe trees agreed with me.

Day 4

I woke up kinda late that Wednesday.

I already had gotten home fairly late and Gram yelled at me for the missing sheets. She only eased off my back when I told her they were for a homeless girl. She also asked that I give her the time I’d be home every night from now on. When I said that I might not know exactly when each night she threatened me with a curfew. That morning I woke up and I did my chores and finished in the late afternoon. Then when I walked into town I had to bear Flann’s ranting about a ‘monster deer’ in the forest that ate his ear. Everyone thought he just hurt himself with one of his ridiculous traps so we all dismissed it. But then I was approached by Hamish and Elinore. They wanted to talk it out.

“Look, I may have been a wee bit rude to the lass and I’m properly sorry. I know I treated yeh unfairly too, Rock. For that I am certainly more sorry than I ever been.” I stared in disbelief. “Wait, what?” I asked. Elinore chimed in just then “I should’ve told you how I felt for meself Rocky. It was me own fault an’ not yours. Not one bit. I…” her face flushed deep crimson and she turned away, “I was just worried you’da tollme t’pissoff. If I’d known that night you were… That you wanted to…” she looked back at me with tears running down her face, “I din’t know. When Hamish told me, I din’t know what to think. Then there’s that vagabond girl-”

“Gwen.” I interjected. Hamish and Elinore looked at me in confusion. Elinore started to speak, “Who is…? Who is-”

“The Girl’s name is Gwen.” I hissed. I was unquestionably about to lose my cool. “She’s had it really rough. She was left in that rundown piece of shit shack by a man who only came by to use her for Sex.” I was less than tact but I was in a frenzy. “You two… I thought you were better than to leave me in that freaking forest on a night like that!” I thrust a finger into Hamish’s chest, “And YOU Hame! She was crying! You were so sure she was playing a victim that you never considered she WAS one!!!” I took a breath and let Hamish speak. “You… You’ve been seeing her?” he asked.

My eyes nearly bulged and I raised my voice. “YES Hamish!” I shouted, “I’ve been sneaking into the woods with a drunk-ass lunatic and a booby-trapped lake!” I looked from one of them to the other and scoffed, “Do you guys even know what’s going on out there? Gwen is terrified! Flann is hunting the boogeyman and she’s too scared to even come into town for help-”

We were stopped by a loud slurring voice. “What’s thisshh then? What’re ya ssshhayin’ bout meh behind mah bloody back boy?” Flann had overeard me and he smelled like a saloon. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and spat when he talked. “Ya don’t believe meh? I’m tellin’ ya, it was ssshhome kinna devil stag tryna eat meh guts! Ya goin’ out there too, right? Ya ssshawrr it then?”

His blue eyes were crazed and his left ear was nothing but a poorly dressed wound. “I didn’t see anything last night.” I said, disgusted, “Nothing except a bunch of stupid half-assed deathtraps and a bush littered in booze bottles.” He punched me in the stomach and sneered over my doubled-over form.

“I KNOW what I sawrr boyo… Ya’d be better off comin’ clean…” He pulled out his hunting knife and put it to the back of my neck and I froze in fear. But my rage and disgust quickly melted that fear away and replaced it with machismo. “And I know what a drunk looks like! You’re even worse than my dad! At least he never picked on people smaller than he was, you pussy!”

Flann was really mad now. He raised his knife high to stab me literally in the back; but he was stopped short by the strong grip of Hamish’s hand on his wrist. “Yeh let my Mate alone, Flann; or yeh’ll have me to deal with.” Hamish took Flann’s hand and twisted the knife out of his grip. Then he tossed the knife and pushed him down quite easily. Like I said; Hamish MacMillan was strong like a juggernaut.

“Why don’t ya go run to yer daddy Hamey… Let the men handle this….” Flann stood and postured, “Ya caught me off guard, Laddie… Won’t happen twice, like. Run to Dah like always, why doncha?” Flann taunted. He was Hamish’s uncle on his mom’s side but also disowned by their Clan. He was nothing more than a drunk now and Mister MacMillan and Flann had exchanged hands more than once in awhile since I’d come and though Hamish was a big kid; he was still a lot younger and more innocent than a drunk madman like Flagon Flann.

“Elinore’s already dunnit, Uncle. Run’d off to fetch Dah, like yeh wanted. Why don’t yeh just sit tight an’ wait fer him? Or maybe yeh’d rather stumble back off to yer Kelpie?” I gawked at Hamish, dumbfounded. ‘He… He has my back?’ I marveled, eyes flooding again, ‘But I just…’

Elinore came running back shouting to Hamish that their father was close behind her. “Dah’s on his way now Flann. Yeh might wanna make yerself scarce.” Elinore stopped and smirked as she panted and I could see Mister MacMillan closing distance from the bakery in town. Hamish stepped to one side and curtsied toward Flann’s Jeep. “Yer chariot awaits, LADDIE.”

Flann just stomped off to his wreck of a vehicle. “Maybe I WILL bag me a Kelpie!” Flann shot back, “Then we’ll see who’s laughin’, won’t we?” He peeled out like a bat out of hell and Elinore dropped to her knees next to me. “You okay Rocky?” Elinore said when she offered her hand to help me up. She was concerned about me. After all I’d just said.

“You… You guys had my back? I’d brought it on myself, man. Just before that I’d ripped into you guys all pissed off and stuff…” Hamish spoke up first. “We been just an arse as much as yeh have yourself; Brother, an’ if you’re in love with this…” he stopped and shifted uncomfortably, “Gwen, issit?” I nodded, head spinning, “Well,” he continued, “We’d be poor mates to hate yeh for it.”

I stood slowly and looked at them. I began panicking a little. “No!” I cried, shaking my head, “I never said I loved anyone-”

“You din’t hafta, Rocky.” Elinore said sadly, “We can see it in your face.” They looked at me apologetically. Elinore was trying her best to look happy and Hamish was, was... ‘They…’ I stared at them for a long minute and couldn’t imagine that kind of actual friendship that stood in front of me, ‘Why are they…’ Hamish and Elinore were trying not to cry. This all was too easy. They seemed sincere but it didn’t seem honest, if that made sense. “Guys... what aren’t you telling me right now?” I demanded, partly dreading what they’d say. Hamish handed me a letter. “It’s from your mum Rock…” Elinore said with a sniffle. I read the note.

It said that Ma had won custody of me due to Dad... dying in a Drunk-Driving accident! Mom signed legal custody over to Gram and Gramps until further notice! What?! This was signed a week ago!!!

‘Dad’s dead and Mom’s leaving me behind?!’ I was horrified. I was distraught. I was heartbroken and for the first time in my life I let my emotions flow freely, careless of my image or pride.

“W-WHY didn’t Gram tell me?!” I demanded. Hamish and Elinore looked at each other. Words escaped them. “I…” I choked, “Dad’s… Then wh-why would she just abandon me at a time like this?! Why didn’t Gram tell me any of this?!”

“Maybe she couldn’t find the words…” Elinore responded, “Maybe she wanted a day or two to prepare you? Or herself?” I threw my head back and glared at the sky, “No! No that’s bullshit!!!” Hamish rushed over and pulled me in for a Hug. “NO!!!” I was bawling and Elinore broke into tears and joined her brother cradling me. I broke down and cried for a long time. I couldn’t believe it. I was stuck out here. My mother just threw me away like yesterday’s garbage. Why did she even contest Dad for me then? Waste all of our time like that? And Dad… ‘Dad…’ the grief hurt so badly. Worse than anything, ‘No Dad… You stupid Drunk! WHY couldn’t you just shape up you useless piece of-’

“AAAARRRRRAAAGH!” I hit the bucket in the well with my closed fist. My knuckles stung a little bit from it. It was early evening and the sun was getting low in the sky. I was still so angry. I was so lost. I was scared and I was so so sad.

I was hurting inside in every worst way. “WHY?!” I sobbed into Elinore’s shirt, “What did I ever do?!” Elinore ran her fingers through my hair and cooed. Hamish sat on my other side and patted my back, unable to say anything, “Why doesn’t she love me anymore?!” I was a complete wreck. I didn’t know anything anymore. “And what do I have now huh?! What’s left for me?! I should just kill myself and get it-”

Elinore pushed my head back and slaped me. “You’ll do nuthin’ like that, Rocky! Not a damn thin’ like that!!!” She buried her face into my shirt and bawled now, “You have us, now! We weren’t proper mates to you but we’ll be now! I swear, Rocky!!!”

Hamish couldn’t comfort me and his father needed help at the shop so he left Elinore and me alone. Things were very quiet now. Elinore didn’t know what to say anymore. “Damn it! DAMN IT!!!” Elinore was still in my arms and curling her fingers into my shirt. Then she finally spoke: “Her name is Gwen?” I stopped my fit, silent now so suddenly. I had forgotten the sad girl in the forest by the lake. The tiny decrepit cabin she slept in barely more than a run-down storehouse. My Little Gwen.

“She sounds…” Elinore sat up and straightened her clothes. “...There’s nothing going on with us, Elli.” I reassured, “She’s just my friend.” Elinore smiled sadly and shook her head. “Really? Cos I was thinkin’ you must really like her to buy all those clothes…” I didn’t respond to that. “Rocky…” Elinore continued, “You really used a lot o’ your budget there…” I turned and looked at Elinore. She was looking at me with a serious expression.

“I… Told her the story of King Arthur, Elli. She wanted me to call her Gwen.” I tried not to crumble again, “She can’t even remember her own name anymore, Elli. She’s lived out there for so long it’s hard enough just to stay human, it seems…” I stand up and Elinore came along with me as I walked back over to the well. “Elli…” I continued, “She’s gotta gather her own food. She goes on long walks during the day and swims in that lake every night. Gwen’s always so cold and…”

I took a shallow breath, “She still seems so… Cultured, y’know? How can anyone be so lady-like in such a terrible position? It’s weird. Unbelievable. But she’s always crying, Elli… She’s always…” I stopped there. Elinore took my hand and whispered, “You’re IN LOVE with her, Rocky.” I looked at her and she smiled at me. “H-HOW can I even know that yet?” I choked out, “I’ve only known her for a short time!” I ran a hand through my dark brown hair, “This is crazy!!!”

Elinore looked at the sky, now that sunset-orange color, “Life is crazy, Rocky. Your Mum was your hero when you were a wee babe and your dad was a good man once.” se paused, trying to be delicate but also trying to make a point, “Now she leaves you in another country, outta sight and outta mind. And he’s dead from his alcohol abuse.” She pulls me in for a hug as I start to break down, “And it’s alright to be sad ‘bout all that. It’s alright. But right as all that happens you meet this darling lil’ damsel in distress. You don’t get this attached or defensive o’ people. Not c’ept for me, I noticed. But not like you do her...” she looked at now me with heartbroken eyes, “And she’s awaitin’ a white knight on a starlit steed t’rescue her from her fears and her sadness… And right now you need her as much as she needs you.”

I let myself accept it then. ‘I…Yeah. That’s it. We need each other. Especially now.’

“You’re an outcast, Rocky. I can’t know what that feels like and I can’t console you as I’d like to. But you found a light innis dark, mucky place you’re in. Go and rest in the light. I’ll tell your Gram you’re at our place. Go and cry and mourn and bond.” she smiled brightly now. I saw genuine happiness for me in her eyes, “You’ve done so much for her and I’m sure she’d do as much for you. Go to her Rocky.”

Elinore MacMillan, everybody. I thanked her a million times for being such a beautiful person.

I had to take a minute but when I was ready I just ran. I ran as fast as my legs could take me back to the lake. I made it to the firepit in what felt like moments and there she was, wading in the water of the lake. She was naked again but I was driven. ‘Wait, why do I feel so…’ I seemed to stumble in my own mind for moment, ‘This is different…’

“GWEN!” I shouted, ‘Gwen I’m here!” Gwen whirled around and she seemed terrified. Almost of me. “ROCKWELL?!” she screamed. But why was she screaming? “What are you doing here?” I bounded over to the lakeside and started ripping off my shoes, putting them on the shore. “Gwen!” I shouted, excited but also growing more anxious. Not in a good way. “I LOVE You!” I confessed, “I really do! I LOVE YOU, Gwen!” I went to step into the water but she ran forward and pushed me into the mud behind me.

“Gwen…?” I grunted, hurt by her actions in my heart more than my body, “What’s going on-”

“Rockwell, you have to run! He is here! The hunter is-“

Just then I tried to stand and my leg was caught up in a rope. It wrapped around my foot as it yanked me into the tree above the edge of the clearing. “ROCKWELL!!!” Gwen cried now in concern. My head was hanging only about foot and a half off the ground and Gwen ran up to me, cold, wet, naked and plants in her dark hair trying to get me loose. She was frantic and terrified. ‘Why does this feel dark?’ I wondered, ‘Everything feels so dark?’

“I will get you down from there, my love…” she said as she pulled at me to lower me, “But then you must flee. Fly from me and this place and never, ever come back!” I was confused and shaken. “What is it Gwen?!” I asked, “What’s going on?!”

A tall figure emerged from the clearing wearing a severed, mutilated elk head as it’s own. “YOU KILLED THEM ALL, YOU FIEND! THEY WERE MY ONLY FRIENDS!” Gwen was yelling in pure rage and hatred at the beast-man and it actually scared me quite a bit. “Flann!” I shouted, trying to ignore Gwen’s strangely malicious aura, “You boozed-up maniac! She’s just a girl! A girl, Flann! WHY can’t you leave her alone!”

Flann laughed menacingly. “I dinnnn’t even know I wasssshhhh huntin’ her, L-lad!” he announced drunker than I’d ever seen, “She’s quite t-th-the… Pffffft… Sheessh a… witch.” Gwen swept over and untied my foot with shocking efficiency and I fell to the ground. I grabbed a big stick from the pit and stepped in front of Gwen. “Don’t you come any closer!” I cursed, shielding my Gwen from Flann, “I’ll fucking thrash you man! Leave her alone!” Gwen was pleading with me and tugging on my sleeve rather forcefully, “Rockwell!” she yelled, “You need to leave! Flee here right now! Run away!”

I looked at her astonished. “No, Gwen!” I protested, “Never! I’m here. I’m here and I won’t ever leave you behind! Not me! I’m sticking around like no one ever did for you! I love you!” I turned to hold her behind me and she turned it away. “Rockwell… Please… PLEASE! I don’t want you to hate me!!!” I marveled at the thickness the air seemed to have with the raging adrenaline. ‘The fear is getting to her, she’s losing it, WE are losing it, why do I feel so dizzy?’

“YOU MONSTER!” I screamed full bar at the madman. ‘Madness? Why does everything feel so… spinny?’ He stood there motionless, puzzled and amazed at me. Then he threw his head back and laughed like a psychopath. Flann took his flask and had a long drink from it. “You’re all the same!” I taunted, “ALL of you! You down your stupid-juice and lose anything human about yourself! You just remind me why my father’s dead and my mother abandoned me! I hate them and I hate you!” Flann screamed a taunt of his own back at us, “Yer the idiot, Laddie!! Ya call me a monster? Look at yer lal- yer little tart there, boy; she is the Monster.”

I looked at Gwen standing there crying, urging me to forsake her. “Ssshhhe’s ttthhhe Ka-Ke-Kelpie, Rrrrrickwall; Yer girlie’s the Devillll.” I ran forward at him. I’d completely snapped.

‘KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL

Wait, what?!’

But just then I’m thrown across the clearing from behind.

I look to see what’s going on and soon my face would contort in horror.

“I…Never wanted you to see this…” Gwen said. Her voice was changing, “My greatest wish was that I would never be this again Rockwell… I am sorry. I am so very, very sorry, my Love. You must flee for your life now. I shall always Love you, my nobleman from the land of Chicago…” She threw her head back and her body bent in an unnatural angle. Then she lurched forward. A deep wrathful voice boomed from her now frightening face; contorted and stretched like a ghoul or a goblin.

“A Curse of Sorrow I beheld! A monster’s skin should be my shell!

As a prison’s darkest cell would form the bowels of hell!

And as my body twists to this I wish to find my lover’s kiss!

For if never I found in this, the drowning roiling swell…

I eat the flesh of man and lust for that which turns to ash and dust and I drag thy soul into my murky depths… For in the foulest hellish crust, below the surface, in my trust; I drag you now into this prison and press you to my breast….”

Her words rhymed in an uncomfortable lack of rhythm that was agony to the ears. It was like a spell song cast devoid of harmony. It was like the chaotic ramblings of a madwoman’s brain as her body contorted and bent in inhuman ways. Her skin became disgusting shades of purple, blue-green and green, the colors of a corpse’s decaying body and rot. Her hair merged with the grass, weeds and leaves in the waters now rsing to meet her. When it was all done she stood before us on stumpy, forked feet like taloned hooves that-

‘Oh Dear God; The prints around my campfire!’

Her bones were pressing against her flesh like she was starved. Her eyes bulged and now glossed over in a pale green. The green of swamp algae or sickness. Her hair was whipping around like wild flailing marsh vines on the back of her neck. She was an unholy Equine-monster. Like a disease ridden swamp-thing with a bony form and a thin whip-like tail of twisted flesh and swamp-weed. She was littered with rotted lake plants and sickly skin.

Flann then produced his rifle and fired into her flank. The hole stayed gaping for only a moment before it was repaired with the water of the lake, now roiling in blighted fury. The hunter rushed the Kelpie with his knife drawn. The creature grew now to twice the size of a mere and half the raw muscle of a bull elephant. Flann was poised to strike but then the beast let loose with a shrilly bellow of evil anti-song, causing Flann and myself to scream in unrestrained horror and agony. It gripped him by the shoulder with it’s disgusting, broken teeth and dragged him into the water; which rose to consume him and shelter the creature in it’s meal. The Monster pulled the hunter into the depths of the lake and feasted for minutes. I was paralyzed and mortified. My horror only outweighed by a single question in my mind:

‘Gwen…Gwen what are you? What are you… My… My Little Gwen…’

The screaming could be heard clearly, despite the carnage being submerged. Then unexpectedly, Flann’s chewed corpse came bursting from the abyss and landed only feet from my still stunned body. I struggled and rose to my feet just as the Kelpie waded it’s way to the shoreline. “G-Gwen?” I whimpered, “Gwen is…Is that you? My Little Gwen?” I reached forward slowly as the creature inched ever closer. Only feet from my trembling body it stood. I swallowed hard and asked again, “Gwen? It’s me… It’s Rockwell… Rocky. You know me. You do…Right?”

Just then the creature wailed like a thousand dying animals and reared back, fangs bared. I screamed and ran as fast as I could for the edge of the forest. As salvation drew near I could hear it. “ROCKWELL! ROCKWELL IS THAT YOU, MY LOVE?!” I heard the beast screaming in a demonic voice both alien and familiar to me. A distorted, twisted variant of my Gwen’s own sweet voice. I turn and look back as I burst from the forest’s edge and trip, falling to the ground. I lay on the moist, dew-covered soil and saw a creature emerge from the forest. It was…

It was the Kelpie. But it wasn’t exactly the monster that had attacked me. A disembodied Gwen spoke to me from the mere, now a silhouette of wispy, scattering mist. From the air I could sense that the mist was it’s tears. Don’t ask how, but I could FEEL it crying. The ghostly horse stared into me, heartbroken.

“Rockwell… Do you love me? Do you?” I remained silent, tears of fear and maddening dread welling in my eyes. “Rockwell? Do you see me, Rockwell of Chicago? My Nobleman…” I choked out, “What, what are you?!?!” I could feel pain in my heart and in the beast’s own innermost thoughts.

Then the air became dry and callous.

“Run away, Rockwell Theodor Chance. Run away from me and never return. If you do; I will kill you like every other man to betray me.” I couldn’t handle it all, it was so much. It was too much. I couldn’t even begin to process it. So I ran straight back to Elinore and Hamish and the ghost-mere walked in silent sorrow and tears back the the lake she hates, the lake of horrors, to rejuvenate.

But I’d see her again; because this isn’t the end of my story.

Remember?

I said that first week I discovered her;

The girl of my Dreams.

Day 5

I’d run to Hamish’s house and found solace in Elinore’s arms.

I cried there, head in her lap as she sat there pleading me to tell her what happened. Eventually I had gotten so tired that I muttered “She’s a monster…” before passing out completely. I’d woken up in her bed. She sat in a nearby chair fast asleep. Elinore had tucked me in and watched over me. Hamish and Elinore and I talked about it. I told them that Gwen murdered Flann in cold blood. I couldn’t tell them about the Kelpie because they’d never believe it. The local police were called out and investigated the lake.

They found Gwen’s empty cabin, stating it had not been used in at least some decades. They didn’t find Drunk Flagon Flann or anybody. When asked about the clothes in the ratty cabin they answered “There was nothing. Some old rotted furniture and broken pots, but that’s it.”

They saw my ragged expression and Gram told them I was mourning and I was lashing out. I refused to go back with Gram and Gramps after that. Mister MacMillan said he would take me in until I could think clearly again. That kind man. But I hit the bottle hard. I had gotten into their scotch cabinet and smuggled a large bottle into the guest room where I would be staying. Elinore found me there and freaked out.

“ROCKY?! What’re you doin’?!” She knocked the bottle out of my hand. It was already more than half empty. “Look, I dunno what she did to you, Rocky; but this is insane! Look at you! You need to getta grip!” She sat down on the floor by me and put her arms around me. “Please? I can’t help you if I dunno what it is you need help for…” I pulled her in and kissed her drunkenly, she pulled away, “STOP IT, Rocky! You’re not yourself! You don’t love me, Rocky. You love GWEN!”

I broke down and cried again. “She’s… She’s a monster Elli… She doesn’t even exist in the daylight… I loved a ghost…” I was drunk. Drunk and heartbroken. I don’t remember the rest of the day. I was wasted. But Elinore eventually told me what she remembered after that.

So lemme just fill that void for day five with what Elinore said to me:

Elinore, Day 5

I couldn’t take seeing you like that, Rocky.

I decided to go into the wood that night myself. I walked all the way out to that bloody lake and found that damned cabin. That’s where I saw her. Gwen was sitting stark naked on the bed over your jacket. She clutched it in her hands like it was her most precious treasure and it was frightening. You still haven’t gotten it back yet. It’s probably still there. Anyway, I stepped up over to her real easy, like. “Hullo?” I called, “Um… Gwen, was it?” Her eyes snapped up at me so startled. She spoke in an older local dialect. I didn’t really know it myself.

“I know you can speak English, Lassie. I’m here on behalf of Rocky.” Her face slowly twisted in pain and she sobbed even harder, turning away and shoving her face into your coat like a spoiled brat. Well, I actually suppose it was more of grief but at the time I felt like all I could do was hate the poor lass.

I walked up to her and put my arms around my middle. “What happened here last night, Gwen? Rocky is… He’s not well at all, Gwen. He’s drinkin’ now.” Gwen’s face looked even more upset, if it could that is, and she started rambling in the Old Gaelic I mentioned and I could make out some of it.

“What do you mean he 'saw your real face’?” She looked at me and her eyes narrowed in an evil suspicion. “Who are you, My Lady?” I paused. “I’m Elinore.” I said nervously, “Elinore MacMillan.” Then she flew into a wild tantrum and pushed me down. She started smacking me all over like a raging child and we had it out for a bit. “I HATE YOU!” she screamed when I finally pinned her down, “I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!”

I held her down like that for a moment and saw a crazed look in her eye. I had a thought flash by that I’d never have thought on my own. It scared the daylight out of me.

‘Cut her eyes out, Elli. She doesn’t deserve Rocky’s love. Kill her. Gut her. Disembowel her. Mutilate her corpse.’

“What?!” I stood and fell back before scrabbling backward toward the door. Gwen’s tone suddenly shifted again back to innocent. “……It is the lake.” she said softly, trying not to cry, “I am so very, very sorry, Elinore MacMillan. I did not mean it. I did not want to harm you…” she then whimpered and wept, “I have cursed this place. In my grief I... The Kelpie owns me now. The Kelpie is always watching me…”

She led me out to the lake shore and we knelt by the water. I reached for the surface and she smacked my hand fearfully. “Do not touch it!” she squealed, “The lake claims all it touches!” She explained that the lake was cursed. Once, long ago, she’d been asked to meet a man here at the lake. He’d arrived at midnight, on a full moon. Though she loved him dearly, his news was less than pleasing; The man said he was promised to another maiden, one with riches and beauty beyond his dreams. That hurt her deeply and she lashed out. “But you said that you would marry me! You said you loved ME!” He merely laughed and told her that none could love a Stableman’s daughter with nothing to offer. She attacked him and he beat her, raped her, beat her even more and then he left her to die. She lay there, broken body and broken heart and somehow even though she was dead, she sang a sad song. She sang off key. She made it up as she sang. Used and abused by the man she loved…

She cursed at the moon. She berated the the trees. She insulted the lake and the earth… Then she waded into the waters and called to the God of her village, “I do not wish to be a Stableman’s Daughter, you bastard of the sun! I do not ever want to return to that wretched life! WHY did you abandon me?! I prayed to your shrine every night for my true love and you sent me a faithless scoundrel! A monster! Why must I suffer?! I have been faithful to you and he! I hate you! Curse on you, oh faithless Horned God! May you rot in your damned wood!!!”

Just then, the moon grew dark and the water churned, it swallowed her and she was trapped in it. She can’t leave the lake. If she walks too far she becomes the mist of tears, mourning her love and life for eternity. Her name was erased from time and if the mist wanders too far from the lake she’ll be too. In her shame and spite she changed her body into monster mere. A succubus among horses. But when travelers eventually made their way to the lake she sought their love to save her broken heart. She held on to the last shred of herself with no past or memory she became 2 things.

No man would stay long. No matter her fair skin or lush hair they were merely wanderers, adventurers, bards and Nobles. But one eve a Hunter found the mere, not the maiden. He followed it to the lake and she became the woman before his eyes. He called her “Kelpie”. He named her a fairy sprite and she was in love. They built a cabin and he would come every full moon to love her. He had given her hope. But she could bear no child and he grew older. In his 46th year he returned to her in sorrow.

“I am to be married. I cannot return here again, my Kelpie. I am sorry.” She flew into a jealous rage and became the mare. “YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME FOR ANOTHER! YOU SWORE!” She screamed. “YOU SWORE YOU’D RETURN EVERY FULL MOON! I WILL KEEP YOU FOREVER!!!” She dragged him, screaming and wailing in his terror, to the lake bottom. She tried to hold him lovingly in her arms for the night, as he had promised, and in her madness she drowned him. The lake had become both her prison and her tormentor that night. She split from the Kelpie into that lake and it gained a will of it’s own.

Men came to find the hunter, they found the cabin and the Maiden. “I am Kelpie, what is it you seek?” The men told her they sought the hunter and she led them astray. They searched the lake-shore. Of Seven men one fell into the lake and was pulled to it’s bottom. Another tried to save him and suffered the same. One stayed at the cabin, assuming he’d return… She took him to the depths. As one by one they were taken, her equine form became more and more tainted with blight.

She began to speak in horrid rhyme like the song she sang in her last breaths while she drowned the men. She started feasting on travelers, enticing them in and dragging them into the water to eat, like a crocodile. She had gone mad. But the girl was still there even as the Kelpie fell into a ghost story. “Beware the Kelpie” They would say, “She looks like a deviled mere, and will take you to a watery grave.”

Her madness was far beyond her control. THIS was what made me begin to believe her Rocky; She said a kind old man came searching for night-crawlers. He had only bucket and a smile. She found him and brought him into her cabin. No matter how she tried, she could not seduce him. He spoke of this lovely couple; Theodor and Nancy Cash. Your Grandparents. His friends.

She heard of them in his fondness and saw his kind soul. The girl grew stronger in his kindess and as he rose to leave, she begged the kind man to stay. She wanted that kindness. She felt hope again for the first time in hundreds of years. The girl had never felt the sincerity of genuine kindness before, only seduction and appeasement. He said he had to leave, but he’d send people to take her from the lake and give her a home. She flew into a fearful panic and the Kelpie returned to kill the man.

Horrified at what she’d done, the girl buried him in respect and realized she could walk as the girl, but must relinquish her body to the Kelpie often or be trapped again. She heard people search for him in the distance the next night. Her mind had a voice, the Kelpie trying to reclaim control.

“Find them. Kill them. Feast of them. Why should others be happy when you are not?”

The lake had power now. It was all of her spite and rage and fear and envy and lust. The girl isolated herself for fifteen years, praying that her past slaughters would keep others away for fear of the Kelpie. Then, a Full Moon came. Like the ones that held so much heartache for her. That night she cried in her loneliness. She sang to herself a sweet song. A harmonious song. She wanted that companion, that kindness from before, but was afraid of what she may do for the Lake. The Voice. The Kelpie.

The only friends she dared make were the deer in the wood. She even hid them best she could from the hunters in season…

But then from the dark of the wood; a young Nobleman feared for her well-being. You were handsome and kind, you gave her your coat and brought her to our fire. She feared she had driven you away, hoped against better judgement that it wasn’t true. And you returned two more nights. You spoke for hours that night she was given a new name; Little Gwen, the Fairest in the Land. You didn’t just talk about knights and wizards that night. You talked about other things too.

“Y'know, when I was a little kid… I kinda wanted to be the hero in those stories.” You told her, I guess. She’d replied, “A hero Rockwell? Like Lancelot?” in a calm admiration. Then you told her about yer favorite story, “Well… more like Odysseus. He was missing for twenty years. For ten of those years he fought to escape a prison and against monsters and warriors; and he sailed the ocean. He was trying to get back to his Wife Penelope and his Son Telemachus.” That made her perk up. “OH!” she exclaimed, “What a wonderful man! This is the man you want to be? A man who would always return, no matter how long it would take?” But you got so nervous. “I wanted to be a man who stands by his word,” you explained, “And would fight tooth and nail for what he loves… But I was a little kid, and fairy tales are just stories…”

You talked about right and wrong, good and evil, what makes a man a man. She spoke of her favorite memory, a song sang to a maiden by a bard in her first few years here. She watched from the trees and was envious of their love. “Was he proposing to her?” You asked. “Yes, he asked her to be his wife.” she replied. “That is sooo cool!” you exclaimed. You were really keen on that part, “Oh my GOD, man! Proposing in song? Oh man... If I ever fall in love I’m gonna sing something to her. Maybe something by Def Leppard or maybe Tom Petty or Whitesnake!” You were so energetic. “…there is a deaf leopard? And…it sings with white snakes?” She had said, baffled by your words.

And boy were you shocked to hear that. “Wait…You don’t know rock n’ roll?!” You asked. Then you made her a promise. “OH MY GOD! I have to show you sometime! I’ll bring my cassette player one of these nights; You’ll LOVE it!” She was undeniably in love and said she still had the urges to harm you the whole time. Even after you told her a story of a Round Table and a Hero King. Even after you named her. Even after you bonded over your former dreams and over music…

Even after you swore you’d always come back. She felt she wanted to harm you.

When she said that I confessed that I couldn’t believe she was a monster, but my Dah had sent someone to come get me from the wood. He arrived and saw Gwen. He demanded she come back with us, suspecting this girl may have seen who killed Flann. Knowing that the police would want to question her.

I asked that we pretend she was never here, but his wife was my aunt and wanted justice for Flann so he pushed it. Most of the clan never wanted anything to do with him but some still thought blood was thicker than water…

Gwen’s face fell cold and emotionless. She transformed into a hellish monster, a ghoulish beast, and she dragged him beneath the lake and devoured him. I was petrified with terror…then she changed back. She stood on the water in the middle of the lake like Jesus himself! “Run, I will let you leave this time.” She told me, “But if you or anyone, even my Noble Rockwell, return: I shall devour them all before they can scream.” I sprinted home as fast as I could and told Father what happened in my panic as dawn broke.

Day 6

I awoke with a mind-numbing headache to Elinore charging in through the front door right before Dawn. She started frantically telling her father about her and Hamish’s Uncle Gavin was killed by the Kelpie. This prompted a meeting between all the older adults in town. Most people in this town were superstitious as hell and now I could see why. As I watched this angry mob form in town square Hamish and Elinore came over and sat down next to me and we had our own conversation.

Elinore felt guilty.

She had been a fearful wreck when she spoke to her father that morning and now that she had calmed down she told me about what happened. Gwen’s origins, her life, the victims, the madness in the lake… And the only light in her dark life.

"Me?!” I said, bewildered. Elinore peered into the well next to us, saddened. “Yeah, YOU Rocky…She’s not Evil. She’s lonely and scared and maybe a wee bit mad… But she’s lost, alone, cold and she hungers for a friend. For a COMPANION…” She trailed off. Hamish spoke up then, “Rock, when I met her I could feel it too. I was angry at yeh for payin’ attention to her. An’…An’ I had thought to lash out at yeh both in rage. Somethin’s awful in that lake…” I looked at them, eyes wide and astonished. I stood up suddenly, unusually stoic, “You…You’re asking me to see her again, aren’t you?” They both shot a sharp look at me Elinore slapped me in the face “Of COURSE not! She’ll kill you! She’ll drag you to the bottom of the lake and eat you up!” She put her face in my chest and started crying, “You can’t go back there Rocky! WHY would you say somethin’ like that?!”

“Yeh really are somethin’ Rock,” Hamish shouted, “Even after all yeh saw an’ all yeh know, even after hearing how tempted she is to hurt yeh, to kill yeh: Yeh wanna go back there?!” I couldn’t say anything. “No, that’s not what I was saying… I just-”

Elinore looked up at me from my tear-soaked shirt, “What on EARTH coulda made you think I wanted you to go back to her?! I was warnin’ you, Rocky! Tellin’ you she’s beyond help! She has a blood-lust! She cannah leave the lake. That lake…it changes people in the mind…”

Then it hit me: I really am in love with her. Even after seeing what she is. But why? Just then Grandma Nancy walked up. “Rockwell Theodor Chance! Just WHAT have you done boy?!” I looked at her. She was worried and angry. “Do you know how worried we’ve been?! All these stories of a lake monster, you were sneaking out to see this…this…THING?! I wouldn’t have believed it if the Barley Brothers hadn’t have heard Elinore’s screaming in the woods and only ONE of them came back! They SAW it! the Kelpie! The Devil Horse of the Lake!!!”

She took me by the wrist. “You’re coming home; You’re grounded Rocky.” Just then I found my courage. “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME DAD WAS DEAD?!” Gram stopped. “I…” My eyes flashed with vigor, “NO! NO Excuses! Dad died months ago and Ma signed custody over to YOU two? HOW can she just abandon me?! WHY wasn’t I told about this?!” Gram smacked me. “Your mother is dealing with guilt and anger herself Rocky. She needs time to-”

I wrench my arm free from her grasp and continue, ignoring the pain in my face. “And Gwen. Don’t you EVER call her a 'Thing’ again. She’s kind and thoughtful and polite and sweet and the most beautiful person I’ve ever met in my whole life!” Hamish, Elinore, Gram, Gramps and the rest of the village stared at me in shock, “I don’t CARE if she’s the Devil! I don’t care if she’s a ghost or demon or boogeyman or fairy or freaking horse-monster! Because…because she isn’t really any of those…She’s…”

I start crying but I hold my ground, “She’s a scared, lonely, angry, heartbroken and forsaken young Woman. She’s a damsel in distress waiting for her Noble Prince to come rescue her from her suffering! I PROMISED I’d come back to her. As long as I breathe, no matter how long it takes. Twenty Years, Ten Years. I’LL CROSS AN OCEAN OF MONSTERS FOR HER! I love her Gram. I LOVE My Little Gwen!”

I broke down in tears. Elinore and Hamish were brought to tears too. The rest of town however…

They locked me in a cellar.

They’d decided that I had been bewitched by the Kelpie. That I was a danger to myself and others until Gwen was killed. A Villager, Shane Barley, said he saw the creature use the lake water and weeds to heal from his shotgun wound. They decided they could lure it far enough away from the lake and burn it to death. I beat on the cellar door until sundown. Elinore came to see me. We spoke through the door.

“…Rocky…Tomorrow night they’re gonna go and burn the Kelpie…” her voice was shaking and I could feel her tremble. “Elinore, you gotta let me out, they’re making a mistake! You SAW her! She’s not a monster! She’s just scared…” Elinore was silent only for a minute. “Rocky… What makes you think she can be saved?” I hit the door with my fist, “WHAT MAKES YOU THINK SHE CAN’T BE?!” She peered through a crack in the door. “She is mad, Rocky. She may not be evil but her madness will…” She choked on the words. “SHE’LL STILL KILL YOU, ROCKY! EVEN THOUGH SHE LOVES YOU SHE’LL KILL YOU! What if she did bewitch you?! What if she’s seduced you like she said she’s done?!”

I could hear her crying and I could see her tears through the door. “Why… Why her?” She sniffled silently. We sat there for what seemed like forever. “Elli…” I said, “Do you remember when I first got here?” Elinore wiped a tear from her eye and said “Aye… Me Dah’s prized hog got loose and we all searched for it. You were flirting like the wily charmer you are…”

She giggled a little through her worried, trembling voice. “Do you remember that wild dog?” I asked, “The Saint Bernard? The one that chased you through the woods by Potter’s dairy farm?” She sighed, “I thought the hog might’ve wandered that far east… Only a mile or two. You Lads told me he’d never’ve gotten that far. That I was bein’ silly and in this grove near the Potter’s… a rabid dog chased me about… I was so scared.” I looked at her through the crack in the door.

“I followed you out there Elli. You were ready to give up. You were gonna live in that stupid tree you’d climbed forever. You saw me at the bottom of the hill screaming and waving my arms and the mangy mutt came after me. But you got so scared for me that you jumped down and got a big stick. You beat that stupid mutt to death.” I peered at her, “Fear is kinda like alcohol. A little isn’t unhealthy and can even make things fun. Like ghost stories. But too much and you turn into something else. I never guessed why you went against every urge to let me die there but now I do; You wanted to keep me safe. You cared about me. All my stupid, cheesy pickup lines and you saw deep inside to that geeky little wannabe I really am. You saw me risk it for you because you saw my heart, and how I cared about you. I was risking my neck to save yours, and you were such a bitch to me. You saw my… Nobility.”

I stopped there. Dead quiet. “I love you Rocky.” she blurted out suddenly. I sighed. “Elli, that’s not the point here. You fought that mad fear of death to save me, because you saw I cared and out of all the people in her life; Gwen has only ever seen me care about her. I know I can save her, because… Because fear is strong. It’s insane. It makes good men do terrible things…

But Love cuts through fear like a sickle through the wheat. She won’t kill me because she loves me. She’ll fight that lake with all the goodness and love in her whole heart and soul. She’ll win. And I’ll help her. I won’t let her do this alone. I need to be her hero as much as I need her to be mine. I’ve always been alone too. You guys? You and Hamish and Gwen are all I care about and Gwen needs me.

You don’t NEED me. You WANT me. In another life, another time, I think we would have made some pretty good looking kids, Elli.” I paused when I heard her whimpering cry. But I pressed on, “She needs me. Elli: You have to let me out of here.” Elinore stared through that crack at me for a while. She didn’t say anything for a long time. She stood up and dusted her apron off.

“You need to get some rest Rocky. It’ll all be over tomorrow. Then you can get on with your life.” She left. I knew I’d broken her heart. I knew that my only hope now to get out, to get to Gwen, to stop the town, was walking away right now.

I had a restless sleep that night.

They all think I’m cursed. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter if I stay locked up for ten years, I’ll come back to you Gwen. I’ll come for you. No matter what happens I’m coming. I won’t let anyone hurt you anymore, My Little Gwen.

I fell asleep that morning. I dreamed of drowning, that I was drowning in the lake trying to pull Gwen out. I dreamed that the Kelpie was dragging her into the reeds, and I wouldn’t let her go. I dreamed that because I wouldn’t forsake her again, we drowned together in the cold and the dark.

Day 7

I awoke gasping for air.

Saturday. Day 7 in this maelstrom of madness, terror, blood and sadness. But I dug deep and found my resolve. Gwen. I have to get out of here before… I looked out the window of the cellar. It was pitch black. It was already so late. I scrambled around the old wine cellar and found an old wine bottle corkscrew.

“Ungh! OOF!” I started jabbing it into the space between cellar doors. I needed to lift the beam or break it and make my escape. “C'MON! C'MON, DAMMIT! WORK!” just then I hear a shriek “Rocky, stop it!” It was Elinore. “Yeh daftie! There’s a lock on the outside gimme a second…” It was Hamish too. I heard a latch unhook and clicking.

Then the door swung wide open; Gwen and Hamish stood right there. Hamish had something in his hand “The hell is going…” I demanded; and then my heart dropped. Gwen?! She’s not… they didn’t…” Hamish pulled me out with one hand, handing the sack to Elinore. “No, they ain’t. But they’re close. Liam’s dead and your Grandpa Theo is hurt.” I looked at them. “Is he gonna be okay?!” Hamish nodded, “Yeh. Mum pulled him back in time to stop the bleedin’. It’s a bloody clusterfuck out there, Rock.” I eyed them both with new hope, “What are you guys doing here?”

Elinore looked away. Upset and frustrated. “I’m not doin’ it for her, Rocky… But you’d never forgive me if I didn’t try…” I stared at them. “Gwen’s terrified Rock.” Hamish said, “I couldn’t take it. She kept screaming for you. Like, she knew you wouldn’t come but she was too scared to admit it… She’s tearin’ the wood apart running away and fighting back…” Elinore pulled an old stringed instrument out of the sack.

“Okay, they say that Music can soothe a savage beast. Pan did it,” Elinore stated, “so did the Pied Piper, all kinds of stories have a musicians calming a monster, with a lute or something…” She paused,” And o’course there’s… true love.” She handed the lute to me, “If you think you can stop her with your heart and soul… Maybe this can help you do it?” I reached for the lute, but pulled away.

“Shit.” I cursed, “I can’t play… I was in my 4th grade choir but that’s all vocal…” Hamish grabbed the lute. “Then it’s a good thing I learned the strings when I was laid up with a broken leg.” he said triumphantly, “Let’s go, Rock.” I took them both in my arms. “You guys… I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”

Elinore pushed me back and said. “Enough blubberin’ Rockwell, we gotta monster to tame…” We ran from that cellar to the woods. There was crashing and screaming. I saw people running here and there freaking out. “They got to the Lake and started to lose it.” Hamish blurted as we ran, “Three or four got sucked in immediately. Dah held his cool and got it to chase him into the wood. Everyone else ran after or wandered of into the forest in a frenzy.”

I saw charred bushes. “They lost their torches? What are they planning now?” Elinore shouted back “They nearly caught the woods on fire, me and Hamey had to douse the flames! If your wonderin’ about a plan though: I really don’t believe they have one right now…”

Just then she appeared.

Gwen.

No, wait; the Kelpie.

She stood only a few yards away. Mister MacMillan leaped out into the path and waved his torch at her. “Kids ya gotta run! It’s all gone ta hell! All we can do is try and escape-” The Kelpie reared up and knocked him down. I grabbed the torch and the lute. “GWEN!” I screamed, “Gwen I’m back! I’m here Gwen, listen to me!!!” She snapped at me, gnashing teeth and glowing pale eyes.

“The one who’s love I could not keep?! The one who sees me in his sleep! All you know shall end this night in blood and vore and baneful fright!” I ran toward the lake, screaming to Elinore and Hamish to get their dad away. I knew what I needed to do, but I was terrified that I would die.

‘Run! Run and save yourself! Use the men as a decoy!’

The Kelpie thoughts raced through my head. ‘I must be getting close to the lake…’ I was determined, ‘I know I can save her.’ The night I named her. There was no fear or hate or envy in those eyes that night. There was just laughter and love and life…

‘I know we can do this.’

I reached the lake-shore, caught between the beast and her lair. She burst from the brush and stood there, malice and menace, bane and blood-lust. She inched forward little by little. I ran to my old fire-pit and threw the lute in. then I set in on fire with the torch. “GWEN!” I shouted, “You’re freezing! Come sit by the fire with me Gwen! Let’s get you warmed up.” The beast hesitated. For a second I thought I could see her eyes; Gwen’s eyes instead of the Kelpie’s.

“Blood and Flesh and Guts and Bone… Tonight you die a man aloooone…”

I took a hard step forward, “I DON’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU, KELPIE! I want Gwen!” The beast stumbled again, “LET ME TALK TO GWEN! I WANT MY LITTLE GWEN! My beautiful Moonlit Maiden!” Lightning flashed in the sky behind me. The monster stamped and howled in fury.

“You are a FOOL Rockwell of Chicago!” it shrieked, “We are one and the same!” I screamed back, eyes wide, teeth bared, nostrils flaring, face wrinkled into a rage:

“YOU ARE A LIAR!

My Gwen is the most innocent and wonderful woman I’ve ever known! She’s afraid of you, of her other half, of all that pain and hate and spite she’s ever felt! You let me talk to her! NOW!!!” The creature lunged. It Rushed me from the front with a madness and hunger. I wanted to run, to scream, to fight it, to kill it… I braced my foot against the earth behind me and grabbed the beast by it’s snout. “LET ME SEE GWEN!” I screamed into it’s mouth, “I WANT GWEN! ONLY GWEN! I won’t leave without her!!! Give her to me now!”

The creature’s face started to burn at my touch it staggered backward.

“What is this?! A pain of form?! Lover’s kiss?!

NO! NO MORE!!!” The creature raged, “NO ONE LOVES ME! NO ONE! HOW DARE YOU LIE TO MY OWN FACE!!!” It was breaking its song. Gwen was fighting it. I threw a stone at the Kelpie. “I LOVE HER!” I declared, “I want to be with her forever! I’ll never forsake my Gwen! You think you know her. You don’t. You only know her agony. That’s all you are is her pain and her bad memories. But SHE is more than that! She’s the most incredible creature in all of the world. No Fairy or Angel or Unicorn could ever match her. She’s my Little Gwen.” I walked forward and continued.

“I don’t care what you do. Bite me, slash me, rip me apart. Kill me! Burn me! Eat my heart! Drown me! Shred me! smother my soul; But I won’t stop until she’s whole!”

The creature began howling and rambling in that old Gaelic Speech. “Ha!!! You thought you were the only one out here who could make up shitty stupid rhymes? That’s not even the best part.” I knelt on one knee, just beneath the creatures dripping maw. I started to sing:

“I can’t stop the feeling…I’ve been this way before. But, with you I’ve found the key to open any door. I can feel my love for you growing stronger day by daaaay… And I can’t wait too see you again; So I can hold you in my Aaaaarms!” the creature’s roar hurt my ears, “What sorcery is this?!”

“IT’S SINGING WHITE SNAKES!!!

Is this love that I’m feeling! Is this the love that I’ve been searching for!

Is this love! Or am I dreaming! This must be love 'cause it’s really got a hold on-”

The Kelpie bucked and raged, “HOLD ON, GWEN!!!” I ran forward and grabbed the beast by the face, the monster thrashed and crashed and I closed my eyes kissed her forehead, “Hold on to me, Gwen!!! Hold on!!!” I continued the song as loud as I could, all my passion. I wasn’t a rock star but I gave it all I had. I cradled the Kelpie’s head as I rang my pipes loud as I could until I was thrown on my back a few meters away.

I looked up and saw it was curled up on the ground. A Horrible, emaciated mess of ghoulish equine horror; Broken and weeping. “Why? Why do you hurt me so… Why do you wish me dead?!” I answered the Kelpie; “Because you’re hurting my Gwen and all I want in the world is for her to laugh and prance and live and feel the warmth of the sun. The…” I paused, horrified, “The sun?” I noticed that the sky was growing brighter now. The sun was rising. I looked at the monster, it’s flesh slowly melted away, bit by bit and inch by inch the monster dissolved and there in the light of the dawn stood a beautiful living mere shimmering with a magical light of it’s own.

“Rockwell Chance… My Rockwell… My beautiful, wonderful Hero…” She was steaming, smoking. The sun was burning her. “Gwen?! Gwen you’re burning!!!” I stood fast and the mere simply nodded, “Well, okay but you’ll be okay?” the mere tilted her head, “Gwen?! Gwen! What can I do to save you?! Gwen let me help you!” The mare smiled sadly and walked toward the fire next to me. She stood facing me as the men and women of the town came into view.

“You already have, my love. You took all my sadness, pain, hate and fear away Rockwell… In that moment, when you serenaded me with your song of love, your White Snake’s song let me see deep inside you. Your soul and your heart… And I realized my God had answered my Prayer all those years ago… Those centuries ago.” The mere looked so sad, “I should have been patient. Truly. You were always on your way to me.”

The Creature then- Gwen stepped into the fire and was caught ablaze. “GWEN!!!” I screamed, horrified, reaching into the flames for her but being pulled backward by Hamish’s powerful arms. “ROCK! GET BACK!!!” I was in a new frenzy. I was fighting so hard to get to her, “NO!!! GWEN!!! PLEASE! Don’t leave me, Gwen! I need you… I want you…” The mere became a young lady. She became my Gwen. The paleness and cold and filth of a vagrant were burned away and left only her true, majestic self standing there. “I’ll always be yours Rockwell. Only yours and always here for you…” The flames scattered, and she disappeared…

Epilogue

The following week I called my mother and convinced her to take custody back from my grandparents. She needed me and we needed each other. I also resolved to return to my schooling with a more serious attention. I even went to college and became a writer. I wrote ghost stories and romantic tragedies. When I had finally gotten over mourning Gwen’s death I had told my mother what I always needed to.

“Ma. Thank you. Thank you for sending me to Scotland. I never considered what you may have been feeling when Dad died, but I learned that summer what it’s like to lose that special someone… I Love you Ma. I don’t forgive you: I thank you.” She cried for almost an hour and gave me hers and Dad’s rings. As much as I thought she hated him, she never could.

She could finally move on now herself. But then soon after Ma had been murdered by my Uncle Barry. He blamed her for my father’s death. He hit the bottle hard and drove himself mad. He went to prison and I never got to say goodbye to Ma. I visited him for years and he always asked me the same question.

“Why don’t you hate me? What I did… How could I have done it?” I looked him in the eye when I told him. I’d seen more horror than he could ever imagine. All in one week.

“Uncle Barry; Fear, Grief, Rage and Jealousy makes men into monsters and women into devils. You were drinking and grieving. I love you though, you’re the only blood I got left, Barry. And I’d be a shitty Nephew if I hated you for being in agony… As long as we see the monsters we become, we can keep them away from those we love. Sometimes we see em’ too late. You’re getting yours both from being in here and living with what you did. You regret it. We get desperate and reckless and throw our lives away and we end up punishing ourselves in the process of doing a deed we need punishment for… It’s fucked up. Life isn’t fair, all we can do is live and learn. I forgive you.”

He found God in Prison. Life in prison with no chance for parole. He even became a preacher in the prison and preached unconditional love and acceptance. The good word of Jesus Christ. I never thought my forgiveness would drive a man to God. I don’t know if there even is a God…

I just knew an Angel.

I worked long nights at the College, teaching night courses of Literature like William Shakespeare and Homer and I didn’t sleep at night. I slept during the day and Dreamed of Gwen and the Lake. Not nightmares like back then, nice pleasant dreams. Where I could see her. Always the same. She’d run through the trees like a classical impish spirit, “Chase me Rockwell! Come and catch me! Come get me!” I suppose that’s why I never married.

I was chasing ghosts.

In August of 1997, ten years later, I inherited my Grandparent’s farm after they passed. I decided to move back there. I took early retirement and lived in Gram’s old place. Elinore had married Paul and had three kids. Hamish and Alice married, but they only lasted a few months before a divorce. Hamish took over his dad’s Tailoring Shop when the old man got senile. He was adorable as a crazy old coot. It made me miss the old days. “Things sure have gotten weird…” I said with a sigh.

Elinore chuckled, “You’re tellin’ me! You talk an’ act like you’re the damn Buddha or some shite!” I smiled, “No buddha. Nothing special. Just Rockwell Chance, published author and University Professor.” I sighed, “But things… They are changed forever.” Elinore looked at me, Puzzled. “What do you mean Rocky?” I answered, “Well, I guess I mean they’re… Normal. Domestic. I mean look at you; You got Two little girls and a Baby boy! Geeze, life get’s mundane as you get older eh?” I laughed dryly. “My only memories here were adventures and horrors. And now this… wonderful, beautiful sight I never thought would look so...”

Elinore handed the baby to Paul and called the twins over, “We had our share of adventures, aye. Straight outta Stephen King, to be sure. But it’s never a dull week…” She pointed at me and whistled to her children, “Gwendoline! Vivian! This is your Uncle Rocky!” The two redheaded girls jumped up and down when they got in front of me. “Uncle Rocky?! Ye have the same name as baby Rocky!” They both threw their arms around me and laughed, “Welcome Home Uncle Rocky!!!”

I looked at Elinore, astonished. “Gwen..doline? Vivian? Rocky?” Elinore smiled “You’ve never been far from our minds Rocky. Neither of you.” I breathed a moment. “Gwen…”

The little spitfire in my arms looked up at me, “Whatissit, Uncle Rocky?” I smiled. “You guys wanna play a game?” I asked, “It’s called TICKLE MONSTER!!!” The children laughed and we all had a good time. That night I went to Elinore’s for Dinner with her and Hamish. After dinner Elinore gave me the key to Gram’s old Place and I went and got unpacked.

That’s when I saw it. ‘My Jacket? What?’ I thought, astonished, ‘But, I had never gone back for it after I gave Gwen her dress and hat…’

But it was sitting on Gramps’ old rocking chair. I looked out at the woods and my heart raced. I finished packing and went out to the forest with a lantern and my jacket. I made my way to the old fire pit.

It was a Full Moon out.

I couldn’t find anything.

I walked up to the lake and cautiously touched the water… Nothing. No evil thoughts no voice. Just calm, still water… I walked around to the east, to the tree I first saw her at. Nothing. No girl. No ghost. No monster. No horse. I made my way to the old Cabin. I walked in and looked around. I found a carving on the table:

“To My Noble Rockwell. I am always none but yours; your Little Gwen.”

I sat in my old chair and cried for almost an hour. I sat there remembering her. It was only seven days. Seven days of my life and she had embedded herself into my very soul. I wept and then began to dose…

“Who is in there…?”

I almost had a heart attack when I heard it.

I fell off of my chair and hit my head hard on the edge of the bedframe. “YOW OW OW!!!” I looked up and standing in the doorway was enough to scatter my heart into a million tiny pieces of sunshine. “…You came back for me.” She smiled coyly. I leaped to my feet and wrapped my arms around her. “Is… Is it really…?” She smiled lovingly. “I told you I would always be here.” she whispered in my ear, “I waited for you forever… I was afraid you would never find me.” She giggled and winked. “Did you not get the messages I sent to you?” she asked.

I was confused. “M-messages?!” I stammered. She laughed. “You dreamed of me every day, did you not?” she said with an impish grin. My mouth dropped open. “That really WAS you?!” She nodded. “During the day I become the lake.” she explained, “When the sun rises, I scatter to the wind and settle at the bottom of lake-bed. While in that lake in the sun, I could speak through dreams.” I began to sob, “You mean all those years ago you-” I choked, “I thought you died, Gwen!”

She threw her head back and laughed gleefully. “You silly! I am already half-life! I cannot exactly die twice, can I? You silly man.” She kissed me on the cheek and twirled around to the door on her heel.“Wait, where are you going?” I asked, still reeling in shock.“The fire, Rockwell. You are freezing.” she piped. I put my jacket back on and followed her to a Celtic looking shrine she had built with a pyre out front. My eyes were so full of tears.

“My God had punished me for my insolence but he never forsook me. I waited hundreds of years for my answered prayer… For him to send me a True Love…” She turned back to me, “In my grudge and grief I created a monster of myself. The Kelpie. It broke me in two. I was shattered and fighting against myself. My heart against my hurt…” She put her hands on my cheeks. They were so warm and tender now. The sun began to rise.

“Rockwell… Will you return every Full Moon? Will you come and see me under the moonlight? Will you come back for me?” I took a trembling breath and answered.

“No.” I answered.

She smiled at that and I continued, “I’ll come back tomorrow night with my CD Player and show you rock n’ roll. Then the next night I’ll come and fill that old bookshelf with Camelot stories, the Iliad and Odyssey, Beowulf, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Troilus and Cressida and Hamlet too. The Poetic Edda as well. I’ll bring you all those books that I wanted to show you so you can read them. Then the next night I’ll bring my own novels and stories that I wrote myself and read them to you too.

And THEN I’ll find even more excuses and keep coming back each and every night until we grow old together.” She was a grown adult lady. She had shimmering emerald eyes and long, luscious auburn hair. Her rosy skin shone in the dawn’s light and her smile was oh so enchanting. She wore the dress and hat and ribbons I had brought her those ten years ago…

She had grown with me.

That petite teenage-looking girl I met ten years ago as a 17 year old boy had become a woman as I’d become a man. My Little Gwen was a true Lady now. The Fairest in the United Kingdom.

“I’ll come and spend whole weekends- No, wait; whole weeks out here with you. I’ll read to the lake in the morning, sleep all afternoon and kiss you in the moonlight.” I drew her close, “I’ll be here with you until the day I die. If you go first I’ll come and read to the lake in your memory. I’ll love you until the stars fade and the sun burns the earth to cinders. Until the moon collides with the rings of Saturn and until all of time stops. I’ll never leave you behind. I’ll always be here; My Lady Gwen, the Fairest.” She smiled as we embraced and kissed our first kiss as the sun rose… She then drifted into the lake as Fairy Dust.

“And I’ll always be here to greet you, my Noble Rockwell of Chicago…”

So I ran back to my Gram’s old house and sang with the risen dawn. Elinore wouldn’t believe it… Maybe she could come with me to say hello, in time? Maybe the Twins would someday meet their Namesake? Maybe I could even find a Celtic Priest of sorts and Elinore’s family could witness a wedding? Perhaps I kept her secret very close to my heart, letting not even Elinore, Hamish, or anyone know she was here? Or maybe we never grew old and lived eternal in the magic of that Blessed Lake?

Whatever happened next is my destined life and I think this is as good a place as any to end a Fairy Tale. Just know that I came back every night and we lived happily ever after.

That’s how I met the Kelpie.

My Fairest Lady Gwen; the Woman of My Dreams.

FIN

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