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bau-baby · 4 years

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the ultimate loss. 1/?

aaron hotchner x gn!reader

Summary: Haley was your friend, and you’re dealing with her loss, just as Aaron was. When the grief subsides, what happens to you and Aaron?

Word count: 1,880

warnings: grief, loss

(A/N): Because it took so long for me to finish this, I decided to end my suffering of trying to figure out where to take the storyline within this fic and get to work on a part 2. Sorry for the wait!!

W.S. Gilbert wrote, “It’s love that makes the world go ‘round.” And if that’s true, then the world spun a little faster with Haley in it.

You remember the first time you saw the Hotchner family unit in their own element. It was definitely a sight for sore eyes. The total admiration and love Haley and Aaron had both for each other as well as their son, Jack, was unmatched. You were out in their backyard, sitting and watching Jack run around while chatting amongst yourselves, hearing old stories from before your time at the BAU. Your friendship with Haley only grew from there.

Haley was my best friend since we were in high school. We certainly had our struggles, but if there’s one thing we agreed upon unconditionally, it was our love and commitment to our son, Jack.

You were there for them through all the hell that led up to the divorce. You watched as Haley tore herself up for thinking of leaving and saw how Aaron buried himself in his work to distract him from the problem. You knew that Haley loved Aaron and that Aaron loved Haley all the same. It was just a matter of the time the job took away from them, and ultimately what was best for Jack.

Haley’s love for Jack was joyous and fierce. That fierceness is why she isn’t here today.

After the divorce, you tried to visit Haley often, filling her in on how the team and Aaron specifically were doing. You’d help out with Jack, and he ended up adoring you and your visits. Haley grew to you quickly as well. Sure, you were friends before, but your caring nature made you two become much better friends outside of the connection you’d had with her being the boss’ ex-wife.

A mother’s love is an unrivaled force of nature, and we all can learn much from the way Haley lived her life.

The fear in her eyes when you went in with SWAT to get Haley and Jack was something you’d never seen from her before. She was one of the strongest mothers you knew. She did everything to make sure her son was happy. When she got to the hospital, you saw how she talked with Aaron. You saw the twenty-year-old smile lines shine through to their faces, and you realized that you had missed their lifetime of being together. Sure, you had the hilarious retellings of high school and college-age Aaron, but you think they lived through a whole other world before you showed up.

Haley’s death causes each of us to stop and take stock of our lives to measure who we are, and what we’ve become. I don’t have all those answers for myself, but I know who Haley was. She was the woman who died protecting the child we brought into this world together, and I will make sure that Jack grows up knowing who his mother was and how she loved and protected him and how much I loved her.

You never realized how close not only you and Haley were, but how close you and Aaron were until after Haley and Jack were put into WITSEC. You and Aaron kept each other sane while they were gone, and you both worked just as hard on finding George Foyet. You’d spend late nights at Aaron’s apartment pouring over the details of the case, hoping something will jump out of the files and tell you where he’s hiding out and what he’s planning, but to no avail.

If Haley were with us today, she would ask us not to mourn her death, but to celebrate her life. She would tell us… she would tell us to love our families unconditionally and to hold them close ‘cause in the end, they are all that matter.

You were in an SUV by yourself, racing against the clock to get to Haley and Jack as you listened in on the call before you. You could hear the strain in Aaron’s voice, the way he had to keep everything at bay to keep a somewhat strong front. You heard Haley as she cried, making Aaron promise to tell Jack about how she and Aaron loved one another and loved him, and to tell Jack of times when Aaron wasn’t so serious. You made your own promise then, a promise to keep Haley’s memory alive in Jack, and to make sure both Aaron and Jack are taken care of.

When the three shots rang out, you put your foot to the floorboard and sped to Fairfax. You knew Aaron was doing the same thing. You had to make sure that he and Jack made it out of this alive, and had to put Foyet away for all the pain and suffering he caused.

I met Haley at the tryouts of our high school’s production of The Pirates of the Penzance. I found our copy of the play and I was looking through it the other night, and I came upon a passage that seemed… appropriate for this moment. “Oh dry the glistening tear that dews that martial cheek. Thy loving children here in them thy comfort seek. With sympathetic care, their arms around thee creep. For oh they cannot bear to see their father weep.”

You see the car Hotch used in front of his old family home, and you dash inside the house, brandishing your gun as you checked the house. That’s when you hear the sound coming from the formal dining room area, a harsh thumping and loud sobs belonging to Aaron. You see him over what used to be Foyet, and you run to him, pulling him away.

“He’s dead, Hotch! He’s gone! You’re okay!”

He breaks down crying from there, an inconsolable man crying at the feet of his ex-wife’s killer.

-----

Something you never thought you’d have to do was not only bury a friend of yours but also comfort her inconsolable husband and kid. As Aaron spoke of Haley and all that she was, you stood off his left shoulder, a hand resting on Aaron’s shoulder as well as Jack’s.

You just stared down at the casket, tears staining the top of your coat. There wasn’t a dry eye as you all listened to a mourning husband who was sharing more of himself right now than he ever has or will again.

You feel a small hand tug on your sleeve, and you look down to see Jack staring up at you. You crouch down, taking your hand off Aaron’s shoulder.

“What’s up, buddy?” Your shaky voice asks, even though you tried to keep an even tone.

Jack doesn’t even speak, he just wraps his small arms around your neck and burrows his head into your shoulder. You hold a hand on the back of his head, hoping and failing to hide him from the harsh reality in front of him.

When the service ends and you’re all passing Aaron and Jack, you hang back for a second to look at all the roses on Haley’s casket before walking over to the sullen-eyed man.

“I just wanted to say that if either of you ever needs anything, I’m a phone call away,” You crouch down to be at Jack’s level, “Take care of your dad, okay buddy?” He nods, looking up to his dad. You stand back up and spare one more look at Aaron before walking over to one of the few cars left by the curb.

-----

JJ gets the one call you dread as you sit around the table, all not-so-subtly glancing out the window to Aaron and Dave throughout your time conversing. The entire team then shifts their gaze to you, variations of sad, knowing looks gracing their faces. They all know that you and Aaron have been close since you joined, so they always looked to you when someone needed to talk to the big boss man.

To save you the embarrassment of being under their gaze, Morgan sends you out to grab Rossi while also realizing you’ll end up talking with Aaron.

The cool air that hits you as you step out onto the patio mirrors a lot of what this day and all the days you’ve lived without Haley have felt like.

“Rossi, they’re calling us for a case. No other teams available, unfortunately,” You say, sending a sad look to Aaron as you say it.

“Aren’t you comin’ kiddo?” Rossi says, already making small steps towards the door.

“Yeah, uh, I’ll catch up with you guys in a few,” You say as you angle your body towards Aaron.

“You should really be with the team, they need you,” Aaron says, his eyes taking particular interest in the railing in front of him.

“Aaron, I’ll be there when they need me to be, just like I’m here when you need me to be. Right now we’re both struggling with a loss, and the team understands that,” You say, reaching over to rest a hand over his, “Let me help you, grieve with you. Please.”

He sighs, and you can feel and hear the tears in his voice as he asks, “Can-” he sniffles, “ Can you help me keep my promise?”

A look of confusion dashes across your face, trying to figure out what promise he was referring to. Then, you recall Haley’s words you heard in the SUV, her final words, making Aaron promise that he will show his son how he and Haley loved.

A small, earnest but sorrowful smile settles on your face, “Of course, Aaron. I’ll spend the rest of my life helping you keep that promise, and I’m sure the rest of the team will too.”

He finally moves from looking out at the world away from the patio to looking at you. He pulls you in for a hug, and you can feel the tears come down on your shoulder. He stays like that for a long time, even after the tears are gone. He finally pulls back and sniffles, reorienting himself. You knew that he was vulnerable, he just hated showing it.

“You really should go, the team needs you for the case,” Aaron says, not wanting to push you away, just taking his time to grieve. You relent, nodding your head.

“Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything, and I mean it, Hotchner,” You say, a playful sternness in your tone, even if you were genuine. You see him give a small smile as you make your way back inside.

You both were grieving. He lost an ex-wife whom he still loved, a friend, and the mother to his young child. You lost a friend who was more like a sister, and someone you cared so deeply for.

Both of you could hear the faint bells going off in the back of your head, alerting you of something you couldn’t- wouldn’t- address.

Too much, too soon.

That’s all that anything was these days. Too much, too soon.

But, as with everything in life, sometimes you have to face things head-on. Needless to say, that virtue was not something that came easy to you or Aaron.

But what was to happen when those bells started ringing a whole lot louder?

#aaron hotchner x reader #aaron hotchner x reader fluff #aaron hotchner x reader angst #this took forever #don't even get me started on the formatting #the ultimate loss

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mochikeiji · 4 years

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Just Say Yes

↠ Pairing: Bokuto Koutarou x Akaashi Keiji

↠ Warning: Royal AU! Slight nsfw mentioned, angst to fluff, mention of death, Songfic! Love Story by: Taylor Swift

↬ Word Count: 2,235

Summary: In between saving your own kingdom and throwing away your freedom, wouldn't you rather run away and be free like all the birds you see fly from your window up in a palace? Would you dare take another's hand as they lead you to another chapter of your life? Or would you stay forever held against your will as young prince Akaashi Keiji?

⇢ Day 9: Royal AU @bokuakaweek2020

✎﹏

Being the only son meant a lot of responsibilities. Whether you grew up from the villages or up in the palace, it was always like that for the eldest and only child.

"You are to be married next week, Akaashi. Your bride is a true gem and will serve as our palace and cities security."

What more can be shouldered in the stoic males shoulder than being his own father's pawn to his own game.

Nothing truly mattered to the king other than his own entitlement and grounds. Having to force his own son take on more and more duties and him to sit down and watch as things unfolf according to his desire.

"I refuse, father. I do not want to single handedly marry someone whom I have never encountered nor have developed such feelings with. It is unfair."

If only his mother were here, she would've said the same thing to her husband. But upon the death of the kingdom's queen casted a dark void to their king. Leaving the poor prince to be his only way of letting all emotions out on such reckless demands.

"You will do as you are told. This is for the good of our people and our kingdom standing. Do you want to see all this fall out of your own selfish desire?"

Had his father have the nerve to talk about such topic.

A true hypocrite.

"No father."

"Then you are dismissed."

Despite the sadness now slowly forming into a dam that is yet to crack, Akaashi held his head high as he passes by the royal guards, bowing before him as he made his way up to his room, walking a bit faster as to know he was a ticking bomb.

When he shuts the wooden door behind him, he slouches down against it, unable to bottle up all the pent emotions years had held.

How he truly wishes he could trade anything to have his mother here holding him in her arms again. But he knows that not even the amount of golds and diamonds are enough to bring the dead back.

He lets his tear fall from the silver object that was wrapped around his finger. A cheap knock off ring that was on sale from the village not too long ago.

Recalling the time he had snuck out that night of an event held inside the palace. He couldn't help but feel overwhelmed from the surrounding of those who wished to have their boots kissed and princesses swarming around him just for his hand in marriage, he went out in full cloack and straight to the festival that was held in the village.

He could never understand why his father didn't want to invite these people inside their humongous ball room. They seemed more fun and outgoing than the ones in full boast of their attire. The chuldren held some kind of stick that was lit with fire sparkling from the tip, people dancing in some kind of folklore but jolly tune, and there were so many stalls of food he wasn't allowed to try!

But what really made that night more surreal was when he had stumbled upon a small bar. Deciding to take a break from all of his wonderings, he was lost in the sight of so many unfamiliar dish being told to him.

"You're not from here, are you?"

He can remember his face getting pale. It was risky to have the prince spotted outside the palace. His father's rules including, "If thy prince is to be found wondering out of the palace, return thee at once and you shall be given an award for escorting him safely."

That person grabbed his wrist and ran out of that bar. He thought he was done for but quickly surged into panic when they both ran into another direction that led underneath the bridge. Was he going to eat the dust now?

"Here, you should be safe here, your highness."

The man had sat down on the grass, placing the sack he had been carrying when they ran out beside him, opening it gingerly to reveal the amount of food he had brought.

"I don't mind sharing but," Akaashi flinches when his golden eyes were more prompt from the moonlight, giving him that kind of dangerous look in them, "I know for one thing the palace doesn't allow you to eat this. It might be rubbish for you, but dig in to whatever suits your likings!" grinning, Akaashi was baffled by his kindess. His father would tell him stories about the villagers and them being nothing but cruel and savages to one another. But he was different. Come to think of it, everyone he had his eyes on the village seemed too different from the stories.

"Um." he watches as he scarfs down a loaf of bread, dipping it into some kind of white substance thag had green litterings on them.

"Hm? Oh, you wanna try the bread? Its good when you dip it in sour cream." ripping half of his bread, he hands one gently on Akaashi's palm, sliding in the dipping he was talking about. He knelts on the ground in wary, before he gives his bread a little dip in the cream and nibbles on it.

Eyes sparkling a bit at the foreign taste, he dips it once more and this time takes a bigger bite. At this moment, he didn't realized he was already starving so much.

"Good right? You should try it with the potato, it's amazing."

He gulps on his meal, giving the kind man a smile, "Thank you, for being so kind to me, um.." he trails off bashfully when he was given another one of his captivating grin.

"Bokuto, Bokuto Koutarou at your service."

And from that day he had his first meal outside the palace. His first time to ever talk to someone outside the palace and spent the entire evening with.

The day he found love.

Since then, they both made a tradition. Once a week Bokuto would help him sneak out of the palace and out to the outskirts of town where they can enjoy some time alone and explore places Akaashi wishes he could see. And most of the time, Bokuto would make his way up from the tallest tree to meet up with him from the castles balcony below his room.

It was terrifying to get caught, but what made it worthwhile was Akaashi's happiness and both of their romance blooming to one another.

He smiles sadly as he raises his finger to his eye level. The ring he was given by Bokuto, the symbol of his undying love for him, next week to be replaced by some golden band and to be owned by someone whom he will never let in his already taken heart.

"Hey, Akaashi. Gimme your hand for a second."

Both males sat on their usual spot underneath the bridge outside of town. It had been their go to since no one comes out of night.

"Are you going to place your chin again, Bokuto?"

The last time he asked for this was when he wanted to tease the prince by placing his chin on his palm and whisper an I love you to him just to see his face bloom into a pretty shade of red.

"Nooo, this is something else, trust me. You'll like it!"

Sighing but smiles at him, he obliged to his request and places his hand onto his callused palm, awaiting for his next move.

"Atleast, I hope you'll like it."

He looks up to his golden eyes, taken back a little when he sees how flustered Bokuto has gotten before feeling a cold metalic like band slid on his finger.

"Is this?"

"It's plastic, I know." he scratches the back of his head as Akaashi stares in awe at the ring, "It's not really something that should be given to someone who's from the royal palace, but I promise you this will change into a gold one soon one day."

Akaashi's cheeks flushed. Was this a pre proposal?

"Here," Bokuto shows him his hand, "I have the same one as you. This'll be our promise ring together."

The amount of love Akaashi can feel in his chest was starting to swell it made his eyes a bit teary. Yet for some reason he couldn't help but smile widely at the thought of getting away from his palace and start a new life with someone who he truly loves.

"I'll be the one who'll marry you. That's a promise."

(Romeo, save me, I've been feeling so alone)

He sobs at the last line he has stuck to his head, "I'm so sorry, Bokuto." afraid of what his father might have done if he was to find out he already has someone. Let alone the opposite gender, he knows behind bars wasn't going to be Bokuto's consequence.

He fears that if he were to tell his father he loves a man. A man outside the palace he would meet with the same faith as those who defiled the king. Losing another person he has loved and clung on will be the last thing to snap Akaashi from his own sanity.

And for one moment, he actually thought of marrying the woman he was told to if it meant Bokuto would stay alive until the very end.

(I keep waiting for you, but you never come)

"Akaashi?"

His body jolts from the sound coming from his balcony windows he has forgotten to close a while back. Eyes focused on the silhouette that was squated down outside, looking warily for any guards that were on patrol for the night.

Just as all hope was lost, he had forgotten that it was that time of the night Bokuto would sneak in his room like he always does to check on him and spend a little time before he leaves at dawn.

(Is this in my head? I don't know what to think)

Bokuto sprints inside his room quietly, quickly kneeling beside the sobbing prince and places his hands on his cheeks.

"Y-you,"

"I know," softly stroking his cheeks, he swipes away the sad tears, "I heard. That's why I came."

The dam finally broken, Akaashi breaks into another wave of sobs, wrecking his body as Bokuto shields him away from everything the world can offer, whispering sweet nothings into his ear as he weaves his fingers in his tossled hair.

Knowing his story, his past, Bokuto vowed he would take him away from all of this misery that has chained him up from his freedom from the world. That he will be the one to take care of him and tend to him unlike now where he was being left in the shadows as a worn out doll.

"Let's run away."

(He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said, )

Akaashi's eyes widened at his words. The fear striking back at him stronger.

"R-run? Run where?" his voice strained, looking like a frightful deer to Bokuto, who held a stern expression and his grip on his shoulders tighten.

"Run far away from here, anywhere. I'm not letting you marry someone you don't love and have your freedom taken away."

Bokuto's breathing was calm compared to Akaashi's ragged ones. He was quivering in so much fear he almost let's a yell out, instead it was a cracked voice that held a small plea into them.

"But you'll get killed! Bokuto...I can't have that.."

Burying his face on this broaded chest, his cries muffled as he clutches on his cloak, afraid to let go and meet with his faith.

"I don't want this.."

Bokuto forces his face up gently to look into his eyes, nothing but love and determination in them. He wonders, why isn't he afraid to lose his own life? Did he want to die so easily?

His lips suddenly captured by his, letting him melt into his hold and peck even for a second as he feels the swarm of emotion rising from within Bokuto to him before he pulls away and spoke,

"Marry me, Akaashi.

You'll never have to be alone

I love you and that's all I really know."

He listens to him, taking in every word and body language he could see from Bokuto.

"That's all I care about and should matter. Everything will follow if we take a step away from all of this."

"But my father—

"Let go of your dad, and go pack up your stuff."

For a second, he thought he saw his mother right before his eyes. Telling him exactly to follow Bokuto with a small smile, wanting her son to be freed from the greed and power she has known from her husband ever since she too, was forced to marry him out of demand.

There were too many things happening in one night. Yesterday they were happy, spent an entire evening exploring ones body and littering kisses all over, spilling out each other's love speeches and now,

Now marks the day Akaashi leaves his hell hole alone and live the life his mother would've wanted for him and her.

"It's a love our story, please, just say, "Yes"

And he did, for he knows he wants to keep this story going until their last breath.

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cordonian-literature · 4 years

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The Aftermath - Ch. 3

More Visitors

Summary: The Beaumonts find out about Riley’s condition

A/N: I know the last chapter was Liam and Drake, but their first encounter with Riley is actually here, in the preview. Check it out if you haven’t yet!

Word Count: ~3.4k

Warning: Mention of character death

*All characters belong to Pixelberry, except those that are unique to my story (I’ve also used some characters and fictional instances from Donna Tartt’s “The Goldfinch”)*

Catch up here!

Tags: @captain-kingliamsqueen @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @gkittylove99 @lovablegranny @loudbluebirdlover @mom2000aggie @kingliam2019 @queenrileyrose @shanzay44 @cordonianroyalty @hopefulmoonobject @hopelessromanticmonie @cinnamonspongecake

- Maxwell -

“If it be true that thee shall not cease insulting mine own family nameth, then I dare thee to a battleth!”

“A hurlyburly thee sayeth? Well, then I'll seeth thee on the dueling ground!”

“Ah, but this isn't a normal battleth, because I dare thee to a breakdance hurlyburly!”

“But I knoweth not how to doth the breaketh danceth!”

“Thou art a blinking idiot, and were bound to loseth!”

“Uncle Max, why do I always have to play the character that loses?” Bartie tosses his copy of the script on the coffee table.

“Because I’m the one with the killer dance moves!” Maxwell strikes a pose. “You only get to where I am after a lifetime of practice, muffin, and you’ve still got a long way to go.”

“But can’t you lose to me at least once?” Bartie picks up the booklet and starts flipping through the pages. “Like how you pretended to lose to Count Appleton in a rap battle, but then won against him in another rap battle in the next scene!”

“That was to catch him off-guard! I gained his trust and then his respect,” Maxwell argues

“Don’t you want my character’s trust and respect?”

“Your character keeps insulting my character’s family name!” Maxwell cries.

“Whatever.” He throws the booklet back down. “I’m going go to my room for a little while.”

“Wanna run through your fork placement again?”

“No, I’m okay. I’ve got it down. Thank you, though.” Bartie heads up the stairs towards his room.

“I’ll see you at dinner, muffin,” Maxwell calls. He plops onto the couch and begins to reread his script as Savannah walks into the room.

“So how was rehearsal?” she questions. “Did you get a chance to teach Bartie that move you were talking about?”

He shakes his head. “No, we didn’t get to it. Don’t think the little muffin is interested in breakdancing, so I won’t bother him anymore.”

Savannah doesn’t say anything. Maxwell had started working on his breakdance opera years ago after he tried to finish his novel but then gave up on it, claiming the topic was too depressing. He tried his best to get Bartie interested in his opera, even though Bertrand said it wasn’t appropriate for a boy of his status to be learning how to breakdance instead of perfecting the Cordonian Waltz. In the beginning, Bartie was thrilled that he got to spend more time with his Uncle Maxwell, but as time went on the boy became bored and started to look more towards Uncle Drake for some fun — which Bertrand thought was even more inappropriate (”My boy should be learning how to properly host the royal family, not learning how cut wood or put up a tent!”), though he allowed it after Savannah insisted — and so Maxwell felt increasingly alone at Ramsford.

He could spend some time with Liam and Drake in the capital, but both men were so closed off lately that the air around them would become stifling. He wanted to plan a trip to Shanghai so the Beaumonts could visit Hana, but Bertrand was always so caught up with maintaining the estate — and he never let Maxwell help him — that a moment to relax as a family was uncommon.

At dinner, Bartie half-heartedly explained to his father how his lessons had gone. Bertrand asked Bartie if he wanted to do some work with him tonight, just to get a feel of what it was like to run the estate, but Bartie simply shrugged and walked off without finishing his dinner.

Bertrand was about to go after him and demand Bartie to return to his seat, but Savannah put a hand on his shoulder and told her husband to let the boy go.

“He’s not feeling too well lately,” she reasoned. “Let him go. If he wants to talk to us he will.”

“There is no reason for him to be behaving in such a manner. I will remind him tomorrow morning, and I will make sure he sits with me... he needs to learn how to run the house sooner or later, and the former would be most preferable.” Bertrand took a sip of his wine.

Even though House Beaumont’s finances had improved tremendously over time, Bertrand was still obsessed with keeping everything in order, almost desperate to make sure there was no chance of any sort of decline happening again. He wouldn’t hear anyone who tried to tell him that he should take a break or loosen up a little.

“Go easy on him,” Maxwell suggests. “He’s been working really hard on his lessons and barely gets any time to go outside.”

“He needs to spend his time learning all he can so he can be a reputable duke when the time comes!”

“Bertrand, please,” Savannah says. “He’s just having a couple bad days. It’s normal.”

Bertrand sighs. “I don’t understand why he feels this way. Just last week he was fine. What happened now?”

“He went to Drake’s this weekend, so maybe he misses him,” Savannah speculates.

“I’ll call him up later,” Maxwell declares. “It’s been a while since I’ve talked to my old pal. I kinda miss him, too.”

The three finish their meal in quiet, but Maxwell sits impatiently for the moment he could jump up and go call Drake.

After their plates were taken away, Maxwell said his good nights to Savannah and Bertrand and raced up the stairs towards Bartie’s room.

He knocks on the door and waits for Bartie to unlock it. “Yes?” Bartie says.

“I thought we could give Uncle Drake a call! It’s been a couple days since you’ve seen him and it’s been a while since I’ve talked to him.”

“It’s barely been two days,” Bartie scoffs. “But alright, I guess.”

Bartie goes to sit next to Maxwell on the edge of the bed and leans in while they wait for Drake to answer the FaceTime call.

He declines the call. Maxwell calls again, Drake declines again.

“Maybe he’s busy?” Bartie wonders aloud.

“It’s more likely that he just doesn’t want me bothering him.” Maxwell’s phone vibrates. “He texted me!”

On flight. Will call in morning.

“He’s traveling? Where? Do you think His Majesty sent him away again?” Bartie asks.

“I don’t really know. Hopefully he’ll keep his promise and call back in the morning. Until then there’s not much we can do.” Maxwell sighs and stands up, ruffling Bartie’s hair. “Good night, muffin. Sleep well.”

In his room, Maxwell lays in bed thinking of all the places Drake could be going. Olivia was the one who led independent investigations and never told anything to anyone else until she was sure of what she had, so it was unlikely Drake had gone to find something upon her suggestion. Maxwell had tried to reach out to Riley through social media, but soon after he contacted her, she’d deleted all of her accounts, blocked his number, and blocked his email — then when they tried to trace her number through Olivia’s phone, they reached a dead end.

Drake on the other hand, did work together with Maxwell and Olivia, but also with the division of the King’s Guard that Liam had made to search for Riley. Their king was constantly sending out people to thoroughly examine every place that yielded even the smallest hint of a lead. Rarely was anything found, and when it was, it was either useless or highly questionable.

Recently, they were having difficulty finding new leads — they had already checked so many places around the world that it was hard to think of any place they may have disregarded. That was when Liam and Drake started distancing themselves even further. Maxwell knew they usually spent time together near the end of the week, but when Drake suggested Bartie visit over the weekend, Maxwell knew that both men had started losing hope.

The next morning during another quiet meal, Maxwell noticed Savannah stealing glances at her son.

“Did Uncle Drake call you back yet?” Bartie directed his question towards Maxwell.

“No,” Maxwell said, his mouth stuffed with blueberries and waffles. “I’ll check in on him in a few.”

Bertrand continued the conversation by telling everyone what he planned to do for the rest of the day. Maxwell could tell that he was trying to get Bartie to want to work with him. He was glad Bertrand wasn’t pushing Bartie too much, and was sure that Savannah had probably talked to him about it last night.

After breakfast, Maxwell gave Drake a call, but it went straight to voicemail. Maxwell left a message asking Drake to get back to him.

In an attempt to get Bartie out of the house before his tutor showed up, Maxwell went to his door and tried to persuade his nephew to go on a jog with him.

“Maybe later,” Bartie called out from inside his room. “I’m a little tired right now.”

Some time after noon, Drake still hadn’t called back. Finishing his lunch, Maxwell decides to give Drake a call to make sure everything was alright.

The phone rings for so long Maxwell thinks Drake isn’t going to answer, but then hears his voice from the other side: “Hey, Maxwell.”

“Drake!” Maxwell shouts. “What’s happening? You said you’d call this morning but then you didn’t.”

“Sorry about that,” Drake’s voice doesn’t seem directed at Maxwell, who can tell that he’s distracted. “Got caught up.” There’s people talking in the background, but Maxwell can’t tell who it is or what they’re saying.

“So where did you fly off to?” he asks.

Drake doesn’t answer. The people in the background keep talking. After a few seconds, Drake’s voice is more purposeful when he says to Maxwell, “Listen. Liam and I are in New York. We’re with Riley.”

The rest of Drake’s monologue cuts out as her name echoes through Maxwell’s mind.

Riley? Our Riley? They found little blossom? How long has it been? Ten years? Almost eleven? Feels like a hundred.

Are they there to bring her back? Does she even want to come back? Would she want to see me, the person who set in motion the series of events that led to her name being dragged through the mud, to her disappearance, to heartbreak?

“New York?” Maxwell finally brings himself to speak through the lump in his throat. “Little blossom’s in New York? When did you find out?”

“Like I said, we found out just last night.” Maxwell didn’t want to mention that he wasn't listening when Drake had said that.

“Is... is she alright? Have you talked to her? What did she say?”

“Pay attention, Maxwell,” Drake scolds through his teeth.

“I was paying attention! But if you would be so kind as to repeat what you said....”

“She was visiting a museum and there was a bomb. She’s in New York Presbyterian, and we’re here, too. She got a serious head injury and had surgery on Sunday. Her legs are pretty beat up, but the doctor says some rest will help her get back on her feet within a few weeks.”

“Where is she?” Maxwell yells. “Are you with her?”

Drake sighs. “No, not at the moment. The doctor and a nurse checked her and said they wanted to take her for another CT scan to see if there was anything they might have overlooked.”

“So you... you didn’t speak to her at all?”

“I didn’t, no, but Liam did before they took her away. He won’t tell me what she said.”

“So she is talking, right? She’s alright, technically? Nothing permanent?”

“I don’t know, Maxwell. I’ll let you know what happens when they bring her back.”

“Let me talk to her. I want to see my little blossom,” Maxwell requests. Drake says something, but his voice is far away. He’s talking to someone else, and doesn’t bring the phone back to his ear. “Drake? Hello?”

The line disconnects. Maxwell stands there, shocked. His feet were rooted in place as he stares down at his phone.

Did they really find Riley? If they did, could they convince her to return?

I was the one who convinced her to come to Cordonia in the first place. I should be there helping bring her back.

“BERTRAND!” Maxwell shrieks, running out the room towards the study.

“What happened?” Savannah screams as Maxwell flies past her.

“BERTRAND!” he calls again, announcing his arrival.

When he opens the door to the study, Bertrand is on the phone, staring at Maxwell with a grim face. “My apologies, sir, but I will have to call you back,” he says to the person on the other end, hanging up. He stands. “What on Earth was that Maxwell? I’m on an important phone call and you come dashing in, screeching my name like a banshee! Do you understand how incompetent that looks?”

Maxwell knows he’s about to be at the receiving end of another one of Bertrand’s never-ending lectures, but he doesn’t care. He’s jittery and out of breath, but in between pants manages to say, “Liam and Drake found Riley. They’re with her right now. We have to go.”

Stunned, Bertrand takes a step back. “Riley?! Uh, er... Lady Riley?” He clears his throat, composing himself, but can’t get the words out. “They’ve... they’ve.... Where is she? His Majesty is with her?”

“In New York. Yes, he's there with Drake.”

Bertrand blinks. He finally manages a solemn voice and asks, “She is well, I hope?”

Maxwell shakes his head. Moments pass, with Bertrand deep in thought. Maxwell worries about what his brother will say next.

“Everything alright in here?” Savannah walks in. “Saw Maxwell run past and wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong.”

“His Majesty and Drake have found Lady Riley.” Bertrand’s voice is more prominent now.

“What?” Savannah brings a hand over her mouth.

Confidently, he declares, “Maxwell and I will be joining them in New York as soon as possible. I am sorry to leave you and Bartie, my dear,” he sighs, “but we must go. She is still House Beaumont, after all.”

After a moment, Savannah says, “We’ll come with you. I want to see her, too, and I know Bartie would enjoy the trip.”

Bertrand’s mind is already racing, and he doesn’t have the heart to tell his wife that he wants her to stay here. She seemed certain of herself, and so he would not dissuade her. “Alright then,” he replies.

“Aw yeah!” Maxwell cries. “Family vacation!”

“Yes, yes, now go pack,” Bertrand commands. “I’ll prepare a flight for us. We must go quickly. Time is of the essence.”

...

On the flight, Maxwell and Bertrand anxiously look out of their windows. Savannah talks to Bartie about the appeals of New York — after him and his mother had come back from Paris, the family had never taken Bartie out of Cordonia, and since Bertrand was persistent in having Bartie receive his education at the hands of tutors, the boy was never given the time to travel with his family, nor did he have any friends who could either relate to him or tell him tales of their travels.

Eventually, Bartie gets tired and takes a nap. Maxwell feels tired as well, but the excitement to see Riley again doesn’t stop sending jolts through his body. They were so close to her. So close to having her with them, and having everything be the way it should have been from the beginning.

Hours later, he wakes up Bartie and tells him that they’ve landed.

Once they’re out of the airport, Bertrand manages to tag down a driver. They drop off Savannah and Bartie at the hotel where they got a last minute reservation. When Maxwell and Bertrand are outside the hospital, Maxwell jumps out of the car and races inside.

“Maxwell!” Bertrand calls in a stiff whisper. Maxwell slows down and matches Bertrand’s pace. They walk up to the receptionist, who’s having a discussion with a doctor. They wait for her to notice them, and after a few moments Maxwell debates running off to try and find Riley’s room himself, but Bertrand clears his throat and asks, “Excuse me, could either one of you direct me towards Miss Riley Brooks? She’s a patient here, I believe.”

The doctor looks up. “Are one of you her designated support person?”

“No, not exactly—.”

“We’re family.” Maxwell chimes in. “We just heard what happened and flew in from Europe.”

“Visiting hours are over,” the doctor says. “You fellas can come back at nine in the morning. ‘Til then I can’t help you.”

“You will tell me where she is or you will face the wrath of House Beaumont’s lawyers!” Bertrand shouts.

“Beaumont? That your last name?” the doctor interrogates.

“Yes and—.”

“The lady’s last name is Brooks. Clearly, you guys aren’t family. I’m gonna need you two to leave. Unless you want me to get security?”

Bertrand looks at the doctor, fuming, ready to give him the worst tongue lashing the man has ever experienced, but someone grips his and Maxwell’s shoulders.

“They’re with me, Doc,” Drake says. “I’ll take them to Miss Brooks and there’ll be no more trouble. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Drake leads the two of them away from reception and towards the ICU.

“Drake!” Maxwell exclaims, putting an arm around his friend’s shoulder. “Thanks for that. We really needed it.”

“Yes,” Bertrand adds. “It was much appreciated. Now, where is Lady Riley?”

“Did they find everything alright after the CT scan?” Maxwell asks.

Drake sighs. “Riley’s asleep right now. Today must have been stressful for her, I imagine. You guys can talk to her in the morning.”

Maxwell is about to repeat his question when he notices Liam sitting in the ICU waiting room, looking at the floor. “Liam!” he calls.

When Liam looks up, Maxwell looks in shock at his red, swollen eyes.

“What happened?” Maxwell breathes. The air in his lungs is suddenly painful.

“She—,” he looks back down and speaks slowly, as if every word sent a stab to his chest. “She didn’t remember me. She looked me right in the eye and asked me who I was.” His voice cracks, and he puts his head in his hands.

Maxwell takes a seat next to Liam, but says nothing. Bertrand stands in shock, staring at his king breaking down. Brows furrowed in confusion, he looks at Drake. “What does that mean?”

“She lost her memory.” Drake answered in a quiet voice. Every word seemed to break him. “The doctors didn’t tell us everything, but they told us that they doubted she even knew who she was. After they brought her from the CT scan and explained everything to her, she started crying. Her mother was there, too. She’s actually a nurse here. They’ve decided to question her tomorrow, to try and figure out what she remembers and doesn’t remember. Some detectives are also coming in to question a couple victims. They’re hoping to find some information, or at least something that’ll help them connect some dots.”

“Little blossom doesn’t know who we are?” Maxwell asks, as his shoulders begin to shake.

Bertrand manages to maintain his composure, though his voice cracks a couple times when he says, “Well. There’s nothing... there’s um... nothing we can do at the moment.” He clears his throat. “Have you two been able to acquire any accommodations?”

Liam sits up, his face wet. “Yes.” He sniffles. “Though we haven’t actually been to the hotel yet. We’ve been here for... oh, a little less than ten hours.”

“Your Majesty I believe it would be wise to spend the night at the hotel and rest. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. Perhaps the doctors will let us ask questions as well.”

"Thank you, Duke Bertrand, but I would rather stay. Drake, if you want, you can go and get some sleep. I'm sure you need it. I'll be fine right here."

Drake, Maxwell, and Bertrand share a silent look, then take a seat near their friend. Bertrand sends Savannah a text, telling her that him and Maxwell will not be returning to the hotel tonight.

#the royal romance #cordonia #liam x mc #liam x riley #kingliam #liamrys #drakewalker #maxwell beaumont #olivia nevrakis #trr #trr riley #rileybrooks #choices fanfiction #trr fanfic #trr fandom #theroyalromance fanfic

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ofdragonsdeep · 3 years

Text

15: Thunderous

The loudest sound to a mind used to song is silence.

(spoilers up to 5.4, and for coils raids)

The whirr of the airship’s fans powering down greeted Ar’telan’s return to Azys Lla. Beyond the dock, half-crazed robots running on broken programs tottered about the rock-and-metal structures of the Alpha Quadrant, heading to do the Twelve only knew what. Ardashir’s workstation was still set up near Helix, though Gerolt had long since departed the area, machines humming and shelves piled high with notes as he continued his research on the concept of anima. He waved at Ar’telan as he passed, Ar’telan nodding back a cheerful greeting as he carefully sidestepped a spinner-rook hurtling past at a dangerous angle.

He had been back to Azys Lla more times than he might have expected, the first time he had come here. The memories of the chase Thordan and his Knights had set them on were still fresh, despite the many moons that had passed since. The buildings and ships still hummed with empty purpose, the dock where the Gration had touched down was empty, but the spaces where the garleans had spilled out of it still bore their mark. So many had died here, and not only for the Allagan’s sake.

He put his fingers to his mouth and whistled. The noise was a pathetic one, given his damaged throat and lack of voice, but it was enough to call his chocobo from the airship hangar and to his side. The aether currents were strong in Azys Lla, the artificial confluence at the Flagship forcing them to be so, and it was easy to navigate them between the floating islands, over the heads of the monstrosities and broken machines, sailing across the void to his destination.

The Delta Quadrant was an odd place. He had studied the maps of Azys Lla that G’raha had pulled from the terminals as part of his search of the archives, and the place seemed as though it was named in Dragonspeak, but something seemed off. In times past, he would have asked for Midgardsormr’s opinion, but the events with Omega left him able to do little more than pilot his tiny vessel on automatic, his great mind slumbering in the aether to recharge. Tiamat still waited in her self-imposed exile, her songless children - cloned, not born - wandering the isle in desperate sadness.

Ar’telan was here to pay a special visit.

When he and Alisaie had fought their way through the ruins of Dalamud, a mad dash to put a stop to Bahamut’s reconstitution, they had encountered any number of threats. More allagan robots, these ones still functional but with no order but ‘kill’. Biological monstrosities that were gibberingly insane. Tempered creatures - Nael’s face contorted into a wicked snarl, the hot flames of the phoenix. But more than anything, what had hurt were the dragons.

They had gone back for them, after Bahamut had been fully discorporated. One by one they had released the locks on the stasis chambers, and what had tumbled out was ooze and the stench of death. Most of the dragons were alive only by the strictest definition, and perished shortly after being freed. Some of them stabilised, then turned around in madness, Tempered and broken. Some of these they had subdued, horrified at what they had done, and returned them to the stasis chambers, disconnected now from Dalamud and its prayer-siphoning. All but one.

The wyvern that they had taken to calling Twintania was an unusual creature. Leashed by allagan technology, though it had been badly damaged in the fight, she was filled with a burning, single-minded hatred for those who had enslaved her - mortals which looked, to her, like the people who were trying to save her. Cid had jimmied together a repair mechanism after examining Tiamat’s chains, and they had made the heartbreaking decision to leash the wyvern in the Delta Quadrant, in one of the ruined buildings near the Pappus Tree.

Ar’telan walked, feet crunching through the overgrown grass, listening to the babble of water on its wending way through the quadrant. The roiling aether of the sky cast a sickly light over the area as he gave his chocobo strict instructions to wait outside, and ducked into their makeshift prison.

Twintania bellowed in anger as he approached where she was penned, though the bindings let her do little else. She watched him with the single-minded hatred of the Tempered in her eyes as he set down his supplies - a tiny magitek battery charged with aether, a key to unlock her chains - and summoned forth the anchor that Alisaie had conjured for him before he left.

He had never done this on his own before. He had watched it done more than once, by now, but he was still a little nervous. The dragons were different to the races native to Hydaelyn - who could say it would work? Would he do it right? Would it make any difference to Twintania, freed but knowing full well what he and his had done?

Still, he had come this far, so he was not going to turn back now. He channeled aether into the focus, a combination of his own and a little from Alisaie and Alphinaud, stored in the battery. G’raha had offered, but Ar’telan had been wary of taking the aether of someone connected to Allag, even by proxy, so this was all he had. The porxie snorted happily, flapping its ears to indicate that it was fully charged, and the two of them set to work.

The flash of aether was blinding to behold, the bright white of the life-energy he had poured into the casting meeting the angry blue-gold hiss of Bahamut’s Tempering. There was a crackle, a flash, and Ar’telan staggered with the wave of lethargy that washed over him as the spell finally hit home, draining him of his energy in one swift burst. He fell backwards to the floor, hands flying out to steady himself, and blinked back in the bright light show that played across his eyes, flickering afterimages of light.

There was a moment of silence.

“...The screaming doth stop, and I am alone in a Songless current. What brings thee to this place, child of man? What compels thee to save the lost?”

It had worked.

“Because you deserve the chance,” he replied, getting to his feet. He took the tomestone in his his hand and poked at it until it released the restraints - perhaps it was a feint, but he would weather the consequences of being too trusting if that were so. The wyvern watched as they fell to the floor at her feet, unholy amalgamation of magitek and allagan cruelty, and did not move to strike.

“My sire is dead, his Song forever silenced. My siblings lost in a quiet void. I am alone.” Her head swiveled to look at the sickened sky, filtering through the gaps in the ruined masonry. Beyond it, Tiamat sat in her silent vigil, and the wyvern would almost certainly know. “The world has turned as I stayed lost in my madness. Tell me why.” Ar’telan followed her gaze, wondering what he could even say, why he had thought this might even work - why she might have wanted it at all. Was it fair? Was it right?

The choice should have been hers, not one made through Tempered necessity.

“You are not alone,” he said. “Some of your brethren yet live, sealed within the stasis prisons the Allagans locked them in. We have the means to save them now, from the madness the Ascians gifted your brood with, if you wish it.” He shook his head slowly. “I know it is a cruel and empty world that your eyes are opened to, but if you would choose to look away from it, you can do so with eyes unclouded.”

The wyvern was quiet for a long time, settling down into the sitting position that Ar’telan had seen in Vedrfolnir a handful of times before. She was smaller than him, just, but still large enough that Ar’telan thought she had been close in clutch to her Brood’s sire. She was larger than any of the other dragons they had found within Dalamud’s core, for certain.

“Once before did we make a decision drowned in sadness and despair. We shall not do so a second time,” she decided. “Though it hurts, the discordant notes of our primal Sire were no true Song. This I see now. No magic shall ever return him to us, nor those lost to the madness that followed.” She stretched out wings that had gone long unused, muscles tensing and releasing as she tested their mettle. “No longer shall we blindly trust the children of man, but nor shall I turn away from thy kindness. If but a handful of our kin live, we shall persist. In honour of our Sire, we shall carry his Song through the ages. Can thee and thine do this for us, mortal child?” Ar’telan nodded.

“It will take us time - the energy needed to charge the magic that cleanses the effect comes from our own life’s aether, and we are few who can do it. But we shall, if that is what you wish of us.” He took a cautious step towards her, and was not immediately repelled. “Allag’s sins are not ours, but the Empire is broken and lost. If we can make amends for the sins of the dead, in whatever small way we can, then we shall.” Twintania rumbled in agreement, acquiescing to his request by stepping forwards and touching her chin to the top of his head.

“Take me to thy compatriots, and to my brood-mates. I shall see what is left in the silence.”

---

Returning to the airship with a wyvern in tow raised a not-inconsiderable alarm among the Ishgardians who piloted it, but a space on the deck was cleared for her after a small amount of hemming and hawing by the pilots. She flapped her wings irritably as they flew, clearly wishing that she could fly herself rather than rely upon the contraptions of man, but she raised no verbal complaint.

Ar’telan, for his part, activated his Linkpearl and communicated through series of half-formed noises to Alisaie that he needed her help. She was already in Ishgard, waiting in case things went badly, so it was simple enough to arrange to meet her at the airship landing.

---

“It worked!” Alisaie exclaimed as Ar’telan and Twintania dismounted from the airship. “Oh, I’m so glad. Not that I doubted you for a minute, of course.”

“I am told that my kin are under thy protection,” Twintania said, having no time for pleasantries. Alisaie grimaced, but nodded in agreement.

“I suppose you could call it that. It’s not pleasant, though,” she confirmed. “We can take you there, if you’d like, but it will be a long time before we manage to cure them all.” She paused then, sighing softly, and shook her head. “We stopped releasing the locks on the stasis chambers once it became clear we couldn’t do anything for those who were still… alive. I can’t guarantee that even half of them will be saveable.” Twintania inclined her head in acknowledgement.

“I understand. The extent of the corruption hath been revealed to me by thy companion,” she assured Alisaie. “I would stand guard over their resting place. I have lived many of thy lifetimes, and will live many more yet. When the last of my brood-mates is free, whatever form that doth take, then we shall decide what we must do as one.” Alisaie looked to Ar’telan, and he inclined his head in agreement.

“...Well, alright,” she said. “I’ll need to make sure everyone we need is there, and see if we can’t find someone to assign in a more permanent capacity to trying to cure the Tempering. It’s still an inexact science, even in mortals like us. Never mind dragons.” She turned away, one hand on her ear to active her Linkpearl, and began contacting people in earnest. Twintania looked at her surroundings properly, taking in the cold stone of Ishgard and the people walking nervously past the gathering at the airship landing.

“Ishgard has a troubled history with dragons,” Ar’telan said, regret colouring his every movement. Twintania simply inclined her head.

“Thy kind and mine are too different to avoid such troubles, it seems.”

---

Ar’telan went with Twintania on their trek across Eorzea. The majority of the stasis pods that they had found initially had been in the shard of Dalamud embedded in the Broken Wall, in Thanalan, and they had repurposed the area for their desperate attempts to sustain the dying. From Ishgard, the walk took them across the Black Shroud, a journey of several days on its own. Ar’telan deflected the more human of their problems - concerned Wood Wailers, poachers who were not aware of how much they had attempted to bite, and a few Ixal angry at the encroachment on ‘their’ territory. Twintania spent her time idly snapping at the forest creatures which tried to impede their crossing, the elementals thankfully allowing them passage. She had spent many moons in her bindings, and though her reflexes were dulled, she was more than capable of snapping up an errant squirrel or a diremite or two.

The Shroud broke on a part of Thanalan close to their destination, for a mercy. The few scattered Amalj’aa that still made a scouting camp in the area were easily chased off by the sight of a dragon in the flesh, and the phurbles and snurbles - Ar’telan still could not tell the difference - were easy prey for Twintania’s jaws. Ar’telan was glad that the allagan monstrosities that had once joined them on the path had died down to near-invisibility since the primal had been quelled, for the reminder would likely not be a pleasant one.

“These places are cold and cruel,” Twintania said as they approached the door, flapping her wings in disdain for it. Ar’telan nodded in agreement, breaking the seal on the the entryway.

“They are. It was the only place we could safely keep them where they would not be prey for bandits, but I wish there were other options,” he said.

---

They walked down the smooth walkways, allagan lights glowing at their passage. Deep within the engine of the Ragnarok, the engine that had borne Dalamud to space and then served to keep it there, the cluster of the remaining stasis pods sat. Alisaie was already there, assembled with her crew of ‘people who could teleport’, a space remaining for, presumably, Ironworks engineers who had been too busy to arrive immediately.

“Glad you’ve arrived in one piece,” she said by way of greeting. “We’re going over the diagnostics at the moment. The short version is that there’s thirty-some pods which are likely to hold dragons we can save, and too many others which likely… don’t. I’ve taught the cure for Tempering to these two here.” She gestured behind her to a hyur and an elezen that Ar’telan didn’t recognise, who waved sheepishly at the greeting. “We can get one or two out each moon, maybe. But you probably don’t want to push it.” Twintania rumbled in acknowledgement.

“Greetings, children of man,” she said, inclining her head. “Time is of no issue. My vigil shall last as long as it must, and I have much to learn of this world still as I wait.” Alisaie cleared her throat, clearly still a little nervous.

“Right. And we’ve got some people from the Ironworks coming in - they’re the people who can get your brood-mates out of the pods to begin with. They might change a little bit for the first few weeks, but eventually we’d like to have a small, permanent team here until everyone’s out. Is that alright?” Twintania nodded her head again.

“It shall serve. You have my thanks, child. It is good to see that menfolk of the sort that my Sire once aided still walk the earth, despite what the Allagans desired.”

“We will do everything in our power to ensure that none like them ever rise again,” Ar’telan said. “There is never any way to guarantee such things, but we will try.” Twintania made a noise that sounded almost like a laugh.

“Our memory is eternal, child of Light. We shall not forget the betrayal, nor the love. And we shall never let rest the memory of the Ascians and their lies. We shall not be fooled a second time.” Ar’telan smiled.

“I hope so,” he said. “I will come and make sure all is well whenever I can. Good luck.” The ancient wyvern inclined her head, respect in her calm eyes.

“To you as well, child of Light.”

#revs up the crackfic because why the hell not #ffxivwrite2021 #This was actually really fun!#I might put this in Art's canon just because I mean #it's so nice #and I feel bad for riding my Twintania mount around given recent developments #ff14 #Warrior of Light (solo story)

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enigma-im · 5 years

Text

More Than Just a Line of Code Pt. 2

Rating: Explicit Relationship: Robot X Female!Human Warning: fluff, sexual content, penetration, fingering, handjobs, robot and human relationship, love sonnets

Word Count:3922

Part 1

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The next couple of days felt nice, domestic even. Though nothing really changed it felt like everything did. I began seeing Daniel as more than a house robot. More than just some machine with an advanced A.I. He was like, dare I say, a boyfriend. We did things like normal, nothing different. It just a lot more touching. Whenever we passed each other he made sure to touch in some way. Either pressing the small of my back or my hips. Daniel also gave 'kisses' whenever he was near for a long while. Pressing his screen on my head or cheek. Each time it made me a gushy mess. I have never been a gushy mess a day in my life.

Today I was working on some freelance work. Daniel was wondering around somewhere. He knows I don’t like being bothered while working, it was my only rule. I'm not sure what he does while I'm working but I doubt it’s any trouble. I could faintly hear the tv, guess that answers it.

A few hours later, long after the sun had fallen, I hear a knock at my door.

"Romeo, oh Romeo. Where art thou Romeo," I shout.

The door opens to reveal Daniel, "I feel that should be my line. Specially with a last name like yours."

"Oh shut up, heard that all through my lit course," I roll my eyes. Daniel walks in holding a bowl, he sets it down on the desk. Stepping around behind me he drops his hands onto my shoulders.

"From this world-wearied flesh. Eyes look your last! Arms take your last embrace! and, lips, O you," He quotes as he leans down," The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss". He pressed his screen to my cheek. I chuckle as I reach up and pet his head. I turn a give him a quick peck.

"You had to pick the death scene, how romantic of you," I laugh.

"I'm not too fond of that play, excuse me for not being well informed on another part," He rest his head on mine.

"I mean I won’t argue to some sonnets," I answer as I type away.

Daniel moves his head to the crook of my neck," Then shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate." I laugh aloud, tilting my head back to his shoulder.

"Shut up you dork," I push his head off me.

"Alright, I'm not here to declare my undying love for you. I'm here to make sure you eat," He steps away from my back. His teasing tone was welcomed after being hunched over a keyboard for hours. Daniel has taken to teasing since we watched a rom com (His request) during movie night. I never take anything he says too seriously.

"I ate five hours ago, I'm fine," I lie. I’m nearly done with my work, perhaps another hour or two.

He, of course, sees right through me," you ate this morning and if I'm correct, which I always am, that was around ten hours ago. So now is a perfect time to eat." He pushes the bowl closer to my hand. I glance down at it and see its spaghetti-os.

"Give me one hour, I'm almost done," I answer lazily.

"Nope, I've heard this one before. I don’t know why it matters; you are going to take five seconds to eat this anyway. Just put my weary heart to rest and eat the food I slaved over the microwave to make," He pouts.

I snort," Slaved away?"

He drops the pout, "Work with me doll, I'm against a mule right now."

"I thought I was a summer's day," I smirk.

"Of course you are, the most beautiful of summers day. The divine intervention in my short life," He leans on the desk. He admires me for a moment as I continue working.

"Divine intervention? Where did you learn that one," I ask. He doesn’t answer so I pass him a glance. He was just staring with those artificial eyes. "What," I ask. He steps away from the desk.

"may I have a kiss," he drops to his knees beside my chair.

"Why do you need a kiss," I lean on the arm of the chair.

"It’s been a while since you have given me a proper kiss," he answers. It was a lie, I kissed him this morning. He is just a greedy bot.

I huff but smile. I grab a hold of his head and tilt it towards me. His eye flicker between my eyes. Despite not having a wide range of emotions, he manages express admiration and care. Looked at peace in my hands. Such a lovable dork. I leaned down and notice briefly that he closed his eyes. I press my lips to where his would be. The whirling starts up in his chest like it does every time. I asked before and he said it was his fans.

I leaned back and Daniel grabs my forearms, his eyes still closed. I lean back down and rest my head against his. His fans get louder.

"you have changed a lot since you been here," I mumble. He just hums to my statement. I press another kiss to his lips, this one lazy but wet. "I guess I have changed too."

Daniel opens his eyes slowly. Looking up at me he gives that pure look again.

"May I touch you," he asks.

I look at him confused," you are touching me.". He shakes his head and one hand grabs the chair. He twists it so he is between my legs. Keeping one arm on my forearm he moves the other to my knee. Staring up at me he slowly slides his hand up my thigh. Where he touches it begins to tingle till, he stops inches from my belt.

"May I touch you," he repeats.

"y-yes," I stutter. Daniel smiles then focuses on my legs. Letting go of my arm he lets both his hands drag up to my hips. Burying his fingers under me he jerks me forward. I spread my legs wider, so I didn’t bunt him. He slides his hands back around till his thumbs are next to my crotch. I stare down at his face, not spoiling the surprise by looking at his hands.

Daniel traces the seam on my PJs. The lose fabric making it easier to feel his finger. I suck in a breath at the initial shock. He looks up for at the sound before looking back down. Pressing a little harder he strokes back and forth over me. He gauges my reactions and when he found the spot that made me gasp, he stops. Easing off for a second then pressing back in. I couldn’t stop from jerking forward.

"you know I researched this," He chuckles. He rubs circles in that special area. I relax into his touch, allowing myself to take the break I need from work. This was nice, especially coming from him.

I almost forgot what he said, "nerd." he shook his head with a smile. He glanced up briefly and his smile grew wider. He stops his prodding and hooks a finger into the waist of my pants. Looking up again he pauses.

"Well it isn't going to come off on their own," I joke.

"Always with the jokes," he smiles. I lift up off the chair and he pulls my clothes down. He slides them down past my knees till they bunch at my ankles. Delicately he removes each foot till its removed. Placing his hands on my knees he pushes them aside and rest between them again. "What a sight," He stares at my fur covered cunt," I'm glad I can save images, going to treasure this one."

"You save images," I squeak. I try to close my legs, but they just pinch his sides. He chuckles as he rubs my thighs, coaxing me to relax again.

"I have a few actually, all subject around you," he glances up. It shocks me that he can make a devious look, and make it look so damn sexy.

"You are a menace," I chide as I drop my head back. I hear him laugh but it ignored when he prods his finger to my folds. My legs jump at the sudden contact, which leads him to chuckle again.

"Relax, I have you," he soothes. I feel his index tease my fur near my seam. I huff but relax. I can relax, sure it’s been a while, but I can relax. He uses his thumb to spread me open. The cold air is a little shock to my cunt, adding a small bit of pleasure. I hear a camera click noise and look down at him. I sigh. How can I relax with a flirty bastard between my legs taking memories into his hard drive.

"Another picture," I ask. I feel the urge to close my legs, to not draw attention to myself. Yet I know he won’t let me.

"so far my most prized one," he smirks. He looks from my crotch to me. His look makes my breath wobble out. He will never stop surprising me with his looks. As we hold contact, he rubs his finger over my clit. I jerk my hips again at the surprise contact.

"Not wet yet," he asks as he looks down. I try to sit up, but he holds my thigh.

"Why would I, you haven't done much," I defend.

"I believe porn has lied to me once again," He laughs.

"You watched porn," I ask surprised.

He cocks his head as he continues petting," I didn’t want to disappoint." His face was less seductive and more insecure. This was a better look for him, if not equally attractive.

"I think that’s impossible to do, I heard you vibrate," I joke. He loses the insecure look and blushes instead. He doesn’t answer me and looks back down. His face becomes concentrated as he flicks the growing nub.

My breath increases and he notices I'm starting to get wet. He loses focus on my now engorged clit to look at the glimmering slick that's sliding out. First, he explores the slick, getting it all over his fingertip. He stretches it between his thumb and forefinger. It stays connected for a short moment before breaking. His fascination grows as he pokes more. He slides just his fingertip inside me for a short moment then drags back out.

"This makes me wish I had a mouth," he mumbles to himself. I huff, deciding not to comment on it as he pressed his whole finger inside. My stomach twitches and tightens at the welcome intrusions. When he removes it, he curls his finger, so it drags across the roof of my tunnel. I suck in a breath but don’t give him a reaction he expected. He glances up at my hooded eyes. He repeats his action but with two fingers. this gets more to a reaction he was looking for. My eyelid flicker and my mouth open with a soft gasp.

With a little exploring he finds the best way to glide his fingers. He curls both, the tips slide down along my nerves. I relax with the touch. Hot licks of pleasure caress my insides. Insertion alone isn't enough to make my toes curl. Well, unless it’s a bigger body part being inserted. As he finds a rhythm I reach down and rub my pearl.

"No," he scolds as he removes my hand. I huff but forget it when he works his thumb around instead. He keeps a firm press as he circles. This pumps up the pleasure. I have a harder time controlling my hips and find my head lolling to the side. My breath increases, my heart thumps against my ribs, and I can’t help but mumble. He listens to my ramblings of praises as he curls and pets.

"You ready," he smirks. I look down at him confused. He chuckles before I feel him stop his curling fingers. Before I could ask his digits began vibrating at a very high speed. My legs curl up to the point that one of them rest on the chair. My held hits heavy against the back of the chair and I grip the arms with pleasured fury. I can barely hear his laughter after the rushing in my ears. I'm close.

"F-fuck, Da-Daniel," I barely get out. The sensation taking away my words.

"Yes, doll," he asks in his all too cocky voice. I grind my hips into his hands, having new leverage with my leg on the chair.

"I-Im, fuck, I’m g-goin," I stutter.

"Come? Please do," he finishes for me. I feel the toe-curling pleasure build to a blinding pulse. I clench my jaw and grip the chair with my toes. I throw my leg over his shoulder and squash him into the seat. I let out a cry or a whimper, I couldn’t tell at this point.

As I come down, I have to kick him away from me. Not being able to speak. The vibrations were too much now, it felt too good. He removes his fingers as well as stopping the buzzing. I relax into the seat with the biggest smile on my face. I look down at Daniel who is watching me with rapt attention. I reach one hand out and coax him forward. He sits up on his knees and pulls me from the chair. He leans back and properly sits on the ground with me in his lap.

He props himself against the desk as he holds me against his chest. Petting his fingers through my hair. He keeps his head resting against mine.

"I'm glad you enjoyed this," he mumbles against my head.

"Who says I enjoyed it," I joke back. He snaps his head down at me, he relaxed when he saw I was kidding.

"Always with the jokes," he laughs. He adjusts himself and I feel something brush against my knee. I glance down and see his cock peaking between my legs. I look up at Daniel and notice his eyes closed. I'm not sure if his eyes being closed means he can’t see but I’ll take the opportunity. I reach down and trace the tip with my index. He gasps and grabs my hand. I jump at the sudden actions, looking up at him.

"Sorry, sorry. You surprised me," he says a little stunned. He lets go of my hand and leans his head back. I watch his face for any signs he wasn’t interested. His face was relaxed if not a little hooded.

I touch the tip again and this time he just sighs.im surprised at the flexibility, which I shouldn’t be. A hard plastic one would be very uncomfortable. I reach further between my legs and grab the base. It’s a limp grasp but he still seethes like it was tight.

"Sensitive," I mumble against his chest. I press a kiss to the smooth plastic near his neck. I graze my palm up against his shaft to the tip. My finger traces the fine black lines under the blue mushroom top. I hear a thump coming from him. Looking up I see his head flush against the desk. Noticing I've stopped he looks down at me.

"Not use to someone else touching me," he explains in a croak.

I pinch his tip," Someone else?". He hisses at the assault and hits his head against the desk again. I reach down and stroke him from base to head. I pick up a rhythm, feeling the textures with my palm and fingers. When he doesn’t answer I nudge him while pulsing my grip.

"Y-yes, someone else," He finally answers.

"So you have experienced another touch, perhaps from yourself," I tease. I shimmy out of his lap and straddle his spread legs. Removing my top I give him a second to come up with what I assume is going to be another teasing remark.

"yea, wouldn't you like to know. interested in what I do in my alone time," he of course teases. He adjusts his hips, so his cock is closer to me. Setting his hands beside his thighs, holding an excited look.

"I'm more curious on what you are getting off too, I heard you watch porn," I bite my tongue. I resume my exploration on his cock, giving less tentative strokes. His head drops to his shoulders as he watches me jerk him off. His fans whirling and out of the corner of my eye I see his foot twitch in odd intervals. I drop my hand onto his thigh and slowly trace wires or seams up his leg then up his stomach till I reach his neck. I cup his jaw then guide him down. Like a dog getting a bone he follows, leading his face to my lips.

Increasing my pace on his cock I gave wet kisses to his screen. Knowing he gets no physical pleasure from it does nothing to deter me. His body still reacts like he could feel everything. I trace my lips down his face, around his jaw, then stop at his neck. I nuzzle my nose up and around his exposed wires.

"Answer me, what do you get off to," I ask. I slow my strokes which makes him buck into my fist. I can’t stop the huff of amusement.

"Take a wild guess," he snits when I stop all together. I of course knew the answer, it wasn’t rocket science.

"Perhaps pornography, getting off to videos," I play coy. I watch my hand lazily track a cylinder on his hip.

"I have never got off to those," He says in a surprisingly collected tone. I lean back and look up at him. His eyes were still hooded but more focused. I stare a bit shocked; I was teasing but I honestly thought at some point he had masturbated to a vid or two. "you are by far the most appealing thing I have ever witnessed," He mumbles as he stares into my eyes. Always real emotions.

I raise my hands to his chest and push away from him. I slide my fingers up to his shoulders. I keep eye contact as I slide my hips up his thighs. Grinding myself on his cock. His fans play in a sigh, his mouth opens slightly. He raises his hands up to my hips, staring between my face and breast. I grab one of his hands and guide it to my chest. He timidly gropes, flicking his thumb over my nipple. I gasp and adjust so his cock slides over my seam.

Now that he had a handful of me, he kept his gaze on my face. Watching as I gasp and mumble praises. He seems in rapture at my looks, not gaining pleasure from just my touch but from my own joy.

"C-can I-," he looks down between us, "I want to b-be inside you." he looks back up at me with those eyes, I know he would take any answer I gave. I reach down and grab him. Lifting up I guide him to my entrance. I hover over him, just the slightest touch from him. We look at each other. I ease him inside, both of us watching each other. Both our breaths hitch, our bodies jerk at the new feelings. I settle against his lap, just embracing the feeling of being stuffed.

"You’re so big," I huff as I drop my head to his shoulder. He hums in acknowledgment, wrapping his arms around me. Resting his head against my shoulder, nestling his face against my neck.

"You are perfect," He groans. I can feel his legs start to shake lightly. His arms tighten and he rubs his face on me.

I pet his head," you ready?" he nods his head. I pull his head back so I can look at him then lift up. We both suck in a breath, our eyes drooping. I drop back down sharply, he hisses. I repeat, lifting then dropping.

I pick up a pace and ride him. Enjoying the new emotions on his screen. He seems to be doing the same, perhaps taking many pictures. I smile at the thought.

I change speed in favor of grinding against him. Feeling every bump and groove rub against my walls. His gasping and jerky motions makes it seem he enjoys it as well. I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling.

"Talk to me," I moan. His head tilts forward but he jerks it back against the desk.

"Wha-, what do yo-ou want me to say," he struggles to speak. I stop bouncing all together and just rotate on him.

"how do I feel," I ask. Stroking his face, watching him enjoy himself.

"amazing," he says with wonder. I squeeze my thighs to get him to continue. "I wonder if you hook me up to your computer if you could see how much my head was lighting up. So many senses, feelings, tingles. You are not just a pleasure to look at but," he bucks his hips," a pleasure to be inside."

"Well said Casanova," I joke. I take up bouncing again. He seems to react more in control this time. Dropping his hands to my hips and guiding my falls. He drops a smirk, laughing a bit as well. "W-what," I groan.

"You ready," he smiles. Before I could ask, he reminds me why battery powered boyfriends are better.

"A-Ah, fuck," I shouts as I arch my back. I lose focus and stop moving, getting lost in the vibrations immediately. Daniel laughs then uses his hands to help me ride him. I can’t stop the whimpers or the praises that pour from my mouth. Even he has issues keeping a pattern, dropping me a few times.

"I-I need to feel you cum," He clenches out. Not being able to answer I grab his hand and drop it between us. He slides his finger over my clit. I'm glad he gets the idea because I can’t bother to keep a single thought beside 'oh god'. The added touch is enough to send me over the edge. A shock goes up my spine and buzz around in my stomach. Every part of me clenches tight. My jaw, hands, cunt are contracting.

"D-Danie-l," I cry. Once the initial combust I drop my head to his chest, riding out the pleasure. Grinding against him as he stops bouncing me. I whimper against him, kissing his chest between shudders. Daniel gives short thrusts upward as I grip his cock. He rides my orgasm till he reaches his own. His fingers grab at my ass, his head bangs against the desk again.

"Tracey, thi-," he tries to speak. I just kiss his chest as he rides his high. His body lays slack after a few more seconds. I feel his grip lessen then he pets down my back.

We sit in comfortable quiet, enjoying the intimacy.

"Tracey," He breaks the silence. I hum against him." I think I love you," he says surprised. I lean back and look at him.

"Is that right," I try to fight back a smile, "I think I love you too." he sits up with a smile.

"Yea?"

"Yea," I chuckle. He hugs me tight. I hug him back, kissing the side of his head.

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The end of Daniel and Tracey. this came out hella fluffy, never knew i was such a softy. Feel free to check out my archive for more content!

Surprise chapter:Archive special

#monster boyfriend #robot boyfriend #exophilia #robot x human #lemon #fluff #D-4N1-3L #Tracey Romero #Enigma-IM #Pt2

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orthodoxydaily · 4 years

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Saints&Reading: Sat., Jan. 30, 2021

Commemorated on January 17_by the new calendar

Saint Anthony the Great ( 356)

The Monk Anthony, a very great ascetic, the founder of wilderness-monastery life and as such the father of monasticism, is entitled "the Great" by Holy Church. He was born in Egypt in the village of Coma, near the Thebaid wilderness, in the year 251. His parents were pious Christians of illustrious lineage. From his youth Anthony was always serious and given over to concentration. He loved to visit church services and he hearkened to the Holy Scripture with such deep attention, that he remembered what he heard all his entire life. The commandments of the Lord guided him from the time of his very youth. When Saint Anthony was about twenty years old, he lost his parents, but in his care remained his sister, a minor in age. Visiting the church services, the youth was pierced through by a reverent feeling towards those Christians who, as it relates in the Acts of the Apostles, sold off their possessions and the proceeds thereof they applied in following after the Apostles. He heard in church the Gospel passage of Christ, spoken to the rich young man: "If thou wouldst be perfect, sell what thou hast and give it to the poor; and thou wilt have treasure in heaven; and come follow after Me" (Mt. 19: 21). Anthony understood this as spoken to him personally. He sold off his property that remained to him after the death of his parents, he distributed the money to the poor, he left his sister in the care of pious virgins in a monastic setting, he left his parental home, and having settled not far from his village in a wretched hut, he began his ascetic life. He earned his livelihood by working with his hands, and alms also for the poor. Sometimes the holy youth also visited other ascetics living in the surrounding areas, and from each he sought to receive direction and benefit. And to a particular one of these ascetics he turned for guidance in the spiritual life.

In this period of his life the Monk Anthony was subjected to terrible temptations by the devil. The enemy of the race of man troubled the young ascetic with thoughts, and with doubts about his chosen path, with anguish over his sister, and he attempted to incline Anthony towards fleshly sin. But the monk preserved his firm faith, he incessantly made prayer and intensified his efforts. Anthony prayed that the Lord would point out to him the path of salvation. And he was granted a vision. The ascetic beheld a man, who by turns alternately finished a prayer, and then began to work – this was an Angel, which the Lord had sent to instruct His chosen one. The monk thereupon set up a strict schedule for his life. He partook of food only once in the entire day, and sometimes only once every second or third day; he spent all night at prayer, giving himself over to a short sleep only on the third or fourth night after unbroken vigil. But the devil would not desist with his tricks, and trying to scare the monk, he appeared under the guise of monstrous phantoms. The saint however with steadfast faith protected himself with the Life-Creating Cross. Finally the enemy appeared to him in the guise of a frightful looking black lad, and hypocritically declaring himself beaten, he reckoned to sway the saint into vanity and pride. But the monk expelled the enemy with prayer. For yet greater solitude, the saint re-settled farther away from the village, in a graveyard. On designated days his friend brought him a scant bit of food. And here the devils, pouncing upon the saint with the intent to kill him, inflicted upon him terrible beatings. But the Lord would not allow the death of Anthony. The friend of the saint, on schedule taking him his food, saw him as though dead laying upon the ground, and he took him away back to the village. They thought the saint was dead and began to prepare for his burial. But the monk in the deep of night regained consciousness and besought his friend to take him back to the graveyard. The staunchness of Saint Anthony was greater than the wile of the enemy. Taking the form of ferocious beasts, the devils again tried to force the saint to forsake the place chosen by him, but he again expelled them by the power of the Life-Creating Cross. The Lord strengthened the power of His saint: in the heat of the struggle with the dark powers the monk saw coming down to him from the sky a luminous ray of light, and he cried out: "Where hast Thou been, O Merciful Jesus?.. Why hast Thou not healed my wounds at the very start?" The Lord replied: "Anthony! I was here, but did wait, wanting to see thine valour; and now after this, since thou hast firmly withstood the struggle, I shalt always aid thee and glorify thee throughout all the world". After this vision the Monk Anthony was healed of his wounds and ready for renewed efforts. He was then 35 years of age. Having gained spiritual experience in the struggle with the devil, the Monk Anthony pondered going into the deeps of the Thebaid wilderness, and in full solitude there to serve the Lord by deed and by prayer. He besought the ascetic elder (to whom he had turned at the beginning of his monastic journey) to go off together with him into the wilderness, but the elder, while blessing him in the then as yet unheard of exploit of being suchlike an hermit, decided against accompanying him because of the infirmity of age. The Monk Anthony went off into the wilderness alone. The devil tried to stop him, throwing in front of the monk precious gems and stones, but the saint paid them no attention and passed them on by. Having reached a certain hilly spot, the monk caught sight of an abandoned enclosed structure and he settled within it, securing the entrance with stones. His faithful friend brought him bread twice a year, and water he had inside the enclosure. In complete silence the monk partook of the food brought him. The Monk Anthony dwelt for 20 years in complete isolation and incessant struggle with the devils, and he finally found tranquillity of spirit and peace in his mind. When it became appropriate, the Lord revealed to people about His great ascetic. The saint had to instruct many layfolk and monastics. The people gathering at the enclosure of the monk removed the stones sealing his entrance way, and they went to Saint Anthony and besought him to take them under his guidance. Soon the heights on which Saint Anthony asceticised was encircled by a whole belt of monastic communities, and the monk fondly directed their inhabitants, teaching about the spiritual life to everyone who came into the wilderness to be saved. He taught first of all the need to take up spiritual efforts, to unremittingly strive to please the Lord, to have a willing and unselfish attitude towards types of work shunned earlier. He urged them not to be afraid of demonic assaults and to repel the enemy by the power of the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord. In the year 311 the Church was beset by a trial – a fierce persecution against Christians, set in motion by the emperor Maximian. Wanting to suffer together with the holy martyrs, the Monk Anthony left the wilderness and arrived in Alexandria. He openly rendered aid to the imprisoned martyrs, he was present at the trial and interrogations, but the torturers would not even bother with him! It pleased the Lord to preserve him for the benefit of Christians. With the close of the persecution, the monk returned to the wilderness and continued his exploits. The Lord bestowed upon His saint a gift of wonderworking: the monk cast out devils and healed the sick by the power of his prayer. The multitude of people coming to him disrupted his solitude, and the monk went off still farther, into the so-called "interiour of the wilderness", and he settled atop an high elevation. But the brethren of the wilderness monasteries searched out the monk and besought him at least often to pay visits to their communities. Another time the Monk Anthony left the wilderness and arrived amidst the Christians in Alexandria, to defend the Orthodox faith against the Manichaean and Arian heresies. Knowing that the name of the Monk Anthony was venerated by all the Church, the Arians circulated a lie about him – that he allegedly adhered to their heretical teaching. But actually being present in Alexandria, the Monk Anthony in front of everyone and in the presence of the bishop openly denounced Arianism. During the time of his brief stay at Alexandria he converted to Christ a great multitude of pagans. Pagan philosophers came to the monk, wanting by their speculations to test his firm faith, but by his simple and convincing words he reduced them to silence. The Equal-to-the-Apostles emperor Constantine the Great (+ 337, Comm. 21 May) and his sons deeply esteemed the Monk Anthony and besought him to visit them at the capital, but the monk did not want to forsake his wilderness brethren. In reply to the letter, he urged the emperor not to be overcome with pride by his lofty position, but rather to remember, that even over him was the Impartial Judge – the Lord God. The Monk Anthony spent 85 years of his life in the solitary wilderness. Shortly before his death, the monk told the brethren, that soon he would be taken from them. Time and again he instructed them to preserve the Orthodox faith in its purity, to shun any association with heretics, and not to weaken in their monastic efforts. "Strive the yet more to dwell ever in unity amongst ye, and most of all with the Lord, and then with the saints, so that upon death they should bring ye into eternity by their blood, as friends and acquaintances", – thus were the death-bed words of the monk passed on in his Vita (Life). The monk bid two of his disciples, who had been together with him the final 15 years of his life, to bury him in the wilderness and not arrange any solemn burial of his remains in Alexandria. Of his two monastic mantles, the monk left one to Sainted Athanasias of Alexandria (Comm. 18 January), the other to Sainted Serapion of Tmunta. The Monk Anthony died peacefully in the year 356, at age 105, and he was buried by his disciples at a treasured spot glorified by him in the wilderness. The Vita (Life) of the famed ascetic the Monk Anthony the Great was written in detail by a father of the Church, Saint Athanasias of Alexandria. This work of Saint Athanasias is the first memorial of Orthodox hagiography, and is considered one of the finest of his writings; Saint John Chrysostom says, that this Vita should be read by every Christian. "These narratives be significantly small in comparison with the virtues of Anthony, – writes Saint Athanasias, – but from them ye can conclude, what the man of God Anthony was like. From his youth into his mature years observing an equal zeal for asceticism, not being seduced by the avenues of filth, and not as regards infirmity of body altering his garb, nor the any worse for it in suffering harm. His eyes were healthy and unfailing and he saw well. Not one tooth fell out for him, and they only weakened at the gums from the advanced years of age. He was healthy of hand and of foot (...). And what they said about him everywhere, all being amazed at him, whereof even those that did not see him loved him – this serves as evidence of his virtue and love for God in soul". Of the works of the Monk Anthony himself, there have come down to us: 1) his Discourses, 20 in number, treating of the virtues, primarily monastic, 2) Seven Letters to monasteries – about striving for moral perfection and regarding the spiritual struggle, and 3) a Rule of life and consolation for monastics. In the year 544 the relics of the Monk Anthony the great were transferred from the wilderness to Alexandria, and later on with the conquest of Egypt by the Saracens in the VII Century, they were transferred to Constantinople. The holy relics were transferred from Constantinople in the X-XI Centuries to a diocese outside Vienna, and in the XV Century – to Arles (in France), into the church of Saint Julian.

Matthew 11:27-30

27All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Hebrews 13:17-21

17Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. 18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what iswell pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #ancientchristianity #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscripture #gospel #sacredtexts #wisdom

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deuce-duce · 4 years

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Am I...?? (Inwardly GASPS)!! Which Part...??

Today is March 2nd 2021 and I got my puter back and went to look at what I had last written on December 16th 2020. When I opened the file, it had been changed… dates had been obscured and certain things had been reworded… So… I have decided to go back through all of my previous posts to ensure the integrity of what I am writing stays that way! During this process I will be putting together a collection of my favorite quotes and post fragments. Which I will dub Rock and Roll’s Greatest Hits, if you live near me go buy airhorns Ill tell you why, When the greatest hits album comes out. What your about to read is primarily from Dec. 16th with a few changes or should I say… restorations?? Probably a little of both to be honest. Everything is still as it happened, I just add better descriptive words and fine tune the analogies so that they are easier to digest… My English teacher always told me that was what I was good at! Along with many others… who have said the same… not only do I understand it… I’m able to explain it in a way that others understand as well. ENJOY

On the seventh of December I woke up not too sure if something had occurred that night or not… as I have mentioned before they use a numbing agent that basically masks the pain until it wears off approximately 12 hours later… When I a woke on this day I was having moments of clarity and for some reason just couldn’t keep them to myself. talking to one of the staff members of the homeless shelter I expressed my destiny that I actually had one, that was going to bring me to greatness… then out of nowhere I just blurted out there is going to be a power shift!!!! And at that very moment I couldn’t believe what it was that had just come out of my mouth. I didn’t even believe it at first because the guy at the desk was like IDK… about… that… but when I went back into my room, the look on my roommate’s face said it all!! It seems as though those who pull strings and orchestrate a lot of this… put all of their eggs into one basket. I don’t know exactly what the terms of thee bet were but I’m assuming it had/has something to do with me not being able to control my compulsivity associated with my dissociation. Unfortunately for them I made a deal with God. It was while I was on quarantine and even though I was in a basement all by myself people kept F$%^&*!> with me. This is when I prayed stating that I would not falter, for my body his temple his craft and his glory. that I need to take care of myself and my destiny, for it is in his hands and I won’t let my selfishness or imperfections stop him from fulfilling his plan. Over and over again I have cried and cried about how fundamental and powerful this is all going to be. EFFIN CRAZY!! And now that I know without anyone telling me and it literally being given to me somehow is what is freaking everybody out. How do I know or how the hell did I figure it out!! I really couldn’t tell you and the only thing that is possible is that our Creator endowed me with such responsibility. Crazy!! (this was before I considered the probability of God being a woman, A mother, A Lover)

Low and behold one of my favorite artists Mr. Kid, Maniac, Rager, Wizard, Pursuer of Happiness Cudi dropped a new album entitled Man on the MOON Three. Ill have to say it’s a wonderfully made album! The album delves deep into who Scott is… I know the Fans are going to love it.

Rewind a little bit sorry for my hiatus just needed to stay focused and well as your aware have been led here not by accident and had some things that I needed to take care of before I started writing again. Not to mention I have been dealing with a lot only to know that I am who I am for a reason Rockstar Knights off MOTM3 has a lot to say concerning who I am and what I have realized as a result to my struggle. The Song is a collab with Trippie Redd and really encapsulates so much, that its hard to describe in words.

I had a very interesting conversation with my mother the other day and came to a pretty profound thought. 1st I was telling her how I was being told that I am too….!!! Smart!! Like WTF!! REALLY!! Is that even a thing?? But I didn’t let it get to me too much as it probably is the reason I face so much adversity, No matter the community I enter into. This is how I have explained it to her and a couple other people in the community as well as the Rasta Man in the PNW. The best analogy I could present is if a plant with a fire burning so big and so hot on one side of the plant, a fire so big and hot that it probably would kill most other plants, but not this plant. This plant had sooooo much drive and will to live that instead of giving up it grew in the opposite direction of the blaze. While the roots could withstand the blazing inferno becoming one with the heat and pain Upon the journey away from the fire (society) the plant developed different characteristics colors and attributes that no other plant had. Essentially that journey completely changed that plants physiology Psychology and possible its genetic makeup altogether. Now that the plant has grown so far from the fire (Society) that its all alone. Now theres a different kind of fire where he once thought was safe. But as he grows back towards the fire to escape the new blaze (tyranny) he realizes he will never be able to be the same as the fire he grew so far away from. Now the only option the plant has with death being imminent is to grow as big and bright as quickly as possible before it is engulfed on all sides.

All this taken into account along with factoring in the two major belief structures in the world one Being Creation or Evolution (The Big BANG) this plant which has defied all odds still shines brightly displaying its colors and unique characteristics no matter how dark the room may be it still continues to bloom! Is this a Divine will and plan or are we experiencing the next step of Evolution??? My honest opinion is its both! For the mere ability to adapt and change and prevail in situations others couldn’t dream of or even have nightmares about is truly remarkable and in my eyes is an act of GOD! Just as any evolutionary step would be. The crazier part is… he has no handle!! Nothing to grab on to leaving no way for anyone to grab hold and control! AYE….

I thought this all might just be me being stubborn or simply an idiot until for some reason I opened up my meme App. Something I never open or even look at and the first thing that popped up was a picture and quote saying that many told Marilyn Monroe that she was only beautiful because of the clothes and dresses she wore. It then concluded Marilyn Monroe did a photoshoot in nothing but a burlap potato sack. The photos and the message she sent were completely opposite of that which was being said by spectators. Now!! As scrolled to the second meme I was expecting something funny!! That wasn’t the case what I saw next was the upcoming alignment of the two largest planets in the solar system Jupiter and Saturn. Not only does their alignment happen only every 20 years but the proximity of this occurrence to the earth as well as the proximity to each other hasn’t been the same for close to 800 years… What does it all mean… IDK but The Christmas Star is what their calling the alignment and if your familiar with the bible is the star that the kings, from other lands followed to bring gifts to baby JESUS! Who knows what this alignment could usher in.?

So profound thought comes to me on a daily basis now it’s so strange the way that it comes it will just be momentary thoughts that will pass through my conscience and as they go by I latch on to it delve a little deeper and experience an overwhelming amount of… IDK what to call it but it feels very powerful so much so that it brings me to tears… I don’t know exactly what the future holds but I think that is what makes this so great! I just keep my mind open Like apple IOS Systems letting everything come and go as it pleases when something goes by that strikes me, I latch on and don’t let go. Its weird how it all happens.

Steve Jobs once said that if he had never had an acid trip that he would have never of come up with the operating system for Apple and after explaining to you what I do as a spiritual and destiny seeking process I believe was his thought process as well. This in of itself is what I think they mean when they say to keep an open mind. Just so you know I didn’t come up with that little bit about the late Mr. Jobs by plan it just came to me when thinking about how to have, use and keep an open mind.

The reason I explained this to you was because this is how I Pray! After I pray I sit still with an open mind allowing multiple ideas thoughts and perspectives to pass through my brain… until like an IOS operating system, something speaks to me… when I latch on to it, focus on what it means and what it will mean… “I Get Those Goosebumps Everytime” (Goosebumps, Travis Scott, feat. Kendrick Lamar, Birds in the Trap Sing Mcknight, 2016). This is how you know! A little extra for ya, when I went to look up the info for my first Hip Hop citation it was 11:11 lol there they go again… its really a cool feeling!

Can someone tell me if that APA or MLA…?? Ya know what!! Eff IT!! None of my writing is orthodox, besides I kinda like the way I did it haha

Kid Cudi’s new video just dropped and I couldn’t be more amazed with all of the hidden messages that are in there. He is officially the man on the moon. Passion pain and demon slaying like a maniac on the pursuit of happiness. Love that DUDE!!

That’s all I got for 12-16-2020 Five More Days…

LOVE & PEACE

Songs

Heaven On Earth – Kid Cudi

Goosebumps – Travis Scott, feat. Kendrick Lamar

Dirty Heads – Sound Of Change

Just so you know the only thing I added this time other the cleaning up what I had already written was the praying part. Although I originally remember that being the purpose as to why I wrote what I did looking at it today March 2nd 2021 it wasn’t there… have a great day everyone. Ill post this on 3/3/2021

I've added parts to the story on my business cards and will leave then random places, what you do with them is up to you but I think It would be cool for those who want to stop me to have to work extra hard just like they make me!!

LOVE

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capricorn-0mnikorn · 4 years

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More irony & satire that Shaksper* wrote into Hamlet that goes right over modern audiences’ heads, because we don’t have the cultural context, anymore

I’m reminded by this brilliant post about the God-tier level irony in the scene where Hamlet decides not to kill Claudius, that I really should make a post adjusting a previous interpretation of the that Churchyard Scene.

So: the scene opens with the two gravediggers coming in, and preparing a grave for the poor Ophelia. And the younger gravedigger reminds the elder gravedigger to make sure to dig her grave straight,** because the Coroner (”crowner” in the script) had ruled that her death was not suicide).

Here’s their dialog about it (act Five):

SCENE I. A churchyard. Enter two Clowns, with spades, & c

First Clown: Is she to be buried in Christian burial that wilfully seeks her own salvation?

Second Clown: I tell thee she is: and therefore make her grave straight: the crowner hath sat on her, and finds it Christian burial.

First Clown: How can that be, unless she drowned herself in her own defense?

Second Clown: Why, 'tis found so.

First Clown: It must be 'se offendendo;' it cannot be else. For here lies the point: if I drown myself wittingly, it argues an act: and an act hath three branches: it is, to act, to do, to perform: argal, she drowned herself wittingly.

Second Clown: Nay, but hear you, goodman delver,--

First Clown: Give me leave. Here lies the water; good: here stands the man; good; if the man go to this water, and drown himself, it is, will he, nill he, he goes,--mark you that; but if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself: argal, he that is not guilty of his own death shortens not his own life.

Second Clown: But is this law?

First Clown: Ay, marry, is't; crowner's quest law.

Second Clown: Will you ha' the truth on't? If this had not been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o' Christian burial.

So the elder gravedigger is arguing that because she wittingly went to the water, instead of the water coming to her, she must have committed suicide. And the younger gravedigger concludes that therefore the only reason the coroner ruled in her favor was because she was nobility.

And I’d always taken the elder gravedigger’s word for it, and thought his lines were simply there to remind the audience that they had just seen Ophelia, in the previous scene, completely out of her wits (or at least, as I argue, apparently out of her wits).

But then, I watched this video: Absolute History: How Drowning Became a Tudor Nightmare

[Massive content warning for the presenter dressing up in reproduction Elizabethan clothing and “experimenting” with just how easy it is to drown in a river in early spring. She doesn’t drown; she survives to present the video, but the scene is very tense, and very realistic.]

And the video is about how drowning was the single most common cause of death in Elizabethan England -- especially for women -- 40% of all deaths, and the reason it was so common was how often the ordinary activities of daily life required people to go to the water:

leading animals to drink

washing clothes

collecting water for cooking

going to the bathroom (yeah, that’s another reason people had shorter average lifespans, back then)

So if you’ve ever read that scene and thought to yourself: “Gee, that ‘first clown’ seems like a major asshole,” that’s because it was deliberate on Shakespeare’s part. And the thing that impresses me is that his particular flavor of assholery fits his character. He’s spent so many years dealing with people only after they’re dead, that he’s lost track of the needs of their lives while they were living.

I don’t love all of Shakespeare’s work, but if Hamlet were the only surviving play we had, I’m pretty sure we’d still count him as one of the English language’s greatest playwrights.

*That’s one of the ways he signed his own name

**The religious belief, back then, was that only those people who were buried in properly aligned graves will be able to ascend to Heaven at doomsday, which people who’d committed suicide were not allowed.

#Hamlet #drowning #Elizabethan life #unsanitary #Christian theology #death #queue

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art-now-germany · 4 years

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The first humans, Adam and Eve - Exclusive Photopainting Portrait in Modern Art - Limited Edition 3 of 10, Igor Bajenov

The first humans, Adam and Eve - Exclusive Photopainting Portrait in Modern Art. Not without deep meaning celebrates the Holy Catholic Church the Commemoration of the first people on the eve of Christmas day. - Adam and Eve brought sin into the world, Christ, the second Adam, she has taken away again; Adam is the progenitor of the Corrupted by sin the human race, Christ, the second Adam, the progenitor of the purified and sanctified by his blood race. Adam and Eve closed to us through their sin the sky. Christ has opened it again. Adam and Christ therefore stand together with law. All humans, from Adam to the last-born child received, alone of Christ's salvation. Hear now, dear reader, the story of the first man as Moses, enlightens us with the spirit of God and taught, told. After God created heaven and earth, he said: "Let us make man in our image and likeness, who ruled over the fish of the sea and the birds of the sky and the animals, and over all the earth, and every creeping thing that moves on the earth." When God created the world, he only said: "It will," and all things were made. But when he created man because the Triune God was as it were with himself for advice as he may make the masterpiece of his creation. And he made or formed from reddish earth the form of man, Adam red earth, called Erdmann. These molded earth figure was still death and rigid; she had no soul. Now God breathed the lifeless body the breath of life, the immortal soul, and it was the rigid body alive, stood up and walked. The first man is created and carries the image of God per se, because in his own image and likeness, God created him. The image of God is completely buried in his soul; through it we are like him. God is one of nature; our soul is only natural. In God are three persons; our soul has three different forces, memory, knowledge, the will. God is a pure spirit, our soul is a pure spirit. God is eternal, the soul is immortal. God is free, our soul is free. God is omnipresent, our soul is in every part of our body. God is just, true, holy, good and merciful, so was Adam's soul before the event and also our soul carries, nor the Gefül of truth, righteousness, holiness, goodness and mercy in itself. God is all perfect being, the human being is the most perfect, visible creature. God depends on no one, man from God; God is the Lord of heaven and earth, man is Köig of what surrounds him. Everything relates to humans, and man to God. Thus man bears the image of God in his soul. With what a high nobility has you, O man, thy God gifted, he has given you what high dignity! After God created the first man, he led him into Paradise, a heavenly beautiful pleasure garden full of the loveliest flowers and fruits. He was watered by a spring that divided into four arms, four large rivers formed. Two of them are no longer to be found, and Gehon Pison, but probably the two others, the Tigris and Euphrates. The beautiful garden should cultivate and preserve Adam. Even God led him in front of all the animals, to give them a name; for he should be King and Lord, they should obey him. Adam was still the only person on earth. He had no one with whom he speak and share his joy and his happiness was. And God said: "It is not good that man should be alone en, I will make him a helpmate." Now God made a mysterious sleep upon Adam come, he took a rib out of the body, making it a body which he gave a reasonable soul and so created the first woman, Eve. When Adam awoke and saw them, he exclaimed in amazement: "This is bone of my legs and flesh of my flesh! therefore shall a man leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and there will be two in one flesh. " Now God turned to the first two people, and said to them: "Watch and multiply you, and replenish the earth." With these words, God put a holy community of marriage and made Adam and Eve to progenitors of the human race. Adam and Eve lived in paradise very happy in innocence and joy. They worked and built the garden special effort and sweat; forces has not decreased, they were immortal. The love of God had her heart completely. God came to them, like a father with his children; Herself lived happily as children without worries, without suffering, without sorrow, in with constant peace. They knew no sorrow, no pain and no fear. O how blessed they were in paradise! But now should come upon them and the day of the examination. You should also prove their loyalty to God, her dear father, and this loyalty should be the bond which should unite Adam and his descendants forever with God. Ada was king of the earth; but he should not forget that he is also a servant of God, that he depended on God, and that he, his Lord keep him the guilty glorification. For this fidelity to God for this submission to God, the first human should decide freely operate. Located in the Garden of Eden there were two before the other significant trees. One was the tree of life, the second was the tree of knowledge of good and evil. The Tree of Life had its name from the enjoyment of which the people could obtain and replace their strength from the vitality of its fruits. He was a picture of the God-man Jesus, whose life-giving flesh receives the life of the soul and imparts immortality. The second tree was intended to test Adam and Eve in their loyalty. One day God said to Adam: "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest eat, but of the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat; because on the day you eat of it you will surely die. " This commandment was easy and accessible. But, o terrible misfortune! Adam and Eve forgot the love of their Creator and transgressed the so slight and fair bid regardless of the threat, Thou shalt surely die! Eva was a desire to inspect the construction, do not resist, they approached him. This moment the devil used to carry out his evil plans, the first people and overthrow them all descendants in the destruction. Asked about his intention him the snake seemed quite capable. He took the body of this animal, which is the most versatile and smoothest of all that has created the Lord. In a snake wrapped, he was directed to the woman, whose weakness and gullibility he even knew well. With feigned compassion he said to Eve: "Why has God commanded not to eat of every tree of the garden?" - Eva, instead, these seductive voice of themselves and do not even listen to them, to pay their total fidelity to God, said, "We may eat of the fruits that are in the garden, but of the fruit of the tree, which in the middle the garden is, gave us God commanded that we do not eat it, nor touch it, lest we about to die. "Eva had become involved in the temptation, Satan had already half won, and e it was not more difficult, the catch Unhappy in his sling. Now he went out with it further and said, "Ye shall not surely die! For God knows that, going on what day you eat of it your eyes open up and you as God will, good and evil knowing. "And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and beautiful to the eye, and that it was a pleasure to look at him. Now stimulated the vanity of ambition awoke and this generated forgetfulness of God and drove out the fear of God in the heart of Eva. She reached out, took of the fruit and ate and gave some to her husband of the stand with her and, complacent ate to be wife, also of the forbidden fruit. The first sin was done, Satan scornfully laughed, the angels mourned! - A terrible, terrible in its consequences sin had committed Adam and Eve. O how easily they could have avoided the same; alone who loves danger, goes in to reason! Had Adam and Eve did not go to the tree, they had the speeches of the cunning serpent given no hearing, they have the tree and its fruit is not considered, never they would like. But arrogance and recklessness, self-conceit and pride leads them into danger; They forget God and His Word, the flattering voice of the seducer believe more than the words of its creator and father and - fall. And their case would have been equal to the fall of the angels, if God had not pity her! no sooner had they enjoyed the forbidden fruit, as they really eyes were opened, but only to see their shame. Previously, Adam and Eve had remained naked as God had created. The clothes of innocence graced, good and innocent as children, they do not blush over her nakedness. But now, robbed of innocence and simplicity, their eyes opened, they saw that they were naked, and ashamed very. From fig leaves they wove themselves aprons and covered with it. Fear seizes, the bad conscience torments and no longer knowing what to do, the unfortunate hide from the face of the all-seeing and all-knowing God among the bushes of the garden. Suddenly they heard the voice of the Lord, who walked in the cool after lunch in the garden. "Adam, where are you?" It sounded in her ear. Adam replied, trembling and shaking: "I heard your voice in the garden and feared me because I was naked, and I hid myself." God said, "Who told you that you were naked, but because you ate of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat "and Adam said:" the woman whom thou begotten me, gave me of the tree, and I ate. "And the Lord God said to the woman:" Why did you do that "Eva replied," The serpent deceived me and I ate "Both poor sinner wanted to apologize, but who may well deceive the omniscient God.? The guilty take the just punishment. First, God addresses to the abuser. This should not defend himself and he is already doomed and destined for eternal torment, so God condemns the serpent which he has misused. "Because you do this, the Lord speaks to you, you are cursed above all cattle, and among every beast of the earth; on your chest you should go and dust eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you will readjust their heel. "The snake hits the terrible curse that regard actually Satan. God wanted to give us by punishing the serpent visible evidence of how much the devil and all evil it is hateful. With the curse on the serpent but joined God in his infinite mercy a wonderful consolation to the first humans. They knew that they must of death, namely the eternal death die if they ate the forbidden fruit. Terrible and horrible was the word for it. In terrible anxiety they expected the death sentence that would separate them from God forever. But God will have mercy. they are dying, but not forever. Therefore God is to the curse, he pronounce upon the serpent, the comforting for Adam and Eve words: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between your seed and her seed; she will crush your head, and you will adjust its heel. " God wanted to say: There is a woman come, that, O Satan, have nothing in common with you, which is not affected by your poisons; this woman will be yours and you their enemy; well is between her seed, between the child she gives birth, and between you and those who you generate through seduction, made eternal enmity. But the woman is her child bruise thy head, thy and destroy your appendix power entirely while you adjust to the woman, but can not touch. But the woman, that will come, Mary is the Immaculate Virgin Mother of God's Son, our Savior, whose arrival so God promised the first people. While consoling promise still resounded in her ears, God opened his mouth to continue with its verdict. He said to Eve: "I want to increase the discomfort of your pregnancy. In sorrow thou shalt bring forth children, and thou shalt be under the authority of her husband" Then God turned to Adam and said, "Because you heard where the voice of the woman and eaten of the tree, so the earth is cursed in your work; with many work shalt thou eat of it all the days of your life. Doerner and thistle it bring forth to thee. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return kerst back to Earth of which thou wast taken. For you are dust and unto dust shalt return. " This pain full incident of God first went to court in just the garden in front of him, where sin was committed. There remained only the execution of the judgment Remaining. The Lord said, and Adam and Eve, the once happy people had to Paradise, where they spent so many happy days, leaving forever. But before they started their sad exile, God Adam and his wife made garments of skins, and put them on them. Then they left sad the beautiful garden, and stepped out into the inhospitable world whose creatures and elements were their enemies now. A cherub with sparkling sword kept the entrance of Paradise, which is not to be found. This happened, as God himself said so Adam put forth his hand, and take from the tree of life and eat and live for ever. For Adam and his descendants and all should die. But death did not equal; Adam lived 930 years and Eva lived to a great age. God let her live so long, so they mourned their great sin and forfeited. And this repentance of the first people was so humble, so full submission that they favor their God bought back in respect of the auspicious Redeemer, and died in his grace. Adam was buried on Calvary, at the point where four thousand years after the cross of the Saviour was erected. Christ atoned Adams and his whole sex sin. At Adam, the word had happened. "You are dust, and shalt again to the earth", the place where this verdict itself did with Adam, chose the second Adam, Christ, with the intention of the scene of His atoning death to annul this judgment again and instead of the words: "you are dust, and shall be again to the earth," to speak to him, "Rise up, O sleeper, and it is clear from your grave" (. Ephef 5, 14) Adam and Eve repented, but their sin is passed with its sad consequences on all people. Every person who comes into the world, has Adam's sin upon himself and bear its consequences. The Bible, the book of all books, proclaims in clear terms this terrible secret. "Who is free from defilement, calling the sufferer Job from, nobody, even a child that is only one day old." (Job. 14.4.) And the royal prophet David laments in the Psalms, which is flowed from his repentant heart , and he often, in bitter tears deliquescent, sang: ". I am received in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me" (Psalm 50) and the great apostle Paul writes: "Just as through one man sin entered into the world has come, and by sin death, and so passed to all men the death, because all sinned in him (Adam), ... equal condemnation came as by a sin to all people; comes also through the a justice (through Christ) upon all men justification of life. For the many were made sinners same as through the disobedience of the one man, so also through the obedience of one shall many be made righteous made. "(Rom. 5, 12, 18, 19)

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Photography-The-first-humans-Adam-and-Eve-Exclusive-Photopainting-Portrait-in-Modern-Art-Limited-Edition-3-of-10/462428/3163616/view

#modern #abstractexpressionism #conceptual #portraiture #IgorBajenov #figurative

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theeternalfamily · 4 years

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Helaman 9: Comfronting the truth

Have you ever received an answer from the Spirit, but you wish it wasn’t true? It has happened to me, many times. But after years and vast experiences of neglecting the answers I’ve received, I can share my testimony that the Holy Spirit is real, that God loves us and He knows what is best for us, and that pride is when I think I know better than God.

I felt very related to several scriptures from this chapter that I detail below. But before I continue, please bear in mind that if this has happened to you, you are not alone and it is normal. However, let us not fall in the trap of of feeling comfortable in this situation. Instead, if we strive to accept the promptings of the Spirit, we will become stronger in our testimony, in our prayers to God, and in taking better decisions for our lives.

7 And behold the people did gather themselves together unto the place of the judgment-seat—and behold, to their astonishment they saw those five men who had fallen to the earth.

8 And now behold, the people knew nothing concerning the multitude who had gathered together at the garden of Nephi; therefore they said among themselves: These men are they who have murdered the judge, and God has smitten them that they could not flee from us.

I can’t help but sense a spark of irony in this scripture. These are people that are not following God’s commandments, who are more forcused on their wealth and personal gain, but decide to reacognize “God’s hand” when it is their convenience. Which, for the record, those five men they captured were innocent from the murder of the judge. Later in the chapter, when it turns out that God’s hand had instead intervened by allowing Nephi to prophesy, many considered it conveninent to not see it this way because it wasn’t of their convenience.

19 Nevertheless, they caused that Nephi should be taken and bound and brought before the multitude, and they began to question him in divers ways that they might cross him, that they might accuse him to death—

20 Saying unto him: Thou art confederate; who is this man that hath done this murder? Now tell us, and acknowledge thy fault; saying, Behold here is money; and also we will grant unto thee thy life if thou wilt tell us, and acknowledge the agreement which thou hast made with him.

Ok, it is very easy to connect this to those around us that do not agree on our believes and want to convince us otherwise. However, I want to connect this verse to how we question ourselves instead, whether we do it on purpose or not. In Psychology, there is a term called cognitive dissonance. Since Google does a pretty good job defining it, I’ll copy paste its meaning:

“Cognitive dissonance refers to a situation involving conflicting attitudes, beliefs or behaviors. This produces a feeling of mental discomfort leading to an alteration in one of the attitudes, beliefs or behaviors to reduce the discomfort and restore balance. (McLeod, 2018.)“

Cognitive dissonance is VERY NORMAL for everyone. But it is dangerous when we are not aware of it. In verse 20 we read that Nephi was offered money and saving his life in reward of lying. Sometimes life offers us things that we, consciously or subcinscously, think that we need. And many times, we really do need it. Because of this, we start questioning our “attitudes, beliefs or behaviours” to calm that need that we feel.

Although I’m not vulnerable enough to share the most personal experiences of my life, here are some examples of when I’ve faced these situations in different stages of my life:

-Girls in my school don’t accept me... it’s ok to curse, you’ll have more friends and you’re not offending anyone. (Middle school).

-I don’t like the answer that I received to my prayer...so I start believing that God hasn’t answered my prayers. (High school)

-I feel prompted to not trust my boyfriend because he is being manipulative and seeing someone else... I love him and don’t want to end things with him, so I better believe it’s not the holy spirit, but it’s just me being jealous and insecure. (University)

21 But Nephi said unto them: O ye fools, ye uncircumcised of heart, ye blind, and ye stiffnecked people, do ye know how long the Lord your God will suffer you that ye shall go on in this your way of sin?

If our hearts are hard, we will have much difficulty to learn from above. But if we try to recognize our imperfect human state, and that he have much to learn, we can receive council from God, who knows it all. I have learned a phrase that helps me understand this scripture while trying to be a disciple of Christ:

“When you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision. (Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Using the Supernal Gift of Prayer,” Ensign, May 2007, 10.)”

It turns our that even though I cursed in school, I didn’t make new friends because of it. Yes, more girls were cheering and talking to me, but turns out they were still badmouthing about me. I remember that on a Sunday, a temple trip was announced and it hit me “If I want to enter the temple, I shouldn’t be cursing as much as I am”.

I called my best friend soon after that and told her that I wasn’t going to curse anymore and that I might need her support to stop. She said “I honestly don’t know why cursing should be a problem, but if this is important to you then I’ll support you 100%”. That’s when I understood that I already had precious friends, I didn’t need to be popular among the others, and that I could be myself and still have this treasure in my life.

I know this is a very simple example, and that cursing doesn’t make you a bad person... but this simple example taught the 12 year old me that I didn’t have to change my belief about how a disciple of Christ speaks to be happier. Instead, trying to speak as a discilple of Christ helped me realize the precious gift of true friendship. And the accumulation of very simple examples like this one, helped me realize more about how the truth won’t change simply because I change. But that when I try to live up to the truth, I’ll understand it better.

When I decided to change my beliefs because I had dissonance, I was “blind”, and “stiffnecked“, and of course I wouldn’t want to recognize it until I figurately hit a wall and couldn’t deny that I was wrong. But I feel very blessed, because no matter how many times I’ve been blind, stubborn, and specially prideful, I have recognized God’s divine intervention to help me see the light.

I testifiy that there is only one truth. And although I don’t know the truth of all things, and I’m definitely far from knowing it all, there is one absolute truth that helps me stand firm even in times of doubt and trouble:

God lives, He knows and loves us perfectly. And we can also know and love Him more.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:37–39)

Living the commandments due to our love for God, will lead us to the path of light. And the more we love God, we will have the power to love others, and this also leads us to more light. Truth is light. Jesus Christ is the source of all light and, therefore, of all truth. I testifiy that the scriptures bring us closer to Jesus Chris, and The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ, which brings us close to our Savior, and therefore, to more truth and light.

Disclaimer: These notes are thoughts that come to my mind while studying the scriptures. I share them with the hope that they might help someone, but I don’t claim them to be perfect. These are based on my experience and I respect other viewpoints and beliefs, and I hope you can respect mine if they differ from yours. Thank you for reading.

Additional resources:

Move forward in faith

Keep my commandments

Two Great Commandments

#church of jesus christ of latter day saints #the book of mormon #Jesus Christ #come follow me

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thegoldenavenger · 4 years

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Chapter 2 of the kny fusion no one wants haha

Content Warnings: aftermath of death, uhhh some non named, non canon characters get munched, content warnings applicable to kny canon and to iron man canon. not beta’d we die like mne. mobile beware of read more cut.

Read Chapter 1 | Read Everything |

Steve asks Tony if they can return to the humble homestead where Bucky was turned. It's not a terrible idea to see if there are any clues as to the whereabouts of the Demon King there, and Tony understands the need to say goodbye.

The small house smells like blood. Tony sees Bucky's hand clench tighter to Steve's but the newly made demon doesn't react otherwise. Steve let's go of Bucky and begins the arduous task of dragging his family's bodies out into the night snow.

Tony does not help. He walks the perimeter, keeping his eyes away from Steve and Bucky's lonely work. He traces a long cold trail to the edge of the woods, traces it back to the house.

He traces it until Steve and Bucky are knelt, quietly over five unmarked graves, the freshly turned earth blemishing the white snow. Tony waits as long as he can before approaching the two, his footfalls intentionally heavy.

"Unless you want your friend to fry, we should get moving."

Steve makes a scoffing noise in his throat, but he pushes himself up anyway. After a moment's pause, Bucky follows. Tony leads the way, trusting his senses to let him know if the demon starts making a move.

The night is cold, it makes breathing difficult. He focuses on the sharpness of it, like the moon is holding a knife to his lungs, like it will freeze the shapes of five lonely graves from his mind.

He should have been faster.

The walk is too short and they arrive in a small, quiet town before the sun rises. Tony finds an inn, asks for a room, pays cheaply so they're guaranteed one without windows, and leads his two new charges inside before the morning light can touch them.

As the pre-dawn breaks he can see Bucky get fidgety, but the demon stills when he notices Tony's glance. Fine enough. He doesn't look like he's about to go feral, just like he's uncomfortable.

"Steve, get food," Tony tosses a pouch of money at the man, resisting smiling at his shocked face as the purse's weight settles in his hands.

"I'm not leaving Bucky here," Steve says .

"Then feel free to starve, because he can't leave this room today." Tony's tone brooks no argument as he shrugs out of his over jacket.

He unbuckles the belt his sword is attached to setting the whole mess on the small end table provided in thee room, and untucks his undershirt, finally collapsing into a pile on the tatami. Steve furrows his eyebrows at him, but Tony ignores the glare, instead stretching extravagantly and leaning back on his hands.

There's fight in Steve's eyes but Tony isn't in the mood to encourage it. He leans back his head and pretends to sleep, his eyes closed. A long second passes and Steve slams the door to the room shut on his way out.

Tony peaks at Bucky. He has retreated to a corner of the room, knees drawn to his chest. His hair mostly obscures his face, but Tony doesn't need to watch his eyes to see the way the fingers on his good hand tremble.

The hastily made bandage covering his left arm is still wet with blood. It should have dried by now. It should have healed completely by all rights. How many demons had Tony dodged limbs that he had just taken the liberty to remove? A demon's healing factor was one of the things that made fighting them so difficult.

But here Bucky sat, fangs peaking out of his mouth, claws sharpened, yet wound still dripping.

Tony sits back up, facing the demon. Perhaps sensing Tony's focus, Bucky raises his head to stare warily at him. His eyes aren't human but they don't look like a demon's.

"Does your arm hurt?" Tony asks.

Bucky does not respond other than clenching his fingers.

"Blood might help," Tony says before he can stop himself. The pupil in Bucky's eyes constrict. "But if you eat a human, I don't know if there's any saving you."

Tony isn't the one who studies demons, he designs swords and puts them to use. He's never regretted the distance between he and his fellow Pillars more so than now.

Tony clicks his tongue, shaking his head. "I don't know if saving you is even the question here. But if you're willing to try... I will stand behind you."

Bucky furrows his brows, creasing his skin in such a sad manner, but he seems to consider. Tony cannot tell how much Bucky can put together. He doesn't act like demons Tony has met before--fully sentient but capricious, murderous. Bucky is quiet, following where Steve pulls.

But this must be a decision made without Steve, Tony thinks.

"It's your life, you should decide how it's led."

Bucky doesn't answer, just sits in the corner, quiet, until Steve returns.

They travel at night so Bucky doesn't burn and so people are less likely to notice anything odd between the three of them.

Tony has drafted his letters and sent them. One to Fury, one to Bruce. He doesn't acknowledge his nerves as he waits for a response.

It's quite on accident when they stumble across a minor demon celebrating its hunt of a small caravan. Despite Tony's training, the first sign anything is wrong is the way Bucky stiffens.

"What's wrong?" Steve asks as Bucky trembles.

When the wind changes and brings with it the smell of blood, Bucky starts growling low in his throat. Tony's grip is loose, but steady on the hilt of his blade.

"Careful," Tony warns, lowly, and he doesn't know if he's addressing Steve or Bucky.

They keep walking, cautious now, Tony half distracted by Bucky. Still, he soon picks up the crunch of a demon chewing.

"Demon," he says, and Steve's confused eyes widen with dawning realization.

So enraptured with its meal, the demon does not sense Tony and his companions. Twenty or so meters away Bucky halts and refuses to move. Steve seems to be unable of taking his eyes of the demon and its meal. Tony tightens his grip on his sword.

He breaths in, falling into stance, picking one from Pepper's style. It is made to cover distance. Tony expands his lungs and launches forward, hearing the surprised gasps of his companions as he leaves them behind. His blade striked true, cleanly slicing through the demon's neck and its wrists where it held up a hunk of meat to its mouth.

The pain must register after its head slides away from its body because its head is already falling when it starts screaming. It's so loud he nearly misses the sound of steps on the ground.

He brings his sword up just in time to block sharpened claws coming towards him. Another demon? Tony narrows his eyes, swinging his sword. They don't tend to travel in packs.

These demons are far, far below his level and this one falls to his blade as quick as the first had. Nothing short of a Moon demon would falter Tony or his fellow pillars.

Steve yells and Tony whips around to see the shape of another demon attacking the two he'd left behind. He tenses to intervene, but a rough hand on his shoulder stops him. Even now, and Fury still manages to sneak up on him.

He abides only by Fury's insistence and they both watch Steve get bowled over. Steve is too small to put up a fight, he is reedy and thin. Still, he struggles with the small pack he carries and manages to bludgeon the demon enough to distract it.

Bucky takes a step but it is in the wrong direction. Towards the butchered bodies of the caravan.

Tony senses Fury's hand reach for a hidden blade, and this time Tony puts his hand on Fury. Asking him, silently, to watch.

Bucky shakes under the moonlight and Steve thrashes under the third demon.

"You brat!" The demon cries, Steve must have gotten lucky somewhere.

"Buck--Bucky!" Steve yells, not pleading but commanding from his position in the mud and dirt.

It's enough, and Tony isn't skilled enough to quiet his sigh of relief when Bucky flings himself at the demon on Steve.

He kicks it so hard its head goes flying.

“A demon,” Fury says, voice even. Tony still feels like it’s an accusation.

“He has a name,” Steve hisses, indignant. Bucky sits quietly behind Steve.

“He--Bucky,” Tony says in deference to Steve’s squawking, “doesn’t act like any other demon. You’ve seen it.”

Fury doesn’t say anything, only looks at Bucky over Steve’s shoulder. Compelled, Tony continues, “Demons aren’t social, they don’t process emotions the same was as humans. They follow different instincts. But Bucky hasn’t succumbed to his hunger even once, he blatantly prefers having company!” Tony gestures with his words, like he’s scoring his argument.

Is he arguing? Tony just wants Fury to see the potential Tony has seen.

“He’s my brother,” Steve says, “He’s the best man you can ever meet and he doesn’t deserve to be treated like he’s a monster! He’s not one. I’ll prove it to you!” His fists are clenched tightly over his knees, his back straight and determined. He’s short and thin but Tony feels like that wouldn’t stop him from fighting both of them right now if he felt like he had to.

“How can you prove it?” Fury asks.

“I--” Steve cuts off, looking angrily at the pot over the fire. “There’s demons who do hurt people, right? The one who did this to him, the one who hurt our family. We’ll find him and show you! That Bucky’s better, that we can help.”

Fury only hums in acknowledgment of Steve’s declaration, he doesn’t say anything further. Tony sidles closer to the pot and starts serving them all. The stew is thick and smells delicious. He doesn’t know if Steve has noticed, but Fury must have started on this early in the morning and he’s prepared too much for just an individual. He’d been waiting for them, all of them.

He ladles the stew and feels warmth spread through his chest when he notices Fury had added some of the hard to find wood mushrooms Tony had shown a preference for back when he’d studied under the Mist Pillar. Such a small thing, to show someone still had room for you in their life.

Steve takes his bowl, obviously still concerned about the conversation and not like being left without an answer.

As Tony pulls a fourth bowl towards the stew he hears an inquisitive noise and he smiles at Bucky, peaking around Steve’s shoulder. Tony fills the bowl, sprinkles a garnish over it, and puts in a shallow spoon before holding it out to Bucky.

No one has really had a chance to study demons thoroughly, Bruce is really the only one in the field, but it’s general knowledge that demons don’t need to eat proper food, though Tony is sure that they can. Since Bucky isn’t eating a demon’s preferred diet, he can’t imagine offering a substitute would be a terrible idea.

Bucky reaches out to accept the bowl, staring at it for a disconcertingly long amount of time. Tony isn’t sure Bucky realizes it’s for eating, but he holds the bowl with a sort of relish, and Tony surmises that at least he’s enjoying the warmth.

“Start eating,” Fury says abruptly, and Tony realizes that Bucky isn’t the only one not enjoying his meal. Steve startles at Fury’s stern voice. “You’ll need the energy come tomorrow morning.

Steve blinks, confused and Tony can’t stop the laugh that spills between his lips. The way Steve’s blue eyes reflect the fire remind Tony of fireflies over a still pond at night, and he thinks, perhaps the Breath of Mist may find a suitable successor tonight.

The morning comes quickly, perhaps because Tony insists on waking before the rest in the humble house. He gathers his belongings and is working on his shoes, sitting out on the engawa in the dawn’s pre-morning light. He hears shuffling and is not surprised to see Fury walk around the house to meet him. He’d never managed to wake before Fury.

“I thought you may want to watch your strays a little longer,” Fury says.

“They’re in good hands,” he replies, truthfully, but also to see the way Fury’s eyes soften. He turns his attention back to his feet, fingers tapping against them, stalling. “I can’t stay. I’ve got to relay everything back to the other Pillars, inform them about Bucky’s condition.” He smiles wryly at Fury, “Make it sound like he’s not an incredibly unstable, unknowable force of nature.”

“You could write a letter.” Fury says, but with an air that shows he doesn’t particularly think it a wise move.

“If you’re lonely, you can always write me, Nick.”

It’s not an empty offer, but they both know they won’t take it. Neither of them take particularly well to letters. Fury’s distaste comes from a life time of intercepting letters to gather information instilling a practical paranoia in him. If he must he will send a messenger crow with a missive so encrypted and vague it’s almost useless.

Tony finds it difficult to communicate with written words. His greatest strength is disarming people with his words, more than one person has accused him of wriggling his way into their lives, and that’s harder to do when his words come off as dry and clinical.

Tony sighs and stands, checking his sword on his side. “I think he’ll do good with a shield,” he says as he steps onto the packed dirt path through Fury’s small garden. “Don’t get him used to swords, because I won’t be making one of those for him.”

“Don’t tell me how to train the brats you leave on my doorstep,” Fury says to Tony’s back.

#tony stark #steve rogers #bucky barnes #nick fury #kny #demon slayer au #kamaeteWRITES

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charmedtheselfproclaimedking · 5 years

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Charmed Again: Season 3 (Charmed Fanfic)

Episode 8 - Charmed Condolences (Finale)

Warnings: I don’t own the rights to any of the characters from the hit TV show “Charmed” or the storylines related to the show those rights belong to original creator Constance M Burge.

15+ Moderate/Graphic Displays of Violence, Sexual Innuendos, Witchcraft and Potentially Triggering Scenes.

Many Years Ago

Pan knocked on Paul’s bedroom door before walking in to find him standing next to Drake’s cot while a baby Drake was fast asleep as the two shared a smile before sitting down on the edge of his bed.

“I know mum’s right I know it but it’s going to be so hard saying goodbye.” Paul admitted to his sister. “I know I’m going to have to be selfless and give him the best life I can possible give, but I just don’t want to not see him every day.”

“Listen our mother is purely talking out of fear and I know things are complicated with Eve and everything but I reckon we could all give it a go raising him and with us all there for him he’ll turn out perfect.” Pan suggested.

“She’s not wrong though I mean our Uncle Chris died way too young and we don’t even speak about Uncle Wyatt’s descent into madness that’s not to mention our cousins our entire family let’s face it this whole family is cursed.” Paul revealed. “I don’t want that life for him I want him to be happy, free and to live a long life that let’s face it neither of us are ever really going to have.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Pan said as she hugged into her brother. “I just wish our life didn’t have to be sacrifice after sacrifice.”

“Me too but at least I’ll be happy knowing my son’s life won’t be like ours.” Paul replied.

Present Day

A recently homeward bound Drake walked into the attic of the Halliwell Manor with a look of hurt and heartbreak on his face, this being the first time the Halliwell hybrid had been back home since the deaths of his father Paul Halliwell and his aunt Pan Morgan-Halliwell.

It had only been about a month but for him it felt like a lifetime as he walked over to the book of shadows until he was stood behind the closed book. He paused for a moment reluctant to open it believing it would restart his duties as a charmed one but as often was the case within this house he wasn’t given much choice before the book flipped open by itself continuing to flip by itself through pages after pages until stopping at the to call a lost witch spell.

“Power of the witches rise course unseen across the skies. Come to us who call you near come to us and settle here.” Drake began to chant. “Blood to blood I summon thee blood to blood return to me.”

Drake looked around hoping for a moment he’d be reunited with his father or aunt hoping for a moment this spell would change their fate only for nothing to happen breaking his heart once again.

Somewhere in New York City Penny Craft found herself running down a street alleyway chasing after her bounty a tall bald man who had skipped his court date and just as she was closing in on the perp she suddenly found herself hit in the face by a newspaper that appeared out of nowhere causing her to misstep and fall into a nearby stack of bin bags.

By the time she pulled the newspaper of her and climbed out of the trash her perp was already gone much to her frustration only to find the same newspaper rustling at her feet so she decided the pick up this pestering newspaper and read what it had to say.

“Hey…” She mumbled to herself. “Isn’t that my baby blanket?”

Elsewhere in New York, Rose Craft found herself waking up in a large king size bed wearing just her underwear with a man asleep to her right and a woman asleep to her left as she quietly climbed out of the bed not to wake the couple and began gathering her clothes before making her escape into the hallway once fully clothed before quietly making her way to the apartment door, opening the door to find a newspaper on the doorstep which she quickly picked up and began to read after closing the door and walking into the apartment building’s hallway.

Rose didn’t get very far reading the paper before she noticed the picture of a baby blanket under an article about a missing child which is when she also realized the newspaper itself was dated

“What the hell is going on here?” She asked herself as she pulled her phone out her jacket after stopping outside the apartment building’s elevator before dialing a number and waiting for the person to answer. “We need to talk like straight away.”

The next morning a fully dressed in black Drake found himself stood in the doorway of his father’s bedroom tears falling down his eyes as he investigated a room that no longer held anything but ghosts and memories.

“I miss him too, but I can’t begin to fathom what you must be feeling right now Drake.” Raven said to him after shimmering into the room and taking a seat on Paul’s bed. “We should’ve taken the premonition more seriously, but they had so many like that they were convinced they could handle it all.”

“I know I guess we all got kind of a little too confident with all this.” Drake admitted as he dried his eyes and walked over to Raven before sitting down next to her. “The power of three made us believe we would survive anything together, but I guess even being charmed doesn’t guarantee you’re safe.”

“I wish I had done something reacted faster we just never imagined it’d be a human let alone one who came with loaded anti-magic bullets I mean I knew there was anti-magic objects in the world but nothing like this.” Raven cried as Drake grabbed a hold of her hand. “I wanted to save them both so badly Drake but once Lacey’s healing didn’t work on them it was only a matter of time.”

“There was nothing that you could do if only I was there…” Drake began to say.

“No if you were there you probably would’ve just wound up dead too the only saving grace in all of this is you live on that’s all your father wanted for you to be safe.” Raven butted in, determined to make sure Drake never blamed himself. “None of this is anyone’s fault except for the bitch who shot them.”

“You’re right.” Drake replied as he pulled a crying Raven in for a hug. “Well the bitch who shot them and the one who hired her to do so.”

“Yes, but sadly Lacey got a bit too trigger happy to ask those kinds of questions.” Raven revealed to Drake as they broke off their hug. “Cole’s currently chasing a lead with a seer down in the Underworld hopefully we’ll get some answers even if there’s nothing we can really do with those answers unless demons are hiring humans to do their dirty work now.”

“Yeah well I guess with the whole charmed being reborn yet again maybe one of them will get a premonition that’ll get whoever did this with some magical solution on how to deal with them in the process.” Drake told his late father’s grieving girlfriend.

“Wait, are you seriously going to go ahead with restoring the power of three?” Raven asked in shock as she stood up. “You already restored the power of three and got no thanks for it you don’t owe them anything.”

“I know that’s not true but they need three to complete the set and I know the amount of good we can do and I can’t be the reason that good doesn’t happen because then whoever killed my dad and Pan will really win.” Drake answered as he stood up to face Raven.

“I still can’t believe my lovely receptionist Patty Craft was Paul and Pan’s long-lost sister Patience all this time I mean she was so close to us all before she died…I can’t believe her two daughters are going to be charmed ones.” Raven admitted. “That sort of makes your dad and his siblings the real second generation’s answer to the charmed ones and you are your cousins the third.”

“Yeah I suppose it does I never really thought of it like that…too busy trying to get my ass out of jail before getting busy with all this funeral stuff.” Drake explained to her. “Then there’s the club, my father’s shares in Halliwell and Turner not to mention Pan and his belongings and the whole Lacey going on a killing spree thing.”

“You have already dealt with more than anyone should ever have to deal with it’s okay to be done with it all Drake.” Raven told him as she grabbed a hold of his hand once more. “In fact, getting as far away from Charmed, living your own life and taking Lilah as far away from all this would make your father and probably your aunt happy to see.”

“Try telling that to the rest of the world that needs the charmed ones trust me I want nothing more than to hang up the broomstick and spell book and leave this never-ending misery spiral, but I can’t be selfish.” Drake said before taking a sad sigh.

“Leave it with me!” Raven responded with a cunning smile. “I’ll be back before the funeral I’m going to find a way for you to be as selfish as you want to be.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Drake asked to no answer as Raven shimmered away.

“I was in two minds whether to drop the kid off today or tomorrow, but I figured after your little prison stint you’d be needing our daughter right about now.” Cindy said to Drake as he walked into his bedroom to find Cindy sitting on the side of his bed while his daughter Lilah sat on her lap clearly excited to see her father. “Don’t worry I’ll sit tight with her in the Manor while you attend the funeral.”

“Oh my god daddy has missed you so much.” Drake told his baby girl as he walked towards Lilah and picked her up into his arms, his face lighting up to see his child after such a long time. “Daddy is never letting you go ever again.”

“You do realize mama is right here too you know.” Cindy reminded the Halliwell hybrid as she stood up to face him and their daughter. “I should at least get a hello or something.”

“Hey....I’m sorry I was just so excited to see my girl.” Drake replied before kissing his daughter on the forehead. “Thanks, I really needed some daddy time today it’s good to see you too.”

“I know I’m not one for the whole emotion thing but I’m deeply sorry about Paul and Pan I know how much family means to you if it helps I could totally kill whoever hired the hit I know you’re pure and killing isn’t your thing but I’ve always kind of been on the grey-scale.” Cindy offered him.

“Thanks Cindy but getting people to kill for me still means I got blood on my hands.” Drake laughed.

“Okay I totally won’t kill for you.” Cindy said sarcastically before winking at Drake.

“I mean it don’t kill anybody you’re doing good with the whole redemption thing the last thing Lilah needs is for any of us to go out killing people.” Drake warned her as he continued to hug into his daughter.

“Ugh…fine.” Cindy sighed. “I won’t get any blood on my or your hands.”

“Finally, I was beginning to think elders were still putting all of us demons on mute.” Raven said after Quinn orbed onto the top of the golden gate bridge to meet her.

“I am deeply sorry for your loss Miss Turner especially in your condition.” Quinn apologised to her. “It’s killing Paul that he’s not going to be there for you and your child but take some solace in knowing he is watching over you.”

“Thank you I had a theory he wouldn’t be able to miss all of this…listen I need your help with Drake and it’s going to involve breaking a few rules.” Raven replied to him. “And before you say no I want to remind you that Paul and Pan treated you like family that Drake loved you that…”

“What is it that you want me to do?” Quinn asked, interrupting the pregnant demon.

“Well at first I was going to ask for you to go back in time and stop them both from dying but then I realized destiny wouldn’t allow it because they believe it’s time for another set of charmed ones then I was going to ask you bring them back but death wouldn’t allow that either so I guess all I can do is ask that you help me protect Paul’s children and granddaughter like he would want us both to do.” Raven informed the elder.

“You’re right about Paul and Pan they were my family and they deserved better than this I want so much to reverse it all and see them alive and happy. For Pan to live a long life with her wife Lacey for the two of them to get the children they wanted and for Pan not to have to watch over without being able to stop her wife killing innocent after innocent.” Quinn admitted to her. “I want for Paul to be alive and be there for Drake and his granddaughter and to be there for you and get to raise his and your child together something I’d know he’d love and most of all I want for Drake to be happy, safe and to never have to face the same fate. So, yes Raven I will help you do whatever is needed elders be damned.”

“Good,” Raven responded with a smile. “Now between the both of us we’re going to find Parker Halliwell."

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting to see you today but I’m glad you’re here.” Drake greeted Jake as he walked downstairs to see Jake waiting for him in the foyer.

“Well with Lacey being MIA on a killing spree I figured there had to be some Morgan family representation besides I figured you’d need as many friends as possible right now.” Jake replied to him.

“We’re friends now? I like that we’re friends now.” Drake said with a sincere smile. “It means a lot that you still care after all this time especially after everything.”

“Of course, I do.” Jake admitted. “Besides thank to you I am now living back at my family home and just got a new job so I can’t stay mad at you forever.”

“Well you could, and no one would blame you, you truly are amazing Jake Morgan.” Drake told him as he gave his first love a hug.

“You’re not so bad yourself Drake Black.” Jake responded as he hugged his first love tighter.

“Actually, it’s Drake Black-Halliwell now I’m changing it to incorporate both of my families.” Drake revealed as he broke off the hug.

“I like it.” Jake told him. “How are you holding up?”

“I’ll be better once I get today over with and work out whatever it is that Raven’s up to.” Drake admitted. “It would be better if everyone would give the notion of Charmed 3.0 a miss until after dad and aunt Pan’s funeral.”

“Hold up what exactly is Charmed 3.0?” Jake wondered. “Actually, never mind I’ll save the questions for later.”

“Thanks,” Drake replied. “We will get a hold of Lacey and we’ll get the old her back I promise.”

“Don’t worry too much about that my new job gives me the kind of resources that should help me track her down and try talking some sense in her…if there’s any her left that is.” Jake revealed to the Halliwell hybrid.

“Okay I’m going to do the same to you and ask about this mysterious new job of yours later but as for Lacey she’s still in there she’s just in a really bad place and needs pulling out of it.” Drake said, trying to reassure Jake. “I mean everyone deals with grief differently and she’s lost a lot not that it makes any of what she’s done okay but we will get her back somehow.”

“I miss optimistic Drake he’s not been around in a long time.” Jake stated with a sincere smile.

Raven and Quinn walked into a seedy looking club located within L.A to find Parker Halliwell brawling with another man within a cage in a caged fight as they quickly joined the crowd of onlookers as they watched Parker fight his opponent a fight to which the Halliwell man was quickly winning.

“Remind me again why this guy didn’t get called for duty in the first place?” Raven asked Quinn as they watched Parker’s impressive moves within the cage.

“He did his time so to speak but then disowned everyone after he fixed the whole Wyatt debacle which makes a lot of sense considering Wyatt was his father.” Quinn explained to Raven.

“I’m beginning to think charmed is really just a fancy way of your kind saying cursed.” Raven replied to the elder. “Oh well so he’s going to be a tough sell lucky for us I’m one hell of a lawyer.”

After watching Parker Halliwell become victorious in his cage match they waited patiently until he went to the locker room to change making sure nobody else was in as they followed him.

“Okay here’s the thing I need you to move back to San Francisco and become the third component to the power of three.” Raven revealed to him as her and Quinn came face to face with Parker. “And please don’t say no due to some daddy issues because quite frankly this generation all have daddy issues, I mean every generation does but you lot definitely cry a lot more about them.”

“Excuse me who the hell are you and what did you just say about charmed?” Parker asked, in shock by Raven’s abruptness. “I don’t know who you two are but charmed died a long time ago and I’m done hearing about it.”

“I’m sorry about my friend’s rash approach but we have a funeral to attend soon and emotions are running rather high.” Quinn said to Parker.

“Okay well your clearly either a white lighter or an elder.” Parker replied to Quinn before turning to Raven. “Who are you?”

“My name is Raven and I’m pregnant with your cousin Paul’s second child, but we are here about his firstborn Drake…he was part of the second generation’s charmed ones along with his father and his aunt Pan but they both dead now.” Raven revealed.

“Paul and Pan are dead?” Parker asked with genuine sadness in his voice. “I really thought they’d survive longer than me.”

“Well they never…” Raven said as tears began forming in her eyes before she began allowing herself to cry. “I held his hand as he died…I witnessed them both die and then Drake came home to their bodies…I should’ve been there to stop that from happening to protect him from seeing that like his father would’ve wanted me to.”

“It’s okay.” Quinn told her as he tried to reassure her with a hug only to be brushed away.

“No it’s not okay none of this are okay Paul and Pan are gone, Lacey’s a soulless killer and now Drake’s being dragged into restoring the power of three yet again and I just know if he does it will be the death of him.” Raven cried.

“I am deeply sorry about Paul and Pan they were great people, but I gave up that life a long time ago and for good reason.” Parker explained to them both as Raven finally allowed Quinn to hug her.

“I know and we have no right coming here to ask you in fact I could be in a lot of trouble by so many people for even asking but the thing is Drake’s adoptive parents died in a fire when he was young, then his best friend’s father died at the hands of demons, his mother was killed and then he vanquished his own grandfather.” Quinn rambled. “Not to mention he was brainwashed by a boyfriend, he found his parent and his aunt dead, he went to jail for their murders and the best friend I mention has gone full dark lighter…”

“That sounds like a…” Parker began to say.

“Charmed life.” Raven interrupted before drying her eyes. “I’m so sorry we came here to try and convince you to live a life that has got your entire family killed and for a moment I was considering kidnapping you and forcing you to take his place but the truth is I can’t force you to suffer the same fate he did.”

“Thanks.” Parker responded to her. “You know being a Halliwell isn’t all loss and heartbreak…I got to do remarkable things, save many lives and most of all grow up in a home literally filled with magic.”

“Then why give it up?” Quinn asked Wyatt Halliwell’s son.

“It required too many sacrifices and I decided it was time to live my life for me…which sure meant saying goodbye to my family but at the time after my father’s descent into darkness I couldn’t deal with being a Halliwell anymore.” Parker opened to them both. “I really am sorry about Paul and Pan they were like siblings to me growing up all our cousins were grams was big on family and so were her sisters we all kind of grew up together.”

“Yes, Paul told me all about you he also told me that you used to love being a witch you know before you bound your white lighter side and went off the map.” Raven replied. “It must say something you never bound your witch half.”

“I wouldn’t read too much into it.” Parker told her.

Drake, Paige, Quinn, Raven and Cole stood at the freshly dug gravesides of Paul Halliwell and Pan Morgan-Halliwell, the only five remaining after the funeral proceedings as Paige stood next to Drake hand in hand while the other three stood behind them.

“Piper’s deeply sorry she couldn’t be here to comfort you, but she felt like she need to be with Paul and Pan right now.” Paige told Drake as she hugged into her great-great nephew. “We are so proud of how you are holding up.”

“Yeah well it’s not my first graveside visit.” Drake replied while breaking off their hug. “I doubt it’s going to be my last.”

Before Paige could reply to Drake and tell him something reassuring, he began to walk off with Cole and Raven quickly following him to make sure he was okay as Quinn walked over to speak with his fellow elder.

“I don’t know how Cole manages to keep worming his way back into this family but for once I’m actually happy Drake’s got a friend right now especially after his former friend went all evil.” Paige admitted to Quinn. “But if you tell anyone I said anything even remotely nice about Cole I will kill you!”

“Paige, we need to speak about something Raven and I may have done earlier, and it revolves around a certain great-great nephew you forbid all elders from ever contacting.” Quinn told her.

“Okay now is not the time to tell me you broke the rules!” Paige snapped. “I’m here to support Drake…”

“Why do you think we contacted Parker in the first place?” Quinn unusually snapped back. “I get how we’re supposed to honor his desire to no longer have anything to do with this life, but I don’t get why we’re not honoring Paul and even Melinda’s wishes to see no harm come to Drake.”

“No harm has come to Drake…” Paige began to say.

“Not yet…he’s barely coping right now and forcing him to be the power of three times three will only make things worse.” Quinn admitted to her. “He deserves the kind of break Parker got in fact I think he deserves it more.”

“Hey…Raven thought one of us should stay with you at all times and I draw the short straw.” Cole joked as he walked into the kitchen of the Halliwell Manor to find Drake drinking from a bottle of whisky. “Of course, I’m joking…probably not the best time for a demon to be cracking jokes.”

“Yeah that and you always suck at trying to be funny.” Drake laughed as he continued to drink his whisky. “No offense meant or anything but a truth’s a truth.”

“Fair point.” Cole replied as he walked towards Drake, took the whisky off him and drank from it. “You know it’s never easy losing a parent god I even felt something when Raven killed our mother, I didn’t feel much to be fair but still…it’s never easy.”

“Yeah I’ve had better days.” Drake admitted before snatching the whisky back. “The truth is I just keep telling myself the day will be over soon but I’m beginning to fear what tomorrow is going to look like.”

“Well whatever it may look like I’ll be here.” Cole promised him.

“Thanks.” Drake said with a sincere smile before Rose walked into the kitchen.

“I hope you don’t mind me just inviting myself to the wake it’s just my mother worked for your father and something inside me told me I should be here.” Rose said to Drake. “I’m guessing your Paul Halliwell’s son Drake, right?”

“Correct and no you’re more than welcome here.” Drake replied to her before walking over and shaking her hand. “Who was your mother?”

“Patience Craft although she just went by Patty.” Rose answered her.

“Oh my…Patty Craft…are you Penny or Rose?” Drake wondered, knowing this girl in front of him was another charmed one as they broke off their handshake. “I’m really sorry for your loss too my dad said Patty was an amazing woman.”

“I’m Rose and yeah my mum was a really amazing woman.” Rose agreed.

“Yeah she really was.” Penny said as she too walked into the kitchen before walking over to shake Drake’s hand. “Again, sorry for the intrusion but I felt like I kind of needed to be here too.”

“Wish you had told me, so I didn’t have to get a flight solo.” Rose mumbled to herself.

“It’s no problem…stay and enjoy the food and drink in the dining room.” Drake told Penny as he broke off their handshake. “I just need to go and greet everyone.”

“Drake I think now would be as good a time as ever.” Cole suggested to the Halliwell hybrid.

“Not now Cole.” Drake replied.

“Drake…” Cole began to say.

“I said not now!” Drake snapped at him.

“Actually, I don’t want to be rude but there is something I’d like to talk to you about regarding my mother’s death.” Penny butted in. “You see I never believed it was some mysterious case of spontaneous combustion I mean I’m a detective and I like cold hard evidence and there was just none until recently.”

“What do you mean until recently?” Drake wondered.

“I believe whatever killed my mother killed your father and aunt too and it may kill you if you don’t allow me to help you.” Penny revealed much to Drake, Rose and Cole’s shock.

“Well I guess my showing up here to ask questions about a baby blanket is a lot less rude now.” Rose admitted before turning to Penny. “Way to go sis.”

“Well she’s not exactly wrong…” Cole stated.

“I really didn’t want to do this here and now, but you’ve given me no other choice.” Drake said before taking a deep sigh. “Your mother was adopted my father was her biological brother and they were witches.”

“Hold up did you just say witches?” Rose asked Drake. “My mum was into that hocus pocus stuff no offence or anything.”

“That’s because she never knew she was a witch and her powers were bound.” Cole explained to Rose.

“You can’t seriously expect us to believe this.” Penny said to Drake.

“What kind of witch?” Rose wondered.

“The strongest kind a Halliwell and you both are the strongest type of Halliwell witches.” Drake continued to reveal to the two stunned sisters. “Your charmed ones.”

“Well this day just got interesting!” Rose admitted with excitement in her eyes.

“You can’t seriously be believing this?” Penny snapped at her younger sister before turning to look at Drake. “I’m sorry clearly you’re distraught and grieving right now I’ll come back in a few days.”

“It always leads to show and tell before anyone starts believing.” Drake said as he grabbed a hold of Penny and Rose. “Don’t worry it took me a lot to believe this too.”

“Hey,” Cole said just before Drake blinked out of sight with the two sisters. “Just leave me on my own why don’t you?”

“You’ve got to stop following me before I have to vanquish your ass!” Parker warned Quinn after he walked into his bedsit within L.A to find Quinn stood there waiting for him.

“Listen your aunt Paige is already pissed with me for even contacting you so please just hear me out.” Quinn pleaded with Parker.

“Okay,” Parker sighed as he closed the door behind him. “You have five minutes, but I mean five minutes and five minutes only.”

“Have you ever been in love?” Quinn asked him.

“Yes, but I don’t see why that’s any of your business or what it’s got to do with why you’re here?” Parker wondered.

“Drake’s the love of my life actually the love of both my lives and he’s been through so much as you were already informed I’ve watched him fight for happiness over the last three years and I’ve been as much a cause as anyone to why it’s always out of his reach.” Quinn explained to the runaway Halliwell. “Paul would never want this life for his son…you must’ve been deeply struggling with everything when you walked away from it all but you see Drake can’t do that, no Drake won’t do that unless he knows there’s someone else to take his place in the power of three.”

“I get that I do I wish there was a power of three back then too but there wasn’t…I lost a lot before I walked away…my sister, my mother and then my father.” Parker responded with a heartbroken look across his face. “We could’ve used the charmed ones, but they were dead, and I did what I had to do.”

“And you did the right thing!” Quinn told him. “Just like becoming the charmed ones alongside Patience’s daughters would be the right thing.”

“He’s right sweetie!” Piper said after appearing out of nowhere. “We granted your wish to stay away after everything we even enlisted Paul’s son instead of you or Patience for the charmed ones because we had no clue if Patience was even alive and we wanted to respect your wishes.”

“Patience is alive?” Parker asked in shock.

“Not anymore.” Quinn reluctantly told him.

“The point is we did what you wanted us to do each time because you needed time to heal but now it’s Drake’s turn and we need you back.” Piper told Parker as she walked towards her grandson. “We have missed you so much, I have missed you so much please come back to us and let your second cousin find some peace. We’re not saying it has to be forever if you don’t want to be, but we’d really like to have you back especially me.”

“I’ve missed you Grams.” Parker admitted with tears in his eyes before Piper rushed over to hug her grandson.

“So, your telling us we have powers?” Rose asked Drake while she, Drake and Penny stood in the attic of the Halliwell Manor.

“Don’t believe him Rose this is clearly some crazy trick he’s pulling to cover up what really happened to our mother.” Penny told her sister.

“Your mother was killed by a demon simply for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and I know this won’t bring you much comfort but we vanquished the demon that killed her well more my father’s girlfriend did.” Drake revealed to them both. “We didn’t know it then, but Patty was my father and aunt’s sister who was kidnapped at birth.”

“So, now your saying our grandparents are kidnappers?” Penny snapped at the Halliwell hybrid.

“Not your adoptive grandparents no but your biological grandfather our biological grandfather was.” Drake explained to them both. “He thought he was protecting her just like my father did when he gave me up but the truth is this is a wicked world and being in the know about how truly terrible it is, is the only way to stay alive.”

“Way to go on selling the whole witch thing by the way.” Rose joked. “Although I’m still intrigued by the previously mentioned powers.”

“Yeah that’s what got me at first too.” Drake laughed at the younger Craft sister.

“We don’t have powers I mean I’ve lived my entire life without powers and so has my sister I think we’d noticed if we had powers, I mean I’m a detective and I’m good at my job.” Penny argued with him.

“If you’re good at your job then you’ll notice there’s a whole lot of unsolved cases just like your mother’s which are truly unexplainable or rather were unexplainable until I gave you the answer right now.” Drake stated.

“Okay…if we’re witches what are our powers?” Penny asked him.

“Well I have telekinesis and astral projection the later came to me later in life after I bound my white lighter side.” Parker revealed to Penny and Rose as he walked into the attic of the Halliwell Manor with Quinn quickly following behind him. “Which must mean one of you has molecular immobilization and the other has the power of premonition.”

“What exactly is molecular immobilization?” Rose asked the room. “I mean premonition is self-explanatory but…”

“It’s basically freezing molecules like objects people and things.” Drake and Penny said in unison before looking at each other awkwardly.

“Okay so if any of this is real how do we get these so-called powers?” Penny questioned.

“From what I remember being told we all just need to hold hands.” Parker told her.

“Hold up what does he mean by we all?” Drake asked Quinn.

“I may have broken a few rules to find and locate Parker with a lot of help from Raven so he could take your place as a charmed one so you could finally be free to be happy.” Quinn answered as he walked over to Drake. “I finally put you first just like you wanted me too.”

Drake had no words to respond to Quinn’s amazing kindness but he didn’t need words as he pulled Quinn in for a long and passionate kiss while Parker walked over and grabbed a hold of Penny and Pan’s hands as Drake and Quinn continued to kiss each other passionately the blue light appeared above the three new charmed ones as they look up towards it with pure awe.

“Hold up if he’s getting out of this does this mean this whole charmed thing is optional?” Penny asked Rose and Parker before being hushed by Rose.

Trinity Banks the socialite prisoner found herself sleeping in the bottom bunk having to listen to the lady on the top bunk snore away much to her frustration before beginning to attack the bed upwards and screaming in a pure fit of frustration before attempting to cover the pillow over her face only to suddenly feel the pillow pushed down on her as she began to shake viciously and try to pull the pillow off her before it was removed only for her to be left horrified to see Cole Turner stood above her in her cell holding the pillow in question.

“Who the bloody hell are you?” She shouted at him. “You almost killed me you psychopath.”

“You mean like you ordered someone to murder Pan and Paul Halliwell.” Cole replied to her.

“Oh, great your another one of the good annoying little witches.” Trinity moaned as she stood up from her bed. “Go ahead and put another sentence on top of my sentence and then I’ll just get you killed too.”

“Yeah I’m neither good nor bad.” Cole said as he grabbed Trinity by the neck and lifted her body in the air, choking the socialite. “I’m more in the grey-scale and I believe in hurting those who’ve hurt people I care about.”

Trinity’s body quickly caught fire the flames burning her quickly as she began screaming in pain before her body exploded much to Cole’s delight.

“So, where do you go from here?” Parker asked Drake as he walked into Drake’s bedroom to find him finishing packing his bag and putting it over his shoulder.

“Anywhere but here I guess I can’t thank you enough for everything you’re doing Parker.” Drake thanked him as he walked over to Lilah’s cot and picked her up. “I honestly don’t know what I would’ve done if I had to stick around here.”

“You would’ve stuck around and the got job done because that’s what we do in this family even if it breaks us.” Parker replied. “This way you can go and do whatever you want to do you get to be with your daughter and you get to try your hand at being happy.”

“Happy,” Drake laughed as he put Lilah into her pram and began clipping her in. “I don’t think I even remember what happy is.”

“I’m guessing happy starts with that hot elder who has this dork thing going for him.” Parker joked.

“He is hot in the dorkiest way possible right?” Drake agreed. “He’s an elder and although he came through for me today that was a onetime thing.”

“That kiss didn’t look like a one-time thing.” Parker told his second cousin. “It’s been a long time since somebody kissed me like that, and it was never a one-time thing when they did.”

“Boy or girl?” Drake wondered.

“I’m strictly a man only kind of man you?” Parker answered.

“I prefer the best of both worlds.” Drake replied to the newly returned Halliwell. “Are you sure you going to manage the power of three with them two? I mean Rose will probably love this life but Penny she’s going to be a hard sell probably even harder a sell than I was.”

“I’ve got this don’t worry besides I got to go out to the big bad world solo and now I’m back it’s your turn.” Parker told him as Drake placed himself behind the buggy, placing his hands on the handles. “What are you going to do about your job at Magic School?”

“I’m taking a sabbatical until I decide what me and the little one are doing next but I’m going to have a lot of fun working that out first I think Disneyland is the first thing I’m going to do.” Drake admitted to his cousin. “Then maybe travel the world a little I’ve got grandparents in Miami who are always pestering me for a visit especially since Lilah was born…as stupid as it sounds, I think I’m going to find myself.”

“That doesn’t sound stupid at all.” Parker responded with a smile. “Good luck Drake Black-Halliwell I’m sure we’ll see you again someday.”

“Yeah maybe you will goodbye cousin.” Drake replied before blinking out of sight with his daughter.

Many Years Ago

“He’s going to be alright Eve he’s going to live a great and wonderful life.” Pan told Eve as she walked out of her front door of the Halliwell Manor and sat down on the doorstep next to her demonic girlfriend. “It’s going to be hard for a while, but we’ll all get through this the knowledge of him getting to go somewhere else and be far away from all this is what will make us feel that tiniest bit less sad.”

“Yeah your right I know you are it’s just I’d love to be a part of that wonderful life of his.” Eve cried as she hugged into Pan. “I really hope he’s going to be okay.”

“He’s going to be more than okay he’s going to be truly magnificent.” Paul said as he appeared at the front door.

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villainqueen · 5 years

Text

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell - Chapter 6

V X Fem!Reader fanfiction, set after the events of Devil may Cry 5.

Prologue / Chapter 1 / Chapter 2 / Chapter 3 / Chapter 4 / Chapter 5

Ao3 [Link]

Chapter 6

Lives in eternity's sun rise

August 1st 14:20 pm

"Where do you want to search next?" V asked you as he stepped back into the corridor, where you already waited for him to join you.

"Tis could be anywhere. Pardon my impudence to lead thee on such a search. I did not intent to waste thine precious time." you answered him, at the exact moment both of you could hear loud rumbling from the other side of the hallway. It took only a few seconds for you to notice Griffon flying around the corner straight towards you.

"Are you done scouting? Have you found anything?"

"No time for that V, just run!" Griffon crowd in a panic. The reason for that was close behind him. He was followed by a demon. It had the upper body of a beautiful woman however, everything downwards her bellybutton was a completely different story. A whole pack of dogs grew out of her, loud growling with foam coming from their snouts.

"(Y/N), move!" V commanded and dragged you after him. Both of you began to run in the opposite direction and Griffon soon caught up to you; "That is Scylla, not an enemy that is easy to deal with. So, let's get outta here!"

"Oh, how wonderful! Looks like I found the one, before Abigor did, Master will be pleased!" giggled the demon with a voice of a young girl. "And there is such a handsome man too. Why don't you come to me so we can play~?"

"Yo Shakespeare, she is talkin' to ya! But word of advice here, doubt ya both have the same understanding when talkin' about playin', okay, try avoid that!"

"Thank you, I'll keep that in mind!" V answered soberly. This was not the time for joking around, Scylla was a famous demon and that also meant a dangerous one. A fight against her could be lethal, especially without being able to summon Nightmare yet. V had you by his side as well, but it was hard to tell how strong you actually were, you showed some magic attack before but you had no weapon with you. Was it enough to help him defeat such an imposing demon? Much more time to think about a strategy was not granted as the corridor came to an end you soon approached the big staircase that would lead down to the main hall.

"Got you!" Scylla laughed, now close enough behind you that you could smell the pack of dogs.

"Sir V, I propose we jump!" you yelled as the Scylla tried to tackle both of you. V without a second thought jumped over the railing, where Griffon picked him up. This caused the Scylla to crush down back to the ground floor. You also jumped and materialized projectiles made from pure light to fire towards the falling Scylla. One floor wasn't a big fall, so you safely landed back on your feet, with V coming down, right next to you.

"Looks like we have to fight this demon." V said, not amused by that prospect.

"Owie, that hurt! That is not the game I wanted to play. I'll make you pay for that!" the Scylla cried out as she got back on her several paws. This was the command for you to get in position as V summoned Shadow to join him while he recited: "The apple tree never asks the beech how he shall grow, nor the lion, the horse, how he shall take his prey."

Nevertheless, before the fight could really start, you could hear more noises coming from behind you as both of you had only seconds to avoid getting hit by a demon that broke through the wall behind you. But this was not a deliberate attack by a demon, as you figured out quickly, since Nero came through the hole in the wall right after it, to join you in the main hall. It was the devil hunter who threw the demon through the wall almost hitting you both in the process.

"Hey kiddo, be more careful where ya throw demons in the future. Imagine you hit V with that, he would've been crushed. I mean look at him, basically everything could break his bones!" Griffon lectured Nero even though it sounded more like the demon bird was throwing shade at his own master. However, both enemy demons were not dead yet and in a much less playful mood now.

"So, three against two, at least the odds are our favor." V remarked just to be scolded by Griffon; "Didn't ya mean five? Hey big kitty, did ya hear that, we do the dirty work and never get any credit. I say we form a union!"

Nero, who just catched up to you, handed you the spear he found and said: "Think that is yours. You can go all out now, I know what you are, there is no point in hiding it anymore!" With a shocked expression on your face you received your weapon back. A silent "M-my thanks…" was all you could muster. How did he figured out your true identity? Was it bluff or perhaps someone told him? Impossible, the only one who knew of it was long gone... Anyhow, you had no time to think it over, as your enemies started to attack all of you enraged.

August 1st 15:00 pm

Loud chattering from outside of his office awoke Dante from his nap. He sat at his desk, feet placed on the table and a dirty magazine covering his face. His plan was to collect his thoughts about his current investigation, but the intimidation of clerics made him tired. His planned rest should end abruptly, as the door of his office flew open and the loud talking now took place right in front of him.

"Really, prices for cabs nowadays are extortionate!" a woman complains. This was Lady a fellow Devil hunter and old friend of Dante, known as "The Walking Arsenal", due to her usage of lots of different guns, with her favorite; her rocket launcher Kalina Ann.

"Would you have rather taken a bus? Do you know what kind of people ride a bus? I’ve known demons who smell better!" answered the other person. This was Trish, a beautiful woman with the looks of Dante's mother, and a demon herself.

"Look who his finally back, my two favorite girls!" Dante murmured with no intention of removing the magazine of his face.

"Talking about bad smell…" remarked Trish while Lady just commented with an unemotional; "Oh, you're back from hell, I see." before they returned to their conversation.

"I've been through hell and no one seems to be surprised I'm back. I don't really know how I should deal with such cold heartedness!" Dante now taking the magazine off his face and started to fake sob. Which had Trish just rolling her eyes; "Dante how often did you get trapped in hell now? Four times, at least? Don't pretend like it's a big deal for you!"

"It's not like you would die or anything. You are like, like a cockroach in that regard!" Lady chimed in, leaving a compliment that sounded more like an insult in Dante's ears

"Why do you always team up against me? By the way, what were you doing with the suitcases and shopping bags?" Dante pointed now at the luggage both women were carrying into the office. Dante knew now something was up, just by the look on their faces.

"You know Dante, after we both got trapped inside some demons by YOUR BROTHER, we thought we deserve some time relaxing, you know…" Lady began speaking up.

"And you mean what, by it?"

“We just went on a wellness vacation after the last job, to a wonderful spa, you would have loved it there! The seafood buffet was to die for" Trish continued.

"And of course, we both needed some new clothes to go with it, so we went spending a bit." spoke Lady again this time in a tiny voice as if she could avoid him hearing the truth this way.

"So, just to get it right, while I'm stuck in hell you both went on vacation?" after Dante expressed his disbelief, he had a sudden revelation. He knew Trish had a habit for spending and had an expensive taste but Lady? She was one of the stingiest people he knew, why would she spend so much money, unless of course…. "Please tell me I didn't pay for any of that stuff!" Silence. Both women avoided his eye contact. Till Lady started again; "You know we were in a pretty shitty position because of what your brother did to us…"

"No, forget it, you ain't gonna get out of it that easy, guilt tripping me won't work this time!"

"Stop complaining Dante, we got you something too!" said Trish as she pulled the gaudiest looking Hawaiian shirt out of one of her shopping bags. Dante wanted to stay angry however, he kind of liked the souvenir as it fitted his taste surprisingly well, so he decided to go easy on them. Not that there was much he could do now anyway. After all he was the one owning Lady money most of the time and Trish didn't really care for what he had to say anyway, like usual.

"Okay forget it! But there is something I might need you both for. A new job but a now I guess an unpaid one."

"Unpaid work? Did the latest trip to the demon world changed you so much, you became a good Samaritan now, Dante?" Trish joked not willing to do much without payment but after their excessive maxing out of Dante's credit card, she knew that she owned him at least that.

"Nah, not really, especially not since we might have to kick some holy asses. I'll fill you in to all the details later but first I've got to call Nero. The kid is currently doing something for me, together with V and there is something I found out he might need to know."

"Wait Dante, did you say V? What's going on?" Trish asked while taking a seat on his desk.

"Later, just let me make a call first!"

August 1st 14:30 PM

Once you hold your spear Sunrise in your hands for a moment, a melancholy feeling overwhelmed you. It's been so long since you felt anything that was related to your home and even through it was impossible for you to ever return, it was a welcomed feeling, despite being a somewhat sad one. Your attention went back to the current situation, now that Nero declared to know what you truly are, there was little reason to hold back and with Sunrise in your hand, you had the means to go all out. The times imprisoned in the human world might took a toll on you, but it should suffice to assist in fighting those enemies.

“Demons, I seek not your deaths! Hurry back to your world and your lives will be spared, otherwise this will end here!” you calmly declared as you got ready for the fight.

"Spare them and miss out on giving them a good beating? I don't think so!" Nero laughed; he was not one to give demons so obviously evil the gift of mercy.

"Little girl, don't be scared, I'll only eat the guys, you'll be spared for now, Master Caim wants you alive!" Abigor answered as he moved his olive colored long limps in a convulsive fashion. Abigor was a truly disgusting demons as he resembled the human form in a weird twisted way, with limbs longer than they should be which led him to move on all fours. His head was hairless, and only had the big mouth with visible sharp tooth and little black eyes that only consisted of pupils.

"If this is thou wishest, I will grant thee this much decency."

"Quit ya chatting, Princess! Let's get to the meat and potatoes here!" crowed Griffon and started his assault on the Scylla. No one wasted any more time, so Griffon and Shadow went to deal several attacks at the demons, under the supervision of V himself. Nero, who had his fun beating up Abigor before, was quick to pick up where he left and tried to slice it limps right off with his sword. Abigor had over plans and went back into his black hole just to come out behind him for a surprise attack.

"Oh child, it won't be that easy!" it laughed.

You decided to join the fight and went in close to fight Scylla. You had not as much raw strength Nero had, but you were fast and agile, perfect to use a spear and your technique was proof that you knew how to handle it. With precise thrusts and quick changes of stances you gave Scylla a taste of what you’re capable of and together with V’s familiars you stood your ground.

"This is no fun! Stupid animals! Stupid bitch! I want to play with those handsome men, not you!" Scylla cried out as the dogs charged at you three. They couldn't reach Griffon that far in the air, yet Shadow was surrounded and in a less ideal position.

"Griffon, attack from above and I'll put some of them down!" V said as he appeared near Shadow and pierced his cane in a dog head which had a weird lilac color to it, just to bring a distant between them once again by almost teleporting a few feet back.

"Thanks V, and here I was just about to challenge her to a boxing match!" his demon familiar scoffed sarcastically. And it didn't take much for V to notice that the demons would just grow back the dog heads out of her body once one was killed.

"(Y/N) we should try a different approach. This is going nowhere!" V said to you as you summoned a light circle around yourself, that held the dogs at a distant as it would cut them as soon as came near you.

"I see, I welcome any advice you offer." you answered him as you dealt with the rabies infected dog pack. This made V think for a short moment as he observed. The dogs would grow back so how could they kill of the Scylla for good. And then it struck him, if they could attack the human shaped body at the top, it might work. Nevertheless, it would take a much stronger attack than he could offer, without Nightmare he didn't have enough raw power. Griffon and Shadow already struggled with the sheer number of dogs at the lower end of the demon.

"We should try to attack her upper body."

"So be it!" you answered V and tried to focus your attack at the woman on top. Yet, even with your fast speed, each time you came close to her a new dog would grow shielding her from your stabbing. If this was to continue you and V, with his familiars, would end up exhausted and an easy target to be finished off. Raw strength could be what you needed right at this moment. But without Nero, who was currently occupied with Abigor behind you, pummeling it through the air, you couldn’t rely on his strength to win this fight and V had no means to fill this spot either.

"Hehehe, you little bitch can't even scratch me, my puppies will tear you apart!" Scylla mocked you, which lead you to make a decision. You turned to V and spoke in an apologetic tone: "I must apologize for what thine eyes will witness, Sir V. Yet please bear with it for I have no other option left." Now you're ready to pull out your trump card. Nero already knew about you and there was no point in risking defeat now, just to keep a secret that was already discovered. With that said, you activated your own trigger, much like Nero's devil trigger you saw before, yet a devil you were not. Your skin now had a light grey color to it and your body was almost naked. On, your now taller body, you had adornments that covered all intimate areas and other places like shoulders or the sides of your body as if it would function as armor, while it still being a part of the stone like skin. Around your hand and feet, you had rings of pure light and your face was motionless. Eyes bright but without any movement, a mouth that would not open even as you spoke. However, the most outstanding feature was the six white wings that came out of your back. This form had an eerie feeling to it, not monstrous but definitively not human. Beautiful and unsettling at the same time.

V stared at you, he had a vast knowledge of demons, but you were non he could recognize. Your form did somewhat resemble one of what humans would imagine an angel to actual look like. However, much more foreign than just a human with a pair of wings.

"Sir V, pray assist me and together we shall strike down this foe!" you said with your voice distorted. This pulled V right out of his thoughts and back to the task at hand. He nodded in agreement and so you jumped and stayed in the air, as your wings now gave you the ability to fly. As Shadow and Griffon, launched another assault, distracting most of the dogs and making a path for your attack. With force your spear came down onto the main body of the Scylla, piercing through two more dog heads she grew to protect herself from the attack. This didn't work out for her and you impaled the dogs and human body with one strike.

"Impossible! Master will punish you for that!" the Scylla cried out with her last breath as you reached your hand inside her, pulling out her soul.

“You've finally shown yourself! Seems like Scylla was at least of some use!" Abigor snickered as he watched this fellow demon die.

"Hey ugly shitface, better pay attention!" said Nero using the momentum to cut off one of Abigor's long limps. It screamed out in agony as he holds its bleeding stomp there once was its arm. But before Nero could finish it off, it opened another portal to escape the situation, avoiding death.

"Next time you will be my meal, mark my words!" the demon hissed at Nero before he fled the scene.

"What a coward!" Nero growled in return and put his sword onto his back. The fight was over but it always annoyed Nero to leave without a clear-cut win.

"Yo missy, not that I wanna be noisy or anything but care to explain what’s going' on with ya? This new look freaks me out!" Griffon asked as he took a seat on your shoulder, while you went down from the fading corpse of the Scylla.

"I, this is also a form of mine..." you started to explain as you tried to avoid the eyes of the two men in fear of seeing disgust or worse on their faces.

"Guess that means, it's true what these letters claimed." Nero interrupted you by pulling out the papers from is pocket and handed them V while continuing: "You're an angel for real!"

#devil may cry #DMC #dmc vitale #V #Vitale #fanfiction #fanfic #writing #chapter 6 #dmc 5 #V x Reader #DMC V

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