#tattoo places on the Gold Coast

[neptuneiris]

Cruel Summer (01/10)

Sunset's Bay

pairing: modern!aemond × fem!reader

summary: There are two sides to the city of Sunset's Bay, the rich who live in 'Crown's' and the poor who live in 'Black Waves'. What happens when a rich guy and a poor girl meet and inevitably fall in love? In the city where they live and with their status, that can't be possible.

words: 5.8k

series masterlist • next part

I wasn't sure about posting this but if you like the story I will continue with it, it all depends on how you receive it😬

in case you like it, I want to advance that the story will be a kind of forbidden love by the fact of rich and poor hehe and I have a lot prepared, basically everything is already written, I just need to structure it in a better way

this has only been an introduction to the world of Sunset's Bay, so I hope you enjoy it and the warnings will be added as I post the chapters if you like it🤗

so enjoy!

Sunset's Bay.

The hidden but mostly inhabited beach on the California Coast, with golden and white sands that slide into crystal clear waters of such a deep blue that it seems infinite.

According to Google, it is one of the most beautiful beaches in Northern California and where teenagers living in surrounding cities yearn to come every time a new summer begins.

Sunset and sunrise on these waters are beautiful, as they transform the horizon into a palette of vibrant colors, from warm shades of gold and pink to soft purple and the deep blue of night.

Every summer, the beach comes alive with exciting surfing tournaments, as well as Sunset's Pier, the midpoint of the beach where everyone mingles, transforms into charity events with live music, fireworks and lamp shows that illuminate the night with a mesmerizing light show.

Boat and yacht rides add a touch of sophistication to the coastal scene. This allows tourists to explore the waters beyond the beach, visit small islands up close and enjoy the serenity of the open sea.

But on top of all that, everything is meticulously maintained, most of it, like the clean, spacious beaches, adorned by palm trees swaying gently in the sea breeze.

And your favorite section, the volcanic stone cliffs that are distributed in specific locations on the beach, offering rocky walls as you sit on the seashore behind you and all around, emerging as natural guardians of the beach.

And from their heights, you can take in panoramic views of all the beauty of the landscape, encompassing the vast endless ocean and coastline to the endless horizon.

You always looked forward to coming here as a child when a new term at school ended and your mother was always willing to come and spend the vacations with your relatives, the Blackwoods.

They always welcomed you and your mother and together with your cousin Alysanne, you had an amazing summer.

Ever since you were little, you have always been tattooed with the memory of the sand on your feet, the salt air in your nostrils, the water enveloping you completely and the sun in full sunset caressing your whole face as you watched it on the horizon starting to descend on the shore of the beach with the cliffs behind you.

And now, that's all you know, a life in Sunset's and your frequent days at the beach.

Living with your aunt and uncle and Alysanne in a house big enough to also make room for you on the beach shore, this has been your home for exactly a year now.

And now summer has begun.

"Sam has sent a message."

You raise your gaze to Alysanne as you finish cleaning one of the tables.

"He says to meet him at the beach with the others in the evening. Do you want to go?"

You place a small smile on your lips.

"Sure."

"Table nine!"

You both turn your heads toward your boss, who looks at both of you as if he wants to kill you at any moment, and you quickly rush to serve the food, briefly wiping the sweat from your brow to keep working.

"Hurry up, Blackwood," Mr. Frey tells you reluctantly as you begin to pick up the orders on the tray.

You let out a long breath and glance at the clock briefly before going to serve, realizing that you will have to put up with this for four more hours and for the rest of the summer as well.

Unfortunately you and Alysanne have to work, as it has been for some months now at a seafood restaurant where the 'rich' people from this side of the city come to enjoy the delicious food.

And because of the summer, the work has increased. But that doesn't stop them both from having fun now that summer has begun.

So as soon as you and Alysanne finish your shift, you head home as soon as possible and start getting ready to meet your friends at the beach.

Previously going out and having fun was a problem for Alysanne's parents, your aunt and uncle were not the liberal type, but as soon as you both started working and helping them with the household expenses with what you could, they started to be more permissive and understanding.

And this is your home, the less ostentatious side of the city, but still genuine.

Once you join Sam and all the boys on the beach, you head for the small boat floating near the shore.

It is not a luxurious boat, much less can it be compared to a boat or yacht of the latest model, but it is a modest boat that has seen many summer seasons.

And it has taken them all to many spots on the beach and you have shared many anecdotes on it.

And as the boat glides through the calm waters, you and Alysanne enjoy the laughter and stories shared by the boys from the neighborhood, Sam, Daniel and Chase.

The three of them have been childhood friends of Alysanne's and when you came to live with her officially, she introduced you to them and now you all have formed a group of friends where you enjoy afternoons like these with Sam's boat and where you also go swimming and surfing all together.

The sea breeze caresses your faces and the sun slowly begins to descend as it paints the sky in warm golden tones, until the afternoon turns into night.

And on the beach, with a campfire in the center, the starry sky above and all together in a circle, you start burning marshmallows and drinking beer.

"And tell us..." speaks Daniel, watching you both curiously, "How about the slave life for the rich people?"

You and your cousin let out a small laugh.

"Slaves?" you repeat amused.

"Well yeah, come on, you said your boss... what's his name? Grey? Payne?"

"Frey," Alysanne corrects him.

"Yeah, that," he points to her, "He's a jerk or not?"

"And no concept of patience and prudence," you add.

"I imagine the ones who eat there are worse, no?" asks Chase.

Daniel snaps his fingers at him.

"Lannister?"

"Oh yeah, definitely. Jason Lannister has that vibe."

"I put him in the top one of the most hated, along with the Baratheons. And I have a feeling the Arryns do too, I don't know why," Daniel again looks at you both, "Right?"

"You work for them," Alysanne tells him amused, "Don't you know that?"

"Well, it's not like they can tell me much for cleaning their boats and yachts but... no–they're extremely nice, though..." he holds up his finger with a thoughtful expression, "Though I think there must be something wrong with them."

Alysanne lets out a snort.

"They're rich and live at Crown's, practically owning all the establishments on the beach just like the Lannisters, Baratheons, Tyrells and others leaving nothing for us, the poor ones, because they despise us," she says with an ironic but true tone "Of course there must be something wrong with them."

"One time one of them didn't leave me a tip," you say, remembering, "The Tyrell's."

Sam looks at you amused.

"Tips are not obligatory."

"Oh come on," you retort, with a touch of irony, "They're rich, they can have yachts and mansions, but can't they at least give me a five percent tip?"

"Yet it's not obligatory."

Everyone lets out a laugh.

"Yeah, it's not the nicest place to work and the customers aren't necessarily nice but the pay is good, after all," Alysanne says as she shrugs.

And that's true.

Even though it's not a good work environment, the necessity is what makes you not quit and endure as much as you can. Even though your aunt and uncle are taking care of you and taking responsibility for you, you know you can't continue that way forever.

You want to be independent, pay for your own things, especially you want to pay for college, but to do that, you have to work and now this is the job.

Besides it's useless to find work elsewhere when the owners are still the same; rich and arrogant. And you can't find work on your side of the city because the pay won't be much or maybe they won't even hire because they can't afford it.

But right now, being here enjoying the summer with your friends and your cousin, you allow yourself not to think about it and just continue to criticize the rich people.

And after many cans of beer, Chase picks up his guitar and you all together start singing in the most off-key and horrible way possible, laughing amongst everyone with the jokes filling the air, just like the heat of the flames and the aroma of roasting marshmallows.

"You had a party and didn't invite me!?"

Almost everyone together turns their heads unexpectedly toward the approaching outside voice laden with amusement and mild reproach.

And then they all see Cregan Stark with a huge grin and a bottle of beer in hand.

The guys soon start showing off at the mere sight of him, making jokes and greeting him with great enthusiasm, as Cregan greets them.

And you just watch Alysanne with a sly smile, amused by Cregan's sudden appearance, but of course, she quickly hides all traces of whatever her reaction is to seeing him, adjusting her expression to one of neutrality as she tries to appear disinterested.

But you know.

And you're amused at how she acts as if you don't know her.

Cregan Stark is the spoiled son of one of the wealthiest families in Sunset's, living in one of the most exclusive areas on the Crown's side.

His appearance reflects his status; brand name clothes, really expensive accessories, late model car and an attitude that denotes familiarity with luxury. However, despite his wealth, Cregan has proven to be different from other boys in his social environment.

Although he has access to all the luxuries, he does not carry with him the air of superiority and arrogance that many would expect from someone like him and that those of his class usually display.

In fact, Cregan became friends with Chase, who works for his family in the ports.

And it was Chase who introduced him to the group and although at first no one felt confident with him, Cregan instead of imposing his status, imposed a genuine and friendly demeanor that won the friendship of everyone in the circle.

Later everyone understood that he doesn't really enjoy being with people from the same environment as himself. The wealthy teenagers he usually hung out with, for the most part, were overly judgmental and arrogant.

So thanks to Chase, he found company with all of you, the guys from across the city who don't have a mansion and all the money in the world, but who are genuine and free of pretense.

Despite the looks people give Cregan for not understanding his choice of company, he deliberately ignores them. His parents don't say anything to him either, although he says they clearly prefer that he stop interact with you.

"I am deeply, intensely and extremely offended," he says expressing mock indignation, holding a hand to his chest, watching you incredulously but amused.

"Come on, man, don't get dramatic," Chase tells him giving him a friendly tap on the shoulder.

"Yeah, we're just getting warmed up," Sam encourages him.

"Besides..." says Daniel, in an exaggerated tone, "We can't send messages across the beach, us poor people have to use carrier pigeons like the olden days to get anything to you, but guess what... we're so poor we can't even afford pigeons."

Everyone lets out a laugh, enjoying Daniel's humor in implying the differences between the poor and the rich on the beach.

"Stop, seriously, why didn't you guys tell me you were doing this?" Cregan asks, taking a seat on the logs.

"I heard there's a party on your side of the beach and I figured you'd be heading over there," Chase tells him, "Which you did, didn't you?" he points to the beer in his hand.

He lets out a long breath.

"Yeah but it was pretty fucking boring."

"Boring?" you repeat incredulously, "A party with a DJ, champagne and yachts I highly doubt is boring."

"Well, not that it wasn't fun," he says looking around and observing everyone, "But I wanted this, to be with you guys, the atmosphere."

"And how did you know we were here?" asks Alysanne curious.

"I didn't exactly know," he smiles at her, "So I just decided to come and try my luck."

"Oh man, stop it or you'll make me cry," Daniel jokes, holding a hand to his heart.

"He loves us, doesn't he?" asks Sam, with a smirk.

"Yeah, he definitely loves us."

Everyone laughs and you watch discreetly as he and Alysanne start throwing their little looks at each other.

"Party with DJ and yachts? Man, if I were you, I'd be enjoying that," Sam confesses, shaking his head in a gesture of incomprehension.

"It's not big deal and people are hateful, believe me."

No one argues with him about that but you too sometimes wish you could have fun like that, have the experience of going to a beach party like the rich kids in the movies, just once.

But the time will come, someday, there are still many summers left to enjoy.

The conversation flows as the boys settle around the campfire, the warmth of the fire contrasting with the cool night breeze blowing in from the sea.

The atmosphere is filled with laughter and banter, and the relaxed beach setting becomes the perfect backdrop for a night of genuine camaraderie.

Cregan, with his carefree and genuine attitude, seems to fit right in with all fo you and that he values sincere company over superficial luxury.

And you don't know exactly how much more time passes or how many beers that Daniel brings back the theme of the rich party on the other side of the beach.

"Hey, Cregan," he says, leaning forward with a mischievous expression, "Since you're here, why don't you take us to that party? I'm sure it's not as bad as you say."

Cregan raises an eyebrow, amused but surprised.

"What?"

Something about Daniel's words clicks in everyone's head, even yours, so you quickly exchange glances with Alysanne. And Cregan notices how everyone starts to truly consider it.

"Do you guys really want to go to that party?"

"And why not?" asks Alysanne, with an grin, "I'm sure we can have fun, even if we're not part of the rich circle."

"Yeah, and besides..." adds Sam, with a persuasive tone, "It would be interesting to see what the other side of the city is like from the inside. We've never been to a party like this."

Cregan seems to think about it for a moment, looking at the boys with a mixture of doubt and amusement.

"Seriously you guys are telling me this? The rich haters?"

You shrug.

"The rich hate us too."

"And that's precisely why we want to go," Sam says, gesturing animatedly, "We want to try something different. And who knows, maybe we'll give you a good reason to have a little more fun at that party. Right, Chase?"

Everyone looks at Chase, who shrugs.

"I guess that wouldn't be bad."

"But you haven't thought this through," Cregan insists, "As soon as they see you all, they'll know you're not like them."

Everyone looks at themselves and well... he's right.

The rich, especially those who are the same age as you, have a radar to recognize someone who is just like them... or not.

But you don't blame them, since you have them too, the difference is that you don't make disgusted faces or criticize in whispers as soon as you notice.

You notice your two-piece bikini top is wrinkled and is clearly second hand, besides your worn-out sandals. Alysanne is also in the same condition as you and the boys... well, they're worse.

Sam's shirt is torn, Chase's is torn, and the clothes are visibly secondhand.

"We have better clothes at home," you tell Alysanne and she nods.

"And we take our shirts off and stay in shorts," Daniel says, in solution, "Are we at the beach or not?"

"And if something goes wrong, we can always run out and come back here," Alysanne suggests.

Everyone nods and basically watches Cregan with puppy dog eyes, hopeful that he will take you to his kind of people.

"What do you think, Cregan?"

Cregan is silent for a few seconds, his gaze sweeping over the group around him, analyzing and thinking about all the things that could go wrong. And he doesn't pass up the abandoned cat look that Daniel and Sam throw at him.

And finally, he lets out a laugh and a resigned sigh.

"All right, all right. I'll take you. But if we have a bad time, don't say I didn't warn you."

"That's what I like to hear!" exclaims Sam, raising his arms in victory.

"We won't regret it."

"We may not but the rich will."

"Thanks, Cregan," says Alysanne, patting him on the back.

You frown as you watch her gesture and also notice Cregan's confused look for a moment, but go back to watching the boys.

"Well, then let's go before I change my mind."

You put out the campfire, pick up the trash and with laughter they all very animatedly walk away from your spot on the beach, heading first towards the trash cans and then towards Cregan's car.

"You do know Cregan likes you, don't you?" you say to Alysanne, walking a little further away from the guys.

She gives you an incredulous look.

"What?"

"Oh come on and you like him too, don't deny it."

"Of course I don't."

"Of course you do."

"You're crazy."

"And you won't stand a chance if you keep treating him like just a dude."

"Oh yeah, yeah, whatever you say."

You let out a laugh, understanding that it will be difficult for her to accept and share it with you, so you give her time. The guys behind you laugh too, with the echo fading into the salty air, leaving the sea breeze and the sound of the waves behind.

The difference in locations is completely noticeable.

You leave behind the small wooden houses, the unkempt streets, the establishments where you and your friends can shop, the bicycles and old cars, to move to large neighborhoods with green grass, trees and bushes on every corner with huge luxurious houses, almost mansions with modern cars and expensive decorations.

The guys are excited and so are you, as you have never explored these sections of the beach before, which are completely exclusive and with access for the rich people.

Obviously there are entrances with booths and security guards, so Cregan's appearance alone proves he's a Stark and he's allowed in without objection.

And soon enough, you arrive at the party.

"Oh my goodness, look at this," exclaims Alysanne, wide-eyed as she takes in the scene.

"That's a Prestige F4?" asks Sam in surprise, eyeing the luxurious yacht in the distance.

"Seriously, how much money do these people have?" mutters Daniel, in shock.

"More than you'll ever have," Alysanne tells him with a smirk as you all walk onto the beach illuminated by the party lights.

"You don't know that," Chase replies to her, pretending to be offended, "Maybe someday I'll get rich and buy one of those," he points to the yachts.

"I'm very offended that you didn't invite us to your parties sooner," Daniel says to Cregan, putting a hand to his chest as if he were badly wounded, "How could you hide all this from us?"

"Don't draw too much attention to yourselves, guys," Cregan asks with a mixture of concern and amusement in his voice.

"We won't," says Sam, "We'll just enjoy ourselves apart from the others but inside, you get it?"

The music starts to get louder and soon enough, we are inside the party.

Blue and purple neon lights illuminate the white sand, creating a dazzling contrast against the night sky. Waves break gently on the shore, almost muted by the music vibrating through the air.

There is indeed a DJ from a raised platform and most of the people here dance in the center to the music, some with cocktails in hand, bottles of champagne or recording the moment on their phones.

Near the dock, several luxurious yachts are docked, all decorated with lights flashing to the rhythm of the music. There are people inside them, enjoying the party from right there.

Some people get off the yachts to join the party on the beach, while others stay on board, enjoying the view and the exclusivity it offers.

If not beer, there is a bar offering a variety of exotic drinks and gourmet appetizers, such as sushi, caviar and canapés.

And throughout the party, groups of people are spread out, chatting animatedly, laughing, toasting and dancing. There are also party games, such as beer pong and spin the bottle.

While others gather around improvised campfires farther away near the sea, where the atmosphere is more relaxed, watching the spectacle around them.

The air is permeated with the smell of sea salt mixed with expensive perfumes and the sound of laughter and music all along the beach.

It is a party that clearly reflects the wealth and status of their hosts, as well as the people present; pure spoiled kids with rich parents.

"Are we going to have fun or what!?" exclaims Sam excitedly, fully entering the party and everyone follows.

Chase convinces Cregan to be worrying since most of the people here are in their own world and he doubts drunkenly checking to see if they have the latest model Iphone or what.

And honestly you relax too as everyone here is having fun and you along with Alysanne look more presentable in nice bikinis.

They are second hand still but they are more cared for than the others you have.

Sam quickly orders drinks, surprised and excited to have gotten a bottle of champagne, then Cregan and the others take him and you and Alysanne to a more secluded spot.

You make a space for yourselves on the sand, a bit secluded from everyone, having the view of the huge luxurious houses, the cliffs in the distance and also the illuminated yachts on the dock behind you.

Pretty soon you have your beer and start enjoying yourselves just like everyone else, not worrying too much and just pretending you are one of them all.

Mingling with the rich at Sunset's pier is one thing, since the pier is the center of the entire beach and there are no prejudices there, but now pretending to be one is completely different.

You find yourself watching everyone around you when Alysanne nudges you slightly and points her gaze to a specific spot.

"Look at that."

You follow her gaze and see a group of girls.

"That bracelet is from Pandora, I saw it on Instagram."

From here you can see how their gold and silver necklaces and bracelets sparkle. Also the bikinis they have on are beautiful, certainly brand name. There is also a girl with a Guess bag and they all have the latest Iphone model in their hand.

And you turn to Alysanne with a shrug.

"Why are we judging when it should be the other way around?"

"We're not judging, we're just noticing the differences between girls like them and girls like us."

You both let out a laugh.

"You definitely want that Pandora bracelet, don't you?" you look at her amused.

"And you don't?"

The two of you continue to observe or rather admire all those rich girls who have fancy accessories when suddenly you hear a specific boast behind you.

You turn your head and see the dock, noticing how some impeccably dressed people are boarding one of the larger yachts docked near the shore.

And there they are.

You think as you make out those distinctive black, red and silver hair.

Of course they couldn't miss a party like this, the sons of the most influential families in the city, the Lannister's, Baratheon's and Targaryen's, practically the elite of Sunset's.

You've seen Cerelle, Tyshara and Loreon Lannister before on the Sunset's Pier, their red hair gives away who they are instantly. They always brag about their luxurious yachts, cars, jewelry stores and everything else they own.

Their father, Jason Lannister, has built an empire based on shipbuilding and port development.

From what you understand, his company designs and manufactures some of the most advanced and exclusive ships for the world's elite.

In addition to this, Lannister also owns a network of ports and shipyards on several coasts, allowing him to maintain a steady flow of wealth through port fees and contracts with global corporations.

This influence has given him a prominent place among the city's powerful and his family has inherited not only his fortune, but also his imposing and domineering character.

So it is no surprise that the Lannister's are typical spoiled children with clearly very wealthy parents, as are the others, especially the Baratheon's, Cassandra, Maris and Floris.

Known as much for their tanned skin and peculiar dark hair as for their arrogant attitude, they always seek to be the center of attention at any such social event.

Cassandra, the eldest, has a dominant bearing and never misses an opportunity to show off her status. She is also the best known of the daughters to go out every now and then with a boy from an important family either from the city or abroad.

Next, there is Maris, the quietest of the three and the most reserved, but still, as you have heard, just as spoiled and boastful as her older sister.

And finally, Floris, Cerelle's best friend and supposedly the most arrogant, capricious, shallow and boastful of the three.

She is the one who seems the sweetest at first glance, but her spoiled nature soon becomes evident when something doesn't go her way.

You also know that there are two other children, a daughter and a son, Ellyn and Royce, but apparently Ellyn prefers to stay at home and Royce does not live here.

Her father, Borros Baratheon, is a most important and influential shipping magnate and merchant in the region, known for his connections with outside businessmen.

He owns one of the largest commercial fleets operating along the entire Pacific coast. You don't know exactly what it's about but the guys have talked about how his company specializes in logistics and shipping goods across the ocean or something like that.

And finally, the sons of the most powerful family in the entire city and the entire country, the Targaryen's.

Viserys Targaryen is known as the most powerful man in the entire country and by extension his entire family as well. He owns one of the largest and most influential corporations in the region.

Your uncle Ben always had a kind of admiration for him, though your aunt always expressed her dislike of him, as well as the other families, for simply being other greedy money-rotters who drive up the costs of the city for all that they invest to elevate their status and leave you poor people increasingly difficult to make a living.

You honestly couldn't agree with her more, but the Targaryen's have been forging their main empire here in Sunset's for a very long time now and there is nothing that can really be done about it.

The Targaryen business empire focuses on multiple sectors, but they are best known for owning a very prestigious bank, where they serve wealthy elites and large corporations, as well as financing large scale projects, such as real estate developments, technology or even public infrastructure.

You understand that he has built and manages shopping malls, corporate skyscrapers and exclusive developments in major cities across the country, as well as high profile tourist destinations like Sunset's.

So basically all of them and him especially have total control over the financial resources of the region, as well as infrastructure and development in the most luxurious sectors.

Although Viserys and his wife Alicent are no longer seen as much at events this side of Crown's and on the pier, their influence still shapes everything that happens here.

"Hey."

Sam snaps you out of your thoughts when you feel him tap you on the shoulder and you turn your head towards him, confused and attentive.

"Hm?"

"What are you looking at?" he asks you amused, sitting down next to you and offering you a new bottle of beer.

"Oh, no, nothing, just..." you shake your head, taking the beer and not paying attention to the son's and daughter's of rich parents.

But Sam had followed your gaze before.

"I know, they're beautiful, aren't they?"

You immediately watch him intently.

"Who?"

"The yachts," he tells you as if it's obvious, "Imagine spending a whole weekend on one, just doing this..." he points to the beer and all the partying, "In the middle of the ocean."

You let out a small laugh.

"That's your biggest dream, isn't it?"

"And for the yacht to be mine, obviously," he says excitedly, turning his gaze back to the dock where they all are, "If I used to see them from afar and feel envious, now it's torture to have them so close."

You look to where he sees and he has a very good point. They could live perfectly well on one of those yachts and there would be no problem, which is also one of your dreams.

"Oh, come on Sam," you give him a friendly smack, looking at him again and you notice the gleam of longing in his eyes, "Surely your charm can make a girl from Crown's fall in love with you and let you enjoy the amazing yachts."

He looks at you incredulously.

"A Crown's girl with someone like me? Are you kidding?"

"It's not impossible," you shrug.

"Oh yeah, here at Sunset's everything is impossible if you don't live on this side of town."

And that's another good point and very true.

Daniel joins you and Sam's little group and you stop paying attention the moment you turn your gaze back towards the yachts and them specifically.

This time you focus on the Targaryen's, Helaena, Aegon and Aemond.

Surprisingly, despite being in the top tier of the wealthiest and most powerful family in the entire city and country, compared to the Lannister's, Baratheon's, Tyrell's, Arryn's, Stark's and Greyjoy's, they are not so smug, superficial and arrogant.

Although, come to think of it, the only exception is Aegon.

The eldest of the brothers, he is characteristic of his carefree and arrogant attitude. His life is summed up in parties, girls and excesses. Everyone knows him, he is the soul of the party and drives all the girls crazy.

For him, life is a game where he always wins. Sometimes he seems like the typical privileged son who has never had to strive for anything, but his power lies precisely in that.

Then there is Helaena, the only sister among the Targaryens who has a pleasant and gentle presence.

Although she is rich, the richest of them all and extremely beautiful, she doesn't abuse it, she doesn't show it off, she's not shallow or arrogant, besides she's always looking out for her siblings.

She is the kind of person who doesn't need to shout to be noticed and with just a quiet smile, she earns the respect and admiration of those around her.

You know a little about her as Chase has a little now not so secret crush on her and honestly you don't blame him, she is absolutely beautiful and even kind, which is rare due to her provenance.

And finally there's Aemond, who of all them, he's always been... different.

Where Aegon is shameless and carefree, Aemond is calculating and serious. Always impeccably dressed, with an expression that doesn't say much and keeps him at a safe distance from most.

From what you've heard, he's extremely intelligent, he's also reserved and quiet, the complete opposite of Aegon.

There is also a rumor about him about his left eye, something about an accident as a child and where he apparently wears a prosthetic.

You don't really know much about it or him but he's always been intriguing and mysterious, in a way.

You focus on him specifically, watching him from a distance, curious, as he takes a seat on the deck with an expression you can't read as it doesn't tell you much.

You watch as his short silver hair moves slightly in the wind and breeze, as well as he watches everything around him intently, to again focus on his siblings and Floris.

Floris is his girlfriend, apparently they have been dating for a few months now and have given a lot to talk about since no one expected Aemond to even date anyone.

But there they are.

You watch as Floris approaches him and takes a seat on his lap, looking radiant in a tight dress and a huge smile on her face, but he, on the other hand, remains expressionless.

Floris murmurs something in his ear, to which he responds with a slight smile, but averts his gaze to the horizon. However, she gently takes him by the jaw and leaves a soft kiss on his lips.

They begin to kiss and you look away, trying to refocus on the party and enjoying yourself here with your friends.

However, being here with all these wealthy people, especially the Targaryen's, you can't help but feel that divide about the rich and the poor at Sunset's.

You feel like you live in two different worlds, where they, the rich, live a life completely oblivious to the concerns of the people on the other side of town, in Crown's.

While you and the others work in the restaurants, clean their yachts, boats, houses and make sure their lives are comfortable.

They float above it all, the Targaryen's, Lannister's, Stark's, Baratheon's and so on, attending parties and making decisions that only benefit their own.

But you, the poor, the ones who live in Black Waters have nothing, you don't have the money, the influence or the power. Even the name of your side of town is a mockery to them, the rich, in despising even more the poor who don't have what they have.

But that's the life in Sunset's Bay.

[queenjunothegreat]

Would someone PLEASE tell me why I can't do links properly? I hate these fugly little hyperlinks (•̤̀ ‸ •̤́๑)

AAAAAALLLLRIGHTY!!!!! I am BACK with a CHONKER of a fic for you all! Idk if any of you remember me rambling about a DnD fic last month, but it is FINALLY here!!! 18 days late for @lost-trio-week but that is NOT the point! The POINT is that I have almost 20K of silly fantasy Lost Trio content for you! Piper has magic and a lyre! Jason has a sword and anger issues! Leo has a dragon and an even shorter stature than ever seen before! It's gonna be great, so come on down!

With all that out of the way, please allow me to introduce my Lost Trio Week submission for Day Three: The Secrets of Skyhorne Harbor

ᴬˡˢᵒ ᴵ ᴰᴼ ʰᵃᵛᵉ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳ ˢʰᵉᵉᵗˢ ᵃⁿᵈ ʰᵒᵐᵉᵇʳᵉʷ ˢᵗᵘᶠᶠ ᶦᶠ ᵃⁿʸᵒⁿᵉ ʷᵃⁿᵗˢ ᵗʰᵉᵐ

He also knew that after two days at said inn, he’d racked up quite a bill. Considering he had two silver pieces in his pocket, he knew he needed to get a job. He was in the middle of pondering his situation when two people joined him at his table. One of them was a half-Elf and the other a Halfling. They both wore matching grins that Jason knew spelt trouble, and they looked over him with an obviously appreciative gleam in their eyes. Jason scowled at them. “I don’t have anything to offer you, so if you want to beg or con, find someone else.” “We’re not here to ask you for money or anything like that,” the Elf assured him, her smile never wavering. “In fact,” the Halfling continued, dumping out his coin purse on the table, “we’ll pay off your tab, if you agree to hear us out.” *** When Jason wakes up alone in the woods with no memory other than his name and a mission to get to a mysterious place called the Wolf House, he knows he's in over his head. Similarly, when Piper and Leo are given a quest to prove their worth to the Adventurers Guild, they're in over their heads. Maybe, just maybe, they can help each other out. Lost Trio Week 2024 - Day Three: DnD

Since waking up cold and alone in the middle of the woods, Jason had been gathering up a list of everything he knew. He knew his name was Jason Grace, he was tall, and he had short, rough-shorn blond hair. He knew he carried a greatsword made of solid gold, and he knew, instinctively, how to use it. He knew he had a tattoo on his forearm of an eagle and twelve perfectly spaced bars spanning nearly from his wrist to his elbow. He knew that he’d been abandoned in the woods with nothing but his equipment, the memory of his name, and a mission to go somewhere called the Wolf House. He knew that it took nearly two weeks to walk from wherever it was that he’d been dropped off to the first real sign of civilization, and he knew that the bustling town of Coast Haven had a charming inn with polite staff and good food. 

“Your lunch, sir,” the barkeeper said, setting down a plate of bread and meat before him.

He gave her a smile and a respectful nod. “Thank you, ma’am.”

He also knew that after two days at said inn, he’d racked up quite a bill. Considering he had two silver pieces in his pocket, he knew he needed to get a job.

He was in the middle of pondering his situation when two people joined him at his table. One of them was a half-Elf – her features too soft and round to be an Elf but too long and ethereal to be human – with short, choppy hair, and big brown eyes streaked with gold. Her companion was a Halfling, though he was the tallest Halfling Jason had ever seen, with curly black hair and fingers that twitched even faster than his gaze darted around the room. They both wore matching grins that Jason knew spelt trouble, and they looked over him with an obviously appreciative gleam in their eyes. Jason scowled at them. “I don’t have anything to offer you, so if you want to beg or con, find someone else.”

“We’re not here to ask you for money or anything like that,” the Elf assured him, her smile never wavering. 

“In fact,” the Halfling continued, dumping out his coin purse on the table, “we’ll pay off your tab, if you agree to hear us out.”

The money on the table wasn’t exactly impressive, a single gold piece, a few silvers, and a handful of coppers, but it would probably cover the expenses Jason had accrued. His gaze flicked up to his table companions. He figured there wouldn’t be any harm in listening to them, at least. “Go on.”

“Okay, so, I’m Piper, and this is Leo,” the Elf explained, gesturing at herself and the Halfling. “We’re trying to join the adventurers’ guild here.”

“But to do that, Annabeth says we need to have completed at least one quest to prove that we can handle ourselves, or whatever,” Leo continued. 

Jason nodded along. “Makes sense.” The expression on Piper and Leo’s faces indicated that they thoroughly disagreed with this claim, which is exactly the stance Jason assumed people who had never done any adventuring would take. 

“Anyway,” Piper said, “so I was talking to Annabeth, and she said that there was a minor-league quest she could assign to us as a sort of test-run. Only problem is that Leo and I are kinda lacking in the muscle department.”

“Which is where you come in, big guy!” Leo beamed at him. “You’re, what? A Paladin? You look like a Paladin. You’d be perfect for the job.”

Jason shrugged. “I dunno.”

The other two squinted at him. “Don’t know what?” Leo asked.

“The Paladin thing,” Jason explained. “I don’t know if I am a Paladin.”

“Oh.” Leo exchanged a glance with Piper and they looked even more confused. “How do you just not know that?”

“I don’t know much of anything,” Jason said flatly. “I know my name, I know my mission, and I know that I’d like to be left alone. Now, I’ve heard your story, either pay or scram.”

“What’s your mission?” Piper asked pleasantly. 

“I have to get to a place called the Wolf House,” Jason said before the thought had even finished registering in his mind. He frowned in shock at how easily the words had come forth, but Piper just continued to give him that same warm, welcoming smile. 

“Yeah? Where’s that? I’ve never heard of it before.”

“It’s– I don’t know–” Jason shook his head and felt his brain go a little fuzzy. “I… just– I don’t know where it is.”

“Hey, no sweat, man,” Leo said with a wide grin. “Hey, maybe this is a good thing for all of us!”

Jason blinked at him. “How?”

“Well,” he said, playfully drawing out the word. “We need muscle, you’ve got muscle. You need information, we can help you get information!”

“I thought she said she’d never heard of the Wolf House,” Jason accused, scowling suspiciously. “Are you saying you have information?”

“Well, no, but–” Leo stammered. 

Fortunately for him, Piper cut back in. “Well, we don’t have the information, but the Adventurers’ Guild? They definitely would.”

Jason was less than impressed. “So, you want me to go on a potentially dangerous quest with a half-Elf and a Halfling–”

“I’m actually only half Halfling,” Leo corrected. Jason ignored him.

“–who seemingly have never been past their own front doors, in order to join a guild on the off chance that they might be able to point me in the right direction?” Jason asked, arching his eyebrow. 

“It won’t be that dangerous,” Piper assured him. “Annabeth specifically said this one was pretty easy.”

“And if we do complete this quest and get you two into the guild? What then?” Jason pressed. “You two can’t handle an easy quest. What are you gonna do when things actually get dangerous?”

“You let us worry about that, big guy,” Leo said. “We’ve made it this far on our own, we can figure it out from here. We just need your help getting through the front door.”

Jason snorted. “Thanks, but no thanks. You two have a great pitch, but you’ll have to find someone else to buy what you’re selling. Now, I heard you out, so pay the bill, or scram.”

Piper and Leo's faces pulled into identical puckered scowls, and they exchanged a glance before turning back to Jason. Piper smiled at him. “Speaking of the bill, did we mention there's a reward of 500 gold pieces?” 

*-*-*

With Jason’s hesitant and begrudging acquiescence, Leo and Piper were far more forthcoming with their information and assistance. To start things off, Piper had waved over the barkeeper again and casually fished several gold pieces out of her coin purse with an order to keep the rest to cover whatever Jason wanted while Leo began their explanation. According to him, Annabeth Chase was the head of the local Adventurers Guild along with someone named Percy Jackson, and they were the ones who decided who did and didn’t get to join their little club. Jason got the feeling that even beyond his missing memories, he'd never met either of them, but their names rang with a sort of familiarity that Jason knew he'd heard of them before. It had apparently taken a while, but Piper had eventually developed some kind of rapport with Annabeth, which was how they'd gotten their membership assignment.

The quest in mind was, genuinely, a simple one. Over the past few months, several ships – trading, military, and passenger – had all gone missing near a harbor. Said harbor was also home to the Zhang family, who were long-time allies and confidantes of the Adventurers Guild, and the current occupant, Frank, hadn't answered any of Annabeth’s recent correspondence. Between the quickly-stacking rewards offered by merchants and nobles begging The Guild to make the waters safe again and Annabeth’s own mounting concern, she'd decided that someone needed to go check on things in the area. So, she'd arranged for Piper and Leo to sail with Percy to go investigate the area, confirm it was safe, and get any status updates Frank had to offer. With any luck, there wouldn’t even be any fighting. Jason asked why they needed him, in that case, and Leo flatly informed him that it was always better to be an embarrassed worrywart than a dead, unprepared idiot. Jason figured he couldn’t really argue with that. 

With the basic details all hammered out, Piper and Leo had scurried upstairs to their own room to gather up their supplies while Jason took advantage of his paid off tab to scarf down another plate of bread and cheese, and the three were off to the docks to meet up with Captain Jackson. 

The Riptide wasn’t exactly hard to spot. It wasn’t the fanciest ship, nor the biggest, but Jason had a feeling that there weren’t a lot of ships on the waters anywhere that had brilliant cerulean sails. Standing on the dock beside the vessel was an orc, rocking back and forth from his heels to his toes, scanning the crowd. When his big brown eyes fell on Jason, he beamed and waved at them. “Hello! You’re heroes, yes?”

“Uh, yeah, we sure are, bud,” Leo said, craning his neck back to look up at him. “You Captain Jackson?”

The orc shook his head, his smile never wavering. “No, I am Tyson! Percy is my brother.”

“Oh, uh, cool,” Piper said hesitantly. “Do you think you could, um, get him for us?”

“No need! I’m here!” Jason turned around to see a water Genasi with light blue skin hauling himself out of the water. Once he was back on his feet he shook his head like a dog, but his hair continued to float around him like he was still underwater. He stuck out his hand for Jason to shake and gave him a grin, and Jason couldn’t help but notice that his eyes were the exact same blue-green of the harbor he’d just climbed out of. “Captain Perseus Jackson, at your service. And who are you, exactly? I’m not trying to be rude, but you don’t exactly look like Beth’s descriptions of Piper or Leo.”

“Jason Grace,” he said flatly. He took Percy’s hand and squeezed probably a little harder than he really needed to. Percy visibly winced in pain, but didn’t say anything. “I’m new.”

Percy arched his eyebrow at Piper. “Didn’t Beth give you two this quest to see if you’ve got what it takes to join the Guild? Doesn’t your pet behemoth kind of throw off the scales?”

“We’re just bringing him as backup,” Piper assured him. “The actual questing will be done by us. Promise.”

Percy didn’t look fully convinced, but he shrugged anyway. “Whatever. It’s your prize pool you’re splitting.” He turned to Tyson and gave him a much fonder smile than the one he’d offered Jason. “Hey, man, you mind heading up and getting us ready to sail? We’ll be up in just a sec.”

“I will get us ready to sail!” Tyson agreed before he trotted up the gangplank. 

When he was gone, Percy looked them all over with a critical eye. “So, you guys know what you signed up for, right?”

“The details are a little fuzzy,” Leo admitted. “We’d love a good de-fuzzing, if you don’t mind.”

Percy nodded, like that was the answer he’d been expecting. “Well, to be fair, the details we have are a little fuzzy. That’s kinda the whole deal with recon missions. What we do know is that nobody’s willing to sail anywhere near Skyhorne Harbor because ships have been going missing left, right and center. Few survivors claim that it’s sea monsters. The most recent ship, sailed by Captain Ramírez-Arellano, called the Sippyco–”

“It’s pronounced Scipio,” Jason corrected. Piper and Leo both narrowed their eyes suspiciously at him, but Jason refused to meet their gazes.

Percy arched his eyebrows, but shrugged. “Okay, sure. Whatever you want to call it, she and her crew went missing in that area a week ago.”

“Annabeth also mentioned something about a lighthouse,” Piper supplied. 

“That would be Frank Zhang,” Percu confirmed. “He and his family have some sort of ties to the land, and they’ve been allied with this town’s Guild for generations. Think they might have even helped found the town. Now Frank and his partner Hazel Lavesque are the ones in charge over there. What’s got us concerned is that Frank hasn’t responded to any of our calls for two months now. It’s not unheard of for him to need a break from people and just take a sabbatical in the woods, but Hazel’s also MIA, and this has gone on long enough that Beth’s concerned about it, and I am, too.”

“Then why aren’t you the one going to check on him?” Jason asked flatly. “If he’s an important ally, shouldn’t his safety be your top priority?”

One of Percy’s eyebrows twitched, but his expression never faltered. “Why do you think I’m the one taking you? My crew and I just came back to port a week ago. We were going to head that way, regardless, Beth just asked me to play chaperone.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Leo grumbled.

Percy shrugged again, and Jason wondered how many times he could do that before he became terminally casual. “I call it like I see it. Beth said we’ve got a Halfling–”

“Half-Halfling.”

“Artificer, a half-Elf Bard and a–” He looked Jason up and down. “What are you, exactly?”

“Human,” Jason told him. “Leo thinks I’m a Paladin. I don’t really know how to be a Paladin, though.”

Percy looked like he wanted to question what he meant by that, but decided it wasn’t worth the effort. “Hate to break it to you guys, but you’re not exactly the stuff of legend.”

Before any protests could be raised, a sharp woman’s voice rang out over the crowded dock. “There he is, boys! Get him!”

Jason grit his teeth and turned on the approaching group, lips pulled back in a snarl. Ma Gasket and her sons, Torque and Sump, had somehow managed to become a thorn in Jason’s side in the short time since Jason had woken up. They’d recognized him from their first meeting, which led Jason to think he’d crossed paths with the troupe of Bugbears pre-amnesia, but he, obviously, couldn’t be sure. Since then, they’d not stopped their constant pursuit of Jason, and this was his third time coming across them in the past week. “You three, again?”

“You know these guys?” Leo hissed quietly. “They don’t look like good news.”

“They’re not,” Jason confirmed with a scowl. “And we’ve… met.”

“You’ll give us what we’re owed, and you’ll give it now!” Ma Gasket demanded, hands on her hips. She sneered up at the Riptide behind him. “That there boat’ll do nicely towards settling your debt.”

“Think again if you’re even considering putting your hands on my ship,” Percy growled any and all traces of his earlier charm and ease vanishing in a second. 

Before anyone could speak, Piper stepped forward, arms outstretched in a welcoming gesture and a wide, winning smile on her face. “Please, ma’am. Why don’t we all just talk about this?” she said beguilingly, and Jason could feel the way her words danced with magic. “Why don’t you just put your weapons down and we can come to an agreement?”

Torque and Sump immediately did as she suggested, but Ma snarled. “No! You idiots, she’s charming you! Can’t you feel it? Get her!”

With more speed than Jason would have thought possible, Torque whipped out a hand and wrapped it around Piper’s throat and lifted her off the ground. She scrabbled desperately at his wrist, eyes wide in terror. Torque seemed pleased with this reaction, because he bared his teeth in a sinister grin and lifted her even higher off the dock.

“Hey! Hey, no!” Leo shouted, his voice pitching sharply in the middle of his words. “What the hell! Let her go!” 

Torque just tightened his grip on Piper’s throat, making her face turn a shade darker. Jason felt a loud, rumbling growl form in the depth of his throat, and he saw a familiar red tint start to seep in from the edges of his vision. “Put. Her. Down.,” he warned, each word harsh and clipped. Torque sneered at him, and Jason felt the last thread of his control snap. 

In less than a breath, Jason had crossed the distance to Torque’s side, drawing his sword as he went, and slashing down across the Bugbear’s arm in a powerful swing. Immediately, Torque tilted his head back, howling in pain, as he dropped Piper, and she scrambled away, coughing and spluttering as she went.

“Get him!” Ma ordered.

Sump did as he was told, slashing at Jason with his scimitar, but Jason hardly felt the blow glance off his armor. When he tried to stab at Jason with his dagger, Jason ripped it from his hand with a snarl. 

“My turn!” Percy called, and soon he and Jason were back to back, Percy’s bronze short sword gleaming in the afternoon sun. Torque lifted his sword to attack, but Percy parried, then slashed across his chest, and kicked him back a few feet for good measure. He grinned, all wild and bared teeth. “Now, that wasn’t very polite, was it, big fella?” 

Before Torque could reply, a glowing bolt of magical light sprouted from his chest, and Jason glanced over his shoulder to see Leo had a crossbow leveled at the group, another bolt of magic already loaded and waiting for its shot. Beside him, Piper opened her mouth and let out a soft, melodious note. Her magic wove through the air for a moment before Torque stiffened, and a phantasmal wreath of thorny vines wrapped around his head and covered his eyes.

“What-what did you do to my boy!” Ma Gasket demanded, her eyes wide in horror. “You stop that nasty witchcraft, girl!”

Sump took a step towards Piper, but Jason cut him off, nearly removing the end of his nose in the process. Sump raised his scimitar to attack in kind, but Torque leapt in front of Jason and took a vicious swing at his brother. 

Percy looked confused for a moment before he dove into the scuffle as well. He danced around Sump, sinking his sword into the back of his thigh before ducking out of reach, leaving his opponent to lunge forward after him. With that opening, Jason struck and Piper’s voice rang through the air once again. 

Sump’s eyes crossed and he clapped his hands over his ears, looking around him in terror. “M-Ma? What’s that noise? Ma!”

“Sump?” Ma called, her own voice strained. “Boy, you listen to me, not her!” Instead, Sump wailed in fear and fled, Torque following close behind, eyes still shrouded in magic. Ma stared after them for a moment in shock before she turned back, baring her teeth at Jason. “You haven’t seen the last of us, boy,” she spat before she turned and chased after them.

With the threat gone, Jason heaved a deep sigh of relief and sheathed his sword. He laced his fingers and lifted them up above his head, luxuriating in the stretch, before he felt three sets of eyes resting heavily on his back. He turned to see Piper, Leo and Percy, all staring at him in varying levels of shock. He frowned. “What?”

“Do you, um, do that often?” Piper asked, somewhat hesitantly. 

Jason’s frown deepened. “Do what?”

“‘Do what?’” Leo scoffed mockingly. “Uh, maybe the whole feral animal schtick you just did?”

“Oh.” Jason thought about that and shrugged. “Yeah, that’s usually what happens when I get in a fight.”

 Percy let out a laugh then, a full-body head tilted back and clutching at his stomach laugh. “Great news: You do not have to worry about knowing how to be a Paladin.”

Jason scowled at him. “What do you mean? Why wouldn’t I need to know that?”

Percy grinned at him, and Jason thought he looked more than a little like a shark. “Because you, Jason Grace, are one hundred percent a Barbarian.”

*-*-*

Once Piper and Leo had finished gawking at Jason, Percy had shown them to their accommodations on the Riptide. Considering the size of the ship, Jason had figured they’d be assigned a few spare hammocks crammed into the corner of the bunk area, but they’d actually been offered a decently-sized office where they were allowed to store their belongings and rest. Jason got the feeling that the length of the trip was the only reason they had been granted such luxury. If they were expected to be on the boat any longer than the two days they were scheduled, they likely wouldn’t have had nearly as nice a time. Fortunately for them, their destination was only about six hours away, so if they camped on land, they wouldn’t even need to spend the night aboard the ship.

Not that Jason had spent all that much time in their room, unlike Piper and Leo, who looked like they were considering jumping on the bed. Jason had learned quickly that he didn’t particularly enjoy sailing, and being below decks only exacerbated the problem, so he was up on the top deck, leaning against the railing and staring out over the horizon and the low-hanging sun. He couldn’t stop thinking about what Percy had said. He’d been dubbed a Barbarian with such absolute finality that it almost startled him. He wanted to protest, but at the same time, it felt right in a way that Leo’s assumption of Paladin hadn’t. He wasn’t lying when he said he didn’t know how to be a Paladin, but he knew how to be a Barbarian. He was more than familiar with the fury and anger that simmered in his chest. It was always there, ready to strike, but never rearing its ugly head until Jason reached for it, like a dog called to heel. Even now, safe as he was, he felt a sort of primal awareness prickling its claws across the back of his neck. He’d ignored the feeling before, not thinking anything too remarkable of it, but now he couldn’t help but notice it. It was odd to think that not everyone had this same instinct that Jason felt was as much a part of himself as his own hand. 

His ruminations were interrupted when Piper popped up next to him, and Leo hopped up to sit on the rail at his other side. Jason felt a brief flash of concern when Leo swayed dangerously with the rocking of the boat, but soon he had his ankles hooked around the posts, locking him securely in place. 

“Hello,” Jason said pleasantly.

“When were you gonna tell us you were a Barbarian, huh?” Leo demanded playfully. “You just let me wander around calling you a Paladin and looking like an idiot. Not cool man.”

Jason hiked up a brow at him. “If that was a joke, it wasn’t a very funny one.”

“That’s the thing about Leo,” Piper chimed in. “His jokes are only ever kind of funny, and only half the time.”

Jason snorted while Leo shouted about abuse and betrayal. Jason shook his head. “So, what do you two want? I don’t have a tab for you to bribe me with this time.”

Piper and Leo exchanged a glance before Piper spoke again. “We were just checking on you.”

“Yeah, dude,” Leo agreed. “I mean, with the whole amnesia thing and then, BOOM, a stranger is telling you what class you are. That’s kind of a lot.”

“Yeah, imagine doing something like that. I mean, what kind of person just waltzes up to a stranger and decides that they’re a Paladin?” Jason scoffed, making Leo blow a raspberry at him. Then he shrugged. “I’m fine, I think. It doesn’t exactly change anything for me. Might change something for you two, though.”

Piper and Leo looked at one another like they were both checking to make sure they were still speaking Common. “Why would that change anything for us?” Piper asked, cocking her head to the side. 

Jason furrowed his brow. “You two were looking for a Paladin, right? You heard what Percy said. I am not a Paladin.”

Leo shrugged leaning back over the side of the rail in a way that made Jason’s palms twitch with the urge to just grab him and put him on his feet, still and safe on the deck. “You’re still a big dude with a bigger sword who’s willing to bash heads if the need arises,” he pointed out. “‘S far as I’m concerned nothing’s changed. What do you think, Pipes? You still on board with Mr. Wolfy McRage Fist?”

“Yeah, I’m still on board,” Piper grinned.

“The name will need some workshopping,” Jason said dryly. “Let’s just stick with Jason for now.” Leo booed loudly and finally tipped over the side of the rail, hanging upside down over the edge of the boat. The sight freaked Jason out more than a little bit, but Piper didn’t even seem remotely concerned about her friend’s antics, so Jason figured he shouldn’t be, either. He cast a curious look over at Piper. “So, why do you two want to join the Adventurers Guild so bad anyway? Normally, people start adventuring and then get recruited for a guild. You two are kind of doing things backwards.”

Piper cut her gaze away from him and began fiddling with the ring she wore on a chain around her neck. “I just– wanted to get out there, you know? See what I can. There’s a whole lot of world, and only one Piper. Seems a shame to stay in one place your whole life.”

Jason got the sneaking suspicion that she was leaving a lot out of her story, but Leo cut in before Jason could press for details. “Boooorrrriiiinnnng,” he groaned obnoxiously, and Jason would have pointed out how obvious of a distraction tactic it was if not for the fact that Piper looked relieved beyond words to have the attention off of her. 

“Yeah?” Jason challenged. “What’s your story, then?”

“Plucky orphan obviously,” Leo scoffed. He grunted slightly then righted himself on the railing, then held out his hands like a showman. “Look at me! I practically scream ‘raised on the streets and forced to rely on his brains from a young age.’”

Jason very much wanted to laugh at the display, but just fondly rolled his eyes instead. “Alright. Well, what about the Guild? How does that factor into everything?”

“Job security,” Piper said simply. “Speaking from experience, the gig economy isn’t exactly sustainable long-term, and it’s really hard to get into. At least with the Guild we’d have a fairly steady stream of quests and rewards available to us.”

“Plus it gives us start-up cash,” Leo added. “It’s no use trying to leave town without some liquid capital. That’s how you wind up in an inn with two pieces of silver and a tab you can’t pay, so you sign yourself up for a quest with the first wackadoodles who approach you.”

Jason frowned at him. “How did you know I only had two silver pieces?” Leo just gave him a wide, toothy grin and held up his hand, two silver coins pinched between his first two fingers. Jason’s hand immediately flew to his coin purse where his two measly silver pieces were still waiting for him, safe and secure, while Leo cackled. Jason scowled at him, but the expression lacked any real heat, doused by amusement. “You’re a menace.”

“Not the first time I’ve heard that, and if it’s the last I will have thoroughly failed in my life’s goal,” Leo chirped, cheerfully kicking his feet.

Jason rolled his eyes again, but before he could say something smart back, he felt that prickling at the base of his skull and his whole body tensed. “Brace yourselves!” he ordered at the top of his voice to anyone who could hear him. He fisted his hand in the front of Leo’s shirt and yanked him off the railing just as something rammed into the side of the ship, sending it careening hard to the side.

There were scattered screams and shouts as the handful of crewmembers aboard the Riptide scrambled into position, Percy swearing up a storm as he stood at the helm, furiously trying to get them back on course. Jason’s gaze immediately found Piper and Leo before he did anything else. Piper looked a bit dizzy and was clinging to the railing and Leo looked like he was still coming to terms with how close he’d been to tumbling into the sea, but they were both alive and that was Jason’s only criteria at the moment. He turned back to Percy and barked, “What the hell was that, Jackson?”

“That,” Percy grit out, straining against the wheel, “was our sea monster.”

As if on cue, the water churned and boiled right next to the boat, and from it erupted a giant sea serpent. It was at least seventy feet tall, appeared to be made entirely out of water, and the places where its eyes should be was a pair of glowing orbs of white magic. It tipped its head back and let out a loud, shrieking cry before diving back below the surface of the water.

“What should we do, Captain?” one of the sailors cried.

Percy visibly grit his teeth and glanced around. “Everyone to your stations! We need to get into that harbor! She’s not gonna take too many more hits like that! You three!” His gaze fell on Piper, Jason, and Leo. “Get that thing away from my ship!”

The monster emerged again and Jason gripped his sword, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit useless, unsure of how he could even get close to this thing, let alone hit do any real damage. 

Leo, apparently, didn’t have that problem. “Cover me!” he ordered, shoving his hands into the satchel on his belt and withdrawing some kind of bronze contraption, which he placed on the ground, and immediately started working on. 

Piper had also leapt into action and produced her lyre and plucked a quick, jaunty tune on the strings. In response, thunder rolled and a bolt of lightning fell out of the sky right in between the monster’s eyes. It let out another grating shriek in response, and set its gaze on the ship. Two spindly arms with giant clawed feet emerged from its sides and it raised both fists to slam them on the deck. One hit Piper, and she let out a startled yelp of pain as she was flung away. The other hit Jason, but he was able to hold his ground against the attack.

“Piper!” Leo screamed, staring at her crumpled form in horror. Then he turned his furious gaze on Jason, eyes blazing. “Now would be a really good time for the feral animal schtick, man!”

Jason blinked in shock for a moment before his eyes settled on where the monster’s claws were still curled over the edge of the railing. He thought about Piper, lying prone behind him, and he lifted his sword with a snarling war cry and brought it down on the beast’s foot.

Your anger courses hot through your veins, my pup, a quiet voice said in the back of his mind. It can be your greatest strength if you choose to wield it properly. If not, it will be your undoing.

The ship rocked with an explosion as two cannonballs slammed into the serpent. While it was still reeling Leo finally stepped back from his project, revealing a bronze automaton dragon about the size of a dog, which matched the sea serpents wailing with a roar of its own, flapping its little wings menacingly at a foe a hundred times its size. it dropped its jaw and a wave of force slammed into the sea serpent.

“Yes! Get ‘im, Festus!” Leo crowed, pulling out his crossbow. He squeezed his eyes shut and muttered under his breath “Please, please, please don’t blow up,” before firing. Whatever he did must have worked, because as the magic bolt flew through the air, it suddenly became wreathed in flames before finding its mark.

The monster reared back to attack again, this time sweeping its claws across the deck in an attempt to grab anything it could. Jason snarled and whipped out a hand to grab Leo by the collar of his shirt and send him stumbling just out of range. This, unfortunately, left Jason wide open, and he was slammed with a massing paw made of water. He choked as his lungs flooded for a moment before gripping his sword and slashing his way free. He collapsed on one knee, coughing up water when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

He looked up to see Piper crouched before him, her eyes scanning Jason’s face for any sign that he was injured. Jason was distantly relieved to see that she seemed okay, all things considered. “Jason, are you hurt?” she asked sharply, snapping her fingers to get his attention. 

Jason didn’t respond. Words were a little hard when he got like this, but he did shove himself to his feet and bared his teeth at her in what he hoped looked at least a little like a smile. As he did, the boat rocked with another volley of cannon fire, and Leo appeared next to them, crossbow at the ready. He let loose another shot before turning to Piper, his face puckered in concern. “You good?” At her confirmation, he gave a short, decisive nod. “We’re almost to the docks. We’ve just gotta hold off this guy a little more. Any ideas?”

Piper whispered some choice words under her breath and the beast shrieked. It had backed away from the boat, looking like it was ready to ram it and Jason growled. He couldn’t do anything from here. He just needed a way to get closer–

A sharp whistle from the captain cut off his train of thought, and Jason whipped his head around to see a solid black pegasus rocketing towards the boat. He gave Piper and Leo a feral grin. “Idea.”

Leo and Piper both looked at him in confusion. “What’s the idea?” Piper asked.

Instead of answering, Jason just grinned wider, then turned and took a running leap off the boat, while Piper and Leo shrieked behind him.

For a moment as Jason fell through the air, he realized that maybe this was a really dumb decision. He had no way of knowing for sure that the pegasus would be where he thought it would be. Hell, he didn’t even know if it was friendly. He just knew he had to do something, and this was his best (or at least first) idea. 

He landed hard on the pegasus’s back earning himself a sharp whinny of protest, but together they soared through the air towards the monster, which had its eerie white eyes trained on Jason. It swiped at him with its claws, but the pegasus was too fast, darting between its arms to climb higher and higher into the sky, right above the sea monster’s head. Jason watched it carefully, one hand holding on to his sword and the other tangled in the pegasus’s mane. Then, when he was in exactly the right position–

He let go.

The wind whipped past him as he gathered speed on his fall, both hands wrapped around the hilt of his sword to deal one final blow. The beast shrieked at him, mouth opened like it was going to swallow him straight out of the air, but it was too late. Jason thrust his sword deep in the monster’s head, and with one last howl, it melted back into water. 

Jason was once again free falling before he was scooped up by the pegasus mid-air. As they flew back towards the ship, Jason felt the last of his rage melt away, and he slumped forward in relieved exhaustion. 

*-*-*

Jason hadn’t exactly expected his act of heroism to be rewarded with being fussed at, but that was exactly what was waiting for him when he returned to the Riptide.

Piper and Leo had not been impressed with his little stunt. Well, that wasn’t quite true. Leo had admitted it was “the coolest shit I’ve seen in a hot minute,” and Piper had begrudgingly agreed, but neither of them were happy about it. Jason had been told under no uncertain terms that he was not to do anything like that again because they weren’t interested in having a dead Barbarian on their hands, but Jason couldn’t find it in himself to really be all that sorry. The monster was dead and the three of them were alive and well, which meant that he’d won, which meant he’d done a good job and therefore no one should criticize him. 

The Riptide had limped its way to the dock, and the crew went ashore so that Percy could fully assess the damages. Based on his reaction, the diagnosis was less than favorable. 

“You three are going to have to go it alone from here,” Percy said, scowling at the ship. “I’ve got a minimal crew, so it’s going to be all hands on deck if we want to finish repairs and get out of here in the morning.”

“Wouldn’t it be better for us to help out here, then?” Leo suggested, already elbow-deep in his toolbelt and rummaging around. “I may not be a seasoned seafarer like you, but I know how to use a hammer and this isn’t the first boat I’ve worked on.”

Percy’s face went stony and serious. “No. If the rumors about the sea monsters are true, then Frank and Hazel’s disappearance just got a lot more serious. Someone needs to check on them immediately.”

With that, Percy had sent them on their way. He’d been kind enough to let them catch their breath and gather some supplies, but they were climbing the steep, slippery staircase that switchbacked across the sheer cliff face forty feet up before Jason was really ready. 

At the top, they found a crumbling stone wall, about ten feet high, and Leo turned to Jason with a smug grin. “Pipes and I have got this. Watch.”

Without another word, Piper laced her fingers together and Leo used that as a springboard to launch himself up to the top of the wall where he scrabbled at the stone for only a moment before he got a solid hold, and he stayed where he was hanging. Jason thought for a second that maybe he was stuck before Piper sprang up, grabbing a hold of his hips and proceeding to climb up Leo’s back like he was a rope hanging there just for her. When she was situated, she reached down and hauled Leo up to sit next to her, and they beamed down at Jason in obvious pride. 

“Ta-da!” they sing-songed in unison.

Jason arched his eyebrows at them and gave them a nod. “Impressive. My turn.”

Jason took a few steps back, and Piper and Leo scrambled to get out of his way, but he instead walked up to the nearby gate and pushed it open with a low, sad creeeaaaaaak. He stepped through and grinned up at Piper and Leo from the other side. “Ta-da.”

Leo puffed out his cheeks in a scowl then said in a dumb voice, “Oooh, look at me! I’m Jason Grace! I’m soo smart and I do sensible things like walk through gates and divebomb sea monsters.”

Jason let out a short, huffing laugh while Piper and Leo scrambled back down the wall. “I figure one of us should try it out occasionally,” he said innocently.

“Yeah, yeah,” Leo scoffed, flapping his hands around as dismissively as possible. “You know, you–”

“Hey, guys?” Piper interrupted. Jason glanced over, her tone already putting him on alert. She was standing over by the gate, investigating it with her eyebrows pinched in concern. “This gate’s broken.”

Jason frowned, and he and Leo stepped over to investigate as well. “That’s to be expected, right?” he said slowly. “I mean, the wall is in pretty poor condition, too, so it makes sense that the gate would be broken.”

Piper was already shaking her head. “No. Look, the wood’s still in really good condition. This gate’s way too new to just be worn out.”

“Besides, this isn’t just regular wear and tear,” Leo added. “If you look here, you can see that it was actually torn off its hinges, based on the shear lines. Someone wanted in here, and they weren’t worried with being polite about it.”

“Can you tell when it happened?” Jason asked. 

Leo winced and shook his head. “Not really. I mean, it doesn’t look like it happened this morning or anything, but it could have been years ago and this Frank guy just never bothered to replace his gate. There’s no real way to know one way or the other.”

Jason had a hard time believing that Frank had just left his home in such obvious disrepair when he’d taken the effort to replace the gate in the first place. “Whether it happened last week or last year, let’s take this as a sign to be on guard,” he said decisively. “Remember, we’re here because Annabeth thinks something might have happened to Frank. We’ve already been proven wrong about the lack of sea monsters, let’s not assume he’s safe.” 

Piper and Leo both nodded in agreement, and silently fell into step behind him as he led the way to the lighthouse. It was made of the same dark gray stone that covered the coast, but the years spent up high on the bluff, battered day and night by salty sea wind, had worn the stone down until it was smooth and gleamed softly in the moonlight like polished gems. The door to the place was nearly identical to the gate, but instead of barely hanging on, it was barricaded and boarded up with crates and smashed barrels.

“I’m guessing we should not try the doorbell,” Leo winced.

Jason shook his head and looked around for another way inside before narrowing his eyes. There was a window, about twenty feet up with a narrow ledge that wouldn’t be nearly big enough for Jason, but would at least somewhat comfortably fit a half-Halfling. He gestured at the window and raised an eyebrow at Leo and Piper. “Think you guys can do your little trick again?”

Piper studied it for a moment before she shook her head. “No way. That’s way higher than our record. I wouldn’t be able to boost him all the way up there.”

“I could try it,” Jason suggested before looking over at Leo. “If you’re good with it, that is.”

Leo looked visibly doubtful for a moment before he shrugged. “What the hell? Let’s give it a shot.”

Jason got himself into position and after a moment of psyching himself up, Leo ran towards him, put one foot in Jason’s laced fingers and jumped straight up the wall. Jason wasn’t really sure just how much strength to put behind his assist (he had a newfound appreciation for the amount of practice Piper and Leo must have put into their act to make it look so effortless) but whatever he did was obviously wrong. Leo just barely made it up to the window ledge, but he could only scrabble at it for a moment before he fell to the ground with a thump and a wheeze.

“Leo! Are you okay?” Piper yelped, rushing over to his side.

Jason suddenly felt that same familiar awareness prick at his senses again and he crowded Piper and Leo behind him, eyes scanning around for any potential threats. 

“Jason?” Leo asked, and Jason could just hear the furrow of his brow. “What–”

“Quiet,” he hissed. Immediately, Piper and Leo went silent, and Jason listened as hard as he could, but there was nothing. Still, he felt a creeping sense of unease. “Something’s nearby,” he said flatly. “I don’t know where, but it’s here and it could be dangerous.”

Piper and Leo looked at one another, then back at Jason. “Okay,” Piper said. “Let’s just focus on getting in the lighthouse. We should probably at least look inside, so we need to get up to that window.”

“The usual high-jump didn’t work,” Leo said unnecessarily, rubbing at his jaw. Then he paused and took a step back. He held up a thumb to Jason, then Piper, then the window. He grinned, a little maniacal. “But I think I’ve got another idea.”

Jason involuntarily gulped. “I don’t think I liked the way you said that.”

“Nobody liked it except him,” Piper confirmed with a sigh like she’d already resigned herself to whatever idea it was. 

Jason soon discovered that he was right to not like the way Leo said that. Really, he had the simplest job of the three of them: Hold heavy things. The only problem was that the heavy things in question were Piper and Leo. Leo had told him to just stand beneath the window while Piper climbed up to stand on his shoulders, and Leo climbed up to stand on hers. Really and truly, it wasn’t hard. Piper and Leo’s combined weight wasn’t even close to his maximum lifting capacity, and they were both more than nimble enough to climb their make-shift person ladder. The problem came when Leo got into position and let out a quiet string of swear words.

“Leo?” Jason grunted out. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t reach,” Leo admitted. “I must have miscalculated or something, because I need, like, one more foot.”

Jason considered that for a moment. The smart, sensible, thing to do would be to let Piper and Leo climb back down and they’d find a new way in. But they’d already wasted so much time, and they needed to find Frank so they could get back on the Riptide and head back to Coast Haven, and, well. He had an idea.

A potentially really bad idea.

“Leo, brace yourself against the wall. Piper, hang onto his feet as tight as you can,” Jason ordered. He waited a moment for them to do as he said before he continued. “Okay, Piper, now I’m gonna put my hands on my shoulders, and I want you to step in them.”

“Oh, gods above, you’re insane,” Piper choked out, but she still did what she was told, and Jason got as good of a grip on Piper’s feet as possible.

“Okay, you two. Hold very still.” Jason sucked in a deep breath and started slowly lifting Piper up above his head. He distantly heard Leo swearing again in a squeaky little voice, but he couldn’t focus on that. He turned his attention inward, at the blazing fury that resided in his chest. He didn’t fully embrace it, but he harnessed that heat, letting out a low, rumbling growl as he held Piper steady above him. 

Jason wasn’t sure how long they stayed like that, but soon there was the quiet click of a window being opened and his load was significantly lighter. Then, a rope was tossed down to them, and Piper climbed up after Leo. Jason followed shortly after, and soon all three of them were inside the lighthouse, huddled together on the winding stairs leading up to the lantern room. 

“Let’s go see who’s on the bottom floor,” Leo whispered, and Piper and Jason both nodded in agreement.

Together, the three of them crept down the stairs and peered out into the main floor. At one point, the room was probably very regal-looking, with the fine furniture and paintings on the wall, but the newest residents had more than made a mess of things. The floor was crowded with destroyed chairs and shredded cushions and more of the smashed crates and barrels from outside and everything was visibly grimy except for one thing. Above the fireplace was a gold insignia: a pair of crossed spears over a bear’s head with a roaring wave in the background. Somehow, it was still spotless, shined to a mirror-like finish, as if the filth around it couldn’t touch it. 

Sitting in the middle of it all was a group of six Eelfolk, all baring their teeth at one another as they dined at one of the only undamaged tables in the room. As Jason watched, one of them reached a little too close to his companion and those razor sharp teeth sank into flesh without remorse. He let out a shrill cry of pain and ripped his hand back, reaching for his knife before the largest one of the group slammed his fists on the table. “Enough of your squabbling!” he shouted. There was an outraged protest of, He bit me! but it went ignored. “We still have to get our hands on that damned lighthouse keeper! It’s the only way!”

“We’ve tried everything, boss,” another one of the Eelfolk complained. “He’s hidden himself up in the lantern room and we’ve no hope of getting him out!”

“Well, then you’d best find a way!”

The table erupted into another argument, and Jason, Piper and Leo crept up to the next floor.

“Well, we know why Frank hasn’t been answering his messages, at least,” Piper said, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. “I wonder how long they’ve had him trapped up here. I mean, if he’s been in here two months is he even still…?”

“He’s definitely not dead,” Jason said firmly. “If he was, they wouldn’t have any trouble getting to him. But that leads to the next question. Why are they trying to get him? What do they want? Who even are these guys?”

“I know who they are,” Leo supplied. “It’s Nantan and his crew. They’ve got a base over near Coast Haven, and they like to stir up trouble in town every now and then. But they never do anything super serious. Usually just theft and stuff like that. They tried attacking the boats that docked there, but Annabeth and the Guild put a stop to that real quick.”

“So, what’s he doing out here?” Piper asked. “Does he have anything to do with the sea monster?”

Jason furrowed his brow in thought for a moment before his eyes drifted back over to the stairs, which led even higher up to the lantern room. “Well, I don’t have any of the answers, but I think I know who might.”

*-*-*

The three of them silently climbed the stairs, only pausing occasionally for Leo to check the path for any kind of traps. It seemed as though Nantan and his crew were either really bad at setting traps, or they just refrained from doing so entirely (Jason got the feeling it was the latter, seeing as some of the Eelfolk probably would have fallen victim to the traps themselves) because they made it up to the top floor without any trouble. There, they came face-to face with a heavy iron door, which had the same crest from the mantle etched there front and center.

Without thinking, Jason grabbed hold of the doorknob and tried to shoulder it open, but the thing refused to budge. Suddenly, the door got blisteringly hot and Jason leapt away with a shout of pain. 

“Dude, you good?” Leo demanded, checking Jason over for any obvious injuries.

Fortunately, Jason’s hide cloak had shielded him from any serious damage, but he still scowled at the innocent-looking door. “I’m fine. Good news, Frank’s still alive and well in there.”

“And you’ll stay out, if you know what’s good for you!” a voice shouted from the other side of the door. “I’m not letting you in, so you can just turn around and go back the way you came!”

Piper stepped forward then, her usual smile in place, even if Frank couldn’t see her. “Frank Zhang, isn’t it? Please, sir, we’re only trying to help. You see, Annabeth sent–”

“Cut it with the magic,” Frank snapped. “If you think I’m falling for your tricks that easily, you’ve got another thing coming!”

Piper scowled at the door, clearly offended at the dismissal, before she turned on Jason. The gold streaks in her brown eyes glowed for a second as she wrapped her fingers around Jason’s wrist. “Kick the door in,” she ordered, her tone hard and leaving no room for argument.

Jason felt a new wealth of energy go rushing through his veins, seemingly centered on where Piper had her hand on him. He assessed his target for a moment – the door itself looked to be a solid, sturdy metal, but the doorjamb was wood that looked like it had seen better days. Perfect. He took in a deep, steadying breath, planted his left foot, and kicked as hard as he could. 

The door swung open with a loud BANG! as it crashed against the stone wall inside. Jason winced and quickly ushered Piper and Leo into the room before slamming the door shut. He didn’t want to be standing around in the hall when the Eelfolk came to investigate. Unfortunately, the doorjamb was still pretty splintered from Jason’s bombastic entrance, and he cursed. “Leo, can you mend this door?”

Leo paled for a moment before he nodded. “Yeah, I, uh, yeah. I got this.” Instead of pulling out his tools, he placed his hands on the doorjamb and they began to glow; beneath his fingers the wood started knitting itself back together, much to Jason’s surprise. Then, the slightest smell of smoke filled the air and Leo ripped his hands away from the door, leaving behind two sets of scorched fingerprints. 

“You… guys aren’t Eelfolk.”

Jason finally turned to face Frank, and then tilted his head back so that he could actually look him in the face. Frank was a stone Goliath, his skin a rich gray color, with deep cracks and crevices going down his strong arms like miniature canyons and ravines. In these cracks, brilliantly polished gemstones and expertly smithed golden baubles were set, making him glint and glitter like some sort of magical mineshaft. His tone was hesitant and curious, but he kept his features hard and his bow drawn and ready to fire. “Who are you three?”

“Well, Pipes was trying to tell you that earlier,” Leo chided. “We were sent by Annabeth to see if you’re alive and well. That’s all we wanted. You’re alive, even if you’re not doing super hot right now, so we’ve gotten all we need to know. Now, we can just go ahead and get out of your hair, if you don’t mind.”

“Wait, no!” Frank said, almost desperately. His gaze flickered over their faces, looking for any sign that they were lying. “I– You were sent by Annabeth? Really?”

“Yeah,” Piper confirmed. “She said she’d lost contact with you a couple months ago, so she sent us over here with Percy to check on you.”

“Percy’s here?” Frank asked eagerly.

Leo gave a little non-committal hand gesture. “Yes, and no. Yes, he’s here in the harbor, but he’s stuck down at the docks repairing the ship after a sea monster attacked.”

Frank sighed heavily and lowered himself to the ground, hands clutched tight in his hair. “This is all my fault. I can’t believe I let this happen.”

“What exactly happened?” Piper asked gently. “Frank, do you have any idea what’s going on?”

Frank sighed and looked morosely out a near-by window. “Skyhorne Harbor has always been protected by a Zhang. It’s a sacred family duty that gets passed down the bloodline. My mom did it before me and her mom before her, back almost too many generations to count.”

“Why does it need protecting?”

Frank chewed his bottom lip for a moment like he wasn’t really sure if he should say what he was thinking, before he spoke, “There’s a magic item that we stand guard over. It’s this big, stone basin used for controlling water elementals – that’s the thing that attacked you, by the way, not a sea monster.” Leo muttered something along the lines of it was a monster, it came from the sea, but Piper elbowed him into submission so Frank continued. “We’ve always used it to help damaged ships get to port, but two months ago, we were attacked.”

“By Nantan?” Jason suggested.

“I– No.” Frank shook his head. “The guy in charge wasn’t Nantan. I never got a good look at him, but I’ve heard him giving orders, and he’s definitely not an Eelfolk like the rest of them.”

Jason hummed thoughtfully. So, Nantan was answering to someone else? That would explain why the group’s MO seemed so radically different from what Leo had described. “So, what’s with this magic basin? Why does he have you trapped? Do you have it hidden up here or something?”

“No, it’s impossible to move,” Frank said. “It’s down in an underwater cavern, and it’s fixed to a pedestal. They’ve been sending some of their men down there, but it… can take a lot out of you, if you’re not properly attuned to it. It can be dangerous, even if you are attuned. You can die if the force of the elemental overpowers you, and I think that might be what’s happening.”

“You think that’s where they are now?” Leo asked. “Just waiting around for another chance to have a go at controlling the giant water snake?”

“Probably,” Frank shrugged. 

“How many times a day can they summon it?” Jason asked. “And do they ever leave any ships intact?”

“They can summon it twice. You can do more if you’re attuned, but two is the most they can manage,” Frank reported. “As for surviving ships, usually they sink them, but last week they brought one boat into one of the hidden grottos near the summoning basin. I think they’re forcing the crew into trying to control the elemental to keep from losing any more of their men.”

Piper looked nearly sick at the thought. “That’s awful!”

“That’s not all,” Frank said, his face falling. “They also got my– They got Hazel. She’s a Wizard, so they thought she would have better luck with the summoning, but she’s no more attuned to it than they are. It’s a family thing, she can’t possibly ever control it fully. At this point, I don’t even know if she’s still– If she–”

Jason cut off Frank’s stammering by placing a gentle hand on his elbow. “She’s alright,” he said firmly. “We’ll save her.”

Frank looked at him with something like wonder in his eyes. “We will?”

“Of course we will,” Jason swore. He turned to Leo and Piper and gave them a serious look. “This is going to be dangerous,” he said, making sure to look both of them in the eye. “More dangerous than anything we’ve done so far. If you two want to go back to the Riptide and tell Percy what’s going on, I wouldn’t blame you.”

Piper and Leo shared a look, had one of their silent conversations, and turned back to Jason with those same matching grins. “Are you kidding?” Piper scoffed. “Of course we’re going. You can’t get rid of us that easily.”

Jason felt his mouth curving up to match theirs, but he still had to double check. “You sure? Like I said, it’s going to be dangerous.”

“Pft, danger is, like, our collective middle name,” Leo dismissed. “We loooove danger.”

Jason turned back to Frank, his smile back in full force and feeling more sure of himself than he had since waking up in the woods. “Alright, Frank. Let’s go save the day.”

*-*-*

With their fates sealed, Frank quickly and quietly led them back down to the bottom floor, which allegedly held the secret to their way out of here. Nantan and his crew were still eating and shouting at one another, so they were able to slip past, unseen into a nearby larder.

“It’s down through here,” Frank said quietly, shifting some of the furniture around. “Jason, can you help me move this?”

Jason nodded then glanced at Piper and Leo. “Keep watch. Tell us if you see anyone coming.”

Piper and Leo did equally horrible jobs at saluting him (Leo did it with his left hand) but Jason figured it was in his best interest to correct their form later. Instead, he crouched down on the other side of a massive, solid oak cabinet from Frank, and together they shifted it a few feet to the side, revealing a large, metal trapdoor.

“This was put here when the lighthouse was built as a kind of emergency exit,” Frank explained as he started the climb down. “I’ve been careful to not mention it, so none of the bandits should know about it.” Jason waved Piper and Leo over to follow him down, and Jason took up the last spot, taking care to close the trapdoor once he was inside. 

“If this was here the whole time, why’d you stay trapped?” Piper asked.

“We tried to escape, once,” Frank sighed. “It was about a week after the attack. Hazel and I tried to sneak down here to go get help from the Guild, but they caught us. That’s when Hazel was captured. I couldn’t– I couldn’t just leave her, you know? I wasn’t helping her much, but at least if I was in the lighthouse, I was a source of distraction. I just have to hope it was enough.”

Jason couldn’t really fault his logic. It wasn’t the best plan he’d ever heard, but he understood that sometimes thinking clearly was difficult when it came time to protect the people you care about. 

At the bottom of the ladder was a cavern, but not the underwater one Frank had told them about. This one was much smaller, and Jason could see the stars glittering in the sky just beyond the mouth of the cave. The stone walls gleamed, and the whole cave floor was covered in a layer of water – only a few inches deep around the edges, but Jason could see where the ledge cut off sharply and opened up to much deeper water only a few feet away.

“Do not fall in there,” Frank warned, rifling through a nearby chest. “There’s hunter sharks in those waters, and you don’t want to be on the wrong side of those teeth.”

“Thanks for the warning,” Jason muttered, scowling over the water after checking to make sure that his party members were tucked safely between him and the wall. 

“Here, take these,” Frank said, passing out three dusty bottles full of a cloudy sea-green liquid. “It’s a potion of water breathing.”

Jason took one of the bottles and sniffed it suspiciously. It smelled of sea air, and while it seemed thin the little jellyfish-shaped bubbles inside rose to the top sluggishly. Jason figured it probably wasn’t a great idea to drink mysterious potions from borderline strangers, but Frank was a friend of Percy and Annabeth’s and he hadn’t set off any of Jason’s danger senses, so he tossed his head back and drained the bottle in three long gulps. After waiting a moment to see if Jason was going to collapse, Piper and Leo did the same.

“I… don’t feel any different,” Piper said, looking down at her hands as if that would solve her mystery. Jason couldn’t help but agree. “Did they work?”

“One way to find out!” Leo chirped, ducking under Jason’s still outstretched arm. He knelt at the side of the deep water, stuck his head beneath the surface and took in a big, visible breath before lifting his head. “Mine works!”

Jason grabbed him by the back of the shirt, and yanked him back to safety before any sharks decided to attack him. “Great. Let’s keep moving, Frank.”

Frank agreed, and led them out of the cave into a small, secluded cove with tall shearfaced cliffs surrounding it. Along one wall was a still intact, but heavily damaged sailing ship, not entirely unlike the Riptide, which Frank pointed to. “That’s the ship I saw them hauling in last week.”

“Should we go check it out?” Piper asked. “We could maybe see if any of the crew is still aboard, or find some clues.”

“We could, but we’d have to swim,” Frank warned. “We’ll have to swim through the cove either way, though, so I suppose it doesn’t really matter.”

“What about the sharks?” Jason demanded.

“They don’t like open water like that; the currents are too much for them,” Frank said. “They generally stick to caves and caverns because they’re still and easier to navigate.”

Piper frowned out at the ship. “Well, if there’s even a chance that there’s someone on that boat, we have to go check, right? I mean, they could be hurt and need our help. Frank, do you have any healing magic?” Frank nodded, and Piper put her hands on her hips, mind clearly made up. “Then we’re going to that ship.”

“We’ll have to be careful,” Frank warned. “Like I said, the currents are rough. If you don’t follow the right path, you could get seriously hurt.”

Jason glanced over to Leo to get his opinion, but unsurprisingly,  he and Piper were on the exact same page, so Jason bowed his head. “Alright then, Frank. Lead the way.”

Frank led them to the mouth of the cave to another drop off area, and gracefully dove into the water. As he arced through the air, his gray skin lost all of its deep cracks and crevices, instead turning soft and smooth as his body morphed into that of a dolphin’s just before cutting into the water.

Piper and Leo both gaped at Frank’s little dolphin face as he bobbed in place just beyond the drop off. “Some kind of warning for that would have been nice,” Leo said.

Jason snorted and stepped forward. “Come on. Let’s go,” he said before he dove into the water after Frank. Fortunately, it seemed that the water breathing potion Frank had given them also served to keep them from getting wet. Jason was particularly grateful for this, as he hadn’t exactly been looking forward to swimming and then walking around in soaked half-mail armor and he doubted Piper and Leo would have fared much better. He heard two splashes behind him, and they made their way across the cove. Jason made sure to keep a sharp eye out for any hunter sharks that wanted to investigate a little too close, but Frank’s word held good, and he led them easily through the water, moving with the unseen currents in some places, and deftly avoiding them in others. 

When they finally surfaced next to the ship, Jason placed his palm flat on the light, nut-brown wood and felt a sharp pang of longing deep in his heart. “This is it,” he said around the sudden lump that had formed in the back of his throat. “This is– This is the Scipio.” Piper and Leo glanced at one another before they turned their matching looks of concern on him. Before they could speak, he shook his head. “Let’s just go. We need to figure out what happened here. Frank, we’ll go up, you stay down here, just in case.”

Without waiting for a reply, he grabbed hold of the rope ladder hanging off the side and started climbing. The top deck of the Scipio was a disaster zone. Crates of fine wines and exotic fruits had been scattered about and destroyed, and carelessly shredded bolts of delicate lace and once-plush velvet were left abandoned in heaps of rags. Even the great central mast had been snapped and what few sails remained were tattered and torn. The ship hadn’t just been attacked, it had been ransacked, desecrated, even. He pictured Nantan’s face, his yellow eyes and sharp, wicked smile. It would be easy to make him pay for what he did here. Jason could just put his hands on either side of his head and squeeze until–

He felt a gentle hand on his forearm and he looked down to see Piper looking at him, brows knit so tightly together that they almost touched. “Are you okay?”

Jason sucked in a deep lungful of air – he hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath – and gave a full-body shake like a dog. “Yeah, I’m– I’m fine. I just got lost in thought for a second there.”

Piper looked like she was going to say something else, but at that exact moment Leo stiffened like he’d been Petrified before he whirled around on them, finger pressed to his lips. “Shh!”

Immediately, Piper and Jason both fell completely silent, not even daring to breathe as Leo crept around. He kept his head cocked to the side like a dog listening for a call, and his footsteps were so light that he almost seemed to float across the deck. He paused next to a barrel, studied it for a moment, then shoved it over before Jason could even blink.

From the barrel a small figure came tumbling out. Jason immediately stepped forward, hand on the hilt of his sword before he got a good look at them. It was a Dwarf, and a young one by the looks of him, considering his lack of a beard. With his tight black curls and dark complexion, he could have been a carbon copy of Leo, assuming Leo was about a foot shorter and half again as stout.

“Don’t hurt me!” the Dwarfling squeaked, scrambling behind the upturned barrel. “I don’t have anything!”

Leo winced and crouched down, but made sure to keep the barrel between him and the Dwarfling. “Hey, man, I’m sorry. I promise we won’t hurt you. I just thought you were part of Nantan’s crew.”

The Dwarfling peeked around the barrel, his big brown eyes fixed on Leo. “N-Nantan? He’s the eel guy, right?”

“One and only. We’re trying to hunt him down and kick his ass,” Leo grinned. He offered a handshake. “Name’s Leo Valdez.”

The Dwarfling slowly came out of hiding, caution and hesitance clear in the way his shoulder hiked up around his ears, but his eyes still sparkled with interest as he looked at Leo and carefully shook his hand. “I– I’m Harley.”

“Nice to meet ya, Harley,” Leo said, his energy never faltering in the slightest. He gestured over his shoulder and added, “These are my friends, Piper McLean and Jason Grace. Say ‘hi’ guys.” Jason and Piper dutifully waved and said hello.

Harley waved at them for a moment before he turned back to Leo. “Are you really gonna beat Nantan?”

“That’s the plan,” Leo said, “Though, if you don’t mind me asking, how’d you wind up on this ship, anyway?”

Harley’s eyes immediately brimmed with tears and he scrubbed at his cheeks. “I was hiding from my sister, Nyssa,” he said miserably. “She said I was too young to go adventuring, and I wanted to prove her wrong. I didn’t think the boat would actually leave.”

“A stowaway, huh?” Leo laughed. “I was a stowaway once. That’s how I wound up in Coast Haven.”

“Really?”

“Yup,” Leo said, cheerfully popping the ‘P.’ He was fully sitting down now, legs stretched out in front of him as he slouched against the barrel. He shoved his hands in his toolbelt and retrieved a little wind-up contraption that he began fiddling with, and Harley scooched even closer, staring at the complicated bits of copper in wonder. “Awful experience, really. Zero out of ten; would not recommend. Yours go any better?”

“Uh-uh,” Harley said, shaking his head. “It started off fine, but then we got attacked by a big, scary monster, and it dragged us in here. Captain Ramírez-Arellano found me then, and she told me to hide and not come out, no matter what. That’s when the eel guys attacked the ship.”

“Yeah?” Leo prodded. “Can you tell me about these eel guys?”

“There was,” Harley cut himself off as he started counting on his fingers. “Ten of them, I think. They captured the Captain and the crew and took them away. The guy in charge of them said something about a cave.”

“The guy in charge?” Leo asked, arching his eyebrows. “You think that was Nantan?”

Harley shook his head. “Nuh-uh. This guy wasn’t a eel-man. I didn’t get a good look at him, but he had a big scar on his face, and he was blond and tall.” He shifted closer to Leo’s side and pointed an accusatory finger at Jason. “Like him.”

“Aw, don’t worry about Jason, he’s cool,” Leo promised. “He may look scary, but he’s just a big old puppy dog underneath.” 

Jason wanted to protest the comparison, but he figured that wouldn’t do them any good in getting information out of Harley, so he just huffed and puffed his cheeks out in what was definitely not a pout. Beside him, Piper snickered quietly, so he reached over and pinched her on the side. 

“So, have you noticed anything weird since the eel guys attacked?” Leo asked.

Harley considered that for a moment. “The monster comes out of the cave twice a day,” he reported. “It makes a big wave and spins the boat around like a little toy.”

“You ever been inside the caves?”

“Uh-uh. I haven’t been off the boat at all.”

“Well, alright then,” Leo said, clapping his hands with a sort of finality. “Harley, I want you to stay on this boat and stay hidden for me, alright? We’re gonna go check out this cave, see if we can rescue Captain Ramírez-Arellano, and maybe kick Nantan and this blonde dude’s butt. Then we’re gonna come get you, take you back to our ship, and get you back where you belong with this Nyssa person. Sound like a plan to you?”

“Yeah!” Harley grinned, then his face fell. “Do you think Nyssa’s gonna be mad at me? Will she even want me to come home?”

“Course she will,” Leo scoffed. “That’s the thing about sisters. Even when you run away and act like a jerk, they still get all sappy and cry about how glad they are to see you  when you come home.” He shot Piper a wink when he said the last bit, and she rolled her eyes, but made no effort to hide her smile.

“After this, I’m never running away from home ever again,” Harley swore.

“That’s a good idea,” Leo agreed, nodding sagely. Then, he put the little wind-up contraption in Harley’s hands. “Here, you may find a use for this thing. If you wind it up and put it in your palm, it will spin around and point you towards home. Might come in handy if you ever wind up going on a real adventure.”

“Wow,” Harley breathed, cradling the device like a sacred artifact. “Thank you.”

“You’re gonna have to warm it up first though, okay?” Leo advised. “Hold it close to your chest and think about home as hard as you can. It’s gonna take a while, but eventually you’ll hear a little click, and you’ll know it’s ready. Can you do that?”

“Okay!” Harley agreed eagerly. He cupped his hands close to his heart and squeezed his eyes shut in concentration. 

Leo gave Harley one last smile and ruffled his hair before he hopped to his feet. He looked at Piper and Jason with a determined set to his jaw. “Come on guys. We’ve got a Captain to save and an eel guy’s ass to kick.”

*-*-*

Once they made it to the entrance of the cave, Frank turned back into a Goliath and continued leading the way, the precious metals and gems embedded in his skin sparkling like stars in the flickering light of torches. “The Summoning Cavern is at the heart of the system,” he explained. “It’s a really easy to follow path, but there’s a lot of smaller caves that branch off the main route.”

“AKA, lots of places for Nantan and Mr. Tall Blond and Evil to stash away his hostages,” Leo supplied. Frank nodded.

“Then we’ve got to check those places first, right?” Piper said. “I mean, we did just promise to try and save Captain Ramírez-Arellano.”

Part of Jason wanted to disagree. The proper course of action would be to go straight to the Summoning Cavern, secure the basin, and defeat whoever was waiting down there for them. That was their mission, and some deep-seated, steadfast part of his brain wanted to insist that the mission always came first. But he just couldn’t. Ever since setting eyes on the Scipio, Jason’s mind had been fixated on her Captain. Ramírez-Arellano. He knew that name, even if he didn’t know what it meant. He had to see her, if only to ask her if she knew who he was.

Frank looked hesitant, likely more fixated on the idea of getting to Hazel than anything else, but he agreed. “If they’re keeping the crew to summon the elemental, they’re gonna want to keep them close by,” he said, turning down one of the narrower branching hallways. “There’s one cave that actually opens up into the Summoning Cavern, so they’ll probably go for that one.”

The cave Frank led them to was small, but the ceiling was vaulted up high, and there were stalagmites scattered around the room, each one big enough for even Frank to take cover behind. At the other end of the room was a large, ornate wooden door with the golden crest of the bear and spears emblazoned across it. Along another wall was a table, where two Eelfolk were sitting together playing cards, and between them and the door were a dozen people, chained to the wall in groups of four. They were all battered and bruised, and some of them were hanging limp in their bonds, but Jason only had eyes for one of them. She was chained up in the middle of the group, and while she looked as exhausted as the rest of them, she still held her chin up high with pride, her long dark hair in an uncharacteristically messy plait down one of her shoulders.

“That’s her,” Jason whispered hoarsely. “That’s Reyna.”

Frank gave him a funny look. “Do you… know the Captain or something?”

“I-I dunno,” Jason admitted, tripping over his words. 

“What do you mean you–”

“It’s a really long, super complicated story,” Piper interrupted. “Well, actually, the part we know isn’t long or complicated, but we don’t really have time to get into it now.”

“Yeah, we’ve gotta rescue these guys,” Leo added. “Hey, Zhang, do you see Hazel anywhere down there?”

Frank shook his head. “No. Hazel’s a Gnome, so they wouldn’t be able to tie her up with these guys. She would have to be tied up separately or she could be…”

“In the Summoning Cavern?” Piper supplied.

Or dead, Jason added mentally, but he figured that wouldn’t exactly be helpful at the moment. “Look, we need to get the crew free, and make sure they’re okay, but we have to do  that without letting those guys get into the Summoning Chamber, otherwise we’re going to be swarmed. Any ideas?”

“To be honest?” Leo shrugged. “I think our best bet is just bashing their heads in before they get a chance to try and leave.”

Jason felt a grin curl up his lips and he reached for his sword. “I think I like that plan.”

Before he could get too far though, Leo put a hand on his forearm. “Hold up, man. Let Pipes at them first.”

Piper looked startled for only a moment, then she grinned. “Like in Wildcliff?”

Leo’s eyes were brighter than any fire Jason had ever seen. “Just like in Wildcliff.”

“Okay.” She took a deep breath, then looked at Jason and Frank. “So, I’m gonna go out there and distract them. You two sneak around and cut off their exit, okay?”

“You got it,” Jason said without hesitation. He raised an eyebrow at Leo. “And what about you?”

“I’m gonna activate Festus,” Leo said. “Then we’re gonna take pot shots.”

Jason nodded. “Sounds like a plan. Frank, with me.”

Together Jason and Frank ducked behind a nearby stalagmite while Piper pulled out her lyre, took in another deep breath, and stepped out from cover, her melodious voice bouncing off the walls and making the air vibrate with magic. For one split second, Jason was mesmerized by the music before he roughly shook his head and dragged Frank towards their next hiding spot. 

The Eelfolk at the table weren’t quite so lucky in snapping out of it, and just watched Piper approach with slack jawed amazement. She was almost halfway across the room when one of them cleared his throat and called out, “H-Halt! What are you doing here?”

“Hmm?” Piper hummed curiously. She stopped singing, but her deft fingers never stopped plucking and strumming away at her instrument. “Oh, I’m the Bard you hired. I’m afraid I got a little turned around, but I was ever so fortunate to run across you two gentlemen.”

“I– You’re in the wrong place, lady!” the second Eelfolk said gruffly. “We didn’t hire no Bard!”

“You didn’t?” Piper asked, her voice soft and plaintive. “Aren’t you part of Nantan’s crew? He was very insistent I come. You won’t send me away, will you? I worked so hard to get here.”

“No… we won’t send you away,” the first Eelfolk said. He was starting to sway in time to the music, which was leagues better than his partner, who was simply drooling on himself. 

“That’s wonderful!” Piper cooed. “Thank you so much!”

“But-but I do have to check with the boss,” he stammered. He shakily got to his feet and started towards the door, but he never took his eyes off Piper. “It’s just protocol, you know?”

“Oh, I completely understand,” Piper said sweetly. Her eyes flicked up to meet Jason’s as he got into position, and he grinned. “But first–” her fingers suddenly stilled on her instrument and her eyes went wild– “I’d like to introduce you to my crew. Jason, say ‘hi.’”

The Eelfolk whipped around, finding himself face to face with Jason, who smiled politely. “Hi. Sorry, but I don’t sing.” He reared back and brought his sword down across the Eelfolk’s chestplate, sending him stumbling away. He hissed loudly at them, and tried to lunge forward, but Frank deftly stepped in and pushed him to the side with his quarterstaff.

“You won’t get away with this!” he shrieked.  “Dral! Get them!”

Unfortunately, his partner was still gaping at Piper, who just smiled widely at him and started strumming her lyre again, humming a jaunty tune. As she did, Dral stiffened for a moment, then went slack like a puppet before he slowly lifted his head, eyes completely glazed over. He got to his feet, each movement jerky and bouncing along to the tune of Piper’s melody. 

“Wh-What did you do?” the first Eelfolk spat bristling at Piper. “I’ll get you for this!” He dove for Piper, but before he could get anywhere close to her, there was a magic crossbow bolt sticking out of the middle of his chest, followed by a shrieking metallic roar that sent him hurtling towards a nearby wall, where he laid in a crumpled heap. Jason looked over to see Leo standing at the mouth of the cave, crossbow leveled and ready to be fired again, while Festus reared up on his back feet flapping his wings in victory.

With that settled, Piper turned to Dral, who hadn’t moved a muscle from where she’d left him standing. “Dral?” she sang. He grunted to show he understood, and she smiled. “I want you to do something for me. I want you to walk out of this cave, then keep on walking. Once you get to the water, I want you to dive in and swim aaalll the way back to Coast Haven, then knock on the front door of the Guildhall and ask to speak to Annabeth. Tell her what you and Nantan have been up to here, and answer any questions she asks you. Would you please do that for me?” 

“Okay,” he slurred before walking forward. He didn’t care that there was a table and chair in front of him, he just walked. Leo kept his crossbow trained on him, and Festus made a low growling sound as he walked by, but within just a few seconds he was gone. 

Frank looked hesitantly at Piper. “Is he… really gonna make it all the way to Coast Haven?” 

Piper shrugged. “Theoretically. Depends on how good at swimming Eelfolk are. I assumed they’d be pretty good at it.”

Jason fondly shook his head before he turned to the hostages, only to be met with a dark, stern gaze. Reyna had been watching him, and he got the feeling she’d had her eyes on him the whole fight. He gulped heavily and released her from her bonds. “Reyna.”

She rubbed at her sore wrists and just continued to study him for a moment before she finally said, “It seems as if you have me at a disadvantage. You know me, but I’m quite certain we’ve never met.”

“I know you in name only, Captain,” Jason admitted. “I woke up with amnesia a week ago, and I’m afraid I’ve only just started putting the pieces together. I recognized you, though, and I was kind of hoping you could point me in the right direction.”

“I’m not sure how much help I can really be,” Reyna admitted. “Like I said, I have no memory of you.”

Jason nodded in understanding, though he had to hide his disappointment. He hadn’t really expected Reyna to know him, but he’d been hopeful. “What about the Wolf House? Do you know anything about that?”

Reyna paused and narrowed her eyes at him. “Why do you ask?”

“Because getting there is my mission,” Jason told her. “When I woke up, I only knew two things: my name and that I needed to get to a place called the Wolf House.”

Reyna looked him over before her eyes settled on his sword for some reason. “I have… heard of the Wolf House. If you can secure safety for me and my crew, I will tell you all I can.”

Jason dipped his head. Something told him that this was the best he was going to get out of Reyna, and he was only getting that because she was exhausted and grateful. “Thank you, Captain.”

“Well, now what?” Leo asked loudly. 

Reyna turned to him, arching an eyebrow. “I would suggest stopping the summoning ritual happening next door.”

“They’re summoning an elemental?” Frank demanded. “Do they– Is Hazel with them?”

“Yes,” Reyna said grimly. She gave Frank a hard stare. “It’s her second time summoning today, and she was exhausted before.”

“If that’s the case, we have to go now!” Frank said urgently. “She can’t– It could kill her!”

“We’re going to save her, but we need a plan. If we just go in there guns blazing, who knows how many people could die,” Piper said. She turned to Reyna. “Captain, would you be able to help us?”

Reyna grimaced and shook her head. “I can’t. Even if I weren’t injured myself, my crew is, and they need my help. Just like you can’t abandon Hazel, I can’t abandon my crew.”

“Understood,” Piper said with nothing but a simple nod. “We just left your ship. Harley’s aboard and safe, but the ship’s in rough shape. You might be able to limp back to Coast Haven, if you know what you’re doing, though.”

Reyna gave her a wry smile. “I certainly like to think I know what I’m doing.”

“Have you been in the Summoning Cavern?” Leo asked. “I know you said you can’t fight, but any clue about what we can expect going in there would be a huge help.”

Reyna nodded, and she looked almost impressed that Leo thought to ask. “Very well. Let me tell you everything I know.”

*-*-*

According to Reyna’s information, sneaking into the Summoning Cavern was impossible, full stop, which Frank agreed with. Between the two of them, they were able to map out the whole room, including all the places where Nantan and his crew liked to hunker down for cover and where the summoning basin was.

“If they forced Hazel to start the summoning ritual, she’s not going to be able to stop on her own,” Frank warned. “Someone is going to have to get to her and break her concentration, otherwise the elemental will come, and I don’t think anyone wants that.”

Obviously, Piper was going to be the one to break Hazel from the spell, and even more obviously, Leo would be hot on her heels, providing backup. That left Jason and Frank to take care of Nantan and however many lackeys he had with him. The numbers didn’t look great on paper, but there was a sort of bestial fury flickering in Frank’s dark eyes as he discussed the people who had his partner captured that more than bolstered Jason’s confidence. They could do this. 

“Ready?” Jason asked one last time. Everyone nodded at him, and Festus creaked loudly where he was tucked under Jason’s arm, so he turned his attention back to the door. He took a deep breath, then kicked the door open, charging in with a war cry, his party members following close behind him. As soon as the doors were thrown open Festus shrieked, and breathed a massive cone of fire that fully engulfed two of the Eelfolk closest to the door, and sent the third scrambling away. 

Frank wasted no time, barreling past Jason in the form of a massive brown bear and attacking the two Eelfolk closest to him. Jason charged the third, slashing at the back of his legs, which sent him stumbling to his knees. 

There was a note then, that rang through the cavern, and all of their enemies were outlined in brilliant magenta fire, letting Jason actually see who he was facing. There were a couple Eelfolk shrieking in an alcove nearby and another two with javelins not too far in front of him, but Jason’s gaze fell on one in particular. It was Nantan, and he was standing over by the basin where a Gnome with a cloud of hair like spun gold was chanting, eyes glowing white with magic. Nantan’s gaze met Jason’s and he dropped his jaw and let out a screech, which Jason matched with a snarl of his own. 

Without thinking, Jason started sprinting towards Nantan, leaving Frank to finish with the Eelfolk he’d attacked. He brought his sword down, but Nantan sidestepped him, hissing out a mocking laugh. He snapped at Jason, only for Jason to duck his razor sharp fangs and shove him aside. 

“You have no idea what you’re up against,” Nantan taunted, his yellow eyes glowing in the gloom. “Even if you wish to stop me here, you’ve no hope of defeating the one I serve. And the one who he serves? You’d be better served hiding away in the woods and praying to your gods that you’re never found, little hero.”

Part of Jason knew that he needed to question Nantan, to find out what he knew and who his leader was, but he didn’t care. This was the one who attacked the Scipio and tortured her Captain and crew. This was the one who had held Frank hostage in his own home for months and had tormented Hazel. This was the one who had terrorized the seas and left Harley scared and alone on a wrecked ship. So, no, Jason didn’t really care what he had to say. Once Nantan was spitting out his own teeth, someone who was better with words could question him. If he survived, that is.

He slashed at Nantan again, this time landing a good hit across his chest that sliced his leather armor open. Two spears came whistling past his ears, but Nantan snarled at his crew, “No! Leave this one to me!” 

Before anyone could say anything, another song filled the air, and everyone turned to see Piper standing across the basin from Hazel, furiously plucking at her lyre strings, while Leo shook her by the shoulders. For a moment, Jason was worried nothing would happen, but then there was a blinding flash of light, like lightning had struck within the cavern, and Hazel was left there swaying dangerously in place, but her eyes clear from any magic.

“No!” Nantan howled, then he turned on Jason, eyes bright with fury. “You! You’ll pay for this!” He dove at Jason, raking his claws down Jason’s side. 

There was another roar from Frank, and Jason looked up to see that the bear had several spears piercing his hide, and he looked exhausted. Jason was tempted to rush to his aid, but a sharp whistle from Leo cut through the air, and suddenly Festus was at Frank’s side, letting out another cone of fire that sent both of the Eelfolk closest to him scrambling away, weapons abandoned. Festus glowed with a brilliant gold light and Frank let out a deep, threatening growl at the Eelfolk surrounding him.

“Frank?” a weak, wobbly voice said, and now Jason looked over to see that Leo had one of Hazel’s arms thrown over his shoulder. Frank roared and started barreling towards her, which seemed to finally snap Hazel out of her spell, seeing as she started running towards him as well. She was moving faster than Jason thought was physically possible, each one of her strides nearly half again as long as Jason’s and moving twice as quick. Then, when she was closer, she leapt through the air with practiced ease and landed securely on Frank’s back. He reared up on his hind legs with a new sense of purpose and let out the loudest roar Jason had ever heard from him before they turned as one and resumed their attack.

Jason grinned viciously at Nantan, who was starting to look more than a little worse for the wear. Jason took another slash at him, and he staggered back, breathing heavily. He whipped his head around to see the chaos that surrounded them. Frank and Hazel were fighting two of the remaining Eelfolk, their attacks a flurry of teeth and claws and flashing magic, while Piper and Leo had the third cornered, firing crossbow bolts and tormenting him with Piper’s music.

“Yield,” Jason snarled, the words only just managing to claw their way past his bared teeth. Nantan hissed back at him, once again attacking Jason with his claws, which Jason responded to with an attack of his own. This one hit Nantan right in the chest, and he toppled over backwards. Jason immediately stepped forward, one heavy boot planted on either side of Nantan’s chest, and his sword poised and ready to strike him dead. “Yield. Now.”

Nantan held his gaze for several seconds, hatred on every last one of his features before he tilted his head back and let out a warbling cry of surrender. Around them, any of the remaining Eelfolk threw down their weapons and fell to the ground, heads bowed in submission. 

There was a moment of silence that hung tense in the cavern before Leo’s voice shattered it into a thousand pieces. “Did we… win?”

Jason’s fury snapped at that exact moment, and he felt all the tension drain from his body as he chuckled, “Yeah, Leo, I think we won.”

*-*-*

Getting Nantan and his crew back to the Riptide was a fairly simple matter. Percy had intercepted Dral on his way back to Coast Haven, and after some prodding and no small amount of lying, he’d been tricked into believing that one of the women aboard the ship was, in fact, Annabeth, and Dral had been more than happy to show Percy the way to the Summoning Cavern where Nantan and his crew were tied up, waiting to be loaded up safe and sound in the Riptide’s brig for transport to Coast Haven. 

Percy had been more than impressed with the report Dral had given him, and as such had informed Piper and Leo that Annabeth wanted to speak with them directly. Jason had been asked to join in, but he begged off the invitation, his sights instead set on the other Captain.

Reyna had her steady gaze on him, a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth as he approached her. He dipped his head respectfully. “Captain Ramírez-Arellano.”

“You know, you never introduced yourself to me,” she pointed out. “I’d quite like to thank the man that saved me and my crew.”

“Jason Grace, ma’am,” he said. “And I couldn’t have done it without my companions, Piper McLean and Leo Valdez, as well as the lighthouse keeper, Frank Zhang, and his companion, Hazel Lavesque.”

“Then I will be certain to thank them as well.” She gave him a curious look. “Now, I believe you had some questions for me.”

“Just one,” Jason agreed. “Where is the Wolf House?”

“That I can’t tell you. The location is constantly changing. I only know that it lies in the land of the setting sun,” Reyna admitted. Then she glanced at Jason’s sword again. “May I see your forearm?”

Jason did as she asked, and pulled back his sleeve to reveal the tattoo that spanned the entirety of his forearm. Reyna sucked in a sharp  breath and his eyebrows shot up. “Does this symbol mean anything to you?”

“It does.” She rolled up her own sleeve to reveal a similar tattoo, only hers had a sword and a torch where his had an eagle, and she had fewer bars. “That tattoo, along with your golden sword, marks you as a member of the Lost Legion.”

“The Lost Legion,” Jason muttered. Somehow the words felt familiar on his tongue. “What is the Lost Legion?”

“It’s forbidden to speak of it,” Reyna said, her tone turning a little frustrated, though Jason got the feeling that her ire was likely directed at herself more than him. “We are warriors, champions of the gods. That symbol shows that you belong to Lord Jupiter. The Wolf House is where we begin our journey.”

“So, am I being called to start that journey over?” Jason asked, furrowing his brow.

Reyna just shrugged. “I don’t know. We have… little communication with the gods, I’m afraid. I don’t know their plans any more than I know which direction the wind will blow.”

Jason sighed. Somehow, all of the information Reyna had given him left him only with more questions. Who was Jupiter? Was he the one who took Jason’s memories? Why was Jason being sent to the Wolf House? Still he gave Reyna a smile and offered her a handshake. “Thank you.”

She shook his hand, but her eyes flicked up to meet his as she chewed on the inside of her lip. “There’s something else. I can’t say for certain if it has anything to do with your memories, but two weeks ago, I woke up and felt as if something had changed. There was something missing, though I couldn’t say what it was, and no one had any ideas either.”

Jason nodded. “If I figure out who’s been messing with my memories, I’ll be sure to ask about yours as well.”

“Thank you,” she said genuinely. “It looks like I’m not quite through asking for your assistance yet, but I will gladly offer mine. Should you, or any of your companions, need assistance on the seas, know that the Scipio is indebted to you. Now, I believe your friends are calling you.”

Jason glanced over his shoulder to see Piper and Leo frantically gesturing him over. He waved at them before giving Reyna one final nod. “See you around, Reyna.”

“See you around, Jason,” she smiled back at him.

Jason quickly trotted over to Piper, Leo, and Percy, who were crowded around a shimmering vision made of mist. It looked like a window, and there was a woman on the other side with sharp gray eyes and blonde hair braided tightly and pulled back away from her face. “Annabeth Chase, I assume.”

“The one and only,” she grinned at him. “From what Percy says, the three of you did an excellent job taking care of business out there. I must say, I was skeptical at first, but you three certainly rose to the occassion.”

“We just did what anyone would do,” Jason said a little sheepishly.

Annabeth arched her eyebrows at him, but didn’t press the matter. “So, you caught the guy behind it all? Nantan? I’ve got to say I’m a little surprised. He’s never really struck me as that kind of threat.”

“He wasn’t the mastermind,” Piper corrected. “He was working for someone.”

“Who?”

“No idea,” Leo said with a shrug. “Only one person other than Nantan set eyes on him, and it was this Dwarf kid named Harley. Said he was blond and tall. Big scar across his face.”

At the description Percy and Annabeth both visibly stiffened, and Jason narrowed his eyes. “Sound familiar?”

“He’s an old… adversary,” Annabeth said, her tone clipped. “Luke Castellan. He ran the Adventurers Guild before me and Percy. He’s…”

“He’s bad news is what he is,” Percy growled. “I thought he was dead, Beth.”

“I did, too.” Annabeth pursed her lips. “If he’s not and he’s pulling stunts like this, things could be getting a lot more complicated.”

“A lot more dangerous, too,” Percy agreed. He glanced up at Piper, Leo and Jason. “We definitely wouldn’t say no to some obviously capable help.”

“What happened to us not being the stuff of legend?” Leo snarked.

Percy shrugged. “You weren’t then. You still aren’t yet, but you could be.” He grinned at them, his eyes sparkling. “One way to find out.”

“We’ll have to think about it,” Piper said. Jason, Percy and Annabeth looked at her, clearly surprised, and she scratched the back of her neck sheepishly. “We… learned some really important stuff on this quest. We’ve got to discuss it and make sure that the Guild is the right choice for all of us.”

Annabeth nodded, and she looked almost pleased at Piper’s answer. “Alright then. You guys talk it out, and let me know your decision when you get back to Coast Haven. You’re due a reward.”

“Bonus, too, if you found Harley,” Percy pointed out. “Nyssa put in a reward for anyone who could get him home the other day, remember?”

“That’s true,” Annabeth agreed. “Looks like the three of you are shaping up to be quite the group of heroes.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” Piper said, bowing her head. “We’ll report back when we get to Coast Haven.”

“Sounds good. See you guys when you get here.” Then Annabeth waved her hand and the mist image disappeared into a softly shimmering rainbow.

“Alright, I’m gonna go check in with Captain Ramírez-Arellano and make sure we’re both ready to sail,” Percy said. “In the meantime, there’s a couple other people who want to thank you.”

He trotted off and Frank, now back in his Goliath form took his place. Hazel was perched up on his shoulder, looking very tired, but no worse for wear. “Hi, guys,” she smiled, giving them a wave.

They greeted her and waved back, and Frank cleared his throat. “We, uh, we wanted to give these to you. As a symbol of our thanks.” He handed each one of them a shiny gold coin. One side was stamped with that same crest Jason had seen all over the island, and the other had something written in Giant that Jason couldn’t read. “They’re, um, Mariners Coins,” Frank explained. “If you show them to any friendly sailor, it will let them know that you’ve earned our trust. It’s also got the Zhang family oath on the other side, so if you come across any Goliath or Giant communities, it will work the same, assuming they’re friendly with the Zhang family. Which most are.”

“I also enchanted them,” Hazel added. “If you put them in your hand and say our names, it will call us.”

“Neat!” Leo said, analyzing his coin. “Any idea what the range is on them?”

“Sorry, but no,” Hazel chuckled. “Right now, Percy and Annabeth are the only ones who have them, so we’ve only ever been called from as far as Coast Haven.”

“Well, we can see about investigating that for you,” Leo said. He pocketed the coin with a grin. “We’ll be sure to keep track of where we are when we call you up. Which will be often. Annoyingly often.”

Frank looked a bit grumpy at that, but Hazel just laughed, so he let a little smile play at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, well, thanks you guys. A lot. Things would have been real bad without your help.”

“We’re glad we were here,” Piper said. “And if you guys ever need us, you can give us a call, too.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” Hazel promised. Then she tugged on Frank’s earlobe and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Come on. We’ve gotta get up to the lighthouse. They made a real mess of things up there, and we’ve gotta sort it out.” Frank nodded, and the two of them left, leaving Jason, Piper, and Leo with one final wave.

And then they were alone.

“So, where are we headed, big guy?” Leo asked. Jason cocked his head to the side and gave him a curious look, and Leo arched his eyebrows. “We saw you talking to Captain Ramírez-Arellano. She was gonna tell you about this Wolf House, right?”

“She did,” Jason said slowly,

“Well, where is it?” Piper demanded. “I mean, I’m not saying that we’re gonna leave tomorrow or anything, but it’d be nice to have a plan.”

Jason blinked. “Are you… saying you want to come with me?”

“Duh,” Leo scoffed.

“We told you before, you can’t get rid of us that easily,” Piper reminded him. “We’re a team now. If you’ve got a quest to get yourself to the Wolf House, we’ve got a quest to get you to the Wolf House.”

“I– But-but what about the Guild?” Jason stammered. “That was the whole reason you went on this quest in the first place.”

Leo shrugged. “Plan’s change. Priorities shift. You know how it is.”

“You’d… really do that?” Jason asked quietly. “You’d just give up on this thing you’ve been working for? For me?”

“Call us sappy and sentimental, but there’s a lot we’d do for you, Jason,” Piper grinned, her voice pitching like she was teasing him.

“Yeah,” Leo agreed. “I dunno what it is, but something brought the three of us together. We’re not ditching you any time soon, dude.”

Jason squeezed his eyes shut and took in a few deep breaths before he finally looked at them both and grinned wide enough to make his cheeks hurt. “Yeah. Alright. A team then. The three of us.” Piper and Leo grinned up at him, eyes sparkling like a child given a shiny new toy, and it took all of Jason’s self control to not pick them up and squeeze them tight to his chest.

“So, anyway, back to the original question,” Leo said. “Where are we headed?”

“The only clue Reyna could give me was west,” Jason admitted. “She told me about this Lost Legion that I’m apparently a part of, but she doesn’t have any more details she can give me.”

“Well,” Piper said slowly, drawing out the word as she thought. “I suppose we could always go back to the original plan? Join the Guild, see if we can get any leads that way?”

“It’s got more direction than just walking west and hoping for a miracle,” Leo agreed. “What do you think, Jace?”

“I think it’s the closest thing to a plan any of us are going to come up with,” he admitted, and Piper and Leo both laughed. “So, Adventurers Guild, then?”

“Adventurers Guild,” Piper and Leo confirmed in perfect unison before running off to go tell Percy their decision.

Jason smiled then, a soft, private smile meant only for himself. He didn’t know what the future held. He didn’t know what he was meant to do or even who he really was. All he knew was that he was headed off into the unknown with two people he’d known for a day, and somehow trusted with his life. He knew that they’d face whatever came next together as an unshakable team.

And he figured that was good enough. 

[13thdoctorposts]

Highlights from Jodie Whittaker’s Gold Coast Panel

Host

So have you got any stories from Attack the Block?

A.

Can I think of stories from attack the block?

I would say that when we were shooting it just as a little like genius of Joe Cornish.

He is an encyclopedia of films and television. And every single element of it is some kind of homage to something you’ve seen. One thing that was really clever is there is no accidental lighting, so the entire thing is set at night so that every single light is deliberate. This stuff or that, like the kids train, is like, every single element is a choice. And you can't say that for most things, because the sun will just appear sometimes, and the sun can take full credit for the lighting. But in that film, he chose every single element. And that's why I think it's such a great film, because it's detailed beyond belief.

Host

Thank you. Wow. Can I see that.

Q.

What's your favorite memory of playing The Doctor?

A.

My favorite memory? There's so many, I'll tell you what, I'll give you a moment that's relevant to something like this. One of the highlights of playing The Doctor actually happened to me at a con, and it was San Diego, and so it was before the show would come out.

We were filming, and I got invited to come to this kind of the cosplay show. And when I got there, I was like, a special guest. And because I was just feeling really confident, I was like, can we not announce me? Can I pretend I'm a model?

I came out in my costume, slowly walking down, and I thought I was gonna get to the end to do some big reveal. But I must have a very obvious walk, because people started to realize, and the really narcissistic part myself, absolutely loved it because I got such a big round of applause just for walking. So that was a really amazing moment.

Q.

My question is about one night. Your character Tess has tattoos. They're only shown in two scenes, one in the first episode and one in the last I was wondering if they were both shot together, even though characters in different places, at different times, and the system of putting those tattoos on, because there's quite a lot.

A.

Yes, it was. It was one of the most influential stage directions I've ever read of a character when that doesn't necessarily feature as a main part of the story. So my character Tess, in a Australian show called One Night, I’m very proud of it is covered in tattoos and every tattoo was a choice, and designed by the incredible designer and all the creatives. And so there's no accident. But the first time we did it, it took about 4 Hours and we stood like this for what is a very small scene as well.

And then the next scene, which is however many months later, I think we got it down to 3 Hours but it was still, it was a long time.

But it was such an amazing character choice, the writer, beautiful writing that gave me so much, but I didn't have to necessarily articulate what that was. It was just she gave me this armor to be able to play tests.

And that is when I started to read it, it's only a few scenes into the first ep, I was like, I'm playing that part. I'm absolutely playing that part. because I just thought that was such an incredible choice.

Q.

I was just wondering, in regards to Doctor Who, was there anyone that you wanted to like come and appear on the show alongside you, like an old companion?

A.

Ah, I suppose I was spoiled for companions. So I think with that, I was, I would have loved, oh, it's difficult before, before we got to the point where I met my master, who is played incredibly by Sasha, and I adored every single scene I was in with Sasha.

There was a part that was like, oh, wonder if I get to work with Michelle. I thought that would have been incredible. So if anyone's out there and they write episodes of Doctor Who, I think that might be a good one.

Q.

Hi, and why did you decide to become an actor? Oh, that's such a good question.

A

When I was probably a bit younger than you i watched a film called goonies and if you haven't seen it highly recommend it stood the test of time and it is such an amazing film and i think what it does is it celebrates the inner child's because as a kid. I watched it and thought, oh my gosh, they're going on this amazing adventure. But then as I got older, I realized that could be a job, and then I got to play the Doctor. So it really is a job that you get to play pretend in the most epic scale, and anything is possible. So I think that's what I wanted to continually feel, was that I could be my inner child till I'm 99.

Q.

my question was, I love seeing, you know, Thasmin play out on screen in Doctor Who. And I know that you and Mandip had a bit of involvement in making that happen. So I was wondering, could you, explain how we got that.

A.

No, no we didn’t, so I think just the fact that Chris obviously knows us and knows how much we love each other. Yeah no we had no influence on any of the story lines. Obviously, we had that, the characterization, and we fully, you know, believed in and loved the direction that our characters went in, and it played out perfectly for me in my head. That is absolutely my kind of dream ending of where I saw my doctor. And the to the point of regen was with that side by side with Mandip .And for those two characters as well, I thought it was beautifully played out, but it was all Chris Chibnall. So I can take no credit, which also the video in the cupboard during lockdown.

I think people were really generous and thought I'd written it, but I didn't write that. Chris wrote it and sent it to me and said, I think it'd be really brilliant if the doctor could maybe, you know, say something. And so that was him as well. So I love that. I keep getting all this credit there. But, but I absolutely adored where our story line went.

Q.

You have obviously played such a diverse range of characters, and I'm just really curious about your process when you sort of get the script and how you create them.

A.

Do you know what? I can't write at all, and I don't want to be a writer. And because it's not within my skill set. And I think because of that, my appreciation the next level, I think 90% of my job is generally always done, I’m so lucky to work on extraordinary scripts, and a lot of your hard work is there, like I was saying about, Emily (one night writer), with one night. This wonderful stage direction is she's covered in tattoos. But those kind of details are just the best. Sometimes an entire character can be given to you in a tiny stage direction, or in a use of punctuation. Something can be a dot, dot, dot, and it has a completely different meaning than an exclamation mark.

I think that, for me, is the absolute side point. Take what you can from the script, and then I've been looking at what the directors and cast do it’s a really collaborative effort My main thing is, I don't like to decide or even kind of go there on how I'm gonna do something before you say action. Because if I do, I'm just a bit cluttered, and I overthink it, and I wouldn't listen to you. So however you were doing it, my brains go, well, I'm gonna do it like this, and it doesn't work for me. So for me, I kind of, I need to be kind of completely unprepared to be prepared, that not even answer. I don't think I should teach a drama school. Basically, not everyone can teach. And I can't.

Q.

If you could be in any episode of Doctor Who that already come out to 13, which would you choose? And why? The ones that you haven’t already been in

A.

I am furious if no one's seen it I'm REALLY sorry I'm furious I MISSED an episode with spice girls i Am Sorry… But how did that happen when i wasn't IN it? spice of your life i devastated, I was like, I'm sorry. What? But it's only because It was so amazing. Sorry if that's a spoiler.

Q.

I just wanted to see if you could tell us a bit about your audition process for Doctor Who.

A.

So it was an interesting one because it's secretive from the second the words are spoken. And my initial meeting was what I thought was just a cup of tea with my name Chris, because we did Broadchurch, and we were doing the junket and he was in town. He doesn't live in London. So we met up and we were chatting, and he’d been announced as the show runner. And I said, please, can i be a baddie? And then that was when it was, can you keep a secret? Depends. And it was, would you like to audition to play The Doctor? Um…I'm sorry? (Laughs)

But then it was a lot. It was quite a few rounds. It was about three And some of it was my husband taped me when, you know, at like, 09:00 p.m., when my kids asleep, and not gonna come in the room and ruin it. And I got, like, iphone wires and had to defuse something.

And we did it. Most tapes I've ever done, I've been sat on a couch and you make sure it's like a really tight two shot there. So my I was running around with an iphone as I was jumping on a couch and then trying to do the gobbly guke. And I say that with up most respect. And it was so stressful. And then when I got it, they were the most fun. I was so scared of those scenes more than anything. And, that's always the most fun when the doctor's just fizzing and working out. So, so it was over months, and it was very secretive, but then I finally got it.

Q.

I was wondering about your doctor. Is there a facet or an aspect of the of your doctor that you wish you could have explored more?

A.

I don't know. That's a good question. Um.

Is the one you like me to have explored?… No, just because I feel as if there's a lot of versions of The Doctor that I really enjoyed. And I love it, particularly around The Timeless Child, where there was this kind of deep rooted rage that would come out in a kind of slightly spitty, you know, frustrated way I enjoyed playing the distance sometimes when i wasn't quite connecting with the people that i was with i enjoyed THOSE elements because i follow such a contradiction to the not a contradiction. Just such a journey away from the kind of energized, childlike version of The Doctor that I loved to play But can you answer that? What would you have like me to have done it?

I think the depth of the distant of the doctor, was amazing But I think that I would have liked to see a bit more, um, a bit more unhingedness.

Okay, so we'll get an episode of me and Michelle, because we're really unhinged.

Q.

You've done so many roles that have legit, ripped my heart out. when is this trauma gonna turn into a villain arc?

A.

Oh, I know. I keep saying that, so keep, I keep contradicting myself, because I get asked specially after Doctor Who, what is it that you want to do? And I was like, oh, you know, I'd really love to play, like, I'd love to some comedy, maybe, or explore a character that has a lot of darkness and potentially not very likable. And then, you know, wanna kind of steer clear, maybe of, like, drama. And then I did one night, time. And this other thing. It's very emotional, and I don't know why, but I kind of keep breaking my own rules.But I would love to explore a villain. I mean, that was my initial thing.I want to be a baddie.But I'm glad Chris didn't listen.

Q.

I'm a big fan of Attack the Block, and especially the horror sections of Doctor Who, and I was wondering, what was your approach, and how would you think about doing the, your characters different in that sort of horror setting compared to other genres?

A.

Oh, do you mean, like, how would I do it or if The Doctor was in more of a horror genre or if me as an actor got to be in that?

Both. But you as an actor?

I'm into horror. That's kind of, let me say, to reference. It's like, one might be a bit young for it, but there was a classic horror for me that came out when I was like, 16, and it was right at the beginning, of the Internet so being able to have this mystery, because now we're so used to information been given to us by the Internet.

But when I was 16, it was that there was this found footage of these guys in a wood And then I went see the film. I was like, this really happened, oh boy, which it's really, really happened. And now you can't really create that that kind of, like trickery in a way, during a press junket, because we know it's a film. But I that kind of horror that plays that doesn't give you too much, I don't wanna see everything chopped up. I'm just not into it I'm too much for whim. But the psychological horror of the when you hear it, but don't see it. Those are the kind of things that I think brilliant to play.

But then when we did have things like that, with the Dregs, and we were filmed in I was chasing me and once you were stuck in a cage, and every time it hit the railing, it was really loud. And I go, ahhhh… I know the doctor's probably braver okay you know I, don't know how i did it ha ha.

Q.

Some Doctors have had input into their outfit. Others have been told by they can't have that. How much input did you have into the outfit?

A.

Well, so I had a hugely collaborative experience with the costume designer, and it started from the second we met. We met in a bar that he recommended. And the surrounding wallpaper was this petrol blue which became the trousers. I had a photo that I sent to Chris when I was trying to trick him into giving me the part I sent him all these photo references. And it was a woman. It's a black and white picture. I Don't know where it's from. I don't know if it's fake, black and white, and it's modern or I don't know but it's someone walking with purpose short trouser, tshirt boots so to me all of that, the coat was very much collaborative with ray because I would say things And he came back with the design of the coat that was so perfect.

I Didn't want buttons because I felt like it was pointless. Of course, wanted pockets. I wanted a hood, but I wanted the colors to be representative. Because of my first episode, I wanted to transition from was space through to Earth, sky. So the entire lining on the inside is a dark blue, black for space. The exterior is a kind of like sky blue light color. But also the into the the Suffragette colors are inside the sleeves. And it has my pride stripes everywhere, and yellow braces because it's my favourite color. So the whole thing, the jewelry was collaborative with Alex Monroe. It was amazing. I think I take more credit for it than it was me, because i felt like I'd go oh i came up with that and then actually, when i look back on it it was drawings that ray had done. Very much you gave him A pebble and he created a statue out of it. It was amazing.

Q.

I just first wanna say thank you for making a very queer, coded doctor. I just wanna quickly ask, we've seen David tenant come back for the anniversary just past, and we've seen doctors come back in the past. Would you ever consider coming back again and putting back on the coat and the zonic of everything?

A.

Hundred percent. I would love to, and I really, if that's not, I would be really offended, because I would love it, and it'd be so amazing. And you just, you never wanna say goodbye to It is the the gift role forever. And I'm still, I'm gonna grieve it forever. But I suppose the feeling is that you don't have to necessarily let go, because, like you say, other doctors have come back. There was loads in my last ep, so there's no reason for me not to bob up somewhere. But I want to.

Q.

Did you take anything from like the set, all your costume?

A.

I've stolen it all. I've got my jump suit, the prison jump suit. And just as a little fun fact about costume, all of the dates are personal to me. So there's dates all the way down the side, and there's a lot of Gallifreyan you know, kind of design. But all of them are a meaningful date to me. So that was, that's the kind of joy thing you can put into your doctor. So I've got that, so I've got my costume and me and Mandip very clearly heard ‘that is a rap in the TARDIS’ So we heard that on the last day of filming and she had a hold on the console that was like this massive ball thing. I snapped off the tiny mini TARDIS that spun And then, we hear and we're gonna do some pickup shots in the TARDIS without any actors. So I think there was a bit of swift editing there, because I absolutely wasn’t my fault. I heard cut.

Q.

When it comes to Doctor Who, do you have a favorite doctor from any era?

A.

I got asked this the other day. I'm not saying, it's not saying you don't like the other ones. I got asked recently about classic, and so I said, Sylvester But you said any you didn't say classic. I'm gonna say, Jo Martin. The episode to shoot with her, and the moment when her doctor is revealed and the costume and the energy she bought was amazing. And so, Jo Martin, hahaha.

Q.

I was just wondering, were you interested in doing the Big Finish audios? And if so, what kind of story would you like?

A.

I don't know. I get ask all the time. And I don't know. I mean, hopefully, is this something I ask them? Do they ask me? Big Finish? Well, obviously, if it, then if I was gonna do it, I'd really wanna do it with Mandip, but I would love to, I mean, this is, what is this job? You know, I've not been the doctor now for two other doctors, and it's amazing that you still get to experience it and be a part of it. So if being a part of things like big finish, or any of you the… I suppose, departments?, but all those other things that celebrate Doctor Who I'd wanna be in them all.

Q.

It's such a loved program. Is it what you thought it would be playing the Doctor like?So you're the figurehead of that program. You know, is it what you thought it would be? in as big as you thought?

A.

I think it's, it's bigger and more magical than you can kind of ever describe, because it's as a new whovian as well. And I'd said to Chris in the process of audition, look, I've not seen loads of it. I've seen, you know, bits when I was a kid, but we didn't have it on those in house. But then also, I've got mates that have been in episodes. I've done those auditions and not got in, you know, things like that. And so it has a very unknown quantity about it. To me, I was very much walking into something and going, okay, what is this? And I think from the second you get on set, and the crew, the crew I worked with, had been working on the show for twelve years. It was such a magical family and to shoot it in Wales.

Wales is one of the most beautiful countries you can ever visit.

So to be there and to be in this ready made family of something that all the hard work's been done because all the other doctors build up this family , you just shouldn't lose it. And so then to have our journey and our story lines, and to then have this opportunity where we went out to press or we met fans, and to have the interaction and to speak to people, to see how much it's meant to them through their life, is so extraordinary, because for me And I can definitely say it and for Mandip as well, that it's our happiest time as actors. We've never been happier, and we knew when we were in it. Ah, this is this. It's just so nice, and there's just so much, just wonderful about it. And I think that needs forever. This is so easy to talk about, so easy to be in this room and do it because I wouldn't have to, I've never fake how much I love it. I loved it, but as a new whovian. And I'm like, oh, I get it. Hahaha. I one of a family then. Haha. That's it. I'm in.

Q.

Do you ever get nervous when you're playing The Doctor?

A.

I was nervous all the time. I know The most nervous, I think I've ever been on a set was in my first week of shoot in The Doctor. It was my hero speech at the end of episode one. So my very first day involved jumping between cranes. Mind you I’ve only ever run around and cried on most jobs. So jumping between cranes was a whole new thing. And on day two, I think it was my huge kind of realization of, I know who I am, I am the doctor, and saying that for the first time, and thinking, if you mess this up, there's still time to recast I've been here two days. So that was the most nerve racking.

And I think sometimes another time when I was nervous as well, we had Stephen Fry come in And I was a bit like, you might not remember me, but I was in St. Trinian's And we kind of had a scene in St. Trinian's, isn't it was, you know. And so him being on set, I was just so nervous, because I was just like, he's a legend to me. So this is very… I think if you're not scared and you haven't got the adrenaline of nerves, you're taking it for granted.

Q.

Who is your least favorite doctor?

A

There's nobody, the craziest answer. I haven't got one.

Q.

Did you ever think you would have had such the impact on the doctor who community?

A.

The thing that's such a joy for me playing the Doctor, the thing that I really quickly realized was that it. I adore this community, and I feel that everyone in the fandom should feel represented and what I feel really proud of with ours, which has nothing to do with me, like you saying about, when, you know, with me and Mandip had credit to that story, and we didn't in that way, but it was, that was the beautiful transition of this gorgeous journey that we'd been on. And I think that because it then resonated so powerfully to so many people, that is the all of a Christmas Day gift, because what you want is you want your work to, to speak to people, and you also wanna feel as if everyone feels seen. And I think that that's what I'm really, proud of.

Whenever I have these wonderful interactions with people, they say that the doctor means this or someone else's doctor means that for me, that very often is having that wonderful moment where someone feels like that storyline really spoke to them. And I think I can't take any credit for it because I didn't write it, but I loved being a part of it.

[fistfuloftarenths]

rugan headcanons pt 2

firstly realized what i thought was his shirt are yellow sleeves laced onto his armor so i guess they're some heavier canvas material to provide some protection. underneath looks like he's wearing a blue shirt. still maintain he patched the elbows himself.

can read better than he can write but not that good at either. counts on his fingers. can't count on paper or with an abacus, which is one of the reasons zarys outranks him.

has no money saved. figured his luck would run out at some point and his corpse'd get rolled into the ditch same way he's rolled some poor other bastards, and there's no point in giving them a payday when they turn out his pockets.

on the road is relentlessly tidy. has to know everything is well maintained and in the right place. doesn't have to look where fire flasks are when leaving caravan, just puts hand out and grabs the bandoliers/basket/whatever because he's checked and rechecked it multiples times.

has a room in a guild-owned boarding house. sparse, empty. a little lonely. not much personality on display. safe and clean place to sleep and store whatever gear he's not taking with him. not much more - some bottles of (smuggled) top shelf liquor, an expensive map of the sword coast. not somewhere he'll bring people, as a rule.

is acknowledged as lucky by most of the rest of the caravan and gate crew. in cards, in not stepping in horseshit, in not getting rained on, in finding attractive drinking partners, in getting rescued from by becoming gnoll food by - bellar brem and zarys assumed he was talking up tav because it was better story but then tav actually turns up and he wasn't.

only rugan would get rescued by a hero that looks like that and who would then walk into a a zhent hideout. jammy bastard.

he's beginning to push his luck too far for zarys liking. he knows his stuff and for all he's lucky he's canny and careful too. or he used to be.

after a probation period, had a flying serpent branded into his hip, and ash rubbed into it. no way to get rid of that mark, even if he wanted to leave the zhents.

may or may not have had a black hand tattooed on his ass while drunk. definitely has had at least one nicer tattoo done when he was flush with gold. fewer scars than you'd expect given his age, and most have healed cleanly.

[goldenhallas]

~ Meet my Tav ~

Name: Senna Dekarios (née Thorne) Nicknames: Sen, Cub, Wolfheart Age: 30 Gender: Female (She/Her) Height: 5'7 Race: Wood Elf Class: Druid Background: Outlander Birthplace: Unknown Grew up: Cottage in the High Forest Occupation: Druid of Tall Trees Alignment: Chaotic Good Song: Raised by Wolves by The Interrupters

Just some girl from the woods with leaves in her hair and dirt on her clothes. Like the wolves she was raised with, Senna is swift, agile, a keen strategist and hunter, playful, loyal, and fiercely protective of her pack and the forests she calls home; she is also extremely wary of people she doesn’t know, prone to snarling and snapping when scared, and has abysmal table manners.

Backstory

Senna Thorne (aka Sen) was abandoned in the woods as a babe, and found by a reclusive High Forest Scout, a human man named Rowan Thorne. Rowan took Senna in and raised her among his wolf pack, teaching her archery, hunting, foraging, herbalism, healing and nature magic, as well as instilling in her a reverence for the land and the goddess Mielikki.

After the death of her father when she was 16, Senna couldn't stand to stay in the cottage where she'd grown up any longer. She packed her bag and set out into the woods with her father's last remaining wolf companion, Taran, by her side. She eventually found herself in a place called Tall Trees, a Druid's Grove dedicated to Mielikki. She spent many years here learning druidcraft (including how to wildshape into a wolf), helping guard the Grove and teaching children archery. It’s also where she met her first love, Cariad Holimion; a soft spoken wood elf druid with the wildshape of a stag.

Four years prior to being abducted by mindflayers, Cariad and Senna had a rare break from their duties and snuck away to have a date in the woods when they were set upon by yuan-ti. They fought as hard as they could to protect each other, but Cariad was killed in the fray, while Senna narrowly managed to survive. Wracked with survivor’s guilt and despair at the loss of her beloved, Senna left the High Forest for the first time in her life. She wandered aimlessly for a while, ending up on the Sword Coast, lost, alone and unsure what to do next. That was when she was kidnapped by mindflayers and had one of their tadpoles inserted into her brain. 

Senna is great with animals, nature and magic, but not so much with people, which was never really a problem before now. Faced with the prospect of travelling with six other survivors of the nautiloid crash, all of whom need the parasites in their heads removed just as she does, Senna feels like a fish out of water - or, more aptly, a wolf out of the forest. Wary of strangers but also naturally inclined toward forming a pack and helping people, Senna hesitantly agrees to travel with them, but has absolutely no idea how she of all people ends up being appointed leader of the ragtag bunch of misfits (Mielikki preserve them all). She doesn't expect to survive for very long with a mindflayer tadpole stuck in her head, let alone that she'll find lifelong friends among her tadpoled companions, or that when she pulled a certain wizard from a malfunctioning magical rune, she would feel an irresistible pull to him that would change both their lives forever…

her pinterest

Notes / more info (adding to this as i go!)

Senna was kidnapped at the same time Gale was, they were unwittingly heading right towards each other and would have crossed paths had the mindflayers not intervened

Sennas are yellow flowers, and the name also means “brightness”

Has the social skills of a potato (no rizz but Gale is captivated by her musk & ferocity)

Don't let her grumpy wolf snarl fool you; she has big wet puppy eyes and a heart of gold

Would do anything for a wedge of Waterdhavian cheese

Loves to play the flute by the campfire

The rose tattoo on her neck represents her last name as well as the cottage where she grew up (her father grew climbing roses)

Refuses to use the tadpole. She doesn't like not being in control of her own mind and doesn't trust it for a second.

Senna has always been entirely herself, comfortable in her own skin, and isn't one to doubt herself or feel insecure - except when it comes to Gale's relationship with Mystra. For a while she's like, how can I compete with a literal goddess!? But these fears are put to rest when she realises how much Gale adores her, and how much more meaningful their relationship is due to them being on equal footing and truly wanting what's best for each other

She's sentimental and keeps everything people give her, every letter and every gift; her favourite letter is the one she got from Mirkon after saving him from the harpies

She collects pretty things on her travels like feathers, gems, shells etc and adds them to her hair and clothes / keeps them in her camp chest / gifts them to her companions

Her dad, Rowan, was gruff and reserved but also a gentle sweetheart, and adored his daughter more than anything

Senna always knew that she would long outlive her father, considering she is an elf and he a human, but to lose him when she was still so young was utterly devastating. She thought they would have many years left together, listening to his stories, picking berries in the sunshine, running with the wolves, and then suddenly, he was weak and withered, then just…gone

Senna wakes up before the sun every morning with boundless energy, whistling and humming to herself while she gets ready for the day

She makes all her own clothes

She writes and draws pictures of all the flora and fauna she sees on her travels (that's why she carries a notebook everywhere)

Gale x Senna (weavewolf)

Their favourite date is a picnic in the woods with stargazing; feeding each other cheese and fruit, drinking wine, kissing the taste of strawberry wine out of each other’s mouths, staring up at the sky together, pointing out constellations, and making love bathed in moonlight

Gale felt, as always, that he had to go above and beyond to prove himself worthy to Senna, that he always had to do some huge, grand gesture or woo her with grand feats of magic, but the better he got to know her, the more those insecurities melted away; he could just be himself with her. He didn't have to be perfect. He didn't have to be anything except himself with her. He could just be Gale, nothing more and nothing less. He was all she wanted.

Senna keeps all the poetry Gale writes for her tucked in her various journals

Gale keeps all the drawings Senna does for him in his bag of holding

They love cooking and baking and they collect recipes to make together

Post Game Weavewolf

Their song is Our House by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

Senna takes Gale to her old home in the High Forest; the cottage is overgrown with brambles but still intact, so they clear it out together and make it their holiday home, which they come to whenever Senna wants a break from the hustle and bustle of Waterdeep

Gale and Senna split their time between adventuring, living in Gale’s tower in Waterdeep, and living in Senna’s old cottage in the High Forest

Sen takes Gale to the Tall Trees Grove and introduces him to all her old friends; they are all dazzled and charmed by him

They see their tadfriends whenever they can – Astarion comes to stay with them sometimes, they visit Shadowheart on her little farm (Senna loves petting all the animals), they make trips to see Karlach and Wyll in the House of Hope (it’s not hard to get into Hell for an archwizard). Lae’zel pops in by astral projection now and again and very occasionally stops by in person with her son Xan

Gale and Senna don’t have a traditional wedding (they don’t have a traditional relationship) as neither wants a huge fanfare on their special day, they just want to spend it together and with those they love most. They get married a week after Gale asks Sen to marry him, in a small ceremony in the woods with only Tara, Morena, Shadowheart and Astarion in attendance (Wyll and Karlach are busy in hell, Lae’zel is busy with Xan plus leading the rebellion against Vlaakith). I’m sure Elminster visits to congratulate them and share some wine and cheese at some point, too.

Senna naturally wasn’t very comfortable with the idea of living in the city at first, until Gale changed his house for her, magically changing it into an indoor woodland wonderland reminiscent of the High Forest, to make her feel at home. “It's your house too, my love. I want you to feel at home here,” he says to her; then she pounces on him in gratitude and they have hot, passionate sex on a bed of the softest moss, surrounded by butterflies and wild roses.

Over time, Senna warms up to the city, mostly because Gale ensures she doesn’t have to deal with the stresses of city life; everything is at her fingertips when she wants it, but if she doesn’t want to deal with the hustle and bustle, she doesn’t have to; she can just stay in the tower, or she can take one of the portals Gale set up for her directly to High Forest or Ardeep Forest.

Senna and Gale love to take strolls around the city together, once Senna warms up to it; visiting their favourite sweet roll vendor, buying vintage cheeses or various trinkets for their house from local artisans.

They also love attending Waterdeep festivals together, drinking, dancing, playing games and occasionally even chatting to other people (lol). At first the festivals were quite overwhelming for Senna, but she learns to love the joy and community spirit of it all.

Senna adores, and is adored by, Mrs Dekarios; the two frequently have coffee and gossip together

Senna finally won over Tara after growing her some quality catnip

Gale teaches at Blackstaff Academy during the school year and goes on adventures with Senna during the holidays

Gale has fucked Senna over his desk at Blackstaff multiple times

Senna gets into debates with Elminster over the best cheeses when he comes to visit

[canonicallysoulmates]

J2 Gold Panel Minncon 2023

Quick psa/reminder that this con took place while the actor’s union, SAG-AFTRA, is on strike. This means the boys cannot talk about any past, present, or future projects. But for the sake of clarity, I will be mentioning projects the boys are referring to by name.

Before the panel starts Jared notices a fan with an I heart Jensen sign, and says he does too.

Jared shows off a bit of his and Jensen's unspoken lingo, he does the sign for a brief pause. They got it from their director, Jensen says they had a lot of different hand signals for communication, and they also had names for certain types of shots. Jared mentions they had a friend in Van who's a larger individual and was always smoking pot so if they start the scene with a high and wide shot they'd call it the Murph. When the camera is on the dolly track and does a creep in if it's a little creep they'd call it a Mickey Rooney then Jensen says there are other ones they won't mention because they're very inappropriate.

Jared reminds fans that actors are currently on strike and thanks the fans for their understanding if there are any questions that they cannot answer. Jensen says that Jared can talk about his gardening skills and Jared says he loves him some zucchini and that he harvested some the previous week...I'm not gonna say it, but you know what I'm thinking 😉

Do they follow the Texas country music scene?

Jared always goes back to when in High School or Middle School Robert Earl King. Or Pat Green.

Jensen mentions Jerry Jeff Walker. He also says Texas certainly has its own country core, it's not like traditional Nashville country. x

The next fan had already asked Jared this question and now they want to know Jensen's answer: what kind of car would he have if money was no problem?

He doesn't have a holy grail and the reason he doesn't is because if he did he'd spend all his time figuring out how to get it; he'll watch car auction shows, used to watch them with Clif, and every one of them he'll want. He did see one car once, he and Jared had the opportunity to go to Concours d'Elegance which is the best, greatest car show there is in Pebble Beach. They close off the 18-hole golf course and line up the cars all along the fairways. It's right there on the coast and they were walking past the pre-world war cars and he saw an Austin Martin that took his breath away. He was like "this is outrageous you probably can't even get your hands on this" but if he ever had the opportunity to own something like that- he took more pictures of that car than any other car. x

The next fan doesn't have a question, they just wanted the boys to wish her a happy birthday and also show the tattoo she has of Jensen's face on the inside of her thigh, which took her 6hrs to get done. Jared jokes Jensen can't last six hours 🤣

What's the backstory behind the bracelets Jensen sometimes wears?

They've all been gifted to him by someone in his life, usually his wife or his daughter but he has friends that he has also traded with; there's always some sort of a back story to what he's wearing he doesn't usually go shopping and just buy stuff.

Then they get told a naughty joke: if a blackbird has black babies and a bluebird has blue babies what bird has no babies? A swallow. Both men have to walk away from the mic 🤣

Jared asks the next fan if they have any babies and even he's wondering why he says what comes into his head 😂

If they had to pick tattoos for each other what would they pick out?

Jensen points towards the fan that has his face tattoed on her inner tigh and says she already has it he would put his face on Jared's and Jared says "yeah I'd be more handsome." Gentlemen 👀

Jensen then says would put a bear growling on Jared's right hand. And Jared's like "why do they exist?" and Jensen just goes "to scare big things like you." Which I found a cute little exchange.

Jared would make Jensen get an enter at your own risk and an arrow pointing to somewhere that he's not gonna say but it would be in an old English cursive writing. Again 👀

Jared asks the fan what they would put on them and the fan replies that they would ask what they love and what describes them

Jensen comments that he and Jared had talked about getting something that represents SPN because when you're in it you're not thinking about how long the show is gonna go and so you know they talked about maybe getting the anti-possession tattoo or there was also talk about symbols of MOL but it's really come down that now that they're a few years removed from it and they're able to look back on it they're able to realize how big that part of their lives was for them and how forever it will be. That's not to say tattoos always have to be amazingly meaningful, some are just fun, but he feels they would because of how that show impacted their lives. x

If they were in Van and had a ping pong tournament with the cast and crew of SPN who would make it to the gold round and come out the victor?

They would. Jared says he thinks it happened a few times and they had to hide said ping pong table from them because they would sweat their makeup off.

Jensen says they would play that game so intensely as if they were running a marathon. They would be called back on set and be out of breath, show up panting- they had very intense games. I wanna make a dirty comment so badly involving the other things they were probably might have been doing on that ping pong table but I'm gonna keep it moving.

Jared says they represented Texas pretty damn well, and they're asked if they doubled up or destroyed the other. Both say it was pretty split, pretty even. It got to a point where they were just exposing each other's weaknesses like Jared would figure out Jensen's forehand was a little weaker that day so he'd send it straight into his forehand. x

Next is a fan wanting to know what they thought of her tattoo, and if they could give her artist a shoutout. They thought it was really awesome and the artist did a great job. x

If they go to a diner how likely is it that they would actually order a salad and a cheeseburger?

Jared says at a dinner he's kind of greasy spoon type of guy so like a burger or something. That's at a diner, but he probably orders salads more than burgers.

Jensen would probably go burger or burrito if they have it. And Jared says that's cause it's probably 2am, probably on the way home. He knows hubby so well 🥰

Jensen comments there's a dinner close to where he lives that they go to sometimes, and he's a creature of habit so they have this big massive burrito that he has no business eating all of but he does.

He mentions it has hot sauce so the fan asks if they like spicy food, they do, and Jensen says he likes jalapeños on his pizza all the time. They also mention Hot Ones and how they'd like to do it. x

J2 Gold Panel Minncon

[vital-spirit]

OFFSCREEN POST

Schoolmates

The schoolhouse was abuzz with activity. Childrens’ chatter filled the room in a cacophony of noise, eager to get their jitters out before class began. And with the news of a new student joining the fray, the energy was electric with excitement.

Bingo hated it.

She sat towards the front of her class, her senses being assaulted by the sheer amount of noises and smells bouncing throughout the room. The Lillipup rhythmically shifted her front paws back and forth, uncomfortably aware of everything all at once.

Including the two pairs of eyes digging into the back of her head from across the room.

Well. One and a half.

“Ya see da new kid ova’ dere?” one tiny voice squeaked.

“Ah see ‘em all right,” an near identical voice responded. “Saw ‘er walkin’ ‘round town wit’ a bowie strapped to ‘er shoulder.”

“A nice one?” 

“Reaaaal nice.”

Two chairs simultaneously scraped against the wooden floor as they were pushed out, sending an immediate wave of pure, utter silence throughout the room. In fact, it was now so quiet that the sound of two pairs of tiny paws pitter-pattering against the floor could be heard from the entire room. The footsteps drew closer and closer towards the front of the class until they stopped right in front of Bingo’s desk.

Two Tandemaus stood before her with an eerie, unblinking gaze. Both mice had a heavy gold earring on one ear and a bite taken out of the other. They had heart-shaped tattoos on opposite shoulders: one with “Ma” and one with “Pa”. Spiked brass knuckles gripped in their hands. The two mice looked near identical.

That is, if you ignored the eyepatch covering the scar that traveled down one of their faces.

The one on the right, with two eyes, pointed a finger at Bingo. “You think yer hot shit?”

The Lillipup tilted her head with a puzzled look, “Pardon?”

“Saw that knife ya had on ya earlier,” the other puffed out his chest. “Custom-made n’ everythin’. Must’a cost a pretty penny, didn’t it?”

“Not really…?” Bingo shrugged. Mister Cornelius had given Mister Lucario a pretty hefty discount for it.

The two Tandemaus looked at one another, then back at Bingo. The rightmost mouse spoke up, “Gotdamn, you shit gold or somethin’?”

“Must be one them fancy-pants kids from the coast,” the leftmost sniffed. “Ain’t no one out west got pockets that deep.”

The two leapt up onto Bingo’s desk, suddenly eye level with her. “Let’s see how deep them pockets run.”

“No.” Bingo deadpanned.

Two small hands suddenly grabbed Bingo by her bandana, yanking her forwards and slamming her chin on the table. The Tandemaus with two eyes placed her hands on the top of Bingo’s snout and leaned forwards, trapping her mouth shut. “Right, I fergot yer new ‘round these parts, huh?” she sneered down at the Lillipup. “Mah name is Terri wit’ an I, and this here’s mah brother, Terrii wit’ two I’s.”

“Yessir,” said Terrii the one-eyed mouse. “Our ma n’ pa are the scariest criminals in Little Town.”

“So you best empty them pockets real quick,” Terri jabbed Bingo on her forehead.

Terrii grabbed at the fur on Bingo’s face, “Unless ya wanna find out what a Lillipup looks like without its face fuzz.”

“I don’t got pockets.” She grumbled.

“Oh, yer a real smartass, huh?” Terri straightened her back and stepped onto Bingo’s snout. “Then maybe I oughta knock some sense into ya!” She winds up her fist as she steps closer to Bingo’s face, looking her in the eye.

But one of the other kids, a baby Kangaskhan with a lisp, pipes up.

“Ya thouldn’t threaten her! I thaw her comin’ into town yethterday with Lucario!” They cry, “And! And! And he didn’t drop her off with Mightyena!” The Cubone next to her nods in agreement.

“Yea! Her daddy’s Lucario!” 

The Lillipup blinked. That wasn’t true. Lucario ain’t her daddy.

She opened her mouth to speak, “Wha–”

“Nuh uh!” Terrii said, squinting his eye at Kangaskhan. “Says who?”

“Yeah, dipshit!” Terri scowled with her brother, using Bingo’s forehead as an armrest. “Says who?”

Kangaskhan huffs and stomps their foot, “Thays me! And Cubone! I ain’t no liar! Lucario’th her daddy, I thwear it!” 

“Fer real?” someone else pipes up, slightly fearful.

Bingo attempted to speak up, “He ain’t–”

A Scraggy on the opposite side of Bingo pipes up, practically leaping in his seat. “Yea yea! My big brother— he! He! He’s friends wit’ Mister ‘Cario! And— and guess what? He says that Mister ‘Cario’s back in town n’ he brought a lil’ Lillipup wit’ him and he ain’t droppin’ her off!”

Beside him, another Scraggy, this one much yellower than the first, leaned over in his seat with a smug grin. “Yeah, and we all know who Mista Lucario is. So if I was you, I wouldn’t mess wit’ her unless youse guys wanna get yer shit rocked!”

The Tandemaus twins exchanged a glance with one another, then looked nervously at Bingo. 

Bingo stared unblinkingly back at them.

Slowly and silently, Terri and Terrii let go of Bingo and hopped off the desk, walking back to their seat as the whole class watched. Terri turned back and jutted a finger at Bingo. “You lucky Lucario’s yer daddy, Lillipoop,” and then continued walking.

The Lillipup mumbled to herself, “But he ain’t…”

A yellow blur suddenly popped into her vision— the Scraggy from earlier— taking her paw into his hand and shaking it vigorously in greeting. “HeynicetomeetchuI’mTysonandthisismybrotherRyanwowitmustbesocooltohaveMistaLucarioasyerdaddywhat’sitlike?”

Huhwha– Bingo shook her head softly, an awkward smile on her face, “‘m sorry, pardon?”

The other Scraggy, presumably Tyson’s brother Ryan, stepped in and whispered not-so-subtly, “I don’t think English is her first language.”

“Ohhhhh,” Tyson nodded. He turned back to Bingo and shouted, “HEY. NICE. TO. MEET. YOU. MY. NAME. IS. TYSON!” Tyson gestured to himself for emphasis. “TY-SON!”

Bingo recoiled, clasping her paws over her ears, “Loud…”

The Scraggy shook his head, “Not Loud, Tyson!” 

“Ty I think she wants you to use yer inside voice.”

“Oh.”

Her paws slowly fell from her ears with a relieved sigh, “Sorry… don’t really do well with loud. But it is nice to meet you, Tyson.” A lot of these kids just give out their names, huh?

“An’ I’m Ryan!” his brother beamed beside him. “What’s it like having Mister ‘Cario as yer daddy?” he asked with sparkling eyes. “Does he ever take ya to fight bad guys wit’ him?”

“Don’t think we really fight bad guys,” she tilted her head in thought, “But I‘ve been into a few dungeons and he’s been teachin’ me how to fight.” The Lillipup then shook her head, “But he ain’t my–”

“WOAH!!!” both Scraggies said in unison. 

Ryan hopped up and down on his heels, “Ya gotta show us what kinda moves he’s taught ya!”

“Yeah!” Tyson said. “Our brother Scrafty’s taught us some of his best moves—” He got into a fighting stance and started punching at the air to show her, “—but he don’t hold a candle to Mista Lucario!”

“Oh, I dunno… Maybe?” She looked off to the side, “I dunno how to really show what he’s been teachin’.. Dunno if he’ll allow me to have my Blast Seeds and use them willy-nilly.”

Ryan gasped and shouted, “YOU GOT BLA—” before Tyson slapped a hand over his brother’s mouth and exclaimed (slightly more quietly) “You get to use Blast Seeds?!”

Bingo startled for a moment, “Uh– Yeah? My moveset isn’t the most diverse yet.. So havin’ something to act as another move is useful.”

Tyson nodded sagely in contemplation. “Das smart…” He then suddenly recoiled his hand off of Ryan’s mouth with a disgusted face. “Ewwww!!! Did you just lick my hand??”

“Serves you right for shuttin’ me up!” Ryan stuck his tongue out.

“Oh, I’ll shut you up all right!” Tyson wound a fist at his brother, but then stopped mid-wind to look at Bingo. “By the way do you wanna hang out after school?”

“Uh.. sure? I don’t see why not as long Mister Lucario don’t need me for anything..” She responded.

“Yippee!” both brothers said in unison. 

And then Tyson punched his brother in the face.

Scene End.

[stalkedbytrains]

Assassin's Monthly: In For a Kill

I ran into her, the Queen of the Kill, while I was doing some research for an article on one of the East Coast’s best gun smiths (Assassin’s Monthly 786, “Mon Chérie Fusil”). At first she wasn’t immediately recognizable. Her punk aesthetic had worn a bit, the boots were no longer thigh high beasts of leather but moderately fancy knee high ones. She’d changed out the leather jackets and the ripped jeans for more comfortable clothing, more expensive. Her scars and tattoos were showing their age, but her eyes were as bright and green and attentive as ever.

Her hair, her hair was the same, if a little faded. Still cut the same though, same as it always was.

It was her for sure. The Queen of the Kill.

The woman behind the name was something of a mystery.

Despite never hiding her identity or her name, few people actually know it. And she was one of the few people to ever leave the amateur assassin ranks and make waves on the professional assassin lists.

She cemented her title as the top ranked amateur for several years after she assassinated a sitting US Senator and presidential front runner.

From there the rank amateur would be thrust into the world of professional assassins, trading in her place at #1 for amateur hitmen to #3856 on the world wide Assassin’s Monthly professional ranking list.

By the time the next month rolled around, the Queen of the Kill not only had a name for herself among professionals (and several enemies) but also had her first AM cover (Assassin’s Monthly 402, “Queen of the Kill”) and rose up the ranks by two thousand spots all the way to #1098.

The career of the Queen has been a wild ride. Having achieved and lost #1 status forty-seven separate times over the years, she’s taken the top spot from such noteworthy assassins as One Shot, Stan Weebeldorf, The Bell Tower, and Hunter 12.

Now, thirty-two years later, the Queen has entered semi-retirement. She’s still got the chops for the game, judging by the number of times she easily could have killed me during the initial interview.

Assassin’s Monthly: Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me today.

Queen of the Kill: Yeah. I mean I’ve got to keep myself entertained somehow. Your magazine only comes out once a month so I’ve got some spare time.

AM: If you don’t mind I’d like to talk about how you got started.

QK: If you’re sure. I’m sure it’s not as interesting as everyone makes it out to be.

AM: That’s just it, no one talks about it. I don’t even know if there is anyone alive from your time on the amateur lists. We know almost nothing about you before you killed Senator Clark Mathers.

QK: Well before that it was… chaotic, and fun. I was basically… what’s less than a mercenary?

AM: A thug?

QK: Not quite that low. I mean I had skill at least. I was a freelance gun, I guess? Part mercenary, part bodyguard, part assassin. Sure I killed people, but I also protected people who could pay, I ran guns, gold, drugs. I stole from people. Helped in a couple of prison escapes.

AM: Sounds exciting. How long ago was this?

QK: This was… almost forty years ago. I was just a kid really. Barely sixteen. All I had was a gun in one hand and a tenuous lease on an apartment barely big enough for a single bed. So I did what I could to make the money I needed to survive. It was chaotic and exciting and I don’t really miss those days, the days were I wasn’t entirely sure if I would ever live to see the next day. Or if I had enough money to eat.

AM: We’re all terribly curious about how you wound up assassinating Senator Mathers.

QK: Well it’s a complicated, and long, story that I’m not entirely sure I want to go all in on. I had just started my own little, tiny outfit. I was dating someone pretty seriously at the time. He was a rich kid, nice enough, wanted a taste of danger, and at the time I was the most dangerous one around. We’d gotten a deal to run some guns and when the job was a success we were brought in on a larger job. During the course of that job the Senator betrayed me, I got shot a couple of times and survived. From there it was a series of escalation. We’d try to fuck him over, he’d hire hit squads to kill us. And I finally got the last laugh when I took him out during his presidential rally.

AM: Was it true there was a tank involved at one point?

QK: It wasn’t so much of a tank as it was an armored personnel carrier, but yeah.

AM: What happened to the person you were seeing?

QK: He couldn’t handle the danger and the darkness… (she shrugs) I guess he couldn’t handle the evil.

AM: Are you saying that you think you’re evil?

QK: Me? No. I don’t think I’m much of anything. He thought it was evil. So he walked out before I killed Dickbutt.

AM: So he left you before you assassinated the Senator?

QK: Yup.

AM: Have you heard from him since?

QK: No. I never lied to him about what I was. He couldn’t handle it so he walked away. Although I know he’s dead. I think he was one of the people killed in Stan’s rise.

AM: Stan Weebledorf killed your ex?

QK: Yeah.

AM: How does that make you feel?

QK: (she shrugs again and looks away) It doesn’t really make me feel much of anything. I always liked Stan, he was a decent enough guy.

AM: Would you mind talking about your induction into the professional assassin ranks?

QK: That was a weird day.

AM: Weird how?

QK: Well I’m laying low, as low as I could possibly get. Sure I killed Dickbutt for revenge, but there were plenty of people who were willing to pay to have him killed, so I signed up, killed the guy and took my money and ran. You can’t just kill a Senator and get away with it. I was in this shitty little apartment in Northern Canada when all of a sudden there’s a magazine on my desk. There I am on the cover of Assassin’s Monthly, a magazine I never know existed, and I was paranoid as hell. I still never did figure out how you guys deliver or manage to rank everyone. It’s impressive.

AM: I’m afraid I don’t know how we do it either.

QK: A mystery for another day then. Anyways, I find this magazine and I have to read it, I have to know if I’m being followed or what. Then I find out that I’ve been voted into the professional assassin league or whatever and my rating was like bottom of the barrel. I was a little insulted.

AM: Insulted?

QK: This was the first I’d ever heard about assassins and ranks and whatnot. But to find out I was like #4000 was insulting. I was better than that! I wanted to get back out there and get my number out, but then I remembered I was still wanted. So I cooled my heels and waiting for a bit.

AM: It wasn’t long before you were back and making a name for yourself.

QK: I’m very good at what I do.

AM: Have you had any formal training?

QK: Nope. I was too busy surviving to make it to classes.

AM: No family to help or speak of?

QK: (she’s silent for a long moment) No.

AM: I have a few more questions to ask if you don’t mind.

QK: (she looks over at the French gunsmith still working on a series of rifles) I’ve got some time.

AM: Can we talk about your feud with The Bell Tower?

QK: That lunatic? What do you want to know? I thought your magazine covered most of it already.

AM: We covered it from the outside. I’d like to know what happened from your perspective.

QK: (sighs) Well we were both hired to kill people in the same office. Different people, different hires, same location. Shit happens sometimes. I was prepping my scene. My plan was to find this asshole I was hired to kill and push him off a building. He goes to the roof to smoke a couple of times a day. I’d spent a couple of hours weakening the safety fence to look like normal wear and tear and disabling all the necessary cameras. I was good to go, just had to wait for my guy to take a break when all of a sudden this lunatic comes in a shoots up the place. I find out later it was Bell Tower, like if that isn’t the name of a fucking sociopath. He kills thirteen people, injures dozens of others, fucking shoots me in the chest. Of course I return fire, because I’m a spiteful bitch. That was the last time I ever went on a job without protection. Anyways, turns out Bell Tower killed his hit and mine, and also fucking shot me so I was not happy. Also fuck that guy’s work ethic.

AM: His work ethic?

QK: Look, I’m not one of those sanctimonious assassins that only kills the target and doesn’t harm anyone else. Cause there is no one who is totally innocent. But I don’t just massacre people. That is for dime store nut jobs and racists. I’ve killed a few civilians before, shot through one to kill a man once. But Bell Tower and that crazy bomber friend of his… the fuck was his name?

AM: Olympus?

QK: Yeah, that quack. The two of them figured their lunatic tactics made it harder to tell who was really the target. But it was also carpet bombing a building to kill one guy. It’s a waste, it’s messy, and it’s unnecessary.

AM: So you’re saying that you’ll kill whoever you need to, target or civilian, so long as it is necessary?

QK: Pretty much yeah.

AM: How did the feud end?

QK: Well I’d been stealing his kills for a couple weeks, because the asshole shot me. Your magazine does an article about the fight and the next thing I know that lunatic and his friend blow three floors of a building I’m staked out in trying to get a good sniper position.

AM: How did you survive?

QK: Dumb fucking luck. But I did survive so I set up a fake identity and hired Bell Tower to kill me. When he showed up I killed him.

AM: There’s been a lot of speculation over that fight. What happened?

QK: It wasn’t really a fight. That asshole shot me and blew me up. The second he got close enough for me to shoot him, I shot him until he stopped moving. Then I walked away. It was totally worth all the sanctions your organization levied against me. The whole, no targeting other assassins and planting fake jobs and stuff. I didn’t even know there were rules against that stuff. But I’m still glad I did it.

AM: One last question: how does it feel to be the assassin with the most cover stories?

QK: Really? Are you sure I’m the one with the most covers? I could have sworn that was One Shot.

AM: Well if we put this article here on the cover you will be. One Shot retired last year. For good.

QK: Huh. Interesting. I wasn’t aware I was that famous. Although it is nice to know that two ladies are in the top spots. Too many bald guys in this game.

AM: You know One Shot? You know their gender?

QK: Eh, maybe it’s just wishful thinking.

Chérie: I’m done!

QK: About time Sugary, can we go back to my place for that coffee I promised?

Chérie: Of course.

QK: If you’ll excuse me.

AM: Of course, thank you for your time.

[lyriumpulse]

"I'll still be here when you're ready." (@waxedwiings)

Fenris's feelings for Anders have developed so gradually that he nearly didn't notice it was happening.

There is a misconception that if you place a frog in water and slowly bring it to a boil, the frog will remain in the pot, uncaring as to the steadily rising temperatures or the damage to its own body. Fenris had first thought of Anders has a nuisance, and then a genuine danger, and then slowly, so slowly he did not realize, their antagonism had blossomed into sincere friendship. From friendship came the stirrings of attraction, and their stumbling into bed, and in retrospect, it should have ended there. Just two lonely people finding momentary comfort in one another, exploring each other's boundaries and bodies in a way unthinkable only a year prior.

But it didn't. They kept seeking each other out until Fenris felt as addicted to him as a Templar to lyrium.

From friendship to attraction to addiction to--- something softer entirely. Sharing baths. Kissing in dark alleyways without the expectation of sex attached to it. Walking through the Hightown marketplace and seeing a satchel and thinking, That would fit perfectly on Anders's belt.

It came to him on a hot afternoon, as he watched Anders root through an abandoned cart that had been tipped over on the Wounded Coast. The waves crashed against the craggy cliffs, a cacophony of birds crying overhead, and Fenris stared at Anders bent over the back of a wagon, digging through bottles of dried herbs that would otherwise be lost to the tide.

And he saw the sunlight catch in Anders's hair, the way his brown eyes looked gold when he turned his head just right, and Fenris knew.

Fenris was slammed with the horrific realization that he was in love.

He knew the feeling only because he had felt the same way about Hawke, once upon a time. Any extension of kindness toward him had been so foreign that his foolish heart hadn't known what to do in the face of her basic generosity. Hawke has been his ally and one of his best friends, but he knows now that there could have been nothing between them. But the feeling -- that fluttery stomach, the yearning to be close, to treasure every tiny thing about Anders -- he recognized it for what it was. He spent the next few nights staring at Anders as he ate, watching the bob of his throat, the muscles of his jaw. At night, their bedrolls close together, Fenris woke to find himself holding Anders's hand.

And two days later, safely back in the city, they fucked lazily, with whispered breaths, and Fenris remembered.

It was only a moment, but in that moment was everything he had ever been missing. A flash of red hair in the hot sun and a young girl's bright laughter. A woman with a bent back and a tattoo on her cheek signifying the magister she belonged to. He remembered names -- her name, the name of the child, and, frighteningly, his own name -- but it was gone as soon as it had come. Fenris had reached for it, desperate, frightened, as Anders prepared for bed, oblivious.

What else could he do? To have it all there at his fingertips, only to have it ripped away, was too much. This was too much. So he left.

Six months later, Anders is here, offering his patience, his time. I'll still be here when you're ready.

He will never be ready. As is so often the case, Fenris has taken a beautiful thing and destroyed it.

"I can't," he says.

It's late and the steps seem to stretch on forever. He cannot turn around to look at Anders behind him, shrouded in shadow; he fears what he will say if he looks him in the face. One glance into his eyes and Fenris will tell him everything, how he spends every night missing Anders's scent on his pillows, missing Anders's laugh echoing through the corridors. How his heart aches for him until it is physically painful.

"Waiting will only harm you further. I... I do not want to harm you more than I already have."

Fenris has looked at no one else. Wanted no one else. Loved no one else. A strip of green fabric from Anders's coat is tied around Fenris's wrist, adorning the deadly gauntlet with a reminder of when his life was the kindest it has ever been.

"Please leave it be," he begs, his voice strained. "Please."

Please move on. Because despite being the one to leave, Fenris never will.

[ivyemerscn]

general information.

full name ivy florence emerson

nicknames none

preffered name ivy

age 31

date of birth february 14

place of birth mount airy, north carolina, usa

zodiac aquarius

gender female

nationality american

religion raised evangelical christian, nonpracticing

orientation heterosexual

physical attributes.

face claim willa fitzgerald

voice claim willa fitzgerald

height 5'4"

build fit, lean

exercise habits regular cardio, pilates, barre

allergies none

hair color blonde

hairstyle shoulder length

eye color hazel

glasses/contacts no

dominant hand right

tattoos none

scars one on lower right back from in flight injury, one on left collarbone to base of her neck from a broken collarbone.

piercings ear lobes, once

outfit/clothing style high necks, including turtlenecks and scarves. plain sweaters, jeans, and boots. new england casual.

jewelry/accessories gold necklace with an e pendant, plain gold stud earrings

background information.

hometown mount airy, north carolina, usa

current residence manhattan, new york, usa

spoken languages (fluent) english, swedish, danish (conversational) icelandic, and french

accent eastern coast united states, hints of appalachian pronunciation

driver's license yes

occupation flight attendant

familial information.

relationship status single

mother ellen emerson (deceased: suicide), theresa emerson (stepmother)

father robert emerson sr.

siblings robert emerson jr. (older brother, deceased: accident), david emerson (step-brother)

cousins beau clary (maternal first cousin)

children none

pets none

personality.

positive traits adaptable, efficient, and perceptive

negative traits arrogant, pessimistic, and self-destructive

likes hiking, coastline views, and a room temperature beer

dislikes reruns, conspiracy theories, and changing motor oil

moral alignment true neutral

mbti entj-a

[winterpinetrees]

Voyager Country (The Gap Years Part 29)

July 20th 2019

Red Oak Harbor, the Storm Coast.

The Mercuralis family and Amedi visit Ryn's old home for the anniversary of the moon landing. Emphasis that it is his old home.

..............

“It’s so strange. I was never taught a Voyager language, but I can almost understand it”. Even as she talks about linguistics, Amedi can tell that their seneschal is giddy with delight. 

“The grammar and basic vocabulary are ancient, I think used before the Crash. The rest is modern, even human? I keep hearing English and Russian and Common Lazarin. There’s something else that I can’t identify though…” 

“You can recognize all of that?” Amedi says with little interest. 

Esther looks down. “It’s all very procedural. I shouldn’t have bothered you”.

They had officially been on duty until late on the 18th, but the two of them spent most of that day trying to find outfits. Ryn had said they should wear white and gold if they had it, representing lunar rock and the golden visors of human space armor. Red, blue, and green could be good accents, but only worn in small amounts. Amedi, unfortunately, didn’t own much that wasn’t Kebero red or Mercuralis indigo. Esther hardly owned any clothing beside her uniforms at all. In the end, Amedi gave the girl a pair of globe earrings with lab-grown sapphires and told her to just borrow something from the Voyagers once they arrived. 

(They nearly suggested borrowing something from Devanna, which is comical in hindsight. The councilor has about the same body type, but would never let a human wear her clothes. Also there’s something awkward between Esther and her seneschal. )

The Voyagers were happy to share, but they swear these sparks have a grudge. As a member of the High Council, Amedi’s appropriate title is “Your Eminence”. Before that, they had just been Sir, or Adept when speaking to other nobles. The Apex herself lets these people call her Izzy or Auroch, and nicknames are part of the culture, so Amedi lets the Voyagers call them Dee or Ash. They smile good-naturedly, but seethe a little. Can’t these backwater elves (and half-elves and humans) recognize their vambrace? Do they not notice the badge for victory in their fourth year, the six kill markers, or the trophies of war? They should at least see the leaves and spirals of the Spring Army and take that as a justification to not risk their temper. They’re not a child anymore. Certainly noble traditions aren’t any more complicated than measuring years in eights and eighteens like Voyagers do. Anyway, they don’t stop Esther from beaming at her suggestions getting more use. The locals also make good coffee.

It’s a fascinating place! The crowd is half human, mostly wildbloods that Amedi guesses came from Africa or the parallel Caribbean coast. The elves are more varied, but all follow the color scheme of lunar whites and golds. Ryn casually introduces them to his family. His father Halcyon is another tattooed Stormson. His mother Tenera drags her right foot when she walks, but apparently has an interest in their shooting. His oldest brother Procyon has a more canine aesthetic, and wears dog tooth earrings to match centuries-old bite scars. Cyon also holds a human infant, a direct descendant of himself and a human woman who died a century before. Ryn skips a brother he’s on bad terms with to find Gia, a mild-mannered Voyager who seems almost out of place compared to their adventurous siblings. Amedi thinks of their own family back home. Their brother will attend the Conservatory soon, and join them in the merited nobility if everything goes well. 

The most fascinating thing is the hope. They know Voyagers believe they will someday return to outer space, but they assumed it was a myth, like a fated death of the gods at the end of time. Walking around under the tents in the quiet rain, Amedi feels a passion like what has seized the lower nobility around the palace. Elves discuss modern science over fifty-year old recordings, news is passed around about apprenticeships for new trades, and humans even shout for children named after the men on the projector screens. 

Well, not just humans. Fedran, it turns out, is an archaic word for the planet Mars. Amedi thinks they knew that once. Ryn’s mother explains that Fedran was an ancient god of forges and fire. Once the ice sheets began to recede and belief in him faded, he became a sort of patron of mechanics. Elves have walked on Mars twice (Amedi does know that), but then the ice began to melt too damn fast and society Crashed and no one ever went back. 

“His name is a promise,” Ryn explains. “His generation is going back, and we are making that possible”.

Fen chases human cousins through the rain. Half-Mercuralis, half-Voyager, all symbol. A shiver runs down their spine despite the heat.

……………..

An elven voyager with gold paint over her eyes raises a drink and toasts to Ishtar as “Doctor Braun”, and Ryn has a hand around the collar of her shirt within seconds. The albatross tattoo under his vambrace is clearly visible, a symbol of his endurance and skill as a captain. 

“Say that again,” Ryn snarls, and she and Arjuna look at each other in shock. They haven’t seen Ryn instigate a fight in decades. Their children never have.

The other Voyager breathes quickly. There’s fear in her eyes, but like most elves from Ryn’s home, she keeps her cool. “I said your wife is Wernher von Braun. Why are you so mad? He ran NASA, now she’s bringing us back to orbit”.

Ishtar decides to step in. “What is this?” She towers over her second-in-command and the woman he’s fighting. 

Ryn turns back to her with a dark glare. “A Nazi turned American engineer”. 

She waits for the other Voyager to explain. “Basically, yeah”. 

“Human politics don’t concern me, Ryn. You know that. So, what did I do to you? Friends in the human world? A Betrayed family member? Angry that I killed Emer Sondaica?”

The Voyager blinks and her eyes flicker to Ryn’s hand by her neck. “Betrayed friends up river,”

Arjuna calmly steps forward. He looks good in white. It matches his eyes. “Lying”. 

Suen whispers to her brothers. Isolated from the real horrors of court, this is scandalous to her. She doesn’t know why her father can hear heartbeats. 

Ishtar lets his statement sink in. “I truthfully do not care. Enjoy the evening”. 

Ryn releases the woman and slinks back to the family. Chandra takes his hand. “That was so cool! When did Mom teach you how to be scary?”

He tries to laugh but his voice is ragged. “No, no. I taught myself,”

……………

“The woman I knew never would have gone out quietly,” says Ryn’s father, a man so known for adventurous violence against human ships that he was known as Halcyon the pirate before he earned the title of Stormson. “Izzy told you she let go of her scepter? That the final duel was just for show?”

“Well, she got out of it without any real injuries, and I trust my captain”. 

The old Voyager reaches for the tattoos over his collarbone. Twenty-six black bars, one for each ship he helped commandeer over a hundred and fifty years. Ryn’s heard all of the stories. 

“Emer deserved better than what we gave her. Even her harbor name was a reference to how noble she was. We drove her back to those…”

His father trails off but doesn’t break eye contact. His oldest brother, Procyon, takes after their father the most, but Ryn shares a lot as well. All Voyager captains think some of the same thoughts. He can guess the insult and shouldn’t have expected better. “What do you think she deserved?”

“Acceptance. Respect. A name for a proper Voyager. I’d rather have fought a hurricane than her with a cutlass, but all we ever talked about was her magic”.  

It’s a Voyager joke. You do not fight a hurricane. The most elite Voyagers learn to work with the storm and become its symbolic children, but when the earth sends you a category six consequence of hubris from ten thousand years ago, you bring the ships behind the barrier islands and go inland for a few days. 

“She was a good kid. I don’t know what about the throne called her like it did, but she made her choice”. His voice goes quiet. “It must have been the same thing that called you”. 

Ryn needs to defend himself. This is a challenge against his very family and way of life. He does not know why he is so reactive today. Stress? Fear? His noble vambrace is heavy and vulnerable to water. “I wouldn’t have done what she did. I wouldn’t kill someone I love”.

“Would your Apex? You’re lucky to love Ishtar as much as she loves you. I don’t think she would have let you go”. 

Ryn stands and glares. “I’m her first mate, not her seneschal. I’m-”

“I don't know what a seneschal is, Rion. Voyagers don’t keep slaves”.

A cuter nickname for little children. For the millionth time, Ryn wishes he were a noble. He wishes that the very air would crackle with his rage, and that his eyes glowed like rocket trails when he wanted to make himself heard. Ishtar set off an earthquake on the day of the coup. “I’m doing this for us! So we can get our sorry selves back into orbit! The nobility needed a quartermaster and we needed someone in power with actual plans, which happened to be my council. You don’t have to like it, I didn’t even see you for a century, but the throne does call. It calls a whole city of noble bastards and maybe a hundred idiot sparks like me!” He closes his powerless gray eyes and listens to the sound of the wind. “Maybe Izzy would kill her lover for the throne, or me if I tried to desert, or maybe I’d do the same. I don’t plan on finding out”. 

“The truth has a way of revealing itself. Why did Ishtar kill her if she let go of her scepter? It’s because their kind destroy themselves”. 

“So do we! You know full well Voyagers did keep slaves, Northern ones at least, and Cyon got mauled by a bloodhound over it. You don’t get to judge. You don’t understand how the nobility are”. 

His father sighs. He is nearly four hundred and his hair has gone mostly gray. When Ishtar is four hundred, she’ll barely feel it. “You don’t regret anything?” he asks. 

Ryn hardly spoke to his parents for a century. He has a body count, including of children. He will unleash a plague to kill some horrible fraction of the human scientists, engineers, and sailors that they’ve dedicated an entire holiday to. He misses an old friend who died because he didn’t yet understand revenge. 

“Nothing”.

Neither man stands to leave. 

………………

A small brown hawk flies from the branches of a cypress tree and perches on the main pole of a tent. The rain has mostly stopped, and it fluffs it's feathers. Ishtar and Ryn both look at it like it is a messenger from the gods, and one of them believes it.

“We only ever saw her at school, didn’t we? She never got to see this place” she says. The hawk stares down at the two of them.

“It’s a sharp-shinned hawk, Izzy. They’re common here. A sparrowhawk would have brown spots on the underbelly”.

“Life and death, you sound like a seneschal”. She leans back on the bench and throws her arms over the back. “I thought commoners were supposed to be the spiritual ones”. 

Ryn sighs. “Voyagers don’t believe they return to this world in bird form, or otherwise”.

The distance between the Ryn and the people who named him is a thousand leagues wide. On some level, this is an afterlife. The stormson died at the Conservatory with the girl who’s genus was symbolized by a brown-spotted raptor. Ryndrion Stormson Mercuralis is accepted, but he isn’t fully there. His second brother looks right through him. 

“She’d always keep watch, remember?” 

The hawk stretches out one broad wing and preens its feathers. The clouds behind it are pink and orange with the sunset. 

“We could handle it better, but she insisted”. If one of them had been at the top of the tower with her that last night, would she be with them now? Maybe Kavec Adust, that menace, would just have sent a second assassin. Ishtar didn’t take his life for it when they took his stronghold, but her husband would a hundred and fifty years later. Share the load, he’d said, already wracked by hallucinations and nightmares. Her friend’s murder was child’s play compared to Arjuna’s line of work. Ishtar stops mid-breath. They were children.

Ryn shakes his head. It’s a violent action, like he’s tearing his eyes away. “Izzy, it’s just a hawk. I’ve seen them here since I was a kid”.

She doesn’t know how to honor a bird that might be someone she loved. The high nobility worship nothing but their own devastating survival, and Besra hid whatever she did believe during her years in their teenage army. It could have been an empty story the entire time. She extends her open hands in a salute. It’s something to do, at least. 

The hawk flies away after that. 

…………........

At the end of the evening Ishtar and Amedi bump shoulders with human workers and help put everything away. Some of the decorations will be used as soon as the first real hurricane, others will be stacked up until the next year or next milestone of Ishtar’s program, whichever comes first. It’s a small life, what they live here. It reminds Amedi of home and makes Ishtar nostalgic for something she’s never had. Nonetheless, they don’t ignore it when their vambraces light up with an urgent alert from the palace. The two politicians know not to expect anything good from urgent messages, but the news is worse than they imagined. 

There has been a massive break out at Agate prison. All almost all prisoners in the main cell blocks are free, barring a few who are dead. Three Betrayed guards have been murdered, shot dead with a human pistol. The only good news is that the human girl who Amedi cursed has been captured alive. 

They tell Ryn that they need to return and make some sort of statement, but Ryn can stay if he would like. He rarely ever goes home, and the people, especially commoners, will respect a decision to stay when there isn’t anything else he can do. Ryn looks over his shoulder at the party. He’s weathered in a different way than the other adults of this town. His injuries are from other elves, not the worlds themselves. Ishtar imagines his eyes sweeping over the spider lilies climbing up the walls and the lights glittering in the trees. This is the climate he misses during dry summers and when earthquakes shake the palace. Ishtar knows him well. Well enough that she isn’t surprised when his hands clench into fists. 

“That is very considerate of you. But I want to go home”.

They decide to leave the kids with their grandparents for a few days though. Neither of them have the strength to break Fen’s heart and drag him back so soon.

...................

No authors notes this time but that the uquiz is a great way tell new college people about this whole thing. I am going to pretend that was the plan all along.

@lokiwaffles @reggie246

[madmanwonder]

NEW OC MUSE

Name: Gabriel Stark

Nickname: Gab, Gabby, Hero of the Capital Wasteland, the Loner Wanderer, the Courier, Knucklehead (Amata/Veronica), Dumbfuck (Cass), Civillian (by Sarah Lyon), Courier Six, Mojave Express, Followers of the Apocalypse, Kings, Great Khan

Age: 19-35 (depending upon the muse question and au)

Race: Human (Wastelander Mutant), Cyborg

Gender: Male

Occupation: Bounty Hunter, Solider, Cook, Survivalist, Inventor, Politician, Warlord

Allegiance: Brotherhood of Steel, East Coast Chapter (Formerly), Minutemen, Regulator, NCR (Formerly), The Strip, Enclave Remnan

Physical Information:

Weight: 183 lbs, (before mutation) 282 Ibs (after mutation)

Height: 5'10" (before mutation) 6'9 (after mutation)

Build: Lean-Swimmer, Hulking Bodybuilder

Hair colour: Black (before mutation), Silvery-Black with green highlights (after mutation)

Unusual markings/Features: Pronounced canine, cat-like pupils, glowing eyes, Brotherhood of Steel Tatto on his right shoulder, Lucky 21 tattoo on his left shoulder, 216 tatto on his right check, bullet scar on his temple

Eye colour: Brown (before mutation), Blue (after mutation)

Skin Color: Dark Tan

Clothing:

Accessories: Iron Cross necklace,

Mutations: Radiation-Empowered Healing Factor, Enhanced Senses

Psychological information

Personality: Gabriel is a kind-hearted, noble, heroic, idealistic but ruthless, manipulative, cunning and relentless. Has a heart of gold but a pragmatic view of the world after leaving his home.

Attitude: Idealist and Pragmatic

Quirks: Bare Teeth in anger, tilt head in confusion, let out a dog-like whine when he sad

Likes: Food, Good Deeds, Lyons Brotherhood of Steel, Loyalty, Friendship, Peace, Unusual Stuff, Animals

Dislikes: Abuse, Evil, Enclave (Capital Wasteland), Slavery, Rape, Wanton Murder, Disloyalty, Hypocrisy

Phobias: Arachnophobia, Autophobia, Alektorophobia

Motto: "Live Long, Fight Hard, Love Better"

Background information:

Place of Origin: Jefferson Memorial

Date of Birth: July 13, 2258

Family: James (Dead), Catherine (Dead)

Brief History: Gabriel, ex-Vault Dweller turned Hero of Captial Wasteland, and the Hero of Mojave Wasteland and founder and first Chairman of the The Free Syndicate of Unification

S.P.E.C.I.A.L. stats:

Strength: 9/10

Perception: 7/10

Endurance: 8/10

Charisma: 9/10

Intelligence: 10/10

Agility: 6/10

Luck: 6/10

Combat Information: He like to be up and close to people using his great strength and endurance to tank attacsk, but also skilled markmanship and great with explosion.

Favoured weapons: Super Sledge, Hunting Shotgun, Grenade Machinegun

Preferred fighting range: Close-to-Mid Close Range

Perks: Terrifying Presence, Jurry-Rigging, Lady Killer, Confirmed Bachelor, Demolition Expert

[flockrest]

GET TO KNOW THE MUN.

WHAT'S YOUR PHONE WALLPAPER: just got a new one actually! my most beloved lady commissioned an art piece for us for our anniversary yesterday, and i can't stop looking at it 🎔

LAST SONG YOU LISTENED TO: been obsessed with colgera's theme ever since my first playthrough. when that triumphant rito village leitmotif kicks in, choir and all? heart TREMBLING fellas WHO gave this battle the right to be this good

CURRENTLY READING: totk has, alas, been consuming me. i do not have the time or energy for anything else :')

LAST MOVIE: across the spiderverse! absolute banger of a movie, sad that it's not super accessible because it feels like an experience everyone must go through

LAST SHOW: mystery files! watcher's always so fun

WHAT ARE YOU WEARING RIGHT NOW: standard blue pjs.

HOW TALL ARE YOU? i'm 150cm, which translates to 4'11" for the americanos. literally never encountered anyone my age who's shorter than me online before

PIERCINGS / TATTOOS? i've only got piercings on my earlobes and don't feel a desire to get more. i am perfectly content with all my dangly earrings sdlkfjkld

GLASSES? CONTACTS? glasses only! i tried contacts once and i was so shit at putting them in and taking them out, the experience put me off of them entirely.

LAST THING YOU ATE? it's pretty cold over here right now, so my recent bún riêu was very hearty!

FAVOURITE COLOUR(S): blue! any shade of it, but i am more drawn to lighter ones!

CURRENT OBSESSION: i usually can't juggle more than one fixation at once so would it be cheating for me to say totk? sldkfjls zelda as a whole has always been a background fixation for me, but before i finally had the time to play the newest game, i was big into din djarin and his clan of two!

DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH RIGHT NOW? er. do partners still count as crushes once they're partners? slkdfjdlf

FAVOURITE FICTIONAL CHARACTER: i really can't choose between all the simultaneous #1 Faves i have...but if i had to mention anyone ( not from zelda ), it'd have to be reigen arataka. genuinely can't get enough of that funky guy

LAST PLACE YOU TRAVELLED: gold coast, aus. fun family thing!

TAGGED BY: @zoranzeal ( you're lovely, thank you lots! ) TAGGING: i am. mostly unsure. of who's done this or been tagged already. but @sageospirit, @ammakou, @cyclebound, @sentinaels, and anybody else who would like to do this!

[crownofconvergencerp]

𝐊𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐋𝐎𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐇

kanaloa steele is old in a job where most die young, especially for his people.  In an effort to separate himself from his past, both good and bad, loa has traveled to desterin to peddle his skills, knowing he wont be able to hide for long.  for it's not just his own past that is coming back but the people he doesn't remember being as well. 

TW: Child Abuse.

Kanaloa, or Loa to his friends and family, was born to a family who oversaw a good sized town and the number of villages that supported it along the coast of Crirtha. The men in his family had been soldiers stretching all the way back to the Forty Seasons War and beyond so while they weren't nobility per se, they comfortably straddled both sides of the class divide. He had a fairly normal childhood attending lessons alongside the lower nobility’s children while also traveling with his father to learn how to manage the villages.

That all changed when Kanaloa hit puberty. Spending part of the day watching the blacksmith at his craft as he liked to do, an accident occurred with one of the apprentices and a red hot sword blank was flung at Loa. Without thinking, the young man reached out and caught the blade, the red hot steel sizzling in his hand without harming him.

When word of this event reached Kanaloa's father he forced Loa to repeat the feat, explaining that it was proof that he was a Berserker like him. Thus began the most brutal period in Loa's life, his father beating weapon and strength training into the young man until his body was left broken on the floor, only stopping when his species natural healing kicked in before resuming. The entire time this went on, Loa was isolated from the rest of his family under the excuse that such training was traditional for berserkers.

One night, as his father was gone to the city for some event, Loa packed his things and fled, breaking through the barricade that kept him separate from everyone else. He ran to the only place he could think of, the old blacksmith. Taking pity on Kanaloa, the blacksmith sent him away to a friend who owed him a favor as a new apprentice blacksmith.

This allowed Kanaloa to escape from his abusive situation and provided him with a path forward. Loa stayed with this friend, training in both smithing and fighting until he joined a passing mercenary company, offering both his smithing and fighting skills. Loa never stayed with a company very long, his berserker fighting style not meshing well with other units even if they wanted him for his bladesmithing abilities. Eventually, Loa saved up enough gold to set up in Destarin, both to avoid his family and the numerous enemies he had made over this life and every other one before it.

WHAT ARE YOU...?

species: berserker. weaknesses: mortal, battle trance, as their anger spikes berserker's can lose the ability to distinguish between friend and foe, the previously lived lives can sometimes intrude on the berserker's modern life, senses can sometimes trigger visions of past lives, leading the berserker to end up in a place they never meant to be. strengths: resilient against wounds and sicknesses, immunity to fire/head and resitence to magic, especially mind magic, extreme strength, fast healing, retained skills from previous lives, allowing them to quickly relearn them as opposed to learning new skills from scratch. physical description: berserkers as a whole tend to look like very healthy human specimens.  their strength does not necessarily conform to their physical appearance.  kanaloa himself is 6 foot 6 inches with a muscular build that is covered in both tattoos and scars from innumerable battles.. additional info: berserkers as a whole are a species of warrior people that are sworn to bring honor to their patron god.  even though they can be killed eventually, it can be difficult and berserkers will resurrect as long as they die bringing honor to their patron before they do.  it can take up to a generation for an individual berserker to be reborn and they will lose the memories of their previous lives except in flashbacks and quickly acquired skills.  berserkers tend to die young given their habit of throwing themselves into groups of enemies.

kanaloa steele is played by div and their fc is jason momoa.