#the point is that scout has a beautiful family full of criminals

[waterfish123]

Welcome to autism hell, meet the scout's…… family!

*coughing*

[aion-rsa]

Chinese-Inspired Fantasy Books That Reframe Familiar Fairy Tales

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Reframing fairy tales has long been a common subgenre of fantasy fiction and, at the end of 2020, three authors put their own spins on stories (or fairy tale structures) familiar to most Western audiences by incorporating Asian mythology and settings. S. L. Huang combined European fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood with the Chinese tale of Hou Yi the Archer to form a story of redemption, love, and family in Burning Roses. Chloe Gong cast tragic English characters Romeo and Juliette as gangsters in 1920s Shanghai—pitting them against a Lovecraftian monster rising from the depths of the Huangpu River in These Violent Delights. And Nghi Vo continued her Singing Hills cycle, set in a world inspired by Imperial China, with an original story reminiscent of Middle Eastern folktale The Thousand Nights and One Night in the novella When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain. While none of these books are intended to be read together, all three make an excellent combination of courses for your literary meal, especially if you’re looking to dive into more fantastical tales written by Asian American authors.

Burning Roses by S.L. Huang

Fairy tales frequently feature young protagonists, especially young women, in peril. Some are able to evade dire fates through their own wits, while others must be rescued. Readers seldom see what becomes of them in their middle age, but that’s exactly what Huang takes on in her novella, Burning Roses.

Red Riding Hood, here called Rosa, survived the wolf attack that killed her grandmother. The event convinces her of the evil of the grundwirgen, speaking animals whom her grandmother had tried to teach here were just as much people as humans, but whom her mother had raised her to hate. Her mother’s point proven right, she sets off on a quest to rid the world of grundwirgen, teaming up with Goldie (whom she rescued from bears, and whom she later realizes is a thief and a con artist). But by the time readers meet Rosa, she’s left that life long behind, and now accompanies Hou Yi, the famous archer of Chinese lore, on a quest to keep people safe from unthinking monsters. (Hou Yi is traditionally described as male; here she is female, and she complains that Westerners from Rosa’s lands “insist on calling me a man.”)

Hou Yi, like Rosa, has her own demons to slay, and not just the literal ones. As Hou Yi and Rosa fight off a group of sunbirds, nearly dying from the smoke and fire, Hou Yi is confronted by her own past—the apprentice who turned against her. That apprentice is now a sorcerer, and has raised the sunbirds against Hou Yi in a twisted act of revenge.

But of course, it’s not that simple, either. Hou Yi and Rosa both acknowledge their own troubled pasts, and the wrongs they’ve both done, especially to those they love, weigh them down so heavily they almost cannot bear to move. The relationship between these two women, who truly see each other because they recognize a kinship of regret and repentance, is powerful. Without revealing too much in the way of spoilers, the feeling of the novella is that even in the midst of despair, it is possible to hope—especially when someone else can help carry the burden of your past.

Along with nods to Goldilocks and Little Red Riding Hood, there are additional mentions of Western fairy tales like Puss in Boots and Sleeping Beauty. Hou Yi’s story also closely mirrors the traditional tales, but familiarity with them isn’t required; those who already know the story may catch hints in the story earlier about where the tale will end, but Huang’s use of folklore from both Europe and China is complete within the story, and no additional outside sources are needed to get full enjoyment from the tale.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

What happens when you mix 1920s Shanghai with The Sopranos, Lovecraftian horror, and Romeo and Juliet? With Gong at the helm, the result is a chillingly violent romance that readers may hope, despite the source material, will come to a happy ending.

In These Violent Delights, Juliette and Roma are the heirs to the two gangs of Shanghai, crime families who once controlled the city but are both losing ground as more foreign interests—and communists—rise to power. Juliette Cai is the future leader of the Scarlet Gang, the only remaining Chinese power in the city. Roma Montagov is a White Flower, son of generations of Russians who fled the Bolsheviks, and now in a dangerous predicament as his father has begun to favor another Montagov over his own son as the possible heir. Years ago, Juliette and Roma met in secret, determined to defy their parents, pledging that together they could bring peace and prosperity to Shanghai.

But those years are long past, and now nothing exists between them but hatred—or so each of them claim. They would continue to be solely enemies if not for a contagion sweeping through the city, hitting Scarlets and White Flowers with equal severity, that causes the victims to rip out their own throats. The contagion seems to follow sightings of a monster—a creature that witnesses claim drives people mad. Investigating on their own, they are chasing their own tails. Together, they could be unstoppable…

Before you say that the story isn’t really a fairy tale—it long predated Shakespeare’s play—and while it includes no fairies, the element of the poison that emulates death borders on the supernatural. Gong’s addition of a monster that rises from the river and compels people to suicide brings in enough additional supernatural elements (mixed with a healthy dose of 1920s science) to include it within the genre. At the same time, the novel is just as much a crime drama; the feuding criminal families are vibrantly, violently drawn, and their ruthlessness makes it difficult to consider heroes (even while readers root for Roma and Juliette’s romance).

One of the delights of the story, for those familiar with Shakespeare’s telling of the tale, is watching Gong’s naming conventions give clues to the role the characters play. Lourens, a scientist working with the White Flowers, is an analog to Father Laurence; Benedikt and Marshall are Romeo’s friends Benvolio and Mercutio, while Juliette’s hotheaded cousin Tyler is Tybalt. But though they don’t always play into type (and they have their own motives far beyond the traditional tale), readers will still be waiting for that moment when Tyler and Marshall face off, and Marshall lays a plague on both their houses. That the story, while self contained, leads directly into a subsequent volume will have readers waiting to find out if fair Shanghai will one day see a glooming peace, and whether Roma and Juliette must both be sacrificed to achieve it.

When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain by Nghi Vo

Vo’s novella is the second story featuring scholar-cleric Chih, who collects stories from far off places in order for them to be recorded for the archives at Singing Hills. In Chih’s first story (The Empress of Salt and Fortune), they and their recorder bird, Almost Brilliant, had an adventure; now Almost Brilliant is tending a clutch of eggs, leaving Chich to journey on their own. Luckily, Chich has guide Si-yu, a mammoth corps scout, to lead them through the mountains.

Unluckily, there are three tigers hunting in the mountains, and a lone mammoth and a few humans seem like a tasty meal. Si-yu and her mammoth, Piluk, reach safety, and Chih calls an uneasy truce with the tigers: Chih knows the tale of Ho Thi Thao’s marriage, and they ask the tigers to correct it for Singing Hills. The tigers refuse to tell their version—the true version—but they’re willing to let Chih tell the version they know, and correct the cleric when they get things wrong.

And so Chih tells the story of Ho Thi Thao and her human wife, Scholar Dieu—all the while, during the tale, keeping the hungry tigers from eating the humans. Chih weaves elements of ghosts—and the tigers add fox spirits, correcting the story; Chih gives a version in which human Dieu has most of the agency, and the tigers correct the tale to make Ho Thi Thao the hero. The story always feels very tightly organic to the Singing Hills cycle: the mammoths are a particularly delightful element of the setting, and the talking tigers, who can take the form of humans, feel a true part of the setting once readers (and Si-yu) become accustomed to the idea of conversing with them. In fact, Si-yu often takes the side of the tigers, preferring the details they give the story to Chih’s version.

But while the world is very much its own, the story is very reminiscent of the traditional tale of Scheherezade, who staved off death with her stories night after night. While When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain feels very much a new story, it also feels familiar, the way that being tucked in with a familiar bedtime story might, especially for readers accustomed to bedtime stories with the threat of being eaten by tigers.

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For the two stories with already familiar characters, the Chinese (or Chinese-inspired) settings offer a new perspective for readers less familiar with East Asian mythology, and help readers to see those tales in a new and different light, enhancing the old tales with a new point of view. For the original story, embracing the feel of older tales lends it the feeling of being at once both new and comforting. In all ways, these three tales offer the sense of meeting old friends for the first time—and coming out the other side enriched by the experience.

The post Chinese-Inspired Fantasy Books That Reframe Familiar Fairy Tales appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[cielrouge]

2019 YA Reads by Authors of Color

96 Words for Love by Rachel Roy - While exploring her grandmother's past at an ashram in India with her cousin Anandi, Raya finds herself and, perhaps, true love in this modern retelling of the legend of Dushyanta and Shakuntala.

After the Fall by E.C. Myers - A year after the destruction of Beacon Academy, Team CFVY answers a distress call and are forced to relive their former battles, from both the fall of Beacon and from everything that came before.

All-American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney - Allie Abraham has it all going for her—she's a straight-A student, with good friends and a close-knit family, and she's dating cute, popular, and sweet Wells Henderson. Only one problem: Wells's father is Jack Henderson, America's most famous conservative shock jock...and Allie hasn't told Wells that her family is Muslim. 

All the Things We Never Said by Yasmin Rahman - 16-year-old Mehreen Miah's anxiety and depression has taken over her life. So, she joins MementoMori, a website that matches people and allocates them a date and method of death. When Mehreen and her new friends change their minds, the website won't let them stop, and an increasingly sinister game begins. 

The Athene Protocol by Shamim Sarif - Jessie Archer is a member of the Athena Protocol, an elite organization of female spies who enact vigilante justice around the world. But after Jessie goes her rogue, her former teammates have been ordered to bring her down. Jessie must face danger from all sides if she’s to complete her mission—and survive.

Barely Missing Anything by Matt Mendez - Three Mexican-Americans--Juan, JD, and Fabi--each try to overcome their individual struggles as they all grapple with how to make a better life for themselves when it seems like brown lives don't matter. 

The Beast Player by Nahoko Uehashi - An epic YA fantasy about a girl with a special power to communicate with magical beasts and the warring kingdom only she can save.

The Beautiful by Renee Ahdieh - In 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight and a serial killer is on the loose, half-Asian Celine Rosseau, a dressmaker from Paris, becomes embroiled in a murder mystery, connected to the glamorous supernatural cohort, known as the Court of Lions, and catching the eye of their mysterious, charismatic leader, Sèbastien Saint Germain. 

The Beauty of the Moment by Tanaz Bhathena - Saudi-Canadian Susan is the new girl. Malcolm is the bad boy. Susan’s parents are on the verge of divorce. Malcolm’s dad is a known adulterer. Susan hasn’t told anyone, but she wants to be an artist. Malcolm doesn’t know what he wants—until he meets her. Love is messy and families are messier, but in spite of their burdens, Susan and Malcolm fall for each other.

The Best Lies by Sarah Lyu - Remy Tsai was happy once. Remy had her boyfriend Jack, and Elise, her best friend—her soulmate. But now Jack is dead, and it was Elise who pulled the trigger. Was it self-defense? Or something deeper, darker than anything Remy could have imagined? 

Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America edit. by Ibi Zoboi - A short story anthology about what it is like to be young and black, centering on the experiences of black teens and emphasizing that one person's experiences, reality, and personal identity are different than someone else.

The Boxer by Nikesh Shukla - When racial tensions are rising in the city, and when a Far Right march through Bristol turns violent, 17-year-old amateur boxer Sunny faces losing his new best friend Keir to radicalization.

Brief Chronicle of Another Stupid Heartbreak by Adi Alsaid - Teen relationship columnist Lu Charles navigates life in the wake of a devastating breakup, and her decision to chronicle the planned breakup of another couple, Cal and Iris, in the summer after they graduate from high school. 

The Candle and the Flame by Nafiza Azad - Set in the city of Noor, along the Silk Road which has become a refuge for those of all faiths, Fatima becomes embroiled in a war between two clans of powerful djinn who threaten to destroy her peace in different ways, forcing her to make unlikely alliances to survive. 

Caster by Elsie Chapman - In this Chinese-inspired, magical Fight Club, Earth is already at the brink of environmental disaster due to the magic overuse. And 16-year-old spell caster Aza Wu must navigate through an illegal, underground battle magic tournament, while evading local gangs and police scouts to save her family from ruin. 

Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha #2) by Tomi Adeyemi - After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But with civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

Circle of Shadows by Evelyn Skye - Love, spies, and adventure abound as apprentic warriors Sora and Daemon unravel a complex web of magic and secrets that might tear them—and the entire kingdom—apart forever. 

Color Me In by Natasha Diaz - In this coming-of-age novel, biracal Neveah learns about the meaning of friendship, the joyful beginnings of romance, and the racism and religious intolerance that can both strain a family to the breaking point and strengthen its bonds.

Color Outside the Lines edited by Sangu Madanna - A groundbreaking YA anthology explores the complexity and beauty of interracial and LGBTQ+ relationships where differences are front and center.

Dealing in Dreams by Lilliam Rivera - 16-year-old Nalah leads the fiercest all-girl crew in Mega City, but when she sets her sights on giving this life up for a prestigious home in Mega Towers, she must decide if she's willing to do the unspeakable to get what she wants.

Dear Haiti, Love Alaine by Maika & Maritza Moulite - Told in epistolary style through letters, articles, emails, and diary entries,  when a school presentation goes very wrong, Haitan-American Alaine Beauparlant finds herself suspended, shipped off to Haiti, and writing the report of a lifetime.

Descendant of the Crane by Joan He - In this Chinese-inspired fantasy, Princess Hesina of Yan is thrust into power when her beloved father is murdered, and she's determined to find his killer--whatever the cost. 

Don’t Date Rosa Santos by Nina Moreno - Rosa Santos is cursed by the sea-at least, that's what they say. Dating her is bad news, especially if you're a boy with a boat. As her college decision looms, Rosa collides - literally - with Alex Aquino, the mysterious boy with tattoos of the ocean whose family owns the marina. With her heart, her family, and her future on the line, can Rosa break a curse and find her place beyond the horizon. 

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee - In 1890, Atlanta, 17-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid, but by night, Jo moonlights as newspaper advice columnist "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her efforts put Jo in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, she must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light

A Dream So Dark by L.L. McKinney - Still reeling from her recent battle (and grounded until she graduates) Alice must cross the Veil to rescue her friends and stop the Black Knight once and for all in Wonderland. 

Eclipse the Stars by Maura Milan - Criminal mastermind and unrivaled pilot Ia Ccha and her allies make unpredictable choices as they fight to keep darkness from eclipsing the skies.

The Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton -  Camille, Edel, and Remy, aided by The Iron Ladies and backed by alternative newspaper The Spider's Web, race to outwit Sophia, find Princess Charlotte, and return her to Orléans.

Fake It Till You Break It by Jenn P. Nguyen - Neighbors Mia and Jake pretend to fake date to get their respective mothers off their back. All they have to do is pretend to date and then stage the worst breakup of all time. The only problem is, maybe Jake and Mia don’t hate each other as much as they once thought. 

Far From Agrabah by Aisha Saeed - On an adventure in a fantastical kingdom, Aladdin and Jasmine get caught up in the magic therein. But soon sinister outside forces come into play, threatening to strand them there forever. 

The Field Guide to the North American Teenager by Ben Philippe - When Norris, a Black French Canadian, starts his junior year at an Austin, Texas, high school, he views his fellow students as clichés from "a bad 90s teen movie."

Firestarter (Timekeeper #3) by Tara Sim - Colton, Daphne, and the others must choose between those striving to take down the world's clock towers so that time can run freely, and terrorists trying to bring back the lost god of time.

Five Dark Fates (Three Dark Crowns #4) by Kendare Blake - In this conclusion to the Three Dark Crowns series, three dark sisters will rise to fight as the secrets of Fennbirn’s history are laid bare. Allegiances will shift. Bonds will be tested, and some broken forever.

Five Midnights by Ann Davila Cardinal - If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other’s company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. 

Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins - Told in separate voices, Kat and Robin leave Boston on a church mission to help combat human trafficking in India while Kat recovers from a sexual assault and Robin seeks his birth mother.

Frankly in Love by David Yoon - Korean-American Frank Li Frank falls for Brit Means, who is smart, beautiful–and white. Fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, and so they make a pact: they’ll pretend to date each other. Frank thinks it’s the perfect plan, but in the end, Frank and Joy’s fake-dating maneuver leaves him wondering if he ever really understood love–or himself–at all.

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett - HIV-positive teen Simone Garcia-Hampton must navigate fear, disclosure, and radical self-acceptance when she falls in love--and lust--for the first time. 

The Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi - Paris, 1889: Treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier, Séverin Montagnet-Alarie gets the chance of a lifetime when the all-powerful society, the Order of Babel, seeks him out for help in exchange for a priceless treasure: his true inheritance. 

The Girl King by Mimi Yu - Sisters Lu and Min become unwitting rivals in a war to claim the title of Emperor. 

Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girls of Paper and Fire #2) by Natasha Ngan - After escaping the Hidden Palace, Lei and her warrior love Wren must travel the kingdom to gain support from the far-flung rebel clans.

The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante - To have her family’s asylum request accepted, 17-year-old Marisol participates in a risky experiment to become a grief keeper, taking another’s grief into her own body to save a life. 

His Hideous Heart edited by Dahlia Adler - 13 of YA’s most celebrated names reimagine Edgar Allan Poe’s most surprising, unsettling, and popular tales for a new generation.

A House of Rage and Sorrow (Celestial Trilogy #2) by Sangu Mandanna - As gods, beasts, and kingdoms choose sides, Alexi seeks out a weapon more devastating than even Titania. The House of Rey is at war. And the entire galaxy will bleed before the end.

How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters - When Remy is assigned to write an essay describing himself, he goes on a journey to reconcile the labels that people have attached to him, and get to know the real Remy Cameron.

Hungry Hearts: 13 Tales of Food & Love edited by Elsie Chapman & Caroline Tung Richmond - Interconnected short stories that explore the intersection of family, culture, and food in the lives of thirteen teens.

I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi - When news stations start reporting that Earth has been contacted by a planet named Alma, the world is abuzz with rumors that the alien entity is giving mankind only few days to live. And with only seven days to face their truths and right their wrongs, Jesse, Cate, and Adeem’s paths collide even as their worlds are pulled apart.

I Love You So Mochi by Sarah Kuhn -  Japanese-American fashionista Kimi Nakamura who journeys to Japan on a quest of self-discovery after her college plans fall apart; along the way, she reconnects with her estranged grandparents and finds romance with a handsome med student Akira who moonlights as a costumed mochi mascot. 

I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest - Chloe Pierce’s chasing her ballet dreams down the east coast— with two unwanted (but kinda cute) passengers in her car, butterflies in her stomach, and a really dope playlist. 

I Wish You All the Best by Mason Deaver -  Non-binary teen Ben De Backer is kicked out by their parents after coming out, but learns that sometimes from disaster one can build a happier new life,

If It Makes You Happy by Claire Kann - Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the family diner—but it'll go away if they can't make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. 

In the Key of Nira Ghani by Natasha Deen - Guyanese-American Nira Ghani struggles with parental expectations and her love for jazz. 

Internment by Samira Ahmed - Set in a near future in the United States where Muslim Americans are forced into an internment camp, 17-year-old Layla Amin must fight against Islamophobia, oppression, and complicit silence. 

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden - In 1880s Savannah, Dorcas Vashton offers Essie an offer she can't refuse, she becomes Victoria. Transformed by a fine wardrobe, a classic education, and the rules of etiquette, Victoria is soon welcomed in the upper echelons of black society in Washington, D. C. But when the life she desires is finally within her grasp, Victoria must decide how much of herself she is truly willing to surrender.

It’s a Whole Spiel: Love, Latkes & Other Jewish Stories edited by Katherine Locke & Laura Silverman - Get ready to fall in love, experience heartbreak, and discover the true meaning of identity in this poignant collection of short stories about Jewish teens. 

Kick the Moon by Muhammad Khan - 15-year-old Ilyas finds a kindred spirit in Kelly Matthews during detention. But when Kelly catches the eye of one of the local bad boys, Imran, he decides to seduce her for a bet. Standing up to Imran puts Ilyas’ family at risk, but it’s time for him to be the superhero he draws in his comic-books, and go kick the moon.

A Kingdom for the Stage (For A Muse of Fire #2) by Heidi Heilig - The rebels are eager to use Le Trépas’s and necromancer Jetta’s combined magic against the invading colonists. Soon Jetta will face the choice between saving all of Chakrana or becoming like her father, and she isn’t sure which she’ll choose.

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron - Set in a West African-inspired fantasy kingdom, Arrah comes from a long line of powerful witchdoctors, yet fails at magic. When Arrah trade years off her life for magic to stop the Demon King from destroying the world—that is if it doesn't kill her first. 

Kings, Queens, and Everything in Between by Tanya Boteju - 17-year-old, biracial, queer girl Nina Kumara-Clark is plunged into the delirious world of drag where she has the chance to explore questions of identity and love. 

The Last 8 by Laura Pohl - Young Latina pilot Clover Martinez finds herself grounded and alone after a devastating alien attack, but soon finds hope in an unlikely group of survivors who aren't what they seem. 

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki -  Teenager Frederica Riley undergoes what might possibly be the most epically complicated breakup in lesbian history -- or at least it feels that way

The Light At the Bottom of the World by London Shah - Set in a future where the Earth is underwater, Leyla McQueen must navigate the treacherous abyss to find her missing father, but discovers a world drowning in lies. 

Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian - It's 1989 in New York City, three teens, Reza, Judy, and Art cross paths. Judy has never imagined finding romance...until she falls for Reza and they start dating. But as Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won't break Judy's heart--and destroy the most meaningful friendship he's ever known.

The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan -  After she’s caught kissing her girlfriend by her conservative Muslim parents, Rukhsana Ali whisked off from Seattle to Bangladesh, where she must find the courage to fight for her love, but can she do so without losing everyone and everything in her life?

Love from A to Z by S.K. Ali - 18-year-old Muslims Adam and Zayneb meet in Doha, Qatar, during spring break and fall in love as both struggle to find a way to live their own truths.

Love Me or Miss Me by Dream Jordan - Kate's fantasy life of having the perfect family comes to an abrupt end when she is suddenly forced to return to the group home. Alone and vulnerable, Kate falls for the ever so gorgeous Percy who treats her well at first, but soon a cycle of controlling and abusive behavior begins. Will she be able to escape Percy's clutches?

The Magnolia Sword: A Ballad of Mulan by Sherry Thomas - As they cross the Great Wall to face the enemy beyond, Mulan and the princeling must find a way to unwind their past, unmask a traitor, and uncover the plans for the Rouran invasion . . . before it's too late.

A Match Made in Mehendi by Nandini Bajpai - 15-year-old Indian-American Simran “Simi” Sangha, who comes from a long line of matchmakers, decides to try to gain high school popularity using her family's matchmaking traditions to create a dating app. 

The Never Tilting World by Rin Chupeco - In  a world ruled by goddesses that has been split in two—one half existing in perpetual scorching Day, the other in freezing Night—twins separated at birth Odessa and Haidee embark on a quest across the great divide and rule a reunited world.

No One Here is Lonely by Sarah Everett - After having her heart so broken, Eden resorts to having her memories erased instead. 

Nocturna by Maya Motayne -  In a Latinx-inspired kingdom of Castallan, face-changing thief Finn Voy and grief-stricken Prince Alfehr must race to vanquish a dark magic they have accidentally unleashed. 

Not Your Backup by C.B. Lee (Sidekick Squad #3) - As the Resistance moves to challenge the corrupt League of Heroes, Emma Robledo realizes where her place is in this fight: at the front.

Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard - Half-mortal teenager Helen Thomas goes to live with her father—who is Zeus, masquerading as a university professor—and must do her best to keep the family secret intact. 

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas - When 16-year-old Bri, an aspiring rapper, pours her anger and frustration into her first song, she finds herself at the center of a controversy.

Once & Future by Amy Rose Capetta & Cori McCarthy - In this Arthurian retelling set in space, King Arthur is reincarnated as 17-year-old Ari, a female king whose quest is to stop a tyrannical corporate government, aided by a teenaged Merlin. 

Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds - After falling for Kate, her unexpected death sends Jack back in time to the moment they first met, but he soon learns that his actions have unintended consequences. 

Our Wayward Fate by Gloria Chao - 17-year-old teen outcast Ali Chu is simultaneously swept up in a whirlwind romance and down a rabbit hole of dark family secrets when another Taiwanese family moves to her small, predominantly white Midwestern town. 

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribar - When 17-year-old Jay Reguero learns his Filipino cousin and former best friend, Jun, was murdered as part of President Duterte's war on drugs, he flies to the Philippines to learn more.

Permanent Record by Mary H.K. Choi - Brooklyn bodega worker Pablo crosses paths & falls in love with multi-platinum recording artist Leanna Smart. 

Rated by Melissa Grey - For the students at the prestigious Maplethorpe Academy, every single thing they do is reflected in their Ratings System. But when an act of vandalism sullies the front doors of the school, it sets off a chain reaction that will shake the lives of six special students -- and the world beyond.

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia - When a tragic accident takes the life of the only family she's ever known, 16-year-old Raven is sent to New Orleans to start over. She soon discovers that she can hear the thoughts of others around her...and another, more disturbing, voice in her head. 

Rebel (Legend #4) by Marie Lu - Brothers Eden and Daniel Wing struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, but a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own. 

The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert - Dove “Birdie” Randolph maintains a close bond with her parents until first love and a family secret threatens to tear them apart. 

The Rise of Kyoshi by F.C. Yee - The never-before-told backstory of Avatar Kyoshi, from a girl of humble origins to the merciless pursuer of justice who is still feared and admired centuries after she became the Avatar.

A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy - A North African-inspired feminist fantasy in which two sisters, Eva and Isa must compete in a magical duel to the death for the right to inherit the queendom of Myre.  

Rogue Heart (Rebel Seoul #2) by Axie Oh - Two years after the Battle of Neo Seoul, 18-year-old telepath Ama must use her telepathic abilities to infiltrate the base of the Alliance’s new war commander, Alex Kim, her first love who betrayed her. Will she be able to carry out her task? Or will she give up everything for Alex again—only to be betrayed once more?

Ruse (Want #2) by Cindy Pon - In near-future Shanghai where society is divided between the fabulously wealthy business elite and the masses they exploit, Jason Zhou must play a dangerous cat and mouse game with the ruthless CEO of an all powerful corporation which has an ever-growing choke hold on the polluted metropolis. 

Soaring Earth by Margarita Engle - In this memoir, Young People’s Poet Laureate Margarita Engle recounts her teenage years during the turbulent 1960s between Cuba and America. 

Shadow Frost by Coco Ma - When Asterin Faelenhart, Princess of Axaria and heir to the throne, discovers that she may hold the key to defeating the demon terrorizing her kingdom, she vows not to rest until the beast is slain. 

Take the Mic: Fictional Stories About Everyday Resistance edited by Bethany C. Morrow - A YA anthology focused on a collection of fictional stories of everyday resistance.

The Shadow Glass (Bone Witch #3) by Rin Chupeco -  Bone witch Tea's dark magic eats away at her, but she must save the one she loves most, even while her life—and the kingdoms—are on the brink of destruction.

Shatter the Sky by Rebecca Kim Wells - Maren, desperate to save her kidnapped girlfriend Kaia, plans to steal one of the emperor's dragons and storm the Aurati stronghold, but her success depends on becoming an apprentice to the mysterious dragon trainer, which proves to be a dangerous venture. 

SLAY by Brittney Morris - Black video game developer Kiera Johnson battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired video game she created, and the safe community it represents for black gamers. 

Somewhere Only We Know by Maurene Goo - In Hong Kong, k-pop star Lucky who'd like to be anyone else meets charming con-boy Jack, looking for a big break to impress his paparazzo father. When sparks ignite, the two must decide if they can risk it all for each other. 

Song of the Abyss (Towers of Wind #2) by Makiia Lucier - When menacing raiders attack her ship, navigator Reyna must use every resource at her disposal, including placing her trust in a handsome prince from a rival kingdom.

Song of the Crimson Flower by Julie C. Dao - After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician's apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman's daughter, regrets her actions. After learning that Bao’s soul has been trapped inside a flute by a witch, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell.

Soul of the Sword (Shadow of the Fox #2) by Julie Kagawa - As the paths of Yumeko and the possessed Tatsumi cross once again, the entire empire will be thrown into chaos. 

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim - 17-year-old Maia Tamarin poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor, and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars, with help from the mysterious court magician, Edan. 

Spin by Lamar Giles - When DJ ParSec, rising star of the local music scene, is found dead over her turntables, the two girls who found her, Kya and Fuse, are torn between grief for Paris and hatred for each other--but when the investigation stalls, they unite, determined to find out who murdered their friend.

The Stars the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petraus  - Audre from Trinidad and Mabel from Minneapolis, fall in love and create magic at the same time they learn one of them might not have long to live. 

Stronger Than A Bronze Dragon by Mary Fan - In this steampunk fantasy set in Qing dynasty-inspired China, warrior girl Anlei teams up with a thief to save her village from shadow spirits, but after arriving at the Courts of Hell, a discovery challenges everything they know about who the real enemy is. 

Symptoms of a Heartbreak by Sonia Charaipotra - The youngest doctor in America, Indian-American teen Saira makes her rounds―and falls head over heels in this romantic comedy. 

Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi - Sana Khan and Rachel Recht, on opposite sides of the social scale must work together to make a movie and try very hard not to fall in love.

The Things She’s Seen by Ambelin & Ezekiel Kwaymullina - As Beth Teller and her father unravel a mystery, they find a shocking and heartbreaking story lurking beneath the surface of a small town, and a friendship that lasts beyond one life and into another...

There’s Something About Sweetie (When Dimple Met Rishi #3) by Sandhya Menon - Told in two voices, disappointed-in-love Ashish Patel and self-proclaimed fat athlete Sweetie Nair begin to find their true selves while dating under contract.

This Time Will Be Different by Misa Sugiura - 17-year-old CJ Katsuyama’s mom decides to sell her family’s flower shop—to the family who swindled CJ’s grandparents during WWII Internment. Soon a rift threatens to splinter CJ’s family, friends, and their entire Northern California community; and for the first time, CJ has found something she wants to fight for.

A Thousand Fires by Shannon Price - In modern-day San Francisco where three gangs rule the city streets, half-Filipina teen Valerie Simons enters the Red Bridge Wars to seek vengeance for her younger brother's death, but soon finds herself torn between old love and new loyalty. 

The Tiger at Midnight by Swati Teerdhala - In ancient India, soldier Kunal hunts the “Viper,” rebel girl Esha accused of killing his General, embarking on a dangerous cat and mouse game and where both must decide—loyalty to their old lives or to a love that's made them dream of new ones. 

Truly, Madly, Royally by Debbie Riguad - When Prince Owen invites Zora Emerson to be his date at his big brother's big royal wedding, Zora is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, along with her family and friends. 

The Universal Laws of Marco by Carmen Rodrigues - Told through the lens of a guy in love with the cosmos (and maybe two girls), this story explores the complicated histories that bring us together and tear us apart. 

Virtually Yours by Sarvenz Tash -  NYU freshman Mariam Vakilian tries out a virtual reality dating app, only to be matched up with the high school ex she's still not over. Mariam’s heart is telling her one thing, but the app is telling her another. So, which should she trust? Is all fair in modern love?

The Voice in My Head by Dana L. Davis - When a sequence of wrenching secrets detonates, Indigo must figure out how to come to terms with her twin sister Violet, her family…and the voice in her head.

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi - Set in a futuristic, Black Panther-inspired Nigeria, sisters Onyii and Ify, separated by a devastating civil war, must fight their way back to each other against all odds. 

Watch Us Rise by Renee Watson & Ellen Hagan - Jasmine and Chelsea start a Women's Rights Club and soon go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by online trolls. When things escalate, the principal shuts the club down. Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices—and those of other young women—to be heard.

What Makes You Beautiful by Bridget Liang - Encouraged and supported by his friends at school, Logan begins questioning his gender. Realizing they are not a gay boy, but a transgender girl, Logan asks for people to call them Veronica. As a girl, does Veronica stand a chance with straight boy Kyle?

We Hunt the Flame by Hafsah Faizal - In a world inspired by ancient Arabia, 17-year-old huntress Zafira must disguise herself as a man to seek a lost artifact that could return magic to her cursed world.

We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia - Set at the Medio School for Girls, where young women are trained to become one of two wives assigned to high society men; with revolution brewing in the streets, star student Daniela Vargas fights to protect a destructive secret, sending her into the arms of the most dangerous person possible—the second wife of her husband-to-be. 

The Weight of Our Sky by Hanna Alkaf - A music-loving teen with OCD does everything she can to find her way back to her mother during the historic race riots in 1969 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 

When the Stars Lead to You by Ronni Davis - 18-year-old Devon longs for two things.The stars. And the boy she fell in love with last summer. Senior year, Ashton shows up on the first day of school. Can she forgive him and open her heart again? Or are they doomed to repeat history?

Wicked Fox by Kat Cho - After 18-year-old Miyoung Gu, a nine-tailed fox surviving in modern-day Seoul by eating the souls of evil men, kills a murderous goblin to save Jihoon, she is forced to choose between her immortal life and his.

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo - With her daughter to care for and her abuela to help support, high school senior and aspiring chef Emoni Santiago has to make the tough decisions. But even with all the rules she has for her life — and all the rules everyone expects her to play by — once Emoni starts cooking, her only real choice is to let her talent break free. 

You Must Be Layla by Yasmin Abdel-Magied - Layla's mind goes a million miles a minute, so does her mouth. Despite the setback of a high school suspension, Layla's determined to show everyone that she does deserve her scholarship and sets her sights on winning a big invention competition. But where to begin? Looking outside and in, Layla will need to come to terms with who she is and who she wants to be if she has any chance of succeeding.

[daddyd0nt]

my 100 ideas

Most of these totally suck but i wrote 100 of them so let me know if any of them sound like something you would read or have any ideas for how to spice them up with blood and gore and how to get the most shock possible out of the idea.  

-Two girls become drifter killers to fund the abortion of father-daughter incest

- Zombies like EDM and converge on a rave, replacing the drugged up crowd with nobody noticing

-human farming and a cannibal restaurant

-girls discover fairies and torture them

-two pageant stars become pro-ana superstars

-people earn points in an online game called “Calligula” by committing crimes and filming them

-A boy befriends a vampire trucker and reminds him of his last mortal love

-mall goths murder a “poser” in the woods

- De sade as a transcript of a hurtcore chatroom

-neighborhood kids who congregate at “dirt Hill” bully a child to death who comes back and haunts them in their teens

-A suicide club starts at a highschool

-Oliver twist remake where they are prostitutes instead of thieves

-A glitch in time leaves a rapist turned into a child and lands him at the mercy of his victim

-killer caterpillars

-Aliens that can only get you if you think of them

-A bulimic girl vomits up a baby

-Monsters live in the sand of a beach

-Experiments done on kids to turn them into weapons

-A pedophile on the run with his victim writes a fake memoir supposedly penned by the victim about murdering his family to escape

-Women storm the white house to torture/kill a rapist president

-An exchange studentl living in germany is called upon by the ghosts of a murdered jewish family to kill the family next door who are descendants of the nazis that killed them

-addicts at the end of the world trying to stay high

-anti-aging cream is made of dead 3rd world babies

-Bigfoot, our protagonist, tries to befriend a group of campers but accidentally kills them all off

-Prtending to be underaged, a girl traps a sadist pedophile in his own BDSM dungeon

-An american pedophile in asia becomes possessed by the ghost of a little girl killed in a brothyl

-a girl mutilates herself in her room in an attempt to look “beautiful” by cutting off all the features she finds ugly

-Satanists overtake a christian summer camp for SRA rituals

-A girl who is being molested’s dolls com to life in order to kill her stepfather, told from the POV of her favorite teddy bear

- A girl falls in love with a ghost who she can only see when she asphyxiates so she becomes hooked on duster

-A mute autistic girl befriends a demon who gets vengeance on her bullies

-Two DID alters fall in love and write love letters to each other in a diary even though they can never exist at the same time, plan revenge on church gardner who abused the host and caused the split in an attempt to be whole

-A child who killed another child is released from prison upon turning 18.  When another child goes missing he must solve the mystery to clear his name with the help of his murder victim’s sister (who turns out to be the real killer)

-An adopted girl, upon turning 18, searches for her birth family only to discover a human puppy mill

-Two little boys abduct and murder another at a carnival and watch the panic unravel as the adults search for him

-A cult leader drives his followers to mass suicide

-A mother and daughter break a murderer out of jail and fight for his affections

-a school adopts lobotomies for problem students

-A human trafficker crosses paths with a telekinetic child

-An adopted girl finds out she is the blood heir to an enormous hurtcore ring

-A woman becomes aware that she is a character in a story and begins fighting the writer, who plans to write her into a tragedy

-a rich girl who has spent her life in a self sufficient high rise accidentally hits a lower-floor elevator button to discover that the zombie apocalypse has been happening for over a decade

-The son of a truck stop stripper living motel to motel comes across a magic pack of cigarettes that each grant a wish when smoked.  In the end he gives his last one to his mom and she wishes he was never born and he disappears.

-An abusive troubled teen camp in the wilderness combats a masked slasher

-Activists free elephants at a circus but are captured by sadistic clowns

-Patient zero of a zombie virus goes around infecting hundreds of people through her work in a fast food chain because she cant take paid time off

-A vigilante caring for her murdered best friend’s infant has to take out a chain of criminals while still keeping up with the overwhelming task of motherhood

-A new club drug goes around the rave scene, highly addictive, eventually turns you into a zombie but so addictive people cant stop using it

-A girl wakes up and lives the same day out 100 times, with each day becoming more gruesome and out of control as she tries to stop the death of her best friend from happening

-A woman with no memories is arrested for involvement in a hurtcore ring

-Teens in a mental hospital after a rash of suicide attempts begin to die in strange accidents around the hospital

-A girl singer rising to fame realizes shes being prepared to be sacrificed by a death cult

-A boy who accidentally murdered his sister as a child becomes obsessed with a local girl who looks like she would have grown up to and stalks her, killing everybody close to her to “get his sister back” for his dying mother

-after trying acid for the first time a college girl is dragged back in time and witnesses the slaughter of the natives by settlers and is taken in by a native family fighting back

-A conscious zombie takes out a white supremecist stronghold

-Teens at a christian youth retreat battle a tentacle monster that feeds on virginity

-A haunted house bonds with the family that it is killing after falling in love with the lonely teenage daughter

-After abuse in the industry, a porn star seeks revenge against the producer who abused her, rendering her infertile

-A little girl who lives in a funeral home forms a bond with a senile old man who believes her to be his dead wife reincarnated

-A cursed school play production where the creepy theater teacher has a deal with the devil to sacrifice the lead girl, who grows a thirst for blood

-Upon puberty a girl starts to gruesomely turn into a mermaid despite her family’s assurances that these changes are beautiful and special

-a homeless prostitute forces her son to be her daughter in order to scam and kill pedophile men

-somebody nearby dies whenever a child sucks her thumb and she tries to break the habit

-after discovering her beloved guide dog is a demonic hell hound who needs human flesh to survive, a blind girl goes about finding deserving victims for him to eat

-A band of punk rockers find themselves set upon by nazis after one is killed at their show, the nazis have super-meth

-Everyday life in a small town is disrupted when the residents awake to find themselves living with grotesque cartoon physics

-A date-rapist catches an STD that turns his penis sentient and against him

-A boy who has never seen the sunlight is identified as a kidnapped infant and returned to his family, who have no idea how to handle his PTSD

-A tween popstar’s lyrics contain satanic messages that make his fans killers they kill their families and go on robbing sprees to afford his concerts

-A prim and proper young woman crosses a zombie-infested city to reunite with her (female) childhood best friend who she is in love with

-A chubby loner girl suddenly becomes an asset to her girl scout camp when it is set upon by monsters that only she knows how to fight from reading about them in horror books

-A kidnapped boy realizes he is outgrowing his captor’s attraction and sets out to eliminate the competition of new boys brought into the house

-A redneck boy and his incestuously abusive brother are the lone survivors of a monster attack on their family farm and the boy has to decide if he wants to help his abuser survive or take his chances on his own

-A school for poor children where children are farmed for their organs for the rich

-a young junkie discovers one day that he has the power to regenerate lost body parts

-An interracial group of rich friends finds themselves lost in a bad neighborhood overnightdurring a full moon where the occupants of the neighborhood come alive as werewolves

-A small Amish-type religious community is completely cut off from the world during a monster attack and carry on business with no idea that the outside world has collapsed other than that they’ve stopped receiving letters and newspapers.  A team is sent out to scout the damage

-A girl who has her driver's license for the first weekend is held hostage as a getaway driver for two sadistic maniacs on their crime spree

-At a sleepover, two elementary school girls decide to kill another

-An ex-amish girl assimilates herself into society right when a monster attack begins to crumble it and must get back to her family to warn them that the world is ending

-Desade’s 120 days rewritten in the modern day hamptons

-a new diet pill causes moths to take up residence in somebody’s digestive system

-a group of white people go to film the “horrors” of a supposedly cannibal tribe, but when their racist notions are false, they force the people to conform to what they expected to find so they have something for their film

-a “murder circus” where participants pay to torture victims runs into a clash with protestors

-fights to the death like dogfighting but with human children

-a young man gives himself up to a sadist to pay off his sister’s drug debt

-A young woman working in the crime scene clean up business tries to shelter her own daughter from the horrors of the world by locking her in their apartment and becoming more and mor agoraphobic

-A home invasion turns the tables when the serial would-be-rapists/robbers break into the home of female vampires

-In the aftermath of the end of the world, a small tribe of hardened cannibalistic survivors now have to face forced assimilation back into society

-Trapped in a building with an active shooter, a group of elementary school kids fight back with school supplies

-An international tour group of study abroad students become stranded in the alps with a snow monster

-a team of serial killers/lovers is put to the test when one of them gets a woman pregnant and decides he wants to quit killing and become a normal person

-A teenage punk with a specialty for giving piercings turns into a back-ally abortionist in a wealthy suburb

-Twins who share a body and each have a head get into a feud over a lover and attempt to separate

-A group of racists find themselves cursed by a flesh-eating virus that starts with a change in skin pigment

-Racists hunting illegal immigrants come up on the wrong side of a desert spirit after destroying water left out by humanitarian groups

-A police force in a poor city is hit with a curse that transform them into flesh hungry pig-monsters and the local youth must take them out to protect their neighborhood

-A massive flood turns into a struggle for survival for a dorm building full of art students

-A woman is convinced that her son, conceived through a rape, is a demon

-A mental hospital during a zombie outbreak

[bucklesomeswashswan]

At the Beginning (3/11)

Once Upon a December Sequel Thank you for everyone who has been reaching out about this story! I love hearing your thoughts and reactions! I’m excited to post this chapter, it just flew onto the page and it was one of the first ones I wrote and it’s one of my favorites!! Enjoy!

Captain Swan Steampunk Anastasia AU Summary: Emma might have thought her troubles were over after she defeated Gold, the leader of the Industrialists. But not everything is as it seems and Misthaven is in danger. Mysterious new faces and gangs lurk in the shadows as Misthaven struggles to find its footing in the power vacuum left behind when the Industrialists fell. Time is running out to regain control and alliances form and crumble as the betrayals come from those closer and closer to Emma. Will she be able to have the life she always wanted with her family and Killian or will the secrets from the past tear apart everything she thought she knew?

Rated M AO3 Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 Start over with Once Upon a December [AO3]

Chapter 3: Unexpected

They crossed into Misthaven in the evening the next day. There was no fanfare, no joyous welcome for the royal family. There were no parades, no cheering crowds. There was little more than a carved stone to mark the border on the side of the path as it twisted down from the mountain pass. Just a few words on a rock to let them know they were back.

Ruby was glad that at least this time as they crossed the border they weren’t dodging bullets. They had had their share of dangers in the mountains.

But the quiet, peaceful golden light of the fading sun just made it feel more ominous. It felt a bit like a gilded trap waiting to spring shut around them. Each step from this point had to be taken with even more care than the last. Each step from this point was a step further into dangerous territory. 

They slowed to wait for the scouts they sent ahead to report back. Ruby thought this halting careful pace felt much more like that of a sneaking criminal than the return of someone coming triumphantly home. 

Killian stood a few yards away keeping watch, his hand lingering on the hilt of the sword at his hip. He had been even more tense since they crossed the border. She wondered if he was half expecting to see the dark shapes of blackguards between the trees like she was. In these familiar woods it was hard not to slip back into old habits, old fears.

The sun had set giving way to the eerie light of dusk when a group of their scouts rode up the road returning to their party. Ruby and the others all stood as they approached. There was a new man riding with them at the front. He pulled up his horse just in front of them swinging down from the saddle and bowing to the King and Queen.

“Your Majesties,” he said. “It is good to have you home at last.”

Then the man caught sight of Emma standing beside her parents and froze. His face lit up. “Princess Emma?” 

Emma was looking at him with confusion that slowly blossomed into recognition. “August?” she breathed after a moment. Then she was launching herself at him pulling him into a hug.

Ruby caught Killian’s equally shocked look. His brows pulling down as he watched them pull apart, August’s hands lingering at Emma’s waist.

“How are you here?” Emma asked him.

August’s smile spread a little wider. “Same as you, I’d guess. Sheer stubborn force of will.”

There were equal parts sadness and understanding in Emma’s expression. 

“I thought I’d never see you again,” August told her. She gave the shoulder of his coat a reassuring squeeze before stepping back enough that his hands dropped from her.

“Is Marco with you?” The Queen asked.

August turned away from Emma and shook his head.

“No. He’s gone, Your Majesty,” he said. “The revolt…”

The Queen’s face fell. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

August nodded. “It was years ago. The important thing is you’re back now.” He glanced at Emma again. “All of you.”

“How did you find us?” The King asked.

August gestured to the guards who had scouted ahead. “We’ve been watching the roads from the mountains. When I saw the royal guards I knew I had to see if all the rumors were true.”

“We?” the King repeated looking over August’s shoulder to see if there were more new faces. 

August looked between them all. Ruby saw his eyes pause where she and Killian were standing. “We’re a small group but we’ve all returned from exile in preparation for your return. The city has become a powder keg, too many people have been scrambling for power since Gold fell. It would only take a small spark for a war to break out in the streets. We came to be sure that doesn’t happen, and that the rightful leaders take control.”

The King and Queen exchanged a look.

August continued, “It will be full dark soon, these woods aren’t safe. You need to come with me.”

“Where?” Emma asked.

August’s attention slid back to her and he pointed east. “We’ve taken back the Lakeside Palace. It’s our closest outpost. I’ll take your group there.”

Ruby had heard of the palace by Lake Nostos but she had never been there. It had been built hundreds of years ago as a summer retreat for the royal family. But over time it had fallen out of favor for the royals to flaunt such luxury. The palace had served different purposes, it had functioned as a hospital, an orphanage, and a campus for the University. Now it seemed to be a home for refugees.

The King reached out and shook August’s hand. “Thank you.”

With that they were all following as August lead them down another path twisting through the woods as the shadows deepened around them until at last they broke through the trees to the sight of the wide lake stretching out to the horizon and the sprawling palace estate sitting on the shore.

Pale stone stood out against the dark night. Hundreds of thick glass windows faced out toward the water, carved stonework and arches added an elegance to the edifice. It wasn’t as menacing a presence as the castle in the city but something softer and sophisticated.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” she said as Killian paused beside her.

“It’s certainly easy to see why someone thought this would be a fitting place for a palace,” Killian replied. “It makes it easier to forget what it’s really like just a few miles from here.”

He was right. Not five miles away the city churned away, deals made, people cheated, children starving in the alleys. But in this place it almost seemed like the revolution had never happened. It was a small piece of old Misthaven that still lived. This place was an illusion to shield people from reality. She wondered if it was a mistake to bring the King and Queen here. Maybe it was too safe here. Had they just gone from one cozy hideaway to another? If they never saw the reality of what had happened after the revolt then they would never really understand.

“Come on, let’s go inside.”

August pulled open the wide doors to the palace, engraved wood inlaid with silver. Ruby stepped into the wide entryway. It was clear that the palace had been neglected for years, and probably had not been properly cared for in generations, but it still took Ruby’s breath away.

White marble floors reflected back the light from the gas lamps. The smell of the flames mixing with the scent of the forest and the lake that wafted in through the open windows lined with gossamer curtains. Delicately carved panels of dark wood lined the walls interrupted only by paintings of landscapes of places in Misthaven.

“Do you like it, Emma?” August asked. Emma turned her gaze from the tiled ceiling to him.

“It’s lovely.”

August smiled, as if he himself were the architect she was complimenting.

“This way,” he said leading them through an arch in the far wall of the entryway.

Ruby saw Killian move closer to Emma as they made their way to a sitting room. There were a few groups of cushioned chairs and across from the windows was a stone fireplace with a large crackling fire.

“You said this was the closest outpost?” Emma asked him. “How many others are there? Are you positioned in the city as well?”

August frowned. “We haven’t been able to find a safe place within the city yet, but we have rallied some farmers in the south and we have a large group of supporters in White Cove, enough to control the port.”

Ruby had to admit she was impressed. It was more of a start than she thought they’d have when they arrived.

“We’ll need to take control of the city if we are going to take back power,” the King said.

The others nodded but August frowned slightly.

“We’ll stay here tonight,” Killian agreed. “Then tomorrow we can go into the city.”

“I have to advise against that, a lot has changed since you left,” August said.

Killian looked almost surprised to be challenged, his eyes running down August.

“I think I know the city. I’ve only been gone a few weeks,” Killian said standing up to his full height. “I’m not afraid of dark alleys and pickpockets or scoundrels. The city has always been like that for those of us without a silver spoon.”

August bristled but had the good sense not to argue. 

“Fine,” the Queen said stepping in to diffuse the tension. “But no one leaves until the morning. And no one goes alone.”

“I’ll go with him,” Emma said.

“No,” Killian and August said at the same time. Both of them glanced at the other before turning away. August had the sense to look apologetic.

“Killian,” Emma said quietly, there was more of a plea in her eyes than her tone. “You can’t go alone.”

They stared each other down for a moment, a clash of wills. The answer seemed clear to Ruby.

“I’ll go,” Ruby said, speaking up at last. “Killian won’t be alone.”

Emma didn’t look convinced crossing her arms but she didn’t argue further. The Queen gave Killian a loaded look. It spoke to a deeper understanding between the Queen and Killian than she had realized existed.

“You’re just going to look around,” the Queen told them. “I don’t want anyone starting conflict before we even know who we are up against.”

~*~

Killian and Ruby left before dawn. They reached the edges of the city just as the sun was rising. It was a strange feeling to be back at the place where they had started, back at the beginning. 

He walked slowly, his footsteps echoing on the cobblestones. He had walked these streets hundreds of times but now it felt unfamiliar. They had been here just a couple months ago but now he felt like a different person. The buildings on either side seemed to sneer down at him. Their cracked walls looking more rugged than when he had last seen them. 

“I had almost forgotten the feeling,” Ruby muttered from beside him.

He knew what she meant. The city pressed in around them like a physical presence. Desperation and helplessness thick in the air like fog. 

They passed over the canal, the black water reflecting back a distorted reality. This neighborhood had been his home. Each brick in these crumbling buildings had been a familiar face. He had known what was lurking behind every corner. Once it hadn’t had any secrets he didn’t know. This had been his kingdom. 

They passed a few people on the street and each of them eyed Ruby and him carefully. He heard the rushed whispers that rustled in their wake. He wondered if people had noticed when he and Ruby had left. Had there been any whispered tales of their escape or disappearance? Were they like ghosts to the haunted faces around them?

He glanced over at Ruby and the small smirk on her lips as she took in the city around them. She looked almost pleased to be back, the hustle and grind of the city’s underbelly making her come alive. The blossom that bloomed in the ashes as the world burned around her.

He was so distracted by his own thoughts that he didn’t notice the young boy coming towards them until he stopped, blocking their path.

“You need to come with me,” he said. His clothes were scuffed and his boots were worn enough to be from this part of town, but his face wasn’t one Killian knew.

“Why would we do that?” Ruby asked him.

The boy’s eyes cut to the shadows across the street where Killian could see several sets of eyes watching them carefully. One hulking figure stepped forward his hand landing on the hilt of a dagger shoved through his belt. A few others joined him, blocking any route of escape.

Ruby shot Killian a glance. They were outnumbered. He couldn’t tell how well armed they were, but from the weight he could see sitting in a coat pocket, he imagined they were also soundly outgunned. Fighting wouldn’t get them far, so he shifted his weight into a casual stance and gave the boy a shrug.

“Might as well get this over with,” Killian said with a nonchalance he didn’t feel.

“Good,” the boy said as if he hadn’t expected any other outcome. “Follow me. This way.” He turned to lead them past the others where they fell into step around them, not unlike guards leading prisoners.

Ruby met Killian’s eyes again. He wasn’t exactly sure what they had walked into but once again he was glad Emma hadn’t come with them. This was about to be something he didn’t want her caught up in. Either some old feud coming back to haunt them or a new threat, in any case Emma’s newfound status as a princess would only have put her in more danger.

They were led down winding streets weaving their way through the city. The gutters dripped from above them and conduits clanged loudly as they passed. It was a sound so ingrained in Killian’s memory of the city that it brought back a dizzying mix of emotions.

He knew where they were headed long before they reached the old factory on Breaker Street. It had been abandoned by the Industrialists years ago, forgotten by them long before Gold fell. It had been a place homeless factory workers squatted and it was a bastion in the city’s underworld. A place where dangerous games of chance were played and where countless scams were hatched. You could always find a job at the factory as long as you weren’t picky about legality.

As they approached it loomed above them, throwing them into shadow. Killian held the heavy iron door open for Ruby, and together they disappeared inside.

There was a beauty to the factory that time and neglect hadn’t been able to completely erase. The tall arching ceiling was made of thick glass through which Killian could see the thick gray clouds. And around them the iron beams rose holding scrolling and tarnished sconces whose light flickered off the brass arms of machines and engines arranged in assembly lines that had been silent for years. It should have been a jewel of the Industrialist regime but they had ruthlessly practical and cast off anything that no longer served a purpose regardless of its beauty.

“Wait here,” the boy said and Killian was surprised when the others followed him out of the hall, leaving him alone with Ruby.

Killian looked around noting the doors off the main hall marking any possible exit. An old habit he was once again thankful for. Look at them, he thought unable to bite back the smallest smile, back at the Breaker Street Factory, backs against the wall, the two of them against the world… it was just like old times. 

“If they know who we are, there’s a very good chance they know who we came back to Misthaven with,” Ruby said her eyes alight, already running through several plans to navigate this situation, weighing the odds of each. It was one of those things that made her an invaluable partner. He watched her do what she did best and he had to admit he had missed this too. 

They’d have to trade on their old reputation for as long as they could, with any luck that still carried some weight. Then again luck was the only thing you couldn’t steal or cheat away from someone else and so it was always in short supply here.

“Killian? Ruby?” a voice said from behind them. Killian swung around in disbelief.

There, standing before them, looking much as he had the last time they had seen him, was Robin. Killian couldn’t stop the shock that crashed over him, his mouth falling open. He glanced around as if there might be some indication this was a trick. Ruby slowly sank to her knees her hand covering her mouth.

“Robin?” she choked out, her voice unsure, as if she was afraid if she spoke his name he might disappear. Only an illusion. 

Robin helped her up from the floor and pulled her into a tight hug. Killian looked around looking for any other surprises waiting for them in the shadows of the hall.

“Killian!” an excited Roland exclaimed appearing and racing over to him. He slammed into Killian gripping his waist tightly. Killian absently, acting more on instinct than anything, ruffled Roland’s hair in a familiar gesture, one he hadn’t thought he’d do again.

Roland released him and hugged Ruby. She folded him tightly into her as Roland babbled to her about all the things they had missed.

Robin reached out clasping Killian’s hand tightly. Solid, warm. Killian searched his face for any sign of a trap or trick. 

“How?” Killian asked him, “How did you get away?”

They had heard the gunshots in the woods. The blackguards closing in, surrounding them. He’d been so sure Robin hadn’t escaped.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Robin said. “When we were ambushed those blackguard bastards were hellbent on stopping you from crossing the border. They barely glanced at me and the Merry Men before tearing off after you.”

“I suspect I know why.” His eyes flicked between him and Ruby. “The two of you alone never garnered that kind of blackguard attention. But your lovely companion, Emma, was definitely more than the orphan girl you were attempting to pass her off as to have a legion of blackguards on her tail.”

He could only imagine the wild stories that had torn through the streets, exaggerated and warped at every retelling. But he kept quiet. He wasn’t about to confirm any rumors about Emma’s true identity that might put a target on her back, not even to Robin. Everything would be revealed soon, he had no doubt, but he wasn’t going to show their hand all at once.

“What about the Merry Men?” Killian asked steering the conversation away from Emma. “Is this your new hideout?”

Robin pursed his lips looking away. “The Merry Men don’t exist anymore,” he said.

Ruby looked up at that. “What do you mean?”

“We survived the skirmish at the border, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t have consequences. The blackguards were everywhere after that. Members getting dragged in for questioning, homes raided. I disbanded the group because it was too dangerous.”

Robin continued, “Gold became unhinged. Tearing apart the city for any trace of you and where you were going. Whispers of a key, some kind of power source, they were saying you stole it when you left. Gold was adamant about getting it back. Dozens of blackguards were sent over the border after you. I’ve never seen anything like it. He tightened his grip on everything.”

Killian knew the destruction Gold could have brought down on the lives of everyone they had known. The looks they had gotten in the street were starting to make a bit more sense.

“Then the real rumors started,” Robin continued. “The Princess had been found. Gold had been defeated. The richest Industrialists packed up anything that wasn’t nailed down and fled. One day they were everywhere and the next they were gone. No one knew what was happening. And just like after the revolt people turned on each other trying to take anything they could in the confusion. Without any leadership new gangs formed and claimed territory. And then the Black Knights came, adding to the panic.”

“New gangs?” Killian asked gleaning onto that information.

Robin’s gaze cut to him, an unreadable expression there. 

“This seems as good a time as any for an introduction,” a voice said from the end of the hall. A figure moved forward, lean and stalking toward them like a cat. His face somewhere between a boy and man, timeless and cunning.

Killian noticed how Roland shrunk back against Robin as the newcomer approached. 

“This is Peter, leader of the Lost Boys,” Robin supplied. “They control the slums on the west side of the city.”

“You’re the one who brought us here?” Killian asked Peter sizing him up, the thin scar on the back of his hand, his tailored clothes. “So what now? You want us to pay you money? Declare allegiance?”

Peter laughed, the sound was like grating metal, it sent a shiver up Killian’s spine. “No, I just wanted an introduction with two of the most notorious players this city has ever known. Imagine my delight when I found out my new friend Locksley was a close acquaintance of yours.”

Killian’s brows raised the smallest amount as he listened. There was a threat hidden in Peter’s words that did not fall on deaf ears. Fall in line like Robin obviously had or there would be trouble. 

Killian looked over at Ruby who was standing with her hands on her hips in a way Killian knew meant trouble, waiting for the slightest opportunity to pounce. Peter might know who they were but clearly he didn’t know them well enough. He’d have better luck bottling lightning than pinning Ruby to a cause she didn’t believe in.

 “And now you’ve introduced yourself,” Ruby said her tone calm but her eyes shone like fire, “Clearly we need no introduction. We may have been out of the city these past few weeks but we haven’t forgotten how this game is played.”

Peter’s smile stretched at the word game, like a child who had finally found someone to play with him. 

“I’m merely offering you amnesty with the Lost Boys,” he said, his eyes raking over Ruby in appraisal. “I didn’t intend to offend, Miss.”

Killian didn’t like it. He didn’t like Peter, his veiled threats, or his hungry look at Ruby.

“We’re not looking to make new friends,” Killian told Peter. “We are just here to see what became of the city after Gold.”

Peter turned his black eyes on Killian. “Actually, I’ve heard you’ve made quite a few new friends lately. Friends in high places. Friends I’m sure you will be reporting all this back to. Well, be sure to tell them that this city is already spoken for, and it has no need of Kings and Queens.”

The way he said it made it clear he was well informed about their party at the lakeside palace. 

Killian looked over at Robin who was impassively watching their exchange, not jumping to the aid of either side. A master of patience, reading the ebb and flow of power, and playing his advantage at the right time. It was how they all had survived this long.

Robin noticed his look and seemed to read his expression because he took a step forward, raising a hand. “There’s no need to draw any battlelines. None of us want to make enemies of each other.”

It wasn’t lost on Killian that for all his intervention Robin’s words were still artfully neutral. 

Robin might not be outwardly picking sides, but Killian was going to trust Robin more than some punk ass kid who had managed to wrangle together a half baked gang from the ashes. And if Robin wanted them to play nice for the moment Killian could take a hint.

He gave a half nod, his hand slipping to his side from where it had been resting on the hilt of his sword.

“Good. Now that we’ve achieved some civility, perhaps there are things we might discuss in private,” Peter said his gaze moving between them. He waved for them to follow him.

Robin stayed where he was and when Ruby shot him a glance he just nodded to them waving them on. His job done, a pawn to put them at ease before Peter dug in his claws. The bait for the trap they were walking into.

Killian and Ruby followed Peter to an iron spiral staircase at the far end of the room that no doubt lead to offices that had once been for foremen. Now they were serving Peter’s purpose.

The stairs creaked under their feet. Killian glanced down at the floor below them, his stomach swooping at the height through the grated steps.

He kept careful track of the turns they made in the hallway beyond the stairs. He had a feeling they’d be making a getaway sooner rather than later.

Peter stopped at a large corner office with large windows looking out at the gray sky.

“Sit,” Peter said waving to the chairs beside a desk as they entered the office. Instead, Killian’s eyes scanned the papers and notes tacked to the walls. Crinkled order forms and invoices, notices, shipment reports, airship routes, handwritten lists of names. Killian stepped closer his eyes scanning for any familiar names. He couldn’t tell if these were all left over from the Industrialists or were compiled by Peter. He wondered exactly what this gang had its hands in.

“Get some refreshments for our guests, Felix,” Peter said to the tall lanky boy who appeared at the door.

Killian turned and studied the boy’s wild blond hair and gangly gait. 

“Seem familiar, Jones?” Peter asked following his gaze. “I believe you had a run in with his brother, Rufio?”

Killian felt the blood drain from his face. A terrible memory struggling to break free. Peter seemed to mark his expression with the ghost of a smirk before sinking into the chair behind the desk. 

“It’s okay,” he told them calmly with a wave of his hand. “I don’t hold grudges. What happened, happened. We all have been given a second chance. Let’s not waste it.”

He pointed again at the seats in front of him. Ruby hesitated before obliging, slowly sinking into one of the chairs. Killian remained standing beside Ruby.

“What exactly are you proposing?” Ruby asked.

Peter steepled his fingers in front of him as he watched Ruby. “Yours is an interesting story, Ruby,” he said and Killian noted his use of her first name, suddenly informal. “Interesting, but not unique.”

Ruby’s fingers knotted in her lap, her knuckles white, the only crack in her relaxed facade.

“The Lost Boys, and you’ll have to pardon that gendered title,” Peter said with a smirk. “Every one of us has suffered at the careless hands of past rulers. First the aloofness of the Royals and then the violence and oppression of the Industrialists. Most of us lost our families in the revolt. We are orphans of the revolution. Abandoned. Lost.  Forgotten. Left behind.”

Ruby’s brows pulled down the smallest fraction.

“But together we have become stronger. Each a piece in a larger machine, a part of something that matters. Together we found a family. You could be a part of that family.”

He had eyes only for Ruby as he finished his speech.

“That’s a nice sentiment,” Ruby told him with just a hint of an edge to her tone. “But I already found a family.”

Peter’s eyes flicked up to where Killian was standing as if he only suddenly remembered he was even there. “Perhaps. Perhaps not. People can drift apart when they have conflicting interests.”

“We don’t have conflicting interests,” Killian said firmly.

Peter smiled a sly smile and leaned forward toward Ruby before saying conspiratorially in a whisper he knew they could all hear, “But which of his ladies do you think he would really choose if it came down to it? You or a Princess? I hear she’s beautiful-”

“That’s enough,” Killian said angrily shoving around the chair toward Peter. He didn’t care if he strangled the little shit in the middle of his stronghold full of his followers, at least it would be satisfying.

“Hold it there,” Felix said as he let the tray he had brought back clatter to the floor, porcelain shattering. He held a pistol pointed right at Killian’s head. “Not one more step.”

Peter waved Felix off as he looked up at Killian with venomous delight. “So, it is true then,” he murmured. “Jones hooked a Princess. Well, I’ll admit I’m impressed.”

Killian looked down at him on the opposite side of the desk.

“I don’t care what impresses you,” Killian said icily.

Peter stared at him for a long moment and for the first time since they met Killian got a sense of the danger Peter might actually be. “You will care someday.”

“We’re leaving,” Killian said nudging Ruby up from the chair his words daring Peter to try to keep them hostage.

But Peter made no move to stop them. He just flicked his hand, a small card appearing between his fingers as if by magic. He moved around the desk and held the card out to Ruby. “Just in case you change your mind.”

Her eyes met Peter’s, holding there. For the briefest moment Killian felt a small flash of uncertainty, maybe she was actually considering his offer. But Ruby merely took the card and slipped it into one of her pockets and then she was gripping his arm and steering them from the office.

“You’re just letting them go?” Felix growled in disbelief behind them.

Peter’s answer was lost as they rounded the corner and moved quickly down the stairs half running past the abandoned machines down the main gallery. 

Robin was there waiting where they left him. He seemed a little surprised by their hurry and his eyes flashed from them to the staircase leading to Peter’s office.

“You didn’t kill him, did you?” Robin asked concerned.

“No,” Ruby said with a smirk. “Just overstayed our welcome I think.”

“Leave it to you two,” Robin muttered leading them a few yards to a side door. “This way.”

They slipped by him out the door when Robin reached out grabbing Killian’s arm pulling him up. “Take the back alleys toward the canal. He only patrols the main streets. And for god’s sake keep the Royals out of this part of the city. Be careful.”

Killian gripped his shoulder. “We’re staying at-”

Robin shook his head holding up a hand to stop him. “It’s better if I don’t know.”

Killian frowned. “Robin, come with us.”

It was similar to what he had said in the woods at the border. Robin smiled like he remembered too but he was already pulling away.

“Not this time,” he said before adding, “You’re going to need allies before this is over. When you need me, ask for me in the catacombs.”

Before Killian could answer Robin slipped back inside the factory and the door shut in their faces. 

“Let’s get out of here,” Ruby said and he followed her down one of the narrow sloping alleys.

They were halfway back along the forest road to the lake before Killian stopped looking over his shoulder, every minute expecting to hear hooves or gunshots following them. But the road was quiet and they slipped out of the city unnoticed. Or more likely they had been allowed to leave.

Away from Peter’s infuriating arrogance and cold eyes he felt his guilt bubble up. He had lost his temper. Peter had seemed to know the exact words to say to rile him up, he’d delighted in seeing him unravel. A cat playing with its prey. And Killian had played right into his plan. Now they had less than before, and it was his fault.

For days now he had been sure it would be the King and Queen that would make some misstep that would doom them all. He hadn’t expected to be the idiot who tipped their hand too early. Ruby walked silently beside him and he wondered if she blamed him too. 

He smelled the still water of the lake before he saw the palace. It was a welcome sight. He just wanted to see Emma. Selfishly he just wanted someone to look at him like he was worth something.

Ruby turned to him in the entryway, “We better fill in the Queen,” she said.

He looked around the room for Emma, but she wasn’t among the faces there. “Go on ahead,” he told her. “I’m going to find Emma.”

She looked at him for a moment like she was going to protest but she simply turned and headed off toward the library. Killian hesitated watching her go. It wasn’t like her to hold back, she must have been more mad than he suspected.

He stopped a guard in the hallway. “Where’s Emma?” he asked.

“The Princess isn’t here,” he said. “She stepped out.”

Killian frowned, the image of her curled alone in the woods still fresh in his mind. “Alone?”

The guard shook his head. “She went with Lord August,” he said before walking on.

Killian hadn’t thought it was possible for his mood to darken, but the universe seemed to be rubbing salt in his wounds.

~*~

All day the walls of the palace had seemed like a cage and Emma had paced like a captive animal. The world beyond the windows was calling to her. Some need thrummed within her, a beacon calling for her, begging her to come find the source. 

Finally by midday, Killian and Ruby hadn’t returned and she had cracked and made a plan, reckless and admittedly not well thought out. But she had needed to get away or she was going to lose her mind.

“I still can’t believe you’re back,” August mused again for what must have been the fourth time as they walked down the road. “We all hoped you were being hidden somewhere, of course. It just seemed with each year that passed that it was less likely.”

Emma met his eyes and gave him a small smile. She wondered if it had been a mistake to ask August to come with her, but she knew she would never have been allowed to leave the lakeside palace without someone accompanying her. She had sensed August wouldn’t deny her request, some deepset loyalty to the young princess he had known, the one he saw when he looked at her.

They had made their way to the city, a feat that had taken no small amount of pleading and flirting on her part before August agreed to despite his better judgement. She had promised they would stay in the nicer parts of the city, with shops and galleries. And she’d goaded him just a little saying she’d understand if he was afraid to go, playing off Killian’s comment the night before. He’d agreed to take her at once.

“Do you remember it?” he asked her quietly as he looked at the stone buildings around them. “All those summers my family came to the castle? The days we spent playing together?”

Emma tried to remember, tried to imagine hours spent in the gardens and running through the stone halls of the castle. But even as it was getting easier to recall her memories it was all still a little murky. Like a dream she couldn’t fully remember the details of. “I remember you, the rest is foggy.”

“Hell,” August sighed, “the things we’ve all gone through. To think that now, with you back, maybe it will all be over.”

Emma’s stomach sank at his words. Yet another person expecting her to change everything, to be the answer. She wondered if anyone had told August about how she had leveled a half mile of forest by accident. That might dim the admiration in his tone.

“We’ll be able to get things back to how they were,” he went on. “No more corruption, the criminals scrubbed from the streets. Trade will start again and everyone will prosper. This summer we could have the Solstice Festival. Can you remember the last time that happened?” 

He went on about his memories of the festival. The music playing all through the city, the petals that had floated in the air from a hundred thousand blooms in all the trees and decorating all the houses. The smell of fried dough and raspberry sauce. Emma wasn’t sure if she was remembering those things or if he was describing them so well that she could almost pretend the memories were her own.

As they moved further into the city Emma couldn’t stop the sense of deja vu. All their talk of the past made it all look more familiar. They passed a group of workers in rough cut clothes and dull colored coats. One narrowed his eyes as she passed and she pulled her hood a little lower over her face.

She wasn’t sure exactly where she was headed but she didn’t want to be recognized. She knew Killian would be mad at her for coming to the city. Mad that she hadn’t taken him with her, and even more peeved when he found out she’d chosen August. But she needed someone who wouldn’t challenge her the way he would have. She almost felt guilty but with each step that pull pulsed a little stronger, and her curiosity won out.

They turned down the tree lined avenue at the center of the city and Emma saw the old castle sitting on the hill. Her heart lifted a little at the sight. The ruined building had been her home, it was where she had met Killian. And now some part of her told her that it was where she needed to go now. That pull leading her back to where everything had begun.

August followed her gaze.“The castle. It’s just a shadow of what it once was.”

He continued to tell her about the damage that had been done during the revolt. The towers and battlements that had crumbled, those parts of the castle’s history lost.

She led the way up the road to the old castle walls. The old gate had been blasted apart, a pile of rubble. She reached out to run her fingers along the rough surface of the stones, a mix of emotions twisted within her like a pit of snakes.

She turned to him. “August, would you give me a minute alone? I just need to see it again.”

August glanced around clearly not sure if he could argue with her. He was probably remembering the promise he had made to her parents earlier to keep her out of trouble. They were just going on a walk, she’d told them. She’d just left out the part about that walk being in the city.

In the end August just nodded, agreeing as she knew he would, before adding. “Be careful.”

“Keep watch,” Emma said and she left him outside the castle wall and scrambled over the hewn stones onto the grounds. There was a thin blanket of snow clinging to the overgrown grass, untouched and unmelted by footsteps, machines, or gas conduits like out on the streets of the city. It crunched beneath her boots with each step leaving a trail of prints behind her.

It felt like crossing a border to a different realm, walking through the looking glass into memory. Here, nothing had changed. Each new view brought back dozens of memories, just being here again making them clearer and more real. As she moved she shed all the worries and fears she had armored herself with over the years until she almost that young girl who had called this castle home.

She turned the corner of the west tower lost in her thoughts when motion caught her eye. She froze, for a moment she thought she had imagined it, but then a shadow moved at the edge of the courtyard. A figure stepped from behind the row of leafless trees strolling in an unhurried way through the grounds. They wore a heavy cloak that dragged along behind them leaving a path in the snow.

Emma ducked behind one of the toppled stone statues and watched. Who else would be within the castle walls? A looter, or worse? She considered turning back but then she felt that strange force tugging at her again, urging her to follow after the stranger. 

She slipped from her hiding place and half ran down the row of hedges doing her best to stay hidden as she followed, gaining on the intruder.

The figure paused at the entrance to the old rose garden, a gloved hand resting on the gate. Emma slowed staying in the shadow of a twisted oak. From this distance she could see the intricate silver embroidery on the thick black velvet coat, a sign that this was no street urchin from the wrong side of the river. The figure swept their hand over the lock the air shimmering like purple starlight and the gate clicked open.

Magic.

Emma was moving before she had even made the decision. “Hey!” she called running after the intruder, her feet slipping on the slick snow. She caught up just inside the garden sliding to a stop just as the person turned lowering their hood.

Her black hair fell to her shoulders and framed her pale face. Her beauty and expression as cold and harsh as the winter around them, but in her eyes burned a deadly fire.

“Well, I see I’m not the only ghost here tonight,” the woman said mildly, her gaze pinning Emma in place.

“Who are you? I saw you do magic,” Emma said waving toward the gate.

The woman didn’t look remotely intimidated and her eyes seemed to dissect Emma as they moved over her. Emma felt as if her every fault and imperfection was suddenly visible and she grappled for her usual armor even as she felt it cracking beneath the weight of her scrutiny.

“And you what, you’re going to report me?” she drawled sounding supremely bored by this exchange. “The blackguards don’t run this land anymore.”

“I know that,” Emma said bristling. She had defeated Gold herself after all.

The corner of the woman’s lips tipped up in a smirk. “I suppose you would, Princess.”

Emma gaped, realizing this woman knew exactly who she was.

“I’m Regina,” she said, not raising a hand or any display of cordial greeting. Emma felt her stomach drop as she remembered the reports of the sorceress from the Dark Palace. “I’m the Queen here, and you’re trespassing.”

Emma swallowed, her mouth closing with a click. She was definitely out of her depth and suddenly aware of how alone she was. She chanced a glance behind her, but August was nowhere close, still faithfully waiting beyond the tall outer walls. A tendril of fear slithered around her heart. 

“You’re not the Queen,” Emma said hoping she sounded braver than she felt.

“Tell me, Emma,” Regina said advancing a step closer, “Did you and your parents really think you could come back here and the people would give you control just like that? It takes more than a name to rule a country.”

Regina curled her hand, a wisp of smoke swirling through her fingers. “It takes power. And it takes will. Without either you cannot take back what your family so carelessly lost. You are nothing here anymore.”

There was condescension in her tone that sparked something in Emma. She was not a child and she had not gone through hell to be brushed aside by an intruder.

“Even when I was orphaned and didn’t know who I really was, I was never nothing,” Emma said through her teeth.

She could feel her magic waking within her spurred on by her anger. It crept up her spine and crackled just under her skin. It felt like a wildfire burning through her, rebellious and dangerous, eclipsing every other emotion. She tried to push it back. 

Regina tilted her head a little watching her, a wicked glint in her gaze. “Prove it.”

Emma knew she was egging her on. Regina wanted to see her lose control. Rationally Emma knew she probably wasn’t a match for Regina. But fear and defiance churned inside her stronger than reason, and she could sense the dim shine on her skin as her power flared.

Regina grinned in victory. Emma had the sense she knew exactly the struggle raging within her.

“No,” Emma said more a command to herself than an answer to Regina. She wouldn’t be manipulated. She took a deep breath and concentrated on pushing back on her magic, shoving it back within her.

When Emma looked up Regina was still watching her carefully. 

“Your magic drew you here didn’t it?” she asked reaching to sweep off one of her gloves and holding her hand out to Emma.

Emma stared at it. Her magic was still simmering within her making her feel a little drunk or like she was trapped underwater watching this happen from beneath the surface. “What?”

“Like calls to like. Magic pulls at other magic like a magnet. You felt it didn’t you?” Regina said motioning for Emma to take her hand. 

Emma didn’t move.

“We’re not as different as you think. Aren’t you curious?” Regina asked her dark eyes meeting Emma’s. “I can feel it too.”

Emma looked at her outstretched hand again. “You can?” she asked.

“Your magic is flooding off you, struggling for release.” Regina shrugged. “I couldn’t control my magic either before I was trained.”

That made Emma pause. 

“Trained?” she repeated.

Regina plucked a frozen blossom from the rosebush beside them. The petals were blackened from the cold. She ran a finger along the folded edges. “What you want to grow strong you must first cut down to the root.”

Cryptic. And yet Emma had never met anyone else with magic. All records of it had been destroyed. She had begun to think she was totally alone, drowning.

And now she was being thrown a lifeline.

“Magic is powerful,” Regina continued.

The rose in Regina’s hand started to grow brighter, the dying edges strengthening and becoming young again. Emma stared at the suddenly deep red blossom in Regina’s palm.

“But magic always comes with a price.”

The rose suddenly withered and turned to ash, crumbling and blowing away.

“You’ve done quite a lot of magic recently haven’t you?” Regina said brushing the last bits of ash from her hands. “That price must be paid. It always must be paid.”

Emma looked from Regina to the black embers on the white snow. She remembered the ash in the forest, hundreds of trees burned away to nothing. The price must be paid.

“Can you help me?” she whispered. Her mother would have frowned at her for begging. Killian would have dragged her back from making any deals with a known enemy. Look where that had gotten her before. But they weren’t here now, and they didn’t understand. Not the way Regina could.

Regina seemed to consider with a wicked glint in her eyes before turning and walking back toward the castle.

“Follow me,” Regina called over her shoulder. She didn’t look back but seemed to know Emma would fall into step behind her.

Emma searched within herself for some sense of danger or regret as she trailed after Regina two steps behind. And maybe it was foolish, naive, but all she felt was relief and hope that maybe she would find an answer to help control her magic and keep everyone safe.

They ended up in a stateroom in the north tower of the castle. Emma felt drawn to the window on the far wall. The stained glass window cracked open and the cool winter air making the flame of the candle on the side table flutter. Emma looked out at the castle walls and the city beyond. This view was slightly different than what she remembered as a girl, this side of the castle had been used only for guests. She wondered if Regina had known that.

“Does it feel strange to be back here?” Regina asked making Emma turn from the window.

Her eyes traced the stone walls pausing on Regina’s things in the room, objects she had never seen before. It seemed Regina had moved in, making good on her claim that she was Queen. 

“It’s not the same,” Emma admitted.

Regina’s expression was unreadable. “That’s not a bad thing.”

Regina gathered a few things on the table at the center of the room. A candle, a small silver bell, a large leather bound book in a strange language, an apple.

“Magic is emotion made real. It’s the tangible reflection of what is inside,” she said, apparently starting a lesson right away.

Emma listened carefully, damn the risks, she needed this help.

Regina moved closer and once again held out her hand and this time she obeyed and pressed her palm to Regina’s.

“Magic is joy, love, kindness, like fire and light,” she said and Emma’s skin shimmered and warmed. 

“But it is also ice and darkness. It is hate, anger, fear, and hurt.” Regina’s touch was at once freezing against her, overwhelming the heat within Emma. The cold snaked down her arm making her gasp and shiver as she jerked away.

Regina smiled at Emma’s weakness. “The key is control.”

“How do you control it?” Emma asked flexing her fingers as she tried to shake off the chill lingering there.

“You have to find something that grounds you, something true to you, something that makes you remember who you truly are.”

Emma tried to pinpoint what grounded her. What brought her back to herself. At once she thought of Killian.

“Not a person,” Regina said, seeming to read her mind.

“What?” 

“It can’t be a person. You need to find something within you to center yourself on. You need to find this strength within yourself. Concentrate on the feeling you feel with the person not the person themselves.”

Emma closed her eyes and imagined Killian here with her. She felt a spark of excitement in her stomach, a feeling of safety, and the relaxing sense of home. She focused on that feeling, trying to lock it in her mind so she could find it later when she needed it again.

Already she felt her magic quieting, settling within her. It was working.

She thought of other things that put her at ease. The sight of her favorite wildflowers, the smell of warm cocoa, the sound of waves on the shore.

“Emma!” a voice called echoing down the stone hallway.

Her eyes flew open and she turned to the door just as it burst open and August entered. He looked around the room taking in Emma just a few yards away from Regina. He drew his sword leveling it at Regina.

“Stay back,” he growled at Regina. She rolled her eyes at his valor.

“You’re safe now, Princess.” August motioned for Emma to move toward the door. “Come with me.”

Emma hesitated looking back at Regina. There was so much more she needed to know.

“Remember what I said,” she said to Emma. “And next time leave your watchdog at home.”

August’s expression darkened. “There won’t be a next time,” he said firmly and he took hold of Emma’s arm pulling her a step.

“It’s fine, August, I’m not in danger,” Emma said.

He looked taken aback at her words. “Emma, you don’t understand what she is.”

The words rang in her ears, what she is. Regina gave her a loaded look, but she didn’t say anything. And then Emma was being pulled from the room.

A few steps down the hall she jerked out of his grip. “I’m capable of walking on my own,” she said icily. “I don’t need your protection.”

He looked at her in disbelief. “You disappeared. I thought you might be in danger. What am I supposed to think when I find you with her.”

Emma tried to see it from his perspective. She had walked off and been found in the company of the Dark Sorceress. But it was clear to her that Regina was simply misunderstood, everyone’s fear of magic had poisoned their perception of her. If Emma didn’t get help how long would it be before the public’s opinion turned on her too. Dangerous, they already whispered behind her back.

August was walking stonily beside her and she decided it wasn’t worth a fight and together they made their way silently back to the lake.

~*~

Killian sat in the window seat off the main hall looking out at the moonlight shimmering off the surface of the lake. He had thought that by waiting here it would be easy for Emma to find him when she returned. But even after the commotion and rumors of her return swept through the palace over an hour ago, she still hadn’t tried to find him. 

He wondered if she was avoiding him, but also knew with Emma it was usually best to give her a little space and not push her. A little more of the doubt from the afternoon crept over him. Maybe she liked August’s presence better. They were old friends after all, and it was obvious that whatever childhood crush August had harbored for Emma had never disappeared.

He was saved from brooding any longer when a figure slipped into the dim hallway moving toward him. Killian straightened up thinking it might finally be Emma. The person slowed when they noticed him in the window.

“Killian?” Ruby’s voice said from beneath the hood of her cloak.

“Ruby?”

“What are you doing still up?” she asked him coming closer and pushing off her hood.

“I’m waiting for Emma,” he said.

Ruby glanced back up the staircase the way she had come. Toward the bedrooms. “Emma came back a while ago.”

She must have seen Killian’s small grimace because she hastily added, “I think she went straight to bed.”

Killian could hear the lie but he wasn’t going to call her on it. Instead he asked, “Where are you off to so late?”

For a split second Ruby looked guilty chewing at her lip. He wasn’t sure why she was hesitating. “August and Emma went into the city today.”

He had suspected as much. There were only so many places you could take a walk around the lake and none of them took 6 hours. Apparently August wasn’t nearly as wary of the city as he had made it seem. Then again he knew Emma could be charming when she wanted something.

“That doesn’t explain why you’re sneaking out in the middle of the night,” he observed.

Her eyes flashed. “Just drop it, Killian.”

Killian sat up pushing off the seat. “What’s going on? Look, I’m sorry I lost my head with Peter. It won’t happen again.”

She looked confused. “I’m not mad about this afternoon,” she told him. “Frankly, Peter deserved it. If I could have, I probably would have tried to punch him too.”

Killian bit back a smile. He almost wished he’d gotten to see that.

Ruby blew out a breath. “It’s the Queen-” she broke off seeming to try to find the right words, her hand moving through the air as if she might grab them out of the space between them. “They finally found a useful job for me.”

Killian frowned. “You’re on the council, you already have a job,” he said.

Ruby slowly raised an eyebrow. A questioning look as if to ask if he really believed that was a useful job for her. It made him feel suddenly left out of everyone’s secrets.

“What are you saying?” he asked her. It wasn’t like Ruby, she was very direct, usually to a fault.

“They want me to gather information on our opposition,” she told him.

“A spy?”

She nodded. “I thought I’d start with the Lost Boys. Infiltrate their ranks. It was the Queen’s idea but it makes sense.”

“No,” he said immediately. “I think we burned that bridge.”

She shook her head holding his gaze. “No, Killian, you burned that bridge. That’s why I’m not asking you to come with me. Alone, I still have a chance.”

“I don’t trust Peter, he’s dangerous,” he said.

She barked out a laugh. “Oh, yes, well, keenly spotted. I don’t trust him either, Killian. But we need to know more about his operation and how much power the Lost Boys have.”

“What about Robin? Can’t he get us that information. You wouldn’t have to go.”

She straightened her cloak not quite meeting his eyes. “I have to do this. I want to.”

His jaw clenched but he didn’t argue. Ruby was smart and capable and too valuable a resource for them not to use, but not going with her felt wrong on a fundamental level. They were a pair, perfectly matched, years spent learning to cover each other’s blind spots. Separated they were vulnerable, armorless, exposed. 

She took a step to leave but he reached out and stopped her because there was one last thing. 

“Ruby, what he said… about choosing Emma. He’s an ass.”

She met his gaze. “It was said to drive a wedge between us. He knows we’re a threat. There’s nothing to apologize for. I’m not going to make you choose.”

He nodded and dropped his hand from her.

“Be safe,” he told her, because he wasn’t going to try to choose for her either. If this was what she wanted to do, what she felt she needed to do, then he wouldn’t stop her.

“I’ll see you later,” she said and she slipped toward the front door and disappeared into the dark night beyond. 

[ihaveakoreanseoul]

Shoot Out Part I

Work Count~3.4k. Warnings- None for now!

Hey this is my first fic I hope y’all like it! 😁

It was the darkest of times, but it was in the dark that you found your light.

Juyeon (The Boyz) x Reader

Hyunjin (Stray Kids) x Reader [Next chapter!]

Mafia! AU; Werewolf! AU

The year is 2030, and America has reverted back to a monarchical rule. But the ruler is not a king, a figurehead to represent the glory of the country. No, the tyrant of the times is something much more dangerous, hooded figures that descended upon the people like a plague, and only left when their prey was lying on the concrete, their life pouring out of the slice on their throat, or bullet holes in their chest. It is the mafia, the criminals, the demons who hold the country’s fate in their hands. My name is (Y/N) (L/N), and I know the mafia very well, too well, and this is my story.

It all began on an auspicious day, but not the kind you would think of. The sky was not overcast, there were not raindrops falling from the sky, as if the heavens were mourning. It was my 18th birthday. The sun was peering over the clouds, as if to timidly wish me well, and all flowers in the city seemed to be blooming fuller than the day before. For the first time in what seemed like forever, I woke up for class with energy, which had never happened before without the aid of copious amounts of caffeine. I primped as one normally does on their birthday, with the feeling that of any day of the year, I should at least look presentable on the day dedicated to my existence.

Instead of taking a motor-scooter as I often would, I decided to take a stroll to class. I attend University of Chicago, which compared to the rest of the city, feels like a haven for intellectuals and pacifists. With Chicago being one of the largest cities in the country, its connections to the underground world of the mafia ran deep. Even a step off of campus would make my shoulders tremble with fear, and my eyes constantly dart over my surroundings. But here on campus, my heart was light as I practically floated to class.

As soon as I took a step into the classroom, my classmates immediately started the obligatory birthday greetings. Calls of “Happy Birthday (Y/N)!”, “Wow I can’t believe you’re 18!”, “Have any special plans for today?” all rang through the room. I smiled widely in return, and then scurried to my seat to see my best friends. “Hey guys!” I cheerfully came up behind my two best friends, and slung my arms over their shoulders.

“Hey girl!” Amanda said as she spun around to give me a hug, “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks! But the more important subject… Are you ready to party tonight?” I was practically bouncing with excitement. Ever since the mafia had started their rule, the drinking age was lowered to 18, so they could try to increase the sales on the alcohol industry that they owned. My friends were older than me, so they had already scouted most of the clubs and town, and had decided which one would be suitable for my introduction to the clubbing world.

“I’ve never been so ready in my life,” my other friend Jessica called out, “I am so ready to see this one wasted.”

“Jessica!” I scolded exasperatedly, “I’m not looking to wake up tomorrow with my head over the toilet, so don’t expect too much.”

“The mood killer as always, (Y/N),” she shoots back.

I flash a bright smile, and pinch her cheeks while I respond in a sing-songy voice, “You know it! That's why you love me.”

“You wish,” she sent a playful glare my way as she batted my hands away from her face.

I just giggled and response, and at that moment the professor walked in.

“Good morning class!” our professor called out, which was met with muttered responses from some students. “Today we are going to discuss….” and it was at this moment that I began to zone out, excitement for tonight cluttering my mind. It went on this way until I saw a hand snapping in my face. I shook my head, being awakened from my thoughts.

“(Y/N), girl, you were out for like the entire class. Did you even hear anything the professor said?” Jessica said, baffled.

“Honestly though Jessica,does it even matter? She’s going to get the best grade out of all of us on the test anyway” Amanda shot back.

“Okay, fair enough.” Jessica responded.

“Well now that class is over, do you guys want to go get some celebratory lunch?“

“Sorry girl I’ve got a test in like an hour, and I totally don’t know what I’m doing.”  Amanda said sheepishly.

“Sorry same goes for me, but I’ll definitely see you tonight I’m super excited!”

“I totally get that, don’t worry about it. Since it’s still light outside I think I’m going to head into the city for some lunch!”

Then with some hurried goodbyes and excited chatter about the night ahead of us, we were all off to our separate plans.

I decided to go to my favorite restaurant in town, local Korean joint run by some lovely Korean natives. It was not too far from campus, so I decided to walk there. Even though it was the middle the day, there were still people on the streets that normally would belong in the dark shadows of the night. So, I kept my head down and my mace in my hand.

I finally arrived at the restaurant, and cheerfully walked in to greet the owners who felt almost like family at this point. “Oh (Y/N) we’re so excited that you decided to come! Please come have a seat, do you want the usual?” The old woman who own the restaurant with her husband began to lead me back to the table that I almost always sat at.

“How could I ever get anything else? Spicy rice cakes are just too good to pass up! Although maybe I’ll have some bulgogi too?”

“Dear, what’s the occasion? Did you get paid today?”

“No, but it is a very special day!”

“Don’t tell me it’s your birthday?“ I nodded excitedly. “Well then of course it’s on the house today! Oh my are you really 18 already?”

“Yeah isn’t that crazy? It feels like only yesterday I was still starting high school, and now I’m already a freshman in college!”

“I’m so excited for you dear! Let me go get your food started so you can have a lovely birthday lunch!”

Just says she turned to leave, I heard the jingle of the bells hanging on the door. Then, a large group of boys who looked to be around my age walked in.

“Hello grandmother!“ One of them said. The woman looked back to them and I can almost see a twinge of fear in her eyes. She gave him a slight bow and replied, “Hello, young sirs,” In a fearful but respectful manner. She then looked back at me and I could see her hands shaking. “Be wary of those boys, young lady, they are not the kind of people you should become involved with.” She quickly hurried to the kitchen as if she was afraid of these teenage boys. With her words my curiosity awoke, and that’s where the problem began.

As soon as I not so subtly glanced over, My eyes met those of one of the supposedly dangerous boys. Immediately, I felt a flush burn across my cheeks. His eyes were dark, and filled with unanswered questions and rampant emotions, burning like a wildfire. Time stopped, and my vision was filled with nothing but his fiery stare. And then I saw his lips twitch into a smirk as if he knew the power that his eyes held over me. Then, I saw him breathe in deeply through his nose, as if he could smell my scent from across the room. His beautiful burning eyes fluttered closed almost as if in ecstasy.

After my momentary lapse in sanity, I gulped in a breath, as if I had forgotten how to breathe, and I tilted my head down, to let my hair act as a curtain from his brazen stare. I could hear a faint chuckle from across the room, as if he found my sudden shyness amusing. I bristled at the thought of being a source for his amusement, but my desperation for a good birthday lunch overpowered my need to speak up. Soon after I heard the owner come out of the kitchen, bringing me some potstickers for an appetizer.

“Here you are dear. Just a little something to take care of your hunger before the meal comes out. I should’ve known that it was your birthday with how lovely you look today!”

Just then the table of boys called her over, ready to order. They went around the table all ordering copious amounts of different food, I didn’t even recognize some of them. When she got to fire eyes, he simply looked over to me, I could feel his eyes burning into me, and said “I’ll have whatever princess is having.”

The moment those words came out of his mouth, my head shot up, and I audibly gasped. This boy, very attractive boy, who I had never spoken to, and made brief but very intimate eye contact with, had called me princess? He smiled over at me, a full beautiful smile that lit up his entire face as well as the space surrounding him. It was just then that I took in his other features, all equally as attractive as his eyes. His sharp nose, high cheekbones, and full lips all drew me in like a magnet.

The only issue at the moment was the fact that he thought it was acceptable to call me princess. We had not spoken a single word to each other, but he felt entitled enough to give me a pet name like that. I resented the fact that guys thought that calling a woman “babygirl” or “princess” would make them instantaneously fall into bed. I scoffed at the thought and furiously got up to go to the bathroom, and pray that when I came back out, this man who made my heart flutter and pound would be a part of my imagination.

As I stomped off, I could hear his friends begin to laugh at him, and his failed attempt to hit on me, in all honesty, though, I probably would run straight into his arms if he smiled again. He made me feel strangely alive as if all my feelings were more potent and all my senses more powerful. I went to the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. There was a flush on my face that not even my makeup could hide. I found my face and took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm my frazzled nerves and fluttering heart.

After a few minutes of trying to even out my breaths, I finally decided to face the embarrassing situation that was awaiting me. With one final deep breath, I made my way out to my table and sat down in a different seat from before, facing away from the mysterious boy. When I sat down, I could hear murmurs coming from the boisterous group of boys.

Soon after, the owner brought out my food, and I could tell she had brought out far more than just the dishes I ordered. “Oh, you shouldn’t have, there’s no way that I’ll be able to eat all this delicious food!”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head about it, dear, we will just pack up the extras for you so you have some good food for later!”

“You are too kind to me!”

“I don’t get to see your sunshine smile very often, and it always cheers me up when I do!”

“Thank you so much!”

“You are very welcome, and dear? And I meant what I said about those boys earlier,” she said in a whispered voice. “They are dangerous.”

“I believe you, and I don’t plan on letting that one get anywhere near me,” I replied, nodding my head towards fire eyes. However much he made my heart flutter, I would not so easily get caught in the trap of a playboy like that, he would surely break my heart.

After making that comment, I heard something from across the room that almost resembled the growl of a wild animal. I shot straight out of my seat, scanning the room frantically, looking for the source of the sound. However, I was shocked when no one else in the room seemed alarmed.

I looked over the owner, ”Did you hear that? What was that noise? It sounded like a puppy.” As soon as those words came out of my mouth the entire table of boys began to laugh hysterically, all but fire eyes.

“I think it was just the heater or something, dear, you know, this building is quite old. Even after she said this, I was still skeptical, the sound was something far less mechanical and more primal than some old appliance.

Still, I sat back down, and began to taste all the foods the owner had set out before me. She very obviously knew my tastes, as all the dishes were relatively spicy and very delicious. Soon after, I saw the owner come out bringing a tray full of dishes and then going back to get another two, for the table of boys.

While I was eating, I could feel a weight on my back, as if someone was staring at me intently. I had a feeling it was “princess” boy who was doing the staring, however, I did not want to glance back, with the chance our eyes would meet again. I hurriedly ate my meal, to escape the uncomfortable tension in the restaurant.

“Oh ma’am would you mind giving me some to go boxes and the check as well?“ I glanced down at my watch, “I have a class coming up soon I’m so sorry.” In reality, my class wasn’t really for another two hours, but I still felt the stares of the boys across the room, and made my spine tingle uncomfortably.

“Of course dear!” She then grabbed my plates and took them back to be packed. I felt so vulnerable with the feeling of many eyes on me, so I curled my body in on itself for protection. I tapped my feet on the ground, every second feeling like hours. I had always been a relatively introverted person, so the feeling of so many pairs of eyes on me made my skin crawl.

Just then, I heard the sound of a chair scraping across the floor, somehow I could sense someone approaching me from behind. When they slid into the seat across from me, I was surprised to see that the boy sitting across from me was not fire eyes, but one of his friends. He had red hair and a cute little smile that made him appear good-natured. “Hi there! I’m Kevin.”

I looked at him for a moment, wondering if he was going to continue, perhaps with the reason that he came to talk to me, but after a few moments of silence, I responded with “Hi! I’m (Y/N). How are you?”

“I’m good.” He winked at me, then proceeded to lean across the table and put his lips close to my ear. I immediately flinched back, but when I heard him begin to whisper, I was too curious to pull away. “I’m sure you’ve noticed, but my friend over there is pretty interested in you, but he’s too much of a scaredy-cat to act on it, so I thought I’d give him motivation.”

I let out a giggle, amused by the thoughts, ideas, and maturity level of teenage boys. I never could quite understand how their brains work. I then leaned in closer to him and with my lips close to his ear, I said, “And why should I help you with that?” He leaned back and let out a full bodied laugh, that made his eyes scrunch up with happiness. He then leaned in closer, his eyes peering into mine as he said, “You’re too cute.”

Right after the words left his mouth I could see his eyes flicker up to the space over my shoulder as his mouth curled into a smirk. I felt a hand wrap around the wrist of my hand that was propping up my chin. All of a sudden my body felt warm, the warmth beginning at my wrist and then moving through my whole body. I looked up and was staring into the burning eyes of the boy who had me so flustered. Before I could utter a word to him, I was being yanked out of my seat and onto my feet.

He pulled me through the restaurant and out the door, and over into a little alley next to the restaurant. As soon as he let go of my wrist to take his fingers through his hair in a frustrated manner, I took off back towards the restaurant, hoping that if I could make it back, he would have to leave me alone. I didn’t make it but a couple feet before I felt his hand on my wrist pulling my back.

“Please, just…” he let out a strangled breath, “please, just wait a minute so I can calm down, please.” His deep voice washed over me in waves, and subconsciously I felt the need to relieve him of the distress he was in. Without thinking, I brought my hand up to his face and placed my palm on his cheek. When he slightly nuzzled his face into my hand, I caressed my thumb over his cheekbone. I could hear his breathing begin to calm, and as he became less distraught, my head came down from the clouds.

I began to panic. I wondered if this guy I had just met would think I was easy, but even if he did, why should I care? I quickly retracted my hand from his face and in an uneasy voice, said, “Oh my lord, I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to… well I mean I did but I don’t know why I did. You must think I’m so creepy, but wait, you’re the one who dragged me out here, so doesn’t that make you the creepy one? Maybe we’re just both weird. That’s probably it. Anyway, I’m going to get going on my merry way, it was nice… well nice being dragged by you. Bye!” I send him a little wave and briskly begin to walk away. Just then an arm reaches across the space in front of me and lands on the wall beside me, trapping me in.

I spun around, facing the mystery man with a puzzled look on my face.

“I’m sorry, do you need something?” I ask in a quizzical voice.

“Yeah,” he breathed out, and the beautiful raspy timbre of his voice finally hit me, full force, “I need you.”

I let out an awkward and forced laugh “Well, I’m sorry but I’ve been in awful high demand lately so I guess you’ll have to get on the waiting list,” I said in an overly sarcastic tone of voice.

“I mean it,” he said leaning in close to my face, “You can’t even begin to understand the depth of what I feel for you.”

“Yeah, I really couldn’t, due to the fact that I just met you!” I said, the volume of my voice increasing as I spoke. I was growing more and more uncomfortable by the second, uncomfortable because I didn’t know this boy who supposedly needed me, and uncomfortable because I somehow felt that I needed him too.

I raised my eyes and they immediately locked on his. I felt the walls around my heart weakening and that flood of vulnerability brought with it the pain of emotions. I knew from that moment, the course of my life had changed forever.

“I’m Juyeon.”

“(Y/N).”

[pinkchaosart]

In response to Mr. Prager

If you haven’t seen it, this is the video that this essay is in response to

So, obviously I disagree with this video. Let’s go through it: welcome to my ted talk.

1. Universities - First of all, let’s get this out of the way: just because one professor has an opinion about his school becoming a “laughing stock,” doesn’t mean that all education is going down the tubes. In reality, more people of colour and women are being educated than ever before. Kids are graduating high school more than ever, and education is more accessible than ever, at least according to the National Centre for Education Statistics. I don’t know if Mr. Prager has ever been to a modern, public university, but the only people that shut down vs debate are people who are not open to new ideas, who feel overwhelmed and persecuted because their opinion isn’t the only one in the school. Also, Christopher Columbus (pictured in the video as a pillar of education) was a genocidal lunatic. He murdered the Tainos people, didn’t discover America, and didn’t prove the earth was round. Go read about that.

2. The Arts - “The primary purpose of art was to elevate people.” I don’t know if there is a single time in human history when this stands true. This is a topic I’ve personally studied and so I’m going to tell you that, for most of human history, the primary purpose of art was for the rich to show off their money. Portraits were paid for by wealthy people to immortalize themselves. Selfie culture who? I also want to point out that, in the animation in the video, an example of “classic art” given is a painting by Monet, a modern artist who’s work was seen as shocking at the time due to it’s non-photorealism. The only reason we see it as beautiful now is because of time and the art prestige classifying it as such. I would also like to point out that the urinal in the next bit of the video was actually “made” around the same point in time. By no means is it something anyone would consider a current piece of art. I would also like to point out that Mr. Prager is being a hypocrite here, employing the imagery of “urine and feces” for shock value, the very thing he had just criticized. Pablo Picasso said, “What do you think an artist is? ...he is a political being, constantly aware of the heart breaking, passionate, or delightful things that happen in the world, shaping himself completely in their image. Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war.” Art isn’t for beauty, it’s all politics, war, sex and money.

3. Literature - “The English department of the university of Pennsylvania replaced the portrait of the greatest English writer who ever lived, William Shakespeare, with a picture of a black lesbian poet.” Yes they did, and that poet’s name is Audre Lorde. First, William Shakespeare’s work is not prestigious. His work was not considered refined when it was produced. It’s full of lewd and ridiculous jokes. “Much ado about nothing” roughly translates to “everyone wants the pussy”. “Nothing” was slang back then for vagina. But let’s go back to Lorde. Mr. Prager said that they replaced Shakespeare with her because they value diversity over excellence. What he’s implying is that Lorde is not worth revering, despite being a very important writer of her time, five thousand times more serious than Shakespeare ever was, and her writings are much deeper than Prager gives her credit for. In fact, he gave her no credit, didn’t even say her name.

4. Late-night television - “In America, late-night shows were completely apolitical” This is completely wrong. Late night TV started in the 1940-50’s, and often they were based on politically charged comedy, just like they are now.

5. Religion - “In many churches and synagogues, one is more likely to hear the clergy talk about political issues than about any other subject, including the Bible.” First of all, I would like to point out that political issues were what Jesus mostly talked about. “Love your neighbour” was a direct comment at the racism Jews experienced and held towards others. “Turn the other cheek” was about how to make your aggressor look like a total jerk. What is the point of church if not to give people usable tools in our modern world? That’s what Jesus did. I would also like to point out that, again, this is Prager’s opinion, and it’s clear what kind of content he thinks should be taught.

6. Freedom of Speech: “Yet the whole point of free speech is that it allows people to express any political or social position, including what any one of us considers hate speech.” Except that it doesn’t. Freedom of speech is described: “everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference” by the International Human Rights Law, but it also states that the rights carry “special duties and responsibilities” and are “therefore ....subject to certain restrictions ... for respect of the rights or reputation of others ....or the protection of national security of public order or of public health or morals.” Freedom of speech is not absolute, and common boundaries are hate speech, food labeling, pornography, obscenity, slander, copyrights, etc. I would also like to point out that him arguing to be allowed to use hateful words is pointing out the obvious: that he hates us, ie: people that he describes in or agrees with this video.

7. Race - “America has become the least racist multiracial society in world history” ding dong, this is so unbelievably wrong. Let’s talk about “systemic racism” for a minute. This isn’t some “angry diatribe,” but a legitimate and historically accurate concern. It is a form of racism expressed in the practice of social and political institutions, reflected in disparities regarding wealth, income, criminal justice, employment, housing, health care, political power, and education, among others. It is a reality that millions of North Americans (yes, Canada’s not clean on this issue) experience daily. For example, Caucasian people and black people consume the same amount of pot on a national scale. Black people are way more likely to be arrested and receive convictions for it. In America, once you receive a criminal conviction, you are no longer able to vote. So even though equal amounts of white and black people use marijuana, black people are arrested and convicted (and therefore cannot vote) because of a system designed to take away their voice. Let’s also touch on the “red lining” from a half-century ago which allowed banks to not lend money to people of colour which created ghettos, which is now home to an overwhelmingly poor and coloured population. That’s systemic oppression and it has been going on for decades. Mr. Prager is the epitome of White Privilege. I’m as white as he is and even I can see that this man hasn’t had to question his good fortune a day in his life and instead chooses to blame others for not “working hard enough” even though they’ve worked harder than he ever has.

8. The Boy Scouts - “They’re not even the Boy Scouts anymore, they’re just the Scouts. The left forced them to admit girls” - So? “The Boy Scouts have helped shape tens of millions of boys into independent and strong good men.” Okay, so wouldn’t you want your girls to grow up strong and independent? How is adding MORE PARTICIPANTS destroying the Scouts exactly?

9. Male-Female - “In New York City, parents do not have to select male or female on a newborn’s birth certificate.” Again, so what? How is that going to affect anyone other than that family. Also, designations of gender at birth on a certificate aren’t set in stone, they can be changed later. It’s not a big deal. Allowing a child to grow up unrestricted in gender norms, won’t create confused people. Letting your boys play with dolls isn’t going to make them want to be a girl, and letting your daughter roll around in the dirt won’t make her a lesbian. Mass confusion doesn’t just happen because of an “x” on a birth certificate.

“America is only bad compared to Utopia.” No, America is bad in comparison to most other first-world countries. The only thing that America excels in is making war. It spends billions of dollars occupying other countries while its people can’t afford health care, food, education, and other basic human rights.

What i find really interesting about this video is that it is completely his opinion. There’s no facts or sources given, he’s chosen his quotes very carefully (even taken them out of context), and I have to conclude that a video like this is only meant to drive the “us vs them” mentality. At it’s best this philosophy is unhealthy, at it’s worst it can kill millions of people and has started countless wars. Mr. Prager isn’t well-educated on most of what he’s talked about. He has an undergraduate in Middle Eastern Studies. Everything else he’s studied appears to be related to orthodox religions. He hasn’t done his research, got some of the most basic ideas completely wrong, and nobody should be listening to a word he has to say on any of the topics he’s talked about in this video.

As someone who used to go to a radical church and was part of the “us vs them” mentality for a number of years, I know that my words aren’t going to change many people’s minds. But what I will say is that we have more in common than we have differences. He said he wants us to debate, so here’s a rebuttal. You can have your opinion but only if you can defend it (not using religious texts). Videos like this are just dividing our culture even more than it already is. My uncle referred to “leftists” as vultures. How awful is that? To dehumanize people so extremely is a great first step to calling for their destruction.

Just ask your German Jewish friends, Mr. Prager.

[darlingpetao3]

The Descendant Materialization (Barry Allen x Reader)

Rating: G

Summary: In a universe where you, the Reader, are National City’s very own Supergirl (and dating the ever-dashing Flash), a surprise arises when one of your descendants accidentally travels back in time to your present day…

Pow! Boom! Shazzam!

Ok, you really had to stop making sound effects in your head when tripping up and disarming criminals. But what you find especially amusing was how confident these bank robbers had seemed in the beginning. Even when you dropped down in front of them with your suit’s family emblem staring back at them, they simply laughed. As if being Supergirl didn’t mean anything to them.

Well, maybe if the citizens of National City didn’t give you such a girly superhero name they wouldn’t find you so funny.

Bam! Pew! Who’s laughing now, boys?

The man with the duffle bag full of cash grabs a civilian woman and points his gun at her.

“Careful, girl scout! Or the broad gets it!” You put your hands up as if to say, whoa now.

“Okay, okay. Relax, be cool,” you try to calm him down. “Just hand over the nice lady.”

“And you’ll let me run?”

“Sure.”

“Really?”

“Why not?”

“It’s just, that’s not really your thing.”

“Are we gonna talk about it all day or do you want to get a head start? Because you’ll need it.” Before the robber can think too much about it, he shoves the lady into you and makes a dash down the street. You know he won’t get very far.

Three… Two… One. A blur of red leaving yellow lighting trails darts by you, causing your hair to blow wildly. A smile curls on your lips. Taking a big leap, you land in front of the robber and his red-masked subduer.

“Well, Flash, fancy seeing you here,” you say in a voice coated with hints of an inside joke.

“Supergirl. What a pleasant surprise,” he replies. You look at the defeated crook.

“Told ya you’d need that head start.”

After the righteous takedown, you return home to your apartment in Midtown National City (in regular citizen clothes once again). Waiting in the elevator, you push your glasses up the bridge of your nose into place. When the elevator reaches your floor, you look down the hallway to see a male body leaning against your door checking his phone. You walk up to him and wrap your arms around him.

“Hi, Bare.” You kiss his cheek. He slides his phone into his back pocket and wraps you in his arms.

“Hey,” he grins. “You were great earlier.”

“Me? You’re the one who whizzed by and snatched the guy up!”

“But you giving him false hope of getting away? And saving that woman with your wit? Priceless!” You both laugh as you open the door to your loft apartment. Even though Barry has his own place on the other side of town, he still practically lives with you. Throwing yourself down on the couch, Barry follows suite and snuggles up next to you.

“I feel like I could eat the entirety of supplies from all the Big Belly Burgers in the city,” you say dramatically. Barry kisses the back of your head.

“I’ll go pick us up some grub,” he offers. “The usual?” You nod. “Be back in a flash!” Before you scoff at the bad pun, he has already returned with take-out bags.

“Barry!”

“What? That was funny.”

You seriously have the best boyfriend.

As Barry unpacks the food, his and your phone start going off. You answer yours as you drool over the fast food spread out in front of you.

“(Y/N), you gotta get down here.” It’s Winn. “There’s something you have to see.” His tone is strange. Not quite urgent, but sort of weirded out.

“Winn, what’s going on? Is there trouble?” You shoot a look to Barry, on the phone with who you’re assuming is Cisco. It sounds like they’re having a similar conversation.

“Not trouble…”

“We’re on our way.”

You fly at top speed to the DEO. What could it be now? Another alien attack? More high-priority superhumans on the loose? Whatever it was, you were ready.

You arrive at the building the exact second Barry does. Damn. You thought you had him beat this time. The DEO crew all stands in a huddle at the other end of the room. You stride over to them.

“Hey!” you call out to them. “What’s going on?” All heads turn at the sound of your voice.

“You’ll never guess. Like ever,” Winn teases.

“What was the call about?” Barry asks, very confused by all the secret keeping.

“Dude, I know it’s way too early, but congratulations,” Cisco says patting him on the back. Barry and you share a WTF? glance.

“What-?” The gang’s huddle opens up and reveals a beautiful long legged girl, possibly in her late teens. Long hair, bright eyes. And when she lays eyes on you and Barry, the girl’s face lights up like a Christmas tree. She walks up to both of you and wraps her arms around you in a big group hug. This pretty teen kind of looks familiar, but you don’t know why. Who is this? Should I know her?

“You both look so young!” she squeals with joy.

“Sorry, um, who might you be, exactly?” you ask her.

“I’m Ellie. Ellie Allen. Your daughter!”

Okay, maybe you weren’t ready. If your expression is anything like Barry’s, you’re wide-eyed and mouth left agape. You look around at your friends for help, an explanation. Anything.

“Dibs on godfather!” yells Cisco.

Winn argues, “Hey, so not fair!”

“What’s Back to the Future?”

“Oh my God!” Cisco shouts. “Barry, (Y/N), you’ve already officially failed at becoming parents.”

“I think what Cisco is trying to say, Ellie, is that it’s not good for someone to know too much about their future,” Barry tries to explain. “And, no offence, you might be that ‘too much.‘”

“I’m sorry, Dad,” she apologizes. Whoa. That was a shock to the system. “When I ended up here, I didn’t know what to do. But then when I learned what year it was, I remembered you guys telling me you used to work for the DEO together when you were younger. So I came here.”

J'onn steps in with the question, “And how exactly did you come to be here in this time?”

“Training exercise gone wrong, apparently. See, my teammate slash rival has teleportation powers and I guess when she blasted them at me she overshot by many years.”

“What kind of training exercise are we talking about?” you ask. Ellie looks at you with so much awe and love. It completely blows your mind how much she looks like both you and Barry at once. Ellie giggles.

“Oh! I guess you wouldn’t know, yet! Watch this!” In a split second your daughter has left and returned, having placed a single flower in everyone’s hair (except for J'onn, who had one in his shirt pocket). You are even more stunned.

“You’re a Speedster,” you remark.

“That’s right!” Ellie says brightly. “Just like my old man. But don’t worry Mom, I have some of your awesome powers, too.” Her eyes grow red and the beams of light melt a potted plant in half, creating a mess.

“Oops.”

“Clean up on aisle twelve!” Winn shouts enthusiastically.

“Yo, that’s dope,” Cisco admires.

“Anyway, as much as I’d like to live in this retro time, I need to get back. I just don’t know how to go about it…”

“I might know a guy,” Barry says. At that, you and him escort Ellie to the lower levels of the DEO where the company’s resident scientists, Harrison Wells and Caitlin Snow, run experiments, tests, and come up with new tech. The two heads in the room look up from their respective works.

“Barry, (Y/N),” Caitlin greets. “Who have you brought with you?”

“This is Ellie,” you introduce. “She’s our- our-”

“She’s our daughter,” Barry finishes. The room is silent.

“How is that possible?” Ellie goes on to fill Caitlin in on what happened. Harrison slowly approaches your daughter and extends a hand for her to shake.

“Harrison Wells. Pleasure to meet you, Ellie.” He examines her face, then Barry’s, then yours. “Truly remarkable,” he marvels at the time travelling anomaly that is your teenage daughter.

“We need to get her back to her time,” you say.

“Do you think you can help me?” Ellie asks. Harrison makes a thinking gesture with his index finger and thumb over his mouth.

“Absolutely,” he says. “But first, Miss Allen, if I have the permission of your parents, I’d like to run a few tests…”

For the next few days, the members of the DEO are bustling around with the new task of trying to send Ellie home. Especially Cisco, Caitlin, Wells, and Winn (or as you sometimes call them, C2W2). In the meantime, while the crew works on creating a sort of time portal, Ellie stays with you and Barry at your apartment. It is the most bizarre thing in the world to live with your daughter who isn’t technically even born yet. At first, it was awkward, no doubt. But after awhile, things started to smooth out. She really was an extraordinary girl. You and Barry were clearly going to be very lucky parents.

Towards the middle of the week, Ellie appears to be getting antsy, so you decide to take her along with you to CatCo. A sort of secret take-your-daughter-to-work-day, but of course, you introduce her as your cousin. You show her your latest article and she’s thrilled with your piece. She even mentions she has an interest in the field and was totally acing her writing class in school back in her time.

Atta girl!

After hearing about her CatCo experience with you, Barry wants in on the parent-daughter action and takes her to the National City Police Department to work a case the following day. You get to hear from Ellie later on about how cool it was surveying a crime scene.

“She’s got a great eye,” Barry praises.

“What a talent,” you agree. Ellie beams back at you both. But then her eyes flick to the TV and becomes distracted. What is she looking at…

It’s breaking news. A high-speed car chase on the freeway heading out of the city. Inside the vehicle? Thirty million dollars worth of jewelry. You and Barry stand up at the same time, tense.

“Ready to go, Bare?”

“Always.”

“I’m coming, too!” Ellie insists.

“No.” The word was said in unison.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” she protests.

“No, we’re not,” Barry says sternly. “You stay here.”

“Okay, well, I guess I’ll just…” Zip. She’s gone.

“Your daughter just disobeyed us!” you cry.

“Oh, so because she acted out, she’s my daughter,” Barry half jokes. “Let’s go.” Barry bolts away while you tear off your clothes to reveal your super-suit and fly out your window. Below you, Barry’s a red blur on the highway heading north-west. Keeping your top speed, you’re positive you can reach the speeding jewel thief before he reaches the city limits. Except… up ahead the police have the thief surrounded. He’s now in handcuffs! How-?

Ellie, that’s how.

You touch down on the ground just as she calls out to the thief, “Nice try, scumbag!” Barry shows up behind you and his hand finds your shoulder.

“She definitely picked up snarky comments and name-calling criminals from you.”

After about two weeks, you receive word that the DEO Labs team has finally finished the portal project. Something of this magnitude, you had expected it to take much longer than it did. Then again, the project was conducted by world genius Harrison Wells, so anything was possible with him at the helm. You knew Ellie had to get back home, but a part of you wished she wasn’t leaving already.

The portal hums the moment Cisco switches it on. Everyone groups together to say goodbye to your daughter, hugs and all. You hear Cisco reminding her to watch Spielberg’s time travelling adventure when she gets back. After Barry gets a little misty eyed saying his farewells, it’s your turn, and you hug Ellie tight in your arms. You aren’t sure what to say.

“Take care of yourself, my girl,” is what comes out.

“I will, Momma.” She lets go and addresses you and Barry one final time. “Dad, twelve year old me will beg for a puppy. All I ask is to just think about it. You have over twenty years to mull it over. And Mom- If, let’s just say, hypothetically in the future I happen to accidentally destroy your favourite vase. Go easy on me, please?” Ellie advances toward the portal, but not before giving the room a little wave.

“See you… later?” Her laugh that follows it almost makes you choke up.

You dreaded saying goodbye to Ellie. But you can’t wait to say hello to her again someday.

~

Anonymous Request: If you watch Supergirl and The Flash, would you mind doing an imagine where the reader is Supergirl and she and The Flash are a crime-fighting duo and are dating and know about each other’s secret identies, S.T.A.R. Labs doesn’t exist and Cisco, Caitlin, and Harrison Wells work with the DEO, and their daughter is a speedster from the future and she accidentally ran back in time while doing a training excerise with her team and the gang has to help her get back to her time?

[mandibierly]

History's 'SIX': 5 Things to Know About the Navy SEAL Drama Starring Walton Goggins

Jaylen Moore, Kyle Schmid, Barry Sloane, Walton Goggins, Raba, Edwin Hodge, Donny Boaz (Credit: History)

In History’s drama series SIX, premiering Jan. 18, Justified‘s Walton Goggins stars as Richard “Rip” Taggart, a former Navy SEAL Team Six leader turned gun-for-hire who’s captured by Boko Haram alongside the students and teacher of a girls’ school in Nigeria. The men formerly under his command, now led by his protégé, Barry Sloane’s Joe “Bear” Graves, request the rescue mission.

Yahoo TV spoke separately with Goggins and David Broyles, a military special operations vet who co-created the series with his father, screenwriter William Broyles Jr. (Jarhead, Apollo 13), to discuss the heart of the eight-episode season. Here are five things you need to know going in.

1. The story isn’t just about the rescue mission. “It’s about the SEAL family and the home family and the push and pull between those families,” David says. As opposed to most soldiers who go on long deployments, “These guys will go on missions like other people go on business trips,” he says. “One day they will be at a fertility clinic and then 24 hours later, they’ll be parachuting into an ocean to take down a terrorist. After they do that, they’re back home 24 hours later. It’s the challenge of maintaining both worlds when you’re crossing between them so often and so viscerally.”

Showing the home lives of the SEALs offers a full picture. “A lot of these movies and shows about SEALs show them as superheroes,” David says. “We get to see them as the Michael Jordans of special operations: We see them play the game and they’re shooting three-pointers, they’re dunking from the free-throw line, but we don’t get to see what happens before and after that. To me, that does a disservice to the men and their families because they’re not superheroes and they’re not bulletproof. They’re human and they have these issues they deal with that we could recognize. Our goal was to humanize them and show that they are people like us doing an incredible job under extraordinarily challenging circumstances, and to me, that’s always what made them heroic.”

Ricky “Buddha” Ortiz (Raba) kisses his daughter (Credit: Brownie Harris/History)

2. The price SEALs pay is explored. The series begins two years before Rip’s kidnapping, when he’s still with the team and crosses a line on a mission in Afghanistan. “He loses a sense of who he is and what he represents and what he was fighting for,” David says. “He needs to rediscover his identity. The way he does that is through the innocence of these school girls and Na’omi [their teacher, played by Nondumiso Tembe]. Of course, the irony is that he thinks he’s saving Naomi and the girls, but really, they end up saving him.”

That slow journey is what attracted Goggins, who replaced Joe Manganiello in the role of Rip after Manganiello fell ill early during filming. As Goggins remembers, when he first spoke with David, Bill, and fellow executive producer/writer Bruce C. McKenna (Band of Brothers, The Pacific), they told him Rip had done some “questionable things.”

“I said, ‘Rip is a war criminal. You can say what you want to say, but that’s what he is, so let’s start from the truth. Let’s start from that point and how did he get there, and what is his emotional state when you meet him, and ultimately where do you want to take him. For me, I want to go on a journey of personal redemption and one that takes into consideration the havoc that war has reaped on his soul.’ They were more than willing to go there,” Goggins says. “I felt like I could honor the men and women in our armed forces if I could capture, for a moment, the isolation and the anger and the frustration that they feel, and when no one’s looking, the regret or the remorse or the jubilation. If I could effectively communicate this complex series of emotions that I might be able to do some good — that a man or a woman who has served this country might, for a minute, watch this show and think, ‘You know what? I felt like him. He’s speaking to me right now.’ That’s really what I wanted to do. … I think the conversation has to center around what the theater of war can do to a human being. I felt like that’s the way that I could add to this conversation. It became very, very personal to me and a real opportunity to, in some ways, bring about a little bit of healing for someone.”

Dominic Adams as Michael Nasry (Credit: History)

3. As important as it was to honor and humanize the SEALs, it was also important that the show’s main “villain” — the Muslim-American terrorist, Michael (Dominic Adams), who has a personal reason for wanting to reach captive Rip himself — have a similar depth as the season approaches its final hours. “These are all people and we’re operating where there is no black and white. Things are complex and complicated, and it does extend to Michael,” David says. “We believe an audience is hungry for that kind of provocative, challenging television.”

Goggins agrees. “I said to [producers], ‘The story is the most important thing to me, and I can tell you right now that if Michael’s journey is not just as important as Rip’s journey, then we have failed. It will just be another piece of propaganda. But if we can humanize the other person on the ideological spectrum, if we can look at him and treat him as respectfully as we treat Rip and the Navy SEALs, then we will have done something that very few people have the courage to do,” he says. “Michael is very similar to Rip: He is a person fighting his own ideological war, and when you take the politics out of it, you take religion out of it, he’s a human being in the world affected by what his own morality dictates that he does. It’s time to examine that.”

That’s why we’ll see Michael and Rip have lengthy discussions. “There are multiple conversations between Rip and Michael, and there is an episode in particular, episode 7, where you get to see a beginning and a middle and a beautiful end to their story,” Goggins says. “They see each other and they listen to each other in a way that we should all be motivated to do. … I think we collaborated in a way that we all felt like we were doing something bigger than ourselves. That’s how you want to end every day, man.”

4. There is a Muslim-American SEAL, Armin “Fishbait” Khan (Jaylen Moore), who was modeled on David’s late team leader. “It was really important to show that there can be Muslim-American heroes, because I was mentored by one,” David says. “Especially when we’re dealing with a Muslim-American antagonist, it’s important to show that this is a personal choice in either direction.”

Schmid, Sloane, and Raba in character (Credit: Brownie Harris/History)

5. While Goggins only had three days to prep to play Rip (they re-shot the character’s scenes in episodes 1 and 2 and went right into episode 3), the rest of the actors playing SEALs had gone through training together before filming began. How the actors performed informed their roles: “Kyle Schmid [who plays Alex Caulder] was a natural athlete and he took to the training pretty quickly, and that really fit with Caulder’s character, who things come more easily to, so we incorporated that a little bit,” David says. “Barry Sloane, an Englishman, reached his breaking point during the training just like everybody else did, but he pushed through it, and we figured out that Graves is a grinder — he is going to push through kind of like Barry did. And then there’s [Ricky “Buddha”] Ortiz [played by Juan-Pablo Raba], who we always thought was going to be the glue of the team, and Juan-Pablo exemplified that. He was the guy who kept everybody together.”

At that time, David was location scouting in North Carolina (Season 1 was filmed in Wilmington), and he received reports every few hours from the show’s technical advisor, Mitch Hall, a retired Navy SEAL who also worked on the films Zero Dark Thirty and Lone Survivor. One day, Jaylen Moore (aka Fishbait) injured his knee during training and spent hours hopping on one leg and being carried by the others. “I didn’t know if they were going to call their agent and be like, ‘We’ve had it. We’re leaving,'” David says. “We were pushing them to their limits, and one of the things we wanted to see was if they would come together in the face of adversity. The whole goal was to really create the bond and the brotherhood as quickly as possible, and I’ve found personally there’s two ways to do that: One is to maybe get in the boxing ring and trade punches, or two is shared suffering. To hear that they were coming together in that moment with Jaylen was really reassuring. At that point, I knew that they were going to make it.”

SIX premieres Jan. 18 at 10 p.m. on History.

[lesserplaces]

Sure, my back injury has been keeping me off the trails lately, but you can still go hiking for me in the meantime.

EASY

ARAVAIPA CANYON

If you’ve been reading LP for any period of time you know that this is my most favorite place in the world. It’s easy to see why:

  Aravaipa Canyon is the best hike in Arizona. Full stop. And it is super easy. There is only one downside: Permits. Permits are required and can be really hard to come by during spring and fall. However, if your group is small and you’re willing to try the middle of the week you’ve still got a chance.

DISTANCE: 11 mi each way (maximum)

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: In The Heart of Everything, Paradise Found, Aravaipa Canyon: a Love Letter, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Landscape

WET BEAVER CREEK (to BELL CROSSING)

My favorite Sedona alternative, Wet Beaver Creek comes into its own before the crowds arrive with the summer heat. Things are very, very easy for the first couple of miles, but the trail does steepen over the last mile or so before Bell Crossing.

DISTANCE: 3.5 mi each way

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: You’re Killing me Smalls, Getting Better at Getting Better

SYCAMORE CANYON via 144

Sycamore Canyon is 80% as good as West Fork of Oak Creek with 80% fewer people. The first couple hundred yards of this hike are stupid hard, but after that it’s smooth sailing the entire rest of the way.

DISTANCE: 4 mi each way

DETAILS: HikeArizona

WEST CLEAR CREEK (to LAST CROSSING)

Big views. Cool water. Easy walking. West Clear Creek is criminally underrated.

Or, at least it was criminally under rated until the NFS started (wisely) limiting entry to the nearby and ballistically popular Fossil Springs. Usage is up, but few people walk more than a mile from the parking lot.

DISTANCE: 4.5 mi each way

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: The Hike that Wasn’t Supposed to Happen, Spring Fly Fishing West Clear Creek

WEST PINTO to OAK FLAT

Even though the Superstitions butt right up against Phoenix, essentially no-one visits the eastern side of the range. That’s a shame, because the area is chock-full of history, big views, and easy walking.

Remote enough to feel adventurous but easy enough to be attainable,West Pinto, in particular, is a gem. Best of all, in 6 months of constant deer scouting over the fall, we saw a grand total of two other hiking groups.

If that sounds good to you, but you want someone a lot harder, consider side trips up the Campaign

Or Cuff Button Trails, both of which are very picturesque, very steep, and very little used.

But be warned, this is what you’ll feel like going up either of those:

DISTANCE: 2.5 mi each way (to Oak Flat)

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: Ding, Dong, Summer’s Dead, Now, More than Ever, We Need Nature, A Very Superstitions Deer Hunt

HORTON CREEK

  File this one away for “when it gets a little warmer.” This nice easy family hike is perfect for late spring days when Phoenix temperatures are in the low 90s.

DISTANCE: 3.5 mi each way

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: Jack Hears a Who!

MEDIUM

HELL’S HOLE

As the skinniness in this picture indicates, its been a while since I’ve been back to Hell’s Hole. Think of it as Hell’s Gate-lite.

DISTANCE: 5.3 mi each way

DETAILS: HikeArizona

CHIRICAHUA BIG LOOP

I’ve been lucky enough to travel a lot. Tibet, Central America, Europe, I’ve done them all. That being said, the Chiricauhas are one of the most amazing places I’ve seen. Littered with thousands (millions?) of building sized rock spires, the whole place feels like you’re wandering some sort of Flintstones downtown. Unfortunately the Chiricahuas are long way from anywhere, so you are going to want to get the most of your trip. The Big Loop will take you through all the highlights.

DISTANCE: 8.5 mi round trip

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: Rocking the Rocks

HARD

REAVIS RANCH via 109N

Mark my words: the crowds at Reavis Ranch will be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and makes the NFS move to a designated campground system in the Superstitions. Reavis is full. Full all the time. Full of annoying people. All because in the 1800s Reavis himself planted apples. Sweet, but soft, and quite small they are incredible and well worth the hike. Or at least they would be if you could see through the crowds.

Lucky for you though, spring isn’t apple season so most of the riff raff will be off on other hikes. Still, don’t expect to have the place to yourself.

DISTANCE: 9.5 mi each way

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: How ‘Bout Them Apples

  HARD

  BRIGHT ANGEL to INDIAN GARDEN (or PLATEAU POINT)

This is the smart Grand Canyon hike. The reasonable Grand Canyon hike. Sure, its hard, but if you are in somewhat good shape it won’t kill you. I can’t say that for the Grand Canyon hike below.

DISTANCE: 4.5 mi each way to Indian Garden, 6 mi each way to Plateau Point

DETAILS: NPS

LP POSTS: How to Not Go Insane While Hiking the Grand Canyon this Summer, Staircase to Heaven

VERY HARD

HELL’S GATE:

I love Hell’s Gate. It’s beautiful. It’s peaceful. I’ve even heard the fishing is good. However:

So is it worth it?

Yep.

DISTANCE: 7 mi each way

DETAILS: HikeArizona

LP POSTS: Highway to Hell

RIM to RIVER to RIM

Look, NPS tell you explicitly not to do this hike:

And frankly, they’re probably right.

But some of us like doing stupid things. If you are going to go, head down South Kaibab, where the views are better…

…and go up Bright Angel…

…where the hiking is (somewhat) easier.

DISTANCE: 13.7 mi round trip

DETAILS: Backpacker

LP POSTS: There and Back Again

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Max Wilson is a graduate student studying ecology at Arizona State University. He writes here at Lesser Places, occasionally for Backpacker.com, and even more occasionally for scientific journals. You can follow him on twitter @maxomillions.

Where to go hiking right now: Spring 2017 Edition Sure, my back injury has been keeping me off the trails lately, but you can still go hiking for me in the meantime.