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pitchsidestories · 10 months ago

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eras of us (1) II Ona Batlle x Reader

part 2 I masterlist I word count: 2981

a/n: inspired by this request, be warned it's a bit angsty but we promise it will have an happy ending in part 2. Your feedback is always appreciated.

2024

Barcelonas training had just ended and you were still breathing hard. Grabbing your water bottle, you already dreamed about taking a nice long shower and ordering some food. But you had not expected Alexia to appear in front of you, right before you wanted to leave the pitch.

Her arms were crossed in front of her chest: “Y/n, can we talk for a second?“

The seriousness in her face made you stall for a second, replaying every scene from training and searching for a mistake you made: “Yes, sure…“

She motioned for you to follow her away from the rest of the squad: “Come with me.“

“Uhm okay?“, you replied slowly, your heart beating almost as fast as it did when you were chasing after the ball.

You finally stopped on the opposite end of the field. Alexia turned towards you: “You and Ona…“

“Yeah? Did we annoy you during training?“, you grinned, all the tension immediately gone when you heard your best friends name.

The corners of Alexias mouth quirked up: “Yeah, by acting like you don’t fancy each other.“

“Excuse me, what?! We don’t fancy each other. We’ve been close friends forever.“, you explained. The smile had died on your face and was now replaced by furrowed eyebrows.

The team captain shrugged unimpressed: “Sure, keep telling yourself that.“

You shook your head as you continued: “That’s why I’d never go for her, she’s one of my best friends.“

You immediately knew something was wrong when Alexia did no reply. When you turned around, you only saw Ona running away towards the dressing room. Your warm up shirt was laying on the grass.

Your brain needed the moment but eventually made the connection. She obviously wanted to bring you the shirt and must have heard you. You cursed under your breath: “Shit.“

“I told you.“, Alexia said plainly.

Your thoughts were racing: “What?“

She shook her head with a sigh and pointed in the direction of where Ona had disappeared: “Just go after her!“

2011

They say beginnings are always the hardest. And at twelve years old, you had to agree.

Setting your first steps into Barcelonas youth academy La Masia had felt like the end of everything you knew so far. You were riddled with anxiety and awe, walking through the halls towards your new room. You could barely grasp that you were finally here but at the same time you started to ask yourself if you even wanted to be here at all.

You stopped in front of an inconspicuous looking door. Only the number on the front told you that this was the room that you would call your home from now on. You took a deep breath and knocked.

A short girl with reddish brown hair opened the door with a wide grin. Her face was covered in freckles. “Y/n, right? Hi, I’m Ona. We’ll be roommates.“

There was a warmth radiating off of her that immediately made you feel a lot calmer. With your suitcase still in hand, you smiled: “Hello, nice to meet you, Ona.“

“If you want, you can leave your stuff here and I’ll show you everything.”

You were eager to get to know the place which would be your home for the next years. Gratefully you took Ona’s offer:” Yes, let’s go.”

It turned out that your roommate was the perfect guide, she seemed to know where everything was and had a charming way to introduce you to this new place and people.

Still the vastness of the grounds was intimidating to you as the girl who grew up far away from the Catalonian capital in a village with a small population:” Wow, this is huge.”

“It’s quite cool, right?”, Ona beamed at you.

You nodded in agreement while taking a closer look at the pictures on the wall from footballers like Messi, Iniesta and Xavi who have started here where you were now:” It’s especially when one thinks about the people who came here before us.”

Before the visual history could put too much weight on your shoulders the other girl quickly changed the topic:”Do you have your schedule, already?”

“Yes, I do. Do we have things together?”, you curiously asked her before showing her the printed schedule you got at your arrival.

Happily, Ona observed: “Looks like we have a lot of classes together. And training of course.”

“Of course, what’s your position?”

“I play defense. Mostly left back.”, your roommate replied with a grin. You could immediately tell that she enjoyed what she was playing which was much to your surprise most players in your previous team didn’t like to be a defender or a goalkeeper.

“That’s cool. I usually play right back.”, you told her in an excited tone.

The brunette beamed at you:” Oh, that’s perfect.”

“Do you think they thought about that when they assigned us to be roommates?”, you thought out loud.

The fellow defender answered thoughtfully:” Possibly. They always try to put people together that might be compatible.”

“Can’t wait for the first training.”, you confessed.

“You’ll like it. The girls are really nice.”, Ona promised you with a warm smile on your lips.

Thinking about your own football history you admitted to her:” It’s my first time playing with an only girls’ team.”

“You played with boys before?”, she lifted an eyebrow in surprise.

“Yes, you didn’t think that, huh?”, you gave her a challenging look, knowing full well how you must look in your eyes with your long ponytail which was held together by a bow.

Quickly Ona waved it off:” I was just surprised.”

“Because I look too girly to kick a ball around with boys?”, you teased her.

“I didn’t say anything about that.”, she protested laughing.

“Yes, okay, you didn’t.” When you discovered a ball close to your feet, you picked it up glancing expectantly at your roommate:” Do you want to play for a bit now instead of just talking about football?”

Your first days in La Masia were filled with football and classes. All these new impressions and the tight schedule left you with little time to catch your breath. Only at night, your thoughts started racing and the heavy feeling in your chest became unbearable.

Lying awake in the dark of your room, you could not stop the tears from falling. You quietly sobbed into your pillow when you felt a weight pushing down the mattress next to you. A small hand started stroking your hair while you held your breath.

“Hey… are you okay? What’s wrong?“, Onas voice whispered close to your ear.

You quickly wiped away the tears: “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you up…“

“It’s okay. I wasn’t asleep yet anyway.“, she replied softly.

“I just miss home, my family, friends and team… They live so far from here.“, you tried to explain but the tears welled up in your eyes again.

Ona laid down next to you, pulling you close to her for a short hug: “I understand that, trust me. The first few weeks here are always hard.“

“But it gets better?“, you asked with slight hopefulness.

“It will. I promise.“, Ona nodded.

For a moment, you both wordlessly stared into the darkness, existing in each others space.

“The coaches are really tough but you were right, the girls are really nice.“, you said into the silence.

You could hear the soft smile in Onas voice when she replied: “They are. Trust me, the coaches only want the best for you. You will get used to everything.“

“What if I’m not good enough?“ When your question was met with a chuckle, you gently hit Ona on her upper arm: “Hey, don’t laugh about it.“

“I saw you play. You belong here.“, your roommate grinned.

The heavy feeling started to lift with Ona by your side. You finally had to smile now too: “If you say so.“

Ona shrugged: “Fine, don’t believe me. But I know it’s true.“

“Thank you for listening to me.“

“Do you think you can sleep now?“, Ona yawned.

“Yes, good night, Ona.“, you mumbled before the increasing drowsiness let you fall asleep with your head on Onas shoulder.

2015

You and Ona trusted each other blindly. You had become best friends over the years which made for an incredible partnership on the pitch. With one of you on each side of the defense line, you were stable parts of Barcelonas youth team. You had a league game against Levante and it was half time when Aitana came to you: “I’m jealous of Ona and you.“

“You’re jealous, Tana? You don’t need to be, you’re one of our best.“, you laughed and pulled the shorter girl into a hug.

The midfielder shook her head: “But you have such an understanding of each other. You always know who’s going to attack and who needs to hang back without talking. I love that.“

“I wish I was a part of that.”, Laia sighed.

Smiling Aitana stated:” You kind of are, Laia.”

“Laia, you’re equally as important in our line of defense.”, you reassured her.

“Yes, we need you.”, Ona padded your teammates thigh who’s face lit up after all those kind words from her team.

Closing your eyes you told Laia:” I feel like you’ll score a header in the second half, Laia.”

“We’ll see about that.”, your teammate laughed warmly.

“Trust me.”, you grinned at her.

“I do.”

Only five minutes into the second half and Aitana scored a screamer with your assist. “Oh my god, that was amazing!”, Ona jumped into your open arms, you almost fell over but could stay up with the two of you.

Her compliment made your cheeks turn red almost immediately:” Nah, Aitana’s goal was prettier.”

“Stop it and take the compliment.”, the midfielder rolled her eyes at you.

“She’s been bad at it since day one.”, your best friend blurted out with a teasing smile on her lips, clearly referring to one of your first nights at La Masia when you have doubted yourself so much it brought you to tears.

“Shut it.”, you tried to stop her from adding anything more.

But she nonchalantly responded: “It’s true.”

“Let’s keep our head in the game, chicas.”, you reminded them.

“Ugh fine.”, Ona groaned.

At the end your prediction turned out to be true, only one minute before the game was over Laia scored the winning goal.

Excited Laia gesticulated with her hands:” Have you seen my header? Thanks, Oni!”

“Nice one.”, the fellow defender remarked happily.

Meanwhile you hugged Laia from the side:” I told you so.”

At the final whistle you could see Ona walking away from your team to greet her brother who was watching the match in the stands. Grinning Joan embraced her in a hug before he said to her: “Ona, you and your roommate have a great chemistry on the pitch.”

“Thanks?”, she replied a bit confused by the tone in his voice.

“Is there more to it?”, her sibling wiggled his brows.

With an amused smile on her lips Aitana joined their conversation:” Honestly, we’ve been asking them that for forever.”

“No, that’s ridiculous.”, Ona protested giggling.

You came to her rescue, adding:” Right, we’re just friends nothing more and nothing less.”

“That would be weird.”, she thankfully pressed your hand.

“Yeah, I agree.”

“Okay, I got it.”, Joan answered.

“I don’t.” Aitana confessed.

“Aitana, stop!”, you both demanded.

The midfielder smiled innocently:” What?”

In hindsight Ona and you might could have notice that there was more to your connection, but you didn’t like when people were right because you rather proved to them that they were wrong even when those could read you better than yourself at the time.

2018

You both were 18, in a few weeks’ time you both would be 19 but it was the first time you were about to party with the adult team of Barcelona.

A lot of things had changed since your academy years, for example Ona was playing for Levante now while Aitana and you were a few of the lucky ones who were allowed to stay in the Barcelona senior squad as the club was trying to get more experienced players and let the younger ones go. But you still were best friends, and you were happy that she was in town to celebrate.

The two of you sat in the Barcelona apartment that you had recently moved in and got ready for the party.

“Can you believe it? We get to play with the adult teams now and we’re going to party with them for the first time.“, you asked while applying mascara to your eyelashes.

Ona was busy changing into a new shirt for the third time: “No. But I’m so ready for it.“

“Me too.“

Your best friend examined her outfit in the mirror and with a satisfied nod turned to you: “Are you done?“

You put on another layer of lipgloss: “Yes, I’m ready.“

“Let’s leave.“, Ona grinned while passing you your purse.

Of course, you arrived fashionably late at the party where the older players were already celebrating.

With a drink in hand, Jenni elbowed Alexia in the side: “The children arrived!“

Unimpressed, you rolled your eyes: “Not funny, Jenni.“

“Oh come on, take a joke.“, the dark-haired striker grinned.

“Maybe after a drink.“, you replied casually which caused Alexia and Jenni burst out laughing.

“Someone’s thirsty.“, Alexia teased.

“No, worries. We got you.“, Jenni smiled before leaning over the bar to order some drinks. She handed you and Ona a glass each.

You quickly took a sip: “Thanks, Jenni.“

“You’re welcome.“

Alexia held out her glass: “Cheers, you two.“

“Cheers.“, you said as you all clinked your glasses together.

You and Ona spend most part of the night talking to the other players who always made sure, you had a drink in hand. While the clock ticked closer to midnight, you started feeling the alcohol.

“Come on, Oni. Let’s dance.“, you begged and pulled on your best friends arm.

Ona who seemed a little less drunk, grimaced: “Dancing? In front of everyone?“ You took her glass and set it down on a table before pulling her towards the dance floor. Gently, you took her hands in yours: “Close your eyes, pretend it’s our room.“

“Fine.“, she sighed and followed your instruction.

You happily watched as she finally started moving to the rhythm of the music. “Better? Or still terrible?“, you laughed.

For a moment, Ona said nothing and as you followed her gaze, you realized why. A man, definitely older than you, had started dancing close behind you and kept thrusting his hips in your direction. You immediately felt panic rise in your stomach.

“It just gotten horrible.“, Ona belatedly answered your question but you could barely hear her over the rush of blood in your ears.

“Want to dance with me?“, he asked. His smile was betraying him, telling you that he did not only have dancing in mind.

You forced yourself to a stiff smile: “No, thanks.“

“What’s the problem? It’s just a dance. Or do you have a boyfriend? He doesn’t have to know.“

Surprised by his persistence and audacity, you found yourself unable to answer.

Luckily Ona stepped in and gave him a cold look: “Actually, she has a girlfriend?“

“You?“, he asked.

“Yes, Ona is my girlfriend.”, you quickly lied. To make sure the man was finally leaving you alone your best friend kissed you. The words didn’t work but that gesture thankfully did.

After the kiss you went back to the table the Barcelona girls were sitting around.

“Oh my god, girls, what if something happened and he didn’t just leave?!”, Alexia who has seen everything sounded deeply worried.

“Alexia, relax that was hot.”, Jenni grinned.

The midfielder shook her head in frustration:” This isn’t about that, Jenni. It was about their safety.”

Softly you intervened:” We’re okay, Alexia. Really.”

“I hope so.”, she grumbled.”

“The kiss.”, Aitana started.

Promptly you interrupted her:” That was just a measure to make him leave, Tana.”

You could hear her voice being filled with scepticism:” Yeah, definitely looked like that.”

“We’re just very convincing that’s all.”, Ona replied with a wink.

“Sure.”, Aitana said, clearly not believing a word she said.

“Let’s stay with us for now please.”, Alexia pleaded smiling.

Despite the incident earlier you enjoyed that night out. So much that you looked up in surprise a couple of hours later:” You’re leaving?”

“It’s late, children.”, Jenni answered amused.

Her comment made Ona blush:” We’ve not noticed.”

“Of course, you two didn’t.”, Aitana remarked giggling.

2020

“Wait, Ona you’re going to Manchester?!”, you repeated while feeling weirdly numb to the news your best friend just told you in your own appartement.

“Yeah, I’m signing the contract in a few days.”, she tried to keep her voice calm even though your reaction confused her.

“Oh. Wow.”, you muttered.

A bitter laugh escaped Ona’s mouth:” What? You’re not even excited for me?”

“No, I just hoped you would go back to Barca.”, you admitted.

She raised an eyebrow:“Why?”

“Doesn’t matter. Good luck in cold England.”, you waved it off.

“Thanks. I don’t need it. If you excuse me now, I must continue packing.”, the hurt in her voice was undeniable. You noticed that the defender was holding on to one of your sweaters which she was trying to put into her tote bag: “That’s mine, can I have it back?”

“It’s my sweater.”, Ona coldly stated.

“Whatever.”

She was already on her way to the front door but turned around glancing hopeful at you:” You’ll visit me, right.”

“We’ll see about that.”, you replied.

Much later you’d realize that you didn’t react like a best friend more like a lover who was hurt that her love was leaving for another country to find success abroad.

to be continued...

#ona batlle #woso x reader #woso imagine #woso fanfics #woso #woso community #woso one shot #alexia putellas #aitana bonmati #jenni hermoso #barca femeni #espwnt #ona batlle x reader #ona batlle imagine #barca femeni x reader

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tempo-tales · 3 months ago

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"Tell me it's you, young lady."

"Yes, it's me, Ali...no, the possible Alicia in your timeline.

Dominic, despite Alicia's new look, could recognize her perfectly, specifically, Alicia's sweet, soft gaze, being now, Tempo.

"Tell me it's you, young lady."

"Yes, it's me, Ali...no, the possible Alicia in your timeline.

"So... I traveled to the future?"

"No dear. This place exists neither past, present nor future of anyone. But it's also not impossible for you to compare it as something like that."

Yejun, who was so confused, that the rabbit-faced woman was so attractive and moreover, she would be the sensitive young girl he met a while ago.

"I don't understand. Is she Alicia? I don't think so, that irritating personality of that big woman? Is this a joke?"

"Refrain from your words, young man. The theft you performed much trouble you have caused."

As the two watchmakers argued with Tempo, Lance just stared, wistfully, especially at Tempo and Dominic.

"You know them, Lance?" asks Balan as he sees Lance's face.

"Back in my day when Balan(ce) was, Mr. Clockmaker was in my charge. He was the closest person Alicia ever had in WonderWorld. That watch that Tempo has, that was the gift the mister gave her."

"Wow, you know a lot."

"Just Alicia told me about it. And I won't forget that smile she had...and I could never give."

King Negati ducks his head, not taking his mind off his failure to sway Alicia's heart.

As the two humans argue with the lady, Dominic notices two tall, thin men.

"And you are maestros too?"-Dominic asks, stepping closer as he sees the two.

"I see you don't recognize me, my estimable Mr. Dominic Leggero."

Balan, Tempo and Yejun are impressed by the surname of the man already revealed.

Yejun approaches the watchmaker with astonishment. His admiration grew even more.

"It's you! You really are the genius of mechanics! Your contribution has served a lot to....mrfh!

"You talk a lot" Lance covers Yejun's mouth, he wants to avoid revealing more than unnecessary to the watchmaker, coming from a more delayed era.

"Lance...I guess Mr. Dominic... "Balan mutters in surprise.

Lance nods his head as he directs his gaze to the rabbit lady.

"Yes, he is the direct ancestor of Christopher Leggero, your best friend."

"Chris..." Upon hearing the name of her best friend and beloved man, a small smile tugs at the lady's lips.

"If he's my descendant, then he must have this funny index finger inward, or not?"

Tempo looks at Dominic's right hand, and remembers that both Chris and Guido, have that disfigured shape on the finger indicated by the watchmaker.

"Wow, they're definitely related."-Tempo smiles slyly.

"And he's not missing Yejun."

"ª?"

The watchmaker stares at the man.

"This boy also has that malformation. I suspected it when I first met him."

"Sir, but how are you so sure of that?"-Yenjun asks with a distrustful expression, as he felt that because of his origin, he finds it impossible his connection.

"Young man, I am sure, my intuition has never failed me." Dominic expresses very proudly.

"Emmm..." Tempo, upon hearing that word, approaches Dominic with doubts she wishes to clarify. And a slight smile leaves her lips.

"And... your intuition is also... inheritable?"

Dominic is surprised and thinks for a few seconds.

"Ummm, if my great-grandfather and aunt have it...it may be so. But she tells me that relatives who don't inherit that gift can pass it on to their descendants."

"Hehe, I understand."

"?"

"Chris has that gift too. If it wasn't for his intuition, I would have been in trouble when I was a child" A small smile appears as she remembers those moments she spent with her beloved. Her expression changes to one of sorrow and melancholy.

"Do you miss your friend, young lady?"

"Very much."

"I would love to do something for you, tell me what you need."

The maestro didn't hesitate to use that favor, so she looks at the two maestros with a determined expression.

"Balan, Lance, I ask you to please leave this place."

#tales at wonderworld #balan wonderworld oc #tempo #dominic leggero #sun yejun #story scene

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im-not-drowning-you-are · 4 months ago

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Remus “suggested” that I should do this. I personally see this as quite unprofessional.

I’m Regulus Black, if it is not obvious enough. If you call me anything else, especially my deadname, I will have Evan send Barty after you. Barty does not take transphobia nicely.

I use He/Him. If you use anything else, it’s off to Barty you go.

I am sixteen years of age, and I am a Slytherin.

I will not discuss my sexuality. It does not seem relevant.

Do not question my heritage. Nothing is wrong with it. I am, however, French. That is all I shall say.

I might occasionally use this for my poetry. If my so called “brother” interacts with my writing, I will auto-defenestrate. Do not test this. If you are not Sirius, you will likely find my poetry and ideas with #the poetry yet to be written and #the poetry of the stars

I do like to dabble with painting and many different arts from time to time. Ideas for these will most likely be under #the art yet to be done and #the art of the stars

My violin is one of my passions.

If you spell or use the wrong type of grammar, I will not hesitate to point it out.

I am not an illegal animagi. To suggest such, would be incorrect. Do not look into it.

My Acquaintances

@prongs-plural - Mon amour. Mon fiancé. Mon soleil.

@pandora-roses - She is my best friend. I do not have a lot of those, but she is one of them.

@girlinthemeadow - She is a little crazy, but I do like her.

@bat-b0y-barty - He is fine. I tolerate him more than I should. He only occasionally makes fun of me, so he’s perfectly fine.

@evans-roses - He is considerably better than Barty. Do I occasionally want to throw myself into the lake because of them both, maybe, but he is better. I murdered his relationship, though. I don’t deserve him.

@redwearingred - She is better than most, and is really nice to read literature with.

@everyhouseishaunted - He is a great person to read pieces of literature with.

@siriusly-loves-the-moon - If you see him, run. Or he will. Depends on who you are in relation to him.

@marlene-mckickin - I do not know he well enough beyond her friendship to Lily and the fact that she is dating Dorcas.

@go-lonedove-xo - He is the book man. Pandora seems to enjoy his company. I killed him.

- I do not interact with him much, so I cannot say.

@mary-mary-not-contrary - She dislikes my brother, which is always a positive.

@dumb-german-boy - He is in my brother’s so called “boy band.”

@frank-n-bottom - I barely know him.

@alice-the-fortescue - I barely know her.

@paintsandpencils - She is friend of Remus.

@euphemia-effie-potter - Mrs. Potter. She is the mother of my fiancé.

@narc1ssa-bl4ck - Je jure que si tu gâches ma vie, je vais foutre la tienne en l’air.

@bella-donna-black - Je la déteste. Je la déteste. Je la déteste.

@beetlethebards-second-coming - Elle me fait du mal. Elle me fait du mal. Elle me fait du mal.

Playlists with my friends and others are located below.

If you want to join, just ask @bralnwashed or myself (or literally anyone. Someone can get you in touch)

I do have a life, so I won’t be active 24/7

My regular account is @the1970sdeadgaywizard-regulus

I write things there

I use he/him most often, but literally anything is fine

My name is Regulus (wow, inception)

I DO NOT MEAN TO BE RUDE WHEN GRAMMAR POLICING, IT JUST MAKES SENSE

If there is anything that I end up reblogging here that makes no sense, chances are I was stupid and didn’t switch over accounts

I do not normally speak like a sickly Victorian child. These few sentences, however, do seem to prove otherwise. That could quite possibly just be an issue that only occurs to me.

Do I curse? Idk. We’ll see as time passes (I do when I deem it necessary or in character)

I don’t support JKR. Also, basic stuff, if you are a jerk, you will be blocked. I don’t take hate. Constructive criticism, sure, but hate of people who have done no harm, heck no.

I do actually love the arts and play violin.

I am a Slytherin.

I use passive aggressive periods for the heck of it. It seems very Reg.

Any French that I may use will probably be translated. I will check a few times using different things, though.

#marauders roleplay #marauders rp #regulus black roleplay #regulus black rp #jegulus rp #jegulus roleplay #the poetry yet to be written #the poetry of the stars #the art yet to be done #the art of the stars #Spotify

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eliotquillon · 3 months ago

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alex rider for the ask game :3

my favourite female character:

wow there’s just so many women in this series i can’t possibly choose! jk lmao.

for me it is sabina. my diva, my queen, the only character to consistently call alex on his shit and point out that for all his protests he keeps agreeing to do ‘one more mission’….i will never understand why people hate her (other than misogyny lmfao). i will forever be mad about that weird era of crocodile tears—never say die where ahorz turned her into a bit of a wet wipe because skeleton key/eagle strike sabina is so funny and headstrong and willing to give as good as she gets. i think she is one of the most realistic characters in the series (pun name aside) and her refusing to believe alex in eagle strike doesn’t make her evil or a fake friend…it makes her a teenage girl who was being gaslit by an intelligence agency. from sabina’s perspective the story is basically a horror movie: her best friend is being blackmailed and forced into putting his life at risk over and over, and there’s nothing she can do. there was never anything she could do. he chose danger and adventure over wanting to stay safe with her and her family and there was never any point in trying to change his mind because he is always going to be a little bit out of reach. i love her, and i think she balances alex out so well. forever mad that the tv adaptation didn’t have the foresight to realise that introducing kyra (who i love btw don’t get it twisted) and keeping her as a series regular was going to create some balancing issues with sabina, so they just turned tv sabina into a spineless caricature of all her worst traits because they didn’t need to worry about making her likeable like they did with kyra. book sabina i will love you forever.

my favourite male character:

am i allowed to say ‘the ghost of john rider that is perpetually haunting the narrative’. because to be clear it is the ghost of john rider that is perpetually haunting the narrative.

in all seriousness this is so difficult…i genuinely do love whatever the fuck is going on with the unreliable portrait of john that gets drawn throughout the series, but given that his only real appearance is in russian roulette (a book so filled with continuity errors/unreliable narration that for my own sanity i HAVE to assume that yassen is deliberately lying in at least parts of it) i don’t know if he sincerely counts as a ‘character’. although for what it’s worth i do fundamentally think that whoever john really was, he wasn’t a cut and dry ‘good person’ like we keep being TOLD to believe (too much contradiction going on with him for that).

it’s probably either general sarov OR alex himself. general sarov is cut and dry my favourite villain, is in my favourite book, and i could talk about his decision to shoot himself instead of alex (when sarov was 100% on the edge of victory!) forever. he’s such a tragic figure and i always find myself wishing that we’d gotten more villains like him…characters who genuinely weren’t cut-and-dry evil, whose motivations were actually kind of reasonable apart from the fact that the endgame/means to get to it were all wrong. but since i’m probably gonna talk a lot about skeleton key anyway i’ll put a pin in that. ALEX in the meantime…i love him so much. i love his smug one-liners, i love his fits of bad temper, i love that he never does what he’s told. and i also love how wistful he is. there’s a lot of moments, especially in the earlier books, where it’s clear that alex was actually already pretty fucked up from the simple fact of not knowing his parents. he’s been grappling with that big gnawing question of ‘who am i, really’ for a long time. he has so much guilt and shame. killing is for grown-ups and he’s still a child. i never really got into any of the other ‘teen spy’ novels when i was a kid and i think the reason why i latched onto alex rider specifically is because he is such a good protagonist. as an adult he is still so interesting because it becomes so much clearer how scared and insecure he is a lot of the time. i love him.

my favourite book/season/etc:

my fave season of the show is s1 fyi. ANYWAY.

as previously mentioned my fave book in the series is skeleton key. it is so many things. it’s a coming of age story. it’s a reverse whodunnit. it’s a story about grief. it is so, so uniquely of its time. alex continuously tries and fails at playing happy families (the pleasures, troy and turner, sarov) and never quite hits any of the right notes in any of them because he doesn’t know what it would look like. sarov would rather burn the world than admit that he sent his son to die in a useless proxy war and that it was his fault. it is the last book that was published before the war on terror started in earnest. i know it doesn’t really add to any of the overarcing stuff going on (no scorpia and no rider family drama) and nor does it have many of the other popular elements of the series (again, no scorpia and no rider family, but also no k-unit, no yassen, no julius, barely any whump, alex is basically beaten fair and square by sarov at every term) so i know this is probably an unpopular opinion. but there’s something so gentle about it. it’s so heartbreaking. it’s the point of no return - this is the first time alex chooses to do mi6 a favour instead of strictly being blackmailed into it. sarov killing himself even though he’s on the precipice of victory just because alex has made it explicitly clear that he will never be his son, that he can’t ever really turn back the clock, just fucking guts me. i don’t think this is necessarily the best-constructed book in the series (scorpia is, objectively, the best IMO), but it is my favourite.

also the american edition is totally different to every other edition and features a completely different version of the cia scenes, primarily to make the special agents more sympathetic and less like they fucking hate a child. which is just so cool. i mean the censorship stuff isn’t cool but the difference in editions is fascinating.

my fave episode (if it’s a tv show):

i can’t remember if it’s ep7 or 8 of season 3 but the tv show’s take on what happened at albert bridge. that episode. it was so, so good. i cannot imagine a better way to film it. i loved the interspersing of present with past and they cast john rider SO fucking well. i have a lot of mixed feelings about season 3 (i thought the decision to veer right back into being very book accurate after doing a pretty good job of making it explicitly clear that this was a retelling/its own distinct spin was…confusing) but that episode was perfect. i also really like s1ep8 (because i’m obsessed with kyra).

my fave cast member:

if we’re talking about the show again: marli siu as kyra. she is so fucking cool. and also adding kyra to the show, for all it opened up a can of worms, was the best thing guy burt ever did. i adore kyra so much.

if we’re using cast member to mean ‘recurring main character who isn’t one of my two named favourites’: i have a bit of a soft spot for crawley. i have no idea why, but something about him consistently being described as looking like a second-rate private school teacher forever tickles me. he’s just some guy but he cracks me up for some reason.

my favourite ship:

across the whole AR multiverse of madness, it is probably alex/kyra. i blame them for my sudden het ship renaissance tbh. i was rooting for them like i have never rooted for any heterosexual couple before (although arguably neither of them are het LOL). i think i fainted when they finally kissed in s3.

but if we’re doing book-only (since most of my answers have skewed that way)…hmm. i think i will have a forever fondness for sabina and alex’s invisible string thing they have going on. not friends not lovers but a secret third thing. i also like the toxic yaoi of john/yassen a lot because the fuck is going on THERE. i don’t fuck with alex/yassen because it personally icks me, but like i very much see the vision of yassen recreating the dynamic he had with john but with alex (and the roles reversed). john/yassen most toxic mentorship of all time spread the word.

a character i’d die defending:

sabina pleasure lol. i have in fact made some very snippy posts in the past because like…listen. obviously you are allowed to dislike her. you can dislike any character for any reason. but she has been DISPROPORTIONATELY hated on by the AR fandom. it is pure misogyny. her existence is not ‘getting in the way’ of making any other alex ship canon because sabina/alex isn’t even canon! claiming you dislike her because of ahorz’s bad/inconsistent writing is fair but you cannot say that and then, at the same time, praise the likes of ben daniels (whose identity has been swapped multiple times as a result of bad writing) as your fave character. she reacts badly to the truth in eagle strike but this was not her fault! she was being gaslit! if alex forgave her then i think maybe the fandom can let this go! she is one of the only shreds of normality left in his life and one of her chief functions is to call out alex’s shit and serve as a reality check to him. she did nothing wrong for REAL!!

a character i just can’t sympathise with:

i think it goes without saying that we’re not really meant to sympathise with a lot of these characters, so let me be controversial: mrs jones!!!!

like listen. i’m sorry to hear your kids got kidnapped yeah i actually am like obviously i’m gonna be upset about that innit yeah and tulip you know the only thing is yeah is that no-one can force me to be your mate or anything yeah and i don’t want to be mates wiv you alright? i know mrs jones is meant to be the ‘softer’ option to blunt. i know we are meant to believe, especially in the reboots, that she is better than him. but she isn’t. she talks a big game about how making alex work for them is wrong and that she’s against it, but she is never willing to put her money where her mouth is. she’s the one to goad alex into going to cairo in scorpia rising. in a lot of ways, i think her softer coating makes her a lot more insidious than blunt. this is one of the reasons i kind of went off the tv show towards the end: they made show!jones WAY too nice and sympathetic, and that’s just not who she is.

and don’t get it twisted: i think she’s fascinating. i love her character and her different faces are so, so interesting in a series that tends to stick women in the whore or mother box respectively. but i do not sympathise with her. i like her character, but i don’t like HER.

a character i grew to love:

am i allowed to say sabina again. because it is, genuinely, sabina. it took me YEARS to come around on her and then when i finally did it it was so worth it. but maybe i can’t say sabina for three different answers LOL.

this is genuinely a difficult question because there are a lot of characters in this series that i don’t LIKE but i LOVE in the sense that i find them interesting. i think jack has genuinely grown on me over the years, mostly as a result of the secret weapon short stories. it didn’t seem like it when i first read the series as a kid, but she’s so young, and she is functionally helpless—she wants to look after alex, but she’s an illegal immigrant with no blood relation to him, who at best is another way for mi6 to exploit him and at worst is a way for scorpia to exploit him. i have a lot more sympathy and respect for her now. and on a similar (yet wildly different) note: i hate ian rider, but he has slowly grown into the alex rider character i think about the most. what the fuck was up with him. what was up with him and john. did he know what he was doing when he raised alex to be a child soldier? is there a reason why yassen killed him but spared alex despite both of them being john’s blood relatives? i’m just so!!!

my anti otp:

sorry guys…it is yalex, i’m afraid. like i said: i can see the vision, but i can’t personally get past them meeting when alex is 14 and yassen is in his 30s. even in aus where they meet as adults i still get squicked out. honestly wish i could get over my aversion to it (at least a little) because i have read some FANTASTIC fics that had background yalex rumblings and i’m almost definitely depriving myself of a bunch of amazing fic by not really being willing to read anything where they’re at the forefront, but it’s just not for me ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

#alex rider #asks #sabina pleasure #this was so fun. thank you #alex rider tv

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genericpuff · 11 months ago

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Hello, I am a huge fan of your work and I’ve been following you for a while! I am a gay Greek student at the History & Mythology department from Aristotle University. I had to do a lot of research and homework regarding certain subjects and one of them was Κρόκος (Krokos/Crocus). Crocus was in fact in love with a nymph named Smilax, but was never, in any valid story, involved with Hermes romantically. Contrary to popular belief, homosexuality was something that was condemned in the majority of most city-states of ancient Greece, especially Athens. In fact, they even had the derogatory term for gay people “kinaidos” (κίναιδος) and they were banned from participating in politics, banned from the Olympics, banned from participating in the war, banned from being priests and in worse cases, they were sentenced to death. :( “Αν τις Αθηναίος εταιρήση, με έξεστω αυτω των εννέα αρχόντων γενέσθαι, μηδέ ιερωσύνην ιερώσασθαι, μηδέ συνδικήσαι τω δήμω, μηδέ αρχήν αρχέτω μηδεμιάν, μήτε ενδημον, μήτε υπερόριον, μήτε κληρωτήν, μήτε χειροτονητήν, μηδέ επικυρήκειαν αποστελλέσθω, μηδέ γνώμην λεγέτω, μηδέ εις τα δημοτελή ιερά εισίτω, μηδέ εν ταις κοιναίς σταφονοφορίες σταφανούσθω, μηδέ εντός των της αγοράς περιρραντηριων πορευέσθω.

Εάν δε ταύτα τις ποιή,καταγνωσθέντως αυτού εταιρείν, θανάτω ζημιούσθω.” Translation: “If an Athenean performs this, he will not be allowed to become member of the 9 lords, he will not be able to become a priest, he will not be able to become an advocate of the people, he will have no authority inside or outside of Athens, he cannot become a war preacher, he will not be able to express his opinion, he will not be allowed to enter the sacred public temples, he will not be able to take walks happening in Agora. If he ignores any of these laws he will be sentenced to death.” - Solon Laws in book 5, chapter 5

Also, the term “Pederastry” actually meant “Mentoship” and it had nothing to do with sexual relationship between a male teacher and a male student. Many of the homosexual depictions regarding historical and mythological figures are created in modern times without any evidence to back it up. For instance, Achilles and Patroclus are often assumed to be lovers in modern media when in all actuality they were just cousins. Patroclus’ father Μενοίτιος (Menoetius) and Achilles’ father Πηλέας (Peleus) were brothers.

Alexander the Great was never in a relationship with his best friend Hephaestion as there’s no evidence to back it up besides him telling him his secrets and mourning his death.

The only historical figure that could be a legit bisexual was Sappho from the island Lesbos (which is why Greece now calls the island “Mytelene” to avoid any association with lesbians, despite it being the name of one of the cities there). She was accused of being a promiscuous woman who was sleeping with many men and that she was a woman-lover due to her poems, but this is still up to debate to this day.

The worst of all is that most pictures involving homosexual activity used as evidence to prove queerness have been modern remakes of an ancient artifacts depicting heterosexuality (or even the rape of women). Eros Kalos is responsible for many of these “queer copies”.

This deeply saddens me as I am a homosexual myself, but I don’t think Ancient Greece deserves credit for being “open-minded” on the subject knowing that they would treat me badly if I was born in my country in that era. I don’t feel comfortable with people trying to prove that it was gay when that’s not true at all. Anyway, I am very happy that artists like you exist and make their own fictional versions of the characters in ways that feel comfortable for us to look at. Stay amazing. <3

Wow, this was a super interesting read !!! Thanks for all the helpful info :3 It's sometimes difficult to discern what "love" between gods and mortals means in the translated texts, as sometimes it can mean romantic/sexual love, and other times it just means godly love, i.e. mortals who were "chosen" by gods to be their patrons (so just having a very strong spiritual connection in the same way the Christian God "loves his children") and I feel like sometimes those two things become conflated a lot in discussion around those stories, but that's why it's always important to listen to other interpretations and translations to try and get the most accurate recounting possible.

Mind you, I am not Greek so take ALL of my opinions on this topic with OLYMPUS-SIZED-MOUNTAINS OF SALT LOL

I actually had no idea about the Alexander the Great x Hephaestion thing, and upon searching it up, it brought up articles about a Netflix production? Would I be wrong in assuming that's what motivated you to clarify on that ? 😆 (or is it just a common sentiment these days? genuinely asking haha I'm not so sharp on my Alexander the Great lore these days 😔🤡)

I absolutely agree that Greece itself isn't exactly a pillar of LGBTQ+ representation or rights (it is, after all, predominantly Orthodox Christian and they just legalized gay marriage in this, the year of our suffering 2024) and it's important not to put on blinders or use our connection to the gods and myths to erase what's going on historically. It's certainly not a magical imperfect wonderland - no culture or country is - and the more people are aware of that, the more they can become aware of ongoing issues and fight for things like equal rights (as they should!) so they can move towards positive change.

I think there's definitely lots to be said about the fandomification of Greek myth as well, where a lot of people take fun in the cute / funny / easy-to-headcanon parts of the myths without recognizing where they come from, why they were written, and who they were written for. It's easy to be a non-Greek person consuming and engaging with all the fun parts of the myths, because we get the privilege of being outsiders looking in who can interpret the myths in our own way free of consequences or the reality of the culture these myths are from. And I say that as someone who's not Greek and absolutely falls into that camp! Some of us use that privilege responsibly, others... not so much. And again, that's something that can happen with any culture (though I can definitely name a handful that have become notorious for how fandomified they've become through pop culture cough Japan cough Korea cough Canada, yes I fucking said Canada-)

That said, as with any culture that becomes more popularized with people outside of it, as much as that can lead to harm and misrepresentation in many ways, it can also lead to a lot of joy and appreciation. I'm glad that so many people have found themselves in the myths and find their hope through them and reclaim their power through them even if they've had a messy history. I see this sort of reclamation thriving in Christian mythology as well, through those who want to reclaim the beauty of many of its stories and messages and express the joy and love and compassion in them, rather than using them for hate and discrimination as they're so commonly and systematically used. In that way I think you can easily have adaptions that aren't historically accurate, but are more reflective of the culture and hopes and dreams of the people who are retelling them in the modern day. I think it's important to keep both in mind.

IMO it's one of those "if we don't find joy in it and use it to spread love to others, that means the bigots get to use it for harm" type things, if that makes sense :'0 But that doesn't mean we should pretend like history never happened, because in doing so, we're doomed to repeat it. We should always do our best to respect where these stories came from, and do more to learn about them when we get the opportunity to do so, because not doing so is how we end up with adaptions and "retellings" that are so far removed from the source material - but still ingrain themselves so seriously without a shred of transparency - that they almost become erasure in and of themselves. As I say a lot here, balance is key, and we should always be making efforts to learn ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～ ♡

#idk if any of this was actually worded well it's like 3 AM here lmao #ama #ask me anything #anon ama #anon ask me anything

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whateverisbeautiful · 1 year ago

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♥️ Ranking Richonne

#29: Never Seen Your Face Like That (S5E12)

I love that Rick and Michonne low-key tell on themselves in this scene lol. I can’t help but smile and laugh when watching this exchange cuz the attraction between them is BLATANT. Let me tell you, these two find each other hot and it’s clear as day lol. And it’s cute seeing them both try to be casual with it but not being able to resist reacting to each other with obvious attraction. Their pre-canon era was a time. 😋 It’s like this dance to keep things appearing 'platonic,' when they’re clearly feeling so much more...

At the start of the scene we see all of tf in this quiet moment, and then we hear Michonne’s satisfied sigh as she joins her family with a refreshed smile. Interestingly, she does not seem to be getting red flags about ASZ, whereas others are more on edge - which is understandable for them but also goes to show why Michonne’s gut instinct can always be trusted.

She asks how long she was in there for - and it seems rhetorical, but my sweet man Rick is going to tell on himself by giving an exact answer lol. I love that he’s the one to respond and that he doesn’t just say “a while” or a general answer. No - this man says “20 minutes.” She’s on his radar always. And it’s cute that this scene between them starts with talk of toothbrushes because we know how much "dental hygiene" will bless us in season 6. 😏

Michonne says she couldn’t stop brushing as Rick walks into frame, which I’ve always found cute cuz he knows this is the big reveal where she gets to see his clean-shaven face for the first time, especially after her whole “your face is losing the war” comments from s4.

I love that Sis literally has to pause as she notices his face. Who can blame her? And I always really appreciate that Rick actually let’s the moment breathe for a sec as she takes in his new look. We see later how he reacts when Deanna notices his face and says 'wow.' He’s much more dismissive or not wanting that attention on him - but with Michonne, he seems in a bashful way to really want her to see him and to like what she sees as he positions himself in better lighting with a slight smile.

And Michonne most definitely likes what she sees. Y’all, the way she is looking at him - He’s fine fine to her. Like I've said before, from both of them, even during their best friends phase it was always giving 'that’s my hot best friend,' make no mistake.

Michonne says this 'huh' that almost seems to slip out before her mind can filter, and that 'huh' suggests she certainly has some positive thoughts on Rick's new look.

I will forever love the way Danai delivers the line, “I’ve never, I’ve never seen your face like that.” It has that dash of smitten flirtiness that is just so adorable. And Michonne’s smile. 😊 The best. Her face says it all. It makes it loud and clear that she likes his new look a lot, and I love that she also vocally reacts to it.

Even just the pause between saying she’s never, she’s never seen his face like that. He got her a little flustered, and I’m here for it. No one but Rick Grimes is getting Michonne, queen of composure, smitten like this. 😋

And then Rick says how he felt the same way before and after as he walks in her direction and I think tries to idk play off all the attraction that’s being emitted from the two of them, but like it can’t ever be denied or downplayed.

(Side note: I know some of tf had to be up in this living room seeing Rick and Michonne reacting to each other like this and thinking...

And I just like that it’s clear what Michonne thinks of his face matters to him. Everything about her and what she thinks matters to Rick, as not just his bestie but as something more too.

(Also, tell me it's not just me who will see pre-canon scenes like this one and just stop to take a moment to marvel at the fact that these two went on to have a baby together. It never fails to bring me joy. 🤗)

And what Rick thinks also matters to Michonne, cuz she stops him and tells him she gets why they’re playing it safe and “we should,” which lets you know that no matter how much she wants this place to work, she’s with Rick first and foremost. But she has a good feeling about this place, because Michonne is always right. And considering this place will be where she and him finally have room to build a home, rediscover their humanity, enjoy their romance, and expand their family - she was definitely right to have a good feeling about this place. 👌🏽

Rick responds saying he hopes Michonne is right, which again cements how a huge reason all of them are even at ASZ is because Rick wanted to give Michonne’s way a chance. He’s still in many ways going off of her gut over his own, and I love that he trusts her that much to do that and wants her to be right. That’s a special influence reserved just for her. And Michonne responds "yeah, me too" cuz she also knows how it was her push to go here that led them here.

Watching this whole scene back - this is such a couple-y moment between them. If you would have told me this was post-canon I’d believe you because this whole scene was giving couple. Like every second was saying...

The Deanna moment comes directly after this scene between Rick and Michonne and it’s this immediate contrast between how Rick reacts to Michonne noticing his face and the groan he gives Deanna when she notices.

I also like that Deanna drops her first hint that she’s a Richonner when she tells Rick she’s given him a job she just hasn’t told him yet, “same with Michonne.” As I've said before, I’ll always love how Deanna, renowned for getting a good read on people, immediately saw the similarities and partnership of Rick and Michonne and paired them together in the same job. She knew they go together. (Also the scene ends with Deanna telling Rick he looks good, which again is another sign she has good judgment lol. 💁🏽‍♀️)

I love how often Richonne would have these Richonne bubble moments in front of all tf in s5. Like it occurs quite a bit cuz they can’t help it. And this is one of those pre-canon scenes where you just know these two are destined to become a couple. Because Rick and Michonne love and trust each other, but also really want and desire each other too. 😌

#richonne #top 30 #number 29 #rick x michonne #reveling in richonne #twd 5.12 #twd towl #the ones who live

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zoobus · 28 days ago

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Genuinely quite taken aback by your perspective on Ellen (nosferatu) considering your usual viewpoints. Yeah, she's kind of annoying and unreasonable and overemotional. People with severe mental illness tend to be! Sometimes people act like that and can't really help it and still deserve to be held close

I know! I knoooowwww!!! You don't know the inner battle I've been fighting for the past week over her! Ellen, the realistically mentally unwell woman who has a bit more on her plate than depranxiety! Ellen who responds to her trauma unglamorously, obnoxiously, in ways that don't make you want to soothe and protect her! Ellen who is selfish and pathetic and even vile, yet still loved!

That scene where she demands to know why a Friedrich doesn't like her? I could honestly say it made me mad in a good way. What a self-centered, wretched question, delivered at the worst possible moment. It's the exact kind of question someone with her neuroses and impaired emotional control would ask. Her best friend is dying and the only person who loves her as much as she loathes her - how could she bear it?

You're right that my opinion contrasts with my usual one. I noticed it too. There's a lot I cut out of my review and all of it was a boring back and forth with myself about why I didn't like a character I think I should have loved. Maybe it's the passiveness and how little she seemed to affect the plot, despite being the crux of it?

Maybe it's because I didn't find the ostensible misogyny as compelling as everyone else (specifically in her getting gassed and tied during her seizures - I didn't think "wow, this is what they do to women who inconvenience them," I thought "this is probably how they did medicine back in the 1800s, weird that Dafoe is making a big deal out of it"). To me, Ellen came across as one specific woman dealt a weird hand rather than representative of how fucked women had it in that era. Maybe it was the misogynist undertones that put women, especially Ellen, the supernatural, "animalistic nature" or whatever they called it in one basket, while placing man, reason, and science in another - actually, not maybe, this is never palatable to me, even if you think you're subverting expectations by making the spiritual real.

But most likely it was because I found all her scenes unenjoyable, which means I found a minimum of 1/3 to 1/2 of the movie unenjoyable.

#Nosferatu 2024 #There are films that aren't necessarily meant to be 'enjoyable' but I don't think this was one

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deadpool15 · 1 year ago

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My girl

Watching her sit there and dance now, that was amazing. I mean, I love to see my girl dance, especially since I know it took her a lot of courage to battle someone like Kristen. She was known in the dance world, and when she went up their you could see it in everyone's eyes. Curiosity yet excitement, though no one wished to take one that level themselves, so when she stood up and looked at us, I knew at that moment I would be happy no matter what. Bada was always cheering us on throughout the entire competition she was on our side. Even when I told her I had a thing for her little sister Yaya. She was our youngest member on the BEBE crew, and now everyone saw the skill and wanted her to join, but she didn't. "You're an amazing dancer, Yaya, and you would be a great addition to the crew. When have I ever been wrong about something like this," we watched Bada sit there trying to compromise with her younger sister, who before today we had no idea she had. "You're my big sister. You're supposed to say that. Can you imagine what it will be like. At times like this, I'm grateful we don't look alike, I'll be known as the downgrade Lee sister."

After some time, we managed to get her on the crew, even getting her to become my girlfriend with the help of her older sister, of course. Getting her listening to the comments of our crew was tough, like we knew that everyone was gonna put on a facade for the show but like wow they were either very good at it or just shit talking for fun. Then, when we heard the comments about Yaya, all hell broke loose.

Biggy- So it seems we have more then a two international teams?

Nob- But she is on team BEBE, so probably just another one of Bada's lost cause of a student.

Redlic- Yes, I remember her she took one of my classes before she isn't the best. It was actually sad to watch.

Redy- She is Bada's younger sister, I remember seeing her when she was a lot younger during our Cupcakes era.

Halo- I would hate to be her. Imagine living in someone's shadow your entire life.

I looked over and was pissed how dare they say that about my fucking girl. She is more talented than any of these wannabes. "That's bullshit and they know it," we were all shocked by Badas' words. Never had she been so ill tempted to swear on camera. We sat down comforting Yaya. She has always been the sensitive type. "Hey, bubbs, don't listen to even of them, ok? You have more talent in your left thumb than they have in their entire bodies." I tell her, smiling while grabbing her body to bring her closer to me. The rest of the team starts nodding their heads, agreeing with me. Everyone else comes down with LADYBOUNCE glaring at us like we were supposed to be scared or gi e a shit.

Back to where we were, the dance battle with Kristen was normal, giving us your average thrill and suspense until it started getting sexual. Now I know how people think when they see Yaya, shit I think like that when I see her. Kristen was giving her the bedroom eyes, my fucking girl. Everyone was sealed once Yaya gained a burst of confidence and decided to throw her ass back against Kristen. Now, any other time one would say a great battler plays along with thie opponents, dancing with them to throw them off their game, it's something I've learned in freestyle. Now, when I see people do it, I praise them for having good battle techniques, but as soon as Kristen started angling her hips to catch some ass I was done. The battle was over. Well, there was, and it seemed like my mine had just begun.

Before I knew it Kristen started becoming closer, I mean Jam Republic as a whole was cool and buddies with us but none of them shared such a distinct interest in a short, ebony beautiful young lady that happened to me my fucking girl. Getting her number to hand out was cool, I'm not overly possessive, so I was fine with that. Going shopping and eating together was ok, but clubbing was just a fucking no no. This leads us to this moment. "Baby, I love you so much, ok. And I trust you wholeheartedly. But you're not going to club with Kristen." I say while holding her waist, causing her smile to drop and back up from me. "Why, not?" I truly do love my baby, but she was so oblivious that sometimes anyone could see that girl wanted her except of course herself. "Baby, she has been trying to get with you for months, and I know she is your friend, and you see her as one, but she definitely wants fuck you ok. Anyone can see it. Especially in that dress I mean I would wanna fuck you too." She smiled for a moment before remembering the situation and there it goes the argument had begin.

"You have always had some time against her from day one when she is just trying to be nice. She is my friend, and I don't say shit about any of your friends that you have out with when you wanna go dance and drink." I was sitting on the bed staring at her. She looked so beautiful in that dress, but it left nothing to the imagination. Her ass was literally hanging out, and it was hard to focus on the right things. "First of all, watch your mouth. You know I don't like the swearing, and second I don't exactly have anything against Kristen, I'm pretty sure she is a nice person when she isn't trying to get into other people's girlfriends pants baby," she rolls her eyes at me before sucking her teeth and then going to the bathroom. "OK, I'm being patient with your baby, and I completely understand you're upset. You got all pretty, and you can't go out, so how about we go do something, huh? Go on a date." I tell her to try to ease the attitude she is having now before I blow up on her. "First of all, fuck you. I'm not going anywhere with you, and second, I'm a grown ass woman. I can swear when I want to, especially when my girlfriend feels like being annoying, ok?" I clenched my jaw before yanking her towards me and shoving her on the bed. "Can't be fucking nice to you can I? You wanna go out and be pretty for your little friend ok. Let's make you look all pretty for her."

And that's how we ended up in this position, with her face down ass up as I shoved my strap into her back to back. I had pressed the record button on my phone a while ago, getting the idea of sending Kristen a little message to make shit clear. "Aww, come on, baby, your camera shy now. You usually love the camera. Love sha-aking your ass on people and all that stuff, don't you. Look at the fucking camera little girl." She glazes up through her lashes, looking so fucking ruined. Just how I like her. Eyes rolling to the back of her head after coming for the fourth time tonight. "Tired baby?" She moans out voice only able to produce moans at this point, she was all fucked out. But I had a point to prove. "How about you tell our little friend here who you belong to, baby?" I smirk, watching her start to scratch the pillows up again, gasping for her. Pushing into her slowly now while rubbing clit. Pussy all swollen, and dripping from the previous times she came. "Can you do it, baby, since you are so grown. Remember that?"

She started whining for me to go faster until I looked to up and seeing Kristen texted her. "Would you look at that baby, your little admirer misses you. I wonder where you are and why you're so busy." I make sure to thrust faster after each word. Her cries can be heard all the way outside the room. "S-soo.... s-sorry....pls." I smile at that, "Are you baby. Ready to be my little obedient girl again, aren't you. Just tell me who you belong to." She tries to hide in my neck away from the camera before yelling out. "M-Minah... Belong to Minah. All yours." I push myself up while grabbing her hips to thrust faster and play with her beautiful tits. I lean over, kissing her cheek before shoving my tongue in her mouth. "That's right, baby, my girl." By the time I was done with her, she forgot all about her plans with Kristen, we lay in bed cuddling while watching a movie, then I looked at the phone and sent the video to her, gotta make sure she understands. "All mine."

(Request by @itstherenaissance)

#street woman fighter 2 #swf2 #minah lee #team bebe #mina lee x reader

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mwexodusofficial · 12 days ago

Text

Chapter XXII: Duty

(Music: "Snowman", by Sia)

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"What the hell are they putting on? It's the 31st of December. Fools."

The Magna Victoria descended well into the night, and its attendees grew more plastered as time went on- it became obvious once the music playing serene mixtures of classical and future melodies was hijacked by some random saboteur and Christmas music was played. The terrible duty of sobriety was passed from diplomats and nobility onto their unfortunate entourages, watching them enjoy this occasion with withering eyes. It was at this point that many individuals started growing a little 'goofy'- put simply.

The first major shenanigans were a hundreds-person-long conga line that passed through the hallways, joined by random passersby, some occasionally dipping out to enjoy other amusements. The second was a competitive drinking contest that started with a challenge between a foreign warlord and a Canari Martial Commander, ending in a synchronized macarena. People with unfathomable amounts of power and wealth were, simultaneously and most of the time, the same people who knew best how to throw the craziest, memory-making parties- especially when funding was not a concern.

The third shenanigan was Hawkes anticipating several high-end business magnates and nobility, both domestic and foreign, who would drink themselves into the confidence necessary to try and attempt persuasion on Captain Hawkes.

"Lord Hawkesshhh, how grandiose you look this evening! I can't believe they finally found those antique recordings!"

And here was the first one. Hawkes, who'd been previously sipping casually on a goblet of wine and admiring Curly and Anya from afar, groaned softly as a young-faced pale-skinned noblewoman with curly auburn-red hair, hailing from the Montaug District -indicated by the District lapel pinned to the rightmost breast section of her toned yet powerfully-appearing dress wear-, danced up with supreme confidence to him; clearly as blitzed as he was in the moment.

"Why thank you, Aristocrat #7819. Wuh the fuck are you talking about?"

The noblewoman hee-hawed with unhinged insobriety, leaving Hawkes unsure in his intoxicated state to determine accurately if she was genuinely laughing or playing the part to curry his favor. But for some reason... he didn't mind it. It was the first time he could remember being... relaxed.

FuCck it, He thought lazily and with an audible hiccup. I live in a whole world that loves me. I deserve a little R&R.

He cracked a smirk as he saw this dazzling young woman laughing so raucously, starting to focus on the little details in her appearance. Her button nose and freckles paired amazingly with cerulean eyes, a triangular-shaped face, and thin lips with a healthy pink hue accentuating good health.

"You're quick on your toes, aren't ya?" She remarked in a heavily Scottish accent, her laughter slowly dying down for her to take a long swig from a considerable mug of ale. "The Canari Neo-Antiquarian Society was set to retrieve a large digital archive of Christmas songs in anticipation of the upcoming date for the holiday. They missed the date by a few days because the crew got into an argument about the best Christmas singer for the 2000s, 1950s, and 2100s era, and ended up killing almost everyone on board. The pilot had to drive home doing both the navigation and steering, which apparently he said was 'resume-proofing'."

"That's... that's, uh, a lot to take in. I don't think I legibly heard half of that, and it's not because I'm torched. Did... they all return to life successfully?"

"Yep. Yep-yep-yep."

"Okay. That's... wow. And that... just happened? Like a few days ago?"

"Today."

"Oh, f- what the fuck happened to everyone while I was gone?? One year and everyone's turned into a fuckin' lunatic!"

The noblewoman's curly hair bobbed up and down as she giggled plentifully at the animated personality of Hawkes when his guard was dropped- treasuring every nanosecond of this interaction and secretly recording the whole thing on video and audio receptors hidden within her hair. "Divine intervention really did a number on everyone's sanity."

"Did they pick a winner for the Christmas singer thing?"

"Yeah. Mariah Carey."

"Who?"

"She's probably coming up on the speakers soon."

Hawkes snickered, finding another conversation with a random attendee that happened to be enjoyable.

"You seem like a rather animated noblewoman, compared to the many I've met. Who are you?"

The redhead nodded briefly, jutting a confident hand to shake with Hawkes. Acknowledging her greeting, he returned the handshake in kind.

"Lady Meridia Lennox, Baroness and Protector of Montaug District, Lord Hawkes."

"Well, there goes my introduction," Hawkes jested, prompting another giggle from Meridia, who seemed to grow rapidly more starry-eyed as the conversation went on.

Hold on a fuckin second, Hawkes thought morbidly. This looks terrible. I need to steer away from this, for both our sakes.

"So," He started. "What brilliant market strategy do you have to pitch to me?"

"Whuh?" The redhead muttered, having seemingly delved into her head for a second with wide-eyed intensity. "O-Oh, I wasn't here to pitch anything to you, Captain... I, actually I-"

Hawkes was now inevitably intrigued, seeing the frenetic and palpable chaotic energy emanating from her pores and the quivering look in her eyes indicative of immense trauma. "Is there something you're looking to... share?"

Meridia nodded frantically, an unsettling grin surfacing across her face and disappearing in waves. "I-I should probably whisper this..."

"Uh, okay..." He muttered, kneeling on one leg, leaning in, and allowing her to spill whatever secret she had cooked up; trying to remain inconspicuous as others were traveling around.

"So... so you probably-"

"Cover the periphery of your mouth with your hand, so others can't try and read your lips."

"O-Oh, right." She muttered, cupping her hands around her mouth and making Hawkes feel more illicit every second more. Negotiations had become far more difficult ever since his transfiguration, but he found it to be a small inconvenience at worst.

"You aren't gonna proffer me for sex, right?" Hawkes asked, and not ironically, either; he'd been solicited by hundreds of attendees in subtle and not-so-subtle ways all night thus far. It was growing tiresome to him and it wasn't something he had experienced at such an elevated rate before the Era of Divinity. He groaned in disgust. People directly witness the work of God on a CCTV camera, and they think to indulge in their base desires even more?!

"What? N-No... unless you're asking me to-"

"Forget I asked, just- say your piece."

"S-So, I kind of did something a little, uh... illegal."

"Tell me about it."

"H-heh, right... so... I really wanted to, uh, get a title promotion because, well, I can't obtain a lot of the permits and networking opportunities necessary to get my District revitalized, you know, as a low-brow Baroness, so, uh... I, uh... I-I paid a lot of money to some Trial Keepers, and they, uh, um, they let me undergo a Combat Trial without all the, uh, previous things you have to do..."

Hawkes was a little speechless for a few moments; what he'd heard needed a lot of unpacking mentally. A Combat Trial was only undergone by the Atriarchs and recognized heroes of Canaris; primarily because they were fights where the foe was horrifically superior in some form. Rhinos, packs of Wolves, cougars, leopards, lions, apes, elephants, hippos... and most usually, the contestant or Atriarchs were given pitiable weaponry or armor with a few advantages, such as exoskeleton suits for increased mobility, ranged weapons against packs of predators, etcetera.

Hawkes had cemented his "Icon of Canaris" title after taking on a Combat Trial against an offspring of the Terror; a Gaiter, known for the stumbling gait it carried in its movement as a result of genetic defects and mutations; caused as a result of the rapid production and spawning of these half-baked atrocities. But for a regular person, even with physical enhancements or augmentations, to try and take on a Combat Trial without years of death-defying experience, was akin to a horrible, gruesome suicide.

"W..." Hawkes started. "Y... Did... Are... Did you... survive?"

Meridia nodded, seeming to grow pale and sweating uncontrollably as she vividly revisited the memory in real-time.

"Y-Yep. Yep! I killed it."

"Wh- Well, fucking- with a gun, or a lance, I presume?!"

"N-No, I just kind of w-winged it with a Ka-Bar knife-"

"ARE YOU A-... Are you a fucking dumbfuck? Are you actually fucking- YOU FUCKING IDIOT!"

Hawkes was enraged that this stupid bitch had the gall to reel him in emotionally and then smack him in the face with the iconic glove of stupidity. "Tell me you're augmented."

"..."

Hawkes stared for a good twenty seconds at this enigma standing in front of her.

"You're lying."

"N-No, but i-it did hurt."

Hawkes fell morbidly silent as she gruesomely recounted the event as if it happened only a day ago.

"I-I walked into the, uh, arena, and, uh they, uh, opened the door to the grizzly's cage-"

"You fought a g-r-i-z-z-l-y b-e-a-r?"

"Y-Yes, you know, I, I wanted to s-show off to the, uh, Atriarchs, and you so, uh, yeah, but, uh, it hurt alot. I-I lost my eye, and he, uh, took some swipes and, uh, ripped my torso, and uh, my face, and bone, so, I-I, and I, uh, think he took my arm off, and, uh, legs-"

Captain Hawkes quickly took off his beret and gently placed it against Meridia's mouth as she vomited into it violently, quickly and quietly leading her to an isolated area.

What the fuck? Hawkes wondered miserably. I have to fix this whole fucking planet's mental states, as well? What the fuck?

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(Music: "The Sigh of the Land", by Thomas Gould)

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WHAT IS THAT GINGER BITCH DOING, EXISTING NEXT TO HIM?!

Lilia, utterly fuming with plumes of rage shooting off in her brain like engine cylinders in a twin-turbocharged V16 motor. From a distance, she was silently watching some ditzy redheaded bimbo try and cozy their way up against Hawkes, and could hardly stand the urge to walk over and stick a knife through her gut.

But that wasn't her objective for today. She was tasked with keeping an eye on a number of individuals, both Canari and foreign emissaries, who would be potential threats or issues going into the future. Although there were hundreds more like Lilia, scanning from the shadows to report any unusual behavior or activity they detected; she was the only one who had the privilege of speaking directly with Hawkes about any action needing to be taken.

That seemed to work against her, however, as she was gritting her teeth watching Hawkes escort the nauseous Meridia into a separate room. Don't even attempt seduction, wench. I know everything that goes on. Born in 2261, on 1776 Epilon Way, located in Litton Ward, Montaug District, Ilto Province. And yet despite her status as low nobility, she was still given an invitation to this prestigious event, meant especially for the Captain. You cheeky whore!

Lilia was of the mindset that those with greater ranks demonstrated far greater loyalty, a unique trait of Canari culture stemming from its hundred-year martial history. With all the information she had at her disposal, both on and off-world, she had tracked the statistical patterns of precisely-refined material data to which she studied at great length on so many topics it gave her an immediate headache to try and recall them all at once. When it came to loyalty of nobility, regardless of planet, there was a measure of inexperience, naivete, and unpredictability when it came to low nobility; especially in Canaris' culture, where time and conflict weeded out the good stock from the rot and muck. On numbers alone, she had more than enough reason to distrust the motivations of this fat-bosomed airhead.

Minutes passed, and Lilia grew bored staring at the door Hawkes had last entered, painstakingly focusing her eyes on other displays. She was immune to the hundreds of entertainment pieces laid out by the walls of the grand multi-story complexes that composed the several wings of the Epocha Villae. If anything, she had become intrigued with Hawkes' fixation on the four rescued 'survivors' from the Tulpar and decided she'd spend a little time observing them to see if there was any appeal about them.

She navigated through the crowds of attendees, completely unknowable with the white fox mask she donned for the occasion; since the event was multi-themed, most things went since everyone was thoroughly checked and disarmed at the entrances, and undercover spies were lurking all throughout the metroplex, eyes ever-watchful of the attendees present.

There's Curly and Anya, she thought, her eyes honing in on the couple mingling with a renowned author and his wife. Anya was sipping from a fine glass of wine, her oak-brown irises simultaneously revealing a constant trauma deep within, and a vastly-growing sense of importance and ego. Being a people-reader all her life, Lilia could dissect people to a certain extent based on mere sight alone. With Anya, she had the entire situation laid out, from the video records, to her interactions post-revival- everything Lilia was using right now to break down why Anya had suddenly suffered a severe personality change.

Immediately after revival, Anya was mostly catatonic, responded most often to Curly, lived in a visible sense of constant terror and existential breakdown; practically a messy wreck of a human being. Two months into the voyage back to Canaris, and time adjusted her mental state to the grittiness of reality, she reverted to her original personality as described by Curly in the Divinity Chamber, along with the mental assessments available from the Tulpar. Once they had arrived in Canaris, Anya spent much of her time roaming the streets with Curly, admiring the architecture and infrastructure of the planet; Lilia assumed that to be a juxtaposition from the dreary circumstances she died so terrible within. It would explain why she was drawn to the glittering landscape; if Lilia didn't know any better, it seemed like Anya was dissociating from reality and believing this predicament to be some form of an afterlife. But that wasn't a solid analysis, not after this recent transition Lilia was watching unfold right now. She brought one finger up to move a strand of hair behind her ear, holding the receiver micro-button placed on the inner layer of her ear.

"Garos, C/A, eaves."

"Mhm."

Lilia released the receiver and focused her eyes on Anya and Curly, waiting for the spy's transmitter to send over the conversation on record as he got within range. Here it was...

"-So I said, "Ouch. You wound me, Anya. If that's your professional opinion do you think they'll still let me fly?" Haha!"

The sound of raucous laughter blared into Lilia's ear, and she turned the volume down in annoyance for a moment before reverting it to the original state.

"Curly, you're a charismatic guy! You know, after hearing about that whole story from the news? Man, I can't believe they aren't building a statue of you right now-!"

"Don't let Hawkes hear that," Lilia muttered amusingly to herself; a well-developed habit in her isolated years of espionage and surveillance to preserve her sanity.

"I would agree, Curly. You are an icon of a leader, and the way you handled that scoundrel-"

Lilia's eyebrows furrowed in concern as she saw Curly, from a distance, seem to leer back as the words reached his ears.

"O-Oh, my apologies, sir, I didn't mean to offend you-"

"N-No, it's fine! It's nothing. Just, you know... I'm just glad everyone that matters is safe and sound, and got to see their families again. That's all that matters..."

Lilia was frustrated she could only see the backs of Curly and Anya, but she could discern the faces of the author and his wife, who seemed in complete marvel at the sight of Curly and Anya; for good reason, too. The legend of the Stranded Tulpar had become a galaxy-rallying event whose story stuck out because of the emotional headline that a particularly influential and anti-corporate journalist had put out after eight months had passed and hope for their survival was lost.

'Last Manned Crew of Pony Express, Stranded and Presumed Dead, Abandoned Transporting Mouthwash."

The headline alone sparked outrage on a scale never seen before in human history. Tens of billions of people from every inhabited planet donated funds, resources, and materials to the effort of locating and rescuing the Tulpar crew. It was this monumental effort that allowed for such a thorough investigation of the deepspace region where the Tulpar's signals last emitted from; and it wasn't long before they were found.

To stand here, before what was the equivalent of a genocide survivor, most undoubtedly felt unique and ethereal, especially because it was made well aware that these four had only come back through resurrection- further cementing a spiritual belief which rampaged unhindered through the galaxy once their discovery and rescue was announced.

"Well don't worry a bit, Curly, Anya. My wife and I helped pitch in to the Intragalactic Civil Liability & Action Association, because we're fed up with these corporatist devils treating god-honest good souls like you two in such a horrible way. I mean, last manned c-r-e-w? That was the worst atrocity I'd ever heard since the Bastian Trespass!"

Curly nodded his head, his expression indiscernible to Lilia.

"Thank you for the kind words, Mr. Lakermeyer. And thank you for the offer of a book deal; I'll consider it if the royalties are good."

The group laughed collectively at the joke.

"You're on a roll, Curly! And- oh, my apologies, Anya, I didn't mean to exclude you from the conversation."

Anya bowed her head, raising it gracefully in a manner Lilia was unsettled by. Where had this poise suddenly emerged from?

"I take no issue, Samuel. I was just thinking of our future plans here. There's so many opportunities for growth and alternative financial revenues!"

"Where did this confidence come from?!" Lilia muttered in complete shock.

"I see, I see. Are you two planning on settling here? And if so, do you feel as if the urban life calls to you, or the farmland and luxury districts on the higher layers?"

Anya responded as if the line were rehearsed.

"I've spoken with the realtors in the Rolftaine District, they have some wonderful beachside property, and in the Gallos District there's some farmland I'm hoping to acquire to grow some formidable cash crops. I'd also like to start a medical practice eventually, once I acquire my licensing and complete my residency."

Lilia's jaw would have dropped to the floor if it was humanly possible. She was absolutely confident Hawkes would tear his own head off if he knew how much development he was missing out on.

"Well, that's quite a plan! And all the more power to you!"

The wife suddenly spoke up, introducing a more brutal topic as if prying for firsthand accounts.

"I was infinitely curious, how the Tulpar co-captain -since they won't name him for some reason yet- how he managed to acquire the auto-pilot override keys- if that's correct from the reports. It confounded me how such a crash was so easily attainable-"

Anya suddenly wrapped her arm around Curly's right arm, and Lilia, even without seeing Anya's expression, sensed a severe defensiveness about her demeanor.

"Captain Curly had delegated the responsibility onto the co-captain, who abused his position to break into the Captain's quarters and steal the override key. He wanted everyone to die, including himself, selfishly. Curly tried to turn the ship at the last second. He's the only hero to come out of this."

The author and his wife were stunned by Anya's forward and aggressive assertiveness, nodding their heads and bowing in apology.

"I apologize for my wife and I, sir and ma'am. We don't mean to pry any further-"

"Of course, no harm done. I hope you don't mind if Curly and I attend to a meal."

"A-Absolutely! We'll stop bothering you two. Enjoy your night, and God bless you!"

The author and his wife walked away, whispering and muttering to each other about the encounter and looking back with marvel and awe still lingering in their gazes. Curly and Anya moved to the banquet, followed closely by Lilia's spy. Now that their faces could be seen, Lilia noted Curly's expression was fixed into one of unassailable guilt and humiliation. Anya's was animated with intensity, conviction, and a mound of unresolved anger.

"Curly, please don't wear that look. We've talked about this so many times, and I will talk to you about it as many times as needs to be talked about."

"...I know..."

"Don't say 'you know', Curly. Please, stop feeling guilty. You know who is to blame. You don't have to focus on the past so much. Look where we are! I mean, look at the food, our outfits, our caretaker, and the real prospects we now have! Heck, our family's here! It's everything we ever w-a-n-t-e-d-! Just STOP talking and thinking about it."

Despite Anya's passionate declarations of pure euphoria, Curly could only muster a genuine happiness for Anya's enjoyment- as he was clearly denying himself any form of pleasure the longer he walked around the Villae. Anya noticed the lack of change in Curly's own enjoyment and expressed serious frustration, first pouting and then outright emitting sounds from her mouth to signal her disapproval. She walked over to a banquet table, grabbed a slice of chocolate cake and started offering it aggressively to Curly, who obliged and took bites from the spoon-fed portions.

"This is better than that crappy cardboard cake we made you. Hawkes told me it was made by ten-thousand chefs from the most renowned restaurants in Canaris! Tell me what ten-thousand chef cake tastes like."

Curly seemed to mutter for a bit as he chewed the contents in his mouth and swallowed, sighing in feigned approval, and grinning with hollow eyes.

"Tastes like if you were a cake."

Anya giggled, slapping him in the arm.

"It almost sounds like you like me!"

"You might be onto something..."

The two of them continued to chortle in good, trauma-veiled fun, and Lilia felt satisfied to conclude her investigation of these two, independent of whatever obsessive feeling Hawkes had for these four.

Not that she could judge him.

Curly was still in deep guilt; that was undeniable and hadn't changed since his Reformation. Anya, however, had undergone an insane arc that seemed to slip under everyone's radar. Lilia knew her records, she knew all of theirs- Anya was born on a poor industrial world, generally unmotivated, bullied by the other children for her submissive personality, which led to loss of self-esteem. Grew up frustrated with herself and being tied to the planet, and began studying medicine after her grandfather suffered a serious illness. Took her planet's medical exam eight times, failed every time. First job off-world was with the Tulpar at the age of 26 in hopes of getting the funds to continue taking the exams.

So a poor, mistreated, traumatized young woman who'd spent eight months in dread of dying in the middle of nowhere for no good reason, terrified for months on end by the lurking predator that was ever-present onboard the Tulpar- was now thrust into a world of absolute decadency, several varieties of easy income streams, a fantastic living situation with all of her family and relatives relocated to their consent, with her crush-turned-lover fully reformed and by her side, and was kept permanently and perpetually safe and valued by a war-born veteran who virtually owned the planet.

Yeah, Lilia didn't see how there were many sane ways to cope with that kind of abrupt change, no matter how much Hawkes tried to cushion the transitions. Anya going from a meek, nervous, shy young woman to a confident, assertive, cunning, and devoted lover was not what Lilia expected in the slightest, but simply had to accept that it was a fact of reality- for now.

Hawkes was going to lose his shit, undoubtedly. Now it was time for Lilia to see to Swansea and Daisuke-

"Hey, Lily."

"H-HAWKES!"

Lilia lost her composure as Hawkes appeared beside her, without his cap on, revealing his military buzzcut for his jet-black hair. He rubbed his chin in discomfort, thinking of how to frame his words.

"Sorry, was I interrupting your duties?" Hawkes asked.

"Nope." Lilia replied simply.

"Oh, alright. Well, that Meridia woman is a piece of work. Poor bastard did a Combat Trial illegally just to try and get a title raise to start requesting financial grants."

"Why would she do that?"

Hawkes seemed to shroud in guilt as the question was asked, and immediately Lilia wanted to cut her tongue out for causing such an expression to emerge on his face.

"Er... well, it seems that some of the edicts I lobbied for a, uh, few years ago had... placed restrictions on nobility ranks, since apparently embezzlement and overspending were becoming a big issue. And, uh, apparently she needed the money because her district was suffering from a localized plague and she didn't have the adequate hospital services to take care of everyone."

Lilia could see the guilt riding across him the further he got into his explanation, and immediately went to assuage his concerns.

"That is certainly not your fault by any measure. You can't be expected to see and do everything right."

"Yes, but, I could have reviewed those fucking bills more thoroughly! Fuck! FUCK! This whole place..."

His gaze turned to ashen rage, drifting across the faces of those attending; and those that met his gaze immediately shriveled and hurried away without hesitation.

"This place has been left to fester and rot without my direction. These warriors have descended into complacency, lechery, needless decadence. I have much to do while I'm here."

You are so fuckin' hot, Lilia thought, unrealizing she was panting heavily and laser-focused on his lips. I don't want to heap Anya's unsettling transition onto you right now. You need to unwind.

"Well, I'm tired of everyone else getting to have fun, let's you and I go and enjoy yourselves for a bit."

"W-Wha-!" Lilia spluttered. "B-But I can't... I can't be seen with you in public! I'm your Chief Espionage-"

"Maaaaaan," Hawkes groaned. "I just don't care anymore. I'll get another super spy, there's millions of them out there on Canaris alone." His eyes suddenly glanced toward Lilia, wondering if he should recite the cheesy line in his head.

"B-But-" He stumbled. FUCK! He thought furiously. Get it right, you mongoloid!

"But... there's only one of you, Lily." He said as romantically as he could, shooting finger guns at her as if that would lessen the embarrassing line. Oh yeah, that was the highest echelon of cringe imaginable.

That didn't matter a single iota of an ounce of a bit to Lilia. I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU-

"I l-..." She choked, unable to get the words out of her mouth. She felt it was still too soon to declare love, especially in a public setting like this. She knew both Hawkes and her were more accustomed to private intimacy, more than anything else. "W...What would you like to do first?'

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(Music: "Brand New Key", by Melanie)

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Hawkes and Lilia roamed the Villae together, admiring the various new amusements that took their attention, enjoying their drinks a little more easily due to the home-field advantage instinct they felt from being in the epicenter of their homeworld. Emile, who was passing by in conversation with Yusei having intense conversations about body proportions and geographic-based slurs, suddenly noticed Hawkes' towering demeanor and paled in the face, with the dog Hercules immediately curling around Emile and baring his teeth while growling in a low tone.

"C-Captain H-"

"HAWKES!" Yusei said giddily. Hawkes delivered a half-second expression of pure disgust as Yusei entered his view, then craned an analytical gaze down to Emile, simply eyeing the dog with cold curiosity before returning his steely look to Emile.

"Argonaut. I heard you were de-enlisting to join the Canaris Rescue Dispatch."

"W-Well, yes, C-Captain, I-I-"

Hawkes raised an eyebrow, wondering why this former subordinate was shriveling with terror; though it was of no surprise to Lilia. Traitor in the making, she thought loathsomely, recalling Emile's government records and history on Olima; as well as the conversations had with friends about Captain Hawkes, after the skirmish against the Hannou Armada.

"Let's find a banquet table," Lilia enticed Hawkes as she led him away. No need to waste this precious time on a misandrist and a 1-bit rebel, she apathetically concluded.

"What was that about?" Hawkes muttered, looking back as Emile, a growling Hercules, and Yusei walked away, Emile occasionally darting glances of fear back before catching up with the diplomat. "I gotta double-check the Argonaut registry, because I swore I only approved fanatic loyalists- they're the only type of soldiers reliably worth a damn in war."

"Don't fret about that, Hawkes," Lilia insisted, knowing that Hawkes was quite oblivious to the morbid effect his death-making had on normal human beings; and that there were also support staff onboard the Argonaut who didn't share the same mindset Hawkes was describing. "I-"

"Captain Hawkes!"

Lilia grit her teeth in frustration as a small group of business magnates approached Hawkes, bearing gifts in hand as a clear gesture of 'let's-talk-business'. Hawkes snarled, straight-up, at them like a honey badger, initially frightening them into retreating a few steps backward- but their persistence won out, and they continued forth, raising trembling smiles as they shakily presented their gifts.

"Lord Hawkes-" The foremost businessman stated. "We'll keep it brief. We have a great portfolio of necessary goods and services, but we're looking for a land grant in the Calginius Province to restructure our production lines-"

"Oh my fuck, must you assail me with business jargon while I court my lady?!"

Lilia blushed from head to heels as Hawkes made the brazen declaration, feeling as if she was going to faint from the blood rushing to her head.

"-'bUt wE hAvE gReAt vErTicAls'!!" Hawkes continued to rant incessantly. "Well, I have a great vertical as well- An UPPERCUT to your JAW!"

Lilia was engrossed in the humorous interaction between Hawkes and the shivering entrepreneurs, and let her guard down- just long enough for the Matriarch to appear behind and to her right. Inches away.

"So you're his esteemed lover, then." The voice hissed with bitter malice and envious, jealous, wrathful outrage. "I fucking hate you so much I could tear myself apart from skin to bone. But I can't hurt you. You lucky cunt. The only person in this whole world I cannot touch. Lucky, lucky, lucky. You will give him everything he deserves and more. And the very moment you falter- I will take him all for myself."

Before Lilia could even open her mouth to respond, the Matriarch disappeared from sight, as if dashed through a portal. Lilia realized she was sweating profusely and had failed to breathe the entire time the Matriarch was talking. For all her wisdom and calculations, she had entirely forgotten about the Matriarch and the sheer power she held over this planet.

"Yeah, and FUCK OFF!" Hawkes shouted scathingly at the retreating and apologizing businessmen. He huffed and groaned tiredly as he walked back up to Lilia. "The next shitheel to break up our together time is gonna- hey, are you okay?"

Lilia had tried to re-compose herself after the veiled threat, but had failed to do so.

"H-Hawkes, can I be honest with you?'

"Always."

"I-I don't think I'll be safe on this planet anymore."

"W...What the fuck are you talking about, pardon my Frog?"

Lilia chuckled at the abrasive joke from Hawkes, trying to convey her panic without revealing enough to cause catastrophic issues on such a monumental and important night.

"I-I just think I should remain on the Argonaut until the month-"

"Lilia, tell me what's wrong."

Lilia, quivering in rapidly-increasing fear and dread, settled her gaze on Hawkes to comfort herself from the approaching reality that she had basically just pissed off the rulers of the most powerful nation in this quadrant of the galaxy.

"I-I... I pissed off someone very powerful who had eyes on you-"

"Non-issue, I'll kill them. Who?"

Lilia shook her head rapidly, realizing she was digging herself into a deeper hole everytime she revealed information.

"H-Hawkes, I-I-" She began to sob, utterly terrified that she would be potentially steering the course of history and jeopardizing Hawkes and Canaris entirely with her next words. "I-I-!"

"Lilia, take a breathe and look at me, okay?"

Lilia raised her darting, frantic, tear-stricken eyes to Hawkes'; seeing reassurance, affection, unwavering confidence.

"There is nothing you could tell me that would make me dislike you. Nothing. I would obliterate stars if they stood between you and me. Got it?"

Lilia nodded, sniffling and wiping her eyes.

"It's... the M...Matriarch..."

Hawkes froze for a second, and for that singular second Lilia felt as if the world had collapsed in on her-

Then he smiled, huffing through his nose once.

"You're crying and stressing your beautiful face over that?" He chuckled dryly, his eyes beginning to glaze over as a rapid plan formed in his head. "Give me a minute, and just calm yourself, okay? Here, take my wine and down that whole glass, alright? It better be empty when I get back, hih!"

Hawkes stood up, throwing one last glance of affection and assurance at Lilia before walking over to the Atriarchs and engaging in a short conversation. Lilia saw the Matriarch's face brighten, then pale, then turn skeptical, then brighten again. Utterly confounded, Lilia watched as Hawkes walked back to Lilia and gently raised her from the steps she was sitting on to recompose herself. He turned his back to the Atriarchs before promptly rattling off a set of orders.

"Lilia, follow my instructions."

"Okay."

"When I turn my side to face the Atriarchs, my and your lips will be read by the Matriarch attentively. I will say, 'You should consider it, I want my first time to be unforgettable', then you will pretend to hesitate for a long few moments, then respond with, 'I need to give it some thought, this is too sudden right now.' Did you get that?"

Beyond bewildered, Lilia simply nodded in compliance. Hawkes nodded in acknowledgment and turned his side to the Atriarchs.

"You should consider it, I want my first time to be... unforgettable."

Lilia was stuck in a near-catatonic state for a moment, and almost recited her lines too quickly, before reigning herself back in and tempering herself to wait those few moments before responding.

"I...I, uh... I need to... give it some... some ti- thought. This is, just, too sudden..."

Hawkes nodded in feigned understanding. "Alright, I get it, let's go check out what Daisuke and Swansea are up to, and maybe pelt the former with iceballs if he starts getting insufferable."

Lilia laughed genuinely, trying not to even drift her eyes near the Atriarchs at the present moment as they walked towards the hallway heading to the other wings. As they got out of view of the Atriarchs, Lilia shot a look of pure confusion at Hawkes, who snickered at his own brilliant mindplay.

"W-What the fuck just happened?!"

"I told the Matriarch I knew what she did, then said if she ever did it again or put a finger on you I'd kill them and everyone on Canaris then myself. Then I said I'd ask you if you'd consider polygamy in the future, and she seemed content with that conclusion."

Lilia's brain was so fried from this turn of events-

"PATRONS OF CANARIS! THE PEACE-MAKER OF OLIMA, PRESIDENT WEISS, REQUESTS AN AUDIENCE WITH THE ATRIARCHS!"

-------------------------------------------------------------

(Music: "Red Dress", by Adrián Berenguer)

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The entire room full of attendees swiveled their undivided attention to the olive-skinned declarant that had proudly announced the entrance of a white-marble outfitted light-skinned young woman with white-flowing hair, an intense and piercing gaze, and a billowing cape that fluttered in front of the dozens of entourage members courting her side. They entered into the room from the far right end opposite to where the Atriarchs were lounging, and President Weiss walked in with austerity and an air of righteous indignance. She stood several meters away from the Atriarchs and began a conversation loudly and prominently.

"Good evening, Matriarch Ileiya and Patriarch Casirius! I have come bearing a declaration from the United Sovereignties of the Western Quadrant! Our alliance first formed as a matter of necessity during the Era of Terror, when the likes of the Danze Autarchy and the Krai Dynasty wreaked havoc across the galaxy with impunity! That time is past, and now it is time to repay historical wrongs and give voice to the wronged!"

A thin, olive-skinned female diplomat shuffled up beside President Weiss and bowed her head humbly. "Here before you," President Weiss announced boldly. "Is a diplomat from Hannou!"

As soon as the word 'Hannou' was uttered from her mouth, the chamber nearly broke out into a revolt, with several of the Canari attendees smashing their glasses against the floor and shouting in outrage and fury at Weiss and the Hannou diplomat, who barely moved as they raged at the obvious display of insubordination. President Weiss continued over the boisterous noise, trying to get the rest of her message across.

"CANARIS HAS HISTORICALLY EXPLOITED HANNOU FOR THEIR FERTILE LANDS, STRATEGIC LOCATION AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEIR CIVIL WAR THROUGH THE ARMS TRADE AND THE LENDING OF MERCENARY GROUPS TO BOTH FACTIONS! THESE ATROCITIES MUST BE AMELIORATED AND ADDRESSED BY CANARIS-"

-"Silence."-

The Canari in the room immediately fell silent, as did all those who were in the presence of the Patriarch as he spoke; even President Weiss, who had intended to carry out the speech to its end, knew to quiet herself or risk death; she raged silently after realizing she'd lost the precious minute she had to make her declaration to the limited press permitted at the Epocha Villae- this political stunt was intended to grab the press and maximize the amount of people who'd see her message of unification against despots. The Patriarch stood up from his elevated seating, walking down the steps gently as the Matriarch glared at President Weiss with calculations running through her head.

"You come to my planet, pay no deference for the boundless generosity we provide, then spit on our floor by bringing a representative of our mortal enemy and deliver vapid declarations about 'historical wrongs'."

The Patriarch, having come upon the kneeling President, simply glowers with the deepest levels of contempt a human could express outwardly.

"After this event tonight, I shall travel to your world, walk into the epicenter of your planet's governance, and piss on your desk so the droplets may spatter across your features. I will watch you clean your face and your desk with that diseased tongue of yours. Then we may discuss your farcical goals in the name of moral grandstanding, Club President."

President Weiss turned cherry-red in the face, regretting having pulled this political stunt even as exclusive journalists scribbled down the historic event as it was unfolding. She feared she should have introduced the Hannou diplomat at the end of her speech, when the shock factor was just beginning to wear off, but it was far too late now. The Patriarch continued to loathingly stare her down, eyes narrowing in malicious forethought.

"Perhaps I should relieve myself on your eyes now and save myself the cost of travel."

The chamber burst out into raucous laughter, sparing those who were strongly aligned with Olima and the likes of the USWQ, who simply shook their heads in disgust or kept silent for a variety of other reasons. The Patriarch spent a few more dragged-out seconds humiliating President Weiss in silence, before returning to his seat.

"You can stand now, and begone from my sight. If that charcoal-shoveling third-world hick is still here by sunrise, I'll flay her alive at the edge of the atmosphere. Enjoy your stay, President Weiss of Olima."

President Weiss stood up with a strained face of feigned indifference, bowing her head in obligated respect before turning on her heel and beckoning her entourage to follow. Hawkes utterly basked jubilantly in the engagement; if neither of the Atriarchs had stepped forward to handle this disrespectful clown, he would have caved her head through the floor for demonstrating such blatant insolence to the Atriarchs, uncaring for what wars it started. It was a wonder the Atriarchs didn't execute her themselves- and it was even more shocking that the President performed such a suicidal stunt; if anything, Hawkes had to commend her for the sheer courage to stand up in the face of death for what she believed in.

"C-Can we go now??" Lilia muttered, already traumatized from the earlier interaction with the Matriarch and now bombarded by this tense interaction. Hawkes nodded, following her speedily into another area of the Villae that was less dramatic and high-stakes.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Daisuke found himself stumbling into the restroom, groaning as his bladder was filled to the brim with the waste contents from alcohol. He staggered towards the stall, as drunk as his bladder was full, eventually managing to find stability on the dividers to his left and right as he worked to unzip his pants and relieve himself.

"Haaaahhh...." Daisuke sighed in the unique relief that could only occur from expelling the rejected contents from a body.

Beep! Beep!

"Ah-! What the hell?!"

Quickly finishing up and zipping his pants, Daisuke quickly pressed on a notification playing on his wrist holopad; a gift given to him from Hawkes as a way of keeping in contact with the Captain and the other crewmates. Daisuke was more than a bit shocked to see the Patriarch's face pop up on his screen, beaming with pride and an underlying agenda.

"Hey, hey, Daisuke, my favorite ditz!"

"Favorite what?"

"Hmm, exactly! So, this is a bit sudden, but I just received some atrocious news, and, uh, I'm not gonna lie? Hawkes is gonna jump on that shit immediately, and we really can't have him dying at all ever, which means I'm gonna need you to take on a gift I wasn't quite ready to give to you yet- it's gonna look a bit familiar since Swansea already kinda maybe potentially received the same thing."

Daisuke scratched his head, trying to break down the Patriarch's words and understand what he was conveying.

"It'll be in your room as soon as you walk out, along with a little gun that you can just call the 'Plasma Cutter', I mean, if you want, that is! Call it that, please. So, anyways, there's a mission I have for you that's gonna involve you and Swansea."

Daisuke locked in, hearing that there was potentially a great purpose for him; this was a personal sore area, especially after returning from death, as his biggest fear had been purposelessness; eight months trapped on a stranded, failing wreck, and he'd just graduated college- it was a no-brainer that he would take a massive amount of mental trauma from that kind of event. He had thought the entire time; every second, minute, hour, day, week, month. Is this how the start of my life ends? I die transporting... useless mouthwash?

Such a horrific existential epiphany carried with him to his violent end; and restarted as soon as he came back to life. He'd done his absolute best trying to put on a good face for Swansea, who'd practically lost his mind after seeing Daisuke rise from the dead. He'd felt it more natural when he was optimistic and naive and swaggering his way through the new navigations of a second life. But that feeling of existential terror always stuck with him, and was only magnified a hundredfold after returning to life.

So if there was a purpose to be had; something he could commit himself to for a greater good- he was in his most vulnerable state to fall prey to such a prospect.

"W-What do you need done, sir- I mean, My Liege?"

"Just call me Sirius. I'll be brief-"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Hawkes and Lilia had linked up with Curly and Anya, and the four of them began searching for Swansea so they could pull a small prank on him that was concocted in brief discussion. Once he was located, Anya snuck up around behind him with a pie taken from a table in her right hand, while Curly walked up and greeted him.

"Hey, Swansea. Enjoying the party?"

Swansea huffed, eyeing Curly up and down and starting to sense deception afoot.

"What are you-"

Tap, tap.

Instinctively, Swansea turned around to confront the individual tapping their shoulder-

SPLCH!

Anya broke down laughing and holding her sides as the pie landed squarely in Swansea's face and he stood statue-still, as if trying to comprehend why this was happening right now; it didn't help his psyche that Curly was cackling not-so-silently behind him. Hawkes snickered and grinned as he watched the wholesome event; his mood ruined as he noticed someone moving diagonally behind him.

"Does it please the Icon to dress those broken souls like dolls for a pageant?"

"You will die."

-------------------------------------------------------------

(Music: "Nine Seconds", by Marcelo Zarvos)

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Hawkes had uttered the threat subconsciously before his mind fully comprehended the aimed insult, immediately swiveling on one foot and clenching his massive hand around the jaw of the walking detritus that would throw away their life so carelessly- and finding it to be the Hannou diplomat, huffing in panic and trying to pull Hawkes' fingers off of her jaw. He immediately released her, much to her scathing outrage.

"I have something to show you."

"Fuck no!"

"I assure you not a finger will be laid on you while you come and see this curiosity."

"I said no!"

Hawkes grabbed the Hannou's arm, dragging her roughly towards a remote area, and with several attendees from the entourage of President Weiss watching his interactions with wariness; the death of a Hannou diplomat, for them, would be perfect to incite outrage in their allies and prospective future allies and thus mobilize more people towards their cause. It was cruel, but President Weiss and her allies considered there to be necessary sacrifices as it always remained throughout history. To their benefit, nobody at the Villae, domestic or foreign, gave a shit about what happened to a diplomat from Hannou other than the Hannou.

As soon as they were away from the noise, Hawkes shoved the diplomat against the wall and hissed a scathing and horrible threat at her.

"If you refuse one more time. I will drag you into an isolated room, dismember you right on the spot, and send a piece of your misshapen, twitching chunks of flesh to your 67-year-old mother Denila, your five-year-old son Brenner, your alcoholic father Nahdo, and to every fucking planet that feels the need to endorse you and your waste-filled, overgrown asteroid of genocidal neanderthals. You little bitch-cunt."

The diplomat was left speechless and in a state of suddenly perpetual, death-peering terror once she realized how she'd gotten set up by President Weiss.

He won't be pulling anything at the Magna Victoria. His loyalty to the Atriarchs will keep him on a leash. An event where ambassadors from hundreds of nations will be mingling? Of course not.

They lied. And as the Hannou diplomat, Tanya Claunecky, was rapidly coming to this epiphany, she began to sob and simultaneously cackle in preparation of a violent death. Hawkes noticed this sudden breakdown in psyche and backed away, taking a long moment to chuckle and bask in the misery of this ignorant indigent. Hawkes was a very stark 'guilty beyond a reasonable doubt' law-abider when it came to the Canaris Justice System; as it was incredibly well thought-out and refined on a strong foundation of redemption and rehabilitation.

But with thirty years on his belt, he could say without a single doubt in his mind, that he had not met a single Hannou individual -not one- who wasn't senselessly filled with that iconic generational hatred against Canaris. It was not as if Hawkes faulted that hatred; his own nation was indeed responsible for atrocities equivalent to what the Hannou was doing in the current era, and carried that same blind hatred against the Hannou. It simply boiled down to one crucial conclusion in Hawkes' brain.

If it's them or us, kill them first.

"I have a point to make, that you can send home to the family."

Hawkes grabbed the diplomat by the arm, dragging her flailing body out of the Villae and towards a transport pod, shoving her in and navigating it towards the Argonaut. Once boarded, he continued to drag her screaming figure through remote hallways, coming upon the interrogation chamber where two officers stood on standby.

"HEEELPPP MEEEE!! AAAAAHHH!!!! HE'S GONNA KILL MEEEEEE!!!!" Tanya screamed in desperation. The guards eyed her for a moment, then glanced back up at Hawkes, before using their IDs to open the door. Hawkes nodded and simply dragged her in, dropping her on the ground and watching as she crawled away from him in terrific horror.

"D-DON'T KILL ME! DON'T KILL ME! DON'T KILL ME!"

"I'm not gonna kill you. Tonight. Take a look around."

Quivering but curious, she eyed her surroundings and immediately felt another spiked layer of dread claw into her skin and mind as she noticed the blood-dried room she had found herself helplessly locked into-

"O-Oh, oh my god, oh my god, oh no, no no-"

Her vision spiked with adrenaline and piling hysteria. She immediately screamed in terror and abject horror as the blood-spattered, gore-filled room came into full comprehension, followed immediately by a mass of huddled Hannou in the corner, fully healed yet traumatized beyond reason and clutching to one another with wild, frenzied eyes in perpetual horror.

"Wh... Wh..."

Hawkes squatted next to Tanya, pressing the side of his face against hers and staring holes through the grouped Hannou.

"Is this what is felt like? Is this what it felt like, as a young Canari woman, to see her comrades, her family, her countrymen and women under the capture of Hannou buccaneers? I can feel the cold sweat come on, the shivering, the frost underneath your skin as your blood rushes to your vital organs. You're positively terrified. So that's what my Canari felt like, still feel like I bet, right as we're speaking."

WHOOSH!

Breaking the glass-tense atmosphere like a bull, he shoved Tanya's screaming face to the ground, then palmed her skull and forced her to gaze viscerally at her traumatized cohorts, before hissing the most bone-chilling tales of woven terror directly into her mind.

"All of you, barring your naive offspring, are scum of the earth. You were born scum, you chose to live like scum, and soon you will die scum. Ally with whomever the holy fuck you want, it won't make a bit of difference in the grand scheme. I would bet every part of my ship that not a single one of those planets, not one, would seriously consider war against us to protect the third-world, resource-worthless, pirate-infested, Ad & Thamud-esque hell pits you spawned from. They wouldn't come to their allies' aid in times of war in the past, plenty of times I've seen it happen; wanna bet? No, I just saw you shake your head, 'no'. Do you want to bet, that I could not outmatch you in lived experiences? No? Stop fucking shaking your head or I'll TWIST IT OFF! Do you think your faultless 'allies' would lay down their lives for these quasi-moral holier-than-thou proclamations? It is empty. Words. You will go home tonight, and all you will see is this room, the looks on the faces of your compatriots. And you will know, that is the fate of your entire planet. Your children will be taken and inducted into Canaris culture, never to suffer the same ignoble fate as their predecessors. And nobody is going to do a single. Damned. Thing to help you. Enjoy your night."

With utter loathing in his voice, he pulled her out of the chamber, opening the door, walking all the way back to the transport pod, throwing her in, navigating it back to the Villae, opening it up, throwing her out, dragging her to the original spot and lightly releasing her arm as she stumbled to the ground, sobbing helplessly and near-catatonically. Hawkes had made his point, simply walking past her as if she did not exist and blending back in with the rest of the gala.

-------------------------------------------------------------

(Music: "Undertow", by Moonlight Echoes)

-------------------------------------------------------------

Clink! Clink! Clink!

Those in the room suddenly turned their heads as the Matriarch tapped her glass, gathering the attention of all those present whether by sound or mere imposition.

"Good late evening, friend and foe."

The chamber chuckled lightly at the prodding joke.

"It is nearing the end of the Magna Victoria; as I have it now, it is approximately 3:09 AM Central Standard Time, and we mustn't turn this into an all-night celebration. As such, we will conclude the night and give thanks to God, with a speech from the venerable Admiral Hawkes as we enjoy our last drinks!"

The crowd broke out into a raucous cheer as Hawkes smiled awkwardly, standing next to Lilia and Erikad. Tentatively, he left their sides quickly before all the attention turned to him and proceeded to the terraced steps leading up to the Atriarchs' Villae thrones. The applause was deafening; hundreds of attendees filled with a wild, lifelong passion for the planet-defining hero who'd overcome the impossible and garnered both the respect and love of his people.

He came upon the steps and turned around, standing in front of but not above the Atriarchs as a sign of respect and tradition. He gazed around the room, seeing just how many horrible deeds were compiled into one chamber. I'm... supposed to give thanks to God... in front of all these villains? Me, the worst villain?

Only half an hour ago, he had traumatized the ever-living hell out of a Hannou diplomat, threatened an Olima diplomat, and almost snapped the neck of a mob boss offering Daisuke his holopad identifier for 'any future favors'. He didn't feel particularly holy at the moment to deliver an emotional and loving speech about virtue and victory.

"Thank you for gathering here, uh, today." Hawkes began, unsure of how he could make this speech without committing blasphemy by blatantly lying; he had absolutely nothing positive to say about most people in this room- and those he did would be targeted and envied by others in this massive crowd of well-connected individuals. "It was, uh... a hard journey for sure. Finding the damn freighter was tough enough, but getting back here felt like a Herculean ordeal."

The crowd burst into laughter, entranced by the natural charisma of Hawkes, even when he himself had absolutely no confidence in his speech and was basically just winging it.

"I'm thankful to all of you, for, well, taking care of my home while I was away. I don't often get a lot of time nowadays to see you all, from the big birds to the little chicks. And I want more time to do that, I..."

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(Music: "Te Quise Amar", by Jurrivh)

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His eyes drifted across Curly, Anya, Swansea, Daisuke and Lilia, all standing together and gazing proudly at him; their eyes free of the tainted greed, lust, gluttony, pride and envy surrounding the faces of those beside them. Hawkes felt a swell of happiness as he instinctively felt the next words flow out of his mouth.

"And above everything else... I'm thankful to God for giving me what I could never accomplish before His gift to us; the gift of getting a second chance at life- a real second chance, when everything else in the universe has given up on us. I thank God that I was able to save those four beautiful souls, I'm thankful to my crew for perserving all these months for this selfless cause. I'm thankful to the Atriarchs for their benevolent extension of help to assist in finding and rescuing the Tulpar crew. I'm thankful to all of you who donated money, resources, time, energy, blood-sweat-tears to this daunting ordeal. And I'm thankfuly that we are all standing here today, only having accomplished this because we banded together, as humans, to demonstrate what makes us sentient, intelligent, and made in the image of God- our empathy for our fellow living beings, no matter the time, place, or setting."

The crowd burst out into tears, cheers and wild applause, swayed heavily by the genuine tone and authentic demeanor of Admiral Hawkes as he spoke elegantly. The Atriarchs, standing behind him, were digging their nails into their palms and gritting their teeth to resist the urge to overpower him and drag him into their chambers for obscene bawdiness.

Hawkes bowed humbly once, before exiting stage right and avoiding the Tulpar crew so as avoid bringing attention to them as much as possible. He did not want fanatics at their door every day sending love letters, fan mail and questionable contents and freaking them out from wanting to enjoy their life here. He'd probably track down the offenders and brutalize them straight to prison.

We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, Hawkes thought, realizing he was socially exhausted and wanted to recharge with his family for a bit. He decided to radio in Lilia to meet up with his family at their Helixad, so they could head back to their temporary home in the palace and rest for the night.

Hawkes sighed, troubled by the night's business but content with how it turned out ultimately-

"ADMIRAL! ADMIRAL!!!"

Hawkes was momentarily bewildered as one of the servants came up to him waving frantically to get his attention.

"What?? What is it?"

"A-Admiral, sir! You need to come back to the Villae immediately! There's an emergency!"

-------------------------------------------------------------

(Music: "Prelude", by Marcelo Zarvos)

--------------------------------------------------------------

Swathes of nobles poured back into the Villae, chittering and muttering in fear to one another as news came over their holopads with flashing alerts and rapidly unfolding coverage of the report. Hawkes rushed back into the palace, radioing in Lilia.

"Lily, get them onto the transport pods and onto the Argonaut!"

"Wh- you don't want them heading back to the palace??"

"From the headlines I'm getting on my holopad, I trust myself to protect them on my ship more than any of these people right now!"

He rushed into the primary chamber where the Atriarchs were seated in a more serious, somber tone, the Matriarch combing through dozens of news reports on an enlarged holo-display while the Patriarch was issuing orders to nearby Canarii and fleets in orbit over his radio.

While Hawkes waited for the panic to die down, Hawkes pulled up one of the news reports on his holopad and read through it. "Good God..."

"Our electromagnetic long-range receivers have alerted the GAPC of two distinct biological masses moving at a steady pace; as you can see from the, uh, graphic pulled up here, the first one, the eastmost one I'm pointing at, is moving down along the Scutum-Centaurus Arm at FTL speeds, and has a predicted trajectory which places it on a path of collision with the Inferis Robotics Research Station in the Northern Quadrant... The, uh, second biological mass is far larger, around four times the size of the first, and, uh... my God... uh, it seems to be moving on a steady axis past the Outer Arm, through the Perseus Arm, and is currently passing through the Sagittarius Arm, on a trajectory for collision with Canaris Sector. The, uh, Galactic Commission of Xenos Research & Development has concluded these are remnant swarms of the Lunapredator Magnus that wreaked havoc on Nova Terra in June of 2121, and has advised residents of these sectors to evacuate or 'fight with your all', I'm being told."

"Fuck... FUCK!" Hawkes muttered, trying to deliberate what the next best action would be. Would it be better to leave his family on Canaris under the protection of this Fortress World and its hundreds of billions of trained warriors? They would be fighting a swarm four times the size of the one that would be going after the Inferis Station. If he brought them with him, along with a considerable fleet of Canaris warships to annihilate the swarm, he could rescue the Inferis Station, get back in time and assist Canaris in the onslaught against the bigger swarm.

Alright, that's the game plan.

Wasting no further time, he went up to the Atriarchs and communicated his plan to them. The both of them nodded after some deliberation.

"I believe that is the best course of action," The Matriarch resolved. "The Inferis Station possesses a prototype machine that was designed specifically to target and eliminate Gaiters. The technology for it was so advanced that it was lost during the Terror's reign, but if you can get onboard, we can give you a master override key our programmers designed for a contingency scenario like this."

Hawkes nodded with a grim expression, reverting to a state of complete, cold and calculating focus- both his homeworld and his family were on the line, and nothing would distract him from executing this mission to its fitting end. "I understand. How many warships and auxiliary support vessels can you lend me?"

"Without detracting significantly from our own defenses against the swarm, I can offer you two Ares-class Dreadnoughts, six Lugh-class Battle Cruisers, twenty Heavy Cruisers, fourteen Destroyers, and eighty-seven Fast-Attack Ships."

Hawkes nodded once more.

"That should be good enough."

The Atriarchs bowed their heads in deep respect and longing.

"I am truly furious we did not have more time to spend together," The Matriarch remarked despondently. "Please, avoid harm and defeat your foe decisively, and when you return we shall give you six months of reprieve from duty."

"I don't know if I want that much time off, but I'm all for rest after this bullshit comes to an end."

With that, he bowed one last time in respect and departed for the transport pod, placing the pieces of his plan together mentally as he did so. In the distance, a shivering and fury-driven Tanya had eavesdropped on the conversation and grinned maliciously; a terrible plan concocting in her head.

"Just you wait, you monstrous devil-bastard. Your righteous ego will be your undoing. Hannou will rise up and crush you into dust."

#mouthwashing #oc #curly mouthwashing #daisuke mouthwashing #original character #anya mouthwashing #swansea mouthwashing #writing #nurse anya #scifi #cosmic #stars #outer space #celestial #read more

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