#everyone else at the hotel... they'll go *along* with it but they still find it a bit awkward

[randomly--accessed--memories]

Charlie enjoys having Vox around for a multitude of reasons, but if she's being honest, one of the main ones is that he's one of the few people at the hotel who'll unabashedly indulge her song/dance habit

[cheswirls]

set of drabbles i did for @februairy's cute badminton au :)

-

"what do you mean you have us in different rooms?!"

"exactly what i said." shanks raises his hands to rest on his hips as he puts his metaphorical foot down. "this is an important competition, and i need you both to be all-in, one hundred percent. that means no needless distractions."

he raises his index finger when sabo opens his mouth to argue. "none of that. i've given you my reason and your only choice. unless you'd rather find somewhere else to stay on your own dime?"

sabo's mouth snaps shut. this time, when shanks offers him the room key, sabo wordlessly swipes it from his hand. he picks his training bag back up off the floor and storms away further inside the gym, muttering over his shoulder about getting in more reps while everyone else goes out to eat.

it's to blow off steam, so shanks doesn't say anything against it. hopefully the extra exertion will clear sabo's head.

-

when sanji opens the door to his hotel room, he finds his doubles partner on the other side instead of his assigned roommate. he can't help the surprise that pulls across his face. "what about sabo?"

"he kicked me out!" usopp exclaims, going from looking bashful to suddenly being very indignant – literally kicking the air. "then he made me switch him room keys!" his hand falls away from his suitcase handle so it teeters on its own to stay upright on the plush hallway carpet. "do you see what the problem is with that? it wasn't even his room to dictate what happens in!"

his other hand slides away from the strap to his overnight bag, essentially leaving both arms free to cross over his chest. "but if anyone asks, ace told me to say it was actually him that did all this. like anyone would believe that, hm? ace wasn't the one who stormed off earlier when we all got room assignments."

no, but he did stay behind to deal with his petty princess, sanji drily thinks as he finally holds the door open wider. usopp slouches where he stands and moves inside with all his luggage.

"well, look on the bright side, hm? neither of us has to deal with having a roommate that wants to be with someone else."

usopp nods wordlessly, still feeling prickly and dejected both at once. "really i'm just glad there's no cover story i have to keep up with. at least we won't have to deal with the fallout."

neither of them mention that it probably won't be an issue at all, because when shanks is personally traveling and organizing his athletes, his oversight is notably lax most of the time. it's not like he'll come upstairs to personally check everyone is where they're supposed to be for the night. aside from the grief given at the beginning, it's over now, for all intents and purposes.

besides, he'd meant what he said. he'd much rather room with usopp than have to deal with the world's most pouty prima-donna for the next four days.

-

sabo puts his arms in the sleeves of his pullover and then stretches them above his head in a last attempt to pop his spine. he's not given a chance to lower them and shrug the rest of the pullover on because ace comes up behind him and sags into his still-arched back.

sabo carefully resists a forming shudder when he feels ace's arms worm around his middle, fingers immediately roving along his sides. "ace, we really should go down to eat breakfast," he tries.

"gimme one more minute," ace mumbles into the back of sabo's jersey. "i need more sabo time to myself before we have to go out in public."

sabo snorts, because it's not like they'll be coming right back up or anything. he's not stuffing his feet into anything but slide-ons before 10AM if he can help himself. and he doesn't want to deal with bringing any of their practice stuff downstairs if they're not immediately going to leave.

his attempt at thinking of a snappy reply fails when ace's lips start working up the back of his neck. sabo does shudder this time, back finally relaxing from the unnatural position, and his arms come down from overhead to land lightly on ace's own. "ace, c'mon. let's go get food."

ace releases him to finish getting dressed himself, leaving sabo alone to resume putting his light jacket on. his commentary still filters over to sabo, though, both unnecessary and unwarranted.

"we could just go out to eat. there's that bakery down the road along the way to the training facility, and the woman who owns it likes watching us compete."

"we're trying to save money," sabo reminds him lightly, then smirks as he recalls exactly what they're saving money for. "hotel breakfast is free. if you want something specific later, we can nag shanks into taking everyone to eat again."

he opens the door for ace and doesn't attempt to decipher ace's mumbling after being met with a dull look. it was probably about how they could've gone to eat last night (or at least ace could have, if he hadn't offered to stay late with sabo) and sabo's better off leaving the exact wording of such a mystery.

but he does tune back in once they're in the elevator, ace speaking a bit louder and from a bit closer when he wonders aloud if they'd get something for free from the bakery if they let it slip that they're engaged now.

sabo puts an elbow in his side before the elevator doors can slide shut.

-

"you're late" are the first words koala says to sabo that morning when he sets his food tray down in front of the modest table she's claimed. she's said it for the sole purpose of riling him up and it works. she looks on in amusement when he pulls his chair out more harshly than intended.

"there's no set meal schedule, dearest, but thanks for grinding my gears. i can always count on you for that."

koala puts a hand over her heart. "what are friends for?"

sabo sits down heavily and leans into the backrest of the chair with a long-drawn sigh. "yeah, well, if you want someone to blame, then it's totally ace's fault for not getting up."

koala raises a brow at the wording. come to think of it, she had watched the two of them walk into the dining hall together. "you stayed with him? how'd you manage that? didn't you send me a whole long angry text last night about shanks being a literal demon from hell?"

"i switched rooms," sabo bites, throwing his head back to say this as snootily as possible. (ugh. it's too early for her to deal with this attitude from him.) "it's fine. shanks obviously doesn't understand the needs of teammates who are together romantically, so i just corrected his mistake on my own."

"and does he know about this correction?"

sabo purses his lips and ducks into his small bowl of porridge. "no," he mumbles.

"your 'needs' huh?" koala prods, smirking when sabo glances back up at her. she raises a brow instead of verbally asking the question.

sabo rolls his eyes and stabs his spoon back into the pile of mush. "we didn't do anything like that."

"like what?" ace pipes up, finally within hearing distance. when sabo only shrugs his shoulders, he wordlessly looks past his head to koala, but she only seals her lips. "well, glad you two are having fun with your secrets," he mildly snarks.

he pulls out a chair next to sabo and slides into it. "i still think we should've hit the bakery instead, by the way. the sesame cookies are already out, and when i asked, a server told me they were done making them for the day!"

"could've woken up earlier," sabo mutters. then, louder, "and we're still trying to save money."

"hah!" ace leans back precariously in his seat, ignoring his plate of cannoli to be petulant. "so when you want something, it's suddenly a necessary expense, but when i do the same it's a waste of money to even consider?"

"yes, that's right!" sabo proclaims haughtily, stabbing his spoon back into his breakfast. across from them, koala can't help but laugh at their comedy performance.

"aren't you used to him being this way by now?" she asks ace when ace glares at her. she also reaches into her bag at the same time to pull out a collection of thumb-sized cookies she has wrapped in a napkin. "you're lucky i'm so thoughtful," she says to him before he can get out a retort, offering him the small handful of the same sweets he'd been complaining about not getting to eat. "and that i thought of you earlier when i saw these and realized how quickly they were going."

"you're right, i completely forgive you and love you," ace rushes to say as he accepts the gift. at his side, sabo purses his lips and huffs at the wording, but ace ignores him completely in favor of tossing a small cookie into his mouth. "you're literally the best."

koala inclines her chin, leering over at sabo when he happens to look up at her. "i'm the best," she gloats.

she should have expected sabo to snap at some point, yet the heel suddenly digging into her shin makes her realize she'd thought of this a tad too late.

-

"oh, that? i can tell you about that," robin says to sanji and usopp during lunch. she'd heard an abridged version from koala earlier of the conversation she'd had with sabo that morning. "shanks found out those two got engaged recently and thought rooming them together would be a needless distraction."

that's the short of it, but it sure does paint matching looks of surprise on both of the athletes sitting across from her. they've both paused with food halfway to their mouths. she chuckles at the sight, hiding her open lips behind one hand.

"oh," both of them say simultaneously. then, from just sanji, "ok, yeah, i'd be pissed too. what a dick move. that's a valid reason."

"how long have they been engaged?" usopp asks around a bite of his sandwich. "was that supposed to stay a secret?"

"i don't think so, it just hasn't been too long," robin assures him. "i actually don't know the specifics. you'll have to direct your inquiries to either of them."

"yeah, no thanks," usopp mutters. "if shanks nearly had his head bitten off, i'd hate to see what happens to me."

"well, he did incite them," sanji reminds him. "i'm sure ace wouldn't mind telling us."

he specifically says ace because they both know he's the more easy-going of the pair, and also when sabo is confronted with something he doesn't want to share, he immediately becomes the world's most frigid ice queen.

"sabo might be happy to spill details, if you catch him at the right time," robin mentions. "it's his engagement too. i wouldn't be surprised to learn he's more excited than ace."

alright, yeah, that's a good counter-point to consider. both sanji and usopp think that over.

"after dinner?" usopp suggests.

"no, neither of them drink during a competition." sanji shakes his head. "maybe after the plane ride back home? if he's too tired, he might reveal something without thinking on it."

"if he's too tired, he just won't give us the time of day," usopp counters.

"what about after they win this week?" robin suggests.

which. is a good idea, in theory. but they would have to win, which is not a one-hundred percent guarantee.

but it is something to think over.

-

koala bites on her lip and sags into sabo's side again to bemoan her fate. below them, the current women's singles match-up is their own teammate reiju versus an athlete from sweden. "how can someone look so hot while sweating so much?" she says, completely aghast.

she makes the mistake of glancing up at him after saying this, bearing witness to the large smirk taking up his face. he opens his big mouth and already she knows she wants no part in this. "well–"

"yeah, i don't need unnecessary commentary from the man with a boyfriend," she gripes, leaning off of him. thankfully, sabo shuts his mouth and only shrugs, still looking smug but at least remaining silent about it. "speaking of which, where did ace go? wasn't he just here?"

sabo looks to his other side to confirm ace has indeed disappear. he looks miffed at this but keeps his answer perfectly indifferent. "how should i know? i'm not his keeper."

"you're right, he's just yours," koala says before she can help himself. sabo gasps, completely and justly indignant, and the look on his face is the perfect reward for ruffling his feathers again.

-

koby notices ace and sabo from the distance, but it takes him getting closer and a moment of observation to realize they're monitoring their competition and not merely engaged in conversation.

because from further back, it does look like something different. he stops short to watch ace wrapping an arm around sabo's back, tugging him closer with a hold around his middle. from the angle koby is to them, he can see ace gesturing down to the court with his other hand. they're both talking quietly with their heads huddled close together.

casual intimacy between doubles partners is nothing new, but koby can't help but add another mental notch to the running total he has in his head telling him this is another moment between this specific pair that qualifies more as pda.

he's kept this count going since the olympics ended, when he'd first begun to notice the change in the pair's affection for each other. it's not relative or important, really, but sometimes he can't turn off his observant eye. not for the first time, he thinks about asking after it in an unofficial capacity. maybe if it's off-the-record, they'd tell him if something had changed.

before he can think more on this, someone is calling out to him. specifically, someone says "hey four-eyes!" and from experience and the cadence, koby knows it's luffy before he turns around to acknowledge the athlete.

"hi," he greets luffy a bit lamely, still caught up in his thoughts. "you have another match?"

"no, i'm done for the day," luffy reveals. "i'm just sticking around to watch ace and sabo." he pointedly looks over koby's shoulder to see the duo not far away, realizing koby had been facing that direction. "do i need to get them for you?"

"oh, no, that's fine," koby insists, raising both hands to wave luffy's suggestion off. he peers over his shoulder as well, noting that the pair are even closer together than they were before, and quickly turns back to face luffy. "they, uh, look preoccupied as-is. i'd hate to ruin their concentration."

luffy looks at the pair again and takes koby's words into account. "oh, they're always like that now."

now implies that something has changed recently, though koby's not hell-bent on knowing anymore. the distance between the four of them isn't large, and he'd hate to be overheard, even if he is still curious.

luffy steamrolls along, though, not realizing the gravity of the situation. "probably because they're getting married soon? they've been a lot more touchy-feely since getting engaged."

sirens blare in koby's head, and he has to resist the temptation to look back behind him again. "oh, ok," he says, suddenly overwhelmed. that does make sense. it is a good explanation. it's also probably something he should not be privy to, especially if it's a recent development.

luffy must realize this too, because he perks up and grabs koby by both his shoulders. "i'm saying this to you as my friend, koby, not as a journalist."

"yeah, i got it," koby wheezes. "you can trust me. i won't say a word."

-

"maybe we should come back to korea," ace says at the end of their stay. they're both outside on the veranda, some light alcohol still in either of their glasses though neither are keen on finishing it off. it had been a celebratory move that both are regretting, especially with the summer heat bearing down on them. even in the dark of night, the blush on sabo's fair-skinned cheeks is still evident.

"after the season is over," ace says aloud, though they both know the implication. after we get married, he means. "we can book a room at the shilla and sight-see for a few days. or just chill in there. not like there's a lack of things to do."

sabo had been about to reply, but at the mention of the luxury resort hotel, he chokes. gasping for breath, he swallows the rest of his champagne in an attempt to quickly recover. "isn't that just a tad too expensive??"

"eh, we can splurge a bit." ace shrugs, then grins over at sabo. "it'll be another thing to save up for. if you want to."

"well i don't not want to," sabo admits, which is progress. as long as he's considering the possibility, that's good enough for ace.

"they even have their own bakery inside," ace adds, which only makes sabo groan.

"will you let that go already?"

[betweenthings2]

8 in september prompts 🫶🫶

Thank you for the ask!! The September prompts are here and the October prompts are here =)

September prompt 8- a coat draped gently over a sleeping form

Matty's not actually sure how long they've been in the airport. They should have known better than to schedule tour dates like they did because now it's six days before Christmas and they're trapped in Chicago O'Hare in the middle of a blizzard. The airline had been handing out hotel vouchers, but they (Matty) wasted enough time being concerned about everything they'd checked and trying to rebook on a flight that would at least get them to somewhere on the East Coast that the hotels had filled up. All Matty does know is that he's cold and tired and wide awake and he desperately wants to be home. He desperately wants to sleep next to George again.

George, who's asleep on the floor, head resting on his backpack. He looks a little bit uncomfortable, but Matty doesn't dare wake him up. He was exhausted before he fell asleep, too, forced to not only take care of himself and his own worries about getting home, but also Matty's anxieties that spiraled until he cried and almost hyperventilated. It was stupid to panic, Matty knows, just like he knows they'll get home and everything will be fine. He knows his panic is part of the reason they're not asleep in hotel rooms now, knows that he's part of the reason George was so exhausted, knows that he's probably the problem, but he just can't help it.

Unable to sit still and feel guilty any longer, Matty clamors to his feet walks through the concourse. It's quiet and dim and there are more unlucky people asleep at other gates, arms looped through the straps of their bags, and feet propped up on their suitcases in fear of theft. Matty feels bad for them, too. When he gets to the point where the concourse meets the central part of the terminal, he turns around, walking back to the gate he'd been at. There's a chance they'll have to move gates, but this is the gate their connecting flight was supposed to leave from, the gate the plane that was supposed to go back to London is at, and, after going on a wild goose chase around the airport to find out what would happen to checked luggage, the gate they returned to.

George is still asleep when Matty gets back, along with everyone else, and he turns to walk back down the concourse, but he pauses before he goes, gaze fixed on George's sleeping form. It's freezing in the airport, Matty thinks, and George is in nothing but a long sleeve shirt since Matty is wearing his sweatshirt, so before he can second guess himself, Matty takes his coat and carefully drapes it over George. It doesn't do much for his guilt, but that's not the point, Matty knows. The point is care. The point is kindness and the point is love. He rests his hand on George's shoulder for a moment, then goes, walking back down towards the main terminal.

Everything is quiet and still and Matty would believe that he's in some kind of alternate reality, some kind of dream world where he's the only person in the world. Outside, the tarmac is covered with a thick layer of fluffy slow that glows an kind of orangey-pink color from the lights and snow continues to come down. Matty wants to go home. He wants to sleep. He wants to be comfortable, not freezing cold in an airport. He stops his wandering to sit on an empty bench by the big windows in the terminal and just watch the snow come down.

Matty's not sure how long he sits there, but after a long time, George sits down next to him. He looks a little like he's just woken up and drapes his own coat over Matty's shoulders and lets the quiet continue.

"Thanks," Matty says quietly after a while. "Love you."

[the-bar-sinister]

In Justice We Trust (139488 words) by thesavagesabretooth

catch up here

With Simon Blackquill and Athena Cykes assigned as their psychologists, the Phantom and Fulbright must grapple with their identity, their deeds, their future, and their love for the twisted samurai whom they betrayed.

All the while, Edgeworth and Wright find their relationship tested as they walk the narrow path between pursuing real justice, and the dark age of the law.

-

December 25, 4:25 pm

They had some time to kill before Pearl would arrive. Simon and Halblicht had gone to speak privately for a moment in another room, leaving Athena with the nervous Apollo. Or maybe Clay. he was bouncing his leg under the table again.

Athena tucked her hair over her ear with a quiet smile. 

“Holding up okay, guys?"

She was admittedly a little nervous. All this ghost stuff sent a muffled wave of emotion through her, along with the memory of her mother’s face. Pearl the spirit medium was going to prove whether or not Bobby and Kelso were literally haunting their own killers; prove if Apollo’s close friend–more than close friend– had fallen into his body after the wretched way he’d died.

And maybe, if she was lucky, allow her to look her mother in the eyes for the first time in 7 years.

"I'm okay," he murmured. His own nerves seemed to match hers. "I was just trying to decide something…"

Athena leaned on her hand, looking at him with a curious tilt of her head. “Maybe I can help?”

"It was if I should ask Pearl not to say anything about my own situation until we get back to the hotel. it seems like… a lot to deal with at the police station. Either way that it goes."

Athena nodded. “Yeah…that’s a good question.” She reached out to pat his shoulder. “It's gonna be a lot either way, I’m sure. I guess it just depends if you wanna rip the bandaid off or not.” 

He sagged against her hand. "What about you? You're not going to ask to talk to your mom here, are you? Or are you? I guess that would be a good way to prove Pearls' abilities…"

“I…I dunno. I’ll admit I’m kinda scared to.” Athena said with a gentle smile. “But it’d prove it nice and easy if she could manage to channel mom. So I may bite the bullet and do it here.” 

Clay– or Apollo– took a deep, shuddering breath, and stared up at the ceiling. "Alright. If you do it here, I'll do it here, too. Rip the bandaid off, like you said."

Athena let herself fall against his shoulder, 

“Then we can recuperate back at the hotel. Everyone’s probably gonna need it.” She laughed weakly. “Man, how do you think Interpol would handle it if it turned out their dead agent wound up in 24’s body?” 

"I donno," Apollo shook his head. "I donno how I'll react. Do you think they'll throw a party or a funeral?”

“I…I think it’d be kinda sad if they held a funeral for someone who had to attend it, maybe? I mean, even if she’d probably still be handcuffed or under observation…I know I’d be kinda bummed out by it?” She put her hand on her chin with a furrow of her brow. “...or find it hilarious.” 

He leaned on his hand thoughtfully. "I guess if it turns out to be the case, they can just ask her."

Athena laughed, running her hand through her hair. 

“Yeah…though if that is her, she seems a little…mixed up with 24. Confused. In a mixed state.“ 

"Well I mean, you saw me– us?-- before you suggested the idea, right?" he murmured. "It's not normal to have someone else in your head. It's not the first conclusion you jump to when you start having weird feelings and thoughts."

Athena smiled delicately at him. 

“Exactly. It feels like a stretch until you really think about it. And it’s not like it’s the sort of thing most people come to on their own right away.” She gestured vaguely towards the door “...especially if you’ve had all understanding of any emotion at all beaten out of you.” 

"Yeah. If it's the case– and I'm not saying it is for any of us– but if it is, I guess I have some sympathy for her."

“Me too....emotions aren’t easy when they don’t come naturally.” She smiled a little and leaned on her hands thoughtfully. “I’m genuinely curious…I don’t know which answer would be weirder.” 

"Me either. Guess we'll have to see on the other side."

There was a hesitant knock on the door.

Athena looked up suddenly and called out almost without thinking. “Come in!!”

The door opened, and Pearl Fey slid in. Though she was only two years younger than Athena herself, Pearl always projected a youthful energy that made people guess her far younger, and the same quality was on display today as she crept into the room and straightened her robes.

"Hi Ms. Athena. Mr. Polly."

Apollo put on a warm smile for Pearl, even though Athena could feel his anxiety spiking. "Hey, Pearls."

Athena flashed her a bright smile, trying to ignore the way his anxiety bounced through her own system.

“Hey Pearl! Man, am I glad to see you!” 

"Good to see you too! Mr. Nick said you needed me! Oh, and that pretty agent lady said she was going to um, "drag detective prime time and mr. modern samurai" in here in a minute. And something about a prisoner?"

"Kelso. Or 24. or whoever," Apollo nodded. "Sorry for throwing you in the deep end here, Pearly."

She shrugged and smiled. "I'm kinda used to it. Um… can I ask what's up though?"

“....Detective Prime Time” Athena murmured with a shake of her head. The nicknames kept evolving, but somehow she suspected she’d always be ‘Miss Edutainment’ to the woman.

“Yeah ah, so we’ve been investigating a murder up here in Cauli…two dead interpol agents, while on the trail of an espionage ring. Only the Interpol agent sent to guide us was killed and replaced by one of the ring’s ‘assets’...people trained in a horrible facility to be used as weapons. We took her captive after figuring out she’d replaced Agent Sam Wan Kelso, and now she’s in custody– that’s Number 24…but she’s agreed to cooperate and help us!”

Pearl chewed on her thumb, listening, and nodded for Athena to continue.

She smiled nervously at Pearl. “...which is why we need your help. She knows things she supposedly shouldn’t…and we want you to do your spirit medium thing to see if we can confirm if there’s a supernatural hand in all this…with her, and with the man we used to call The Phantom. ...and maybe a few other ah, situations, too. Ghosts all the way down, Pearls.” 

Pearl opened up her mouth and closed it a couple of times. She looked at Apollo, and then at Athena again. "Um. The Phantom… that wasn't… the guy who was at breakfast with you and Mr. Simon this morning, was it?"

“Uh…” Athena held her hands up with an awkward but cheery grin. “Most people aren’t really supposed to know that, but yeah. That’s him. Robert Halblicht’s the name he chose for himself, though.” 

Pearl chewed on her thumb again. "Oh, I see. Um. Wow this is… super weird…"

Apollo had gone silent, just listening.

Athena’s smile twitched “....did you ah…already notice something about him, Pearls?” 

There was another sharp knock on the door, but they didn't wait for permission to enter.

It was Agent Ash, flanked by Halblicht– who was straightening his tie– and Simon, whose hair looked a little bit more askew than usual.

Athena felt her face flush red, and decided it was polite not to comment. Instead, she gave them a flustered thumbs up “Hey! Simon, Halblicht…great to see you guys! Hello Agent Ash!”

Sheila smirked, barely stifling a snicker. “Sorry for the delay, Miss Edutainment. Your compatriots decided to pass the time in their own special way.”

Agent Ash wasn’t nearly as polite as she was. She turned a deeper shade of red and smiled awkwardly. 

“Sool. So uh, Simon, Halblicht…Pearl’s here!” She gestured towards the other girl “which means we can get started!”

She could feel the waves of embarrassment coming off of Simon, and Bobby– more off of Bobby, than sSimon who it seemed was more than just pretending not to be affected by it.

Sheila turned her attention to Pearl with a wink. 

“Thanks for making sure neither of them wandered off to get into trouble, young lady.” 

"Um… no problem," Pearl nodded. She fidgeted with the charm around her neck. "So, what would you like me to do first? I heard its kind of um, a complicated situation…"

Apollo glanced Athena's way.

“W..well.” Athena’s nerves hammered in her heart, the internal discord drowning out everything else as she took a breath. “If you need to prove it to Agent Ash, you’ve got the powers you have…I h-have a possible request that could prove them.” 

Pearl cocked her head. "Oh? Um, I'm happy to prove my powers if you need me to…"

Athena took a deep breath. “...would you be able to channel my mother, Metis Cykes for me?”

Sheila leaned against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest, watching intently. 

Pearl jumped, and covered her mouth. "Oh gosh, Miss Athena… your mother? Um, of course I could… you have a picture of her?"

"If she doesn't, I do," Simon said, from the corner where he was standing with Halblicht. "But are you certain that's what you want to do, Cykes-dono? Here and now?"

"I mean, it's not like I can only channel people once or something," Pearl murmured, playing with the sleeve of her robes. It wasn't clear whether she was actually trying to be heard or not.

“I..I can always ask for a more private audience later.” Athena said with resolve, glancing towards Simon with a nod “This is very much what I want.”

She reached into her jacket pocket where she found her wallet, and tucked inside it, a folded up photograph. “alright…I just need to give you this and you’re good?” 

Pearl nodded. "I just need a name, and a face and I can channel somebody. Um, as long as they're actually dead. And not currently being channeled by somebody else. If they're being channeled by someone else, I can't do it."

.Athena noticed that Simon and Halblicht shared a glance.

“You can’t do it if they’re being channeled by someone else…” Athena tilted her head “does that include Possession?”

She unfolded the picture and glanced down at it. It was a photo taken not long after the official one hanging in the Space Museum…but this one had her in it, leaning near her mother as if trying to hide. Her mother’s face was crystal clear, smiling gently towards the camera as her hand rested atop Athena’s head.

She glanced at Simon, grimacing a little with a shrug. 

"Um, I actually don't know…I haven't run into many possessed people before," Pearl murmured. She held out her hand for the picture, and then looked over at Agent Ash. "Do you want me to summon her in here, or somewhere else?"

"Unless we need the suspect involved, I hardly see a reason to move," Simon said. He glanced at Halblicht who had moved closer to him again.

Sheila tilted her head. “It’s best not to alert the suspect until we perform the test on her. Just in case, it’s better if it’s a surprise.”

Athena bit her lip and nodded. “Here’s good. Everyone here needs to be for proof, or …or support.”

She realized she’d started shaking, and shifted to hide it by hugging her arm to her side. 

Someone touched her back, and she realized Simon– and Halblicht too– had come up next to her. "Athena– if you're not ready for this, Fey-dono could summon literally anyone else."

“I’m fine.” Athena said with a tense smile. She let herself lean into the reassurance and closed her eyes. “I know this isn’t going to be the last time, and…and I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather summon than her.” 

Simon squeezed her shoulder. "If you're certain, Athena. Then the rest of us will bear quiet witness to your reunion."

Halblicht offered her a rather shaky thumbs up.

Athena returned it, her own hand shaking just a little before she stilled it.

“Thanks, Simon…The support is nice to have.” 

"You have it. Always." The two of them stepped back, giving her space.

Apollo stepped in beside her instead, and Pearl looked up from the picture. 

"Okay… I'm ready for this when you guys are. Miss Athena? Miss Agent Sheila?"

Sheila gave Pearl a little salute as she snapped her compact shut again “Please. I’m looking forward to having my worldview shaken more than it already has.”

Athena laughed a little at Sheila’s remark, before she fixed her hair and nodded. 

“I’m ready.”

She wasn’t– part of her wasn’t sure what she’d say, and she was sure Widget was flashing every emotion under the sun as she stood there smiling like a cheerful fool and waited to potentially come face to face with her dead mother.

Everyone in the room stood around Pearl in a loose circle; Sheila, Simon, and Halblicht further back, and she and Apollo at the forefront.

"Alright." Pearl put her hands together and smiled. "Good luck everybody."

Her fingers flicked in quick succession and she seemed to mutter a prayer. Athena felt all the emotions that she could sense from her go dead suddenly– and a strange aura filled the room. A tension, and expectancy.

Her heart nearly stopped at the sudden drop in emotions, the air felt heavy and strange as it weighed down upon her. An involuntary step back was aborted, only for her to stand nervously tugging her ponytail with the smile frozen on her face.

In a blink, the tension eased, and in that same blink– Pearl Fey was no longer there. 

Metis Cykes stood in the center of the circle with her hand upon her chest over the folds of unfamiliar clothes with a pensive frown etched on her face. 

There was a hiss of air behind her. "Cykes-sensei," Simon breathed, seemingly involuntarily. Athena felt his wave of emotions crash on her.

“....Well I’ll be damned in the court of Justitia…” Sheila murmured. “It's actually real.”

Metis’ head turned upwards in a slow and deliberate motion, a smile forming on her lips for the briefest moment before Athena was once more assailed with surprise.

“Simon…what in the world happened to you?” No sooner did she ask , than her eyes fell on Athena and her rictus smile. “Oh..”

“H-Hey mom!” Athena projected the joy that weakly pulsed in her own heart, lost in the ever rising volume of the emotions around her– she kept the hot, coiling feeling of anxiety pushed down and smothered instead of daring to let it show. “Mom…I..I know this probably a lot to take in…”

Metis placed her fingers against her forehead, massaging just over her nose with a quiet smile. “Athena dear…you’ve grown quite a bit, haven’t you? Which means…I’ve been dead for some time. Haven’t I?” 

"Your presence has been dearly missed, Cykes-sensei," Simon murmured, dropping into a little bow. "We're sorry to impose on you in this way."

Apollo, beside Athena, was shaking. He had started to hold himself again, and Athena could tell that he was desperately trying to hold his emotions in check as this proceeded.

Metis held up her hand with a musical chuckle “Don’t worry about that, Simon. Death is a lonely sea of cognition. If I’m honest, any opportunity to escape it I’ll be happy to take.”

She walked across the circle towards Athena, and Athena felt the swell of positive feelings from inside her even as her face remained composed and thoughtful. 

“I didn’t think I’d really get to see the way you’ve grown, Athena.” She reached over, and pulled her daughter into a tight hug. “You’ve even outgrown the headphones we made you.”

Hot tears stung Athena’s eyes as she half fell against her with shaking shoulders

“Momma!” Her voice hiccuped, caught on her tears for a moment as she tried in vain to compose herself. “A l-lot’s happened, m-mom…things were really bad for a while but it’s gonna get better.” 

There was a hush over the room as the two of them reunited. Athena could hear the sound of Simon who was badly holding back his tears. Apollo– or perhaps Clay, or both– was shaking. Robert must have been present, because from him at least she felt a comforting glass pool of nothing.

Metis rubbed Athena’s back, letting her daughter cry against her as Athena tried to compose herself. The emotions of the room swirled inside her, her own rose and swirled within the ambiance …

Strangely, the glass pool of nothing was a comfort, allowing her own emotions to reflect back to where they belonged…flowing along with the tears as she looked up at her mother’s quiet smile for the first time in 7 long years…since their fight over her headphones.

“I can see that a lot happened, Athena.” Metis gave her a firm squeeze before she leaned back to look over the faces assembled with an analytical stare that Athena and Simon knew well. She was taking into account everyone in the room…listening to their voices and the sounds of their hearts, making judgements.

She spoke again, with her hand delicately atop Athena’s head. “...where are we? Is Aura around? This doesn’t look like the Cosmos Center.” 

"Aura isn't here, I'm afraid, Cykes-sensei," Simon explained quietly. He wiped his face with his sleeve. "And we are quite far from the Cosmos Space Center. Your daughter has become a fine defense attorney, and we are currently investigating a case with some supernatural elements. You've been summoned– much to our pleasure– as a mere demonstration of our medium's miraculous skill."

Athena nodded against her again, taking soft and hiccuping breaths as she wiped her face .

“I solved the mystery of your death,” she whispered, “but…but that’s a story for another time, mom. For now, I’m sorry she’s not here…and I’m sorry to have pulled you from th–”

“Death is a dream, Athena.” Athena felt the sting of sorrow and pain in those words. “It’s not a hardship to see the light again and to see how far you’ve all come since I've fallen asleep.”

She raised her hand to her chin. Just like Athena, her mother could be quiet…pensive…often keeping her emotions tightly wrapped within herself to the point that some saw her as cold towards everything but her work.

She and her mother had always shared the need for a mask between them and the outside world…it was no wonder Metis had kept a collection of Noh theater masks along with the other mementos of her heritage.

“But a case with supernatural elements, you say? Like that whole affair on TV with that Iris girl and the birdish lawyer? Pigeon Right, or something, yes?”

Athena’s smile grew performatively awkward. “Phoenix Wright, momma. He’s my boss.” 

"Our boss, actually," Apollo murmured, the first time he'd said anything at all. "But yeah. Just like that. Had to prove it was real."

Metis’ gaze turned towards Apollo for the first time, and she blinked. 

“...Justice, right? Apollo Justice. You used to play around the Cosmos Center all the time with Clay Terran, didn’t you? It’s a regular reunion, it seems!”

Athena hugged her tighter. She was sure it was obvious, both to her mother’s keen ears and to the eyes of everyone watching…she knew it would only be a short time, that it wouldn’t be forever.

She didn’t want to let her go and push her away, not again.

Metis noticed, gently rustling Athena’s hair with a furrow of concern on her brow. “You know. I heard a lot about the talents of spirit mediums from my own parents. The Ayasato clan in Japan, which became the Fey clan here in America. In a way, it feels like I’m a part of history being channeled through one of their number.”

She smiled wryly “Instead of just being history.”

The black humor drew a loud and swiftly aborted laugh from Agent Ash off against the wall…enough to snap her out of her dull and staring stupor. 

Simon laughed darkly, and shook his head."The same old Cykes-sensei. I see your humor hasn't passed away, at least."

“No, my dear protege. It wouldn’t be the same if it gave up the ghost. Or if the ghost gave it up.”

She let the joke hang there in the air with the barest laugh into her sleeve. Her mother’s famously dark humor and her academic and passionate love of Japanese history, space and psychology were a number of the things that had endeared both Blackquill siblings to her ever since she could remember.

Athena couldn’t help but laugh weakly herself. “Mom…”

Sheila had already broken down into a snicker .“not just a pretty stiff, a funny one too.”

It seemed she’d already gained another fan.

While the others were laughing, Apollo said, "We don't actually have anything specific we needed to ask you, Ms. Cykes. If you'd like to ask us anything, or if you'd like a moment alone with your daughter…"

“Ah…” Metis’ slight smile fell. “of course…”

She closed her eyes for a long moment of silence before she spoke. “Just one question..Then I may want some time with my daughter. I’ve got who knows how many years worth of telling her how proud I am to catch up on.” 

"Of course, Cykes-sensei," Simon said. Athena could feel his tension rise, though his voice was even to any other ear. "Anything."

“...” her expression smoothed into something quiet and placid, but Athena felt the low simmer of emotions inside her mother’s voice as she spoke again.

“Did we manage to launch our Hope for the future? Did it come back safely, despite my death?” Her eyes glanced down at Athena “...It wasn’t all for nothing, right?”

Tears rolled down Simon's face. "It wasn't all for nothing, Cykes-sensei. They made a movie of it, even. They called it a miracle."

The tension inside her relaxed, and she looped an arm around Athena’s shaking shoulders. Athena felt tears welling up in her eyes as she looked up at her mother.

“They did.” Athena sniffed softly. “...and Mr. Starbuck is even set to go back into space soon for another mission. It all really, really was a miracle.”

Metis chuckled. “...a miracle, hm?” It was…That stone. The stone I died for, and the hope of more like it from the probe…it was because I knew it would do wonders in the field of psychology and robotics.”

She leaned down to tap Widget with her fingertip. 

“It’s unique mineralogy was the special component that allowed this little dear and my darling Ponco and Clonco their ability to read emotions…the component that allowed me to make those headphones for Athena and help my suffering daughter and those like her. Hearing that all wasn’t lost is a weight off my spirit.” 

Athena heard Halblicht breathe in, and she felt a tremor of emotion from him– truly barely perceptible over the din of the others.

"I'm truly pleased to be able to carry the news to you, Cykes-sensei. I hope it will bring you peace."

It made a twisted sort of sense. Of course her mother had fought so hard for that rock, despite the man trying to take it from her. It was for her research– and for her. Tears fell down her cheeks again as her mother continued.

“No.” Metis held her hand up with a weak chuckle. “It brings me joy. I’m not ready to be ground up in the wheel of reincarnation just yet.”

Her hand gripped Athena’s shoulder protectively “I’ve still got unfinished business. I certainly can’t flit off to the next life without saying goodbye to Aura, at the very least. Save the wishing me peace for a little while yet, protege.”

Athena hiccuped again. “Oh.” 

Simon's breathy voice carried another wave of mingled sorrow and joy, and he wiped his eyes again. "Of course, Cykes-sensei. I should have known."

She smiled, and dipped into a deep bow. 

“I hope you’ll come knock knock knocking on the door to the afterlife for me again, to wake me from the dream. Maybe, when that time comes, lay me out some tea and perhaps some katsudon. Hang up a few streamers. Tell Aura to please show herself from whatever hole she’s working feverishly in. Maybe give me someone to scare.”

She rose and took Athena’s hand, “I’d like to see you all with smiles on your faces.”

“P-promise mom.” Athena said, making a show of a bright smile. “...promise. Next time we’ll make it a real celebration.” 

"You have my word, sensei," Simon said, also smiling as the tears ran down his face. "We'll throw a party."

[minghs]

to say they were all simply exhausted from constant travel and little to no breaks would have to be an understatement— the past months of schedules had been nothing short of kind to him, the build up of evidently sleepless nights heavy under his eyes; still, there is a joy in performing for hours into the nights and there is a consistent joy placed precariously in his phone with each message that lights up his screen. every so often, laying in his bed with the superficial light flooding the floor of his hotel room, the yearning to go home had only served to grow stronger as time passed. as each message had been shared between two people and their hearts, his desire to go home, to take the next flight to korea, had only served to grow stronger. it was an insane change of pace for himself— he had not felt so desperate in months, in years.

it had come as a relief when they would take the vans to the airport in fukuoka, then. it had come as a sort of bundle of vibrating nerves when he sat down in the plane, texting promises and cheeky messages for when they see each other— they'll finally see each other. a flurry of butterflies, a ravenous horde, erupts in his stomach and claws its way upwards to his chest— he feels his heart squeeze, a suffocating feeling. but even as he sits in his seat, masking his anticipatory emotions with careful practice from his members, he finds his mind adrift with the clouds in the sky as the plane takes off and soars. they had known each other for years now, their groups close with one another with the feeling of solidarity; back then, it was different. they were young and reckless and dumb, driven with greed and ambition and a need to prove themselves— now, things have felt as though they have calmed, like the ocean after a particularly stormy night. as his chin had pressed into the heel of his palm, eyes peering out the window, he had reminisced to being unable to keep himself from publicly interacting with yewon during promotions. a prickly feeling had inched down his back when he remembered her smile, his own outstretched hand, and he had wondered if she was really waiting for him, if she was safe there and warm. without really knowing, he had begun to expect seeing a flash of pink, the picket waved amongst the blur of cameras and cheering fans.

so, enter stage right, really— they enter the airport and touch ground in korea, the air of exhaustion so heavy and thick hanging above himself and the rest of his members, but he finds his mind fuzzy with static, unable to really think besides the fact that she's here. his chin hangs down, as always, bucket hat curtaining his expression along with his mask and only lifting his head to greet the reporters as amicably as possible. all these months of patience and carefully curated moments of tenderness have come to this: a bubble threatening to burst the more he walks around in it, his gaze quick, full of intent, as he finds the picket and with it, the woman. the ravenous horde of butterflies erupts once more when his eyes catch her in the back, amongst everyone else, and the exhaustion seems to slip away entirely to make room for an unbridled joy.

the trip from airport to van is an easy one, the members sidling away into their respective vans as they make their way down the corridor, sighs of relief leaving their mouths and heads lolling backwards to relieve tension— minghao's hand leaves reassuring touches to each member of his, leaning against the wall as he waits and he doesn't have to wait for long when the bodyguard brings her along, their gazes meeting like a collision of lightning striking the ground. behind the mask, underneath the hat, his entire visage lights up with an undeniable look of happiness, the tips of his ears burning an evident ruddy color as it trails down to his neck and spreads; here she is, finally. all their promises and their patience coming into full bloom within the palms of their hands as her arms wind around his body and his arms around hers— it almost feels surreal for him, with her here and not elsewhere, with her arms tight around his body as though it were such a natural thing for them. a flood of bashful embarrassment drowns him out then, the bodyguard and one of his managers keeping close (when, really, he'd rather they don't stick too close but he understands), as he mumbles a soft: i'm home.

he does peel away from her, not too much though, but enough for his hand to come up to her cheek, a thumb caressing over the swell of it tenderly— in this moment, he uses his free hand to pull his own mask down, revealing the soft and gentle curve of his lips that seems almost eternally etched onto his features as well as revealing the soft redness blooming on his own cheeks. " don't you have something to tell me in person? " he teases softly, fingers pinching at her cheek before the hand falls to clasp at her own, a brow quirking. " or did seeing me fizzle out every thought in your pretty head? "

— » a starter for @minghs for their reunion!

the atmosphere of the airport arrival gates was electric, energy pouring from the crowd that vied for a glimpse of the stars that would be filing off the tarmac. the environment was overwhelming: the harshness of the fluorescence lighting, the sterile scent of cleaning byproducts, the constant hum of the masses that mingled. nestled amongst the lot, tucked carefully into the corner towards the end, the masked artist stood away from the horde, hiding in plain sight, awaiting the arrival of one star in particular. yet, despite the crushing air that surrounded her, the kim was aloft with joy, every fiber of her being abuzz. over the course of the past few months, the path of their attachment had diverged. a once friendship now bloomed into something else entirely, the seeds unwittingly planted somewhere between the genuine cheers for each other's progress & the light teasing amongst them and their friends. gently nurtured with time & patience, over late night musings & early morning laughter & smiles felt from a distance, the affection she held for minghao slowly began to bloom, softly blossoming into a delicate admiration & tender desire. something she hadn't even realized she'd been searching for: the moonlight to her sun. schedules & other commitments kept them equally busy, but now that the timetables seemed to align, the biggest barrier between them melted away like the final snowfall before spring greets everyone warmly.

of course, she wasn't anything less than grateful towards the time they'd cultivated together, however with each passing mile of his journey bringing him closer to home, she began to grow restless— slender fingers gripped the plastic handle of the picket while the other hand brushed unruly hairs away from her gaze before carefully smoothing out the ribbon of her bow. the roar of applause & cheers interrupted her anxious movements, her gaze shooting upwards to scan the incoming crowd. there, in a black bucket hat & mask that obscured his features & fur lined jacket that looked soft & welcoming. she would recognize him anywhere, hadn't he said that to her? dark hues hovered over him as a dozen emotions washing over her in waves, all the elation & nerves & longing & yearning that had been bottled up bubbled, threatening to explode. the static of the air between them hummed, drowning out any coherent attempts at thought. simple words echoed in her mind: he's here, he's real.

following after the bodyguard as she was motioned forth, she kept her head bowed & gaze low to keep from tripping over her own feet as they were escorted out of the main hall to the corridors leading towards the exit. it took all of her waning self restraint to keep pace, maintain balance, & breathe while every fiber in her being wanted to sprint forwards. when they finally made it to a desolate space away from prying eyes & flashing lens & the bedlam of the crowds, an official nod of approval was given of course. she could barely contain the soft sound of relief that escaped her as she finally rushed forward. the pause, the hesitation, all of the worries were left behind with the noise. right now, all that was left was this moment. arms encircled him with ease, as if she'd done so a hundred times before instead of the first. scents of spring blooms & freshly picked florals washed over her, botanical & efflorescent & so undeniably him. ❛ welcome home. ❜

[papirouge]

I’m trying to understand how one sells their soul since I’m watching a vid breaking down how Lady Gaga and Lina Morganas relationship was before Lina passed away. LG came from wealth and had everything while Lina struggled but had real talent for the arts. Her mother even stated that LG has her daughters soul after her daughter just mysteriously jumped or fell from a building. I think LG could have hired someone to kill her. You also posted something about spirit cooking and how people on earth will manipulate spirits and souls for personal gain but I’m kinda confused on how someone who is looking for fame like LG came come across that power? Because from what I understand, our souls aren’t technically ours - like we made them - but a gift from God. Would selling our soul mean we’re stealing from God to give to Satan? Hence why it’s so nearly impossible to go back on the contract (Plus all the rituals that go with that - it all seems so much work for something so meaningless like fame and fortune)

Yeah there's been a lot of shady things going around Gaga when she debuted. I heard about a story of her taking a blood bath in her hotel room... During Artpop era, she started flopping and started mingling with Marina Abramovich (a witch) and I think that's how she managed to come back in favor to the industry.

When it comes to artist, I think their surrounding executives play a HUGE part of them turning to the dark side. I don't think evey celebrity or singer wakes up and decide to make blood sacrifice or sec magick for fame an success. This is a multi layered process: the more they want to walk up the fame ladder, the more sacrifice they'll have to make. I think fame is kinda like a drug, the more you make, the more you need/want it. There's also the fact of having made so many sacrifices.....no everyone will turn back after sacrificing their children/spouse for fame & fortune....

I remember Cardi B made a video around the time "Bodak Yellow" blew up where she was in Dubai (we all know what that means...) saying fame wasn't worth it and that she was ready to retire etc... Many celebrities are pushed to their breaking point in order to 'make it' in the industry.

Don't you find interesting how many celebrities/singer have member of their family/acquaintance dying in tragic events (accident, murder, etc) just before they blew up? On most cases, I don't think it's a coincidence.

And for the souls things, I think you're really onto something. Yes, souls aren't really ours. We more like "borrow" it? Like, you rent an apartment and you can still rent it down to someone else (although that's not really legal lol). So celebrities do rent down their souls to the devil, and when their time comes (death), God (the landlord) acknowledge their soul is in the hand of the devil and lets this authority to the devil. It's important to not that's how it works in the spiritual realm: God is almighty BUT He willingly allows satan autority over earth. In the same logic, humans having freewill, God respect their decision to give satan autority over their life (by selling their souls). Ultimately they'll have to pay the eternal price that goes along.

[echo-three-one]

Chapter 42

THE ROAD SO FAR

This chapter was a mess. But it's my mess.

FOUR weeks of Silence

Gary "Roach" Sanderson

Veteran's Village

A peaceful Sunday meant that Roach, Alex and Soap were chilling at the house Samantha and Maxine were in. It had been 4 weeks since that Cuban incident and Francine had gone to therapy for her near death traumatic experience. If it wasn't for Soap, she would've been left out there for good.

France thought that it would be healthy to stay in a more domestic setup rather than the base so she took her time off duty to recover in the veteran's village. And ever since that day in Cuba, Soap and France's relationship was more expressive than ever.

"If we're having a barbecue tonight, we better head off to the meat shop." Alex peeked by the door, giving a heads up to the rest of the people sitting on the couch. Soap turned his head to Alex and tossed his keys as Roach stood up and came with Alex.

"Any other requests?" He looked at the group then to Maxine, who shook her head and laughed. 

"Just be back safe." She replied.

"Got it." Gary nodded and waved goodbye at them. Soap wanted to come along but France had been falling asleep on his lap for quite a while. And Maxine and Samantha noted that she hadn't had decent for days.

"Oh, Roach! Grab me a cigar maybe." He whispered, trying not to wake France up.

"Roger that." He nodded and made his way to Soap's jeep, where Alex was already waiting on him. He sat himself on shotgun and let Alex lead the way to their destination.

He turned on the radio as it played a song about driving. Roach was quick to shazam it and found out it was Automobile by KALEO.

"Now this is going to be on my playlist." Alex said as his head nodded to the music, taking him where the winds take him, far away.

"Agreed. Oh, Soap actually asked for cigarettes so we might have to stop by a convenience store on the way back." Roach informed as the song ended. 

"Okay. That's cool. Maybe add a few sodas for the girls. They probably haven't had those i  ages." He said as he turned the radio off and switched it to AUX.

"Here. Grab my phone and play that song again." Alex instructed as he drove through the streets, and Roach followed him. Playing the song again.

"Ah yes. This song is good." Alex sighed.

"Yeah. It's fire." Roach commented, making Alex raise an eyebrow.

"You know, fire… lit… slaps… Modern terminologies." Roach explained shyly as Alex chuckled.

"I'll never understand the young ones of today." Alex chuckled as he stopped by the parking lot, pulling his phone and leaving the car.

Dinner was the best part of the Sunday evening as the three couples enjoyed a hearty meal together, sharing experiences and funny stories like an extended family. Roach talked about his raccoon story once again as one topic led to another until such time that the inevitable topic was discussed.

"Speaking of fires, do you have any leads on Nero?" Samantha asked innocently as the men fell quiet, looking at each other. Wondering who would open up the topic.

"Well, uh… After his assault in New York…" Soap trailed off, his eyes went to Alex, signaling him to continue.

"Alex, it's your girl's question! Go answer it!" Soap complained as France laughed, wrapping her arms around Soap.

"He's gone silent." Alex muttered. Samantha was kinda sad she asked about it so she tried to make up by brightening up the mood.

The night continued on as the group played charades, girls vs boys. For an hour or so the soldiers forgot about their worries and acted like they're normal people living their normal lives outside work. It wouldn't hurt to pretend like that, especially when the baggage of guilt was hard to handle.

"So, Gary. I've been meaning to ask you something…" Maxine said as she assisted him in the kitchen.

"Yeah, what is it?"

"How are you… like mentally. You seem… off." She asked, Gary sighed and eased his shoulders.

"It's just… we almost lost a life back there… for nothing. Lannister hasn't said any useful information and as the days go by another assault might occur." he breathed out his worries, earning a back rub from Maxine.

"People have their limits. Lannister could break anytime. Let's just hope we're not too late." She assured him. It was a very negative statement but somehow it's actually helpful. Gary smiled and gave her a hug.

"Thanks Maxine." he said.

"Yeah. Don't ever think you're alone. I'm here for you. Actually, just last night. I had another memory restored. And it felt so important that you have to know it first. Before…" she said, her voice lowering down after every word.

"Before what?" Gary whispered jokingly. Maxine laughed and hit his chest gently.

"Nevermind that word. Back to my memory…

I…" she trailed off, looking like she was too shy and scared to finish the statement.

"You…?" Gary raised an eyebrow. Maxine took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I had an ex-girlfriend." She blurted and paused right after saying it, bracing at what Gary's reaction.

"I- uh.. That's okay… There's nothing wrong with that, Maxine." He said like he meant it. Maxine was too shocked about his reaction. Maybe she thought about it too much.

"Like… does that change anything?" She asked.

"Nothing at all. Oh wait! Yes! It does." Gary announced and Maxine's smile almost dropped.

"It means that if I want to have you, I'll have to step up my game. I have more competition now." He realized and Maxime sighed in relief. This man was about to get some scolding.

"You worried me, you know!" He continued gently hitting on Gary's chest, giggling away all her fears. He still accepted her. This was great.

"My point's valid!" He laughed, defending himself from her hits,.like children playing house. This may seem like a simple event, but this was the beginning of something new for the two of them.

Task Force 141 Base - Interrogation Room

Price sat in front of Gabriel, they've been silent for about an hour now as Gary and Soap stayed on the viewing area to observe the interrogation. Alex was here thirty minutes ago but he left after he got a phone call.

"What kind of twisted play is this?" Soap asked, crossing his arms and looking at Gabriel.

"The bastard won't talk. Just cut off a finger or something." He scoffed. To Gary, it would make sense, but with all the cameras and the formalities, It wasn't allowed. Especially that Gabriel's alibi was that he got their first to investigate. Which was total bullshit.

"He still has his ace on his sleeve. As long as we don't find proof of involvement, he's going to be free soon." Gary commented, making Soap grumble some Scottish curses.

"It's pretty obvious!" Soap yelled as Alex entered the interrogation room, saying something to Price as they immediately left him alone. Whatever that message was, looked way more important than Gabriel.

"We've got a lead on Nero!" Alex said as he peeked on the door, making the two stand up immediately and head to the briefing room.

"Operation Eye of the Storm." Price announced.

"In 24 hours, Nero and his newfound friends will meet on a hotel in Prague. This intel was from one of the Resistance Leaders Alex once teamed up with. They reached out for help since Nero started to secure the whole city." Price paced back and forth on the big screen.

"The plan is to eliminate Nero and his allies. As simple as that. We have the element of surprise in our hands. Soap, I want you to position yourself on the clock tower, just by the hotel. A bullet to the head should work. Alex will be watching your six. Jack will be our eyes and ears inside the convention. He'll be signaling when they'll be out on the open. Roach and I will enter the building for cleanup. We only had one shot at this so let's make it count." Price briefed and everyone else murmured their thoughts, some were already thanking for a solid lead. This was it. The final showdown. The end of the war.

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC

Alex and Soap already left the resistance safehouse, they had to be at the clock tower tonight, using the concealment of the night and the noise of the rain for cover. The perfect opportunity to say under the radar. Meanwhile, Roach and Price stayed to defend the place as Nero's men once again ransacked the streets just to ensure his safety. The world may have announced that the war in US was over, but Nero still had some cities under his control. This minor setback was the reason he's planning for something new. And they're here to stop it.

"Alright, Roach. Your replacements here." Price said as he stood up from his spot. 

"Get ready for the big day tomorrow." He added as he nodded and left his gun for the next person to use. Tomorrow's battle is going to be tough, and even though he didn't want to admit it, Roach needed some rest.

Despite the occasional gunfire and screaming, Roach was able to sleep. He didn't mind the battle outside the building as his battle was with Nero. Once Soap shot him dead, he would also want to shoot him again, just to feel satisfied.

0639H 

Hotel Lustig

Prague, Czech Republic

Roach hid on the west wing of the hotel, while Price was on the other side. They were both clinging on to the walls as their entrance was at the small opening where Soap would shoot Nero. Roach eyed the convoy just below him.

"Convoy's up ahead. Nero should be in one of those cars." Soap muttered.

"Can't see shit through the lens. He could be anywhere." Alex added.

"Easy lads. We'll have a clear shot once they're in the balcony. Right Jack?" Price asked. Jack didn't respond, but maybe the signal inside was too weak.

"Jack? Do you copy?" Price asked.

"Da. I do copy, Captain Price. I'm just here to get my old prisoner back. I've had him in the gulag for quite a while but it seems this is our first time meeting face to face." A russian voice which everyone assumed to be Nero said in the most villainous tone possible.

"You're too predictable, Captain." he said as he clicked something, prompting an explosion on the clock tower.

"Get down! C4!" Price yelled as the two soldiers jump out, falling on to railings. Alex landed on a fruit cart by the tower while Soap landed on the car, crashing it as it alarmed.

"Roach! Go help them out!" Price ordered as Nero's men started to circle around the two while the resistance team helped them defend. 

Roach quickly pulled Soap up who was groaning in pain. Alex looked pained too but the look in their eyes says that they're still willing to end this today.

"Let's catch up with them." Alex said as a resistance member tossed them a rifle and quickly hid for cover, pushing their way into the hotel. At the corner of Roach's eye, he saw Price enter the building, loading his gun and ready to end this as well.

Next Chapter : THREE Bullets

Notification Squad my Beloved

@smokeywhalee @enderio @samatedeansbroccoli @whimsywispsblog @ricinbach @bumblingbee1

[trippz2ill2ace8itout]

⭐🥀TRIGGER WARNING!!

Introducing Last Night At 3AM. I Lost Control. Yet Another Breakdown, I Had about 30 breakdowns. No pity sympathy or attention. && NO I WAS NOT ON DRUGS! I'm over 1 year sober. Alvaro took over (one of my demons/alters) && Dancing Fire (another one) possessed me to the point I almost got a cop call. I don't wanna be a burden &: I wanna save fix care support be there for everyone and everything. I'm sick of being alive. But I can't do anything stupid cuz of me getting concerved to a state institution (which is way different than a mental hospital) cuz I've been in 215 mental hospitals & got diagnosed Critically/Clinically Insane plus over 10+ mental hospitals. All I have is my mom. The breakdowns the vivid flashbacks the mental illnesses getting 10x worse. No treatment will take me cuz I've been to all of them to many times. I can't process anything. My mind imprisons me. I dissociate 89 to 99% of the day. I've been thru every single sorts of treatments/medication I've had trauma 24/7 from 2001-2018. I'm losing my mind. And everyday it's the same thing and people get tired of hearing it.I'm so done with dealing with this everyday. I don't need sympathy. I just don't know man. My mom&& lil brother doesn't want me home, I can't explain what's wrong or going on. I don't wanna be a burden. I'm sorry man. I wanted to self harm again but I didn't. Imagine all my mental illnesses multiplied by 10. Imagine EVERYDAY HAVING VIVID FLASHBACKS AND 22+ Mental Breakdowns a day. I.am sorry if I'm negative. I'm sorry. I just wanna save and fix the world. When people ask me "how are u" idk how much reply. I'm sick of my mind. I feel like darkness is controlling me. I pray A LOT. Alvaro literally possesses me and gets in my body. I have mostly every mental health diagnosis there is. And NO I'M NOT PROUD OF IT I'M NOT BRAGGING OR GLORIFYING It. I just wanna help everyone and everything. Along the my mental health, I have autism, narcolepsy anorexia Etc. My diagnosis list is so long and I don't wanna be known for that. I can't even leave my house. When ever I feel a lil bit better, here comes Alvaro. But again I don't wanna be a burden. It's my job to be there for everyone else NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. I can't take this anymore. No pity sympathy or attention. I can't seek help cuz then they'll send me to a institution cuz I've been in to many mental hospitals. I'm doing the best I can. But I'm about to snap. I can't function. And I'm getting worse. I don't want attention I want to be OK. I've dealt with all this hell most of my life. It's hard to explain. On top of that. My physical state is getting worse. I'm finding more reasons to die than to live. I'm over 1 year sober. I'm a huge hypocrite when it comes out taking my own advice. I don't love myself. But i am over caring sensitive and I help obsessively. I repeat myself idk I'm just not OK. I'm losing contact with reality. I'm scared to keep going. But I got this.🥀⭐

🥀⭐Your Enough

Your Worth It.

Your Life Has Purpose

This To Shall Pass

Im here for all y'all in anyway I possibly can.

I'm sorry if I'm annoying. I'm sorry

Stay Strong && Keep Breathing ⭐🥀

🌙🌙🔥🔥🖤🖤🥀🥀HUGE TRIGGER WARNING🥀🥀🖤🖤🔥🔥🌙🌙

🥀🥀🔥🔥Hey my name is Izzy && I'm a recovering drug addict && alcoholic with over 1 year sober. This is the longest I've been sober being out of treatment. I've used mostly every drug there is. Being homeless 13 times. In 215 mental hospitals. In 3 foster homes (2 out of 3 were abusive) group homes, unlocked and locked treatment centers, rehabs shelters, crisis centers. Short and long term treatment centers. Which none will take me back cuz I've been there to many times. I've sold myself && got tortured abused raped drugged up for drugs and money to raise my unbio son, Anthony. I lost custody cuz of false accusations. I've had multiple near death experiences (some were suicide attempts && some were naturally done) my drug of choice was meth. I've had trauma 24/7 from 2001-2018, over 10+ mental illnesses. Some were caused from a few bad trips on PCP that I never came back from. I was sleeping anywhere I could rest my head, I had to be alert at all times. Tbh I havent been to a meeting in awhile. My sponsor is like family to me. I'm redoing all my steps. I'm on step 2. I've lost a shit ton of people to drugs and I was literally getting cop calls everyday. Drugs messed with my life. And having this much clean time is amazing. Most of my life I've gotten abused raped, literally tortured and drugged up. Sold. Prostituted, almost killed. But no pity sympathy or attention pls. Any clean time is good time. And I'm proud of all of you in recovery drug addiction is a special kinda hell. Drugs become your priority and your best friend. I got tortured on the daily by people coming in one by one torturing me from orders from Kimberly (my ex fiance who hung herself in front of me) it was one by one. I got so caught on in drugs that it was the only way I knew. I used to numb the pain. I'm so blessed I found God again. Now I have 22+ mental breakdowns a day every day. I found out it had a lot to do with my drug use.🔥🔥🥀🥀

🥀🖤Thank you for breathing even when u wanted to die. Drugs kill you. There's nothing about it to be proud of its serious. You Matter Yo Important Yo A Someone Yo Enough Yo Worth It Yo Have A Purpose, Yo Have A Story, A Message, A Voice, A Reason, Yo A Warrior, A Soldier, A Survivor, A Fighter. You Are U && NoOne Can Be You, But YOU. Your Life Matters YOU MATTER, Yo Life Has Value &% I'm Glad Your Alive. Thank U For Being Alive. People say that I help everyone and everything obsessively && I don't stop. It's very true. This is a shout out to my unbio son that I raised as my own, Anthony Castillo-Martinez, I met him at one of the many abusive foster homes. Where it was owned illegally by Andrea/Angela && Jimmy Miller. We got tortured daily. They were not licensed foster parents. I met Lil Toni there and I escaped with him to meet up with Kimberly. We lived in a run down hotel in LA. I became homeless again. Toni got me through so much and even tho I can't find him (he's been gone for years) your my lil baby. I will always love u. U are my world and one day I hope to see u again. I hope you have a good home now. Going to school. Just doing well in general. And I'm sorry for you witnessing what Kimberly was doing to me. I love u babes with all my heart. 🖤🥀

🖤🔥🥀I failed Cedar House twice. This was a rehab in San Bernardino, California. I lied my way out. And I regret it. Funny thing is I already read the entire NA Basic Text && The AA Big Book. I have multiple sobriety apps on my phone and I have an app that that has NA && AA Speakers on it. I'm reading the How && Why and I'm so proud of myself && I couldn't have got this far without my sponsor, Jaclyn. She understands me better than any sponsor I've had in recovery. Here's a list of my mental disorders, some were caused Or made worse by drugs and alcohol🥀🔥🖤

🌙🔥🔥Schizo-Affective, Bipolar

ADHD, OLD, ODD,

PTSD, Insomnia

Depression, Anorexia

Anxiety, Autism

Borderline Personality Disorder

Severe Brain Damage

Attachment Disorder

Dissociative Identity Fund..

Multiple Personality Disorder

Narcolepsy, Critically/Clinically Insane🔥🔥🌙

🖤🥀Listen I don't need your pity, sympathy or attention these were all diagnosed by over 5 psychiatrists, and diagnosed "Insane" by over 10 doctors. DO NOT SELF DIAGNOSE!!!! Anyways. I attempted suicide over 100 times. Self harmed in anyway possible. They say I'm the most high maintenance case in the system of California. And the next time I go to a mental hospital I'm getting sent to a state institution. I would do anything to get drugs. Jeremy && Izzie Baraz were my street partners. They both passed away. All I have left in blood family is my mom and brother. My mom. Says if I pick up drugs one more time I'm never aloud back in her house. My dad injected me with meth and heroin at age 9, he also tortured me daily. He passed away in 2011. I'm glad he's dead. But I take full responsibility for my drug and alcohol habits. And I hope I never go back. One Day At A Time.🥀🖤

🔥🥀This To Shall Pass, If Not Today There's Always Tomorrow

God, Grant Me The Serenity

To Accept The Things I Cannot Change

The Courage To Change The Things I Can. &&

The Wisdom To Know The Difference

Amen🥀🔥

🔥🔥Keep Coming Back It Works If You Work It🔥🔥

🔥🔥A Moment Of Silence, For The Addict Who Still

Suffers, In And Out Of These Rooms🔥🔥

🔥🔥Staying Clean, Im Never Going Back🔥🔥

🥀🖤I almost relapsed again on New Year's. I almost asked a stranger to buy me Vodka. But God told me to stop.

I'm Always Here 4 All Of You, No matter What.

I'd Do Anything To Keep Y'all Alive && Breathing. To Make U OK. to Save && Fix U && Take Your Pain Away. I Love Y'all. Keep Coming Back.🖤🥀