#is she a thief? always has been! she stole my heart 2 years ago!

[cerealbishh]

"Hey, I'm just gonna take these down to the vault."

[theonceoverthinker]

When Will My Life Begin? (Fair Game, 14/?)

Summary: Tangled AU. Clover Callows has been confined to a tower for all of his life, and given the threat that his Uncle Tyrian says his semblance poses to his safety, he accepts that fate. It’s the only life he’s ever known, after all. But when he’s offered the opportunity to fulfill his greatest dream after a chance encounter with a thief -- or bandit, as Qrow Branwen insists there’s a difference between the two -- both Clover and Qrow will discover joys that they never knew life could offer them before.

AO3

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Hey! So, as you're going to see, I took a...different direction with this chapter than you might have expected (...I realize this happens a LOT with me). I was having some trouble with the next chronological chapter, and I thought this would be an interesting and sensible diversion from the main story while I figured the next part of the story out. I hope you enjoy!

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If there was one feeling Harriet Bree had become increasingly familiar with, it was the feeling of underlying, yet all the same relentless tiredness.

She was tired of hearing reports of Salem’s growing army of Grimm and the havoc they were doing to far away towns and villages.

She was tired of the constant shadow of fear that loomed over every street and shop in her kingdom about when their malicious tormenter would strike next as well as who and what would be lost in the chaos when it inevitably took place.

She was tired of the criminal underbelly in the kingdom that just made getting by harder for good, honest folks.

She was tired of the fact that even with all the power she, her siblings, and her father yielded, there was only so much they could do about any of that.

However, more than any of those things, she was tired of the all but despondent look in her father’s eyes that coated his face every year around this time. 

Harriet was especially tired about the fact that the gazes her siblings gave her all but screamed in her face that she had that same look in her eyes, too.

As the saying went, ‘like father, like daughter,’ she supposed.

Then again, that look in her eyes was just as present on all of their faces, too. She was sure there was some phrase about families who do things together that applied to a heartbreaking situation like theirs, but honestly, she was at a loss to come up with one.

Besides, it didn’t matter -- it wasn’t like their family was complete, anyway.

That hadn’t been the case for over two decades now.

Clover…

Harriet had two brothers and a sister that she was fortunate enough to have in her life. She adored them with every beat of her heart, and she knew they as well as their father felt the same for her.

However, the gap that Clover’s kidnapping created in hers and her family’s hearts was one that couldn’t be filled by anyone else except for him.

Clover...

Where was he? 

Was he even alive? 

What kind of life had he led if he was alive all this time?

Why did the prospect of him being alive make her feel just as anxious as the thought of him being dead?

Damn it!

Of all the things Qrow Branwen could have stolen the day before her brother’s birthday, why did it have to be the brooch? Why did the universe insist on making this anniversary so much worse than it was already going to be, than it was for the past several years?

Was it not enough already that Clover was ripped from their arms before they could even really know him without so much as a clue as to where he’d gone or who had made off with him?

Semblance or not, who stole a baby?!

It had to be Salem, or one of her goons, but why did they never say that they at least had him in their possession? Salem’s castle was well guarded enough, and it wasn’t like she didn’t know they could never brea-

Harriet sighed. She pet the horse she was now walking beside instead of on, and let herself recline against a tree as her hand massaged her nose.

She’d gone down the proverbial rabbit hole that was Clover’s mysterious whereabouts many a time before, especially around Clover’s birthday. All that resulted in that trip were questions, questions with not even hints of possible answers, but instead haunted her with apparitions of a reunited family that was always still a possibility, but less of one with every passing year. 

Vine told her in the past that it wasn’t healthy...right before admitting that he did the same thing nonetheless. 

Even still, he was right.

Harriet would never give up hope that Clover would be found, that their family would be whole once more, but she knew well enough by now to assure herself that that wasn’t going to happen today.

However, she could at least make the next day or two just a bit less taxing on all of their hearts by getting back the last tangible memento of her brother from Qrow Branwen’s clutches.

Pushing herself off the tree, Harriet continued her trudge back to the team’s meeting spot in the forest.

Maybe one of them found something.

After all, they weren’t called the Ace Ops for nothing.

As Harriet approached the clearing where she and her team had agreed to meet, she could hear voices -- Elm’s first, then their prisoner’s, and Vine and Marrow’s soon afterward.

None of them sounded too excited, or given any kind of sign that they hadn’t walked away from their search empty handed.

No, they just sounded tired.

She could certainly slip into that feeling like a well-worn coat.

Harriet walked through the last of the bushes and under the last of the trees that stood between herself and her siblings. 

Just as she’d expected, their bodies reflected their voices, no one looking either curious or triumphant or stimulated.

“Nothing, huh?” she asked, unable to keep the dark, resigned tone out of her voice.

Words left none of them. Marrow shook his head, Vine looked to his shoes, and Elm, still holding their prisoner, bit her lip.

The prisoner Mercury scoffed, earning himself a jerk from Elm’s body.

He growled.

“You’re slowing yourselves down and wasting your time keeping me here,” he then snipped.

“We’re putting a crook like you behind bars,” Marrow shot back, clearly content to allow just a little bit of smugness to get into his tone, “sounds like a good use of our time to me.”

“And yet you can’t get back that brooch. Have to wonder how it is you got the name Ace Ops. Ace Oops seems more appropriate to me.” Mercury then smirked.

Gods, what was it about thieves that made them enjoy bragging so much? 

Weren’t they supposed to be quiet? Wasn’t that the one good thing about them?

Ignoring Mercury’s remark, Marrow looked to the group.

“Did anyone find any clues?” he asked, “Or maybe run into someone who saw him? Or saw signs of a scuffle or even just shop prints?”

Once more, silence reigned. Even Mercury didn’t respond, seemingly caught between annoyance over his accomplice’s escape as well as his own captivity and satisfaction that at least they hadn’t succeeded in their task of retrieving the brooch.

What a bastard he was.

Vine met Harriet’s eyes.

“What do we do now?”

Harriet, for the life of her, couldn’t find herself able to answer that question.

Branwen had been out of their sights for hours now. If they hadn’t found him by this point, that probably meant they likely weren’t going to find him at all.

What could they do in that case -- wait until the brooch surfaced on the black market?

Who knew how long that would take to happen, nor how they’d find out about it, nor even which of Remnant’s handful of often spoken of, but well-hidden black markets it would show up in…

This dead-ended mystery was starting to sound all too familiar to Harriet for her liking…

Harriet didn’t want to give up, though she had no idea what the next best step to take was.

Perhaps they could just return to the kingdom, drop off Mercury at the castle’s prison, and resume their search? It would be better to have the entire team at full capacity, and by the time they did that, Harriet figured she’d be able to use her semblance again.

However, that would just give Branwen more time to get even further away from them, or perhaps even just sell the brooch and be done with it.

Not to mention the fact that even if Harriet’s semblance was working once more, without an idea of where Branwen was going, she’d just be running around aimlessly.

She’d done that on more than one occasion -- it made for not only some good training, but also as one hell of a stress reliever --  but it wasn’t going to help them here.

So there went that plan, and yet the rest of her sibling’s eyes joined Vine’s, turned to her for their next step.

As Harriet struggled for an answer, her ears picked up a sound. 

It was the sound of footsteps -- small in size, quick in their pace, not deft enough to avoid snapping twigs and running into small bushes, but just so enough that there was no resulting crashes or falls.

What’s more interesting were that those footsteps were fast approaching them.

Harriet looked toward the noise’s source, unsure what was to meet her on the other side. 

Seconds later, a man emerged into the clearing. He stood tall and slightly muscular with a mean, angular face and an odd, triangle-like hair style. 

“Guards! Guards!” he called as he approached them. He took a second’s pause to loudly catch his breath. “Br-Branwen,” he continued as air kept puffing in and out of his chest as loudly as a bear’s roar. “The thief Qrow Branwen. W-we have him.”

Harriet’s eyes bulged. 

C-could it really be?

“Are you sure?” Elm asked, beating Harriet to the proverbial punch. Harriet felt her heart start to pump as loudly as the man’s footsteps were just moments ago as she waited for him to catch his breath enough to answer Elm’s question.

After three seconds that felt more like an hour, he answered her.

“Yeah,” he confirmed. “My-my boss matched him to the poster.”

Harriet couldn’t believe it -- this was really happening.

“Where is he?” she pressed. 

“L-Lil’ Miss Malachite’s,” he wheezed, pointing a finger in the direction he came. “It’s about a half mile that way. We’ve got him caught.”

Branwen…

By nothing short of pure chance, they were in the exact right in the spot to find someone who had eyes on him.

Lucky them.

While she knew he probably couldn’t have had anything to do with it -- though she’d wished against each and every odd that stood as an obstacle to that possibility that he could have -- she couldn’t help but thank Clover for this.

Harriet looked to her team, all of whom suddenly looked like they had more energy flowing through their veins than they’d had in a while.

She got the feeling she looked that way too.

“You heard him, Ace Ops,” Harriet said, glancing at a sneering Mercury, and shooting a smirk of her own at him. “Let’s move out.” 

Elm picked up Mercury’s form once more and tightened her grip around him as she and Marrow cried out jovially, Vine let loose a small chuckle, and even Harriet couldn’t help but let her smirk dissolve into a grin once she turned away from Mercury. 

They had a lead on Branwen and the brooch.

There was hope still to be had for this tiny piece of their still broken, but loving family.

Suddenly, Harriet wasn’t feeling so tired anymore.

[badchoicesposts]

Loyalty Or Royalty

Chapter 3

Summary: Mia Bhatt spent years trying to escape her past, trying to escape the feeling of betrayal that was left in her heart after the fire, and she finally had. She was marrying the King of Cordonia and was finally going to get her happily ever after. But, after a momentary lapse in judgement caused her to send a wedding invitation to someone she was sure had forgotten about her, she realizes that sometimes the past has a way of crawling back to you.

Author’s Note: In this fic Anton and The Sons of Earth were caught before the wedding. Also this story will contain flashbacks that will be in italics.

Pairing: Liam x MC (Mia Bhatt), Platonic!Colt x MC, MC x The Mercy Park Crew

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTION OF PARENTAL ABUSE

Taglist: @flowerpowell​​​, @dcbbw​​​, @texaskitten30​​​, @kingliam2019​​, @hopefulmoonobject​​, @lovehugsandcandy​​, @los-cafeteros​​​, @desiree---1986​ @lovemychoices​​

Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2

Mia wrapped her arms tightly around Colt, refusing to let go of him even though Annya was trying to pull him away from her. They were leaving to spend the summer in New York now that Annya and Teppei’s divorce was final, and even though she knew that he was going to be back in two months for the start of the school year, she didn’t want him to go. He was her best friend, and even at only eight years old, he was the only one that could calm her down and make her feel safe after her father went on one of his rampages. But, now he was leaving, and she would be completely alone for two months. 

Colt waved at her sadly from the back seat of the car as Mia’s mother tried her best to console her crying daughter. 

“It’s okay. He’ll be back soon,” she said in a soothing voice. 

However, instead of making her feel any better she turned instead to cry into her mother’s chest. The woman didn’t understand. She didn’t understand that when Mia was with Colt she wasn’t scared like she had become so used to feeling. She didn’t feel lonely or sad. He always made her smile. She had fun when she was at the auto shop with the Kaneko family. It felt more like home to her than the small apartment that she lived in with both of her parents, but now that Colt was gone she would be locked in there for two whole months with no escape. 

However, what Mia herself didn’t notice was the look her mother shared with Teppei. The man nodded his head towards her and scooped Mia up into his arms, holding her close to his chest. He was always nice to her. He would give her rides on his shoulders and help her with her math homework when her mom was too busy. 

Teppei carried her to Colt’s room and set her down gently onto the bed. 

“Amelia, Colt may be gone for the summer, but you can come here whenever you’d like to,” he said, his hand brushing away her tears. 

Mia flinched as his thumb brushed against a particularly tender spot on her face where the bruise her father had left was still in the process of healing. She saw a look of intense anger cross the older man’s features, and she curled up into a ball, burying her face into the sheets below and waiting for him to start yelling. However, it never came. Instead, she heard him sigh softly before covering her with a blanket and leaving the room. 

~~~

Mia moaned softly as the feeling of Liam’s lips brushing against her shoulder pulled her out of her sleep. She opened her eyes to see bright rays of sun pouring into the room from the open balcony doors and smiled to herself as she rolled onto her back to meet his bright blue eyes. 

Anton had only been captured just a few days prior, so the two of them decided that it would be best to postpone their honeymoon until things were more stable in Cordonia. Instead, they decided to spend their wedding night in Valtoria, away from the chaos of the capital where they could enjoy being in each other’s arms for the night. 

“Mmm, I could get used to waking up like this,” Mia mumbled as Liam continued to kiss down her bare shoulder. 

His lips travelled down her arm all the way to her hand before he retraced his steps, kissing back up to her lips and rolling his body on top of hers. Mia moaned softly as she felt his bare skin pressed directly against hers, his hands tracing over her curves. Her mind briefly wandered back over to the first time Liam had made love to her in the maze on the night of his coronation. She had been smitten with him, and even though he had told her that he loved her for the first time ever that night, there was still a small part of her that was nervous about being completely exposed in front of him. She had agonized about him seeing the stretch marks that covered her body and the extra fat that she carried in her stomach. She was undoubtedly shaped differently than the other women at court vying for his hand, and she had often found herself comparing her body type to theirs. However, as insecure as she felt, Liam had always managed to make her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She was the only woman he had eyes for. 

Liam’s tongue slowly began to curl against hers, and Mia wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her fingers moving up to softly tug at his hair. He finally pulled away from her lips, moving his mouth to her ear. 

“We have guests arriving soon,” Liam whispered, his breath warm against the skin of her neck. “We should get out of bed.”

“Mmm, we should,” she mumbled as he pressed another kiss to the side of her neck, causing another soft moan to fall from her lips. “You know what? I think they’ll be fine waiting for a little while.”

Mia wrapped her legs around his waist and flipped the two of them over so that she was on top, causing him to gasp in surprise before breaking out into laughter. 

“You never cease to surprise me, my queen,” he said, pulling her down against him.

~~~

“Good morning!” Mia called happily as she entered the sitting room everyone had gathered in. 

Liam trailed in behind her, his hand resting on the small of her back. The royal couple was practically glowing as they greeted their friends and family.

“It’s the afternoon. We’ve been waiting for you guys forever,” Drake groaned and she rolled her eyes in response.

“You’ve literally had access to the whole estate. If you wanted to entertain yourselves you could have,” she shot back, walking over to kiss Annya on the cheek.

Mia looked around the room to see Colt and Drake sitting next to each other, Olivia showing Mona one of her more ornate daggers, and Ellie, Logan, Ximena and Leo conversing casually by the window. She smiled to herself. It was odd seeing her two worlds collide, and now that she thought about it the personalities really did match up fairly well. But, what they were about to reveal would undoubtedly cause everything to change. 

She settled down onto the couch next to the Annya and pulled Liam along with her. She had been on a high all day, feeling happy and content, and no matter how many times she and Liam had started to get out of bed, she kept pulling him back, not wanting to end their moment together. However, at the end of the day, Liam needed to know about her past, and everyone else had questions too. 

“You have red pandas! I’m never leaving this place!” Toby said happily, walking into the room with Maxwell and Hercules the dog in tow. “Oh, and I’m totally stealing your corgi.”

Toby dropped down onto the floor, letting Hercules crawl into his lap, and Maxwell sat down next to him. Now that everyone was in the room, they began to gather around, all looking to Mia expectantly.

“So, I wanted all of you here because I know that you have… questions,” she began. “And I can’t speak for the entire crew, but that’s why I wanted you guys here too. There’s still a lot about what happened seven years ago that I don’t really know, so I figured we could all decide what was safe to share.” 

“You’re making this sound like some super secret spy stuff,” Maxwell said, looking excited. 

“Nope, not nearly as legal,” Colt muttered, causing Mia to clench her jaw and Maxwell’s mouth to drop open in surprise.

Liam rested a hand comfortingly on Mia’s knee and urged her to continue. 

“So, I know it sounds dramatic to say this all started when I was born, but it does,” she said sarcastically. “My dad worked for Colt’s father, Teppei Kaneko. He was a driver for him.”

She trailed off, tugging anxiously at the hair tie around her wrist.

“Like a chauffeur?” Liam asked. 

The fact that his mind went there was a bigger reality check than Mia had expected. It really showed how different their childhoods were. How different the places they came from were.

“No. Like a car thief,” she said. “Kaneko was the leader of The Mercy Park Crew. It was LA’s most notorious and sought after gang of car thieves, and wow, that sounds absolutely ridiculous out loud. It sounds like we’re about to start talking about the plot of a bad action movie.”

She rested her forehead in her hand and let out a tired sigh.

“The Mercy Park Crew had been in my family for generations. It was our legacy,” Colt continued, shooting an amused look in her direction. 

“So, what? The crew just stole cars and sold them? How did you not get caught?” Leo asked.

“Because they were good. They were careful. Kaneko was smart. He never let too many people into the crew, and once someone was in, they had to prove that they were really in before he fully trusted them. You’d be surprised at how easy it is to get away with organized crime when you know what you’re doing. Besides, Kaneko was terrifying. No one crossed him because they were too afraid to,” she said, letting out another sigh. “Anyway when I was about sixteen my dad took a job that went south. I don’t know the specifics, obviously, but my mom was with him and suddenly I was an orphan. Teppei took me in and that was that.”

“Did- did you join the crew?” Maxwell asked, hesitantly. 

“No, he always kept me away from it all. He was adamant about it, and I never fought him on it. But, I still knew that Kaneko’s auto shop was a front. I knew they were car thieves, but I didn’t know any specifics. I didn’t commit any crimes, but I didn’t do anything to stop it either.”

“Okay, so where is this story going?” Leo asked. 

“Seven years ago, Kaneko had a plan. Ellie’s dad, Detective Wheeler, was the cop in charge of investigating the crew, so he asked me to get to know her, get her to trust us so that we could get information out of her,” Logan said, shooting Ellie a guilty smile. 

“Yeah, and Ellie was in the middle of a teenage rebellion, so she was more than happy to join us,” Mona said with a smirk. 

“At the time, the crew was having trouble with another gang. We were on the verge of an all out turf war, and it turned out that Detective Wheeler’s partner, Jason, was the head of this other crew, The Brotherhood. He was a crooked cop. None of us knew that, but Kaneko suspected, and he figured getting close to Ellie would help him confirm it. But, what he didn’t anticipate was that Ellie was passing information to Jason the entire time,” Logan continued. 

“After a few months Ellie found out that Kaneko was using her all hell broke loose, and that’s where my knowledge of events get pretty hazy,” she said, shooting the rest of the crew a look that invited one of them to continue the story. 

Ellie cleared her throat and began to speak, Mia reaching over to grasp Annya’s hand out of anxiety. She refused to look over at Liam, afraid of the judgement she might see on his face. Annya squeezed her hand tightly, shooting her a reassuring smile. Mia looked up to see Colt watching the two of them intently, obviously not realizing that they had gotten so close. 

“When I found out that Kaneko was using me I left. I knew that Colt had come up with a plan to get rid of The Brotherhood, but I didn’t know exactly what it was and at that point I was so mad that I didn’t care. I crashed at my friend Riya’s, and I went back to my regular life until Toby came knocking at my door telling me that I needed to stop them,” Ellie said, looking towards Colt and the rest of the crew to see if it was okay for her to continue. 

Everyone shared a look of apprehension, and Mia knew why. She may not have been there that night so the details weren’t entirely clear, but she had heard the story from Ellie the night of the incident and from Ximena, Toby, and Logan in the years that followed. This was always the part that she was most afraid of getting out. What would everyone think when they found out that Colt’s plan literally included murder. 

Was it even a good idea to let them know in the first place? This was opening up a whole can of worms that she hadn’t expected. Drake already knew the full story, or at least the version of the full story that she knew which included Colt’s plan. She had been overly emotional and stressed out during Liam and Madeleine’s engagement tour and had confessed it to him whilst drowning her sorrows in whiskey. She wasn’t sure why, but Drake always had a way of making her let her guard down. Maybe it was because he reminded her of Colt in a way. They could both be closed off and guarded, but they had some of the biggest hearts of anyone she had ever known and they were loyal almost to a fault when it came to their loved ones. 

He had originally freaked out when she first told him, but after he had some time to digest the information and sleep on it, he confessed there was probably nothing she could say to scare him away. So, she wasn’t worried about him hearing it again. When it came to Liam, she was more concerned. She knew that whether or not he found out right now, she would have to tell him the whole truth. He was her husband, and he deserved to know. She should have told him a long time ago. She also knew that she could trust Olivia. Olivia had her own skeletons in the closet and she was sure that she would be shocked and might need some time, but like Drake everything would work out in the end. 

It was Maxwell and Leo that she was truly concerned with. She loved both of them like brothers, but well, Maxwell was Maxwell. He knew when to be serious, and she had seen that first hand. He along with Drake had been her rock throughout her entire time in Cordonia. But, he was also carefree. It was easy for him to let things slip, and Leo was similar in the way that he would begin spilling secrets as soon as he had a few drinks in him.

“Wait, are we really about to just announce this to everyone?” Toby asked, raising his brows. “This implicates all of us in an attempted murder.”

Maxwell gasped loudly, and Toby’s eyes went wide when he realized that he had just given away the part of the story that he was trying to hide in the first place. Logan gave him a sympathetic smile and clapped him comfortingly on the shoulder. Mia let out a slow breath, knowing that there was really no coming back from this now.

“We took a hostage. We took one of their own and made them think that he was a rat selling them out to the FBI, and then lured them to a casino,” Colt said, his face completely emotionless as he stared at the wall behind Mia’s head. “The plan was to get The Brotherhood to the vault under the casino and make them think that we were giving them their mole back in exchange for them leaving us alone. Then, when they were in there we would lock them in with a gas grenade and get rid of them all for good. But, somehow Ellie got locked in with the rest of ‘em, and she was going to die if we didn’t open the door.”

Mia felt sick to her stomach listening to the story all over again. She knew these people, none of them were cold blooded killers. They were desperate and scared, but they weren’t killers. 

“God, you were such an idiot, Colt,” she groaned out. “Did you really think that killing them was the answer?”

“Yes,” he said, not making eye contact with her. 

“No. You would have never gone through with it, and even if you had you would have never been able to live with yourself. It would have eaten you alive,” she argued back. 

“I did what I needed to do. We were cornered, and we had no choice.”

“You’re not a killer, Colt,” she practically pleaded with him. 

“That’s enough you two,” Annya said, squeezing Mia‘s hand in an effort to calm her down.

“When we opened the vault to get Ellie out, the rest of them got out too,” Logan said. “We tried to get away, but the cops started coming after us. The real cops. They barricaded us in and there was no way we were going to get out, so Kaneko… he blew up the barricade and himself in the process so the rest of us could escape.”

“The entire time this was happening I was back at the garage, asleep in bed because I had no idea what they had planned or what was going to happen. Toby ran in and woke me up because The Brotherhood set the place on fire while I was asleep. He got me out right before the flames made it up to the loft,” Mia concluded, her stomach in knots. “After that The Brotherhood got away and everyone started leaving, and with Colt gone I had no one. I lost all of my stuff in the fire, and the only friend I had outside of the crew didn’t exactly want to associate herself with me after the cops showed up to bring me in for questioning. I called Annya to ask her if she had heard from Colt, and she offered to let me stay with her in New York until I finished my last semester of high school and could get back on my feet, and now here we are.”

The room fell into a tense silence as she concluded the story. Mia tried to meet Liam’s eyes, but he was looking everywhere but at her. 

“Okay, so this is the part of the story where you say ‘psyche’ and tell us this is all a joke right,” Leo asked, laughing loudly. 

When no one said anything, his eyes widened dramatically. It almost would have been funny if the situation wasn’t so tense. 

“That’s crazy,” he mumbled under his breath.

“Huh, maybe you’re not nearly as boring as I thought,” Olivia said, sending her a smirk and eyeing her critically. 

Despite herself, Mia smiled back before turning to Liam. 

“Li,” she whispered, reaching out to take his hand. 

However, he sprung out of his seat before she could touch him. 

“Excuse me,” he said, exiting the room hastily and causing tears to well up in Mia’s eyes.

She made to go after him, but Drake stopped her before she could. 

“Let me,” he said, placing a hand comfortingly on her shoulder.

Mia sunk back into the couch, burying her face into Annya’s shoulder as tears fell down her cheeks, and she was left wondering whether or not her marriage was going to be okay.

[herocentral]

Possible Hero 6

Well folks heres chapter 2 of Possible Hero 6 and where the rest of the crew comes into play, there are some references to the movie in this part, but otherwise just enjoy.

Note: This is just for fun I don't own any of the characters in this story so no-one is allowed to copy, trace, steal etc without my permission.

Big Hero 6 & Kim Possible (c) Disney, 2020

Chapter 2: Sparks fly.

It’s a bright clear morning in the city of San Fransokyo, everyone was going about their normal day walking down the sidewalks and riding the cable cars. Near the city stood Krei tech industries the leading technological company in the city. Inside was the head office of the companies CEO and founder Alister Krei wearing a blue suit with a white shirt, blonde hair and grey blue eyes. He sits at his desk looking at his tablet when soon his assistant enters she has short black hair with glasses, wearing a grey long jacket with a white shirt and black pants.

“Excuse me Mr.Krei.” Said Judy entering the room. “Yes Judy what is it if it’s that reminder about, Jones’s incident with in the experimental tech division I’ll compensate him next week.” Krei said dryly. 

“No sir a Miss Kim Possible is here to see you.” Judy just said which caught Alister’s attention. 

“Kim Possible?” He said. “Yes the teen hero who fights bad guys.” Judy said. “Yes Judy I know who that is I watch the news.” Krei said. “Alright send her in.” 

As he did Judy went to the door, opening and walking in was Kim and Ron now in their mission outfits. 

“Mr. Krei.” Kim introduces “My names Kim Possible and this is Ron Stoppable.” 

“Yes Miss Possible I know who you are, I’m familiar with your reputation quite impressive.” Krei said standing from his desk and greeting them with a handshake. 

“So what can I do for you.” Krei then said. “Well it’s just we’ve heard recently that you’ve had a series of break ins at a number of your facilities.” Kim explained. 

“Break ins? Miss Possible, Krei tech has the most advanced security in the world.” Krei insisted

 “Actually Mr. Krei our security team has received reports of a number of our facilities have been broken into and several men were sent to the hospital.” Judy then added to which Kim raised an eyebrow to his ‘security.

“Ahem, yes well.” Krei said pulling his shirt collar. Kim then took out her Kimmunicator and contacted Wade. 

“Wade can you access the security cameras of the Krei tech facilities that were robbed?” Kim asked “Not a problem Kim.”

“Oh please you can’t just access our highly secure cameras.” Krei insisted but... “ Got it sending you a feed.” Wade then said and Krei just stood there gobsmacked. 

“Yeah Wades our secret weapon.” Ron said smugly. Rufus then appeared on Rons shoulder and gave him a high five. 

“Gah just keep that rodent away from me.” Krei said hiding behind his assistant. Rufus just frowned. 

Kim meanwhile was watching the security footage of the facility and saw a figure stealing something from a crate and the figure then turns round and Kim notices something. 

“Wade hold it there!” Kim said and Wade pauses the footage. “Now zoom in on her face.” The footage zooms in and it shows the face of a certain green and black suited woman that the teen hero recognised all too well. 

“Shego!” Kim said grinding her teeth. “What’s she doing here?” Ron asked. “Whoa that’s who’s broken into my facilities she looks rather, feisty.” Krei said admiring the green thief a bit. 

“Yeah trust me dude she ain’t your type.” Ron said. “Yep deadly.” Rufus squeaked. 

“Mr. Krei was there anything in those warehouses that could be considered dangerous.” Kim then asked. “Well those facilities only stored old or work in progress projects as well as a few classified projects.” Krei then said. 

This placed a concerned look on the faces of Kim and Ron’s faces. 

Later the two leave Krei tech discussing their recent findings. 

“So why’s Shego breaking into facilities anyway?” Ron asked. “I don’t know but where Shego is you can bet Drakken won’t be far behind.” Kim said then turning to her Kimmunicator. 

“Wade, any ideas as to what Shego stole from the facilities?” Kim asked. 

“No clue but I’ve mapped out all the facilities that Shego’s robbed over the past week.” Wade said then bringing up a map of San Fransokyo and all the Krei facilities that Shego had robbed marked in red dots.

“So far I haven’t found a pattern to the break ins but the only two she hasn’t hit are on the north and east sides of the city.” Wade explained. 

“And no idea which she’ll hit next.” Kim said. “Exactly.” Wade said “but I’ll look into it and see what I can find.” 

“Right mean time we best get to SFIT and meet my Dad for his lecture.” Kim then said looking at her watch. “Ah yeah early admission to College!” Ron said excitedly. 

San Fransokyo institute of Technology (SFIT)

San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, SFIT for short is the source of all the potential scientific minds in robotics, bio tech and more. It is also the campus attended by Hiro and Baymax. 

Kim and Ron soon arrive at the campus by cab and walk out to see the different campus buildings and the students walking by between classes. They were now in more casual attire, Kim was wearing a white shirt with a pink heart in the middle, and wore pink pants with white shoes. While Ron was in his normal red and white collared sports jersey with black under shirt, brown cargo pants and white sneakers. 

“Whoa, this place is more advanced than our school.” Ron said looking round. “Well it isn’t called an institute of technology for nothing Ron.” Kim pointed out. 

“Kimmy” called a voice and Kim looked to see her dad and the tweebs waiting for her outside the Ito Ishioka Robotics Lab. 

“Hey Dad sorry we were a little late, just had to do some mission work.” Kim then explained. “Well I’m glad your here now lets go inside.” James then said. “So where’s mrs Dr P?” Ron then asked. 

“Oh she’s meeting with Cass to talk about their old time’s in high school, she’ll meet up with us later.” James explained and entered the campus. 

Walking down the hallways they soon meet with a dark skinned woman with short hair, dressed in a black long sleeved shirt a grey dress and black heels. 

“Dr. James Possible, so glad you could make it.” Said Professor Granville greeting him with a hand shake. “Glad to be here Professor Granville.” James greeted. “These are my sons Jim and Tim and my daughter Kim.” He then introduced his children. “And I’m Ron stoppable here for the sights.” Ron then added. 

“Ah the infamous Kim Possible, I’ve heard a lot about you exploits around the world most impressive.” Professor Granville complimented. 

“Oh well thank you, Professor.” Kim said humbly. Just then Hiro and Baymax entered the campus and saw the people they met yesterday. 

“Dr. Possible” Hiro called and they turned to see Hiro and his robotic companion. “Oh hello Hiro.” James greeted. 

“Ah I see you’ve already met mr. Hamada one of our younger students.” Granville explains, “His brother Tadashi, was one of our finest.” 

“I, heard about that, and Professor Callaghan’s involvement.” James said rather down hearted. 

Something then got Hiro’s attention. “Wait, you knew Professor Callaghan?” He asked. 

“Yes, he was a tutor I had in college one of the toughest I ever had.” James explained. 

“Before joining SFIT Robert was a teacher at the Middleton Institute of Science and Technologies.” Professor Granville explained. 

“He taught me a lot and it lead to my career in rocket science.” James explained. “I still couldn’t believe it after I heard the news of what he did, attacking Krei tech, I always considered Robert to be a man of great principles.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that dad.” Kim said apologetically. 

“Yes what happened to Robert was tragic, grief and loss has a way of making even the most decent of men do things they wouldn’t do.” Granville said. 

“Loss?” Ron asked. “He thought he lost his daughter in an accident several years ago.” Hiro explained. “Yes but she’s alive and well still recovering from years in hyper sleep.” Baymax then explained. 

“Now to business if you would like to follow me Dr. Possible I’ll get you set up in the lecture hall.” Professor Granville said. “Okay Kimmy your in charge of the boys.” James told his daughter. 

“What!” The tweebs said annoyed. “You heard him tweebs.” Kim said with a smug look. 

“Mr. Hamada, perhaps you could show them round the campus.” Professor Granville suggested. “Uh okay, I was just on my way to my lab anyway.” Hiro agreed. 

“Very well I’ll leave them with you.” Then Granville noticed Rufus in Ron’s pocket. “I would suggest you keep your pet on you and away from any, delicate equipment.” Granville suggested in a rather strict tone. To which Ron nodded nervously. 

“I don’t know why but she reminds me a lot of Mr. Barkin.” Ron whispered to Kim. “Yeah Professor Granville tends to be a little strict especially to me at times.” Hiro then said. 

They then made their way down the hallway towards the robotics lab. However before they arrived Hiro accidentally bumped into a girl about sixteen years old, with tanned skin, brown eyes, brown hair, wears a pastel yellow sweater, orange mini skirt, has green and red bracelets on her left arm with black pants and black shoes. 

“Hey watch it Hamada.” Karmi said. “Sorry Karmi but you should watch where your going.” Hiro said in return. “Hello Karmi, I am..” “Yes yes I know who you are.” Karmi said interrupting Baymax. 

“Yeah well anyway I’m in the middle of giving these people a tour.” Hiro explained and Karmi looked to see Kim, Ron and the tweebs. However the moment she eyed Kim Karmi’s eyes just lit up in shock.

“Oh my, no way is… oh my!” Karmi said barely containing her excitement. “Y.. YOUR KIM POSSIBLE!” Karmi said pushing past Hiro and right up to Kim. 

“Uh yes that’s me.” Kim said stepping back a little. “Oh my gosh! OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH!” Karmi said practically jumping up and down in excitement. 

“Uh what’s with you?” Hiro asks. “I’m face to face with the Kim Possible!” Karmi said in excitement. 

“When does her name have a The in it?” Hiro asked. “Oh of course you don’t know, Kim possible is a famous Teen Hero who fights super villains around the world.” Karmi explained showing Hiro, Kims website on her phone and several videos of Kim facing bad guys. 

“Wait so your a super hero?” Hiro said in surprise. “Yeah she can do anything!” Ron exclaimed “and I’m her sidekick!” 

“Your her sidekick?” Hiro then said. “Oh now I remember you your the one that always loses his pants.” Karmi remembered. “Oh come on its only been a few times.” Ron moaned. 

“Losing ones pants can be considered rather embarrassing.” Baymax then explained showing a diagram of embarrassment on his screen.

“Hey okay if I get a picture.” Karmi asked “Uh sure.” Kim said since Karmi was clearly a fan. So Karmi put her hand round Kim and took a selfie of her and Kim with a peace sign. 

“Oooo I’m so posting this!” Karmi said “Okay Karmi, if your done being a fan girl I have a tour to give.” Hiro said pushing Karmi away. 

“Oh sure it’s all about you we get it your a young genius but I’m still the one who got noticed.” Karmi said smugly. 

“Well, you don’t always have to hog the spotlight Karmi.” Hiro said irritated. “Not everyone can Hamada.” Karmi retorted. 

“Gah what makes someone like that!” Hiro groaned as he continued to the robotics lab. “Who was that?” Jim asked. 

“Oh that’s Karmi, she like me is a young genius and works with bio tech, but she’s also snarky, disdains me for stealing her spot light, not to mention can be impossible to work with.” Hiro listed. 

Ron couldn’t help but notice a similarity between Hiro and Karmi and a certain someone from their high school. 

“Whoa talk about deja vu.” Ron whispered to Kim. 

“What?” Said a confused Kim. “Come on KP that’s just like how you and Bonnie are the rival cycle of life.” Ron explained. “Ron it’s totally different.” Kim denied. 

Soon they arrived at the robotics lab and Hiro pushes open the doors, when Jim and Tim entered their jaws just dropped like anvils,Kim and Ron soon followed and couldn’t help but be amazed. They saw a work space filled with robotic equipment, like robot arms playing ping pong with other students, and others riding on top of small planks with wheels over ramps. 

“Whoa! this place is awesome!” Jim said. “Yep this is where the robotics magic happens.” Hiro said. Tim then noticed a yellow and purple metal bike hanging on some hangers. He went over to the bike to take a look. Jim noticed there were no pins holding the wheels to the bike. Tim placed his hand through it and heard a magnetic sound. 

‘Whoa!” Tim breathed. “Its electro mag suspension!” Jim noticed. “Hey!” Said a female voice. The Tweebs turned to see a young woman dressed in a white tank top shirt, grey jacket, ripped dark grey leggings underneath a pair of black shorts with red lines has black bare knuckle gloves on her hands, she has brown eyes, and short black hair with purple highlights. 

“Who are you two?” She asked “Oh Gogo its okay, their with me I’m giving them a tour with two others.” Hiro explained. 

Gogo who was chewing gum blew a bubble which then burst. “Whoa sweet bike” Ron said looking at it. “Yeah I’ve never seen electro mag suspension on a bike before.” Tim said amazed. 

“I know I said the same thing.” Hiro said. “Yep lower resistance, faster bike.” Gogo explained. “But not fast enough.” Gogo said removing the wheel and throwing it like a frisbee into a wheeled bin full of similar wheels. 

“yet.” Gogo said heading off to another part of the lab. “Well she’s cheery.” Kim said. “Yeah that’s Gogo.” Hiro said He then noticed another one of his friends working on a project. 

They went over to the workspace and saw a tall burly man, very muscular, and has smooth dreadlocks for hair with a yellow headband he wears a green sweater with a light green stripe across it and wears all black jikatabi shoes. He’s dark skinned with brown eyes and bearded. 

He has green safety goggles on his face as he set up the apparatus. 

“Hey Wasabi!” Hiro called getting his attention. “Hey Hiro.” Wasabi greeted with a fist bump and noticed the company he was keeping. 

“Who are they.” Wasabi asked. “Oh there the kids of Dr.James Possible I’m just giving them a look behind the robotic trenches at SFIT.” Hiro explained. “The rocket scientist?” Wasabi asked. “Yeah we are his kids.” Kim explained 

“They are I’m not, just along for the ride.” Ron pointed out. “Well your just in time.” Wasabi said as he picked up an apple and then tossed it between the metal rods which sliced the apple into thin shreds. 

Hiro grabbed one of the shredded pieces as fine as a piece of paper. “Whoa!” Jim and Tim said in unison. “Talk about thin cut!” Ron breathed and Rufus scurried up to Rons shoulder and held one of the shredded pieces. 

Wasabi then showed the machine was generating many green light beams. 

“Hm, laser induced plasma.” Kim observed. “Sweet! With magnetic confinement!” Tim said in amazement. 

“Both correct all for accurate precision.” Wasabi explained as he organised his workspace keeping everything straight and organised. 

“Wow talk about over organised how you find anything in this mess?” Ron asked. “I have a system, there’s a place for everything everything in its place.” Wasabi explained. “Need this a minute.” Gogo then stepped in and borrowed a wrench from his workspace messing up the rest. 

“What you can’t do that! This is anarchy society has rules!”  Wasabi complained as he went after Gogo. 

Just then they heard an explosion from another work space and they look to see a woman with lightly tanned skin, long honey orange hair with a yellow headband holding her fringe back, and is slightly tall and thin wearing yellow platform heels a yellow peter pan collared sweater with white leggings. She has green eyes and wears large lensed glasses in red. 

She appears to be caught in a green sticky goop explosion. She struggles to escape the goop until Baymax manages to pull her out.

“Thanks Baymax.” Honey Lemon “You are welcome Honey Lemon.” Baymax said in his mono tone voice. “I will scan you for injury.” He then scans for any sign of injuries. “Scan complete, you have sustained no injuries.” Baymax assessed. 

“You okay Honey Lemon.” Hiro asked. “Yes I’m fine Hiro, that’ll teach me not to mix the wrong mixtures together.” Honey Lemon said. 

“Well I’m just giving these guys a tour.” Hiro explained gesturing to Kim, Ron, Tim, Jim and Rufus (on Rons shoulder) 

Honey Lemon then noticed the red head in the group and instantly recognised her. “Wait, are you Kim Possible, super teen and daughter to Doctors, James and Ann Possible.” Honey Lemon asked.

“Yep.” Kim said. “Wow it’s so nice to meet you!” Honey Lemon said shaking her hand, and then Rons and she noticed a certain naked mole rat on his shoulder. 

“Aww who’s this little fella?” Honey Lemon cooed. “Oh that’s Rufus, he’s a naked mole rat.” Ron explained “Oh well that’s kinda cool I guess.” Hiro said “so what’s your thing?” Kim then asked

“Oh advanced chemistry, in fact wait here a second.” Honey Lemon rushed off from her lab then a second later she came back rolling in a huge grey ball and carefully moved it to her work lab. 

“Whoa is that tungsten carbide?” Tim asked. “Yep four hundred pounds of it.” Honey said excitedly. “Now watch this!” she then went over to her chemistry set and began adding certain chemicals. 

“A dash of pyloric acid, a smidge of Cobalt, a hint hydrogen peroxide…” As Honey Lemon explained everything to the Tweebs, Kim and Ron the mixture went through the tubes and into a small spherical jar, Honey took out a heat gun and heated up the mixture.

“Super heated to 500 kelvin and….” The mixture Honey creates is now bright pink in colour and attaches a spray tube to the top and sprays the sphere of Tungsten Carbine. She flicks a lever on her lab wall and it sends out electricity binding the spray to the metal making into a bright pink sphere.

“Tada! Pretty cool right.” Honey said excitedly. However the audience was more than a little confused. 

“Uh its, pretty?” Kim said smiling nervously. “Yeah so Pink.” Ron agreed. “I don’t get it?” Jim asked. 

“Well watch this is the best part.” Honey Lemon then said as she approached the sphere Hiro took a step back as he knew what was coming next. 

“I suggest you step back.” Baymax advised, and so they did just as Honey touched the sphere and it exploded into pink dust. 

“Whoa!” Ron said in surprise. “Chemical metal embrittlement!” Kim said in surprise. “Exactamundo!” Honey said. She was covered in pink dust and removed her glasses to reveal not all of her face was covered in dust. 

“This place is awesome!” Jim said excitedly. “We’re SO enrolling here when we’re older!” Tim agreed. 

“Explosive as always Honey Lemon.” Hiro complimented. 

“So what’s with everyones names I mean, Honey Lemon, Gogo, Wasabi? were you guys born with those names.” Ron asked as the rest of Hiro’s friends came over. 

“For the record I only spilt wasabi on my shirt ONCE!” Wasabi stated quite clear. “Well they’re just nicknames we use but they just stuck after a while.” Gogo explained. 

“Yeah and Freds the mastermind who came up with them.” Hiro then said. 

“Uh who’s Fred?” Ron asked as Rufus looked confused unbeknownst to them there was someone standing behind him.

“This guy right here!” Said a muffled voice and Ron turned to see a green skinned monster with large yellow eyes with Diamond black eyes large black and orange fins on its head and back with an orange spot on its belly. It carried a sign with the SFIT logo on it.

Rufus and Ron screamed at the sight of the monster. 

“Ah ah don’t be alarmed.” Said the monster but its mouth didn’t move. Its arm then flopped and its mouth then opened to reveal the monster was just a suit and inside was a tall shaggy young man with long blonde brown hair, blue eyes and wears a bright green bobby hat with an image of Kaiju monster on it, he wore a white long sleeve shirt under a light red t-shirt with a Japanese Kaiju monster imprint on the lower end of the shirt. He wore dark green OD cargo shorts  and white grime-covered sneakers with dark green laces under his monster costume.

“It is just a suit this is not my actual face and body.” Fred explained. “The names Fred.” He then said shaking Rons hand. 

“School mascot by day!.” Fred said in a dramatic pose. “but by night…” He swings the sign round and flips it before he catches it and shows it off fully removing the top of the monster head. 

“I am also the school mascot.” Fred finished. “Sweet I’m the mascot back at my school too, the Middleton Mad dog.” Ron said. 

“Dude is that a naked mole rat?” Fred noticed. “Yeah his names Rufus.” Ron explained showing his small friend to Fred. “hello.” Rufus chirped. “Dude that is so cool!” Fred said much to Rufus’s joy. 

“So what’s your thing Fred?” Said a voice and saw it was Kim. “NO WAY Are you Kim Possible!” Fred said excitedly. 

Kim just nodded and went with all the fandom she was getting today. “Oh man this is so awesome!” Fred said excitedly. “This girl is a super hero who saves the world every single day!” Fred said. 

“Seriously?” Gogo asked. “Yeah we do.” Ron admitted “Yeah it's so no big.” Kim tried to say humbly. 

“Now to answer your question, I’m not a student, but I am a major science enthusiast.” Fred explained. 

Kim looked at Gogo and Wasabi all confused. “His families rich they fund the school.” Wasabi explained. “Yeah his full name is Fred Fredrickson.” Gogo said. 

“Ah I see. One of San Fransokyo’s rich society.” Kim said understanding. 

“No way!” Ron said in amazement “You have Monsterzilla issue 3.” “Yeah bought and owned.” Fred said as Ron was looking at some of the comic books he had brought to read in the lab. “Wow looks like Freds got a new BF.” Honey said. 

Later Hiro and the rest of the gang showed Kim, Ron, Rufus and the Tweebs around the campus looking at sites like  Periodic table Cafe, and the recently built Tadashi Hamada hall. Hiro explained how it was the show hall for the SFIT showcase where the fire took place. Kim couldn’t help but feel sorry for Hiro, she had faced a lot of villains in the past but no-one ever got hurt or lost anyone. No one deserved to lose someone the way he did. Gogo then explained how they rebuilt the hall and named it in Tadashi’s honour. 

During the tour Ron began to bond with the group especially Fred, as like him he had a good taste in comic books, video games and food, though Wasabi was a little freaked by Rufus he did get along with Ron too. Kim took time to adjust to Honeys enthusiastic attitude but did admire her enthusiasm and Gogo did bring some of their conversations back down to earth so to speak. 

Soon it was time for Dr. Possibles lecture to begin and everyone went to take their seats in the lecture hall. Hiro, Wasabi, Gogo and Honey Lemon sat together as a group whilst Kim, Ron and the Tweebs sat in the fourth row near the stage. Fred not being a student sat outside the door with Baymax until the lecture was over.

Later Ann arrived to see her husbands lecture, and took her seat next to her children and Ron. 

Professor Granville then came up to the lecture stage to make her announcement. 

“Students, welcome to todays lecture on the future of rocket science and robotics.” She announced “I would like to welcome todays visiting lecturer to show us the advancements and progress of rocket science.” Granville then gestures to the left of the stage. 

‘Dr. James Possible, of the Middleton space centre.” 

Dr. James Possible then walked up on the stage in his grey suit with a white shirt and black tie and took his place on the lecture stage. 

“Thank you Professor Granville.” James thanked. “You know when I look at all you young students, I see the same potential for greatness that my teachers saw in me and my classmates. We all have the potential for great things be it robotics, bio tech or even the arts. That same potential guided the first astronauts into space braving the unknown which has lead to the endless potential in the new ideas we develop in the advancements in rocket science.” 

As the lecture continued unbeknownst to everyone who was paying attention, two individuals had snuck into the lecture hall wearing black trench coats and headed towards the stage. The sleeve of the shortest of the two revealed a small bracelet device grey in colour and had blue highlighted lines. 

“However we must remember that potential could be good or bad, so today I shall show you some of the advancements in Rocket science today and my own personal experiences in the field.” Dr.Possible explained, as he did the mysterious figures started to make their way up to the stage. 

“And don’t worry I brought pictures.” James then joked to which the students laughed. 

However all of a sudden the lights in the lecture hall exploded one by one spooking everyone in the lecture hall. Sparks of blue electricity could be seen flying around and on the stage stood the two mysterious individuals in one flash they discarded their trench coats to reveal a certain mother daughter duo. 

Their attire resembled that of fashion from the 80’s they wear similar outfits, the daughters being a black sleeveless dress with a purple lighting bolt on it, a pink belt with a cyan coloured belt buckle, black boots and gauntlets with cyan power lines and wore purple leg warmers. 

Her mother wore a similar outfit except hers is a one-shouldered and has purples sleeves, tights and pink leg warmers. They both share similar pink stared earrings and cyan eye shadow, the mothers in the shape of a lighting bolt on her right eye. 

“Hope you don’t mind we add a spark to this lecture doc!” Juniper said showing her shock power to empathise. 

James could only look in shock as these two individuals appeared out of nowhere crashing his lecture. Kim and Ron saw from their seats that these two had no good intentions and Kim acting on instinct quickly jumped and flipped onto the stage in front of her dad to protect him. 

“You know it’s rude to show up uninvited?” Kim said in a combat stance. 

“I’m sorry who are you?” Barb asked with a raised eyebrow. “Mom that’s Kim Possible, you know that teen hero from the news.” Juniper 

“Yeah and you two would be?” Kim asked. “I’m Barb!” Said the mother. “And I’m Juniper” Juniper then introduced 

“Together, we're High Voltage! Power Surge!” They introduced using their electric powers to write the words ‘High Voltage’ to empathise their name. 

“So electrical villians?” Ron said as he got up on stage. “Eh I guess we’ve been due one of those.” He then shrugged.

“So who’s your tailor don’t you know it’s so not the eighties anymore!” Kim then cracked at their attire. 

“Everyones a critic!” Barb said the duo then began dancing hip hop style and from their electricity orb shot bolts of lighting towards Kim and Ron who were able to jump clear. 

“Whoa! electrical villains who can dance!” Ron said in surprise. “Dad get off the stage and get mom and the boys to safety!” Kim said to her father. 

“Now Kimmy you know I don’t do violence but you go girl!” James said as he made his way off stage. The rest of the students quickly evacuated the lecture hall under guidance by Professor Granville. 

“Everyone stay calm!” She said. However a certain group of students didn’t leave the area around the lecture hall and headed round back. 

Hiro and the team unlocked their phones and pressed a certain symbol representing a capsule sending out a signal. Then a few seconds later arrived six capsules each in the teams respective colours and bearing their BH6 symbols. 

Hiro’s was purple with the symbol of his micro-bots in the shape of an ‘H’, Baymax’s was red with his face as the symbol, Honey Lemons was bright pink with a flying chem-ball symbol, Gogo’s was in yellow with a spinning disc symbol, Wadabi’s a shade of turquoise green with his energy blade as the symbol and finally Freds which was blue with his Kaiju monster symbol. 

The Skymax capsules land and open their front compartments to reveal the teams respective armours. 

Back in the lecture theatre High Voltage danced their hips off in their routine and shot electrical bolts towards Kim and in the background its as if you could hear High Voltage’s theme song. 

Kim using her skilled acrobatics was able to avoid the electrical blasts and gets in close enough to fight the mother daughter duo. However the two were also skilled acrobats and avoided Kim’s punches and round house kicks. 

The two then did several back flips and jumped away from Kim before firing a jolt of electricity towards Kim who was just able to avoid them in time. 

“Wow your good where’d you learn?” Juniper asked “Cheerleading.” Kim answered while catching her breath. “No way I tried out for cheer leading once, didn’t make the cut!” Juniper said a little irritated. 

“With a look like that I can see why” Kim smirked. 

The mother daughter duo then shot another bolt of electricity but before it could hit Kim jumped to avoid it and quickly grabbed Junipers wrist before she could fire another bolt. The bolt hit the ceiling and a tile fell from the cieling. 

Below Kims family was hurrying to escape but Ann tripped and fell to the ground right under the piece of ceiling that was falling down. 

“Honey!” James cried in fright and Ann looked up and could see she was about to get hit by the ceiling fragment. However something arrived in time to stop it. 

She looked up and saw a giant red armoured robot with red purple spots on his shoulder pads and hands holding the ceiling fragment up. 

“W-what?” Ann said in shock. “I suggest you vacate the premies for your own safety.” Baymax advised in his monotone voice. 

Ann quickly got up and went to her family who were relieved to see her unharmed. Jim and Tim could hardly believe what they were seeing when they looked at the armoured robot, but the surprises weren’t over yet. 

Kim was starting to lose ground on High Voltage, she just managed to avoid another bolt of electricity before tripping off the stage and landing in the seats. 

“Hang on KP!” Called Ron as he ran over help his friend only for Barb to zap him with a bolt of electricity and send him flying into the seats and sends Rufus flying out of his pocket and onto the floor. 

“Ron!” Kim cried, soon High Voltage’s attention was back on Kim who were about to zap her with electricity when suddenly. 

A flying yellow disc intercepted the blast and flew back to the one who threw it. Standing in the lecture theatre was six certain super heroes armoured up and ready to fight. Kim and Ron looked in complete surprise to see these armoured individuals and how they arrived. 

“Long time no see High Voltage!” Gogo said and thankfully  her helmet voice modulator disguised her voice, as well as her teammates so no-one who knows them would see its them. 

“Oh look if it isn’t Big Hero 6.” Juniper said. “Big Hero what?” Kim said in surprise. 

“Oh you have your electro orb thingy back.” Fredzilla noticed. “Why got bored of using Krei’s stolen tech.” Hiro asked. 

“Funny you should ask, after we broke out of jail we found our old electro orb and ditched the batteries.” Juniper explained. 

“And we have a new routine just for you six!” Barb said. 

The duo tapped their feet and performed several flips before firming bolts of electricity at the six heroes, who quickly scatter to avoid them. Gogo uses her mag lev discs to avoid the blasts then throws her hand disks at High Voltage who lean back to avoid them as they return to sender. 

Honey Lemon tapped on multiple buttons on her Chem purse to produce several small balls in blue. 

“We’ve got to cut off their power target the orb!” Hiro said remembering how they beat the duo on their first encounter. 

“On it!” Honey said as she rushed forwards “Gogo keep them distracted!” Hiro relayed. Gogo nodded and skated around the room drawing their fire whilst Honey Lemon threw her chem-balls at the duo to try and hold them down. However they double back flip out of the way.

“Juniper more sparkle in that smile and dance those hips!” Barb said dancing as she generated electricity.

“On it!” Juniper said and danced to fire electric bolts towards Honey Lemon who quickly avoided the, blasts but was hit by an energy ball thrown by Juniper she was sent flying into the air. She was quickly caught by Baymax as he flew into the air with Hiro on his back. 

“Thanks Baymax.” Honey Lemon thanked “you are welcome.” Baymax replied. Then quickly avoided another electrical blast. 

“Juniper double act five six seven eight!” Barn said and they began dancing in sequence and blasted energy blasts at Baymax who avoided the first two but just missed the third. Before the duo could ready the next blast a certain teen hero jumped in and tripped them up with a leg swipe. 

“All that talent and you decide to commit crimes rather than go on American Star maker?” Kim cracked. 

“What and face that fickle judge I don’t think so, we are telling our story through dance and Juniper is number one!” Juniper exclaimed as she stood up. “You mean we’re number one honey!” Barb reminded strictly. 

This distraction gave Wasabi and Fredzilla the chance to act Wasabi readied his plasma blades whilst Fred charged in mouth blazing literally. 

“Back into the fire!” He exclaimed but Barb quickly blasted him with electricity Wasabi acts quickly and slides under him as he crashes into the stands. Fred gets up and looks to Ron who’s stood right next to him. 

“Oh hey.” Fredzilla said and thanks to his suit Ron couldn’t recognise his voice. “Ah!” Ron screamed and Rufus jumped in fright. 

Wasabi sliced his blades at High Voltage as they tried hitting him with electricity but dodged them. Kim then comes in from the right with punches and roundhouse kicks. 

“We need room to dance!” Barb said and the duo back flip away then Juniper does squat dancing firing bolts of electricity from her feet Wasabi tries his best to avoid the bolts but trips up. Kim was able to avoid them using back flips and lands next to Wasabi. 

“I’ve heard of crazy dance offs but this is ridiculous!” Kim said. “Yeah she has her moms thighs” Wasabi pointed out. 

Baymax quickly flew into the scene with Hiro in tow, however as they came in close High Voltage blasts the red robot which shorts out Baymax’s circuits. 

“Oh no.” Baymax said as he came to a quick halt flinging Hiro off his back and landing on the stage. 

“Didn’t you learn from last time to our red there and bolts don’t mix I thought you were smarter than that?” Barb questioned 

“Yeah I am, but that was just my job distracting you.” Hiro smirked then out of nowhere Gogo leaps in and Honey Lemon throws her some chem-balls which she caught and as she grabbed the electro orb the chem balls insulated Gogos gloves to prevent her from being electrocuted. She lands on the opposite end of the stage. 

“Lights out ladies.” Gogo said. “Aw yeah the catchphrase!” Fredzilla said. 

The duo try to use their electricity powers but without the orb their cut off from their power source. 

“Time for a Michael Jackson Mom!” Juniper said. “Yeah honey let’s beat it!” The two said making a run for it but Kim quickly flips towards them and lands in front of them pulling out her grappling hair dryer and fires a cable which wraps around their legs tripping them up. 

“So not.” Kim smirked. “Booyah! Kim!” Ron cheered. 

“Nicely done.” Gogo complimented but slightly darkened her visor a little as did the others. Soon they heard Baymax get up again after rebooting his systems. 

“My systems are rebooted, is everyone unharmed?” He asked. “Yeah we’re good.” Hiro said 

“Okay so who are you guys?” Kim asked in a slightly demanding tone. 

“Oh we’re Big Hero 6, a pleasure to meet you Miss Possible.” Hiro said but disguised his voice so she wouldn’t recognise it was him. 

“Yeah we’re the super heroes of the city!” Fredzilla said.

Soon the sound of police sirens could be heard from a distance and it was the police. Big Hero 6 climbed aboard Baymax and he formed his wings on his back.

“Thank you for your service.” Baymax waved as they took to the sky leaving Kim all but surprised. 

“Whoa, now they’re cool super heroes!” Ron said amazed. 

Several minutes later the San Fransokyo Police arrived at SFIT they sealed off the crime scene whilst two officers took High Voltage into custody. The other students on campus were unharmed.

Soon Kim and Ron found the other Possibles outside the building. The family then noticed the two approach. 

“Kimmy you okay?” Ann asked, “No big but I should be asking you that mom, are you okay.” Kim then asked in concern. 

“I’m fine honey thanks to that red robot.” Ann assured. ‘Yeah you see that thing now that was an awesome robot!” Jim said excitedly. “Yeah and those other guys with the blades and discs beyond amazing!” Tim agreed. 

They then noticed a certain group of students and their robot approach them. 

“Yep that’s Big Hero 6 for you, always here to help.” Hiro said. “Big Hero 6, cool name.” Tim said. 

“How’d you know their name?” Kim asked with a raised eyebrow? “Oh well we heard about them in the news.” Hiro covered up. 

“For once Hamada’s right.” Karmi said as she came over and showed Kim her phone and she and Ron looked to see a news paper about the six heroes after the incident at Krei tech. 

“Big Hero 6 saved the city from super villains and appeared about a few months ago after stopping the attack at Krei tech.” Karmi explained. “Not to mention they’re lead by a cutie.” Karmi said lovingly. 

Hiro just rolled his eyes at how oblivious Karmi was and how she hadn’t guessed who her ‘cutie’ really is. 

They then overheard a conversation between two police officers. “Sir we just got word from the precinct, there’s been a break in at a Krei warehouse north of the city.” Said one officer to another. 

Kim and Ron looked at each other thinking the same thing while Hiro and his friends looked in surprise too but didn’t know that both groups were thinking the same thing. 

Drakken’s lair

Far side of the city in Drakken’s new lair Shego had returned this time with the cyber circuit she previously tried to steal from the Krei tech warehouse. Drakken turned round to see that his partner in crime had returned.

“Ah I see we were able to benefit from our bait and switch.” Drakken smiled. 

“Yeah I got your stupid circuit even if we did have to reach out to a couple of amateurs dressed like a lame eighties band.” Shego said placing the circuit on the table. 

“Fashion critics aside Shego, the plan worked they caused chaos long enough for you to get the circuit without getting caught by the police or those Big Hero 6 guys.” Drakken explained.

Just then Drakken’s phone rang and he reached into his pocket and pulled it out to answer it. 

“Yes Dr.Drakken.” Drakken answered and the person on the other line spoke to him “yes.” Drakken nodded, “Yes of course, we’ll be there.” Drakken then hung up the phone.

“What was that about?” Shego asked “That Shego was our benefactor he wants us to meet him at a place he calls, good luck alley.” Drakken explained.

“Good luck alley, who names these streets?” Shego asks. “Come we must not keep him waiting.” Drakken said reaching for a trench coat on a coat hanger. 

Back at the hotel

At the hotel where the Possibles were staying during their trip Kim was in her room with Ron talking with Wade about recent events while Rufus is enjoying some peanuts that came with the room.  

“According to the police report Krei techs warehouse was robbed during the time these High Voltage villians attacked SFIT.” Wade relayed over the Kimmunicator. 

“Coincidence?” Ron said shrugging. “Doubt it, my guess that dancing duo was just a distraction to keep us busy whilst Shego pulled the heist.” Kim surmised. 

“From what I can tell she made off with a cyber circut drive something Krei tech was working on for one of their robotics project, what Drakken could use it for I’m not sure.” Wade then said. 

“So in other words we don’t know where Drakken is or what he’s up to.” Kim concluded. “Yep pretty much.” Wade answered. “Well that’s dead endish.” Ron said

Kim could only sigh knowing there was no way to learn what Drakken has been doing in this city before they arrived, however she did have one possible theory.

“Wade keep digging into Drakken but before you do, could you look up some info on a group of people called Big Hero 6?” She then asked. 

Wade did some typing on his keyboard and soon found some information on what Kim was talking about. 

“Well not much is known about Big Hero 6 except they’re a group of super heroes who protect the city of San Fransokyo.” Wade explained. “According to some newspaper articles they appeared around several months ago when they stopped a masked villain named Yokai from using an experimental portal from destroying the Krei tech campus. They stopped him and saved one other person, a test pilot by the name of Abigail Callaghan.” 

“Callaghan?!” Kim breathed as she’d heard that name before. “Wait ain’t that the name of the guy who worked at SFIT?” Ron asked. 

“Yeah.” Kim said and then remembered something. 

“Wade anything about a fire at SFIT?” Kim then asked. “Yeah there is apparently he started it to fake his death so no one would suspect it was him under the mask, but the fire claimed one other victim, a student by the name of Tadashi Hamada.” Wade then explained.

“Hiro’s brother.” Kim said slightly shocked. “Oh man.” Ron breathed whilst Rufus just looked in despair.

“Anything else?” Kim then asked. “Well other than several fan fictions written by someone by the name of Karmi which are quite popular.” Wade then informed. “What how come we don’t get people writing fan fictions about us!” Ron moaned. 

“Uh actually you do, some rather interesting even team ups with comic book heroes, others a little dark.” Wade then explained “I’ll keep digging and see what else I can find.” “Please and thank you.” Kim thanked. 

However she couldn’t help but wonder about the six heroes that stopped High Voltage today, the way they fought them and the tech they used somehow seemed familiar to her. Not to mention there’s the recently discovered connection to the fire at SFIT, the death of Hiro’s brother and the attack at Krei tech months ago, could it be a coincidence or something else? 

Good Luck Alley.

Later as night fell in a darker part of the city lay a single alley full of shady figures and misfit criminals. Drakken and Shego walked down this alley passing all the criminals such as Felony Carl shaking a person “Quite literally” for money. 

They soon arrived where they needed to go and entered to find something going on in the ring were a couple of small robots fighting each other in a ring. 

“Hm, not my kinda place but dark alleys are the next best thing.” Shego observed. “Now Shego when we meet with him I shall do the talking.” Drakken advised. 

They soon went in the back and are greeted by a woman with pale skin, red lips and black hair in a traditional Japanese hairstyle.Wearing a pink tank top shirt and purple shorts and wore an eyepatch over left eye. 

“I’m here to see your employer.” Drakken said simply. The Bot fight ring leader just looked at the two new comers and then lead them further into the club. Soon they arrived at an office above the bot fighting ring. They are then greeted by a rather large obese man almost similar to a sumo wrestler. wearing a dark blue tack suit with yellow stripes and a Japanese symbol on the back. 

It was Yama head of the bot fighting ring and a known player in the criminal underworld of San Fransokyo. 

End of Chapter 2

Welp, that's it for chapter 2 folks, and I told you Obake wasn't Drakkens partner in this escapade but who knows he may show up again later down the line. Now as regards the villains who crashed the party I was originally going to have the Mad Jacks crash Mr. Dr P’s lecture but it seemed to make more sense to have High voltage perform the deed, after all they seem like the kind of people that Drakken would employ just to keep Teen Heroes off his back. 

Another thing I thought it be a good element to have Dr. James Possible have a history with Professor Callaghan pre SFIT as I thought that would add more to his story. 

Anyhow now Team Possible have had their first meeting with BH6 and it looks like Kims beginning to wonder about them, hm what will happen next well don't worry I’ll have chapter 3 written in due course but I do have Uni work to think about. But don’t threat I’ll be back with chapter 3 of this crossover soon.

Until then Boyah! 

[thefragileblackdahlia]

Blink Twice if You’re Okay

Chapter Summary

Finally, a sunny day for vacationing, Ariel suggests the crew should head to Bora Bora. Sam and Ariel have some alone time.

Pairing(s): MOC!Soulmate!Lucifer x Ariel, Platonic! Sam x Ariel

Warning(s): Implied R*pe, HEAVY Angst, Mild Language

A/N: Here is my filler episode. I am really excited about it because it's the first chapter/episode where I have a free creative range. Sam x Ariel content. Let's see what I can do! Also, feedback is appreciated.

Beta'd by no one

Word count: 6,954

OUTFIT 1  OUTFIT 2

Hi before anyone goes into this chapter, I wanted to put a trigger warning for R*pe. It isnt heavily detailed but I just wanted to let you lovely people know. If you ever need anyone to talk to just message me or leave a comment and i will message you. ♥ There will be another TW further in the chapter just in case some of you skip this long-ass warning.

Ariel stood in the motel window, watching the people pass by. 

Days like these, she really missed Castiel and her many other angel companions. It was wrong of her to abandon her garrison, but what 'Heaven' stood for was not right, and the Winchesters deserved better. 

Humans deserved better.

The archangel decided to read a book called 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.' It was a lovely book about a prepubescent boy and his destiny. She felt like the Winchesters could relate, defeating a rising evil and saving the world. 

Ariel slammed the book closed once she heard a breathy voice come from the motel room entrance.

"Morning, Ariel. Have you been up all night?" The voice asked.

"Angels don't sleep, I've told you this." She put it. The woman turned to set her eyes on where the voice came from. It was from Sam, coming in from a morning jog. 

A small smile formed on her lips. She was fond of Sam, and his big decision to end his demonic activities made it easier to look at him. His soul lightened by a tremendous amount, and it was almost as if he could be his own sun.

"So like you're always awake? What is that like?" Sam questioned. 

This was probably the longest he and Ariel had a conversation. He wasn't dumb, he noticed that she always avoided looking at him like his presence was a disease. It made him feel already closer to being a monster, but he was sure she was doing it for a better reason.

Ariel just let out a small giggle and made her way across the room to sit on Sam's bed. "It's not like anything if you have never experienced sleep before. And it isn't like I will ever be close to being human because of my grace, it basically refills." She paused and fixed her gaze on the wall mirror across from Sam's bed. 

"Being an archangel has its perks, but the closest to being human I can get is being empathetic and participating in activities. Like eating, drinking, and sex." Ariel concluded.

The tall hunter peeped his head out of the bathroom when she mentioned sex. He began talking with his toothbrush still in his mouth. "Wait, Angels have sex?" Sam had a slight look of amusement and disbelief.

Ariel glanced over at Dean, who was stirring in his sleep. Man, he was still asleep? The ginger nodded. "It isn't permitted," She returned her gaze back to Samuel. "But the rebellious angels do..." Her voice drifted as she thought about all those years of Angels rebelling and her having to execute them. 

"I wouldn't really know..." She added

Rushing water filled the silence momentarily, followed by spitting and then more silence. The brunette male leaned himself against the door frame. He didn't have an immediate response to that, so he just examined her and picked apart her vessel's features. 

It was decorated in freckles and beauty marks. Her eyes were a crystal blue and her lashes were long which complemented the round shape. Ariel's entire being was very alluring.

Sam cleared his throat and started, "What are you reading?-"

Ariel cut Sam off. "Do you guys usually sit around and wait for a case?"

Dean's groggy voice came from her side. "You got a better idea?" He ridiculed while rolling over onto his back and stretching. 

"You both talk too much. Have you not heard of sleep?" Dean snapped.

"Well, no one told you to go to the bar and drink yourself half to death." Sam countered while taking a seat next to the celestial being. 

The gentle giant had many more questions to ask Ariel, but not around Dean. He just wanted to know everything she knew and if he could redeem himself.

The 30-year-old man groaned as he moved to the edge of the bed. "Yeah, well, sue me for having fun." He drawled while sitting up.

This comment made Ariel cringe. 

The idea of drinking yourself under the table and flirting with an endless amount of women, being fun, was an overstatement. Not too long ago, she and Dean were sucking face in Jack's house, and nearly two weeks later, they were strangers again. 

Ariel avoided Dean as much as she could, and whenever Sam tried to get them to talk, it backfired.

"We could vacation." Ariel suggested.

Sam clenched his jaw at Dean's inconsiderate response. Maybe Ariel didn't sleep or eat, but she did display some emotions. She cried, laughed, and obviously, she loves. He hated how clueless his brother could be.

"Yeah, let's just hop on a flight to Bora Bora. Oh, wait, with what money? We barely had enough to stay at the motel." Dean queried. He knew what he was doing, pushing Ariel away. 

Feelings are what Dean tried to avoid in this life, but Ariel made it so much harder for him. Whenever she was around him, he felt the need to protect and hold her in his arms, and he wasn't sure if she had the same feeling.

Ariel scoffed and gestured to her back. "Did you forget that I have wings, dumbass? I can fly us there and maybe whip up some clothes but that's about it."

"Hanging out at the beach actually sounds nice, Dean." Sam interjected. 

Maybe bathing in the sun could take his mind off things, or perhaps it would give him the personal time with Ariel he wanted. The hazel-eyed hunter pressed his lips into a thin line and glanced over at Ariel, who was just waiting for a response. 

"Or...We could go without you." Sam added, which earned a questioning look from both Ariel and Dean.

That suggestion made Ariel's heart flutter. Alone with Sam? She never thought about it, but now that she has, she didn't object.

Dean's face contorted to the thought of his brother alone with Ariel. He hesitated before speaking. He was not good for Ariel, maybe Sam could give it a shot. Sam was smarter and more considerate. 

"Sure, Go ahead. I'll just go to Bobby's," Dean asserted, nonchalantly.

Ariel could tell it bothered him, she could sense the tension in the air, and it only made her want to leave. 

Their unhealthy dynamic and the fighting, somehow, she was always in the middle of two brothers. That is how it started, and that was how her story would inevitably end. 

"Alright." She mumbled before disappearing.

Sam was about to address Ariel, but she just up and left. He immediately looked at his brother and shook his head. 

"You ignore her for weeks...she offers a vacation day in Bora Bora, and you act like an ass. " Sam scolded.

 Now Sam had to find the archangel, apologize for Dean and possibly give her a hug for Dean. The tall being pushed himself off of the dingy motel bed and started for the door.

This radical reaction made Dean angry. "What- I mean, you're practically taking her on a date." He paused. "Why not just kiss her in front of me- Lay her down gently and go to town." The bow-legged hunter stepped to Sam as he spoke.

It was obvious Dean was jealous, but Dean literally had the opportunity to take Ariel to the beach and enjoy a day in relaxation, but he fucked that up moments ago. Sam took a minute to think and then just grabbed his coat and scoffed. 

"Y'know. With you acting like this- maybe I will." Sam sneered and left the room to search for their angel friend.

Dean was taken aback by his brother's forwardness. He did not expect him to say something like that, which meant Dean really messed up. The surly hunter stood in the doorway as he watched his brother leave.

Fuck.

LATER

A soft rustling sound filled the air.

"Samuel? I bought us swimwear!" Ariel exclaimed as she arrived in the motel room. Her eyes darted around in hopes of finding the tall man, but all she was met with was silence and a glowering look from Dean. "Sam?"

Dean rolled his eyes and sighed. "He went out- looking for you." He slammed the lore book closed and grabbed his duffle bag. 

Just then, Sam entered with a case of beer.

"Hey, I couldn't find Ariel, but- Hey, where'd you go? I looked everywhere for you." Sam asked with a laugh. He searched everywhere for her, the diner, the pool he even stole a car and drove to the strip mall, yet here she was, standing in the room with her arms full of clothes.

"What's all this? Where'd you get the money?" Sam chuckled.

Ariel smiled and wigged the bunch of pool noodles. "Clothes! I saw in the movies that people bring a big wardrobe on vacation, even if it's for a few days. I also picked out swimwear. I wasn't sure what your favorite color was- because I know humans become peeved when you forget their favorite things. Like when I forgot Dean's favorite pie flavor-" She started rambling.

"Ariel?" Dean cut her off.

Ariel glanced at Dean, "huh?"

Dean shoved his arm's into his leather jacket. "You're rambling."

"Sorry, I'm just excited. Angels were never allowed to come to earth, and the only beach adjacent place I visited was The Garden of Eden...and when I was there- Lucifer-he uh. " Ariel stared off into the distance, her nails softly digging into the plastic bags.

She tried to fight the impending flashback, but it won.

"Why do you love them and not me? Those apes are flawed beyond comprehension, but us, Little one- We're perfect. You're supposed to love me. We are soul mates!" Lucifer rutted his body against Ariel's, a loud cry erupting from her throat.

The archangel cleared her throat and looked at Sam who's brows were furrowed. "Nothing good happened to me when I was in the Garden. So sue me for looking forward to one good day." She muttered, with her hands visibly shaking.

Her words silenced the boys. Sam was fascinated by how old she was. And Dean was bothered by the fact that Lucifer had done something to her. 

The Garden was supposed to be this sacred place. God was supposed to be watching over everything, right? How could God of all beings let that happen to her? Dean felt like an asshole.

Sam clenched his jaw and sat the beer down on the tv stand. "It's okay, here gimme that." He stretched for the bag of swimwear but recoiled when he saw Ariel flinch. 

What could Lucifer have done that scarred an Archangel of the lord?

"No, it's okay. Let's go, I want to go." Ariel breathed and grabbed the toys and the beer. "Bye, Dean. See you tomorrow." The redhead smiled wanly at the older Winchester.

"Have fun." Was the last thing the two heard before Ariel transported them to the Resort.

LOBBY 

They arrived in the resort lobby: Conrad Bora Bora Nui.

"A little warning there next time." Sam laughed from the ground. 

The male was buried underneath many plastic bags. He let out a low groan and gestured to the front desk concierge, "Go check us in our room while I gather this stuff."

"I've never interacted with...other humans before, I mean- I never spoke to anyone else. Even at the store I just gave them the money." Ariel whispered while kneeling by Sam's head. 

The only humans she interacted with were at the store, and that didn't go too well. They asked her if she were a robot and why she was dressed like the 70s 'threw up on her.' She did not like that.

"Here, it's okay, just help me up, and I will book it," The long-haired hunter tossed the things aside as he saw Ariel stretch her hand out for him to grab. He grasped her hand and pulled himself up. 

"Thanks."

Ariel grabbed the clothes and whipped up suitcases out of thin air for their clothes. She looked down at her attire. With a thought, the woman was now dressed in a short, red sundress. She smoothed down her now straight hair and glanced up in time to see Sam ogling her.

"Here, You look like you just came from a marathon- maybe this would suit you better." Ariel murmured as she snapped her fingers and changed Sam's clothes. He now wore a Hawaiian button-up with pale gray shorts and male sandals. 

Sam snorted and looked down at his outfit.

The hunter appreciated the gesture, but he felt more comfortable in his running clothes. He didn't want Ariel to use up all her grace just to have him in some fancy luxurious person clothes. 

"This is a bit much, don't you think?"

Why did the Winchesters never accept anything good? It bothered her. 

Ariel gave the human a small pat on the arm. "It's okay. I want the full experience. I saw that people dress like this in the movies."

"Really?" Sam chuckled at Ariel's ignorance. It was a delight to be with a celestial being that had no idea how humans worked. He wondered if all angels were like this. 

"Let's go." Sam murmured while taking his hand in hers and pulling her toward the front desk.

PRESIDENTIAL DELUXE SUITE

Once the two were situated in their suite, Sam strolled out on the balcony of the Villa and spotted Ariel, leaning over the edge. She looked at peace with her red hair blowing in the breeze. 

If someone had told Sam years ago that he would be in the Bahamas with an Archangel, he would have told them that they were crazy. 

Ariel shifted onto her other foot and glanced over her shoulder at the hunter standing by the doorway. "Thanks for coming with me, Sam."

"You don't have to thank me, who would pass up the Bahamas? I mean, I like researching, but I guess I kinda needed a break." As he chatted, he inched closer to his speaking partner. 

Sam perched himself on the wooden railing, next to the woman, and resumed talking. "I- I kinda wanted to get you alone, so I could talk to you about...me? I mean, I want to know more about you too." He rambled.

"Sam, It's okay. I already know." Ariel laughed at Sam's nervousness and placed a light hand on the human's forearm. 

This sweet gesture caused Sam to tense up. He wasn't used to someone other than Ruby touching him, and to have an Angel caress him, it made him uneasy. Ariel overlooked Sam's body language and flashed him an alluring smile. 

"What do you want to know?"

"Everything," Sam replied and moved closer to her. A small voice in his head screamed at him to move the hell away from her, but he couldn't. There was something about her energy that drew him in, and Sam felt safe. He knew that he was in good hands, and he'd be damned if he would let something like this fall into the hands of someone else.

Ariel slowly pulled her hand back and motioned over to the white sofa on the deck. "Well, there isn't much I can tell you." She paused and plopped down on the cushion and patted the spot next to her. "But from what I do know, we should sit."

The tall being shuffled over to the couch and cautiously planted himself next to the angel. He fiddled with his fingers and kept his gaze on Ariel.

"Okay, well as far as I know and what I've been told by my older brother- is that you have been trying to track down Lilith and you've been using your powers but- You're drinking demon blood...that stuff is bad Sam."

Ariel moved her hand onto Sam's and gripped it tightly as she told him all she knew. "I know you mean well, but nothing good will come of this if you sacrifice your humanity just to kill one demon." She paused. "You tell yourself, it's to save people but if you have to risk the light in you, then does the end really justify your means?"

Sam averted his gaze once she brought up the blood-drinking. He was saving people. That was all that went through his mind when he thought about using his powers. It was the only way he could cope.

 "I... what she did to Dean- She's breaking the seals and you're telling me you don't want her dead? I can kill her, I just have to get strong and then I can kill her." Sam choked out.

Ariel regarded the man with an expression that was inscrutable when Sam spoke. 

It took him a while to gather the courage to look Ariel's way, he felt like the dam behind his eyes was going to collapse at any second.

"You remind me of someone..." The angel whispered. 

Ariel recommenced, "Sam, this isn't the way to go, and if you continue down this path...I cannot promise you I will stay to protect you."

"Y'know, I can perceive the human soul and yours is very, very bright." Ariel raised her palm to the hunter's face and cupped his cheek. The agony emanating off of his being overwhelmed her and drowned her. She could feel her chest tightening with every breath.

"It's beautiful." The archangel murmured before moving incredibly closer and shifting onto her knees. Ariel raised her fingertips to Sam's temples and sent surges of her grace into him. She wanted him to see what she saw.

The hunter could feel the tears coming and just as Ariel sent the surge of grace, they fell over the precipice. Samuel's eyes glazed over, resembling Ariel's grace-charged eyes. 

Sam's face contorted as she sent the many images of himself into his mind.  His eyes darted from side to side as he saw himself but behind there was a bright, nearly blinding light behind his figure. His ears perked once he heard her dulcet voice.

"You could be your own sun, that's how bright it is. So don't worry about some darkness within you, there is none. You and your crusade, to kill Lilith- It leads to darkness." Ariel whispered.

This exchange was intimate for them. 

There was a long pause before Sam pulled Ariel into a crushing embrace. He nuzzled his head against her neck, tears streaming down his face. 

Sam could not for the life of him tell what it was about this strange woman except that she just reminded him of something, someone, of Jessica. If Sam could see Jessica in her, he only wondered who Dean saw in her. Maybe mom?

"You can't be real." He whispered. Samuel's hold on her tightened tremendously. "Someone like you can't be real." The troubled man repeated, more for himself than her.

"I am real and I'll be here for a long time...I hope." Ariel smiled and gave her human companion a kiss on his forehead. She lingered until her vessel reminded her of Dean. 

Dean, Ariel missed him. She missed comforting him and watching the stars. A soft buzz filled her ears. 

Sam sniffled and lightly nudged the angel. "Sorry- Okay, so, tell me about you. You must be very old. I'm guessing 5 billion years old."

"Close, but no cigar. I'm 10 billion years old give or take a few. Thanks for making me feel old." Ariel playfully pushed Sam away, which was followed by a small sigh. 

This caught Sam's attention.

Sam looked out to the sea, watching the sunset. "Was it lonely?"

"Not at first... I have- well, had four brothers; they are also Archangels. There's Gabriel, Raphael... He did this to me." She gesticulated to the scars that were now fading. 

"Then, Michael, he is the oldest. He says I ruin everything."

Ariel gave a sad laugh and shifted in her seat. She turned to her side, raised her legs, and laid them across Sam's lap. Then, she relaxed her head on the back cushion. 

"Y'know how a younger sibling comes in and knocks over all the blocks..."

Sam chuckled at her analogy. "Yeah, I think I get it. Sounds like a horrible family." He fixed his hazel-eyes on her sapphire eyes. 

When she got down to the last name, her eyes seemed to gloss over. It wasn't often Ariel cried or showed any other emotions besides joy or anger, but Sam did notice when she disassociated. 

Sam laid his hands on her calves, and he gave them a small squeeze to let her know he was listening.

"Then there's Lucifer..." Ariel breathed. Just saying his name made her wings tense up.

Sam started. "We can talk about movies if you want-"

Ariel shook her head and chuckled. "No, it's okay. I'd rather tell you than Dean. He...would not handle it well." She paused and began telling her story. 

"Father, he made me a part of Lucifer and So that sort of made us more than just archangels created by the same thing." Ariel pulled her knees to her chest and hugged herself.

The celestial being fingered the frills on her dress hem, sadness clouding her features. "Him and I, we were God's favorites. We were left alone most of the time. We were a pair- two peas in a pod...but then one day that changed." 

 "Well, It started with the conception of you- humans. I was okay with not being a prized possession, but Lucifer..." Ariel's voice cracked.

"So, when Lucifer wanted me to rebel, begging me to join...I said no. He said I was a part of him and that he didn't need permission..." Ariel closed her eyes and shook her head once she began having flashbacks of The Garden.

Trigger Warning: Implied R*pe (read with caution) Please do not progress if this may trigger you. After this flashback, there will be a short summary of what happened.

FLASHBACK

The sun beamed down on the greenery, morning dew trickling down the blades of grass. In the distance, there were animals grazing.

"Gadreel, please!" A disembodied voice came from somewhere near the Garden.

"I cannot, you know the rules. I'm sorry, Little one." Gadreel held his military position as he eyed the girl in front of him. 

It was Ariel.

"I am so much older than you, not fair of you to call me that. Please, I promise I won't do anything. They're arguing again...I just want to be alone with the trees." Ariel pleaded with the guardian angel.

Gadreel opened his mouth to speak but stopped, his face contorting. A line appeared between his brows as his eyes darted from the archangel to heavenward. He seemed to be listening to something or someone but Ariel couldn't discern who.

"Maybe don’t go in the garden today..."  Gadreel whispered. 

Ariel was taken aback by his anxiousness. "Why not? You would let me in any other day."

The guardian seemed fixed on something else as he gazed at the beauty before him. He had an inscrutable expression that teetered between pitying and haunted. 

Something was wrong.

"Okay, be careful." Ariel's guardian companion huffed.

"Always," The archangel squealed and gave Gadreel a light peck on his cheek before flying into the Garden.

When she disappeared, a disembodied voice echoed throughout Gadreel's mind. 

'Good. Now, Leave your post.' 

The angel hesitated for a moment, glancing back over his shoulder at his friend settling down but the river."I'm sorry, Little one."

Gadreel flew away.

Ariel resided near the stream and stretched her vessel's limbs before laying on her back. She only came into the Garden when they put her in the middle of things. Again, Lucifer put her on display for everyone in the garrison to see; Asking her to join him. When she declined, most of the angels snickered, embarrassing Lucifer. 

He did not like that.  

For years, Lucifer had been throwing a tantrum of the creation of humanity, amongst other things. It greatly affected the whole Archangel family, but Ariel never said a word about how she truly felt. 

Deep down, she knew that she wasn't made to serve heaven, and once she finally saw humans for the first time, her heart was set. Humans were to be loved, cherished, and above all things, protected. And after his last act of aggression against her, she wanted no part of her other half. 

This made Lucifer more vehement. 

No one agreed with him, and those that did were never outspoken.

"I knew you'd be down here, Little one." A sultry incorporeal voice came from behind her, frightening her. 

Ariel's body tensed at the way he put emphasis on 'little one.' She did not like this nickname- or at least when it came out of his mouth. When others said it, it was like a term of endearment, but when Lucifer said it, it made her being crawl.

"Are you cloud watching?" He addressed her again, starving for attention. 

She would not give it. 

"You could at least look at me when I'm talking to you." Lucifer growled.

His explosive temper instilled fear into the young angel's heart. It was not fair; he was older, and stronger by so much. She felt helpless in this situation, and it wasn't like her other brothers would step in and make Lucifer leave her alone. God was no better, but still, she loved her Father. 

Ariel finally set her vessel's eyes on his.

Lucifer's eyes were distant. They held nothing in them but possessiveness and wrath. "Why did you leave me like that?" He asked coldly.

Ariel perched herself up on her palms while keeping her eyes locked with his. "You always shout over the same things. I won't be on display with you asking such inane questions."

"My questions aren't stupid, it's important and lesser angels don't think for themselves like we do, they're meant to follow. Now if God's two most favorited Angels rebelled because, well who cares of the because- They would follow us..." Lucifer took a seat next to his sister and crossed his legs.

"What you'd be leading them to is damnation and i will not join that. Your logic is skewed and Father won't appreciate us defiling his creation he took so long to make." Ariel countered while pushing herself to her feet.

Lucifer's expression hardened as he listened to her. "Damnation? I'd be leading them to triumph. Imagine what you and I could do together..." The man's word fell off as he shifted onto his feet and made an advance on her. 

"What we could make..." He murmured as he disappeared.

"You and I will do nor make anything. Why can't you get it through your thick skull that- I. Will. Not. Join. YOU!" Ariel set her eyes on the gate ahead, seeing that Gadreel was not at his post as usual. 

Lucifer reappeared behind the angel placing himself betwixt her wings. "Why can't you get it through your thick skull, that I'm not doing this without you." The corrupt being roughly set both hands on his sister's shoulders and squeezed them tight.

"And I'm done asking for permission." He whispered in a breathy voice.

"You're insane!" Ariel breathed as she tried to pull herself away, but he just dragged her back to him.

"No... I'm actually not." Lucifer growled, dipping his arms under her feathers and pressed his body against hers. His archangel blade appeared in his hand; the pointed bit pushed lightly into her chest. 

The color drained out of her face as a high-pitched ring filled the air, besides their heavy breathing.

The nefarious being led her over to a nearby tree, shoving Ariel against the tree.

"Luci... This isn't the way..." The ginger's voice broke as she said the word 'this.' Ariel tried to flap her wings to get away but with him pressed so hard against her scapulars it was agony if she even tried moving an inch.

"Please, We can talk this out..." She panted.

"Fuck his Garden. Fuck his Creation. I'm way past talking." Lucifer muttered through clenched teeth, lifting the blade to her neck. He dipped his head down, pressing his cool lips against her vessel's warm neck. 

It invigorated him. The thrill, her fear.

Ariel's eyes filled with grace, donning their rosy color; This was her fighting back. She set both hands on the bark and pushed away from it, but failed to overpower his hold.

Lucifer let out a wry laugh and resumed leaving marks all across her neck. The offender ran his vessel's calloused hands over the curves of her waist.

Ariel began weeping, "Michael!" She tried, but her prayer was cut short when Lucifer slit her throat, her grace seeping out of the cut. Her knees buckled as her essence was stolen. 

"Mmm" Lucifer moaned as he inhaled her grace, his once rosy eyes slowly shifting to a more blood-red undertone. "Now, for the best part..." He cooed in a honeyed voice. 

"NO! " Ariel shut her eyes and reopened them, filling them with more grace, but it just poured out of her neck like a faucet. She wriggled under his hold like a worm, her wings flapping causing moans of agony to exit her mouth.

At this moment she wondered where Gadreel was, where was Castiel? Where was her big brother Michael? Where was Dad? 

"Please..."Ariel knew nothing about intercourse or how humans managed to get it done, but she knew this was not how things went. There were steps to take, and her vessel did not appreciate the way the monster was treating her.

Lucifer brutally capped her mouth with his calloused hand, muttering a "Shut up."  He hastily lifted her dress and grinned. 

"It will be alright." Lucifer sang to his little sister. 

It's safe now ♥ Continuing with Sam x Ariel

Sam held the sides of Ariel's face and searched both her eyes. He wasn't sure what to say. By what he put together from her broken words were that Lucifer had defiled her in the Garden.

To add to that, no one came to save. Not even God.

"Don't worry. I'm here. Dean's here, and we won't let him get free." The hunter pulled the tired archangel into a tender hug, giving her a hard kiss on her forehead.

Sam cradled her for hours, partly wishing Dean was here because he could have probably changed her mood by a great deal.

Soon, Sam fell asleep with Ariel still conscious in his arms. 

A light breeze blew through her scarlet tresses sending a light scent of cherry shampoo past Sam's nose. The giant stirred in his sleep and tightened his hold on the angel. 

Sam slowly opened his eyes and let out a low groan and stretched his body. "Is it morning already? I didn't mean to fall asleep." He murmured.

On the horizon, the sun met the sea, casting a beautiful glow on the sky. The sunrise was always one aspect of earth that Ariel loved. All the colors and sensations made it so winsome. 

With her ear pressed against the giant's chest, she could feel every heartbeat. 

"It's okay. I didn't come to just swim. I came to bond." Ariel murmured. 

The archangel stretched her wings and draped them over her and Sam; They were large enough to hide the duo. A light shadow to be seen over their bodies. 

The hunter glanced down at the shadow and furrowed his brows. He never wished more to see her wings then-  to see the sun glistening and painting her feathers in the purple and pink hues. Dean told him a few times what they looked like but that they look scarier in person. He said to 'imagine white bird wings and dye them red.' 

Dean wasn't very descriptive.

"What is heaven like?" The hunter watched the sky as he imagined heaven. He was hopeful yet terrified because if they banished an archangel for helping humans, could heaven really be a great place? Sam concluded it was better than going to hell.

Ariel tore herself from the human and rose to her feet. "Heaven is one, but many." The angel didn't really want to talk about home, she ran away from there. Heaven to her was like an abusive home, full of innocent angels being manipulated by a person convinced they are doing good.

"What does that mean?" Sam got up from the white couch and followed the angel. It wasn't like he meant to prod but he needed to satiate his curiousness.

Ariel whipped around and glared at the tall man. "It means just what I said. Now please, stop asking me." She let out a shaky breath and turned away. "I understand you are a curious human, but it is still a sensitive topic for me." Ariel murmured.

"I didn't mean to- I'm sorry." Sam drew his lips into a thin line and clasped his hands. "How about we go check out the restaurant?"

The angel's mood switched almost instantly, a smile danced across her lips. "Yes! I want to try whatever a mimosa is." Ariel laughed and flew into the hotel room to change her clothes.

"A mimosa? Can angels even get drunk?" Sam laughed as he walked into their suite. He assumed she went to change her clothes or at least wait for him to change. The hunter grabbed the suitcase that Ariel gave him and opened it to find a bunch of clothes, tailored to him. 

Sam rummaged through the clothes and found a suitable outfit and waited for his angel companion in the loungeroom of the suit. The service wasn't ideal in this area but he still attempted to send Dean a message that they were okay.

RESTAURANT

There was a small flutter of wings that startled Sam until he looked up to see Ariel standing in front of him, beaming.

"Is this attire appropriate? I've been alive for a long time and I value humans’ idea of fashion. I wasn't sure if these shoes were alright with this dress..." Ariel rambled, twiddling her fingers as she talked about her passion. 

Sam listened to her ramble for about five minutes before he just decided to stop her; He was starving. "You look beautiful, don't worry." The human pushed himself to his feet and gestured to the door. "We should maybe walk instead of teleport."

"Perhaps." Ariel hummed and started for the door. 

Together they walked down to the restaurant for breakfast.

"How long have you known this Castiel?" Sam asked with his mouth full of uncooked spinach. He preferred the healthier diet, claiming that you can't hunt if you have cholesterol problems. 

Luckily, Ariel was an angel and didn't have to worry about that.

Ariel's eyes widened and she put up her finger. "Don't, It's like jinxing yourself. If you say an angel's name too much they might show up." The archangel looked around, tightening her hold on the wineglass. She didn't want to see Castiel. 

The last time she saw him was nearly a week ago and she probably frightened him and the rest of the host. 

"Are you avoiding him?" Sam mumbled while sipping some of his water. He drew his lower lip between his teeth as he hadn't considered other angels potentially showing up. 

A line appeared between Ariel's eyebrows at his question. It wasn't difficult but it wasn't easy to answer. "No, It's just..." Her words fell off as she looked heavenward. "When I escaped, something happened to my eyes-." The angel paused and brought her hand to her cheek, gesturing to her eyes. "One turned red, like...Lucifer's. It may have frightened him along with the rest of heaven." 

"Red? Why does it matter what color they are? You are nothing like him." Sam frowned.

Ariel shook her head, "We are one in the same, yet opposite ends of the spectrum and so if-" 

Sam spoke out of turn, interrupting her. "If he's bad, then you're good? What happens if he's good?" His eyebrows rose at the thought of Ariel potentially turning bad. It was something he could not imagine.

"I don't think that would ever happen. Lucifer is corrupted, his grace is red and there no turning back from that." The archangel spouted in a brittle tone. She could not see herself becoming corrupted even after the years of being locked away.

The friendly giant tilted his head in speculation. He wasn't one to pry or be pessimistic but if red grace meant a corrupted angel- what did that mean for her? 

Ariel gazed at her companion with wide eyes. "The seals." She murmured. "The weaker the cage becomes- if he gets out..." Her eyes drifted off to the side, then down at her mimosa. She raised the glass to her glossed lips and took a long sip.  

Sam surveyed Ariel's grimace for reluctance before stretching his arm over the table and cupping her hand. It was a small gesture but the comfort probably meant a lot to Ariel. His mouth curved into a wan smile. "We won't let him."

"Just listen- okay? This is crucial." The celestial being inhaled deeply and gazed into Sam's hazel-eyes as she parted her lips to speak. "Promise me, you won't hesitate." 

"What?" The longhaired males asked, his face shifting from a puzzled look to a doleful one. Sam immediately got up from his seat once he realized what she meant. His small disturbance grabbed everyone's attention in the near vicinity. 

The archangel quickly intertwined their fingers. She flew them to an empty part of the beach and let out a small sigh. 

"We didn't pay..." Sam murmured before glancing to his side and seeing the sorrow-stricken angel. 

"Tell me why I have to kill you, now." He demanded in a low tone.

"Because I can feel myself withering away!" Ariel shouted. "There is this darkness encompassing me with every turn and no matter how many humans I aim to protect and save- it never goes away. It grows every day- I can feel his wrath already, Sam..." Her tone was wobbly, indicating that her vessel was bound to weep.

At first, Sam was taken aback but then his features softened as she revealed what she was going through.

If she could sense his wrath already, then how far gone was she and how much longer did they have with this sweet version of her? 

Sam's eyes glazed over, he fought back his tears as best he could. 

"Promise me..." Ariel whispered whilst caressing his face. Her fingertips grazed the light stubble on his jaw then ran over the few bumps on his cheek. 

Sam's lips quivered as he tried so hard to hold in his sobs but a strangled sob escaped his throat. His entire body trembled as he thought back to two years ago and his interaction with Madison and how he had to shoot her in the heart.

This hurt equally to that or maybe even worse. He'd grown to like Ariel in the past days since he has met her that day Travis died. It was hard for him to even think about killing her, how would he even be able to, she was an archangel. 

"How?" Sam choked out. 

Just then there was a blade in Sam's hands, with curved edges. He studied the sword, his fingers tracing over the Enochian inscriptions. The distraught hunter gripped the hilt with care and let his arm fall to his side. 

"Why not Dean? Why me?" He spoke in a quavering voice.

"You're strong..." Ariel whispered, wrapping her dainty hands around his large mitts. She aimed the pointed end above her left breast, showing him where she wanted it to happen. "And- You'll be the only one close enough." She finished. 

Of course, Sam had no idea what she meant, but if Lucifer was set free, the hunter would be the only one close enough, strong enough to break from Satan's hold. 

"No..." The long-haired male shook his head in defiance. 

"No, If i can fight my darkness, you can too. I won't let you- I can't." Sam took a moment to gather himself before speaking through choked sobs. "Dean, He would tell you the same thing... If there is good in you, then maybe-"

"Abel..." Ariel leaned into Sam's warmth, swiping the blade from his palms. Her eyes moved from side to side as she talked, almost as if she was experiencing something entirely different. 

Sam stared at the angel. Why did she call him Abel? Was she having a flashback? He opted not to say anything and let her finish.

"I tried to lead you to the light..." Ariel whispered in a chagrined manner. "Just promise me, Abel." She squeezed her eyes shut and rested her forehead against his chest. 

"I promise." Sam murmured in a husky tone. 

The human pulled Ariel into a crushing embrace, gazing out into the horizon. "I promise." He affirmed more clearly, resting his chin on her head.

For a vacation, it wasn't that all relaxing. His nerves were constantly yo-yoing and his eyes were puffy from crying. Ariel, of course, looked perfect, even when she cried. 

"Ready to go home?" Samuel questioned. 

"Yes." 

Their home wasn't a conventional home, they traveled from place to place, slept in dingy motels yet they always had one constant in their lives; The 1967 Chevy Impala.

That was home for the boys. And now it was Ariel's as well.

SERIES MASTERLIST

[mellz117]

Hi! I’m Mellz and I’m starting up Kingdom Hearts 2 on the PlayStation 2! 

Just below are links to the first parts of my previous Kingdom Hearts plays.

[ KH1 ] _ [ Re:CoM Sora ] _ [ KH Re:CoM Riku ]

It’s been a hot minute, like 3,155,763 smoldering hot minutes, which would be 6 years including leap years. Yeah it was 01/27/2014 last I touched this game, exactly 6 years ago to this day (01/27/2020) as of me starting up again. This was an accident.

Guide thingy: Things like long gaps between commentary and days will be separated by a line of dots like that ->  ……

Text relating to an image posted will have a blockquote either above and/or below the image

Dialogue exchanges will also be separated by a blockquote

Ok I'm playing on standard difficulty, if I'm having a hard time, then I just suck. If you’re reading this and haven’t experienced KH2 for yourself, why are you here? Go away, there’s spoilers for things that aren’t revealed until later.

SO LET’S JUST JUMP INTO IT

……………………………………………………………………………………………

I always liked this fancy CGI opening. There’s a lot of things I missed last I saw it.

IT’S HIM. Look how cute he is! 

So we start off with a recap of Kingdom Hearts via a dream it seems and our protagonist, my precious boy Roxas, wakes up his own home all alone because apparently DiZ didn't create a digital family for him. But KH is notorious for forgetting parents, so maybe they did. I’m not Cinema Sins so I wont ping this game for not giving Roxas fake parents lmao

In the next scene Roxas is more interested in his own hands than he is in his friends' conversation. 

blurry ring textures, blurry checker pattern. Not everything holds up well on a flat screen TV

He hasn't been paying attention so he's just as confused as the player is at this point when he finally takes his attention off his hands.

This dialogue is so early 2000's. KH1 and CoM avoided this but with the urban setting of Twilight Town it's DEFINITELY noticeable and outdated. So rumors have spread about Roxas, Hayner, Pence, and Olette that photographs are being stolen, and THEY'RE the theives. Who is the operator of the rumor mill? Seifer and his posse. Also the actual WORD is gone too, they try to say “photo” but it just DOESN’T EXIST. This is where the game gets a bit odd.

TUTORIALS GALORE. I JUST WANT TO PAUSE AND CHANGE THE CAMERA CONTROLS STOP TELLING ME ABOUT MY NEXT OBJECTIVE but no no it’s telling me how to lock on, control my camera, context sensitive buttons, etc 

This girl’s dress looks like shes wearing a bra over it 

I like how the animal AI hasn't changed at all in this entire series. And by like I mean hate, KH3 doesn't change that. Sven is as boring as this cat we have to look at.

The gang heads to the sandlot where Seifer, Fuujn, Raijin, and Vivi like to hang out I guess? Vivi is a little, solid black, wizard dwarf amongst all these regular humans and no one bats an eye. This shit is normal. Seifer with his stupid Seto Kaiba jacket, shows up to further accuse Roxas and his friends of stealing photos, one specifically of Roxas flat on his face and Seifer standing triumphantly over him (which we’re actually shown later). "That was undeniable proof that we totally owned you lamers" he says in regards to it and challenges Roxas to a rematch.

A+ dialogue

Seifer. My dude, ya dumb-dumb. If you think for one second that I'm gonna let my boy lose to you, you are sorely mistaken. 

“If you get on your knees and beg, maybe I’ll let it slide.” Seifer says and Roxas plays it slick, taking a knee and looking through a convenient selection of foam weapons. Battle ensues.

So of course I win because Seifer is a pleb, and Pence takes a commemorative ______ of Roxas's sound victory, but oh no! Something stole the camera right out of Pence's hands! Roxas gives chase, because apparently he's the only one who cares enough to do so, and confronts the actual thief, a Dusk type Nobody. Roxas is taking this creature encounter rather calmly. Like mild confusion at most.

I hate these things, they're creepy. When you do a reversal on them they like, plant their hands on the ground behind them and their legs wrap around their arms while they spaz out. Ughghdhahh

Of course Roxas's foam bat doesnt cause any damage to the Dusk, and suddenly a familiar giant key digitally manifests in his hands. DiZ is installing mods I see. I have a Keyblade mod in Skyrim, so we have something in common.

After we defeat the thief the next scene shows the gang at the usual spot with the recovered photos. Ok ok so was "photo" the only word deleted from the vocabulary or were any other alternative words taken away too? Like, if they could have said "picture" this whole time, they would have had much less stupid sounding dialogue exchanges. Whatever lmao.

“Tell us about the picture thief.”

“Not much to say. The pictures were just lying there.”

You liar. Tell them about how you fought a wormy, white boy.

Pence notices all the pics are of Roxas and speculates the picture thief wanted to take the REAL Roxas and Hayner is like

The best friendships are ones where you can take jabs at each other and know there’s no malice intended.

 In the scene thereafter, the kids go their separate ways, the evening(?) sun assaults Roxas's eyes, and whenever he closes them he gets another vision? Idk what time of day it is it always looks the same.

God ok as someone who hadn’t played CoM before playing KH2 for the first time, I must have been SUPER lost regarding who DiZ and Namine were and why Sora is in the pod. More recaps of KH1: I don’t know why they found it necessary to redub over the old voices with the new actors in these flashbacks.

Moving on. Roxas learns what the Keyblade is through his dreams. On his way to meet up with his friends, he tries summoning the Keyblade with a stick, when that doesn’t work he carelessly throws it aside and it hits this cloak clad man behind him. This dude is either completely unfazed by that is or so offended he can’t even say anything and walks away before he goes all Karen on Roxas’s ass.

We’re back at the usual spot and summer vacation is nearing it’s end. Hayner wants to go to the beach before school is back in session! You poor fuckers...

Same, dude. I’m waiting on my tax returns, looking forward to that.

SKATEBOARD

“TO DEFEAT THE HUNSSSSSSS!”

Pretzels at the beach? Salty and not refreshing. I got you fam, I’ll make enough money for a watermelon. Roxas is so poor omg... How much is 150 Munny in American currency?

Just BEAT the cargo with a foam bat. What’s IN the bag? Is it trash? Clothes? Is it potentially breakable? Next. Time to beat some bees!

So Poster Duty was my go-to job in this game in the past because you could get 100 Munny if you did well. But now that I’m older I realized how annoying it is. I had an efficient route planned out, hit as many of the 3 poster placements in that route, and be over and done with that in about 1:10....

But then Roxas goes aND DOES THIS!

FUCKING SKIPS THE ONE DIRECTLY NEXT TO HIM, DEFYING GRAVITY IN FAVOR OF THE POSTS BELOW

HE DOES THIS CONSISTENTLY!! I do have a live reaction to this but it’s too big for tumblr. I’ll have it up on youtube one of these days

Eventually I stopped sticking posters to walls and became a mailman until the game made me stop.

Black-clad man is back with his own stick! Oof, Roxas eats the pavement and is manhandled by cloaky boy. WAS THIS ROUGH TREATMENT REALLY THAT NECESSARY? You might wanna treat Sora's Nobody with a little more respect. AND YOU STOLE HIS HARD-EARNED MONEY! YOU BASTARD!

The gang is on the clock tower, very dangerously high up. Wtf what if someone falls?! Roxas feels so guilty about what happened and Hayner gets over this little fiasco pretty quickly and the next day he already has another fun plan.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

On his way to the station, Roxas crosses paths with Pence and Olette, the latter two freeze and Roxas meets Namine. Is her interest in Roxas linked to her desire to be Sora’s friend? A strange girl tells Roxas she wanted to meet him “at least once” and he doesn’t know what to do lol. Namine doesn’t stay long, leaving Roxas with his confusion. What is going through his head? A girl he doesn’t know seems to know him well enough to want to see him. Pence and Olette unfreeze after Namine is out of the shot. Pence and Olette have such a cute relationship, I’d love for them to be siblings. Pence goes shopping with her even if he might not want to. I can relate, I hate clothes shopping.

These Dusks don’t seem like too much of a threat tbh, they just kinda swagger slowly towards Roxas and grab his hand. Roxas hardly struggles to escape to the sandlot.

Chicken wuss

WE FINALLY GET SOMEWEHERE, we end up on the stained glass pillars in the Station of Serenity (?). Time to grind for like 5 minutes because this giant noodle boy already killed me once.

This thing really unsettles me. All the creature Nobodies do! They’re all twitchy and stretchy. DISGUSTING

DAMN THAT IS A HIGH FALL HOW DO YOU SURVIVE THAT?!

Upon defeat, this big noodle boy falls on top of Roxas and Namine saves him from being enveloped by darkness.

Namine really seems to like to silence him. First she shoves her hand in his face but that was too forward. This time she daintily places a finger over her lips and says her part. Black-cloak guy shows up, rough handles Namine a little bit but not as roughly as he did Roxas. AND SHOVES ROXAS INTO A PORTAL

SEIFER IS AN OPPORTUNISTIC SHITLET POSING IN FRONT OF HIS UNCONSIOUS BODY. Bitch you didn’t earn that. Hayner, Pence, and Olette see Roxas with Seifer’s gang, Hayner feels betrayed thinking Roxas ghosted him in favor of Seifer. He stays pretty salty about it for a good while

IM NOT WORKING ON THIS LIKE I SHOULD. ITS ALMOST A MONTH SINCE STARTING. In my next post we'll be "Struggling" to progress. Eh? Eh? Get it? Like the tournament?

I'm not funny.

Here’s the next part: [ _2_ ]

Below is a compilation of my live reactions and comments throughout this point of the game.

[lon3lynation]

A Clexa AU Story that includes a soul searching road trip, long-distance friendship to relationship, phone conversations and Clarke demanding her car back from a thieving dick Lexa. Oh, and a lot of internal Lexa thoughts.

 Chapter 2: Midnight City

Previous Chapter

"Waiting in a car Waiting for a ride in the dark Drinking in the lights Following the neon signs

Waiting for a word Looking at the milky skyline The city is my church It wraps me in its blinding twilight

Waiting in a car Waiting for the right time Waiting in a car Waiting for the right time"

Midnight City by M83

Five years later…

Anya’s mentoring truly paid off in many ways for her. No longer did she have to scrape by to cover her essential needs. She didn't have to rely on trying to live on minimum wage and shitty tips anymore. She didn't even need to work a proper job unless she was bored with nothing else to do in a specific town. She could finally set aside her worries and focus solely on figuring herself out.

Unfortunately, figuring herself out still felt like a far fetch goal as the years passed.

There were days where she felt most content when Anya was around. She made sure to savor her time with her because her mentor doesn't like to stay in one place for too long. They would go months without seeing each other before reuniting in another state with new stories to share.

Most days though Lexa still very much felt like a shell of her former self.

She had hoped that when she struck out on her own several years ago, that it would lead her to a rebirth of sorts. It was supposed to be the thing to save her. She wanted to claw her way out of her shell and be someone new.

Someone that felt whole.

She wasn't whole.

Everything felt like jagged pieces that stabbed her insides. Time had not healed nor repaired the damage that had been done. She felt everything and nothing at all at once.

Her crimes became the glue to hold the pieces of herself somewhat together. It wasn't perfect. Pieces were missing and not fitting right as they should with the glue trying to hold it all together in some incomplete shape.

It may not be much but she was thankful for the little relief it offered her. She was glad for the itch, the thrill and adrenaline it gave her. It became her purpose.

Anya did quite well training her to practically become an expert thief and fighter. There had been a lot of trial and error in the first couple of years that resulted in jail time. She didn't like jail. It gave her too much time to think and made her feel trapped. Feeling trapped beneath her own skin was already claustrophobic enough for her. After her last stint two years ago, she made sure to never allow herself to get caught in the process again.

So far, so good.

However, her life began to feel too repetitive lately; too routine. She'd travel to another small town, scope out opportunities to steal more money, settle for a short time there before finding herself back on the bus to take her to a new destination to repeat the process all over again.

It suited her well the first few years and gave her a sense of freedom by getting to choose what she wanted to do next. It was also a major comfort not to stress over money-related things anymore. It had been good enough to distract her from the fact that something was still missing in her life. She hadn't quite experienced total freedom like she's been longing for since having her heart shattered twice at 16.

After all, how does one find freedom from themselves?

It was earlier in the year when the sudden realization came to her that something needed to change. After hopping from town to town for so long, her excitement faded as she began noticing how similar each town actually was. It was becoming mundane and that's not what she wanted for her wandering journey. It did slightly amuse her hearing how people truly believed that their small town was safe from bad people and crime.

How willfully ignorant.

It was all the same to her. When she had envisioned running away years ago, she always had this image in her mind of herself driving a car, windows down to let the wind blow through her hair while road tripping across the United States.

She imagined it would be memorable, serene, and exhilarating. Perhaps that was the way she could finally attempt to unburden herself. It would be hard to sort through but she knew there was still a lot of stuff inside her that she needed to unpack. Being out on the open road by herself sounded like the best way to find the missing pieces of herself and a chance to smooth out the jagged edges.

A month ago, a plan began to form when she arrived in New York for the first time. It has been a while since she felt total anticipation and awe when she took in the sights that New York City offered. Maybe she needed to start looking through a tourist lens to a better experience. She liked it so much, she stayed to explore more and decided that this was where she'll put her plan in motion.

It was time to steal a car.

It would be the first time Lexa would steal a car on her own and for herself. She had tagged along with Anya a handful of times to steal vehicles just so she could learn how or because it was a delivery job. Her favorite memories were seeing how much Anya enjoyed joyriding and doing donuts in an empty lot. It had been such a pleasant surprise to see her friend freely laughing and smiling.

It had softened her enough to join in the laughter and enjoy the pure adrenaline as Anya continued to spin them rapidly at great speed leaving skid marks on the lot.

It was a memory Lexa held on tightly.

After doing some scouting of different parking lots in the area, she eventually found an ideal spot that she could case for cars. It was a convenience store on the corner that didn't have a well-lit parking lot and only had one working camera at the entrance. She figured with the lack of lighting and a hoodie, she'll remain anonymous even if the camera's quality happened to be decent or not.

As luck would have it while waiting in the shadows nearby for a perfect opportunity, a dark-colored Jeep Wrangler parked near the back of the lot away from the entrance of the store. She slinked a little closer when two female figures exited the car. One appeared to be blonde and the other was a brunette. She watched the two young women enter the store when she suddenly realized she hadn't heard any sounds signaling that the car had been locked.

This was her chance.

Lexa double-checked that her hood was still in place before smoothly walking toward the Jeep and glancing around to see if there were any potential witnesses. There was none. She cautiously opened the car door ready to run if she had been mistaken and the alarm went off. Thankfully, she was correct that it was left unlocked during the women's rush into the store. The owner of the car would very much regret that soon enough.

All Lexa could hear was the rapid pounding of her heart while she quickly set to work to start up the car and take off.

There was no turning back now.

Feeling the steering wheel in her hands, Lexa gripped it until her knuckles turned white as her foot stayed pressed against the pedal of the stolen Jeep Wrangler. Her heart was racing as she constantly checked the mirrors and the road, almost expecting to see flashing blue and red lights of a cop car following her.

No police car in sight. No flashing lights or sirens to be heard.

She still did not loosen her tight grip on the wheel. Not yet. Not until the anxiety that filled her body, that made it tremor, and her racing heart began to lose its hold on her once she felt she was safe from being caught.

Lexa drove out of the city, passed through some more, determined to leave New York altogether. Only then, she’d imagine, it would be enough to feel like she really managed to escape. That she wasn’t going to get caught instantly and that she could actually go through with this idea of hers to travel across the country.

What she hadn't expected was nearly driving herself off the road in fright when a phone suddenly rang from the passenger seat. Cursing quietly to herself, she glanced to the seat where she had tossed her overstuffed backpack, which had apparently hidden the phone beneath it.

Biting her lip, Lexa chose to ignore it, hoping whoever it was wouldn’t try calling again. She needed to focus on the road and getting the hell out of New York. Once she did, she would have to eventually stop and get some rest, not to mention get an idea of where she was headed first.

However, before she could breathe a sigh of relief when the ringing stopped, it rang again and again and each time Lexa ignored it.

It was putting her further on edge, and after the 9th call, Lexa angrily snatched it from beneath her bag and answered it.

There was a brief moment of silence before suddenly a female voice began yelling through the phone.

"Hey, asshole! You stole my friend's car! We're gonna stick the po--” the sound of struggling and cursing suddenly interrupted before it tapered off into a moment of silence.

Then…

A new voice is heard on the other line.

“You actually answered?”

Lexa detected disbelief in the new voice before it turned angry.

“It was my car that you have stolen. Do you have any idea how long I saved up to get that Jeep? I just bought it like 4 months ago. Only for some thieving dick to come along to pretend it was theirs now.”

Lexa furrowed her brow, still watching the road as she listened to the woman whose car she had stolen. If she wasn’t inwardly berating herself for answering the phone instead of simply shutting it off, she would almost be amused at being called a thieving dick. Anya would have a laugh.

She was quite aware that she was a thieving something.

“Do you often decide to completely screw over and inconvenience citizens? Because I am definitely feeling inconvenienced right now. I'm meant to be at a friend's surprise birthday party right now and be the bringer of alcohol.”

Suddenly the first voice Lexa heard piped up in the background of the call. She overheard the name “Clarke” which must be the car owner's name.

“I want my damn car back. Are you even listening? Hello Mr. Criminal? Answer me!”

Lexa found herself gripping the cell phone tighter in her hand.

It was a little annoying to be assumed as a male. It's not the first time she's heard it.

"What do you have to say for yourself, huh? At least give me enough decency to answer me while I’m questioning you."

Lexa quietly scoffed as she debated if and how she would respond. It couldn’t hurt to momentarily speak to this person, and oddly enough it was actually a helpful distraction from how on edge she was during her escape.

Clearing her throat, she decided to humor the woman and maybe even stall her from reporting her car missing since it seems Clarke and her friend had chosen to call her stolen phone first in an attempt to guilt-trip her.

"Are you done with your failed guilt trip, Clarke?” Lexa questioned in return, purposely including Clarke's name to hopefully unnerved her. “It's simple, really. I needed a car and yours just happened to appear at the opportune time for me to steal it.”

There's a gasp, a rustle over the phone and what sounded like muffled voices until Clarke’s voice came through clear again.

Lexa smirked briefly, pleased with her success to unnerve the girl.

"What the hell for? How do you know my name? And no, I am nowhere near done with the guilt trip.”

How insistently stubborn, she thought with a sigh.

“I needed it to travel. You should tell your friend to be more careful about what she says in the background.”

There's a groan after the realization of how she learned it and then a couple muffled curses were exchanged.

"There are other means of transportation, you know? It didn't have to come to this.”

"Those other means of transportation are exactly the reason why I decided it was time to get a car."

“Who are you? Where are you going with my car?”

Lexa scoffed once again amazed that Clarke would actually think she’d reveal her name or whereabouts to her.

"I am a criminal. Telling you my name or where I am would be a mistake on my part. Wouldn’t want to increase the odds of getting caught, now would I?"

"Look, you need to turn around and return the car to me. Do that and then just maybe I won’t involve the police and we can just settle this between us."

Did she think of Lexa a gullible idiot? She was sadly mistaken.

"No. I can’t do that, and I can’t trust that you wouldn’t have the cops waiting to arrest me if I were to ever entertain the thought of doing so. It’s too risky and honestly, I don’t take too kindly to being ordered around. You’ll just have to use those other means of transportation you mentioned, Clarke."

"Ha ha. I don't know what you really plan on doing with my car. If you really are just driving around or plan to strip it for parts but it doesn't have to come to that, okay?”

Lexa’s jaw twitched when she noticed the husky voice on the other end had softened.

“How about this? You can abandon the car, tell me its location and I can retrieve it. We can dismiss this as a stupid mistake and not involve the cops. See? You can trust me. So, please return --"

"No. This is something I have to do. I've been planning this all out!” Banging her fist against the steering wheel, Lexa could feel her anxiety and tension returning. Clarke was no longer being a good little distraction.

“Then undo those stupid plans! How could you ever think to commit such a crime was a grand plan to have? Anyone else would have already reported their car stolen and I'm trying to work with you here. You can trust --”

“Shut up!” Lexa shouted as anger began to bubble up to the surface and spill into the conversation. “Don't delude yourself, Clarke. I don't know you and you don't know me. There are zero trusts here.”

Lexa tensed thinking she saw a police car down a street and eased up on the pedal. The last thing she needed was to be pulled over for speeding in this car.

“Well, I am not giving up. I'm determined now to make this happen.”

“No.”

“I won't report the car stolen. We can come to an understand--”  

“I'm done,” Lexa interrupted again. “You're not getting it back. Deal with it.” Lexa has had enough of this conversation. She needed to be hyper-aware of her surroundings and drive as far as she could before exhaustion could claim her.

As she ended the call, cutting Clarke off mid-pleads, she softly whispered before she realized what she was about to say and swallowed the rest down. “I’m...”

I'm sorry -- she was going to say.

Lexa couldn't remember the last time she apologized to anyone for something she did. This was not the time for any sort of apologizes though because she didn't regret taking the vehicle.

Powering the phone off, she chucked it back on the passenger seat and took a moment to appreciate the sudden silence and the passing city lights.

Now she was feeling a little guilty but she had meant it when she said she had to do this. She wasn’t about to turn back around and possibly get thrown in jail again when she was so close to finally reaching her original dream of being on the open road and hopefully make peace with her past.

So, she ruthlessly stumped down the guilt.

Lexa just needed to get as much distance as she could from New York.

It was going to be a long night.

[no1else-but-me]

Book Recs if you love Jaime and Brienne

This is a collection of all the book recs I could find from @briennesjaime​ tumblr books rec, the reddit, and my own. Please reblog your own if you have some. 

1. The Queen of Attolia which is book#2 of the The Queen’s Thief series

This is definitely more for the enemies to lovers trope. The thief even loses a hand like Jaime but under much different circumstances.  The Queen is like the colder version of Brienne.

Revenge When Eugenides, the Thief of Eddis, stole Hamiathes’s Gift, the Queen of Attolia lost more than a mythical relic. She lost face. Everyone knew that Eugenides had outwitted and escaped her. To restore her reputation and reassert her power, the Queen of Attolia will go to any length and accept any help that is offered…she will risk her country to execute the perfect revenge. …but Eugenides can steal anything. And he taunts the Queen of Attolia, moving through her strongholds seemingly at will. So Attolia waits, secure in the knowledge that the Thief will slip, that he will haunt her palace one too many times. …at what price? When Eugenides finds his small mountain country at war with Attolia, he must steal a man, he must steal a queen, he must steal peace. But his greatest triumph, and his greatest loss, comes in capturing something that the Queen of Attolia thought she had sacrificed long ago… 

2. The Lumatere Chronicles 

One of my favorite series of all time. It’s character driven and it’s has many surprises. Starts off with Finnikin has lost hope like Jaime but gains it slowly over time. Evanjalin her honor and her pursuit of her quest reminds me very much of  Brienne. 

Finnikin of the Rock and his guardian, Sir Topher, have not been home to their beloved Lumatere for ten years. Not since the dark days when the royal family was murdered and the kingdom put under a terrible curse. But then Finnikin is summoned to meet Evanjalin, a young woman with an incredible claim: the heir to the throne of Lumatere, Prince Balthazar, is alive. Evanjalin is determined to return home and she is the only one who can lead them to the heir. As they journey together, Finnikin is affected by her arrogance … and her hope. He begins to believe he will see his childhood friend, Prince Balthazar, again. And that their cursed people will be able to enter Lumatere and be reunited with those trapped inside. He even believes he will find his imprisoned father. But Evanjalin is not what she seems. And the truth will test not only Finnikin’s faith in her … but in himself.

3. Howl’s Moving Castle 

This one might be a stretch but hear me out. Howl is pretty much the embodiment of Jaime but probably more vain. While, Sophie really conveys Brienne self-esteem issues but still noble in her own right. Plus, their banter very reminiscent to Jaime and Brienne. 

Sophie has the great misfortune of being the eldest of three daughters, destined to fail miserably should she ever leave home to seek her fate. But when she unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, Sophie finds herself under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. Her only chance at breaking it lies in the ever-moving castle in the hills: the Wizard Howl’s castle. To untangle the enchantment, Sophie must handle the heartless Howl, strike a bargain with a fire demon, and meet the Witch of the Waste head-on. Along the way, she discovers that there’s far more to Howl—and herself—than first meets the eye.

@temporiibus recommends The Raven Cycle!!

“There are only two reasons a non-seer would see a spirit on St. Mark’s Eve,” Neeve said. “Either you’re his true love . . . or you killed him.” It is freezing in the churchyard, even before the dead arrive. Every year, Blue Sargent stands next to her clairvoyant mother as the soon-to-be dead walk past. Blue herself never sees them—not until this year, when a boy emerges from the dark and speaks directly to her. His name is Gansey, and Blue soon discovers that he is a rich student at Aglionby, the local private school. Blue has a policy of staying away from Aglionby boys. Known as Raven Boys, they can only mean trouble. But Blue is drawn to Gansey, in a way she can’t entirely explain. He has it all—family money, good looks, devoted friends—but he’s looking for much more than that. He is on a quest that has encompassed three other Raven Boys: Adam, the scholarship student who resents all the privilege around him; Ronan, the fierce soul who ranges from anger to despair; and Noah, the taciturn watcher of the four, who notices many things but says very little. For as long as she can remember, Blue has been warned that she will cause her true love to die. She never thought this would be a problem. But now, as her life becomes caught up in the strange and sinister world of the Raven Boys, she’s not so sure anymore. From Maggie Stiefvater, the bestselling and acclaimed author of the Shiver trilogy and The Scorpio Races, comes a spellbinding new series where the inevitability of death and the nature of love lead us to a place we’ve never been before. 

The Winners Trilogy

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.  One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.  But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.  Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone recommended by @realduality

Errand requiring immediate attention. Come. The note was on vellum, pierced by the talons of the almost-crow that delivered it. Karou read the message. 'He never says please', she sighed, but she gathered up her things. When Brimstone called, she always came. In general, Karou has managed to keep her two lives in balance. On the one hand, she's a seventeen-year-old art student in Prague; on the other, errand-girl to a monstrous creature who is the closest thing she has to family. Raised half in our world, half in 'Elsewhere', she has never understood Brimstone's dark work - buying teeth from hunters and murderers - nor how she came into his keeping. She is a secret even to herself, plagued by the sensation that she isn't whole. Now the doors to Elsewhere are closing, and Karou must choose between the safety of her human life and the dangers of a war-ravaged world that may hold the answers she has always sought.

The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. Hard SF, and the romance is definitely not a major plot, but one of the characters involved in the trope is legit my favorite fictional character of all time and that journey from enemy to friend to lover is a big part of it.

In his most ambitious project to date, award-winning author Kim Stanley Robinson utilizes years of research & cutting-edge science in the 1st of a trilogy chronicling the colonization of Mars: For eons, sandstorms have swept the desolate landscape. For centuries, Mars has beckoned humans to conquer its hostile climate. Now, in 2026, a group of 100 colonists is about to fulfill that destiny. John Boone, Maya Toitavna, Frank Chalmers & Arkady Bogdanov lead a terraforming mission. For some, Mars will become a passion driving them to daring acts of courage & madness. For others it offers an opportunity to strip the planet of its riches. For the genetic alchemists, it presents a chance to create a biomedical miracle, a breakthrough that could change all we know about life & death. The colonists orbit giant satellite mirrors to reflect light to the surface. Black dust sprinkled on the polar caps will capture warmth. Massive tunnels, kilometers deep, will be drilled into the mantle to create stupendous vents of hot gases. Against this backdrop of epic upheaval, rivalries, loves & friendships will form & fall to pieces--for there are those who will fight to the death to prevent Mars from ever being changed. Brilliantly imagined, breathtaking in scope & ingenuity, Red Mars is an epic scientific saga, chronicling the next step in evolution, creating a world in its entirety. It shows a future, with both glory & tarnish, that awes with complexity & inspires with vision.

The Folk of the Air

Of course I want to be like them. They’re beautiful as blades forged in some divine fire. They will live forever. And Cardan is even more beautiful than the rest. I hate him more than all the others. I hate him so much that sometimes when I look at him, I can hardly breathe. Jude was seven when her parents were murdered and she and her two sisters were stolen away to live in the treacherous High Court of Faerie. Ten years later, Jude wants nothing more than to belong there, despite her mortality. But many of the fey despise humans. Especially Prince Cardan, the youngest and wickedest son of the High King. To win a place at the Court, she must defy him–and face the consequences. As Jude becomes more deeply embroiled in palace intrigues and deceptions, she discovers her own capacity for trickery and bloodshed. But as betrayal threatens to drown the Courts of Faerie in violence, Jude will need to risk her life in a dangerous alliance to save her sisters, and Faerie itself.

Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ... Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

 @swainlake recommends the darkest powers trilogy by kelley armstrong is really good

My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again. All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost - and the ghost saw me. Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House... before its skeletons come back to haunt me

@imladriss recommends: We hunt the flame by hafsah faizal

People lived because she killed. People died because he lived. Zafira is the Hunter, disguising herself as a man when she braves the cursed forest of the Arz to feed her people. Nasir is the Prince of Death, assassinating those foolish enough to defy his autocratic father, the king. If Zafira was exposed as a girl, all of her achievements would be rejected; if Nasir displayed his compassion, his father would punish him in the most brutal of ways.  Both are legends in the kingdom of Arawiya—but neither wants to be. War is brewing, and the Arz sweeps closer with each passing day, engulfing the land in shadow. When Zafira embarks on a quest to uncover a lost artifact that can restore magic to her suffering world and stop the Arz, Nasir is sent by the king on a similar mission: retrieve the artifact and kill the Hunter. But an ancient evil stirs as their journey unfolds—and the prize they seek may pose a threat greater than either can imagine. Set in a richly detailed world inspired by ancient Arabia, We Hunt the Flame is a gripping debut of discovery, conquering fear, and taking identity into your own hands.

@moirindeclermont recommends  anything from Jacqueline Carey (she is a goddess and my favourite writer) but also Deborah Harkness (A discovery of witches) which is amazing, I’m obsessed with it. Nemesis by Isaac Asimov touches some themes similar to Brienne’s. Arn the knight

The land of Terre d'Ange is a place of unsurpassing beauty and grace. It is said that angels found the land and saw it was good... and the ensuing race that rose from the seed of angels and men live by one simple rule: Love as thou wilt.  Phèdre nó Delaunay is a young woman who was born with a scarlet mote in her left eye. Sold into indentured servitude as a child, her bond is purchased by Anafiel Delaunay, a nobleman with very a special mission... and the first one to recognize who and what she is: one pricked by Kushiel's Dart, chosen to forever experience pain and pleasure as one. Phèdre is trained equally in the courtly arts and the talents of the bedchamber, but, above all, the ability to observe, remember, and analyze. Almost as talented a spy as she is courtesan, Phèdre stumbles upon a plot that threatens the very foundations of her homeland. Treachery sets her on her path; love and honor goad her further. And in the doing, it will take her to the edge of despair... and beyond. Hateful friend, loving enemy, beloved assassin; they can all wear the same glittering mask in this world, and Phèdre will get but one chance to save all that she holds dear.  Set in a world of cunning poets, deadly courtiers, heroic traitors, and a truly Machiavellian villainess, this is a novel of grandeur, luxuriance, sacrifice, betrayal, and deeply laid conspiracies. Not since Dune has there been an epic on the scale of Kushiel's Dart-a massive tale about the violent death of an old age, and the birth of a new.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries-and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

In a hail of fire and flashing sword, as the burning city of Acre falls from the hands of the West in 1291, The Last Templar opens with a young Templar knight, his mentor, and a handful of others escaping to the sea carrying a mysterious chest entrusted to them by the Order's dying Grand Master. The ship vanishes without a trace. In present day Manhattan, four masked horsemen dressed as Templar Knights emerge from Central Park and ride up the Fifth Avenue steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art during the blacktie opening of a Treasures of the Vatican exhibit. Storming through the crowds, the horsemen brutally attack anyone standing between them and their prize. Attending the gala, archaeologist Tess Chaykin watches in silent terror as the leader of the horsemen hones in on one piece in particular, a strange geared device. He utters a few cryptic Latin words as he takes hold of it with reverence before leading the horsemen out and disappearing into the night. In the aftermath, an FBI investigation is led by anti-terrorist specialist Sean Reilly. Soon, he and Tess are drawn into the dark, hidden history of the crusading Knights, plunging them into a deadly game of cat and mouse with ruthless killers as they race across three continents to recover the lost secret of the Templars. 

Irissa and Kendric Series

Irissa was the last of the sorcerous Torlocs, untutored in magic and abandoned upon this decaying world by her people. Kendric was one of the Six of Swords, gifted with a legendary weapon to guard the Realms from harm. But now he was an outcast, and his death was sought with reason by the other Five. Sorceress and swordsman, they were thrown together; each filled with ancient prejudices against the other. But only by combining her uncertain powers with his remaining skills could they survive. Survive they must, however. Rule was a world formed upon magic - but now magic was failing and there would soon be no place for it. And destiny in strange guise had chosen them to make one last stand against the dark forces that were waiting at the Gate of Valna, seeking to destroy their world

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

Orphaned as a child, Jane has felt an outcast her whole young life. Her courage is tested once again when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, where she has been hired by the brooding, proud Edward Rochester to care for his ward Adèle. Jane finds herself drawn to his troubled yet kind spirit. She falls in love. Hard.

But there is a terrifying secret inside the gloomy, forbidding Thornfield Hall. Is Rochester hiding from Jane? Will Jane be left heartbroken and exiled once again?

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work "her own darling child" and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, "as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print." The romantic clash between the opinionated Elizabeth and her proud beau, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized sparring. And Jane Austen's radiant wit sparkles as her characters dance a delicate quadrille of flirtation and intrigue, making this book the most superb comedy of manners of Regency England

In the medieval and fantastic realm of Tortall, Keladry of Mindelan (known as Kel) is the first girl to take advantage of the decree that permits women to train for knighthood. But not everyone in Tortall believes a woman is up to the task, and Kel faces harsh discrimination. With unparalleled determination and a knack for leadership, she captures the hearts of her peers and proves that she is not a girl to underestimate! 

[riseandshinelittleblossom]

Hoping for Home Ch.2~ Friends

Summary: Sixteen years ago Libby Scott was supposed to become Queen of Cordonia, but Fate had other plans.

chapter one 

Disclaimer: I don’t own the TRR characters, they own me.

Song rec for this Chapter: “Friends” by Ed Sheeran

Taglist: @fullbeaumonty @cocomaxley  @ao719@leelee10898@speedyoperarascalparty @hopefulmoonobject @katurrade@indiacater @choiceswreckedme @ritachacha @noey718-blog@carabeth @daniv2278 @cosigottahavefaith @gibbles82 @innerpostmentality @blackcoffee85 @perfectprofessorherokid @darley1101 @jovialyouthmusic @liamxs-world @thequeenofcronuts @blznbaby

    “This is it. This is home.” Libby said gesturing around her living room as they all piled in. Will quickly took McKenzie by the hand, leading her down the hallway.

   “Door stays open, Casanova.” the ginger woman called as she hung up her coat.

  “Don't worry, Mom. I'll keep an eye on them.” Emma winked, shooting her mother double finger guns before disappearing down the hall as well.

   Drake hung his denim jacket on the hook next to Libby's and scoffed.

   “I didn't know people still did that. Except Maxwell, that is.”

   Libby faked a smile. “Follow me in here. It's not often I get help in the kitchen. You still know your way around one, I assume.”

 Drake nodded.

   “There are pots just there. We need one to make pasta.” She told him pulling spaghetti noodles and a jar of sauce from the cupboard.

    Drake grabbed the large dish and began filling it with water.

   There was a silence between them and, although it had been years since they were alone together, it was still companionable.

  Libby pulled two long neck bottles from the fridge and twisted the tops off, sliding one down the counter to where he was leaned. She pressed the bottle to her lips, taking a long pull because if she knew Drake he wouldn't sit much longer without…

   “So,” he began to address the elephant in the room. “You wanna tell me what's going on here, Scott?”

    She rolled the bottle between her hands, focusing on the chilled glass as it glanced over her fingers. She was quiet for a few more beats before she licked her lips, the memory of that night rushing over her.

************

      Las Vegas, Nevada 16 years ago

     Downstairs in the lobby, Libby had joked with Liam that a final fling would be the only way to make their combined doe/stag party complete. She never guessed in a million years that he would tell her to actually have one, so now as she laid tangled up with Maxwell in the sheets of her hotel bed she couldn't stop her head from spinning.

   It wasn't from the sex, although moments ago she came harder for Max than she ever had with anyone in her life. It was the fact that, after all they had been through together, she had finally given herself completely to the Cordonian man that had stolen her heart.

   They could never be together, that much had been made clear during her extended stay at the Beaumont estate before Liam and Madeline's engagement party. Libby was here to win the King's hand and restore House Beaumont to its former glory, so no matter what they felt for one another they'd vowed then to see that goal through to the end.

    She bit her lip as she peered up into the young Lord's eyes from her place nuzzled against his chest.

   “I should go.” He told her, though he made no effort to move.

  “Can't you stay? Just a little while longer? I don't want to feel like your two-bit whore.” She giggled.

  “Never, little blossom. I would never, ever think that.” he smiled down at her as he absentmindedly ran his fingers through her hair. “I'll stay until you're asleep. But Liam will not like it at all if I'm here in the morning. Permission given or not.”

   She hated the way the words made her feel, as if she were a toy the king had loaned him; but even more she hated that he was right.

   “Maxwell, I...before I marry Liam, I have to tell you that I-.”

  “Please, Libby, don't. I already know and you've already shown me here tonight. But to hear you say the words….I don't think I can handle it.”

   She tucked her lips inside of her mouth, nuzzling deeper into him to hide her tears. They were silent for a long time, and finally she knew that Maxwell believed she was asleep. She listened as he slipped out of the bed, dressing quickly. He placed his lips to her hair before he whispered, “I love you too, Little Blossom.”

   When she was sure he was gone from her doorway, Libby dressed herself and curled into the armchair of her suite sobbing until the morning.

************

     Present day

    Drake was silent as he watched Libby drop the noodles into the boiling water.

   He popped the lid on the jar of sauce and slid it over to her. He finished his beer, still mulling over her words.

   “So Liam gave you a hall pass. You cashed it in on Maxwell. And then...poof! You're gone in a cloud of smoke?”

    She stirred the sauce, adding in a few of her own seasonings to the store bought brand.

   “That's the shortest version ever, but yes.”

  “So when did you... the twins…?”

  “It didn't take long. When I left I headed somewhere I thought you guys wouldn't look for me. I had barely put a bed in my apartment when I took the test.”

  “Why though? Why didn't you tell anyone?”

  Libby tucked her lips inside of her mouth, gnawing at them briefly. If she was honest with herself she wasn't really sure why she never said a word-to anyone but Hana, that is.

   “Fear? Embarrassment? Drake, take your pick. I knew that I couldn't face them both and tell them that I was pregnant. Being pregnant was never why I left, and I guess facing them meant admitting to them both that I really screwed up.

    I played with everyone's emotions-including yours. Stole Liam's heart and shattered it. Then I slipped off like a thief in the night because... I'm a horrible person.”

   She'd raised her voice by now, her breathing coming in short bursts.

   “When I saw that positive test I had every intention of doing the right thing but then the days turned into months and the months to years and now...now here we are, Drake. I have no idea who's kids they are! I messed up Liam's life, Maxwell's life and the worst is I've messed up my kids’ lives too. When Will turned twelve, for months all he would talk about was finding his dad. His dad, Drake! I didn't know what to tell him…” Libby's voice trailed off and Drake covered her hand with his, both resting on the counter. She looked up at him and he wasn't sure how to read her expression.

   “You were never in love with Liam, were you?” He asked flatly.

   “At first I thought I was. I do love Liam, Drake. Even today I love him. But somewhere over the social season it morphed into...a friend's love. I said yes to Liam's proposal because it's what I was brought to Cordonia to do. And being married to a wonderful kind, loving man in order to unite a country I'd fallen in love with...well there were worse fates. But in love with him?” She stirred the pasta, breaking her hand from his grip.

*************

   “Will, are you okay?” McKenzie asked. She rose from her spot on his beanbag chair and sat beside him on the bed. Emma wrapped her arms around her brothers shoulders, pulling him into her as his body stayed frozen in place.

  “Guess what? Mom's human. She isn't perfect.” She told him, resting her chin on his head.

  “You're right. I've always thought she was a whore. But this? A love triangle?” Will snapped, bolting from the bed to pace in front of it.

  “That's not fair. We only heard a piece of things.” Emma tried.

  “Because she won't tell us! We're hearing what she's telling a stranger!” Will raked his hands through his hair. “No offense. I mean I'm sure your dad's nice and all.” He told McKenzie. She held her hands up as if to say “none taken.”

  “Maybe tonight she will. Maybe tomorrow. I mean she has to know we just heard her.” Emma reasoned as their mother appeared in the doorway. “Spaghetti is ready kids.” She said, her voice void of any emotion. She shot McKenzie a half smile, knocking her knuckles on the door as she headed to the dining room.

*************

     “So I've read that Liam married Olivia. Do the people accept her as queen?” Libby asked as they sat around the table.

   Drake nodded as he finished chewing.

   “Liv's a great queen.”

   The tension in the room was thick now as Libby pushed her pasta around her plate.

   “Well tell me about how everyone is from back in the day.”

   “Everyone?” Drake asked taking a swig of his beer.

   “Yeah. Savannah, Bartie, Bertrand..I wanna hear it all!” Libby beamed.

   Her friend rubbed his hands together as he thought.

   “Well you know. Savannah and B got married. Bartie's about to be 17. He's head of his class. Um, they have another kid now, a girl named Claudia, after Bertrand’s mother. She's 10.”

   Drake reached in his pocket and pulled out his smartphone, sliding the device across the table. Libby picked it up, the screen displaying a picture of McKenzie and a handsome brunette boy holding a darling little blonde girl on his back.

   “That was last summer. We all go camping every summer. The Beaumonts, Mack, and I.”

    “She’s gorgeous. And Bartie looks so much like…”

   “Like Uncle Max! Doesn't he? I tell him that all the time.” McKenzie piped up.

   Libby reached for her glass, gulping her red wine as she slid Drake his phone.

  A thick silence filled the room before Drake cleared his throat.

  “I guess you know how Hana is.” His tone was clipped and he looked at her pointedly.

   Emma and Will sat in bewilderment as they watched their mother's entire demeanor change. She squared her shoulders the way Liam had shown her years ago in Portavira, though that fact was lost on the twins, and suddenly she went from their mother to a woman almost regal in appearance despite her flowy tank top and blue jeans.

   She flipped her hair over her shoulder, looking at Drake squarely. “I have kept up with Lady Hana, yes.”

   Libby folded her hands neatly as Drake dropped his fork with a loud clang.

   “Don't. Don't go all Duchess on me, Your Grace.”  He spat as she quirked a brow at him. The children sat silently, heads cast downward.  

   “Someone had to run my duchy, Drake. Despite everything I do care about what happens to the people of Cordonia. That part was never a show.”

   “You're the Duchess of Valtoria?” McKenzie questioned, eyes going wide.

   Libby smiled and nodded, Emma and Will's faces were so dumbstruck you'd have thought their mother had lobsters coming out of her ears.

   “And what about you, Drake? I've told you all about me. What have you been up to all these years?” Libby pressed on, employing yet another diplomatic skill she'd learned from Liam.

   Drake sighed, spotting her training right away.

   “Well I got married not long after you left. Her name was Pam. We had McKenzie and, well..”

   “She died.” Drake's daughter said flatly.

   “I'm sorry.” Will blurted out,unable to sit still any longer, his knees beginning to bounce wildly. McKenzie shot him a grateful grin.

  “May I be excused?” He asked.

  “And me?”  Emma chimed in.

  “I actually think that's best.” Their mother told them. McKenzie rose from her seat.

  “I'm gonna-.” She began and her dad cut her off with a knowing nod. “I'm sorry, kids.” He said.

  As the teenagers left the room Drake fixed Libby with a burning stare. When they were alone once more he reclined in his chair pulling his beer with him.

  “Well are you going to ask me?”

  “Ask you what, Walker?” Libby leaned forward with her elbows on the table.

  “We all knew that whatever was between you and Maxwell was more than friendship. So I wasn't surprised when you told me about the hall pass. What I am surprised by is that you haven't asked about him yet.” He chuckled.

   “Of course I want to know. How is he?”

  Libby chewed the inside of her cheek, wanting but not wanting to hear about the love of her life. She'd imagined a million times over the years how time had or hadn't changed him. Did he have wrinkles now in his early forties? Laugh lines or crows feet? Gray hair? Any hair? Had he gotten soggy in the middle or kept his lean, athletic physique?

  She was brought from her daydreams as Drake answered. “Well, he's not exactly the Maxwell you fell in love with anymore. He's still impulsive and has his rowdy side, but he's grown up a lot, too. He stays kind of distant, reserved. A little more like B, actually. He got married.”

  He paused , cruelly and selfishly enjoying the pained look that Libby gave him before he continued. “Then he got divorced. Twice. No kids. But he went back to school after you left. He got himself a master's degree in political science. He's been teaching classes at Cordonia University in the capital for a few years now.”

   Libby's head dropped staring into her lap. Of course she only ever wanted the best things in life for Maxwell, but somehow actually hearing how well he'd moved on felt like a punch in the stomach.

   After a few moments Drake stood up and cleared the dishes from her table. When he was finished he came to stand in front of his old friend.

   “I'm so happy to have gotten to see you again, Drake. I'm sorry I've missed so many moments in between.” Libby said standing and wrapping her arms around him.

  He pulled from the embrace after a moment with a sigh. “I don't think I need to tell you this, and maybe it's not my place to anymore, but I think you need to tell them. It's the right thing to do, Scott.” Libby bit her lip angry that he was right.

   “So just uproot our lives to fly off to Cordonia, then? That's what I should do? I have kids to think about, Drake. This is their home.”

  “You keep saying that word to me. Home. But, Libby, who are you trying to convince? Me? Or yourself?

   I should get me and Mack back to the hotel, but we're here a couple more days. If you change your mind, I'd be happy to to pause my life and take you back to your real home.”

   Libby looked at him incredulously, her jaw dropping slightly and Drake quirked his brow. “We both know that Cordonia is where you really belong, Scott. And your twins? No matter which way you flip it their dad is there so that's where they belong too. Just...say you'll think about?”

   Her eyes danced around the room, almost as if she were mourning a life she hadn't given up yet.

   “Alright, Walker. I'll think about it.”

[sarcastic-sunshines]

On My Mind

Author’s Note: So this is a continuation of my one shot You Do, which I really enjoyed working on. I was so touched and grateful for the response I got. It drove me to write a second part of Esihle’s story.  My song inspiration was On My Mind by Jorja Smith and Preditah. I hope you all enjoy it and I can’t wait to know what you think. Also thank you to my right hand @writingmarvellousimagines for your constant support and taking time out of your day to edit my writing. You challenge me to be a better writer and overall person and I love you for that. ❤❤❤ I also tagged whoever like the last one shot so I hope you don’t mind.

Warnings: None I promise this time lol

________________________________________________________________

Don't want to feel you

Don't want you on my mind

Don't want to feel you

Don't want you on my mind

Don't want to feel you

Don't want you on my mind

On my mind, on my mind

Mind, mind, mind, mind

Esihle sat with a cup of chai in her hand and a plate of mandazi on the side table next to her. She couldn’t sleep, which wasn’t a surprise considering what today was. So she gave up trying to sleep around 5 and headed to the kitchen, hoping the smell of fried dough would help her forget the implications of the day. 2 hours later, Esihle sat at the window enjoying the fruit of her labor and watching the golden city slowly but surely wake up.

The melodic sound of Mereba and JID’s ‘Sandstorm’ played in the background setting the perfect mood for how she felt about the day. If someone had told a newly married Esihle four years ago that she would have to wake up to go and sign divorce papers she would have laughed and asked T’Challa to join her. She laughed dryly at the thought. She heard Adaora leave her room and walk into the kitchen. Very soon, her friend joined her on the balcony with her own breakfast. Adaora sat sideways on the outdoor sofa putting her legs on Esihle’s lap.

“Good morning to you too,” Adaora giggled with a full mouth to her friends sarcasm.

“The mandazi is delicious. Nice and hot, meaning you were up early.”

“I was,” Esihle answered, looking out to the city letting the sound of the hover buses starting their routes drown out her inner thoughts.

“Couldn’t sleep?” Esihle nodded, not wanting to answer so Adaora couldn’t hear the trepidation in her voice. She took a sip of her tea, not meeting her friend's eyes..

“Esi… Don’t tell me you are having second thoughts.” Adaora waited for an answer. She would have loved if Esi could just confidently say no.  At this point that should have been the case, right?

“Esi, no.” Esihle finally turned to look at her friend. Just like that, Adaora saw it all; the pain and fear in Esihle’s heart exposed in her eyes.

“Ada… I loved him. I really did. Yes, time has passed and things are different now but this was the man I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, have children with, grow old.” Esihle’s eyes watered. “So forgive me if I feel something other than joy today. I haven’t changed my mind but it doesn’t make it any easier, okay? A year apart won’t fully change the love that 3 years of marriage built.”

Adaora dropped her mug and moved to pull her friend into a comforting embrace. “I’m sorry.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1 Year Earlier...

Why on earth would I leave

If you were everything I wanted you to be?

When I saw what you did, who you were with

Got me questionin' the things that I believe

Esihle didn’t know what time it was. To be honest, she never did anymore. It was a good day if she was able to get up and open the blinds.

When she had walked out the palace three weeks ago she felt strong. Uncertain, but definitely strong. Once the adrenaline had subsided, the heartbreak seeped in like poison and crippled her to the core. On most days, she didn’t feel like moving. Eating anything other than the sandwich Adaora watched her eat daily, felt like a chore. She was living life passively and she wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to feel anything but pain again.

Adaora walked past Esihle who had buried herself under the comforters. The wardog pulled the blinds completely open, letting the light change the dark mood hanging in the bedroom. She pulled the blankets off of her friend, making her blind to sunlight. Esihle groaned as she tried to turn away from the window.

“Esi, ” Adaora called softly. Esihle made no move to reply.

“Esihle!”

“What do you want,” she murmured forcefully.

“You know I don’t mind you wallowing in despair for however long you want but you have to go to the palace today.”

“I don’t think I can see him, Ada.” The mere thought of seeing T’Challa brought tears to Esihle’s eyes. How was she supposed to sit in front of him and the council declaring she wanted a divorce? She hadn’t even spoken to him since she left. Not to say he hadn’t tried, but she knew she wasn’t ready for that yet. Adaora had been her messenger which she was grateful for. She knew his words meant nothing to her friend. If anything, they were a reminder of the lies and deception she had to harbour in her heart. But this was something Adaora couldn’t do, and Esihle knew that. She didn’t know how the day had come so quickly but she didn’t have it in her to do it. He had taken all of her and did not even offer a thank you in return.

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but you have no other option here.” Adaora moved to the closet and picked an outfit for her. “You will be fine. Just say what is needed and you can come back here. I am sure the council is aware of what happened so it shouldn’t be long. Try and pretend he isn’t there.”

How could she do that? How could she look at the thief who took her heart and not react? To not beg him to return it to her? She wasn’t even sure if she wanted it back at all which scared her. What if she saw him and his smile hypnotized her as it always did? It was easier to run from his apologies when Adaora kept him away from her. Today she would be forced to face the one who somehow still held her heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Never had Esihle felt so helpless as she did sitting in that throne room. She had not taken her spot next to T’Challa as she normally would have. She chose the stool farthest from him and had come in at the last possible second to avoid him talking to her. That didn’t stop his eyes from drilling a hole into the side of her head. Luckily, they had allowed Adaora to come with her for support. She truly needed it. When she stole a glance at him, T’Challa looked genuinely guilty. She wasn’t sure if it was the commitment to this charade, but she was glad to have her friend who didn’t allow her the time to ponder.

Adaora had picked a red dress for her that added more colour to her skin than she had had in weeks. Esihle also managed to do her makeup, hiding away the bags that the past three weeks had produced. Though, she didn’t look like herself, T’Challa still looked ten times worse. He had lost weight, his own eyes sunken in and available for everyone to see. He seemed to have given up on shaving, even combing his hair. Perhaps that mockery of a marriage had meant more to him than she had thought.

The meeting begun with the river tribe elder reading the laws of the land concerning divorce. Since they had not had children, the process should be quick. Though, the council asked for a year for papers to be officially signed, in case any minds were changed.

Esihle was barely listening. Everything sounded like background noise. Being back in the palace brought up feelings of pain. Questions of the affair were brought to the front of her mind. Had he brought her into the throne room? Had they shared moments of intimacy right here? Where else in the palace could her stain be seen? Esihle was brought out of her thoughts by Adaora shoving her.

“Queen Esihle?” Esihle blinked before turning to the Mining elder.

“I am sorry. Can you repeat that?”

“I was saying that I think it is best for you to come back home and work on your marriage from here.” Esihle face scrunched up with confusion.

“What do you mean? I am not coming back.”

“Your marriage is still young. I feel it is foolish for you to give up based on some simple quarrels that I am sure can be solved with counselling at best.” Esihle’s confusion continued. She looked at Adaora who had catched on.

“He can’t even admit his actions to himself, so why the council and his mother,” she said, making the King squirm in his chair. Ramonda who had taken Esihle’s old spot turned to Adaora,

“And what exactly do you mean by that?” Adaora, never being one to back down was ready to answer before Esihle placed her hand on top of hers. The young Queen finally made eye contact with her husband. There he was, and even in this moment, her heart screamed for him to make up for the lost time. For once, her brain was louder, and it made her inexplicably upset.

“You never told them, did you?” Her tone was harsh. One T'Challa wasn’t used to hearing from her and one he didn’t like. He had missed Esihle and to finally be able to see her like this after all his attempts felt awful. She looked sad. She had lost some weight Her dress gave her a glow but he could tell she was covering her stress with makeup. She was so close, yet he felt a clear distance was keeping them apart. All he wanted was to be back in her arms, for her to tell him she forgave him. He missed his Esi so much and he was willing to do anything to get her back.

He had known as soon as he found her ring. He had finally pushed her to the end. He was immediately inconsolable and everyday since then had been miserable. He felt as though half his heart was missing. Everyday without her had been harder than the last. Now, the sight of Nakia did nothing but anger him. How could he have been so selfish towards the one person who loved him selflessly? Her eyes made him feel so shameful. Here, he was in front of his council and her, ready to have his sins made known to all of them, including his mother.

“Esi, please...” he tried softly, moving to sit up in his chair while silently begging. Esihle stood up from her seat. .

“I did not leave because of a few arguments.” Esihle felt insulted. If only they knew how hard she had fought for this marriage. How she had been the only one fighting a lost battle.

 “Elders, your King was unfaithful to me.” Queen Mother gasped audibly.

“That cannot be true.... Is it true, T’Challa?” The king had covered his mouth with his hand, avoiding his mother’s disappointed gaze. A single tear fell from his eye before he nodded slowly.

“I fought tirelessly for this marriage. Yet my attempts at salvaging this marriage could not keep Kumkani from breaking our marital vows. I refuse to be a victim of his infidelity anymore.” Esihle blinked away tears. She sat back down and grabbed Adaora hands to stop the racing in her heart.

The room was quiet for a moment before the merchant tribe leader stood. “Very well. Your heart is still hardened by the circumstance. As understandable, a year’s period of separation is still recommended. Do you agree with the terms, ikumkani wam?”

Esihle looked at T’Challa once more. He continued to beg her with his eyes. Unfortunately for him, Esihle had finally switched her heart off and was ready to let her brain take full control.

“I do.”

“Very well. I must ask before we disband, if the divorce goes through, what would you like from us and your husband? Would you be needing spousal support? Perhaps a place to stay over this year until you are able to support yourself?”

“I would like nothing. ”

“Are you sure, Esihle?” Ramonda asked. Esihle looked at T’Challa as she answered. She wanted him to see the vacancy in her eyes. To understand how much he took from her.

“There is no material item on this planet that can ever replace what the king has taken from me. There is also no way for him to ever give it back”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9 Months Earlier…

So I ask myself, do I let you go?

Or do I keep you in the frame of my mind?

Now I'm growing wise to your sugar-coated lies

Nothing's sweet about my misery, yeah

Passion fruit was back in season in Wakanda. It was Esihle’s favourite fruit, so it was no surprise to see her waiting for Adaora paying for an assorted amount of spices with a passion fruit treat she had bought from the vendor across the street.

It was the end of raining season. Flowers had finished blooming and school was almost out. The energy was infectious and Esihle felt herself feel absorbed by it. After the council meeting, Esihle was no longer numb to life around her. She refused to mourn a marriage to a man who didn’t even have the decency to acknowledge his role in its demise.

Her revelation did not stop the pain, but it had been easier. She made it a duty to go out and let the sun shine on her at least once a day. It started with her sitting at the balcony to finally being able to step out of the apartment. And now here she was joining Adaora for Saturday shopping. It was a bit awkward when everyone asked her about T’Challa. Considering she could not discuss their separation publicly, she made sure to smile long enough, hoping no one saw through her lies.  While walking through the market square, Esihle could confidently say that she felt happy today. It wasn’t forced, it wasn’t a routine she had made for herself. She was just happy.

Esihle stopped Adaora outside a fabric store. With one look Adaora knew they were going in and knowing her friend, they would not be leaving anytime soon.

Once inside, Esihle felt all the fabrics, telling Adaora which ones she could already see designs for.

“Do you sew?” the shopkeeper asked.

“Does she sew?! Esihle may be one of the best design talents that this country produced,” Adaora said dramatically, making Esihle hide her face in embarrassment.

“I used to be a costume designer. I did some costumes for a few movies but mostly theatre.” The shopkeeper had a moment of realization.

“Oh my Bast! My apologies, ikumani wam! I did not recognize you please-”

“It’s fine. I am just your customer, ” she said with a smile.

“I have to admit I am huge fan of your work in Sizwe Banzi is Dead. Your costumes were spectacular!”

“Thank you. That seems so long ago, but it was really one of the proudest moments in my career.”

“Do you still sew then?” Esihle paused for a moment. She thought about the state of art sewing machine T’Challa had bought her on her birthday during their first year of marriage. She had been elated to see it, especially since she had expressed how much she missed the craft. Back then he would do anything to keep a smile on her face. Every garment she made for him, he would wear with pride, bragging to world leaders how skilled she was.

The last thing she had made was the yellow dress she had worn on the day she caught Nakia in his office. She had donated the dress, not wanting any of the memories of the day. “I don’t, and I don’t know why,” she finally said looking past the storekeeper at a pink ankara pattern.

“Can I get 12 yards of that material?” The store keeper turned to get the fabric. “And would you know where I could get a sewing machine?”

“Esi, really?” Adaora asked excitedly.

“An early birthday gift for myself,” Esihle said with a soft smile.

“Yay! Because I have some designs I have been wanting to ask you but I was waiting for you to feel better, like a true friend,” she said holding her friend tight while Esihle rolled her eyes with a bigger smile.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

6 Months Earlier...

Esihle had felt blessed today. It was her birthday, and although she had initially felt sad to not have T'Challa on this day, her friends had made his presence seem irrelevant. Adaora had planned a girl’s day for her with their friends from university.  They had done a spa day, leaving Esihle glowing and fully pampered. She was wearing an off the shoulder jumpsuit she had made using the pink ankara she got from the fabric store. They had lunch at one of her favourite restaurants, reminiscing their favourite Esihle moments. She felt loved, and it was something she appreciated deeply especially when she thought about how she had spent her last birthday alone, not wanting her friends to know T’Challa was on another mission and possibly pity her. Thinking of that now made her feel silly.

By the time her and Adaora had gotten home, she was wiped out. She was ready to put her bonnet on, drink her favourite wine and binge watch cooking shows. They had just settled on the couch with popcorn in their laps when the doorbell started ringing. They looked at each other expected the other to know who it was.

“Did you order something?”

“No, is it your admirer from down the hall?” Adaora threw a pillow at her all of a sudden feeling shy. “Hey! But seriously, Adaora, if you ever need me to disappear so you can have some romantic energy in here I am more than willing to. He seems nice, no?”

“Esi, the door!” Esihle giggled all the way there. She opened it and was met with one of the King’s guard.

“Happy Birthday, Queen Esihle.” A feeling of dread filled her. She hated seeing the guards at the door. It usually meant T’Challa had sent another gift she either would send back or ask to be donated. He hadn’t sent any for a month and she was sure that was the end. He must have remembered her birthday and decided to start again.

“Thank you, Kofi. What did he send this time?” He moved aside and 3 other guards appeared, moving into the house with huge bouquets of flowers. Esihle barely looked at them before Kofi was shoving a small box in her hand with a card. Adaora appeared over her shoulder, curious.

Esihle opened the box and revealed a opal pendant with a gold chain. It was truly beautiful, and she wasn’t shocked. When he was good, T'Challa never failed to treat her like the Queen she was. Who knew she had to leave for him to remember.

“The man can be an asshole but he sure is good at gift giving.” Adaora marveled taking the box from her hands. “What does the card say?”

To the woman whose smile warms my insides,

whose laugh can solely be described as melodic.

Everyday without you, my love, is a day wasted.

Happy birthday, entle.

-T’Challa.

Esihle smiled effortlessly, basking in the words on the page. It were Adaora’s words that made her aware how quick she was to fall into his woven trap.

“If only he had been this romantic when you needed him to be.” Esihle looked up, her smile slowly disappearing. She finally looked at the bouquets of flowers. Immediately, she felt like throwing up. They were the same yellow roses he always bought whenever he had forgotten a date or anniversary, even her birthday. Looking at those flowers reminded her of a version of herself that was sad and afraid to face the realities of a crumbling marriage. She didn’t like how small and insignificant that version of herself was made to feel. No amount of gifts could coerce her into forgetting that, especially since that is what he wanted; for her grievances to be buried away and never brought up as long as he got what he wanted.

She grabbed the box from Adaora’s hand and placed it in Kofi’s with the card on top.

“Would you like me to donate it or return it?”

“Give it back it back to him, and tell him I said thank you for his birthday wishes but I don’t need neither that or his gifts. If he feels the need to be generous, he should find Nakia.” Kofi snickered briefly, trying to maintain his composure. Esihle’s sharpness was something that barely came forward. Though the King had dragged it out of her. She had changed so much since he had been trying to prevent her from entering T’Challa’s office that day.

“Would you like me to say it just like that?”

“If he asks, yes.” Kofi turned away but Esihle called him back. “The flowers too. I want them gone. Tell him they make me sick.” Kofi hesitated before he asked his men to clear out the apartment.

Once they were gone and she had shut the door, Adaora gave her a big unexpected hug.

“I am proud of you! “

“Thanks Ada.  Thank you for never letting me forget how much I deserve”

“You should have let me keep the necklace though. You know it would have killed him to know I was the one parading it around.” The pair giggled, walking back to the couch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3 Months Earlier....

You again, why'd you call?

I don't need to hear you cryin' out my name

Unlike before when you and I laid eye to eye

Now it's time for you to taste the bitter end

Esihle was in her element. The sound of the sewing machine was a rhythm that left her in a serene state. The fabric between her hands as it passed methodically through the machine. She felt fulfilled, something she hadn’t felt in a long time. She had spent much of her time being T’Challa’s arm candy at different events around the world, and though she didn’t mind, she had missed being able to create. He had promised her that there would still be time for that after they had settled into married life. One thing led to another and it had become a back thought to her.

Here she was, sewing costumes for the university’s production of the South African play Gangsters. Going to the annual production was something she enjoyed during her time as Queen. She would always talk T’Challa’s ear off after about the set design and stitching of the costumes. He would let her ramble while he watched in awe of her and her passion for her craft. She had gone to the play last year with Adaora because T’Challa had claimed to be too busy. By the time she had gotten home he had fallen asleep and never asked so she did not feel like sharing.

This year, she had extra time so she took it upon herself to design the 1970’s themed costumes. She had gone full out shipping fabrics and props from outside of Wakanda. It was not hard, since she was still technically Queen, and T'Challa seemed ready to move the world if it meant she could possibly consider coming home.

They still had barely spoken, and honestly speaking, Esihle did not mind. She felt at peace with her circumstance. Her heart was healing and no longer pined for him like it once did. The flame in her heart was once again ignited but it wasn’t because of him. She was ready to complete the last few months of their separation so she could move on with her life. She deserved that much.

“Are you going to sleep today, Esi,” Adaora asked from the door.

“Yeah, I just want to finish these last few so they can try it on during tomorrow’s rehearsal.”

“Are you going alone or is Kofi coming to get them?”

“Kofi is coming to get me and the costumes. I finally get to see them on the actors and I am excited, ” she said with a large smile never looking away from her work table.

“Look at you! I am glad to see you getting back into it. The stage missed your designs.” Adaora returned her smile.

A hard banging at the door made both woman jump. Esihle turned off the machine looking at the war dog for direction. Slowly, they inched closer to the door. The banging got stronger, a strained voice could be heard from the other side. It only took Esihle a moment to realise who it was. Why was he here?

Every time he attempted to contact her she felt herself age from the stress caused by the forceful reminder of emotions she was trying to rid herself of. He continued to bang on the door, pleading for Esi to give him only a moment of her time.

“What do you want to do, ” Adaora asked. She told her to open the door for him but she would stay hidden. Adaora angrily marched to the door opening it with force, causing T'Challa to nearly fall.

“It is nearly midnight. What are you doing here  Kumkani?” He looked awful. He clearly wasn’t taking care of himself and either no one had the heart to tell him or he didn’t care.

“I am here to see my wife.” He slurred his words, his eyes swollen from the tears he had just shed.

“Where is Ayo? I don’t think you are supposed to move around without a Dora.” Adaora said lazily, blocking the entry.

“I am a King and I can come and go as I choose! Where is Esihle? I need to talk to her!”

“She is sleeping so it’s probably best you go back home. You are drunk and shouldn’t be speaking to her like this.” The pair had a staring match for a moment.

“You are lying. Let me in now!”

“You may be King but this is my home and this is an abuse of power if you ask me.” Esihle stifled a laugh at her friend’s dramatics. What would she do without her?

“I am sick of coming here and having to talk to you. You are not Esihle so let me express myself properly to the person it matters most to!” He had sobered up quickly, letting anger and determination course through him.

“Why? So you can say some more lies that will have her believing you are worth the time of day?! Is that it? Because I can promise you that she is far better without you! He who couldn’t respect her enough to keep it in his pants! Using her as something you could fall back on, just using and abusing with no care in the world but your own wants and needs!” T’Challa became quiet. He didn’t like his faults being thrown in face.

“You have no right-”

“Ada, let him in. ” Adaora turned confused.

“Esi, are you sure?”

“Let him in. It’s fine.” T’Challa pushed past Adaora and walked directly to Esihle reaching out to touch her. She took a step back making the boundaries clear. T’Challa sighed, his exhaustion becoming more apparent.

“Why are you here?”

“I haven’t spoken to you since you left. Not properly anyway, and you haven’t let me see you, entle.”

“Well, that is how separation works, isn’t it? We aren’t together anymore, T’Challa.”

“But we can be, Esi.” Hr knelt in front of her. His hands held together like he was praying.

“I am so so so sorry. I wasn’t thinking when I did what I did. I am sorry. I have learned my lesson. Trust me, my life has been miserable without you. You are my one and only and I am sorry I ever forgot that.” His voice started to shake as he struggled to keep his tears at bay. Esihle’s eyes also began to water. She blinked them away looking at anything but his face, refusing to be drawn back into his charm.

“I promise you, entle, Nakia and I have not spoken since, and if you come back I promise that she will never be apart of our life in anyway. She meant nothing to me. It was just sex, that’s it. She could never take your place in my heart.” Esihle did not respond.

“Esi, please, I can’t live without you. I will do whatever you need me to do, counselling, anything you want, my love.” She turned to face him. As always he found her eyes first. They were no longer empty, but filled with rage. Despite the anger, she looked better than she had when they were together. She was glowing, and appeared stress free.

“That is the problem,” Esihle finally said, “you are lying because you were just thinking of yourself. Meanwhile, I was wasting prayers, asking Bast what I was doing wrong for my husband to look for what I was offering somewhere else. Everytime you lied to me, you knew you were breaking my heart but you did it anyways. Because you are selfish. You always will be. The only reason you are even here is because it has finally hit you that no one else is willing to put up with your garbage like I was.” Her words cut him like a knife, but with every syllable Esihle felt freer than she had before. “But that was a different Esihle, one you had morphed so anytime she questioned your actions you would swoop in with your sweet words and pacify her so you could continue to control her. You don’t love me. You loved what I could do for you. Because if it was just sex, you would not need Nakia. I did all I could to leave you satisfied because your happiness meant mine.”

“Esi please-” She put her hand up to silence him.

“But that was then. I do not need you to be happy. In fact, I do not need you at all. So stop coming here because it is selfish. You refuse to let me heal without harassing me with your emotional manipulation.” His tears had finally broken through. He held onto his chest feeling the pain of her words within him.

Kofi finally entered the door. Esihle had sent for him as soon as she realised T’Challa was by himself.

“Esi, please don’t do this, I can’t live without you,” T'Challa begged.

“Well, you are going to have to learn to. Kofi, take him home, please,” she said turning away from him and heading back to her work table.

She heard him yell for her, still begging for her to change her mind. She sat down, picking up her sewing where she left off. She turned the machine on, drowning out his voice and letting the rhythm of the sewing machine carry her back to serenity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Present Day

Esihle sat in the same spot she had sat a year ago. To think then she never even imagined being able to make it through the year. She was thankful for it, because despite the sadness that came with letting go, she could sit here certain that she was ready to say goodbye to this relationship

She turned to look at T’Challa. He looked better than he did a few months ago. Now, when she looked at him, she felt nothing. Not anger or sadness. No love. For that she was grateful.

“Esihle, I saw the play. Your handwork is truly one of a kind, ” Queen Mother said to her.

“Thank you, it felt amazing to get back into it. It was like a breath of fresh air. I am just grateful to be doing things that make me happy again,” She said with a genuine smile, feeling T’Challa’s gaze on her.

The elders walking in one after another calling the meeting. Again, the rules of divorce were read. She held onto Adaora’s hand listening to every word.

The merchant elder turned to Esihle after all was said and done. Her final consent was needed.

“Well then, Esihle, do you confirm that after a year of separation, at time recommended by council for reflection, that you feel you cannot reconcile with your husband?”

Esihle turned to face T’Challa. “I don’t think I can reconcile with him. Our time apart just showed me this marriage cannot work.”

“With that being said, you choose to continue with your requested divorce.” Esihle hesitated for a moment. How she used to love him… She loved him so much she forgot to love herself. If only she had told herself two years ago that his love for her could never replace the love she needed for herself. That her life deserved to have more meaning than being his wife.

“I do.” She heard T’Challa sigh.

She knew it would hurt today. It may even hurt tomorrow, but in that moment she chose herself. She deserved better than anything he could ever offer her. His love could never be enough. There wasn’t any love from anyone that could trump her love of self.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Taglist:

@writingmarvellousimagines @determinednot2fall @leahnicole1219 @dopegallkk  @bakarisangel 

[lovingsiriusoswald]

Dialogue Prompt List

A list of funny, fluffy, rage, and angsty dialogues compiled overtime! Under the cut because its reaaaally long and I love them all.

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Crackheads - From here (1-30)   (31-40)

“All I know is, one of us is right, the other one is you.”

“You did what?”   “It wasn’t as bad as last time, I swear.”

“Don’t you have to be stupid somewhere else?”   “Not until four.”

“Ohh, so you think I’m cute when I’m angry? Well, get ready because I’m about to be gorgeous!”

“I’m going into the woods to scream for a bit, anybody wanna come with?”

“So… I’ve just realised… that I’ve been shot.”

“I don’t care if you are panicking - just… do it quietly.”

“Excuse me, I have to go make a scene.”

“Yeah, I have a plan.”   “Is it a good one?”   “I have a plan.”

“I have to go… iron… my cat.”

“You gotta stop doing that.”   “What?”   “Saying things that make me want to kiss you.”

“Your existence gives me a headache, go stand over there.”

“You’ve got about as much charm as a dead slug.”

“Everything here can kill you, but I can do it the most efficiently.”

“Just know that I love you. I love you with all of my fucked up, piece of shit heart.”

“Is this coffee bitter?”   “No, it must be you.”

“You’re weird.”   “Sorry.”   “No, that was a compliment.”

“I know that I just spit blood all over you, and this is probably the wrong time, but I kind of like you.”

“Well, the best of the best weren’t available… so we got the best of the mediocre.”

“Here, hold my dignity… I’ve got some sketchy shit to do.”

“Fuck! I was so smart five minutes ago! What happened?”

“What happened to your face?” “Beauty.”

“You shake when you get angry.” “I do not!” “You’re like an angry lil’ chihuahua.”

“I could run a marathon. Right now. I’ll do it.” “It’s literally 2 am.” “I peak at 2 am, you should know this.”

“If there’s anything I’ve managed to do pretty well in my life, so far it’s not die. So we’re off to a good start on that one.”

“Are you there?” “Physically, yes. Mentally is debatable.”

“Why aren’t you dating him?” “Because I’d destroy him.” “He’d been into that!”

“Damn it, why aren’t you obeying the laws of physics?”

“All that blood looks good on you. It really brings out your eyes!”

“She is the embodiment of snorting chlorine and then drowning yourself in a pool.”

“I may be small but I am mighty.”

“You are very attractive. Therefore I will stare at you.” 

“Somebody’s cranky.”  “Somebody needs to shut fuck up.”

“I didn’t do it!”   “Then why are you laughing?”   “Because whoever did it is a freaking genius.” 

“You’re not short. You wouldn’t understand.”

 “Have fun, fam! I’ll bet it’ll be ‘lit’ as the kids say.”  “I’m literally begging you to stop”

“[character] NO!”   “[character] YES!”

“Did you just slap my ass?”   “Actually, I firmly grasped it.”   “Did you just quote Spongebob?”

“Twinkies and cotton candy is not dinner!” 

“I’m not arguing. I’m simply explaining why I’m right.” 

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Love and Sunshine - From here (1-21)   (22-42)

“It was always you.”

“Can you just hold my hand?”

“I love you in every possible way.”

“You are your own person. You are not mine. But I hope you will let me love you.”

“I wished every day to hold you once more.”

“You are a fountain of good fortune, my love.”

“Seeing your face is like drinking water after a lifetime in the desert.”

“There is something between us and it is the most beautiful thing I have ever felt.”

“If I could stay here with you forever, I would.”

“You had the deftness of a master thief when you stole my heart.”

“You are the first thing on my mind, the last thought before sleep, and my truest love.”

“This is my favorite time of day.”

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Feel it, it’s soft.”

“He’s adorable, what’s his name?”

“Let’s take the long way home.”

“I know it’s early, but you have to see this sunrise.”

“Paint with me.”

“I love it. It’s amazing.”

“Look at those stars.”

“You’re absolutely fantastic.”

“Rumor has it, I make you nervous.”

"You look cute with a baby bump!” 

“I want to try for a baby” 

“I really love holding you, darling.” 

“You look beautiful in anything.”

“I wanted to say “I love you” for the first time without stuttering, but that failed.” 

"The stars look especially lovely tonight." 

"I wasn’t planning on asking you, but it appeared to me that life is short. Will you marry me?" 

"May I have this dance, wife/husband?”

“Do you think it’s possible that I…might be… pregnant? ”

“Do you wanna know the sex of the baby?" 

“I can’t believe I got the first date, let alone a year.”

“I have so much love for you. I actually never thought I could feel like this, but you proved me wrong.”

“Dance with me and pretend the world doesn’t exist.”

“I don’t care where I’m sleeping, as long as its with you.”

“Are you flirting with me?”

“You’re the most important person in my life.” 

"I think this is going to be the start of something wonderful.” 

“You’re a little shit but you’re my little shit.” 

“Welcome to fatherhood.” 

“God, I’m never leaving your side again.”“Every inch of you is breathtaking.” 

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Ruled by Anger - From here (1-10)   (11-20)

“Admit that you’re wrong!”

“Do not compare yourself to me.”

“My hate for you runs deeper than your ego.”

“You left me!”

“You will never know how I feel.”

“Liar!”

“I wish you were dead.”

“You will regret this.”

“Get away from me!”

“I don’t know you anymore.”

“Say that to me one more time.”

“I told you what would happen if you disobeyed.”

“You just made your biggest mistake.”

“Let’s see what’s left in you for me to break.”

“Go on. Try to run.”

“Come here. Now.”

“I’m going to put you in your place.”

“Looks like you’re not useful anymore.”

“When I tell you to look me in the eye, you look me in the eye.”

“You think you know what pain is? No. Not yet.”

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Tear-Jerkers / Angst - From here (1-15)   (16 - 28)   (29-50)

“You made me feel weak.”

“I didn’t mean to love you so much.”

“You were the only person I thought I could trust.”

“You promised you wouldn’t forget me.”

“I don’t have anyone else.”

“I thought you still loved me.”

“You never cared that you broke my heart.”

“It wasn’t supposed to end this way.”

“Please just stay with me. For one moment at least.”

“You’re leaving now?”

“You didn’t miss me at all?”

“I can’t love you anymore.”

“I wish I was sorry.”

“All these years and you decide to break my heart now?”

“Did I ever really matter to you?”

“How come she loves you?”

“There are an endless number of things I wish to forget.”

“I came so far. Only to end up here.”

“I’m scared. Why am I so scared?”

“He never came back. Even though he said he would.”

“I wish I didn’t care about it.”

“Pain is not an easy thing to ignore.”

“Set me free.”

“I made her cry. How could I do that?”

“Please don’t make me say it.”

“There’s only so many times I can mend this heart.”

“How do I keep going?”

“It’s gone. All of it.” 

“I miss you when you’re gone.”

“I’m sorry, I fucked up.”

“There’s no bringing them back.”

“This is all my fault.”

“It’s okay to cry…”

“I leave tomorrow.”

“Maybe you’re right. We should just end things now.”

“I’m sorry it has to end this way.”

“���I’m in love with him.”

“Why the hell would you say something like that?”

“These people don’t care about you, ____.”

“I lost them.”

“Nothing really matters to me.”

“What do you see in me?”

“Being with you is so exhausting sometimes.”

“I don’t need questions, I need honesty.”

“Just don’t give up, I’m working it out.”

“Nobody loves you, anyway.”

“Just please go away.”

“I can’t be alone with all that’s on my mind…”

“Just leave me the fuck alone.”

“Don’t fucking touch me!"

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Heart Broken Tagalog/FIlipino Lyrics Translated to English

“You promised forever, then why are we in the end?”

“They said if you truly love someone, let them go. Goodbye, my love.”

“I’ll wake up from this dream of mine and finally let myself move on from you.”

“For these last seconds with you in my arms, may I pretend that you’re still mine?”

“You could’ve told me so I didn’t have to let my heart love again.”

“Why would I force myself for someone that’s not meant for me?”

“I wonder when can I hug and kiss you again, outside my dreams?”

“I’ll hold you tighter. I know this wouldn’t last.”

“Sometimes, love is not the answer.”

“Don’t let go, I don’t want to be left alone.”

[marvelicious-concessions]

Golden hearted

Chapter 1/6

A/N: So I’ve been reading a lot of villain centered books lately :)) and thought it would be fun the make the oc a bad, bad girl. It was more difficult than I expected thought, gotta be real :)) 

That being said, this is probably very ooc, but hey, I’m writing it for fun. May be a tad attraction at first sight-y, just a little bit :P

Will lead up to Endgame ^^

Aesthetics relax me!

The Avengers were reunited for a second time, the circumstances better than first time, but still with a problem on hand. They were gathered around a table in the same room they apprehended Loki, but all new furniture and equipment and a fully repaired wall. The Iron Man pressed a few buttons on his weird midgardian tablet and her image shot up in front of them, detailed writings underneath. Stark read out loud, annoyance clear in his voice.

"You guys remember her. Name: Evelyn Evans. Powers include: superhuman strength and resistance, flight, turning things into gold. That last one is new. Weaknesses: try blasting her head off. Who filled this in? Someone tell Fury that's more a recommendation than an actual weakness."

Thor was silently looking at the woman's face. He remembered her well despite the picture being taken before she acquired her powers: a bashful look, almost as if the camera scared her, with big dark rimmed glasses and hair pulled up in a tight bun. The white shirt was the only visible clothing, but it was a far cry from the lacy dark blouse and generous low cut V neck she had when they met. He could picture her in his mind as if it all happened just that morning.

The chitauri army was pouring through the giant portal in the sky. She stood out, alone in the middle of the street, most of the humans having ran as far away as possible at the first sight of the monsters and giant portal in the sky. Like the valiant man he was, he rushed to save the damsel in distress. He was beyond surprised when the said damsel punched one of the chitauri soldiers and became even more curious when she floated a few inches off the ground and punched a few others. Her attention snapped to him soon after, her dark hair flowing as she glided closer. She looked him up and down, her expression bored as if it were just another day on Earth.

"I assume you know what's going on here?"

"The chitauri army is invading." She furrowed her brows, arms crossed. She was still a few inches off the ground, almost at eye level with him and he had to admit she had quite the mesmerizing eyes, light brown, with little wisps of golden yellow. Such a silly thing to notice while aliens were closing in.

"Well that explains a lot... Any idea how to stop this?"

"We have to find my brother, we have a plan, but we need his weapon." She sighed long and hard, looking more annoyed than anything else. She seemed to consider something, looking at the chitauri forces and then back at him again.

"Okay big guy. I'll stick around, you point me at the bastard when you see him."

"He's not a bastard, he's adopted!" That was when she first smiled, shacking her head with a little chuckle. She look him over once more, a shadow playing behind those eyes and sly grin. Thor felt a pang of guilt for actually enjoying the predatory gaze she was giving him. He made a mental note to visit Jane after they save Earth from his brother.

"Got a name, funny guy?"

Chitauri soldiers swarmed them before he got to answer. He was impressed at the woman's agility and endurance as she fought with him side by side. He threw his hammer at a creature that was sneaking behind her, Mijolnir landing some feet in front of her. He remembered her frown when she couldn't lift it and the smirk when he called the hammer back into his hand. Such a hypnotic smile, eyes sharp and determinate, as if it she had found a challenge she would enjoy conquering. They found each other back to back, chitauri focusing on them.

"My name is Thor. What shall I call you, my lady?" She looked at him, amusement written all over her face as she caught a chitauri by the throat and crushed it. He almost gasped at the display, more so because she looked so unaffected. He assumes she was just another powered human, another one of Earth’s mightiest heroes. He would have never guessed she would turn out to be a villain instead.

"The Norse god of thunder?"

"In the flesh!"

"And I suppose this brother we're looking for is named Loki?"

"You've heard of us!"

"And when I thought this day wasn't going to get any more interesting..." She punched another creature just as he took out the rest with his hammer. When they were done, she turned towards him, hand extended and despite all the strength behind her punches, her skin felt soft against his. "Evelyn. Nice too meet you Thor, God of Thunder." She said his name in a way like no other, half praise, half dare, as if she acknowledged his status but thought she could still take him nonetheless. He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles without thought, the gesture registering only after his lips touched her skin.

"The pleasure is all mine, lady Evelyn." She flashed him another toothy grin, stealing another glance at his hammer and letting her hand slide painfully slow from his. She was doing things to him and perhaps if he weren't so entranced he would have realized she was nothing but trouble. But the red flag came later, after the portal had been closed and his brother in their grasps.

"So you're the God of Mischief." She circled him like a hungry predator, the wolfish smirk on par with the ones his dear brother used to flash. "Too bad. We could have had some fun together, you and I."

"Release me and maybe I'll allow you to rule by my side." She scoffed, looking offended, but smiled at the same time.

"Something tells me you're not worth all that trouble. Besides..." She leaned in to whisper at his ear, but loud enough that Thor had heard it. "The world is already at my feet."

She looked the part as she said those words, mischief in her eyes and wicked tongue. Thor played it as bravado, mixed with a flirty personality at the time. In hindsight, he should have noticed the act, years upon years spent with a trickster in the family. But as those doe like eyes turned on him, he could only see the rose and not the thorns beneath.

"Well it's been fun and all, but I'll be going back to my vacation." She turned towards Thor, all sweet and alluring, catching him off guard. "Unless you want to have some fun, God of Thunder."

"I'm sorry lady Evelyn-"

"You're already taken, figures. Well if it doesn't work out, come find me." She winked at him and took off through the gap in the wall, her voice etched into his memory until Tony's broke the silence.

"Guys, where is the Tesseract?"

"That little thief!"

Thor shook his head, taking a deep breath and stealing one more glance at the floating picture. What was done was done and there was nothing he could do to change the past. Instead, he should focus on the future. They had been looking for her since that day, almost 2 months ago. The woman was like a ghost, appearing one place in a second, then halfway across the world the next. And that was when they traced her at all. The sad truth was they had no idea where she was most on the time.

"How did you find her?"

"So she kicked some mafioso out of his mansion and killed a few of his goons. Been living there for a few days." Thor's heart sank. She hadn't really done anythingparticularly nefarious after stealing the Tesseract. Mostly visiting places on Earth and booking hotels. There had even been proof that she helped a family out of being evicted, the odd shaped gold pieces being traced back to her powers. But now she was taking lives. How could he still hope there was some good in her as well?

"When has she gotten so out of control?"

"She's always been out of control. She stole the damn Tesseract."

"But she helped during the battle in New York." He couldn't deny there was still some unrealistic hope that the woman was not at fault. Yet there was no other explanation for the disappearance of the Tesseract and it also explained how she was traveling from one place to the next instantaneously.

"From what I understood she was caught in the crossfire. It wasn't exactly the rushing to our aid type of thing." Natasha added in her usual unimpressed voice. Thor regarded her for a moment, her frame small in the black leather chair. She didn't look it, but the Black Widow was also capable and dangerous.

"Hm. She seemed like a nice kid back then." Tony's remark made several of the Avengers turn to him with questioning looks, but Thor changed the subject. He was eager to solve this mess and return the Space Stone back in Asgard's vault were it belonged.

"So what do we know about her?" Natasha flipped a document open, but she didn't need to read any of the words, the information already read and analyzed, if she hadn't been the one to gather it in the first place.

"Nothing much. She was a science major, a bit antisocial if you ask me. Teachers and colleagues had only nice things to say about her, she learned well, was well spoken and helped whenever she could. Had a lot of acquaintances, but no real friends though. She stopped attending classes just a few weeks before New York. No previous sings of powers, so we assume that's when she got them."

"No family?"

"Raised by a single mother. Died about two years before she dropped out."

"And these powers, do we know how she got them?"

"No clue, but I'm sure Fury knows more than he's letting on. He's been kind of shady about the whole thing." There was a long silence as everything sank in. They basically knew nothing about her, or the extent of her powers. Since when did she turn things to gold? But she was far from indestructible, the cut on her arm from a chitauri spear fresh in his memory. Tony spoke first after a moment.

"I'm going to be sitting this one out. Banner as well"

"What? Why?"

"I am a busy man, Captain. And I'm pretty sure Goldilocks here can take her alone."

"What could be more important than the Tesseract?" Natasha interest was clearly peaked, her sharp gaze studying Tony's every gesture, but it was Banner who spoke, full of a childlike enthusiasm.

"We've encrypted a code from the stone in Loki's scepter. It's truly amazing, like nothing I've ever seen."

"We're saving the world on a different front guys. Have fun with our little thief."

The two left the room, not before Stark changed the picture of Evelyn with a map and coordinates. The captain let out an exasperated sigh and stood up, looking at them in turn, assessing the unexpected change in plans. Him, Thor, Natasha and Clint had to be enough.

"Alright, we got one shot at this before she uses the Tesseract and we loose her again." Somehow Thor doubted she was going to run this time.

Chapter 2 > 

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DARING DO

and

The Gryphon’s Quest!

Chapter 4

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

and

Carmen Pondiego

Cover art by Wind the Mama Cat

29584 words

© 2016 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 03/29/16

All rights reserved.  This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

This is a Fan Fiction based on My Little Pony.  Canterlot, Princess Luna and the name Daring Do are owned by Hasboro Inc.

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Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights.  

1.) They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact.

2.) They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

3.) All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction are actively encouraged.

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For new readers, this link leads to the beginning of

Daring Do and the Gryphon’s Quest!

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Chapter 4. A V.I.L.E. Family Dinner

Daring Do, her eyes adjusting to the bright sunlight, saw the famous statue of CELESTIA IN VICTORY.  That brought her up short because she knew that it had been stolen from Victory Park in mid Canterlot about three years ago. Nopony was sure of exactly when it was taken.  Park workers going to clean it of pigeon droppings discovered that it had been replaced by a Styrofoam copy!

Staring about, she saw a plunge.  It had four so-called “Wu Dogs”, one at each corner.  Daring Do knew that those “dogs” were actually lions carved from descriptions in written texts that were given to stone carvers who had never seen a lion.  She knew that those “dogs” and the swimming pool that they were a part of was once inside the palace of the Golden Emperor of the Chineighese Empire. Discovering that it was gone had created a huge scandal.

The cause of that scandal was lounging at the far end of the pool.  A khaki colored unicorn mare in a fire engine red bikini hit the water in a near perfect dive.  She made almost no splash and shot underwater like a living torpedo to the near end of the plunge.

Surfacing at the pool’s rim like a leaping porpoise, she put both forehooves on the pool edge and pushed, turning as she did so.  The infamous and NEVER caught master thief Carmen Pondiego sat only a fraction of a second before rolling to her hooves an sprinting joyfully to them.

She called out, “Adora!  Blendin said that he was bringing you and two other guests to dinner!  I was not sure whether to believe him or not!  We are having enchiladas!  I made up enough for all of us.”

Daring Do could not dodge her mother’s hug with the Gryphons watching. Truthfully, she really did not want to.  As she felt Carmen’s arms about her, she felt paradoxically safe and about to panic at the same moment.

She compromised by asking archly, “Enough for ALL of us?  Where did you manage to steal that much?”

Stepping back but keeping her hooves on Daring Do’s shoulders, Carmen said with mock severity, “Adora, you wound me!  This was a dinner for YOU.  I did not steal the ingredients.”

Blendin pulled a wry face as he revealed, “Uncle Marehem stole them.  We have not seen the headlines yet, so we don’t know where he got them.  

“Want to join the betting pool, Sis?  The pot is up to 800 golden bits!”

While Daring Do was thinking about it, Grata and Rahak, crests up and fluttering in Gryphon laughter asked, “Is that a family betting pool or can we join it?”

Blendin instantly replied, “It is open to anypony on the island.  That includes you two.”

“Right.  Who do we register our guess and place our bets with?”

Blendin snickered, “Me.”

“Five golden bits each, on the northwestern region of Mexipone.”  They cheerfully gave Blendin their bits.

Daring Do, squinted her eyes in deep thought and hoofed over ten gold bits herself.  “Ten.  I am going for the Mexi-Queso Warehouse.  Uncle M always likes getting the very best!”

Letting go of Daring Do, Carmen put a hoof over her eyes.  “I am shamed by my own daughter.  I should have thought of that!”

Blendin suggested, “Face saving by face stuffing?  It is dinner time on the Island!”

Carmen nodded and led them through corridors hung with priceless art and past pedestals with small statuary and rare porcelains.  They emerged into a dining room with a table of simple, elegant design.

It was Rahak who drew a breath of admiration.  “A Chipenwood table.  I never thought to see a real one in my lifetime.”

Grata’s eye was drawn to a smallish porcelain vase of white, blue and green with characters of the ancient X'ibian language decorating its surface. Awed, she turned to Carmen and asked, “The Heart of Discord?  It is real after all?”

Carmen smiled broadly.  “Yes, the Heart of Discord.  No, it is not real.  Yes, that is the only one in the whole world.  My daughter’s last expedition to X'ibia created it by copying the true Heart of Wisdom to mislead some tomb robbers.  Eris, the female form of Discord, came when it was used but she was not bound by it.  I am very proud of this deception by my sweet Adora.”

Carmen disappeared into an adjoining room.  There was an encouraging clatter of dishes from the room.  Carmen emerged, having managed the trick of changing into her near trademark form fitting red dress and tinted glasses.  She was carrying a big silver platter piled high with enchiladas.  She set it onto hot pads on the table and returned with a second tray, only a little smaller than the first.  This one got placed between Rahak and Grata.

The other guests entered the dining room.  As they sat, Daring Do realized that her biological father, the alicorn Baron Von Nighthoof and Carmen were presently getting along well.  He was at Carmen’s right hoof, but not before he had seated her like royalty.  The glint of gold at her neck showed that she was wearing their copy of the Golden Necklace of Pharow Underrock that the Baron had given her.

Daring Do was seated at Carmen’s left hoof.  Grata and Rahak were down table from Daring Do.  Blendin and Kiros, the odd looking wolf hybrid with his black hair, horns and dragon like wings and tail, sat opposite them.  At the foot of the table, in his usual place, was Daring Do’s uncle Marehem, a blue Misfortune Changeling with orange hair.

As soon as all were seated, Carmen tapped the side of her glass (a rare Stuborn glass, Daring Do noticed) to get attention. “Marehem, my dear, the betting pool is all here.  Where did you obtain the ingredients for our dinner?”

He ran a blue hoof through his pumpkin colored hair.  “Um, could I have the guesses?”

Blendin nodded and pulled out his list.  “To make things easiest, they are all in Mexipone.  

“Baron Von Nighthoof thought that you went to Mexipone City because the place is such hodgepodge that nopony would miss them.

“Carmen guessed Ox-Huaca valley somewhere.

“Kiros thought perhaps, Casa Nquesa.

“Our two Gryphon guests suggested northwestern Mexipone.

“Adora was specific.  She said the Mexi-Queso warehouse because you wanted the best.”

Marehem smiled wickedly.  “Adora, you should put aside all of your problems with Carmen.  You would make a fantastic agent!  You hit it on the head.  Technically, I did not take it from their warehouse.  I got it from their aging cave about an hour before it was due to go to the warehouse to be packaged and labeled.”

Grata’s eyes were darting from object to object in the room.  She ventured, “I have seen some of these in the Imperial Museum.  The reproductions are excellent.”

With considerable pride, Carmen replied, “Indeed they are.  That is why the originals have not been missed!  These are the originals.”

Grata paused in deep thought.  “Then it is not a coincidence of names.  You are Carmen Pondiego, reputed to be a Master Thief unexcelled in history.  Since Daring Do is your daughter, so we have been hearing, then the origin of her astounding skill at locating and recovering ancient artifacts is well explained.”

Carmen nodded sadly.  “That is true.  I wish that she could see it that way.”

Acidly, Daring Do retorted, “I do.  Don’t worry about that!”

Marehem, seeing the enchiladas getting cold, as a family battle heated up, called cheerfully, “Food!  Now that I have your attention, there is a huge pile of enchiladas here, just waiting to be eaten!  The bet has been settled.  ANYTHING else can wait!”

Grabbing serving tongs he snagged FOUR of the big enchiladas and a healthy serving of salad. Blendin got the message and joined in.  For a moment, the serving tray resembled the main course at shark feeding frenzy as they all dived in!

When all of the plates were loaded, Carmen looked at the tray with satisfaction.  “Looks like there will be plenty for seconds or more.  I thought that I made enough.”

Rahak was whispering to Grata.  She retorted, “If the Imperial Museum hasn’t noticed, why should WE tell them?  Besides, the originals are perfectly safe here.  Use your eyes. This whole place is a museum in its own right.  I will bet that every item here is perfectly documented.”

Blendin nodded emphatically. Swallowing a bite of enchilada in haste, he agreed.  “Keeping the catalog of mom’s acquisitions keeps me hopping!”

Grata raised her cup and toasted, “To Carmen Pondiego!  A mare of discernment and taste!”

Daring Do only thought for a second before joining in.  After all, it was perfectly true!  “To Carmen Pondiego!”

At the last, there was only one lonely enchilada left on the silver platter, now easily seen to be a priceless Pony Revere.

Blendin spoke up, “Part of the reason that I brought the Gryphons here was to see if you could put them near the site where the Gryphons originated, Uncle M.”

Marehem shook his head, “No, I am afraid not, Blendin. The time span is no problem.  There is no way to use the equipment safely anywhere near to the mangled spells and random magic fallout from the Circle and Crescent Lake blasts at the end of the second Nightmare War.  That whole area is deadly for a fifty year span.”

Blendin inquired, “Deadly, M?  How so?”

Dryly M pointed out, “If you can not get back, the effect is the same.  If we try to use our temporal displacement engine anywhere near that magical fallout region, all connection to the present will be severed.  

“For you, the effect is the obliteration of your timeline.  You cease to exist the instant that you land anywhere in that danger zone.”

Rahak, crest up, turned to Blendin and said, “We thank you for at least checking on a possibility for us to see what happened.  It appears that we will have to track that weather and see if we can find the proper place where our kind originated.”

Daring Do observed, “Your legends actually do offer a lot of help.  Your place of origin is set with the TWIN FIRES OF CREATION east of the eagles.  

“Assuming that the Twin Fires of Creation are the Mage blasts that created Circle Lake and Crescent Lake, that would indicate a place in the Sunset Mountains on the western edge of Equestria.  Add in the tactical weather data and we should be able to get pretty close to it.”

With a slightly predatory look, Carmen inquired far to innocently, “What do you hope to find, Adora?”

Daring Do looked up alertly, “Nothing of real value in any monetary or aesthetic sense, Mother.  We hope to find physical remains of some of the earliest Gryphons.  If their legends are to be believed, they started as hippogriffs and became the Gryphons that we know now.”

Kiros, a hybrid himself, suggested, “That makes perfect sense.  Gryphons could not have come from an unforced mating of lions and eagles.  Both are competitive carnivores and the size disparity is against it too.

“Eagles and pegassi are a lot closer, a better mating size match.  The intelligence would have come from the pegasus but so would an herbivore digestive tract.  Normally, that would doom the cross from malnutrition.  With a lot random spell recombination in the fallout, some of the fallout might have caused survivors that hatched to force morph to a carnivore diet and hindquarters.”

Daring Do stared at him in surprise.  “I did not know that you were interested in Gryphon origins, Kiros.”

Laconicly, he pointed to his horns, dragon like wings and tail along with his wolf like features.  “I am not.  I am interested in Hybridization.  Any guesses as to WHY?”

Daring Do nodded as she helped herself to the last enchilada, “I see.  Thanks for the dinner, mom.  I am afraid that we have to be going, now though.”

Blendin nodded, “Might as well, the food is all gone!  I’ll see you to Mom’s door to the Great Library. We will just connect it straight across to the Canterlot Main Door.”

As they were strolling through the halls and colonnades to the massive steel doors of the Great Library, Carmen caught up to them.  “Blendin, dear, I need to dig up a bunch of clues for the Green Ruby of Cashin. Is it OK if I tag along?”

“Sure, Mom.  No problem.”

Daring Do looked surprised.  “The Green Ruby is your next target?”

Carmen managed to look both affronted and amused at the same time.  “Of course not!  All those clues I give the Gumshoes?  I am NEVER after that thing.  If I get it, great!  If not, who cares?  I ALWAYS get the thing that I AM after.”

Rahak’s crest shot up, rippling laughter.  “Misdirection!  I love it.”

Grata nodded, her own crest showing the ripples of amusement.  

They came to the massive steel doors of the Great Library.  Blendin inserted his ID into a spell reader and said, “Daring Do party to exit at the Canterlot main doors.  Carmen Pondiego and I to research room nine.”

Carmen said, as the steel faded to mist, “Do come back, Adora.  It was lovely to finally let you see our home.”

Walking through the steel mist, Daring Do and her companions emerged inside the Royal Library.  As they strolled toward the street, shaking her head, Daring Do said, “Carmen Pondiego has her OWN door to the Great Library? That explains SO O O much!”

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Thief of Hearts Part 3 - Say Something

Written by: @mega-aulover

Prompt 43: Prompt - a story based on the song “Say Something”, by Great Big World and Christina Aguilera… [submitted @xerxia31]

A/N: This song is so great and I couldn’t help but snatch it up for Thief of Hearts, but I wasn’t sure which scenario to post so I wrote three. 

You get to choose your favorite scenario so please comment and tell me which one you want me to continue. Please vote in the comments not in the tags.

Rating: T (warning rocky times ahead)

Find Part 1 Part 2

***KP***

* Scenario One * Say Something-

“Say something, I’m giving up on you

I’ll be the one, if you want me to

Anywhere, I would’ve followed you.” - A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera

The apartment looked like a tornado had gone through it, the sofa was tossed, the coffee table was upside down, shards of a broken lamp littered the floor. Peeta heaved, allowing himself to feel every single turbulent emotion at the loss of Katniss. He drank deeply from the bottle, it’s amber liquid no longer burned down his throat but the blazing memory of his last moments with Katniss scorched his heart.

Four hours earlier:

“Who are you?”

He turned around to see Katniss standing there in his shirt, her lovely hair askew, her silver eyes wide upon her face, hurt written in their depths.

“Katniss,” he approached her, his mind spinning quickly formulating words.

“Who are you?” She backed away from him.

Her backing away was like being kicked in the nuts.

“You mentioned the purse,” Katniss shook her head, her hand extended in front of her. “I wasn’t going crazy that day, it was you.”

“Katniss, I told you that wasn’t me and I wasn’t speaking about that…I was talking about a job.”

“With her, with the blond. I saw you yesterday…I didn’t want to believe it…but…she’s real…you’re with HER when you come home late,” Katniss mumbled, her large eyes filled with tears. She gazed at him, her lips trembling, her arms wrapped around her middle protectively.

“Cashmere is,” Peeta’s mind raced to come up with a way to explain it all. “Katniss I haven’t cheated on you. I swear. I never took your purse, I love you.” It was true, Peeta Mellark was in love for the first time.

Katniss stared blankly at him.

“Say something?” He could see she was giving up on him. “Katniss please say something, don’t give up on me, on us? I’m the one for you if you allow it.”

It had been love at first sight, when he saw her on the street that day. He ran because he was so scared, but her face, her eyes, they haunted him. Then he began looking for her. That night in the bar was no coincidence. He walked up to her to tell her the truth, but her kiss, her kiss was better than Fourth of July fireworks.

He brought her home, the sex was incredible, and when she’d hit him with the pillow he’d never been more in love. Then the worry set in. The entire time they were together, he was scared that his private and personal worlds were going to collide and combust.

He was living his nightmare.

“What else have you lied to me about?”

“Katniss I grew up in a bakery, I swear. I even paint…” Peeta ran his hands through his hair, quickly thinking how to keep her here to convince her, but it was a losing battle.

Katniss took a vase and launched at him. Peeta dodged it. “YOU’RE A LOUSY CREEP!” she yelled, then she ran, and he’d almost lost her. When she tripped, his heart nearly stopped. He cradled her in his arms, unable to think of her demise, He needed to catch her and he did, he thought everything was going to be okay. But she slipped from his hands like fog.

Four hours later :

The door to the apartment opened. “Peeta?”

“She’s gone,” Peeta slurred, he drank deeply from the liquor bottle. He followed her, he would have followed her anywhere, he was so in love.

“Peeta.” Finnick approached him slowly. “I’ve never seen you this way.”

“She left me,” Peeta muttered standing up, “I have to find her Finn…I love her.” Peeta swayed.

“Peeta you need to get yourself together, we’re too close to the end. We’ve worked too hard to have you fall apart.”

Peeta shoved the bottle at Finnick’s chest. “I want out.”

“Peet,” Finnick said, taking the bottle from him.

“I want Katniss,” Peeta said, his eyes were wild, “I had her, had her and she left. She overheard me with Cashmere…she heard me and thought I was a thief, and a cheat.”

“Peeta you are a thief, you’re the best thief and conman around, and if you don’t do what we planned they’ll kill your nephew.”

Peeta stared at him. The only reason he’d gotten dragged back into this world is because of his five-year-old nephew, Toby. Peeta was only a kid himself when he and Rye began stealing things. The things they stole were priceless pieces of fine art, expensive and rare jewelry. Peeta was agile and quick, Rye was the planner but he was reckless.

They were getting ready to pull the biggest job of their life, stealing the Mockingjay Diamond, when their father died. Peeta left it all behind. Rye kept up with this world. His brother wanted to steal that diamond for nothing more than the glory of taking it.

Then nine months ago, Rye was murdered and so was his wife. The only survivor was Toby, and Cashmere was using him as leverage to drag Peeta back.

Peeta had gone to Finnick, the man who had helped him get out. Somehow, he had ended up here, lost and broken.

“Hey Peeta, say something?”

Hearing those words repeated to him, caused him to feel small and hopeless.

Finnick kneeled down and handed him a clear photo. “Cashmere has him, she has Toby.”

Peeta glanced up at Finnick.

“Say something?” Finnick questioned.

What was there to question? It was already decided.

***KP***

* Scenario Two * I’m Feeling So Small-

“And I am feeling so small, It was over my head

I know nothing at all, And I will stumble and fall

I’m still learning to love, Just starting to crawl” - A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera

“Sweetheart?”

“Hi, Haymitch,” Katniss whispered, standing outside of his cabin in the rain. She was cold and wet. Her lips trembled. This was the only place she could think of, the one place where no one could find her.

Haymitch had taken her in at the age of eleven when she had no one. When he found her, she’d been living in the forest, hiding from the man who’d caused the death of her family. Haymitch had brought her up and helped her hide from Brutus the man responsible. She’d testified but her life was in danger and the government wouldn’t help her.

Haymitch took it upon himself to help her cope with the daily fear that someone could be out there wanting to hurt her the way they’d hurt her family. She kept a low profile, only had a few friends. She paid for everything in cash, had a disposable phone.

“Come in,” Haymitch waved her in.

It was like going back in time. Nothing had changed, nothing at all since the moment she’d left here. Haymitch remained.

“You in trouble?” It was a rhetorical question, Haymitch knew everything about her. He made it his job to keep her safe.

Katniss shook her head, but the tears threatened to fall.

“Yeah, you are,” Haymitch said wiping his face, “Come on, you look like you can use a bath and a good meal. Go get dry, you smell like a wet dog.”

The mention of food caused her stomach to grumble. She hadn’t eaten anything since she’d found Peeta with that woman, over 48 hours ago.

Haymitch didn’t say anything more when he heard her stomach, he only nodded, his peppered hair was askew.

Dejectedly, she walked down the hallway to the room, drenched from the storm outside. Opening the door, she put her bag down and stared into the void. Water droplets splashed on the floor. Everything looked the same, down to the dust bunnies by the window sill.

She began crying. She was feeling so small, everything was over her head.

How had it all gone wrong, she wondered. She’d finally felt safe, with him. As much as Haymitch protected her, she never felt secure enough, there was always an outside chance danger would follow her. Tears mixed with the rain streaking down her face as she recalled how happy they were three months ago.

Three Months Ago:

They were moving in together. Katniss watched Peeta’s ass as he moved up the stairs, his broad shoulders and the muscles moved as he carried the heaviest boxes with ease. He was strong, and she marveled at his physique.

It was hot outside, her internal temperature, however, was hotter. She swallowed, she wasn’t as experienced as other women, she’d only had two boyfriends. Her first was a high school boy named Marvel, but he was only nice to her until the moment they did ‘it’. Afterwards, he turned mean and cruel.

Katniss was glad that he’d gone off to school and broke it off with her.

Her next partner had been Darius. He was safe, and the sex wasn’t great either. Maybe because she wasn’t emotionally involved with Darius, and it showed. They dated for nearly two years, and she was never comfortable with him touching her.

Peeta, on the other hand, she couldn’t wait to be with him, around him. She was amazed that someone who was hot like him wanted her. He was beautiful, exciting and she had finally found out what it was like to orgasm. Her nipples tightened at the thought of having him once more, her underwear became damp. She began imagining him stripping off her shorts and taking her roughly against the door.

“Are you okay?”

Katniss snapped out of her naughty daydream. She blinked and her cheeks bloomed pink. They had arrived at his floor and were in front of his door. “I need a bath,” she rushed out as she opened the door for him.

He put the boxes down. His eyes twinkled and he gave her that darned sexy grin of his, the one that made her knees week. “I can join you now, we’ve got a tub that’s big enough for two.”

Her eyes widened, she hadn’t considered doing it in the tub before.

Peeta chuckled, “You’re so pure.”

“I’m not,” Katniss shot back. He didn’t know of the things she’d done to survive, who she had become. If he knew, he would have a different idea about her.

He picked her up, surprised, she squealed.

“Yeah you are, but you’re perfect for me.” He put her down in the bathroom, his mouth quickly sought contact with hers. He backed her up to the sink, his kisses causing a rush of wetness that ruined her underwear. Katniss hands frantically sought purchase on his chest. She slid them down, toying with the hem of his t-shirt, as she pulled away from his dangerous kisses.

He stepped back slightly to remove his shirt, and she expelled the breath she had in her chest. She shyly ran her hands up his muscled abs. His hands were still at her waist, waiting for her signal to undress her. The one thing she learned about Peeta was that he was a gentleman, he didn’t take from her like others had, he always gave her pleasure first, always waited to see if she was ready, and he put her needs above his own. It was thrilling, to know she could dominate this beefy gentle giant.

His hand cupped her cheek, his lips were only a breath away. “You sure you’re okay with moving in with me?

He looked so vulnerable, his blue eyes were seeking assurance.

“I know it’s only been three months but I just can’t imagine not coming home to you.”

Katniss nodded, the action caused her lips to join with his. She wasn’t afraid of taking the leap, but then she’d never actually lived with a man, shared his bed, and allowed him into her inner sanctum. And two weeks into living with Peeta, Katniss had learned so much about herself. She was learning to love, and like an infant, she was starting to crawl.

Three Months Later:

Her hand went to her midsection. She’d been flying high until she’d seen him with that woman yesterday. Everything changed in a blink of an eye. Betrayed and broken, she gave up on him, on the dream of what they were. Katniss blinked as she took stock of her surroundings.

“Peeta Mellark,” Haymitch said coming into the room. He put a plate of food on her dresser. Took the towel he had draped over his shoulder and wrapped it around her.

Frowning, she registered that she was trembling. She rubbed her shoulders. She was numb from the inside out. “How bad is it?”

“Thought you would ask,” Haymitch reached into his back pocket and produced a file.

She took the file, her eyes trained on her mentor. Swallowing, Katniss was unsure if she wanted to know the truth. There was a lot at stake. Biting her bottom lip, she silently flipped through the information.

“What else are you hiding?”

His question stopped her from reading the file. Her hands trembled. She looked down a lonely tear streaked down her cheek.

“Say something?” Haymitch persisted.

Going to her wardrobe she collected her weapons. What was there to say? It was already decided.

***KP***

** Scenario Three ** And I will Swallow my Pride-

“Say something, I’m giving up on you, And I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to you

And anywhere, I would have followed you….And I will swallow my pride

You’re the one that I love, And I’m saying goodbye” - A Great Big World, Christina Aguilera

Peeta rounded the corner and saw her waiting in line to get on a bus. He realized this was one of those out of town buses, not a city bus. “Damn,” he muttered, jamming his hands through his hair.

He had woken up when he heard the soft click of the door. At first, he thought she was in the other room, but when he heard the front door shut close he knew she was leaving him.

Flying from the bed, he had quickly grabbed the pants that Katniss always instead he keep folded over a chair, and shirt. He hadn’t even bothered looking for his shoes. It was imperative that he get to her. He’d hurt her, and in turn, she’d walked out on him. Peeta couldn’t even blame her, he’d broken her trust by not telling her what was going on. He kept things from her for her own safety.

But that had backfired. Everything blew up in his face. He still recalled the heartbreak written on her face, her pain so great her hands trembled. Hands that had gripped him with want and need. But it was more than just desire, they needed each other.

He yelled, “Katniss,” but someone honked the horn at the same time and she didn’t hear him.

He was still a block away from the stop where she stood. Peeta took a shortcut, running through an alley, but he was too late, the bus flew by. He saw her sitting inside the bus. “KATNISS!”

“STOP!” he yelled at the bus, waving his hands, hoping the bus driver saw him. It kept on going. Peeta took off after the bus on foot.

He panted as he ran full force chasing the bus, but the great machine rolled on. Not even his metal bionic leg helped him chase down the bus. He came to a stop but noticed his car was few feet away.

He would follow her to the ends of the earth, he wasn’t going to give up on her. Not now that he knew her secret, he wasn’t going to let her slip through his fingers. As quickly as he could, he took out his keys and before long he was driving after the bus.

He was willing to swallow his pride, he was willing to give up his lifestyle for her. Because he loved her. She was more precious to him than the Mockingjay Diamond Cashmere wanted him to steal. He shouldn’t have said yes to the job, but he needed the money.

During the two-hour car drive out of the city, he put on his shirt and discovered he had a pair of his non-lace up sneakers in the car. The bus drove into a smaller town. He followed it wondering where Katniss was going.

The bus came to a stop and several people got off, Katniss amongst them. He quickly scanned the area for a place to park. Peeta saw a spot to park and although there was someone waiting he cut them off and stole the spot. The guy behind the wheel was honking at him and yelling obscenities. Peeta didn’t bother responding.

He jumped out of the car and hopped around on his feet to put on his sneakers. The man shut up when he saw his metallic foot. With his sneakers in place, his eyes searched for Katniss. It wasn’t a busy town, it was quiet. There was an afternoon crowd, but nothing compared to the throngs of people who lived in the city.

He spotted her as she walked briskly.

His heart beat quickly when saw her cross the street. He thought he could reach her until he saw her head to a police station. He came up short when he saw a tall man dressed in a suit. This guy wasn’t a regular cop, this guy had government agency written all over him, from his polished black shoes to the dark navy blue tie.

He was a tall bronzed man with sea green eyes, and he was calling her name. “Katniss.”

She waved at him, indicating familiarity.

Had she betrayed him, he wondered. Then he shook his head, that couldn’t be he knew the truth about her.

One Month Ago:

He’d arrived early from his trip, he had anticipated surprising Katniss. Lately, she hadn’t been herself. Her eyes didn’t focus on him they strayed off to the side as if she was thinking of something other than him. She also avoided certain things, like tea, and just before he’d left he wanted to take her to a steakhouse and she declined.

She couldn’t stand the smell of his favorite tea. Plus she told him to take it easy on the cologne. Katniss always liked the way he smelled. The conference held nothing that could help his father’s bakery. He heard his phone go off, he was going to let it go, but it kept on ringing.

Frustrated he pushed back the shower door, as he was showering, soap got in his eyes. “Ah hell.”

He blindly searched for a towel as the ringing persisted.

“Hello,” he growled into the phone.

“Hello, Peeta.” Cashmere’s smooth voice caused Peeta to sigh angrily. The woman was dangerous, but she wanted something. She’d been trailing him for months now, it was one of her goons who had attacked Katniss, he’d seen him and tackled him to the ground.

“Cashmere.”’

“I heard you were in town again. How was the conference? Did it help you figure out a way to save the bakery?”

“I’m not interested, Cashmere.”

“Oh come on Peeta, be reasonable.” She sounded like she was pouting over the phone. “I need the best and you are the best thief. I will make it worth your while, there is a great cash reward, it will help your family.”

His father was ill, the bakery was being run by his mother and was failing. They’d let go of the staff, made changes, but the economic fallout had hurt them. Skyrocketing prices of ingredients combined with no one wanted to pay the higher prices affected the revenue.

“No.” Peeta shook his head. As a kid, his mother had beaten him, and Peeta found the streets to be an escape. He had been good at stealing good at morphing into a character in order to take what wasn’t his. Soon, he found himself stealthily getting into places no one else could. Then on one of his jobs, someone got shot. An innocent woman, It changed him seeing a human die. Peeta lost his drive all he could see was her face and he couldn’t steal anymore.

It helped him see what he would miss if he ever got caught. He had walked away, gone back to the bakery.

“I’ll give you one more hour,” Cashmere said before the line went dead.

He threw the phone back on the desk. There was no way in hell he was going to help her. They would be okay. Angrily, he rushed back to the bathroom, by now the water was no doubt tepid at best, but he had a head full of shampoo. In his haste, Peeta forgot the floor was wet and slipped. He grabbed the door handle of the shower but he kicked over the wastebasket.

The contents spilled on the floor. “Crap.”

Quickly, he picked up the scattered contents, then he stopped short when he pulled a toothbrush-like handle from behind the toilet bowl. Peeta fell on his butt when he realized what he was holding.

The pregnancy test stared up at him, its sign positive.

It all made sense; her lack of appetite for red meat, her turning green at his tea choice and her sensitive nose. His hands shook at the realization that Katniss was pregnant.

One Month Later:

The discovery of the test she’d carefully thrown out in the garbage propelled him to say yes to Cashmere, with the understanding that after that he was out. It was why he’d said yes to the job. He knew she was pregnant, and was waiting for her to say something to him. It’s why he couldn’t let her go, why he would follow her anywhere she went even if that meant turning himself in.

Peeta loved her, and he was going to be a father.

He watched her lower her head, she didn’t look at the man in the face, she stared at her feet as she spoke, he could tell she was distressed. The screeching sound of a car could be heard. Peeta watched from his vantage point as the car came barreling down towards her.

“KATNISS,” he screamed, running toward her.

Katniss turned around at the sound of his voice as if searching for him. Then she turned her attention to the man. She pushed him out of the way screaming his name, “FINNICK!”

Peeta watched, horrified, as the car hit her and then sped away.

“KATNISS.” Peeta ran to her. His hands shook as he held her. “Katniss, I love you.”

Around him, cops poured out of the station. An ambulance was called.

“Say something?” Peeta touched her skin, it was still warm, but she didn’t reply. It seemed as if she was saying goodbye.

But there was nothing to say, nothing he could do.

[marcusmettalus]

The Titan & The AI.

It has been almost 2 years since the start of the Red War, a year since the War ended. Most of the Red Legion are hiding in their most defensible forts and outposts, but only a matter of time before they too are taken out. The few Fireteams who have been to the Leviathan seem to be able to quell the behemoth of a ship’s appetite, for now.

Kraken-9 had other things on her mind right now, as she is now learning the new abilities her body have attained in these last 2 years. She knew years ago when she had been to the Plaguelands, which was once called Siberia during the Golden Age, she had been in contact with,, S.I.V.A. and during the months long campaign there, it seems she had picked up a guest in her body. But up until Ghaul kicked her off his ship and killed her after she lost her Light, SIVA was content to stay dormant.

Kraken looked down at her hands, the dim blue light of the cockpit washing over her body, she began to wonder. She had tried a few times to speak with the Nanites within her, see if they could answer her but they either ignored her, or were incapable of answering. Whatever they had done to her, they had done an incredible job. 

Byte and the cryptarchs went over her with scans and tests, finding that nothing was out of place, just,, improved. Her endo-skeleton had been reinforced and alloyed with some manner of metal never seen before, her pseudo-muscles had been just been utterly replaced with some sort of nano-scale coil fibres which seemed to outmatch her previous strength capabilities. 

She found that out the hard way when she managed to be at the wrong place and time for a House of Dusk Walker to drop right on top of her, only for her to slowly pick it up and off her, throwing it aside a dozen feet away, shocking a few fellow Guardians who were there to help in taking down the Fallen Armory.

-”We do not fully know how much of you has been changed Titan, but do not give the nanites an excuse to do anything more with your body. Who knows how volatile it is,,”-  Rahool had said such to her before she left the Tower, hopping aboard her Arrowhawk to head out to aide in the clean-up efforts on Titan. That was 8 months ago, and thus far SIVA has remained silent within her body.

Now she was about to take a great risk. The past 2 months Mars has become a hotspot, the Huntress Ana Bray had made some headway in getting into her ancient family’s complex on the southern pole of Mars, but the Hive seem to have gotten a head start with making a mess of things. That, and their Worm God Xol was there with them. But a large fireteam, with some heavy ordnance help, managed to put that creature down, for now. Now Ana had put word down the pipeline that she wanted Kraken to come to Mars, that something there might pique her interest. 

The Arrowhawk scorched through the atmosphere of the red planet, making its way down to Hellas Basin, to the Warmind Core of Rasputin. The Warmind who had unleashed SIVA centuries ago on the Iron Lords due to them misjudging the capabilities of the AI. Byte shifts into existance, looking over to his bound friend “Earth to Krak, we are here. No need for such a serious face right this moment. We aren’t getting into a Fireteam for the Leviathan you know?” his soft comforting voice was always an aide to the taciturn Titan, helping her get out of her brooding moments and focus on the now with a lighter heart. 

“I know Byte, just,, we are going to maybe end up talking to Rasputin. SIVA was made almost the same time as him,, who knows how much control he has over it.” Kraken sighed softly, her golden eyes looking over to her best friend, her only friend for many decades since her first Resurrection. She had seen the last stones placed in the creation of The Last City, Battle of the Six Fronts, all manner of dark and light times have gone through her memories.

“Oh it will not be so bad Krak. You’ll be fine. And I will be there to hold your hand all the way.” Byte warbles softly, lightly bouncing his dark crimson shell against Kraken’s exposed head, getting a chuckle out of the Exo. “Doofus.”

It was not fine. As soon as Kraken entered the main complex, Rasputin’s usual soft red glow blazed up and spoke loudly, his synthetic voice booming. “нарушитель, несущий украденную колониальную технологию. Возвращение, Возвращение, Возвращение, Возвращение.” [Thief, you who stole Exodus tech. Return it, return it, return it!]

Ana Bray clutched at her head, trying to block out the shrieking blazing discord of Rasputin’s outburst. Kraken quickly moved over to the central console, placing her hand upon the digi-scanner and responded “Распутин. Я не украл, это украло меня. Я принимаю это, а не по своему выбору. SIVA спасла меня. SIVA спас город.” [Rasputin, I did not steal it, it came into me. I am a host to it, I did not take it. SIVA saved my life, SIVA saved our City.] For a moment, the light flare before going back to its soft carmine glow, the console beeping softly as it pulled up the records of the Exo, seeing what she is, when she was first made during the Golden Age, her specs, her model number.

“Истина. Вы это говорите. Сайт 6, скомпрометированный враждебными силами. Guardian, очищенный Cайт 6. Растущие кластеры роста SIVA уничтожены. SIVA-узел внутри вас, контролируемый, тихий, ожидающий заказов. Научит вас приказам.” Rasputin spoke slowly again, his usual droning yet melodic synthesized voice echoed in the large chamber, Ana listening in awe as Rasputin spoke almost familiarly with Kraken-9, approaching the large Titan, glancing down at the console as a flurry of information crossed its screen at a blazing rate. Byte comes into existence as he looks between Kraken, Ana, the console then up to the massive AI core of Rasputin. 

“I am sorry, but when did you learn to speak a dead language?” Byte whirls round in the air, glaring at his charge, Kraken blinking at the Ghost before smiling sheepishly (as best as a Exo can) “Uhhh,, would you think I was lying if I said just now?”

“Kraken,, do you realize what he has just given you?” Ana is trying to make as many notes as she can from the whirlwind of codes and commands crossing the console screen “These are the command words for SIVA, these can help shape and order around SIVA clusters and growths so they actually build machines and cities for Humanity! We can rebuild!”

[charliejrogers]

Paddington (2014)

Sometimes you watch a movie and want to be challenged. You want your head to explode. You want to get lost in a world of plot twists and double-crosses. Other times you don’t. TV more often than movies fills the role of comfort food for people looking for passive media, but let’s all take a moment to recognize the power of a good comfort movie. Sometimes your comfort movie is that dumb rom-com you’ve seen 1000 times, other times a mindless action movie of good vs. evil. Many comic book movies certainly can fall into this camp, but really any series like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings can become comfort food whenever those fans begin to think of the characters more like old friends than avatars on a screen. And never is that more true than when a childhood friends makes their way onto the big screen.

I don’t believe I have ever read (or has someone read to me) a Paddington book. In fact, after writing that sentence I had to Google whether Paddington was a series or a single book. I’m not from the U.K. so please excuse my ignorance. It’s not that people in America don’t know Paddington he’s just not as popular here as he is across the pond. Therefore when this hit theater six years ago and I heard critics rave about it, I didn’t get it. Christ, it was even nominated for the best British film at the BAFTAs in 2015. There was Paddington, a family movie about a walking, talking bear, right next a serious drama about Stephen Hawking (The Theory of Everything) and the very adult ScarJo sci-fi film Under the Skin. Plus, think also I was at an age where I was “too cool” for kid’s stuff. I was in college, so why watch a movie that could make you happy when you could watch something that could project to others how smart you thought you were. All of this is to say that, I went into this movie without the advantage of nostalgia, something I suspected might have been boosting audiences’ and critics’ scores.

Paddington from director Paul King tells the story of one unnamed Peruvian bear who is among the last of his kind. What makes this particular species of bear so special is their uniquely high intelligence. The film starts with a black-and-white film reel documenting the journeys of the explorer who was the first among men to stumble upon this particular subset of bear, sometimes back in the early 1900s. The explorer first instinct is to hunt and kill the bear to bring back to a British museum, but he is eventually won over by the sheer intelligence of the bears. They are already master builders and have developed unique, modern-looking housing structures when the explorer first finds them, but quickly he discovers they can understand English,  can even reproduce it to some extent, and are adept at new technologies. The explorer leaves them with a phonograph and a record of him talking about how to be a proper gentleperson in London.

Fast forward some hundred years, and the original two bears the explorer essentially perfected their understanding of English based off the explorer’s record. They also know quite a bit about early 20th-century etiquette and about a hundred different ways to tell fellow Londoners that it is raining outside. And though now aged and frail, they have passed much of this knowledge onto their young nephew whose character can be summed up by the following four traits: 1) undying love for his aunt and uncle who raise him 2) utmost and strict adherence to etiquette 3) deep desire to belong to a home 4) obsession with marmelaide.

All four of those things turn out to be of vital importance when disaster strikes his home in Peru and he is forced by his aunt to seek a new home in the only other place they know: London! With only his uncle’s hat and a marmelaide sandwich on his head, the bear stows away on a freighter to London. He heads to the nearest train station as he has heard stories about how during WWI, orphaned children would show up to train stations wearing certain necklaces to signify their need for a home. The bear does just that, but the world of 1914 is very much different from the world of 2014. People don’t so much as look at the bear. If they do, they assume he’s a poor beggar, vendor of cheap goods, or just a plain con-artist. They’re too busy rushing this way and that. “In the age of technology, Britain has lost its way” the film seems to suggest. Or, more cynically, it seems to make a comment (albeit) on xenophobia and Britain’s lack of openness to immigrants, especially prominent given the distinctly colonial feel of the explorer’s documentary and his attitudes towards these “primitive” creatures.

Except, of course, this is a light-hearted family film. A fantasy film at that. For example, no one is freaked the fuck out like they would in real life by a talking bear roaming around a major metropolitan area, in some cases doing serios damage (albeit accidentally) to various property throughout town. E.T. this is not, so there’s no plotline of the government trying to snatch him up for research purposes, nor does this apparently talk place in our reality where the bear would become an instant viral internet star.

Instead, as a family film, the movie mostly focuses on the idea of “family.” The bear is eventually approached by Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins), the matriarch of the Brown family who are a well-off family who live in a cozy townhouse in a quaint London neighborhood. Mary is more empathetic to the bear’s plight than her ill-tempered husband Henry (Hugh Bonneville) who is a risk analyst who sees the bear for what he is: a risk! Still, he begrudgingly agrees to let the bear, who names himself Paddington, stay with them for one night, but then he’s off to the orphanage  institution for young souls whose parents have sadly passed on.

Mr. Brown’s not wrong about Paddington (voiced by Ben Whishaw) too. Despite his undeniably genuine nature and complete absence of my ill-will, he’s a natural klutz. His childlike innocence and curiosity finds him tinkering with things that just ought not to be tinkered leading to a movie defined by its many great misadventurous set pieces, such as when Paddington accidentally floods the Brown’s bathroom to when a pickpocket accidentally drops a wallet that he stole and Paddington begins chasing him around London in grand fashion, not understanding why the thief doesn’t want his wallet back.

More than anything, though, Mr. Brown’s hostility towards Paddington stems more from his concern for his children, specifically that his son Jonathan (Samuel Joslin) will end up being hurt either as a direct result of Paddington’s activities or will simply try more daring things inspired by Paddington’s free-wheeling and wild spirit.

What I love about the character of Mr. Brown, who truly seems to be the secondary character after the titular bear, is the way he is a true character and not a one-dimensional rule-follower. The way the film (comically) demonstrates that Henry Brown was not always Mr. Brown, but was a motorcycle-riding Wildman who was suddenly and permanently changed by fatherhood makes him an incredibly relatable character, and grounds this silly cartoon in something of a reality.

Less can be said about Mary Brown. Sally Hawkins does a wonderful job portraying her seemingly boundless kindness and love, but ultimately there’s not more to her character than just being nice and kind. Her only story arc revolves her relationship with the Browns’ daughter Judy (Madeleine Harris) who is a stereotypically moody teen who doesn’t want to introduce her boyfriend to her Mom because, as Paddington puts it, “she suffers from a terrible disease called embarrassment.”

But no one’s watching this movie to watch the Browns or learn about their characters. It’s nice that Mr.’s character is so well-established as it makes his little sacrifices and gestures to try to help Paddington so satisfying. One second he was pushing to get Paddington out of his home, the next he’s in a dress breaking into an archives to learn more about the explorer who originally visited Paddington’s aunt and uncle one hundred years prior.

This little detour to the archives relates to one of the two other sub-plots to the film. The first is how Paddington’s quest to find a new home (since Mr. Brown refuses to let him stay with his family forever) leads him to want to find the explorer (or at least the explorer’s family) since he figures they of all people would love to take in as family a bear whom their father had so loved. The second subplot (and the more hackneyed and boring plot) deals with Nicole Kidman’s Millicent, a deranged, taxidermist employee of London’s Natural History who has a nasty side hobby and collecting (and stuffing) rare animals. She hears rumors of a talking bear, she starts to hunt him. Kidman actually does a very good job leading a cartoonish seriousness to the role, but just the whole subplot feels very perfunctory, like the studio was afraid no one would want to watch a movie that didn’t have a clear bad guy. Add in a sub-plot to this sub-plot where the Browns’ sad-sack neighbor Mr. Curry (Peter Capaldi) teams up with Millicent in the hopes of being her lover, and you got my least favorite part of this movie.

Taking away the villain plot would deny the Browns the opportunity to rescue their little friend from the jaws of danger, and prevent me from seeing that tear-jerking display of love with which the film ends, so I suppose it’s worth it. With snow falling around them and love in the air, Paddington with its focus on the importance of family, is almost a Christmas movie, or at the least is a perfect movie for the holiday season.

It’s also funny for all ages. I can imagine sitting in a theater with children and hearing the little cackles of children as Paddington fights a shower head using a toilet seat lid as shield and toilet brush as sword. The film does not go for easy jokes. Its physical comedy is often elaborate, and there are plenty of jokes meant for the adults in the room that aren’t necessarily sexual in nature. For example, the Browns’ daughter is learning Chinese “for business,” which means she’s learning phrases such as “How do I get to the business center?” and “I’m being investigated for tax fraud.” But more than anything, it’s a distinctly British film in its humor, favoring throw-away lines and sight-gags over fart jokes. One of my favorites in the idea that Millicent’s office is full of taxidermied heads of exotic animals, and when she walks into her workshop on the other side of the wall, we see all the rear-ends of these same animals. Another pitch perfect moment is when a downtrodden Paddington finds himself at Buckingham Palace and having revealed the sandwich he keeps under his hat for emergencies, we find out what things the Queen’s Guard keeps under their Bearskins. It’s silly and ridiculous in a way perfect for a kid’s film.

I also love how the film gives us a view of the world through Paddington’s eyes, and I give much credit to the film’s director Paul King for translating for us through film Paddington’s essential innocence. Twice, once towards the beginning, and once at the end, the film presents us with a toy-house that is an exact replica of the Brown’s home and we can actually see the Browns walking about and interacting in this odd meta-moment as Paddington narrates their goings on and provides his interpretation of what is happening. It lends an air of frivolity to our lives. Yes, the world is sad an hard, but for those innocents, the children, it’s a world of wonder and curiosity, a dollhouse in which anything is possible.

In the end, this movie is damn near perfect comfort food. It’s family focus creates a heart-warming tale that helps tries to inspire us that, despite our splintered isolated world, the world can be a place of love and welcoming. I wish the villain weren’t such a drag, but I am happy to report that despite not having any contact with Mr. Paddington in my life previously, I fell in love with his character almost instantly and am very happy to count him among my cinematic friends and follow him on any of his next adventures.

*** 1/4 (Three and one fourth stars out of four)