#but from the upper bowl you got to see the way the light-up bracelets were incorporated into the lighting design

[lady-harrowhark]

Some of my favorite fun shots from Nashville night three ✨

[revengeworld]

Robin and Batman

DETROIT BECOME HUMAN RK900 x Reader

Words: +4.000

Warning: none, I think ... o.o

Request: Ok! So...I have an idea for an RK900 story. So, most of the stories I find with him he is so cold and a bit cruel to everyone. By what if he was like that to everyone...except the reader? You know, that one random girl who like comes by to help Hank and Connor or something. I just see him finding that “special someone” and just being like “this is my human, hurt her and they won’t find the body”. XD  She just turns him into an adorable sweet and awkward fluff ball that we know he is XD - by @sdavid09

A/N: Hello my Beautiful Deviants!!! ♥ and Hello my dear @sdavid09 I´m finally getting back into things and tried to work on another request for Nines. I hope you will like it <3 I´m a bit nervous >.<

MY MASTERLIST

Since the Android war was over and Program Amanda was shut down and eliminated, RK900 was allowed to work for the DPD like his earlier model RK800 or Connor like most of them called him.

Now standing in the office of Captain Fowler, RK900 could see Connor outside with his Partner Hank Anderson.

The Android was already wondering who his Partner would be or if he could possibly even work alone, that was something he was quietly wishing for.

“I will introduce you to your Partner now, he is a little …peculiar, but a good detective.” the Captain announced and RK900 adjusted his collar, before following him. While he stepped down the small staircase in front of Fowler's office, the Androids eyes landed on a young woman that excitedly entered the office.

Her open lab coat was waving behind her while she was approaching Connor and Hank with determination. The black clothing underneath not really fitting her image as a Forensic Scientist, like the entrance in his Databank was showing.

“You won't believe what I find out!” he could hear her call excited to the others while waving with her pad.

“I have analyzed the samples of the red ice you guys had given me and ….” stopping mid-sentence a dark shadow was suddenly looming over her.

Slowly lifting her gaze she soon met the ice blue eyes from the Android that suddenly stood right next to her, staring her down.

“U...uhm, can I help you?” she asked with a polite smile but didn't get an answer.

“What is he doing?” Y/N whispered to Connor who started to chuckle.

Watching his little, but taller brother he saw how his LED was blinking profusely before it stopped and suddenly RK900 eyes softened.

“I'm not quite familiar with the new program, but I think he just picked you as his Master.” Connor mumbled amused.

“I heard that higher rank Androids, like him, are allowed to choose their own, since Amanda is no more. I just didn't expect it to be this quick.”

“I can't believe it.” they could only hear Captain Fowler groan in annoyance before he sighed.

“As long as he does his work as a detective satisfyingly. I guess he can stay with you if there is nothing else to do...”

Y/N looked around the Android that was still standing in front her and nodded to her boss.

“I guess that's fine… What is your name?” shrugging with her shoulders, she looked back up into those blue eyes and pressed her pad against her chest.

“RK900.” he answered shortly with the slightest bow of his head.

“Another Number, mhmm?” her shoulders slouched down in disappointment until the tall Android leaned down to her, the tip of their noses almost touching.

“You are very welcome to give me a name, Y/N.” she noticed the little smirk on his lips and raised her eyebrows with a smile.

“Is that so, Mister?” thinking for a moment her eyes landed on her shoes where they fixated on the little bat wings on the side.

“Fine, you can be the Robin to my Batman! So into the batcave we go.” she jokingly said before turning back to the other Android.

“Ah, Connor about the thing I found out….” without being even able to finish her sentence, Robin had lifted her up by her hip and threw her over his shoulder to make his way to the labs.

“Seems like he misunderstood your instructions.” the smaller Android tried to hide his laughter while Hank only shook his head with a grin.

“Uhm yeah. I send you everything!” Y/N called out while she pushed herself of his back to look at them until her arms gave out and she ended back upside down. Looking at the flashing number ‘RK900’ on his jacket it changed to Robin and she couldn't hide a little smirk that appeared on her lips.

When they arrived in her Lab, he gently sat her back down on her own feet.

“Okay we need to work on that.” she sighed and patted her hair down.

“Was that not to your liking?”

“Nobody likes to be suddenly picked up, dear Robin.”  fixing her lab coat she turned away from him to tend to her machines.

“According to your heart rate and the grin on your face, it seemed like you very much enjoyed it.” the Android calmly stated while looking around in the lab, the front room was full with machines, and monitors but at the end of the room he could see a smaller office behind a glass wall. But it didn't seem like an office at all, there were posters on the walls, a big coach, probably where she took naps between works, a microwave on a small fridge and a tv with a gaming console.

“Do you even go home sometimes?” Robin suddenly asked her and she pushed her safety goggles up on her head.

“Of course I do… sometimes.” stepping closer, Y/N inspected his face closely.

“Say… you can analyze things in an instant, right? How does that work?” grabbing his chin, she gently opened his mouth and looked inside it with a light on her bracelet.

Carefully wrapping his fingers around her wrist, he pulled her hand out of his mouth.

“If you want an understandable answer, you will need to keep out of my mouth.” he stated and she looked a bit ashamed since her curiosity got the best of her again.

“I will answer every of your questions.” he promised.

“Well I have a few ...” she mumbled, while she looked on her feet again.

“But first! You can't be affected by drugs right? I need you to confirm something for me!” with one swift nod of her head the safety goggles landed back on her nose and she quickly put on some gloves, before grabbing a small bag with red crystals out of one of the cabinets with evidence.

“Since I'm not in possession of a human body, I won't be affected. There will be no need to worry, Y/N.” he had noticed her knitted brows while she had placed one of the small crystals into a bowl and started to crush it into a fine powder.

“Okay, sit down here. Then we can start the analyses. You might be able to find something I have overlooked.” grabbing a spoon from a drawer, she stepped in front of Robin who had sat down on the assigned chair.

“Okay... now open wide.” placing a bit of powder onto the spoon, she held it in front of his mouth that he slowly opened for her.

“Hey I'm here to get my new partner, The boss said you kidnapped… what the fuck?!” Gavin Reed, a young detective was walking into the lab, before he stopped shocked in front of the scene he was seeing.

“It's not what you think!” Y/N immediately shouted and instantly stood in a straight position. Quickly grabbing her hand, Robin placed the spoon in his mouth, so nothing would get spilled onto the ground.

“What the hell?!” the man in the doorway shouted, with quick steps he stood next to them and pushed the other man's arm away.

“Don't you fucking dare touch my sister again!” he hissed before noticing the yellow blinking LED on the Androids temple.

“A fucking Tincan again?” Gavin scoffed while he could feel the small hand of his sister pulling him away.

“His name is Robin and he is mine.” placing her hands against her hips, Gavin instinctively tightened his jaw, since Y/N reminded him of their mother in this stance.

“Well, the boss told me something different. He is supposed to be my Partner and we have a case we need to work on.” Gavin explained, still suspicious of this whole thing he just had barged into.

“He is your partner, but he choose me...” avoiding her brothers gaze, she mumbled her words shyly.

“He did fucking what?!” turning back around to the man that was calmly sitting in his chair, waiting for his instructions, Gavin grabbed the Android by its collar, but Robin didn't even flinch and only scoffed at the other.

“You little sh...” Gavin was about to send his fist in the Android's face, but Y/N was quicker and loosened her brother's hand and pressed Robins head protectively against her shoulder.

“Would you stop this already?!” she shouted at her brother while the Android only smirked spiteful.

Pointing a finger at her brother, Gavin started to cringe and sighed defeated.

“You won't hurt him, You won't bully him and you will call him by his name! No insults!” Y/N said sternly.

“Pff why do you even care.” crossing his arms in front of his chest, Gavin really needed to hold back not to throw that bastard in the recycling bin.

“He chose me as his Master, which means I need to take care of him. He is my responsibility.” she tried to explain her actions, but Gavin only rolled his eyes.

“As if he would need you. You're just happy that at least somebody shows the slightest interest in you...” immediately he regrets his words when he saw the hurt look on her face.

“Y/N I ...”

“You better go now!” turning away from them, she started to clean up the instruments she had just used.

“Well come on then...” Gavin sighed and waited at the entrance for the Android.

Robin quietly stepped closer to the small figure who was standing at her desk.

“I send my results to your computer.” he stated softly and she could hear a confirmation beep from her bracelet.

“Thank you ...” Y/N only mumbled quietly, not to let her tears get the upper hand. When one still rolled over her cheek, Robin gently brushed it away.

“Come one! Let's go, we have a job to do!” Gavin shouted and Y/N nodded to the Android.

Adjusting his collar, he followed the furious detective to their first case together.

“Let me be very clear here, Android!” The detective already started to growl but immediately got pushed against the wall.

“No let me be very clear with you, Detective!” Robin hissed threatening.

“If you dare to harm your sister in any way, physical or mentally, I will break every 206 bones in your body. Do we understand each other?!” now he was the one who had the other grabbed at the collar of his sweatshirt.

For a moment Gavin was too shocked to even answer before he quietly nodded.

“Say it!” the Android whispered dangerously low, his cold eyes fixated on Gavins.

“I… I understand.” he mumbled while avoiding the others gaze.

Letting go, Robin stood up straight again and adjusted his collar, before continuing their walk to the police car.

When they came back in the evening, Robin volunteered to bring the new evidence to Y/N while Gavin followed a few feet behind. Not only did he feel bad, because he hurt his sister, but the constant nagging from RK900 was going on his nerves. He rather wished he would leave again but the young detective needed to admit that the Android only seemed to have the best things in mind for his sister, which was at least one positive thing about him.

Entering the lab they could see Y/N, sitting on her couch in the back, having headphones on her head, while she was munching on a granola bar, her eyes fixated on her pad to read the latest analyses results.

After setting the box with the new evidence down, Robin entered her little office before Gavin could even stop him. Squatting down in front of her, the tall Android gently pushed the big headphones back before she looked up into his blue eyes.

“You're back!” she instantly smiled, but it soon fell again when she noticed her brother.

“We brought the evidence from the scene it would be good if you could take a quick look at it.” he explained when he noticed her eyes on him.

Rolling her eyes the slightest, she munched down the last bit of her snack and threw her pad on the other end of the coach. Taking the pad from Gavin she walked to the box and opened it after getting rid of the safety tape.

“Robin can you tell me what exactly we have?” she asked.

“Of course, Y/N.” controlling the evidence with the list, she soon signed it and pushed it back against Gavin's chest.

“What do you want to know?” putting on some new gloves she looked at the pieces of evidence in the plastic bags.

“We need to find DNA from this subject.” Sending the file to her Bracelet, it gave the confirming beep.

“Alright... now leave, I need to concentrate.” suddenly feeling Gavin's hand on her shoulder she flinched slightly.

“How about you rest first and come home?”

“You want this data as soon as possible right? So let me work and go home yourself.” pulling away from him, Gavin only scoffed and made his way out of the office.

“Nines,! Make sure she eats properly and sleeps at least a little bit.” they heard him shout and Y/N only sighed before she looked up at Robin.

“He is right, you look sleep deprived.” gently he laid his hand against her cheek and looked into her eyes.

“I'm okay. Let's throw the hints that we have in my little boys, they will do the work for us. I promise I rest after that.”

Nodding the slightest he agreed, but still took over most of the work and soon banished her onto the couch so she could rest.

In the next few days, nothing much changed from the first day Robin came in her life. Most of the time he was constantly by her side, helping her with her work and sometimes even Gavin stayed there since it was easier to stay down here to discuss the case instead of dragging the Android back up into the office.

“I brought lunch.” Gavin mumbled when he entered the Lab, but stopped surprised when he saw Connor and Hank here.

Y/N suddenly rolled by him on her chair and grabbed the cup of ice coffee before taking a sip.

“Just one moment...” pulling a diagram on her big monitor she just explained to the other two what she and Robin had found in the newest Red Ice that they had confiscated.

Robin was sitting in the Corner of the lab in a chair while his arms were crossed in front of his chest and one of his legs was laying over the other, ignoring the others.

He was always cold to everyone else but when he was with Y/N he was completely changed that most of them couldn't believe that it was really him. How soft and gentle he took care of her and made sure she was always well with such care.

For Connor it was obvious that his little brother wasn't following a program anymore and seemed to have started to feel emotions which nobody had noticed yet, not even Y/N who seemed oblivious to the looks Robin was sometimes giving her.

But at the moment he wasn't very pleased with all the males in the room that were cornering her because of her work.

“So thanks to Robin, we could determine that the Dealer must have been in this area of town. You should look there next.” trying to hide a yawn, Y/N bit nervously on the straw from her coffee.

“Thank you, we will go there, now.” Connor nodded and left with Hank, while Gavin placed the bag of food in her little office on her desk.

“You should really eat, you have been working nonstop.” her brother mumbled but didn't get any answer until Robin stood up from his chair and noticed that Y/N had fallen asleep right as soon as Connor and Hank had left them. Her head had sunken down on her arms, the cup of coffee was dangerous loosely hanging in her hand, while they could hear quiet snores coming from her.

Gently picking her sleeping figure up, he slowly walked over to the couch to lay her in a more comfortable position until Gavin's phone started to ring.

“We got a lead! An anonymous tip to the serial killer! Come on.” already running to the door he took a last look over his shoulder.

Watching the Android take off his jacket, Robin laid it carefully over Y/N so she would be kept warm, while they would be away.

Brushing a few strands of hair out of her beautiful face, his normal stern look softened and even Gavin seemed to realize now that this Android wasn't seeing his sister just as a Master anymore.

Out of respect he quickly averted his eyes and waited until Robin followed.

Flinching out of her sleep, Y/N looked confused around before shutting off her blaring bracelet.

“I get it I get it, the Sample test is done...” with another yawn, she rubbed over eyes before she noticed something heavy on her body.

Surprised her eyes widened when she recognized Robins jacket and without thinking, she pressed it closer against her chest. The sharp scent of Thirium was lingering on it, but when she buried her face in the fabric, Y/N could even smell a hint of her own perfume.

Feeling the heat rising in her cheeks, she quickly looked around her Lab, just to make sure it was empty before she jumped from her place and threw over the jacket, which of course was too big for her.

Chuckling over the long sleeves, Y/N suddenly shook her head. There was no time to be goofing around. She was so close to finding something for Gavins and Robins case that it was time to give it her full attention, instead of getting her hopes up for something that wasn’t going to happen.

Folding up the sleeves and putting on her safety glasses, Y/N got back to work.

Looking around the empty factory building, Robin tried to find any clues that the anonymous tip had mentioned, but for now he came up with nothing.

“Are you sure the address is the right one?” he asked coldly and looked over to Gavin who seemed confused.

“Of fucking course it is the right one!” the other hissed and continued looking.

Carefully walking up the rusty, metal stairs, Gavin tried to get a good look with his flashlight, his gun always ready.

Searching the upper floor they soon stopped in front of a giant wall.

“What is that…?” seeing something wet smeared on it, Robin immediately started running back to the car.

Taking a few steps back, the detective's eyes widened in shock when he read the words and the picture that hung next to it.

-She will bleed, just like the others.-

When his eyes landed on the face of his own sweet sister, he instantly broke into a sprint.

“Come on!!” Robin screamed, already sitting on the driver seat, to take over instead of letting the autopilot manage the driving. As soon as Gavin entered the car, the Android stepped down on the gas pedal and with screeching tires, they crashed through the next metal fence.

“Why …. why her?!” Gavin cursed while trying to call her.

“Don’t you get it? It was a trap! He wanted to get us away from her because he knows that we never leave her side. The picture that hung with the threat was taken inside the DPD! He is one of us! Which means he knows she might be close to finding out his identity!” running over a red light, Gavin wanted to throw up.

“She isn’t picking up...” seeing the LED from Robin turn to red, he knew nothing good would happen to whoever would harm her.

The car wasn’t even parked yet, but Robin already jumped out and ran into the police building.

When he stumbled into the Lab and saw her well and safe, the Android couldn’t describe how much relieve he felt until he noticed the red dot pointed at her back.

“Get down!” he screamed.

Turning around to him, Y/N had a smile on her lips before he tackled her down onto the ground and a bullet storm was raining down into the lab.

Glas was shattering everywhere and Robin covered her whole body with his, while he could feel her fingers dig into his shirt.

“Robin … the office, it’s bulletproof.” she breathed under his heavy weight.

“I got you.” he answered and waited for the right moment before he picked her up and punched the alarm as soon as he slides into the room on his knees.

The glass door behind them closed with a hiss and the lab was drenched in a red light and the alarm blaring in their ears.

“Are you hurt?!” he shouted through the tumult and cupped her face gently. With a relieved smile she shook her head lightly even though her cheek hat a few small cuts.

Wrapping her arms around his chest, she soon had her head buried in the crook of his neck before a shaky breath escaped her lips.

“It's okay, I’m here now.” he whispered, laying his own arms around her to calmingly brush over her hair.

Hearing another two gunshots, Y/N instinctively pressed herself closer against his chest until they heard a knock at the office door. It was Gavin with a few police members.

“Thank goodness you’re okay … fuck...” falling on his knee, Gavin just hugged both of them tightly, knowing full well Robin wouldn’t let go of her for a long while.

“What about Johnson… is he?” she asked her brother.

“He won’t harm you, don’t worry.” he nodded, confirming the suspect's death.

Watching both of them quietly for a moment, Gavin saw how dearly the Android was holding on to his sister and how much she clung to him.

“I will talk to Fowler, he needs to know what happened. Nines, take good care of her until I’m back.” giving the two of them a bit of space, he soon left the lab.

After sitting there on the floor for a moment, Robin gently picked her up to sat her down on the comfortable couch.

“Are you really alright?” he asked now calmer since the alarm was shut off.

“Maybe we should switch. You seem to be a much better Batman than me.” Y/N chuckled lightly.

“You can be Catwoman instead.” with a small smile Robin leaned his head gently against hers.

“You researched…. Sounds like a good plan.” taking a deep breath, she pressed a quick kiss on the Androids lips.

“Thanks for saving me...” she whispered but was surprised to see him even more shocked than expected.

“Sorry … I thought ...” quickly looking back down onto her own two feet she avoiding his gaze before Robin broke from his daze and gently laid his hand under her chin, to push it up so she would look at him.

“No, you thought correctly. I just didn’t think you could ever feel something for someone like me ...”

“Well, now you know...” she said a bit pouty and he could only smile.

“At least I didn’t fry your circuits.” with a chuckle she leaned her head back against his shoulder.

When Gavin came back, he was relieved that Y/N seemed to have calmed down.

“I talked with Fowler. After a short questioning, we can all go home.” he explained, but nobody seemed to listen.

“You know what, since you are Batman now and I’m Catwoman. Gavin can be Robin.”

Scoffing immediately Gavin crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“As if! Come on you freaking nerds. Let's get home.”

Picking her back on his arms, Robin held her close while she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Then we need to get a key for Robin as well.” she called to her brother, who was walking in front of them.

“Sure, whatever.” he only shrugged his shoulders, both of them not able to see the little smirk on his lips.

[writingsofmyimagination]

Conjecture |4|

Yoongi x Reader

Idol Reader Au, Enemies to Lovers AU

Summary: Your management refused to renew your contract unless you collaborated, so you ending up working with Min Yoongi. A guy you’d disliked from before both of your debuts. There is more to their past than meets the eye.

Words:2713

Links to other parts in my masterlist

if you want to be tagged let me know :)

@msunnsstuff @rosey-roseu @eyelessmin

Warnings: Swearing Suggested smut. (Smut in next chapter YAY :)

(Mention’s on Monsta X’s Wonho)

Reblog, Like, Comment :)

//Yoongi had to consciously stop his mouth falling open when you came onto the set. He had to retain the same control over his gaze stopping them from constantly soaking up the view. When he was directed to grip at your hip, his heart forgot to function for a few beats. He wasn’t surprised by your irritated reaction given how you’d been acting and made himself empathise with you even though his less than innocent thoughts were permeating through.//

 You jolted awake

“Fuck” was all you heard muffled through your door accompanied by the sound of glass shattering. You rushed out of bed to the source of the noise. A section of the floor was blurred with a pool of orange juice with glass shards floating as debris. What was more alarming was the droplets of red falling and causing a red orange ripple throughout the pool. Yoongi was hissing through pursed lips and gripping his left hand with his right nursing it with a tea towel.

“What happened? Sit down” you ordered. He looked at you through his fringe which overshadowed his eyes.

“I just turned with the glass in my hand which wasn’t high enough and just smashed into the worktop. I’m fine, sorry I woke you”

“You’re obviously not, sit the fuck down and let me have a look” Your tone drew his eyes wide and he submitted, taking big steps to avoid any more glass took a drooped himself on the sofa.

“Please tell me you have something that resembles a first aid box or something” you pleaded.

“Under the bathroom sink”. You washed your hands and brought the box as well as some tweezers and sat on the coffee table facing him.

“Give me your hand” he did as he was told and gave you his hand.

“I don’t know how I feel about you bossing me around” Yoongi quipped a pained smile directed your way. This is nothing you thought.

“No? Why’s that?” You slowly pulled away the towel, there were several small cuts and a couple of large but thankfully not too deep gashes. You removed all his bracelets quickly erasing any blood which had invaded them.

“Because I normally hate being told what to do” he exhaled forcefully as you picked a couple of glass fragments from his hand.

“And what? With me you like it? Brace yourself” You wiped his palm over with a disinfectant wipe.

“Shit!” his other hand retracted into a fist, his knuckles washing over with white. “That stings, and yeah something like that” he chuckled with a light heartedness you’d not seen before, a light heartedness that was acting as a decoy to disguise the confession of something less innocent and playful than the reality of what he meant. You found the confession amusing yet curious but you hid any reaction, you cheeks on the other hand let you down and tinted a shallow shade of red. A quick smirk peeked out on his lips noticing this before his pained expression returned.

“What was you rushing around for anyway?” you asked completely steering away from any more teasing remarks.

“I was trying to make you breakfast before you woke up” You paused wrapping the bandage around his hand and stared at it for a moment, why was this guy so god damn sweet!

“And why was you doing that?”

“I could see you were pissed yesterday, and just thought it might make you feel better” you resumed your final wrap around with the bandage and pinned it.

“And I know you don’t particularly like me for some reason and I’d like to try and change that” he added as sincere as you’ve ever heard him but it was also laced with sadness that loaded you with slight guilt. You heart sank down feebly to the bottom of your stomach, you felt kind of bad that he’d picked up on it but then you acknowledged how much of a bitch you’d actually been to him at times. You wasn’t by any means going to enter into a discussion about the details but you told yourself from now on you’ll try and be more amenable. The guy you started working with a few days ago had been nothing but professional, kind and thoughtful.

“There, all done” you stood and gathered the rubbish and ignored his previous comment and went to go and make a start on the kitchen.

“I’m more than capable of cleaning up my own mess and thank you for this” he stood after you and waved his injured limb.

“Consider it my apology for being difficult and my thanks for making me breakfast. It has made me feel a bit better” You smile and words were resolute; he went to protest further

“Don’t make me boss you around” you teased. He raised his hands up in surrender and waited while cleaned the chaos and finished serving up the omelettes he’d prepared. They were amazing. He wasn’t sure on the toppings you’d want so he’d gathered a few bowls of a few different options.

“What’s the plan for today?” you enquired

“Well we’ve more or less smashed out the lyrics so let’s get those finished and polished off and then we can get started on the music, I’ve took some ideas from your singing the other day and made some demo’s we can trial. I reckon we can be in the studio by the end of the week  and make a start on recording” he ended brightly

“Sounds good, I’d like to have some solo studio time if that’s okay while I just work out the sections I’ll be rapping and singing. If you trust me in your set up that is”

“I’m sure I can cope. What time you want the guys to come pick you up later?”

“Probably about 20:45 if that’s okay? My hairdresser will be here around half seven. You should really come it will be good exposure for the single if we go together” You omitted the part that you’d actually just like to spend some more casual time with him, you wasn’t keen on accepting it yourself let alone speaking it aloud.

“I’m sure that will be fine, and nope, nothing will change my mind I’m staying in my cave”

“Fine suit yourself” you carried the dishes cleared them and loaded up the dishwasher, the mechanical hum merged into the background.

“Will Wonho be there?” he asked hoping he wasn’t coming across too curious.

“Yeah, but my manager bit my ear off yesterday about the whole dispatch thing. I’m not to go near him all evening” you sulked. There was a slight brightening of Yoongi’s demeanour, he felt slightly guilty for being pleased by this revelation.

“But they’ll be no press inside surely?”

“There’s always a couple who will have been given exclusive access, so means best behaviour for me”

“Is that even a thing with you?” he bounced back at you quickly.

“Very funny, I’m going to grab a quick shower and I’ll meet you in the studio”

A better attitude even if it was a slightly forced one at times made the days session fly by, you’d both completely finished and agreed with the lyrics and were soaring through the music. You ended up being so engrained into your work you were shocked when the bell rang at half seven.

“Oh shit, please can you let her in and tell her I’ll be like 15 minutes, I need to get dressed properly” you were staring into a face clearly amused by your panic and stared right back at you void of motion to wind you up.

“Yoongi!”

“Fine, fine, I’ll go”

You rushed to your room, launched your clothes to scatter behind you and unzipped the dress bag hung over the wardrobe door. The Alexander McQueen dress staring back at you made you happy you’d changed your mind last minute. It was a black mini dress with a deep V-neck line, the v-line was filled with tonal floral lace inserts. The same style of lace also covered the arms leaving scalloped edges at your hands. The neck line was too deep to have a normal bra so you’d have to rely on the lift tape to keep you in place and secure for the night. The dress was on the thinner side but the material was thick on quality, it sat nicely on your figure and gave you a smooth silhouette. You secured the thigh choker your assistant had dropped off tightly around your thigh. It was a simple black leather strap with rounded studs on it and connected to a metal heart. You slung your behind on your unmade bed and slipped on your long black ankle boots, also Alexander McQueen. The foot section was adorned with hammered silver studs, the leather that crept up your calf has a strip of nappa leather buttons going down the outside. The silver needle heel was sturdier than you thought it would be as you cat walked yourself up and down in front of the full length body mirror. Grateful you checked, your bruises needed a quick touch up of concealer.

Now just the hair and makeup left

Yoongi nearly floored you coming out of his room in an unnecessary rush.

“Sorry…” the other words got lost as his eyes scanned you intently

“Seeing as you’re there would you mind?” you turned and scooped your hair up exposing most of your upper back. He gripped the zip which sat at the small of your back and made every effort to pull it outwards slightly as too avoid contact as he pulled the zip up.

“Thanks, sure you still don’t want to come with a date looking like this?” you twirled in a joyous motion, enjoying the awkwardness of watching his eyes not know where to settle.

“With you looking as magnificent as that I’d be near enough invisible, I’ll leave Wonho to deal with all the admirers”

Why did he even bring him up? Was he implying he wouldn’t be able to deal with other people looking at me in a certain way?

“Your loss, and he’ll just have to look and not touch with all the others tonight” you affirmed seemingly pleased you’ll be teasing him.

“I don’t envy him this evening” The penny dropped Sadie was still waiting patiently in the living room and you hastily made your way to the woman capable of performing miracles.

“Sadie I’m so sorry, I was too absorbed in this new record” You grabbed a bar stool and placed it in front on the mirror on the wall next to the window. Her stack of boxes piled up on the coffee table.

“Don’t sweat it girl, now sit down and let’s finish this look off”

The boys arrived early to get introductions out of the way and to have a few pre drinks, Yoongi had resigned himself to being a solemn bartender. They repeated trying to convince him to make an appearance but he was as stubborn as he was talented.

“Cars here guys” RM announced. J-Hope bounced up, his face already a little flushed from alcohol.

The party was an exclusive event, anyone who was anyone in the industry gets invited, it’s more of a showcase with new or up and coming artists performing throughout the evening and general atmosphere to network. The car stopped outside the venue and the chauffer opened the door and the guys climbed out to a blinding screen of flashes and excited demanding noises. RM offered his hand and assisted you out of the car. Only a couple of media networks were allowed inside to take official photos and interviews; this only made the frenzy of media into the venue more ravenous. You stood and posed for the camera’s when directed, when you were freed you spent the remainder of the carpet time by the fans, taking selfies, signing autographs and generally giving them as much of your time as you could before you were ushered inside.

The buzz of the room when you entered was electric, crowds of people fluttering around reconnecting and mingling. Everyone had a drink in their hand and looked stunning, J-Hope and RM managed to find you amongst the chaos and showed you to your reserved booth for the evening at the side of the room. At the end of the room was a small elevated stage with equipment stacked neatly at the side, including some brilliant speakers. The room was decorated with mostly a royal red with silver vines twisting around features of the room; it was similar to the décor you’d expect at a theatre.

“You can order your drinks on this, we don’t even have to get up and go to the bar” J-Hope beamed as he slid you a small phone like device and you immediately went to the gin section and ordered a few pink gin cocktails. You’d sweetly smile when your eyes caught someone you were familiar with; your eyes fritted around for people you actually wanted to speak to. You and Wonho finally spotted each other pulling your lips into a grin, moments later your phone buzzed.

- You expect me to stay away from you all night looking like that?-[20:59]

You knew instantly it was going to be a long frustrating night

- well we’re just both going to have to do as we’re told, doesn’t mean we can’t have fun, you know I like to tease – [21:02]

You watched his expression diffuse into manic anticipation as he read your reply. When your drinks arrived you drifted from the boys and mingled with your friends, who imposed more than a few shots on you. Your manager managed to come out from backstage preparing a newbie to your label for his performance and casually checked in on your progress, you’d always loved his relaxed approach and how he just mostly left you to work, he didn’t even have to learn the hard way.

You slumped yourself back into the booth out of breath from owing the dancefloor, downing the last of one of your drinks including the ice cubes.

-That dress belongs on my bedroom floor, with me bound and gagged under you and my chest all marked up because I misbehaved-[22:39]

RM was looking at you amused with your intoxication or your wry smile as you read your message.

You almost choked on your drink, seemingly forgetting how to swallow as your body was too preoccupied controlling its arousal levels. He knew how to get you. You made a conscious effort to divert from being drawn in to Wonho’s gaze which you knew would be more than you could tolerate without dragging him somewhere private.

“What?” you questioned with a challenge.

“Nothing, nothing” he lied unapologetically. J-Hope returned reuniting the three of you at the table.

“Performances start in fifteen minutes” he announced. You were sat perfectly content until your eyes fell on the reason you’re mainstream career struggled to take off and the reason you’d vowed to never work with a male artists again. When his gaze melded with yours the bastard winked. Your eyes widened and mouth dropped slightly open with disgust. Anger swelled in your chest, raising your heart rate, adrenaline flooding your system preparing your for battle. You jumped up and made a b-line straight for him with everyone else in the room becoming a blur into the background.

“Hey, watch it!” you complained as you’d crashed into a figure. He grabbed your wrist and refused to move out of your line of fire.

“Let’s go get some air before you ruin your career” a voice spoke sternly yet quiet enough to keep the demand just between the two of you. You looked up

“Yoongi… What the fuck, I’m not…”

“You’re telling me you’re not on your way over there to attack that asshole?”

“He deserves it” you spat

“I’m not disputing that, outside now and cool down” he applied more pressure to your wrist, the way he was glaring at you, you knew he wasn’t backing down on his. Your rage hit a wall and sat simmering on hold. You rolled your eyes as he essentially escorted you out of the building.

[cuthie]

Omru: Dezar’alor RP 2

(( The second half of the short discord rp. Archive purposes. ))

As he pointed out her charms and trinkets, she nodded and beamed a big grin at him.

“Yea I do! And each one has a cool story, of course. Like this one..”

She pointed to a tiny golden rabbit hanging on a leather strap around her neck.

“This one I got in the most epic game of dice ever. I say epic mostly because it was played through the bars of a cage with a couple of slimy Faithless turds. Crazy right? When I won they ‘gave’ me the prize to hold onto just for funsies, thinking I couldn’t go anywhere with it anyway. You know, just to taunt me? Little did they know I was just the bait and biding my time until dark when I knew our crew was showing up. That was one of my first jobs working with these horde folks, nice people. Some goblin girl with the whitest hair I’ve ever seen was asking for a volunteer to help them locate the camp of the jerks that had been causing trouble for us. Told her that’s what I do so she strapped some little doodad under my shirt, told me to go get myself caught and off I went. Wasn’t quite what I had in mind when I volunteered but hey, they had my cousin Oji and a handful of others so of course I’m gonna help. Oh! And best part is it’s chanted up for a quick speed boost in a pinch. Pretty cool right?”

She lifted her hand and tugged at one of her bracelets. What appeared to be a wide, flat strip of scaly grey leather.

“This one doesn’t do anything special but I thought it was cool. My dads helping out over at Camp Lastwind, you know over near Port Zem’lan? A few of them have Sethrak tent flaps as a sort of warning. They have a good chunk of help there luckily but get hit a lot, heh. Anyway, he gave me a little piece off his. Told me to remember that even our enemies can be put to use. Just kinda sentimental, you know.”

She smiled, running one clawed finger over several others on that wrist then tossed him a shrug.

“Eh, we could be here all day if I try and explain all these. Some other time maybe, let’s get you to someone that can help with that soggy guitar.”

She stepped around the fish funk mess as they padded off, tossing one more glare up at the bird.. which continued to eye her. Nodding as he spoke about the city’s recent attack, her bright amber yellow eyes flicked around, taking everything in. Though she didn’t necessarily -need- company, being in a place so huge with so many unfamiliar faces, races, noises and so on had made her feel a bit isolated. It was nice to have a little familiar company, even if she didn’t know the guy.

They walked for a while longer, pausing to get out of the way of an enormous, slow moving dino that carried several rowdy looking orcs. Finally, Noh ducked behind a worn looking hide curtain and motioned for Om to follow. The narrow entryway descended into a dimly lit hallway that lead to several doors ahead. The heavy scent of potent herbs and smoke immediately assaulted their sensitive nostrils as they entered. Each inhale somehow left an odd metallic aftertaste in their mouths. Irony, and not unlike the taste of blood. Passing the first set of doors, Noh made for the 2nd door on the left and knocked. Though her posture appeared confident and at ease, her eyes darted about as if nervous.

After a long moment, the door finally swung open. A Zandalari woman filled the doorway, towering over the two Vulpera. Though the wrinkles in her face and skin advertised advanced age, her expression and gaze suggested a confidence and power. Grey hair hung rolled and tied and braided about her head and shoulders. Bits of bone, claws and long tusks decorated not only her hair and attire but the myriad of piercings on her face and ears. She stared down at the two of them, the demand for them to state their business clear with no words spoken. From behind her, fire light flickered and the scent of herbs and spice wafted out. Noh shoved a smile onto her face.

“Uh, is Heke here? How’s he doing?”

The woman leered down at them for a long moment. As if judging them, their motives.. their souls.. Noh couldn’t help the slight chill that ran up her spine, especially after her last visit when she had first met the woman. The fur along the top of her tail and the back of her neck lifted slightly. She tried to cover the reaction by clearing her throat and adjusting her pack. Her intense, glowing, turquois eyes shifted to Om then. Taking in the strangers attire, equipment and then landing firmly on his face for what felt like forever. The silence was too awkward, Noh hated it. Silence itself wasn’t bad but in such a setting it was agonizing. She cleared her throat again and spoke up, trying to move things along.

“Omru, this is Ja-row-kah. She’s Heke’s mother and uh, one of the city’s healers.”

She looked up to the woman, hoping she had said the name correctly.

“I don belong to da city, little Noh. I jus be ‘ere, healin ma son. Now get in ‘ere before someone else be seein da door open an come buggin me fa sometin.”

The woman moved aside just enough for them to enter the room. Her eyes only leaving them to make a quick scan of the hall before closing the door behind them. The place was small and lit only by a small open fire place and a few candles. A single room that seemed to serve as temporary living quarters. Ja’rokah moved to a side table covered in miscellaneous herbs and pouches where she began busying herself with something. Something burned in a low, wide bowl that seemed to fill the small space with an unnecessary amount of spicy smoke.

Noh waved a hand in front of her face, as if to clear it somehow and made a beeline for the cot near the fireplace. A large, mostly naked troll lay on the cot. His already thick, corded muscles were accentuated even more by the dance of the flames and the accumulation of sweat on his deep green skin. In contrast, bright golden tattooing covered a fair amount of his chest and upper arms. The patterns typical to much of the artwork around the city. Did it have meaning? Was there a language to it or were they just picked on what looked cool? For all she knew, it could say ‘mom’ for these guys, who knows. His head turned towards the two and a wide grin spread around enormous curved tusks.

“Ah, de little hero returns. Good ta see yu, Noh.”

His eyes shot to Om then and it was easy to see the resemblance to his mother in that intense look as Om was sized up. A single nod was offered Om’s way after a moment.

“Dis ain’cha boy from before. Where be Vondo? Yu too bossy ta keep’im round?”

He chuckled, the sound deep and rich but then winced, a hand coming up to hold the left side of his ribs. Ja’rokah appeared behind them then, offering the two each a mug of some steaming liquid. Noh took it with a smile, then as the woman padded off, gave a not so subtle shake of her head to Om and set the cup on the end table near Heke.

“Uh, yea.. Let’s just say he and I are really only good for short jobs, you know? Different motivations. Anyway, this is Omru, I’m helping him find a place to get that soggy guitar fixed up. Some girl punted him out into the ocean because she didn’t like his playing or something. Rude, right?” 

She poked a finger towards Om and the guitar he carried.

--

  Omru was always eager to hear about a person’s stuff. Their trinkets, nicknacks, weapons, jewelry, books, armors, whatever. Back and forth the pair of Vulpera seemed to sprinkle conversation with, ‘Ooh, and I have one of these’ or ‘Did you hear about the blah-blah’. It was a much welcomed experience for Om, in stark contrast to his initial arrival at the docks.

  Exploring the Zandalari capital hadn’t been something on his to-do list. He had met more than his fair share of Trolls, and had heard all about the nefarious politics of the city. Dozens of different troll clans, stabbing one another in the back, constantly using dark magicks called voodoo, and worst of all, cannibalism. Trolls could and would eat anything. On more than one occasion he had heard stories of desert trolls stripping the fur from the vulpera and roasting them over fires. He had actually spoken to one such person. She said she only ate her enemies, however. Funny, the city-folk sent their criminals to the dunes as punishment, but for the hundreds of vulpera living within the sands, the city was the worser of the two.

  As they walked along the streets, turning this way and that, Om took in the sights. The dinosaurs, mostly. The large reptilians weren’t exactly unseen in Vol’dun, but never in such numbers. Some were impossibly tall, taxiing people around the city in long albeit slow strides. More impressive than the giant lizards, however, was the giant dung left behind. Holy dinosaur shit were these turds big. Om had expected them to be as long as his arm, for some reason, but they were five feet tall. Five feet! Of course, the city’s sanitation department would get to cleaning that up, eventually. They had been busy for a while, taking away dead bodies, scrubbing the blood out of the floors and walls.

  Thinking back to the bodies, the Horde and the war, Omru put two and two together. Every third stall was stocked full with armors in red and black. At first the little fox boy had thought merchants were capitalizing on the Horde’s presence. Then he realized why the armors and weapons were so plentiful. The tough leathers he was presently wearing weren’t simply ‘hand crafted’ by the Zandalari. They were used goods.

  Unfortunately, Omu hadn’t come to said conclusion until after he had followed Noh inside. Some half naked troll on a cot had been talking to them. The red furred Vulpera had just pointed a finger Om’s way when he said, “I’m wearing some dead guy’s clothes.”

  Bright orange eyes blinked up to the Joker, or whatever her name had been, then back to Heck. “Not that I’m opposed. We make due with what we have in the dunes, I just didn’t think someone had.. You know, bled, died and shit themselves in this outfit, likely in that order. I traded good stuff for this. I should have got a discount.”

  He wasn’t necessarily disgusted by the notion. The Troll merchants had taken the armor from the bodies, patched them up, gave them a cleaning and sold them full price. Ugh. Bartering was always in the details. He should have been given -two- sets! Two!

Two long tusks turned towards the red furred vulpera, “Is ya friend ‘ere okay?”

  Omru’s thought-cache caught up to him, refreshing his mind. Everything that had happened in the last minute or two came flashing forward in a brief four seconds. Input lag. “Oh, yeah, I’m gonna need my guitar fixed. I have a ship leaving tomorrow morning that I need to be on, sooo. How long would this process take, and how much is it gonna cost me?” This was followed by a sincere smile. 

  --

Heke seemed to ponder the question for a moment, then nodded.

  “I do know someone dat may be able ta help yu. Da names Am’ika, she should be playin’ down by da docks t’night, if she ain’t der already. Likes ta hit up whateva fresh blood be comin’ in on da ships and da full pockets dey be bringin.. Her an her group be playin da drums mostly, but she can play a bit of everyt’ing so likely yu best bet fa dat ting. Best musician I know. Hmmh.. Best musician any be knowin I bet. Well, unless yu count Ol’ Bwonsamdi..”

  He glanced to Noh as she shot him a confused, disbelieving look. He laughed, again the sound loud and deep. The kind of rich laughter that could be heard across a room and contagious in social settings or.. might illicit goose bumps if heard echoing in a dark alley. Again he winced, holding his side as he played out the last few chuckles of it.

“What? Yu never heard he can play, little Noh? I hear he play da bones like yu wouldn’t believe..”

  His eyes narrowed as he grinned her way, the turquoise glow of them thinning into erie slits. Her brows furrowed as she blinked back at him. Was this guy just screwing with her or was he serious? Bones… Seriously? She scanned him up and down, then deciding it was a joke, rolled her eyes.

  “Yea yea, sure sure. Plays the bones with little skull capped sticks and makes the jaws flap about like they’re singing along right? And let me guess, next you’re gonna tell me he plays the bone flute too? Like I’m gonna fall for that pervy joke?”

  Heke’s eyes widened and he let out an uneasy half chuckle. He shot a look to his mother, who had turned to glare at Noh over her shoulder. Following his glance, Noh looked back and saw the woman’s nostril flaring expression. Sssshit. Had she read the situation wrong? Weren’t they just joking? What if they weren’t.. and she had just insulted one of the baddest bad ass Loa these people knew?

  “Don’t get me wrong here, that insult was for you, not Bwonsamdi. I thought you were joking. Not that it was really an insult, just, you know.. friendly teasing. I actually think Bwonsamdis pretty awesome. If I had to pick a Loa to follow like you guys, it would definitely be him. I mean, taking the shape of beasts and being in charge of the hunt or the sky or garbage or whatever is pretty cool and all but death? I mean, pfft, how do you beat that? Absolutely everything dies, even other Loa right so he’s gotta be the biggest badass ever. Imagine having him on your side in a bad spot? Vision going dark, you know it’s over and then bam! He shows up, tells you it ain’t your time yet then ‘bloop!’ pokes the reset button and you pop back up to finish off the turd that tried to take you out?”

  Scratching at the back of her head she offered a shrug, hoping she wasn’t simply digging the hole deeper. She honestly meant what she said buuuut wasn’t exactly fluent in all the Loa or what they do exactly. As was the case with most of her knowledge, the bulk of it came from stories that were shared and eavesdropping. Still, it made sense in her head and should be seen as a complement right?

“Not that it probably works that way though I’m sure. I mean, we’re all just like sand fleas in the never ending desert called life. Why would our time be worth his, right?”

  She looked back to Ja’rokah, hoping this had cleared things up. The woman had her back turned again and was furiously grinding away at something in a stone bowl. She watched as the old Zandalari woman carefully dumped some of the ground up powder into a mug then dropped in a pinch of something she couldn’t identify and filled it with hot water. She turned and stepped toward Noh then, the look on her face hard to read. She was smiling, technically, but if the look in someone’s eyes could choke you out.. Well, she was always a bit intense so Noh did her best to offer a smile of her own when the mug was offered. She took it, despite not having touched her other one yet and nodded, waiting for the woman to go away so she could set it somewhere like before. Unfortunately, Ja’rohak simply stood there, staring. When the young Vulpera didn’t immediately take a drink, the woman reached down to nudged the girl’s mug filled hands towards her face.

“Drink. I be makin dat one special just fa you.. Ta help wit yu travels..”

  Noh blinked down at the cup, sniffing at it since it was nearing her nose anyway. It actually didn’t smell horrible but the vibes rolling off this lady made her skin crawl. A flash caught her attention and she leaned out to look behind Ja’rokah, eyes widening. Whatever was left in the stone bowl had caught fire and was threatening to catch fire to several of the dried herbs the woman had hanging above the table. Ja’rokah turned, cursed and flew into action trying to smother it. Though initially covering the bowl seemed to work, the moment she removed the bit of hide, flames bellowed out, quickly catching the herbs above.

“Shit! Here!!”

  Noh bolted forward and threw her arms out, flinging the cups contents over the flames. It's just what you do when there’s a fire that gets a little out of hand. You throw water on it. Sometimes it's tea or juice or soup or whatever else. Heck, she had even seen a couple people pee it out once. Liquid, that’s all it takes. So when this ‘tea’ exploded into a flaming wave of liquid on contact her jaw dropped, her eyes bugged and she was dumbstruck. Most of the top of the table was now on fire and the cursing woman flailed to gain control. She slapped at the few flaming droplets that hit her arm, tore the rack of dried herbs from the wall, throwing it into the fireplace then grabbed and dumped the boiling pot of water over the entire thing.

  The room filled with a mix of smoke and steam. Mixes, tincture bottles, containers and other components were scattered about and washed off the edges of the table. As the flames disappeared and the steam cleared, one item sat unaffected near the edge of the table. A small, golden pocket watch. Ja’rokah stared down at it for a moment, then reached for it. As her wrinkled and pocked fingers closed in though she jumped as the thing’s lid popped open, knocking it over the edge and to the floor. There it sat facing up, its ‘tick tick tick’ somehow seeming louder than it should be. Ja’rokah watched it for a moment then lifted her gaze to Noh, her expression a mix of annoyance and suspicion. At the look, Noh jerked from the dumbfounded, frozen state of having just watched that shit show and threw her hands up defensively. 

“Hey, I didn’t mean to! I didn’t know your tea would catch fire! Tea isn’t supposed to.. Wait, why were you trying to make me drink something like that anyway? Wouldn’t that hurt?”

  With a slight sneer, the old woman dismissed Noh’s question with a flick of her wrist then bent to pick up the watch. Apparently clumsy though, as she stepped forward the biggest of her two fat toes kicked the little thing, sending it sliding across the rug. It bumped up against Noh’s foot, its lid closing with a tight snap on impact. Ja’rokah practically snarled at the thing, then stood up straight again and let out an exaggerated sigh.

“Fine.. Ain’cha time, just take it an get outta ‘ere.”

  She flung one long finger towards the door then turned her back on them to begin cleaning up the mess. Confused, Noh looked from the watch to Heke, to Om and back to Heke.

“…What…”

“GO!!”

  The woman’s raised voice made Noh jump and if she wasn’t mistaken, it had even made Heke jump too. She searched his face for clues, having no idea what exactly had just happened. He winced a little and shrugged, nodding towards the door.

  “Yu got what info I could give. Seems yu best ta get goin’ now. I’ll be up an about in a few days. If yu still around, I’ll come find yu fa dem stories I promised, eh? If not, den take care of yu’self little Noh and I be owin’ yu.”

He offered a warm smile then pointed to the watch.

“Take it wit yu. It be good luck to yu now. Or bad.. Dependin’.”

  His lips curled up around his left tusk into a mischievous smirk and he motioned for the door, though less pointedly than his mother.

“What the hecks that supposed to-“

“Go..”

  He said it softly but it was clear the visit was over. Flashing Om a quick awkward look, she snatched up the little watch, stuffed it in her pocket and headed for the door.

--

  Omru furrowed a furry brow, “Uhh, Bwon’samdi worship isn’t as prevalent in the dunes. From my understanding of the capital, there are a half a dozen Loa being praised in the city of gold, and the Loa of Graves isn’t even in the top three. Not that there’s anything wrong with picking him to be your patron saint or whatever. Fear of death might be a great motivation. I’m not particularly religious. Not sure what comes after death for those unpledged to the Gods, but if I -had- to pick, maybe Akunda? I wouldn’t wanna change my identity though. Oh wait, Sethraliss! She’s a good one. Loa of Lightning. Yeah, if I had to enter a pact with someone, it would be her. I mean, yeah she’s a Setherak and all, but the bad ones are very very anti-Sethraliss. Faithless is what they call themselves, and anyone they’re opposed to is probably a friend worth having.”

  Om sat down his tea and began rummaging in his pack for a few moments, his little fingers working buttons and pockets and zippers within his bag of bags. Eventually he pulled out a yellowed rolled parchment, unfurled it and read, “In the densest jungle of darkest green.. Ahem, that was Vol’dun once upon a time. Anyways, continuing! - Rules the mother of many, but rarely seen. Warm and lush and full of life, iron will and without strife. Her mind unfurls, envelops all. Her faithful ever heed her call. See? Faithful, not Faithless. Anyways, across the ages her eyes do see, seeking the best for you and me. Through darkest night and brightest day, she will ever find her way. In her, your haven will be found. Her all for us, her care profound. Love unsurpassed will surely be, when Sethraliss you truly see. Isn’t that sweet? Like a Loa of love.. And electric sparks. But mostly love. And snakes.”

  The little black fox had just picked up his drink, bringing the mug of tea up to his snout when the room exploded in a rush of heat and flames. Jaw dropping, Om looked from Noh to Joker and back again. Clearly while reciting his Loa scroll he had missed the flames in the bowl. Hearing the accusations of Joker spicing the tea with something flammable, Om very quickly dumped the contents of his own drink off to the side, away from the flames. What was more interesting than the contents of Noh’s cup, however, was the little pocket watch. Flame retardant. Interesting.

  No longer welcome in the smokehouse, the pair of Vulpera retreated, Om shutting the door only to reopen it and poke his head back inside, “Thanks again for the help. Sorry abou the-”

“GO!”

  He closed the door behind him, then hurriedly chased after Nohko. “Seems like you’re about as welcome in this city as I am, judging by your friends back there. I wonder what was in that tea. Something sinister or just booze?”

  It took little more than an hour to figure out that the drummer Heke had been referring to happened to be the same one that had kicked Omru into the ocean. The band had a music shop they owned, complete with a stage for performances. It turned out those were for special occasions, where the shop would work with local restaurants and bars for a night of celebration. Primarily the band just played the drums and performed on the streets, raking in enough coin in tips to keep their business afloat. Through very little investigation, the vulpera learned of the process required to fix Om’s guitar. It would take a few days, having to dry then sand down the wood, restring the instrument and retune it. A few days that Om didn’t have.

  “Hey, I gotta get going, people to see before I take off. I have a huge favor to ask of you, though. Would you mind getting my guitar fixed for me? I can give you the coin with a smidge extra for your trouble. Just get it back to me if you ever come to Durotar? Or I might could track you down here.”

  Being the reasonable type, Nohko agree to help Omru out. After submitting it to the music shop, he even bought her lunch. Zandalari kingsteak with zeb’ahari kiwi and southsea breadfruit. After parting ways, Omru made another trip to the music shop. Sun was coming down but it wasn’t quite dark yet. That didn’t stop the little fox boy from slipping into the shadows.

  It was always a chilling sensation, beginning at the base of his neck, wrapping itself around his enter body from his head to his tail. Some folks called it shadow magic, some called it voodoo, he called it sneakiness. It wasn’t a hundred percent foolproof, especially for people looking for invisible creatures. There were traps that could be set, potions that could grant enhanced vision, gadgets that could expose him. None of those were present in the little shop, and in under three minutes, Om got in and got out. With him was a fancy little lute, made of some kind of white wood with purple strings. It wasn’t his flamenco guitar, but it would suit his purposes. Besides, those jerks shouldn’t have assaulted him at the docks. Eye for an eye, that kind of thing. He could always return it when he got his father’s instrument back.

  That night he stayed at the cheapest inn he could find. The place was rundown and a bit dirty, but he honestly slept great. He was used to roughing it, so any commodities were welcome. When morning came he was back at the docks, paying his fee for a special little boat to take him to the fabled jungles of Durotar. He gave up his enchanted troll dagger, and judging by the captain’s face, the whispers had taken hold of the blade’s new wielder immediately. Whatever, it was his problem now.

The End For Now? -

[renegadesrpg]

Dark Angels: Creation, Part 12 - Grace. Zav and Bryn

Zav: --Giving the area a last look around, I step into the old church and stand behind her. –

Damn, woman, you brought the whole thing. That expended a lot of energy. You know, you could have just brought the important tools and materialized the furniture and raw materials from closer by. It wouldn’t have taken as much out of you. Bryn: “I wanted my own things. I know the herbs were cut at the right time of the moon and a consecrated athame was used. I know the crystals have already been purified.”

And I wanted to keep the last connection to the one who’d helped me furnish the cavern, made the tables and cabinets and taught me so much. But I wasn’t about to say that out loud.

“Besides, it all comes from somewhere. We don’t just “make it” out of thin air. Sin might be powerful enough to do it, but when we do, it comes from somewhere.” Zav: --with a shrug, I look the place over and pick out a corner near the front with good natural light— That may be, but I figure with the risks we take, we earn it. When I materialize stuff, I picture it from a catalogue or someplace I’ve seen it on sale and get it from there. --That I generally find a way to compensate wherever I got it from goes without saying. Unlike the Horseman, Sin recruited honorable souls. Or in my case angels. Walking to the corner I’d scoped out…— This is good. It’s got good light. It’s open to your work area so I can be near if you need me, and vice versa, and I can see the door. We’ll ward the rest of the place against anyone, reaper, demon, angel or any other creature except through that door. --The shop… damn, I’m going to have to let some of my local people know I survived after this is all over. Dragon for one. And what if it made national news? What if Truely saw it? Panic spurts through my brain. What if she thinks I’m dead? What if she turns to someone else before I can get there…? No, no, no….I’m going to find her number and call her just as soon as I get this set up.— I think the chair right hear near the 10 foot tall leaded glass windows. And there are outlets in the wall along the back…. – When Sin had renovated he’d had this place wired for electricity and had installed generators too. After all, drug lords needed electricity to process product and they wouldn’t want the amount of energy used to alert any Polícia Federal. And I’m sure the local police were getting regular bribes from him as well. It would be expected. Sin made it a policy when dealing with humans to /always/ do the expected. Well, meeting those expectations worked for us too. Bryn was used to conjuring her own light in that cave she’d worked in, but I’d needed electric power to run my shop and I’d need it here too. Thinking back to a catalog I’d looked through a couple of weeks ago, I materialize a set I’d looked at. Tattoo chair with an adjustable head rest and arms and hydraulic control to raise and lower it, an artist chair, and a rolling tray. I look at the back wall and materialize a counter I’d seen there and then extra ink, pots, an autoclave and gauze and wrap from the same catalog the chair had come from on top of it. Later, I’d tally up the totals and move some money into the company accounts. Dropping my backpack on the counter, I turn to Bryn...— Ok, let’s get this show on the road. Where do you want me? Bryn: While Zav had been building his workspace I’d done basic anti-demon warding. He’d have to show me the symbols and spell for keeping out angels and reapers later, but for now we were safe. “Why don’t you lay down on your new handy dandy reclining tattoo chair?” While he moved to it, I unwrapped my ritual athame from it’s soft leather bindings and examined the edge. Sharper was better for skin. Less painful. The edge gleamed in the sunlight and drew blood as I ran my thumb along it lightly. “Perfect.” Zav: --eyeing her with the knife—You know what you’re doing with that thing? How to cut me to get enough without bleeding me dry? Bryn: Laughing, “Don’t be a sissy. You’re not the first ‘blood’ donor I’ve worked with, although you are the first grace donor. But it has to work the same and you’ll heal faster than humans. I’m going to slice along your arm and hold it pointing to the ground while your grace drains into a bowl. You’ve explained the magick of making a grace stone and once we’ve done this I’ll do a small one as a test. I won’t take more than I need.” Zav: Take /more/ than you think you’ll need. I’ll recover faster than if you have to cut me twice. And if you have extra make grace stones for you, Sean and Adrian, too. You won’t be able to handle as much as Sin, but a little in a stone will make you faster and sharpen your senses. –shrugging— It can’t hurt. If we had the time I’d ask you to put some in the protection bracelet you’re making for the fighters, but we don’t. So instead I’m going to add a few drops to the ink when I do the protection tats. Bryn: Frowning down at him as I stretch his arm out on the chair’s armrest. “Just don’t be a hero, ok? Your grace will regenerate but we don’t need you down for days. Let me know when to stop.” He nods in agreement, but I’ve known this guy too long. I’ll have to watch the cues. Taking the athame in hand, I draw it vertically along his arm, laying open the radial artery. I’d never take this risk with a human, no matter how powerful. They’d bleed out too fast. I’d have gone for the cephalic vein. Slower flowing and quicker clotting. But I was counting on reaper healing to make sure that didn’t happen to Zav. Shimmering blue liquid began to flow and I quickly move his arm off the chair’s armrest and squat on the floor holding it over a deep bowl. It runs down his arm and over his fingers in a stream. “You doing all right up there Romeo?” Zav: --I grunted as she made a long deep slice in my forearm. It’s funny how that same injury in the heat of battle is numb but sitting here, knowing what she’s going to do, it hurts like a bitch. – I’m fine. Let it flow little witch. You’re just sad because it isn’t real blood. Bryn: “Ok, I take that as an insult. And it’s never a good idea to insult the lady with the knife.” The truth is, I /have/ done blood magick before. It’s ancient and powerful and the more powerful the subject, the stronger the magick and the less you needed. Which is why I usually used my own, but there had been times when I’d needed volunteer donors. And I always used volunteers only. Anybody that has to kill somebody to get enough blood for the spell is either an amature or not using powerful enough blood. Shifter’s were good, as were vampires, other mages, fae and phoenix. All those beings’ blood had earth magick that blended nicely with my own. Zav’s grace, though, is a different story. Grace is empyreal, coming from the Creator of both the divine and the earth. He’d made empyreal magick and earth magick each unique in their powers, and they weren’t made to mesh. That’s why the white god had gone apeshit when the Gregori had fallen in love with humans and chosen to have children with them. The children had grace, yes, but they also had a soul and the soul is at the essence of earth magick. If one of those chosen by the Grigori had been a being of power, their children would have been a threat to the white god’s view of himself as top of the heap. So he’d had them killed. All of them. Grigori, their human mates, children, infants, babes in the womb...it hadn’t mattered so long as it was bloody and violent and sent the message to other angels what happened when you broke the white god’s rules. Not that I’d been around to see this, mind you. But Sin had, and he’d shown it to us when he formed our cadre so we would understand how dangerous an enemy the white god was. And –frowning at this thought,- once I completed the grace stone Sin was going to use it combined with his own human soul and reaper magick to bring down the Horseman. It was going to make him very, very powerful. I’ve got to wonder if that isn’t going to draw some unwelcome attention, but –mentally sighing- one disaster at a time. Zav: --snorting a laugh – You’d never hurt me. You love me and you know it. --As the iridescent blue fluid begins to flow my I turn my mind back to Truely, trying to ignore the sensation of my grace flowing down my arm. It isn’t the same as a mortal’s perception of blood flowing on their skin would be. Blood is warm and sticky, but grace is cool and slick. Everywhere it touches it tingles like sparks flaring. It was the raw magick in it, the power, the essence of life. And I can feel that essence seeping out of me. It’s like I’m falling backwards into a black velvet night. Fighting against the darkness, I twist my head to look down at her and force a cocky note in my voice— We about done here? I got a woman I need to call. Bryn: The deep bowl is nearly half full, with what I estimate is at least 2 pints. In a human I’d have stopped well before this, but I needed everything Zav could give for this to work. Glancing up at his question, I start to pop off a smartass response, but I pause. The skin under his tan is pale and he has sweat beading on his upper lip. He should have said something, dammit. His body is smarter than he is, though. The slice on his arm is already closing up on the ends, the flow of grace slowing naturally. “I think we’re done here, Romeo.” Standing, I reach my hand out and call the gauze from his counter to me. Lifting his arm, I lay it on the chair armrest and bind the wound to stop the ooze. “Gotta love reaper physiology. In a few hours that will be healed and, so long as you don’t head to the coast for an ocean dip, you won’t even have a scar.” Zav: --Swinging my legs over the edge of the reclined chair, I sit up. And almost immediately grab the edges of it as the world sways.— Bryn: “Hey, watch it big guy!” Grabbing his arm to steady him... “I really don’t think you want me to tell Sean and Adrian that you broke your nose falling on your face after losing a little grace. They’d never let you live it down. C’mon, lay back down in the chair for a while.” Carefully easing him back down on the reclined tattoo chair. Zav: --muttering as I ease back onto the chair— Fuck it. Hand my the phone in my backpack, will you? Bryn: Sighing, I grab his backpack from the floor beside his counter and rummage through the pockets until I find his cellphone. Turning back to him, I hold it up in the air. “You get this on one condition. You don’t try to leave that chair for the next two hours and if you need anything, you don’t try to materialize it yourself. You ask. I need you to be up and alert when I start on the grace stone. You taught me the magick, but I want you there if I need back up. And don’t worry, it doesn’t hold anything up. I’ll do the wards and start on the bracelets to the protect our forces from the trap. I just need you to send me the warding against angels and reapers. Demons are done already.” Zav: --raising my head in a mock glare — Tyrant. Give a person a little power and next thing you know they’re telling you what to do. -- with a sigh, I rest my head back on the padded head rest. The truth is, I probably couldn’t walk six feet right now, let alone swing a sword, so her plan’s good. Mentally I open to here and visualize the symbols in the order she’ll need them.-- Everywhere but the main doorway. I noticed there’s a place for a bar on the inside of the double doors that can be used to barricade the doors. The church must have initially served as a last ditch sanctuary against indigenous peoples when the land was being colonized and the brackets were left when the church was turned into a ballroom. Find the bar and put them on it. That way we can bar the door while we’re working and not have to be on high alert all the time. Now give me the damned phone. Bryn: Leave it to Zav to come up with that. After he’d become a reaper, the only way he’d really used his angel’s magick was to protect. He’d become an expert in defensive protocols using empyreal magicks and he’d studied strategy. Definitely our cadre’s go-to guy for this. The images he sends to me mentally are slender, and some are intricately drawn, but I’ve got an ediectic memory so I’m good to go. “Got it.” Zav: Leave no more than an arm’s span between them and repeat them in a line around the walls, on the ceiling and on the floor. And Bryn?” -- Lifting my head to look at her with a grin, because I’m about to get some of my own back.— It needs to be in blood. --laughing as she gives me a death stare and easily catching the phone she throws at my head.— Bryn: “FINE!” Zav: --Smirking as she walks off to take care of it, I settle back on the chair and Google “Truly Good Sweet Treats” in Pascoe on my phone, only to have it correct me on the spelling. Even though Sin’s pretty dismissive of technology, I’m grateful to it at the moment. The correct spelling of her name, Truely Goode, would have taken me a few minutes to puzzle out. Google had a website for Truely Goode Sweet Treats, and hallelujah, the website had a phone number! I punch it in and take a deep breath as it rings.— Hello? Can I speak to Truely, please?

[theunseeliemperoress]

Nanowrimo Day 1: Don’t take sweets from number 36.

I was supposed to write this on Halloween but I never got round to it so here you go. 

(It's pretty long) Word count: 2′078

Don’t take sweets from number 36. That’s what all the grownups would say every year at Halloween. Number 36 is where the Pratt’s live. Or at least everyone thinks they live. No one’s seen them for years. The windows are so covered in grime no one can see through and the garden path is so covered in weeds it is hidden from sight. All year long the door is firmly locked only to be opened on Halloween. 

Meint, Tzivah and Melissa had all grown up hearing that same phrase every year. It was honestly getting tired, especially as whenever they asked why their parent’s wouldn’t answer. In fact none of the grownups would say anything about it. Which lead to kids coming up with their own ideas of why they were meant to stay away from house 36. Some said the Pratt’s poisoned their sweets. Others say they died and their ghosts continue to haunt their old house. The three friends were determined to find out the truth, and this year they would. This was the first year they were old enough to go Trick or Treating without their parents. They all met at Meint’s house where their parents were planning on spending the evening drinking and talking while they waited for the kids to return. At 5:46pm the three said goodbye to their parents and left. Melissa was wearing a blouse and a dark skirt and vampire fangs, with a bit of fake blood dribbling down her cheek. Meint had put even less effort into his costume. Wearing his own clothes, his older brothers worn bomber jacket and one of those plain looking mask they sell for children to decorate. He felt he was a little too old for Halloween and was only coming along because he knew where they were going. Tzivah had put the most effort into his costume. While the clothes were nothing special, just jeans and a torn over sized jumper with his hiking boots. He had gotten his stepsister, who was a makeup artist for the local theatre group, to do his makeup. It had taken all day but when she was done it looked horrifying. She had made it look as if his mouth had been carved into a one sidded smile and added a fake scar over his right eye. She had even given him a coloured contact lens from her collection which made that eye look dead. Lastly she painted burn scars on the left side of his body. Staring at his neck and shoulder and ending at his hand and upper back. They started walking down the street knocking on any houses that were decorated; they had learnt not to bother with undecorated houses. A few people slammed the door in their faces when they saw three teenagers standing on their doorstep though most were friendly. Eventually they reached number 36. For what seemed like forever the three stood staring at the front door not daring to approach. ‘So...’ Meint began. ‘Who wants to knock?’ The other two took a rather exaggerated step backwards. ‘Seriously?’ ‘Well you did ask.’ Tzivah signed. Melissa nodded in agreement. Meint rolled his eyes, not that they could see behind his mask, and turned to face the house again. He took a deep breath and began to make his way up the path. Taking large exaggerated steps to avoid tripping over the plants that caked the paving slabs. When he reached the front door he looked back to see his two friends were close behind. Taking a deep breath he raised his hand and began knocking, nothing. ‘Try opening it.’ Tzivah signed. ‘Thanks genius. I was going to start looking for a hidden panel.’ Tzivah stuck out his tongue. ‘Boys.’ Melissa warned. Meint reached for the handle and twisted it. There was a loud click as it swung open with ease. He looked back at the other two before stepping inside, taking care not to step on any rotting floor boards that might give way beneath them. The walls were caked in mould and the furniture sat caked in dust, faces stared back at them through cobwebs that had been spun over photo frames. ‘Hello.’ Melissa called. There was no response. Meint gestured for them to follow him and made his way down the hall. They crept into the first room. A decent sized living room with two armchairs facing a slightly old fashioned TV set. In the corner by the window was an old sewing machine, a piece of fabric still sat under the needle, the pattern completely lost to time. ‘Nothing.’ Melissa said. The boys nodded in agreement. They moved on to the next room. It was a kitchen with a small table and two chairs sat in the middle. A bowl sat in the middle of the table filled with a fowl smelling liquid they knew was rotten fruit. ‘Check the fridge.’ Tzivah signed. Meint walked over to the fridge and pulled it open, only to jump back when the smell or rotting meat hit his nose. It was all he could do not to vomit on the spot. ‘Gross!’ Melissa shrieked. ‘Well what did you expect?’ Meint muttered. The other two giggled nervously. ‘Look this is stupid let’s go.’ Tzivah shook his head. ‘We should check upstairs.’ Tzivah signed. ‘We might find some corpses.’ Melissa pulled a face. ‘You’re gross Tzivah Fine we’ll check upstairs. Then we’re leaving.’ The other two nodded and they headed up the stairs. The first door opened into a bathroom, not very interesting, so they moved on to the next room. ‘Nursery.’ Melissa gasped when she saw what was in the room. It was indeed a nursery. Meint’s torch light fell across a wooden cradle that sat in the middle of the room. He moved it to illuminate a shelf full of stuffed toys and figurines. In the corner of the room sat a large grey teddy almost as big as them, though they suspected it used to be white. Tzivah stepped into the room and made his way over to the cradle. Peering inside he could see the blankets were placed neatly, the name Miela sewn into the bottom of the blanket in flowery lettering. He was about to reach in for the teddy, that lay on its face on the pillow when he heard a noise. Quickly he turned to his left towards the noise, his friends doing the same. They all stared as a infants toy lit up and began to play a tune similar to Mary, Mary quite contrary, if the nursery rhyme was played at half speed by someone playing an instrument designed to mock a xylophones pleasant tones. ‘Look.’ Melissa gasped pointing to the cradle. Tzivah jumped back in horror when he saw it was moving, rocking from side to side. Not in as if he’d knocked it, but as if someone had a hand on it and was gently moving in side to side. He began to walk backwards hurriedly. Creak! He froze. There was a pause before he a sound like a crying infant filled the room. He turned to face his friends who looked at him with identical expressions of horror. The expression only grew when they heard movement from the next room. Without missing a beat the three of them bolted down the stairs. Tzivah raced after his friends out the front door. He had nearly got away when he found himself flying through the air before smacking his face on the ground. He looked up to see his friends had gone. ‘Oh dear are you ok?’ He looked around to see an elderly lady standing in the doorway. ‘Oh I hope we didn’t scare you kids too badly.’ She smiled at him. ‘Here you dropped your sweets.’ She held out his bucket of sweets. ‘Thanks’ he signed cautiously making his way over to her. ‘Oh dear can you not hear?’ she asked. He shook his head and tapped his lips. ‘Oh you’re mute.’ Tzivah nodded. ‘Well I hope your friends will be ok. We pull this little prank every year though no one’s reacted as badly as you three.’ He took the bucket and gave her a thumbs up, hoping she’d understand what it meant. She walked back into her house closing the door behind her as he made his way back down the path, this time a little more cautiously. Once he was through the front gate he bolted down the street to catch up with his friends. It didn’t take him long to find them. ‘Where have you been?’ Mient half asked half demanded. ‘Worried.’ Melissa added in agreement. Tzivah explained everything to them. ‘You mean this whole thing was a prank by two old people.’ ‘Seems so.’ Mient let out a groan of exasperation. ‘So it was all for nothing.’ ‘No.’ Melissa cried. ‘Good scare.’ The two boys grinned, it was a good scare. ‘Wonder how they did it?’ Tzivah signed. The others shrugged they had no clue.

That same evening after his dad had walked him home Tzivah sat in the living room counting out his sweets. He had a couple of packets of Haribo, some lollypops, a chocolate bar, a lozenge for some weird reason, a couple of candy bracelets and two red sweets in semi transparent wrapping, the kind grannies seem to carry around despite the fact you never see them in the shops. Weird he thought, I don’t remember getting these. They must be from the Pratt’s. He unwrapped one and popped it in his mouth. They were his favourites after all. As he sucked he began to feel dizzy. Wow I’m more tired than I thought. He stood up and headed for the door. ‘You ok Ziv?’ his older half brother asked. ‘Yeah.’ He signed. ‘Just going to bed.’ ‘Ok cool. Hey can I have your candy bracelets?’ ‘Sure.’ He turned and left. But instead of walking up the stairs like he’d intended he found himself walking into the kitchen. What was going on!? He tried to stop but he just kept walking. As if he was being controlled by some unseen force he made his way to the cupboard under the sink. He beant down and picked up a bottle of some cleaning product. He couldn’t see what it was but he saw the words highly flammable. Crying at this point he twisted the lid off and poured the liquid onto his neck and shoulder. He was trying desperately to open his mouth to scream for help but his jaw wouldn’t move. Shaking he put down the bottle and picked up a knife that sat on the draining board. Please no, he thought. He saw the knife coming for him. Pain erupted across his face as he thrust it into his face and dragged it down across his eye. Screaming through clenched teeth he carved one side of his mouth. Sobbing and shaking violently by now he reached for his dads lighter and held it to his shirt sleeve. The flammable liquid went up in a flash drenching him in fire. Almost that same second whatever was stopping him from moving released him. Tzivah opened his mouth and let out the loudest scream ever to come from his mouth. His brother came rushing in closely followed by his dad and stepsister. ‘What happened!? What’s going... Oh shit!’ His dad yelled when he saw the state of his youngest child. ‘Get on the floor now! Vijay fill that pan with water and pour it on him! Acacia call an ambulance. The two older kids rushed to do as they were told putting the fire out as quickly as possible. Tzivah lay on the floor sobbing in pain. ‘Shh it’s ok Ziv.’ His brother shushed him. ‘You’ll be ok. Just...’ he looked up at their dad. ‘Tell him dad. Tell him he’ll be ok.’ ‘You went to number 36 didn’t you?’ the two boys stared at him. Children who eat sweets from number 36 always get hurt like this.’ ‘How?’ Vijay snapped. Their dad sat down and began smoothing Tzivah’s hair. ‘No one knows. The only reason we don’t tell you kids is because you wouldn’t believe us. It’s easier to just say because I said so.’ The three sat there in the kitchen listening to the sound of sirens approaching Tzivah sobbing loudly. At least his friends didn’t take any sweets from that old witch.

[isa-in-accra]

ADANU Build and Village Homestay Part I: Building Community

More photos here!

We took our second NYU-sponsored trip recently, which involved helping a village community build a junior high school and staying overnight with local families to experience life in a rural village. The experience was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and NYU’s planning was fantastic as per usual.

The weekend was organized in partnership with a Ghanaian NGO called ADANU. The word “adanu” means “wise collaboration” in Ewe, the language of the most prominent ethnic group in Ghana’s Volta Region. ADANU works with village communities in the Volta region to erect schools, bathrooms, and other buildings that the community may want or need. Community involvement is at the center of each project, as all of the members of the village play a role in the process. ADANU organizers meet with the village elders and heads, while other village residents participate in the construction work. The sustainable nature of this model is very clear: erecting these buildings not only provides the community with strong physical foundations for education and a higher quality of life, but it builds community spirit and resilience while also teaching construction skills to the residents of the village. I’ve linked ADANU’s website here if you’d like to take a look at this amazing organization for yourself, and maybe even get involved somehow.

Our trip took place in a village called Hehekpoe, which is in the Adaklu District of the Volta Region. The orientation took place one week before the trip. We met with Mypa Buckner, ADANU’s Director of Operations, who explained the sequence of the weekend and what our tasks would be. NYU Accra staff was also on hand to give us some packing tips, notes on etiquette, and basic phrases in Ewe. We were also advised to bring a small gift for our host families, so I used a package of Lindt chocolates that I brought from the States (thanks to my wonderful mother for making me bring all of those, you always know best!) and bought a coloring book, workbook, and set of crayons because we were told that every family would have young children.

Just like the last trip, I managed to wait until the last minute to do laundry and pack, subsequently got less than 5 hours of sleep, and just barely made it on the bus on time. I was actually  close to sleeping through my fourth alarm that morning until Anne came into the room and flipped on the lights so I’d be forced to get out of bed.

The bus ride from Accra to Hehekpoe was about 3 and ½ hours, and while it would have been wise for me to sleep, I stayed awake for the whole ride. I have a feeling that I just can’t bring myself to sleep on these bus rides because of how vivid the scenery is. I’m constantly worried that I’ll miss something! With my Afrobeats playlist streaming through my earbuds, I stared out the window as city turned to country and towns became more sparse as we drove deeper into the eastern side of Ghana. Rock formations dotted with greenery and thin, flat trees sprouting out the sides took the place of buildings, while some stretches of road were almost completely empty save for the occasional truck or van. Kids huddled together on mats under the shade of large trees, and motorbikes sat lined up as their drivers awaited customers for the day (one day I’m going to try one of these). Driving is truly one of the best ways to see a country; I could’ve sat on the bus for 3 more hours if it meant seeing more of Ghana’s landscape out the window.

 When we arrived at the village, several of the village children came up to the bus to greet us and lead us into the village. A few of them held our hands and introduced themselves in what was clearly well-rehearsed English (“My name is…”). We had about 5 minutes to set our bags down, drink some water, and split into groups for our first task. The community members had already been working all morning to mix concrete using sand, water, and rocks, so it was our job to move the mixed concrete into the trenches that had already been dug to form the base of the building. Several large bowls were set aside for this task, and a group of village men was responsible for shoveling the concrete into the bowls. I would then grab a bowl, sometimes with a friend if it was too heavy or large, and bring it over to the trenches where I would pass it off to another man who would throw the concrete mix into the trench and pass the bowl back to me. The system was actually very organized and efficient, which was reflective of ADANU’s expertise but also the willingness of the community to work together and work hard. All of us felt inspired to work with the same enthusiasm and energy as them.

After about an hour of construction work, we were treated to a welcome performance by members of the community. There was drumming, singing, and dancing, the latter of which we joined in at the encouragement of some of the community members. Mypa, as one of the few fluent Ewe speakers on our end, officially introduced us to the village, who formally introduced themselves to us through the village chief and elders. The chief welcomed us, thanked us for coming, and prayed with us for a successful trip. We were then presented with gorgeous beaded bracelets that had been handcrafted and painted by women in the village. The bracelet was put on our left wrist by some of the women elders, and it signified our new status as members of the Hehekpoe community. I was reluctant to wear mine during the construction work because of how scared I was that it would break, but luckily it stayed intact. I still wear it every day.

By the time we finished with introductions, morning was rapidly moving to afternoon as the sun beat down in full force. The next part of the construction involved mixing more concrete, meaning that our job was to collect the materials necessary and deposit them at the mixing site. I started off by moving sand from the large pile that a truck had dumped earlier over to the mixing site. Once again, men were tasked with shoveling the sand into bowls that we would then carry over, empty, and take back to get more sand. I wasn’t even doing the hardest part of the work (the shoveling), but I was sweating like I never have before. My eyes actually began to burn at some points as sweat literally poured into them along with dust from the sand flying around.

The next task was easily the most challenging: hauling rocks. Like the concrete and sand, we would take the same large bowls over to the pile of rocks, men would shovel rocks into the bowl, and we would transport it back to the mixing site. For a reason that I’m sure is completely valid but that I will never know or understand, the rocks – the heaviest component in this system – were significantly further away from the rest of the building materials and site itself. My left arm literally gave out at one point because I couldn’t handle the weight of the rocks in the bowl, even as another person helped me carry them. Thankfully, the man I was working with was an ADANU employee who was very patient with me and my nonexistent upper-body strength. The most incredible part of this task was that while I was struggling to move a bowl with the help of 1-2 other people, I saw some of the village women with larger, heavier bowls of rocks on their heads. I really encourage you to think about that for a second ­– balancing a bowl of rocks on your head and walking with it. A lot of the women actually worked harder than several of the men in the village. All of us were so inspired by the physical strength and mental willpower of these truly awesome women.

I did my best to work straight through the afternoon and only stop during lunchtime, because I knew that if I took any breaks longer than what was mandated I wouldn’t be able to start back up again. Lunch was delicious; it was catered by a woman hired by NYU Accra and ADANU to prepare our meals. We each received a Styrofoam box of Jollof rice (the best one we’ve had here, Alexis and I agreed), fried plantains, vegetable stew, and chicken plus cubed pineapples for dessert. Our lunch break was about an hour, which gave us plenty of time to relax a little before going back to work. I made sure to drink lots of water, even though I don’t think I could have physically drank enough to feel like I wasn’t going to faint at any given second.

After lunch, we worked for a few more hours. All of the rock-hauling and sand-dumping resulted in a new batch of freshly-mixed concrete, so we went back to our original task of moving concrete from the mixing site to the trenches. All of the NYU Accra staff members who came along – Victor the internship coordinator and Gifty, Eyram, and Chris the CRAs – helped with the construction as did the members of ADANU who accompanied us. Having so many familiar faces encouraging us along with the new faces from the village who were equally as motivating and kind created a fantastic environment despite the intensity of the labor. One man, as he shoveled concrete into our waiting bowls, started a bit of a chant to motivate his peers. “Fast working! Fast working!” he would say as he shoveled. As he said it, I could see the men pick up their pace even more, despite little to no rest time and the direct sunlight that was hitting them since 6 that morning.

As the afternoon graduated to evening, we wrapped up the construction work. The men finished shoveling the last bits of concrete while the women washed the bowls that had been used all day. I chugged my fifth 1.5-liter water bottle & attempted with very little success to salvage a hair clip that I had forgotten was clipped to my shirt and had accidentally dipped into a bowl of concrete. The next part of our stay was just beginning!