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[aanya13]

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[dayseternal-blog]

A summer job at the Dole pineapple cannery, graveyard shift 10 PM to 6 AM. A long bus ride into and out of town. Two teens, shy beside each other.

Written for NaruHina 2020 August - Cultures/Around the World

Rated G

Inspired by “Torch Song” by @mmmbuttery (emmykay)

Here we go, a story I've worked on since November of last year. Despite the months of creation, this story is simply boy meets girl. This one is close to my heart, and I've second-guessed posting it.

It's loosely based on my parents' high school stories and how they met, and the experiences from many recorded accounts of people from that generation, the 1970s. I wrote this mostly with the intention of diving into and imagining their time period.

Finally completed, of course it’s late for August, in true spirit, I stay on island time.  This story is titled after “About You” by Cecilio & Kapono, a 1975 Hawaiian pop classic.  

One Shot - About You

The bus bumps and lurches on the potholes.

She notes when they pass by a friend’s house, lit only by the dim orange street lamps over dark driveways.  There are so few cars out on the road that every time the bus pulls over and the door opens, she can hear the high-pitched hum of crickets in the grass.  It’s all a familiar rhythm that might have put her to sleep on any other night.  But she already took a long nap, readying her internal clock for the new schedule.

She’ll be taking this route for the rest of the summer, heading from the bus stop next to the local library straight to the cannery.

It feels alright, better than she was expecting.  She was worried it would feel lonely--her friends are all working the cannery, too, but in the daytime.  She wanted the extra nickel the night shift earns, bringing her up to $1.40 per hour.  

She’s always thinking ahead--the more money she manages to save now for business college, the less she will need to work later.

The bus slows down to a stop, picking up probably the last passenger before it gets on the freeway straight to town.

She relaxes into her seat, settling in for the drive out of the suburbs.

“Hinata?”

That’s weird that someone would know her at this hour.

She turns her face away from the window and sees him standing in the aisle, as if he was about to sit down in the row in front of her.  “N-Naruto?”  She regrets her stutter.  She just wasn’t expecting to see him.  At all.  

“Hey!  Howzit?”  He looks genuinely surprised to see her, too.

“Good...”  She returns his bright grin with a shy smile of her own.  She tucks a lock of loose hair behind her ear.  “I’m heading to the cannery.”

“You working cannery, too?”

“Yeah...are you?”

“Yup.  Gotta make dat extra nickel, yeah?”  He smiles disarmingly as she nods, and he takes a seat.  

She wants to relax.  But she can’t.

Because it’s him.

All 5 feet 9 inches of beautiful boy sitting in front of her on a relatively empty bus.  He’s taller than the average local Japanese, due to his hapa blood.  And as if height wasn’t enough to make him attractive to all the girls, he’s funny.  And clever.  Athletic and nice.  A little rascal, but that only increases his charm.  She has so much adrenaline pumping through her from that one tiny conversation, she knows she’ll be exhausted before they even get to Honolulu Harbor.

-

The forewoman, a middle-aged Portuguese lady, takes her and another girl named Tenten to the lockers.  “Wear dis.”  She passes them a white apron and hairnet.  “You girls get gloves?”

They both nod, pulling out their plastic gloves, required in the job description.

The lady glances at the gloves, bored expression unchanging.  “Follow.”

Hinata tucks all of her hair up into the net, and she knows she probably looks like an enoki mushroom, dressed now all in white.

They follow the forewoman to the assembly floor.

“Here.”  She hands them knives with the same carelessness of someone who’s been doing this for ages.  “Take all da extra skin off cuz da machine no get ‘m all, look, but gotta do ‘m fas’ kine ah.  No let da pines go down widdout cleaning ‘m,” she explains, pointing and waving at the conveyor belt.  

Hinata nods.  Four girls stand silently before a machine that’s spitting out bright yellow, skinned pineapples.  They grab at them quickly, and then with practiced flicks of their wrist, they nick off the remaining bits into slots for the rubbish.  They put the pineapples back down on the belt, where the fruit runs along to another set of girls, who give them another checkover.  Further down, the fruit runs into a machine with circling blades that chop them into slices.  

Rows and rows of young women dressed in white aprons with mushroom-netted heads stand around conveyors and machines.  

Young men cross over the upper ladders and walkways carrying pineapples to dump into the machines and sticks to poke at the fruit in the chutes to prevent jamming.  

The smell of pineapples is pervasive, sickly in its sweetness.

Not too much later, a bell shrills throughout the warehouse, and she’s taking over for a girl who’s now off-duty.  She grabs at the pineapples, turning the weighty fruit over in her palm and cutting brown spots of skin off with the knife as quickly as she can.  Droplets of pineapple juice stick to her gloves, and soon enough, the juice is dripping down the latex.

She’s not thankful for the gloves for long.

The juice runs down, and every stretch of her arm to grab at the fruit or place it back down feels sticky in the crook of her elbow.

Minutes turn into hours of watching pineapples.

She has no idea how the world eats so many pineapples.  

How is it possible that people love pineapples this much?  That the machinery is rarely turned off?  That all of the state’s teenagers are employed every summer to work the fields and machines practically 24/7?  

As unfathomable as it is, she finds a strange awe for the tropical fruit that she never had before.  To pass the time as she trims the skin, she imagines where these pineapples are going.  Who’s going to buy these pineapples.  What country they’ll end up in and what language the people speak there.  And whether they have ever seen a whole pineapple before.

But then again, maybe they’re all just going to the Mainland.  Women who look like the movie stars with perfectly curled, blonde hair will open the cans for their families.

The bell rings, the machines stop.

They have 30 minutes.

The more veteran workers zip off to the lunchroom, not waiting for anyone.

Hinata smiles tiredly at Tenten.  

“Whew,” the Chinese girl sighs.

Hinata nods in agreement.  “I never seen so many pineapples before, I think.”

“Yeah, me, neither.”  Her brows raise to emphasize the point.

-

By the time they get off at 6 in the morning, dawn is breaking, traffic is slowly building along Nimitz Highway, and she knows she must absolutely stink of pineapples.

But Naruto waves and stands beside her as they wait for the bus, as if he doesn’t care.  Maybe he can’t smell her, desensitized now after so long in the warehouse.  “Morning, Hinata,” he laughs, and the joke is not lost on her.  

She smiles weakly, only his good attitude motivating her.  “Good morning,” she manages to reply.  She’s too exhausted to feel shy about standing beside her crush.  After all, she was standing for the last several hours.  All she wants is to sit down.

“How wuz it?” he asks conversationally.

She pinches her lips into a tight frown.  “I had to trim the pines at the ginaca.”  She gestures halfheartedly with her hands, showing him the flick of an imaginary knife she used.  All night.  She’s almost certain that she’s the machine now.  “What did you do?”

“Oh, wuz pretty neat!  I jus’ had to keep da cans moving on da belt an’ stick da lids inside da kine, machine, and then the cans pop out.  I did da tops.”

She blinks at him.  Forces a weak smile out that she barely feels in her heart.  Sounds easy…  But that’s to be expected, after all, women usually handle food anyway.

“No can wait fo’ sit down, yeah!” he laughs.  He doesn’t sound tired, but it occurs to her that maybe he never does.  His natural excitement is what makes him popular in the first place.

She nods.

When the bus pulls up to the curb, Naruto lets her get on in front of him.

The bus driver pulls a face as she pays.

She frowns, a hot blush spreading over her cheeks.  She tried to clean up as best she could after her shift, but apparently, it really was all for naught.

“Go in da back!” the driver directs, none too friendly.

She does so, even though the front seats aren’t full.

Naruto laughs outright as he pays, unashamed at his own stink.  “What, uncle, wen try fo’ wash off, still stay pilau?”

“Eesh,” the driver utters in response to the teen’s cheekiness.

She doesn’t know how he’s not embarrassed, nor how he’s able to talk back to strangers like it’s nothing.  It’s just another case in point of her admiration and curiosity of him.  She picks an aisle-facing seat, and, to her surprise, Naruto sits right next to her, his knees spreading open.

She’s not as tired as she thought.

Nerves race up her legs.  She stares at her hands, which she carefully places on her knees, which are closely pressed together as ladylike as possible.  Not a single part of her touches him.  She thinks she might die if their legs touch.

And that’s how she doesn’t doze off on the long ride back home.

-

He meant to brag to his friends about working graveyard shift when he saw them that first weekend.  Sure, the hours are junk, but, Ho, should see da chicks!

Particularly the one he rides the bus with.  Hinata Hyuuga.  A small, Japanese girl.  Brains and looks.  Not to mention her unusual, light eyes, making you question her race.  But, nah, no real question about it, she’s Japanese through and through with her shy, quiet manner.  She’s someone he imagines could win the Cherry Blossom Festival pageant with her smooth skin and round eyes.  He and the guys always steal a poster of the new year’s contestants from the supermarket window.  Pictures of pretty Japanese girls’ profiles all lined up, free to admire.  She could definitely win.  If she ever tried.  But she’s not very personable.

Not that that ever stopped him from talking to whoever he wants to talk to.

Yet he ended up not mentioning anything about Hinata to his friends.  Not the next week, either.

Somehow, she just comes off as out-of-his-league.  At least, he’s certain that’s what his friends would say.  Just mentioning her would probably earn him jokes.  He’s pretty sure she’s in all the high, smart classes.  But he doesn’t know much about that--and she’s a year younger than him.  He only knows her because his social club had a gathering with hers last year, invited by Sakura.  There’re lots of pretty girls in that social club, and, unusually, it has girls over two grade levels.  Just the younger girls didn’t catch his attention last year.

Needless to say, he’s thinking about her now.

Not much else to think about while he drops lids into the machine.  It’s monotonous work, but he knows now that his job is way, way better than Hinata’s.

-Two weeks ago-

His jaw dropped when he saw her on the bus the second night.

She had covered her arms self-consciously with her hands when he got on.

Of course, that action was what drew his attention.

Bright.  Red.  Streaks and bumps.  A rash.  Mottling her fair skin in the crook of her elbows to the middle of her forearms.  Both sides.

“From da pines?” he asked incredulously.

She nodded, her eyes turning down, as if somehow the rash was a personal fault.  

He looked away, realizing his staring was only making her feel worse.  “You have da kine..sensitive skin?”  He wondered belatedly if talking about it would only make her feel worse worse.

“Umm...yeah…”  Her voice sounded even quieter than her usual.

He frowned awkwardly, though she didn’t see it.  He sat down beside her, still looking away.  “Jeez.  Das real junk.”  He swallowed back his strange feeling of guilt.  Her pain wasn’t his fault.  Her job placement wasn’t his fault.  So why did he feel like he was partially responsible...?  “Uh, dere anyting fo’ do about it?”  He suddenly felt like cringing at the sound of his own pidgin.  His heavy speech just further emphasized his upbringing compared to hers.  Someone classy like her shouldn’t be doing a job like that, right?  “‘Cuz like, can only get worse, yeah?  You get medicine fo’ put on or someting?”  He couldn’t help jabbering on and on.  When he starts feeling uncomfortable, that’s just what happens.

Thankfully, she continued the conversation.  “Mhm.  I saw yesterday some of th’ other workers wuz wearing two gloves.”  She opened her purse and pulled out a pair.  The hands were cut off.  “Like this, see?”  She pulled the glove on over her elbow like a sleeve, then pulled another, uncut one on so that they overlapped on her forearm.  

“Ho, neat idea, yeah?”  He nodded in approval.

She smiled in response.  “The juice no can get inside, I think, yeah?”

“Yeah!” he emphasized.

She smiled a little more, obviously not embarrassed anymore by her arms.

And he felt proud of himself for getting them out of that uncomfortable start to the bus ride.  Felt oddly self-satisfied that he got her to smile.  Decided right then and there that he was pretty interested in her.

But he hasn’t really made a move, yet.  The thought that she might turn him down is there.  He’s been turned down enough times that rejection isn’t really what’s bugging him.  It’s that she never seems to be in a good mood after their shift is done.  That, and he doesn’t want it to be uncomfortable for the rest of the summer in case she does reject him.  He would still have to catch the bus with her every night and morning.  Too bad his dad doesn’t let him take the car to work.  He gets it, though.  His dad needs the car to go to work.

Well, he’ll figure it out later.

The bell screams, signaling the start of their lunch break.

He joins a group of Farrington guys he befriended over the course of the two weeks.  There’re a lot of them working at the cannery, being that the high school is only a neighborhood away from the warehouse district.

“Eh, Naruto, you surf?” Omoi, a dark-skinned Filipino boy with sun-bleached ehu hair, asks.

“Yeah,” he answers, excitement bubbling.  But only on the weekends with Shikamaru and Choji.  He lives central, not at all close to the ocean, making beach trips longer than ideal.  “Why, whatchu thinking?”

A guy they call “C,” Naruto has no idea what it’s short for, leans forward.  “We go dawn patrol, Kewalo’s.”

Right after their shift, at the surf break at Kewalo Basin.  Sounds solid.  “Eh, shoots, we go!  Tomorrow den?”

“Yeah,” Omoi affirms.  “Prolly gon wash da pine stink off, yeah?”

C’s eyes widen at Omoi’s shoes, shaking his head.  “Eh, brah, I no tink so, you dripping pines ova hea, bet yo feet kill, phew!”

“You faka, you no can talk, da flies stay all buzzin’ ‘round you!” Omoi shoots back.

Naruto frowns, considering that Hinata has the same job as Omoi, one of the few guys assigned to a woman’s job.  Over the course of the job, Omoi’s shoes had soaked in pineapple juice that dripped from the cutting.  This didn’t seem to be as big a problem for Hinata, who, for some girly reason, wore sandals despite the long hours of standing.  “How come you no jus’ wea rubbah slippahs?”

Omoi shook his head with a serious expression.  “No can fo’ do dat brah.  I only get one good pair!  Already wen ruin deez shoes, no sense ruin my slippahs too.”

“Dis broke faka ova hea, he no get money fo’ buy one noddah pair from Long’s das why!” C laughs.

Naruto shakes his head, laughing out loud.  “No way you dat broke!”

Omoi turns to C, faux annoyance twisting his face.  “Eh dis haole ri’ hea like get lickins?”

Instead of looking threatened, C just humorously shoots back, “You like go, we go!”

“Go den, shoots we go,” Omoi answers, squaring up.

“Yeah den go cuz, shoots,” C threatens back.

But neither of them stand.

Naruto rolls his eyes at their idiotic banter.  Rarely is he the voice of reasoning, but he supposes it would be a different story if his school friends were here.  “Eh we go Kewalo’s shoots.”

They turn back to him, huge grins on.  “Yeah, we go!” Omoi says enthusiastically.

“Bring your board yeah?” C reminds him as the bell rings again.

“Yeah!”

He tells Hinata that he can’t go back with her the next day, and she just nods and smiles.  Tells him to have fun.

And it’s a slight relief to not worry about the ride back home with her.  He’s starting to feel like maybe she’s expecting him to ask her out since they spend so much time together.  Well, really, he’s expecting that of himself, but he just can’t right now.

She’s just not any other girl at school in these current circumstances.

-

Hinata never meant to be one of those girls.

One of those girls, picked up on a stretcher and taken to the medical room to recuperate.

But on the first day of her period, she was exactly one of those girls.

She was feeling so tired.  Legs like jelly.  Sore up her thighs.  Aches digging around her lower back.  A weighty twisting in her core.  A heavy day.  It made her feel lightheaded.

The pineapples, one after another, going by, making her feel a little dizzy, like maybe she needed to close her eyes.

Shutting her eyes for a second didn’t help.

A breath, two breaths, intentional breaths.

She felt like maybe she was going to make herself start hyperventilating, the opposite of what she wanted.  She wanted to breathe normally.

Focus on the pineapple.

It felt too heavy in her hand.

Her focus sliding off the pineapple, to the sticky yellow glint of the knife.  Back to the pineapple.

She looked up, dazed, her eyes taking too long to adjust to a point on the far wall.

“Hinata, you alright?” Tenten asked.

She tried to refocus on the girl on the opposite side of her.  She nodded, blinking, trying to concentrate on their job.

“You don’t look alright.”  Her voice was too loud, like everything else going on.

Too loud, pounding.

She closed her eyes, heat searing her temples.

-

“-nata?  Hinata?”

She slowly gains consciousness, to find Naruto looking down at her.

“You okay?  You wen faint dey said.”

“Oh,” she manages to utter, trying to get her bearings as the room and bed take shape in her mind, blinking away the dazed vestiges of sleep.  “W-what time is it?”

“Our shift only pau now.”

“Oh.”

“You feeling okay?”

She slowly sits up, nodding.  “Yeah.”  She must not have been out for that long.  She really thought she would make it to the end of the night.  “Were you waiting for me?” she asks, suddenly panicked at the realization that he is here with her.

“Ah, nah, nah.  I come in jus’ now.”  He gestures at the door.  “You weren’ out dere, so I jus’ wen ask somebahdy.  Dey said you wuz in hea.”

“Oh.”  That’s good that he wasn’t waiting for her to wake up, but, still, she never expected him to do something like this.  “You didn’t have to.”

He shrugs.  “No problem.  Ready fo’ go?  Can walk or..?”

She nods, scooching off the bed-like table.

And he walks with her to check-out with one of the heads, and then back to the bus stop.  Waits with her there.  And when it’s obvious that he’s going back with her despite the longboard he’s been holding this whole time, she haltingly brings it up.  “You not...going surfing?”

He shakes his head carelessly.  “Nah, I go tomorrow.”

She ducks her head, biting her lips.  “I’m sorry.”

“Nah, nah, waves not hitting today, so.”  He shrugs, looking past her for the bus.

Obviously an outright lie, but she accepts it over drawing out such an uncomfortable situation.

“You no feel good today?”  He sounds honestly concerned.

“Um, I felt fine earlier.”  Well, in truth, she felt okay.  The normal period cramps.  As okay as a heavy day can be.

“You not sick?”

She shakes her head.  She wants to sit down.  The bench has the older workers sitting down, so she never gets to sit until the bus comes.  She shifts her weight from foot to foot, trying to relieve the weight from her hips and pelvis.

It’s such a relief when the bus comes.  She ignores the bus driver’s daily grimace and makes for the back row as quickly as she can.

He watches her sit down, audibly sigh, and her whole body kind of just melts into the stiff chair.  It’s obvious that out of all the days so far, she’s the most tired today.

Or has she been like this?  He just didn’t know because he’s been avoiding her in the mornings?

Ten minutes into the long ride, he’s thinking that it’s a good thing he’s going home with her today because…he thinks she’s falling asleep.  Her head keeps jerking in his peripheral vision, so he decides to stop being considerate and turn to look straight at her.

Her eyes are drooping heavily, she’s blinking really hard...she is falling asleep.  Or, trying really hard not to.

“Hinata.”

“Huh?”  Her eyes fly wide open, obviously forcing herself.

“Sleep, I go wake you up later.”

Her cheeks redden.  “Oh, no, I’m fine.”

She doesn’t trust him, or…what?  She’s embarrassed?

“You sure?”

She nods.  “Yeah.”  Her voice sounds too breathy to be fine, but if she says so...

It’s no surprise to him when her body starts slumping over, her head weighing the rest of her body down and toward the seats in front of them.

She’d be even more embarrassed about this position, right?  So he reaches over to grab both her shoulders and kind of push her back upright.

Well, that’s what he meant to do.

Her eyes open as if spooked, and she straightens out of his hands.  “Sorry!” she gasps.  Expression all pinched, she looks like she feels really ashamed.

About what, though?  If anything, he feels bad about how tired she is.  “No,” he reassures.  “No worry ‘bout me.”  He’s trying his best to sound comforting…  “Should get some rest, s’okay, I go wake you up befo’ my stop.  Trus’ me.”

Her eyes squint, like she’s straining to focus.  “...maybe.  But I don’t like sleep..on da bus.”

He can’t help a laugh.  “Ha, you look like you goin’ give yourself da kine whiplash back-an-for'-li’ dat, jus’ relax.”

“Mm…”  A noncommittal answer, but one that doesn’t argue, so he can’t push the issue any further, either.

They settle back into the sound of the engine roaring along the highway, and pretty soon, her body’s starting to lean over again.  He refrains from helping her, even though she looks uncomfortable.

She looks like she’s going to wake up with a sore neck.  Her blood’s probably rushing to her head in that position.  That’s not good, right?  She literally just had a fainting spell not too long ago.  So having her head lean against the rattling window pane wouldn’t be ideal, either.  Since they’re sitting at the back, she might really conk her head hard if the bus has to stop.

With more care than the first time, he tries to guide her to lean against him.

For a moment, her eyelids and brows wiggle and bunch up, but swiftly return to their placid state.

It’s nice.

She’s nice.

He should ask her out.  She doesn’t ignore him or outwardly show any disinterest, so…sometime he’ll do it.  Just of course not today.

When he sees that he’s getting close to his stop, he calls her name, “Hinata.  Hinata.”

“Mm.”  She sits up and blinks, a hand hurriedly wiping her mouth.

Drool?  He’s trying not to smile like a goofball, but kind of failing at hiding his selfish amusement.  “I gotta get off now.  You gon’ be okay?”

She nods, making eye contact for a second, only for her gaze to immediately skitter away to some unknown point on the bus floor.

“‘Kay, you take care, yeah?”

She nods again, still refusing to look at him, her hands busy everywhere touching her face and then her hair, fixing who-knows-what.  She murmurs something.

“Huh?” he asks in a knee-jerk reaction before his brain pieces together that it sounded like an apology.  “Oh, no need say dat.”  He reaches over to pull the cord for his stop and grins.  “Maybe I see you tomorrow, yeah?”

She nods, glances up at him for a second, and looks down once more.

He gets off the bus feeling pretty good about himself in the bright morning sun.

Only to realize--

Maybe he should have made sure she got home all the way.

Maybe he should have gotten off at her stop with her.

The library isn’t really that far a walk back to his own home.

…

She’s probably fine, right?

She wouldn’t have fallen asleep again, right?

Why did she faint anyway?

Should he have asked more?

His consciousness won’t let up.  He could call, but if he calls, then he really probably will need to ask her out eventually.  Well, he plans on it anyway, but if he calls, then that would really solidify things, and she’d expect something from him by, like, tomorrow.  

Well, that’s all hypothetical.  If he can even find her name in the phonebook...

...He finds it.

“Who you calling?” his mom asks, teasing him, as she pops up beside him in the kitchen.  “Noddah one of your girlfriends?”

“...No…”

“Ohh, you asking a girl out?  Why you no jus’ call her?  She goin’ turn you down, ah!” she laughs, all by herself.  “Who like go out wit you, ah?”  Her laughter rings throughout the house.

He wishes he could yell at her to shut up, but then she’d go get the slipper and give him some serious dirty lickins.

So he keeps his eyes on the phonebook, and with his mom’s derision motivating him, picks up the receiver and hooks his finger into the first digit, gaining self-confidence with each pull, release, and spin of the dial.

If it’s the parents, then that’s fine.  He’ll make a good impression.  Maybe.  He doesn’t need to talk to Hinata, he just wants the family to know that she fainted.  He gets the feeling Hinata’s not the type to talk about things like that to her family.

But then...maybe the cannery already called them about it.

The dial tone ends.

He takes a readying breath.  “...Hello?”

“Hello?”  It’s a young girl’s voice.

“Is this Hinata’s house?” he continues, desperately trying to imitate a school valedictorian or maybe a teacher...

“...Yeah...Who’s this?”

“This is Naruto...I, uh, work same place, at da cannery.”

“...She’s not home, yet.  And she’s not supposed to talk to boys.”

What?  I tought she in dat social club?  “Well, I no need talk to her.  I jus’ like you guys know that, uh, she wen fainted at work, yeah.”

“...”

“...So, she should be home soon, I get off da bus a little befo’ her, I jus’ like try check she gets home okay..yeah..”

“...Okay.”  In the background, he hears a faint voice talking before the girl on the line continues, “It’s a boy.”

“Huh?”

“He’s saying Hinata fainted at work.  And that she should be home soon.”

He realizes she’s talking to someone else, so he awkwardly waits.

“Okay, ...uhhmm...”  Her voice trails out for a solid second.

She talking to me now?  “Oh, yeah?”

“Thank you, I’m gonna go meet her.  Bye.”

“Oh-”  The line cuts, his own goodbye stuck in his throat.  He places the receiver back down, uncertain what to make of that whole exchange, wondering what about it left him dissatisfied.  He did what he meant to do, after all...  That must have been a younger sister.

“Hinata?  You neva talk about her befo’,” his mom observes as she gathers her things for work.  “You met her at da cannery?”

“No, she one year youngah dan me at sku’.”

“She wen faint?  Why you neva walk her back home, ah?!”

“I no tink dat until aftah!” he defends.  “Das why I wen call!”

“You no can get one decent girlfriend acting li’dat, ah!, dis stupid son of mine, ahh, ah, if you jus’ focus on sku’ mo’, get bettah grades, get mo’ smartah, ah,” his mom tuts and laments off on a tangent, and he ignores her.

He sees her off for work at the door, his mind turning back to whether he needs to ask Hinata out tomorrow.  Especially since, “She’s not supposed to talk to boys.”  What’s that about?

-

He never does find out.  There’s no way he could ask such a question, and the summer passes too fast for him to face her plainly.  He’s not sure why, but whenever he imagines her turning him down, the idea hurts a lot more than it should.

Logically, he knows itʻs just a yes or no answer.  He’s been turned down here and there.  He’s gone on numerous dates, danced with girls, and played silly social games with the opposite sex at parties.  And concerning Hinata, she’s a year younger than him, so the chances of seeing her on campus are a lot smaller, so he wouldn’t have to face her that often if she does turn him down.

So why can’t he just ask her out?

-

She held out hope.

She thanked him profusely the day after, and he was extremely nice to her.  He went back on the bus with her for that entire following week's shifts, making sure she was okay, before he determined that she was safe enough without him.

He went back to surfing in the mornings.

The day of their last shift, she held out so much hope.

He didn’t ask her out.

So she tries to shrug it off.

The disappointment.

The deep, far too deep, disappointment.  She’s probably just not his type.

But to her surprise, that’s not the last time she sees him before school starts.

Their social clubs host a joint car wash to raise money.

She pushes down her shy feelings, knowing that if he has absolutely no interest in dating her, then there’s really no reason for her to act strangely around him.  It would simply be rude of her to ignore him after spending all summer the way they did on the bus together.  Gathering her courage, she walks up to him and calls out his name, “Naruto!  Hi!”  She smiles, hoping to appear as cheerful as possible.

“Oh!”  He turns from his friends, already knowing whose voice it was, but still caught off-guard.

She’s dressed really casually--in shorts, a shirt, and rubber slippers, obviously appropriate for the day’s work, but still strange to see on her.  He somehow thought maybe she didn’t own casual clothes like that.

“Hinata!  Hi!” he responds, a little belatedly.  He feels really stupid, somehow his grin feels unnatural, too tense.  He watches her smile again and then turn back to her friends.

Something gnaws at his consciousness, like he missed out on saying or doing something he should have done in that moment.  Ask her how she’s been in the past week?  He just saw her not too long ago, so that would be dumb to ask.

“Whose dat again?”

He blinks out of his stare and turns to Sasuke.

“Hinata.  Hinata Hyuuga.  We bo’ worked night shift at da cannery.”

“You ask her out?”

“...No, nah yet…” he admits, nerves crawling around, making him feel guilty out of nowhere.

Sasuke raises a brow.  “You like her?”

He shrugs his shoulders, frowning, trying to play off the intrusive question as nothing to him.  “...Yeah…”

Now both of Sasuke’s brows are raised.

Naruto shifts uncomfortably.  Every single second here is making him realize he should’ve gotten the deed done and over with already.  Now she’s around all of his fellow club members.  Any one of the other guys could ask her out by the end of the day.

She could take a liking to one of his friends.  He realizes that his chances were so much higher when it was just the two of them.

-

She and Sakura walk around helping to pass out sponges and buckets.  They introduce themselves to several boys, all of them very friendly.

Hinata herself feels very friendly.  After her act of courage in facing Naruto, after getting that difficult exchange done with, she feels pretty bold.

She’s in this social club to have fun!  She won’t let a little one-sided crush damper her day!

True that none of the other guys are as naturally magnetic as Naruto, but she knows that first impressions aren’t everything.  All of these guys in his social club seem perfectly nice, helping to fill and carry the heavy buckets of water for the girls.

She sets to work on a car, excitedly engaging in discussions about the new school year with whoever works beside her.  And with an observant eye, she manages to not work on the same side of a car as Naruto.

Two hours pass in laughter and good spirits, even with how the noonday sun beats down, pouring heat over the asphalt lot.

The once cool water comes out hot from the hose, and the buckets are just puddles of liquid sun she has to dunk her hand and sponge into as infrequently as possible.

The constant bending is nothing to her, though.  After a whole summer of cannery work on her feet, she’s pretty sure she’s more fit than last year.  She’s not even sweating as much as she thought she would.

Until she gets up too fast.

Her head sears hot, her vision darkening into pinpoints of bright light.

She tries to squint, to see through the sudden tunnels of black, but her eyes burn, and just as quickly, she feels off-balance, her head too heavy to hold up.

She crouches down, face in her hands, confused and pained.

“Hinata, you okay?”  Sakura, most likely.

“I can’t see.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t see,” she repeats, trying to stay calm despite the painful splotches of color beneath her eye lids.  “It hurts.”  And she feels like she’s going to pass out, but she refuses to embarrass herself like that in front of everyone.

“Oh my gosh… Water.  Water!” Sakura says louder.

“Wut’s wrong!”  Another voice.

Oh no, not that voice.

“She’s dehydrated I think!”

“Oh shit,” he curses.

Hinata sits as still as possible, focusing on not tipping over into a ball and fainting right there on the dirty, poky ground.  Not again.

“Here, water,” Sakura says, her voice stressed and concerned.  “Can you raise your head?”

“Mm.”  She slowly lifts her face and opens her mouth.

A plastic water bottle is placed at her lips, lukewarm liquid flowing onto her tongue.  She drinks it dutifully, the pain in her head clearing rather quickly.

She eventually pushes the water bottle away and wipes her lips on the back of her hand.  “Thank you,” she breathes out, relieved that her head’s weight is starting to feel normal again.  But she keeps her eyes closed, too afraid to strain her vision.  Or to see if she attracted everyone’s attention...or to find out if Naruto is still there.

“Do you feel better?” Sakura asks, still sounding way more worried than necessary.

“Yeah, thank you, Sakura.”

“Can you see?”

“I don’t know…”  She doesn’t want to test herself too soon, but she cracks her eyes open, if only to assure Sakura that she’s okay.

The world is a bright fog through the slight cracks of her eyelids.

But it doesn’t hurt.

“I’ll be able to see fine in a minute, I think.”

Sakura sighs in relief.  “Good.”

A random boy whose deep voice she doesn’t recognize asks what happened.

“She dehydrated,” Naruto answers.

Hinata doesn’t know whether to feel flattered or dreadfully embarrassed that he’s still there.

“Oh, das not good,” the other boy assesses.

“Yeah…” Naruto agrees.

“I’ll be fine in a moment!” Hinata pipes up, her personality automatically choosing to feel embarrassed.

The unknown guy makes a sound of uncertainty.

“Yeah, Hinata,” Sakura adds on.  “I don’t think you should help out right away.  You could’ve gotten heatstroke.”

“Heatstroke?” she asks.

“Dere’s no shade ‘round hea,” Naruto comments.

Hinata slowly forces her eyes to adjust, hoping to prove them all wrong.  “I can see.  I’m fine.”  She starts to get up carefully.

More sounds of uncertainty resound behind her, and she hates how all three of them are treating her like she could collapse at any moment.

Like, even if she could collapse at any moment, even if that is what just happened, she doesn’t want this to be how everyone sees her from now on.  Like some weak, stupid girl who forgets to drink water on a hot day.

Even if that is what she is.

“I can take her home.”  Naruto’s invitation has her finally turning around to face her audience.

To her relief, it’s just the three of them, Sakura, Naruto, and a pretty, black-haired Japanese boy she’s seen him hanging out with.

“Yeah, take her home,” the pretty boy says.  He claps Naruto’s arm.

Naruto gives some kind of smile that’s really cute, and Hinata has to force herself to try not to examine anything he’s said or done in the past five minutes.

He made her over-examine his behavior all summer, only for it to amount to nothing.  He’s just really nice and treats her like a good friend.  That’s all.

Sakura helps her walk to his car.

And all too soon, she’s sitting right next to him.

Naruto starts up the engine, blasting the AC so that cool air roars onto their heated faces.

“I’m sorry.”  She gulps down a knot of discomfort in her throat, already regretting so much.

“Nah, no need say dat.”  His stomach feels sore, his legs antsy.  He was trying to nonchalantly work on the cars by her, but somehow, he wonders if she was avoiding him.

She’s too nice to do that, right?  She never tried to avoid him at their summer job…

He needs to gauge her interest in him.  So after he backs out of the parking space and safely makes it into traffic, he ventures conversation.  “How you feeling now?”

She nods.  “I feel better.  I could’ve stayed, I think…”

“...Oh…”  He’s already on Moanalua Home Road, and turning around now would be humbug.  “Are you sure?”

“Mm…”  She’s not sure.  She just doesn’t want to seem so frail.

“‘S'okay, ya know?  Already get plenny help, das why, no need chance 'm.”

“Mm...okay… Thank you...I’m sorry…”

With conversation finding its natural, quick end, he finds himself wracking his brain for ideas.  He has about five more minutes with her before they get to her house.  I should ask her out...I should just ask her...just ask her…

“Oh, I like this song.”

“Hm?”  He turns the radio up, glad to focus on something outside of his brain.  “Oh, yeah!”

It’s a newish one by Cecilio and Kapono, one he imagines will be really popular at social club dances, the slow tempo is perfect.

Not knowing what else to do to fill the silence, she starts singing softly.  She can tell he’s glancing at her, but she keeps her eyes fixed determinedly forward, her gut turning to jelly as the romantic meaning registers in her mind.  “...Our small moment that we shared, Is only yours and mine, No one else is really going to know, That I care about you…”

His cheeks flush.  This song really is perfect for a social club dance.  He never paid that much attention to the lyrics, but with her soft voice singing them, the words are suddenly resonating, hitting a little too close-to-home.

“And all the questions that I asked myself about you…”

He's made up his mind.  He’s going to ask her out.

“Won’t you come and be with me…”

Right after this song.

“That if you come and stay you’re going to see, That I care about you.”

He relaxes into his seat, his grasp, unintentionally tight on the wheel, relaxes, too.  If she's comfortable enough to sing in his presence, then there's nothing stopping him from feeling comfortable, too.  It's actually really nice to know that she's willing to do something like this with him.  He's stressed out for nothing.  He's hesitating for nothing.  And maybe, if things work out, this feeling...this moment...would be normal...

She peeks at him, and...he’s smiling.  He’s not teasing, laughing, or grimacing at her.  So she continues singing, relieved.

When the song finishes, he lowers the volume, reassured, readier than ever.  “Hinata…”

She blinks, realizing they’re really close to her house, and Naruto doesn't know where to go.  “Oh!  You turn left at the intersection after this light.”

Jarred to the present, he suddenly notices his heart racing, despite how calm he felt not even ten seconds ago.  The words get lost on his tongue, and he simply follows her instructions, the opportune moment evaporating into nothing.

“It’s that house,” she points, and he slows, pulling over against the curb.

She turns to him to give her appreciation properly.

But he’s facing directly toward her, his usually cheerful expression one of uncharacteristic focus.

Her heart leaps into her throat.

“Hinata," he repeats.  "You like, go movies with me, sometime?”

She nods, speechless, because yes, yes, yes.

And he visibly relaxes.  He can breathe again.  Her agreement was so much easier than he thought it would be.  “I go check da listings den, okay?  And I’ll call you?”

She nods, eyes growing wide as everything starts to sink in.

He nods, too, an embarrassed smile working at his mouth.  “Talk to you later den, yeah?”

“Yeah,” she breathes, a smile forming in reaction.  In a fog of happiness, she steps out of the car, nearly forgetting.  “Oh, thank you for taking me home!”

He nods, thinking that this won't be the last time he makes sure she gets home.  He notices how her happy smile lights up her eyes like earlier at the carwash, but now, it’s directed at him, him only.  And once she disappears into her house, more than anything, he feels incredible relief.

And excitement.

He gets the feeling…

She gets the feeling…

This is going to last.

[shnuggletea]

Hey there! Been a minute I know. So, be honest, how many of you thought this was done? Shame, shame. The title says it all, Infinity. As in I ain't close to finished with this one lol! My hope is to go past college with this series but we shall see. I'm updating because someone asked me about updating this. Why am I telling you this? Because if you ask, you shall receive. Unless I don't have more material at the moment but then I'll just start writing the update for you.

I'm not going to update this one again until October because the next chapter in Halloween. I messed up my timing on this fic lol. But there you go, you have an ETA for the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy it!

Fanfiction link HERE!

AO3 link HERE!

Eighths

The locker room was cold, the bench beneath me causing me to hiss when my skin touched the metal. Keno chuckled at me, pulling his jersey on over his head. The bright white of our 'away' shirts dotted out all around the small room, as visiting team we had duffels at our feet filled with all our equipment for the night.

I was pulling long white socks over my shin guards, shooting Keno a glare. "What's so funny?"

He shrugged, "You and your continued annoyance with our travel games."

"Undressing in strange places bugs me."

Keno stopped, grinning down at me, "Something tells me that's not true. Otherwise, you and Usagi wouldn't have gotten caught in the auditorium last week."

"Our clothes were on, thank you. I'd be dead if I got caught doing more than kissing with Usako."

"That's not what the entire school is saying."

A squeak and a huff and Zenko was sitting next to me, "What is the entire school saying?"

"About Mamoru and Usagi last week."

I glared up at Keno who just chortled at me. "Oh, you mean them getting caught having sex?"

"We weren't having sex!"

"Not what I heard."

Laces tied, I jumped to my feet, turning on them as Jin nosed his way into the conversation. "Cause the rumors around our school are always accurate?"

I watched as grimaces grew on each of their faces. Keno knew through Minako how wild and vicious the rumor mill at our school could be. Jin had his share first hand, a rumor going around for a while that his Dad left him and his Mom for another man. And Zenko? He was suffering right now, rumors running wild that Ami and Seiya were a real couple, which included sleeping together.

"As I said, just stupid rumors."

"Not that you mind'em eh?" Nathan added, not reading the room as he clapped a hand on my shoulder before plopping down.

A glance had me finding Seiya, slow to change into his uniform, chatting it up with a few other players and wasting time. The rumor that Usagi had slept with Seiya right before me had died long ago but its effects were lingering. Ami still wasn't talking to Usagi and even though no one chose sides or asked, Ami cut herself off completely from the others as well. I was pretty sure how guys got girls to do things they normally wouldn't.

Six games, three of them home games, and Ami sat far away from the girls each time to quietly cheer Seiya on. Like the dick deserved it. He sat on the bench for most of the game, playing maybe 20 minutes out of the 90.

Zenko was glaring at Seiya too, the only person out of us that Ami still talked to. The two of them must have bonded, taking her home after my birthday party. Zenko was the type to do anything for his friends and it looked like he was staying silent for his friend Ami. I wondered how much longer that would last? What with Seiya flirting with the wanna-be's after every practice now. Looking for his next victim it would seem cause no way in hell was Ami sleeping with him.

And if she was, he was losing interest because he had been seriously close to taking a girl home the other day after practice, Minako not so subtly reminding him, and the girl he was with, that he had a girlfriend.

"Why don't you just admit it, Mamoru," taking my eyes off the cluster fuck waiting to happen, Keno was smirking again, "the reason you hate away games is because Usagi doesn't come."

When did I become so transparent? Yes, I hated the away games because Usagi didn't come to them. That was my call, not wanting her to have to find transportation all over Honolulu just for a stupid soccer game. Sure, I missed hearing her screaming from the stands and the little t-shirt she wore with my name and jersey number on it. The signs she made were nice too, even if they were embarrassing, the last one saying, 'Mamo works hard and plays HARDER'.

Something I happily proved to her after the game, her not able to even say the word 'harder' when I fucked her later that night. That was another thing I missed when she didn't come to my games, getting to go off somewhere afterward that was quiet and going at it hard like rabbits. On away games, I had to sneak into her room after I got home. I enjoyed either one, taking Usagi somewhere and making her scream or quietly making love to her. One, we could be as loud and wild as we wanted but the other, we could be fully naked and hold each other. The fear of her mom walking in, in the middle was a bit hindering.

Their eyes were all on me and it didn't look like what I said mattered. "It's not like I expect her to follow us around. That is asking too much."

"Is it? I asked Minako yesterday."

Doing a double-take, I caught the serious look on his face. "And she said?"

"That she'd love to."

"Alright, let's go, gentlemen, it's showtime!"

The tone of Coach's voice had us all tensing up. "God, can someone get the stick out of his ass?"

Zenko sneered at Jin, "Can you blame him? Two losses already and now we are up against Edith Academy and we lose to them every year. One more loss and we are out of finals."

"Best part," they all looked at me, "he blames all of it on me."

Nathan huffed, "How'de figure?"

"It's cause he's got his head up Usagi's ass!" Seiya tossed out, sauntering by and eavesdropping.

I gave him the finger and he kept moving. Which was good because a fist to the face would have definitely gotten us a loss tonight. "Ignore him. Sore asshole."

Zenko was gently pushing me towards the door, the five of us walking out to the field together. Seiya wasn't completely wrong, whenever Usagi wasn't at the game I didn't play as well. A combination of not caring as much if she wasn't there to cheer me on and my mind elsewhere thinking about her. If we lose tonight I'd never hear the end of it from Coach, more bull shit about getting my act together.

We jogged out, the crowd on our side getting to their feet to cheer us on. I didn't want to waste any time, getting my starters out on the field for the coin toss. Our backs to our crowd, I had to look over the larger and packed stand of our opponent. All part of the game, the opposition using their friends and family to help intimidate. There was a reason why the visitors' side of most stadiums was small, to encourage less support.

"MAMORU!"

The Ref before me and I still turned, unable to stop myself from finding the voice. There she was, golden girl in the bright white shirt, my name in big letters across her breast. Usagi had come.

Minako was next to her and my parents sat right behind them. Keno was already waving so I joined in, Usagi blowing me a kiss and making my heart soar. No doubt, we were going to win tonight.

Winning the coin toss, the others spread out on the field, ready to play. It was easy to block out the sounds of the crowd. If it wasn't Usagi's voice, I didn't want to hear it. A dull hum in the back of my mind, the ball dropped and I took off. I might have been showing off a little, dancing with the ball till I passed it off to Jin for a goal. The goalie dived but it flew just past his fingertips. A goal within the first five minutes of the game was rare. We were so going to win tonight.

Three goals to us and two goals to Edith and it was halftime. I walked the line, getting as close as I could to the stands and Usagi watched me the whole time, her face resting on her palm with her elbow on her knee. Mom gave me a small but obnoxious wave until I waved back, Usagi giggling from my obvious annoyance. Then Mom went back to chatting up Dad, the two most likely discussing my future and trying to get Usagi involved in it.

Halftime was spent in silence, all of us breathing in deeply and enjoying the air-conditioned reprieve. That is until my phone dinged inside my bag.

A few looked my way with a smirk, like Zenko and Nathan, while I dug it out.

I hope you're saving some energy for me tonight?

I couldn't help the dumbass smile I got on my face, a few chuckling at me from it as if they could read my phone.

I always have the energy for you, Usako.

Well, do your best. If you're too tired then I will gladly do all the work ;)

Good god, now she was getting me hard with text messages.

I'll talk to you after otherwise, all my blood will be elsewhere.

:( Okay

A soft chuckle escaped, returning my phone, our break over as Coach clapped his hands at us to get up and get back out there. "Keep it up, boys! The next 45 minutes are going to be the toughest of your lives!"

Keno shook his head at me but we said nothing, gliding past Coach who gave us nods of approval. Thank god he didn't slap our asses like some coaches did. I would have left the team years ago.

Somehow, Usagi managed to scream louder than the rest of the crowd, my name flowing over the top of the cheering. The only one who seemed bothered by it was, of course, Seiya, cursing and bitching about the sound of my girlfriend's voice. Everything about Usagi was beautiful and anyone would agree. Seiya was just a jealous prick.

Taking his spot on the bench, I smirked at him for a moment as I took my spot on the field. The truth was, I never really needed to say or do anything to Seiya. I just needed to keep living my life and it would be enough to piss him off.

Tied up, Keno scoring the last goal, there were only ten minutes left in the game. If it were any other night, I would have gladly gone into overtime. But Usagi was watching. Edith's captain was pushed over the line by Jin so Jin took the throw-in, aiming right at me. Everyone knew, when Usagi was around, I did better than even I knew I had in me. Her presence alone brought out the best in me every time.

The ball in my control and the clock ticking, there was no way I was going to get close to our goal by running it in. The buzzer sounded, me only halfway to our goal, and I slammed my foot into the checkered ball as hard as I could. Time slowed as it soared through the air, the goalie not even paying attention, the dumb ass, jumping at the last second after my shot. It sailed past him, his body dropping to the ground with a thud that was heard all around as well as the swish as the ball hit the net behind with everyone holding their breath with me. The Ref allowed it, giving us the point and sound exploded all around me.

I was in shock for a moment, Keno and Jin breaking me out of it with slaps to the back and shouts of glee. Then I was running. Right up to the stands and jumping up on the railing. Usagi met me, grabbing my jersey in her fist and pulling me closer.

"You're my good luck charm."

Her face split with her smile while mine cracked open, pushing up the last inch to claim her mouth with mine. It didn't last long, strange hands patting my back and making it weird. Falling back to the ground, I gave her one last look and a wink before heading back to my teammates, still celebrating in the middle of the field. I had to call them to attention and remind them of good sportsmanship which only half-rolled their eyes at.

I was rushing, quick to the showers and back to my duffle. All I had was my uniform and the worn-out t-shirt and cloth shorts that I wore here, but Usagi wouldn't care anyway. Hell, she wouldn't even care if I showered or not but I wanted to not smell like sweat and grass for her.

Cleaned, dressed, stuff packed, and Coach and teammates appeased I made for the exit as fast as I could without looking too overeager. My sneakers squeaked on the polished tile floor, echoing off the empty hall that led out of the school and to the parking lot. The steps behind me, I assumed was Keno as he rushed off behind me to Minako, slowed to a stop.

"The Ref should have called that shot out, you know."

Against better judgment, I turned. My face blank as I stared at Seiya. "Come on man, we won! The team won! You are supposed to be happy about that!"

"I am when it's fair."

"It was the Ref's call and he counted it in. What is your problem?"

The guy was actually grimacing. We just beat our biggest rivals and instead of being thankful, he searched out faults. "I'm tired of spoiled pieces of shit like you getting everything, while those of us who play by the rules and work hard for everything, get fucked!"

"What...are you talking about?!"

I should just walk away. The guy was crazy. Delusional. But the overly inquisitive side of me just had to know.

"I'm talking about you, Mamoru Chiba. Son of the owner of Utopia, straight A's student, soccer captain, and boyfriend of Usagi Tsukino. What part of that list did Daddy buy huh? He bought his company, did he buy your grades? Your placement on the team? Did he buy Usagi for you too?"

It was laughable, so I laughed, turning on my heel and making for the exit. "You don't know shit. Your grades and skills were enough to prove that to me before and now, your dumb mouth only solidifies it for me."

I thought he was done. I sure as hell was. "One day, Chiba, you are going to be out of money and luck. You and I both know you sure as shit don't have any charm to save your ass and everyone is going to see you for the worthless fuck you are. Especially Usagi."

"You know, you should really stop acting like you know everything. You know shit."

I double-timed it, leaving Seiya and his crazy shit show behind. Was my family wealthy? Sure, but that had nothing to do with my success and I knew this as did the rest of the world. But trying to prove or explain that to people like Seiya was a waste of breath. He had already made up his fucked up mind about it.

The fact that he thought Usagi would be with anyone over something as petty as money was enough for me to walk away. Seiya was living in another land where everything was set against him by me it seemed. Usagi's family had their own money. Hell, her father owned 20% of Utopia and he bought in before the company went public.

It didn't matter how much he wanted Usagi or if it was even for legit reasons instead of fucking with me. If I learned anything in the last two months it was; how to make Usagi come so hard she passed out, trying to study with her was pointless unless I used a reward system like candy or kisses, and most importantly that we were soul mates.

I also learned that 'no sex on a school night' policies made the weekends precious and not to be wasted arguing with psychos.

She was sitting on my bike, waiting for me and perked up at the sight of me. "I was just about to send a search party!"

"Oh yeah? And who exactly would you send?"

I had my arm around her waist, the other one still holding my duffle or it would be around her as well. "Papa Chiba. He can do anything!"

Her eyes went wide when she said 'anything' like my Dad was magic or something. There were many moments in my memories that had me easily agreeing with her on that. Settling my bag on the back of the bike, I got my other arm around her and she pressed into me as much as she could without falling off.

"You came to my game?"

She gasped, faking shock, "Of course I did! It's your biggest rival and I'm your lucky charm!"

I pressed my lips to hers hard for a long second, humming against her mouth. "Hmmm...yes you are."

Her eyes flitted off of mine to something behind me. Or should I say, someone, turning my head slightly and catching Seiya as he passed. Phone at his ear, he talked far louder than necessary.

"Hey, Ames, what are you up to right now?"

Usagi's face fell, hearing her lost friend's name still bringing her pain. I pulled her face back up, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "Ami will come around. Trust me. Seiya is going to fuck up soon and she will see him for what he really is."

A sniff and a few blinks and I wiped away the few tears that got free with my thumbs. "Is that what took you so long? Seiya held you up again?"

She knew me too well. And I had hoped to get away with that encounter. "He said more crazy shit that didn't make sense about me."

"I guess that's better than him talking about me again. Means he's moving on." My tongue tripped and she caught it. "Great. At least he's consistent."

"Don't worry about it. We have far more important things to focus on. Like applications. Did you get yours finished young lady?"

She smirked, her arms wrapping around my neck. "Yes, teacher."

"Good girl."

"Do I get my reward?" She ran her tongue over my bottom lip and I moaned, loudly. "You gonna take me somewhere quiet? Your lucky charm wants to help you get lucky again."

I'd never slapped my helmet on so hard in my life, Usagi giggling as I pushed her to the back of the bike, her taking only a second to get her helmet on.

Our houses were in the suburbs of Honolulu. Which meant in the middle of nowhere. It was a 30-minute drive to town and it was all thick forest with the occasional house cutting into it all the way there. The private road that led up to our houses, off the main road and up a small hill, was made of gravel and only the two houses were on it. Usagi and I weren't just neighbors, we were the only neighbors either of us had.

Which was always fine with me because I never liked competing for Usagi's attention.

Because we lived out in the middle of nothing, as kids, we did a lot of exploring. Which led to us discovering the small park I now pulled into.

It was on the edge of the bluff, a bit of a hike down to the water but it was doable. Not at night though, you would break an ankle or your neck. Once my engine silenced, you could hear the waves crashing and the crickets chirping. The sky above was an endless sea of stars and even as kids, Usagi said this was one of her favorite spots, saying it was 'like being on the edge of the world'. I, being the jerk I was, always liked to point out that the world is round and therefore doesn't have an edge.

Usagi got off, looking over the area and pulling off her helmet. I had mine in my arms, watching her, wondering if she remembered this place. "Like being on the edge of the world, isn't it?"

She turned back, matching my smirk. "Mamo, the Earth is round, it doesn't have an edge."

Her voice got weird at the end, deepening to an unnatural level. "Was that supposed to be me?"

"Usako," her voice went even lower, "that one is a planet, not a star. Do you even pay attention in astrology camp?"

Hands on her lovely hips, she gave me a lopsided grin while I chuckled. "I was hoping to impress you."

"Instead, you made me feel stupid."

Dropping my helmet and grabbing her shirt, I pulled her back to me, wrapping my arms loosely around, while she pouted at me. "I'm sorry, Baby. You know, you are far from stupid, right?"

She was still pouting but the corners of her lips turned up a little as she shook her head at me.

"I'm sorry I ever made you feel anything other than the intelligent, beautiful, funny, sexy, and amazing woman that you are."

Now she rolled her eyes, "You don't have to lay it on so thick, Mamo. I'm going to sleep with you."

A laugh barked out of me, tightening my hold. "Oh, I know. That's not why I said it. I said it because it's true."

Slow and gentle, she pulled my hands off her, unwrapping herself and standing a few inches from me on my bike. Fidgeting and twerking her hips, she shimmied her panties off from under the little, ruffled skirt she wore and placed them over my shoulder. I started to get up, planning on taking her over to the picnic table a few feet away to have my way with her but she stopped me with a hand on my shoulder.

"I wanna do it on your bike."

Hot blood coursed through me, Usagi reaching over and working me out of the elastic waistband on my shorts, my cock now standing at attention for her in the breeze. But then she turned from me, grabbing the handles and put a leg on either side of me. Sitting down slowly, I held my cock and guided it into her hot, wet core. She sat in my lap now, her back to my chest and her hands still on my handlebars with me filling her up.

Then she started to bounce.

My hands flew to her hips, both my feet on the ground to hold the bike steady while I steadied her thrusts. The new angle was greatly appreciated, taking me in impossibly deep over and over again. At this rate, her sides were going to have bruises matching my fingers because I was gripping and pulling her down on me so tight and hard, the bike was bouncing on its wheels.

Panting heavily, I pulled her back, her hands slipping from the handles as I put her back flush with my chest. Her hips didn't stop, rolling them in a circle that had stars falling from the sky. Her thin, homemade t-shirt was a little tight but stretchy. It allowed me to slip my hands under it and get to her skin. Her heart was pounding under my palms as I slowly worked my hands up her ribs and under her bra.

Her head flopped back to my shoulder and I nipped at whatever I could reach of her skin. Her hands were on my thighs, helping herself move. I was rolling her nipples in between my fingers when she started to cry out, her orgasm wetting my shorts. But I loved it.

She was slowing, trying to keep up her rhythm but she was falling fast. I stopped her, pulling my hands from her breast and slipping them down to her thighs to still her. "Let's go to the picnic table, Lucky Charm. I want to make you come again."

Her crazed giggle came out, the one she made when she was loopy happy and I picked her up to carry her to the table. Many times over the years, we'd sneak out at night and lay on this table to look at the stars. Now I laid her down on it and looked at the stars reflected in her eyes.

I leaned over her, setting her down so her hips were on the edge of the table, and kissed her deep. She flicked her tongue across my lips and parted them, the two of us fighting over each other's mouths. Twisting under me, her head went back and forth, trying to taste every inch of me as I tasted her. And her hips wiggled against mine too, my shorts having slipped back up over me I now had two layers between me and her.

One hand holding me over her, I used the other to push my shorts and briefs off my hips, getting them just past my balls before giving up. She spread her legs, wrapping them around me in anticipation.

But I didn't make her wait, not any longer, burying into her till there was nothing left of myself. She arched, her ribs lifting as if pulled by a string and I stood up to watch. My rhythm was slow but heavy, her body jumping from my thrust. Usagi gripped the edge of the table, keeping herself from moving while I pounded her.

It was hard not to go a little crazy, my name printed across her chest, bouncing with her breast and her writhing under me. Her thighs in my hands, I put her legs over my shoulders and started pulling out to my tip and ramming into her so hard, my own head spun.

"Oh god...yes Mamo...YES! AH, MAMO!"

She clenched me so hard, I struggled to pull out and my entire body throbbed with my orgasm. Usagi was still screaming my name when I fell over her, grabbing the end of the table above her head to help me pull myself into her. No one around so neither of us was holding back, myself included as I screamed her name, some semblance of sentences coming out of me as I tried to tell her she was fucking amazing. I was still twitching inside her, laying with most of my weight on top of her for a few moments. She just ran her hands up and down my back, whispering little things like how she loved me and how good I made her feel. It was hard not to fall in love with her all over again when she did things like this. From making me boneless from sex to her screaming my name in the stands for me, to causing my heart to race with her words or a single smile. I'd fall in love with her over and over again if given the chance, but that would require me falling out of love with her first and that was impossible.

Somehow, her panties had managed to stay on my shoulder the entire time and I tried not to take offense in that, sliding them back up on Usagi's hips with a little help from her. My shorts back in place, I climbed onto the table with her and she curled into me. Silent for a long time, we just looked at the stars, just as we had as children.

Her face found its way into my neck, rubbing her nose against my skin. "You have it wrong you know. You're my lucky charm, I'm not yours."

I shifted a little, trying to see her eyes but she had them hidden. "How is that?"

The hold she had on my shirt tightened, her leg wrapping a little higher on my thigh and I grabbed it with my hand. "I always wanted to be in the same classes as you so I studied hard but all I could do was just barely miss the advanced line. And now I've applied to multiple colleges, all in Seattle because you believed in me. I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for you."

"I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for you." Her head popped up, looking at me and finally letting me see her eyes, "You were...are my best friend, my only friend for all of my life. Everything I am, the person I am today is because you were always there for me. And because I love you."

Putting an elbow under her, she propped her face upon her fist. "Well, that proves it I guess."

"Proves what?"

Her face was so fucking adorable, I was putty. "That we are meant to be! In love! Soul mates!"

She said it so easily, defining us in a way I hadn't dared to say out loud for the past two months of knowing. Even without any doubt, I wanted to hear her theories. "Soul mates?"

Her furious nod on top of her fist had my heart swelling in my chest. "Real, true, soul mate kind of love changes you. It makes you a better person, into your best person without trying. It just...happens. Because that love builds you up. And you build me up, Mamo."

A gentle push on the arm that held her and she slowly fell to me, letting me kiss her. She pulled away but hovered close. "You build me up too, Usako. To the highest peak."

Her eyes danced around my face as she looked down at me, a grin pulling at one side of her face before lowering it to mine again. A hand in her hair to hold her, we planted slow, wet kisses on one another.

Tired of holding her weight, she fell to me completely and I pulled her even more on top of me. A few more sweet caresses and she flopped to my chest, a content sigh coming from her. Tiny fingers ran up and down my arm, a small tickle coming from it while I played with her hair, endless locks uncontained so she could get a helmet over her head.

"Minako's Halloween Party is this Friday. Are we still going costume shopping tomorrow?" I groaned, it vibrating through my chest to hers. "Mamo, you promised."

"Ug..fine. But I am not wearing anything stupid."

She giggled, dancing on my chest. "We will steer clear of the 'stupid' section."

A grunt from me and I lifted us both up to sit. "I better get you home unless you want to be grounded for all of that….which doesn't sound too bad…"

Usagi jumped off the table, "Mamoru Chiba!" I chuckled through my shudder, knowing she was serious when she used my full name. "I have been going to Minako's party for years now, so whether you go or not, I will be there."

"What? You would go without me?"

Hands on her hips, she shook her head as she walked towards my bike. "I get it, you don't like parties and that's fine. You don't have to go if you don't want to, but I do. We don't have to be one of those couples that does everything together."

I leapt off the table and was at her side in a heartbeat, "You're giving me an out?"

"There is nothing less fun than a fussy Mamo."

I grabbed her hips to stop her slow walk to my bike, "What exactly goes on at this party?"

She shrugged, "Dancing and drinking. Some people hooking up."

"Hooking up?"

"You know, making out. Although this year I'm sure they will be hooking up with sex…"

"And you don't want me to come?!"

Her eyes got big and her lips full, "I didn't say that Mamo. I want you to come."

My knees faltered with how she drew out the word 'come' and curled her lips around it. "So what you're telling me is, if I go to this party, we will slip into the back and have sex?"

She smirked, thick lips tugging up at a corner, "After we dance."

"Dance…"

My blood slowed at the idea but Usagi ran her hands up my chest to my shoulders. "Yes, dance. Like foreplay."

"So shall I pick you up at noon tomorrow?"

She laughed, my change of tune obvious a mile away. "Noon sounds perfect."

[luxuryforprincessworld]

Make Up Collection

foundations & concealer

• Catrice Nude Illusion 010 Nude Ivory • Catrice HD Liquid Coverage 002 Porcelain Beige • Manhattan Endless Perfection 56 Light Porcelain • Loreal Perfect Match 1.5 N Linien • Maybelline Jade Dream Satin Liquid 10 Ivory • Maybelline Jade Fit Me Matte Poreless 102 Fair Ivory • NYX Stay Matte SMF01 .3 Alabaster • Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear 005

• Essence Stay All Day 20 Soft Beige • Catrice Liquid Camouflage 010 Porcellain • Manhattan Wake Up 002 Classic Beige

powders

• Essence Stay All Day Translucent Fixing • Catrice Extreme Blurred Lines Extreme Blur • Astor Mattitude 002 Porcelain • Manhattan Soft Compact 1 Naturelle • Maybelline Jade Matte Maker 20 Nude Beige • Manhattan Soft Mat Loose 2 Beige • Make Up Revolution Ghost Finish Baking Powder • Make Up Revolution Lace Perfect Baking Powder

eyebrows, eyeshadow & palettes

• Essence Eyebrow Designer 02 Brown & 04 Blonde • Essence Lash & Brow Gel Mascara

• Essence I Love Nude 01 Vanilla Sugar • Essence I Love Nude 02 Cake Pop • Essence I Love Nude 03 Creme Brulee • Essence I Love Nude 04 Sweet Like Chocolate • Essence I Love Nude 05 My Favourite Tauping • Essence I Love Nude 06 Coffee Bean

• Essence Smokey Eyes Set 01 Smokey Night • Essence Smokey Eyes Set 02 Smokey Day • Catrice Absolute Nude Palette 010 All Nude • Catrice The Precious Cooper Palette 010 Metallux • Make Up Revolution Palette Redemtion Iconic 2 • LOV Everysity Palette N-100 Nude Shades

mascaras

• Kiko Volumeyes Plus Active • Catrice Glam & Doll Curl & Volume Ultra Black • Maybelline Jade The Colossal Go Extreme Volum Express Leather Black • Essence I love Extreme Volume • TooFaced Better Than Sex Waterproof

• MAC In Extreme Dimension ABS Of Steel • MAC In Extreme Dimension Sky Is The Limit

blushes, highlighter & palettes

• Essence Sun Club All In One Blondes 01 Sun Light • Catrice Light Spectrum Strobing Brick 010 Brown Brilliance • Misslyn Treat Me Sweet Blush Nr. 48 - Be My Blush Crush • Make Up Revolution Blushing Hearts Peachy Keen Heart • Make Up Revolution Blushing Hearts Peachy Pink Kisses • Make Up Revolution Blush Palette Golden Sugar

• Essence Glow Baked Mettalic Highlighter 02 & 03 • Catrice High Glow 010 Light Infusion • Catrice Luminizing Highlighter C01 Luminous Light • Catrice Kaviar Gauche C01 Eclat D'Or • Make Up Revolution Goddess Of Love Faith • Make Up Revolution Goddess Of Love Love • Make Up Revolution Bleeding Heart Illuminateur • Make Up Revolution Unicorns Hearts Rainbow • Make Up Revolution Triple Baked Lightening • Make Up Revolution Triple Baked Hidden • Make Up Revolution Skin Kiss Ice Kiss • Make Up Revolution Skin Kiss Golden Kiss • Make Up Revolution Skin Kiss Peach Kiss • Misslyn Glow For It Nr. 2 - Glow For It • Misslyn Glow For It Nr. 4 - Mind Glowing • LOV Prismatic Luminizer N100 Glazed Rose • The Balm Mary Lou Manizer • MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Soft & Gentle • Urban Decay Naked Illuminated Luminous

• Catrice Better Than Gold Palette • Make Up Revolution Ultra Pro Glow Palette • Sleek Copperplate Palette • Loreal Paris La Vie En Glow Palette

bronzer & contour

• Essence Sun Club Blondes Matt Bronzer • Catrice Sun Glow 010 Golden Light • Catrice Luminizing Bronzer C01 New Bronze Age • Make Up Revolution Summer Of Love Hot Summer • Make Up Revolution Summer Of Love Hot

• W7 Honolulu Contour Powder • Misslyn Beach Please Contour Powder Nr. 56 - Barbados Babe • The Balm Bahama Mama Contour Powder

lip products

• Misslyn No. 161 Bubblegum • Catrice Ultimate Colour 260 It's A Matt World • Catrice Velvet Lip Colour C05 Meet Nudy • Misslyn No. • Misslyn No. 40 Whisper • Manhattan Perfect Creamy & Care 51G • Astor Soft Sensation 100 Delicate Mademoiselle • Essence 01 Wearing Only A Smile • Essence 04 It's Nude Time • Essence Velvet Matt 07 • Essence Velvet Matt 23 • Essence 20 Get The Look • Essence 21 Tres Chic • NYX Round Lipstick 504 Harmonica • NYX Round Lipstick 595 Strawberry Milk • Catrice Ultimate Colour 020 Maroon • Catrice Ultimate Colour 240 Hey Nude • Gosh Velvet Touch 002 Matt Rose • Gosh Velvet Touch 003 Matt Antique • Gosh Velvet Touch 161 Sweetheart • Catrice Ultimate Colour 010 Be Natural • Catrice Ultimate Colour 350 Mattador • Catrice Ultimate Matt 070 Nude Crush Everyday • Kiko Creamy 01 Rose • Kiko Endless Love 06

• Maybelline Jade Color Sensational 710 Sultry Sand • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Bold 893 Gone Greige • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 930 Nude Embrace • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 932 Clay Crush • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 940 Rose Rush • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 942 Blushing Pout' • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 949 Pink Sugar • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 981 Purely Nude • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 986 Melted Chocolate • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 987 Smoky Rose • Maybelline Jade Color Sensational Matte 988 Brown Sugar • Maybelline Jade Super Stay 120 Neon Pink • Maybelline Jade Super Stay Matte Ink 10 Dreamer • Maybelline Jade Super Stay Matte Ink 90 Huntress • MAC Matte Lipstick Velvet Teddy • MAC Matte Lipstick Stone

• NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC02 Stockholm • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC03 Tokyo • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC04 London • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC05 Antwerp • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC06 Istanbul • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC09 Abu Dhabi • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC11 Milan • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC13 Sydney • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC14 Zurich • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC15 Athens • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC16 Cairo • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC19 Cannes • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC23 Berlin • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC25 Budapest • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC27 Madrid • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC32 Rome • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC34 Dubai • NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream SMLC38 Toulouse • NYX Soft Matte Metallic Lip Cream SMMLC10 Milan • NYX Lip Lingerie 02 Embellishment • NYX Lip Lingerie 03 Lace Detail • NYX Lip Lingerie 06 Push-Up • NYX Lip Lingerie 07 Satin Ribbon • NYX Lip Lingerie 08 Bedtime Flirt • NYX Lip Lingerie 09 Corset • NYX Lip Lingerie 11 Baby Doll • NYX Lip Lingerie 15 Bustier • NYX Lip Lingerie 18 Cashmere Silk • NYX Lip Lingerie 21 Delicate Lust • NYX Lip Lingerie 22 Silk Indulgent • NYX Lip Lingerie 24 Cabaret Show • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 01 Stone Fox • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 04 Soft Spoken • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 07 Sandstorm • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 09 Tea & Chookies • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 13 Respect The Pink • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 16 Little Denim Dress • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 21 Brooklyn Thorn • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 22 Downtown Beauty • NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick 24 Alien • NYX Liquid Suede Metallic Matte 29 Mauve Mist • NYX Liquid Suede Metallic Matte 30 Bella

[evejenny]

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[queenofcandynsoda]

Malaea Koi

Malaea Koi

Name: Malaea Koi, The Prime

Gender: Female

Height: 3’7” (109 cm) [Child], 5’8” (173 cm) [Adult]

Birthday: December 7th

Residence: Unknown birthplace, Wailuku, Hawaii (childhood residence), Honolulu, Hawaii

Relatives: Melia Koi (mother), Unknown Father, Unknown Paternal Grandmother, Benjamin Hughes (stepfather), Kahiau Hughes (younger half-brother by seven years), Kamal Adonis (husband)

Occupation: Student (Child), Chairwoman (Older)

Appearance: Malaea has platinum long wavy blond hair and golden (or cyan) eyes. She has a ghostly pallor complexion. She has an unnatural beauty. For reasons unknown, her skin appears to have a holographic shimmer. Occasionally, she wears a flower crown consisting of “Star Dust” flowers. If she was not an experiment, she would have a tanned complexion, black hair, and golden brown eyes. 

Baby: In her earliest pictures, Malaea wears a white dress with gold embroidery. Later, she is shown wearing a pink floral dress.

Child: Malaea wears a blue dress with white floral designs and blue flip-flops. On the day she met the rest of the Cuckoos, she wore a white dress with golden lining on the openings and a golden ribbon around the waist. She also wears a pair of blue leggings and white and blue shoes. 

Uniform: Malaea has two uniforms. The first one is a long sleeve white shirt, a navy blue pencil skirt, a pair of black stockings, and a pair of Mary Janes. The second one is a short sleeve cream summer blouse, a navy blue bubble skirt, a pair of white ankle-length socks, and a pair of black flats. She also has a navy jacket with a badge.

Teenager: Malaea wears a white silk sleeveless shirt, a long blue skirt with golden ribbons and white frills, and a pair of white sandals. 

Young Adult: Malaea wears a white silk blouse with golden lining on the edges, a long blue and golden full skirt, and white low-heeled dress shoes. For meetings and informal events, she wears a blue dress suit and black shoes. For semi-formal events, she wears a golden and blue satin evening dress, blue high-heel shoes, golden evening gloves, and a white fur scarf. She also wears a golden hairpin. For “ceremonial” and formal events, Malaea wears a golden strapless sundress and gloves with white and blue embroidery, golden earrings, necklace, rings, bracelets, and an anklet with sapphires and diamonds. She also wears the star dust flower crown and golden heeled sandals. For maternity clothes, she wears a white long dress with blue and golden floral designs and blue flat shoes. 

Abilities: Hive Mind (Hive Queen), Mind Control, Telepathy, Telekinesis, Super Intelligence, Esoteric Weather Manipulation (Generation, Negation, Immunity, Perception, Sensing, Solidification, Tornado, Cyclone, Aurora, Climate, Cloud, Thermal, Thunder, Hail, Rain, Blizzard, Snow, Fog, Lightning, Smiting, Cloud Flight, Personal Weather), Season Manipulation (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, Inducement), Stellar Manipulation (Creation, Destruction, Constructs, Constellation Creation, Stardust, Supernova), Status Mastery, Overwhelming Influence, Leadership Mastery, Political Mastery, Administration Mastery, Astronomy Mastery, Seduction Mastery, Intimidation Mastery, Menacing Presence, Mesmerizing Presence, Authority, Indomitable Will, Domination, Opportunity Sense, Psychological Mastery, Social Luck, Tactical Genius, Supernatural Charisma, Enhanced Cooperation, Enhanced Sex Appeal, Supernatural Beauty, Seductive Magnetism, Oath Preservation, Child Caretaking Mastery, Anthropology Mastery, Archaeology Mastery

Personality: Malaea is a calm natural born leader with strong intuition. She has very high standards for others, such as allies and enemies, who she wants to make sure is completely powerless. She is very ambitious in gaining power and support, always for the benefit of her and the Cuckoos. She takes threats very seriously and makes sure it is dealt with. Despite this, she is known to be caring, tender, and brave. She is always willing to learn more. When she is with all of the other Cuckoos, Malaea’s mind goes into “sync” and joins their collective. She is more in tune with the hive mind and their shared abilities. As she is the Prime, she has complete authority over the other Cuckoos and makes sure that everything is being run smoothly. 

Key Moments:

Since her birth, Melia has shown to be very exceptional, even above the other Cuckoos. Melia has shown to know some knowledge of Malaea’s parentage and true origins but isn’t willing to share a detail unless it is in private. It gives hints that Malaea’s biological father is also the result of the experiment. 

After the rest of the Cuckoos reached the designed area, she would be the one who arrived last. When she finally appears, the Cuckoos would give her the uniform, accessories, and gifts in ritualistic manner. She would even receive a posy of “aurora, aether, and astral” flowers and the “stardust” flower crown. The Cuckoos said that they have always known her, even if it was the first time they met in person. 

Malaea is strict about who is worthy to be the Cuckoos’ allies and where they can live. This is why she has split them up into teams to find allies and places to live. Dr. Rachel Zellaby is one of the few people that she respected and seen as an equal. She wants nothing more for a safe place for learning, building shelter, having children, and getting aid and protection from outside threats.

Malaea would use her charisma and beauty to gather support for the Cuckoos’ education, later for her political platform. She is the chairwoman of the National Hive Pride Party, also known as NHPP. Despite its name, it is also found in other parliaments in the world in different names. She has made an influence in the European Commission as some of the NHPP members are a part of it.

Despite her ambitions in politics and power, Malaea is highly interested in astronomy, anthropology, and archaeology. She would often read books around them and had gotten a golden telescope as a gift to look at stars. She memorized all of the constellations, research methods, and societies or the past and present. She mainly look into any origins that linked to her father and paternal grandmother. This somewhat reflected with the memorials and shrines dedicated to them. Strangely, the NHPP members have shrines dedicated to her.

[butcanyoujustimagine]

Once Upon a December PII Moana

Summary: Eleven Years Later, Moana still hasn’t regained her memory and an unsuspecting visitor shows up. 

Eleven years—that’s how long it had been since the day I was brought into foster care. Eleven years since I was found on the side of the road. Eleven years since my entire life probably changed for the worst. I wasn't always an orphan.

I looked down at the locket that had been hanging around my neck for those eleven years. Made of gold and encrusted in what was probably platinum and adorned with emeralds, sapphires, diamonds and pearls, I saw the words, ‘together in Paris’ engraved in elegant script in the metal.  I held it close to my chest and closed my eyes longingly. Someone was waiting for me there, hopefully. The only question was who. Who was waiting for me in Paris?

Looking up at the Soldier making a speech to the rededication of Honolulu, I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him. Everybody clapped and I scoffed.

“They can call it Kalakauakulanakahale, but it’ll always be Honolulu! New name, same empty stomachs!” I groaned.

“You could be arrested for saying that, Moana,” Mrs Kim said. “You need to learn to watch your mouth.”

I crossed my arms and rolled my eyes. “They tell us times are better, but newsflash, they’re not. Can’t cook an empty promise in an empty pot! A brighter day is dawning, it’s almost at hand! The skies are blue, the walls have ears, and one who argues mysteriously disappears!”

Everyone chorused after me. “Hail our brave new land!”

I ducked out of sight when a Soldier came walking towards me. He had no doubt heard my outburst of sarcasm.

“Honolulu is lovely. A city on the rise.” Someone said.

“It’s really very friendly,” my brother Dmitry Romanov shout.

“If you don’t mind spies,” my other foster brother Dylan O’Connor said.

“We love to stand in bread lines, to get our mouldy bread!” A stranger added.

“We’re good and loyal comrades and our favourite colour’s red!” The people cheered.

I popped out from behind the wall. “Now everyone is equal, and professors push the brooms. Two dozen total strangers stuck into two small rooms. You hold a revolution and this shit’s the price you pay!” I scoffed.

“Mahalo iāʻoe no nā lono!” Someone shouted. (Thank you for the rumours!)

“Thank god for all the gossip that gets our asses through the day!” Another person added. I nodded my head in agreement.

“HAVE YOU HEARD!” a girl shouted running towards us, waving a flyer in her hand like it was a flag of some sort... “THERE’S A RUMOUR IN HONOLULU! HAVE YOU HEARD WHAT WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ON THE STREET?”

“What?” I asked.

“All though the King did not survive, his youngest child may be still alive.” She whispered.

“The Princess Auli’ilani?” I asked, in shock. I couldn’t believe it. It was probably just some rumour.

She shushed me. “But please do not repeat.”

“It’s a rumour, a legend, a mystery. Something whispered in an alleyway or through a crack. It’s a rumour, that’s part of Hawai’ian History,” Dmitry said.

Akea Ngata, a big buff Maori guy from New Zealand looked down at his phone. “It says he royal Grandmama will pay a royal some, to someone who can bring the princess back.”

I heard a man muttering something under his breath. He was old, had grey hair and a beard. His skin had sunken in from the lack of food. Stress had taken its toll on him. “Honolulu was lovely when the United States and Royalty were in. I called myself a Senator as I had been elected. I hobnobbed with the Royals and then a change of luck. The was dead, State and Federal Senators fled and now comrades now we’re stuck!” He walked off. Why did that man look familiar? Did I know him from somewhere?

“I’ll see you back at St Anne’s,” I said to them. My brothers nodded and we all went our separate ways.

“A dollar for this painting. It belonged to Royalty, I swear!”

“Count Akamai’s Pajamas, comrade buy the pair!” Another vendor hollered to tourists and locals alike.

“I found this in the Mansion, initialled, with an ‘A’ it could be Auli’ilani’s, now what will someone pay!” someone hollered.

Looking over, I saw a young man dressed in sunglasses and a hat turned away towards any sight of cameras.

“How much for that music box?” He asked. He was British, and yet his voice sounded so familiar to her. Where did she know him from?

“Tom, are you sure this going to work?” asked a much young younger voice. He was dressed in the same attire. A black polo shirt, khaki shorts, and a pair of nice shoes. Or what the rest of the world called sneakers, runners, or trainers.  

“There’s more to being a Princess than wearing a Tiara and a prop! How do you even know it’s the real bloody thing?” asked another guy. Why were they all dressed the same?

“Tom, we should get out of here. This isn’t a good idea to be here without security,” a much younger voice said. He had to be fourteen, maybe fifteen years old. “You know what mum’ll say.”

“I’m doing what the doctor said. If she really is an amnesiac, maybe this’ll help jog her memory,” the first one pointed out.

“We still don’t know if it’s real or not.” said the last one.

“The music box? It’s a genuine Kawananakoa, I could never part with it!” The vendor pleaded. There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes and it reminded me of an old foster kid I knew long ago.

“Two cans of beans, comrade?” asked the oldest boy.

“Here,” he said. Soon, there was a flock of people chasing after the Street Vendor.

Then, I heard a loud noise that reminded me of a gunshot. I screamed and cowered against a brick wall. “NO!” I cried out in horror. “No, please!”

The soldier who made the speech jumped out and helped me up. Looking into his brown eyes, they were filled with kindness and compassion. Something I had never seen from any soldier before. “It was just a truck backfiring, comrade. That’s all it was. Those days are over now, neighbour against neighbour. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Oh, god, you’re freezing. There’s a tea shop just around the corner, let me…”

I cut him off. Though his eyes might’ve been kind, growing up in foster care and on the streets of O’ahu had taught me one thing: DON’T TRUST SOLDIERS! They could be part of the Secret Police. “No thank you,” trying to push away, his muscular body stopped me from running.

“What’s your hurry?” He asked me, this time his tone a bit more serious.

I swallowed my fear. “I need to go home - my family’s waiting for me,” I said.

“Oh, then let me give you a ride!” He smiled. “It’ll be much quicker than walking.” He opened the door for me and we got in. “Where are you going?” He asked me as he started the car and drove through the streets of O’ahu.

“St Anne’s Home for Troubled Souls,” I responded.

He laughed. “You don’t have an accent!” He laughed. “I thought they were all foreigners and men!”

“I was born in Hawai’i and I’m the only girl,” I responded. At least, I assumed I was born in Hawaii.

Soon, after a bunch of awkward silence, we made it to St Anne’s. Towering over the beautiful landscape was a mansion all boarded up and in need of a paint job. The roof was probably caving in and so were the floorboards. It was very haunted by the ghosts of fallen Polynesian Warriors, a Kahuna who hated everyone who wasn’t Polynesian, dead nuns and priests, lunatic doctors who did terrible things to their patients, dead patients, and murder victims. But still, living here was better than being homeless.

The next day, I was looking out the window at the ocean. A cigarette in my hand, I didn’t care that it would give me lung cancer in the long run. I longed to sail on the ocean and go to worlds unknown. At least that would get me out of Hawaii.

“MOANA, В АВТОМОБИЛЕ В АВТОМОБИЛЕ!” I heard my foster brother Dmitry Romanov shout at the top of his lungs and my thoughts were pulled away from my unknown past and future. (MOANA, THERE’S A CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY!)

“Chết tiệt, đó là gia đình hoàng gia Anh!” My other brother Stanley Dai whispered. (Damn, it’s the British Royal Family!)

“De jeito nenhum!” Andre Carvalho cried. (No fucking way!)

I ran towards the door and saw my brothers bolt towards the one window that wasn't boarded up. If it were true, I had to fucking see this. I pushed my way through my brothers and saw a black limo parked in the driveway. A man with brown curly hair, dressed in khaki shorts and sunglasses came out. “Is that your cousin?” I heard Dylan O’Connor ask Dmitry.

“I think so,” Dmitry whispered.

We could hear what they were saying through the glass window. “Why would she live here, Mum? Here of all places?”

“Auli’i was fond of causing trouble,” Tom shrugged. “I remember that from when we were little?”

“Why does he seem so familiar?” I asked the boys.

“Because he’s been on the cover of every single bloody magazine to date,” Akea said in a ‘duh’ tone.

I rolled my eyes, but he was right. The Crowned-Prince Thomas and his little brothers Harry and Sam walked to the front door and rang the bell. Dmitry got up and opened it.

“Hello, St Anne’s Home for Troubled Souls, why is the Crowned Prince of Great Britain knocking on our door?” He asked. His thick Russian accent shining through. 

“I’m looking for someone,” Tom said. “Someone who’s supposed to live here. She doesn’t go by the name anymore, but her name is Auli’ilani. Everyone calls her Auli’i for short.”

Dmitry scoffed. “Up the hill, you can find the graves,” he began to shut the door.

“WAIT!” Tom hollered. “Wait! She might go by the name Moana.”

I perked up. All the eyes turned to me. Why did he want me? Me of all people. Hell, I considered smoking a past time, I worked for a crime family, I didn’t do well when it came to authority and I was a professional procrastinator. Why did he want me? I wasn’t cut-out to be a Princess—let alone a Queen.

I don’t know what came over me. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I walked over to the door, dressed in nothing but sweatpants, one of my brother’s hoodies, and miss-matching socks. “What do you want, Mas?” I asked.

“Did she just call you Mas?” asked the youngest boy who came flying out of the car and running up towards us.

“BE CAREFUL! YOU MIGHT TRIP!” I hollered. I couldn’t help myself. Having to raise me made me a compulsive caretaker.

“Why’d you call me Mas?” Tom asked, a bit in shock.

“I dunno, just felt right,” I said. I grabbed a cigarette from my hoodie’s pockets. “Want a smoke?”

“Happily,” Tom smiled. I handed him a cigarette and he lit his and mine with a lighter with his family crest engraved on it.  I had no doubt it was custom made. He was next-in-line for the Throne, he could afford stuff like that.

“Thank you,” I said.

“Now, why’d you just call me ‘Mas?’” Tom asked me. “I’ll only ask this once.”

“Sounds like you’re threatening me, but let me tell you one thing, Your Royal Pain in the Ass, I’ve met people a hell of a lot scarier than you,” I told him with a smirk on my face. “I’m not scared of you. I’m not scared of any of you.” I looked outside and saw one of the Royal Guards walking towards Kahuna Hill. “CAN’T YOU FUCKIN’ READ!? IT SAYS ‘KEEP OUT’ FOR A FUCKING REASON!”

“What do you remember?” asked the Queen of Great Britain, a bit shocked at my outburst at one of their guards. “What do you know?”

“Know of what?” I scoffed.  

“Your past,” Tom said. “What do you know of your past?”

I sighed and looked out at the ocean my ancestors had sailed thousands of years before. Everything felt like clouds of mist. Every time I close my eyes I try to remember, but nothing comes back to me.  “I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t even know my name.”

“How’d you not know your own name?” The young boy asked me. He seemed in shock, and he had every right to be. Not many people respond with ‘I don’t even know my own name.’

“The doctors gave me a name at the hospital...Moana. They told me I had amnesia and there wasn’t a damn thing they could do about it.” I sighed.

“What do you remember?” Tom asked me. “Let’s start there.”

I sighed and stared off into the vast ocean once again. “Well, if you insist. They said I was found by the side of a road. There were tracks all around and for the first time in a hundred years, it had recently snowed. In the darkness and cold with the wind in the trees, laid a girl with no name and no memories but these. Rain against a window. Dirty sheets upon a bed. Terrified of the nurses that were whispering overhead. ‘He said to call the child Moana. Give the child a hat!’ I don’t know a thing before that.

Travelling the back roads. Sleeping in the woods. Taking what I needed and working when I could. Keeping up my courage and foolish as it seems, at night all alone in my dreams. In my dreams, shadows call. I see a light at the end of a hall. Then my dreams fade away. But I know it all will come back, one day.”

“Nossa irmã perdeu isso,” André whispered to someone. (Our sister’s lost it.)

“I dream of a city beyond all compare. Is it Paris? Paris. A beautiful river and a bridge by a square. And I hear someone whisper, ‘I’ll meet you right there.’ In Paris, Paris.” I snapped back into reality. No one wanted to hear the sob story. “You don’t know what it’s like,” I snapped. “Not to know who you are.” I felt tears come to my eyes. “To have lived in the shadows and travelled so far. I’ve seen flashes of fire, heard the echoes of screams but I still have this faith in the truth of my dreams. In my dreams, it’s all real and my heart has so much to reveal. And my dreams seem to say. Don’t be afraid to go on, don’t give up hope, come what may. I know it all will come back, one day!”

“Она потеряла его. Она ушла.” Dmitry said. (She’s lost it. She’s gone.)

“Those days are long over now.” I sighed, drying my eyes. “Go, have a nice day. Sorry, you came all the way out here for nothing. Enjoy searching for someone who’s dead.”

Tom then pulled out a music box. “This belonged to her,” Tom said. “Do you recognise it?”

“It’s a fake, Tom!” groaned Harry. “Give it a rest, Tom!”

It wasn’t the fact that it made with platinum, gold, silver, and diamonds, sapphires, and emeralds. It wasn’t the fact that it was in pristine condition. It was the fact that it had a little wave sticking up at the top that caught my eye. It was a keyhole it had on the side and an inscription.

Hui pū ma Paris. it said. That translated into: together in Paris—the same thing it said on my necklace. I carefully took the box from the Crowned Prince and placed my necklace into the hole. Turning it three times to the right, it opened. A song began playing. But I didn’t pay attention to that.

Looking up at the house where the Royal Family was slaughtered, I bolted out the door and ran upstairs.

The shouts and screams of my brothers could be heard from behind me, but I didn’t care. Going around Kahuna Hill and avoiding Murder’s Hideaway, I made my way to the old house. Pushing open the door, I felt a flood of memories come back to me.

I heard the music box still playing, the lyrics came back to me.

Dancing bears painted wings Things I almost remember And a song, someone sings Once upon a December Someone holds me safe and warm Horses prance through a thunderstorm Figures dancing gracefully across my memories

“Something’s not right.”

“Shut up, Moana. If they wanted to do something, they would have done it by now.”

“Sit on your mother’s lap. Akea, stand next to your father. Smile for the cameras.”

Far away, long ago Glowing dim as an ember Things that I used to know Things I used to remember And a song, someone sings Once upon a December

“Yeah, I don't know how I got to Hawaii, Your Majesties. All I know is that I’m here and these people are my family. I guess I’m related to you through Queen Victoria.” Dmitry explained. “MOANA! MOANA, IT’S NOT SAFE TO BE IN THERE!”

Before coming out, I pulled the bag of diamonds I had kept on me for years and kept it in my hand. “Okay, so I’ll humour you. If I really am the Princess, I’d be dead. The government would’ve already found me. I mean, I’m living here. How do I know this isn’t some prank set-up by Dmitry?”

“Ever since archeologists stated they didn’t find your body, we’d been looking for you. We managed to track you down through a bite mark…” the Queen said.

I cut her off. “That can be inaccurate,” I said. “In fact, one of the leading people in bitemark analysis stated that it isn’t accurate and shouldn’t be used as evidence in a court of law,” I pointed out. “A bite-mark analysis means jack-shit to me.”

“We know that,” Tom said. “From your many trips to the emergency room, they have your DNA on record from blood tests doctors have run on you…”

“Wow, isn’t your family Royal Stalkers,” I scoffed, gripping the bag of precious stones closer to me as if one of my brothers would come up and take it out of my hand. I sighed and looked over at the British Royal Family. “So go on after you hacked into my medical files. What did you learn?”

They were shocked by my outburst. I don’t think anyone has talked to them like that. “Well, uh, we learned that you have a specific type of anemia that ran within the Hawaiian Royal Family, hemolytic anemia?” Tom asked.

“It’s mild, I don’t need to take medication. The doctors presumed I had a bone marrow transplant sometime before I entered foster care,” I said. “I have the scar on my hip from an injection.”

“Your mother gave you the injection, your blood type is also RH-null,” Tom said. He was looking at his phone.

“Okay, Your Royal Creepiness, even if I am the long-lost princess, when the government finds out, I’d be dead faster than you can blink? How the hell am I not dead now?” I asked, a little shaken that he knew all that about me. I’d need to talk to their hackers, see if I could learn a few things from them.

“Because they don’t know about you or you have an ally in the government,” the Queen said. Her accent sounded posh and she was dressed in a fancy knee-length dress that wasn’t meant for running around the property. It had to be expensive too, though I didn’t have a degree in fashion. “They’re probably covering for you.”

I rolled my eyes and scoffed. “Why are you really here? Is it for charity work?” I asked. I’d had enough of them trying to convince me that I was a dead person. She died along with her family, that needed to be accepted by people like me. “I can’t break an old woman’s heart for money. I can’t do that to the grandmother. I can’t do that to the extended Hawaiian Royal Family.”

“All of which agree that you’re her!” the youngest pointed out. He was jumping down excitedly. “You have to be. You have the same coloured eyes!”

“It’s called heterochromia,” I sighed. “It’s not life-threatening. It’s just cool.”  

“Please, Moana,” Tom pleaded with us. “Give us a chance. We’ll help you earn your memory back. You won’t have to go through life knowing something missing. You must wanna know who your parents are.”

“According to you, they’re ‘King Keanu Kawananakoa and Queen Ashley Kawananakoa,’” I scoffed.  

“Why are you so reluctant to believe?” Harry asked me.

“Because it’s completely BS! It sounds the plot of a shit romance novel! This is real life. I’m a poor girl from Hawai’i who grew up in foster care and was forced to raise herself. I’m a convicted criminal and a recovering opiate addict,” I snapped. I choked back my tears. “Even if I did go with you, how the hell will I get out? How will you get papers, not just for me, but for the rest of us? I’m not leaving them behind.”

“Go with them, Moana!” Dmitry blurted. “Go, it’ll be good for you!”

“Dmitry, are you nuts!” I snapped. “One word that the Princess has been found I’m floating in the Thames!” I felt tears starting to roll down my cheeks. “I just wanna live a normal life with my family or as normal as it’ll ever get for an amnesiac. I’ll be at the scrutiny of the media if I go with you. I’ll tarnish your reputation and make you lose public approval. Nobody wants a convicted criminal on the throne!” I dried my eyes and looked up at them. “I don’t wanna be the cause of your downfall. I already have enough grief on my conscious, I don’t need the downfall of an empire to be on it too.”

My cigarette was finished and I threw it to the ground. The weight of the world was slowly falling on my shoulders as reality hit me. I was being told that I was the long-lost Princess of Hawai’i who had gone into a fug state after I had witnessed the death of my entire family and escaped their massacre. Why me? “Can’t you prank somebody else!” I snapped.

“Look, Moana, I overheard some soldiers talking and soon they’ll be a warrant for your death issued. You leave with us or you die,” Tom said. He seemed in pain that he had to say that.

I stumbled back onto Akea who somehow managed to not fall back onto the ground. “You mean I’ll be dead soon?” I asked. “Oh, fuck. It’s only a matter of time until they find me in London.”

“That won't happen,” the Queen assured me. “We have the best security forces in the world.”

“In a matter of respect, Madam, the whole reason why I'm in Hawai’i is that of your Security forces,” Dmitry said. “It says so in my file.”

“Show it to me when we get back to the house,” the Queen ordered. Dmitry nodded his head.

“I don't wanna be in the public spotlight,” I responded. “I don't want my every fucking move scrutinised by the media. Look, Royal Pain, you can have anyone you want in the world. People would happily go on a date with you. Please, find someone else.”

Tom grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to him. Looking into his chestnut brown eyes, I felt myself getting lost in them. That wasn't a good sign. The prince had minty breath that smelt almost heavenly. I felt myself tensing up and not being able to look into his eyes like I should.

Fine,” I sighed. “Then I’ll go.”

[usfwspacific]

Midway's Albatross: A New Threat Puts the World's Largest Colony at Risk

By Holly Richards / Public Affairs Officer with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Pacific Islands

WARNING: This blog contains graphic images of wounded albatross. 

Fall on Midway Atoll is a time of quiet expectation as the tiny island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean awaits the return of over a million Laysan albatrosses. Last week the first of the magnificent birds began to arrive, and  soon they will  be joined by over 70% of the world’s Laysan albatross population.  The birds return to Midway Atoll every year to lay their eggs and care for their chicks. 

But this year the birds face a growing and potentially devastating threat. This year, the staff on Midway Atoll are not just waiting for the birds to return; they are waiting to see if the crisis which began two years ago will continue to grow.

Video Description: Matt Brown describes the crisis that began on Midway Atoll in 2015.

December 2015  - Midway Atoll

The problem began in December of 2015. For days the volunteers - who return every year to count birds in the world’s largest albatross colony - had been noticing bloody wounds on the birds in one particular area of the refuge.

“We started trying to imagine what kinds of predators might have made their way to the colony. At first we thought it might be a migratory raptor like an owl or a hawk so we set up some automatic trail cameras. That’s when we discovered the mice,” said Beth Flint Wildlife Biologist for the Marine National Monuments of the Pacific.

“It was pretty upsetting to come across this group of beautiful graceful birds and to find them bloodied along the backs of their necks and their shoulder blades. It makes a big impact on you,” said Aisha Rickli-Rahman. Rahman was the Biological Program Crew Lead on Midway Atoll at that time of the initial attacks.

“The wounds were what you would expect if one animal  was chewing on another.” said Flint. The mice were chewing through the skin, into the muscle and fat, and even into the birds’ body cavities. Most of the wounds were located on the backs of the birds’ heads, on their backs, and in some cases under the wings.

Laysan albatrosses with wounds from mice attacks. Photo Credit: USFWS

Non-native house mice (Mus musculus) and black rats (Rattus rattus) became established on Midway Atoll’s Sand Island more than 75 years ago during military occupancy.  House mice persisted after the black rats were eradicated in 1996 and are now the sole rodent and non-native mammal present in the NWHI 

Biologists do not yet know what triggered the mice to begin preying on the largest birds on the island. Mice are omnivores - meaning that they will eat any source of food they can find in their quest to survive - but although they had been present on Midway Atoll for decades, there had never been a single documented case of predation on adult albatross by mice before the 2015 hatching season. “Regardless of what caused them to start this behavior, it has the potential to cause an incredible amount of damage to this colony. And it’s a problem that we have to address” said Brown. 

As the days passed the number of wounded birds grew; then the attacks began to spread.

Photo description: A gif showing the areas impacted by mice expand from one to three areas.

“This was something we had never expected to occur. Mice preying on adult albatrosses simply hasn’t been recorded here.”  

- Matt Brown, Superintendent for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in  Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.

Photo decription: Trail camera footage and stills of mice attacking an albatross. Photo credit: USFWS

Midway Atoll - An Ecological Marvel

Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge is located about 1,200 miles northwest of Honolulu within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM), in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands (NWHI).   Over three million birds, encompassing 29 different species, nest or winter on Midway Atoll’s three islands and all of them are susceptible to predation by mice. 

Hawaiian monk seals, green sea turtles and spinner dolphins frequent Midway's crystal blue lagoon encircled by coral, and the atoll is home to the largest albatross colony in the world and is the most important and successful breeding ground for Black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes) and Laysan albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis).

 Left to right: Laysan Albatross, Black-footed Albatross, Short-tailed Albatross

Among the three million seabirds who nest and rest on Midway Atoll each year is Wisdom, the world’s oldest known wild bird. Wisdom has been using the same nesting site on Midway Atoll since at least 1956, when she was first banded.

As the mice attacks began to spread across the island, distressed staff began to post watches near Wisdom’s nest to keep her safe.

Video Description: Interview with Aisha Rickli-Rahman

For the staff and volunteers on Midway Atoll, the fallout from the attacks was difficult to watch. “To see these docile easygoing birds being eaten alive was pretty jarring,” said Rickli-Rahman.

Clockwise from left: An bloody albatross sits on her nest. Staff examine a wounded bird. Close-up of injuries caused by a mouse attack. Photo credit: USFWS

As the staff and volunteers began doing surveys to look for more signs of predation, they started finding higher numbers of abandoned nests than usual, “It looked like the birds had been attacked and then said I can’t take this I'm outta here. That’s a significant thing for an albatross, because they are very devoted parents,” said Fint.

Albatrosses are tenacious incubators. It is incredibly difficult to get an albatross to leave their egg, and they will sit through weeks of hunger and thirst to protect it. 

Photo Description: An albatross parent and a small fluffy chick on the beach. Photo credit: USFWS

“Once we confirmed that the injuries were being caused by mice we needed to figure out if it was a rogue individual mouse or if it was a widespread change that we needed to address,” said Flint.

The attacks, which had begun in December 2015, continued to increase throughout the hatching and fledgling season but stayed confined to three small impact areas. “In that first year we had over 40 fatalities, and a couple hundred birds were impacted. We hoped it was a one time occurrence driven by climate conditions,” said Brown.

December 2016  - Midway Atoll

The majority of seabird extinctions around the world have been caused by invasive mammals, in particular non-native rodents. For most of the island’s history, there were no mammals on Midway Atoll, or any of the islands in the Pacific Ocean, and so Pacific seabirds like the albatross evolved without any fear or defense mechanisms against mammalian predators like rats, mice, cats, dogs, or humans.

Midway is so important for albatross because it is one of the last places left in their range where they can lay their eggs in safety.

Video decription: Interview with wildlife biologist Beth Flint.

“When 2016  rolled around we were on the lookout for mice predation. And sure enough we started seeing the same attacks on albatrosses - only this time it was a much greater number of birds and it was much more widespread. It was across the entire island,” said Brown.

From 2015 to 2017 there has been an exponential increase in mice attacks - both in the area on the island that is being impacted and the number of birds that being preyed  upon and dying from their wounds. 

Photo description: A gif showing the areas impacted by mice expand from three small zones to cover a large portion of the entire island. Hatch years are the season of hatching and fledgling that last from late fall to mid-summer of the next year. 

Part of the danger to the colony is that mice reproduce very quickly compared to albatrosses, which have a very slow pace of life. Albatross only have one egg every one to two years, and both parents invest a lot of energy into hatching and raising that chick.

The incredible about of time and work necessary for albatrosses to survive to adulthood, find a mate, and become a successful parent means that each adult bird is incredibly important to the overall survival of the colony.

"If mice started regularly preying on adult albatross we knew the potential was there for this to become a great big problem, not just for albatrosses but also for the other species of breeding seabirds at Midway," said Flint.

Their lack of defense mechanism and complete dedication to their eggs have left albatrosses defenseless against the threat of predation. Their slow reproductive cycle means that losses to the colony this year will continue to impact the population for decades to come.

“If we don’t do anything about this and that trend line continues up, we have the potential to jeopardize the health of the albatross population on Midway - the most important albatross colony in the North Pacific and the largest single albatross colony in the world,” said Brown.

The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service is committed to protecting and conserving the seabird colony on Midway Atoll and finding solutions to this growing crisis. For updates on the 2017 hatch season, and the efforts to combat mouse predation on Midway Atoll, follow us on Facebook @PacificIslandsFWS and on Twitter @USFWSPacific.

For more images of the mouse predation crisis on Midway, visit Flickr Midway Mouse Predation.

Learn more about Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial:

A Laysan Lovesong

MIdway Atoll: Restoring an Ecological Gem

A Future to Count on for Albatross at Midway NWR

Discovering Midway’s Cultural History

War and Peace at Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial 

Wisdom, the World’s Oldest Known, Banded Wild Bird has a new chick!

[honoluluspaandwellness-blog]

This is a unique Algae Peel Off Facial Mask for all skin types, especially for a dehydrated skin. At Honolulu Spa & Wellness this mask comes with our Ultimate Hydrafacial MD treatment. . This unisex formula offers an antioxidant and stimulating care for all ages, any time of year. Contains EXTRACTS OF GOJI BERRIES and QUINOA SEEDS. GOJI is characterized by its exclusive polysaccharides essential for a healthy skin condition. The skin appears more rested, with renewed strength. Goji berries are rich in essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, potassium, iron, zinc and selenium, which help fight off free radicals and increase production of collagen, minimizing fine lines and keeping the skin firm and supple. QUINOA supplies the skin with proteins of high biological quality, a balanced mixture of amino acids and a high content of B-group vitamins. The skin remains healthy with a youthful appearance. Moreover, quinoa prevents acne by reducing the secretion of sebum. This mask facilitates the penetration of the active ingredients contained in the mask and the cream applied to the skin. This mask can also be applied over the eyes and on the lips treating areas neglected by other masks. It lowers the temperature of your skin by up to 6ºC, providing a draining effect reducing puffiness and dark circles under the eyes. . . . Call/text for a complimentary consultation: 📲808.232.5626 📧 aloha@honoluluspaandwellness.com 🌐 http://www.honoluluspaandwellness.com #honoluluspaandwellness, #hawaiiskincare, #hydrafacial, #hydrafacialmd, #hawaiispa, #wellness, #microneedling, #hawaiibeauty, #malewaxing, #microdermabrasion, #massage, #imageskincare, #nanomicroneedling, #ledtherapy, #peels, #beauty, #skincare, #manscaping, #hawaii, #honolulu, #alamoana, #oauhulife, #reikihawaii, #kakaako, #luckywelivehawaii, #waxing, #brazilian, #manzilian,   #hawaiianspa, #hawaiianbeauty (at Ala Moana Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuRoSMJBTQ-/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=rb5affvpkary

[margxrxtcarter]

Over the phone

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Words: 1543

Warnings: Well, masturbation and phone sex

A/N: This is my entry for @bucky-plums-barnes​ ‘100 Banging Kinks for Bucky’s 100th Birthday’ (Number 30. Phone Sex) I post this a little late, but Gen is an angel for still letting me be a part of it

Is this proof read? Hhahah no

Being alone while the whole team was out on missions, the reason being because Steve had benched you just a short week before, couldn’t be more tedious. Reason was because of a small mission - though you had successfully completed it, your foot took quite some damage, with three broken bones and your achilles tendon ruptured. Bruce had taken care of it as soon as you had arrived at the compound, but now the orders were to take it easy, to let the bones and tendon heal as fast as possible.

You were just starting to wake up, the sunlight that pierced through the blinds hurt your eyes, not being used to the striking rays. Blinking a few times, you tried to get used to the painfully bright light, but you deemed that impossible and groaned - hiding under the duvet. Just as you reached for you phone on the bedside table, it buzzed, indicating that someone had sent you a message. Quickly grabbing it, you pulled it into your cocoon and pushed the home button, but the display light was just as painful as the sun light and you hissed at it, furiously rubbing the tiredness out of your eyes. Three more messages had come through during that short period of time, all three were from Bucky.

Good morning, beautiful

I miss you

I miss your body

I miss your laugh more, though

Chuckling lightly at Bucky’s messages, you started to type a reply, how you missed him too and how extremely boring it was without him, or anyone else from the team really. Though you had a few friends outside of the team, it wasn't really on such a deep level you had with anyone on the team and they were working. One had come over and eaten dinner with you, but she had to go after her babysitter called and said it had been an accident - and that they were in the ER. Falling into the trail of thoughts, you had almost forgot to press send on you message, but when your phone started to buzz frantically in you hand, you snapped back into reality. Pushing the answer button, you held the phone against your ear and dared to get out of you cocoon so it wouldn't sound muffled.

“Good morning, doll. I miss you,” it was Bucky that called, his husky voice immediately sending shivers down your spine.

“Hey, Buck. Miss you too,” turning onto the side, you put him on speaker and closed your eyes, almost imagining him lying there.

“It's lonely here in Honolulu, haven't had time to enjoy myself…” Bucky trailed off. You could hear shuffling on his end, as if he shifted in bed, but then it hit you that it's 3 AM where Bucky is and you started to scold him, rambling off to how he needs to be alert on the mission, not spending nights talking to you over the phone.

“But I want to, and I miss you. It's hard for a man to be away from whom he love,” you rolled you eyes at that, chuckling softly at it as you tried to hide your blush, even though no one's there to see it. Typical Bucky, always the ultimate charmer.

“You're so sappy, James Barnes,”

“I can be dirty, too,” he was quick to add that on, voice filling with lust over the line. “Real dirty,” You bit your bottom lip and squeezed your thighs together, your hand subconsciously trailing light strokes on your lower belly, teasing the lacy hem of your underwear.

“Is that so, Bucky bear?” you were not-so-innocently teasing the super soldier, trying to stifle a giggle as Bucky groaned on the other end. Both at the atrocious nickname you used on him and how you were breathing, knowing that he started to get you hot and bothered.

“Don’t act like you don’t know it Y/N, you love it when I’m dirty,” There was more shuffling and the sound of a zipper being undone on his side of the line before Bucky spoke up again, his husky voice sending shivers down your spine and your core throb with need. “You love it when I kiss my way down your body, letting my teeth grace your breasts and nipples. My hand groping your ass while the other rip your panties off,” you moaned softly at Bucky’s words, rolling onto your back, you kept teasing the hem of your panties while your other hand cupped one of your breasts, pinching the stiffened peak. “Are you touching yourself, Y/N?” Bucky’s voice was drowning in lust and you could just imagine his bed tousled hair, bare chest and feral eyes boring into your soul, leaving your core throbbing with need and anticipation, but in reality you had to settle for his dangerously tempting voice. You were just about to answer in a meek voice, but your teasing of the nipple prompted a moan to roll off your lips, just as you heard skin against skin contact on the other end.

“Yes, yes,” you hissed as you pinched your nipple again and let your hand travel down, under the hem and to grace your mound. The skin against skin sound stopped and you heard Bucky curse under his breath, before he started to speak again.

“Me too, imagining your pretty little mouth on my cock. Your tongue teasing me,” he cursed one again and you heard a dull slam, thinking that it only was him throwing his head back against the headboard. “Your beautiful eyes looking up through your lashes, because you know that drives me wild. Then, because I’m a gentleman, I pull you up into a searing kiss, tasting me on your tongue,” the skin against skin sounds started again and you moaned at the image of Bucky jerking off on the other side, while you slowly circled around your clit, taking the hand that was previously cupping your breast down to your inner thigh and pinched hard, just as Bucky bites down before putting his mouth against your core. Feeling bold, you started to talk to Bucky, voice sultry with lust.

“I would pull back and take my shirt off, but you wouldn’t be allowed to touch my breasts, not before you made me come on your tongue,” you heard Bucky curse profanities, his movements growing rapidly on the other end. “Then, I would push you down onto the bed and climb up, swatting your hands away because I know you can’t resist touching me while I take the reigns. Having my knees on either side of your face, you can see how wet I am for you,” inhaling a sharp breath, you slowly slid a finger into your core, subconsciously tightening around your digit and making you whine at the lack of fulfillment.

“What are you doing to yourself now? How does it feel?” he sounded desperate for the two of you to be on the same page, his voice starting to strain as it does before his own release. You pulled your bottom lip in between your teeth, biting down onto it as you added another finger. Taking your free hand you started pinching your swollen clit, breaths becoming uneven as the coil in your lower stomach started to tighten.

“I’m trying to imagine you in between my thighs, them holding your face in line as you thrust your fingers inside of me,” you tried to compose yourself, hoping that no one in your apartment complex heard you scream out sins. “It feels so good, too, but you know no one makes me feel so good as you do. Your mouth on my core, tongue on my clit and fingers filling me up!” completely overthrown by sensation, you moaned and threw your head back, hearing Bucky asking if you were close; if he could come. You could barely remember if you had answered when your orgasm hit you. The coil snapped and pleasure shot through your entire body, limbs twitching as you tried to overwork yourself a bit, drawing out the most of your pleasure. On the other line, you heard Bucky curse before he started to moan obscene, sounding almost pornographic. It was a minute of silence, something it usually was after any other time. A short minute for the both of you to compose yourself and find your speech. As usual, Bucky was the first one to break that silence;

“I love you, Y/N,” the sincerity in his voice made your stomach do backflips and butterflies burst in your chest.

“I love you too, Bucky” you turned your head to look at your phone, the picture of Bucky, when the two of you were on Coney Island, as you use to his number lighting up the display screen. His contagious bright smile and joyful eyes caused the butterflies to go wilder inside of you, making a big smile burst onto your face.

“I will be back tomorrow. Gonna take you out, then show you how much I really missed you” Bucky promised, and you could hear the extreme longing in his voice.

“I’ll hold you to that, James Buchanan Barnes”

[evejenny]

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                                                  STAFF FILE.

                                                      name    min joomi                                                       d.o.b     02/12/1993 (24)                                                       position    hotel psychic                                                       room    001

                                                          welcome to the end.                                                              kindest regards.

— first, we inquire: why?

min joomi’s upbringing had been anything but conventional, to say the absolute least. she was born on a cool fall day in honolulu, hawaii, and celebrated her first birthday in budapest. her parents, two photo-journalists for a very highly rated korean travel magazine, home-schooled her from the time she could hold her head up on her own. she learned korean and english together, and could hold a conversation in spanish by the time she was ten. “can you read this, joomi?” was the first thing she remembered her mother speaking to her, and the first word she ever babbled out loud was paris. home was not a house or flat or duplex, but whatever exotic hotel her and her older brother would be locked away in for the next week.

as a young child, she loved every minute of her nontraditional life. when they weren’t busy studying the local birds and history with their parents, joomi and her older brother would spend time playing a number of games they’d made up with toilet paper and bedsheets in little hotel rooms. but, as her brother grew older and became a teenager, the glamour wore off. he turned to drinking whatever he could pay the locals to buy him, slipping out at night to walk roman streets and causing trouble. he became distant and cold, and joomi became lonely. her brother left at sixteen, and hotels never felt so big before. she graduated with great marks and a bright future ahead of her, but headed to seoul instead of university, leaving her parents behind her.

in the beginning, min joomi worked an array of odd jobs, traveling from town to town and experiencing everything she could. always with just enough money to get by, she’d been a tour guide, bartender,  ticket booth saleswoman, dog-walker, weed trimmer,  and  translator by the time she was twenty-one. most of her meals were from convenience stores and when she wasn’t sleeping in shitty hotels, she was hitchhiking her way to the next town. she’d seen a dozen korean countrysides and a handful of cities, but when she finally reached seoul, things slowed down.

joomi played her first game of poker while drunk out of her mind and surrounded by loud gamblers. the suits and numbers blurred together dangerously as she shuffled them in her hand, and although she vomited somewhere in the middle, she still managed to win. joomi had never had a natural talent for anything in her life, but she could win any card game buzzed, drunk, or sober, it seemed. after that, it wasn’t hard to get sucked into one of the strangest scenes in seoul’s underground: gamblers.

joomi made something of a name for herself, growing close with a few friends that had become so addicted to poker they met up nearly nightly. she made twenty-five percent off her bets in profit in the little rooms they rented out to drink and play in, dimly lit and always loud with insults and laughter. she also made friends in low places, always knowing who to call for what when something went wrong. a washed up rich kid, an old man she thought might be in a gang, a ceo, and a traveler; they were a force to be reckoned with, always sucking on cigarettes and talking so big it was like they owned the city.

the group dissolved with none of the flashing fireworks you’d expect. instead, a few of the guys proposed to their girlfriends, and family became more important than nightly rounds of poker. joomi decided it was a good time to skip town, but before they ended their last game of cards together, the eldest member leaned in and slid a deck of tarot cards over the table to her.

“because you’re going places and i’m not.”

joomi had never been great with receiving gifts or goodbyes, so she took the cards with a nod and got on a bus the next morning. with dreams of the warm beach sun on her skin and a luxury, movie-star lifestyle, she headed to jeju. she spent the entirety of her gambling savings renting a room in the end for a few weeks, pretending to be rich and falling in love with the island. for maybe the first time in her life, joomi found a place she considered home.

just before money ran out, joomi learned how to make predictions with the mysterious deck of tarot cards. she practiced on a few other guests at random, laughing over drinks at the bar as she read off oddly specific prophecies as a joke. it made for good fun, until the predictions started coming true. not all of them, just a few here and there, the ones she supposed she had done right. before long, the hotel caught wind of the psychic giving out readings, and offered joomi a job. the rest is, of course, history.

— then, we wonder: what?

despite having told her parents (and herself) she left home for modelling, joomi had searched the entire city for her brother. she has the phone books and search history to prove her efforts, still looking for her personal idol and best friend even years after his disappearance. It’s not uncommon to find joomi tapping the shoulders of any guest around his age, asking for a name and birthplace just to be sure. while she liked to believe she didn’t have a huge dependency on the whereabouts of her brother, she also spends more time than she’d care to admit thinking about him.

as time goes on though, joomi is seeing more and more of her phony predictions coming true in the end. it’s not always in the exact sense, sometimes the results coming in disguised little coincidences. sometimes, she’ll pull a wealth card and the guest’s room will be upgraded, or she’ll predict a misfortune while playing with the cards on her own and there will be a new fiasco at dinnertime. the little things add up, though, and joomi is starting to wonder if there is more to her deck of cards than she originally thought.

— finally, we demand: who?

joomi has always wanted a life like the classics. she’s watched gone with the wind over a dozen times and can recite nearly every line of casablanca. she fell in love with old hollywood films in the free section of hotel pay per view, observing with wide, eager eyes as the women danced and had larger-than-life experiences. she wanted all the glamour that came with a life in movies, all the sparkling hope and kissing in the rain, and she knew the only way to get it was to be them.

[massagedbyjobe]

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