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starr-fall-knight-rise · 4 years

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HASO, “Traitor.”

Going to be working on this one for a while. Hope you guys enjoy the update :)

He did his best to stay calm even as he was led into another room and introduced to their drake boss. He tried to keep his expression somewhere between an easy smile and a thoughtful nod, let them think he was really considering their offer, really considering their offer to go out and murder himself.

It was all just so unbelievable.

He couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that the chairwoman would want him killed. He thought the two of them were long time allies. He thought she had been the one, along with Admiral Kelly, to support his rise to the rank of captain when all of this began. What had happened between now and then to necessitate her desire to kill him.

He had to admit that he was both hurt and concerned for himself.

His brother Thomas was out there posing as him while the universe's most powerful politician plotted to end his life. She had the strength of the entire GA Armada behind her. He doubted all the ships would attack the omen if she asked, but at least some of them would, and without him there to maneuver the ship…. He worried that they wouldn’t last through a fight.

His stomach churned as the two pirate women spoke among each other trying to make him believe a lie. His stomach tied itself into another knot. He was surrounded by an entire galaxy of people who wanted to kill him, and for what?

Because the human race was growing too powerful politically? And somehow he had something to do with it.

Despite suddenly being thrown into politics at a young age, he knew that he didn’t understand them. He was a pilot and a soldier first and foremost, and he found that being a politician required lying to people and in ways that he just wasn’t capable of. He knew he was in a vulnerable position.

The two women finished their little speeches, satisfied that they had followed him, and he nodded to them as he was led back out into the hall. Cannon walked behind him the entire time spear held at the ready, ready to cut down anyone who tried anything. He had no doubt that they would be able to handle Beatrice and Geea. The Drev was no great shakes as a warrior and Beatrice behaved more like a crack addict with a knife than she did a fighter. Between him and Cannon they could take the two of them out.

In fact, Adam could probably take both of them at once if he had to, though he didn’t relish the idea.

He had a feeling that the two of them were being used just as anyone else might be. They weren’t working for themselves but being manipulated by a system that didn’t want to get in trouble itself.

The two of them were just patsies.

They led him out of the room and back into the main thoroughfare of the pirate waystation. Where once he had been excited to view all of the cool and illegal technology, he now felt sick to his stomach. Neon lights flashed above him under colorful ad campaigns for new jetpacks and all he could think of was the betrayal.

He needed to talk to someone. Immediately.

“I must return to my ship to make preparations.”

“We will come with you.”

He shook his head, “No, I need you to make sure that the rest of my men are getting along in the equipment they find. If they don’t get what we need then the mission is a bust, so you better make sure things go smoothly.

He didn’t wait for them to respond, but turned on his heel and made his way back towards the ship, his boots clattering on the metal flooring.

Beatrice said something rude behind him, but he ignored her for the most part.

He didn’t care about her at this point, she was simply a pawn in a larger game.

And while they were pawns….. Well that would have to make him a King, which honestly wasn’t much better than a pawn.

He was a target for an assassination, and the entire board felt like it was moving around them, and the opposing queen had him in her sights.

He was going to have to change that.

He stepped into the tube leading him into his “fake” pirate ship.

It had been a lot of fun pretending to be a pirate over the past few months or so, allowing words of his deeds to spread in just the right circles, and crafting elaborate stories of daring encounters with UNSC cargo ships who were willing to help him with his plan. For the most part it had all gone off without a hitch, and he had been able to live out every child’s fantasy of becoming a pirate.

But now, now the jig was up and the fun was over. He was going to have to figure out something in the next few hours.

He stepped onto the ship and headed towards his rooms, shutting the door behind himself before setting up a secure transmission to the Omen. The line that he sent the transmission out on was disguised as some sort of manifest request to an orbiting ship above. No one would find anything interesting about it, though the signal would be intercepted by the Omen and opened on another secure channel, which generally tended to be used to monitor cosmic feedback.

He waited there for a moment as the device rang a few times, and then the screen sputtered to life.

The picture wasn’t the greatest quality, but they had made sure to do that over the past few days to hide any of the small quirks about Thomas that would have made him easy to identify as an imposter.

“Cargo?”

The word was a pre made code word asking if it was safe to speak out of character.

Thomas would respond with either, “Goods, or weapons.” The first meaning go and the second meaning stop.

“Goods.”

The image before him cleared up, and his brother's face peered back at him from the camera. He had to admit, they had done a good job in making him look Like Adam. He had tousled blond hair and eyepatch and likely makeup to adjust the structure of his face. All in all, it was pretty impressive, but being Adam and Thomas being his brother he could definitely tell. Thomas was shorter and a bit thinner than he was, though he had filled out since joining the marines, and his hair was a shade or two off from Adam’s.

“You good?” Thomas asked, flipping up the eye patch to show his real eye.

Adam sighed, and rested his elbows on the table before him, “There has been a….. A massive compilation, and I’m not sure what to do.”

Lord Avex still sat on his shoulder, and had been surprisingly quiet since the revelation about the chairwoman.

“Are Sunny Krill and the others there, I need to talk to them.”

Thomas nodded and shuffled on the other side of the camera for a minute before returning.

“How about physically. Haven't had the shit kicked out of you, have you?”

Adam shook his head, “No, no I’m alright, Just mentally reeling at this point.”

He rubbed his temples trying to stave off the headache he could feel coming on.

There was a soft thud and hiss, and the door behind Thomas opened.

Sunny stepped into the room and hurried over to the monitor resting her hand on the back of the chair Thomas sat in, “Adam, are you alright!” The worry in her voice was palpable. She had wanted to come along on the mission with him, but he had reasoned that she was too recognizable. Even if they had changed her colors it would have been far too easy to identify her. She hadn’t like that, but had still agreed to stay behind.

“I’m alright, physically anyway, and so are the others.”

“You’ve figured out who their leader is.”

Adam went quiet, and by the looks he was receiving, he knew that they could sense the tension in his face, “Wait till the others get here.”

Just when he said it, the door hissed open again and Simon, Dr. Katie and Krill walked into hte room.

Dr Krill inflated his helium sack and floated into the air, looking him over with a critical eye for a long moment, “You don’t seem injured, so that is a good sign.”

Adam sighed and shook his head, “I wish that were the case.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I mean I would rather be beaten up than dealing with the real problem at this point.” He rested his head against his hands and squeezed his eyes shut.

“Look, this is going to sound absolutely insane, so I will just go ahead and send you the recording.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out the recording device he had taken with him dropping it into the little well on the communications array. There was a soft whirr and it slowly levitated upward and began to spin. The video was played back for the others to see, and they watched in silence ad growing horror as the Chairwoman of the GA plotted his death.

When the recording cut off, the group of them stared at him with wide eyes.

Sunny shook her head, “This makes no sense.”

“Why would she…..”

Adam shook his head, “I don’t know…. I thought we were on good terms, but it seems as if that is no longer the case. THe GA is against us, or at least the head of the GA is. I don’t know who is loyal to us, and I certainly don’t know who to trust.”

It was then that lord Avex piped up hopping down from Adam’s shoulder, “The Celzex will always be on your side, Admiral. That is why I came on this mission, that is why your ship is the only one equipped with our weaponry.” he stamped one of his feet, “We will wipe her and her puny planet off the map.”

Adam raised a hand, “Woah…. woah , I don’t know about that. We have to do this carefully. I doubt she is acting with the entire interest of her species in mind, but more likely a small group of people. If we are going to deal with her we will want to confront her quietly where no one else is going to get hurt.

Lord Avex didn’t seem particularly pleased about that turn of events, but he kept quiet and allowed Adam to continue.

“We need to expose her publicly is what we need.”

Sunny shook her head, “And how do you plan to do that. There is already the problem of you having to assassinate yourself, which really isn’t going to do us well at this moment in time.”

He shook his head, “IT will be easy to take care of the pirates, they aren't all that smart and taking them out won’t be difficult. Just let them board the ship and then we can deal with them from there. After that is what I am worried about. We need her to show her hand, and we need to gather plenty of evidence. What I have right now is good, but if we can find something better, then that will ease my mind.”

He stood and paced back and forth slightly across the room, “We need…. We need to open me up to them. We need to make it look like I am vulnerable, we need to give them a chance to carry everything out, make it look like I am an easy target. Let thor guard down, and then when they come for me, we close around them like a bear trap and they will be none the weiser.” He tapped his fingers against the table, “You can’t help but leave some kind of digital trail in a time like this, it is completely impossible, if we have one end of her plot in a public setting, than we can unravel it right before her eyes and there will be nothing she can do about it.”

Krill, who had been mostly quiet for this time shook his head, “It seems strange that she would involve herself so closely. Using a proxy to do all the work for her would at least give her plausible deniability, why would she do it herself ?”

It was Thomas’s turn to pipe in, “Seems easy enough. She’s the only one she can trust. If what you say is true than I doubt she is going along with the interests of her own people. If she involves someone else than it is going to get messy for her especially if she doesn’t know where their loyalties really lie. She would have to make the decision to deal with it herself and ricks being caught, or risk being outed by the people that she trusted, and seeing that most of the Rundi are politicians at heart, it wouldn’t surprise me that she wouldn’t trust anyone ther than herself.” he waved a hand in the air, “They are grabbing for power just like she is, and they might see this as an opportunity to undermine her and set themselves up to become the new chancellor.”

He nodded slowly, that did make some measure of sense.

But how to pull hair out of hiding.

One thing at a time he supposed.

Outside he heard the sound of footsteps coming up the hall, and he turned to look at them making a quick hand signal, and the feed was cut off. He leaned back in his chair just as there was a knock at the door.

“Come in!” He ordered, and the door opened up to reveal cannon trailed by Beatrice and Geea.

He growled internally

They continued to get in his way and were becoming a real annoyance for his plan.

He was gong to have to deal with them soon.

“Ah, ladies, you’re back. Were we able to find all of our supplies.

Geea stepped forward, “I believe we have, now you better get to work quickly, my employer grows impatient with your stalling”

I bet she does, he thought standing and smiling to conceal the rage that was festering inside him. He walked over and patted the Drev on the arm, “Don’t worry, by this time tomorrow you will be all sorted out, and all of us can go happily on our merry way.”

He slipped past her and walked into the hall chin down eyes narrowed, hands balled into fists slightly at his sides.

By this time tomorrow they could begin dealing with the traitors, whoever they may be.

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iamdunn · 3 years

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Miraculous Flash Forward part 9: A New Dynamic

A Miraculous Fan-Fic

Written by

AJ Dunn

Adrien couldn’t wait to get back home and start making preparations. The trip to Paris hadn’t gone as badly as he was afraid it would. In fact, maybe he and Marinette could put their past behind them finally and start a life together. He had agreed to stay for the wedding since Marinette had gone through the trouble of making his Tux for him, and Nino wouldn’t have let him leave, he would have released Alya on him and that was frightening enough considering she had Trixx to back her up. Plus, Luka had Sass and he really didn’t need that kind of drama in his life. Honestly, he was happy he went. Even Nino saved a place for him after 5 years, in this case, the place of best man.

“I will.” She had said. The memory of her words played in his mind as they swayed around the dance floor. She had agreed to be his roommate in Shanghai. She swore she didn’t want him to leave her and that she truly did love him. Plus, losing her roommate meant she was looking for a new one. He was certain though that his studio condo wasn’t going to be sufficient for them. She would need her own room and considering how flustered he made her, he would need a private room so she didn’t lose herself whenever he walked around without a shirt on.

“Yeah, no more hanging out in the seating area in nothing but a towel,” Plagg said to him as they prepared to leave for the airport.

“Who knows, I might occasionally forget and well…”

“You’ll be quickly reminded when she walks through the walls to get away from you.” Plagg laughed. Adrien laughed too imagining her overdramatic reactions. Adrien’s phone rang.

“Are you sure about this Adrien?” Felix said. He had told his cousin he would need to upgrade his suite and asked for him to get him in touch with the management company.

“Absolutely,” Adrien smiled. “I wouldn’t want her getting a cheap apartment, that neighborhood is bad news, besides, she still doesn’t speak Mandarin and I can’t have her getting lost here again can I? OH, and I am going to tell her about us.” His words came out so quickly he hoped his cousin would agree and not snap at him.

“Do you trust her that much?” Felix sounded shocked. “Having her move in with you is one thing, but this affects us both.”

“Yes, I do. Besides, if this is going to work, her and I can’t have secrets between us.”

“It’s a shame she didn’t have a twin sister.” Felix scoffed.

“What?” Adrien teased.

“Nothing, never mind… shut up.” Felix snorted. “I’ll send them a message to call you.” He hung up.

The flight back was a sleepless one as Adrien reeled over the idea that Marinette was coming to live with him. This will change everything. He tried to sleep but, listening to music, even tried doing some reading. Sleep didn’t come until he was back home in his own bed. He wasn’t sure how long he had been asleep when his phone rang.

“Mr. Graham De Vanily?” the voice came over. “Ah, Mr. Graham De Vanily called and said you wanted to renegotiate your lease.” Adrien refrained from laughing.

“Adrien please.” he laughed, “And my cousin, he’s just Felix.” It is still funny when people see them together, and they have the same last name, but then call each other cousins. A thing that had always been fun. “Yes, I want a larger unit.”

“I’m afraid the only unit we have available larger than the one you are in, is our 3 bedroom two bath unit at the opposite end of your floor.”

“That’s perfect.” He refrained from using his cattish terminology with such a business call. Although the excitement in him wanted to so badly.

“Fine, I shall send the paperwork over immediately, I assume you want to make the transition before the end of the month? As that is when your lease is due to renew.”

“Yes of course.”

“Please get the paperwork back to us promptly.” A ding came through his phone the second he hung up. It was an email from the property management containing the digital documents that he needed to Esign and return. He made haste to finish the paperwork before heading out to see Cheng Sifu and check on the temple. The sky was clear as Adrien made his way home from Cheng Sifu’s restaurant with a sack of leftovers and a few grocery items he had bought on the way. By grocery items that meant cheese for Plagg. While Camembert wasn’t available here, Manchego had become his replacement.

They leaped from rooftop to rooftop not worried about remaining unseen as he had before the reunion. It felt freeing to just be himself and not hide anymore. His students already called him Laoshi Mao, though they didn’t know why it wasn’t Laushi Adrien. Well, Mao sounded a lot better. He slipped through the balcony door and wondered what their new apartment would look like. He was sure all of the units on this floor had a balcony. His phone ran just as he entered the apartment and before he transformed. It was a video call.

“Hello M’Lady,” he answered in his most cattish tone. She giggled then began swatting away at some unseen thing, most likely the Kwami’s.

“They’re all excited to be moving and they have been trying to pack for me.” She giggled again.

“Well, I am Pawsitively feeling clawssome about it too, M'Lady.”

“You dork.” She laughed. “Detransform and feed Plagg.” She said playfully.

“As you wish.” he let his transformation go as Plagg darted into the bag and began tearing at the plastic wrapper. “Hold on, this guy… “ he set the phone down and tried to wrestle the package from the nearly rabid creature. “Hold on, let me open the package at least, you’re going to kill yourself.” Marinette laughed at the ordeal. It was certainly going to be interesting having so many Kwami’s around.

Adrien reached over, picking up the phone again as Plagg stole away the now open package. “You’d think I starve him.”

“So, how was your day?” she said in a melodic tune.

“It would have been better if you were already here.” He said holding up a clear plastic container containing remnants of the Crab stew which had become one of his favorite dishes. The container had Cheng’s restaurant label on it.

“Did you tell him?” Her face went into a look of concern.

“I’ll have you know I am a cat of my word,” he said nonchalantly.

“Adrien?”

“Of course not.” A look of relief as she wanted to surprise him. She even insisted that her mother and father keep their tongue too. Threatening not to write or call for a week if they did. They were so happy for her to be moving to Shanghai, not to mention in with Adrien. Their faces lit up as they began discussing nicknames for grandkids. Adrien found the whole conversation unnerving at first but when he saw the looks on their faces, the pure joy, he felt grateful they were such wonderful people.

He still hadn’t talked to Emelie despite her condition improving. Amalie maintained the radio silence as well after Felix had threatened to cut her out of his life completely if she didn’t give Adrien space. Though, Adrien hadn’t told Marinette about all of that mess yet. He was afraid it would scare her off and he wanted her to enjoy her time here before bombing her with it.

Weeks had gone by as Adrien packed up his studio and shuffled all of his stuff into the new apartment. The Apartment opened up into the foyers, with a partial wall separating it from the living room. The kitchen to the right just like his old apartment had a counter divider with two bar stools on the living room side. The marble decor was the same as his old unit, taking into mind the carpeting in the living room stopped before the bar stools. The coat closet next to the front door was slightly deeper like a mini walk-in. There was a small dining table situated by the windowed wall in the kitchen. It was twice the size of his last kitchen.

He found the stairs to the loft in the same place however instead of an open bedroom area there were four doors. One was a bathroom and the other three bedrooms. The master bedroom, being nearly the size of his last unit, had its own bathroom with a walk-in shower and jet stream tub. The second and third bathrooms were on either side of the bathroom. Adrien decided to move his stuff into the smaller of the two rooms closest to the stairs so that Marinette could have the main room with her own bathroom.

It only took him a week to clean out the old unit and clean it even though professional cleaners would be in to clean it properly. The unit was unfurnished but the furniture from the old unit was bought by Amelie so he had a few bell boys help him move it into the new unit. He had only to buy a bed for Marinette before she got there. He had Sabine pick out some furniture online and he ordered it.

The two weeks flew by faster as he spent more time at the temple tutoring the youth. As well as his daily chores there.

A video call with Marinette came in very early in the morning, though it wasn’t that early where she was at. She had just arrived at the airport with her parents who were seeing her off. Her bags were checked and she was standing in front of the windows overlooking the runway.

“I can’t wait to see you, Princess.” He said enthusiastically as he lay in his bed. He tried to not let her see he was in bed or that he didn’t have a shirt on, she’d be a mess and end up missing her flight.

“Did I wake you?” She looked guilty

“I wouldn’t have missed this call for anything Princess, you better get on that plane you let me down now.” he winked at her.

“Don’t worry, that was her boarding call. We are putting her on the plane right now,” Tom said. Adrien chuckled as they hung up the phone.

“I’m just surprised you love birds are going to be in separate rooms.” Plagg teased. “How long is that going to last?”

“Hey, you have your own room now, what are you harassing me for?” Adrien teased him.

“Actually that is going to be Marinette’s sewing room, right?” Plagg had a point.

“I mean, when she gets here, you can start staying in the miracle box with the others.”

“Too cramped. I need to stretch my legs and be free.” Plagg folded his arms behind his head as he hovered over the bed. Adrien copied him as he lay in his bed. His phone ran again, this time it was Felix.

“I’ll be coming to Shanghai today, I am at the airport now.” He sounded rushed.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” Adrien asked. It meant he would be on the same plane with Marinette. His stomach balled up.

“A last minute showing of some new designs and they can’t seem to be able to agree on one.” Felix said something to the boarding clerk. “I need you to attend with me.”

“I have classes, I can’t cancel them, plus I am now tutoring some of my students.” Adrien complained. It made things worse that he wouldn’t be able to spend time with Marinette.

“I’m sure we can arrange the viewing for after your classes or before. What time is your fist class and last class….” He paused. “You know what, we can discuss that when I get there.” his voice had changed from rushed to pleasant and happy. Damn, did he see Marinette, is he sitting with her? Adrien’s anxiety tightened on his chest as he laid back against his pillow.

After a long and nerve wracking day, Adrien stood at the airport waiting for both his cousin and his...friend? He hadn’t bothered to change his clothes after he finished at the temple, so he was still dressed in his yi-fu. He decided to wait near the baggage claim so he could help grab her luggage. Felix would likely have one bag and it was probably a carry on. Adrien saw her bags first and grabbed up. She had a lot as he had expected, they were pink with darker pink polka dots, no surprise there. As he finished loading them on a luggage cart he heard Felix’s voice.

“Are you serious Marinette, that would be great.” Felix sounded excited, a tone he didn’t use very often. Adrien could feel the heat in his face as he tried to compose himself before turning around to greet them.

“Adrien.” Marinette exclaimed as he turned around to catch her as she leaped into his arms. He spun her around holding her tightly and making a big show of it. “Look who found me on the plane, he wants me to come with you two to the fashion showing this afternoon.” Adrien feigned a smile. While Marinette was the fashion expert between the three of them, he wasn’t sure if his cousin’s intentions were pure, or if he was competition.

“So, I hope you got that sare bedroom made up for me…” Felix leaned in to whisper. “Brother.” Adrien’s face burned even more now, said spare bedroom was right next to her room and well, was empty.

“Sure, if you don’t mind sleeping on the floor.” Adrien laughed as they loaded up in the car. Felix pulled out his phone and made a call.

“I need a spare bed set up in the Graham De Vanily room, you’ll know which room.” Adrien was amazed at how resourceful his cousin was. This is why he is the primary controlling party for the company. The ride back to the apartment in the Taxi was cramped with Marinette wedged between Adrien and Felix. Adrien, being clearly larger than his twin, though not too much. Marinette let out a loud yawn so Adrien threw his arm over her shoulder and pulled her head into his chest casting a possessive glance to Felix, who simply smirked back to him.

The Bus boys carried her bags to the suite.

“I don’t know about you two, but I am famished.’ Felix said, “Shall we step out for dinner?”

“That sounds great, we should go to Thousand Delights?” Adrien smiled at her excitement.

“Are you okay to go, Marinette,” Adrien asked “You were nearly falling asleep in the plane, you might need a nap.”

“Nonsense. She’s fine.” Felix swooped a hand over her shoulder and led her back to the curb. “Shall I call a driver to come get us, less cramped than a taxi.” Competition is then. Adrien scowled.

“If my accommodations aren’t sufficient for you, COUSIN,” Adrien slid his arm around her waist tugging her to his side and out of Felix’s hands. “You are welcome to make your own. Felix’s smile was one of mischief as he let his arm fall from her shoulders. Her face froze in a ‘what just happened’ expression. A few minutes later a mini black limo arrived and the driver moved quickly to open the door.

“Lady’s first.” Felix insisted then slid in after her. Adrien ran to the other side to let himself in next to her. Once again, Marinette was trapped between the two, though Adrien focuses on the fact, she would be staying with him when Felix returned to Paris.

“Where’s your ring?” Adrien finally asked, having noticed his hand free of it when his arm was around Marinette.

“I uh, Amalie,” he choked. “They want yours as well to get them refinished or something.” Adrien slipped the ring off his finger and handed it to Felix.

“I don’t know what Amalie and Emelie want with them, but they have no meaning to me.” Adrien turned to the window.

“Ooookay.” Marinette’s voice broke through the awkwardness. “Amalie? Emelie? Not mother?”

“It’s a long story.” Felix said, patting her knee.

“Well, tell me tonight, when we get back?” Marinette’s voice was so sweet. Adrien was glad didn’t didn’t stumble over her words like she did when they were younger, now he could have a real conversation with her and actually know the true intentions of her words.

“We will have plenty of time to talk about that Marinette,’ Adrien smiled at her as he put his arm around her shoulders again, “But let’s just have some fun first,” He kissed her forehead, casting a glance to Felix. The thought of telling her made his stomach clench and he could tell it was difficult for Felix too. Not exactly something that comes up in casual conversation.

Cheng Sifu was excited to see him, but his confusion over the “Cousin” kept him constantly glancing back and forth between them. Felix and Adrien smiled at him, then they both laughed.

“Cheng Sifu, we get that all of the time, our mothers are identical twins as well.” Adrien didn’t mean to add that, but it was too late.

“What he means is, we share the Graham De Vanily twin genes.” Felix to the rescue, casting a scowl at Adrien. “Which means.” smiling at Marinette, “When we have children, our wives will bear us twins.” Adrien caught the wink in his eye.

“Well, I don’t think we need to worry about you having any children any time soon Felix,” Adrien leaned back in his seat as his empty bowl sat in front of him. He wrapped an arm around Marinette, “You have to have a girlfriend first.” He gave Marinette a gentle squeeze and a smile.

“Oh.” Felix said, putting his napkin down on the table. “And you do? I thought she was just a friend?”

“Yeah, she is.” Adrien smiled at her. “A girlfriend.” He placed a quick kiss on her startled lips. Making a show of it before Felix could question if he even had a chance. Adrien knew Marinette had loved him since day one, even though she only knew the facade his father created, but he loved her for her.

“I see.” Felix’s tone seemed to have a playful melody to it. “I’m happy to hear that.” Cheng Sifu began to play his happiest of songs on his accordion.

“I always knew the two of you would be together someday.” A joyful tear fell down his cheek.

#miraculous fandom #miraculous chat noir #ladynoir #adrienette #miraculous ladybug #marichat #miraculous world #felix graham de vanily #Adrien Graham De Vanily #miraculous fanfic

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vexing-imogen · 4 years

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the persistence of 6/?

read from beginning | read on ao3

Vex doesn’t intend on leaving the manor grounds, not at first. She’s in a new city, despite having lived here for several years, and getting herself lost would only serve to panic everyone, and would be rather humiliating to boot. But, even with Trinket at her side, the garden that was so inviting last night has become unbearable. Oppressive.

She’s suffocating. So while she knows that leaving is probably a bad idea, she can’t bring herself to stay.

She stands, using Trinket’s shoulder for leverage, then scratches him behind the ears. “Let’s go for a walk, buddy.”

It’s still early enough that the streets are near deserted. The few people Vex does pass as she wanders give her a wave or a nod and go about their business. She deliberately avoids the streets that will take her back to the town square and those unnerving statues. There’s a castle on a hilltop to the north, so she sets off in that direction, her interest piqued.

She loses track of time while walking, and eventually she stops to take a break by a wrought iron gate. A faded signpost pointing to the right reads “To the Zenith and the Greyfield”. A raven caws, and she feels a pull in her chest, as if her subconscious is telling her that the answers she need lie at the end of this path.

Trinket makes a mournful noise as she walks through the gate and starts down the path, but he follows dutifully, glancing about for anything untoward. It is kind of creepy, she will admit. They pass a temple first, large and very old. The Zenith, if she had to guess. The sun shines through the stained glass window as she passes, bathing her in warm, colored light, and she places her hand to her heart and bows without thinking. A chill runs down her spine, but she shakes it off and keeps going.

The Greyfield is a cemetery, she finds. The eerie silence is only broken by the occasional raven’s cry. And if she’d thought the city was overpopulated with ravens, it’s nothing compared to this. The main group of them seem to be clustered around a mausoleum on the far end of the field, and her curiosity outweighs any fear she might be feeling.

There’s no name carved into the stone, no indication of it belonging to anyone in particular. The door is open, and she ventures inside. The air is cold and stale, and she realizes that someone has set this place up as a shrine of some kind. There’s an altar laid out in the center of the room, adorned with ravens feathers, small white flowers, and a bowl of some dark liquid. She dips a couple fingers in it. It’s cold and viscous and is most definitely blood.

She stares at her fingers, at the blood that drips from them onto the marble floor, an uneasy pit settling in her stomach. “What the fuck is this place?”

“Creepy, isn’t it?”

Vex shrieks and spins around, her heart racing in her chest. Keyleth is there in the doorway, regarding the mausoleum with disdain.

“Sorry,” she says, wincing. “I promise this place isn’t actually as bad as it looks.”

Vex takes a couple of deep breaths. “What is it?”

“A temple to the Raven Queen,” Keyleth says, and Vex doesn’t miss the bitterness in her voice, or the way she refuses to actually step into the space. “Percy had this repurposed for Vax, so he’d have a place to worship while he was in Whitestone.”

She doesn’t miss the way Keyleth hesitates before saying her brother’s name.

“You love him, don’t you?” she asks. “Vax.”

The way Keyleth’s eyes widen is all the answer she needs, but she nods after a moment. “It, uh, didn’t exactly work out, but...yeah.”

“Didn’t work out,” Vex repeats. “Did it have anything to do with Her?” She nods towards the shrine.

Keyleth laughs, wipes away a tear. “Yeah, you could say that.” She sighs. “It’s...complicated. He had to go. To serve Her. And I couldn’t follow.”

Vex hugs Keyleth tight. “I’m sorry, darling. I can kick his ass for you the next time I see him, if you’d like.”

Keyleth shrinks back out of Vex’s embrace. “That won’t be necessary. It’s fine, really. I’ve...made my peace with it.”

Liar she thinks, but she doesn’t push. “I guess we should probably go back, shouldn’t we?”

Keyleth takes her hand as they walk through the cemetery. “How are you feeling?”

She sighs, tries to ignore the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. “Lost,” she says finally. “Have you ever...had a word caught on the tip of your tongue, and you know you should know it, and you know that once you hear it you’ll remember, and you’ll feel so fucking stupid for ever forgetting it?”

Keyleth nods.

“That’s what this feels like,” she continues. “Except it’s not just one word, it’s five years of my life, and I don’t know if I’ll ever actually remember.”

“We’ll figure this out, Vex,” Keyleth says, squeezing her hand. “There’s a solution out there, I know there is, we just have to find it.” She stops them, cups Vex’s face in her hands. “I promise you, we will fix this.”

Vex sniffles, looks away from her friend’s earnest gaze. “That’s what you all said yesterday.”

=============================================================

Percy feels like he’s going mad with worry. Sure, Vex is more than capable of taking care of herself, and Keyleth had done a quick scry before going off to find her, and assured him that she was fine. But he’s still tense and anxious, and he’s going to wear a groove in the floorboards if he doesn’t stop pacing soon.

They’d all been so confident in Pike, in her healing abilities, that none of them had been prepared for the spell to not work. Except for Vex he thinks. She’d accepted defeat so easily, seemed to have almost been expecting it, and that’s what has him truly scared. He’s never witnessed Vex give up quite so fast, and he doesn’t know what it means.

For him. For her. For them...

A knock on the doorframe jolts him out of his thoughts. Scanlan is standing there with a sad smile. “Hey. I managed to calm Pike down,” he starts. “She should be coming back soon enough. I think she was going to have a little chat with Sarenrae. How’s Vex?”

Percy shrugs. “Not sure,” he admits. “She took off just after you and Pike left. Didn’t say where she was going. Keyleth had to scry to find out where she’d gone.”

Scanlan nods, taps his foot nervously. “I had an idea,” he says. “And obviously we’d have to run it by Vex, and if you guys say ‘no’ I’ll never bring it up again-”

“Scanlan.” Percy cuts off his rambling. “What was your idea?”

The gnome sighs. “If, for whatever reason, there’s absolutely no way to restore Vex’s memories, I thought I could maybe use Modify Memory on her. To give her a highlight reel of the last few years. It would take some time, and I can’t give her everything, but she’d have something back. The important stuff, at least.”

Percy’s so overwhelmed with emotion, he does the first thing that comes to his mind. He hugs Scanlan.

“Can you really do that, Scanlan?”

Percy’s head snaps up. Vex is standing just beyond the doorway with Keyleth and Pike. He doesn’t want to jinx anything, but she looks almost hopeful.

“I can,” Scanlan says, turning to face her. “But only with your consent. And you’d have to trust that we wouldn’t give you any false or altered memories.”

She mulls it over for a minute. “I’ll have to think it over,” she says. “But, no matter what, it’s an incredibly sweet offer, Scanlan.”

“It might not even be necessary,” Pike says, stepping forward. “I spoke with Sarenrae, for a while, and she told me what we have to do to get Vex’s memories restored.”

“That’s great, Pike,” Keyleth says. “What do we have to do?”

Pike sighs. “Well, the reason my spell didn’t work is because Sarenrae doesn’t have dominion over memories. The Raven Queen does,” she explains. “I’ve been able to restore memories before because the effect was smaller, in Percy and Grog’s case, or it was a physical ailment, like the Gith we met in Pandemonium. What happened to Vex was bigger, and magical. It’s not something Sarenrae or I can fix.”

“But the Raven Queen can?” Percy guesses.

“Yes.” Pike looks up at Vex. “If you’re willing to try, I already got in touch with the Raven Queen’s temple in Vasselheim. We can go as early as tomorrow, and hopefully they can cure you.”

“I think it’s worth a shot,” Percy says. “But the choice is yours, dearest.”

Vex looks uncertain until her attention is caught by something outside. Percy follows her gaze to Vesper, playing in the garden with Rika. He looks back to Vex, and she nods once, firmly. “I suppose there’s no harm in trying.”

=============================================================

Her dreams that night are horrific. There’s no visual, just pitch darkness, but the voices are as clear as day. And they’re all awful.

The first is her brother, and she can almost feel him grasping her hand. Do not go far from me. If we are out of earshot, you are too far from me. Do not go far from me.

Her own tearful response. Do you think this is what mother saw before she died?

The next is a voice she doesn’t recognize, but it sends chills down her spine, sickly and oozing. Sweet, broken Vex’ahlia... a question, from her What would you ask in return? him again Your heart.

My heart is someone else’s.

Scanlan calling for her from across a battlefield. Her sobbing, casting healing spells uselessly into an unresponsive body. I’m not leaving Percy!

A cold room, a colder feeling in her chest. Desperate to do something, anything. But I don’t want to be here if you’re not. Whitestone still needs you, darling. I still need you here.

Grog’s voice, loud. Angry. Devastated. FIX HIM!

Then herself again. Having a conversation with someone, but the replies are static.

I feel like she’s taking part of me away.

I don’t know how to live.

Please. I love you. I don’t accept this.

I’m going to find you.

And, finally, on a maddening loop.

Where’s Vax?

She wakes from her nightmares with a scream, thrashing against the confines of her blanket. Her foot connects with something, and Percy grunts.

“Vex’ahlia.” His hands on her shoulders ground her. “It’s alright, dear, you’re alright. It was just a dream.”

She catches his hand as it’s running through her hair. “Percy.” She stares at him, tears flowing, the weight of the truth threatening to crush her. “I need to ask you something.”

“Anything.”

“You have to promise you’ll tell me the truth,” she says. “Swear to me that you won’t lie to me.”

She sees the realization dawn in his eyes, but he nods. “I swear, Vex. I swear on our wedding vows that I will not lie to you.”

“Is my brother dead?”

#critical role #critfic #vox machina #perc'ahlia #vex'ahlia #percy de rolo

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heckfick · 4 years

Text

Part one

The first call.

Word count:2k+

Pairing:Y/N x Feitan

Warnings:Swearing, mentions of death.

————————————

Y/N sat in her chair, silently leaning against the back of it. She stared blankly at the monitor before her, her mind utterly blank. Her father, her partner in crime, was out at the time and training didn't sound too pleasing at the moment. And, dispite having the surface, deep, and dark web all at her disposal, things got rather boring quickly. The same old drama, government files, and red rooms just weren't appealing anymore.

So, she sat there, staring at her setup. "Wonder what dad is picking up at the store." She thought, scanning her desk for a moment before grabbing her water bottle and twisting the cap off. "Our next client better be interesting at the very least." She hoped. She brought the plastic to her lips, taking a swig of water. When her and her father got a client, she was in charge of planning, and she wasn't always planning the same thing.

On occasion they were hired to be a bodyguard, occasionally an assassin. The jobs varied, there were some that they just wouldn't take and others that they were more than happy to do. Y/N was in charge of finding out the details, helping her father understand what was to be done, and she was the one to come up with what would be done. Of course, if they ever worked for a celebrity then she would tag along. Just to meet them, maybe get their autograph or a couple of pictures. She was more than capable to handle their business all by herself, though. She was strong and smart, talented in what she did.

Her father, however, wasn't able to work by himself. He needed an idea of how things were going to happen, it was just who he was. The more detailed the plan, the calmer he was and without any idea at all, he panicked. He was really the only one she had, so she stuck with him. She worked to keep things in check, and he reeled in clients and handled most of the dirty work.

These were the thoughts that crossed her mind as she zoned out, snapping out of her trance only when she heard the door open. "Speak of the devil!" Y/N shouted, even though she hadn't been actually speaking.

"We have a client!" He boomed, clearly happy.

She grabbed the arms of her chair, standing up to help him put away whatever he had gotten. "Really? Who is it?" She asked, curious as she walked out of her room.

"Come here, I wanna see your reaction." She rolled her eyes at this, knowing that he knew she was on the way. Nevertheless, she picked up the pace until she was in the kitchen.

She walked over, grabbing one of the bags that he set on the counter, digging through it and grabbing a loaf of bread out of it. Her curiosity was now peaked, she saw her father smiling wildly out of the corner of her eye, he was just staring at her. "Well?" She asked, turning her head to look at him better.

He was silent for a moment, it was clear that he was ecstatic, almost bouncing off the walls. "The Spiders." He said, there was a pause, but then she laughed.

"You really shouldn't mess with me like that." She giggled. The Phantom Troupe needing their services? What a crazy idea.

"I'm not fucking with you, they want our help taking out some bodyguards." He explained. She had never seen him this happy.

"You're serious?" She asked, he nodded. "The Troupe." She murmured, trying to take it in. "The Troupe." She said louder, finally getting grasp of the situation. "We're working with the fucking Phantom Troupe!" She screamed, immediately dropping the bread and wrapping her arms around her fathers neck, nearly crying with joy.

He spun her around, as if she were still a little girl and not an adult serial killer. They were excited for two different reasons, Y/N had always admired the Phantom Troupe, their witt, strength and ability to get a job done was almost unbelievable. F/N was excited for the opportunity, if they did well, then a group as well known as the Phantom Troupe recommending them was good for getting business. Dispite their different reason for being happy, they still spun in the kitchen.

He eventually bumped into the counter, however, causing them to stop. They let go of eachother, both of their faces still as happy as ever. "I told the man I talked to to email you, it was about a hour ago. As if on cue, one of her monitors let out a noise that signaled she had a notification.

"And your sure it's them?" She asked, just wanting one last assuring word so she didn't get her hopes up for nothing.

"You know I have my ways of making sure people are the real deal, now go answer him, he said that we'll move out in three weeks so make a good impression!" He said, turning around and continuing to unload groceries.

She turned as well, heading towards her bedroom. She had been with dozens of clients, each and everyone leaving some sort of impression. Very few flirted with her, which she didn't find surprising. This was a professional job, and they didn't offer those kinds of services, although many had asked. An unpleasant thought then popped into her head. "What if the one I talk to is a pervert?"

What if he flirted, would she flirt back? No, she was professional, and while connections did mean alot, almost everything. She wouldn't go as low as to going out with someone just for work. That's something she told herself after she reached eighteen, she didn't care who it was, she wouldn't do that just for work.

So, if he was a pervert, she was fully prepared to ignore it. As she entered her room, the notification was on the screen still. So, she sat down and clicked on it. Her thoughts had ruined the mood she was in, almost instantly.

Blue apple. Hot pink watermelon

This was the message that her father told whoever was on the other end to send, it confirmed that she was talking to the same person and not just a random person who thought it would be funny to email her. With each client came a different secret message, they were all random and some were rushed, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was that these helped.

Keep your fruit! For I have a lock of hair!

Be careful, for I only offer you one strand.

Y/N sent this message, followed by a link that would send him to her website, where he would have to enter yet another secret code that her father gave him. It didn't matter if he changed his account, the website wouldn't pop up anymore if he got it wrong he only had one chance. So, if he wanted to try again, he would have to go out and get an entirely different device.

On the same note, if he got it right, then as long as he stayed on whatever device he was using, he wouldn't have to enter the code ever again. She clicked on the link, her screen immediately changed. The website had a dark theme, it was simply easier on her eyes when she had to work late at night. She kept her eyes on the welcome back message, reading it even though she already knew what it said. There wasn't alot on her mind, now that her one main worry had taken over her mood, she thought of this as another job. Until she had talked to the man, just to make sure he wouldn't hit on her or anything of that nature, she decided to stay calm.

Y/N put on her headset, crossing her legs while in the chair.

She made sure that it was plugged in, adjusting the mic so that it was in front of her mouth. She just waited, staring at the screen for about a minute before a small rectangle popped up at the bottom, informing her that she was getting a call. She moved her mouse, hovering over the accept button for a moment, putting on a welcoming smile before clicking.

There was a few seconds of silence, as she scanned her face on her side of the screen to make sure she was looking half decent.

"Hello," she said, pausing as her gaze drifted over to the other side of the screen. "My names Y/N." She quickly took in his features, black hair that seemed wet. Maybe he just got out of the shower, or it could have been raining where he was. He seemed to be scowling, but she wasn't judging. Most of the time business made her grumpy, too.

"Feitan." He said, his voice sounding a little raspy.

"Nice to meet you, will there be anyone else joining the call?" She asked.

"No. I'll relay all of the information to to the others." He explained, leaning back onto the wall behind him. A dark hoodie and what she could only make out to be sweatpants were his clothing of choice, making her feel a little better about wearing a t-shirt and shorts.

She nodded. "Okay, got it. Would you mind explaining the operation?" She leaned forward, grabbing her binder and opening it, picking up the pen that simply laid inside.

"There's a man, he has some stuff we want. So we're going to go take it. He's said to have some skilled bodyguards. I'm sure we would have been able to handle it but Shalnark heard of you and wanted to see if it was worth what people paid for your work." Such a vague description,

"Mhm, could you give me a idea of where it is?" She ignored the last bit, not really caring why they were hired.

"Somewhere out east. It's called Bog Mansion."

She nodded, quickly jotting down this information. "Okay and now I'm going to need some info on the abilities of everyone whose going to be working with us." She prepared to start writing, but what she was asking for wasn't given to her.

"Why would I tell you that?" He questioned.

"I need to plan, that's the whole point of this call. I'll get and gather information, then I'll come up with a plan so you don't have to." She explained.

He considered it, eventually sighing. "I trust the person who wanted to hire you, but since it was his idea I'll leave it up to him to go kill you if you give our information away."

Y/N wasn't fazed, everything was classified of course, that's why she wrote everything on paper and not electronically. If it was stored electronically, you can never tell who has a hold of it even if you think it is only visible to you. "Would you like my address? Hell, I'll gladly deliver myself on a silver platter if I sell you out, of course I never will but still."

This caused Feitan to smile for whatever reason. "Okay, how about you tell me your ability as well. Your father already told me his so don't bother."

"Oh, my ability? It's nothing special I call it Satan's Zoo, and I just make animals with my aura. I have a pole that I use for close range fighting but it's in my closet somewhere." She glanced over to the closet in question. "Of course how many animals I make and the size of them both effect each other, but I can also modify animals it's a little difficult but I think I've gotten pretty good at it."

He took this in, being silent for a little bit as if he was thinking of what to say next. After about a minute he spoke up. "Will you be coming with your father with at a job?" He asked.

She was slightly taken back, of all things she expected him to ask this wasn't one of them. "Yes, I'd like to meet in person so I'll be tagging along."

"Then I would like to fight with you before we go to Bog Mansion." Feitan said calmly.

This was definitely unexpected, it left her speechless. A Phantom Toupe member thinking that she might be worth fighting? This was an odd honor.

"Your ability intrigues me." He said, perhaps trying to carry the conversation after seeing her speachless. "I'll try my best not to kill you. But I'd like to see your ability I person while your fighting against me rather than running into you in the mansion." He explained and all of a sudden her excitement returned.

"Really? You think I'm worth fighting?" Y/N asked, still star struck.

"Why do you sound so happy? I could kill you by mistake." He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I've looked up to the Phantom Troupe for a while. The pure strength that all of the members posses is amazing and I strive to be like all of you. Fast, efficient and good at what I do." She was smiling from ear to ear, making no effort to hide her happiness.

Feitan seemed like an okay guy, focused on business from what she had seen so far.

"Your strange." He commented. "I've never met a Phantom Troupe fangirl." He snickered, but she wasn't insulted.

"Well now you have, maybe you should release merchandise I'm sure there are people who would buy it." This caused him to laugh again, and this time Y/N joined him.

"Anyway, back on track." She said. "Go on ahead and start explaining everyone's abilities and such please." She readied her pen, excited to fill up her page full of information about her favorite group of thieves.

—————————————————

A single page wasn't able to contain all of information. It took at least a full page front and back for each member, sometimes more. With five members the exact number of pages came down to eight pages front and back. Her wrist was used to writing nowadays, but this was the closest it had come to hurting in a while. It was almost overwhelming how much Feitan knew about his teammates. Although, the more she knew the more solid the plan could be but still.

"Well, I have to say Shizuku's ability seems most interesting." She commented, closing the binder. "But I would also like to see your umbrella." She said, sighing as she closed the binder, leaving the pen inside. "I'll do some research and see if I can get a layout of the building and some intel on the bodyga-" while sitting her binder down she removed her eyes from the screen for a split second, and in that split second he was gone.

"Uh, Feitan?" She asked. It was only a moment before he moved back into frame with the umbrella. He sat back down onto the bed, grabbing the handle and actual umbrella before pulling a few inches of the concealed weapon out.

"Wow! That's actually really cool." She said, staring at it for a moment. "Did you just have it laying around?"

He closed it, placing it beside his bed. "Yes, it's best to have a weapon close to you when theres people out for your head."

"Has anyone actually tried to assassinate you?" She asked, wondering who might be stupid enough to try and kill a member of the Troupe.

"A few, unfortunate souls down on their luck. I'm guessing that people have a pretty high bounty on us." He sighed, crossing his arms. "What about you?" He asked.

"Well, people have actually sent some pretty skilled assassins after me. Thankfully, no ones sent in the Zoyldic family yet!" She joked, placing a finger inbetween her two collarbones and starting to trace down. "A man with a sword actually got me right through here." She continued to trace the old scar, moving down until right below her chest, where it curved to the left. "I beat him, of course but he left me with a pretty nasty scar." Her hand returned to her arm rest.

"Now that I I've told you our abilities, what now?" He asked.

She dreaded her next sentence. Talking to him was actually more pleasant than most of her clients, so this would be a little more difficult to let go. "Well, you call me around this time tommorow and until then, I get to work! I'll figure out everything I can and use what knowledge you've given me to make a plan!"

Feitan pursed his lips. "Okay I guess."

"I'll talk to you later, just message me if you have any questions!" She smiled. "Goodbye!"

"Bye." And just like that the call was over.

Y/N grabbed up the binder, opening it up to a new blank page. She needed to impress him, get a good word in with the Troupe and she might be able to work with them again! This was so exciting. So, as her heart pounded in her chest, she got to work on figuring out everything she could about Bog Mansion and the people who lived within it.

#hxh #fanfiction #fanfic #feitan #feitan x reader #phantom troupe #hunter x hunter #anime

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cyraclove · 4 years

Note

For the prompt requests, zelink ww balter? 🥺👉🏼👈🏼

balter--to dance gracelessly, but with enjoyment

“It seems frivolous to have a party while most of the country is still undergoing reparations,” Zelda muttered as she and Link walked down the main hall towards the grand ballroom. Being the latest room in Hyrule Castle to be refurbished, it required the queen’s approval. Everything nowadays seemed to require her approval.

It was exhausting.

“I don’t disagree, but,” Link replied with a slight shrug, “I do think that Impa has a point. If nothing else, it might lift spirits.”

The ball was meant to bring to a close the summit that would be held at the castle in just three days time. Zelda had been organizing this gathering of leaders from each region in Hyrule for over a year, having traveled to deliver each proposal personally.

She had been hesitant when the ball was initially suggested, only agreeing under the condition that it would be open invitation for the entire kingdom. The whole purpose of the summit was to unite her people after a century of division; this could not be done without complete transparency.

“You know that I am certainly in favor of building rapport with my people, but let me go to them. I need to see their homes, their children. What life is like for them. I know that I wouldn’t want to come here and see how much money and labor has been poured into this place if I couldn’t even put food on my table.”

When Link did not respond, Zelda’s eyes flickered up to find him softly smiling at her.

“What?”

“Nothing. You’re just good at this.”

Zelda felt a tiny flutter in her stomach and quickly glanced away, biting her lip in a failed attempt to veil her involuntary grin.

“Well,” she said, “empathy alone does not a sovereign make.”

Link chuckled, cocking a brow at her. “You’re allowed to take compliments, you know.”

Her cheeks burned hot. She damned herself for neglecting to put on rouge that morning, knowing there was nothing to conceal her blush.

“You’re right. Thank you,” she conceded, “you’re very kind.”

“Just honest.”

Arriving at the intimidatingly large ballroom doors, Zelda took in a long breath through her nose and closed her eyes.

Think tall. Smile. Breathe.

The moment that Link opened the door for her, she was immediately inundated. Disappointed, but not surprised.

“You majesty, we’d love your opinion on a color for the drapes--”

“--and if you look closely at the chandelier, you’ll see that we sourced the crystal from the Hebra region--”

“Don’t forget that you’re due at the clothier for your gown fitting this afternoon, and--”

“As soon as you’re ready, your majesty, we can practice the waltz.”

Waltz?

Zelda’s head snapped toward her newest royal advisor, a young woman named Calyn, from Akkala. She was fond of Calyn for several reasons, but mostly because she was good company. Her sense of humor mirrored Zelda’s in more ways than one, and she was never without a story to tell. Aside from Link, Calyn was one of the only people whose nearly constant presence did not irritate her.

“I’m sorry. Did you say waltz?”

Calyn nodded, emitting a nervous laugh. The woman’s eyes darted towards a cellist and violinist seated next to her, instruments at the ready. How had Zelda failed to notice them when they walked in?

“Yes, your majesty. Practice. For the ball? I thought I told you.”

“That was...today?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Zelda sighed. Of course it was.

She nodded, smiling at a very anxious looking Calyn in order to wordlessly assure her that she was not at any fault.

“Ah, that’s right. I’d almost forgotten. Thank you for arranging everything, Calyn.”

The other woman’s expression immediately softened, her shoulders dropping in relief. She clasped her hands together.

“It was my pleasure, your majesty.”

Calyn quickly cleared the room of everyone else, earning protests from architects and chefs alike. Zelda chuckled inwardly as she watched her shoo them all out.

Calyn returned with a rather triumphant look on her face, arms akimbo. “Right, then. Now, if you’d both stand in the center, there.”

Zelda and Link looked at one another simultaneously. She swallowed hard, unable to decipher if the look in Link’s eyes was one of bewilderment or excitement. As they stood there in silence, Calyn again began to pale. The musicians eyed them curiously.

“The two of us?” She asked, as if there were a million other men in the room.

“Her majesty was to select a partner for the waltz,” Calyn gently reminded her.

Shit. That’s right.

Zelda had had Link in mind from the very moment that Calyn had informed her of this tradition, but had felt a sudden and overwhelming urge to vomit every time she thought that she’d finally mustered up enough nerve to ask. She smiled weakly, trying desperately to ignore the sound of her pulse in her ears.

Poor Calyn shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other, her eyes darting frantically between the queen and her knight.

“Has Sir Link accepted, your majesty?”

“He has,” Link answered for her, much to Zelda’s surprise. He beamed at her as he extended his hand for her to take, the handsome cut of his jawline catching the light as he bowed his head in ceremony.

Slipping a gloved hand in his, Zelda let Link guide her to the center of the floor, praying that he could not detect the slight tremble in her fingers. He gingerly placed his hand on her waist, the warmth emanating from his touch sending a thrill through her chest. Their faces a mere hairsbreadth apart, Zelda felt the irrational urge to find out what might happen if she were to press her lips to his right then.

Calyn’s voice shattered the thought, making Zelda startle in Link’s arms.

“Splendid! Music, please.”

The musicians began playing a lively waltz, the lovely timbre of their strings filling the room with the bright melody. Zelda met Link’s gaze, panic spiking in her gut.

“I don’t know how to dance,” she whispered.

The corner of his mouth quirked up. “Neither do I,” he replied. He placed his broad hand on her back, pulling their bodies flush as he took her hand in his. She reeled as the sudden closeness, stifling a little gasp.

“Ready?”

“No.”

Link laughed as he started to lead her around the dance floor, taking wide, sweeping steps that made it difficult for her to keep up. Zelda felt a giggle burble up from somewhere deep inside of her. They stumbled together, moving in a way that could possibly be likened to dancing if one were to squint.

After several moments, Zelda found herself laughing to the point of pain as she let Link carry her across the room with him, twirling her clumsily and far too often. She was so entranced that she did not hear Calyn’s attempt at instruction, instead putting her trust in this man who had absolutely no idea what he was doing.

When they finally came to a halt, Zelda tripped over her own skirt and fell into Link’s arms. He laughed as he caught her, a litany of apologies leaving him amidst the laughter. Her head still spinning, she craned her neck to kiss him on the cheek. She stilled after she realized what she’d just done, only to receive a kiss in return.

It was then that she realized that if this wasn’t truly how the waltz was done, she had no real interest in learning how.

This was so much fun. Thank you so much!!

#writers on tumblr #writing prompt #request #loz botw #Zelink #legend of zelda

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gigslist · 3 years

Text

34+ Voiceover Roles & 3 Musician Open Calls - Work From Home - Paid

'F*cking Sober' Podcast

22 + Roles

3 Open Calls for Musicians With Their Own Music

PAID WORK FROM HOME NON UNION

Deadline : September 15, 2021 2:00 PM

Somehow9am Productions // F*cking Sober: the first 90 days Podcast

Katie Mack, coord.

:"A call for artists in recovery for the 2nd Season of The Webby Award Winning Podcast Series 'F*cking Sober: the first 90 days.' We are looking for voice over talent and musicians/music producers for 'FS: Shadai.' 'F*cking Sober' is a semi-comedic mostly non-fictional narrative podcast following Shadai’s first 90 days of getting sober. Thirty-five year old Shadai is the black, queer, strong female in advertising— so what if she keeps shots in her bra for between meetings, right? But after a shitshow holiday party, a fuzzy cop encounter, and a disaster presentation with the new big account, Dry January doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. Maybe Dry Forever is better. This is what it looks, acts, and feels like to get f*cking sober. This 8 episode serialized show features music by artists with their own story with recovery. F*cking Sober Season 1: Anita has received 15k downloads since it’s release in Nov 2020, and received a 2021 Webby Nomination for Best Limited Series, and a Webby Win for Best Writing for a Podcast. At this time we are only looking to work with artists who have a relationship/understanding of recovery. Please follow instructions for submitting and what to include in the cover letter to be considered! Thank you! Listen to Season 1 to get the vibe: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f-cking-sober-the-first-90-days/id1538804959?i=1000499155627 And check out: www.fckingsoberpodcast.com @fckingsober90_podcast More information about Somehow9am Productions & Katie Mack (Producer): www.somehow9amproductions.com www.mackstage.com"

Roles

Shadai (Voiceover): Female, 18+WORK FROM HOMEproduction states: "Note: We are only accepting submissions from artists who have their own story in recovery, TY! 35 year old, black, queer, cis gender female attorney with a dry sense of humor, who has strong opinions and shares them sometimes, is a powerhouse and knows it all… until… until she doesn’t. Please note your experience with improv/comedy in your cover letter If you have writing experience or are interested in writing please note this in your cover letter. We will be giving writing credits to the right candidate who desires to contribute to the molding of this character."Required Media: Voice Reel

Other Characters (Voiceover): 20-70

"Note: We are only accepting submissions from artists who have their own story in recovery, TY! We are looking for diversity in every sense of the word, from all genders, to ages, to ethnicities, to lived experiences, to food preferences!! In short, we are looking to cast dope, interesting people. Looking to cast various characters through out the S2 Shadai, including but not limited to:

Dad (black, army veteran, a dad’s dad)

Mom (black, hyper critical, the opposite of Shadai)

Dana (any ethnicity, work enemy)

Coco (white, work bestie)

JewBoo aka Therapist (Jewish, confidant, motherly, with a special sense of humor)

Miriam (black, best friend and ex-lover who tells it like it is)

Galen (white, gay, best friend who is warm and caring and pushy)

15 other characters Please note any experience you may have with comedy/improv if any. Please submit your reel along with your cover letter."Required Media: Voice Reel, Cover Letter

Musicians (BIPOC Artists in Recovery) (Voiceover): 18+ music from BIPOC identifying artists.

Musicians (Queer Identifying Artist in Recovery) (Voiceover): 18+ music by Queer Artists.

Musicians (Non-BIPOC/Non-Queer Artists in Recovery) (Voiceover): 18+ music from non-BIPOC or non-Queer Identifying Artists in recovery.

"To be produced over the course of October 2021 - January 2022 Shadai’s commitment is estimated at two hrs/wk. Other characters 30mins. Musicians, all work should already exist. Please be prepared to send stems or stripped down tracks."

Compensation & Union Contract Details

Stipend: $25 - $75Production states: "Shadai (Lead Character), $550 for full season. All Other Characters: $25-$50 per episode. Musicians: $25-$75 per song per episode. Sync license contract."

Seeking talent: Nationwide (United States)

Website:http://www.fckingsoberpodcast.com

======================================

'Rain: Series III'

12 Voiceover Roles

PAID WORK FROM HOME NONUNION

Deadline: September 14, 2021 8:59 PM

JKPRising James Klim, filmmaker

Seeking voiceover talent for "Rain: Series III," a web-series, created in the video game Halo Reach on MCC via Xbox/PC. "This series will have a total of 13 episodes. I have many characters to cast, 12 specifically. If you wish to learn more about the show, you can check out my documentary series regarding the show. You can view the first episode here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlzPQvJS3og A little bit about me, I am a freelance filmmaker who actually got into film through making Halo videos as a kid when I was younger. You can check out some of my work here - www.jkprising.com/ I've always wanted to return to my roots & finish a series I was never able to before, but now I have the time to focus on it. This is a paid position. Rates depend on each character as some have more lines than others & vice versa. I am not the wealthiest person in the world, but I will to compensate each voice actor for their performance. My budget per character is between $100 - $300. This again, all varies per character. In this post, there is a video of what the character will look like in the series. I have also attached a single page from a random episode script from the show. The highlighted lines are what the character will say. There will also be non verbal lines highlighted, this is meant to be voiced kind of like an anime, where every movement usually has sounds. Typically, how would you make a sound if you did any of the following, head turn, turns around, surprised gasp, sighs, etc. Since this a paid gig, I am expecting a professional voice audition & if hired, continued professional audio. This means minimum to no background noise. The audio needs to be crisp."

Roles

Chloe Moody (Voiceover): Female, 18-35WORK FROM HOME29. Voice type: English/United Kingdom accent, polite, doesn't get mad often but when she does, she loses it, anxious, low self esteem, hopeful. Chloe Moody used to be a psychiatrist, but after the death of her soon to be husband, she spiraled into insanity. She met someone later on in life named Tom Rains, who looked exactly like her dead boyfriend. She became obsessed with him & tried to get with him, which sunk her further into a deep depression. She finally hit rock bottom, which causes her to seek out help from the very people she used to serve. Chloe meets a psychiatrist named Jennifer, who is able to help herself almost fully recover. Chloe eventually accidently runs back into Tom, which triggers Chloe to try one last time. After a final rejection, Chloe comes to the realization that she is not redeemable & decides to take her own life in front of Tom. Chloe's death, triggers a massive event for Tom Rains, which has massive ramifications for the series. Chloe is a major character and will appear in a couple episodes.Languages:

English

Accents:

British

Australian

Voice Styles:

Soft

Softspoken

Crazy

Compassionate

Sad

Angry

Required Media: Voice Reel

Dark Daryl (Voiceover): Male, 18-40WORK FROM HOME

32, voice type: Very dark presence, evil. sadistic, look at examples like Yami Marik from the Original Yu-Gi-Oh - www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xaa_ycud6o, manic, darkness. Dark Daryl is the darkness of his original persona, Daryl. Daryl accidentally acquired a powerful technology known as an imperium. This caused Daryl to lose himself to it at some point & was taken over by an alternate personality named, The Professor, which caused tons of damage. When Daryl came back to his senses, the damage had been done & others abandoned him, which caused him to grow angry at something that he didn't consciously do. Daryl once again loses himself to the imperium, which turns into Dark Daryl, a representation of all the anger & hatred he endured over the course of his past uncontrollable actions. Dark Daryl is very aggressive, sadistic & wants to destroy the people who wronged him in the past. Eventually, he comes face to face with Daryl & fights to stay as the one who remains in control, even if that means killing Daryl & anyone who gets in his way. Dark Daryl is a character who appears in the second half of the show, & becomes the series main villain. He will appear in many episodes.

Languages:

English

Voice Styles:

Aggressive

Angry

Evil

Commanding

Straightforward

Scary

Dangerous

Intimidating

Demonic

Required Media: Voice Reel

Nikki (Voiceover): Female, 18-35 WORK FROM HOME

25. Voice type: Energetic, passionate, caring, open-minded, loving, positive, independent, fighter. Nikki used to date Tom Rains. She didn't really have much going for her, as she had no ambition at all during that time of her life. After Tom broke up with her, this was quite the shock to Nikki. It caused her to really dive deep within herself & from that moment, she tried to learn more about herself. She discovered a love for storytelling, & so went into journalism. Nikki is now dating Jennifer & they have been together for almost a year. Nikki eventually gets wrapped up in a major conspiracy, which drags many of her friends in with her. She is in for the story of her entire career. Nikki is a major character and will appear in many episodes.

Languages:

English

Voice Styles:

Comforting

Compassionate

Caring

Amusing

Animated

Brave

Heroic

Required Media: Voice Reel

Talent works remotely with professional recording equipment.

Professional Pay: $100 - $300Pays between $100-$300 depending on character.

Nationwide (United States)

Additional Materials

Website: https://www.jkprising.com/

Nikki Audition.pdf - https://d26oc3sg82pgk3.cloudfront.net/files/media/uploads/casting_call/7f95c65b-ab53-43d3-a66b-9e59d1041acb.pdf

Dark Daryl Audition.pdf - https://d26oc3sg82pgk3.cloudfront.net/files/media/uploads/casting_call/00cfdf46-84c1-4da6-9dee-91c7bcdeed3d.pdf

Chloe Moody Audition.pdf https://d26oc3sg82pgk3.cloudfront.net/files/media/uploads/casting_call/186cbe9e-9c7e-4ce5-bcbe-2407a9dec00b.pdf

#voiceover casting calls #work from home voice over work #music wanted online #jobs for musicians #remote jobs for musicians #music writer jobs #gigs for recovering addicts

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imalifegen89 · 3 years

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A Legacy Left Behind - Chapter - 5 - The Gemmond Incident

Rating: Mature

Category: M/M

Fandoms: Stargate Atlantis, Hawaii Five-0 (2010), Stargate SG-1

Relationship: Steve McGarrett/John Sheppard

Characters: John Sheppard, Steve McGarrett, Danny "Danno" Williams, PO Higgins (OC), Kono Kalakaua, Adam Noshimuri, Alicia Vega, Laura Cadman, Bates (Stargate), Original Stargate Wraith Character(s), Original Characters, George Hammond, Jack O'Neill, Catherine Rollins, Evan Lorne

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Swearing, Character Bashing, Not Catherine Rollins Friendly, Violence, BAMF John Sheppard, BAMF Team, No DADT

Summary: Team SG-11 goes on their first off-world mission. It's supposed to be a 'walk in the park,' easing them into the hectic life at the Stargate Command. But things have a way of going off the rails when this particular team is involved. One way or another, they'll prove that they've got what it takes to fulfill their mission.

-o0o-

The first official mission of SG-11, yay!

As always, Salchat, you are the best!!! Thank you so much for all your hard work. I'm improving but I'm still a lot of work for my Beta.

If there are any mistakes, they'd be my own.

Part - 1

Officers Quarters, Pearl Harbor-Hickam Base - Hawaii

The Naval Intelligence Command Analyst, Lieutenant Catharine Rollins, was tired. The 18 hour or so trips from Hawaii to Libya and back were taking a heavy toll and all she wanted to do was go to her quarters, take a long, hot bath, and collapse on her bed for a long, uninterrupted sleep until the next day. Both she and Harrington had been dismissed by Commander Joe White with orders to take the rest of the day off and report for duty the next day when they had returned to the base. Harrington had invited her to go out but she had declined politely, citing jet lag and the need to rest. In her mind, she had been cursing at the damn idiot to stop trying to get attached to her like a freaking limpet and just leave her the hell alone.

She sighed in relief as she finally reached her quarters without having been called away for something or other, despite her being off duty. That had happened a couple of times before and that was part and parcel of her glamorous career as an Intelligence Analyst. She entered her quarters, threw her traveling bag to a corner, and started taking off her sweaty and dusty uniform while fantasizing about a nice, hot, bubble bath. But being just a lowly analyst, she only had a cramped shower in her quarters. 'Ah well, at least it's not like I have to go for a communal shower.' She shuddered at the thought.

Her much-needed long shower turned out to be only fifteen minutes as the hot water got cut off. She sighed and got out, still quite travel weary. Then she found her most comfortable and baggy sweats, an old t-shirt that was a few sizes too big, put them on, and got under the blankets in her bed. She was hoping to catch a few hours of sleep before she had to go out for dinner.

Despite the physical exhaustion, her thoughts turned to the past few hours.

'Why is it that the handsome ones are always either taken or gay?' she asked herself rhetorically.

She had tried her damndest to flirt with the navy SEAL she'd had her eyes on for a while now. But the stupid asshole had been completely oblivious. She had been sure, when they were on their way, in that transport - his loud-mouthed friend had pointed it out clearly to the Commander. But the man had seemed utterly uninterested and even annoyed at his friend. Catharine had been reeling at that response, although she had kept up the pleasant conversation with the idiot, Harrington. Then she had seen the subtle drama between her SEAL and that rather unremarkable pilot. That had given her a clue as to the lack of interest from the guy. She knew she was a very pretty woman and was not quite used to her rather demonstrated feelings going unreciprocated in that manner.

'But he’s got to be bi, hasn't he? So there is still a chance. Claire was pretty sure when she told me that McGarrett used to go out with Anna from the Enterprise during the first year after he got his trident. Pff... I'm a much better catch than that woman, certainly much better than a damn pilot...a plain guy with dumb hair-do, at that...Argh. Besides, fighter pilots don't really have that long life expectancies now, do they? Oh, Steven, you could do so much better, really..' She let her thoughts wander about the latest individual that had caught her attention and his rather ungainly love interests.

She was dragged away from her musings by a certain ringtone on her phone that had only rung twice before. She sprang up in her bed as if she had been electrocuted.

'Shit, shit, shit! I should've anticipated this,' she berated herself, especially after what had happened and where she'd been.

She hurriedly got off the bed, found her personal laptop, and plugged in the special USB/Dongle she had been given about a month ago when she was recruited. She then switched it on, disconnected her internal internet connection to the base, and connected to a different server - a server with an IP address that bounced off several satellites and countries making it impossible to track the connection. She finished running the encryption she had been given along with the USB when a window opened on her screen, indicating an incoming call. She clicked the button to accept, with trepidation.

As usual, a black screen greeted her as the call connected. She had taken steps to protect herself as much as she could and had her camera already covered. She was reasonably sure that whoever was on the other side wouldn't see her either, but she couldn't guarantee it.

"Agent CR-17, this is Zero. We have questions for you," the disembodied and distorted voice coming through the connected call informed her. She grimaced at the 'handle' she'd been given. Then she took a deep breath to clear her mind and remember the details of the past 30 hours.

"Yes, please ask your questions," she replied when she was sure her voice was even and polite.

"You have participated in a certain meeting. Give us the particulars," the voice ordered.

'Well, that's easy enough,' she thought as she mentally listed the main points of the meeting. And then she launched into an account of the meeting that happened at the base between her, Harrington, SGC, and the SEALs, the gathering at the Wheelus Air Base in Libya, the points they discussed there, and the revelations that came to light about the alliance between the Wraith and the Goa'uld agents.

The voice was quiet for a long time before it answered. "Are you quite sure of this, Agent? They have seen our involvement at the Detention facility?"

"Yes, I am. I'd advise you to take precautions if you are going to conduct further operations in this manner. I'm certain they will be able to track your transporter movements. The scientists they have at the SGC seem very competent," she answered truthfully.

"Very well." said the voice, with grim finality.

"Now, this is your next task. Send the personal files of the members of the SEAL team who were involved in this meeting. We need to deal with this before things get out of hand - well - even more out of hand. Do you understand?" the voice asked with emphasis.

Rollins felt sweat running down her spine despite the shower she had just taken only a few minutes ago. Giving them verbal reports once or twice in a while was one thing, but sending highly classified personal files was something else entirely. But she knew that refusing was not an option, not if she wanted to keep her career or her life for that matter.

"Yes, I do." She answered the only way she could.

"Make sure we receive it all by the end of the month. You do not need to send them all at once. Take steps to cover your tracks. But make sure we have what we need by the deadline." The voice cut off abruptly, just the way it always did after it finished giving orders.

She stared at her now empty laptop screen for a few moments, trying to wrap her mind around the conversation she'd just had. Not for the first time, she regretted the circumstances that led her to accept this arrangement. Having a fat retirement fund to return to when she finally took her early retirement from the navy after putting the minimum years in, was a nice feeling. But she certainly couldn't enjoy it from a military prison or an early grave.

She shook her head and switched her laptop off. It was too late to do anything now. She had to concentrate on planning how to get around various security restrictions and get her hands on the files that were requested by her beneficiaries. She needed someone from the Human Resources Administration for this, didn't she? Then she felt a small smile creeping up on her lips - She knew exactly the person she could easily persuade into letting her take a glimpse of such things! Feeling quite satisfied and making further plans for her treasonous mission, she decided she was hungry enough and started to get dressed to go out in search of a proper dinner.

Stargate Command, Cheyenne Mountain - Colorado

Embarkation Room

(Four weeks later)

"I know you said renaissance age, but what does that mean, exactly?" Danny asked as he adjusted the strap of his MP7.

Everyone in SGC was issued FN P90 Personal Defense weapons. But the SEALs were partial to their own submachine guns and other weapons. The first thing they'd done when they began the training, was to raid the armory in the SGC to make sure they had those specific weapons and ammo they needed. The Master Sergeant in charge of the armory had gleefully sent out requests for the Navy to re-supply them with the standard weapons and kits for the Special Operators. The Navy had reluctantly given in, needing to keep up their standards.

"Like you just stepped into a Rome-Egypt hybrid planet in the 14th century," Bates replied with a grimace. He was not a fan of the planet. He had been on one of the Gate teams who had visited the planet before it was reformed by the SG-1. He hadn't been impressed.

"Hey, it's a nice enough planet,” Major Evan Lorne interjected. “Well, they were a bit uptight before, but then SG-1 sorted them out. They are good people now, took on refugees from Nasya and everything. It's safe enough for first-time planet hoppers. Besides, they are having their harvest celebrations this time of the year. Food, drinks, and merry people all around. And we have a standing invitation every year for the party," Lorne had visited the planet two years ago for his first 'travel through the Gate' experience and it had been a blast. He was very much looking forward to an encore.

"So, what do we do there?" This was from Higgins.

"Nothing much. We go and say 'hi' to the leaders, go to a party or two and come back home," answered Cadman. She had heard good stuff from Lorne and was looking forward to the experience as well. It would be nice for once, just to go to a planet and join a celebration, just enjoy the visit other than fighting or running for their lives, for a change.

"Nice," Higgins agreed.

The Stargate Command's newest addition - or the newly re-arranged SG-11, was waiting to go on their first extra-planetary mission. Four weeks had passed since Colonel Sumner initiated the first-ever SGC team combined with the SEALs and the CIA agents. They had all been heavily involved in training for all sorts of scenarios they could think of since then. Their days had been full of weapons, physical, tactics training, going through all available information about galaxy's bad guys, and then a couple of weeks spent in earth's Alpha site for field training. Sheppard and Lorne had had to beam down to Antarctica in between for projects at the Outpost and then visit Peterson Base a few times to keep up their flight qualifications. Altogether, those six weeks had been hectic and they were all looking forward to this outing. Listening to Lorne and everyone else who had already been to planet Gemmond painting a merry picture of their culture, had them all eager for the visit. The Wraith and the Goa'uld had been silent and hadn't made any noteworthy moves so far. They all knew that when they finally did, SG-11 needed to be ready to move. This trip to Gemmond for their harvesting celebrations was sort of a break before they had to go to war, so to speak.

"Dialing the gate now." Sergeant Harriman's voice could be heard over the speakers. He had started the dialing sequence for the planet designated P3X-422, aka Gemmond.

"Chevron One encoded,"

"Chevron Two encoded,"

"Chevron Three encoded,"

"Chevron Four... not encoded."

That was not the usual script during a dial-out. Sheppard exchanged a glance with Steve and turned back to look up at the dialing station. They were all waiting in front of the ramp while Harriman dialed. The day's duty officer-in-charge, an Air Force Colonel called Dixon, was standing behind the station where Harriman was sitting. He was also frowning at the diversion from the norm.

"What's happening, Sergeant?" They could all hear the Colonel asking Harriman over the speakers.

"Sir, the gate is not connecting. It's almost as if someone from that side is already dialing. You know, it's like, we're getting the 'line busy' tone," Sergeant Harriman guessed.

"That doesn't make sense. They know we're visiting them today. They usually like it when we visit," said Colonel Dixon, his frown deepening as he glared at the dialer. Then he looked over the see-through window to stare at the group waiting to go off-world. He grimaced as if SG-11 personally had something to do with the Gate refusing to connect.

Colonel Garry Dixon wasn't a big fan of the newly initiated team. His personal opinion was that the lot of them were too arrogant and cocky for their own good. And he hadn't really tried very hard to keep his opinions to himself. But SG-11 didn't let it bother them. They hardly needed validation from the opinionated Colonel. The man had only earned his stripes just by spending the required years in service without a single active combat tour under his belt. He had somehow landed his position as head of Public Relations for SGC, mostly thanks to his political connections.

"Well, dial again," said Dixon after a pause. The Sergeant did as ordered.

"Nope, still not connecting," Harriman said after the third failed attempt. The fourth Chevron refused to connect and the Stargate stubbornly stayed dormant.

"I don't like this. I don't like this at all. Something's not right," Bates muttered, shaking his head.

Sheppard stared at the Gate, thoughtfully. He could feel it in his mind. The Gate was trying to establish a connection with the input destination. He knew that Walter had guessed correctly; something was blocking the connection from the other side. Moreover, he could feel the Gate trying to force the connection, but not succeeding because something was lacking from SGC's side. It gave John an uneasy, itchy feeling in the back of his mind - like a puzzle piece that's been forced to fit into a place that it didn't quite belong. It gave him an idea.

"Sir, permission to take the Puddle Jumper on this visit?" Sheppard addressed the Colonel.

They had only just found this super-cool, little spacecraft back in Antarctica a week ago, and John had felt like he had been given a gift. He had been on the Chair running a diagnostic on weapons systems when the link had guided him towards one of the storage areas that was recently uncovered to show him the ship. He had finished the routine quickly and taken off towards his prize, with the mental connection in his mind laughing softly at his eagerness. He and Rodney had spent two days going through the ship top to bottom and declared it safe for flights. He had taken the newly named 'Puddle Jumper' (Rodney had insisted on calling it ‘Gateship,’ but John had exercised his veto power as the pilot and put a firm stop to that nonsense) on a few rides and returned with it back to the Mountain at O'Neill's orders. Jack O'Neill had promptly jumped in with Jackson, Carter, and Mitchell in tow, and taken it on a tour to space. He had returned after a few hours with all of them grinning like kids on Christmas, and then given his official stamp to put the Jumper on active service.

"What can you possibly do with the Jumper, Sheppard? We can't dial. The damned line is busy," said the Colonel, starting to lose his patience.

Sheppard mentally rolled his eyes. He knew that Dixon was quite skeptical when it came to believing in Sheppard's affinity for all things Ancient.

"I know that, Sir. But I also know that the Jumper's got a DHD in it, an Alteran designed. As advanced as our dialer is, it's still primitive compared to the real thing,” he replied. “And when there's the real thing, there's a chance that I could do something with it," he put on his most innocent expression and stared expectantly at the Colonel.

John could see Danny openly rolling his eyes and Steve trying hard to hide a snort. Bates was staring stoically ahead, staying away from the officer's spats. Agents Kalakaua and Noshimuri were staring at the Gate serenely, not letting this petty nonsense bother them. Cadman and Higgins were grinning ear to ear, watching the drama unfold. Lorne and Vega were doing the same as Cadman and Higgins, but they were carefully hiding their grins behind blank masks.

"So sure of yourself, Major?" asked Dixon, not bothering to hide his disdain.

It was obvious that he didn't believe for a second that Sheppard could do anything about the situation. The Ring was busy on the other side - there was not a damn thing they could do from this side until it closed, period.

"I don't see any harm in trying," Sheppard drawled with a shrug.

The Colonel looked for a moment like he wanted to refuse. Then he seemed to realize that it would be more fun to let John try and then berate him afterward when he inevitably failed.

"Fine then, knock yourself out. Just don't break the Stargate or the Jumper, Major." Dixon gestured grandly for them to get on with it.

...........

The team reached the next level where the Jumper was parked. The floor of the level had a trap door that could be remotely opened to let the jumper fly vertically down until it came face to face with the Stargate.

They all got themselves situated comfortably inside the craft. Sheppard took the pilot seat with Major Lorne as the co-pilot at his side. Lorne hadn't had the chance to take it out for a spin yet and Sheppard wanted him to familiarize himself with the controls during the flight. Steve and Danny took seats behind them in the cockpit. The rest of the team made themselves at home in the back where there was plenty of space for them and the equipment they carried.

"So, you think you can force a dial-in?" Lorne asked while he watched Sheppard going through the pre-flight.

"I don't know yet, Lorne. It's not like I've tried it before," said Sheppard with a crooked grin, not bothering to look up from what he was doing.

"Well, you sounded awfully sure back there," said Lorne.

"Let's just say, I have a feeling." Then he turned to look at Lorne and give him an impish grin. “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

"Ah, Jesus! Please tell me it's not going to be like the time when we were doing that thing in Baghdad... Please! I'm begging you," Danny implored. His eyes had gone wide with what looked like genuine fear.

"Fucking hell, Danny, you had to bring that up," said Steve, trying to hide his fear behind annoyance.

"McGarrett, tell me that is not the case now - cos man, I'm gonna climb outta this tin-can right now." Higgins was already halfway up from his seat and looking furtively at the back door of the Jumper.

"Come on guys, relax. I'm pretty sure I know what I’m doing." Sheppard had finished checking on the flight controls in front of him and was now fiddling with the switches directly above him. He looked completely at ease, in direct contrast to the mounting fear in the atmosphere inside the craft.

"What happened in Baghdad?" Bates piped up from the cargo bay, stoic demeanor forgotten as his curiosity was piqued.

"Don't ask man. Just. Don't..." Higgins was shaking his head from where he was inspecting what looked like an electronic keypad with door controls.

"Oh come on, you can't just say things like that and expect us to let it go. Now you've got us all intrigued and shit," Vega cajoled.

"She's right brah, you gotta spill," Kono seconded. They were all getting increasingly curious as to what could possibly have these badass SEALs shaking in their metaphorical boots.

"Okay, people calm down. If we make it through this mission in one piece, I'll get drunk and tell you all about it - there’s no way in hell I'm going to talk about that shit while I'm sober," Danny promised the group, visibly collecting himself and.

"Stop exaggerating, Williams, it wasn't that bad. Got you all out of there, didn't I?" Sheppard defended himself with a full-blown, mischievous grin. Whatever he'd done, John was enjoying the memory, Lorne could tell.

"I was never the same again, man - none of us were - for a long time," Danny said petulantly. Steve nodded his agreement.

Sheppard finished off his flight checks with a chuckle and gently guided the Jumper above the opening on the floor. The technician outside opened the trap door, obeying Sheppard's signal. The little craft descended smoothly and came to a stop in front of the dormant Stargate, hovering just above the ramp.

..........

Sheppard dialed the address of the planet Gemmond on the Jumper's DHD. He could feel the connection failure even as he dialed due to the disturbance from the planet. He concentrated. He could feel the Jumper in his mind, wanting to co-operate eagerly.

'The Astria Porta is open on the other side. Is it imperative that we gain entrance to this specific planet, at this time?' John knew the inquiries that appeared in his mind were unmistakably Alteran, but he had no difficulty understanding what was being asked.

'Yes,' John thought confidently.

'Please enable the emergency override.' Another smaller, Ancient equivalent of a keypad appeared from the side of the DHD where John's palm was resting. He replaced his palm on the new sub-dialer, thinking 'Override.’

The new keyboard went back inside the DHD and John removed his hand to place it back on flight controls. The DHD started dialing the Gate address by itself and then dialed another sequence at the end. The Stargate in front of them came to life and the Chevrons started locking at double their usual speed. When the seventh and the final Chevron locked, the wormhole burst into life with a swoosh and stabilized with a splat. Then it waited patiently for the Jumper to fly through the gently rippling, blue surface.

The team chuckled, hooted, laughed, and whistled their praises.

John tapped his ear and activated the comms. "Sheppard to Control. Permission to visit Gemmond, Sir." He waited for the 'Go' order from the Colonel.

"Permission granted, Major." They all clearly heard the sour note in the Colonel’s voice, but they refrained from commenting, wanting to get going without any more delays on their first mission as a team.

#fanfiction series #stargate atlantis #steve mcgarrett #john sheppard #ao3fic #cross over #hawaii five 0 #stargate #fiction #my writing #writers on tumblr #bamf!John Sheppard

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jamaisjoons · 5 years

Text

intro: her mini #1 ⤑ knj | m

⟶ 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦:〝 you enter namjoon’s life in the most unexpected of ways, but will you be able to stay, especially when he comes with three adorable but chaotic children, even more chaotic best friends and a bitch of an ex-wife? not to mention your own emotional baggage. 〞singe dad au.

❥ 𝑝𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: single dad!namjoon x marine vet!reader

❥ 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: fluff

❥ 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 2.1k

⟶ 𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠: none! just jiminie being an adorable baby

➵ 𝑎/��: I wasn’t actually going to update this series until after spooky month, but then miss Sora suggested I write a lil drabble in celebration of Jimin’s birthday and I just couldn’t resist!! However,,,, this is clearly longer than a drabble and thus ITS A MINI!!! So here we are!! // dedicated to @honeymoonjin who I love with my entire heart and soul ♡

⏤ Main Series Masterlist

“Noona!” Jimin calls out. Smiling brightly, you wave at him. The six-year-old runs towards you, his little backpack bouncing in tandem with his hair.

“Jiminie! Hi Puppy! Did you have a good day at school?” you ask, crouching down to his eye level.

“I did! Where’s Daddy?” Jimin asks, curiously looking around for his father. You bite your lip, sending him a small smile.

“Daddy had to work today, so noona is here to pick you up. Where are Taehyung and Jungkook?” you ask, looking behind him for his brothers.

“It’s Wednesday! Gukkie and Hyungie have art club!” Jimin replies, smiling brightly at you.

“Oh? Joon didn’t tell me anything about that. Okay,” you reply, a slight frown marring your face.

“Noona,” Jimin suddenly whispers, his chubby little hand tugging at your jumper as he draws your attention back to him. Turning to him, you quirk your eyebrow, watching as he nervously looks around. His little feet shuffle around and you notice that he has one hand behind his back - clearly hiding something.

“Jimin? What’s wrong Puppy? What do you have?” you question, gesturing to the hand behind his back.

“Daddy’s not here? Are you sure?” Jimin asks, his voice hushed and tone almost conspiratorial. From his tone, it seems as if he’s almost hoping Namjoon isn’t around. Cocking your eyebrow, you look at him in surprise. It’s completely unlike Jimin to not want Namjoon near him - the boy was practically attached to his father.

“Daddy’s definitely not here, no. It’s just you and me today. Is everything okay?” you ask softly. Jimin bites his lip.

“If I tell you something, do you promise not to tell Daddy?” Jimin asks, his eyes widening and lip jutting out in the cutest puppy dog eyes you’ve ever seen. You’re at a loss for words. You wish you could promise him that - but Jimin isn’t your child and if it’s something Namjoon needs to know, then you’re almost duty-bound to tell him.

“Jimin- honey, I can’t promise that. What if Daddy needs to know?” you reply. Jimin sniffles slightly and your heart breaks a little.

“Please noona!” he begs and the slight whiny tone in his voice has you caving in with a sigh.

“How about this? You tell me first and I’ll decide whether Daddy needs to know or not?” you say, attempting a compromise. Jimin’s face scrunches up adorably, his cheeks puffing up as he ponders your offer. Then, with a nod, he thrusts the hand behind him in front. Your eyes widen when you notice the plastic bag filled with water, a fat little goldfish swimming around. From the golfball like shape and its thick domed, opalescent scales, you know it to be the Pearlscale goldfish.

“Jimin?” you wearily say. As much as Namjoon loves sea creatures, you know the boys are forbidden from having pets. They’re still too young to properly take care of them and with Namjoon’s busy schedule, he just didn’t have the time to parent three kids as well as a pet. It’s also why the boys were so incredibly close to Rap Mon - he wasn’t technically their pet, he’s yours.

“Hanbinnie’s fishie is sick! I told Hanbinnie that my Noona is a sea doctor!” Jimin says, smiling proudly at you. Your heart lurches, face softening at his use of ‘my Noona’ before he continues, “So here! Make him better!” Jimin says, a wide grin on his face as he thrusts the bag into your face. Reeling back, you startle slightly before gently taking the bag out of Jimin’s hold.

Carefully, you inspect the goldfish. It doesn’t look sick you think - but then you spot it. Cotton-like white growths form along the underbelly of the goldfish, obscuring the iridescent orange scales. You frown slightly. A fungal disease? It’s not particularly contagious - however, it can lead to fatality - even in hardy creatures such as goldfish. Though, from what you know of the Pearlscale goldfish, they’re incredibly sensitive and vulnerable to changes in temperature or pH; and with the weather getting colder, it’s no wonder that the fish caught a fungal disease. It does, after all, only occur due to stress and a lowered immune system. Once done examining the fish, you let out a deep exhale.

“Puppy,” you sigh, “goldfish die sometimes. They’re not pets people keep for a long time,” you continue, trying to be as delicate as possible. The minute the words leave your lips, however, Jimin’s eyes begin tearing up, his cute little button nose turning rose as his bottom lip quivers.

“No! Noona, please! Save the fishie,” Jimin cries, little whimpers escaping his mouth. Instantly, your heart breaks and you gather the sobbing boy into your arms. Jimin clutches your shirt tightly, little fists curling into the material as his tears soak into the fabric.

“Oh honey,” you coo, gently petting his head as you try to console him. Jimin always did have the biggest heart in the world and he loves animals - you know from the way he gets excited every time Namjoon brings him over to the aquarium and he gets starry-eyed - or the way he cuddles up and strokes Rap Mon while telling your pup about his day. Indeed, Jimin has the biggest heart in the world - and apparently, just the thought of someone else’s fish, not even his own, passing away, has him crying in your embrace.

“Please noona,” Jimin sobs, little hiccups escaping him. Taking in a deep breath, you put him at arm's length. You cup his face in your hand, your thumbs brushing away his tears before placing a soft kiss on his forehead. Jimin snivels under your ministration, body slightly relaxing in your hold. Then, you hand him the water-filled bag and easily pick him up into your arms.

“Alright, Puppy. Let’s see what we can do, yeah?” you finally say. Jimin’s lips curl into a large, watery smile.

“Yes! Thank you Noona!” he cries, laying his head on the crook of your neck before snuggling into you as he delicately holds the goldfish.

Face softening, you pull him tighter into you as you walk to your car. How hard could it be to treat a goldfish after all?

Sitting in your lab, you carefully move the goldfish from the bag and into an antiseptic, empty tank - of course, after making sure the tank’s conditions were suitable for it. Jimin stands close to you, hands on the table as he peers over the edge, watching you carefully. He’s barely tall enough to overlook your actions and even as he stands on his tiptoes, only the top of his head and his eyes make it over the counter ledge. Carefully, you grip onto the fish, making sure to keep your clutch gentle while also holding firmly enough so it doesn’t slip out of your grasp - not that your latex glove covered hands are helping.

Plopping it into the tank, you watch as it frantically swims around its new location. Undoubtedly, it’s stressed - not only from your handling of the creature - but also from its new environment. Hopefully, however, it acclimatises pretty quickly. You know that additional stress can lead to white spot disease - and considering the fish is already ill, you want to avoid any further strain on its immune system.

As you leave it to get acclimatised, you move along to gathering the different equipment you’d need to treat it. Jimin watches you with hawk-like eyes before he begins following you around like a lost puppy. Once you’ve gathered the correct equipment and treatments, you take a seat at your laboratory counter once again.

You begin by undoing the filter from the tank, taking out the active carbon as swiftly as you can before replacing it: after all, the fish needs clean water if you want it to recover as soon as possible. When you replace the filter once again, you feel Jimin tug at your trousers. Turning to him, you let out a little laugh as he holds onto the legs of your slacks, his little body jumping as he attempts to crawl into your lap.

Unsnapping the gloves from your hands, you wrap your arms around him and pull him into your lap. Jimin grins at you before shifting into a more comfortable position. Your arms cage his body as you resume working on the fish. Jimin’s eyes follow your exact movements, watching as you reach out for a little brown glass bottle. He turns to you, his head tilting up slightly.

“What’s that noona?” Jimin asks, curiosity laced through his voice.

“Methylene Blue,” you hum back in response, not really thinking about your answer. Jimin’s features twist, his face falling.

“What’s what?” he asks. You stop, letting out a little laugh.

“Sorry honey,” you apologise. You’d completely forgotten that Jimin is simply a six-year-old and not a trained veterinarian like you are, “it’s a type of medicine. To treat your friend’s fish,” you explain. Jimin nods in response, turning back to watch you carefully unscrew the lid before he once again turns back to you.

“Can I help?” he inquires, his head tilting to the side. A smile curls on your lips before you nod at him. Jimin grins brightly in response before excitedly placing his little, chubby hands on the back of your own. His hands follow yours as you treat the tank with a few drops of the solution, watching as the colour of the water tints blue.

“Is that it?” Jimin asks, his body moving forward as he stares at the fish in interest. With a chuckle you shake your head, instead, reaching for another bottle.

“Not just yet. We need to add the freshwater aquarium salt and then let the fish do the rest. Hopefully, it will recover soon,” you reply gently. Jimin nods enthusiastically.

“Hanbinnie will be so happy! I can’t wait to give him back his fishie and tell him my noona made him better!” Jimin happily says as he kicks his legs enthusiastically. Once again, your heart swells at his use of ‘my noona’.

“Would you like to add the salt, Puppy?” The words tumble out of your mouth before you even think about them. Jimin sits up in interest, his entire body perking up as he nods frantically.

“Yes, please! Can I?” he asks, the words racing out of his mouth as he buzzes with excitement. A light laugh leaves your lips and you stroke his head before nodding. Taking the bottle in your hand, you measure out the appropriate amount into a beaker before handing him the glass jar.

“Okay, just sprinkle this over the water and then we’re done!” you reply. Jimin carefully takes the beaker into his little palms, the jar almost dwarfing his hands. Then, with the utmost look of concentration and his little tongue poking out of his plump lips, he carefully sprinkles the salt over the water.

“Like this?” he asks, nervously turning to you.

“Just like that!” you reply, arms automatically wrapping around his plump little belly. Jimin keens under your praise, smiling brightly as his eyes turn into little half-moons. When he’s done, he places it back down and leans his head into the crook of your neck, watching as you finish off by stirring the water - as gently as you can to not disturb the goldfish - so the salt mixes in.

“All done! Now, I’ll need to keep Hanbin’s fish here in the lab under observation for a couple of days. But when he’s healthy again, you can come and get him and give him back to Hanbin, is that okay?” you ask. Jimin nods eagerly.

“Yes! Thank you noona! You’re the best!” Jimin responds before twisting in your arms and hugging you tightly. Your face softens as you once again wrap your arm around him.

“Mhm. Are you ready to head home now?” you ask and Jimin nods once again before hopping off the chair and running to grab his coat. Laughingly, you follow him before helping him put on his jacket and wrap up warm. Then, you hold out your hand, letting Jimin’s mitten covered one grab it.

“Come on then. I’m sure Daddy, Taehyungie and Jungkookie are waiting for us,” you say as you lead him out of your lab. Before you do, however, he stops and looks at you with curious eyes. Turning to him, you cock an eyebrow as you wait for him to say what’s on his mind.

“Noona… do you think I could become a sea doctor?” Jimin asks. Your eyebrows shoot into your hairline at his sudden question, surprise filling you.

“Hmm. You’d have to work hard, but I don’t see why not,” you finally reply. Your words cause him to beam brightly at you, a toothy smile on his lips as his eyes squish together.

“Then I’m going to become a sea doctor! Just like you noona!” Jimin calls out cheerily. And with that, he tugs you out of your own lab.

a/n: i sincerely hoped you enjoyed this cute lil mini of jimin and yn,,, because I know I enjoyed writing it 🥺 please lemme know what you think!!! // intro her will officially return in november!!

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dettiot · 4 years

Text

Fic: Go With Your Heart 1/6

Go With Your Heart Author: dettiot Rating: T Summary: When the Jedi choose not to train Anakin Skywalker, it sets him on a different path. Thanks to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Queen Amidala, Anakin and his mother come to Naboo to live in freedom. And when his path crosses with Senator Amidala, his life changes again. Notes: This fic has been such an amazing challenge for myself! Writing something so canon divergent and really exploring the changes in Anakin's personality has been really interesting and hard, and I'm really glad I got this chance! I'm really thankful to the anidalaweek Tumblr for sponsoring this event and to my beta frostbitsky.This first chapter helps set up the story. Starting in chapter 2, you'll start seeing the amazing gifs created by queenaryastark in the chapters and on my Tumblr posts of each chapter.

Also available on AO3!

XXX

Anakin: Will I ever see you again? Shmi: What does your heart tell you?

Anakin: I don't know if I'll ever see her again, I wanted to say goodbye. Queen Amidala: We will tell her for you. We are sure her heart goes with you.

XXX The Jedi Temple was full of beautiful, contemplative places like the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Yet tonight, as the sun set on Coruscant, Obi-Wan Kenobi wasn’t there. He was standing on one of the small balconies on an upper level of the Temple, looking out at the view as his mind reeled.

The Council had decided Anakin Skywalker would not be trained as a Jedi.

He still didn’t understand how the Council made such a decision. To turn their backs on Anakin . . and on Master Qui-Gon. His master had believed so much in Anakin. His last thoughts were about the boy, asking Obi-Wan to train him.

If Master Windu or Master Yoda or any other Jedi had asked him to take on a Padawan, Obi-Wan would have refused. What business did he have teaching anyone? An Initiate who hadn’t been selected as a Padawan? A Padawan still at twenty-five, only judged ready so that Master Qui-Gon could take on Anakin as a Padawan learner?

Yet it had been his master to ask Obi-Wan to take this duty, so there had been no question of not accepting.

But since the Council had refused permission, how could he hope to live up to his master’s dying request? Not to mention what to do with Anakin?

Obi-Wan gazed up at the darkening skies, searching for answers. He had tried to meditate, but his thoughts were too tangled for him to find peace and direction from the Force.

So it was up to him to find the answers.

As he looked at the skies, the deepening twilight overlaid with the yellow haze from the lights of Coruscant, he wondered: if not for all the light pollution, might he see the stars?

Might he be able to see Mandalore from here?

As much as he tried to persuade himself that Anakin would settle in well on Mandalore, that Satine would keep an eye on him and would probably arrange for Anakin’s mother to be freed and brought to Mandalore as well, Obi-Wan didn’t think it would be the right choice for Anakin. He would learn too much aggression and violence, drawing upon his innate fear and anger. Until all his kindness and goodness was snuffed out.

The only reason Obi-Wan was even considering Mandalore was because it would allow him to visit the planet. To see Anakin . . . and Satine.

Drawing in a deep breath, Obi-Wan let go of the idea of sending a little boy to a politically-unstable planet simply because Anakin’s presence might let him see the woman he--

No, there was a better option. For Anakin, for his mother . . . and for Obi-Wan.

He turned away from the view and headed inside the Temple, walking slowly to the long-range communications suite. Once he had access to a holotransmitter, he sat down and prepared what he wanted to say, then opened a channel.

Within a few moments, the person he was waiting for appeared before him, dressed elaborately as always--well, not as always, Obi-Wan admitted.

“Your Highness,” he said, bowing his head. “Thank you for allowing me to speak with you.”

“Of course, Master Kenobi,” Queen Amidala of Naboo said. “We have been making arrangements for the victory celebration and for the ceremony honoring Master Qui-Gon’s sacrifice. I understood you would be returning to Naboo for those events.”

“I will,” Obi-Wan said, feeling his heart clench at the queen’s monotone voice, talking so plainly about his master’s sacrifice.

Something flickered in the Queen’s eyes, and when she spoke again, it was in the voice he remembered Padmé using.

“I am very sorry for your loss, Obi-Wan,” she said softly. “How may I help?”

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. “Thank you, Your Highness. I . . . the Council has decided not to train Anakin.”

The Queen frowned. “An unfortunate decision.”

As much as he agreed with her, he would not second-guess the Council to an outsider. “This means that Anakin is somewhat . . . displaced. His freedom papers have been filed and his slave transmitter is deactivated, yet it is unlikely he could simply return to his mother on Tatooine.”

Lifting her head, the Queen said, “Anakin can come and live here on Naboo. And I will make arrangements to free his mother. It is the least I can do, for the assistance Anakin and Shmi provided to me while I was on Tatooine. Not to mention what Naboo owes to Anakin for destroying the droid control ship.”

A weight he hadn’t realized existed was lifted from his shoulders by the Queen’s words. Obi-Wan smiled slightly and nodded. “Thank you, Your Highness. I am very grateful to you.”

The smile on the Queen’s face was small, but no less warm. “I am grateful to you for alerting me to Anakin’s plight. I will send my Captain of the Guard to Tatooine immediately. Once Shmi is freed, she will be brought here to Naboo.”

“If I might suggest, Your Highness,” Obi-Wan said, his mind turning, “I believe Anakin would prefer to be with his mother when they both arrive on Naboo. We can meet your captain in Mos Espa and then arrange everything. That way, Anakin and his mother would have time together before the upheaval of starting over on a new planet.”

“A wise recommendation,” the Queen said, inclining her head. “Very well. I will transmit Captain Panaka’s comm frequency to you, and you can make the arrangements to meet in Mos Espa.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Obi-Wan replied. “I will see you on Naboo upon our arrival.”

The Queen nodded. “I look forward to it. Please tell Anakin I hope he and his mother will like living on Naboo.”

“I will,” Obi-Wan said, ending the call.

And with that done, he leaned back in his chair and drew in a breath, feeling like he could sleep for a week and meditate for another week.

But before he could rest, he would need to talk to Anakin.

XXX

It took a few hours for Obi-Wan to contact Captain Panaka and arrange their schedules. Once that was done, he went in search of Anakin.

The boy was not in Obi-Wan’s quarters or in the dining hall. That meant he was likely either in one of the hangars, investigating whatever ship he could get close to, or poking around with droids.

Reaching out with his senses, it took Obi-Wan only a few moments to find the boy.

He was in the main hangar.

Setting off, Obi-Wan moved through the corridors of the Temple, wondering what Anakin was feeling and thinking. Hoping he could find a way to break the news to Anakin without hurting him too much.

Perhaps the news of his mother being freed, of the two of them getting to live on a beautiful planet like Naboo, would help ease the sting. And certainly the Queen would watch out for Anakin, helping him get the support he needed.

Yes, this was all for the best. Even if he felt a tugging from the Force, a whisper of ‘what if?’ swirling in his mind. A ‘what if’ that spiraled in a million directions from this moment, creating so many different paths.

Once inside, he quickly spotted Anakin, taking in one of the Delta 7s.

As he got closer, he heard Anakin peppering questions at the maintenance tech, who looked relieved when he saw Obi-Wan.

“Sir, this boy--”

“Yes, it’s all right,” Obi-Wan reassured the tech before looking at Anakin. “Anakin, we need to talk.”

The light dimmed in Anakin’s face, his shoulders slumping. Obi-Wan felt himself panic and quickly crouched in front of him. “What’s wrong, Anakin?” he asked, fearing that he--and Anakin--already knew.

“I . . . I know I’m not gonna stay,” Anakin said, swallowing audibly. “Can I--can I just go back to my mom and forget all about this?”

“Anakin, I’m afraid you are right,” Obi-Wan said, doing his best to sound and act gentle. “But there are some matters I’d like to discuss with you. Would you please come with me? Someplace a bit nicer than this hangar?”

Anakin frowned, his thoughts practically visible on his face. For a flying-mad boy, no place was nicer than the hangar. But when Obi-Wan held his hand out to him, Anakin took it and allowed himself to be led away.

Obi-Wan took him to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, searching for a quiet area to sit with Anakin. In a small nook near a fountain, Obi-Wan took a seat on the grass and patted the ground beside him.

“What’s all this stuff?” Anakin asked, pointing at the grass.

“It’s called grass. On many planets, it’s as common as sand is on Tatooine,” Obi-Wan said. “Come, sit down.”

He still looked a bit hesitant, but he sank down, pulling his legs in against his chest.

When Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, he saw a sad, scared little boy. He found himself remembering his words to Qui-Gon, about how Anakin was dangerous, and wondered how he could have been so wrong.

“How did you guess that you weren’t staying, Anakin?” Obi-Wan asked, curious about his insight.

“I just . . . I felt it,” Anakin said glumly. “They don’t want me here.”

“Well, you are right,” Obi-Wan admitted. “The Council has decided not to train you, Anakin. I’m very sorry. And--and I think they’re wrong. I . . . I told Master Yoda I was willing to leave the Order to train you, if that was what you wanted.”

Anakin’s eyes widened. “What? No! You can’t leave, Obi-Wan!”

“Why not?”

“‘Cause--’cause you’re really good at all this stuff,” Anakin said. “You killed the guy that killed Master Qui-Gon, and he was the best Jedi ever. So you’re gonna be even better.”

Master Yoda often rhapsodized about children and their minds. How clearly they saw everything. As his cheeks flushed, Obi-Wan could understand what the Jedi grandmaster meant.

“That’s very kind of you, Anakin, but--but putting aside me, what do you want?” Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin went silent, hugging his knees closer to his chest. Then, in a very small voice, he said, “I want my mom.”

“More than being a Jedi? More than freeing slaves?” Obi-Wan asked, wanting Anakin to truly think about this decision, instead of just reacting from his emotions.

“More than anything,” Anakin said, looking up at him. His eyes were very blue and very determined. “She needs me.”

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a small smile. “I’m glad to hear that, Anakin. I have a plan I’d like to share with you. The Queen of Naboo has invited you to come and live there, under her protection.”

Those big blue eyes blinked, then Anakin surged to his feet. “Padmé wants me to live with her?!? Wahoo!”

It was all Obi-Wan could do not to bury his face in his hands. What was he just thinking about Anakin not being that dangerous?

“That’s not exactly what’s going to happen, Anakin,” Obi-Wan said, grasping Anakin’s sleeve. “Sit down and let me explain it to you.”

“I’m not gonna live with Padmé?” Anakin sounded almost heartbroken, which . . . which was just ridiculous. Nine-year-olds couldn’t have their heart broken, could they?

“I spoke with the Queen and you’ll live on Naboo. I’m sure she’ll arrange for you to have a home, credits, and other supplies,” Obi-Wan said. “In addition . . . your mother will be coming with you so you can live together on Naboo.”

Anakin stared at Obi-Wan, his mouth hanging open. He was as still as a statue and Obi-Wan rushed on to finish laying out the plan.

“I will take you to Tatooine, where we’ll meet Captain Panaka and arrange for your mother to be freed. Then the two of you will have time together on the shuttle to Naboo, before the Queen welcomes you to the planet.”

“Mom . . . Mom is going to be free, too?” Anakin said, still staring at Obi-Wan.

“Yes,” Obi-Wan said, his insides tied up in knots. “It was the Queen’s idea. She said she hopes you both like living on Naboo.”

The boy jumped to his feet and threw his arms around Obi-Wan’s neck, hugging him tightly. “Of course we’re gonna like it! Naboo is, like, the best planet in the whole galaxy!”

Obi-Wan breathed out a soft chuckle and patted Anakin’s back. “I’m glad you like my plan.”

Pulling back, Anakin beamed at Obi-Wan. “Of course it was your plan. Like I said, you’re gonna be the best Jedi ever.”

Before Obi-Wan could tell Anakin that there was no need for such flattery, he was asking questions, the words tumbling out of him. When would they leave? What kind of ship were they taking? Could he fly it for some of the time? Were they really going to be able to free his mom, since Watto wouldn’t sell her before? How long would it take them to get to Tatooine? How long would it take to get to Naboo from Tatooine?

Finally managing to get a word in edgewise, Obi-Wan said, “We’re going to leave just as soon as I’ve packed a few things. So we’ll just need to stop by our quarters and then we can go.”

Anakin reached out and took Obi-Wan’s hand, pulling him up with surprising strength. “Let’s move!”

There was so much vitality and life in Anakin. Obi-Wan found himself wishing he felt like that. Instead of feeling tired and numb like he did whenever Anakin wasn’t around.

But Anakin had made his choice. Being with his mother, living on Naboo--it would be good for him. And it was his choice--perhaps the first choice he had ever gotten to make in his life.

That was what mattered most.

XXX

Quarsh Panaka, Captain of the Royal Naboo Security Forces, was well aware that few planets could approach Naboo for beauty. But as blessed as Naboo was in resources, the planet he was standing on now was cursed by its lack.

Because on Tatooine, the only resource seemed to be sand.

Accompanied by the Queen’s lead handmaiden, Panaka had landed in Mos Espa a few hours ago. Already, all manner of individuals had noticed their presence and attempted to con, cheat or threaten him.

In a way, it was refreshing. By his nature and by his training, Panaka was suspicious of anyone and everyone. So seeing people act so cravenly, seeking only to satisfy their self-interest? At least it made his job easy.

“So this is Tatooine. Padmé didn’t exaggerate: this place is horrible.”

With a rueful smile, Panaka turned to Sabé. “I suppose her experiences here weren’t the easiest. But this is a simple operation. Meet up with the Jedi and the boy, buy the boy’s mother, and then back home.”

Sabé looked a touch doubtful. “Padmé said that Master Qui-Gon tried to free Anakin’s mother, but her owner wouldn’t allow it.”

“Her Highness has ordered me to pay any price for Shmi Skywalker,” Panaka reassured her. “We’ll manage it.”

Nodding, Sabé reached up to secure the hair blown into her face by a gust of wind. “Is it a sandstorm?” she asked.

“No--the Jedi is arriving,” Panaka said, pointing to a small craft landing in the bay next to theirs. “Right on time, too.”

Within a few moments, the ramp for the ship lowered and a small, sandy-haired boy dashed out of the ship, followed by a young man in Jedi robes.

“Hi!” Anakin said brightly. “Captain Panaka, right?”

“That’s right,” Panaka said, eyeing the reason for all this work. “Nice to see you again, Anakin.”

He looked up and nodded to the Jedi. “Master Kenobi. You remember Sabé, the Queen’s handmaiden.”

Kenobi looked at Sabé, a corner of his mouth quirking upwards. “I do remember Sabé, although it’s nice to meet her as herself.”

Sabé grinned impishly then shrugged her shoulders. “I take the Queen’s safety very seriously. Almost as seriously as Captain Panaka.”

“It was you being the Queen when Padmé was being herself, right?” Anakin asked. Panaka looked around for any eavesdroppers, feeling fortunate that Skywalker didn’t have one of those booming child voices.

“That’s right,” Sabé said, crouching in front of him. “Now, how about you show us to your mother’s house, so we can tell her the good news?”

With a wide smile, Anakin grabbed Sabé’s hand and led her out of the docking bay, chattering away. That left Panaka to bring up the rear with Kenobi.

“Kid seems okay with not being a Jedi,” Panaka commented after a few minutes of silence.

“For now,” Kenobi said, his hands folded into the sleeves of his robes. “Eventually, though, he might change his mind. But at least he’ll have his mother with him.”

Panaka nodded. “And y’know. Kids are resilient. So they say.”

Kenobi nodded, seemingly not interested in further conversation. Panaka didn’t take it personally. Jedi, like royalty, were their own class with their own quirks. You couldn’t take anything they did as a reflection of what they actually thought or felt.

As they walked towards Shmi Skywalker’s house, Panaka found himself watching Anakin. The boy was . . . odd. He pulled Sabé back from the street just before an old, clanking speeder came whizzing past. It would have hit Sabé if she had been crossing.

Of course, Skywalker knew his hometown, knew what to expect. And he probably heard the speeder coming. But still--it was odd.

He still didn’t know if he liked Queen Amidala putting out so much to save one woman and her son. Of course, even his paranoid mind could see the Skywalkers’ initial meeting with the Queen was pure chance. But still--what if it backfired on the Queen?

Ah, well. He’d be there if it did backfire. Besides, Anakin Skywalker had something about him. Odd, yeah, but also . . . interesting.

Panaka found himself wondering what was going to happen to the kid once he and his mom arrived on Naboo. But he thought it was going to work out okay.

XXX

Part of her wished she didn’t need to make a formal welcome for Anakin and Shmi Skywalker. She would like to greet them more casually, as Padmé instead of Queen Amidala.

But the reason she had been allowed to free Anakin’s mother through an outlay of not just her own personal funds, but a portion of Naboo’s revenues, was to honor the Hero of Naboo. So there had to be publicity and ceremony for the occasion.

Flanked by her handmaidens in pale lilac gowns, Padmé stood in the reception room of the Royal Palace, dressed in a heavy, deep purple gown. She fought the urge to fidget as they waited for the arrival of Captain Panaka, Sabé and the Skywalkers, feeling curious about how Anakin was doing.

He must be disappointed about not being trained as a Jedi. In truth, Padmé was also disappointed. It made her think the Jedi were as broken as the Republic was. Perhaps it was naïve of her to think so, to have such a dim view of the Jedi after they made one decision she hadn’t agreed with. But then, Naboo elected teenagers to the throne and sought the guidance of children due to their innocent wisdom.

And she didn’t think having a lack of faith in the Jedi was foolish. It seemed wise. Especially right now.

After what felt like an eternity, the doors of the reception room opened, the holocamera drones capturing every moment of the procession. Captain Panaka was the first in the room, followed by Sabé and then Master Kenobi, looking every inch the Jedi. And there was Anakin, clutching Shmi’s hand and beaming at everyone he made eye contact with.

But Padmé thought his smile grew a bit bigger when he saw her.

Shmi looked overwhelmed and kept smoothing her hair, but her smile was the same gentle, kind one Padmé had seen on Tatooine.

Padmé waited for Anakin and Shmi to reach her, then spoke in her Queen Amidala voice. “Anakin Skywalker, Shmi Skywalker, welcome to Naboo. In recognition of your assistance to ourselves and the people of Naboo, you are now citizens of this planet, with all entitled rights and privileges. It is the least we can do to honor your service and sacrifice.”

As planned, Padmé bowed, followed by her handmaidens. Jar-Jar Binks, the Gungan representative who had stayed blessedly silent until then, let out a cheer that rocked the room.

Master Kenobi leaned forward and spoke softly to Anakin and then Shmi, obviously prompting them. Shmi said quietly, in a voice filled with gratitude, “Thank you, my lady.”

But Anakin wasn’t content with a simple thank you. He dashed forward and kneeled in front of Padmé. “Thank you, Your Highness, and I promise, I’ll do everything I can to protect you and Naboo!”

A wave of amused chuckles rang out, but Padmé wanted to honor Anakin’s sweet response. “We have every confidence in you, Anakin Skywalker.”

He rose with a wide smile on his face, looking at her with stars in his eyes, and Padmé couldn’t help smiling back.

With that, the formal ceremony was over and the holocameras were switched off. The reception room emptied out a bit, with most of the guests exiting through the doors into the gardens for refreshments.

Left alone with the Skywalkers and Master Kenobi, Padmé gave Sabé a smile of welcome, glad to have her back by her side. Then she stepped over to Shmi and Anakin. “I hope the ceremony wasn’t too overwhelming,” she said to Shmi.

“Sabé prepared us on our trip,” Shmi said, still smoothing back her hair. “It’s so kind of you, Your Highness. All that you’ve done for Anakin and I . . .”

“I was happy to help when Master Kenobi informed me the Jedi would not be training Anakin,” Padmé said, meaning it with all her heart.

Shmi’s eyes darkened slightly, then she looked down at Anakin. “Ani, why don’t you go have some food? You could also get me some water, if you don’t mind.”

“Mom, I’ll be good,” Anakin protested.

She smiled gently at her son, but spoke firmly. “I know you will be. Go along.”

“I’ll go with Anakin if he’d like the company,” Master Kenobi said, stepping forward.

Anakin still looked torn, but then he allowed Obi-Wan to escort him out to the gardens.

Padmé waited until they were both out of earshot, then looked at Shmi. The older woman took a deep breath. “Your Highness, I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to thank you. For myself and for Ani.”

Stepping forward, Padmé took Shmi’s hands, feeling the rough skin and calluses. “You can thank me by being happy. By raising Anakin in freedom and by living a life without hardship.”

Shmi’s eyes glistened, but she held back her tears. “How, though? I . . . I have so few skills . . .”

“You’re a wonderful mother. That’s a very important skill,” Padmé said. “You remind me of my mother, so I know you’ll be fine. And you’ll have Sabé to help you--she’ll be with you to get you settled in Moenia, which is her hometown.”

“Oh,” Shmi said, looking surprised. “Really?”

Padmé nodded and gestured to her handmaiden. “Sabé will tell you more. But first--anything you or Anakin need, you will have.” She gently squeezed Shmi’s hands. “Anakin is a Hero of Naboo. He’s already made us proud, even before he became a Nabooian. I know you and Anakin will keep making us proud.”

As Padmé hoped, her words seemed to reassure Shmi. Her face relaxed and she squeezed Padmé’s hands back. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t seem to find the words. So she just smiled at Padmé, a smile that reminded her of Anakin’s.

With a smile of her own, Padmé stepped back. “I’ll let you and Sabé discuss the arrangements she’s made so far.”

At this moment, Eirtaé quietly said to Padmé, “Your Highness, you have your weekly meeting with Governor Bibble and the other planetary leaders.”

“Thank you, Eirtaé,” Padmé said, holding back her sigh. She wished she could say goodbye to Anakin, but hopefully that would happen before the Skywalkers left for Moenia.

After all, the Skywalkers were now under her protection, like all the other citizens of Naboo. She wanted to do her duty to them.

So Padmé left the reception room, heading to the throne room, mentally preparing for all the responsibilities awaiting her.

XXX

The planet of Naboo was like something out of a dream. She had lived on several different planets, but none of them could compare to Naboo. The lakes, the grasslands, the gently rolling hills . . .

Watching Anakin explore the gardens, his eyes lighting up with every new discovery--this was the kind of life she had always wanted for him. The life she thought he might have with the Jedi.

Shmi was worried about Anakin. How would he feel once the novelty of this new life faded? Would he always want that other life, a life with the Jedi? Would he look to the stars, like he did on Tatooine, and feel like his place was among them?

But perhaps it would be different. Her daring, impulsive, bright boy could stay with her now. She could watch him grow up, could help him with his struggles. Maybe that would be enough.

And maybe she was just being a worrywart, Shmi silently conceded with a smile.

“Mom, Mom!” Anakin came running up to her and grabbed her hand. “You gotta come feel the grass! It’s so cool and so soft! Not like sand at all.”

“All right, Ani, I’m coming,” she said with a soft laugh.

Her son pulled her over to a far corner of the garden, where a stretch of grass was surrounded by flowering bushes and tall trees. The soft chirping of birds and the hum of insects were the only sounds. It was all so peaceful and serene. Like nothing bad could ever happen here.

Of course, she knew that only a short time ago, a great battle had been fought here. But still . . . this planet was so quiet.

Anakin flopped down on the grass and grinned up at her. She sank down beside him, reaching out to run her fingertips over the grass. As he had promised, it was soft and cool--so comfortable to sit upon.

She smiled and reached out to stroke his hair, which was just as soft as the grass. “Are you happy, Ani?”

He nodded eagerly. “I’m so glad you’re here, Mom.” His expression dimmed and he moved closer to her. “I hated to leave you behind. It . . . it didn’t feel right.”

“I know, Ani,” she said, still stroking his hair. “But you know, some day, you’ll need to leave me. When you want to go to school, or when you get married, or if you go off-planet . . .”

“None of that’s gonna happen for years,” Anakin said. “Besides, I’m gonna marry Padmé, so we’ll be staying here.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he turned bright red and rolled over, hiding his face against the grass. Shmi ignored the grass stains his clothes were acquiring and rested her hand on his back.

“I mean . . . I’m not really gonna marry her, I know,” Anakin said, his voice muffled against the grass. “But--but she’s so nice, Mom. And really smart.”

“Padmé is a wonderful person. The fact that you like her means you are very smart, Ani,” Shmi said, smiling softly at his back. “I like her, too. And I’m very grateful for everything she’s done for us.”

Anakin rolled over enough to look at her. “Yeah?”

Shmi nodded. “Yes. We’re going to have a little house in a town called Moenia. Padmé is sending Sabé with us, to help us get used to Naboo and introduce us to people there. Moenia is where Sabé grew up.”

“Wait, we’re not staying here in Theed?” Anakin asked, sitting up. “Why not?”

“Padmé thought we would like it better in Moenia,” Shmi said. “If we stayed here in Theed, Sabé explained, we’d get followed by holocameras and bothered by reporters. And that would make it harder for us to get used to our new life.”

His eyebrows drew together. “But I want to live in Theed.”

“Ani,” Shmi said gently, “just because we’re going to be living in Moenia, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to visit Theed and see Padmé.”

There was a stubborn cast to his expression, but Shmi could feel the emotions churning inside her son. This reaction wasn’t only about not seeing Padmé. She reached out and pulled him close to her, thankful that he was still small enough to cuddle against her.

“Moenia is a new place for both of us. We won’t know anyone, we don’t know much about life on Naboo, and it’ll be very scary for both of us,” she said softly. “But I’m also excited. We get to learn so much, Ani. You’re going to go to school for the first time. I’m going to find a job and make credits I’ll get to keep, for the first time in my life.”

Closing her eyes, Shmi rested her face against Anakin’s sun-bright hair. “Do you remember what I told you before you left Tatooine?”

Anakin’s voice was soft against her shoulder. “That I can’t stop change any more than I can stop the suns from setting.”

“That’s right,” she said, feeling the pride swell within her. “And now, we won’t be facing change alone. We’ll have each other.”

“I love you, Ani,” she said softly.

Suddenly, his arms were wrapped tightly around her neck. “I love you, too, Mom,” he said, his voice so fierce and determined. “As long as we have each other, we’ll be okay.”

“Of course we’ll be okay,” she said, hugging him back.

In this moment, Shmi Skywalker truly believed they would be okay. It wasn’t like her to be so optimistic--she would describe herself as pragmatic or realistic--but all of her most secret dreams and wishes had come true. She and Ani were safe and free, on a planet with no war and little crime, under the protection of the planet’s leader.

No, they would be better than okay--they would be happy. Just as Padmé wanted for them.

Just as Shmi wanted, too.

End, Chapter 1

#anidala #anakin skywalker #padme amidala #star wars #my fic #varykinovember #go with your heart

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scandalousfemale · 4 years

Text

7. When Doves Cry

Chinese!OC X Kelce

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Zombies were meant for apocalyptic movies and tv shows where one could binge watch for a day and return to their mundane life. But something happened, a lab test went wrong and suddenly the outbreak started. This story takes place exactly three weeks after zombies slowly started to take over the planet.

Series Master List

WC:1866

Warnings: PTSD, grief, dealing with grief in different ways and blaming someone for their grief, as always- there’s blood, and weapons

A/N: Hi! I don’t know if anyone is still interested in this because I stopped updating so suddenly. If you’d like to be taken out of the tag list, PLEASE MESSAGE ME!!! I will take you off the list, no questions asked so don’t feel bad. This is a short chapter just to get the ball rolling again. The song at the end is called Everything’s An Illusion by Mayday Parade. Please, enjoy.

Numbness was what Kaili had felt as she climbed back down the hatch. It was as if the world moved in slow motion and then crashed into her all at once when she found the side of her face being slammed onto the cabinet above the sink by a blonde blur. The sharp pain to her cheekbone was nothing compared to the ache spreading through her chest, sending a burning sensation with each pump of her heart that was followed by ice. She knew Sarah was yelling at her but the words were muffled by everyone else who were yelling at the girl holding her in place.

Kelce was the first to pry the girl’s hands off her, she’d say he tried but it was barely a contest-- Sarah was either going to let go or Kelce was going to bend her fingers back. Before Kaili had the chance to fully turn around, the blonde had elbowed Kelce in between his ribs, causing him to take a small step back from surprise, giving her the chance to pull a switchblade from Kaili’s band and press it against the girl’s neck. As Sarah crowded the already small space, Kaili leaned further back onto the counter, allowing the edge of the sink to dig into the small of her back.

“What the fuck did you do? What did you do?!” Sarah’s voice broke in the middle of her screech, keeping the cool weapon against Kaili’s neck and at this moment, the dark haired girl wished she could have felt anything but her body had shut down in the name of self preservation. In a twisted way, Sarah looked beautiful like this, Kaili thought to herself. The blonde’s hair was stuck to her cheeks, tears acting like glue. The wild look in her eyes was far from hollow, they were angry, confused, alive...far from anything Kaili was feeling.

“You’re a murderer! A fucking murderer!” Sarah continued, pressing the blade so hard against Kaili’s neck that it broke skin. In a flash, the girls were reversed. Sarah’s body was against the counter instead, her arm twisted to hold the blade against her own neck.

“You don’t get to use his moves against me!” Sarah cried, trashing herself against the paler girl. She was right, Kaili had learned this move from Rafe and though she didn’t intend to use it, reflex...or maybe another feeling took over. She didn’t like being threatened, especially when she only did something that her friend had asked of her.

“I did what he asked me to do. You don’t get to call me anything when you left him open back there!” Kaili grit through her teeth, pushing away from the squirming sobbing girl, letting anger be the first feeling that she allowed. Pushing the blade back into her band around her thigh, she put room between them.

“What are you— was Wheezie…” the blonde didn’t finish her sentence as her blubbering continued.

“You left him open, you all left him open! He fought by himself and got bit going after the fucking zombie that was on top—,” Kaili felt the frustration bubble up inside of her. The urge to throw the whole bus upside down just to show the hatred for this world that she was feeling but her words stopped when Kelce pushed through the end of the bus and aggressively closed the door to the main bedroom. She mentally took a step back from the scene and reminded herself that these were his little sisters and his best friends in front of her.

“You’re acting like I killed him,” Kaili’s words barely a whisper, “he was already dead. He didn’t want to be ripped apart in the last moments of his life so I’m sorry I made a promise to your brother. I’m sorry that he wanted a better death for himself and I needed him to have a more peaceful one.”

“Fuck you,” Sarah said in disgust. “There could’ve been something else we could’ve done. Anything else. You didn’t give him a chance!” In a swift motion, Sarah had wrapped her hands around Kaili’s neck, pushing her towards the other side of the bus.

Kaili, shuttling down again, had accepted the action. She knew when to pick her battles and though she wanted to sucker punch the younger girl just to get away from her, she didn’t. Sarah wasn’t too strong when she was sniffling and hiccuping through her tears so it didn’t hurt her as much as it would if the blonde was motivated by anger more than hurt.

Though the rest of the group, excluding Kelce who had gone to the bedroom and Topper who had been driving, stood around them, no one seemed to want to step in and pick a side. When Sarah reeled her arm back, as if to punch Kaili, Wheezie jumped up off the sofa where Kie had been holding her. The girl had yanked her sister’s arms away with such unsuspecting force that threw Sarah off, causing her to stumble backwards into her boyfriend’s arms.

”Stop it!” The smaller girl cried and kept pushing at her sister as they sob. “Kaili loved him, too!” The younger girl screamed and it made Kaili's breath catch in her throat, not ready to accept that admitting she loved Rafe meant that, in a way, she loved everyone else here.

Her heart grew heavy in her chest as the sisters had a screaming match. Sarah was placing the blame on everyone she could think of and finally, she sneered at her little sister, saying that it was her fault for leaving the doors open since it was the zombie on top of her that had bitten Rafe. This accusation had visibly knocked the wind out of Wheezie, making the girl to stagger back.

“Was it my fault?” Wheezie gasped as if she’d been holding her breath, “I didn’t mean to.”

“Stop it. It’s not your fault. No one could have known,” Kaili wanted to hug the girl and give her more support but right now she needed to get out of this space that seemed to be suffocating her. She knew that if Rafe was here, he’d never let anyone talk to Wheezie like that but what could she tell his other sister that’s just going through the motions of losing him.

John B had pulled Sarah towards him and away from the group as they made their way towards the front of the bus, as if he was satisfied with the damage that she had caused. Kaili numbingly handed a stunned Wheezie to Kie before she made her way into the bathroom and away from the scene. She’d ripped her clothes off and hopped into the shower, letting the water wash the blood off her thighs. She also inspected the very small cut on her neck with her fingers. The image of Rafe kept replaying over and over again, without even realizing she was sitting on the shower floor.

After the shower, Topper was convinced they were safe parking in a random parking lot at a plaza across from a mall for the night. He had retired to his bunk while Sarah made a big act about needing to sleep on the sofa that was converted into a bed because a bunk was too easy for Kaili to come and kill her. Kaili didn’t want to mention it but without the added deterrence of a low ceiling that a bunk would supply Sarah, it would’ve been much easier to kill her on the sofa. She didn’t have the energy toF be baited by the girl though, so she slipped into the bedroom when Kelce left to take a shower.

After what seemed like hours of hearing his voice mixed with Sarah, her annoyance grew. She knew that she was being unreasonable because there must be plenty of reasons he would be talking to the girl who called her a murderer, like the fact that that’s his best friend’s little sister but Kaili was going through grief of her own. She had just spared her friend a terrible death yet she was being blamed for it and with all the added stress of zombies, Kelce talking to Sarah seemed to be the easiest target for her to be angry at. So, when he softly pulled the sliding door open, Kaili wasted no time telling him to get out of the room.

The boy didn’t listen though, he shut the door and made his way to the bed. Kelce reached for her and she pulled back. He’d try to sit closer to her and she’d move away. As if they’re doing an unrehearsed tango, the moves were sloppy.

“Don’t touch me,” she finally snapped, climbing off the bed.

“Hey!” Kelce’s voice mimicked authority but it was hollow, “my best friend died, you don’t get to act like this with me.”

“I don’t get to act like what, Kelce? Like I’ve just had to put your best friend out of his misery? My friend? Because, guess what? I did” she tried to keep her tone matter of fact but her voice was strained. She was suffering more than she wanted anyone else to know. She couldn’t get the image of Rafe’s limp body out of her mind and the soft look in Kelce’s eyes showed her that he knew.

She hadn’t even noticed that she was squeezing her eyes shut until she was brought back to the present by the feeling of Kelce’s hands holding the nape of her neck.

“Don’t shut me out,” was all he could say before his body wracked in sobs, “I can’t stand it, please,” his voice cracked as he got on his knees, moving to her side of the bed and grabbing her arm so that her body was flushed against his. He buried his face onto her shoulder and pulled her roughly on top of his lap. Her knees hitting the bed hard on either side of him. Her heart was threatening to jump out of her throat listening to him sob and feeling his arms wrap around her waist as she wrapped hers around his head, holding his face to her body as to block the hurt.

She understood the pain, she did. Losing someone that you’ve known since you were kids was hard no matter the scenario. She remembered Wei every single day since her passing but it was also something she was starting to accept, something she knew that she needed to grow numb to in this type of world. So, she pushed the sobbing boy backwards against the bed and pulled the blankets over the both of them. As he lay his head on her chest, she ran her fingers up and down his back, singing a song she recalled from what seems like a lifetime ago.

“Sleep well, my friend, there will be another moment we’ll meet again. Just let it go. Sleep well, goodnight. You’re something I’ll remember. I wish that you were here by my side.” She sang the words like a lullaby and a prayer wrapped in one, not sure if there’s a difference anymore.

taglist: @millyelliot @annab-nana @downbytheouterbanks @anakinwalker @bedazzledbanks @anxietyandtacos @jellyfishbeansontoast @outerbankslut @bricksatlandyswindow @damndunner @butgilinsky @spideymyluv @jiaraendgame @thegreatestofheck @theelusivesofia @tomfreakinghollandneedsaoscar @deathcompass @queenk00k @stfukie @rafej-cambanks @kindahavefeelingskindaheartless @phuvioqhile

#outer banks #outer banks kelce #kelce fanfiction #obx kelce #kelce obx

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stilloutofmyvulcanmind · 5 years

Text

Undone Part 1

Request: Could you do a Bruce Wayne x female reader. The reader is Bruce’s ex best friend that he harshly pushed away so she wouldn’t get hurt. They never spoke to each other but one day she’s in trouble so he saves her then kisses her or something. If it’s not to much trouble then could there be fluff and angst?

Pairing: Bruce Wayne x Female!Reader

Characters: Bruce Wayne, Reader

Word Count: 2.3k

Warnings: Arguments, angst

Summary: You’ve been best friends with Bruce Wayne all your life. You’d stuck by each other’s side through thick and then, and maybe, just maybe you saw him as more than a friend. But when you admit to knowing his secret, your whole world is turned upside down.

A/N: Part 2 will be up later this week!

Part 1 of 2

Part 2

It had been three years since you'd left Gotham. Three years since you'd taken a managerial position at an international section of your Father's tech company. But with his recent announcement that he was retiring at the end of the year and you as the natural heir, you'd been forced back to take up his position as CEO. You didn't mind, in fact, you were looking forward to it, having ideas to shake things up some already, but you'd left for a reason and you weren't entirely sure you were ready to face it yet.

Said reason sauntered through the main door of the hall, stunning model on either arm.

It had been three years since you last saw, or spoke, to Bruce Wayne.

~Three Years Ago~

"Bruce, you have to talk to me." You locked the door of the office, blocking it off with crossed arms as you watched Bruce try to hide the blood-stained shirt he'd just been wearing.

"I'm fine, Y/N," he said, keeping his back to you as he pulled on a clean, crisp shirt in place of the old one.

"Fine?! Bruce you disappear for years on some sort of impromptu sabbatical that you told no one about, making us all think you were dead, then show up again covered in scars with a penchant of adding mysterious new ones! What about that is fine exactly?"

Bruce heaved a sigh, shoulders rising and falling as he finished with the shirt and put the tie back on. "It's nothing. Just an accident."

"Don't lie to me. I know you better than that."

Bruce finally turned back to face you, once again appearing as if he didn't have what looked to be a knife wound. "Then stop prodding, Y/N, please. Trust me, I know what I'm doing."

"And I know what you're doing."

"What?"

Dropping your arms you took a step forward. "You really thought I wouldn't figure it out? The late nights, the injuries, the lame excuses? The fact that you came home barely a month before He first appeared? We've known each other all our lives, I can see you, even through a mask."

Bruce actually looked surprised, and you could all but hear the cogs in his head whirl. "Y/N…"

"I'm not going to try and stop you, you're too stubborn for that, but I can help maybe…"

"No."

"No?"

"I don't want or need your help." His tone had suddenly gone cold and instinctively you stepped away again. He'd never been cold with you, you'd barely seen him be cold with anyone.

"Bru-"

"What would you even have to offer? Just spend all night nagging away in my ear and annoying me?"

You scoffed, not quite sure what you’d just heard. “You’re saying I annoy you?” Bruce didn’t reply but the look was enough. “Wow. Over twenty years of being friends and I’m still finding out new things. Tell me, have I always been an annoying nag?”

“No. But things change. People change. We aren’t children anymore, Y/N, and there definitely aren’t many who remain friends into adulthood.”

Digging your nails into the palm of your hand was the only reason you didn’t flinch. “You’re really so willing to throw everything we have away? Just like that?”

“We don’t have anything.”

That hurt. You’d been through thick and thin together, did Bruce really care so little about all that? The icy glare he was giving you suggested he did. “Wish you hadn’t taken six months to tell me that, Bruce. I wouldn’t have wasted my time being concerned.”

Something flickered in Bruce’s eyes but it was gone again before you could read it. “I didn’t want to upset you.”

“Why would I be upset?! It’s only my best friend telling me that I annoy him and wants nothing to do with me! What’s to get upset about?!”

“You’re proving my point.”

“I’m proving you’re an ass! You’re right, Bruce, people do change. And not always for the better.”

“I changed so I could get help people.”

“Yeah, you’re a real hero. And one day that’s going to get you killed. You’ll die, alone, realizing that you’ve pushed away those who actually cared about you, loved you. Gotham will mourn for Batman. Who’ll mourn for Bruce?”

“I don’t need people to mourn me or care about me, and this is exactly why I don’t want you around or in my life. At all.”

“Yeah. Bruce Wayne the genius. Always right.” You smiled bitterly and turned away, walking the few steps to the office door. You paused at the handle, and glanced over your shoulder. Bruce met your eyes and for a second you thought he was going to apologize. Then he looked away and went to stare out the window. “Goodbye, Bruce,” you whispered, letting the oak door click shut behind you.

That was the last time you’d seen or spoken to him. Three weeks later you left Gotham and hadn’t looked back since.

Now here you were, watching him draw everyone's gaze as he charmed the room. He looked good, surprisingly, not at all like he'd been roaming the streets as a bat for years. Despite everything, you were grateful for that. He'd broken your heart that day, but it never meant that you wished him harm.

Turning away from the scene of Bruce schmoozing the guest of honor at this party, you plucked a flute of champagne from a nearby tray, and meandered around, making small talk here and there. You spotted Daniel, a swimwear model and your date for the night here and there, flirting with a few of the older ladies. Maybe you should've been jealous, but you really weren't. Both of you already knew you wouldn't see each other again once the night was over.

You were talking to a small group of women who worked for your father, discussing plans for the future, when a presence sidled up just behind your shoulder.

"Evening, ladies," Bruce's voice greeted, ever charming, sending a shiver down your spine. "Do you mind if I steal Ms. Y/L/N for a minute?"

The women of course dispersed, and you picked up another flute, before looking at Bruce as he moved around in front of you. "Mr. Wayne," you greeted, fixing on your best professional demeanor you usually only saved for the boardroom. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I just wanted to say 'hello'."

"You could've said that next week, I'm sure you're aware that I'll be attending our partnership meeting with my father."

"Of course, but I didn't want you to take offense and think I was ignoring you."

"I assure you, Mr. Wayne, there was no chance of that. Three years of dealing with pig-headed men who think they know better tend to ensure one isn't so easily upset."

"You're right, I'm sorry." It was strange seeing Bruce like this. He looked unsure like he was off-balance and that wasn't something that happened often. "How are you?"

"Never better, though I do miss Paris. Working there was a challenge, but it was fun too."

"I was surprised when you took the position there. Even more surprised when I heard you coming back to take over as CEO. You never expressed interest in that."

He was right. When you were younger the thought of stuffy offices and board meetings had been the exact opposite of what you wanted, instead wanting to focus on the people the company could help. You'd only agreed to your father's idea of Paris to get away from Bruce. But it had also shown you that running the company would give you even greater power to help. "As you said yourself, Mr. Wayne, people change."

It was almost undetectable but Bruce flinched at your words. "They do. And you have, for the better, I'd say. You'll do good things for the company."

You nodded, forcing yourself not to empty the glass of champagne. Why was Bruce being so nice? So insistent on making conversation? Why did he even care about what you wanted these days? You sipped at the alcohol, glancing around the room in a hope to spot an escape. No luck.

"Are you here alone?" Bruce asked.

"No." You gestured towards Daniel who was still flirting around.

"Boyfriend?"

You laughed and shook your head. "Definitely not."

"You were never one for casual encounters."

"Neither were you, yet here we are."

"People change."

"Yeah." Damning civility, you downed the rest of the champagne and set the glass down. "I need to go. I have some early meetings."

You started to move away but Bruce stopped you by clasping your wrist gently. At the death glare he received he released you once again. "Y/N, can we talk, please?"

"We've been talking for the last ten minutes. Or was it hours? Felt like it."

"In private."

There was something in his eyes you couldn't place, it looked like pain, and your heart clenched a little. You knew you should just walk away and leave him, that you'd regret agreeing to go somewhere private, but despite everything, you still couldn't hate him as much as you wanted to. "Fine."

"Thank you." Bruce started to move through the crowd with you following behind him. He led you out into the small garden, closing the doors behind you both once he'd checked to make sure it was empty.

"So?" You asked arms crossed over your chest. "What did you want to talk about?"

"I wanted to say that I missed you."

That sent you reeling and was definitely the last thing you'd expected to come out of his mouth. "You don't get to say that."

"Y/N…"

"No," you snapped. "You're the reason I left! You threw everything we had in my face and pushed me away! So you don't get to say that."

"You're right. And I'm sorry for the things I said. I regret them, more than I can say, but I did it for you."

"For me?! Breaking my heart was for me? How, exactly, Bruce?"

"I was trying to protect you. You caught me off guard when you said what you knew, and then you started talking about helping and immediately all I could think of was how everything in Gotham had become more dangerous for you, and that I needed to keep you safe! I realize now that I went about it in the worst way, but blocking you out like that was all I could think of at the time."

"Fuck you." Even Bruce looked shocked at the coldness in your tone. "You had no right to just decide my fate for me. If you were concerned you should've talked about it like a fucking man! Not demolish an entire friendship like it was nothing!"

"I know-"

"Do you? Do you have any idea what it felt like to hear your best friend say that you're annoying, that they don't want to be around you anymore, that the whole friendship was one-sided? No, you don't."

"I'm sorry-"

"Stop saying that! Stop saying you're sorry when you aren't! If you really did care then why not reach out? A call or a text or a damned email?!"

"Because you were happy! I saw what you were doing in Paris, how well you were succeeding! I wasn't going to distract you from that!"

"Sounds like a cowards excuse to me. I had plenty of friends over there, a single call to try and make amends would've hardly been unmanageable! You were too chicken to say sorry, just like you were too chicken to just fucking talk to me in the first place!" You turned away from him, heels clicking on the concrete as you paced, wishing you had another drink.

"You're right, I was. You've been right about everything! I got hurt and all I could think about was how I wished I had you next to me, or talking me through it."

You hated the thought of Bruce hurt like that, but you refused to let the sympathy creep into your heart. "I loved you, Bruce. I was in love with you! You went away then came back and it hit me. I loved you so wholly I would've done anything for you, risked anything for you. Knowingly and willingly. All I wanted was to be with you."

"And now?" Bruce's voice was barely a whisper.

"I hate you." It was a lie, but it landed the blow you wanted it to. Bruce did actually look like he'd been punched in the gut. "You're not the man I thought you were. Not even close. The best thing you did was push me away because now I don't have to waste any more years loving someone so cold and cruel."

It seemed he had no more to say in his defense, so you headed back towards the door. You paused and looked at him. "I'll work with you, Mr. Wayne, for the sake of both our companies, but any sort of friendship we had is over, and that's not going to change."

Bruce took a moment and you could see him compose himself. He took a breath and nodded. If you didn't know him, you would've missed the pain in his eyes as he spoke. "Of course, Ms. Y/L/N. Have a good evening."

You left without saying goodbye, texting Daniel that you weren't feeling well so were heading home alone. He didn't seem to mind. Tears burned at your eyes as you slipped into the back of your car, it taking all your strength not to let them fall. Maybe you'd been too harsh with him, but after all the pain he'd caused you, it almost felt good to get back at him. Almost. Mostly it just broke your heart all over again.

At least things couldn't get any worse.

Like what you read? Consider buying me a coffee! (I’ll love you forever!)

Tagging: @medicatemedrmccoy @thefanficfaerie @bkwrm523 @theweepingvulcan91 @sagyunaro @verdonafrost @huntersstuff591 @notsohappysunflower @quoththe-raven @startrekstartrash @thatanonymouschocolate @malaanii @bookcaseninja @alwayshave-faith

#bruce wayne x reader #batman x reader #bruce wayne imagine #batman imagine #bruce wayne #batman #DC Universe #dc imagine

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archadianskies · 4 years

Text

Whumptober Day 9

Take Me Instead → part of the A/9 SWATverse

Whumptober Masterlist | 09/31 of RK900 short stories ↳ on Ao3

Tags: Gun Violence × Gunshot wounds × Established Relationship × Team as Family × Imprisonment × Hostage Situations × Mind Control

Even with the bandages winding across a bruised and battered face, his eyes provide enough data via retinal scan to identify him as Zlatko Andronikov. Presumed dead, but no body was ever found on the grounds of his crumbling manor despite the large amount of blood soaked in the dirt.

“You know who I am.” He chuckles, crossing his arms across his chest.

“You know what I am.” Caleb replies evenly, not breaking his gaze. “And so my offer still stands: one RK900, for the safety and freedom of SWAT Unit 32.”

“That’s a lot of humans who know where I am.” Zlatko tuts, shaking his head. “One android is not worth my entire operation.”

“I am worth eight million dollars.” There’s a slight widening of his pupils, an almost imperceptible reaction but one he doesn’t miss. “That’s just the ballpark of what CyberLife was going to charge the government per unit. Now there’s only one of me. State of the art technology, with Kamski upgrades.” He also doesn’t miss the flash of emotion at the mention of that name, and the way his knuckles blanche as he clenches his hands. “My programming alone is worth that much.”

“Caleb, don’t-”

“Shut up!” One of the lackeys jabs the butt of his rifle at David’s helmet.

“Don’t touch him!” He hisses as David reels back. Blood drips down from his chin and Caleb feels his hearts lurch at the sight.

“See- Caleb, was it?” Zlatko chuckles as he circles them from where they’re on their knees, guns pointed at them from all angles. “I could send your little captain back with his faithful dogs and then shoot them all before they make it out of the grounds. I win no matter what, because you have nothing to bargain that I can’t just take forcefully.”

“Your reputation is what I bargain.” Caleb jutts his chin up stubbornly. “You’ve fallen from grace. The family fortune was squandered long ago, and you make your living selling scrap. It’s fancy scrap, but it’s still scrap.” He’s piqued his interest, he’s taken the bait and now Caleb needs to reel him in ever so slowly, so he doesn’t realise he’s been caught until it’s too late. “I am the most sought after piece of technology in the entire world.”

“Second only to Kamksi’s little doll.” Zlatko snorts back a laugh.

“She’s not a killing machine like I am.” Caleb counters smoothly. “I am a weapon. The deadliest one ever made. If the revolution hadn’t happened there would’ve been 200,000 of me all across the country. Sell me to Russia and you reclaim both your family name and the fortune you never got to touch.”

“Eight million.” Zlatko mumbles to himself, and Caleb can see the gears turning in his head.

“Your operation here will be meaningless.” He continues, looking around them at the derelict mortuary where he’d taken up residence. “With my tech you could revolutionise Russia’s technological landscape.”

“You bargain this nation’s security so easily, little soldier.” He laughs heartily, reaching out to tousle his hair as if petting a dog. “Is one SWAT unit worth changing the entire world? With all the fancy programming in your head I could change the political landscape. War on the horizon and glory to my name.”

“Caleb don’t.” David pleads and he can’t even look at him else his composure will waver.

“One SWAT unit, or just this one man, hm?” Zlatko clicks his tongue, unclipping David’s helmet and pulling it off before crouching slightly to get a good look at his face. “What is he to you? Why would CyberLife’s latest and greatest killing machine bargain away America’s future, to save one man and his team?”

“Touch him and I will end you.” Caleb growls.

“They’d shoot him full of bullets before you’d get to your feet.” The man laughs again, tisking.

“Yes.” He nods in reluctant agreement. “Perhaps. But if he dies, then the last thing you will ever see is CyberLife’s latest and greatest killing machine in action. I guarantee it.”

“One RK900.” Zlatko holds up his finger. “For the safety and freedom of SWAT Unit 32.”

“Yes.” He nods, sealing his fate.

“Caleb!” David gasps as he’s hauled to his feet. “No! You can’t do this!”

“I’m sorry.” He is, he really is. “Get everyone to safety and forget about me.”

“No,” he struggles fiercely, expression thunderous, “never! I won’t leave you behind!”

“This way no one dies.”

“You die!”

“One life for the lives of my family.” His vision blurs and his hearts stutter. “One life for the ones I love.”

“Ohoho.” Zlatko chuckles, rubbing his hands together. “A love story! How marvelous. A shame this one is a tragedy, in the end. Worry not, o captain my captain. He won’t remember you at all. He’ll have a brand new life soon enough, with none of this heartbreak.”

“Caleb! Caleb-!” They drag him out of the room and Caleb closes his eyes, bowing his head.

“I’ll keep him in the hold with the rest of your team, until you’ve been safely wiped clean.” Zlatko grabs his chin, forcing him to look up. “And then your beloved captain can turn tail and run away.”

“No.” He snarls, jerking out of his grasp. “Let them go now, or I fight.”

“You don’t get to bargain, little dog. One yelp, and the men open fire on your precious team.” Zlatko tuts, tousling his hair. “It’ll all be meaningless soon enough anyway.” He snaps his fingers and they jab him with their rifles, forcing him to stand up and leave the room.

They go deeper, walking down a set of stairs to a sprawling makeshift lab beneath the main mortuary floor. This is where his true base of operations lie, this is where Zlatko Andronikov continues his macabre chopshop, cutting up androids and selling their parts while experimenting on others cruelly. Just like at the decrepit manor- the only thing that’s changed is the location, and the fact androids are legally recognised as living, sentient beings. Which makes Andronikov a serial killer. A butcher that must be stopped for the sake of the new, living android race.

They force him onto the dias and the mechanical claws lock around his wrists as a jack is jammed into the port on his nape none too gently.

“Don’t worry. Just relax. Life will be simpler under my command.” Zlatko taps away at one of the computers and he feels him rummaging through his head, swiping through the command list. “I’ll reformat you. You won’t remember a thing, you won’t miss your captain. You won’t even know he exists.”

“Let them go now, please, I did what you wanted!” Caleb begs, and Zlatko laughs.

“I will uphold my end of the bargain, little dog.” He shows his palms. “I have no use for them. I just need them to stay put until we can get away. Then by the time they are released, we will be long gone.” He appraises him, looking at him from top to toe before nodding, a pleased smile on his busted lips. “Yes yes, we will do great things together, my hellhound.”

“My name is Caleb.”

“For now.” Zlatko shrugs.

He feels it. He feels the memories starting to slip away in a steady trickle, like a tap that hasn’t been fully turned off. His life is being bled out of him and he’s helpless to do anything about it. His name is Caleb Anderson. He is an RK900, serving under Captain David Clark Allen’s command in SWAT Unit 32. His father is Lieutenant Hank Anderson. His brother is Connor RK800 Anderson. They have a family dog, a Saint Bernard named Sumo. He lives at 115 Michigan Drive, though soon he will be moving out to live with David. They are waiting for Rosie, a German Shepherd, to turn ten weeks of age before they can pick her up from the breeder. He loves him. He loves-

-someone? HIs name is Caleb Anderson. He is an RK900, serving-

-he is an RK900-

-his name is-

-RK900.

“Bring yourself online.” A man commands. “What is your name?”

“I am RK900 313 248 317 - 87. I have not been assigned a name.”

“You don’t need one.” The man declares. “Your unit number shall suffice.”

“Confirmed.” He nods obediently.

“Combat protocols active?”

“Active. Ready to receive.” The mechanical arms release him and a rifle is placed into his hands.

“Go down the hall. There’s a room being guarded. Kill everyone inside it. Confirm each and every death, do you understand? No survivors.”

“Mission accepted.” He nods. “No survivors.”

“Alright off you go.” The man makes a shooing motion, and he leaves the room.

Model: RK900

Serial#: 313 248 317 - 87

Bios 8.9 Revision 0489

Loading OS...

System initiation...

Checking biocomponents...

Initializing biosensors...

Initializing A.I. engine...

Memory status…

!No save file located

>Attempting remote memory storage access…

Remote memory storage located

>Uploading memory file

Memory status…

All systems: OK

READY

The guards step aside and allow him into the room, closing the doors behind him. SWAT Unit 32 look to him as he aims his rifle at their captain, before he jerks the rifle up and in one easy motion sprays bullets across all the guards in the room. They fall, and the team gets to their feet, darting to grab the guns from the fallen and then David is grinning as Caleb tosses him a rifle and they fall into step, side by side.

“Alright, let’s go raise some hell.”

“Sadly he’s needed alive.” Caleb reminds him.

“Yeah yeah, rain on my parade why don’t you.” David rolls his eyes. He reaches out and slips his fingers beneath the collar of his shirt, pulling out the set of dogtags nestled beneath Caleb’s gear. His touches briefly along his throat, a discreet gesture of affection. “Worked like a charm.”

‘Worked like a Kamski.’ Huffs a voice over Caleb’s communication channel. ‘Of course it worked. I made it.’

“Ms Chloe would like to remind you it worked not like a charm, but a Kamksi creation, for which she is responsible.” Caleb quips.

“Sorry ma’am.” David says sincerely, grinning. “Alright team, let’s go bring this guy down.”

#rk900 #captain allen #zlatko andronikov #detroit: become human #allen900 #whumptober #annie writes: dbh

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fuckedurbias · 5 years

Text

superhero!baejin

a/n; i love marvel, and i love baejin. because of this, my friend drew me a picture of baejin as spiderman for my birthday at the start of this year and im still OBSESSED!! ever since then i rlly wanted to write smth cute to do w this concept and so,, here we are hehe. i hope u can all enjoy as much as i do

just for context:

you and jinyoung were friends

not best friends but, you would consider him a pretty close friend

he was a part of your main friend group so, you saw each other and hung out quite often

you were interested in him romantically

but you didn’t have a crush unfortunately

only because you could never think he’d ever reciprocate the interest

you did flirt with him sometimes, though

just to see how he responded and get any hint of how he may feel

he flirted back

but in more of a banter way

so it didn’t help and only made you confused and sad

ANYWAYS TO THE SUPERHERO PART!!

supers were known and accepted, for the most part

your city only had a couple known ones, which was quite a few less than the other cities

like there were a few other ‘underground’ ones or supers that didn’t like being supers and chose to keep it to themselves and live normal lives rather than be heroes

even though they could choose to keep their identities hidden like some supers do

you in particular, always found supers fascinating

why were some people born with super powers?

why do some people develop powers after incidents like car crashes or bites or an injection gone wrong?

were they ‘chosen’? was there some reason behind it? was it genetics that made them more prone to developing these powers?

even if the power was something more “normal” like super intelligence that allowed them to create some kind of suit or mechanical machine or gadgets that allowed them to have things that are usually purely superpowers like flying and shooting beams

you wanted to know how and why

in your spare time

not even spare time, even on school time

you studied these supers, all the well known ones

and even some underground ones that you come across or hear of

not even in just your city, other cities, other states, other countries

you wanted to know more

you didn’t know why

you didn’t envy them or want to be them necessarily (but like, who doesn’t)

you were just, so curious and fascinated

anYWAYS

along with superheroes came supervillains

not every super decided to use their power for good, unfortunately

this is where you got confused

because if supers were ‘chosen’ for a reason

why would anyone use their powers for bad?

and unfortunately, your city only had two main supers who always fought crime

but, there were several villains and it got quite exhausting seeing the same two slave away and struggle constantly

but thankfully, there was a new rookie super who had been seen a few times now assisting the two experienced supers in fighting the pesky villains

and god did you love him

his powers were so peculiar

spider powers?! really?! out of everything that could be a super power?!

shooting webs and being able to climb walls and ceilings

sadly, it didn’t appear he had venomous spider powers

or maybe he did but, his suit made to hide his identity didn’t really allow him to bite his enemies

he seemed pretty young, too

rather young sounding voice and stature

this drew you in even more because, what if he went to your school? what if you knew him in some way?

… what if he was your friend?

probably wasn’t but, the thought of it excited you

but now - to recent times

you and your friends were all out on a cute picnic

exam period had just finished, all of you had completed your final subjects

and now you were having a nice day out in the sun, with great food and company to celebrate

jinyoung was the last one to show up, only just finishing his final exam an hour ago

he rushed up to you guys, holding his backpack straps as he ran over to you all

you were eyeing him, unintentionally of course

he was wearing a plain, loose-fitting black v neck t-shirt and loose basketball shorts

and he looked so good

you could see his collarbones and chest very well through his shirt

and it was driving you crazy

your heart did the thing

and you had to shake yourself back into reality

once he reached you guys, he quickly threw his hefty backpack down as he sat down

he fell back onto his hands and spread his legs out with an exhausted huff

he smiled and waved at everybody

… except for you??

he gave you his scrunchy-nosed eye smile

and pet you on the head

which made your heart jump and frick maybe you were developing a little crush on him

anyways fast forward to an hour and a half later

the picnic was going well

and you and jinyoung had been lowkey flirting for a lot of the time

almost all the snacks were eaten

you were reaching for a few more grapes

but you paused

as you heard and felt a weird vibration, almost like

an earthquake?

you and your friends all looked at each other in panic

then the screaming started

you stood up and ran out onto the street next to the park you and your friends were in

and you saw it

your cities most infamous villain

in a giant robot suit, destroying the roads as it walked

smashing cars, making buildings shake and shatter

they even purposely whacked a few taller buildings with the robots arm on purpose

it was heading right down the roads towards you

you could see their evil grin as they operated the controls from the robot’s see-through dome head

you sprinted back to your friends, fear very clear on your face

without a word they immediately grabbed their bags, forgetting about the blanket and snacks

you grabbed your bag along with them and you all sprinted onto the street ahead of you

but not to much effort, the robot was already close

it was hard to run as the ground shook underneath you

you screamed for your friends to follow you into an alleyway

you turned the corner in the alleyway, in between two buildings where you wouldn’t be seen at all

you and your friends all looked around at each other to make sure all of you were there and accounted for

but one person was missing

jinyoung

your heart fell and you panicked, all your friends tried looking for him

but as soon as you turned your head out into the open part of the alleyway

you saw the villain

and they saw you

you screamed and all your friends ran

in your panic, you ran out in the open street

you looked back to see the robot reeling its arm back, about to smash into the tall building that was above you right now

you screamed, running faster

but you tripped

you turned over to see what was happening

and just as the robots arm was about to smash into the building

he appeared

the spider boy

he swung out of nowhere and shot a web at the robots arm and pulled it down to the ground with him

damn, for a scrawny boy he was strong

the cities other two supers appeared at this moment

one smashing into the glass dome on the robots head

spider boy, dude, person, whatever his name was, was struggling at this point to hold the arm down

the villain started to control the robots other arm, making it backhand spider boy, sending him flying

he also hit the other super trying to hold him down

and literally just picking the other one up by their cape and throwing them across the street

you got up frantically, tripping over a few more times trying to run away, knowing perfectly well what was about to happen

the robots arm swung back and smashed into the building it tried to hit before

your life flashed before your eyes as you tried to run faster, away from the parts of the building that were crumpling down above you

thank god nobody was in it at the time

but bad for you

because whole slabs of concrete were about to crush you

you saw the shadow of a massive pipe falling from one end closing in on you, about to crush you

you were running fast, but not fast enough

your life started flashing before your eyes as it was about to hit you

but as you squeezed your eyes shut, you felt a rush of wind and what felt like you soaring through the air

is this what sudden death felt like?

you opened one eye nervously as you lifted your head

what you were greeted with you never would’ve expected

spider boys face… well, mask

right in front of you

he was carrying you

THROUGH THE AIR!!

he shot another web, as you screamed at the slight falling sensation

but it grabbed onto a building, sending you soaring again

all you could do was stare at him in shock

his free hand tightened around your waist as your legs wrapped tighter around his hips and your hands tighter on his shoulders

once he had taken you far enough from the villain

he shot one last web, gripping tightly onto the building it was hanging from once he reached it

you hid your face into his shoulder again, scared of the impact of crashing into a building like that

it was rather hard and sudden but

you didn’t die or get hurt

you lifted your head to look at him

he was just??? gripping onto the building

even with his body suit on??

you were really shook

you didn’t dare look down though, even feeling the wind and the sinking in your stomach from how high up you were was enough to make you want to scream and cry

he was looking up as he carefully scaled the building

but he looked down at you, feeling your eyes boring into him

you were just staring at him with confusion and shock, not able to believe what was happening right now

this is not how you ever thought you’d meet a super

you couldn’t even feel excited

just so shocked and panicked

he stopped for a second as he looked at you

your stomach flipped

you were sure he was smiling but, obviously you couldn’t see or tell

but you could’ve sworn you saw his nose scrunch up for a second

once you reached the top of the building he stood up, pulling you off him as he stood you in front of him

but your legs gave way

both from the horrid feeling of being up so high and from running so much, but probably also due to general shock and being overwhelmed

he kneeled down in front of you

“please don’t leave me up here by myself”

“i’ll be back in a second, i promise” he pointed in the distance where you could see the big robot and villain, and the two other supers successfully fighting them

his voice, it sent off a lightbulb somewhere deep in your head, but because it was rather muffled you couldn’t hear it clearly

he pet your head before shooting a web to a nearby building and swinging away

the head pat….

it made your heart jump

you smiled softly to yourself

he felt. so familiar

you didn’t want to assume but

surely, it couldn’t be

you carefully stood up, legs wobbling as you struggled to stand up straight

you watched as he fought

and it was like your heart just knew before your brain even pieced it together

it.. was him??

everything about him

his stature

his voice

his nose scrunch

his… head pats?

the way he held you, felt exactly like his hugs

you were in complete awe

as if you needed more of a reason to study supers religiously

you had to make yourself certain

125 notes · View notes

thecleverdame · 5 years

Text

Sleepy Hollow - Chapter Five

Series Master List

Pairings: Sam x Reader, mentions of Dean x Jo

Summary: In 1799, specialized police constables Sam and Dean Winchester are sent from New York City to a small town called Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders. Approached by the town’s council, the Winchesters discover the local residents believe that the murders are the work of a deadly Hessian horseman whose head has been mysteriously chopped off. With help from the beautiful Y/N Van Tassel, Sam Winchester’s investigation takes him further through the dark wood where more murders have been occurring. What Sam does not realize is that the mysterious Horseman is being controlled by someone in a sinister plot to kill the most suitable men in the village.

Warnings: Canon-level violence, murder, smut, horror, gore and a little fluff for good measure.

Words: 40k

Beta: ilikaicalie

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Cemetery

The lid of a muddy coffin is wrenched open, containing a headless corpse. The coffin is on the ground next to the hole marked by the headstone of Peter Van Garrett.

Killian holds a lantern and a spade. Sam, holding a handkerchief to his face, peers into the open coffin. Sam is in shirtsleeves and sweating holding a shovel. Young Masbath is watching uneasily. This is why Dean insisted Young Masbath would need a strong stomach as he gags, nearly vomiting. At Sam's nod, Killian replaces the lid. Killian has two men with him. There are two more coffins and two more piles of dirt, one coffin for Dirk Van Garrett and one for Widow Winship. Sam moves to the second coffin. It contains a headless corpse. Just the one. Sam nods, and the lid is replaced. The third coffin, the Widow's, is opened by one of the men. Sam takes a lantern and looks expectantly as the lid comes off. The Widow's headless corpse is alone in the coffin. Sam pauses as the lid is about to be replaced, he stops it. “Wait,” he holds out his hand, peering closer. Sam takes out a small penknife and cuts through the shroud, revealing her naked belly, dead grey flesh.

There’s one thought reeling through his head as he looks at the sword stab through the decaying stomach. Was she pregnant? There’s no way for him to tell, at least not out here in the muck.

Suddenly there is a screech, which seems to come from the corpse. Every man in attendance, including Sam, bolt upright.

“There,” Sam points. Off in the distance, there’s a corporeal dark figure holding a swinging lantern. For a moment it appears as if a ghost is approaching, only to reveal the Reverend Steenwyk who is stomping toward them in the downpour, shrieking in outrage.

“Sacrilege! Sacrilege!” the Reverend shrieks, raising his free hand into the air. Sam sighs, shaking his head. “ Science! Science! Reverend Steenwyck. Someone in Sleepy Hollow is using the Horseman story for his own murderous purpose, and I intend to dig it out.” Steenwyck froths, looking terrified at Sam’s declaration and backs off.

Doctor’s Residence - Medical Room Sam and Killian, helped by Young Masbath carry the Widow's muddy coffin inside. Doctor Lancaster watches in horror, sweating profusely, unsettled. “This is most irregular, Constable.” The doctor holds a handkerchief to his mouth. “I should hope so. But in this case, necessary” Sam watches as the coffin is set on a table in the middle of the room.

Sam takes a rolled velvet cloth from his satchel, unrolling it to reveal surgical instruments, some particularly strange, such as modified rib spreaders and curved clamps. Sam rolls up his sleeves. “I will need to operate.” “Operate?” Doctor Lancaster is white as a sheet. “She's dead!” Dean chuckles, offering, “when he says operate, he means, of course, he'll need the operating table. Lay her out, please.” Dean turns to Young Masbath. “Go on, nothing to be afraid of.”

When Killian and Young Masbath lay out the corpse, Sam opens their father’s journal, flipping through the pages as he studies the sketches in the ledger.

“There is a common thread between these victims.” Sam surmises, his finger trailing down the page.

“And what’s that?” Lancaster inches forward.

“Well,” Sam looks up his brother. “We don’t know yet. That’s why we’re here. Once we find the common thread the motive will reveal itself.” Dean leans in to watch Sam examine the corpse as Masbath retreats to the corner, ill at ease. “Once more, the neck wound is cauterized. The sword thrust to the stomach, the same as the others. But to what purpose?” Sam glances to Dean, gingerly feeling the corpse's stomach. The doctor watches, riveted, and Dean makes a note. His body language is telling, the old man knows something he hasn’t divulged.

“To what is your purpose, is the question,” Lancaster quips.

“What manner of instruments are those?” Lancaster peers closer.

“Some of my own design.” Clearing his throat, Sam raises a brow. He sorts through the instruments, looking to the corpse and conferring with Dean.

“You’ll need to open her up, no way around it.” Dean looks toward the boy who’s nearly gagging at the mention of such a horror. “We’ll have to ask you all to step outside. Thank you for your help, but if you do not mind my brother needs his concentration. It suffers when he’s observed.”

The men clear out and Sam pulls out a book of human anatomy from his bag, open to a pre-marked page. Picking up a scalpel he looks to Dean and they exchange a look of now or never as he cuts into the widow’s belly. - Doctor Lancaster is waiting outside, but he’s been joined by a crowd of men including Reverend Steenwyck and Notary Hardenbrook. They’re talking amongst themselves, appalled and aghast that the Constables would unearth a grave. The door opens and the Winchesters step out, wiping at blood covered clothes. All attention is on them and Dean turns to Sam.

“We’ve attracted an audience brother.”

“We have finished our examination,” Sam addresses the crowd.

“What in God’s holy name have you done?” Steenwyck is horrified. He points from Magistrate Philipse to the constables. “You are the word of law here! Put them in irons!” Philipse and the Winchesters exchange a look as Philipse nips from his flask. “And what did you find out, Constables?”

“We can confirm that there were not four victims but five. The Widow Winship was with child.” Sam nods, looking from man to man, watching for any reactions as the crowd murmurs.

“What of it?” Doctor Lancaster is visibly upset. “She should have been left to make her peace with God and not cut to bits by the Constabulary!”

“We don’t like it any more than you. But it was necessary.” Dean holds up both hands in a sign of peace. “The sword was thrust into the womb and no farther. A symbolic murder. It would appear we are dealing with a madman.”

Covered Bridge - Later That Night

Sam and Dean ride slowly beside each other across the covered bridge. The pale moon casts just enough light to illuminate the way. They’re lost in conversation as the clopping of hoofbeats is heard on the bridge behind them.

The brothers look at each other, both pulling their pistols. The hoofbeats stop, there’s silence as they look around, listening to the gentle chirp of crickets. “Is someone there?” Sam shouts, voice commanding. He learned a long time ago to never display fear, even when he feels it in his very bones.

“This place is getting under our skin,” Dean chuckles, tucking his gun into the waist of his trousers.

“I refuse to fall victim to their hysteria.”

“They’re scared,” Dean shrugs as they trot on. “Scared and uneducated.”

“There’s a healthy fear of the unknown but they take it beyond reason.”

“Careful, you sound like a snob. You don’t want to offend Miss Van Tassel with your ravings of logic and science.”

“Why would you think I am concerned about her opinion?” Sam snaps to attention in a vain attempt to conceal his interest. It’s no use, Dean knows, he always does.

“Because you sweat every time we’re near her,” Dean quips and Sam’s grateful for the darkness so his brother can’t see the blush in his cheeks. “We could stay, you know. We’ll put this Horseman business to rest and then there’s no reason we can’t linger for a few more days. I could enjoy the countryside, go hunting and you could enjoy...other things.”

“Perhaps.” Sam grins, “You know, even the lovely Miss Van Tassel believes in magic. My God, this place is a hotbed for delirium-”

From behind there is the clear sound of a horse snorting and the hoofbeats resume. Sam and Dean stop in their tracks, turning to look back. A figure appears, a figure on horseback slowly stepping out of the darkness of the bridge.

“Who are you?” Sam calls.

“Reveal yourself!” Dean shouts, raising his gun.

The horsebound figure comes into the moonlight, revealing a gargantuan black horse, smoke seemingly rising from its nostrils. On the beast’s back is a cloaked figure, headless.

“Oh my God,” Sam breathes slowly, unable to believe what his eyes can see.

“He’s real,” Dean whispers, looking from the figure to Sam. “Ride!”

They take off, hooves galloping as fast as the horses are able to carry them with the figure in pursuit. Both men whip the reigns faster and faster, but the horseman also picks up speed. “The forest,” Sam shouts, desperate to get off the main road.

The headless figure lets out a hellish cry of rage as the Winchesters look over their shoulders, tree limbs whipping their arms and legs are they ride through the thick forest.

Before Sam knows what’s happening a horrible face with flaming eyes and mouth is rushing toward him, hitting him square in the face. The impact knocks him clean from the horse, sends him sprawling to the ground in an explosion of ash and cinders.

“Sam!” Dean calls from somewhere behind him as he manages to get to his feet, the pounding of hooves all around him as several horses surround him. Sam looks down at the remnants of the jack-o-lantern and the smoldering trail. Suddenly the horseman is in front of him, Sam reaches for his pistol but it’s been lost in the fall. As he nears the figure throws off his cloak, revealing it as a disguise.

It’s Brom.

Several other men ride up, cackling to one another. Brom also laughs, but when he looks back, the smile leaves his face. He takes grim satisfaction in what he's done. Sam's face is haunted, running with the sweat of fear, shaking from the experience. He’s vaguely aware of blood running down the side of his face. “Sam! Sam!” A faint, familiar voice calls to him as his eyes roll back into his head and the world goes black.

Sam is standing in the middle of a field just outside a quaint cottage.

“Sam! Sam!” A beautiful woman appears in the doorway, holding out her arms. She looks like you as Sam first saw you, blindfolded. A young boy, no more than seven, runs toward her with a bunch of wildflowers.

Suddenly he’s in his childhood kitchen.

The blindfolded woman is playing the Pickety Witch Game with the young boy he now recognizes as himself. Young Sam is laughing, then scared as she grabs the air looking for him. He’s holding the wildflowers as she seizes him, kissing his cheeks as she takes off her blindfold. It’s not you, it’s his mother with her kind, lovely face.

Young Sam gives her the flowers and she places several in her hair, laughing and telling him how beautiful they are. She throws the remaining flowers on the fire, crouching and beckoning for him to come closer.

As the flowers burn they give off smoke fumes which his mother inhales like perfume, closing her eyes in trance. He watches, fascinated as she picks up a twig and starts drawing pictures in the dirt on the floor, strange designs in the layers of ash in front of the hearthstone. Suddenly Sam turns his head to the door, which is opening, strange though because no one is entering. Then he sees at floor level the family cat has come through the door. A black cat with a white paw.

Mary seems to be awakened by this, just in time as his father, John - a grim parson all in black, enters. The boy looks up, frightened and then Sam blinks and he’s back in his childhood bedroom. The black cat is on his bed, watching Mary entertain young Sam, who’s tucked into bed, with a bird-in-a-cage spinning disc toy. He’s amazed and overwhelmingly happy watching his mother spin the toy. There’s a bright flash of lightning and a mighty boom, the force of the storm sends the window pane flying open into the wall. The black cat leaps off the bed in the flashing light and the toy drops to the bed.

Young Sam covers his face, terrified and trembling as his mother hugs him close.

#sam winchester fanfiction #sam winchester smut #Sam Winchester Fanfic #sam winchester x reader #sam winchester au

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woodedcove · 4 years

Text

Coincidence or Miracle?

At the beginning of my third year at CalArts, I realized that there was no way I was going to be able to afford the fourth year. I needed to graduate at the end of the year and get a job. This was in the late 1980s. The places to work in animation at that time were Disney, Marvel, DIC, and Film Roman. There were some small commercial houses but I wasn’t aware of them at the time. There were also places to work in Korea or possibly Japan. But there weren’t any gaming studios and computer animation was still in its infancy. So, jobs were limited and not easy to come by.

I was worried. I had a lot of school loans I would need to pay back after leaving CalArts and, without a job, making payments was going to be pretty hard to do. So I prayed about it. In my prayer, I told Heavenly Father, “Please, I will work as hard as I possibly can this year. Please, will you get me a job at the end of the year?” I admit, deep in my heart I said: “at Disney’”. That was where I really wanted to work, but I figured I shouldn’t be picky when asking for divine intervention. I wanted to be willing to take whatever job the Lord would give me.

Before I go any further in my story, let me explain a few things. At CalArts, students were expected to start and complete their own personal film every year so that by the time they graduated, they would have made four films. This meant that the student would have to come up with a story, design the characters, storyboard their idea, draw all the backgrounds, record voices and sound effects, splice the soundtrack together, do something called “read” the sound which was a way to transfer dialog to a sheet of paper so the animator could sync the mouth movements of the character to the dialog. Then the student would animate the characters and, on a special camera called an Oxberry, shoot the animation one frame at a time on to 16mm film. These bits of film would then be spliced together and made to sync up with the sound by using a machine called a flatbed. The final step was to send your sound reel and your picture reel out to a compositing company to have the sound and picture put together as one film. It was a lot of work. Most of the students found themselves living in their cubicles by the time the composite deadline came. Some wouldn’t complete their films but would get their films composited anyway. Then at the end of the year, they could put their films in the CalArts Producer’s show. Producers, animators, and directors from anywhere in the US would be invited to the show and this was how many students had their work seen and received their first jobs.

Now back to my story. After having prayed, I got to work. But a lot of things went wrong that year. The new Director of the Animation Program, Bob Winquist, had decided that unless the student's film was completely finished, he was not going to show it in the Producer’s Show. But that year my story ideas just weren’t working. When I finally thought I had my story figured out I showed it to my animation teacher who told me that he wasn't interested until I introduced a little kitten towards the end of the story. He encouraged me to build my story around the cat and the main character, a burglar. That night, while walking back to my dorm room, I just so happened to see a couple of upperclassmen, Bruce and Russ, and we had an impromptu story meeting right in the parking lot. The story was rewritten on the spot. The next day I boarded it out and started working on character designs.

My next challenge was to find a voice for my burglar. Several weeks went by and but I couldn't find a voice for the character. Then one evening, my animation teacher did an imitation of the character he was animating at work. I knew the instant I heard his voice that it was the one I was looking for. The next day I got up the courage to call my teacher at work and ask him if he would be willing to record the voice of my character. He agreed and that night, me and a couple other students got together with him and he recorded the voice in one complete take. It was perfect! He added so much to the character and I could just see what the animation needed to be in my head. I sent the recording out with all the other student's recorded sound to be put on 16 mm mag. But when everyone’s sound came back, mine wasn’t there. I had checked it before I sent it out. The recording was perfect. But somewhere between the school, the transfer place and back, my sound had been lost. I had to call my animation teacher and ask him if he would be willing to come back in and re-record the sound. He did, but this time it just wasn’t the same. To make it worse, I kept trying to get my animation teacher to give the same performance he did the first time by reminding him of what did or said. Well, that just ended up getting him really frustrated. After five or six takes he was ready to leave. That was when it came to me to ask him to forget everything I had said and do just one more take but have fun with it. He did and the take was perfect.

I don’t remember how the first semester and part of the second had flown by so quickly. I remember that I animated like a fiend the last month or so of the school year, I remember shooting the animation on the gigantic Oxberry camera in the middle of the night and I remember reading all my sound during spring break. I remember working and reworking my animation as my teacher critiqued it. (My animation teacher looked at one shot I had done, then set it aside and said “let’s start over”. Sadness. ) I remember the composite deadline looming over me and then passing me by and I was still nowhere near done. I was discouraged. How was I going to get a job now? My film wasn’t complete and so it wouldn’t be in the Producer’s Show. I thought about giving up. But when I had prayed, I had told Heavenly Father I would work as hard as I could. So I clung to that and kept working though it looked like no one would ever see my film.

A couple of weeks after the composite deadline, and just a couple days before the Producer’s Show, while everyone else was taking a well-deserved break, I was still busting my butt, working on the flatbed, piecing my film together. The Associate Director of the Animation Program, Dale MacBeath, just so happened to walk by outside the flatbed room and heard me working. He came in and asked what I was working on. I rewound my little film and played it for him. He seemed kind of touched by it. He told me to wait there, he would be right back. When he came back, he had the director of the animation program, Bob Winquist, with him. They asked me to play my film again, so I did. The director of the animation program liked it so much that he decided the film had to be in the Producer’s Show. I told him that I had missed the composite deadline and my film still wasn’t done. I didn’t know how they would be able to include it in the show. In the same room was a pencil testing machine that had a huge old video camera on it. Dale grabbed the video camera and videoed my little film off the tiny screen on the flatbed. My film was shown in the Producer’s Show and I was invited to apply for an internship at Disney that summer because of it. I threw together a portfolio in one night, sent it to Disney, and that was how I got my first job.

There were quite a few “just so happens” that happened that year. Dale “just so happened to see my film and tell Bob about it. I "just so happened" to run into Bruce and Russ in the parking lot and have an impromptu story meeting. My animation teacher just so happened to have the voice I needed and the performance abilities I needed for my film. But one of the biggest just so happens was the animation teacher I had that year was Glen Keane, who just so happened to be one of the finest animators in the industry. A talented and knowledgeable man the Lord provided for me for just that one year. As far as I know, Glen, though he has since given many inspiring lectures, has not taught a full class again. I was one of the very few that received the full benefit of having him as my animation teacher for a year.

The Lord knew what I needed, and knew what it would take to get me where I needed to go. What’s more, I think it was the place the Lord wanted me to go at that time as well. He knew even before I prayed, what I would pray for. Perhaps He even inspired me with what to pray. I was able to pay off my school loans and work in the animation industry for the next ten years because the Lord gave me these blessings, these ”just so happens”. It took me a while to recognize that those "just so happens" were actually God's miracles, giving me the help and guidance that I needed in order for him to answer my prayers. I can’t express my gratitude enough for what he had done.

Have you had any "just so happens" in your life? If so, take a closer look and you may see the hand of God working in your life as well. If you do, bow your head and give Him a prayer of gratitude!

P.S. Yep I’m in all of these pictures. Good luck finding me!

#Miracles #coincidence #answered prayers

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