#cynthia 001.

[reggiefalvey]

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realise I needed a spray tan to be dinner ready. Next time we go out to eat I'll make sure to look like I just stepped off of Jersey Shore."

Gym, Tan, Laundy had been a mantra he had adopted from that very same show for a solid portion of 2010, but he's not about to let Cynthia know that. That was between him and his time in Ibiza.

He eyes her suspiciously, not quite buying her mozarella philanthropy. He plucks one from the basket and bites half of it off, the minor cheese pull cooperating her story somewhat. A still suspect 'uh huh' sound can be heard as he chews, the second half of the stick getting dunked in the marinara sauce beside it before it's down the hatch in the same way.

"Amethyst wishes they had merch like this." More than that, Reggie wishes he had been allowed a chance at designing some when the band was still active. The knock offs that he had commissioned for shits and giggles were better than any that had been officially released, according to him.

"I have no idea what this is. It's not mine." He assumed that much was obvious, but he confirms it nonetheless as he wipes away the remnants of breadcrumbs on his finger tips with a napkin before the feel of it on his skin could start to wig him out.

"I had a very beautiful encounter with a young lady who was so devastated by the idea of it ending she just had to keep something of mine. So I took something of hers."

Like most tales he told, they fell into the category of tall by virtue of the key details he omits.

"Don't tell mum."

@cynthiafalvey

So scratch what she'd thought about Reggie being fashionably late.

Cynthia didn't dignify his question with an answer, opting instead for a long, pointed sip from the straw of her Dr. Pepper that she continued to stare at him over the top of. She found herself wishing suddenly that it was a beer, already able to tell that she'd be needing one by the time she was ready for her next refill.

(Eyes narrowing as she read the words that were plastered too tightly across her brother's chest for the first time, she might actually be needing that beer much, much sooner.)

"Yes, I'm quite familiar with the concept of a crop top, thank you, Reginald." Her foot caught his ankle sharply beneath the table. "But it's also fifty degrees out and I think I've just been blinded by how pale you are. You're practically radiating. Jesus. My poor eyes."

Cynthia wasn't a prude. She'd been out in much, much less in much colder weather. And it wasn't his modesty she was concerned for--Reggie would have had to have any left to begin with for that to be the case--but rather her own selfish desire to, say, eat her pizza with someone who didn't look like he was too old to be an extra on the set of Euphoria?

"Did you take your own advice?" Her eyebrow raised, gesturing with her chin to the dump him text on the shirt, as the red plastic basket was nudged closer towards the middle of the table. "I ordered them for you, and they're still hot. You're welcome."

She knew better than to assume he'd want any of her salad, so the bowl remained firmly in front of her as she attempted to spear a crouton onto the end of her fork.

"It's a good color on you, actually. The blue, not the orange." Cynthia clarified, her attempt at doing better. "But don't tell me this is some deep cut Amethyst merch that I trauma blocked from my memory?"

Or at least that she would certainly be trying to now, right there alongside the Elijah Falvey edit that had sneak attacked it's way onto her TikTok FYP.

@reggiefalvey

[poisonvdhonvy]

closed starter : @c0exiist !!

where : the headquarters !!

Sterling nearly drops his coffee when he bumps into Cynthia at the office entrance. "Bloody hell … scared me half to death there." The late morning coffee is still burning hot, threatening to spill through the plastic lid. He's running behind schedule thanks to his needs for Suhana. Worth it though. Always worth it. He holds tightly to the moments their hidden marriage gives him, even if it makes him late to work. He takes a careful sip of his coffee, buying time to switch his brain from husband mode back to work mode. "Listen, you've got brilliant timing. Been meaning to ask you a few things about the Castanedas." It's become second nature now, this constant dance between his two worlds. No one would guess he's actually fishing for intel about Sahana's family movements. Guilt seeps into his thoughts, for what he has done to someone he values. "Buy you a proper coffee to make up for nearly wearing this one?"

[the-insomniac-emporium]

SWORDTEMBER '24, DAY 12: TOY

Item ID: HE-2412 Item Name: Padded/Foam Sword Category: B-1 Origin Point: Telloran, Katal Owner: Cynthia Delabaunte (C), Naomi Tellorvoso (O) Description: A padded weapon, meant for either weapons training or “LARP” (see file TNRP-001 through TNRP-023 for details). Fashioned in the image of a standard Earthen claymore. Contains a core of carbon fiber, with additional layers of tape, foam, and a rubberized coating. On the guard is a decorative sigil of the fictional House Delavoso. Item was brought inside by an employee per Regulations Section C-24, Subsection E5, for temporary storage during the workday. Cataloger’s Notes: There was a “minor” hitch with my landlord regarding the end of my lease, and the easiest solution was to expedite my departure by a few days. Except that meant having to rush with packing, and we weren’t quite able to get everything to Naomi’s house before the weekend was over. Which means that the rental truck is currently in the parking lot, almost completely filled, and I’ve had to take a few things out to temporarily register them in the system, just to avoid getting a fine. At least I’m allowed to fill them out during my shift, instead of having to come in early…

-----

Hard to believe that it’s been close to six months since their first date. Six months! The time had flown by, between long work hours and romantic outings, along with a handful of stressful incidents at the FPA. But despite all of that recent stress, Cynthia has never been happier than she is now. By the end of the day all of the stuff from her old apartment will at least be at Naomi’s place (albeit still mostly unpacked).

For now, the two of them are sitting together, during Cynthia’s break, laughing a little at the items she had to catalog today… and what’s on the list for tomorrow. Plenty of oddities at the FPA, as always, the best part of her job. She still feels blessed by the ancients that one of those oddities led to her meeting Naomi in the first place. Now their lives are intertwined, like the roots of the tree that brought them together.

[serenthest4r]

!!!MUTANT MAYHEM SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

mutant mayhem just got released in Australia so I’ve finally been able to watch it and I wanna talk about a theory I have. This theory is that Mikey is the one who is going to be getting the Leo treatment this time around.

mutant mayhem does a very good job of balancing out each of the turtles screen time and they each play an important roll in the film but while I was watching something felt a bit off, the film wasn’t focused on more Leo and Raph’s but rather Leo and Mikey.

evidence from the movie:

In the backstory scene when the humans find out that there are mutants among them Splinter drops the turtles, most are around him but Mikey somehow rolls onto the road and almost gets run over. Fans of previous iterations will know that almost dying is a very Leo-coded thing so it seems odd that they would give it to Mikey.

When the turtles are walking back to the lair they have a moment where Mikey looks out longingly at the human world through a sewer grate before going after his brothers. It’s odd that this scene is just Mikey as we know that all the brothers want to have a life in the human world. The fact that it is just Mikey seems to hint at him having a larger roll within this universe.

Towards the end of the movie there is a scene when Mikey is standing alone looking around. He’s seeing things on fire, people injured while looking for his brothers. There’s ringing in his ears and everything is muffled, at one point he sees Mondo’s in some rubble and assumes he is dead before Mondo shows up at tells him that he’s okay. After that Mikey looks forward and sees Donnie stumbling towards him clearing out of it and has to watch as Superfly throws a car directly at him. This entire sequence seems like a Leo scene so the fact they gave it to Mikey just seems weird unless it’s going to link to something in the future.

At the end of the film it shows the turtles getting ready for their first day of school and once again Mikey is the last one to go, he has this moment where he’s looking back at Splinter and he then drops his mask to show that they’re entering a semi-normal life, in any other context the slow motion of the mask dropping could be taken as Mikey dying . Again this seems like a very Leo-coded scene. WHY DOES MIKEY HAVE ALL THE LEO-CODED SCENES???

In the post credit scene we can see all the brothers at prom, it then zooms out and shows Cynthia Utrom watching them through what I assume are security cameras, they’re all labeled as targets 001 through to 004, MIKEY is target 001. I do actually have a side theory as to why this is the case, when the turtles are getting ‘milked’ Mikey is the one with the most mutagen taken from him so that could be a reason for him being target 001.

evidence from the posters:

Starting with this poster the divide between Mikey and his brothers is really all I have to talk about. I just find it weird that they would give him the main spotlight for this.

THIS ONE is the one I wanna talk about. This is from a series of posters with the turtles weapon next to an ordinary object, the first different thing about Mikey’s poster is that the main focus goes fully across the page whereas the others are all in the centre. Secondly the object the chose were a pair of shoes on a wire which, if you don’t know, represent someone’s death. Which ties into the next poster:

This is again from a series of posters with a drawing of each turtle and than something about them such as Leo’s saying ‘double swords, quadruple anxiety’. Mikey’s says ‘he’ll risk his life for the last slice’. Risk his life? AS IN DEADTH???

all of these posters seem to foreshadow Mikey dying or at least pulling a Leo with a self-sacrificing move in the future and I am scared. Of course I could just be reading into it to much but I know the producers did not just put this stuff in the posters for a few laughs.

Anyway, thank you for coming to my ted talk I hope you enjoyed it :)

[reggiefalvey]

Reggie: Googling might be your lived experience but some of us don't forget our roots 🤨 Reggie: I was cutting about this town in my Welsh rugby jersey, you couldnt miss me I was a blur of red Reggie: Cleanse??? Lie again, I know you're still creeping Reggie: I saw you accidentally like my last grid pic

ELIJAH: Stop acting like u didn't google what Twmffats means 2 secs ago .. ELIJAH: Twat ELIJAH: what did U do for st. davids then id Love to hear it

[cynthiafalvey]

for: @fletcher-braley

where: outside of his and reggie's cabin

"I know you're home, loser, I can literally see your location. Open up!"

The demand was punctuated with a repeated kick towards the bottom of the door, both hands otherwise occupied (one with her phone and said location pulled up, their respective circles overlapping, and the other with her vape halfway to her lips).

In actuality, Cynthia had long since learned that while she might have been able to see Reggie's hypothetical location, the chances of him being where his phone claimed him to be were, while not impossible, highly unlikely.

(It didn't stop her from delivering one last kick. Just in case he was purposely being an asshole and ignoring her; once again not impossible, but slightly more likely.)

Taking a hit from her vape, she pondered how long she'd give him to show before calling it a bust, and turned her head just in time to exhale in the direction of whoever had come up behind her.

"Shit, my bad--" Her hand waved to dash the cloud away. When it cleared, she found herself face to face with the very man she'd been trying quite hard to forget also lived on the other side of that door. Not exactly the easiest task, considering it'd been his door first.

"Hi. Sorry." She tucked the pen inside her back pocket of her jeans, offering an apologetic smile. "You haven't snapped or anything and buried Reg beneath the floorboards by any chance, have you? I can't say I've never felt a similar urge, but he does owe me some money, so a bit inconvenient on the timing if so."

[samaeljigoku]

001: silent hill and 003: for Helen from clock tower?

Favorite character: Walter, Maria and Heather are probably my top 3.

Least Favorite character: Andrew from SH4 deserved to be a rotting ghost forever. Dr. Kaufmann in SH1 / 0, Alex's parents from Homecoming. I don't hate them as characters, but I find Dahlia and Leonard Wolf to be unforgivable.

Favourite ships (canon or non-canon): Harry x Cybil should've been more of a thing. Harry x Lisa, Henry x Walter, Henry x Eileen, Anne x Murphy from Downpour. Cynthia x Walter is a dark and troubled but interesting one, potentially.

Not a romantic ship, but I like the idea of Heather and Valtiel as a human-monster team. He should've gotten a magical girl outfit too.

Character I would be best friends with: I think Harry, Heather, Angela, and Lisa would all make amazing friends. Maybe Anne and Maria. Eddie also seems like he would be a fun person to hang out with in better circumstances, tbh.

A random thought: I've always thought there should be a Native American protagonist in SH. The series dips into Native American mythology, but it's never explored beyond vague historical pieces, which I think is a shame.

An unpopular opinion: I love the Western games. The concepts for Homecoming and DP were perfect fits, just executed in a mixed, flawed way. I also liked The Short Message, but it had some similar problems.

I also hate the way SH2 characters are discussed compared to other games? There is far more nuance to James than being a wife-hating monster. He's not a saint, but he's not a demon either. He has a lot of flaws and sympathetic qualities too. And the way the female cast is discussed by fans is sometimes so depressing and disappointing, especially for a fairly progressive series like SH. (Not that those fans have actually played the games, but still.)

Most badass character: Minmo the cat. :3 No, jk. I think the fact that Henry can wield an axe and fight through a serial killer's dreamscape while sleep-deprived is impressive. Heather and Cybil of course go here. Lisa's strength is under-rated too. She seemingly fought against that nurse parasite for a long time, and was able to take down Kaufmann even while possessed by it.

Pairing I am not a fan of: Any human being with Stanley Coleman. In-canon, Kaufmann and Lisa. She deserves better and I wish someone had gotten her away from him.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): The victims in SH4, and their relevance to Walter Sullivan. It's fairly vital info that gets left out. If you didn't read the extra material, the game would never tell you that Cynthia and Jasper actually DID have ties to Walter or the cult, even if small ones, before his killing spree. The game also poorly explains Jimmy Stone's relevance, who was Walter's first victim.

Favourite friendship: Well, not friendships per se, but I've always loved the banter with Heather and Douglas or Vincent. Or the bond between Alessa and Claudia, maybe the truest friendship of the series.

------------ Helen from Clock Tower:

How I feel about this character: Under-rated!

My non-romantic OTP for this character: I guess it would have to be Jennifer? Not sure of anyone else.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I know this is a result of localization, but she shares a name with the Maxwell family in Ghost Head, and I think it would be interesting if there were some connection there. It would tie the games together more closely!

[topperflop]

ok ok. i could just be focusing on NOTHING and this could all be NOTHING.... but i cannot help but continue to think about how certain scenes in the mutant mayhem movie focused on mikey specifically for seemingly no reason... like him looking at the humans in the beginning longer than his brothers, him looking through the grates in the sewers for a moment, him being the one to stop and look at the giant screen broadcasting superfly’s new activity, him being the one splinter lost briefly (and almost got ran over by a car) when he took them to the surface for the first time, him being the first to umm. have his blood extracted, cynthia holding his face and his face only (blegh), him being labeled as target 001 in the credits sequence...

idk!!!!!!! it’s just from what i’ve gathered, in most tmnt iterations they don’t really explore or focus on mikey’s character a lot either because they didn’t have time to or because when they do they immediately forget about it. he’s constantly stated to have the most potential, shown to be the most emotionally intelligent, shown to clearly have importance, but i feel in most iterations (specifically the shows and movies, i cant speak much for the comics) he’s shoved aside for his brothers and, at the end of the day, just the lazy goofball and nothing more. but i’m really hoping mutant mayhem will be different, especially because seth rogan talked about how growing up michelangelo was his favorite turtle, to the point his dad bought him real nunchucks. sooo maybe a bias will be present LOL a girl can dream....

side note, i’ve been plagued by the beginning of the movie having leo put on the mask and the end of the movie having mikey let his fall away. HELLO. ok

n e ways..............just some thoughts to put out there. if anyone has more input on how mikey’s character is handled in ANY iteration do add on to this!! ^_^ my knowledge definitely could be expanded

[ishikaxmehra]

FIN.

A win is a win. Cynthia felt accomplished to be able to get the Ishika Mehra to do some arts and crafts. If anything she called this a networking opportunity both professionally and personally. “Why thank you.” replied the banker with a grin. Whether it was a compliment or not, she perceived it in a way she wanted to and seeing her hard work come into fruition gave her a sense of pride that she felt like she had done her quota for the day. 

Holding her hands up, Cynthia expressed nothing but feigned innocence as she was conveying that there was not a lot of pressure to begin with. "Hey, you won't know until you try...Like who knows? This could end up being a monthly outing for all we know.'' Getting up, she decided to end the conversation there before any retraction took place and said, "Exactly Ishika, you see the vision. Anyways hun, I'm heading back to the Row. I'll shoot you a text and we can go from there, alright? Take care and have a great one!" With a final wave, Cynthia turned away and headed out.

[ END. ]

[septnautical]

Hybrid Creation Logs

RR-001 and SE-002

(AN: Hello friends! I’m getting back into writing stuff and while rereading older stories (and fixing a lot of stuff like how I used to write Henrik’s dialogue, yikes!) I realized I absolutely hated how little info I gave in the original creation story of how the boys were made and met- they didn’t even have their designation numbers back then!! So!! It’s revamp time!! Starting with Chase and Jack and - a bit more from the white suits too :3)

————————————————————————

To: Grant Xander, 4546B Xenobiology Research Team 213

From: Xeno Research Division

Subject: RE: Experimentation Grant

Proposed: Experimentation of humanoid -fauna hybrids using DNA from dominant species of 4546B and DNA samples from deceased Altera crew member, Sean Mcloughlin.

Status: APPROVED

Good luck with your experiments, team. We look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor. Please send regular updates and logs.

-Alterra Xeno Research Division

———————

Notes from Dr. Cynthia Goodall, regarding growth of Rabbit Ray human hybrid RR-001:

12-10-2226

It has been about 8 months since RR first emerged from his egg. He has made tremendous progress and his growth factor has been outstanding. Despite it only being months… mentally the subject is processing information and even speaking to other scientists at the level of a 4 year old human child. It is extraordinary to witness. That means mentally each month he is maturing about half a year. We are providing him enrichment and lessons to help accelerate his growth. Vitals are all good and he is quite active. No predatory or omnivorous traits to be seen so far- despite the extra fauna we have supplied in his tank. He actually likes to race the other fish and has even been found singing to them, despite low exposure to his mother species. Perhaps linked to instinct? Further research required on that point…

However, I am a bit worried. For the past couple weeks he seems to be more tired and lethargic. We make sure he has exposure to the sun through the top of the tank and artificial sunlight is provided. So, not a seasonal issue… again maybe further research is necessary. I hear there’s already talk and work being done on another hybrid… perhaps that might give me some answers.

———————————

Notes from Dr. Grant Xander, regarding growth of Sea Emperor human hybrid SE-002:

05-15-2227

It has been 3 months since SE-002 emerged from its egg on 07-02-2227. We didn’t think it could be possible… that’s why we tried with RR-001 first. A more readily available DNA to procure. Though, the sea emperor population has increased exponentially since 4546B’s rediscovery about a century ago.

However- we should have tried this much sooner… SE-002 is a marvel. The fauna it interacts with seem to love and adore it, much like a king with his subjects. The whole tank has been more energetic and lively, with SE-002 playing and laughing throughout the day before tiring itself out to collapse into a sleeping heap. Usually the other fish circle around it.

It has been documented the Sea Emperor while held in the Primary Containment Facility seemed to be able to pacify predator and prey alike within its tank- to see a similar phenomenon with a half human is unlike anything we have seen… we are unwilling to try to see if SE can truly pacify a predator at the moment but perhaps after more growth from the subject. It is healthy and happy.

It seems to be growing in the same manner that RR-001 had. About half a year or so within a month mentally and physically- at least by human standards. By now, SE-002 mentally seems close to a 2 year old child. Maybe younger… unlike human toddlers though- they are not helpless. It seems the hybrids are able to swim almost right away- and find food quickly. Though, it seems they do need help at the beginning- they very quickly learn what they can find themselves provided it’s planted for them in the aquarium. Until about 2 weeks after hatching- it seems the hybrids behave more like their mother species- i.e. fish-like. They had a vacant far off stare and were driven by food and providing for their needs. They had trouble gripping things with their hands and would often run into objects with little grace. At this stage, a small personal aquarium is the safest option. Then, there is this… spark. It's like the human part of their brain has caught up and starts to develop milestones much like a human infant. Imitating smiles, babbling, gaining control of their hands, eye tracking. Thank god that Alterra has mastered the childhood development programming that we all grew up with on our own planets- they have been essential in ensuring we can provide correct education to the hybrids as they mature. We are not childcare providers… I don’t think any of us quite expected this experiment to result in… something so… human? Ironic, I know. I think we all expected something a bit more… easy to document and understand. And perhaps it is- just from a parental perspective instead of purely scientific. It was harder to understand what exactly we were seeing when observing RR-001… until one of our crew had a child. Then, we started to see the connections, even if the hybrids are growing more rapidly than human infants do.

I do hope this accelerated growth has a plateau however… Maybe human maturity? Perhaps, they will be like Terra canines- growing at a fast mental rate within the first years then stagnating after adulthood. We can only hope… if the hybrids grow so rapidly and it only leads to faster expirations… then this experiment might be considered a failure and waste of resources. I don’t want that to happen. I believe this project has so much left for us to discover…

Especially with SE-002. Even if it’s been a century since the curing of the infamous Khaara bacterium- it is still present here on 4546B. Just- much less deadly and easy enough to cure. Like the common cold, really. However… we saw in the Sector Zero Levithan… Khaara has a chance to survive and mutate- which we are all well aware of. History could very well repeat itself as we put ourselves into the grand roles of the ancient Architects. So… SE-002 could be the key we need should any disaster strike. Once stable enough, we should be able to see if he can provide any Enzyme 42 samples like its mother species.

Personal notes: …I’ve started to call him Jack… Jackaboy. I can’t help it. He looks so much like him when he was younger. Almost makes me miss home. But, I can carry a piece of my Jack with me this way. It’s unprofessional, I know. Unnecessary attachment… but SE-002 has an irresistible charm to him and zest for life. Just like Jack. I believe my brother would be honored.

—————————

To: Grant Xander

From: Cynthia Goodall

Subject: Hybrid Interaction, Urgent Matter

05-08-2227

Grant,

I am deeply concerned for the well-being of RR-001 at the moment. Subject is showing signs of depression and is not as active as he once was. I believe SE-002 is showing signs of being healthy and active. Perhaps we should combine our efforts and house the hybrids together for observation and socialization? I believe this could negate any negative impact from perceived isolation. Many fauna here are highly social, especially the rabbit rays. I think RR-001 could really use a friend. Please advise.

- Cynthia

——————

To: Cynthia Goodall

From: Automated Response Line

05-08-2227

Hybrid Tank integration: APPROVED

-Grant Xander

————————-

Xander walked down the bright white corridors of the lab, holding SE-002 in his arms. The little sea emperor had his arms wrapped around the scientist’s neck as he observed the base with wide curious eyes. They sparkled as they passed windows showing the ocean beyond, bright with fish and glowing fauna. It wasn’t too different from SE’s tank but…. It was so big. It seemed like it went on forever.

“Hey Xander? Where are we goin’ again?” SE-002 asked.

Xander chuckled, “I thought I told you Jackaboy! Today, you’re going to meet a new friend. Someone who could really use someone as energetic as you.”

“Oh yay!” Jack smiled wide, “I like making friends! Is it more fishies??”

“No, lad,” Xander laughed, “It’s another hybrid. Just like you.”

Jack gasped, his eyes widening and sparkling. “Wooahhh! Really?? Someone just like me??”

“Well, he’s a different kind of fish but… very similar.” Xander smiled. “In a way… you two are like family. Brothers, really. I think you’ll like him. You two can be together from now on.”

“Yay yay yay!!” Jack cheered, bouncing up and down in Xander’s arms. The scientist shook his head with a laugh, “Save some of that excitement for RR, Jack!”

Soon enough, Xander strides into the main lab that housed RR-001. Dr. Goodall looked up and beamed at seeing SE-002. She walked over with a bright smile.

“Hello Xander! SE-2! My… look how big you’re getting!” She cooed. Jack shyly hid behind Xander’s neck but did attempt to wave.

Xander chuckled, “You remember Dr. Goodall, don’t you, SE?”

Jack shook his head. Cynthia smiled. “Well that’s alright. I’ve only really seen you in passing. But, I watch over RR-1 so… now that you’re joining him- we can all get to know each other better, hm?”

Jack looked a bit nervous and clung tighter to Xander, digging his little fingers into his white coat. Xander pats his head. “I’ll be around too, Jackaboy.” He whispers. “You don’t need to worry.” Jack slowly nods.

Cynthia gives him an understanding smile then gestures towards the hatch at the end of the large aquarium tank in the room. “Ready to meet RR, SE?”

Jack nodded again and smiled, his tails flicking to show his excitement. “Yes…!” He says quietly and the doctors smile. Dr. Goodall opened the hatch and Xander gently lowered Jack into the water. He smiles and ruffles Jack’s hair, “Go have fun, lad. I’ll see you later, okay?”

Jack beamed, “Okay! Bye Xander!” And then the little sea emperor rocketed off deeper into the aquarium to explore.

RR-001 was lying in the sand in a hidden corner of the tank, hiding behind some of the long creepvines. He was too tired to go swimming around today… he was hardly getting any sleep. And there was this- hole in his chest. It ached. More than the needles and small tests the doctors did on him. But… different somehow. He didn’t really have a word for it. And he didn’t want to deal with Dr. Goodall’s attempts today… she had been trying so hard to make RR act happier. Saying he wasn’t himself. Maybe he could see that… but he just didn’t have the energy. She did seem to mention a… surprise for him though? He couldn’t remember what… maybe a new fish for him to attempt to eat. He didn’t really like eating them though… made his stomach churn.

Suddenly, the vines he’s hiding behind are split apart by hands and a similar looking face to his pops into view.

“There you are!” The doppelgänger shouts with a smile. RR screams in turn and backs away, curling his tail up as close to him as possible, squeezing himself between the rock and the glass of the tank.

“W-W-Who are you?!” RR squeaks in a trembling voice.

The other hybrid grins, his teeth sharp but his expression is friendly. “I’m SE-2! But I dun really like that name. Xander calls me Jack and I like that sooo much more! So you can call me that!!”

“…j…Jack…” RR repeats. “Okay uh… h-how did you find me? I… I thought it was really good at hiding…”

“You were!” Jack laughs, “But I could hear you over here.”

“Really?” RR says with a tilt of his head, “…I didn’t think I was making any noise-“

“You didn’t tell me your name!” Jack interrupts, spurring forward to sit on the sand in front of RR. The rabbit Ray mer tries to scoot back again but he’s out of room. He looks at Jack with wide eyes.

“Uh… I… I’m RR-001.” He says slowly. Jack makes a face, raising an eyebrow.

“Your white suit doesn’t call you anything else?”

“…white suit?” RR asks.

“Oh- that’s what I call the doctors sometimes. Especially if I dunno who they are. They all wear white all the time!” Jack laughs.

RR finds himself chuckling too. Then his face falls. “…my ‘white suit’ hasn’t really called me anything. She gives me… nicknames? I think she called them? Like sweetie and love and stuff but… I don’t think those are… names. Usually, she just calls me RR.”

“Well that won’t do!” Jack exclaims, “s’not fair for me to have a name when you don’t! Besides- you don’t look like an RR to me… that’s a dumb name!”

RR makes an offended noise and slaps his tail against the sand. “Well! It’s the only name I know! M-Maybe I think Jack is a dumb name!”

“No you don’t. You think it’s cool. You’re kinda jealous.” Jack says simply, looking at RR with a strange, almost knowing expression. RR finds himself shivering. “H-How do you know that?”

“Mmm… I can feel it. Coming from your head, like- you’re saying it but not through your mouth.” Jack shrugs. “Dunno how I do it. I just know. So! Let’s think of a real name for you!!” He smiles brightly.

RR looks at the other hybrid nervously and curls up some more. “I…. I dunno how to… do that though…”

“We can figure something out! C’mon!” Jack says, grabbing RR’s hand and pulling him out of his hiding spot. RR makes a noise of protest but is eventually pulled out into the light, squinting his eyes and covering them up with his other hand. Man… how long had he been hiding in the dark…?

“Woahhh! You’re so much bigger than me!” Jack exclaims, looping around RR to look at him. “And your tail looks squishy!!” He pokes it and RR exclaims and pulls it back. “Hey!”

Jack’s head pops up under RR’s wing, almost looking like he’s wearing it as a hat. He giggles and nuzzles around in it. RR finds himself laughing without meaning to, pushing the other hybrid away. “Ah s-stop! That tickles!”

Jack pulls back up and giggles, swirling his tails around. “Sorry!! I just haven’t seen anything like ya! You’re a… a… oh what are they called?”

“…a rabbit ray.” RR supplies quietly, “that’s what Dr. Goodall says the RR in my name is. Rabbit Ray, RR. The 1 is because I was the first. That’s why you’re 2- you’re next.”

“Oooh!” Jack nods, then flicks his tails towards RR and giggles. “Well! I’m a Sea Emperor! Xander tells me they’re really special and junk. But, I dunno- you seem pretty special too!”

RR finds himself flushing. “You… you really think so…?” He asks, fidgeting with his hands.

“Yeah!” Jack says enthusiastically. “You were made first! That’s super special! That makes you my… brother- I think Xander said!”

RR’s eyes widen, a light coming into them that wasn’t there before. “…a… brother? Like… a… a family?”

Jack grins more and nods, “Yeah! That must be why we look alike, right? Xander and his brother also look alike but I’ve only seen pictures on the PDAs-“

RR finds himself laughing dazedly. “Y-Yeah… I guess so…”

Jack smiles at him and then twirls to look at the tank. “Alright then! Let’s look for your name then cuz I ain’t calling my brother a dumb letter name!”

After a few seconds of looking around Jack hums and then turns back to RR. “Before I came here, what did you like to do? Like- your most favorite thing to do!”

RR flicked his tail and played with the end of one of his wings. He eventually shrugs. “I… I like to swim fast- race with the other fish and try to chase them…”

“Oh! I like that!”

RR looks up and cocks his head, “like… what?”

“Chase!” Jack exclaims with a bright smile. “I think that sounds more like you than RR!”

“C…Chase…” RR tries out. It feels weird but… right. Slowly he smiles warmly at Jack, the biggest smile the tinier hybrid at seen from him.

“Yeah… Chase. I… I think I like that too.” Chase says. Jack yells in excitement and goes to tackle Chase in a hug. Chase startles, stiff in it as first. But, slowly he experimentally wraps his arms around Jack and… oh… that… that felt really good. Suddenly, his eyes feel wet and he makes a choked noise.

Jack backs up and then looks at Chase with concern. “Oh no! Why are you crying??”

Chase wipes at his face and looks at his hands in confusion. “I… I dunno…” he then laughs, “I think… t-they’re cuz I… I’m… happy…?” He laughs a bit louder and pushes his hair back, “y-yeah…! That feels right. I… I’m happy.”

Jack grins and grabs Chase’s hands, “Good! That’s really really good! C’mon! We can play now!” He starts tugging Chase through the water. “I wanna see how good you are at chasing, Chase!” And Chase can’t help but laugh and follow after him.

The two played all day long, Chase more lively and energetic than the scientists have seen in months. So, when the ocean water dimmed around the base and the lights turned off in the lab- the two were exhausted.

Chase swam over to his usual sleeping spot and splat down, ready to curl up in the warm sand and pass out. But, then he startles as he feels Jack crash down next to him and then sleepily curl up into his side, under his wing.

“Uh… Jack? What are you doing…?” Chase asked quietly.

“Gettin’ comfy….” Jack yawned, pressing his face into Chase’s side.

“Oh… um… why here?”

Jack blinked opened an eye and Chase now notices that they kinda glowed in the dark like his tails. Jack snorts out a tired laugh. “The fish in my tank never let me sleep alone so… I'm not gonna let my new brother sleep alone. Seems too lonely…” He yawns again and closes his eyes. “Dun wanna feel lonely again…”

Chase feels a grip on his heart and… that ache in his chest that had been so persistent seemed to fade. He chuckles softly and curls up so his wing is properly over Jack like a blanket and curls his tail around the tinier merman. “Okay…” He suddenly felt a surge of protectiveness flow through him as he looked down at Jack’s tiny body, how he breathes softly and relaxes into the sand. If there were predators around… he wouldn’t be safe.

Chase finds himself scooping up Jack to rest against his chest as he hugs him tight to himself. Jack is mostly asleep but just hums with a slight smile and curls some of his tails around Chase’s waist.

“…I’ll protect you, little brother.” Chase whispers, pressing his cheek against Jack’s hair. “We don’t have to be alone anymore…”

[conspiral]

chase sui wonders, twenty eight, she/her  │  there they go,  THE DERELICT,  greenhike’s own  VIENNA LIU ROWE. they’ve lived around here for  HER WHOLE LIFE,  but i mostly see them frequenting  THE BOATHOUSE. if you stop to chat with them, don’t be surprised if they're  INTREPID  and  EVASIVE,  since people often say they remind them of  TRACES OF TOBACCO SMOKE AND WOOD SAGE CLINGING TO OVERSIZED SWEATERS, WHITE KNUCKLED GRIP ON SWEAT DAMPENED SHEETS, AND THE INSATIABLE DESIRE TO COUNTERBALANCE A NUMB EXISTENCE. there’s rumors that they’re at greenhike because  [redacted].  do you think it’s true  ? 

001.    GENERAL INFORMATION.

OFFICIAL  NAME   vienna june liu rowe.

NICKNAMES  +  ALIASES   vie.

AGE   twenty eight.

GENDER   cis woman.

PRONOUNS   she / her.

SEXUALITY   bisexual , biromantic.

ZODIAC   scorpio.

PLACE  OF  BIRTH   ponderosa park , southside greenhike.

RESIDENCE   the shack at camp greenhike.

OCCUPATION   lifeguard at the boathouse.

LANGUAGES  SPOKEN   english , very little french and spanish.

002.    PHYSICAL TRAITS.

HAIR  COLOR   brunette.

EYES   brown.

HEIGHT   five feet & five inches.

BUILD   thin / toned.

ETHNICITY   chinese , european.

NATIONALITY   american.

TATTOOS & PIERCINGS   see here.

MARKINGS   several small scars from childhood / wild adventures scattered across her body , freckles dusting her face + a birthmark on her right hip.

FACECLAIM   chase sui wonders.

003.    CONNECTIONS.

FATHER   booker rowe. STATUS   alive. RELATIONSHIP   estranged.

MOTHER   cynthia liu. STATUS   alive. RELATIONSHIP   estranged.

TWIN BROTHER   evander liu rowe. STATUS   deceased. RELATIONSHIP   immortal.

004.    BIOGRAPHICAL DATA.

born on the south side of the tracks, vienna grew up in ponderosa park with her twin brother, evander, basically attached at the hip. her dad, a fisherman who worked out of northside marina, and her mom, a waitress at the local diner, were the best parents. they certainly weren't the wealthiest family in greenhike, but they always made ends meet with a little extra to make sure their kids never went without anything.

vienna and evander were like night and day. she was a wild child, ridiculously active, always getting into trouble, and held the sassiest defiance against anyone other than her parents. evander, on the other hand, was a precious wonder. softhearted, eager to please, and worked himself to the bone in order to make his parents and authoritative figures proud. she envied his perseverance and ability to make success look so easily attainable, he envied her fearlessness and ability to live so carefree without worry of others' judgement or scrutiny.

as she grew older, her rebellious streak turned bolder. vandalizing properties on the northside, hitting up parties she had no business attending at the marina, and late night train hopping. her brother begged her constantly to include him, yearning for a taste of freedom. so, one night, she relented. first, she took him to a party, where they drank and he got wasted since he wasn't a big drinker in the first place. second, they went driving around northside with a baseball bat to smash all the richie's mailboxes or fancy lawn ornaments. third, she took him to the railroad tracks.

( DEATH MENTION TW ) what happened that night is a blur, allegedly. nobody really knows the full story and rumors circulated the town like wildfire the day after it happened. a freak accident was the consensus, evander losing his footing on the roof of a train car and plummeting to his death. a vigil was held for the community to grieve, an assembly was held at their high school to offer condolences and counseling, and then that was it. everyone seemed to slowly move on with their lives, while vienna felt stuck in that dreadful moment.

eventually, her parents decided it be best for them to move out of state, away from greenhike and the life they could never go back to, not without evander. thinking it would do vienna good, it did the complete opposite. she got mixed up with a group of shady characters, had no concern with her own wellbeing, and would disappear for days, sometimes even weeks, at a time. it wasn't until she had a full blown mental breakdown that they made the difficult decision in sending her back to greenhike; they enrolled her as a camper at the wellness retreat, as suggested by an old friend and then currently staff member of camp greenhike.

the last resort turned out to be what really saved vienna and gave her new life. it took her a careful amount of time to adjust, but overtime, miraculously, her old self started to shine through again. her laugh and smile returned, the playful gleam to her eyes and roguish antics flared anew, and all seemed right in the world. successfully obtaining her objective of attending the wellness retreat, vienna's connections and dazzling growth earned her a permanent spot on staff; an exemplary example of the end results. the only downfall to her recovery? updates to her parents slowly became less and less frequent, until completely cutting contact with them altogether, any and all reminders of her past being much too painful.

005.    HEADCANONS.

she's been working at camp greenhike, i wanna say, for the better part of 4-5 years? and having an absolute blast.

while she's big into water activities, girly can not swim very well. how she even scored a job as a lifeguard is one of life's greatest mysterious. being a former camper probably helped, and she's a solid yapper so i imagine she literally schmoozed her way into the position and maybe slipped in a white lie here and there.

loves her job but loves hanging out and yapping even more. will make fast friends with campers if they allow, and is also a super bad influence on her co workers by means of coaxing them into slacking off with her. if y'all provide the company, she will find a way to provide the party favors (aka gas station booze & smokes, and her prized stash of mary jane).

big prankster on campus. definitely uses the cryptids lore to tell spooky stories, only to jump scare her unsuspecting victims later. tbh, jump scaring is prob her fav go to prank so ... look out if you hate surprises lmao. she doesn't fuck around with the footbridge troll, though. or, at least, that's the excuse she uses to steer clear of the area.

used to frequent the railroad tracks and the salvage yard in her youth, but now refuses to go anywhere near either location along with her childhood neighborhood. the memories are more bitter than sweet. she will, however, hit up bonnie's and wraith's den every so often for the good food, drink, and/or company.

still has reoccurring night terrors, basically reliving her brother's death over and over again. as a result, she hardly sleeps without some sort of sedative, and is always up for some late night escapades to distract her guilt ridden mind.

006.    WANTED PLOTS.

pals she grew up with!!! whether they're greenhike lifers, or came around later, or visited on/off. vibes of a group of frog catching, insect collecting, bike riding, meddlesome/nosey kids. they would have most likely also been friends with her brother so yikes. could still be friends, could have grown apart, could have turned enemies ⎯ the possibilities are endless!

maybe a few co worker besties who consistently make time to chill together outside of their adult responsibilities? fishing, smoking, bonfires, drinking, hiking, swimming, hot goss sessions, game nights and binge eating, all the wholesome things.

opposing staff members that have had beef for years, maybe complete opposites in work ethics/personal morals OR maybe neither of them fully understand where it all started or what the reason even is anymore, but they are DAMN sure they hate each other because of it.

anyone who had any sort of connection to her twin brother. she most likely cut them out of her life / actively avoids them bc of the constant reminder of what she's lost ( unless she has some sort of attachment to them as well ).

maybe the staff member who is old friends of her parents and suggested vie come to the camp in the first place?? they could have taken her under their wing, shown her the ropes, maybe even possibly had a hand in getting her a position as a staff member later on? potentially sending this one to the main for a wc hehe

her first love, high school sweetie turned bitter, maybe an ex where they realized they're better off as friends, any former or current flings, etc.

honestly open to just about anything!! i'm a sucker for wholesome connections just as much as i am for the angst 🤍

[chaoticxbeast]

Allies in Shadows

"Well?" Cynthia stared at the large intimidating man, seated across from her. On the screen behind her were the chilling images of the chaos and trauma inflicted upon New York last summer, when superfly had mutated into a monstorious yet intelligent creature.

Saki watched the chaos on the screen as New York was trampled by the figure, and he wondered how that had even happened, and how those four mutants had even managed to survive. They were clearly not bright, and clearly juvenile by the way they documented their activities and research on tiktok.

"These....turtles. They´re ..children."

"They are teenagers. Brothers. The rat is their father."

"They are clearly idiotic."

"Not the purple one. He is actually quite bright. I could use that brain of his. They are also not alone. They have humans on their side, and other mutants. Their group is growing, there is usually always someone coming to their aid. Their rat mutant father singlehandedly fought fifteen of my people to break the four turtles out of my lab."

"You might not understand the instinct of a father. Nothing is stronger. However, I can´t help thinking they got lucky to even manage to survive." Saki sighed deeply, thinking about how tiresome it was going to deal with these.."teens"

"They have very tough shells, and they can fight. They were quite difficult to deal with. They seemed to have trained since they were very young, and they are quite skilled, but they will most likely be of no challenge for your clan."

"I see. So If I help you, you will offer me what?"

"You may have your fair share of mutagen to create your own army. I will fund and support your clan here New York. I want subject 003 sd my assistent for my own plans, and you can have the others if you like. I need to research how to create more mutagen, as for now...We have the milking machine. We must find the mutant group, isolate each one, retrieve them, and be as stealthy about it as we can, and drain them for mutagen. I know for a fact that all the mutants are residing in the sewers, and we know the area and how to get there."

"Stealth is the speciality of my clan. I can capture the mutants. To distract the turtles, we should first capture subject 001, and then as they are looking for him, we begin to capture the other group of mutants. The ones that Baxter created. That will create chaos within their group..The next subject should be the leader. As far as I understand, they will struggle without him as a strategic thinker.

When it comes to Baxters mutants, they should be easy to mold into companions of my clan. I will make plans for that. As for the turtles, we can also infiltrate their group in their school environment. In fact..I am already on the case." Shredder said, cooly.

"Good," Cynthia replied, her tone cool and measured. "I’ll analyze their media presence, map out their locations, and provide you with the details. Let me know if there’s anything else you require."

"I will need a location that is well-guarded and hidden—somewhere secure to keep the mutants. It must be difficult to access and equipped with proper quarters for their group. They should not suffer unnecessarily, but rest assured, I will ensure their cooperation for this...milking of mutagen." he continued. "I have no personal objection to it. However, if it appears as painful as you described, their compliance may prove… problematic. Torture will only breed resentment and rebellion."

"We will find a way to make them cooperate without issue," Cynthia assured him. She poured two glasses of cold sake, the crystalline liquid catching the light. Offering one to Shredder, she raised her own. "Let’s toast to our partnership, Oroku Saki."

Shredder took the cup, inspecting it with a critical eye. "This had better be good quality."

"Daiginjo," Cynthia said with a small smile. "For you, only the finest."

[poisonvdhonvy]

He leans against the railing, watching the crowd grow louder. The underdog always gets the cheers, but when money’s involved, loyalty shifts fast. “Everyone loves a good story until their wallet’s on the line.” His focus drifts to the centre of the arena, where Thompson is warming up. Undefeated, unbothered, the guy’s got talent and discipline in equal measure. Thomas never buys into the idea that pure effort can bridge that gap. “Hard work isn’t magic. It’ll get you close, but not far enough when someone’s got the edge, like Thompson.” Around him, the atmosphere is electric, but his tone stays even. The city’s chaos lives outside these walls, but inside, there’s a strange order to it all. It’s all about control. The spectacle keeps everyone hooked, keeps the money moving. “Makes you wonder if any of this is real, or if we’re just filling roles in someone else’s script.”

Dark hues wandered over to the ring as she watched the spectacle before them. She wasn’t much of a gambler and it was a conflict of interest for her to be placing bets. However, she understood Thomas’ reasoning behind his choices. “Interesting.” she mused at first. “And here I thought the underdog would win out of pure hard work and determination, but I suppose it’s impossible if you’re up against someone who’s considered undefeated.” Returning her gaze back to Thomas, she couldn’t help but laugh at his statement knowing god damn well he was running a money grab in this very establishment. “Biased or not, money talks and your books are definitely profiting.” she complimented at first. “With everything going on in the junction, I'm assuming all this means business is as usual?"

[cinematicnomad]

✨top 9 books✨

tagged by @tripleaxeldiaz & @woodchoc-magnum 😊

(like felicity, i, too, will be considering a series as a single book even though the "series" in this case is very loosely defined)

001. pride and prejudice by jane austen 002. the boy series by meg cabot 003. the sound and the fury by william faulkner 004. the martian by andy weir 005. the long walk by stephen king 006. daisy jones and the six by taylor jenkins reid 007. into thin air by jon krakauer 008. a single man by christopher isherwood 009. the host by stephanie meyer

honorable mentions from childhood include a solitary blue by cynthia voigt (and several other tillerman cycle books), the anne of green gable series by l.m. montgomery, the time quintet series by madeleine l'engle, and his dark materials by philip pullman.

tagging @crazyassmurdererwall, @machtaholic, @tattooedsiren, @valleydean, @catdadeddie, @telvayns, @daincrediblegg, @tawaifeddiediaz, @buttercupbuck, and anyone else who wants to do this

[bookclub4m]

Episode 175 - Revisiting Genres

This episode we’re talking about the very many genres we’ve read for the podcast…and which ones we’d read again! We discuss Jeff VanderMeer’s Zorro, Boat Fiction, We Have Always Hosted The Podcast, Bubble Gum Fiction, Cheese-based Erotica, whether the 1980s count as Historical Fiction, and more!

You can download the podcast directly, find it on Libsyn, or get it through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or your favourite podcast delivery system.

In this episode

Anna Ferri | Meghan Whyte | Matthew Murray | Jam Edwards

Old Episodes

Episode 090 - Adventure Fiction

Episode 106 - Alternative/Alternate History

Episode 086 - American Gothic

Episode 143 - Amish Romance

Episode 160 - Biographical Fiction & Fictional Biographies

Episode 069 - Bizarro Fiction

Episode 094 - Chick Lit Romance

Episode 151 - Classics

Episode 053 - Comedic Science Fiction & Fantasy

Episode 110 - Comedic/Humorous Fiction

Episode 021 - Coming of Age

Episode 147 - Contemporary Fantasy

Episode 007 - Cozy Mysteries

Episode 127 - Crime Fiction

Episode 131 - Cyberpunk

Episode 025 - Detective Fiction

Episode 172 - Domestic Thrillers

Episode 041 - Dystopian Fiction

Episode 070 - Erotic Romance

Episode 135 - Erotica

Episode 037 - Experimental Fiction

Episode 045 - Family Sagas

Episode 002 - Gothic Literature

Episode 014 - Historical Fantasy

Episode 098 - Historical Fiction

Episode 001 - Historical Romance

Other Media We Mentioned

Käärijä - Cha Cha Cha (Here’s a time stamped link to the finals performance in a half hour video of the top 10 songs this year. I can’t link solely to the performance due to region locking, booooo.)

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Wikipedia)

Marvel Snap (Wikipedia)

Far Cry (Wikipedia)

Tomb Raider (Wikipedia)

Horizon Zero Dawn (Wikipedia)

The Sandman (comic book) (Wikipedia)

Earth Abides by George R. Stewart

My Macaroni And Cheese Is A Lesbian Also She Is My Lawyer by Chuck Tingle

Inheritance: A pick-the-path experience by Darrell Dennis, Daniel Arnold & Medina Hahn

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante

The Life and Suffering of Sir Brante || Talking Simulator (stream Matthew watched)

The Ballad of Black Tom by Victor LaValle

His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

Links, Articles, and Things

Hark! The Holiday Music Podcast

Eurovision Song Contest 2023 (Wikipedia)

World Goth Day (Wikipedia)

Just Plain Wrong

Bubblegum music  (Wikipedia)

Episode 028 - Accidental Romance

Dairying and Cheese Erotica

12 Southern Gothic books by Authors of Colour

Every month Book Club for Masochists: A Readers’ Advisory Podcasts chooses a genre at random and we read and discuss books from that genre. We also put together book lists for each episode/genre that feature works by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, & People of Colour) authors. All of the lists can be found here.

Ruby by Cynthia Bond

House of Cotton by Monica Brashears

The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas

Ghost Summer by Tananarive Due

The House of Erzulie by Kirsten Imani Kasai

A Visitation of Spirits by Randall Kenan

When the Reckoning Comes by LaTanya McQueen

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Cane by Jean Toomer

Bitter in the Mouth by Monique Truong

Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn Ward

We Are a Haunting by Tyriek White

Give us feedback!

Fill out the form to ask for a recommendation or suggest a genre or title for us to read!

Check out our Tumblr, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, join our Facebook Group, or send us an email!

Join us again on Tuesday, June 6th we’ll be discussing the genre of Fantasy! 

Then on Tuesday, June 20th we’re talking about how we’re bad at scheduling!

[the-insomniac-emporium]

SWORDTEMBER '24, DAY 2: SAKURA

Oops it's late. But hey, introducing a format that most if not all of my written entries will use from here on out, as well as a new OC: Cynthia Delabaunte. Parts of her story will be told within the little writing snippets under the cut for these entries :3 Might also expand on her story separately, too, once I can type properly again. -----

Item ID: EO-2402 Item Name: Decorative Blade Category: B-2 Origin Point: Telloran, Katal Owner: Cynthia Delabaunte (C), Naomi Tellorvoso (O) Description: A sword of traditional make and design, in accordance with a specific sect of Earthen history (see files JN-001 through JN-387 for additional context). Likely made from steel. No testing has been done for confirmation. The closest accurate designation that can be given is a katana, but it must be noted that modern examples have strayed from traditional standards. Flowers from a cherry blossom tree (see file EO-2002) are engraved along one side of the blade, the wood of the handle is from the same species, and the cloth bindings appear to be dyed in order to match the color of the flower petals. In need of sharpening, but still dangerous in the right hands. Cataloger’s Notes: If this hadn’t been officially logged within the mailing system already, I wouldn’t bother recording it at all. At least this way there’s less of a chance Naomi will get in trouble (doubt the boss will care that she didn’t know she’s not allowed to send this kind of thing to my office). Hopefully I can get it moved to my apartment without too much fuss… if not, well, guess I’ll just have to find a way to re-categorize this, too.

----- From a technical perspective, a very legal and according to employee file kind of way, Cynthia Delabaunte is nothing more than a cataloger for the Federal Port Authority of the planet Katal. Just one of many working endlessly to inspect, categorize, and manage the influx of items confiscated by inspectors. In practice, she has to be many other things: A historian, a diplomat, an archivist, an antiquarian, and more.

Today, she is trying her hand at being an arborist. For the first time in her decade of experience, the FPA has confiscated an entire goddamn tree.

It waits, stationary, in the loading bay, towering over the rest of the packages. Mocking her, just barely in view from her office window. Slowly, slowly dying. All because someone in the capitol procrastinated on paperwork, It was supposed to be allowed to pass through without any issue, with approval months in advance, bypassing the strict laws regarding potentially invasive species.

By the looks of it, the cherry blossom tree stands little chance of outliving the tiresome games of bureaucracy. Assuming Cynthia doesn’t find a way to speed along the process, at least. She is trying, bless her heart, but one can only call in so many favors before an effort begins to feel futile. Evidently, she needs to change tactics. A loophole, maybe? If she can change the tree’s legal classification… make it count as less than it is (the same way she only counts as a cataloger), then perhaps she can force the FPA to release it.

The only question is where to start- but that gets answered for her soon enough, a message request popping up on her computer. From none other than the tree’s rightful owner, the head of one of Katal’s most important families, Naomi Tellorvoso. Despite having no shortage of experience dealing with important people, Cynthia still feels her heart race at the prospect of talking to the woman.

Thankfully, the message request is for text only. That, she feels, is far less intimidating. Especially once the texts start flying back and forth, Naomi’s frustrations unleashed in a flurry of accusations that came to a screeching, apologetic halt the very moment she realized Cynthia wasn’t responsible for the tree being impounded.Still, the would-be arborist proceeds with caution, refusing to make any direct promises this early into their conversation. Instead, she probes for any information that might be twisted to their benefit.

Naomi’s tone, even though text, softens as soon as she begins sharing the history of the tree. Apparently it is old, having outlived three generations of the Tellorvoso family, genetic modifications making it last far longer than natural members of the species. First planted by Naomi’s great great grandmother, within the garden of their home planet. For decades the tree was the centerpiece of their estate, a shining testament to their heritage (something few humans could trace in this age), with fallen flowers and branches used for traditional crafting.

When the great great grandmother passed, the terms of her will had her buried along the roots of the tree. So too were her children laid to rest in its shade. Now, with Naomi’s mother passing beyond the veil, the Tellorvoso family yearned to have the cherry blossoms bloom closer to home, to have its roots grow strong alongside the rest they have planted. Apparently there had been much praying and deliberating before they agreed to transport the tree from their old homeworld to Katal, wanting to be sure their forefathers would not be frothing with rage in the afterlife.

But all Cynthia needed to know was that someone had been buried beneath the tree. That alone was enough for her to start pulling strings, even as she listened to Naomi continue the tale of her family’s journey across the stars. If you asked either of them, they would not have been able to pinpoint the moment they had switched their conversation to a phone call instead of text. By the time they say their farewells, Cynthia has already managed to re-categorize the sakura tree as a container, the contents being human remains.

Grim? Perhaps, but the port authority is less strict about the movement of coffins than about the introduction of potentially invasive species into the ecosystem (even in highly isolated, controlled circumstances).

Within a week the tree is gone, sent out while Cynthia was at home, and she almost misses the vibrant pink taking up her office view. Almost. Another month passes before she hears anything more from the Tellorvoso family, coming in one day to find a large package resting atop her desk. Clearly marked for her, from Naomi, having already gone through the office’s mailing system. The attached card features a photo of the tree in its new resting place, now looking more lively than it had when it left the office.

But it’s the contents of the box that has Cynthia scrambling to message Naomi, trying to make sense of the absolutely beautiful sword (left unsharpened, yet no less intimidating) that absolutely should not have been sent to her work. Flower petals line the box, helping obscure the weapon, and as she cannot help but admire the craftsmanship while she waits for Naomi to pick up. Nestled among the packing are several bags of tea, as well as a few wrapped candies. Clearly the intent is rather friendly.

Maybe, ah, friendly, based on the way Naomi answers the phone, a little breathy and far less confident than the first time they spoke. She apologizes for breaking the rules, hastily, and rushes right into an offer to properly thank Cynthia for her efforts. Drinks, or dinner, or teaching her how to wield a sword. If that’s what she wants. And by the Ancients, it is what she wants.