#i am a scott/lightning enjoyer

[ellameloetta]

“imagine getting rizzed by lightning” jo talking about scott

[mangora]

So I haven’t been fulfilling my obligations as resident Scike enjoyer recently and I finally have a night with no coursework due, so here’s a meta analysis post about my interpretations of Scott and Mike’s characters, primarily as told through their relationship with one another. This isn’t necessarily accurate, some of these are definitely reaches or headcanons with little basis in reality, it’s not like a serious essay; this is just for fun since I find their relationship (or I guess, my idea of their relationship) fascinating 👍

So, naturally we start with episode one, where we’re introduced to Scott and Mike as well as the other generation two characters. Scott, off the bat, is unfriendly and untrusting; even before Jo says anything, he eyes her with malcontent. Scott looks at Mike with a seemingly annoyed expression when he’s introduced next. Mike, in contrast to Scott, is smiling and taking in the view. Scott notices immediately when Zoey nudges him and stares at her arm; I don’t think this demonstrates any sort of feelings for Mike on Scott’s part, yet at least, but rather it seems to display his social awareness. He’s already trying to gauge both Mike and Zoey’s personalities and dynamic— he could also be judging them, or a mix of that and the aforementioned gauging. Regardless, Scott’s already shown to be suspicious of others.

Meanwhile, Mike’s shown to form an attachment right away, specifically to Zoey. Their very minor interaction causes him to smile and espouse that the view is beautiful, though he’s obviously regarding her. This causes him to let his guard down, along with Zoey, which leaves both susceptible to being shoved out of the way by Lightning. Take note of this, as Mike’s desire to form stable relationships becomes a hallmark of his character. The dichotomy between Scott being untrusting when he should be and Mike being trusting when he shouldn’t be will become a running theme as well.

The next time we see them both is after the intro, when Scott refuses to help Cameron and calls him a “spaz”. This is contrasted with Mike being too kind with Zoey when they should be helping Staci out of the water, which causes him to be pulled underwater by her and could have led to them both drowning. This not only aligns with our theme of trust vs lack thereof, but also Mike’s goodwill vs Scott’s lack thereof again. It seems that what Scott needs, Mike supplies to a harmful excess; however, as we will touch on later, both of these incidents with Mike only occurred when there was another person there (Zoey) who he sought to impress or bond with. Right now all of these exist in an unjoined microcosm, but once again, scenes like this repeat throughout the season. 

Another scene worth noting is Mike’s confessional directly after. Mike’s already attached himself to Zoey, admiring her kindness and immediately jumping to the idea of a relationship with her. We’ve already established that Mike wants human connection, but here we also see the added element of insecurity; he already fears rejection for his “quirk”, which we will later discover is his DID (called “Multiple Personality Disorder” in the show; I am not fucking calling it that). He doesn’t state it to the audience yet, showing that maybe he’s not as trusting with people who he can’t directly connect with; even though he probably knows that he will inevitably be outed to them, for lack of a better term. Since he’s insecure about this, and because he says he hopes his “condition doesn’t ruin anything for [him] again”, we can draw the reasonable conclusion that Mike’s probably been rejected for his DID before, whether by potential romantic interests or by his peers more generally (with the added context of season five this could also be referring to how Mal got the system sent to jail, but honestly I’m not sure if the writers planned that far in advance so we’re not really gonna talk about it). It could also be possible that one of Mike’s motives for joining the show, besides the money, was to make friends or find a partner in a new group of people who didn’t know this detail of his life, and to do that by hiding his DID. Once again, this will seem like less of a reach as we continue to see this pattern unfold; it’s good to establish now the idea that Mike is heavily concerned with interpersonal relationships and self-image so we can continue compounding on that thesis as we go on. 

Next time we see either Mike or Scott is on the beach. Staci is talking about her family and Mike is obviously ignoring her in favor of looking at Zoey. This shows that while Mike is nice, he might not view everyone as an equal opportunity for human connection; he gets attached to Zoey instantly and regards her above everyone else, quick to establish a clear-cut and intense relationship in his mind with someone he barely knows. When Zoey even implies that they could become friends, he appears overjoyed. He’s so excited, and for what? Put a pin in this. 

Our focus shifts back to Scott briefly in the team formation scene before the first challenge. Scott and Lightning smile at each other (or maybe generally? It’s unclear if Scott’s looking at him) as they’re put on the same team. His smile fades when Brick shouts “Sir, yes sir!”, but rather than looking maybe annoyed or angry, he looks uncharacteristically concerned. His smile returns when B shoves Brick, then changes to annoyance when B’s put on his team. There are two major explanations for this. The first and most likely is that Scott’s scoping out his teammates and competition; he’s happy that Lightning’s on his team because he’s not very smart, then concerned and happy again when Brick’s put on the other team because he’s loyal and physically capable, and then he’s upset that B’s on his team because B’s intelligent and looks (is?) strong/fast. However, on the other hand, Scott’s expressions seem oddly earnest, especially considering how he behaves throughout the rest of the series. Maybe he’s secretly glad that Lightning’s here because he enjoys his company. Something that really caught my eye was Scott’s concern for Brick. Brick’s obviously military (likely due to family circumstances), and in season five, we learn that Scott’s dad is ex-military. Scott might be slightly worried because he knows what the military is like, or what military parents are like. We’ll talk more about Scott’s potential home situation later, but I dunno, something about him in this scene seems weirdly tame considering how he is normally; he seems oddly worried and not about the right people, like all things considered it would be best for his plan if his team was weak but he seems constantly annoyed by the additions of people like Dakota and Sam. 

Skipping over more of Scott being annoyed at people and Mike being anxious, when the teams get their names, Mike is the first to ask about the references to chemical waste. Though he’s very likely one of many to notice this, the fact he asked first and without hesitation shows that he’s both worried and quick to observe things. He continues to appear concerned by the growling of the “monster”, but seems to hold back from showing this, staying still with a worried expression. He might be trying to keep it cool to protect his image; or, maybe he’s trying to keep others from worrying as well, considering that Cameron’s already freaking out. When it gets closer, he holds Zoey in his arms. He has an urge to protect those he cares about, even if he has little reason to care about them yet. 

Later, during the actual challenge, while Jo and Anne Maria are outwardly annoyed by Brick, Mike tries to politely state that this isn’t working. This is the point at which Chester fronts; we learn later that Chester most commonly fronts to deal with frustrating situations. Mike himself cannot express frustration for whatever reason, likely because he’s afraid to. Meanwhile, Scott does his first confessional, where he states that he has a plan that’s sure to take down B (and implied to take down everyone else as well). Scott’s overly confident and expresses frustration with the gleeful notion that all will be handled eventually. Shortly after, Scott smiles as he and the other Toxic Rats overtake the Mutant Maggots; this is odd, as we will later find out that Scott wants his team to lose. This could be an example of him trying not to play his cards too early, but later it becomes apparent that Scott’s quick to snap when he’s upset. Was he perhaps earnestly excited to win as a team and had trouble masking that as well? Perchance (I can just say perchance, because it’s my meta post, and I do what I want). 

It’s worth mentioning now that we’ve covered episode one that Mike and Scott have somewhat inconsistent characterizations; as the series goes on, Mike is more prone to show annoyance or outbursts of fear, while Scott rarely shows genuine happiness when his plans aren’t working out. This could be a result of changing writers, a lack of ideas for one or both of them, or simply them changing and adapting to the game. Make of that what you will; I’ll try to explain things to the best of my ability and puzzle them together in a cohesive analysis, but shit’s a bit wonky. 

In episode two, we finally hear Scott’s plan: he’s intent on making his team lose the challenges to “lull the other team into a false sense of security, then pick them off one by one”. This is an interesting concept, considering how fucking stupid it is: if Scott loses most or all of his team and the Maggots continue working together, that security will become real, they will dominate him and any allies he might form (which he does not seem intent to do), and he will lose near immediately unless he’s already planning on how to split them up, assuming any of them would fall for his tricks. However, Scott himself is a little dumb, so this is fitting. He’s so unwilling to work with other people that he seems to have tricked himself into thinking that he can do anything by himself and manipulate people with no outside help. This is unrealistic, and gives the viewer a perfect insight into Scott’s antisocial and bleak worldview. He’s so unwilling to trust people that he hasn’t even figured out how to fake a relationship with any of them for his own benefit. 

In the scene where the teams are walking to the Bay of Dismay, Zoey and Mike have their first proper conversation, and it is approximately thirteen seconds long. Zoey brings up Total Warriors Two, and Mike is pleased that she knows about it. He states that if she likes kickboxing as well, he might have to marry her. First of all, film-enjoyer and kickboxer Mike real as fuck; but more importantly, this is another example of Mike attaching himself to Zoey incredibly quickly and incredibly closely. He’s desperate to be liked by her, desperate to be inseparable from her even. Unlike Scott who’s pushing everyone away without a plan, he’s seemingly nudging closer to someone without a plan or a concern for her actual, well, personality. I don’t think this is manipulative or weird at all, to be clear; and Zoey was likely trying to relate to him because he also clearly enjoys his company. It’s just endlessly intriguing how he’s already endeared herself to her. 

Once the game actually begins and the Maggots are asked which one of them wet their pants, Mike’s the one to pipe up with surprise, almost making fun of the person in question. Knowing that Mike’s afraid of his own secrets being revealed in this challenge, this clues us in that, while Mike might not have bad intentions, he does partake in judging (and depending on how you interpret his words, shaming) people for their own secrets. He might, to a degree, lack social knowledge (“this might make the person uncomfortable” etc.), empathy, or both. In this right, he’s somewhat selfish. Throughout the season, actually, he continues to show inklings of selfishness, even if they aren’t born out of malice. 

After this, the Rats are dunked into the water. Scott’s bitten and dragged out of the stands by Fang, and his team does nothing to rescue him. This upsets Scott, who then refuses to do the rest of the challenge. While this might be part of his plan to lose, it seems that Scott was genuinely upset and offended; he expected his team to help him when he would never do the same for them. More selfishness. Anne Maria seconds Scott, and Mike’s quick to join her since he’s worried about his own secrets being discovered— something that he insists to them isn’t true. I don’t have to explain this, I don’t think; Mike and Scott are alike in their selfish desires for preservation. The thing is that Mike backs down after Jo becomes upset with him, while Scott carries on. So Mike does care about avoiding conflict and being invulnerable to his whole team, but with Zoey specifically, he needs to be liked; not just regarded with neutrality, which appears to be his goal with other people; and he is afraid of being judged, or seen in a negative light.

During the challenge, Scott attempts sabotage for the first time, which fails. He tries to keep the rat from B, and is outwardly antagonistic towards him, which could have easily been used against him. This is another action that Scott seems to take strategically, but barely considers the consequences of. He just needs to be mean, apparently; he can’t control the urge to sabotage or insult, even when it would hurt him.

In the same challenge, Cameron catches Svetlana fronting, and asks Mike about it, which he denies entirely. The Maggots win, which Scott, again, seems genuinely upset about. This is where I’m laying out my theory officially that Scott takes these losses personally but is convincing himself that they’re sacrifices, rather than him genuinely not caring because it’s part of his plan. Maybe he knows that he could be on the chopping block every time and is bracing himself; maybe he enjoys winning each individual challenge for a sense of glory but won’t admit it to himself because it doesn’t work with this bullshit Lone Wolf plan he has. Either way, this brings us to episode three.

In episode three, Sam flings his breakfast into Scott’s face. Instead of pretending it’s okay, Scott throws a spoon at Sam. He then calls him a wimp for complaining about his food. Aside from this being another example of Scott being unable to mask his feelings for the greater good, this leads into the point of Scott’s home life. Total Drama as a series is full of bits that are normal in its cartoon universe, but are disturbing or terrifying taken in a real-world context; look no further than the season’s baseline concept of “we put teenagers on a nuclear island”. Scott living on a dirt farm is one of these things; having to eat dirt is bad in a literal context, and worse when adding the idea of it being a metaphor for not having food to eat. Scott is, quite literally, dirt poor; we’ll talk more about his audition tape later, but in it, we also see that Scott’s house is infested with rats and in a state of complete disarray. In season five, we learn that his father is ex-military and his mother’s a waitress; and since they own a farm, they did or do have two jobs. Scott’s also generally a country boy stereotype, and country folk aren’t exactly known for being well-off. We can almost guarantee that he grew up in a rough economic situation, and has ways of coping with or appreciating it while still working fervently to escape it. Take that for what you will.

Following this scene, Mike admits to the audience that he has DID with a shameful tone. He rushes to explain that he tries to control his alters, as if he needs to or should, but that they don’t listen to him. Mike not only lacks control, but is also attempting to control genuine other people, all for them inconveniencing him and making him worry about being judged. This is another point at which we must acknowledge that Mike is selfish, but also selfish with a sympathetic purpose; he doesn’t want to be judged, and doesn’t want to be alone. When confronted by Jo about Svetlana, he lies and says she’s a character, but fails to actually mimic Svetlana. He’s either a bad actor, doesn’t know Svetlana that well, or both. 

During the first half of the challenge, Scott shouts at Lightning to shut his mouth, once again showing how hard it is for him to hide his true feelings. Meanwhile, Mike helps Zoey up a ledge instead of helping himself, showing that he knows when to actually be selfless as long as it benefits someone he cares about. Once again, we go back to Scott as the Rats win the challenge; and Scott is visibly and audibly upset. He doesn’t bother hiding it now, so why would he before? Another point for the “Scott is genuinely excited to win/mad about losing” theory. When his team is mad at him for picking the bad snow fort, Scott acknowledges that this is bad, but rationalizes that it’s part of the plan. Dude, he has no fucking idea how this plan is going to work, does he?

Now we get to the point where Mike finally acknowledges Scott, and tells Zoey to watch out because Mike thinks he’s “psycho”. Mike is the first person to bring up how Scott’s acting irrationally or untrustworthy verbally; and considering they aren’t on the same team, that means Mike must have been, at some point, watching him. As we mentioned earlier, he’s observant, and will bring something up either if he feels it’ll be uncontroversial or if he’s very concerned. Before Scott’s other team caught onto him, Mike did, and before they became cautious or seriously concerned, Mike did. Why? Does Mike have experience picking out these types of people? Was Mike, for some reason, interested in Scott either out of fear or admiration, and therefore paid closer attention to him than anybody else? Mike’s not a very strategic person in the game, but he is a bit strategic and wary socially, especially if he’s afraid of the other person not liking him. Did Mike view Scott as a threat? Maybe something more? Why? Did he recognize Scott’s selfish or secretive behaviors, maybe in himself? These are all, certainly, questions. Perchance. 

In his scene with Dawn in the snow fort, Scott argues with her about how he’s not going to listen to the snowball, and says he’s full of negative energy; this causes a snowball to explode in his face. Scott’s unwilling to listen to others, even if it spells his own downfall. After this, Dawn claims that Scott wasn’t held enough as a child, which he stops to think about and is shown to be greatly uncomfortable with in the confessional. Dawn has previously been accurate about the home lives of other players (Zoey and Dakota), so we can assume she’s right. In which case, this is “Scott has a bad home life: part two”. Scott’s parents, at some point, did not meet his emotional needs; whether this was just in early childhood or whether it stayed consistent is unclear, but it’s likely that some of his behavioral issues would have been addressed earlier if his parents were attentive following his most formative years. Because his parents didn’t show him enough affection, he likely turned to either methods of garnering attention elsewhere or through other means, diverted that attention towards desiring victory and/or control for his own self satisfaction divorced from the opinions of other people, and/or a mix of both. We can also reasonably assume that Scott’s poor home life could go beyond simply emotional unfulfillment, since Scott seems worried at the notion of her knowing that, and likely wouldn’t be as concerned if he had nothing else to hide. 

Dawn later seems to compliment Scott, calling him a “beetle whisperer”. He turns up his nose and leaves. This could be because he finds the notion of beetle whispering ridiculous, but I just like to think that Scott’s not used to getting compliments and doesn’t know how to react. Just because that’s kinda more wholesome and Dott’s kinda baller. 

At this point, B melts the Maggots’ fort, and Jo asks Mike to do the “Svetlana thing”. Under pressure, Mike begins to panic a bit, unsure of how to escape the lie he’s found himself in, almost confessing; Cameron helps Svetlana front, saving him from this situation, and Jo regards Svetlana positively. This is just important to me divorced from Scike because not enough of you talk about Jolana. Moving on, Scott notices B melting the Maggots’ fort and momentarily panics, before melting the Rats’ fort instead and blaming B; while Scott has committed sabotage and swayed the team vote before, this is the first time his sabotage has actively caused the team to lose. You’d figure he’d be celebrating, but we don’t see that. After the loss, Mike goes to the confessional and worries about Vito showing up; we can assume that Vito is the hardest to control and/or would lend the most to affecting Mike’s social life, hence why he states that the situation has gotten worse and seems so on-edge. Scott’s finally gaining control in the game, while Mike appears to be losing it. Scott convinces his team to vote for B, and lies without a problem; Scott, it seems, is good at lying through his words, but has a hard time controlling how he emotes physically. Mike is the same; when he lies or hides information, his voice and face/actions don’t seem to mirror the stories he puts together on the fly. Mike’s not a malicious liar, he in fact has every reason to lie about his condition, if you consider lies of omission to be lies at all; but if you do, he is, in fact, a liar, and it takes one to know one. My Mutual Understanding clownery is all coming together. 

In episode four, we mostly see extra examples of previous behavior from Scott: annoyance at his teammates (mainly Sam), selfishness and a lack of consideration for others (not helping Sam up and not caring when his teammates go missing), and being oddly happy over success when he shouldn’t be (excited to find the key). At this point, I began considering the possibility that Scott only likes losing when he’s in control of the loss. To fail when he’s trying to succeed obviously frustrates him, but to fail when he’s trying to fail is a success at failing. In less words, it's the need for power and control, again. Maybe he likes to win sometimes for entertainment, or a sense of accomplishment; he might just do it because he can sometimes. In which case, Scott’s a bit more unpredictable than first thought; he does things largely with one goal in mind, but can push that goal off or come up with other shorter term objectives whenever he feels like it. He’s consistently driven, but the thing he’s driving towards is subject to fluctuate when he gets bored or competitive or wants to feel in control.

On the Maggot side, Mike and company are obviously unhappy with and wary of Jo, but none of them say anything. Mike does, however, tell Cameron that he did a good job. It’s possible that after the last episode, when the two worked together along with Zoey to get up the hill, Mike has started seeing Cameron as another potential friend, as he rarely interacted with Cameron before, and we know they will continue to interact more in future episodes. Zoey says he’s “always encouraging Cameron”, implying that he does this off-screen as well, since (correct me if I’m wrong) this is the first time Mike has directly encouraged Cameron specifically. Mike says that Zoey’s all he thinks about when he’s in control, then laughs nervously, as if he’s afraid this joke is too personal or unrelatable or odd. When Zoey goes missing, Mike notices immediately, and begins to panic; the person he’s most attached to here, his only real friend right now, has just left him alone, and the anxiety is all-consuming. He’s worried about her, and probably also scared of being left alone with the rest of the team, who he’s not as close to. I’m going to draw the line here and say that I think Mike might have social anxiety, just in my personal opinion as someone who also has social anxiety. He’s hyper-aware, afraid of what others think of him, and heavily attached with one or two people. He’s also, apparently, very loyal and protective. He abandons the rest of the group to find Zoey despite the challenge, and is relentless when looking for her in a way that no one else in the challenge has been or will be later.

When Brick goes missing, Mike is concerned for him, as are Cameron and Anne Maria; it’s unclear whether this is because they care for him, they’re scared of missing as well, or a mixture of the two. When Anne Maria stands up to Jo for having a bad attitude, Mike also finds the courage to join her. Having someone who’ll agree with him or make the first move once again gives him a sense of confidence to voice his opinion and, assuming he had Brick in mind like Anne Maria, defend the people he (possibly) cares about without as much fear. Shortly after, he injures himself looking for Zoey; once again, he puts those he cares about above himself, but himself over the layman. 

After Vito fronts for a while, Mike suddenly takes over when he hears Zoey cry out for help and attempts to save her instead of winning. His care for others (Zoey specifically but he could generally be concerned for everyone considering the state of affairs [big spider]) triumphs his need for victory, which again lends credence to the theory that he’s on Total Drama for social reasons more so than monetary ones. In the meantime, Scott’s unabashedly upset about winning the challenge, but again, appears concerned for Brick when he begins crying. When Brick’s switched to the Toxic Rats, Mike, Cameron, and Anne Maria are visibly shocked and upset, showing that they probably did genuinely care for him, making it more possible that loyalty to Brick factored into him standing up to Jo earlier.

In episode five, we start with Scott having a nightmare about a shark (Fang). He’s soon woken up by Brick’s alarm clock, though he’s not grateful for this; in fact, he begins punching the alarm clock as a demonstration of what he’s going to do to Brick later. Is it possible, then, that Scott would rather live in a nightmare, a place of strife and fear, than in a reality where he’s experienced a harmless transgression? Per freaking chance. Shortly after, Scott begins stealing from other players to frame Brick. It’s unclear whether this is because he’s mad at Brick for the alarm clock incident, or whether he recognizes Brick as a weak link on the team. Either way, this is probably the most premeditation we’ve seen from Scott, as his plan continues to develop throughout the episode, versus how he normally takes an action right after coming up with it to immediate success or failure. 

During the challenge, Scott tells Brick to prove his loyalty to the team. There are many reasons he might have done this. One is because it’s simply fun to him; he might like seeing Brick squirm. Another is to gauge his actual loyalty and scope out his strengths/weaknesses to exploit them later. Once again, this could be a combination of the two; Scott doesn’t think highly of Brick, but he seems amused by him being a “doofus”. And after this, we see another instance of Scott ragging on someone (Sam) for being bad at the game despite that working to his advantage. It’s probably another instance of hubris: something along the lines of “I could do better than that; I won’t, but I could”. 

Back to Mike, we see an example of him outright lying. Once again, I don’t blame him or necessarily think this makes him a bad person, but he is outwardly dishonest with Zoey when he claims that he just “gets so deep into character that he [doesn’t] know what [he’s doing]”. He promises to stop playing characters if Zoey wants him to, even though he can’t do that, and tells her she’s the most amazing girl in the world. His love for Zoey triumphs over his logic and planning for the future. He’s so desperate to be loved by her that he doesn’t even consider how to make that happen. This is similar to how Scott’s hatred for people or situations trumps his ability to consider consequences, as seen in episode three especially but also throughout the series. Both of them, despite trying to remain calculated and in control, are often so blinded by their emotions that they act or speak on a whim. 

It’s at this point that I must inform you that I forgot that Scott accused Brick of stealing while he was underwater, making that his motivation for sending Brick down there. However, I do stand by the point that Scott’s also a bit of a sadistic little freak and just likes being mean, because he is. Sailing along, I also find it interesting how Scott has to whittle when he starts getting bored; another addition to the point that he’s impulsive at times. And returning to Mike, Dawn claims that Mike “likes her a lot” and “it’s all over his aura”. And now it’s at this point that I am becoming increasingly aware that Mike’s kind of just Zoey’s plus-one in terms of characterization and this post is pointless in that right, but I’ll be damned if I don’t stretch his actions thin enough to give him an actual personality, and then do the same for Scott, and then make them yaoi out. Mike’s a person that cares so deeply for people that it permeates his aura, the very essence of his being; his priority is to love people (Zoey) and be loved by people (Zoey). 

When Scott finds out that his team got the better boat, despite wanting to lose, he doesn’t miss the opportunity to call them “suckers”. Once again, Scott’s goal is glossed over in favor of being a huge bitch to others. This reminded me of how, similar to how Mike’s a lover and wants to be loved, Scott’s a hater, and I think he might want to be hated. When you think about it, Scott hasn’t done a single kind thing to anyone on the island. He’s never upset when people dislike him, and takes every opportunity to be mean or sarcastic. When he does display a positive emotion, he never tells anyone or joins them in expressing it. Scott seemingly detests having positive relationships, perhaps because he’s simply annoyed and inconvenienced by them, but also perhaps because he’s afraid of losing them or feeling like he’s at the whims of another person’s emotions and wills. And in the end, as we know, Scott’s negative relationships will be his downfall, just like how Mike’s unwillingness to break his positive relationships will be his (as well as, y’know, Scott meddling). While it’s probably unintentional, they’re pretty decent foils for one another. 

We get another Scott lore drop when he says that he’s been shooting kitchen rats with his Pappy since he was six. I’m not sure what to make of this really, I just think it’s kind of fucked up to have your kid shoot rats but like I also didn’t grow up in a hunting area so maybe that’s normal and not psychologically damaging. Later, Dawn tells Scott not to fire anymore goals, and he does anyways, to her annoyance. Scott has to know Dawn is suspicious of him, but he can’t resist pissing her off. See, he needs to make people mad; maybe he does this often, maybe he just wants to be on someone’s mind even if it's negative. He eventually tries to get smart about it and he does get her voted off later, but like, hello. This fucking guy. Even though Scott dislikes Dawn, however, he stops Jo and Anne Maria from hurting her after he frames her for stealing. Either he revels in her misery, or he secretly cares about her a bit; this is supported by the fact that she was the only person he didn’t talk about voting off his team in episode four. Anyways, back to Scott being stupid, he openly brags about his knock-off idols as well, when that’s super suspicious; like he really needed to rub salt in the wound that badly. Dawn even refers to him as soulless and sociopathic, and she’s not wrong. He’s so unconcerned with the wellbeing of others, as well as himself. It seems that nothing truly matters to him in the long term, so long as he continues meeting his short term victories in pursuit of what I believe to be an excuse rather than an actual reason. I think that rather than calculating his actions beforehand, Scott acts and creates a justification later, or a justification he can routinely add to. It seems that Scott might’ve picked the Rats because they were close and therefore easy targets. It would make more sense than his actual “plan”. He hurts people and tries to convince himself that he knows why when he probably doesn’t, which is awful but also somewhat tragic. He might not have a real sense of priorities or identity, but tricks himself into thinking otherwise to, once again, give himself more control. Does this make sense? Whatever, we’re like 5763 words in, it doesn't matter anymore. 

Back to party sciking, in episode six, we see the formation of Team Men with Scott, Brick, and Lightning (and later, Sam). Scott’s finally making allies, and he doesn’t seem too upset about it. I think this might clue us into the idea that Scott does want positive relationships, but maybe doesn’t consciously understand that. He doesn’t fight Brick or Lightning on this when he normally would. Later, before the challenge, Mike tries to compliment Zoey, and in the confessional, she tells him to pick a side. And I feel like if you twist that enough we can get into bisexual territory, but I digress. Mike’s upset at his alters for ruining his relationship with Zoey, and while that’s true, he totally forgets to take into account that his alters are also people who also deserve access to the body. It’s more important to Mike that he gets what he wants rather than his alters get what they want, and above all, it's important that he maintains a firm grasp on his life with little to no interference. But he doesn’t seem aware of the fact that his alters are people. It’s almost like the personhood of someone can be diminished in service of his goals, and that he can cognitively distance himself from his actions if they become too (for lack of a better word) scary for him. This might sound familiar because it’s kind of what Scott does as well. They both hurt people in order to get what they want, it’s just that Mike’s unaware that he hurts people but aware of what he wants while Scott’s aware that he hurts people but unaware of exactly what he wants. 

Zoey talks to Mike again, excited to dress a model, and despite the fact that he’s never shown an interest in fashion, Mike smiles. This is because Zoey’s giving him positive attention again. Mf is a bit of a lapdog to be honest. Scott would probably like someone like that, who’s loyal to a fault. The vision is visioning. Anyways, Mike catches a frog, not much to add but he does do that. Fang tries to catch Scott, and Scott notices and catches him with his own trap. He’s observant. Like Mike. They observe each other. Gay style. Scott also grins when Brick proposes a plan and creates an explosive. While Scott’s probably excited to see it blow up in his face, I like to think Scott also admires him a bit, adding to the idea that he secretly likes some aspects of his peers and just won’t express it. Mike tells Anne Maria that the maggot looks bad, which is slightly uncharacteristic of him but okay. He and Anne Maria were friendly before; maybe he’s trying to pull back in service of making Zoey feel better. He’s kind of destroying this sort-of friendship because he likes Zoey so much. Adding to this, he appears excited when Zoey says she wants to dress the maggot. He appears nervous when Jo argues with Anne Maria as well; whether this is because he still cares about Anne Maria despite everything or because he’s afraid of conflict/Jo is unclear. 

It’s at this point that Scott begins manipulating Zoey. Just put a pin in that. Scott and Mike stand next to each other, if that’s anything? They also move similarly, like they’re subconsciously mimicking each other. Do you understand how difficult it is to write about Scike when it's episode six and the most they’ve actually interacted is standing near each other and looking in the same direction? Scott’s impressed by Sam, which is nice; he actually admires something about someone. I think being around people who he subconsciously wants to be friends with is making him slightly more willing to play the game and be nice to people in his own way. He even looks concerned when the yeti throws Sam, and again when the Maggots lose, like he doesn’t want to vote anyone out. 

IT’S FREAKING TEAM SWAP TIME BABY THEY’RE ON THE SAME TEAM WAHOO!! Mike is immediately concerned, the most concerned out of the maggots. This is in part due to him approaching Zoey, but don’t forget, Mike thinks Scott’s off, he notices the things that he does and the way he behaves. Oh BABY he needs to save his friends from this guy, I smell a hero complex brewing. 

In episode seven, the teams go into the mines. About eight minutes in, Mike finds a hat and excitedly explains that he’s always wanted one, to which Scott makes fun of him for being a “hat loving loser”. This is an uncharacteristically lame insult, which makes me think that Scott already has a distaste for Mike and is looking for any reason to insult him; this is probably because he knows that Mike’s onto him, and he doesn’t enjoy the mortifying ideal of being known. And it’ll ruin his plan or whatever. Later in the challenge, when Manitoba and Cameron are separated from Anne Maria, Zoey, and Scott, Scott tries to pin the split on Mike to get him booted. We can assume that Scott sees Mike as the biggest threat on his new team. 

Later, Mike carries Cameron on his back to safety, and says that he hopes Zoey’s okay, despite him also being exposed to radiation. He thanks Cameron for coming back from him and calls him a friend. He’s just, so loyal to them, I don’t think I can say that enough. His friends mean so much to him. And I think Scott could see that and relate to it a bit, because instead of continuing to badger him, he suggests they lose the packs and find Anne Maria. The two of them, along with Zoey and Cameron, all look annoyed at Chris for not helping them, and Scott follows Mike as he leads the team to Anne Maria. I think it’s interesting that Scott stays with them even as the situation becomes life-threatening, and he even shares their surprise when the other team grabs their statue. The two of them run together to grab the statue and they both look happy to find it, even though Scott supposedly wants to lose. Maybe in this life threatening situation, they found an odd sort of comfort in and appreciation for one another, just for a brief moment. And despite knowing what Scott’s like, Mike trusts him with the statue as he runs off to save Zoey and Cameron, putting his own life in danger. This was obviously a mistake, as Scott throws it out, but for a second, it seemed like Scott was happy for him, when it was just him and Mike. 

So Mike starts literally fucking dying defending his friends. Away from Scike, back to Mike prime, he’s about to be killed by the moles, has every chance to run for himself, and his radiation poisoning is getting worse by the second. But he still stayed behind to defend them. The situation got so dangerous that he even tried to tell Zoey about his DID, before Brick saved them. And that’s just??? SO fucking bananas holy shit. He cares about them so much, I dunno what to say. That’s his defining character trait and his fatal flaw, defending others; and it works even better juxtaposed with Scott, who’s defining trait and fatal flaw is only caring about himself. Foaming at the freaking MOUTH dude. He’s got issues, sure, but man he’s so sweet, love him. After this he’s the first person to confront Chris about this not being about the statues, but rather the mine; he’s more than likely upset that Chris put his friends in danger, especially for these ulterior motives. He’s so upset on their behalf, not even his own, that he stands up to the man who almost got him killed.

After this ordeal, Cameron confronts Mike about having DID. In his fear, Mike’s quick to ask who told him that. He’s afraid, first and foremost, that other people know and are talking about him; afraid that this has made him somehow unlikable or unlovable. At the mention of being able to control it, he’s overjoyed, and immediately agrees to help get rid of Scott. Scott’s the first person outside of Mike’s system who he’s been willing to genuinely disadvantage for his own goals. So Mike does not like Scott. But I feel like it’s an oddly intimate dislike. He dislikes him so personally, understands him so thoroughly with such disdain, for such little personal transgressions, that he’s willing to throw him under the bus to regain control over his situation. That’s special in a way, Scott’s the only person Mike would do that to. And considering how Scott treats everyone with hate as a way to cover his actual wants for human connection, and he hates Mike more than anyone else on the team, I feel like it’s safe to say they have strong mutual negative feelings in a way neither of them have experienced before. In a weird way, right now, with Mike having a sway over the team, he’s kind of more in control than he’s ever been. I can’t explain it, but the way they hurt each other goes beyond average contempt to me. In real life, yes, you shouldn’t hate someone that you have romantic feelings for; but I think something like this in fiction blurs the lines with intensity in regard for one another. It’s a blending of concepts. Lois it insists upon itself, but in a fun and intriguing way. I love when characters hate each other with the intensity and obsession that other characters love each other with. 

It’s 2:40 AM and I just hit my pen so I could really lock in for these last two episodes before Mike’s eliminated but idk if it’s going to work. 

In episode eight, we start off with the teams on the rafts. Scott comes up looking anxious about getting eaten by a shark, and Mike returns the expression, and says that the shark will never find them. This could be Mike comforting himself or comforting Zoey and Cameron, but do you know what it could also be? Comforting Scott. The person he’s responding to. Mike and Scott don’t like each other, but Scott still came to Mike first, and Mike still had it in him not to shame or ignore him. Am I making a big deal out of nothing? Absolutely. 

At this point, Cameron explains to the audience what causes each of Mike’s alters to front: Vito fronts when the body is shirtless, Svetlana fronts when there’s a physical challenge, Chester fronts when frustrated, and Manitoba fronts when the body’s wearing a hat. I’m not sure what to make of Manitoba’s trigger(?), but the others make it apparent that Mike isn’t able to handle or is rarely able to handle physical challenges, frustration, or being shirtless by himself. And this is where I should talk about Mike’s trauma, probably. I’m not going to get too into things here because I’m not an expert on DID and also it could be mildly upsetting, but DID develops due to repeated early childhood trauma and different alters may be better equipped to handle certain feelings, tasks, relationships, or memories than others. Mike had to have experienced this repeated trauma and it likely had some sort of physical component, considering Vito’s triggered by the removal of the shirt and he mentions in his character bio that he doesn’t have any good childhood memories besides maybe riding his bike. This, as well as the rejection we discussed earlier, explains a lot about Mike’s personality unfortunately. He’s used to being hurt, and seeks control, stability, and love for that reason. He’s loyal and quick to form attachments because he probably didn’t/doesn’t have any at home. And he’s self-preserving and protective and aware of his surroundings because of this as well, because he has to be. We don’t know exactly what happened in Mike’s life, though there is an “Uncle Vinny” in his character bio (mentioned by Vito) and it is possible that Chester is an introject of an older relative. Regardless, it doesn’t matter. I would like to return to Scott for a moment, and renew the topic of his home life. We’ve discussed how Scott’s family probably isn’t well off, doesn’t show him enough affection, and likely never disciplined him in a way that stuck considering how he behaves. And his father encouraging him to kill rats for him doesn’t sound great either. Like Mike, it would make sense for Scott to have an unstable/unhealthy home life, and for that to translate in his characters. He also needs power over other people, he pushes away people and refuses to make friends, he has patterns of violence, and he’s fast to learn what makes people tick. 

Back to the scene, Zoey starts by complimenting Mike, which he’s excited about (need for approval, ok). However, he becomes nervous when she says it feels like he’s hiding from her. Then when Dakota starts mutating, Mike is the first to diffuse the situation by stating that her hair is growing back. He also leads the charge in pulling the sign out of the raft. After Dakota throws out the sign, Mike also says that they have to get in the water instead. When Scott reminds him about the shark and tries to refuse, Mike shoves him into the water, annoyed. It’s sort of fascinating how much more dominating Mike is in this episode compared to others. Maybe almost dying (or rather, almost losing his friends) in the mine changed him. Or maybe he has more confidence now that he’s the strongest person in his friend group and he doesn’t care what Scott thinks of him, evident by him forcing Scott into the water when he never would’ve done that to someone else. Mike, again, tells the team to stay quiet to avoid provoking the kraken. Man is going off this episode. He’s instantly annoyed when Scott starts freaking out over the shark, he’s so done dealing with this man that he can’t handle it and Chester takes over. Dude they’re soooo in hate. <3 After this, Scott is irate over his team winning, more than he’s ever been before. His feelings are so strong that he’s focusing extra hard on this faux-goal to destroy his own team. Mike’s also upset because the challenge is dangerous, “even by [Chris’] standards”, probably because the last challenge was also ridiculously dangerous and he’s worried about a repeat.

While Mike and Cameron go ahead to win the challenge at Mike’s behest, Scott talks to Zoey. He knows that Mike has a secret just by watching them, and lets Zoey in on this to manipulate her. After this, Mike and Cameron tell Zoey that Scott’s bad news in return, and she claims that he still has a heart. Mike is saddened by the fact that Zoey trusts Scott more than him, and I just think that’s such a…thing to happen. In trying to keep Zoey close by hiding his DID, he just pushed her away more, towards someone who’s so similar to him yet so different as well. We find out from Cameron that Mike fronts when Zoey’s in danger, because he cares about her that much. Scott also steals the team’s compass from Mike and frames him for losing it, blaming him if they come in last, but he fails when Dakota clears the forest of thorns. Scott keeps losing to someone who should be so easy to beat and who represents everything that he hates: kindness, loyalty, and people who stand up to him. Meanwhile, Mike’s alters are becoming increasingly hard to control, and he’s still unwilling to admit to having DID, afraid this will dissolve the relationship that’s already crumbling due to him not revealing it; he’s stuck in an Ouroboros of fear. Scott, immediately after this, seems to be mocking Mike, loudly saying to Zoey, “Would I lie to you?” Scott just knows how to push this guy’s buttons in the perfect way to piss him off. 

When Scott loses the challenge for them, Mike’s probably the most upset we’ve ever heard him, at least in my opinion. He doesn’t hesitate to let Scott know that he fucked up and that Mike thinks he’s full of shit. Mike tries to get Zoey to vote for Scott, done with this charade; Scott feels the same about playing around like this, and gets Cameron to admit that Mike has DID— but he doesn’t want Mike out yet, he wants to toy with him some more. You can see the horror in his face when Scott pulls out the idol. In order for Dakota to go home, it couldn’t have just been Zoey to vote for her, and Mike and Cameron voted for Scott, and Dakota probably didn’t vote for herself. Scott had to have either voted with her, or voted for himself for fun; but irregardless, he didn’t vote for Mike, even though he’s clearly Scott’s biggest target. He doesn’t just want Mike out, but wants to use him first, something we haven’t seen before. And yes, this is because Scott’s a bad person, and taking advantage of his weaknesses; but having his weaknesses known and used by someone would be a sort of ideal scenario for Mike, despite also being his literal nightmare. He doesn’t have to hide from Scott at all, Scott’s probably the only person that Mike can fully be mad at and confront about that anger. Which is very fucked up, but also oddly close, I guess. It’s a unique relationship, it’s interesting to me. The mortifying yet somewhat comforting ideal of being known going both ways. Toxic yaoi. Hate as an allegory for love. Y’know, the usual. 

The toxic yaoi continues in episode nine baby, we freaking made it. The first line that catches my eye (or ear I guess) is “Multiple Mike thinks he’s a ladies man, what a loser”. First of all, reeks of gay thoughts and unaware jealousy; but second of all, notice how Scott and Mike continuously get more and more openly aggressive with one another. They’re falling into a routine with it, almost. 

This is where Scott introduces the deal— AKA, starts blackmailing Mike to help him win the challenge. Mike’s incredibly upset, and even considers telling Zoey about his DID, but is ultimately still too afraid. He’d rather be used than be abandoned. During the challenge, Mike tries to quip back at Scott for telling him to look in the broom closet, but retracts it when Scott threatens to tell Zoey. He tries to look tough to Scott, but fails. And when Zoey’s in trouble, Scott refuses to let him help her, in favor of making him go through the trash. Like with everyone, Scott likes to see Mike squirm, but I think he’s best at it with Mike, and the most enthusiastic about it too. 

I’d also like to mention here that Mike just kind of gives up and lets Scott pick him up and carry him. Just saying idk you know when you just pick up some guy who you hate instead of making him actually fight for you or run in front of you or whatever. Mike also snarks Scott when his car doesn’t work, which, ok, go off King. Mike finally stands up for himself to help Zoey, the desire to protect her stronger than his fear, but Scott remembers how to trigger Vito to front and uses this to his advantage. 

So, at this point, Vito gets clobbered and Mike has the fight with his alters, and it’s soooo bad, it’s so bad dude. They’re all fighting for control as if the moral isn’t that they should work together, it’s ridiculous, but I guess it also makes sense for Mike to be pushed to this considering everything? Glossing over this, anyways, Mike finally comes clean to Zoey and explains that he didn’t want Zoey to think badly of him. And I know everyone hates this scene, I hate this scene, “multiples just means there’s more Mike to —” yeah yeah yeah yeah fuck off idc that’s not how it works. But at least I think it does help draw a final parallel between Mike’s relationships with Zoey and Scott along with Scott eliminating him. Mike’s able to pursue his loving relationship with Zoey through her finding out about his closest secret, and Mike and Scott similarly are able to freely insult each other and develop this toxic almost-codependent-but-Scott’s-way-worse relationship because they also know each other, they know they’re hiding something and they’re familiar with each other’s personalities because hate drives them to look so deeply into each other. Mike gains Zoey and loses his dynamic with Scott, and vice versa, back and forth. These relationships can’t coexist, both because they’re so polarizing but also so similar in their intensity. 

I didn’t watch the entirety of episodes ten through thirteen because it’s 4 AM and this is a Scike post, a 9274 word Scike post. But I did scrub through them and I would like to throw out there the Icarus imagery in episode ten when Zoey burns Scott for what he did to Mike, like Scott got too close to the sun or too in over his head, and Mike was his ultimate downfall. I’m also just going to skitter on past the “Mike makes fun of Scott while he’s in the trauma chair” because what the fuck. What was that.

The relationship between Mike and Scott in canon is, admittedly, less significant in canon than it is in my head, and less well-written and intriguing than I pretend it is, and it’s not healthy, and no matter how I spin it they never actually made up or understood each other in a major tangible way. But I think they should have. I think having them be characters who begrudgingly understand each other and care for each other in a way they don’t acknowledge or even recognize would give them some much-needed depth and maybe consistency. Scott in canon has no close relationships, and the two that Mike has weren’t necessarily great throughout the season even though I like to think that they are. It would be good for them. Adding a few more layers to each of them would explain a lot about their goals, their mannerisms, the contradictions in their personalities; it would make them both more sympathetic and relatable, into some maladjusted teenagers looking for an outlet rather than just a good guy and a bad guy who hate each other. 

In conclusion, this post didn’t make much sense, and it was kind of a waste of time. But it was fun to think about these guys, and I could fix them, and also they’re more toxic in canon than first thought but I’m not necessarily complaining, because what’s a character without conflict and what’s a story without a theme? I didn’t edit or organize it, this was more or less my notes from rewatching the first nine episodes of ROTI. I’m aware it was super repetitive and rambly but I don’t have the time or energy to clean it up so, make of them what you will. Maybe this gave you a new perspective on Mike and Scott, maybe it didn’t, I dunno, I’m indifferent now, perchance. Like and subscribe for more Party Sciking. I need them to hold hands and wear the get along shirt and go to therapy. This ended up being more or less 9,738 words. Hope everything’s right in this, let me know your thoughts but please don’t tell me if you hate it. Goodnight Miami. 

[gumnut-logic]

One Wednesday Night

balter (v.) - to dance artlessly, without particular grace or skill but usually with enjoyment. (from these wonderful prompts)

Just a random fluffy scene that got a little out of control. I claim no sanity.

Spoilers & Warnings: Fluff, alcohol, 3924 words.

Many thanks to @scribbles97​ for the read through and for putting up with my crazy.

I hope you enjoy it :D

Everyone knew Virgil was the musical soul in the family. He played, wrote and occasionally bled music. It was a constant in their home and the few times it was missing due to illness or absence, it was painful.

The man could sing if he wanted to, but that was a rare thing. He could dance with the grace of any ballroom dancer, his rhythm and style even outshining his eldest brother, Mr Lady-swooner himself.

Music was part of Virgil’s soul.

So, what happened late one Wednesday night after one too many rescues and ten too many drinks was quite surprising to them all.

The Tracy brothers weren’t big drinkers. They couldn’t afford to be due to their occupation. Both Scott and Virgil had been known to down a late night sniff of whisky on occasion. John had his boutique beers, but honestly, he wasn’t home very often to drink them, and space and alcohol was never a good combination.

Gordon fancied an odd cocktail from time to time and had the liquor stash to back it up, but most of the bottles were dusty and a couple well past their expiry dates. They just didn’t have the time or the opportunity to really let rip.

But it was Wednesday. The last rescue of five had been an avalanche and they always sucked. The boys had congregated in the living room…and it was a living room, not a damned comms room because International Rescue was down for a good forty-eight hours, Grandma’s orders.

They were all exhausted, but none wanted to sleep. They wouldn’t admit it, but there was fear in what they might find behind closed eyelids after such a shitty day, so they just sat together.

At first it was quiet. One or two words, fragmented debrief, until Virgil put an end to it and demanded John come home. Now!

Fifteen minutes later, the middle brother, just as exhausted as the rest, slunk into the living room and made a seat his own.

But there was little talking, each caught up in their own thoughts.

“Screw this.” Gordon jumped to his feet. “Stay here. I’ll be right back.” And he disappeared around the corner.

Scott didn’t pay much attention, his eyes on John, assessing his condition and fast coming to the conclusion that his brother hadn’t slept in at least the last twenty-four hours judging by the bags under his eyes.

“John, have you eaten.”

Turquoise darted in his direction. “Have you?”

A blink and Scott realised he hadn’t. He had been too occupied keeping track of tired brothers. “No.” Honestly, he wasn’t hungry.

“Then you understand.”

A glare in his brother’s direction. John just turned away.

Scott’s lips thinned, but then his attention was taken by Alan, who was slowly tipping sideways on his couch, eyelids drooping. “Alan, you should go to bed.”

“Don’t wanna. Wanna stay with you guys.” His head landed on the couch cushion and two seconds later he was snoring.

Scott sighed.

“I have cake. I have popcorn. I have drinks.” Hurricane Gordon slammed into the sunken lounge and a pile of popcorn, chips, a rather large cake and a bucket of candy landed with him. The whole mess was dumped on the table and the aquanaut disappeared again.

Scott just stared at the pile of food.

“Well, that’s the healthy option.” Virgil’s voice was pure sarcasm.

“Do you really care?” Honestly, Virg.

“Not really, but the principle is there.”

Scott rolled his eyes. Just in time for Gordon to reappear with half his alcohol stash, several of John’s beers and whisky. Glorious, golden whisky.

Now that was a very good idea.

What happened after the appearance of the alcohol involved a movie Scott didn’t pay much attention to, far too much carbohydrate…c’mon, caramel popcorn, yes…and a lot of alcohol.

After all, they were down for forty-eight hours guaranteed and how often did that happen? This was an opportunity for them to focus on themselves and despite their exhaustion, there was finally a little relaxation in front of…the Enterprise?

“Who gave John the remote?!”

“I did.” The feminine AI’s voice danced through the room in amusement.

“Eos! That’s cheating!”

She giggled. “I thought Gordon was cheating when he stuck it in his drink.”

Scott turned to his aquanaut brother who was dressing the sleeping Alan’s hair with popcorn. “Gordon!”

“What?!” The cocktail in his hand had an umbrella and a remote control garnishing it.

“You drowned the remote.”

“Huh?” He looked at his drink. “Oh.” And he pulled it out of the concoction and started licking it clean.

“Augh.”

A blur of red plaid and Virgil snatched the gadget from Gordon’s fingers and flicked it into the nearest pot plant.

Gordon appeared forlorn for its absence for a whole second before turning to his drink and sculling it all in one go.

“Gordon!” This time it was Virgil yelling his name.

The aquanaut had blue curacao for lipstick. “What?!” It was a direct echo of his same exasperated response moments earlier.

“Take it easy.”

“I don’t want to take it easy. I’m having fun.” With that he grabbed a bottle and dumped something red into the same glass with the blue, resulting in a rather unpleasant purple.

Scott groaned.

Which only earned him an assessing stare from Virgil.

A sigh. “Relax, Virgil. We’re home, we’re safe. Let your hair down a little.”

He was going to regret those words later.

The stare turned into a glare, but moments later, Gordon was ribbing Virgil about drinking and somehow he got under the engineer’s skin because there was a drinking contest.

Unfortunately for Gordon, swimmer’s physique or not, apparently Virgil was more brawn and could simply just absorb the stuff.

Gordon ended up snoozing in a sea of popcorn beside Alan.

John started giggling.

Scott raised an eyebrow at the small pyramid of empty beer bottles beside his space brother.

“How many have you had?”

“It’s a tetrahedron. Work it out.” John placed a single bottle at the top of the pyramid and smirked at Scott.

This was definitely a very bad idea.

His own whisky glass was only half empty. He needed to fix that.

It was warm going down.

Gordon started snoring, loudly.

“Okay, that’s it. Time for bed.”

“Don’t wanna go to bed.” Virgil put on the soppiest puppy dog face Scott had ever seen.

John cracked up laughing.

Oh god. “No, bed, now.”

“Okay.” And Virgil stood up.

And took a quick step to the left, then the right, before managing to stabilise himself somewhat upright, but listing slightly to one side.

It was that moment that the movie playing on the holoprojector burst into music.

Music? What the hell were they watching. He stared up into a haze of rebooted retro nineteen fifties and a song about a car and lightning.

“Ooh, I like this one.”

What?

And Virgil was suddenly dancing. Well, it could be considered dancing in some circles, but it mostly consisted of a lot of poorly coordinated butt wiggling and a lot of horizon pointing arms.

The jumping on the couch was really not called for.

“Virg?”

But his brother was lost to the music and dancing his heart and his coordination all out.

“C’mon, Scott, get up and boogie!”

Of course, Virgil was loud enough to wake Gordon, who took one look at Virgil and fell off the couch.

There was far too much butt wiggling happening.

“Virg, come down from there.”

He was completely ignored.

Scott needed more alcohol.

The bottle of golden oblivion smiled at him.

Screw it.

He wasn’t quite sure what happened next, but the result was a broken lamp and Gordon on the floor laughing hard enough to break a rib.

“Eos, play Jailhouse Rock.” John managed that between giggles. Scott idly noticed that the tetrahedron had become modern art and was attempting to defy the laws of physics.

It failed with a smash and rolling of bottles two minutes later.

And Virgil was still dancing.

Classic Elvis Presley at full volume, enough to wake up every lifeform in the caldera.

The butt wiggling had morphed into hip waggling and some kind of leg shaking that threatened to faceplant his brother on the floor.

“Virg, please get off the couch.”

“I am having fun, Scott.” Each word was enunciated clearly as if the man was having trouble putting the syllables together. “Letting my hair down.” A grin and Virgil shoved his fingers into his hair and completely messed it up until it was sticking out in all directions. Suddenly a hand was almost in Scott’s face. “Join me?”

There was something in his brother’s deep brown eyes, something beyond the alcoholic haze, something desperate, something…sad.

Scott never could refuse a brother his help. So, a moment later, he found himself standing on the couch as Virgil shifted his dance moves into something that involved some shoulder rolling and a goofy grin.

Scott found himself grinning in return.

John said something half drowned out by the music and the room was suddenly filled with an old dance favourite from his teens.

Virgil actually let off a laugh and moved into a sloppy dance routine from their childhood.

Scott couldn’t help himself and at some point, he just let go.

-o-o-o-

Alan woke from one of the weirdest dreams of his life. It involved music and Thunderbird Three dancing to a beat, her arms waving about.

It took him a moment to work out exactly why.

The dream was saner than reality. Scott and Virgil were standing on one of the couches…dancing.

Alan blinked the sleep out of his eyes. Was that the Macarena? It was hard to tell. Virgil was so uncoordinated, he could have been servicing Two in his sleep for all Alan could discern. Scott was smoother, but he was leaning at a teetering angle.

Frantic eyes located his two other brothers.

John was sitting on the floor beside a pile of empty beer bottles. He had a dob of cake frosting on one eyebrow.

That left Gordon.

The strawberry blond was sitting on the floor in front of Alan’s couch.

“Gords? What’s going on?”

Gordon turned around and a soft smile curved his lips. “Big bros are letting their hair down.” The music suddenly paused and Gordon sat up straighter. “Eos, Dance Party 2054.”

More music erupted from the overhead speakers and vibrated the glass walls.

Alan found himself bopping to the beat.

Virgil climbed up off the couch and onto the hardwood floor, apparently so he could really let loose. His plaid shirt was undone and swirling around him as he moved.

Scott tripped over the top of the couch and almost faceplanted on that same hardwood, but he saved himself the bruises with those half-sharp reflexes of his. A moment later he was up boogying with his brother.

It was an odd sight.

“Are they okay?”

Gordon’s voice was quiet. “No, but they will be.”

“What about John?”

Gordon shrugged as they both eyed the slouched astronaut. “Not sure he has it in him, fresh down from Five. He’s safer on the floor.”

“What about you?”

Gordon snorted. “I’m good.” He chucked down the remains of his drink before turning to face his little brother. “Wanna dance?”

Alan’s eyes widened. “How are you?” His eyes bounced to the empty bottles on the table, the stained glasses and limp umbrellas.

“What? Do you really think I can’t outlast Virg? The man is a drinking wimp. Only took two good ones to get him dancing with the fairies. Letting him win was the hard part.”

“Win what?”

A snort. “Virg thinks he can drink me under the table. He’s small fry.” The aquanaut stumbled to his feet and Alan eyed him. Gordon had definitely had a few. “You aren’t allowed to kill brain cells. However, you can have fun, dear little brother.” He held out his hand. “May I have this dance?”

He blamed sleep fog for the automatic yes that found him up and out of the sunken lounge, careening around the room laughing his ass off.

-o-o-o-

“John, what is happening?”

The astronaut blinked dopily. Maybe he had had one too many, but with each one, the voices faded just that little bit more. Calls for help he was desperate to answer.

And the silences that followed.

“They’re dancing, Eos.” It was obvious really.

“I’ve never seen them act like this before.”

“Doesn’t happen very often.” If ever. What was Scott trying to do with their father’s chair? “Eos, could you please close the doors to the balcony.” Gravity did suck after all.

He took another swig of Swedish beer as the giant glass doors slid smoothly closed.

“Can you access the room lighting?”

“One moment. I have control, John.”

“Good. Reference the 1970s disco movement and see if you can replicate any of the lighting involved.”

“FAB.”

A few moments later and the room’s lighting went nuts. The holoprojector flickered and shone dancing rainbows on the rafters. The atmosphere changed radically as the whole room pulsed and flickered in beat with the music.

Virgil froze for a whole five seconds in the middle of the room, staring up at the glass ceiling before bursting into a massive grin and throwing himself into a full on fit of dancing to the song that was screaming out of the speakers.

Scott was pirouetting with his father’s chair in great rotating circles.

Gordon was attempting some kind of retro-breakdancing. Though at this point, the only thing that was going to be broken was pot plants.

Alan had a grin on his face and was the most coordinated of them all, jiggling along to the beat with a grin on his face.

Another figure appeared in the entrance to the room. It took John’s entire remaining intellect to realise that it was Grandma.

Something stirred in the back of John’s head, something about getting in trouble, but he had no coordination to connect the dots so gave up. Besides, the Grandma figure was only standing in the doorway watching.

“What is the purpose of all this activity?” Eos’ voice was ever curious.

“It’s fun, Eos. An attempt at stress relief.” To wash the pain away.

-o-o-o-

Virgil was vaguely aware that he was being ridiculous, but he was beyond caring. The music pulsed through him and lifted him up. He just let it all go and rode the beat.

He was too exhausted to care about anything.

Except his brothers.

He always cared about his brothers.

Scott was astride their father’s chair and was riding it across the room in a completely undignified manner. Gordon was laughing his ass off at the sight and Alan was beside him in that. Even John was grinning as the eldest coasted past.

Virgil spun and let the air stream around him.

Round and round and round.

Oh dear, too round.

He staggered to a halt, but the world kept going. He stumbled.

A hand caught him. “Take it easy, honey.”

The blur turned into his grandmother in her dressing gown.

“Grandma!” He drew her in to a massive hug. “I love you, Grandma.”

Her tiny arms hugged him back. “Virgil, you’re drunk.”

“No, no, I’m dancing. Wanna dance, Grandma?”

She was looking up at him with concern on her face.

“Smile, Grandma. You need to be happy.”

He needed to be happy.

She reached up and touched his face, her hand cupping his cheek.

He closed his eyes and leant into her palm as the beat throbbed around him.

-o-o-o-

The sight of his grandmother sobered Scott immediately. The chair beneath him drifted a few more feet before he brought it to a halt.

Grandma caught Virgil as he stumbled and they were hugging. Something about that simple gesture clenched his heart.

He clambered off the chair and staggered awkwardly. Okay, maybe he had a few too many. He forced himself upright, kicking some spine into his vertebrae and made his way over to his grandmother.

Virgil was all plaid and gentle eyes as she cupped his cheek.

“Grandma?” Scott’s voice wavered with his step.

Eyes as blue as his own turned towards him. “Scotty, you need to sit down before you fall down.”

He frowned. He had a chair a moment ago. He looked around.

A hand caught his cheek and drew his gaze back to his grandmother and those blue eyes.

A red arm wrapped around him and drew him in. “Scott, you are my big brother.” The statement was declared with so much love as he was pulled sideways into Virgil.

They almost fell in a heap. It was Grandma who steadied them.

“You boys need to go to bed.” A concerned frown and she called out to the ceiling. “Eos, kill the light show and the music.”

The silence that fell was so sudden, Scott almost fell with it.

Virgil stumbled and Scott held him upright.

An almighty crash off to their left and Gordon upended one of the large pot plants near the glass doors. Potting mix scattered across the floor. Gordon rolled over and sat up covered in the stuff. “Who turned off the music?”

Grandma straightened. “It is time for bed, young man.”

The dopey aquanaut looked up at his grandmother and squinted. “Grandma, is that you?”

She ignored him. “Alan, come here, sweety.”

Alan, who was yawning fit to break his jaw, wandered over as bidden.

“Yes, Grandma?”

She snaked an arm around his waist and drew him in. “Time for bed, Allie.”

Virgil reached out an arm to snag his littlest brother, but suddenly Gordon was in his way and he got an arm full of fish instead.

Virgil did not seem to mind. “Gordo! My wingman, my copilot, my fish in a barrel.” Red plaid squeezed tight. “Love you, bro.”

Scott blinked. That was three. Where was the other one?

A glance at the lounge found John sprawled on the floor up against one of the lounges, fast asleep.

“Oi, Johnny!”

Scott jumped at Virgil’s yell and so did John. Bleary turquoise peered in their direction.

“Get over here, little brother, group hug!”

Wha-? Scott’s head was so foggy.

But John was stumbling to his feet. Something told him this was a dangerous thing. As the astronaut wobbled over, Scott moved to help him, but found himself snagged by cast iron red plaid.

Fortunately, Alan picked up on his fellow spaceman’s difficulties and hurried over to give him a hand. A few moments of wobbly astronaut and John was standing with them.

Virgil immediately reached for him. “Johnny!”

Unfortunately, he didn’t let go of either Gordon or Scott when he did and, damn, Virgil was strong. They ended up in a huddle, Alan and Grandma awkwardly caught up with them.

“I love you guys.” Virgil’s voice was muffled up against John’s shirt. Scott had caught Grandma and Gordon had grabbed Alan. Virgil had his face mushed into John’s shoulder.

John looked like he had stuck a finger in an electrical socket and didn’t know why his hair was on fire.

“We love you, too, Virgil.” It was Gordon’s voice, muffled by Alan’s hair.

Something lodged in Scott’s throat and he found himself hugging the pieces of brother and grandmother he could reach.

Apparently, it was something they all needed, because they stayed there holding each other for a full minute.

Just long enough for Virgil to fall asleep against John’s shoulder and let off a snore. It took Gordon and Scott to catch him to prevent them all from falling in a heap.

The group hug dissolved and the focus became getting certain brothers to their bedrooms. Grandma hovered and helped where she could. Scott took Virgil, while Gordon switched to helping Alan with John.

The family went their separate ways.

Grandma followed Scott up to Virgil’s rooms. The engineer faded in and out, declaring his love for any and all brothers several times on the way up. But by the time they made it to Virgil’s room, the engineer was getting heavy.

“C’mon, Virg, not much further.” Scott was ever so glad of that as his head was still trying to swim against the current.

Letting him gently down on his bed, the man immediately curled up into a ball, fully dressed and obviously not caring. Scott undid green shoelaces, dumped boots on the floor with a clatter and yanked the covers up and over his already snoring little brother.

A hand smoothed crazed hair back into its more familiar style and Scott unfolded from the bed.

A glass of water appeared on the bedside table and he turned to find his grandmother looking at him fondly. He blinked. He had forgotten she was there.

She held out a hand and as he took it, he was drawn into a quiet hug. She was ever so little up against his bulk. “C’mon, Scotty, let’s get you to bed.”

“I’m okay, Grandma. I need to check on the others.”

She sighed, but let go a single nod.

As they left Virgil’s rooms, she didn’t leave his side.

A visit to John’s room found him in bed, but the wrong way around, his feet on the pillow, his head hanging off the end. It took some prodding and yanking, but Scott re-orientated him. A quick check of the gravity support systems in his clothing were functioning properly – the alcohol probably wasn’t helping. Grandma materialised with another glass of water which was placed on John’s bedside table.

Quietly. “Eos, are you monitoring, John’s systems?”

“Of course. He is well, Commander. Do not concern yourself. I will watch him.”

Scott’s eyes closed without permission and he had to force them open again. “Thank you, Eos.”

The AI didn’t answer.

Grandma took his arm and led him from the room.

A check on Alan found him on the floor, but that was nothing unusual. Gordon had probably dumped him there. The kid preferred the rug to his bed and Scott meant to talk to him about it, but…life.

Gordon had fallen asleep in the corridor outside his room.

Scott rolled his eyes. He wouldn’t be surprised if the brat had done that on purpose. After all the entire night’s fracas was obviously engineered by the aquanaut. A fond sigh of exasperation and he pulled his little brother into his arms and dragged him into his rooms.

Dragging fish was considerably easier than dragging two hundred pounds of engineer.

Scott threw Gordon onto his bed and covered him up. Fingers brushed hair off his face.

Scott sighed again and had to prevent himself from curling up beside his brother.

“C’mon, Scotty, your turn.”

Scott mumbled something even he didn’t fully comprehend and let his grandmother lead him out of his brother’s rooms. One of the aquariums blurped at him as he walked past.

And finally, he was in his own rooms and his own bed. Grandma handed him a glass of water. He guzzled it before burying his face in his pillow.

He opened his eyes as a hand brushed through his hair. “We love you, Scotty. Don’t you ever forget that.”

He blinked slowly and managed a smile up at his grandmother, but her fingers caressed the side of his face, forcing his eyes to close again and he drifted off.

His dreams were kind.

And full of loving family.

-o-o-o-

FIN.

[demon-diva]

I have a LOT of Endgame thoughts.

Spoiler free start...

It was great! I honestly super enjoyed it and would rank it in my top 5 fave marvel movies.

It wasn’t without its flaws and some endings and storyline’s didn’t work well.

Overall though I thought it was an enjoyable movie which dealt with a lot of complicated plot lines.

So keep in mind my general advice: don’t expect a masterpiece just try to enjoy

Now for the spoilers.

SPOILERS

SPOILERS

WARNING WARNING!!!! ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️

Okay so things that I really enjoyed.

The relationships! Not the romantic ones (though I am happy the Tony and Pepper got their shit together and were happy) but the unexpected friendships that were exactly what I needed! Rhodey and Nebula! Tony and Nebula! Rocket and Nebula! Soooo really anyone and Nebula (except Nebula and Nebula because that ended badly. Really need a stun setting). But no there was a lot of character development that came about through the teamwork that we got to see and it’s honestly one of my favourite parts.

I did like that they almost immediately had a plan and executed it at the very start. Succeeding at killing Thanos and ridding him of the glove a little too late. Or early? Dunno with time travel.

TIME TRAVEL! Loved the parental catch ups. The ‘Hail Hydra’. Tony’s Clark Kent disguise.

I’m a sucker for a time travel movie. And also hiest movies. SO I WAS SUPER KEEN FOR THE TIME HIEST. Which I really enjoyed. It wasn’t over done and I appreciated nearly every aspect.

Speaking of ASSpects. I absolutely loved the America’s Ass joke. I thought it was gold. (Also a little gay there Tony and Scott).

And Scott! I love Ant-Man. I really do. I find him one of the more underrated characters of the MCU and I’m glad that he had a decent role in this movie. I also loved that he was super into Thor’s story and legit looked like a puppy when Rocket pointed it out.

Another part was the fact that Thor let himself go. I’ll explain a little later down the track the ways I think they handled this badly I do appreciate the fact that Thor had been through a lot of trauma with little time to cope and that it is alright to let it have an affect. I also appreciate that it didn’t just go away like I was expecting it to with the lightning decking him out in his armour (and braiding his beard for him? What nice lightning). Also loved how he defended Karg from the mean trolls.

Ahhhhhh! That battle between Thor, Captain America, Iron Man and Thanos was great. Though I did see Stev wielding the hammer coming I thought it was a great moment. So was the freaking cinematic af moment when it’s just Captain America v Thanos and his entire army!!

And then ‘on your left’!!!

And then the portals! And the people! And SPIDER-MAN!!!!!

And Pepper!

I also love how Clint got all the shit jobs. They couldn’t leave him one kid. Then he had to go get the soul stone. Then play keep away with the gauntlet of infinity stones against some monster dog things? Then witnessed probably the weirdest family drama ever with the Nebulas and Gamora (I sat probably because he was in the middle of Thor and Loki in Avengers).

I appreciated the stand point they gave him (as Ronan or whatever) when he went around super pissed because of his family.

And damn. That scene with Natasha as they fought over who was going to sacrifice themselves really rigged at the heart strings. And as mush as I hated the fact that they killed off Natasha. I do have to admit that it was in character. And as the badass that she is I think she was always going to win.

The battle had some really great moments. Like Ant-Man casually squishing things. Or Drax. Or basically everyone.

The game of keepaway/ hot potato that everyone played with the infinity stones was great. Really gave some characters their moments to shine. (Like Spider-Man)

I was absolutely itching to see Spider-Man’s suit in all of it glory. And that we did. And his interaction with Captain Marvel was golden!

And then when she finally had it one of my favourite moments happened. BADASS LADIES V Thanos and his generic ass allies. So good!

And Captain Marvel when Thanos tried to whack her. Was glorious.

As was Scarlet Witch against him.

(If I wasn’t a Bisexual Mess already I don’t think I would have survived this movie.)

I really liked how the freaking wizards finally show up to do some shit.

I do like how they ended Tony Stark’s story. (Super cute kid). And all the touching moments that came with it. It honestly wasn’t unexpected but I am glad he got his happy ending first. The funeral was nice.

And there were so many other moments that I just enjoyed. So much. It wa shinestjy just a super enjoyable movie.

(Was it just me or was it implied that during the invasion in New York,Stephen Strange was performing surgery?)

There were however... some less then stellar parts.

Back to Thor. The expression of trauma was a great start but they made the butt of so many unnecessary jokes. I also don’t like how he fought so hard for his people on to leave them to their own defenses. I’m hoping that he was super present at the start and then retired later.

Maybe it’s just me or did the kids age really fast/look different.

And seriously a rat let Scott out?

I’m still a little confused as to whether or not there is a Loki running around still?

The Hulk/Bruce combo maybe wasn’t the best use of the cgi budget. I definitely agree with Valkyrie on this one (and rarely in my life do I say this) but one or the other. Please. Didn’t like the idea that Bruce erased the Hulk.

The battle didn’t have to many flaws. Though I feel like maybe water bender wasn’t the best use of the Sorcerer Supreme’s time.

Maybe I would have wanted more development between Peter and Tony so it could have been more tear jerking.

(And I don’t know if this should be a positive or a negative but I was expecting more people to die)

I didn’t really like that Steve stayed in the past. Wasn’t a huge fan of the notion that Steve not only left Bucky. But stayed out of all of those disasters in the past when he could have done things and help avoid them.

Again, didn’t like the idea that Nat had to die. But the way it played, as aforementioned, was enough in character that I’ll get over it (eventually).

There are a few more bits and pieces but these are the things that stood out to me.

As a side note. How weird would it have to be as a student and like half the class is five years older then the other half. Speak of adding more emotional instability.

Also imagine coming back from being dusted and someone died in those five years.

Or a newborn that was dusted is already five years old before they are one.

Just som random thoughts that occur to me.

[neuroweird]

Avengers Endgame THOUGHTS & FEELINGS & SPOILERS

These are my opinions only and I am not open to “discussions” and I’m sure the people who understand will understand what i mean by that

onto my thoughts on avengers endgame:

I couldn’t have seen any of that coming to be honest. I came into this movie with zero expectations and no fucking idea what was gonna go down. 

First thing’s first...

Friday voice: there’s something in the upper atmosphere Me: MY WIFE

(think of that in the voice of the kid in that video like “what have you got?” “A KNIFE” “Noooo!”) 

Carol Danvers / Captain Marvel’s presence was brief but enjoyable. Her dykey haircut was a true delight. 

I honestly took some real joy from the fact that Tony Stark’s daughter’s name is Morgan, because that’s MY NAME. 

Endgame treats Thor like a joke, a real fucking joke. I am not kidding when I say that he was given the shit end of the stick. 

They made him gain a bunch of weight out of grief over 5 years, grow his hair and not take care of himself hygienically, and treated his alcoholism like a huge fucking joke.

He had one touching moment with his mom (time travel stuff don’t ask), and the rest was just silly. 

He gets Mjolnir back from the past timeline, so now he has the axe and the hammer.

Uh... Steve can wield the hammer and channel lightning like it’s nothing? Thor is unsurprised by this. 

They did Clint dirty from the start, by first kinda forgetting he existed, and then giving him this random family... wife/kids. Coulda been as poignant as sister/nieces/nephews imo, and and kept the Clintasha vibes. Because YES their friendship is amazing and I love it to bits and the og Avengers made me ship Clintasha like fucking crazy, and they just wasted that chemistry. 

They have also done Natasha wrong too like just full on no respect at all, starting with her lack of proper characterization from day one, and still this is just my opinion okay? I feel like the writing fell through with her death, and they didn’t even give her a funeral. Clint was all broken up but idk it felt flat! I was more moved by Scarlett’s teary eyes after her call with Rhodey nearer to the beginning. 

Her death and the fight between her and Clint to see who would sacrifice themselves for the soul stone was already emotional but (for me) just barely missed its mark, like they didn’t build it up quite enough in the right way. they didn’t even make their weird bruce/nat strong enough either bc of bruce/hulk being pretty much a joke.

I don’t know how to feel about the “five years later” thing honestly. Aging Cassie up now, when that kid actor was such a gem!

I find most of the bad writing was because of the fact that some characters that could have made things easier for our Avengers if they’d teamed up were just quietly dusted off screen (Shuri).

I momentarily forgot about the fact that Shuri had been dusted when Cap says “we need a bigger brain” i was like whispering to myself “Shuri!” But then we got like another joke of Hulk? Like I am all for Bruce finding his stability and control over The Hulk but it feels like a cop out to me. 

Shuri would have been able to replicate the PYM PARTICLES easily, and put them to use in her lab, she would have been able to figure all that shit out easily, and so fast because she is so fucking smart. 

Speaking of Shuri, and Wakanda. I feel like Tony’s death fell flat for me too, the writing wasn’t quite strong enough. The idea that all of these super powers (and not just in the sense of people with powers, but resources, and skills, and technology) working together, is what ultimately saves the day, feels so much more authentic and beautiful.

Tony’s story was one of PTSD and anxiety, and survivors guilt and sacrificing himself and using sarcasm as a shield and he gets his second chance, he gets to be with pepper and have a kid (MORGAN I LOVE MORGAN) and have a reason to live again, and then it’s all gone like that. I don’t think so!

All those magic Dr. Strange people were there, they could have made a portal to Shuri’s lab and she could have saved him from the Damage of wielding the stones. I don’t think it could have been a perfect fix, I think it would have been touch and go, but the CRADLE tech plus Shuri’s amazing brain and technology could have saved him.

I also kinda think that Steve’s feelings about Peggy have been drawn out as far as they could possibly have gone. I think his motivations in Winter Solider were ignored in favour of a sweet and cushy conclusion. He fought so hard for Bucky, and Sam as well, and just dips back into the past to have a life with Peggy after returning the Infinity Stones? It felt cheap, mostly because most of us know that Peggy did have a real and rich life after Steve went into the ice. She had a family.

Steve giving the Shield to Sam was a very sweet moment, and I really enjoyed that, but it all just felt a bit flat to me. 

The moment when all those portals opened and Dr Strange came through with all the people who had been dusted and all the avengers who had been dusted. that was powerful. the army of support after cap and thor and tony fought past thanos.

the one scene of all the ladies teaming up was also great and fun!

Lmao Loki from 2012 got the tesseract back bc Future TOny fucked up and just poofed outta new york like ?? alternate timeline much? 

A lot of characters barely got any screentime, it was very much a Tony / Steve story with sub story of Clint / Nat / Scott and Hulk and Thor, some Rocket... but a decent amount of Nebula tbh.

I have fuel for like three fanfics which no one can let me start or even outline until I’m done my novel. 

that’s all i’ve got in my brain for now.

[lazaroschamberger20]

The His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass (Book 3) Audiobook Online

[Audio Books] The His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass (Book 3) Audiobook Online by Philip Pullman

HIS DARK MATERIALS IS NOW AN HBO ORIGINAL SERIES STARRING DAFNE KEEN, RUTH WILSON, JAMES McAVOY, AND LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA!

The unforgettable His Dark Materials trilogy that began with The Golden Compass—the modern fantasy classic that Entertainment Weekly named an 'All-Time Greatest Novel' and Newsweek hailed as a 'Top 100 Book of All Time'—and continued with The Subtle Knife, reaches its astonishing conclusion with The Amber Spyglass.

Throughout the worlds, the forces of both heaven and hell are mustering to take part in Lord Asriel's audacious rebellion. Each player in this epic drama has a role to play—and a sacrifice to make. Witches, angels, spies, assassins, tempters, and pretenders, no one will remain unscathed.

Lyra and Will have the most dangerous task of all. They must journey to a gray-lit world where no living soul has ever gone and from which there is no escape.

As war rages and Dust drains from the sky, the fate of the living—and the dead—comes to depend on Lyra and Will. On the choices they make in love, and for love, forevermore.

A #1 New York Times Bestseller Winner of the Whitbread Award Winner of the British Book Award (Children's) Published in 40 Countries   'Masterful.... This title confirms Pullman's inclusion in the company of C.S. Lewis and Tolkien.' —Smithsonian Magazine

'Pullman has created the last great fantasy masterpiece of the twentieth century. An astounding achievement.' —The Cincinnati Enquirer

'War, politics, magic, science, individual lives and cosmic destinies are all here . . . shaped and assembled into a narrative of tremendous pace by a man with a generous, precise intelligence. I am completely enchanted.' —The New York Times Book Review

'Breathtaking adventure . . . a terrific story, eloquently told.' —The Boston Globe

 Don't miss Philip Pullman's epic new trilogy set in the world of His Dark Materials! ** THE BOOK OF DUST ** La Belle Sauvage The Secret Commonwealth

Read The His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass (Book 3) Audiobook Online by (Philip Pullman)

Duration: 14 hours, 54 minutes

Writer: Philip Pullman

Publisher: Listening Library (Audio)

Narrators: Philip Pullman

Genres: Philip Pullman

Rating: 4.48

Narrator Rating: 4.68

Publication: Monday, 01 September 2003

The His Dark Materials: The Amber Spyglass (Book 3) Audiobook Online Reviews

Rebecca Handley

Great app! Great book!!!

Rating: 5

Jessica E

100% required! The third is as wonderful as the first two, and the cast just as talented this time around. The character development and nuance in their relationships is masterful. I’m thrilled to hear Pullman is going to continue the series! This is the first series I’ve listened to through Audiobooks and have been completely spoiled by the full cast reading. It added another dimension of enjoyment that I didn’t realize I was missing in listening to a book.

Rating: 5

Mark H.

Another utterly incredible book and a fitting conclusion to the His Dark Materials trilogy. At times it felt a little rushed but some magical moments of writing (speech in an audiobook) and a descriptive ability on Mr Pullman’s part in lending his voice that you almost never find in other audiobooks. Recommend very highly.

Rating: 5

Anonymous

super!

Rating: 5

Elizabeth F.

Great book. Well read by the author.

Rating: 5

Yossi K.

The golden campas was great. this one, less.

Rating: 3

Ella F.

This is the second time I read the books, so I chose the audiobook version of it. Very pleased to have the luxury of listening to it read by the author himself. Woth a talented cast of course.. I loved the books the first time I read them, and I loved them now. The series is beautiful, philosophical, thought provoking and in many ways original. It’s a work of literature with a richness not often seen in modern works of art. But still simple, childish and relatable, oh so relatable...

Rating: 5

Zoe Lewis

The His Dark Materials trilogy is so completely beautiful, original, and gripping. It broke my heart, but I loved every second.

Rating: 5

Similar Audio Books

His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (Book 1)

Original Author: Philip Pullman

His Dark Materials: The Subtle Knife (Book 2)

Original Author: Philip Pullman

Once Upon a Time in the North: His Dark Materials

Original Author: Philip Pullman

Wrinkle in Time

Original Author: Madeleine L'Engle

Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Original Author: C.S. Lewis

Lyra's Oxford: His Dark Materials

Original Author: Philip Pullman

Doctor Who: Twelve Doctors of Christmas

Original Author: Richard Dungworth,Scott Handcock,Gary Russell,Mike Tucker,Colin Brake

City of Heavenly Fire

Original Author: Cassandra Clare

Mossflower

Original Author: Brian Jacques

Mattimeo

Original Author: Brian Jacques

Clockwork Prince

Original Author: Cassandra Clare

Hobbit

Original Author: J.R.R. Tolkien

City of Fallen Angels

Original Author: Cassandra Clare

Court of Thorns and Roses

Original Author: Sarah J. Maas

Hatchet

Original Author: Gary Paulsen

Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy

Original Author: Maureen Johnson,Robin Wasserman,Sarah Rees Brennan,Cassandra Clare

City of Glass

Original Author: Cassandra Clare

City of Bones

Original Author: Cassandra Clare

Redwall

Original Author: Brian Jacques

Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Book 1

Original Author: Rick Riordan

Coraline

Original Author: Neil Gaiman

City of Lost Souls

Original Author: Cassandra Clare

Beautiful Redemption

Original Author: Kami Garcia,Margaret Stohl

Dangerous Creatures

Original Author: Kami Garcia,Margaret Stohl

Last Battle

Original Author: C.S. Lewis

[all-alone-he-turns-to-stone]

Movie Night Shouldn’t be Scary

Part 2

Summary: Like every Friday night, Y/N, her boyfriends, her brother and the girlfriend of her brother meet to watch a movie. But that evening isn’t the same when a knock is heard at the door, and three people asked to see Y/N, claiming one of them is her biological brother and that she’s in danger.

Crossover: Harry Potter x Teen Wolf

Pairing: Sister! Reader x Scott x Harry / Reader x Stiles

Word count: 1791

Requested? Yes, by @standalls

A/N: Sorry for the delay! I hope you like it! (happens in the beginning of season 2) (None of the gifs are mine, credit the the owner!)

It was a day like all the others. You had been going to school, listened carefully, took notes, sighed as you fixed the clock and tried to make the time go faster with your mind. You had eaten with your brother and your boyfriend and other friends had joined you afterwards. The meal had been friendly, funny and enjoyable. You were laughing at your boyfriend’s jokes, besides you were the only one to find them funny. Your brother had rather cast a desperate look at you two. But you had reassured your lover by kissing him tenderly. He placed a soft kiss on your forehead before mechanically stroking your shoulder where his hand was. Despite the surprise interrogation in Mr. Harris’ class under the collapsed eyes of both your boyfriend and your brother, it was a very beautiful day.

“I hate this guy.”

“Me too, but think that after high school we can leave all these dumbasses behind us and build our future, Stiles!” You muttered to your boyfriend, stars in your eyes imagining your future by his side.

“We’ll come to visit you,” Scott added, pressing against him his girlfriend, Allison.

It often happened to all of you. You were just meeting somewhere, anywhere, in Stiles’ jeep, in the library and even now, in Mr. Harris’ class waiting for his surprise exam. You met and talked about the future and your dreams, where of course you were all together. You promise to never leave each other and it was a solemn promise.

“McCall!” The professor’s voice echoed in your skull and you rolled your eyes as you turned to him.

“ Yes?” You answered in synchronicity with your brother and you looked at one another laughing.

“Stop talking, your voices gave me a headache. You too, Stilinski, shut up or I’ll keep you two hours after classes. The exam will now start, get ready.”

After the classes, it was decided that all of you would meet at the McCall’s for the traditional Friday night movie evening, to celebrate another week survived. Once in the living room, it was time to decide the movie of the evening.

“Don’t say what I know you’re about to say,” you muttered to Stiles who was stamping impatiently near you, a DVD in his hands, eyes shining with excitement.

He said nothing and turned the box toward you and you closed your eyes, sighing in despair.

“No.”

“I said nothing!” Your lover defended himself by raising his eyebrows, and you only loved him even more. After removing the DVD from your path, you approached your face close to Stiles’ and put your lips against his.

“Not Star Wars again.”

“I agree with Y / N,” Scott answered by holding a DVD in his hands. You raised an eyebrow and nodded at the film he was holding, placing you comfortably in Stiles’ arms whom then caressed your head.

“It’s a horror movie,” Allison began taking the box from Scott’s hands. “It’s the story of four teenagers locked in a house in the middle of the forest. There is no one outside, and they are alone, on a stormy evening. Obviously, the current is lacking and they all end up in the dark,” Allison summed up and immediately after it was total black. A little cry escaped from your lips and you huddled a little more against Stiles, who pressed you against him in a protective way.

Then you heard your brother’s diabolical laughter and the lights turned on again, him close to the switches, laughing his ass off. You grunted, throwing Star Wars on his head.

“Not funny!” You mumbled under Stiles’ protest at seeing his film thrown as a projectile on his best friend’s head.

“Seriously,” continued Allison. “After the blackout, one of the young people decides to go out and see what is happening. He goes out, but doesn’t come back. And then … someone knocks at the door! ”

Three knocks were knocked at the door which made you jump again against Stiles who received your head over his chin.

“Ouch,” he groans, rubbing his chin.

“Very funny, Scott.”

“I didn’t do anything,” your brother said to you, showing you his hands and the blows resumed at the door.

“Maybe Darth Vader came to tell us to watch his movie,” Stiles offered and you couldn’t hold back a chuckle in spite of the fear that was rising in you. You gave a small slap on his shoulder leaving his warmth to go and see who was at the door.

“Don’t open it!” Your brother taunted you laughing.

"Tsk” and the door opened on three people. A girl with wavy brown hair, a young red-haired boy and the last boy had black hair and wore small round glasses. It was unusual to meet people at this late hour, especially as young. Actually, they were probably about your age.

“Yes?” You asked because no one was speaking. Especially the boy with the glasses who never ceased to stare at you. After a while, you felt your brother’s presence behind you, surely come to see what took you so long.

"Y / N? Y / N McCall?” The girl asked under the sudden silence of the other two.

"And who’s asking?” Scott answered in your place, becoming protective.

“His biological brother,” the redhead replied after a moment and you saw a tear in the corner of the eye of the boy with the glasses.

Your legs became weak and you felt the world turning around you. Scott called Stiles to the rescue, which helped you settle down in the living room while Scott brought the three people in your house for more explanation.

“Are you okay?”

You turned your head towards Stiles who stroke your back gently. You couldn’t believe it, your biological brother. You didn’t know anything about your biological family, you knew you had been adopted, but for you Melissa and Scott had always been your true family. Perhaps you were not blood-bound with them, but it was they who had taken care of you and gave you the love and attention that you needed. So you had never sought to find your biological family, at least not unitl a few years.

“So,” Scott began, sitting down beside you, facing them. You left the anxious look of Stiles to place it on the three strangers and noticed that the one with the glasses wasn’t leaving your gaze.

“So,” the girl began. “My name is Hermione, he’s Ron,” she pointed at the redhead, “and he’s …”

“Harry,” the boy with the glasses said and his eyes filled with tears. “We’ve been looking for you for weeks, Y / N …”

“Alright, but still …” Allison added, and you still didn’t speak.

“She’s in danger,” Ron finally said. “We came to tell her. ”

“ Danger…?” Stiles’ anxious voice made you look at him and he pressed you closer to him.

"Yeah …” Harry continued pulling out his glasses to dry his eyes. After putting them back on, he went on.

“When I was a baby … well, when we were babies,” Harry corrected himself, “our parents were brutally slaughtered by … by …” He swallowed, hesitant. “Voldemort,” he finally said. “He killed them, and when he wanted to kill us, his attack rebounded on him and wounded him badly. Our mother had protected us, and the only visible sign of his passage is this scar … ” Harry finished by raising his hair on his forehead to show a small scar in a lightning shape.

You lost your breath. You recognized the scar for having seen it too many times. You had the same, but not in the same place as him. Absorbed by Harry’s speech, you swallowed hard, pushing Stiles’ arm to catch the collar of your sweater and lowering it to the left where your heart was … where the same scar was. You saw Harry’s eyes lit up at the same time as yours.

“Why did he kill them …” You sadly asked under the very intrigued looks of everyone.

“Our parents were powerful wizards … and the Dark Lord, that’s how he was named, killed them … because he wanted to. It was afterwards decided to separate us for our protection … you were sent here to Beacon Hills and I was sent to my uncle’s. But the Dark Lord wants to come back and he wants to finish what he started, "Harry finished watching for your reaction.

You didn’t know what to say, it was a lot of information at once. Your parents, the real ones, were wizards. They had been assassinated. And you were next.

"Dumbledore, the director and one of the most powerful wizards, sends us. He would like you to come with us to Hogwarts where you can learn magic and be protected, "Hermione added as she saw that no one spoke.

"That’s a lot of information,” you muttered as you ran your hand through your face with trembling hands. Stiles took your hands in his and you raised your head to meet his sad eyes. You knew what it involved, to go to this far place with strangers. You didn’t want to. Even if finding your blood ties was something important, you just couldn’t leave your family, the real one. You had so many projects, a future together. And you just couldn’t live with the thought of never seeing them again.

“Y / N …” Scott muttered between his teeth, his eyes as sad as Stiles.

“I appreciate … your concern for me …” You ended saying and all heads rose to you. “But I can’t go with you,” you finished with a resolved look.

Harry suddenly got up, anxious in his eyes.

“But he’ll eventually come back, and he’ll come for you! If you can’t defend yourself and nobody can protect you …”

You got up in your turn, smiling at your biological brother, pointing your brother of heart.

“Believe me. I am well surrounded. You may be wizards … but I have a werewolf as a brother. ”

And as if to answer, Scott’s eyes turned gold and he showed his sharp teeth.

“Without forgetting his girlfriend who is probably the most strong of us all with a bow and arrows,” you added and Allison stood up, folding her arms against her chest.

“And of course the most intelligent and brilliant of the boys I know will be there to get us out of any trouble,” you grabbed Stiles’ hand beside you and you smiled at him.

“I see …” Harry began. “You have a very good family, Y / N …”

“Not a family.  A pack.”

Next Part ->

[tachyonpub]

Tachyon tidbits featuring James Morrow, Ellen Klages, Gordon Van Gelder, and Nancy Kress

The latest reviews and mentions of Tachyon titles and authors from around the web.

James Morrow, Ellen Klages (photo: Scott R. Kline), Gordon Van Gelder (Houari Boumedienne), and Nancy Kress (Ellen Datlow).

For FANTASY LITERATURE, Bill Capossere praises James Morrow’s THE ASYLUM OF DR. CALIGARI.

If it sounds a bit over the top, well, it is. Morrow dives fully into gothic/surreal mode here, having fun with it even as he shows himself quite accomplished in its voice and tropes: the twisting, canted architecture; the purple and at times stilted prose; use of fire and shadow, classic types such as the mesmerist and sorcerer, and so forth. This is all wedded to the historical events of the time, such as the assassination of the Arch-Duke, the rolling in of one country after another due to alliances, specific military actions and strategy, and the use of new weapons such as the flamethrower and the early tank. Morrow also raises the intellectual stakes with explorations of art’s power (or lack thereof) to affect human action, psychology, violence, propaganda, war profiteering, sexuality, the gross absurdity of warfare — either individually or as they are entwined in culture/human nature.

If you’ve seen the film or know a lot of early 20th Century/late 19th Century art, Morrow offers up a slew of allusions for you to revel in. If not, the book is still enjoyable for its prose style, big ideas, and especially for its humor. THE ASYLUM OF DR. CALIGARI is peppered with lots of one-liners or funny dialogue bits. Not all the humor worked, and some would have stood better with a bit more subtlety (the line “Rube descending a staircase” would have been even funnier without the explanation just before of the painting itself. I thought), but I laughed aloud a few times and chuckled many more. I’d offer up examples but don’t want to spoil the jokes (Freud and Nietzsche makes especially ripe targets here, though).

I did think THE ASYLUM OF DR. CALIGARI felt too long even though it comes in at just about 200 pages and would have preferred it as a long short story/short novella, maybe about 130-150 pages or so. But for such a short book this is a relatively minor complaint since the length of time to finish it was so minimal, making this an easy recommendation despite that one issue.

At KIRKUS, John DeNardo recommends Ellen Klages’ WICKED WONDERS in his article 3 Lies and 7 Truths About Reading Short Fiction.

Pssst! Can I ask you a question? We've known each other for a while now, and I feel like we've established a relationship where we can drop the pretenses and be honest with each other. There's something I've been meaning to ask you, and I don't know the best way, so I'm just going to come right out and ask: why don't you read short fiction?

If I've misread you, I'm sorry. If you love reading short fiction like I do, then I'm glad we found some common ground on which we can share our mutual love of reading. But if I've read you correctly, then…we need to talk. If you're intentionally avoiding short fiction then you're cheating yourself out of some fantastic reading experiences. Here, let me break it down for you…

WICKED WONDERS and Klages’ PASSING STRANGE appeared on the Borderlands June bestsellers list.

Trade Paperbacks 1. THE THREE-BODY PROBLEM by Cixin Liu, trans by Ken Liu
 2. ALL THE BIRDS IN THE SKY by Charlie Jane Anders
 3. THE RAVEN STRATAGEM by Yoon Ha Lee
 4. PASSING STRANGE by Ellen Klages
 5. THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS by M.R. Carey
 6. TOO LIKE THE LIGHTNING by Ada Palmer
 7. WICKED WONDERS by Ellen Klages
 8. PREY OF GODS by Nicky Drayden 
9. I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER by Dan Wells
 10. RIVER OF TEETH by Sarah Gailey

LOOKING FOR A GOOD BOOK enjoys Gordon Van Gelder’s THE VERY BEST OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, VOLUME 2.

But more often than not I was impressed by the stories …only a small handful that I remember reading back in the late 1970’s/early 1980’s when I subscribed to the magazine: “Jeffty is Five” by Harlan Ellison is such a story, as is George Alec Effinger’s “The Aliens Who Knew, I Mean, Everything.” Ellison’s work was always cutting edge and ‘Jeffty’ is one of the classics that continues to stand the test of time. Effinger is someone who’s work I saw a lot of at the time but who doesn’t have the following that he should.  This is a great way to introduce him to new readers.

I stopped reading F&SF in the 1980’s – not because I wasn’t interested, but …well…life happens sometimes.  My point, though, is that the writers here that appeared in the magazine after the 1980’s are authors who are ‘new’ to me (though I’ve recently become acquainted with those still publishing). I enjoyed Charles de Lint’s “The Bone Woman” and Maureen F. McHugh’s “The Lincoln Train” – an alternative history story.

“Maneki Neko” is by Bruce Sterling – one of my favorite ‘new’ authors (though he’s pretty established now) and this story shows his deft hand.  He’s known as one of the leaders of the ‘cyber-punk’ category and here he combines his noted cyberpunk skills with humor.  A fun story, and it’s these fun stories that always made me appreciate Fantasy and Science Fiction.

<snip>

Looking for a good book? THE VERY BEST OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, VOLUME 2, edited by Gordon van Gelder is a book that can’t help but appeal to anyone who already loves the genre and is a great way to introduce great science fiction and fantasy to new readers.

Paul Semel on his eponymous site interviews Nancy Kress.

While some novels start out as short stories or novellas, the switch typically happens as these tales are being written. No one ever gets to read the original short story or novella, and a completed version of the story may not even exist in this form. But Nancy Kress’ new sci-fi series, which kicks off with the novel TOMORROW’S KIN (hardcover, digital), has taken a different path. It started off as a novella, YESTERDAY’S KIN, which not only came out three years ago, but it’s still available wherever you buy fine books. Or fun ones. Though in talking to Kress about this, she admitted that this wasn’t part of some master plan three years in the making.

Where did the original idea for TOMORROW’S KIN come from, and how different is the finished novel from that original idea? Because my understanding is that it’s somewhat rooted in your 2014 novella, YESTERDAY’S KIN.

The novella forms the first quarter of the novel, which extends the story ten more years. There was still a lot of story still to be told, what with global disruption on several levels as well as the new physics and engineering gifted by the aliens, which could lead to the building of the first Terran starships. Maybe. If all goes well. In fact, there is so much more story that it became a trilogy. All three books are written — TOMORROW’S KIN, IF TOMORROW COMES, and TERRAN TOMORROW — and will be released by Tor over time.

What was it about the the story you told in YESTERDAY’S KIN that made you think it could work over the course of three books, and why didn’t you write it that way to begin with?

The novel is not an expansion, which just tells a story in greater detail and ends in the same place. It’s an extension, which carries the story forward and ends in a different place. Big difference. I didn’t initially write a novel instead of a novella because I didn’t realize there was more story to tell until I’d finished the novella and thought about it for a while. I am not a great planner. I write, in part, to discover what I want to have happen, and then make decisions from there.

’

TOMORROW’S KIN starts off with the novella. It then picks up the story a year or so later and carries it through, with all the same characters, for nine more years. The next two books, due to marvels of time dilation while traveling between stars, covers a few more months for the traveling characters and nearly thirty years on Earth.

For more info on THE ASYLUM OF DR. CALIGARI, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Elizabeth Story

For more info on WICKED WONDERS, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover design by Elizabeth Story

For more info on THE VERY BEST OF FANTASY & SCIENCE FICTION, VOLUME 2, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Thomas Canty

For more info on YESTERDAY’S KIN, visit the Tachyon page.

Cover by Thomas Canty

[pauldeckerus]

Guest Blog: Photographer Nicole S. Young (a.k.a. “Nicolesy”)

A little more than six years ago I wrote my first guest blog post here on Scott’s website, and it’s incredible to see both how much has changed, and also how much has stayed the same. Since my last post here I got married, moved five times, adopted two dogs, traveled to eight new countries, checked off a few items on my bucket list, and I’ve also grown my photography education business into a full-time job. While my life looks a little different than it did in 2012, my excitement and passion to grow as a photographer is the same.

One of the things I love best about my job as a photographer is that I get to call all of the shots. I have gone in a solo direction with my work and get to photograph what I want and make books and tutorials that are of my own creation. It’s fulfilling, but it also takes a lot of self-determination and a good work ethic, and I’m constantly forced to stay at my own very high level of expectations. Here I’d like to share some of the things I’ve learned during my time as a photographer.

This is a selection of some of the images I created while in high school. I quickly fell in love with photography but worried I would fall out of love with it if I made it my full-time job.

Forge Your Own Path When I was in high school, I can remember wanting to be a sports photographer. I had just taken my first class in photography and joined the yearbook committee as a staff photographer. I found my “thing” and knew that photography was something I wanted to do long term. Then, when I joined the military, I chose a path other than photography. I was worried if photography was my full-time job that I would fall out of love with it.

I began my career in photography by creating and licensing photos for stock photography, just like this image of a utility lineman working on a power line.

Now, a few decades later, I realize that I had nothing to worry about. Because of the Internet and digital photography, I was able to find a way to make photography my career. A path that began as with stock photography has evolved into a career in photography education. I wasn’t following someone else’s path or anything out of a book. I discovered the way on my own.

Each year in Canby, Oregon, the dahlia fields bloom, and with it come the bees, which are very photogenic. I have a lot of fun chasing and photographing both the bees and the flowers.

Whether or not you make photography a business, you’ll likely still go down a certain path with your work. Maybe you enjoy landscapes, architecture, portraits, or flowers. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you enjoy, and don’t be afraid to experiment with new types of photography that may be vastly different than your current photographic interests.

I’m lucky to live in the Pacific Northwest, one of the most beautiful parts of the country. And I’ve fallen in love with landscape photography because of it.

Should you stick to one genre? Maybe. It depends on your goals and what you want to achieve as a photographer. This is a very personal decision and is entirely up to you. Personally, I enjoy photographing almost everything. Many people know me for my food photography, but I also do a lot of landscape, nature, and travel, as well as macro and water-drop photography. I’ve even done some underwater photography as well. And thankfully, with the job I chose, having a diverse set of photographic interests can be beneficial. With a wide genre of photographs in my portfolio I am able to write books and create video training that appeals to a larger audience. And I also love the challenge of learning something new, and sometimes that involves going down a creative path that is completely different from the photography I’ve made in the past.

Sometimes I like to challenge myself to create something that is outside of what I normally would photograph, such as this black-and-white street image in Venice, Italy.

You will probably hear a lot of strong opinions on whether or not you should stick to one niche, along with many other topics relating to photography and business. Maybe they come from an anonymous voice in an online comment, or from a trusted photographer friend. I know I’ve heard my fair share of opinions from photographers who think they know what is best for me and my business. But in the end only you know what’s best for you and your photography. Listen to your gut and don’t let someone else steer you in the wrong direction.

Find The Best Social Network For YOU With social media so prevalent in our digital lives it’s sometimes difficult to keep up. Staying fully engaged on social media can be a full-time job, and very few are able to have a team of people working this job for us. Personally, I’m pretty awful at keeping up with it, so now I’m doing my best to determine which of the current platforms to spend more of my time and energy on.

I also have my own social network, so to speak. One of the best forms of communication I have is my newsletter. While social media is good for sharing photos and other information, so much of it gets swept away only moments after it is posted. With email, however, my messages are going directly into the inboxes of my subscribers. It’s understood that each message I send is about me and my work, which is why people signed up in the first place. And while I offer a lot of free downloads and tutorials to my subscribers, I don’t hesitate to ask for a purchase. In fact, I make nearly all of my income from what I offer my members through the newsletter. It’s my most personal—and profitable—form of communication. It also allows someone to get directly in touch with me, just by replying to one of my emails! That gives me the chance to chat one-on-one with someone, and their message doesn’t end up getting buried by the endless flood of social media streams.

Challenge Yourself Many of the photographic skills I have are from trying to learn and master something new. In fact, I quite enjoy the challenge of seeing whether or not I could really learn how to photograph something on my own, only using books and the Internet as my guide. And I’ve discovered some very enjoyable genres of photography that I will continue to pursue into the foreseeable future.

I taught myself food photography and eventually went on to write two books and one video course. This image of blueberry French toast was created in my KelbyOne course — Food Photography: A Recipe for Savory Success.

Food photography is one example. In my early stock photography days, I decided to give it a try, even though I knew nothing about how to properly photograph food. My initial images were awful, but as time progressed and I learned more about lighting and food styling, my images improved. Eventually I would write two books on food photography—Food Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots—as well as a video course on the KelbyOne website.

I thought it would be fun to see if I could create some legitimate water drop photos, and I was right! This is now one of my favorite types of photography.

Another good example is with waterdrop photography. In fact, I came across this just by random interest. There is a device I was purchasing—the Pluto Trigger—to use for photographing lightning, and while researching it I saw that they also sell a water drop valve as an accessory. The valve was not too expensive, and I thought it might be fun to try my hand at photographing water drops. After getting the valve and doing some research online, I was able to create some beautiful photos on my first try! It’s now become one of my favorite things to photograph.

Practice, Practice, Practice Whether or not your goal is to become the best photographer you can be, we tend to enjoy something more when we’re good at it. The best way to become good at something is to practice as much as possible. Not only will you help create muscle memory with your camera, you will solidify your technical knowledge about your gear, settings, and even your surroundings and subject matter. And this also applies to processing your photos and using software. I’ve been an avid Photoshop user for a very long time, but even those skills can get rusty! I make sure to create my own personal projects on the side to keep my “Photoshop muscles” fit.

I love experimenting and playing around in Photoshop, which is how I created these double-exposure images.

Even I have had my moments where my camera sat around collecting dust for a little too long, and I remember feeling rusty when I finally picked it up again. If you enjoy photographing landscapes but live somewhere that is lacking in natural beauty, maybe you can experiment with a different type of photography that is not dependent on the environment. Or maybe you could sign up for a 365 challenge, where you create a new photograph each day for an entire year. I attempted this one (and didn’t make it all the way), but it did encourage me to create a handful of good photos that otherwise would not have been created.

There are a lot of other opportunities to encourage you to pick up the camera. If you’re on Flickr, you may find groups that motivate you to get out and use your camera. I even have my own “Nicolesy” group where I run monthly photo challenges (click here to check it out on Flickr). Or maybe you’ve joined a local photo club, a photowalk, or an online forum. Find something that works for you and inspires you to get out and create something.

One of the most thrilling experiences I’ve had was cage diving and photographing great white sharks. It’s an opportunity I may not have had if I were not excited about photography.

Whatever route you end up following, if photography is important to you, the best thing you can do for yourself is to create. While photography is my main focus, I am a fan of creating so many other things and have quite a few hobbies. I love to knit, I’m a big pottery enthusiast, and I also enjoy the process of working on my website and creating books and video training for my business. When I’m creating, I’m happy.

You can see more of Nicole’s work and tutorials on her website, YouTube channel, and Flickr profile, and keep up with her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

The post Guest Blog: Photographer Nicole S. Young (a.k.a. “Nicolesy”) appeared first on Scott Kelby's Photoshop Insider.

from Photography News https://scottkelby.com/guest-blog-photographer-nicole-s-young-a-k-a-nicolesy/

[hos18greenhouse]

Exit Interview - Ci’ere

Brett - The last time you played Big Brother, you also placed 5th on a unanimous vote. Where do you think you went wrong? What factors led you to this placement again?

Ci'ere - I think that I might have been a little too flashy or I made a move that ended up with people losing trust in me. In this case, that person would be Linus because I took out his #1. He said he would have evicted me either way because I was likable or some ish.

Brett - Scott didn't vote to keep you. Were you shocked by his decision?

Ci'ere - I’m a little disappointed, but even if Scott did tie the votes Linus still would have evicted me so I understand why he didn’t and maybe he could use that to build trust with Q and Trixie! So no hard feelings there lmao

Brett - Speaking of Q & Trixie, looking at the Final 4 players remaining, a power duo still stands strong. How did we get here? How will having a power duo still in the greenhouse affect the upcoming round?

Ci'ere - How did we get here? Well, Linus really wants those 5 measly bucks and second place. He didn’t make a power move to break up the duo. I believe Q and Trixie are taking each other to the end no matter what, but I would have taken Linus to end so I don’t know what he’s doing. Scott and Linus are going to want to split TrixLynn up, so I think that they’re in trouble, specifically Trixie because the boys have both said that Q would lose in a jury vote. Also Trixie is more of a threat.

Brett - Earlier in the season, you were sent to The Outhouse TWICE, taking you out of the action for roughly a week out of the season. What impact did that have on your game?

Ci'ere - Oh my goodness, that kind of took a toll on my game earlier in the season because the first few weeks everyone’s getting to know each other and relationships were being formed. I didn’t get to have that when I was thrown back in around week 4 and I felt kind of lonely. I had to adapt myself to the situation and do some damage control which I think worked out pretty well! I ALSO KNOW THAT THE STRAIGHT WHITE MALES SENT ME TO THE OUTHOUSE. I’m looking at you Aaron and Dalton ;) The game is dynamic and always changing so I was like ahh

Brett - By surprise, you found yourself as Head of Household in a double eviction lightning round. Your target list dedicated JD & Trevor as your nominees, with Zakriah as a replacement nominee after Trevor was saved by Ruthie's Power of Veto. Do you think if you had the typical HOH week and 24 hours to make your decisions that your first HOH would have gone any different?

Ci'ere - No, that actually worked out pretty well for me even though I think would have wanted Trevor out over JD at the time. I do think that things would have been different though if I had gotten time to strategize.

Brett - Trevor's reaction to being nominated by you put you in hot water with him for the rest of his game. What was your relationship with Trevor like?

Ci'ere - Oh, Trevor (makeup) Well at first I thought he was kind of a daddy until I learned he had a boyfriend. He could not hold a conversation at all. Trixie told me that Trevor said I was “weary” when I was in the Outhouse for two weeks and I trusted her, so I wanted him out for a long time lmao (chuckle) THEN HE TRIED TO CALL ME OUT IN TOUCHY SUBJECTS for taking a long time to reply, so I snatched him right back gurl because he was boring. Then we ended up working together after and it’s just all a mess. I got to know him better and I like him a lot more now!

Brett - After being nominated last week, what was your intention had you won this Head of Household? You lost to Linus by a tiebreaker in which your numbers were 7 apart.

Ci'ere - Okay, well first of all, I was so upset that I lost the last HoH because it was so close and I wanted to make a big move this week. I honestly was going to take out one of TrixLynn for strategic purposes because it was the perfect opportunity to make sure that one of them went home. They would always prioritize each other over me and I think that’s really powerful to have that bond when you’re so close to the end like that.

Brett - What's your favorite memory of this season?

Ci'ere - My favorite memory this season was when I was talking to Trixie about how we never get snow in California, so she remembered this and sent me snaps of it snowing in Canada! I luv her, bless up. (penguin)

Brett - In the event that you were the one evicted, your HouseGuests left you some goodbye messages. Let's take a look.

QuilLynn - Ci’ere, I’m really sad that one of us has to go this week :( after coming back into the game We got to know each other better and I’m so glad we were able to become friends <3 I’m going to miss you so much and the greenhouse just isn’t going to be the same without you in it :( you are such a kind person and I wish we could both stay this week, but no matter what happens, thank you for being my friend and helping make this game such an enjoyable experience, we’ll talk again soon <3

Linus - it was great playing with you again man, having to target you was very painful to me but it was the only move I could make. You weren't wrong in the chat, I'm trying to get to the end with Quil since I think my best chance is against someone who's both already been voted out once and who has also been vocally angry with numerous people.

Scott - I'm voting for you because I don't believe in pity votes and I'm certain you're going out regardless of what I do, so maybe I can buy myself something in this game by not voting for Quill I'm not sure. Honestly working with you this game was great. I know you aren't always the most honest player and I know there's times where you wanted me out, and that's all okay. But it was weird getting to know Ci'ere the person and then finally get to play with Ci'ere the player, and both impress me in different ways. You're so good at getting and keeping people on your side and you were always extremely dangerous. You sometimes went through random flashes of overly sweet to overly confrontational - which could be frustrating but I think it fits with who you are. I'll probably see you on jury in the next couple of weeks, but either way we'll have a lot to chat about

Trixie - I feel like everything I’m about to say I’ve already said to you as an explanation, but I want to make it very clear that this was in no way an easy decision to make. :( I typically am able to separate personal feelings and gameplay very easily, but I felt like I was in a very bad position this time around. Because like I said, I feel like either way I vote, I upset a friend. I might have had a chance to beat either you or Quil in the end, but I know that 100% Quil will go after Scott or Linus. I want to believe you when you said you have never lied to me throughout this entire game but in the end, isn’t lying a necessity, especially in the house of shade lol. I know that we have kept things from each other, and so I can’t say for certain if you had something with Scott. I know that wasn’t the decision you wanted to hear and I hope you won’t hate me after this. This is just what makes sense for me to get the best chance of reaching the end and winning, so if this is the wrong decision and I follow you into the jury house next, please roast me because I deserve it. And I’m REALLY sorry in advance that I let these 3 scumbags make it to the end. This was the first game I’ve played where I felt truly alone and you were the only one I could bank not getting a vote against, so I’m really sorry that it’s my vote that is probably sending you out tonight.  From day 1 in this house to day 60, I had a great time getting to know you and sharing stories, and I hope that after this game has ended you won’t have any hard feelings. love, miss furby

Brett - Any final thoughts?

Ci'ere - I’m just happy I took a chance on this game and that I got to meet so many amazing people! Tate call me after this over, xo. And yeah, that’s pretty much it! I did everything I could and fought every step of the way to get fifth (again lmao) so I’m content~ (penguinkiss)

Brett - Thank you so much for playing! <3

[rapmonster-notdancemonster-blog]

Secret Garden pt. 1

This story is completely based upon the K-Drama "Secret Garden." I just swapped some characters around for my own enjoyment. This story is rated T for language and some sexual references. Enjoy. 

Chapter One:

As the sun stretched out its sunlight onto the homes in Pasadena, one of its many rays landed upon the estate of our beloved main male character, Victor Tae Park. As he prepared himself for the day, shuffling around in his modernized yet compact home, the television set from the living room was on, and the weatherwoman, Mia Olga, was delivering the daily forecast.

"Do you know of the Indian Summer? Before winter sets in and fall is coming to an end, there’s a glimpse of summer. Indians, they say, hunted for the winter in that brief returning summer. It is described to be a gift from the gods. The Indian Summer for this fall is apparently going to be accompanied by much rain."

Walking down the white painted stairs connecting his bedroom to the living room, Victor placed his watch on his left wrist and fixed the cuffs of his black blazer.

"When this rain hits, could it be we'll receive some special gift from the gods?"Stopping to reach down at white coffee table, he picked up the remote control and pointed it to the television set.

"But whether it's a gift or a joke from the gods, I suppose we'll have to see. Right, Mr. Victor Tae Park?" Mia winked.

Victor stopped, his green eyes widening a bit, lips slightly parted, and eyebrows raised.

Another man began to speak on the monitor. "Well then, Miss Olga, thank you for that wonderful forecast, and now to Scott Henderson with the Sports."

Confused, he looked down to his hand holding the control, and then looked around the room.

No one was there.

Looking back at the screen, he pressed his lips into a line. Suddenly, a bright beam of light flashed all throughout the room, and a thunderous clap after it. Looking outside through his huge glass windows and doors, many lightning strikes flashed across the sky and their thunder following after it. Even more confused, he swallowed and blinked rapidly. The sky then turned a bit gray and sour.

Shrugging it off, he walked outside, and closed the glass door, a small click indicating that it locked by itself. He walked across the wooden patio, over the glorious pond that glistened with the remaining sunlight, and rippled as small dragonflies flew over it.

Climbing into a polished white porsche, he put the keys in the ignition, and revved the engine. Placing his right arm around the passenger's head rest, he looked to the back and he pulled out of his parking space. Victor drove onto the driveway of his estate, and peacefully drove down the road.

Though after just a few moments, he stopped in front of two people in an embrace standing in front of a smaller gray car. One of the individuals, presumably male, had distinctively electric blonde hair, the other had long chestnut hair, a female. He paid no mind to the female and plainly stared at the white-haired male, and at this Victor visibly frowned. It was his cousin Michael and whom he assumed was his cousin’s girlfriend. Victor’s lip lifted upwards in disgust when he noticed them locking lips.

Looking at Michael, he noticed that he had opened his eyes and looked right back at him, and merely waved, still kissing the woman in front of him.

Rolling his eyes, Victor, got a hold of the steering wheel and sped past them. The wind created from the rushing car picked up the skirt of the girl and she quickly pulled out of Michael’s arms, screeching in an annoying high pitched tone as she tried to put her skirt down.

Michael looked at Victor’s speeding car, and wiped his bottom lip of the leftover saliva of his kiss with the girl.

"What was that just now?!" She yelled, clearly flustered. "Who was that?!"

Still looking at the speeding car that was picking up dust everywhere, he replied, "ahh him? On the family registry, a cousin. In fact, a cousin or a son of a cousin." The car was no longer in sight, yet, Michael still continued, "If I buy a sports car, he buys the sports car dealership. If I buy a yacht, he has to buy all the land around the dock to feel satisfied." Looking back at the girl, he told her, "in other words, even as soon as you yell: "Hey, you jerk!" One could say that he's even more wicked than me."

Blinking, the girl looked at him, confused. "What?" She blinked again, "what?" Snaking his arm around her waist, she told him: "What are you talking about? Why would I say that to you babe?" Clearly she meant why she would call him a jerk.

Sighing, he brought his hand up to her face and squeezed her cheek playfully, "Aww, our little Stephanie Torres. Because I spoke in a slightly roundabout way, you couldn't understand?"

The girl- Stephanie- looked at him blankly.

"I'm saying: Let's stop seeing each other. I don't want to see you anymore."

Stephanie’s eyebrows drooped a bit, "What? Then, what was that kiss just now?"

He leaned into her, "A goodbye kiss. I want to remain in your memory," He clicked his tongue, "a sweet man..."

Angry, Stephanie shoved him towards the gray car behind them, yet, she did not succeed. He stayed in place, a bit surprised.

"Hey, you jerk!" She screamed, close to tears.

As we let Stephanie and Michael settle that little predicament, let's see what Victor is doing... Shall we?

Ah yes...

Now, we find our hero of the story, Victor, walking through a marble hallway of an art museum.

The voice of a woman springs into his mind, his mother.

"Her grandfather was a cabinet minister. And her father manages a hotel."

Stopping a bit, he removed his hands from his pockets and placed them at his sides. He then headed towards the direction of a young woman wearing a gray dress and had dyed balayage blonde hair.

The words of his mother drifted back to him. "She herself came back from studying abroad and is a Commercial-Film Director."

He approached her silently, and as he neared her, she turned towards him, looking at him, smiling softly.

"Miss Judith Beck?" He asked.

"Yes?" She asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

"I am Victor Tae Park, your arranged match for this meeting," he told her.

"Ah, yes, how are yo-"

He interrupted her, "Follow me." Placing his arms behind him, he walked off to the left.

She looked at his retreating form, tilting her head to the side, What is this guy thinking? she speed-walked after him, and caught up to him.

After looking around for a few moments, Judith decided to speak up: "You must like Edouard Manet. As far as arranged match meetings go, I think we're probably the only ones to meet at an art gallery."

Not even looking at her, he replied, "Because I don't need to waste my time."

She looked at him, "By that, you mean..."

"From the distance she walks, her temperament shows. From her appreciation of art, you can see her level of culture. You can see if she's a woman that would go to an art gallery or a club." He stopped and looked her way, leaning down to her shoulder, "If she prefers perfume that's overwhelming or subtle. The answers come out more quickly." Turning away from a surprised and red faced Judith, he looks the other way and keeps walking normally. "Do you want to drink something?" He asked as he walked away.

She looked at him with wide eyes, and smelled her clutch and jacket quickly before sighing, "sheesh, is it too overwhelming?"

The scene changes to a neatly decorated patio with water fountains and trees. The sound that can be heard is the water from the fountain and the quiet chatter of all the other people in the area.

Sitting down across from each other are Victor and Judith. Victor brought his cup to his lips, quietly took a sip, and placed it back down onto the table.

The awkward silence was too strange for Judith, deciding to speak up, she said, "if you find this situation uncomfortable, we can leave. Our elders-"

Interrupting her again, he asked, "is this an uncomfortable situation?"

She looked at him strangely, "isn't it? As much as we have over the average person, I suppose there will be things I'll need to give up. But, marriage based on status without any love..." She blinked, "I have no interest in that. To live just as a good obedient daughter, I'm too much of a hot-blooded woman."

Understanding what she meant, he said, "so... you don't want an arranged marriage."

Looking away, she nodded, "right."

"Why not?"

She looked back at him, eyes widened, clearly surprised. "Excuse me?"

Crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair he said, "love. I suppose there some that find that important. But because of the ignorance of the hormone and disease called love, you ignore family, education, and capability. You can't communicate and you're at different levels, and you think that those can be replaced by a good kiss?"

Judith looked speechless, "Um, well.."

"You're quite naive, compared to the way you appear. Then I decline as well. Will you tell your family you got dumped? Then I'll match my story that way." Standing up, he faced away from her and buttoned his blazer. Turning back around he said, "oh, and the Edouard Manet exhibit is next month,” then without another word, he walked away.

Bringing her perfectly manicured fingers to her mouth, she sighed, shocked. "Um, Victor Tae Park..."

The scene changes to a department store's cafe where two women are comfortably sitting in the luxury around them. The coffee table separating them held their tea as well as small pastries. One woman wore a long, green blazer with a cream coloured scarf and a short, shiny silver dress and the other was wearing a white cardigan with a short black dress. The woman with the long, green blazer happened to be Judith Beck.

"Really?" The unnamed woman asked our recently dumped rich gal.

Sighing, Judith replied, "That's right. There hasn't been a man yet that hasn't fallen for my modern woman routine. But he walks off unaffected, looking totally appealing."

"So, you're saying you got dumped," the other woman said.

"Ximena, I'm saying I've finally found a connection."

Looking to her side the now named woman; Ximena, replied, "frankly it's a worry even if you do start dating." Looking back at Judith, she continued, "If he finds out about you and Cypher..."

Frustrated, Judith replied, "Would you like him to know? If he knew, would he have come to meet me? Just drink your tea."

Trying to change the subject Ximena smiled a bit, "but out of all the department store VIP lounges, I really like this one the best. Even the cups are different. This is that expensive..." She took a sip of her tea.

"Freeloader," Judith states.

Almost spitting out her tea, she asks, "What?"

"Freeloader," Judith replied again.

Looking around, the Ximena asks, "If a freeloader, then what are you?"

Amused, Judith replied, "Me? I'm an heiress." Her friend scoffed yet Judith continued. "I don't know how they can so obviously announce they are daughters-in-law,” she was clearly addressing all the other women in the room whom were chatting animatedly. "They should wear designer brands." Ximena looked down at her chest and brought a hand to it (she was wearing a copy of Calvin Klein), not noticing this, Judith continued once more. "Why slather themselves in their husband’s family’s money? Oh my! And what's her deal?"

"Who?" Ximena replied, looking at the doorway.

A young woman around their age walked in wearing black skinny jeans, a white t-shirt with a logo, a red flannel tied around her waist, and a black leather jacket. On her head was a blue beanie that did not reveal her hair. On top of her hat was a pair of yellow headphones. As she walked in, her black worn out shoes squished this way and that, making all of the women stop talking to stare at her, then turn back to talk with their friends again, gossiping about the stranger that just walked in.

The ragged looking woman sat down at a table and removed her jacket, revealing a dragon tattoo on her upper arm. Ximena panicked a bit, even Judith’s eyes widened significantly and her mouth dropped.

"Oh my. Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" Ximena exclaimed in fright. "It's a dragon, a dragon." She said referring to the dragon tattoo on the woman's arm. All the other women in the room shifted in their seats.

The new woman lowered her headphones down to her neck and crossed her arms.

Ximena whisper-yelled to the older women sitting at another table to the side of her, "turn my son's heads away from her!" She then looked back at the woman with the dragon tattoo. From this statement, we can presume that the child in the woman's arms is Ximena’s son. The old woman can be seen as her nanny.

Looking mad, Judith stood up and looked at the intruding woman.

Her friend looked up at her, brought her hand up and asked, "Hey, what are you doing?"

Placing her hands on her waist, Judith replied, "I'm going to be the first lady of this establishment soon. How can I just sit and watch someone turn this into a corner mart? Shall I go and give her a piece of my mind as the first lady to-be?" Not waiting for an answer, Judith turned her head back to the stranger and walked over to her.

"Hey! Hey!" Ximena whisper-yelled in panic. "Oh geez!"

Judith stopped at the feet of the stranger. The woman in the chair looked up at her and Judith noticed that the woman had bright orange hair that was neatly tucked into her beanie. Unfazed by such a startling colour, Judith rose her hand and motioned a finger, "over here." She said loudly.

A young female employee with dark brown hair, matching eyes, and olive skin walked over and placed a saucer with a cup coffee on it on the table in front of the stranger. "Just a moment," she told the woman with the dragon tattoo. She then stood up straightly and looked at the fuming Judith in front of her. "Is there something you need, guest?" She asked as the stranger straightened herself in her chair and took a sip from the cup in front of her.

"Since when has the lounge's standards gotten so low? Isn't this a place for only for VVIP's who spend over eight thousand? Did you check everyone's ID when they came in?" Judith asked harshly.

"Of course ma'am," the employee replied nervously.

"You are a liar!" Judith yelled loudly, "you didn't!"

"Well, that's because all the employees know the guest by face..." The poor girl responded.

The stranger then stood up and looked at the employee, "I think she's talking about me," she said softly. The employee looked at her. "Give me the key," the stranger said. The stranger then turned to Judith and said, "You don't have to take it out on the wrong person. I was on my way." Looking back to the worker, she said, "thanks for the coffee. I'll see you later." Walking away, she took a set of keys out of the hands of the employee as well as her jacket on the chair.

"We spend the money in this department store, and it looks like the wrong person got the coffee." The stranger with the orange hair stopped walking. "What's your name?" Judith asked the employee.

Panicking, the employee covered her name tag and then took her hand away. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I'm really sorry."

The stranger then turned to her side to see Judith walking to the employee. Judith stretched out her hand and snatched the name tag of the employee, looking her fiercely in the eye before walking past her and the stranger. Angry, the stranger started after her, but the employee quickly took hold of her arm.

"Where are you going? We are looking at the 3 disasters here. Bureaucratic disaster, calamity, and gossip. Total bad luck here," the employee told the stranger.

"We have to get your name badge back," the stranger simply stated and started to walk again.

The employee stopped her again, "Oh! Don't make it a bigger deal. I just have to apologize and plead for leniency. I'll probably just get yelled at a little. Hold back."

"Why should you get yelled at? What are we always apologizing for?" Frustrated, she then walked out of the employee's grasp. The stranger the walked past the other tables and out of the doors of the cafe. She then took hold of the black bmx bike laid against the wall, but stopped when she saw Judith and her friend along with the middle aged woman, holding Ximena’s crying child as well as a lot of bags and a purse that all belonged to Ximena.

"Hush, hush, what's the matter? Hush, hush, is that so?" Ximena addressed her crying child. The stranger woman shoved her hands into her pocket and walked towards Judith. Judith saw the stranger walking towards her, and met her stormy gray gaze. As the stranger continued to walk to Judith, she stopped when a man ran in between Judith and her friend, snatching her purse from the woman carrying the crying child.

"Oh my, oh my! Oh my bag. Oh my! It's a thief! A thief!" The stranger woman looked at the man that snatched Ximena’s purse as he raced in between a crowd of people, bumping into other people in the way. "Oh my bag! What about my bag?! Oh, my bag. Oh my bag!" Ximena screeched. The stranger woman looked back at the screeching woman as she yelled some more. "Do you know how much that costs? How could you hold it like that?!" She screeched at the mother.

"Oh I'm sorry, Madam. The child was so upset." The baby still cried in her arms as the thief jumped into a moving silver van that then sped off.

"Why blame the baby?!" Ximena yelled at the mother. "Give me the child!" She took the child out of the woman's arms and looked at her. "Are you working with the thief by chance?! You're with him, aren't you?! You pay for it! You will pay for it!"

The stranger woman looked back at the direction of the thief and said to herself, "is this a bureaucratic disaster or a calamity?" She then looked back at the older woman in sympathy and said, "stay here." She then ran towards her bike.

"What about my bag?" Ximena cried.

The stranger woman gripped the handlebars of her bike and ran, jumping on it and racing onto the street. Quickly finding the silver van, she chased after it, passing through a crowd of people on the street, and on top of a bridge. Stopping for a second to see where the car went, she found it speeding below the bridge she was on, and she pedaled down the stairs and onto the street once more.

Seeing that the car was in a highway that was very familiar to her, she went through a short-cut around an alley. In front of her though, were two male workers carrying a large piece of glass. Finding no other way to get through, she lifted the bike and jumped over it, turning to her right to see the silver van right where she wanted it. The men behind her exclaimed in surprise and astonishment.

Following it down a curved street, she turned back onto the sidewalk when she saw the van speed off into a crowded street, almost crashing into a red truck that blocked the way of the stranger. The woman jumped over the red truck and followed the van into the crowded street where she finally caught up with the car and stopped the bike in front of it, forcing the car to stop with a screech.

Breathing hard, the stranger woman saw 4 men step out of the car. She quickly threw her bike at the first man to approach her, quickly taking him out. The next man to approach her jumped in the air, twisted and aimed his leg towards her head. However, she ducked under it and punched him square in the face once he landed, sending him to the side, knocking him out. The other two men teamed up and attacked at the same time, both sending a kick on either side of her, she ducked again and made them kick each other at their calves sending them both to the ground.

One of them stood up, and charged for her, but she quickly grasped his shoulders and headbutt him sending him down again. His partner sat up and she took the moment to bring her leg up and slam it down against his head, he then knocked out. The first man that she threw her bike at had recovered and ran towards her from behind, aimed to punch her in the arm, but missed and hit her arm. She looked at the man behind her and twisted out of his next attack, which was a chop aimed at her neck. She turned around and kicked his side, then rose her arm over her head to which the man did the same.

They crossed arms, and she took that moment to punch him in the back several times. She then let go, jabbed him in the chest, and took hold of his head, which she then threw towards the hood of the van, making him fall onto the ground.

The scene changes back to Judith and her friend, now accompanied by two policemen. The policemen were speaking with Ximena and writing down what she said while Judith stood with her arms across her chest. Ximena held a tissue in her hand, and wiped a few tears from her eyes before blowing her nose.

"I was cleaning my baby's nose, a thief appeared and ran off that way!" Sniffling a bit, Ximena pointed off in the direction that the thief and the stranger woman had gone off to.

Sighing in annoyance, Judith turned to face her friend, "do you have to find the thing so badly?" Her friend looked at her and lowered her arm a bit. "What kind of bag was it?"

"Looks like we've dodged a bullet," called out a voice. The stranger woman walked towards Judith and her friend, handing her a black bag with a silver chain. "It's this one, right?"

Before she could respond, Judith took the bag out of the stranger woman's hands and threw it at her friend, which seemed smart to her, but in reality looked very, very dumb. "See if there is anything missing,” was all Judith said. She turned to the officers, “you may leave now.”

As the men of authority walked away, the stranger spoke up, "Since I got your friend's bag back, why don't you forget about what happened in the lounge earlier? Give me her name badge."

Judith blinked slowly, "I don't have it."

The stranger woman waited a few seconds, "I'm sure you have it."

Judith shrugged and looked to the side, "I threw it away."

"You threw it away?"

Still not looking at the woman in the eyes, Judith pointed and said, "If you look through the trash can by the entrance..." The stranger woman grabbed a-hold of the collar of Judith’s blazer she picked her up and leaned in menacingly. Her friend gasped, and rose her hands up. This scene was a quire sight, since Judith was a great 5 inches taller than the stranger woman, and the stranger woman was so petite looking.

"Which trash can by the entrance?" The stranger woman said, "to the woman who spends eight thousand dollars in a department store, and the woman who gets a cup of coffee from a friend... a trash can is just as dirty to both. I believe the person who threw it away should pick it up."

Judith closed her eyes and reluctantly said, "fine. I'm not such an inflexible person." Grabbing at the woman's fingers, trying to pry them off, she said, "let's forget about what happened."

The stranger woman's gray eyes blazed with fury, "it's a little too late. I'm not so flexible you see." Dragging Judith by the collar, Judith and her friend shouted at the woman to let go, but she walked both women inside the department store and threw Judith against the balcony next to the trash can. "Find it." She said, motioning her head towards the trash can.

"It's not this trash can!" Judith yelled pointing to the object that no one wanted to go through.

"So, find it." The stranger woman replied. "So I can see if it's this one or not."

Judith scoffed, and looked away. Sighing in frustration, she brought up her bag and opened it. Reaching inside, she dug around for a few moments before bringing her hand back out and stretching her arm out towards the stranger woman's face. In Judith’s hand was the name tag of the female employee. "We're done now, right?" Judith asked in anger. The stranger woman looked down at the name tag in Judith's hand and looked back up at the woman. "Take it! So, I can go!" Judith exclaimed.

Looking at Ximena, the stranger woman asked, "You're going to throw that away, right?" She took the tissue out of Ximena hand and took Judith purse, putting the tissue in the bag. She then threw it harshly at Judith.

Judith gasped in surprise, and exclaimed, "Are you crazy?! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Because that must be a trash can." Was all she said before snatching the name tag out of Judith’s hand, turning, and leaving.

Judith gasped in disbelief, "How can someone be like that?!"

Ximena sighed and smiled, "really. How can a woman be so cool? I wonder what she does..."

"HEY!" Judith yelled loudly.

The scene changes once more to a thunderous night sky with various buildings with their lights on. On top of one building, though, there was a pillar that stood up 10 feet above the building's roof and connected to it was a thunder pole. On that thunder pillar, was our stranger woman, clad in all black fighting armour. The stranger woman, though, looked very strange, stranger than usual. Her hair was a dark shade of brown styled in a pixie cut that framed her face and her eyes were a deep onyx.

She was looking at the sky, in her own thoughts, but then she looked down, a determined smile plastered onto her face. She then stood up, looking down below her, she put both hands at her side and firmly grasped the guns strapped to her thighs. She pulled both guns out and cocked them. She lifted her gun carrying hands to her sides in a low-V. She then let herself fall forward into the sky, head down, speeding towards the earth.

Bringing both guns in front of her, she pulled both triggers once. The two bullets, traveled down, revolving in a circle, until they hit the glass roof of a building. The roof shattered as she fell through the sky and into the building. People inside the building carrying knives, tomahawks, swords, and daggers, all looked up to where the intruder had entered.

Not a second after landing on her feet with a backflip, many people came forward and charged at her straightaway. A man came around and attacked her with a large knife to her side, but she flipped around and shot him. After, 5 others jumped off of structures to charge at her as well with knives, yet, she dodged them all and shot them as well. Other foes decided to climb up quickly on the walls and structures, however, that was a bad mistake. Like the others, she shot each one at a very high speed and managed to hit every single one, with perfect aim. The woman back-flipped onto a structure and shot some more people before grabbing onto a pole and rode it down to the floor while shooting more of her enemies. She then brought the pole back up- somehow- and landed back on the platform she was standing on before.

Seeing that there was just a few of her enemies left, she jumped off the platform and twisted her body into various spins before settling down on solid ground. Looking around and counting the number of enemies around her, she noticed that they all had brought out their swords and huddled around her. There were 16 of them. Slipping her guns back into their holsters, she reached behind her and brought out a large sword. Deciding to attack first, she jumped onto her first victim and quickly sliced his throat. Moving onto her next victim, she stabbed him in the chest and brought her sword back out, which hit another person in the stomach behind her. Quickly slicing this way and slicing that way, and ducking this way and charging that way through all the others, she made her way down to her last foe. While her back was turned, he charged towards her and jumped into the air, she sensed him and too, jumped into the air, kicking her feet to gain more height.

Their swords clashed on the way up, but while returning to the ground, she sliced open his chest and landed back on the ground. The body of her last foe landing with her, on its side, dead.

She paused a few moments, regaining her breath, before turning her head to reveal a whole different person. Literally. The woman standing there looked nothing like our precious stranger woman.

"CUT! OKAY! OKAY!" Yelled a man sitting in a chair.

It was action movie scene.

"Ah, this is tiring! Oh my legs! Oh my gosh! Why don't you look where you're walking?! How dirty!" A woman dressed just like our stranger woman hopped out of the scene and asked, "Director, did I come out looking cool?"

The director, a middle aged man in a brown beret and glasses replied, "why should you look cool. you should look pretty. An actress doesn't need anything else. You just need to be electrifyingly pretty." Behind him, our mystery woman looked down at her feet and turned away, ready to leave.

"Oh, Director! Being pretty, that's one thing I can..." The mystery woman walked away from the director and the snobby main actress.

"Grace!" A man shouted. Our mystery woman turned. "Good job. You looked cool today."

Our mystery woman- now named as Grace, smiled widely, "Thank you." The man nodded, smiled, then turned away, doing the stuff he's been paid to do. Meanwhile, our beloved Gracie looked down shyly at the floor, and her right leg bent as she tapped the toe of her boot towards the ground repeatedly. Turning away happily, she walked away. However, the main actress, now recognized as our dear Stephanie Torres, the same woman that Michael had dumped recently, purposely bumped into Grace and pushed her off to the side.

"Just because she wears the same costume and same makeup, does she think that she's the star? As a stunt flack!" Stephanie exclaimed rudely. Her moment of happiness now ruined, Grace sighed and looked down.

The scene changes to our beloved Grace Nieto, which I am able to reveal as our main female protagonist, leaning against a large white van with a logo on the side of it: 'Stunt School.' She was wearing the same yellow headphones as before, but this time, her natural hair is fully revealed, as well as other things. Her hair is a vibrant shade of orange that reached her waist in waves. Her gray eyes were once again gray, proving that she had been wearing black contact lenses when in the shoot, and as for her hair, it had been tucked into a very good brown wig, I mean, it covered all that hair! Also, her bust had changed significantly, I may add. The bandages that she had been wearing before to make her figure smaller and much more boyish looking to resemble the main actress, Stephanie, had now been long gone, letting Grace feel free and less restricted. Some may say that her body, in it's original form, resembles that of a goddess.

"I'm looking there, at the space where you once were." She sang, hearing the sound of the car's trunk being opened, she lowered her headphones to her neck and turned to see her stunt crew packing up. "Are you finished?" She asked.

Their group director, James Wesley replied, "We're moving to the next site."

"Oh," Grace nodded.

"Are you getting comfort from Cypher?" James asked. His long, chocolate coloured hair blowed in the wind.

"Excuse me?" Grace questioned.

"I heard Stephanie Torres said something again," he stated, reaching up to tie his hair back in a man bun.

"No,” she responded.

"What did she say?"

"It's alright. It doesn't concern me if she does or not."

One of her fellow crew members, Thomas Ramirez, spoke up, "Right, don't even worry about it. You're a hundred times prettier than that chick, so she's just jealous."

Grace smiled and blushed a bit, "I know. According to the lighting team, people say I'm 120 times prettier." Everyone stopped packing up, confused to what she was trying to say; Grace has never been one to boast about her beauty. "Geez, I don't know why my mother gave birth to me this way." James smiled at her playfulness as she brought both of her hands up to her face in a cutesy manner that squished her cheeks together. "Even if I just try on some sample cosmetics, my skin is as fine as flour without a blemish in sight." Releasing her cheeks, she says, "And whatever I wear, the fit is unbelievable."

"Ouch" The other men, Ray Peterson and William Hernandez, had understood her real intentions. She was poking fun at what Thomas had said.

"I thought that things would get better as I got older, but with every year, it gets worse than when I was a teen. It really drives me crazy. Thinking about it, my mother was pretty, maybe this is all her fault!"

"Ah really!" Thomas exclaimed, wrapping a large blue cord around his arm, "why did her mother have to be so pretty? It's not like we can file a complaint."

Stomping in a playful manner, she exclaimed, "That's what I'm saying!” Holding her hands out to offer her help to Thomas, she said, "give it to me, I'll.."

"That's alright," James interjected. He reached out to her and took up her headphones, readjusting them onto Grace’s head, with her music still playing. "Finish listening. If you sing, even better." He then backed away and helped out the other men to finish loading all the heavy material into the car. "Hey, hurry! Let's go, let's go!" James ordered.

Grace, feeling very useless, sighed quietly and leaned against the van again, shoving her hands into her shorts.

"All right! We're moving fast!" Thomas complained. "Gosh, why so fast?"

"You better hurry up," Ray remarked.

James peeked back at Grace’s relaxed frame, and saw that she was silently singing to herself again.

"At the space where you once were. I'm looking there. Though I know that you won't come. That's the only way. I can tire and fall asleep. Because I can't, even for a moment try to erase, you from my love. When I open the door, I feel like you will be there...."

The scene changes to the action school. It is a warehouse with many windows that let the sun reach in, and students were performing all sorts of stunting acts on the mat ground.

Our great Director, James, was walking on the second level's platform and walked around a corner, entering a room with rows of beige lockers. This was the locker room (duh). He opened one of them and reached into his pocket. He retrieved 2 tickets that were labeled, Once More: Cypher 2016. Grabbing a tan backpack out of the locker, he unzipped the side and put the tickets carefully into the bag. Looking around for intruders, he closed the locker and quietly left the same way he came from, turning off the lights as he left the room.

The scene changes (I'm doing these repeatedly, aren't I?) and we are taken to a stadium full of people and there were giant posters that all read ‘Cypher’ or 'Once More' posted on the walls and balconies.

"The sudden sound of rain," a male's soothing voice sang, "I feel like I can hear. After I fall asleep." As the crowd cheered for the artist onstage, the singer is suddenly revealed to be our strangely familiar Michael, white hair and all. As he passionately sang on some more for his beloved fans in the crowd, it can be seen that Grace and James were in one of the booths. Grace was waving her arm to the beat of the song along with the crowd, and James had his arms crossed, a content look on his face. James looked down at the orange-haired beauty standing next to him, and leaned down to her ear.

"I told you to take a friend."

Turning the much taller man, she tip-toed up to his ear and told him, "I don't have a friend that would come with me. All my friends like boy bands." She then relaxed her feet and rose her arm into the air again, waving it side to side, smiling widely. Looking at her, James smiled as well.

Somewhere else in the crowd was ^surprise surprise^ our hero, Victor Tae Park, sitting down looking bored out of his mind. He yawned, and knowing that he couldn't take the torture of hearing his cousin sing, stood up to walk out. However, the woman next to him, who looked very similar to Victor, grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Cousin will be sad if you leave. There aren't many songs left, just be patient." The woman said.

"I can only take so much." Victor complained. "How is it that the guy's talent keeps falling since his debut?"

The woman, whom I can reveal as Victoria Seong Park, Victor’s younger sister, scolds him, “the fans will hear. If you go, I'll tell Cousin not to renew his contract."

Victor’s eyebrow rose suspiciously, "did Michael pay you money? To watch me?"

"I'm a major stockholder in Cypher. You just try and leave," She told him.

Sighing in defeat, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes in annoyance, crossing his arms.

Someone else in the crowd was tentatively watching the great Cypher perform onstage. It was Judith Beck, remember her? She was too, crossing her arms, and she was wearing a yellow trenchcoat with brown buttons. As she looked down at the white haired man onstage project himself through his music, there was a look in Judith’s eyes that was very strange. Her almond shaped eyes were glassy, and at the brims were.. tears? Possibly, but probably not.

As Cypher finished his last note, the crowd cheered and the scene faded into black.

The scene reopens and now what can be seen is Victor’s porsche headed towards a building with a large poster of Michael’s smiling face. How horrifying.

Victor stopped the car in front of the building and stepped out, and is immediately greeted by many men in business suits. Walks away without saying a word, they followed him like a batch of lost puppies.

Victor walked through the doors of his establishment, with the men behind him. He headed towards the escalators and hopped on, with the men behind him in suit. At the top of the escalators stood many people formed in a straight line, that were sharply dressed in the employee's uniform. It is safe to assume that they are employees of the establishment.

As soon as he stepped off of the escalator, everyone bowed to him in unison, and Victor passed by them, hands in his pockets, not even glancing at them. Going around the corner, more people in uniform stood and they all immediately nodded at the sight of him walking towards them. He walked past them and steps onto the escalators again, all of his men following him still. He walked off and walked past some more employees, and as they bowed, he continued to walk. This action continued itself a few more times, until he reached the final escalator that lead him and his men to his office. After they left, the women standing next to the escalator stood up from their bow and one of them can be recognized as the female employee that Grace had talked to.

"Why does that guy always come this way when there's a perfectly functioning elevator?" The woman next to her complained, rubbing her sore arm.

"Who cares?" Said Grace’s friend, "I like seeing his face. How can a person be so good looking?"

Her coworker sighed, "what's the use of being good looking when he doesn't work? Does is make any sense that he comes in just 2 days a week? That's why rumours start that the department store will change ownership. They say that General Manager Colton has been signing in place of the President."

Grace’s friend gasps, "really? General Manager Colton?"

Quietly, her coworker nods.

The scene changes to two middle-aged men walking through a very organized hallway. One of them is carrying a black folder with paperwork inside. As they walk past a table with office chairs, the one with the folder rudely pushes the chair and it crashes into the table and pushes other chairs out of order. Both men walk past, unaffected by the ruckus they caused.

"The decor in this office... We'll have to change all of it, when it becomes your office." The youngest of the two said as they approach a black, shiny office table

The older man slams the black folder onto the marble table. He looks at the other man sternly, "Look here Manager Choi."

The younger man looks startled, looking down he replied, "Yes General Manager."

The now introduced General Manager looks at Manager Choi sternly, "What should we change first?"

Manager Choi looks up, confused, "Excuse me?"

The General Manager laughs, mouth fully open. His laugh is then joined by Manager Choi, who catches on quickly to his little prank. The General Manager claps his hand in excitement, and walks around the black marble table, and pulls out the very comfortable looking office chair out from under the desk.

Grabbing onto the silver block at the head of the desk, he points it to the General Manager. "First of all, this name plaque."

Sitting down, the General Manager laughs loudly along with Manager Choi, "The name plaque, that's good!"

Their scheming laughter is abruptly cut off when the door opened, and Victor walked through, hands in his pant pockets in an aloof manner. Behind him, his men walked in an organized fashion.

General Manager Colton quickly scrambled out of his chair and put it back into place while Manager Choi frantically cleaned the silver name plaque with his blazer sleeve and placed it back onto the table. As Victor neared the two managers, they bowed as to show respect, however, Victor passed by them as well. Clearly not caring for their respect, Victor walked around the table and before he sat down, General Manager Colton set the black folder down on the desk.

"It's the plan for the Annual Fall Sale," spoke Colton.

Victor pointed to his chair, "I haven't even sat down yet."

"Please understand, I'm just as anxious as I'm leading the staff."

Victor looked at him with a straight face. "If you were so anxious, why didn't you sign it? You can't duplicate my signature yet?"

The General Manager took an intake of breath, "rumours are just rumours. This is because you don't come into work-"

"I do come into work, on Tuesday and Thursday," Victor interrupts.

"You should also come in Monday, Wednesday, and Friday," Colton spoke up.

"I don't want to. Because of traffic." He simply stated, and then sat down. All of the men behind the General Manager spoke quietly amongst themselves at this bold statement.

Victor sighed and fixed himself into his chair, and picked up the folder, looking at the cover, he says, "is this the best you can do?" He put it down and looked at the General Manager with his green-snakelike eyes. "You're sure?"

From the back Manager Choi spoke up, "I'm not sure but... What specifically don't you like about it?"

Victor fixed his emerald eyes upon Manager Choi, "how would I know? I've only read the title." The men next to Choi look to themselves and mutter a few words before becoming silent again.

"If this isn't the best you can do and you're aren't sure of it, then you should re-do it," he told Choi. He then looked up, "What do you think, General Manager Colton?"

After a few moments, General Manager Colton responded, smiling fakely, "I will put together a new plan as soon as possible."

Victor, not amused at all, grabbed the folder, and threw it at him. General Manager Colton missed, and the folder landed at the the head of the desk. Gingerly, he reached out to grab it, and took it. He then left the room in a huff, and Manager Choi ran after him.

The scene changes once more and a house with large glass walls and white furniture inside can be seen. A group conducted of 3 males can be seen. The group included a tall man with brown hair with one very long stand that waved before his eyes, another tall guy with black hair that framed his face and wore a melancholic smile, and the last male was very tall with white hair. The man with the white hair could not be mistaken for none other than Michael, our beloved main protagonist's cousin.

"A 7th album has its dignity. How can we film a music video in this country? You saw the concert sold out. What's the problem? And I can be the lead actor." Michael explains to them.

"That's the problem. That." The brown-haired man says, "There's not one MV director that wants to work with you, okay?"

"Why not? For what reason?" Michael complained.

The brunette man looked at the star haughtily. "For what reason? Why don't you look at yourself, will you?" He then smacked Michael lightly in the chest. It can be seen that these men were either friends or partners in some sort of business, with the way they addressed each other and treated each other. As they entered the house, the conversation continued.

Confused, Michael dumbly brought a hand to his chest and tapped it, and then left his palm flat against his chest. "I just did Nick, why? What?"

The man in the middle, now named as Nick, said, "you don't feel anything?" Nick then walked ahead of Michael and the blonde man.

With his hand pressed to his chest, Michael said, "I do." He then brought out his other hand and started to squish his pecs, as if he were groping a woman's breasts. "I guess my chest has gotten kind of droopy." He scoffs, clearly bullshitting the man in front of him. The black haired man hid his laughter and faced the other way.

Nick looked at him with an annoyed look. Pointing a finger at Michael’s chest, he said, "Look dumbass. There's no one in this industry that doesn't know you're a bastard who'd slap a Hollywood star in the face! It even showed up on TMZ that you threw a script at Director Spike Jonze!"

"As if! When did I throw a script?" Looking away, Michael continued, "I threw a synopsis."

Nick gave him a fake sympathetic look. "Really, you did? Then next time, be sure and throw the script too! Goddamn, this guy." Sighing out loud in frustration, he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?!" Michael demanded.

"I got to find a MV director, don't I? Before you decide you'll be the director too!" Bringing his palm to his face, he facepalmed and then left. The black haired man, who was standing behind Michael, bowed at his retreating form, and then turned to Michael.

"Why would I want to be the director?" Michael asked dumbly to himself. He then smiled, "Actually… Should I just be the director this time? Then, there's no problem, right?" He asked, turning to the man next to him.

The black haired man looked at him and stated bluntly, "You'd look pathetic." His melancholic smile seemed to stretch further, if possible.

Michael, surprised at the man's response, lifted his arm upwards in a threatening position. "Denny, you little..."

The man- Denny’s eyes widened and he started running away from Michael.

"Stand still, stand!" Michael yelled, his arm still raised. He then stopped once he saw who was at the door.

With his arms in his dress pants pockets, Victor stood by the glass door. His dress suit looked quite handsome on him. His ivory skin created a good contrast with his blue button-up shirt and gray blazer. A chain could be seen hanging from his vest, connecting down to his vest pocket, how classy of him. "You have time, right? I'd like to go and get a drink."

Michael looked at his cousin strangely, Victor never offered to go drinking with him, come to think of it... He never drank. But instead of making a remark about it, he noticed someone standing behind Victor, and said, "Looks like you're the one that won't have time."

Victor rose an eyebrow, and slowly turned to look behind him. It was General Manager Colton, with a file in his hand.

Bowing to Victor, General Manager Colton said, "This is the updated Annual Fall Sale plan."

Bringing out his wrist to check the time, he looked once more at General Manager Colton, "within 3 hours?"

"It is not my style to procrastinate," replied Colton.

The scene changes to a room with dark tinted tables and shelves leaning against the walls that all held many books. The walls were painted white and the walls across from the tables were all made of glass. Looks like Victor is a fan of transparent architecture. We can infer that this location is either a library or a study.

At one of the tables, stood General Manager Colton and sitting in front of him was Victor, who was looking through the file. "Is this the best you can do? Are you sure?" He flipped through more of the pages carelessly.

"Yes," was Park's reply.

Victor looked up at him, his green eyes blazing, "really." It was more of a statement than a question. "The contents are exactly like the Spring Sale. You just changed the label to Fall."

"Because it's an event that we've held for several years, the scope of what it can encompass is more narrow than one would think."

"What are you going to do if it's wider than one would think?" Victor closed the file and brought his hands together. "General Manager, do you want to drive a compact car and register for free giveaways? You don't, right?" Victor sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Because you drive a much nicer car with the salary I pay you. Then can't you create something more sensational and appealing? By taking the scrapings from their pathetic lives as they register in 40 dollars just to drive a compact car, do you think life will improve?" General Manager Colton looked down at his feet. "If it were me, rather than a compact car, refrigerator or vacuum, I'd prefer Kanye West’s airport fashions, I'd say give me the bag he carried, the coat he wore, the watch... why? Because a luxurious wallet that appeals to my vanity is much easier to open than one that smells like side dishes, and money would flow out easier too. And, that way. General Manager, your wallet will continue to be nice and full. What do you think?"

General Manager Colton, with his mouth agar slightly, says, "What you say isn't wrong. As usual. Then, what about main model Cypher’s contract renewal?"

Victor sighed and regretfully said, "we must do it."

"Because the rise in tourists, his sales are increasing..."

"I know..."

"Why can’t you just convince him to renew the contract?" Park asked, a bit too commandingly.

"Didn't you just hear me say we must do it? Are you lecturing me because you think I can't, or worrying because you think I won't?" Taking his phone out of his pocket, he dialed a number and said, "if I said I'd do it, I will, don't you think?" He then brought the phone to his ear. "Be ready in 10 minutes," he barked before hanging up and looking fiercely at General Manager Colton. "What are you doing, standing there?!" He motions with his chin, "go on!" General Manager Colton was left with no other option than to leave, and he did so, but in a silent huff.

The scene changes again to a blue dimmed room. A band is playing a soft jazz and a woman was singing. Her velvety voice sang the song: Cry Me a River by Ella Fitzgerald. Many people are in the room, dressed very eloquently were settled all around the place, drinks in hand. As the onlookers of the drama, we can see that this place is a bar, but for fancy and rich people. We can see Victor and Michael seated in a booth.

"When was the last commercial film you shot?" Victor asked, "has it been a year?"

Michael takes a sip of his brandy, and looked at Victor weird, "what do you want to know that for?"

"Every time I turn on the TV, there a tons of hot new stars. But I see you boldly haven't signed the contract renewal."

"Is that why you wanted to have drinks?"

Ignoring the question, Victor replied, "this 7th album may be your last chance to go out on top. And it may be your last chance to have a contract with out department store."

Michael scoffed, "that's what you think."

"Have you ever known my thoughts to be wrong? Actually, money, isn't an important factor for you or me. For this contract, just take enough to appease your pride. I'll fib and triple the amount on the press release."

"You said money isn't an important factor for either of us, so why am I the one to take a hit? Why don't you just give me more?"

"I can't do that. Then my pride would be hurt."

"What? Oh geez, really! I'm not doing it, not doing it. Don't even dream of a renewing the contract. I'm getting up. There's a girl at the bar who hasn't been able to take her eyes off me."

Smirking and showing off his dimples, Victor says, "It's not you. She's looking at me." He then took a sip of his Jack Daniels.

"Are you cross-eyes? She's been trying to catch my eye ever since I came in."

"Because I won't look at her."

"Huh! As if. She's probably my fan. Shall I ask her?"

"Are you sure?"

"Wanna bet? I'm going to ask her."

"You may get beaten to death. She's a woman I had an arranged match meeting with."

Michael blinked. "What?"

Directly across the room from their booth was a woman dressed in a skimpy cheetah print dress. She was sitting all alone and was looking at Michael and Victor.

Victor placed his empty cup down and stood up, buttoning up his blazer. "Seriously, come with your lawyer and signature ready before I find a new star. I won't wait long." He then stepped out of the booth, and left.

Michael hurriedly stepped out of the booth as well. Pointing at Victor’s retreating form, he yelled, "Hey, hey! Aren't you gonna pay.." He then stopped speaking when he saw the woman with the skimpy dress follow Victor’s form as he left. Putting his hands on his hips, he sighed and shook his head. But then.. something caught his eye.

A dark-skinned young man with dyed blue hair was sitting behind a piano was singing and playing at the same time. Looking at the man in surprise, Michael placed his arms at his sides, and looked directly at the performer. As the seconds passed, he was blown away by the young man's talent. At that moment, Michael phone rang and he reached to grab it. Seeing who it was, he frowned and took out the battery. Michael looked back up at the performer, sat back down in his booth, and for the first time in years, shut his mouth and focused.

The scene changes to an angry Stephanie Torres, dressed in the same outfit from the fighting scene that our beloved Grace Nieto took part of.

"Baby, why are you avoiding my calls?!" She screamed into the phone. "You didn't answer any of my calls, but you answered my secretary's call. Why take just her calls? I've got nice thighs too." Next to her was an awkward Grace, who fell victim to listening to Stephanie’s bickering. With nothing else to preoccupy herself with, she found herself playing with the hilt of a sword prop that was lying next to wall next to her. "I've got hot legs. You saw! We can't break up like this. We've opened up our filming location today, and there are a ton of reporters here. I'm going to let everybody know about our relationship. Got it?!" Hanging up, she stared at her phone angrily.

Feeling sorry for Stephanie, Grace passed her a fresh water bottle from the stand next to her. Stephanie, totally not sensing the compassion Grace was trying to show her, greedily snatched the water bottle, and took a sip. Noticing that the person that handed her the bottle was Grace and not another stage helper, she asked: "How long have you been here? Why hang around here?"

Looking at Stephanie with contact covered eyes, she answered, "the director asked for us to practice the fight scene."

Looking away from our heroine, she shouted, “oh, piss me off don’t you!" Looking back at Grace she whined, "why do we need to do it again? We already did it a ton!"

Looking sympathetic, Grace replied, "We have to practice more. This scene has complex copper wiring, so a slight mistake could cause an accident-"

Stephanie interrupted her, "Did anyone ask you to talk back?" Scoffing obnoxiously, she said, "Fine. I'll do it. Let's do it!"

Nodding to her respectably, Grace led her outside. "Okay, let's go slow."

"Come on, come quickly!" Some of the stage crew members ran around with various equipment tools.

"One, two, three, four." Grace counted as she clashed swords with an unenthusiastic and very bored Stephanie. "Let's do it again. Now, one, two, three..."

Getting angry with Grace, Stephanie waved her sword violently against Grace. However, her plan did not go as planned when Grace’s reflexes kicked in and she ducked under the swing. This resulted in Stephanie stumbling forward and tumbling forward.

“Oh God!" Stephanie screeched at the top of her lungs as she tumbled towards a pile of sword props and large shards of glass. Grace’s instinctively grabbed Stephanie by the shoulders and flung them around, allowing herself to take the fall. They landed on the pile of swords, and broke some of the glass. Hearing the screams of Stephanie, many people from the stage crew ran over to see what was the commotion all about.

"What the hell is going on?!"

"Are you alright?" Came the many concerned voices of the stage crew and other actors as they came to help the crying Stephanie. As they lifted Stephanie off of Grace, she sat up and winced at the pain coming from her left arm. There was a large yet not too deep gash that was a result of a shard of glass piercing her skin.

"My fingernail! Look at my fingernail!" Screeched a crying Stephanie. "It's bleeding! Don't touch it!"

Standing up warily, Grace, slouched a bit in order to hide her bleeding arm. She quickly grabbed her jacket and put it on, in order to further cover up her injury.

"Stephanie!" Came a booming voice. It was the Director of the film. "Stephanie, are you hurt?"

"My finger! Blood! Don't touch it! It hurts like crazy!"

Worried, Grace walked to Stephanie and asked, "Are you very hurt?" Instead of receiving an answer, she got this instead:

"Grace Nieto, are you in your right mind?!" Yelled the Director of the Film. "How can you make such a mess of the lead actress's fingernail?!"

Bowing her head deeply in shame, she sincerely replied, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

"We have to film, so what are you going to do about it? Huh?!"

With her head still lowered, Grace mustered all of her strength not to show her pain, and sincerely apologized again. "I'm truly sorry."

Walking into the situation, came in James with a very serious face with Thomas, Ray, and William in tow, all looking equally concerned. "What are you sorry about?" Quickly analyzing the situation, he looked down to the crying Stephanie and asked her, “why didn't you practice when we asked you to?"

Ignoring his question, she shouted, "What am I going to do about my fingernail?!" She then again broke out into fake tears.

"Look here, Director Wesley!" The other director yelled. "The actress is hurt."

Looking at Grace, James snatched her sleeve and Grace cried out in pain. "Does she look fine to you?" The sleeve was covered in blood from her arm.

"It's fine," Grace reassured them.

"This is fine?" James scolded her. "What are you, Wonder Woman?!"

"I'm really fine. I can do the shoot," Grace tried to calm him down.

"Are you rebelling right now? You're an actress too. Someone's crying and making a fuss over a fingernail, and you're going to treat you body like that?!" James reprimanded her.

"Look here, Director Wesley. How can you talk like that? Do you want to have your entire team pulled out?! Huh?!" The other Director shouted, clearly bluffing.

While Grace looked downright terrified, James looked as cool as ice, "I'm already planning to pull them out." Looking up at James, Grace looked very panicked, yet James continued, "I can't let my people work at a site like this." Gasping, Grace looked from James to the other director. "What are you doing just standing there? Gather up the props!" James ordered the stunt team. He then walked away through the crowd.

"Director!" Grace called after him. She spun around to face the Film Director, and apologized. "I'm sorry. Just a moment." She then spun back around and ran after James, holding her injured arm tightly.

Leaving the Director and everyone else behind, the Director decided to yell out a few things that came to his mind. "He films famous action scenes and he thinks nothing can touch him?!" Below him, Stephanie scoffed grimly. "Ah, my blood pressure!" yelled the Director.

A set of pills were placed on top of a coffee table belonging to a patio couch set. The person who placed the pills onto the table was a middle-aged man that was dressed in very dignified yet casual forest green trousers and matching blazer with a cream coloured button-up below it. His mouth held a very suspicious smile that did not reach his eyes and he had a somewhat tired face. The man's shoulder-length blonde hair pointed outwards and on top was a green hat. Sitting across from him was Victor, dressed in a shimmery blue tracksuit. It would look very tacky on others, but it somehow suited his slender yet muscular figure.

"If it's alright, I'm thinking of reducing your medication," said the man.

"Don't reduce it. It makes me nervous," Victor replied. “Lucas, at this rate, do you think I'll ever be able to work a normal schedule?"

"Do I look like a quack to you? I told you I'd help you do that." The now, named man, Lucas said with a slight frown.

"Ayyy, be nice to me. What kind of doctor acts like that?"

"If you don't like it, you can change doctors." Switching the subject, Lucas said, "is it still too hard to get in an elevator?"

"If it’s just hard, then I'd bear it and ride on. If I even go near one, I can't even breathe. What if rumours about my condition start to spread in the company?" At that moment, Victor’s phone started to ring. Looking at it, he told Lucas, "Just a second." Before putting the device against his ear. "What?"

"Are you doing anything right now?" The person on the receiver said, it was Michael.

"Not really, but when am I doing anything productive?"

"Then, there's a this place in Chinatown. If you go there, you'll see them filming a movie. The lead actress is Stephanie Torres. Just hold her for 3 hours."

"Are you taking drugs as well?" Victor joked blandly, "I'm hanging up." He then began to turn off the call, but stopped when Michael spoke again.

"Just a sec, just a sec!" Michael pleaded. "I'm in the middle of recording for some soap opera. I just dated Stephanie briefly, but she's a total nutcase. If Nick finds out, I'm dead!"

Victor looks at Lucas and waves at him, letting him know that their session had ended. Lucas nodded and brought his hand to his ear, motioning for Victor to call him once he had the chance. Victor nodded, and Lucas gathered his things and left. "Was Nick such a respectable guy?" Victor asked Michael.

"Stephanie Torres says that reporters are headed to Nick’s business building. She must be the type that's blackmailed other stars before." Michael complained.

Leaning back in his chair, Victor sighed, and crossed his legs. "Sounds just like your style."

"Please. She says if I'm going to break up with her, I need to pay her compensation. She says she has pictures of us fooling around in a hotel."

"Do you think she's the only one that has those kinds of pictures? Why don't you collect them and make a book. Bye." He then again tried to turn off the call, but stopped when Michael spoke yet again.

"Are you really going to be like this?" Michael complained. "Fine, bring me the contract. I'll sign it. Bring it."

Perking up at the idea of Michael signing his contract made him sit up in his chair. "Where in Chinatown? I just have to find the lead actress, right? Ah, right, but you know... You don't need a contract deposit, right? The economy is tough, after all," Said Victor with mock sympathy.

Gasping dramatically, Michael spoke, "You jerk. Didn't you say you'd uphold my pride? How much is my pride worth?!"

The scene changes back to the action movie set. Grace can be seen, still in costume, standing in front of the Film Director. She was still grabbing onto her injured arm. "Director," she called to him, "I'll work really hard. Please let me continue working on the film." She then lowered her head to him.

"Why are you asking me? Did I pull the team? Director Wesley says he's pulling the team,” the Film Director responded.

"It's all my fault. This sort of thing won't happen again." Grace apologized again. In the background though, Victor could be seen walking down the brick stairs that led to the set. His hands were shoved in his track-suit pockets and the collar of the sweater reached over his mouth in an effort to hide his identity.

"Again, why are you talking to me about it?! Am I going to have hold, carry, and baby the stunt director now?!"

In the background, Victor tapped the shoulder of a sleeping man sitting on the stairs. With absolute politeness, he tells him, "excuse me, sorry to wake you." Looking around, he asks, "Which one is Stephanie Torres?"

The man looked up at him and thinks, "Stephanie?" He looks around and speaks, "Over there." He pointed at an apologetic Grace. The man clearly did not notice that the woman he pointed to was only dressed like Stephanie, and was not her at all. The Film Director got up from his chair and left Grace where she stood.

"Ah, thank you. Sleep. Sleep well." Victor told the older man and then walked towards Grace. The man nodded to Victor and drifted back to sleep. Grace straightened herself out and unknowingly walks towards Victor's direction, looking at the floor in shame. Seconds later, Victor's and Grace’s bodies met. Surprised, Grace looked up at him while Victor looked down at her.

"You know Michael-Soo Lee, I mean Cypher, right?" Asked Victor.

"Cypher?" Grace looked up at him with glossy eyes.

"You don't know him?"

Grace, breathed out and crossed her arms slowly, still careful with her injured one. "What if I do?"

"Let's go. Cypher wants to see you."

Grace blinked, her contact covered eyes looking bewildered. "Me?"

A car drove down a tree covered highway, and the car can be identified as Victor’s silver porsche. Inside was Grace, sitting in the passenger seat, and driving was Victor. At last! Our main protagonists have met!

Grace’s hands were holding onto the wig that had been carefully placed on her head. She was afraid of it flying off, therefore making the Film Director even more angry with her. She also decided to keep the wig on in order not have to go through the hassle of having to put it on again over her waist length hair. It took her nearly an hour just to put it on! She's not gonna go through that again!

"Can't you put the top up?" Grace asked, her hands still grasping at her head.

Still watching the road, Victor replied, "If I was going to put the top up, why would I have bought a convertible? Where is it?"

Grace looked at him, "what?"

Not answering her question, he told her, "He said he wants to see you at the hotel where you first met. Where is that hotel?" Grace looked at him strangely and did not respond. "Have you been to so many that you don't remember?"

Looking ahead of her, Grace answered, "Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, room 1395."

Victor turned his head to look at her, his green eyes widened a bit. 1395"?" Looking back at the road, his lips pressed together in a straight line. "Fuck, all you need is 4 walls. You guys aren’t mountain lions! Why go up so damn high?!" He yelled in anger. Grace just looked at him, startled at his sudden outburst, without a word, she looked down at her lap and back to the fuming Victor. "13..." He smacked the steering wheel in anger.

At the hotel lobby, Victor stood at the front desk, was handed a room key, and then walked towards Grace who was waiting with a group of people in front of an elevator. He stopped at her feet, took one nervous look at the metal contraption before handing her the room key. "You go on up first." He told her.

She looked up at him, "Why?" She asked.

"I'm..." He trailed off. He looked at the elevator and sweat appeared on his temple. "A person that can't be seen with a woman in a hotel," was his lame excuse. The people around Grace looked nosily to Victor and all looked at the pair with confused expressions on their faces. "If you find out later, you might think, "Oh dear, I dared to try to go up a hotel elevator with a man like him?" I'm that level of a person."" A man standing next to Grace chuckled at Victor's arrogant response. Grace turned to the man and looked back at Victor in slight embarrassment. She then looked him up and down, and looked back at his face, not believing what he had said. Victor noticed her staring at his track suit. "Ah, these clothes." He laughed softly in a prideful tone, "I really didn't want to have to do this." He turned around and unzipped his sweater, and folded back the collar, showing her the tag.

Ding.

The elevator door opened, but Victor did not notice. He was too busy trying to show Grace the tag of his sweater. Grace smiled in relief at the sight of the elevator doors opening and quickly walked in without telling Victor anything. All the other people walked in as well. "Can you see? You know what this is, right? This training suit..." He then looked behind him, and saw that no one was there. He then looked at the elevator, still awkwardly holding the tag of his sweater out. There, he saw Grace quickly press the elevator button and awkwardly look back at him, then looking away once the elevator doors closed. Standing back up, he gasped and zipped up his sweater again, zipping it all the up to his mouth. Looking around awkwardly, he puffed his cheeks and breathed outwards, sighing. Of all things, why an elevator? He thought.

Entering a tan room with cream-coloured furniture, Grace looked around and thought back to the day she had first stepped into that very apartment.

Flashback

"Grace Nieto?" called a woman.

Grace looked over from where she was standing to see who was calling her, and as soon as she saw who was with the woman, she quickly pulled off the blue wig she had on. Grace was wearing a brown blazer and a matching pencil skirt. Her bosom was remarkably flat, thanks to all the bandages that she had used to flatten her size C breasts. It was very, very uncomfortable, but Grace would never let anything get in the way of filming. 

The person standing next to the woman that called her name was Michael Soo-Lee, in all his glory, walking into the room wearing a dark business suit that fit him perfectly. In his hand was a cup of water.

"Grace Nieto, say hello," said the woman.

Grace frantically tugged and pulled at the hair tie that held her long vibrant hair, and flattened it down at her scalp.

"Ah, Gloria Scott’s double?" Michael smiled warmly, a trait he somehow seemed to posses. "I look forward to working with you."

Grace smiled widely, and bowed, "I look forward to working with you." Our beloved Gracie looked down shyly at the floor, and her right leg bent and she tapped the toe of her sneaker towards the ground repeatedly.

Taking a sip from his cup, Michael looked down and noticed Grace’s foot tapping against the floor. He looked back to her face that was still smiling idiotically and said, "if I ask you out for coffee, you won't puncture a hole in your sneakers, will you?"

Grace looked up at Michael, her gray eyes glistened with surprise, "excuse me?" She looked down at her feet and laughed nervously, "ah," she then stopped her foot from tapping and set it down on the ground normally. Michael laughed at her cuteness, but was interrupted when the woman standing next to him pointed him towards the camera man. Grace turned and smiled widely like a schoolgirl.

"We'll shoot the next one. Why isn't Gloria Scott here yet? We're just waiting." Said Michael.

Meanwhile…

Victor sighed in exhaustion and grasped the railing of the stairs he was currently walking up. He was already on the 20th flight of stairs and he was very much so close to passing out. He felt like he had just ran a marathon, but he knew that he wasn't even close to the designated floor he was supposed to leave on. Grabbing onto the railing, he walked up a few more stairs before almost falling off, his hands were very sweaty at this point, and the tracksuit wasn't helping.

Back with Grace…

Walking through the doorway of the dining room, Grace looked around the room, patiently waiting, with a water bottle in hand. She had gotten it from the kitchen's mini fridge. Settling down on the couch, she opened her water bottle, and heard the clock chime, "Five o' clock," in a cutesy manner.

"Five o'clock," Grace repeated in an equally kawaii voice. As she took a drink from her bottle, she heard the door open and looked to see who it was. And... in came a sweaty, exhausted, looking Victor. His shimmery blue sweater was unzipped all the way, revealing a black undershirt. His black unruly hair was even more unruly and his once-abnormally ivory face was humanly red.

Looking at her in exhaustion, he noticed Grace carrying a water bottle, and a look of complete happiness glimmered across his stoic face. "Water," was all he said before walking around the couch and towards her and taking it out of her delicate fingers. Plopping down on the couch he leaned back and took greedy gulps out of the plastic bottle. Leaning forward, he hunched over and gasped for breath. Placing the halfways full water bottle on the glass coffee table in front of them, he reached behind him and began to remove his sweater, placing it onto the table next to the water bottle once he had removed it. "Won't you feel uncomfortable?" He then asked between gasps. "You'll probably have to be alone with me for about an hour. He began to fold the shimmery sweater neatly.

Grace blinked, surprised at the scene that had just unraveled before her eyes. "Are you uncomfortable?" Victor, still breathing deeply took the water from the coffee table. "In my line of work, I'm always with men, so I’ll be fine." At these words, Victor choked on the water, and quickly placed it onto the table again.

Looking at her, he told her, "I see you've been around the block more than a few times. How long has it been since you've seen Cypher?"

Grace looked at the ceiling and thought briefly before replying, "It's been quite a long time. I didn't know he'd remember me." She said with a smile.

Victor, now breathing steadily, said, "You're face is memorable enough," Grace looked at him, "You seem pretty straightforward, and I'm not the type that can keep quiet, so I'll ask..." He paused, "about how much do you make? When you're with a top star like Michael?" Grace tilted her head, she was confused all right. "Didn't you shoot some pictures here? Then how much do you get paid for compensation for something like that?"

"Are you talking about a guarantee?" Grace asked, confused of what the man was asking her.

Victor scoffed, smirking a bit, "Ah, well call it what you like. I'm just curious about the amount."

"I don't get paid more for doing it with a top star. Though, I do get a little more if it's the countryside or out in the open."

Victor blinked, "o-out in the open?"

"Rooftops and bamboo groves seem to be the current trend, you see," Grace responded, not knowing he thought she was a porn star.

Victor’s eyes widened to saucers, "Bam-bamboo groves?" He looked away, clearly flustered by her answer. "Wow, Michael, really!" He chuckled.

Grace continued, "The pay is the best in a car. Probably because it's so hard."

He looked at her again, and stopped laughing, "ah. A car." He nodded with slight disbelief. "Of course, it's hard. Uncomfortable and cramped." He motioned with his hands a cramped space by squeezing a ball of nothing in between his palms. "But... men like it." He remarked.

"Of course. Men like speed and excitement," She nodded.

Looking at her with widened eyes, she propped her head on her arm which rested on her knee he told her, "your personality is quite interesting. How can you be so matter-of-fact about..." Not knowing how to word out his next question, he came up with, "Still, aren't you a little ashamed? You are a lead movie actress, after all."

She lowered her arm and looked at him strangely, "lead actress?" She asked. She looked away from him and looked down at her lap, and noticed the clothes she was wearing. They were her stunt double clothing. Figuring out what was happening, Grace sighed out loud and laughed. She looked at him, "excuse me. What's my name?" She asked.

Victor blinked. "What?" He was not expecting that question.

"I asked, what's my name? Who am I that Cypher asked to meet?"

"Stephanie Torres," replied Victor, now he was the confused one. Grace laughed loudly, she grabbed onto her stomach because after a while, it started to hurt. All Victor could do was watch her laugh comically and be very, very confused to what was currently happening. Sighing and calming down, Grace remembered the stranger sitting beside her. Quickly, she looked at him, an accusing face on her features.

"Hey..." Was all she said.

"Hey?" Victor repeated.

"Are you from some hick town? How long have you had this job?"

"Hicktown?" Victor asked, a bit offended.

"Life in California is hard, isn't it? Still, what the hell is this you're wearing? Cypher has his reputation to look after." She then grabbed his sweater that was on the table and flopped it back down, the zipper making a soft click sound once it hit the table.

Victor looked at his tracksuit, very flustered and the slightest bit, annoyed, "I knew you were thinking that." He grabbed his sweater and pointed at it. "What were you doing when I showed you earlier?" Grace gave him a dirty look, and Victor chose to ignore it. "This time, take a good look." Turning the sweater this way and that, he showed her different parts of the fabric, "in Italy, a master craftsman, by hand..." Losing interest, Grace sassily looked away, which made Victor stop talking. He threw his sweater onto the table and sighed in annoyance. "What was he thinking with a girl like you?" Grace looked back at Victor with a look that read 'This dumbass...' However, Victor was unable to see it because he was dialing a number onto his phone, "It's not like I should be fighting with you as a man of culture." He finished dialing and put the phone to his ear. "Where are you?" He demanded, "you said you'd be here soon, so why aren't you?!"

"The filming was delayed. Just 2 more hours." Came Victor’s voice over the phone. Getting frustrated with this whole situation, Grace snatched the phone out of Victor’s hand and held it against her ear.

"Excuse me." She said politely, "It seems like you asked this guy to grab Stephanie Torres, but this moron got the wrong-" She was then interrupted by Victor snatching back his phone and frantically hanging up.

He looked at her in disbelief, "You're not Stephanie Torres?" Grace said nothing. "Who are you? If you're not Stephanie Torres, why'd you come along?"

"Did you ask me if I was Stephanie Torres? You asked me if I knew Cypher."

Closing his eyes frustration, he waved his phone at her, "Do.. do you know how much this deal is worth? What are you going to do? How are you going to take responsibility?!"

"Responsibility? Why should I? I thought you were just a moron, but you're a total whack job." Her phone started to ring.

"What? Whack job...? You-" He was interrupted by Grace’s hand covering his mouth as she put the phone to her ear. "Yes Director Wesley! Yes!" She paused, "Really? Of course!" Getting rid of his shock at her bold move, he took her hand off of his mouth as she started smiling at no one in particular. "Thank you! Thank you very much!" Sputtering, and trying to wipe his tongue of her hand’s taste, she silenced him by putting a finger to her lips. He then licked his own lips. "Are you still in Chinatown? I'll be there in 30 minutes. I'll go now." She said all of this with enthusiasm. She hung up the phone, smiling to herself, and stood up to walk past Victor and out of the room, however, Victor stopped her by throwing his leg in the air at her direction. This action made her look down at him.

"Where are you going? And another thing, how can you get to Chinatown in half an hour?"

"Do you want to meet Stephanie Torres?"

"What?" Processing what she asked he answered, "yeah."

She looked at him with a mysterious look in her contacted-covered orbs. "Then give me your car keys."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Yelled Victor at the speed of his car that Grace was driving. They were on a somewhat packed freeway and Grace was blazing through the lanes. It was a wonder how she did not hit any of the passing cars since she was driving so fast. A few more minutes of Victor’s terrified screams had passed and before he knew it, the ride was over and Grace parked outside of the gates belonging to the film site. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she opened the car door and stepped out, and Victor followed quickly after her, still shell-shocked at Grace’s driving. As soon as they were out of the car, Victor bent forward and coughed, looking like he was about to puke.

From the other side of the car, Grace looked at the man, confused at his actions. "What? Didn't you say men enjoy car scenes? Here," waving her arm, she threw him the keys. Turning around, he quickly caught the keys. "Look for a woman that's dressed just like me. That's Stephanie Torres." She then shut the car door and ran inside the gates with the speed of a horse.

Standing up and catching his breath, he looked at her running and yelled, "That's not what you promised! You have to find her for me first!" But... she was already long gone. Sighing, he reached into his car and grabbed his sweater, and a man in a hat walks up to him. It was the same man who pointed to Grace and called her Stephanie Torres. "Ay, this guy, really. Why do you keep coming?" Victor tells him.

The man, whom was holding a pole said, "You can't get autographs during filming." The man then walked away inside the film set.

"You think I'm here for autographs?" Victor called after him. He looked down at himself and continued, "these clothes aren't what you guys think they are." He walked after him and pointed to his sweater, "A master craftsman in Italy who made training suits for 40 years, by hand..." He stopped speaking once he realized that no one cared. "I'm dying, dying." Lifting his hand, he called to the man again, "never mind about that. Where is Stephanie Torres right now, eh?"

Various camera flashes go off from cameras belonging to paparazzi and many magazine photographers. Many of the reporters spoke all at once, and asked many questions to the woman sitting behind a table with microphones built up all around it. "Is it true you are dating Cypher? Or is it just a rumour?" At this question the woman, now identified as Stephanie Torres, began to cry loudly, her body wracking in sobs. Across the room, a man wearing a sparkly blue tracksuit walked in through the doors. It was Victor. As he walked in, he noticed many reporters and cameramen surrounding the crying Stephanie, and many reporters began to shout many things all at once. Stephanie looked all around her and began to speak to each reporter, feeding them lies and gossip about her relationship with Cypher, and at this, Victor sighed deeply, very annoyed. Not wanting to bring attention to himself, he zipped up his sweater all the way up and covered half of his mouth, making his identity a secret. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he walked all the way over to where Stephanie was sitting. At the sight of the blue wearing stranger, the noise in the room lowered significantly, and all eyes were on him. The only noise that was heard clearly was Stephanie’s fake crying and the occasional camera flash. As soon as she noticed that she was no longer the center of attention, she stopped crying and looked up to see who it was. Stopping at the head of the table, Victor took out his wallet and picked out a gold card from one of the slots, he then laid it in front of her. It read:

Espada

International Department Store

CEO 빅터 태 박

Victor Tae Park

Stephanie’s eyes widened as she read the card. She then looked up at him with afraid eyes as he leaned onto the table and came at eye level with her, placing his hands at either side of him to prop him up. He even lowered his collar from covering his mouth. In a low and threatening voice he demanded, "do you know I've been looking for you all day?"

Stephanie blinked rapidly and managed to stutter out a, "m-m-me? Why?" She tried to act as innocent as she could.

In a sarcastic tone, he replied, "would you believe me if I said I was your fan?"

"R-r-really?" She squeaked.

"Because you'll be elegant as well as intelligent, right?" His green eyes sparkled with humour.

"Excuse me?"

"Moreover, there won't be a scandal either."

"Scandal?" Stephanie repeated, she laughed nervously and looked away from his piercing emerald eyes. "Yes." She responded.

Leaving the building, Victor dialed his cousin's number onto his phone and put the phone to his ear, waiting for the idiot to pick up. "Yeah, it's me."

"What happened? What did she say?" The white-haired idiot asked. "Did the reporters leave? What did she go on about? Did you make sure that she didn't jabber?"

Walking down stone stairs, he replied, "Michael, why don't you stop jabbering? I'm trying to tell you..." he trailed off when he heard the peculiar sounds of swords clashing and rapid footsteps. His eyes searched for the location of the sound. Not interested in his conversation with his cousin anymore, he said, "I'll call you later," and hung up.

Below him, was a group of males with swords surrounding a female. The female happened to be Grace, still dressed up in her stunt-double costume. The people around her dashed towards her and began fighting, as well as completing series of unnecessary-yet awesome fight moves. Grace was visibly sweating from the workout, and strands of the brown wig clung to the sides of her forehead.

She was no longer wearing her jacket which made her bandaged arm visible, and there was some blood seeping through. Spinning and twisting and jumping, she clashed swords with some and sliced easily through others. The way she was fighting against her foes; Victor seemed to be mesmerized and trapped in her hold. As he watched her fight against her enemies, his entire being went still, his eyes carefully focused on her graceful movements.

At that moment, he felt like it was only him and her in the world... which was very odd, even for him.

Half an hour later, the whole set crew were packing up and setting things into yellow storage bins and piling them up inside of a large U-Haul truck. The filming was all done for the day, the sun was slowly setting, creating patterns of the colour pink that splattered all across the sky. A very tired Grace walked out of a green painted building, a large plastic bag in her hand which held the costume she was wearing before which included the high heeled boots, leather skirt, leather shirt, leather gun and sword straps, and the brown contact lenses. She was still wearing the brown wig, since it was quite chilly outside and the wig was warming her head. She also hadn't bothered to remove all the bandages from her breasts, compared to her bra, she'd rather wear the bandages instead since they did not pinch the bottom of her breasts as much. She was wearing dark-washed skinny jeans, a gray shirt and a black jacket over it, the same one she had worn when she was injured earlier that day, on her feet were a pair of yellow sneakers. Looking to the left of her, she looked to see if she saw anyone on the stunt crew nearby. She turned around and nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Victor standing there, his hands in his sweater pockets. "You’re a stuntman?" was the first thing he said.

Relaxing herself, she sighed in annoyance at the sight of him. "It's stuntwoman," she corrected as she walked past him. Seeing the costume maker of the cast, Grace walked to her, "Ah, I need to return this." She handed the woman the black bag.

The lady inspected the clothing in the bag and said, "There's blood on this. Ah, it’s expensive leather too." The woman sighed and looked up at Grace, spotting the wig, she said, "I'm going to need that too."

"Eh?" she asked, and then felt for her head, feeling the wig, "Ah, I'm sorry, here you go." She pulled the wig off carefully, releasing her sunset hair which was tied in a tight bun on her head. Grace handed it to her, "Sorry about the blood Miss." Upon seeing Grace’s orange locks, his green eyes widened and he took a sharp intake of breath, and it took him all of his willpower not to reach over and untie it. He really felt the need to run his hands through it. Orange was his favourite colour after all. Turning back around, Grace saw him still standing there, not noticing the strange look of need on his face. She asked, "did you find Stephanie Torres?" She then walked past him, expecting him to follow her.

Snapping out of his trance, he did follow her, and replied, "Thanks to you." Trying to talk about what he had just seen, he said, "But you do quite an interesting job. Is it that you are not bright? Why do such physical work?"

Upon hearing this, she stopped walking and looked up at him, a bit angry. "Are you curious? Shall I tell you? It comes in quite handy at times like this." In one solid and fluid motion, she stuck her leg out and brought it down on his shin, hard. Surprised at her action and the sudden feeling of pain, he bent forward and grasped his throbbing leg. Calmly bringing her leg back down to the floor, she winced at the reoccurring pain in her arm, that burst in motion made her arm feel very irritated. She brought her other arm to grasp her injury and started to walk away from him.

"What the hell?! Why did you kick me?!" He yelled at her in pain. He started to chase after her, limping as he did.

"Why do you think?" She snarked at him.

"I really was asking because I was curious. Why resort to violence?!" He yelled. "I'm not the kind of person to look down at someone who isn't well educated." He tried sticking his arm out to catch up to her and use her for balance.

"How excellent of you. But, be thankful I hurt my arm today. Otherwise, you'd be dead," she told him.

"You think I'm a fool? You think I don't know it's makeup?"

She winced in pain, the irritation was getting worse. "It's not makeup. So, get lost."

He limped on, getting closer to her, he was now behind her. "Not makeup my foot. You better stop right there!" He yelled. "If you don't want to meet my lawyer, you better apologize..." He pointed at the floor for a moment and saw something strange. He stopped yelling once he knew that what he was looking at is a trail of blood on the floor. He looked up at her and saw that she was swaying side to side, her hair bouncing left and right as if she were in a drunken state. Realizing that she may be badly hurt, he ran faster to catch up with her, limping quickly. Getting to her side, he grabbed her other arm and yanked, stopping her from walking away. "Did you really get hurt?" He asked, concern in his voice.

Grace looked around frantically, looking out for any members of the stage crew. "Be quiet."

Looking at her bleeding sleeve, he demanded, "Let me see," and he yanked it down to reveal her very bloody arm. The cut was very large and long, the flesh around it coloured a deep purple.

She gasped loudly and winced in pain, "what are you doing? Not letting go?" She tried to break free, but he didn't budge.

"Are you crazy?! In this state, you went with me and then did all that action earlier? Are you nuts? Are you stupid?" He lightly smacked her on the forehead and she winced again, this time because his hand was cold, "it's true you're not so bright." Looking at her forehead, he noticed some strands of her orange hair glued to her forehead, she was sweating. He brought a hand up to her head, and then placed both of them at either side of her neck, "And you're burning up!" He yelled at her.

She threw his hands off of her, "move your hand!" She yelled, startled at such bold physical contact.

Victor’s car pulled into the driveway of the Emergency Rooms Wing of Monterey Park Hospital. Quickly getting out of the car, it could be seen that Victor was on the phone. "We'll go into the emergency room for now, but come quickly and take a look at her wound." He spoke. On the other side of the car, Grace got out and started walking away from the hospital's entrance. Turning around, Victor saw her leaving and so he ran after her and grabbed her uninjured arm. "Where are you going?" She looked at him in the eyes, and that's when Victor noticed that her eyes were in fact gray, not brown. This fact almost distracted him from her response.

"Let go. I told you I'm alright." She tried turning again, but he stopped her.

"If you're all right, why are you shaking?" He smirked, "are you trembling because you've never met someone as good-looking as me?" She looked up at him, even more annoyed. "I'm saying this just in case you might misunderstand. I'm not doing this for your sake. This is the ethics of the leadership of society. It's a kind of deed, a good deed. This is how I was taught at home. So even if you're shaking to death, bear it." Grace’s eyes were blazing with fury, she expected him to bend in fear like other men, but he stayed still, his face now serious. "Otherwise I'm going to throw you." With that being said, Victor bent down and placed an arm behind her knees and the other one behind her back. He lifted her upwards and like nothing, carried her in his arms. With this movement, Grace gasped, not only from the pain, but from the surprise that he was able to just throw her around like that. She looked at him frantically as they walked inside and she fidgeted her legs, but... she kept quiet.

As soon as they were given a room, Victor placed a passed out Grace onto the cot, gently not to wake her. Her injury had been addressed and she was now resting safe and sound.

A few minutes later, Victor had returned from a water break and he walked in quietly. Hands in his pockets and his collar covering his mouth, he silently examined the sleeping woman in front of him. Looking to the side of her, he noticed her sweater was strewn across the counter, and made way for it. He grabbed it, and was suddenly overwhelmed by the smell of strawberries, he stiffened again. It was not too powerful, nor was it too soft of a smell.

Awakened by his phone ringing in his pocket, he quickly folded it and neatly placed it onto the counter again. Grabbing his phone, and looking at the caller ID, he sighed when he saw who it was, Michael. Bringing the device to his ear, he said, "I'll talk to you when I get home. I'm at the hospital right now." Without waiting for a response, he hung up and put the phone back in his pocket. Looking below at Grace, he sat down in the chair that was seated next to the bed. He then looked at her face, and brought his own down to her level. Even in her sleep, she looked frustrated and worried. Her eyebrows furrowed together, making a line in between pop out; she looked angry. She fidgeted a bit and then became still once more, but her face remained the same. Victor looked at her, his own eyebrows furrowed in concern. He brought his hand up to her face, and gently moved the skin in between her eyebrows with his index finger, making her face look relaxed again. Slowly moving away, he admired her hair and slowly brushed his fingers through a lock, and then set his hand down beside him. He mustn't get too carried away. "Now, you look better," he whispered to her.

"Better? She looks the same." Came an amused male voice.

Victor jumped from this seat and turned around, seeing Lucas standing there, his arms crossed.

"Shit, you scared me."

"Who is she? Are you dating?" He asked, a sly smile on his face.

Uncalled for, Victor’s cheeks burst into a feverish blush, which was not like him, "it's not like that." He looked back down at the sleeping woman, what was happening to him? "I don't know her. I met her for the first time today." He answered honestly.

Lucas rose an eyebrow, "so... because of a girl, you don't know and just met, you called me out on one of my treasured weekend nights? Me, a psychologist, not an internal medicine doctor?"

Victor looked at his psych and waved him off, "that's all details. You're just giving me a headache."

Lucas uncrossed his arms and placed them at his sides and waved them around a bit, looking whiny, "I was enjoying myself at a party. What are you going to do about that?" Victor sweatdropped, fortunately, Grace’s phone started ringing.

"Uh, the phone's ringing." Turning away and very grateful for the distraction, he reached out and took the ringing phone from the sweater pocket that he had just folded on the counter. The caller ID read: My Boss.

Hesitating a bit he thought, Should I answer? Deciding that it would be for the best, he picked up and put the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Isn't this Grace Nieto’s phone?" The man on the other side questioned, it was James. Not answering, Victor looked down at the resting Grace below him. "Hello?" Came from the other end.

So that's her name, he thought.

Breathing, Victor asked, "This woman's name is... Grace Nieto?" He tested out saying her name, it rolled off his tongue like velvet. Such a pretty name.

"Who are you?" Lucas interrogated, worried, what if something happened to Grace?

Ignoring his question, he asked, "Her name is Grace Nieto, and how old is she?" Bending over to inspect her face carefully, he said, "she doesn't have a baby face, but doesn’t seem to have any wrinkles either."

"I asked who you were!" James was growing impatient.

On the other side of Victor, Lucas looked at him strangely. Why does he want to know this girl's age? This isn't like him. Lucas thought.

"Why don't you answer the question? Why ask such stupid things?" Victor demanded. "If I tell you who I am, would you know?"

Lucas frowned and reached over to take away the phone. Victor looked at him with an annoyed expression and Lucas met his gaze. "Couldn't it be her guardian?" He asked him. Victor shrugged, and Lucas put the phone to his ear, "Hello? Ah yes." Making his way out of the room to receive a better reception, he continued speaking, "I'm Lucas Orwell, a psychologist at Monterey Hospital. About the patient, the owner of the phone..." The conversation continued outside the room, which left Victor by himself with a sleeping Grace.

Looking her up and down, Victor noticed that her feet were poking out of the mustard-yellow coloured blanket. He saw that her socks had some sort of logo on them, curious, he tilted his head and walked over to the to her feet. Pulling back the blanket slowly, he revealed... socks with an animated image of an animated Michael’s face on them... They were fan merchandise socks with hearts on them, in the middle reading, "Cypher Forever!" With eyes as large as saucers, he looked at Grace, and then back to the socks, several times. He frowned, his dimples poking in at his cheeks; he reached out and carefully... pulled a sock off. He then did the same to the other. The other one, however, was somewhat difficult to remove, and when he did, her whole leg jumped up. Startled, he checked to see if she had woken up, but to his relief, she had not. Making a disgusted face at the socks, he let them drop into a garbage can that was placed under the bed. Putting his hands on his hips, he sighed, proud of his handiwork, and he was rewarded with Grace cutely snuggling into her pillow.

He smiled.

Meanwhile…

A black suv drove through traffic in order to reach the hospital. The driver was racing dangerously through the lanes, yet he did not flinch at the words or obnoxious honking of the road-raged drivers around him. His expression was of deep worriedness, and his eyebrows were furrowed.

Back at the hospital, Victor walked back into the room where Grace was in, returning from another water break. When he entered, he heard Grace speaking, and this worried him. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, breathing hard. "I'm sorry," her head was rustling through the pillows, left and right.

He looked at her in disbelief, "This woman's sleeping habits..." he mumbled to himself.

"I'm sorry," she cried out.

Bending over, he touched her awfully warm arm, "look here. It's a dream, a dream. No need to apologize."

"I'm sorry," she pleaded in her sleep.

Concerned, Victor shook her a bit, and Grace’s eyes snapped open. Looking around frantically and breathing hard, Victor started to speak again. "See, I told you it was a dream." Still looking around, Grace analyzed her surroundings and quickly sat up. "Why get up?" Victor asked, "a sedative was prescribed, so for a couple hours-."

"Director," Grace interrupted him. Looking away from her and at the door, Victor saw a man around his age with shoulder length brown hair. The man was fairly tall, and lean-built with peach skin and brown eyes. He was wearing black cargo pants, a tight white shirt with a label that read:"15", and over it was a gray windbreaker jacket. The stranger approached the pair, well, we know that this man is Lucas, but Victor didn’t.

"What the hell is wrong with you? If you were so injured you should have asked to be taken to the hospital!" He yelled at Grace, completely disregarding Victor.

Grace flinched and slightly leaned away, "I was all right earlier," she said quietly.

"You were alright earlier, you were alright yesterday..." He said referring to when he had asked if Stephanie Torres made fun of her. "You've seen enough people lose their arms and legs with that attitude!" He breathed, "if you're going to be like this, then quit." Grace looked up at him, feeling small. "Why go back to that site? Don't you have any pride?"

Grace gulped and bowed her head, "I'm sorry."

Victor frowned again, "This woman's always apologizing asleep and awake." Turning to the mystery man, he said, "Excuse me, please lower your voice. This is a hospital."

Noticing Victor, Lucas rudely asked, "Are you the one that answered the phone?"

"Are you the one that called?" Victor striked back.

Not looking away, Lucas asked Grace, "Who is this punk?"

"This punk?" Victor scoffed, "who are you calling punk? Do you want to meet my lawyer?"

Worried that one of them may start a fight, Grace interjected, bowing her head to tie her shoes, "I'll explain the details." However, she bowed too much and the medicine made her dizzy, causing her to fall over to the side. Quickly reacting, the men tried to grab hold of her, but Victor was the only one that successfully grabbed her. While Victor was looking down at her in his arms very worried, Lucas had an arm stretched out, and Grace was looking straight at it, her gray eyes dazed. Looking up at Victor whom still had her in his embrace and looking back down at her, everyone stayed quiet for a few moments before she looked down and pushed away from him, a slight blush on her face. Looking up at Lucas, she said, "He's just an errand man for Cypher."

Both men's eyebrows rose. At the same time, they spoke.

"Errand man?" Questioned Victor.

"Cypher?" Asked Lucas.

Grace continued, "You don't have to be concerned about him. I won't let this sort of thing happen again..."

"Look here." Victor spoke, "Grace Nieto, of unknown age." Grace looked up at him, "I'm not the sort of man you don't have to be concerned about. I told you. "Oh dear, I dared to try to ride an elevator-""

Grace interrupted him, "I've been treated now. I can go." with that, she started to get up but feeling very dizzy, she fell over again, and Victor caught her once more. Feeling faint, Grace put a hand to her forehead.

"You can't even put on your shoes, what are going to do?" Victor scolded. Lucas leaned forward and pushed Victor from Grace and snatched her away. Victor landed on the chair that he was previously sitting in, What the fuck?! He yelled in his mind. Lucas grabbed Grace’s sweater from the counter and lifted her, the same way Victor had when he first got to the hospital with Grace. Her yellow sneakers came towards his face and he leaned back, "o-oh." Not looking back, Lucas walked away with Grace in his arms. "That woman's traveling from arm to arm today," Victor sighed.

Exiting the doors of Monterey Park Hospital, Victor heard people speaking. Looking at the direction of the sound, he saw Grace and the brown-haired man talking. "Are you going to be stubborn?" said the man.

"The drugs have worn off. I'm really all right. This isn't my first time in and out of a hospital," Grace responded.

"Are you that uncomfortable with me driving you?" Lucas asked, a sight frown present on his face.

"I'm sorry," Grace apologized.

Lucas nodded, disappointed yet understanding her need for privacy, "Make sure you take a taxi, okay?"

Grace smiled, "yes, I'll see you tomorrow," she then bowed to him. Nodding, Lucas walked to his car, opened the door to the driver's seat, got in, then drove away. Sighing and smiling softly, Grace reached for the back of her hoodie and put it over her head, she then walked away. Seeing the whole scene, Victor stared at her, then looked away, walking away as well.

Driving around a corner in his sports car, Grace looked off into the road and saw Grace walking up ahead. Wheeling closer to her, he sighed and sped up the car, trying to get away from her. Looking at her from the side mirror, he sighed again and pulled the car over. Why am I doing this? he thought as he pulled off his seatbelt and got off of the car. Closing it, he walked around the back and stood in her path. It took her a few moments before she would come across him, and he had noticed that she was looking down at her feet.

Grace stopped walking when she saw the shoes of a stranger in her eyesight. Looking up, she scowled once she saw the familiar blue sparkly sweater and same emerald eyes.

"You said you were going to take a taxi, so why are you walking?" She looked away and he continued. "If you were hoping I'd come out looking for you, asking to give you a ride, if that's why you sent away your director or whatever..." Grace scoffed and stepped to the right, trying to get out of the way. However, he saw her plan and mimicked her actions. "Where did you learn your manners? I'm not done speaking yet. Why aren't you taking a taxi?"

"What's it to you whether I take a taxi or not? Are you a taxi company employee?"

"Why do you keep making up my life? First I'm Cypher’s errand man from some hick town, and now you have me working at a taxi company?"

"Then, what are you?"

Not wanting to reveal his identity, he asked, "I asked you why aren't you taking a taxi? I've never asked a woman this, but, is it because you don't have money? If that's the case, I can drive you. Where do you live?"

"What a wack job. Really, I'm only holding back because of the 3 Disasters." She tried stepping to the right again, and he met her movements.

"If I put the top up, will you get in?" He offered, "Okay, I'll put it up."

"Why should I ride in your car?"

"Because I want to give you a ride."

"What?" She blinked.

"I want to give you a ride," he offered.

"Why?" What is up with this guy? She thought.

"What do you mean why? When people say, I want to fly to the skies, I want to be happy, do they need a reason? It's the same thing. I just want to give you a ride. Why won't you let me when I want to?" But the real question is: Why am I begging this woman to let me give her a ride? He thought as she scoffed softly. "I told you I'd put the top up." In the distance, both of them heard tires screeching loudly, the sound coming closer to them. Turning to see what the commotion was, both saw a black van with tinted windows pull up behind Victor’s sports car. The passenger side opened, and out jumped Michael. The white-haired male was wearing a teal coloured blazer, skinny jeans, and a cheetah print scarf. On top of his head were a pair of sunglasses.

"Hey! You wanna die?" Michael yelled as Grace’s expression changed to one of shock, her mouth opened a bit. "Why don't you answer your phone?!"

"I told you I'd talk to you when I got home," Victor complained.

"How upset do you think I am to come chasing after you here? I called Lucas and he said some strange woman..." he turned and pointed to Grace, but stopped speaking once he saw her glistening gray eyes, which were full of admiration. He then looked away, and tidied himself up, fixing his scarf and his hair. In a much calmer voice, he said, "Hey, what's Lucas's problem? Calling anyone strange like that." Victor frowned at Michael’s change in attitude. Michael turned back to Grace and bowed gentlemanly, "nice to meet you," looking up he continued, "perhaps you know who I-"

"Hey!" Victor interrupted him, "go do your self-promoting on your fan website."

Michael faked a laugh, and still turned to Grace, he said, "his personality is the dumps isn't it?" He laughed joyfully again, still looking her in the eyes.

Grace stayed still, would he remember me? Probably not she thought. Her gray, almond shaped eyes looked at him in awe.

Michael then stopped, and pointed to her, "Oi... That look in your eyes, I remember it."

Victor shook his head and scoffed, "there he goes again," he mumbled to himself. Why does he have to flirt with every woman he sees?

"And I remember the little beads of sweat on your forehead too. You looked up at me so nervous."

"I did?" Grace asked, still in awe.

"You don't remember? You were really nervous that day. But it was a pretty bold first meeting, though, don't you think?"

"So, it's like that between the two of you?" Victor asked, curious to what his cousin spoke of.

Grace peered up at Victor, "Are you crazy?" Looking back at Michael, she softly spoke, "um.. I think you might be mistaking me for someone else."

Michael smiled, "Ayyy, but I'm not." Looking to the sky, he thought back into his memories, he finally knew, "Ah right, right. That movie. Welcome to Paradise. The one where a level a civil servant becomes the mayor. You were Gloria Scott’s stunt double then, right?"

Grace breathed, He does remember me! Her inner fangirl squealed.

"Ah, you still look great," looking back down at her, he winked, "Miss Grace Nieto." He smiled, showing off his teeth. Grace was ecstatic, yet she did not show it, but she was slightly trembling with excitement. Her gray eyes were widened, and her mouth formed into a soft smile.

Victor frowned, jealous of the effect his cousin had on Grace. Why is she smiling like that?!