#ch: fiona frost

[sugaaz]

  “All people have a side of themselves they can’t reveal to others”

@animangacreators challenge 11 ★ fall 2022 Spy X Family

[1alchemistart]

hurried and did some art of she 👀

[crunchcrunchteacakes]

The Power of the Mind: Speculating Yor’s Super Strength

This is going to be long post on how I think Yor’s strength works after reading the events of Chapter 85.

In the fandom the topic of Yor’s strength is a common topic with with two main conclusions. Yor’s is a test subject of Ostania’s super-soldier experiment projects or her strength is exaggerated for the sake of comic relief or an Anime trope. I attribute Yor’s Skills to her assassin training that began at a young age which become ingrained in the form off Muscle memory. It is developed through repetitive practice of specific skills or movements over time. When a skill is practiced repeatedly, the brain creates neural pathways that strengthen the connections between the brain and the relevant muscle groups, making the movements more efficient and precise. But know I think it is more, efficiency and precision is one thing but elevated amount of strength and speed is another.  Yor’s powers seem far-fetched in reality, After Chapter 85 I wanted to explore a speculative concept that suggests a connection between mindfulness meditation and the potential manifestation of super strength.

The reason I never associated Yor’s with any human experimentation was because super-soldiers are not in style with Ostania’s Human experimentation which focus on creating higher-intelligence subjects. Project Apple and Anya’s secret organization both produced subjects that are associated with neurology resulting in psychic super powers of precognition and telepathy, Super speed, endurance and strength just don't fit in their. Besides Ostania can always employ Blackbell industries to make mechanical suits armors that would achieve the same results. (Chapter 25).  

Anya, Bond and Yor’s power which I earlier separated on the basis of mind-body are not so distinct after all, the below panel provides a unique connection between checks on mental inhibitors and the manifestation of super strength in individuals.

The technical term for Yor’s strength is Hysterical Strength : In real-world scenarios, cases of "hysterical strength" have been reported where individuals have displayed astonishing feats of physical strength during life-threatening situations. It is believed that adrenaline release and the "fight or flight" response may temporarily override mental inhibitors, enabling individuals to access greater strength. It is also reported to be present during situations of altered states of consciousness. (Source)

An altered state of consciousness (ASC) refers to any mental state that differs significantly from a person's usual waking awareness. In these states, the individual's thoughts, perceptions, emotions, and sense of self may be altered or modified, leading to a different experience of reality. Altered states of consciousness can be induced by various factors, including meditation, Yoga, spacing out (Source). The practice disengaging yourself convoluted emotions of mind by not denying or burring them but to simply step and and observe them from a different perspective in mindfulness to foster inner peace and self awareness. This concept was first introduced to us by Mr. Green in Chapter 39.

(Mr. Green is definitely a member of Garden, but that is an topic for another day)

Yor is spaced out all the time, it’s like her personality trait, what we call ditzy and brain empty no thoughts, forgetful is literally her way of channeling her super strength. She is disengaged from her conscious mind. In this speculative narrative, she might temporarily enter altered states of consciousness where mental inhibitors are temporarily suspended or tweaked to channel her strength in any way she wants.. 

This means that Yor is in autopilot most of the time and her brain is at wakeful rest. No wonder her character was inspired by Little Briar Rose, a.k.a the Sleeping Beauty. This autopilot mode also made her seem more robot like to her colleagues who often say terms like “come back to earth Yor”. The autopilot mode also is an result of her training that has developed her muscle memory mentioned before, thus she has excellent mind-body coordination. We see her in the state of deep contemplation mostly when she is alone or outside the Forger family, Anya and Loid bring out Yor from this trance back to reality as seen in the clip below.

Honestly Thorn Princesses blank glazed eye feature should be every bit as popular as Twilights Sharp focused one.

This kind of contemplative state can be achieved by Yoga, and I am talking about the philosophy of Yoga that is part of the Indian and Buddhist cultures, not the western version of exercise. In yoga philosophy, it is believed that energy, or prana, flows through the body. When this energy is blocked or stagnant, it can lead to physical and mental discomfort. Yoga practices, including asanas and breathwork, aim to unblock and balance the flow of prana, promoting vitality and clarity of mind. The existence of inner energy reserves (e.g., prana, chi) that, when harnessed through meditation, can lead to enhanced physical abilities. Yeah Yor wasn’t lying here when she said she learned it through Yoga.

Fiona trained her body not her mind, we see her break her mental barriers but she achieved this because of hysteria a state of great emotional distress and not something that she could just tap into, thus it cost her 3 out of 4 limbs. Yor does it through mindfulness, it encourages observing thoughts and emotions as they arise without attaching judgments or becoming entangled in them. So even though she is enraged and distressed when harm comes to Anya she does not become entangled in her emotions and maintains control over her strength by not overtly harming herself or others. Emotions come and go they are part of what makes us human. What's important is not to give into them but to channel them into positive actions. And at the end this is what Wheeler and Fiona are unable to do. He lacks any emotions this can never attain true strength and she doesn’t reign in her emotions thus making herself vulnerable.

I will follow up on the nature Garden it’s relationship with Ostania and government in another post, but for this is how I think Yor’s powers work.

TL;DR: Yor strength is connected to neuroscience of mindfulness, her extraordinary strength results from her extreme control of her consciousness which she can tap into to tweak the mental blocks.

[shysheeperz]

[atomicpinks]

guess ur super-poker face doesnt fool the handler

[chaika-jpeg-shitpost]

.........sylviona?

[spencer-is-dead]

I am afraid

[robyntherav3n]

DO YOU SEE MY VISION

LESBIANS????? IN MY SPY X FAMILY?????

[imberlae]

[random-thot-generator]

Love Thy Frenemy + Ch. 3

(Frenemies/Tenderness AU)

Three: The Purgatory Between

[via GIPHY]

Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley x Frenemy Fem Reader

Summary: It’s been a month since Simon rejected you, and you’ve taken steps to distance yourself from him, but you’re still struggling to let him go. Then an unexpected turn of events brings him back into your orbit and you find yourself at a crossroads, forced to make a decision you’re not sure you’re ready to make.

Warnings/Tags: Profanity, Angst, No Y/N

(Notes: ngl, this one got to me a little bit while writing it...)

Word Count: 2608

CHAPTER 3

“Angst is not the human condition, it’s the purgatory between what we have and what we want but can’t get.” ― Miguel Syjuco, Ilustrado

November came to Banfield with a chill wind and a dusting of frost. Cold air seared your lungs as you walked towards the pub, steps brisk and breath fogging. Trailing your fingers over the pickets of a fence, you peered down at your phone to check the time, then replaced it back in your pocket with a sigh.

It was supposed to be your day off, but you were going in to cover for Fiona, the barmaid Ollie had hired over a month ago. Her mum had taken a spill down the slippery front steps of their flat that morning and was in hospital being treated for a mild concussion, so Fi had asked you to cover her shift that night. While you were more than happy to help out a friend, you were not looking forward to working the nightshift again.

He would be there, and you didn’t want to see him.

You scowled as the big Manc invaded your headspace once again. You were so tired of thinking about him, but that seemed to be all you could do these days. If you weren’t rehashing his rejection, you were trying to fathom what motivated him to behave the way he did, then and now.

You had been ghosted before, but never quite like this.

After Riley’s rejection, he had subsequently avoided you, which was not surprising at all. You had predicted that was what would occur, had expected it, having survived a sinking ‘ship before. When he didn’t show up the following evening, you took it in stride and stiffened your upper lip, bearing the inquisitive stares of your regulars in silence. As the week wore on and he still had not shown his masked face in the pub, those inquisitive looks turned sympathetic and then pitying. This too you bore with stoic resolve, even as the subtle humiliation of it burned like smoldering embers in your chest.

Then he just showed up one night, out of the blue. He glared around the pub after he entered, as if he expected someone to do or say something to challenge his presence there, but everyone kept their eyes trained on their own pints and waited until he had taken his usual seat at the bar before daring to cast surreptitious glances his way. You waited until he was settled in his seat before you forced yourself to walk down to his end of the bar, doing your best to keep your expression neutral as you asked, “Your usual?”

His eyes had lifted no further than your throat as he grunted an affirmative and then made a show of looking away, as if your mere presence was an annoyance to him. You made his drink and slid it over, not even getting a nod of acknowledgement from him for the service. He spent the rest of the night behaving this way, sitting at the end of the bar, glowering over his drink in silence while blatantly ignoring you. It had been humiliating to be so publicly snubbed, and in front of your regulars, no less. When he returned the following night and behaved the same way again, you rang Ollie the next morning and asked to be switched to days.

Since changing shifts, you only saw Riley from a distance now, and only occasionally. Sometimes you’d see him entering one of the shops or wandering the aisles in the market. In those situations, you gave him a wide berth, going in the opposite direction to avoid him. Other times, you would be walking to or from work and notice his dark gray Gladiator passing by or see it parked along the curb. You never slowed, never looked over, never acknowledged him at all, just kept your eyes facing forward as you continued on your way. It wasn’t easy ignoring him, and these brief sightings always took their toll, leaving you feeling tired and restless and impotent.

If you had to describe your current emotional state, you would liken it to being in a perpetual state of limbo. It was like waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for the next thing to happen because it just didn’t feel finished yet. You still went about your day as you normally would, kept going through the motions, but try as you might, you simply couldn’t ignore the gaping hole he had left in your world. It irked you that he had made such an impact on your life, that he had left such an indelible mark on your existence, that it had altered your very state of being.

It just didn’t make any bloody sense. You had known him for less than a year, the relationship itself never venturing outside the friend zone. There was no reason for your heart to ache this much but ache it did, and it made you miserable. It was both frustrating and confusing to have to carry these feelings with you all the time, to go to bed with them and wake up with them every single day. You were tired of it hanging around your neck like some bloody albatross weighing you down. You wanted these useless feelings to shrivel up and die already, so you could get back to some semblance of a normal life.

As you came upon the White Dog, that old saying, ‘Be careful what you wish for,’ popped into your head. You were about to walk straight into the metaphorical lion’s den and face the cause of all your woes, so you tried to mentally gird your loins for the battle ahead. You’d be face-to-face with him again, but you were determined not to break this time. You would serve him drinks and chat with the regulars and clean up the bar like everything was perfectly fine. Even if it bloody killed you.

You stopped just outside the pub and took a fortifying breath. You can do this, you told yourself, then opened the door.

As soon as you entered the bar room, Ollie was there to greet you, his stern expression taking on a gruff sort of affection as he looked you over. “Sorry ya had t’come in on yer day off, love.”

You shrugged and offered him a little smile. “It’s alright, Ol. I don’t mind. Besides, it’s a Tuesday. I expect things will be pretty slow tonight.”

Ollie hummed in agreement, loading a few glasses into the dishwasher. “If it’s dead before closin’ time, go ahead an’ close up shop early, doll. No sense in you hangin’ about if there’s no customers.”

You tried not to wince at the nickname. After hearing Riley refer to you as ‘doll’ for months, both the regulars and the staff had picked up on the habit as well. Hearing others call you by the pet name only served to keep him at the forefront of your mind, another small but effective means of torture. You gave your boss a tight-lipped smile. “Sure thing, Ol.”

When the pub reopened for business, Ollie hung around long enough to make sure you would be alright on your own and then took his leave. Your old regulars began to wander in as the day grew later and the shadows began to lengthen across the floor. You smiled, served drinks and waited, your eyes darting to the entrance every time someone passed through the door.

Riley showed up just after sunset, coming in with a cold wind blowing at his back. Conversation became subdued as he paused to stare at you standing behind the bar, your steady gaze meeting his as your regulars held a collective breath. There was only the slightest of nods in acknowledgement from him, or perhaps it was simply him accepting the situation. Either way, he went to his seat at the end of the bar and sat down. When he was settled, you strolled down to him and tilted your head. “The usual?”

There was a moment’s hesitation, and you watched him blink his eyes shut before finally nodding. “Yeah,” was his croaked reply.

You gave him a curt nod and made his drink, sliding the two fingers of Dewar’s to him, ready to turn and walk away. His warm, dry fingers wrapped over yours before you could move your hand, and you glanced down at his hand then back up at him, a confused frown knitting your brows together. He didn’t meet your eyes at all, instead keeping them closed as he held you there for a moment longer, the pads of his calloused fingers grazing over your skin before he let you go with a slow exhalation. His expression bordered on pained before he dropped his head to hide his masked face within the shadows of his hood.

It felt as if his fingerprints had been seared into your flesh, and you found yourself rubbing the tingling space between your thumb and forefinger again and again. You could still feel where his calloused fingertips had caressed your skin. and you wondered what he had meant by doing it. What was trying to convey with that brief but intimate touch?

As the night wore on, the customers began to thin out, drifting back to their homes in twos and threes, the room growing ever quieter, until at last it was just you, Riley and dear old Ned. It felt like things had come full circle, in some weird sort of way. When Ned began to snore, you huffed a quiet laugh.

Riley slanted a glance your way. His tumbler had been sitting empty for the last hour, but he’d declined another drink. He just sat there, silent and brooding, shoulders hitched up around his ears, spinning the glass slowly back and forth between his big hands. You got the sense that he was waiting for something, but what you couldn’t guess.

Your phone dinged, buzzing like a bee against the wood of the bar as it vibrated. You turned off the alarm and sighed. “Last orders,” you murmured.

Riley stopped turning the glass and held it between his hands, fingers flexing around it before he slowly pushed it towards you. He stood then paused, head down, hands curling into tight fists at his sides. He was struggling with something, you knew. You had seen him act this way before, but whatever it was must have been too overwhelming for him. Grabbing his coat from the back of his seat, he spun on his heel and marched towards the door, steps hurried, body tense.

“Good night, Riley,” you said softly from behind him, and his steps faltered. He stopped, hand resting on the door latch, head bent forward. You heard him inhale a slow, deep breath, heard it hiss out with a relieved sigh. “‘Night, doll,” he finally rumbled out, his voice sounding so tired and defeated. Then he left.

You stared after him, a feeling like deja vu making the moment seem surreal. Shaking your head, not sure what to make of what had just occurred, you huffed, frustrated and went to wake up Ned.

After seeing off Ned and his wife, you went back inside, locking the door behind you. Going to the supply closet, you gathered your cleaning supplies, then set about wiping down the tables and flipping the chairs. When the knock sounded at the door, you jumped, then blew out a breath as you squeezed your eyes shut and listened.

Three knocks, a pause - a little longer than usual, and then the fourth and final knock.

Riley.

You sucked in a deep breath, eyes glued on the locked door, debating. Finally, you blew out the breath in a tired huff and called out, “Yeah?”

“Doll...”

You waited a beat, grimacing before you answered. “Yeah, Riley?”

You heard a light thud on the door and drifted closer. He was standing so close to the door, his body was blocking out most of the light from outside, his fingertips casting twin sets of shadowed ovals against the frosted glass. The thud you had heard must have been his head, because it was still pressed against the door as well.

“Riley, what—”

“‘M not good at talkin’,” he said to the door, through it, to you. “Not good at explainin’ things— m’feelin’s an’ the like.” He paused, but you didn’t say anything, giving him the time to process his thoughts into words. “I wish it could be different, doll. Wish I could fix it, change it somehow, but I can’t. There’s not much I can offer ya.”

You stepped closer, teeth worrying at your lip. With the barrier of the door between you, he was able to finally talk, but he was hesitating again, his silence stretching out. “I’m here, Riley,” you said to the door, your hand coming up to press your hand against his. You could feel his warmth through the glass, and your chest constricted.

There was another thud as he bumped his head against the door again. “I didn’t mean t’hurt ya. There was better ways o’ sayin’ what I did, but ‘m not used t’bein’ careful wif m’words. Didn’t bloody think at all before I opened my stupid gob,” he muttered, and you sniffed in amusement. He blew out a breath. “I can’t be what ya need, doll, what ya deserve, not with the life I lead. Ya’ve seen what soldierin’ does to a man. I’ve heard ya talk about yer da before, so ya know what it does to the people that love men like me an’ him. I-I can’t put ya through that, love. I— I just can’t.”

“Riley...”

I miss ya, doll. I’ve missed ya since I walked out tha’ night an’ I’ve not stopped missin’ ya. Yer... bloody hell... yer my friend, dammit, an’ ‘m sorry fer hurtin’ yer feelin’s an’ treatin’ ya bad. I don’t like ya bein’ mad at me, doll. I don’t want ya being mad at me anymore. I can’t... fuck... I can’t bloody stand it.”

Your heart was beating so fast, and your hands were shaking. You could feel the threat of tears at your eyes, felt them stinging in your sinuses. You sniffed, batting the tears away as you swiped at your nose. You promised yourself you wouldn’t break this time, but here you were again, a blubbering mess over this confounding man. You took a steadying breath and tried to calm yourself down.

If you opened that door, you knew you’d be opening yourself up to more heartache. If you opened that door, you’d be agreeing to take him as is, fucked up warts and all. You’d be walking back to him with your eyes wide open.

You took a step back, saw his shadow shift on the glass as he did the same.

Leave the door shut and he would go away, he would leave and not bother you again. He didn’t have to say it for you to know it was true. He was giving you the out, if that’s what you wanted. He was leaving it for you to decide.

You blinked, sniffed, then made up your mind.

Breathing out a shaky breath, you opened the door.

-

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@stillinracooncity​

@cumikering​

@cutiecusp​

@deadbranch​

@ghostlythots​

@thetiredtoad0-0​

@glitterypirateduck​

@gothgirl6-6-6​

@sofasoap​

[kayssweetdreams]

A Wonderous Christmas Ch 18

Meanwhile, Back with Team Winds in Wonderworld...

Haoyu and Cal now now stood out in the raging winds, hoping to be able to catch the Winds of Change. Haoyu had gained a Guardian Bird costume while Cal had donned a Tornado Wolf. "Please let this work..." He muttered. Haoyu braced himself as he felt the angry gusts blast into his face.

The two of them stood strong against the wind, but even with the costumes, the wind was starting to get stronger around them. "STAND YOUR GROUND HAOYU!!" Cal yelled out, the angry gusts almost pushing them back. The two of them almost got swept off their feet however by a particularly strong gust.

"HOLD ON DARLINGS!!" Lucy's voice yelled out. The two of them saw her, suited up in a Iron Panda while Fiona had a Box Fox costume "WE'RE COMING!!" She yelled before she dove down into the wind, a bright flash turning her into a Hard Iron Box. The 4 of them had become the strength they needed to withstand the harsh winds.

Suddenly, the harsh and dangerous gusts of winds became more calming, and peaceful. The items that were flapping in the wind's grasp were now gently swaying in the breeze. "This feels...nice." Fiona said, returning to her normal form. Cal's eyes widened "It's the Winds of Change! Haoyu quick!" He yelled out.

Haoyu Whipped out the bottle, and opened the top, but didn't know how to actually CATCH the breeze. "Um...how do we-" He was cut off by a small quick wind sliding into the bottle. Sealing the bottle quickly, they saw what seemed to be a white breeze floating in the bottle. "Phew...at least we got it..." Cal said with relief...right before the strong winds blew again.

"LETS GET BACK TO THE THEATER!!" Lucy yelled out. The 3 agreed before maneuvering their way out of the windy worlds, and making their way back to the theater

Meanwhile, Back at the Balan Theater...

Aria looked worriedly at the Frost now making its way through the Hallway of the Theater. After explaining what was happening to the inhabitants, they had agreed to keep the ingredients to the Warmth as close to the heat as possible. Unfortunately, it seemed that the dark ice seemed to KNOW what they were up to...and was trying to destroy the items.

"Goodness...its so cold..." Lin Lin shivered, her eyes darting between the frozen hallway, and the fire. "Eis, Are you sure this is a good idea?" Sana asked, nervously watching as he led the Hydrac over to the frozen entry. "Yep! Fight Negativity with Negativity." He said, before turning to his Negaboss.

"Alright, You see all that Ice? I want you to let as much fire and Lava as you can so we can melt it." He said. The Hydrac nodded its 3 heads before it started spewing fire over the frozen doors and let its Lava ooze over the icy floors. "Here's to hoping that this works..." Catilin said, her and Arwen bringing out a large platter of Loaded Potato Skins.

"I mean, he has a giant fire breathing, Lava spewing Negaboss against black ice and snow. We might have a pretty good chance." Arwen told her, grasping her hands...however, that chance was quickly extinguished as the Hydrac's molten Lava had frozen like water in the Tundra, and its flame breath was frozen until it reached its mouths.

The humans looked on in horror. Eis's FIRE BREATHING, LAVA OOZING NEGABOSS. was now frozen in a block of Ice. "Oh no." Yuri gasped, grasping her mother. "This is bad...how long until it reaches the fire...and Us?!" Sana panicked. Jose shook his head "I don't know. But the more we get worried, the closer it gets. Either way, we can't get scared, and we can't lose hope." He said, hugging his wife and son.

The inhabitants smiled at the touching scene, but they knew he was right, if they began to get scared, the Frost would get closer. They knew they had to keep their hope...but how would they keep that hope alive...if it was slowly dwindling away?

Lin Lin Chang, Nancy and Miguel Gallard belong to @sundove88

Aria belongs to @shadowqueen402

[lacrow]

Chapter 34...

...and the smash heard ‘round the world!

Thus the tennis mini-arc comes to a close, however we still have a few more chapters to go before we’re fully through the arc proper. More on that in a minute, but first let’s sort through this meaty chapter.

Yor vs. Fiona! The confrontation that everyone saw coming, but no one could have guessed would come in the form of an impromptu tennis match. I have to say, I love how it all played out. Everything about this fit with the tone of the story and characters;

Fiona’s completely flawed logic that being good at tennis makes her wife-worthy

Yor’s equally flawed logic that Loid will dump her if she’s not good at tennis

Anya getting hyped in the background through all of it

Meanwhile, Loid is just done with everything

It was completely ludicrous and hilarious. Also @xnightdx​ (and others) pointed this out back in ch. 31, but now it’s basically confirmed that Loid knew full well that Yor was a beast with a racquet and likely based his serve off hers. Comparison shot here below.

With a serve like that, mama-Forger kept her title for another day. The ideal outcome, although I fully admit to feeling a little bad for Fiona and her tear-filled exit although that didn’t stop me from snorting in piteous laughter all the same.

These dorks.

I have to detour here for a bit, because I absolutely love this panel for two reasons. One of them I’ll get into a second (the big takeaway of this chapter), but the other is just how into it Yor is right here; she just whooped her kinda-sorta love rival fair and square, and Loid’s muted reaction just isn’t enough for her. She wants confirmation, dammit! Loid’s fluster and confusion in the top left is 24k gold to me; he has no idea what to say, mainly because Yor has no idea what she wants or why she even feels so hyped in the first place. They’re both idiots right here, and I love it.

Briefly, the Zacharis Dossier ended up being a bust. I’d like to say I was surprised, but Endo isn’t normally one for the heavy stuff and having a tell-all document of the various war-crimes between two nations in his story does seem a bit out of place in a comedy manga. With that said, I do hope the story goes more into the alleged POW massacres committed by Westalis and the human experimentation in Ostania (especially since Anya is directly related to the latter).

After all of this chaos- the love confrontation, the hilarity thereof, and the spy recap back at Safehouse G- we’re left with a tired Forger house. These are the meager bones of an otherwise hefty chapter. The bottom panel of Yor took the wind out of me; I literally said “Poor thing” out loud when I first saw it. The light’s gone from her eyes. She’s clutching a pillow, wanting to hold onto something but Loid isn’t there. Yor looks dead to the world here, and I’m fairly certain she doesn’t even know why she feels this way. Just like with needing confirmation from her (fake) husband, something’s missing and she’s desperately trying to grasp at straws in order to fill the hole it left behind. Tired, lost, and unsure of what to do, she just stares out into nothing. Waiting for something to change.

And thus the final takeaway of the chapter (and a little bit of a prediction for the next one). Loid feels put-out having to lie to Yor and Anya, that much is plain. Regardless of any feelings he may or may-not have for them, he’s starting to feel uncomfortable with the lengths he has to go in order to deceive them. This is something that’s going to haunt him for the rest of the manga, and nothing short of coming clean is going to absolve him of any of these feelings.

However.

I’m cautiously optimistic about the next chapter. I’m hoping the randomness of him going to a bakery at the end has something to do with him trying to cheer Yor up, either because he’s still a complete dork and thinks she wants to celebrate her win over Fiona with a cake (kinda true) or because he simply wants to play papa and treat his family for a change. With that said, I’m hesitant to think this will all be a-okay by the end of the arc. Typically Endo likes to leave stories on a cliffhanger or sour-note (the only exception being Volume 4) so we’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out later, as always.

Also, BONUS.

Anya gets it.

[shysheeperz]

[doux-ciel]

Personal Trainer CH. 8

A/N: Hey my angels!! Not gonna lie I’ve been binge watching t.v. shows on Netflix when I get home from work so that’s kind of why I haven’t been posting like I should be. But it has helped me like a lot with different stories ideas and possibilities in my writing, so I’m looking forward to that. Anyways here is the next chapter to The Personal Trainer, Enjoy ♥

Tagged: @erinisawriter @jess---writes @lefttowritee @fannistwrites @delphwrites @riftversus @requiemdelune @theouterdark @thewishingpages @youngdumbxlit @bzrtales @between--alleys @jadeswritinggarden @velvet-moss @viviscreams @seraphilth @writing-in-the-margins @blackandwhitesunsets @godxblooded @ghost-possum @sauwrites

*if you want to be tagged in my work let me know!*

It been about 2 weeks since I got that news that Henry is becoming the new department head, but my mind was somewhere else like on my match last weekend, which I won by the way. 4 rounds in I finally got my opponent, |Kiki “the monkey” Nicks: lost by KO|

I was dreading going back into work though. I didn't stop by the cafe this morning just because I couldn't stand seeing Jacob hurt and not doing anything about it, I barely get past the front desk when I hear Mr. Gerald yell. “Azalea you're late!!”

I pause, momentarily stomping my heel on the gray tiled floor, I look over at him. “Sorry I lost track of time I was at the gym”

He sighs, annoyance is clearly written on his face. “Breakfast is for eating not for working out…boxing comes second”

I start to walk away from him, sighing loudly. “Damn get off my balls…”

He speed walks over to me pointing his finger in my face. “Your testing me Azalea don't try something you can't start.”

Cameron walks past not even acknowledging my presence, I literally had to follow to her to her desk for her to finally look up at me. My eyebrows mush together confused as to why she is not speaking to me. “Hey”

Silence.

Her eyes look away from my face as she signs into her computer. I chuckle softly, “Damn who pissed in your cereal?”

Her eyes slowly shift up to me, “You bailed on our drinks”

My mouth forms an O, “The drinks!!”

She nods her head all dramatic like and she begins with sarcasm, “Yeah the drinks, I sat at that bar for 2 hours looking like a loser.”

I'm relieved to know it isn't anything serious, I shuffle over to her chair and fling my long arms around her. Laying my head on her shoulder an evident frown on my face. “I found out Henry got the promotion I had to let off some steam and I saw Fiona”

I could feel her body tense up once I mentioned Fiona, she starts to roll her shoulders backwards, trying her best to get me off. “Oh Fiona? So I'm guessing she's your new bestie now huh? Well that's nice you two get to spend so much time together.”

I squeeze her body firmly shaking her a little bit a joyous tone hidden in my voice, I didn't like my best friend not speaking to me over something so silly. “Forgive me please I'll buy lunch?”

“Depends are you actually going to show up?” She scoffs, a second later I hear laughter coming from her.

I start to smile as well. “You can't stay mad at me”

“Hey Belinda is Henry here?” I hear Mr. Gerald ask the receptionist, his normal hard and tight lipped face now has a look of concern.

Belinda shakes her head. “No”

“There's an entire board of directors in there and he's nowhere to be found!” He exclaimed, scratching the back of his neck causing it to turn a strawberry red color. I'm a bit concerned as well. I remove my arms from Cameron as we both walk over to the front desk to see what's going on.

“Have you checked his apartment?” Belinda asks.

Mr. Gerald sighs as he puts his fingers it a fist and bring his left hand up, he starts to hit the side of his head, bringing his hand back and forth. “His cellphone….his mother’s cell phone, I even called the guy who walks his dog; nothing”

For a second I thought I saw a smile appear on his face and it's rare that I see my boss smile. He brings his hand down and walks towards me, he places both hands on my shoulders. “Azalea… you can do the presentation for me, you know the report better than anybody.”

Is he serious? Now because his minion isn't here I'm the backup plan?....No no no no I'm no one's second choice. I bounce my leg up and down repeatedly and I can see Cameron right next to me, arms crossed having a scowl on her face. “Oh so now you need me?”

He starts to plead with me, I could tell he was desperate. “I was wrong ok, do you need an apology?...I'll scream it out the window if you want me to.”

“The promotion?” I asked, my eyes slanted towards the 5’9 plump male.

His expression turned sour for a moment but then it turned into a look of defeat. “I'll think about it; just please.”

He removes his hands from my shoulders, that’s when I hear my best friend chime in. “And a raise for me?”

Mr. Gerald turns to her, giving her a stern eye.

She starts to stomp like a young child, her plump lips form into a pout. “Damn I can't get anything”

I'm ready for this presentation but I totally forgot my folder at the desk,“Ok just let me go get a copy”. I start to walk away to go retrieve it when he stops me midway, holding a folder up in his hand he gives me another smile. “I've got one right here”

After he hands me the folder, we both quickly walk to the meeting room. Before he puts his hand on the doorknob, his eyes focus on mines.“I'm going to I introduce you to the board and then you can come in and blow them away...again thanks so much”

I give him a smile, “I got it.” Once he opens the door to step inside I could see the different faces inside sitting down in the tall white chairs that surround a large frosted glass table. Now I'm getting a bit nervous, my palms start to sweat and my stomach starts to turn. I place my hand on my abdomen breathing in and out slowly, taking a couple of breaths to just relax.

As I hear my name being presented on the other side of the door, I was about to place my hand on the door knob when I hear my cell phone ring.

I quickly grab the phone from inside my bra and place the phone up to my ear, not checking who was actually on the other line, but to my surprise it's Fiona.

Her usual bland voice was very hearty, cheerful almost. “Hey just called to wish you good luck today”

I take a moment to process what she just said to me, I didn't understand. I needed some clarification, I start to ask her. “What do you mean?”

She chuckles as if something is funny, “Well for your report thing” she says in a matter of fact tone.

Ok now I'm really confused. I start to walk away from the door, “How did you know?”

I don't know why but I sensed some strange in this next statement she said to me.  “I just have a feeling everything will work out the way it should”

“Wait how did you-”

She quickly speaks over me and starts going on about how she has this new workout plan for me and how it's going to be killer. She is Garrulous, just talking up a storm. But still in the back of mind I wanted to know what she mean by her previous statement about how things should workout. I try to say her name but she keeps on talking over me, after I hear her voice stop I quickly call out her name. “Fiona”

She quickly said she had to go and hung up the phone.

                        ¤ ¤ ¤

After the presentation as I promised Cameron and I were out for lunch my treat of course. Plus knowing her she will take whatever food you will offer her, I already know this bill is gonna be high because this girl can eat. Don't let the her tall and lanky frame fool you she can eat for days. As we were waiting in the front for an open table Cameron flings her arms around me, “Congratulations!!!”

I almost fall down, she is literally leaning on me, I playfully push her off laughing in the process. “Thanks”

I turn my head over to her as she speaks, she nudges my shoulder with a grin. “The office is buzzing, they say your presentation was the best they’ve ever had.”

A small smile came on my face as I brush my shoulders off. “I know, I'm amazing...Gerald should be on his knees begging for me to be the new department head”

“Yes he totally should” I see her eyes following a nearby waitress who is holding a Margherita pizza. I can practically see her drool almost falling out of her mouth, this hostess needs to hurry up before Cameron runs to the back and demands the cook to make her some food.

Finally after 5 more minutes of waiting and of Cameron complaining about how long they were taking, we sat down at a booth. Cameron immediately being paranoid didn't want to sit on the side that had her facing the crowd, she didn't like when people looked at her while she ate. Her anxiety got the best of her sometimes, so me being the good friend I switched with her. Once our menus were in our hand we waited for a waitress to come tend to us.

I skim the menu and my eye lands on the crab dip with Naan, I think I'm going to get that. As I place my menu back down on the table, I watch Cameron who is literally listing off the foods she wants. I stop her mid sentence when she said she wants steak.

“You know what? We should get some wine, excuse me!!” I flag down a waiter, a male who approaches us with an obvious fake smile on his face.

“Ma’am?”

I place my elbows on the table resting my chin on my now locked fingers. “Can we get some Pinot Grigio please?”

He nodded his head and said he’ll be back with our wine in a minute, I quietly thank him and stare off into the crowded restaurant full of people. I start to wonder again, about Henry.

I focus my attention back on Cameron. “It's just weird you know..Henry really wanted that position and then he didn't show up.”

Cameron shrugs, “Maybe he got cold feet”

“Wouldn't he have just called in sick?” I ask, my lips twisted. The waiter comes back with two glasses and pours us a generous amount of wine.

“Well it doesn't matter now..the job is yours you should be excited”

I know…” I trail off not able to finish my sentence.

Cameron sighs and takes a sip of her wine. “It's not like you did something to him.”

I hear my phone buzzing against my thigh, I pick the phone up from my lap and when I check to see who it is Cameron snatches the phone of my hand, her long nails barely graze my hand as she brings the phone up to her ear. “Who is this?”

I'm looking at Cameron for some verification on who just called my phone, I could see her demeanor change drastically. Her mouth formed a straight line as she was listening to whoever was on the other end, “Oh hi Fiona...yes it's Cameron her best friend...she’s out right now so if you could just stop riding my friends dick, that would be great. Oh and she won't be going to practice today goodbye” She pulled the phone away from her ear and proceeded to place it on the table.

I am seriously appalled by the way Cameron acted towards Fiona on the phone just now. I shake my head side to side quickly as I snatch my phone up from in front of me.

She rolls her eyes at me and drinks the rest of her wine. “What? That lady doesn't scare me..what's she gonna do? Make me run around the track after school”

[shysheeperz]

[shysheeperz]