#the chirping comes after for emphasis or calming purpose

[ghost-bxrd]

Not me making an entire au up in my head of Jason becoming a Talon and meeting up with Dick and the bittersweetness of that. Like Dick is a mix of grieving and overjoyed because “omg his little wings back! But he’s like me now nooo” but eventually after a lot of adjusting and jogging Jason’s memory they settle down into a new normal (hurt/comfort w a happy ending my beloved)

Notes on this:

Jason and Dick regularly have conversations in their silly little bird speak, it’s gotten to the point where the others had to start learning parts of it to keep up

Due to newly acquired Bird Instincts(tm), Jason now has owlet tendencies around Dick. That’s actually how they got Jason to calm down when they found him after being talonized, Dick threw himself at him and Jason was like “oh. This is an older Talon, he’s protecting me” and bb little bb boi instincts kicked in and he immediately relaxed against Dicks chest. Owlet instincts also include making littl bb peeps when tired and cuddling w Dick and everyone finds it incredibly adorable

Well the original Court of Owls was destroyed, a few Owls managed to survive and formed a new branch. They found a comatose Jason and made him a Talon along the same lines as Dick

This is the one time that I’m making Cass younger than Jason because I like the idea of talons Dick and Jay being overprotective older siblings to everyone. Cass bonds with the two over being turned into living weapons, they’re really close

Every time a new kid is brought into the fold, they gotta be explained why Dick and Jason are Like This(tm), and then get a crash course on silly bird sounds

Jason calls his new vigilante persona “owlet” and patrols with Dick instead of Bruce

…this became ridiculously long. At this point I wonder if I should just write this. If anyone else wants to feel free lol

Aweeee, talon brothers 🥺 Jay’s baby owl instincts sound so darn cute 🥺🥺🥺💚

[its-nebula]

You Could Do So Much Better

Leon Kuwata x Fem!Reader, inspired by the song "Girlfriend" by Avril Lavigne

Warning: Some cursing, slight NSFW?

I wasn't really that fond of Leon before starting to write this, but then this idea popped into my head and as I did more research I think I like him a bit more!! Anyways there's a lack of fics for him so here y'all go. This is looooooooonnng so enjoy

You were starting to get impatient now. You looked like a loser sitting on the bench by yourself, with your arms crossed wondering where the hell he was. He was never usually this late! Seriously, he could’ve at least called ahead and told you he was going to be late, or even a text would’ve sufficed! Well, whatever. He would explain himself whenever he showed up.

“S/O! Hey!”

Well, speak of the devil, and he shall appear. With... oh no. Oh, no, no, no, no he didn’t. Who was that clinging onto his arm, giggling like a little schoolgirl? Did he really have the nerve, the audacity, the gall to bring his girlfriend Sayaka along? Without so much as warning you? Immediately, you could feel the blood inside your body start to boil, but you kept your calm, putting on the must realistic smile that you could.

“Hey, Leon.” You greeted, and then you turned to Sayaka. He didn’t seem to notice, but she also seemed to be displaying the fakest grin that you’ve ever seen. “Hello, Sayaka.”

“S/O! It is so good to see you again!” Sayaka greeted back, in the most annoying voice that you’ve ever heard in your life. “Sorry that we were late, buuuuuut Leon and I got stopped on the way here by some fans, and we just HAD to take some pictures with them!” You winced as you heard the emphasis she put on the word “fans”, as if to rub it in your face that they were famous and you weren’t. She was doing it on purpose, you could feel it in your bones. It made you want to scream inside.

Leon nodded as he agreed, with a sheepish look on his face. “Yep, hate to disappoint the fans, y’know? But really, we’re sorry. Come on, let’s go now. Are you hungry?”

You were honestly famished after waiting all that time. “Actually. I’m-”

You were interrupted by Sayaka getting in Leon’s face, a pleading look on her face. “Would it be alright if we went in the music store first? I’ve been meaning to get a new tuner.” 

Leon smiled at her. “Sure thing, babe! S/O, you coming?” He and Sayaka were already walking, so all you could do is follow behind them. At least you didn’t have to put on that stupid happy grin for a few minutes as the 3 of you walked around the gigantic mall. You did, however, notice her glance over her shoulder, smirking at you for a quick second before turning her head back to Leon. Oh, his girlfriend was such a bitch. Why was he with her again?

Well, he wasn’t always the “deepest” guy, in fact it wouldn’t be too inaccurate to call him quite shallow. She had everything he’d probably ever wanted in a girl; she was stunning, she was talented, she was insanely popular, and everyone seemed to like her. How could he not fall for her, while you were just some lowly Reserve Course student that he just so happened to take an interest in? He’d compliment you and pay attention to you sometimes, sure, but when Sayaka was around or when Sayaka called he would drop his so called “friend” and bow to her. Sayaka this and Sayaka that. Sayaka, Sayaka, fucking Sayaka. You hated it. You hated how he would talk about how hot her body was, or how good it felt to touch her in various ways, but he could talk about this stuff to you, because you’re just friends, right? 

Oh, whatever. All that did for you is confirm how you definitely won’t be anything more than friends anytime soon. Yes, you longed to be the one to feel his touch. How desperately you wanted to feel his lips on yours, his fingertips sliding up and down your sides, trying to pull you closer to him. “Sayaka who?” Is all you wanted to hear him say to you, before he started kissing slowly down your neck, biting and leaving marks that would surely be there for days.

 Alas, it was just a fantasy, and you were stuck with the couple laughing giddily with each other, listening to samples off various music CDs and commenting on them. It made you want to throw up, but you couldn’t help but think as to why that couldn’t be you. She was not right for him, and you knew it. That made seeing them kissing and forgetting about you-- even when you’re right there-- all the more painful. 

Finally, Sayaka found her way to the tuners, and she said that she would check out and would be right back. 

“Leon, you know you can do better than her.” You said bluntly, but quietly, as she sashayed off. 

“Pfft. What, better than a pop star? Do you think I’m stupid or somethin’?” He laughed, placing a hand on your shoulder. “Get real, what isn’t there to like? I’ve met a lot of ladies, but she’s totally hot, she’s-”

“Rich, popular, blah blah blah, I know, I know.” You interrupted him angrily, rolling your eyes and turning your back from him, shrugging his hand off. You let out an even angrier sigh, trying your best to calm yourself down.

“Yo, are you okay?” His voice lowered. “You’re not still mad about us being late, right?”

“I’m fine.” You grumbled, and walked out of the store, deciding to just wait for them outside. You leaned against the wall, attempting again to calm yourself down. 

“Where are you going?!” So he’d run after you then. Just great. Why was he pretending to care about you now? Didn’t he have a girlfriend to look after? “You don’t look alright to me. Really, what’s wrong?”

“I said nothing, Leon, I’m fine.” You stated again. “Go back to your girlfriend who you love so much.”

“But I don’t...!” He let out a long sigh, crossing his arms. “What is it, did she say something to you? I wanna know!”

“Why do you care?” You snapped, raising an eyebrow. “Obviously you worship the ground she walks on.” 

Leon’s eyes darted back to the door for a second, but he moved closer towards you. His voice got quieter, and his expression got more serious. “But that doesn’t mean that I don’t care about you, S/O.” 

You could feel yourself blushing at his sudden closeness, but you couldn’t let yourself lose composure like this, or else he would definitely know how you felt about him. Instead, you avoided eye contact, but you couldn’t help but glance into his eyes occasionally. God, he was so close. You could smell his cologne wafting into your nose, and lord, did he smell good. All you wanted to do was just pull him closer and...

“Leon? Where did you go?”

“Shit!” He whispered and turned around quickly. You could’ve sworn you saw a blush on his face, but now the moment was ruined. “U-Uh, I’m right here!”

“There you are! What are you two talking about?” She asked innocently, her eyes darting back and forth between you two. However, you could tell by her expression that she saw at least something. 

“It was nothing! Nothing at all.” Leon laughed nervously, scratching his neck. You didn’t say anything, just looking away from both of them. 

“Right...” She eyed you suspiciously, before clinging on to her boyfriend’s arm once again. 

Leon cleared his throat and decided to change the subject. “H-Hey, um, do you guys wanna see me hit a few pitches? I know where the batting cage is around here!”

“Sure!” Sayaka chirped as they started to move together again. Well, it was fun while it lasted, but now it looks like you were the 3rd Wheel once more. Just what you always wanted, right? Yay!

As he went to set himself up in the cage, Sayaka turned to you. If looks could kill, you would most definitely be on the floor right now, dead as dust. “I see the way you look at him, you know. You need to stop.”

“Leon’s my friend.” You defended yourself. “We’re just friends. It’s not my fault you cling to him like a crazy bit-”

“Don’t. Say anything. About me. Do you really think he would believe me over you? All I have to do is give him one little night of fun and you’ll be gone so fast your head will spin!”

“I...” You didn’t have a rebuttal, because you knew she was right. You knew for a fact she was correct. After all, she had him, and you didn’t. She already won. “Fine. I’ll leave you both alone then.”

“He doesn’t need you, you know. You’re nothing. He has me. He probably won’t even notice that you’re gone.”

“Shut up.” Your expression darkened, and you balled your fists by your side.

“As if you actually have a shot with someone like him. Please, don’t make me laugh, If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay in your lane.”

Without thinking, you pushed her. She gasped, and she pushed you harder, causing you to fall on the ground with a thud. Leon heard this, and he turned around, his eyes widening as he saw the scene before him. “Huh? What the hell’s going on over there?!”

Sayaka instantly stopped what she was doing and started tearing up, trying to wipe her eyes of tears. People started staring at the both of you as she started to sob. Oh, now you’ve done it.

“S-She h-hit me! Why is she so mean to me?” Sayaka cried, and you could hear the crowd’s disapproval. Leon didn’t say anything as he looked at you pick yourself up and run out of the area.

Specifically, you ran to the nearest restroom, and started to cry to yourself while leaning on the wall. Who were you kidding? Everything she said was the truth. She and Leon were together, and you weren’t in her position, and you probably never would be. Why would you ever allow yourself to gain such an unattainable crush? You felt really, really stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid...stupid.

It could’ve been hours, it could’ve been minutes, it could’ve been seconds, you weren’t sure, but you heard someone opening up the door, locking it behind them. Wow, you didn’t even lock the door to the bathroom. How else were you going to mess up today?

“I’m sorry, S/O.” You heard a very familiar voice say softly. You lifted your head up to see the face of the one that you love. You were a bit confused as to why he wasn’t consoling his girlfriend right now, but you were in no mood to argue. 

A bit of silence passed, and he decided to speak up again as you dried your tears. “So, she told me what happened. At least, her side of the story. I should’ve known.”

“Her side...? Y-You mean...?”

“I barely ever believe a word she says anymore.” He scoffed, crossing his arms. “You’re lucky you don’t have to hear her whining and complaining every single day. Every time I try bringing you up, it’s like she turns into a total bitch.”

You blinked at him. You could honestly believe what he said, but why would he stay with her then? “But you always seem so in love with each other. You call her hot every single day.”

He shrugged. “She’s attractive, but truthfully, she’s nothing compared to the girl I really want to be with. At least she’s got brains, beauty, and personality.”

“The girl you really want to be with.” You repeated, thinking to yourself. “Who could that be?”

Without warning, he leaned down and connected his lips with yours. Instantaneously, your eyes fluttered to a close, and now you could feel yourself smiling. It just felt so right, being here in his arms. He laughed a little when he felt you smile, and he pulled you closer to him, wrapping an arm around your waist.

After a minute or two, you pulled away for air, both of you gasping breathlessly. “But what happened to Sayaka?”

He kissed over your ear, before he whispered into it, “I could do a lot better than Sayaka, don’t you think?”

That was all you needed for you to passionately kiss him again, one of his hands in your hair, with the other one sneakily creeping up your shirt, which you happily let happen.

Looks like fantasies come true after all.

[exittotheartscape]

The Worth of a Soul, Part 4

@freckleocalypse , @darknesslioness

I don’t know how, but I was able to finish this. Get ready. this is a long one.

Alright. Here we go.

     Sebastian takes the first step forward, blackened twigs crumbling into dust underfoot. Despite the misty morning air, the entire battlefield seems dry and cracked, like a burnt-out pile of logs. The most eerie part is the silence. No birds chirping, no grass rustling. Nothing.

        And to think that a few days ago, this same spot had been home to a bustling town.

        He and Emily had stood silently upon breaking free from the forest. Taking in the sight before them was all they had needed to reaffirm their goal.

     They wind their way through the burned-out homes, sword and bow at the ready. Retracing their steps isn’t an easy task. Surrounded by the wreckage, it feels as if the world had been blown apart and reassembled. Occasionally, Seb spots something that’s almost familiar: the signpost at the town’s entrance, now snapped in half; the potted shrubs that had decorated windowsills, now smashed and burned out; the decorative sign hanging outside the bakery, now loosely attached to the smashed storefront.

     They follow these telltale signs until they reach the town square, the water fountain at the center now fallen in on itself. Emily places a hand on Seb’s shoulder.

     “I think we can assume we’re the only ones here. How about we split up, so we can cover more ground?”

     He has to admit he was thinking the same thing. Hopefully she hadn’t jinxed them by saying it aloud. He nods.

     Emily points to their right, where the rubble was piled the highest.

        “I’ll take the east, you’ll take the west? If we haven’t found anything by the afternoon, we can meet back here. Sound good to you?”

He almost nods again, but then sees her face. Tired, worn out. She’s trying to keep some sort of order to their search, trying to make it be more than just blindly hopeful. The least he can do is give more than an absent-minded nod.

     He squeezes her hand, his smile soft yet determined.

     “Sounds good to me. Be careful, alright?”

     She smiles back, and he turns to the western end of town. His smile slowly melts off his face.

        Geez, this area got burned out more than the rest. Good thing I can’t breathe anymore.

        The stones around Seb are scorched black, and the soot is building up on his legs as it floats through the air. It is almost as if he is walking across an overturned campfire.

        Seb begins to grow frustrated. Between the dust and the debris, it is hard to see what lies ahead. The quiet atmosphere in the maze of buildings isn’t helping him either.

        Seb gazes at the clouds above him. What he wouldn’t give for a bird’s-eye view.

        Heh, or a pigeon’s-eye view.

        A memory winds its way to the surface of Seb’s mind. This time, he’s fine with letting it distract him.

        Hell, he welcomes it.

        He was running faster than he had run before. Rushing past bushes and branches, he spotted the doll he’s looking for, the only one who could help him.

        “Abel!”

        The nutcracker turns around, eyes widening as he saw his companion racing towards him. Sebastian grabs his arm and uses him as a shield.

        Out from the trees burst an onslaught…pigeons. They circled around the two dolls, cooing loudly.

        Abel stood still for a minute, then burst out laughing.

        “Are you serious, Seb? For the last time, they aren’t going to hurt you.”

        For emphasis, he held out his arms, which were soon covered by a comical amount of the grey birds. Abel smiled brightly, while Seb proceeded to shrink further behind him.

        “I’m not scared of them, idiot. Disgusted is closer to the word I’m looking foooOOOOR GET IT AWAY FROM ME.”

        The prince was now face-to-face with a mottled pigeon being presented to him by Abel. The bird cocked its head to the side, staring silently. Judgingly.

        He did not trust it.

        “This little fellow is Leon. He’s the calmest of the bunch, so I think it’s best to introduce you to him first. Say hello, buddy!”

        The bird cooed to Seb. The prince looked back and forth between the bird and Abel. Slowly, he waved his hand slightly.

        “…Hello…bird.”

        Seb hoped that this would be enough to satisfy his companion. But, of course, the nutcracker did the exact opposite of what he had hope, instead choosing to sit beside the prince.

        The birds followed.

        Surrounded by pigeons, Seb saw no way to walk around them. He looked at Abel, seeing a smug grin on his face. Leon was still in his hand, staring expectantly at the prince. Seb was miffed.

        “You little…you know what, I shouldn’t even be surprised. Just hand over the bird and let’s get this over with.”

        Leon was placed in Seb’s hands and he immediately settled down and closed his eyes, resting. The bird really was calm.

        “Not so bad, is it Seb?”

        “Shut up. You and your birds are all out to get me.”

        “Well, you aren’t wrong, exactly…”

        Abel took off his hat and removed a pouch of birdseed from it (Abel, what the heck), and began feeding the pigeons. His expression grew purposeful, the smile shrinking.

        “It’s more like we’re trying to get you to open up more. I mean, it’s one thing to try and push away people. But if you’re taking it out on something as innocent as a pigeon…well, that sort of speaks for itself, now doesn’t it?”

        Seb stared at Abel, who’s eyes were still on the birds. For once, his words didn’t feel like a jab meant to rile him up. They were more like an invitation.

        Seb closed his eyes, then looked down at Leon.

        “Look, it’s…it’s not the birds I’m upset with. Sure, I thought they were filthy things even before I met you, but I don’t hate them. It’s just that they’re something that bring you joy, and you want to share that joy with others, and when you do that…”

        He sighed, staring at the sleeping bird. He was rambling like an idiot, and he hated it. But he still kept going, not giving himself time to think.

        “…And when you do that, you wind up getting closer to them. When you share something with them, they share something with you. And sometimes, it’s something they never wanted to give anyone.”

        Neither of them moved. The pigeons pecked at the birdseed, their rustling feathers the only sound the be heard. Leon perked his head up, seeming to notice that he hadn’t been given anything to eat.

        Abel looked at his hands, the pensive look in his eyes never fading. Slowly, he grabbed a handful of birdseed from the pouch and handed it to Seb. The prince stared at the offering, waiting for his explanation. His response.

        “Maybe it isn’t something they wanted to give. Maybe it hurts to let someone see more about them, but that doesn’t mean good can’t come from it. After all, what may seem like a terrible gift in one person’s eyes…can be worth more than anything else in another’s. Simply by sharing it, both sides end up with something meaningful.”

        Seb remained quiet once Abel had finished. He slowly raised his hand out, allowing his friend to place the birdseed into his palm. He gently held it out to Leon, and the bird pecked at the gift while the two nutcrackers watched.

        By the look of the sun in the sky, it was getting close to evening. He really should have been back at the square, but between the winding debris and his outspoken memories, Sebastian had gotten lost. He stopped near a broken wall, regaining his bearings.

        Think Seb, think…there has to be something here you recognize…

        Seb scanned the rubble, finally selecting a pathway that would quickly lead him back to the square. He began to climb down, when he slipped and hit his head on the rocks below.

        After a brief round of cursing, Seb opened his eyes and started to rise when he a strange feeling hit him. He had hit his head before, during the battle…

        In this exact spot.

        He jumped to his feet, his head swiveling around to take in every detail. That stone over there, that was where the Mouse king had stood! And there, that was where he had heard a voice cry out his name.

        Where Abel had cried out his name.

      Seb runs through the rubble, checking for any sign of his friend. But, no matter where he goes there is no sign of blue among the blackened ash. He stops, eyes still searching.

     What if...what if he had gotten burned in the fires? He is a Nutcracker; he would have just been another piece of kindling in the blaze...

    The horror of the idea begins to take hold of Seb’s mind, when a glint of light catches his eye. Looking to his side, he sees something reflective hidden under a collapsed archway. He steps forward, kneeling to rub away the grime on it. It was a golden button of sorts, with a feathery decoration attached to it.

     Just like Abel’s hat.

     Before he knows it, Seb is manically throwing aside the stones, not caring about the tears and chips they leave on his hands. After what feels like an eternity, the buried doll’s face is visible. Filthy, eyes almost closed, seeming to be asleep.

     A new strength rises in Seb’s chest as he begins to feel something like hope. He reaches within the stones, grabs hold of his friend’s shoulders, and gives a sharp tug. He can do this, soon he can help him, take him away from-

     Abel’s body is pulled free, and Seb doesn’t move.

     No.

     Abel’s body, now fully visible, lays still on the dusty street. His right arm is missing, broken off past the elbow and leaving a mess of splinters behind. His legs are intact, but blackened up to the knees, the paint curled and flaking from the heat of flames.

     And...and a large, gaping crack runs along his chest, erratically moving its way up his neck and stopping on the side of his head. The mechanics within his chest are visible, and broken.

     “No...no, no, come on Abel, come on.”

     Seb drops to his knees, hands shaking as he lifts the doll, shaking him.

     There’s no response.

     Seb’s whole body is shaking now. He holds his friend closer, eyes glued to his face. Any second now his eyes would open. He’s fine now, he’s fine, of course he’s going to wake up-

     “Seb? Where are you?”

     Suddenly, Emily walks out from behind one of the rubble piles. She sees Seb, relief immediately flooding her face.

     “Thank goodness, I was worried there for a-”

     She sees what Seb is hugging close to his chest.

     She sees Abel.

     Emily doesn’t know how long it has been, only that it is nearly night now. The only remaining color in the sky is a dark purple, soon to give way to black. 

     Emily is the first to rise, rubbing her eyes and shakily dusting herself off. She takes a breath, looking up into the faint outlines of stars.

     It is time to go.

     She bends down, touching Seb’s shoulder. He remains motionless, still hugging Abel close to his body. His face isn’t visible to her.

     “Seb...”

     She pauses, attempting to collect herself.

     “Seb, we need to go. It’ll be night soon.”

     No response.

     “We’ll take him back with us, give him a proper burial. Then we can say our last goodbyes.”

     Still no movement from her friend.

     Then-

     “No, we aren’t leaving him like this.”

     “But, Seb, we aren’t going to abandon him-”

     “Not like that, Emily.”

     The Nutcracker Prince stands, Abel in his arms. He finally turns and meets Emily’s gaze. 

     “We’re going to bring him back.”

[connorsent]

Ground Breaker | iii.

Connor x Friend!OC

Pairing: Connor RK800 x Friend!OC (Tyler)

Prompt: Connor wasn’t always the android sent by CyberLife. He had to go through a series of tests over several years before he was able to be promoted to negotiator.

Warnings: Mentions of abuse. 

<><><><><>

Connor opened his brown eyes and was met with one of the most beautiful gardens he had ever seen. 

It had a type of zen feeling to it; a place where one could go and stay for hours with only peace to keep them company. It was a tranquil place with the sun shining brightly on the river that weaved through the area, the water keeping the majority of flowers hydrated so it was less work that Amanda would have to do in her old age. 

Amanda. 

Connor glanced around and a new objective popped up in his eyesight, telling him to find his predecessor so he could make his weekly report to CyberLife. It had now been three weeks since he had arrived at the Jones’s household. Although this was only his third time in the garden, he felt as if he could stay there forever. Although it was simply a place in his programming, he felt as if it was real.

Tyler would like it. He thought.

Connor followed the path to the center of the garden, passing by the oddly shaped-what he thought was-art with a screen on it and a handprint he didn’t understand. Amanda stood towards the edge of the platform, her white robes glistening beautifully in the sun as she carefully tilted her watering can towards the flowers. She was watering a vine of roses that had woven themselves up various stakes that were implanted from the cement landing. 

“Hello, Amanda.” Connor said softly, standing a few feet behind Amanda with his hands behind his back. Amanda hummed softly and turned around, smiling at the android. She set her watering can down on the cement and took a step closer to Connor.

“Connor.” Amanda said graciously. “How are you?” 

“I’m well, thank you.” Connor said kindly. “And you?”

“Very well indeed.” Amanda replied. “Tell me, how are you adapting to life in the Jones household?” 

“I believe it’s going well.” Connor said. “There seems to be no issues or resentment from any family members toward my person.”

Amanda hummed. “And Tyler?” 

Connor raised a brow and his LED flashed yellow for a millisecond. “What about her?” He asked in confusion. Amanda’s eyes narrowed at him. 

“She seems to be... attached to you.” Amanda said. “In an unhealthy manner.” 

“We’re friends.” Connor admitted. “My systems have detected nothing wrong with Tyler. She’s merely a child, so her overreaction to certain situations is entirely normal. She has never had a constant person in her life, so she relies heavily on androids since her parents are never home. The family had a previous android that had a software malfunction and, as Tyler puts it, ‘ran away’. That is why I, as a prototype, have been sent to assist their family before CyberLife continues with my upgrade.”

[AMANDA ⇩ ]

“You’re a machine, Connor.” Amanda declared. “Your purpose is to be a household android. You do not make ‘friends’. When CyberLife takes you away to complete your upgrades, Tyler will be left with no one. You must not let her get any more attached to you.” 

“But-” Connor began, but the sharp and disappointed look Amanda was giving him caused him to close his mouth. 

“Are you... disobeying me?” Amanda asks. Connor stared at her. 

[△ LIE]

[TRUTH]

“No.” Connor said, his voice sounding completely normal. “It’s not in my program, Amanda.” He could hear his regulator pump pounding in his ears.

[SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^]

Amanda looked suspiciously at Connor. 

“Very well.” She dismissed, waving her hand at him as she picked up her watering can, continuing to water the roses. 

Connor blinked and shook his head a bit, closing his eyes as a gentle breeze drifted over him. 

What was happening to him?

<><><><><>

“Daddy!” Tyler cheered as the front door of the house opened, Justin walked inside with his suitcase in tow. Tyler ran up to her father and jumped into his arms, Justin lifting her up and hugging her tightly as he settled the tiny girl against his hip. “I missed you!” 

“I missed you too, sweetie.” Justin said, pressing a kiss to Tyler’s cheek as she giggled. “Where’s your momma?” 

“Office.” Tyler answered as Justin set her down. “Daddy, look!” Tyler now raced over to Connor who was standing at the bottom of the staircase, grabbing his hand and dragging him over to Justin. 

“This is Con Con!” Tyler exclaimed, letting go of Connor’s hand as she frantically motioned to her android. Justin smiled at her enthusiasm. 

“My name is Connor.” Connor declared. “I’m the android sent by CyberLife.”

“I’m very aware of that.” Justin laughed. “I’m gonna go see your mom, Tyler. Then I’ll unpack and take a nap. We can go to dinner later tonight. How does that sound?” 

“Cool!” Tyler said. 

“Connor, take my suitcase and empty it, then start my laundry.” Justin instructed. Connor nodded. 

“Right away, Justin.” Connor replied as Justin brushed past him, heading towards Karen’s office. Connor pulled the handle up out of the suitcase and started to tug it towards Karen and Justin’s bedroom, but Tyler grabbed his hand. 

“Connor, can I help?” Tyler asked with pleading eyes. 

[ △ LET TYLER HELP] [TELL HER NO]

“Of course.” Connor answered with a smile at the end. Tyler grinned and pulled Connor down the hallway to her parents' room. Connor laid Justin’s suitcase on the bed and unzipped it, making a pile of all the dirty laundry and taking out all of Justin’s toiletries. 

“I know where those go!” Tyler chirped, taking the items out of Connor’s hands and racing to the bathroom with them. She put her father’s hairbrush away, along with his aftershave, razor, and some other products. She bounced back out to Connor, who was putting the now empty suitcase on the top shelf of the closet. Connor turned back to the bed and gathered the dirty laundry in his arms, heading towards the laundry room with Tyler trailing behind him. He sorted the darks and lights and started a load, lifting Tyler up so she could pour the detergent in.

As much as Amanda would hate for Connor to say, he had to admit that Tyler was a nice little helper. 

Connor started to busy himself with tidying up the kitchen and Tyler sat at the bar, watching him in boredom. There was suddenly muffled shouts coming from behind the door to the office, Connor’s programming recognizing the voices as Karen and Justin’s. He zoned in on the voices and turned to Tyler, who was dashing out of her seat and rammed herself into Connor’s legs, gripping the fabric of his pants tightly. A quick scan showed her stress levels at 58%, and Connor placed a protective hand on her back in an attempt to comfort her. Tyler’s stress level went down to 52% and she pulled on Connor’s pant leg to get his attention while the voices raised. 

“Connor, they’re gonna get mad.” Tyler said quietly. Connor cocked an eyebrow at her. “They’re gonna come out and try and hit me like last time.” 

Connor’s LED flashed red as the words left Tyler’s mouth. 

“What do you mean ‘try and hit you’?” Connor asked, crouching down to Tyler’s level. She leaned further into Connor’s touch and Max brushed against her legs. 

“It happened once before you got here.” Tyler started. There was a crash behind the closed door of the office and Connor registered the sound as a vase breaking. “Daddy got really mad because Mommy said he wasn’t around a lot. He threw Lizzie against the wall and then he hit me. It really hurt, Connor. Please don’t let him hit me again.” Tyler was practically begging Connor for his help with tears in her eyes. He’d never seen her so afraid before. Even when she had fallen off the swing and scraped her hands, she wasn’t nearly as freaked out as she was now. 

[PROTECT TYLER PROTECT TYLER PROTECT TYLER]

“Let’s go upstairs.” Connor proposed, grabbing Tyler by her waist and picking her up. Logically, this would make it easier for him to protect her if he was closer. “We can play with Max in your room.” Tyler nodded and buried her head in Connor’s neck. 

As soon as Connor put his foot on the first step of the stairs, the doors to the office slammed open, followed by a crash of thunder sounding outside. Connor paused in his movements and turned his head to Justin storming out from the office, Karen screaming something after him. 

“TYLER!” Justin yelled, his eyes full of rage as he stopped in the foyer. He looked at Connor holding Tyler and narrowed his eyes. “Come here, Tyler. Now. We’re leaving.” 

Tyler shook her head and shared eye contact with her mother, who was standing in the doorway of the office. She had an upset look on her face and tear streaks that made a harsh line in her makeup. 

“Connor, put her down.” Justin instructed, his tone harsh. Connor glanced nervously at Tyler, who mumbled a little ‘please don’t’ and tightened her grip on him. 

[SET TYLER DOWN PROTECT TYLER?]

Would I be protecting her if I let her go with Justin? Connor asked himself. 

“Connor!” Justin barked, stomping his foot for emphasis. “Set her down. Tyler, we’re leaving.” Tyler shook her head and Connor held her closer to him. Connor narrowed his eyes at Justin as he struggled to move his legs. 

[SET TYLER DOWN] [ △ PROTECT TYLER]

Connor ran up the stairs and straight into Tyler’s room, locking the door behind him after Max came in after them. Connor put one of the chairs from Tyler’s tiny desk up against the handle and placed Tyler on her bed, holding her close to him as Max joined them. Justin’s footsteps could be heard thundering up the stairs and Tyler started to quietly cry as the door was harshly beat against. The sound reminded Tyler of the thunder outside in the storm. 

[SOFTWARE INSTABILITY ^]

“TYLER!” Justin yelled, slamming his hand on the door repeatedly. “OPEN THIS DOOR, YOUNG LADY! ONCE YOU GET OUT HERE, YOU’RE GONNA REGRET IT!” 

Tyler buried her face in Connor’s shirt and started to cry. Justin eventually left, and Tyler wouldn’t stop trembling. Connor tried to calm her down and she eventually fell asleep against him. Everything had happened so fast, and Connor didn’t know how to handle it. 

Right now, he knew he needed to protect Tyler. So that’s what he would do. 

[jkindred23-blog]

Listening Post #4

A Very Powerful Quartet

1st movement, Crystal Liturgy:

               In this movement all of the instruments are playing; the clarinet, cello, violin, and piano. Listening to this movement I got an eerie feeling. When listening to the clarinet I pictured birds chirping. This could be from when he watched the sun come up and listened to the birds awake. The violin gave the high pitched haunting, eerie feeling. It seemed like the cello and piano was in the background playing the longer more drawn out notes. Their sound is almost masked by the violin and clarinet with a single piano note being heard every once in a while. There does not seem to be any sense of rhythmic flow in this piece. It is definitely not easy on the ears.

2nd movement, Vocalise, for the Angel Announcing the End of Time:

               This movement is again played by all four instruments. At the very beginning the piano makes a deep boasting sound as if something major is going to happen. The clarinet comes in and sounds as if something terrible is about to happen. The Encyclopedia says there are “scattered fragments of themes moving here and there” this is something I could hear throughout the movement.  It starts off loud and in a hurry, then goes to a soft slow pace and all of a sudden at the end it picks back up again. The ending seemed to be like a cliff hanger, it just stops abruptly with no indication of what happened. This movement was more fluent then the first and was easier to listen to.

3rd movement, The Abyss of the Birds:

               This movement is played only by the clarinet. Knowing that Messiaen wrote this based on what he saw in the early morning I can definitely picture a still morning right before the sun comes up. It’s a calming and soothing feeling, and then a bird wakes up and starts to call out to its friends. When the birds wake up, right after the siren sound, I can picture the birds dancing around getting ready to start their day. It is a happy tone with a lot of movement to it.

4th movement, Interlude:

               This movement is for the violin, clarinet, and cello. The three instruments seem to flow a lot better than the first couple movements. The clarinet at times sounds like the birds chirping in the third movement. I was surprised at how short it was. It was upbeat and dance like, but ended too soon.

5th movement, Praise to the Eternity of Jesus:

               This movement is for the cello and piano. It starts out very sad, almost like someone is in mourning. The cello seems to be playing long drawn out notes. The entire movement did not seem to have a clear reason to it; as the encyclopedia put it “no clear underlying beat”.  I felt a sense of hopelessness in this movement. Being stuck in the camp with no clear indication if you will ever get out can make one feel helpless. Messiaen really brings that out in this piece. It seems to get slower and slower as it goes on.

6th movement, Dance of Wrath, for the Seven Trumpets:

               This movement is for all of the instruments and in unison. It seems like a lot is going on. It gives a sense of fury, like someone is trying to do all of these things at once but is getting nowhere. The fury definitely picks up when the clarinet is resting. The violin and cello go crazy, just looking at the notes gave me a headache. Towards the end it switches between really high notes to deep low notes. The high notes made me feel hopeful as if the fury was ending but when it switched to the lower notes it gave a sense of doom.

7th movement, Tangle of Rainbows, for the Angel Announcing the End of Time:

               This movement is for all of the instruments. The beginning is very soft and delicate. The encyclopedia describes it the best “the angel returns amid floating, open harmonies that manage to be both airy and suspenseful”. I could definitely picture and feel this. I was not a fan of the abrupt fury that seemed to come out of nowhere. The movement keeps switching from a soft delicate floating feeling to a disastrous fury felling. This happens when different instruments are playing. When all four are playing, we get the jumbled fury feeling.

8th movement, In Praise of the Immortality of Jesus:

               This movement is for the violin and piano only. Just like the fifth movement, the violin is playing long drawn out notes like the cello did. This movement gives a sense of mourning and, how the encyclopedia put it, reflecting. Messiaen is reflecting on his time at the camp and how it was such a long and difficult thing to go through. Throughout the piece it had a slight hopefully feeling, as if Messiaen realized that everything was going to be okay if they had God on their side. One can only get chocked up just trying to imagine what they had to go through. I believe this is the most powerful piece out of all of them.

Part 2

Movement 3:

               This movement, “Abyss of the Birds”, closely relates to what the book said. Messiaen and Pasquier would watch the sun come up and listen to the birds awake. Having only the clarinet play this movement gives an accurate representation of what the birds sounded like. The calm soothing start paints a picture of right before you can see the color of the sky change. The Earth is still, and everything is asleep. The unclear pattern of this movement adds emphasis of how the birds actually interacted. I think if Messiaen would have made a clear pattern out of this the piece would lose the feeling of the birds chirping.

Movement 7:

               At the beginning of the movement I can see the rainbow that covers the angel. It gives a peaceful sensation as if I was watching the angel descend with my own two eyes. I was able to tell where he passed through the “unreal and suffer”. It is a boastful and fury like sound. It is hectic as if he is fighting with something. It is as if his ability to “hear and see ordered chords and melodies, known colors and shapes” is haunting him and tangling him up into “swords of fire and blue-orange lava”. Something that can be seen as so beautiful by others is no longer enjoyable to him.

Movement 8:

               This movement seems to wash away all his pain and suffering in the seventh movement. It is as if he is thanking God for the strength to endure the camp and also for the lasting friendships he had given him. Messiaen is reflecting on his time at the camp and is almost grateful for having God put him through that because he can finally appreciate the beauty life has to offer and understands his purpose here on Earth.

My Reaction:

               My first reaction to this piece after just hearing it was not that great. I did not have a care for listening to it and sort of dreaded having to listen to the entire piece. After reading the story behind this piece it opened up a whole new perspective for me. There is so much raw emotion in each of the movements that, at times, it was over whelming. Through this piece I was almost able to put myself in his shoes and really see what he had to endure. Although I will never be able to fully understand everything he went through, I do gain appreciation for the life I do have. It makes you realize what we take for granted in life. The piece it very powerful in the sense that it can draw out the pain and sense of fear at times but also shows the glimmers of hope.