#roll the old chariot along

[littlewoodenworld]

A tasty chocolate biscuit wouldn’t do us any harm.

Roll The Old Chariot Along is the best shanty when you're bored at work bc you can just keep making up verses. Like sure. A game of solitaire wouldn't do us any harm. And we'll all hang on behind

[the-maddened-hatter]

Really digging the vibe of some of those sea shanties where it's like "if we can just deal with this one insanely shitty thing and/or hold out for a nice little treat everything will be fine." Except they know it's not fine it's just something they're telling themselves and honestly low-key same.

[ancientrimer]

jane eyre is such a good book it's insane. charlotte brontë when i get you

[xoxochb]

⋆·˚ ༘ * please, please, please

warnings: set during that one scene from ttc, reader is a minor goddess of music/singing (to fit the sabrina carpenter vibe ykwim?), a bunch of quotes are not mine they are direct from the book so credits to uncle rick!! there’s also a lorelai gilmore reference at the end

pairing: apollo x goddess! daughter of aphrodite and ares

“absolutely not”

you give the sun god a look of pleading and he laughs at your desperation

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”

you hit his head “yes you do”

“she’s my dear old sister-” apollo begins

“exactly. along with her hunters and others”

“I don’t see the problem”

“the problem is that you can’t control yourself”

“well when I’m around you…”

“oh my gods!” you hit him twice this time “this is what I’m talking about. you’re an idiot”

apollo ignores your comment and drives (??) the sun chariot to the snowy ground

“I beg you do not embarrass motherfucker” you warn

when you step out onto the wet grass and before you have the chance to greet everyone apollo speaks,

"little sister!" he calls "what's up? you never call. you never write. I was getting worried!"

artemis sighs "I'm fine, apollo. and I am not your little sister"

"hey, I was born first."

"we're twins! how many millennia do we have to argue?"

"so what's up?" he interrupted. "got the girls with you, I see. you all need some tips on archery?”

“I need a favor. I have some hunting to do, alone. I need you to take my companions to camp half-blood”

"sure, sis" he then raised his hands in a stop everything gesture “I feel a haiku coming”

the hunters groaned but nonetheless he held up a dramatic hand and began to speak,

‘green grass breaks through snow

artemis pleads for my help

I am so cool’

he grinned waiting for an applause

“last line was four syllables” you point out

apollo frowns "was it?"

"yes” artemis agrees “what about I am so big-headed?"

"no, no, that's six syllables” he starts to mutter to himself but you ignore it, you could be here for days

one of the hunters, zoe you recognized turned to the demigods and explained how apollo had been into haikus since he got back from japan, and said god interrupted her soon after

"I've got it!" he announced "I am so awesome. that's five syllables!" he bowed feeling pleased with himself

"and now, sis” he continues “transportation for the hunters, you say? good timing. I was just about ready to roll”

"these demigods will also need a ride," artemis points to them

"no problem!" apollo checked them out "let's see... thalia, right? I've heard all about you."

thalia blushes "hi, lord apollo"

‘isn’t that his sister?’ you think

"zeus's girl, yes? makes you my half sister. used to be a tree, didn't you? glad you're back. I hate it when pretty girls turn into trees. man, I remember one time-”

you cut him off with an elbow to his stomach, he winces in pain. a black haired demigod- with sea green eyes to differentiate him from the others, he must be poseidon’s- eyes you before asking,

“are you a goddess? how come I don’t recognize you?”

“minor goddess” you confirm “of music. my parents are ares and aphrodite, and unfortunately I am married to this idiot” you give apollo an angry look but he throws an arm around your shoulder

the daughter of zeus chokes on nearly nothing “married?!”

you nod “twelve years”

artemis speaks again “how she can put up with him is a mystery”

“well we should get going” apollo interrupts

“yes, I agree” you say and pull the sun god’s arm off of you, he frowns at the loss of contact

the hunters and demigods pack up their belongings and you pull apollo to the side, he prepares himself for whatever you’re going to say, which he’s sure will be a scolding because he ignored the one thing you asked of him

“listen-” he starts

“how about I talk you listen?” you cross your arms

this was going to be a long scolding…

[frankenjoly]

The wind was in our sails

timebomb + 5 | roll the old chariot along (jonathan young's cover)

Oh a night on the town wouldn’t do us any harm

And we’ll all hang on behind

Humming and sometimes downright singing as she moved on deck to make sure nothing altered the flying ship’s course, Jinx was… Hm, maybe not in the best mood ever, but quite a bit more hopeful now the city’s skyline couldn’t be seen when looking back.

“And we’ll all ro--” Or, at least, they were quite a bit more hopeful until feeling something (someone) getting on board. Swift as lighting, she instantly grabbed a gun and twirled to face the stranger ready to shoot. Except it wasn’t a stranger at all, and said gun only lasted a few seconds aimed at him. 

“Hey.”

“What the fuck, Ekko!”

“I’d have knocked, but there’s no doors here.” He replied, and maybe she shouldn’t have laughed, but they did nonetheless.

“And here I hoped you guys would pick up on the clues with me being already too far to be found.” A brief sigh of frustration accompanied those words; it wasn’t like seeing Ekko again wasn’t nice, but… But it defeated the purpose of getting away, sort of? “Anyway, you’re not gonna convince me of turning this thing around.”

An unintelligible sound escaped from his throat, but answering verbally didn’t follow immediately. Instead, Ekko stretched his arms, clearly offering a hug. And, after a moment of hesitation, Jinx wrapped her own arms around him.

“Can I at least convince you to be your co-pilot for a bit?” It was barely a whisper, but with their current physical closeness, there was no need for him to speak louder.

“You can.”

(Also on ao3.)

[sionisjaune]

For powerful em's powerful birthday month, a few vignettes from fucked up brocedes hg au. Thank you for bringing your wonderful, kind, generous self to everything you do in fandom! @powerful-owl

The chariots race by, spewing fireworks and glitter. The procession is headed by the blonde Career that was supposed to volunteer for Nico’s Games. All of the bookies are already saying he’s going to win. The Games are going to be boring with those odds. 

Nico wrinkles his nose and squeezes Lewis’s hand tightly. He flicks his hair behind his ear and straightens his posture. The video screens cut to a technicolor image of him and Lewis sitting side by side in the front row with the rest of the victors. Lewis looks beautiful and deadly in artfully bloodied scraps of lace and leather, and Nico looks embarrassingly like a dessert, decked out in cherubic feathers. Everyone cheers. For Nico and Lewis and for the new tributes—twenty-four teenagers that are slated to die on film. 

“Are you booked after this?” Nico says, turning his mouth towards Lewis’s ear. 

“Yeah,” Lewis murmurs, looking ahead. “I’m some old fuck’s date to the afterparty.” 

Nico knew that. He feigns surprise anyway. “Weird. So am I.” Lewis rolls his eyes, but Nico can feel the tendons in his arm jumping underneath Nico’s palm. It’s funny, Nico thinks, how Lewis has been at this a handful of years longer than Nico, and he still reacts to every little injustice like a knife to the gut. 

Nico laughs a little to himself, and Lewis shoots him a weird, sidelong glance, rubbing his thumb along the inside of Nico’s forearm. Nico wouldn’t know what that’s like—feeling. 

-

Nico collapses on top of Lewis’s sweaty chest, inhaling a lungful of body glitter. He chokes on it, coughs and hacks a few flecks out of his throat, and drags a shuddering breath of oxygen into his chest. He and Lewis have been fucking for so long he doesn’t even remember what it feels like to not have someone else inside of him. Lewis groans and whines underneath him, panting.

It’s approximately one billion degrees under the floodlights. It's so bright that Nico can’t see anything of the party surrounding them, just blobs and smudges behind the retina-scalding curtain of light. He knows they’re in the center of everything though, and that everyone is looking at them, and that people are cheering, because he can hear it faintly behind the beating of his own blood in his ears. He’s on the good shit too. He can’t usually stay hard for this long, even if it’s Lewis. 

Lewis whines again, and Nico pushes himself back up and starts moving again. Lewis groans, his head thudding against the arm of the sofa he and Nico are perched on and his eyes rolling back.

It’s almost worth it, Nico thinks. Everything is almost worth it. 

-

Nico can’t fall asleep alone anymore. When he shuts his eyes all he can see are glittering, multifaceted crystals, pools of blood as thick as velvet carpets and the inky blackness of endlessly dark caverns. Sometimes he gasps awake, and it feels like there are still shards in his throat, rending sensitive flesh on each juddering exhale. 

When Lewis is in his bed, it’s a little bit easier. They don’t fuck when they’re alone—Nico would be so lucky—but Lewis holds him and Nico bites back his usual complaints. 

-

Lewis has his lines memorized now. Nico doesn’t have lines, because all he has to do is moan on the floor with a gash in his stomach large enough that he can feel the heat seeping out of his shredded entrails. They’re reenacting everyone’s favourite part from Lewis’s Games where he saved a rival victor that had been left for dead behind a waterfall. This is the X-rated version, though, so Lewis is going to bandage Nico’s wounds and then fuck him back to health. 

Nico can hear himself gurgling, notices the shadows creeping into his periphery. Then Lewis’s hands are on him, and the shadows are receding and the knife-like pain of consciousness is making itself known, like a bright light irritating dilated eyes. 

Lewis rubs his thumb across the inside of Nico’s forearm. Nico twitches, prone. His insides are knitting themselves back together. His wounds are sealing themselves up. This is the best part. The worst part is the tenderness after. 

-

The theme is sharks. And sex. Sex and sharks. Sharks and sex. The theme is Nico and Lewis have sex in a giant fishtank while shark mutts swim from end to end, gnashing their teeth and snarling. They’ve given Nico a drug that eliminates his metabolism’s need for oxygen, but it feels like he’s drowning all the same. The capitolites think this sort of thing is funny. 

Nico clutches at Lewis’s tattooed bicep. His stylist has inked him up with images of angel fish that dart across his abdomen and octopuses that twine around his shoulder blades. Nico is wearing pearls. Lewis has a look on his face like he hates that he’s been made to do this and hates himself even more for being unable to dissent. 

That’s the Lewis he knows, Nico thinks. That’s the Lewis he fell in love with, when he was sixteen watching Lewis’s Games with his father. He turns his head to gaze through the thick wall of glass that warps his view of the venue outside. Slim figures wisp by, toting flutes of champagne and tiny canapes. They’re not even looking. 

Bile rises in Nico’s waterlogged throat. They need to look.

-

Lewis is watching the Games. When he turned it on the television in Nico’s room, Nico almost vomited, but Lewis was adamant that the broadcast stay on. He watches the Games even when the Capitol doesn’t parade him around at viewing parties to provide expert analysis. He tells Nico that it’s important to bear witness to what the Capitol is doing to the children of Panem, but Nico doesn’t buy it. He knows that Lewis just likes to torture himself. He’s always been a martyr. 

Nico curls up underneath Lewis’s arm and tunes out the sounds of slaughter. Of exploding canons and warbling mockingjays. 

When Lewis utters a disgusted sound at the TV, Nico looks up. The flatscreen is displaying the gory remains of at least three tributes splattered on the face of a snowy mountain. The Career that Nico replaced is standing in the middle of it all, an impish grin on his face and blood up to his elbows. He sticks his tongue out and wags his index finger at the camera. 

“Typical District 1 overindulgence,” says Lewis, repulsed. “You can tell he’s never thought about anyone other than himself in his life.”

Nico smiles smugly where Lewis can’t see it. 

[pearlofthesirens]

For My Princess Only: Chapter 1

inspired by elliot as sinbad cuz why not. also, i took aladdin as a reference since i recently watched the live action one. you may or may not find south asian references cuz welp, i'm a brown person.

summary: You did not expect yourself to fall for a commoner, that too a bandit out of all the men who wanted you. But what happens when your safety is threatened and your father, the king, learns about your secret lover? pairing: Bandit!Kyle Gaz Garrick x Princess!Reader warnings: she/her pronouns used, reader of arab/south asian descent, slight cursing, historic misogyny and objectification of women mentioned now playing: Aayat by Arijit Singh word count: 1145 words(one thousand one hundred and forty five words)

She sighed at the warmth of the weather, chariot wheels rolling on the dusty roads to carry her and her father, the king, through the city and back to the palace. The horses moved rather slow in her opinion, she preferred that they'd hurry up and end this random stroll her father planned. "Stroll more like parading me around...," she thought. Did he ever think about how she felt when he showed her off like an object? Like a jewel sitting on his crown, like the emerald on his necklace? Was she there for him to boast and flaunt?

She pulled her shawl over her chest, covering herself as much as possible not only from the hot air, but also from the ogling eyes of the common men at the busy market. No one could keep their eyes off her, even women and children. Their huge smiles made her feel even more burdened about the future heir they all wanted. Her father was apparently growing old, her mother already had begun to bother her about suitors. Princess didn't understand why she had to marry so early and that too to someone she didn't even love. Couldn't she just spend the rest of her life reading and writing poetry like a hopeless romantic, waiting for the love of her life to come save her? Or maybe she could bathe in milk and roses, oil her hair, sprinkle perfume on herself and finally wear the jewels of her choice?

But alas, the daydream lasted only a few minutes before she heard her father's voice, him telling her to smile and appear more attentive of the city and her subjects. She were supposed to be the future queen, how would she participate in royal matters if she didn't know about her own kingdom?

Her eyes emptily wandered off to the smiles and curious eyes on her as your chariot moved forward, all of them looked the same. Except him. Except those two shiny brown eyes she spotted amongst many. She noticed his glimmering dark skin, his messy open hair, the beads hanging off a loose braid right in front of his face. She could only catch a glimpse of him before she lost him in the crowd and the horses trotted away, carrying her back to the castle. He didn't look like a man of a lot of fortune. But something about him stuck with her.

Perhaps it was the curve of his lips as he smiled, perhaps it was how mischievous he looked, or maybe it was the thought of leaving everything behind and living independently as a commoner that came washing along with his presence in her life. Life as a royal isn't how commoners think it is. She was trapped in a cage made of gold with the finest grain thrown at her without care. She thought she was better off living as a simple lady, raising a home where she only had to take care of herself and her livelihood, perhaps with a lover, instead of sitting with handmaidens who praised her beauty and gossiped about princes from other kingdoms seeking their future queens.

Being a princess, she was more than just trapped. She couldn't choose whom to love, she couldn't decide her schedules, she could not even choose what jewelry to wear despite its abundance. Responsibilities after responsibilities, yet she wasn't treated like anything but an object to be gawked at, bag of gold to be traded.

The chariot reached the palace and the princess was more than enthusiastic to reach her chambers. Locking herself in, she let her handmaidens strip her of her royal attire before helping her in her resting garments. A simple gown and a mesh shawl to wrap around her shoulders. She dismissed them and picked up her diary, fingers absentmindedly moving towards the quill on her desk. It seemed like a poem wove in her mind and she had to write it down before it disappeared like the handsome man she saw at the city.

like my feet seek the ground like my lungs seek air i find myself yearning for you before you fade from my memories before you withdraw from my grasp

"Perfect." she thought, as she buried her nose into the page and inhaled the smell of the ink on the fresh page. Unbeknownst to her, the mysterious man's smile engraved itself in her heart entwined with the fragrant roses in her room and the verse she just composed. She wanted to meet the man again, perhaps stare into his sun-kissed amber irises for an eternity if time and luck was on her side.

"Is this what it means to fall in love with someone at first sight? Is this what all those books talk about?"

She couldn't help but giggle to herself softly, orange rays of sunset entering her room through the window. She dropped her diary on the bed, carefully keeping the quill back in its place before running off to the open window. Evening breeze hit her hair, swaying the strands over her face as she daydreamed about the handsome stranger before the sound of her closest handmaiden's voice reminded her of reality.

"Your Highness, it's time for your daily bath. You must cleanse yourself before your dinner with His and Her Majesty."

She stood by the door, fresh clothes in her hand. Princess turned to face her, the smile still stuck to her lips as she jogged over to her. Grabbing her shoulders, she pulled her inside and closed the door. Sitting the surprised lady down with herself on the bed, she flashed her pearly whites while asking her a rather baffling question.

"Have you ever been in love?"

"I-Is this about the prince who sent you the most beautiful vase for your roses as a gift, Your Highness?"

She chuckled, shaking her head at the surprised look the older lady gave her. Her hands slowly fixed the mesh shawl over her shoulders as she sighed dreamily. Seeing her antics, the handmaiden gave her a small smile before taking off the lovestruck girl's earrings and pearl necklace for her.

"Not him, but it is the most wonderful feeling in this world to be in love.."

"Indeed, only a few people can afford to marry out of love. But you, Your Highness, can make anybody fall in love at once. Your beauty and kindness can even make a tiger bow to you out of respect."

The princess chuckled and stood up yet again, taking her diary and looking at the poem she crafted. She twirled, letting her dress flow and sat down on the windowsill, smelling the ink on the page. Her face lit up with the sweetest smile when the face of that man flashed in front of her eyes. Yes, that was definitely how love at first sight felt like.

proofread ✓ pearly venus, 17:28 240524

masterlist for my princess only series

[saints-who-never-existed]

Davechella Week Three: Henry Collins

Full track list and other links below again. I'm not going to bother with including lyrics - this one proved to be a much more vibes-based affair in general.

Enjoy!

Roll the Old Chariot Along - David Coffin

Whole Lotta Love - Hozier

Sirens - Rag'n'Bone Man

Bad Moon Rising - Mourning Ritual

Paranoid - Black Sabbath

Nervous Breakdown - Black Flag

Black Night - Deep Purple

Doctor Doctor - UFO

Martha's Dream - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis

Night Terror - Laura Marling

[zelphin124]

LCB-3: Chapter 11

This chapter did... not turn out as I expected it to...

Masterpost

Chapter 10 <--> Chapter 12

~o0o~

"His Demons under My Command lay waiting to strike my bidding. The dedication is astounding! I am blessed to be the King's Right Hand... I already have a project in mind with the revenant's return noted. The Burner of Surya will suffer every hell when I am through. I shall claim him, for our King."

Jekyll rolled her eyes before putting the new set of notes in the same pocket as the old scrolls. She goes on and on about the same thing…

Hyde herself was groaning in anguish. These are the flattest people I’ve ever met. 

Jekyll had left the altar after the mermaid flashed across the room another time. They picked up any notes that she could find, but none of them held any useful information. Every time Jekyll tried to go anywhere and dry off, the mermaid came so close to knocking her down it drenched her each second. 

The dripping sensation started to drive Jekyll insane. It’s like it wants us soaking cold and wet! Why not just hit us? 

You fool, that would damage us. It’s better to just be drenched in the waves it splashes. Let’s not get hit by a moving truck of water and slime. 

I thought you had a death wish. 

I’d rather go out in style. 

There were shouts on the other side of the room. Jekyll could recognize Mallo, Jatayu, and Mark’s voices shouting back and forth at each other. She couldn’t tell what they were saying from so far away, but she could tell the retorts weren’t necessarily friendly. She shivered in her boots; she hoped they wouldn’t lash out at her like she thought they were doing on each other. 

A bright light turns on in the distance, revealing another part of the room. Perhaps the rest of the party was working their way through the lights and fixing them. Jatayu was an engineer of P Corp, right? 

That’s what the drone lady said. 

Maybe he’s just fixing the lights and they are shouting to communicate… Jekyll forced her heart to give her party the benefit of the doubt. 

She turned her head to look behind her, spotting another water portal forming in her line of sight. She shuddered and stepped out of the way, hoping that she wouldn’t get hit by the massive mermaid flying across the room now and then. The simple sight of it terrified her; the doctor and the painter were both sick of walking in wet socks. 

There. Hyde pointed into the darkness, showing yet another disruption in the shadowy fog. Likely another note with more useless information. 

Jekyll heaved a sigh, taking a step towards the note and picking it up gently, unscrolling its purple fabric to read what it said. 

"However, we mustn't lose sight of our reasons for this return to the Home. We must procure the Treasured Relic, even at the cost of Q. Corp's ire...perhaps, that is the reason for the Chariot Breaker's Return. Perhaps, he knows the greatness we have stowed away here. Does he hunt for it?"

“Must be the golden bough,” Jekyll muttered to herself, placing the purple scroll with the others. She walked along the section of the room until she stumbled upon another button. She glanced curiously at it. Oh! This could be another light! Perhaps–

Wait. 

Hyde forced her hand back, resisting the urge to press it. Jekyll paused, very confused. Hyde, what the hell–

Do you see the small slots on the side of the box? Hyde pointed out the opened slits on the top corners of the box, able to fit a spider-leg through them. This button is also a different shade… it’s more yellow, more meek, it speaks of something alive rather than a simple machine of a dull gray. 

Jekyll didn’t notice the two different shades until Hyde pointed it out. She withdrew her hand, smiling softly. Your artist's eye finally came to good use. 

Has it ever not? 

The doctor sighed. …No, you… kept us alive this far… 

Hyde ignored her passive-aggressive tone and glanced into the darkness once more. There’s likely a button over there, try that one. 

Jekyll obliged and waddled over to the new button, examining it for the same slits in its corners and its shade of color. When she saw none, she gently rested her hand on the button. 

Nothing happened. 

Hmm… Jekyll tried looking at the box to look for any loose wires; which she discovered zero. Where is the engineer when you need him? 

The veteran? Hyde forced Jekyll’s head to peek into the darkness again. You should’ve followed his voice instead of getting distracted. I have questions to ask him, and now you need him to fix this light. 

Well, perhaps we can try it ourselves… Jekyll recommended. Do we really need the light on, anyway? 

Before Hyde could answer, there was a call in the air. Someone was calling Jekyll’s name, but it wasn’t one she recognized immediately. It was so casual… so… unusual. It rang through the air like a feather trying to cross a cavern. 

The doctor drew her paintbrush, readying for combat. Is it the mermaid? Did it learn my name? Is it trying to play a trick on us? 

For once, the painter did not answer her. 

Jekyll heard the voice call again; the voice approached her from the south with loud clanks across the floor. The figure walked rhythmically, much to the beat of Mallo’s foot pacing. Jekyll sighed in relief, and shouted with all her might, unable to tell how far Mallo truly was from her. “Mallo?” 

Mallo poked her head out of the shadows into Jekyll’s vision, plugging one of her ears and casting a glare toward her. “Ahh, there you are. Just wanted to make sure everyone in the group was alright, cause’ be and Jatayu went off, splitting up the party. Mark confirmed that Pen was by his side… did you travel with Lenore?” 

Jekyll stammered over her words, muttering over her own breath. “L-Lenore stayed behind to p-protect Dante.” She’s going to scold me, isn’t she? 

“So you went all by yourself?” 

No, I’m here. Hyde scoffed. You’re never alone, save when I want to leave you alone. 

Jekyll closed her mouth after she opened it to reply. There was a notable pause before she spoke again, adjusting her brush to rest behind her. “Well, I’m never really… by myself…” 

“You know what I meant,” Mallo adjusted her ponytail and narrowed her eyes, pulling out another cigarette. 

Seriously, where does she get all those? “Yes, I explored… by myself…” 

Mallo lit the cig and inhaled a part of it whilst keeping eye contact with Jekyll. She heaved a disappointed sigh. Letting out a puff of smoke. “I don’t know why you didn’t stick with one of us. This place could’ve been dangerous.” 

That’s the best part–

Not now, shut up, Jekyll snapped. We are a drenched puppy right now, making that argument will not help us. “Was the… non-verbal suggestion not to split up and cover more ground?” She asked in a gentle tone, trying to deflect what she thought was anger. 

“Yes, which was good,” Mallo flicked the end of her cigarette to get rid of the curling ash. “But it’s no use splitting up if we are dead.” 

Her lack of faith in us is despicable. Hyde spat, glaring at Mallo. I am not a force so easily snuffed. 

Mallo ignored the glare and continued to talk. “Did you at least find anything?” 

Before Jekyll could form a proper response, she blurted out a nonchalant “no” and sighed. Hyde! What the heck?!

We found nothing of importance, there’s no need to inform her of that. 

“Alright, well…” Mallo trailed off, believing the lie. “I found these, at least.” 

Jekyll took from Mallo’s hands three new scrolls of information. She unwinded each of them and read them carefully: out loud so Mallo could hear. 

"The Chariot Breaker will not claim this. If he does, our King will take notice of our failure today, and he will not take lightly. Alas, I am too busy within my workshop to be there to resolve the issue in person, and the higher leveled Demons were not available for this venture... Is it wrong to be more excited? To see the depths that the Burner of Surya will go to for whatever reasons he may fight for? I can already hear the screams of my Demons. The monsters are vicious. Let us see if they are enough. The one fish creature.. reminds me of our Master's Chariot.. surely, the bird is too weak to flap its wings once more.. then again.. he survived our King once. I will be eagerly hoping to see him break again, like that night we took the Star-to-Be."

Wonderful, Hyde smirked. This helps us with the other notes we found. 

Should we not tell her? Jekyll pleaded, feeling a knot of guilt tie up around her chest. She’s our teammate; we are supposed to work together. 

She doesn’t need to know, Hyde shrugged and smirked with glee. Information is not free. 

Jekyll sighed, not having the strength to say no to the painter. She moved her head to line up with Mallo’s. “Did you guys figure out anything else from these notes? Any cryptic messages, or what they could mean?” 

“The fish creature is the mermaid that’s been gliding across the floor. By the looks of it…” Mallo glanced at Jekyll’s coat dripping water from every side. “You’ve seen it already. I assume the Charior Breaker is… Jatayu?” 

Jekyll raised an eyebrow. Yes, and? 

“Look, I’m not the best at discerning cryptic messages. Whoever the person is, the one writing the notes… I don’t like what they are planning.” 

The altar came back into Jekyll’s mind, and she turned her head toward it. She couldn’t see it anymore due to the darkness, but everything slowly started to click. “The new era they talked about doesn’t sound nice…” 

“Hold on,” Mallo turned away from Jekyll, her back facing her. She cupped her hands around her mouth before shouting in the south direction. “Jatayu! Did you get that button to work?!” 

A faint voice replied; one that was clearly the veteran. It wavered amongst the darkness like a candle giving off light. “Not yet. Where are you? I… can try… to work?” 

Jekyll didn’t catch everything he was saying, but hearing his voice alive and well gave an odd sense of reassurance to her. 

Mallo turned to Jekyll and lowered her voice. “Did you find any button that might’ve been a light?” 

“Y-Yeah, one over there,” Jekyll pointed across her body with her opposite arm into the darkness. She turned and walked over to it, glancing towards the north wall. “This one?” 

Mallo started counting down the rows and columns of the room. “A, B, C, D… Jatayu, I got it! You have the wire plugged into I-3, right?” 

“Yes?” Jatayu faintly replied. 

Jekyll tried to see him in the darkness, staring in the direction his voice came. However, there was one very large object in the center of the room that disrupted the shadows and everything around it. What… is that? 

“Do any of the plugs say 2?” Mallo continued. 

The veteran called back in another faint voice. “No!”

Mallo cursed under her breath. “Is there one that says E?” 

“Yes!” 

“Try plugging that one in!” 

“Got it!” 

Jekyll glanced at Mallo. What the heck is going on–

“Jekyll, try pushing the button,” Mallo’s demand immediately interrupted Jekyll’s train of thought. 

Her hand rested firmly on the large red button before she pressed it down with precision. The moment she did so, the room suddenly lit up in all the directions of that light, revealing another section of the large floor plan. The red tiles on the floor became much more vibrant and silky under the light; they waved like the texture of the ocean. 

Jatayu was visible next to a large gray box in the center of the room, which appeared to be some sort of maintenance generator at first glance. Jekyll also spotted the mermaid in the light, getting a good glimpse of it. 

Although she had caught glimpses of it before, the picture in the doctor’s head was now complete. A large, blue-haired mermaid hovered in the red metal ground like it was water. Her hair flew like water and peeled against her flaky pink skin. The mermaid was armless, and her pink skin traveled all the way down to her silky green tail. Her eyes were large hearts with a sharp, white, cracked line between her pupils. It appeared as if the hearts in her eyes were meant to be broken. It slowly eyed Mallo, approaching her much more slowly than the quick, deadly strokes it was taking across the room earlier. 

Mallo shuddered as she eyed it back. “That’s the thing…” she clamped her mouth shut, wrinkling her nose. 

Jekyll glanced toward the north wall once more. She saw the exit. It was a large door with a complex mechanical design. The door had three bright green lights in a horizontal scope, with two of the lights still dull, indicating five lights total. The bar in the middle of the door was pulled back to the last two unlit lamps. It was clear the last two lights needed to be lit before the door would open. 

Huh. Hyde nodded slowly in Jekyll’s head. Not a half-bad design. 

“Jekyll?” 

Jekyll turned to face Mallo obediently, offering the former lobotomy corporation employee her full attention. 

Mallo cleared her throat and adjusted her uniform. “Did you find any more of those buttons?”

“Yes,” Jekyll stammered before Hyde could interject. “I’ve seen two. One of them lit up way back where Dante is, and the other remained dead.” 

“That door has five bulbs,” Mallo pointed to the red exit door. “We’ve pressed three buttons so far, lighting up three sections of the floor plan. The generator over there has five ports. If we light up all of the room, that door should unlock. It’s a stupid disciplinary team design… but it kept abnormalities like this one contained.” She glared at the mermaid. “We need to press all of the buttons, light up the room, and the door will open.” 

Jekyll followed Mallo’s gaze to the mermaid, her heart beating faster. “With… that thing flying around?” 

“Just hit it,” Mallo said in a matter-of-fact tone. “Stick by me, and it won’t be a problem. It’s predictable.” 

Nah, remember the last time we stuck near an abnormality? Hyde forced a memory of the White Lake to Jekyll’s thought. I ain’t doing that again. 

No… and the Red Queen, Hearts Lady, thing… it wasn’t reasonable either. “I know where the button is. I can press it, but I need to get past the mermaid.” 

“I’ll distract it, then,” Mallo gestured into the darkness where the other button resided. “Go.” 

Jekyll obliged and quietly sneaked around Mallo, double-checking to make sure the mermaid didn’t spot her before slowly working her way around. 

Mallo took notice immediately and acted upon her promised distraction. “Ugh, love… I hate it,” she cursed under her breath before shouting towards Jatayu, giving him instructions. 

When the mermaid’s gaze locked onto Jekyll, she took a step back behind Mallo once more. She decided to glance at the door one more time before making her move. 

“I’m burning alive, but still alive!” Mark’s voice could be heard shouting throughout the room. 

“What happened?” The veteran asked. 

“This… bastard of a spear keeps burning me!” 

“Why is Mark burning alive?” Jekyll glanced towards Mallo, wondering why she hadn’t acted upon the mermaid via a distraction yet. 

Mallo’s face showed how done she was with the situation. “He called the spear a bastard, like the idiot he is. Do not mess around with tool abnormalities, lest you wish to be bound to more trouble.” 

Jekyll opened her mouth to reply but clamped it shut as a heap of coughs claimed her vocal cords. She faced north to see a blue gas seeping out from the open parts of the door. There is an odd noise from the other side which accompanied the leaking gas dripping through the cracks. The fog was blue and felt hideous to inhale. Jekyll’s skin didn’t react well to touching it, either. 

Jekyll flattened her face and stepped away from the door, spotting that the mermaid made its way closer to Mallo. She decided to start heading into the darkness as Mallo and Jatayu conversed more. 

“Right… I am going to put this into Port C, or something!” The veteran stepped into the generator and started to fiddle with some of the wires inside of it. “I have no idea which one it is… it says C6?” 

“It is probably the one Jekyll is heading towards!” Mallo nodded toward the doctor before communicating again. “That way!” 

“Oo! A box!” The veteran stopped what he was doing. “This one has a green button on it!” 

“A green button?” 

“It’s yellowish like the bomb boxes… but the button is green instead of red.” 

“Press it; see what happens!” 

Jekyll stopped dead in her tracks. Are you insane?! Her eyes widened. Those were bombs?! Why are you telling him to press it?!

There was a loud click, followed by silence. Even the mermaid took a moment to look at the generator. 

Mallo tapped her foot impatiently. “Jatayu?” 

“I think I’m being surrounded!” 

“Don’t touch the boxes!” 

“They want me to press them!”

“Don’t press them!” 

I’m getting a headache watching this, Hyde rubbed her head. We have a party of idiots. 

“Yeah,” Jatayu shouted toward the faint Mark voice. “The spear corroded two of the LCB-2 members and tried to stab me when it gained control. No, we can’t break it… that thing has ruined many lives.”

The what? Jekyll stood dumbfounded. Are they all on crack? What are they talking about? 

“You can’t break abnormalities, that’s not how they work! They physically cannot die, they just turn into eggs!” Mallo added. 

“Mark, you won’t be successful!” Jatayu pleaded. “I would like to see it die, but it won’t work!” He waited as Mark shouted something before replying. 

Mallo’s voice was louder than his. “It definitely won’t work! Hop around the generator, the mermaid is on my side!” 

Mark stepped briefly into the light, but not enough for Jekyll to see. However, Jatayu’s reaction was enough to get a grip on what changed. “MY GOSH WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?!”

The conversation had taken so long, the mermaid was inches away from Mallo. It approached slowly and with great caution, trying to get as close as possible. Jekyll was about to alert her, but Mallo spotted it first and unsheathed her stave, pointing it at the abnormality. “Hey! Don’t come any closer!” She hissed. 

The mermaid formed a mouth; it looked horrendous when it spoke. “You… you stopped me on my laps before… Why? Do you… do you love me?” 

Jekyll saw this was the only opportunity she was going to get. She made her way around Mallo, approaching the darkness slowly. 

Does it want love? Hyde raised an eyebrow. That’s it? 

Jekyll shook her head. I don’t think it’s that simple… 

A contagious, psychic laughter left Mallo’s lips as she towered over the creature’s head. “Love you? Really? Do you really think I could love something like you? That’s cute… and pathetic. I have no love in my heart anymore.” 

The world briefly stood still. A knife shot itself through Jekyll’s heart the moment Mallo said that. No love within her heart… W-What? The doctor gripped her brush, thinking back to all the caring moments and the love Mallo had shown her. But… But I thought–

It only made Hyde roll her eyes. I knew it. The motherly act was a lie. There is no love in her, Jekyll. You heard her say it with her own mouth. 

Jekyll did her best to slow her breathing, but it didn’t stop tears running from her eyes. Surely, she–

Jekyll! Hyde snapped. We have a door to unlock, and a golden bough to retrieve! This is no time to be moping about someone not caring about you. No one ever did! Stop believing they will! 

The mermaid resonated with the plea Jekyll almost uttered. “I’ll do anything for love, please!” the creature begged, the hearts in its eyes cracking. 

“People promised me that before; do you think I’d believe you?!” Mallo grabbed the abnormality by its throat, scoffing in its face with a wicked smile. She pressed her fingers into its neck as a form of intimidation. Memories flashed before the woman’s eyes. 

The mermaid started to cry, staring into Mallo’s soul. “I just want you… to love me…” 

Before Mallo could speak and Jekyll could think, a light began to shine from the mermaid’s point of contact with Mallo. AN invisible force pushed Mallo, forcing her to be drawn to the mermaid.

Mallo became panicked as her hand merged into the mermaid’s skin. “Wait, wait! What the hell are you doing?!” She spoke quickly and in a panic. “Stop that, stop that!” She tried pushing the mermaid away with her foot, but it only merged with her foot as well. 

Jekyll watched in horror as the mermaid grew in size and devoured Mallo in a matter of seconds. Mallo fused with the mermaid effortlessly, and was nowhere to be seen as the mermaid took on aspects of Mallo’s body; black hair and bright blue eyes. 

Hyde watched in terror herself. …What the actual f–

Inelligle voices ran between the air in the form of the mermaid’s voice and Mallo’s, only uttering one word Jekyll could understand. “Mark.” It didn’t take long for the mermaid to zoom into the darkness in the last direction Jekyll heard the prisoner’s voice. 

PFFF– Hyde burst into a peal of laughter. They’ve become like us! Fighting for one mind! How ironic, how diabolical! 

Jekyll only snapped out of her thousand-yard stare from Hyde’s laugh. She stumbled onto the floor and up again, bursting into the darkness and as far away from the abnormality as she could get. It… It took Mallo… Mallo is gone…

Relax, Hyde’s cackling subsided. She never cared about us anyway, there’s no need to care about her. 

Jekyll frantically lunged through the darkness before stopping to take a breath, spotting the altar once more. Hyde… Is it… Do you think–

We don’t need her, Jekyll. Hyde narrowed her eyes. We don’t need any of them. Each of us is in this company for our own gain. I’d say we get that golden bough ourselves, and get the hell out of here. 

Jekyll paused, wiping away her tears. 

Hyde used her silence to continue. How have you not learned this lesson yet? Stop seeking Mallo’s validation, she is not our mom. She never will give you what you want. No one actually cares about anyone in the city. 

Jekyll stumbled from side to side before reaching the button she found previously, still eyeing the altar. She glanced into the darkness, faintly hearing footsteps approaching her. “Who goes there?!” 

Jatayu’s voice accompanied the figure merging from the fog. “Jekyll? Is that you?” 

Oh great, just the Burner of Syra we needed. Hyde rolled her eyes.

He… At least he cares about finding his niece… At least someone cares about someone else in this City. 

Stop sulking. That doesn’t matter right now. Let me ask him my questions. 

“Yes,” Jekyll finally answered the veteran as he came into view. He also looked incredibly drenched and sopping wet from the mermaid’s sprinting rounds. 

“Are you alright?” He asked, adjusting his tanfas in his hands. 

Jekyll nodded before she froze, seeing the dark outline of the mermaid in the distance. “Uh… Mallo has fused with the abnormality…” 

“What?!”

“I don’t know!” Jekyll raised her hands instinctively after Jatayu’s roar. “Stay there, let me come to you!” 

“You stay safe!” 

Murmurs about ‘family doesn’t matter’ echoed from the mermaid as it splashed across the room. Jekyll eyed it carefully before she reached Jatayu, pulling him out of sight of the creature. “Thank goodness you're safe…” 

Jatayu glanced around, confused. “What happened?” 

“So… Mallo fused with the abnormality, I think…” She glanced at the button next to her. That’s… odd. I thought it was more south. 

It’s the yellow one with the slits, Hyde observed. 

“This button is suspicious,” Jekyll watched Jatayu eye the button before pushing his hand away from it. 

He gripped his hand with the other one before glancing up at Jekyll’s hair. “Mallo said the yellow ones were bombs, is it yellow?” 

“Yes.” Jekyll sighed. “Do you see anything else? Perhaps another button?” 

Jatayu stared into the darkness. “I see… two things… one by the west wall, and a button-shaped thing south of us.” 

Jekyll clenched, stress building up in her shoulders as she looked over them. “You… see that?” 

“It looks like a small… no, large… box? I am not sure,” the veteran looked curiously at the doctor. “Do you know what it is?” 

Perfect time to bring up the questions–

“Uh… I don’t know if we have time to dive into this,” Jekyll was almost answering Hyde more than Jatayu, but he seemed to take it as an okay answer. 

The mermaid is distracted. Ask him about stone altars. 

Jekyll paused, stammering over her words. “Do you… have any experience with… uh… stone altars?” 

…Are you serious right now–

“Not personally,” Jatayu’s face wore confusion like a mask. “I remember one of my fellows saying they had visions of stone altars when they held the tool abnormalities…” 

It was Jekyll’s turn to be confused. Who? 

Probably the LCB-2, Hyde groaned. He doesn’t refer to any of us as ‘fellows’ anyway. He is probably referencing whatever’s burning Mark alive right now… Somehow, I think that thing and Jatayu are linked to the altar. 

They were supposed to sacrifice him on the altar, right? Jekyll reasoned, putting her hand up to her chin. So… was that a tool they tried to use? 

“I see more boxes, a few yellow ones… and… I think I see the mermaid?” Jatayu continued, spinning in a circle to name everything he could see. 

Hyde scoffed in a light-hearted manner. Dork. 

Jekyll didn’t take his response the same way and hyperfocused on what he said. “Wait, what? You see the mermaid?” 

“Over there in the distance,” Jatayu pointed southeast. “I see its figure… where Mark was. Wait, it might be chasing Mark!” 

Jatayu turned to take a step in that direction, but Jekyll grabbed his arm. Hyde was clearly not done with him yet. “Considering how fast that thing is, there is not much point in helping Mark if the being is after it.” Jekyll stammered over her words, eager to get answers out of the veteran before he disappeared. I don’t need you merging with the abnormality, too. 

Jatayu did not take her comment lightly. He turned his head slowly, his gaze full of anger and his voice one with authority. “What do you mean there’s no helping him now?” His tone was one of someone offended by the sheer thought. “Mark might be a dick, but he is still our comrade!” 

“Jatayu, I need you to listen very carefully,” Jekyll returned in a serious tone as she stared into his soul, her gaze unwavering. You’re the only one that cares about anyone else at this party, why can’t you think of yourself? “We need to solve the puzzle in this room and turn all the lights on so… we can help our comrades better.” 

Hyde paused, a look of surprise on her face. You are a smoother liar than I thought. 

W-What? 

I see your intention. Hyde scoffed, waving her finger. We can urge him to help us solve the puzzle… then we can get out of here. 

Jekyll paused. Well, yes, but–

No, no, I like this. Hyde smirked with a hint of villainy. Keep going. Use these… ‘titles’ of his to get his attention if you must. 

…okay. 

“Our comrades are being chased by the mermaid, Jekyll!” Jatayu combated. “They are heading for Mark– oh no, they could be heading for Dante too!” 

“Jatayu!” Jekyll snapped, gripping his arm and pulling it towards her. It was enough force to make the tall veteran look down at her. “I don’t know who you are, or whether or not you truly care about the rest of the party. I cannot judge that after these titles of… ‘Burner of Syra’ or ‘Chariot Breaker’ I’ve learned about you from the notes on the ground I found. But I need you to set your emotions aside and work with me here! You need to focus on the puzzle and help the party solve it, otherwise, the mermaid will freely travel in the dark and claim us all as it did Mallo! I don’t want that… for you…” She stumbled over the last part, trying to make it as sincere as possible. “I need you to promise me that you will not go to the altar behind me, and you will press the lightbox on your way to the others.” 

Hyde’s smirk only grew as Jatayu became convinced of Jekyll’s quick plan; she also noticed how he tensed up at the titles used, delighted in the fact she had found another button to poke. 

“Okay, I promise not to go near the altar… And I will press the button as I head towards Dante. You should go to the generator and plug in the wire for the last button.” Jatayu forced his arm out of Jekyll’s grip, heaving a heavy sigh. Regret was written all over his face, and he actively tried to pull himself together. 

I… can’t believe he actually fell for it. Jekyll nodded firmly. “Okay.” 

What do you mean you can’t believe it? You gave him no room to suspect otherwise. Hyde said through the grin that hadn’t faded. I’m impressed, Jekyll. 

The veteran stepped into the darkness before looking over his shoulder, his eyes softly wishing a farewell to the doctor. “Good luck,” he said sweetly. 

Jekyll felt guilt wrap around her soul like a chord as Jatayu walked over to the light button and pressed it firmly, turning on the lights for the area and revealing the generator to Jekyll’s eyes. He then took off running southeast, on a mission to make sure Dante was okay. 

Jekyll clenched her arm, staring at the ground. At least he will not go near the altar, now… 

Don’t beat yourself up about the motivation behind your ask, Hyde chuckled to herself. We got what we wanted from him. Let’s finish this puzzle and be on our merry way. 

Jekyll slowly walked to the generator, trying to obey Hyde in not beating herself up about it. Is it the right thing to just… take off, and not look back? To leave them? 

They’ve been making points about how useless you are to the group, Hyde reminded her. They don’t trust you, just like Mark said. They don’t love you, just like Mallo said. Do you really think a group like that is worth fighting for? Are they worth your time and effort? 

Upon those words, Jekyll hardened her heart, remembering the prior experiences she had with similar people. She was not going to be walked all over again by those who didn’t care about her. She was not going to fall for any of it. No, no they are not. 

Hyde seemed satisfied. Then let’s open the exit and get out of here. 

[fictionadventurer]

The good thing about listening to the Little House series on audiobook: I get to learn the tune to most of these songs, which really elevates a lot of scenes.

The bad thing about listening to the Little House series on audiobook: I'm going to have "We'll Roll the Old Chariot Along" stuck in my head at regular intervals for the rest of my life.

[oolathurman]

Space Shanty, Mandalorian Edition

Just cuz I've been working on a mandosona who likes shanties! I'll try to provide notes and translations beside the phrase of interest, so y'all don't have to scroll up and down too much.

This is to the tune of A Drop of Nelson's Blood / Roll The Old Chariot Along.

"And we'll roll the old chariot along" has been replaced with "And we'll all march to-wards to the stars."

In addition, "And we'll all hang on behind" has been replaced with "Gal ori'skraan, riduur, yaim dab." (The phrase refers to R&R, and literally translates to "Beer, big eats, good company and return to camp." I've shortened "dab'ika" to "dab," since that can be interpreted as one's current place of stay or rest.)

Common verses:

And a drop of net'ra gal, wouldn't do us any harm // Net'ra gal, a black ale.

And a drop of spiced tihaar, wouldn't do us any harm // Tihaar, a strong clear alcoholic spirit.

And a game of meshgeroya, wouldn't do us any harm // Meshgeroya, a Mandalorian game.

And a plate of tiingilar, would fill us up real good // Tiingilar, a spicy mandalorian casserole, dish made from leftovers.

It'd be alright if we make it 'round Krownest // Krownest, ancestral home of Clan Wren

It'd be alright if the Void of Blue eats us // Void of Blue, a reference to the lights of hyperspace

And a night on the town wouldn't do us any harm

And a moment of aay'han, wouldn't do us any harm // Aay'han, bittersweet perfect moment of mourning and joy - remembering and celebrating.

And rolling with our vod, wouldn't do us any harm // Rolling, in this case used as innuendo or as a suggestive comment. Vod as in, sibling, brother, sister; comrade, close mate. In this case, the latter 'comrade/close mate' is used.

And a night planetside, wouldn't do us any harm

And a big ol' ori'skraan, wouldn't do us any harm // ori'skraan, a feast.

What I love about a shanty like Nelson's Blood is the ability to easily make up verses on the fly, and I imagine that whoever starts the song would encourage others to throw in random verses as the song goes on. What verse would you add? :D

[vaguelyoriginaldrivel]

GANYMEDE

The largest and most important of the Gallilean moons. Continents of ice floating above an unfathomably deep sea, a thin and cold atmosphere barely clinging to its surface. Sprawling tundra of squamous lichens and icy shores piled high with red kelp. So distant from the sun, the dim light of the sky and the soft glare of Jupiter can provide only enough light and heat to sustain a paltry assemblage of primitive flora across most of the world, which in turn supports a meager assortment of radial-beaked rabbits and hexaped moose. At the poles, however, the situation changes. Unlike every other moon in the entire solar system, Ganymede has a magnetosphere, and this electric dynamo produces, when combined with the intense radiation of the jovian belt, a 24/7 aurora borealis, green and blue light dancing across the sky. There, the ecosystem is more advanced, transitioning from tundra and muskeg to scrubland, rolling hills, and, in a hundred-mile basin resting near the north pole, Ganymede’s only forest, an unknown land shrouded beneath the canopies of its towering pines.

The aboriginal people of Ganymede are the Lah-cyg, who look something like two swans sewn together back-to-back, using their twin necks to sling spears, row oars, and perform all the rest of the manipulations humans use hands for. They stand about as tall as men, but, adapted to Ganymede’s low gravity and evolved treading over thin ice and boggy ground, are considerably lighter and weaker. They’re a culturally diverse species, having spread across Ganymede millennia ago and formed into many now distinct peoples, from the canoe whalers of the southern sea to the bobsled-hunters of the deep tundra to the leshy-emperors of the great forest. Though their anatomy is alien, psychologically and behaviorally they are very near-human, even if they communicate as much with their eight flag-wings as their voices and their natural lifespan is near five hundred years.

Ganymede was already under an extraterrestrial yoke when the tsan-chan first arrived. The Garzbhel amphibians, polypous frog things either convergent on or distantly related to the moon beasts of luna, had, from their europan homeward, descended on Ganymede along with the rest of the jovian system, flying across the void of space on the backs of their slave-steeds, the xeno-pegasi known as the Oxarith. From their forts and feitorias of gelatinous stone, they meddled with the affairs of the Lah-cyg, demanding slaves, their compradors and tributaries among the ganymedians given access to their trumpet-spiraled guns to aid in the slave-raids. Ganymede was ravaged by slave-wars, the losers stuffed in cages and hauled across the void to toil and die beneath Europa, the winners given more guns and ammo to capture ore slaves. It was in this context that the Tsan-Chan arrived. The Garzbhel would not bend the knee, and so the Tsan-Chan beat them back to Europa. It was a brief war, Garzbhel void-chariots against Tsan-Chan torchships like roman triremes against 21st-century aircraft carriers - the Garzbhel retreated to the wine-dark seas beneath Europa, collapsed the ice-shafts behind them, and have not emerged in force since. The only ones seen now are the few guerrilla holdouts left hiding out in the uncharted wilds, and the scant few who submitted to Tsan-Chan conquest. The mere passing of the Garzbhel would have been enough to throw their accomplices, the warrior-kindoms which grew wealthy off the slave trade, into turmoil - the Tsan-chan did not even give them that chance. Those old kingdoms are now subjects of the cruel empire, and the entire moon is claimed as a possession by the tsan-chan - though, the control is more tenuous in reality than on paper. Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system, and much of its vastness remains untouched by human hands (though not by lah-cyg beaks).

The Tsan-Chan, unlike the Garzbhel, do not come to Ganymede seeking slaves. Nor do they come seeking furs, or moss, or ice. From Ganymede they want only one thing - fish. The Tsan-Chan have raised on Ganymede a series of sea-ports, little bays with raised walls and guns on towers, but really the seat of their occupation is their only Gaynmedian city - Nuevo Francisco. The entire city is built and devoted to processing as much fish as possible, gutting, canning, and launching into orbit to provide the rest of the empire with cheap protein from the Gallilean sea. It reeks, of course, of salt and blood and brine - noisy, too, the grinding of the factory-machines, the rumbling of the ship-engines, the constant motion of the task.

The ice-trawlers that feed Nuevo Francisco dredge far and wide and deep, smashing through the delicate ecosystems perched on the iceberg-shelf. These are not the chief target, though - the native species too clever and wild and balanced in appetite and growth for the Tsan-Chan use. What they seek is fish in the true sense, not just the Ganymedian analogues. Hatchery towers spill into Nuevo Francisco’s bay, their insides churning with millions and billions of fry, bred in tanks, genelines broken and spliced and chained to maximize speed of growth, monstrous things as artificial as the ships which catch them.

Of course this monstrous industry has had wide-ranging impacts at every step of the process. The Lah-cyg of Ganymede’s coasts are impacted, of course, whether pushed off the seas directly to make room for Tsan-Chan ships, or indirectly by the competition, mauled by the malformed jaws of the hyperagressive terran frankenfish or poisoned by their unnatural flesh. So to is the natural life - anything in the path of the dredge-nets, is annihilated utterly, but the impact extends beyond the reach of ice-trawlers and their piscine quarry. Many of the species who rest on Ganymede’s icy shares dive for their food, and so the ravaging of the coastline has threatened them, and with them all the parasites and predators who attack them on land - the loss of this quarry driving starving carnivores inland, with it’s own knock-on effects. Even the fauna of the void above have suffered, the vacuum-pelicans which once dove for fish coming up more and more with empty beaks, and without the nutrients of their dung the high mountains and dead comets on which they nest struggle to survive. Ganymede’s seas are deep beyond measure, and the neritic zone which man has touched barely a fraction of it’s true extent, yet the easy life of the starlit waters is vital to the life of much of what lives below, but unlike land and sky the depths of Ganymede’s seas are truly unknown… few can even dream of what stirs below.

things I couldn’t figure out how to fit in the post:

Nuevo Francisco, and the tsan-chanese on ganymede more broadly, are by-and-large deep one hybrids - actually part of the reason why they stock the seas with earth-fish, because their abilities to call fish into nets don’t work on alien species.. there’s no full-blooded deep ones though because the true deep ones are on tenuous terms with the tsan-chan anyways and are frankly just not well-suited to the long transit to Jupiter, being enormous and requiring lots of space and water.. confinement in a metal can barely their own size for several months would be nearly unsurvivable

As always, the impacts of colonization has driven many Lah-cyg into the city to try and find work because their traditional lifestyle has been made impossible.. mostly been relegated to domestic work, wiping windows, scrubbing floors, peeling potatoes, etc -

Lah-Cyg essentially stone age because there’s no metals to work, best they can really get is good rocks from the gravel of the rocks embedded in some parts of the ice but they mostly work with bone and leather.. tundra and muskeg and stuff makes for poor agricultural soil, a few peoples in especially fertile regions able to get by with chinampas but by and large everyone’s either a fisher, hunter, or herder.. canoes mostly inuit-style umiak.. “Leshy-Emperors”, the people of the great northern forest, wealthiest, most advanced and last really independent Lah-Cyg state due to monopoly over wood trade granting historical wealth and in modern times cover of the forest shielding from Garzbhel and Tsan-Chan invasion

Mi-Go presence on Ganymede is very, very limited - a few emmisaries have been sent to try and torment rebellion among the Lah-Cyg but the lack of both mineral resources not buried under a million miles of uncharted water and much in the way of men of learning to brain-can means they care little for the moon itself

something something black citadel city of the billion-year past spawn of yuggoth, architecture similar to the prison-temple of ghatnoathao, inside a brother-god of ghatnothoa and rhan-tegoth but a dead one.. medusa-motifs dictate that chryasaor-style thing stalks inside, sea foams with horrid-flapping things that emerge from the sea-foam and fly off into space.. this original birthplace of the Oxarith pegasi, who instinctually fear it knowing that it would destroy them to know their own origins

Ganymede in the dream is a solid shell of ice, no seas no nothing, with enormous chains wrapping across the entire planet.. dreamers wander its surface shivering and freezing. . strange groaning beneath the ice

this is because the entire planet is a prison for horrible elder-gods held at it’s core, confined beneath the deepest ocean in the solar-system under countless layers of ice.. as secure as can be, great cthulu only gets one ocean on top of him instead of like five.. secure in the dream, where they’re awake, less so in the waking world where the ice is cracked

[lilaccatholic]

gimmie shanty number 5 please

YOU get Roll the Old Chariot along by David Coffin for your shanty!!!

Oh, we'd be alright if the wind was in our sails

We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails

We'd be alright if the wind was in our sails

And we'll all hang on behind

(Send me a number 1-35 and I'll tell you your shanty)

[twoidiotwriters1]

Daughter of Olympus (Leo Valdez xFem!Oc)

A/N: One thing I love about these two is how blatant they are about their feelings, there is no hesitation (there is a lot and is drowning them) -Danny Words: 2,634 Series' Masterlist Previous Chapter / Next Chapter Listen to: 'Message In A Bottle' -by Taylor Swift

XXVII: I Don't Have High Hopes but I Think Leara Should Be Our Ship Name

"You remember when Annabeth explained to us how Athena kids are born?"

"Yeah?"

"I get it now," Ara mumbles absentmindedly. "The meeting of minds thing."

Lily peers over the chariot. "What?"

"I've got a crush," Ara tightens the nave, hunching so she doesn't have to face Lily.

Her friend gasps and pulls Ara up, dragging her to a tall bench. "Who is it? You always go for the craziest option available!"

"That's not true!" She scowls.

"I always thought Aphrodite kids had good taste, but you don't."

"I'll ignore that," Ara leaves her tools on the workbench. "Cause I really wanna tell you."

Lily smiles eagerly. "Okay. I'm listening."

"Well... It's a boy."

"Yikes," she sits on the bench next to Ara's and supports her elbow on the workbench. "Do I know him?"

"Yeah, er... just met him."

"Oh," Lily's expression shifts. "Oh no, Ara."

"What?" She pouts. "You can't say that's a bad pick!"

Her friend wrinkles her nose. "Leo Valdez? Are you sure?"

"You don't approve," Ara sighs knowingly.

Lily rolls her eyes. "I get why you like him... but is he really the safe option?"

"Lily!"

"Well," she frowns. "All I'm saying is, you get along with Jason just the same!"

Ara's taken by surprise. "Jason?"

"Why not?" Her friend insists. "Your siblings love him, like, they're obsessed—"

"Piper likes him, Lily," Ara makes a face.

"Ugh, fine! But Leo is bound to get you hurt," Lily explains like it's obvious.

"No, he wouldn't! Why would you even think that?" Ara's getting upset for no reason, she has to wrap it up.

Lily crosses her arms and Ara knows she's in for a lecture. "He's insane, Ara. Have you talked to him for more than just five minutes? I have the feeling he doesn't even like people at all."

"That's not fair, you don't like talking to people either," she reminds her.

"Yeah, but I like you, and I make an effort for you," she insists in an exasperated voice.  "Nothing against him, he just doesn't have time to be a good boyfriend, and you know it. Don't pursue him, Ara."

Telling Ara she can't do something is giving her entrance to prove others wrong. "But I like him, isn't that enough?"

"Listen, if you date Leo, you won't be his priority," Lily tries to reason. "You shouldn't settle for the bare minimum. Also, you're Olympus's go-to girl—"

"This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you," Ara snaps defensively. "You go on about common sense like it's so easy. I know better."

It's not up to her to decide anymore, Leo's soul light matches hers, and all she can do is come to terms with it. Lily's observations aren't wrong, but she doesn't understand just how much of a dead end Ara is facing. 

Lily's eyes darken. "Right, because you have always made the right choice."

Ara knows what she's insinuating, and she won't allow it. "Thank you for helping me with the chariot, you're dismissed for the day."

"Naí, Strategus." 

Lily grabs her stuff so she can leave, but someone else storms into the room before that can happen.

"I'm going to gut you!" Nico Di Angelo stops in front of Ara, holding the old aviator jacket to her face.

We convince Nico to stay for the rest of the summer, but it doesn't matter how much we try to include him in our routine, he doesn't like it here.

Lily hands him a bag with food and drachmas. "Thank you for helping us this summer."

"You won't try to stop me from leaving?" He asks reluctantly.

"We know you'll be careful," I smile. "Ghost King."

Nico makes a face. "Shut up."

"It suits you," Lily teases him. "It's an honor to be friends with a king."

"Whatever," he turns away.

"You didn't deny we're friends, though!" I laugh. "Wait! We have one last favor to ask you!"

He glances back over his shoulder. "What?"

"Look for the children of Olympus!"

"What's that?"

"Nothing important, just... if you contact any of them, ask them how they became it. Heracles and Achilles."

Nico's face is hard to read, but he nods. "I'll try."

"See you later, Neeks!"

"Maybe," he replies shortly.

Percy runs into us at that moment. Lily goes away claiming she has business to attend to with the Stolls, but I know she wants to be sad in private. Nico's the only kid who resembles her around here, and now he's leaving, claiming this is not his place. I wonder what that makes her think.

Mr D asks Percy and me to walk with him. He takes us to the campfire, where Clarisse and Chris are having a moment. 

Percy doesn't understand Mr. D's sudden change of heart, but I do.

"...remember that a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword. As a mortal, I was never a great fighter or athlete or poet. I only made wine. The people in my village laughed at me. They said I would never amount to anything. Look at me now. Sometimes small things can become very large indeed." He gives me a look. "That weapon you carry is flashy... Make sure it doesn't dim your brains."

He leaves us, and I stare at the purple aura surrounding Clarisse and Chris. Percy speaks beside me. "Hey! That's right, you got a sword!"

I smile. "Hephaestus gave it to me. It's called Pantodýnamos."

Percy cocks his head to the side. "That's weird... I feel like I've heard that before."

"Almighty? Yeah, about a hundred times in every book of ancient history."

"Right," he grins. "And it sure is almighty, I saw you killing all those monsters—How did it feel?"

"Like small things can become very large indeed," I quote for Percy's amusement.

He pauses for a moment, suddenly worried. "But why did Hephaestus give it to you? He didn't seem to like you at first."

I open my mouth to reply, but I'm his little sister, he'll freak out if I tell him what my fate is. "I guess he changed his mind," I lie. "Maybe he likes that I chose him over my mother."

Percy seems to believe it. "Well, I feel better knowing you have a good way to defend yourself."

He ruffles my hair and walks me to the campfire. Lily's with the Stolls, next to her is Michael, and he's staring at me. When we lock eyes he smiles and winks. I look away feeling self-conscious, and a golden light brightens my skin.

"Oh, crap..." I mutter in distress.

During the campfire, Ara realizes Leo is nowhere to be found. It comes to her that if he's not here then he probably didn't have dinner either, and she can't ignore that.

The girl leaves the amphitheater and goes to get drinks and her on-the-verge-of-dying T-Rex bag, then approaches the forest, where she whistles and Apollo is quick to appear on her side. Ara rides him to the bunker, it's dark out and she's not looking to fight monsters at this hour.

She enters the bunker quietly, all the lights are off with the exception of one on top of Festus's platform, next to it Leo is scribbling something on a blueprint.

"Holy, Hephaestus!" Ara gasps. Before her, the ship's shell is already being built.

Leo gives a start. "Hi, doll!" He hastily tries to clean his workspace. "I know, I know, dinner time. Let me just—"

"Dinner was two hours ago," Ara walks up to him.

"Oh," he blinks. "Whoops."

The girl places a soda and a sandwich on his workbench. "You forget to eat and your reaction is 'Whoops'?"

"You can't judge me, Miss 'Huh'," Leo grabs the food. "I just thought—"

"You can think?" Ara sits on the platform and pats Festus' head, Apollo curls next to Leo's workbench ready to take a nap.

"Ha ha," Leo rolls his eyes. "I'm a genius, you know..."

"Don't get too comfy, boy," she speaks to her lion. "We'll head back in a moment."

Leo pouts. "You're leaving already?"

"You're coming with us," she raises a brow. "I can't let you stay here."

"You're no fun," he sighs. "My mom and I used to sleep in her workshop sometimes."

"You have a good bed in cabin nine," she insists calmly. "And I'm a fun girl, you just push my buttons."

"I've noticed," Leo smirks. "But you keep coming back, so maybe I don't push them enough."

"Hm," Ara looks around curiously. The bunker's full of life already; Annabeth was right after all, she's dying to work here. "Anyway, hurry up and eat. I gotta leave Apollo with the pegasus, he'll spend the night chasing the poor harpies otherwise."

Leo makes a face. "You know how batshit that sounds?"

Ara smiles a little. "You'll get used to it eventually."

Leo walks over to where she is. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Is it true what they say? That you can't fall in love?"

Ara laughs. "Who says that?"

"Malcolm."

She shakes her head. "No! That's nuts!"

"It's not true?" He asks, sitting next to her.

Ara notices the faint glow of his skin. "Love is the one thing that keeps me going."

He tilts his head. "Really?"

"I mean, if I were incapable of loving, my life would be pointless."

"So you're willing to date?" His voice turns a bit hopeful. "Let's say, a mechanic genius with amazing looks?"

"Are you asking me out?" She inquires with amusement.

"Yeah, I think I am," Ara's shoulder is touching his, and Leo's breath catches in his throat as he leans closer.

"Leo..." Ara's not sure this is how she wants things to happen. "I... I..."

A playful smirk appears on the boy's face. "Are you about to confess? It'd be great if you said something like 'You're so attractive it makes me insane', even if it's a lie."

"Are you teaching me how to flirt with you?" Ara's head is spinning but his teasing annoys her enough to clear her head.

"You look like you need help. And you're not threatening to maim me for sitting this close to you like the day we met," Heat spreads across his cheeks, and he finishes the sentence quietly. "I can stop if you want."

Ara blushes, looking down at where their hands are placed, one next to the other. "I've gotten used to you, that's all..."

Leo glances at their hands and he lightly touches hers with the tip of his pinky. He looks up to her eyes and waits. She's not doing anything, but his heart is throbbing painfully as he sits in expectation.

"You're doing a great job here, by the way," Ara tells him.

Leo nods, not listening to a single word of what she just said. He moves slightly closer, closing the gap between them until their faces are just a few inches apart. The boy tilts his head and softly brushes his lips against hers for a brief moment. 

The proximity makes him so dizzy he pushes himself away almost instantly. He's in honest disbelief, no girl had ever allowed him to get that close, he nearly wants to ask Ara if she's in her right mind.

In spite of his attempt to stop, their noses are still brushing. He's right there, he could kiss her if he wanted to, and he is dying to, but he wants her permission. 

"I know I don't know a lot about you," he places his hand on top of hers. "But since I met you I've had this feeling... I don't even know what it means, but I'll try my best to be whatever you want, just..."

Ara wants to kiss him so badly that her chest hurts. The girl clears her throat and moves away, desperately trying to de-escalate the situation. "I don't date guys that could set me on fire, though."

For a moment, the sound of his heart pounding is all Leo can hear and process. Then Ara's breathing, slow and strained. It takes him a while to make sense of her words. 

The way she's acting gives him hope. He feels so close to getting all he ever wanted, even if he doesn't even know what that entails.

He moves away too, trying to calm down. He drinks half of his Coke in one gulp. "You're gonna talk about cons? Let me talk about yours, then."

Ara's mouth falls open. "You've known me for like three days!"

"Six, actually," he replies. "So it's a looong list." Ara punches his shoulder. "Ouch! That a yes or a no?" Leo laughs, he can't help but think how cute she looks when she's pouting. 

"I'll give you one and you gotta say one in turn, alright?" She replies. "Let's see who's got more."

A devilish look appears on Leo's face. He tilts his head slightly. "You're bossy."

"You're a flirt with every girl you find pretty."

He grins. "That sounds more like a compliment." 

"It's not."

"Are you sure?"

"Just give me a con!"

"You're impatient."

"Some of your jokes are cringe."

Leo gasps, pretending to be insulted. "That's harsh."

"I give you permission to be a little harsh, then," Ara grins.

"Alright. You're a terrible flirt."

Ara responds with a feisty look in her eyes. "You have no proper strength for a demigod."

"Dang, now this is just roasting," Leo takes a bite of his sandwich. "My powers are a work in progress, sunshine. I'd try my best to protect you though, if that counts for anything."

Ara sighs and stares at her feet. "If you're not sure you can, then don't do it," the girl nudges his arm. "Your turn. You said you had a long list, right?"

"I was lying," he admits casually. "But feel free to keep going, I need the reality check."

Ara groans and looks away. "I ran out of cons too."

Leo pats her knee. "At least we tried. Now what?"

Ara's knee is tingling where he touched it. "I'm not a flirt," she blurts out. "Silena taught me to be kind and hand out compliments to everyone. If I'm a terrible flirt it's cause I've never tried to flirt with anyone, this is just how I am."

Ara is kind of weird, but Leo is starting to get her. She isn't as hard to understand as most people, maybe cause she always says what she means. "I'm a bit of a flirt," he replies, "but I try not to flirt with you at all, 'cause if you were to flirt back, I'm pretty sure I'd drop dead."

Ara giggles, her face is as red as the strawberries they grow in camp, but she doesn't seem to mind. "You're so dramatic—But you make me laugh, like, real laughter. Can't do that easily nowadays..."

"Wow," he says, trying to sound like he's joking. "You like me a lot."

He lets the statement sink in, giving her the opportunity to deliver a firm rejection. 

"I never said I didn't."

"What?" There is a whirlwind of emotions inside of him, too much data has entered his hard drive. He can't even feel his face at this point. "What do you mean?" He urges her. "Cause it's kinda sounding like you've got feelings for me—"

"I know how it sounds," Ara scowls.

"But... then..." He stammers.

Ara fixes her eyes on the lion. A sudden wave of panic is making her second-guess everything, maybe she should follow Lily's advice. 

"Listen, Leo... You have a ship to build, and I have to find my brother. Those are the priorities. After that, we have to defeat Miss Dirt-face. We don't have time for feelings."

It's like she's trying to convince herself, but what he hates the most is that it's true, and it hurts like hell. The first time he meets a cute girl who's attracted to him, and they can't be together. His life is just that great.

"Right. Let's focus on the prophecies now, and maybe if we survive that, we can think about dating," he replies, sounding overly sarcastic. "Sorry for asking..." Every fiber in his body wants to scream. Is he destined to be rejected even by the people who want to choose differently?

Ara gets up as gracefully as possible. "Please, don't stay here for long. Go to sleep."

She heads to the door in silence. The boy doesn't go after her, all he does is reply under his breath. "See you."

Pollo gets up and follows Ara out of the bunker, leaving Leo alone with his longing.

Next Chapter ->

Taglist.

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[zooophagous]

The change in temperature was always so sudden from the earth to the sky. Especially when nude. The damp updrafts of summer air cut through Strauss’ sparse fur and the cold of it was making his joints ache. No matter, he was in a time crunch. The watch in his knap-sack was still pinging his location, and Artemis wouldn’t be able to talk security out of chasing him down for long.

Luckily, he wouldn’t need long. He was sure of it. Sylvain’s odd… obsession, for lack of a better word, would finally be a plus. Maybe he could finish this outing without broken bones. He did have a penchant for breaking things as soon as he foolishly left his safe house.

Finding her wasn’t his immediate problem, really. The largest immediate problem was that he was currently a giant bat, and being seen by the populace might land him a spot on the nightly news. That thin lipped snarky reporter with the bad suit would talk about him. He hated the thought. There had to be a place to land that was simultaneously well hidden while still being close enough to town to quickly find Sylvain before he could be darted and hauled away like a marauding grizzly bear.

A line of trees in a field, a “shelter belt,” as Troy had called them, offered the only real shelter on this piece of plain. He swooped low towards it, and finally touched down onto the grass, leaving a trail in the silver dew that sparkled in the dim moon. He dropped his bag from his jaws as he descended. He had no sooner made ground then he had begun his painful regression back into his human form.

Holding the shape of the great bat took energy and concentration. Releasing it felt like dropping a heavy weight. His back and shoulders ached and burned as muscle and tendon and bone slipped back into itself. His dark fur fell out in sweaty clumps. It stuck to him. He grunted and scraped the foul texture from his skin with his claws. He ran his hand along the dew drops and collected what water he could to wash it from himself.

Next time he had to do this, he resolved to remember to bring a towel. He retrieved his dropped bag and began the task of dressing himself while still covered in cold water and wet hair. The sensory stimuli of it was enough to put him in a biting mood. Thankfully there was currently nobody to bite. He was well hidden, yes. But still too far from town.

At least this time he was prepared. If nothing else, he at least had a shirt. One of his band shirts, the Rolling Stones this time, and a pair of blue jeans, with a comfortable pair of practical sneakers. It was the perfect disguise. He slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way towards the highway.

He’d seen this in a film before. The American phenomenon of the “hitch hiker.” Usually these things were the set up for some hapless fool becoming cannon fodder for some movie monster. Strauss wondered if he would make a good movie monster. He was a vampire, after all, but perhaps too mild mannered.

Perhaps he was better suited to the role of the hapless fool.

He stuck his thumb out in a pantomime of the hitchhiker and walked backwards, facing traffic, trying to make eye contact with a passing car. Hypnosis wasn’t an option, with the cars flying by at a high rate of speed. He would have to make due with his old standby. Charity.

With any luck, the first truck to pass by wouldn’t be Ursula with a taser. Headlights beamed into his face and momentarily blinded him. He blinked the green afterimage away. The wind of passing cars swept his hair. He was jealous, a little. He still hadn’t learned to drive one himself. Not for lack of desire, either, but being trusted with a vehicle was a tall order.

He wasn’t having much luck. Despite the trappings of an ordinary human, there was no hiding his height and his gaunt appearance. No doubt he was a creepier hitchhiker than most. He began to feel worry creep up in his throat when finally, a chariot arrived.

A white pick up, one that even Strauss recognized was a “beater,” but it slowed as it passed him, and finally stopped on the road up ahead. He jogged to meet it. Americans were perhaps stupid, but he could usually count on at least one of them to be kind.

Every nation had its redeeming qualities. He approached the door timidly. The window rolled down to reveal a round, jovial looking face within, illuminated by a cigarette. The man reminded him of Troy, though the hair color was all wrong. He smelled worse than Troy. Smelled of alcohol, really, which would explain perhaps why he was less than cautious about a stranger on the road.

“Hey buddy. You need a lift?”

Strauss hesitated. The car stank, and he was already heavily annoyed by his itchy clothes. He was reluctant to push himself. But time was of the essence.

“Yes… I am a transient. I am trying to make it to St. Joseph, up the road.”

“Well shit. You’re in luck then. I’m heading that way.”

“Excellent.” He glanced down at the door. “May I come in?”

“I stopped for you didn’t I?”

It was as explicit an invitation as he would get. He climbed into the grimy truck and immediately fought the urge to make a rude face when his hand slid over the slightly oily cloth texture of the nicotine soaked seats. The stranger was kind, and the ride was short. It would have to do.

“Danke sir. My name is Mr. Strauss. I am fortunate to have found kindness on the road this evening.”

“Mr. Strauss huh? Don’t have a first name you’re willing to start with? You can call me Jonny.”

The stranger snuffed his cigarette and started down the road while Strauss fumbled with his seat belt. “Transient huh? Where you from, then? And what are you doing out here after dark? It’s dangerous to be walking the highway in the dark. I was worried you’d get hit.”

“I am actually from Germany, sir. I am a ‘recent transplant’ to this state, I suppose. I had a bit of… an emergency this evening. I need to get to town to find someone.”

“Germany? Explains why you talk so damn weird. My mother was a German. Maiden name was Schumacher. You know any Schumachers?”

“I cannot say that I do. It is a large country.”

“Large? Pssh. Your little European countries basically all fit inside Texas. It ain’t that large.” Jonny snarked at him. “So, who is it you’re trying to find in the middle of the night so bad you had to walk down the road to go get em?”

“It is difficult to explain.” Strauss rubbed his neck shyly. “Suffice to say, Mr. Jonny, I am looking for a woman.”

���Oooh I get it. Girl troubles.” Jonny laughed. “I know all about that, bud. She what got you here all the way from Germany?”

“I suppose she did, in a way.” Strauss shrugged. “I very much desire to speak with her. I am not so sure she will be so happy to see me.”

“Eh, you’ll be fine. You’re tall and sort of effeminate, chicks love that sort of thing. That goth emo thing. And the accent. You can win her over.”

“I am glad one of us thinks so, sir.”

“So, this girl. What’s she like? Gotta be special to get you so worked up, hm? She got a name?”

“She is quite unique. A sort of rare breed, similar to myself. Her name is Sylvain. She is petit, she has a tan skin tone, very long black hair, and a wide smile full of razor sharp teeth.”

“Hah! Oh man, you should write romance novels. Sylvain you say? That’s another interesting sounding name. She French?”

“I am not sure.”

“Well, maybe if she is you two can bond over pastries and wine or whatever it is Europeans talk about. Soccer I guess. Or do you call it football?”

“It is called football. The entire world calls it that. Only Americans call it soc-”

Jonny hit the brake hard. Strauss’ words were crushed by the seatbelt that locked tight across his chest. The truck began to fish-tail and finally stopped.

“What was that about?” Strauss demanded. He grabbed the seat belt and with a firm yank, something internal had snapped and he could once again move freely.

Jonny sat stock still, hands on the steering wheel, staring blankly ahead.

“Mr. Jonny?”

Strauss tapped his arm. Perhaps his choice of substances had caught up to him. He turned his gaze out the windshield to meet the truth.

Just beyond the halo of headlights was a dim figure. She stood in the middle of the road, slightly illuminated by the truck, but with her face shrouded in night, except for her eyes, which burned like embers in her smiling face.

Strauss sat still, except to re-buckle his seat belt. Sylvain made her way to the driver door and forced it open. She put her hand on Jonny’s shoulder.

“Get out.”

And he did. And immediately fell face first onto the shoulder, before rolling to the ditch. Sylvain climbed in to claim his spot, and spent a moment adjusting her seat and steering wheel.

“So good to see you again Lu. It’s ok if I call you Lu, right?” She grinned as the vehicle slowly made its way back up to highway speed.

“You could have picked a nicer fucking ride, Lu. I’m gonna need to shower after this.”

“Did you just steal a car?”

“Hardly the worst thing either of us has done.” She rolled down her window and casually hung her arm out the side. “About time you showed up. I was worried you were avoiding me.”

“I was.”

“So what’s got you out and about looking for me, then? You had to know you’d bump into me.”

“I had a hunch.” Strauss replied quietly. He was definitely correct earlier, in this set up, he was very much the hapless fool.

“Don’t be so cagy about it. Did the VanHelsings cut you loose? Set you free? You’re rehabilitated enough for society now?”

“Not quite. Frau Harker will no doubt be on the hunt for me shortly, if she is not on the road already.”

“So this must be something important then, if she wasn’t enough to scare you into staying put.”

“I do not want to lie to you, Sylvain.” Strauss looked out the window, away from her. She was difficult to maintain eye contact with. Perhaps her advanced power of suggestion went so far as to affect even other vampires. “Listen. We need to talk.”

“I thought you’d never ask, Lu.”

She turned and smiled wide at him, showing off a grin of shark-like teeth. Both a greeting and a threat.

“Talk, then. But first, you and I are going to have some fun.”

[pattymelterqp]

re: the rivetcounting autism washout it's also not even the agreeable kind of fashfucking. like god I wish I was out here posting about kit and guns and whatever but no I want to fuck her in the big stupid hat I want to bend her over the 12 pounder etc etc and I've STILL got to deal with being morally implicated in the violence of empire. do you see how additionally embarrassing this is. this is my burden and I haul it endlessly. roll the old chariot along some may say.